Chapter 774: Lead by Example

Pan Hong knew nothing of the world at this moment; since being recalled to Jingcheng, he had been idle and safe.

So safe that he was beginning to feel uneasy.

Four months had passed since he discovered that someone in Datong was smuggling bows and crossbows to the Oirats.

He had been recalled to Jingcheng for three months now, and the censor sent by the Censorate to take over the case had made no progress and was still enduring sandstorms in Datong.

Pan Hong lowered his head, staring at three items laid on the desk, his fingers rubbing the desk's edge in silent thought.

Pan Yue burst through the door with a bang; Pan Hong immediately snatched up a book beside him to cover the items, his face darkening as he asked: "You're so reckless—when did you start acting like your younger brother?"

Pan Yue's gaze swept over the desk, catching sight of two books before his father and a glint of copper between them; he sighed helplessly: "Father, that copper token in your hand was retrieved by me and your second son."

Pan Hong shifted the two books slightly, sealing the last gap, and said sternly: "If you have something to say, say it. If not, go back to your room and read."

Pan Yue turned and shut the door, then walked to the desk, glaring fiercely at what lay beneath the books: "Father, today Li Ji summoned me to speak…"

After relaying Li Ji's message, Pan Yue added: "Li Ji said this was the collective will of several Grand Secretaries."

Pan Hong raised an eyebrow.

"It was the proposal of Grand Secretary Yang, and Grand Secretary Chen is aware of it," Pan Yue paused before adding: "Minister Cao of the Ministry of Personnel is also involved."

Pan Hong raised an eyebrow.

Pan Yue clenched his fist, his face grim as he asked: "Father, was your recall to Jingcheng all along meant for this?"

Pan Hong smiled and shook his head; though reluctant to drag his son into this, he gently explained: "If they truly wanted to use me against Wang Zhen, the best way would have been to let me continue investigating in Datong. They recalled me for two reasons: first, because Yun's achievements earned them the chance to show favor toward me; second, because they knew that even if I uncovered something, the Emperor would never punish Wang Zhen severely."

Pan Yue's fist cracked as he clenched it, his voice low: "When little sister defended you and Lord Xue, all these people turned a blind eye…"

Pan Hong raised a hand to cut him off, speaking gently: "Yue'er, I want you to remember two things about serving as an official: first, serve the state and the people; if an official serves only personal gain, he is a parasite; second, an official must act on matters, not on people—acting on people is factionalism, and factionalists are traitors to the state."

Pan Yue fell silent.

Pan Hong smiled softly: "I know you resent their past indifference, but Yue'er—if we refuse them now out of spite, and miss this chance to expose the Datong arms smuggling case, aren't we turning a blind eye to the soldiers and civilians of Datong who looked to us with earnest anticipation?"

Pan Hong finally lifted the two books from the desk, revealing the three items beneath.

A broken arrow wrapped in a cloth, a Embroidered Uniform Guard token from the Southern Surveillance Office, and a written confession.

Pan Hong unwrapped the cloth around the arrow: "You've forgotten? This was pulled from a soldier's chest. Two men died to obtain these items, and eight others remain hidden among Datong's garrison, living in constant fear every day."

"If we reject them now out of momentary anger, what distinguishes us from those who turned away before?" Pan Hong asked him: "How will we ever face the people of Datong who looked to us with earnest anticipation?"

Pan Yue thought of the promise they made to Captain Qin when leaving Datong; his fist loosened slightly, and he muttered: "I understand."

Pan Hong knew his son had come around, and smiled with relief.

"Father, you're going up against Wang Zhen again—will you end up in prison this time too?"

In truth, Pan Hong was afraid too, but no matter how afraid, this had to be done—and the situation was far better than last time. He reassured Pan Yue: "This time, with Grand Secretary Yang and the others supporting us, it won't be worse than last time. Even if I'm locked up, you and Yu'er needn't worry—act as the situation demands."

Pan Yue: "How do I act as the situation demands?"

"Find Xue Shaoqing. If he says I can be saved, use money to bribe the guards so I can live comfortably in prison; if he says I can't be saved, don't hesitate—leave Jingcheng at once and return home, or go straight to Quanzhou to find your little sister."

Pan Yue: "…"

Pan Hong said seriously: "I'm serious. I estimate that even if I lose, I won't be exiled—most likely just imprisoned, and it won't drag you two down."

Pan Yue: "Jie Jin froze to death in prison."

Pan Hong laughed and scolded: "Get out! Can't you wish me some good fortune?"

Pan Yue snorted, went out to cook—but he had tacitly accepted his father's plan.

Pan Yu was practicing swordplay in the courtyard; seeing her brother emerge, she screamed and swung her great sword at him: "Catch this!"

Pan Yue dodged aside and ran toward the kitchen: "Get Father to arrange for you to join the army—you've got so much energy I want to beat you every day."

Pan Yu swung her great sword behind him, yelling: "I don't need Father's help! I've already decided to take the military examination next spring. Big brother, wait and see—I might become a Top Graduate even before you!"

Pan Yue merely snorted.

A Top Graduate? Just avoiding exile because of Father's troubles would be enough.

The winds of Jingcheng were rising.

No one expected Pan Hong had real evidence; the Grand Secretariat had merely intended to have Pan Hong, who knew the inner details, appear before the court to expose the Datong arms smuggling case and pressure Wang Zhen into backing down.

In the end, Wang Zhen joined the Grand Secretaries in strongly urging the Emperor to establish a formal state ceremony and revise the inspection permits—but the Datong arms case still resulted in two generals being punished, the supervising eunuch Guo Jing being reprimanded by imperial decree, and the Ministry of War sending troops to patrol the Datong frontier.

When this decision was finalized, twenty taels of silver from Quanzhou arrived in Jingcheng.

The Emperor, curious, brought several ministers to the treasury to see the silver; everyone said Japanese silver mines produced high-quality silver, refined into silver as white as snow, and he wanted to see if it was true.

Then the Emperor and his ministers saw the largest, heaviest silver ingot in history.

The crates had been built to fit the silver's volume: two ingots per row, arranged in three rows, packed so tightly there was almost no gap—the Embroidered Uniform Guard couldn't extract the ingots for half a day, they were too tightly wedged.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard in charge of the transport sweated profusely under the Emperor's gaze; he had clearly seen Pan Yun pry one up with a single finger—why was it so hard for him?

Finally, a craftsman brought a hook, slipped it into the narrow gap, pried once—and the ingot shifted slightly. He lifted it just a fraction, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard seized it with two fingers, then slowly pried it free, lifting it out.

The thirty-jin silver ingot held in his hands, the Embroidered Uniform Guard knelt before the Emperor and offered it with both hands.

It was indeed snow-white, so dazzling it held the eye.

The Emperor, seeing how easily the man carried it, reached out with one hand—and nearly dropped it, quickly grabbing it with both.

Such a heavy, massive silver ingot… (End of Chapter)