CH 11

This is destined to be an uneven night.

Before Ren Anle could wait for the results of the secret investigation back at Yuan Shu, the news that the banned cabinet minister Li Chong'en had hanged himself in his house reached her.

In the middle of the night, Pei Zhan and Huang Pu were already standing outside the courtyard of the study where Li Chong'en had hanged himself. Pei Zhan holding a letter in his hand, vaguely relieved. Huang Pu had a deep frown on his face and moved aside with a light hum when he saw Ren Anle.

"Lord Ren, you're here." Pei Zhan greeted him.

"Lord Pei, the magistrate guard who sent the summons didn't make it clear. What happened?"

Li Chong'en's body had already been put into a coffin. The empty courtyard is cold and gloomy, and the sobs of the women in the inner courtyard can still be heard.

"Lord Li hanged himself in fear of sin. This is the suicide note he left behind. In his suicide note, he pleaded guilty to His Majesty. He said that he could not bear the fact that Wu Yue was over thirty years old but had not made any achievements in his career, and that he had committed a great crime in a moment of confusion, and asked His Majesty to spare the whole Li family for the sake of his more than ten years of service to the court."    

There was a clear sense of relief in Pei Zhan's eyes, as it was well known that Wu Yue, the son of the Minister of Household Affairs, is known to have been under Li Chong'en's tutelage since he was a child. The fact that Li Chong'en has admitted his guilt at this time is not so abrupt and will give an explanation to His Majesty and the court officials.

"Since Lord Li has confessed his guilt, this official will enter the palace early tomorrow morning to report to His Majesty that this case has been concluded and ask His Majesty for orders on what punishment should be meted out."

"Your Excellency cannot." Ren Anle did not miss the indignation in Huang Pu's expression on the side and stopped Pei Zhan.

"Why?"

"Your Excellency, the three candidates imprisoned in the Da Lisi have not yet been examined in the courtroom. Their testimonies will certainly make His Majesty more satisfied. There are still two days left. It's not too late for  Pei da ren to wait for me and Huang da ren to get this case done properly before entering the palace to report it.

After a moment's thought, Pei Zhan knew that Ren Anle had a point. Even if the evidence of the crime was conclusive, it would be better to do it more beautifully. If the case was resolved satisfactorily, he would be able to join the court in no time.

"It is still Lord Ren's thoughtfulness. This official will first go back to write a folded paper to report to His Majesty the reason why Lord Li hanged himself, and wait for Lord Ren's good news on the other evidence."  Pei Zhan was happy for a while, and habitually patted Ren Anle on the shoulder, and found something wrong when he touched the corner of her sleeve robe. He abruptly withdrew his hand with an embarrased complexion, "The official forgot that da ren is a woman,  my apologies!"

Ren Anle waved her hand and smiled, "It's alright."

Pei Zhan was really embarrassed. There was no woman in the court for more than a decade, since Ren Anle did not look like a woman, he almost broke the taboo. He smiled and left the courtyard.

Huang Pu was in a heavy mood and sighed as he prepared to leave.

It was a chilly, cold night, and the candle flame was dimly lit, making the mood dull and gloomy. Huang Pu, with a heavy heart, sighed as he prepared to leave.    

"Lord Huang, please stay." Ren Anle called out to him.

"What else does Lord Ren want? Now that the fraud case has been solved, Da ren do not need to gather evidence. The three people will be tried together in the court, so there is no need for this official to hinder Ren daren's eye." Huang Pu said indifferently with a cold face.

"Lord Huang, after so many years of being the shaoqing of the Da Lisi, don't you think that there is something strange about Lord Li hanging himself tonight?"

Ren Anle's voice was deep and inexplicable. Huang Pu turned his head back and looked at the woman under the tree, narrowing his eyes slightly as he spoke, "What does Lord Ren mean by this?"

"Lord Li has been an official in the court for more than ten years and has a high reputation. Everyone knows that the Li and Wu houses are close friends. Wu Yue's usual reputation is also there.  How could he leak the test questions to Wu Yue, if Wu Yue is to amaze the world with a single brilliant feat[1] , anyone would have suspected him. Besides, His Majesty only issued a decree for a thorough investigation yesterday, but in one day, he pleaded guilty and committed suicide. Isn't it too much of a coincidence?"

[1]一鸣惊人 - to amaze the world with a single brilliant feat (idiom); an overnight celebrity

Huang Pu looked away: "What is the use of Lord Ren saying this at this time, didn't Lord Pei decide to..."

"The reason why I'm preventing him from entering the emperor's palace tomorrow to face His Majesty to reach a verdict" Ren Anle spoke slowly, "Lord Huang, we have two days left."

Huang Pu suddenly looked up: "Lord Ren, you..."

Ren Anle walked up to Huang Pu, looking solemn: "Lord Huang, if I had not raised this proposal at noon, Lord Pei would never have given me the token of the minister of the Da Lisi. I already changed the group of Da Lisi's magistrate guards this afternoon, so no one has access to the three candidates locked up inside."

Huang Pu looked slightly stunned, but when he saw the clarity in Ren An Le's eyes, he said, "If that's the case, I have wrongly blamed Ren da ren."

Ren Anle waved her hand: "Let's not say whether it's Li Chong-en who leaked the exam questions. There is one thing that your lordship must have thought ...... Wu Yue's questions is by no means learned from Li Chong-en's mouth."

Or perhaps the person who made Li Chong'en gamble on official his career by leaking the questions for the exams would not be the son of a mere official.

Huang Pu nodded: "Given Lord Li's character, it's unlikely that he would do something so self-destructive to his future prospects. It's just that now that it's a foregone conclusion. Even if we suspect it, we have no proof."

Ren Anle clapped her hands and Yuan Shu suddenly appeared in the courtyard, making Huang Pu jump.

"Miss, I walked around the marketplace for a day and I found out that a few days before the imperial examination Wu Yue had met with the young master of the Marquis of Zhongyi's residence at the Juxian House. The two were acting in a very low-key and mysterious manner." Yuan Shu finished her speech and stepped aside.

The young marquis of the Marquis of Zhongyi's residence is indeed an ignorant and incompetent[2], and he has a good relationship with Wu Yue, but...

[2]不学无术 - 不学无术 (Pinyin: bù xué wú shù ) a Chinese idiom that refers to having no learning and thus no means/ referring to a person's lack of academics or skills

Huangpu frowned upon hearing this, and said, "Lord Ren, the eldest lady of the Marquis of Zhongyi's Mansion has been very favored by the Emperor these days. The Marquis' popularity has been unparalleled for a while. Besides, this alone is not count as ironclad evidence"

How dare Ren Anle pull the hair out of the tiger's head?

Plucking hair from the head of a tiger. The metaphor of pulling hair from a tiger's head is to offend people and things beyond one's ability.

"Naturally it won't be that simple, but we can use this clue to lead the way. It depends on the da ren's means."

"Lord Ren is saying..." Huang Pu looked in the direction of the Da Lisi and had a slight moment of clarity.

"Wu Yue, once we get the testimony out of him, we can follow the vine and find the person who really leaked the exam questions. Lord Pei is now at ease on his laurels and will return to his house to rest, so Lord Huang's surprise interrogation tonight may lead to clues. Whether this fraud case will be buried in the dust or revealed to the whole world will depend on... whether Lord Huang is willing or not, and whether he dares to ?"

Ren Anle's voice was awe-inspiring, and her boldness was evident in her words. Huang Pu paused and spoke slowly after half a second: "Since Lord Ren is willing to accompany me to wade through this muddy water, why would I dare not? It's just whether Lord Ren can tell this officer why you want to get involved in this matter, which will not benefit you in any way?"

He had been studying for ten years and did not want the scholar who had gone to the capital to take the imperial examination to endure injustice, but what is the purpose of Ren Anle?

Ren Anle raised her eyebrows and brushed her embroidered hem, her smile overflowing, "I naturally want the seat of the Minister of the Da Lisi ......"

Huang Pu's expression was stunned.

"A mere fourth-ranking shaoqing position, it may be assumed that His Highness the Crown Prince will not be able to look at it." Ren Anle trailed off, dragging her chin and narrowing her eyes in a helpless manner.

The pitiful old-fashioned and upright and outspoken Lord Huang, could not get his breath back, and almost died young in this small, dark courtyard.

The Left Minister's residence.

The Minister of Revenue, Du Lan Zheng, stomped his foot and looked uneasy: "Your Excellency, what do you mean when you say that the people you sent to the Da Lisi cannot enter?"

The Minister of the Left said with sunken eyes, "Dali Temple's defenses were changed overnight.  It is now impossible to deliver the testimony to those three people."

How could Pei Zhan, with his skills, guard the Da Lisi like a barrel of iron? Now that this matter is of great importance to His Majesty, he must not see the presiding judge in private until the case is settled.

"How good can this be. This unfilial son has actually caused this kind of trouble." Shang Shu Du looked dishevelled, as if he had aged ten years overnight.

The Minister of the Left narrowed his eyes at Du Shang Shu, who was running around in circles. He tapped his hand on the desk, his eyes dark and deep.

That night, Pei’s residence was quiet and peaceful. The Da Lisi minister slept comfortably on a warm fragrant jade pillow, while the Da Li government office was heavily guarded and the lights were burning all through the night.

Early in the morning on the second day, Ren Anle yawned crookedly in the pavilion of Juxian house in the capital. She inquired clearly that this place was usually the territory of those scholars. Recently, due to the imperial examination case, people were gathering here every day. At this time, everyone in the outer room talked a lot about Li Chongen's suicide in fear of crime, and they were all filled with righteous indignation.

Ren Anle shook her head. This group of elmwood bumps, if they have time to hang around here, they might as well go back and read more books. This time, the questions of the examination were leaked and the examination undoubtedly will definitely be retaken. The Emperor Jia Ning has set a three-day deadline to settle this matter as soon as possible, so as not to delay the future of these exam candidates.

And she, for the sake of the Da Lisi's reputation, had to sacrifice her time.

"Young Marquis, you're here!" The shopkeeper's flattering voice suddenly rang out from downstairs.

The scholars in the lobby on the second floor, who were in a frenzy of discussion, all frowned and looked downstairs. A young man of about twenty years old, with an eight-character beard and a gilt-wood fan in his hand, waddled in with an unbridled and arrogant expression, "Shopkeeper Hu, this official's son is giving a banquet to a distinguished guest today. He wants to take over the entire Ju Xian House."

The young marquis of the Marquis of Zhongyi's residence, Gu Qi shan, is a hegemon in the capital. However, Marquis of Zhongyi is the founding general of the country, and his merit is in the country's history. His sister is quite favored in the harem, so everyone usually see this horizontal crab like a plague and avoid it.

Shopkeeper Hu's complexion changed and he said with difficulty, "Young Marquis, there are many guests today, so I'm afraid it's not quite right ah!"

Most of the scholars on the second floor were exam candidates who had gone to the capital to take the imperial examination. Although they were not as good as the court of the Marquis of Zhongyi, they were not something that he, a small teahouse owner, could offend.

"Go, tell them that I'll pay for everyone's drinks today. I've invited Miss Lin Lang from Ling Xiang House to taste wine today. Anyone who disturb my elegant interest and gives the beautiful woman a hard time will have a problem with the Marquis of Zhongyi."

The young man's arrogant voice resonated inside and outside the building. The crowd dared not speak out in anger. The case of fraud in the examination was caused by the head girl of Ling Xiang House. This straw bag still dares to show off so much, really insulting!

The drowsy Ren Anle was startled by the sharp drake-like voice[3] and was immediately refreshed. When she understood what the person said, she immediately bowed her waist and moved to the window and looked downstairs, giving a thumbs up and tsking in admiration.

[3]公鸭嗓- Drake throat/ Drake voice is a Chinese word with the pinyin gōng yā sǎng, which refers to a derogatory description of a low-pitched, raspy voice, like the cry of a duck. It is often referred to as "duck throat" because of its "quacking" sound, like a male duck shouting. ... A common derogatory term for the voice is "sissy".

The old marquis of the Marquis of Zhongyi is a real character, to have raised such a reckless white silk under the feet of the emperor! 

"Young Marquis." A candidate on the second floor was really indignant and couldn't help but to cup his hands in obeisance and say, "The case of fraud in the imperial examinations has not yet been solved. Our heart seems to be burning like fire[4] before we gather at the Juxian House to discuss the results. The young marquis is also a current candidate, why can't you just do it ......"

[4]心如火焚 [xīn rú huǒ fén], Chinese idiom, meaning heart seems to be burning like fire. It describes anxiety; extremely anxious. From "Twenty Years of Witnessing the Strange Situation".

"What is there to discuss? Those of you who are incapable are naturally worried. Young Marquis Gu, I am a talented person, so I disdain to take the imperial examination with you again in the same hall examination. I have decided to rely on my title to enter the court. This examination and me do not have the least bit relationship!"

When the Great Jing dynasty established the country, he gave grace to the world. Once decreed that all the descendants of the princes and lords could enter the official positions by virtue of their titles.

Gu Qishan bobbed his head in a self-satisfied manner and spoke meanly. His inverted triangular eyes survey the crowd upstairs with smugness.

He is the young master of the Zhongyi Hou's Mansion. And these poor scholars were born to be the difference between the clouds and mud. If Wu Yue hadn't vowed to let him win the three yuan[5] in this examination, he wouldn't have gotten involved just to save face in front of the old man ...... but thought that Wu Yue wouldn't have had the guts to get him involved! 

[5] 连中三元 (lián zhòng sān yuán) -  The phrase "winning three consecutive exams" is used to describe a situation in the ancient imperial examinations, in which a candidate took the first place in three examinations, namely the countryside examination, the session examination and the palace examination, and was awarded the title of "Jieyuan", "Huiyuan" and "Zhuyuan" in succession.

Since ancient times, the scholars should not be easily humiliated. Upstairs, the scholars were all disgraced by Gu Qi Shan. Some of them were so angry that they rushed downstairs to argue. Although they were held back by their fellow scholars, they were about to start a full-blown fight.

Inside the second floor pavilion, the dispute was so loud. Wen Shuo leaned over the edge of the window to watch the excitement, knocking on a melon nut and reminding the prince, who was sitting as steady as a mountain, "Your Highness, are you really going to let them go on like this, when these are all the candidates for the examinations?"

"How can you govern the country and serve the people if you are fighting over such a trivial matter?" Han Ye took a sip of tea and said indifferently.

Wen Shuo stretched half of his head out of the window, "It's good to fight, as I'll have a better chance of becoming a top scorer in the palace examination If they are injured."

Han Ye frowned and scolded, "What a ridiculous thing to say."

Wen Shuo laughed, scratching his head and asked, "His Majesty has set a three-day period, but I wonder if that slick and sly Da Lisi minister will be able to solve the case?"

"Since you said he was slick and sly, presumably it won't be difficult to settle the case."

"Then His Highness is waiting for him to settle the case?"

"No." Han Ye shook his head, suddenly remembering the woman's stern back in the stone pavilion that day, and narrowed his eyes, "I'm waiting for another person to give the court an answer."

In the pavilion next door, Ren Anle was tired of watching the play and was just about to take a rest when Yuan Shu jumped in through the window in a lump and whispered, "Miss, Lord Huang has sent word that Wu Yue has confessed that he leaked the examination questions to the young marquis of the Marquis of Zhongyi and the two candidates, and that his examination questions came from Du Ting Song, the son of the Minister of Revenue. Lord Huang has already sent the magistrates to the Shang Shu's residence to get him."

In a night's time, he had pried Wu Yue's mouth open, this Huang da ren really had some tricks up his sleeve.

Ren Anle hooked the corners of her mouth and stood up to walk outside.

"Miss, you are going to...?"

Ren Anle spared no words and spit out a few words, "Braised crabs."

Just as Gu Qishan was screaming and instructing his guards to take the angry scholars out of the room, a group of magistrates suddenly appeared at the entrance to the Juxian Building.  The crowd froze at the sight and the bickering abruptly ceased.

The magistrates carried long swords at their waists and were solemn and imposing. The leader of the group glanced into the hall and walked in front of Gu Qishan in three or two steps and cup his hands in obeisance: "Is this young marquis Gu?"

Gu Qisan looked at this situation and said with narrowed eyes, "Which government office are you from?"

"I am Wu Chong from the Dali government office. On the order of Lord Huang, this officer ask the young marquis to return for questioning." Wu Chong said and came towards Gu Qisan.

As soon as he heard the words 'Da Lisi', Gu Qishan stepped back, his face slightly changed: "A small Da Lisi shaoqing, how dare you touch me!"

The imperial bodyguard behind Gu Qi shan immediately stood in front of him and stopped Wu Chong.

Wu Chong stopped and said in a gruff voice, "Young Marquis Gu, Wu Yue confessed in the hall that apart from the two exam candidates, he also wrote a copy of exam questions for Young Marquis. Lord Huang did not want Wu Yue to make a false accusation and ruin the reputation of the young marquis, so he asked Wu Chong to invite the young marquis to come to the hall for a question."

As soon as Wu Chong said this, the whole room was in an uproar. The scholars on the second floor refused to let go of this good opportunity, and all of them started to persuade: "Young Marquis Gu, if you do the right thing, why afraid to enter Da Lisi to be questioned by Lord Huang!"

"Shameful thing, this is Wu Yue's false accusation, you actually listen to his nonsense!" Gu Qi shan looked embarrassed and waved his hand, "I am the young marquis of the Marquis of Zhongyi, my father is a first-rank marquis, which one of you dares to take me away!"

"I dare!"

The door of an elegant pavilion on the second floor was pushed open, and a clear and calm female voice resounded outside the Juxian Building. Han Ye, who was holding a teacup, pursed his lips slightly and looked out through the paper window. 

The woman wearing a dark reddish purple official robe suddenly appeared in front of the crowd, her expression was awe-inspiring, a stern aura appeared immediately as she walked. She passed the crowd of scholars and looked with her head held high at the gloomy looking Gu Qi shan downstairs: "A prince who breaks the law is as guilty as a commoner. Young Marquis, His Majesty has decreed a strict investigation into this case. You are implicated in the fraudulent examinations, Why does the Da Lisi not dare to take you?"

"You ...... who are you!" Gu Qishan was forced to take two steps backwards by this aura and shouted.

"Ren Anle, Shaoqing of Da Lisi." Ren Anle waved her hand and said towards Wu Chong, "Commander Wu, take him back. Anyone who dares to stop him is defying the sacred authority and should be punished according to the crime." 

The scholars on the second floor were dumbfounded. They could not have imagined that the female bandit known in the capital would have such an outstanding temperament. Seeing her discussing the matter with imposing manner, and the righteousness between her eyebrows, they could not help but admire her.  

With so many officials in the court, there really aren't many who could defy the power of the Marquis of Zhongyi.

"Yes, Lord Ren." The magistrates received their orders and their long swords came out from their waists. Their stern and fierce aura startling the crowd.

The guards around Gu Qishan saw this scene and were in a panic, not knowing whether to stop them or not. When Wu Chong saw the opportunity, he rushed forward and pulled Gu Qishan out and threw him into the ranks of the magistrates.

Gu Qishan was crushed by a group of magistrates. His hat fell to the ground and he was in a terrible state. He turned around and shouted angrily at Ren Anle: "Ren Anle, you dare to take me. Wait till this Young Master comes out...I will make you look good."

"When you are no longer using the reputation of the Marquis of Zhongyi to show off your authority, I would like to hear this sentence."

Ren Anle walked down the stairs, lightly whispered in Gu Qishan's ear, and raised her horse towards the Da Lisi. As the fast horse turned down the street, she suddenly turned her head back and looked towards a window on the second floor of the Juxian Building, the corners of her lips pursed and her gaze burning.

In the private room on the second floor, Wen Shuo retracted his head and sighed , "Your Highness, this time the Da Lisi has stirred up trouble. The Marquis of Zhongyi is short-sighted and narrow-minded. I'm afraid he will probably not let Ren Anle have an easy time. Are you still going to keep the show going?"

Gu Qishan only took the exam questions from Wu Yue, which was not considered a serious crime. This matter cannot move the roots of the Marquis of Zhongyi's house. The Marquis of Zhongyi, Gu Kuan, was in charge of the military power in the northwest. It is too easy to deal with a Ren Anle.        

Han Ye nodded his head and raised his eyebrows, "Naturally."

"This time the imperial court will be lively!"

"I'm afraid it's not just the imperial court." Han Ye looked in the direction of the imperial city, somewhat meaningfully.

Wen Shuo smiled at his words. He had heard that His Majesty's new favourite, Imperial concubine Zhaoyi, had a temper of her own!

A bandit general who has only been in the capital for three months is under the pressure of two major mountains, the imperial court and the harem. How can she accomplish anything?

Wen Shuo sighed, thinking of the woman who was raging like a fire in the hunting grounds, and suddenly felt a little pity.