Arc 3: Chapter 31
The drum that Jiang Qian was hitting was the dengwen drum. It was the most significant of drums because it allowed one to bring their grievances in front of the emperor.
In Daliang, if an individual had grievances that they believed was wrongly settled by their local court, they had to appeal to a higher court. First, they would appeal to the state government, then if the decision was still unsatisfactory, they could appeal to the imperial court and sound the dengwen drum.
If you skipped a level in the appealing process, regardless of how important your case was, you would need to be caned thirty times first. This was to prevent unruly people from randomly appealing.
But Jiang Qian directly hit the dengwen drum.
Today, the emperor was the fifth son of the already deceased Emperor Liang. He used to be called Prince Zhao, and he was the one who Jiang Qian used to bring down the son of Prince Yanping. After Prince Zhao succeeded the throne, his title naturally changed and he was known as Emperor Zhao.
The drum continued to beat. Emperor Zhao, who was in the middle of court with a hundred other civil and military officials, asked: “Who is beating the drum?”
The dengwen drum was under the jurisdiction of the Dali Temple. An official from Dali Temple, Minister Zhao, stepped forward and saluted: “Your Majesty, the person who is beating the drum is Sir Jiang.”
When the emperor heard that Jiang Qian, who was now a famous figure among all of the scholars and ordinary people and whose literary talent Emperor Zhao had always admired, he was a little flustered: “What? It’s Sir Jiang?”
Murmurs erupted in the court.
“Why is it teacher?”
“How could it be Sir Jiang?”
“Minister Zhao, you couldn’t have hit him already right?”
All of the officials were worried about Jiang Qian’s body, and Emperor Zhao was the same. His voice rose: “You didn’t hit him already right?”
The Dali Temple minister hurriedly said: “This minister doesn’t dare.”
He suddenly knelt down and said: “Your Majesty, this minister was once a student of Qingyuan Academy and Sir Jiang’s student. As the saying goes, a teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime. How can Sir Jiang stand 30 hits from the cane? This minister is willing to take the punishment on behalf of Sir Jiang. May Your Majesty allow me.”
The head of the cabinet also immediately knelt down and said: “Your Majesty, his words are reasonable. This minister was also taught by Sir Jiang at a young age. This minister is also willing to be punished on behalf of Sir Jiang. May Your Majesty allow me.”
The moment the head of the cabinet came out, the other ministers who all graduated from Qingyuan Academy knelt down one after another and requested to take on Jiang Qian’s punishment.
At this moment, half of Daliang's court officials were kneeling down.
Seeing this scene, Emperor Zhao said: “Sir Jiang is a knowledgeable Confucian. His virtuous name and achievements are known all over the world and has worked tirelessly for my Daliang. Everyone knows that he is no unruly person, he is exempted from punishment.”
The many civil and military officials below exclaimed together: “Long live the emperor.”
Emperor Zhao asked all of the officials to stand up and ordered: “Let Sir Jiang enter the palace.”
The moment Jiang Qian walked into the imperial hall, he cupped his hands and began to kneel, but Emperor Zhao immediately asked someone to support him.
Jiang Qian was wearing plain clothes and his hair had slightly grayed, but his spine was as straight as bamboo. He refused the help gently and knelt down persistently: “This minister, Jiang Qian, greets Your Majesty.”
Three years ago, Jiang Qian had resigned from court, but he retained his official title and still supported other officials behind the scenes, so he could still call himself a minister.
Emperor Zhao stood up from his dragon throne and personally tried to help Jiang Qian up: “Sir, no need to be polite. Please stand.”
Yet Jiang Qian knelt like an unmovable rock and with no intention of standing.
Helpless, Emperor Zhao realized that this matter was very important to Jiang Qian. He sat down again and asked: “Sir, for what reason did you hit the drum?”
Jiang Qian had waited too long for this day. His eyes slightly reddened and he held his head up high: “Redress an injustice!”
He took out a memorial from his sleeve and gave it to an eunuch to take to the emperor. His clear voice echoed throughout the hall: “Thirty one years ago, Chen Guanhai, the assistant head of the cabinet accused Jiang Heng, the head of the cabinet, of treason. Because of the severity of the case, the former emperor ordered Prince Qi to judge the case along with the three departments, the Ministry of Justice, Dali Temple, and the imperial censor. After three months, they determined that the evidence of treason was conclusive and the former emperor beheaded the entire Jiang family in public.”
“I was lucky enough to survive thanks to the former emperor’s grace. Later, I worked in the imperial court and served our Daliang. Twenty-three years ago, while I was handling a case in Fusi, in the north, I heard something from a criminal, and began to secretly investigate.”
“It was revealed that after the former emperor succeeded the throne, he introduced many new official positions. Most of the nobles used their power for personal gain and took these spots for the people in their family. Soon, the country's finances were insufficient and the treasury could not make ends meet. These officials decided increase taxes to fill the treasury.”
“The head of the cabinet, Jiang Heng, took pity on the common people who were suffering from excessive taxation. He wanted to change the government and remove those who had unnecessary official positions in the court. However, he did not expect that his intentions would anger the aristocratic families. Led by Chen Guanhai, other major aristocratic families conspired to betray him. Someone imitated Jiang Heng's handwriting, forged letters of collaboration with the enemy state, falsely accused Jiang Heng of treason, and deceived the emperor. As a result, Jiang Heng suffered unjustly and the entire Jiang family was unjustly destroyed.”
Jiang Qian narrated with tears in his eyes, and they burned him like fire, they burned the hidden shadows of the extravagant imperial hall.
“I can’t bear to see my father’s injustice. The Jiang family was innocent and died tragically. I inherited my father’s will and hope that Daliang will be clear and honorable. After years of investigation, I have obtained the list of crimes that Chen Guanhai and other noble families have committed. 19 crimes of rebellion, 32 crimes of violating the law, and others. In total, 161 major crimes.”
“I hope Your Majesty will honor the law of heaven, and in accordance with the law of the country, address the injustice, expose the criminals, behead the treasonous officials, and rectify the court’s failures. May my Daliang be clear and honorable for the generations to come.”
Once Jiang Qian was done speaking, he slowly bowed down.
This one kowtow was as heavy as a mountain. It not only addressed the deaths of the Jiang family, but also the failures of the court.
The hundreds of years of tradition were extremely difficult to overturn, it was as difficult as climbing to heaven. Jiang Qian’s request not only asked Emperor Zhao to do the impossible, but also his students.
Of course, Emperor Zhao and his students could choose to sacrifice one person to hide their mistakes. They could bury this matter with the Jiang family’s blood, just like what Emperor Liang did many years ago.
But at this time, the emperor and the ministers did not even think about this second option.
Emperor Zhao and the ministers suddenly understood why Jiang Qian had built a school and taught many students year after year. Jiang Qian alone could not reopen this case and ask for justice. No matter how smart he was, one person alone was not enough to change society.
But now, Jiang Qian’s influence had spread across the country, and half of the ministers were taught under his hand. They were taught to serve the government for the people, and never to forget their source--qing yuan.
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Lin Yuan sat under the eaves in the courtyard and looked up at the clear sky in an apprehensive mood.
“521, do you think Jiang Qian can get what he wants?”
521 shook its head and said: “Don’t know.”
Lin Yuan smiled shallowly. The spring wind made his graying hair flutter and his brocade robe rippled slightly. The air was warm and comforting.
Whenever spring arrived, the snow from the winter would melt. This year was the same.
Jiang Qian didn’t come back until it was dark. As ever, whenever he felt uncomfortable, he would bury himself in Lin Yuan’s arms in silence, and today he did the same.
But this time, his strength was much heavier and his grip even made Lin Yuan feel a bit of pain.
Lin Yuan stroked through Jiang Qian’s messy hair, and his palm patted Jiang Qian’s back.
Jiang Qian didn’t make a sound, and Lin Yuan didn’t say anything. After a long time, Jiang Qian raised his head out of Lin Yuan’s arms and the rims of his eyes were red. His voice was hoarse, as if something had been suppressed for a long time: “......Sui Sui, I did it. I got justice for the Jiang family, justice for my father, and exposed the truth of what happened back then. I did it all……”
Lin Yuan cupped Jiang Qian’s face. Although now they were both fifty years old, and years of work had aged him, in Lin Yuan’s eyes, Jiang Qian was still the best-looking.
Lin Yuan smiled softly and kissed the tears from Jiang Qian’s eyes. He tasted the heat and saltiness that poked his heart. Lin Yuan kissed all over Jiang Qian’s face inch by inch, and finally reached the other’s lips. He whispered: “Jiang Qian, you’ve worked hard……”
Jiang Qian did not feel that he worked hard at all. He was only afraid of failure, afraid that his years of efforts would be in vain. Fortunately, he did it.
He was never as happy as he was now.
Jiang Qian flipped Lin Yuan under him and eagerly pried open the other’s teeth and dove in. Their tongues hurriedly intertwined and teased each other intimately.
In the past few weeks, Jiang Qian was focused on the Jiang family’s affairs and the two had not had the chance to be deeply intimate. Now, Jiang Qian was so eager that Lin Yuan was kissed until his breathing was disordered and his whole body lacked strength.
He gently pushed Jiang Qian’s chest: “Jiang Qian……”
Lin Yuan felt himself losing control and he looked at Jiang Qian with wet eyes and gasped: “Jiang Qian, you’re already 50 years old, an elder. You… calm down a little, why are you so fierce…”
Jiang Qian smiled leisurely and swiftly hooked the belt around Lin Yuan’s waist, and the other’s robe fell open.
“Is the prince saying I’m old? I heard that the 76 year old scholar Zhou married his eleventh concubine a few days ago. Compared to him, I'm only 50 years old. I'm at my prime.”
Then Sir Jiang showed with his actions to Prince Chu that he was not old and could still do it.
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After bathing late at night, the two of them fell asleep and Jiang Qian had a dream.
Over the years, Jiang Qian had dreamed countless times.
He dreamed that everyone in the Jiang family surrounded him, covered in blood, and asked: “Qian’er, when can we rest peacefully?” t/n ‘er is a term of endearment
“Third young master, it’s cold outside of Jinling City. There are wild animals eating my bones.”
“Little brother, don’t work too hard. We’re already dead, there’s no rush. Remember to take care of yourself.”
In his dreams, his family never blamed him. Sometimes they complained and asked him to hurry up so that they could be buried peacefully and their souls could be at ease.
In this dream, Jiang Qian opened his eyes and he could see the ancestral hall of the Jiang family from more than 30 years ago.
He knelt down on the cushion.
As if he was repenting.