Comeback (2)

Deputy Magistrate Sun Rusun knew that there were too many confusing cases in the world. His own abilities were limited, however, so he could only afford to safeguard his own path to advancement.

As a reusult, he was particularly good at reading other people's intentions.

This Wenren Yue was clearly an official who bought his way into success. He had no connections at court and had previously just busied himself examining cases. He didn't seem like someone with any backing at all.

Sun had inquired through many channels, and the result was always the same.

Wenren Yue was a soft persimmon anyone could push around.

Magistrate Sun had rarely left Nanting County in his life. The most senior official he had ever met was the local magistrate. As for the Inspector — even someone as skilled at navigating social circles as himself would never be qualified to meet one.

But looking at the way Wenren Yue had just mentioned Mr. Ji, his manner was familiar and his expression relaxed, as if he were talking about a neighbor who lived next door.

...Could it be that Wenren Yue truly had some ability? That he had connections reaching all the way to the heavens — carefully concealed, held in reserve for exactly this moment?

While Sun was still puzzling over this, Le Wuya tone softened into a string of honeyed words.

As Magistrate Sun walked out the door, those words were still ringing in his ears: "What you want is simply a rise in station. It would be a shame to throw away your future over this matter."

"Of all the two thousand prefectures and counties in this land, I came here. Why? Magistrate Sun may wish to think carefully about that."

"In any case, it is a great stroke of fate to work alongside Lord Magistrate Sun, and I have no wish to let that fate go to waste."

"Why don't we think this over again — perhaps there's a better solution?"

"Scholar Ming's matter is of little consequence. What is mstters is..."

Magistrate Sun stopped abruptly, as if Le Wuya had given him a light tap on the back with his fan handle.

"What matters is the future."

Magistrate Sun gritted his teeth slightly and wondered: is this man bluffing, or is he truly capable?

Magistrate Sun collected himself and arrived at the South Prison as though nothing had happened.

As soon as he arrived, he nearly collided into a doctor that Prison Chief Chen Wang was in the middle of seeing out.

Chen Wang immediately bowed in greeting: "Your Excellency, Lord Magistrate."

Magistrate Sun returned the courtesy hastily and asked, "Who is sick? What is the illness?"

"It's the scholar — Scholar Ming."

Chen Wang had his own calculations. He did not want to bungle the task the county magistrate had assigned him, but he also did not want Magistrate Sun to know he had been acting on behalf of Wenren Yue. So he concealed Wenren Yue's request entirely and took the credit for himself: "If the old woman dies, Ming won't have anything to worry about anymore. If the confession is overturned, things will become very difficult to handle."

Magistrate Sun said evenly: "You're thoughtful."

But he was no fool.

Wenren Yue had come here last night, and Chen Wang had summoned a doctor this morning. This was almost certainly Wenren Yue's doing.

Chen Wang didn't have the brains or the nerve to make that call on his own.

Magistrate Sun walked further inside and asked, "The county magistrate met with Scholar Ming — how long did he see him, and what was said? Tell me exactly."

Chen Wang answered honestly: "They weren't together long."

At that, Magistrate Sun's brows furrowed even deeper. He stopped and turned back: "...What?"

Chen Wang assumed Magistrate Sun was blaming him for not keeping a closer eye on the county magistrate, and hurried to explain: "The county magistrate did give me the slip, but never let my guard down --- he was out of my sight for no longer than it takes to drink a cup of tea."

Magistrate Sun's expression darkened like still water.

In that little amount of time, what could possibly have been arranged?

He pressed again: "And that man Ming — he truly said nothing?"

Chen Wang told the truth: "He did start making a fuss and crying his innocence, but I came out in time to stop him and didn't give him a chance to say anything more."

"Did they bring pen and paper?"

Chen Wang had been up all night and was muddled by the rapid-fire questions. He had no presence of mind to make up a story, so he answered plainly: "No."

But now Magistrate Sun did not believe Chen Wang's story at all.

...The signed confession was clearly in Scholar Ming's own handwriting, and the ink was still fresh.

One doesn't visit a prisoner in the middle of the night with pen and ink by accident.

Magistrate Sun was a practical man.

For Prison Chief Chen Wang to be willing to cover for Wenren Yue and hire a doctor for Ming Xiangzhao, he must have received some benefit from him.

His suspicion deepened further when he reached Scholar Ming's cell and caught the faint scent of medicinal herbs in the air.

Chen Wang had no idea that Magistrate Sun was suspicious of him.

In his own mind, he had simply done a few small favors for the county magistrate.

Though the county magistrate did not carry much weight locally and would be considered a failure as an official, he was at least generous enough.

Chen Wang had always operated this way — sit tight, sway with the wind, help the magistrate here and sell him a favor there; nothing to it.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Chen Wang waved his hand to disperse the smell of medicine lingering in the air, led Magistrate Sun to Scholar Ming's cell, and nudged the figure inside with the toe of his boot without ceremony: "Hey, Ming — stop playing dead."

Wenren Yue, inhabiting Ming Xiangzhao's body, opened his eyes.

Though not in immediate danger of dying, his body was still weak. The moment he drew breath, the damp, musty prison air caught in his throat, and he broke into a violent coughing fit.

Magistrate Sun's face was dark as he demanded: "What exactly did the county magistrate say to you?"

Wenren Yue: "?"

The gentleman had told him that no matter what others asked, he was not to speak.

Fortunately, he had nothing to say anyway.

So he only gasped for air and said nothing.

Magistrate Sun raised his voice and snapped: "Speak!"

Wenren Yue narrowed his eyes, glanced at him with cold indifference, and closed them again.

No matter how low he had fallen as an official, he had once been Sun's superior. He would never be cowed by a petty, underhanded schemer.

Seeing that Scholar Ming was neither submissive nor anxious — a marked change from his earlier cowering — Magistrate Sun became more and more convinced that Wenren Yue had given him some kind of reassurance.

The two of them must be in league with each other.

He crouched down and said with feigned sorrow: "Scholar Ming, do you not care for your mother's safety?"

Wenren Yue knew this man was despicable. But being threatened to his face as the victim himself, the impact was something else entirely.

His eyes flew open, a rare fierce and furious light blazing within them.

He wanted to curse the man for his shamelessness, but remembering the gentleman's instructions, he obediently kept his mouth shut and refused to take the bait.

Magistrate Sun: "..."

There was definitely something going on here.

But now that Scholar Ming had suddenly changed his manner and was holding himself with quiet confidence, Magistrate Sun found himself with no good move to make.

He had hoped to use threats and inducements to get Scholar Ming to change his testimony.

But if, by some misfortune, the old Lady Ming actually died, then Ming would have nothing left to lose and might well follow Wenren Yue's instructions and start implicating people — and who was to say Magistrate Sun himself wouldn't be next.

And if he used force on the scholar directly — the man was already half-dead, and killing him would turn that testimony into a final, irrefutable death declaration that could never be undone. Exactly as the master had said.

At that moment, Magistrate Sun was like a tiger trying to swallow the sky — unable to find a single angle to bite.

He left the prison in a black mood and caught Chen Wang's ingratiating smile: "You..."

Chen Wang bowed hastily: "Sir, please give the order."

Magistrate Sun had been on the verge of dropping a few pointed hints, urging him to know which side he was on, but the words died on his lips.

Chen Wang was from Yuan Chen's maternal family, but that was no guarantee he hadn't already been bought by Wenren Yue.

Men who served two masters were dangerous to offend. If word got out — whether Chen Wang ran to Wenren Yue to gossip, or went to Chen and whispered in his ear — the consequences would be hard to contain.

Besides, Scholar Ming truly could not die right now.

So, he said quietly: "Don't let either the mother or the son die."

This coincided with what the county magistrate had said.

Chen Wang had been quietly fretting about whose orders to follow — the county magistrate's or the deputy magistrate's. Now he was finally relieved. He let out a breath and said loudly: "Understood!"

Deputy Magistrate Sun did not return to the county government office, but instead made his way to Chen Yuanwai's mansion.

Chen Yuanwai was mildly surprised to see Magistrate Sun arriving so early in the morning, having just visited the night before.

Before Magistrate Sun arrived, Chen Yuanwai had been practicing calligraphy. Upon hearing his subordinate's announcement, he set down his brush and came to greet him: "Your Excellency, Lord Magistrate — I was not expecting you so soon. Won't you come sit in the hall? Shall I have them warm a pot of wine?"

Magistrate Sun was agreeable and chatted pleasantly for a few minutes, putting Chen Yuanwai at ease. Chen Yuanwai smiled and said: "I thought the magistrate was rushing over because something had happened in Scholar Ming's case."

Magistrate Sun took a seat and said: "It is, in fact, about his case."

"Oh?"

"Quite so. When the case file for Scholar Ming is submitted, it must pass through each level in turn — county, prefecture, provincial office, and the prosecutor's office. If you have someone you can speak to along that chain — someone who can put in a good word and smooth the way — would it be possible to arrange? Particularly with regard to Mr. Ji..."

Chen Yuanwai stroked his beard and chuckled: "So that is what Master Sun has been worrying about."

Sun Rusun did not shy away from it: "It's easy for others to laugh. I have never handled a case of this magnitude before, and I naturally want to do things properly."

"No, no — don't overdo it and make it look suspicious. Simply submit the confession, evidence, and case file together as normal." Though Chen Yuanwai was somewhat impatient at having his calligraphy session interrupted, he made an effort to reassure him. "Master Ji — hmm, now there is a refined and exacting man. The more one fusses over things, the more he suspects something is off. He may well scrutinize it more closely for it."

Magistrate Sun said with some surprise: "Is that so? Are you familiar with Lord Ji?"

Chen Yuanwai said with measured reserve: "There is a classmate of mine who sat the imperial examinations in the same year as Ji. I have never met Ji myself — I know of him only second-hand."

Magistrate Sun said: "Are there truly upright officials in this world? Those who care nothing for money must at least care for their reputation."

"I cannot say for certain, but I heard this classmate mention after a few cups of wine that Ji seems to be fond of bamboo — is always comparing himself to it, apparently. If you truly wish to offer something, once this matter is concluded, perhaps plant a bamboo grove nearby and see if he can be lured to Nanting for a visit."

Magistrate Sun paused for a moment, then clasped his hands with a smile: "Then let us leave it at that. Prison affairs are always a nuisance. Getting entangled once or twice is unavoidable, but it is best for all of us to stay out of notice and keep things simple."

After a few more pleasantries, Magistrate Sun took his leave of Chen Yuanwai and walked back toward the county government office.

The streets had grown lively, and people who recognized him greeted him one after another.

Magistrate Sun walked with his hands clasped behind his back, distracted, moving through the noise of the bustling street.

With every step, his heart sank a little further.

He could see it clearly now — this was all Wenren Yue's doing.

He had made his move first, hadn't he — collaborating with Chen Yuanwai to get rid of the troublesome Scholar Ming.

But Wenren Yue had turned it back on him, forced his hand, and dragged him into the situation.

Sun Rusun could not understand why this coward had suddenly struck back. Not only had he managed to turn the tables, he had used this very case to seize Sun's weakness.

He, Sun Rusun, knew his own limitations — otherwise he would not have spent more than ten years as a deputy magistrate, still going around in circles with nothing to show for it.

He had partnered with Chen Yuanwai, set aside his conscience, and constructed this unjust case all for the sake of climbing higher with Chen Yuanwai's help.

Chen Yuanwai had many connections. If he could use that leverage to advance step by step, it would fulfill a lifelong wish.

But the county magistrate was determined to overturn the case for Scholar Ming, and every move he made was lethal.

If the county magistrate truly succeeded, his career...

Under the bright open sky, Sun Rusun stopped walking. He looked up at the hazy, dust-laden horizon and shuddered.

Power seeks power; to have power is to have everything; power is heaven itself.

Without it to lean on, no matter how hard he struggled, it would all come to nothing.

...

When Magistrate Sun returned to the Yamen, he picked up a bag of fresh snacks and went to find the county magistrate. But the man was no longer in his quarters.

He had been holding back his questions for too long and was nearly out of his mind with anxiety. He hurried around asking here and there, and when he heard someone say they had spotted the county magistrate in Donghua Hall, he broke into a trot.

When he arrived, Le Wuya had already made himself comfortable by a pavilion, amusing himself with a game of kettle-throwing, a double-eared quiver at his side.

Le Wuya had always loved riding and archery. When he could no longer draw a bow in this previous life, he had taken up pot-throwing instead. His eyesight had declined in the years after, so he mostly threw by feel, thinking while he played, purely for the pleasure of it.

He hadn't enjoyed a session like this in a long time. He was in good spirits and called out in a lively voice and with a smile on his face: "The Lord Magistrate is back!"

Magistrate Sun was indeed socially nimble — he acted as though no disagreement had ever passed between them . He held up the snacks and said with a smile: "Sir, I thought you might want something to nibble on while you read. I hope it suits your taste."

Le Wuya drew out an arrow and twirled it smoothly and gracefully in his palm several times: "I finished my book already. If the lord magistrate wishes to make a gesture next time, he had better come earlier."

He had spent a long time in his previous life honing that particular trick — for no other reason than to show off in front of a certain someone.

Watching him be so at ease, Deputy Magistrate Sun felt out of place.

He had been dealing with Wenren Yue for half a year, and yet he had never felt so aggrieved standing before anyone as he did now.

He stood with his hands behind his back, thinking over what to say, when the Le Wuya — eyes still fixed on his game — spoke up:

"You have been verifying my claims one by one, haven't you?"

Sun Rusun's scalp prickled and he didn't dare argue. He simply bowed deeply, asking: "What do you wish me to do? I beg your guidance."

Le Wuya glanced at him from the corner of his eye: "I am a mere guest here. How could I presume to guide the lord magistrate?"

Sun Rusun dared neither to speak nor to straighten up. He held his respectful bow.

Le Wuya amused himself a moment longer, then flicked his wrist, and with a clean thwack, the arrow dropped squarely into the left side of the double-eared pot.

He asked: "Do you know the true origin of Scholar Ming's case?"

Magistrate Sun could not suppress a sharp intake of breath.

With his shrewdness, that single question was enough for him to understand everything.

He pressed down his shock, straightened up, and played dumb: "Sir, what do you mean?"

Le Wuya said nothing, only watching him with a faint smile.

Magistrate Sun, unable to bear that steady gaze, had no choice but to venture an answer: "Scholar Ming is arrogant by nature and offended the wrong people."

"Yes." Le Wuya drew another arrow, regarded its tip, and sighed. "This coal mine business is a dangerous trade, and accidents are common. If someone insists on making trouble and blocking people from their livelihood, that is irritating enough — but the label of treason is a very large thing to affix to someone. The punishment of clan extermination is not one that Scholar Ming can bear alone."

As he spoke, he tilted his head slightly: "Does the Lord Magistrate think the case was handled well?"

Magistrate Sun smiled drily.

He sensed something was off again.

He had assumed the county magistrate was targeting him — trying to make him understand who truly held authority in Nanting.

But it seemed he had some other intention entirely.

He ventured carefully: "Sir, are you referring to the drowning of Chang Xiaohu half a year ago? Was that not already ruled an accident?"

Le Wuya shot another arrow.

It found its mark without deviation, landing cleanly on the right side of the pot.

He sighed: "The Lord Magistrate truly does not understand my heart."

Magistrate Sun was flustered: "I am simply too slow-witted."

Le Wuya smiled.

He turned to face Magistrate Sun, one hand holding the arrow behind his back, the other gesturing toward the sparse, withered winter vegetation around them: "Lord Magistrate, look — I have found a fine spot. No one can hide nearby. No third person will hear what we say. We are alone here, so there is no need to play the fool any longer."

"...I want to reopen Chang Xiaohu's drowning case. It was no accident."