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July 08, 2021

Chapter 24

Nearly a month after the battle of defending Guangning city, the reward from the imperial court finally arrived. Han Zhaoxing personally led his soldiers to the east city gate to greet the envoys. Yuan Sikong and Yuan Nanyu ran up the city wall again. Like that day when they peeped at the Feng family army, they were excitedly looking forward to the moment when their father would receive his reward.

The city wall was being renovated. The debris could be seen everywhere. The dried-up pools of blood were bluish-purple under the thin snow. When standing on them, one could still remember the tragedy of that day's war, which made people’s hearts palpitate to this day.

The carriages, horses, and troops from the capital have arrived at the city. Han Zhaoxing, Qian Anrong, Yuan Mao, and the other officials and generals came out of the city to welcome them.

One of the envoys jumped down from the carriage. He had a pencil mustache, eyebrows with upwards raised tips, narrow eyes, and an aquiline nose. He looked like a person who’s hard to deal with at a glance. He straightened out his robes, and after saluting each other with the officials, he said directly without further ado, "I'm Ge Zhong, the imperial censor of the Department of Supervision. I’ve received an order from the emperor to inspect Liaodong, and I'll reward the meritorious soldiers in the battle of defending Guangning."

They all looked at each other in disbelief. Their intuition told them that there was something strange. The imperial censor was dispatched by the emperor, mostly for the purpose of inspecting the local conditions and customs, and demoting and promoting the government officials, or when there were major and important cases in some places, they would also be transferred to the imperial censor for justice. Since it’s the commendation of soldiers, why send an imperial censor?

Qian Anrong was the first to speak: "Lord Ge is bound to be tired from your travels. The post house has prepared diluted wine..."

"No need. My fellow colleagues, please receive the imperial edict first." Ge Zhong stretched out his hand, and the attendant respectfully presented the imperial edict with both hands immediately.

A crowd of officials and generals knelt on the ground immediately.

Ge Zhong spread out his imperial edict and read audibly: "The foundation of the world can only prosper if it is people-oriented. We must discipline ourselves and treat others with forgiveness. The use of military force to pacify the barbarians’ chaos is called military control. The implementation of rites and music* to create laws is called civil administration. It doesn’t mean that people can't be convinced by these kinds of means of governing the country. However, the barbarians betrayed, damaged our contract of alliance, disturbed, and invaded our territory. Therefore, there was a distinction between Huaxia* and the barbarians as they are like beasts in nature. Han Zhaoxing, the Chief Soldier of Liaodong Prefecture, was guarding the frontier region for seven years. He reorganized the army and relied on the legal system and institutions. He was respectful, cautious, and assiduous. He did his utmost and was very devoted. Although he lost Huangshui, he defended Guangning later, forced the Jurchen people to retreat thousands of miles away, saved the people of Guangning, and restored the vigor of our Dasheng. His contributions can make up for his mistakes, so Han Zhaoxing is specially bestowed…”

Yuan Sikong listened to Ge Zhong's voice in the wind, and even doubted his own ears.

"S-Second brother?" Yuan Nanyu pushed Yuan Sikong hard, "What's the matter with this person? Why does the emperor want to reward Han Zhaoxing? He did nothing other than suffering defeat in battle."

Yuan Sikong picked up his ears and listened carefully to Ge Zhong reading the rewards bestowed by the emperor. He had read until Chen Yulong, Hu Baicheng, and Liang Huiyong, but he had not heard Yuan Mao's name.

Yuan Mao was kneeling on the ground and his expression couldn’t be seen clearly, but his stiff back clearly expressed his doubts.

Yuan Nanyu became anxious: "How about father? The contribution that this man said was obviously father’s. How did it become Han Zhaoxing's?"

Yuan Sikong tried his best to cool down and said, "Maybe… father's contribution is the greatest and has to be put and read at the end."

Yuan Nanyu was half believing and half doubting: "Really? That would be the best..."

Ge Zhong finished reading a long list of awards. From beginning to end, Yuan Mao and Yuan Shaoxu’s names did not appear. He closed the imperial edict and said aloud, "Where is Guangning military officer Qianhu Yuan Mao?”

"Ah, it's father’s turn!" Yuan Nanyu patted the wall excitedly.

Yet Yuan Sikong couldn't smile. Just seeing Ge Zhong's face was cold all along, how did it look like he wanted to read out the reward?

"I’m here." Yuan Mao said in a deep voice.

"I present the emperor’s decree to investigate the case of Guangning’s military officer Qianhu Yuan Mao for arrogating power as he pleased, and plotting the murder of Li Boyun, the governor of Liaodong, to seize the commander’s seal. Guards, come and arrest Yuan Mao!”

There was a thunderbolt in the clear day*!

Yuan Mao raised his head abruptly, and his face was gloomy.

"What?" Yuan Shaoxu's voice trembled, "Lord Imperial Censor, where did this charge come from? My father was wronged!”

Yuan Sikong's heart was like being hit by a huge, flying rock, which forgot to breathe instantly.

Guangning soldiers were also flustered. They cried disorderly: "Lord Ge, this must be a misunderstanding."

"Lord Ge, Lord Yuan must have been wronged..."

Ge Zhong shouted, "Arrest this man!"

The bodyguards on both flanks were from Guangning. They looked at each other and hesitated.

Ge Zhong said angrily, "What? Are you going to defy the imperial edict? It seems that on the boundary of Guangning, the imperial edict is not as effective as Yuan Mao."

The bodyguards were so scared that their faces turned pale. They had no alternative but to go forward and tie up Yuan Mao.

Han Zhaoxing stood on one side with a face of indifference, but the tips of his eyebrows were slightly upturned, and his eyes were sinister.

Yuan Mao had already calmed down. He looked at Ge Zhong deeply and said in a hoarse voice, "Lord Imperial Censor, where did my crime come from?"

"I'll let you know soon." Ge Zhong said, “Lock him up first.”

"Second brother..." Yuan Nanyu was crying from fear. He was grabbing Yuan Sikong's hand with force, "Second brother, what's going on? Why did father get arrested? Didn't Lord Li give up his life heroically? How could father murder him?!"

Yuan Sikong trembled and said: "Father...Father was wronged. Father..." The huge fear completely engulfed him like the dark night, which was difficult to reverse, and his state of mind was in total chaos. Not to mention arrogating power as one pleased, these two charges, plotting the murder of an imperial court official and seizing the commander’s seal, was clearly a serious crime worth beheading!

"I know. Father must have been wronged. What should we do?" Yuan Nanyu cried, "What should we do, second brother?"

"I..." Yuan Sikong felt his head go hot and utterly chaotic. He slapped himself in the face twice. His cheek swelled up immediately and he became somewhat sober. He was staring at Yuan Nanyu with red eyes. "Father was framed. It must be Han Zhaoxing. Let's go and find big brother, and Lord Qian...We have to find a way to meet Father..."

Yuan Nanyu wiped away his tears and pulled up Yuan Sikong: "Second brother, let's go."

They ran down the city wall to Yuan Mao's government office. There, they found Yuan Shaoxu and a room of Guangning officials and generals. They were obviously making plans for Yuan Mao.

"How could Lord Yuan be framed? That day, Lord Li personally wanted to go to the Jin’s camp. All of us were there."

"Yeah, all of us were there, and we can testify. How did Lord Yuan become a murderer of Lord Li?"

"Exactly. That commander’s seal was also given by Lord Li to Lord Yuan. Where did the phrase ‘murder and seize’ come from? It's simply making slanderous charges against him!”

"Well, what's the use of discussing here? The key is for Lord Imperial Censor to believe it."

Yuan Sikong looked around and saw that Yuan Shaoxu was sitting in a chair in the corner, holding his head in both hands and saying nothing. He and Yuan Nanyu ran over and cried out, "Big brother."

Yuan Shaoxu raised his face. He was supposed to be a youth at this time, yet he was in a gloomy mood and his eyes were dim.

Yuan Nanyu sniffled his nose: "Big brother, is Father locked up? What shall we do?"

Yuan Shaoxu said tiredly: "We’re trying to find a solution. Don't get in the way here. Go home and accompany mother. Don't let her know."

Yuan Sikong pleaded, "Big brother, what can Kong'er do?"

Yuan Shaoxu said coldly, "You can't do anything. Go back."

"Big brother..."

"Lord Qian, Lord Qian is back!"

Yuan Shaoxu got up to meet him and said anxiously, "Lord Qian, what news have you gotten?"

Qian Anrong sighed: "Aiya, Lord Ge disclosed to me that he had a confidential letter written by Lord Li himself to a friend on his hand, in which he denounced Yuan Mao for coercing him, snatching away the commander’s seal, and forcing him to go to the Jin camp to die. For the sake of his family’s safety in Guangning, he could only..."

Yuan Sikong trembled with anger: "Nonsense!"

The crowd also cried out: "Impossible. Everyone knew what Lord Yuan’s conduct was like. At that time, Guangning was in danger. At any time, the city might've been breached, and people might've died. What was the use for him to seize the commander’s seal that could only dispatch 3000 people?"

"Yeah, this was obviously framed. Who is so malicious?"

"Do you still need to ask? Who is most dissatisfied with Lord Yuan taking the commander’s seal? It must be that... "

That person’s mouth was covered by his colleague before he could speak: "Lord Yuan had already overturned the cart in front as a warning for us behind, so you should stop talking."

Qian Anrong sighed repeatedly: "I don't believe Yuan Mao would do such a thing. Lord Ge is going to investigate the case today. He has ordered someone to go to Lord Li's house to bring out his letters for handwriting analysis. He still wants to personally interrogate Yuan Mao later. This matter…is troublesome."

Yuan Sikong clenched his fist and extremely hated Han Zhaoxing in his heart. Han Zhaoxing must have done it to take revenge on Yuan Mao for seizing power. He also set up a scheme to frame Yuan Mao in order to take his credit. This evil beast, who lost Qingzhou, Liaobei, and Huangshui, could still live in the world. The gods simply have no eyes*!

Yuan Shaoxu knelt on the ground and choked with sobs, "Lord Qian, please save my father."

"Lord Qian, you need to save Lord Yuan."

A few months ago, when he resigned from the position of Liaodong’s magistrate because of illness, before the imperial court appointed a new magistrate, Li Boyun, the governor was concurrently appointed as the magistrate temporarily. Now that Li Boyun has died, Qian Anrong, the senior provincial government official of Guangning, was the most powerful civil official in Liaodong and the only one who had a say in things.

Qian Anrong helped Yuan Shaoxu up from the ground: "Shaoxu, your father and I are officials of the same hometown. We have been friends for many years, and we will certainly help each other. I believe in his conduct. We will find a way to clear his name."

"Yes! We must not let that bastard harm Lord Yuan!"

Yuan Sikong clenched Yuan Nanyu's hand. In the cold winter, their palms were full of sweat. He whispered in Yuan Nanyu's ear and consoled, "Yu'er, don't worry, we will save father."

Yuan Nanyu was staring with his red eyes and nodded hard: "Father is a good man and a loyal official. The imperial censor will make a thorough investigation."

Yuan Sikong's lips trembled slightly, and his heart sank as if it had been filled with lead, almost exhausting his whole body.

He was afraid, hating, and angry, but he felt even more at a loss. Looking at a room full of adults who were under pressure, What...What can he do?

N-no matter what I do, father, I will save you!

 

----

PS: Ge Zhong reading the imperial edict fried my brain lmao. Had to seek help from weibo friend to rephrase EVERYTHING for me. I’m so touched.

()

 

There was a thunderbolt in the clear day*[晴天霹雳]---a metaphor for a shocking event/calamity which happened out of a sudden.

rites and music*[礼乐]--- (Confucianism) rites and music (the means of regulating society)

Huaxia*[华夏]----old name for China

god simply have no eyes*[老天无眼]----no justice. Bad people didn’t suffer the consequences but good people suffer instead.


Edited 8 Jul 21 (Ari & Emzie)

 

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