Chapter 240 Retreating as a Form of Advance

Chapter 240 Retreating as a Form of Advance

As Prime Minister Zheng's figure disappeared, Meng Qing and Du Min fell into silence.

"Prime Minister Zheng has left?" Vice Minister Yin approached. "What was the purpose of his trip?"

Du Min thought that if he were to take over the position, he would need his father-in-law to help him navigate the court, so he answered truthfully: "The Empress Dowager appointed him as the governor to investigate the land in various prefectures and counties. She took me along, intending for me to use the pretext of inspecting the free schools to secretly act as her spy."

Upon hearing this, Meng Qing immediately made up her mind, and Du Min compromised.

Vice Minister Yin frowned. “You’ve offended him. The nationwide inspection and investigation of land ownership is a task that will inevitably offend people. He’s trying to drag you into it. Is it his idea or the Empress’s? Can you refuse? What can I do to help you?”

“The female saint is already tempted.” Du Min avoided the leverage that Prime Minister Zheng had used against him. He forced a smile and boasted, “It seems that I will not only be Prime Minister Zheng’s spy, but also the female saint’s spy. This is the downside of being deeply trusted by the female saint.”

Seeing that he could still joke at this moment, Vice Minister Yin's heavy mood eased a bit. "To be precise, you are indeed the most suitable person to take on the important task of being a spy. First of all, you were the first to crack down on extravagant funerals, and the Lady of the County was the initiator of advocating the establishment of charitable schools. You are also her brother-in-law, so you have an advantage in terms of status. The school principals in various places have similar experiences to you, so you can easily win their favor and make it easier to extract information from them. Secondly, you personally led a series of events to redeem the land and return it to the people. No one knows the inside story better than you, so you can more easily detect anything amiss. Finally, Prime Minister Zheng was forced to defect. No one can be sure what he is really thinking. If you are his spy, it will be convenient for you to monitor him and report any suspicious activity quickly."

Du Min stroked his chin and pondered for a few moments. Yes, he might be able to use this appointment to trip up Prime Minister Zheng.

"But now that you've been appointed Governor, aren't you going to be transferred from Huaizhou to a less demanding position?" Vice Minister Yin asked. He pondered for a moment and replied, "Let me think, which less demanding position is still vacant..."

“I will not be transferred. I will remain the Prefect of Huai Prefecture. My second sister-in-law will stay in Huai Prefecture to oversee the administration and assist me in managing the affairs of Huai Prefecture.” Du Min looked at Meng Qing.

Vice Minister Yin looked astonished. "This...that's what Prime Minister Zheng said?"

Du Min nodded, "He was the one who recommended him, and the female saint has already agreed."

Yin Shilang's feelings were mixed. Since ancient times, only the Empress Dowager had overseen the country; he had never seen a woman of noble birth oversee the government. But upon further thought, he felt there was no problem. The Empress had already been honored as the Empress Dowager, and it was perfectly legitimate for her to manage the affairs of the country. It was not unusual for a woman of noble birth to oversee the affairs of a prefecture. Moreover, Meng Qing's talent was no less than Du Min's, so there shouldn't be any issues.

"Alas, I was being pedantic," said Vice Minister Yin. He thought to himself that Prime Minister Zheng was indeed a man fit to be prime minister; his mind changed so quickly.

Meng Qing didn't respond. She saw Wang Chuan and Xi Mei peeking out from behind the Begonia Gate and said, "I'm going to play with the kids."

Seeing her so calm, Vice Minister Yin asked, puzzled, after Meng Qing had walked away, "What does your second sister-in-law think? I don't think she's very happy."

Du Min couldn't figure out Meng Qing's thoughts either. Wasn't she very happy when Prime Minister Zheng was around? She was obviously very happy, so why was she silent now?

“I don’t know either,” Du Min followed. “I’ll go ask.”

"Shouldn't you change your dressing? I see blood on your undergarments again." Du Li saw that Meng Qing was calm and didn't notice anything wrong. When he saw Du Min, he stopped him.

Du Min was so angry that he forgot about his injuries, but after being reminded, the pain started to return.

"Let's go, let's go, give me some more medicine." Du Min chose to calm down and think about how to solve the hidden danger in his hometown. He couldn't keep being burdened by the crime of being unfilial.

Meng Qing sat in the garden, watching Wang Zhou set up the chessboard, and gradually became lost in thought.

After an unknown amount of time, the surroundings quieted down, and the person holding the chess pieces changed.

Du Min played chess quietly, glancing at Meng Qing every now and then. Only when her gaze settled on him did he speak: "Second Sister-in-law, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about how to get you out of this mess."

Du Min was surprised, "I can still get away?"

"Have you resigned yourself to your fate?" Meng Qing asked.

After a moment of hesitation, Du Min said, "I dare not gamble."

"How could an unknown old monk like Kong Hui gain the trust of two sages? There was a crucial turning point five years ago. I forget if I've mentioned it to you, but after I was conferred the title of Lady of Wu Commandery, when I returned to Luoyang, I went with Meng Chun to the White Horse Temple to see Kong Hui. But the monks there said he had left a few days earlier, and before he left, a pale-faced, beardless man came looking for him," Meng Qing recounted. "I'm certain that the female sage found Kong Hui because of me, which gave him the opportunity to enter the palace. Even Prime Minister Zheng sent people to investigate Kong Hui. Guess if the female sage investigated him too? She investigated Kong Hui to investigate me. Now that she's found out about me, is your matter still a secret?"

Du Min sat up straight. "Why did the female saint investigate you? And why did she meet with Master Konghui?"

Meng Qing choked, "How would I know? You should ask the female saint."

"You really don't know?" Du Min couldn't convince himself to believe it. "Why would the female saint investigate you? Is there something wrong with you that caught her attention?"

Meng Qing suspected that it was her tears that caused it. If a complete stranger came to her crying and bowing, she would also find it strange.

“You’ve gone off-topic. The two sages probably know what you did in Wu County, but they haven’t made a move all these years. This shows that either they don’t care, or they think it would be more useful to have something on you.” Meng Qing brought the topic back. “By a twist of fate, Prime Minister Zheng learned some unsubstantiated rumors through Kong Hui. This was caused by me, so I’ll resolve it for you.”

"You said it was all a coincidence, how could it be because of you? If we really want to investigate, the culprits are my parents. If they were even slightly reasonable, they wouldn't have forced me to take such a drastic measure, leaving me with endless hidden dangers." Du Min had no intention of blaming Meng Qing, only regretting that he had been too impulsive at the time, lacked the patience to plan, and left himself with a handle to use against him.

Seeing his expression, Meng Qing realized he wasn't saying anything against his conscience, and a sense of accomplishment welled up inside her. Her so-called selfless dedication had finally paid off.

"Do you dare to take a gamble and eliminate this hidden danger?" Meng Qing asked.

"How do we solve this?" Du Minxin asked with delight. "Second sister-in-law, things have come to this point, do you still have a solution?"

Meng Qing smiled faintly, “First, we suspect that the two sages know what you did in Wu County, but whether that’s true or not, you need to investigate. If the suspicion is true, then things will be easier. The two sages clearly don’t want to pursue the matter. You can choose to go against Prime Minister Zheng’s wishes and let him investigate and accuse you. All the evidence he presents comes from outsiders’ speculations.”

At this point, Meng Qing lowered her voice, "No one can identify you except my sister-in-law, but she doesn't dare to. She did it, and if it comes to light, she'll be the first to lose her life."

"I'm worried about my parents..."

"What are you worried about? What have you done? Where is the evidence?" Meng Qing asked. "You have served as an official for eight years, and every word and deed you have been for the benefit of the people. When you were in Heqing County, you delivered grain and clothing to poor villagers in the snow. When you were in Huaizhou, you provided lambs to poor families on credit without interest. In these eight years, you have saved countless elderly people who wanted to commit suicide to save food, and warmed the bodies of countless children. The people of the two prefectures and six counties have witnessed your respect for the elderly and love for the young. If your parents are blinded by evil words and choose to believe them and accuse you, I will write a petition for you to defend you."

Du Min fell silent for a long time before finally speaking: "If I compromise with Prime Minister Zheng, my biggest loss will be being forced to separate from my second sister-in-law and no longer being able to get her protection."

“I’m worried about you going far away,” Meng Qing said. “How about it? Want to take a gamble?”

Du Min dared not make a decision; this gamble was too big, and one wrong move could lead to total defeat.

“Once you get through this, you'll have nothing to worry about. And you're not without a chance of winning. The key witnesses are your own parents. You can cry and recount how difficult it was for them, then frame Prime Minister Zheng for trying to harm you, and finally promise how you'll be filial to them in the future. Your parents will most likely recant their testimony in court. In the end, they can even turn the tables and accuse Prime Minister Zheng of being involved in factional infighting and framing you, forcing you to commit suicide. If you dare to bang your head against a pillar again, he's finished.” Meng Qing analyzed with him, “In my opinion, the one who should be most worried is Prime Minister Zheng. He's been trying to get his parents to accuse him of being his own son; he's constantly worried that your parents will recant their testimony.”

Du Min smiled and said, "After my second sister-in-law's analysis, I've already won."

"Have you thought it through?" Meng Qing urged. "If you've made up your mind, have your second brother board the ship and return home first thing tomorrow morning. Get ready as soon as possible."

Du Min didn't answer. He played with the chess pieces, his eyes scanning her.

Meng Qing raised her hand, "If you look at me like that again, I'll slap you in the face."

"Second sister-in-law, don't you feel regret? Don't you think about yourself? If I leave, you will be in charge of all affairs in Huaizhou. Although it won't be a title, you will truly be in power," Du Min asked.

“It’s a pity, it would be a lie to say I’m not, but I have to prioritize the bigger picture. I can’t sacrifice you to achieve my ambitions. If we really let Prime Minister Zheng lead us by the nose, his divisive tactics will succeed. I’m not worried about you doing anything rash without me, I’m worried that you’ll be suppressed by him and gradually lose the courage to resist.” Meng Qing looked at Du Min gently. “Third brother, the most precious thing about you isn’t your ambition, it’s your courage that’s not bound by rules. You don’t know fear, or you could say that fear is only temporary, but the courage to strive upwards is eternal.”

"Second sister-in-law really thinks highly of me." Du Min didn't dare to meet her gaze. He grabbed a handful of chess pieces and threw them haphazardly onto the board. Amid the clinking of the pieces against the board, he looked up and said, "It's not that I don't know fear, it's that I have someone to back me up. This courage was given to me by my second sister-in-law, just like at this moment today."

“I cannot directly oversee the government, but I can participate in it from behind the scenes. This is because my third brother is broad-minded and willing to delegate power. He is not a petty person who is self-conscious and sensitive.” Meng Qing continued gently, “So although it is a pity, it is not much. Moreover, this kind of illegitimate oversight will attract the jealousy of many people. No one in the court will defend me, so it may not last long.”

Du Min looked thoughtful.

Having achieved her goal of defusing the rift, Meng Qing urged again, "Have you made a decision? It's getting dark."

"Let me think about it and I'll give you an answer tomorrow morning." The more she urged him, the more flustered Du Min became, and the less he dared to make a decision.

"Is there anything else you're unsure about?" Meng Qing asked.

“I don’t have faith in my father. I heard from Brother Meng that after he learned that you were conferred the title of County Princess, he was so angry that he went on a hunger strike and tried to kill himself. It shows how serious his hatred for us is.” In the end, Du Min didn’t dare to gamble everything he had now.

“This move is indeed risky, and because he is your father, his words are more convincing than physical evidence in the eyes of the filial sons and grandsons in the court,” Meng Qing continued, following his words.

"Second sister-in-law, do you think I can concurrently serve as governor?" Du Min asked. "I don't believe that Prime Minister Zheng can always be selfless. He is in the open while I am in the dark. I am not afraid of not being able to find any fault with him."

Meng Qing sighed inwardly. After going through a long and winding road, Du Min still ended up facing Zheng Zai.

"From the perspective of national affairs, I support your acceptance of this appointment. It is beneficial to both the country and the people. If we can remeasure the land in the Tang Dynasty and return it to the farmers, it will be an unparalleled achievement. Looking at the previous dynasty and the dynasty before that, the signs of the fall of a country are the rise of refugees and the suffering of the people. Once this sign appears, the change of dynasty is not far away." Meng Qing only answered his first question.

"From your personal perspective, as the governor, you can personally travel to various places and clearly understand which areas have a large population and little land, and which areas have a small population and a large land. You can then propose a migration program. The more than two hundred households in Hanoi County who have agreed to migrate are still undecided. The prefect of Suzhou has been slow to respond, and we don't know the situation there either. With your concurrent governorship, you can personally visit them to communicate, saving a lot of trouble." Meng Qing had already considered the follow-up matters.

“I haven’t thought about immigration yet, but this is indeed an opportunity.” Du Min nodded. “Second Sister-in-law, I will seriously consider it.”

*

Du Min didn't sleep all night. When dawn broke and Minister Yin was about to leave for court, Du Min rode in his carriage into the palace, wanting to see the Empress Dowager first and find out if she knew about his affairs in Wu County.

After entering the palace, Du Min parted ways with Vice Minister Yin. He stood behind a pillar in the corridor, watching the civil and military officials, their long sleeves fluttering, ascend the steps and head towards the sacred and solemn hall.

Du Min had stepped onto those steps that were coveted by thousands, and had also entered the sacred hall. Hearing the sound of the whistling bells, he knew that the two saints had sat on the dragon throne.

Half an hour later, the morning court session ended, and Du Min, led by a eunuch, went to the rear hall to pay his respects.

Stepping over the high threshold, Du Min saw the noble female saint. He approached step by step, wondering if Meng Qing could ascend to the throne in the future.

With an empress already in the court, it wouldn't be surprising if a female official appeared, would it? The moment the thought crossed Du Min's mind, he made up his mind.

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Author's Note: There will be one more update tonight.