Chapter 114

Chapter 114

With the greatest worry from his heart finally removed, the tension that had gripped Wen Zuo for days finally eased. This illness then dragged on for quite some time.

The white stone that had accompanied him into the prison of the Dali Temple was left beneath the straw mat, mingled with the iron filings Xie Langyang had ground to dust that day.

It might see the light of day again, or perhaps remain forever unknown. But it had truly witnessed the fall of a high-ranking official and bore witness to this perilous gambit of survival against all odds.

Shen Zheng interrogated Xie Langyang every night. When the sessions ran late, he would naturally be unable to return to the palace, staying instead at the Wen residence to look after Wen Zuo.

He would have Wen Zuo lean against his chest, holding a medicine bowl, feeding him spoonful by spoonful.

Wen Zuo found this a bit much. Though ill, he was not a dying old man; he could easily drink his medicine himself.

Yet, whenever he reached out to take the bowl, Shen Zheng would gently pat his hand away and continue feeding him slowly and methodically.

After two or three times, Wen Zuo began to understand: Shen Zheng greatly enjoyed this process. He particularly enjoyed watching Wen Zuo part his lips slightly, take the spoon into his mouth, and then gently extend his tongue to lick the corner of his lips after finishing.

Human quirks are inherently strange and varied. For instance, when Wen Zuo dipped his brush to moisten the ink, he needed to hear the sound of flowing water to concentrate fully. Before delving into his studies, he had to bathe thoroughly, otherwise he would feel restless and agitated. Although Shen Zheng's fixation was on him, Wen Zuo decided to respect it.

After each feeding, Shen Zheng would also massage Wen Zuo's acupoints to soothe his body, using the method the old physician had taught Liu Qiying.

At first, Wen Zuo would symbolically refuse, saying, "Your Highness is busy all day. Such trivial matters can be left to the servants."

But as soon as the words were spoken, Shen Zheng would have already removed his undergarments, and large, warm hands would cover his back.

So Wen Zuo simply closed his eyes and gave up, allowing Shen Zheng's fingertips to roam over his back, massaging the sore and swollen acupoints, and incidentally feeling up other areas as well.

For the first day or two, Shen Zheng, out of consideration for his illness, would hypocritically retire to a side room to rest, saying he was afraid of disturbing Wen Zuo's sleep.

By the third day, he directly claimed a spot on Wen Zuo's bed, solemnly declaring he was offering himself as a personal heater for Wen Zuo.

Wen Zuo, drowsy and muddled at the time, couldn't be bothered to expose his little scheme. He merely lifted one eyelid and whispered, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Then he was drawn into Shen Zheng's embrace, his bare upper body pressed against Shen Zheng's firm chest.

True to his word, Shen Zheng's body was indeed very warm, more effective than a charcoal brazier. Every morning when Wen Zuo woke up, a thin layer of sweat would cover his back, and his chill had actually eased considerably because of it.

Liu Qiying was not idle either. She devised various ways daily to prepare nourishing food for Wen Zuo, determined to restore his precarious weight.

But Wen Zuo's chill had not yet receded; his body always felt sluggish and uncomfortable, and he really couldn't eat much. The leftover food inevitably ended up in Jiang Mannv's stomach.

During this period of recuperation, Wen Zuo's weight did not increase much, but Jiang Mannv grew noticeably rounder.

Furthermore, Xie Langyang had far less backbone than he'd imagined.

The days of interrogation and torture had long since worn down his mental strength and shattered his will. After enduring only six days, he could no longer hold out and admitted to writing those two secret ledgers.

He was not unaware of the consequences of confession—it would likely implicate three generations of his clan. But he was already powerless to resist, only begging to suffer less torment.

Gong Zhiyuan, seeking a sliver of hope for survival, also confessed truthfully to Xue Chongnian, claiming that the poisonous scheme to frame Shen Zheng was actually first proposed to him by Xie Langyang, who then shared it with Bo Zhangyi.

Those who could corroborate this were Jun Guangping, the Marquis of Yongning, and Wen Zuo. Both of them had personally witnessed Xie Langyang deliberately walking up to the observation platform to have a secret conversation with him.

At that time, Gong Zhiyuan did not yet know that Xie Langyang had already confessed to a more serious crime, enough to implicate the Gong family and bring them to justice. Just as Xie Langyang did not know that, at the moment of life and death, this mentor and father-in-law whom he both respected and feared would shift all the blame onto him, utterly destroying his reputation.

With Xie Langyang's case resolved, Shen Zheng had no further reason to delay in the capital.

He spent one last day with Wen Zuo, still feeding him medicine, giving him massages, accompanying him to bask in the sun in the courtyard, chatting from matters of state to the beauty of spring flowers and autumn moons.

Finally, in the early hours of the morning while Wen Zuo was sound asleep, he quietly lifted the covers and got up. Without disturbing anyone, he left the Wen residence, urged his horse onward, and returned to Jinhai.

More than twenty days after returning to Jinhai, the mutiny in Songzhou was completely quelled. The ringleaders were beheaded and their heads displayed as a warning. Over three hundred canal transport officials were severely punished for exploiting canal workers and embezzling funds and grain.

Commoners along the route and disgruntled canal workers all received compensation from the confiscated properties of the corrupt officials, greatly reducing their anger.

Some of the younger, stronger canal workers were reorganized into a naval force and were training intensively. The Songzhou River resumed its former bustle, and Mo Shu returned to the capital having accomplished his mission.

Emperor Shunyuan was overjoyed. He specifically rose from his sickbed to hold court.

Seeing fewer and fewer familiar faces in the court hall, a trace of bewilderment actually flickered in his heart. But this bewilderment was quickly submerged by the joy of successfully managing the canal transport system.

For handling this matter competently, Mo Shu was promoted by Emperor Shunyuan to Vice Minister of War.

It was only after returning to the capital that Mo Shu learned of all the events that had transpired in the capital during this period.

He immediately furrowed his brows, a hint of reproach flashing in his eyes as he shook his head at Jun Dingyuan. "Huaishen, how could you all keep this from me and His Highness together? Forget about me, but the Director of the Hanlin Academy was imprisoned, and His Highness was kept in the dark by all those close to him. What do you think that felt like in his heart!"

Mo Shu grabbed his arm, turned his face, forcing him to look at him, and said seriously, "His Highness's breadth of mind far exceeds that of ordinary people, and he deeply cherishes familial bonds. Fortunately, the Director ultimately came to no harm, so let this matter be considered over. Listen well: in the future, if His Highness ascends to the throne, we as ministers must never again overstep our bounds. Even if you are His Highness's maternal uncle, put yourself in his place. If one day I were hanging by a thread, and you were kept in the dark by all the generals, then—"

Mo Shu paused, suddenly released his hands, and sighed, finding it difficult to speak for the first time in his life. "No, this example isn't appropriate..."

Jun Dingyuan immediately became sensitive. Seeing Mo Shu trying to avoid the topic, he strode swiftly in front of Mo Shu, pressing him aggressively. "Why isn't it appropriate? Our brotherhood is deep, and His Highness and the Director are also life-and-death friends!"

Mo Shu was startled by him and helplessly pushed his shoulder, but only pursed his lips in silence.

Facing Mo Shu's clear and bright eyes, Jun Dingyuan finally understood something, his face showing a touch of disbelief. "Senior Brother, you noticed the signs long ago, didn't you? His Highness has... that kind of feeling for the Director."

Mo Shu turned his face away, avoiding his gaze, and helplessly rubbed his temples. "Huaishen, His Highness's private affairs are not something we should discuss."

Jun Dingyuan paid no heed to this. He reached out, grabbed Mo Shu's arm, and forcibly dragged him into the study. "There are no secrets between you and me. Just consider it me talking to myself. You must tell me today: when did you discover it? And why did you keep it from me all along? My nephew having such feelings—how can I, as his uncle, rest assured!"

"Huaishen! You're being unreasonable!"

Jun Dingyuan had immense strength. Mo Shu struggled several times but couldn't break free. So he silently looked up at the heavens, thinking, *I've yielded for over ten years; perhaps today I'll just beat my junior brother to the ground once more.*

Not long after Mo Shu returned to court, the various projects in Jinhai also entered a stable phase.

Following Wen Zuo's suggestion, Shen Zheng reorganized the Maritime Trade Office in the Song dynasty style, placing it directly under the central Ministry of Revenue. He also established five trading ports: Jinhai, Mianzhou, Pingzhou, Lianzhou, and Yongzhou, promoting overseas trade. Mianzhou would take the lead; if everything proceeded smoothly, the other ports would follow suit.

Simultaneously, he established a Coastal Defense Office to patrol the coasts of Da Qian and protect the safety of merchant ships coming and going.

With Gu Weizhi firmly in place at the Ministry of Revenue and Xie Langyang no longer causing obstruction at the Ministry of Personnel, the officials for the Maritime Trade Office and the Coastal Defense Office were all recommended and selected by Wen Zuo. They were replaced with capable, upright, and nationally beneficial officials from humble backgrounds.

These people were not originally Shen Zheng's confidants, but with this recognition of their talent, they would naturally become devoted to Shen Zheng.

In addition, Shen Zheng proposed establishing a Customs Office, specifically responsible for issuing port entry permits, controlling contraband, and cracking down on maritime smuggling.

This department might not be very significant given the current weakness of overseas trade, but he firmly believed that customs would become of paramount importance in the future.

Emperor Shunyuan read the memorial and, with a flourish of his brush, approved it.

Ten days later, Shen Zheng formally returned to court. The matter of Da Qian opening maritime transport was now completely formed and implemented.

Emperor Shunyuan finally, in the twilight of his reign, accomplished a feat his predecessors had failed to achieve. This event would also be recorded in history, becoming an indelible achievement in his life.

Having been diligent for a lifetime, yet mediocre for a lifetime, Shen Zhaoxi finally lived up to the name given to him by Emperor Kangzhen—Jun De Zhao Zhang (Imperial Virtue Shining Brightly), Zheng Ling Tong Ming (Government Decrees Clear and Effective), Gong Yao Si Hai (Merits Radiating Across the Four Seas), Jiang Shan An Xi (The Realm Peaceful and Joyful).

Before the year-end sacrifice, the Directorate of Astronomy selected an auspicious day with clear celestial phenomena and cloudless skies around the Purple Forbidden Enclosure. Emperor Shunyuan issued an imperial edict, formally enfeoffing Shen Zheng as Crown Prince, granting him residence in the Eastern Palace, participation in cabinet discussions, and assistance in handling court affairs.

He also appointed Guo Pingmao, Lan Jianghe, and Wen Zuo as the Three Masters of the Crown Prince, tasked with teaching Shen Zheng the arts of identifying talent, employing people, and managing situations, as well as practical governance, handling affairs, and decision-making.

As Emperor Shunyuan’s energy steadily declined, he entrusted the duty of reviewing memorials to Shen Zheng. From then on, the Da Qian court officially adopted a new structure: the Crown Prince drafted comments, the Three Masters provided guidance and corrections, and the Emperor made the final decisions.

As the Crown Prince’s teacher, Wen Zuo could finally meet Shen Zheng openly and legitimately.

After a month of recuperation, his health had greatly improved; he had even filled out a bit compared to before his imprisonment. The gauntness around his eyes and brow had faded, his features looking softer and more refined.

The day after the La sacrifice, after the court assembly was dismissed, Shen Zheng personally invited Wen Zuo for a chat at the Eastern Palace.

Without a hint of suspicion, Wen Zuo went over a few miscellaneous Grand Secretariat matters with Gu Weizhi before leisurely strolling along the main palace thoroughfare toward the Eastern Palace.

Though it was cold today, the sky was clear and cloudless, with a refreshing atmosphere, and the palace grounds were serene.

He even paused for a moment under the eaves, watching the birds on the roof tiles. This majestic palace with its red walls and green tiles had never seemed so refreshing and delightful to him as it did now.

Upon entering the Eastern Palace gate, he first encountered Huang Ting.

Huang Ting had now resumed his position as Crown Prince’s Chamberlain, his demeanor radiating confidence. Seeing Wen Zuo, he hurriedly bowed with a smile. “Greetings, Director.”

Wen Zuo smiled in return. “You’ve worked hard these past few days arranging the meeting schedules and handling practical trivial matters.”

Huang Ting quickly waved his hand modestly. “It was nothing, really. His Highness is in the Du Ben Study, practicing his calligraphy while he waits for you, Director. He even shooed all of us out. Please go right in.”

The Du Ben Study was the Crown Prince’s private study, distinct from the Wenhua Hall used for lectures and teaching.

Even at this point, Wen Zuo still hadn't given it much thought.

He walked straight along the path, turned down a corridor, and arrived at the Du Ben Study, which was very close to Shen Zheng’s sleeping quarters.

He lightly knocked twice on the door and pushed it open, his nose catching the distinct scent of ink.

Shen Zheng was leaning on the round table with one hand, dipping his brush in ink and writing freely across the rice paper.

His posture was indeed imposing, exuding a carefree and dashing elegance, like a graceful tree in the wind. However, Wen Zuo truly couldn’t praise his calligraphy. Writing vertically, managing to keep the strokes straight and the characters uniform in size was already an achievement.

So, as he approached, he casually offered advice. “I have observed Your Highness’s calligraphy recently and find it hasn’t shown significant improvement. Perhaps it’s because you started practicing relatively late. If you find Wang Xizhi’s copybooks too difficult to emulate, Your Highness could set them aside for the time being and choose an easier copybook to start with.”

Shen Zheng, writing intently and leaning slightly forward, replied in a relaxed tone, “I’m practicing my teacher’s calligraphy style.”

“Mine?” Wen Zuo was slightly taken aback, then added, “That’s also somewhat difficult. How about I create a simple, easy-to-learn copybook for Your Highness to start with?”

As he finished speaking, he had just reached the desk and naturally tilted his head to examine, wanting to see which of his own writings Shen Zheng was copying.

Thus, he saw the ten slips of paper he had previously prepared for Shen Zheng, the faintly raised veins on the back of Shen Zheng’s hand resting on the table, and an amber long spoon lying quietly at the corner of the desk.

How could this thing be so openly placed on the desk!

A bad feeling instantly washed over Wen Zuo. Clutching his sleeve, he quietly edged backward while Shen Zheng was off guard.

But just as he had turned halfway, a young eunuch slammed the door shut with a “bang,” extinguishing the last ray of daylight in the room.

Wen Zuo swiftly turned back to see Shen Zheng set down his brush and slowly straighten up, a faint, enigmatic smile curling at the corner of his lips. “Teacher, why run? These ten slips are written very well. I’ve already copied them three times and memorized them all.”

A faint blush instantly spread across Wen Zuo’s cheeks. His eyes darted left and right, glancing at the desk, then at the floor seams, before finally turning toward the ceiling beam. He feigned composure and said, “Your Highness, I suddenly remember there are important matters unfinished at the Hanlin Academy. I must take my leave.”

Shen Zheng walked toward him, his gaze sweeping up and down, admiring his beautiful wife today.

A black jade belt cinched his slender, resilient waist. A clean cross-collar robe clung to his porcelain-white, delicate neck. He appeared refined and dignified, like a pine branch stretching gracefully.

A black hat gathered all his dark hair, leaving only a few fine, fluffy strands hanging by his temples. His shifting eyes were like dewdrops on black bamboo, bright and moist with light.

So clever, so sharp—truly worthy of being a little cat.

Shen Zheng asked with a smile, “Is Teacher sure he still wants to lie?”

Shen Zheng’s smile was always gentle, but today, Wen Zuo detected a trace of imperceptible danger within that gentleness.

Oh no!

His heart lifted slightly. He didn’t dare look directly into Shen Zheng’s eyes. The excuses that usually came so easily to him now held no conviction whatsoever.

Shen Zheng clasped his hands behind his back, tilting his head to observe him—the guilt in his eyes, the evasiveness of his gaze, the slight embarrassment at the corner of his lips, and a hint of hidden pride.

The dignified and eloquent Master Wen, who had spoken righteously and confidently in court just moments ago, now found himself tongue-tied, his mind filled with nothing but the desire to escape.

“I’ll give Teacher one more chance,” Shen Zheng’s voice was low, carrying an unavoidable seriousness. “Why did you run just now?”

Wen Zuo clutched his official robe even tighter, his eyelashes finally lowering bit by bit. “I… am in the wrong.”