Chapter 489 : Imperial Envoys (3)

The next day, Yun Qing did not rush to do his errands but instead accompanied Yuxi to have breakfast before leaving. On his way out, Yuxi said: “He Rui, please ask Mr Chen to come over. I have something to tell him.” Yuxi saw the official letter exonerating Mr Chen last night.

Yun Qing turned around and asked, “Is there something you want from Mr Chen?” Looking at the smile on Yuxi’s face, he felt it should be something good.

Yuxi chirped, “I’ll tell you later tonight.” She wanted to tell Mr Chen about this happy event in person.

Yun Qing would not examine the roots to inquire at the base1. Seeing this reaction, he said, “All right, tell me tonight.” After saying that, he went out.

After Yuxi sent Yun Qing off, she took Zaozao for a stroll in the vegetable garden next door. As Yuxi looked at the leaves falling from the trees, she muttered: “Autumn is here again, and we need to stock up for the winter.” The only thing she regretted about the raid on the Xu family was that they hadn’t been able to take the grain from several of the Xu family’s granaries back to Yu City and that Prefect Tan had taken it all to the supply depot of the Prefect’s yamen2. By the time Yuxi reacted, it was already too late. No matter how powerful Yun Qing was, there was no way he could go to the yamen2’s grain depot to transport grain.

Zijin said, “Madam, it’s almost time to make bacon and sausages.” Those big men, even Zijin, liked to eat smoked sausages and bacon.

Yuxi responded, “We have prepared enough this year. We should be able to pickle more, and you will have something to eat by then.” Last year, they didn’t prepare bacon and sausages until the end of the year, and since they didn’t have enough ingredients, they couldn’t smoke much.

After the walk, Yuxi returned to the courtyard and handed Zaozao to Mama Lan: “Please take her to Uncle Huo.” Yuxi hoped that Huo Changqing would recover by early spring next year so that she could relax a little.

Shiliu walked in and announced, “Madam, Mr Chen is here.”

Mr Chen walked in, bowed to Yuxi, and asked, “I wonder why Madam asked me to come here?” Yuxi would not have asked for him if it was a trivial matter.

Yuxi handed Mr Chen the official letter from the Fujian authorities and said with a smile: “Open it and take a look.” It was a great joy for Mr Chen to have his injustice redressed and released from his criminal status.

After reading it, Mr Chen’s hands began to tremble, and he ended up crying. For over a decade, he had been thinking day and night about getting rid of his grievances, and today, it finally happened.

After regaining his composure, Mr Chen knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Yuxi three times, saying, “Madam, this subject has nothing to repay your great kindness.”

Yuxi calmly accepted Mr Chen’s triple kowtow as she said, “Please get up! As long as you assist the General well in his duties, I will consider it a repayment.” Only a saint would grant favours without asking for repayment. She was no saint. When she agreed to help Mr Chen with his injustice that day, she wanted him to repay her.

Mr Chen promised, “Don’t worry, Madam. I will do my best to assist the General.” Because of his criminal status, Mr Xia had suppressed him. In fact, he was not inferior to Mr Xia in talent; the difference was only in experience and achievement.

Yuxi said, “My only regret is that we cannot restore your scholarly honour.” When Mr Chen was falsely accused, he was stripped of his title as a juren3. Although Mr Chen was acquitted this time, they could not restore his scholarly honour.

Mr Chen replied, “It’s already enough for me to get my justice.”

Yuxi smiled. “You should share such a joyous occasion with your wife.” Speaking of which, Mr Chen was also lucky to have a wife who never gave up on him. He might not have made it this far without his wife’s support and encouragement.

Mr Chen also wished to share this good news with his wife. She had endured hardship with him in Yu City for over ten years without complaining. Her biggest concern was that his identity as a criminal would affect their children’s marriage. Now that his injustice had been redressed, she no longer had to worry.

After Mr Chen left, Yuxi turned to speak to Zijin, “We will hold your wedding to Yu Zhi in the eleventh month.” She had nothing to do in the eleventh month, so she had time to organise Zijin’s wedding. Zijin was the same age as her, and now that Zijin was eighteen, it was time for her to get married.

Zijin replied very calmly, “I will follow Madam’s arrangements.”

Seeing her reaction, Yuxi deliberately said, “You will get married in the eleventh month, which is only a month away. Have you finished embroidering your wedding dress?” She had prepared silk, needles and thread for Zijin, but Zijin had not touched them yet.

How could Zijin not know that Yuxi was deliberately teasing her? “Madam, it’s not that you don’t know that the embroidery needle turns into a fishhook when it’s in my hand.” Somehow, she could even bend a straight needle.

Yuxi chuckled. “Oh, you! Only Yu Zhi can stand you.” Although Yu Zhi had no aspirations4, he treated Zijin really, really well, so Yuxi couldn’t help but feel happy for Zijin when she looked at her.

Zijin curled her lips. “What? It’s his luck that I’m willing to marry him; otherwise, who would look at a guy like him!” Yu Zhi had no money, no talent, no family background, and no ambition. He just wanted to live a simple life. If not for her, no woman would want to marry him!

Yuxi laughed out loud.

In the middle of the tenth month, the Imperial Commissioner arrived in Xinping City. Tan Tuo was taking care of things in his official office when he heard his chief steward reporting the news to him: “Daren5, the Imperial Envoys will arrive at the city gate in half a day. Shall we go and greet them?”

Tan Tuo said, “Cao De and I are of the same grade. What’s there to welcome?”

Chief Steward Tan Ming advised, “Daren5, although Cao De is a fourth-rank official like yourself, he is now an Imperial Envoy appointed by the Crown Prince and is here to investigate the case of the Xu family. It is more appropriate to go out and welcome him.” Tan Tuo and Cao De had met before the Imperial Examination, and since then, they had a good relationship because they shared similar interests. Later, they passed the imperial examination together, and their relationship improved.

Tan Tuo said, “The evidence of the Xu family’s treachery in colluding with the enemy is undeniable. If they want to investigate, just let them.”

Tan Tuo had not only received evidence from Yun Qing that the Xu family was selling grain and fodder outside the pass but also various criminal evidence such as the Xu family’s reckless killing of people, murder and arson, collusion with the government to obtain official grain, and so on. Not to mention Cao De, even the Crown Prince could not help the Xu family to overturn the case. After what the Xu family had done, their extermination could be considered a light punishment for them.

Tan Ming urged, “Daren5, we still have to be cautious. After all, Cao De is a favourite of the Crown Prince. Even if we don’t want to please him, we can’t offend him either.” His Daren5 could sometimes be too upright and outspoken, and it would be better if he could be more accommodating.

Tan Tuo said, ” There is no need to say any more; I have made up my mind.” The two were originally good friends, but later, Tan Tuo despised Cao De’s behaviour and alienated him.

Back then, Cao De married the Minister of Revenue’s niece in order to climb higher. As a result, when the Minister of Revenue fell from power, he caused his pregnant wife to die of illness. His ruthless methods were chilling. No matter how strong his ability was, if his character were not good, people would not only disdain associating with him but would not even dare to use him. Who knew if he would bite them back after they used him?

As a result, Tan Ming stopped trying to persuade him.

That afternoon, Cao De led a group of people into Xinping City. Tan Tuo did not go to the city gate to welcome Cao De but waited for everyone at the relay station.

When Cao De saw Tan Tuo, he greeted him with a smile: “Brother Jing Chun6, I haven’t seen you for more than ten years, but Brother Jing Chun6 is still as charming as ever!” Tan Tuo’s nickname was Jing Chun6.

Although Tan Tuo despised Cao De’s character, he would embarrass him in front of his colleagues. He immediately smiled and replied, “Brother Cao De’s words are too polite. I am already so old that I no longer look the same. But Brother Cao De is still the same as before. Your appearance has not changed at all.”

Upon hearing these words, Cao De couldn’t help but sigh. Time really could change a person. Tan Tuo, who used to be rigid, now knew how to flatter people. But his current demeanour was more suited to officialdom. Cao De smiled and introduced the two officials who had followed him here to Tan Tuo. One was Xu Chen from the Ministry of Justice, and the other was Jiang Bin, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy.

After greeting each other, Tan Tuo smiled and led everyone in, saying: “I’ve prepared some light wine7, and please don’t mind it, Daren5.” The meal was not shabby. Although there were no delicacies from the mountains and seas8, there was chicken, duck, fish and meat9.

As the host, Tan Tuo also drank a lot. After drinking, he was so drunk that he couldn’t walk properly, so Tan Ming had to support him. After leaving the relay station, Tan Ming helped Tan Tuo onto the sedan chair, apologised to Cao De, and took Tan Tuo back.

Cao De looked at the distant sedan chair; his eyes flashed with sternness. He, Xu Chen, and a few others had forced Tan Tuo to drink so much wine, hoping to get him drunk and then extract some information from him. Tan Tuo had one weakness, which was that when he was drunk, he would answer whatever they asked him. But today, when Tan Tuo was drunk, he just looked like he was having a hard time and didn’t say a word. This situation could only be due to two reasons: one was that Tan Tuo was pretending to be drunk, but for him to be able to act this much, he must have excellent acting skills; the other was that Tan Tuo had realised the fatality of his shortcoming and had corrected it. Either way, it only shows one thing: Tan Tuo was not as easy to deal with as he used to be.

It was the body’s instinct to answer all questions when one was drunk, and even the most powerful person couldn’t control it. So, this time, Tan Tuo was only pretending to be drunk.🏆

As soon as Tan Tuo returned to his bedroom, he took a writing brush and paper to write a letter. After writing it, he said to Tan Ming: “Please call Yu Cong Daren5 over.”

Yu Cong was at the prefect’s yamen2, so he came quickly.

Tan Tuo handed the letter to Yu Cong and said, “You should send someone to Yu City to deliver this letter to Madam right away.”

Yu Cong knew that Tan Tuo had gone to see the Imperial Commissioner. After hearing this, he asked: “Daren5, does the Imperial Commissioner want to do harm to my General and his wife?” Otherwise, Tan Tuo would not have asked him to deliver a letter to Yu City right after meeting the Imperial Envoys.

Tan Tuo did not answer his question and instead pointed out, “Your responsibility is to guard those gold, silver, and precious treasures.” Even Tan Tuo wasn’t sure if he could guard those items himself, and he didn’t know what Yun Qing’s real thoughts were as to why he hadn’t transported the gold, silver, and precious treasures to Yu City yet.

Yu Cong felt a little annoyed, but he also knew that since Tan Tuo would not tell him no matter how much he asked, he immediately said: “I will have someone send the letter to Madam.”

After Tan Ming returned from sending Yu Cong out and noticed Tan Tuo’s tired look, he asked, “Daren5, what’s wrong?”

Tan Tuo replied, “Cao De will undoubtedly make a big move this time.” Ever since Cao De, Xu Chen and the others tried to extract some information from him during dinner today, he felt something was wrong. After he pretended to be drunk, they even asked a few tentative questions, only to see that he didn’t answer, so they didn’t ask any more. However, it was clear from this situation that Cao De had bad intentions.

Tan Ming responded, “Daren5, General Yun and Madam Yun are not people others can manipulate. If Cao De wants to stir up the wind and rain11 he must also see if he has the ability to do so.”

Tan Tuo expressed, “I hope it’s as you said.” Although Yun Qing was a great general, based on his contact with him, this general was not a man who could resort to scheming. Madam Yun, on the other hand, was courageous and cunning.