Chapter 72#

The incense merchants were still staring in shock at the Wen family’s upheaval when they saw Wen Zhuo turn his gaze toward them.

In that instant, their heart rates and blood pressure skyrocketed; a few of the older ones nearly died of fright on the spot.

Wen Zhuo was quite satisfied with their fear. A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips. “Your Excellency observed most of the Incense Festival from below the stage just now and noticed that the Jing, Qi, Bai, and Chen families won many bids this time, reaping substantial rewards.”

The patriarchs of those four families felt their blood pressure spike again and again, their vision darkening repeatedly.

Wen Zhuo continued, “Now that my Wen family is willing to beggar itself to relieve the victims of the disaster, all of you here are prominent local gentry and squires in Mianzhou. Can you truly stand by idly, looking only after your own interests?”

These men were accustomed to being haughty. If the court had sent an imperial commissioner to sincerely invite the incense merchants to donate, they would have had countless ways to stall and delay.

But now Wen Zhuo was taking direct aim at the Wen family. If they did not follow suit, their fate would likely be even worse than the Wens'.

Yet the thought of donating most of their assets was genuinely painful.

They exchanged glances, their faces showing difficulty as cold sweat beaded on their foreheads.

Shen Zhi watched as the incense merchants were cowed into silence by Wen Zhuo’s imposing manner and knew the matter was mostly settled. In truth, the court couldn’t push these merchants to the brink—Mianzhou was a major taxpayer, and without these merchants’ support, who would fill the national treasury to keep the state running?

So he rose slowly, walked to the center of the decorated stage, and played the role of “grace” in the strategy of “grace and severity.”

“All of you are shrewd people. You should understand the principle of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. If the people of Mianzhou perish due to the disaster, who will plant your storax trees next year? When the spice production plummets, the court’s taxes and tributes will still be assessed at this year’s figures. Your days ahead will surely be a hundred times harder than they are now, don’t you think?”

“Uh…” The merchants were stunned, momentarily unsure how to respond.

Shen Zhi gave them no time to overthink and pressed on, “The Academy Head holds a high position. Protecting the Wen family from donations wouldn’t have been difficult—but he did not do so. On the contrary, he has imposed the strictest demands on his own clan. I know you care about your wealth, and I won’t force you. Simply donate everything you gained at today’s Incense Festival. As subjects of the Great Qian, you should surely have this much courage to share the nation’s burdens, shouldn’t you?”

At these words, the merchants’ heavy hearts eased by half.

Though the total cost plus profit of today’s incense was still astronomical, compared to the Wen family donating their entire fortune, this was far more acceptable. Besides, the Fifth Prince had reasoned with them emotionally and logically, giving them ample face. To continue being evasive at this point would be truly foolish.

So they all chimed in agreement: “Your humble subjects are willing to donate today’s earnings, all to be used for disaster relief, to protect the peace and prosperity of our Great Qian!”

“Good. I trust you all.” Shen Zhi raised his hand. “Rise.”

The incense merchants kowtowed in thanks and scrambled to their feet. Turning to look, they saw Wen Yingjing and his son still kneeling stiffly, their faces ashen. For some reason, they showed no sign of getting up, which secretly surprised the merchants.

Only when Wen Zhuo casually lifted his chin and said flatly, “You may rise as well. Your Excellency still has important matters to attend to, so return home quickly and tally your belongings. I have been away for years and have no idea how much wealth the Wen family has accumulated. Just remember my words: within seven days, if the porridge stalls have not spread across Mianzhou City, the promises I made to the people will by no means be left unfulfilled!”

With this permission, Wen Yingjing, swallowing his humiliation, slowly pushed himself up from the ground.

The wind lifted the hem of his gray Daoist robe, giving him a fleeting air of immortality. But in his slack, aged eyes lurked a thick, unshakeable gloom.

“Your humble subject has one matter upon which he wishes to seek the Academy Head’s guidance,” Wen Yingjing suddenly spoke, his tone carrying some confidence.

“Father…” Wen Ze called softly, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes.

He knew his father would never submit without a fight—he must have a countermeasure!

Wen Zhuo said flatly, “Speak.”

He had endured for ten years; a few more moments wouldn’t matter. For now, he needed to give the Wen family a shred of hope so they would obediently hand over their silver. Otherwise, a cornered beast might turn desperate.

Wen Yingjing’s eyelids drooped, concealing the shrewdness in his eyes. “If the Wen family produces its assets in full, yet the Academy Head ultimately fails to purchase grain and still demands the Wen family’s lives, that would hardly burnish your reputation as a benevolent official. Instead, it would earn you the brutal name of ‘unfilial and unjust.’”

Hearing this, Wen Zhuo suddenly chuckled softly. “Just prepare the silver. I have my own arrangements for procuring grain.”

“With the Academy Head’s word, this Wen is reassured.” Wen Yingjing replied in a low voice, then abruptly shifted, a cold smile curling on his lips. “Your mother has often thought of you over the years. If the Academy Head has time, you might visit her in Liangping County. Her life there is still stable. But now that you are being so harsh on the Wen family, I fear she may suffer hardships in the future.”

These words were flawless on the surface but carried a blatant threat.

The Great Qian clan laws were strict, with severe restrictions on concubines. Even if Wen Zhuo held high office, he could offer little real protection to his birth mother. While alive, she had to depend on the main wife to get by; after death, she had no right to enter the ancestral hall or be buried with her husband.

In the past, there had been officials who rose to the rank of prime minister and tried to win a title for their mothers. They had to personally carry the coffin to the gate of the ancestral hall and kneel there for a long time before the clan relented and allowed the mother’s spirit tablet to be enshrined.

Wen Yingjing had pinpointed this weakness.

Though he could not touch a high court official, he could easily manipulate that woman.

He was gambling that Wen Zhuo could not bear it, that he still harbored softness, that the filial piety engraved in the bones of Great Qian’s people would hold sway.

Wen Zhuo actually wanted to sneer.

They truly believed he still cared about that long-cold maternal affection.

“If the people can survive this plague of locusts safely, Your Excellency will naturally not trouble the Wen family,” Wen Zhuo said, his eyelashes trembling slightly as if in a daze.

Wen Yingjing keenly caught this flicker of hesitation and was overjoyed inside!

The brat was still immature—he had grasped his weak spot! From now on, with Wen Zhuo’s birth mother in hand, the boy would surely not dare to push the Wen family to the brink!

Just as Wen Yingjing straightened his back, regaining some confidence, the Jing family patriarch smilingly stepped forward, bowed deeply to Wen Zhuo, and flattered him with a sycophantic grin: “Academy Head Wen, to be honest, when I learned that Your Excellency was gracing Mianzhou with your presence, this old man was quite nervous at first. I thought you might secretly favor the Wen family. Who would have expected such noble character—leading by example and donating the family fortune! Such breadth of vision and magnanimity truly fill me with admiration!”

Wen Yingjing’s face twitched: “…”

You old scoundrel—it’s my family fortune being donated!

As if oblivious to his expression, the Jing patriarch turned and said with feigned “regret” and “praise”: “Thanks to the Fifth Prince’s consideration, we only need to donate today’s incense earnings. What a pity. But Brother Wen’s decades of painstakingly built enterprise can be scattered in a single day! Such a heroic act of generosity and sharing the nation’s burdens will surely become a celebrated tale among the people of Mianzhou!”

Wen Yingjing clenched his fists so hard they cracked: “…”

You old villain, kicking a man when he’s down!

As if that weren’t enough, the Jing patriarch patted Wen Yingjing’s arm and, with a trembling voice, “encouraged” him: “But the Wen family’s magnanimity is clear for all to see. I’m sure you have more than enough foundation to start from scratch! When Brother Wen rallies again and returns to the spice trade, this old man will certainly lead my clan’s younger generation to cheer you on!”

Wen Yingjing felt a lump in his chest: “…”

The Jing patriarch pretended to be dizzy: “I won’t disturb the reunion between Brother Wen and the Academy Head.”

Wen Zhuo accepted this token of allegiance with ease.

Indeed, no one in business was a fool. These men on the stage had likely long sensed the discord between him and Wen Yingjing, so they quickly came over to deliver a kick once the situation was clear.

Wen Zhuo flicked his sleeves, unwilling to waste more time on Wen Yingjing’s hypocritical face. He walked to the edge of the decorated stage and instructed, “Liu Qiying, you stay behind to tally the donations. Record every detail of each merchant’s contribution. Jiang Man, take Liuhou’er and a team of officials to Dongyazi immediately to retrieve the children. Remember to bring a physician.”

Shen Zhi stepped forward and added, “Have people squeeze lemons into juice. If there’s no time, use vinegar directly. Make sure each child drinks a large bowl first.”

Wen Zhuo tilted his head. “Why make them drink something sour?”

Shen Zhi wanted to explain chemistry and double decomposition reactions, but that was too advanced for this ancient cat.

Just as he paused, Wen Zhuo immediately narrowed his eyes. “Has Your Highness read another book in Nanping’s tomb?”

“…No.” Shen Zhi rubbed his nose. “Does the Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold say that vinegar can soothe the stomach and intestines?”

Wen Zhuo thought for a moment. “It seems to be recorded: ‘Drinking three sheng of good bitter wine can cure cholera and abdominal distension.’”

Shen Zhi quickly nodded along, putting on a serious face. “That’s right! I vaguely remember reading this somewhere. Those children must have eaten something bad to get stomachaches. Drinking something sour can settle their stomachs and won’t do any harm.”

Jiang Man, hearing there was a remedy, replied earnestly, “I understand. I’ll bring vinegar over now!”

Wen Zhuo studied Shen Zhi, his gaze carrying a probing depth, but in the end, he said nothing.

Just then, a sudden burst of rapid hoofbeats came from the main street outside the courtyard, growing closer like thunder. The crowd hastily made way, and the Sule Workshop fell silent.

Followed by a clear, piercing voice that cut through the vermilion gate, across the layers of people, and deep into the inner courtyard—

“An imperial edict has arrived! Mianzhou Prefect Lou Chang, prepare to receive the edict!”

—

The capital had fallen into its bitterest cold season. The city walls were a pale, frosty blue, so frigid that dogs shrank and horses snorted.

The Duke’s mansion burned top-grade red charcoal specially granted by Emperor Shunyuan. The warm, faint fragrance filled the room but could not dispel the sorrow within.

Liu Yuanqing had fallen ill.

That day, he had returned from court in utter dejection, and by the time he reached home, he could no longer rise.

The duchess, frightened out of her wits, hurriedly examined the wound on his forehead and pressed him for details. But Liu Yuanqing only shook his head blankly, then fell into a coma, unconscious.

As a special favor from the Son of Heaven, imperial physicians were dispatched to treat him. But this illness was rooted in the heart; no medicine could cure it.

For more than twenty days he drifted in a haze, until finally he regained consciousness, so weak he barely clung to life and could hardly speak.

He parted his cracked lips slightly, tugging at the gray beard beneath his chin.

Though no sound came, his wife knew his mind all too well. She covered her face and sobbed, “Husband, the imperial edict has long been sent away…”

Liu Yuanqing closed his eyes, and a stream of hot tears slid down his temple.

His eldest son, Liu Kangchen, long since paralyzed, was carried into the room on the back of a steward. He had been bedridden for years, his lower limbs limp and powerless, his legs nothing but skin and bone.

Yet he struggled to throw himself to the bedside, gripping Liu Yuanqing’s hand tightly, his eyes full of stubborn determination: “Father, you must rally. You still have your son…”

Liu Yuanqing weakly returned his son’s grip, but his gaze was vacant, fixed on the roof beam. He murmured, “How… how many days?”

Liu Kangchen pressed his forehead to his father’s rough hand, forcing back the sob in his throat. “Twenty-five days already!”

Liu Yuanqing’s reactions were terribly slow. After a long silence, he said quietly, “Then Kangren… must be gone by now.”

The duchess could no longer hold back. She collapsed against the bedpost, weeping loudly: “Husband, I don’t believe it! That child Kangren has been soft-hearted since he was young. He couldn’t even bear to step on a little bug. You always scolded him for being weak, saying he wasn’t fit to lead troops. How could he have stolen grain from the official granaries and brought disaster to those people?”

Liu Kangchen clenched his father’s hand—coarsened and twisted from years of battle—and spoke through gritted teeth: “Father, we cannot fall. Little Brother is still waiting for us to seek justice for him!”

But Liu Yuanqing seemed not to hear. He muttered to himself, as if in a trance: “…As a child, Kangren loved music. I despised him for not focusing on proper pursuits. Right in front of him, I broke his jade flute.”

“Father!” Liu Kangchen called urgently.

But Liu Yuanqing went on as if deaf: “He was born timid, frail of body. He feared blood and couldn’t bear to kill. I dragged him into the slaughter shed and forced him to watch the butcher cut up pigs.”

“Husband, stop saying that!”

“He was not as quick as Kangyi. I was furious that iron wouldn’t turn to steel. I scolded and beat him constantly, found fault with everything… But he was so understanding. No matter how wronged he felt, he never disobeyed me in the slightest.”

The duchess was already sobbing uncontrollably.

Liu Yuanqing’s vision was completely blurred. The lines of the roof beam twisted into a tangled mess before his eyes. He lacked even the strength to wipe away his tears. He only murmured, “Later, when Kangyi died, he took up the burden of the Liu family without hesitation. He worked harder than before, never complaining no matter how tough it got. But I always compared him to Kangyi and never praised him even once…”

The charcoal fire still burned in the room. Outside the window, the cold wind wailed, rattling the doors and windows.

But Liu Yuanqing seemed to hear Liu Kangren’s voice. Struggling to turn his head, he said to the deep darkness reflected on the window paper—

“I shouldn’t have pushed you… I’ve wronged you… Kangren, in your next life, don’t be my son anymore…”