Yuan Shen sighed.
Before the Crown Prince's Residence's Chief Secretary Cui Yan had even finished half a cup of tea, the private room was still filled with the lingering scent of perfumed clothes, which was cloying.
The teacup on the table had long since gone cold, with a ring of light-colored tea foam floating around the rim.
Yuan Shen reached out and touched it, then withdrew his hand.
The ditch south of the city collapsed, and no one dared to enter the gates of the Jingzhao Prefecture.
Refugees froze to death in Shun'an Lane, and no one asked whether the Jingzhao Prefecture was short of silver.
The night patrol officers hadn't received their full pay for two months, and neither the Crown Prince's Residence's nor the Second Prince's Residence had uttered a single polite word.
Now that the Dragon Abyss Martial Arts School has become associated with the Prince Yi's Residence, they are reminded that the Prefect of the Capital is surnamed Yuan.
The waiter knocked lightly on the door.
"Grown ups."
Yuan Shen folded the paper Cui Yan had left behind and tucked it into his sleeve.
What is it?
The waiter answered through the door, " His Prince Yi has arrived."
Yuan Shen's hand stopped at his sleeve.
The Crown Prince's Residence had barely left the residence when Prince Yi arrived.
This Clear River Teahouse is really lively tonight.
Gu Moran's voice came from outside the door.
"Lord Yuan, drinking cold tea at night is bad for your stomach. I brought some warm tea instead."
Yuan Shen glanced at the cold tea on the table.
Prince Yi arrived at the perfect time.
It was so accurate it was unsettling.
"Please come in, Your Highness."
The door was pushed open.
Gu Moran were damp with rain.
Uncle Fu followed behind, put down the teapot, and stepped back to the door.
Yuan Shen rose and bowed.
"Your subject greets His Highness Prince Yi."
Gu Moran his hand.
Don't bow; bowing will delay your fortune.
Yuan Shen looked up.
"Your Highness is joking."
Gu Moran sat down opposite him and placed the teapot on the table.
"Does Lord Yuan think I'm here to tell a joke?"
Hot tea was poured into a cup, and steam rose upwards, the aroma of tea overpowering the lavender smell in the room.
Yuan Shen did not touch it.
"If Your Highness sees me late at night and this gets reported to the Censorate, I fear I will face another accusation tomorrow."
Gu Moran pushed the teacup over.
"If the censor knew that Lord Yuan had just met with the Chief Secretary of the Crown Prince's Residence's Palace, his memorial would be even more brilliant."
Yuan Shen's hand, which was holding a teacup, froze in mid-air.
He looked at Gu Moran, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Is Your Highness threatening me?"
Gu Moran leaned back in his chair and glanced at the bulging corner of the paper on his sleeve.
"I will not threaten poor officials."
Yuan Shen's face darkened.
"The poverty of Jingzhao Prefecture does not mean that I am spineless."
"That's perfect. I only talk business with tough guys."
Gu Moran pointed to his cuff.
"I know what's written on that piece of paper Cui Yan gave you without even looking at it."
Yuan Shen did not answer.
Rain dripped from the eaves outside the window, falling onto the bluestone slabs with a series of soft sounds.
Gu Moran said, " The Crown Prince's Residence wants you to submit a memorial tomorrow morning, accusing me of privately funding the Dragon Abyss Martial Arts School and gathering people to practice martial arts, which is suspected of being the raising of a private army."
Yuan Shen put down his teacup.
"I have not yet agreed."
"I didn't refuse."
Yuan Shen stared at him.
"I am the Prefect of the Capital. The people from the Crown Prince's Residence are standing before me; I cannot drive them away."
Gu Moran nodded.
That's absolutely true.
Yuan Shen's prepared rebuttals suddenly lost their footing.
Gu Moran didn't force him to make a statement. Instead, she took out a map from her sleeve and spread it on the table.
The paper was damp; it was only flattened when pressed under the teacup.
Shun'an Lane, Bitter Water Lane, Black Shed Street.
His finger touched three spots.
"Of the three poor neighborhoods, Lord Yuan is more familiar with them than I am."
Yuan Shen's gaze fell on the map.
His fingertip paused for a moment beside the narrow lane in Bitter Water Lane.
Last winter, seven people died there in one night.
When the straw mats were carried out, the smell of coal smoke, mold, and the stench of death mingled together, causing the accompanying scribe to vomit halfway through the journey.
When the imperial court allocated funds, the imperial city was repaired first, followed by the east and west markets, and then the main streets of each neighborhood.
When it was Chengnan's turn, the silver was gone.
Gu Moran only spoke after seeing Yuan Shen's hand stop.
"I will provide 20,000 taels of silver to help you govern the south of the city."
Yuan Shen raised his eyes.
"How many?"
"Twenty thousand taels."
Yuan Shen neither touched the tea nor the map.
"Your Highness wishes to purchase the Jingzhao Prefecture?"
Gu Moran looked at him.
"Lord Yuan, don't underestimate yourself. Twenty thousand taels can't buy the Jingzhao Prefecture; it can only save a few lives in the south of the city."
Yuan Shen's throat moved, but he didn't reply.
Twenty thousand taels.
If the accountant of the Jingzhao Prefecture heard these three words, he would crawl out of bed right now and kowtow to Prince Yi.
But the money wasn't free.
The prince's money was even hotter.
Gu Moran noticed his hesitation and pointed her finger back to Shun'an Lane.
" Dragon Abyss Martial Arts School is also under your jurisdiction."
Yuan Shen looked up and frowned.
"Does Your Highness intend to transform this private martial arts school into an official establishment?"
"Right."
Gu Moran admitted it readily, while Yuan Shen's half-spoken words stuck in his throat.
Gu Moran said, "The martial arts school will be renamed ' South City Martial Workshop.' It will be registered with the Jingzhao Prefecture, and Chang'an County will send people to supervise its operation."
His fingertips pressed against the edge of the map.
"Apprentices must be registered and are forbidden from concealing weapons. Their daily training includes physical fitness, carrying loads, fire prevention, and night patrols. In the event of floods or fires, they must assist the government in transporting grain, sealing off streets, and rescuing people."
Yuan Shen did not interrupt.
Gu Moran continued, "The free clinic will also be incorporated into it, and converted into the South City Emergency Relief Shelter. The martial arts shed will manage disorder, and the pharmacy will manage illness."
He placed a silver note on the map.
"The silver was donated from the people and recorded in the accounts of the Jingzhao Prefecture. The official silver notes of the Prince's Mansion are verifiable with the seal. If you are not at ease, you can have the Ministry of Revenue send someone to inspect the accounts."
Yuan Shen looked at the silver note but did not reach for it.
"Your Highness donated silver but didn't claim credit?"
"I'm handing the silver over to you. I don't care who gets the credit."
Yuan Shen curled his fingertips slightly.
"Your Highness... do you intend to give the credit to...?"
"The credit belongs to the Jingzhao Prefecture, to Chang'an County, and to Father Emperor."
Gu Moran picked up the teacup and took a sip.
"I will only bear a ridiculous reputation."
Yuan Shen fell silent.
If we accept, the Crown Prince's Residence will be unhappy.
If we don't accept it, the memorial will be submitted tomorrow morning, making things difficult for Prince Yi's Residence, and the Jingzhao Prefecture will not escape either.
Within its jurisdiction, there were private martial arts schools where people gathered to practice martial arts, a fact that the Jingzhao Prefecture failed to oversee.
The Crown Prince's Residence's residence impeached Prince Yi, but when the rod fell, Yuan Shen couldn't escape either.
He took a sip of hot tea.
The tea was so hot it made my tongue numb, and I felt a little more awake.
"How would Your Highness prefer me to write this memorial?"
Gu Moran smiled.
"Consult me first."
Yuan Shen looked at him.
Gu Moran put down the teacup.
The first paragraph of the memorial stated that the Prince Yi's Residence acted absurdly, secretly funding private martial arts schools, which was unbecoming of its status.
Yuan Shen's brow twitched.
Gu Moran continued, "The second paragraph states that Prince Yi acknowledges his mistake and is willing to correct it. I believe that it is better to guide than to suppress. Rather than allowing the poor boys to gather in private, it would be better to take them under the purview of the government and register them for management."
He pointed to the map.
"Trial implementation for three months. If effective, it can reduce fighting in the south of the city, increase night patrols, and provide shelter for displaced people."
Yuan Shen slowly put down his teacup.
This memorial can be written.
When questioned by the Crown Prince's Residence, he admitted to impeaching Prince Yi.
The emperor wouldn't just see " Prince Yi's Residence's private martial arts school," he would also see " the Jingzhao Prefecture's reorganization of the southern part of the city."
Even more critically, if this matter is accomplished, anyone who continues to press the issue will be seen as unwilling to allow the south of the city to remain peaceful.
Yuan Shen asked, "What about Cao Jin, the Chang'an County?"
Gu Moran glanced outside the door.
"Judging by the time, he should be here soon."
Just as Yuan Shen was about to speak, footsteps sounded on the stairs.
The person walked in a hurry, kicking up wet mud from the soles of their boots.
The door was pushed open.
Cao Jin stood at the doorway, rain dripping from his official boots onto the floor. Before he even looked up, he began to chatter on and on.
"Lord Yuan, His Prince Yi truly has remarkable skills."
"I just received an anonymous letter denouncing him, and I was on my way to your residence when His Highness's men stopped me halfway, saying you were in this teahouse."
"How interesting, Your Highness, are you treating the Chang'an County Yamen like your own gatekeeper?"
Yuan Shen coughed.
Cao Jin looked up at Yuan Shen, and also saw Gu Moran and the map and silver notes on the table.
The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
"Um... His Prince Yi is here too. This humble subject greets His Prince Yi."
Yuan Shen laughed out loud, "Alright, come over here."
Cao Jin shrank back.
Gu Moran poured him a cup of tea.
"My lords, let's speak frankly. The Crown Prince wants you to impeach me, while the Second Prince wants to see me get into trouble. You're caught in the middle, and it's not a good situation for you either."
Cao Jin then sat down.
The teacup was right beside me, so I tentatively asked.
"Your Highness wants to save us?"
Gu Moran shook his head. "I want you to save me."
Cao Jin frowned.
Gu Moran turned the map towards him.
"If the Dragon Abyss Martial Arts School is implicated as a private army, and there are private armies gathered within the jurisdiction of Chang'an County, Lord Cao, guess who the Censorate will impeach in their first and second memorials?"
Cao Jin remained silent.
His gaze fell on the Black Shed Street.
Last month, a child stole steamed buns and had two ribs broken by the stall owner.
The child's mother knelt at the entrance of the county government office, saying that she hadn't stolen anything, but was too hungry to do anything else.
Cao Jin released the man but paid sixteen coins in compensation.
The next day, someone from the Censorate accused him of aiding and abetting thieves.
He's held onto that anger until now.
Gu Moran said, "If this place were transformed into the South City Martial Workshop, and this area were reorganized, the refugees would have work to do, and they would receive money and meals for their work."
Fights have naturally decreased in Shun'an Lane, and there are even patrols at night. You two have done a great job in managing the area.