The grand sacrificial ceremony of the Yun Family attracted the attention of all of Chang’an. Now, whenever people looked up and saw that great star with a tail at the edge of the sky, they would associate it with the Yun Family’s sacrifice. Even if someone said this star was inauspicious, they would quickly be drowned out by others’ spittle.
One couldn’t choose one’s ancestors—everyone knew this truth. Even if this star was somewhat unlucky, it was still their ancestor. Even a vicious tiger doesn’t eat its cubs, so if your family’s ancestor is a sheep that doesn’t harm people, you should be respectful. If someone else’s ancestor is a tiger that likes to eat people, does that mean tiger cubs can’t worship their ancestors?
Even Chang’an’s most notorious scoundrel, before execution, would want to worship his ancestors, and the authorities would agree, providing some incense, candles, and paper money to burn in an open space, allowing him to show some filial piety to his ancestors. Then the executioner would chop off his head with one stroke and kick it around like a ball. These were two separate matters. Casually speaking ill of someone’s ancestors—such behavior was inhuman!
The pedantic scholars very much wanted to use this star to disgust the Empress, but now they couldn’t speak of it. Once they did, they would become mortal enemies of the Yun Family. The Mandate of Heaven was very effective against the Imperial Family, but basically ineffective against a Marquis. If you said this star portended harem chaos, Yun Ye could tear your mouth apart in front of all civil and military officials, saying the Yun Family’s ancestral master was female—this would be an extremely malicious curse.
What should have been a natural course of events now suddenly encountered an obstacle, like a large stone suddenly appearing in the middle of a stream. With the water flow blocked, those who felt uncomfortable wanted to move this stone away. They believed that the Yun Family worshiped an evil star, that the people were also evil, contrary to ethical principles and moral codes, and that the state needed to intervene and rectify the situation. Once this star brought disaster to the mortal world, it would be too late.
These were Linghu Defen’s original words, which reached Yun Ye’s ears through some unknown channels. Yun Ye, who was at home worshiping his ancestral master and recuperating from illness, immediately submitted a memorial. Li Er didn’t even look at it before having the Secretary Supervisor read it aloud on the spot—he very much wanted to know how Yun Ye would explain.
“Your subject has heard that in this world, there are crows that feed their parents in return and lambs that kneel to suckle to repay their ancestors’ kindness. I have never heard of anyone despising their ancestors or abandoning them to appear morally upright.”
“Master Defen was originally a minister of Zhou. In his youth, he was renowned in official circles for his intelligence. His grandfather Linghu Zheng was a Great General of Northern Zhou, and his father Linghu Xi held positions in Northern Zhou as Minister of Personnel and Equal-to-Three-Excellencies General. He was ‘skilled in horsemanship and archery, understood music, was well-versed in various books, and especially proficient.’ Defen was exceptionally talented, broadly learned in literature and history, and had literary fame from an early age. Unexpectedly, he lost his mother at five, lost his father at ten, and was raised by his grandfather Linghu Zheng. Who could have anticipated that before he came of age, his grandfather died. In fifteen years, his father, mother, and grandfather all died—their vast family fortune scattered in an instant. Truly an inauspicious person.”
“After reaching adulthood, he entered officialdom. In less than two years, Northern Zhou fell. He then entered service in the former Sui, rising to the position of Magistrate of Yao City. When Sui fell, looking at Defen’s entire life, his fate has been turbulent and displaced. He can truly be called the most inauspicious person in the mortal world. Why does he still stand among the court’s pillars today?”
“In writing the ‘Book of Zhou,’ he thoroughly explained the Way of Heaven’s Mandate. The ‘Book of Zhou’ that Defen directed discusses both Heaven’s Mandate and human affairs. He believed that Wei’s ‘water calendar was ending,’ and that Northern Zhou replacing Wei was wood replacing water—Heaven’s Mandate ordained it, not something human power could alter.”
“The ‘Great Treasure’ cannot be obtained by ‘force,’ and ‘divine objects’ cannot be ‘sought and gained.’ Yuwen Tai originally had ‘not a single field completed, not a single battalion of troops,’ but he succeeded because he ‘belonged to the time of rising prosperity, responding to the destiny of enlightened sages’—Heaven’s Mandate was tied to this person.”
“‘If not for one whose heroic strategies dominated the era, whose heroic bearing was unmatched in the world, who received Heaven’s gift and divine bestowal, who commanded military and civil affairs—who could participate in this?'”
“These brilliant words still enlighten the deaf and awaken the confused. Why does he not reflect on himself? An inauspicious person stands in the court, causing falling tiles and bricks to break faces and draw blood, autumn leaves sweeping across faces causing baldness and missing teeth. Sixty-one years of bumpy encounters, yet still no self-reflection. Such a calamitous person still dares to accuse others’ ancestors of being inauspicious—why is this?”
“The Linghu clan has mostly been ministers of two dynasties. Because of Defen, they are brazenly listed in the genealogies of prominent families. Although written by Defen himself, appending accounts of his father Linghu Xi and grand-uncle Linghu Xiu among others, flaunting the Linghu family’s official ranks and lineage, they are laughed at by the world yet know no shame.”
“The Yun clan, though lacking talent, had ancestors who though common people, despised the powerful and suffered disaster to their entire clan. Since this unworthy one entered officialdom, our dynasty has had continuous auspicious signs. Now potato harvests fill pits and valleys, corn seedlings dye barren mountains green. We went to the grasslands and Xieli surrendered, reached the great sea and the waves calmed. In the east, we conquered Goguryeo’s fortified cities; in the south, we captured the vicious troublemakers who brought disaster to the nation. This unworthy one believes he can write auspicious omens on his forehead and carve fortunate words on his back. How does Your Majesty view this?”
“My ancestral master discovered this brilliant star in the universe, observing minute details and wielding divine calculations to measure the inconstant. He learned this star returns once every seventy-six years, and thus named it after my ancestral master. What is wrong with this?”
“Yapping dogs bark in the marketplace, actually commanding people to transmit words as documents first, threatening a Marquis second. This unworthy one says: Bah! What kind of thing are you!”
The Secretary Supervisor finished reading expressionlessly, and the court immediately erupted. Linghu Defen shouted loudly: “Scoundrel, scoundrel! I will never let this rest with you!”
Fang Xuanling was just about to step forward and impeach Yun Ye when unexpectedly, the Secretary Supervisor took out another piece of paper and continued reading: “Master Defen, I know you’re going to curse me—no problem. I’ve already had this article printed in thirty thousand copies. Five thousand copies have been distributed in Chang’an. After you leave court, you’ll see them. My household servants took another five thousand copies to Luoyang, and the remaining twenty thousand copies will appear in Jinyang, Yangzhou, and Zhuozhou with merchant caravans. If you feel it’s not satisfying enough, the Yun Family has modest means, but printing more would be no problem. How about ensuring every household in Chang’an gets a copy?”
Linghu Defen felt as if great bells and drums were ringing in both ears. Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Wei Zheng beside him seemed very far away. His chest felt waves of burning heat, his throat tasted sweet. He opened his mouth wanting to speak, but couldn’t say a single word.
Wei Zheng wanted to support the swaying Linghu Defen, but saw his eyes were dull and fresh blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. After crying out once, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. The blood stained Wei Zheng’s robes, making his heart grow cold in waves. Previously when Yun Ye quarreled with people, he had stood as an outsider watching the excitement, thinking nothing of it. Now watching his good friend with his own eyes being cursed so miserably by Yun Ye’s written proclamation, he couldn’t help but be alarmed.
“Imperial physician, imperial physician!” Kong Yingda shouted loudly for the imperial physician, also awakening the startled Li Er from his shock. He quickly ordered the palace attendants to find an imperial physician to examine Linghu Defen. Right now, the old gentleman kept vomiting blood—survival would be difficult.
Li Er looked on in surprise as Sun Simiao walked into the great hall from outside carrying a medicine box, with a palace attendant still helping him carry a very large medicine pouch.
As Sun Simiao walked, he took silver needles from the medicine box slung across his shoulder. Finding an appropriate one, he came before the blood-vomiting Linghu Defen and inserted it into his chest. After inserting seven needles in succession, blood finally stopped flowing from the corner of Linghu Defen’s mouth, and his breathing became much more even.
Sun Simiao wrote out a prescription and had the palace attendants help prepare the medicine. He packed up his medicine box and prepared to leave, but was stopped by Wei Zheng. Wei Zheng cupped his hands and said: “Divine Physician Sun probably wasn’t passing by the Hall of Ten Thousand People by coincidence, was he?”
“After this humble Daoist examined Noble Consort Yang’s headache, I stayed outside the Hall of Ten Thousand People the entire time. There was no helping it—entrusted by someone, loyal to the task, that’s all.”
“Then you’re saying Marquis Yun knew the power of his written proclamation and, worried about Linghu being angered to death, asked you early on to provide aid, is that not so?” Wei Zheng’s tone inevitably became severe when asking this question.
Sun Simiao rolled his eyes at Wei Zheng and said: “Yun Ye truly feared Linghu Defen would die, so he begged me to treat his internal injuries. After Linghu Defen’s illness recovers, he still plans to continue cursing until Linghu has no more will to live.”
After Sun Simiao finished speaking, he saluted Li Er on the dragon throne and withdrew. The young palace attendant followed closely until Sun Simiao walked out of the hall. Wei Zheng, disregarding the bloodstains on his own body, held his tablet and stepped forward to report: “Your Majesty, Marquis Yun Ye of Lantian is lawless. He spoke evil words in the court hall. His improper conduct nearly angered a senior minister to death in broad daylight. Please issue an edict to question his crimes.”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject believes that Linghu Defen cursed someone’s ancestors first, and Yun Ye cursed back afterward. As the old saying goes, in mutual combat there are no good hands, in mutual cursing there are no good mouths. Moreover, Yun Ye already considered the consequences and specifically invited Master Sun to be present to prevent mishaps. Your subject believes a reprimand is sufficient—punishment is quite unnecessary.”
“Cheng Zhijie, Linghu Defen probably already has no will to live. His reputation as a moral gentleman for many years has been destroyed in one stroke. What Yun Ye did is more vicious than taking his life.”
“What’s wrong with that? Let the old gentleman curse back. If the gentleman’s family circumstances are poor and he can’t afford the printing costs, no problem—this old Cheng will cover it. Cursing each other, that’s all. Having His Majesty intervene is making a mountain out of a molehill.”
Fang Xuanling smiled bitterly and said to Old Cheng: “Zhijie, don’t muddy the waters. Does Yun Ye still have any reputation to speak of in Chang’an? The title of ‘First of Chang’an’s Three Scourges’ has long made even ghosts and spirits avoid him. Even if Linghu curses most viciously, it would only leave the people of Chang’an with a new joke, nothing more. If we don’t teach him a lesson this time, I’m afraid it won’t do.”
“Linghu Defen’s reputation is reputation, but Yun Ye’s reputation isn’t reputation? Tell this old man—how many silver coins is the difference? This old man will make up the difference. Why did it have to come to this?”
Wei Zheng didn’t want to tangle with Cheng Yaojin and Niu Jinda. He directly reported to the Emperor: “Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble subject suggests that Yun Ye has acted recklessly and willfully. His positions as Lingnan Naval Commander, Assistant Director of Imperial Yushan Academy, and Governor of Yuezhou, among other major and minor titles, should be revoked. He should remain at home awaiting judgment, to observe his future conduct.”
Li Er raised his head from the memorial he was reading and waved the memorial in his hand at Wei Zheng, saying: “You’re too late. The Empress has already revoked Yun Ye’s positions as Lingnan Naval Commander and Yushan Assistant Director and taken personal charge herself, ordering Yun Ye to recuperate properly. As you know, these are internal court positions—the Empress has this authority.”
“Additionally, Yun Ye also submitted a memorial requesting that I approve his resignation from the position of Governor of Yuezhou. This means that the plan I had initially to enfeoff governors has completely died in the womb. So be it. As you wish, I revoke the appointment of Governor of Yuezhou. Are you ministers satisfied?”
The phrase “Are you ministers satisfied?” made all the officials tremble with fear, and they prostrated themselves one after another, repeatedly saying they dared not.
Li Er didn’t take it too seriously either. He issued an edict stripping Yun Ye of his title as Governor of Yuezhou and recovering the official seal. For using vicious language against a colleague in the great hall, causing Linghu Defen to vomit three sheng of blood, Yun Ye was fined one year’s salary. This matter was thus concluded.