Chapter 154

Chapter 149: Hua San

The capital city was shrouded in darkness, with lanterns lit on both sides of the streets. Hua Xiangyi's carriage returned to the city and directly headed for the Pan residence. He instructed his attendants that he would be having a private nocturnal conversation with Princess Zhaoyue, and specifically sent a message to the palace to inform them that he would be returning later than usual.

Princess Chiyue's marriage was fraught with difficulties. Originally, Helianhou had his sights set on Yao Wenyu, but later, at the Empress Dowager's behest, he turned his attention to Xiao Chiye. In the end, neither match came to fruition. Helianhou, unable to bear the loss of face, deemed Princess Chiyue, being of a certain age and the legitimate daughter of the Fei family, too precious to delay further. It just so happened that Han Cheng paid a visit, leading to an engagement between his son and the princess. However, this marriage did not come to pass, as the young Marquis Fei Shi was known to be a troublemaker, and he knew that the Han family's son was no better, perhaps even worse than Han Jin in his delinquency. Disapproving of the match, he believed the Han family's son was unworthy of his elder sister. Thus, he stirred up a commotion, forcing the dissolution of the engagement.

Prince Helianhou, unable to rein in his son, was left with no choice but to carefully consider numerous candidates before finally settling on Pan Yi, the second-born son of the Second House of the Pan clan and younger brother of Pan Lin. Given that both families were well-acquainted with each other's pedigrees and shared the distinction of being among the prestigious Eight Great Clans, Fei Shi meticulously scrutinized this prospective brother-in-law for an extended period before Princess Zhao Yue was finally wedded to him.

Pan Yi was an elegant man by nature, formerly serving as the Libu Shuibu, in charge of water affairs within the Ministry of Works. After Pan Xiangjie safely navigated the Guanpu Case, Pan Lin succeeded Wei Huaigu's position in the Ministry of Finance, which led to Pan Yi's promotion and transfer back to his ancestral home, Dan City, where he took on the role of the city's defense commander. A lover of literature, he held great respect for Yao Wenyu's scholarly talents, hence his decision to accompany his wife on this visit.

Pan Yi was originally waiting at home when Pan Lin returned from court. The two brothers were engaged in conversation in the main hall when they heard someone calling from behind.

Currently, Pan Lin oversaw the Ministry of Revenue. As the court had been busy with spring affairs in the capital, his official title had yet to be upgraded from Vice Minister. Upon hearing the servant's report, he was taken aback and responded, "Miss Three wishes to see me?"

Lady Hua Xiangyi, yet unwed and deeply cherished by the Empress Dowager, is accompanied at all times by an elite retinue not to be underestimated, ensuring that her countenance remains unseen to any outsider, even to Lord Pan Xiangjie, who must await summons to be granted an audience. Unaware of the nature of the matter at hand, Lord Pan Lin dares not delay; together with his brother, Lord Pan Yi, they hasten to attend.

Upon entering the courtyard, Pan Yi found his wife weeping under the eaves, with a physician attending to her inside the house. A surge of panic gripped Pan Lin's heart, fearing that Hua Xiangyi might have been injured. He hurried forward to inquire, "Sister-in-law, what has happened?"

Princess Chao Yue wept until her eyes were reddened, clutching her handkerchief. Before she could speak, her sobs drowned out her words. She covered her face and retreated, but Pan Yi quickly came to her defense, pulling her aside and asking, "My lady, what has happened?!"

Hua Xiangyi spoke within the room, "Both the vice minister and the commander are my elder brothers, so there's no need to be formal. Come in for a chat."

Upon hearing Hua Xiangyi's gentle voice, Pan Lin was reassured that he wasn't injured. He exchanged glances with Pan Yi and, after a moment of hesitation, entered the room. A screen was set up inside, and Hua Xiangyi sat on the highest seat. The two of them knelt and said in unison, "We pay our respects to Third Miss."

Hua Xiangyi replied, "Please rise, Brother."

Peering through the beaded curtain by his side, Pan Lin saw a doctor and asked, "Who is the injured person?"

After a brief silence, Hua Xiangyi answered, "To be honest, the one lying there is actually Yuan Fu's beloved disciple, Yao Wenyu."

Pan Yi immediately rejoiced and exclaimed, "It's Yuan Zhuo!" His expression changed abruptly as he grew anxious and asked, "Oh no! Could it be that he was injured on Bodhi Mountain? I've heard that the bridle path there has been neglected for years, and accidents can easily occur during rainy days."

Princess Chiyue, standing aside, wiped her tears and said, "Cousin, it wasn't because of the bridle path that he got hurt. He was abducted!" Her grief overwhelmed her as she continued, "What about his legs… What will happen to him now?"

In an instant, Pan Lin's mind raced with thoughts. He was at a crucial point in his career advancement. Once he was promoted to Minister of Revenue, he would only need a few more years before the censors' evaluations caught up, allowing him to clear his name from the corruption case. With Yao Wenyu's unique status and the undercurrents stirring in the court, Pan Lin initially wanted to avoid involvement to prevent being labeled as part of a faction. However, he respected Hai Liangyi.

Pausing for only a moment, Pan Lin said, "Bodhi Mountain is just outside the city, and there are patrol teams both within and without Qidu. If something happened to Yuan Zhuo, it's a serious matter. Please, Third Miss, give me the details first."

By not avoiding or evading the situation, Hua Xiangyi knew she had come to the right person. Pan Lin had a short temper and his only friend who could tolerate him was Fei Shi. His greatest nemesis was Xue Xiuyi. Back when the official ditch case unfolded, Xiao Chiye held a banquet to celebrate Pan Lin's ennoblement. At the feast, Xue Xiuyi had humiliated Pan Lin to the point where he swore never to share a table with the Xue family again, even if it meant starving to death. Since then, Pan Lin had severed all ties with the Xues. When Xiao Chiye had helped the Pans out of their predicament, sparing Pan Xiangjie from Wei Huaigu's clutches in the official ditch case, Pan Lin's map of Qidu's sewers became crucial to Qiao Tianya and others' escape from the massacre.

Later, Xiao Chiye was ambushed by Han Cheng and was accused of plotting against Tianchen Emperor. Pan Lin did not rush to distance himself either. His father, Pan Xiangjie, was a fickle opportunist, but Pan Lin could truly be called an upright man.

Hua Xiangyi recounted her encounter with Yao Wenyu in a low voice and concluded, "Do you, Sir, have the patience to listen to me?"

Pan Lin replied, "This humble servant is all ears."

Hua Xiangyi slightly tilted her eyes, gazing at the beaded curtain. After a moment, she said, "Qidu is now in a state of turmoil, and Yuan Zhuo's misfortune today was no coincidence. Sir knows more about court affairs than I do. It would be a great loss for the Zhou Dynasty if Yuan Fu were to die from his plea. Yuan Zhuo is not only Yuan Fu's favorite disciple but also Yao's beloved son. Though his reputation has been ruined by the university incident, his talent remains, as does his integrity. Enduring this hardship will only strengthen his resolve, and who knows? He may rise again from the wilderness and lead the scholars of the land to restore the glory of the university."

Pan Lin fell silent.

After a long pause, Hua Xiangyi continued, "After tonight, Yuan Zhuo must leave Qidu as soon as possible. I am about to marry into Qi Dong, and it will be inconvenient for me to come and go. Although I hold a rank within the palace, I cannot openly escort him out of the capital."

At this point, Hua Xiangyi rose to her feet and, through the screen, slowly knelt before Pan Lin in a grand gesture of respect.

Pan Lin immediately paled and took a step forward, saying, "How can this be allowed? Miss San, please rise quickly!"

Hua Xiangyi bowed her head and said, "Yuan Zhuo has been indebted to his virtuous teacher since childhood. I have read all of his writings. Now that the crown prince has just been enthroned and the Hanlin Academy is empty, the three-power balance led by my aunt cannot last long. Kong Qiu is in danger himself. Although I am a woman, I understand that true statesmen are hard to come by." She paused for a moment before saying earnestly, "Chen Zhi, I beg of you."

By addressing Pan Lin by his courtesy name, she spoke from the bottom of her heart.

Pan Lin saw Hua Xiangyi's determination to protect Yao Wenyu and couldn't help feeling ashamed. He hastily said, "Miss Three, please get up! I admire Yuan Zhuo's talent, and this should have been our responsibility. Tomorrow morning, Yuan Zhuo will leave Qudu with his siblings and settle in Dancheng first. Once he's recovered, he can decide on his own path." At this point, he thought of Hai Liangyi and added, "Although Yuan Fu and I disagree politically, I respect him. It takes great courage for a scholar to offer a deathbed petition. For his sake, I must lend a helping hand."

Hua Xiangyi continued, "Since Yuan Zhuo survived today, the other side is bound to know. For safety's sake, please think of a way to keep this under wraps, Minister."

Pan Lin replied, "I already have a plan."

"It's getting late, and I can't stay any longer." Hua Xiangyi rose, supported by her maid, and reached the beaded curtain. Seeing Yao Wenyu's pale face, she remained silent and bid farewell.

Two hours after Hua Xiangyi left, a wrapped corpse was delivered through the back door of the Pan residence. The spies in the outer courtyard only heard that Princess Zhaoyue had found a beggar outside who died from illness in the middle of the night. The pursuing soldiers, who had been waiting, followed the body to a burial ground. Upon inspecting it, they found that the corpse's height and injuries, including the broken leg, matched Yao Wenyu's closely. Although the face was damaged, the bite marks on the lips were similar.

The man didn't waste time and hurried back to report.

* * *

The next day, Princess Zhaoyue and Pan Yi set off for Dancheng. As she had just given birth, many elderly maids accompanied them, filling more than a dozen carriages. Pan Lin attended the early morning court session and stood below the steps, watching as Kong Qiu and Cen Yu conversed. Concerned about attracting attention, he didn't approach them.

The crown prince now rose at dawn and studied at sunrise. The teaching officials were carefully chosen scholars from the Hanlin Academy, and the lessons lasted until noon. The empress dowager still governed behind the screen, while Li Jianting merely shifted from studying at the Xue residence to the royal palace. Until the cabinet reached a consensus, she would remain a student. The Ministry of Rites had long prepared for the enthronement ceremony, but it was delayed due to pressure from Kong Qiu and others.

Xue Xiuzhuo continued instructing Li Jianting, who, despite lacking political authority, had the right to attend court sessions. Li Jianting slept little each day, briefly resting after morning lessons before attending cabinet meetings led by Kong Qiu and Xue Xiuzhuo in the afternoon. All matters from the six ministries were reported to the cabinet, where they deliberated standing. Li Jianting seldom spoke, but she maintained a respectful attitude, always arriving before the ministers and waiting beneath the Hall of Reason's eaves.

Kong Qiu and Cen Yu initially disliked Li Jianting, but they had to admit that his sincerity was evident in his attitude, and his eagerness to learn surpassed Li Jianheng's.

After Pan Lin finished his court duties, he prepared to board his carriage. Just as he was about to lower the curtains, he spotted Xue Xiuzhuo exiting the palace gates with someone. Their eyes met for a brief moment. Pan Lin composed himself, nodded slightly as a half-greeting, then lowered the curtains.

* * *

Qiao Tianya closed the window gently, creating a soft sound.

Yao Wenyu stirred awake, as if just stepping out of the swaying carriage into an oppressive heat. He blinked, and saw Qiao Tianya.

Qiao Tianya said, "It's three quarters past the Tiger hour. You can still sleep."

With an expressionless face, Yao Wenyu replied, "A dream that's better left forgotten."

Pouring tea, Qiao Tianya took a sip and raised the cup towards Yao Wenyu, asking, "Want some?"

After a moment of silence, Yao Wenyu said, "Tea has no taste. Let's switch to wine."

"Your injuries haven't fully healed. It's not advisable to drink," Qiao Tianya said, unfastening the flask of fiery liquor at his waist. He shook it, twisted off the cap, and took a sip, "I'll drink for your entertainment."

As Qiao Tianya finished his drink, Yao Wenyu remarked, "That was a fine wine."

Qiao Tianya's hair fell across his forehead, obscuring his eyes. His recent stubble had yet to be shaved. Hearing this, he brushed it aside and said, "It's just an ordinary wine, not worth much. If you enjoyed it, I'd willingly spend dozens of taels of silver to let you taste the real good stuff."

A faint smile played on Yao Wenyu's lips.

Leaning against the table, Qiao Tianya gazed at him and said, "In a few days, the military artisans from Libei will arrive. We can go out together to enjoy the autumn scenery of Cizhou."

Yao Wenyu's smile vanished as he looked out the window, listening to the clinking sound of horses under the eaves. After a long silence, he spoke, "Please convey my regards to the Deputy Magistrate. Tomorrow, for Hua Qi's wedding, I would like to send a generous gift in my absence. Miss Hua San saved my life, so please express my gratitude to her. Don't mention anything else, just tell her that I'm doing well."

Qiao Tianya acknowledged his request.

Yao Wenyu's gaze became distant as he said, "Play the guqin."

As Shen Zechuan rose from his seat, he could hear the faint strains of an ancient qin in the courtyard.

Fei Sheng teased, "This Qiao Tianya is quite the enigma."

Shen Zechuan turned his head and replied, "The Qiao family has fallen, and he left behind none of the pampered airs of a noble. At his lowest point, during his exile, he had to compete with wild dogs for food while caring for his sister-in-law. The only thing he has preserved is that ancient qin, which he polishes daily with great tenderness. He never plays it for others, and that is his pride."

Fei Sheng had seen that particular qin, a treasure that even Ding Tao dared not touch. He didn't comprehend the pride behind it, but he refrained from criticizing. He had worked alongside Qiao Tianya for many years, and although he had aspired to take Qiao Tianya's place, first in Qu Du and then in Ci Zhou, he genuinely acknowledged Qiao Tianya's capabilities.