Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1151 The Messenger from the Directorate of Ceremonial
In the Hall of Mental Cultivation,

As time passed, the setting sun hung behind the clouds.

The atmosphere inside the hall was extremely oppressive.
Chen Hui was at a loss.
"Your Majesty's ambitions are higher than the heavens, how could this servant dare to guess? This servant thinks that things are still the same in the prison, and in the palace, this servant of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs dares not overstep the bounds. This matter of deliberating on the crime has caused Your Majesty a great deal of trouble, and it is all this servant's fault. This servant thinks that if we hand the memorial to the Emperor Emeritus for a look, perhaps the Emperor Emeritus will calm down."

He mustered his courage and realized that this matter was caused by the retired emperor. He thought it best to send the memorial to Chang Le Palace and wait for the retired emperor's reply.

"Haha, what a good lackey, what a silver tongue you have! You've got some sense now, there's still hope. Go and deliver it."

Emperor Wu waved his hand and threw the case files over. Chen Hui quickly picked them up, kowtowed, and hurriedly left.

Watching Chen Hui limp away, the Martial Emperor was in high spirits and muttered a few words;
"Get up too. Look at the lotus leaves swaying in the wind, and the soldiers resting nearby. Is it really necessary?"

Dai Quan paused slightly, then rose unsteadily, standing with his hands at his sides. He glanced at Chen Hui's departing figure, and sighed inwardly. This task—whoever did it, would never end well.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, fearing that Your Majesty might find it annoying, Chen Hui traveled quite a distance, and when he came to the palace, he even went to the imperial prison to inquire about Lord Xu, although the final result was still the same."

But the matter of loyalty cannot be erased. This servant still has here information from Chen Hui regarding those involved in the Jiangnan jade mine case—including eunuchs from the Twenty-Four Directorates of the Palace and people from the Imperial Household Department.”

Quietly, Dai Quan took out the memorial. There were quite a few people listed in it. The Ministry of Justice had filled in all the names, including those who could and couldn't write. At this critical juncture, there was no way to save them.

Emperor Wu Zhou Shihong looked at him strangely, then burst into laughter. What a bunch of good servants! They're all scrambling for money, while the palace treasury is the only one without any. What a ridiculous joke!

"Yes, they can't be erased. They are all loyal, but they only think about sharing my burdens. They all think about lining their own pockets from the palace and from me. They get the money, but the people curse me instead. Since that's the case, then confiscate their property and execute them in the autumn according to the list above. Then summon Marquis Luoyun and the others. No need to summon them. Kill these people."

Perhaps his anger had dissipated, for the Martial Emperor raised his hand, feeling utterly exhausted.

Things in the palace,

They went to Chang Le Palace for the time being. At this time, the retired emperor was already meditating on a futon in the entrance hall.

At the entrance, Eunuch Xia led Chen Hui, standing by the curtain to serve. No one else was allowed to enter. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Emperor Emeritus finally spoke.

"What? This person has arrived today? But the Ministry of Justice has already reached a conclusion on the charge."

As the Emperor Emeritus questioned him, Chen Hui could no longer maintain his composure and knelt on the ground to reply;
"Reporting to the Emperor Emeritus, the Ministry of Justice has determined the crimes. Based on the principles of loyalty to the emperor, Xu Changwen has been convicted of deceiving the emperor and will be hanged in the autumn. Xu Dong has been defined as a member of a faction, sentenced to sixty strokes of the cane, and exiled three thousand li away."

The memorial he held in his hands trembled slightly; having learned his lesson from the Emperor, his speech was now halting.

"Oh, all the civil and military officials have already condemned him. Does Xu Changwen have any remorse or repentance?"

"This"

Chen Hui suddenly remembered the two characters "Bright Moon" written by the Emperor Emeritus, and his body trembled.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, before I came here, I went to the Imperial Prison and asked Xu Changwen in person if he had any remorse. Unfortunately, he was unyielding and refused to confess. I had no other choice."

With a worried expression and a sighing tone, he lamented how a perfectly good matter had been handled so poorly. The cabinet had simply washed their hands of it, perhaps having already investigated the matter thoroughly. Unfortunately, they couldn't resort to torture.

Chen Hui knew he couldn't hide it any longer, so he steeled himself and lowered his voice even further:

"Reporting to the Emperor Emeritus, during the trial of Xu Changwen, several presiding officials in the Ministry of Justice repeatedly interrupted my questions, saying, 'Some things should not be mentioned again.' Also, when I asked the Ministry of Rites why they lacked manners, Chang Zuo, the Vice Minister of Justice, suddenly interjected, 'It has nothing to do with this case,' his words were clearly an attempt to exonerate him."

"Oh?"

The retired emperor put down the golden whisk and straightened his Taoist robe sleeves.

"You mean that all the officials want to exonerate Xu Changwen, but you alone are loyal and devoted?"

His voice was calm, and as a gentle breeze wafted through the hall, Chen Hui crawled half a step on his knees, his tone becoming increasingly respectful:

"This servant dares not speak ill of the ministers of the court, but this servant observes that the minds of all the officials are not on the cases being investigated, but on the past deficits of the Ministry of Revenue."

Just as he finished speaking, a soft sound came from outside the hall. Chen Hui caught a glimpse of Steward Xia carrying a brocade box as he walked in, but he didn't know what it meant.

"My lord, this is a secret report sent by the Imperial City Guard."

Xia Shouzhong placed the brocade box beside the imperial desk, gave Chen Hui a look, and then bowed and stepped aside.

The retired emperor didn't read the secret report; instead, he looked at Xia Shouzhong:

"You old lackey, you were outside just now and you heard what Chen Hui said. Tell me, what should be done with Xu Changwen?"

Xia Shouzhong pondered for a moment, then shook his head slightly and replied:

"Your Majesty, Xu Changwen presented the congratulatory memorial and read it aloud. All the civil and military officials witnessed it. Such treasonous words are inevitable. If it were truly a matter of killing, it wouldn't be now."

Chen Hui was stunned when he said this—no one had said that in the Directorate of Ceremonial.

"Oh? Explain your reasoning."

The retired emperor opened his eyes, became interested, and leaned forward slightly.

“Your Majesty, it is true that Xu Changwen criticized the emperor, but he also said a lot of the truth in his memorial. This servant knows this, and so do all the officials in the court. However, no one dares to say it. If we kill Xu Changwen, people will say that Your Majesty cannot tolerate an upright minister, which will only confirm what he said in his memorial. If we don’t kill him, it is also a difficult matter. The intentions of these people in the court are hard to fathom.”

Xia Shouzhong's voice was steady, and every word he spoke hit the nail on the head, but the reason for not killing him was both left unsaid and yet revealed everything.

Chen Hui, who was listening from the side, was alarmed. Chief Steward Xia's words were extremely clever. He neither denied the memorial of conviction nor did he subtly point out the selfish motives of the cabinet officials.

"That's well said, but it's not what I want. Xu Changwen may have had his fill of cursing, but it makes me uncomfortable. The court, and even the whole country, knows that someone has harshly criticized me in front of all the civil and military officials. Whether his criticism was right or wrong, who can know?"

The retired emperor sneered, picked up the secret report, but barely bothered to read it. Too many worries to bear, he didn't want to look anymore. His gaze fell on the *Tao Te Ching* beside his desk, and his expression returned to its usual calm.

"It is said that in a person's life, there are tribulations for some people, which are a hurdle, and tribulations for others, which are an even greater hurdle. Now that the crime has been committed, what did the Emperor say?"

These nonsensical words immediately made Chen Hui break out in a cold sweat.
"Reporting to the Emperor Emeritus, after His Majesty added a stroke, he instructed me to bring it over for the Emperor Emeritus to see. Your servant, your servant."

Unable to bear it any longer, he kowtowed to the ground with a loud "thump, thump."

After an unknown amount of time, the retired emperor waved his sleeve...
"Go back. Since it was your Ministry of Justice that tried the case and determined the crime, you can handle it. I'm a little tired."

Without giving any hints, they chased Chen Hui out. Once Chen Hui was outside Chang Le Palace, he appeared dazed. Ma Fei, who was anxiously waiting outside, rushed over and asked him what was wrong.
"Eunuch Chen, what is the Emperor Emeritus's decree?"

"Imperial decree? Yes, what is the decree?"

In his daze, Chen Hui lost his composure. Seeing Eunuch Chen like this, Ma Fei felt a chill in his heart. Could it be that Eunuch Chen had been used as a pawn?

"Eunuch Chen, now that the palace has given us the information, why don't we summon the chief judges and ask them what they think?"

As if a single sentence had jolted him awake, Chen Hui finally steadied himself.
“Yes, you’re right. This case was jointly investigated by the six ministries of the Cabinet. If something goes wrong, it’s not just me. Quickly, go to the Ministry of Justice and notify the other presiding judges. They all need to be present. Tell them that news has come from the palace.”

"Yes, Eunuch Chen."

Time flies,

Zhang Jinyu of the Marquis of Luoyun's residence had lunch and was resting in the east room for a while. He intended to take a nap and wait for news from the palace, but before the news arrived, he drifted off to sleep. When he woke up at sunset, all the fatigue and exhaustion of the past few days had vanished.

He opened his eyes, yawned groggily, and got up. Looking out the window, he saw the afterglow of the setting sun bathing the main room in a golden light. "My lord, you're awake. I just brought you some fresh tea."

Outside the curtain, Xiangling heard the commotion inside and quickly came in, carrying clothes and some cold tea on the table. It seemed that she hadn't left.

I got up and changed my clothes, my gaze following the window to look out into the courtyard. It was the same as when I arrived at noon.
"Has anyone come to the manor after noon?"

"Yes, in reply to your question, Lord Marquis, there was indeed a messenger. He said it was an invitation from the Marquis of Xiangyang’s residence, saying that if you have time, you should go to the Marquis of Xiangyang’s residence for a gathering."

Xiangling tilted her head and thought for a while before relaying what the gatekeeper had said. If the Marquis hadn't asked, she would have almost forgotten.

Only after Zhang Jinyu dressed, sat down at the table, picked up a blue-and-white porcelain bowl, and took a big gulp of cool tea did he feel refreshed. He thought about how Marquis Bai Guangju of Xiangyang had sent a letter at this time, wondering if he had already learned about the palace affairs.

He immediately shook his head. If something truly serious had happened, someone would have sent a message. Since no one had come, it probably wasn't from the palace; perhaps they had ulterior motives. His biggest worry was the Emperor's intentions; he couldn't quite understand the Emperor's thoughts.

All that running around and all that seemed to have actually achieved its goal in the end. Several princes entered the capital and then left in a sorry state, while several heirs were left in our hands. These tactics were just the same tricks that the previous dynasty used. As it turns out, they were completely useless.

Seeing that the Marquis remained silent, Xiangling was somewhat puzzled.

"My lord, are you feeling hungry? Otherwise, I'll go and get you some pastries."

The little maid looked shy. She was able to serve in the room because the madam had arranged it. Baozhu couldn't compete with her. Thinking of this, she smiled foolishly.

"I'm not hungry. It's only been a short while since noon. By the way, where did Baozhu go?"

Seeing that the room had been cleaned spotless, Zhang Jinyu was in a great mood.
"Sister Baozhu has gone to the main hall to serve the Madam, leaving me here to look after the Marquis. I'm still thinking of you."

I haven't finished speaking yet,
Footsteps sounded outside the east room, followed by a knock. Zhang Jinyu's heart skipped a beat. She glanced out the window at the direction of the palace. It seemed that the news she had been waiting for all day had finally arrived.

"come in."

As the door opened, Ningbian hurriedly entered and reported;

"My lord, Eunuch Chen has sent someone to request that you go to the main hall of the Ministry of Justice immediately for a meeting. He says that there is an imperial decree from the palace."

"Imperial decree? What imperial decree? It's already this late. The memorial on Xu Changwen's punishment has been sent in long ago. It's time to decide whether to execute or release him."

Zhang Jinyu squinted, thinking about the crimes the Directorate of Ceremonial had sentenced him to beheading in the autumn, which was then changed to hanging in the autumn. Even Xu Dong, the so-called crony, was exiled three thousand miles away. The Grand Secretaries of the Wuying Hall, for some reason, had not been seen by any of them. It was really strange.

"My lord, I asked the eunuch who came to deliver the message, but he knew nothing. He just said that Eunuch Chen from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs went to the Ministry of Justice after leaving the palace. He then instructed these people to notify the presiding judges to come to the Ministry of Justice for a meeting. When asked about matters in the palace, the eunuch shook his head and said that Eunuch Chen had just come from the palace and asked all the presiding judges to go to the Ministry of Justice without delay."

This is what Ningbian felt was a bit off. Since they were here to deliver a message, the messenger would usually state what it was about, and it was rare for them to behave like this.

Zhang Jinyu paused, her eyes suddenly sharpening:

"Interesting. Did he just come from the palace, or from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, or the Chang Le Palace? This Eunuch Chen is no ordinary person."

The thought of the word "imperial decree" weighed heavily on Zhang Jinyu's mind. Perhaps this person had gone to both places, but it was probably not an official decree. Otherwise, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs would not have sent someone to deliver the message.

"My lord, should we send someone to investigate again?"

Seeing that the Marquis remained silent, Ning Bian thought for a moment. There were still quite a few secret guards in the Ministry of Justice. He might as well go and find out the situation first.

"No need. Since the people from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs dare to do this, they must have His Majesty's decree. However, I don't understand why a memorial to discuss a crime has to be approved or not approved. Why make such a fuss? Even if it comes to execution in the autumn, it's not like you can just kill someone whenever you want."

The so-called "autumn execution" meant that if the person to be executed was a court official, the Grand Secretariat had to review and submit the case, and after the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs reviewed it, it was presented to the Emperor for personal inspection. Only after the Emperor had selected the person would the execution be carried out. If the person was not selected, he could be spared. Therefore, even if the execution was carried out in the autumn, there was still plenty of time.

"Prepare the horses, we're going to the Ministry of Justice."

"Yes, my lord,"

Ningbian clasped his hands in a fist salute and strode out with the Marquis.

Upon arriving outside the mansion, Zhang Jinyu boarded the carriage, not daring to delay for a moment. At this time, only a few rays of the setting sun remained, drifting on the horizon. Inside the palace, the Emperor had not given any definite news; the ten thousand soldiers were still in the city, and it was unknown whether Prince Teng's twenty thousand troops had returned.

"Ningbian, is there any news from Wang Ziteng's side?"

"Reporting to the Marquis, Commander Wang has already led his troops back to the Imperial Guard camp and has not returned to the manor yet. Our men have set up camp at Qiushui Lake, near Yunshan, and can be seen from the West Market."

Ningbian, outside, cautiously replied on horseback.
This matter went around in circles, like a football being passed from one person to another; the emperor didn't issue any decree, and the princes all disappeared without a trace.

"Have Duan Hong keep a close eye on the troops. We're in the capital; we can't afford any trouble."

Zhang Jinyu, still feeling uneasy, gave Ning Bian another reminder, which Ning Bian immediately responded to.

"Yes, my lord. I have already sent someone to inform Duan Hong. However, my lord, it is not easy for guest troops to cause controversy in the capital."

After all, there were still more than two thousand brothers in the city assisting the Imperial Guard in suppressing the rebels, and they had not been transferred back.

"There's nothing we can do about it. The imperial decree hasn't been issued yet, so we can't go out. Keep a close eye on the people. I think the peaceful days in the Northern Border are numbered."

The thought of the Donghu delegation dying mysteriously in the capital was something no one could swallow, especially since the Donghu Right Wise King, Qie Ti Hou, was facing an opportunity with autumn approaching.

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Just as Zhang Jinyu was heading to the Ministry of Justice's main hall, the Grand Secretary's residence was already lit with candles. Inside the main hall, the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, was having dinner with his father. Before they had finished eating, Steward Li hurriedly entered the room.
"My lord, someone from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs of the palace has come to deliver a message, saying that the eldest son is invited to the main hall of the Ministry of Justice for a meeting, and that the palace has issued an imperial decree."

The room was quiet. Aloeswood incense burned in the gilded incense burner. In the antique-style inner hall, only the sounds of the Li father and son eating filled the air. Only after they put down their bowls and chopsticks, rinsed their mouths with a brocade cloth, did the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, turn his head.

"The messenger from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs must be here to deliver a message about the sentencing of Xu Changwen in the Ministry of Justice today. Did he mention the palace's stance?"

Now that things have come to this, how can one be so unreasonable? The eldest son's current composure has largely caught the eye of Chief Minister Li.

"In response to the eldest son, the messenger from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs kept his mouth shut and we couldn't get any information out of him, but we could tell that he was in a great hurry."

Steward Li has been the head steward of the Li family for decades, so he can see through these tricks. The Prime Minister leaned back in his chair and smiled.
"It seems the palace has created a problem for the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. Chaosheng, what do you think?"

It seemed to be a test of performance. Upon hearing this, Li Chaosheng frowned. What kind of difficult question was his father referring to? It was nothing more than sending over the memorials and files of conviction, waiting for the emperor's approval, whether he agreed or disagreed. This thought flashed through his mind. Could it be that the emperor disagreed and wanted to reconsider the conviction?

“Father, I feel that Eunuch Chen of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was too hasty in deliberating on the punishment of Xu Changwen today. He was too eager to convict Xu Changwen, which displeased the entire court. Therefore, His Majesty may not have approved the memorial on the punishment.”

He sensed something was amiss; the Emperor's mind was unpredictable, and it was Chen Gonggong's turn to suffer. But a glance out of the corner of his eye revealed that his father's aged face remained unchanged; he merely tapped the table lightly.

"You have made some progress, but not much. As for the cabinet, I have already written a memorial and submitted it. When you come back, send someone to tell your senior brother to make preparations. As for the other one, Jia Yucun, the prefect of Jinling, he will be reinstated and allowed to redeem himself through meritorious service."

Stroking the teacup on the table, after saying so much, the topic had unexpectedly shifted to his senior brother, Wang Shuyi. Thinking back to the previous cabinet debate, he had assumed a candidate hadn't been chosen yet, but his father had submitted his memorial so quickly.

"Yes, Father. Sending someone to inform them is simple. With Senior Brother Wang's talent, it shouldn't be difficult for him to handle things in Jiangnan. The real challenge lies with those noble and aristocratic families. Fortunately, there's the precedent of Chunyang County, so the matter of land taxation shouldn't be too difficult."

The eldest son, Li Chaosheng, thought that the case in Jiangnan had been resolved. It was just a matter of replacing a group of officials, which would stabilize Jinling City. As long as Jinling City remained stable, Jiangnan would not descend into chaos.

"Hmph, you say it's easy because it's simple? You're so wrong!"

(End of this chapter)