Chapter 117: Officials, Run! Song Shi'an is Coming Back! |
The women of the Song Estate were truly terrifying. The scene before him left Shen Kang feeling rather at a loss, wanting to make a quick exit.
However, just as he was about to leave, the young Song daughter suddenly piped up eagerly: "Lord Shen, after Song... after my brother returns, does that mean my father is innocent?"
This question was also on the minds of Madam Cui and Jiang-shi.
Three women all turned their gazes toward him.
"Everyone, please don't ask these questions anymore."
Suddenly, Shen Kang's tone became serious. "What I've told you is only about the victory that the entire city knows about. Beyond that, I haven't promised anything."
Since even the head of the Jinyiwei said this, they didn't dare ask further.
"As for what becomes of Laoye Song and Song Shi'an, it still depends on how the officials at the Court of Judicial Review handle the case, and ultimately requires the Emperor's sacred decision." Shen Kang clasped his fists together and raised them to the side, paying distant respect to the Emperor.
"Please forgive us, Lord Shen. My younger sister is simply worried about our father." Song Ce bowed respectfully to Shen Kang in apology.
And closing the main door behind him.
"So what does this mean?" Madam Cui asked Song Ce. "Are there still uncertain matters?"
"Hmm..." After thinking, Song Ce shook his head. "Regardless, proper procedures still must be followed. After all, some matters really do count as causing trouble."
"Are you talking about Shi'an persuading the Sixth Prince to mobilize troops?" Jiang-shi asked with some concern.
"Father once said that many things can be made big or small. Big or small—it all depends on what His Majesty needs."
After saying this to himself, Song Ce fell into contemplation, then continued: "These past days, while people have come to question, coerce, and even warn us, we haven't been imprisoned, which is quite telling."
"Speak more clearly!" Song Qin urged.
"Father has navigated the official circles for all these years, and his wisdom is as deep as the ocean. Even if he were imprisoned, he wouldn't panic. If they truly wanted to interrogate everyone properly, they should have arrested all of us, including certain other members of the Song Estate, and questioned us separately."
Song Ce increasingly felt how deep the waters of this matter ran, and lowered his voice: "I said earlier that His Majesty is waiting for results from a fair standpoint. But now I feel that His Majesty might even... be inclined toward our side."
After saying this, he put his finger to his lips, signaling the others not to speak carelessly.
Now that he'd explained it so clearly, everyone understood.
Right—Laoye had been imprisoned for so long without judgment, which meant they were waiting for results.
But the Jinyiwei were guarding everyone else, not allowing them to move, which meant: they didn't want this matter to progress at all.
Thinking of it this way, the so-called 'unauthorized troop mobilization' act of treason...
For the Emperor, he simply didn't care at all!
Therefore, Song Qin muttered quietly: "His Majesty is wise and brilliant."
A sly comment—who knows who she was flattering.
"Laoye is certainly brilliant and wise."
Madam Cui glanced sideways at Jiang-shi, then said to Song Ce: "But even if they arrested us and brought us to the Court of Judicial Review, no one would speak carelessly. Presenting a united front—we understand that much."
Faced with such flattery, Jiang-shi didn't even glance at her, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly as her body gave a small, sardonic twist.
————
"Great Victory at Shuofeng! The Qi bandits suffered heavy casualties and fled north in panic!"
"Great Victory at Shuofeng! The Qi bandits suffered heavy casualties and fled north in panic!"
Throughout all of Sheng'an, cavalry rode everywhere loudly announcing the good news, spreading it to every corner.
Whether inside or outside the Palace City, whether at the Examination Compound or the brothels, this was a celebration for all the people.
From the imperial family down to beggars, such rousing news couldn't help but make them feel elated.
The great defeat at Tongmen Pass, Zhao Xiang's defeat, the defeat at Wuwei—they desperately needed this victory.
"This Shuofeng City actually held out against several hundred thousand men for nearly five months—half a year has passed. The Sixth Prince is truly a heavenly deity, and this Song Shi'an really has ability!"
"'Why should men not carry Yu sabers and reclaim fifty mountain passes'—such fierce lines of poetry actually weren't empty boasting. He said it and could do it—Young Master Song hasn't lied to us!"
"That's Ji Yuan we're talking about, the ruthless character who's been dominating our Great Yu for over a decade. None of the meritorious nobles or military generals were a match for him. Only our Sixth Prince and Master Song could defeat him so thoroughly!"
"This time when Song Shi'an returns from Shuofeng, won't the Song clan of Huai Commandery rise even higher? Become even more... prosperous and noble?"
"They deserve that prosperity and nobility. A perfectly good young master from a wealthy family, instead of listening to music at brothels and indulging in wine and gold, went to Shuofeng to fight. Shouldn't he receive rewards?"
"Actually, Master Song hasn't completely avoided listening to music at brothels—he's listened at my establishment..."
"I hereby announce that Master Song can listen to music at my brothel for free for life!"
"Come to my establishment! Come to mine!"
Every street and alley was discussing Shuofeng.
And those two idiots Chunhou and Zhang Ji at the wine tower were completely dumbfounded when they heard this.
"Song Shi'an really did hold it."
Chunhou couldn't imagine that just last year he was drinking flower wine with this friend, who even fell into the water, and now he'd become a national hero.
This... wasn't right!
"He really went and risked his life, and managed to keep it." Zhang Ji sighed. "Now the Song clan is going to prosper."
"When Song Shi'an returns, won't he leap up to become a high official?" Chunhou asked.
"If there aren't any other complications, entering the court is certain. However, he won't be promoted that quickly. Logically, they should first elevate his family." Zhang Ji said.
"The Cui clan of the capital, the Song clan of Huai Commandery—they're both great families. How much higher can they be elevated?" Chunhou said. "Don't tell me they'll be enfeoffed as marquises?"
But that matter was too difficult.
The most prestigious positions in Great Yu were hereditary marquisates and hereditary dukedoms.
Among the founding meritorious nobles were two dukes and seven county marquises.
Passed down through generations.
Among them, Marquis Xun, Marquis of Huai, and Marquis of Liangzhong were all county marquises.
Xun County, Huai County, Liangzhong County.
The 'Marquis of Ten Thousand Households' that Song Shi'an spoke of referred to these county marquises.
These meritorious nobles could select one heir from their family to send into the military, and after establishing certain military merits, the court would grant them a transitional township marquisate. When the meritorious noble died, they would then smoothly inherit the county marquisate—people like Zhao Xiang and Ran Jin.
Besides them, there was only one hereditary marquis left, Minister Sun as Marquis of Zigui (County).
But the Sun clan considered their merits comparable to Duke of Li and Duke Zhang Ping, and had always been ashamed of being ranked as mere county marquises.
As for others, those who established major merits could at most become earls, and after death be posthumously granted a non-hereditary township marquisate and have their tablets placed in the Imperial Temple—that was the pinnacle for a subject.
There were very few living marquises.
For instance, in the current dynasty, there wasn't a single living marquis who wasn't either a meritorious noble or Minister Sun.
No helping it—the pie had been divided up.
If Song Jing could be enfeoffed as a marquis while alive...
Thinking of this, Chunhou was stunned: "Isn't that... a new meritorious noble?"
————
"How could they let him return alive? How did they just... let him return alive!"
At the estate of the Left Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Manufactories, a group of civil officials were all panicking over the great victory at Shuofeng.
Among them was even a military general of the senior second rank, Chen Kefu.
Because aristocratic family influence had become too inflated, with meritorious nobles passing down their positions generation after generation, and needing to consider the imperial clan's share of the pie, the official ranking system of Great Yu was generally inflated.
General, Champion General, Minister Sun, Minister of Works, and Grand Tutor (vacant) were super-rank, but the Three Excellencies were honorary positions.
Regional Inspectors, the Nine Ministers, and Governor-Generals were all positions of real power at the senior first rank.
Besides these, there was also a large batch of honorary Nine Ministers' left and right vice ministers, who all had high-looking ranks but little power.
In comparison, the senior second rank military general Chen Kefu truly had considerable influence.
However, when he'd previously tried to curry favor with the meritorious nobles and actively sent gifts to ingratiate himself, Zhao Xiang had insulted him as a "country bumpkin—how could you enter my estate's main hall?" Creating a feud, he'd been mixing with the civil officials ever since.
Earlier in court, he'd ruthlessly followed the trend and trampled on Zhao Xiang.
Later, when Minister Sun and other civil officials suppressed Song Shi'an, he also got involved, following their lead completely. He'd even submitted an extremely harsh memorial after Song Shi'an cleared out all the clan bandits and pulled all the labor into Shuofeng City, seemingly gaining some advantage—calling for Song Shi'an to be replaced.
He was the nail that stuck out.
Now, he was very panicked.
Very afraid of being settled with.
"That kid wrote the 'Strategy for Military Farming'—he'd even rebel against his own father. When he returns, won't that be the end? " Thinking of this, someone felt despair. "Kids act recklessly. Even if they can't accomplish much, those first few waves of killing momentum are very heavy."
These old foxes had all come through their younger years—one principle was common knowledge: kids have the heaviest killing intent.
"But the one who impeached him was the entire officialdom. Is he going to kill all the officials one by one?" Someone said quite indignantly. "This isn't a unified prosperous era—Ji Yuan is still to the north. Southern Yue and Northern Yan are also thorny. Would he really disregard the foundation of the state and casually kill loyal subjects?"
"Besides, we still have Minister Sun." After someone said this, they quietly added: "The Prince of Jin is also a benevolent and righteous prince."
"General Chen." At this moment, someone addressed Chen Kefu. "The military also doesn't need this kind of madman who would casually risk others' lives for his own wealth and nobility, right?"
Everyone turned to look at him.
Chen Kefu frowned, feeling rather conflicted.
He'd previously also joined in cursing Song Shi'an, and as a military general, he'd submitted that memorial.
If there really was retaliation, he might be targeted.
"The meritorious nobles all fought losing battles—he won. Will the meritorious nobles accept that? He wants to implement military farming to rebel against us aristocratic families—will the aristocratic families accept that?" Someone stood up, walked before the seated Chen Kefu, placed a hand on the back of his hand, and lowered their voice: "General, behind us... are all people."
"But he's won a victory now. It's different."
Chen Kefu still struggled.
"Then I have an excellent plan."
The civil officials' idea man, quite shrewd, suggested: "We've never impeached the Sixth Prince, so this time for the victory, we'll say all the credit belongs to the Sixth Prince—it won't affect us cursing Song Shi'an. Presumably, His Majesty can also accept this."