Chapter 83: The Subtle Charms of Lady Ice—A Discourse in the Minor Prefect’s Study

Zhong Wei returned to the yamen with a smile.

He was not reporting to the magistrate’s office, but rather to the office of the County Commandant. According to the Tang dynasty system, the magistrate presided over the affairs of the county, but the clerks and constables were in fact directly managed by the Commandant.

Commandant Yuan Gonglu sat in his study, his brow furrowed, as though weighed down by some heavy concern.

Zhong Wei called from outside. Yuan Gonglu, at first reluctant to see him, had a change of heart and said, “Let him in.”

Upon entering the study, Zhong Wei glanced nervously at Yuan Gonglu and found him still in that dispirited, almost lifeless state, which puzzled him. Not long ago, Yuan Gonglu had been full of vigor, moving with the briskness of wind, for he had received reliable word that he would soon be promoted and replaced in the spring—perhaps even skipping the rank of county magistrate and rising directly to a higher post. Yet, with the year’s end approaching, Yuan Gonglu’s mood had shifted overnight. He had already lashed out at several clerks and constables for the smallest faults.

Thanks to Ye Chang’s intercession, Zhong Wei had improved his relations with Yuan Gonglu of late. Though spared the beatings, he had not escaped several tongue-lashings.

Seeing the Commandant in such a state, Zhong Wei felt uneasy. If this continued, he feared he too would soon suffer a beating. Clearly, Yuan Gonglu was beset by some trouble he could not resolve and was too proud to seek help for.

Thinking how best to lift Yuan Gonglu’s spirits, Zhong Wei recalled the case he’d witnessed that day.

“Master Yuan, an interesting matter occurred before the city gate today,” he began, noting Yuan Gonglu’s lack of interest. He quickly added, “It involved Lord Ye Chang.”

“Oh? Tell me,” Yuan Gonglu replied, still listless, but at least he did not grow angry.

Zhong Wei recounted the dispute over inheritance among three men and Ye Chang’s clever adjudication. Even as weighed down as Yuan Gonglu was, he couldn’t help but smile upon hearing how Ye Chang had whipped the “Brother Ram’s Whip” and let him go. “That Ye Chang, the Eleventh Master, is a real spirit of mischief…”

“There are rumors the Eleventh Master is aided by spirits and versed in many mystic arts,” Zhong Wei added cautiously, stealing a glance at Yuan Gonglu. “Forgive my boldness, but might some trouble be weighing on you? Though I am not clever, are you not on good terms with Lord Ye? Why not ask him to help devise a plan?”

Yuan Gonglu’s eyes brightened at once, his heart leaping. “Where is the Eleventh Master?”

“He’s in the market buying New Year’s goods.”

“So early in his preparations… I’ll go see him—no, you fetch him here. Be discreet. Let no one know.”

Zhong Wei immediately set off. The market was bustling with people preparing for the year’s end, a throng of hundreds if not thousands. After some searching, he spotted Ye Chang, and could not help but laugh at the sight.

Ye Chang held a handful of candied hawthorns, trailing after Xiang’er like a servant. Xiang’er held a stick in each hand, licking one and sucking the other, as if Ye Chang were her attendant and she a young lady from a wealthy household.

“Lord Ye! Since you’re in town today, let me treat you to a meal to thank you for your kind words the other day!” Zhong Wei called out from afar.

Ye Chang glanced at him, waving a hand with a wry smile. “Clerk Zhong, I only came to buy New Year’s goods and ended up with nothing but this… I really have no time. Let’s leave it for another day.”

“I’ll send you New Year’s goods tomorrow, but today you must come with me,” Zhong Wei insisted. “If you refuse, you’ll make me lose face!”

Having dealt with Zhong Wei several times, Ye Chang knew him to be cautious by nature. His insistence today was out of character, and the meaningful look Zhong Wei gave him made it clear there was more to this than met the eye.

“Very well, Xiang’er, let’s stop here for now and go with Clerk Zhong for a meal. What do you think?”

“With this, I’m all set for New Year’s. I’ll go wherever you go,” Xiang’er replied, shaking her candied fruit.

Following the constable, Ye Chang was led not to an inn, but to the side entrance of the County Commandant’s office. The door was open; Zhong Wei ushered him in, and there was Yuan Gonglu, peeking out furtively.

“Mas—” Ye Chang began to greet him, but Yuan Gonglu put a finger to his lips for silence.

Leaving Xiang’er and Zhong Wei outside—Zhong Wei now holding the candied hawthorns—Ye Chang followed Yuan Gonglu into a side room.

“Master Yuan, what’s become of you?” Ye Chang asked. Since their last meeting, only about twenty days had passed, but Yuan Gonglu had grown thin and aged by ten years.

“About that…” Yuan Gonglu hesitated, glancing at Ye Chang. He recalled catching Ye Chang’s “Bodhisattva judge” ruse before and had thought the young man bold to the point of recklessness. Yet, after learning of Ye Chang’s exploits in Chang’an—making waves and gaining the acquaintance of Princess Yuzhen and the Prefect Han Chaozong—his opinion shifted again: with such powerful patrons, the boy needn’t fear even greater risks.

But today’s matter was not so easy to speak of…

“Since our acquaintance, you have helped me much,” Ye Chang said sincerely. “Though I am brash, I am not ungrateful. I am discreet; if you trust me, speak plainly.”

Yuan Gonglu sighed deeply, and after a long hesitation, began.

“The county official seal has been lost.”

“Lost? So what?” Ye Chang almost said it could simply be reported and searched for, but realized immediately that to trouble Yuan Gonglu so, it must be no ordinary loss.

“You’ve never held office, so you don’t know: losing the official seal is a grave offense. I was to be transferred to another county come spring, but now, just before my promotion, the seal is gone!” Yuan Gonglu stamped his foot. “If the seal is lost—not only will I not be promoted, I may be imprisoned!”

Ye Chang’s brow furrowed. This was no child’s play, but a serious predicament.

“Who usually keeps the seal?”

“I trust no one else with it. I carry it myself, tied to my wrist with silk, hidden in my sleeve, and after work each day, I conceal it myself.”

“Do you know precisely when it was lost?”

“Yes—ten days ago. That was a day off, so the seal wasn’t used. The next day, when I went to retrieve it, it was gone.”

At this, Ye Chang was certain: it hadn’t simply been misplaced; it had been stolen. Yuan Gonglu likely realized this as well, but clung to hope.

Losing something leaves a chance of recovery; theft means it’s in someone else’s hands, ready to be used against you.

“You haven’t used the seal these past days?”

“It’s year-end, so there’s less business and less need for the seal. Besides, I’ve been feigning illness and delaying work as much as possible…” Yuan Gonglu forced a bitter smile. “If this goes on, I won’t have to pretend—I’ll truly fall ill.”

“So, the thief hasn’t acted yet, nor made demands. He’s waiting…”

“He’s waiting for the yamen to close for the year, when I must display the seal before everyone. If I have nothing to show…”

At this, Yuan Gonglu shuddered involuntarily, fear flooding his eyes.

He had nearly reached a glorious promotion, only to meet with disaster—how could he not despair?

“Could I see where you kept the seal?” Ye Chang asked.

It had been ten days; the scene would be disturbed, and in any case, he could hardly find the culprit with a few traces. What he wanted was to gauge whether the thief was an insider or outsider.

“No need. I kept it in my study, right beside my bed. Any sound would wake me, but that night, I heard nothing.”

Ye Chang pondered for a long moment, then asked, “Master Yuan, since you arrived in Xiuwu, I’ve never heard you mention your family… Where is your wife?”

“My parents are old and ill, and I am their only son, so they remained in my hometown.”

“Do you have a maidservant who attends you at night?”

At this, Yuan Gonglu looked embarrassed, and finally admitted, “I’m rather fond of such pleasures.”

So he was a lecher. If he kept company at night, someone could easily learn where he hid the seal.

“Who are these attendants?”

“The three maids I brought from home—all of them.”

So, the three maids, whom Ye Chang had seen before—they were all robust Tang beauties, though not to his taste.

“These three are from your home, sharing in your fortunes and misfortunes. Unless you treated them unfairly, it’s unlikely they’d betray you. How do you treat them?”

“I promised to make them my concubines upon my promotion.”

With that, Ye Chang was sure these three were not the culprits. He frowned. “Is there anyone else?”

Yuan Gonglu hesitated, confirming Ye Chang’s suspicion. Pressing the point, Ye Chang said, “You must not conceal anything. This is too serious for half-measures.”

“There was another woman, who spent the night with me—a little over a month ago…” Yuan Gonglu stammered. “Just once. Surely it couldn’t be her?”

“Who is she?”

This time, Yuan Gonglu clammed up, and his embarrassment suggested her identity was delicate. Ye Chang smiled wryly, “Master Yuan, I do not seek to pry into your secrets for no reason. It is your promotion or your ruin at stake.”

Unable to withstand the pressure, Yuan Gonglu finally confessed, almost grinding out the words, “It was more than a month ago, the day Lord He visited you. I drank your dew wine, and after returning to the county, I was still befuddled… The wife of Clerk Wen Tailai, Madam Luo, happened to visit. I… mistook her for someone else and… her name is Luo Bing…”

Truly the skill of an official—he managed to shift the blame to Ye Chang’s wine. Ye Chang rolled his eyes inwardly: mistook her for someone else? Clearly, it was drunken lust, especially since he knew her given name, and she visited at night—likely a prearranged tryst.

“She is married, I have my own wife—a night’s indiscretion was already too much. I would not err again,” Yuan Gonglu said gravely. “Since then, she has not returned.”

“Does the clerk know?”

“I… don’t think so. At least, he’s not shown any sign…”

“Anyone else?”

“What do you mean?”

“Anyone else who might know where you kept the seal.”

“I can’t think of anyone…”

Ye Chang considered: could it be the clerk, Wen Tailai? The clues were thin, but he was the prime suspect.

But why act now, and not a month ago? Likely, a month ago, he feared Yuan Gonglu’s power; now, something had changed.

“Who has Wen Tailai been associating with lately?” Ye Chang asked.

“With Han Jun, a retainer of Magistrate Feng…”

“I heard you were to be promoted, but what about Magistrate Feng?” Ye Chang recalled a detail. “Didn’t he receive imperial commendation and was also in line for advancement?”

Yuan Gonglu looked a bit smug. “Though he worked hard, he did not succeed.”

To be sure, when Yuan Gonglu’s promotion was confirmed and Feng’s was not, he must have gloried in the news, making up for years spent under Feng’s shadow.

If the two were rivals for the same post, Feng would feel not just envy, but resentment.

“Does Magistrate Feng know of your tryst with Madam Luo?” Ye Chang asked pointedly.

Yuan Gonglu’s face changed.

Feng did know. Though their relationship was not close, they sometimes chatted idly, and just over ten days ago, when praising Clerk Wen, Yuan Gonglu had let slip, “His wife is even more remarkable.”

“Could it be… could it be Magistrate Feng and Clerk Wen are colluding?” he cried in alarm. “If so, what am I to do?”

“Magistrate Feng may have promised Wen riches, ordered him to act, or perhaps Wen did it himself,” Ye Chang said. “But Wen would not hand over the seal to Feng yet—even if he wanted to, Feng would not accept it now.”

Yuan Gonglu, thinking it through, broke out in a cold sweat. If the two had indeed conspired against him, it would not end with the loss of his office.

Realizing this, he rose and bowed deeply to Ye Chang.

“Lord Ye, save me!”