Chapter 52

It was still early in the morning, the busiest time for the inner court.

After the court meeting, officials from various departments bustled into the inner court. Some hurriedly took documents and left, some looked distressed after being scolded, and others tried to push their way in, eager to get their department’s memos approved as soon as possible.

“Lord Xun has ordered that all department memos be submitted to the document room first. The cabinet will handle them according to their urgency.”

“Hey, hey, hey, our Ministry of War memo is extremely urgent. We just need the cabinet’s signature to get the funds from the Ministry of Revenue. You know, it has already snowed at the northwest border. Any later, and the soldiers will freeze to death!”

“Move aside. Just because you’re in a hurry doesn’t mean I’m not. The Huai River has flooded, drowning half a county. The funds from the Ministry of Revenue must be approved quickly!”

“Quiet, quiet. This is the central hub of the Jin Dynasty. Which issue here isn’t urgent?”

Xu Ke sat in the corner of the inner court hall, watching the various department officials arguing.

Inside the hall, there were three duty rooms, all facing south. After the morning court meeting, three cabinet officials handled governmental affairs there. The central room undoubtedly belonged to the Prime Minister, Xun Yunhe. Unlike the other two rooms, where cursing could occasionally be heard, Xun Yunhe’s room was always quiet. Officials entered and exited quickly. This Prime Minister was known for his proficiency in handling governmental affairs, and he lived up to his reputation.

Xu Ke sat there for an hour until the number of people outside Xun Yunhe’s room decreased, indicating that important matters had been dealt with. A young official came out, glanced at him, and gestured inside, “Lord Xu, please.”

Xu Ke took a deep breath, adjusted his attire, and stepped over the threshold with a serious expression. He noticed out of the corner of his eye someone in a purple robe with a crane emblem sitting behind the desk, seemingly sipping tea. Xu Ke did not look closely, bowing his head, “This official greets Lord Xun.” His tone was neither humble nor arrogant.

The person in front lightly uttered a word, “Sit.”

In front of the large rosewood desk was a stool, presumably for the officials who came every ten days. Xu Ke composed himself and sat down, now facing Xun Yunhe directly. He tried to appear calm as he looked at Xun Yunhe, “I do not know what went wrong with the accounts of the Water Affairs Division. Please advise, Lord Xun.”

He was Qingniang’s husband. There was no reason to back down now, he told himself. The last time they met was at Xun’s mansion for a birthday banquet. On that day, he had to bow and scrape to please him, but now, they had dramatically become the men of the same woman.

Xu Ke was extremely troubled; what kind of situation was he in?

Xun Yunhe still held the teacup in his hand, leaning back against the round-backed chair, looking at Xu Ke blankly. The last time at Xun’s mansion, he hadn’t even remembered what Xu Ke looked like. He only glanced at him when he heard he was a fellow townsman. Xun Yunhe couldn’t stand sycophantic people, so he had a poor impression of Xu Ke.

With a man like that, how could Qingniang have a good life?

“In the first half of the year, the Water Affairs Division spent a total of 34 installments of silver, including canals, water conservancy, river defense, and river channels. Among them, the river defense in Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions was entirely under the jurisdiction of the Liangjiang Governor’s Office. An expenditure was counted in the memorandum sent by the Governor’s Office, and another was counted by the Zhejiang River Channel Office. Is it so easy to fool the national treasury’s silver?” Xun Yunhe’s tone was completely devoid of warmth.

Xu Ke smiled bitterly and closed his eyes before answering, “Lord Xun, I have already questioned the Liangjiang Governor’s Office and the Zhejiang Prefecture. They replied that the river defense was under the jurisdiction of the Governor’s Office, but the responsibility for flood control lay with the River Channel Office. When there are overlapping tasks each year, both sides spend money. They also said that the Ministry of Revenue had issued a decree permitting this.”

Xun Yunhe placed the teacup on the desk, “The Ministry of Revenue did issue a decree, and I personally signed it. There is indeed an overlap between river defense arrangements and river channel repairs, and they often shirk responsibilities. But the one who repairs the river channel is the one responsible. A water system map was divided back then: the main stream was under the Governor’s Office, and the tributaries were under the River Channel Office, coordinated by the Liangjiang Governor. If there are unclear accounts, they should be verified and signed by the Ministry of Works. Your Water Affairs Division just hands in whatever is submitted without verifying the documents or auditing the accounts.”

“In short, there is only one repair expenditure for a river channel; there is no reason for repeated payments. This is the purpose of your Water Affairs Division.”

Xun Yunhe was very clear that this was a covert struggle between Assistant Minister of Works Su Ziyan and Liangjiang Governor Qu Weizhen. His decree stated that Qu Weizhen should coordinate, so any problems would naturally be Qu Weizhen’s responsibility.

Pei Xun always wanted to remove Qu Weizhen, the thorn in his side. Xu Ke was clearly being used as a pawn by his superior.

Xu Ke had no idea about the intricacies involved. When he heard the truth about the Ministry of Revenue’s decree, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He had acted entirely on the instructions of his superior, Su Ziyan, without realizing the animosity between Su Ziyan and Xun Yunhe. “Then… I will go back and find the decree and carefully verify it,” he said.

Xun Yunhe realized Xu Ke lacked the political acumen for officialdom. If he took this back, Su Ziyan would only be angry and blame him for being incompetent. But this was not Xun Yunhe’s concern. He returned the memorandum to Xu Ke, who was now drenched in cold sweat, no longer as composed as when he had entered.

Xu Ke thought Xun Yunhe would deliberately make things difficult for him, but instead, he pointed out the issues, leaving Xu Ke to ponder and understand.

Xu Ke had once taken pride in being a capital official, but now he realized it was difficult. He felt as if a stone weighed on his heart and wished to be transferred out of the capital. For a moment, he thought that Xun Yunhe might not want to see him either and could transfer him out. But Xu Ke ultimately did not dare to make such a request. He took back the memorandum and sat down again.

The two of them were silent for a while, neither speaking.

Just as Xu Ke almost forgot where he was, Xun Yunhe finally spoke in a low voice, “How has Qingniang been these years?”

Xu Ke’s throat tightened, and he dared not look at him. He nodded slightly, “She’s fine…”

Xun Yunhe’s expression was almost desolate, staring blankly in Xu Ke’s direction. “Xu Ke, I know what you want. Leave Qingniang, and I will agree to your request.”

Xu Ke’s eyes widened at these words. All his suppressed anxiety and hesitation finally poured out like a flood, “No way!” He blurted out.

He didn’t have extraordinary abilities but cared a lot about his reputation and couldn’t sell his wife for honor.

Xun Yunhe let out a low, mocking laugh, staring at him with a nearly scorching gaze, “Do you think I don’t have a way or a reason? All I need to do is return to Jingzhou and retrieve the marriage certificate filed at the county office. What would the two of you be like?”

Xu Ke’s face turned pale instantly, and the letter in his hand fell to the ground. He trembled violently and glared at Xun Yunhe with disgust, “Xun Yunhe, don’t push it too far. Back then, you were the one who messed with a woman and let Qingniang down. What right do you have to take her back now? You’ve changed your name and are no longer Xun Yu from back then. Her remarriage is justified. We also have a marriage certificate from the Honghu County office. If you insist on making a big deal out of it, it will only result in Qingniang being scorned for having married twice.”

Hearing Xu Ke defend Qingniang at that moment, Xun Yunhe closed his eyes, feeling a mix of emotions, not knowing whether to be relieved for her or regretful for himself.

If Xu Ke had an abhorrent character, selling his wife for honor, Xun Yunhe could have used that as leverage. If Qingniang hadn’t so easily abandoned their daughter back then, he could have justified taking her back despite the scandal it might have caused.

Xun Yunhe couldn’t get past his own conscience. He kept his eyes closed for a long time, letting out an indistinguishable cold laugh. “You’d better think it through. It won’t be easy working under me from now on,” he said calmly.

Xu Ke was so furious he almost cried, gritting his teeth, “I can resign. Xun Yunhe, I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay in the capital, under the emperor’s nose, among all the officials. I don’t believe you would be so shameless to force me into a corner!”

Xun Yunhe’s expression remained unchanged. He rested his hand on the desk and said slowly, “Do you think I can let my daughter call you father for the rest of her life? Xu Ke, think carefully before you answer!”

This time, Xu Ke felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, cooling his anger.

Xu Yunxi’s situation was different from that of Zhang Qingniang.

A wife could remarry, but a daughter was his own flesh and blood. Xun Yunhe would never give in. Putting himself in his shoes, if he were to let Ruo’er call Xun Yunhe ‘father,’ he would probably die of anger on the spot.

Xu Ke quickly weighed his options and said with a hum, “I agree to remove Yunxi from the Xu family genealogy, and I will not regard myself as her father publicly, severing all ties with her. But if you want me to give up Qingniang, I cannot do it. A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated. Xun Yunhe, don’t think I am afraid.”

When he said the last sentence, Xu Ke’s voice was trembling.

Xun Yunhe didn’t even glance at him, only slowly pushing a prepared land deed toward him, “This is a manor on the outskirts of the capital. I have transferred it to your name.”

Xu Ke was suddenly stunned, looking at Xun Yunhe in surprise, not knowing what he was up to, “What do you mean?” Just now, he looked like he was going to kill him; why was he suddenly giving him a benefit?

Xun Yunhe propped his forehead and gently pinched his eyebrows, speaking calmly, “You have done many things for Nannan over the years. I, Xun Yunhe, am clear about gratitude and grudges. This manor is my repayment to you on Nannan’s behalf. From now on, she will have no connection with the Xu family.”

Hearing these words, Xu Ke’s tension slowly eased, and his eyes filled with tears from the leftover fear. He took a deep breath, “Yunxi calling me father and doing things for her is natural. I don’t want this manor.”

Hearing this, a glint of ruthlessness appeared in Xun Yunhe’s eyes, and his patience ran out. “If you don’t take it, I won’t be happy. If I’m not happy, who knows what I’ll do? You’d better be sensible, take the land deed, and leave. Never appear in front of Nannan again.”

Xu Ke was infuriated by this blatant threat. He grabbed the land deed and picked up the documents on the floor, storming out without looking back.

The last ray of the autumn sun fell on the window lattice, and soon, the sun rose to the zenith, and that light quietly disappeared from Xun Yunhe’s eyes.

Yes, that light no longer belonged to him.

Xun Yunhe sat silently for a long time as if a lifetime had passed. He suddenly muttered to his subordinate, “Is lunch ready? Nannan must be hungry…”

It seemed as if he was speaking to his subordinate, but also to that beautiful young woman from Xiushui Village years ago. The bright autumn sunlight poured down, and he sat gracefully under the corridor in his white robe. The wild chrysanthemums in the yard bloomed, and Nannan excitedly picked one, turning her head to show off her proud and exuberant smile. He opened his arms, and that clumsy, innocent little girl stumbled towards him, calling out crisply, “Daddy, Daddy, Nannan picked flowers… Nannan picked flowers…”

Xun Yunhe smiled to himself, tears welling up in his eyes.