Zhang Jing had turned the four districts of Luoyang upside down, but still came up empty-handed. He had found a pile of miscellaneous seals, but not one bore even the slightest resemblance to the imperial seal.
Dawn had already broken, and there were still more than two hours until noon. Although the Emperor’s wager with Ugly Wang was for three days, Zhang Jing only had two days. Looking at the group of helpless officers, Zhang Jing grew increasingly furious. “The Luoyang officers are truly impressive – they can’t even find things in their own territory. Fine, you’re all truly remarkable. I’m just a minor clerk from the Ministry of Punishments. Thanks to all of you, after noon today, I won’t even be a minor clerk anymore – just a commoner. I have no other abilities, and in this lifetime I’ll probably only have one chance to face His Majesty and confess my failings. I have no complaints about that, but don’t expect me to say a single good word for any of you or for Luoyang!”
Zhang Jing was truly furious. Among the Luoyang officers were quite a few of his friends with whom he had close relations, yet at this crucial moment, he couldn’t get their help. Unfortunately, he hadn’t had time to deploy his trusted associates from the Capital – otherwise, he could have dug up the entirety of Luoyang.
When the Ministry of Punishment official flew into a rage, everyone fell silent, not daring to speak up in defense.
Zhang Jing was at his wit’s end. After all, Luoyang wasn’t his territory, so many ruthless methods were unavailable to him, and he had so little time left. He couldn’t help but feel resentment toward the Emperor: since he had been ordered to retrieve the imperial seal, he should have been given corresponding authority. Instead, the Emperor had casually uttered a few words, making him search for a needle in a haystack…
Zhang Jing forcibly drove away these thoughts. Before noon, he still had to go face the Emperor, and if he revealed even the slightest dissatisfaction, his fate would be worse than just dismissal.
Zhang Jing waved his hand, ordering the officers to disperse. With the little time remaining, he had to think of other methods. Ugly Wang wasn’t the only pugilist in Luoyang…
Zhang Jing turned around and saw an old officer following behind him, with a half-smile on his face, as if he had something to say.
“Is there something?” Zhang Jing said stiffly, unable to recall the man’s name.
The old officer smiled. “Does Lord Zhang still wish to continue searching for the imperial seal?”Zhang Jing’s heart stirred, and his tone immediately softened. He cupped his hands. “Forgive me, but you are…”
“Just an officer from Luoyang who has had the honor of serving Lord Zhang. My humble name isn’t worth mentioning. I have an idea that might allow you to safely weather this crisis.”
“I would be glad to hear your wise counsel.”
“Lord Zhang will need to seek help from others next, won’t you?”
“Of course. The deadline hasn’t arrived yet, so I can’t just give up like this.”
“May I boldly ask whom Lord Zhang intends to seek out?”
“A few local friends.” Zhang Jing spoke vaguely.
“Hmm, has Master Zhang considered that Ugly Wang leads the pugilists of Luoyang? Rather than seeking help from others, why not go directly to see Ugly Wang himself?”
“Ugly Wang is the one who made the wager with His Majesty!”
“That’s right, the wager was between His Majesty and Ugly Wang, not you.”
Zhang Jing was first stunned, then suddenly understood. His attitude toward the old officer became increasingly respectful. “How should I call on him? What gifts should I bring?”
The old officer chuckled. “Although Lord Zhang serves as an official at court, you come from the Tan family and could be considered half a member of the pugilist world. Why do you have no understanding of Ugly Wang? You don’t need to bring anything – go empty-handed and appear as miserable as possible.”
Zhang Jing pondered for a moment. “I’m afraid that after His Majesty learns of this matter, he’ll think I have treasonous intentions.”
“Which is more important – the imperial seal or ‘treasonous intentions’? His Majesty’s impression of you be slowly changed, but without the imperial seal, nothing else matters.”
Zhang Jing bowed deeply to the ground. “Thank you for your guidance, elder. I will remember this kindness in my heart.”
Half an hour later, Zhang Jing visited Ugly Wang at his residence in an ordinary alley in the eastern district of Luoyang. They didn’t talk for long before he quickly took his leave, his expression serious and seemingly unhappy. Rumors spread among the people that the official from the Capital had tried to force Ugly Wang to hand over the imperial seal but had failed.
In the military camp, Han Ruzi saw off Fang Daye. The old general was quite familiar with Qi territory and wasn’t worried about this battle. What still concerned him was the northern frontier. “If the Xiongnu continue attacking Shattered Iron City, their intention is revenge – just defend and hold, no need for major military action. But if they attack Mayi City, they must have grand ambitions to invade south. Your Majesty must be careful in response and not rashly take risks.”
Han Ruzi thanked the old general, and after returning to his tent, he immediately summoned local officials including Henan Prefect Han Chou. He would also depart for battle early the day after tomorrow and hoped to resolve the grain distribution matter before leaving.
The Luoyang officials became increasingly respectful before the Emperor. Even when ordered to rise, they all remained kneeling. Han Chou completely disregarded his status as the Emperor’s uncle, kneeling at the front of the officials and reporting on the situation of grain distribution from private granaries.
The situation appeared excellent. The Emperor’s personal request had received widespread response. In just one day, the grain promised by Luoyang merchants was already comparable to that in the official granaries, and there would be even more to come. According to Han Chou’s rough estimate, the final amount would be at least three times that of the official granaries.
“Your Majesty’s grace is boundless, and the people are blessed. The merchants of Luoyang are deeply moved. They all say that distributing grain to help the common people while serving the imperial court is truly a wonderful deed. Being able to share Your Majesty’s burdens is the greatest honor of their lives…”
Reporting the numbers took only a brief moment, while singing praises took several times longer. Han Chou finally said: “Your humble servant dares to take the initiative and made some promises to the Luoyang merchants, allowing them more convenience when they pass through the gates to enter the Capital in the future, as a small compensation for opening their granaries to distribute grain.”
Han Ruzi had grown tired of listening and nodded. “Very good. We cannot let the Luoyang merchants suffer losses for nothing. Whatever requests they have, report them to Vice Minister Liu of the Ministry of Revenue and write a memorial to Us.”
Led by Han Chou, all the Luoyang officials shouted “Long live!” and then withdrew.
With still some time before noon, Han Ruzi summoned the capital officials who had accompanied him and appointed the scholar Qu Zixi as Censor of Henan Prefecture, specifically to supervise the grain distribution. This was a temporary appointment – the so-called Censor of Henan Prefecture didn’t even have an official seal, with the sole privilege of being able to write memorials directly to the Emperor.
Things were proceeding too smoothly, which actually made Han Ruzi somewhat worried, so he wanted to leave someone behind to supervise Luoyang.
Shortly after noon, Han Ruzi summoned Zhang Jing.
Zhang Jing prostrated himself on the ground, his hands empty, clearly having failed to retrieve the imperial seal. Han Ruzi was not surprised and even felt somewhat relieved – the judicial officials were not as omnipotent as he had imagined after all, though Zhang Jing’s career at the Ministry of Punishments had reached its end.
“Where is the imperial seal?” Han Ruzi still asked normally.
“Your humble servant is incompetent and failed to find the imperial seal in time. Please punish me, Your Majesty.”
“Since you made a pledge, there’s nothing more to say. Step down and make way for someone more capable.”
“Your humble servant dares not cling to position, but having worked so hard until now, I have found leads regarding the seal. I hope Your Majesty will grant me half a day’s extension so I may retrieve the imperial seal to repay Your Majesty’s grace, and thus have no regrets in my heart.”
Han Ruzi stared at Zhang Jing for a while. “You have only until midnight tonight.”
Zhang Jing kowtowed in gratitude and hurriedly withdrew.
Prince Donghai stood beside the Emperor. After Zhang Jing left the tent, he said: “He seems quite confident.”
Han Ruzi had noticed this too. “Can you imagine? An emperor spends more than half his time having to match wits with his officials.”
Prince Donghai chuckled dryly.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
“Then I’ll speak. Has Your Majesty ever considered that perhaps it’s Your Majesty who is in error, not the officials?”
Han Ruzi glanced at Prince Donghai. “It seems you really do have something to say.”
“Hehe, since Your Majesty asked me to speak, how dare I keep anything private? My mother once told me…” Prince Donghai’s expression darkened momentarily, then quickly returned to normal. “No, it was actually Luo Huanzhang who said it. He said: Although the Emperor is the supreme ruler of all under Heaven, there are still things he cannot do. For instance, the Emperor surely cannot personally teach people how to farm, right? Therefore, rulers have their virtues, ministers have their responsibilities, and the people have their roles. Each should remain in their proper position for the realm to be at peace. If any party oversteps, troubles will inevitably follow.”
This indeed sounded like a scholar’s view. Han Ruzi said: “You’re saying I’ve overstepped my bounds?”
“The Emperor does have the right to do so, doesn’t he?” Prince Donghai refused to speak definitively, but that was exactly what he meant.
“You used to always talk about what you would do when you became emperor – wasn’t that overstepping?”
Prince Donghai looked embarrassed. “Your Majesty remembers so clearly. Allow me to boldly say that none of that counts as overstepping. An emperor may build palaces, take many beautiful women, live in luxury and excess, seek revenge and settle grudges… As long as it’s for his own satisfaction, it’s not overstepping. Beyond that, warfare is the generals’ business, governing the realm is the civil officials’ business. Yet Your Majesty wants to personally handle everything. The civil and military officials don’t know what to do with themselves, so naturally they appear somewhat clumsy.”
“Are you telling me to be a foolish or imbecilic ruler?”
“I never said that!” Prince Donghai’s eyes widened, then he smiled. “I’m suggesting Your Majesty be a ruler of non-action, a carefree emperor, a supreme sovereign.”
Han Ruzi thought for a while. “You’re not wrong.”
“Your Majesty has understood?”
“There’s just one problem. Your non-action, carefree ways, and supreme sovereignty only work for emperors during peaceful times. Now the realm is in distress, with constant internal troubles and external threats. If one official practices non-action, the people of one region suffer harm. If the emperor practices non-action, then Great Chu would be in danger.”
“I was just speaking casually. Your Majesty was born to toil. Even if the realm were at peace, you might not necessarily be able to remain leisurely and content in the palace.”
“This isn’t just casual talk. Your words make great sense. At least the officials think the same way you do, which is why Han Chou would send me wine, women, and treasures.”
Han Ruzi had refused to attend banquets, and all the beautiful women sent to him had been returned. But Han Chou hadn’t given up on trying to please the emperor because of this. Various rare treasures and curiosities were sent continuously in an endless stream, almost emptying the marquis’s mansion. They were now piled up in nearby tents, with Han Ruzi keeping none of them by his side.
“Even Ugly Wang thinks the same way you do. He once said ‘lions and tigers cannot catch flying birds, hawks and falcons cannot capture underground mice,’ which was his way of telling me to stay away from the pugilist world.”
“Ugly Wang is too arrogant. Your Majesty can treat it as a personal grudge to be settled. That way it wouldn’t count as overstepping.”
“In any case, I insist on ‘overstepping’.”
Prince Donghai smiled without speaking. He wanted to be emperor, but he didn’t want to be the kind of emperor Han Ruzi was.
This day passed quickly. News came from the east that Donghai had indeed recruited large numbers of soldiers from idle boatmen, but these people were not the main force. “Shang-guan Sheng” had other armies assisting him, though their specific origins were still unknown to anyone.
Two quarters of an hour before midnight, Zhang Jing came to see the emperor, still empty-handed, but he declared with complete confidence: “Before midnight, the imperial seal will definitely be back in Your Majesty’s hands.”
Zhang Jing felt uneasy in his heart, but could only steel himself to carry on. He would rather risk execution than return home to farm.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait too long. About a quarter of an hour later, the imperial seal really did return, though the one who brought it was not Ugly Wang.
Guard Wang He held the imperial seal and walked into the tent in a daze, looking even more surprised than the emperor.
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