Chapter 1422: I Am Shunzhi, and I Confess

The Yining post station.

When it grew dark, the Grace-Continuing Marquis Jin Xuanye, dressed in a neat riding jacket, sat quietly in the middle of his room within the post station. A cup of clear tea before him had long since lost its steam. His expression was uneasy, and his eyes stared blankly into the distance, as though anxiously awaiting something.

Suddenly, soft footsteps sounded outside the door, and then the door was pushed open with a creak. Two figures slipped inside. Xuanye merely glanced at them, and his eyes were already brimming with glistening tears.

The arrivals were Xuanye's uncle Jin Boguo and the Ford Lama. The Ford Lama's voice was gentle and carried a smile: "My Lord Marquis, you have asked this poor monk to come so late at night — is there some urgent matter?"

This was the second meeting between the Ford Lama and Jin Xuanye! And the Ford Lama's true identity was already on the verge of being exposed.

The reason Shunzhi was on the verge of exposure was that he had run into Jin Boguo at the post station. This was his own brother — they had recited French vocabulary together as children and passed cheat notes to each other during exams. Even if he would not recognize him reduced to ashes, he could not possibly meet him face to face without any reaction.

Of course, Shunzhi, who had long since weathered great storms, would admit nothing. He kept saying "this poor monk" and, no matter how Jin Boguo hinted, never let slip. But afterward Jin Boguo still told Xuanye what he had discovered. That was why there was this second meeting tonight.

Xuanye rose properly and gave the Ford Lama a bow with clasped hands. The Ford Lama merely nodded lightly, which counted as returning the courtesy. Then father and son sat facing each other, looking at one another.

"Master Ford—"

Jin Xuanye had only just begun when Shunzhi cut him off, frowning: "Benefactor Jin, this is no place to linger. You should return to Yingtian Prefecture at once."

Xuanye was taken aback and said in a low voice: "The recent disturbances in the northwest are strange and treacherous; perhaps there are men of noble purpose moving in secret. Does the Master think I might be implicated?"

Shunzhi shook his head and said: "The northwest disturbances are all stirred up by the Prince of Dai. Wu Yingxiong and Galdan have both been incited and beguiled by him, and it was under his arrangement that the Grand Lama and Pengsuke were able to enter Kashgar. His aim is to let Galdan enter Tibet, while he himself slips into Chuhe Prefecture, and then schemes for the Middle Yuzi Grasslands."

Xuanye looked at Shunzhi, seeming somewhat disappointed and somewhat doubtful. "If everything is in Zhu San's grasp, then what risk is there in my staying in Yining? Although Zhu San's attitude toward me is quite hostile, I am after all an envoy of the Son of Heaven — can he kill me? I came in the retinue of the Commandery Prince of Luoshan, my mission is not yet complete, how can I return to Yingtian Prefecture on my own? And this place is ten thousand li from Yingtian, with mountains to cross and deserts to traverse. If Zhu San sends men after me, I will die without even a burial place!"

Shunzhi glanced at this son of his. He was indeed far stronger than Shunzhi himself had been back then — in a tiger's den, yet still clear-headed. If he himself had possessed this son's mind back then, the Great Qing might still exist!

Shunzhi sighed and added: "The one who wants to harm you is the Emperor. The Emperor sent you to the Western Regions most likely to use you to draw out the Shunzhi hiding among the people — and then to stir up a great case."

Xuanye frowned deeply, thinking to himself: Since you know the schemes of Emperor Zhu and Crown Prince Zhu San, why did you still let yourself be drawn out?

He turned and glanced at Jin Boguo, who had long since been frightened pale by Shunzhi's words. Jin Boguo shook his head and said: "I was very careful coming and going. I was absolutely not spotted by the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Eastern Depot's agents."

Shunzhi shook his head and said: "Zhu San has his own secret agents, called the Beiting Provost Office. They have eyes and ears everywhere inside and outside Yining. Since I came here, they certainly know."

Now Xuanye was frightened too. "Then what is to be done?"

"No matter," Shunzhi said with a smile. "It is darkest beneath the lamp. I am an honored guest of the princely household and an eminent monk of Chuhe Prefecture. No one will move against me."

His expression turned grave again. "But if they wish to frame you, they will always find a pretext! Young Marquis, leaving now is certainly dangerous, but if you remain in Yining, not only will you surely die, you will also drag down many others!"

Xuanye did not like hearing this — was this not telling him to go out of the city and die, so as not to implicate everyone else? On what grounds? The Great Qing's realm had been ruined by those very people, and then he had been made a ruler of a fallen state for twelve hours, and now he was expected to sacrifice himself to preserve everyone else.

At this thought, Xuanye shook his head firmly and said: "Zhu San is vicious and cunning, but his imperial elder brother is still fairly upright. Since I was sent to the northwest by him, no fatal charge will fall on me!"

He glanced at Shunzhi with a faint, distant look. "Even if I really did draw out Shunzhi, the Emperor would not punish me."

It had to be said, Xuanye was clever! He had studied Emperor Zhu's conduct. Zhu Cilang did not readily wrong the innocent, and still less would he deliberately kill an official he had sent out on a task — even if that official was bait meant to lure out an enemy!

The bait was innocent! Even if that bait was thoroughly disliked by Emperor Zhu, he had still done the Emperor's work. How could he be killed once his usefulness was spent? How unrighteous would that be?

The room fell silent. Shunzhi and Xuanye stared at each other, neither speaking any longer.

No one knew how much time passed before a clamor arose outside the door, as though a large body of men had entered the courtyard!

Shunzhi, Xuanye, and Jin Boguo all showed expressions of alarm.

All three stood up, but did not know whether they should rush out of the room. Just then, the voices of Zhang Xixian and Zhu Cixuan sounded outside the door.

"Jin Xuanye, Jin Boguo, your collusion with the traitor Fulin and your plotting of treason have been exposed! You are surrounded now. Come out obediently and surrender!"

"Right! Come out and surrender! We've already caught Fulin—"

Already caught Fulin?

Jin Boguo and Jin Xuanye looked at Shunzhi. Shunzhi smiled bitterly. He had thought he was hidden well enough; he had not expected to be seen through after all!

Shunzhi, somewhat despairing, did not intend to resist. He went and pulled open the door himself, appearing before Zhang Xixian and Zhu Cixuan. Jin Boguo and Jin Xuanye followed behind him, likewise waiting to submit to capture.

"Ah," Shunzhi sighed. "I did not expect this poor monk to fall into your hands after all."

When Zhang Xixian saw the Ford Lama, he immediately frowned deeply: "Master, why haven't you left yet? How long have you been here? It was only a matter of begging alms—"

Zhu Cixuan also knew the Ford Lama, so he said: "Master, come out quickly! Don't let those two traitors Jin Boguo and Jin Xuanye take you hostage!"

Jin Boguo inside cried out: "Ninth Prince, don't wrong an innocent man! I am no traitor! I, Jin Boguo, am His Majesty's godson!"

Zhu Cixuan grabbed the somewhat bewildered Ford Lama and hauled him out, then roared fiercely at Jin Boguo inside: "Whether you are a traitor or not will be decided once you see my Third Brother!"

Zhang Xixian also shouted: "Men! Tie up those two traitors inside for me!"

Then he said to the Ford Lama: "Master, since we have found you here among the traitors, we must trouble you to come with us. But do not be afraid — the Prince sees through everything clearly and will never wrong a good man!"

Shunzhi nodded repeatedly, but thought to himself: If Crown Prince Zhu San really does see through everything clearly, then we are in trouble — because I am not a good man!

Good men or not, they were all seized and taken together to the command hall of Crown Prince Zhu San's headquarters. When they arrived, Crown Prince Zhu San was already hearing a case — interrogating "Shunzhi"!

"Shunzhi" was a burly, fierce-looking man with a face full of flesh and a stubbly beard — clearly no good sort at first glance. When Crown Prince Zhu San saw Zhang Xixian and Zhu Cixuan bring the captives in, he did not stop the interrogation, but waved a hand for them to stand aside and listen.

That "Shunzhi" was quite composed. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he was confessing his crimes in Chinese with a Shaanxi accent.

"... I have been in contact with Oboi in Heilongjiang and Yue Le in Andong. Together we kowtowed before the spirit tablet of the Grand Progenitor, drank blood wine, and swore brotherhood, vowing to rise together against the Ming and restore the Qing. We were only waiting for trouble to break out here in the northwest, and then we would rise! We also have our people in Yingtian Prefecture, specially tasked with gathering information and spreading rumors! In addition, we have colluded with the roving bandits in Yunnan. It is agreed that when the time comes, we will divide the Great Ming realm together."

(End of chapter)