Liu Qianqian visits
On a sweltering summer day, Xuanji was practicing calligraphy in her study when she overheard the maids discussing how "a silk merchant from Jiangnan had been arrested." She paused slightly, but thinking it had nothing to do with Li Yi, she didn't dwell on it. Just then, Shiliu tiptoed in, carrying a visiting card.
"Madam, the gatekeeper just brought in a visitor. It's a lady surnamed Liu, who says she's an old acquaintance of yours and has urgent business to discuss." Shiliu presented the visiting card.
Xuanji took it, unfolded it, and saw that the delicate handwriting read "Liu Qianqian bows respectfully," with a line of smaller characters next to it: "An old friend from Jing County, urgently requesting an audience."
Sister Qianqian? She has already settled in another place with her husband, so why would she suddenly appear in Chang'an, and in such a hurry? Xuanji was surprised and hurriedly said to Shiliu, "Quickly invite her in. Lead her directly to the small study, and don't disturb anyone else."
Before long, Shiliu led a woman dressed in a light green brocade dress and wearing a veiled hat into the study. Upon entering, the woman removed her veil, revealing a pale yet undeniably beautiful face—it was Liu Qianqian.
"Sister Qianqian?" Xuanji stood up to greet her, even more surprised. "It really is you! When did you arrive in Chang'an? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
Upon seeing Xuanji, Liu Qianqian felt as if she had seen a relative. Before she could speak, tears streamed down her face. She grabbed Xuanji's hand, her fingertips icy cold: "Sister Xuanji... We... we only arrived in the capital ten days ago... We planned to settle in before sending an invitation to pay our respects, but who knew... who knew that such a terrible disaster would happen the day before yesterday!"
Xuanji's heart tightened. He took her cold hand in his own and handed her a cup of hot tea: "Tell me slowly, don't rush. What happened?"
Liu Qianqian's hands trembled, her voice choked and broken: "My husband, Zhou Lang... Zhou Lang has been taken away by the people of the Jingzhao Prefecture! Just the evening before last, we had just put the goods we brought into the warehouse when the officials burst in and said... said that a huge amount of smuggled salt was hidden in the silk we were transporting! They arrested him on the spot!"
She suddenly grabbed Xuanji's sleeve, as if she were drowning: "Xuanji! Zhou Lang has always been honest in business and timid. How could he dare to get involved in such a deadly business as smuggled salt? That batch of goods was loaded onto ships in Jiangnan and transported northwards by canal. There were so many checkpoints along the way. If there really was smuggled salt, it should have been discovered long ago! This is clearly a frame-up!"
Xuanji frowned: "Something happened right after arriving in the capital? That's too much of a coincidence. Do you have any clues? Or, have you had any recent conflicts with anyone?"
Liu Qianqian shook her head in despair: "No! Absolutely not! We've been cautious all the way, and after arriving in the capital we've been busy settling in. We haven't even officially started negotiating business yet. Who could we have offended? Yesterday I ran through every possible avenue, spending money like water, but those clerks took the money and wouldn't even allow me to visit them. They just vaguely said the case was serious, a major case personally supervised by higher-ups... I... I'm really at my wit's end..."
She raised her tearful eyes and looked at Xuanji with pleading eyes, her voice mournful: "Xuanji, I know I shouldn't be troubling you... but I heard that you are now... now a member of Scholar Li's household. I beg you... please, for the sake of our past relationship, ask Scholar Li to help me find out where Zhou Lang is being held and what his situation is." As she spoke, she even tried to kneel down.
Xuanji quickly helped her up: "Sister Qianqian, you mustn't! Get up quickly." Xuanji helped her sit up firmly, her tone becoming more resolute, "I already know about this matter. Don't worry, I will do my best to ask for you. However..." she hesitated, "The affairs of officialdom are complex and intertwined. Although my husband has some influence, he still needs to act cautiously and may not be able to resolve the issue. But don't worry, I will definitely deliver the message."
Upon hearing this, Liu Qianqian seemed to grasp at a glimmer of hope, nodding repeatedly: "Thank you! Thank you so much! Xuanji, your kindness, I..."
"There's no need for that," Xuanji interrupted her, taking out her handkerchief to wipe away her tears. "Where are you living now? Are you safe?"
"I'm staying at an inn in the southern part of the city for now," Liu Qianqian replied, sobbing.
Xuanji pondered for a moment and said, "Go back to the inn and wait for news. Don't go out again easily, and don't try to make any more connections, lest you cause more trouble. As soon as I have any news, I will have someone notify you immediately."
After seeing Liu Qianqian off, Xuanji sat alone by the window. The composure he had just put on gradually faded, and his brows furrowed deeply.
In the evening, Li Yi came over for dinner. Xuanji found an opportunity to subtly mention Liu Qianqian's visit, her tone revealing her deep affection for her old friend:
“My lord, you may not know this, but Sister Qianqian is no ordinary person to me. Back when I was in the music academy, I was still young, and I was very grateful for her care in every way. Once, I was seriously ill, and she stayed up all night to call a doctor and prepare medicine, and stayed by my side for three whole days. I will always remember this kindness.”
She paused, her voice growing more earnest, "Now that she has suffered such a calamity and has no relatives to turn to, I really cannot stand idly by. I wonder if you, sir, could inquire about her situation?"
Li Yi paused slightly, his chopsticks in hand. He looked up at Xuanji, his gaze deep and unfathomable. After a moment, he pondered, "The Jingzhao Prefecture prison... the salt smuggling case is a serious matter. We must be cautious when inquiring about information."
He paused, looking at Xuanji's expectant eyes: "Since he is an old friend you cherish, I will ask the familiar clerks about the situation tomorrow."
Xuanji felt relieved when he agreed and quickly said, "Thank you, my lord!"
The next day, Li Yi asked someone to inquire about the matter. After several twists and turns, he finally found out the truth of the matter through an old friend who worked in the Ministry of Justice.
The man said, “Brother Zian, this matter… alas, is not a simple case of smuggled salt. That merchant surnamed Zhou has probably suffered an undeserved misfortune and been set up.”
Li Yi frowned: "What do you mean?"
The old friend sighed, his voice even lower: "The root of the problem isn't the goods, but the people. It's that newly promoted Vice Minister Xu of the Ministry of Personnel... I don't know where he saw that Zhou Shang's wife, Liu, and was immediately captivated by her beauty, developing inappropriate thoughts. Unfortunately, Liu is strong-willed; she accompanied her husband in business, but refused to submit to the powerful and influential. Vice Minister Xu's several hints went unanswered, so he became enraged and resorted to these despicable means."
The so-called smuggled salt was merely a pretext to frame Zhou Shang. The intention was to put Zhou Shang to death or force him to submit. At that time, Liu, a mere woman, would be helpless and alone…
Upon hearing this, Li Yi's expression suddenly darkened. He naturally knew about Vice Minister Xu; relying on his family's influence and his shrewdness, he had recently gained the Emperor's favor and was riding high, indeed a troublesome character.
"Is the information accurate?" Li Yi asked in a deep voice.
“Most likely.” The old friend nodded. “The judicial officer in charge of this case in the capital is a protégé of Vice Minister Xu. The sealing of the warehouse and the detention of the prisoners were carried out swiftly and decisively, and no outsiders were allowed to visit. The higher-ups… probably gave instructions.”
Li Yi remained silent for a moment, thanked his old friend, and instructed him to keep it a secret before getting up and leaving.
As the carriage drove back to the mansion, he closed his eyes and concentrated, but his heart was churning with emotions.
The Zhou couple were nothing more than rootless duckweed, and countless such people would sink into oblivion every day in Chang'an. The situation was different with Vice Minister Xu. He was favored by the Emperor and was a key official in the Ministry of Personnel. If one could use this opportunity to curry favor, it would give him more leverage in the court in the future. The importance of this situation was crystal clear.
He closed his eyes, and Xuanji's clear, trusting eyes appeared before him. A slight, almost imperceptible prickling sensation rose in his heart, as if pricked by a fine needle.
But soon, this ripple was suppressed by deeper thoughts. After all, Youwei was a person of Qiwu Pavilion, and only he was her true support.
To accomplish extraordinary things, how can one be bound by ordinary methods? The officialdom is a vast web, and every step requires careful calculation of gains and losses.
He studied diligently for ten years, not to forever depend on others. His choices today are simply so that he can truly control his own destiny in the future.
The next day, he went to see Xuanji, his expression carrying just the right amount of solemnity and concern.
"Youwei, there's been some progress on the matter you asked me to inquire about," he said in a low voice after dismissing everyone else.
Xuanji immediately put down the book in her hand and looked at him eagerly: "Please speak, my lord."
Li Yi sighed, his brows furrowed: "The situation... is more troublesome than I imagined. I asked around and only after several inquiries did I learn that Manager Zhou's misfortune was not because of smuggled salt, but because... he offended someone he absolutely could not afford to offend."
"Who is it?" Xuanji's heart leaped into his throat.
“Minister Xu of the Ministry of Personnel,” Li Yi uttered the name. “It is said that Minister Xu has taken a fancy to Lady Qianqian and has made advances to her several times, but he has been firmly rejected by Manager Zhou and his wife. Minister Xu was so angry that he fabricated charges to try and… get both her and his money.”
Upon hearing this, Xuanji's face turned deathly pale, and his fingertips trembled slightly: "It...it's like this? What...what should we do?"
Li Yi grasped her cold hand, his tone heavy with a convincing helplessness: "Minister Xu enjoys the Emperor's favor and wields immense power. If he is determined to have Lady Liu, a head-on confrontation would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock. Not to mention rescuing Manager Zhou, I'm afraid even you and I could be implicated."
Seeing the fear and despair in Xuanji's eyes, he changed his tone and became more candid: "The only way to save Manager Zhou's life now is through Lady Qianqian."
Xuanji suddenly looked up, staring at him in disbelief: "Does my lord mean... that Sister Qianqian... should submit to that scoundrel?"
“It’s not about submission, but a temporary measure!” Li Yi said immediately, his tone becoming urgent and “sincere.” “Youwei, think about it carefully! Minister Xu wants the person, not necessarily Manager Zhou’s life. If Lady Qianqian is willing to ‘voluntarily’ submit to him, he will be happy to have the beauty and will naturally be lenient and let Manager Zhou go.”
Xuanji was completely confused by his words. Although she found the plan utterly despicable, she had to admit that Li Yi's analysis was cold and realistic—faced with absolute power, it seemed that ordinary people, like ants, had no other choice but to submit.
She closed her eyes in anguish: "But... how is Sister Qianqian supposed to cope with this?"
Seeing this, Li Yi knew she was wavering, so he said gently, "This is a choice that Liu Qianqian must make herself. Is it better to die a glorious death together as husband and wife? Or is it better to live a mediocre life for now, in exchange for her husband's life, and perhaps even a future reunion?"
Xuanji then explained the situation to Liu Qianqian. Upon hearing the "truth" and "plan" that Li Yi brought back, Liu Qianqian felt as if she had been struck by lightning. All her strength was instantly drained, and she collapsed to the ground. Her innocence and marital bond, which she cherished as her lifeblood, had become bargaining chips that could be exchanged and manipulated in the mouths of Li Yi and that Minister Xu?
"No... I can't... Xuanji, I can't do it..." Liu Qianqian grabbed Xuanji's hand, her nails almost digging into her flesh, her voice broken and shattered, "If I use this method to save his life, how am I any different from that prostitute? Zhou Lang... how could Zhou Lang accept this?"
Xuanji was also torn, caught between the harsh reality and the urgent need to save lives, and the desire to uphold her best friend's dignity. Seeing Liu Qianqian's unbearable grief, her own heart felt like it was being crushed. She weakly comforted her, "Sister Qianqian... let's think about it again, perhaps there's another way..."
Perhaps she could ask Mr. Wen for help. A thought crossed Xuanji's mind, but she quickly suppressed it. Lately, Li Yi's attitude towards Mr. Wen had subtly changed; whenever she mentioned matters related to the Wen family, he either remained silent or showed impatience. Although she didn't know the reason, if she were to ask again now, she feared…
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