Chapter 56

Last night, Song Qianzhao drank with the Crown Prince, and the wine flowed down his throat, and he couldn't help but drink more. This morning, he woke up with a beating forehead and a dazed mind for a while before he reached the gate of the Yintaisi.

As soon as Song Qianzhao got off the sedan chair, he waved his hand and sent his followers back home.

Just as she was about to take a step, she heard a commotion coming from the direction of the government office.

Looking up, I saw three or five officers pushing a mother and her son.

Song Qianzhao's heart skipped a beat - wasn't this the mother and child he had rescued yesterday?

"Don't hit my mother! Don't hit my mother!"

The child cried heartbreakingly, his tender voice filled with fear and despair. His thin body trembled constantly, but he still clung to his mother, trying to block the stick for her.

The officers, all scowling and holding whistles, were furious. The leader shouted, "Get out of here! If you dare to act wildly again, I'll punish you with my sticks! How can we tolerate your insolence in front of the Yintaisi? If I didn't feel sorry for you, an orphan and a widow, I would have taken you to the government office and punished!"

The prone woman slowly raised her head, a piercing smile playing on her lips. "Beat them... There were forty members of the Yang family in Tieshanbao, Suzhou, and now only my widow and I are left. If you each strike with a stick, it will be considered a reunion for our whole family!"

The officers were shaken by what they heard, but the leader gritted his teeth and sternly shouted, "You're giving me a chance! Even if I beat you two to death, it'll only get us into trouble. Take them away! Take them to the Inspection Office!"

The officers' faces darkened upon hearing this, and they immediately grabbed the mother and child and dragged them out like an eagle catching chicks. The child in the woman's arms burst into tears of fear, and the woman herself wailed uncontrollably, her cries echoing in front of the yamen.

Officials passing by on the street looked straight ahead, their steps hurried, as if they hadn't heard anything. Occasionally, a few civilians carrying loads stopped to look, their faces showing a hint of pity, but they simply shook their heads and quickly walked away.

"stop!"

Song Qianzhao shouted, walked forward, and frowned.

The officer was startled when he heard the voice. When he saw who it was, his face suddenly changed. He hurriedly put away his stick and bowed, his tone filled with a bit of fear and flattery: "Sir!"

Song Qianzhao glanced at everyone coldly, his voice low but imposing, "Why did you hit someone? You bullied an orphan and a widow in broad daylight. Do you think you have no regard for the dignity of the office by doing this?"

"To answer your Excellency, Sizhi," the leading officer rubbed his hands, a wry smile on his face, "this mother and son lingering in the office is truly an eyesore. The Chengxuanshi said that all complaints from the people should be accepted at the middle of the month, but now the middle of the month has passed, so we have to wait until the second half of the month to accept them."

He stole a glance in the woman's direction and continued, "We have tried to persuade her again and again, but she is stubborn and refuses to change her ways. She even wants to stop the procession of honor from everyone."

As he spoke, he bowed slightly, showing a respectful gesture, but his tone was subtly suggestive: "You know that if this happens, we will probably lose our jobs. Please understand this, sir."

Upon hearing this, Song Qianzhao asked the woman, "Is that really the case?"

Seeing that it was someone she knew, the woman immediately stopped crying and a look of joy filled her eyes. "My benefactor told me last night that if I were ever in trouble, I could come to you. This morning I went to your house to look for you, but the gatekeeper said you were already on duty at the government office, so I ended up here."

As soon as the woman said this, the officers froze in their places, looking at each other in bewilderment. Their eyes were filled with surprise and suspicion - how could this poor woman know Lord Song?

"Yesterday, my benefactor asked me why I jumped into the river. I was so embarrassed that I forgot to tell you."

"I'm from Tieshan Fort in Suzhou, Liaodong. Ten days ago, the Di invaders attacked, and the garrison commander ran away faster than a rabbit. Most of the villagers in the fort were unable to escape and were hacked to death by the foreigners."

"Some people hid in the deep mountains and forests and survived. But who would have thought..." Her voice suddenly became sharp, "The surviving villagers came down from the mountains and were about to go home when that corrupt official returned with his troops!"

"They saw that the villagers still had some food and belongings, so they started to rob them. Forty families in the fort were surrounded and killed if they showed any resistance. The woman and her family of three were lucky enough to come down the mountain a little late, so they escaped the garrison's clutches."

Song Qianzhao was furious, but he suppressed his anger and said, "The garrison commander of Tieshan Fort deserted the battlefield first, and then robbed and killed people. You should have reported this to the commander-in-chief of Suzhou for disposal. Why did you bypass the commander-in-chief and file a complaint with the Yintai Division?"

"The general of Suzhou and the garrison commander are of the same ilk. My husband went to the general to file a complaint, but was thrown into death row by the corrupt officials and died unjustly within ten days." Her voice suddenly choked and her shoulders trembled slightly.

Having said this, the woman suddenly turned her face away and wiped her eyes hard with her sleeves.

"I was afraid they would come and harm us again, so I took my son and me and trekked to the capital, hoping for a righteous Lord to accept our complaint. However, I went to several places, but no one paid any attention. So, yesterday, in despair and grief, I threw myself into the river. Fortunately, I met a benefactor, and now hope has been rekindled!"

The woman's words immediately escalated the situation. Song Qianzhao might have dismissed a mere garrison commander, but the commander-in-chief was a high-ranking official and the empress dowager's grandson. Furthermore, she remembered some of the original storyline—he was secretly colluding with Prince Su, who guarded the border of Chuzhou in Liaodong.

Prince Su was submissive on the surface, but in reality, he was utterly ambitious. He not only secretly eliminated dissidents, but also cultivated his own factions within the court. The reason the emperor had not yet taken action against him was because he was wary of the military power he held.

She pondered for a moment, then asked, "Do you have any evidence for this matter? Have you written a complaint?"

"The previous petition was taken away by the general of Suzhou. I asked the old scholar in the village to rewrite it. It has my signature and my child's signature on it. Please take a look, sir..."

After saying that, the woman took out a crumpled petition from her torn bundle and handed it to Song Qianzhao.

Song Qianzhao took the petition and frowned slightly. The format was messy, the handwriting was crooked, the facts described were confusing, and there was no actual evidence to support it. There was not even a signature besides a signature, only two circles in place.

Staring at the petition, she felt a mixture of emotions, suddenly remembering Song Qianzhao's ending in the original novel—fraudulently framed for speaking out for the refugees from Suzhou, Liaodong, and ultimately dying of depression. While changing the plot wasn't impossible, there was always the possibility of a possible outcome.

The evidence before us is so crude and simple. If we rashly submit a memorial based on it to oppose the extremely powerful Prince Su, it would be like hitting a rock with an egg. It would be normal to be framed by him. How is that different from seeking death?

By this time, many civilians had already gathered around her, and several yamen runners were watching. She was now in a difficult position, and if she acted rashly, she might be in danger.

If he accepted it, his future would be worrying; if he didn't accept it, it would go against his conscience. After hesitating for a moment, Song Qianzhao suddenly tore the petition into pieces, threw it away, turned around and left.

The woman stared blankly at the flying scraps of paper, her cloudy eyes momentarily losing focus. When she regained consciousness, she suddenly let out a heartbreaking wail: "Damn it! Even if the whole Yang family were to transform into evil spirits, they would haunt you!"

Her calloused hands were shaking, and she was sobbing loudly as she knelt on the ground and tried desperately to collect the scraps of paper.

The officers were also stunned and were about to hold the mother and son, but Song Qianzhao spoke up, "Let her curse! No one is allowed to stop her! Let her curse to her heart's content in front of the Yintaisi gate today, and she can't leave even if she wants! If anyone asks, just say it was Song Qianzhao's idea! Keep a close eye on them, and if anyone escapes, you will be the ones to hold them accountable!"

After saying that, Song Qianzhao entered the gate of the Yintai Division. Then the scolding of the onlookers began to rise, and the group of officers were so ashamed that they wished they could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.

…

As soon as he entered the gate of the Yintai Division, Song Qianzhao did what he had to do as usual, handling the official business at hand with a normal expression.

It was not until noon that Mingjue came on time with a food box to deliver lunch. Only then did Song Qianzhao put down the brush in his hand and looked around.

Seeing that no one was around, Song Qianzhao quietly pulled Mingjue's sleeve and led him to a secluded spot behind the pillars. She lowered her voice and asked, "Is there a mother and son outside the government office right now?"

Mingjue rubbed his hands, his eyes wandering, and replied with a wry smile: "No, no."

Song Qianzhao's face changed after hearing this: "How could there be no one? Go to the police station and ask where the mother and son went."

Mingjue then smiled sheepishly: "Yes, yes." He touched his nose, "Their curses were so nasty, I'm embarrassed to imitate them in front of you."

Song Qianzhao nodded, his tone normal: "It's good that he's still here. Take this silver and go invite those officials in front of the gate to have a drink. Make sure to send them away. If anyone refuses, just say that I'm the host."

"Then invite the mother and son back to the mansion. Remember, it's an invitation, not a capture. Be polite and don't scare them."

Mingjue was completely bewildered, muttering to himself, "Has the young master gone mad? He's actually inviting people to his mansion to yell at him?" Although filled with doubts, he didn't dare disobey and quickly left the yamen to get back to work.

In the afternoon, Song Qianzhao checked in as usual and left the yamen. He thought the prince was fasting and wouldn't be seen for half a month, otherwise he could ask for his help. There was no one to discuss this matter with, and just as he was worrying about it, he suddenly saw a familiar figure in front of him - it was He Jingyi!

"Uncle!" Song Qianzhao's eyes lit up and he hurried forward in two steps.

"Qian Zhao?" He Jingyi saw his anxious expression and asked with concern, "What difficulties have you encountered?"

Song Qianzhao thought for a moment and then told the whole story: "Today, I met a mother and son outside the Yintaisi Yamen who came to the capital to file a complaint."

"Upon closer questioning, it turned out that the garrison of Tieshan Fort in Suzhou had deserted the battlefield and subsequently plundered the civilians. The Suzhou general not only shielded their crimes but also unjustly killed the victims. My nephew couldn't bear it and secretly placed them in his mansion."

"Stupid!" He Jingyi's face turned pale. "This matter involves serious consequences. How can you make such a decision on your own? The commander-in-chief is the empress dowager's grandson, and he has connections in the Ministry of War. If there is no solid evidence, and the empress dowager speaks up for you in front of Your Majesty, and Your Majesty is easily deceived, what will you do?"

Seeing Song Qianzhao's serious expression, He Jingyi lowered his voice and said, "But if you want evidence, you can go to the Jinyiwei Commander Liu Ming'an. The Jinyiwei are well-informed and have great means of investigation, but how can you make him willing..."

"Nephew will try it right away!" Before He Jingyi finished speaking, Song Qianzhao was about to leave.

"Wait!" He Jingyi stopped him, "Don't be impatient. How are you going to try? You have no relatives or friends with Liu Mingan. How are you going to get him to willingly help you find evidence?"

"I don't know..." Song Qianzhao pondered for a long time, then smiled bitterly. "Even if we had evidence, this matter would be very difficult. Whether it was me, my grandfather, or the Imperial Guards, it wouldn't be good for His Majesty to hear it. Telling the truth is even worse. This fire will eventually burn on my head. Now I don't know what to do."

After hearing this, He Jingyi stroked his beard and chuckled, "It's rare to see you, Song Qianzhao, so helpless. Well, the ways of the officialdom are not something you can learn overnight. Today, your uncle will give you a few more pointers."

"If you want to do this, you have to do it reluctantly, and it's best if you suffer some loss. That way, others won't be able to link it to you."

"Someday, you will send the mother and son to the residence of Censor Du Zhan to plead their case. Du Zhan is a man of upright character, but inflexible. He always argues fiercely with officials during court."

"Your Majesty, because of his loyalty, has never punished him."

"Furthermore, when Liu Ming'an was framed and imprisoned, it was only Imperial Censor Du Zhan who submitted a petition for his release. It just so happens that he was in Liu Ming'an's good graces. Even if he were framed by his political enemies for submitting this petition, he wouldn't have to worry, as Liu Ming'an would protect him."

"Liu Ming'an is also from the Liaodong Imperial Merchants family. His family has many connections in the local area, which will make it easier for him to help you verify this matter."

"When you help the mother and son file their grievances, remember three things. First, you must accuse the garrison commander of fleeing in fear of the enemy and allowing his soldiers to plunder. Second, you must accuse the general commander of favoritism and perverting the law, wrongfully harming the plaintiff. Of these three charges, you must also accuse Song Qianzhao, the Chief Justice of the Silver Palace, of knowing about the incident and failing to report it. This way, at most, your reputation will be damaged, and the matter will be resolved."

Song Qianzhao suddenly felt enlightened. After talking with He Jingyi for a few more words, he took a sedan chair back to the mansion.

…

Imperial Du Zhan has been feeling rather depressed lately. He submitted three consecutive memorials criticizing the Ministry of Works' wasteful spending, but they fell on deaf ears. In the end, the Emperor granted him a month's rest, calling it "rest," but in reality, he was dissatisfied with his noisy nature.

Furious, he spent the entire day in his study copying calligraphy, dragging his wolf-hair brush back and forth across the rice paper in a fit of rage. Unexpectedly, even before he left the house, trouble would still find him.

Liu and her youngest son continued to wear their washed-out coarse cloth clothes and collapsed at the door of Du Zhan's house.

Liu pulled up her sleeves and wiped her face carelessly. Her eyes were red but not wet at all. She raised her voice: "Oh God... please open your eyes..."

The last word was drawn out, and while howling he peeked through his fingers to see if the door was open.

Du Zhan loves to meddle in other people's affairs.

He would butt in on matters at court, he would inquire about matters at the prefecture and county levels, he would intervene when neighbors quarreled, and whenever he heard of an injustice, he could not sit still and would only feel comfortable if he intervened.

He suddenly heard some noise outside the door and his eyes lit up.

Don't underestimate him because he is only a sixth-rank censor and loves to speak up for others despite his low position.

Whenever there were court meetings, officials in purple robes and jade belts would quickly avoid him when they saw him coming, fearing he would catch them and lecture them on how the people of a certain place were doing.

But he loved this. Whenever he saw corrupt officials humiliated by his exposure, and the people bowing to him in gratitude, his heart felt sweeter than drinking honey. His family was so poor that he could only afford simple meals, and his official uniform was washed white, but he was happy to be an official!

Hearing the cries of grief and injustice coming from outside, Du Zhan ran out the door in two steps.

I saw a woman in coarse clothes kneeling at the door, slapping her thigh and crying, "Sir, please help me!" A half-grown child was kneeling beside her, howling too.

"Lady, please stop kneeling! Come in with me first!" He helped the wailing woman up, his face full of excitement. "If you have any grievances, please tell me. I hate to see people being wronged!"

The woman wiped away her nonexistent tears and dragged her child inside. As soon as she entered the yard, she was stunned—three gray tiled houses, with strings of dried chilies hanging from the eaves; a few chickens and ducks were penned in a bamboo fence in the corner, flapping their wings and pecking at food; and there was a pile of unmilled wheat next to the stone mill.

Even this official's family couldn't afford to hire a servant. His wife Ming was still picking vegetables in the yard. The wife of a Beijing official looked even older than the old nanny in Song Qianzhao's mansion.

"Sir, you live here?"

The woman forgot to cry for a moment, her eyes widening. She had thought that an official's house would be luxurious and grand, but she had never imagined it would be so shabby.

She only knew that Song Sizhi was a rare honest official, but she didn't expect that there was someone even more honest than Song Sizhi. If she hadn't seen an official robe embroidered with a Xiezhi hanging in the hall, she would have thought she had found the wrong door.

Looking at the stunned mother and son, Du Zhan nonchalantly kicked the hen blocking his way away, brought over two tree stumps to use as stools, and asked with a smile, "What's the matter? Is this room of mine too shabby?"

"Nine out of ten people who come to me are as surprised as you are. I see, when did you stop being surprised? The bright and clear world of Dasui has finally become clearer."

Liu didn't quite understand what she was saying, but her youngest son asked in confusion, "If being an official is so hard, why would you want to be one?"

"Nonsense, apologize to the adults immediately." Liu's face changed.

Hearing the child's words, Du Zhan was stunned at first, then burst out laughing: "It's just a child's innocent words, how can it be a sin? Even a child would think this way, not to mention those old sly men who have been in the government for many years."

"Liu, if you have any grievances, please tell me. Even if all the officials in the world dare not intervene, I, Du Zhan, will stand up for you."

Liu fell to her knees and said, "Thank you, sir. Those three officials I want to sue should all be cut into pieces!"

Upon hearing this, Du Zhan said in a deep voice, "Oh, which three officials? Tell me about them."

"I reported Wang Yan, the garrison commander of Tieshan Fort in Suzhou, for abandoning his armor and weapons upon seeing the Di cavalry, leaving the entire fort to suffer. After the barbarians returned with their laden cargo, he ordered his soldiers to plunder the remnants, slaughtering forty households in my Yang family. Only this woman and her family escaped."

"Second complaint: Liu Ming, the general of Suzhou, was accused of collusion and mutual protection, resulting in the leader's unjust death. Third complaint..."

When she said this, Liu hesitated and lowered her voice.

Seeing that Liu was hesitant to speak, Du Zhan thought she was afraid, so he said gently, "Don't be afraid. I will take care of it for you."

Liu made up her mind and said, "I have reported Song Qianzhao, the Chief Justice of the Yintai Division, three times. He knew about the incident but refused to report it, did nothing, tore up my petition, and even tried to protect me out of favoritism!"

"Humph, that Liu Mingyuan is a filthy bastard, and Wang Yan is in the same boat with him. But this Song Qianzhao is at least the adopted grandson of Song Tianguan, so how can he be so despicable? Do you and your son have any evidence for this?"

Liu lowered her head and twisted the corner of her clothes. "I'm just a country girl, how could I possibly have any evidence... I'll rely on your wisdom, sir."

Du Zhan twirled his beard and pondered, "Well, stay here for a few days. I'll find someone to investigate and then we'll make a decision."

Unexpectedly, as soon as these words came out, without waiting for Liu's reply, the child said in a depressed tone, "Mom, I want to live with Song Da..." Liu hurriedly tried to cover her son's mouth, but it was too late. Du Zhan's eyes lit up after hearing this and he laughed, "What a plan! It's really a good plan! Killing someone with a borrowed knife, and avoiding the trouble of attracting bees to sting yourself. You and your son, please stop covering up for Song Qianzhao. I'm going to meet the notorious Song Sizhi! Wife, get some money so I can rent a sedan chair to go to the Song Mansion."

Mrs. Du, He, glared at Du Zhan and said, "No, go on your own. You marry a man to eat, but look at the official you hold. You can't even get a ceremonial guard!"

After hearing this, Du Zhan looked embarrassed, laughed dryly a few times, walked out the door and headed straight for the Song Mansion.