Su Zhe was on edge. When Wang Shuliang came, she had not been allowed to remain nearby to listen. The moment Wang Shuliang left, Zhù Ying had called all of them in. Her instinct told her this matter had something to do with her. If it had been just a private conversation that excluded others, she would not have been summoned with only this group — only the children of Wuzhou chieftain families.

The only possibility was that this private conversation was related to them.

She racked her mind trying to guess: what could it be?

Little did she know that Zhù Ying’s face was entirely calm, even carrying a faint smile, and she began by asking Lang Rui: “With so many affairs lately, I haven’t been keeping close track of what you have all been up to. What have you been doing?”

Lang Rui’s skin tightened all over his body: “I — I haven’t been doing anything. Oh, no! I mean — we went hunting, Grandfather. We found the knack of it, and today I even got two pheasants! I gave them to Li Dauniang already. Right?” He turned to appeal to the others for confirmation.

Lu Danqing, Su Sheng, and Jin Yu all quickly agreed that this was so.

Zhù Ying said: “Was it cold?”

Lu Danqing smiled and shook her head: “Not at all — when we came back, the elder sisters reminded us to change our clothes, and there was ginger soup to drink. We didn’t catch cold.”

Zhù Ying then spoke to Su Sheng: “You and A’Fa always forget to drink the ginger soup. Be careful — do not end up like Lin Feng.”

Lin Feng said: “What is the matter with me? I have not been out dashing about in the snow. I don’t need medicine!”

His alarm provoked the laughter of those around him — he was known to dread medicine, and thankfully his constitution was strong and he was rarely ill.

Su Zhe listened, growing more puzzled by the moment. Zhù Ying was simply inquiring after their daily wellbeing in the most ordinary way — food, shelter, warmth — then mentioning that New Year was approaching, asking if they were homesick, and saying: “The community halls are very lively at New Year, with many fellow-countrymen — if you miss home, you can go and wander about there.”

The young people cheered. Zhù Ying turned to Su Zhe: “What are you thinking about? You have said nothing this whole time. Something on your mind?”

Su Zhe quickly shook her head and said: “I have to go to the ministry tomorrow — Minister Yue will have coursework waiting for me.”

Lin Feng cast her a sympathetic glance. He had escaped that particular hardship — his workload was light now, and what he enjoyed most was practicing forms with Zhù Ying for a while. Zhù Ying assigned him reading and writing exercises too, but since he was already an official, what he studied was relevant to his post, and it was considerably lighter than when he had been a student. His immediate superior was not an eminent classicist like Liu Songnian either. Lin Feng’s days of late were quite good.

Su Zhe was another matter entirely — at home she had Zhù Ying, and misfortune had placed her directly under Yue Huan at the ministry.

Wretched.

Zhù Ying said: “What news have you heard out and about lately?”

Su Sheng said: “I hear the scholars are causing a commotion. It is the capital, after all — even the scholars are soft and refined about it.” His face took on a look of tolerant acceptance, and at last he said what he really thought: “Wuzhou was better. Whether you were a scholar or not, if something went wrong, a fistfight sorted it out and that was that. These people argue today and quarrel tomorrow, going on and on without end. It is tiresome.”

Zhù Ying said: “Debate is a good thing — though the people doing the debating now are pointless, that much is true.”

Su Sheng grinned broadly: “I thought so too!”

Zhù Ying continued: “The New Year is close. The capital is lively enough, but there is also a great deal of trouble stirring, and I am quite busy. For now, you should all be a little more careful in your conduct. Once I am through this busy period, I will make proper arrangements for you all. You did not come to the capital just to eat and play and learn a bit of the official tongue. If there is a path to official service, you should try it. Coursework must not slip, so you do not embarrass yourselves when you are actually holding a post.”

Lang Rui called out loudly: “Grandfather, rest assured! We will not bring disgrace on you!”

Lu Danqing said: “We only need to follow Father’s arrangements — Father’s arrangements are always right.”

The others nodded along together.

Zhù Ying said: “Good. Go and get ready for dinner.”

“Yes!”

After dinner, Lu Danqing wrapped herself in a thick robe and went to knock at Su Zhe’s courtyard gate. She was not older than Su Zhe in years, but in generational terms was Su Zhe’s maternal aunt — one generation above, which she felt unconsciously entitled her to act the part of an elder. Moreover, before they left for the north, Su Mingluan had also asked her to keep Su Zhe company, and today she had noticed that Su Zhe was quieter than usual, and could not help going over to ask.

The gate opened, and Lu Danqing crossed through the courtyard and into the room.

Su Zhe was sitting by the warming cage, staring blankly. She looked up and rose: “You are here. What is it?”

Lu Danqing said: “I noticed you were quieter than usual just now. What is the matter? Has something happened?”

Su Zhe pulled her down to sit by the warming cage and said: “Wang of the Court of Diplomatic Reception came today, and I was not allowed to stay and listen. After he spoke with Grandfather and left, Grandfather called everyone together for a chat. I keep feeling that something is not right.”

Lu Danqing furrowed her brow: “True — we have quite a bit of dealing with the Court of Diplomatic Reception…”

“What on earth could the matter be? Lately court has been noisy, but none of it touches us directly. Though Grandfather is busy, the fire hasn’t reached him yet — he is getting involved of his own accord, because he cannot bear to stand by and his heart is too soft.”

Lu Danqing said: “Father always protects us — it will come to fruition sooner or later. Is it possible he means the few of us who came more recently should not rush, but wait a little longer before seeking official posts? Our families did have that hope in mind when we came.”

Su Zhe said: “Perhaps? But that would not warrant such a conversation — surely they would have no complaint about that?”

“How could they possibly! I may be young, and I never had Father’s guidance before — but Father always keeps his word and honors his promises. If he says we will have official posts, the arrangement will come. If it takes a little time, there must be something else holding it up — it is not that he is unwilling to help us. What is there to complain about?”

Yet neither of them could guess what it was actually about, and in the end they gave up.

The two of them could not figure it out, and the others had not thought about it in that direction either. Zhù Ying’s purpose had actually been quite simple — to observe how these few people interacted with and reacted to one another. Under ordinary circumstances, she was perceptive enough that if these young people had any irreconcilable tensions among them, one walk through her company and she would have spotted it already.

But given the weighty nature of Wang Shuliang’s news, for the sake of thoroughness she had deliberately gathered them all before her and spent a while talking about nothing in particular — watching them interact. Then she had deliberately brought up official posts and the future, primarily to observe Su Sheng and Su Zhe’s reactions toward each other.

If it matched her usual impressions, then as the Liao people did when they came to the capital — they stuck together. Su Sheng and Su Zhe got along quite well. Comparatively speaking, it was Su Zhe who was more alert, while Su Sheng was easy-going and unconcerned.

This was reassuring.

If the Su family was divided by internal struggle, and the court found an opening to exploit it, things would turn out very badly.

Zhù Ying was reasonably satisfied.

With her own rear courtyard secure, she could attend to other matters.

The following day, things were calm. No one at court mentioned the Su family’s situation. Zhù Ying suspected someone was polishing a memorial.

After the workday ended, Zhù Ying went to the Yang residence again, and was once again refused admittance.

The next day, Yang Jing left behind his official robe, headgear, ribbon, and seal, and had an old servant carry them to the palace gates. An elderly white-haired figure, bearing such articles, made a conspicuous sight at the palace gates. Yue Huan stepped forward and asked: “What is this?”

The old servant choked up: “Lord, our master… yesterday he has already left the capital.”

Yang Jing was gone!

The ministers broke into a buzzing wave of murmurs. Yue Huan was furious: “Now are you satisfied?! When petty men hold sway and the noble are driven out, you truly have done excellent work!”

The two guardian spirits were very worried and moved half a step forward to stand in front of Zhù Ying, fearing she might do something. Zhù Ying said nothing, went quietly and calmly to morning court, and then went to the Ministry of Revenue to work.

At Zhao Su’s urging, the summary of the full national census data — household registrations, population figures, and the like — had finally been compiled and submitted. The Ministry of Revenue already maintained registers of the nation’s local products, population, and geography, but Zhù Ying had stirred the ministry up and ordered the information verified and cross-checked again. The entire ministry, including those who had been coasting along, was set in motion, worn out to the whites of their eyes every day, barely managing enough energy at the end of the day to go home and fall flat, with scarcely the energy to involve themselves in anything else.

Finally, Zhù Ying took a stack of compiled ledgers and requested an audience with the Emperor.

These days the Emperor had watched the wrangling at court with a mixture of relish and exasperation. He did not want all the ministers united as one, but too much infighting was also bad! The New Year was approaching, and envoys from foreign states had arrived in some numbers — a certain dignity needed to be displayed.

Besides, factional strife hurt the state. The Emperor was looking for a chance to have separate conversations with Zheng Xi, Xian Jing, and their people. Before that, he wanted to speak separately with Chen Meng, Dou Peng, and Zhù Ying to work out an approach. Chen and Dou were “old ministers” and went without saying, but in the Emperor’s eyes, Zhù Ying, while admittedly closer to Zheng Xi, was “committed to the public good” and “functioned as an upright minister” — and that was enough.

When Zhù Ying sought an audience, the Emperor was suddenly struck by a thought: Exactly what I would expect of him. How could he have forgotten? Zhù Ying always appeared when needed. When she thought it was time to appear, she came on her own accord; when she believed the moment had not yet arrived, you could wear out your lips talking and it would make no difference.

The Emperor laughed to himself: “Send her in.”

Zhù Ying entered the hall carrying a thick stack of volumes. Before she had completed her full salute, the Emperor waved it aside: “What have you brought? Come, sit — let us talk properly.”

Zhù Ying stepped forward: “This is what was mentioned before — I sent people from the ministry covertly to various places to verify the land and population figures. A result has finally been obtained. It is not perfectly precise, but it is more accurate than what has been layered up through successive reporting.”

The Emperor grew serious: “With the court in such uproar, you alone have not forgotten to work for the good of the realm.”

“There are many who work for the realm — it is just that one sometimes has to make noise for a while. I read little as a child and cannot follow what they are saying, so I stopped inserting myself, to avoid embarrassing myself. And since I had nothing else to do, I put this together.”

She held out the volumes with both hands.

Hao Dafang received them and placed them at the Emperor’s side. The Emperor flipped through them idly. He cared deeply about his realm, but unfortunately he found it difficult to make sense of overly complex content.

Zhù Ying summarized the situation: “Compared to the early years of the dynasty, land consolidation has intensified considerably. Apart from those malicious local strongmen who seize the common people’s lands, there are always those who have become wealthy through diligent management, so one cannot paint everyone with the same brush. But regardless of whether they are local worthies or malicious landlords, the more they hold, the less the court holds. Hence the weight of taxation. These past years, spending has been heavy, and places requiring relief have been many. The outlay has not been small.”

“Indeed!” the Emperor agreed. “It is thanks to you that we have managed.”

Zhù Ying said: “Your Majesty is too kind. There is much that this minister cannot take responsibility for — I only hope that next year there will be fewer items demanding expenditure.”

The Emperor said with a rueful smile: “Every time I make offerings to heaven, I pray without fail.”

Zhù Ying said: “What heaven brings, one must simply endure. The human-caused expenditures can be trimmed. The late Emperor has been properly interred, the ceremonies for installing the Empress, and the weddings and establishment of the princesses’ and princes’ households are all more or less completed. Can the remaining matters be deferred?”

“What other matters remain?”

Zhù Ying said: “Compiling and redefining the classic texts will likely require no small outlay.”

“How much could that really cost?” the Emperor asked with a light smile.

Zhù Ying said: “If Your Majesty already has a settled view on the matter, then it is simple, and the funds can be squeezed out. But if Your Majesty does not yet have a settled scholarly position of your own, then no individual scholar’s words can represent Your Majesty, and it will be necessary to broadly gather the best from many schools, to maintain scholars and support them, which would no longer be redefining the classics — it would be debating them.

Though I have read little, I know that scholars hold this matter so important precisely because it is important. Since it is important, the court cannot take it lightly, and Your Majesty cannot simply let them define it. Because once the redefinition is complete, Your Majesty too will be constrained by that redefinition.”

The Emperor’s smile faded.

Zhù Ying said: “And in that case, the expenditure would have no fixed limit.”

“It is not really about the money,” the Emperor said. “It is the people. I understand your meaning. If only you could come and speak with me more often — how glad I would be.”

Zhù Ying shifted herself slightly farther away from him: “I see Your Majesty every day at court.”

The Emperor laughed: “There you go again.”

“Too much closeness makes it easy to lose clear judgment.”

“Not you, though.”

Zhù Ying said: “I am worried that Your Majesty might.”

The Emperor was rendered half-laughing, half-helpless: “You are always in the right.”

Zhù Ying believed in the instincts that belonged to “the Emperor.”

Having raised the two matters the Emperor cared most about, she added a word about Wuzhou: “The children have learned the official tongue well enough, but court is so tumultuous at the moment, I worry it may startle them. Their backgrounds are somewhat unusual, and someone might use them as a tool, insinuating criticism through them as a proxy, and they may not be able to withstand it. They come from a remote place and are straightforward and direct, with customs that differ. I would like to wait until the commotion at court has passed before making arrangements for them.”

The Emperor nodded: “That is sensible.”

Having said what she needed to say, Zhù Ying took her leave.

The Emperor was left to turn two pages of the volumes she had submitted, then leaned back with his face tilted upward in thought, and did not immediately summon the Counsellors-in-Chief to discuss matters.

That evening, someone came to knock at the Zhù residence gates — it was a messenger from Zheng Xi, coming to inform her that Huo Yu had submitted a memorial. He argued that Su Zhe was a woman; her father was alive and had sons and grandsons, so a woman had no place inheriting. Since Su Sheng was also in the capital, and by all appearances was an impressive young man of good conduct and proper behavior — well educated by Zhù Ying — it was time to set things right.

Zhù Ying should prepare.

The one who came was Gan Ze. He said: “My lord says he will certainly stand behind you. But Huo Yu is a rabid dog out for fame — even a Counsellor-in-Chief may not be able to make him submit. He lives and thrives on that reputation among the scholarly class. Sanlang, you must be on guard.”

Zhù Ying said: “I understand.”

Gan Ze said: “My lord also says that Huo Yu cannot be allowed to stay in the capital any longer. He is also at odds with Xian Jing. My lord intends to have him transferred out of the capital, so he cannot keep stirring up trouble here. But there is the matter of the Rector Yang…”

Zhù Ying said: “My lord may do whatever he intends. As for Su Zhe and the others — if it is not convenient for my lord to argue with Huo Yu directly, it would only be beneath his dignity, so I will handle it.”

Gan Ze, with feeling, said: “Since it has already come to my lord intending to act, why must you?”

Zhù Ying said: “If I don’t act, they will think I am just a block of wood. Do not worry — I know what I am doing. Besides, one cannot let my lord shoulder everything.”

Gan Ze was moved: “All these years, only Sanlang has never changed.”

Zhù Ying said: “My lord has not changed either — he still takes such good care of everyone.”

The two exchanged a few more words, and Gan Ze took the message back.

That same night, Zhù Ying summoned her “own people” — Su Zhe, Zhao Su, and the rest — and gave them their instructions: “There may be trouble tomorrow. You must all keep your composure. No matter what happens, no matter what anyone does, without my command, none of you are to make a move.”

Her expression was very grave. Everyone felt the tension and did not dare to question her, and agreed in unison.

The following morning at court, Su Zhe’s premonition of the past two days finally came to pass!

Huo Yu — he was at it again at court!

Su Zhe listened as Huo Yu enumerated in meticulous detail the particulars of her family, working out that Su Feihu was the eldest legitimate son, still alive, with several sons of his own. Even if Su Mingluan had been holding the position on his behalf, it would ultimately have to revert to Su Feihu’s line. And gradually the thread of cause and effect wove itself together. No wonder Wang of the Court of Diplomatic Reception had come to the house; no wonder Grandfather kept gathering them together these past few days; no wonder he had spoken to her cousin Su Sheng about becoming an official; no wonder there had been that instruction yesterday!

The back of Su Zhe’s neck grew redder and redder. She gripped her ivory tablet until her knuckles went taut. Zhao Su was also holding himself back, and took a moment to glance at Lin Feng, worried he might explode without warning.

Wang Shuliang watched Zhù Ying with concern. Zhù Ying was not flustered: “This matter was decided long ago. Twenty years ago, when Su Mingluan’s father was still alive, he submitted a memorial, and the court approved it at the time.”

Wang Shuliang added a sentence in support: “That is accurate. The Court of Diplomatic Reception has the old records. Deputy Censor-in-Chief Huo has consulted them.”

“That was then, this is now!” Huo Yu said.

Zhù Ying said: “How can a court be without its word? They are already His Majesty’s subjects. One cannot use the same treatment for one’s own people as for outsiders. I have heard that the ancients, men of true worth, dealt with sincerity even toward their enemies — yet now you resort to scheming against your own people! How would the foreign states see this?

Deputy Censor-in-Chief, do not be a petty man.”

When men of learning hurl insults, “gentleman” and “petty man” are the opening move. Huo Yu could not bear to be called a “petty man.” His command of the classics far exceeded Zhù Ying’s, and as long as the debate stayed within the framework of rites and propriety, no one could outargue him.

But Zhù Ying did not debate him on the classics at all. She simply circled around the single concept of “keeping one’s word,” insisting that Huo Yu was simply making trouble without grounds. She then enumerated all that Huo Yu had done in recent days: “From Counsellor-in-Chief Xian on down — Rector Yang, myself, and even the foreign tributaries — none escape your attacks. Impeaching ministers, disturbing the stability of the court, all for the sake of a name. Craving fame is greedier than craving money! Now that is a truly enormous greed! What a magnificent stick of mud in the water!”

Huo Yu snapped: “You are crude and uncultured!”

There was a flash of anger concealed beneath his words — anger that had touched a raw nerve! He had never before considered himself to be chasing fame. Xian Jing was not pure enough, not worthy of a true gentleman — he had pointed that out. So what was wrong? The students had suffered under Yang Jing’s suppression. Could a woman inherit a title and family estate? Which of these points was wrong?

Yet when Zhù Ying’s words came out, his heart was seized with involuntary fury!

In each of these matters, he had indeed gained prestige and earned the admiration and fawning praise of the scholarly world.

Without any word from him, others had already stepped forward to speak on his behalf: “Madam Shang-Shu is evading the substance of the argument! The Deputy Censor-in-Chief’s points all have their basis!”

Zhù Ying paid the speaker no attention. She kept pressing Huo Yu directly: “What are your true intentions?”

Huo Yu said: “I am doing nothing but upholding the rites and the moral order! How can the proper system of rites and law be broken for the sake of your expedient arrangement?”

“And why should it not? My expedient arrangement saved the court from sending troops and spending resources. Wuzhou is now part of the pacified frontier, subject to His Majesty as well, paying grain taxes and all other dues. What harm has it done?

If you are so devoted to studying ritual, spending your entire life on classical texts, then why hold office at all? To serve as an official means to speak for the people. Not one useful thing gets done — resign your post and go home. You can debate ritual propriety to your heart’s content. The common people need to eat! Officials of the court are paid their salaries from the taxes of the common people — not from your mouth. Empty talk ruins the state.”

This time, even Xian Jing nodded. He had personally lived through the affair of Su Mingluan — there was a degree of nostalgia in it, mixed with a sigh of how things had changed. Zheng Xi and Chen Meng were already preparing to speak in Zhù Ying’s support. Chen Meng said: “The south is at peace — why create trouble where there is none?”

Zheng Xi went further: “Acting solely to gain a name for oneself — that is truly not to be emulated.”

The more they pressed him, the more Huo Yu could not back down. He held firm to his position, knelt, and knocked his forehead against the floor until it turned dark and bruised.

Su Zhe and the others had been forbidden by Zhù Ying to intervene. The harder things were pressed, the more urgently those supporting Huo Yu stepped forward. They were not of high rank, all dressed in red robes. In the time it took to speak those few lines, two more stepped out. Back and forth they went: “The Counsellor-in-Chief speaks malicious slander! No evidence for the accusations. All of the Deputy Censor-in-Chief’s claims have cause.”

Zhù Ying tucked her ivory tablet into her sash, opened the tablet pouch hanging at her waist, drew out her bamboo tablet, and gripping the bamboo tablet, walked down the steps.

Several red-robed men were all lined up behind Huo Yu to lend their voices. Zhù Ying said nothing more. She swung her arm in a full arc, and brought the tablet down in a single blow — it connected with the face of one of them, knocking him sideways and sending two of his teeth flying.

Boom!

The entire court was in shock. After all these years, someone had come to blows in the hall again!

Zhù Ying gave them no time to react. One forehand strike, one backhand, one forehand — three blows in rapid succession, crack crack crack — three men’s faces knocked askew. This was the key to a brawl: at the very start, hit hard, aim for the head, and knock the head senseless — after that, a man with ten parts of strength can only muster three. Otherwise, if you are surrounded, it is two fists against four hands, and you lose.

Huo Yu, kneeling on the floor, could not hold his position either. He rolled and scrambled sideways, crawling three paces before getting back on his feet. He pointed at Zhù Ying: “You!”

Zhù Ying brought the tablet down on him — one stroke!

Crack!

By now the men she had struck were coming back to their senses. They also had their tablets, and moved to surround and strike back. Their faces were a mess, their steps wavering — like men drunk on too much wine — they clearly were not particularly capable fighters. Zhù Ying gave a cold laugh. She flew out with a kick, driving it into Huo Yu’s chest and sending him tumbling. Spinning on her heel, a sweeping kick knocked the tablet out of the hand of the nearest man charging toward her. She launched herself from the ground, leaping remarkably high, and brought the tablet down in a splitting blow on the head of a second man, who collapsed in a spray of blood.

Many in the court stood gaping. Zheng Xi saw she was holding her own and simply watched. Chen Meng was frantic: “Stop them! Separate them! Ah! Your Majesty!”

Zhù Ying dropped low, evading a strike from behind, and returned it with a kick that sent the attacker flying a full ten feet. She stepped forward in long strides, pinned Huo Yu down, and with the tablet in hand brought it down once, twice, again and again. Blood flew, spattering onto her face and official robe, staining the tablet in her hand crimson.

Only at this point did the summoned Imperial Guards come to separate Zhù Ying from the other four.

Zhù Ying held the tablet and looked at Huo Yu on the other side of the Imperial Guard barrier, and said coldly: “All things have their cause — and their consequence! What consequence will that be? A pack of wild boars, crashing through the croplands and then sauntering off without a care! What manner of beasts are you?!”

Dou Peng finally could contain himself no longer: “You are a court minister! You! Is this how you should conduct yourself?! This is something you would do?! Go home and shut yourself in for self-reflection! Go!!”

She was not even afraid!

The title of Minister of Revenue had not yet been stripped from her — it was just a period of closed-door reflection. What was there to fear? The national figures had all been submitted. What remained was planning how to address land consolidation and the like. Xian Jing and Zheng Xi each had their own ideas, and the Emperor needed someone to represent his own position in those discussions — she would have to be called on. She couldn’t be kept under house arrest for that.

Zheng Xi also would not let her be kept under lock and key. Chen Meng would pull her out as well.

She had effectively bought herself a holiday by getting herself a few blows in. She would rest until she was recovered, and then come back out to stir up the world again. What was there to fear?

Zhù Ying straightened her official robes and hat, slowly packed her bamboo tablet back into the tablet pouch.

Let them punish her however they wished. If she bowed her head, she had lost.