Chapter 73: Return to the Capital (Part 1)
Although Shen Zhishu had given his word, how could Meng Tinghui simply pack up and return to the capital after ordering the execution of the soldiers at Liu Banner Garrison? How could she leave this mess for Shen Zhishu and Cao Zixiong to clean up?
On the third morning after returning to Qingzhou, while she was still in bed, someone from the official inn reported that a messenger from the Chongzhou Prefecture commander’s office had arrived. He had been sent by Pacification Commissioner Dong Yicheng to pay respects to the Imperial Pacification Envoy.
Upon hearing this, Meng Tinghui wanted to laugh coldly.
Although the imperial edict dismissing Dong Yicheng from his position as Pacification Commissioner and temporarily assigning him as Prefect of Chongzhou had not yet arrived, the officials of the Northern Chao’an Route were always quick to sense the political winds. How could Dong Yicheng still have the audacity to use the title of Pacification Commissioner when sending someone to pay respects to her? When traveling from the capital to Qingzhou, she had deliberately avoided passing through Chongzhou Prefecture precisely to avoid meeting this man. Now, with the chaos at Liu Banner Garrison barely settled, Dong Yicheng had meticulously chosen this moment to send someone to Qingzhou Prefecture. What was his intention?
Even before she had entered court service, she was aware that the officials of the Chongzhou Pacification Commission were colluding with each other. In the spring of the 24th year of Qiande, when the Emperor—still the Crown Prince then—had traveled incognito through the Northern Chao’an Route, he had been furious about the matter of the Qingzhou Garrison. However, because Dong Yicheng was an old member of the Eastern Faction, the Emperor did not severely punish him, only demoting a few of his subordinates who were involved in military affairs. Now that the Emperor had elevated Qingzhou to Qingzhou Prefecture and intended to move the Northern Chao’an Pacification Commission from Chongzhou Prefecture to Qingzhou Prefecture, someone as shrewd as Dong Yicheng would certainly understand that the Emperor was using the opportunity of this military mutiny to thoroughly reform the governance of the Northern Chao’an Route.
But she was not foolish. She would not give Dong Yicheng any opportunity to try to win her over as a “close confidant of the Emperor” at this time, not even the slightest chance for any casual remarks! She immediately had someone refuse the messenger, saying that she was indisposed and unable to receive visitors, but thanked Official Dong for his kind intentions.
The messenger who had come to Qingzhou to pay respects to her thus met with a gentle rebuff and returned resentfully to Chongzhou Prefecture to report. Before leaving, he couldn’t help but remark that Lady Meng was a graduate of the Chongzhou Women’s School and should not forget her roots, and requested that she stop by the Chongzhou commander’s office on her way back to the capital.
As soon as the messenger left, Meng Tinghui drafted an impeachment memorial, specifically accusing Dong Yicheng of deceiving his superiors and subordinates. He had knowingly allowed the Liu Banner Garrison soldiers to mutiny yet still ordered Shen Zhishu to deliver provisions to reward the troops, resulting in Shen Zhishu being captured by the army. This had caused the Emperor great concern, sending an envoy thousands of miles to pacify the rebellious troops.
Shen Zhishu had not returned to Qingzhou with her; he had remained in Liu Banner County with Cao Zixiong, Di Nian, Song Zhirui, and others to resettle the civilians and reorganize the city’s defenses. When he heard the report from the prefectural office that Meng Tinghui had impeached Dong Yicheng from thousands of miles away, he was shocked. Although he knew that Dong Yicheng had deliberately concealed the Liu Banner Garrison mutiny from him, which was truly suspicious, he hadn’t expected Meng Tinghui to submit an impeachment against the important Northern Chao’an official Dong Yicheng without even consulting him first.
Her action, which appeared to be standing up for him and keeping him from being implicated, immediately made him feel uncomfortable.
The Northern Chao’an Route was now in complete chaos due to the Liu Banner Garrison mutiny, causing sudden rifts between the various prefectures. Officials at all levels were taking the opportunity to bring each other down. Countless eyes were also fixed on the newly vacant position of Pacification Commissioner. Once Meng Tinghui’s memorial reached the Emperor’s desk, what great waves would it stir up in the court? He truly couldn’t predict.
Although he had only been the Magistrate of Qingzhou for a short year, his temperament had matured considerably compared to when he was in the capital. The reason he hadn’t hastily impeached Dong Yicheng for his previous actions was that he had learned from the Wang Qi incident years ago. He didn’t want to create more trouble for the Emperor thousands of miles away at this critical juncture.
But unexpectedly, while he had refrained from action, Meng Tinghui had struck first, harshly impeaching Dong Yicheng before even returning to the capital!
Shen Zhishu felt he increasingly couldn’t understand this woman.
Although he knew that the Emperor sending her with an edict wasn’t as simple as just announcing the imperial decree, he had assumed that the harsh order to execute the soldiers that night had been issued under imperial instructions. However, today’s impeachment of Dong Yicheng could not possibly have anything to do with the Emperor.
Once the military defenses in the inner and outer cities had been replaced and Liu Banner County had somewhat stabilized, Shen Zhishu entrusted all matters to Cao Zixiong and hurried back to Qingzhou by fast horse.
On the day Shen Zhishu returned to Qingzhou, the snow had already fallen on the northern border.
The city was covered in thick snow, and silver-wrapped pine and cypress branches outside the prefectural office created a scene of white vastness.
Meng Tinghui had been waiting early in the second hall, idly flipping through a book and staring into space.
During these days, with both Shen Zhishu and Cao Zixiong absent, she had overstepped her authority in deciding many office affairs. As a result, many in the office had drawn close to her, willing to take the opportunity to curry favor with this top favorite of the Emperor.
After midday, with still no news of Shen Zhishu entering the city, she began to grow slightly impatient, wondering if the heavy snow blocking the mountains had obstructed Shen Zhishu’s return route from Liu Banner.
Just as she was about to send someone out a few miles from the city to welcome him, someone reported that an imperial messenger had arrived from the capital with an edict from the Emperor.
Meng Tinghui guessed it must be the decree promoting Shen Zhishu to Prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture. Not wanting to receive the edict on his behalf, she ordered the clerks to set up a tribute table in the front hall and asked the messenger to wait a while until Shen Zhishu returned to the city to receive the Emperor’s edict in person.
Unexpectedly, the imperial messenger also produced a separate yellow letter for her, saying it was specially commanded by the Emperor to be delivered to her.
Meng Tinghui was about to kneel, but the messenger stopped her, saying it was not an imperial edict, and then placed it directly into her hand before following the clerks to the official inn to rest.
She stood there in a daze, holding the yellow letter. Under the gaze of many eyes, it was inappropriate to read it directly, so she tucked it into her bosom. Feigning composure, she asked for the court gazette that the imperial messenger had also brought, then sat down and began to read it carefully.
As winter progressed, the Emperor had just discussed with the Secretariat the matter of changing the era name at the beginning of next year.
Jingxuan.
The new era would be called Jingxuan.
She gently traced her finger over those two characters in the gazette, her brow slightly relaxing as she unconsciously looked up toward the thick snow covering the courtyard outside. Another winter had come.
The capital would also be covered in snow. She wondered what he was doing at this moment.
…Year One of Jingxuan.
This truly was an era belonging solely to one person.
She raised her lips slightly, then lowered her eyes to continue reading the gazette. Seeing it mentioned the Grand Court Assembly and various matters for the first month of the new year, she could already imagine the magnificent spectacle, though she didn’t know if she would make it back in time.
As her thoughts drifted, someone suddenly ran in from outside, saying that Shen Zhishu had entered the city but had turned halfway and headed directly to the commercial area near the Eastern Hill Gate.
Upon hearing this, Meng Tinghui immediately became annoyed. She frowned and stood up, saying to the person: “You didn’t even stop Official Shen? The Emperor’s messenger is still waiting for him to return and kneel to receive the imperial edict. Instead of returning to the prefectural office to attend to his duties, he goes to the eastern part of the city for what reason?!”
The clerk looked at her and said: “How would this humble official dare to stop Official Shen…”
She grew even more annoyed. While walking to get her outer robe, she said with a cold smile: “If you don’t dare to stop him, then tell me where in the eastern city he has gone, and I will personally go and ask him to return to the office!”
The clerk timidly lowered his head and said softly: “…Official Shen went to the Yan family shop in the eastern city.”
Meng Tinghui’s movements froze, her expression changed, and she paused for a long while before lowering her gaze and asking: “Did he say when he would return to the office?”
The clerk replied: “He said he would be back.”
She sighed lightly in her heart, her anger dissipating. She waved her hand at the person, dismissing him. She still put on her outer robe and walked out of the hall, not allowing anyone to follow her, heading alone toward the back courtyard.
Snowflakes fell gently from the sky as she walked silently. When she was finally out of earshot, she gently took out the yellow letter from her bosom, slowly broke the seal, and opened it.
Those familiar characters, each stroke bold and powerful, the thick ink especially eye-catching against the silver snow scene.
…
“I have read your memorial impeaching Dong Yicheng. Your concerns are quite incomplete and difficult to address in a brief reply. Therefore, I am temporarily withholding my response and have not circulated it beyond the Secretariat. Do not worry.
The northern border is cold and frozen. Although the snow extends across thousands of mountain peaks, it does not compare to one corner of the Western Mountains near the capital.
I miss you,
Return quickly.”
…
Her hand holding the yellow letter involuntarily trembled slightly.
Her face also flushed.
She stood frozen in the snow, letting the snowflakes accumulate on her shoulders, her mind still unable to process what she had read.
After an unknown length of time, she finally came back to her senses, couldn’t help but lower her eyes, and read those last few words on the yellow letter again.
She had never imagined he would write such words.
She gently closed her eyes, then opened them again, her lips curling upward uncontrollably, rising higher and higher.
Carefully putting away the yellow letter, she tucked it back into her bosom.
Pressing it tightly, so tightly against her heart.