Chapter 329
Chapter 329
Zhang Chong had written many memorials of apology to the King, but they were all official in nature, pertaining only to matters of state—such as his failure to take Raging Tide City and the unsuccessful implementation of the new policies in Nujiang Commandery. After his imprisonment, he seemed to be filled with indignation.
‘I, Zhang Chong, have never embezzled a single coin from the state treasury in my life. Why am I accused of such a crime?’
Any other discerning official would have realized the King was merely venting his anger and would have incessantly begged for forgiveness.
‘It is all this servant's fault. If Your Majesty says I was greedy, then greedy I must have been.’
Shen Lang, for one, was known to use this tactic frequently, claiming everything was his fault. The target of his apologies simply changed, be it his wife or his father-in-law. But Zhang Chong refused to bend his pride before the King and would not utter a single word of apology. That was why the King, even after his anger had subsided, still had not released him.
The Crown Prince had also noticed this, which was why he had consistently refrained from pleading with the King for Zhang Chong’s release.
‘Zhang Chong, if I plead with my royal father for your release when you won’t even beg yourself, wouldn’t he be displeased with me?’
In truth, Zhang Chong had accepted bribes after taking office. He needed money and had accepted a great deal of it, but he had never embezzled a single gold coin from military funds or the state treasury. Though he held the dignified post of Prefect, he had brought humiliation upon himself by becoming an in-law to a mere merchant like Xu Guangyun for the sake of money.
‘Yet they accuse me of touching the state treasury! That is something I can never accept. I, Zhang Chong, will never bear such a stain on my name.’
This was why he and the King had remained in a stalemate without compromise.
* * *
The King was in Consort Bian’s chambers. Three months into her pregnancy, her belly had begun to show. She was not a stunning beauty, but a gentle woman who exuded a scholarly air. Ning Yuanxian lay languidly with his head in her lap, listening to her read aloud. The book she was reading was, surprisingly, *Boundless Wind and Moon*.
The King also liked the book and thought it was exceptionally well-written. He had already read it two or three times, but he particularly enjoyed hearing Consort Bian read it. Listening to this elegant, refined lady recite the salacious scenes was a special kind of amusement—one of the private pleasures between husband and wife. After she finished the ninth chapter, Ning Yuanxian spoke.
“That’s enough for today. You mustn’t tire yourself and harm your health.”
Consort Bian asked, “When is the second volume supposed to be released?”
“Who knows? That shameless rogue Shen Lang seems to spend his days idly, with no thought of writing. He wrote this book to harm Xu Guangyun and Xu Qianqian. Now that the Xu Clan is all but destroyed and Xu Qianqian has become something like his mistress, he probably can't be bothered to write anymore.”
Consort Bian said with a smile, “He truly is a petty and harsh person.”
When she said the word ‘harsh,’ it didn’t sound like a criticism. In the King’s view, a word like ‘magnanimity’ was hardly a compliment.
‘What’s the use of being so magnanimous? Do you have ambitions? Do you intend to hold the world in your heart?’
Ning Yuanxian said, “That he is.”
Just then, the sound of footsteps approached from outside—not frantic, but tinged with anxiety. Such was the skill of the Grand Eunuch, Lü Zhun. The King could discern his state of mind just from the sound of his steps. Ning Yuanxian asked in an annoyed tone, “What is it?”
“Your Majesty, Zhang Chong can’t hold on any longer. It seems he is about to die!”
The King started to sit up, but he forced himself to stop. Consort Bian was beside him, and a sudden movement might startle her. He remained still and spoke in a cold voice.
“Is it true? Or is he faking it?”
His words laid bare Ning Yuanxian’s harsh nature. To hear that a man was on the verge of death, and his first thought was to suspect a ruse.
“It is certain. He is on the verge of death. He doesn’t have much time left; they say tonight is the critical point.”
King Ning Yuanxian knew very well that Zhang Chong was an intelligent, capable, and loyal official. He was a man destined for a high position, and the King certainly did not want him to die. The King said angrily, “Wasn’t he fine just a few days ago? Why is he suddenly in critical condition? Did someone harm him?”
“No, Your Majesty. He has contracted an incurable disease. They say it is an acute intestinal abscess.”
For a moment, the King’s eyes twitched. An intestinal abscess! In this world, it was an incurable disease, a death sentence whether it was chronic or acute. The illness was not common, but it was not rare either; even members of the royal family occasionally succumbed to it. In fact, Ning Yuanxian’s first queen, Ning Han’s mother, had died of the very same affliction.
She had been the woman he loved most. The consort before him now, Bian, even shared a certain resemblance to her in temperament. It was a tragedy. Due to a verbal agreement with Jiang Li, the King had been forced to depose his most beloved queen to protect his throne and the State of Yue, installing a woman from the Zhu Clan as his second queen. Heartbroken, his first queen had lost all joy and secluded herself in the Cold Palace, where she contracted the intestinal abscess and died. The King still remembered her agony and despair as she suffered from the disease, clinging to life for several days and nights before finally passing away.
Now, Ning Yuanxian felt a pang of regret. He shouldn’t have vented his anger on a loyal subject like Zhang Chong; he should have released him a month or two ago. It was said that an intestinal abscess could be brought on by overeating or by an accumulation of sorrow and suffering. Zhang Chong’s state of mind these past few months in the Dali Temple prison must have been similar to that of the first queen. One had been deposed without reason and confined to the Cold Palace. The other, a meritorious official, had been imprisoned in the Dali Temple and accused of embezzling from the state treasury. Had he been released sooner, he might not have contracted this incurable disease.
“Issue a royal decree. Release Zhang Chong, send him home, and dispatch the royal physicians to treat him.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The King knew the royal physicians couldn't save Zhang Chong, but he sent them anyway. At the very least, they could help him pass peacefully. After the eunuch left, the King lay back down, resting his head on Consort Bian’s lap.
“Yan’er, in your eyes, am I a particularly harsh man?”
It was an exceedingly difficult question to answer. To say no would be a lie, but to say yes would displease the King. Consort Bian reached out and gently stroked his brow.
“This servant would rather Your Majesty be even harsher. That way, you will never suffer injustice.”
Touched by her answer, Ning Yuanxian wrapped his arms around her waist and placed a gentle kiss on her swelling belly.
‘Heavens, please watch over Yan’er and let her deliver this child safely.’
* * *
Carried home on a stretcher, Zhang Chong was so emaciated that his skin seemed to hang from his bones. He had been imprisoned in the Dali Temple for several months. While he had not been physically tortured, he had endured mental abuse. The food he was given each day was utterly wretched. When his intestinal abscess had flared up a few days ago, the guards had mocked him, accusing him of faking it.
‘You want to see a doctor? Fine, just pay up.’
With the exception of the Blackwater Terrace’s prison, every prison in the world had its own set of rules.
‘No matter how high your office was, once you’re in my prison, you’re no better than my grandson. If you want anything at all, you have to bribe me. Of course, if it looks like you might be reinstated, the guards wouldn’t dare torment you; they’d probably try to suck up to you and curry favor instead.’
In fact, when Zhang Chong had first been brought to the Dali Temple prison, the jailers and guards had all flocked to him with flattery, hoping to build a good relationship. A favor done in a time of need is never forgotten, after all. But as months passed with no word from the King, they concluded he was a lost cause. There was no longer any need to be kind to him. The jailers and guards tried to extort money from him, but a man like Zhang Chong would never pay. Soon, the petty men began to torment him mentally. Only after Zhang Chong had suffered from excruciating abdominal pain for days, fainting from the agony and battling a relentless fever, did a guard finally panic and report the situation. A physician from the Dali Temple came, examined him, and immediately diagnosed it as an intestinal abscess.
“There’s nothing left but for him to die!”
Zhang Chong was still a respected prefect, so several people rushed to report his condition to the Minister of the Dali Temple. But the minister hesitated for a long time.
‘Wouldn’t it solve everything if I just reported it to the King after Zhang Chong dies?’
In the end, he didn’t dare do that. After wasting several hours, he reported the matter to the palace. Due to these accumulated delays, several days had passed since the onset of the illness, and Zhang Chong was now barely breathing, his life hanging by a thread.
* * *
Several royal physicians took turns examining Zhang Chong.
“It is definitely an acute intestinal abscess, and it seems to have completely festered. The fever is so high he is no longer lucid, he has constant chills, and signs of jaundice have appeared. It is too late to save him.”
The royal physicians delivered their joint diagnosis.
“Young Master Zhang, you should prepare for what is to come,” one of the physicians said to Zhang Shun. But Zhang Shun merely stood by the bed, lost in a daze, unable to react.
“Young Master Zhang, how about we provide some anesthetic? If His Excellency takes it, he can pass without pain.”
Zhang Shun shook his head.
“That won’t be necessary. My father would want to pass with a clear mind.”
The physician scoffed inwardly. Zhang Chong was already delirious from the astonishingly high fever.
“Young Master Zhang, please do not grieve too much.”
With those words, the physicians left the Zhang residence together to report back to the palace. In truth, their report was merely a formality to show the King they had done their duty. Everyone knew there was nothing a physician could do for an intestinal abscess. After they left, Zhang Shun’s tears finally began to fall, slow and heavy. He was in such agony that he felt a profound sense of disillusionment with everything. The death of his third brother, Zhang Jin, had already been a heart-wrenching blow. Now, with his father, Zhang Chong, also about to leave this world, Zhang Shun’s entire world seemed to be collapsing, and a feeling of endless despair washed over him.
This vivid despair had begun months ago. When Zhang Chong was first imprisoned, Zhang Shun had held out great hope, thinking it was just a fleeting fit of the King’s anger. But as time went on, his hope steadily faded. Perhaps his father was not as important in the King’s heart as he had thought. Moreover, since his father refused to admit guilt and beg for forgiveness, how could the King ever compromise and release him? Zhang Shun was in despair.
‘Father, was it worth living your whole life like this? Those incompetent, corrupt officials live comfortably in wealth and splendor. You worked with all your might for the King, only to meet this end. Back when the King proposed the new policies, was there a single official willing to step forward? Was there anyone willing to endure the world’s condemnation to do the work? Weren’t you the one who volunteered for that difficult task, Father? And what is the result? The incompetent enjoy their wealth without a care, while the one who truly worked is brought to ruin. Is such loyalty even worth it?’