Yin Qing's gaze was faint, his smile equally faint, as if he had long anticipated her astonishment yet felt no urgency to explain, seemingly waiting for her next move.
Meng Tinghui held the thin box of letters as if it were a thousand-pound weight, her wrist trembling slightly.
How could she not be shocked?
These were actually dozens of private letters exchanged between Xu Ting and his old friend Hao Kuang over the past three years!
Hao Kuang, who had passed the imperial examinations and entered officialdom in the sixth year of Xianping of the previous dynasty, served under two emperors and witnessed the change of dynasties. He had once held the position of Commissioner of the Three Departments, but later retired due to frail health and frequent illness. He passed away in the eleventh month of the twenty-fifth year of Qiande at his home in Liuzhou, Yongxing Circuit. Upon learning of his death, the Emperor specially granted him posthumous honors and titles. This magnanimous imperial grace toward a former official moved many court ministers at the time.
Hao Kuang and Xu Ting had passed the imperial examinations in the same year. The two had served in the court for decades, sharing a deep friendship. In the years after Hao Kuang retired due to illness, Xu Ting often sent him gifts, and even after being appointed as the Right Chancellor, he did not distance himself from Hao Kuang, who had retired to a remote circuit. The close personal relationship between these two senior officials was widely known in the court. Since the capital was moved and the courts merged, the veteran officials who had served for decades had grown old or ill, with retirements occurring every year. Even the current key Important Officials in power—which of them still possessed the broad-mindedness and lofty spirit of their younger days? Thus, the mutual appreciation among the elder statesmen was seen as nothing unusual. After all, decades of collegial ties were hard to sever, and it was not strange for them to maintain communication with court officials even after retirement.
But the words in these private letters were startling, making it hard for her to believe they were written by Xu Ting himself.
The letter she held was dated three years prior. At that time, the Emperor was still the Crown Prince, but Xu Ting had already expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince's governance. In this letter to Hao Kuang, he repeatedly criticized and vented his frustrations, his words filled with resentment. Though she hadn't carefully read the other letters in the box, she could imagine they all contained Xu Ting's grievances against the Emperor. Otherwise, Yin Qing would not have brought them to her, calling them a "token of sincerity" as a meeting gift...
She was well aware of the weight these letters carried, but she couldn't fathom how Yin Qing had obtained these private correspondences between Xu Ting and Hao Kuang. After Hao Kuang's death, his family remained in Liuzhou, Yongxing Circuit, with his two sons serving as officials in Heyang East and West Circuits, thousands of miles away. Yin Qing, hailing from Chaoan North Circuit, could not possibly have any connection to Hao Kuang's family. How could he have obtained such highly confidential letters, let alone ordinary items from the Hao family?
Though the weather was warm, the night breeze sweeping through the streets made her shiver involuntarily.
The man before her wore an inscrutable smile, making her hesitant to guess his intentions. After careful thought, she finally asked, "How did you obtain these letters?"
Yin Qing did not answer directly, instead saying, "This is merely a token of my sincerity in wishing to align with you, Lord Meng. If you find it useful, take it and use it as you see fit. There is no need to inquire into the origins of these letters."
Fearful of falling into his trap, Meng Tinghui sneered coldly, "You, a newly appointed imperial scholar—how could you possibly have such means? Aren't you afraid that I might take these directly to Chancellor Xu, causing you to stumble and never recover your standing in the court?"
He was a man she had met only twice—how could she possibly trust him?Yin Qing smiled faintly upon hearing this and said, "This humble official naturally fears that Lord Meng might turn hostile and deny our agreement, yet I am willing to take the gamble. Lord Meng is currently entangled in the matter of transferring officials in the Chao'an military command. Would it not be a pity to lose such a golden opportunity due to excessive suspicion? Why not join me in this wager, and later decide whether you can trust me?"
Meng Tinghui was taken aback by his words, never expecting him to be so well-informed about court affairs—even aware of what was troubling her at the moment. She steeled her heart, gripping the letter case tightly without speaking.
If she used these dozens of private letters to bargain with Xu Ting, he would likely agree to no longer oppose the Ministry of Personnel's recommendations. Then, her plan to transfer sixteen officials in the Chao'an circuit would proceed unimpeded.
As if reading her thoughts, Yin Qing studied her expression intently and suddenly remarked, "Why not present these letters directly to His Majesty? With the Emperor's iron-fisted resolve, removing Xu Ting from his post as Chancellor would be a matter of moments."
Meng Tinghui was shocked once more.
When she first saw the letters, her utmost intention had been to privately "threaten" Xu Ting—never had she considered presenting them directly to the Emperor to topple Xu Ting from his chancellorship in one fell swoop!
For a court official in power to privately and recklessly criticize the Emperor’s faults was a crime that could be deemed either grave or minor, depending on how the court deliberated and how the Emperor ruled. Xu Ting had served as Chancellor for years without major missteps and enjoyed an excellent reputation among scholars and officials of the Western Faction. Toppling him based solely on these few dozen private letters was no simple feat.
Moreover, if she, Meng Tinghui, were the one to present this to the Emperor, who knew what criticisms the esteemed senior officials at court would level against her!
She understood the Emperor’s temperament well—a man who concealed his thoughts in public but coldly calculated in private. Yin Qing’s description of the Emperor as iron-fisted struck her as quite accurate. When had the Emperor ever been lenient in the face of court failings? Over the years, when had he shown the slightest negligence in governance or military affairs? Even in their private conversations, discussions of state affairs were frequent, and never once had she seen the Emperor fully set aside his imperial duties. How could such a man tolerate any challenge to his authority or a chancellor harboring disloyal thoughts?
If she were to impeach Xu Ting for disloyalty using these letters, there was a high likelihood he would lose his position. Yet, the full consequences were beyond her current estimation. Having only recently been promoted to a dual ministerial post, to strike so ruthlessly at the incumbent Right Chancellor—and using the private letters of a deceased senior official to impeach the Chancellor! Even she felt such methods were somewhat dishonorable. No doubt the senior court officials would condemn her mercilessly—what upright person would secretly collect others’ private correspondence?
Even if Xu Ting were dismissed by the Emperor, Meng Tinghui’s reputation at court would be utterly ruined.
Those self-righteous officials at court never cared whether you were right or wrong. Even if your arguments were sound and your reasoning impeccable, if your methods were deemed "despicable" or "underhanded," you would inevitably face their "righteous" censure.
She had never cared about such so-called infamy. Her only consideration now was whether it was worth sacrificing her reputation to bring down Xu Ting.Yin Qing watched her lost in silent contemplation, a knowing look surfacing in his eyes. "If Lord Meng wishes to break free from the constraints of the old ministers and truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in political deliberations, you must shed these hesitant doubts. Once Xu Ting falls, those opportunists in the Western Faction will surely switch allegiance to you to secure their own careers, while the important officials of the Eastern Faction will regard you with caution and no longer obstruct you at every turn as they do now. In the future court, aside from His Majesty, who else could Lord Meng possibly fear?"
Meng Tinghui suddenly lifted her gaze to fix on him, her voice soft as drifting willow catkins: "If this succeeds, what reward do you seek?"
The night street lay shrouded in shadows, with only the whisper of wind remaining.
Yin Qing pondered her question quietly for a moment before responding slowly: "Most Second Class Candidates in the imperial examinations get appointed to remote prefectures and counties, but this humble official wishes to remain in the capital. If that proves impossible, I would prefer an appointment in some prefecture or county of Chaoan North Circuit."
Meng Tinghui listened without changing expression, feeling more convinced he was an intelligent man.
An ordinary person seeking personal gain would have demanded an unattainable position. He had expended effort to obtain these letters and chosen this moment to deliver them, yet only requested something almost certain - to remain in the capital. This showed his true intention wasn't to use the letters for high position. Yet he clearly wasn't trying to curry favor with her either - if that were the case, wouldn't refusing any reward better demonstrate sincerity? He obviously sought no benefit but pretended to be "ingratiating" himself for a capital appointment.
Though thinking this, she maintained the pretense of believing him, nodding: "Allow me to consider this further."
Yin Qing didn't press, bowing: "Then this humble official thanks Lord Meng in advance and will trouble you no further."
Meng Tinghui gave a slight nod and turned to leave.
The dim light stretched their two shadows long across the blue stone bricks beneath her feet. After walking several paces, she noticed he remained standing motionless behind her.
Unable to resist, she glanced back just as he turned to walk away.
Since entering court, she had encountered countless people and never felt unsettled by major or minor affairs, yet now this new imperial graduate left her feeling uncertain.
People live with ambitions - even her own entry into court had been driven by purpose.
But he seemed to seek neither office nor wealth, nor even her person.
So what exactly was his aim?
As she walked, her mind churned with these thoughts. Yin Qing hailed from Chaoan North Circuit - with such talent, he couldn't be unknown. Perhaps she could send a letter to Qing Province, asking Shen Zhishu to inquire about his background in Chaoan...
But she immediately dismissed the idea.
Shen Zhishu governed a major border prefecture and likely would be promoted to Transport Commissioner of Chaoan North Circuit. She held dual central government positions and oversaw Ministry of Personnel evaluations - how could she maintain close private ties with frontier officials?
What she needed most now was to avoid giving others any leverage, so she absolutely couldn't privately write to Qing Province asking Shen Zhishu to investigate this new graduate's background.
With this realization, she sighed softly, her footsteps growing heavier.That fearless and unhesitating nature from when she first entered the court was likely gone forever. The higher one climbs, the harder it is to stand firm, and the more matters there are to ponder and strategize. To take a single step, even after considering dozens of possibilities, one still fears that misstep might lead to a great fall.
Spotting her from afar as she exited the Imperial Street, the servant from the Meng residence drove the carriage to meet her, lifting the curtain for her to board. "My lady, shall we return to the residence?"
Meng Tinghui frowned for a moment, then shook her head. "Not yet. Take me to the residence of Vice Censor-in-Chief Liao."
The servant acknowledged and turned to drive the carriage, adding, "My lady hasn’t had dinner yet, has she? You must take care of your health…"
Seated inside the carriage, she did not respond, her mind filled with the words Yin Qing had just spoken.
After much reflection, she found Yin Qing’s reasoning quite sound. If she were to use these letters to strike a private deal with Xu Ting, not only would there be unpredictable consequences if the Emperor were to find out, but even if Xu Ting agreed not to cause her trouble in future personnel evaluations at the Ministry of Appointments, she had no guarantee that others in the Hall of State Affairs wouldn’t emerge to obstruct her proposals in every possible way. Moreover, if Xu Ting ceased to trouble her, the court would surely praise him for his magnanimity, while her own reputation, Meng Tinghui’s, would not improve in the slightest. Instead, she might as well seize this opportunity to present these letters directly to the Emperor, enabling him to dismiss Xu Ting from his position as Chancellor in one stroke. This would surely make others in the Hall of State Affairs wary of her, and she would no longer need to worry about the consequences of knowing of the letters yet failing to report them. Furthermore, through this incident, the "Meng Faction" would undoubtedly grow more influential in the court. If the veteran officials of the Western Faction were to fall, those who understood the situation would surely know how to act in the future.
Since Liao Congkuan had been promoted to fill the position of Vice Censor-in-Chief, she had not yet found the time to pay him a visit. Yet she thought that, given Liao Congkuan’s tactful approach to affairs, how could he not understand the reason for his promotion? And if she wanted to openly impeach Right Chancellor Xu Ting this time, the support of the Censorate’s remonstrance officials would be indispensable. This was an opportunity to visit Liao’s residence again and seek mutual benefit with Liao Congkuan. She believed he would not refuse her request, for if the position of Right Vice Director were to become vacant, the balance of power between veteran officials, new talents, the Eastern and Western Factions, and her own Meng Tinghui faction would be reshuffled—a prospect that would also be advantageous for Liao Congkuan.
As she pondered, her resolve grew firmer. She was determined to use these private letters to make the veteran officials in the Hall of State Affairs understand that even without relying on the Emperor’s favor, Meng Tinghui could compel them to yield.
Even if this would stir up a storm in the court, even if it would further tarnish her reputation, she was willing to take the risk.
As the carriage neared the bustling market, it slowed down, and the clamor of the night market outside rushed in like splinters of wood.
Her thoughts drifted, and she suddenly recalled that night market visit from years ago, a warmth flickering in her heart.
Back then, she had said, "This subject’s wish lies in Your Highness’s legacy of a renowned name."
Her heart sank again. In all her scheming, she had forgotten to consider the one seated on the golden dragon throne—what would his reaction be if she presented these private letters before him? Logically, the court officials of the Western Faction were long-serving ministers of the previous emperor. Would he dismiss the Right Chancellor based solely on her impeachment? Moreover, if he investigated the origin of these letters, should she tell the truth?Though she knew her weight in his heart, she did not know her weight as a subject in his imperial calculations. Would he stand by and watch her influence in court grow ever stronger without suppression, truly allowing her repeated promotions and smooth ascent to the clouds?
The words he had spoken that day on the training ground still echoed in her ears.
Yet she could not believe that he, as emperor, would truly wish for her to soar unimpeded, rise straight to the highest heavens, and never fall in her lifetime... She loved him so deeply, yet already, due to factional struggles and political conflicts, she was calculating against him in her heart. How could his heart be open and uncalculating toward her?
The carriage wheels disappeared into the shadows along the street, the lively sounds of the night market fading behind them, gradually growing distant.
She lowered her brows, having already decided what to say upon meeting Liao Congkuan, and was fully confident in predicting his reaction. However, this matter was better addressed sooner rather than later. If Xu Ting was to be impeached, it would be best to draft the impeachment memorial tomorrow or the day after, submit it to the emperor, and then have Liao Congkuan lead the Censorate officials in supporting the impeachment.
Sitting in the carriage, her mind began composing the phrases for the impeachment memorial. Her gaze pierced through the thin window curtain, staring distantly outside.
As the carriage entered the district lined with mansions of the nobility, its pace slowed even further. Just as they were about to turn into the street where Liao’s residence was located, Meng Tinghui spotted a strikingly familiar carriage emerging from the south. Upon closer look, she recognized it as the Shen family carriage, likely carrying Shen Zhili. Assuming Shen Zhili had also noticed her carriage and seeing no way to avoid it, she instructed the servant to stop, intending to alight and greet Shen Zhili.
But the moment she lifted the curtain, it struck her that the Shen carriage had come from the direction of Gu Qin’s residence. Suddenly feeling awkward, she realized she ought not to have seen Shen Zhili here at such a time and hesitated, uncertain whether to step down.
While she wavered, the Shen carriage had already approached and indeed halted at the entrance of the alley. The thick front curtain was abruptly drawn aside, and Shen Zhili leaned out, smiling as she called to the Meng family servant, “What? Has your lady become so high and mighty in her officialdom that she now avoids even me?”
Embarrassed, Meng Tinghui descended from the carriage and raised her eyes to see Shen Zhili standing smiling at the alley’s entrance, waiting for her. She hurried forward a few steps, laughing as she said, “Long time no see, and still your sharp tongue prevails. How would I dare avoid you?”
Shen Zhili, with her hands tucked into her sleeves and chin slightly raised, had an updo hairstyle adorned with a creamy ivory comb that shimmered like flowing silver in the night, faintly bright and dazzling. Beneath her long skirt, the tips of red-and-white phoenix-head shoes peeked out, accentuating her graceful figure. Squinting with a smile, she looked Meng Tinghui up and down several times before leisurely remarking, “That purple official gown of yours, Lady Meng, is quite striking. It makes me rather envious.”
Nearly half a year had passed since Meng Tinghui was removed from drafting edicts, and the two had not met privately like this during that time. Meng Tinghui had been so busy over the months that she had scarcely thought of socializing. Hearing Shen Zhili’s words, she immediately felt somewhat abashed and quickly explained, “How can you say such a thing and put me on the spot? Others might not know, but surely you do? Among all the female officials in the court, you are the only one I am close to. How come even you are testing me now?”Shen Zhili let out a light laugh, pressing her lips together as she said, "I sent someone to deliver an invitation card to your Meng residence two days ago, asking you to join us for a theatrical performance tonight, yet you didn’t even send a reply!"
Meng Tinghui frowned and turned to the servant. "Did Lord Shen send an invitation card to our residence?"
The servant quickly bowed and replied, "Someone from the Shen residence did come, but you’ve been busy at the Ministry of Personnel these past two days with matters concerning the new scholars. How could I dare disturb you during official duties..."
Shen Zhili waved a hand at the servant. "Enough, enough—no one is going to punish you!" Then, turning back to Meng Tinghui, she said, "Now that you hold a dual appointment, though it’s right to prioritize court affairs, you can’t completely neglect social interactions, can you? Do you know how many noblewomen and young ladies in the capital have come to me saying they’d like to invite you for tea or lantern-viewing... Even the female scholars you recommended in this year’s examinations all wish to meet with you privately!" She paused deliberately, observing Meng Tinghui’s expression, before adding with a smile, "But I told them that Lady Meng’s prestige is as lofty as the heavens—only an imperial decree from His Majesty could possibly summon you!"
Meng Tinghui found herself torn between amusement and exasperation. "You’re just teasing me. How could you know I haven’t even had time to sleep these past few months?" Lowering her gaze in thought, she reflected that the noblewomen of the capital’s influential families were not to be underestimated, so she added, "Next time there’s something entertaining, I’ll make sure to set aside time to attend. I promise!"
Shen Zhili grinned and nodded. "Then this humble official thanks Lady Meng for granting me such favor..."
Remembering Shen Zhili’s mention of watching a theatrical performance tonight, Meng Tinghui asked, "There are theatrical performances in the southern part of the city? I never knew..."
Shen Zhili suddenly grew quiet, pressing her lips together for a long moment before replying, "It wasn’t in the southern part. We watched it earlier in the eastern part after the lanterns were lit. I escorted Miss Gu home first and had only traveled a few streets back when I ran into you."
Meng Tinghui was inwardly startled but maintained her composure, smiling faintly. "I suppose Miss Gu is thirteen this year. Why did she need your carriage to return home?"
A faint blush tinged Shen Zhili’s cheeks as she looked up at Meng Tinghui and scoffed lightly, "You’re asking questions you already know the answers to!" Then, with a sigh, she murmured, "I just wanted to create another opportunity..."
Meng Tinghui felt a pang of sympathy but didn’t know how to respond.
As an outsider, she could clearly see that Gu Qin had no romantic interest in Shen Zhili whatsoever. With his stubborn nature, how could he harbor any such feelings for Shen Zhili, whom he had watched grow up? No matter how tenderly Shen Zhili tried to appeal to him, it was unlikely to move him even slightly.
She couldn’t help but recall the peach wood charm Di Nian had carefully kept close to his heart back in Qing Province, and her heart ached for both of them. To desire something yet be unable to attain it—surely there was nothing in this world more heartbreaking.
Shen Zhili snapped out of her thoughts and suddenly asked, "It’s been late for a while now. What are you doing here?"
Meng Tinghui was momentarily taken aback. Faced with Shen Zhili’s sincere and open demeanor, she found herself unable to respond with equal honesty. The thoughts she had been turning over in her mind just moments ago seemed so sordid and shameful compared to Shen Zhili’s genuine sincerity. How could she possibly voice them to Shen Zhili?She raised her hand to smooth her hair and smiled, saying, "I came to meet with Minister Xu regarding the drafting of the imperial edict in the outer court." The lie was so seamless that her expression didn't even change—it almost slipped out effortlessly.
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhili immediately felt somewhat embarrassed and quickly replied, "So it's such an important matter, and I've kept you here with my idle chatter for so long! I'll head back to the residence now. You should hurry along."
Meng Tinghui gave a slight nod. Seeing Shen Zhili turn away, she also turned back to summon her attendant, then boarded the carriage and continued deeper into the alley.
As the carriage curtain fell, the smile on her face vanished as well.
She closed her eyes briefly, feeling a growing disgust toward herself.
Even with Shen Zhili, she couldn't speak her true thoughts. And this matter she was about to undertake—was it right or wrong?
Relieving the people's hardships... How vastly different this was from her original aspirations. But in the court, if one didn't want to be trampled into dust, one had to make oneself as sharp and unassailable as a blade. It was easy to spout lofty words about relieving the people's hardships, but if one couldn't even stand straight and firm, such talk became utterly absurd.
In the distance, the lantern tassels on either side of the Liao residence's horizontal plaque swayed in the night breeze as the carriage gradually came to a stop.
She opened her eyes, let out a soft sigh, and raised her hand to lift the curtain.
·
The imperial examinations of the first year of Jingxuan had produced remarkable new talents. The six female scholars who advanced alongside their male counterparts truly astonished court officials—no one had expected that Meng Tinghui's proposal to reform the examinations would actually recruit women whose talents could rival men's for official positions.
Yet just days before the Qionglin Banquet was to begin, a memorial of impeachment presented by Meng Tinghui during morning court sent shockwaves through the entire bureaucracy. The recent heated discussions about official appointments for female scholars were instantly forgotten as the capital's discourse abruptly shifted focus to Meng Tinghui's impeachment of Right Minister Xu Ting, with everyone watching to see what would follow.
Xu Ting had privately corresponded with former minister Hao Kuang, repeatedly criticizing policies of the current emperor that didn't align with his own views. When this was exposed, it immediately put Western Faction officials who had been close to Xu Ting on edge, fearing they might have similar vulnerabilities. Even the normally vocal Imperial Academy scholars and imperial students remained quietly observant this time.
The Censorate, however, acted decisively. Led by Vice Censor-in-Chief Liao Congkuan, remonstrance officials submitted numerous memorials impeaching Xu Ting for forming factions, disloyalty, and grave insubordination against the emperor, requesting his removal from the chancellorship to rectify court conduct.
Some private rumors circulated portraying Meng Tinghui as a shameless villain who had somehow excavated these letters from a dead man's tomb to force Xu Ting to confess and resign.
Though slanderous attacks against Meng Tinghui were countless, Xu Ting's dozens of private letters constituted ironclad evidence. Court officials generally believed the emperor would surely send him to the Censorate Prison for judgment. Even Xu Ting had already submitted his confession and remained secluded in his residence.
This political storm rose to tremendous heights—even those who normally stayed farthest from court conflicts understood that the Western Faction elders were truly about to collapse.
Now everyone waited to see how the emperor would deal with Xu Ting, and how he would evaluate Meng Tinghui's actions.
·
As summer turned to autumn, the weather grew increasingly sweltering and unsettling.
Cao Jing walked as if driven by the wind, passing through the side gate toward the Remonstrance Bureau.
Inside, arguments had long been raging—the commotion spilled past vermilion walls and emerald willows, making him quicken his pace until he nearly broke into a run.
The moment he entered the bureau gates, those inside spotted him and immediately fell silent, calling out, "Minister Cao!" "Minister Cao, you've finally returned!"
Unable to conceal his urgent expression, Cao Jing grabbed someone and demanded, "Has the emperor's decree arrived?"
The man nodded hurriedly, "Look, Minister!" As he spoke, someone else rushed over with a hastily transcribed copy on thin paper.
Cao Jing snatched it, nearly tearing the document, and lowered his head to read.
Everyone held their breath watching him, their faces filled with unease.After reading it, Cao Jing's lips twitched slightly, his expression far from pleasant. He crumpled the paper and asked those around him, "Was this truly issued by the Hall of State Affairs?"
Everyone nodded in confirmation.
He lowered his gaze, clenching the paper even tighter in his hand.
—Dismiss Xu Ting from his positions as Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and Vice Director of the Chancellery. Appoint Xu Ting as Grand Scholar of the Heavenly Wisdom Hall and Attendant in the Palace.
Cao Jing stood rigidly for a long time before finally letting his hand fall, heaving a heavy sigh in his heart.
...What an emperor, truly what an emperor!
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