Chapter 39: Where Wei Xiao Went

Li Leqi smiled warmly and probed nonchalantly, "Where does Guard Ma reside? If your funds are insufficient, you can draw more from the mine."

"Many thanks, Steward Li. It is a trivial matter that I can handle myself."

As the thin mist dissipated, sunlight fell generously upon the mining site. Wei Xiao’s tall, straight figure grew smaller and smaller. Li Leqi and Shen Jifeng, who was in the duty room, watched him leave with different thoughts. The former mused that this man had too many suspicious traits, and it was better that he was gone. The latter thought, "Leaving without a word, lacking loyalty—one day I will make him make up for the twelve days he owes!"

Fifteen waited early in the morning on the road a mile away from the mine. Wei Xiao’s steed, Shadow, having not seen its master for days, shook its hooves and snorted happily. Wei Xiao patted Shadow’s head, vaulted onto its back, and with a long neigh, the horse carried him straight toward the capital, Bianjing.

In the Chongzheng Hall, wisps of blue smoke rose from a bronze crane incense burner. Emperor Yuanchang flipped through the memorials in his hand and asked Lin Ping'an, "Has Wei Xiao arrived?"

Lin Ping'an bowed and replied, "Replying to Your Majesty, General Wei is already waiting outside the hall."

Emperor Yuanchang continued reading the memorials and said indifferently, "Let him wait another hour."

For a subject to wait for the Emperor is only natural; it would not be unreasonable to make him kneel for a day, let alone wait for an hour.

"Your Majesty, in an hour it will be time for your meal."

Emperor Yuanchang gave a cold snort. "You are kind-hearted, but he intentionally dragged his feet to avoid entering the capital. He has never even stepped through the gates of the General’s Mansion I bestowed upon him. Whether it is thunder or dew, all are favors from the Emperor, yet he blatantly brushes me off. If I don’t make him wait an hour to dampen his arrogance, he will become even more lawless."

The "lawless" Wei Xiao, standing outside the Chongzheng Hall, looked up at the sky and did some mental arithmetic. Once he returned to the capital and officially reported his return, he could collect his four months of back pay—about 300 taels. That should be enough to repair the General’s Mansion; at the very least, he could repaint the interior and exterior and clear out the pond.

By the time Wei Xiao had mentally allocated every one of the 300 taels, Lin Ping'an still hadn’t called him into the hall. Wei Xiao lowered his head and began counting the cracks in the floor tiles. By the time he reached eighty-nine, the summons finally came from inside the hall.

Emperor Yuanchang was staring blankly at a plate of crystal pork knuckle. Seeing Wei Xiao enter and salute, he didn’t even raise his eyelids, saying softly, "Join me for a meal."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Wei Xiao sat down firmly opposite the Emperor.

Lin Ping'an stepped forward to set a bowl and chopsticks for him.

"Come, have a taste. See if the Emperor's imperial meal is more fragrant, or the communal food at the Xijing silver mine."

Wei Xiao’s outstretched chopsticks paused in mid-air. The words of Prince Han, Zhao Zhen, still echoed in his ears—whether a prince or a princess, there were no sources of income beyond the standard salary. Since the Princess was hiding the existence of the Shenji Merchant Firm from the young Prince, it was clear that Emperor Yuanchang was also unaware of it.

But the Emperor knew he had gone to the Xijing silver mine; did he also know about the military pay?

In an instant, countless thoughts raced through Wei Xiao’s mind, but he ultimately decided to cover for Shen Jifeng.

"Your Majesty, I only saved the Princess by mere coincidence."

"Oh?" Emperor Yuanchang looked at Wei Xiao with an inscrutable expression. "She is always accompanied by guards; how could you be the one to save her?"

Wei Xiao put down his chopsticks and said in a low voice, "I have a foster mother in Xijing who likes wild game. I was hunting on Tianmeng Mountain when I happened upon the Princess being attacked by wild wolves and saved her. The Princess saw that my martial arts were decent and hired me as a guard. Because I was short on money, I agreed. However, I used an alias, so the Princess does not know my true identity."

"You are short on money?" Emperor Yuanchang could not hide his surprise.

Wei Xiao was truthful. "Yes, the General’s Mansion has yet to be repaired. It is not that I do not want to, but I truly have no money."

"How much does a guard at the Princess’s mansion make a month?"

"Five taels."

Emperor Yuanchang lost interest in the crystal pork knuckle. He put down his chopsticks and studied the man before him. He knew that Wei Xiao had been supporting the widows of the Diannan Army, for which he had been criticized by court officials.

The supreme commander of the Zhennan Army working as a guard for five taels of silver—no one would believe it if they heard it.

"Truly pathetic."

Emperor Yuanchang rolled his eyes at Wei Xiao, but he was secretly pleased. His previous dissatisfaction with Wei Xiao’s intentional delay vanished.

Emperor Yuanchang had risen from the life of a poor cowherd and despised corrupt officials above all else. Since ascending to the throne, his methods for curbing corruption were the most rigorous in history. He favored "lone officials" like Wei Xiao—upright, uncorrupt, and transparent—and felt at ease using them.

He turned to Lin Ping'an and said, "Tomorrow, go to the Directorate for Palace Buildings and issue a decree. Have them repair his house. For any timber or stone needed, apply to the Ministry of Works, and charge it to my private account."

Wei Xiao was overjoyed; this was far more practical than a monetary reward.

"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty. This subject is unworthy of such favor."

Emperor Yuanchang ate a piece of the knuckle, his mood improving. "Don’t put on that overly cautious act for me. I know how bold you are, and you know it too. Here!"

Emperor Yuanchang took a brocade box from the curio shelf nearby and tossed it to Wei Xiao.

"This is the tiger tally for the Xijing Great Camp. From today on, it is under your command."

Wei Xiao’s heart surged. He had been prepared to be cast aside, never expecting a turn of fortune like this.

"I won't waste words on the importance of the Xijing Great Camp. Act with discretion."

"I shall not fail this mission and will defend the capital with my life!"

Emperor Yuanchang waved his hand. "Go, go! Looking at you makes my pork knuckle taste bland!"

After Wei Xiao left, the Emperor reached for the crystal pork knuckle again. Lin Ping'an bowed and served a bowl of soup.

"Your Majesty, eating too much meat at night causes indigestion. Drink some soup. This ginseng, astragalus, and tuckahoe stewed squab soup was simmered in the kitchen for a full two hours."

Emperor Yuanchang took the bowl, sniffing the medicinal scent with slight distaste, but took a sip anyway. "I am truly getting old. In my youth, I could finish half a pork knuckle in one sitting. Now, if I eat just a few pieces, you start nagging me. Pu should be returning soon, right?"

"Yes, he should be reaching Jizhou by now."

At that moment, a young eunuch trotted in, saying that the Minister of Justice was waiting outside the hall with an urgent matter to report.

Emperor Yuanchang frowned, finished the remaining soup, and had Lin Ping'an clear everything away.

To seek an audience before the palace gates were locked meant the matter was surely significant.

"Your Majesty, after an all-night interrogation, the rebels have confessed. However, another matter has come to light, and I dare not act on my own authority. I await your decision."

Emperor Yuanchang gestured for him to continue.

"Their weapons came from the iron mine in Chao County. Everyone there, from miners to managers, has been imprisoned for interrogation. However, there are twenty-some craftsmen who were taken by Princess Zhaoyang to the Xijing silver mine. These craftsmen did not originally belong to the Chao County mine and had been there for less than two months. Should I send men to Xijing to interrogate them, or summon them to the Ministry of Justice? Please instruct me, Your Majesty."

Emperor Yuanchang asked calmly, "Why were craftsmen from the Xijing silver mine at the Chao County mine?"

"Some time ago, the Chao County mine was short-handed, and since the silver mine had no urgent work, they were dispatched there."

"Arrest them and bring them to the Ministry of Justice. Better to wrongly punish than to let one slip through!" Emperor Yuanchang decreed decisively.