Chapter 7: Lift Your Head and Look
The matter of the Censorate officials' resignations dragged on for the better part of a month. On the surface, public discussion was first forbidden, then an edict was issued to reaffirm the importance of the censorial officials, and finally, new letters of appointment were delivered to the home of every official who had resigned. In private, the Reformist Faction, with Minister of Revenue Fan Ying at its core, clashed with the Conservative Faction, led by Left Chancellor Cai Quan and Minister of Personnel Lu Songnian, for several rounds. At first, Lu Songnian believed victory was in his grasp and refused to yield an inch, not only demanding that Vice Minister of Revenue Shi Yan be dismissed from office to await punishment, but even launching attacks against Fan Ying herself.
As Wei Qi watched Lu Songnian and Fan Ying trade insults, she was suddenly overcome with a sense of profound tedium. She stood up and walked a circle around the Council of State hall. Lu Songnian was still shouting, while Cai Quan sat serenely with his eyes closed, feigning meditation. Wei Qi paced over to a sword-bearing attendant, drew the longsword from his waist in one smooth motion, and held it to her own neck.
"Are you trying to force Us to die?" Wei Qi's voice was hauntingly quiet.
"Your Majesty!" The purple-robed ministers finally panicked, falling to their knees at her feet and begging her forgiveness.
Instead of anger, Wei Qi laughed. "What crime have you committed? Is it not that all crimes, a thousand, ten thousand crimes, lie with Us?"
"Why does Your Majesty say such a thing?" Cai Quan finally dropped his pretense.
"Our court, Our ministers, they resign from their posts over a single disagreement. Ten today, a hundred tomorrow. Are they saying Our virtue is so lacking that We cannot command the trust of Our officials? If so, what face do We have to continue living in this world!"
Cai Quan kowtowed again, his eyes reddening. "Absolutely not! Your Majesty's wisdom is a brilliant torch; you are utterly without fault. The matter of the Censorate is the fault of Han Zhongsi, who refused his post without cause to curry imperial favor. It is truly the act of a petty man!"
"Indeed, Your Majesty, please see this clearly!" The other high-ranking ministers chimed in, kowtowing repeatedly.
"If that is the case, then you will handle it. Settle this matter within three days." Wei Qi threw down the steel blade and walked wearily out of the Council of State hall.
She shut herself in her bedchamber and sat in silence for half a day. The Head Eunuch was beside herself with anxiety and hurriedly sent for Wei Zhi to come and console her.
"Your Majesty, the Eldest Princess has arrived."
"...Let her in."
Wei Zhi walked in and saw Wei Qi sitting on the steps. She silently went over and sat down beside her.
This lonely state of being high above all others was something no one could understand but Wei Qi herself. Even Wei Zhi, her sister by birth and blood, could only offer silent companionship, unable to say anything to persuade her.
"We are fine."
"I know. I came to keep you company, elder sister."
"A'zhi, how do you think Mother endured sitting on this throne day after day for decades? It has only been a few years, and We already feel so weary."
Wei Zhi could not answer her question.
The matter was ultimately concluded by dismissing Han Zhongsi from his post and ordering him to leave the capital as soon as possible. Beneath the surface, the Reformist Faction gave up several core positions in the Six Ministries, while the Conservative Faction relented and yielded some positions in the Censorate, which included agreeing to Gao Yunqu's appointment as Vice Censor-in-Chief, a primary fifth-rank post, with a fourth-rank title.
But all of this was rather distant from Fang Jian. In late September, she went to the Imperial Academy. She was enrolled as an auditor, and her dormitory room was already occupied by one person. The remaining bed thus became hers.
"You must be the new classmate?" At sunset, her roommate returned from her studies and greeted her with a smile.
"Yes. My name is Fang Jian, courtesy name Linshen."
"My name is Cui Miao, courtesy name Xinmeng."
Cui Miao had a cheerful disposition. She took the initiative to speak with her and show her around the environment, and within a few days, the two had become familiar with each other.
"My father is the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial. It's a primary fourth-rank court official post, but it's almost a sinecure," Cui Miao said while writing her assignments. "It's funny, really. We've had three generations of female emperors, but my father still values boys more. He was dead set on having a son. The result? Between the legitimate wife and the concubines, all told, he fathered the five of us sisters, without a single son in sight."
"There are still people like that among the court officials?" Fang Jian had grown up in the countryside and knew little of court affairs. Hearing this, she was surprised.
"Heh," Cui Miao scoffed. "Of course there are many old-fashioned people. Some don't say it, but they're still keeping score in their hearts. After all, the era of male superiority didn't end that long ago."
"Is that so..."
"If my mother's family hadn't fallen on hard times when she was young, why would she have chosen him? With my mother's talent, she's more than capable of being the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial in his place." After venting about her family's messy affairs, Cui Miao paused and asked Fang Jian, "Linshen, I heard you got in through Lord Gao's connections. Are you a niece of the Gao family?"
Fang Jian shook her head. "Just a distant relative. Lord Gao is kind and was willing to give me a hand." As she spoke, a sourness welled up within her. Not a niece, not a student, and certainly not close kin. She could only be an ambiguous "distant relative."
"But that's Lord Gao," Cui Miao said, her tone full of envy, completely oblivious to Fang Jian's private thoughts.
"What?" Fang Jian was bewildered.
"You don't know?" Cui Miao looked astonished. "Lord Gao is the youngest Triple First of this dynasty. When she was at the Censorate, she was known for being impartial and incorruptible. Her greatest achievement was writing a memorial that fiercely criticized the Right Chancellor of the time, forcing that lord to request his own official retirement. She earned the nickname 'Tiger of the Imperial Hall.' Her writings are still used as models for study in the Censorate. Later, when she transferred to the Court of Judicial Review, she became famous for her ability to distinguish right from wrong. Her interrogations and judgments were swift and accurate."
"You admire Lord Gao very much?" Fang Jian knew very little of Gao Yunqu's past and was quite willing to listen to Cui Miao speak.
"Of course. Lord Gao is young, capable, and writes beautifully. It's only natural for me to admire her," Cui Miao said with an expression that screamed 'obviously.' "But some people say Lord Gao is ruthless and cruel. Those who dislike her call her a cruel official, a blade in Her Majesty's hand."
"Heh, not just anyone is qualified to be Her Majesty's blade," Fang Jian scoffed.
"Exactly! Oh, have you finished this math problem? Let me see..."
The Imperial Academy, like the government offices in the capital, had one day of rest every ten days. The day before, as soon as classes ended, Fang Jian and Cui Miao said their goodbyes and went their separate ways home.
When she returned to the Gao estate, Gao Yunqu had also just come back from her office. It was the first time Fang Jian had seen her in the scarlet official uniform of a fourth-rank official. The wide sleeves flowed like clouds; she was exceptionally handsome. Fang Jian was a little stunned. It wasn't until Gao Yunqu tapped her on the forehead, calling her back to her senses, that she hurried to follow Gao Yunqu's steps toward the study.
Gao Yunqu took off her official hat and placed it to one side, then sat down in an armchair and looked at Fang Jian. "How are you finding the Imperial Academy?"
"Everything is fine. I can keep up with the lessons the teachers assign," Fang Jian replied respectfully, standing with her hands at her sides.
"Then I shall test you." Gao Yunqu picked up the teacup Gao Yuan had served, took a sip to wet her throat, and said, "Tell me, how many students and teachers are in the Academy? What are the backgrounds of your classmates? How many are from noble families, how many from gentry families, and how many from commoner families?"
"..." Fang Jian fell silent.
"Then who is in charge at the Academy, what are their official titles, and how many factions are there?"
"..."
"Come here." Seeing her hesitate, Gao Yunqu softened her tone. "Come. I won't punish you."
Fang Jian went and stood before her.
Gao Yunqu stood up. The youth was already as tall as her. Dressed in the Imperial Academy's round-collared robe, white with black trim, she looked more mature. She reached out to straighten her collar and smooth the wrinkles on her shoulders, saying, "Don't just bury your head in your books. Lift your head and see."
Author's Notes
The emperor holding a knife to her own throat to force the ministers to compromise is a reference to Emperor Taizong of Tang forcing Fang Xuanling to agree to make Li Zhi the crown prince.
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