Fuzhi’s expression changed slightly as she pressed her red lips together and reached into her sleeve pocket to take out a stack of banknotes. “Tinghui, if this isn’t enough, I’ll have someone send more later.”
Meng Tinghui took them, and upon seeing the enormous amount, she jumped in surprise. “What are you trying to do?” she said, pushing the banknotes back.
Yan Fuzhi didn’t look at her, only lowering her lashes as she said: “Lord Meng has been ordered by the Emperor to come here for pacification. Consider this commoner’s small token of sincerity toward the court. I only hope Lord Meng can display the Emperor’s majestic grace and return our Qingzhou’s Governor Shen to us.”
“You are…” Meng Tinghui stood dumbfounded. The words “Lord Meng” sounded particularly jarring, and the Yan Fuzhi before her was vastly different from the bold woman she’d known two years ago when she departed.
This stack of banknotes left her at a loss.
Although she knew that merchants often cultivated relationships with important officials, and such bribery was not uncommon—and Yan Fuzhi, having managed the Yan family business in Qingzhou for some time, had surely been influenced by such practices—for all this to happen between the two of them truly made her uncomfortable.
After a while, she frowned slightly and turned away, saying: “Court matters will be decided by court officials.”
Yan Fuzhi stared at her for a long time, then suddenly sat down heavily, covering her face with her sleeve. Her eyes reddened and disregarding her appearance, she began to cry, sobbing: “How could you, Meng Tinghui, use official jargon to brush me off… If he gets killed by the rebels this time, what am I supposed to do!”
Meng Tinghui was again startled by her outburst, but seeing her in this state, she couldn’t help but smile, realizing that Yan Fuzhi hadn’t changed much—she was still the same bold and fiery person as before. She hurriedly went forward to comfort her, saying: “Who says Governor Shen will be killed by the rebels? Don’t frighten yourself. Quickly put away these banknotes. By the Emperor’s edict, I will certainly do my utmost to rescue Governor Shen.”
Yan Fuzhi continued crying uncontrollably, tears streaming down, ruining her powder makeup. Through sobs, she said: “If I had known that day that he would go and disappear without a trace, I would never have treated him that way! I… I shouldn’t have argued with him and said I never wanted to see him again…”
Meng Tinghui was at a loss, hurriedly wiping away Yan Fuzhi’s tears. She sighed inwardly, wondering how the emotional entanglement between the two had come about. She tried to comfort her: “Please stop crying. What’s done is done. Even if you cry your eyes out, it won’t help.”
Yan Fuzhi stuffed the banknotes back into her bosom and cried: “Those rebels just complained that the Transport Office of Northern Potian Road wanted to reduce their rations, right? This money is enough for them to splurge for a year or half—give it to them when the time comes. Later I’ll have someone exchange more silver from the shop for you… My Yan family has plenty of silver. Just have them release Shen Zhishu!”
Meng Tinghui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You…” She reached out to brush Yan Fuzhi’s forehead hair aside and sighed: “I know your Yan family is the wealthiest in Northern Potian Road. But how can you waste Yan’s family’s money like this? Moreover, do you think this matter is as simple as rations? Governor Shen is in peril. The Emperor in the capital is also deeply concerned about the northern unrest. My mission with the imperial edict carries the Emperor’s trust and the court’s hope. Please don’t make more trouble for me.”
Yan Fuzhi cried until her eyes were completely red. After a long while, she finally stopped her tears and said: “That day, people from the Pacification Office of Chong Prefecture came saying he should take provisions to the Willow Banner camp to reward the border soldiers. I thought it was strange. Why wasn’t Deputy Magistrate Cao asked to go? Why him specifically? He laughed at me, saying it wasn’t a big deal, just a matter of three or four days before he’d return. Who knew that once he left, the Willow Banner camp would erupt in chaos…”
Meng Tinghui’s expression suddenly changed. “What did you say?” She grabbed Yan Fuzhi’s hand and asked coldly: “You’re saying Governor Shen didn’t know about the Willow Banner camp mutiny before he left?”
Yan Fuzhi nodded. “Afterward, I asked Deputy Magistrate Cao. He also said he hadn’t heard about it. Several days after Shen Zhishu left, rumors came from the east saying the Willow Banner imperial guards had mutinied… Why did he have to encounter such a thing?”
Meng Tinghui’s fingertips trembled slightly, her heart growing colder.
In the capital, Minister of the Guards Tian Fu had clearly stated that Shen Zhishu was ordered by Dong Yicheng, the Pacification Commissioner of Northern Potian Road, to take money and grain to pacify the mutinied imperial guards at the Willow Banner camp. Yet in fact, he didn’t know about the Willow Banner imperial guards’ rebellion before he left!
If Dong Yicheng truly hadn’t informed him of this matter but sent him alone to face the rebel troops, wasn’t this deliberately pushing him into a fire pit?
She pondered for a while, then gripped Yan Fuzhi’s hand tightly and asked: “Is what you just said all true? You must not speak carelessly!”
Yan Fuzhi’s eyebrows flew up, her face turning ugly. “Why would I lie to you? I don’t even know if Shen Zhishu is dead or alive—how could I make up such things?”
Meng Tinghui patted the back of her hand and said softly: “Go back to your residence first. I can’t wait for Deputy Magistrate Cao to close the office and come here. I must go find him right away.”
Yan Fuzhi wanted to say more, but seeing Meng Tinghui’s grave expression, she held back, withdrew her hand, and rose to leave. Walking a few steps toward the door, she couldn’t help but turn back to look at her. “You… you must save his life! I’ll come find you again later.”
Meng Tinghui nodded, watched her leave, then turned to put on a woolen cloak. She called two minor officials who had accompanied her and went with them to the Qingzhou government office.
At the government office, she managed to meet with Cao Ziong and, after questioning him, confirmed what Yan Fuzhi had said. When Shen Zhishu set out for Liuqi County, the people from the Pacification Office never mentioned anything about the Willow Banner imperial guards’ mutiny. The entire Qingzhou government believed his journey was a routine delivery of reward money, not giving it much attention. To avoid complications, Meng Tinghui didn’t tell Cao Ziong what Dong Yicheng had reported to the capital. She only said that once Di Nian returned from the Qingzhou garrison, they would immediately lead troops to the outskirts of Liuqi County, unable to wait another day.
Upon hearing this, Cao Ziong immediately delegated his duties to others and insisted on accompanying Meng Tinghui and Di Nian to Liuqi County. Meng Tinghui naturally refused, saying Qingzhou couldn’t be left without someone in charge. However, shortly after she returned to the post station, Cao Ziong arrived with a few yamen runners, explaining that the roads around Liuqi County were winding, and if Meng Tinghui’s group traveled at night, they would certainly need their guidance. Meng Tinghui had no choice but to allow Cao Ziong to accompany them.
Not long after nightfall, Di Nian returned from the Qingzhou garrison. With him was a young man of about twenty named Hu Yuelin, a servant from the Shen household who had accompanied Shen Zhishu from the capital to his post. Having learned of Di Nian’s arrival with imperial guards, he insisted on joining everyone on the outskirts of Liuqi County. Unable to decide, Di Nian brought him back to the post station for Meng Tinghui to make the decision.
Without hesitation, Meng Tinghui granted Hu Yuelin’s request and ordered everyone to pack lightly. While the night was not yet fully dark, they left the city for the outskirts of Liuqi County.
When Di Nian went to the Qingzhou garrison, he already carried the Privy Council’s order for Mobile Corps General Song Zhirui to personally select ten thousand troops to march ahead to Liuqi County and station themselves on the north side of Yao Mountain, fifteen li west of Liuqi County, with orders not to act rashly. As Meng Tinghui’s group left the city, eight hundred Palace Guards escorted them in formation. They rested only briefly along the way, traveling rapidly toward Liuqi County.
They reached within thirty li of Liuqi County by dawn the next day.
Meng Tinghui sent several men from the troops to ride west and report to Song Zhirui’s forces. After consulting with Di Nian, they decided to take only two hundred men to continue advancing toward the Willow Banner camp, while the remaining forces would spread out at intervals of five li, commanded by squad leaders. Cao Ziong and Hu Yuelin naturally wanted to accompany them to the camp, so they changed to ordinary horses. After Di Nian had arranged everything, the two hundred imperial guards escorted the carriages and horses forward.
When they were still five li away, they could already vaguely see the gray walls of the Willow Banner camp in the distance.
Meng Tinghui no longer rode in the carriage but instead asked for a horse to ride alongside Di Nian and the others. Flying sand struck their faces, and her face was covered with traces of fine dust. She turned to look back at the path they had come, seeing only a barren, stony wilderness.
Di Nian was quite concerned. After walking for a while, he turned to her and said: “Lord Meng, before leaving the capital, His Majesty instructed me not to let you near the camp.”
Meng Tinghui said softly: “His Majesty also instructed me. Colonel Di need not worry.”
Hu Yuelin rode behind them, his face full of concern. Seeing this, Meng Tinghui urged her horse closer to him and asked quietly: “Do you know about the relationship between your master and the Yan family’s eldest daughter?”
Hu Yuelin was startled and nodded instinctively.
Meng Tinghui smiled at him but didn’t ask further, skillfully reining her horse back to Di Nian’s side. Lowering her eyes, she sighed. There was indeed an unusual relationship between Yan Fuzhi and Shen Zhishu. Thinking of Yan Fuzhi weeping bitterly before her yesterday, her expression darkened slightly as she raised her eyes toward the increasingly close Willow Banner camp.
The city gates were tightly shut, and from a distance, it was impossible to see whether there were guards on the walls.
When they were about two hundred paces away, Di Nian stopped Meng Tinghui’s horse and gave Cao Ziong a look. Understanding his meaning, Cao Ziong led the yamen runners and two hundred imperial guards to continue toward the city wall behind Di Nian.
Meng Tinghui remained on horseback, calmly watching their backs.
The autumn wind swept her skirt, the crimson color particularly dazzling under the azure sky. The embroidery on her waist pouch was exquisite, with purple jade beads delicately encircling her rhinoceros belt.
After a hundred paces, several sharp sounds of flying arrows suddenly came from ahead. Before the men and horses could react, several feathered arrows shot forth, embedding themselves directly into the sandy soil beneath the mounts of the men at the front of the formation.
Horses whinnied in alarm, startling everyone.
Di Nian looked up and saw rebel soldiers with bows at the archer’s platform on the city wall. He immediately ordered everyone to retreat. One junior officer couldn’t rein in his horse in time and went two steps further. Another arrow whistled through the air—his horse suddenly dropped to one knee, throwing him to the ground.
Seeing this clearly, Meng Tinghui’s expression changed instantly. She quickly dismounted and walked forward.
Di Nian also ordered everyone to discard their swords and dismount. At the same time, he had someone shout toward the rebel troops on the city wall a hundred paces away, saying that the court’s pacification envoy had arrived and ordered them to send someone out of the city to hear the imperial edict.
The rebel troops on the wall didn’t believe them. They released another volley of arrows, forcing Di Nian to lead the imperial guards back beyond arrow range before the rebels finally lowered their bows.
Di Nian angrily kicked the yellow sand. “Damn it!” he cursed. Turning back, he pointed at an imperial guard with a bow and shouted: “Shoot one of them down for me!”
“Colonel Di!”
Meng Tinghui ran up from behind, stopping the man. She frowned and said: “No one makes any rash moves.” With that, she spread the wide sleeves of her official robe, stepped over the scattered arrows on the ground, and walked alone toward the city wall.