Chapter 39.1

Translated by Wook Edited by Wook

People in the palace say they look similar.

It was silent on the land covered by the snow.

Yangxin Hall was brightly lit.

Xiao Yu frowned slightly as he looked at the memorial in his hand.

The tomb of the early deceased wife of Su Jingbei , Yun shi of the Su , showed signs of being worshiped yesterday.

[‘ Yun shi’ means she was from Yun clan, surnamed Yun , ‘of the Su ’ means she married into ‘ Su ’ clan]

Xue Xiangyang bowed his body and said: “This small official is incompetent and has let Su Huai’an escaped once again. May Your Majesty give a punishment.”

Xue Xiangyang ’s complexion couldn’t be seen. Actually, he had been gritting his teeth since earlier.

Not to mention being included in history, his achievements and merits throughout his lifetime were enough to make the historian describe him as an excellent schemer and virtuous politician.

And this Su Huai’an was no doubt the biggest stain in his political career.

Three years ago, he could disappear out of thin air in the prison while dying, and now three years later, not only he managed to swagger into the capital, he even worshiped his deceased mother right under his eyes.

Su Huai’an used to be a high official of the Supreme Court, how could he not know that Yun shi ’s tomb would be guarded? He brazenly appeared because he didn’t take the defense laid out by the Ministry of Justice seriously.

“Escaped?” Xiao Yu turned the jade ring in his hand and said in a heavy voice: “Have the guards of the city gate been investigated?”

Aside from Xue Xiangyang , there was also the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, He Changzhi who came along.

He Changzhi stepped forward.

“This official has obtained information from the guards on duty at sunrise today, and they said there were two suspicious people around that time. Both are merchants who were heading for the south and southwest, respectively.” He Changzhi shook his sleeves and bowed: “The remnants of Su clan came to the capital this time around without hiding from our ears and eyes, he must have had other plans. Although it is very likely these two people were simply a cover to trick us, it didn’t rule out the idea that he had planned this to achieve his goal.”

It is inevitable to overthink when fighting against an intelligent person who knows the ins and outs of law. However, sometimes, overthinking is not necessarily good.

Xue Xiangyang took a deep breath: “This official has a request: Please allow me to head for the southwest.”

Although the Su family’s treason case was investigated by many parties, the suspect was lost in Xue Xiangyang ’s hand, and he had not been found even after three years had passed.

People in the capital often joke about this. Some people said that the prison of the Ministry of Justice could do tricks, some people said that Xue Xiangyang swallowed the Su family’s treasure and let Su Huai’an go.

Xue Xiangyang had been dreaming to arrest Su Huai’an , to take revenge for the insult.

Xiao Yu looked at Xue Xiangyang and said slowly: “Depart soon, and return soon.”

Xue Xiangyang said: “This small official received the order.”

After a moment, Xiao Yu turned to look at He Changzhi : “Since Official Xue is heading southwest, then We will leave it to Assistant Minister He to stay in the capital and investigate further.”

He Changzhi : “This small official received the order.”

The two people withdrew, the sound of the door closing slowly ceased. Xiao Yu raised his head and looked at the bright moon outside from his throne.

The man’s gaze was apathetic, however, his grip on the cup in his hand became stronger and stronger, his joints faintly whitened.

Had he returned?

After a long while, Xiao Yu took the brush and dipped it in ink, and began to write. When he finished, he folded the paper and called: “ Sheng Kanghai .”

Gonggong Sheng stretched his neck and said in a small voice: “This servant is here.”

“Deliver this to Marquis of Chunnan as soon as possible.”

Gonggong Sheng replied: “Don’t worry, Your Majesty. This servant will do it immediately.”

Clang—

The clock that signaled it was already the period of zi shi [11 pm – 1 am] rang. It was the time where people should be lying in their bed with their head on their pillow. However for some people, it was destined to be a sleepless night: for example, the diligent emperor in Yangxin Hall, for example, the exam candidates who were preparing for the metropolitan examination in the second month.

Generally speaking, after the triennial examination, the candidates from regions could come earlier to the capital and rent a place to prepare. Naturally the poorer ones could only rent jointly with other people.

Tang Wen raised his hands above his head, then shook his arms, and his shoulder blades creaked. He closed the book, looked back at Huai Jing , and said with a smile: “Top-scorer Huai .”

Huai Jing lay down with his clothes on, and said with closed eyes: “Didn’t I tell you not to call me that?”

Tang Wen ’s hometown was in Henan Province, Xinyang Prefecture. He was a friendly person.

“Why can’t I call you that? Brother Huai should realize that there are people behind you! He Wenyi , Chu Jiangya , Mu Zhengting , all of them are from aristocratic families, but you are the one who became the top-scorer in the triennial examination. If I was the top-scorer, my old mother would’ve called me that.”

Huai Jin was silent.

Tang Wen put his arm on the table and stared at Huai Jing and said: “Hey, Top-scorer Huai , I’ve never seen you study before. I’m really curious, you go out all day from sunrise and bring wine for those officials in the Ministry of Justice, how did you become a top-scorer?”

“Can’t you tell me?”

Huai Jing sat up and wore his cloak in silence.

As soon as Tang Wen saw that he was about to go out, he immediately said again: “Yesterday I couldn’t even see your shadow, are you going out to bring them wine again?”

Huai Jing rephrased these words in his mind—I couldn’t see your shadow yesterday. Are you going to drink again? Will you be returning tonight?

“No.” Huai Jing patted Tang Wen ’s shoulder and said: “Brother Tang , this lowly Huai will give you advice. You should diligently study the bureaucratic language. Else you will suffer in the court examination.”

Tang Wen frowned. His face looked like he had seen something incredulous: “Is my bureaucratic language not proper? Is it not good? Is it not understandable?”

Huai Jing raised his hand to his forehead: “Nevermind, I spoke too much.”

Before Huai Jing reached the door, Tang Wen shouted again: “Top-scorer Huai .”

Huai Jing turned to look at him: “Is there anything else?”

Tang Wen said: “The Lunar New Year is coming soon, so I’m going to write a letter for my parents and sister at home. Are you going to write one as well? I will send it to the relay station tomorrow.”

Huai Jing froze. His Adam’s apple moved slightly: “Many thanks, I’ve already sent my greetings to them.”

Tang Wen nodded: “Then I won’t be long-winded. Drink less.”

The capital was prosperous, and the New Year was approaching, so the streets were lively. The taverns and tea houses were all painted with new paint, and red lanterns swayed gently in the wind.

Huai Jing walked into a restaurant and followed the attendant to the third floor.

On the third floor, where one can watch the moon and write poems, most of the people sitting around and talking were students who participated in the imperial examination this year.

Huai Jing swept his gaze around and found a corner to sit and drink.

“That person, could it be… Huai Jing ?”

With the murmur of the young man in purple robes, all the eyes around focused on Huai Jing .

“Brother Chu , do you recognize him?”

This graceful young man in purple robe was the nephew of Empress Dowager Chu — Chu Jingya .

Chu Jingya nodded slightly and said: “We met once during the triennial examination.” He lowered his voice a little and said: “He’s the top-scorer this year.”

Upon meeting, there is no reason not to say hello. Chu Jiangya walked over and said with a smile: “Brother Huai is drinking alone? Or do you have an appointment with someone?”

Huai Jing got up and also smiled: “This lowly Huai is alone. If Brother Chu doesn’t mind, how about we have a drink together?”

Chu Jiangya turned his head and called: “Someone come, bring two more jars of good wine!”

Seeing that Chu Jingya was willing to give him this face, they all sat down at Huai Jing ’s table with their wine glasses.

When scholars met and drank together, they would inevitably recite poetry as a counterpoint. One verse and one cup, they soon became drunk. And once drunk men shed all their noble pretense, it was unavoidable to talk about the three ways.

[three ways is a metaphor for ‘the part of the human body below the waist’]

For example, which music house had the most beautiful songs, which famous courtesan’s poems were good, and which theater girl was the most moving.

Chu Jiangya had peach blossom eyes, and his thin lips drew out his loose appearance. Everyone knew he had enjoyed all the pleasures of life.

After exchanging cups, one did not know who started it first, but soon the man’s smile became frivolous.

Chu Jiangya was drunk and dizzy. He raised his cup and asked: “Is Brother Huai married?”

Huai Jing said: “This lowly Huai is not married yet.”

“Don’t be in a hurry.” Chu Jiangya continued to laugh and joked: “Just wait, in the future, when Brother Huai becomes the top-scorer in imperial examination, with that scholarly honor, there will be so many people wanting to be your family’s first lady.”

“I will borrow Brother Chu ’s auspicious words.” Huai Jing toasted him with a cup of wine and asked: “What about Brother Chu ?”

At this moment, a man named Zhang He suddenly stood up while swaying and flattered drunkenly: “In my opinion, with Brother Chu ’s appearance, not to mention the daughter of some marquis family, even a princess will do.”

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere suddenly froze a bit.

Because the Great Zhou dynasty still had a princess to be married.

Zheng He frowned as if he had remembered something and haiss- ed: “I heard that Her Highness the Empress Dowager has announced that the grand princess has returned to the capital. Could it be that she intends to…”

After these words, Chu Jiangya knocked over the wine cup, and his eyes became sharp.

Zhang He immediately sobered up.

He held his forehead and said: “Ah, I must be drunk. Look at me, I’ve started talking nonsense.”

Huai Jing ’s face did not change, he only tapped the corner of the table with his fingertips.

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