Chapter 593: Jumping Out of the Chessboard |
Jiao Tu looked at Chen Ji's side profile as he rested his mind with his eyes closed. In her ears came the grand rustling sound of the Reed Marshes.
For a moment she couldn't quite tell: was Chen Ji Have Backing and Nothing to Fear, certain that without him nobody else could play with the Morning Newspaper and Salt Certificates? Or had Bai Li's departure truly left him with All Thoughts Extinguished, wanting nothing anymore?
She had seen too many people fighting for power and profit, and seen too many people pretending to be indifferent. But those people all had things on their faces: some unwilling, some calculating, some with the ruthlessness of "wait until I turn things around and rise again."
But Chen Ji had nothing. The opposing party sat on a simple rattan chair without the Aura customary of those in high positions with heavy authority; light and airy, as if he didn't exist in this world.
As if in the next second, he would scatter with the wind.
Jiao Tu smiled and leaned closer: "Lord, you are one of the Top Three Ranks. Give me some bottom line; will the Inner Chancellor still return? I heard you went to the Trouble-Resolving Tower last night. What did the Inner Chancellor say to you?"
Chen Ji didn't bat an eyelid: "I'm not Bing Hu."
Jiao Tu covered her mouth and giggled charmingly: "Fine, fine, fine, you are not Bing Hu. Lord, you know what Wu Xiu wants. Now that the Directorate of Ceremonial has changed its banner, he wants to grasp everything that can be grasped in his own hands. Those who are obedient are his own people, those who are disobedient are the Inner Chancellor's people. Opposing him at this time yields no benefits; even falsely dealing with him on the surface is nothing... But if you are unwilling to Check-In (attend roll call), let alone the Morning Newspaper and Salt Certificates, I fear you won't even be able to retain those Stick Bearers under Brother Pao. Whether you are Bing Hu or a Gyrfalcon, whether you are Viscount Wuxiang or Baron of Wuxiang County, these things will all be wiped out with one stroke."
Chen Ji ignored it.
Chen Ji pondered for a long time: "Study some Medical Books, perhaps I'll open a medical clinic in the future."
Jiao Tu was startled, then stood up to take her leave: "This slave girl certainly cannot help with this matter. But if the Lord has matters, just speak up. Yun Yang and I normally stay at the Falconry Office."
She and Yun Yang walked toward the outside of the Reed Marshes. When about to leave, she turned her head to look one more time: Chen Ji was still sitting at the end of the dock, the bamboo pole in his hand still perfectly still.
Jiao Tu suddenly asked curiously: "Say, does he really want to open a medical clinic or was he just saying it casually?"
Yun Yang was expressionless: "It wasn't easy to trade his life for that power and influence, how could it be given up so easily? He's just Waiting for a Good Price to Sell, nothing more."
Jiao Tu was thoughtful: "I guess there is no hook on his fishing line."
Yun Yang was startled: "What?"
Jiao Tu rolled her eyes: "Nothing, let's go back and report to complete our mission."
...
...
In front of the Trouble-Resolving Tower, Wu Xiu's Over-the-Shoulder Python Robe had finally changed from cyan to black.
He stood in the place he had stood countless times, looking up at that window in the tower.
In the past, he sometimes had to wait for one hour, sometimes two hours. He never complained, just standing there, putting away every trace of expression on his face cleanly.
Now, the person inside that window should already be on the road to Changping, and this Trouble-Resolving Tower was his.
Behind Wu Xiu, the twenty-three Superintendent Eunuchs of the Twelve Directorates of the Inner Court, the Four Offices, and the Eight Bureaus: Divine Palace Directorate Superintendent Xu Wenhe had headed to Changping to guard the tombs, and three others coincidentally left the capital on official business and had not returned; the remaining nineteen all stood with their hands respectfully at their sides.
The two Trouble-Resolving Guard Chiliarchs, Chang Xiu and Wang Zhao, also stood separately on both sides.
At this time, seeing Wu Xiu unmoving for a long time, the Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent Eunuch probed softly: "Lord?"
Wu Xiu snapped back to reality, looking up at the wooden tower's plaque, the characters 'Trouble-Resolving' personally inscribed by Emperor Ning himself.
He then looked at that empty armchair inside the Trouble-Resolving Tower, asking slowly: "Where is Shan Niu?"
With both hands tucked in his sleeves, Chang Xiu slightly bent his body: "Reporting to the Lord, Shan Niu left behind his Twelve Zodiacs court-attending Ivory Plaque and went to accompany Lord Inner Chancellor to guard the tombs."
Wu Xiu didn't turn his head: "Did the Inner Chancellor... the Divine Palace Directorate Superintendent leave any words when he departed?"
Chang Xiu thought for a moment: "He just said the tower is too stuffy, remember to often open the windows for ventilation."
Wu Xiu looked at that armchair in front of him, casually asking: "Aren't you his person? Why didn't you leave?"
Chang Xiu laughed: "Lord, this Trouble-Resolving Tower was personally bestowed by His Majesty. Whoever can resolve troubles for His Majesty is the master of this Trouble-Resolving Tower. This lowly one is a Trouble-Resolving Guard Chiliarch; whoever is the master of this Trouble-Resolving Tower, this lowly one is naturally their person."
Wu Xiu finally turned around, looking back at this handsome and elegant little eunuch.
Chang Xiu stood there, both hands tucked in his sleeves, smiling, like an innocuous little fox.
Wu Xiu looked at Chang Xiu for a long time: "No matter. You, me, him—we are all people who resolve troubles for His Majesty."
Chang Xiu bowed his body, saying with a smile: "For the Lord to have such thoughts and magnanimity, no wonder you could become the master of the Trouble-Resolving Tower. The Divine Palace Directorate Superintendent once said that you, Lord, have quality hidden without revealing it; you are a person of inner excellence."
Wu Xiu gave an 'mm', picking up the hem of his Python Robe and walking inside: "Trouble-Resolving Guard Chang Xiu and Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent stay, the rest may disperse and busy themselves with their own duties."
Inside the Trouble-Resolving Tower, the scent of ink and pine resin mixed together, heavy and authentic.
Wu Xiu arrived at that familiar room, looking at that familiar folding screen, and the familiar python on the folding screen.
He bypassed the folding screen and stood silently behind the desk.
The desk was very large, made of Purple Elm Wood, the corners polished smooth and warm. Several stacks of case files were placed on the desk; the one on the very top was spread open, the paper turning yellow, the ink marks having dried completely long ago.
Beside it was a Duan Inkstone. The leftover ink in the inkstone pool had dried into cracked flakes, the writing brush resting on the brush rack, its tip stiff and curled up.
Wu Xiu stood there, looking down at that spread-open case file.
It was an old file on canal transport. Small characters of annotations densely covered the edges and corners. The handwriting was very fine, somewhat messy, indicating it was done in a hurry. A few places were circled, with arrows drawn next to them pointing to another attached page.
His gaze stopped at a certain annotation, which had only two characters: "Investigate again."
The ink was somewhat light, as if halfway through writing the brush tip ran dry, and was replenished after dipping in ink.
It's unknown when Chang Xiu appeared at the doorway, hands tucked in his sleeves, not speaking.
Wu Xiu bent down and pulled open a drawer under the desk. Inside the drawer, dozens of Hand-written Notes were neatly stacked, with the years written on their covers.
He picked up the one on the very top and flipped it open; it was last year's Diaries of Activity and Repose.
What time he woke up every day, what time he slept, who he saw, what memorials he reviewed, all densely packed. Some days had small vermilion circles drawn next to them to indicate importance, while some days had nothing written at all.
Wu Xiu flipped page after page, flipping to the very end: "Why weren't these taken away?"
Chang Xiu explained: "He said it's convenient for you to know what the Directorate of Ceremonial has done all these years, and what should be done next."
Wu Xiu asked again: "Then why was nothing written on some days? I see that after the ninth day of the ninth month last year, there are no records at all."
Chang Xiu said with a smile: "The Diaries of Activity and Repose are all about official matters. What's not written is naturally personal matters... Lord, should this room be tidied up and everything replaced with new ones?"
Wu Xiu surveyed the room: "No need, keep them all."
He looked toward the Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent: "The Salt Certificates and Morning Newspaper were previously handed over to you, how is it being handled?"
The Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent's expression was uneasy: "Not very smoothly."
Wu Xiu stood behind the desk staring at the other party: "Why?"
The Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent explained in a low voice: "That Morning Newspaper was originally distributed by the Red Gate Stick Bearers. These people carried satchels walking through streets and alleys, peddling and shouting. Now Viscount Wuxiang has indeed handed over the Morning Newspaper, but even if we print it, we have no way to sell it like they did. It's all backlogged in the warehouse..."
Wu Xiu interrupted: "How many copies were sold today?"
The Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent's voice grew even lower: "Over three hundred copies."
Wu Xiu frowned for a moment: "Show me today's Morning Newspaper."
The Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent took out two pages of Bamboo Paper from his sleeve and tremblingly handed them to Wu Xiu: "Lord, please view."
Wu Xiu took it and gave it a sweeping glance: "Originally there were thirty-two pages, why are there only eight pages left now? Also, where did the two pages on Governing the World and Providing for the People go? Your newspaper is only left with singing praises and commending virtues, as well as Auspicious Omens from various regions. This is not what the commoners want to read, nor is it what His Majesty wants to read."
A layer of fine sweat seeped from the forehead of the Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent: "Normally this humble official only specializes in matters such as inner palace utensils, jewelry, grain storage in the rice granaries, ice cellars, and the like. Having me oversee the manufacture of umbrellas, fans, and bedding is fine, but this matter is indeed beyond this humble official's capabilities! Not only do we lack enough manpower to sell this bothersome Morning Newspaper, but also the content of those two pages on Governing the World and Providing for the People were entirely from the hands of Viscount Wuxiang alone. Without him, this humble official truly does not know how to Govern the World and Provide for the People. There's also the page on official promotions and transfers; this humble official went to the Ministry of Personnel to ask Lord Zhang for it, waited a full three hours, and didn't even get to see Lord Zhang's face."
Wu Xiu gave him a sidelong glance: "No need to panic, it's not your fault, this seat will not penalize you. If you had this ability, you should have gone to take the Imperial Examinations, and wouldn't need to serve as an Inner Official in the palace."
The Directorate of Palace Servants Superintendent slowly exhaled a breath of relief.
At this time, footsteps sounded outside the room. Jiao Tu and Yun Yang arrived outside the door and said respectfully: "Lord, we are back."
Wu Xiu said calmly: "Come in... And Chen Ji, is he really sick?"
Jiao Tu and Yun Yang entered the room one after another, cupping their fists: "Lord, Chen Ji is not sick. Right now he is fishing in the Reed Marshes beside the Altar of Mountains and Rivers. This humble official has already delivered the Lord's words; as long as he is willing to submit to the Lord's dispatch, these two livelihoods of the Salt Certificates and Morning Newspaper can continue to be handed over to him to manage."
Wu Xiu said nonchalantly: "The businesses of the Salt Certificates and Morning Newspaper are ultimately his painstaking efforts. What did he say?"
Jiao Tu hesitated for a moment: "Lord, he said he doesn't want them."
Wu Xiu's fingers tapped on the case files on the desk, emitting muffled sounds. A moment later he asked: "Does he truly not care about these two livelihoods, or is he Waiting for a Good Price to Sell?"
Jiao Tu hesitated again for a moment: "This humble official feels he truly doesn't plan on wanting them."
Wu Xiu raised his eyebrows: "What does he want to do?"
Jiao Tu recalled for a moment: "He said, he wants to open a medical clinic."
Wu Xiu laughed: "This seat originally thought Lord Chen wanted to be a powerful minister. It turns out he wants to Jump Out of the Chessboard, neither wanting to be a chess piece nor a chess player." (End of Chapter)