Chapter 61

In the grand palace of Luodu, under the vermilion pillars of the Zihuan Hall, where the patterned floor tiles, polished by generations of officials, shone like mirrors, a large pool of fresh blood had not yet coagulated, with some teeth and what seemed to be brain matter scattered on it. This was the last trace and presence left by a white-haired old censor who had always been inconspicuous, suddenly erupting in court.

The words shouted by the white-haired, venerable old censor before he was hammered to death by the eager Jinwu guards still echoed in everyone's ears.

"Lord Ming has the ambition of Wang Shichong but wants to do the deeds of Yuwen Chengdu. Do you think you can still preserve yourself?"

When these words were spoken, the court was almost in an uproar, and the more timid ones were almost frightened to death.

Wang Shichong was one of the so-called eighteen rebel kings and fifty-six rebel forces during the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty. He rose to power as the governor of Luoyang, controlling a large number of elite troops from the old Sui Dynasty, with countless weapons and provisions, and also held the son of Emperor Yang of Sui, Prince Tang, giving him a far superior foundation and momentum compared to others.

Compared to the Li Tang regime, which rose to power by usurping the throne in Taiyuan, the starting point for competing in the chaos was much stronger.

Unfortunately, he had only the vision and capacity of a guard dog. Not only did he use people poorly and misunderstand the world, but he also made many foolish moves. In the Battle of Luokou, years of accumulated resources were squandered on Li Mi's Wagang Army. In the struggle for dominance in Hebei, he became a stepping stone for the founder of the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan. In the end, he was deserted by his followers and led his troops to kneel before the horse of Emperor Taizong, only to be lured and killed by his enemy, the Dugu clan, at home.

As for the heroes and meritorious officials on the Lingyan Pavilion, several of them were from his former subordinates, making him a character with both tragic and comedic elements.

Yuwen Huaji was even more tragic. He was one of the most powerful families and old ministers during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui. Even after the death of Yang Su, he still enjoyed the favor of the emperor and was the most trusted minister until the end of Emperor Yang's life. In the final days of the Sui Dynasty, he led a rebellion, personally killed the desperate Emperor Yang, and declared himself emperor, with the state name "Xu" and the era name "Tianshou." However, he was extremely unpopular, and after ruling for half a year, he was defeated and killed by another rebel king, Dou Jiande, the next year.

Only one member of the Yuwen family, Yuwen Shiji, who quickly defected to the Tang Dynasty, escaped the massacre, allowing the Yuwen family name and bloodline to continue in the Tang Dynasty.

Using these two figures, who met tragic ends and laid the foundation for a new era, to metaphorically describe a regent was extremely malicious. Moreover, the current regent's situation, status, and power seemed to be on par with theirs, making it feel like a vicious curse that lingered in the ears and hearts of the court officials.

After a major purge, the cries and wails on the streets were still fresh in everyone's ears. At this moment, did anyone think the regent's blade was not swift enough, or his actions not harsh enough? The remaining few were already thinking of the impending purges and investigations, their faces turning ashen or trembling like sieves.

At some point, the conflict between the conservative and reformist factions in the court had escalated to the point of being openly displayed.

The Minister of War, Yang Si, lowered his eyes, staring at his toes as if there were a landscape and beauty that never tired him, completely ignoring the inquiring glances of his colleagues.

To be honest, he was also surprised. This scene was not arranged by him. He knew this old man, who had been sleeping through court sessions for decades, playing the role of a senile official, and how he suddenly went mad before his death, or perhaps he had been confused all his life and only had a moment of clarity at the end.

But no matter what, this unexpected event would greatly intensify the conflict between the conservative and reformist factions. He must prevent this unexpected incident from having the opposite effect on the conservative faction and prevent the reformist faction from using it to stir up trouble and push things to an irreparable point.

With the great righteousness and reputation of the Tang Dynasty on the verge of collapse, who else could take on this responsibility if not us? Should we follow the example of the Chancellor of Revenue, Du Huan, who took poison to advise the emperor?

As for the emperor, who had not spoken a word and was constantly looking around for help, he had been forgotten by most people.

Since the Luodu incident, he seemed to have been frightened out of his wits. Every time he attended court, he had to be coaxed and threatened by his attendants to get him to the meeting.

For any internal or external affairs, he needed his attendants to indirectly hint or openly remind him, like a puppet in a puppet show, to carry out the basic functions of the court.

Unfortunately, he had not yet thought of any clever countermeasures or remedial measures.

"Your subject impeaches the Left Censor-in-Chief, Xiang Sheng..."

A voice broke the somewhat awkward silence in the court, making Yang Si tremble slightly. Finally, someone was eager to jump out. He looked closely and saw a court official in a light red robe, whose face was unfamiliar.

"The Censorate is responsible for maintaining discipline and investigating officials..."

The official spoke with a sense of righteousness and passion.

"His lax supervision and failure to discern, allowing the spread of evil words..."

Yang Si could no longer hear the rest. Although the Censorate had become a mere formality and a nominal title for external officials during the regent's era, Xiang Sheng and he were related by marriage. Using this major flaw, it would be easy to implicate him.

He looked helplessly at the high-ranking official, Gao Qian, who had been specially granted a seat, but the official was actually sleeping in court.

...

The old city of Jianye, the famous Stone City of the Southern Dynasties, still stood majestically by the river.

The Uyi Alley, where the Wang and Xie families had lived in luxury, was now buried in the wilderness, untraceable.

On the site of the old Chen Dynasty palace, which had been leveled by the Sui army, generations of people had lived and thrived, enough to change the course of history.

After bidding farewell to his companions, a man named Han Liangchen directly disembarked at a secluded wharf and walked on foot, refusing the horse offered to him in the shade.

He passed through a series of mansions and pavilions, and what seemed to be the sites of former palaces, finally entering a garden filled with gnarled old plum trees.

The robust guards standing in the shadows behind the trees seemed unaware of his arrival, allowing him to walk directly to a man in a straw raincoat who was fishing by the river. The fish basket, which smelled of fish, was already filled with several small, gray fish.

"General..."

Han Liangchen stopped and respectfully called out.

"Shizhong, you're finally back..."

The man slowly stood up, turning to face Han Liangchen, his feet covered in mud and water, looking like an ordinary old fisherman. He spoke in a leisurely tone.

"Was the journey smooth?"

"It was fine, just had to assume a false identity, which took a bit more time."

Han Liangchen relaxed a bit and answered softly.

"But I did gain something on the way."

"Really?"

"At least, I met an interesting person."

"What kind of interesting person?"

"A person who tells excellent jokes."

"Oh."

"This person has a good eye and experience. If hired to the household, he could be a good figure to enhance our reputation."

After a moment, the man's expression turned serious after hearing the jokes.

"Are you saying... you think he's just good at telling jokes?"

"I am dull."

Han Liangchen bowed and asked.

"The jokes contain meanings and references that ordinary people cannot understand."

"They involve old court practices, military anecdotes, and even the distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate heirs, as well as military and political strategies."

"To be able to turn these into simple jokes, this is not something a person with ordinary vision and experience can do."

"Even the familiarity with these matters suggests he is talented or has a good background."

"Why would he need to seek refuge with others?"

"If there is an opportunity, we should try to connect with him."

He added.

"Then find a way to recommend him to me."

"Understood."

Han Liangchen nodded and then instructed someone else.

In the fine spring rain, I held a new green oil umbrella, which still emitted a fresh bamboo scent, and led a young boy dressed in a traditional style, walking on the smooth, water-polished stone path. Various thoughts and emotions flowed through my mind like the continuous rain.

I was admiring the ancient city of Nanjing, or rather, the old city of Jianye, where the glory of the Six Dynasties had long since vanished. The order to destroy the city and level the land by Emperor Wen of Sui, and the deliberate suppression of the so-called southeastern imperial aura by the Sui and Tang Dynasties, had erased all traces of its former splendor.

The present Jianye city, rebuilt by the governor of Runzhou, Dugu Sizhen, was a large county, with a modest earthen and stone wall surrounding a medium-sized city. The city was originally designed to mimic Luoyang, with mountains and rivers, and twelve gates for land and water, but now only a small, irregular trapezoidal area remained.

On the high riverbank between Jilong Mountain and Fuzhou Mountain, the city was spread out along the southern bank of the Qinhuai River, from Hengtang to Changganli, forming an irregular trapezoid.

Hengtang, at the smaller end of the trapezoid, was mainly a bustling commercial and residential area for the wealthy and officials. Changganli, on the flat land between the hills, was a mixed residential area for officials and commoners.

The city was rich in lakes and rivers. The Qingxi, Chaogou, and Yundu canals connected to the Xuanwu Lake in the north and the Huai River in the south, forming a network of waterways. Most residents lived near the water, engaged in various commercial and industrial activities. The most famous were the Southeast Dyeing Bureau, under the Jianghuai Rent and Tax Commissioner, and the Jiangning Mint, under the Ministry of Agriculture.

After the Five Armies stabilized Huaiyang, with the decline and abandonment of Yangzhou, a significant portion of the production capacity, along with the craftsmen and skills, shifted to Jiangning, developing a new landscape. The Jiangning-marked tools and textiles were still precious crafts in the maritime provinces and the territories of foreign lords.

The old site of Jingyang Tower, where Emperor Houzhu of Chen and Zhang Lihua once admired the blooming flowers, no longer existed. However, the incense at Qixia Mountain and Jiuming Temple still flourished.

Following Bo Fu's recommendation, we temporarily stayed at Baosheng Temple, which was built in the second year of the Chiwu era of the Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms. The once grand temple had fallen into disrepair, with only a few monks maintaining limited incense offerings, but they welcomed us warmly.

The grandeur described in Du Mu's famous poem, "Four hundred and eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties, how many pavilions in the misty rain," was long gone. During the chaos, the temples and shrines, which were said to cover the city, were mostly destroyed.

The gilded and jade-embedded temples and shrines were looted and burned by rebel armies. The Buddha and Bodhisattva statues, which were usually adorned with flowers and incense, were used as ammunition for catapults and stones for the defenders. Only a few places remained relatively intact.

Jiuming Temple managed to survive, partly because it was used as a high vantage point by the defenders. Baosheng Temple was not so lucky, and we saw only the scattered ruins and broken tiles.

However, the desolation made the place quiet and convenient for travel. We lived in the remaining half of the Medicine Hall.

From there, we could see the Yanzi Jie, with its steep cliffs and green trees, rising above the Yangtze River. On sunny days, the red rocks and green trees were magnificent, making it a great place to enjoy the river and the tides.

We stayed here because of a piece of news. The next day was the Spring Festival, followed by the Shangsi Festival on the third day of the third month.

The Governor of Jiangnan, who oversaw the Jiangning military, considered this a rare auspicious time and ordered a three-day celebration, requiring all households in Jiangning to wash away the old and welcome the new, decorate their doors with flowers and colors, and summon performers from all directions to entertain the gods. The best performers would be rewarded.

As a result, all travelers and merchants entering the area during this period had to stay until after the festival. At this moment, the lake known as Mochou Lake was filled with painted boats, and the shore was decorated with newly picked flowers, lanterns, and archways. Our flower boat, Yunqing Ban, was among them.

Many households in the city found it difficult to find fresh flowers, so they used silk and paper to create artificial ones. Even the poorer families engaged in various paper-cutting arts, which looked quite festive from a distance.

At least in most other places, people were struggling with hunger and famine, with bodies littering the roads and even competing with wild dogs for food. Here, people could still indulge in luxury, using silk and flowers to create a false sense of peace and prosperity.

It was said that the expenses for various entertainment and activities in the city were mostly covered by the government and wealthy merchants, creating a sense of unreality, as if everything was a mirage, with a strong sense of irony.

This was somewhat similar to the Shanghai of a certain era, where amidst the surrounding war, there was a scene of prosperity and revelry, a version of the Republic of China where people lived in luxury while others starved to death on the streets.

However, the third day of the third month is also known as the Girls' Day and the Bathing Festival. For a young girl like the one I was with, if she had not been away from home, she would have been adorned with flowers and bathed by a female elder in her family. Thinking of this, I decided not to rush forward and instead let her enjoy a unique Jiangnan festival to temporarily escape the fatigue and danger of our journey.