Zhù Ying forced the smile to linger on her face a moment longer. She glanced sidelong at Liu Kun, then lowered her head and continued reading the letter.

The letter had made every effort to explain the situation.

Liu Ao had always been in charge of Annan’s schools and a portion of its personnel selection. She deeply felt the debt of recognition she owed Zhù Ying and had never been neglectful in her duties. She believed that since the institutions were still in their early stages, principles had to be upheld from the very beginning — if matters went awry from the start, they could not be properly managed going forward. She had therefore been unyielding in her impartiality, particularly when it came to personnel selection: those who did not meet the standard were invariably failed and dismissed.

The outer five counties had also encountered an extremely common problem — with finite resources, descendants multiplying over generations could not be guaranteed to all fare well. In the past there had been no other option: either fight with outsiders, where winning was profit and losing was just one’s lot; or fight among themselves; or watch the junior branches decline generation by generation.

Things were different now. With the whole of Annan behind them, they wanted to do as Su Sheng, A’Pu, and the others had done — when their own settlement could no longer accommodate them, they would extend their ambitions across all of Annan and continue to be people of elevated standing.

And Annan was far grander than any single settlement. Besides, had not Su Sheng and the others been junior-branch members themselves? If they could do it, why could others not? Those people had already taken far too many advantages — it was finally others’ turn. And then there was Su Zhe — her family had a settlement to inherit, yet she still had to reach her hand into the administration to grab more. She particularly deserved rebuke. She ought not to have held anything outside her settlement at all.

The people of the outer five counties who wished to directly become officials could not do so — selection and appointment was required. The majority who went through selection were found unqualified and were blocked from officialdom by Liu Ao. Petitions for special consideration were also unavailing — Liu Ao consistently refused. Most infuriatingly, ever since Liu Ao arrived, the examinations had become significantly harder than before.

And then there were some outsiders — people from beyond the mountains — who actually managed to pass. Su Zhe, Lu Danqing, Lin Feng, and people like them — had they not become officials without sitting for examinations? How was it that when the Elder was in charge, she led everyone into prosperity together, yet now that the Elder was gone, they were being oppressed?

— These arguments were all ones that quite a few people from the outer five counties had made when they came to the administration trying to reason with Zhù Qingjun.

Zhù Qingjun, of course, would not listen to any of it.

Discontent accumulated day after day. The aggrieved parties arrived at an idea — kill her. Without her, would there not be an end to the obstruction? Abolish this nonsensical “selection,” this nonsensical “examination.” The only thing holding them back was the fact that Zhù Qingjun, who governed Annan, was not easy to deal with. As luck would have it, this time Zhù Qingjun had given birth — she had no time to manage things. By the time she had recovered and was ready to act, everyone involved would be dead — what could she do?

And so an assassination took place.

Being descendants of the outer five counties’ headman families, their coming to the administration would not arouse suspicion. Liu Ao, when she went out, had a guard assigned by Zhù Ying, but inside the administration or in its immediate vicinity she did not like to be surrounded by too many people — it was both arrogant-looking and inconvenient.

Several factors converging — the assassination happened. Fortunately, Liu Ao’s background had instilled in her the habit of never being alone; there was always someone with her. At the time, Zhù Yan was consulting her about a point of learning, and Master Hu’s senior apprentice-sister with her two disciples was also present, as was one of Liu Ao’s personal maids. After a chaotic struggle, Master Hu’s senior apprentice-sister was killed, her disciples injured, Liu Ao was injured, and Zhù Yan, who had thrown herself in front of Liu Ao, was also gravely wounded.

The noise of the fighting drew a crowd. The administration’s guards identified the situation and drew their blades to give battle. This group was consumed by bloodlust, slashing at anyone they saw. Su Zhe arrived shortly after, furious, and ordered them seized. Those who refused to submit were to be killed on the spot.

Su Zhe too was a figure people found disagreeable! Originally there had been no plan to kill her, but the situation had now reached this point: blood had maddened everyone’s eyes, and the assassins turned and attacked Su Zhe. Su Zhe had never been accustomed to sparing anyone. The order shifted directly to: “Kill!”

Only then did they feel fear. After several of their number died, they began to flee. In flight, they slashed at Shan Hongfeng who happened to be passing! Lu Danqing happened by and caught sight of her nephew among them. She shouted for him to be still. Her nephew swung a blade at her, and even cursed her: “Ingrate — using your family’s soldiers to fight for your own post.” He called down curses on her death.

Lu Danqing was not injured, but was half-dead with fury. So choked for words she could not speak, she could only attend first to Shan Hongfeng.

By now two living captives had been taken, and the identities of the others were confirmed. It was not even difficult — Su Zhe, for instance, recognized her own relatives at a glance.

The whole course of events was laid out thus. The administration there had sent the message urgently, fearing that if word leaked out by some other route, the rumors reaching the capital might cause Zhù Ying distress when she did not know the full situation. All subsequent intelligence would be reported at the earliest opportunity.

Zhù Ying read through the letter to the end — this was not her usual reading pace, and by the time she finished, her smile had faded entirely. Liu Kun quickly asked, “What is it?”

Liu Kun was a person of insight. A child had just been born; the mother was weak and vulnerable. If something had caused Zhù Ying to fall silent — could it be Zhù Qingjun? She could think of nothing else. The situation in Annan? If something had happened to the heir whom she had painstakingly nurtured over decades, that was a major catastrophe! Zhù Ying was no longer young, Zhù Tong was still somewhat green, and a gap in the succession would be truly dangerous.

Zhù Ying said, “These children — how heedless they are. I will write a note and dispatch it at once.”

What she wrote was very simple: First, what countermeasures have you taken? Has the situation been stabilized? Second, give me a clear and detailed account of everything.

Very soon, another letter arrived — this one in Zhù Qingjun’s own hand: Liu Ao was convalescing, and doing well. Master Hu’s senior apprentice-sister had been laid to rest; the injured were recuperating. She and Su Zhe and others had conferred and moved to apprehend the culprits.

She turned the page. The content on the next page made Zhù Ying raise an eyebrow. Zhù Qingjun’s original intention had been to investigate whether others were implicated, but Lin Ge, Su Zhe, Su Sheng, and others — together with Zhao Su — had, in the course of going to the outer five counties to prosecute the case, brought troops and carried out a bloodbath across three and a half counties.

Talang County alone had remained unscathed, for it had played no part in the assassination from beginning to end. A’Su County was half-and-half — the other half being that descendants of Su Feihu had participated and had nearly killed Shan Hongfeng, so Su Sheng had settled both old and new grievances in one fell swoop. For Lin Ge, the hatred ran deeper still.

Zhù Ying summoned Zhù Qingxue: “Something has happened. Contact Qingtian — why has there been no word from her?”

Zhù Qingxue read the intelligence and was taken aback: “I had no idea.”

“Move quickly! However thoroughly they have blocked the news, once communication goes dark, any shrewd person will know something has happened — rumors will start circulating! At this moment we are an isolated force far from home. If anything changes at home base, we become a kite with a broken string. There are no shortage of people here who detest me!”

Zhù Qingxue said, “I will go this instant!”

Outwardly, Zhù Ying showed no sign of anything amiss. She continued as usual — keeping Yue Miaojun and Yang Empress Dowager company as they played with the young Emperor.

Children grow fast. Yue Miaojun and Yang Empress Dowager were somewhat stricter, while Zhù Ying, as long as he had his lessons adequately completed, did not confine him and let him play freely.

Today he was running around in a frenzy again. Yue Miaojun and Yang Empress Dowager both moved to stop him. Zhù Ying stood to one side, clapping and laughing, showing not the slightest sign that anything was amiss back home.

Only when she returned to her residence did intelligence from Zhù Qingtian arrive. She had sent her inquiry only the day before — there was no possibility of a reply coming today. It could only have been dispatched several days earlier.

Zhù Ying opened this letter too. The news that Liu Ao was recovering allowed her to exhale with relief. Zhù Qingtian’s account was more detailed — she had even uncovered the particulars that “Lin Ge had first conspired with Su Sheng, and then the two of them had gone to find Su Zhe.” Zhù Qingjun was also all right — she was still stationed in the administration, and had observed her full month of confinement; she had not personally gone to Wuzhou.

It was precisely because of this that the operation had given Lin Ge and the others room to maneuver. They had also drawn in Jin Yu. Nominally, it was Jin Yu and Lu Danqing who led the teams to make the arrests. Zhù Qingjun had taken into consideration Lin Ge’s vengeful grievance, Su Zhe’s calculating nature, and the fresh wound dealt to Su Sheng’s wife — but had not foreseen that they would arrive at a tacit understanding.

Lang Rui and Su Mingluan had served as informants inside, cutting off the escape routes from three and a half counties. It could not quite be called extermination of entire families, however — after all, the Su family still had Su Zhe and Su Sheng, the Lu family still had Lu Danqing, and the Jin family still had Jin Yu; all of them remained.

Zhao Su’s involvement had not come entirely from Su Zhe’s persuasion. When Jin Yu and Lu Danqing brought their forces to Wuzhou, making camp in the prefectural city, they ended up encircling both people and city. Zhao Su, serving as Prefectural Governor of Wuzhou, nominally governed seven counties — yet five of them were not actually under his governance. With this opportunity presenting itself, he himself had been the first to leap at it, with no need of anyone else’s coaxing. He directly labeled the whole situation a “siege of the prefectural seat” and threw in his lot with Lin Ge and the others to devise strategies.

Though the outer five counties appeared less developed than places like Zhù County, they had never suffered a real defeat. Though they had headmen, they were entirely different from the ones who had been swept away root and branch in the past. Their settlement soldiers were also equipped with armor and helmets, and had received some training. When the battle was over, Wuzhou was greatly depleted — more than half of its territory had become a battlefield. And along with that, Wuzhou’s trade routes were cut off.

Now that Zhao Su had become involved, Zhù Ying knew this matter would admit no reversal. The scene was ugly — but even if it was an ugly victory, it was still a victory. She passed the letter to Liu Kun.

Liu Kun read it and was greatly alarmed: “This! This is the clash of old and new, the incompatibility of two orders! My lord — though the old forces are weaker than the new, I fear the stirring up of upheaval. And moreover, this injury — I mean, I worry the Deputy Administrator may have lasting after-effects from her wounds. This…”

Zhù Ying said, “It is time for me to go home.”

Liu Kun said, “No, no, no — all these years, the people of Annan have long known what the future ought to look like. In private, we all say — in a few more years, the time will also come to replace tribal governance with direct administration, and Wuzhou should also become a regular prefecture. You made an agreement with the outer five counties. Now they struck first — not you. You have not broken the agreement. If you return now, whose side will you take? Wait until the dust has settled, then return — that would be the proper approach.”

In Liu Kun’s heart, Zhù Ying must never be cast as the villain. She was perfect, and should remain perfect to the very end.

Zhù Ying said, “That is precisely why I must go back. If I go there myself to bring matters to a close, they will be free to move forward unencumbered.”

Liu Kun said, “But only if they bring it to a close themselves can they be said to have truly stood on their own feet. The Deputy Administrator should be the one to conclude this.”

“You are right — but I am still going back.”

“But… why?”

“What if she does not bring it to a satisfactory close? Then my home base will have been seized right out from under me. Annan concerns the lives and fortunes of many people — I can refrain from intervening, but I cannot be absent.

I brought all of you out here with me — I have to bring you safely back. These three thousand armored soldiers must be able to return home safely. A’Tong in particular — she has seen and learned enough by now, and she has been away from home too long. The people at home will hardly recognize her.”

“But then, the excellent situation here will…?”

Zhù Ying smiled: “Excellent? Truly?”

“This, well — there has been improvement, at least. If you leave, it could…”

“Nothing ever depends on a single person alone,” Zhù Ying said patiently. “The capital is still too far from Annan — we cannot get news promptly and respond right away. Qingjun is currently not fit to be too taxed with affairs. As for the others — they also have their own small agendas. Annan is the foundation. If Annan is unstable, things here cannot be carried forward. Wuzhou, moreover, borders on Jiyuan — the situation is more complex there. I need to go back and provide a steadying presence, so that those on all sides will not dare to make a move.”

Liu Kun’s heart sank: “Understood. I will begin preparations at once. And the residence here? The court?”

“I will make the arrangements.”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying went first to see Yue Miaojun.

Yue Miaojun had been quite busy of late. Seeing Zhù Ying come to find her, she asked with a smile: “Such a busy person — what brings you here?”

Zhù Ying said, “I am thinking of retiring.”

“What? Why…?”

Zhù Ying laughed: “The way the Empress Dowager looks at the palace guards is more ardent than the way she looked at the Late Emperor.”

“That is not… she holds you in the deepest respect.”

Zhù Ying said, “Glory that extends past its prime turns to humiliation — and a career in officialdom is no different. If I drag things out until I become an old fool who will not relinquish power, I will invite humiliation. Since I need to relinquish power, there is no point in staying on here. It has been a long time since I swept my mother’s grave. Last night I dreamed of her — she missed me, and I miss her too.”

Yue Miaojun’s expression fell, but Zhù Ying was perfectly at ease: “Everything I wished to do, I have done. The Empress Dowager being like this is very good — if she simply submitted and endured, I would be the one weeping. Help her well and help her hold on. Only then can I leave with a settled heart.”

“You are leaving just like that?”

Zhù Ying said, “What I ought to have taught, I have taught. What I ought to have demonstrated, I have demonstrated once through. What those who come after do is their business, and has nothing to do with me. I will go see the Empress Dowager. Everything that follows — I leave it to you. The young people in the household — all of them, I leave to you.”

“I will go with you!”

The two of them went to the palace together. The Empress Dowager was as warm as ever: “Come, come — I have just had some pastries made.”

Zhù Ying ate with perfectly normal composure. Yue Miaojun could barely get a morsel down. The Empress Dowager asked, “What is the matter with the Madam?”

Zhù Ying said, “I am planning to have Zhù Tong lead her troops back. Your Highness — who would you like to have replace her?”

“Going… going… going? Me? I decide?” To have her own person appointed at last? The delight arrived so suddenly that the Empress Dowager could not quite catch her breath in response. Even as Empress Dowager, she had never been able to hold herself with dignity in Zhù Ying’s presence.

Zhù Ying nodded: “The soldiers have been away from home for years. If they are not sent back, they will be on the verge of mutiny. We cannot let them cause a disturbance in the capital — better dispatch them home quickly to farm.”

The Empress Dowager sounded deeply regretful: “Once she leaves, the palace will…”

“That is for Your Highness to decide. I have said — I will put the palace guards in Your Highness’s hands, and this is only the beginning.”

The Empress Dowager’s heart gave a leap of joy, then another of alarm: “Something is not right about what you are saying today. Has something happened?”

Zhù Ying said, “Making arrangements in advance so that Your Highness can adjust gradually — just as we have always done before. One cannot think of things only when the moment is already upon one — by then there is never time to get things done properly. Your Highness — in all things, think ahead.”

“Yes. You are right. But right now? Female soldiers would be better in the palace. Where does one find them on short notice?”

Zhù Ying said, “Are palace maids not women? Let them learn and train. What is so delicate about them? They were conscripted in, and how you use them is up to you.”

The Empress Dowager said, “Then — could Zhù Tong leave a little later? Wait until the palace maids have been trained, and then go?”

“That would be of no use. Without having been in battle, without having killed — no matter how long they train, it will amount to nothing. They need to have killed enemies, to have lived through enemies killing their own companions, before they acquire a real edge. That requires battles for them to fight, and many of them will have to die before the survivors amount to anything. The palace guards as they are now are adequate for present needs.”

The Empress Dowager was beside herself with frustration!

Zhù Ying first dispatched Zhù Tong back to Annan, and then gradually reorganized the palace’s defenses, also withdrawing Lin Feng from his post. Zhù Tong led her troops south under the guise of a routine rotation, so the full military supply chain along the road remained in order.

When Zhù Tong had reached the iron-chain bridge, yet another piece of intelligence from Zhù Qingtian arrived, along with a letter in Zhù Qingjun’s own hand: Su Mingluan and Lang Kunwu were voluntarily requesting the replacement of tribal governance with direct imperial administration.

The administration was in the process of arranging this.

Only then did Zhù Ying begin to reassign the official staff of her residence to new appointments. The men were easy to arrange — they could serve anywhere. As she transferred them away one by one, the outside world was still speculating and harboring strong suspicions that she was once again clearing out the nest to fill it with new birds, selecting another batch of female officials. This caused quite a few people to go about with anxious expressions on their faces, though none dared to raise the matter to her face directly. Some muttered behind her back: You can exalt them all you like — but you need to take a look at how long you have left…

The positions available for female officials were indeed very few, and there was also reason to worry about life after Zhù Ying’s protection was gone. Some of them had also been told by family members: “Just wait until Chief Minister Zhù is old — then we’ll see how you manage.”

All this gossip and rumor Zhù Ying had always been aware of. In response to it, she did just one thing — she found the female officials a protector far younger than herself, to shelter them for another thirty years or more.

Zhù Ying personally led the female officials into the palace to meet Yang Empress Dowager: “The officials who will maintain Your Highness’s reputation — I have prepared them as well.”

Yang Empress Dowager smiled pleasantly and said, “What capable women, every one!” She had someone take them aside to a banquet, while she herself gave Zhù Ying a meaningful look and rose from her seat.

The others assumed she had gone to freshen up and paid no mind. Zhù Ying also followed. The two entered the room, and Yang Empress Dowager took hold of Zhù Ying’s sleeve: “Chief Minister — these past days you have been arranging the palace guards, arranging the staff of your residence. Has something happened?”

“I am going to retire.”

“What? How can that be?” Yang Empress Dowager’s heart lurched. She wanted palace guards — but she had never once thought of Zhù Ying leaving. Things had barely gotten started! She had no thoughts of being suspicious of her minister’s achievements or wanting to drive her away. Far from it!

Zhù Ying said, “I miss home. It is time to go. Your Highness, too, has come to a point where you must step forward yourself. What I needed to tell you, I have already said in full.”

“But…”

“I am not leaving today. There is still time — you can take it gradually.”

“My heart is unsettled.”

Zhù Ying said with a smile, “That is because you have not yet stepped to the front yourself. Once you step forward, it will be fine. You will not be easily deceived any longer — I trust my own judgment.”

“Good. I will try.” Yang Empress Dowager was persuaded with just a little coaxing, and gave a straightforward answer. If she delayed any longer, her son would be taking power directly — what part would she have in that? Had these years of study been for nothing?

Zhù Ying smiled. From that point onward, she fell silent at court proceedings, allowing Yang Empress Dowager to conduct herself as she saw fit. She herself saw to the distribution of all the assets within the Prime Minister’s residence, dividing them in advance into several portions. Some were prepared as gifts for servants, some for the several Prime Ministers, and gifts for Yue Miaojun, the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and others were also included.

What she prepared with the most care was a short dagger given to each of the female officials of the residence — one each.

She then separately informed Wang Shuliang and the others of her intention to retire. With the realm newly at peace, Zhù Ying’s departure was not entirely unwelcome. Without her, the women would have no one to stand up for them and things would be somewhat quieter — and yet Wang Shuliang was, after all, an upright and principled gentleman, and he could not quite shake the feeling that there was something of a “burning the bridge after crossing the river” quality to it. He was deeply ill at ease in his heart.

He urged Zhù Ying: “At present the realm is newly at peace, with a hundred things yet to be revived and restored. Why leave now? And Annan is remote and rugged country — how can it compare to the wealth and abundance of the capital? At our age, life ought to be comfortable and well-provisioned — only then can one have the energy to accomplish things.”

Zhù Ying said, “People of our standing — wherever we go, will we lack for clothes or food? The court recalled me precisely to put a disordered situation in order. Now that the time to go back has come, go back I will.”

Wang Shuliang urged for a while but could not sway her, and asked, “After you have left, who might serve as Prime Minister?”

Zhù Ying said, “Have you not already settled on a few young people?”

Wang Shuliang said, “To serve as Prefectural Governor or as a senior official they would do. To serve as Prime Minister — they are still a little short.”

Zhù Ying said, “Shall I be honest?”

“Be honest.”

“All of them fall a little short.” You yourself cannot look up to them — do you think I would be any more satisfied?

Wang Shuliang gave a long sigh: “Is there truly to be no rest? For fathers and sons to succeed one another as Prime Minister across generations — that is never a good sign for the nation. I myself am not equal to my late father.”

Zhù Ying said, “In my view, there will be someone — only that person has not yet emerged. Factional strife damages the very foundations too greatly. You must allow people a period to recover. As for those now at hand — they are capable of maintaining things.”

“One can only hope.”

Zhù Ying then met with several more people in turn. Yao Chenying, Shi Jixing, Chen Fang, and others all earnestly urged her to stay. She turned them all down. The south was something she now slept with one eye open watching.

Not until the urgent dispatch arrived from Zhù Tong, stationed at the iron-chain bridge, did Zhù Ying submit her memorial requesting retirement. After the customary three refusals and three urgings, she set out southward.

Yang Empress Dowager came personally to see her off, bringing the young Emperor along. She asked the question she herself had very much wanted the answer to: “After you have gone — who could serve as Prime Minister?”

Zhù Ying said, “Does Your Highness ask about the formal officials? I do not think much of any of them. As to who might help you govern the nation — the several Prime Ministers currently serving still possess a concern for the public good.

If there is still hesitation and uncertainty in matters of court governance or other things, one need not fix one’s gaze exclusively on men. Madam Yue sees the ways of the world clearly; the younger women each have their own distinctive qualities, and in time there may well be those among them who become truly accomplished.

Your Highness — remember: there must be continuity. The thread must not be broken. Otherwise, the moment you close your eyes, the very words written to eulogize you could be turned into instruments of condemnation.”

Yang Empress Dowager drew in a soft breath.

Zhù Ying gave a slight nod and then turned to nod at Yue Miaojun, who stood behind her. Yue Miaojun had soaked half a handkerchief through already, and said, “Just like that — going just like that? So suddenly!”

Liu Kun, Leng Yi, and others tried to console her: “There is no banquet in this world that does not end.”

Yue Miaojun only wept harder.

Zhù Ying said, “As long as the realm is still our realm, it is not truly a parting. We are all in one large house together — only unable to see each other.”

“Will we meet again?”

“Perhaps.”

Zhù Ying traveled quickly on the road. She could no longer ride a horse at a gallop, so she took a carriage this time, with Lin Feng and others riding horseback with blades drawn to guard her. Not for one moment dared she tarry. From the fact that the intelligence from Zhù Qingjun and Zhù Qingtian was not entirely consistent, it seemed either that some things had been concealed from the administration, or that Zhù Qingjun was “reporting good news but not the bad.”

In any case, three and a half counties having been purged by one’s own people was not a matter to be treated lightly.

Fifteen days later, Zhù Ying arrived at the iron-chain bridge and joined up with Zhù Tong.

On the far bank, Zhù Qingjun and the others had also received word and come to greet her.

Zhù Ying alighted from the carriage. Zhù Tong supported her as she walked across the iron-chain bridge. At the bridge’s head, Zhù Qingjun stood at the front, and behind her a great dark mass of heads bowed in welcoming obeisance: “We respectfully welcome the Military Commissioner’s return home!”

Zhù Ying walked slowly forward and helped Zhù Qingjun to her feet: “You’ve filled out a little. The confinement period went all right? Where is Zhù Rong? Why is she not being properly looked after?”

Zhù Qingjun was at once weeping and laughing: “You have finally come back! I — I — we…”

Behind her, Su Zhe and the others were kneeling in a row on the ground. They did not feel they had done anything wrong, but the moment they laid eyes on Zhù Ying, they could not help feeling guilty. They thought of how the outer five counties were something she herself had preserved, and they had mentally rehearsed their defenses countless times.

“Let us go home,” Zhù Ying said.

She did not begin upbraiding Su Zhe and the others on the spot. The matter was too complex to be settled in a few words. Lin Ge was difficult to speak to; Su Zhe and Zhao Su surely had the calculation that “what is done is done — surely you will not split the logs and throw them in the fire.” The people had already been killed — there was no reviving them now. Liu Kun had said it plainly enough: the broad tide of Annan’s direction was for the outer five counties also to be registered as ordinary subjects of the realm. What Zhù Ying had been doing was absorbing them gradually. What they had done was administer a drastic remedy.

Even Zhù Ying had to admit — they had read the broad current of events correctly.

Returning to Annan, Zhù Ying finally felt herself relax slightly. Zhù Qingjun boarded her carriage and gently laid a quilt over her.

Zhù Ying said, “I am not cold.”

Zhù Qingjun said softly, “It is my failing. I knew only that between old and new there would inevitably come a clash — but never imagined it would be so fierce. They also fought a great battle — blood flowed like a river, and new grievances on top of old. But the outer five counties struck first, and they are in the wrong. Moreover, by the outer five counties’ own traditional customs, such a conflict among kin would not actually constitute a violation of the law. Therefore, what Lin Ge and the others did in taking revenge — it cannot be counted an offense. Lin Ge’s father, back in the day — if he had not been someone who fled, his actions would not have been counted as wrong either.”

“Hmm. Revenge may not count — what about unauthorized deployment of troops? What about conspiring inside and out?”

“I… I have already punished them for dereliction of duty. As for unauthorized deployment of troops — that offense can be read as large or small.”

“What was your punishment? I can see them all bouncing around perfectly hale and hearty. When we get back, look into this properly!”

“Yes.”

“And Zhù Rong?”

“At home — her father is watching her. She is safe.”

“Zhù Yan? Hong Feng?”

“Both alive. A’Yan has lost an arm.”

“Hmm. As long as they are alive.”

Su Zhe and the others behaved themselves and followed along back to the administration without making a sound. They walked for three days and did not dare draw a loud breath.

Upon arriving at the administration, they all knelt again in a row on the floor. Zhù Ying laughed: “Is that all you have? Don’t play innocent with me! Do you not know yourselves what you have done? The outer five counties and their traditional customs? When you are officials of the administration? Are you saying you want to go back to the outer five counties and be lords unto yourselves?”

“But they could not be allowed to operate without any rule of law within the administration’s territory!” Su Zhe said.

Zhù Ying said, “So now you have justifications?”

Liu Ao ambled slowly out of the room and said, “Though not many — there is in the end a little justification. Under all the heavens, where is there any place beyond the reach of the law?”

Since the aggrieved party had spoken, Zhù Ying let it go: “All right. Let us all eat together. Whatever needs to be said — sleep on it and we will discuss it tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

Liu Kun stood beside Zhù Ying, already with eyes brimming with tears. Liu Ao’s eyes also gleamed brightly. Aunt and niece exchanged a glance. Zhù Ying beckoned to Liu Ao: “Come over here and let me look at you.”

Liu Ao stepped forward slowly: “Chief Minister — I respectfully welcome the Chief Minister home safely.”

Zhù Ying examined her carefully, then asked after the wound. It was a wound on her back, which was why her movements were slow. Liu Ao said, “It is a pity about A’Yan — her injury is worse than mine.”

“Neither of you can afford to be careless. Come — let us go over there and talk.”

The two of them went to Zhù Ying’s bedchamber. Zhù Ying unfastened Liu Ao’s garment and found the wound had been very well tended. Liu Ao said, “The Deputy Administrator had it treated. They are very skilled with sword wounds. Chief Minister — it was both right and not right that you returned this time. The outer five counties still present some difficulties. The Lang and Su families have asked on their own initiative to be registered, as you know — for those like them, face and dignity must be preserved. As for the other several families — their descendants have not been entirely extinguished. The headman families have ancestral property…”

So Zhù Ying’s return to give Zhù Qingjun support was right in that regard.

As for its not being right — it was somewhat of a pity to have left the court.

Zhù Ying said, “What you have all said, I know. As for the court — the Empress Dowager will not be too quiet. The institutions have already been put in place by me. Qingtian.”

Zhù Qingtian slipped out: “Here.” Without waiting for Zhù Ying to prompt her, she continued to fill in the additional details. Taking advantage of Zhù Qingjun’s confinement had truly been a low trick. Zhù Qingjun had fortunately been constitutionally strong enough not to be made ill by the fury of it. Officials had been dispatched to the outer five counties to take over, but when surveying land and population they had encountered further difficulties.

First: their land and population records had never been precise to begin with, and the outer five counties had never permitted the administration to oversee them — their foundations were, from the start, independent. Second: each of the outer five counties had its “meritorious subjects” who possessed ancestral properties. Registering these households had not, in fact, been able to be strictly implemented from the start. Third: the time had been short, and surveying five counties at once had taxed the available personnel — it had only just gotten underway.

Zhù Ying said, “Understood. Go and summon Qingjun.”

Zhù Qingjun arrived at the study carrying a faint scent of milk. Seeing her, Zhù Qingjun moved to prostrate herself in apology. Zhù Ying said, “You have already done quite well. The clash of old and new was always going to happen. Su Zhe, Su Sheng, and Lu Danqing are all veterans of the western expedition. Lin Ge, that young woman, also has some natural gifts, and her uncle left people who follow her. Each of them has their own old territory — even if the administration tried to absorb them by force, one would have to think long and hard.”

“But I held things up, and had I personally led troops…”

“The western frontier also needs to be guarded,” Zhù Ying said. “Fortunately — our A’Tong has come home.”

“Now — what do you plan to do?”

Zhù Qingjun summoned her courage: “Then — may I request to borrow A’Tong’s armored soldiers, and deploy the students who were tested in the north to the outer five counties to take over administration.”

“What punishment did you give Little Mei and the others?”

“Demotion — along with Zhao Su, their household registration tallies were reduced. I am thinking: those who are from the outer five counties — do not send them back to the outer five counties. Transfer the ones from the western prefectures and those of mountain-region backgrounds to posts in Wuzhou instead. As for Regional Governor Zhao… Zhao Ji should come back, and let Zhao Su go to Pu’an Prefecture. Transfer Jiang Wan to Wuzhou…”

Zhù Ying listened quietly to the end, then smiled: “Fine. Do it as you have said. Call Su Sheng and the others over — I will have a talk with them!”

“Yes.”

The next day, Zhù Ying met with Zhao Su and the others one by one.

Zhao Su was the most perceptive. The moment he came face to face with Zhù Ying, he said, “The ancients retired at seventy — I am well past seventy. It is time I rested and lived out my remaining years in ease. To have resolved Wuzhou before my retirement — I have no regrets. Wuzhou is a place of rising fortunes. The Su and Lang families have always been clear-sighted about the way things move; the other three families remained only under the pressure of circumstances. They should not have to continue like this indefinitely.”

“All these years, you have endured a great deal of hardship in Wuzhou. You were placed there because there was no one else capable of handling it,” Zhù Ying said.

“Yes,” Zhao Su said with a smile, “I know. Between you and me — no need for polite words. Your return is a pity for the court’s affairs, but for my family it is a good thing. Otherwise, who knows what sort of ordeal would have been necessary to reach a resolution. Now that you are back, there will certainly be an arrangement.”

“Zhao Ji — send him to help Chonghua. She has experience, quick thinking, and is grounded in reality, but her grasp of document and administrative principle is somewhat weaker. Zhao Ji would complement her perfectly. And Zhao Ji will learn from the experience — he needs to get a little of the earth’s grit on him.”

“Yes. And the court going forward?”

“Watch and observe how things develop. Whether Annan steps forward or not depends on the broad current of events.”

“Yes.”

The others did not fare so well — Zhù Ying had them all brought before her en masse.

Starting with Su Zhe, each person received a thorough dressing-down. Su Zhe even gave a small piece of backtalk: “They despise us to the bone! They say we eat more than our share! We risk our lives for what we have! They only see the wolf eating the meat — they never see the wolf taking its beatings…”

Zhù Ying waited until her grievances were exhausted, then said, “Satisfied? Lin Ge had her father’s blood feud. Su Sheng had his wife’s grudge. Lu Danqing’s nephew showed disrespect to her. But you? Did they come directly at you? And yet you jumped right in! You deserved your punishment!”

“What you have forged is a blood feud! Starting from now — for the next ten years, none of you may set foot in Wuzhou. Wait until they have forgotten this chapter. Otherwise — the assassins will be made ready for you. I have no wish to arrange funerals for any of you.”

Su Sheng said, “They have mostly been killed off. It was always…”

Zhù Ying said, “Always a case of never seeing eye to eye. They see you as eating more than your share. You see them as wanting something for nothing.”

Lu Danqing sniffled in grievance. Lin Ge, however, held her chin high: “Elder — it was I who started it! I have no regrets!”

“What does your having regrets or not have to do with me! What concern is that of mine! I only care about Annan’s affairs. You all deserve punishment, and what happened in the outer five counties absolutely cannot be rewarded as a military accomplishment, no matter that it brought bloodshed and fighting. The five counties are to be registered as regular subjects — and you will receive compensation for your ancestral properties.”

As long as the outer five counties were successfully registered, each person’s household registration tally would be restored to what it had been, and then a little more added on top.

Su Zhe and the others prostrated themselves to express their gratitude.

Zhù Ying said, “All of you — rise.”

Su Zhe and the others clambered back to their feet. Su Zhe sidled over and asked, “Elder — what comes next? Are you going back?”

Zhù Ying said, “I need a rest.”

“Then that is truly wonderful! We can all be together again.”

Zhù Ying said with a smile, “Yes.”

She patted Su Zhe’s arm: “All right — enough crying and laughing! Everyone go wash your faces!”

“Yes.”

The whole lot of them ran off laughing to wash their faces, and then lingered in the administration to have a meal. Zhù Ying looked out over the hall full of people gathered for the evening meal. A slight smile rested on her face. She beckoned to Zhù Yan: “Come — come sit here with me.”

Zhù Yan, having lost an arm, did not find eating very convenient. She had lately been eating alone by herself. Now that Zhù Ying had returned, in a gathering like this she had no way to absent herself, and could only manage to eat a little. Coming to sit beside Zhù Ying, she found that Zhù Ying very naturally began serving her food: “Eat slowly. We are not rushing. When doing things — the more one rushes, the less one gets.”

Over at Liu Ao’s side, Liu Kun was looking after her, and aunt and niece exchanged news of the capital. Liu Ao said softly, “The capital — it is truly a fine place… If only the women’s examination had existed earlier…”

Zhù Ying, for her part, was mentally turning over her calculations: tomorrow she needed to submit a memorial to the court. While she still had a voice that carried weight, she had to transfer her position as Military Commissioner to Zhù Qingjun. In the whole room, not one person had guessed what she was thinking. Just as very few emperors were ever willing to abdicate in favor of their sons and take on the title of Retired Emperor — so too should the earthly sovereign of a region not do such a thing.

Yet Zhù Ying had done it anyway.

Her memorial went directly to the Empress Dowager: I intend to do it this way. I request the court’s agreement. If the court does not agree — that is of no consequence either, for I will not listen to others on this particular matter.

Yang Empress Dowager read this memorial and suddenly laughed: “I was still worried she would be constrained by others — but this tone, this is her own self.”

However, Yang Empress Dowager did not immediately agree. Instead, she issued an edict to Zhù Ying: If you truly relinquish your position, from then on you will have to look to the new Military Commissioner’s goodwill. I know she was raised by you, but hearts change — especially where power is concerned. I have lived in the palace all these years and seen nothing but this. Please reconsider.

Zhù Ying received the edict and submitted a second memorial, again recommending Zhù Qingjun.

Only after Yang Empress Dowager had conferred with Yue Miaojun did she agree — but the two kept one precaution in reserve, dispatching the son of Zheng Shen, Zheng Ying, as principal envoy and Leng Yi as deputy, with Jin Biao escorting two hundred armored soldiers south. Nominally it was an investiture mission; in reality they were going to observe.

The three arrived in Annan and witnessed much that was novel and unlike anything they had seen before. Jin Biao thought to himself: Had I only known it would be like this, I should have followed the Chief Minister south years earlier.

The three found their food and lodging comfortable throughout. Traveling as far as Xizhou, the troops were billeted outside the city, while the three first went to the administration to pay their respects to Zhù Ying. When Zheng Ying and Leng Yi arrived, they found Zhù Ying with a swaddled infant on her lap. The two stared wide-eyed. Jin Biao nearly blurted out: Whose child is this?

Zhù Ying said with a smile, “This is our Zhù Rong.”

Zheng Ying and Leng Yi both wanted to urge her to reconsider, but Zhù Ying said, “My mind is set. However, you will need to wait two more days — wait for A’Tong to come back. Her troops are out on maneuvers to the east.”

The two secretly told themselves they had been foolish: Of course! She still has soldiers under her command — nothing can go wrong.

With that, they were at ease. They watched as Zhù Qingjun received the seal of office, watched her declining to move into the main chambers of the administration, and then observed that Zhù Ying had people gathered around her — after which they returned to the capital to make their report.

Zheng Ying and the others had barely departed before Zhù Ying announced she intended to move into the room that had once been Zhang Xiangu’s quarters. Zhù Qingjun hurried over to stop her: “What does it matter whether the room is larger or smaller? We have grown used to things as they are — changing would only be uncomfortable.”

“Nonsense. Over the course of our lives, how many times have we changed places? And we have still never been unable to adjust.”

Zhù Qingjun said, “This — this is for my sake…”

“For your sake, and even more for the sake of what comes after. We are establishing a foundation — rules must be set down, so that succession in the future may involve less bloodshed, and each may be content in their place, and things may last. Annan is remote and meager in resources — if there is internal strife on top of that, it cannot hold out long. The road ahead is still long, and it must be walked well.”

Zhù Qingjun choked and could not speak.

Zhù Ying said with a smile, “Go then. Bring Zhù Rong to keep me company.”

(The End)