Chapter 484

Xue Shao said he would not participate in this case, and indeed he never mentioned it again in public, but he remained by the Emperor's side.

By the way, he is now a Hanlin Lecturer, tasked with answering the Emperor's questions, helping him organize memorials, and recording his opinions on official documents and other such duties.

This post appears minor, yet it is extremely important, for he is the official who spends the most time beside the Emperor, aside from the eunuchs.

This means his influence over the Emperor is growing ever greater.

Increasingly, people approached him to court his favor; some even hinted that if he could whisper in the Emperor's ear, they could secure Xue Xuan's release from prison to await trial.

Xue Shao asked: "What about my lord Pan?"

The other replied with deep implication: "This matter is grave. If Wang Zhen does not die, someone must bear the blame—not my lord Xue, then only my lord Pan."

Xue Shao refused the offer; as soon as he left the palace, he went to Yin Song and Pan Yue: "You must be careful—they will frame my lord Pan."

Yin Song: "Frame him? Do you mean frame him with false evidence, or kill him?"

Pan Yue: "Who is 'they'?"

Xue Shao: "Everyone—the Wang Zhen faction, and the Daowangyi Sect officials."

Pan Yue fell silent for a moment, then asked: "What about my lord Xue?"

Xue Shao: "My grandfather bore the title of Jiaoyu Gong; my father taught for over a decade; my uncle also has students scattered across the land. Among scholars in Hedong and Hexi, aged ten to fifty, all have some connection to my Xue family."

The candidates from Shanxi and Shaanxi who came to the capital—each of their fathers, even their grandfathers—has some tie to my Xue family."

Xue Shao said: "Three years ago, Wang Zhen dared not kill my uncle; today he dares even less."

"And as for those southerners, though they scheme and plot, they dare not ignite a war between northern and southern scholars—so my uncle is safe. But my lord Pan…"

Pan Yue: "I understand. The Emperor won't kill my father, but others might."

"If my father dies in prison—whether killed by Wang Zhen or framed as killed by Wang Zhen—it will push the case forward. Are they currently at a stalemate?"

Xue Shao nodded, then paused before saying: "But it's strange—Grand Secretary Yang has met with many people lately, and has attended court for three consecutive days. Perhaps there's a turning point."

Pan Yue's eyes lit up: "Grand Secretary Yang? He'll speak up for my father?"

Xue Shao: "Three years ago, Grand Secretary Yang already advised the Emperor on this injustice. My uncle's life was spared largely thanks to him."

Pan Yue turned to Yin Song: "Second Senior Brother, should we pay Grand Secretary Yang a visit?"

Yin Song: "I'm just a… I'll take you tomorrow, on my day off."

Yang Shiqi had been exhausted these past days; now that he had a day off, he collapsed at home and refused to move.

The spring sunlight was brilliant—perfect for sunbathing.

Health-conscious Yang Shiqi changed into his home robes and leaned back on a reclining chair to bask in the sun.

Hearing hurried footsteps approaching, Yang Shiqi sighed, removed the cloth from his face, and kept his eyes closed: "He Shi?"

"Old Master, the Xia Guanzheng of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau requests an audience."

Yang Shiqi opened his eyes: "Xia? Isn't the Chun Guanzheng on duty now?"

"He brought a young boy with him—says he's the eldest son of Pan Hong."

Yang Shiqi fell silent for a moment, handed the cloth to his servant, and slowly rose, leaning on the servant's arm: "Show them to the main hall."

"Will Old Master see them?"

Yang Shiqi: "Yes."

He's seen his sister—now he should see his brother.

Yang Shiqi met Pan Yue in the main hall, studied the boy from head to toe, and gave a slight nod: "There's some resemblance."

Pan Yue looked puzzled.

Yang Shiqi waved dismissively and turned to Yin Song: "Why did the Xia Guanzheng come to see me?"

Yin Song got straight to the point: he begged Yang Shiqi to protect Pan Hong: "If Pan Hong perishes, this case will become a sealed verdict. For the sake of legal justice and to restore clarity to Great Ming, please, Grand Secretary Yang, lend your aid." Yang Shiqi frowned deeply. Wang Zhen and the Daowangyi Sect were currently at a stalemate; though many officials in court supported Xue Xuan and Pan Hong, they acted independently and had not yet united into a single force, making it difficult to oppose the two opposing factions.

And… Yang Shiqi had no desire whatsoever for them to unite.

If they did unite, and refused to disband after the matter was settled, wouldn't they become another Zichengyi Sect?

Party strife in Great Ming was already severe enough—he did not wish to see another faction emerge and further destabilize the situation.

Yang Shiqi lowered his gaze, thought for a long while, then nodded: "I understand. Go back now."

Pan Yue was surprised the meeting ended so quickly; he glanced at Yin Song—had he agreed or not?

Yin Song gave him a slight nod, bowed, and led him out.

Once outside Yang's residence, Pan Yue hurriedly asked: "We're just leaving like this?"

Yin Song: "Grand Secretary Yang has agreed."

Pan Yue pondered: "Why did he agree so easily?"

"Probably because of Little Sister," Yin Song thought to himself. Anyone would be startled to see someone leap down from the roof in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, she used qinggong to leave—if she'd flown away on a flying sword, Master Zhang would have thrown her out of Jingcheng, and the humiliation would have been immense.

!. Read.

Pan Yue: "…Did Grand Secretary Yang also meet Little Sister?"

Yin Song smiled at him: "Little Sister has met the Emperor—what's so strange about meeting Grand Secretary Yang?"

Pan Yue felt dazed, a strange mix of sourness and swelling in his chest.

Back in Datong, he'd sensed his little sister had grown up—working hard, earning money, supporting the family, studying martial arts like an adult.

But they were separated by thousands of miles; even with mental awareness, in his memory, Pan Yun was still that soft, plump, tiny girl who sat cross-legged on her bed every day meditating.

Yet since returning to Jingcheng, in this familiar yet alien city, her presence was everywhere—everywhere were the people she'd met, and from their words, he learned a completely different sister.

Pan Yue's heart was filled with a bitter-sweet-tart-bitter mix—truly a tangle of emotions.

Yang Shiqi's heart was even more complicated; as soon as they left, he stopped sunbathing, sat motionless in the hall for hours, then finally changed his clothes and entered the palace.

Yang Shiqi petitioned the Emperor to release Xue Xuan and Pan Hong.

"Both clearly suffer injustice; even if they erred in duty, their crimes do not warrant this punishment," Yang Shiqi said. "Why not release them to return home, to show respect for officials and win back the loyalty of the court?"

Zhu Qizhen did not agree.

Yang Shiqi continued: "Your Majesty, Wang Zhen has been out of prison for several days; his body should have recovered. Spring is a busy season—why not let him return to the Office of Palace Affairs?"

Zhu Qizhen looked up at him in surprise: "Grand Secretary Yang, what did you say?"

Yang Shiqi repeated his suggestion: let Wang Zhen return to the Office of Palace Affairs.

Zhu Qizhen stared intently at Yang Shiqi for a long moment, then nodded: "Fine."

Zhu Qizhen agreed to release Xue Xuan.

Pan Yue: …

Yin Song: …

Why release Xue Xuan and not Pan Hong?

Pan Yu nearly went mad: "It's my father who's in danger!!!"

Yin Song fell into thought.

Pan Yue clenched his lips tightly: "Could the Emperor be trying to use my father to lure out the snake?"

Yin Song's heart skipped a beat.

Pan Yue was furious: "This has backfired."

It would have been better not to approach Yang Shiqi at all.

(End of Chapter)