Chapter 229: The Wind Ceases (Part 1)

Chapter 229: The Wind Ceases (Part 1)

Shangjing.

At the Fengyi Gate, though dawn's light was still faint, the crowd entering the city was already a surging tide of people.

As the gate guards were checking the travel documents of those passing through, a squad of soldiers rode up at a leisurely pace.

The gate captain, who had been chatting and laughing with someone, turned his head at the sound. When he recognized the face of the man leading the group, he shot to his feet and called out, "General Pei!"

Seeing the city gate ahead, Pei Mingqi raised a hand: "Dismount."

His command was absolute.

The young soldiers moved in perfect unison, their dismount displaying rigorous discipline.

The captain's face was wreathed in sycophantic smiles as he flattered, "Ho, what spirit! General Pei, you're truly accomplished at a young age and skilled at drilling troops—far better than that Old Tiger Yuan!"

In days past, Pei Mingqi would have said that this man, who had bought himself a cushy gate-keeping post through family connections and grown fat and dull on it, wasn't even worthy to utter the name "Old Tiger Yuan."

But the Pei Mingqi of now had long learned that loose tongues court disaster.

He said calmly, "Venerable General Yuan's military achievements are outstanding. I am not his equal."

Then he handed over his waist token, silencing the man's blather: "Change of guard."

Just then, the hurried sound of hoofbeats approached from afar.

Pei Mingqi turned to look and saw a dust-covered messenger in black racing toward them at full speed, kicking up dust in his wake.

The man rode up to the gate, leaped from his horse, and knelt on the ground. He pulled a battle report stained with dust and sweat from his bosom and raised it high above his head.

His voice was weary, yet barely contained excitement: "Victory report! Quick, pass it through! An eight-hundred-li express dispatch!"

A glint of shrewdness flashed in the captain's eyes. He knew that delivering good news was a pleasant errand.

Even if he couldn't cadge a reward, at least making a good showing before others would be a fine thing.

But leaving Pei Mingqi standing here like this would be truly discourteous...

Pei Mingqi read his intent and calmly retrieved his waist token: "The victory report takes priority. Pay me no mind."

Hearing this, the captain's face lit up with joy. He made two quick bows to Pei Mingqi, then hurried toward the messenger, asking eagerly, "Where does the victory report come from?"

Pei Mingqi was pondering the same question.

Ever since the cessation of hostilities and the establishment of trade relations with the Jing tribe, Dayu's external threats, aside from the northern nomads, had been reduced to the Japanese pirates (wokou) along the southeastern coast.

But... a "great victory"?

How big a victory could it be?

Then he heard the messenger announce in a ringing, deliberate voice: "Great victory at Tongzhou! Eight hundred wokou slain!"

Pei Mingqi whipped his head around: "...Where?"

...

Yuan Weiyan, dressed in his official robes, stepped through the palace gates.

He walked with a brisk, commanding stride that still showed his former authority, though a thousand cares were hidden within the furrows of his weathered face.

He had long been retired at home, bouncing his grandson on his knee. What could the emperor want with him at this odd hour, with no festival or special occasion?

After running through all his recent misdeeds—including slipping out behind his wife's back for a heavy drinking session with old comrades-in-arms—Yuan Weiyan still felt uneasy.

While waiting for the summons in the Guanlin Pavilion, he pulled out a silver ingot and pressed it into Eunuch Li's hand, probing cautiously: "Eunuch Li, any idea what the emperor wants with me?"

Eunuch Li, whose given name was Li Shang, was the very eunuch who had once witnessed the Sixth Prince kneeling in the snow all night and coughing up blood from grief, several years ago.

Back then, he had been in the Directorate of Ceremonial Monies for only three months, still wet behind the ears.

That he had risen from an unknown young eunuch to a "Eunuch Li" whom people now addressed familiarly by surname—well, that said something about his real talent.

Li Shang pushed the silver back, a smile at the corner of his lips: "Venerable General Yuan, on any ordinary day, I'd pocket this without blinking. But not today. You'll find out when you go in."

At that, Yuan Weiyan actually calmed down.

...Damn it all.

He hadn't committed any crime against heaven. If they wanted him dead, they could damn well try.

Thus, when he entered the hall, aside from his heart beating slightly faster than usual, Yuan Weiyan showed barely a flicker of unease: "Your servant pays his respects to Your Majesty."

While offering his respects, he quietly took in the layout of the hall and saw that Jie Jitong, the Fifth Prince, and the Sixth Prince were all present.

Jie Jitong was a civil official and the emperor's shadow—it was no surprise to see him anywhere.

But the Fifth and Sixth Princes, both participating in governance—one serving in the Ministry of Justice, the other in the Ministry of Revenue—what were the odds of them both being here?

As Yuan Weiyan was quietly mulling this over, Xiang Zheng's voice, with a smile in it, came from above: "Old Geezer, you made good time."

The moment he spoke, Yuan Weiyan got goosebumps.

Usually, the emperor would address him by his courtesy name "Xiaotian" or as "Minister Yuan," hardly ever so chummy.

...Please, just be normal.

His heart was in turmoil, but on the surface he answered with all due formality: "When Your Majesty calls, Xiaotian wouldn't dare tarry."

Xiang Zheng casually handed a memorial from his desk to Xue Jie beside him: "Show him. Let him see what a fine son he's raised."

At those words, a chill ran down Yuan Weiyan's spine.

Ziyou had always been level-headed and never caused trouble.

That left only the second son.

...Good heavens, hadn't he shipped off to camp? What trouble had he stirred up now?

Yuan Weiyan accepted the memorial with both hands, all due respect, while frantically racking his brain for a defense for his second son.

...At worst, he'd trade his lifetime of military honors for the boy's safety.

With grim determination, Yuan Weiyan skimmed the battle report in his hands.

He couldn't believe his eyes. Thinking he must have misread, he read it again.

Behind the report's dry accounting of merit, he saw swagger and the glint of steel leaping off the page at him:

Tongzhou Prefecture's second squad leader, Yuan Zijin, wielding a chain flail and hand halberds, laid enemies low wherever his flying hammer passed, leaving bandits helpless—truly invincible in close combat, killing twenty-three foes in total.

Yuan Weiyan thought to himself: Wait, who is this?

His own youthful exploits flashed before his eyes:

He stood by the riverbank, heedless of arrows, hurling his hand halberds, staining the riverbank red with enemy blood.

Back then, the setting sun was just as blood-red.

He stood by the mighty river, threw his head back and laughed, thinking a decidedly unrefined thought: Damn, I'm a badass.

And now, the pride swelling in his chest far outshone that moment.

Yuan Weiyan's vision went blurry. Figuring it was just his old eyes playing tricks, he rubbed them twice.

Only after he'd rubbed out two teardrops that dampened a corner of the battle report did he snap back to reality, raising the memorial to apologize: "This old minister has lost his composure!"

Xiang Zheng didn't take offense.

Because he was in a genuinely excellent mood.

When he got the victory report, he'd slapped the table in admiration, then remembered Zong Yao, the man he'd sent to Le Wuya's side, and ordered the current head of the Changmen Guard to dig up any letters from Tongzhou.

Turns out, Zong Yao had indeed drafted memorials on the matter—three letters in all.

The victory report and his urgent confidential letters had landed in the capital almost back-to-back.

But with the sheer flood of intel pouring into the Changmen Guard from all directions, and plenty of spies abusing the urgent channel to puff up their own achievements, and the current head of the Changmen Guard not being as dedicated as Le Wuya, those letters had gotten buried.

In the first letter, Zong Yao laid out the volatile situation in Tongzhou in detail, warning that a brutal fight was coming.

In the second letter, there were just six frantic, bold characters:

Great victory! Great victory! Great victory!

Zong Yao was probably so over the moon he couldn't think straight. Right after sending the second letter, he fired off a third, briefly recounting the battle and reporting that Tongzhou Prefecture was now calm inside and out, the port was back up and running, city defense was in Mu Jiazhi's hands, and his own meager talents were being put toward running the prefectural office's day-to-day and keeping an eye on the Special Envoy.

That way, even with Prefect Wenren out of the prefecture, everything could still run like clockwork.

So where was he, you ask?

Oh, he was off chasing down Japanese pirates.

...

Ever since Le Wuya had snapped the spine of pirate boss Fukami Shirotaro on the spot, a bunch of bandits had crumbled on the spot, pointing at the guy as their ringleader, tripping over themselves to make amends.

Even if they couldn't save their own skins, they were hoping for a quick, clean death.

That was one of the reasons Le Wuya had executed Fukami Shirotaro right then and there, before the pirates could be hauled off.

A man that cunning—leave him breathing and he'd stir up nothing but trouble.

Dead meant clean.

According to the captured pirates' testimony, a few stragglers were still holed up on the island.

Le Wuya had them cough up the island's location, planning to hit it with a night raid and wipe them out, root and branch.

If heaven wouldn't cut off their path, he'd damn well do it himself.

...

Though Xiang Zheng's mind was a labyrinth and his moods were a crapshoot, impossible to read, his joy in this matter was the real deal.

After all, the last time he'd heard that good-for-nothing's name, Yuan Zijin had been a gambling, debauched rich kid who, for joyriding in an official carriage, had been caught red-handed by Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi and dragged straight to the Shuntian Prefecture.

For such a hopeless, useless seed to have bloomed like this under Wenren Mingke—you'd have to call it a miracle cure.

"Reckless, way too reckless!" Xiang Zheng said, sounding more pleased than scolding. "Wenren Yue refused to take a break, dead set on going to that island himself to hunt down the pirates. I heard an arrow hit his arm, blood soaked his sleeve, and he still didn't back down. He bandaged the wound and was ready to suit up again—how's that a scholar? That's a damn general!"

Standing below, Xiang Zhijie lowered his gaze, his hands hidden in his sleeves clenching silently.

Xiang Zheng turned to Xiang Zhijie and praised him: "Xiaoliu, you've got good instincts."

Xiang Zhijie replied evenly: "I thank Your Majesty for the kind words. Wenren Mingke upholds the realm and drives out the pirates—that's a minister's job; Your Majesty's sharp eye for talent and smart placement is the realm's good fortune."

Praise from an honest man lands a lot better than from some smooth talker.

Xiang Zheng clapped his hands, delighted, and tossed out a few more lines about "a tiger father doesn't sire a dog son," bestowed a jade ruyi on Yuan Weiyan and sent him home to spread the good news.

Yuan Weiyan strode out of the hall with a spring in his step, caught sight of Li Shang smiling at him, and without a word, untied his money pouch, emptying every silver ingot in it as a reward.

This time, Li Shang did not refuse: "This servant thanks General Yuan for the reward!"

Yuan Weiyan kept a stern face all the way home, but the moment he entered the Yuan residence, he couldn't hold back a burst of laughter, shouting as he laughed: "Bring wine! Bring wine!"

Lady Yuan, having worried all morning after hearing he'd been summoned to the palace, saw him come in acting like a madman and even daring to ask for wine, and grew displeased. She went up and slapped him three times on the back: "Have you lost your mind?"

Lady Yuan stood only five feet tall, yet before the eight-foot Yuan Weiyan, she showed not a shred of fear.

Contrary to his usual behavior, Yuan Weiyan grabbed his wife's wrist with his big hand and pulled her into the hall: "Today, you're drinking with me!"

...

In the Zhaoming Hall, Xiang Zheng's excitement lingered. He said to Jie Jitong: "The ranking of this year's top three graduates hasn't been decided yet, has it?"

A few days earlier, after the palace examination, the emperor had personally reviewed the papers and selected the top three, but had yet to arrange the order of Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua.

Jie Jitong replied: "Correct, Your Majesty. The Ministry of Rites has prepared all the ceremonial gifts, awaiting Your Majesty's final decision."

Xiang Zheng nodded: "Today is a good day—let's decide now. I've been busy lately and have forgotten some details of the papers. Yuheng, you've also read the top three's papers—recite them for me."

Then he said to the Fifth and Sixth Princes: "You two should listen as well."

The palace examination question this year had indeed been predicted by the two scholars Li and Su.

The question was a line from the *Discourses on Salt and Iron*: "The sea is the great benefit of heaven and earth."

The scholars who participated had already passed the examination, so they naturally aimed for safety, mostly offering measured arguments on the pros and cons of opening maritime trade, ultimately concluding: "Since both sides have merits and drawbacks, it is all for Your Majesty to decide."

Among the top three papers, two analyzed the pros and cons with great clarity.

After reciting those two, Jie Jitong began the third: "The sea is the great benefit of heaven and earth. The sages built ships to connect the world, established ports to facilitate exchange. Yet since the previous dynasty's maritime ban, trade has ceased and Japanese pirate troubles have grown. Now that our great Dayu has enjoyed a century of peace, we should open maritime routes to enrich the state, suppress the pirates to secure the coasts—this is truly a matter of statecraft..."

"Stop." Xiang Zheng suddenly called a halt and asked, "Among all the palace examination papers, only Ming Xiangzhao wrote this way, correct?"

Jie Jitong replied: "Yes, he alone vigorously advocated the benefits of opening the maritime ban, believing that only by doing so could the pirate scourge be fully eradicated."

Xiang Zheng: "Then he's the one."

Jie Jitong caught Xiang Zheng's meaning.

But he didn't say much, just waited quietly for a clear order.

Soon, Xiang Zheng made his call: "Inform the Ministry of Rites: this year's Tanhu (third-place scholar) is Ji Taichu from Zhili; the Bangyan (second-place scholar) is Geng Chengyun from Yuzhou. This year's Zhuangyuan (top scholar)..."

"Yi Ming Xiangzhao from Yizhou."

...

After leaving the Zhaoming Hall, Xiang Zhiyun sped off like the wind, disappearing in a flash.

Things had been awkward between the brothers for a while now.

Xiang Zhijie watched his brother hurry off and let out a dry laugh, but then nearly tripped on the steps himself.

Ru Feng, waiting outside, was startled and quickly grabbed his arm to steady him, asking in a low voice, "My lord, what's wrong?"

Xiang Zhijie said softly, "...He's hurt."

Ru Feng, confused, asked, "Who?"

Xiang Zhijie started walking, his voice low enough that only the two of them could hear: "If he can go to him, then I have to go too."

Ru Feng: "...My lord, of whom do you speak?"

Xiang Zhijie didn't answer, only insisting, "He asked me to push for opening the sea trade, and he fights so hard, never giving up—is it really for his own glory? Does he mean that much to him?"

Ru Feng: "..."

He, he, he.

Who the hell is he?!