Chapter 58: Turmoil
Lu Songnian had once been second only to Cai Quan, a veritable chancellor-in-waiting. He had assumed that once Cai Quan retired, he would become the new Left Chancellor and truly hold the reins of power. But the world is ever-changing. He never imagined Cai Quan's official retirement would be so sudden, long before he could inherit Cai Quan's political assets in the court. Her Majesty's chaotic moves had disrupted the future Lu Songnian had so carefully planned for himself, and there was nothing he could do. He swallowed his resentment, retreated to the position of Minister of Rites, and maintained a low profile. In private, however, he gathered the scattered remnants of the Conservative Faction and secured the support of the old aristocratic families and powerful clans from across the land. This time, Her Majesty's show of force had terrified those clans. Countless letters arrived from various prefectures, demanding that he mediate on their behalf in the Capital City, and placing the clans' local influence at his disposal. As a scion of an old aristocratic family himself, he knew this contest was of paramount importance to the great clans and families, so he naturally used every trick in the book to throw the court into disarray. The murkier the water, the more opportunities he would have.
When Gao Yunqu entered his sights, he knew his chance had come. He had once found Gao Yunqu incredibly vexing; in past confrontations, she had been the most radical of the Reformist Faction, an exceedingly sharp blade. Lu Songnian had inevitably been wounded by her before. But this time was different. He was somewhat surprised to discover that Gao Yunqu was not standing with the Reformist Faction, and those short-sighted fools in the faction weren't even trying to win her over.
"The Reformist Faction, hah, the Reformist Faction. Commoners and minor gentry are short-sighted, after all. To dare let someone like Gao Yunqu slip through their fingers." He scoffed, then extended an offer to recruit Gao Yunqu.
And then Gao Yunqu rejected him with absolute finality.
"My lord, this Gao woman is rather ungrateful…" His supporters were all incensed, their curses unending.
Lu Songnian's expression shifted slightly, but he quickly recovered and said with a smile, "Does her refusal mean it's a refusal? No matter. We'll just make it so she has to come, whether she wants to or not."
Lu Songnian ordered his people to secretly embellish Gao Yunqu's proposals and publicize them widely, ensuring her conservative reputation spread throughout the capital. They also declared that she had already switched her allegiance to the Conservative Faction. The Reformist Faction fell into the trap as expected, attacking Gao Yunqu with even greater ferocity.
Gao Yunqu had never thought she would see the day she was classified as a member of the Conservative Faction. It was rather strange. She closed her doors and refused all visitors, shutting all the slander outside. The Head Eunuch had already paid a private visit, so she knew Wei Qi had not yet abandoned her, which meant there was nothing to fear. Fan Ying had also apologized to her in private. Her original intention was only for Gao Yunqu to put forth an initial idea to draw out others; she never imagined it would trap her in such a dilemma. Gao Yunqu was not particularly concerned. On the contrary, she advised Fan Ying that as long as it was beneficial to the overall situation, such minor matters were not worth worrying about, and that Fan Ying should proceed as she saw fit.
Having navigated the sea of officialdom for over a decade, she truly did not take such attacks to heart. For the past two days, she had been carefully studying Fang Jian's memorial. Fang Jian naturally supported the New Policies; road construction was a view she herself had raised during the Palace Examination. This memorial of hers discussed the drawbacks of inadequate roads in the prefectures and the importance of building them. It also argued that a cadastral survey should be conducted before construction began, and that the roads of the realm should be like a game of Go, beginning with a solid opening and ending with a cautious endgame. The entire memorial was written in her usual style—majestic, powerful, and utterly unrestrained. At the end, it even satirized the Conservative Faction for having private interests but no public spirit, questioning to whom their loyalty was directed.
The essay was exceptionally well-written, so it was only natural that it was widely acclaimed. However, Fang Jian had never imagined that her memorial would become a sharp arrow aimed at Gao Yunqu. Within a few days, everyone in the court and beyond was mentioning her and Gao Yunqu in the same breath, comparing her progressive spirit with Gao Yunqu's supposed conservatism. She was the new, so she naturally enjoyed all the praise, while Gao Yunqu became the old, and thus endured endless criticism.
Gao Yunqu acted as if she heard nothing, continuing with her own affairs, but Fang Jian was on pins and needles. The moment she realized things were heading in the wrong direction, she rushed to the Gao residence, only to be turned away at the door once again.
"A'yuan, let me in!"
"Young Lady, my lady has given her orders. We dare not disobey," Gao Yuan sighed.
"Then tell her that wasn't my intention. I never meant to slander her," Fang Jian said, her heart fraught with anxiety, her face a mask of dejection.
"My lady said she knows," Gao Yuan replied. "She told you not to worry, to go and do what you think is right. She will handle her own affairs. You need not concern yourself."
"I…"
Before she could respond, Gao Yuan took advantage of her daze to slam the main doors shut, refusing to open them no matter how much she knocked.
Fang Jian was furious. She clenched her hand into a fist and slammed it against the heavy door. A dull pain shot through her hand, but it couldn't suppress the rage in her heart. She was Gao Yunqu's student! Everything she was, Gao Yunqu had taught her. How could that person, the person who had raised her, be as contemptible as they claimed! Gao Yunqu was clearly advocating for caution, not opposing reform. Fang Jian had tried to explain, to argue, but no one listened. They were too busy celebrating, saying only what they wanted to say, hearing only what they wanted to hear. For a fleeting moment, Fang Jian even wondered: were they celebrating because of her, or were they celebrating because they could harm others for their own benefit?
"My lady." Gao Yuan returned to report to Gao Yunqu after speaking with Fang Jian.
"Did you make it clear to her?" Gao Yunqu asked without looking up from her desk.
"I told her everything. The young lady is very upset. She said it was not her intention."
Gao Yunqu gave a soft laugh. "Of course I know. She and I have both been unwittingly used as someone else's pawns and blades."
Gao Yuan felt indignant on her behalf. Like Fang Jian, she had been by Gao Yunqu's side for a long time and knew her character and conduct better than anyone.
"This court fights day after day, month after month. There are times we have the upper hand, and times we are at a disadvantage. A cornered beast will still fight, will it not? Of course they'll resort to any dirty trick," Gao Yunqu sighed.
"Are we really not going to do anything about the young lady?" Gao Yuan asked again.
"There's no need. A fledgling that hides under a wing will always be a child. For her to grow, she must experience and choose for herself." Gao Yunqu looked at the words on the letter. Fang Jian had learned what she was taught very well; even she found this memorial interesting to read. One could teach scholarship, one could teach conduct, one could teach perspective, but the skill of dealing with all sorts of evil characters could not be taught. It could only be learned by seeing and encountering them oneself. Anger, pain—all of it had to be endured, learned to be resolved on one's own. Only when one slowly became impassive could one's training be considered complete.
Gao Yuan hesitated for a moment, then added, "Letting her venture out on her own in this current pandemonium of dancing demons… it would be good if she makes it through. But what if… she goes astray?"
Gao Yunqu was silent for a long time. At last, she said in a strained voice, "If that happens, then it must be fate."
"Linshen, are you alright?" Cui Miao asked when she found Fang Jian drinking morosely by herself.
Cui Miao had been mired in family affairs these past days. When she heard the rumors from outside, she knew something was wrong. She was aware of Fang Jian's feelings for Gao Yunqu. What madness could have possessed her to attack Gao Yunqu? As soon as she heard the news, she had rushed to find Fang Jian, and sure enough, Fang Jian was not faring well.
"I'm not." The corners of Fang Jian's eyes were crimson from the strong liquor.
Cui Miao sat down beside her and took the wine jar from her arms.
"I don't even know what I'm doing anymore." Fang Jian looked at her own palm. Her numb hand twitched slightly, slowly tightening into a fist, then slowly relaxing again.
"What did Lord Gao say?" Cui Miao asked.
Fang Jian looked on the verge of tears. "She won't see me… She told me to do what I'm supposed to do… But what am I supposed to do?"
Cui Miao had never seen Fang Jian so dejected, and a pang of sorrow struck her heart. She, too, was being forced to grow up amidst this turmoil, her very bones feeling as if they were being stretched by some unknown, immense force, causing excruciating pain. She hugged Fang Jian, lending her what little strength she had. "If Lord Gao said that, then you should listen to her. What can we do, what should we do? Isn't it all written in the laws for officials? Fulfill your duties and be prudent in word and deed, that's all."
"You're right." Fang Jian hugged her back briefly, reining in her emotions. She asked softly, "And you? Are you alright?"
Cui Miao gave a bitter smile. "I'm not."
Her Cui Family had recently become another piece of gossip in the capital—Cui Miao's mother, Jiang Shu, wanted a mutual divorce from her father, Cui Yicheng. Outside, a storm was brewing; inside, the autumn wind blew through a leaking roof. Jiang Shu intended to temper her, so she involved her in everything. She had witnessed her parents' disputes, and the atmosphere at home was suffocating. On top of that, she had to look after her younger sisters, leaving her utterly exhausted. It had been a great effort to find a moment to spare. She had come to comfort Fang Jian, but also to find a moment of respite for herself.
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