Today was the Grand Court Assembly. Yun Ye stood by the roadside, politely bowing to each of the great officials, his expression agitated as if they were reuniting after a calamity. Especially when he saw Fang Xuanling arrive, he immediately stepped forward to help Old Fang open the carriage door, lift the curtain, and assist him down from the carriage. Then he bowed deeply to the ground, saying excitedly: “Minister Fang, have you been well since we last met?”
Fang Xuanling replied with surprise: “This old man’s body is healthy. I’ve always been able to eat and sleep well. You and I only met yesterday—what could possibly have happened in just one night? Oh! Actually, this old man should be the one asking you. Yesterday you were beaten by Prince Wei, then went to the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs to endure interrogation. Just look—your head and face are still swollen and bruised. Such a fine young man shouldn’t engage in brawling so casually.”
When the surrounding officials heard Fang Xuanling’s teasing words, they couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Yun Ye’s face was indeed still covered in blue and purple bruises, looking quite pitiful. If it had been anyone else fighting with Prince Wei, they would have been chopped into mincemeat long ago. But Yun Ye was different. Everyone knew he was essentially His Majesty the Emperor’s son-in-law. Regarding the matter of fighting with Li Tai, the punishment could be light or severe. However, judging from His Majesty’s handling yesterday, he was treating Yun Ye as his own son, because the method of punishment was fifty lashes each—only when dealing with disputes between princes would such a method be used.
The officials who knew the inside story had no objection to this punishment. After all, this was an internal affair of the imperial family, and it didn’t involve anyone else. How to handle it was the Emperor’s business.
“Minister Fang doesn’t know—this lowly one was anxious all last night, afraid that bad news would arrive. I didn’t sleep all night, sitting in my study in fearful unease until dawn. Now seeing all the elders safe and sound, I can finally set my mind at ease. This lowly one is still under house arrest and shouldn’t have come here, but having seen everyone I needed to see, I can finally go home and sleep peacefully.”
Yun Ye bowed to the great officials once more and was about to turn and leave.
“Young man, wait! What exactly is going on? Could it be that after just one night, we old men are facing some great disaster?” Fang Xuanling grabbed Yun Ye’s sleeve and wouldn’t let go.
“Minister Fang doesn’t know—last night a great star fell outside Chang’an City, by the banks of the Wei River. This lowly one witnessed it with my own eyes and found the fallen celestial body. It weighs a full thirty jin! According to celestial omens, when a great star falls, it portends the death of a key minister. When Zhuge Liang died, a great star fell in the wilderness. Which of you elders isn’t a key minister of the nation? Losing any one of you would be a loss to Great Tang. This lowly one couldn’t help but be extra vigilant, asking Daoist Sun Simiao to stay up all night with me. If we heard any tragic news, we were prepared to set out immediately to see if there was still hope for rescue.”
Yun Ye spoke these words with utmost sincerity, as if he were truly considering everyone’s welfare. But no matter who heard him cursing their death, they wouldn’t feel comfortable.
“Outrageous! How dare you speak to your elders this way! Get lost immediately! Does Great Tang have many pig-headed marquises? Leave the star behind—this old man will watch over it for you. Whoever doesn’t show up today is definitely done for, and we’ll go pay our respects after court!” Cheng Yaojin walked over and berated Yun Ye, but the meaning in his words made these officials feel even more uncomfortable.
“Hehe, this old man is still here, so it’s not this old man who died. Where did Li Jing go? A few days ago I heard his leg ailment flared up—could this great star have fallen on his head?”
“Yuchi, you old blackie, rest assured, this old man only has a leg ailment—it’s far from my heart and lungs. On the other hand, you have a dark complexion and darkened印堂—that doesn’t look like a sign of longevity!”
“Hahaha, what nonsense about stars! This old man emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Will we lose our lives just because a rock fell from the sky? Back when we were in a great battle with Du Fuwei, Old Du got shot in the rear with three arrows by someone from his own clan, but didn’t he survive just fine? A star fell back then too, and everyone said Old Du would die, but didn’t he live well? That meteorite was supposedly taken by His Majesty to be refined into a weapon, but who knew it would shatter when dropped on the ground. What a piece of junk—it made His Majesty stamp his feet in anger.” Niu Jinda grabbed a large piece of meteorite from Yun Ye’s carriage, threw it on the ground, and cursed at the blackish iron lump.
“How can you compare the two situations? It’s not difficult for Yun Ye to find a meteorite—his family’s trading caravans specifically travel to remote areas, so having such a thing isn’t strange.” A goatee-bearded official spoke sarcastically. When everyone looked over, it turned out to be Linghu Defen. The old fellow had been demoted last time but unexpectedly returned quickly.
“Chancellor of the Central Secretariat, this poor Daoist found this meteorite first last night. Yun Ye forcibly swindled it away from me. This poor Daoist came to court today specifically to expose this scoundrel’s villainous nature before His Majesty, so you absolutely cannot say this thing was retrieved from distant lands by his family’s trading caravan.”
Yuan Tiangang angrily stepped forward, pointing at Yun Ye and cursing loudly. Indeed, he had found it first last night. Everyone was watching the stars, and when they discovered a star falling from the sky, naturally they dispatched people to search for it. Yuan Tiangang’s men were nearby, and coincidentally some believers lived in the area, so they quickly led them to find the meteorite embedded in the ground. Before they could excavate it, Li Chengqian and Yun Ye arrived, and the meteorite was forcibly seized by Li Chengqian and Li Tai.
If Yuan Tiangang had been present, even Li Chengqian wouldn’t have been able to snatch it from him. After learning the full story, Yuan Tiangang was extremely angry. Daoists have always regarded meteorites as treasures, and having it taken away by Li Chengqian through his authority made him very unwilling. He couldn’t touch Li Chengqian, but couldn’t he deal with Yun Ye? So early this morning he came to the palace, prepared to seek justice before His Majesty the Emperor.
“Old Yuan, you’re known as an iron rooster—how did he manage to snatch your treasure away? Could there be another hidden story?” Dai Zhou was clearly someone who enjoyed watching drama unfold. Standing to the side, he fanned the flames, because he felt that having such an extremely yang and rigid treasure in the Court of Judicial Review might suppress some of the gloomy atmosphere.
“Since you all claim this thing was discovered by you and can’t stop arguing, then the Court of Judicial Review will take this case. Someone, take the stone to the Court of Judicial Review first. We’ll set a date for trial.”
“Dai Zhou, don’t pull that trick! Your Court of Judicial Review is like a pixiu—it only swallows and never releases. Who’s ever heard of anything that entered the Court of Judicial Review coming out intact?” Qin Qiong wasn’t having it either. Everyone knew it was a treasure, and he still wanted Yun Ye to refine this thing to see if he could forge a few excellent swords.
Wei Zheng had been observing coldly for quite a while before finally speaking: “This old man recalls we were just discussing the matter of a great star falling and a key minister perishing, weren’t we? How did it all get diverted to the treasure itself? Let this matter rest. The palace gates have opened—we should go in.”
Everyone followed Fang Xuanling into the palace. Although Yuan Tiangang was reluctant to part with it, rules were greater than heaven, so he had no choice but to follow. Before leaving, he glared fiercely at Yun Ye.
Yun Ye stood in a daze. He wasn’t worried about Yuan Tiangang glaring at him—no matter how much you bullied this charlatan, nothing would come of it. He was pondering Wei Zheng’s words. Now everyone knew Yun Ye was advocating for the Empress, yet he hadn’t mentioned a single word about it. However, that fellow’s way of looking at him seemed very wrong—there was some pity and some loathing. That’s right, exactly that feeling.
Yun Ye could understand the loathing, but what did the pity mean? Someone whose heart was like an ancient well wouldn’t casually reveal emotions in their eyes. These were all master-level performers—a single glance could already convey sufficient information.
Yun Ye didn’t go home but instead went directly to a small alley. In this alley was a very small restaurant that had just opened early in the morning. Seeing a young man with a bruised and swollen face but clearly of high status walk in, they quickly attended to him. Gentlemen who’d been beaten into pig-heads usually came with anger, couldn’t be offended, and could only be served attentively.
Sitting in the greasy little restaurant, Yun Ye drank cup after cup of the establishment’s homemade rice wine. The taste was quite decent. He didn’t want the restaurant’s dishes, but the yellow beans the proprietor cooked himself tasted good—add a handful of salt, and they were fine for drinking with.
Yun Ye drank for a whole morning. He himself wasn’t clear why he could drink so much. Three empty wine jars already sat on the table, and when he opened the fourth jar, Wei Zheng lifted the door curtain and walked in. He gave the proprietor a silver coin and instructed him to stay in the back courtyard and not come out.
“Marquis Yun truly has a heart with seven apertures of exquisite clarity. From this old man’s inadvertent glance, you could read the meaning within. Not simple. Come, you and I shall share a cup.” As he spoke, he poured himself a cup of wine, clinked it with Yun Ye’s, drained it in one gulp, wiped his mouth and said: “This is the last chance this old man is giving you. If Marquis Yun pretends not to know, even if you are a peerless talent, we old men will have no choice but to take harsh measures.”
“Speak then. Where exactly am I pitiable? Though I’m young, I’ve experienced quite a bit. Now, though I can’t claim to have achieved success and fame, as a Great Tang noble, I’m still qualified. I haven’t occupied a position without fulfilling duties. I can’t think of why you would want to take harsh measures against me. I don’t seem to have blocked anyone’s path to promotion and wealth.”
“Indeed so. Marquis Yun is as slippery as a loach—constant minor errors but never major ones. This old man has tried several times to catch your tail, but you easily escaped each time. Now it’s different. If you still don’t turn back, death is your only road.”
“Not necessarily. I came this time precisely to understand where I’ve acted inappropriately. Sometimes listening to others’ opinions isn’t harmful. But if you want to talk about putting me to death, you needn’t say it. Even if Ludongzan’s courage grew larger, if he wants to run wild at Yun Family Manor, he’ll definitely go but never return. I don’t harm others, but I’ve never abandoned my guard against others. To be honest, the reason I’ve been pressing you step by step lately is actually because of Ludongzan.”
“I am a minister of Great Tang. If you want to deal with me, come at me yourself—no need to collude with outsiders and make me look down on you.”
“You’re wrong. We haven’t colluded with the Tubo people—at most we’re watching from the sidelines. As for your grievances with the Tubo people, that’s your own business. This old man won’t interfere.”
“Whether it’s large-scale warfare or small-scale raids, you, Yun Ye, are indeed difficult to deal with. The death road I speak of is one you’ve found for yourself. Ludongzan can’t kill you—the only one who can kill you is yourself.”