Notes on Longevity

Chapter 97: The people live in peace and prosperity, while the court is embroiled in open and covert struggles.

Minister of Rites, Zhang Jinggong's residence.

"Lord Zhang." Yan Yu rode swiftly through the snow to Zhang Jinggong's residence. He patted the snow off his clothes and followed the steward to the main hall.

He looked at Zhang Jinggong, who was sitting by the stove, holding a book and reading with great interest, and said with a smile, "Wasn't Lord Zhang ill? You don't look like you at all now."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jinggong stood up, put the book down, and said to Yan Yu, "Lord Yan, there's no need to pretend. His Majesty has already spoken to me."

Yan Yu smiled, glanced at the snow falling outside the door, and after confirming that no one was there, he finally spoke: "Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

“Sit down and let’s talk.” Zhang Jinggong pointed to the straw mat and Yan Yu nodded. After they were both seated, Zhang Jinggong spoke, “I want to set up a scheme, which may require Lord Yan’s help.”

Yan Yu raised an eyebrow, staring at Zhang Jinggong with a relaxed expression. "Go on."

"They already know about His Majesty's meeting with you. Now all we need to do is invite them all to my Wuyue Hall. We'll start with casual conversation, chatting about trivial matters, and then gradually steer the conversation toward Lord Qu. Once they confess, we can take them down."

As Zhang Jinggong spoke, he picked up a book from the side. Yan Yu frowned as he looked at the words on the cover. "Is it really that simple? Isn't that a bit too frivolous? Besides, why should they admit it? I feel like you're being a bit too idealistic."

"I have a plan. Just help me steer the conversation toward Lord Qu." Zhang Jinggong was engrossed in his book and didn't give Yan Yu much of a reply.

"Alright then." Yan Yu glanced at Zhang Jinggong, sighed, then fixed his gaze on the book in Zhang's hand and asked, "What? You cultivate Taoism too?"

"No, I just find this scripture somewhat magical," Zhang Jinggong said with a smile. "True constancy responds to things, true constancy attains nature. Constant response leads to constant stillness, constant purity and stillness. It is the ability to see through things to understand the true nature of my heart, a skill of seeing movement from stillness."

"I didn't expect you to have such profound insights into this," Yan Yu smiled and asked, "The superior man does not contend, the inferior man is fond of contention; the highest virtue is not virtue, the lowest virtue clings to virtue. Those who cling to virtue do not understand morality. What do you think you are contending for? Do you think you understand what virtue is?"

“Though it is a struggle for the country, it is for the nation; though it possesses the highest virtue, it does not adhere to the old ways; the Great Yan has built a foundation for a thousand years, what would you do in this situation?” Zhang Jinggong asked him in return.

Yan Yu still smiled, "But the change of dynasties is the way of nature. What can you change?"

Zhang Jinggong put down his book and looked at Yan Yu with a somewhat somber expression. His eyes seemed to hold countless untold stories. "When I was a commoner, I saw that everything in Dayan was prosperous and thriving, and the people lived in peace and contentment. Everyone was busy in their own little world."

"When I was an official, I witnessed the open and covert struggles in the court, with everyone acting independently and resorting to any means to amass wealth, even killing their colleagues. It was a sad and lamentable situation."

"All of this is natural, but people have a hundred feelings and emotions. Whether it is towards the common people, colleagues or His Majesty, everyone hopes that everything will move towards a better future."

"You're quite an interesting person." Yan Yu chuckled, stood up, and bowed respectfully to Zhang Jing. "However, everyone has selfish motives. Whether an official is honest or corrupt, everything is based on not harming oneself. If it were as you say, Dayan would not have a thousand-year foundation. Tell me when you've set a time, and I'll come. Farewell."

After saying that, Yan Yu left. He felt that Zhang Jinggong was a contradictory person, both rigid and somewhat open-minded, but also a bit too idealistic. Yan Yu found Zhang's earlier statement, "Everything is moving towards a better future," amusing, but he wasn't wrong to do it for the sake of his country.

After watching Yan Yu leave, Zhang Jinggong continued reading his book. Soon, the steward brought in more people.

"Lord Zhang," the visitor was none other than Wang Quande, who bowed to Zhang Jinggong, "Lord Tang invites you to his Shuijing Hall tomorrow, hoping you will recover soon." "Tomorrow?" Zhang Jinggong put down his book, feeling somewhat surprised.

"Yes," Wang Quande continued, "I just met Lord Yan at the gate. He promised to go tomorrow."

Zhang Jinggong frowned slightly, then nodded hesitantly: "Okay, I understand."

"Then I will await your arrival in the hall tomorrow. Farewell." After saying this, Wang Quande turned and left, leaving Zhang Jinggong sitting there lost in thought.

-

That night.

Yan Yu sat on the steps near the dragon bed in the Shangyuan Emperor's bedroom, his back to the emperor, lost in thought.

Seeing his appearance, Emperor Shangyuan asked him, "What's wrong? You've been sitting here ever since you came from Zhang Jinggong's place."

"Your Majesty, what do you think of Zhang Jinggong?" Yan Yu was a little confused, so he asked the Emperor of Shangyuan.

"This man is quite shrewd, and he acts decisively. He dealt with Eunuch Li immediately after saying so, and now it seems he's rather ruthless." Emperor Shangyuan recalled how Eunuch Li had been dealt with.

He looked like a living Yama, ready to kill at any moment.

"I can't see through this person, and I can't figure him out. I always feel like there's something wrong with him." Yan Yu frowned, looking deep in thought.

"Can't figure it out? You can calculate the heavens and the earth, the fate of a nation, how could you not figure it out?" Shangyuan felt regretful. Yan Yu had lived for over two hundred years, and in his memory, there was nothing Yan Yu couldn't calculate. But why was he having trouble with Zhang Jinggong now?

“I can’t explain it either. After I met him, I did a divination on the road and almost fell off my horse; I did it again here, but the result was very vague. He said something about how those with great virtue are blessed by the Way; and there were two more lines about how far one has traveled that I couldn’t understand.”

Yan Yu lay at the feet of the Emperor of Shangyuan like a wilted flower. "Today, after meeting Zhang Jinggong, I met Wang Quande, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. He said he would invite Zhang Jinggong and me to his hall tomorrow. I guess they are about to make their move."

"Then be careful tomorrow. I'll have Commander Tong and the others change their clothes and leave the palace too." Emperor Shangyuan took a step back and squatted down in front of him.

"Those who possess profound virtue will be blessed by the Way? What does that mean?" Yan Yu did not answer his question, but instead kept repeating that sentence to himself.

Emperor Shangyuan shook his head helplessly. He stood up and looked at the scene in the palace with a solemn expression. In the vast palace, besides the royal family, Yan Yu was the person he trusted most.

After all, how could someone who had accompanied the Dayan Dynasty for over two hundred years harm them? However, he was now somewhat uneasy about Zhang Jinggong. Among the emperors, neither the late emperor nor he had ever encountered someone who could be so unpredictable and incomprehensible to Yan Yu.

(End of this chapter)