Half a Spoiler Chapter 27

After the Chief Cleric finished speaking, Lu Yuanguang proactively stepped forward. She first bowed halfway to the Emperor and then said, “From what I know, Gaoyi Commandery is located south of Xu Province, with a population of approximately 170,000. The commandery is rich in fertile farmland, yielding approximately 120 kilograms per acre…” Recalling the relevant details she had previously compiled from the documents, she elaborated on the situation in Gaoyi Commandery to the other court officials. At the end, she added, “Moreover, the commandery administrator conscripted corvée labor the year before last to reclaim wasteland and develop water conservancy projects. Additionally, the snow disasters of last year and this year both occurred during the agricultural off-season. Since neither the spring planting nor the autumn harvest was disrupted, even if there were disasters, how could it have led to starving people crowding the roads and corpses piling up?”

As Lu Yuanguang spoke, the Chief Cleric’s expression gradually darkened.

The other court officials also began to realize that although the young man’s words had been earnest, they were mostly generalizations. Now, with Lu Yuanguang presenting concrete data, his argument appeared particularly untenable.

Wang Qishi laughed and said, “Vice Minister Lu is truly knowledgeable and blessed with a retentive memory.”

Lu Yuanguang gave a slight bow of her head to show she didn’t dare take the credit.

Though she came from an aristocratic family, she had previously suffered from some weakness in practical affairs. Even if she could have thought of these matters before, her reasoning would never have been so clear. That she performed so exceptionally today was largely due to the influence of the Emperor.

Wen Yanran had a habit of comparing data from different years and often posed challenging questions. At first, Lu Yuanguang couldn’t answer every one of them. Fortunately, the Emperor was generous and never reprimanded her for her lack of professional skill.

In Lu Yuanguang’s view, compared to the difficulty of earlier imperial audiences, the Chief Cleric’s eloquence today was actually rather mediocre…

The Chief Cleric of Gaoyi Commandery could tell the situation was turning against him, yet he stubbornly stuck to his story and insisted, “The realities on the ground are complex. Your Excellency should not rely solely on numbers on paper.”

Wen Yanran chuckled behind the screen, thinking this was actually a fair point – though hardly appropriate under the circumstances.

Lu Yuanguang flicked her sleeve dismissively. “If we are not to trust the reports from previous years, should we then base our judgment solely on what the two of you claim?”

The Chief Cleric drew himself upright and declared boldly, “If Your Excellency does not believe me, let us consult the oracles and seek divine judgment!”

After a period of learning and adaptation, Wen Yanran was no longer as completely in the dark as she had been upon first arriving. She understood that the other party’s suggestion to use divination to determine the outcome was not due to a lack of respect for the intelligence of the court officials, but because this was genuinely a common method in this era for ascertaining the truth.

Under other circumstances, the court officials might not have given it much thought. However, having just been admonished by the Emperor the day before due to the Xuanyangzi incident, and now facing criticism from former Grand Tutor Yuan this morning, it was hard for them not to let their minds wander.

Lu Yuanguang also frowned, staring coldly at the Chief Cleric for a moment before saying, “When you speak of consulting the oracles, do you perhaps intend to ask the State Preceptor to perform the divination?”

The Gaoyi Chief Cleric replied, “It is known throughout the land that unless the matter is of critical importance to the state, one must not seek divination from the Tianfu Palace. Given that the capital is full of talented individuals, why not select a worthy to conduct the divination?”

Hearing this, Lu Yuanguang understood even more clearly: if things really came down to relying on divination to determine the outcome, and if that Xuanyangzi were still alive, he would most likely be recommended to perform the divination.

“Since you state this with such certainty, may I ask exactly how many disaster victims there are in Gaoyi Commandery?”

The Chief Cleric of Gaoyi Commandery replied, “Those displaced number over twenty thousand.”

Behind the screen, Wen Yanran rested her cheek on one hand.

Gaoyi Commandery had a population of one hundred and seventy thousand. Twenty thousand disaster victims was, by the numbers alone, a significant figure. Moreover, in this era, people lived in clustered kinship groups – the larger the clan, the stronger its ability to withstand risks. If, as the Chief Cleric claimed, twenty thousand people were displaced, it would mean that the majority of impoverished small households had failed to survive this disaster.

Lu Yuanguang pressed on, “What was this year’s autumn harvest yield, and how much was spent on disaster relief?”

At this point, the Chief Cleric of Gaoyi Commandery began to falter, managing only to stammer out two vague figures.

Though the Chief Cleric could not recall clearly, Lu Yuanguang remembered perfectly. She declared clearly, “According to your own account, Gaoyi Commandery’s autumn harvest this year was actually better than in previous years. Even with the expenses of disaster relief, how could it possibly have resulted in twenty thousand displaced people?”

The Chief Cleric opened his mouth several times but failed to produce a sound.

Lu Yuanguang stepped forward and bowed. “This man’s statements are riddled with inconsistencies and falsehoods. I implore Your Majesty to see through them.”

The face of the Gaoyi Chief Cleric turned ashen. Behind him, the Chief Cleric of Xiangqing Commandery went so far as to cover his head and face with his sleeve, trembling slightly, as if too ashamed to show his face.

At that moment, He Tingyun, the Censor-in-chief who had been observing coldly all along, suddenly strode forward and pulled the man’s arm away, allowing all the court officials to see his current state.

Wen Yanran, whose view was physically obscured by the screen, turned her gaze to the inner official beside her. The latter, quick-witted, quietly relayed the situation in the hall to the Emperor.

Compared to the ever-articulate Chief Cleric of Gaoyi Commandery, the Chief Cleric of Xiangqing Commandery – whom most had overlooked as little more than a background presence – had actually not been idle himself. While his companion drew most of the attention, he had quietly retrieved the commandery’s documents, torn them to pieces, and swallowed them. His actions served as a practical reminder to Wen Yanran that it was probably about time for lunch…

He Tingyun declared, “According to the Zhou Code, those who forge official documents shall be punished by enslavement to the government.” He then added, “This person has openly destroyed documents in the court hall – his punishment should be increased by one degree.”

The Chief Cleric of Xiangqing Commandery first bowed deeply, then stammered, “I… I was the one who destroyed the documents. I will accept any punishment due, but I only beg Your Excellencies not to implicate the Governor on my account.”

Wang Qishi flicked his sleeve dismissively. “When a subordinate acts recklessly and perversely, it is naturally the fault of their superior. Moreover, do you think that by swallowing the documents, others will remain ignorant of your purpose in coming to the capital?” He stepped forward and bowed, saying, “Your Majesty, please take note. The Governors of Xiangqing and Gaoyi Commanderies have failed in their virtues. I petition to dispatch censors to summon both to the Ministry of Justice.”

“Summon to the Ministry of Justice” meant arresting and interrogating them in prison.

As a Vice Minister, Wang Qishi held a respected position and enjoyed considerable prestige. Once he spoke, many court officials voiced their agreement in succession.

The officials gazed at the mica screen before them, awaiting the Emperor’s final judgment. After a moment, a voice emerged from behind it –

“These two have shown disrespect before the throne. Take them to the Youtai Prison to await trial. As for the matters concerning Gaoyi and Xiangqing Commanderies, we shall deliberate further after noon.”

The court officials had been seated in the Heqing Hall all morning, and many were suffering from soreness in their joints, eager to leave as soon as possible. Some of the older ministers, weary and short on energy, had long been nodding off. Wang Qishi observed his colleagues’ condition and, though somewhat disappointed that the punishment for the two Chief Clerics could not be finalized immediately, resigned himself to patiently addressing the matter of lunch first.

While the court officials were still making their way in groups toward their respective ministries, Wen Yanran had already returned to the Western Yong Palace. As she changed her attire, she instructed the inner official to read aloud, word by word, the sole preserved document from Gaoyi Commandery.

Though the weather was as cold as ever, the snowfall, at least, was not particularly heavy.

Wen Yanran had been on duty in the Heqing Hall all morning and wasn’t much in the mood to move. The attentive inner official directly carried the dining tray into the Emperor’s bedchamber. Noting that it was almost time for the midday rest and estimating that the Emperor wouldn’t have much appetite, Chi Yi served a small plate of greens simmered in chicken broth.

In this era, with greenhouse technology not yet widely applied, having fresh green vegetables in the dead of winter was by no means a sign of austerity. On the contrary, it was a luxury only affluent households could afford.

Wen Yanran ate a few greens and took a couple of sips of the meat broth, then instructed the inner official to remove the dining tray. After rinsing her mouth, she suddenly asked, “Is the Director of the Imperial Household still kneeling outside?”

Chi Yi replied, “Yes.”

Wen Yanran nodded and smiled. “The meat broth today is quite good. Serve a bowl to the Director as well and have him wait in the side hall.” She then dismissed all the other palace attendants, keeping only Chi Yi to attend to her in the chamber.

Chi Yi moved behind the Emperor, gently loosened her hair bun, assisted her in lying down, and then drew the bed curtains shut.

No sound came from within the curtains, yet Chi Yi intuitively sensed that the Emperor was not yet asleep.

Wen Yanran said, “Ah-Yi, bring me the document from Gaoyi Commandery.”

Chi Yi complied, then asked, “Does Your Majesty wish to review it now?”

Resting on her right arm, Wen Yanran spoke softly to the figure outside the curtains, “This document states that Gaoyi Commandery has too many displaced people. If the provincial granaries are not opened for relief, it may lead to local unrest.”

Chi Yi understood that the Emperor was merely thinking aloud to sort through the logic of the situation, not truly seeking conversation. She held the document and stood quietly in attendance.

After all, Wen Yanran was not truly a thirteen-year-old child but an adult with ample experience working overtime. Reflecting, she mused, “This matter is either true or false.”

Chi Yi recalled that earlier today, Lu Yuanguang, the Vice Minister of Revenue, had already refuted the contents of the Gaoyi Commandery document as absurd. Why, then, did the Emperor propose two possibilities?

Her heartbeat suddenly quickened, and a vague idea surfaced in her mind…

Gazing at the canopy above the bed, Wen Yanran smiled and said, “The Marquis of Quanling has always been known for her virtue and wisdom. Although she currently remains outside the capital, she spent a considerable amount of time in Jianping and must be well aware of the capabilities of the court officials.

“Vice Minister Lu was correct today. Judging from the autumn harvest, the disaster in Gaoyi Commandery should not have been severe enough to produce twenty thousand displaced people. If the officials in the Ministry of Revenue were willing to carefully investigate, the Chief Cleric’s lies would inevitably be exposed. Their only chance of success lay with Xuanyangzi. Had he smoothly entered the court as a revered immortal and I had sought his divination, they might have been granted access to the funds and grain of two provinces.”

“If the Marquis of Quanling wins this round against me, she will naturally gain control of the provincial granaries of Xu Province and Yu Province at her leisure, using the grain and supplies of two provinces to launch her rebellion. But if she fails, wouldn’t Gaoyi and Xiangqing Commanderies fall right into my hands like food in a cauldron?”

After Wen Yanran ascended the throne, the relationship between ruler and subject was firmly established across the land. Even if many local officials had initially leaned more toward the Marquis of Quanling, they would now gradually shift their allegiance to Jianping.

Wen Yanran’s voice was soft, like a wisp of mist about to disperse. “These two regions are both strongholds of her closest supporters. Why would she willingly surrender them to me?”

Chi Yi held her breath and stood motionless outside the bed curtain, her gaze involuntarily drawn to the words in the document.

Wen Yanran continued at a measured pace, “If the Xuanyangzi affair is considered one round, then this is the second round in the game between me and the Marquis of Quanling. The previous round could be considered a minor victory on my part, but if I were to underestimate the Marquis because of this, thinking her abilities are merely average, I would be giving her an opening to exploit.

“The Marquis of Quanling is known for her virtue and wisdom, has the support of powerful families, and is willing to recruit talent from humble backgrounds. With such an excellent reputation, it stands to reason that the talents she promotes are likely both capable and virtuous individuals.”

From outside the bed curtain, Chi Yi heard the Emperor chuckle softly, then remark leisurely, “But would a truly capable and virtuous person really work for Wen Jinming out of personal gratitude, scheming to seize control of provincial granaries? Even if their character fails to withstand scrutiny, it’s unlikely they would believe they could use such clumsy lies to secure access to the granaries.”

Chi Yi could hear her own heart pounding like a drum.

If, as the Emperor said, the governors of Gaoyi and Xiangqing Commanderies – though indebted to the Marquis of Quanling and normally considered part of her faction – had not actually engaged in treasonous acts, then how should the entire incident be interpreted?

Wen Yanran pressed her fingertips to her temples and spoke slowly, “The reason the governors of Gaoyi and Xiangqing were able to suppress the local powerful families was largely due to the support of the Cui and Chu families. Especially the Cui clan – a prominent aristocratic family that has endured since the founding of the dynasty.

“Since the establishment of the Great Zhou, the people’s strength has been depleted. If the Cui clan, because of the Marquis of Quanling, withdraws its support from these two governors, or if the governors, torn between loyalty and righteousness, choose to let things slide, the long-accumulated tensions in Gaoyi and Xiangqing could erupt all at once. It would not be impossible for tens of thousands of refugees to appear as a result.”