Chapter 68: White Stone Resembles Jade, Treacherous Official Resembles a Virtuous Man
"Begin—Play—"
A sharp announcement pierced the winter morning. The long morning court session began after the ministers shouted "Long live the Emperor!" in unison. One matter after another was presented, discussed, or temporarily shelved—all routine government affairs, such as local reports and year-end rewards. Above the ministers, and also on the imperial throne, Zhao Ji, listless, dealt with one matter after another. He had spent the night observing the stars, admiring paintings, and had even acquired a new, quite inspired poem. He felt that these complicated state affairs were truly disturbing his peace of mind.
Below the steps, Chancellor Cai Jing stood at the head of the civil officials. He was slightly plump, with a well-maintained face, and his eyes held the usual feigned gentleness and respect. A perfectly measured, observant smile played on his lips. Occasionally, when Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) sought his advice on state affairs, he would immediately offer appropriate suggestions. Only in quiet moments would he glance out of the corner of his eye at the elderly man standing respectfully with his head bowed on the other side—the Grand Tutor of the dynasty.
This veteran of two reigns had become increasingly silent since his grandson's assassination. Today, he was like a withered old bamboo, his body emaciated, as always, ignoring the court's discussions. Cai Jing's heart followed the changes in Grand Tutor Li's expression, yet on the surface, he remained perfectly composed.
He looked to the side and saw Zhuge Zhengwo, the Divine Marquis, standing calmly at the head of the court officials, his expression serene and unassuming, making it impossible for him to discern his intentions.
The lengthy court discussion was drawing to a close, and the sharp words of the Grand Eunuch, "Those with matters to report, please speak; those without, court may adjourn," were just about to fall.
At this moment, Grand Tutor Li, who had been standing silently, suddenly took a step forward. This step was not large, but it attracted the attention of everyone in the hall. The last time Grand Tutor Li did this was when he petitioned the emperor on behalf of Li Xunhuan. And the time before that?
Cai Jing's keen senses detected something amiss, but he had clearly already made arrangements with the Six Doors. Before he could decide, Grand Tutor Li took a deep breath, then faced the high throne, bent his usually ramrod straight back, and spoke in a booming voice incongruous with his gaunt frame:
"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present. I wish to accuse Chen Ling, the Vice Minister of the Department of Revenue, of harboring malicious intentions and hiring assassins to murder my grandson, Li Xunhuan. I beseech Your Majesty to make a wise judgment!"
It was as if a thunderbolt had struck the Golden Palace, its resounding impact echoing in everyone's hearts. Zhao Ji, who had just been dozing off, suddenly sat up straight: "Minister Li, is what you say true? Tell me in detail."
Cai Jing's face turned extremely ugly. His heart was in turmoil, but he had to feign composure, adopting the same shocked expression as everyone else. The immense shock and ensuing anger made him constantly think about where things had gone wrong. He had indeed instructed Chen Ling to do this; if the investigation led back to Chen Ling…
He was searching for any possibility that he might have been exposed, while Grand Tutor Li replied hoarsely, “Your Majesty, my grandson Li Xunhuan has been wandering the world since resigning from his official post, making many friends of integrity. Upon hearing of his misfortune, some of his friends from the martial arts world came to his aid. They discovered that on the day Xunhuan was murdered, there happened to be a husband and wife who were in charge of purchasing for the garden in my household. They had just committed a serious offense and were expelled from Li Garden. Something seemed amiss, so they tracked down the whereabouts of these two people.”
At this point, Grand Tutor Li took another deep breath, while Chen Ling in the civil official ranks had turned deathly pale.
Finally, they found the two bodies in a river near a secluded shop. From their neighbors, they learned that the two men had inexplicably found a hundred taels of silver in their home before their deaths. Although Li Yuan treated his old servant well, he had never given such a large reward. Where did the hundred taels of silver come from? They investigated the two men's lives and found that someone had witnessed them secretly meeting with the steward of Minister Chen's residence before Li Yuan's death and obtaining a bottle of poison from the steward.
"Xunhuan's friends have discovered that the man in black who assassinated Xunhuan also received a large sum of money before his death. The banknotes were all signed with the surname Chen, and they were also related to the steward of the Chen family. Lord Chen, tell me, why did your steward act in this way, and what was his purpose?"
After saying this, Grand Tutor Li suddenly turned around, his cloudy old eyes sharper than they had been in many years, piercing straight at Chen Ling, who was trembling all over.
Chen Ling could no longer stand. He collapsed to his knees with a thud, trembling like a withered leaf in a downpour, unable to bear anything. His face was deathly pale. Even though Grand Tutor Li had not yet produced the crucial evidence that he had hired someone, cold sweat soaked through the back of his official robe. He dared not even look at Cai Jing's seat above him, nor at anyone else.
"Injustice! Injustice, Your Majesty!" Chen Ling kowtowed on the ground, his words incoherent and rambling, unable to even think of exonerating himself. "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I am innocent! I have no grudge against Scholar Li, nor against the Li family. How could I have committed such a heinous act? Please, Your Majesty, see the truth! It must be... it must be someone framing me!"
Emperor Huizong was already furious, especially when he saw Chen Ling's terrified and disoriented state, which almost confirmed Li Taifu's accusations. He slammed his hand heavily on the armrest of the dragon throne and rebuked, "You still have the nerve to claim innocence? I don't think you're innocent at all! Look at how you're trembling. If you weren't guilty, why would you do this? To commit such a despicable act is simply a parasite on the nation, a disgrace to the scholarly community, enough to shame all the scholars in the world!"
He turned pale with anger, then turned his anger towards the Six Doors, which he had assigned to investigate the case. Having martial arts figures uncover the truth and damage the court's reputation was even more unacceptable to him than Chen Ling: "Is the Six Doors full of useless idiots? They can't handle their duties, and in the end, we have to rely on martial arts heroes to run around for the court and the descendants of meritorious officials to catch the culprit?!"
The commander of the Six Doors was sweating profusely. He hurriedly stepped forward, knelt down, and begged for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, I am incompetent. I failed to solve this case in time and disturbed the Grand Tutor. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
The others didn't dare to breathe loudly, all lowering their heads, afraid of being implicated. Just then, Zhuge Zhengwo, holding a jade tablet, stepped out from the crowd with steady steps.
He said loudly, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Minister Chen just claimed that he had no grudges against the Li family or against the young scholar Li. Although this is Minister Chen’s sophistry, it does raise a point of suspicion. Why would Minister Chen take such a risk and hire so many assassins to kill a young scholar Li who has no deep hatred for him? There must be someone else behind this. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and not let the mastermind go unpunished, or let the loyal and righteous feel disheartened.”
As he said this, Zhuge Zhengwo's gaze lingered intentionally or unintentionally on Cai Jing's voice. As soon as he finished speaking, several censors who had dealings with Grand Tutor Li or the Divine Marquis's Mansion stepped forward and said in unison, "Your Majesty, we second your opinion and beg you to investigate this matter!"
A chill ran down Cai Jing's spine. The moment he saw Zhuge Zhengwo intervene, he understood everything.
What a Zhuge Zhengwo! What a Li Taifu! They actually managed to trace it back to him. Countless thoughts flashed through Cai Jing's mind: How did these two know? How could he protect himself? Chen Ling, that fool, could not be allowed to live. Although he couldn't immediately guess how much Li Taifu and Zhuge Zhengwo knew, Zhuge Zhengwo's personal involvement and the involvement of some court officials already indicated a bad situation.
As cunning and shrewd as he was, he devised a countermeasure.
Cai Jing immediately stepped forward, his face timely filled with shock, anger, and indignation. He rebuked Chen Ling in a tone more righteously indignant than anyone else, while bowing to the throne and saying, "What you say is absolutely right. This case is heinous. If there is someone else behind the assassination of a meritorious official, then the crime is even more unforgivable. It must be thoroughly investigated and punished to serve as a warning to others. I beg Your Majesty to investigate carefully and not to tolerate evil."
He spoke as if he were the most loyal subject, but every word he uttered made Chen Ling, who was lying on the ground, tremble even more violently.
Chen Ling was in despair. He understood that Cai Jing was completely abandoning him and leaving him to confess alone. But what could he do? He still had his family—his parents, wife, and children. If he didn't confess, Cai Jing would only make their deaths worse, or worse, leave them unable to live or die.
He was utterly defeated, tears mingling with sweat as he cried out, "Your Majesty, I confess! It was I, it was I who did it! I was jealous, jealous of the Li family's three top scholars, jealous of Li Xunhuan's early success, yet he resigned from his post. I, on the other hand, come from humble origins, and though I possess some talent, I have always felt suffocated by oppression. Jealousy clouded my judgment, and that's why I committed this grave error, using all my savings to commit this crime. All the blame lies with me. I confess, and I beg Your Majesty to spare my wife, children, and parents, considering that I have also served the court..."
Chen Ling kowtowed desperately, taking all the blame upon herself, and dared not utter another word about it.
Cai Jing felt a huge weight lifted from his heart, but his face still showed grief and indignation, a perfectly measured expression of regret and self-reproach. Chen Ling was his protégé, and he wanted to distance himself from the relationship as best he could: "Your Majesty, this old minister is truly heartbroken. This scoundrel Chen Ling was someone I recommended personally back then because I saw his diligence and prudence and valued his talent. Who would have thought that his character was so depraved and that he harbored such wicked intentions? It was my poor judgment and oversight in choosing a person that allowed such a wicked person to occupy the high position of Vice Minister, and almost harmed the Grand Tutor's bloodline."
He raised his sleeve and gently wiped away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes: "This old minister has failed Your Majesty's grace and is ashamed before the Grand Tutor. I beg Your Majesty to punish this old minister severely. It was my shortsightedness that allowed such a filthy person to tarnish the name of Your Majesty's discerning and insightful dynasty!"
How brilliantly he spoke! Seemingly a confession, he subtly portrayed himself as a blinded talent scout, cleverly attributing the matter to a personal grudge between his subjects, ultimately elevating it to the level of upholding Emperor Huizong's wisdom. Sure enough, the slight hesitation on Emperor Huizong's face caused by Zhuge Zhengwo's words was quickly replaced by Cai Jing's heartfelt self-reproach. He was even more impressed by Cai Jing's defense of his reputation as a wise ruler, which suited him perfectly. His gaze towards Cai Jing even revealed a hint of sympathy and compassion.
Seeing this, Grand Tutor Li felt no anger, only chilling dismay. He stepped forward again and said, "Your Majesty, Master Zhuge's words are the only truth. Chen Ling is merely a minor official; without immense backing, how could he have the audacity to spend such a huge sum of money to hire assassins? This matter is far from simple. I implore Your Majesty..."
Zhao Ji interrupted him, his face showing weariness and impatience, and replied, "Grand Tutor, you have seen it yourself. Chen Ling has already confessed and signed the document to be executed. Now that the matter has been investigated, why make a fuss about it? If we continue to implicate others, wouldn't that cause panic throughout the court and the country? As for the mastermind behind it all, since Chen Ling has confessed, it has been proven that he was the only one who did it. His jealousy of your grandson is the reason he committed the crime."
Looking at Grand Tutor Li's weathered and pained face, he unusually softened his tone, offering perfunctory words of comfort, and waved his hand dismissively: "Grand Tutor, you are advanced in years and have just experienced a great upheaval in your family. You must take care of your health. Don't let such a treacherous villain trouble you too much; it's not worth it. Issue an imperial decree: Chen Ling's crimes are unforgivable. He is to be immediately dismissed from his post, imprisoned in the Dali Temple, and thoroughly interrogated. Once the evidence is conclusive, he will be executed. Grand Tutor Li is deeply saddened by the loss of his grandson, who has suffered such misfortune. Therefore, the Imperial Treasury is to bestow upon him a pair of ginseng in purple gold, a jade ruyi, and ten bushels of pearls from the South China Sea... to comfort his heart."
He then turned to Wang Zhe of the Six Doors and said coldly, "The Six Doors has neglected its duties and caused the suffering of our clansmen. The head official will be fined one year's salary, and all those responsible for investigating this matter will be dismissed."
Finally, his gaze fell on Cai Jing, and Zhao Ji's expression softened considerably. After a moment's thought, he said, "As for Minister Cai, it is said that it is easy to know a person's face but difficult to know their heart. Although you are not good at judging people, you are loyal to the country and your heart for recommending talents is commendable. Therefore, you shall be fined two months' salary as a minor punishment, so that you may take this as a warning in the future."
"Your Majesty is wise. Your subject... Your subject is trembling with fear and kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's grace!" Cai Jing immediately bowed deeply, as if he had received a great favor from Heaven, his voice choked with emotion.
Zhuge Zhengwo stood aside, watching Cai Jing's prostrate posture and seeing the emperor's indifferent expression. He sighed inwardly, a heavy sense of powerlessness spreading through him. He knew that this matter could only end here.
Emperor Huizong of Tang, seated on his throne, nodded in satisfaction, seemingly pleased with the outcome, and was about to signal the end of the court session.
Yet, the withered figure, amidst the sighs, pity, and gloating gazes of the hall's inhabitants, still did not kneel in gratitude. Grand Tutor Li's aged body refused to fall; he stared fixedly at the foolish emperor, a flicker of eerie fire igniting in his aged eyes. Then he glanced at his disciples behind him, something he hadn't done in many years.
The student understood immediately and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
The gazes of everyone in the hall surged forth once more, dark and profound, like wind and clouds dancing together, creating an atmosphere of unease before the oppressive darkness of the city, constantly stirring and churning, settling in Li Taifu's eyes, as black as ink, as gloomy as a game of chess.
The chess piece is placed, and it transforms back into the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion of three days ago.
The study was tightly shut, but the fire in the stove burned brighter than usual. Outside the window, low-hanging, leaden clouds hinted at another heavy snowfall. Xie Huailing, draped in a pale blue cloak, sat curled up in a round-backed chair, a white chess piece between his fingers. He observed the game's progress while simultaneously contemplating something more far-reaching. Opposite him sat Su Mengzhen, a sandalwood chessboard placed between them, the black pieces resembling black jade, the white pieces like frost.
Xie Huailing repeated softly, "Since we want to have a clear conscience..."
Bai Zi hovered in the air for a moment, her words echoing: "Let's do something more, even if it's futile or a waste of effort."
She finally made her move, placing the piece on the board at a seemingly perilous spot that actually held a hidden opening: "Since we're going to do it, we must do it properly, in the most suitable place, in the most effective place. Perhaps Cai Jing can't shake us for the time being, but in any case, the conditions are created by ourselves."
Su Mengzhen understood her meaning and said, "Of the two clues we have found so far, the one about the steward and his wife is too minor and not very relevant. The one that can really hit Cai Jing's weak spot is his resale of salary grain. We can only start from there."
Xie Huailing stared at the chessboard, unusually focused, examining each piece: "That's right. The emperor may not care about Li Xunhuan's life or death, nor about right and wrong. But if someone reaches into his purse and steals rice and silver, and deceives him completely, damaging the foundation of his pleasure-seeking and slapping his self-righteous imperial dignity, how can he not care?"
Su Mengzhen, playing black, responded with a move, pushing the game into a more precarious middle game, saying, "That's exactly right. However, Cai Jing is cunning and calculating. He doesn't personally handle the disbursement of salaries and the resale of grain. He also uses familiar methods in his memorials, and his official records are meticulously kept, with everything appearing compliant. If he were to report directly, the Emperor would investigate and find no errors in the accounts. At that point, Cai Jing could turn the tables and make a false accusation. Unless there's a thorough investigation, it would be extremely difficult to expose this matter. But Cai Jing is powerful and won't allow a thorough investigation."
“Yes,” Xie Huailing agreed, then placed another piece. “Cai Jing will not allow a thorough investigation. But what we need is precisely his ‘not allowing’.”
Xie Huailing said calmly, her eyes filled with cold sarcasm: "We have no other evidence, and we have no other way to go. But in this world, aren't there plenty of things that turn black into white, call a deer a horse, and fabricate out of thin air? There has never been a principle that allows them to do it but not to repay it."
"The most direct evidence leading to the theft and sale of grain from the granary is the warehouse document that should accompany every grain shipment issued from the official granary. As long as the warehouse document exists, no one can deny it."
Su Mengzhen's eyes narrowed. He had a vague idea of what she was going to say next.
A daring plan was thus revealed by Xie Huailing: "In the next few days, I will make some small preparations—to forge a warehouse document. Once it's done, all that's needed in the court is for a disciple of Grand Tutor Li to report that grain has recently flowed into the private treasury and that a warehouse document has just been discovered, and then present this document to the Emperor..."
Su Mengzhen continued, "The Emperor will surely be furious and will immediately send Cai Jing to personally verify the authenticity of this document."
"Cai Jing could certainly verify the authenticity."
A sharp, cold glint flashed in Xie Huailing's usually blank eyes as he continued, "With his keen insight and shrewdness, he would connect this matter to Grand Tutor Li. But he would also think a step deeper: Since Grand Tutor Li dared to produce forged documents, wouldn't he have a backup plan? There are certainly quite a few court officials who can distinguish between genuine and fake documents. Is it that what Grand Tutor Li wants is for the documents to be proven to be forged, so that he will not hesitate to use his later years to get involved, insisting that someone has the audacity to forge official documents, and earnestly requesting the Emperor to thoroughly investigate the flow of official grain and find the audacious traitor who forged the grain storage documents?"
“A person who is naturally suspicious will not stop thinking once he has considered the worst possible outcome for himself. He will insist that what Grand Tutor Li wants is a thorough investigation, and if there is a thorough investigation, the fact that his salary has not been reduced will be exposed in a short time, and his overpayment will also be exposed. Can Cai Jing accept this? Will he be willing to perish together with Grand Tutor Li?”
"No," Su Mengzhen answered without the slightest hesitation.
"So..." Xie Huailing's conclusion came naturally, "He will say that the document is genuine. He will admit that the grain in the warehouse was stolen and leaked by unknown thieves, and then insist that it was stolen rather than sold, minimizing the impact. This is much better than being thoroughly investigated. In order to silence public opinion and completely eliminate any idea that anyone would demand a full investigation on this basis, he will also take the blame himself, even if it means taking the initiative to plead guilty, in order to find a culprit as quickly as possible."
The firelight flickered in Xie Huailing's eyes. She said, "So, Master, in this hasty situation, who can he quickly sacrifice? Besides one of his henchmen who already have a long criminal record and are worth dying ten times over without him even needing to frame them, who else could it be?"
Cai Jing has no choice but to accept this loss, whether he likes it or not.
Snowflakes pattered against the glass window, but no matter what they did, they couldn't penetrate the conversation. In a daze, Su Mengzhen suddenly felt that the wind and snow should stop.
He didn't feel much cold. He called her name: "Huailing, this plan is indeed ingenious, but will Grand Tutor Li be persuaded? Will he be willing?"
Xie Huailing replied lightly, "Maybe yes, maybe no. This is precisely the kind of question we should have considered after observing everything from the sidelines, as originally planned."
She took a sip of tea, then complained it was too cold, put down the teacup, wiped her mouth, and said, "It's about a wise minister, about a wise minister who has lived most of his life, dedicating himself to the court without reservation, only to realize in his old age what a muddle-headed and incompetent ruler he truly is, and what a betrayal and even the implicatement of his loved ones he has pursued throughout his life. What is he thinking at this moment?"
Su Mengzhen remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he let out a deep breath, looked at Xie Huailing, his eyes deep and unfathomable: "This is not a sure thing. There are too many variables, and you need to prepare too much. It may just be a waste of effort and a futile effort. I also thought about what I could do for this case before the inevitable outcome, but reality is hard to overcome, and I have no way to do anything. I never expected that you would take the initiative to propose such a plan."
Xie Huailing met his gaze, raised her chin, and sometimes, her utter arrogance could also be described as a kind of clarity: "Master, you don't know me very well. Actually, I think I'm a little more humane than you, don't you think?"
Her fingers gently brushed the edge of the chessboard as she looked at Su Mengzhen: "As for the rest, the purpose of doing this is simply for the fact that 'we did it,' and that is the price of a clear conscience. It doesn't matter if it's futile. So, after doing this, does it even matter whether it maximizes the benefits or whether it's the most rational and appropriate choice after weighing the pros and cons?"
"unimportant."
Su Mengzhen looked at her, and her gaze seemed to fall into his eyes as well, prompting him to speak softly, a softer tone than usual: "Regardless of success or failure, no matter the final outcome or what Grand Tutor Li chooses, what we have done today is already the best possible ending."
Without another word, the two continued their game of chess, the white and black pieces alternating, the common affairs of war unfolding like court officials, everything in the room becoming a reflection of the imperial court, flipping onto the palace.
The student who stepped forward was Jiang Wenbin, an upright official of the Censorate and a talented young man who had achieved early success.
Holding a document in his hand, his expression solemn, he said, "I recently conducted a covert investigation in the market and discovered someone behaving suspiciously. Although he was clearly selling rice, he seemed to be a thief. I was suspicious of this and ordered my men to investigate further. They happened to find this document from the warehouse and discovered that someone may have stolen grain from the warehouse and was selling it privately in the market. I beg Your Majesty to investigate this matter carefully!"
The court was in an uproar once again. Zhao Ji's weariness from dealing with the assassination case had vanished without a trace: "What? Stealing grain from the granary? Bring the documents here and let Minister Cai see them!"
Cai Jing's heart sank. He didn't know what this was all about, but he had a bad feeling.
As soon as the document landed in his hand, Cai Jing felt a chill run down his spine and straight to the top of his head. Of course he could tell. He had been immersed in the heart of power for many years and was as familiar with the marks on these key places as he was with his own seal. The document in his hand was obviously fake. The forgery was exquisite but not very sophisticated. Apart from him, at least four or five other people in the court could distinguish the real from the fake.
But... he looked up at Grand Tutor Li, whose gaunt and upright figure was looking back at him, his eyes no longer filled with grief and indignation, but with a deathly calm.
In an instant, countless thoughts exploded in Cai Jing's mind like lightning.
That old scoundrel, he just sued Chen Ling, this is definitely his doing! What is he going to do with this deadly fake evidence? He should have known that this document was flawed, he knows the warehouse records better than I do, could it be just to vent his anger and disgust me? No, absolutely not, what is he trying to do?
A terrifying thought took shape in Cai Jing's mind: Grand Tutor Li dared to let his student produce a forged document because he had calculated that Cai Jing would see through it; Grand Tutor Li was waiting for him to expose it. As soon as he said it was a forgery, Jiang Wenbin could immediately counter-accuse him—someone dared to forge the imperial treasury seal and forge official documents; this was more terrifying than reselling official grain, and we beseech Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly.
Then the emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation into the origins of all the seals on the warehouses and all the documents exchanged between the granaries. Li Taifu himself would be in danger, but he would also be dragged down with him. His crimes of receiving extra salary, reselling grain for personal gain, and even manipulating salary payments for profit could not withstand a comprehensive investigation.
A thorough investigation would be like lighting a lamp in a powder keg for him, blowing away most of his current favor. He is confident he can recover, but that will take time.
Cai Jing understood. He had pushed Li Taifu too far. This old scoundrel, who had spent his life upholding integrity, had actually abandoned his principles and was willing to fabricate evidence to bring him down. He had truly gone mad!
But if he says it's true, then he'll have to suffer the loss himself and make amends for Li Taifu's forgery. What if this is also Li Taifu's scheme, making him suffer for nothing?
His fingers trembled slightly uncontrollably, and Cai Jing was about to break out in a cold sweat. But after so many years of wielding power and manipulating the pen, his mind was far beyond that of ordinary people. No matter how dangerous his thoughts were, his face remained expressionless, and the angrier he became, the calmer he became.
Should we take the gamble? Should we gamble that Li Gang won't do it, or gamble that the emperor won't waver in his trust in us?
No, the reason Cai Jing was able to climb to his current position is because he never dared to gamble. Chen Ling could die, and a few cronies could be lost, but he himself could never be harmed.
In a flash, Cai Jing took a deep breath. Holding the forged document in both hands, he turned to the throne and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, this old minister is terrified. According to my examination, the document concerning the transfer of goods and the regulations governing the use of seals on it undoubtedly belong to the official treasury!"
Upon hearing this, not only were the courtiers astonished, but even Zhuge Zhengwo glanced at him unexpectedly.
"Such heinous acts are a grave threat to the very foundation of the nation!" Cai Jing's voice suddenly rose. "The theft of official grain and its sale in the market demonstrates utter disregard for the law and deserves to be punished. Fortunately, the amount on the documents is small, and it is merely theft; the thieves dare not openly steal and sell under Your Majesty's wrath. This matter must be like the old case from three years ago, the work of some audacious individuals colluding with outsiders. It is also the fault of this old minister's oversight. I humbly request Your Majesty to allow this old minister to atone for his crimes through meritorious service. In just three days, this old minister will bring all the culprits in this case to justice and give Your Majesty an explanation."
Emperor Huizong was already furious about the theft of grain from the granary, his face turning pale with rage. Upon hearing Cai Jing's admission of negligence, his anger intensified: "You insolent Cai Jing! Is this the good empire you've managed for me? Such a huge hole has appeared right under your nose! You have disappointed me greatly!"
"Your subject deserves to die ten thousand times!" Cai Jing prostrated himself deeply.
Zhao Ji's chest heaved violently, and it took him a while to suppress his anger. He naturally didn't want to get involved in these troublesome investigations himself, so it was best if Cai Jing was willing to handle everything. He glared at Cai Jing: "Fine, I'll give you three days. If you can't give me a clear and concise explanation after three days, you'll have to deal with it yourself."
Cai Jing breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he had survived this ordeal: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."
The dust had settled, but the emperor's anger had not subsided. However, the matter had been left to Cai Jing, which made him even more agitated, and he didn't want to stay a moment longer.
Just as he was about to end this court session that had been causing him so much distress, Grand Tutor Li spoke again: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace. However, through the case of my grandson's pursuit of pleasure, although the mastermind Chen Ling has been brought to justice, this old minister is old and frail, and I am still troubled by my troubles and have been suffering from minor illnesses. I humbly request Your Majesty to grant this old minister a three-month leave after the New Year to return to Li Garden to handle family matters and recuperate from my serious illness."
Zhao Ji looked down at the white-haired, emaciated old man below the steps. Having just experienced the pain of his young grandson's assassination attempt, he was exhausted both physically and mentally. It would be fine for him to ask for leave. Besides, his old bones were indeed of little use anymore. His passing would bring peace and quiet and also preserve his reputation as a compassionate minister.
Zhao Ji felt even more annoyed. He waved his hand and said, "Granted. Grand Tutor, you have worked hard and made great contributions. You should take a good rest and recuperate at Li Garden after the New Year."
"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty." Grand Tutor Li kowtowed in gratitude and returned to his place in the ranks.
He didn't look at Cai Jing even once more from beginning to end.
The chaotic court assembly finally ended, and the officials, feeling both relieved and conflicted, dispersed in the biting cold wind. The vermilion palace gates closed, and the absurd Forbidden City coldly observed everything, its expression unreadable, whether it was lamentation or disgust.
.
At the highest point of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion lies Su Mengzhen's room. From here, the first rays of dawn appear, yet the day has not yet fully risen; the lingering scent of night casts a blurred, dark silhouette over the sprawling eaves of the imperial city.
Su Mengzhen stood by the glass window, gazing at the Forbidden City in the distance, and said.
Xie Huailing responded and stood a step away from him. The window wasn't closed tightly, and her long hair was gently blown by the wind, revealing her smooth forehead and beautiful profile. She didn't feel cold at all, and her gaze was also fixed on the depths of the palace, a symbol of imperial power and darkness. She said, "The results are probably out by now."
Su Mengzhen turned to look at her: "Do you think Grand Tutor Li will eventually produce the document?"
Xie Huailing turned her head, her dark eyes reflecting the rising sun, clear and indifferent. She shrugged: "How would I know? Master, I may be quite capable, but I'm not a fortune teller."
A stronger gust of wind swept through the long window, stirring up fine dust from the floor. Xie Huailing sneezed, wrinkled her nose, and raised her sleeve to shield her eyes.
Su Mengzhen closed the window tightly and looked at her slightly tired face. In the past few days, she had expended far more energy than she could normally manage in order to prepare herself to have a clear conscience. Then, as he looked at her, Su Mengzhen moved closer to her. He raised his hand, and for the first time, his fingers did not just brush against her forehead and quickly withdraw as usual, but instead went straight to her forehead.
The touch was as expected, cool and delicate, yet it possessed an unusual warmth. Su Mengzhen frowned slightly, his palm unusually lingering there as he carefully felt it, even pressing the back of his hand against his forehead for comparison. After a moment of focused concentration, he withdrew his hand.
"It's a little hot," he concluded.
Xie Huailing, on the other hand, seemed completely unconcerned, even having the mind to tease him: "Oh, it's probably from the wind just now. But, are you really going to compare your body temperature with mine? Has your body temperature ever been normal?"
Then the topic immediately shifted, and she didn't care how Su Mengzhen, whom she had insulted, would react: "Now, no matter what, we've done what we could, should, and shouldn't have done, OP. You'll feel much better going to see Grand Tutor Li now, right?"
Su Mengzhen met her gaze, and a layer of heaviness seemed to quietly disappear from his body, revealing a brighter, more radiant side. He nodded and said, "Indeed."
Xie Huailing then turned his gaze to the window: "However, I guess that no matter what the final outcome is in court today, Grand Tutor Li will probably ask for a leave of absence for a period of time. I just don't know when or how long."
Su Mengzhen agreed, saying it was almost certain.
Because Grand Tutor Li needed time; he had been greatly wronged by the emperor, and his heart was filled with sorrow. He needed time to recover. He knew he couldn't leave yet, and he certainly couldn't relinquish his position to Cai Jing. But before all that, he took care of himself.
The cold wind howled between the buildings, and the sun finally rose, its pale gold light leaping and floating among the sea of clouds.
Xie Huailing added, "This period of time is a good opportunity for us to go find Grand Tutor Li, we can't let it pass. I've also just discovered some new things, we'll deal with them together then."
Su Mengzhen knew what she was referring to. Since learning about the news from half a year ago from Lin Shiyin, the suspicious Xie Huailing realized the oversight and shortcomings in this area and began to quietly trace the clues further back, hoping to find something new that would benefit the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion.
"I will leave Bianjing for a while after Grand Tutor Li." Her voice was clear and calm, without any sorrow of parting. "I will go and settle things with Grand Tutor Li, and also investigate these matters. However, I don't know when that will be. I will have to ask Lin Shiyin again."
Looking at the snow outside the building, Su Mengzhen didn't feel cold, but a sense of emptiness swept through her heart, and she didn't know what to feel.
Finally, he said, "I will make arrangements for you. Take good care of yourself while you're away."
Xie Huailing didn't appreciate it at all and replied, "What arrangements are you making, OP? Don't take Shaman's job. She already told me not to give her work to others anymore."
This is indeed true. After a month of freedom from Xie Huailing, Shaman discovered the painful truth that her performance was no longer the best among her colleagues. As the youngest manager in the history of Jinfeng Xiyu Tower, and also the most ambitious woman in the tower, Shaman reflected deeply on her actions and directly accused Xie Huailing. And Xie Huailing was so easily manipulated; after Shaman finished speaking, she readily agreed to Shaman's accusations.
Su Mengzhen didn't reply, and Xie Huailing was too lazy to wait.
Her slender, pale fingers slowly touched the glass of the window. The biting cold seeped into her fingertips, but she seemed oblivious.
A cold voice rang out softly, as if murmuring to itself: "White stones resemble jade, and wicked men resemble virtuous men. In this absurd world, there is still a long road ahead."
Then Xie Huailing paused, a cold smile curving his lips: "Only a blind man would mistake a white stone for jade, and only a good-for-nothing would mistake a treacherous official for a true virtuous minister."
She pierced through layers of palace walls and traversed a thousand years, landing in a more distant future, stopping a river about to burst its banks: "Of course there is still a road to walk, because there will be many more roads to walk."
The world may take completely different turns. She doesn't believe that some things are unshakeable, nor that fate cannot be changed or mountains cannot be moved. Just as she doesn't believe there are things she cannot do in this world, she is also entitled to write a completely new story.
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There's one more chapter at the end of the volume, and then this volume will be finished. As usual, this chapter will have a comment giveaway! Because JJ's giveaways are limited to one per post every thirty days, and the giveaway hasn't expired yet, I'll be randomly selecting ten winners using a spinning wheel when I update tomorrow.
Also, please don't follow my example. When it's time to end a chapter, you should end it. Don't be reluctant to cut it off. I got a little... off while writing this chapter...
Finally, there was a reader's question about side stories. Aside from the subplots focusing on the romance, if anyone has any requests for side stories, I'll ask when the main story is nearing its end, and I'll pick a few to write. As for commissioned side stories, I haven't thought about that yet.
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