Chapter 262 Encountering Rebel Army While on Mourning Duty...

Chapter 262 Encountering Rebel Army While on Mourning Duty...

Two days later, Prefect Zheng arrived at Dujiawan. Although he was dressed in ordinary clothes, he was still recognized by the sharp-eyed villagers, and Du Min's lie that he had no official position and no ability to help was immediately shattered.

Guided by Wang Zhou, Governor Zheng arrived at the thatched hut in front of the grave, where he saw Du Min, like a country bumpkin, watering the vegetable garden with a ladle.

“Lord Zheng, thank you for making this trip.” Du Min straightened up. “Please sit down first. I’ll finish watering this vegetable patch. Wang Zhou, pour a bowl of water for your Grandpa Zheng.”

Governor Zheng walked to the vegetable garden with his hands behind his back. He looked at the vegetable garden and the thatched hut and said sarcastically, "Minister Du, why bother? It's better to be filial while alive than to put on a show after death."

"Please don't be sarcastic, Lord Zheng. What Minister Du? That's not how you act." Du Min said humbly, but he had already dropped the water ladle in his hand.

Governor Zheng chuckled sarcastically. He took the bowl of water from Wang Zhou, drank a couple of sips, and then returned the bowl. “Young master, I have a few words to say to your third uncle.”

Wang Zhou, knowing the situation, discreetly moved away to a distance.

"What's your purpose in living in this dilapidated thatched hut? Are you trying to cultivate a reputation as a filial son?" Prefect Zheng mocked without any politeness. "Difficult indeed. There were rumors of your unfilial behavior when you were in the prefectural school, and it seems there's even more controversy about you in the village. If you put on such an act, won't those who know the truth laugh at you?"

"I don't know, but apart from you, no one dares to laugh at me." Du Min's pride and arrogance were also discerning; he knew when to be firm and when to be gentle, showing great tact.

"You have a thick skin, you're so shameless!" Governor Zheng exclaimed. "If I were you, I wouldn't have the face to stand up straight and speak in front of my fellow villagers."

“You are a scion of a noble family, with your neck almost buried in the yellow earth, yet the humiliations you have suffered are few and far between, unlike me, a commoner from the streets, who has been accustomed to scheming since childhood. If I had a strong sense of shame, I would have covered my face and thrown myself into the river long ago.” Du Min was very flexible and adaptable.

Governor Zheng couldn't stand his attitude. He had been waiting for this day for over three months, pondering every day how to humiliate Du Min. Today, he came confidently, thinking he could return the humiliation Du Min had inflicted on him. Little did he expect that his arrow would hit a pile of excrement, making him feel utterly disgusted. He was too disgusted to shoot another arrow, yet he was unwilling to give up.

"Weren't you so arrogant in front of me? Who are you trying to disgust by acting so pathetic now?" Governor Zheng questioned in a harsh voice.

Du Min was surprised by Governor Zheng's reaction, so he pressed on: "I am now a phoenix with its feathers plucked, worse than a chicken. I have no pride left, and can only let you ridicule me, hoping that you can calm your anger."

Governor Zheng spat, "I'm mocking you? I'm just stating the facts."

“You’re right, sir,” Du Min agreed.

Governor Zheng choked on his breath, his chest aching. He clenched his fist twice and quickly walked away, lest he be angered to death by this scoundrel.

Du Min chuckled to himself, picked up the water ladle, and continued watering the land.

After finishing the two buckets of water, the water carrier still hadn't returned. Du Min couldn't keep up the pretense any longer, so he dropped the water ladle and walked out of the vegetable garden.

"Lord Zheng, have you calmed down? Can we talk about serious matters now?" Du Min stepped forward and asked.

"Call your second sister-in-law over to talk to me." He was too lazy to talk to Du Min.

Du Min pointed to the blazing sun in the sky, "It's too hot. She won't come over. If you want to talk to her, you'll have to go back to the village to find her. Don't hold a grudge against me. I'll let you in on some news: after I'm out of mourning and back to work, I'll be taking over the job of checking the fields again."

Governor Zheng was startled. "Does the Empress Dowager suspect that your mourning period was your excuse for abandoning your post?"

Du Min didn't deny it; instead, he probed, "Do you know something?"

Prefect Zheng took pity on him and confessed the truth: "My appointment as Prefect of Suzhou was intentionally arranged by the Empress Dowager. She knows your reputation in Wu County better than I do. Before I took office, she summoned me to the palace and instructed me to clean up your mess and prevent your reputation for being unfilial from ruining you."

Du Min was surprised, then moved. This was the second person like Meng Qing who was willing to tolerate him, one of the two mentors in his career.

"Therefore, I will risk my life to remove any obstacles for the female saint," Du Min declared, half-jokingly.

Governor Zheng stared at him silently for a moment, then asked, "Shall I submit a memorial on your behalf to impeach Prefect Lu?"

"I won't waste your ink, sir. Release his men." Lu Sima is no threat to Du Min now. Du Min finds it too much trouble to relentlessly pursue him, mainly because killing him wouldn't yield any profit, making it a losing proposition.

"Who are the witnesses they found? Can you give me a list?" Du Min asked Lu Sima's men for the witnesses they had found.

"What are you going to do?" Governor Zheng asked.

“I’ll give these people a chance to sue me,” Du Min smiled. “Since Lord Zheng has come to my territory, as the host, I’ll invite you to watch a show.”

Governor Zheng was happy to see the spectacle and immediately agreed.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, sir." Du Min sincerely expressed his gratitude. "How are you settling into Suzhou?"

"It's alright, it's just that life is a bit too leisurely." Governor Zheng was a little unaccustomed to the leisurely life after suddenly ending his duties as governor.

Du Min's eyes flickered. "Does Lord Zheng still wish to return to the court? The land survey in the Jiangnan region..."

"Stop, stop, stop!" Governor Zheng interrupted him loudly. "Let's change the subject. I received news from Luoyang the other day that the Crown Prince has been deposed."

"What? What's the charge?" Du Min was agitated. The female saint was so swift in her actions.

“The crime of treason.” Governor Zheng looked into the distance. “It is said that hundreds of suits of armor were found in the Crown Prince’s bedchamber. His Majesty was about to let them go, but was dissuaded by the Empress.”

Du Min made two "oh" sounds, then looked down at the soil beneath his feet and pondered to himself.

Governor Zheng also fell silent.

Wang Zhou climbed up the elm tree and peered through the gaps in the branches and leaves. He saw the two men standing silently like two stones, and he couldn't figure out what was going on.

As the sun rose higher and higher, it was lunchtime. Wangzhou saw Wangchuan running out of the village, clearly there to call him for lunch. He jumped down from the tree and ran to the thatched hut, calling out, "Third Uncle, Lord Zheng, it's time to go back for lunch."

Du Min snapped out of his daze. “Lord Zheng, please come with me to my humble abode for a vegetarian meal.”

Governor Zheng nodded.

On the way back to the village, Governor Zheng chatted casually and asked, "Young man, how old are you?"

"I only turned 18 two months ago."

"Have you reached adulthood? Are you ready to be appointed to an official position?"

"No," Wang Zhou shook his head.

"He aspires to serve in the Ministry of Works, possesses the spirit of a craftsman, and has strict requirements for himself. He believes that even if his knowledge is sufficient, it is still not enough. Before observing the mourning period, he studied feng shui and the structure of temples and pagodas under Master Konghui, waiting to take the imperial examination and become a disciple of the emperor." Du Min was not satisfied with Wang Zhou's brief answer, so he explained for him.

"Has he already passed the imperial examination?" Governor Zheng asked.

"Is that even a question? He's the son of Lady Wu, my nephew. With his talent, passing the imperial examination is a sure thing." Du Min suddenly perked up again.

“Third Uncle…” Wang Zhou called out helplessly, explaining, “I was fortunate enough to gain the examiner’s appreciation.”

"How could your third uncle raise such an upright and humble child as you?" Governor Zheng made a veiled insult.

“You’re mistaken, sir. I was taught by my parents.” Wang Zhou acknowledged his third uncle’s abilities and prestige, but refused to accept the title bestowed upon him. His upbringing was nurtured by his parents’ hard work.

"It seems that the master approves of me quite a bit, but I can't bear such praise. I was taught by my elder brother and sister-in-law," Du Min corrected.

Governor Zheng's heart skipped a beat, and he asked Du Min, "Your nephew is not yet married, is he?"

Wang Zhou's face immediately turned bright red, as red as if stained with blood.

"No." Du Min glanced at Zhou. "What? You want to be a matchmaker?"

"Third Uncle, Lord Zheng, Brother." Wang Chuan greeted the three of them, his gaze falling on Wang Zhou's face, and said, "My mother asked me to invite you back for dinner."

“My nephew is also unmarried,” Du Min said, pointing to Wangchuan.

"Oh—" Wang Chuan immediately understood and chuckled.

Governor Zheng was amused. "The Lady of the County is truly skilled at raising children. One is upright and intelligent, and the other is clever and quick-witted."

“My lord, I am still in mourning and it is not appropriate for me to discuss this matter,” Wang Zhou said, finding an excuse to decline.

"I was being disrespectful," Governor Zheng retracted his words.

The matter was dropped.

Governor Zheng had no acquaintances in Wu County, but today he came to the territory of an old acquaintance. Even though he disliked Du Min, he stayed at Du's house for one night before leaving.

As Du Min saw Governor Zheng off, he brought up his old suggestion again: "Consider my proposal. There are few aristocratic families in Jiangnan, so there will be less resistance to surveying the land. You're idle anyway, so why not take on a task and remeasure the land in the Jiangnan region? There are many low hills in Jiangnan, and many of them can be developed into arable land. You can organize people to dig them up. My second sister-in-law moved more than 3,000 farming and merchant households from Huaizhou two years ago, including 500 households in Wu County. They started growing wheat in Wu County, and I think this experience can be copied elsewhere."

Governor Zheng acted as if he hadn't heard, neither agreeing nor refuting, and boarded the boat to leave.

Two days later, Governor Zheng came again. He brought a list to Du Min, had a meal at Du's house, and left in the afternoon.

After receiving the list, Du Min asked Du Li to go to the list for him again and call Gu Wuxia over.

Wu County is the birthplace of paper-made funerary objects, so there was no need for the imperial court to establish a free school there. After Gu Wudong passed the imperial examination, he was assigned to Yangzhou as the headmaster of a free school. Many years have passed, and he is still a headmaster, having settled in Yangzhou. His parents have also moved there. When Du Li visited a few days ago, he learned that only Gu Wuxia and his wife and children remained in their hometown. He returned and told Du Min, who then asked Gu Wuxia to come over.

Gu Wuxia walked into Dujiawan under the watchful eyes of the villagers and came to Du Min's side.

Former classmates and friends, one adorned in purple robes and jade belt, rising to the rank of Minister, the other in blue cloth robes, making a living off his family's inheritance, gaze at each other in silence.

"It's been many years since we last met," Du Min said first, exchanging pleasantries.

"Hmm." Gu Wuxia didn't look at him. "What do you want to see me about?"

"I need your help with something." Du Min took out a list from his sleeve and handed it over. "There are five people on this list. You should know them all. I need you to contact them and lure them to the authorities to sue me for being unfilial to my parents. When the court session starts, you should run away and not show your face."

Gu Wuxia withdrew his outstretched hand. "If a citizen sues an official and the accusation is false, the perpetrator will be punished for the crime alleged. If the target of the lawsuit is a high-ranking official of the fifth rank or above, the punishment will be even more severe if the accusation is false. If they can't bring you down, they will be accused of being unfilial, and in serious cases, they will be exiled. I don't do that kind of thing."

"I just need you to take the lead and set an example. If anyone falls for it, it only means that they harbored ill intentions towards me in the first place. They will suffer the consequences themselves, and it has nothing to do with you," Du Min guided.

Gu Wuxia resisted in silence.

"How old is your eldest son? Does he want to become an official in the future? I can help him." Du Min offered his terms, "If you feel that this promise cannot be fulfilled immediately, I can also fulfill it for Gu Wudong."

“My eldest son is already thirteen years old.” Gu Wuxia hesitated for a few seconds before making her choice.

"You're so old? You got married and had children quite early. My eldest daughter isn't even ten years old yet." Du Min handed the list forward again. "Your son can go to the prefectural school next year."

Gu Wuxia hesitated for a few seconds before reaching out to take the list.

“Governor Zheng released two fools from prison a couple of days ago. You can approach them and use them to trick those who harbor ill intentions towards me,” Du Min instructed him. “I’ll give you a crooked trick: tell them you learned a secret from the Du clan that I once poisoned my parents to make them mute.”

Gu Wuxia noted it down and left with the list in his pocket.

Half a month later, Shi Zhengli, Shi Anlin, Wang Cong, and Wang Sheng beat the drum at the Wu County government office to accuse Du Min of being unfilial to his parents and of poisoning them.

The magistrate of Wu County was forced to accept the case. He personally went to Dujiawan to consult Du Min, but Du Min refused to attend court on the grounds that he was observing mourning in a thatched hut. Instead, he asked the magistrate to call people from the village to the county government office to take their statements.

The people of Dujiawan had been pestering Du Min for over half a month without gaining any advantage over him. When this incident occurred, they were overjoyed and used it as an excuse to threaten him, but Du Min refused to compromise in the slightest.

“Just tell the truth, say whatever you know, and if there’s no evidence, let the magistrate investigate.” Du Min refused to compromise in the slightest.

On the other hand, Wangzhou popularized the law in the clan school, prohibiting false accusations in lawsuits against officials and severely punishing those who made false charges. If an accusation was found to be false, both the plaintiff and the witnesses would be punished.

This puts the villagers in a dilemma.

As the case escalated in Wu County, Governor Zheng personally wrote a commendation for Du Min, praising his filial piety in keeping vigil in his parents' thatched hut. The commendation stated that during Du Min's tenure as an official, he advocated the principle of "respecting the elderly as one would one's own parents," and was kind to the elderly under his jurisdiction. His wife was also known for her philanthropy, benefiting thousands of poor households. The commendation praised the couple as filial, fraternal, loyal, and trustworthy individuals who extended their filial piety to loyalty, truly serving as parents to the people.

Once the commendation was announced, the people who had migrated from Huaizhou spoke up to testify, praising the virtues of Du Min and his wife.

Dr. Xu brought an elderly doctor to the court as a witness to confirm that the rumors of Du Min disowning his parents were false, and that Du Min was actually unable to recognize people due to a high fever.

Regarding Shi Zhengli's words about his poisoned and mute parents, Gu Wuxia was summoned to the yamen, where he implicated Du Dabo according to Du Min's instructions.

When Uncle Du arrived at the court, he denied saying those words, insisting that he did not know Gu Wuxia.

Gu Wuxia then changed his story, saying he couldn't remember the person, only that the person who told him at the time said he was Du Min's uncle.

Uncle Du was afraid that Du Min would believe this, so he cried out that he was wronged and insisted that the fact that Du's parents had lost their voices was a punishment sent down by their ancestors.

This was the explanation that the villagers of Dujiawan came up with together. Du Min's imprisonment and demotion brought them no benefit. If he became an official, they might not gain much advantage, but at least they would not be bullied by outsiders.

A lawsuit that lasted for more than half a month came to a dramatic end. The Shi brothers and the Wang brothers were convicted of ten heinous crimes for falsely accusing officials of being unfilial to their parents. The county magistrate originally intended to sentence them to exile, but because Du Min wrote a letter of appeal, the exile sentence was commuted to imprisonment for twenty years.

Du Min sent those who had oppressed him to prison. Because of this lawsuit, the government erected a monument in Dujiawan in his honor, with a plaque inscribed with a commendation written by Prefect Zheng.

Du Min turned the tables, and the villagers of Dujiawan became completely obedient in his presence, no longer daring to mention the unfounded rumors in front of him, for fear of being accused of falsely accusing an official.

Du Min, Meng Qing, and the others lived a peaceful life in Dujiawan, and a year quickly passed.

When the grandchildren were out of mourning, Wangzhou, Wangchuan, Ximei, and Wangshan were sent to Luoyang by boat. Meng Qing arranged for them to board the Wang family's cargo ship to Luoyang. Wangzhou went to seek refuge with Master Konghui, Wangchuan entered the Imperial Academy to study, and Ximei and Wangshan went to seek refuge with their maternal relatives.

With four children gone, life in Dujiawan became increasingly dull. Apart from Du Li, the remaining three children were counting down the days until they could fulfill their filial duties.

One month, two months, six months, eight months, ten months...

At the end of the year, fourteen months before Du Min's mourning period ended, Governor Zheng rushed to Dujiawan with news: His Majesty had passed away, and Crown Prince Li Xian had ascended the throne before the coffin.

However, before the first month was over, Governor Zheng brought news that the new emperor had been deposed and made the Prince of Luling.

In February, news arrived that the Empress's youngest son, Li Dan, had been made emperor.

In May, Governor Zheng brought conclusive news that the new emperor was being held under house arrest by the Empress Dowager in a separate palace, plunging the court into chaos.

In order to avoid being implicated, Prefect Zheng chose to adopt Du Min's suggestion from two years ago and asked the court for the position of Governor-General to measure fields and reclaim wasteland in the Jiangnan region.

More than half a year later, Du Min finished his mourning period and submitted a memorial to the court requesting his reinstatement. He did not receive a reply until mid-July.

In early August, Du Min, Meng Qing, Yin Caiwei, and Du Li traveled lightly by boat from Wu County. Before leaving, they encountered Governor Zheng's boat bound for Yangzhou, and the two groups traveled together.

During the voyage, Du Min persuaded Governor Zheng to return to Luoyang and join him in dealing with the imperial clan and powerful eunuchs in Guannei Road. "Back then, when we were obstructed, it was His Majesty who chose to favor the imperial clan and powerful eunuchs. Now, those imperial clan and powerful eunuchs are jumping up and down, specifically opposing the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager would love to exterminate their entire clans, which is beneficial to us. Eliminating local tyrants is good for the common people and the country. Not only will we gain political achievements, but we will also gain the Empress Dowager's favor. It's a win-win situation, so why not do it?"

Prefect Zheng hesitated, and the battle was chaotic. He was not sure who would win in the end. If the Empress Dowager could take power, he could be granted a title and become prime minister, but once the imperial power returned to the Li Tang, his family would suffer a terrible fate.

"Lord Du, you've only just started out, don't you think about the future generations?" Governor Zheng asked. "If you make a single wrong move, your brothers, sisters-in-law, nephews, and even your in-laws will die. Oh, I forgot, your in-laws are on this boat too."

Du Min glanced at Meng Qing without making a sound, and then smiled and said, "A scholar will die for one who understands him. I share the same political views as the Empress Dowager, and I am willing to die on the journey to obtain the scriptures."

"Lord Zheng, those who waver in the wind never have a good end," Meng Qing reminded him. She advised, "You've already taken ninety-nine steps. Even if you retreat, how much can you retreat? Retreating ninety-nine steps only brings you back to the starting point. Unless you take another ninety-nine steps in the opposite direction, you'll certainly not be valued by the other side. Rather than retreating one hundred and ninety-eight steps, it's better to take one more step. Besides, what is your judgment of the political situation? I believe that whatever it is, it shouldn't be measured by family and clan. Politicians are gamblers. You've already reached the final stage, and you still don't know who to bet on? Think about it, A and B are both waiting for you to bet and raise funds. You hesitated for a long time and finally chose to abstain. If you were in their shoes, as the one who ultimately wins, wouldn't you hate the person who abstained? You gave them hope and then disappointed them; you're no different from a traitor."

“I was indecisive,” Governor Zheng said, regaining his composure. “You’re going to Guannei Circuit to investigate the land, right? I’ll write you an official document later, and when you petition the Empress Dowager, you can take me with you. We can both serve as governors to Guannei Circuit.”

Du Min clasped his hands in a fist and said, "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you."

"This is our second collaboration," Governor Zheng sighed. "Please don't try to scheme against me again."

The cabin door was slammed open, and the five people inside all looked over.

"What is it?" Du Li got up to open the door.

"My lord, something seems to have happened in Yangzhou. The river ahead is blocked, and boats cannot pass," Du Min's attendant relayed the message.

Du Min looked at Governor Zheng, who was also unaware of the situation.

"Go and find out," Du Min ordered.

The boat remained on the river for half a day when news arrived from the front that Li Jingye had raised an army in Yangzhou, ostensibly to support the Prince of Luling, but in reality to attack Empress Wu Zetian.

Governor Zheng stood up abruptly. Li Jingye? He even called him his cousin! He was worried that he had implicated his family, as someone had already sent the heads of nine generations of his clan to the executioner's block.

Du Min also stood up. He was excited. My God, my God, he had just finished mourning and he was given the achievement of a stable position in the court. Hahaha!