Chapter 27: Who Exactly Is He? A Difficult Riddle to Solve Part 1

That night, it wasn’t just Pei Jingyi who suffered a restless sleep because of Gu Huaiyu. Throughout the capital, many remained awake, their thoughts consumed by the Lord Chancellor.

Inside the brightly lit Yuxian Restaurant, the Grand Preceptor’s estate had reserved an entire floor for years. The nameplates for the seven or eight private rooms had been removed, replaced by a single wooden plaque hanging high, inscribed in gold leaf against a red background: The Hall of Upright Speech.

This was the gathering place for the Pure Stream faction. Usually, they met here to discuss philosophy and literature, though in truth, it was a den where they converged to denounce “the traitor.”

There was no need to name the traitor; everyone knew exactly who he was.

But tonight was different.

The Hall of Upright Speech, usually clamorous with debate, was hauntingly silent. A room full of scholars sat, yet none spoke. They were accustomed to tossing around insults like “Gu the Cat” or “villainous traitor,” but tonight, when they wanted to say something different, they found themselves at a loss for words.

As the host, Dong Danyu broke the silence with a light cough. “The weather was fine today. The winter plums in the south of the city have begun to bloom.”

It was a comment seemingly unrelated to politics, yet as soon as the words hit the floor, someone immediately picked up the thread. “The plum blossom is the gentleman among flowers. For it to bloom so early this year… I believe there is a true gentleman currently within the capital.”

The atmosphere shifted. Men looked at one another, eyes darting.

Xie Shaoling did not take his seat. He leaned against the window, eyes downcast and motionless. Below, in the restaurant’s courtyard, several people dressed in disaster-relief cotton clothes were chatting and laughing while performing odd jobs.

“Well said!” someone interjected, their voice heavy with hidden meaning. “The ancients said that a gentleman focuses on the grand design rather than trifles; he seeks practical results rather than empty fame.”

Another instantly chimed in, “Even the Great Emperor Shun was but a humble farmer before he ascended the throne. It proves that the value of a man lies in his merit. Why should we be constrained by his origins?”

Silence fell again.

Initially, they had only intended to offer roundabout praise for the Chancellor’s recent competence. They hadn’t expected someone to go so far as to wipe away the old grievance of him “climbing the ladder via the Empress’s skirts.”

“As they say, one should not avoid recommending an enemy if they are capable, nor avoid a relative if they are worthy. General Wei Qing of the Han Dynasty rose as a relative of the consort, flourishing because of his sister, but who would dare claim he lacked talent? Even the Grand Historian praised him as a general without equal.”

“Indeed!”

Suddenly, Xu Hesheng, who had been silent, stood up abruptly. “I’ve had enough!”

He slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups rattle. “I’ll say it straight: Lord Chancellor Gu handled this matter brilliantly! The refugees in Jiangzhou now have clothes to wear and porridge to drink. Everything from top to bottom has been arranged perfectly. Which of you has that kind of ability? Which of you has that kind of heart?”

He scanned the room, his eyes clear, finally venting the breath that had been suffocating him. “We sit here every day hurling insults, while he is out there actually saving lives. Are we really going to cling to our ‘pure reputations’ and continue to sneer at his birth?”

Silence reclaimed the hall.

Xie Shaoling’s fingers tightened around his folding fan. He should have been the spirited Top Scholar, a young man of sharp edges and soaring ambition. Yet now he stood expressionless by the window, listening to this hall full of people praise the “great villain.”

One man at the table spoke up tremulously. “A few days ago, Shaoling suggested we block the Chancellor’s carriage in a crowd to demand the whereabouts of those two hundred thousand pounds of cotton…”

“At the time, the Chancellor didn’t even lift the curtain of his sedan,” another added, his voice barely a whisper. “We… we even called him a coward, using the harshest words imaginable.”

“Thinking back on it now… it wasn’t cowardice.”

“It was the magnanimity of a Prime Minister. He didn’t care to bicker with mere scholars like us.”

“If it were anyone else, accusing a high official like that would lead to the seizure of property and execution. Yet we haven’t even received a letter of reprimand. Can such a temperament truly be called ‘petty and vindictive’?”

Dong Danyu’s fingers gripped his teacup so hard his knuckles turned white. The Chancellor had done far more than just spare a group of scholars…

At this point, the expressions in the room turned toward genuine admiration.

“Absurd!”

A sharp bark of laughter cut through the mood. It was the most prominent strategist under Grand Preceptor Dong. His face was flushed red, the veins on his neck bulging. “Can one good deed wash away a lifetime of sin? Has the ‘Cat’ not spent years forming cliques for private gain and monopolizing the court? Are those crimes suddenly gone?”

The room fell silent once more, save for the crackle of sparks in the charcoal brazier.

“Who advocated for the peace treaty with Eastern Liao? How many loyal souls haunt the Zhao Prison because of him?” He grew more agitated, his finger nearly poking the face of the scholar opposite him. “Just because he threw you a few cotton coats, you’re ready to kneel and sing his praises?”

The crowd lowered their heads, silent. Xie Shaoling finally turned around, tapping his fan against his palm. His voice was calm and steady. “Gentlemen, the night is late.”

Those words acted like an invisible boundary. The strategist, who had been shouting just a moment ago, suddenly fell silent. The scholars exchanged glances and began to stand, offering their farewells.

Xie Shaoling remained by the window, watching the busy Jiangzhou workers below, a turbulent current swirling in his eyes.

Once the room was empty, Dong Danyu walked over slowly. The two were of similar age, both renowned talents in the capital, and considered themselves acquaintances.