A bolt of lightning split the night sky, startling awake the guard who had been dozing on his feet.
The strong wind nearly extinguished the lantern flames. In the fleeting flash of lightning, two cloaked figures, their faces indistinguishable, walked straight toward them.
The guard shouted: “Who goes there? Stop! This is the Ministry of Justice prison, who dares trespass!”
The figures stopped. In a moment, a panting Ministry of Justice official caught up from behind, bowing and scraping to the leading figure: “My lord, the weather is truly terrible, there’s going to be a storm any moment. Why not… return to your residence for now? Come again early tomorrow morning, and this subordinate can also report it to my superiors.”
The man did not turn around, only said: “Is it allowed or not? Give me a straight answer.”
The official hesitated, then sighed in defeat: “Allowed. Please proceed, my lord.”
One of the guards still wanted to say something to stop them, but a gust of night wind swept by. As they passed, it flipped back the hood of the leading figure.
The guard froze completely. His companion turned to glance at the dark entrance of the prison, then asked him: “Who exactly was that? In the dead of night, without even a document, yet even a Yuanwailang didn’t dare stop him.”
“It was Gelao… no, a Gelao who has already been suspended.”
“If he’s been suspended, what’s there to fear?”
“You don’t understand,” the guard suddenly smiled, “a suspended Gelao who can still make two sitting Gelao carry his sedan poles, that’s real ability.”
***
Another bolt of lightning split the night sky, illuminating the stone lions at the gate of the Northern Surveillance Bureau.
Urgent hoofbeats shattered the quiet alley. Shen Qi wore a dark, ink-dyed flying-fish robe woven with silver; the hem billowed in the wind like black waves.
He dismounted outside the stone steps. Gao Shuo, who had been waiting by the gate, immediately stepped forward and said in a low voice: “My lord, His Majesty is in the main hall.”
Shen Qi asked: “Do you know his purpose?”
Gao Shuo shook his head: “His Majesty brought only a dozen or so imperial guards. It’s Shi Qianhu on duty tonight, he received the imperial arrival. Since he didn’t know why His Majesty came, he signaled me to quickly report to you.”
At the second watch, the emperor had arrived at the Northern Surveillance Bureau without any warning. At that time, Shen Qi had returned alone to the Shen residence to rest, because Su Yan had informed him beforehand that he would be out tonight on business. Upon receiving the spy’s urgent report, he immediately got up, dressed, and rode swiftly to the office.
“My lord, this subordinate feels something strange about tonight. If His Majesty had orders for us, a secret edict would have sufficed, why would he personally come?”
Shen Qi raised a hand to stop Gao Shuo from continuing, and said calmly: “What it is exactly, we’ll know once we meet His Majesty.”
His right hand unconsciously pressed against the hilt of his embroidered spring saber. Then he ascended the steps, crossed the wide front courtyard, and walked toward the main hall guarded by imperial attendants.
“Your subject Shen Qi kowtows to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty peace.”
Zhu Helin sat behind the main desk, in the seat Shen Qi usually occupied, flipping through a newly closed case file. Several more dossiers from the Northern Surveillance Bureau were stacked on the desk before him.
“Bring a seat for Commandant Shen,” Zhu Helin ordered without looking up, turning another page.
Shi Yanshuang and the other Embroidered Uniform Guard stood with hands lowered on both sides of the hall, not daring to breathe loudly. An imperial guard brought a round stool and placed it in the center below the hall, signaling Shen Qi to sit.
Shen Qi thanked him and sat, his expression calm: “Your Majesty’s sudden visit in the middle of the night, has some major case arisen, or is there an urgent secret task for this subject and the others to carry out?”
Zhu Helin lifted his gaze from the edge of the pages to look at him: “There is a major case.”
“Please instruct.”
“A certain minister has colluded with rebels, harboring them, passing messages, slaughtering officers and soldiers, secretly assisting their treasonous plot. Such a person, false in loyalty but truly treacherous, what crime should he bear?”
Shen Qi’s expression did not change as he replied: “According to the law, death by lingchi, with extermination of the three clans.”
In Zhu Helin’s scrutinizing gaze flickered a sharp and forceful cold light. After a moment, he smiled faintly: “If so, then I ask Commandant Shen to punish himself according to the law and submit to arrest.”
Shi Yanshuang was shocked, dropping to his knees in haste: “Your Majesty, Lord Shen has always been utterly loyal to the court and to Your Majesty, there is no possibility he would commit such treason. There must be a misunderstanding. Who has falsely accused Lord Shen? This person harbors malicious intent, Your Majesty!”
“—It was Zhen! Whether it is a false accusation or not, you, Shen Qi, know in your own heart.” Zhu Helin threw down the file and slammed the table as he rose. “Or will you not shed tears until you see the coffin, do you want to confront the Embroidered Uniform Guard informant who survived your failed attempt to silence him?”
Silence him? Embroidered Uniform Guard? Shi Yanshuang looked at Shen Qi in shock. Could His Majesty be referring to the three Embroidered Uniform Guard informants who were supposedly killed while tracking the thief of the imperial genealogy a few days ago? They hadn’t died, and were now accusing Lord Shen as the true culprit who silenced them?
No matter what, Shi Yanshuang still believed Shen Qi was not a traitor. Especially with Su Yan keeping him in check, how far could he go? He shook his head in disbelief and kowtowed to Zhu Helin: “There must be something hidden behind this matter. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!”
Zhu Helin ignored him and fixed his gaze on Shen Qi: “I should have thought of it long ago. Ever since my father departed… no, perhaps even while he was still on the throne, you were already playing both sides, secretly colluding with the Void Sect and the Player. Otherwise, how could something have gone wrong with the prison cart escorting Mr. He while it was in your hands?”
“And then, my royal father’s matter… all rests on that single edict in your possession. That edict didn’t even bear the imperial seal, who knows whether it was real or fake? From beginning to end, this whole affair could be said to have been arranged by you alone. All the inside details are your one-sided account, and no one can hear my royal father’s voice, you are using the emperor to command…”
Zhu Helin paused for a moment, then suddenly erupted in a sharp shout: “Shen Qi! How dare you!”
Everyone in the hall knelt prostrate on the ground, unwilling to face the emperor’s fury. Only Shen Qi slowly rose to his feet. His fierce, wolf-like eyes lifted from below, fixing on the coiled-dragon rank badge on Zhu Helin’s chest. Beneath his handsome human exterior, it seemed as though a savage beast might burst forth at any moment and bite that dragon body clean in two.
Under that gaze, Zhu Helin felt a chilling pain down to his bones. But the young emperor did not shrink back; instead, he stepped forward against the killing aura and sneered coldly at Shen Qi: “I came today with only a dozen personal guards. If you intend to strike, now is your best chance. Miss this moment, and what awaits you is three thousand six hundred cuts of lingchi! Well? Why not make your move?”
***
The prison corridor was damp and dim, iron bars lining both sides. The swaying lantern light revealed another world that never saw the sun.
An official led Su Yan and Jinghong Zhui to a cell, ordered the jailer to unlock it, and said to Su Yan with a deferential smile: “This is the one. Gelao, take your time talking. I’ll have someone bring a pot of tea.” With that, he withdrew with the jailer.
Jinghong Zhui quickly scanned the cell. Finding nothing unusual and sensing no threat, he gave Su Yan a slight nod, then stood at the doorway with his sword in his arms to prevent anyone from intruding.
The cell was not large but fairly clean. In the middle stood a low table and a small stool, with an oil lamp nearly burned out on the table. In the corner was a simple hardwood bed, covered with a dark green mattress and a thin quilt.
Cui Jinping lay facing the wall. His official robes had been stripped off during the caning at court; though he was not dressed in prison garb, he now wore only an under-robe with a coarse cotton outer garment. He seemed to be sleeping, but restlessly, coughing from time to time.
Su Yan walked over, removed his feather-satin cloak, and gently draped it over Cui Jinping.
Cui Jinping’s body twitched slightly as he stirred awake from his haze. Turning his head and seeing Su Yan, he froze: “…It’s you.”
Su Yan took the opportunity to sit at the edge of the bed and reached out to stop him from throwing off the cloak. “It’s me. I heard you caught a chill from the dampness here and fell ill, so I brought medicine to see you.”
Unable to shake off the cloak, Cui Jinping simply wrapped himself tighter in it and closed his eyes again: “These past few days, I’ve figured it out.”
“Figured out what?”
“That you knew everything long ago. That the so-called flaws were bait you deliberately left for your enemies. That in your eyes, Su Qinghe, I, Cui Pingshan, am nothing but a ridiculous clown jumping about.”
“Nonsense!” Su Yan rebuked lightly, patting his arm. “I have never looked down on you, nor have I ever treated you as an enemy. In Su Qinghe’s eyes, Cui Pingshan is a true top scholar, graceful, proud, brilliant, beyond what ordinary people can achieve.”
A sharp intake of breath escaped Cui Jinping’s throat, quickly turning into a fit of violent coughing. He curled up, pulling the cloak tighter.
Su Yan patted his back lightly. Once his breathing steadied, he continued: “And your wisdom and courage in pulling back from the brink, that’s something I admire as well.”
Cui Jinping could no longer hold back and said through gritted teeth: “Even with all that, it doesn’t mean you think much of me. After you rose swiftly through the ranks, you forgot old acquaintances, even a gate servant could casually turn me away!”
“I’m sorry, you suffered at the hands of that servant.” Su Yan apologized. “Now that servant has also betrayed me, which shows his character was flawed. That’s my fault for poor management.”
Cui Jinping rolled his eyes: “His parents couldn’t discipline him in over a decade, what does that have to do with you? You’re a grand Cabinet minister, do you have to take responsibility for the character of every servant in your household?”
Su Yan smiled: “Yes, yes, point taken. In the future, if someone under me makes a mistake, I’ll blame their parents for not raising them properly, no way it falls on me. Then why are you still angry?”
Cui Jinping turned to glare at him: “Stop joking around. I know you too well, I won’t fall for that! Just answer me directly, have you never once mentioned me before the emperor?”
Su Yan hesitated slightly, then replied: “Yes.”
“For what reason? Contempt, jealousy, or ambition?”
“None of those.”
“The emperor doesn’t favor me, so you chose to protect yourself and didn’t want to speak a fair word for me.”
“Not that either.”
“Then what is the reason!”
Su Yan sighed: “If I say that precisely because I now serve as Vice Minister of Personnel, I must be even more cautious in promoting young officials, besides their learning and ability, they should be sent to the grassroots to experience the people’s livelihood, correct their thinking, and train their administrative skills, so as not to repeat the ‘Hurt Zhong Yong’ tragedy and instead ruin promising talent, can you understand?”
Though many of the terms sounded oddly foreign, as if forcibly translated from another language, somehow the meaning still came across clearly. Cui Jinping froze, suddenly threw off the cloak, sat up, and stared at Su Yan: “You’re lying! That’s an excuse you came up with afterward.”
“I’m really not lying.” Su Yan said helplessly. “This idea has long been in my mind, I just can’t prove it to you. But one thing is certain, after the three courier officials were interrogated by imperial order, Xie Shiyan and Jiang Chunnian pushed all responsibility onto you, saying you, out of jealousy of your cohort, had withheld memorials and delayed military reports, while they were merely misled by you and spoke out against me in righteous indignation.”
Cui Jinping was shocked and furious: “What! N-no, that’s not it… how can they be so shameless, speaking lies with their eyes open!”
Su Yan said: “Killing the donkey after it has ground the millstone, abandoning pawns to save the chariot, has this ever been rare throughout history? The emperor was very angry and originally intended to punish you severely, but I stopped him. I told His Majesty that Cui Jinping may not be entirely pure or selfless, but there is at least one thing I am certain of, he has a bottom line, and he does not easily cross it.”
“I… actually I…” Cui Jinping did not know what to say for a moment.
Su Yan placed a hand on his shoulder, applying slight pressure: “I understand you. And I also know my own flaw, I always want to arrange everything perfectly. The higher my position, the more I tend to keep everything under control. This ‘patriarch-style’ way of thinking is not good, I’ll take it as a lesson going forward.”
Cui Jinping felt somewhat ashamed and lowered his head: “It was I who gave rise to evil thoughts, nearly straying onto the wrong path, harming others and myself. You’re right, whether in judging the situation, mastering state affairs, or understanding human nature, my cultivation is still too shallow. I truly need tempering.”
Su Yan took his hand and said sincerely: “Let the past be the past. From now on, are we still friends?”
Cui Jinping slowly shook his head.
Su Yan felt a bit disappointed, and somewhat saddened. But then he heard Cui Jinping say: “Not friends, close confidants!” After a brief pause, he smiled. “You’re right.”
“These are pills prepared by the physician. Remember to take them as instructed and recover soon. In a few days, once you’re released from prison, I’m afraid your position in the Office of Transmission won’t be secure. After all, that office is responsible for compiling memorials from across the realm, the emperor would never allow someone who once withheld military reports to remain there. When the time comes, we’ll see…”
Cui Jinping cut him off: “I’ve already decided.”
“What?”
“After I’m released, I will request an imperial decree to be posted outside the capital. I want to go to the most impoverished and desolate place, to serve as a local official, a parent official.”
Su Yan was somewhat surprised: “That’s not really necessary…”
Cui Jinping smiled: “If one cannot govern a single county, how can one govern the world? ‘The carp will one day leap into a dragon”. Before, I only yearned for the ‘leap into a dragon,’ but forgot that the words ‘one day’ contain hardship, accumulation, and refinement. Qinghe, wait for me. When I return, transformed from carp to dragon, reborn anew, only then will I be worthy to stand in court beside you, to fight for the country and the people.”
Su Yan stood, brushed off the cotton lint on his sleeves, and cupped his hands solemnly in salute: “I shall await good news.”
Cui Jinping also rose from the bed and returned the salute: “I will not fail your expectations.”
Can’t wait until next week to see more? Want to show your support? Come to my Patreon where you can get 5 or more chapters of The Reincarnation of a Powerful Minister right away ! Or go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
