A few days later, Yan Liangrong and Yan Liangyu reported to the Office of Law and received their official uniforms.
Since it was their first day, Yan Tongshu accompanied them.
As the Office of Law was a newly established department, several officials from the court had initially been assigned to assist with its operations. Once the office gradually got on track after a year, these officials would withdraw one by one.
Yan Tongshu took a walk around the office and spotted Gao Qi and Zhao Sheng. The two had passed the examination to become yamen runners not long ago, and were now on duty in their crisp, proper uniforms.
Yan Tongshu walked up to them, looked them over from head to toe, and said with a bright smile, “Not bad! You look like the real thing.”
Gao Qi and Zhao Sheng straightened their chests.
Zhao Sheng grinned. “Lord Yan, is this really happening? Someone like me actually became a yamen runner.”
“Of course it is.” Yan Tongshu smiled. “But now that you’re yamen runners, you need to break those old habits of petty thievery and mischief. Don’t forget the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Yamen Runners that Big Brother Xu Qiu taught you.”
“Yes!” Zhao Sheng replied loudly.
Gao Qi was more composed and did not shout. Instead, he responded with a ramrod-straight posture.
After answering, Zhao Sheng chuckled foolishly. “Lord Yan, you have no idea—my mother was over the moon. Ever since she found out I passed the exam and became a yamen runner, the smile hasn’t left her face all day. And with every bowl of noodles she serves, she piles on the minced meat like there’s no tomorrow. No matter whether the customer asks, she always has to say, ‘Oh, my son has made something of himself! He’s become a yamen runner! Let’s all celebrate!’ In my whole life, this is the first time I’ve ever made my mother so proud.”
Yan Tongshu reminded him, “So work hard from now on, and don’t make your mother worry about you anymore.”
Zhao Sheng nodded vigorously. “I promise! From now on, I’ll turn over a new leaf and become a new man.”
The three of them were still talking when Cen Xu walked over. He bowed to Yan Tongshu and smiled. “Lord Yan.”
Yan Tongshu asked curiously, “What are you doing here?”
Cen Xu smiled. “The Ministry of Personnel issued an order transferring me here to oversee the daily operations and assist with management. But besides me, there’s another familiar face at the Office of Law. Can you guess who?”
Yan Tongshu shook her head.
The Office of Law was newly established. How could she possibly guess?
Cen Xu’s thin lips parted, and he uttered three words: “Pei Jin’an.”
Yan Tongshu’s eyes widened slightly. She confirmed it with Cen Xu through her gaze.
Under her stare, Cen Xu nodded. “That’s right. The grandson of the Right Vice Minister of Revenue—the Honorable Censor, Pei Jin’an.”
Yan Tongshu narrowed her eyes and smiled.
She understood.
So her clingy little brother wanted to win her over through constant companionship.
After leaving the Office of Law, Yan Tongshu was in an excellent mood.
Besides, today was her day off.
Every government office had different rest days; it was impossible for all of them to take leave at the same time. Thus, the Office of Law was on duty today, while she had the day off.
Yan Tongshu took Pearl and Jinbao cherry-picking.
The cherries had just ripened this season, making it the perfect time to taste the first harvest. The Tong family in Baiye Village, east of the city, had rented two acres of land to grow cherries.
Their cherries were crystal-clear, thin-skinned, small-pitted, and wonderfully fleshy, with a sweet-and-tart flavor.
Every year around this time, Yan Tongshu would bring Pearl and Jinbao to pick several large baskets to enjoy at their leisure.
This year, many things had delayed her, so even this visit counted as rather late.
The carriage traveled eastward for quite some time before finally reaching the cherry orchard.
The moment Aunt Tong saw Yan Tongshu, she immediately dropped the basin in her hands and hurried over.
“Why, it’s Young Master Yan—ah, no, Lord Yan! You’re here. The cherries ripened this year, and when I didn’t see you, I thought you weren’t coming.”
Yan Tongshu hopped down from the carriage. “How could I not? I love the cherries from your orchard.”
Hearing this, Aunt Tong felt a surge of pride, as though her family’s cherries had just received the highest possible praise.
“All right, then. I’ll go get you some clippers and baskets.”
“Thank you, Aunt Tong.”
As Yan Tongshu waited, she suddenly heard the clinking of a small hammer approaching from nearby.
“Shoes repaired! Nails replaced! Shoes mended!”
It turned out to be a cobbler who specialized in hobnailed shoes.
Bianjing was prosperous, but most of its roads were unpaved. Whenever it drizzled, the muddy ground became treacherous. Shoes could easily sink into it, making people not only prone to falling but also terribly disheveled.
That was when hobnailed shoes came in handy.
Yan Tongshu herself owned five pairs.
Hobnailed shoes were generally made by stitching together layers of cowhide and thick cloth, then hammering iron nails into the soles—usually seven beneath the front of each shoe and eight beneath the heel.
Although that sounded simple, the actual process was highly complicated, involving seven or eight separate techniques. Every step required skill and meticulous finishing. It was genuine craftsmanship, which was why cobblers specializing in hobnailed shoes existed.
The sound of the little hammer drew closer.
After Aunt Tong handed Yan Tongshu the baskets and clippers, the cobbler arrived as well.
“Hey, cobbler, don’t leave yet. I have two pairs of shoes that need repairing,” Aunt Tong called.
“Sure thing! Bring them out and let me take a look.”
The cobbler limped on one leg, and his face was bruised and swollen, as though he had just been beaten. As soon as he heard there was business, he hurried over and stood in the courtyard, waiting for Aunt Tong to bring out the shoes.
Yan Tongshu divided the baskets between Pearl and Jinbao, then happily headed into the cherry orchard to pick.
The cherries of this era were nothing like the improved modern varieties, which were incredibly sweet. Most of these had a stronger tartness, but Yan Tongshu loved that sweet-and-sour flavor.
Small cherries hung from the trees, half red and half yellow. Under the sunlight, they looked delicate and enticing, their fresh fragrance drifting through the air.
Yan Tongshu picked one and popped it into her mouth.
Mmm. That was the tartness she remembered—three parts sweet to seven parts sour. Absolutely delicious.
In high spirits, Yan Tongshu began snipping cherries at top speed.
She would pick extra to share with her sisters and Yan Liangyu. If they couldn’t finish them all, she could use them to make cherry jam. Spread over a soft, fluffy steamed bun in the morning, cherry jam would be heavenly.
Before long, Yan Tongshu was sweating all over. She sat down to rest.
In the orchard, Pearl and Jinbao had somehow started competing again. They were challenging each other to see who could pick more, each working harder than the other.
Yan Tongshu thought for a moment, then stood up to cheer Jinbao on.
Pearl immediately took offense and began working furiously.
Yan Tongshu turned around and cheered for Pearl instead, and Jinbao became unhappy.
Excellent. The two of them picked with all their might and soon filled two baskets to the brim.
Pearl and Jinbao looked at their overflowing baskets, then at Yan Tongshu’s basket, which was only half full. They marched toward her with righteous indignation.
“Young Master! You cheated again!”
Yan Tongshu defended herself with a guilty look. “You can’t blame me. You were the ones who decided to compete. I was only cheering you on.”
Pearl and Jinbao put their hands on their hips, puffing up angrily. “Hmph! Young Master, you always have so many excuses.”
Yan Tongshu blinked. “It really isn’t my fault. Tell me—weren’t you the ones who wanted to compete?”
That was true enough.
Pearl and Jinbao were simplehearted and couldn’t outargue Yan Tongshu, so they had no choice but to accept her explanation.
Yan Tongshu took out another basket and smiled at them. “Give me some, will you? Your baskets are piled so high with cherries that they’ll spill out when you carry them. If you put some in mine, they won’t fall out.”
Pearl and Jinbao looked at their baskets. There really were far too many cherries for them to carry comfortably.
Delighted, they scooped up handful after handful of the thin-skinned, plump, juicy cherries and placed them into Yan Tongshu’s basket.
That was how all three baskets ended up full. The three of them ate cherries as they hummed their way back to Aunt Tong’s house.
By the time they returned, the three pairs of studded shoes belonging to the five members of Aunt Tong’s household were nearly repaired.
The nails had already been hammered back into place. The cobbler then took out a thick sewing needle and began mending the soles.
A cobbler’s needle was different from an embroidery needle. It was much larger and thicker—bigger even than a modern hatpin.
Aunt Tong brought out her scales and weighed the three baskets of cherries. At fifteen copper coins per pound, the three baskets came to a little over seven pounds. Aunt Tong rounded it down and charged Yan Tongshu and the others for seven pounds.
Pearl handed over the money. Aunt Tong counted it and found the amount exact.
She smiled and said, “Magistrate Yan, wait a moment. My younger sister came by yesterday and brought me a small basket of wild mulberries. They’re very sweet. You rarely come by, so take them home and have a taste.”
With that, Aunt Tong turned and went inside.
The cobbler had finished repairing the shoes and set them aside. His eyes darted about as he stared at Aunt Tong’s house.
Cherries were considered an expensive fruit in this era. Aunt Tong could earn quite a bit from the two mu of land she planted with cherry trees each year, so her household naturally enjoyed better food and clothing than most.
Yan Tongshu noticed that the cobbler was up to no good and gave a light cough twice.
The cobbler hurriedly lowered his head.
Aunt Tong came back out and handed the mulberries to Yan Tongshu.
The cobbler came over to collect his payment. Aunt Tong inspected the shoes, confirmed that there were no problems, and paid him. The cobbler tapped his little hammer and called out as he limped off toward the next household.
Yan Tongshu tasted a few mulberries. They were tart and sweet, and delicious.
She said, “Aunt Tong, do you know that cobbler? I noticed him looking around your house just now. Be careful.”
“Oh, dear.” Aunt Tong nodded vigorously. “You’re right. I really do need to be careful. In particular, I heard that this cobbler once made a great fortune, but he was a terrible man. After he became rich, he developed a gambling habit. He visited brothels, gambled, and even kept a concubine. His wife and children were driven away by his behavior.
“Now he’s lost all his money and is buried in debt. His leg was even broken by his creditors, so he had no choice but to start working as a cobbler again. In a little while, I’ll call my husband and our three sons home. That way, no one will think this household contains only one old woman who can be bullied.”
“Mm. Be careful, and make sure you bolt the doors and windows tightly tonight.”
After saying this, Yan Tongshu, Pearl, and Jinbao carried the baskets back to the carriage.
Jinbao drove the carriage leisurely toward the city gate, while Yan Tongshu and Pearl washed cherries with clean water inside the carriage, eating them as they went.
The carriage joined the line waiting to enter the city. Yan Tongshu grabbed a handful of cherries and opened the curtain, eating them as she admired the scenery.
The city gate was often bustling with people coming and going—men and women, old and young, along with ducks, chickens, cattle, and sheep. All sorts of people passed through, creating a unique, lively atmosphere.
Yan Tongshu was thoroughly absorbed in watching the scene when a horse’s head, red as darkened blood, suddenly filled her entire view.
She looked up and saw Qin Yi sitting astride the horse, gazing down at her in leisurely silence. Deng Xuanying and Lu Xi rode behind him. Judging by their appearance, the three had just returned from handling business outside the city.
Yan Tongshu held out the cherries in her hand to Qin Yi. “My lord, they’re sweet.”
Qin Yi glanced at the cherries but did not take them. He lifted his head and stared straight ahead.
Yan Tongshu frowned. What was wrong with him today?
But it didn’t matter.
The two lines were moving side by side, with Qin Yi’s riders alongside her carriage.
When the people ahead began to move, Qin Yi rode forward, and Deng Xuanying and Lu Xi followed, bringing them alongside Yan Tongshu’s carriage.
Yan Tongshu thought for a moment, then turned and took three packets of cherries from the carriage, wrapped in paper. She handed one to Deng Xuanying. “A small token of respect, Aunt Deng.”
Deng Xuanying raised a hand and accepted it. “If you recommended them, they must be good.”
Yan Tongshu smiled, then handed the other two packets to Lu Xi. “Here, Lu Xi. These are for you.”
“Thank you, Magistrate Yan.” Lu Xi accepted them readily. After thinking for a moment, he pulled a delicate embroidered ball from inside his robes.
The ball was pale purple, with a different flower embroidered on each side.
Lu Xi smiled. “Magistrate Yan, we passed a market on the way back, and His Lordship bought this on a whim. He casually rewarded it to me afterward. I have no use for the thing, so why don’t you take it home for Yuanzi?”
“All right.” Yan Tongshu accepted it with a bright smile and tossed it lightly from hand to hand.
She had missed out on an embroidered ball last time. This one came at just the right moment.
It was small, light, and soft—a perfect little toy for Yuanzi.
Just then, Yan Tongshu’s line began to move. The carriage rolled forward, bringing her alongside Qin Yi once more.
Qin Yi lowered his lashes and glanced at her before withdrawing his gaze.
Yan Tongshu could not make sense of the moody young emperor. She simply withdrew into the carriage and lowered the curtain.
Back at the imperial palace, Qin Yi entered the Hall of Supreme Governance and devoted himself to reviewing memorials.
It had been some time since the case of Meng Yi. The Meng family had been behaving very quietly—or rather, everything appeared calm on the surface, while turbulent currents churned beneath the river.
Since ascending the throne, he was experiencing for the first time what it meant for everything to go smoothly, to move with ease.
It was as though something had suddenly cleared the stagnant court. Things should not have gone this smoothly. In the past, everything he tried to do had met with countless obstacles, yet suddenly, every path had opened.
It was as if divine aid were guiding him toward the sea, though he could not find the slightest trace of its source.
Now that things were going smoothly for him, Prince Ming had grown anxious instead.
The imperial brush in Qin Yi’s hand came to a halt.
He had gone to see Meng Yi off on the day of his funeral.
He had asked Meng Zheng whether he hated Yan Tongshu. Meng Zheng had shaken his head.
Meng Zheng suffered with full awareness.
“Father committed a crime. His death sentence was handed down by the law, not by any particular person. The man sitting in the Kaifeng Prefecture courtroom that day was not Yan Tongshu, but the prefect of Kaifeng. Whoever had occupied that position would have reached the same verdict.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to walk the road ahead, or where fate will carry me. But…”
His eyes reddened. “A person cannot live with only profit and no sense of right and wrong, or with only personal feelings and no distinction between black and white. As his son…I did everything I could to save him. After that, as a descendant of the Meng family, I should follow his final words: understand right and wrong, distinguish black from white. I should be this way. I should…I ought to…be this way…”
He had thought everything through. His mind was clear and rational, yet he remained in terrible pain.
Rational thought could not dissolve the grief in his heart.
Only time could heal it.
Qin Yi thought that perhaps even Prince Ming himself did not understand why everything had suddenly begun going against him.
But Qin Yi understood now.
This was the power of the human heart.
Before, it had been his side whose people were divided and dispirited. Now, it was Prince Ming’s side that was gripped by unease, stirring with suppressed unrest.
A slight shift in the hearts of a few people could change nothing. But when the hearts of countless people turned in the same direction, they became astonishingly united. Like countless droplets of water flowing of their own accord into streams, they formed rivers and eventually merged into the sea.
Afterward, he had promoted Meng Zheng, against all convention, to Deputy Commander of the Divine Guard Army. To outsiders, it appeared to be an act of guilt and compensation. Qin Yi knew that those were certainly factors, but more importantly, he trusted Meng Zheng.
He trusted that Meng Zheng would breathe a new spirit into the Divine Guard Army. He trusted that Meng Zheng could restrain Duan Duo and transform the Divine Guard Army into a truly invincible force.
Qin Yi set down his imperial brush and reached for his tea. Beside the teacup sat a small plate of cherries.
Qin Yi frowned. Before he could say anything, Lu Xi, reading his expression, explained, “Your Majesty, Magistrate Yan gave these to this servant on the way into the city. This servant ate a few and found them delicious—sweet and tart—so I washed some, thinking Your Majesty might enjoy a little flavor when your mouth felt dull.”
Qin Yi scolded him, “Must you make such a show of yourself?”
Lu Xi bent at the waist in apology. “This servant deserves to die.”
With that, he picked up the small plate of cherries and was about to leave. Qin Yi took up a new memorial. “Since they’re washed, leave them here.”
“Yes.”
Lu Xi set down the cherries.
Qin Yi read the memorial for a while, then, seemingly absentmindedly, picked up a cherry and put it into his mouth.
The skin was very thin, melting with the slightest pressure.
It was faintly tart at first, followed by sweetness.
The two flavors mingled perfectly, tart and sweet alternating in just the right measure.
After eating one, he wanted another; after the second, he wanted a third.
Before long, the small plate was empty.
Qin Yi’s hand hovered over the bare plate, and he pressed his lips together.
He withdrew his hand, picked up the memorial, and asked in an even voice, “What about the rest?”
Lu Xi blinked. “Pardon?”
Qin Yi’s voice remained calm. “Didn’t she give you two packets?”
Understanding dawned on Lu Xi. “This servant will wash the rest and bring them in at once.”
Qin Yi lowered his eyes, his voice steady and neither loud nor soft. “Mm.”
“Yes.”
Lu Xi bowed, backed away in small steps, then turned and walked out of the palace hall.
That evening, Yan Tongshu played with Yuanzi using a woolen ball.
Yuanzi was remarkably clever. Whenever Yan Tongshu pushed the ball in front of it, it would immediately butt it back with its little head. Yan Tongshu would push it again, and Yuanzi would knock it back again.
When Yan Tongshu grew tired and stopped pushing, Yuanzi would hug the ball and play by itself.
Late at night on the twenty-ninth, Yan Tongshu was sleeping soundly with Yuanzi in her arms.
In her dream, a full moon illuminated an endless grassland. She sat beside a bonfire, staring at a fragrant whole roasted lamb.
The lamb’s outer layer had already been roasted crisp, oil sizzling as it dripped. Pearl sprinkled roasting spices over it, while Jinbao took out a knife and sliced off the perfectly cooked meat from the surface, placing it onto a plate.
“Master, Master.”
Pearl was calling Yan Tongshu.
Yan Tongshu murmured twice in response, staring at the plate in Jinbao’s hands—the roasted lamb, fragrant and charred.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Master, Master!”
How could there be knocking in the middle of this empty grassland?
“Meow, meow~”
Damn Yuanzi, don’t lick me. I was just about to eat the roast lamb.
Yan Tongshu opened her eyes.
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.
The knocking had become urgent. Pearl shouted, “Master, Master! Open the door! Something has happened. Assistant Magistrate Zhang is already waiting in the reception hall.”
Yan Tongshu sat up in bed.
What had happened now?
She had finally enjoyed a few comfortable days.
And couldn’t they at least let her finish her roast lamb in the middle of the night?
She had been so close.
Yan Tongshu put on an outer robe and opened the door. “What exactly happened?”
Pearl replied, “This maidservant doesn’t know either. It seems to be complicated. Assistant Magistrate Zhang explained a few things, but this maidservant didn’t understand them. I only know that Prince Ning is dead.”
Yan Tongshu fell silent for a moment.
Perhaps because Prince Ning’s character was so poor, she felt not the slightest surprise upon hearing that he was dead.
And if he had died, he probably had countless enemies, just like Cao Jian.
Yan Tongshu straightened her clothes, slipped on her shoes, and followed Pearl to the reception hall.
Zhang Jiu had already been waiting there. The moment he saw Yan Tongshu, he hurried over to meet her.
“Magistrate Yan, this matter is urgent.”
“What happened?” Yan Tongshu asked.
Zhang Jiu said, “Prince Ning died suddenly in his bedroom without any warning. The Ministry of Justice has already gone over there. Cen Xu sent someone to notify Kaifeng Prefecture, saying that the Ministry of Justice intends to conclude the case as death from illness, but he feels there may be something suspicious about it.”
No wonder it was urgent. The Ministry of Justice wanted to close the case hastily.
Yan Tongshu rubbed her face to wake herself completely. “Let’s go to the Earl of Yuguo’s residence.”
The two of them soon brought people from Kaifeng Prefecture to the Earl of Yuguo’s residence.
By then, the Ministry of Justice had sealed off Prince Ning’s bedroom. After completing its inspection, it had withdrawn its men.
When Yan Tongshu entered the courtyard, the Minister of Justice was speaking with the Earl of Yuguo, while Tantai Mingzhu stood to one side, supported by a maidservant.
Minister Chu sighed, deliberately adding a measure of grief to his voice. “Earl of Yuguo, I served alongside Prince Ning. I am deeply saddened by his death from illness. Please accept my condolences.”
The Earl of Yuguo’s eyes were filled with sorrow, but he did not contradict Minister Chu. “My son’s fate was simply unfortunate.”
The two men understood each other without needing to say more.
Tantai Mingzhu lowered her head and eyes.
Yan Tongshu narrowed her eyes. Prince Ning was the Earl of Yuguo’s own son. He had always been in good health, yet had suddenly died in his bedroom in the middle of the night. And the Earl of Yuguo had so readily accepted that it was a death from illness?
Minister Chu offered the Earl of Yuguo a few more words of comfort. “All right. Now that the matter has been clarified—”
“Minister Chu.”
Yan Tongshu called out softly. Minister Chu’s body stiffened slightly.
Who had summoned this Living King of Hell?
Minister Chu did not know Yan Tongshu was coming. He forced a stiff smile. “Magistrate Yan, this case has already been settled. Why make a needless trip in the middle of the night?”
“A murder has occurred in Kaifeng, and the victim is Prince Ning, a man of such exalted status. As the magistrate of Kaifeng, I naturally have to come and take a look for myself.”
As she spoke, Yan Tongshu walked toward the bedroom door. The Earl of Yuguo shifted one step to block her way.
“What murder? My son caught a chill a few days ago and refused to take his medicine, so he never recovered. Who would have thought his condition would suddenly worsen during the night and he would pass away? The coroner has already examined him.”
“Is that so?”
Yan Tongshu’s gaze sharpened. She pushed the Earl of Yuguo aside and continued toward the bedroom. “We’ll know how Prince Ning died once we examine the scene.”
The Earl of Yuguo and Minister Chu tried to follow, but Zhang Jiu and the Kaifeng officials blocked their path.
Minister Chu was beset with a headache.
Damn it, who had called this Living King of Hell over?
Cen Xu was not with him this time.
Could there be an informant within the Ministry of Justice?
The Earl of Yuguo’s expression was equally grim. The murderer could have been investigated privately and executed in private, but now that they had provoked Yan Tongshu and allowed her to investigate, complications were bound to arise.
“Stand aside!” Minister Chu shouted sternly, but Zhang Jiu remained unmoved.
Minister Chu’s chest heaved. He barked, “Prince Ning’s death is of great importance. Kaifeng Prefecture should investigate jointly with the Ministry of Justice.”
Zhang Jiu considered this briefly, then waved his hand and made way. He himself went with Minister Chu to join Yan Tongshu.
Zhang Jiu directed the clerks to draw a diagram.
Yan Tongshu stood at the doorway and surveyed the room.
Prince Ning’s bedroom was a typical scholar’s chamber, furnished throughout in colors that were dignified without being oppressive.
Several antique paintings hung on the walls as decoration.
The bedroom was divided into two sections: a sleeping area and a sitting area.
In the sitting area just inside the entrance stood a small round table with four chairs. There were several marks on the tabletop where someone appeared to have dug in their fingernails.
On the west side of the round table stood a bookshelf, topped with several potted plants and piles of books.
Behind the round table was a round-arched doorway. Beyond it stood a simple landscape-and-flower-and-bird screen, used to block outsiders’ view and protect the room’s occupant’s privacy whenever guests came to visit.
