Chapter 67.1 Chu Di's Arrival at Lin Residence
As Shen Shaoguang bid farewell to Uncle Chu, she delved into the books sent over by Deputy Magistrate Lin. Old memories surged in her mind, and tears dripped onto the yellowed pages, blooming in the text.
Perhaps due to her inhabiting A’Ji's body and memories, enduring the hardships of the Lateral Courts, Shen Shaoguang had never been able to fully detach herself from the original A’Ji. At times, in the hazy moments between sleep and wakefulness, she felt like Zhuang Zhou and his butterfly dream[1]. She couldn't discern which was the real her—was it A’Ji, the daughter of a criminal official in the Tang Dynasty, or Shen Shaoguang from the 21st century?
Shen Shaoguang sighed softly.
"Thud thud!"
Shen Shaoguang wiped her face and looked up, finding Yu San standing before her.
"Hm?" She was surprised. He had been occupied all afternoon, so why hadn't he taken the opportunity to rest?
Yu San settled into the seat across from Shen Shaoguang, glanced at the box of books before her, hesitated, and inquired, "Are you the daughter of the former Deputy Minister of Rites Shen?"
Shen Shaoguang nodded, her eyebrows raising in curiosity.
"My former master is Li Xu, the fourth son of the Vassal King, Prince of Wu."
Shen Shaoguang was stunned. She hadn't anticipated such a connection.
"When Grand Chancellor Li and Deputy Magistrate Lin were talking about past affairs last winter, you appeared a bit unsettled. However, I didn't dwell on it at the time. It was only when Sir Chu visited this time and you referred to him as uncle that I began to suspect," Yu San explained.
Shen Shaoguang nodded.
"The Fourth Young Master is a bit older than you. When the incident involving the Prince of Wu occurred, he was not yet sixteen. The Fourth Master was supposed to face banishment. I heard that due to the intervention of your Shen Residence, there were widespread disputes in the court. Ultimately, the former emperor spared him, opting instead for a lenient punishment, demoting both him and the Fifth Young Master to commoners." Considering his delicate appearance… he might have struggled to endure the hardships of banishment, so the Shen Residence could be considered to be his savior and benefactor.
"Despite being reduced to commoners, there was initial supervision by imperial court officials. Of course, the Prince of Wu's old acquaintances also provided assistance. As time passed, however, the supervision became less stringent. After the current Emperor took the throne, we relocated. He no longer wished to rely on his father's former associates for support."
Yu San recalled the way his young master's peach blossom eyes would narrow slightly when he sarcastically smiled. "Every time they meet, they talk about the past affairs of the former Prince Residence, discuss political rehabilitation, and encourage them to be ambitious and strive for improvement… So, the only way forward is through passing the imperial examination?" Yu San used to express gratitude to them on behalf of his young master, but now he couldn't help but think that if it were Miss (Shen Shaoguang), she wouldn't be as passive and blindly follow the crowd like Fourth Young Master. She would have likely purchased a large ship for trading and earned a living that way.
Yu San returned to the present and addressed Shen Shaoguang. "He is deeply grateful to Deputy Minister Shen."
Shen Shaoguang lifted the corner of her mouth in a smile. What significance did his gratitude hold? It mattered little to her father, and even less to herself.
Albeit Shen Shaoguang felt a touch puzzled. Yu San, despite his young age, seemed remarkably knowledgeable about these matters. He must have been very close to this 'Fourth Young Master.' How did he end up being sold off? What other changes have occurred? Recalling Yu San's mention of being exchanged for a Feast of Fish, Shen Shaoguang hesitated for a moment before finally asking, "Is this Fourth Young Master truly as unruly and uninhibited as you've described?"
Yu San understood what she was alluding to. He fell silent for a while before responding, "He didn't trade me for a Feast of Fish." He gave me away directly.
Seeing the solemn expression on his face, Shen Shaoguang chose not to inquire further.
Shen Shaoguang packed up the books, with Yu San assisting her. Once they finished, Yu San finally broached a question, "Due to the Prince of Wu, you've faced ruin and orphanhood. Do you harbor resentment toward them?"
It was reminiscent of a question posed by Deputy Magistrate Lin, who inquired whether she held her father accountable, while the former question delved into her feelings toward the Prince of Wu. Yet, Shen Shaoguang's response remained consistent.
Yu San appeared relieved as he exhaled a breath.
Shen Shaoguang patted his sleeves and smiled reassuringly. "Even if I hold any resentment towards the Prince of Wu, it has nothing to do with you."
Yu San glared at her and then lifted the box, asking, "Where should I place this?"
"Place it next to Deputy Magistrate Lin's folding screen," Shen Shaoguang instructed.
Upon hearing the mention of Deputy Magistrate Lin, Yu San hesitated as if he wanted to ask something, but ultimately he remained silent, simply moving the box and departing.
…
Upon returning from the capital’s government repository, Lin Yan was informed by the doorkeeper that a visitor named Teacher Chu had arrived. Housekeeper Zhou had already welcomed him and was currently serving tea in the outer study.
In the morning, Lin Yan dispatched a visiting card to Teacher Xiliu[2]. Since Teacher Xiliu resided in Chancellor Li's Residence, the card was directed there. Lin Yan intended to inquire matters related to Official Shen and Prince of Wu under the guise of discussing knowledge. However, he didn't anticipate that Teacher Xiliu would arrive in person instead.
The crux of Official Shen’s case still hinged on Prince of Wu. However, delving into major files concerning rebellion against the imperial family, such as the King Wu case, wasn’t straightforward. Teacher Xiliu, formerly the Deputy Minister of Justice, should possess intricate knowledge of the case. Yet, due to his close ties with Prince of Wu at the time, Teacher Xiliu must tread carefully to avoid arousing suspicion during the trial.
Lin Yan quickly walked towards the outer study room.
"Teacher Chu, my apologies for the delay. I returned later than expected," Lin Yan cupped his hands and saluted.
Watching Lin Yan executing the ceremony with the utmost respect, Chu Di smiled and said, "I've encountered Deputy Magistrate Lin twice now, yet Deputy Magistrate is still so polite. I really don't dare to accept the honor."
As Chu Di's thoughts wandered, he imagined a scenario where Shen Five was still well and they were searching for a suitable match for A’Ji. In that case, regardless of how respectful this young fellow was, Chu Di would still find himself aiding in scrutinizing his features and perhaps even sending someone to investigate his background...
Upon seeing their master return, Housekeeper Zhou bowed and exited the room. The maid served their tea and silently departed as well.
Lin Yan and Chu sat facing each other.
Without preamble, Lin Yan got straight to the point. "Yan would like to ask Teacher to share some past matters."
Chu Di smiled. "Deputy Magistrate, please speak."
"It pertains to the case of Official Shen, who resided in this house over ten years ago. Do you still recall it?" Lin Yan's expression was serious.
"Shen Five was a close friend of mine. How could I forget? But— why is Deputy Magistrate inquiring about this case? Merely out of curiosity, due to residing in his former house? I heard Deputy Magistrate also worked diligently to aid Official Cui back then; are you empathizing with Shen Five and seeking further insight into his case?" Chu Di fixed his gaze on Lin Yan.
"Neither, it's simply for a friend's sake."
"A friend? Are they male or female?" Chu Di raised a brow.
.
.
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Footnotes:
[1] Zhuang Zhou and his butterfly dream - aka Zhuangzi, was an ancient Chinese philosopher who lived during the Warring States period. One of the most famous anecdotes associated with him is the "Butterfly Dream." In this story, Zhuangzi falls asleep and dreams that he is a butterfly fluttering about without a care in the world. He experiences the freedom and joy of being a butterfly, unaware of his human identity. When he wakes up, he ponders whether he is Zhuangzi who dreamt of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being Zhuangzi. Read more here -https://www.thechinastory.org/yearbooks/yearbook-2019-china-dreams/forum-illusions-and-transformations-the-many-meanings-of-meng-%E5%A4%A2/zhuangzi-and-his-butterfly-dream-the-etymology-of-meng-%E5%A4%A2/
[2] Teacher Xiliu - Xiliu should be Chu Di’s courtesy name. This name also appeared in chapter 32, but I didn’t realize it wasn’t his given name then, so I didn’t explain. Hopefully this clears up any confusion.