Chapter 4 Pine Tree Embracing Snow (Part 4) "How do you know it's baseless...?"
After several days of dry, cold winds, snowflakes began to fall again in the capital. The snow was fierce and dense, quickly covering the sky and the ground. The main hall was even somewhat deserted, as most of the court officials had only recently left, leaving behind the Grand Secretary who was on duty at the Wenhua Hall that day.
Yan Chao sighed inwardly; the snow in the twentieth year of Xuan Ning was indeed more than in previous years.
The officials have just reported that the snow disaster situation in Jiangnan has eased somewhat, and a section of the Grand Canal in Suzhou Prefecture has been reopened; the rest cannot be rushed at the moment. However, it seems the capital will once again be in turmoil.
There has been no movement from the Embroidered Uniform Guard regarding Shen Wei. But what she never expected was that it would be Meng Huai who would be involved in this incident.
“Now that things have happened so suddenly, Scholar Meng has been imprisoned without any time for the court officials to plead his case, let alone the charges against him… It seems that no one dares to provoke His Majesty at this critical juncture.” Chen Xiu, Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall and Minister of Works, finally shook his head, his eyes filled with heartache.
Befriend close attendants.
The emperor was always extremely vigilant about this, fearing that someone might plot against him.
"Han Yu has been dead for over a month. To now accuse Mr. Meng of having a private relationship with him and therefore punish him seems a bit far-fetched." Yan Chao was somewhat lost in thought, extremely anxious, and couldn't think of any solution for the moment.
Han Yu was a former commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. When he was implicated in the Bai family case, Meng Huai wrote a letter to plead his case. Later, Han Yu was executed and his family was exiled. It was Meng Huai who built his tomb and secretly took care of his family.
This matter was not originally public, but it was only this morning that news spread that Cao Hong, before his death, confessed to Han Yu, his accomplice in embezzlement, and also mentioned Meng Huai. Coincidentally, the two were from the same hometown, which aroused the emperor's suspicion. The Eastern Depot investigated and reported the secret matters to the emperor.
Chen Xiu sighed, “Your Highness, you’re thinking too simply. Zichuan and Grand Secretary Cao have been at odds for quite some time now, their rivalry is almost daily, and his foundation is far less solid than Grand Secretary Cao’s. Furthermore, Zichuan has always disliked Lan Huaien, and now that he’s seized this opportunity, the Eastern Depot won’t let it go easily.”
Yan Chao was somewhat depressed. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "I have heard that some people say that Mr. Meng has repeatedly requested to retire because he is trying to escape punishment."
"The court has always been opportunistic. But now that things have come to this, even if Han Yu were to overturn the verdict, it would be of no use. Even if I were to do everything in my power, I could only save Zichuan's life. The rest is up to fate." Chen Xiu thought for a moment and then said, "Your Highness must not plead for mercy now. Protecting yourself is the best choice."
Yan Chao knew he was right, but a sense of resentment and sorrow lingered in her heart. She nodded after a long pause, secretly still pondering how to resolve the situation. Firstly, Meng Huai was, after all, her mentor; secondly, Meng Huai was closely connected to the Eastern Palace, so even if she didn't speak up, someone else would naturally bring it up.
The snow outside was so heavy. Mr. Meng was already old and his leg ailment had not yet healed. In such a cold and damp place, if he was not rescued in time, he might not be able to clear his name before he could bear it.
.
Inside the West Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace.
Lan Huaien passed through the screen and bowed to the emperor, then secretly gave Ji Weixian a signal, who immediately took his leave.
"Is it still snowing outside?" the emperor asked casually, sitting on his bed.
Lan Huaien took a few steps closer, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, it's still snowing, but less so than yesterday. I also heard from the servants today that this winter's abundant snowfall will bring a good harvest to the farmers next year."
The emperor flung open the curtain, opened his eyes, and exclaimed, his expression a mixture of anger and amusement: "What auspicious snow! If it were truly auspicious snow, would there still be snow disasters in Jiangnan, and would the Grand Canal freeze over?"
Lan Huaien was not in a hurry and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please don't worry. The Imperial Observatory said that this is auspicious snow in the north. Besides, the disaster in the south has been resolved and there is nothing to worry about."
The emperor said in a deep voice, "But the freezing of the canal is not a good omen."
"I've heard it'll only be two or three days, Your Majesty need not worry."
The emperor remained silent for a long while, then stopped speaking. Seeing an opportunity, Lan Huai'en reported, "Your Majesty, Scholar Meng refuses to say anything."
The emperor suddenly looked at him: "Did I order you to interrogate him?"
"How dare I act without Your Majesty's decree? It's just that the prison is cold and damp, and Scholar Meng is old. I was afraid something might happen to the criminal, so I went to check on him without doing anything." Lan Huaien was always bold and often walked in front of the emperor, so he could understand the emperor's thoughts to some extent.
The emperor grunted and said, "He is, after all, an old minister. Even if he harbors any ill intentions, I must give him some face. I never intended to take his life..."
He paused, then suddenly asked, "After Meng Huai went to prison, has there been any movement outside?"
"Your Majesty, the cabinet is not very stable at the moment... After all, Scholar Meng has always been highly respected in the court, and the cabinet ministers are divided on this matter."
"What about the Crown Prince? Meng Huai is the tutor of the Crown Prince, what is he doing?"
When the Crown Prince was mentioned, Lan Huaien dared not be frivolous: "His Highness the Crown Prince has been busy with state affairs these past few days. Regarding the case of Scholar Meng, he only said that His Majesty instructed that the prison should not be negligent before issuing the decree, and did not say much else."
The emperor chuckled lightly: "He is indeed cautious. I don't know whether to call him ungrateful or to say he is very composed."
Lan Huaien remained silent. The Emperor was currently waiting for the Crown Prince's reaction, as the Eastern Palace would inevitably be implicated sooner or later.
"I remember, your godfather passed away last year?" The emperor's sudden question surprised Lan Huaien, and the smile on his face froze instantly. He responded softly, "Yes."
Lan Huaien was expelled from the Xu family at the age of seven and raised by the eunuch Lan Zezhong. He changed his name and entered the palace, and after many years of hard work, he finally climbed to his current position. His birth mother died early, and Lan Zezhong's kindness to him was far greater than the Xu family's kindness in giving him life. Lan Zezhong was the only family he had in his heart.
He knew how to repay kindness. Several years ago, after he had established himself in the palace, he asked for permission to bring his godfather out of the palace to live out his old age. Until Lan Zezhong, who was over seventy years old, passed away peacefully last year, he had taken care of him in his old age and seen him off in his final days.
Hearing the emperor mention him at that moment, his heart softened, and even his usual vigilance relaxed somewhat. But then he saw the emperor suddenly spread his hands, gesturing for him to look.
However, in the palace, especially before the emperor, palace servants were not allowed to wear mourning clothes except during national mourning periods. Moreover, the emperor himself had discovered the incriminating evidence.
Lan Huaien felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and immediately knelt down with a thud.
"This servant deserves to die!"
The emperor looked at him indifferently, as if Lan Huaien was not a favored official, but an insignificant person. He lowered the curtain, and his voice floated out from inside: "Burn it. Keep your filial piety well hidden. You are a person in the imperial court. When you should not be flaunting yourself, you should keep your tail between your legs."
Lan Huaien repeatedly expressed his gratitude and agreed. After a moment, feeling that the breathing inside the tent was gradually stabilizing, he picked up the sachet from the ground and quietly withdrew.
Ji Weixian came forward, seeing that he seemed somewhat shaken, and dared not ask any further questions. Lan Huaien calmed himself down and said in a low voice, "Have someone keep an eye on Meng Huai in the imperial prison; he cannot die for the time being."
Ji Weixian responded, his lowered eyes revealing a deeper depth.
.
The Emperor's thoughts were indeed hard to fathom. The Crown Prince didn't seem impatient either, and still went to the Qianqing Palace late at night. When he arrived, Consort Xian was inside. After waiting for more than half an hour, Consort Xian came out, but the Emperor refused to see her, saying only that he wanted to sleep. Even though Yan Chao clearly stated that he had other matters to report, the Emperor still wouldn't budge. She had no choice but to give up.
Yan Chao felt a chill to the bone as she walked along the palace road at night, while Meng Huai had been imprisoned for three days. All she knew was that he was still alive and had not been tortured.
The cabinet was embroiled in endless debate, with some pleading for leniency while others demanded severe punishment. The Grand Secretary and the Second Grand Secretary, however, remained aloof, preoccupied with other matters. The officials of the Crown Prince's palace and the Hanlin Academy were united in purpose, but their efforts seemed largely ineffective; if the charge of "forming close ties with the emperor's attendants" were to implicate them, the consequences would outweigh the gains.
Yan Chao finally saw the emperor the following morning. The emperor was in good health and had moved to the East Warm Pavilion, no longer attending to state affairs. When she entered, the emperor was practicing calligraphy at his desk, looking quite interested.
She had just bowed down when the emperor's voice came over: "Hmm... In less than three days, I thought you were going to stand idly by and watch your teacher die in prison."
Yan Chao's heart sank, and she knelt upright, about to speak, but the emperor did not intend to give her the chance to speak first. Without raising his head, he continued, "You seem quite confident. I've heard that there are dozens of memorials submitted these past few days to plead for Meng Zichuan. I'd like to hear what new ideas you have."
The emperor was still ill these past few days, and very few memorials were sent to the Qianqing Palace. Naturally, he relied on his eunuchs to convey the details. Yan Chao thought that if it were Lan Huai'en, she might embellish the story.
Yan Chao kowtowed and earnestly said, “Meng Huai, courtesy name Zichuan, is a native of Ji’an. He was born in the 43rd year of Yongping and became a Jinshi in the 14th year of Jiahe. In the 27th year, he was promoted to Right Yude of the Right Spring Palace and then to Lecturer. In the first year of Xuanning, he was promoted to Right Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently Lecturer. In the seventh year, he became Minister of Rites and concurrently Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince. In the 13th year, he was appointed Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall. Now, at the age of 71, he has served in office for 55 years. The late emperor also praised him for his loyalty, integrity, and prudence. He has always had a reputation for integrity in the court. Now, with just a fabricated charge, is it possible to destroy his lifelong reputation?”
At first, the emperor was willing to listen patiently, but in the end, he sneered and said with a hint of sarcasm, "What did I think the crown prince have been doing these past few days? Was he preparing to shed these few tears in front of me?"
Yan Chao was originally in high spirits, but she was stunned when the emperor spoke. She seemed unaware that her eyes had become moist without her noticing.
"I've heard plenty of complaints from you, but it's been quite a hassle for you to go and check Meng Huai's resume." The sarcasm was even more pronounced.
Yan Chao ignored those words, her throat tightening as she spoke. She deliberately suppressed it, and her words came out somewhat lightly: "My teacher is also Father Emperor's teacher, and also Crown Prince Zhaohuai's teacher. Father Emperor has always respected teachers and treated your former officials in the Eastern Palace well. Why won't you believe Mr. Meng?"
The Emperor's first realization was that the long resume Yan Chao had just recounted was precisely Meng Huai's experience serving the Crown Prince. His pen paused, and he suddenly looked up at her, only to find her face streaked with tears. At that moment, for the first time, he felt less averse to those tears, and was even somewhat moved.
Meng Huai taught him.
Back then, he was still the crown prince, naive and inexperienced; Meng Huai was young and handsome, with both parents still alive; the teacher and student were very happy together.
Now, one is in his nineties and the other is over seventy. After so many years, they have developed a rift.
But that nostalgic illusion lasted only a moment. The emperor's tone was no longer so relaxed: "How do you know it's baseless accusation, and not irrefutable evidence?"
"Making friends is not inherently derogatory, but the only way to convict someone is through collusion. If it cannot be found that Meng Huai and Han Yu secretly colluded with each other and harbored rebellious intentions, then it can only be described as an ambiguous friendship."
The emperor's face suddenly changed color: "How dare you!"
A note from the author:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
