FYM - 141

The last few sentences were spoken with considerable resentment, clearly indicating that he believed his recall to Jinling was due entirely to the Empress Dowager’s loss of will to implement new policies. His raised eyebrows conveyed strength and resolve, along with a sharpness and pride that refused to be tainted by the corrupt world.

Song Shuyan gazed at him for a long moment before suddenly breaking into a smile. The radiant beauty of her features deserved the finest adornments; beyond her power, her beauty was always worthy of praise. Xu Zongyao was taken aback, not expecting her to laugh instead of showing anger. The next moment, she sighed softly and said, “Your words from that day have been unforgettable, even if no one else brings them up.”

With that, she slowly rose to her feet and personally walked over to help him up. The nimble palace maidens, seeing this, smoothly guided him to a seat. On the table, exquisite imperial dishes were still steaming hot.

“I summoned you back merely to ensure the Emperor retains a capable chancellor,” she said in a calm and gentle tone. “The land audit is crucial for our times, and our dynasty’s future depends on someone to assist in its governance. You must walk further alongside the Emperor, and some tasks cannot be solely yours to undertake.”

Her words carried both weight and ambiguity, leaving Xu Zongyao uncertain whether this was her genuine intent or merely a delaying tactic to placate him.

“I know you are devoted to the nation and willing to sacrifice your family for its sake, but governing involves complexities where rash actions can’t prevail,” she continued, seemingly unperturbed by his suspicions. After sitting down, she calmly resumed eating. “Should I let you confront them head-on? If you sacrifice yourself for this cause, will the land audit proceed smoothly?”

Her pointed questions hit the mark. From her high position, she foresaw more than he did. Xu Zongyao lowered his head slightly, his sharpness somewhat diminished.

“You ask if my recall means I lack the courage to act impartially. On the contrary, only with your return can I leverage the situation to thoroughly investigate and bring those behind it to justice.”

She turned to look at him, her beautiful eyes radiating resilience and wisdom.

“You are an official of the court, personally appointed by me as Minister of Revenue. To move against you would be to defy national law, something neither I nor the entire realm can tolerate.”

She emphasized the phrase “bring to justice,” as if she had already made a painful decision. Xu Zongyao’s expression stiffened, though doubt lingered in his eyes. He asked, “Does the Empress Dowager’s ‘justice’ make exceptions? If the guilty are close relatives, can you treat them equally without bias? The Song family of Jinling commands great influence in Jiangnan. If they oppose the court, what then?”

“What then...”

These same four words Song Shuyan had once posed to him during the palace examination half a year ago. Now, they were thrown back at her unaltered. She shook her head and laughed, asking, “What strategy do you propose?”

Xu Zongyao replied earnestly, “Since April, the court has repeatedly conceded to powerful clans, extending deadlines for redemption payments multiple times. If there’s still no repentance... military force should be used to quell the unrest.”

He had long decided this, answering without hesitation. It was unclear whether he meant to send troops to arrest the stewards acting as figureheads or to besiege the Song residence and target the five chief ministers.

Song Shuyan remained silent, her eyes flickering only slightly at the mention of “military.” Observing her reaction and recalling recent rumors of discord between the imperial family and the Marquis of Yingchuan, Xu Zongyao bowed and said, “Since Her Majesty has seized military power and established the new Thousand Strategies Office to manage military affairs personally, it seems preparation is key. Isn’t this an opportune time to deploy troops?”

His words carried an odd tone, especially in their delivery. Song Shuyan raised an eyebrow and asked, “Are you suggesting dissatisfaction with Lord Fang? Do you think I shouldn’t have stripped him of his military authority?”

“Your servant wouldn’t dare.”

Xu Zongyao averted his gaze, his tone defiant despite his words.

“The Fang family of Yingchuan has served loyally for generations, and Lord Fang’s mission to the southern border was for the nation. If you’ve taken his command, it shouldn’t tarnish his reputation.”

There was no room for negotiation now. The entire court condemned the Fang family for overstepping and potential treason, yet Xu Zongyao dared to speak out, subtly criticizing the Empress Dowager for failing to distinguish loyalty from treachery.

The palace attendants of Fuqing Hall were repeatedly shocked by the young scholar-official’s bold statements. Only Song Shuyan chuckled, her admiration for Xu Zongyao growing as she looked at him again. She remarked, “If not for your competence and the current need for talent, I might indeed transfer you to the Censorate to become a top-ranking remonstrant in the annals of history.”

Her teasing was half-serious, yet her approval was clear. Xu Zongyao was momentarily stunned, not expecting such openness from the Empress Dowager, who could graciously endure his blunt criticisms—truly embodying the demeanor of a wise ruler.

“Perhaps military action is unavoidable...”

She sighed wistfully, her expression tinged with melancholy.

“But I always hope... to give them another chance.”

On the same night, the inner quarters of the Song residence were livelier than the palace.

Recently, Song Mingzhuo, the eldest son of the Song family, had secretly kept a courtesan outside the household. For nearly half a month, he hadn’t come home, and when he finally returned, he was drunk all night, reeking of alcohol and causing his mother, Lady Wan, to cry endlessly and sigh in despair. Song Shuqian, the third daughter who was married, was the most sympathetic to their mother among the siblings. That night, she went to her brother’s courtyard to gently persuade him to live harmoniously with his wife and not imitate the reckless sons of wealthy families who caused unnecessary grief to their elders.

Her brother, utterly drunk, spoke without coherence and retorted sarcastically, “Grief and sorrow?”

“Sister has learned to preach these grand principles... Why didn’t you consider sparing Mother’s ‘grief and sorrow’ when you climbed into your brother-in-law’s bed in Yangzhou?”

His biting words pierced her heart deeply. Heaven knew! One misstep created eternal regret. For eight years, she lived in a humiliating, cold hell without a moment’s respite. In Yangzhou, there was no place for her. Her once-loving sister severed ties with her, and her brother-in-law, fearing rumors, showed her no kindness. The poor relatives of the Wan family looked down on her, gossiping maliciously behind her back.

Where could she go? In the Eastern Capital Luoyang, the nobility viewed her as a shameless whore. Even returning to Jinling brought endless criticism. Within the family, which close relative hadn’t mocked her?

She burst into tears and overturned her brother’s wine table with a loud crash that echoed through the courtyard, eventually drawing their mother. Lady Wan, proud all her life, suffered at the hands of her children in her later years. Unable to bear it, she cried alongside her daughter, pushing her eldest son aside and scolding him, “If you’ve been wronged outside, confront those responsible! Why vent your anger on your sister? Bullying a pitiful daughter won’t make you feel better!”

Song Mingzhuo had misspoken earlier, not intending to humiliate his sister, but now that a commotion had arisen, he refused to back down and simply picked up the wine jug to drink more. Lady Wan and her daughter continued crying until a servant announced the arrival of the master. Looking up, they saw Song Dan striding towards the main hall, his expression urgent and grim, exuding an intimidating presence.

Lady Wan thought the noise from her children had disturbed him and was about to rise and mediate when her husband, without a word, slapped their eldest son hard. Song Mingzhuo fell to the ground, and Song Shuqian let out a startled gasp.

“Wretch—”

Song Dan’s fury was evident as he exploded in anger.

“Did you send someone to harm Xu Zongyao?”

The sudden turn of events left Lady Wan unable to grasp the full context. The next moment, her eldest son, lying on the ground, burst out laughing, his disheveled state verging on madness, unflinching in the face of his father’s rage.

“Yes, it was me—”

He defiantly shouted back.

“He was just lucky; otherwise, that day would have been his end!”

His venomous words enraged Song Dan, who kicked him hard in the chest, shouting, “Fool! Do you know he’s a student of the Son of Heaven and an official of the court? Killing him would violate national law and disrespect the imperial family, bringing destruction upon us!”

Trembling with rage, his white hair like snow, he was a stark contrast to the vigorous lord of the Song family from ten years ago. His eldest son lay on the ground, looking up at him with a drunken, insolent smirk.

“The imperial family?”

“What is the imperial family?”

“Isn’t the fourth sister part of the imperial family?”

“She is also your flesh and blood… How can we let outsiders destroy the Song family?”

As he spoke, he propped himself up, spitting blood under his father’s tragic gaze.

“She’s oppressed me for eight years… Eight whole years…”

“Xu Zongyao, a penniless scholar from a humble background, rose to the fifth rank overnight… And I, her own brother… am still a pitiful sixth-rank compiler…”

“I know she hates me and wants revenge… Fine, then I’ll give her the chance—”

“Let her come! Let her come now!”

“Let her kill me and destroy the entire Song family! — Father wants to yield to her? Then keep yielding! Yield until Wei Bi and Fan Yucheng devour us whole! Yield until the Song family of Jinling becomes the laughingstock of the world!”

Slap—

Another heavy slap landed on Song Mingzhuo’s face. Song Dan’s complexion was as pale as paper. Song Shuqian trembled in fear, kneeling silently on the ground. Lady Wan clung desperately to her husband’s leg, begging him not to harm their son, her protective nature unchanged from years ago—only Song Mingzhuo laughed uncontrollably, his madness causing unease among those watching, perhaps a harbinger of impending doom, the accumulated conflicts destined to erupt inevitably.

“Self-inflicted calamity, no salvation...”

Song Dan shook his head and stepped back, his aged eyes seeming to have seen everything in the world.

“You’ve gone mad…”

Song Mingzhuo seemed deaf to his father’s words. After a moment, he staggered to his feet, drunk, his hidden malevolence fully revealed. Perhaps no one, regardless of who they were, could ever truly sever ties with their past selves.

“Then let this madness continue—”

He laughed maniacally, shouting loudly, his eyes bloodshot from intoxication.

“I want to see—what she can do to me—”