A person cannot live as a lone individual. Living is not solely for oneself; one must always consider others’ feelings. Yun Ye lacked neither wealth nor glory and disdained using underhanded methods to add halos to himself. But the navy needed this, the disaster victims needed this, and the Great Tang needed this too. Whether it was shameless or noble, everything stemmed from practical needs. Reality determined everything.
Dengzhou had a complete maritime transport wharf that could berth giant vessels of a thousand dan capacity. The wharf, cleared out long ago, was now packed full with navy warships. When the joyful crowd prepared to welcome the triumphant soldiers, they discovered the soldiers’ faces showed little smile, but rather solemnity and sorrow.
Long gangplanks were laid onto the wharf. Wu She, his clothes disheveled and missing two teeth, came down from the ship carrying an imperial edict. Without much conversation with the several governors, after having them prepare a ceremony, he began reading His Majesty the Emperor’s decree before the laborers covering the mountains and plains. Who knew how many edicts Wu She actually carried on his person—he could always produce one at the right place before the right people. Could it be that Li Er possessed the ability to predict the future?
The language in the edict was filled with compassionate sentiments. The image of an emperor who worked tirelessly for his subjects was proclaimed thoroughly by Wu She’s gap-toothed mouth.
The scene was solemn. Ten thousand people knelt in worship, shouting long life to the mountains. The laborers heard the most powerful news—one million dan of grain, all gleaming white rice without a single bit of coarse grain mixed in. This was what concerned them most. As for the Emperor, he was certainly a good emperor. Any emperor who could fill the people’s bellies during a disaster year was a good emperor.
A single edict was enough to offset all the bizarre rumors that had been circulating among the disaster victims these past days—what nonsense about a three-eyed celestial deity descending to earth, the Dragon King collecting a human life tax, someone’s son having seven strange red moles on his soles, the butcher from Zhang Family Fort killing a giant snake, and so on and so forth.
“Why would the Palace Attendant be in such a wretched state? Could it be that misfortune was encountered along the way?” Yuan Dake cupped his hands and asked Wu She.
“Governor Yuan is too kind. After continuous battles and a journey of ten thousand li, troubles are bound to be encountered. However, relying on His Majesty’s great favor, we fortunately did not disgrace our mission. The grain has been transported here, along with some dried fish—a gift from that storm disaster. You should quickly order people to move the grain. Disaster relief is like fighting fire.”
“The Palace Attendant speaks truly. But could you allow us humble officials to pay our respects to Marquis Yun and express thanks on behalf of these Hebei disaster victims?”
“Governor Yuan doesn’t know—when the waterspouts attacked the fleet, Marquis Yun was still commanding even under torrential rain. Unfortunately, he was injured by a giant fish sucked up into the sky by the water dragon. He only regained consciousness today. It’s better not to disturb his recuperation. Please trouble Governor Yuan to arrange a quiet place so the soldiers can rest properly. Don’t bother preparing grain for us—there’s still some on the ships.”
Yuan Dake was startled and was about to board the ship to visit, but Wu She stopped him, pointing to the wounded soldiers successively disembarking: “Marquis Yun is also coming down. The fishy smell on the ship is too heavy—not a place for conversation.”
While they were talking, they saw a group of personal guards escorting a stretcher down from the ship. They hurried over to visit and saw the bruised and swollen Yun Ye nodding to them in greeting.
He Zhongwu cupped his hands at the side and said: “Marquis Yun is seriously injured and should not speak much. This humble official will relay the Marquis’s opinion. Actually, it’s just one sentence. The Marquis asks everyone to do their utmost in disaster relief. If the grain is insufficient, he will go find more. No matter what, he wants to prevent the human tragedy of exchanging children to eat from appearing in Hebei.”
Upon hearing this, the Xiangzhou Governor immediately burst into wailing. He had just looked—Yun Ye’s injuries were not the slightest bit fake. Injured like this, yet still thinking of the disaster victims—truly a model among officials. “Not enough, so go find more”—where would he go to find it? Nothing more than going to war and plunder again. With these wounded soldiers? This would cost them their very lives.
That damned He Zhongwu carried Yun Ye around like parading through streets. Wherever they went, it aroused a chorus of weeping. Marquis Yun’s reputation for loving the people immediately spread without effort…
In the Taiji Palace, Li Er received a memorial from the governors of Hebei’s six provinces brought by an urgent red-plumed courier, unanimously requesting that the Emperor celebrate merit for Yun Ye and the navy soldiers. The people of the six provinces now had rations and had been pacified. The autumn grain in the fields had already sprouted. After autumn, they would solve part of the food problem themselves. Marquis Yun was still leading the navy soldiers to catch fish at sea to make up for the grain shortage. In short, Hebei no longer temporarily needed the court’s concern.
The memorial was read aloud in the Taiji Palace before all the officials. When they heard that Yun Ye had been injured by a giant fish falling from the sky, someone couldn’t help but laugh.
“Hu Qing, do you find it amusing that Yun Ye was injured by a fish?” Li Er’s sinister voice rang out in the great hall.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble minister believes the six governors of Hebei are talking nonsense. How could anyone be injured by a giant fish falling from the sky? Has the Celestial River sprung a leak? This minister impeaches Yun Ye for the crime of falsely claiming merit.”
Hu Qing had no way to avoid it and could only resist stubbornly. As a northerner, he believed Yun Ye was talking nonsense, claiming credit for himself with reasons that couldn’t withstand scrutiny.
“In the third year of Kaihuang in the former Sui Dynasty, a waterspout passed over Dongting. Yueyang City had a thousand jin of fish fall. In the eighth year of Daye, a waterspout passed over Ganyang, and ten li away cattle and sheep fell from the sky. In the sixth year of Wude, a waterspout passed through Hengyang, and the sky actually rained down scissors and kitchen knives. Hu Qing, do you think it’s impossible for Marquis Yun to be injured by a giant fish falling from the sky? This old man just received a report from Dengzhou—five waterspouts passed through. If you’re ignorant, don’t let your mouth run wild.”
Fang Xuanling stepped forward from his rank and cited three examples in succession, immediately leaving Hu Qing speechless. Li Er’s expression became even more gloomy as he slowly said: “The court has no use for those who occupy positions without merit, no use for those who rejoice when colleagues suffer misfortune. Hu Qing has failed to cultivate virtue and randomly attacked meritorious ministers—his crime is unpardonable. Someone come, demote Hu Qing by nine ranks, exile him to Yaizhou. No pardon upon amnesty. He may never return home for life.”
Hu Qing’s miserable pleas rang out. The court hall seemed even quieter. The hundred officials were like wooden carved bodhisattvas, not saying a word. Only after Hu Qing was dragged out of the court hall did they continue discussing matters…
After court, Li Er’s fury remained difficult to calm. He swept everything on the table to the floor and sat heavily in his chair. With a grunt, his fist pounded the table. State affairs were complicated, yet everywhere people obstructed him, leaving him unable to display his great ambitions despite having them. These people had been comfortable too long and had long lost their enterprising spirit.
“Your Majesty, your punishment of Hu Qing today was too severe. Even if he was wrong, it was an unintentional mistake. Why did Your Majesty unleash such baseless fury?”
“Guanyin Maid, Cheng Yaojin and Niu Jinda have advanced troops to Hami, attracting frontal enemies. Hou Junji, united with Qibi, has already conquered Gaochang. This is precisely when our Great Tang displays its mighty power, yet there are always people who baselessly accuse me of excessive killing, saying the grasslands are useless lands, that taking them brings no benefit and only wastes the national treasury, saying I’m repeating Emperor Wu of Han’s old mistakes.”
“But you shouldn’t have released your anger over Yun Ye’s matter, making it difficult for him to conduct himself in the future.”
“Guanyin Maid, only before those closest to me can I not think so much. You’re right. That brat Yun Ye has unknowingly walked into my heart. It’s just a pity that though he and Lan’er have the reality of husband and wife, they lack the name. Otherwise, it would certainly be an excellent match.”
“Er Lang, was Yun Ye really injured by a shark?”
“Don’t listen to his nonsense. He was beaten black and blue by a fish this big called a croaker or something. It’s nothing serious.” Li Er gestured with his hands to show Zhangsun the fish’s size. Husband and wife looked at each other and laughed heartily.
Li Er lowered his voice and continued: “Among the entourage is an official from the Court of State Ceremonial who believed exaggeration would benefit pacifying the people. That’s why they said he was injured by a shark. But it must have been extremely dangerous nonetheless. With Wu She’s martial skills, even he had two teeth knocked out, so you can imagine how terrifying the situation was.”
“Er Lang, when he returns this time, don’t let him rush about anymore. He’s narrowly escaped death several times—pitiful enough. Let him live a few leisurely days in peace. Consider it a reward for him.”
“That’s my intention too. However, this brat, when he handles matters, always manages to earn heartfelt admiration. After a few more years of tempering to grind away his dandy nature, even Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui might not surpass him. What a pity. These past years I’ve seen clearly that he truly has no interest in being an official. His whole mind is set on idling away eating and waiting for death. Others with his talents would be preparing to distinguish themselves in the historical records, yet he actually told Qing Que that his greatest dream is to count money until his hands cramp and sleep until he naturally wakes. Officials rise earlier than chickens and sleep later than dogs—spending a lifetime in busy chaos is wasting one’s life. He plans to retire at thirty, then hide in Yushan and not come out. With such a lazy disposition, I truly don’t know how his master taught him.”
Hearing this, Zhangsun laughed so hard she swayed back and forth. Gasping for breath, she said to Li Er: “If all the civil and military officials of this court are celestial stars sent from heaven to assist you, what kind of star should he be? That day, Yuan Tiangang mentioned this matter, saying all others have traceable patterns, but only Yun Ye comes without shadow and leaves without trace. He cannot see clearly.”
Li Er laughed heartily: “What ‘cannot see clearly’—he dares not speak nonsense. Last time when I had heart demons, Yun Ye took over and cured me. Yuan Tiangang took this good opportunity to escape. Does he think I don’t know? He deserved to be extorted by Yun Ye. Such a treasure as the ‘Huang Ting Jing’ has now become the Yun family’s secret collection. Even I’m envious. Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy—falling into Yun Ye’s hands is like casting pearls before swine.”
Under Zhangsun’s conversational enticement, the vexation in Li Er’s heart gradually dispersed, and his mood became cheerful. Hebei’s predicament had been resolved, everything was developing in a favorable direction—what was there to be unhappy about?
He was happy, but Xinyue was not happy at all. Holding her son, she wept. Her husband wasn’t living a human life out there. Just taking a boat, he encountered something called a waterspout she’d never even heard of, and was beaten black and blue by fish falling from the sky. Poor thing—when he returned this time, she would definitely serve him well. Going out meant suffering; their family would bolt the main gate shut and not open it no matter who called. They would live their own good life properly. Even farming together would be good.