Chapter 52

Chapter 52

It was still the early part of the ninth hour of the day, when the cabinet was at its busiest.

Just after the imperial council, officials from all departments rushed into the cabinet. Some hurriedly took their documents and left, others left with furrowed brows, having been scolded fiercely. Even more officials vied to enter, eager to have their department's memorials reviewed as soon as possible.

"The Viceroy Xun has ordered that all departmental memorials be first submitted to the Scriptural Hall. The cabinet will deal with them according to their urgency."

"Hey, hey, hey, our military department's memorial is an urgent matter. We're just waiting for the cabinet's approval to withdraw funds from the Ministry of Finance. As you know, snow has already started falling in the northwest border region. If we delay any further, our soldiers will freeze to death!"

"Out of the way! Your urgency doesn't make mine less so. The Huai River has flooded, swallowing half the county. This silver from the Ministry of Finance must be approved quickly!"

"Hush, hush! This is the heart of the Jìn Empire. Can anything that comes here not be urgent?"

Xu Ke sat in a corner of the cabinet hall, observing the spit-flying arguments among the various department ministers.

Three offices were located behind the main hall, all facing south. After the daily imperial council, three cabinet officials would handle state affairs here. The central office undoubtedly belonged to the Grand Vizier Xun Yunhe. Unlike the other two offices, where one could often hear raised voices, Xun Yunhe's office remained tranquilly silent. Officials entered and exited swiftly; this grand vizier was renowned for his adept handling of affairs, and indeed, his reputation was well-deserved.

Xu Ke sat there for two hours until the crowd outside Xun Yunhe's office thinned, indicating that important matters had likely been dealt with. A young official emerged, glanced at Xu Ke, then pointed inside. "Lord Xu, please come in."

Xu Ke exhaled slowly, straightened his attire, and with a solemn expression, he stepped gracefully through the doorway. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone seated behind a desk, adorned in a scarlet robe embroidered with a crane motif, seemingly sipping from a teacup. Xu Ke didn't give a detailed look, instead, he kept his head down, raised his sleeves in a respectful gesture, and bowed.

"Your humble servant has paid respects to Lord Xun," said the official with a composed and respectful, yet not overly submissive, demeanor.

The person in front softly uttered a single word, "Sit."

A spacious zitan desk stood before him, with a drum stool placed beside it, undoubtedly meant for the officials who would have gathered there on regular days. Xu Ke composed himself and sat down, now inevitably facing Xun Yunhe head-on. He made an effort to maintain a composed expression as he lifted his gaze to meet Xun Yunhe's.

There seems to be an issue with the accounts of the Ministry of Water Works. I humbly request Lord Xun to kindly enlighten us on the matter.

He was Qingniang's man, and at this moment, he had no reason to shrink back; he reminded himself of this.

When was the last time they met? It was at Xun's family's birthday banquet. On that day, he had bowed and scraped to the extreme, almost groveling for favor. And now, the two of them had dramatically become the lovers of the same woman.

Xu Ke felt an overwhelming bitterness in his heart. What kind of situation had he stumbled into?

Xun Yunhe still held his teacup, leaning against the backrest of his armchair with a blank expression as he looked at Xu Ke. Last time at the Xun residence, he hadn't even bothered to remember Xu Ke's appearance; he had only given him a glance after hearing that they were fellow townsfolk. He despised those who fawned and flattered, so he didn't have a good impression of Xu Ke.

How could Qingniang have a happy life with such a man by her side?

"In the first half of the year, the Water Bureau accounted for thirty-four transactions, including irrigation canals, water conservancy, and river defense. The river defense in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region falls entirely under the jurisdiction of the Viceroy of Two Rivers' office. They included it in their report, but then the Zhejiang River Administration also counted it separately. Do they think the national treasury's funds are so easy to manipulate?"

Xun Yunhe's tone was devoid of any warmth.

Xu Ke smiled bitterly, closed his eyes briefly, and replied,

"Esteemed Counsellor Xun, on this matter, I too have made inquiries with both the Viceroyalty of the Two Jiangs and the Zhejiang Prefectural Office. They have replied in their memorial that while river defenses fall under the jurisdiction of the Viceroyalty, responsibility for occurrences of flooding lies with the River Conservancy Bureau. There are instances each year when the duties of these two entities overlap, and on such occasions, both contribute funds. Furthermore, they assert that the Ministry of Revenue has issued explicit written instructions sanctioning this arrangement."

Xun Yunhe casually set the teacup down on the long table,

"The Ministry of Revenue has indeed issued a clear edict, signed by myself, stating that river defense arrangements and canal repairs often overlap, leading to mutual buck-passing. However, responsibility for the canals was clearly assigned back then: main tributaries fell under the jurisdiction of the Governor-General's office, while minor ones were managed by the Canal Bureau, with the Governor-General of Two Rivers overseeing both. If there are unclear accounts, they should be referred to the Ministry of Works for verification. Your own Waterways Bureau, however, simply forwards whatever documents you receive without verifying them or conducting an audit."

"In short, there should only be one repair expenditure per canal; duplication makes no sense. That is the purpose of your very bureau."

Xun Yunhe understood well that this was a covert clash between Vice Minister of Works Su Ziyan and Governor-General Qu Weizhen. His edict had explicitly assigned coordination to Qu Weizhen, meaning he would naturally bear the blame for any issues.

Pei Xun was constantly seeking an opportunity to remove Qu Weizhen, his thorn in the side.

It was evident that Xu Ke had been used as a pawn by his superior.

Xu Ke was far from understanding the intricacies involved. Hearing the Ministry of Revenue's clear records, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He had acted entirely upon the instructions of his superior, Su Ziyan, not realizing that there was tension between Su Ziyan and Xun Yunhe.

"I'll... return to search for the explicit imperial decree and verify it thoroughly," he offered.

Xun Yunhe noticed Xu Ke's lack of political acumen. If Xu Ke took it back to Su Ziyan, the latter would only become enraged, blaming his subordinate for incompetence.

But that was none of Xun Yunhe's concern. He returned the petition to Xu Ke, who was now drenched in sweat, no longer as composed as when he first entered.

Xu Ke had expected Xun Yunhe to deliberately make things difficult for him, but instead, the man had pointed out the subtleties, leaving him to ponder over them himself.

In the past, Xu Ke had been proud to be an official in the capital. Now, he realized that such a position was not as easy as it seemed. A heavy weight settled in his heart, making him wish he could be transferred elsewhere immediately.

For a fleeting moment, he considered that Xun Yunhe might not want to see him either. Why not suggest a transfer? But Xu Ke lacked the courage to voice this thought. Instead, he took the edict and sat down again.

The two men fell into a silence, neither speaking.

Just as Xu Ke was about to forget where he was, Xun Yunhe finally spoke softly after a long while,

"How has Qingniang been all these years?"

Xun Yunhe's gaze darkened with despair as he stared blankly in Xu Ke's direction. "Xu Ke, I know what you want. Leave Qingniang, and I'll grant your wish."

Xu Ke's eyes snapped open at these words. All the pent-up anxiety and fear burst forth like water from a dam, pouring out uncontrollably.

"No way!"

He blurted out instinctively.

Indeed, he didn't possess great abilities, but his pride was paramount. He could never stoop so low as to sell his wife for personal gain.

Xun Yunhe scoffed softly, his gaze scorching as he mercilessly stared back at Xu Ke. "Do you think I have no means or reasons? If I return to Jingzhou and retrieve the marriage certificate stored in the county office, what would you two even be?"

Xu Ke's face paled instantly, and the imperial edict in his hand slipped to the ground. His entire body trembled violently as he glared at Xun Yunhe with disgust.

"Xun Yunhe, don't push your luck. You were the one who seduced women and wronged Qingniang back then. What right do you have to take her back now? You've changed your name, so you're no longer Xun Yu. It's only logical for her to remarry, and we also have a marriage certificate in Hong Lake County. If you insist on making this public, all it will do is invite insults towards Qingniang, blaming her for marrying twice."

Upon hearing Xu Ke fiercely defending Qingniang, Xun Yunhe closed his eyes momentarily. A mix of complicated emotions surged within him, unsure whether to feel relieved for her or lament for himself.

If Xu Ke's behavior was truly despicable, selling his wife for personal gain, Xun Yunhe could have taken advantage of the situation. If Qingniang hadn't so easily abandoned Nannan back then, he might have convinced himself to defy all conventions to reclaim her.

But Xun Yunhe could not overcome the barrier in his heart.

He kept his eyes shut for a long while, emitting a cold laugh of indiscernible emotion.

"You'd better think this through," he said with an eerily calm tone. "Living under my authority won't be a walk in the park."

Xu Ke was so enraged that tears almost welled up. Clenching his teeth, he retorted, "I'll just resign from my position! Xun Yunhe, I'll stay right here in the capital. At the foot of the emperor's throne, where officials gather in abundance. I dare say you won't be so shameless as to force me into a corner with nowhere to go!"

Xun Yunhe's expression remained unperturbed upon hearing this. Leaning on the table, he replied calmly, "Do you truly believe I would allow my daughter to call you 'father' for the rest of her life? Think carefully before you answer, Xu Yunqi!"

This response was like a bucket of cold water poured over Xu Yunqi, gradually extinguishing the flames of his anger.

The situation between Xu Yunqi and Zhang Qingniang was entirely different.

One could remarry if they lost their wife, but a daughter was one's own flesh and blood. Xun Yunhe would never compromise on this matter.

If roles were reversed, he imagined that he would be so enraged at the thought of Ruo'er addressing Xun Yunhe as 'father' that he might die on the spot.

Xu Ke weighed his options swiftly and grunted, "I'll agree to remove Yunqi's name from the Xu family genealogy and sever all ties with her publicly, no longer acknowledging myself as her father. But if you expect me to hand over Qingniang, I can't do that. A man's honor cannot be sacrificed. Xun Yunhe, don't think I'm afraid of you just because you have more to lose."

His voice trembled as he spoke those final words.

Xun Yunhe, however, didn't spare him a glance. Instead, he slowly pushed a deed across the table, one that had been prepared beforehand.

"This is a manor on the outskirts of the capital. I've already transferred ownership to your name."

Xu Ke was taken aback, staring at Xun Yunhe in surprise, unsure of his intentions. "What does this mean?" He had seemed ready to kill him moments ago, so why was he suddenly offering a favor?

Xun Yunhe pressed his forehead, massaging his temples in silence. His tone was eerily calm as he spoke, "Over the years, you've done some things for Nannan. I, Xun Yunhe, am one who distinguishes between gratitude and grudges. This manor is my repayment to Nannan for your efforts. From now on, she will have no connection to the Xu family."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ke's tense demeanor gradually relaxed, tears shimmering in his eyes from the lingering fear. He took a deep breath.

"It's only right for me to do things for Yunqi since she calls me 'father.' I don't need this manor."

A hint of malevolence flickered in Xun Yunhe's eyes as his patience wore thin.

"If you refuse, it will make me unhappy. And when I'm unhappy, I can't guarantee what I might do. It would be wise for you to understand the situation, take the manor, and leave. Never show your face in front of Nannan again."

Xu Ke was enraged by this blatant threat. He reached out to snatch the land deed and picked up the documents from the ground. Without looking back, he stormed out of the door.

The last beam of autumn sunlight was still resting on the window sill, but soon the sun rose high in the sky, and that ray of light quietly faded from Xun Yunhe's eyes.

Yes, that ray of light no longer belonged to him.

Xun Yunhe sat silently for a long time, as if an eternity had passed. Suddenly, he murmured, addressing his subordinate,

"Has lunch been prepared? Nannan must be hungry..."

The words seemed to be directed at his subordinate, but also echoed back to the pretty young woman in Xiushui Village years ago. Bright autumn sunlight poured down, illuminating him as he sat elegantly in his white robe on the veranda. The wild chrysanthemums in the courtyard were in bloom, and Nannan plucked one, turning to him with a proud and mischievous smile. He opened his arms wide, ready to embrace the clumsy yet innocent little girl who stumbled towards him, calling out sweetly,

"Daddy, Daddy, Nannan picked a flower... Nannan picked a flower..."

Xun Yunhe laughed, tears welling up in his eyes.