Chapter 76: Parting

The six arts of a gentleman are etiquette, music, archery, horsemanship, calligraphy, and mathematics. Before the Song Dynasty, scholars were all-around talents who could mount a horse, draw a bow, and wield a sword. However, since the weak Song Dynasty, archery, horsemanship, music, and mathematics have been relegated to the fringes. By the Ming Dynasty, even poetry was considered a minor pursuit, leaving only "calligraphy." The so-called "scholar-officials" became utterly useless wastes of space. It is no wonder the Song and Ming dynasties lost their realms.

Three imperial envoys departed from the capital simultaneously, and it was a eunuch who arrived first. Liao Chen did not know what the court officials were thinking, but he himself had to let out a long sigh. "Useless as a scholar"—that was the perfect description for the civil officials of the mid-to-late Ming period.

The next morning, just as the Yuewei Thatched Cottage opened its doors, a large group of riders in fine clothes on spirited horses arrived at the head of the street. They carried no banners, and upon reaching a distance where the cottage was visible, they dismounted one after another.

"Wait here; I shall go pay my respects first," said the leader. He was dressed in silk brocade, looking like an ordinary wealthy merchant. Yet, this was the imperial envoy who had arrived in the city yesterday: the famous Zhang Yong, Junior Superintendent of the Imperial Horse Bureau and one of the "Eight Tigers" of the Zhengde Emperor.

"Understood!" his subordinates replied in unison. Zhang Yong nodded in satisfaction and walked briskly toward the cottage alone. The commoners who had been queuing for medicine saw such an obviously powerful figure approaching and hurriedly cleared a path. Zhang Yong did not mind; instead, he smiled and thanked them along the way, appearing quite amiable.

"Mo Mo, keep an eye on things for a moment; I am going to meet an old acquaintance," Liao Chen said, finishing his current task and instructing Mo Mo. Having helped at the cottage for several days, the couple had seen and heard enough to clearly distinguish between common ailments and the plague. Even if Liao Chen stepped away, it would not hinder the distribution of medicine.

"This servant greets the Daoist Master," Zhang Yong said. Seeing Liao Chen personally come out to meet him, he hurried forward a few steps and bowed deeply before him.

"Infinite Life to the Daoist! We are old acquaintances, why such formality?" Liao Chen quickly helped Zhang Yong up. "It is crowded and noisy here. Junior Superintendent Zhang, perhaps you would care to step into my cottage and share a cup of tea?"

"I am terrified and honored; to be invited by the Daoist Master is truly a blessing of three lifetimes!" Zhang Yong beamed, following Liao Chen into the back courtyard of the cottage.

A stone table, stone stools, clear cups, and light tea. Liao Chen and Zhang Yong sat opposite each other.

"The Junior Superintendent has traveled thousands of miles; it must have been an arduous journey. As a man outside the world, I have little to offer. I hope you will not find this humble cup of tea lacking," Liao Chen said, lifting his cup and taking a light sip with a smile.

"Not at all! To share a cup of tea with the Daoist is a blessing of three lifetimes for me!" Zhang Yong replied. This was no mere pleasantry. Few were ever invited to drink tea by Liao Chen; among the Eight Tigers, it seemed only Liu Jin had ever tasted it. Zhang Yong was the second.

As the tea touched his throat, there was no trace of heat, but rather a sensation like a cool spring, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees, flowing into his lungs and organs. His pores opened, and an indescribable sense of comfort flooded his entire body.

"This is truly fairy tea! I have never seen such wonderful tea in the palace," Zhang Yong sighed longingly after finishing, clutching his cup as if it were a treasure. He knew he might never get a second cup.

Liao Chen smiled, steering the conversation away from the tea. "Since you were sent by the Emperor to patrol in his stead, surely the court has reached a conclusion regarding the affairs in Guizhou?"

"Conclusion? A bunch of fame-seeking hypocrites. They wouldn't care about a remote place like Guizhou. If not for your message by pigeon and the fact that Princess Yunhua presented it to the Emperor, he would have known nothing! When the Emperor investigated, he found all the memorials had been suppressed by a supervising secretary. The Emperor was furious, but he only stripped the man of his office, not his academic honors. Because of this, those censor-officials are now trying to impeach Princess Yunhua for interfering in politics. It is a complete mess. I see it now—those censors are all talk and no action!" Zhang Yong sighed.

"Then why were imperial envoys sent?" Liao Chen asked.

"The Emperor was displeased, so he had Eunuch Liu take action. The Inner Depot arrested that supervising secretary overnight and raided his home, finding letters from Guizhou officials and tens of thousands of taels of silver. Tsk, tsk!" Zhang Yong marveled. "Normally, he acted like a poor, incorruptible official, constantly mouthing 'gentleman' and 'clean stream.' Yet, he had tens of thousands in cash alone, not including the paintings and antiques. I heard he even has a thousand acres of fertile land in his hometown. With this evidence, those censors had nothing left to say, but they now hate Liu Jin with a passion, haha!"

Zhang Yong continued happily, "As for Liu Jin, I cannot say, but at least the Cabinet has nothing more to argue about. So, three envoys were sent. I thought, since you are in Guizhou, this mission should be easy. I grabbed the assignment first. Liu Jin wanted to compete, but I just asked them, 'Guizhou is very far, can you ride a horse?' Those fellows had to yield. But the Cabinet also sent two groups; you must be careful, Daoist. They are here solely to make trouble for you and me."

Liao Chen chuckled to himself, thinking it would not be easy to make trouble for him, though Zhang Yong himself should be careful. Outwardly, he said, "I shall wait and see. Are you here for disaster relief and the investigation, Eunuch Zhang?"

Zhang Yong immediately replied, "The Emperor did instruct me on both matters when I left the capital. However, he also asked me to invite you to the capital, saying your family has been found."

"Ah!" Liao Chen was startled. He had thought the late Hongzhi Emperor’s promise to find his family was just a joke; he never expected it to be true. A mix of emotions stirred within him. To say he had no expectations for his family in this life would be a lie, but since he owed them the debt of birth, he had to resolve this causal link. He did not know how to respond.

"Does the Junior Superintendent know which family it is?" Liao Chen asked.

"I do not know. Only the Emperor and the Empress Dowager likely know; even Liu Jin has not heard. The Emperor inviting you to the capital must be to tell you in person," Zhang Yong said.

Liao Chen smiled and let the matter drop. The Emperor could not have invited him for just this; there must be something else he wanted.

"I have a plague prevention manual here; you may follow its guidelines, Eunuch Zhang. I also have a prescription that you may take back to the capital, but do not leak it to anyone—have it kept directly by the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Academy of Medicine. It will be useful in the future. As for your investigation, I rescued a man from prison a few days ago. If you can persuade him, even if the other two envoys arrive, they will have nothing to say." Liao Chen took a small booklet from his robes.

"Ah! Your great kindness, I will surely keep it in my heart," Zhang Yong said, respectfully taking the booklet. He glanced through it briefly and his face changed. "Your methods, Daoist, I dare not doubt, but isolating all patients and burning the bodies of the dead will not be easy. People value a proper burial; what if the city's residents do not comply?"

Liao Chen chuckled, "That is why you, a man who commands troops, are here to handle it."

Zhang Yong was silent for a long moment. "Can you not cure this plague yourself, Daoist?"

Liao Chen sighed deeply. "I can save people for a moment, but not for an eternity. I can save one place, but not the entire world. I give you the methods and prescriptions so you may experiment here in Guiyang. It can serve as a standard; if there is another great plague in the future, the court will know what to do."

Without waiting for Zhang Yong to speak again, Liao Chen urged, "Though it is difficult, it is a deed of immeasurable merit. You should not miss this opportunity, Eunuch Zhang."

Zhang Yong weighed the pros and cons in his heart. After a long time, he gritted his teeth and said, "I will follow your instructions, Daoist. You would not lead me astray."

Liao Chen smiled, pretending not to understand the deeper meaning of his words, and lifted his cup. "Drink your tea, drink your tea."

Zhang Yong returned fully satisfied. Liao Chen not only gave him the prescriptions but also handed over the remaining medicinal powder and the secretary he had saved. He believed that anyone who could leave a name in history was no ordinary person. With someone to take over, Liao Chen felt his task was complete, and he felt a sense of relief.

In the evening, Liao Chen hosted a banquet at the cottage to thank Mo Mo and his wife.

"My task here is finished; I will be leaving soon. The Yuewei Thatched Cottage will be closed for a time. When it reopens, it will be managed by my disciples. I wish to thank you both for your help during these days. As a man outside the world, I have nothing to give but these two talismans. I hope you will not think them meager," Liao Chen said, producing two protective talismans.

"Ah!" The couple was astonished, hurriedly and respectfully taking the talismans.

"If you leave now, who will treat the plague in Guiyang?" Mo Mo asked anxiously.

"I have handed the prescriptions and the remaining herbs to the imperial envoy. Disaster relief is the responsibility of the imperial court; how can I overstep? I believe that with the envoy in charge, the plague in Guizhou will no longer be a major threat," Liao Chen replied.

"The student understands, but that envoy is merely a eunuch; how can you trust him?" Mo Mo was reluctant to see him go and did not know how to persuade him to stay, his heart full of sorrow.

"Simply because he does not need to consider other factors; he only seeks to earn merit and satisfy the Emperor. He is stronger than those in the officialdom who are constantly looking over their shoulders and trying to protect their own interests," Liao Chen answered.

"Ah! Is that not biased, Daoist? Those of us who study the sages..." Mo Mo could not continue. Among the officials in Guizhou, who had not studied the classics for ten years? And yet?

"Young Master Mo, do not let these talismans leave your person. If you wish to continue the imperial examinations, you will have your day on the golden list, but you must never enter the officialdom. Remain in your hometown as a virtuous scholar. Can you promise me this?" Liao Chen stopped talking about the disaster and instead gave Mo Mo advice about his own life.

"Why?" Mo Mo asked, and his wife looked on as well.

"When the moon is full, it begins to wane; when water is full, it overflows. You should know the darkness of the officialdom, Young Master Mo. With your character, I fear you will meet with misfortune." Liao Chen warned. There was one thing he did not say: Mo Mo’s fate was not one for the high office. Liao Chen had already defied heaven to boost his prospects with a talisman; if Mo Mo were to enter the officialdom, the karmic backlash would be too great. Liao Chen could protect himself, but Mo Mo would truly be in danger of losing his life.

The couple left, looking back with every step, never once asking for Liao Chen’s true identity. Though Mo Mo was upright, he was a truly intelligent man. It was best for both sides to pretend ignorance. They pleaded only for Liao Chen to visit them again if he had the chance. Only when Liao Chen nodded did they reluctantly take their leave.

Liao Chen did not know if Mo Mo would take his words to heart, but everyone has their own choices. He only hoped Mo Mo would never be blinded by fame and fortune.