From the end of the previous year into the beginning of the next, the Great Yong court had handled quite a few major cases, including problems with granaries across the realm and struggles between political factions.
Meanwhile, disaster relief in distant Lingdong Circuit and Hexi Circuit seemed to have been pushed to the margins. Whether the Court Assembly was arguing or assigning blame, it rarely made a point of discussing relief efforts in the Two Circuits.
Yet the situation there could hardly be considered a minor matter on the fringes. Chu Hang was still there, after all.
In a great mansion in Heaven-Bearing Prefecture, Tan Yuanshang, who had spent the New Year there alone, was far less at ease than he had been in the past, especially as early summer drew near.
Though he was still reclining in a chair and basking in the sun, Tan Yuanshang had accomplished a great deal over the past six months, from the previous year until now. He had dealt with private commercial affairs and even, on rare occasions, reached into the affairs of the court.
Just then, a servant hurried over. Before he even reached Tan Yuanshang, he was already calling out in a lowered voice.
"Master, Master, terrible news! Vice Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Personnel has been imprisoned too!"
"I see."
Tan Yuanshang nodded from his chair. Lately, many officials had been imprisoned for all manner of reasons. The factional struggles within and beyond the court were truly merciless.
The factions should have held one another in check, with the emperor standing above his ministers as a third party. But the reigning emperor had clearly thrown his support behind one side, leaving the other unable to contend with it.
Perhaps they could still have fought back, but Chu Hang, the