Ink Burns

Chapter 223 Yinchun Tower

For several days in a row, Xue Nan's residence was as calm as a still, windless body of water. Xue Xiao, just as he had said, was a leisurely man in mourning at home, spending his days nestled under the old locust tree in the courtyard. Under the blazing sun, he placed a bamboo rocking chair and a small side table in the shaded corridor. He rarely had the chance to lie there so leisurely, holding a cup of tea through a slightly ajar window, watching his wife casually holding a painting.

Xue Xiao tilted his head back and let out a comfortable sigh: "Eh—"

"Eh--"

"Eh--"

"Eh--"

"Eh--"

Behind the pillars of the veranda, four sighs came in succession, followed by four dark heads emerging one after another.

Wang Erniang peeked out furtively, excitedly speaking in the Beijing dialect: "I heard that the other day, the master slept in Shanyue's room."

Mother Su rested her head on Aunt Wang's shoulder, and the old lady tiptoed to peek inside: "It's not just the other day, she's been sleeping in the west wing for three days straight, and hasn't gone out at all. She's gotten so pale from being cooped up like that—"

Aunt Wang chuckled, her neck hunched: "We might have a big, healthy baby boy by the end of the year?"

Wang Erniang was the dreamer, while Su Mama was very practical. She hunched over as she headed to the kitchen, waving her hand as she said, "I'm not going to talk about it anymore. Some oysters were sent over from the south. I'll cook them for Qishu."

The evil Zhi, though capable in person, was clueless about interpersonal relationships. He craned his neck and asked Wang Erniang, "Oysters? What oysters?"

Zhou Liniang, who was beside him, was not good at talking but was very perceptive in social situations. She timidly leaned against the pillar and replied, "Eating good things that give you strength."

Zhou Liniang glanced at Imperial Censor Xue in the courtyard and clicked her tongue inwardly: Skinny, tall men are definitely no good. A man should be like Brother Jifeng, with shoulders broad enough to build a bridge and thighs thick enough to show his strength—wait, it's been a long time since I've secretly looked at Brother Jifeng. Where did he go? Oh well, Brother Luofeng is pretty good too, just a bit too talkative.
Zhou Liniang smiled shyly and happily: It's so good to be with Shanyue. There are so many handsome young men to look at. I hope Shanyue will work harder so that I can touch so many handsome young men.

Life at the Xue residence was characterized by peaceful sleep.

Outside the Xue family mansion, the officialdom of Jiangnan was like a river blasted open by a torpedo—the waves surged three feet high, revealing the ferocious appearance of the cliff bottom.

Using Liu Hezhou's death as an excuse, Liu Huan withstood the investigation and questioning of the Imperial Censor. Apart from the gold, silver and property that he could not explain, which were all confiscated, and the fact that Liu Huan and his brother, who were in mourning for Liu Hezhou, were dismissed from their posts and stripped of their official titles because of Liu Hezhou's crimes of embezzlement and bribery, no blood was shed between the higher and lower levels. Naturally, he would not tell the truth unless he was at his wit's end.

However, Han Chengrang, the former prefect of Suzhou, was not one of them.

Han Chengrang was temporarily detained in the Songjiang Prefecture prison by the Censorate. While the Han family was busy running around, the Imperial Envoy, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Fan Yi, used a diversionary tactic and went straight to the Han family with the imperial edict. He pried open the steps of the second gate of the Han mansion and found evidence that could implicate most of the officials in the Jiangnan bureaucracy. In the twenty-third year of Zhaode, six prefectures and twelve counties that suffered from floods, together with Pang Ying, a subordinate of Su Shen, the Canal Commissioner of the Ministry of Works, had a trick up their sleeve in the procurement process. The materials originally ordered for the repair and promotion were high-quality mud and sand and whole bricks and stones. However, before they were transported onto the ships, they cheated and substituted inferior materials. The ordered mud and sand and stones were only laid out in a thin layer, and the materials underneath were all replaced with fine sand and stones that could be crushed with a pinch and mud mixed with straw.

Han Chengrang compiled a detailed account of the 13,000 taels of silver he had embezzled in this case, stuffed it all into the steps of the porch, and sealed it with blue bricks. Every day, the entire Han family walked on the sins of hundreds of lives.

Inside the steps, there was also an account book that recorded the details of the paintings he instructed merchants from the prefecture to purchase from Guan'anzhai. When the two accounts were compared, they matched perfectly.

With no one left in the next generation of the Han family, and Han Chengrang having retired from his official post, the Han family had become an outcast. Faced with irrefutable evidence, Han Chengrang had no need to stubbornly insist on his innocence. If he confessed everything, he could at least earn the clever title of "surrendering himself" and, with the promise of the Censorate, at least save his life like the Liu family!

For a time, everyone in the Jiangnan officialdom felt insecure, and this crisis naturally extended to the seemingly calm capital.

"Zhou Lang Gu—Eek, eek, eek~"

The final note cracked, shooting straight up onto the high platform on the opposite bank. "Spit—"

The teacup was smashed on the ground.

The singing on the stage came to an abrupt end.

The handsome male actor stood there helplessly, looking pleadingly at the steward who had brought him into the mansion.

Manager Fu lowered his head, raised his eyelids, and before he could finish waving his hand to leave, he heard a deep, hoarse voice behind him: "Push him down."

The words had just been spoken.

The male actor felt a sudden shove in his back, and then he was thrown off the three-story-high stage by a gust of wind.

"Ah—bang!"

The dust and bloodstains splashed up from the ground ten meters below naturally wouldn't reach the onlookers high above.

Opposite the stage is the audience area.

This is the Yinchun Tower in the west of the city, built along the city wall. The stage and stands are arranged appropriately, with a suitable distance between them. They are not too close so that the actors can see the faces of the dignitaries, nor too far so that the dignitaries cannot hear clearly, which would be unpleasant. In addition, a great deal of effort and money has been spent on its renovation. Every plant, tree, brick and tile is a tribute to the emperor. It is secluded and quiet, yet luxurious and elaborate. When there are many people, Jing'an likes to hold banquets and gatherings here.

Today, the Yinchun Pavilion is packed with distinguished guests. The three rows of seats in the stands are full, with twelve or thirteen people, all of whom are the core members of "Qingfeng".

Jing'an occupied the center of the front row, with three people on either side of him. To his left was Marquis Cui Bainian of Wuding, to his right was his eldest daughter Fu Mingjiang, and to his left was Cui Yu, the heir of Marquis Cui and the current Director of the Water Conservancy Department of the Ministry of Works. The next two or three rows behind him were Vice Minister Yuan Wenying and the officials of the Six Ministries.

Marquis Cui Bainian of Wuding smiled elegantly, "Your Highness, you seem to have a fire burning in your heart."

Jing An leaned against the wall, leaning towards his eldest daughter, Fu Mingjiang. His makeup was exquisite, with powder applied evenly to his fair skin and his lips clearly defined. He exuded vitality and looked sharp and arrogant.

"With the enemy at the gates and our forces suffering repeated defeats, I was naturally furious."

Jing An remained unfazed: "It's just a pity that the men of our 'Qingfeng' are neither fiery nor courageous. Their bones are softer than cotton. Once they are intimidated by the Censorate, they confess to everything and admit to everything. They can't be heroes, and they certainly can't be tyrants."

Cui Bainian laughed, revealing six clean, even teeth: "A big forest has all kinds of birds. In the past twenty years, 'Qingfeng' has gradually grown bigger and its numbers have gradually increased. It's not surprising that a few scoundrels have emerged. I heard Yulang say—"

Cui Yulang stood up in response and bowed slightly to Princess Jing'an.

She was elegant and graceful, and every gesture she made exuded nobility.

Fu Mingjiang raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, pursed her lips, placed her hand on her increasingly protruding belly, and her eyebrows and eyes were full of pride.

"You weren't feeling well a while ago?" Cui Bainian rested his hand on the edge of the table, his attitude respectful. "Is it anything serious?"

　and also.

(End of this chapter)