Zhù Ying rarely found herself in a situation like this. For one brief moment, her mind turned at tremendous speed — there was no time to work out the full cause and effect, and she could not begin to understand why this person called Guan Qing would impeach her in this way.

She arranged her expression into what it needed to be and asked in apparent shock, “What?!”

She knew who Guan Qing was — after the whole business with Duan Zhi, she had looked into some of the Duan family’s close connections. But she genuinely could not fathom why Guan Qing, instead of lying low, would leap forward and impeach her like this. What was he trying to accomplish?

Zheng Xi and the others were equally stupefied. They too knew who Guan Qing was, and they too could not understand what Guan Qing meant by submitting this memorial at a time like this. Zheng Xi was utterly convinced that Zhù Ying was not capable of concealing a parent’s death. A “dutiful child” with any sense would get far more mileage out of not concealing it than out of concealing it.

The Grand Council was likewise disinclined to believe it.

Those who had dealt with Zhù Ying also wore expressions of evident surprise. Shen Ying even made a faint sound. Back then, Zhù Ying and Huajie’s engagement — it had been broken because the Feng family struck her parents. At that time, Zhù Ying was not the present President of the Court of Judicial Review — she was just a poor boy from a country fortune-teller’s household. And even then she hadn’t let it pass; she cleanly dissolved the engagement. By any reading, she was not the sort of person capable of this kind of thing.

Of course, there were those who harbored doubt. Some even considered: if Zhù Ying’s parents had died the previous year, and her triple promotion had come at the end of last year during the Lu Prince’s treason case — then this… might actually…

Zhù Ying followed up sharply: “Is the information reliable?”

Chen Meng was standing close to Zhù Ying and shifted his position slightly, quietly advising, “Don’t panic — find out the facts first. Did you not know of this?”

“No… no. How could something have happened to my parents?” She paid no attention to the assembled court officials, turned, grabbed her robe hem, and bolted for the door.

Leng Yun shouted from behind: “Hey! Where are you going? Someone stop her!”

Nobody in the hall listened to him carrying on like that. The Emperor was also bewildered; it was the Crown Prince who said, “Father, send someone after him — make sure he doesn’t get into any more trouble.”

The Emperor, reminded by his son, quickly gave an order. Voice travels faster than legs; the guards at the door restrained her briefly: “Court President Zhù — please compose yourself.”

“How am I supposed to compose myself?” said Zhù Ying. “Where is Guan Qing? Where did he get this news? Is it true, or is he cursing my family?”

Very quickly both were brought to the hall. Zheng Yi had already completed his contribution of “suddenly calling out from the crowd”: “Guan Zongming! Guan Qing is your son, isn’t he?” Guan Zongming stood frozen, identified by those around him. Zheng Yi retreated back into the crowd, carefully concealing his identity.

Before the Emperor, three people now stood. The Emperor first asked Guan Qing, “You have impeached an official — what proof do you have?”

He was deeply curious. “Speaking on hearsay” was generally a privilege reserved for censors, and even then a censor would normally have at least some basis — not act on pure rumor. And Guan Qing wasn’t even a censor! The Emperor also knew that Zhù Ying’s parents were far away in Wuzhou, three thousand li from the capital. Setting aside the question of whether Zhù Ying knew or had concealed anything — how did Guan Qing know? And if he did, what kind of proof could he have?

Guan Qing said only, “Your Majesty need only summon her parents to the capital and the truth will be known.”

Wang Dafu stepped forward: “What evidence do you have?”

Guan Zongming also burst out: “You unfilial wretch!”

Zhù Ying, however, adopted an air of cold calm. She made a gesture to Chen Meng and the others indicating she wished no intervention, and fixed her gaze on Guan Qing: “Did you have my whole family surveilled, or are you simply fabricating a charge against me?”

Chen Meng and the others relaxed — Zhù Ying had recovered her composure.

That one question shifted the direction — those who had not believed it, and those who had harbored doubts, all redirected their attention. They were no longer thinking about Zhù Ying. “Surveillance” was somewhat alarming.

But Guan Qing pressed his lips together and said nothing. Guan Zongming — disregarding all ceremony — rushed forward and raised his hand to strike: “Say it! Who put you up to this?”

Zhù Ying found the whole thing utterly puzzling. What act were these father and son performing? Red face and white face? The performance was far too clumsy!

A censor came forward to keep order. Guan Zongming ground his teeth.

The Emperor said, “This… let the Censor-in-Chief look into it.”

Zhù Ying quickly said, “Your Majesty, I have a request.”

“Oh? What matter?”

“Your Majesty might issue an edict for local officials to investigate on the ground, or send an envoy to Wuzhou to make inquiries. I would have no complaint about either. I also wish to know the current condition of my parents. The last time I received a letter from home, the two elders were well and wrote in their own hands. However, my father is approaching his seventieth year. I fear the journey would be too hard on him, and that something might befall him along the way due to the rigors of travel. Should that happen, I would be unworthy of the name of a filial child.”

The Emperor reassured her: “I will decide. Censor-in-Chief.”

Wang Dafu stepped forward: “An urgent dispatch can arrive within half a month.”

Zhù Ying straightened up, half-turned her face, and looked at Guan Qing. “Of course, you may attempt to torment my parents in this manner. If, upon arriving in the capital, they so much as cough once — I will have every tongue in your household cut out, so that none of you can ever cough again. Should they suffer so much as a scraped patch of skin on the road — I will send your entire household, each and every one, to go meet the King of Hell together. Should anything untoward befall them — I will have your ancestors dug up and aired out in the sun. The person behind you — I will dig three feet into the ground to find them and send them to keep you company. Everything you cherish, everything you hold dear — I will see it destroyed.” And as she spoke, she pointed at the ground beneath her feet.

Guan Qing’s face became a mask of terror.

Wang Yunhe thundered, “Outrageous!”

Zhù Ying turned to look at him: “You know that I have never spoken empty threats.”

Wang Yunhe was also left speechless.

“Today I have placed these words here before you all. If anyone sympathizes with me and acts on my behalf, the consequences will be mine to bear. If anyone despises me and does the same thing wishing to pin a bad name on me — I accept that too! I receive the benefit, and I don’t mind taking on the consequences. Whether they love me or hate me, I thank them all.”

Shi Kun heard her speech growing stranger and more unsettling, and he also called out for her to stop: “Step back! Who said anything about summoning your parents to the capital?”

The Chancellors were old and seasoned; they could see that something was off about Guan Qing, and Zhù Ying also did not look like someone concealing anything. Zhù Da was indeed getting on in years — a three-thousand-li journey, if a healthy person arrived in the capital only to die from exhaustion, who would bear the blame?

No one wished to earn that enmity.

Liu Songnian also said, “We know your filial devotion — but what you said just now was improper!”

“Every case I handle,” said Zhù Ying, “I use no torture, implicate no innocent, and frame no one unrelated. If someone plots against me, however I strike back, my conscience is clear. I will let them know what collective punishment means — what settling of scores means!”

The Emperor, who had grown up never witnessing anything like this, watched the whole scene play out before he said, “This is all outrageous! Wang Chancellor — go and investigate.” And he pointed at Zhù Ying and sent her home to rest and reflect for three days before returning to court.

Zhù Ying bowed and accepted.

The Emperor had no heart to continue the session; court was dismissed on the spot.

The ministers paid their respectful farewells; the Emperor had barely gone when they heard Leng Yun inside saying, “Hey — stop making trouble!”

He was concerned for Zhù Ying. Seeing her scrutinizing the Guan father and son, he spoke up to dissuade her.

“As if I would,” said Zhù Ying. “Even if I were to strike him, now is not the time — wouldn’t it be wasted effort if he turned out to be like Duan Lin, wearing soft armor? I’d only exhaust myself.”

The Emperor’s ears suddenly pricked up!

Duan Lin!

Among the affairs of the Lu Prince’s treason, the person the Emperor had been most wary of was the Lu Prince — but the one he detested most was Duan Lin. The Lu Prince had always been that sort of person; nothing he did was unexpected. And Duan Lin? He had watched someone make an attempt on the Emperor’s life while himself wearing soft armor — perfectly safe! He had not come forward with a report beforehand, and had placed the Emperor in mortal danger!

And that so-called “confession” by Duan Ying — that had surely been a hedge, keeping a foot in both camps!

The Emperor’s steps grew heavier.

Inside, Zhù Ying truly made no move. Guan Zongming was about to strike his son again; Guan Qing lifted his heel and made to walk away. Wang Dafu said, “Stop.”

Guan Qing stopped, and said to Wang Dafu, “I know what you wish to ask. Allow me first to return home and complete my mother’s funeral rites.”

Wang Dafu said in astonishment, “Your — your household?”

Guan Zongming quickly explained, “His mother died — he was grieving and confused! It was not intentional!”

As he was still watching, Zhù Ying had already walked out the door. She heard this exchange and did not turn back.

…

A group of people clustered around Zhù Ying, with Chen Meng and others offering comfort: “Don’t worry — he must have lost his mind! She clearly lost her senses!”

Chen Meng also gave examples — Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da were both in good health; there was surely nothing wrong. And the Emperor had not ordered them to come to the capital. As it was, plenty of the capital officials had parents in their home provinces. How could they all be in the capital? They couldn’t.

“I know,” said Zhù Ying. “I’m just… a little muddled right now.” She pulled aside Shi Jixing and handed off all the affairs of the Court of Judicial Review to him for the time being, saying she needed to go home first and send someone to Wuzhou to find out what was happening.

“Just go,” said Shi Jixing.

Zhù Ying quickly bowed to everyone around her and walked quickly out of the palace. Master Hu and the others were waiting for her outside; they were startled to see her. “Court President?”

“Let’s go! Home!”

The capital streets were busy; they could not gallop, and she gradually calmed down. She concluded that the chances of something happening to her parents were small. Even if something had happened to her parents, there was still Huajie at the estate, still Xiao Jiang and Hou Wu, still Witch Ren and the others who had gone to the mountain. Outside the estate, there were Su Mingluan and others.

Especially Huajie and Su Mingluan — one keeping the inner affairs, one the outer. It was impossible that not a single word would have reached her. It was impossible for everyone, all in the same night, to have something happen to them.

And there had been no reports of trouble on the road to Wuzhou.

But then — why had Guan Qing done this? Had Duan Shi pushed him to it with the threat of death?

Then he might as well have hired a few assassins like his great-uncle — that would have been more useful!

Had the Guan family truly lost their minds?

She rushed home. The household was also taken aback. Zhù Wen came forward and asked, “Court President… something has happened?” She looked up at the sky: bright sunshine, and nowhere near time for offices to let out.

“Is there any letter from the south lately?”

“None at all!”

After all, it was three thousand li away. Even with the Zhù household’s current resources, getting three or four letters a year was already quite good. One of them would be for the New Year.

“Find Erlang and Third Miss,” said Zhù Ying. “And where is Little Sister? Call her back too.”

By the time of the midday meal, everyone was gathered. All very puzzled, not knowing what was happening. Zhù Ying first asked all of them, “Has any letter arrived from the south?”

All said there had been none.

Zhù Ying said to Xiang An, “Send a letter to the estate, asking about…”

Xiang An waited expectantly for the rest of the sentence. She heard Zhù Ying’s tone become halting: “Asking whether the two elders are still well.”

Everyone drew a sharp breath: “What?”

“Be quick about it,” said Zhù Ying. “And find out everything clearly at the estate.”

Zhù Qingjun said, “Court President — Erlang and Qingjun have already gone back. I’ll go in person myself! My health is very good right now. I can ask whatever you need asked at the estate and send word back. I’ve also been missing Teacher and the others.”

“Let me go,” said Zhù Lian.

“Why are the two of you arguing?” said Lin Feng. “If anyone goes, it’s me.”

Su Zhe frowned. “Stop causing trouble! You still have an official post — if Liu Senior doesn’t give permission, can you just walk off? Uncle, at any rate, it can’t be that everyone there is hiding things from you together. Most likely this is a false alarm. Have someone go back and look, and that will set everyone’s minds at rest. Qingjun…”

Zhù Qingjun persisted: “I need to go in person. Court President — I was supposed to have gone back long ago after escorting the New Year’s goods. For some reason my health failed and I came down with a bad illness, and that’s why I delayed my return. I’ve been basking in comfort here in the capital! It really is time I went back.”

“Very well — go once,” said Zhù Ying. “No need to hurry back. Take your eyes and ears with you — look carefully inside and out at everything, and get it all clear. Once you’ve confirmed the two elders are well, send a message back, and then return and tell me everything. Take a look at Ji’yuan Prefecture as well, and look around along the way.”

“Yes!”

“I’ll also have two of my people go along as her companions,” said Xiang An.

“Court President,” said Xiang Le, “let me go back too. Qingjun is young.”

Zhù Ying looked at them and said, “Go. For the rest of you — don’t leave the house for the next few days.”

“Yes.”

Su Zhe said, “Wait! I’m the head of A’Su County! If you travel south under my name as my messenger, you can use the relay stations — that will be faster!”

She had her maidservant fetch the official seal and handed it to Zhù Qingjun. “Take a message to my A’Ma and tell her I’m doing very well here.”

By evening, Zhao Su and the others had all gathered at the Zhù estate, everyone worried.

Zhao Su asked, “Adoptive Father, the two elders…”

“Erlang and Qingjun have already gone back,” said Su Zhe. “There will be news very soon.”

Zhao Su and the others began cursing Guan Qing at length. No one, no matter how they thought about it, could understand his motive. “You should all just go and get on with your own affairs,” said Zhù Ying. “Three thousand li between us — anything I don’t know about, how would he know? True or false… whatever the truth is… I’ll be all right.”

Unless every single person in Wuzhou had conspired to deceive her — it couldn’t come to that.

When they saw her calm and composed, Zhao Su and the others felt reassured and left — and then went to Zhao Su’s home to drink wine.

“Someone said Adoptive Father spoke rashly at court — hot-tempered and vindictive — this looks bad!” said Zhao Su. “We can’t just watch while others slander Adoptive Father!”

“Of course we must defend Adoptive Father!” said Zhao Zhen.

“No, no, no — defending him is the worst approach!”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“Filial piety!” said Zhao Su. “That treacherous remnant of the rebels — so openly attacking another’s parents. Is that not outrageous? Is it not worth being angered by?”

“Exactly!” said Zhuo Ke. “Tomorrow I’ll go find fellow townsmen and spread the word.”

…

Meanwhile, the Zhù estate received a number of visitors. Xian Jing, who lived nearby, came over.

Xian Jing had first spent time in the Eastern Palace chatting with the Crown Prince. Though he could not guarantee that Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu were all right, he said, “Zhù Ying almost certainly would not have concealed it.”

After offices let out, he was also summoned by Wang Yunhe: “Go to the Zhù household and tell Zhù Ying — as long as she walks the straight path, she can set her heart at rest.”

So Xian Jing came.

Zhù Ying told him, “I’ve already sent someone south to look into it.”

Before she had finished, Chen Meng arrived as well.

Then Leng Yun came to add to the commotion.

Zhù Ying’s reply to all of them was the same. Shi Jixing was then sent by Shi Kun to ask. Then came the idle Wen Yue and others; Zheng Yi also drifted over with Zheng Chuan.

Before long the house was filled with “distinguished guests,” and no one could work out what Guan Qing had been trying to accomplish.

They all left with their doubts unanswered.

Zhù Ying made a meaningful glance at Shi Jixing, who understood, and stayed until the very last.

Zhù Ying said, “It’s not convenient for me right now — would you look into what is strange about the Guan family? I keep feeling that there’s something not right about Duan Shi’s death. Guan Zongming didn’t look like he was only pretending to reproach his son; Guan Qing’s manner didn’t look like that of a normal person either. Go back to Duan Shi — I need to have someone look at the body.”

“Leave it to me,” said Shi Jixing. “Consider it done.”

After seeing everyone out, Zhù Ying sat alone in her study. Instinct told her it still connected back to Duan Shi, but she still couldn’t work out why Guan Qing had acted as he had. Before long, she decided to stop trying. This person was not particularly important — but the matter itself was truly troublesome.

Her parents were getting on in years; she was unwilling to spend the rest of her days separated from her closest kin by a great distance. She still had much she wanted to do, but as one of the nine most senior officials in the realm — with power far greater than before — she also had to endure greater malice, and she was far less free.

With wings not yet fully fledged, she could not yet shelter her parents to enjoy family life together.

She would absolutely not choose between “realizing her ambitions” and “caring for her parents” — she wanted both!

It was time to return to court.

Zhù Ying thought for a moment, opened a blank memorial, and began writing a letter of repentance to the Emperor.

She absolutely would not concede that her parents were no longer alive, but she would apologize to the Emperor, acknowledging that at the time her emotions had overtaken her and she had inadvertently said aloud what was in her heart. She was sorry — though without regret. She was deeply apologetic to the Emperor — having truly caused a loss of dignity to the court. Eight hundred rounds of apology to the Emperor, and yet, standing upright and righteous, she would absolutely not pardon those who had cursed her parents. She was sincere in acknowledging her error and willing to accept punishment. Next time, she would still dare to do the same — and had absolutely no intention of changing.

She earnestly acknowledged her fault and also accepted punishment; she also requested leave — to remain behind closed doors in reflection, returning to court only when there was news from her parents. Lest an unclear matter cause loss of dignity to the court by her returning indiscriminately.

She checked through once for any mistakes. Zhù Ying sealed the memorial and settled herself in calm to wait for the news Shi Jixing would bring back. The two sides were each other’s mortal enemies — that should make things easier to find, she hoped?

To her surprise, the next day Shi Jixing came back with an even more astounding piece of news: Guan Qing was dead!

“Guan Zongming says that yesterday his son returned home and, upon seeing his mother’s coffin, flew into a rage and attempted to attack someone. Guan Zongming says he killed his son while trying to restrain him. Is this a case of sacrificing a pawn to protect the greater piece?”

“Sacrifice a son to protect whom?” asked Zhù Ying.

“The Guan Zongming — it’s not as if he was ever a figure of any importance! When did the Guan family ever make a name for themselves at court?”

Neither could work it out. Zheng Xi could not work it out either, and neither could the Grand Council. A room full of clever people thereafter all shared one unresolved mystery.

Because of this delay, Zhù Ying asked Shi Jixing, “And Duan Shi’s sudden death — have you found out anything?”

“I sent my wife to pay her condolences. Commander Wu and a female soldier, disguised as maidservants, took a look inside the coffin — it was not suicide. When they called it out on the spot, an investigation was already underway.”

“Good. I need to stay out of this matter — it would look as though I have a conflict of interest. I’m counting on you.”

Shi Jixing smiled. “What are you saying? It is my duty as an official to investigate whenever there is a suspicious death. I’ll go back and continue with it now.”

“Once you’ve found out, there’s no need to come and tell me.”

“Oh?”

“I’m behind closed doors reflecting on my conduct — how could I allow you to come calling again?” said Zhù Ying.

After that, Shi Jixing pursued the case and Zhù Ying closed her doors to visitors.

Though she was said to be behind closed doors in reflection, visitors never stopped coming during this period.

First, the Emperor sent Du Shi’en over with some gifts as a gesture of reassurance. But Du Shi’en also reprimanded her a few times as part of his official duty, saying she had indeed overreacted, and cooling down for a while was not a bad thing.

After finishing the official business, Du Shi’en passed along a message: “Shi Junior Minister’s investigation has found something suspicious about the First Young Madam’s death, and His Majesty has ordered him to make a thorough investigation.”

Zhù Ying had Du Shi’en carry a message back to the Emperor: “I have nothing to say to anyone else. The only person I have failed is Your Majesty. My sole wish is that my parents enjoy good health, so that I may give my full loyalty to Your Majesty.”

A month later, the Censorate finally had its reply: “The two elders are still alive and currently residing in Fulu County. The old lord has a foot ailment and is unable to walk easily. The two elders have also enclosed a personal letter.”

Zhù Da’s letter said all was well, and that he just hoped Zhù Ying would find him a set of ritual implements in the capital, as the craftsmen in Wuzhou were not skilled, and some of the items in the local temple had broken with no way to get replacements.

In Zhang Xiangu’s letter, besides reporting that she was safe, asking after Zhù Ying’s health, and wondering whether Zhù Ying was short of money in the capital — she also asked, “That cat you brought over — how is it doing? All the other cats from the same litter have since started their own families.”