Chapter 124

Chapter 124: Can We Save Him? Yes

After Chun Zhi told the Song siblings that her identity as a traitor’s daughter could be exposed at any time, she followed Huo Zheng to the archive.

A guard watched the door, and even with a token Huo Zheng could bring only Chun Zhi inside.

They searched by year. It took a long time before they reached the files from eleven years ago. A whole wall held cases from that year, and they had to pick out the ones about Mu Qing Shan.

The files were long sealed and smelled of mold. From daybreak to nightfall Huo Zheng kept looking. Chun Zhi lit an oil lamp, and the two of them searched through the night.

By the first light of dawn, they finally found a record on Mu Qing Shan. Huo Zheng said: “Found it.” He pulled out a scroll and spread it on the table.

Chun Zhi held the lamp and watched with Huo Zheng.

It read that Mu Qing Shan became a third-ranked scholar in the third year of Cheng’an. Three years after entering the Hanlin Academy, he was transferred as Assistant Director of Revenue, and three years later he rose to Vice Minister of Revenue. The scroll recorded his life and said that he pushed the Prosper-the-People Edict, offended the great clans, insisted on his view at the Grand Court Assembly, angered the Emperor, and was then stripped of his home and exiled.

Back then many people attacked the Prosper-the-People Edict, but now it looked farsighted and good for both the country and the people.

When Chun Zhi finished reading, she set down the lamp and asked Huo Zheng: “Can he be saved?”

Huo Zheng answered without thinking: “Yes.”

Since Huo Zheng said yes, Chun Zhi believed him. She asked softly: “What do we do next?”

Huo Zheng said: “You go back to Song Manor and sleep well. I will return to the Prince’s Manor to discuss with Yuan Jia and the others, then pay a visit to the Minister of Revenue.”

Chun Zhi knew what she should do now was to listen to Huo Zheng and not add to his burden.

They blew out the lamp and left the archive.

Huo Zheng first took Chun Zhi back to Song Manor, then went to the Prince of Chang’an Manor. He gathered his advisers and officers to study in detail the Prosper-the-People Edict that Mu Qing Shan had wanted to carry out.

Gu Yuan Jia was there too. Young Master Gu said: “If the Prosper-the-People Edict had been carried out ten years ago, the State Treasury would not be in such a deficit.”

Everyone agreed that Mu Qing Shan’s Prosper-the-People Edict was exactly what was needed now. If it could be implemented, it would benefit the people and fill the State Treasury.

After a full day of discussion, Huo Zheng went to the residence of the Minister of Revenue, Lord Zhang.

At dusk, the carriage passed street after street and stopped at the gate of Zhang Manor.

A retainer stepped forward, knocked, and gave Huo Zheng’s name. Lord Zhang soon came out in person, saying: “I did not know Prince Chang’an would come. This old subject failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive me.”

Huo Zheng stepped down from the carriage and exchanged polite words with Lord Zhang, saying: “You are too kind, Lord Zhang. I have come without warning and disturbed you. Please excuse me.”

“Not at all,” Lord Zhang said as he invited Prince Chang’an in for tea.

With the gates open, Huo Zheng walked inside at an easy pace.

Lord Zhang was near seventy, the oldest minister in the Imperial Court. Earlier he had asked the Emperor to let him retire, but the post of Minister of Revenue was crucial. Prince of Rui and Ninth Prince both wanted to place their own men, and the Emperor did not want either son’s power to grow, so no successor had been chosen.

Lord Zhang had to keep working a while longer.

Prince Chang’an had always disdained forming cliques and rarely socialized with ministers in private. His sudden visit today truly surprised Lord Zhang.

They sat in the main hall. A maid brewed tea and set it before them. Lord Zhang said: “Your Highness, please try the Da Hong Pao Tea from my manor.” When he saw Huo Zheng take a sip, he asked: “The sky is already dim. Your Highness came to see this old subject today for some urgent business, did you not?”

Huo Zheng came straight to the point, saying: “I have come to speak about the former Vice Minister of Revenue, Mu Qing Shan, who angered the Emperor and was stripped of his home and exiled.”

“Mu Qing Shan.” Lord Zhang felt pity as soon as he heard the name. He said: “He was full of talent and thought only of the public good. When he wanted to carry out the Prosper-the-People Edict, I advised him the time had not yet come. But alas…”

Mu Qing Shan’s hot blood had offended the interests of the noble clans. They attacked him together, and in the end even the Emperor did not like him.

The year Mu Qing Shan took the Imperial Examinations, Lord Zhang served as deputy examiner, so he counted as half a mentor to Mu Qing Shan. Later, when Mu joined the Ministry of Revenue, he worked hard and well, and Lord Zhang thought highly of him.

Lord Zhang now wished to retire, and there was no one in the Ministry of Revenue who could take his place. If Mu Qing Shan were still in court, the seat would be his without a doubt.

But Mu Qing Shan had been exiled to the harsh Northern Frontier for years. It was hard to say if he was even alive, much less able to return to office.

Lord Zhang sighed and said: “If Your Highness had been born ten years earlier, you might have saved Mu Qing Shan.”

In the case of Nanzhou and Prince Ning, Prince Chang’an had handled matters very well. His methods were harsh, and the Imperial Clan criticized him, but without a clean, sharp cut he could not have pacified Nanzhou.

Lord Zhang actually thought very well of Prince Chang’an. Yet he was old, his only son had died early, and he had only one legitimate granddaughter. If the Zhang family still had a descendant who could enter court, he would have that person follow Prince Chang’an.

Huo Zheng said: “I may not have been born ten years earlier, but as long as Mu Qing Shan is not dead, he can be used again.”

Lord Zhang had not expected Prince Chang’an to say this and asked in surprise: “What does Your Highness mean?”

Huo Zheng said: “I would like you to say a few good words for Mu Qing Shan at the Grand Court Assembly. Eleven years ago Father Emperor disliked the Prosper-the-People Edict and the ministers opposed it. But now it truly can enrich the people and strengthen the state. It is worth carrying out.”

Huo Zheng then explained to Lord Zhang the practical points he and his men had worked out that day for the Prosper-the-People Edict.

After listening, Lord Zhang was moved. He had sat as Minister of Revenue for over ten years. Back then, when Mu Qing Shan wrote the Prosper-the-People Edict, he first showed it to Lord Zhang.

Lord Zhang had known it would benefit the country and the people. But the policy was bound to harm the interests of the great clans, and putting it into practice would be full of obstacles. Things turned out as he expected: before the edict had any chance to be tried, Mu Qing Shan was convicted and exiled.

In a blink, eleven years had passed.

When Lord Zhang saw the name Mu Qing Shan, his heart still ached with regret, but the people of the Capital had long forgotten that brilliant third-ranked scholar. He had not expected Prince Chang’an to come and bring him up today.

Many mixed feelings rose in Lord Zhang’s heart. Yet he also asked with some confusion: “I am old and about to retire. It is no problem to mention Mu Qing Shan before His Majesty. But Your Highness is in high favor. Why take the risk of angering the Emperor for Mu Qing Shan?”

Huo Zheng said: “What I do is for both public duty and private feeling,” then he rose and cupped his hands: “Please lend me your help, Lord Zhang.”

Lord Zhang stood at once and said: “Since Your Highness says so, this old subject will do his best.”