Chapter 51 Retrieving the Imperial Edict Caused a Cold
Gazing at Lu Wensheng's earnest and sincere face in the candlelight, Zhang Mianzhi's withered fingers trembled slightly in his sleeve. After a long while, he sighed in a hoarse voice, "What a pity! You are not my son!" Otherwise, why would he have come to this?
Lifting up his robe, Zhang Mianzhi gestured for Lu Wensheng to see the bulging trousers beneath his crimson robe, and slowly said, "After the palace banquet in the first month of the lunar year, I wasn't without my troubles. I'm old and can't stand the cold, so I forced myself to go home, but it left me with some aftereffects—I can't help but urinate occasionally. My time is probably coming to an end this year; I'm eighty, but I still won't resign from this official post. You're a good boy!"
"Xiao Yi Bu Ji" means urinary incontinence.
Lu Wensheng felt a pang in his heart: "Frostbite?" It's been so long and it's still not better; it's probably incurable.
“Yes!” Zhang Mianzhi showed little grief on his face, remaining extremely calm. “I wonder when this court assembly will end today.”
Lu Wensheng was momentarily flustered. She asked in a hoarse voice, "Cultivating oneself, managing one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world are the lofty pursuits of scholars. Passing the imperial examination requires the efforts of several generations. You do not resign from your official post. Is it to uphold the family's honor and avoid bringing shame upon the family? Or is it because you do not want to betray your beliefs and responsibilities?"
Zhang Mianzhi took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and his white beard trembled slightly with the movement: "Maybe both! After wearing a mask for so long, you can no longer distinguish between the real and the fake. Remember, child, don't follow in my footsteps."
"Master, we've arrived." The carriage stopped, and the voice of the brown-clad servant came from outside.
Zhang Mianzhi got up and lifted the curtain, and a solemn golden-red color rushed towards him through the corner of the curtain.
“Wang Minzhi is dead.” Lu Wensheng’s voice came from behind him, very softly: “But I don’t know the exact date of his death.”
Zhang Mianzhi paused, but did not turn around: "I guessed it when you advised me to resign."
Lu Wensheng strained to open his eyes wide, looking at his increasingly aged back, trying hard not to let his tears fall: "Don't worry, sir, I won't follow your old path, because I've lived a very clear life. I understand that friends will leave, parents will pass away, and from the beginning to the end, we come into this world naked and leave naked. In this world, I am truly sharing joys and sorrows, life and death with myself. I have raised my mother alone to this day, without the family providing any assistance. So in the future, I will definitely be able to cut ties with them cleanly!"
"Do your job well as an official, and don't follow in my footsteps!" Zhang Mianzhi's voice carried on the wind, filled with endless weariness.
Lu Wensheng looked up at the roof of the car.
Today is the grand court assembly, and all the civil and military officials of Yanjing should be gathered together. However, Zhang Mianzhi did not come when he was in poor health. Moreover, officials value their reputation and health. Therefore, today is the day for Shen Hegui to settle accounts with Zhang Mianzhi.
"Lord Lu?" Seeing that Lu Wensheng had been sitting in the carriage for a long time without coming out, the servant called out cautiously as a way of urging him to leave.
"I'm coming out now." Lu Wensheng wiped away her tears, lifted the curtain and came out, asking casually, "Did your master accidentally bump into me just now, or was he waiting for me there on purpose?"
"I got up an hour early, changed to a clean carriage, and waited for you on purpose." After saying this, he took out a plain-colored envelope from his bosom and presented it with both hands: "By the way, the lord asked me to give you this letter. Please read it after the court session."
Taking the warm envelope, Lu Wensheng stood still and waved, signaling him to leave.
Before the deep blue sky above the imperial city had faded completely, a second drumbeat suddenly sounded from more than ten feet away. The sound was like thunder, making people's hearts tighten. The Imperial Censor and the Captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard began to inspect the ranks of officials with critical eyes.
The law states that any official who is late, improperly dressed, coughs, or spits before the end of the second watch will be fined, demoted, or punished with a beating at the Meridian Gate for minor offenses.
The urgent drumbeats reached his ears, and Lu Wensheng hesitated for only a moment before decisively tearing open the envelope, unfolding the letter, and scanning it quickly.
Her long eyelashes trembled violently, her pupils contracted sharply, and she didn't even realize that she had bitten her lower lip until it bled.
"Liar!" Lu Wensheng cursed under his breath.
She clenched the letter tightly, turned around and hurried to catch up with the brown-clad servant who had not yet gone far, saying urgently, "Lend me a horse!"
Without waiting for a response, she had already walked to the front of the horse.
A flash of cold light, and the knife fell swiftly! The taut hemp rope snapped instantly!
The horse suddenly broke free of its restraints, startled and rearing up with a loud neigh. Without hesitation, Lu Wensheng grabbed the reins, skillfully flipped himself onto the horse, and shouted, "Giddy up!"
That old fox is cunning! Zhang Minzhi has been missing for over ten days. How could he, having been in officialdom for so many years, not know? He really does treat her like a son! He even went through the whole "deathbed entrustment" thing! A mere million taels of silver, twenty thousand taels of gold, plus some real estate he can't take with him when he flees, and he thinks he can burden her with a child? That's just wishful thinking!
Yue praised the old horse for not running fast, and Lu Wensheng, impatient, slapped the horse's rump hard.
"Old man, run faster! If your master goes to jail later, it'll be too late for me to save him!"
As if understanding her words, the old horse raised its head and neighed, and actually ran much faster.
As they sped along, a patrol team of soldiers suddenly appeared from the street corner ahead.
These days, riding horses in the street is a violation of the law. When the patrolling officers and soldiers of the Military and Cavalry Bureau saw a horse galloping towards them, they immediately drew their swords to stop it.
But when he saw the third-rank scarlet court robes worn by the person on horseback, and the handsome face that was so prominent in the court, his hand, which was about to draw his sword, froze. The words of rebuke were stuck in his throat. He mistakenly thought that Lu Wensheng had something extremely urgent to attend to, and immediately cleared a path for her.
Lu Wensheng stuffed the crumpled letter into his pocket, pulled out a heavy bag of silver and tossed it out, shouting into the wind, "I, Lu, thank you all! Please have some wine, brothers!"
"You're too kind, Lord Lu!"
Cheng Sang had just finished feeding the horse when he saw Lu Wensheng return and stop in front of the outhouse. Startled, he hurriedly asked, "Why are you back at this hour, sir?" Wasn't being late for the morning court a serious offense?
"I'll explain later. Go get me the hoe and lead the horse outside." Lu Wensheng spoke very quickly.
"Alright!" Seeing her serious expression, Cheng Sang didn't dare to ask any more questions and hurriedly ran to the woodshed.
From childhood to adulthood, the number of people in this world who showed her kindness without any ulterior motives can be counted on one hand. Her mother, brother, Yingniang, Shang Lian, Huo Qian, and Zhang Mianzhi were among the most significant. Whenever she asked for something, they would help her without asking why or calculating the gains and losses.
To outsiders or to future generations, Zhang Mianzhi was a bad person, a treacherous minister, and he deserved to die, but she couldn't!
Without Zhang Mianzhi, she wouldn't have passed the physical examination for the imperial examination. Without Zhang Mianzhi, she might have been killed by the emperor, or she might have become fuel for court struggles. She would never be enjoying her current success!
She would rather spend her money on good deeds in the future to make amends, and today she must save Zhang Mianzhi. She owes him a debt of gratitude and repays his kindness! Besides, the initial evil came from His Majesty. If he hadn't been so greedy for pleasure and hadn't tacitly approved and indulged him day after day, there would be no Zhang Mianzhi later on.
Assuming Shen Hegui hadn't ascended the throne and His Majesty was still sitting comfortably on the throne, with Zhang Mianzhi falling, it's estimated that before long, another Zhao Mianzhi or Sun Mianzhi would emerge!
The greatest evil in the world is when an emperor sitting high in the palace becomes selfish and greedy, and doesn't treat people as human beings!
"Sir, hoes!" Cheng Sang quickly came over with two hoes, handed one to Lu Wensheng, put down the other, and went to fetch the horse.
Taking the hoe, Lu Wensheng uprooted a pomegranate tree about the thickness of a thumb next to the outhouse and immediately began digging without saying a word.
Yingniang and Song Zhiyun were both awakened by Lu Wensheng's commotion, and they hurriedly came over wearing their outer garments.
Looking at the clod of earth, Song Zhiyun felt a pang of panic: "What serious thing has happened?" Wasn't it said that we shouldn't dig unless absolutely necessary?
Lu Wensheng didn't even look up: "I'll explain later!"
Yingniang watched quietly for a moment, thinking that disaster was imminent, and left with the words, "I'll go pack my valuables!"
Cheng Sang hurried back, staring at the small mound of hard soil that Lu Wensheng had dug out. Unable to bear it any longer, he picked up another hoe and took half a step forward: "Let me do it, adults are too weak!"
Lu Wensheng looked up, panting, "Let's work together. I'll dig on the left, and you dig on the right." The imperial edict was buried deep, and Shi Liushu only remembered its approximate location. Time was of the essence, and someone had to help her.
Seeing Lu Wensheng's anxiety, Song Zhiyun steadied herself and said, "Mother will go get the small hoe and we'll dig together!"
About half an hour later, Cheng Sang swung his hoe and hit something hard, causing wood to fly everywhere and black mud to sink in.
"I think I've found it!" he exclaimed excitedly.
Lu Wensheng immediately threw down his hoe, staggered out of the mud pit, bent down and hurriedly cleared away the loose soil with his bare hands, and pulled out an oilcloth package.
Carefully brushing away the dirt and tearing off the tarpaulin, Lu Wensheng breathed a sigh of relief: "It's alright, just a bit dirty." It wasn't damaged.
She looked up and said, "Mother, you should stay outside the city for a few days. If I return home safely, I will come to find you."
Song Zhiyun looked worried, hesitating to speak: "You've done something wrong, or..."
Lu Wensheng slipped the imperial edict appointing Prince Su as crown prince into his sleeve and whispered, "I want to save someone who has helped me a lot, but I'm not sure if my actions will anger His Highness and cause him to punish me."
"Mother understands. Mother will go outside the city as you wish. If you are imprisoned, remember to stall for time as much as possible until Mother brings people to rescue you."
Lu Wensheng felt a slight ache in his nose, nodded solemnly, gave Song Zhiyun a deep look, then strode out the door, mounted his horse, and rode away.
Inside the palace walls, in the Fengtian Hall.
Feng Gou quietly reported the information he had found to Shen Hegui: "Your Highness, Lord Lu, I don't know what Lord Zhang said, snatched Lord Zhang's old horse when he arrived at the palace gate and ran home. This old servant has taken it upon himself to send the Imperial Guards to pick him up."
Shen Hegui stroked the pure gold armrest under his palm, turned slightly to the side, and said with a dark look in his eyes: "Go outside and keep watch. When the person arrives, lead them directly to the inner hall."
"Look!" This Lord Zhang is really something. Even when disaster is imminent, he still wants to drag Lord Lu down with him. Luckily, he's smart. As soon as he saw that Lord Lu's seat was empty, he immediately sent someone to find out the news and then reported it to His Highness.
Sitting high on his throne, Shen Hegui narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze falling on Zhang Mianzhi, who looked much older, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
He gave the old man a chance, but since he stubbornly clung to his position and even went to Lu Wensheng to instigate things, he can't be blamed.
A morning breeze carrying the scent of grass and trees filled the court.
Luo Jiangsheng finished his last few words: "...Besides that, I have something else to report. According to my spies, the elusive second leader of the southern pirates is very likely hiding in Yanjing."
Shen Hegui's gaze sharpened, and he asked in a solemn voice, "Do you have any detailed information?"
"Nothing yet. All we know is that the pirates' power grew stronger several years ago because of the addition of this second-in-command."
"Investigate! Investigate at all costs!" Where exactly did things go wrong? In his previous life, even until his death, the southern pirates were a disorganized mess.
Are there other variables besides him? He's not the only one.
As he pondered this, Shen Hegui's eyes grew increasingly cold. He coldly ordered, "This fiend is a scourge to the nation. Pass down the order: better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!"
"Your Highness, I will obey your command!" Luo Jiangsheng bowed respectfully and stepped back into the ranks of the military officers.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Just as the officials held their breath in anticipation, the newly appointed Censor of the Censorate stepped forward steadily. His gaze seemed to casually sweep over the slightly hunched back of Zhang Mianzhi in front of him. Then, he raised his ivory tablet high and said loudly, "Your Highness, I wish to impeach someone. Please allow me to do so!"
"Speak!" Shen Hegui's voice was clear and direct.
It's unbelievable that getting rid of one problem only leads to another.
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Author's note: "Cultivating oneself, governing the state, regulating one's family, and bringing peace to the world" is a censored word in the Book of Rites. I'm completely baffled!
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