Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Lian Cheng had a ton of things to say, but once Lian Xiusheng embraced him like that, everything vanished. The earlier complaints and fears also melted away; it seemed this stint in the imperial prison wasn't for nothing, at least letting him know that Lian Xiusheng was utterly reliable.

Only after each confirmed the other was unharmed did they release their hold and speak.

Before explaining the reason, Lian Cheng also clarified why he had brought that warden into the imperial prison: "I sure didn't intend to trade my life for his, but I wanted the world to know how precious life is. In the yamen, the atmosphere from top to bottom is one of licking boots and looking down on the weak, sucking up and fawning. They treat the lowly as even lower. But I didn't want him dead."

As he spoke, tears started rolling down his face; still, this guy died because of him. While furious at being wrongfully imprisoned, he couldn't help feeling guilty.

Lian Xiusheng hardly ever saw his third brother cry. He couldn't stand seeing his brother cry over someone else, and he couldn't accept that someone else was the reason for those tears.

He simply took out a handkerchief and wiped until his brother stopped crying. "Third brother, you're too pure-hearted, but others might not be the same."

Lian Cheng grabbed the handkerchief and roughly wiped his face. "But I never let my peidao out of my sight. Who could've gotten it? You?"

"Third brother." Lian Xiusheng lowered his voice, a note of warning in it.

"Fine, fine, your big brother trusts you. Just messing with you." Lian Cheng clutched the handkerchief and paced. "Now, help me figure this out."

Lian Xiusheng's gaze followed his brother. "Each person has only one peidao. Do you have any spare weapons lying around the yamen?"

Lian Cheng said, "Besides the clerks and scribes, everyone in the yamen only has one set: their peidao and their go-to weapon. If they want extras, they have to shell out their own money to a blacksmith. My peidao was made to a pattern drawn by Sister Qiu Fang and forged by the yamen's smith, so it's distinctive."

Lian Xiusheng thought for a moment, then asked, "Did you personally hand the design to the smith?"

Lian Cheng nodded.

"Does third brother remember the name of the smith who forged your peidao?"

"Yes, his name is Wu Qiu." At this, Lian Cheng got it. "You mean someone went to the smith who made my blade and got him to make another one to set me up? But the smith belongs to the yamen, and the Ministry of Works also uses him. That's too wide a net."

"Don't worry, third brother. I'll find out after I ask." Lian Xiusheng finished speaking, and the earlier warden returned, this time carrying a large felt bundle on his shoulder. He delivered it into the cell and quickly left.

Lian Cheng saw Lian Xiusheng crouch by the bundle and moved over, asking what it was.

"Some items Man Cai and Huqiu packed for you." Lian Xiusheng took the top bedding roll and went over to lay it on the straw himself. "Don't use the prison's bedding anymore; you might catch a disease."

Once the bedding was spread, Lian Xiusheng produced several small cloth sachets and placed them in the four corners of the cell. Lian Cheng, unfamiliar with the place, followed his younger brother around, asking what they were. His brother said they were for repelling rodents and preventing epidemics, containing things like angelica, atractylodes, realgar, and mugwort.

Then he took out a fine jar of oil, an oil lamp, and a lamp shade, placing them farthest from the bed plank. He also moved a small stool over and set a stack of poetry and drama booklets on the bed.

"Please sit down, third brother." Lian Xiusheng pulled two layers of cotton cloth from the felt bundle, crouched before his brother, and knelt. The imperial prison fetters weighed sixteen catties, and the handcuffs eight. They were meant both to keep the detainee from running and to torment. Lian Xiusheng removed his brother's clean socks, revealing a deep red blood line around the ankle, flesh already broken and visible.

Lian Cheng felt a bit awkward having his feet stared at and said it was nothing, that everyone who came in suffered the same. Sixteen catties was the lightest; the heaviest was eighty.

Lian Xiusheng cleaned the blood around his brother's ankle, applied medicine from a bottle, and instructed, "Third brother, try to move less in the prison. Some people come in healthy, but after a few days inside, they can no longer walk. Why suffer unnecessarily?"

Lian Cheng nodded and agreed. Lian Xiusheng then changed his socks for clean ones, separated several layers of cotton cloth, and wedged them where the shackles chafed most. He said, "There are extra clean socks and cloth in the felt bundle. Remember to change them often."

Lian Cheng leaned on his knees. "Times are unkind. Bad luck for me. When I turn things around, hmph!"

Knowing his third brother was too kind-hearted, Lian Xiusheng didn't respond. Instead, he took a packet of candied fruit from the felt bundle and shared it with his brother. After finishing, Lian Xiusheng pressed two packets of silver under the straw beneath his brother's bedding. "Use this silver only to bribe people for good food and drink, not to pass messages. If something comes up and I can't come myself, I'll send someone to see you."

When it was time to leave, Lian Xiusheng crouched before his brother again, this time even closer.

Lian Cheng thought his sixth brother wanted to whisper something and leaned in, but he heard the rustle of fabric and felt a coolness on his forearm. He looked down in alarm and saw a leather band on his wrist, with a short knife locked onto it.

"This is a wrist knife. I'm giving it to third brother for self-defense." Lian Xiusheng tightened the leather band, pulled down his brother's sleeve, and looked up at him. A thousand worries swelled in his heart, and he couldn't help choking up. "Third brother, wait for me in peace."

Lian Cheng knew Lian Xiusheng had to go. His heart ached, and he nodded repeatedly.

After Lian Xiusheng left, the cell returned to cold silence. Lian Cheng lit the oil lamp and spent the rest of the day passing time with the booklets his brother had brought. The wardens in the prison, likely bribed, came back and forth with tea. Lian Cheng thought: if he could return to the world outside the book, he would bring Lian Xiusheng with him. If he couldn't bring Lian Xiusheng, he could go back, or not.

-

The Song household had another lively day. Zhang Ailian spoke with Zhang Zhifan for a while, arranging the next day's affairs. She asked Qing Zhu if she had seen Minzi. Qing Zhu shook her head—she hadn't seen the young master for four or five hours; perhaps he was playing with the young heir and the others.

"Make me a strong cup of bitter tea. My mind is in turmoil." Zhang Ailian leaned back in her chair and called for Yuan Shun, sending him to find Minzi's little playmates. If he found Minzi, he needn't report back; if he didn't, find Huqiu and bring him for a talk.

Qing Zhu returned with tea. "Earlier, Sixth Brother came by and said the young master was tied up with yamen business and couldn't come. It's not the first time. Why should the mistress worry?"

Zhang Ailian shook her head, pressing her chest. "When he was little, he once stole off to play in the water and fell into the lotus pond. The whole family didn't know. At that time, it was as if a bodhisattva pushed me toward the biggest lotus pond in the mansion. I just happened to go, and there he was, one little hand still grasping a lotus leaf, his person already out of sight. If I hadn't arrived in time, who knows what would have become of him."

"You said you hadn't seen him for four or five hours. It's also been four or five hours since I felt a panic in my heart. Even if you say Sixth Brother came by and spoke, I don't believe it. In this whole household, you all are more intimate with me than they are."

Shortly, Yuan Shun returned, with Huqiu following. On closer inspection, Huqiu's face was bruised black and blue. Qing Zhu exclaimed, asking what had happened.

Huqiu stood at attention, feet together. "I wasn't paying attention to the road while working and ran into a tree on that mound."

Zhang Ailian exchanged a few caring words with him, then asked where Minzi was.

Huqiu had been warned and said the young master was held up with yamen business and would come home once it was done.

Zhang Ailian pressed her chest and leaned in to probe. "Done? What kind of done?"

Huqiu's expression faltered. Zhang Ailian didn't miss the change. She slapped the wooden armrest in anger. "You follow his orders. You cover for him in everything, good or bad. If nothing's wrong with him, you're meritorious. If something is wrong, you're just following his instructions, so I can't blame you."

"Speak the truth now, and I'll let you continue being his companion. If you don't, I'll turn into a vicious old tigress and beat you to death!"

Huqiu's teeth chattered, sweat streaming down his face. He said nothing, only knelt and knocked his head on the ground.

"Fine. Today I'll have you beaten to death as a wicked servant bullying the master. Yuan Shun, bring the plank and beat him in front of me!"

Though hesitant, Yuan Shun had to follow orders. But as he went to fetch the plank and bench, he sent a servant boy to hurry Tong Xue and the others. If Huqiu wouldn't speak, perhaps they would. If Huqiu didn't know, maybe they did. The boy ran fast. Tong Xue and the others ran even faster, arriving just as the plank was striking with a _pipa_ sound. Qiong Hua, not knowing what had happened, shook off Tong Xue and pushed the two servant boys wielding the plank, then threw herself over Huqiu, crying to ask why the mistress was beating him.

Qing Zhu stepped forward to explain the situation and asked the two young maids if they knew the young master's whereabouts. If they did, they should speak up to spare Huqiu further suffering. "The mistress is always reasonable. Think carefully: in these dozen years, has she ever acted as a cruel master? Huqiu refuses to speak. As his mother, how could she not be frantic?"

"But perhaps Huqiu doesn't know..."

"Miss Qiong Hua, do you take everyone for fools?"

Qiong Hua was pulled aside, and the plank fell again. Huqiu could no longer struggle. He panted like an ox, sweat like rain, eyes bulging. Seeing Qiong Hua sobbing, he shouted hoarsely that it was nothing, that even if it came three times, he could bear it.

But this time the beating was different from when Qiong Hua was struck. After all, each craft has its master. Beating with the plank required skill—if they only wanted to give a flesh wound, they'd lift lightly and set down softly. If they wanted you never to get up again, they'd break every bone.

Tong Xue and Qiong Hua knew they couldn't stop it, so they kowtowed to Zhang Ailian.

A thunderclap cracked overhead. Dark clouds gathered, a gale howled.

Lian Xiusheng entered the courtyard alone. He knelt before Zhang Ailian and kowtowed, then told her where Lian Cheng had gone. Zhang Ailian immediately ordered Yuan Shun to stop beating Huqiu. Unlike Lian Cheng's expectation, Zhang Ailian's reaction wasn't violent. She asked a few questions about whether Minzi had suffered in prison, then asked Qing Zhu to help her change clothes; she wanted to go to the palace.

"Mother, don't rush." Lian Xiusheng lowered his eyes and spoke slowly. "The person who framed third brother—we still don't know his purpose. Even if you go to the Empress Dowager and the current emperor and secure his release, that person remains unknown and may strike again. You can plead once or twice on the strength of your ties with the palace, but those ties should be used sparingly and wisely."

Zhang Ailian closed her eyes and let tears fall. After a long moment, she caught her breath and managed to speak. "My son's fate is bitter. So bitter."

Lian Xiusheng remained unaffected. "Mother, rest well. Leave this matter to me."

At times like this, Zhang Ailian hated that she was a woman, with talent that couldn't be used and grievances she couldn't avenge. Before marriage, she relied on her father; after marriage, on her husband and sons. She sighed wearily. "Do as you see fit. If there's anything your mother can help with, just say so."

After Lian Xiusheng left, Zhang Ailian ordered Yuan Shun to carry Huqiu back to Penglai Pavilion and apply the best wound medicine. Seeing that the night was deep, ignoring the protests of the young servants and old maidservants, she had a carriage prepared and went to the imperial prison.

This was not her first visit, yet it was no longer as she remembered it. The Imperial Guard Office, established by the founding emperor, had, by the time of the late emperor, accomplished many good and important deeds despite being far from the state's core instruments. Later, under Li Jiao's management for two years, it became a rare institution of honor. But times had changed. As Zhang Ailian set foot in the prison, she felt only a chilling wind, like the courts of hell.

Lian Cheng was reading a storybook when he heard a shout. The torch-bearing guards stepped aside, and he looked up to see Zhang Ailian.

"Mother!" Lian Cheng exclaimed, startled, and quickly rose. "It's late and damp, why have you come?"

Zhang Ailian's elegant gown was scuffed with dust, but she ignored it as she stepped into the cell, taking her son's arms and examining him up and down. "My son has suffered."

"Mother, Sixth Brother sent me plenty of things. I'm fine, don't worry." Lian Cheng wiped the tears from her face with the back of his hand, his own heart aching.

"For no reason at all, who is trying to harm my son?" Zhang Ailian clenched her teeth.

Lian Cheng played along. "Outrageous!"

Zhang Ailian laughed through her anger. "Once you enter this prison, everyone has to shed a layer of skin to get out. And you still have the mind to joke?"

"When one man wields a halberd, ten thousand shrink back." Lian Cheng grew serious. "I stand with a righteous heart and act with integrity. Mother, I am not afraid."

Zhang Ailian wiped his face with her handkerchief. "Whether you are afraid or not, your mother hopes you have less hardship."

Lian Cheng showed her the arrangement in the cell. "Where's the hardship?"

Zhang Ailian did more than look. She walked past Lian Cheng to the bedding, examining it carefully, feeling and flipping it. The bedding material was fine, top-grade purple patterned cloth. She tore open a corner to check the cotton inside, pinched a bit in her hand, recognized it as kapok floss—also no ordinary item—and turned to Lian Cheng, saying, "Sixth Brother seems sincere to you."

"He is sincere to me, and I am to him."

Zhang Ailian nodded. "Of all people, none are like brothers. Since you treat each other sincerely, then I, as your mother, will treat him just like I treat you."