Fish Meat – Chapter 238
by Little PandaThe Eighth Year of Shunde
Like Snapping Dried Twigs and Pulling Up Rotten Wood (5)
Zhen Wenjun stayed in Runing for ten days. Besides attending court to receive her enfeoffment, she also took the opportunity to catch up on sleep. Several old wounds that never seemed to heal properly finally got a chance to recuperate. Relaxing the tendons and invigorating the meridians1, feeling warm and supple, her overall condition improved steadily.
Li Feng, however, was troubled. What else could he possibly reward Zhen Wenjun with?
To cut the grass and pull out the roots2 of the Hu bandits was a monumental achievement whose merits would be recorded in the annals of history3, and moreover, it was the greatest victory for the Yu army in decades. Zhen Wenjun absolutely had to be rewarded, and handsomely at that. Li Feng was not stingy towards Zhen Wenjun. He bestowed upon her the title of Grand General, the only one in Da Yu, built her a luxurious mansion in the most prosperous Guangxuan Ward of Runing, where every inch of land is an inch of gold, and personally inscribed the five large characters for “Residence of the General Who Guards the Nation”, having them made into a plaque hung above the main gate. Further rewards included gold, silks, household slaves, horses, and so on; just moving the bestowed treasures into the General’s residence took an entire day. He had originally wanted to give Zhen Wenjun the title of “Duke Who Guards the Nation,” but Zhen Wenjun felt it was truly too grand, fearing she would attract gossip if she accepted it, so she repeatedly declined. Seeing she genuinely didn’t want it, Li Feng didn’t insist, changing it to a Marquis title for her instead.
Zhen Wenjun awarded all the monetary gifts and goods to the officers and soldiers who had braved life and death with her for many years, and she also requested merits for them one by one before Li Feng. Li Feng granted every request Zhen Wenjun made. Huang Bo was enfeoffed as the Third-Rank Loyal and Brave General, Lin Mu as the Fourth-Rank Bandit-Suppressing General, and over a thousand others were promoted in rank and title. For a time, Zhen Wenjun’s power and influence were immense, enough even to contend with the Wei Clan and the Zhangsun Clan, who held sway over the Council.
Ostensibly, Zhen Wenjun and Wei Tingxu were already married, considered one family, yet privately, their relationship remained exceedingly subtle.
Li Feng’s attitude towards Zhen Wenjun was entirely different from his attitude towards Wei Tingxu, a point made clear by the degree of readiness in his bestowing of rewards.
The General’s residence was opened, but Zhen Wenjun didn’t move in, continuing to live in the Zhuo Jun Manor in Wanquan Ward.
Li Feng was somewhat puzzled. He specifically summoned her to the Imperial Study, trying to beat around the bush4 to find out about her relationship with Wei Tingxu, why she seemed reluctant to leave Zhuo Jun Manor for the General’s residence.
Li Feng thought he had asked quite tactfully, but Zhen Wenjun laughed inwardly. These petty schemes and minor manipulations were things she had tired of long ago. The years spent mutually strategizing and guessing with Wei Tingxu had given her abundant experience; upon hearing Li Feng’s first word, she had already formulated her reply.
“Wei Zizhuo cannot die yet.”
It was time for Zhen Wenjun to interrupt Li Feng, who looked like he wanted to speak but stopped himself. Li Feng was taken aback for a moment, then hastily denied:
“Our dear minister, We5 did not mean that…”
Zhen Wenjun then adopted an attitude of readiness to listen respectfully6, and Li Feng found himself unable to continue.
Although Li Feng knew that the most important tool for an emperor was maintaining balance, this young Son of Heaven still lacked somewhat in the art of controlling people’s hearts. He didn’t know when to say what; the topic he himself had introduced was cut short by the other party’s single sentence, and he couldn’t continue due to considerations of face.
During these days back in Runing, coming and going within the Forbidden Garden, Li Feng’s worried expression had left quite a deep impression on her.
The seventeen-year-old Li Feng had a face full of pimples, constantly carried the smell of alcohol, was extremely susceptible to catching colds, coughed every few sentences, and always seemed weighed down by worries.
The warm-hearted spirit of yore7 seen in the youth of the past was nowhere to be found, leaving behind only an anxious shell.
Towards Zhen Wenjun, he had always been very polite, likely because the deep bond formed during that life-and-death experience with Ah Qiong back then extended to treating Zhen Wenjun as halfway one of his own family.
However, a member of his own family worth being wary of.
Whenever Li Feng showed expressions of wariness and fear towards her, Zhen Wenjun would feel somewhat awkward. The way Li Feng looked at her seemed to suggest that in the next moment, she would draw a blade and chop off the Son of Heaven’s head.
So, was she ultimately a loyal minister, or a treacherous one?
“Setting aside loyalty or treachery for now, the fact that the General harbors such doubts indicates some uncertainty about her current actions. If one were one hundred percent certain, one wouldn’t think this way.”
Leaving Runing and heading south, Zhen Wenjun shared some of her doubts with Bu Jie. Bu Jie, who usually refrained from commenting on her affairs with Wei Tingxu, hit upon Zhen Wenjun’s concerns the moment he opened his mouth.
With only the two of them in the carriage, Bu Jie asked very directly: “Minister Wei now holds power over both the court and the country. Having struggled for so many years and planned such a grand scheme, she will not be content as a mere subject. I fear Minister Wei harbors the intent to rebel.”
Zhen Wenjun didn’t shake her head, which signified agreement.
Bu Jie lifted the cloth curtain, letting Zhen Wenjun look outside.
“It is now the eighth year of Shunde. Eighteen years have passed since the roving bandits entered Yu. General, look, has this Da Yu shown any improvement?”
Zhen Wenjun looked out. By this time, they had already left Runing and passed Ruxian. Beyond the official road, corpses lay scattered across the fields, and refugees in ragged clothes remained.
Wei Jing’an had suppressed several major clans plotting rebellion, but soon after, uprisings began anew in various regions.
The eternally unbannable Furong San—it was rumored that even Li Feng was using it. Wei Tingxu had attempted to implement a ban on Furong San in the fourth year of Shunde, starting with the capital city as an example. She ordered the burning of all fields cultivating Furong San around Runing, mandated the cleanup of all Ye Zhai8 within the city, and decreed extermination of the entire clan for violators. The ban was secretly drafted in the Council and implemented extremely quickly; three days later, the Ye Zhai were cleared out.
Yet even such harsh and swift decrees failed to eradicate Furong San completely. In fact, two days before the ban was set to take effect, all the Ye Zhai owners in the capital had fled the city with their Furong San, scattering into the various commanderies and counties. The Furong San continued to be sold as usual, the silver earned as usual. Wei Tingxu did not let these people off, continuing to send personnel to the localities to pursue the matter. But these personnel were immediately bought off upon arriving in the local commanderies and counties; the amount of Furong San confiscated was less than a hundred cartloads, clearly just a perfunctory effort.
Wei Tingxu executed wave after wave of people, all for the sake of strictly enforcing the law. But when this news spread among the common folk, it became twisted into her abusing her authority to treat human life as if it were grass9, leaving the common people no way to survive.
Furong San had long since seeped into the blood of the Yu people; unless one cut open their chest and let all the tainted blood drain out, it was impossible to eliminate the addiction. Wei Tingxu, having resolved to do this, would see it through to the end. Unfortunately, no matter how hard the central government tried, at the local level, subordinates imitate superiors10 and officials shield one another. Taxes couldn’t be collected, orders couldn’t be passed down; the vital channels of Da Yu had long been blocked by various malignant tumors.
Laws were difficult to implement, and decades of warfare had hollowed out the nation, yet the wars had to be fought. The prosperity of Runing was merely an illusion under the Son of Heaven’s nose; only by leaving Runing could one see the real Yu.
Hunger, poverty, rampant addiction…
Driving away Chongjin had given the common people of Da Yu a huge boost of morale, but the nightmare of living in a drunken stupor, uncertain from dawn till dusk, still bound the people of Da Yu tightly.
Everyone said Wei Tingxu was a treacherous minister coveting imperial power. She did indeed control the nation’s lifeline, but she built water conservancy projects, encouraged agriculture, pushed for reforms to achieve equal rights—everything she did was aimed at nurturing the healthy development of Da Yu.
However, there was one thing that undeniably earned her the resentment of the common people.
To concentrate more financial resources into the northern frontier to help Zhen Wenjun expel Chongjin, she had indeed increased taxes, adding to the burden on the populace. This became ammunition for opposing factions to attack her. There was also the infamous accusation of regicide that secretly followed her, plus the numerous factions she had offended on the path to equal rights. Wei Tingxu let others curse her as a treacherous minister, a demoness, never once defending herself.
“I did indeed kill many people. Li Yanyi can also be considered to have died at my hands.” Wei Tingxu disdained to argue. “In a certain sense, the rumors among the people are all correct.”
Looking at the beggars reaching out to plead by the roadside outside the window—this was what Bu Jie wanted Zhen Wenjun to see, though in truth, Zhen Wenjun was already well aware. Thinking of all that Wei Tingxu had done, her heart felt heavy with melancholy.
Bu Jie said: “It is an indisputable fact that Da Yu’s mandate is exhausted. After so many years, the most fundamental problems have not been resolved. Only a completely new central government and an enlightened ruler, able to act decisively and turn the tide without any external obstruction, offer the best path to saving the common people.”
“Wensheng’s meaning is, even if one is cursed for ten thousand generations, it doesn’t matter?”
Bu Jie smiled: “This continent has a history of two thousand years. Tracing back from antiquity to the present, for however many new dynasties were established, just as many decaying dynasties were swallowed. Why is it that for doing the same thing, later generations judge them with both praise and blame? It is not because of how the history books were written at the time, nor is it because of how many fewer people died during the change of dynasties. General, do you know why?”
Zhen Wenjun pondered, and only after traveling about 10 li11 out of Ruxian did the frown between her brows gradually smooth out.
Bu Jie said: “General, I have followed the Lady since the ninth year of Shenchu, fifteen years now. How does the General view me?”
Hearing him suddenly speak like this, Zhen Wenjun felt slightly uneasy and said: “To have Wensheng’s assistance is Wenjun’s fortune in this life.”
“How have I treated the General?”
“You are my eyes, ears, and confidant. Without Wensheng, many matters would be difficult to accomplish.”
Bu Jie nodded, smiling with satisfaction: “I am grateful for the General’s recognition of my worth and wish to follow the General always, until death.”
“Wensheng, is there something you wish to say to me?”
“The General is perceptive. Indeed, I have much I wish to say. I only fear that speaking out might carry the suspicion of sowing discord.”
“Wensheng holds utter devotion12 towards me; how could I possibly think you are sowing discord? Wensheng, please speak freely.”
Bu Jie nodded and said: “The General probably already knows this well, but I still wish to add a word. The General has seen too many instances where the bow is hidden when the birds are gone13, and the hounds are boiled after the rabbits are dead14. Yet, the person involved is confused. Has the General considered, once Minister Wei truly ascends the throne, where the greatest threat will come from? And who will be the first person she seeks to eliminate?”
Zhen Wenjun’s heart clenched, her gaze towards Bu Jie flickering slightly.
Bu Jie said no more.
Zhen Wenjun proceeded towards Huaiyang. At this time, Ah Liao.
Ah Xi had been taking care of Ah Qiong in Sudu, following the prescription Zhen Wenjun had given her, brewing medicine daily for her to take on time. Although the toxins in her body couldn’t be completely cleared, the periods of confusion grew shorter, and her mental state was improving.
Ah Xi was very interested in the topography of Sudu. Whenever Ah Qiong’s condition was stable, she would wander around, sketching the local terrain and compiling it into albums. When Ah Liao arrived, she handed them over, asking her to record them into the Heaven Army Divine Box as well.
Having accumulated over a hundred pages, she finally saw Ah Liao arrive.
Early one morning, as Ah Xi went out to gather wild vegetables, she saw a line of unfamiliar carriages and horses approaching from the distance. To be able to enter the city, they must possess passage tokens—they were allies. Ah Xi stopped and saw Ah Liao alight alone from a carriage, couldn’t help finding it strange, and let out an “Eh?”:
“Why are you alone? Where are your Qingyuan ladies?” Ah Xi asked casually. Ah Liao hemmed and hawed:
“Ah, them, it’s nothing. How has Auntie Ah Qiong’s condition been recently? I’ve come to take her back to Runing.”
As she spoke, Ah Qiong had already heard the voices and came out of the house: “I heard Wenjun eliminated the Chongjin Hu bandits and returned to Runing from the northern frontier.”
“Yes, she specifically asked me to come and bring you back.” Ah Liao forced a smile, had people help Ah Qiong pack her belongings, and told Ah Xi to come back with them. Zhen Wenjun had already sent her a letter, instructing her to bring her mother to Huaiyang, where mother and daughter would reunite before returning to Runing together.
Ah Qiong hadn’t seen her daughter in many years either. Although her daughter sent her letters every month, even when she was in the northern frontier, separated by ten thousand li from south to north, the correspondence never ceased. News of Zhen Wenjun being enfeoffed as Grand General had long reached Sudu, making Ah Qiong so excited she couldn’t sleep well all night.
The Alai of today reminded her of her own past, or rather, Alai was even more outstanding than she herself had been. She was Da Yu’s hero, and even more so, her mother’s hero.
Ah Liao’s party picked up Ah Qiong and Ah Xi and headed towards Huaiyang. Throughout the journey, they rode in ordinary carriages, with no sign of the Qingyuan. Not only were the Qingyuan missing, but Ah Liao, usually talkative and lively to the point one wished to stuff her mouth shut, had suddenly become taciturn. On the entire road to Huaiyang, she spoke fewer than ten sentences, leaving both Ah Qiong and Ah Xi quite perplexed.
What was wrong with Ah Liao?
Ah Qiong and the others arrived safely in Huaiyang. Just as they dismounted the carriage, they heard a delighted cry: “Ah Po!” A tall young woman dashed out from within the residence. Before they could get a clear look at her face, she had crashed into Ah Qiong’s embrace, wrapping her arms around her waist, nearly lifting her off the ground:
“Ah Po! Long time no see, I missed you to death!”
This was the voice of a grown woman, pleasant but with a unique rasp caused by frequent loud shouting. Ah Qiong was quite tall herself; though age and illness these past few years had hunched her slightly, she was still noticeably lanky in a crowd. The person hugging her was even taller. Ah Qiong felt puzzled; she had never seen this person before, why was this person so affectionate towards her?
Zhen Wenjun walked over quickly, frowning: “Xiao Xiao, don’t be mischievous. Ah Po’s health isn’t good, how can she withstand being jostled by you like this?”
Hearing this, Xiao Xiao had to let go, but she still held onto Ah Qiong’s hand, refusing to release it: “After so many years apart, Ah Po is not only more spirited but also younger! Ah Po, do you know how much I missed you? Without you telling bedtime stories, I couldn’t even fall asleep…”
Ah Qiong carefully examined the person before her. Although her features had matured and her whole frame had shot up, making her tall and thin, it was indeed Xiao Xiao. Deep-set large eyes, a high nose bridge—the standard features of a descendant of the Changge Kingdom.
Zhen Wenjun stood behind Xiao Xiao, arms hanging at her sides, watching the warm reunion of these two after years apart, her own eyes growing somewhat moist. But she was, after all, thirty years old, no longer outwardly expressing emotions like a youth; she had to be more composed.
Ah Qiong gazed intently at her daughter. The years had molded her into the standard image of an adult, her face bearing many small scars. She couldn’t help but stroke it: “Alai… Ah Mu missed you so much.”
“Ah Mu.” Zhen Wenjun could hold back no longer, stepping forward to embrace her.
Ah Qiong gently patted her head, helping her wipe away tears.
It turned out that no matter how many years passed, how old one grew, one always had the right to act spoiled in front of one’s mother.
Footnotes
- 舒筋活絡 | shū jīn huó luò | A concept often related to traditional Chinese medicine or martial arts, meaning to relax muscles/tendons and improve circulation/energy flow.
- 斬草除根 | zhǎn cǎo chú gēn | Lit. “cut the grass and remove the roots”; To eliminate potential future trouble completely.
- 功标青史 | gōng biāo qīng shǐ | Lit. “merits marked on green bamboo slips”; To have one’s great deeds recorded for posterity.
- 旁敲側擊 | páng qiāo cè jī | Lit. “strike sideways and tap from the side”; To approach a topic indirectly, hint.
- 寡人 | Guǎrén | Lit. “lonely person”; A traditional self-appellation used by rulers, conveying humility but also supreme status.
- 洗耳恭聽 | xǐ ěr gōng tīng | Lit. “wash ears and listen respectfully”; To listen with great attention and respect.
- 古道熱腸 | gǔ dào rè cháng | Lit. “ancient path, hot intestines”; Describes someone chivalrous, enthusiastic about helping others, kind-hearted.
- 夜齋 | Yè Zhāi | Lit. “Night Study/Abstinence”; Context suggests these were places associated with Furong San consumption or distribution.
- 草菅人命 | cǎo jiān rén mìng | Lit. “grass tube human life”; To act with reckless disregard for human lives.
- 上行下效 | shàng xíng xià xiào | Lit. “what those above do, those below will emulate”; Often used negatively for bad examples being followed.
- 里 | lǐ | 10 li; Traditional Chinese distance unit (approx. 3 miles / 5 km).
- 赤膽忠心 | chì dǎn zhōng xīn | Lit. “red gallbladder, loyal heart”; Absolute loyalty and sincerity.
- 鳥盡弓藏 | niǎo jìn gōng cáng | Lit. “birds finished, bow hidden”; To discard allies or tools once they are no longer needed.
- 兔死狗烹 | tù sǐ gǒu pēng | Lit. “rabbit dead, dog boiled”; Similar to 鳥盡弓藏, meaning loyal subordinates are killed after they have outlived their usefulness.
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