Chapter 114 Contacting an old friend, a poorly made tea...
"Bullshit!" Ning Yuanzhi pointed at Zhang Shu and cursed.
"Such a dangerous matter, and you actually made me do it? Why don't you just say you want me to die!" She patted her cheeks. "Zhang Shu, touch your ugly old face, are you qualified?" She said through gritted teeth.
Zhang Shu clicked his tongue helplessly. "Look at you, look at you, you're taking it too seriously, aren't you?"
“Yuanzhi, how come you still have such a bad temper after all these years?” He added, “Getting angry all the time won’t keep you alive. We’re getting old, you need to take care of your health.”
Shameless and despicable!
Ning Yuanzhi was so angry that she could hardly breathe. All thoughts of court factional struggles and the conflict between legitimate and illegitimate children were thrown to the back of her mind. She glared at the old rogue in front of her and gritted her teeth: "How have you become so shameless in just over ten years?"
Still feeling annoyed, she retorted, "You claim to have done a good deed? Hah!" She laughed sarcastically twice, then found it all quite amusing, exclaiming, "You shameless old drunkard, you've truly broadened my horizons!"
Despite being repeatedly criticized, Zhang Shu showed no anger on his face and even kindly asked her to sit down.
"I think you're getting worse as you get older. I only asked you to come out of seclusion for a short while, and you're already this angry." Zhang Shu smacked his lips and muttered, "So petty."
Ning Yuanzhi was amused by her 'shamelessness', "I've been exposed today, Zhang Shu. You weren't like this when you were an official years ago. How did you become so mercenary?"
"People still call you 'Master Zhang'? Humph, do you even know what kind of face you have?"
Zhang Shu poured himself a cup of tea. The two of them had met secretly in this secluded courtyard, and he had ordered someone to buy the tea from outside.
She took a sip, her lips pursing into a straight line. "Sigh! This tea maker's skills are truly terrible; this tea is unpalatable. Ning Yuanzhi should drink it instead."
Zhang Shu sighed first, then stood up and invited the furious Ning Yuanzhi to sit down on the stone bench. "Old friend, don't be angry anymore. It's not worth ruining your health."
Ning Yuanzhi glanced at her and snorted twice, thinking that at least she still had some conscience. She pushed her hand away, flicked her sleeve, and sat down on her own.
Zhang Shu wasn't embarrassed by being disliked. He turned around and poured her a cup of tea. "Have some water and calm down first." He then sat down next to her, rubbing his back as he did so. He said that he was getting old and couldn't stand being tired. He could only stand for a short while before he was exhausted.
Ning Yuanzhi, who was sitting opposite her, glared at her angrily, yet she still dared to sit down? Was this how she asked for help? Did she really think she was some kind of ancestor?
Ning Yuanzhi sneered repeatedly. In the past, everyone had been groveling and begging to her. She was going to teach this old man a lesson later!
She angrily gulped down the tea beside her, only to immediately spit it out and throw the cup down. "What kind of tea is this? It's so bitter!"
Zhang Shu, looking down at his nose and mouth as if completely unaware, suddenly realized and said, "Really? I had my servants go out to buy it. I don't know how it tastes, please don't be offended, old friend."
Seeing Zhang Shu's nonchalant and dismissive attitude, Ning Yuanzhi's anger flared even more. She had clearly seen Zhang Shu drink first.
That old bastard is deliberately teasing her!
Ning Yuanzhi's face was contorted, her finger trembling as she pointed at Zhang Shu, feeling so angry she could hardly breathe.
Zhang Shu chuckled twice and cleared her throat. "It's such a small matter, you're too magnanimous to bother with the servants." She laughed dryly. "Shall we get down to business? Haha."
Utterly shameless! How dare they even get to the point? Anyone who didn't know better would think they were begging her for a favor! Ning Yuanzhi felt she hadn't suffered as much humiliation as she had in the first half of her life.
She took a deep breath and said coldly, "This matter is extremely dangerous. I cannot risk offending His Majesty to help you. Perhaps this is Zhang Ting's fate." Suddenly realizing her words seemed too harsh, she added, "Life isn't just about becoming an official. Since Zhang Ting has made this choice, doesn't it prove she's not suited for officialdom? She's similar to you back then. Why are you still so fixated on this?"
Ning Yuanzhi turned to look at his old friend and continued, "Zhang Shu, Zhang Shu, look at you, haven't you been living a good life all these years? You've become the literary master 'Master Zhang' in the eyes of the world, admired and respected by everyone. Your disciple Zhang Ting is even more learned than you. She achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations and is the focus of everyone's attention. If she follows in your footsteps, she will certainly not lack fame in the future, nor will she lack food and clothing."
"There are countless paths in life, so why be so fixated on becoming an official?"
Zhang Shu remained silent for a long while, then suddenly looked up at her and asked sincerely, "Yuanzhi, do you really think I've been doing well all these years? Was leaving the court back then truly my own wish?"
Ning Yuanzhi felt a lump in her throat. How could she not know Zhang Shu's situation back then? But, "But aren't you living a good life now? You have both fame and fortune. Many officials strive their whole lives but can't reach your level. You should be content."
What you say is true, but her own liberation and comfort have been nothing short of torture and deep confinement for her all these years.
Looking at the millions of people suffering so much, does she regret the choice she made?
Her initial ideal was to gain both fame and fortune, or to reform the corrupt officials and benefit the people.
She regrets it all the time.
Zhang Shu stared at her intently, his eyes filled with complex emotions and deep sorrow.
Ning Yuanzhi paused because of her expression. Even in her old age, she couldn't understand it, but she was inexplicably infected by her emotions, and an endless sorrow welled up in her heart.
She heard Zhang Shu say, "Xiao Ting's talent is unparalleled in this world. I or all of us should send her to the suffering people, only then can we be worthy of the salary we receive."
Ning Yuanzhi was startled, seemingly overwhelmed with a thousand emotions, but the next moment, anger surged up. After all, wasn't this old woman Zhang Shu pleading for her disciple? What "I" and "our"? Taking care of her disciple was Zhang Shu's duty, but Ning Yuanzhi had absolutely no connection to Zhang Ting. Ultimately, what did it have to do with her that Zhang Shu's disciple had offended the Emperor?
"You've been living a carefree life for too long, don't get the sense of priorities. My salary comes from the court; I'm a subject of the emperor, and I'm a servant of the court."
But Zhang Shu then asked her, "Where does the imperial court's salary come from? Does it appear out of thin air?"
Ning Yuanzhi felt a lump in her throat and wanted to refute her, but she swallowed the words that were about to come out.
Yes, where does the imperial court's salary come from? It comes from taxes collected from every commoner, including poll tax and land tax.
Ning Yuanzhi said helplessly, "What's the use of saying all this? This is the reality right now. What can you and I change? Don't overestimate your abilities."
“Don’t do this again, my old friend. Touching the dragon’s scales is fatal. Advise yourself not to get involved in this matter anymore. We are not young anymore, let’s just die peacefully in our old age. You should also advise your disciple. Even if he cares about the people, he is not destined to be an official in the court.” Having served the emperor for ten years, she knew the current emperor’s temperament well. “Although she has angered the emperor, it is far from death. But if we plead for her, it will enrage His Majesty and truly bring about our own demise.”
Ning Yuanzhi felt that there was nothing more to say since she had already said so much. She stood up and bowed to Zhang Shu, saying, "I knew you had returned to the capital before, but I didn't come to visit you because I had some concerns." She patted Zhang Shu's shoulder and said, "My old friend, please take good care of yourself."
After saying that, he turned and walked outside without looking back.
Everyone has their own way of surviving, and it's not her fault that she couldn't do it.
But then she heard a murmur behind her: "Yuanzhi, don't you think Xiaoting is just like the Prime Minister three years ago? Everyone praises her for being virtuous and doing many good deeds, but everyone avoids her, afraid of getting involved with her in the slightest." As she spoke, she suddenly laughed, and as she laughed, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.
"Then I watched helplessly as her head fell to the ground, dying unjustly..."
Ning Yuanzhi's steps suddenly faltered, her pupils trembled, and she turned around stiffly.
"Zong Xuanyue, Zong Xuanyue, throughout his life he was dedicated to serving the people and dared to defy the world and offend the emperor. He used the money left over from the government's meager contributions to improve people's livelihoods and establish schools. When the government's money was insufficient, he used his own to make up the difference."
"In the end, no one would claim the body of the one who died violently in the mass grave. Only Xiao Ting, an insignificant person, dared to scheme and plot. The only surviving grandson was also taken in by Xiao Ting, an insignificant person. When His Majesty was furious, only Xiao Ting, an insignificant person, was willing to give up her future to preserve her bloodline."
Ning Yuanzhi moved her lips hesitantly, but couldn't utter a word for a long time.
A string of tears streamed down Zhang Shu's face, down her deeply lined cheeks, and dripped onto the ground, each tear filled with her regret and resentment.
Ning Yuanzhi lowered her head helplessly; she was no match for Zhang Ting, this inexperienced young girl.
Zhang Shu slowly walked up to her, tears glistening in his eyes, and suddenly asked, "If it happened again, Yuanzhi, would you plead for Zongxiang? Would you rather watch her die innocently?"
Ning Yuanzhi suddenly looked up, wanting to say that Zhang Ting and Zong Xiang were different, but the words just wouldn't come out. What was the difference? Was it the good deeds they did for the country and the people? Or was it that everyone was in danger and no one was pleading for her?
She lowered her head again, her mind racing with thoughts, countless images flashing through her mind, before finally closing her eyes heavily. She had let down the Prime Minister, but this time, shouldn't she be able to do justice to a good official like herself?
After a long while, Ning Yuanzhi opened his eyes, his brows furrowed with worry. He solemnly said to Zhang Shu, "Zhang Ting, Qingliu has been secured. We will never turn a blind eye to this again."
“Go back and tell your apprentice that during this time, if anyone tries to coerce or bribe her to give a confession, she must not confess. Although the Qingliu faction is weak, at least they will ensure that she becomes an upright and honest official.”
Zhang Shu was greatly shocked and bowed to her solemnly, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Ning. Future generations will remember your benevolence."
"I don't want the people to remember my kindness." Ning Yuanzhi waved his hand, looked up and gazed into the distance, "I only wish to have a clear conscience this time."
"I hope Zhang Ting can do those things that we are powerless to do." She turned to Zhang Shu and said this before leaving gracefully.
Zhang Shu stared intently at her departing figure, standing there for a long time before finally letting out a breath, turning around and sitting back on the stone bench. He crossed his legs and took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from his face.
They finally managed to fool Ning the old dog. It's been a long time since he's acted so emotionally, and he's still a bit rusty.
She had just talked a lot and now felt parched. Humming a little tune, she poured herself a cup of tea and drank it down in one gulp.
It sprayed out again in an instant.
Ptooey! Ptooey!
What kind of tea did they buy? They must deduct it from the servants' monthly wages!
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