DLWAV CH132 [Arc 7]

In the fifth month of the sixth year of the Jianzhao era, the Marquis of Yong’an scored a crushing victory over the Southern Rong, completely quelling the southern turmoil that had plagued the Great Yang dynasty for over two decades.

Emperor Jianzhao was overjoyed and hosted a grand victory banquet at the Taiji Palace to honor the returning army. He bestowed generous rewards upon all officers and soldiers who had distinguished themselves.

During the feast, Emperor Jianzhao asked Fu Deben—the vanguard of the Northern Army and newly appointed General of Diyuan—how he had possessed the courage to lead the charge, and even amidst depleted rations and lost supplies, lead his men on a thousand-mile raid against the Southern Rong royal city. That raid had forced the enemy to retreat to their capital, lifting the siege on the main Great Yang army and laying a solid foundation for the final victory.

Upon hearing the emperor’s inquiry, Fu Deben, who had been kneeling on one knee, dropped his other knee to the floor as well…

“That was when General Fu spoke…”

In a teahouse located in the outer capital city, a storyteller sat high on the platform, animatedly spitting as he spoke to his audience. “He said, ‘Your servant has committed a capital offense; I beg Your Majesty for mercy.’“

Before the tea patrons below could react, the storyteller beat them to it: “Just like you all, the Emperor was stunned on the spot.”

“After all, in this great campaign, General Fu had achieved legendary exploits for the imperial court and for Great Yang! How could he possibly be guilty of a crime?”

The storyteller didn’t leave them hanging for long. “As it turns out, five years ago during the grand wedding of His Highness Prince Rui, General Fu was among the invited guests.”

“At the banquet, the atmosphere was lively with pipes and strings, elegant dancing, and overflowing wine cups… General Fu inadvertently drank a bit too much.”

“When one drinks too much, one inevitably needs to relieve oneself, right?”

“Who knew that while searching for the latrine, General Fu lost his way and accidentally stumbled into the inner quarters of Prince Rui’s residence.”

“Just then, a beauty draped in sheer gauze was seated by the window. Overcome by a moment of folly, he felt a sudden urge to flirt with her.”

“Fortunately, the beauty’s maid arrived in time and chased him away.”

“Afterward, the maid immediately informed Prince Rui of the incident.”

“As it turned out, that beauty was none other than Lady Wu, Prince Rui’s side-consort.”

“Yet, upon learning of this, Prince Rui did not make a scene. He simply said:”

“In ancient times, King Zhuang of Chu hosted a feast for his ministers. When an official drank too much, a sudden gust of wind blew out all the candles. Taking advantage of the darkness, he tried to fondle King Zhuang’s favored concubine, Lady Xu. Lady Xu refused, tore her sleeve to break free, and in the struggle, ripped off the official’s hat tassel.

“Returning to King Zhuang, she urged him to light the candles and inspect everyone’s tassels to catch the perpetrator. But King Zhuang said that losing control under the influence of alcohol is only human nature, so how could he humiliate a loyal minister for the sake of a woman’s chastity? Instead, King Zhuang ordered all his ministers to remove their hat tassels before relighting the candles, continuing the feast until everyone was fully contented.

“My virtue is shallow—not even a fraction of King Zhuang’s—yet I am willing to emulate the sages of old and my Imperial Father to treat with generosity the civil and military officials who shed blood and toil tirelessly for the Great Yang empire.”

The storyteller continued, “Speaking up to this point, General Fu choked with emotion and said: ‘In truth, the person who offended Prince Rui’s side-consort that day was none other than this humble general. Since Prince Rui is willing to emulate King Zhuang and treat me as a noble scholar, I ought to follow the example of General Xiong Fu—who offended Lady Xu back then—and repay Prince Rui, the Emperor, and the imperial court with a noble scholar’s devotion!’“

“Upon hearing this, the Emperor was immensely pleased. Moved by General Fu’s pure heart, he broke protocol on the spot and promoted him to Count of Diyuan!”

Hearing this, the tea patrons cheered loudly in unison.

“The Emperor is wise and sagacious!”

“Long live Prince Rui!”

The storyteller quickly added: “By the way, the Count of Diyuan has already set up an open street banquet at his residence. He declared that no one needs to bring gifts—anyone who goes to his manor can snag a cup of celebratory wine!”

“Why don’t we go to the Count’s residence right now to celebrate this immense blessing with him?”

“Good idea!” everyone shouted in agreement.

With that, led by the storyteller, the guests in the teahouse swarmed out toward the nearby Fu Manor.

Sitting in a corner, a slightly chubby scholar among a group of young men immediately said, “For Prince Rui to treat men of talent with such humility, he truly seems like an enlightened ruler.”

“I’ve made up my mind. Tomorrow, I will go to Prince Rui’s manor to submit my portfolio.”

“What do you all think?”

Emperor Jianzhao currently had five adult sons. Among them, Prince Rui was the third, and aside from the Crown Prince, he was the most popular candidate for the future throne.

These young men were all examinees who had come to the capital for the imperial metropolitan examinations.

The practice of “submitting portfolios” existed because the Great Yang imperial exams differed slightly from previous dynasties. Aside from taking the standard examinations, scholars were permitted to self-recommend. As long as a scholar secured a recommendation letter from any official of the third rank or higher, even if they failed the metropolitan exam, they could participate in the Selection by the Ministry of Rites to become an official.

Thus, to secure a letter of recommendation, many examinees compiled their past outstanding essays into long scrolls to present to the powerful and wealthy.

Three other scholars immediately chimed in: “I’ll go tomorrow too!”

However, two among them remained completely silent.

The group turned to look at those two: “Brother Wenju? Brother Ruize?”

Yao Wenju sighed. Considering that they were from the same hometown and had helped him quite a bit along the journey to the capital, he offered a quiet word of guidance: “Brothers, do you truly believe Prince Rui’s actions reflect the noble spirit of King Zhuang of Chu?”

The group froze. “Brother Wenju, what do you mean by that?”

Yao Wenju explained, “In King Zhuang’s time, although there was already a concept of male dominance over females, the constraints on women were not as strict. Widows could remarry, and establishing an independent female household was easy.”

“So even if Lady Xu was offended by Xiong Fu back then, she remained King Zhuang’s favored concubine, and no one criticized her for it.”

“But nowadays, let alone remarrying, if a widow leaves her house more than a few times a year, it invites endless gossip.”

“In my home county, three women were drowned in pig baskets this year alone—one of them simply because she interacted a bit too closely with her fiancé before the wedding.”

Before Yao Wenju could even finish, someone caught on. They no longer had time to delve into Yao Wenju’s seemingly absurd defense of women; a grim realization hit them: “Then… can Prince Rui’s side-consort, Lady Wu, even survive?”

No—rather, she could have survived.

If only Prince Rui and General Fu had kept their lips tightly sealed about the matter.

Yet Fu Deben had brought it up right in front of the Emperor and the assembled civil and military officials.

And now, the matter was being trumpeted by street storytellers until it was known to everyone in the capital—

Thus, Lady Wu would almost certainly be unable to escape death.

If even they could see this clearly, could the famously brilliant Prince Rui fail to realize it?

Yet he chose to allow these rumors to spread unchecked—

And then there was Fu Deben.

Considering how their story was being broadcast through every street and alley, and how these examinees’ first thought upon hearing it was that Prince Rui was a rare and wise lord worth serving, the ulterior motives of Prince Rui and Fu Deben became crystal clear.

A chill ran down everyone’s spines.

Lady Wu had originally been Prince Rui’s formally betrothed fiancee! Although he had later demoted her from principal wife to side-consort after her father, Prince Wu, was defeated in battle, there had at least been a fond childhood bond between them.

If he could be so cruel to a woman who shared his bed, how could he ever treat the ministers who pledged loyalty to him with genuine sincerity?

At this thought, the scholar who had previously been desperate to submit his portfolio to Prince Rui’s manor slowly slunk back into his seat.

Seeing this, Yao Wenju nodded in satisfaction.

There were actually many other reasons that led him to believe Prince Rui and Fu Deben were by no means benevolent masters, but those were unsuitable to voice aloud. Being able to convince his companions with just this single point was already gratifying.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, Ao Ruize—who had remained silent the entire time—stood up.

Yao Wenju and the others assumed he was standing up to visit the latrine, so they immediately stepped aside to make room.

To their surprise, Ao Ruize walked straight toward the front entrance.

They called out hastily: “Brother Ruize, the latrine is in the back!”

Ao Ruize replied, “I’m not going to the latrine. I’m heading to the Fu Manor.”

“What?”

Their brows furrowed instantly.

Going to the Fu Manor at a time like this—what else could Ao Ruize be doing other than offering congratulations to that so-called Count of Diyuan?

They immediately said, “Ruize, did you not understand what Brother Wenju just said?”

Ao Ruize turned back and remarked, “I understood it completely.”

He turned around: “It is precisely because I understood that I wish to meet this Count of Diyuan all the more.”

As he spoke, his gaze suddenly landed on the long sword hanging at Yao Wenju’s waist.

He smiled faintly. “If I am not mistaken, Brother Wenju, returning to take the examinations after ten years must be for the sake of choosing a suitable master to serve and fulfill your ambitions, right?”

Yao Wenju, like Ao Ruize’s original host, was an examinee from the south.

However, unlike the original host who had struggled immensely just to pass the provincial exam at the age of twenty-three, Yao Wenju was a legendary prodigy—literate at age two, reading at three, writing poetry at six, and passing the imperial tribute exam at twelve, sending his name echoing across the south.

Had it not been for a cheating scandal involving his examiner during his provincial exam—where many could not stomach being surpassed by a young boy whose hair hadn’t even fully grown—endless mud was flung at him from all directions. Even his mentors, fellow disciples, and betrothed turned against him, leading to his imprisonment. Otherwise, he would have long become the youngest imperial scholar in Great Yang history.

Fortunately, Yan Fengmao, the Minister of Justice at the time, was relatively upright. He managed to solve the case and clear Yao Wenju’s name.

Hearing Ao Ruize’s words, Yao Wenju’s expression flickered almost imperceptibly before he gave a bitter laugh: “Brother Ruize jokes. Who in Great Yang doesn’t know that I, Yao Wenju, am just a second Jiang Zhongyong—talented in youth, but now unable to compose a single presentable essay?”

“Coming to the capital this time, if I can secure a third-class degree, I would already be thanking my ancestors for their protection. As for gaining the favor of nobles, I no longer dare to harbor such wild hopes.”

Upon hearing this, the other scholars present revealed looks of pity.

Evidently, they believed Yao Wenju’s self-deprecating words.

However, Ao Ruize was not so easily fooled.

He had already guessed why Yao Wenju spoke that way—the exam scandal ten years ago had taught him to hide his light under a bushel.

Thus, Ao Ruize simply continued, “If Brother Wenju is willing to lend me this heirloom sword of yours, I might just be able to help you find a wise and capable master.”

Without waiting for Yao Wenju to react, Ao Ruize stepped forward, snatched the sword from Yao Wenju’s waist, and walked away with long strides.

Only then did the other scholars snap out of their stupor.

“What does Wu Ruize mean by this?”

“He knows clearly that Prince Rui isn’t an enlightened lord, yet he still wants to curry favor with him?”

“No, I have to go bring him back.”

One of the scholars immediately stood up.

However, the others grew annoyed.

“Bring him back for what? Can’t you see he’s already set his mind on parting ways with us?”

“Those with different paths cannot make plans together. Just consider that we no longer have this fellow countryman as a friend.”

Yao Wenju’s brows furrowed as well.

However, the reason for his frown was not regret over associating with Wu Ruize, but rather the feeling that Ao Ruize’s expression did not look like someone going to offer congratulations to Fu Deben at all.

In truth, Ao Ruize was indeed going to “congratulate” Fu Deben—

At this moment, the Fu Manor was extraordinarily lively.

The banqueting tables had even expanded onto the long street outside the main gate.

However, as a scholar holding an official degree, Ao Ruize was naturally not arranged to eat out on the street. Seeing his scholar’s attire, the servants of Fu Manor dismissed the dense crowd of beggars who had come to plead for food and led him directly into a side room adjacent to the main courtyard.

“Count, congratulations! Congratulations!”

“Count Fu, I heard your second son will reach adulthood next year. As luck would have it, I have a daughter who has reached marriageable age as well. How about we arrange a match between our families?”

“Congratulations, Count! Leaving a name in the history books is already a settled matter for you!”

…

Even separated by a wall and twenty meters of distance, the flattering voices from the main courtyard echoed clearly into the ears of Ao Ruize and the others.

Partly because the guests were speaking loudly, but also because the other scholars in the room—aside from Ao Ruize—had their minds entirely off the food and drink, keeping the side room dead silent.

Soon enough, however, they could no longer sit still.

They heard someone in the main courtyard remark: “By the way, I heard many examinees have arrived today as well. Why not invite them over to compose a few poems to add to the splendor of today’s grand occasion?”

The others agreed enthusiastically: “A splendid idea!”

Shortly after, the steward of Fu Manor arrived to invite Ao Ruize and the other scholars to the main courtyard to speak.

The examinees present instantly grew thrilled.

They hastily straightened their robes and caps, while Ao Ruize took advantage of the moment to step ahead of them.

Upon arriving at the main courtyard, before they could even bow in greeting, Fu Deben, sitting in the chief seat, stood up and walked over to them: “No need for formalities, no need for formalities! You gentlemen are all future pillars of the nation. To have you come for a cup of celebratory wine is already giving Fu immense honor.”

Saying that, he took a cup of wine handed over by his steward: “I am merely a crude military man and not adept at fancy words, so let me toast you gentlemen first!”

Seeing Fu Deben act so courteously, the examinees were overcome with excitement.

Someone immediately couldn’t wait to step forward: “The rumors are indeed true—the Count is truly wise and modest, and we students have indeed come to the right place!”

“Count, I am willing to compose a poem to celebrate your achievements—”

Unexpectedly, in the next second, they were all shoved aside by Ao Ruize: “I, too, have a immortal line of poetry to congratulate the Count.”

As one could imagine, the expressions of those scholars turned exceedingly ugly after being bumped aside.

They had thought they were acting shamelessly enough to cling to power, but they hadn’t expected someone to be even more brazen than them.

“Oh?”

Hearing this, Fu Deben’s interest was instantly piqued.

Mainly, he had previously been a mere sixth-rank low officer; when had he ever been flattered like this? How could he not be thrilled?

“Sir, please—”

However, Ao Ruize turned his head to look left and right first: “Could everyone please step back a bit? You’re standing too close to me, which might affect my performance.”

The scholars’ faces grew even darker.

Ao Ruize’s level of shamelessness had completely rewritten their understanding of the word.

—They simply assumed Ao Ruize was doing this to draw all the guests’ attention onto himself.

Only then did Ao Ruize turn his head back to look at Fu Deben: “Count, hear it clearly! This immortal line reads—‘When the Son of Heaven flies into a rage, a million corpses lay scattered; when a common man flies into a rage, blood splatters three paces wide!’“

Fu Deben and the surrounding guests froze instantly.

What kind of congratulatory line was this?

No.

This was indeed a famous line from antiquity.

But it wasn’t composed by Ao Ruize.

Furthermore, what did this quote have to do with today’s banquet?

Before anyone could speak, Ao Ruize added softly, “It seems the Count has truly forgotten who I am?”

Fu Deben asked subconsciously, “Who are you?”

Ao Ruize smiled faintly: “The son of the deposed Prince Wu, and the younger brother of Prince Rui’s side-consort Lady Wu—Wu Ruize.”

Hearing these words, the pupils of Fu Deben and those around him contracted sharply.

Yet before Fu Deben could take even half a step back, in the next instant, the long sword in Ao Ruize’s hand unsheathed with a thunderous clash.

A split second later, Fu Deben’s eyes widened in horror. He reached out frantically, trying to cover his neck where blood was gushing out. But before his hands could even reach it, his head detached and crashed heavily onto the floor.

Finally, his headless body collapsed straight down.

Ao Ruize spoke his final words quietly: “To buy people’s hearts, Prince Rui can disregard the chastity of his wife and concubine. But as the younger brother of Lady Wu, I absolutely cannot tolerate a shameless scoundrel like you—who ruined my elder sister’s honor—living another day in this world.”

As he spoke, he pulled up his sleeve and slowly wiped the blood off the blade, bit by bit.

The moment his words landed, the long sword was smoothly slid back into its sheath, settling with a crisp, clear clack.