Chapter 95: A Minister of Great Loyalty

After descending Dragon Head Plateau, Lu Xin and Li Chunfeng headed straight for Wei Zheng’s residence in the eastern city. By then it was already past midday, and the civil and military officials had long since left court.

The guards of Wei’s manor were all soldiers posted by the imperial court. They were disciplined and proper, unlike the overbearing servants at the Qian residence. After the messenger was sent in, Wei Qing came out in person to greet them, accompanied by the Scholar and Yue Bubai.

As the group made their way toward the main hall, they exchanged polite words. The Scholar, upon seeing Lu Xin, immediately began clamoring to visit the Yang sisters at the Prince of Hejian’s estate. Lu Xin naturally wanted to see how Yang Xiu’s injuries were faring as well, but before leaving he still had to offer thanks to the master of this household.

Wei Zheng had been a great help during the joint tribunal. Moreover, Wei Zheng was a close friend of Qian Hai and could be considered a senior to him. To accept another’s kindness and leave without a word would not be the conduct of a gentleman.

“Judging by Master’s expression, he must have long wanted to meet this senior imperial secretary. If I remember correctly, Wei Zheng should eventually rise to the position of chancellor. In all of Great Tang, only he dares to defy Emperor Taizong and remonstrate so frankly with the emperor!”

Lu Xin had never been good at school. Though he had read some middle- and high-school history textbooks because of his cousin Lu Tingfang, the impressions left by them were faint. He only remembered that the two characters for “Wei Zheng” were a vivid stroke in the annals of history—a rare and upright minister in more than two thousand years of feudal rule. Though in the third year of Zhenguan Wei Zheng was only a third-rank imperial secretary, by the middle of the Zhenguan era he had become one of the most important figures in the Great Tang court. In the histories, his name stood even above that of Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.

Perhaps because of his official rank, Wei’s manor was not large. Compared with the estate of the Duke of Changsun Wuji, it even seemed somewhat shabby. In less than a few minutes, Lu Xin and the others arrived at the main hall. From afar they could see Wei Zheng, having changed out of his court robes and wearing a plain blue gown, seated with a book in hand, reading and drinking tea.

Wei Zheng was nearly forty, yet he looked only a little over thirty, very young indeed. More than that, he carried himself with a righteousness that filled the air; whoever saw him would feel admiration rise of itself in the heart.

Suddenly, Wei Zheng, who had been reading with his head lowered, lifted it sharply. His gaze was keen, like a flash of lightning striking through the room. In that instant, Lu Xin felt as if he had been lifted onto the clouds, with emptiness on all sides and neither heaven above nor earth below. The sensation was indescribably strange. It lasted only two seconds, but Lu Xin felt as though he had just gone to another world.

Looking again at Wei Zheng, he saw that Wei’s eyes were fixed on Li Chunfeng alone. Lu Xin immediately found this odd. Could it be that this third-rank court official had already seen that Li Chunfeng was no ordinary man?

“Uncle, Brother Lu Xin has come to bid farewell and to thank you for saving his life.”

“That is too serious. Wei merely spoke according to justice; it hardly counts as any life-saving grace. Since you are here, sit down and have some refreshments before you go. Qing’er, have tea served.”

Wei Zheng set down the book. Though he was speaking of Lu Xin’s matter, he nodded and smiled toward Li Chunfeng. And this time he referred to himself as “Wei” rather than “this official,” which made him seem much more approachable. Lu Xin did not know whether it was because of what the histories recorded or because of Wei Qing, but he felt an inexplicable fondness and trust toward the man before him.

“Sir, your bearing is extraordinary and your cultivation immeasurable. I wonder where you have practiced before?”

“Nowhere in particular. I drift where the road takes me. Still, I have long heard of Lord Wei’s fairness and wisdom, and of his bold remonstrance before the emperor. I have wanted to pay my respects for some time. Meeting you today, I find you truly a dragon among men, with the countenance of great fortune.”

What shocked Lu Xin was that the moment everyone sat down, Wei Zheng cut straight to the point and addressed Li Chunfeng directly. If he had asked about other things, that would have been one matter, but Wei Zheng had in a single glance seen that Li Chunfeng was a practitioner of yin-yang arts, and had described his cultivation as “immeasurable.” This showed plainly how keen his eye was. In truth, if Li Chunfeng had merely been some stranger walking along the road, Lu Xin, with all his present insight, would not have been able to tell whether he possessed any power at all, much less how strong that power might be.

“Could it be... that Wei Zheng is also a practitioner of yin-yang arts?”

Lu Xin’s entire body shuddered, and a dreadful thought suddenly flashed through his mind. At that moment he could not help recalling the novel of gods and demons he had read as a child, Journey to the West. At the beginning it says that the Dragon King of the Jing River, having bet with a diviner, privately altered the time and measure of the rain, and the Jade Emperor learned of it. The heavenly court was enraged and decreed that Wei Zheng, descended from the Metal Star, should be sent down to behead the dragon. When the Dragon King of the Jing River heard the news, he begged the Tang emperor, Li Shimin, to protect him from death.

Li Shimin took pity on him and agreed. So, just as the execution was about to be carried out, he deliberately summoned Wei Zheng to play chess with him, hoping to help the Dragon King of the Jing River escape disaster. Unexpectedly, while playing, Wei Zheng dozed off, and in spirit still beheaded the dragon king’s head in a dream...

Such an absurd tale, if heard before, Lu Xin would certainly have disbelieved. But now, having traveled back to the Tang and seen Wei Zheng with his own eyes, he suddenly felt somewhat dazed. The ancients wrote books with reasons and sources; even novels were not entirely fabricated out of thin air.

Though he did not know whether dragons truly existed in this world, the man before him was absolutely no ordinary mortal. Otherwise, why would Li Chunfeng deliberately take up residence in the Qian estate and draw near to Wei Zheng, whose rank was not high and who had yet to receive a noble title?

If his guess was correct, it also seemed able to explain why, in a great empire like this, only Wei Zheng dared to remonstrate directly with Li Shimin—often to the point of angering the Tang emperor so badly that he could not even finish his meals. By contrast, what of the other ministers? Changsun Wuji and Li Shimin had an excellent and intimate relationship, did they not? Yet when had that founding elder ever dared to challenge Li Shimin head-on?

“Hahaha, Sir, you flatter me. Wei is only a civil official. I have never earned military merit, and I am also a surrendered subject. I fear I am hardly worthy of the emperor’s trust.”

Wei Zheng took the fragrant tea handed to him by a maid, sipped lightly, and set it down. Li Chunfeng did not even look at him, but drained the tea in his cup in one gulp.

“That may not be so. Looking at Lord Wei’s countenance, your forehead is broad and your fortune radiant; you possess the visage of one favored by Heaven. The Tang emperor knows how to appoint the worthy and has a generous heart. How could he possibly overlook such a capable minister as you? If even you, Lord Wei, are not valued, then this realm of Great Tang may well soon repeat the tragedy of the Great Sui.”

The instant Li Chunfeng finished speaking, everyone froze in terror. Wei Qing had just sat down and was about to drink tea, but his outstretched right hand trembled halfway. The Scholar was so frightened that tea splashed everywhere as he coughed violently. Even Wei Zheng frowned, a trace of alarm flashing in his eyes.

What did it mean to repeat the fate of the Sui dynasty? In the year 589, the Yang family’s father and son marched south, destroyed Chen, unified the Central Plains, and founded the Great Sui. Yet by 618 it had already been replaced by Great Tang, and the span was less than thirty years. Such a short time for a nation, for a dynasty, was far too brief—so brief as to be almost a humiliation. If Li Chunfeng’s words spread, they would amount to cursing Great Tang’s destruction; taken seriously, they could be construed as a capital crime against nine generations.

“Though Sir’s words are meant to praise Wei, I truly do not deserve them. Yet the world today is indeed beset by troubles within and dangers without; the situation is unstable. The regional princes, great clans, and powerful families everywhere, the Turks in the north, Tibet in the west, and Goguryeo in the northeast all watch our Great Tang like tigers eyeing prey. There are even countless former ministers of the Sui hidden throughout the land, waiting for their chance. Since Sir is a cultivator, have you ever heard of a sect in Yangzhou called the Valley of a Hundred Flowers?”

“Somewhat.”

Seeing Wei Zheng speak up, Li Chunfeng smiled, as though he had not the least concern for what he had just said. And the change of topic finally eased the tension for the Scholar, Wei Qing, and the others.

“Xin-ge, your master really does say anything he pleases. But looking at Lord Wei, he seems to respect him greatly.”

“Hmph, of course he does. My master is... Ah, forget it. Why am I telling you this? Since the elders are discussing matters, the rest of us had better listen honestly.”

“I have heard that within this Valley of a Hundred Flowers there is the bloodline left behind by Yang Guang. This is no small matter, but without proof it can never be brought before the court. In Sir’s view, if one wished to investigate it clearly, how ought one proceed?”

“Heh heh heh. Is Lord Wei referring to the siblings Yang Yan and Yang Miao of the Valley of a Hundred Flowers? If it is truly those two, then in my humble opinion, it would be best not to provoke them.”

“And why do you say that?”

Wei Zheng frowned, seemingly surprised. Li Chunfeng paid him no heed and suddenly rose from his seat. He then looked out toward the sky beyond the hall, his voice growing somewhat low and grave.

“These siblings have long returned to simplicity and have refined the Purple Tenuity Heavenly Fire. Given the current state of the Great Tang court, there is no spare strength to deal with them. Moreover, the valley mistress of that Valley of a Hundred Flowers, though female, has exceedingly high cultivation and the divine power to move mountains and fill seas. If Lord Wei wishes to use this to earn merit and gain the emperor’s regard, I fear it would be a dangerous move.”

“Oh? Then what if Sir were added to the matter? The court is in dire need of talent, and His Majesty has opened the selection examinations, eager for able men. If such a great talent as Sir were present at court, how could the glorious age of Great Tang fail to be founded?”

“Hahaha... Lord Wei is indeed a loyal minister. I have had my tea, and I shall not disturb you further. Disciple, it is already late. If we do not go to the Prince of Hejian’s residence now, we shall be discourteous.”

Li Chunfeng laughed heartily, and after withdrawing his gaze he strode straight out of the manor. Lu Xin was still somewhat puzzled, but dared not delay. After paying his respects to Wei Zheng, he hurried after him. The Scholar and Yue Bubai naturally did not linger. Wei Qing, responsible for showing the way, also followed the others out of the residence.

On the road toward Everbless Ward, master and disciple walked at the very back of the crowd. Unable to suppress his confusion, Lu Xin asked, “Does Master not want to enter the court? From what Lord Wei said just now, it seems he intended to recommend you. With such a fine opportunity, why are you in such a hurry to leave?”

“Heh heh. He did indeed mean to recommend me. Yet this man, despite profound cultivation, is willing to remain hidden within the court. I do not know what purpose he serves. I heard of his deeds years ago; coming here was merely to confirm certain thoughts in my heart. As for anything else, let us first survive tonight’s trial, and only then make our plans.”