Chapter 56

“He Xuan’s gaze lightly swept across Mo Yin’s face. ‘You have quite an insight into official matters.’

Mo Yin smiled casually. ‘Just talking nonsense.’

‘It’s been delayed for too long this time. I’m afraid we won’t be able to return to the border for the New Year.’

‘We’re all heading back to the capital. Why don’t you finish your business and also return home, General? It’s not far.’

‘As officials, we’re here to serve. How can we prioritize personal matters over public ones?’

Mo Yin smiled faintly, a hint of tenderness showing in his eyes under the dim candlelight. ‘General, you always uphold righteousness and put public interests before personal ones.’

‘It’s just my duty as a subject.’

Mo Yin nodded, flashing a toothy grin at He Xuan. ‘Well said, General. Let me toast to you again.’

The two of them clinked their cups, finishing a pot of wine, yet still not satisfied. He Xuan called for Li Yuan to bring another jug of wine, not the inn’s wine, but the wine he brought from the border. ‘This is the last jug.’

Before opening the wine jug, Mo Yin could already smell the familiar spicy aroma. Leaning back in his seat, he said softly, ‘General’s wine, it seems intoxicating even before drinking.’

He Xuan burst into laughter, hearty and unrestrained. His aristocratic air had been completely swept away by the roughness of the border. But Mo Yin seemed unchanged, still elusive and inscrutable.

Just as He Xuan was about to open the wine jug, they heard Li Yuan’s cautious voice from outside. ‘General, there are visitors from the palace.’

He Xuan immediately straightened up, and Mo Yin followed suit. They exchanged a glance, and He Xuan said, ‘I’ll be back shortly.’

Watching He Xuan leave, Mo Yin slowly sat back down. A jug of wine sat at his feet, and the room fell silent. Outside, the wind blew gently. Mo Yin remembered the winters in the capital… the snowfall was heavy.

* 

The next morning, He Xuan wore a crimson court robe. The mythical beasts embroidered on the robe danced, and auspicious clouds filled the scenery. He had been stationed at the border for years, always dusty and untidy. But now, dressed neatly, he exuded a chilling yet exceptionally splendid aura, leaving Li Yuan in awe.

‘General, you look just like a high-ranking official.’ Li Yuan praised.

‘Nonsense,’ He Xuan glanced at him sideways. ‘Where’s the strategist?’

He Xuan had been summoned to the palace late last night. He said he’d be back soon, but it took him three full hours. By the time he returned, Mo Yin had already gone to bed.

‘He’s still asleep.’

‘He can sleep well.’

He Xuan adjusted his official hat.

‘The strategist isn’t busy now. Why can’t he sleep? Let’s finish our business, and we’ll head back to the border.’

He Xuan waved his hand, the crimson court robe leaving a trail of red as he moved. ‘Almost there—’

The carriage outside the inn was already waiting. He Xuan got into the carriage, and as it stopped outside Dongyuan Gate, the guards respectfully drew back the curtains. He Xuan got out of the carriage and looked ahead at the deep corridor. The tall walls on both sides cast shadows even under the rising sun.

Years ago, He Qingsong retired from this high wall and settled in Naxiang, ordering his son never to enter officialdom.

He Xuan had no intention of entering officialdom either. He was not very knowledgeable about the affairs of the court, but he was intelligent enough to sense his father’s gradual transformation into a deep, troubled, and struggling man in the court. After retiring, his father slowly returned to the carefree and open-minded He family.

He Xuan took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The entire court knew that General He had come to report on the quelling of the rebellion in Mountain City. The army was stationed outside the city, unaware of the impending storm in the court caused by a major case of treason.

Last night, He Xuan had presented his case in the palace, reporting on the rebellion in Mountain City one by one. He had brought letters and evidence with him, all of which he had submitted.

After reading several letters, the Emperor immediately became furious. He swept the documents off the table with a flick of his sleeve. ‘A bunch of traitorous ministers dare to act so brazenly under my nose!’

He Xuan remained silent, but he heard the heavy breathing behind the pearl curtain gradually calm down. The Emperor’s voice was extremely cold. ‘Don’t speak of this for now. Report it again at the morning court tomorrow.’

All the courtiers turned their eyes to General He, who stood at the forefront among the military officers.

This general had only been heard of but never seen, arousing curiosity among the crowd.

Some had met He Xuan before, like Yan Qi, who had served in the court alongside He Qingsong. He Qingsong and his teacher had been classmates, and through his teacher’s connections, Yan Qi had met He Qingsong. At that time, He Xuan was still very young, and He Qingsong, in his old age, cherished him like the apple of his eye, rarely letting others see him.

“Now, many years have passed, and Yan Qi has risen to the position of prime minister. When He Xuan passed by, he nodded slightly in greeting, and He Xuan returned the gesture calmly.

Usually, there wasn’t much serious business during the morning court. The current Emperor was a lazy man, tired of the courtiers bothering him with trivial matters. The term ‘trivial matters’ was coined by the Emperor during the morning court, ‘All these trivial matters have to be decided by me. What’s the use of keeping you, useless people?’

Over time, the courtiers learned the Emperor’s temper. To avoid being scolded and even stripped of their official positions like the Taichang siqing, it was best to speak less nonsense.

‘I have a report.’

The courtiers raised their eyebrows.

Oh, it’s the Grand General. It’s his first time at court, ignorant of the rules. He’s in for a lesson.

But nowadays, there aren’t many military officials in the court. At most, the Emperor would just scold a bit. It wasn’t likely he’d be foolish enough to demote someone back home.

Everyone waited to see the commotion.

‘This time, I went to Mountain City to suppress the rebellion, eliminating over 20,000 insurgents. The rebel leader, Cai Shi, has confessed everything…’

Just as they were dozing off, a chilling voice suddenly rang out, causing all the courtiers to tense up.

‘…including collusion with various court officials.’

Apart from He Xuan’s voice, the court fell silent. He Xuan continued to recount how Cai Shi had confessed to colluding with various court officials, profiting from their cooperation. He hadn’t finished when he started naming the officials involved, and chaos erupted in the court.

‘Nonsense!’

Yan Qi immediately stepped forward, bowing deeply and saying firmly, ‘Your Majesty, I have never had any contact with the rebel from Mountain City. This is impossible!’

The other officials also knelt down, pleading, ‘Your Majesty, this is a misunderstanding. We have no connection with the rebel from Mountain City!’

For a moment, the court was in chaos, with officials kneeling and pleading for justice, one after another.

He Xuan stood tall, unaffected by the chaos. His voice remained steady as he continued to speak. When he mentioned the correspondence between the officials and the rebel, Yan Qi sneered, his gaze turning sharp as he looked at He Xuan. ‘General He, how dare you slander a high-ranking official of the court without evidence?!’

‘Slander without evidence?’

Finally, a cold voice came from above.

Two letters were thrown out.

‘Yan Qi, take a good look at what these are!’

Yan Qi picked up the letters from the ground, his pupils shrinking when he saw the familiar handwriting.

‘He Xuan!’

Yan Qi’s throat tightened, his voice raised, ‘I have no grudge against you. Why are you framing me like this?!’

‘Your Majesty!’

Yan Qi held the letters tightly, his hands trembling, ‘I have never corresponded with the rebel. This letter was forged in my handwriting. He Xuan has been stationed at the border for years. Your Majesty, you’ve tried to summon him back to the capital several times, but he refused. There must be something fishy about this. Please investigate—’

He Xuan remained silent in the face of these accusations, unmoving like a pine tree.

After being summoned to the palace last night, the Emperor had also questioned him extensively. He Xuan didn’t understand the ways of the court, nor did he want to flatter. He simply told the truth.

Whatever the Emperor asked, he answered truthfully, without hiding anything, showing utmost sincerity.

‘You’re just like your father.’

The Emperor sighed softly, ‘The Grand Marshal is indeed a rare loyal subject.’

‘Take them away.’

The Emperor’s tone was disdainful, ‘Throw all these people into the prison of the Ministry of Punishments and interrogate them later!’

There was lamentation throughout the court. These courtiers, who knew the Emperor’s temperament so well, often sought to please him, but they also understood the Emperor’s confusion and suspicion. Being dragged away like this meant they were in serious trouble. They continued to plead loudly and plead their innocence, but there was no response from above, only indifference. It seemed that the figure behind the pearl curtain had risen and left.

* 

In the courtyard, Mo Yin stood under the eaves, looking up at the sky. Zhou Yong approached briskly and bowed, ‘Strategist, there’s been a commotion in the court.’

‘Speak.’

‘The Emperor is furious and has already thrown all those involved into the prison of the Ministry of Punishments.’

‘What about the General?’

‘The General is still in the palace. It seems the Emperor wants him to stay for a meal.’

Mo Yin said lightly, ‘The General’s temperament easily gains the Emperor’s trust.’

Zhou Yong said nothing. He vaguely felt that Mo Yin had something to do, but he didn’t know what it was. He simply did as Mo Yin instructed him to do.

When noon came, Li Yuan returned with a message, “The General will be dining in the palace. Please do not worry, Strategist.”

Mo Yin smiled, “I’m not worried. I’ll wait for the General to come back in the evening, and we’ll drink together.”

The winter night came early, even before the Shen Shi, the sky was already pitch black. Today’s court turmoil had made the guards at the gates of the Ministry of Punishments extra vigilant. When they saw an outsider approaching, they immediately stopped them, “Who goes there—”

The newcomer was cloaked, with a hood covering most of their face, only revealing thin lips. They pulled out a shining golden token from their robes, “I am the Deputy General under the Grand General’s command, here on the Grand General’s orders to inspect the prisoners.”

The guard accepted the weighty token and inspected it carefully. They exchanged glances, not daring to neglect the personnel under the Grand General’s command who had stirred up a storm in the court today. After returning the token, they said, “Please.”

The Ministry of Punishments was even more gloomy and sinister compared to Mountain City. There was a guard or watchtower every three steps, and the air was filled with the stench of blood and decay. It was quiet inside, with occasional squeaks from rats and cockroaches scurrying around for survival.

This place always felt so deathly silent, except during executions—when the whip cracked in the wind, tearing through the prisoner’s clothes, and the sound of the cane striking flesh… Amidst these sounds were weak moans, making this place uniquely lively.

When the current Emperor got angry, regardless of one’s rank, they would be sent to the Ministry of Punishments. If it could appease the Emperor, there might still be a chance to turn things around. If not, severe punishment awaited. Handling false accusations was the Ministry of Punishments’ specialty. Fortunately, fortunately—

Though Yan Qi was thrown into prison, his panic was still limited.

The Chief of the Ministry of Punishments was his person.

This matter was too absurd. He, a prime minister, colluding with a rebel from Mountain City? As long as he held his ground, with a bit of interrogation, he would surely walk away unscathed. After all, he had been in the officialdom for nearly thirty years, and Yan Qi could keep his composure. Once he remained calm, the other officials who were wrongfully imprisoned also calmed down.

It was truly a groundless accusation. What was there to panic about?

Yan Qi frowned. The only thing he couldn’t figure out was why He Xuan would frame him like this.

When they served in the same court as He Xuan’s father, He Xuan was always respectful towards He Qingsong. He had never offended him. It was truly baffling why He Xuan would pin such a serious crime of treason on him!

In the court with no one to turn to, it was quite a difficult task to topple a general like He Xuan.

But since He Xuan had acted so ruthlessly, he couldn’t let it go so easily. But why exactly had he done this?

Lost in thought with his hands behind his back, Yan Qi suddenly heard very light footsteps. He turned abruptly and saw a figure draped in a cloak approaching his cell in the darkness. Yan Qi’s heart skipped a beat, thinking it was Minister Wei Dongting. He stepped forward a few steps, “Minister Wei?”

The person wore a hood and remained silent. They were a bit far from the cell, perhaps as a special arrangement by the Ministry of Punishments. Yan Qi was held in a separate cell, and the surroundings were relatively clean, with candles flickering on the walls.

The person reached out from under the cloak, shook their hands lightly, and shook the sleeves down a bit, revealing a pair of pale and slender hands in the dim light.

Yan Qi still didn’t recognize them. He just felt vaguely familiar.

Not Wei Dongting, but someone around Wei Dongting?

Narrowing his eyes, Yan Qi watched as the person slowly removed their hood.

The candlelight on the wall was limited, but it illuminated the person’s face clearly—

It was an exceptionally elegant face, with a hint of frostiness between the brows and eyes. Anyone who had seen him wouldn’t easily forget him!

And Yan Qi was instantly struck as if by lightning, “You—”

“Lord Yan,” Mo Yin said softly, “It seems you still remember me.”

Yan Qi was speechless, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. How could it be him? How could it possibly be him!

“A gentleman takes revenge, ten years is not too late. In five years,” Mo Yin smiled slightly, his gaze cold, “I’ve also become half a gentleman.”

Yan Qi’s throat was blocked, unable to speak for a moment, just staring at Mo Yin as if trying to see whether the person in front of him was a human or a ghost.

“On my way here, I deliberately went to Lord Yan’s residence for a look,” Mo Yin’s smile was mysterious as he leaned in slightly, “Lord Yan…”

Yan Qi’s eyes widened, looking as if he had been struck by lightning, “You—Mo Zigui, you… you’re not… you…”

Yan Qi felt his blood run cold, and he lunged forward, reaching out to grab Mo Yin, trying to break free from this nightmarish illusion before him. However, his hand couldn’t touch the person in front of him, and the figure, now donning the hood again, stepped back, leaving behind a dreamlike smile.

Mo Yin walked out of the Ministry of Punishments feeling delighted and relieved.

It was indeed different here.

Compared to the previous world, here, he actually felt a sense of satisfaction akin to “revenge.”

Back then in Mountain City, there were many implicated individuals, but it was a faction, a whole interest group. Yan Qi was the ringleader. Although he had not directly participated in the corruption, as the leader, he could only help those individuals handle the aftermath. So, after careful consideration, he chose Mo Zigu, an insignificant official who wouldn’t seek favors or curry favor, to take the blame for others.

Mo Yin had walked from the inn all the way here, and now he walked back. When he neared the inn, he noticed someone waiting at the entrance—a person dressed in red official robes, holding a lantern. As Mo Yin approached, the person recognized him and immediately came forward, “Zigu.”

Mo Yin and He Xuan entered the inn together. He Xuan had only returned from the palace not long ago and hadn’t even taken off his official robes. He heard that Mo Yin had gone out and asked Zhou Yong where Mo Yin had gone. Zhou Yong didn’t know, so He Xuan hesitated for a moment, then picked up a lantern and went out to take a look. Coincidentally, Mo Yin returned at that moment.

“Where did you go?” He Xuan blew out the lantern and put it down, then took off his official hat and placed it aside before pouring tea.

Mo Yin took out the token from his pocket and placed it on the table.

“You took my token?” He Xuan raised an eyebrow.

Mo Yin gently placed the token on the table and bowed with his hands clasped, “I am Mo Yin.”

He Xuan raised an eyebrow in confusion, but he saw the icy clarity in Mo Yin’s eyes. He paused while sipping tea and pushed another cup of tea towards Mo Yin.

“Why did you take my token?” He Xuan glanced at the token and asked, sipping his tea.

Mo Yin looked at him quietly, then raised his hands and bowed, “I am Mo Yin.”

He Xuan was puzzled but saw the determined gaze in Mo Yin’s eyes. He paused, the cup of tea lingering at his lips.

“Ranked first in the imperial examination in the thirteenth year of Longyuan, Tanhua Lantian Mo Zigui—”

Mo Yin met He Xuan’s gaze with a slight bow, “Greetings, General.”