Chapter 256

Long Yelin never would have imagined that Zhou Ruiyuan would actually speak up for Hu Buwei, his old rival, furrowing his brows, his heart full of bewilderment: "Hu Buwei and Li Tianheng are in-laws—how could you have forgotten even that?"

Zhou Ruiyuan said: "If Hu Buwei had known in advance that Li Tianheng was plotting rebellion, he would never have stayed in the capital awaiting execution; if Li Tianheng still felt gratitude toward Hu Buwei as his father-in-law, he should have torn up the marriage pact before rising in revolt, cutting ties with Hu Buwei—perhaps that alone could have saved the Hu family's lives. Judging by his current actions, he not only failed to consider Hu Buwei as his father-in-law, but actually acted to implicate him in wrongdoing; Li Tianheng probably wishes the Emperor would kill Hu Buwei."

Long Yelin said: "Why does Li Tianheng want Hu Buwei dead?"

Hu Buwei, as Minister of Revenue, manages Dakang's finances; though he is profit-driven, he indeed has outstanding talent in management—these years Dakang's treasury has grown steadily, directly due to his ability; no one in the Revenue Ministry can surpass him. If the Emperor were to kill Hu Buwei, Dakang's finances would surely run into trouble in the short term, and that is exactly what Li Tianheng wants to see.

"Even if he were talented, if he does not wholeheartedly serve me, keeping him around is always a liability." Long Yelin, hearing that Quan De'an had arrived, nodded and said: "Summon him."

Quan De'an slowly entered the imperial garden, his steps trembling and unsteady, appearing frail and aged; approaching the Emperor, he made a motion to kneel: "Your servant pays his respects, Your Majesty!"

Long Yelin appeared sympathetic, stepping forward to support his arm: "Eunuch Quan, your legs are inconvenient; I've said before, you need not perform this grand ceremony when you see me. Whenever you wish to see me, come directly; no need to announce."

Zhou Ruiyuan stood to the side with his head lowered, saying nothing.

Quan De'an said: "Your Majesty, rules must never be broken. I know you sympathize with my old age and frailty, but I can still handle these matters. Your Majesty's grace toward me is immense; I am already trembling with fear and gratitude." He then bowed to Zhou Ruiyuan: "Greetings, Sir Zhou!"

Zhou Ruiyuan said calmly: "No need for formalities. Eunuch Quan, you need not be so polite."

"Indeed, indeed, Sir Zhou assists the Emperor with utmost loyalty, giving his all; I have seen it, felt moved, and hold Sir Zhou in great esteem."

Long Yelin said: "Eunuch Quan, no need to be polite; Sir Zhou is no outsider. Just now we were discussing Hu Buwei's case, and Sir Zhou was even pleading for him. Do you have any opinion? Please share it." Quan De'an replied: "Your Majesty, my knowledge is shallow; I dare not presume to discuss state affairs."

"It's fine; speak and let us hear."

Quan De'an glanced at Zhou Ruiyuan; after many ups and downs in officialdom, Zhou Ruiyuan has long attained a state of colorless and formless. It is hard to discern his true thoughts from his outward appearance, his political experience, his extraordinary wisdom—already refined and sublimated. As the saying goes, returning to simplicity and truth, his candid gaze shows no trace of scheming; yet Quan De'an understands that such a person's scheming is unfathomably deep.

Quan De'an said: "Your Majesty, Sir Zhou, the matter I have come to discuss today is indeed related to the Hu family."…

Long Yelin let out an "oh", his expression showing some surprise.

Quan De'an said: "But what I'm talking about is still a private matter; Hu Buwei's only son, Hu Xiaotian, is currently recuperating at my place."

Long Yelin and Zhou Ruiyuan exchanged a glance; even Zhou Ruiyuan now could not fathom the Senior Eunuch's meaning—taking in Hu Buwei's son, does Quan De'an really think he has earned merit with the Emperor and is acting arrogantly out of favor?

Zhou Ruiyuan said: "Eunuch Quan means Hu Xiaotian is at your place?"

Quan De'an nodded, took out an item, and presented it with both hands: "He also entrusted this old servant to bring this thing to the Emperor."

Long Yelin stared; the item in Quan De'an's hand was a cinnabar-script iron tablet, and as a member of the imperial family he naturally understood its significance. He did not reach out to take it, but said softly: "How did Hu Buwei's son end up at your door?"

Quan De'an said: "It's all because I once owed him a huge favor."

Long Yelin furrowed his brows; he rarely concerns himself with such matters.

Quan De'an bowed to Zhou Ruiyuan and said: "Sir Zhou should remember, when the little princess went to Xichuan to seek refuge with you."

Zhou Ruiyuan slowly nodded and said: "You mean the one who escorted the little princess to Xichuan back then was Hu Xiaotian?"

Quan De'an said: "Exactly, I initially brought the little princess on a roundabout journey to Xichuan; passing through Pengyin Mountain, we were ambushed and blocked for killing by the six masters of the Heavenly Mechanism Camp. Had it not been for Hu Xiaotian and his companions, this old servant and the little princess would certainly have met with deadly harm; speaking solely of this matter, I owe him a favor."

Long Yelin said: "Are you telling me that I also owe the Hu family a favor?"

"This servant dares not!" Quan De'an bowed deeply to the ground.

Only then did Long Yelin reach out to take the cinnabar-script iron tablet, playing with it in his hand, and said softly: "I thought he had stayed in Xichuan and dared not return."

Quan De'an said: "This Hu Xiaotian is indeed a filial son; hearing that the Hu family had been ransacked and his parents convicted, he disregarded danger and traveled a thousand li from Xichuan to come here. I originally did not want to agree to plead for him before the Emperor, but this boy knelt for a long time without rising, repeatedly vowing to atone for his father, and later he actually drew a knife and castrated himself, saying he wished to enter the palace to serve the Emperor, using his life to atone for his parents. Moved by his utter sincerity, I dared to offend the Emperor's dragon might."

At this moment Long Yelin seemed to finally recall something: "Your words just reminded me—Qiqi that girl had her mother consort come the day before yesterday to plead for me to spare the Hu family, though she didn't mention the reason." He turned to Quan De'an and said: "You mean that Hu..."

"Hu Xiaotian!"

"Yes, Hu Xiaotian, did he castrate himself?"

Quan De'an said: "Exactly so."

Long Yelin said: "I never imagined Hu Buwei would have such a filial son."

Zhou Ruiyuan said: "Eunuch Quan, are you intending to plead for Hu Buwei?"

Quan De'an bowed and said: "I dare not; I am merely reporting truthfully the matter of Hu Xiaotian entrusted to me. Speaking of pleading, I would indeed like to help someone plead, but that person is Hu Xiaotian, not Hu Buwei."

Long Yelin slowly nodded and said: "You may go first; I will consider this matter further."

Quan De'an respectfully took his leave.

After Quan De'an left, Long Yelin said: "Sir Zhou, what do you think?"

Zhou Ruiyuan said: "If that Hu Xiaotian truly manages to castrate himself to save his father and atone for him, he would still be considered a proper man." After saying this, the corner of his mouth twitched again with a bitter smile, for he feared Hu Xiaotian could no longer be considered a man at all.

Long Yelin said: "Just now you advised me to temporarily spare their lives; upon reflection, your reasoning actually holds." He took a step and continued: "Even if we wanted to kill them, there's no need to rush; since his son is willing to bear the punishment in his father's place, I ought not deny him this opportunity. If Hu Buwei's son serves in the palace, do you think he would still dare to harbor divided loyalties?" The emperor's mind is unfathomable; Long Yelin was not moved by Hu Xiaotian's filial act of taking his father's punishment; his first thought was that Hu Xiaotian entering the palace equals gaining another hostage—having him in hand, Hu Buwei would certainly not dare act rashly.

Zhou Ruiyuan said: "I don't know about the future, but at present all aspects of Dakang are in a period of transition; the Ministries of Revenue and Personnel are both of utmost importance, and before Your Majesty finds suitable replacements, these two can still be retained."

Long Yelin narrowed his eyes and said: "What do you mean? Are we supposed to reinstate their offices?"

Zhou Ruiyuan said: "Stripping them of their offices would still allow them to be retained; in terms of familiarity with the Ministries of Revenue and Personnel, no one can surpass them. Your Majesty's far-sighted vision naturally enables you to keep them under control."

Hearing this, Long Yelin took it in, nodded slowly, and said: "Since Hu Xiaotian is already willing to become a eunuch and enter the palace, if Shi Buyi wishes to spare his life, his son must do the same. Convey my edict: strip Hu Buwei and Shi Buyi of their offices, retain them in their original departments for duty, confiscate all their family property and estates; as for their sons, since they possess such filial devotion, let them become eunuchs and enter the palace to await assignment."

Zhou Ruiyuan felt that making the sons of the Hu and Shi families all become eunuchs and enter the palace was somewhat absurd, yet Long Yelin's ability to spare the lives of Hu Buwei and Shi Buyi because of this was already an exceptional grace beyond the law. Zhou Ruiyuan's urging the Emperor to spare their lives was not out of magnanimity or repaying virtue for resentment, but because Long Yelin had just ascended the throne and indeed was not suited to a massive slaughter; these two had each been one of the Six Ministries' ministers, one in charge of grain and finance, the other of personnel, truly the pillars of Dakang's governance. Killing them now would likely plunge Dakang's administration into immediate chaos; one must first set things right, extract all usable value from them, and only then could one act against them. Zhou Ruiyuan did not know whether Long Yelin had truly seen through this reasoning.

Before departing, Zhou Ruiyuan again said: "Your Majesty, I dare to say one more thing."

Long Yelin nodded and said: "Go ahead."

Zhou Ruiyuan said: "The Emperor Taizong once issued such an edict: In governing, one must first guard against internal and external threats, eliminate cliques formed for private gain, only then can the court be clear and the discipline invigorated. Former rulers who failed to heed this allowed eunuchs and outside officials to collude, to spy on movements, to create factions for wicked ends, to usurp authority falsely, and to throw the state into disorder; their harm is no trivial matter. Occasionally those who strive to abolish this find themselves unable to act, instead suffering the consequences, which spread to the virtuous; the affairs of the former dynasty are truly lamentable! The benevolent rule before chaos arises, the wise perceive before signs appear; I have instituted this prohibition precisely to guard against the unformed."

After hearing this, Long Yelin's face instantly turned somewhat gloomy; Zhou Ruiyuan's words directly pointed out the evils of eunuchs, likely stemming from Quan De'an.

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