CH 12

Gu Qishan is a small overlord of the capital. He usually bullies his neighbors and dominates the city and is not seen by the common people.

The people who got the news crowded the official road with people shouting and clapping their hands. The officers of the Da Lisi had never received such praise from the people, and they all straightened their backs and gripped their swords tightly. They were no longer lazy as usual, and their majesty appeared immediately.   

Wu Chong looked at the woman with her head held high on the horse in front of him and felt a little sad. The imperial court had been too generous to the meritorious officials who had founded the country. These clans' sons and grandsons had been running amok, causing the people to suffer. No matter how this matter ends, Ren Anle will win the hearts and minds of the people of this city.

As they approached the Da Lisi, they heard a clamour. Ren Anle saw Pei Zhan, who was not quite dressed, standing in front of the Da Lisi office with his messy beard and glaring eyes, confronting Huang Pu, whose face was silent.

With a slight narrowing of her eyes, she gripped the reins and looked backwards, "Commander Wu, you are the commander of the Da Lisi. Which one do you listen to, Lord Pei or the Da Lisi token?"

Wu Chong had long since seen the scene in front of the government office. He understood faintly that his predecessor An Le had dispatched him on the basis of a token from the Minister of the Da Lisi. He was silent for a moment and said, "Your Excellency, Wu Chong has received the Emperor's order by the grace of Heaven."

The emperor's order is to investigate this matter thoroughly, which means that he is willing to help her. It seems that Pei Zhan's usual reputation and style has helped her a lot. Ren Anle smiled and said, "Rest assured, Commander Wu. I, Ren Anle, don't make things difficult for others. I'll take care of everything!"  

Having said that, she wave the reins and ran towards the front of the the government office.

"Huang Pu, you don't want to live long. How dare you bring the Shang Shu's son to the Da Lisi!" Pei Zhan lowered his voice and growled, calling him by his first name in his anger.

If the Left Minister hadn't sent someone secretly into his house early in the morning to tell him, he's afraid he would have been kept in the dark until now. It was a well-known fact that the Minister of Revenue is the trusted aide of the Left Minister. This stubborn bull, I should have found an excuse to get rid of him before!

"Your Excellency, Wu Yue already confessed last night that it was Du Tingsong who leaked the examination questions. How can he not be tried in the courtroom as he is possibly the mastermind of the fraud case?" Huang Pu's expression was cold and sober, and his voice was loud and clear. Although he had been questioning all night, he was in high spirits.

"Li Chong'en has already killed himself in fear of crime. You have caused so much trouble ......" Pei Zhan's face was ugly, suddenly looking at Huang Pu, with a gloomy look under his eyes: "Could it be that Huang da ren wants to sit in the position of this official? This is why you want to compete for the limelight!"

"Your Excellency, this humble official only want to find out about the fraudulent examination case. There is no such intention." Huang Pu cupped his hands in obeisance, looking calm and steady.

"Lord Pei, this official also believe that Lord Huang is dedicated to public service and has no selfish motives."

The sound of horses' hooves suddenly sounded. The two men turned around to see Ren Anle's horse coming and stopping in front of the government office.

Pei Zhan was just about to berate her when he crossed over to Ren Anle and saw the vast crowd of people at the end of the street. The sound of Gu Qishan's cursing and ridicule could be heard faintly. Feeling that something was wrong, he said angrily, "Lord Ren, what is this all about!" 

"Wu Yue not only confessed that Du Tingsong was the one who leaked the examination questions, he also gave a copy of the examination questions to the young marquis of the Marquis of Zhongyi. Since there's evidence, it is natural to ask the Young Marquis to go through the hall for questioning." Ren Anle leapt down from her horse and said.

The Young Marquis of the Marquis of Zhongyi's residence, the first son of Gu Kuan? Pei Zhan only felt a thunderbolt strike him and his blood flowed backwards. He shivered and pointed at Ren Anle, suddenly understanding and filled with anger: "Ren Anle, you yielded to this official yesterday for the sake of this official's token!"

If there was no token, how would the magistrates of the Da Lisi dare to take the Young Marquis of the Marquis of Zhongyi back?

Ren Anle didn't say anything, but just walked towards the stone steps of the government office.

In the end, Pei Zhan was very human. His eyes turned and he cast a meaningful glance. He lowered his voice and spoke with a warning tone, "Lord Ren, this official will give you a reminder. Do not follow other people's nonsense. Now send the Young Marquis back to the Marquis of Zhongyi's residence. This official guarantees that the Lord Marquis will definitely ignore the previous affairs."

Between the deafening silence, Huang Pu's eyebrows wrinkled slightly and a sweat formed at the corners of his brow as he watched the approaching Ren Anle.

"Lord Pei." Ren Anle took a few slow steps and walked to the Da Li government office. Her gait calm. She casts her eyes down and her expression unspeakably free and at ease, "Have you forgotten what Ren Anle's origin is?"

Pei Jin was stunned. Ren Anle lowered her head, leaned forward and spoke word by word: "I, Ren Anle, have fished my life out of the pile of dead body on the battlefield. Do you think I am still afraid of death?"

The words that fell on his ears seemed to carry the fury of thousands of roaring military horses. Pei Zhan was so shocked that he took a step backwards and looked at Ren Anle who had a smile on her lips and cold eyes. He sucked in a cold breath, unable to say a word.

In the middle of the conversation, Wu Chong had already led the magistrates and the tied up Gu Qishan to the bottom of the stone steps.

The people behind them seemed to have felt the suffocating atmosphere in front of the magistrate's office, and they all fell silent.

"Lord Pei, why don't you tell these people to let me go!" Gu Qishan seized the opportunity and yelled.

Pei Zhan hurriedly ordered, "Wu Chong, this is a misunderstanding. This case has nothing to do with the Young Marquis. Hurry up and quickly send the young marquis back to the marquis' residence."

"Lord Pei, just now in the Juxian House, Commander Wu clearly said that the fraud case was related to Gu Qishan, so why are you taking it back now!"  

In the crowd, they don't know when the exam candidates who were at the Juxian Building just now all gathered outside the Da Lisi. When they heard that Pei Zhan was going to release Gu Qishan, they came out and questioned him loudly.

Pei Zhan saw the identity of these scholars and his expression changed. He glared at Wu Chong and hurriedly said, "Gentlemen, this is just a rumor. The Da Lisi has found out that the mastermind of the fraud case is the cabinet scholar Li Chong'en. Wu Yue has nothing to do with others......"

"Your Excellency!" Huang Pu stepped forward, interrupting Pei Zhan's words. He looked at the exam candidates under the government office and said loudly, "This case has not yet been investigated. Last night Wu Yue confessed that his examination questions came from Du Ting Song, son of the Minister of Household Affairs." He turned back around and arched his hands in obeisance towards Pei Zhan, "Also asked Your Excellency to ascend to the court and examine this case strictly."

Pei Zhan is in the Da Lisi, so naturally he can no longer go beyond the sacrificial altar and take over the kitchen [1]. 

[1] 越俎代庖 yuè zǔ dài páo - lit. to go beyond the sacrificial altar and take over the kitchen (idiom); fig. to exceed one's place and meddle in other people's affairs; to take matters into one's own hands; The person who officiates at the ritual is stepping over the ceremonial vessel to take the place of the chef. It is a metaphor for going beyond one's duties, overstepping one's authority or taking over.

The common people under the Dali government office suddenly went uproar and discussed spiritedly.

Pei Zhan's face was extremely ugly. He turned his head and whispered angrily, "Huang Pu, you actually dare to force this official! Li Chong'en has already left a suicide note confessing his guilt, and now you are only relying on Wu Yue's one-sided statement. If this official insists on not raising the court, what can you do to me?"

Pei Zhan was also furious and confused.He had been an official for dozens of years and had made a name for himself in the imperial court with his long-sleeved and good dancing[2]. He had never imagined that he would one day be forced to such an extent by Huang Pu, who was inferior to him, and a group of white body scholars [3].

[2]长袖善舞的手段 cháng xiù shàn wǔ de shǒu duàn Long-sleeved good dancing/ long sleeves and good dance skills means to able to balance the forces of all sides well, so that one is in the most advantageous position to gain the highest benefits and not be drawn into the conflicting interests of various other factions, thus keeping one's own benefits gained and a safe position from the constraints of others.

[3]白身学子[bái shēn xuézǐ ] The term "white clothes" became a synonym for a commoner who had no honorary title. In addition, the terms "white scholar", "white body" and "white people" have basically the same meaning, all they all refer to ordinary people without merit.

"If Your Excellency does not ascend the hall ......" Huang Pu stepped back and took off his official hat, "then this humble official will overstep his bounds."

Ren Anle narrowed her eyes. Pei Zhan's expression changed, stunned in place.

Huang Pu suddenly turned around and took out a memorial from his sleeve. He slowly opened it up and presented it to the crowd, saying in a loud voice, "Gentlemen, the Da Lisi is in charge of the capital's prison. There will never be any unjust or false cases. Huang Pu will go to the Qinglong Pavilion to request His Majesty to give everyone a fair trial."

Under the sunlight, the thin memorial was opened up. Each name was placed squarely on it, and on closer inspection, they were the names and seals of the officials of the Da Lisi.

At this point, there was a sudden silence from the top and bottom of the government office. Only the sound of breath intake could be heard.

At the beginning of the founding of Dajing, Taizu prevented the powerful officials from deceiving their subordinates and the common people from redressing their grievances by erecting a huge blue dragon bell on the Qinglong Pavilion in front of the palace. Both the common people and the lower ranking officials were allowed to go beyond their rank to ring the bell to bring their grievances to the attention of Heaven.

But the bell could not be rung easily. Ordinary people who wished to ring the bell had to undergo thirty strokes of the plank to show their will, while lower-ranking officials... had to take the top hat and plume[4] as a guarantee, and if the report was wrong, they would be relegated to the common people and would never be employed as officials.

[4] 頂戴花翎 - flower tail feathers; plume;top hat and plume - It was an important symbol to distinguish the official rank of an official. In the Qing dynasty, the flower plume was a symbol of prestige and rank. Being punished by the removal of the plume is an extraordinary serious punishment.

It was unthinkable that the names of all the officials of the Da Lisi were on this memorial.

"Lord Pei, we are all willing to comply with Lord Huang's wishes."

A group of officials walked out of the Da Lisi, all placing their official hats in their hands and looking solemn.

Pei Zhan's complexion was deathly pale and he shivered, unable to speak. He knew better than anyone that if the Qinglong Bell was really rung in the name of all the officials of the Da Lisi, his career would come to an end.

Huang Pu put away the memorial. He walked over to Ren Anle and cupped his hands in obeisance, "Lord Ren, Yu An has left the Da Lisi in your hands."

Ren Anle raised her head, her gaze burning: "Why would Lord Huang believe in Anle?"

Even to the extent of betting the future of a government official on her!

"We share the same heart. Your Excellency, being a humble man, can understand the pains these candidates have gone through in their ten years of hard study. Besides, Your Excellency has great ambitions in mind, and Yu An believes that Your Excellency's involvement in this case is not just for the sake of the Crown Princess position in the Eastern Palace."

Ren Anle's pupils deepened, and after half a second, she solemnly bowed to Huang Pu: "Lord Huang, Ren Anle promises you that she will never fail to do what your lordship has entrusted her with." 

She knew why Huang Pu had to ring the Qinglong Bell. The Minister of Revenue and the Marquis of Zhongyi, this people was too involved. If not, perhaps the truth would be sealed before it could be made public.

The reason why her name and seal were not included in the memorial was because once the Qinglong bell was rung, everyone would immediately become sinful and no longer have the right to hear the case, and Ren Anle...was the only bargaining chip left by a group of officials from the Da Lisi.

Huang Pu nodded his head and exchanged glances with the officials in the government office. Ten or so officials walked down the stone steps and followed Huang Pu, official hats in hand, towards the Qinglong Pavilion in the Imperial City.

From the beginning to the end, the common people and scholars were silent and solemn, both inside and outside the Da Lisi.

Pei Zhan leaned against a stone lion on the side, his face ashen and defeated.

"Commander Wu, escort Gu Qishan to the main prison. No one is allowed to visit until this case is finalized."

Ren Anle stood on top of the stone steps of the Da Lisi, a vivid purple official robe was particularly eye-catching. Her expression solemn and implicitly powerful.

"Also ........on the day of the trial, the courthouse of the Da Lisi will be open to the people and scholars of the capital who wish to hear this public trial. If you want to hear the trial, you can come here, and Ren Anle will give everyone justice!"

Ren Anle's voice was heard from every corner of the street outside the Da Lisi, a loud and deafening sound. Her voice was clear and so loud that even the deaf can hear.

In the midst of the crowd, on a carriage, through a thin cloth curtain, Han Ye's gaze was deep and distant, and he suddenly burst out laughing.

"What a clever woman." He looked extremely pleased and appreciative. Wen Shuo had never seen such outward emotions in his eyes before, so he was a little bewildered for a moment.

"Your Highness?"　

"Capturing Gu Qishan in the Juxian House where scholars gathered to draw the anger of the exam candidates; bringing Gu Qishan back to the streets to ignite the people's anger, and using the power of the Da Lisi officials to ignite the indignation of all the officials ......" Han Ye shook his head with a bitter smile: "If Gu didn't know that Ren Anle came from the south of Jin, Gu would have thought she had a big grudge against the Marquis of Zhongyi!"

"Your Highness, will His Majesty really give the power to investigate the case to Ren Anle?"

"Wen Shuo." Han Ye's voice was faint and distant, "The Qinglong bell built by the Tai Zu since the founding of the country has never been rung."

Wen Shuo had an epiphany and looked towards the woman standing on the stone steps not far away, unable to hide his shock.　

The Qinglong bell being rung meant that injustice was hard to be redressed under the rule of the Emperor, this was an emperor's failure. Given the temperament of Emperor Jia Ning, how could he possibly hold back this anger? 

But ...... Ren Anle, even if she was smart, would not have predicted that things would develop to such a state, right?

The imperial garden pavilion in the imperial city.

In the past few days, the court has been troubled by trivial matters, and there has been a case of fraud in the imperial examinations. Emperor Jia Ning has suffered from a cold after his anger. It is a rare day when the sky is high and fresh, so he summoned Wang An to the palace for tea.

The Emperor had five brothers. The other four were killed in the chaos of the prince, and the only one left was this gentle and soft-tempered elder brother.

Wang An had no desire for power and never interfered in court disputes, and it was for this reason that the Emperor had always respected him.

"Your Majesty, seeing your rosy complexion, I think you have recovered from the wind chill." Wang An was of a loyal nature. He also had a round face and thick appearance.

"When you're old, the body is not as good as it used to be." Emperor Jia Ning smiled with emotion.

"Where? Your Majesty is in the prime of life. The spirit of a dragon horse [5]. This subject heard that only last month Imperial concubine Zhaoyi was expecting a child. Congratulations to Your Majesty." Wang An cupped his hand to congratulate him, and his eyes were full of teasing.

[5] 龙马精神 [lóng mǎ jīng shén] - the spirit of a dragon horse；full of vigour [vitality]

Emperor Jianing was taken aback for a moment, then laughed long and hard. His expression full of triumph.

"Your Majesty, Gu Zhaoyi is asking for an audience outside the garden." Zhao Fu reported in a low voice from under the stone pavilion, interrupting Emperor Jia Ning's laughter.

Emperor Jia Ning was in a good mood and waved his hand, "Let her in.

Wang An smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Your Majesty, it's indeed true that Cao Cao[6] has arrived."

[6]说曹操曹操到 [shuō cáo cāo cáo cāo dào] - To speak of Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrives is a popular colloquialism. It describes the unexpected appearance of the other party in front of the speaker, often as a surprise; Speak of the devil(魔鬼, 恶棍)，and he appears. 或者Speak of the devil and he will come. 

The Emperor was about to reply when the sound of running footsteps sounded. A woman in a pale red jacket rushed into the stone pavilion. With a raindrops on a pear blossom [7], it was unbearable to look at her. She bowed towards Emperor Jia Ning and choked up, "Your Majesty, you must do something for this concubine."

[7]梨花带雨lit. like raindrops on a pear blossom (idiom); fig. tear-stained face of a beauty

Emperor Jia Ning frowned, a little embarrassed, "What's wrong? Speak slowly, Zhen will do it for you!"

Wang An turned his head back and pretended not to see it.

Gu Zhaoyi lowered her eyes and her voice trembled, "Your Majesty, This concubine heard a message from her family that the shaoqing of the Da Lisi, Ren Anle, had wrongfully accused the younger brother of this concubine and had him tied up in the Da Lisi!"  

"Tied up Qi Shan, how is that possible? Imperial concubine must not listen to rumours."

"Your Majesty, that Ren Anle said that Qi Shan was involved in the imperial examination fraud case. This is a big injustice. Qi Shan was raised by father to be naughty and mischievous, but he doesn't have the guts to cheat in the imperial examinations ah!"

Emperor Jianing narrowed his eyes and his expression faded a bit. He lowered his head and looked at Gu Zhaoyi who was crying sadly. He sighed and reached out to help...

Suddenly, the magnificent and ancient sound of bells rang out in the four fields of the imperial city, spreading throughout the capital with a force that could shake the sky.

The complexions of Emperor Jianing and Wang An changed at the same time, and Wang An even stood up from his seat in shock.

The Qinglong Bell! The Qinglong Bell, which hadn't been rung for twenty years, had actually been rung!

"Your Majesty!" A chamberlain ran in from outside the garden and fell to his knees in a terrified voice: "Lord Huangpu, the shaoqing of the Da Lisi, and dozens of officials from the Da Lisi have rung the Green Dragon Bell, imploring Your Majesty to issue an imperial decree to thoroughly investigate the imperial examinations fraud."

"Your Majesty!"

Before Emperor Jia Ning could respond, almost at the same time, Zeng Hai, the commander of the imperial guards guarding the imperial city, hurriedly entered and also fell to his knees, reporting back in a deep voice, "The candidates of this examination are kneeling outside the Chongyang Gate, begging Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the imperial examination case and give them justice!"

There was a dead silence in the imperial garden as Gu Zhaoyi remained on her knees, completely losing the momentum she had earlier.

Only after a long time did she hear Emperor Jia Ning's cold voice.

"Zeng Hai, bring Huang Pu in to me, Zhen want to ask who it was that dared to let him ring the Qinglong Bell!"

頂戴花翎 - flower tail feathers; plume;top hat and plume 

Source: Baidu