Hu Tianxiong said, "Master, Western Sichuan is over three thousand li from Capital City. Word of this may never reach there."
Hu Buwei said, "If you don't want people to know, don't do it in the first place. This world never lacks people who stir up trouble and throw stones at someone who has fallen into a well." Remembering the angry, frustrated look in Tang Wenzheng's eyes when he left, Hu Buwei realized that the Tang family would never simply swallow this insult. If an opportunity arose, they might well seek revenge. In his many years as an official, Hu Buwei had offended countless people in Capital City alone. It was easy to imagine how his political enemies would treasure this news and seize the chance to slander him and settle their scores.
Everyone could see perfectly clearly what lay behind the marriage alliance between the Hu Family and Li families. If the wedding went smoothly, both Hu Buwei and Li Tianheng stood to reap enormous benefits. One was the Minister of Revenue, who controlled Great Kang's finances; the other was a powerful regional governor with troops stationed in the southwest. Their union would inevitably raise their political influence to another level. Who knew how many people would envy their alliance?
Having watched his son's frenzied outburst, Hu Buwei naturally understood that he was unhappy with the marriage. No one wanted to marry an extraordinarily ugly woman whose legs were paralyzed. It was, after all, rather cruel to his son. But marriage was no child's game; it required reason and practicality. One had to consider not only the prospective spouse's personal qualities, but also her family's circumstances. However ugly Li Tianheng's daughter might be, she would never lack suitors. It was said that the matchmakers had already worn their threshold flat.
Hu Tianxiong said, "My lord, now that the young master is gradually recovering, why not secure an official post for him?"
At this reminder, Hu Buwei's eyes brightened, only to dim again a moment later. He still was not certain whether his son had fully recovered. Delight that came too swiftly could be difficult to digest. His son's performance today had thoroughly astonished him, but even amid his joy, Hu Buwei retained absolute clarity of mind. Perhaps today had been no more than a passing flash of brilliance. He said quietly, "He has only just recovered from a serious illness. Let him rest a while before we discuss it."
Hu Xiaotian had not been ill. Over the past six months, he had completed his transition from an idiot to a normal person, and no one but himself knew what had actually happened. In truth, when he first arrived in this land, he had been quite satisfied with his circumstances. His father was the Minister of Revenue, wealthy and powerful. The family had houses, carriages, and hundreds of servants. He lived in pampered luxury, dressed in fine silks and ate exquisite food, needing only to hold out his arms to be clothed and open his mouth to be fed.
His previous life had been exhausting. In this one, he could finally sleep until he woke naturally. As for counting money until his hands cramped, if he wished, the only son of the Minister of Revenue could simply go to the Coinage Hall or the Treasure Spring Bureau and count away. The copper coins minted in those two places would probably take him more than a lifetime to count.
After the bride-snatching incident at Emerald Cloud Lake, Hu Buwei had noticeably strengthened his son's guard. In addition to the original four household servants, he assigned two new guards to him, one named Li Jinhao and the other Shao Yijiao. Both were said to be skilled fighters who could take on ten men apiece.
After his father refused his request to break off the engagement, Hu Xiaotian never brought it up again. His master's degree in psychology had not been earned for nothing. From Hu Buwei's behavior, he could already tell that his father was determined and stubborn, willing to use any means to achieve his goals. Political interests came before everything else; his foolish son was merely a tool along his path to advancement. Even family affection had to make way for his political future. Since Hu Xiaotian could not change things, why add to his own troubles?
He might as well spend his time enjoying life, so Hu Xiaotian devoted most of it to exercise and study. He was not a born study fanatic. After his rebirth, he could not even be bothered to recall the hectic work of his previous life. He only wanted to be an ordinary person, a carefree son of a wealthy family. Yet he finally discovered that everyone had worries, even when given another life.
The things he studied were extremely important in this era: Great Kang's etiquette, for example, and the history and geography of this continent, which was so unfamiliar to him. He even had to learn horseback riding and archery. All of these were closely tied to his future life. To live well, a person first had to learn to protect himself. He learned archery to improve his fighting ability; as for riding, that was to make escaping easier.
Hu Buwei had too many affairs of state to attend to. He left early and returned late every day, giving Hu Xiaotian few opportunities to see him. Father and son had always spoken little. The days passed one after another.
The rear gate of the minister's residence had been repaired, and the garden renovated. No trace remained of the wreckage left by the smashing and destruction that day. Only the garden's thatched pavilion had not been rebuilt, all because of the words Hu Xiaotian had used to muddy the waters and falsely accuse Tang Tiecheng of rebellion. Hu Buwei had taken a lesson from them. If that unremarkable pavilion remained, it might one day become an enormous problem. Setting up a private imperial court was a monstrous crime punishable by the execution of the entire household.
Hu Xiaotian had wanted to learn flashy moves such as leaping into the air, performing forward and backward somersaults, and adding a seven-hundred-and-twenty-degree twist. Unfortunately, Hu Tianxiong, the Hu Family's greatest expert in lightness skills and movement techniques, had gone to Western Sichuan on business. Reportedly, the reason for his journey had something to do with Hu Xiaotian himself.
Over the past two days, Hu Buwei had been personally selected by the emperor to accompany him to the Eastern Capital for a change of scenery. Madam Hu had also gone to visit her family in Jinling, leaving Hu Xiaotian alone in the minister's residence. Without his parents' restrictions, he lived quite freely. Each day, he either exercised at home or took a group of servants sightseeing and wandering around Capital City. He had no job to go to, after all, and no shortage of spending money. The greatest benefit of being an official's son was never having to worry about settling the bill, whatever he did. Given the Hu family's status and wealth, this privileged young wastrel should have no trouble drifting muddleheadedly through an entire lifetime.
When he saw the old steward, Hu An, coming in with young servants carrying two shoulder-pole loads of fresh bamboo leaves, Hu Xiaotian suddenly realized that the fifth day of the fifth month was nearly upon them. Great Kang also celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival. He had browsed a history book a few days earlier and only then learned that this land had likewise produced great works such as the Songs of Chu and Encountering Sorrow, and a great patriotic poet named Qu Yuan. This poet had likewise been born in the state of Chu and, finding no way to serve his country, had finally thrown himself into the Miluo River in despair.
Hu Xiaotian could not be bothered to ponder the connections and differences between the two histories. He only wanted to live comfortably and drift freely through a few more Dragon Boat Festivals.
Seeing this peculiar young master, Hu An approached respectfully. "Young master, you're up so early today!" In fact, everyone in the minister's residence thought the young master had become exceedingly strange since regaining his senses. But each kept that opinion to himself; no one dared say it aloud.
Hu Xiaotian smiled. "The sun's already shining on my backside. It's hardly early!"
Hu An smiled ingratiatingly. "Young master, where will you be going for fun today?" Idle and aimless, peculiar in temperament, moody, and half-crazed-that was how the Hu Residence's servants judged Hu Xiaotian.
Hu Xiaotian yawned. "Haven't decided. I seem to have visited all the interesting places in Capital City. Only the imperial palace is left. I wonder whether you need an admission ticket?"
"An admission ticket?" Hu An was taken aback.
Hu Xiaotian realized he had let something slip. There was no concept of admission tickets in this era. However beautiful a scenic spot might be, people could enter whenever they pleased. Tickets simply did not exist.
Most of the Hu Residence's servants had already grown accustomed to their young master's strange words and behavior, however. Hu An said with a smile, "Young master, the imperial palace isn't somewhere you can enter and leave as you please. If you wish to go, once you hold an official post someday, you'll naturally be able to enter the palace for an audience with His Majesty."
Hu Xiaotian said lazily, "There's nothing much to see in an imperial palace anyway. All gloomy, with no daylight. I doubt this Great Kang palace is much bigger than the Forbidden City."
"The Forbidden City?" Hu An was plainly lost in a fog.
Just then, a gatekeeper came to report, "Young master, Lord Xu Zhengying, the Vice Minister of Revenue, has arrived."
Hu Xiaotian had met Xu Zhengying once or twice. As Vice Minister of Revenue, Xu Zhengying was a deputy to his father, Hu Buwei. The Ministry of Revenue had only one minister-its chief, Hu Buwei-and two vice ministers, of whom Xu Zhengying was one. A vice minister was a deputy, and Xu Zhengying ranked third in authority within the ministry. He oversaw the minting and issuance of Great Kang's currency, with both the Coinage Hall and the Treasure Spring Bureau under his supervision. Xu Zhengying was also adept at cultivating connections. Whether he had business or not, he often visited the Hu residence, ostensibly to discuss affairs and seek advice, but in reality to draw closer to the minister. Despite his frequent visits, however, his relationship with Hu Buwei had never reached the point of heart-to-heart confidence. Hu Buwei was deeply suspicious by nature and always kept this subordinate neither too close nor too far away.
Although Hu Xiaotian knew Xu Zhengying, he had never really spoken with him. He told the servant, "Tell him my father has accompanied the emperor to the Eastern Capital."
The servant said, "Lord Xu has come to see you this time, young master."
Hu Xiaotian paused in surprise. He had no particular friendship with Xu Zhengying. On second thought, as Vice Minister of Revenue, Xu Zhengying could hardly be unaware of Hu Buwei's whereabouts. Perhaps he had chosen this moment to visit precisely to avoid Hu Buwei. Could this fellow want me to do something for him? Taking a roundabout route to save the nation? If he wants a favor, there's bound to be something in it for me. Heh, no harm in seeing what gifts he's brought.
After considering it, Hu Xiaotian said, "Invite him to the Lotus-Viewing Pavilion for a chat!"
The Lotus-Viewing Pavilion was an octagonal pavilion beside the pond in the rear courtyard of the minister's residence. Green grass spread like a carpet all around it, willows trailed gracefully, and orioles and swallows sang. The tender green lotus leaves had not yet fully unfurled. Still curled, they swayed gently in the breeze. Their fragrance mingled with the cool moisture from the pond, seeping into the heart and lungs and lifting the spirits. Quite apart from anything else, this rear courtyard alone was much larger than the communal garden in his former residential complex.
Xu Zhengying was forty-three that year and held the Principal Fourth Rank. He stood seven chi tall and was slightly plump. Today, he wore gray informal clothes, with a servant in a blue-green outfit and a small cap following behind. In those days, one could scarcely show one's face outside without a retainer or two.
Seeing Xu Zhengying approach, Hu Xiaotian rose to greet him and offered a clasped-hands bow from a distance. Xu Zhengying was his father's colleague, after all, and the basic courtesies still had to be observed. "Greetings, Uncle Xu. Please forgive your nephew for failing to come farther out to welcome you." The fellow looked quite well-behaved, and every movement radiated politeness.
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