Xu Yuanzhe said, “Around the beginning of this month, Brother Yunsheng came back dead drunk, reeking of perfume. He said he’d been to the Qinhuai River pleasure quarters and made me promise never to mention this to you, master.”

Su Jin asked, “Why couldn’t you mention it to me?”

Tribute scholars visiting pleasure quarters was common. People simply turned a blind eye—why couldn’t it be spoken of?

Xu Yuanzhe replied, “He wouldn’t say, so I couldn’t very well press him. From start to finish, I never learned which pleasure house he went to or whom exactly he met.”

Chao Qing disappeared on the ninth day of the fourth month, meaning only a few days after he visited the pleasure quarters, he vanished.

But Yan Ziqi was the Grand Tutor’s precious daughter. If she truly was the one who left the jade seal at the tribute scholars’ lodgings, how could she possibly be connected to a place of courtesans and pleasure houses?

Su Jin nodded, “I understand.” She looked up at the sun’s position—more than half of the hour of the Dragon had passed—and said, “You should go back first.”

Xu Yuanzhe hesitated for a moment before taking a booklet from his bosom. It was the *Imperially Commissioned Great Pronouncements*.

In the fourteenth year of Jingyuan, the Emperor personally promulgated the law code *Great Pronouncements*, ordering every household to keep a copy. If someone violated the law and their family possessed a copy of the *Great Pronouncements*, they could receive lighter punishment.

Xu Yuanzhe said bashfully, “Brother Yunsheng was copying this volume for you, master, but unfortunately he only finished half. Tomorrow at the imperial ranking ceremony, positions will be bestowed. Yuanzhe has a leg ailment and certainly won’t be able to remain in the capital. I helped Brother Yunsheng finish the second half. Consider it fulfilling his and my small gesture to you before I depart.”

His words carried a dejected tone—having a chronic ailment made serving as an official difficult, and a limp was an affliction impossible to hide. He imagined that at tomorrow’s imperial ranking, he wouldn’t receive any favorable position.

However, Su Jin said, “You study diligently and work harder than anyone. Don’t worry that others don’t know you—worry about not knowing others. The Emperor has divine wisdom and penetrating insight. You may yet achieve first-class ranking.”

Xu Yuanzhe expressed his gratitude, bowed with cupped hands once more, and returned to the tribute scholars’ lodgings.

Cloud masses at the edge of the sky blocked the sunlight, darkening the back alley. Beyond the wall was the rear courtyard of the tribute scholars’ lodgings, from which faint voices could be heard—presumably people from the Ministry of Rites had arrived to teach the protocol for the imperial ranking ceremony.

This tribute scholars’ lodging was built five years ago for examination candidates, embodying the sentiment “Would that I had mansions covering ten thousand acres to shelter all the poor scholars of the world in joy.”

That same year, Su Jin had come to the capital for the examinations. Startled by a galloping official horse, she accidentally knocked over a calligraphy and painting stall.

The stall owner was a fair-skinned scholar. Su Jin intended to compensate him with silver, but he stated righteously, “These calligraphies and paintings scattered on the ground represent three days of my heart’s blood. Gold and silver are easy to obtain, but heart’s blood cannot be bought.”

Su Jin had no desire to entangle herself with him. She stuffed all her silver into his hands and turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, this stall owner truly had integrity. Clutching the scattered calligraphies and paintings to his chest, he followed her all the way, shouting repeatedly, “Take back your money—I cannot accept it.”

Su Jin, vexed beyond endurance, reached the tribute scholars’ lodgings and bowed to the martial guards, saying, “There’s a charlatan behind me, carrying a bundle of calligraphy and paintings, specializing in forcing people to buy and sell. If you see him, just chase him away to save trouble.”

With that, she dove into the lodgings, gaining peace for her ears.

After organizing her luggage, she didn’t notice someone pat her on the back.

The scholar stall owner bent his eyes in a smile: “Oh, so you’re the Qizhou provincial graduate, Su Jin.”

Looking around at the silent courtyard on all sides, Su Jin asked in astonishment, “You climbed over the wall to get in?”

It was early spring, with apricot blossoms covering the branches and falling onto the upturned eaves.

Beneath the upturned eaves, the scholar’s eyes were like moons, his smile seeming about to overflow. He presented his calling card with both hands: “I am surnamed Chao, given name Qing, courtesy name Yunsheng. By coincidence, I’m a fellow examination candidate with you, brother.”

We’re kindred spirits at first meeting, feeling affinity at first sight. Might we exchange calling cards?

Su Jin recalled the old memories, leaning against the back alley wall in a daze.

Chao Qing should have taken the examinations in the same year as her, but unfortunately, after that year’s spring examinations, his father passed away. He returned home to observe the three-year mourning period. This year he took the examinations again—who knew something would happen?

By noon, the sun was like a hedgehog with its spines removed, all its poisonous rays withdrawn, lightly hanging behind the clouds.

Zhou Ping came to the back alley to find Su Jin and invited her to return to the office together.

Su Jin asked, “Did you get all the information you needed from the Ministry of Rites?”

Zhou Ping sighed, “In any case, the imperial ranking ceremony follows the same set of rules. Further inquiries won’t yield much. Let me go back and think it over. When I think of something improper, it won’t be too late to consider it carefully.”

An hour past noon, Liu Yichu held his teacup and stood at the office entrance looking at the sky. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Su Jin returning from her “break” and desperately tried to signal with his eyes.

Su Jin caught his meaning and turned to leave, but it was already too late.

A shout came from within the office, and a person emerged with the voice—short in stature but full of official bearing. This was the “Old Thief Sun” from Liu Yichu’s mouth, Yingtian Prefect Deputy Sun Yinde.

Sun Yinde had recently gone to the Qingyan Pleasure House under the pretense of investigating a case. This morning, taking advantage of Prefect Yang’s visit to the Imperial Censorate, he had snuck back. Already feeling guilty as a thief, when someone below informed him that Su Jin had been shirking duties these past two days, he was greatly pleased. He wanted to take the opportunity of disciplining subordinates to bolster his own official authority.

Sun Yinde ordered the office guards to bring Su Jin before the Tuisi Hall and said coldly, “Kneel down.” He accepted tea from a subordinate and asked, “Where did you go?”

Su Jin remained silent. Zhou Ping, standing to the side, said, “In response to my lord, this was originally my fault. These past days, many failed scholars have been causing trouble. I was worried, so I had Su Jin accompany me to the tribute scholars’ lodgings to see if everything was in order.”

Sun Yinde flipped his tea lid and said methodically, “Is this official asking about today?”

Su Jin kowtowed to the ground and said, “In response to my lord, this subordinate official went to the Court of Judicial Review some days ago to file a case for the missing tribute scholar. Afterward, due to private matters, I stayed away for two additional days.”

The matter of ghostwriting the essay question for a palace prince absolutely could not be revealed. If he learned she was privately investigating Chao Qing’s case, there would be even worse consequences. At present, she could only accept this unjust loss.

Sun Yinde laughed coldly, “Private matters? Officials in court should arrive at the hour of the Dragon and leave at the hour of the Monkey—is that when you should be handling private matters?” After a pause, he ordered, “Someone, bring me a chair.”

He intended to sit down for a detailed interrogation.

Overhead, layers of clouds rolled, misty and hazy. Further in the distance, the sky had darkened completely—a sudden rain was imminent.

Sun Yinde glanced up at the sky and directed a servant to place the chair under the corridor eaves. While drinking tea, he said, “You think this lord doesn’t know what private matters you could have? Most likely you found a way to investigate that old friend of yours’ case.”

Su Jin replied, “My lord misunderstands. Since my lord has repeatedly ordered that Chao Qing’s case cannot and need not be investigated, even if you lent this subordinate official a thousand or ten thousand ounces of courage, I would not dare investigate privately.”

“You still argue?” Sun Yinde stood up and said sternly, “Someone, get the beating rod. This official will see whether his bones are harder or this official’s—”

Before he could finish speaking, a bolt of thunder split the sky, illuminating the entire Tuisi Hall in alternating light and darkness.

Sun Yinde was startled by this magnificent heavenly might. Knowing he was in the wrong, he involuntarily swallowed the second half of his words.

Liu Yichu seized the opportunity to advise, “Lord Sun, it’s nearly the hour of the Sheep now. Prefect Yang should be returning to the office soon. If he learns of this wretch Su Jin’s evil deeds, he’ll certainly want to interrogate again. You’ve been investigating cases outside for several consecutive days. Why not rest first? What do you think?”

Though Yingtian Prefect Yang Zhiwei was somewhat incompetent in three areas, he had always valued Su Jin. If Prefect Yang learned he had privately administered beating rods, it would surely displease him.

Awakened by Liu Yichu’s reminder, Sun Yinde climbed down the offered ladder and nodded, “True. This official has been unable to eat or sleep peacefully these past days due to the case at hand. I’m truly exhausted. Leave this wretch for Prefect Yang to deal with.” He looked up again at the corridor—accompanying that thunderclap, bean-sized raindrops had begun falling. With a stern expression, he added, “But punishment must still be given. Have him kneel here and thoroughly reflect on his mistakes. When he figures it out, he can come report back to this official.”

Su Jin knelt in the wind and rain, soaked through. Since he said so, she agreed.

Sun Yinde pointed at the sky and sneered coldly, “Su Jin, if you’ve done nothing wrong in life, you need not fear ghosts knocking at midnight. If lightning strikes and burns you to a crisp shortly, it will be your just deserts.”

As he spoke, an office servant ran from the front hall, announcing loudly, “Lord Sun, Lord Yang has returned to the office!”

Sun Yinde said with displeasure, “If he’s returned, he’s returned. Why the shouting?”

The office servant knelt on the ground, his face full of fear: “In response to Lord Sun, accompanying Lord Yang back to the office are also Court of Judicial Review Minister Lord Zhang and Left Censor-in-Chief Lord Liu. Lord Yang has already brought the two lords toward Tuisi Hall.”

As soon as the words fell, three figures emerged from the front corridor.

Sun Yinde rubbed his eyes. Recognizing the visitors, he rushed forward and prostrated himself on the ground: “This subordinate official, Yingtian Prefect Deputy Sun Yinde, greets Lord Liu and Lord Zhang. This subordinate official did not know the two lords were visiting and failed to welcome you from afar. Please punish this subordinate official!”

Zhang Shishan said, “Since you didn’t know Lord Liu and I were visiting, how could there be a distant welcome? Rise and speak.”

Sun Yinde kowtowed in acknowledgment and stood up, then went to observe Liu Chaoming’s expression.

Liu Chaoming’s face was cold and desolate. His gaze seemed inadvertent, falling on the person kneeling in the misty rain.

Sun Yinde said righteously, “Reporting to Lord Liu, this person is a magistrate in our prefectural office. Due to improper conduct—shirking duties, being absent without leave, and privately investigating a forbidden case—I punished him with kneeling here, awaiting disposal.” Speaking, he shouted into the rain, “Su Jin, come pay your respects to Lord Liu and Lord Zhang.”

Only then did Su Jin turn her body to look toward the corridor.

The sudden rain poured down, drenching people until they couldn’t see the world before them clearly.

Her gaze lingered on Liu Chaoming for a moment, and the corners of her mouth moved slightly.

Perhaps she wanted to say something, or perhaps to ask herself—in these few short days, how many times had they met?

Then she looked toward the emptiness, her tone calm and composed: “This subordinate official, Su Jin, greets Lord Liu and Lord Zhang.”

This indifferent appearance caused a moment of chaos in Liu Chaoming’s self-proclaimed clear thoughts, as if someone had grabbed a wolf-hair brush tip and swept across a sundial that had stood upright for years.

But what exactly had been disrupted, he did not know.

Sun Yinde noticed his strange expression and asked tentatively, “Lord Liu, in your view, how should this wretch be dealt with?”

The vague bewilderment gradually transformed into an indescribable, uncontrollable anger, yet he couldn’t explain its origin.

Liu Chaoming strode toward Tuisi Hall, coldly tossing out a single sentence: “Let her kneel.”

—

**Author’s Note:**

Some girls privately messaged me saying they’ve read too few official court novels and asked me to explain simply:

Let me use the previous scholar riot as an example—

Put it this way, there’s a group of intellectuals causing trouble somewhere.

They first find a crowded spot, hold up banners, and shout slogans.

At this point, the government (that’s Su Jin’s unit, the Capital District Office) definitely needs to send someone to handle it. So everyone pushes the responsibility around, and the most honest Director Zhou (Zhou Ping) comes out.

Director Zhou says, please don’t cause trouble anymore.

The intellectuals think, this person looks easy to bully, let’s beat him up first.

So they summon the urban management uncles (Five Cities Military Commission).

The urban management uncles say, if you keep causing trouble, we’ll use force.

The intellectuals see they can’t afford to provoke them, so they leave. After the heat dies down, they’ll find another spot and continue causing trouble.

Simply put, that’s what happened.