La vie des gens de la campagne en ville sous la dynastie Song

Chapitre 84

Seeing Yue Fei drink for a while and then walk out of the palace, Qin Zhen followed him out. Zhao Gou wanted to stop her, but after thinking about it, he realized Qin Zhen would eventually find out about this. Now that her health was gradually improving, there was no need to hide everything from her. It was time for her to know. He simply instructed Wan Qiu, "Stay close to the Empress and take good care of her."

"Big brother."

Qin Zhen called out to Yue Fei from the corridor outside the palace. Yue Fei simply stopped but didn't turn around to look at her. Qin Zhen tugged at his sleeve and asked, "Brother, have you not seen me for a year and don't recognize me?"

Yue Fei clasped his hands in a salute and said, "How could this humble general not recognize Your Majesty the Empress?"

"Big brother?" Qin Zhen seemed to have been wronged, wondering why Yue Fei would treat her this way.

"Brother, why are you being so distant with me?"

Seeing Qin Zhen's aggrieved expression, Yue Fei felt a pang of pity, but Qin Zhen had done the most heinous thing in his mind, so how could he be so soft-hearted?

"If Your Majesty still considers me your elder brother, then please, Your Majesty, remember the promise you made to me!"

Qin Zhen asked in confusion, "What promise?"

Yue Fei glared and angrily said, "What? You want to go back on your word now that you've given birth to a prince?"

"Brother, what exactly happened? Ever since I went blind until I recovered, you've never privately asked me for any promises. I had no idea!"

Seeing Qin Zhen's sincerity, Yue Fei's anger subsided slightly. He thought about it and realized that it was an agreement between him and Zhao Gou, and Qin Zhen might not have known about it. So he carefully told Qin Zhen about Zhao Gou's promise to return the throne to Zhao Yi.

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhen was so shocked that she staggered back several steps, barely managing to regain her balance by grabbing onto a pillar.

"So my brother knew all along...no wonder..."

Yue Fei said indifferently, "Do you really think paper can cover fire? If it weren't for the sake of the stability of the country, I..."

"What...what do you want?" Qin Zhen didn't know why, but a surge of anger rose in her heart, as if it was because Yue Fei couldn't understand her predicament, or as if it was because of Yue Fei's stubborn sense of benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and filial piety.

Yue Fei was stunned by Qin Zhen's question. Yes, what else could he do? Should he raise an army in rebellion? To be honest, he had never thought of that.

Qin Zhen composed herself and said, "Since elder brother cannot understand what younger sister is thinking, there is no use in me explaining further. Since you and the Emperor have already made an agreement, we will certainly keep our promise. Besides... Jiu'er is not capable of bearing such a heavy responsibility, so you don't need to worry!"

After saying that, Qin Zhen left without looking back. Yue Fei watched her slender figure, feeling a pang of guilt as if he had done something wrong, even though he clearly believed he hadn't!

He returned to his residence, where Wu Shaofen, heavily pregnant, greeted him in the cold wind outside the mansion. Seeing his wife's pale face, he finally couldn't bear it and said to the maid beside him, "It's the dead of winter, how can you let Madam come out into the cold? Quickly help Madam inside."

Tears welled up in Wu Shaofen's eyes, her sunken gaze fixed on Yue Fei, as if she had a thousand words to say but couldn't utter them. Just then, a maid from the old lady's room came over and said, "General, the old lady requests your presence to speak with her."

Having escaped the awkward situation, Yue Fei hurried to his mother's room.

The mother-in-law was doing needlework under the oil lamp, holding an old garment in her hands. Although her son had become successful, she lived a very frugal life. She was usually quite happy with her dutiful daughter-in-law. However, there was a rift between her son and daughter-in-law, which she, as a mother, could easily see.

"Ah Fei, come, sit down with your mother."

Yue Fei sat down next to his mother, waiting silently for her to speak. His mother put down her work and looked at her son earnestly, saying, "Afen is a good woman; don't wrong her. She's heavily pregnant now, yet you ignore her completely and don't even give her a kind look when you come back. Have you forgotten all the principles of being a good person that I taught you?"

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky 159 An Unresolved Knot

"Mother..." Yue Fei was speechless, unable to tell Wu Shaofen about her involvement in kidnapping the late emperor.

The mother-in-law continued, "Has that poor boy become a great general? Does he think he's all that? Although I don't concern myself with external affairs, it doesn't mean I don't know anything. Last year, you stormed the palace with a sword. Do you think I'm deaf or blind? I haven't disciplined you because I believed you had your own plans and were waiting for you to see the future clearly. But seeing how cold you are to your daughter-in-law now, I know my son has long since turned his heart black!"

As Yue Fei heard his mother's words grow increasingly harsh, he knelt down at her feet with a thud and said, "Mother, your son has not forgotten your teachings; they are always etched in my heart!"

"You always keep it in mind? Then tell me, since the current emperor ascended the throne, he has worked hard and diligently to govern the country, pacifying all directions and allowing the people to live a peaceful life. Why do you still do such rebellious things? Have the four words that your mother carved on your shoulder disappeared?"

At this point, Yue Fei had no choice but to say, "Mother, the affairs of the court are not as simple as you see them. Your son is always mindful of serving the country with utmost loyalty, which is why I cannot ignore certain matters. Your son is not wrong!"

"Fine, fine," Yue Fei's mother said, seeing that Yue Fei was talking back to her. "I, this old woman, don't understand matters of state, nor can I interfere with your affairs, but I want you to explain things to me clearly about family matters. Afen went to the battlefield with you before she even entered the Yue family. Don't you know how she treats you? Now she is about to give birth, yet you ignore her. How can you say you are not wrong in treating your spouse like this?"

Yue Fei gritted his teeth and remained silent. Seeing his stubbornness, his mother was heartbroken and scolded him, "Enough, enough, go away! How could I have raised such a heartless son? After Afen has children, don't see them. Just let the three of us fend for ourselves!"

Seeing his mother trembling with anger, Yue Fei knew he had unspoken grievances and had no choice but to withdraw. He instructed the maid to take good care of his mother and then sat alone in the empty courtyard, drinking alone in silence.

Wu Shaofen hid behind a pillar, watching Yue Fei's figure with a sorrowful heart, yet she dared not approach her husband to speak. She simply watched him drink his wine in silence.

-----

It is also said that Qin Zhen had a few words with Yue Fei in the corridor outside the palace and left in a huff. She turned into a garden and was sulking when she suddenly heard someone calling her from behind. When she turned around, she saw Han Shizhong.

"Brother Han..."

Qin Zhen called out uncertainly, wondering if Yue Fei already knew the truth and if Han Shizhong was in the same boat.

Han Shizhong saw that there were faint tears in Qin Zhen's eyes and said, "I heard what you were arguing with Brother Yue just now. I learned about the late emperor's affairs not long after I married Hongyu."

"So...do you think the same way as your older brother?"

Han Shizhong suddenly laughed. He sat down against a large rock in the garden and said, "Right and wrong are questions that only people with complicated minds like you would think about. I don't know. I only see what's in front of me. Now the people live in peace and prosperity. Compared with the late emperor, it's obvious who is better and who is worse. Why bother with those empty things?"

Qin Zhen gazed into the distance without speaking. Han Shizhong said, "Yue Fei is a hothead. You should know he'll be angry. He values benevolence and morality so much. What you did... isn't exactly honorable. Besides, you and the Emperor are people he's always trusted. He'll definitely have a hard time accepting this sudden change. You need to give him some time."

"Sigh," Qin Zhen sighed softly, "I hesitated and questioned before making this decision, but in the end, I had to make a decision. Zhao Gou and I don't expect everyone to understand us. But now that things have come to this, I can't just stand by and watch someone threaten the existing stability!"

Han Shizhong was taken aback. He quickly said, "Yue Fei never harbored any disloyal thoughts!"

Qin Zhen looked at Han Shizhong and said, "The Emperor has kept this matter from me all along. He has already made enough concessions to my elder brother. I never expected him to..."

He made these decisions, promising to abdicate, because he trusted his elder brother. But, Brother Han, does loyalty represent everything? Does loyalty guarantee that what he does is right? What I want is peace and stability in the world, and what he insists on is destroying that stability!

Han Shizhong was also somewhat agitated and retorted, "Are you going to kill him?"

Qin Zhen's eyelashes twitched, and he said in a deep breath, "He is my elder brother, how can I kill him? He is a meritorious official of the Song Dynasty, how can I kill him? But the 200,000 troops under his command will make Zhao Gou and me uneasy. Please pass on a few words to my elder brother for me..."

On a winter night, snowflakes suddenly began to fall, landing one by one on everyone's face, chilling their skin and their hearts.

Han Shizhong left the palace with a complicated expression and headed to Yue Fei's residence. When he found Yue Fei, Yue Fei was sitting alone in the courtyard, drinking alone.

“Brother Yue, you’re not being fair as a brother. You know perfectly well that your brother loves wine the most, yet you’ve been hiding the good wine and drinking it all by yourself.”

Yue Fei gave a wry smile and stuffed a wine jar into his arms. So the two of them sat down in the snowy courtyard, each holding a wine jar.

After they had emptied the wine jar, Yue Fei sighed deeply, looking out at the snow-covered night sky, and asked in a low voice, "Did I do something wrong? Was I wrong?"

Han Shizhong placed a hand on his shoulder and asked, "Brother, you've fought together for many years. Now that you don't have to fight anymore and watch your soldiers die, aren't you happy?"

Yue Fei nodded.

—

“There’s no need to sell children in the countryside anymore. Everyone will have food to eat. Isn’t that good?” Yue Fei nodded again.

“When there is a flood, there is someone to manage it; when there is a disaster, there is food to distribute. The people are all overjoyed. Why do you have to disrupt this peaceful and prosperous world?”

With red eyes, Yue Fei asked Han Shizhong, "The current emperor's throne was not obtained legitimately. He and Qin Zhen obtained the throne by committing treason. Do you expect me to turn a blind eye to such a heinous crime?"

Han Shizhong sighed and said, "What's the use of saying all this now? If you had known about this at the beginning and tried to stop it, I wouldn't have said anything, and I might even have helped you. But now that everything is peaceful and things are going in the right direction, what's the point of you pursuing these things anymore?"

"Furthermore, what's the point of pursuing this further? The Emperor is only making concessions to you because of past favors. Do you know the consequences if you push him too far? What are you going to do then? Revolt? Then you'll become the traitor you hate the most!"

"I never intended to rebel!" Yue Fei emphasized.

Han Shizhong said, "Yes, yes, I know. You just want the current emperor to return the throne to the rightful heir, right? But are you sure that changing the emperor will benefit the people? Can a little kid govern the country well? What does it mean to be loyal to the country? You should think more about the people. Your sister does this much better than you!"

Yue Fei lowered his head and pondered for a moment before asking, "Did Qin Zhen send you?"

"He asked me to pass on a few words to you." Han Shizhong was reluctant to say it, but still gritted his teeth and said, "The Empress said that if you really care about the country and the people, then resign from your post and go into seclusion. She will do her best to benefit the people and will keep her promise to you and never break it."

The wine jar in Yue Fei's hand crashed to the ground with a "bang," and he asked with a furious laugh, "Does she want to seize my command?"

Seeing that he was about to get angry, Han Shizhong held him down and said, "I was angry after hearing this, but upon closer inspection, this is a win-win situation! You harbor resentment towards the Emperor, and having military power in your hands will only cause discord and suspicion. If this leads to some unforeseen events in the future, it will be too late! Qin Zhen asked you to resign for your own sake and for the sake of your family's lives!"

The snow fell very deep that night, and it wasn't until dawn that the two people, who looked like snowmen, parted ways in the garden and went their separate ways.

Volume Two: Soaring Eagles in the Sky, Chapter 160: A Vigorous Purge of the Imperial Court

In the early part of the third year of Kangxi's reign, the General of the Northern Expedition submitted his command seal and resigned to return to his hometown. Zhao Gou had not expected Yue Fei to do this, and was undecided for a moment, so he suppressed the petition.

When Zhao Gou found Qin Zhen, who was with Zhao Jiu, in the medicine room, he said, "Yue Fei has been demoted without cause. Such a change will cause great upheaval in the army."

Qin Zhen said calmly, "This is not a demotion. He just sees that the world is at peace and wants to return home to recuperate. The soldiers will understand."

Seeing that she appeared fine on the surface but was definitely upset inside, Zhao Gou said, "Why do you have to do this? It's the same to transfer him to the frontier. When we've made all the preparations and are handing the country over to Jing'er, he can then assist her. Wouldn't that be better?"

Qin Zhen grasped Zhao Gou's hand and said, "That's true, but he holds the power of 200,000 troops. Can you really sleep soundly? I'm not saying I don't trust you, but it will take more than ten years for Jing'er to be able to shoulder heavy responsibilities. If something unexpected happens during this time, it will endanger the Song Dynasty. Once Jing'er inherits the throne, if he is willing, we can give him important responsibilities again."

Zhao Gou said, "Since you have thought it through so thoroughly, then I will grant your request. However, many of the junior generals in the court are not capable of handling important responsibilities. With his departure, such a large vacancy will be difficult to fill."

"You, such a big guy, is being wasted sitting next to you."

Zhao Gou was puzzled, and after thinking for a moment, asked, "You mean Liu Qi?"

Qin Zhen nodded and said, "You've kept Liu Qi by your side as your bodyguard for over a decade, but you don't know that he's actually a great general. He's been taking care of you all these years, and it's time for him to show his talents."

Zhao Gou smiled and nodded: "Some people are too close to themselves, so they can't see things very clearly."

In the late spring, when the chill of winter had faded, Ji Wuhuan prepared to leave the palace with the infant Zhao Jiu. During these days, Qin Zhen had also come to understand that going to Kunlun Mountain with the child wouldn't be of much help, and her greater responsibility lay in working with Zhao Gou to bring prosperity to the world. So, suppressing her reluctance, she kissed the child on both sides before handing Zhao Jiu over to her senior brother.

"Fifth Senior Brother, I'll have to trouble you to take care of Jiu'er in the future!"

Ji Wuhuan nodded and said, "Don't worry. I will bring him back to see you often, and I will do my best to cure him!"

The carriage slowly started moving. Qin Zhen couldn't bear to watch any longer and buried her head in Zhao Gou's arms, sobbing softly. From then on, Qin Zhen put aside all distractions and worked diligently with Zhao Gou to make the Song Dynasty prosperous and strong.

In the summer of the third year of the Jingkang era, the imperial court promulgated a reform of the imperial examination system, changing it into three categories: civil service examination, military examination, and reasoning examination.

The civil service examination was similar to the previous imperial examinations. The civil service examination tested knowledge of classics and current affairs, primarily selecting talented individuals with strategies for governing the country. The military examination selected those with exceptional martial skills to become generals for the army. The theoretical examination was the newest and most novel. It had the broadest scope, mainly testing arithmetic and similar skills, but its aim was to gather extraordinary talents from across the land.