The autumn rain at the third watch showed no sign of stopping, instead growing heavier.
The plaque above the main hall of the Shang residence had already been removed and left abandoned in the pooling water of the courtyard. The words "Shang Residence" faced downward, trampled under countless footprints. Feng Huan, a secretary from the Ministry of Justice, stood before a desk piled high with documents, his brush hovering over the inventory register, uncertain how to begin writing. The search of the study had already dragged on for two hours.
"Lord Feng," Chen You, the secretary from the Ministry of Revenue tasked with verifying the silver reserves, leaned in and lowered his voice. "That hidden compartment has been found."
Feng Huan looked up. Chen You's expression was grim, his eyes filled with lingering dread. He led Feng Huan through several corridors to the east wall of the study. There, the painting of Jiangnan in Spring Rain once hung, but now it had been removed, revealing a recess built into the wall.
The opening was about two feet square, the copper lock already pried open.
"It's all here," Chen You said, pointing.
Inside the compartment, there were no silver ingots, no deeds for land or houses. Neatly stacked were six blue-bound account books.
No markings appeared on any of the covers. But the moment Feng Huan opened the first page, his breathing grew ragged.
"...In the third month of the seventeenth year of Yongtai, Sun Qian, Vice Minister of War, received a gratuity of four thousand taels. In the fifth month of the seventeenth year of Yongtai, Zhao Wenyuan, Vice Minister of Works, received a summe gratuity of six hundred taels and a winter gratuity of eight hundred taels..."
These were no ordinary accounts.
This was a register of gratuities—"ice gifts" and "charcoal gifts"—given in tribute.
It recorded the detailed records of bribes paid by officials from the six ministries to Shang Qitai over twenty years.
Every entry was complete with date, amount, and intermediary. Some of the names listed here, Feng Huan had seen on the court roster that very morning.
"Good heavens, this thing..." Feng Huan wiped the sweat from his brow. "If this is submitted, half the court will lose their heads!"
Chen You didn't respond. Instead, he took half a step back. He was from the Ministry of Revenue. With Shang Qitai's downfall, the ministry was now a hollow shell. If these ledgers were ever fully opened, his own hidden accounts of embezzlement would probably catch up to him as well.
Feng Huan's hand trembled as he held the books.
Seizing such evidence was normally his specialty, but this item could topple half the imperial court, a death warrant disguised as proof.
Just as he wrestled with his dilemma, footsteps sounded from outside the study door.
The man who entered wore official robes and a black gauze cap. He looked about forty, with a gaunt face and a neatly trimmed beard.
This was Zhou Yan, a secretary in the Grand Secretariat. His official rank was low, but as a protégé of Grand Secretary Xu Jie, he often moved through the inner circles of power.
"Lord Feng." Zhou Yan entered the study and saluted Feng Huan with a cupped-hand gesture, his gaze sweeping across the account books on the desk. "Lord Grand Secretary has ordered that any items from the Shang residence's confiscation involving contact with officials from the six ministries must first pass through the Grand Secretariat, so as to avoid implicating the innocent and destabilizing the foundations of the state."
Feng Huan swallowed hard. The words sounded righteous enough, but the intent was clear: to wrest control of these ledgers away from the Ministry of Justice.
"Lord Zhou," Feng Huan forced out, "by law, case evidence should be sealed and kept by the Ministry of Justice..."
"The law is rigid, but men are flexible!" Zhou Yan interrupted him, his tone genial. "Lord Feng has labored hard with today's search. If these ledgers are sent to the Three Judicial Offices, at tomorrow's morning court, the civil and military officials will have no heart for state affairs. They'll be too busy trying to save their own necks. We're in the middle of a border war in the north, and the autumn imperial exams are imminent. The court cannot afford more chaos."
"And also, you saw nothing."
The implication was clear.
Feng Huan was silent for a long moment. Then, he pushed the accounts to the center of the desk.
Zhou Yan expressed his thanks and walked over to the brazier.
Inside the brazier, the silver charcoal was burning hot. The flames cast flickering shadows across his face, shrouding his expression in light and dark.
He picked up the first ledger and casually flipped through a few pages. A cold smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Then, he threw the entire book into the flames.
Paper caught fire instantly.
The blue cover curled and blackened as the pages erupted into flames. All those bribery amounts, those names of the recipients, burned to cinders in the fire.
Zhou Yan threw in one book after another, showing no concern for the incriminating evidence he was destroying.
Feng Huan and Chen You stood by, watching helplessly as evidence that could shake the six ministries turned to ash.
Neither dared to make a sound.
The firelight from the brazier cast upon their faces, revealing two different expressions: one of relieved luck, the other of stunned bewilderment.
Once all six ledgers had been consumed, Zhou Yan brushed the ashes from his hands, turned, and saluted Feng Huan once more. "Thank you for your cooperation, Lord Feng. Rest assured, Lord Grand Secretary will remember today's favor."
Feng Huan’s lips trembled as he forced out two words: "I dare not presume."
Without further ado, Zhou Yan left with his attendants.
Only Feng Huan and Chen You remained in the study, surrounded by the scattered remnants of the search.
Rain pattered outside the window. In the brazier, the last corner of paper finished burning, turned completely to ash.
"Lord Chen," Feng Huan said, his voice dry, "let's register the remaining items into inventory as per the standard procedure."
Chen You nodded and bent down to count the silver notes. Neither of them mentioned the vanished ledgers.
Some things were best left buried in the belly, far better than being brought to the emperor's attention.
...
By the fifth watch, the autumn rain had briefly stopped, but the sky had not yet brightened.
Inside the Golden Throne Hall, large candles were lit. The civil and military officials stood in two silent rows.
On the dragon throne, the old emperor's face revealed nothing.
He had just finished listening to Wang Shoujing, chief minister of the Court of Judicial Review, report on the case of Shang Qitai: the charges were embezzlement and dereliction of duty, involving an enormous sum—he was already in the prison cells from the night before.
"For twelve years Shang Qitai oversaw the Ministry of Revenue, and his contributions were great. It is a pity he was momentarily misguided," the old emperor's voice echoed through the hall, holding no trace of anger, flat and indifferent. "Since he is already imprisoned, let the law take its course."
Light and dismissive. Smooth turning of a heavy stone.
The charge of treason and colluding with the enemy had been reduced to simple corruption.
This was mercy. And also severance.
All the court officials stood with heads bowed. No one stepped forward. No one pleaded for mercy.
Xiao Jingxing, the First Prince, stood at the front of the imperial clan's row, head lowered, cold sweat streaming down his brow.
He dared not lift his gaze to the throne, nor look across at Xu Youde.
His mother's slap still stung his face from last night. Noble Consort Wan's warning still echoed in his mind: "Your father won't drown you in the spittle of storytellers. He will wither you with the cold indifference of the entire court."
And now, this deathly silence pressed down upon him, suffocating.
The old emperor's gaze swept across the faces of his ministers one by one, finally resting on Xu Jie, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.
Seeing this, Xu Jie bowed slightly and stepped forward from the ranks.
"Your Majesty," Xu Jie said, his voice old and steady, "Now that Shang Qitai has been imprisoned, the Ministry of Revenue cannot go without a leader for a single day. I recommend Xu Youde, the Left Vice Minister of Revenue, to temporarily take charge as Acting Minister of Revenue."
At these words, the breathing in the hall seemed to stop.
Xu Youde was stunned.
Was this promotion really happening, just like that?
The old emperor nodded, scanning him briefly without pausing his gaze.
"Approved."
One word. Finalized.
Among the group of old-guard officials, several cursed Xu the Great inwardly, but fear overwhelmed their resentment.
How could they fight? With what argument?
This was the Grand Secretary. This was Xu Jie!
One elderly official, his heart pounding, could only think of packing up early and heading home.
"Ah, we've fought for most of our lives. Best to go home and dandle my grandchildren on my knee. That's how to live out my days in peace too."
Shang Qitai had fallen. Xu Youde had risen.
This wasn't simply filling a vacancy. This was Xu Jie using the emperor's own hand to root out all the thorns in the court.
"Xu Youde," the old emperor called.
Xu Youde hurried out from the ranks, knelt, and pressed his forehead to the ground. "Your subject is here."
"The fifteenth day is the deadline. We await your grain," the old emperor said flatly. "If you are a single day late, you will present your head yourself."
"Your subject accepts the decree! I will not fail in my duty!" Xu Youde kowtowed heavily.
Kneeling on the stone floor, he felt countless stares boring into the back of his skull. There were surely those who were envious, those who were sour, and more still who wished to flay him alive out of sheer hostility.
"Rise," the old emperor waved his hand. "What of the preparations for the autumn examinations, Lord Xu?"
Xu Jie stepped forward again. "Your Majesty, the examination hall is fully prepared. The lists of the chief examiner and associate examiners have been drawn up and will be presented for Your Majesty's review tomorrow as per protocol. The candidates from all prefectures have also arrived in the capital."
"This year's policy discussion will test genuine practical knowledge!" the old emperor drawled slowly. "Lord Xu's proposed questions—We have reviewed them and found them quite excellent. As planned, the examinations will commence on the fifteenth day of the eighth month."
"Your subject obeys."
The old emperor spoke a few more formal court pleasantries before declaring the session adjourned. The hundred officials kowtowed and dispersed.
The old emperor rose and was surrounded by eunuchs as he walked toward the rear halls, but he paused at the side of the steps, muttering a few words to the head eunuch, Eunuch Li.
Eunuch Li bowed in acknowledgment, hurried down the steps, and strode directly to the First Prince Xiao Jingxing.
"Your Highness," Eunuch Li said in a shrill voice, "His Majesty commands by word of mouth that you proceed to the Imperial Garden, as he has questions for you."
Xiao Jingxing's face turned sheet white in an instant. He glanced toward the rear hall, swallowed the words that had risen to his lips, and simply answered, "Yes."
As he followed Eunuch Li, his legs went weak and trembled with every step.
The court officials meandered out of the Hall of Golden Chimes.
Xu Youde stayed in the crowd, shrinking his neck and hastening toward the palace gates with his head down.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"Magistrate Xu." It was Xu Jie's voice.
Xu Youde quickly turned and bowed with clasped hands. "Lord Grand Secretary."
Xu Jie walked up beside him, and the two proceeded side by side.
The old grand secretary's pace was slow with age.
"This morning's court session—did you grasp everything His Majesty said?" Xu Jie looked straight ahead, his voice low.
"Your subject understands!" Xu Youde bent to respond. "Regarding this military grain affair, I will stake my life to get it done. Within fifteen days, three hundred thousand piculs of grain, not a single measure short, delivered to the Northern Garrison Pass."
"Grain is secondary," Xu Jie suddenly stopped, turning to Xu Youde.
"What His Majesty wants is not the grain. It is whether the Xu family is useful, whether they cut cleanly when ordered, whether they can be controlled."
"I believe... you, or rather, your daughter Xu Qinghuan, has long understood this much."
Xu Youde broke out in a cold sweat but could only nod quickly on the surface.
"To promote the new learning and reform the autumn examinations, someone must be sent out to take the arrows," Xu Jie continued strolling, his tone utterly calm. "That old fool Shang Qitai is spent—time to kick him out. You have just gained power. Keep your eyes wide open."
"Your subject respectfully heeds Lord Grand Secretary's instruction!" Xu Youde's throat went dry.
Xu Jie could not be bothered to waste more words. He waved his hand, dismissing him.
Xu Youde retreated a few steps, still bowing, then fiercely wiped his face. His hands were soaked with cold sweat.
...
At the far end of the palace causeway, the glazed tiles of the Imperial Garden shimmered with a cold sheen in the morning light.
Xiao Jingxing followed Eunuch Li into that maze of pavilions and terraces.
