History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 75: The Secret Letter Unraveled
After regaining his composure, Governor Yuan said, "These two secret letters are helpful in the spy case. The prefecture had previously promised to reward anyone who provides clues, but General Zhao is neither power-hungry nor greedy. This is really putting me in a difficult position."

"Governor, don't try to trick me. I've come to deliver this secret letter because I need your help."

Yuan Zhi nodded.

Zhao Zhi briefly explained the whole story and what she wanted: "My daughter..."

Oh no, he already has a daughter! Yuanzhi felt a sharp pain in his stomach.

"Prefect? ​​Are you unwell?"

"It's alright, it's nothing. I'll just have some hot water, you can continue."

"My daughter studies the Book of Poetry at the Weishi Academy, and she came in first place in Pingcheng in this spring's college entrance examination..."

"Pfft—the water's too hot, please continue."

It felt as if a hundred donkeys were trampling on Yuan Zhi's heart! Zhao Zhi, who was illiterate, had a daughter who was the top poet, Wei Yao?!

"My daughter, Wei Yao, was rewarded with three days to copy books in the old palace library. But some palace servant deliberately caused trouble and took her to the storeroom of the Xi official's office. She was made to copy the notes of those convicted palace maids from the abandoned palace school, and then she was kicked out of the palace half a day early!!"

A murderous aura suddenly gathered!
Zhao Zhi's eyebrows and eyes, and her expression, were all sharp and ruthless!
“I’ve been used to being bullied since I was a child, and I can withstand any storm. But my daughter can’t, especially when it comes to studying! She’s so studious, but she was tricked for three days and didn’t learn anything! The governor asked me what reward I wanted. I want that palace maid’s life!”

Zhao Zhi did not stay long; after receiving permission, she left the government office.

Yuan Zhi saw her off and returned to the wooden pavilion. He picked up two bamboo slips and easily deciphered the contents of the secret letter: "Bu She, Shi, Shu... The leaker who was sealed by Bing Fang has not been found."

“Shi Luo, Lan, Wei, Ri… Hehe… Gun.” He couldn’t stop laughing when he thought about how Zhao Zhi had pronounced the vertical stroke, which was actually a left-falling stroke, as “gun”.

Yuan Zhi was fully aware of the ins and outs behind the secret letter.

In the sixteenth year of the Taihe reign, His Majesty sat in the Mingtang Hall and summoned the first Xianbei female warrior who had broken the Rouran's courage. A few days later, he summoned her again to the Huangxin Hall in the West Palace and bestowed upon her the name "Zhao Zhi".

Zhao Zhi refused the position of general, wishing only to live as an ordinary woman who would no longer be involved in fighting and killing. Time flew by, and in the twentieth year of Taihe, Mu Tai occupied Pingcheng and joined forces to rebel against the court. His Majesty sent Prince Yuan Cheng of Rencheng to quell the rebellion.

The Prince of Rencheng led his troops in two columns!
The imperial edict ordered Li Huan, the Imperial Censor, to ride alone into Pingcheng to deliver the imperial decree, causing the rebel gang to tremble with fear and fall apart.

On the other side, the Prince of Rencheng found Zhao Zhi and ordered her to intercept the fleeing rebel leader Mu Tai and capture the traitor alive.

so……

"Zhao Zhi, are you aware that the target of this spy letter is you?"

The unfinished character is "明" (míng), meaning "bright hall" or "hall of enlightenment".

Yuan Zhi ordered his men to summon the registrar: "Investigate who brought the scholar Wei Yao into the Xi official residence. How dare this lowly island barbarian dare to disrespect the new school administrator and mock my Xianbei students! Have them all flogged to death!"

Weizu Academy.

After Du Ling finished teaching the first lesson, he first announced that the joint examination in April would be held on the 16th. Then he instructed Wei Yao: "You should ask your fellow students for help with the lessons you missed, and also tell them about your experience and insights of copying books in the palace."

As soon as he left, several fellow disciples surrounded him, bombarding Wei Yao with questions: "What was the old palace like?"

"Is it pretty?"

"Are there still many palace servants inside?"

"How big is the library? Is it bigger than our Wei Academy?" Wei Yao replied to them embarrassedly, "I'm timid. I didn't dare to look up after entering the palace. I only saw four palace servants. There are more than ten storage rooms, but I can only go into one."

"Ah?" Disappointment echoed repeatedly.

"Heh heh." Qu Rong couldn't help but laugh. Wei Yao's excuse was so obvious, yet these foolish fellow disciples couldn't tell.

But now he's smarter. He just laughs, and no one can prove that he's mocking her. Besides, Young Master Mao and Young Master Jing both took leave today, and he's actually hoping she'll pick a fight with him.

Wei Yao wasn't that free; she went to Wei Zhen to get her notes. The poems she had missed were "Zi Jin" and "Yang Zhi Shui," and there was also a poem called "Yang Zhi Shui" in the "Wang Feng" section that she had studied before.

The two poems titled "Yang Zhi Shui" have similar opening lines, but the "Wang Feng" poem uses "Yang Zhi Shui" to satirize the troubled and urgent political and educational affairs of King Ping of Zhou, while the "Zheng Feng" poem uses "Yang Zhi Shui" to metaphorically describe the chaotic and hasty political and educational affairs of Duke Zhao of Zheng, Zheng Hu.

Understanding why this poem satirizes these two monarchs, and the historical context of the time, is essential to grasping the poem's meaning.

Now, Du Ling, after leaving the school, would go to the latrine in the Master's Courtyard. He never went to the latrine in the Book of Poetry dormitory because he could always hear Wu Ji and Wei Jian chattering from a distance.

After finishing the task, I came out and was met by a person blocking my way. The person was wearing a tattered straw hat and was wrapped up very thickly.

"Ah!" Du Ling was greatly flustered, and his scream was so exaggerated that it seemed inhuman.

The man in the straw hat spoke in an old voice: "Master Du, you startled me."

"Who are you, pretending to be a ghost!" Du Ling reached out and pulled off his straw hat, revealing the other person's face clearly. It was the old man, Wei Weng, who cleaned the Confucius Temple courtyard.

At this moment, Du Ling had already reacted and quickly came up with a solution, scolding, "I was thinking about the students' joint entrance exam when you almost poked my eye. Next time, call out before you go into the outhouse!"

"Yes Yes."

"And who's messing with you this time? Look at you, all dressed up in layers and layers, with a straw hat completely covering your face. How can you see the road and do your job properly?"

"The person who mocked me said... he shares your surname, Du, and specifically instructed me that if you ask about him, I should tell you not to forget what you promised him, otherwise he won't leave Pingcheng." Wei Weng's words were as rigid as if he were reciting a passage.

During this process, Du Ling circled the outhouse twice, both forwards and backwards, to confirm that no one could hear their conversation through the walls.

Du Ling was inwardly turbulent, but his face remained impassive. "Uncle Wei, what you're saying is completely incoherent; I really don't understand. Alright, I have to go to class now. Remember to ask if anyone's inside before you clean the latrine next time."

As he walked, he anxiously pondered: Was this incident instigated by Du Tongding? No, it shouldn't be.

Du Ling was very confident. Before he ordered that pearl necklace for Du Tong, he had taken photos of himself at home in disguise several times. Even he himself could not recognize himself!
So, who used Wei Weng to trick him?
Who knew he would go back to the Confucian Academy to use the outhouse during breaks?
Thinking it over further, Du Ling got goosebumps all over his body... Could it be that someone had already become suspicious when Master Duan fell to his death and when he took over the teaching?

They've been investigating all along?!

Back at the schoolhouse, Du Ling had calmed down and was so focused on lecturing that even Wei Yao couldn't detect anything unusual.

On her way home, Wei Yao passed by Yingju Bookstore and suddenly had a premonition, looking towards the entrance of the bookstore.

Sure enough, Wei Mao was waiting for her there.

Upon reaching the second floor, Wei Mao recounted how he had been investigating Master Yang at the state academy. The clue that Master Yang had taught Du Tongding was given to him by Xi Jiao. Unfortunately, Xi Jiao couldn't find anything, and neither could he find any deeper clues.

Wei Yao understood: "Even if Master Yang told Du Ling about many of Du Tongding's bad habits, it's not a fault. At most, it's just that he likes to gossip and spread rumors. Actually, I've been thinking about this for the past few days since I entered the old palace. I've thought of a solution that has no other choice."

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(End of this chapter)