Chapter 8

Xu Yunqi’s medicinal dish contained eighteen ingredients, including Poria, Chinese yam, and Fox nut. Considering Pei Muheng’s stressful responsibilities, she also added sour jujube seed and lily bulbs to aid sleep and lotus seeds and hawthorn to enhance the taste. The mixture was slowly simmered for two hours until it became as fine as powder. Finally, she sprinkled some diced plum blossoms on top, creating an aesthetically pleasing dish that was rich in color, aroma, and taste.

The medicinal dish was delivered to Huang Wei, who had been serving in the inner court for years after being castrated. He was the one who usually accompanied Pei Muheng when he entered the palace.

It was noon, and the snow on the eaves had yet to melt, casting a sharp silver gleam on the splendid palace buildings under the sunlight.

The head eunuch of the imperial kitchen had already inquired several times, but there was still no sign of the meal being served in Wenzhao Hall.

The sound of the Drum of Appeals had caused a stir throughout the government district. The drum, co-managed by the Censorate and the Imperial Guard, was directly under the emperor’s control. The Censorate wanted to suppress the issue but couldn’t, as it was connected to the Tongzhou granary case and the prefect Chen Mingshan. The Minister of War, upon hearing this, angrily rushed to the emperor, causing the emperor to convene the cabinet ministers and various officials in Wenzhao Hall for discussions.

In the center of the hall, the Crown Prince, dressed in bright yellow imperial robes, stood respectfully before the dragon throne and said softly to the emperor, “Father, according to the laws of Great Jin, lawsuits must not be escalated beyond their designated level. Skipping a level results in fifty lashes. If we do not enforce this, the judicial system will be chaotic. This case should be handed over to the Jurisdiction Inspectorate for investigation.”

All military and civil lawsuits must be reported from lower levels to higher ones, following the hierarchy of counties, prefectures, inspectorates, and the two Jurisdiction Inspectorate Areas. The Tongzhou grain merchants’ case clearly violated this process. In fact, most of the cases that reach the Drum of Appeals are beyond their designated levels, and it all depends on how the court handles them.

The emperor, over sixty years old, had sparse hair but still sharp eyes. He leaned against the soft yellow pillow, glanced indifferently at the Crown Prince, and then shifted his gaze to Prince Qin, who stood silently with his head bowed. “Prince Qin, what do you think?”

Upon hearing his father’s inquiry, Prince Qin first looked at the emperor, then at the Crown Prince, and finally stepped forward and bowed, “Since the Wei Dynasty, the Drum of Appeals has been established in every era. The ‘Book of Wei’ records that ‘when people have grievances, they strike the drum to present their case.’ During the Song Dynasty, even commoners were allowed to beat the Drum of Appeals to seek justice, demonstrating the clarity of the legal system. Under Your Majesty’s strict and fair rule, all judicial levels are complete, and the Drum of Appeals is rarely heard.”

“Precisely because of this, today’s drumbeat is significant. The grain merchants may have skipped levels, but they are accusing the local officials. Coming to the capital to beat the drum is understandable. The Drum of Appeals has not sounded in years. This drumbeat is known throughout the land, and I ask Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly.”

Hearing these words, the Crown Prince turned and glared at Prince Qin with a cold smile, “They are indeed accusing the local officials, but above Chen Mingshan, there is the Jurisdiction Inspectorate. According to Prince Qin, are all officials under Father’s rule protecting each other and not administering justice properly?”

The Crown Prince, forty-four years old, was the son of the previous empress and the emperor’s eldest legitimate son. The emperor had always had high hopes for him, and he had been overseeing the state affairs for many years. The Crown Prince quickly identified the flaw in Prince Qin’s argument.

Prince Qin squinted and smiled, pointing to the bright sky outside the hall, “The public outside Zhengyang Gate is in an uproar, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers at the border are watching. How will the Crown Prince handle this?”

The Crown Prince was slightly stunned.

Recently, the Great Wu had been making many moves, and it seemed that there might be a great battle the following year. The urgent grain transfer in the court had exposed the issue of the Tongzhou granary, which had become a hot topic.

Seeing the emperor look suspiciously at him, the Crown Prince quickly shifted his thoughts and sighed, “The case must be investigated, of course. One seventh-grade Censorate official is not enough. We should send an additional Deputy Censor-in-Chief. I believe the person who struck the Drum of Appeals must be flogged to set an example.”

Just as Prince Qin was about to say something, the emperor looked at the ministers in the hall and softly asked, “Director Yang, what do you think?”

The Director-General of the Five Armies, Yang Kang, who was both the Crown Prince’s father-in-law and uncle, saw the Crown Prince’s intention to suppress the Drum of Appeals case. He suspected that the case was related to the Crown Prince. With tens of thousands of soldiers waiting for the court’s grain supplies for winter, Yang Kang weighed the situation and respectfully replied, “I believe the truth of the case should be found out quickly and the grain should be sent to the border.”

The Crown Prince’s brows furrowed slightly, and he glared at Yang Kang, who avoided his gaze.

The emperor, his eyelids drooping, quietly watched Yang Kang for a while and then turned to the Chief Minister of the Inner Cabinet, Yan Ping.

“Minister Yan, what is your opinion?”

Yan Ping, the Prince of Qin’s maternal uncle and the elder brother of Consort Yan, held the esteemed position of Chief Minister of the Inner Cabinet and served as the Minister of Personnel. He often stood in opposition to the Crown Prince and Director Yang.

Yan Ping stepped forward unhurriedly and bowed, “I believe the law cannot be abolished. The person who struck the drum must be punished according to the law, and the Tongzhou case must be investigated without delay to give an explanation to the people of the country.”

The emperor smiled and slowly straightened up a bit, leaning forward to ask, “So, according to you, how should we investigate?”

Yan Ping glanced at the Crown Prince, whose face had turned dark, and replied calmly, “Following the Crown Prince’s decree, send a Deputy Censor-in-Chief to Tongzhou.”

Someone in the hall murmured softly, “Fair and impartial, truly an old fox…”

Yan Ping straightened up and retreated to the side, ignoring the comment.

The emperor glanced at that person; it was the third prince, Prince Chen.

Seeing his uncle being mocked in court, Prince Qin was about to rebuke Prince Chen, but Yan Ping stopped him with a stern look.

Just as the emperor was about to agree with Yan Ping, Pei Muheng, who was standing by the emperor’s left armrest, slowly ascended the steps and approached the emperor, speaking softly. “Grandfather, it is already three-quarters past noon, and you haven’t eaten much for breakfast. There’s no rush to discuss the case. Let’s have lunch first; your health is more important than anything.”

The young imperial grandson’s side profile was as porcelain-like as a finely carved piece, flawless and perfect. His clear and crisp voice was like pearls and jade, seemingly capable of cleansing the tension in the hall.

The emperor’s gaze shifted to him, his expression softened, and he raised his hand, allowing Pei Muheng and the attendant eunuch to help him up. He surveyed the hall, “Let’s eat first.”

Pei Muheng assisted the emperor to the left hall for lunch, while the other ministers stayed in the main hall of Wenzhao Hall for their meal.

As soon as the emperor left, Prince Qin and the Crown Prince engaged in a verbal duel, neither giving the other any face.

In the side hall, Pei Muheng and Liu Xiping, the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies, attended to the emperor’s meal.

The emperor slowly sipped a mouthful of ginseng soup and looked at Pei Muheng, “Heng’er, who do you think would be suitable to send to Tongzhou?”

Pei Muheng carefully placed the dishes, which had been tasted by the eunuch, onto small plates in front of the emperor for him to sample. Upon hearing the question, his expression remained unchanged as he took a step back and bowed, “Grandson is young and does not understand politics. I am here to learn and write documents, not to comment on state affairs.”

The emperor smiled as he picked up the dishes, “I permit you to speak, so speak boldly.”

Pei Muheng showed a bitter expression and knelt, “In the hall, the Crown Prince and Prince Qin are in conflict, and you are making things difficult for your grandson here in the side hall, making me very anxious. If you must blame someone, then just let your grandson go.”

Anyone could see that the emperor forced Pei Muheng into saying this.

The emperor suddenly looked at him deeply, his dark gray eyes gleaming.

According to the Crown Prince, sending a Deputy Censor-in-Chief might be all talk and no action, whereas Prince Qin’s approach seemed to invite chaos. Both were outcomes the emperor wanted to avoid. When Pei Muheng suggested he should go, the emperor suddenly thought of a compromise.

Moments later, the emperor decreed that the Twelfth Prince, Pei Xun, would go to Tongzhou to investigate the case.

The Twelfth Prince, Pei Xun, was the only son of the current empress, highly esteemed in the court, and known as the carefree prince. He was usually idle and never involved in factional disputes. He would neither favor the Crown Prince nor align with Prince Qin, making him the most suitable choice for Tongzhou.

As soon as the decree was issued, the noise in the hall ceased immediately. The emperor went to Fengtian Hall for his noon rest, leaving Pei Muheng and the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies to announce the decree. After receiving the decree, the Twelfth Prince, Pei Xun, rolled up his sleeves and approached Pei Mucheng, pinching his ear, “Was it you, you little rascal, who set me up? I was planning to celebrate the New Year in the capital, and now you’re sending me to Tongzhou?”

At that moment, the Crown Prince and Prince Qin cast suspicious glances.

Pei Muheng knew that serving the emperor attracted much attention from various factions in the court. To clear his name, he publicly smiled bitterly and said, “Not at all. When the emperor asked for my opinion, I didn’t dare say much, so I knelt and said, ‘Grandfather, if you’re going to trouble me, then just let me go.’ Grandfather probably thought I wasn’t up to the task and chose you, Uncle.”

The Twelfth Prince, Pei Xun, understood the emperor’s intentions and lightly tapped the decree on his palm, snorting at Pei Muheng, “I’ll remember this!”

As he watched the ministers leave, Pei Muheng’s expression turned neutral again, and he clasped his hands behind his back, heading toward the archive room next to Wenhua Hall.

Huang Wei had been waiting under the corridor for a long time and hurriedly approached, “My lord, you must be starving. Look, the young madam sent a food box specially for you.”

It was just past noon, the sun was already setting in the west, and the courtyard between Wenhua Hall and the archive room was small, with red walls and green tiles, making Pei Muheng’s face look particularly fair. He was momentarily stunned and looked at the exquisite lacquered box in Huang Wei’s hand, “Did the young madam send this?”

“Indeed.”

Pei Muheng then knew that this was Xu Yunqi’s thank-you gift.

Things were progressing as expected, and Pei Muheng was in a good mood. He led Huang Wei through the corner gate to the archive room. To the north of the archive room were three duty rooms, next to which was an alley that led to a small courtyard. In the courtyard, there were two Osmanthus trees, whose branches were still lush, adding some greenery to the cold winter. Pei Muheng often rested here.

The palace attendants had already laid out the meal on the table, and Huang Wei placed Xu Yunqi’s food box in the front, taking out a plate of plum blossom cakes. Seeing that it was pastries, Pei Muheng frowned; he didn’t like sweets.

Huang Wei, seeing that it was pastries, was also a bit disappointed, but to avoid disregarding Xu Yunqi’s kind intentions, he urged, “Please try it.”

Thinking of Xu Yunqi’s efforts, Pei Muheng picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. The moment it touched his lips, he was surprised.

It was as if a rich cream was melting on his lips—not too sweet or sticky, delicate and tasty, with a faint medicinal fragrance lingering on his tongue.

Looking at the plate of pastries again, they were like jade plates adorned with red plum blossoms, with an unknown dried branch at the end, giving a sense of both poetry and Zen.

So, she was a refined woman as well.

Pei Muheng, always restrained and reserved, ate three pieces and then put them down. The remaining two were kept in the box by Huang Wei and brought to the front duty room for later use.

At two quarters past the hour of the goat, someone from the Ministry of Revenue came to invite Pei Muheng, and Huang Wei followed. When they returned in the evening, Pei Muheng was hungry and instinctively thought of the pastry, only to find the food box empty.

Pei Muheng was puzzled and looked at Huang Wei, who was also confused and quickly called the on-duty young eunuch, sternly asking,

“Who dared to touch the Third Master’s pastry?”

The young eunuch quickly knelt and cried, “How would we dare? At the beginning of the hour of the monkey, His Majesty came to the archive room, smelled the fragrance, and ate the two pieces of pastry.”

Huang Wei was taken aback and looked at Pei Muheng, whose expression was complicated.

As the year-end approached, the offices in the government district were brightly lit day and night. Numerous documents were sent to the Directorate of Ceremonies every day. The Directorate reviewed the documents and then passed them to the archive room for further examination. Some significant matters were jointly submitted to the emperor by Pei Muheng and the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies. Others were drafted by the Inner Cabinet. Pei Muheng hardly had any time to return to the mansion.

Occasionally, when pastries were sent from the imperial kitchen, he couldn’t help but think of Xu Yunqi’s plum blossom cake.

Perhaps it was unfamiliarity; he was too shy to ask. He thought that maybe Xu Yunqi would send some again, but after waiting for three or four days, there was no sign of the food box. Not being one to indulge in appetite, Pei Muheng had to let it go.

On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, commonly known as the Laba Festival, the palace bestowed Laba porridge to the residences of princes and ministers.

The porridge was too sweet for Xu Yunqi, so she secretly gave it to Yin Xing, who loved sweets.

After paying her respects to the Princess Consort that morning, Xu Yunqi went out. Today, she had a critically ill patient who needed acupuncture. Before leaving, she instructed Yin Xing to check the medical bag and prepare to leave the mansion.

But when Xu Yunqi changed into her outing clothes, she found Yin Xing anxiously searching in the corridor.

“What happened?” Xu Yunqi, wrapped in a thick satin fur coat, asked from the doorway.

Yin Xing, crying in distress, turned and replied, “Young Madam, the small sachet in the medical bag is missing.”

Xu Yunqi’s face changed instantly. The sachet contained special needles for performing surgeries or suturing wounds. She quickly calmed down and asked gently, “Since we returned from saving the pregnant woman, we haven’t gone out. Think about it, where did you put the medical bag these days?”

Yin Xing, sobbing, said, “I put the medical bag in the medicine room in the corridor when we got back. It hasn’t been moved these days,” she sniffled. “Could it be left at the clinic?”

Xu Yunqi frowned slightly, hoping it was at the clinic. If it was left in Pei Muheng’s carriage, that would be a problem.

“Let’s go to the clinic first.”

They first went to the clothing shop. This time, Xu Yunqi didn’t change clothes; she just sat in the shop and instructed Yin Xing to go next door to the clinic to find the small sachet. The patient today needed surgery, and without the sachet, it wouldn’t be possible. Moments later, Yin Xing returned with a worried look, and Xu Yunqi knew something was wrong. She called the female shopkeeper, “Please go next door and tell Master Hu that I left my medical tools at home and need to retrieve them. If I don’t return by late afternoon, please have the patient go home and come back tomorrow.”

The shopkeeper agreed.

Xu Yunqi left the shop, boarded the carriage with Yin Xing, and instructed the coachman, “To the Imperial City.”

Pei Muheng lived in the Imperial City for long periods, and his carriage was stationed inside the Meridian Gate. Xu Yunqi couldn’t enter, but fortunately, there were palace guards at the gate. Seeing Xu Yunqi arrive, they immediately sent word to Pei Muheng, who was in the archive room reviewing documents. Hearing that Xu Yunqi had arrived, he instinctively thought she had come to bring food.