Speaking to the Commander of the Northern Pacification Bureau Counts as a Private Conversation
As noon approached, a torrential downpour descended upon Liangjing City. On the public notice pavilion beside Pichang Temple, a proclamation announcing the suspension of Yu Lin’s execution was posted.
A thousand people carrying a hundred umbrellas surged toward it at once. The Ministry of Justice runners were squeezed into the narrow pavilion by the crowd, unable to move.
There were simply too many people. The Five Cities Military Command had no choice but to mobilize several garrisons and station them outside Pichang Temple to prevent unrest.
Rain filled the entire city. As noon drew near, there was still no sign of it stopping. Instead, it only grew heavier.
Under normal circumstances, the spectators would have dispersed long ago. But because Yu Lin had spat in a man’s face yesterday, everyone who had come to watch the execution was waiting to see her dismemberment today. They crowded beneath the notice pavilion, discussing the matter endlessly and refusing to leave.
Wang Chong, Commander of the Military Command, stood in the rain holding an umbrella, anxiously watching the sea of people beneath the pavilion. A military clerk came galloping up on horseback. Upon reaching the pavilion, he had to dismount and struggle his way through the crowd.
“Did you find out anything? What did the Ministry of Justice say?” Wang Chong shouted.
The clerk was already soaked through. Under the umbrella, he spat out a mouthful of rainwater before replying, “Minister Zhao is at the Supreme Court. The Chief Censor from the Censorate has gone there as well. The front hall of the Supreme Court is open, but the rear hall is sealed shut. Whenever the Three Judicial Offices discuss a case, they always keep us military men outside. I couldn’t get into the rear hall. I only managed to ask a couple of clerks in the front hall. They said something happened in the Ministry prison last night. That death-row prisoner can’t be executed today.”
“That’s a load of useless nonsense!”
Wang Chong was irritated.
“The notice is already posted. Do you think I don’t know the execution is canceled?”
He pointed at the increasingly agitated crowd.
“This can’t continue. Tie up a Ministry of Justice official and drag him over if you have to. I don’t care what happened in their prison. I only care about getting someone from the Ministry to open his mouth and persuade this crowd to disperse!”
At that moment, the rear hall of the Supreme Court remained tightly shut.
The Chief Justice, Mao Heng, stared silently at the complaint in his hands. Chief Censor Wu Longyi stood by the window. He was advanced in years, and his legs trembled from standing too long. Even so, his voice remained strong and thunderous.
“I agree. Suspend her execution and investigate the sexual crimes committed in your Ministry prison.”
Zhao Heming looked toward Mao Heng.
Though Mao Heng remained silent, he nodded.
Zhao Heming immediately clasped his hands in salute.
“On behalf of the convicted official Yu Lin, Zhao Heming thanks both of you.”
Wu Longyi smiled.
“You still address her as a ‘convicted official.’ You do realize that, as a woman, she is not someone most people would treat with such respect.”
“I understand,” Zhao Heming replied without denying it.
Wu Longyi patted him on the shoulder.
“You both know that the Censorate supervises all officials. In the past, I could not tolerate even a single misstep from a government official. But now that I’m old, I’ve become softer. I’ve had students of my own. Quite a few died because of their own mistakes. Though I hate that they brought disaster upon themselves, I can’t help feeling pity for them.”
“We’re people who have walked this road before. We know how difficult it is to study, to become an official, and to make it this far. And your student is still such a young woman.”
He sighed.
Then he motioned for Mao Heng to hand over Yu Lin’s complaint and continued:
“This complaint is exceptionally well written. The narrative, the reasoning—one look and you can tell it was written by a judicial official. Every crucial point is addressed, every argument supported.”
“I ought to approve it.”
“But even so, I can’t help thinking that if she had simply endured today’s execution, her suffering would finally be over.”
“Instead, by approving this complaint, we’re sending her back into court, to try a case that destroys her reputation.”
“To speak honestly, I think we’ve been rather cruel to her.”
Zhao Heming lowered his head.
“Establishing a criminal charge for sexual abuse within prisons and amending the Interrogation Statutes has always been something she wanted to accomplish.”
“It benefits the judicial system.”
“She’s already fought this far for it. If we have to be a little cruel, so be it.”
Wu Longyi smiled bitterly and nodded.
“Very well. We’ll approve the complaint.”
“The prisoner may be detained for trial first. However, her previous offense of deceiving the Emperor is an imperial case. To postpone her death sentence, we must obtain His Majesty’s approval.”
“You should write the memorial.”
“I’ll go to the Grand Secretariat first and speak with the Grand Secretaries. Since the matter involves the Directorate of Ceremonial, it’s hard to say whether His Majesty will approve.”
“If he does, all is well.”
“If he doesn’t, we’ll at least have arguments prepared before submitting another memorial.”
Zhao Heming cupped his hands.
“Chief Censor, your consideration is thorough.”
Wu Longyi waved him off.
“My view is still that the trial should be held here at the Supreme Court.”
“Other matters can wait.”
“First, bring over the prisoners—including that prison warden surnamed Wang, as well as Du Lingruo from the Directorate of Ceremonial and that… eh?”
As he spoke, he picked up the complaint again.
“This complaint doesn’t specify the identity of the other defendant…”
Before he could finish, a clerk announced from outside the door:
“My lords, Lord Song requests an audience.”
Mao Heng said, “Let him enter.”
The door opened, and rain swept inside.
Song Yinbing entered carrying the chill of the storm.
“Minister, something has happened.”
“What is it?”
Song Yinbing glanced at Wu Longyi and Mao Heng.
“The identity of the prisoner who violated the female inmate last night has been confirmed.”
Mao Heng asked, “Who is it?”
Song Yinbing lowered his head. Even his voice dropped.
“It was Zhang Yao, Commander of the Northern Pacification Bureau.”
“What!?”
Mao Heng nearly jumped out of his seat.
“How could it be that demon?”
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized he had spoken carelessly. He quickly sat back down and lowered his voice.
“This is someone the Three Judicial Offices cannot try.”
“Last year, he killed Chen Xinglin. Even then, the Ministry of Justice could only submit a memorial requesting the Emperor to sentence him.”
“Chief Censor, your Censorate submitted memorial after memorial over that matter. You still remember the result, don’t you?”
“The Emperor never allowed us to try him.”
“He never convicted him either.”
“They merely gave him one hundred strokes of the heavy cane. His hide is thick enough that it did nothing to him. He’s still in charge of the Northern Pacification Bureau.”
“What was that?”
“That was the Emperor using the judiciary’s hand to beat his own dog.”
Song Yinbing withdrew a document from his sleeve and presented it to the three men.
“This is a complaint Zhang Yao wrote himself.”
“He says he is willing to stand trial.”
Mao Heng stared at the document in disbelief.
“He actually said that?”
“What madness has possessed him?”
Song Yinbing nodded.
“He is an imperial officer. Without a decree from the Palace, no office in Liangjing has the authority to detain him.”
“I already ordered the Ministry prison to release him.”
“But he refused to leave.”
“He even agreed to wear Ministry restraints.”
“To be honest, my lords, the Northern Pacification Bureau acts in the Emperor’s name and lives under the Emperor’s power of life and death.”
“I am genuinely worried that this man may cause trouble within the Ministry and drag the Ministry down with him.”
Zhao Heming raised a hand, signaling Song Yinbing to stop speaking.
Taking the complaint, he personally moved a lamp closer and read it together with Wu Longyi.
Zhang Yao’s handwriting was completely different from that of the scholar-officials who had spent ten years studying for the civil examinations.
It was rough, ugly, and lacking structure.
Zhao Heming was accustomed to neat official script. Reading Zhang Yao’s writing actually required effort.
Unable to resist, Mao Heng also moved closer to the lamp.
The three men read together.
When they finished, all wore puzzled expressions.
Rather than a defendant’s complaint, it resembled a confession.
Everyone knew Zhang Yao was not a product of the civil examinations. His literary skills were only sufficient for official paperwork.
Yet his writing was concise and precise.
Within it, he described Wang Shaolian’s coercion of prisoners into prostitution, Du Lingruo’s trafficking of flesh, and his own crimes within the prison.
He used himself as the chain linking all three men’s offenses together.
Yet he deliberately omitted any description of Yu Lin’s humiliation.
Then, for more than half the document, he thoroughly and mercilessly cursed himself from beginning to end.
By the time Mao Heng reached the last page, he could barely suppress a laugh.
“There’s something I’m not sure I should say.”
Wu Longyi asked, “What is it?”
Mao Heng chuckled.
“This looks less like a confession and more like one of those Self-Indictments written by those wandering immortals in the temples outside Liangjing after they blaspheme the gods.”
“Was Zhang Yao there to commit debauchery?”
“Or to worship a deity?”
Wu Longyi ignored the remark and turned to Zhao Heming.
“What do you think, Minister Zhao? Can this man be brought before the court?”
Zhao Heming nodded.
“Didn’t Lord Mao just say that we cannot try the Northern Pacification Bureau?”
“Then let us use this case to establish a precedent.”
“Let the Three Judicial Offices question the Commander of the Northern Pacification Bureau.”
“If we encounter another case like Academician Chen’s from last year, we won’t be so helpless.”
Mao Heng sighed.
“I’m afraid we’ll only humiliate ourselves—and perhaps displease His Majesty.”
“If an imperial decree arrives halfway through the trial…”
“Well, that would be rather awkward.”
Zhao Heming replied,
“In today’s memorial to His Majesty, I will omit Zhang Yao’s official title.”
“Whether the Directorate of Ceremonial or the Northern Pacification Bureau intends to report this matter, they’ll still be one step slower than us.”
After speaking, he strode to the door.
“Use my authorization. Bring them to court immediately.”
The rain finally began to weaken.
It seemed as though all the accumulated summer heat had been released in a single breath.
Yesterday’s oppressive swelter vanished.
The wind swept across the damp ground, carrying moisture with it. It felt almost cold against the face.
The Ministry prison prepared to transfer prisoners.
Yu Lin was brought to the prison gates.
She lifted her head and gazed at the curtain of rain hanging before her, taking a deep breath.
Liangjing in the rain was not beautiful.
Floodwater had washed mud and filth out from every corner of the city. The stench of rot and mildew assaulted her nose in waves.
Yu Lin could not walk far, so the Ministry arranged a prison cart for her.
She had only just settled into the cart when Zhang Yao, Du Lingruo, and Wang Shaolian were brought out.
Zhang Yao had removed his veiled hat, but he still wore that pitch-black burial robe.
Wang Shaolian and Du Lingruo both wore miserable expressions and were bound so tightly they could barely move.
Only Zhang Yao stood neatly and silently at the prison gates.
Leaning against the door of the prison cart, Yu Lin looked toward him.
Upon closer inspection, she realized his appearance differed somewhat from what she remembered.
Since the beginning of the Fengming era, the Emperor had governed officials with ruthless severity. The prisons of the Northern Pacification Bureau were always overflowing.
Zhang Yao practically lived in their torture chambers.
Though they had served in the same government, Yu Lin had not seen him often. Her eyesight had never been particularly good. At a distance, she could only make out a person’s silhouette.
The closest she had ever been to him was last year outside Shenwu Gate.
Unfortunately, he had been kneeling on the ground then, his face mostly hidden behind damp, tangled hair.
All she remembered was that he was tall and long-limbed.
From that, she had imagined a sharply defined face, strong bone structure, and dark complexion.
The reality was not quite so.
His skin was fair.
His nose was high and straight.
The actual contours of his eyes and brows were noticeably gentler than she had imagined.
“So this is what you look like.”
Hearing her voice, Zhang Yao looked up.
“What do I look like?”
“Quite handsome.”
“…”
“If you weren’t wearing that outfit.”
After hearing that, Du Lingruo secretly glanced at Zhang Yao.
Zhang Yao remained expressionless.
But the muscles at the back of his jaw seemed to tighten slightly.
“No private conversation!”
The escorting runner barked at Yu Lin.
“Understood.”
Yu Lin immediately complied.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Yao spoke.
“What is?”
Then he turned toward the runner.
“Speaking to the Commander of the Northern Pacification Bureau counts as a private conversation?”
“Uh…”
The Ministry runner was instantly dumbfounded.
“No, no, of course not.”
The runner quickly retreated.
Zhang Yao walked to Yu Lin’s prison cart.
“Your makeshift courtroom has been built.”
Yu Lin smiled and nodded.
“Speak.”
Yu Lin answered with a soft, “Mm.”
Zhang Yao crossed his arms out of habit.
“Good. When we get to the Supreme Court, do the same.”
“That won’t happen. I was famous in official circles for my debating skills.”
Zhang Yao lowered his voice.
“I said do exactly this.”
Yu Lin raised an eyebrow slightly.
“What do you mean?”
“I wrote a complaint.”
“I’ve more or less guessed the charges you want to bring against Wang Shaolian, Du Lingruo, and me. I summarized them in the complaint.”
“I’m the head of the Northern Pacification Bureau, but I’m not as knowledgeable as you when it comes to criminal law. My wording may not be entirely accurate.”
“Before the judges take their seats, I’ll repeat everything to you.”
“If you think anything is wrong, correct me.”
“I can still amend my testimony in court.”
Yu Lin looked into his eyes.
“You don’t want me to personally recount what happened?”
Zhang Yao turned slightly away.
“I don’t want to hear filthy words.”
“Then you…”
“But I’ve said plenty of them in my life.”
“I’m used to it.”
The corner of Yu Lin’s lips twitched.
“You’re actually kind of funny…”
“I already told you.”
“That makeshift courtroom of yours—once I kneel in it, it becomes solid.”
His voice rose slightly as he interrupted her again.
“You know better than I do.”
“In court, ten statements from a victim aren’t worth one confession from the criminal.”
“I know you’re not afraid of death.”
“And I know you don’t care about your reputation.”
“But the Northern Pacification Bureau has a great deal of work.”
“I don’t have the time to watch you and Wang Shaolian argue back and forth before the Three Judicial Offices.”
“I understand.”
Yu Lin smiled.
“But actually, you don’t have to make it sound so cold.”
Zhang Yao froze.
Then the words escaped him immediately.
“This is just how I am.”
The moment he finished speaking, his ears inexplicably grew warm.
He decisively turned and started walking back toward where Du Lingruo was standing.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
Yu Lin’s voice followed after him.
“Commander Zhang, don’t be nervous.”
Zhang Yao stopped.
“I never said being cold was a bad thing.”
Her voice was calm and gentle.
“No matter what happens, thank you.”