“These are all the people I know who share my situation.” Zhu Ling blew on the ink to dry it. “These are the ones I consider at least somewhat trustworthy.”
Hua Zhi took the sheet and looked it over.
Zhu Ling handed her another. “And these are the people from Qi Qiu’s faction.”
“You have been thorough.”
Zhu Ling lowered his head and slowly straightened his sleeves. What was thorough about it? Just as she had been willing to extend trust to him, he was doing nothing more than returning what little trust he had — to her. There were some things a person was obliged to give, regardless of whether they wished to or not, just as with this list of names. The only distinction was whether one was willing or unwilling.
This young woman was a formidable figure with real courage.
“There is one more matter I must ask of Magistrate Zhu — please compile and write down everything you have told me carefully. I need to present it for someone’s review. If anything else comes to mind, please include that as well.” Hua Zhi rose. “A confrontation between Daqing and the Chaoli tribe is inevitable. Before that comes, we need to understand the Chaoli tribe anew.”
“Understood. I will write as thoroughly as I am able.”
Hua Zhi gently folded the dried sheets of paper, turned, and walked out. At the doorway, she looked back. “Magistrate Zhu may move about as freely as before. Please, make yourself at home.”
Zhu Ling smiled slightly. “You are so gracious that I am unsure how to receive it. I keep worrying that beneath such graciousness there might be a hidden blade.”
“Perhaps it is something like the feeling of facing a wanderer who has been adrift for many years far from home. In front of you, Magistrate Zhu, I come to understand how great a blessing it is to have a home to return to, a nation to serve, and elders to honor.” Hua Zhi smiled. “Though the silver taken before will still need to be surrendered.”
“With the utmost willingness.”
He watched as mistress and maid left the room. Then Zhu Ling paced to the doorway and stood for a moment looking out at the moonlit scene beyond, before stepping over the threshold and down the steps into the courtyard. He let the moonlight envelop him completely. He tilted his head back, narrowed his eyes, and gazed at the moon — round, but not quite full — and a smile gradually spread across his face. The excitement that had been carefully contained within him began, at last, to slowly release.
His life from this point forward — could it be as untroubled as he was now, bathed in moonlight?
Yu Mu had long since had a comfortable room prepared. Bao Xia first settled her mistress to one side, then inspected the room from every corner before she was satisfied. The bedding and linens were all fresh. Two buckets of hot water had been warmed and set out for use, and the kettle was full to the brim — it showed real care and attention.
She poured a cup of tea and brought it over, saying softly, “Let this servant prepare things. Please have a bath to ease your exhaustion.”
“A good wipe-down will be enough. There is still work to be done — I will not waste time here.” Hua Zhi glanced at the water clock — a quarter past the hour of Xu. “Prepare brush and paper.”
Bao Xia did not dare delay her mistress’s affairs and hurried to prepare them.
Hua Zhi had already composed the text in her mind. Her brush moved without pause. The first letter was addressed to her maternal grandfather. After giving an account of the situation in Jinyang, she turned her attention to one other matter of importance — stockpiling grain.
Fearing the letter might fall into the wrong hands, she dared not mention that she had set aside a sum of silver. Her grandfather was a man who knew she never spoke without cause; he would think more carefully on the meaning behind her words.
She had already sent people to purchase grain from the Yan Kingdom, but compared to what a nation’s Ministry of Finance could accomplish, her own efforts amounted to little more than scratching the surface. Now that the Chaoli tribe’s ambitions were known to all, if her grandfather were to raise the matter at court — proposing that the silver recovered from Jinyang be used to purchase grain in preparation for war — the military officials would certainly give their support. Even if certain civil officials raised objections, they would not be able to make much headway against the prevailing current. Once the momentum was established, even the Emperor would have no grounds to refuse.
She set down her brush, read the letter through from start to finish, satisfied herself that it was in order, then picked up the brush again for the second letter.
This one was for Little Six. It was her long-held belief that stating principles alone was useless — only truths made plain by real circumstances could take root in a person’s heart. All the more so in matters concerning people like Zhu Ling. Only by making him understand the hardships these people had endured could he put himself in their place and work toward a genuine solution — and prevent such situations from arising again in the future.
As for the Emperor, she had no thought of submitting a memorial. She had no standing to do so. She trusted that the Qisu Division had its own established and effective channels for reporting matters upward.
“Subordinate Jia Yang requests an audience.”
“Come in.” Hua Zhi’s brush did not stop. Only after a moment did she set it down, and while dividing the letters into their respective envelopes she looked up and asked, “What sort of person is that strategist?”
“He has followed Lv Xinming for seven years. His purpose is to keep Lv Xinming in check. When Yuan Shifang was still here, this man urged Lv Xinming to pursue a policy of self-preservation — staying clear of any entanglement in matters of profit — so as to hold his position. Later, when Yuan Shifang was arrested, the speed with which Lv Xinming found himself stripped of all real authority was largely thanks to this man’s counsel from within.”
With Yuan Shifang in front of him and Zhu Ling after that, for Lv Xinming to have kept his hands clean throughout was hardly surprising. No wonder he would turn on someone for that strategist’s sake — the man was probably his lifeline and the anchor of his entire confidence. Hua Zhi nearly laughed aloud. What a strange set of circumstances.
“And what about Zheng Hang’s background?”
“Cross-referencing his activities in the capital, he is simply an ordinary man with a weakness for gambling and some natural talent for it. The Chaoli tribe saw value in his abilities, provided him capital and men, and sent him to Jinyang to put his skills to full use. He did show some genuine talent — he deserves some of the credit for what Jinyang became. The Chaoli tribe scraped away the greater part of the earnings but treated him reasonably well for it, and over the years have kept him fed and comfortable.”
Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. “He did not know the identity of those behind him?”
“This subordinate asked him. He claims he did not — he had suspected it might be some imperial relative or noble clan.”
Whether or not he truly did not know could be left as it was. Hua Zhi had no interest in spending further thought on someone of such little consequence. Nevertheless — “A fattened pig is ready for slaughter. Seize and confiscate the Zheng household’s assets. Do not touch the man himself — leave his punishment to the Ministry of Justice when they arrive.”
“Understood.”
With that, the situation in Jinyang was essentially resolved. Hua Zhi rubbed her temples. “By custom, how long before people from the capital arrive?”
“At the fastest, about ten days.” Thinking of his superior’s earlier arrangements, Jia Yang added, “Those from the Qisu Division and Shizi’s household will arrive sooner. At most, they will be here within four days to serve under your command.”
Hua Zhi glanced at Bao Xia. Bao Xia caught the meaning and stepped outside the door to stand guard.
She gestured for Jia Yang to come closer and said quietly, “Is there any way to move a portion of the silver out?”
Jia Yang was taken aback. “The silver from the gambling house?”
“Not just the gambling house. Of the silver Zeng Xianglin had hidden away, I want at least half moved out. I have already spoken with General Lu about this.” Hua Zhi pressed at her aching temples. She had not wanted to add another complication — another risk to carry. But when she thought about the current situation in the capital, she could not afford not to make some additional preparations. She needed to guard against the Emperor, upon learning that silver had been recovered, ordering the funds diverted to the great canal project. She also needed to guard against those who might wish to reach in and pluck the ripened fruit for themselves.
No matter what credit was due for the events in Jinyang, the contributions of herself and Yanxi were beyond dispute. But whoever came next to take over the handling of things would be claiming credit all the same — being present when a great sum of silver was formally presented to the capital was precisely the kind of opportunity for public recognition that no one could afford to ignore. She could not control whose hands this windfall ultimately landed in. All she could do was make her preparations before they arrived. If those who came were on her side, all the better. If not, her preparations would not have been made in vain.