Chapter 103: The rabbit dies and the fox grieves; wading through danger and treading on thin ice

The Prince of Chu's mansion is hosting a banquet for the Imperial Envoy!

This is happening under the premise that the major treason case involves the Yueyang Prince's mansion, and it is obvious that the matter involves the imperial clan.

This is happening at the critical juncture where the Imperial Envoy has aggressively led troops into the city and just knocked the official hats off the heads of the three provincial officials.

At a time when everyone is wishing they could hide far away, the Prince of Chu's mansion is actually going to host a banquet to welcome the Imperial Envoy!?

Zhu Changwen is on his way to the Prince of Chu's mansion, unable to fathom the reason despite a hundred thoughts.

At this moment, night has fallen, and the lanterns are just being lit.

Although it is the rainy season, the long street leading to the Prince of Chu's mansion is still extremely lively.

Zhu Changwen lifts the carriage curtain, glances at the beautiful women on the road, and says distractedly, "Has the Imperial Envoy already gone?"

An hour has passed since the Imperial Envoy established his authority at the pier, and it is just the time for the evening meal.

With an invitation from a mansion of the Prince of Chu's standing, the Imperial Envoy probably cannot afford to be too arrogant.

Estimating the time, he must have set off by now.

The Chief Clerk relays the information he just gathered to Zhu Changwen one by one: "I hear that only the Imperial Son-in-Law, Wu Jinghe, has gone."

"The Prince of Chu's mansion wanted to invite Hai Rui as well, and even brought out the Dowager Consort, saying things like how they have admired him for a long time."

"As a result... that man gave absolutely no face, saying he never accepts invitations, and had the people chased out."

"Li Zaiting also took the opportunity to politely decline the invitation from the Prince of Chu's mansion."

After listening, Zhu Changwen lets out a cold snort.

He mutters to himself: "Never accepts invitations... is he the only clean official and saint under heaven!?"

"A person who fishes for fame and compliments!"

If it weren't for the fact that he is only a concubine-born son and his own hands aren't clean, he would have gone to beat such a person up right now.

After a mocking remark, he brings up the main business: "Chief Clerk Zhou, what do you think the Prince of Chu's mansion really intends?"

The situation in the Prince of Chu's mansion is currently complex; even the Heir Apparent has not been named, and the infighting is quite intense.

Under such circumstances, logically, they should stay away from such trouble.

Yet now, they have instead moved closer.

Chief Clerk Zhou thinks for a moment and muses, "General, the Yueyang Prince's mansion is, after all, also part of the Chu fief; after splitting from the Prince of Chu's mansion, they remain linked."

"If they are forced to be implicated, they won't gain anything. They are probably fearful of the Imperial Envoy's hardline stance right now and want to test the waters."

Speaking to this point, he pauses and adds in a speculative tone, "Besides that..."

"Over these years, ever since the great case of regicide and usurpation occurred in the Prince of Chu's mansion, they have been acting cautiously, and that Dowager Consort has even been shrinking the mansion's assets."

"If one speaks of the Huguang region, among those in high positions, the one with the least suspicion is probably this Dowager Consort of Chu."

"She is also the best choice to mediate between the Imperial Envoy and Huguang right now."

Zhu Changwen suddenly realizes.

He mutters, "So they want to negotiate terms and draw lines with the Imperial Envoy."

"No wonder that man refused to see you but let me attend the banquet; it's because they don't want to invite trouble, yet they have no choice but to show their faces."

"There must be quite a few members of the imperial clan who have sought out the Prince of Chu's mansion recently..."

As the Prince of Chu was enfeoffed as a son of the Founding Emperor, his status is not something that those of them enfeoffed as sons of Emperor Yingzong or Emperor Renzong can compare to.

Furthermore, the Chu fief is uniquely positioned, with its seat in the Huguang provincial capital, and it has an extraordinary relationship with the three provincial offices and the Provincial Governor's office.

It can be said that among the imperial clan under heaven, Huguang is the most prominent, and among the Huguang imperial clan, the Chu fief is the leader.

Under these circumstances, with the Yueyang Prince's mansion exposed and the Imperial Envoy arriving, the pressure on the Prince of Chu's mansion must certainly not be small.

Understanding this layer, Zhu Changwen's mindset immediately relaxes a little.

At that time, it will depend on to what extent the Prince of Chu's mansion and the Imperial Envoy negotiate.

Just like that, the carriage arrives at the southern foot of Mount Gaoguan, where the Prince of Chu's mansion is located.

The Prince of Chu's mansion sits facing south, backed by Mount Gaoguan, two *li* wide from east to west and four *li* long from north to south, almost half the size of Wuchang City.

Because it was built in imitation of the former palace in Nanzhili, the regulations are naturally not low.

Apart from having over eight hundred palace halls and rooms, the high walls of the palace city are also indispensable; it is not something that can be summarized by the word "magnificent."

The walls are twenty-nine feet high, surrounded by watchtowers, and a vermilion city gate stands with armored soldiers on both sides, looking extraordinary.

Zhu Changwen's carriage stops at the palace gate, and he gets out according to the rules.

The Record Keeper of the Prince of Chu's mansion immediately greets him: "General Fugu!"

Zhu Changwen snorts coldly: "You are the one sent to greet me?"

Never mind the Heir Apparent or a Prince, couldn't they at least send a Chief Clerk?

The Record Keeper immediately begs for mercy: "General, there are truly too many guests today. Not to mention the Imperial Envoy, even the Prince of Min has come in person; we really cannot spare anyone else."

Zhu Changwen's expression turns even uglier.

Doesn't this just show that his status is the lowest!?

He is about to flare up.

A voice comes from behind: "You are Zhu Changwen?"

Zhu Changwen is furious; who dares to call his name directly!

He turns around, about to scold, but upon looking up, he sees a handsome, sturdy middle-aged man with a beautiful beard stepping down from a carriage.

Zhu Changwen wilts, replacing his face with a forced smile: "Clan Elder."

Wu Jinghe nods: "You actually still recognize me; it was not in vain that I personally recorded you into the clan register back then."

"Let's go, you follow behind me; I happen to have things to ask you."

Having said that, he leads several Embroidered Uniform Guards, walks straight past the city gate, and goes inside.

Zhu Changwen's face is like a bitter melon as he struggles to follow behind.

……

When it comes to discussing official business with the imperial clan, there is naturally the Prince Consort, Wu Jinghe, for that.

If one only wants to go to a banquet to eat and drink, it would be a bit too rowdy, and not everyone is willing to go.

Just as Hai Rui said, that is not a place for a meal, so he did not go; he simply ate a little at the Provincial Governor's Prefectural Yamen.

Likewise, Li Zaiting also felt that it was not a good place for a drink, and he declined the invitation from the Prince of Chu's mansion without leaving any room for negotiation.

The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward.

If one wants to pay respects to friends and family and share a drink across the divide of life and death, there is no place more suitable than by the Yangtze River.

Li Zaiting poured a cup of wine and casually sprinkled it into the river.

Immediately after, he poured himself another cup, raised it toward the void, and drank it in one gulp.

He had been blowing in the river breeze here for half an hour; the pot of wine had reached its bottom, and his face was already slightly flushed from the drink.

Just at this moment, a voice came from behind him.

"If you want to pay respects to Zhang Chucheng, why not go to the coroner's office to share a drink face-to-face, instead of running alone to the riverbank?"

Li Zaiting turned his head and saw Feng Shiyu carrying a pot of wine, holding it high to signal to him.

The former waved his hand, signaling the Embroidered Uniform Guard to let him pass.

He reached out to take off his official cap, placed it on the ground beside him, and without looking back, said: "They did their work too ruthlessly; the dozen charred corpses in Linxiang County are simply unrecognizable."

"Rather than relying on clothing to grope in the dark and pay respects to the wrong person, it is better to offer a drink to the river and sea to entrust my grief."

Between his words, it was clear he had already been to the Surveillance Commission's coroner's office to see Zhang Chucheng.

It was just a pity that he was already beyond recognition, making it difficult to identify him.

That fellow graduate and comrade of his had only come down to the local area once, and he never expected he would end up with this fate.

Feng Shiyu walked up, took off his cap, placed it between the two of them, and set it alongside Li Zaiting's.

Then he slowly opened his mouth and said: "I arrived in Huguang later than Zhang Liqing. I originally thought that since we were of the same cohort, I would meet him when he passed through Wuchang before returning to the capital, to hear his insights on patrolling Huguang."

"I didn't expect... sigh."

Feng Shiyu, Li Zaiting, and Zhang Chucheng all passed the high-level examinations in the second year of Longqing, making them fellow graduates.

Even before the metropolitan examination, they had all been preparing for the exams at the same examination hall, so there was naturally a friendship between them.

It was just that after the latter two passed the high-level examinations, they both studied under Gao Yi, so their bond was even deeper.

Feng Shiyu poured a cup of wine and sighed: "But if the identity is difficult to distinguish, I fear it will be hard for him to return to his roots."

The bodies from the Linxiang County case had not been processed, and besides waiting for the imperial envoy to investigate the case, this was also one of the reasons.

One couldn't just let the family guess and claim them, could they?

Li Zaiting shook his head: "Before I set out, the central government had already anticipated this. His Majesty specifically instructed me, saying that if it is inconvenient for him to return to his roots, I should bring him back to the capital to be buried at Babaoshan and enjoy state-sponsored sacrifices."

Feng Shiyu nodded; he was not too surprised by this.

For those who die in the line of duty, the imperial court has never been stingy with posthumous titles and sacrifices.

The two remained silent for a while.

By unspoken agreement, they both poured themselves a cup and gently clinked them together.

Li Zaiting spoke again: "I hear you have been doing quite well in Huguang: allocating funds to repair embankments, organizing manpower to rescue rice seedlings, and distributing porridge and clothing to the disaster-stricken people. Along the way, the people have been praising you."

"It seems that governing a local area tempers a person more than being a censor."

After the great Huguang case, the Provincial Administration Commissioner had no heart for government affairs, but it just so happened to coincide with a great flood.

On the road, I heard that it was this fellow graduate who pushed Chen Rui to do some practical work, at least preventing a real disaster.

Upon hearing this, Feng Shiyu did not feel proud; instead, he gave a bitter smile: "When I was demoted to Huguang, I was also despondent and resentful, living in darkness."

"But when I saw with my own eyes the people displaced and destitute, how could my heart not be touched?"

"Looking at it this way, His Majesty's reprimand of me was actually hitting the nail on the head."

He was originally from Nanzhili.

After the fire at the Ciqing Palace, Hu Xiao was sentenced to death, and Feng Shiyu submitted memorials several times in succession, requesting the Emperor to show a little leniency.

Until a few days before Hu Xiao was executed, he even rejected the Emperor's imperial decree.

This provoked the Emperor's great anger, and after a round of reprimands, he was demoted to Huguang.

If it weren't for this, he wouldn't just be a fourth-rank counselor—for a censor to be appointed to a local post, a third-rank position is the norm.

Thinking of this, the bitter smile at the corner of Feng Shiyu's mouth grew even thicker.

He poured himself a cup of wine and took a small sip.

He suddenly remembered something and reminded him: "Today, Hai Rui knocked off the official hats of the three provincial heads; the resentment of their colleagues is almost written on their faces."

"Even if Xu Xuemo was promoted as the Provincial Administration Commissioner afterward to soothe things over, I fear it will not be enough to calm them down."

No one likes the feeling of having their life and death in the hands of others, let alone local officials who are accustomed to throwing their weight around.

If the imperial envoy were just here to go through the motions and fish for some benefits, everyone could maintain a facade of harmony.

But if you are this ruthless, then local officials throwing obstacles in your path is a foreseeable thing—and you don't even need to confront the imperial envoy head-on; just non-violent non-cooperation is enough to make people hesitate to act.

The river breeze blew, lifting Li Zaiting's robes.

He turned his head and looked at Feng Shiyu: "So, Huazhi, have you come as a lobbyist?"

"Do you want us to know when to retreat? Or do you want us to stop while we're ahead?"

Li Zaiting naturally understood Feng Shiyu's meaning.

There are too many ways for local officials to throw obstacles in the way; not to mention anything else, just the matter of repairing the embankments, if you really follow the procedures...

To put it bluntly, if Feng Shiyu hadn't taken charge and violated regulations to misappropriate the confiscated bribe money for repairs, it would have long since destroyed the embankments and flooded the fields, causing a great disaster.

And precisely in this kind of matter, there is no way to hold anyone accountable—everyone is just following the rules.

After all, they are not high-ranking officials like Chen Rui; mid-level officials are hidden within the entire system and won't even be noticed, so even if you want to act, you are powerless.

Once a consensus is formed in the officialdom, using the corruption of a region to coerce the imperial envoy, the imperial envoy really has no way to deal with it.

And as for Feng Shiyu, who brought this up, Li Zaiting had to be vigilant about what his stance was.

The former shook his head: "Yingfeng, you are too guarded; I am just advising you to make a quick decision!"

"If it drags on too long, I fear the common people caught in the middle will suffer... sigh."

He sighed again.

The fact that the common people become bargaining chips at such times is truly something that makes one lament.

Li Zaiting looked deeply at Feng Shiyu, noncommittal.

He was no longer the naive newcomer to the officialdom he had been a year ago; he had his own judgment on how to listen and how to believe.

Li Zaiting poured another cup of wine and sprinkled it into the Yangtze River.

He spoke unhurriedly: "If we want to conclude this case early and make a quick decision, we still have to rely on the Huguang officialdom to work with us with one heart."

He now occupied the initiative, so he spoke with ease and had plenty of confidence to probe however he wanted.

Feng Shiyu nodded, expressing deep agreement: "Attacking the county yamen and burning the imperial envoy are such shocking matters; as long as one holds an official position, who would not share the same hatred for the enemy?"

"Before the imperial envoy arrived, the three provincial yamen and the governor's yamen had already started investigating, but anyone with the slightest suspicion, like the Dongting Garrison Commander Qiu Qiao, the River Patrol Commander Chen Xiao, or the Military Defense Assistant Ji Ruzhi, were all executed first and reported later, and arrested and thrown into prison."

"The matter involved the Prince of Yueyang's mansion, but the Huguang officialdom did not retreat in the slightest, and immediately ordered troops to their door."

"Their clear hearts can be witnessed by heaven and man."

"But... it is also human nature for colleagues to fear that the imperial envoy will execute them without guilt."

In this day and age, who can be without any problems?

Even if they aren't afraid of you investigating this case, they have taboos regarding other cases; you can't really pour your heart out to the imperial envoy, can you?

Plus, knocking off the official hats of the three provincial heads right from the start—who wouldn't have some thoughts?

Li Zaiting finally probed Feng Shiyu's meaning and couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.

With things said to this point, there was really no way to blame this fellow graduate; it was indeed the words of a steady and prudent person.

Li Zaiting didn't mind expressing this stance.

He said: "Huazhi, you don't need to probe me anymore; I can tell you directly, and you can go back and tell your colleagues in the three provincial offices."

"Although Censor Hai cannot tolerate sand in his eyes, he is a good official who does practical work."

"As for anyone unrelated to the Zhang Chucheng case, as long as they don't seek their own death, we will not make things difficult for them."

After hearing this, Feng Shiyu no longer concealed anything, let out a long breath, and cupped his hands to thank him.

The official business was finished.

The two fell into a long silence again.

Li Zaiting curiously turned his head: "Huazhi, is there anything else?"

The Huguang officialdom being terrified by Hai Rui's power in knocking off the three provincial heads today, and specifically sending this fellow graduate to build a relationship and probe his attitude, was still within the range Li Zaiting could tolerate.

If they were to push their luck, he would have to disregard their fellow graduate friendship and turn hostile.

Fortunately, Feng Shiyu did not say anything that would make him turn hostile.

Instead, he showed grief and said: "Zhang Liqing and I were also fellow graduates; seeing Yingfeng drinking alone to pay respects, how could I not have any feelings?"

He poured himself a cup of wine and drank it in one gulp: "When the rabbit dies, the fox mourns; being an official is difficult!"

This was purely meant as a tribute.

Li Zaiting was silent.

He chewed over the eight words "When the rabbit dies, the fox mourns; being an official is difficult" repeatedly in his mouth.

If one were to talk about the rabbit dying and the fox mourning, I fear no one could empathize more than him.

He and Zhang Chucheng were fellow graduates and comrades, and both were extremely influenced by Gao Yi.

The two were determined to achieve success and fame, wanting to leave a heavy, colorful stroke in the history books of the Great Ming Dynasty.

Especially... when the two of them were recommended to the Emperor by Gao Yi, and heard Gao Yi praise the Emperor to the heavens.

Countless thoughts of wise emperors and loyal ministers passing through the ages flashed through their minds.

They thought all stories would be like those in the history books—the Emperor wise in using people, the ministers loyal and diligent in their duties, and they could reform the old and create the new, and rebuild the Great Ming. They, too, could leave their names in history.

Until this year, what Li Zaiting witnessed and experienced gradually made him feel what it meant to have a difficult path...

Wealth corrupted his family.

Local factions shook his stance.

Rumors slandered his reputation.

Subordinates resisted his political decrees.

Countless.

Such things were one thing.

With all kinds of hardships and difficulties, he had originally thought he was already capable enough to bear the weight and move forward, with a firm will.

Until he heard the news of Zhang Chucheng's death.

This fellow student, fellow graduate, and comrade seemed to be shouting to him with his life that reforming the old and creating the new really requires many people to die!

It is a life-and-death struggle, never-ending!

Today it is Zhang Chucheng, tomorrow it could be Li Zaiting!

Thinking of this, Li Zaiting couldn't help but feel his throat move, his vision slightly dazed.

Li Zaiting suddenly grabbed the wine pot, stood up, and drank greedily from the pot!

The river breeze blew, Li Zaiting's hair was slightly messy, half the wine entered his mouth, and half flowed down his neck, soaking his collar.

He drank a large gulp wildly and chanted toward the Yangtze River: "A golden goblet of clear wine costs ten thousand..."

The road ahead is so difficult, yet he is so incompetent.

Regarding the salt administration in Nanzhili, he could only shout and cheer; regarding the border troubles in the northwest, he knew nothing; regarding the connections of the Jin Party, he was powerless.

Even when he corresponded with Zhang Chucheng and talked about the problems in Huguang, he still felt that no matter what chronic illness it was, one imperial decree would be enough to settle it.

Beside him, Feng Shiyu was infected by this and was slightly moved.

The "Hard Road" of Li Bai...

As soon as Li Zaiting spoke a sentence, Feng Shiyu immediately understood that this fellow graduate was resonating with the phrase "being an official is difficult."

Above, his talent is insufficient.

To a friend, they are separated by life and death.

To himself, he has not yet built an inch of merit.

Feng Shiyu felt this state of mind much more deeply than Li Zaiting; these were the four words he chewed over night after night after he was demoted.

In the central government, he only felt the waves were treacherous, schemes intertwined, and it was difficult to cope.

Demoted to a local area, he saw only chronic illnesses and the suffering of the people, and was at his wit's end.

Being an official is difficult, being an official is difficult!

Feng Shiyu stood up, wanting to speak but stopping.

Li Zaiting fully displayed the wildness of a scholar-official, his voice growing louder: "The road is hard, the road is hard, there are many forks in the road, where am I now..."

He had once been resentful, wondering why, as fellow graduates of the same cohort, Shen Yiguan and He Weiyi, who were at the bottom of the third tier, were able to be selected as bachelors and listed as candidates for prime minister, while he, Li Zaiting, who was at the forefront, could not?

He was once conceited about his talent, thinking that people like Shen Yiguan were just being carried by local factions, while he, Li Zaiting, was the pearl in the sea, with talent unrecognized.

But when he really waited for this opportunity to display his ambitions, after becoming a close minister to the Son of Heaven, he realized he was so naive and incompetent, his knowledge laughable.

Now, with the phrase "when the rabbit dies, the fox mourns," he dizzily saw his own fate in Zhang Chucheng.

With the phrase "being an official is difficult," it made him realize even more that he was too weak, he was still too weak!

The Embroidered Uniform Guard behind him approached a few steps nervously, fearing that some reincarnation of Yan Song would drink too much and accidentally fall into the river.

Many forks in the road... Feng Shiyu chewed on this term, his expression complex.

He had the heart to comfort him, his mouth slightly open, but in the end, it turned into a sigh.

Feng Shiyu silently raised his wine pot, poured it into the river, and muttered: "Yingfeng, on the official career path, you will go further than all of us; the road ahead is blocked and long, walk slowly..."

Li Zaiting finished the previous sentence and paused for a long time.

At this time, after hearing Feng Shiyu's words, he shook his head: "Kuafu chased the sun and died of exhaustion; the road is too long, I may not have the strength to walk it."

Of the three fellow graduates, one is separated by life and death, and one has suffered demotion.

It is precisely because of this that there is the phrase "being an official is difficult."

Li Zaiting, the only one still moving forward, is even more afraid of his own lack of talent.

Feng Shiyu shook his head: "You are only thirty-eight..."

After saying this, he stopped speaking.

Li Zaiting was startled, and immediately understood Feng Shiyu's meaning; he picked up the wine pot, wanting to drink another gulp.

Remembering there was official business tomorrow, he stopped.

He turned to want to sprinkle it for Zhang Chucheng, but was afraid there was too much wine, disturbing the deceased.

He was silent again for a long time.

Li Zaiting suddenly laughed: "Huazhi is indeed making progress, making me look at you with new eyes."

He still remembered that the previous Feng Shiyu was sluggish and empty of words, and was disliked by the Emperor.

Now, having been a local official for less than half a year, he actually points directly to the heart with every sentence.

Li Zaiting received a word of guidance, met Feng Shiyu's gaze, nodded, and muttered: "Yes, I am only thirty-eight!"

"The cabinet minister taught me the Dao, His Majesty favors me, and even time loves me..."

Li Zaiting's words became more and more earnest: "The road ahead, I will walk it for Zhang Liqing to see!"

He opened his arms, opening his chest.

Toward the Yangtze River, he chanted loudly: "A time will come to ride the wind and cleave the waves, I will set my cloud-white sail and cross the vast sea!"

Since he sees the road ahead is difficult, he will also move forward without hesitation!

The entire imperial court says he is the reincarnation of Yan Song, flattering those above without any means.

Then he will let these people see what it means to be looked at with new eyes, what it means to be a general and a prime minister!

Besides shouting and cheering, and watching the fire from the other side, he can also devise strategies and go through fire and water!

Li Zaiting threw the wine pot into Feng Shiyu's arms, turned and left, and without looking back said: "We are all fellow graduates; since Huazhi feels the rabbit dying and the fox mourning, and has feelings in your heart..."

His expression gradually became ruthless, gnashing his teeth: "Then watch me kill until heads roll, to properly pay respects to his spirit in heaven."

(End of chapter)