Chapter 67: Qianyou Association (2)
Scholars weren't singularly focused on money as merchants were; what they sought was merit and fame, truly not caring about earning money. They sat in a circle, discussing this year's metropolitan civil service exams.
"I asked about, and the number of women who passed the preliminary exams is nearly as many as those who succeeded in the provincial exams and are participating in the metropolitan civil service exams. Come on, isn't our fortune so poor that it was this year?"
"Ah, who says it isn't? Four years ago I nearly passed the autumn exams; if not for the fact that the proctor that year and I had opposing political views, I wouldn't have had to wait until this year."
"I really don't know what the Emperor is thinking, insisting on violating ancestral laws. With so many positions, the competition is naturally tenfold."
"Ah, you're all great talents, you'll definitely pass the exams."
As she sipped tea leisurely, Song Juguang listened to the discussion of these so-called scholars. After a short while, she realised the reason they'd gathered here together. She found it both amusing, and felt that there was no need to keep wasting time here. She rose, about to leave, when she heard a few voices come.
Someone, suddenly inspired, said, "It would be best if, in a few days, we leave the city to pay our respects; I know of a temple in the outskirts of the city that consecrates Qian Weishen that's flourishing with burnt incense. It's said that Qian Weishen restricts yin and makes yang flourish; we're all men, flourishing with yang energy, so there's no harm in going to pay respects."
Someone else agreed. "Ah, yes—say, we've been consecrating the Supreme Yuanhe for so long, yet we've never seen her manifest. This Qian Weishen is really effective; I heard tell that the ghosts that the venerable masters couldn't capture were all suppressed by the Qianyou Association's people."
The words changed the direction of the chatter the people in the teahouse had been having, and they began to spiritedly speak of "Qian Weishen" and "the Qianyou Association". Song Juguang sat back down in her chair, pricking her ears as she listened for something. As she saw it, no matter who one paid their respects to, those in this teahouse couldn't earn the title of zhuangyuan.[1] Without any other reason than that it was near the metropolitan exams, these people would merely to come here and waste time chatting, yet they wouldn't go study. Not having any skills of their own, they'd place all their hopes on an intangible, invisible so-called "god". Acting like this, even if the Supreme Yuanhe descended to the human realm personally, that wouldn't be able to help them.
But this "Qian Weishen" was truly strange. Just like Xie Qianbing, Song Juguang silently remembered the characters. But she was more certain than Xie Qianbing that there had never been such a deity in the Great Li before, and that one should suddenly appear most certainly meant that someone with some intentions were adding fuel to the fire in the background.
Before it had come to its conclusion, the people gathered in the teahouse seemed to have decided to walk a dishonest road. As one voice fell here, another would rise over there. Actually, these scholars weren't such fools either; as they spoke, they lowered their voices, and only those close by, or those at the same table, could hear it.
But Song Juguang wasn't an ordinary person, and her sense of hearing was quite keen. Were she merely to wish to, she could capture an even more minute sound. So, her ears simply caught every bit of what was, in others' eyes, confidential.
That person looked about before speaking. "Ah, if you ask me, asking someone for help is better than praying to a god. My older paternal cousin is an official in the Ministry of Appointments, and has some sway with Liu-daren. If you truly aren't certain, it would be best—"
Someone else retorted, "Who isn't aware that Liu-daren's now powerless to defend himself? Since the new Emperor took the throne, in the Ministry of Appointments, it's all about that Xie-daren—"
The person who'd spoken first refuted it with a few more words, and in the end, looking ill-tempered, left, and the person by the side who'd not spoken the entire time furtively followed after him
Song Juguang committed all these people and matters to her mind, and only after listening for a while longer did she calmly and collectedly depart the teahouse.
In Honghailou, Chen Xun was just watching the customers who, wave after wave, made offerings to the deity in the lobby. Chen Xun turned her head to look at A Ling. "Which number wave is that today?"
"I don't, don't know," A Ling said, shaking her head with some bewilderment. "Ah, Zhangguide, these people aren't eating anything; why are they allowed to pay their respects to this statue?"
"How should I know," Chen Xun said with a scoff, and sat back on the padded couch.
The customer of before who'd insisted on meeting her had first left a jade pendant, and after a few days, had ordered some people to bring in this statue, along with the money for a meal, to redeem the jade pendant. Chen Xun knew that that pendant was quite valuable, and hadn't dared to keep it herself too long, so, seeing those people bring the money for a meal, had hurriedly returned it.
She'd refused that statue from the start, but it really was too large, and those who'd delivered it had repeatedly waved their hands to indicate they couldn't move it any further, and so it had been left there. Chen Xun wasn't reckless in the slightest, and had specially called Qin Anhe, and only once she had taken a look and said there was no issue with it had she placed it in the lobby.
Come to speak of it, Chen Xun had never seen this sort of sculpture; it was majestic and impressive, but there was something truly strange about it. If not for Qin Anhe having said that the materials used to make it were top-grade auspicious jishi stone, and placing it in the lobby would usher in wealth and prosperity, Chen Xun would probably have placed the statue in the storeroom, where it, unseen, couldn't vex the mind.
The jishi stone truly had a wondrous effect. Since the statue had been placed in the lobby, the already bustling Honghailou's customer flow grew even greater. Though there were some people of unknown origins who, after entering, would only pay their respects to the statue in the lobby, who was Chen Xun? She was the proprietor of the most profitable restaurant in the Great Li. Without wasting much though, she was able to think of a suitable solution. She sent some people to surround the statue; if one wanted to make an offering, regardless of whether or not they ate anything in Honghailou, they had to pay a fee. Chen Xun had initially assumed that this would increase her revenue, and decrease the amount of people coming to "pay respects". After all, in this restaurant of hers, if a group of people were to come worship day after day, it wouldn't be too large of an issue.
But unexpectedly, though revenue was revenue, those coming to worship didn't decrease by a single person; in fact, there was a trend of greater and greater increase. Though the "ticket" price taken in a day couldn't compare to Honghailou's main revenue, it still was considerable.
Things persisted like this for a number of days, and finally, Chen Xun couldn't remain still, and sent someone to learn the full story of the matter. The person who'd been sent to ask about only returned once the heavens had grown dark. The more Chen Xun listened, the more displeased her expression grew, and once the person had barely finished speaking, she called for A Ling to arrange for people to move the statue away. Chen Xun cursed, teeth grit, faintly infuriated, "This scheme's fallen onto my head!"
Though Chen Xun was still unclear on where this "Qian Weishen" had emerged from, nor what, exactly, the "Qianyou Association" was doing, she could guess that these people wished to use her and Honghailou to promote their shameful, clandestine business. Naturally, she wasn't willing, and her expression was indignant. Chen Xun was normally not someone who was fond of being angry; her temperament was always steady, as if even if some massive weight fell on her shoulders, it could be solved by her in the space of a faint smile. In the past, there hadn't been anyone who had seen Chen Xun angered. Now, seeing this expression of hers, those in the room all looked at each other in dismay, not daring to draw a loud breath.
A Ling didn't understand why Chen Xun was angry, but she didn't ask about it, only making a sound of agreement and heading towards the door. However, she'd not yet stepped out of the room, when she heard Chen Xun call her to a stop once more. "Don't go; let it stay there for now. Go in secret to wait at Anhe's residence, and once she's back, tell her to come over."
"Understood," A Ling said, nodding. She still didn't understand why Chen Xun was acting so, but she still went to carry it out without question. Zhangguide is always the most intelligent, A Ling thought.
In the imperial study, Jiang Changbai looked at Xie Qianbing and Song Juguang, who had entered one after the other, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She spoke softly, the words she said startling the other two. "We know of the matter of the Qianyou Association."
Song Juguang didn't say anything; since Jiang Changbai knew of it, then she wouldn't worry any further. Xie Qianbing, though, was quite stunned, and unconsciously, her mouth opened wider. "Ah?"
Jiang Changbai smiled. "An unorthodox deity who emerged from who knows where, flying a banner of some 'restricting yin and making yang flourish'. The intentions of the person behind it couldn't be any clearer. As for the bustle and hubbub about the Qianyou Association 'capturing ghosts', whether the so-called 'ghosts' are ghosts or people has yet to be determined.
"But all of this is only Our conjecture at the moment; there isn't any true evidence. Admittedly, it could be eliminated through military force, but now, with so many of the common people believing in it, if the methods are too draconian, perhaps it would produce the opposite of the desired effect. Though seeking divine advice is useless, the common people are willing to believe in it, and so We can hardly obstruct them. The waters that carry boats can sink them as well, and the citizenry are the root of the Great Li. As for this "Qianyou Association", they will be allowed to grow; We expect that they can't cause any great issues."
Xie Qianbing was still deeply worried. "Then what of the metropolitan exams? Right now, there's barely a month left to them."
"No matter," Jiang Changbai said with a smile, waving a hand, appearing confident. "Naturally We have a plan, and won't allow them the opportunity to take advantage."
Xie Qianbing wanted to say more, but Song Juguang clapped a hand onto her shoulder. In a flash, Xie Qianbing felt she couldn't speak, only able to futilely open her mouth, yet unable to make a single sound. Seeing this scene, Jiang Changbai merely assumed that she'd thought of something but wasn't willing to say it, and didn't press her.
Xie Qianbing felt a cold sweat suddenly appear on her back. Though it was already night, the imperial study was brightly lit, and people stood all about, so how come she she suddenly couldn't speak, as if possessed, her body even turning and walking out, not listening to her commands? Only once she was a few metres away from the imperial study did she regain control of her body. Panting, Xie Qianbing bent at the waist, her hands on her knees as she dragged in ceaseless, harsh breaths. Before, she'd merely known that her martial abilities weren't great, but she hadn't imagined that she'd be so easily controlled.
Song Juguang approached her, and said in a low voice, "Just now, you committed an offence, Xie-daren." As soon as she'd finished speaking, Song Juguang saw Xie Qianbing suddenly raise her head, eyes widening as she looked at her. Those eyes were full of disbelief, and some unfamiliarity. Though it was now already late, and she could only look at things by the lanterns hung on the Palace walls, the emotions were clear as day. "How come you're looking at this regent so?" Song Juguang asked, putting on an expression of puzzlement.
"Just now, it was you?"
Song Juguang nodded. "Since Bixia said she had a plan, as subjects, we need not ask any further. More than that, there was still a pile of memorials on Bixia's desk; the earlier we left, the earlier Bixia could look through them, and the earlier she could rest. Bixia's diligent in governance, rising day after day before the skies brighten, and sleeping only once the night is long. You ought to help Bixia with her tribulations, and not waste her time with useless questions."
The light of the Palace lanterns spilled across them, illuminating two shadows. At this moment, Xie Qianbing finally understood why Jiang Changbai had been so fearful of Song Juguang; though she'd never before said it plainly, her mind had struggled with it. The three had grown up together, and though Song Juguang had disappeared in the middle for a few years, friendship had always been present. That Jiang Changbai had so feared Song Juguang had caused Xie Qianbing to have somewhat of a sense of crisis. Xie Qianbing feared dearly that, one day, she'd do something foolish that would cause Jiang Changbai to suspect her; she didn't have the army that Song Juguang had trained with who persistently believed in her. If there really was a day like that, she feared her life would enter a countdown.
Only now did she understand. When someone had a strength that far exceeded your comprehension, even if you'd once been the best of friends, you wouldn't be able to inhibit a fear from rising in you.
Having thought of this, Xie Qianbing didn't have anything more to say.
The next day, at midday, Honghailou was once more bustling. Those who'd come to eat, those who'd come to "worship"; it was simply packed. And Chen Xun, who'd been sitting in a private room upstairs all along, watching the lobby from on high, was now sitting at a table. If someone were to observe carefully, they would realise that there were some unexpectedly empty tables in Honghailou today. And these empty tables just happened to all be around the statue.
Translator's notes:
[1]: 状元, the highest rank in the imperial examination system, and the top scorer of the palace exams.
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