UCTOOT CH56

In the late autumn weather, the hillside was covered with yellow wild chrysanthemums.

With Da Huang following behind him, Shi Shu walked, picking a stalk from the green leaves as he went, until he had a large handful.

When he walked over and sat on the grave mound, green grass had already sprouted from this new grave.

Shi Shu placed the freshly picked wildflowers in front of the grave. The autumn wind messed up his hair as he said with a smile, “Pei Wenqing, there’s more good news. Xie Wuchi has inspected another five prefectures. I heard from the young lord that the land taxes he has recovered for the Great Jing amount to at least thirty million taels of silver.”

“Thirty million taels is equivalent to the entire annual income of the Great Jing’s national treasury. A portion of the silver will be used to train troops and consolidate border defenses, as well as for disaster relief. The things you wanted to see are being realized one by one.”

“You were right! Death is not frightening; what’s frightening is having no hope. Now there is hope, which is very good.”

“…”

After speaking with him, Shi Shu stood up and rubbed his sore legs. “I’m heading back first. I’ll come see you again in a couple of days, Pei Wenqing.”

After saying goodbye, Shi Shu led Laifu, and the man and dog walked towards the city. Unknowingly, three months had passed. The Eastern Capital had long summers and short autumns, and now it was showing signs of entering winter.

He hadn’t yet purchased his autumn cotton clothes. As Shi Shu walked along the street, his attention was drawn to a tall building.

This building was decorated with bouquets of flowers, celebrating the New Policies’ tour of six prefectures. The play being performed depicted the scenes of Xie Wuchi’s battles of wits with landowners in various prefectures.

In these three months, Shi Shu discovered that with the New Policies implemented nationwide, the common people of the Eastern Capital loved nothing more than watching the righteous side fight against the forces of evil. Sure enough, the audience was packed under this simple stage, cheering loudly. An actor with a pale face and crimson costume was singing his lines, while many young students sat to the side—they were students from the Imperial College and the Directorate of Education.

“Is this Xie Wuchi? Hahaha, he looks like this.” The person on stage was dressed very simply, and in an attempt to highlight Xie Wuchi’s “handsome bearing,” he ended up looking greasy and powdered, with distorted makeup.

Shi Shu laughed for a while and then thought of the real Xie Wuchi. He hadn’t seen him in three months, which was like being separated from a roommate over a summer vacation. Did he miss him?

On stage, a voice boomed, “Hey! State your name!”

“I am the imperial envoy appointed by the Emperor, here to specifically kill you fat, greasy, corrupt officials who disregard the lives of the common people!”

“Waaah…”

The actors on stage sang, spoke, acted, and fought. Although it was a crude play, it still attracted many commoners to watch.

An Imperial College student to the side fanned himself, elegantly drinking tea with someone. “Where has Censor Xie gone on his tour now?”

These people, chatting idly, were also all talking about the New Policies.

“Based on his previous pace, he’s probably gone to Taiyin Prefecture.”

“This Censor Xie appeared out of nowhere. Who would have thought that within half a year, he would become a name known to everyone in the Eastern Capital!”

“I heard he was originally a monk and knows sorcery. Otherwise, how could His Majesty value him so highly?”

“Hmph? His Majesty, value him? His Majesty certainly does value him; there are dozens of memorials impeaching him in court every day, and he can still stand firm. However, I see that his days of soaring popularity and being the talk of the Eastern Capital won’t last much longer.” This person had a look of haughty arrogance, clearly from a family with someone serving in the court.

“Young Master Zhou, don’t keep us in suspense. Tell us quickly, what happened to this Censor Xie?”

Shi Shu couldn’t help but be curious and stopped to listen.

“It’s said that as soon as he got power, he started issuing orders! Do you know how cold and rash this Censor Xie is in his dealings? In Qian’an Prefecture, he stripped the prefect of his official robes without even a word of warning! And he mobilized troops without authorization! When he went to Shukang Prefecture, he killed three wealthy households on the first day! He even killed the richest man in Shukang Prefecture, what kind of method is that? And then in Shaoxing Prefecture, they say there are many scholars there, supported by hundred-generation Confucian clans like the Xu family, right? He rose to power with the support of Old Master Xu Shouchun, but after he went, even the Xu family had to pay land taxes. Hasn’t he offended everyone?”

“That makes sense. But by ancient law, even the Son of Heaven is subject to the same laws as the common people. Since it’s about equalizing the land tax, of course you can’t have a situation where you are equalized but I am not.”

“Foolish. You are still far from understanding the ways of officialdom!”

Shi Shu stood on the street, listening to this person speak. He hadn’t thought there were people so dissatisfied with Xie Wuchi.

On the other side, a poor person spat. “Whoever slanders Censor Xie is someone who fears Censor Xie. Just because your own family is wealthy, you spit on Censor Xie? Truly, your position determines your perspective.”

“That’s right! This idiot!”

“Come on, come on, let’s curse you to death!”

“…”

The two groups, with their differing opinions, started shouting and cursing at each other. Shi Shu didn’t get involved and turned to leave, looking up at the high, distant sky. “Xie Wuchi, you’re really amazing. Now the people of the Eastern Capital see you as a hero, and the rich see you as a demon. The moment they’re idle, their mouths are full of ‘Xie Wuchi, Xie Wuchi.’ Even a three-year-old learns to say ‘Xie Wuchi’ right after birth.”

“To not be envied by others is to be mediocre. You have indeed done great things, which is why everyone discusses you.”

Shi Shu gazed towards the north, as if seeing through the mountains to Xie Wuchi in his official robes, amidst the bustling crowd, with his eyes lowered, meticulously handling his affairs.

Shi Shu’s mood couldn’t help but fluctuate.

—Xie Wuchi, the entire Eastern Capital is trembling because of you.

You’ve achieved all this. People watch your every move. A single sentence from you, and thousands of people will come to interpret it. Countless people try to find your past, to analyze you, to discuss your achievements. They either passionately follow you or hate you with gritted teeth. But this crowd cannot diminish your brilliance in the slightest.

Every one of your victory reports tugs at everyone’s heartstrings. What an amazing feat. A full thirty million taels. Not only is the national treasury’s crisis resolved, but so many disaster-stricken people now have money for resettlement.

This is what it means to burst onto the scene, like three million jade dragons taking flight, stirring the world into a penetrating cold.

Truly awesome, Xie Wuchi. Shi Shu thought to himself, I admit, you are the true god of time travel.

“Laifu, let’s go, time to go home.” Shi Shu reminisced as he returned to the courtyard.

After unlocking the courtyard gate, Shi Shu habitually looked on the ground for a letter, but found nothing. “Why is there no letter yet? Wasn’t it one every ten days before? It’s been fifteen days now. You little brat, you haven’t forgotten me because you’re too busy, have you?”

A month after Pei Wenqing passed away, Shi Shu had wanted to find Xie Wuchi, but Xie Wuchi sent back a letter with only two words: Don’t come.

It seemed things were very complicated over there.

Xie Wuchi’s letters were much calmer than his actual words and actions. At first, Shi Shu thought he would serialize erotic novels in his letters, but after opening them, he found only plain and gentle wording. However, thinking that letters could easily be used as evidence, Shi Shu understood.

Xie Wuchi was extremely cautious in his dealings; he probably didn’t want people to know he couldn’t control his lower body in private, right?

“No letter is no letter, whatever. Or are you holding a grudge?” Shi Shu rubbed his head and entered the house. It was just evening, and Granny Wang from next door brought him a bowl of stewed pork knuckles to eat.

Granny was not happy if Shi Shu didn’t eat, so he sat at the table and finished it all. For the past two or three months, he had been keeping Pei Wenqing company, writing, and learning how to diagnose illnesses from Lin Yangchun, abandoning his body to practice medicine.

On this day, Shi Shu had been busy with Lin Yangchun all day. Just as he returned, a figure suddenly flashed in from outside the door.

“Second Young Master! Second Young Master! Great news!”

Shi Shu: “What is it?”

The young servant from the Prince’s mansion was sweating profusely. “Just got the news. Tomorrow, Censor Xie returns to the Eastern Capital!”

Shi Shu: “What? Isn’t he touring the entire country?”

“It’s absolutely true! The carriage is already at the official guesthouse outside the city! He’ll enter the city tomorrow!”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. They say he received an order from His Majesty and was summoned back for something. I don’t understand the details either!”

Shi Shu bolted. “Okay, I’m going to take a look!”

After running two steps, Shi Shu abruptly turned back and coughed. “Here’s some money for you. Thank you, brother.”

After the young servant left with the money, Shi Shu dashed into the kitchen to boil hot water and inexplicably started washing his hair and bathing.

As he washed, he muttered to himself, “I’m sorry, we handsome guys pay more attention to our personal image. Of course, I usually pay attention too, but I’m really dirty today. It’s right to take a bath and wash my hair.”

“Damn it, why am I bothering with this?”

“But, this is what handsome guys do.”

“It has absolutely nothing to do with Xie Wuchi coming back! Although we’re roommates, when friends haven’t seen each other for a long time, it’s right to wash your hair before meeting, isn’t it?”

Shi Shu picked out a clean set of clothes, dried his hair, and ran out towards the city gate.

The government-run guesthouse outside the city was exclusively for officials to rest. When Shi Shu saw the green-tiled eaves and the officially marked carriages, he stopped and put on a look of nonchalance. “Did I run too fast? It makes me look like I’m in a hurry to see him. We were arguing before we parted!”

“But just standing here dawdling is also pointless.”

Shi Shu hadn’t seen Xie Wuchi for too long and was hesitating.

Perhaps because he wasn’t watching where he was going, his shoulder was suddenly bumped hard, nearly pushing him to the side of the road.

“Hey! What are you doing! Watch where you’re going!” Shi Shu yelped in pain.

In the dim light, a familiar voice sounded. “Oh, it was dark and I didn’t see clearly. So it’s the Second Young Master!”

Shi Shu took a closer look. “Zhou Xiang, Li Fu?!”

Li Fu said irritably, “It is I. Why isn’t the Second Young Master staying in the courtyard? We were just about to go back and pack our things. The Master has been dismissed from his post as Censor. He has no use for servants anymore. If I had known this would happen, I never would have left the Censorate!”

Shi Shu’s mind exploded, and he fiercely grabbed his wrist. “You said Xie Wuchi was dismissed?”

“Smack!” His hand was slapped away. Li Fu was impatient. “Still asking? Was my voice too soft? You heard me.”

Shi Shu’s anger flared instantly. “Explain it clearly!”

He was angry. Li Fu’s eyes flickered with some cowardice. “An imperial edict. He was demoted all the way from Taiyin Prefecture back to the Eastern Capital. He is now a convicted criminal, to be sent to the criminal prison tomorrow to await his sentence of exile. That’s what happened.”

“Damn it!”

Shi Shu flung his hand away and walked towards the guesthouse. Zhou Xiang asked from behind, “We’re going back to the courtyard to get our things.”

“Wait for me!”

Without turning back, Shi Shu walked to the outside of the guesthouse. An official guard blocked the door. “No entry!”

Shi Shu was annoyed and stood outside the gate, shouting, “Brother!”

The guard knew he was Xie Wuchi’s younger brother and was a bit more polite, not wanting to drive him away too harshly. “You should just go! The court has its rules!”

Shi Shu: “I’m not leaving!”

What on earth happened? Why was Xie Wuchi, whose New Policies tour had been met with frequent victory reports, suddenly demoted? Could it be false? How was that possible? The New Policies tour was a day-and-night effort, avoiding harm to the common people while increasing the national treasury. Shi Shu had seen his hard work with his own eyes. He had raised so much money for the country to train troops, for disaster relief, for building city defenses. Why was he suddenly demoted?

“I want to go in and see him!”

“I said no entry! Go!”

Shi Shu kicked the stone lion at the side. His heart was pounding, and his eyes glared at the group of people. Amidst the clamor, a “creak” sounded from behind the gate.

“…We must act according to regulations, Lord Xie. Please don’t make it difficult for this humble subordinate.”

“My younger brother misses me greatly. Just one meeting will be enough.”

Shi Shu looked up. From behind the gate walked a tall figure in a plain white silk robe, carrying a lantern made of carved bone. His figure was very clear in the night, and the clanking of chains could be heard as he moved, his shadow cast against the dark bricks and gray tiles behind him.

Xie Wuchi.

They hadn’t seen each other for three months. He stood at the door, his expression calm and natural, and met Shi Shu’s gaze.

“Xie Wuchi, what on earth—”

Shi Shu’s words got stuck. In these three months, Shi Shu had often thought of Xie Wuchi’s invitations, “Want to have sex with me?” “Do it with me.” Now, seeing him having changed out of that crimson robe and back into plain white, unadorned clothes, after so long, there was a sense of unfamiliarity.

The more unfamiliar he felt, the more stimulating the ambiguous memories became.

Shi Shu stammered, “How did you end up like this?”

Xie Wuchi held a string of bodhi beads in his hand, slowly passing them one by one, and said flatly, “Why did you come?”

Shi Shu: “I heard from the people at the Prince’s mansion that you were back. I didn’t expect you to be stripped of your official hat and escorted back to the capital.”

Shi Shu had always been carefree, but he and Xie Wuchi hadn’t seen each other when he left, which counted as an argument. At this moment, he wasn’t sure what attitude to take, so he spoke normally, trying to discern the emotion in Xie Wuchi’s words.

Xie Wuchi: “Yes, the situation is not very good. You should stay in the courtyard for the next few days and lie low. Come out again after it’s over.”

“Lie low from what? Over what? What happened to you?”

“Lie low from my misfortune. The New Policies have been in effect for less than half a year, and the core figures are gradually being removed from the court. Now it’s my turn.”

“You!”

How could this be? How could this be… Weren’t things going so well? Wasn’t there so much hope, wasn’t the entire gloom and decay of the Great Jing being washed away?

“Lord Xie, His Majesty said that Lord Xie is not allowed to meet with anyone…”

Urged from behind, Xie Wuchi, as a major criminal escorted by the court, was already completely restrained. Xie Wuchi looked at Shi Shu one more time and turned around. “In a couple of days, when there’s news of me, come find me in prison.”

Shi Shu suddenly shouted, “Xie Wuchi! Stop right there!”

This shout was so rude that it made Xie Wuchi stop, and the surrounding officials also looked up.

Shi Shu: “Are you going to die?!”

“I don’t know.”

Shi Shu finally noticed the distance and detachment in his words. He couldn’t care about much else. “Why are you talking to me like this? Are you holding a grudge because I wouldn’t do ‘that’ with you?”

The crowd perked up their ears to eavesdrop. “That?”

Which ‘that’?

What ‘that’?

Xie Wuchi looked at him. After three months, it seemed there wasn’t much to say. He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment before smiling. “I’m not holding a grudge. I also wanted to say I’m sorry. I was in the wrong during that time, I bullied you.”

Shi Shu: “Huh?”

“Lord Xie…” the guards urged again in a low voice. Xie Wuchi nodded slightly, looked at him one last time, and turned to walk into the confinement room. “Come find me at the Ministry of Justice in a few days.”

Shi Shu was left standing there, watching the door close again, only his heart was still pounding wildly, unable to make sense of the after-feeling.

It was the same quaint teahouse. Shi Shu sat drinking tea with a bamboo hat on his back. This place was a gathering spot for the Imperial College students to discuss politics.

As Shi Shu watched the time, he waited anxiously. Before long, a very elegant young master, fanning himself, walked in and sat down by the window. Shi Shu quickly moved to the adjacent table.

“Excuse me, could you let me have this table? I’ll pay you, thank you!”

Shi Shu knew this person had connections in the court, so he sat closer to listen.

“The court has been truly turbulent lately, one wave rises and another falls.”

“The biggest thing…”

“Why were the New Policies suddenly stopped? I heard that Censor Xie has been escorted back to the Eastern Capital!”

“Not just him, all the New Policies officials have been transferred from their posts, demoted, or exiled. I’m afraid the New Policies can’t succeed. It’s a simple reason: most of the wealthy gentry are retired court officials, and they have close ties with the current ruling faction! On the surface, it’s about touching the fields of the wealthy, but in reality, it’s carving flesh from these officials!”

“So this Censor Xie was doomed from the moment he took the stage. To have achieved such political results is already a great accomplishment.”

“I see… I see…” Shi Shu drank his tea, his fingers trembling, listening to them talk, and his heart was also speaking. “Will Xie Wuchi die? Was he pushed out by the ruling faction in this power struggle?”

“Hmph, speaking of which, in these few months, the memorials impeaching the New Policies officials have never stopped! Especially this arrogant Censor Xie. At its peak, there were over a hundred memorials against him in one day! They say he is violent, cruel, and ruthless in his dealings, that the wealthy households in the places he passed through wailed and changed their expressions at the mention of his name! Such a heavy killing intent!”

The young master snapped his fan shut. “To fight against the entire imperial court is like a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot! Far away in the outer prefectures, with hundreds of officials submitting memorials in the court, a constant dripping wears away the stone, and many mouths can melt gold.”

“Being demoted was only a matter of time.”

“Exactly, exactly!”

“I heard that the day before yesterday, over a hundred officials resigned collectively! Is that true?”

“It’s true! They said His Majesty was favoring a ‘sorcerer’ to disrupt the court, trample on the household of scholars, and cause turmoil within the four seas. Who can bear such a huge accusation?”

“His Majesty’s will has probably been worn down these few months. He had no choice but to recall him for punishment to quell the anger of the hundred officials…”

Another voice, with a raised chin, said secretively.

“What’s more, the current Prime Minister has always opposed reform. How could he let the New Policies faction climb up by stepping on his face?!”

“If the New Policies faction rises, other factions must fall! How could they let the New Policies rise?”

“Furthermore, the land tax inspection has already brought in thirty million taels. They’re content! There’s no determination to continue!”

“…”

Shi Shu put his cup down, stood up, and walked out the door. A chilling autumn wind blew, messing up his hair. The four seasons in this Eastern Capital were as unfamiliar as ever. And the hearts of people were as cold as ever.

The magnificent landscape before his eyes—opening up resources, equalizing land tax, filling the national treasury, solving the nation’s crisis, and saving the people from hunger and cold—such a grand and macroscopic monument had just collapsed with a roar.

Shi Shu’s gaze swept over the street. It was as if he could see hundreds of court officials kneeling in the Golden Throne Hall. Because their own pockets and interests were being reaped and their positions were threatened, they gave birth to hatred and attacked from all sides, shouting loudly in court with their memorials.

“The so-called Censor Xie and his New Policies land tax inspection are harming the country and misleading the people! He hates the gentry, severs the cultural lineage, and misleads the public with heresy. Even if he gets money, he exacerbates the turmoil of the state. This is truly a disaster for the common people!”

“Your Majesty must not, for the sake of these millions in wealth, tolerate a monk taking the stage and trampling on the meritorious officials of our Great Jing, to the detriment of a ‘benevolent and righteous rule’!”

“‘Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants,’ scholars are ranked first. How can we take the wealth of scholars and hurt the hearts of all the scholars in the world!”

“Your Majesty, your servant requests the abolition of the New Policies!”

“Your Majesty…”

“…”

A hundred memorials, abolishing the New Policies. All personnel were recalled from the provinces, either transferred, demoted, or exiled. In the tenth year of Taikang, the New Policies, which had lasted less than half a year, came to an end.

The autumn wind was cold. Shi Shu walked along the corner of the wall to the courtyard of the Ministry of Justice. He was led through a dark and deep passage to a cell door.

Inside the door, a figure in a prisoner’s uniform sat on a pile of straw. It was Xie Wuchi. Only the white light from the window penetrated the cell, and he sat under that white light, a string of dark, ancient bodhi beads in his hand.

“Clap, clap, clap.”

Shi Shu clapped as he approached. “Xie Wuchi, half a year, and you’re back in this prison for a second time.”

Xie Wuchi looked at him and said, “Sit.”

Shi Shu brushed off the dust and sat down face-to-face outside the cell door. After three months, Xie Wuchi felt unfamiliar, not like he knew him well. The sense of distance had become surprisingly strong.

Shi Shu: “It’s good to be your friend, but I’m always worried you’ll die.”

Xie Wuchi said flatly, “I won’t. The emperor’s decree has come down. Exile for three thousand li, to the border of Taiyin Prefecture.”

Shi Shu repeated, word for word, “Exile for three thousand li?”

“Taiyin Prefecture is on the border between the Great Jing and the Great Min, a place of swirling sandstorms where cattle and sheep follow water and grass. It is also where the Great Jing’s border defense military region is located. I am to serve my sentence in exile in Taiyin Prefecture, and must walk there within the next two months. This is my crime alone; it does not involve you.”

“…”

Shi Shu grabbed his hair and said nothing.

Sometimes, he really felt like he couldn’t understand what other people were saying.

Damn it, why is it so hard to understand what some people say?

Shi Shu confirmed, “You’re saying you’re being exiled for three thousand li? A merit of thirty million taels of silver in exchange for an exile of three thousand li?”

Xie Wuchi’s expression was calm, his palm kneading the string of bodhi beads. “By participating in the power struggle, I was prepared to accept the consequences. The ups and downs of an official career, this is normal.”

Shi Shu stared at him. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ll be exiled. You just stay in the Eastern Capital. The house and money are all there. His Majesty demoted me but secretly rewarded me with two hundred thousand taels of silver. I’ve converted it all into silver notes and had him give them to you. It’s enough for you to live worry-free in the Eastern Capital for several years.”

“What the f—, Xie Wuchi!” Shi Shu held his forehead. “You…”

Xie Wuchi’s obsidian-like eyes were looking at him, his pupils reflecting Shi Shu’s image.

“Exile for three thousand li… Even if I haven’t been exiled, haven’t I seen it on TV? Lin Chong being escorted to Cangzhou, wearing shackles, traveling day and night, walking a full three thousand li on foot. What kind of strength is that? And you just say it so lightly?”

Xie Wuchi: “What else?”

Shi Shu looked up at him, this gambler of power, this white-robed demon. Knowing the outcome would be bad, why did he have to participate? Unimaginable torture and treatment, yet he looked so nonchalant, with his own plans in mind. What on earth was he thinking?

Fleeing to Xiangnan Temple for help in the night, he ran into a great demon.

Shi Shu stared at him. Xie Wuchi, under his gaze, nonchalantly adjusted his collar, his brows still holding the coldness of a flower on a high mountain. His expression seemed indifferent and distant, but his Adam’s apple rolled, and his sexy collarbones were revealed. With his broad shoulders and narrow waist, only this body of his still exuded the sexual allure of a male fox.

Abstinent yet indulgent.

Xie Wuchi looked down at him for a while and said, “I’m not angry that you won’t have sex with me.”

Shi Shu turned a deaf ear. “When are you leaving?”

Xie Wuchi: “Within three days.”

“I’m going with you.”

“No need.”

“Haha! That’s not for you to decide. I’m going back to pack my things.”

“If you must ask, I’m very disappointed with this world. I just want to walk with you.”

Xie Wuchi’s hand had been constantly kneading the string of bodhi beads. The so-called self-cultivation and nurturing of character, a calm heart is the highest realm, not pleased by external things, not saddened by oneself, firmly doing one thing, and eliminating external objects and distracting thoughts.

At this moment, his fingertips stopped.

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