Ink Burns

Chapter 300 Good People Get Good Rewards
The snow did not fall all night, and the heavy dew turned into frost. By dawn, snow and ice mounds more than a foot high had piled up at the corner of the wall. If they could not be swept away in time, they would become obstacles for pedestrians.

Yuan Wenying leaned against a vermilion pillar, brushing snow off her shoes. She glanced up and saw Ren, the Right Vice Minister of Works, also wiping his boots against the wall in the distance. Their eyes met, and they nodded, a bitter smile playing on their lips—like girls in a brothel, waiting to be sold, their antidote to the "trapping lure" being their indenture.

Back then, in order to take a shortcut, they tilted their heads back and drank that cup of "Qianji Yin," becoming "Qingfeng's" people, saving themselves ten years of hardship. A sudden east wind rose, sending them straight to the clouds.

But high above, he realized he was nothing more than a kite. The string was in someone else's hand; no matter how high he flew, he couldn't escape that gentle tug.

This month, it's time to take the fifth dose of the antidote. Jing'an had promised to give them the medicine after finishing Xue Xiao's job. Who knew that Jing'an himself was a whole person when he went out, but when he returned, he was in pieces, and he couldn't possibly take care of them anymore?

In the mourning hall, he wept the most bitterly, mourning his former boss, whom he had painstakingly cobbled together, and even more so, his own broken supply of the antidote. A terrible thought even crossed his mind: perhaps it would be a good thing if the medicine never reached him. At least he would be free, no longer needing to be human. In his next life, as an animal, he would be free from these shortcuts and temptations, and maybe even be able to cultivate himself properly and achieve enlightenment.

Last night at midnight, his good-for-nothing eldest son, Yuan You, returned home drunk after drinking with someone, and on the way, he brought a letter: Princess Suiyuan wishes to see several of her uncles.

The madam is dead, and now it's the young madam's turn to take over the business.

Seven or eight high-ranking officials of the court, their shoes and socks soaked, entered the Cui residence and entered the courtyard. Upon opening the door, they saw Cui Yulang, who had been waiting for a long time with a bowed posture, welcoming them respectfully. Behind the screen sat a woman with a high belly. After a few words, Cui Yulang got to the point with a smile: "Yesterday I was invited without permission, and I should have personally come to your residence to pay my respects. However, Linniang is currently unwell, so I have to trouble you uncles and elders to come instead. I hope you will understand."

Lord Ren raised his hand in a gesture of deference, his tone revealing his usual tact and diplomacy:
"No problem—no problem—"

"My mother-in-law has passed away suddenly," Cui Yulang continued, not caring who said what, his tone slightly somber but his gaze still calm. "We juniors are deeply grieved, and everyone in the household is also overcome with sorrow. However, the deceased is gone, but the living must not wallow in grief and forget their aspirations."

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "The matters and undertakings entrusted to me by my late mother-in-law should still be carried on. Now this burden falls on Linniang and my shoulders, and we cannot do without the support of all of you uncles and elders. I hope that you will remember our past friendship, work together, and carry on her legacy so that our path will not be interrupted."

Yuan Wenying stroked his beard, lowered his head to meet Lord Ren's gaze, but did not speak.

He didn't respond, but someone else did. The time for the Vice Minister of the Capital Prefecture to take his medicine was fast approaching, and he said anxiously, "Of course, we have received much support from His Highness Jing'an, and now it is our duty to be righteous ministers who help the younger generation—but Emperor Yongping is currently advancing with unstoppable momentum, pressing forward step by step, and we have no plan at the moment."

You have to tell me what you need before I can do it. Once I've done it, you have to give me the medicine!
Cui Yulang smiled, his handsome phoenix eyes slightly raised, and he tapped his fingers lightly on the table: "Now the emperor's power is unstoppable, and the capital, Tianjin and Hebei are all in his hands. If we want to break the deadlock, the only hope is the Northern Frontier. The eighteen taels of silver that the Northern Frontier Army wanted has been robbed by the Russians. The emperor must give an explanation. Whether it is to allocate funds again or to raise funds from the whole court, these eighteen thousand taels of silver must be put in our pockets."

This is one of them.

"The Xishan Camp is now under Xue Xiao's control. We must have someone in our hands to hold the position of leader of the Imperial Guard. I have been in the Ministry of Works for several years. Most of the leaders of the Imperial Guard are members of the imperial clan. With my mother-in-law passing away, it is only reasonable for me, a member of the imperial clan and a son-in-law, to take over the position."

This is the second one.

Cui Yulang's fingertips paused lightly on the table, a faint, gentlemanly smile playing on his lips, like the breath of bamboo.

"As for the third point," he said, his voice softening as if afraid of waking something, "it will not be too late for me to tell you after you have completed the first two tasks. By then, once you have taken the antidote, you will be as vibrant as new leaves and will be able to devote yourselves to our great cause once again."

These two tasks cannot be described as easy.

If the imperial power is weak, then Emperor Yongping can certainly do whatever he wants.

Now that Emperor Yongping holds great power, and his powerful minister Xue Xiao is a ruthless and headstrong man, how can these demands be met?

Yuan Wenying hesitated: "Young Master Cui, have you considered the methods to succeed?"

Cui Yulang spread his hands: "This child is ignorant and foolish, and can only rely on you gentlemen."

Yuan Wenying was speechless for a moment: she didn't know how to respond to such a shameless remark!

Cui Yulang laughed: "You only know that since ancient times, military generals have died in battle and civil officials have died remonstrating. Emperor Yongping cares about his reputation. If a minister were to die remonstrating with his head against a pillar while he was in power, he would definitely back down. Moreover, Lord Yuan was the emperor's tutor and had a few days of teacher-student relations with Emperor Yongping. If the teacher dies for remonstrating, how can the disciple still have the face to uphold Confucianism in court?"

Yuan Wenying stared in astonishment: "What does Your Highness mean by this?"

Are we suggesting he should die trying to persuade us?!

Why?! Why?!

He might as well forgo the antidote, live a miserable life for a year or two, and even with his crippled body, he would make these kite-pullers reap what they sow!

Didn't Jing'an ever teach her daughter and son-in-law the lesson of not pushing a fence-sitter too far?
Cui Yulang leaned back, his handsome and elegant face like a stick of incense burning before a Buddha, clear and upright, surrounded by a wisp of mist from a solitary mountain, untouched by the world.

He was always the most handsome, noble, and well-behaved young man in the capital.

It's a pity that he was so good-looking that people forgot about his intelligence, his cunning, and his ruthless cruelty.

"Of course Lord Yuan understands what I mean." Cui Yulang remained humble and smiled throughout. "Since you died remonstrating, your share of the antidote can be rightfully passed on to Brother You, can't it?"

Yuan Wenying's eyes widened: "What did you say? You-ge'er? When did You-ge'er ever take 'Qianji Yin'? He didn't even pass the imperial examination, how could Your Highness have given him—wait, wait! Last night, last night you and You-ge'er drank together! You, you—"

Cui Yulang nodded humbly: "He's become numb from drinking too much; whatever others urge him to drink, he'll drink."

Yuan Wenying's chest pain intensified, and his rapid breathing almost suffocated him!

No matter how useless my son is, he's still my son!
As a father, one is bound to save his son!

Yuan Wenying covered her chest and remained silent for a long time.

"Lord Yuan, please think it over carefully. In times of emergency, extraordinary measures must be taken. Your mother-in-law is a heroine, always valuing loyalty and dignity—please consider this—"

Cui Yulang spread his hands again, his voice humble yet smugly confident: "Look at how well she has done things! Since we are at our lowest point, we have no choice but to resort to any means necessary. Lord Yuan, if you were to die for your cause, you would be worthy of being honored with a monument."

He couldn't quite remember how Yuan Wenying returned home; the only thing he clearly remembered was her soaked trouser legs, clinging to her skin in the cold wind.

The next day was the grand court assembly, and the turning point came unexpectedly on the morning of the second day.

"Master! Master!"

Before dawn, the gate to the inner courtyard of the Yuan residence was pushed open, and the Yuan family steward rushed out, clutching a stack of papers, and knelt before the pale-faced Yuan Wenying: "In the city...in the city last night...last night there was a heavy snowfall!"

Yuan Wenying remained silent: So what?

It's not like it's snowing in June. In the dead of winter, shouldn't it be normal for it to snow as much as it wants?
"No, it's not snow! It's not snow!" the steward exclaimed. "It's paper! Paper like snowflakes! There's a prescription on it! And it's clearly written at the top: the antidote for 'Trapping Poison'! There are about ten of these scattered in front of every pharmacy in the capital, all white, just like a heavy snowfall!"

Yuan Wenying's mouth went dry instantly.

impossible?

How could I be sleepy and my pillow have arrived at the same time?!
Yuan Wenying snatched the piece of paper from the steward's hand.

He didn't understand pharmacology, but he still grabbed at it as if it were the last straw, reading quickly and fast, his eyes fixed on the last line: Cheng Xingyu Yongping's Mid-Autumn of the Eighth Year.

"Who is Cheng Xingyu?" Yuan Wenying asked loudly.

"Your Majesty—I have something to report—" In the imperial court, Bai Yusi, the current prefect of Songjiang Prefecture, who comes to the capital every three years to report on his duties, stepped forward from the crowd: "For three consecutive years, with Songjiang Prefecture as the core, the epidemic has struck as scheduled every winter. Thanks to the Songjiang Prefecture Physician who disregarded his personal safety and diligently searched for ways to cure the epidemic, the epidemic in the city has been brought under control and is curable. Your Majesty, I hereby request that a biography be written and a temple built for Physician Cheng Xingyu, who cured the epidemic, to commemorate his benevolent and virtuous doctor."

"allow--"

Yuan Wenying looked up abruptly, only to see Emperor Yongping, seated on the dragon throne and behind his crown and court beads, sweeping his gaze over him with a deep and unsettling look.

As Emperor Yongping's eyes, deep and unfathomable as autumn water, rang out, the kite string snapped with a "snap."