Chapter 170 Amidst the help of thousands, a bittersweet feeling welled up inside.
A few days ago, Kyoto.
Numerous malicious rumors about Zhang Ting were spreading among the beggars. The manager gave each of them one hundred coins and told the beggars to spread the word far and wide.
In the dilapidated, windswept temple, straw was scattered all over the ground, and a thick layer of dust had accumulated on the tables.
The beggars scrambled to get work, afraid of falling behind.
Only Zheng Xiaotang huddled in a corner, hugging her knees and clutching her tattered clothes.
They all want to harm Lord Zhang; those heartless corrupt officials!
Her stomach rumbled with hunger, and she forced her weak legs to stand up. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, she quietly slipped out through the drafty gap.
She would never allow these treacherous officials to smear Lord Zhang!
Zheng Xiaotang had disobeyed Prime Minister Xu's advice to frame a good official last time, so he was punished by his superiors and smeared. He was demoted all the way down and finally forced to resign and return to his hometown.
But these people still wouldn't let her go. They sent thugs to steal her travel expenses, and her former colleagues even kicked her while she was down, leading a group to rob her travel permit.
Penniless, Zheng Xiaotang was reduced to begging after being targeted several times.
She has no one she can trust, so who should she tell?
With a worried look on her face, Zheng Xiaotang finally made her way to a dilapidated courtyard.
The courtyard was dilapidated, indicating that the owner lived a simple life and was not a wicked or greedy person.
After some deliberation and hesitation, she knocked on the door.
Is Lord Luo here?
She had heard from others before that the Third Scholar's wife and Lord Zhang were very close, so she figured Luo Zijun was someone she could trust.
A short while later, an old man came to open the door.
"What business do you have with my master?" He opened his cloudy eyes and looked her up and down. "Come in."
Fifteen minutes later.
"I understand." Luo Zijun narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharp and piercing. Who were those scoundrels who dared to bully her sister again!
Turning to Zheng Xiaotang, she clasped her hands in thanks and solemnly said, "Thank you for risking your life to come. If I knew of your kindness, I would be extremely grateful."
“I will not let my sister be in danger,” she said, pacing around the room before suddenly approaching and saying, “My benefactor, I hold an official position, and if I act too hastily, it might alert the enemy. I need to trouble you with something.”
If it can help Lord Zhang, Zheng Xiaotang would be willing to do ten things, let alone one.
She leaned in and whispered in her ear.
After listening, they were stunned. "This, will this work?" These people were fine, having witnessed Lord Zhang's bravery and wisdom, they were willing to serve her as her vanguard.
But the palace eunuchs are the emperor's lackeys, loyal only to the emperor, and know nothing about the greater good of the world or the affairs of the state.
Can such a person be trusted?
Luo Zijun nodded, telling her to go and return quickly.
She glanced at Zheng Xiaotang's departing figure, then lowered her eyes, concealing the surging gloom within them.
She wanted to see what kind of thing dared to slander her sister.
This matter was of great importance, so she returned to her room and quickly wrote several letters, which she sent to her sister's two senior classmates and teacher.
Luo Zijun's eyes were deep, and her fists were clenched tightly. She would never allow anyone to steal her Mingyue!
Entering the palace is not something one can do so easily. Zheng Xiaotang was stuck at the first hurdle; she couldn't even get messages through.
She paced around in circles, extremely anxious.
Just then, a palace maid who was making purchases happened to pass by. She stopped her and asked her to pass on a message to Steward Xu.
The palace maid sneered, "You filthy, lowly beggar, how dare you curry favor with Chief Eunuch Xu? Why don't you take a piss and look at your own face!"
Let alone a lowly beggar like her, even for palace maids like them, it's incredibly difficult to even see the head eunuch; it's simply wishful thinking!
One of the palace maids was the niece of Chief Steward Xu. Seeing that Zheng Xiaotang spoke politely and had decent manners, she did not treat her lightly and was even curious about her intentions.
"What message do you want to convey to the steward?"
Zheng Xiaotang had been pacing around here for a long time, waiting for these words. According to Lord Luo's description, this person had a close relationship with Steward Xu.
He quickly called her down alone and whispered his purpose to her.
Xu Donglin: "!"
He turned to look at the other person in astonishment and asked, "Is this really true?"
Upon receiving an affirmative reply, Xu Donglin calmly agreed, "Don't worry, little beggar, I will definitely convey your message to the steward." Damn it, what kind of blind fool dares to smear Lord Zhang!
What an upright, kind, benevolent, and gentle official Zhang is! These black-hearted bastards are always making trouble for her!
She insisted that her aunt properly discipline this person!
We must not let Lord Zhang be bullied by such people for no reason!
Xu Qiu leaned back on the couch, recalling the events of the past few days. Thinking of the imperial edict bestowing her title today, she felt a sense of relief. All her planning over the past few days had finally paid off.
She slowly rose from the couch and turned the lamp wick on the table brighter.
Light should shine in a wider field of vision, falling on everyone, on all the starving people in the dawn of life.
Inside the imperial court, the Qingliu faction and the Prime Minister were locked in a fierce battle to protect the Prefect of Zhangzhou, their conflict escalating to the point of bloodshed, with both sides seemingly determined to achieve victory at all costs.
The one protecting this isn't the prefect of Zhangzhou Prefecture, but clearly Zhang Ting, who's behind her.
Among the newly appointed scholars, Zhang Ting's wisdom and profound learning are widely circulated, especially recently. Support for Zhang Ting has increased among the newly appointed officials in the capital.
Two of them were still officials who had passed the imperial examinations and were frequently organizing gatherings to frantically build connections for Zhang Ting.
All she wanted was to tip the scales in Zhang Ting's favor among lower-ranking officials and students, thus increasing her chances of victory.
And among the people of Kyoto, rumors were rampant, with the most talked-about topic being the private affairs between men and women? Were the people more interested in the sexual affairs of officials, or were they simply skeptical of other rumors?
Lord Zhang, we will help you no matter what.
...
Prefect He, who was far away in Zhangzhou Prefecture, had been crying terribly lately.
She felt wronged. Wasn't Zhang Ting a relative sent by the Fifth Princess and Prime Minister Gao to gain prestige?
Why are these two not only not helping her, but also attacking her relentlessly? She's been subjected to a barrage of criticism from the court lately.
I received countless letters.
A high-ranking official sent someone to deliver it, scolding her for being stupid and ignorant;
The Fifth Princess sent someone to scold her for being ungrateful and arrogant.
There were also various corrupt officials who denounced and condemned her...
The most eye-catching item among them is the letter personally written by Emperor Chengtai, reprimanding her.
They cursed her for being muddle-headed, deceiving the emperor, and having no respect for the emperor and his mother!
Prefect He was filled with trepidation, feeling as if he were walking on thin ice.
She originally only wanted to go along with the Fifth Princess's wishes and recommend Zhang Ting to get on board with the future crown prince.
How come after doing all that hard work, I ended up capsizing the boat?
Prefect He looked at the imperial edict in his own handwriting displayed on his desk and was filled with remorse.
If she had known that Zhang Ting was so unpopular in the court and had no connection with the Fifth Princess, she should have reclaimed the credit and asked for recognition for herself.
You get money, fame, and profit. And you don't even get yourself into trouble for no reason.
What should we do now? We can't get on board with the Fifth Princess at all, and His Majesty has also been given a bad reputation.
Words spoken and letters written are like spilled water, impossible to take back.
Prefect He sighed deeply, unable to hold back his tears.
That bastard Zhang Ting! He's ruined my life!!
Prefect He returned to his residence dejectedly. Looking at the table laden with a dazzling array of dishes, he felt as if he were eating his last meal, his heart heavy with sorrow, unable to swallow.
On the way to the study, recalling the past, I couldn't help but burst into tears.
She must have committed some terrible sin in her past life for God to send Zhang Ting to punish her!
However, Prefect He's bad mood didn't last long, as she soon received some startling news.
Prefect He jumped to his feet, dumbfounded. "What did you say? Say it again!"
The clerk beamed, "Reporting to Your Excellency, this is wonderful news! His Majesty has appointed Lord Zhang as the Prefect of our prefecture!" She couldn't help but feel happy at the thought of working with Lord Zhang again.
Prefect He was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. Didn't this mean that His Majesty didn't truly hate her? And that his own escape route wasn't completely cut off?
A few moments later, she immediately pulled a long face.
That's not right. Why is Zhang Ting getting promoted and making a fortune while I'm receiving so much criticism?
She walked to the table and took out a large stack of letters, all of them cursing her, all kinds of them, filthy and foul! Among them was Cheng Taidi.
She just couldn't understand it. She had been severely reprimanded by the Emperor for recommending Zhang Ting, and then the Emperor immediately agreed. So what did it matter if she was the one who was reprimanded? What did it matter?!
Prefect He was both angry and annoyed, but he could only suppress his anger and dare not speak out.
One day, one day, she will… Magistrate He waved his fingers, his face contorted, before finally weakly lowering them.
...to express our gratitude to the Emperor in person.
Zhang Ting received the imperial edict on a bright spring morning.
She sat in a rattan chair, holding Shile, basking in the sun. When she saw the eunuch delivering the imperial decree, she was slightly taken aback.
Was it that Emperor Chengtai couldn't stand his dignity being disrespected, and was so enraged that he wanted to make her pay regardless of his reputation?
If the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die.
She handed the child to the servant, lifted her robe, and knelt down, preparing to face the emperor's wrath.
I closed my eyes heavily, pondering what other options I could take.
What she heard was the joyful announcement from the palace officials that the imperial edict had appointed her as the prefect of Zhangzhou, a fifth-rank official.
The odds were so slim that even Zhang Ting herself had given up and was preparing to bide her time and secretly accumulate strength. But today, she was handed over to her by a group of people whose names she didn't even know.
After receiving the imperial edict, she fell into a long daze.
Countless endings had been imagined in her mind, but none of them were like this.
Who is working tirelessly for her? Who is clearing her name? And who is risking their life for her?
An indescribable emotion surged within her; something was about to burst forth—strange, unfamiliar, and bewildering.
She stood there motionless for a very long time.
The eunuch thought she was overjoyed, after all, she had only been promoted to county magistrate for less than a year, and to leap three ranks in one leap was an unprecedented and unparalleled event!
She beamed, "Lord Zhang, His Majesty truly values you."
Zhang Ting finally snapped out of her daze, put on a smile, gave the eunuch a gift of silver, and then ordered someone to lead her to rest and have a meal.
Turning her back, she gripped the imperial edict tightly, as if she had been instantly infused with a strange and powerful force, making her walk unsteadily.
I wiped my slightly damp eyes, feeling extremely bitter inside.
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