Chapter 97 – Feeding Soup

Xu Chun left the Martial Hero Marquis Manor and returned to the Duke Manor. He first had dinner with his parents, then after returning to Bamboo Branch Workshop, he found a quiet place to tell Chunxi about entering the Imperial Guard, and returning his indenture papers. “From now on, you’re considered an official. With a military post under your belt, your parents will also gain prestige. I’ll write a letter to my maternal grandfather’s side and ask them to release your parents. Once you have earned merit in the future, you can also petition for them to receive imperial commendations.”

Chunxi was both surprised and delighted. Xia Chao exclaimed first, “Congratulations, Brother Chunxi!” Qiuhu also smiled and said, “Brother Chunxi will be an official from now on. When we go out, we’ll also have prestige.” Donghu didn’t say anything, but her eyes revealed envious expressions.

After all, these days, they had witnessed the awe-inspiring presence of Fang Zixing and Dinghai while accompanying the Duke. They were the emperor’s close guards, high-ranking and well-paid, and brought honor to their ancestors. Everyone yielded to them when they went out, and most importantly, they didn’t have to take exams! There were only a few paths to becoming an official through a military post; one was taking the martial examination, another was through the favor of noble and powerful ministers, and the third was through military merit. None of these options were something their family slaves could consider. Now, however, Chunxi had risen like the tide, and once he entered the camp and was promoted, he would become a ninth-rank Captain.

This truly laid out a bright path for them, and for a moment, the remaining people all harbored some expectations. Xu Chun remembered what Fang Zixing had said about using kindness and authority, so he encouraged them, “You guys work hard. In the future, I’ll plan careers for each of you. Although you may not necessarily enter the Imperial Guard like Chunxi, I can still find other ways for you to advance. We’re going to Tianjin Port soon, and there will be plenty of opportunities.”

For a moment, the four of them glowed with excitement. Xu Chun felt slightly moved in his heart. For the first time, he vaguely understood that these four companions who had grown up with him, whom he regarded as brothers and friends, had never thought about their futures when he was living aimlessly, indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun every day. Back then, he only thought that once he became the Duke, he would make these pages into stewards, release their indentures, and make them chief stewards, managing many shops and doing big business, which he believed was the best future for them.

It turned out that there could be higher and broader paths, and once the opportunity arose, their ambitious aspirations were also so clearly defined, revealing a sharpness unlike before. He seemed to have touched the edge of the art of leadership that his Ninth Brother possessed.

Soon, he went out to inform Dinghai, who was also very happy. He instructed Chunxi, “The training in the camp is very tough, at least thirty days. You should pack your luggage first. You don’t need to bring food; everything you eat is arranged. But you should bring some medicine for bruises and sprains. It hurts badly when you first enter, but it gets better later. I see that you’ve trained before, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

With matters settled, Xu Chun excitedly rode back to the palace and went to Suibyu Hall. Su Huaizhou saw him and whispered, “His Majesty is looking at documents. Without Little Duke, His Majesty eats less.” Xu Chun immediately said, “Then please, Uncle Su, prepare some easily digestible snacks. I’ll eat with His Majesty.” Su Huaizhou smiled amiably. “There’s the sand ginger lily-of-the-valley partridge soup, which soothes coughs, calms the mind, and nourishes the body. There’s also ginkgo pumpkin cake and poria cake.” He immediately had Liushun serve it, and since the soup was kept warm in a copper pot filled with hot water, it was ready right away.

Xu Chun hurriedly took Liushun inside. Sure enough, he saw Xie Yi looking at memorials at the imperial desk. His long dark brows were furrowed tightly, and his high nose and thin lips looked exceptionally handsome under the lamp. Xie Yi was deeply focused in his thoughts, and even his entrance did not disturb him. He quietly approached, and only then did Xie Yi raise his eyes to look at him, smiling. “Why are you back? I thought you’d stay overnight at the Duke Manor? Your parents really don’t care about you staying outside?”

Xu Chun grinned and leaned against him. “My mother doesn’t care about me at all. What is Ninth Brother looking at?” Xie Yi reached out to support him. “I’m looking at the case files that Fang Zixing sent today regarding the trial. Do you want to see them? I know you went to the Martial Hero Marquis Manor again today to inquire?” Seeing the armrest of the dragon throne blocking his waist, Xie Yi turned to instruct Liushun, “Bring over a high stool.” Liushun had already brought over a stool for Xu Chun to sit on, leaning against it. “Ninth Brother, what did you discover? Let me learn from you.” Xie Yi said, “Read it for yourself. What I think might not be the same as what you think. I feel that you have some luck in this regard.”

Xu Chun instructed Liushun to bring the soup over. “Okay, Ninth Brother, you drink the soup first. I’ll read it.” Xie Yi, seeing Liushun bring it over, knew that it was Su Huaizhou’s instigation, but he also knew that Xu Chun had good intentions. He took the soup bowl and slowly drank the soup. Xu Chun watched him drink the soup, feeling gratified. He then picked up the interrogation records and read them one by one. The first thing he saw on the cover was “Imperial Command: Dali Temple’s He Zhiqu asks Li Meiyi, Chu Wei, and others at Suixilou.” He let out a soft “ah”: “It’s Big Brother He’s case.” Xie Yi chuckled. “Otherwise, would you rely on Fang Zixing’s straightforwardness? Naturally, he dispatched He Zhiqu to conduct a secret investigation. He’s meticulous, asking questions that even I hadn’t thought of.”

Xu Chun couldn’t help but laugh when he thought of Fang Zixing today. He opened the memorial and read it down, only to discover that the order in which He Zhiqu asked questions was incredibly powerful. He first questioned the madam, girls, and manager of Suixilou, then Chu Wei and Li Meiyi, verifying everything step by step. This point was particularly evident in the questioning of the people at Suixilou. The same question was repeatedly asked, even unexpectedly, in pursuit of the truth. After being questioned by He Zhiqu, every move he and Li Meiyi made when they entered Suixilou that night, and even the servants following behind them, were all clearly presented, as if vividly in sight. Moreover, He Zhiqu seemed to deliberately avoid and obscure his identity, completely avoiding drawing attention to his true identity during the questioning. Instead, the focus was entirely on “the vicious servant of the young nobleman.”

He couldn’t help but secretly laugh again. Xie Yi raised his eyes to look at his smile and asked him, “What are you secretly laughing about?” Xu Chun replied, “Big Brother He avoided me during the questioning, only asking about what the vicious servant of the young nobleman said and did. Did you instruct him?” Xie Yi said, “Do I need to instruct him on this? If he needed me to tell him this, he wouldn’t be worthy of being in the Dali Temple.” Xu Chun secretly admired him in his heart and carefully read it again. When he finished reading it from beginning to end, Xie Yi had also finished his soup. Seeing him deep in thought, Xie Yi took another bowl of soup and scooped some to feed him.

Xu Chun was engrossed in thinking and opened his mouth to drink several sips before coming back to his senses. “Ninth Brother, you drink too.” Xie Yi said, “I’ve been finished for a long time.” Xu Chun laughed, and Xie Yi asked, “Have you thought of anything?” Xu Chun shook his head. “I saw that He Zhiqu specifically asked about the time Regent Wang instructed Minister Li Meiyi to protect Lady Chu. Afterward, he repeatedly questioned Lady Chu about her movements with Regent Wang in the manor during that period. Is he suspecting that something happened during that time?” Xie Yi nodded. “Yes, I believe the breakthrough in this case can only be here, and He Zhiqu probably thinks the same way. According to Li Meiyi, at that time, Regent Wang often had thoughts of retiring, yet he never made a final decision, mainly considering the future of Crown Prince Xie Ling. And that time was in the second month of the fourteenth year of Yuanhui. He remembers that shortly after he represented me and went to the imperial mausoleum for worship, he told him that sentence.”

Xu Chun recalled He Zhiqu’s questioning of Chu Wei: “So Big Brother He asked Chu Wei if she accompanied Regent Wang to the imperial mausoleum for worship? And Lady Chu also accompanied him! Did something happen during the worship of the imperial mausoleum?” Xie Yi explained, “The grand sacrifices at the imperial mausoleum are held on the winter solstice and New Year’s Day. Because I was young, the sacrifices at Deling were traditionally carried out by the imperial clan princes stationed there, while the capital sent officials from the Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Rites to pay homage to express their thoughts.”

“That year, I remember that due to unrest on the border, rebellions among the border troops, and the restlessness of the various feudal lords, coupled with repeated natural disasters, comets threatening the emperor’s star, and even two solar eclipses, I issued a self-reproach decree. At that time, the regent was also under great pressure. Many court officials privately speculated that he wanted to seize the throne, which was why the world was in turmoil. He personally went to the imperial mausoleum on my behalf for worship.”

“But he was accustomed to luxury and extravagance. Even when he went to the imperial mausoleum, he still brought many concubines with him, traveling in a grand procession, very ostentatiously. I remember that after he returned, he was impeached many times. Later, when he fell off his horse and died in autumn, some people even thought that it was because he brought his concubines to worship the imperial mausoleum that he angered the ancestors.” Xu Chun looked at Xie Yi’s expressionless face but suddenly had a thought. “Was it Ninth Brother who spread the rumors? And those solar eclipses, the impeachments…”

Xie Yi turned to look at him, his gaze carrying some peculiarity. “How did you think of this?” Wasn’t it about the regent? Xu Chun explained, “The regent has been regent for so many years. I imagine the court has long been purged of his enemies. Why, when celestial phenomena occurred, were there still people brave enough to impeach him? Judging from what Minister Li said, he was under considerable pressure at the time and even had thoughts of retirement. Also, after so many years, how come Ninth Brother still remembers this so clearly? You were only fourteen years old at the time. I feel that with Ninth Brother’s intelligence, you must have done something at that time.”

Xie Yi smiled faintly. “I merely slowly and cautiously bestowed favors upon the civil officials, sowing discord between the civil officials and the military officers, and leaving some leads at the Astronomical Bureau. Once comets and solar eclipses appeared, in the past, the prime minister would have been dismissed, removing the regent’s most capable prime minister, giving other vice premiers in the cabinet hope. They thought I favored them, but the regent disagreed—power would drive them mad.”

“They spread rumors, inciting their disciples and fellow townspeople to impeach the regent for exceeding his authority, digging up all the dirt on the regent and his subordinates, attacking each other. Coupled with the comets and solar eclipses, the regent dared not act rashly. At that time, he hesitated, naturally worried that once he replaced me, the pressure he would face would be even greater. Besides, at that time, the border troops were still rebelling.”

Xu Chun watched as Xie Yi spoke nonchalantly, but he knew how difficult it was for the fourteen-year-old him to do this under the airtight suppression of the regent and Empress Dowager, and held Xie Yi’s hand. “Ninth Brother is truly a born emperor.” Xie Yi nodded. “The regent took many concubines to the imperial mausoleum. According to Chu Wei’s testimony, because it was too cold, they drank unclean water along the way. After returning, many of the concubines contracted typhoid fever, infecting each other, and quite a few died from diarrhea. Even she was sick for a period of time before she managed to recover.”

“Why did Chu Wei remain safe and sound for so many years as a female Taoist priest after being sold, but the moment Li Meiyi found her, she immediately ran into bad luck?” Xu Chun widened his eyes. “Is it because these people have been watching Li Meiyi for years?” Xie Yi replied, “It’s because of that third party, unable to confirm which of these concubines followed the regent and learned their secrets. Until Li Meiyi found Chu Wei.”

“The truth is that she should have died on the road back from worshiping the imperial mausoleum that year, but she indeed had some luck. That time, she didn’t die from ‘typhoid fever,’ and this time she should have died, but she coincidentally met you, a lucky star.”

“Therefore, Chu Wei must have been near the regent and learned a certain secret, or perhaps she saw someone extraordinary, but she herself was unaware. But the regent knew. After returning, he probably sensed the tense situation and had second thoughts, so he specially instructed Li Meiyi that if something happened to the manor, he should protect Lady Chu.”

“You should know that Li Meiyi was the chancellor of the manor at the time and wasn’t particularly favored by the regent. He was too aloof and often bluntly advised the regent against excessive luxury. But by that time, circumstances forced his hand, and he probably discovered that Li Meiyi was the only trustworthy person.”

Xu Chun asked, “Then why didn’t he directly tell Li Meiyi who it was?” Xie Yi said indifferently, “Perhaps he felt it was futile. Li Meiyi is a stubborn and fanatical person, a pedantic scholar. As the saying goes, a scholar’s rebellion takes ten years and cannot succeed. He can’t be relied upon for major matters. Or maybe he was still hesitating, unsure whether to take the risk with that person and overthrow the dynasty.”

“And in the end, he chose to break ties, so the other party acted without hesitation, causing the regent to fall off his horse and die.” “It’s hateful that I was saddled with the black pot. The whole world actually thought that I killed the regent, and I have yet to clear my name.” “This person deserves death.”