History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 74 You Haven't Changed, I've Grown Old
Judging from their military uniforms, they were all Tiger Warriors guarding the Luoyang Imperial Palace. After opening the Zhu Ming Gate on the west side of the main gate, they all dismounted and rushed straight towards the abandoned inner palace area.

The eunuchs who remained at the old palace, unaware of what serious matter had occurred, rushed to the side and inquired, "Warriors, have you come from the capital? Which palace are you going to? What are you doing? Do you have any official documents from the court?"

The leader of the group, Jie Conghu, flashed a letter in front of the eunuch. The contents of the letter were no longer important.

"Take us immediately to the Crown Prince's former residence. When the Crown Prince went to Luoyang, he left some important books in the old palace. Have many palace servants spread the word that until the books are found, all storerooms in the old palace area must be sealed off! No written objects may be damaged!"

"Oh dear, warriors, you've come at the perfect time. Yesterday, a lady-in-waiting came to report that an abandoned library needed to be destroyed. However, what that lady-in-waiting reported should be unrelated to what you warriors are looking for..."

"It's no big deal if it's irrelevant!" Jie Conghu Ben stopped in his tracks and threatened, "If it were a trivial matter, would the Crown Prince have sent us here? If we fail to report back, you won't have an easy time either!"

A high wall separated them from Wei Yao, who was leaving the palace.

They still walked through Sixian Gate. Wei Yao stepped out of the palace gate, while Chen Shushi and the other two stopped inside.

"Miss Wei, we may never meet again. Remembering the lessons I taught you, I'll give you some parting words." Chen Shushi, who had maintained a stern face the entire way, now spoke earnestly: "You are ambitious, studious, intelligent, and quick-witted. Your only shortcoming is your family background. But anything is possible except for lacking a good family background. I deliberately kept you waiting these past two days, wanting you to see the true nature of this world—it's not something you can achieve through hard work alone! The more you try to seize what doesn't belong to you, the more humiliation you will suffer. Go back and think carefully about my words."

Wei Yao: "I also have a word to offer to the historian."

"Please speak, young lady."

"What you just said... was all bullshit!"

The basket on her back was too heavy, and Wei Yao staggered away from the palace gate. Behind her, in the shadows of the gate, Chen Shushi's face was even darker than the shadows.

According to the reward regulations, Wei Yao's departure date should be early tomorrow morning. Fortunately, Zhao Zhi couldn't stay idle at home, so she strolled leisurely along the path her daughter would always take, and the mother and daughter met.

"Yao'er? Didn't you say you'd be home tomorrow?"

When her mother took the book basket, Wei Yao instantly felt light as a feather. She pouted and complained, "Don't even mention it, Mother. Let me tell you, the old palace library is so small. All the good stuff has been moved to Luoyang."

"Huh?" That can't be! Zhao Zhi thought to herself, it's certain that all the good stuff will be moved to Luoyang, but the imperial library has several large libraries.

Wei Yao couldn't tell her mother about her grievances and injustices. Seeing that her mother didn't believe her, she continued to make up a story: "It's true! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have thought that it used to be a palace. There were even livestock pens inside, and each library was smaller than our house. I really didn't want to stay there anymore, so I begged the palace servants to let me leave early."

"Huh?!" Zhao Zhi's expression became even stranger. Yes, there were livestock pens in the old palace, but shouldn't that be where the Xi government office was located? Every year, the Great Wei would capture many officials and their families from the Xiao Qi, and these captives would usually be assigned to the Xi government office to do the dirtiest and heaviest work.

"Really, really." Her mother wasn't so easily fooled today. Wei Yao wanted to make up another story, but she was too exhausted, and her stomach was growling with hunger. "Mother, I'm hungry, and I'm sleepy."

Zhao Zhi lifted her daughter up with one arm, letting Wei Yao's little head rest on her shoulder. "Don't talk, Mommy will take you home."

That night, Wei Yao slept soundly, while Zhao Zhi practiced her boxing in the dark in the courtyard. The sharp sounds of her punches and pulls seemed to reflect her suppressed anger.

Wei Yin stopped copying the book, came over and took his wife's hand, and the two went into the house side by side.

That night, the hundred elite soldiers from Luoyang searched the palace storerooms and finally found the item described by Crown Prince Yuan Ke in the kitchen of the Xi official's office.

The four wooden tablets had rope wrapped around them seven, eight, nine, and ten times respectively, all tied in indeterminate knots. Fortunately, the details when they were found matched what the prince had described, proving that the contents of the tablets had not been seen by anyone.

It had been a long time since the old palace had seen so many people, so all the palace servants who were available gathered nearby to watch and gather information.

After Jie Conghu Ben sealed the wooden slips, he asked, "Who usually takes care of this place?"

With nowhere to hide, Chen Shushi had no choice but to step forward: "It's me. Chen, a third-rank female scribe..."

"I don't care what rank you are! These books are so precious, how can they be wasted like this? Are you just going to burn them as firewood? Doesn't the prefecture provide you with firewood? Besides, it's been so long since the capital was moved, and these warehouses have never been cleaned or tidied up. What are you all doing in the old palace? Are you here to be supported?"

Chen Shushi listened attentively with her eyes lowered, not daring to show the slightest dissatisfaction. She had long accepted her fate; this was the life of a female scribe born into slavery. Even if she were promoted to the third rank, she would still be ordered around and lectured by a mere low-ranking military officer, utterly devoid of dignity.

The next morning, the Tiger Warriors left Pingcheng and returned to Luoyang. Zhao Zhi said she was going to the early market. After sending Wei Yao to the school, she headed north of the city and arrived at the prefectural government office.

Some people just have a special kind of luck.

Yuan Zhi was about to inspect the agricultural work when he rode out on horseback and immediately spotted Zhao Zhi. Indeed, while everyone else was passing by, this robust woman calmly and fearlessly stared straight at the entrance of the government office.

He commanded his mount to move forward step by step.

Zhao Zhi clasped her hands in greeting: "Prefect Yuan, I am Zhao Zhi, a woman of the Lan ethnic group. I met you at the Huangxin Hall many years ago."

It really is her! It really is her!!
Yuan Zhi dismounted, his eyes moist, and returned the greeting with clasped hands, saying, "You haven't changed, but I've grown old. General Zhao, please come into the mansion for a chat."

Zhao Zhi: "I resigned from my position as general long ago, so please call me by my name, Governor."

"General Zhao, this way."

The government office had a backyard. Yuan Zhi led the way to a wooden pavilion nestled among bamboo groves, surrounded by various orchids. The two sat down, and Zhao Zhi took out two bamboo slips, saying, "I know the governor is busy, so let's skip the pleasantries."

“I’m not busy. I was just too idle, so I thought I’d ride my horse around the yamen a few times.” Yuan Zhi took the bamboo slip.

One of them is inscribed with: 不舌, 世, 殳.

Another inscription reads: Shi Luo, Lan, Wei, Ri.

Zhao Zhi explained the origin of the bamboo slips: "I saw them by chance and copied them down. The governor knows about them. I am not very literate, but I guarantee that I did not copy them incorrectly."

Yuan Zhi didn't press for the loopholes in her words, lest he ruin their relationship. Instead, he told her, "This is a secret letter, and it should be related to the Bingfang spy case that was investigated on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year."

Then he put down the bamboo slips and asked, "General, you must have learned to read more over the years. How many of these can you recognize?"

Zhao Zhixian said, "I recognize the character '兰' (lan), and I also recognize the character '日' (ri) and this stick..."

Yuan Zhi let out a soft "Ah".

“I recognize this character too,” Zhao Zhi said, pointing to the character “不”. “It’s pronounced ‘Pi’, the character His Majesty taught me, the ‘Pi’ from Cao Pi!”

"Ha, ha ha, ha ha ha ha..."

Yuan Zhi was lost in memories.

In the tenth year of the Taihe era, His Majesty summoned this woman to the Huangxin Hall, bestowed upon her the surname "Zhao" and the given name "Zhi". At that time, Cao Pi's "Dian Lun" was hanging in the Huangxin Hall, and Zhao Zhi, who was illiterate, stared at the article with a joyful expression.

His Majesty inquired about the reason.

Zhao Zhi pointed to the character "丕" in Cao Pi's name and said, "I know that character, it's pronounced 'bu'."

The officials present all burst into laughter.

But His Majesty was gentle and kind, and felt sorry for Zhao Zhi for never having had the opportunity to receive an education. He taught her, "No, this character is pronounced 'pi'."

From then on, Zhao Zhi remembered the word "not" very well; it should be pronounced "pi".

Jie Cong Hu Ben: A low-ranking military officer in the Hu Ben Army.

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(End of this chapter)