Chapter 129: Attending a meal
The great hall was deathly silent, the newly-promoted Vice-Minister of War's head lowered, and, unseen by anyone else, wiped at her temples. All the ministers' heads were lowered, not a single one daring to make a sound.
All of them knew it wasn't a good assignment. Though Shejin had already bowed its head and declared vassalage to the Great Li, the rumours from the border lately had long since reached the capital, and everyone knew there was something strange about Shejin; they'd only managed with great effort to come to such positions, and naturally they valued their lives.
Seeing Xie Qianbing had spoken, everyone let out breath of relief. Jiang Changbai's heart, though, skipped a beat, and after muttering to herself for a few moments, she said, "Shejin is far away, and if you are to go now, it would take at least two months to reach it. The Ministry of Appointments is busy and bustling—Qianbing, have you thought this through?"
Jiang Changbai's words were a clear refusal, wanting to let Xie Qianbing retreat from an awkward situation and nominate someone else. But Xie Qianbing didn't have the intent to retreat, and remained standing in place. "In this minister's absence, Vice Minister She-daren, She Qiang, can temporarily take this minister's place."
She Qiang had attained the rank of jinshi in the exams of the fifth year of Dao'an, and was lively and large in stature, her height over eight chi. Xie Qianbing had made an exception to bring her into the Ministry of Appointments and to her own side to groom her. She Qiang hadn't disappointed Xie Qianbing's expectations, and in the space of a few years, she'd made it to the position of Vice-Minister of Appointments.
Jiang Changbai, having received a tactful retort from Xie Qianbing, unconsciously furrowed her brows. Seeing the Emperor's bearing, the crowd's hearts leaped once more. Suddenly, someone came forward, and fell to her knees with a thud.
"This minister is willing to go on a diplomatic trip to Shejin."
This was Lin Yingqing. Now, she was already over forty years old, but she was as elegant and graceful as before. Raising her head to look at Jiang Changbai, her eyes were filled with determination.
Jiang Changbai found it amusing; after waiting so long, it was two Ministers who'd come forward. In the past, she'd only had so many trusted figures in the court—so how was it that, after so many years of imperial exams, there were only the two of them still? Somewhat angry, Jiang Changbai didn't pay any mind to Xie Qianbing or Lin Yingqing, her gaze sweeping across the others in the court hall, and she asked, "And the others?"
All that met her was a deathly silence. Jiang Changbai closed her eyes, her expression faintly impatient. "We know that Shejin is strange now, and none of you are willing to go. But it's all for the Great Li."
Xu Shuqiao was able to decipher the meaning in Jiang Changbai's words—though there were those willing to go, she wasn't willing to go without the load-bearing beams of the court.[1] Xu Shuqiao, feeling a suddenly thread of light flash in her mind, came to the front. "Bixia, this minister has a suggestion."
Jiang Changbai didn't seem to give it a second consideration. "Speak."
"My younger sister is just now in the prime of her youth, and has gone to Shejin with a trade caravan before, and can speak some Shejinese, and couldn't be a better candidate for a diplomatic trip," Xu Shuqiao said respectfully, ,her head bowed.
Xu Shuyi was already twenty-nine years old now, and wasn't typically fond of studying, nor did she indulge in affairs, focused solely on trade. In her adolescence, she'd sold some trifles, and now that she was an adult, she'd secretly gone to conduct trade in secret from her family. Their mother had scolded her who knew how many times, but Xu Shuyi still did as she pleased.
Xu Shuqiao's suggestion was naturally sincere. She'd met Liang Jiwen before, and felt the other wasn't a ruthless or terrible person, to say nothing of the fact that Xie Qianbing was willing to go on a diplomatic trip, so even if the other senior ministers felt that danger lurked in all corners on this journey to Shejin, Xu Shuqiao didn't feel so.
More than that, Xu Shuyi had already been to Shejin a number of times, and was familiar with the journey. As Xu Shuqiao saw it, if Xu Shuyi could seize this chance and distinguish herself, perhaps she could earn a minor official position, and their mother's worries would lessen.
Though Jiang Changbai wanted to find someone to go on a diplomatic trip to Shejin, it wasn't to the point where just anyone would do. Hearing Xu Shuqiao's words, she merely nodded faintly, and turned her face to look at Xie Qianbing. "You'll take a look for Us?"
"Of course."
Xie Qianbing, in the end, didn't dare to disobey Jiang Changbai in front of a crowd, and could only respond respectfully. However, after court let out, she stood before the imperial study's doors, refusing to leave no matter how Qing Huai tried to convince her. Jiang Changbai, taking this all in, in the end sighed, and said, "Let her in, then."
"Bixia, please allow this minister to go to Shejin for a diplomatic mission." As soon as Xie Qianbing entered, she fell to her knees with a thud.
Jiang Changbai, finding it amusing, asked, "How come you're so insistent about taking on something that so many others can't avoid quickly enough?"
As she spoke, she indicated to Xun Zhu to bring her a stool. Without all the other ministers' gazes, Jiang Changbai was more willing to treat Xie Qianbing as the childhood friend who'd grown up with her, and not a minister.
"Bixia," Xie Qianbing responded, still deferential, "when Liang Jiwen left the capital back then, this minister agreed to her—if, one day, the Great Li were to dispatch an envoy to Shejin, then even if I had to fight for it, I'd take the mission."
Hearing this, Jiang Changbai's hand, holding a brush, paused, and a faint, helpless smile rose on her face. "After all these years, perhaps Jiwen herself doesn't even remember it clearly."
"This minister…" Xie Qianbing remained stubborn, "this minister doesn't wish to break her promise."
The words were spoken softly, but they caused Jiang Changbai to set the vermilion-dipped brush down. She raised her head, taking careful stock of Xie Qianbing, and then suddenly laughed loudly. "Has anyone told you you seem more and more like someone, now?"
"Ah?" Xie Qianbing startled at the question, confusion flashing in her eyes. "Bixia, please enlighten me."
As she smiled, Jiang Changbai paced to Xie Qianbing's side, patting her shoulder, and then padded slowly to sit down on the low bed. "Like Laoshi."
Hearing Jiang Changbai's words, Xie Qianbing stilled, and then smiled. He Leyong was advanced in age, and her health wasn't too well; though she was far from retiring age, two years prior, she'd voluntarily let go of most of her responsibilities, dividing among the women who'd newly entered the bureaucracy to handle. She had unhurriedly moved into Xie Qianbing's residence, enjoying her later years early.
Xie Qianbing was filial, and treated He Leyong as her own mother. If she were to face a thorny issue, she'd take it back to her residence and seek out her teacher's suggestions. She'd been mentored by He Leyong, and in these past two years, her way of dealing with things more resembled He Leyong's demeanour.
Just then, the words Xie Qianbing had spoken, even Jiang Changbai had been surprised by. For a moment, she hadn't been able to tell clearly whether the one standing before her was Xie Qianbing, or He Leyong.
Recalling the past decade of Xie Qianbing's continuous assiduousness and conscientiousness, she'd never asked her for anything. In the end, Jiang Changbai's heart softened, and she asked, "Xu Shuqiao's younger sister, have you met her before?"
"Bixia," Xie Qianbing's face carried a frustrated expression, still assuming that Jiang Changbai wasn't willing for her to go to Shejin as an envoy, "this minister hasn't had the time to go take a look."
"Go see her in a bit," Jiang Changbai folded her hands behind her back, and returned to her desk. "If she really does have the skill, take her with you."
Xie Qianbing was about to automatically respond, and only understood what Jiang Changbai meant after a moment, happiness flashing in her eyes, and she immediately fell to her knees. "Bixia, my thanks!"
Jiang Changbai waved her hand for her to withdraw, and didn't forget to tease, "That She Qiang you promoted had better be quite capable."
Though she'd said she was going to go meet Xu Shuyi, when Xie Qianbing left the Palace, it was already near noon, and, feeling that calling on someone at lunch wouldn't be proper, Xie Qianbing returned to her own residence first.
But she'd only just turned the corner when she caught sight of an unfamiliar steed tied up at her door, and she couldn't help but be suspicious. When she drew closer, though, she found Qin Anhe was sitting in the reception hall, drinking tea with He Leyong.
"Xie-daren, you've returned." Seeing Xie Qianbing, Qin Anhe's eyes brightened, and she hurried to stand. It seemed as if she'd waited a long while.
He Leyong smiled as well. "Xiao Qin was just saying she couldn't find you at the Ministry of Appointments, and itched to come find you as soon as court let out. If you have something to discuss, then discuss it, and in a bit, lunch can be brought out."
"Laoshi," Xie Qianbing's gaze flickered between He Leyong and Qin Anhe, and she asked, with some worry, "will you not eat?"
He Leyong waved a hand. "You discuss things first, and I'll wait for you."
"Xie-daren," Qin Anhe interrupted, "actually, my visit today is precisely because I wished to invite you to my residence; my Shifu wishes to meet you."
"Your Shifu?" Xie Qianbing's eyes filled with bafflement. "I don't think I've met your Shifu."
Qin Anhe nodded. "You haven't, but she wants to meet you. My Shifu is the most talented Daoist in the world."
Mentioning Feng Puzhi, Qin Anhe's expression immediately grew proud—so proud that it was as if it were her who were the most talented Daoist in the world. Even now, Qin Anhe believed that, as long as Feng Puzhi were mentioned, no matter who it was, they would accept the invitation.
But she hadn't expected Xie Qianbing would consider it, and then in the end shake her head. "Qin-daren, you'd best head back."
He Leyong, who'd originally been at a distance, came over, and coughed lightly. "Go."
Xie Qianbing looked at He Leyong with a puzzled expression, but she didn't refuse again, merely replying, "Alright."
Before Qin Anhe could say anything, He Leyong added, "Since it's a meal invitation, I fear an old woman such as myself won't be an imposition."
But Qin Anhe seemed to have already guessed at this, and she bowed slightly towards He Leyong and extended a hand in invitation. "Please."
A carriage departed from the Xie residence, slowly heading towards the outskirts of the city. Qin Anhe's mansion was in a remote area of the city's outskirts; any further, and it would be the unbroken mountains. The exterior of the Qin mansion didn't appear to be luxurious; its darkly tiled outer wall was faintly mottled, and even the brass ring on the door was faintly flaking.
The old woman who came to welcome them wore coarse cloth clothes as well, in dusty greys, and didn't seem like a servant of a major official. But as an official of their rank, on merely their salary, they could maintain a full residence of personnel. Even Xie Qianbing, who styled herself as uncorrupted, who had never profited from ill-gotten gains, had the old women in her employ wear fine cotton.
Xie Qianbing turned her head to look at Qin Anhe, rather shocked, but found her expression wasn't out of the ordinary. Only once they entered did Xie Qianbing become aware of what a great misconception she'd just had. Behind the spirit wall entrance was a pond of flowing water, taihu stones piled into a false mountain standing in the middle, and the woodcuts that were used as decoration showed faint gold threads. A screen separated a garden full of strange and unusual plants, and some of them, she couldn't even name.
Even the covered bridge winding over the pond was made with the same white marble banisters as those in the Palace.
"Please, this way." Qin Anhe gestured, walking in front of the two to lead the way. Xie Qianbing turned her head to look at He Leyong, but all she found in her gaze was calm.
She didn't even know what material the curtain had been woven from, only that when she pushed it aside, her entire hand felt cool. The wall that greeted them had famous paintings from the previous era hung on it, and in the corner, a bucket of ice, giving off white condensation, was carved with decorative designs.
Xie Qianbing finally gritted out, "You conceal yourself, don't you, Qin-daren."
They'd known each other for so long, yet Xie Qianbing had never before stepped foot into the Qin mansion. Only now did she know what was called "a dilapidated exterior and an interior of gold and jade".
Qin Anhe, though, shrugged. "None of this is mine, it's all some small expenditures from my elder sister; not able to bear seeing me pass my days in hardship, she likes to send such things to me."
Before she'd even finished speaking, a red-clad woman emerged unhurriedly from the rear hall. Xie Qianbing didn't forget people easily, and she was able to recognise Chen Xun. But Chen Xun didn't pay her any mind, stepping around Xie Qianbing to come to He Leyong behind her, and said with a smile, "I've long heard of He-daren's illustrious reputation, and now I've finally had the chance to meet you."
"You knew I would come?" He Leyong frowned, looking at Chen Xun with a searching gaze.
"Because I foretold it."
Translator's notes:
[1]: The specific wording is 肱骨 (gong gu), or humerus bone, but it doesn't flow as well in English.
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