Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1143 Explanation of Four Characters
Outside the palace,

In front of the Meridian Gate,
A group of people, dragging their weary steps, arrived at the Meridian Gate. Zhang Jinyu, however, didn't feel tired, but Grand Secretary Gu, being elderly, needed to board the carriage that had come to pick him up after leaving the palace gates to return home.
Who knows,

Just as they reached the carriage, Zhang Jinyu stopped them.

"Your Excellency, why are you in such a hurry? Although the court needs to reopen tomorrow, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs will handle the trial. There is no need to rush. Besides, what do these four words mean?"

He waved the paper in his hand and looked at Meng Li and Feng Yongwen, who were also completely bewildered. Only the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, and Chang Zuo, the vice minister of the Ministry of Justice, stood there motionless.

Perhaps it was because Marquis Luo Yun had pushed him too far, but Grand Secretary Gu flicked his sleeves...
"My lord, some things require you to understand their deeper meaning yourself. It is not appropriate to have someone else do it for you. These four words are just the literal meaning. My lord, please don't be in a hurry."

Before Zhang Jinyu could say anything more, Grand Secretary Gu had already boarded his carriage and slowly left. Immediately afterward, the eldest son Li Chaosheng and Chang Zuo bowed to each other.
"My lord, we have important matters to attend to, so we will take our leave now. As for what is written literally, what Grand Secretary Gu said is exactly what it means. I think it may well be a Taoist truth."

He gave a slight bow, then got into his carriage and left, leaving Zhang Jinyu and the other two standing there staring at each other. Looking at the sky, they realized it was indeed getting late. Zhang Jinyu waved, and a large carriage appeared behind them.
"My lords, shall we travel together for the time being?"

"I'll do as you say, Lord Marquis."

The two nodded and boarded the carriage together, heading east.

As they passed the southwest corner of Qinghu Lake, the eldest son's carriage was heading south. Inside, Chang Zuo, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, had his sleeves gathered and was writing the four characters "Bright Moon and Gentle Breeze" on the carriage wall.
“Young Master, what you just said, those four words are Taoist mantras. I can’t figure out why. But what Elder Gu said, the literal meaning of the words, is perhaps easier to understand.”

What Marquis Luo Yun asked was also what he had in mind, but seeing that the eldest son was walking in a hurry, he could only follow.

"Senior brother, there's no need to rush. What I just said was just a perfunctory remark. 'Bright moon and gentle breeze' means that the bright moon came first, and the gentle breeze came later. The bright moon was written by the retired emperor, and the gentle breeze was added by the emperor. Although it's a title for a Taoist boy, he's still an indispensable person in the Taoist temple. So, my understanding is that it's about saving Xu Changwen's life. In that case, tomorrow's court hearing will be crucial."

Li Chaosheng's expression was resolute. If he really wanted to analyze it, the four words had multiple meanings, and with only one night, there was no time to think about it in detail.

Chang Zuo squinted, thought for a moment, and agreed. But the key was how to save them.

“What the eldest son said makes sense. Since we don’t want to think about it in detail, let’s just do it in a general way. Tomorrow, Chen Hui from the Directorate of Ceremonial will preside over the trial, which will definitely be different from yesterday’s trial. He will stick to his guns and not let go. If that’s the case, how can we refute him?”

To save Xu Changwen's life, sufficient evidence or other connections are needed. One night is too short. Little did they know that the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, already had a plan in mind.

"Then let's break the deadlock and convict Xu Changwen. As the saying goes, 'Put someone in a desperate situation and they will survive.' Since the Emperor Emeritus wants to punish him, then let's put him to death. But we can't let the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs show off. The Ministry of Justice is in charge of those people in Jiangnan. Let's convict them tonight. Some of the eunuchs supervising those five counties in Jiangbei are Chen Gonggong's adopted sons. Let's convict them as the masterminds. The sentencing report will be handed over to Xu Dong, another county magistrate in Jiangnan, so that he can present it to the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor. That way, tsk tsk."

In this way, what they failed to accomplish, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs accomplished. Then, when these memorials were submitted, the emperor would inevitably become suspicious. No matter how the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs explained, as long as the two emperors became suspicious, the power grab by the cabinet would inevitably be suppressed.

“Young Master, how can you guarantee that Xu Dong will go to the Hall of Punishment? If he doesn’t go, wouldn’t it be a waste to give him the memorial?”

Although Chang Zuo understood the key point, he didn't necessarily know how to do it. Did he really want to confront the people from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs in the court of punishment, refusing to give an inch? In doing so, he would expose the conflict between the civil cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs to the public.

"Senior brother, don't be anxious. Since this decision has been made, we must carry it out. Here, we must emphasize the intentions of the Grand Secretariat and the Six Ministries. The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is in charge of the trial. Without our cooperation, how can they conduct the trial? Once you obtain the confession and the case closing document, affix the seal, and it will be an ironclad case. Aren't there some insignificant people sent by the Twenty-Four Bureaus of the Palace and the Imperial Household Department? We can pin them all on them, and they will have no way to defend themselves."

Li Chaosheng smiled, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. His father was frail, and although he had references to many matters, he always drafted the cabinet decisions on his father's behalf. He kept the affairs of the palace and the court to himself. The resurgence of the Li family was just around the corner, and the Jiangnan Provincial Governor would surely be his senior brother Wang.

"Alright, we'll do as the young master says. The case can be closed by the first half of the night. The confessions and records will just need some polishing."

Chang Zuo was not a pedantic person. Once a plan was set, he would definitely prepare everything that needed to be done. The case in Jiangnan had already been prepared by Grand Secretary Song. The case closing documents, as well as the case files and confessions, had been copied many times and were just waiting to be sent to the palace. In that case, we will use them for now.

"Let's not hesitate, let's go now."

With a word of advice, the carriage turned around at the street corner and quickly departed.

This time,
They were spotted by the convoy behind them by Zhang Jinyu and his group. Inside the carriage, Feng Yongwen was still feeling sorry for himself, thinking about his wife and daughters at home, and wondering how he would explain things when he got back. Only Meng Li, after thinking it over and over, lifted the curtain and saw that the eldest son Li Chaosheng's carriage was turning back, which surprised him.
"My lord, brother Feng, the eldest son's carriage is heading back."

A shout instantly drew the attention of everyone in the car. Zhang Jinyu reached out, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked out. Sure enough, the young master's carriage was already heading towards the Ministry of Justice. Considering the trial tomorrow, it was only natural.

"Don't be surprised. They should be returning to the Ministry of Justice. Grand Secretary Song is still lying in the hall. It's only right that they go to see him. It's just that I don't understand these four words. Does it mean 'bright moon,' 'moon,' 'gentle breeze,' or something else?"

He could copy poems and essays, but when it came to classical texts and academic subjects, he was completely lost. As for the true meaning of Taoism, he was simply too ignorant to have explored it.

"My lord, there is no need to be anxious. According to what Grand Secretary Gu said, the bright moon was written by the retired emperor, which naturally refers to a person. The bright moon is Xu Changwen. As the saying goes, the bright moon rising from the sea is an auspicious sign. In addition, the emperor wrote the character 'gentle breeze,' which is a Taoist concept related to the longevity of children. The character 'long' in it refers to Xu Changwen. But at this time, the two sages pointed out Xu Changwen, which is really puzzling."

Zhang Jinyu was somewhat taken aback by what he heard. Just four words, two phrases, yet they could be interpreted in so much detail. This Lord Meng was truly the most capable person in the Censorate. Thinking about it, it made sense; if he could kill, he would have done so long ago. Why all this fuss? Since there was an auspicious omen, the matter was brought up.

"What Lord Meng said has made me suddenly realize that the bright moon rising over the sea, or the moon in the night, illuminating the world, is the Emperor Emeritus praising Xu Changwen. Does this imply that it is indeed an auspicious omen? If it is an auspicious omen, does the Emperor Emeritus intend to give him a break?"

Before he could finish speaking, Feng Yongwen shook his head.
“No, Brother Meng, that’s not right. There is praise in this, but the words ‘bright moon’ have two meanings. One is that the moon is without the sun. The sun is the sage. The word ‘moon’ itself is missing the sun. The Emperor Emeritus is blaming us. In the hearts of the ministers, there is no sovereign. At yesterday’s birthday banquet, no one dared to stand up and rebuke Xu Changwen. The Emperor Emeritus also has this meaning.”

Zhang Jinyu's eyes were filled with amazement. Indeed, having spent so long in the Three Departments, who could compare to him in deciphering these secrets? And what he said was true: the bright moon, one with more sun, one with less sun—isn't the sun the sage of daytime?

"According to Lord Feng, the second meaning is to convict Xu Changwen and execute him in the autumn."

It is said that the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on the 15th of August, but the full moon falls on the 16th. Those who are executed after the autumn harvest would have no chance of survival.

"My lord, that's not right either. Execution after autumn is not the right thing to do. On the surface, it is to convict and execute him, but if the officials plead guilty and rebuke Xu Changwen, the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor will naturally not really kill him. Didn't the Emperor also write the words 'gentle breeze'? 'A gentle breeze passes over the hill, and there is no wind or movement.'"

Immediately afterward, Meng Li's eyes lit up, and he continued;
"Then let's hold the trial in the courtroom, without letting Xu Changwen appear in court for trial. Let's just determine his guilt directly and execute him in the autumn. Sentence him to hanging for the crime of insulting his father. As for whether to kill the son or not, that's up to the father. It's a win-win situation. But in the end, you should think carefully about who will decide the crime."

Perhaps thinking of the cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial, once the memorial to discuss the crimes was finalized, should Marquis Luoyun also get involved and inform the world and the court of their stance?

Zhang Jinyu stroked his chin, his mind racing. He hadn't expected that the two people in front of him could analyze the matter of tomorrow's criminal trial so clearly in such a short time. They were going to execute him in the autumn, putting him in a life-or-death situation so that he could survive. The Emperor Emeritus still wanted to leave his name in the world.

If you want to salvage your reputation, why bother with all this charade?
"Since the decision has been made, it cannot be left to us. Therefore, the blame should be determined by them. Tomorrow, we will rely on the assistance of the two gentlemen. Lord Feng, things have come to this point, and there is no use in worrying. If Xu Changwen is truly in bad shape, I will decide that Taiying's marriage will be arranged with another suitable person. If things go smoothly in the end, do not forget the goodness of the marriage agreement."

"Yes, Lord Marquis, I am not a shameless person. As long as there is a result, I will never break off the engagement." Feng Yongwen sighed softly, and even Meng Li looked somewhat regretful. Fortunately, his daughter had already arranged a betrothal with the Rongguo Mansion, and the wedding would take place in the autumn. They would get married first, and then wait until the garden was repaired next year so that they could welcome the Imperial Concubine to visit her family.

"That's good. Ningbian, speed up the carriage and take the two gentlemen back first."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

As night deepened, the convoy sped up considerably.

But in the capital, the once bustling Imperial Academy is now quiet. Towering ancient cypress trees and gray brick and tile buildings are filled with the fragrance of ink and the atmosphere of books. Inside the West Dormitory, the lights are bright. The supplementary students who have come here to study are focused on their studies, holding their breath. Guo Wen, the educational administrator, wearing a blue official robe and holding a folding fan, is slowly inspecting the area.

He would occasionally glance down at what the students had written, his gaze sweeping over the ink and brush. Sometimes he would stop to watch, sometimes he would nod in approval. The only sound in the entire West Dormitory was the sound of the brush gliding across the Xuan paper. The solemnity was so profound that even the chirping of insects outside the window seemed to have diminished.

Dressed in Confucian robes, Jia Baoyu sat by the window with a sheet of clean Xuan paper spread out in front of him. The ink in the inkstone had slightly solidified. He looked at the policy essay "On Governing with Virtue" written by the provincial education commissioner on the Xuan paper, his brows furrowed, his fingers unconsciously twisting the pen, his mind blank. He could still memorize some classic texts, but policy essays were really hard to understand.

Since Jia Baoyu spent three days studying in seclusion at the Imperial Academy, he has mostly memorized the meaning of the classics. He only has a superficial understanding of the essay question. If he cannot answer the question set by the provincial education commissioner today, he will probably not be able to leave easily.

She glanced around and saw several of her friends from the Earl's Mansion, including Song Xingjun, who had already finished writing their poems with neat handwriting. On the other side, Li Chongwen, although writing a little slower, was not in a hurry but had a clear mind. He would stop to think from time to time before continuing to write.

The more this happened, the more impatient Jia Baoyu became. Suddenly, he remembered his father, who often discussed the benevolent policies of the court with several scholars. He suggested that citing classic texts might be feasible, so he picked up his pen and wrote it down. As the saying goes, a writer's pen is guided by a god, but no god was seen in Jia Baoyu's pen. Although his handwriting was neat, it could only be considered below average among the people in the West House.

I guessed I was halfway through writing when suddenly someone called out softly.
"Baoyu."

Jia Baoyu's heart tightened, his hand trembled, and he wrote a character with too much force. He immediately looked up and saw that Guo Wen, the educational commissioner, was already standing in front of him with a solemn expression, staring at the policy essay he had written.

"Master Xuezheng."

Jia Baoyu quickly stood up, his hands hanging down, his voice trembling slightly.

Guo Wen picked up the Xuan paper in front of him, his brows furrowed, and he ran his fingertips along the writing on the paper. He sighed inwardly. He had originally thought that the Rongguo Mansion had produced a prodigy, but he hadn't expected that he was all show and no substance. The fight with Qinglian Academy a few days ago hadn't been bad, and it had been handled reasonably well, but the article in his hand carried a hint of disappointment in his tone.

"Your policy essay is not only poorly written, but the sentences are also somewhat incoherent and grammatically incorrect. You need to explain and analyze the topic of 'governing with virtue,' and cite classic texts to elaborate on it. Yet you haven't managed to get a single point out."

He paused for a moment, his gaze falling on Baoyu's flustered face;
“The Rongguo family has produced many officials for generations. As a direct descendant, you should be diligent in your studies. Yet you can’t even write properly. How can you live such a perfunctory life without living up to your family’s high expectations?”

Although his tone was a bit harsh, it was because Guo Xuezheng was disappointed in his students. Most of the students in the West Dormitory were from noble families. Since accepting these students had brought many benefits to the Imperial Academy, and the Jia family already had Jia Lan who had just passed the special imperial examination, compared to them, this one was really not worth cultivating.

These words struck Jia Baoyu like a hammer blow, instantly burning his cheeks. He wanted to defend himself, but didn't know where to begin. He felt mostly wronged. At home, he was surrounded by sisters and maids, and he had only ever loved poetry and romance, never seriously studying classics, history, or policy. Now, at the Imperial Academy, he felt troubled at every turn.
Jia Baoyu was anxious. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only utter a low "This student knows his mistake," his voice full of frustration.

Seeing his expression, Guo Wenzheng said no more, simply handing the Xuan paper back to him and saying in a deep voice:

"Let's leave it at that for now. Get a fresh sheet of paper and rewrite it. If it's still this bad, don't blame me for handling it according to the rules."

Having said that, he turned around and continued his inspection, leaving Jia Baoyu standing there. He sat down coldly, feeling that all the eyes of his classmates were on him, some with sympathy, some with regret, and some with undisguised contempt. He felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

After Guo Wenzheng left the West House, Jia Baoyu lost all interest in his studies. He picked up paper again and began to rewrite his essays in the places he had just written. He also wrote down the words of his father's guests, which he had been reluctant to copy, as long as the sentences were coherent. Finally, he submitted his essays along with everyone else.

After finishing his lesson, he hastily tidied up his writing implements and left the school.

"Oh, Brother Baoyu, why are you walking so fast?"

Li Chongwen, who hadn't finished tidying up, saw Jia Baoyu hurrying by and called out, but unfortunately, the noise inside the room drowned out his voice.

"No rush. We can look for him after we get back to our lodgings. It's late, and the manor can send someone to deliver some supper."

After writing for most of the night, Song Xingjun was already starving and took another bite.
"Yes, it should be arriving soon. Why don't we invite Brother Baoyu to enjoy it together?"

Li Chongwen packed up his cloth bag with a smile on his face. Song Xingjun could no longer hold back and called out.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."

After a struggle, they went outside.

Jia Baoyu was the first to return to his residence in the West Chamber. It was a small room with four beds, while Li Xiuwen, Zhang Jingming, and Zhao Chengyu occupied the other three beds.

The room was empty. Jia Baoyu took off his long robe, lay down on the bed, and looked at the canopy above his head. He felt his eyes sting and his body feel sluggish. He thought back to when he was in the mansion. Every morning when he woke up, Xiren would bring him warm water to wash his face, and Mushe would smile and hand him his favorite snacks. The sisters would also make appointments to go to the old matriarch's house for tea. Those vivid and lively days now seemed like a distant dream.

After an unknown amount of time, footsteps were heard outside the door, and Li Xiuwen, Zhang Jingming, and Zhao Chengyu walked in together.

Seeing Jia Baoyu lying on the bed, Li Xiuwen spoke first, his tone gentle:

"Brother Baoyu, are you still upset about what the Education Commissioner said earlier?"

Jia Baoyu sat up abruptly and forced a smile:
"It's nothing, I'm just not good at policy essays."

Zhang Jingming put down the cloth bag he was carrying, walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and patted him on the shoulder:

“Brother Baoyu, you don’t need to blame yourself too much. You grew up in the Duke’s mansion and your habits are different from ours. It’s inevitable that you’re unfamiliar with policy essays when you first start learning them. We’ll study together in the future and take it slowly.”

Zhao Chengyu, with his cheerful personality, smiled and echoed:

"That's right! When I first came here, I was often criticized by the academic director for my policy essays. Later, I learned and practiced a lot with Brother Xiuwen and gradually figured it out. If you don't understand anything, just ask us. We were classmates and should help each other."

Saying nice things to them should be able to calm them down a bit!
(End of this chapter)