The Crown Prince demanded that Yan Shang be recalled.
Mu Wan Yao agreed with this proposal.
In her view, Yan Shang had offended too many vested interests in Shu by remaining there, making it unsafe for him. It was indeed necessary to bring him back. However, since the suggestion came from the Crown Prince, Mu Wan Yao’s political instincts made her hesitate, and she did not consent immediately.
Frowning, Mu Wan Yao said, “Let’s wait two more days.”
She did not believe the Crown Prince cared about Yan Shang’s safety. Yan Shang was not Yang Si—why would the Crown Prince show such concern for him? The Crown Prince must have another motive.
The Crown Prince spoke earnestly, “Yao Yao…”
Mu Wan Yao insisted firmly, “Two more days.”
She looked at the Crown Prince with concern and said, “If no better news comes from Shu in the next two days, I will have him return. Perhaps he can handle the current situation? Feigning illness to deceive him… doesn’t sit right with me.”
The Crown Prince wanted to persuade her further, but seeing Mu Wan Yao’s expression, he suppressed his words and held back his advice. Mu Wan Yao was no longer the person she once was; if she was unwilling to do something now, the Crown Prince could no longer force her as he had in the beginning.
Having come in the rain and now leaving in it, the Crown Prince departed the Danyang Princess Residence in low spirits. Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, he instructed the Vice Minister of Revenue to visit Mu Wan Yao frequently over the next two days and persuade her—Yan Shang must be recalled.
If Mu Wan Yao ultimately refused to cooperate… even if it meant fabricating evidence of Mu Wan Yao’s illness, the Crown Prince was determined to bring Yan Shang back.
Before the two days were up, the Crown Prince grew increasingly anxious, while Mu Wan Yao summoned the Vice Minister of Revenue. As a high-ranking official who had once served at the Princess Residence, the Vice Minister was naturally at Danyang Princess’s beck and call. He stood under the eaves awaiting her instructions, and Mu Wan Yao invited him inside for tea.
The Vice Minister took a seat opposite Mu Wan Yao. Though the Princess Residence’s maid had prepared fragrant tea, he only took a small sip, not daring to drink more.
Mu Wan Yao fixed her gaze on him. “Was it your suggestion to the Crown Prince to recall Yan Shang?”
The Vice Minister lowered his eyes. “Yes.”
Mu Wan Yao tapped the table thoughtfully. After a moment, she asked, “Is the situation in Shu truly dangerous?”
The Vice Minister replied, “Yes. If Yan Shang does not return, he may very well lose his life in Shu. I beg Your Highness to assist…”
Mu Wan Yao cut off his unnecessary words. “I have already reviewed the memorial submitted by the Ministry of Revenue and have a fair understanding of the matter. What I still don’t understand is why you are so insistent on recalling Yan Shang? Admittedly, it may be dangerous for him to remain in Shu, but I doubt any of you should be concerned about the life of a minor seventh-rank official. Moreover, I believe Yan Shang has the ability to handle the affairs in Shu—he would not take on challenges beyond his capacity.
“While I am worried about his safety, I also trust in his capabilities. You have known Yan Shang for some time and worked with him long enough to understand his abilities better. Why are you so eager to bring him back at the first sign of trouble in Shu? What is the real reason behind this?”
The Vice Minister hesitated, too afraid to speak.
Mu Wan Yao said coldly, “Speak! How can I help you if you don’t?”
After a long pause, the Vice Minister smiled bitterly. “Your Highness must already be aware that in Shu, officials protect one another, and there is collusion between officials and merchants. This could easily lead to a major scandal. Yan Shang is young and impetuous—he might blow the case wide open. If that happens, how will we fill the resulting vacancies in the bureaucracy? Moreover, our interests would suffer. Aren’t you afraid of that, Your Highness?”
Mu Wan Yao fell silent for a moment.Softly: "You mean the Ministry of Revenue is also implicated? Could this matter burn us?"
She slammed the table: "How dare you!"
The Vice Minister of Revenue smiled bitterly: "Your Highness, the Ministry of Revenue is the wealthiest department. How could we not have any collusion with lower officials? To be honest, even the Ministry of Personnel isn't clean. But this disaster relief was initiated by the Ministry of Revenue, unrelated to Personnel. If Yan Erlang investigates deeply, it will only affect us... His Majesty won't allow it to spread too far. Your Highness and the Crown Prince's foundations both lie in the Ministry of Revenue—how can we afford mistakes?"
Mu Wan Yao paused for a long moment, her voice growing softer: "Then keep the matter confined to Shu. Let it be resolved there."
The Vice Minister looked up: "Your Highness, we all wish it could be resolved in Shu. I'm afraid Yan Erlang won't comply."
Mu Wan Yao gritted her teeth: "Ridiculous! Why wouldn't he? Must he force us to death? I know him—he wouldn't go that far!"
The Vice Minister: "What if the Governor of Yi Province is my cousin?"
Mu Wan Yao's expression suddenly went blank.
Her voice turned cold: "What did you say?"
The Vice Minister rose and straightened his sleeves, kneeling before Mu Wan Yao with a bitter tone: "The current Governor of Yi Province is a cousin from my clan. Though we rarely communicate... we still share the same bloodline. How can there truly be no connection? I fear someone might easily connect the Governor to me. And if they connect him to me, the Ministry of Revenue will be compromised."
Mu Wan Yao remained silent. Holding a teacup, she unhesitatingly threw the hot tea at him.
"Thud—"
The white porcelain cup landed on the ground covering. Thanks to the thick carpet, it didn't shatter but made a dull sound. The Vice Minister was drenched in scalding tea and stains, hot water dripping down his collar as he knelt in terror, not daring to rise.
Mu Wan Yao looked at him as if she wanted to devour him.
She gnashed her teeth: "How dare you! Knowing this, you actually let Yan Shang go to Shu? What were you thinking? How could you dare send Yan Shang?"
The Vice Minister: "None of us expected him to ignore relief efforts and investigate the background... We never thought he'd actually uncover things and refuse to stop! Now we're in too deep and can only beg Your Highness to intervene and recall Yan Erlang. If he continues like this, my official position will likely be lost..."
The Vice Minister was a key general under Mu Wan Yao—how could she bear such a loss?
Her face flushed with rage, eyes nearly bursting, she wished she could strangle these fools. Even she usually tread carefully to avoid ideological clashes with Yan Shang over such matters. How dare the Vice Minister and the Crown Prince let Yan Shang investigate! Had Yan Shang's decisive execution of the Zheng Family Head taught them nothing?
Didn't they realize what kind of person Yan Shang was?
Someone so dedicated to the people and public welfare was fundamentally different from beneficiaries of class interests like them. Such a person would never consider things from their perspective!
That's why Mu Wan Yao often avoided letting Yan Shang learn too much about her affairs. Truths she dared not expose—how could the Ministry of Revenue dare?However, these fools in the Ministry of Revenue... Mu Wan Yao paced restlessly in her chamber, finally understanding the source of the Crown Prince's torment. She too began to feel anxious—afraid that Yan Shang's insistence on investigating might offend the officials in Shu and prevent his return, and equally afraid that if he truly uncovered evidence involving the Ministry of Revenue, he would make enemies of all its officials...
She could not allow Yan Shang to jeopardize her interests!
Her status was upheld by these officials, and the wealth she acquired might well have been extracted by them through exploitation... She could not let Yan Shang destroy everything.
Closing her eyes, Mu Wan Yao made a resolute decision: "Xiarong, come in! Send a letter to Shu immediately, saying I am gravely ill, on the brink of death, and demand Yan Shang's return!"
She then turned to the Vice Minister of Revenue and said coldly, "You may dispatch another official to Shu to replace him.
"And one more thing! Clean up your accounts thoroughly! Especially you! Do not let that cousin of yours implicate you. If necessary, eliminate him outright! Let Shu be the final eruption point of this affair—do not let it return to Chang'an! To think I must patch up your mess... If you make another mistake, you might as well atone with your lives."
Xiarong hurried out to draft the letter as the princess had instructed.
The Vice Minister of Revenue repeatedly assented, promising to remedy the situation. He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that if Her Highness agreed to intervene, surely Yan Shang would relent? The court widely believed that Yan Erlang and the princess shared a close relationship; even if Yan Shang disregarded their authority, he would surely defer to the princess, wouldn't he?—
In Shu, the rain had yet to fall.
In the county where Yan Shang was stationed, his impeachment of local officials had stirred unrest and anxiety.
Yan Shang, for his part, had already learned: "The Governor of Yi Province is actually a cousin from the clan of the Vice Minister of Revenue in the court."
Even Yun Shu, a mere servant, realized the gravity of the case his master was involved in. Worried, Yun Shu said, "Sir, if we continue investigating, this may escalate to Chang'an. If that happens, the situation could become severe... Your official position might even be at risk."
Yan Shang remained silent.
He had feared such an outcome from the start, and now it seemed his premonition was coming true. Thinking of Chang'an... he hesitated, aware that if the case reached the capital, he would not be opposing just one or two individuals but an entire faction. With his lowly rank, he feared he might not be able to protect himself.
Yan Shang sighed softly and murmured, "I too hope this matter can be concluded within Shu."
Relieved that his master was not overestimating his strength and insisting on escalating the issue, Yun Shu relaxed slightly. He had been worried that if Yan Shang persisted stubbornly, it might lead to a rift with the princess... Truth be told, much of Yan Shang's current standing was due to the princess's patronage. Without her protection, Erlang's promotions would not have been so smooth.
It was best not to offend the princess.
Yan Shang said, "Let us go meet the Governor of Yi Province and discuss matters with him."
Yan Shang and Yun Shu, accompanied by a few attendants, left the impoverished county and headed for Shu County. Yi Province comprised ten counties, with Shu County serving as its administrative center and the stronghold of the Governor's influence. Having largely settled affairs in the smaller county, Yan Shang naturally intended to confront the highest-ranking official in Yi Province.
The terrain of Yi Province had always been rugged, with treacherous paths winding through mountains. To guard against bandits, Yan Shang and his party hired wandering swordsmen for protection. Yet, despite their caution, as they trekked wearily through the mountains, bandits descended upon them seemingly out of nowhere, encircling Yan Shang and his companions.The bandits were utterly arrogant, each with a ferocious expression.
Yun Shu nervously stepped in front of Yan Shang and shouted, "How dare you! Do you even know who we are..."
The other side laughed wildly, "Aren't you just some corrupt officials? Pah! You've driven us into a corner, and today we'll uphold justice by killing you!"
The guards on Yan Shang's side drew their swords in unison, watching as the disorganized bandits surrounding them charged down. The fighting was relentless, and Yun Shu, terrified, tugged at Yan Shang, pleading with him to flee quickly.
Yan Shang smiled bitterly. His eyes swept the surroundings, observing the encirclement and noticing bandits perched high on rocks, watching them intently without joining the fight. He knew then that the enemy had prepared in advance—escape was impossible.
Moreover...
Yan Shang murmured to himself, "So the mismatched household registries are here."
Yun Shu didn't immediately grasp what he meant. "What household registries?"
Yan Shang raised his voice, ensuring the bandit leader on the high rock could hear him, "After the disaster struck, the population in Shu plummeted. Based on past disaster data from other counties, it shouldn't have decreased so drastically. I've always wondered if a mere drought could kill so many people... Now I understand—they didn't die. They became bandits in the mountains!"
The fighting bandits faltered momentarily.
The bandits on the high rocks glared down with murderous intent.
Yan Shang stared back calmly, "You were once ordinary farmers, forced into banditry. Do you truly wish to remain bandits forever, never returning to a normal life?"
He continued, "After decades of farming, a sudden change in fate has led you to a life of violence, abandoning your household registries, forgotten by the court, destined to be hunted down and exterminated as bandits. Even if you're willing, are your children and descendants willing to live as bandits too?"
"If I die here today, a court-appointed official killed by your hands, you will never have the chance to restore your lawful status!"
The bandit leader on the high rock abruptly stood up. Many bandits erupted in uproar, and even those engaged in combat halted. They glanced around anxiously—after all, they weren't true bandits but ordinary people driven to this by circumstance. Hearing Yan Shang's words about losing their chance to regain lawful status, they hesitated.
The leader spat curses and shouted, "Brothers, don't listen to his lies! It's officials like him who forced us into banditry. His words can't be trusted..."
"Nonsense!" The bandits were divided. As the leader issued orders, another voice approached from behind the mountain. Officials, guards, and bandits alike turned to see a burly man rushing over, his eyes blazing with anger.
The man roared, "How dare you actually attempt to kill a court-appointed official?"
The bandits grew excited at the sight of him, calling out, "Second-in-command..."
The original leader, naturally the chief, snorted softly but did not oppose the second-in-command's intervention.
Yan Shang's eyelashes fluttered slightly as he thoughtfully observed the second-in-command. The second-in-command turned and saw the elegant young man in long robes and jade belt below. His eyes lit up with excitement, and ignoring his comrades, he leaped down from the hill and knelt before Yan Shang.
The man looked up, his voice trembling with emotion, "My lord!"Yan Shang gazed at the man kneeling before him, a trace of surprise flickering in his smile as he bent to help him up. "Han Shu Xing? How did you end up in such a state?"
The bandits grumbled discontentedly, "Second-in-command, how do you know this damned official..."
Han Shu Xing, humble and agitated before Yan Shang, turned to the bandits with a stern face. "How dare you! How dare you behave like this in front of Yan Erlang! Let me tell you, even if every official in the world were corrupt, Yan Erlang would never stoop to their level. There must be some misunderstanding..."
The bandits protested indignantly, "But he brought guards—isn't he here to wipe us out?"
Yan Shang raised an eyebrow and said, "I think it's more accurate to say you came here to kill me."
At this exchange, both sides froze, realizing there was a discrepancy in the information—something must have gone wrong.
Originally, the bandits had received a secret report claiming that a high-ranking official from the court was coming to eradicate them—former commoners turned bandits—to clean up the household registers without leaving a trace. Furious and unwilling to be slaughtered, they decided to strike first.
After leaving Chang'an, Han Shu Xing had wandered aimlessly and, by chance, ended up in Shu during a severe drought. Seeing the people lose their fertile fields and livelihoods, forced into banditry out of desperation, he took pity on them and lent a hand.
From then on, he was stuck with them, inexplicably becoming their second-in-command.
That night, Yan Shang stayed in the mountains and listened as the bandits explained the situation. Comparing the information, he realized that those who wanted to use the bandits to eliminate him were likely the officials of the entire Yi Province. Yun Shu was stunned and terrified: If everyone in Yi Province wanted Yan Erlang dead here, how could he possibly escape?
Especially with these bandits around.
Han Shu Xing knelt before Yan Shang on behalf of the bandits, pleading, "Sir, they are not evil people—they were driven to this by the times. If they could just regain their commoner status..."
In the pitch-black cave, a fire burned, and the bandits stood in disarray. The leader and his brothers watched warily, utterly unconvinced that Yan Shang, as an official, would overlook their crimes and help them restore their status.
Yan Shang sat in the darkness, observing them. His gaze swept over each bandit's face, seeing through their forced recklessness and feigned ferocity. He noted their mismatched weapons—some even carrying farming plows up the mountain...
Suddenly, he recalled his childhood, traveling with his parents in Jiangnan and witnessing the refugees, the displaced, the starving. He remembered how many had died by the roadside, how many had chased their carriage, his parents too afraid to stop for fear of being overwhelmed by the desperate masses.
As a child, Yan Shang had asked his parents, "Is it always like this?"
His mother had held his shoulder and sighed softly, "It's always like this.
"So, Erlang, if you ever become an official, try to help these people..."
The past echoed vividly in his ears; the present unfolded starkly before his eyes.
In the stillness, amid the doubt and panic of the crowd, Yan Shang closed his eyes, thinking, What kind of world is this, that drives people to such extremes—
When he opened his eyes again, he helped Han Shu Xing to his feet and said softly, "I will help you regain your commoner status."
The bandits erupted in uproar.The bandit leader straightened up and asked in a tense voice, "Do you want us to pay some price?"
Yan Shang looked at them, his heart heavy, and said, "You don't need to pay any price."
Some bandits grew uneasy: "But we've killed people after all..."
Yan Shang said softly, "There are far too many who have killed. You kill, and the officials of Yizhou kill as well. How could I possibly account for every one?"
The Governor of Yizhou had thought that by leaking information and letting the bandits, who harbored deep hatred for the officials, kill Yan Erlang, he could rest easy and securely hold his position.
But two days later, the Governor of Yizhou saw Yan Shang alive.
Not only had Yan Shang arrived, but he had also brought along a tall, bound bandit and summoned all the officials of Yizhou.
The Governor of Yizhou was filled with fear and unease, exchanging uneasy glances with all the officials standing in the courtyard.
When they saw the bandit Han Shu Xing, kneeling at Yan Shang's feet and bound by guards, they were terrified, wondering if their plan had been exposed and if Yan Shang was going to settle accounts with all of them.
But how could he possibly account for everyone!
The afternoon weather was gloomy as Yan Shang sat in the courtyard of the Governor of Yizhou, waiting for all the officials to arrive and take their seats.
While the officials were restless, Yan Shang began to speak: "Gentlemen, I have been in Yizhou for over two months now and have dealt with you for more than a day or two. You know that I have never trusted you and have always harbored doubts... Recently, I was even targeted by bandits in an assassination attempt. Fortunately, I am blessed with good fortune and did not die at the hands of these criminals.
"After interrogating these bandits, I finally learned who it was that wanted me dead."
The courtyard grass was yellow and withered from lack of water.
In the stifling air, everyone was drenched in sweat. They wiped their brows with their sleeves repeatedly, and when Yan Shang laid things bare, their sweating intensified. Exchanging glances, a ruthless determination surged in their hearts—
If Yan Erlang truly dared to bring them all down, they would kill him right here today!
Yan Shang watched their expressions, his heart aching. He knew exactly what they were thinking, but he truly couldn't bring down every one of them. He could only single out the most heinous offenders and negotiate terms with them.
Yan Shang's gaze fell on the face of the Governor of Yizhou, who was constantly wiping his sweat.
The eyes of all the officials followed Yan Shang's and landed on the Governor's face. Some were confused, some suddenly understood, some were terrified, and some were excited—
On that sweltering afternoon, Yan Shang secretly struck a deal with these officials.
All the blame was shifted onto the Governor of Yizhou. No matter how much the Governor protested his innocence, the officials unanimously sided with Yan Shang, supporting the imperial envoy.
Yan Shang would submit a memorial to the court to remove the Governor of Yizhou from his post and bring him to the capital for punishment. The officials of Yizhou nodded in agreement, repeatedly saying, "You've worked hard, sir."
In return for this favor, they cooperated with Yan Shang, beginning to re-register the household records of Yizhou, demanding that the bandits hiding in the mountains return home, and voluntarily contributing silver to help the common people resettle and redistribute land.
Everyone in Yizhou waited for water to be diverted from various regions or for rain to fall from the heavens, hoping to relieve the drought in Yizhou—In early September, Yan Shang had finally coordinated well enough with the officials of Yizhou. The Yizhou officials were willing to trust him and allow Yan Shang to escort the Yizhou Governor back to the capital for punishment. They had obtained Yan Shang’s assurance that as long as they properly settled the common people, Yan Shang would prevent major changes to their official positions...
It was at this time that Yan Shang received a letter from Chang’an. The court had dispatched a new official to replace him and sent him to Shu to await the rain. Meanwhile, the Danyang Princess was seriously ill. The letter from the Princess Residence had been written half a month earlier, and Yan Shang was frantic with worry, wondering how severely Mu Wan Yao had fallen ill for such a letter to be sent.
After hastily handing over his duties, with officials slowly escorting the Yi Province Governor to Chang'an afterward, Yan Shang took the lead, whipping his horse to rush back to Chang'an first—
Only ten days after Yan Shang left Shu, heavy rains finally ended the drought in the region.
Five days later, fierce bandits emerged in Shu, with real mountain thieves descending to slaughter commoners. Those who had previously left the mountains to return to lawful citizenship faced near-certain death—having survived the drought, they could not survive the bandits' plundering raids.
Yi Province officials classified the incident as an accident. With no new governor appointed, the remaining officials chaotically and arbitrarily dispatched troops to suppress the bandits, achieving no substantial results—
By late September, after burying all his brothers, Han Shu Xing went up the mountain to challenge the bandits.
There, he learned from the bandits' own mouths who truly wanted those commoners dead.
Han Shu Xing sat all night before his mountain brothers' graves, silently drinking through the darkness.
The next day, he smashed the wine jar and turned to leave. Sword in hand, he headed for Chang'an, determined to demand answers from the murderer—
Meanwhile, Yan Shang returned to Chang'an. Covered in travel dust, without even washing up, he first visited the Princess Residence to inquire about the princess's illness.
But the princess was not at the residence.
The maidservant stammered: "Our Your Highness's illness? It's... it's already cured."
Yan Shang stood in the courtyard of the Princess Residence, quietly watching the evasive maid who dared not meet his gaze.
His heart turned cold as ice, chilled to the bone by human deceit.
As autumn maple leaves swirled across Chang'an, beneath the red-leafed tree, a sudden realization struck Yan Shang—perhaps she had never been ill at all.
She had merely deceived him into returning.
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