The water dungeon emitted waves of a putrid stench.
The jailer led the way ahead, carrying a pine oil lamp.
Lu Chonglou, the Ministry of Justice official, walked beside Chen Yanyun and said, "He was just brought in last night. I had him imprisoned overnight. The water dungeon doesn't smell too pleasant—please bear with it, my lord. I'll have him brought out for questioning..."
Chen Yanyun replied, "Prepare some tea. This interrogation may take a while, and we’ll likely need to moisten our throats."
Lu Chonglou smiled in agreement and summoned a clerk to serve Hanyang Mist Tea.
Chen Yanyun followed the prison warden to the interrogation hall.
The tea was quickly served. A desk had been set up in the hall, and Chen Yanyun sat beside it, leisurely reclining in the Grand Preceptor's Chair as he sipped his tea.
When Lu Chonglou entered and saw this, he couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
Guo Anda had once told him that interrogating Zhang Ling was a trivial matter—a convict sentenced to exile who had escaped and been recaptured. It couldn’t be simpler. Just give him a few dozen more lashes and send him off with the prisoners to Ningguta. Why would he need to preside over such a minor case? But this man was the former Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Zhang Ling. And for such a small matter, Chen Ge Lao had insisted on observing the interrogation.
This was unusual.
Yesterday, Lu Chonglou had received another message from Guo Anda, urging him to downplay the matter and wrap it up quickly. He was told not to let Zhang Ling speak too much.
After pondering it for a day, Lu Chonglou had ordered Zhang Ling to be thrown into the water dungeon.
There was no food or water in the water dungeon, and it was swarming with insects. After a night submerged in cold water, Zhang Ling would surely be in no state to resist.
Steadying himself, Lu Chonglou stepped forward and bowed to Chen Yanyun with a smile. "This humble official dares not overstep. Lord Chen, please take the seat of honor."
Chen Yanyun smiled faintly. "I’m unfamiliar with the proceedings. You take it—no need to disrupt the host."
Only then did Lu Chonglou sit behind the desk and order Zhang Ling to be brought in.
Two jailers dragged in a half-dead man. Soaked and deathly pale, his feet shackled in black irons, Zhang Ling—a Scholar of the Two Boards and a fourth-rank imperial official—had been reduced to such a wretched state. After being thrown to the ground, it took him a long time to slowly curl into a ball. Soon, the jailers yanked him up to kneel and forced him to kowtow.
Lu Chonglou asked him a few questions, to which Zhang Ling replied weakly, "...I fled with the refugees... no accomplices, no one escaped with me... I went to Yuqing because my father had an old friend there... I wanted to visit him..."
Lu Chonglou pressed, "What old friend? What was his name?"
Zhang Ling sighed. "When I reached Yuqing... I found he had already moved away..." He coughed violently, his voice breaking. "I’ve told you everything, my lord... There’s nothing else..."
Eager to finish quickly, Lu Chonglou said, "You dared to flee despite your sentence—exile may no longer suffice. You’ll have to endure some hardship..." He called for the jailers and ordered Zhang Ling to be taken away for a beating.
Only then did Chen Yanyun set down his teacup. "Why the haste, Lord Lu? I still have a few questions."
Lu Chonglou leaned in and whispered with a smile, "My lord, he doesn’t seem in any state to answer properly.""You won't be able to speak after the beating," Chen Yanyun signaled to the jailer. "Bring something to wake Lord Zhang up." The jailer immediately understood and hurried off to fetch it. Chen Yanyun then turned to the clerk and said, "Record everything I ask next carefully. After Zhang Ling signs the confession, submit it to the Minister."
He stood and walked over to Zhang Ling, asking, "Lord Zhang, you secretly met with Yuqing's Salt Transport Commissioner Wu Xinhuai. What did you discuss?"
Lu Zhonglou was puzzled. What was Lord Chen trying to get at? What did this have to do with the Salt Transport Commissioner?
Zhang Ling paled and looked up at Chen Yanyun. "Lord Chen... what do you mean?"
Chen Yanyun smiled faintly. "Lord Zhang, I prefer asking questions, not answering them. Let me ask again—what did you discuss with Wu Xinhuai?"
Chen Yanyun must know something! Zhang Ling's heart pounded. How could he possibly know about this? "I've never met Commissioner Wu... Lord Chen must be mistaken..."
Chen Yanyun ignored him and spoke to the jailer instead. "Start with the whip. Use one soaked in strong liquor—make sure he doesn't pass out."
Lu Zhonglou stepped forward nervously. "Lord Chen... this..."
Chen Yanyun glanced at him. "Don't worry, Lord Lu. Since you couldn't get anything out of him, I'll handle it."
Cold sweat dripped from Lu Zhonglou's forehead. What was Chen Ge Lao planning?
The jailer brought out the whip.
After the lashing, Zhang Ling finally broke.
Burning with pain, his words came in gasps: "I... I was relaying messages for Commissioner Wu... about salt smuggling. The official salt from Yuqing... was sold to private merchants... for huge profits..."
Lu Zhonglou was stunned. Smuggling official salt? These men had nerves of steel!
Zhang Ling hesitated, glancing at Chen Yanyun.
Chen Yanyun took a sip of tea, not even lifting his eyes. "Don't hold back. If I know about Wu Xinhuai, I know everything else." The teacup lid scraped softly against the rim. "For something this big, how could the county, prefecture, and provincial offices all miss it? Who else is involved? Speak clearly now, unless you want more pain."
Even Lu Zhonglou, slow as he was, realized Lord Chen had ulterior motives. He must have planned this all along.
...Wasn't Third Master Chen known as the most refined and mild-mannered in the Grand Secretariat? How did he know the Ministry of Justice's torture methods so well? His interrogation was effortless.
Zhang Ling sighed deeply. "I... I don't know much. The county magistrates took bribes from the salt merchants. The Yuqing prefect was friends with Commissioner Wu. As for the Provincial Governor... I've never met him. I was just a messenger. If you want answers... you should question Wu Xinhuai."
Chen Yanyun chuckled. "Do you take me for a fool, Lord Zhang? Fine." He called to Chen Yi. "Bring a brazier. Lord Zhang is drenched—he should warm up."Zhang Ling was originally an official from the Dali Temple and was well-versed in interrogation methods. Upon hearing this, he immediately understood what kind of punishment Chen Yanyun intended to employ. His hands clenched tightly as he whispered, "I'll tell you what you want to know... Yes, Lord Wang was also involved in this. The Southern Zhili Governor was someone beyond our reach... My trip to Yuqing was also suggested by Lord Wang..."
Lu Chonglou couldn't help but ask, "Which... which Lord Wang?"
"Naturally, it's the current Grand Secretary... Lord Wang Xuanfan."
Lu Chonglou was so shocked he couldn't speak.
Chen Yanyun then said, "Lord Lu... exposing such a major case would be enough to bolster your credentials. Once Guo Anda retires, you could even aspire to the position of Vice Minister." He raised his head. "Lord Lu, do you understand what I mean?"
Lord Chen wanted him to take credit for this... Why? Should he agree? As Lord Chen had said, exposing such a significant case would undoubtedly secure his promotion to Vice Minister.
After a long hesitation, Lu Chonglou finally nodded uncertainly. Chen Yanyun smiled. "Good. Remember, this case was uncovered by you. I was merely an observer. You can ask him for the details."
He stood up, and Chen Yi draped a cloak over his shoulders. The group then left the interrogation hall.
...
Zhou Yixuan arrived in Wanping that afternoon. Madam Chen had sent a steward to fetch her from the official road and instructed maids to inform her daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law.
Gu Jinzhao selected a pair of gold bracelets inlaid with white jade, featuring hollowed-out intertwining vine patterns, and placed them in a compartmented box as a gift for Zhou Yixuan. After some thought, she added a small brocade box containing a bottle of rosewater. She remembered Zhou Yixuan was fond of rose-scented items—her scented sachets were always filled with dried rose petals. In the past, she had even gifted Gu Jinzhao two rose-scented sachets to curry favor.
Upon arriving at Madam Chen's quarters, Gu Jinzhao was first served tea before Madam Chen shared a Buddhist scripture she had recently heard.
Madam Chen had attended a dharma assembly at Jingmiao Nunnery the previous day.
Just as the conversation grew lively, Madam Qin arrived with Madam Shen, Madam Zhuang, and Sun Shi. Sun Shi leaned on her maid's arm, walking slowly. Madam Shen and Madam Zhuang carried Xian Ge'er and Zheng Ge'er, while Chen Zhao trailed behind Sun Shi. Shortly after, Wang Shi arrived with Chen Rong and others. The room soon buzzed with activity as the children chattered noisily.
Madam Chen smiled and said, "Put them all on the arhat bed and let them play by themselves. Bring some pastries—no filigree candy, or the crumbs will get everywhere. Bring pine nut candy, rose candy, and amber candy instead." Granny Zheng acknowledged the order and went to fetch them.
Sun Shi sat beside Gu Jinzhao, smiling as she took her hand. "The eight-compartmented box you gave me last time was delicious, especially the jujube cake. The sourness whetted my appetite—I've been eating more lately... They say sour cravings mean a boy, while spicy ones mean a girl. This baby might just be a son. Do you have another box like that? I'd love one more."
Madam Shen and Madam Zhuang beside her remained expressionless, as if they hadn't heard her words.
How could she act so presumptuous when she didn't even know what was in her belly? Naturally, they looked down on her.
Gu Jinzhao didn't want to get too close to Sun Shi, so she merely smiled faintly. "I don't have any more jujube cake boxes. I don't care much for pastries, so I didn't bring many."Madam Qin sat down opposite Jinchao and asked her, "I didn't get the chance to see Xi Jie'er yesterday. Has she fully recovered from her illness now?"
Gu Jinzhao nodded: "She's already kicking shuttlecocks again. Every day she pesters Qingpu to teach her. It seems she'll soon be able to play with Zhao Jie'er."
Just as they were speaking, a maidservant announced from outside that the young mistress had arrived.
Before even seeing her, they heard a burst of laughter. A maid lifted the curtain, and in walked a young woman wearing a xiangfei-colored jacket with white embroidered borders and a green pleated skirt. Her hair was styled in a parted hair bun, adorned with a gold hairpin set with red pomegranate stones. She had bright eyes and white teeth, radiantly beautiful.
Spotting Madam Chen, she beamed and walked toward her: "Grandmother, how I've missed you!"
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