Chapter 60

Shen Shi sat by the kang, holding a long list in her hand, carefully reading it and occasionally muttering the items aloud.

"Twenty bolts of brocade from Jiangnan, twenty bolts of embroidered silk, forty bolts of red silk, fifty sheep, ten cattle, four horses, thirty fox pelts... Right, Ge likes to wear fine cloth, let's add ten bolts of Songjiang fine cloth."

As Shen Shi spoke, she picked up the brush, and elegant small characters flowed out happily.

Xiao Xue stood next to Shen Shi, staring intently at the list of items, which made the little girl's eyes dazzle.

"Mother, didn't you say we should be frugal? We don't need so many New Year's goods, do we?"

"Ha ha ha, my good daughter-in-law, you're already thinking about saving before you even get married. These aren't New Year's goods, they're your dowry!"

Xiao Xue's face turned rosy, the color spreading down to her neck, her heart pounding like a frightened little white rabbit.

"Mother, I'll go make some sobering soup for Ge!"

Shen Shi grabbed Xiao Xue's hand and said with a stern look, "Sit down! Ge will be eighteen next year, and you're sixteen. You're both old enough to get married. By this time next year, I'll be holding a grandchild!"

"Mother!" Xiao Xue buried her head in her chest, blushing.

Shen Shi patted Xiao Xue's shoulder and smiled, "Don't be shy. It's settled. I was worried about making you suffer, but it turns out Ge's luck has changed. It's a double joy!"

Hearing Shen Shi's words, Xiao Xue's heart gradually calmed down.

"Mother, even if we get married, we don't need so many things. Ge just got a new job, and I heard they have to spend money everywhere. We should save where we can!"

Shen Shi nodded appreciatively, "Good child, but this isn't all for you. There are two more."

"Mother, you mean... Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister?"

"Yes, even though these two aren't my biological children, they are the late master's flesh and blood. Zhang Feng joined the army without thinking, and he hasn't married. Eldest Brother can't get married if his younger brother doesn't, so I plan to have Ge go to Shenyang before the New Year to talk to his Eldest Brother and arrange the marriage. As for Yuexin, her wedding was too meager. A dowry is a woman's face, and I can't let her suffer. I'll send her some clothes and food, and a fifty-tael silver note."

Xiao Xue, being reasonable, nodded quickly, "Mother, you think of everything. I'll talk to Ge when he comes over!"

Before she finished speaking, the door opened gently, and Zhang Ge walked in.

Just as they were talking about the marriage, Xiao Xue knew from that moment on she was truly his. Her face turned even rosier, and she lowered her head, quickly approaching Zhang Ge. She took his leather coat and fur, and then handed him a warm towel.

"Ge, wash your face first. I'll heat up the sobering soup."

"No need to rush. I have something to talk to Mother about!" Zhang Ge walked into the room, sat down on the pine wood chair, and remained silent with his head slightly lowered.

As the saying goes, no one knows their child better than their mother. Even when the Tartar soldiers were at the city gates, Zhang Ge was always full of fighting spirit, never so dejected. Shen Shi's heart leaped to her throat.

"Ge, have you sent all the guests off?"

"Yes, Sir Sun, Sir Tang, and the others have all gone."

Shen Shi nodded, "Mother heard that your teacher Mr. Hong came. Did he scold you?"

Zhang Ge smiled, "Mother, my teacher doesn't like me joining the army, but I explained it to him, and he understands."

"Oh! Then Mother doesn't understand. What else is troubling you, Ge?"

Zhang Ge sighed deeply and pulled out a letter from his chest.

"Mother, I've thought about it, and I still think you should see this letter."

"What is it? Is it so serious?" Shen Shi took the letter, and her eyes widened as she saw the words on the envelope.

"To be opened by Second Brother Zhang Ge!"

"Is it from your Eldest Brother?"

"Yes!"

Shen Shi had just been talking about helping Zhang Feng arrange his marriage, and now a letter had arrived. She hurriedly opened it and read it carefully. The letter was not long, and she finished it in less than a quarter of an hour. Her face instantly turned deathly pale, and her fingers trembled uncontrollably.

"I, I don't believe it. It's a fake, a trick! Your Eldest Brother is serving under He Shixian, what did he do wrong? Why would the court want to kill him?"

Zhang Ge smiled bitterly, "Mother, Eldest Brother has been framed!"

"Framed?" Shen Shi's eyes welled up with tears, "Ge, what happened? You must help your Eldest Brother!"

"Mother, of course I won't stand idly by. Eldest Brother sent a brother to deliver the letter, and my teacher is questioning him now. Let's go see him."

"Okay!" Shen Shi nodded, quickly tidied her clothes, and followed Zhang Ge to the courtyard.

Zhang Ge led the way, bringing Shen Shi into the room where Hong Fugao was sitting behind a desk, and a young man stood in front of him.

As Shen Shi entered, Hong Fugao quickly stood up, and Shen Shi bowed, saying softly, "Your Excellency, I am unworthy of your visit. Please forgive me for not greeting you properly!"

"Where, where, please sit, madam!"

Zhang Ge helped his mother sit down. Shen Shi was composed and not at all nervous, which surprised Hong Fugao. The young man, upon seeing Shen Shi, hurriedly knelt down.

"Is it Aunt? I, Yang Long, bow to you!"

Shen Shi quickly glanced at him. The young man was about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a tattered battle robe, his face covered in dust, and his lips and face were cracked from the journey.

"Get up quickly. Did Feng send you?"

"Yes, Eldest Brother sent me with a hundred taels of silver, and, and... and he told me he can't take care of you anymore!"

Yang Long pulled out a packet of silver from his chest and presented it to Shen Shi with both hands.

"Aunt, this is from Eldest Brother. He said he got it by killing two Tartar soldiers, and he wants to leave it for Second Brother to study."

Shen Shi looked at the silver, and tears welled up in her eyes, "Feng is a good child! Ge, your Eldest Brother is in trouble. I won't say more, but you must do your best to save him! If anything happens to Feng, how will I face your father in the afterlife!"

Zhang Ge nodded quickly and looked at Yang Long, "Brother Yang, my Eldest Brother was vague in his letter, only saying he was framed and imprisoned. What exactly happened?"

Yang Long opened his mouth but then lowered his head.

"Before I left, Eldest Brother told me not to say a word!"

Zhang Ge's eyes turned red, "Nonsense, I'm his Second Brother. How could he keep it from me?"

Yang Long was even more troubled, almost on the verge of tears.

"Second Master, don't make it hard for me. Eldest Brother's situation is serious. He's afraid of implicating you!"

Zhang Ge knew Yang Long was telling the truth, but Eldest Brother didn't know that in just one month, Zhang Ge had grown and was now capable of helping him.

"Brother Yang, do you really want to watch my Eldest Brother die without saving him?"

"I'd be a scoundrel if I wanted Eldest Brother to die!" Yang Long stomped his foot and said through gritted teeth, "Eldest Brother has taken care of me a lot in the army. If I could trade my life for his, I wouldn't hesitate! But, Eldest Brother said telling you wouldn't help, and no one could save him, and it would only drag you in for nothing!"

Hong Fugao coughed, "Yang Long, I am Hong Fugao, the newly appointed Inspector of Liaohai Dongning. Although my rank is not high, I have the authority to report to the court. You can tell me what happened."

Yang Long had always thought Hong Fugao was just a bookkeeper. Hearing his official title, he was startled and knelt down. Although he didn't know what an Inspector was, he knew that civil officials were more powerful than military officers. Whenever a civil official inspected the army, even the highest-ranking general had to bow and scrape.

But he hadn't heard that Zhang Feng's family had any influence. How could such a high-ranking official come here? He didn't have time to think and started bowing.

"Your Excellency, Eldest Brother Zhang is innocent. Please help him! I'll bow to you!"

Hong Fugao frowned, "Get up first. Tell me the whole story. If there is an injustice, I will do my best to help."

Zhang Ge also smiled and helped Yang Long up, "Brother Yang, I was fortunate to earn some merit recently and will soon be promoted to the position of defense officer at Dacheng Fort. I will do my best to help my Eldest Brother. Don't be afraid!"

Yang Long was almost speechless, and it took him a moment to digest the information. His confidence swelled, thinking that maybe Eldest Brother could be saved!

"Your Excellency, Second Master, I'll tell you. Eldest Brother Zhang was serving under General He and recently earned a promotion to battalion commander. He was ordered to patrol the area around Fengji Fort. About half a month ago, Eldest Brother and his men encountered a convoy of about thirty carts. Upon inspection, they found the carts were loaded with old iron pots, shovels, and spades, and three carts were filled with medicine. Eldest Brother immediately ordered us to seize the convoy."

Hong Fugao frowned, "Did you suspect these items were being smuggled to the Tartars?"

"Not suspect, but certain!" Yang Long said through gritted teeth, "Your Excellency, if these items were for the Ming army, they wouldn't be old iron pots. They would be new. The Tartars can't smelt iron, so they can only melt down old iron items. The fact that the convoy also had medicine made it even more obvious!"

"Truly despicable!" Hong Fugao said sternly, "What happened next?"

Yang Long continued, "Eldest Brother kept the convoy under watch and sent a report to General He. But unexpectedly, Brigadier General He Guangxian came with his troops and accused us of extorting the merchants, demanding we release the convoy. Eldest Brother refused, and we stood off for over an hour. Fortunately, General He arrived with his men, seized the convoy, and reported it to the Governor-General and the Inspector."

Hong Fugao nodded, "General He did the right thing. This case is clear. How did it become a miscarriage of justice?"

"Your Excellency, the strange part is what happened next. Five days after the convoy was seized, Inspector-General Zhou Yongchun came to investigate. But when he checked, the iron items had disappeared, leaving only some grain. Inspector-General Zhou was furious and immediately called for a confrontation. The merchant, Zhu Hong, had hanged himself the day before, leaving a note saying he had failed the army and lost his reputation, so he had to die. With his death, Inspector-General Zhou ordered Eldest Brother's arrest and demanded he be punished according to military law, and he also reprimanded General He!"

Yang Long's tears flowed as he said angrily, "We clearly saw the carts full of iron items, but they turned into grain in the blink of an eye. It was like magic!"

Zhang Ge shook his head with a bitter smile, "It's not magic. Someone tampered with the evidence and switched the items!"

As Zhang Ge spoke, his knees suddenly gave way, and he knelt before Hong Fugao.

"Master, I dare to speculate that this case involves many people. My Eldest Brother is innocent. I beg you to seek justice for him. I beg you!"