Chapter 65: Eternal Encounter Song (Part 4)-1
During the Qingming Festival, the rain fell continuously.
Old Steward Liu Jia Rong knelt beside Zhang Jing’s tombstone, repeatedly tossing paper money into a basin. If someone came to offer incense, he would stand up and step aside, lighting the incense and handing it to them.
He Tong kept watch beside him, instructing the servants he brought to prepare the incense and candles. He had forgotten to shave, his appearance reflecting his deep exhaustion.
As Meng Yun Xian and Pei Zhi Yuan approached, they saw someone bowing and offering incense before the tombstone. Hearing their footsteps, He Tong looked up and saw Meng Yun Xian. He bowed. “Minister Meng.”
Straightening up, he looked at Pei Zhi Yuan beside Meng Yun Xian and nodded. “Minister Pei.”
The person offering incense turned around at that moment. Pei Zhi Yuan saw him dressed in a dark green brocade robe and a headcloth, his regular features weathered by time, no longer young, a short beard on his chin.
His eyes were filled with tears.
“Minister Pan.”
Pei Zhi Yuan concealed his surprise and bowed.
“There’s no need for formalities, Min Xing,” Pan You Fang wiped his face and looked at Meng Yun Xian. “Minister Meng, I wasn’t in the capital when you returned. It’s been over a decade, and only now have I managed to see you.”
“I was wondering when I returned,” Meng Yun Xian pointed to Pei Zhi Yuan beside him. “I asked Min Xing, why haven’t I seen Minister Pan? He said your father passed away, and you returned to your hometown for the mourning period.”
“Yes, three years of mourning.”
Pan You Fang looked back at the tombstone and sighed. “I heard about Minister Zhang on my way back to the capital. I hurried, but I missed the funeral. But at least, today is Qingming.”
Old Steward Liu Jia Rong timely lit the incense and offered it with a bow. Meng Yun Xian took it first. Pei Zhi Yuan, standing a few steps behind them, also took the incense and bowed.
After offering incense, Meng Yun Xian stared at the inscription on the tombstone for a long time before turning to He Tong. “Your eyes are very swollen. Didn’t your wife apply a warm compress?”
“It’ll be fine in a few days.”
He Tong’s voice was hoarse, his nose stuffy.
“Scholar He, my condolences.”
Pan You Fang looked over and offered his comfort.
He Tong lowered his head and murmured a response.
Meng Yun Xian wanted to stay longer, but Pei Zhi Yuan reminded him of unfinished business at the Department of State Affairs. He turned to walk towards the carriage parked nearby. Many people came and went, and those who recognized him bowed to him.
“Is Minister Pan also going to the palace?”
Meng Yun Xian stopped and looked back at the approaching Pan You Fang.
“Yes, I returned to the capital today and haven’t seen His Majesty yet.” Pan You Fang nodded, his eyes still slightly red. “Why don’t you come with me, Minister Meng?”
Meng Yun Xian said, “If His Majesty knows you came to pay respects to Chong Zhi as soon as you returned, I’m afraid he’ll be angry.”
“Many officials have already come. If I don’t come because of this, wouldn’t it be too heartless? Minister Zhang was the chief examiner when I took the imperial examinations. He personally graded my papers and recognized my talent.”
Pan You Fang’s expression was clear and composed. “Even if His Majesty asks, this is what I will say.”
“Come with me, Minister Meng. Don’t you have any questions for me?”
He said.
Meng Yun Xian paused. “What should I ask you?”
“About Yongzhou, about the incident at Mu Shen Mountain.”
Rain pattered against the umbrella. Pan You Fang tucked his hands into his sleeves. “Back then, Jiang Xian Ming was the Governor of Yongzhou, and I was the imperial commissioner sent to the border.”
“Of course I remember you were the commissioner. Chong Zhi recommended you,” Meng Yun Xian gestured for his servant to raise the umbrella higher. “I’ve already questioned you and Jiang Xian Ming about the military reports from Yongzhou, the testimonies of so many people. What else is there to ask?”
“But I don’t understand why Minister Zhang…”
Pan You Fang hesitated. He swallowed, his voice slightly hoarse. “I also heard about his dying words.”
“Who knows?”
Meng Yun Xian shook his head. “We parted ways in the past, now separated by death. Chong Zhi and I haven’t had anything to say to each other for fifteen years.”
“Let’s go, we’ll enter the palace together,” Meng Yun Xian said.
Pan You Fang nodded silently, walking alongside Meng Yun Xian under the umbrella. They soon encountered Jiang Xian Ming, supported by his servant.
Since Zhang Jing’s execution, Jiang Xian Ming had been seriously ill, confined to his bed for many days, only managing to come here today to pay his respects.
Seeing Pan You Fang walking with Meng Yun Xian, Jiang Xian Ming was surprised. He bowed to them. “Minister Meng, Minister Pan.”
“Are you ill, Censor Jiang?” Pan You Fang looked at him.
“Just a minor illness. I missed Minister Zhang’s funeral. I had to come today, no matter what,” Jiang Xian Ming said, coughing violently.
“Then you go ahead. Minister Meng and I will enter the palace first,” Pan You Fang said.
Meng Yun Xian hadn’t spoken to Jiang Xian Ming at all. Jiang Xian Ming straightened up with difficulty, watching the two ministers walk past him. He couldn’t help but call out, “Minister Meng.”
Meng Yun Xian stopped and turned around.
In the misty rain, Jiang Xian Ming took out a paper umbrella from his servant’s hand. “I have some questions for you, Minister Meng.”
Meng Yun Xian’s expression was neutral. He didn’t say anything, just glanced at Pei Zhi Yuan and said to Pan You Fang, “Minister Pan, it seems we can’t go together.”
“Why don’t I go with Minister Pan?” Pei Zhi Yuan suggested timely.
“In that case, Minister Meng, Min Xing and I will go ahead.”
Pan You Fang nodded.
Pei Zhi Yuan and Pan You Fang boarded a carriage. Meng Yun Xian watched the carriage drive away through the mud, then took the paper umbrella from his servant, who discreetly stepped back.
Amidst the lush, green mountains, Jiang Xian Ming and Meng Yun Xian stood facing each other, each holding an umbrella, silent.
“Censor Jiang, haven’t you been sleeping well?”
Meng Yun Xian finally spoke, staring at the dark circles under Jiang Xian Ming’s eyes. “Because of Chong Zhi’s dying words?”
Jiang Xian Ming didn’t deny it. “You and Minister Zhang were also close friends for many years, so I want to hear your thoughts on what he said before his execution.”
“Now, who in the court dares to speak the truth before you, Censor Jiang?” Meng Yun Xian’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
Jiang Xian Ming held the power to impeach officials based on hearsay. Everyone had to be extremely careful when speaking before him.
“What’s said today will remain between us. I will never use this against you.”
“But I have nothing to tell you, Censor Jiang. You were the one in Yongzhou, you personally ordered the execution of General Yu Jie. I was thousands of miles away, how could I know the reasons better than you?”
“Yes, indeed.”
Jiang Xian Ming threw away his umbrella, wanting to clear his confused mind. “I was also investigating the Daizhou grain supply case. Qian Wei Yin approached me first, not Minister Zhang. If I hadn’t hesitated, if I had submitted the memorial before Minister Zhang, perhaps he wouldn’t have died… He was someone I respected deeply, and I know the accusations of illegally accepting land and forming factions must be fabrications by those behind the Daizhou criminals. But I don’t understand why Minister Zhang said those words before his death. I was in Yongzhou. Everything I saw and investigated told me that I executed a traitor, a criminal who deserved to die!”
“Then continue to believe your evidence!” Meng Yun Xian stared at him from under his umbrella. “For sixteen years, haven’t you, Jiang Xian Ming, never doubted it? Just because of Chong Zhi’s dying words, you come to ask me? Then who should I ask?!”
Rainwater soaked Jiang Xian Ming’s headcloth. He was speechless.
“You are a close associate of the Emperor. If you were to submit a memorial about this grain supply case, your fate would be worse than Chong Zhi’s. I understand your hesitation, and I know you, Censor Jiang, are upright and just, not afraid of trouble.” The rain masked the surrounding noises as Meng Yun Xian approached him. “But today, I want to ask you, why do you think the Emperor regards you as a close associate?”
Jiang Xian Ming was an upright official, as was Zhang Jing. But Jiang Xian Ming was the Emperor’s upright official.
If Jiang Xian Ming brought up the grain supply case again, even with Qian Wei Yin as solid evidence, he would meet a bad end. Because in this situation where the Emperor’s edicts were absolute, he was a smokescreen presented to the world by Emperor Zheng Yuan.
Emperor Zheng Yuan used him to tell the world: See, I also have upright officials by my side, I am not a tyrant.
He was merely a figurehead, diligently serving the Emperor for over a decade, wholeheartedly devoted to him, mistakenly believing himself to be the Emperor’s ears and voice for the people.
When the Emperor didn’t want to hear him speak, he was nothing.
Jiang Xian Ming gripped the umbrella handle tightly, stunned, unable to speak.
“Censor Jiang, understanding your own situation is more important than anything.”
Meng Yun Xian said no more, turning and walking away along the muddy mountain path.
After Meng Yun Xian’s carriage left, Han Qing, the Director of the Yin Ye Si, emerged from the other side of the mountain path. He looked at Jiang Xian Ming, standing dazedly in the rain, and said to the young man beside him, “After you and I pay our respects to Minister Zhang, depart for Zezhou immediately. Don’t expect to extract anything different from those criminal officials.”
“Minister Zhang took Qian Wei Yin to the palace, and shortly after, Zheng Jian, the Hanlin Academy Reader, submitted a memorial to slander him. They’ve had enough time to fabricate the charges of Minister Zhang illegally accepting land and forming factions. Don’t interfere. I’m sending you there partly to avoid the trouble your father has caused you. How many times have you been assassinated recently? You’re covered in injuries. Go to Zezhou and recover.”
Han Qing sighed. “The Yin Ye Si serves the Emperor. Now, only by confirming Minister Zhang’s guilt can we suppress public anger. The Yin Ye Si cannot get involved in clearing his name.”
Han Qing’s heart was also filled with unspoken bitterness. Minister Meng couldn’t interfere with Minister Zhang’s case in court, and he couldn’t let the Emperor suspect anything, nor could he interact with Meng Yun Xian casually.
The Emperor had ordered the Yin Ye Si to send someone to Zezhou to supervise the local investigation and handling of the involved officials. The Yin Ye Si couldn’t disobey him.
“Rest assured, Director, Zhou Ting understands.”
Zhou Ting nodded.
Leave a Reply