Chapter 25
The moon in the sky was still crescent. New Year had just passed, and the city was sparsely populated, with most people content to stay home and reunite with their families. Shen Yi lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage. It was already late at night, so he decided to rest at the inn for a day or two before making any further plans.
His attendants were just as exhausted as he was. They had rarely gotten a good night's sleep during their journey from Chang'an to Jiangdu. Shen Yi occupied a side room all to himself. A servant hurriedly got up to prepare an oil lamp and placed it on the table, then bowed and saluted. "If you have any instructions, my lord, please call me. I'll be there whenever you ask."
Shen Yi took out a tael of silver from his purse and gave it to him, saying only to keep quiet and not disturb him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him walk out the door. He sat at the table and poured himself a cup of tea, which was still warm in the night.
He took a sip of the warm tea, savoring its rich aftertaste, realizing that Jiangnan was even richer than he'd imagined. But it was a hasty journey; a thorough exploration would require a few days of exploration.
Shen Yi touched the imperial edict he had been carrying with him, closed his eyes, and considered his next move. Since he was a chess piece in the Ming Dynasty, he had to borrow Shen Qian's name and pretend to be a playboy in the capital who had received a sinecure to travel around the mountains and rivers, and just enjoy himself in Jiangnan.
It just so happened that Chen Qian had been in frequent contact with the Prime Minister's lineage this year, so even for his own sake, there was no need to expose himself.
He recalled the imperial decree: Zhao You's second son was the governor of Jinling County, and the surrounding cities and counties were also filled with students of the prime minister or humble scholars who had received favors through imperial examinations. This complex network of connections clearly demarcated the southern part of the Yangtze River.
It was actually a hidden chess piece, and all subsequent actions had to be covered up by the people sent by the Heavenly Family. The only thing he could rely on was his seemingly useless identity.
Finally, when he returned to Chang'an from Jiangnan, he wrote several impeachment memorials and presented the evidence secretly collected by his so-called followers to the court, which marked the completion of his trip.
What's more, he just handed Xue Congzhi a few secret letters, pointing out what he saw and heard along the way and the strange things.
Xue Congzhi, Shen Yi recalled that first snowy night, how he had finally managed to get drunk, and so he remembered all of Xue Congzhi's words. Now, it seemed like, between drunkenness and sobriety, there was no need to be too serious with oneself, or with each other.
Whether he came to investigate a wrongful case or to overthrow the government, Xue Congzhi didn't care where he was going before, and he cared even less now.
Shen Yi laughed out loud, covering his face to hide his sigh completely - when the time comes, they'll drink together again, both of them will drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, just to get drunk. Now, the only one who can still be considered a close friend by his side is Xue Heng.
With Chen Qian around, Wei Qianyu could no longer continue to associate with him. As for Liu Zongzheng, he also had a close relationship with the Zhao family. After the incident in Longxi, he had no contact with Liu Qianshan.
The days of galloping horses at sunset and the revelry in the singing halls in the old days are all like a heavy snowfall in the city of Chang'an, which are gone with the passage of time and turned into water flowing eastward.
He lay on the couch, his travels were naturally no match for the expenses of the Marquis's residence. Exhausted, Shen Yi allowed himself to fall asleep, a rare dreamless night.
The red sun was replaced by a silver moon, reflecting the winding river in Jiangdu. The grass and trees sprouted new buds, decorating the city with green.
Shen Yi was awakened by the knock on the door by the shop assistant. After hearing a few words explaining that a distinguished person was coming to greet him, the voice coming from outside the door seemed even more respectful than last night.
It turned out that this kind of news spread faster than he thought. He changed into new clothes and tied a jade pendant around his waist. He smiled at the bronze mirror as usual and opened the door only when he felt that he was as romantic as before.
The waiter first saw the waiter placing wine and meat on the table, and also laid out the fish and crabs one by one. "I didn't know the young marquis would arrive in Jiangdu so soon yesterday. I'm really sorry for not welcoming you." The visitor's smile was indeed flattering, but also seemed hurried.
"So I prepared some coarse food to apologize to the young marquis," the Jiangdu County Magistrate took the chopsticks and stuffed them into Shen Yi's hands, "I wonder if the young marquis can get used to it?"
Shen Yi sat down at the table. The county magistrate's surname was Zhang, and he seemed to have no connection with the Zhao family, but his wife was a daughter of the Zhao family. He came here to greet him in advance, probably to get some information.
He picked up his chopsticks and tasted the crab paste that was about to flow out. It took him a while to remember the name of the county governor. Seeing that he had finished his meal first, Zhang Hong felt relieved and found a chair to sit down as well, ready to serve the "distinguished guest" from Chang'an City at any time.
The Zhao family had specifically instructed that even in Jiangdu, I should take good care of it to avoid any unexpected trouble.
Shen Yi tasted a little of everything; the meat was delicious and the wine was mellow. He deliberately looked away, just staring at the wine in the cup, waiting for Zhang Hong to keep refilling his glass.
He drank almost a cup before speaking slowly, feigning a hint of intoxication. "It's just a sinecure, naturally not enough to warrant a public announcement. I didn't expect Jiangdu to have such good food, so different from Chang'an." He continued to savor the crab paste, sharing a knowing smile with Zhang Hong.
"Since the county magistrate is so hospitable, I believe the people under his rule should follow his example and live and work in peace and contentment." He watched the waiter bring another cup of wine, and seeing that Zhang Hong was not as vigilant as before, he continued to drink.
"It is naturally an honor for me that the young marquis is interested in these simple meals." Zhang Hong looked at Shen Yi and slowly made clear his purpose.
"It's just the beginning of the new year, so there are bound to be some oversights at the post station. Why don't you stay at my mansion and try some of Jiangdu's delicacies?" He continued to pour Shen Yi's wine, feeling he had a good idea of his preferences. "I have some fine vintages stored at my mansion, but I don't usually find any kindred spirits. Now that I've met you today, it's time to uncork some good wine."
Shen Yi then remembered to come and see him, leaning back in his chair with a wine cup in hand, "Thank you very much for your kindness, County Magistrate. I have heard of the reputation of Jiangnan. County Magistrate, please take me around for a good tour these few days."
Zhang Hong naturally nodded in response, and the matter was finalized. Shen Yi no longer cared about the number of followers around him who had been replaced. He just pretended that they were all servants who had followed him all the way here, and ordered them around at will in front of Zhang Hong. He also moved a few boxes of prepared gold and silver to the county magistrate's mansion.
As for what the county magistrate was thinking, they all knew it very well. As usual, Chen Yi went to the shops on Chang Street to buy famous light gauze and silk fabrics for the Marquis' Mansion, and then followed the attendants sent by the county magistrate to visit the places where they had fun.
Sometimes he would stop in front of a vendor to choose a matching jade pendant for his folding fan, listening curiously to the tantalizing stories of spirits and monsters he had spun to attract customers. Finally, he would leave half a bag of silver with the vendor and buy all the carved pendants on display.
As dusk deepened, they returned to the county magistrate's residence, feasting on fine wine and delicious food. As if intoxicated, he pulled out an imperial edict from his sleeve and discussed with Zhang Hong how to ask the emperor for a reward. Zhang Hong looked hesitant, explaining that he had never liked poetry and literature since childhood and had barely managed to finish the teacher's lectures, but he didn't know how to write a petition requesting a reward.
Zhang Hong also continued the tradition of hospitality and enthusiasm at the post station. When asked about anything worth writing about in Jiangdu, he told him everything he knew, no matter how big or small. Whether it was the flow of merchants or the number of people, it was exactly the same as what he had heard in Chang'an about the prosperity of Jiangnan.
If his attendants had not secretly passed him some secret reports, the county magistrate would have concealed the matter perfectly. Shen Yi repeatedly said yes, pretending to be drunk and pulling Zhang Hong's sleeve, wishing that the county magistrate could write for him.
Zhang Hong kept refusing on the surface, but in fact he was still obsessed with those words. Seeing that Shen Yi was willing to listen, he continued talking and did not end the banquet until late at night.
Chen Yi returned to the wing of the mansion, took out a piece of silk cloth while taking a shower, and wrote a secret message about the situation in Jiangdu. When he was ready to leave, he found the people Xue Congzhi had arranged and sent the secret letter to Chang'an first.
There were so many people around him, and Chen Yi wiped his hair dry with a silk handkerchief, thinking. The number of people around him had increased over the past few days, and even he could hardly tell which ones were from the royal family, which ones had dealings with the Xue Mansion, and even those related to Zhang Hong and the Zhao family.
He exhaled softly, folded the silk cloth and pressed it against his pillow, thinking he would give it away tomorrow when he had the chance. He left the oil lamp in the room lit as he lay on the bed.
These past few days, I'd either been wandering around town, drinking, or attending banquets. While nothing important had happened, my muscles had relaxed and I was feeling a bit tired. My brows were constantly furrowed, concealing the subtle uneasiness and wariness I felt.
His original intention was to travel and enjoy the scenery, but in addition to Jiangdu, he had to go to Jinling again - the prefect of Jinling was Zhao You's second son, Zhao Qing.
The Zhao family has lived in Jiangnan for a long time, and they are not as easy-going as they appear. Zhao Qing will never be as easy to get along with as Zhang Hong.
Chen Yi closed his eyes, clenching his fingertips to suppress his delusional thoughts. The secret reports of the past few days about the stolen money and other things only made him more and more frightened the more he read them.
It's almost unbelievable that the tranquility of Jiangnan rests on the invisible bones and flesh. The river, rippled by the breeze, carries the warmth of early spring, while the snakes and rats that live in this place are a nuisance.
Although Jiangnan does not have hungry ghosts everywhere like Chang'an City, it has always been nurturing flies and insects that are constantly causing trouble, and have long filled the peaceful city of Jiangnan.
Merchants pursue profits, county magistrates amass wealth and seek fame, and they keep the truth secret from ordinary people, fabricating a dream of peace, and most people are immersed in such a dream.
Those who did not dream or woke up again died in vain at their hands. If it were not for the Heavenly Family's intention to conduct a thorough investigation, no one would have known about those corpses.
Chen Yi was stunned. He opened his eyes and looked at the redwood beams. He thought, I must have made some mistakes in the past. Ordinary people, they were all fish and meat, but many more people would be killed by the sword.
The Hu people who invaded Longxi, the wealthy businessmen who disregarded human lives, and the officials who treated them as nothing might be their neighbors, or they might be themselves.
The only difference between myself and my past self is that I can take a pot of wine, get drunk, dream, and then pass away.
So he couldn't give up the title, couldn't give up the reputation, and couldn't even give up. If he wanted to protect his sister and his mother, he had to hold on tightly to what he had.
The name his maternal grandfather had given him was ultimately a wish that would never come true. Without being a butcher, how could he survive in such a post-Shang Dynasty, in the world under heaven?
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