Princess Anren (Seeking Follow-up)

Having finished the seditious poem.

Xu Xing rubbed his brow, intending to secretly concoct a few more nursery rhymes like "He who replaces Han shall be Gao of Tutu," "A stone man with one eye stirs all under heaven to rebellion," "The south wind rises, blowing white sand; gazing afar at the road passing through lofty crags, skulls a thousand years old grow teeth," and "Peach Li Zi gains the realm..."

"The imperial clan's surname is Song. What would be best to write?"

He hesitated for a while, unable to put brush to paper.

Just then, a burst of gongs, drums, and suona horns sounded outside the imperial prison, playing festive music.

"Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix!"

"Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"

"The Western Pass Circuit has suffered drought for years, yet the Emperor begrudges spending silver from the imperial treasury, giving only a paltry three thousand taels. Now Princess Anren is getting married, and he squanders three hundred thousand taels!"

"A sign of a fallen state! A sign of a fallen state!"

Suddenly, from the neighboring Class B imperial cell came the anguished denunciation of an imprisoned official.

After he finished cursing, waves of wailing followed.

The Class B imperial cells held convicted officials of the fifth rank and above.

The official's cell was separated from Xu Xing's by only a single wall.

Recently, Xu Xing's martial training had strengthened his body. His limbs were nimble, his ears sharp and eyes keen, so he could hear the sounds from the next cell more clearly than before.

The Western Pass Circuit was Xu Xing's homeland in this life.

Hearing the official curse like this, a flicker of pity rose in his heart. He recalled the contents of the memorial submitted some days ago in court by the Transport Commissioner of the Western Pass Circuit.

[The Western Pass starves; a dou of grain costs ten thousand cash. By imperial decree, those who sell their flesh and blood shall not be forbidden...]

Though his family was of humble origins, they were still a wealthy household.

Even after years of drought and the confiscation of their property, they could still eat with the support of their clansmen.

But... ordinary people had no fate but to starve to death.

"Year after year, age after age."

"For feudal dynasties, the absence of natural disasters is the rare thing. But the Chongming Emperor's conduct truly chills the heart. One day, I'll make that dog Emperor taste being a disaster victim too—let him starve to death alive!"

Xu Xing clenched his fists, a trace of viciousness flashing through his eyes.

How could the marriage of a mere princess compare to nearly a million disaster victims?

Three thousand taels for the victims?

Three hundred thousand taels for a princess's marriage?

The very thought of it was laughable.

"Lord Zheng, stop shouting. If you keep this up and His Majesty hears of it, you won't be the only one thrown in prison."

"The men of your household will be exiled, and the womenfolk consigned to the Bureau of Musical Entertainment..."

"Wait a little longer."

"After the princess is married, Lord Zheng, then submit your memorial."

After the suona music swept past the imperial prison.

Xu Xing heard Commandant Deng of the prison trying to persuade the convicted official.

Every prisoner in Class B had once been an important court official; the prison guards could not afford to slight them.

If the words spoken in the imperial prison today reached the Chongming Emperor's ears.

Commandant Deng and the others would certainly not get away with it.

On such a joyous day, this was simply spoiling the Chongming Emperor's mood.

Xu Xing understood such trifling matters of officialdom perfectly well.

"This official has partaken of the state's emoluments for twenty years. As Grand Censor, how could I dare not speak up for the people and uphold justice?"

"Even if I must remonstrate unto death today, what have I to fear?"

Who would have thought this convicted official was instead a stubborn sort? Commandant Deng's words failed to soothe him and only provoked him further; his voice rose even higher.

"Zheng?"

"Grand Censor?"

"No wonder he speaks up for justice like this."

A peculiar look flashed across Xu Xing's face.

He happened to know Censor Zheng as well.

The two were fellow townsmen, and their families had once considered a marriage alliance. They had already reached the stage of exchanging matchmakers; the next step would have been for him to visit the Zheng Family and deliver the betrothal letter. At that point, the two families would have become in-laws, and he would have become Censor Zheng's son-in-law. (This was mentioned in Chapter 20.)

With no one in court to back you, it was hard to become an official.

He had come up through the mathematics examination, which did not carry the credentials of the jinshi examination. If he wanted to rise further, he had no choice but to find someone to lean on.

In ancient times, free love was no easy thing.

Besides, there were plenty of arranged blind dates even in modern times.

Third Miss Zheng had a fine figure and a lovely face. He had nothing to be dissatisfied with.

He simply had not expected... that he would be thrown into prison in chains over a month ago, and this marriage naturally fell through as well.

Now that Censor Zheng had been thrown in prison, he did not know whether he should feel fortunate or share in his sorrow...

"Exactly. Only fellow townsmen..."

"...would make Censor Zheng risk losing his head to do something like this."

Xu Xing's expression was complicated.

He had made inquiries about his future father-in-law before.

He knew that the man had always been one to occupy his post and draw his pay without doing any real work. He would never do anything to incur the dragon's wrath. He had muddled along in the Censorate for more than ten years without incident.

Otherwise, only someone with a muddled brain would choose to become in-laws with a censor...

Was he afraid he would not die quickly enough?

"Since... Lord Zheng insists on this."

"Then this humble official can only obey."

Seeing that persuasion was useless, Commandant Deng's voice turned much colder.

At worst, they would lose their salaries and offices. But for Censor Zheng, the outcome would be death and the extermination of his clan.

"This official has no shame in his heart."

"I have not betrayed the fathers and elders of my homeland!"

Censor Zheng refused to yield, roaring back.

As his words fell—

The imperial prison grew much quieter.

Then came the dense sound of footsteps gradually fading away.

"Academician Su..."

"Princess Anren has always admired Academician Su's literary talent. For this wedding, when His Majesty asked the princess what she wanted, she said that she wanted Academician Su, whose literary fame has spread across the realm, to compose a poem for her."

"Here are paper and brush. As long as you write a poem, Academician Su... you may leave prison."

Commandant Deng turned back to the Ding-numbered cell and said this to Academician Su.

Making use of what was at hand, he took brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from Xu Xing.

"Princess Anren?"

Academician Su, crouching in his cell, looked somewhat gentler.

He knew Princess Anren.

When they first met, the young imperial princess had been clad in embroidered robes, like a lotus rising from the water, naturally lovely without need for adornment. Later, the little princess gradually grew up. Sometimes, she would secretly disguise herself as a man and come to his academy to seek instruction.

But afterward... the palace became an enclosed prison, and Princess Anren never stepped out of it again.

After several years, Princess Anren was now being married off—and she had used this as the condition to secure his release.

Academician Su had seen far too many women like this in his lifetime.

They admired his talent; they admired his looks...

"Easy..."

Academician Su laughed three times. Though he appeared bold and carefree, boundless desolation surged through his heart. His untrimmed wiry beard covered his face. Half crying and half laughing, he picked up the brush and wrote:

"Last year, when we parted beyond the gates of Divine Capital, flying snow drifted like willow fluff."

"Years have passed and spring has ended; willow fluff resembles snow, yet still no sign of returning home."

"Before the wine, I roll up the blinds and invite the bright moon; wind and frost pierce the gauze window. As though Chang'e pities a pair of swallows, she shines clear and slanting upon the painted corridor."

The capital of the Phoenix Creek Kingdom was called Divine Capital.

He seemed to be writing of his meeting with Princess Anren, of seeing Princess Anren off in marriage, but in truth, he was writing of how all his lofty ambitions had come to nothing.

A dignified man like him actually had to rely on writing poetry for a woman...

Just to leave prison.

After finishing, Academician Su handed the plain sheet to Commandant Deng. Then he stretched out his hand, took the wedding wine Princess Anren had sent, and drank with his head tilted back. The clear liquor mingled with his tears, trickling down his beard and dripping onto his prison clothes, soaking a patch through.

After Commandant Deng left, he smashed the wine jar and lifted a pile of papers from the ground, about to tear them to pieces.

But... in the next instant, he saw a rebellious poem tucked among the blank sheets.

There is one more update, to be posted before midnight. It is being written.