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墨書 Inktalez
In Jiangnan, the Yuan City yamen received urgent news from the capital. Yuan Cheng Ling hurriedly summoned the County Magistrate and County Lieutenant for a brief meeting.
"Is it true that Minister of Revenue Zhao Jue is being escorted to Xia Cheng? Will he be executed on August First? Is the Prince himself overseeing the execution and inviting us all to witness it?!"
As Yuan Cheng Ling recounted the events, both the County Magistrate and County Lieutenant displayed expressions of shock and fear. After all, this was Minister of Revenue Zhao Jue! To them, he was akin to a celestial official, someone they could only aspire to reach through cunning and effort, perhaps even just to interact with a governor.
A minister of the Ministry of Revenue was completely out of their league, an unreachable figure. Yet, this lofty official had been taken down by the Emperor with a mere flick of his hand, sentenced to death without a trace of mercy. The fact that he was being transported from the north to Jiangnan while inviting numerous officials to witness his execution was nothing short of monumental. Such a grand spectacle could very well be recorded in history, leaving a lasting infamy.
Wasn't this a bit excessive? What face would scholars have left? The County Magistrate wanted to voice his thoughts but ultimately decided against it; this was all the Emperor's decree, and both thunder and rain were gifts from the sovereign. He dared not speak out of turn. Yet, deep down, he felt a sense of sorrow for Zhao Jue. In terms of status comparison, he wasn't exactly a fox in this scenario; Zhao Jue certainly couldn't be likened to a rabbit either. Perhaps a more accurate description would be "Tiger Dies, Rabbit Grieves."
Meanwhile, the County Lieutenant was more interested in this juicy scandal. On one hand, he was not a scholar but a martial artist; on the other hand, news from the capital involving someone of Zhao Jue's stature was simply too enticing to ignore.
"Yuan Cheng Ling," he said eagerly, "we've worked together for so many years—why keep this from us? Tell us everything! What did that minister do?"
Yuan Cheng Ling briefly outlined Zhao Jue's charges: undermining the Kaihai initiative, disregarding imperial favor, and harboring pirates who attempted to assassinate the prince.
The Emperor still possessed some rationality; his decision to execute Zhao Jue stemmed from the latter's obstruction of Kaihai, which could potentially hinder the Emperor's longevity. However, such personal motives would be somewhat embarrassing if published in official reports for local officials to read.
Fortunately, there were other charges against Zhao Jue that could be piled on top; the core message remained clear: Zhao Jue must die.
Upon hearing this account, the County Lieutenant immediately expressed his support. "Hmph! Harboring pirates? This Zhao Jue deserves no pity! The Emperor’s judgment is just; such people should indeed be executed!"
A swift decapitation was still too lenient for that old scoundrel, Zhao Jue!
As previously mentioned, coastal cities have often been plagued by pirate troubles. Yuan City and Xia Cheng, being coastal towns, frequently faced pirate invasions.
As the Constable of Yuan Cheng County, I was responsible for the city's defenses, and naturally, I held a grudge against those pirates. The County Magistrate sighed, no longer burdened by sorrow: "In that case, he got what he deserved."
In mid-July, we planned to set off in the latter half of the month. Should we arrive early in Xia Cheng to pay our respects to the Prince? Or should we hold a small meeting here? The three of us were astute individuals; some things didn’t need to be said in full to convey the main point.
The County Magistrate merely asked whether we should seek to curry favor with the Prince early or stick to our schedule and subtly align ourselves with the Crown Prince's faction. Although they were officials of Yuan City, in the eyes of those at the top, they were merely small players who didn’t need to overthink things—just do their jobs obediently.
Yet they were concerned. What if the Prince preferred one approach over the other? What if he wanted to see their resolve? Who could guarantee that such a scenario wouldn’t occur?
With so many cities and counties in Jiangnan, the Prince might not remember who arrived early, but he would certainly remember those who adhered to their schedules.
Currently, the court was rife with undercurrents. In the past, a reckless Prince unexpectedly gained the Emperor's favor and trust, directly establishing the Kaihai Division and wielding significant power, attracting many court officials to his side. In contrast, the Crown Prince seemed precariously positioned; at most, he accompanied the Emperor to court meetings—what power did he possess? None!
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