I, Zhang Yao, have already fallen into your hands. …
Inside the Directorate of Ceremonial’s inner offices after the rain, yellow silk curtains hung outside the doors. Xu Songnian, the Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, sat with Yang Zhaoyue, Chen Jianyun, and four or five other Brush-Holding Eunuchs around a desk, reviewing the memorial drafts sent over by the Grand Secretariat.
Xu Songnian had injured one leg in his early years. Standing or sitting for long periods was difficult for him. At the moment, he was simply bracing himself against the desk. Yang Zhaoyue came over and poured him a cup of tea. Seeing how uncomfortable he looked standing there, he crouched down, rolled up his sleeves, and began massaging the root of his thigh.
Xu Songnian lowered his head and glanced at him.
“What are you doing?”
As he continued massaging, Yang Zhaoyue looked up and replied, “There aren’t many memorials today. Aside from the military reports from Shandong, which need to be discussed between you and His Majesty before the vermilion approval is added, the rest can probably be stamped and sent through. Since His Majesty hasn’t yet taken his seat in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, why don’t you sit on the couch and rest for a while? Let Lingruo come in later and give your leg a proper massage.”
Xu Songnian immediately pulled him to his feet.
“Don’t crouch around serving people all the time. You’re getting older too.”
Yang Zhaoyue smiled.
“I’m only thirty-two. I’m a full cycle younger than you, Chief Eunuch. How could I dare call myself old? Give me another ten years and I’ll still be able to serve at your side.”
Xu Songnian patted him on the shoulder and, leaning on his arm, walked over to the couch.
Yang Zhaoyue helped remove his shoes and settled him cross-legged onto the seat.
Xu Songnian casually asked, “Who’s on duty in the Grand Secretariat offices today?”
Yang Zhaoyue glanced at Chen Jianyun.
Chen Jianyun quickly answered, “It should have been Grand Secretary Zhao and Minister Zhao of the Ministry of Justice, father and son. But yesterday afternoon Minister Zhao requested leave for today, so only Elder Zhao remains. Fortunately, there aren’t many memorials today, so the old gentleman can manage them all.”
“Oh…”
Xu Songnian took a sip of tea.
“Why did Zhao Heming suddenly take leave?”
Yang Zhaoyue replied, “Isn’t the woman from the Ministry of Justice scheduled for execution by slow slicing today?”
Xu Songnian smiled.
“Oh, Yu Lin.”
“Yes.”
Yang Zhaoyue took the teacup from Xu Songnian’s hand.
“I heard Zhao Heming spent all yesterday afternoon searching all over Liangjing for Li Gong peaches for that student of his.”
Xu Songnian shook his head.
“That’s because none of you understand how to behave. How much are Li Gong peaches worth? If you knew he was looking for them, why didn’t you send him a few baskets?”
Chen Jianyun said, “Only someone as thoughtful as you would think of that. Besides, Li Gong peaches are tribute fruit. Without your favor, how would we ever get any? Let alone send them to someone else.”
Xu Songnian replied, “They’re hard to obtain inside the palace because of all the rules. But is it difficult for that child Du Lingruo, who’s so well connected outside?”
At the mention of Du Lingruo, Chen Jianyun suddenly realized that even if Du Lingruo wasn’t on duty, he should still have been hanging around the duty rooms serving Xu Songnian.
Puzzled, he said, “Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen that child all day. He knew it was raining, knew your body would be uncomfortable, Chief Eunuch, yet he’s still out fooling around. When he comes back, don’t stop me. I’m giving him twenty strokes of the paddle.”
“Forget it.”
Xu Songnian waved a hand.
“We like him because of that good nature of his. We treat him like a son and elevated him to this position. How old is he? Do you expect him to be as steady as you are?”
Chen Jianyun smiled and shook his head. With a quiet sigh, he lowered his head and continued sorting through the Grand Secretariat drafts.
The yellow silk curtain was lifted.
A hall eunuch stood outside. Seeing that Xu, Yang, and Chen—the three senior Brush-Holding Eunuchs—were all present, he hesitated to enter.
Yang Zhaoyue walked to the doorway.
“What is it?”
“Oh, Brush Holder Yang, another memorial draft has just arrived from the Grand Secretariat.”
Chen Jianyun frowned.
“A supplementary draft at this hour?”
Xu Songnian gestured for Yang Zhaoyue to take it.
Yang walked to the door and accepted the memorial. However, he found no attached draft.
Turning to Xu Songnian, he said, “There’s no draft attached. It was probably written directly by a Grand Secretary seeking His Majesty’s opinion.”
Xu Songnian replied, “Take a look. If it isn’t related to military affairs, stamp it together with the others.”
Yang Zhaoyue acknowledged him and opened the memorial.
After reading several lines while walking, he suddenly stopped.
Moving beneath a lamp, he examined it more carefully. Then he quickly crossed the room and stopped beside Xu Songnian.
“The memorial was written by Minister Zhao. He’s requesting that the execution of the female prisoner be postponed.”
Xu Songnian took the memorial and read it himself.
Chen Jianyun looked at Yang Zhaoyue.
“I thought there wouldn’t be a case more ironclad than this deception-of-the-emperor case all year. What? Zhao Heming still hasn’t given up? He still wants to save her?”
Yang Zhaoyue replied, “Then perhaps you should ask what Wang Shaolian has been doing.”
Chen Jianyun’s expression changed slightly.
“Wang Shaolian? The deputy jail warden from the Ministry of Justice prison? What happened to him?”
Yang Zhaoyue asked in return, “You accepted more of his gifts than anyone. Didn’t you know what sort of business he was running behind the scenes?”
Chen Jianyun looked baffled.
“After his godfather died, I pitied him and let him inherit one or two of the old man’s operations. Doesn’t he just skim some ‘offering money’ from prisoners’ families in the Ministry of Justice prison? What’s the big deal? Even if he sends gifts every year, it’s only enough to cover summer ice expenses and winter charcoal expenses. Calling them gifts is already giving him too much credit.”
Closing the memorial, Xu Songnian said to Chen Jianyun,
“You’ve ruined him.”
Hearing that, Chen Jianyun quickly grabbed the memorial and skimmed through it.
By the end, he was completely dumbfounded.
“Th-this… how did this turn into a prostitution case!?”
Yang Zhaoyue stepped forward and took the memorial from him.
“If Du Lingruo gets dragged into this brothel-patronizing case, it won’t just be your reputation, Chen Jianyun, that’s ruined. The Directorate of Ceremonial itself will be stripped alive by Wu Longyi and the Censorate.”
Chen Jianyun immediately dropped to his knees beside Xu Songnian’s couch.
“Chief Eunuch, you care most about Lingruo. You have to save him…”
Xu Songnian closed his eyes and let out a helpless sigh.
“You’re really asking me to save you.”
“Chief Eunuch… I was doing it for your sake too. Your leg can’t tolerate heat or cold. The charcoal and ice provided by the palace are nowhere near enough…”
Yang Zhaoyue cut him off.
“You did something foolish yourself and still dare drag the Chief Eunuch into it?”
Chen Jianyun didn’t dare say another word and could only continue kowtowing.
Xu Songnian gestured for him to stop, then turned to Yang Zhaoyue.
“You know the sandalwood box behind the antique shelf?”
“Yes.”
“There’s a batch of blank imperial slips inside. Bring me one.”
Yang Zhaoyue retrieved a blank slip.
“Take a look.”
Xu Songnian accepted it, glanced over it, then handed it back.
“This one. Take it and write an imperial listening authorization. When it’s finished, bring it to me and I’ll apply the imperial seal.”
Yang Zhaoyue hesitated.
“If His Majesty finds out, then you…”
Xu Songnian smiled.
“His Majesty won’t care about such trivial matters. Take this imperial authorization and, in the name of the Eastern Depot, personally go to the Court of Judicial Review. See how far the proceedings have progressed. If there’s still room to maneuver, find an opportunity to instruct that child Du Lingruo.”
He paused.
“Tell them that he couldn’t tolerate Wang Shaolian’s depravity in the prison. Acting on my instructions, he used a death-row prisoner to set a trap for Wang Shaolian.”
Yang Zhaoyue said, “But that would require the prisoner from the Ministry of Justice to cooperate with Du Lingruo. She’s Zhao Heming’s student. Would she really help him?”
Xu Songnian smiled.
“That death-row prisoner used to be a judicial official. More than anyone else, she understands how to reduce her own sentence.”
After saying this, he stepped down from the couch and put on his shoes.
Chen Jianyun, still kneeling, hurried forward on his knees to assist him.
As Xu Songnian put on his shoes, he said,
“The Three Judicial Offices tormented her for half a year. In the end, they still sentenced her to death by slow slicing under the charge of deceiving the emperor. She no longer trusts the Ministry of Justice, nor does she trust Zhao Heming.”
Yang Zhaoyue helped Xu Songnian to his feet.
“But she won’t trust the Directorate of Ceremonial either.”
Limping slightly, Xu Songnian walked to the doorway and lifted the yellow silk curtain.
Beyond it, the sky had just cleared after the rain. A line of wild geese flew across the magnificent glazed palace rooftops.
Xu Songnian withdrew his gaze.
“Who she trusts doesn’t matter. As long as Du Lingruo can be protected…”
He glanced at Chen Jianyun, who was still kneeling by the couch.
“…as long as the Directorate of Ceremonial’s reputation is preserved and His Majesty isn’t put in a difficult position, that’s enough. Since you’re taking the imperial authorization, make full use of it. Meet that girl alone and tell her that if she can keep the Directorate of Ceremonial out of this matter, I’ll guarantee she receives an intact corpse before His Majesty.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Chen Jianyun looked up at Xu Songnian and hurriedly asked,
“Chief Eunuch, if there’s no room left at the Court of Judicial Review… then…”
Xu Songnian walked over, personally helped him up, and smiled reassuringly.
“Don’t worry. Du Lingruo is a clever child. And you’re so devoted to me. Your fate can’t be that bad.”
Meanwhile, at the Court of Judicial Review, Wang Shaolian had been driven into a corner.
Cursing wildly, he shouted,
“It was obviously you who used the Directorate of Ceremonial’s influence to help a man from the Northern Pacification Directorate come to my prison for pleasure! Now even the Commander of the Northern Pacification Directorate has confessed. Does the Directorate of Ceremonial still think it can wash itself clean?”
Zhang Yao replied coldly,
“I didn’t know it was a trap.”
Then he looked at Mao Heng and added,
“I sought out Du Lingruo because I wanted to buy her services.”
Wang Shaolian hurriedly said,
“But Du Lingruo just said the money for your visit was—”
Zhang Yao interrupted him.
“When I, Zhang Yao, buy a woman, do I need to pay for it myself?”
“You… you…”
Only now did Wang Shaolian begin to realize that the Commander of the Northern Pacification Directorate had no intention of accomplishing anything today except killing him.
Unable to help himself, Mao Heng asked,
“Commander Zhang, may I ask one thing? How did things come to this?”
The question clearly carried two meanings, but Zhang Yao answered only the literal one.
“How did things come to this? I don’t like women becoming officials. I wanted to humiliate a woman who held office. There are plenty of shameless people in Liangjing like me.”
When he called himself shameless, Yu Lin once again nearly laughed.
Zhang Yao looked at her.
“You think that’s amusing too?”
Yu Lin replied,
“So the Commander of the Northern Pacification Directorate held such feelings toward me. Thinking about it that way, I really am quite pitiful.”
“You’re not pitiful, Vice Minister.”
In front of everyone, he addressed her by her former office.
“You still have people from the Directorate of Ceremonial helping you. You’re impressive. I, Zhang Yao, have already fallen into your hands.”
After hearing those words, Wang Shaolian completely lost control.
His face flushed red, and all restraint vanished from his speech.
“You’re the Commander of the Northern Pacification Directorate! What kind of woman can’t you have? That bitch just wants us dead! If you simply refused to confess, both of us could get out of this! Yet here you are degrading yourself for that bitch in open court! What did she do to you? Did she save your life? Or can she take your life?”
Zhang Yao gave a short laugh.
The sound nearly drove Wang Shaolian mad.
Then Wang Shaolian turned toward Du Lingruo.
“And your Directorate of Ceremonial! How much silver have I offered you fake ancestors over the years? Ten years ago, the money from those visits flowed into your dead godfather’s pockets like water. Back then you called it ‘filial offerings.’ Now it’s ‘dirty silver’? You want to wash yourselves clean? Dream on!”
Tears streaming down his face, he turned toward the judges.
“Lord Mao! Chief Censor Wu! That brothel inside the Ministry of Justice prison was opened by Wang Shaolian for the Directorate of Ceremonial! I, Wang Shaolian… have been wronged! Wronged!”
As Wang Shaolian cried out his innocence, Yang Zhaoyue arrived at the Court of Judicial Review.
A court runner delivered an imperial authorization.
Mao Heng accepted it and looked toward Wu Longyi.
“Yang Zhaoyue from the Directorate of Ceremonial has arrived.”
Wu Longyi replied,
“An imperial listening authorization?”
“Yes. Here’s the authorization. Take a look.”
Wu Longyi accepted it.
“Then we have no choice but to invite him in.”
He chuckled.
“This case certainly is lively. Once tomorrow’s court gazette comes out, the officials of the Censorate will have plenty to write about.”
As he spoke, a cough sounded from behind the door screen.
Mao Heng turned and saw Zhao Heming standing there, gesturing for him to wait.
Understanding immediately, Mao Heng said,
“Invite Brush Holder Yang in and give him a seat. We’ll recess court for a while. Take the prisoners away and let them have some food and water.”
The session was suspended.
Mao Heng and Wu Longyi withdrew to the rear hall where Zhao Heming was waiting.
The moment he entered, Mao Heng said,
“We originally thought that with Du Lingruo involved, no matter how this case ended, the Censorate could still impeach the Directorate of Ceremonial. But now it’s hard to say. Your student seems determined both to kill Wang Shaolian and to help the Supervisorate. Do you know when she became involved with them?”
Zhao Heming replied,
“Bring her here. I have something to ask her.”
Mao Heng pointed at the floor.
“Right here?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Someone bring the female prisoner over.”
Then he asked,
“Should Chief Censor Wu and I excuse ourselves?”
“No need.”
Not long afterward, Yu Lin was escorted into the rear hall by court attendants.
Mao Heng and Wu Longyi were seated.
Only Zhao Heming remained standing alongside her.
He walked up to Yu Lin and studied her face.
After being cleaned up the previous night, she looked much cleaner. Her bare face only made her appear more fragile.
Looking at her, Zhao Heming sighed.
“Do you want something to eat?”
Yu Lin shook her head.
“If you have something to say, Minister Zhao, please say it.”
“Very well. Then I’ll speak.”
Lowering his voice, Zhao Heming said,
“Kneel.”
Yu Lin did not disobey.
She bent her knees and knelt.
Looking down at her, Zhao Heming said,
“You wanted revisions made to the Regulations on Criminal Procedure. I already agreed. Now Zhang Yao has confessed, and Wang Shaolian can be convicted as well. After the case concludes, our sentencing recommendations will be submitted to His Majesty. What you wanted to accomplish has already been accomplished. There’s no need for you to protect Du Lingruo.”
Yu Lin glanced at Mao Heng and Wu Longyi behind him before meeting Zhao Heming’s gaze.
“Do you think I’ve disgraced you by colluding with eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial?”
“Yu Lin…”
“I want to live.”
She cut him off and stated it plainly.
“Besides revising the Regulations on Criminal Procedure, I also want to save myself.”
Zhao Heming shook his head.
Yu Lin continued,
“In the current situation, Wang Shaolian can no longer hope for Zhang Yao to retract his confession. The only thing left for him is to bite at the Directorate of Ceremonial and drag them into the water so they share his guilt. If I protect Du Lingruo, the Supervisorate stays out of it. If I don’t, then once tomorrow’s court gazette is published, Chief Censor Wu’s Censorate will inevitably seize the opportunity and strip a layer of skin off the Supervisorate.”
Zhao Heming stared into her eyes.
“You intend to force the Directorate of Ceremonial to protect you?”
Yu Lin shook her head.
“That’s not the right way to put it. Xu Songnian has been playing this game against all of you for years. He doesn’t need me to force him. Besides, I’m no longer qualified to force anyone. I can only struggle to survive in filth.”
Zhao Heming fell silent for a moment.
“Survive in filth? Even if you survive, can you still remain clean?”
“If I can live, why must I cling to the idea of a clean corpse?”
“Yu Lin!”
“Zhao Heming, I’m kneeling before you today because you were the one who led me onto this path.”
As she spoke, she looked toward Mao Heng and Wu Longyi.
“Lord Mao, Chief Censor Wu, both of you once cared greatly for me as a junior. The things you taught me have benefited me all my life, and I will believe in them for the rest of my life. But in your hands, I was left with wounds from punishment and illnesses that will never fully heal. I am a human being. I did good as a person and upheld my principles as an official. I should not have been treated this way.”
Today, I am going to save myself.
“I… will never trust any of you again.”