Ji Shuxin immediately agreed but then, as if it were an afterthought, asked, “This is quite the favor you’re doing for him. After all, he wouldn’t dare offend the Ji family. Sister, why are you remembering him so clearly?”
Though Ji Shuxin didn’t want his sister to remarry so soon, he was growing concerned. Wei Pingyuan was the only unmarried man his sister had mentioned since her separation.
Qing Li rolled her eyes and lightly slapped the back of his head. “Stop overthinking it. I just think he’s… pitiful. Besides, it’s no trouble to help.”
It was hard not to remember him when their first encounter had been so awkward. Qing Li was reminded of how, like Wei Pingyuan, the original Qing Li had been quietly enduring her struggles. Even when Zhang Shi treated her badly, she’d forced a smile and reassured her husband, “It’s nothing, don’t worry.”
And just like with Wei Pingyuan, her husband had acted as if nothing had happened, smiling as he draped his arm around her and said, “That’s good. I bought some roast duck from Yipin Lou. Come, have a taste.”
At least the original Qing Li had been stronger, never taking abuse from outsiders.
That’s why Qing Li had taken a bit of a liking to Wei Pingyuan and didn’t want him to end up like Zheng Yihan, who pretended not to see things that were right in front of him. Plus, Wei Pingyuan had talent. It would be a shame if someone else took credit for his hard work.
Ji Shuxin was relieved and grinned. “Alright, I’ll get to it. And since I’m passing by Yipin Lou on my way back, want me to bring you anything?”
Qing Li, feeling lazy, replied, “Nah, I’ll cook something myself.”
Ji Shuxin swallowed, recalling how delicious his sister’s cooking had been recently. He quickly changed his mind. “I’ll be back as soon as I can!”
Around noon, Zhou Yiming and a few friends went out to celebrate. The case had just been wrapped up the day before, and since he’d received the most praise for his work and been hinted at a promotion, a little celebration was in order.
His friends were equally excited. “You pulled it off this time! Such a big accomplishment.”
“Yeah!” Another friend took a long drink and laughed. “We all agreed to be carefree, but you went and outshined us.”
“What carefree life? Zhou’s always been ambitious. Otherwise, how could he have topped the exams?”
Zhou Yiming, basking in their admiration, humbly waved his hand. “I just got lucky.”
“Luck? It was skill, man! How else could you have figured out the problem?”
Zhou Yiming smiled, secretly planning to throw Wei Pingyuan a small reward. He knew he’d likely need more favors from that fool in the future.
“Who would have thought? This kid looks slow and timid, but he’s got some skills. If I could directly put him to use, wouldn’t that be even better?”
Zhou Yiming sipped his wine as he pondered. When he judged the timing to be right, he lazily made his way back to the Dali Temple. He had just closed a major case, so his reputation was riding high. With other cases on hand, he didn’t have to be on duty at the temple constantly, and arriving late wouldn’t be a problem. Even if he had been drinking, his superiors wouldn’t care.
As he strolled toward the Dali Temple and approached his usual area, he caught something out of the corner of his eye in the courtyard. But, being his usual lazy self, he ignored it, not bothering to give it a second thought.
However, when he pushed open the door to his private office, his gaze landed on his superior, whose expression was dark. Zhou’s heart skipped a beat, and he blurted, “Master Xu! Why are you here? Has there been news on the case? I was out looking for clues and got back late. My apologies!”
Xu Zhiyuan, the Deputy of the Dali Temple, stared at him coldly. “You didn’t know I was here?”
Zhou Yiming forced a laugh. “Master Xu, how could I? I don’t have eyes that can see miles away.”
Xu’s face grew even darker. “If that’s the case, then how did you spot the hairpin dropped by a child on a rain-soaked path? How did you deduce who passed through the damaged footprints? And how did you identify the flaws in those men’s mixed confessions?”
Each question was sharper than the last, and Zhou was caught off guard, bewildered. “What does that have to do with what you’re saying?”
Xu’s voice turned icy. “When I arrived, I left my jade pendant by the roadside. You passed within three feet of it. Even though half of it was covered by leaves, you should’ve noticed it! And I deliberately walked through the muddy ground, leaving dirt on the threshold. Yet you never even considered that someone might be inside!”
Zhou shivered, breaking into a cold sweat. He stammered, “Master Xu, I… I just went out for a drink, and my mind’s a bit sluggish. Please don’t be angry. Next time, I’ll be more careful.”
“No need,” Xu waved him off, casting a disdainful glance. “Someone told me your achievements are stolen from others. I didn’t believe it at first, thinking you were just a little playful, but you still went out to investigate during your leave. However, now I believe them. You’re so careless—how could you possibly deduce who the suspects are from mere clues?”
“Probably just an excuse to drink and waste time! You’re truly unfit for responsibility!”
Zhou Yiming was dumbfounded, panic rising as he stammered, “Master Xu, I did solve those cases, I swear…”
Xu sneered. “Do you think I’m a fool? I’ll report to Lord Wang shortly. The one whose credit you stole works in the Hanlin Academy, correct? Such talent is wasted there. Since Chief Qiao has requested a reassignment, let’s have him take your place.”
Without waiting for a reply, Xu swept his sleeves and strode out, paying no mind to Zhou’s ashen face.
A few steps outside, Xu bent down, and picked up a half-covered white jade pendant, and his expression grew even grimmer.
Inside the office, Zhou Yiming, with legs shaking, clung to the desk, pale with a mix of shame, anger, and panic. He had just been plotting to have Wei Pingyuan transferred under his command, but now he found himself about to become Wei’s subordinate.
The rank of Chief is higher than a mere Evaluator!
The next day, a transfer order landed in Wei Pingyuan’s hands, along with a reward for solving the case.
A colleague, as usual, dropped a pile of documents onto Wei’s desk. “Brother Wei, I’ve got some business to attend to, so please help me organize these.”
He cast a casual glance at Wei’s desk and saw a line on the document in his hands: “Transfer Order—Wei Pingyuan of the Hanlin Academy, sharp-minded and observant, is hereby transferred to the Dali Temple as Chief.”
There was also the official seal of the Dali Temple at the bottom.
Promoted from a minor position straight to the rank of Chief, sixth grade!
And a cross-department promotion at that!
The colleague’s expression shifted, and his hand hesitated over the stack of documents as if he wanted to take them back but couldn’t bring himself to. “Brother Wei, what’s this transfer about?”
Wei, who had been examining the document, hadn’t even reacted when the colleague came over. The more Wei read, the more a faint smile crept onto his lips. It wasn’t until the question broke his focus that he apologized:
“Brother Sun, I’m afraid I won’t be able to help this time. A few days ago, I assisted a colleague in solving several cases of missing children. The case was concluded yesterday, and it seems that’s why I’ve been transferred. The order says I’m to report to the Dali Temple as soon as I receive it. I hope you understand.”
Sun’s eyes widened in shock, his breath catching. “So it was you who solved the case?”
This was no small matter. Solving the case and being transferred to the Dali Temple? Wei Pingyuan had gone from being the bullied underdog with no backing to surpassing all of them.
Everyone knew the officials at the Dali Temple wielded real power, far more than the career-track officials at the Hanlin Academy.
Wei smiled and nodded. “Just a bit of luck.”
Sun’s suspicions were confirmed, and though he was inwardly envious, he composed himself quickly. His expression almost twisted in frustration, but he forced a smile. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” Wei responded calmly, picking up the stack of documents and handing them back to Sun. “It’s getting late, so I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Caught off guard, Sun fumbled with the heavy pile, staggering under its weight, his face turning green. He dared not vent his anger, though, and forced another smile. “Take care, take care. I’ll treat you to drinks tomorrow to celebrate!”
Wei responded with an innocent smile, “I don’t think I’ll be able to drink anymore. Dali Temple requires its officers to stay sharp, or it could lead to trouble.”
Sun immediately backtracked, “Uh… then I’ll just give you a gift instead.”
As for Wei Pingyuan, Qingli thought no more about it after hearing the news. She was eagerly awaiting the changes that spring would bring.
In the story, Prince Yu’s treason was discovered in the summer, but the evidence was presented to Emperor Jiang in the spring.
However, events had already deviated significantly from the plot. On the day of the spring equinox, Ji Shuxin brought news: “The net has been cast.”
Qingli was so energized by the news that she almost didn’t sleep the entire night, her mind entirely focused on the next day’s court session.
At dawn, the morning assembly began, with some officials still not fully awake. The chief eunuch announced, “Present your matters; if none, the court is dismissed.”
Emperor Jiang’s health had been declining, so if there were no urgent matters during the morning sessions, they would end quickly, with minor issues addressed via written reports.
For the past few days, things had been quiet, with only an occasional matter raised.
Jiang Cunrui stood confidently in the center of the hall, thinking to himself, “What major issues could arise now?”
The most pressing matter on everyone’s minds was how to weaken the feudal lords.
He was growing impatient. Ji Qingli’s separation from Zheng Yihan caused the Ji family to drift from his control, making him uneasy. At times, he even woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
The Ji family wielded too much influence, especially with reports of victory flooding in since the new year. If all went well, in less than two months, the Ji family would return in triumph. By then, the entire Jiang Kingdom would be focused on the Ji family.
If one of the princes managed to gain their favor, the consequences would be disastrous.
Thus, he hoped Zheng Yihan could quickly gather evidence of Prince Yu’s treason, so he could stand out from his brothers at this crucial moment.
He had received word that it was almost done. They had already reached the rear courtyard, and as long as the timing was right, there would be no problem.
As this thought crossed his mind, Jiang Cunrui’s lips curled in anticipation.
It was at that moment that the eighth prince, Jiang Cunxi, stepped forward and announced loudly, “Father, I have a matter to report.”
Jiang Cunrui, who had been resting his eyelids and looking indifferent, suddenly felt a strange sense of unease, as if something that rightfully belonged to him was being taken away.
He frowned and looked toward Jiang Cunxi.
“Speak!” Emperor Jiang commanded. After uttering the word, he coughed, his chest rattling in pain. It was as though he could feel his body weakening more with each passing moment.
At times like this, he became especially anxious.
Although the external threats were being handled by the Ji family, internal conflicts were numerous. His body was no longer capable of handling all these matters, but none of his sons had proven exceptional enough to stand above the rest.
The overly peaceful atmosphere in the imperial harem had led to all the princes being of a similar caliber. This made it difficult for the emperor to choose a crown prince, as he feared selecting someone not strong enough, who might be killed by his brothers or bullied by the power-hungry uncles lurking in the background.
Jiang Cunxi (the Eighth Prince) smiled confidently, pulling out a stack of documents and account books from his sleeve. He handed them to the chief eunuch to present to the emperor, saying, “Your son accuses Prince Yu of treason!”
Hiss—the sound of several sharp gasps echoed through the silent grand hall. The more astute ministers, aware of the emperor’s recent concerns, stared in shock at the Eighth Prince.
Jiang Cunrui (the Ninth Prince) snapped his head towards his younger brother in disbelief.
How could this be possible?!
How had Jiang Cunxi gotten his hands on the evidence before him?!
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152