"You unfilial son! This unfilial son! He carries the blood of the Song family, yet he looks exactly like those Tang family members!" Old Master Song was helped to lean against the soft couch. "I really regret not strangling him back then!"
"Since Fourth Master has spoken, send a message to the rice shops below to open the granaries and release the grain." Madam Song gently patted Master Song's back, comforting him, "They are all descendants of the Song family anyway."
“I don’t have such an unfilial son.” Old Master Song slammed his hand on the low table. “When has he ever treated me like a father? He only has his dead mother in his heart.”
Even when Song Yansi got married, he, as the father, was the last to know. Old Master Song was so angry that his head ached. "Madam, please don't mention him anymore. Just pretend I don't have this son. Our Song family doesn't count on him."
Madam Song agreed softly, but felt increasingly uncertain.
Following Song Yanji's lead, over two hundred officials and commoners responded to him, resolutely donating land and houses to relieve the disaster victims. Qingzhou's taxes were reduced, and land taxes were waived for three years. Dingbei County, which borders Qingzhou, had its royal villa converted to accommodate Qingzhou's refugees. Even in Lin'an City, over a thousand houses were built for the disaster victims to resettle those from the surrounding areas.
Song Yanji's actions were greatly praised by his allies. Grand Minister Chen Shoulan submitted a memorial praising Song Yanji's merits, comparing him to the sages of ancient times. Furthermore, as he was the last disciple of the great Confucian scholar Han Yu, his actions truly pleased Han Yu, who declared that having such a disciple was his great fortune. Thus, Song Yanji's reputation soared among scholars from all walks of life.
In the second year of the Yuanshi era, Prince Li Li of Liang, together with Zhao Mang, the prefect of Dongjun, and Huo Hongming, the commander-in-chief, launched a rebellion against the Song Dynasty. The rebellion was very powerful. Because the area was close to Ningxi, and Kong Lingju was a rare military talent, Song Yanji followed Jiang Yuan's wishes and used him. Jiang Li then reaped the benefits.
A-Yuan's personality is like her chess game: decisive yet meticulously planned.
She foresaw that Li Li would rebel, so she arranged for her brother and Kong Lingju to go to Ningxi together in advance. Jiang Li was mediocre and had no great talent, but Kong Lingju was different. He was loyal and brave, making him the best candidate to suppress the rebellion. As long as they could destroy the Liang King, when Song Yanji ascended the throne, Kong Lingju and Jiang Li would be credited with supporting the emperor.
Jiang Yuan had gone to great lengths for the Jiang family. Song Yansi couldn't help but think that in her past life, she had done the same.
Chapter 70 The Truth Revealed
Jiang Yuan repeatedly advised Jiang Zhongsi to stay away from the court intrigues. Although he was uneasy, considering what had happened recently, he ultimately listened to Jiang Yuan, feigning illness and staying away from court affairs. As a result of Song Yanji's continuous actions, the situation in the court shifted somewhat.
"May Buddha bless my children." When Jiang Zhongsi was young, he relied on his talent and intelligence, and was arrogant and disdainful of the world. He never believed in ghosts, gods, or Buddhas. But now, he was willing to seek solace in this ethereal and unknown Buddhist temple.
"Master." Ryan gently knocked on the ebony door of the Buddhist hall.
"Didn't I say not to disturb people when they are worshipping Buddha?" Jiang Zhongsi's voice was not very happy.
“This morning a servant delivered a letter to our residence.” Ruian looked at the letter in his hand, which was printed with gold thread.
The door creaked open from the inside, and sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on Jiang Zhongsi's face. The golden threads twisted and turned. He took it with trembling hands. Inside were only two sentences: "Three thousand miles of river, no other words spoken along the way."
The ink penetrated the paper with force, but his heart grew heavier and heavier. The prayer beads in his hand fell to the ground, scattered, and rolled all over the ground.
Some things are meant to come, and there's no escaping them.
The Mingwa boat sailed on the river, the water rippling gently. A beaded curtain hung on the carved phoenix screen, swaying lightly in the breeze. Jiang Zhongsi sat at the four-person table in the middle cabin, the tea in the pot slightly hot, his fingertips tracing the cup, lost in thought.
"Sir, we have arrived." The boat stopped, and soon a servant rushed upstairs to report.
Jiang Zhongsi looked towards the doorway. The beaded curtain swayed slightly, and he saw the man wearing a black lotus-shaped robe with gold thread trim and embroidered python patterns. After entering the room, he smiled and took it off. "Minister of State, it's been a long time. Is your typhoid fever any better?"
"Thank you for your concern, Grand Tutor." Jiang Zhongsi looked at Xie Shengping's smiling face without changing his expression. "I wonder what brings you here, my lord?"
“It’s precisely because of these years that we’ve grown quite distant.” Grand Tutor Xie sat down, poured himself a full cup of tea, and then, looking at Jiang Zhongsi’s empty cup, smiled and poured him a cup as well. “Back then, we talked over wine, it seems like only yesterday. In the blink of an eye, our hair has turned from white to black. Time flies, and we’ve both grown old.”
Jiang Zhongsi watched as Grand Tutor Xie used the cup lid to scrape tea leaves with one hand, his hand slightly tucked into his sleeve. "Back then, I was nothing special. How could I dare to presume to be worthy of the title of Grand Tutor?"
"Haha, that's what happens when you get old; your memory isn't so good anymore." Xie Shengping took a sip of tea. "Things from thirty years ago, I remember them every single moment; I dare not forget them in the slightest!"
"If you wish to reminisce with me about the past, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I'm quite old now, and I've forgotten most of what happened in my youth. I advise you to forget it too." Jiang Zhongsi coldly watched Xie Shengping play with the cup in his hand.
“Zheng Rang is my benefactor, he has done me a great favor, how could I ever forget him?” Grand Tutor Xie tapped the ebony tabletop with his bent fingers, as if lost in some memory. “Back then we were only in our early twenties, the time when men should be making their mark. You, me, and that young master of the Tang family, what was his name again? Right, Tang Quyi.” Grand Tutor Xie suddenly laughed. “It’s been so many years since I last mentioned him, I almost forgot about him.”
At that time, the Yongji River was prone to flooding. To pave the way for his son's future, Old Master Xie had someone in the court recommend Xie Shengping to repair canals and build embankments in Yong'an. He also conveniently assigned several young sons of officials from the local area to accompany him. These young men, mindful of the Xie family's reputation, dared not truly interfere in the project. Thus, the funds were skimmed off layer by layer, leaving very little actually for construction. In principle, repairing canals was not a major undertaking, and minor disasters were insignificant; it was common practice to resume repairs after a couple of years under the pretext of needing to rebuild.
As fate would have it, the following year, just as the sluice gates of the Yongji River were completed, Yong'an encountered a major flood, the worst in decades. The Yongji River suddenly breached its banks, reaching thirty-five points, submerging eight counties downstream and affecting over a hundred villages. Fields, houses, and graves were all submerged, leaving ruins. Countless people died or were injured, their bodies floating on the water—the tragic situation was indescribable. The survivors were displaced, starving and cold, their cries echoing for miles. Aside from those who were able to migrate elsewhere, tens of thousands were left homeless.
The disaster was so great that it could not be contained. The emperor was furious, and the construction of the Yongji River became a topic of discussion at the morning court almost every day. Old Master Xie was so anxious that his beard turned white.
As the eldest son of the Xie family's direct line, Xie Shengping could not fall, and the Xie family could not bear this blame. Therefore, all the blame naturally fell on the few who had been brought in to save face for Xie Shengping.
Deceiving superiors and embezzling funds—the charges were listed on several pages of paper. However, while the charges were in order, the accounts also needed to be documented. It was better to have someone else do it than someone else; this was their only chance to escape punishment.
"Speaking of this, I have to thank Zheng Rang. If it weren't for your good accounting, I wouldn't have been demoted from Lin'an to a local post as I was after the Yongji River incident." Xie Shengping stood up, bowed to him, and then smiled, "It's just a pity that those young masters were made scapegoats for nothing."
"Xie Shengping!" Jiang Zhongsi slammed his fist on the table. He was trembling all over. This matter was a scar he couldn't speak of, but Xie Shengping had ripped it open, exposing the rotten flesh. Because of the Yongji River case, the Tao and Luo families were wiped out, the Yin and Wang families were severely weakened, and the Tang family was instantly branded as corrupt officials. Only the Jiang family escaped unscathed, suffering only a demotion.
"Heh, we're both getting old, don't get agitated," Grand Tutor Xie chuckled, gesturing for him to sit down. "It's just that a few young masters have died."
"Are you trying to pin everything on me?" Jiang Zhongsi clenched his fist tightly in his sleeve.
"I don't understand what you're saying. Isn't that right? The Tang family, a respectable and noble official family, not only lost their most promising eldest son, but also had no choice but to marry their daughter into a merchant family to pay off this mess of debts." Grand Tutor Xie's expression remained unchanged, and his voice was unusually calm. "I remember that Miss Tang and the young master of the Fu family were childhood sweethearts and had already discussed marriage. It was Zheng Rang who ruined the marriage between the two young ladies."
Tang Songqiao had just turned sixteen that year, eagerly anticipating marrying the young master she had fallen for. However, her elder brother ran into trouble, and the Tang family's fortunes changed overnight. To save his two other sons who were imprisoned, Master Tang had to use money to pave the way. But the Tang family was a poor and respectable family, and Master Tang, as an official, was incorruptible. Where would they find the extra money to save people?
As a result, while Miss Tang was offering incense and praying for blessings, Song Xiang'an took a liking to her and was captivated by her beauty. He offered half of the Song family's wealth as a dowry to win her hand in marriage. Master Tang, having no other choice, had to kneel and beg his daughter to marry him, thus breaking off the engagement with the Fu family. Song Xiang'an was extremely shrewd in business, but he was also indiscriminate in his pursuit of women. Before the formal betrothal and marriage ceremony was even completed, he couldn't resist harassing Miss Tang and even made advances towards her maid.
Tang Songqiao, who had been well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood, had never suffered such humiliation. In a moment of despair, he hanged himself. The handkerchief remained, but the plum blossoms had withered. Young Master Fu fell seriously ill because of this. As soon as he recovered, he rushed to the merchant's shop. If he hadn't been held back, he would have almost beaten Song Xiang'an to death. From then on, he severed all ties with the Tang family.
The betrothal gifts had already been used to appease all parties and could not be returned. So, with tears in his eyes, Master Tang had no choice but to marry his youngest daughter into the Song family. At that time, Miss Tang was only thirteen years old. She was hastily married into the family in a red sedan chair. As soon as she entered the house, she was faced with a courtyard full of concubines and two illegitimate sons.
"Enough!" Jiang Zhongsi's fingertips trembled uncontrollably, his eyes blazing with fury. "It's all your fault! If you hadn't forced me back then..."
"I forced you?" Xie Shengping threw down his cup and stood up to meet his gaze. "Zhengrang, you should have a conscience. Ask yourself, if it weren't for the help of our Xie family, could you, a mere illegitimate son, have married the eldest daughter of the Prefect of Huaizhou? Without our Xie family, could you have risen so quickly, climbing from a fifth-rank official in the local area to a second-rank official in Lin'an City in just over ten years?"
Jiang Zhongsi stumbled from the question and slumped back into his chair. Xie Shengping looked down at him with an air of superiority. "But I never expected that Zheng Rang would be so ruthless, actually wanting to eliminate the root of the problem!"
At the time, he had no connections, and only a few people knew the whole story. He had no choice but to cling to the Xie family, hoping that the matter would pass. Who knew that afterwards, the two young masters of the Tang family were unwilling to accept that their elder brother had died unjustly and their sister had been humiliated. They couldn't swallow their anger and had been collecting evidence everywhere for years, trying to overturn the case for the Tang family and clear their name.
How could any of these incidents possibly trace back to Xie Shengping? He would most likely be made a scapegoat. The fates of the Tao and Luo families were still fresh in his mind; if he were implicated, what would become of the Jiang family? Seeing that there was progress on the two young masters of the Tang family, he had no choice but to strike first, trying to get them imprisoned on charges of forcibly taking innocent women. As a result, they died in prison within days. As for who did it, Jiang Zhongsi could guess with his toes; Xie Shengping never left them any way out when they were threatened.
Afterwards, the two elders of the Tang family could not bear the blow and passed away. Without the support of her maternal family, Miss Tang Er had a hard time in the Song family. She had two children in her life, but her youngest daughter was not even two years old when she was outlived by the women in the backyard.
"By the way, I heard that Zheng Rang was short of money for a while back then and got quite close to the Liu family of Shengchu Tea House. I just don't know if Lord Jiang had any influence when Miss Liu married into the Song family as a concubine." Grand Tutor Xie seemed to have thought of something again, and his beard trembled with laughter. "However, not two years after she married in, Madam Song passed away inexplicably, and because she pleased that merchant, she was promoted to the position of principal wife. It was not in vain that she gave Zheng Rang the money she had given him back then."
"What do you want to say?" Jiang Zhongsi dropped his pretense and stared at him with a cold smile.
“Some things are preordained.” Xie Shengping dipped his fingertip in tea and drew lines on the dark tabletop. “In the end, it all comes full circle.”
"Is Lord Xie implying something to me?" Jiang Zhongsi watched as the circle gradually took shape under his fingers, the two ends touching.
"Song Yansi will find out about these things sooner or later, or perhaps he already does. When that happens, given his vindictive nature, I wonder how he'll treat you?" Xie Shengping thought for a moment, then shook his head with a smile. "Given this situation, how dare you marry your daughter to him? Or do you really think you can outsmart him?"
Jiang Zhongsi's eyes flickered slightly, then he lowered his eyes and chuckled, "Grand Tutor, you are overthinking it. His surname is Song, not Tang."
"But his mother's surname is Tang, and his uncle's surname is Tang. Such a young child, so intelligent and with a renowned teacher from a young age, should have had such a smooth path to success. If they were still alive, why would they have been forced to join Li Sheng's ranks at such a young age, becoming a fearless military officer, risking his life for merit?"
"So, the Grand Tutor thinks it's all my fault?"
"Isn't that so?" Xie Shengping touched the slightly cool tea in his hand. "You're the one who framed her, you're the one who ruined her future, and you're the one who sent Miss Liu to the Song family. You stepped over the corpses of the Tang family to get on the road to success. Have you forgotten all these years?"
Jiang Zhongsi casually poured out the cooled tea, then poured himself a cup of warm tea. He smelled the aroma and drank it down in one gulp. "Tell me," he said, "what do you want? You've been beating around the bush with me all this, and you're not just here for a cup of tea."
"Let's not beat around the bush." Xie Shengping straightened up and stroked his graying beard. "This old man needs your help with a small favor, sir."
"What if I say no?" Jiang Zhongsi put down his cup and looked him in the eye.
“Then I have no choice but to be impartial and find an opportunity to report this matter to His Majesty.” Xie Shengping smiled and avoided his gaze, then stood up to leave. “My lord, you should think carefully. After all these years, even if your boat capsizes, it won’t wet my shoes.”
Grand Tutor Xie lifted the curtain and stepped out. His footsteps creaked on the wooden stairs. He looked at the mirror-like surface of the river and suddenly laughed. Behind him, there was a deathly silence.
Author's Note: Honestly, it would be a shame if my past life wasn't a tragedy~ By the way, if I post a smiling emoji right now, will I get attacked~ (Yes!!)
Chapter 71 Theory of Prophecies and Apocryphal Texts
These days, Li Jing suddenly fell seriously ill. He took dose after dose of medicine from the Imperial Hospital, but his condition did not improve. The court and the harem were in chaos, and even some people in the common people were filled with anxiety.
The people of Southern Liang were mostly superstitious, and the belief in prophecies and abdication was prevalent. After Li Jing fell ill, omens and decrees appeared in various places, and the saying "Southern Liang is in decline and should receive a new mandate" arose everywhere. Song Yanji intended to take advantage of this trend, and now he was making full use of it, with those who presented omens and decrees receiving generous rewards.
Jiang Yuan ignored Song Yanji's actions and spent her days embroidering with Rong An in the mansion. However, she couldn't help but sneer in her heart, wondering when Song Yanji had mastered this kind of so-called "heavenly way" that disturbed people's hearts.
Cheng Yu, having been assigned to the West Garden by the arrival of the tutor, had long been relocated there. She had cried and protested to Song Yanji for a long time, but no matter how much she cried, Song Yanji remained adamant in his refusal. Finally, she could only turn back every few steps, tears welling in her eyes, and carefully pack all her trinkets into a small bundle before being led to the West Garden by Zhu Chuan. As for Wei Zhao, Jiang Yuan had met him on the day he arrived at the mansion. After casually asking him a few questions, she understood why Song Yanji had invited this coarse-clothed tutor. He was exceptionally talented, his writing brilliant, and everything he said was righteous and without a trace of falsehood.
These uneventful days continued until the middle of the year.
"Madam, an imperial decree has arrived, requesting that you come to the palace immediately."
Bi Fan rushed in, startling Rong An so much that she pricked her finger with her embroidery needle, and blood stained the white handkerchief. Sui'er was heartbroken. Rong An anxiously took Jiang Yuan's hand and asked, "Why do you need to go to the palace at this critical moment, cousin-in-law?"
"It's nothing." Jiang Yuan frowned as he looked at the wound on her fingertip, and had Sui'er stop the bleeding. He then turned to Bi Fan and said, "Why are you in such a panic!"
"Madam, that eunuch is now outside the manor," Bi Fan said, panting. "We had no prior knowledge of him."
It seems that the Empress Dowager sent this imperial edict out of the secret of some people.
"Would the lady like to change her clothes?" Bi Fan looked at Jiang Yuan's appearance, her hair slightly drooping, looking languid and somewhat unsuitable for receiving the imperial decree.
"No need." Jiang Yuan stood up. The Empress Dowager must be very anxious to send her an imperial decree to the palace at this time. "You and Zhang Xiang will come with me to receive the decree. Have Fengdu prepare the carriage first."
Halfway there, Jiang Yuan stopped, thought it over and over, and said to Bi Fan, "Never mind, you should go and inform the Marquis first."
“But…” Bi Fan hesitated slightly. Zhu Chuan and Luo Nuan were now following the young master closely, and Jiang Yuan only had the two maids by her side. If she went to inform the master and enter the palace, Zhang Xiang would probably not be able to handle it by herself.
“Isn’t Fengdu still here?” Jiang Yuan said with a smile. “This time, I’ll bring him into the palace.”
"Yes, then this servant will help Madam into the carriage first, and then go to inform Master." Upon hearing that Fengdu was also going, Bi Fan felt relieved and nodded vigorously.
The magnificent pavilion was surrounded by lush greenery, and a faint bitter smell wafted from the hall, creating an unusually quiet atmosphere.
"The Lady of the Marquis of Anguo has arrived." The eunuch at the palace gate announced in a high-pitched voice as Jiang Yuan approached.
This was the second time Jiang Yuan had seen the Empress Dowager in all these days. She was no longer as radiant as before; the sorrow between her brows was so deep that it could not be dispelled. She carefully tucked the blanket around Li Jing, wiped away her tears behind the beaded curtain, straightened her hair, and was then helped out of the inner room by a maid.
Jiang Yuan bowed and greeted the Empress Dowager, then sat down to the side and chatted casually for a few minutes. After a new cup of Ping Shui Zhu tea was served, the Empress Dowager waved for all the palace servants to leave.
The heavy palace doors were closed, leaving only the two of them inside.
"Madam." The Empress Dowager began, but her voice choked with emotion, her eyes reddening slightly. Li Jing had been ill for over half a month. The Imperial Hospital had prescribed prescription after prescription, yet he remained in a daze, unable to get out of bed. His arms were so thin that they were just bones.
"Please, please save my son."
Suddenly, the Empress Dowager lunged forward and knelt upright at Jiang Yuan's feet, startling Jiang Yuan, who quickly reached out to pull her up.
Empress Dowager Cixi grabbed her sleeve, her eyes red like two walnuts. She shook her head desperately, her head repeatedly hitting the marble floor, her forehead covered in bruises. "Jing'er is not even six years old yet, and he doesn't even have a name. My poor child, I beg you, Madam, to save him, please save him. I don't ask for him to be rich and powerful, I just want him to grow up safely."
Someone was trying to kill him! Jing'er was so young, just a child. How could she possibly survive in the royal family? It was so difficult. Although she was the Empress Dowager, in this harem, she was completely blind and deaf, unable to see or hear anything, and couldn't even protect her own child.
"How can the Empress Dowager be so sure that I will save him?" Jiang Yuan felt that her actions would never make the Empress Dowager think that she was a kind person, especially since she was Song Yanji's wife.
"When you're desperate, you're willing to try anything." The Empress Dowager covered her face with her hands, tears streaming down her face. Whether it was Song Yanji or Xie Shengping, one of them must have done something, while the other watched coldly. She really had no other choice. "Madam is also a mother. Your son is only a year younger than Jing'er. You should know that a child this age shouldn't have to bear so much."
"Mother," Li Jing's voice came from inside the room, tinged with a sob, "It hurts."
"Jing'er, where does it hurt?" Empress Dowager Xi tried to prop herself up with both hands, but she tripped on the hem of her skirt and fell down. Jiang Yuan quickly reached out to help her and led her into the inner room. Empress Dowager Xi tried to smile, but she couldn't manage it.
"Mother." This was the second time Jiang Yuan had seen Li Jing in her life. Gone was the pride she had shown when they first met in the garden. Her chubby little face was now thin, just skin and bones. She was so small, and she was sinking into the bright yellow bed, desperately holding back her tears. "Am I going to die?"