Chapter 1167: A Loyal Heart Shines Through History

Ever since taking charge of this Jade Ripple Garden, Xie Yulong had seen so many people — many worthy of entrusting herself to, and many who wanted her to do so. She saw through them all clearly, and had never agreed to anything.

The man before her now was someone she wished to follow, but Xie Yulong understood just as clearly that he would not want her by his side.

It was not because he was a eunuch, nor because he had already risen to high rank within the palace. In the capital, eunuchs taking wives and raising children were far too common — it had long been an ordinary sight. But this man's mind was simply not on her. Not because he was incapable, but because his ambitions were too vast; he had no lingering attachment to the warmth of a companion.

Xie Yulong gathered her thoughts. She lifted the lid of the hand-warming charcoal brazier, placed a palm-sized silver plate on top, then used tweezers to lay a few slices of honeyed ginger onto the plate. Before long, an invigorating sweet fragrance filled the room.

"Honeyed ginger raw tea? Truly a fine thing to drink on a snowy day!" A voice came from behind Xie Yulong — soft, carrying a slight sharpness, though one would hardly notice without listening carefully.

The water on the brazier had already come to a boil. Xie Yulong dropped the warmed honeyed ginger into the water, then poured it into the teacup and teapot. With deft hands, she emptied the cup used to warm the vessels, and only then began to brew the tea.

"All my years in the capital, I thought I'd tasted, used, and enjoyed the finest things — yet it's not even a tenth of what you have here. I never imagined handling official business could be this comfortable."

"If you find it pleasant here, young master, why not stay a while longer? Wait until spring begins next year — that's when you'll see the finest scenery Jining has to offer."

"Jining is far cleaner than the capital; even the air carries a sweet fragrance. A pity I can't stay long — I must leave tomorrow." The man spoke with genuine regret, though his tone held no lingering attachment.

Xie Yulong's expression dimmed for a moment before returning to normal. Smiling, she placed the teacup beside the man's hand and said gently, "You're leaving so soon, young master — this servant is truly reluctant to see you go. You've come all this way to us, yet never rested for more than a few days, spending all your time writing and receiving letters. Next time you come, you must truly relax and rest."

The man seated cross-legged on the divan smiled, hesitated, then said, "You seem easygoing, but you have a strong-willed nature. Let me say something — don't take it as an insult. I... I know many people in the capital, and quite a few would suit you. If you're willing, when I return I'll pick someone suitable for you, give you some security for the rest of your life."

Xie Yulong's smile remained unchanged. She simply shook her head and said, "This concubine is quite content here, and has no wish to go elsewhere."

After saying this, seeing the man was about to speak again, Xie Yulong smiled and changed the subject: "Today the winter bamboo shoots from Hangzhou have just arrived. This concubine has arranged for Mama Song to buy some winter bamboo shoots and a freshly slaughtered hen. Tonight I'll make winter bamboo shoot chicken soup for you, young master. You may have eaten this dish elsewhere, but this concubine's preparation is different."

"Your culinary skill is truly remarkable — it rivals the chefs of noble households."

The man held several sheets of paper in his hands. He carefully tore them to shreds, then placed them on the charcoal brazier to burn. Once every scrap had turned to ash, he stared at the coals in a daze for a moment, then spoke: "When I return to the capital, I'll have them gift this garden to you. Guarding this place, you'll be able to live well. As for your father's case, I'll make inquiries once I'm back..."

Xie Yulong lowered her head, gently rubbing the corners of her eyes with her fingers. When she looked up, her face bore a calm smile: "This concubine thanks you, young master."

"After I leave, do not tell anyone I was here. If fate allows, we may meet again someday — but most likely we will not." The man spoke with his head lowered.

Xie Yulong nodded, but this time said nothing. The man raised his head, looked at Xie Yulong's face, and said softly, "You are as clever as ice and snow — you can see through me and guess my origins. We are not fated for each other. Meeting you was my good fortune, and that is enough."

"Young master..." Xie Yulong's smile had grown somewhat stiff, her voice trembling.

The man was about to speak when something occurred to him. He asked in a low voice, "Has Mama Song not returned yet?"

At this, Xie Yulong also found it strange. She said, "Mama Song took a carriage into the city. Even with the snow, she should have been back by now."

The man's expression turned cold. Xie Yulong raised her voice and called out, "Lüluo, Lüluo..."

She called several times, but no one answered. Xie Yulong began to panic. Puzzled, she said, "This concubine told Lüluo not to disturb us, but she should have been waiting in the side room next door. She would have heard me calling like this."

Lüluo was Xie Yulong's personal maidservant, always at her side. But when Xie Yulong spent time with this man, she preferred no one else around to disturb them, so she had the maid wait in the side room for her summons.

"Stop calling. I'll go out and look," the man said in a deep voice. Xie Yulong was about to say she would go look herself, but she saw the man removing all his ornaments and trinkets, tucking up his robes, then taking the longsword from beside the divan into his hand. He strode toward the door.

Scholars wearing swords was a set custom, but many a student's sword had never even been sharpened — mere decoration. Yet Xie Yulong knew this man's sword was no ornament. She was sensitive to smells, and could detect the faint scent of blood on that blade — not to mention that the man honed and maintained it every day, and practiced with it in the courtyard.

The man took a sip of the honeyed ginger raw tea, then rose with sword in hand and walked out. For a moment, Xie Yulong did not know what to say. Watching him pass by, a sudden feeling seized her — that the man would never return. If she were tactful, she should say nothing at such a moment. Yet she could not help but ask in a trembling voice, "My lord, if this journey has no return, have you nothing to say to this concubine?"

The address "my lord" made the man pause. He said in a muffled voice, "We met by chance, like drifting duckweed — there is nothing to say. Do not worry or fear; they will not make things difficult for you."

As he spoke, the man passed by the woman. Xie Yulong heard him murmuring two lines of poetry under his breath: "Since ancient times, who among men has escaped death? Leave a loyal heart to shine through history." She heard it very clearly.

Hearing those two lines, Xie Yulong covered her face. She could no longer hold back her flowing tears. Whether the man held her in his heart or not, Xie Yulong did not know — but she knew there would be no chance to meet again.

The man pushed open the door and stepped outside. The snow was light, drifting and fluttering down. In the courtyard stood several men dressed in close-fitting combat attire, weapons in hand, positioned on all four sides. Seeing him emerge, they did not attack — merely gestured for him to proceed in a certain direction.

"How frivolous," the man said disdainfully. He drew a deep breath and strode in that direction.

Snowflakes drifted down; a light breeze blew. The bamboo groves of Jade Ripple Garden swayed — the snowy scene was exquisitely beautiful. Yet every few paces stood armored warriors holding weapons in solemn silence; archers occupied the high ground, and men with short weapons prowled among the bamboo. This rather spoiled the scenery.

The man's face showed neither alarm nor fear, only a faint smile at the corner of his lips. Thus guided, step by step, he walked toward the garden's exit.

Outside the main gate of Jade Ripple Garden lay a large clearing ringed by bamboo groves — a space for carriages, horses, and sedan chairs from the city to park. When the man stepped through the main gate, he saw over two hundred cavalry and infantry arrayed in strict formation outside. Looking around, the entire garden had been completely surrounded.

Before that large force of over two hundred stood several men. A middle-aged man, seeing this man emerge, said with a laugh, "Oh, so it's Eunuch Kuang Ming who's come! To think they'd send the capable and trusted favorite of the Directorate of Ceremonial to take charge — Jining is truly honored."

Having said this, the middle-aged man turned to a towering, brawny man seated on a camp stool and introduced him: "This is Eunuch Kuang, who oversees the Classics Printing Office in the Directorate of Ceremonial — Wei Zhongxian's most capable and trusted confidant. Though nominally in charge of printing, he is in truth Wei Zhongxian's strategist, able to reach into anything, go anywhere — a man truly accomplished in both civil and military arts."

"Assistant Commissioner Ma, it's been a long time. Have you made it to Circuit Intendant here yet?" Kuang Ming, whose background had just been exposed, asked with a smile in return.

Having his shortcomings prodded to his face, Ma Chonghao showed not the slightest anger. He merely answered with a laugh, "The rules here are strict — I haven't reached that position yet."

Kuang Ming laughed heartily, drew his sword from its sheath, tossed the scabbard aside, and assumed a stance. In a clear voice he declared, "Since it's come to this, what use is all this chatter? Taking me alive is impossible — come on!"

At that moment, the towering, brawny man seated on the camp stool slowly rose. This giant was encased from head to toe in iron armor; as he stood, the plates of his armor clanked and clattered.

Once standing, this armored giant towered a full half-head above everyone present. Combined with his plate armor, he appeared terrifyingly imposing — in Kuang Ming's eyes, he seemed like a demon god.

"From Jining to Qingjiangpu — all of this scheming, you executed it well. I have come to behead you!"

"This is our Zhao Battalion's Second Master, Chen Sheng," Ma Chonghao introduced with a smile from the side. Chen Sheng had already discarded his scabbard and was advancing, a long blade held in both hands.

Chen Sheng was tall and powerfully built. Clad in heavy armor and wielding a long blade, his great striding advance carried overwhelming pressure. Kuang Ming's smile faded. He sighed and muttered to himself, "The Great Ming is in peril."

Kuang Ming raised his sword and charged forward to meet him...

On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, in the third year of the Tianqi reign, the Zhao Battalion conducted a city-wide sweep in Jining. Outside the city, they beheaded one bandit chieftain and captured over a hundred internal collaborators who had planned to set fires, sow chaos, and open the gates to the bandits. The wealthiest man in Jining had his household confiscated; his entire family of over ten members had already traveled far to the capital as early as the eleventh month, narrowly escaping capture.

When the gentry and commoners of Jining heard this news, they all breathed a sigh of relief. They thought to themselves: thank goodness those Xuzhou men maintained such strict vigilance — otherwise, had the bandits truly burst into the city, what should have been a joyous New Year's celebration might well have become a chorus of wailing and endless calamity. Many even cursed those within the city whose homes had been raided and who had been arrested — among them were scholars, wealthy merchants, and even garrison troops guarding the city and runners from the yamen. Many of the scholars who had attended the recent gatherings of literati bitterly denounced them, saying these men had acted recklessly with no regard for their fellow townsmen.

Yet this outcry came to an abrupt halt just two days later. New tidings reached Jining: Yang Guodong, Regional Commander of Dengzhou and Laizhou, was leading eleven thousand troops from Shandong. They had already left Qingzhou Prefecture and entered Jinan Prefecture.

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