Chapter 125

Chapter 125: Private Motive

The next day at the Grand Court Assembly, Emperor Huo Yuan sat high in the Golden Throne Hall. Civil and military officials stood in neat ranks and shouted together: “Long live the Emperor.”

When the shout ended, Chief Eunuch Liang called out: “Present your matters. If you have none, the court is dismissed.”

Chancellor Ji cast a look at the protégé behind him. The young man was about to step out when the Minister of Revenue, Lord Zhang, raised his voice and said: “This old subject has a memorial to present!”

Chancellor Ji had been preempted. He and his protégé had to wait.

Emperor Huo Yuan sat straight and asked: “Lord Zhang, what do you wish to present? Speak.”

Lord Zhang said: “I am old and dream a lot. Last night I dreamed of the former Vice Minister of Revenue, Mu Qing Shan. In the dream he was far away in the harsh Northern Frontier, yet he still cared for the Imperial Court.”

Chancellor Ji could not help cutting in, saying: “Lord Zhang, only serious affairs are discussed in court. Do not bring up what you dreamed last night.”

“What is the rush, Chancellor Ji,” Lord Zhang said. “Your Majesty, what I dreamed came from what I think by day. Mu Qing Shan was exiled because he advocated carrying out the Prosper-the-People Edict and angered the Emperor. But now the State Treasury is empty. We cannot even produce the silver to build the Imperial Mausoleum. Is this not just as Mu Qing Shan predicted?”

Emperor Huo Yuan’s face sank.

No one else spoke.

Lord Zhang braced himself and went on: “The Prosper-the-People Edict was not fit eleven years ago, but today it is right. Your Majesty, I am about to retire. What I say is from the heart. Mu Qing Shan was upright and full of talent. He has been exiled to the Northern Frontier for eleven years. I believe he has reflected day and night and changed his ways. I ask Your Majesty to recall him to the Capital.”

“Lord Zhang,” Emperor Huo Yuan said with a frown, “I think you did not dream of Mu Qing Shan. Someone told you to bring him up.”

“Father Emperor,” Huo Zheng stepped out and said: “These past days I have discussed plans to enrich the state. We found that to enrich the state, we must first enrich the people. The Prosper-the-People Edict that Mu Qing Shan proposed eleven years ago is indeed workable.”

“Seventh Brother, this is where you are wrong,” Prince of Rui Huo Yang said. “Why study a policy proposed by a criminal? Are the policies the lords now submit not enough for you to read?”

Prince of Rui was the Eldest Prince, born of Consort Shu. He was already thirty, had attended court for many years, and had many followers.

As soon as he spoke, the Prince of Rui Faction began to say that Prince Chang’an should not be reading a criminal’s proposals at all.

“Eldest Imperial Brother, that is not quite right,” Ninth Prince Huo Yan said at the right time, giving Huo Zheng a look. He said: “Seventh Brother always works carefully. Now that the State Treasury is empty, he wants to enrich the state and the people. He would read anything, not only what someone wrote eleven years ago. He might even look back a hundred years. Isn’t that so, Seventh Brother?”

Huo Yan was the son of the Noble Consort and seemed to be well liked by the Emperor. He had only started attending court this year and had already gathered many ministers to his side.

The Prince of Rui and the Ninth Prince never got along in the Imperial Court. Even today they would not stop.

Ninth Prince Huo Yan looked like he was helping Huo Zheng, but he was not.

The Emperor frowned at his two sons.

Chancellor Ji gave his protégé a signal.

The protégé from the Chancellor’s Manor, Vice Minister Zhao, spoke loudly, saying: “It would be well if Prince Chang’an brought up Mu Qing Shan only for the people’s good!”

Prince of Rui Huo Yang turned and said: “What do you mean? Speak clearly.”

Vice Minister Zhao said: “Yesterday I received an anonymous letter. It says that Prince Chang’an’s fiancée, Song Chun Zhi, is not a daughter of the Song Clan, but the daughter of the criminal Mu Qing Shan. I was about to report this to His Majesty just now, but—”

But then Lord Zhang brought up Mu Qing Shan, and Prince Chang’an followed. All the officials had seen it, so there was no need to spell it out.

The words that Prince Chang’an spoke, which had sounded so high-minded, now looked like pure self-interest.

The ministers began to whisper.

Someone said: “People said Prince Chang’an is selfless and thinks only of the people. Now it seems not so.”

Another said: “His Majesty personally bestowed marriages upon Prince Chang’an and upon the Song Clan’s aunt. Now that this Song Clan miss suddenly turns out to be Mu Qing Shan’s daughter, I fear this match will fall through.”

A third said: “What a timely anonymous letter.”

Ninth Prince Huo Yan lowered his voice to say to Huo Zheng: “Seventh Brother, I cannot help you with this. You should watch out for yourself.” Though he said he could not help, his eyes showed he was ready to enjoy the drama.

Prince of Rui Huo Yang looked even more pleased.

He had married a high-born noble lady, and her family helped him greatly. When he first heard that Huo Zheng was to marry a merchant’s daughter, Empress Wang was furious, and Huo Yang laughed at home. Now that this merchant’s daughter turned out to be a criminal’s daughter, he thought: [Heaven means to destroy Huo Zheng.]

“Huo Zheng,” Emperor Huo Yuan called in a deep voice, “what do you have to say?”

Huo Zheng said seriously: “I do not know where the news that Chun Zhi is Mu Qing Shan’s daughter came from. Since someone claims it, there must be a reason. Please summon Mu Qing Shan back to the Capital and investigate.”

“You—” Emperor Huo Yuan knew at once what Huo Zheng was aiming for. At such a time, he still wanted to recall Mu Qing Shan to the Capital.

He wanted to scold him, but he did not wish to harm Prince Chang’an’s face in front of the court. He forced it down and said: “Prince of Rui, what do you think?”

Prince of Rui had been named by his father. In his heart he hoped that Huo Zheng would be dragged down by a criminal’s daughter, lose favor, and never again compete with him. But he could not show that too clearly before the Emperor. He had to act like a good elder brother.

After a pause, Huo Yang said: “I think an anonymous letter proves nothing. Whether Seventh Younger Brother’s fiancée is a criminal’s daughter has to be checked.”

The Emperor turned to Ninth Prince and said: “Huo Yan, what do you say?”

Huo Yan, who had been enjoying the show, was suddenly named and rushed to answer: “I think we should find the person who wrote the anonymous letter at once and make him produce real proof.”

The court buzzed. How could they prove a father and daughter? Should they recall Mu Qing Shan to the Capital and have the Song Clan miss and him do a blood test?

They argued for a long time and got nowhere.

Grand Preceptor Wang stepped forward and said: “A criminal’s daughter is not fit to be Princess Consort of Chang’an. This marriage should be canceled.”

Chancellor Ji said: “Prince Chang’an spoke for Mu Qing Shan today. His private motive is hard to hide. It chills our hearts.”

Many ministers backed the two of them.

At once, Lord Zhang and the ministers who supported Prince Chang’an stood to refute them.

Huo Zheng said with a calm face: “Public matters are public. Private matters are private. They must not be mixed.”

Emperor Huo Yuan felt a headache coming on and called a stop. The chief eunuch cried: “Court is dismissed.”

After court, the Emperor summoned Huo Zheng to the Imperial Study and asked in a low voice: “Did you truly have no private motive in speaking for Mu Qing Shan today?”

Huo Zheng said solemnly: “I do have a private motive.”