TGPSAC – Chapter 37

Emperor Shengyuan studied Chi Wan coldly, his aged eyes seeming to want to see right through her.

Chi Wan respectfully recounted what had happened at the palace gate, not changing a single word, neither embellishing nor concealing key information.

Seeing her so honest, Emperor Shengyuan’s expression softened. “We hear you angered Yuan Yiqing until he fainted.”

“?” Chi Wan’s eyes widened. “Your Majesty, see clearly. Vice Grand Secretary Yuan is advanced in age. He fainted because he could not withstand the cold wind. It had nothing to do with this subject.”

“Hmph. We were just about to praise you for being a loyal and upright remonstrating official, and you deceive Us like this.”

“This subject would not dare.”

Chi Wan lowered her eyes and said no more. Emperor Shengyuan sneered, “The imperial physician diagnosed Yuan Yiqing as having fainted from a fit of extreme anger. And you still say you weren’t the one who angered him.”

Yu Jiuzhou smoothly took over the conversation. “For Chi Wan to treat a grand secretary in such a manner, a punishment is necessary to appease Vice Grand Secretary Yuan’s anger.”

Emperor Shengyuan shot her a look that said, say less. “Yuan Yiqing is a grand secretary, but Chi Wan is Our daughter’s consort, a Fuma of the realm. There is no need for her to adopt such a low posture.”

“However, you must still apologize to Yuan Yiqing. That old fellow is so old, yet so petty.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s lips curved into a speechless smile. As expected, whatever she said, the Emperor would oppose.

It was clear the Emperor was worried Chi Wan would not act according to his plans, and he certainly didn’t want her to suppress Chi Wan now.

The worse she treated Chi Wan, the more the Emperor would protect her.

Chi Wan nodded and said, “Yes,” then continued, “Your Majesty, as the students said, the annexation of civilian land in Great Zhou has become too rampant, leading to the emergence of many displaced people. If the common people cannot eat their fill, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

This matter was also a major headache for the Emperor. In recent years, uprisings by displaced people had occurred from time to time. One wave would be persuaded to surrender, another would be annihilated, but the stream of displaced people was endless.

Where did they come from? They were commoners who couldn’t get enough to eat. As long as they could fill their stomachs, no one was willing to become a vagrant or a bandit. The pirates in the East Sea were growing more and more audacious. If not for this, his grandfather’s grandfather would not have imposed the maritime ban.

During Emperor Taizong’s reign, every sea voyage enriched Great Zhou’s treasury. He looked on with envy, but as long as the East Sea pirates were not dealt with and the seas were not pacified, Great Zhou’s ships could not set sail.

“Then what do you propose?” Emperor Shengyuan knew full well that the pirates were supported by the gentry and local squires of the Min-Yue region, but what could he do?

Chi Wan thought for a moment. “A thorough investigation of all cases of land annexation throughout the realm is likely impossible. We can choose one place for a thorough investigation. This will serve as an explanation to the people of the realm, and at the same time, a warning to those insatiably greedy individuals. Tell them to pull back their hands and not force the common people into a dead end.”

“Your Majesty, the people of our Great Zhou are the most honest. As long as they can eat their fill—even just half-full, enough to survive—they will be content. We absolutely cannot allow those people to continue exploiting them.”

Emperor Shengyuan closed his eyes. He was well aware of this. The income of the Palace Treasury was dwindling, and the Ministry of Revenue was always short of silver.

During the reign of the Grand Ancestor, the annual tax revenue was several million taels, and the population of Great Zhou was small. During Emperor Taizong’s reign, the population grew, and tax revenue reached ten million taels. Coupled with the income from sea voyages, the state finances were relatively prosperous. By Emperor Renzong’s time, Great Zhou’s financial income had doubled to twenty or thirty million taels of silver. But now, under his rule, the population was more than three times that of Emperor Renzong’s era, yet the financial income had dropped to a mere ten million taels. Where had the money gone? It couldn’t have just vanished into thin air.

But reform was difficult. If he didn’t investigate, the common people would slowly turn into vagrants and overthrow the rule of Great Zhou, and both the Ministry of Revenue and his Palace Treasury would be penniless. If he did investigate, it would surely incite resistance from the officials. At that point, the massive ship that was Great Zhou would be cast into a stormy sea, tossed about and at risk of halting its progress at any moment.

He could not force the people to rebel, nor could he force the officials into inaction and bring the state to a standstill. As the Emperor, he could not be without money to spend, and the Ministry of Revenue could not be without funds to use.

But Chi Wan’s tactic of “killing a chicken to scare the monkeys” was a good one. It was worth a try.

“Then tell Us, where should We choose to investigate?”

Chi Wan considered it. “This subject has chosen four places: Mingzhou, Guanzhong, Jinzhou, and Chuzhou.”

“Why?”

“Mingzhou is Her Highness the Grand Princess’s fiefdom. What is wrong with Her Highness investigating her own lands? Danfeng in Guanzhong is Prince Bao’an’s fiefdom. Jinshui in Jinzhou is Prince Ying’s fiefdom. And Prince Zhongshan’s fiefdom is in Huai’an, Chuzhou.”

“Her Highness’s fiefdom was bestowed by Your Majesty. The three princes have received imperial grace for generations; they ought to share their sovereign’s burdens.”

This was truly an open conspiracy. She was telling him plainly which choice was best. Compared to touching the interests of the meritorious noble clans, it was certainly easier to move against the interests of the imperial clan. The imperial clan of the Shengyuan dynasty was even worse off than the nobility. Since Emperor Taizong’s time, they had been raised like pigs in a sty, their lives and deaths decided by a single word from the emperor.

And among them, the three princes were vying for the position of crown prince. What was investigating their own fiefdoms? So what if they gave it all to the Emperor? If one of them became emperor in the future, the entire realm would be his.

Emperor Shengyuan pondered for a moment and found it feasible. He first glanced at Yu Jiuzhou. “Let’s forget about Zhou’er. Mingzhou is part of Yuezhou, and the gentry of Jiangnan are not to be trifled with. We cannot let them think We are targeting Yuezhou.”

“Among the three princes, Prince Bao’an donates all the tax revenue from his fiefdom to the state treasury, so let’s forget him. As for Prince Ying… Jinzhou is like Yuezhou. It seems the only one left is Prince Zhongshan. But Huai’an is on the border and not particularly wealthy, so it won’t have much of an effect, unless the entire Chuzhou is investigated along with it.”

And that was precisely what Chi Wan had just suggested—Chuzhou. “Chuzhou is near the border. This subject has heard that in the second year of the Shengyuan era, when Your Majesty had just ascended the throne, the state of Ning invaded, and Chuzhou actually allowed them to enter. The gentry of Chuzhou even presented them with vast fortunes. Your Majesty has not yet held them accountable for this. Rather than let them aid the enemy, it would be better to let them know which country they belong to, lest they give the money they extorted from the people to the state of Ning.”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Shengyuan’s liver trembled with rage. At that time, he had just ascended the throne and his foundation was unstable. Ning’s army had pushed into Chuzhou and nearly reached the foot of Shengjing’s walls. He had inherited a poor country, yet those people in Chuzhou had gathered valuables worth tens of millions of taels of silver for the people of Ning. This incident was his humiliation.

He was deeply displeased with the gentry of Chuzhou. It was a perfect opportunity to deal with them. The people of Chuzhou were so generous, yet the gentry had sullied the region’s name.

Emperor Shengyuan immediately made a decision. “Then we will thoroughly investigate the cases of land annexation in Chuzhou and Qingyuan County. Zhou’er, you will be the chief official, with Prince Bao’an and Prince Ying as your deputies. We will settle this matter when the court session begins.”

With the Grand Princess plus two princes, Chuzhou would not be able to stir up any trouble. Prince Zhongshan would not dare to resist openly, and he lacked the power to resist in private. None of them would mind seeing Prince Zhongshan fall.

Yu Jiuzhou rose and bowed. “There is none more sagacious than Your Majesty.”

“Alright, you two may withdraw. Chi Wan, go to the palace gate and have those students leave.”

“Yes.”

The Emperor watched Chi Wan’s departing figure with appreciation. “Why did We never realize before what a talent Chi Wan is?”

Cheng Jiao stepped in front of Wang Hai. “Your Majesty, after this incident, the Fuma’s reputation among the common people has grown ever better. I hear the students are all calling her a virtuous minister, the ‘Fuma of the Clear Sky.’”

Hearing this, Emperor Shengyuan looked at Cheng Jiao coldly, knowing he was trying to sow discord against Chi Wan.

“We originally wanted her to be an isolated minister, but she insists on being a pure official. Be it an isolated minister or a pure official, neither is popular in the imperial court. As long as she does not form a faction, We can tolerate her.”

Wang Hai immediately said, “Your Majesty is sagacious. This slave sees that it seems impossible for the Princess and the Fuma to treat each other with respect like guests. But as long as they can give Your Majesty a little imperial grandchild, that would be a joyous event of the highest order.”

At these words, a smile appeared on Emperor Shengyuan’s face. “Wang Hai, you have no objections to Us making heavy use of Zhou’er and the Fuma?”

“How would this slave dare have any objections? The Princess and the Fuma are both Your Majesty’s children. Whether Your Majesty uses them or not is a family matter. How could it allow for this slave’s meddling?”

“However, this slave does feel that it is better for the Fuma to be a pure official than an isolated one. Look at how the Fuma angered Vice Grand Secretary Yuan today. This slave was delighted to see it. In the future, when the Fuma denounces those officials who oppose Your Majesty in court, won’t that be a fine spectacle? An isolated minister would not be able to denounce them so.”

The more Emperor Shengyuan heard of Wang Hai’s words, the happier he became. “You, all you can think about is watching a show. You still remember the last time Yuan Yiqing scolded you.”

“This slave is a eunuch, and petty. When Yuan Yiqing scolded this slave, this slave dared not say anything. But then he scolded Your Majesty, saying Your Majesty favored eunuchs and that the realm of Great Zhou was doomed…”

At this point, Wang Hai seemed to catch himself and quickly knelt. “This slave has spoken out of turn. I beg Your Majesty to punish me.”

“Enough. That old fool Yuan Yiqing has a loose tongue. What is there to punish you for? Get up.”

Emperor Shengyuan muttered Yuan Yiqing’s name, then suddenly asked, “We remember that Yuan Yiqing is also from Chuzhou.”

“Replying to Your Majesty, Vice Grand Secretary Yuan is from Chuzhou.”

“Tell the Princess to start the investigation with the Yuan family, and to dig deep.”

“Yes.”

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Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou walked out of Daming Palace, both silent.

Chi Wan was somewhat unhappy. She felt uncomfortable with Yu Jiuzhou’s actions today.

When reading the novel, she had lamented that Yu Jiuzhou should have been more unscrupulous. But now that Yu Jiuzhou was truly acting this way, she felt that something had changed.

Perhaps this was the difference between observing a fictional character and having a real person by her side.

Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t exactly plotted against her; she had given her a choice. She could have returned to the Princess’s Residence and stayed behind closed doors, and none of this would have involved her. The Emperor would still have valued her.

She had gone to the palace herself out of concern for the students. She couldn’t blame Yu Jiuzhou for that.

But what about those students? Yu Jiuzhou had sent people to incite their emotions, making them gather outside the palace gate to pressure the Emperor.

As Yuan Yiqing had said, if they were branded with the crime of forcing the palace and plotting rebellion, not only would the students face certain death, but their families would not escape either.

Chi Wan had read the history of Great Zhou. Being convicted for one’s words was not a rare occurrence. Sometimes, with a trumped-up charge, as long as the label was applied, a river of blood could be shed.

Students kneeling outside the palace gate being killed or beaten by court decree—it had happened in Great Zhou’s history. Even some officials, in order to make the emperor compromise, had done such things, ultimately ending up killed, exiled, or beaten to death on the spot.

If Great Zhou had never killed for such things, it would mean the state was cautious in handling these matters, and the students’ safety could be guaranteed.

But not only had Great Zhou killed, there had been instances of thousands being killed in a single day. During the Shengyuan era, there had been several severe cases where hundreds of officials were subjected to court beatings, and nearly a hundred were killed or exiled, some beaten to death on the spot.

Those students were not officials. Emperor Shengyuan might very well be ruthless enough to kill them.

Yuan Yiqing would apply the label, then find a eunuch to do the killing. As long as there was a scapegoat, Emperor Shengyuan would remain sagacious.

Yu Jiuzhou did not treat the students’ lives as lives, and this was something Chi Wan found hard to accept.

Thus, she had an indescribable feeling about today’s events, especially towards Yu Jiuzhou. If achieving one’s goals meant disregarding the lives of the innocent, then their cooperation could be called off.

With such a ruthless person, Chi Wan didn’t feel that even her own life could be guaranteed.

She remained silent, and Yu Jiuzhou showed no intention of speaking either.

When they reached the palace gate, Yu Jiuzhou boarded the carriage back to the Princess’s Residence, while Chi Wan went to persuade the students to go home.

Seated in the carriage, Yu Jiuzhou watched Chi Wan walk away and hesitated for a moment. Then Chun Gui asked, “Your Highness, should we wait for the Fuma?”

“Let’s go.”

Yu Jiuzhou had been somewhat hesitant. She could sense that something was off with Chi Wan and knew she had schemed against her today. It was only right for her to be angry.

But the Emperor was still watching from behind. She had entered the palace on her own. If Yu Jiuzhou were to wait for her specifically, the act of discord they had just put on would seem a bit fake.

Chun Gui acknowledged, “Back to the residence.”

Xia Qu immediately asked, “Why aren’t we waiting for the Fuma?”

“Ask less.” Chun Gui shot Xia Qu a look, signaling her to keep quiet.

The princess’s carriage started moving. Chi Wan heard the sound and glanced back, her lips pursed as she watched for a long while.

“The Fuma is here!” A sharp-eyed student saw her and immediately shouted.

The students’ voices brought Chi Wan back to her senses. She turned and walked over to them.

Seeing the students’ eager gazes, Chi Wan bowed first. The students, realizing, hurriedly bowed in return. “The students greet the Fuma.”

“There is no need for ceremony. It is freezing cold. Please hurry home. His Majesty has said that on the day the court session resumes, he will give you all, and the common people, a satisfactory answer.”

Chi Wan’s gaze swept over the students. She did a rough count; even more had come. There must have been two thousand people now.

She heard that some commoners had also come, but they were persuaded to leave by the students.

The students had said: “It is enough for us scholars to be here. Wait for His Majesty to kill us, then you can come and collect our bodies. If we all die here, there will be no one left to collect our bodies.”

It was clear that these two thousand students were prepared to die at the palace gate. Even if only a tenth of them were ready to spill their blood, that was still two hundred people.

How could Chi Wan accept so many people dying in front of her? When Yu Jiuzhou had people incite the students’ emotions, had she not considered this?

Achieving a goal required warriors and fighters, but not needless sacrifices. So many ambitious students could do far more alive than dead.

Chi Wan could not reveal Emperor Shengyuan’s decree before the court session, so this was all she could say.

A student asked doubtfully, “What does His Majesty plan to do?”

“Yes, can the Fuma not speak plainly?”

Chi Wan raised a hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet. “The court session begins on the sixth. It’s only a few days. If you are not satisfied with the result in a few days, you can come again.”

She seemed to be offering the Emperor a compromise, but in reality, once this started, if other places were not thoroughly investigated, would the people in those other places agree? A single spark can start a prairie fire. Once this matter began, there was no stopping it.

A student named Zhang spoke up, “This student trusts His Majesty and trusts the Fuma.”

“Yes, we trust the Fuma.”

“We will wait for the result of the court session. Thank you, Fuma, for your efforts today.”

Chi Wan nodded. “Farewell, everyone.”

She watched the students leave, and then an imperial guard brought her horse over.

“Thank you.” Chi Wan swung herself onto the horse and galloped towards the Princess’s Residence.

When she returned to the entrance of the residence, Yu Jiuzhou was just stepping down from her carriage.

Their eyes met for a moment, and Yu Jiuzhou walked straight inside.

Chen Yuan trotted over to take her horse. Chi Wan thanked her, then looked again at Yu Jiuzhou’s back.

She followed behind Yu Jiuzhou, a distance of several meters between them. She didn’t catch up, nor did she return to her own small courtyard. It looked as if she intended to follow Yu Jiuzhou back to Yongning Courtyard together.

Chi Wan’s small courtyard was some distance from Yongning Courtyard, and in a different direction. By following her, everyone knew what she intended to do.

Sensing the strange atmosphere between her and Yu Jiuzhou, Chun Gui and the others dared not speak.

Only Xia Qu, whether she didn’t notice or noticed and didn’t care, said, “Fuma, you were so awesome today! Angering Yuan Yiqing until he fainted and persuading the students to leave. After today, your name will surely be known throughout Great Zhou.”

They all knew what Chi Wan had said at the palace gate. Their opinion of her had already started to change, and now they were even more impressed.

Chi Wan: “…Vice Grand Secretary Yuan wasn’t angered by me.” He was pricked by a needle.

If she had known, she wouldn’t have pricked Yuan Yiqing until he fainted. Now everyone thought she had angered him into fainting.

Xia Qu waved her hand. “Why be so modest? Vice Grand Secretary Yuan used to be a Censor. Not many people can best him in a war of words.”

Chi Wan wanted to explain, but some things were better left unsaid, so she remained silent.

Xia Qu chattered in her ear all the way back to Yongning Courtyard before finally stopping.

The group entered the main hall. Yu Jiuzhou sat on the arhat bed, while Chi Wan sat sullenly on a chair below.

Chun Gui bowed, made an excuse about preparing tea, and dragged Xia Qu away with her.

Only the two of them remained in the main hall. Chi Wan held her tongue and continued to say nothing.

It was Yu Jiuzhou who finally spoke. “The honeycomb briquettes have been made. The effect is just as you described.”

“Oh.”

Chi Wan’s curt “oh” was unexpected to Yu Jiuzhou. The two fell into silence once more.

According to Yu Jiuzhou’s thinking, after she said that, Chi Wan should have taken the initiative to talk to her. But this was the result?

After another moment, Chi Wan finally spoke. “Has Your Highness ever considered what the result would have been for those students if things had gone wrong?”

Yu Jiuzhou’s brows furrowed in displeasure. In all her life, no one had ever questioned her in such a tone, but she could feel Chi Wan’s dissatisfaction.

She was perplexed. She had thought Chi Wan was unhappy about being schemed against, but now it seemed she was seeking justice for the students? It was a bit interesting, and very strange.

Chi Wan wasn’t angry about being led into a trap? Her temper was far too good.

Yu Jiuzhou pondered for a moment, then coolly replied with a single word, “Death.”

“Then why did Your Highness still have people incite them?”

Chi Wan was getting agitated. How could this person be so calm? Weren’t the lives of two thousand students considered lives? Were all members of the imperial family like this?

Seeing her agitation, Yu Jiuzhou felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. “So what?”

“Your Highness is treating human life as insignificant!”

“Did they die?”

Uh… Chi Wan shook her head. “No.” But what if she hadn’t gone to the palace?

Her hesitation inexplicably made Yu Jiuzhou’s lips curve upwards. Realizing she had smiled, her expression stiffened, and she said in a cold voice, “Are you questioning me?”

So fierce!

Chi Wan pretended to be busy pouring tea. She poured herself a cup of hot tea, and after drinking it and feeling the warmth in her stomach, she felt her resolve harden again.

“Your Highness, I know you have been through a lot, and you don’t want to repeat your past mistakes. But you should not harm the innocent. Otherwise, you are no different from…”

A villain?

That’s right, Yu Jiuzhou was originally the villain in the novel. It was just that from the novel’s perspective, her actions were not wrong in any way; she was merely fighting for what she deserved.

Chi Wan didn’t want to believe that Yu Jiuzhou was someone who would kill the innocent indiscriminately, which was why she was standing here asking, seeking an answer.

A chill emanated from Yu Jiuzhou, and her gaze grew colder. “No different from what?”

“Your Highness, I just want to ask you one question. Was Your Highness truly not afraid that the students would die outside the palace gate?”

Chi Wan looked directly into Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes, meeting her gaze without being either servile or overbearing.

Yu Jiuzhou was of noble birth. Except for when she finally understood that her father’s affection was politically motivated, everyone had always been cautiously trying to please her. The greatest hurts she had suffered were all inflicted by that scum in her past life.

Since it was confirmed that the current Chi Wan was not that scum, she would not force Chi Wan to bear the consequences of the scum’s actions.

But she was Yu Jiuzhou, of noble birth, the Grand Princess, of imperial lineage. She would absolutely not allow anyone to question her like this.

Yu Jiuzhou’s phoenix eyes held a commanding presence. Her vermilion lips parted, her voice as cold as frost. “Insolent. You have some nerve.”

“My nerve isn’t great, in fact, it’s quite small. I just can’t stand by and watch.” Chi Wan retorted without hesitation.

So what if it was an argument? In her past life, when debating academic matters, her tongue had never lost.

Even though Yu Jiuzhou wouldn’t blame Chi Wan for what the scum in her past life did, as a sovereign, she could not allow a subject to question her in such a way.

Yu Jiuzhou’s tone grew even colder. “What I do, I have my reasons for. It is not for you to question me.”

Chi Wan was not satisfied with this answer. “Your Highness, I am very grateful that you gave me a choice. I chose to go to the palace myself, and I can bear the consequences of this matter. But that group of students, who wholeheartedly serve the country and its people, they did not deserve to die. I just want to tell Your Highness that I will not choose to cooperate with someone who views human life as ants. Is Your Highness not afraid of an unintended outcome?”

This was the reason Chi Wan had chosen Yu Jiuzhou. In the novel, Yu Jiuzhou could have fought Prince Bao’an to a mutually destructive end, but that would have caused many deaths. In the end, she gave up on that path.

She had lamented that Yu Jiuzhou wasn’t ruthless enough, yet she also admired that her actions were never for selfish gain.

Chi Wan cherished her own life, but like those students, she also had a passionate heart. She was a student, and a physician. She still held the original aspirations of a medical student and remembered that a healer must have a benevolent heart.

Therefore, she could absolutely not condone Yu Jiuzhou’s methods.

Yu Jiuzhou turned into an iceberg. Her authority had been challenged, but what Chi Wan said was right, and she could not refute it. “There will be no unintended outcome. I will not allow one to happen.”

After saying this, her face remained cold. Indifference was the best way to hide her emotions. She had still given an explanation. For the sake of the formulas Chi Wan had provided, for the sake of the choice Chi Wan had made today, Yu Jiuzhou found a reason for herself in her heart. But this sentence made her feel a sense of shame and anger, as if she were bowing her head.

Although Yu Jiuzhou did not explain further, Chi Wan sensed her softening.

So Chi Wan softened her tone, no longer so forceful. “This subject does not wish to part ways with Your Highness. Comparatively, I have more faith that Your Highness can lead Great Zhou to prosperity and allow the people to live good lives.”

“Are you threatening me?” Yu Jiuzhou sharply picked out her first sentence.

Her authority had been repeatedly provoked. Even if the other party was the Fuma, all land under heaven belonged to the sovereign. She was the Grand Princess, and Great Zhou was her family’s realm. To have her authority challenged again and again, even by Chi Wan who had helped her repeatedly, was something she would not permit.

She was the ruler, Chi Wan the subject. The hierarchy was ordered, the cardinal principles set. How could she allow Chi Wan to be so insolent?

Chi Wan shook her head and explained, “No, this subject just wants to know why Your Highness did this.”

She just needed a reason.

“You do not trust me. There is no need for me to say more to you.”

Does a sovereign need to explain herself to a subject?

Chi Wan stared earnestly into Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes and said sincerely, “I do trust you. But you need to tell me. What if one day I cannot cooperate in a timely manner, and a problem arises somewhere, causing His Majesty to suspect us?”

Only then did Yu Jiuzhou suddenly realize how tacitly the two of them had cooperated these past few times. They had worked in concert before Emperor Shengyuan, and even without prior discussion, their coordination had been excellent.

What Chi Wan said aligned with her own thoughts. Both of them had experienced bizarre circumstances. Perhaps keeping this person by her side was a good choice.

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