"Then, Your Highness, see you at the victory celebration banquet tonight."
"See you later." Meng Chifeng returned the greeting with a cupped hand. Duan Tingzhen's office was located within the palace, while Meng Chifeng was returning to the Prince's residence, so their routes differed, and the two parted ways.
When he arrived at the palace gate, he saw his servant, Mo Lang, arriving with a carriage and waiting. Upon seeing him come out, Mo Lang hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, you've finally come out."
Meng Chifeng was also a little tired and too lazy to ride a horse, so he got into the carriage. Mo Lang sat with the coachman and said to him, "The eldest son of the Xiao family came this morning and waited for more than half an hour, but left before the prince arrived."
He nodded and said, "Next time he comes, just kick him out."
Mo Lang clicked his tongue in amazement and exclaimed, "Wow, that was really loud!"
"His family did something disgusting, and he expects me to cover for it? I can't." He snorted coldly and said, "Why don't you step in, Young Master Mo Lang?"
Mo Lang immediately fell silent in embarrassment.
More than twenty years ago, the Xiao family was still a farming household. After their eldest son passed the imperial examination, the whole family moved to the capital. Their eldest son was mediocre in both ability and character, and his official career was not smooth. The family would have been content with that, but one day news suddenly came that the Xiao family's second daughter, who had entered the palace years earlier, had become a Noble Consort and had given birth to a prince. This was incredibly lucky, and the Xiao family became rich overnight.
Meng Chifeng vaguely remembered the palace servants saying that his mother had been favored by the emperor in her early years, but her fall from favor was partly due to her family's influence. However, she seemed obsessed with that family of leeches and wouldn't allow him to express any dissatisfaction. Meng Chifeng respected his mother from the bottom of his heart and had always taken good care of the Xiao family over the years; who would have thought she would raise such a bunch of scoundrels?
The incident was triggered by his cousin's abduction of a woman in broad daylight. The woman, with a fiery temper, saw that she could not escape and died on the spot, her eyes wide open in disbelief.
The crowd was outraged and nearly came to blows with the arriving soldiers. The Xiao family's arrogance over the years had finally provoked public outrage. The petition drum was supposed to be struck twice a day, yet people struck it daily. Hundreds gathered to watch as the bailiffs accepted the petition, dragged the drummer inside, beat him, and threw him out. Though they did nothing but watch, the sheer number of people growing day by day terrified even the bailiffs.
Under these circumstances, it didn't matter who was backing the Xiao family. The young master of the Xiao family was sentenced to death with reprieve, and all the servants present that day were executed and their bodies thrown into a mass grave, never to be buried.
The higher-ups' patience with the Xiao family had reached its limit. It had become a consensus to destroy the Xiao family to protect the people's hearts, and Meng Chifeng was powerless to reverse the situation.
Upon returning to his residence, he summoned his advisor, Mr. Zhou, to his study. Mr. Zhou's first words were: "The Xiao family is too stupid."
Indeed, there are countless powerful, wealthy, and influential families in the capital, and many of them are bloodsuckers. The Xiao family may not be the most vicious, but they are certainly the most foolish.
Meng Chifeng was silent for a moment, then said, "This is my fault."
Mr. Zhou: "It's not too late for Your Highness to realize your mistake now; it's a great virtue to know your mistake and correct it."
He was unaware that Meng Chifeng was wrong; he regretted his oversight and indulgence of the Xiao family.
“Your Highness must now adopt a stance of severing ties with the Xiao family,” Mr. Zhou continued. “This is not the time to be sentimental about the past.”
Meng Chifeng nodded.
"Oh, right, there's one more thing." Seeing that Meng Chifeng didn't insist on protecting that family of fools, Mr. Zhou finally breathed a sigh of relief and said seriously, "Your Highness would be better off going to thank Prime Minister Duan."
He couldn't help but ask in surprise, "What's going on now?"
Mr. Zhou's tone was filled with emotion: "When rumors first spread about the Prince, it was Prime Minister Duan who used his influence to suppress them. Moreover, the heavy sentence imposed on Young Master Xiao was also Prime Minister Duan's idea. Although it may seem like he was disrespecting the Prince, it actually protected the Prince's reputation among the people. As for the Xiao family, we'll wait for the Prince to return and deal with them."
After listening to Mr. Zhou recount the details, Meng Chifeng vaguely understood Duan Tingzhen's plan. When he thought of that person, his previous indifference disappeared, replaced by an indescribable feeling.
After a moment of silence, he sighed, "I am indeed inferior to him."
"Duan Xiangzhi's character is truly a model for the gentry." Mr. Zhou sighed, "The situation is extremely unfavorable to the prince. If he were to turn the tables on him, the prince's reputation among the people would be ruined, and the losses in the court would be considerable as well. But if the prince loses power, it would not be a good thing for the Great Chu."
Duan Tingzhen had no selfish motives towards the Great Chu, and Meng Chifeng could not refute this point.
Seeing that he was willing to accept the advice, Mr. Zhou finally spoke out what he had been holding back for a long time.
"I don't know why Your Highness dislikes Prime Minister Duan. I dare to guess that it's probably because of the argument when the late Emperor first passed away. The Emperor is so old now, why dwell on it? Your Highness hasn't returned to the capital many times in the past six years, but everyone in the world has seen how Prime Minister Duan has devoted himself to the Great Chu."
"His Majesty is still young. The Prince and Prime Minister Duan are the cornerstones of the Great Chu court. If the Prince and Prime Minister Duan are at odds, how can the country be at peace? Prime Minister Duan's actions may well be an attempt to curry favor with the Prince. What is the purpose of this? Isn't it for the sake of the Great Chu empire?"
He paused for a moment, then continued, "Even for the sake of the Emperor, Your Highness should not continue to contend with Prime Minister Duan. To put it bluntly, the Emperor was born without parents and was raised by Your Highness and Prime Minister Duan until he was five years old. In the Emperor's heart, Your Highness and Prime Minister Duan are both like fathers. How can the Emperor not worry if the two fathers are at odds?"
These words struck a chord with Meng Chifeng. He was unwilling to marry for various reasons and would never have children of his own; therefore, the young emperor was his biological child. And that was exactly what he had been doing all these years.
"I understand," Meng Chifeng said. "When I have time, I will personally visit to express my gratitude."
Hearing this, Mr. Zhou finally felt relieved and asked, "Has Your Highness thought things through regarding the Xiao family? What are the plans?"
Meng Chifeng replied, "It will certainly be handled according to the law. There is as much irrefutable evidence as there is, and that's the method we'll use. I won't say a word more. Tomorrow I will submit a memorial requesting a thorough investigation."
Mr. Zhou stood up, bowed, and said, "Your Highness is very understanding and righteous."
"What kind of profound righteousness do I have?" Meng Chifeng said self-deprecatingly, then added with a hint of indifference, "The Xiao family should be attending the palace banquet tonight. I'd like to see what face they have to see me."
Chapter 3
When the late emperor first ascended the throne, to appease Meng Chifeng, he posthumously conferred upon his deceased mother the title of Imperial Concubine. According to the laws of the Great Chu, the family of an Imperial Concubine could be granted the rank of fourth-class viscount, which is why the Xiao family has a seat at tonight's victory banquet.
However, the Xiao family's location was at the very back.
The head of the Xiao family was unaware of the impending disaster. He was still worried about his son who had caused trouble and was thinking of talking to Meng Chifeng later to ask him to release his son. Unfortunately, he was destined to be disappointed.
As the victory banquet began, Duan Tingzhen read out the rewards bestowed upon everyone. Meng Chifeng, as the commander-in-chief, knelt at the very front, listening absentmindedly. In fact, he had already read the decree beforehand, and had even revised it several times, so he didn't care about the content. Instead, he focused on listening to Duan Tingzhen's voice, suddenly finding himself somewhat engrossed.
After the imperial edict was read aloud, the young emperor returned to the palace, and the others continued their activities. Singing, dancing, drinking, and poetry recitation each took their turn, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.
Meng Chifeng drank some wine and relaxed considerably. Thinking of what Mr. Zhou had said to him that afternoon, and seeing Duan Tingzhen sitting alone opposite him, he couldn't help but step forward and say, "Prime Minister Duan, I'd like to offer you a toast."
However, Duan Tingzhen hated being pressured to drink, but he couldn't directly refuse Meng Chifeng's request, so he just touched his lips to the wine. Unexpectedly, the man, perhaps drunk and not thinking clearly, actually burst out laughing. Duan Tingzhen didn't say anything, just looked at him calmly.
Meng Chifeng suddenly felt that this guy was enraged. For some reason, the Duan Tingzhen in front of him, dressed in the same official robes, seemed to be a completely different person from the mature and composed Prime Minister Duan from a few months ago. So he said, "This king..."
"I will not sit with the father of that wretched man who drove this girl to her death!"
Suddenly, a minister stood up and shouted, interrupting Meng Chifeng's words.
So they followed the crowd's gaze to the spot where the sound had come from.
Just as everyone was getting into a drunken frenzy, many people stood up and walked around, toasting each other, and suddenly there was complete silence.
The man who spoke was known for his stubbornness; he would bite anyone who challenged him and never back down, always appearing ready to die for his principles. He had given Meng Chifeng no shortage of headaches. Originally, Duan Tingzhen had persuaded him to stay and promised to give him an explanation when Duan Tingzhen returned. However, he had drunk a few too many drinks today and lost his temper, cursing the Xiao family on the spot, which was practically tantamount to embarrassing Meng Chifeng.
Meng Chifeng usually spent his days hanging out with a bunch of rough men in the military camp, so his temper wasn't exactly good. Some people immediately muttered to themselves, "Is Chen Daquan, this tough guy, really going to turn into a skeleton today?" They couldn't help but secretly look at Duan Tingzhen, wondering if he would step in to smooth things over.
Before the two could make any move, the man, emboldened by alcohol, stepped forward and pointed at Meng Chifeng, cursing, "The late emperor misjudged you! It's a pity that the late emperor, with his illustrious reputation, entrusted the country to someone like you! When you allowed your maternal uncle's family to bleed the people dry, did you ever think of the late emperor's kindness to you? Utterly shameless!"
"What did you say?" A burly man rushed out. He had been among the generals receiving their rewards, and was positioned quite close to the front. His eyes were wide open, veins bulging on his forehead, and his fists were clenched. Even a scholar, usually confined to books, could easily discern the immense power within him. If that fist were to strike, well…
His colleagues quickly came forward and pulled him away.
The atmosphere in the main hall gradually became heavy, as if a storm was brewing.
Meng Chifeng remained silent for a long time, then suddenly couldn't help but laugh out loud. He had indeed made a mistake in this matter, and having this old man point it out on the spot gave him an opportunity to express his stance. He hadn't originally intended to tolerate it, but this opportunity to win people over was like a pillow delivered when one is sleepy—how could he refuse it?
Seeing his solemn expression, the crowd stood up, left their seats, walked to the minister, and bowed deeply to him with extremely sincere expressions.
"Your Excellency is absolutely right. This matter was my fault."
Having said that, he straightened up and bowed to the crowd: "My maternal uncle's family has done such a thing, and I must at least bear the responsibility for my negligence. Moreover, they have been committing crimes in my name, so I cannot shirk my responsibility now. A true man should be accountable for his actions; since I have made a mistake, I will accept the punishment! According to the laws of the Great Chu, I and the Xiao family will be judged as appropriate, and I will have no objections!"
In the silence, a series of sounds suddenly broke the silence—the sound of the Xiao family patriarch falling and knocking over a wine bottle.
Duan Tingzhen gave a look to the palace maid beside him, who hurriedly helped the Xiao family patriarch to his feet, only to find that he was already too weak to stand. The poor palace maid was just a young girl not yet twenty years old, and she couldn't support this hundred-plus pounds of fat. The two of them fell to the ground together.
Fortunately, two more eunuchs soon arrived and finally got him to sit down comfortably.
“Lord He may be acting in the interest of the country and its people, but he is being too hasty,” Duan Tingzhen finally spoke up, saying, “When the Prince returned to the capital, he went to the palace to apologize to the Emperor, saying that the matter of the Xiao family should be decided by the law. If the Xiao family’s property is confiscated, in addition to returning the property to the victims, the rest will be handed over to the court to appease the dead and wounded soldiers.”
Lord Chen snorted coldly and said, "Prime Minister Duan is of noble character, but he is only thinking of the court. He privately feels that without Prince Jin, there are no good generals in the court. But does Prime Minister Duan know that if you cover up a festering sore, it will only get worse?"
"Lord Chen, you've wronged me," Duan Tingzhen said with a smile. "My discord with the Prince is not a recent thing. If it were truly about protecting a good general, there would be no rush. However, we are both pillars of the court, and the Prince's usual actions are evident to all. Lord Chen's claim that the Prince allowed his maternal uncle's family to commit violence is going too far."
Upon hearing this, Meng Chifeng bowed for the third time that day to Duan Tingzhen.
He said, "Prime Minister Duan is a man of great wisdom and understanding, and I am ashamed to admit my inferiority. I have offended you in the past, please forgive me."
At this point, the others also began to persuade Lord Chen, who was momentarily embarrassed, but eventually backed down as well. With a faint air of awkwardness, everyone resumed their drinking, stealing glances at Meng Chifeng, who seemed completely unaffected, and couldn't help but admire him.
Who among those sitting in this position doesn't have a relative using their name for personal gain? They might all stumble and fall one day. Seeing Meng Chifeng suffer, many felt a pang of sympathy, though not outright hatred. Duan Tingzhen's act of setting aside personal grudges to protect Meng Chifeng was truly astonishing, earning them admiration for his extraordinary magnanimity. As for Meng Chifeng, his ability to bend and stretch was enough to win over the crowd.
Looking at the Xiao family patriarch being driven away by the palace servants, some people sighed and said, "They say it's a brave man cutting off his own arm, but he really didn't hold back."
Because of this somewhat discordant incident, the celebration banquet ended rather hastily.
Just as Meng Chifeng was about to leave, he noticed that Duan Tingzhen was still there, so he stepped forward and said, "Is Prime Minister Duan going back to his residence? Then I should travel with you, why don't we go together?"
Duan Tingzhen glanced at him and said, "There are still some official matters to be dealt with, so I need to go and take a look."
As dusk fell, palace servants lit lanterns. The dim light cast hazy shadows all around. In the moonlight and candlelight, Meng Chifeng seemed to see a hint of a smile on Duan Tingzhen's lips.
He composed himself slightly and asked, "Are you still worried about compensation for the wounded and killed soldiers?"
"That's not all." Duan Tingzhen tilted his head and looked at him. "The other day I received a memorial from Prefect Wu of Changchuan. He said that many soldiers came from Changchuan, and many wounded returned. First, these people fought for the people but ended up disabled and could not make a living. Second, because of their difficult lives, there were more troublemakers who were difficult to manage. Therefore, he wrote a memorial to ask for a plan."
Meng Chifeng said, "Isn't the compensation money enough?"
“After layers of exploitation, how much money is left for the wounded and sick?” Duan Tingzhen shook his head. “I have heard that a wounded soldier returned home feeling like a burden to his family. Overwhelmed with guilt and self-loathing, he committed suicide. I was thinking, could we find some work for these people so that they would have an income without feeling worthless?”
Upon hearing this, Meng Chifeng truly admired him and promised, "If there is any land needed, I will not refuse."
"Didn't Duan just take the Xiao family's assets?"
Hearing him say that, Meng Chifeng smiled. Then he suddenly bowed respectfully to Duan Tingzhen.
Duan Tingzhen knew that this man already knew everything he needed to know, so he didn't dodge and accepted it openly. He even teased, "Your Highness is a hero today, but you've bent over four times tonight. Your Highness must have felt a little wronged."
Meng Chifeng stood up, looked into his eyes and said, "The first three times were mostly feigned, but this time, it is truly from the heart."
"This makes me, Duan, feel extremely ashamed." He stood in the shadows, making it difficult to see his expression clearly. Meng Chifeng swallowed hard. He had a lot to say, but he didn't know where to begin. In the past, he always felt that the man was hypocritical when he heard his unhurried voice, but now it felt like a gentle breeze in the spring, with a temperature that was just right between warm and cool, and it was pleasant to listen to.
"This bow is to thank you for your help, and also to apologize for the misunderstanding of the past," he said. "To draw conclusions based on a few idle words from others is, in retrospect, extremely foolish. Prime Minister Duan is a magnanimous man; would you be willing to forgive me?"
Duan Tingzhen's eyes were filled with a smile.
“If we’re talking about apologies, Duan should also have a share.” He bowed slightly, and as he stood up, he extended his hand to Meng Chifeng, saying, “Apologizing back and forth is meaningless. Why don’t we shake hands and make peace? What does Your Highness think?”
The crescent moon rose above the willow tips, and the surrounding light brightened. A veil of light gauze was spread on the ground, creating an ethereal, dreamlike effect. One person stood in the shadow of the eaves, the other in the bright moonlight. A warm breeze stirred the treetops, and the sound of the zither far surpassed that of the banquet earlier.
"Okay." Meng Chifeng grabbed the hand that emerged from the shadows, gave it a gentle squeeze, and when he released it, his palm seemed to still be warm.
Chapter 4
The following day, Prince Meng Chifeng of Jin submitted a memorial requesting a thorough investigation into the abuse of power by his maternal uncle's family, which shocked the entire country.
There was much discussion among the people, with some applauding and others scoffing. For the past two weeks, the Xiao family's gates have remained tightly shut. Although it was the beginning of spring, the mansion seemed to have been swept by an autumn wind, and even the stone lions at the gate looked dejected.