The Emperor’s sophistry left the assembled officials at a complete loss. Once spring plowing was done, there would be nothing left to do? Surely he could not expect the old and the very young to haul stones? To carry on in such a reckless, ruinous way would provoke the fury of the common people!
If a nation loses the hearts of its people — what would become of it? If its people were left with no means of survival — what would be the consequence?
Though the officials of the court each harbored their own private interests, none among them who were not traitors or sellouts willing to betray their country wished to see their nation come to such a pass. Some of them had attended the open discussions held at the Hua Family’s salon, and had once been idealistic young scholars. They had railed against many injustices in their time, yet they had always acknowledged that compared to the dynasties that came before, the Great Qing had been most lenient toward its common people. It was almost as if, having come through the pitch darkness of a dynasty like Chaoli’s, those who had written the laws and regulations afterward had grown more compassionate. What His Majesty was doing now would drag the Great Qing into ruin with no hope of recovery.
The officials’ silence filled the Emperor with both fury and humiliation. He gave a cold sound and rose. “We have decided. There will be no further change to this matter. The Six Ministries are to deliberate and draw up a plan. Court is dismissed!”
After seeing His Majesty off, not a single official took their leave first. Eyes drifted, with studied carelessness, toward Gu Yanxi. When it came to closeness with His Majesty, who could compare with the Shizi?
The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, both present in the hall, exchanged a glance. Even their resentment they could only swallow. That the Emperor was close to the Shizi was simply a fact. The Fourth Prince even managed to put on a smile and step forward. “Leave together?”
“We are not going the same way.” Gu Yanxi’s manner had not changed at all simply because he had removed his mask. He gave a clasped-hand salute to Duke Anguo and Minister Zhu and then departed in long strides. He knew that this was the punishment the Emperor intended for him — and for Ah Zhi. And neither he nor Ah Zhi could refuse.
He went to the Seven Lodges Bureau and worked through the public business that had accumulated during the period of his absence. The most pressing matter at present was the Jinyang affair. All news relating to Jinyang was delivered directly into his hands, so nothing of consequence had been missed.
Looking at the seven Bureau Chiefs who came to pay their respects and then lingered as if they had something to say but could not bring themselves to say it, Gu Yanxi simply chose to speak openly. “Even if the Seven Lodges Bureau is dissolved, each one of you has been cultivated with great effort and investment. There is no need to worry about being left idle. Do your work well in the meantime, and if the day truly comes to disband, I will personally ensure that each of you is properly placed.”
The Second Bureau Chief was the first to ask. “Chief, will the Seven Lodges Bureau… truly be dissolved?”
“From the perspective of the broader situation, there are sufficient reasons to dissolve it. Look at what we handle — affairs belonging to the Ministry of Personnel, affairs belonging to the Ministry of Revenue, affairs belonging to the Ministry of War… things that should rightfully be handled by their respective ministries have all fallen to us. If the Seven Lodges Bureau is not dissolved, it should be the Six Ministries that are.”
The others fell silent. It was the truth — the range of what passed through their hands was extraordinary.
“All right. Each of you go attend to your duties. In any case, this will not be a matter settled in a short time.”
“Yes.”
After sitting in stillness for a moment, Gu Yanxi left the palace.
The Emperor, who had waited and waited and failed to see anyone come, was told he had left the palace and was furious on the spot — until Lai Fu’s next words calmed him. “The Shizi has gone to Se Valley.”
Se Valley had once been an unnamed mountain valley, the place where the Seven Lodges Bureau trained its people. The name had been chosen by the first Chief — “se,” meaning both the bitterness in the heart and the rawness of the inexperienced, the newly arrived.
Gu Yanxi had spent several years here before, and he made his way through the various traps and mechanisms as easily as breathing, entering the valley with practiced ease. Training was underway at this hour, and Gu Yanxi stood and watched for a time.
“How do you have leisure to come here? Do you need more people brought in?”
Gu Yanxi turned, looking toward an old man of fair complexion and no beard, whose manner was refined and composed. This was his Shifu — the previous Chief of the Seven Lodges Bureau, Gu Yerong. By seniority, he should properly address him as Grand-Uncle. With no sons, no daughters, and no ties to bind him, after stepping down Gu Yerong had remained in this valley to train new recruits.
“Yanxi greets Shifu.”
Gu Yerong helped him straighten up and studied him for a moment. “There is a shadow between your brows. What has happened?”
“Please, Shifu, let us speak somewhere private.”
Gu Yerong brought him directly to his own quarters — a place no one dared enter without his summons.
Gu Yanxi took a deep breath, sank to his knees, and related everything that had happened recently that could be told, with particular detail given to the incident of removing the mask.
“The flaws of the Seven Lodges Bureau are becoming increasingly apparent. Left unchecked, something will certainly go wrong.” Gu Yerong sighed and gestured for him to rise. He himself had long since understood that the existence of the Seven Lodges Bureau had become more burden than benefit. But like the Emperor, he had never had the courage to readily change it — and had not expected this young man to pierce right through it in a single stroke.
“His Majesty is turning fifty.”
“Yes.”
“No wonder he grows increasingly muddled.” Gu Yerong gave a cold laugh. “You came to find me, and not just for this matter alone.”
Gu Yanxi raised his eyes. “You have been long secluded here, Shifu, and may not be aware — the Chaoli people are now showing signs of rising again, and have been laying their groundwork for forty years, perhaps longer. Jinyang is so close to the capital, yet right under our noses it was transformed into a city of gambling without our knowledge, with enormous sums of silver disappearing without a trace. If Ah Zhi had not discovered the connection, we might still be kept in the dark to this day. I suspect the Chaoli people are the ones manipulating matters behind the scenes.”
“According to all records, the Chaoli people have always relied solely on overwhelming force.”
“Yes. And so I suspect that one of their people has become a wise strategist.”
Gu Yerong was taken aback. If their people had produced a wise strategist — then their people would rise!
“What do you want of me?”
“I intend to go to Jinyang personally to manage this matter. What I need is for you to emerge from this valley to hold things steady here in the capital.”
“Emerge from this valley I need not do. But I will keep watch over things.”
Gu Yanxi felt a weight lift from his heart. What he feared most was being far away in Jinyang while something happened in the capital and he could do nothing. With Shifu keeping watch, he could set his mind at rest.
With the pressing matter settled, Gu Yerong turned to personal affairs. “You are already twenty-five. It is time you started a family. Since you have someone you care for, set it in order soon — do not end your days alone as I have.”
“I will take care of you in your old age, Shifu. And when you meet Ah Zhi, I am certain you will like her.” Gu Yanxi’s expression carried a faint trace of helplessness. “I would also like to start a family. But now is truly not the right moment. The Hua Family was searched and their household confiscated — their family was sent into exile. My grandmother barely managed to protect the women and children. Ah Zhi… she is the legitimate granddaughter of Hua Yi-zheng.”
Gu Yerong was stunned. From the time his disciple had become capable of great things, Gu Yerong had thoroughly stepped back. After the first two years of wandering, he had stayed in this valley and gone nowhere, paying no attention to affairs outside. He knew his own disciple’s abilities better than anyone — those scheming, treacherous figures outside could never truly overturn everything. But the Hua Family being searched and sent into exile? Had the Emperor lost his mind?
“How did the scholars of the realm respond? Were there any confrontations with the authorities?”
“There were none.” Gu Yanxi gave an account of the situation, and took the opportunity to say every good thing he could on Ah Zhi’s behalf. With His Imperial Uncle it was already impossible — but here, with Shifu, he absolutely had to secure the highest possible approval.
“No wonder you could take a liking to her.” Gu Yerong pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “The Hua Family must be brought back. His Majesty has grown muddled — even if every official in the court had treacherous intentions, the Hua Family most certainly would not be among them.”
“We are all working toward it. Only we cannot rush it. His Majesty now… cannot hear counsel.”
The corner of Gu Yerong’s mouth curved faintly. “That is how it goes when age catches up with a person. I have already lived through one such time. That the Great Qing dynasty has continued steadily to this day is truly a wonder.”
“Shifu…”
“No need to tell me to watch my words. I am not afraid of any of that.”
Gu Yanxi said nothing further. He did not know what kind of past his Shifu had lived through. It must not have been a happy one — otherwise he would not be passing his final years in solitude, and would not speak of the Emperor with such disregard.