Kim Jok-rye
"Gan Lin, Xiao Han gave you that name, didn't he? I don't care about your background. Since you are under the protection of my army, you must abide by my military regulations! What means did you use to bewitch my powerful general and cause him to go astray?" Zhao Peiming was not as approachable as usual, and his demeanor changed.
Gan Lin became anxious and began to stammer. His eyes reddened, and he shook his head vigorously, saying, "No, I didn't... bewitch!" He had no idea what bewitchment meant, but he was quite frightened by Zhao Peiming's gaze and felt that it was not a good word, so he quickly denied it.
“Governor, it wasn’t him, it was me…” Zhao Peiming’s glare silenced Xiao Han’s attempt to finish the sentence.
"Do you like him?" Zhao Peiming looked at Gan Lin and lightly pointed a finger at Xiao Hanjin.
Gan Lin didn't dare look at Xiao Hanjin any longer, and said between tears, "I like him, I like him. I am so grateful to you for taking me in! Please, please don't send me away, I can heal!"
"I didn't say I was going to kick you out, I was just asking," Zhao Peiming softened his tone, then looked at Xiao Hanjin, "And you?"
"He is my savior, so of course I like him," Xiaohan said frankly.
"Alright, Gan Lin can go now," Zhao Peiming waved his hand. Gan Lin looked at Xiao Hanjin with concern, lifted his robe and left. His posture and demeanor were no different from those of a Han Chinese. He then gestured for Xiao Hanjin to get up, "...This child is only seventeen, right? You really had the heart to do that."
Xiao Han panicked immediately: "No, he's eighteen, just a little short. I know what I'm doing, please rest assured, Governor!"
“Protect him well,” Zhao Peiming also stood up and patted Xiaohan on the shoulder to signal him to relax. “If you can restrain yourself, then do so. I’m afraid the Jiang people’s constitution is different from ours.”
"Furthermore, war is unpredictable, so don't let emotions and desires lead you astray. If he is alive, don't make every choice for him and lose yourself in the process. If he dies, live for him, but don't take your own life. In any case, we are going to fight on the battlefield. First and foremost, we are soldiers of the Great Zhao, and only then do we have our own families and loved ones."
"Yes." Xiao Hanjin bowed and took her leave before stepping out of the tent. Gan Lin was waiting silently beside her, and the two met. Xiao Hanjin took out a handkerchief to wipe away Gan Lin's tears and gently kissed his forehead.
“This is the first time I’ve seen the governor act like this. He’s just showing his power because he cares about us, so don’t be afraid… but it really scared you quite a bit,” Xiaohan rubbed her chin. “No, when we get back to Tiansong and see Young Master Jiang, I have to complain! I’ll make sure Young Master Jiang gives me a good dressing down.”
“Young Master Jiang? Oh, I’ve heard of him. It’s said he learns swordsmanship very quickly. I heard from Brother Wang Sheng that he can also tame horses?” Gan Lin sniffed and recalled.
Xiao Han chuckled: "Haha, yes, Young Master Jiang is indeed a master at taming horses."
—————
"Excellent! With Zhao Peiming's secret letter, Fu Qinxiang's guilt is confirmed!" The emperor clutched the letter at the table, his body trembling uncontrollably. "That day, when I ordered Zhao Peiming to go to Banrihua to make amends, Fu Qinxiang was the closest and heard everything most clearly! Zhao Peiming hadn't even been settled for a few days when the spy from Shajiesai appeared precisely at Banrihua, was caught and interrogated, and the evidence pointed directly at Fu Qinxiang—almost perfectly."
However, Fu Qinxiang had many allies in the court, and her influence was deeply entrenched. Moreover, the Empress Dowager's attitude had remained ambiguous due to the matter of Fu Linchuan. If they were to confront each other now, Fu Qinxiang would surely retaliate, and the Emperor would not be able to take her down in one fell swoop. Thinking of this, the Emperor frowned, walked to the stove, and burned the letter in the fire.
“Your Majesty, isn’t there a new official named Jiang Heng? He’s Jiang Zhong’s son, and he’s quite a fresh face. There’s a chance to recruit him. Right now, he’s just being suppressed under Fu Qinxiang, so why not let him come and solve your problems?” a eunuch suggested indirectly. The emperor glanced at the eunuch, finding him an unfamiliar face, and was somewhat suspicious. But he immediately ordered someone to summon Jiang Heng and recounted the contents of the letter to him.
“In my opinion, the best approach is to stir up trouble and lure the enemy out,” Jiang Heng said, kneeling before the door. “Your Majesty could have someone spread the word that General Zhao captured an enemy spy at the border, and that his confession involved a ‘high-ranking and powerful civil official who is unrelated to military affairs.’ Without specifying who it is, we can make sure Fu Qinxiang hears it and understands it. By taking advantage of her suspicious nature, we can make her agitated. As long as she makes a move, there will be a flaw. If we say it is unrelated to military affairs, then the Zhao family father and son will not be implicated. Otherwise, the Imperial Advisor will definitely take the opportunity to frame someone.”
The emperor looked approving and said, "Do as Jiang Heng says."
Just as Jiang Heng was about to leave, the emperor said again, "Jiang Heng, your father was a renowned loyal minister throughout the Great Zhao Dynasty. I hope you will not forget your father's last wishes, nor will you fail to live up to my expectations."
Jiang Heng bowed again to express his gratitude, and then left with the help of the eunuch.
The following day, before the court assembly, as the officials were fiercely debating this earth-shattering rumor, the palace doors suddenly burst open. Fu Qinxiang rushed in, not ascending the steps, but kneeling on the ground, her jeweled hairpins gleaming. Tears streaming down her face, she cried, "Your Majesty! I impeach General Zhao Peiming, the border general, for treason and collusion with the enemy; his heart deserves to be condemned!" These words caused an uproar throughout the court. Guo Zheng and Chen Zhusheng exchanged a disdainful glance, completely expecting this.
"Zhao Peiming was defeated and captured before, yet he managed to escape unscathed, which is already highly suspicious. If it was due to his good fortune and divine protection, then now that he has just arrived at the garrison, enemy spies are easily captured as if they were nothing. Isn't this too much of a coincidence? It's clearly a charade he and Sha Jiesai are putting on!" Although there were tears in Fu Qinxiang's eyes, her gaze remained unwavering. "If you are misled by this, wrongly accuse loyal officials, and wrongly transfer power, then the Zhao family might be granted land and made kings!"
"The acting is far too exaggerated..."
"Yes, you said that Zhao Chen is the head of the military officers, and Zhao Peiming is the governor-general. If they really join forces in the future, tsk tsk, it's unimaginable."
"Zhongliang? Are you referring to Fu Qinxiang?!"
"Hmph, I'd like to see who wins after all this commotion."
"Isn't anyone going to say something in defense of General Zhao?"
Just as the court was erupting in chaos, a clear and melodious voice rang out, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Your Majesty, I have a report to make." It was Jiang Heng who stepped forward.
"What's this brat doing here?"
"Didn't you just get appointed as a half-day flower supervisor? You're thinking about getting promoted and making a fortune, aren't you?"
"Truly, a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger; Fu Qinxiang can kill him as easily as wiping a knife."
"The Grand Preceptor's words are of great importance. This matter involves the reputation of the border generals and the discipline of the court. I believe that it must be investigated carefully, but it must also be examined with utmost caution," Jiang Heng slowly walked to Fu Qinxiang's side, his gaze sweeping over her like a knife. "However, the Grand Preceptor accuses General Zhao of 'colluding with the enemy and betraying the country,' and may even 'be granted a fiefdom and the title of king.' Moreover, according to the Grand Preceptor, he can remotely control the court and pave the way for his father. Isn't such ability too shocking?"
"If General Zhao were truly so treacherous, how could he have led the valiant and swift cavalry of the Loyal Army?" Jiang Heng continued. Fu Qinxiang gritted her teeth and slightly adjusted her posture, trying to distance herself from Jiang Heng, but unexpectedly, the hem of her skirt was stepped on by him, rendering her unable to move.
"What do you think we should do, my dear minister?" The emperor relaxed his tense body, withdrew his hand from the seal, and looked again to see the sharp marks left on his hand.
"I believe this matter should be investigated separately. First, investigate the truth of General Zhao's encounter with spies at the border and his alleged use of a counter-espionage scheme. Send an envoy secretly to Banrihua to question the cavalry garrison soldiers and verify whether the two spies exist and whether their testimonies are consistent. Second, investigate the responsibility of Attendant Zhao. If his son is suspected of colluding with the enemy, Attendant Zhao, even if he was not involved, will certainly bear responsibility for negligence. I request that Attendant Zhao recuse himself from the investigation and temporarily suspend his duties. Your Majesty can then verify the military documents and other essential documents according to the laws of the court to prove his innocence."
"Well then, the person in charge of this matter should also recuse themselves. Fu Qing, you are the accuser, so you should recuse yourself for the time being. During the investigation, the Director of the Bureau of Talents and the Director of the Bureau of Talents will jointly handle the case. In this way, the world will be convinced." The Emperor's voice drifted from the main hall, and Fu Qinxiang ripped open the hem of her skirt and had no choice but to agree.
“When two things contradict each other, one of them must be true. I believe the innocent will prove themselves innocent,” Jiang Heng said with a smile.
Although he had no companions before, he knew they were in court, so he wasn't alone. But today, after court, everyone deliberately kept their distance from Jiang Heng, as if wary of something. They "tacitly" formed a circle around him, and Jiang Heng, amidst the crowd, felt the road was wide and unobstructed. Only when he looked around did he realize the strangeness. People were extremely afraid of his gaze, whispering among themselves in small groups, and what they said wasn't anything good—when Jiang Heng first entered court to serve Zhao Chen, many people in the court, seeing his appearance, had formed preconceived notions, spreading rumors that he had a wicked look, was a demon incarnate, and not a good person. He looked at his old friend Xu Liaoxiang and found that even his close confidant was silently avoiding his gaze from a distance.
Back at his residence, Jiang Heng took off his court robes and threw them on the ground. He picked them up, dusted them off, and hung them on a rack. He took out a stack of letters from his undergarments and rubbed the words on them. He looked out into the courtyard and saw several of Fu Qinxiang's men pacing back and forth. Once again, he clearly felt that he had never had a place where he could vent his emotions freely, and that his lover's embrace was now so distant that it had lost its warmth.
When you miss someone terribly, your heart aches as if a thousand insects are gnawing at it.
As he watched, he buried his head in his arms, curled up, and tears streamed down his face.
Isn't it said that water that is too clear has no fish, and a person who is too discerning has no followers? It is good to maintain one's own clarity while walking alone in this muddy water, but I was too naive. I was almost arrogantly convinced that I could withstand this storm. Before entering the court, I was so high-minded, thinking that I could save many people and accomplish many things. In the end, it turned out that I was just a mayfly trying to shake a tree, a mantis trying to stop a chariot. In addition to walking on thin ice, I also had to bear the isolation and pressure from almost everyone in the court. The price of standing out from the crowd is so painful.
Jiang Heng, taking only the single character "Heng," is a name chosen in the hope that a gentleman possesses both gentle and resolute character. If he were to wear a feathered robe, it would further highlight his inner and outer beauty. When Jiang Heng was a child, his father would always stroke his head and say that pronouncing his name, Heng'er, is like holding a piece of jade in one's arms.
"I do not ask that everyone in the world will regard you as jade, admire you, and cherish you. I only wish that you cherish yourself as jade, do not lose your good morals, and have a clear conscience."
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