The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 148 I Was Lying To You
Tang Shen immediately stepped forward and helped the man up.
Tang Shen said to the government officer, "You may go now."
The government officer saluted and turned to leave. Those who could work in the six ministries were all seasoned veterans. After exiting, the government officer closed the door behind him, leaving only Tang Shen and Xu Hui in the room.
Tang Shen said, "Cousin Xu, please sit."
Xu Hui hesitated for a moment, then sat down.
Looking at the travel-worn Xu Hui, Tang Shen felt a surge of emotions.
Nine years ago, when Tang Shen had just arrived in this world, he was still making a living by selling fruit juice in a small mountain village. He had never imagined that one day he would come to Shengjing and become a high-ranking third-rank official. His dream had always been to run a small business, support his family, and live a life free from worries about food and shelter, without seeking to rise above others.
However, that day at the tea shop at the entrance of Zhao Family Village, Liang Song appeared. Liang Song was old and needed someone to take care of him wherever he went. At that time, the person by his side was his nephew, Xu Hui.
Tang Shen said, "I remember Cousin Xu used to like wearing a blue robe."
Xu Hui quickly replied, "Now that you are the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, you can just call me Xu Hui."
Tang Shen felt a lump in his throat, then smiled and said, "Why be so formal?"
Xu Hui cautiously observed Tang Shen for a while, seeing that he genuinely meant what he said, and finally relaxed. He smiled with relief, "It's been a long time, Jing Ze. I never thought that at just twenty-two, you would already be a third-rank official. If Sir knew of your achievements, he would surely be comforted."
"I remember that Cousin Xu was appointed as a county magistrate back then. How did you end up becoming a cavalry captain?"
Xu Hui sighed, "The world is unpredictable. You know I only barely passed the xiangshi and failed the huishi. Normally, I wouldn't be qualified to be a seventh-rank county magistrate. But thanks to Sir's efforts before his passing, I was able to get this position. But how could I compare to you? After I went to Lingnan as a county magistrate, I was soon overwhelmed by the intrigues in the county office. So, after nine years, I barely managed to become a cavalry captain. And even this position was only because I befriended the regional military commander, Feng daren, who took me with him when he was promoted to governor of Qinzhou."
Tang Shen pondered for a moment, then comforted him, "Success depends on effort."
Xu Hui was indeed a mediocre scholar who only knew how to study in the most pedantic of ways. He had studied under Liang Song, one of the four great Confucian scholars of the time, for many years, yet he barely managed to pass the provincial exam. Hearing Tang Shen's words, he didn't think much of it and simply nodded, "Feng daren befriended me because he saw that I was honest. I owe him a lot for this."
Tang Shen smiled and said no more.
Even if Xu Hui were now a fifth-rank official, let alone a sixth-rank one, Tang Shen could still find a way to help him rise to a fourth-rank position.
Success depends on effort, but it wasn't Feng daren who would help Xu Hui—it was Tang Shen who planned to give him a hand.
However, it seemed that Xu Hui hadn't come to him for a promotion.
Tang Shen subtly probed, "The New Year is approaching, and the capital officials are about to go on holiday. Why have you suddenly come to Shengjing, Cousin Xu? You're already thirty-four, with a family. Shouldn't you be spending the New Year with your wife and children?"
Xu Hui replied, "I came to Shengjing for a matter. The governor of Qinzhou is a fourth-rank official and is required to attend the grand court assembly next spring to meet the emperor. Feng daren, as the governor, came to Shengjing early and decided to spend the New Year here. He gave me this opportunity to lead the escort to the capital to ensure his safety."
Tang Shen was no stranger to Qinzhou.
Five years ago, after the bloodshed in the Revenue And Expenditure Department, Zhao Jing, a close student of the former Left Prime Minister Ji Wengji and then a high-ranking official in Qinzheng Hall, was demoted by Emperor Zhao Fu to Qinzhou as a governor. At the beginning of this year, Left Prime Minister Ji was stripped of his position due to the palace coup during the New Year and sent back to his hometown to live out his remaining years in peace. At the same time, the emperor remembered Zhao Jing, who was far away in Qinzhou, and recalled him to Shengjing.
Unexpectedly, after Zhao Jing left Qinzhou, it was Feng daren, the regional military commander of Quanzhou, who took over his position, and Xu Hui benefited from this.
Tang Shen asked, "Have you found a place to stay?"
"I'm staying with Feng daren in a rented manor. Jing Ze, you don't need to worry about me." Xu Hui hesitated for a moment, his expression uncertain, but finally said, "Today, I came to visit you because there's something I want to discuss."
"What is it?"
"Do you still remember Sir?"
Tang Shen paused, then after a moment of silence, he countered, "Why bring up Sir suddenly?"
Xu Hui looked at him deeply and said, "Because I believe you are not an ungrateful person. If you had truly forgotten Sir, you wouldn't have met me today. I'm already past thirty, set in my ways, and likely to spend the rest of my life idling away in Qinzhou. But you're different. I always remember what Sir once said about you—that you were good in every way, except for your lack of ambition! But now, you don't seem lacking in ambition at all."
Tang Shen laughed heartily, picked up the teapot, and poured Xu Hui a cup of tea.
"Have some tea."
Xu Hui was momentarily at a loss for words.
Although he was twelve years older than Tang Shen, in terms of officialdom and interpersonal skills, he was no match for Tang Shen. He couldn't discern the underlying meaning in Tang Shen's words and had come to see him purely out of a sense of duty. But faced with Tang Shen's demeanor, he couldn't quite grasp the situation.
However, having grown up under Liang Song's guidance, Xu Hui's feelings for Liang Song were even deeper than Tang Shen's. He gritted his teeth and said, "Today, I came to tell you about what Sir actually did back then. At that time, he didn't let you know everything. You only knew a fraction of it."
Tang Shen thought to himself: Back then, I could only guess a fraction, but now I probably know more than you do.
But he said, "Please, tell me in detail."
Xu Hui began to recount.
As Tang Shen had guessed, Liang Song had not wanted to implicate his old friends, so he had never sought help from people like Chen Linghai or Fu Wei. He went to Jinling Prefecture alone, trying to uncover why the emperor had suddenly taken an interest in Zhong Taisheng, who had been imprisoned for twenty-five years. He wanted to save Zhong Taisheng.
Liang Song sought many avenues and eventually uncovered the truth.
This truth was almost identical to what Wang Zhen had told Tang Shen the previous year—it was all because of a falling meteor and the deceitful words of a Taoist priest that the emperor decided to take Zhong Wei's life.
Xu Hui spoke with great certainty, but as Tang Shen listened, his gaze gradually grew distant.
Was it really just because of a falling meteor and a few deceitful words?
Perhaps in Emperor Zhao Fu's heart, Zhong Taisheng was always destined to die. It was only after a delay of twenty-five years that his death could highlight the emperor's magnanimity and benevolence. To the emperor, those twenty-five years were already an extraordinary act of grace.
But Tang Shen didn't say any of this to Xu Hui.
After Xu Hui finished speaking, he brought up another matter that truly caught Tang Shen's attention.
"...Thirty-three years ago, Sir was one of the leaders of the Songqing Literary Society and a close friend of Zhong Taisheng. Over the years, he had repeatedly expressed his confusion about why the palace coup had happened. He absolutely refused to believe that Zhong daru would stage a coup, but he also couldn't understand why Zhong daru had led troops to the palace that night, following the Crown Prince. Zhong daru shouldn't have been so reckless, yet he did it. Sir often said that there must have been some trickery, that someone close to Zhong daru, someone he trusted deeply, must have done something to betray him."
Tang Shen's attention sharpened, and he urgently asked, "What else did Sir say?"
Xu Hui shook his head, "He only mentioned it occasionally. Sir was reluctant to talk about the events of that year."
Tang Shen subtly asked a few more questions, but Xu Hui knew nothing more. Sighing inwardly, Tang Shen stood up and saw Xu Hui out.
As Xu Hui left, another heavy snow began to fall in Shengjing.
Pale snowflakes drifted down from the sky. Xu Hui didn't carry an umbrella, saying that his residence was close to the Ministry of Works and that Tang Shen didn't need to send anyone to accompany him.
He bowed deeply to Tang Shen, "After this parting, I don't know when we'll meet again."
Tang Shen smiled, "If you need anything, just come to Shengjing."
Xu Hui glanced at Tang Shen surreptitiously, not daring to say more, and then turned to leave.
Many years had passed, and Xu Hui no longer wore the blue robe, but his figure was still thin and gaunt, like a bamboo pole standing in the heavy snow. Meeting an old acquaintance, Tang Shen suddenly realized how much he had changed.
No matter how well Xu Hui tried to hide it, and even though Tang Shen had told him not to be so formal, he couldn't fool Tang Shen. His clumsy acting was full of holes; clearly nervous, he tried to appear familiar.
Tang Shen didn't know if Xu Hui had come purely to talk about Liang Song, or if he had deliberately brought up the matter in hopes that Tang Shen would clear Liang Song's name and restore his reputation. Or perhaps, most simply, he wanted Tang Shen to give him a boost and help him get promoted.
Tang Shen felt that many of the beautiful things from his past memories were like illusions, now gone.
Tang Shen laughed at himself, "You really are like Wang Zifeng."
After a moment, he thought, "Is being like Wang Zifeng a bad thing?"
No, it's not bad at all.
Tang Shen suddenly felt much happier.
That evening, he went to the Minister Residence, intending to tell Wang Zhen about his meeting with Xu Hui. But before he could speak, Wang Zhen pressed a finger to his lips and whispered, "You met that Xu Yuzhi, didn't you?"
Tang Shen was stunned.
Xu Hui, courtesy name Yu Zhi.
Wang Zhen sighed deeply, "I wasn't supposed to tell you, but I made a vow long ago that we would walk through life together, and I would never hide anything from you. After Zhao Jing was recalled to Shengjing at the beginning of the year, the position of governor of Qinzhou became vacant. How could I not know about your relationship with Liang Bowen? Liang Bowen's only remaining relative in this world is his nephew. That Xu Yuzhi... is a bit too upright for the position of governor of Qinzhou, so I had one of his friends promoted instead."
Tang Shen: ...Damn!
Wang Zhen looked at him solemnly, "I will never lie to you, Jing Ze. I have already pledged all my lifetimes to you, and only to you."
Tang Shen was moved for a moment, then suddenly realized something. He looked Wang Zhen up and down, mimicking his gesture by pressing a finger to Wang Zhen's lips. Tang Shen said with deep affection, "A bit too upright? Senior Brother, why give me face? Just say that Xu Hui is an inflexible, foolish scholar. I believe you, of course I believe you. I believe that you knew about the person I met this afternoon within four hours. You took the initiative to tell me, and I'm deeply moved. This is something I could easily find out with a little inquiry, but you told me yourself. I'm touched, I'm really touched!"
Tang Shen's tone suddenly turned cold, "Wang Zifeng, your sweet talk is quite good. Say a few more lines, won't you?"
Wang Zhen laughed heartily and pulled Tang Shen into an embrace.
"Look at you, I went through all this trouble to make you happy. It would have been better if you hadn't exposed me. There's no moonlit night today, but there's plum blossoms after the snow. Let's go to the garden to admire the flowers, and you'll be deeply moved..."
"And then throw myself into your arms, hopelessly devoted to you?"
Wang Zhen suddenly looked disappointed and released Tang Shen, "So you still haven't fallen hopelessly for me yet?"
Tang Shen didn't believe him, but seeing him like this, he feared that Wang Zhen might truly be hurt.
Tang Shen could only take the initiative and hug him while saying helplessly, "Talking to you is exhausting. I never know when you're being sincere or when you're lying to me. Next time, could you warn me before you start acting? Didn't you promise you'd never lie to me?"
Wang Zhen was utterly enchanted by Tang Shen's saying of one thing but meaning another. He leaned down and kissed Tang Shen, then laughed out loud, "Then from now on, whenever I'm about to lie to you, I'll kiss you first. How about that?"
"...Then are you lying to me now, or are you serious?"
"Hahahaha." Wang Zhen laughed so hard he nearly fell over, "I truly love you so much!"
Tang Shen "Wang Zifeng! If you keep ruining your image like this, one day I really will change my feelings for you, and it'll be all your fault!"
In the depths of winter, Minister Wang held his beloved, feeling warm and content.
While engaged in certain activities, he even had the presence of mind to think: The saying that love makes even drinking water filling and cold weather warm must refer to this.
Meanwhile, the "heartless" one had already quietly mounted a fast horse and was racing toward the Northwest under the stars.
On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, Li Jingde, the Marshal of the Western Expedition, made a rare return to Youzhou City. As soon as he arrived home, his steward informed him that a guest had come to visit.
Li Jingde muttered, "Who's so well-informed? I only come back once every ten days or so, and they manage to catch me?" He asked the steward, "Who is it?"
The steward looked troubled, "It's a high official, holding a token from Qinzheng Hall. I don't recognize him."
Li Jingde's eyes widened, "Qinzheng Hall? When did I mess up so badly that someone from Qinzheng Hall is coming to arrest me? Maybe I shouldn't let him in... No, running away won't solve anything. You'd better bring him in. After all, Youzhou is my territory. What can he do to me here?"
The steward, "Yes."
The steward quickly ushered in a person cloaked in black. From a distance, Li Jingde saw the black-cloaked figure and was startled, thinking to himself: This guy looks even less like a good person than I do.
When the visitor entered and removed his cloak, Li Jingde's mouth twitched, and he snorted disdainfully.
Su Wenyun: "..."
"Surnamed Li, what do you mean by that? I am now Assistant Minister of the Privy Council in Qinzheng Hall, a second-rank official, the same rank as you. Don't be disrespectful!"
General Li sat in his chair, one foot propped on the table, lazily picking his ear with a finger, "It's the middle of the night, and we're not in the office. So, Minister Su, are you here to execute me on the spot, or have you caught some dirt on me and come to blackmail me in the middle of the night? Or... oh ho, are you here to bribe me? I'm an upright man, impervious to wealth and beauty. Don't even think about it."
Su Wenyun was so angry that his eyes glared venomously, and he almost aimed a kick at Li Jingde.
Fortunately, Su Wenyun was a scholar, and a clever one at that. He knew that in terms of martial prowess, ten of him couldn't match one Li Jingde. He sneered coldly, his voice icy, "Since General Li holds me in such contempt, I shall take my leave. I only came to discuss a matter of great importance with you."
Li Jingde laughed uproariously, "Hahaha, a matter of great importance? What kind of nonsense can a pansy boy like you have? Can't carry a load, can't lift a weight. What, you want to join the army?"
Su Wenyun calmly uttered two words, "Conquering Liao."
Li Jingde immediately knelt down.
Su Wenyun turned and ran.
Li Jingde quickly chased after him, stopping him, and said with an apologetic smile, "It's freezing cold, and Youzhou isn't like Shengjing. At night, the streets are full of robbers and thieves. What if something happened to you, Minister Su? Why have you come to Youzhou so suddenly? Has anyone properly received you? Come, come, my residence has a whole lamb. Tonight, we'll have a roast lamb to welcome you and discuss the matter of Liao."