Chapter 547: Stream Bridge

At sunset a light rain drifted over Jiaxing's Yuanhu, and a thin mist still veiled the lake's surface. Painted pleasure boats glided slowly back and forth, carving wake trails through the drifting haze. Passengers taking in the lake laughed at the prows, their laughter faintly audible.

On the peninsula where Shao Garden jutted deep into the lake, a covered walkway wound along the water's edge. At the peninsula's tip stood a bamboo pavilion, facing the Misty Rain Tower across the lake.

Wu Changshi's steward stood at the center of the bamboo pavilion, glancing from time to time down the covered corridors extending to either side.

Pang Yu and Ruan Dacheng followed behind Qian Qianyi, walking slowly toward the bamboo pavilion from the east. Across the way, under the opposite corridor, the figures of Zhou Yanru and Zhang Pu appeared; both parties approached the pavilion together.

Zhang Pu had set this meeting format. Pang Yu knew it was most likely at Qian Qianyi's request. Zhou Yanru had once been Chief Grand Secretary, his status in truth higher than Qian Qianyi's, but a large part of that Chief Grand Secretary post had been snatched from Qian Qianyi. Qian Qianyi could not swallow that grievance, and now, having to cooperate with this enemy, he wanted at least formal equality.

The distance gradually closed. Zhou Yanru took the initiative to walk toward the pavilion. Both sides adjusted their pace, needing to arrive at the pavilion at precisely the same moment so that neither party had to wait for the other, thereby demonstrating equal standing.

Zhang Pu lagged half a step behind Zhou Yanru, while Pang Yu and Ruan Dacheng followed half a step behind Qian Qianyi — this, too, made the two sides appear balanced.

Gaining Donglin support was very likely a condition Zhou Yanru had proposed to Zhang Pu; otherwise, even if he returned to the Cabinet, he would be obstructed at every turn. But given the long-standing enmity between the two men, before Qian Qianyi was arrested by Wen Tiren, this had not been the slightest bit feasible.

Yet after Qian Qianyi had made a trip through the Heavenly Prison and returned, his thinking had surely changed. Donglin's thinking was changing as well — otherwise Qian Qianyi would not be here. That Zhang Pu could piece two bitter enemies into the same battle line demonstrated, in Pang Yu's view, not only superb coordination skills but also an exceedingly sharp political nose, able to find an opportunity to break the impasse through the narrowest of cracks.

Earlier, when Wen Tiren left office, the immense pressure on Donglin and Restoration Society had suddenly eased. While Liu Yuliang served as Chief Grand Secretary, this alliance had not yet been urgent for Qian Qianyi. To bring it about, Zhang Pu and Wu Changshi had already been working on it for some time, but progress had been relatively slow. Pang Yu deduced that the more difficult part was probably Donglin.

Donglin had deep roots and luxuriant foliage — whether in court or out, its influence was vast. Its grudges against the Eunuch Faction and the Solitary Faction were also long-standing, and its struggle with Restoration Society over the civil examinations was fierce as well. In an alliance, however, it would have to collaborate with all sides and take Zhou Yanru of the Solitary Faction as its leader — something very hard for Donglin to accept.

What ultimately moved Qian Qianyi was most likely Xue Guoguan's assumption of the Chief Grand Secretary post. Liu Yuliang had utterly disgraced the court during the rally to the king; neither the emperor nor the court and public could allow him to remain Chief Grand Secretary. Xue Guoguan was of Wen Tiren's party, promoted every step of the way by Wen Tiren, so his political stance was naturally similar. He had been the one pulling the strings in both the Qian Qianyi and Restoration Society cases. That he could assume the Chief Grand Secretary post proved the emperor still intended to rely heavily on the Solitary Faction.

Though Donglin and Restoration Society had numbers, they rarely managed to enter the Cabinet. The emperor's choice this time showed this trend would continue.

When Wen Tiren held sway, he had applied crushing pressure on Restoration Society yet held back from striking, leaving Zhang Pu in constant, unending terror. At the same time, Wen Tiren launched an all-out assault on Donglin, arresting and imprisoning Qian Qianyi with an air of wanting to tear Donglin out by the roots. Had the Directorate of Ceremonial not ultimately leaned toward Donglin, Qian Qianyi would probably still be in prison.

Xue Guoguan had assumed the Chief Grand Secretary post but so far made no moves, because the court was still in chaos after the Eastern Invaders' incursion. Once this period passed, whether Xue Guoguan, with full power in his hands, would reopen the great prosecutions was terribly hard to predict. Restoration Society and Donglin were extremely likely to fall once more into the same Perilous Situation as before. A common enemy had pushed them onto the same battle line.

Wu Changshi in the Capital reacted swiftly, immediately seizing this superb opportunity. Before Pang Yu had even set out on his return south, Wu Changshi had already begun contacting Nanjing. Ultimately, before Pang Yu reached Nanjing, the alliance had made progress. Matters that could not be negotiated before were finally, under Xue Guoguan's stimulus, open to compromise. What exactly Donglin's conditions were, Pang Yu still did not know, but he estimated they concerned personnel arrangements at court, especially the numbers of Ministers of the Six Ministries and Grand Secretaries. Since the second year of Chongzhen, Donglin had lost the emperor's trust. Although they had many people at court, particularly dominating the censorial posts, at the level of Minister and Grand Secretary they were disproportionately few.

Fundamentally, this alliance had been brought about by Wen Tiren. Four opposing forces had converged into one stream. Pang Yu counted as a fifth party, a relatively neutral force with ties to each of the others but not completely bound to any single one.

After the alliance took shape, Pang Yu still intended to maintain a neutral position, so that if the alliance ever broke apart, he would not become a mortal enemy of any one side.

Pang Yu raised his head and glanced ahead. The covered walkway before him curved somewhat; the figures of Zhou Yanru and Zhang Pu flickered in and out of view between the corridor pillars. Qian Qianyi walked very steadily, not looking at Zhou Yanru diagonally ahead.

Soon the corridor entered a straight stretch, and the two sides faced each other directly, walking forward. Pang Yu looked up. Zhou Yanru's expression was composed, without the slightest hint of discomfort.

Both sides' steps grew slower and slower, the better to control the distance. At last they arrived simultaneously before the bamboo pavilion's steps. Qian Qianyi and Zhou Yanru halted with the pavilion between them.

Zhou Yanru took the initiative, cupping his hands toward Qian Qianyi. "So many years apart — Mr. Yushan has come from a Distant Place and endured much hardship."

Qian Qianyi also cupped his hands in return and said, "We parted in the Capital, and reunite in Jiaxing. Mr. Mace and Mr. Zhou walk the same Path — Mr. Zhou has also endured hardship."

From Pang Yu's angle, he could see the creases from the smile on the side of Qian Qianyi's face. His tone was as gentle as meeting an old friend in a strange land. Had Pang Yu not known those past events, he would certainly have thought the two were friends of many years.

Zhou Yanru paused slightly, then said with gravity, "The great Path is simplicity itself — to take the nation and the altars of state as one's fundamental concern, that is the Path we of this generation walk together. Zhou is most fortunate."

Qian Qianyi stood in place and regarded Zhou Yanru for a moment, then laughed heartily and adjusted his robe. Seeing this, Zhou Yanru prepared himself. The moment Qian Qianyi lifted his foot, Zhou Yanru also stepped onto the stairs at the same time.

The two men came together. The several parties within this alliance had now assembled in the bamboo pavilion. The Eunuch Faction, Donglin, Restoration Society, and the Solitary Faction — locked in ceaseless struggle since the Tianqi reign — had finally found common interest and stood on the same battle line.

Since arriving in Jiaxing, no one here had mentioned Wen Tiren, no one had mentioned Xue Guoguan, and still less had anyone mentioned the grudges of those years. But Pang Yu knew that if one day the emperor suddenly changed his mind and let someone from Donglin or Restoration Society enter the Cabinet to lead the government, this alliance would shatter on the spot, and the several sides would resume their unending strife.

But at this moment the several sides were as close as comrades-in-arms. Zhou Yanru's expression was fervent. "Your lofty Virtue, sir — Zhou is moved and humbled."

He did not say that Qian Qianyi had set aside past grievances, using a broader word like "lofty Virtue" to skirt the enmity between the two men. He did not admit that he himself had been at fault, but it could barely be taken as a veiled apology.

Qian Qianyi paused for a moment. Pang Yu could not tell whether this degree of apology was acceptable to him. Just as Pang Yu felt the atmosphere growing somewhat heavy, Qian Qianyi suddenly smiled again and nodded.

Zhang Pu immediately said, "How fortunate is Zhang, to join with you two gentlemen in this grand undertaking. Affairs of state hold great promise."

Ruan Dacheng also stepped forward and cupped his hands. "When all upright men under Heaven join their strength, the petty men holding sway at court shall from this day cease. How fortunate is Ruan — how fortunate the common people."

Pang Yu had not expected he would also need to express a stance, and ended up last. The phrase "petty men holding sway" was normally something others said about Ruan Dacheng; he had not imagined it could come from Ruan Dacheng's own mouth. He quickly organized his words in his mind, and the moment Ruan Dacheng finished, immediately followed up: "With you gentlemen presiding over affairs, when high and low share one Virtue and civil and military are of one mind, peace under Heaven can be expected. This Latecomer Student shares in the honor, and here, on behalf of all under Heaven, thanks you gentlemen."

Zhou Yanru nodded to each person in turn. Once everyone in the pavilion had spoken, Qian Qianyi did not speak at once. Smiling, he extended a hand forward, gesturing for Zhou Yanru to walk with him toward the covered bridge by the lake. Pang Yu and Ruan Dacheng followed behind. From his angle, to the left of Qian Qianyi's back was the Misty Rain Tower on Yuanhu.

At the steps of the covered bridge, Qian Qianyi halted. Everyone else had to halt as well. After waiting a moment, there was still no movement. Just as Pang Yu was growing puzzled, Qian Qianyi stepped onto the stairs. Zhou Yanru hurried to follow. In the twilight, Qian Qianyi walked slowly, and in a voice full of vigor declaimed: "In the cold garden, bamboo and trees now rustle bleak and bare; how many times on Nanhu have their reflections stirred and swayed. With rain, the cloud-hazed mists seem ever ready to grow; without mountains, the emerald haze has never yet dispersed. Where waves deepen at earth's edge, dawn energies arise; where waters fall to heaven's root, the evening tide appears…"

Pang Yu watched the others from the corner of his eye. He did not know whether the poem was finished, nor did he grasp its meaning; he had to look to the others to know whether he should applaud at this moment.

Qian Qianyi's timing was excellent. The very moment the line "where waters fall to heaven's root, the evening tide appears" ended, his steps just happened to reach the covered bridge.

Here there was no emerald bamboo to block the view; the vista opened wide, the finest lake scenery, directly facing the hazy Misty Rain Tower on the lake.

Qian Qianyi slowly turned around, reached out warmly to support Zhou Yanru by the arm, and, continuing from the previous line, chanted: "…Who is that in the tower, watching the mist and rain? For you, sir, staff in hand, I climb the Stream Bridge." (Note 1: Qian Qianyi, "Inscribed on Nanhu Shao Garden")

Pang Yu finally understood here. Qian Qianyi's poem had obliquely expressed support for Zhou Yanru. It seemed to say everything, yet also seemed to say nothing at all.

Zhang Pu and Ruan Dacheng cheered in unison. Pang Yu was again a beat slow, his voice trailing behind, somewhat out of place.

Qian Qianyi and Zhou Yanru smiled at the same time. Arm in arm, the two walked on along the covered bridge, with Zhang Pu close behind them.

The three men represented the Ming Dynasty's greatest political forces. They talked in low, warm tones the whole way, from time to time breaking into hearty laughter.

Pang Yu was struggling a little to keep pace. Just as he was about to follow, he suddenly noticed Ruan Dacheng had fallen to the very rear, wearing a desolate expression.

Pang Yu slowed his steps to wait for Ruan Dacheng to catch up. Among the several parties today, Ruan Dacheng's was the weakest. He was classified as Eunuch Faction, yet he could not represent the most influential Feng Quan, because Zhou Yanru and Feng Quan were in-laws through their children, and Qian Qianyi, because of the earlier case, also had a close personal friendship with Feng Quan and did not need Ruan Dacheng as an intermediary.

Although Pang Yu was not particularly close to any side, he had the massive Anqing Battalion forces as his backing, and after rallying to the king he wielded enormous influence within the military system — something Ruan Dacheng could not match. So his treatment this time was commensurate with his strength; a sense of loss was unavoidable.

As he walked, Pang Yu said, "Mr. Ruan, worldly affairs are ever-changing. Perhaps after the willows darken, flowers will bloom again. In the end, there will be someone who, staff in hand, climbs the Stream Bridge for you, sir."

Ruan Dacheng reached out to catch the raindrops falling from the sky and said, somewhat lost in thought, "This old man is fifty-three this year — no match for you young men in the prime of life. I fear I cannot wait for the honored one to climb the bridge staff in hand. I may as well be the one in the tower watching the mist and rain. Staying on in Nanjing like this holds little savor. If there is anything I still hope for, I only hope that Pang Xiaoyou will quell the Roving Bandits, so that this old man may let his fallen leaves return to their roots, retiring to the foot of Baizi Mountain in Huaining to spend my final years. This old man… wishes to return to Anqing."

Ruan Dacheng sighed, then slowly followed the others away.

Pang Yu halted his steps, gazed at the retreating figures ahead, shook his head, and said in a low voice, "I want to return to Anqing too."