Chapter 37: A Handshake, A Truce

He had only just told Wu An to make more useful friends, and yet, the man had turned right around and ended up in the same bed as this Chief Clerk Zhou.

Di Renjie admired such decisiveness. However, in his impression, this ninth-rank minor official named Zhou Xing did not seem to possess any outstanding talent.

With a profound reminder, he said, "There are hundreds of thousands of households in Chang'an, and countless young talents. It is infinitely more prosperous than a desolate place like Hexi. Commandant Wu, do be careful not to be dazzled by the moment."

Among the young talents of the Tang, setting aside the mutual flattery used to boost one another's reputations, most did indeed have their own specialties. For instance, Commandant Wu An, who had recently risen to fame in Chang'an, was hailed as a "God of Slaughter," a name capable of stopping children from crying at night.

Wu An understood the implication of Di Renjie’s warning, but he shook his head and replied calmly, "The Imperial Court was able to mobilize 180,000 men to fight for Hexi; I have seen no shortage of heroes in the army."

"A well-answered reply." Di Renjie praised him. As he led Wu An forward, he smiled and asked, "When the Empress spoke to me about you, she said you were uneducated. I didn't expect you to be so sensible. Can you tell me... why do you serve as an official?"

"I, simply to settle a personal vendetta, then marry a few beautiful wives, have children in the future, and enjoy a lifetime of wealth and status."

Di Renjie shook his head, seemingly dissatisfied. "Not changing a single word?"

"Not a single word."

"But others would say they serve as officials for the sake of the world’s livelihood, to serve the Imperial Court, and to seek welfare for the common people."

"That is because they are base; they say one thing and do another," Wu An said without hesitation.

"And what about you?"

"I want to vent my hatred and enjoy my vengeance, achieve fame and success, and have a beautiful wife by my side," Wu An said guilelessly.

Di Renjie’s footsteps faltered. He looked at the various doors within the government office, his gaze deepening.

"Then from this moment on, you must strive hard."

"There is nothing wrong with wanting many things, but once you obtain them, you will inevitably begin to crave other things as well."

"Wanting more beautiful wives?"

Di Renjie took a deep breath. If he had initially thought this Commandant Wu was playing the fool, he was now somewhat certain that the man beside him was truly a complete simpleton.

"Do you know what is happening inside?"

"This subordinate has heard a little."

"They are interrogating the families of Xue Zhen and Hao Chujun, forcing them to spit out more information to facilitate the Court’s sentencing."

Di Renjie said blandly, "However, even now, there are people who want to protect them and refuse to let the Dali Temple use torture."

Having said this, he glanced at Wu An. "If these people are unwilling to provide a confession, then your business will be delayed again and again, or perhaps even..."

Wu An understood the implication and asked in return, "So, we must find a way to interrogate them?"

"Remember that noble lady I first met with you? It is the same today. You cannot use torture at will; you can only question them, and yet you must make those families of the disgraced officials provide a satisfactory confession."

This was nearly impossible.

However, Wu An still said, "This subordinate recently met a friend who is extremely familiar with the laws of the Great Tang. He also has quite an insight into the interrogation of prisoners."

"It wouldn't be that Chief Clerk Zhou, would it?" Di Renjie laughed.

"Coincidentally, it is."

"But letting a minor clerk from one of the Six Ministries participate in a Dali Temple interrogation is not exactly according to protocol."

"This subordinate guarantees that if Zhou Xing is allowed to interrogate them, there is an eighty percent chance we will get a result."

It was still a few years before Zhou Xing would rise to power in history, but his experience was already sufficient; this period of time undoubtedly deepened his jealousy and many negative psychological traits, allowing him to commit numerous atrocities later without any psychological burden. Wu An did not understand Zhou Xing; he only understood his desperate desire to climb the ladder.

"Today’s matter is not just important to you... however, it is not too difficult a task. I imagine it is merely a matter of going through the motions. I have my own grasp on the situation." Di Renjie said casually. "Since you intend to befriend that Chief Clerk Zhou, you might as well use this opportunity to see what kind of person he really is."

...

"Ah, me?"

Zhou Xing looked with some astonishment at the Dali Temple clerk before him. The latter’s official rank was only slightly higher than his own, yet his attitude was exceptionally arrogant. He grunted and turned to leave.

Zhou Xing hesitated for a moment, then chose to get up and follow. Once the clerk led him into a side room, he saw Di Renjie, Wu An, and the others. Seeing Wu An, his heart finally settled.

Di Renjie did not say much, merely nodding slightly at him, then adjusted his official robes and led everyone to depart. The Dali Temple had never seen such an absurd procedure—the main culprits of the case had already been executed, and the officials in charge of the investigation had to rack their brains to reasonably convict them, neither offending the dignity of the Imperial Court nor the friends and relatives of the deceased officials.

If one were to say the officialdom was entirely cold and heartless, that would not necessarily be true; the living always had to maintain appearances to save face. Even a casual word of intercession could sound like a lion's roar to those below.

...

The Dali Temple officials in charge of the interrogation were still discussing with furrowed brows when someone shouted from outside, "Lord Di is here!"

Everyone looked up abruptly. Di Renjie’s ability was not just reflected in his successful resolution of over 17,000 cases in a year; the most commendable part was that his results were almost flawless.

The officials came out to welcome him, exchanging pleasantries at the door. Di Renjie introduced Wu An and Zhou Xing, but the Dali Temple officials showed little interest in them. One was a nobody, and the other was a man who had greatly increased their workload; it was a wonder they gave them any decent looks at all.

"Lord Di," one official whispered. "Lord Wei and others have either come personally or sent people to provide clothing and food to the families of those disgraced officials."

Although those ministers had not spoken up for the families in prison, this gesture had already indicated their stance.

"Let’s go take a look." Di Renjie said.

A clerk immediately took the lead, walking through the office and guiding the group into the dungeons of the Dali Temple. A dark, damp, and moldy smell rushed toward them. The dim environment made it impossible to distinguish between day and night. Some prisoners would be locked here for just a few days, and even without torture, their spirits would crumble, and they would beg to say anything just to be free. Even if it meant going out to face death, it was a hundred times better than rotting in this hellhole.

The clerk held a torch and stopped before several cells, whispering the details of each prisoner to Di Renjie. Wu An followed behind, listening silently. He knew very well that the only reason these prisoners were keeping the Dali Temple staff in such a state of agitation was that someone had forbidden them from revealing information, likely having made substantial promises.

Many of the families of the disgraced officials in the cells likely knew that their patriarchs were already dead, and they knew who had killed them. Therefore, whether out of hatred or for the sake of their future survival, they could not let their guard down. Aside from this, there were those who truly knew nothing, and since the government had not tortured them, they couldn't even write a confession.

*You have questioned me for three days and three nights, asking if I plead guilty... well, tell me what crime I should plead guilty to!*

Di Renjie’s expression was solemn as he looked at each of those curled up in the cells, then ordered the "court" to be held. But Wu An noticed that his complexion had become somewhat unpleasant.

Several high-ranking families of the disgraced officials were brought into the hall. A Dali Temple official leaned in toward Di Renjie and whispered, "Lord Di, is there any way to make them speak?"

"We surely cannot force a confession through torture, can we?"

Di Renjie countered. The official froze; the answer clearly carried a sense of helplessness.

Wu An stood by, watching Di Renjie in silence. The latter was constantly fiddling with a jade pendant, his mind clearly in turmoil—torture was forbidden, only interrogation was allowed, and before this, the prisoners had been given time to collude and communicate with the outside world. It would be a miracle if they could get any results this way.

Wu An glanced at Zhou Xing standing beside him. The latter was also frowning slightly. Meeting Wu An’s gaze, he thought for a moment and whispered, "Commandant Wu, with these vermin in the Dali Temple doing the questioning, how could they possibly get any results?"

As if in response to his words, a Dali Temple official, seeing that the prisoners were still huddled and unwilling to answer honestly, shouted, "The one sitting here is the Investigating Censor, Lord Di, specifically ordered by the Son of Heaven to interrogate you. You are not to conceal anything!"

Just then, among the prisoners in the hall, someone suddenly shouted loudly, "Lord Di, this lowly one has a grievance! My family is innocent!"

Immediately, those prisoners cried out in unison that they were wronged. Some even stepped forward, kneeling before Di Renjie, weeping bitterly and begging him to decide their case.

Although Di Renjie was not startled by the scene, he frowned slightly as he sat there, thinking about how to handle it. A moment later, he raised his hand to stop the Dali Temple officials who wanted to shout back on his behalf. He slowly stood up and said loudly to the prisoners:

"This official is ordered by the Son of Heaven to investigate the case. Since you claim to be wronged, this official will certainly investigate the case reasonably according to your statements."

The way he said this made it sound as if Di Renjie had been cornered by their cries of grievance and was forced to say a few polite phrases before continuing the interrogation.

But the next moment, Di Renjie pointed to Wu An, who was sitting to the side, and said:

"This is the Zhaochong Commandant Wu An, who was previously ordered to confiscate the Xue and Hao residences. Now, tell him your grievances, let him record them, and they will be presented to the Imperial Court."

The hall suddenly went quiet. The prisoners were stunned, looking up at the cold-faced young man in black. A chill rose sharply in their hearts.

If, when they first saw Di Renjie, they thought: *Oh, he’s here?*

When they saw the name and identity of the young man in black sitting beside him, their thoughts changed to: *How is he here too?*

Someone looked with disbelief at Di Renjie—who had an excellent reputation and was quite famous even among the common people—and then at the young man in black beside him, almost screaming:

"This lowly one pleads guilty!"

...

"They just pleaded guilty like that?"

"Yes."

Pei Yun’s lips twitched, clearly wanting to smile. The pretty widow's face brightened, like the sky after the clouds have dispersed—pure and refreshing to behold.

Wu An took out the item the Empress had asked him to deliver earlier; this was his ostensible purpose for visiting. Pei Yun accepted the item and thanked him. She then rose herself, scooped tea from the tea pot into a bowl, and knelt by the table, holding the bowl out to Wu An.

"Commandant Wu, please."

"Lady Pei, there is no need for such formality. This subordinate is a few years younger than you. If you don't mind, you may call me younger brother."

Pei Yun was slightly startled. Seeing the calm and composed look on Wu An's handsome face—which seemed to lack any intent of teasing—she smiled and nodded, saying earnestly:

"Little brother."

"If Sister Pei is free at home, you are welcome to visit my Duke's mansion."

"We shall see in the future."

Although Pei Yun had long known the Empress's intentions and was no longer wearing mourning clothes, some things had been blocked for so long that when they suddenly disappeared, it was truly difficult to adapt. For now, the young man before her did not annoy her, but as for marriage, she would have to wait and see.

"Also..." Pei Yun coughed lightly and suddenly said, "I heard from my father that many in the Court cannot stand your actions and are planning to submit memorials to have you killed."

Her gentle, water-like eyes finally rippled, reflecting the young man's indifferent face. Pei Yun’s delicate brows immediately knit together.

"You must be cautious in your words and actions."

Even Pei Yun did not realize that her tone had become much more serious this time. She then added, "I heard that Hexi is a place of bitter cold. You have already suffered enough there. It is your good fortune to have luckily returned to Chang'an; you should cherish it."

Pei Yun, who had been pampered since childhood, still possessed the innocent, naive heart of a young girl despite the charm of a mature woman.

Wu An shook his head slightly. "This younger brother has never actively offended anyone. Do you believe me, Sister?"

Pei Yun sighed softly. She was sensitive in some respects and could detect the slight resistance in the young man's words.

"Of course I believe you," she said. "I just think you are a very kind person. As long as you serve the Empress well, she will not treat you unfairly. You don't need to do those other things. As long as you endure until a certain age, the Court will naturally place you in the position you deserve."

"Is that so? This younger brother understands."

Both were silent for a while, then simultaneously reached to scoop tea to ease the awkwardness, causing their hands to touch. Pei Yun’s small hand was very soft, making Wu An忍不住 (couldn't help but) tighten his grip. The calluses on his hand rubbed against her delicate skin, and a blush began to rise on the widow's pretty face.

...

"It is rare to see such a beautiful sunset in this winter. I am suddenly struck by the urge to write a poem."

On the official road outside Chang'an, the figures of cavalry appeared from the deepening twilight. Behind them, countless banners whistled, as if an invisible, arrogant wind had been whipped up. The armor they wore cast startling cold glints in the sunset, and their sturdy warhorses neighed against the cold wind blowing past their ears.

In the procession, an old man lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the city of Chang'an before him, sighing with heartfelt emotion. However, before he could admire it for long, he suddenly clutched his shoulder, his face contorted in pain, and he sank back into the carriage.

Remembering the soldier who had shot an arrow at him in the woods that day, a flash of anger crossed the old man's face. He took a deep breath, gently rubbing the wound through his clothes.

Just then, his aide lifted the carriage curtain from outside to bring him brush and ink. Seeing the old man enduring the pain, he was startled and quickly scrambled into the carriage to support him.

"Lord Li, are you alright?"

"It is nothing..." The old man let out a turbid breath and smiled faintly. "I am merely enduring some pain. During the days that brat has been in Chang'an, he has sought help everywhere to no avail and actually came up with the idea of appealing directly to the Emperor... The suffering he has endured must be a hundred times my own. Thinking of this, the pain in my shoulder feels much lighter."

He looked at the aide and said to himself, "I will enter the palace to see the Emperor tomorrow."

"You are going to..."

"Heh, isn't it said that the brat is the nephew of the Empress?" The old man laughed mockingly. "As long as he knows what is good for him, why shouldn't I give him a chance to make peace when the time comes?"