Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 758 Night Walk in Brocade Clothes
Shen did not look up, his gaze still fixed on the dragon-and-snake-like brush tip, and he only squeezed out a soft "hmm" from his throat as a response.

Shen Juan stood respectfully with his hands at his sides. After waiting a moment, seeing that his master had no further instructions, he asked in a low voice, "Master, all the gifts on Magistrate Shen's gift list have been delivered. Would you like to register them in the storeroom immediately, or..."

Shen Yun paused slightly in his writing, leaving a slightly darker dot on the paper, but he did not stop writing and quickly resumed his smooth writing: "No need to put it in storage for now. Leave it as is, and we'll talk about it after tomorrow."

Shen Juan was taken aback for a moment, then subconsciously asked, "Wait until tomorrow?"

"Isn't Prefect Shen supposed to go to the Ministry of Revenue tomorrow to discuss the tax reform?" Shen continued writing. "If he's still as unreasonable as before, stubbornly insisting on opposing it," he snorted, "then you should return those things to the Shuntian Prefecture Office untouched and with great fanfare. If he knows when to back down..." Shen paused, lightly tapping his pen on the inkstone, his tone softening slightly. "Then accept these things and prepare a return gift."

"Yes. I understand." Shen Juan nodded knowingly. After a moment's thought, he tentatively suggested, "Master, if Prefect Shen follows the will of Heaven, then could we also have our subordinates spread the word that it is because of your understanding and persuasive guidance that Prefect Shen has come to his senses and is now wholeheartedly supporting the national policy?"

Shen didn't respond immediately. Only after writing the last word of the sentence did he stop writing, raise his head, look at Shen Juan approvingly, and say with a playful smile, "Hehe, you certainly know how to think things through. Let's do it that way. But be sure to keep it measured and natural, and let the people who need to hear it know." After saying that, Shen lowered his head again.

"Yes, I understand," Shen Juan replied, bowing.

Seeing that Shen seemed to have no further instructions, Shen Juan prepared to bow and leave. He had just turned around and hadn't taken a step when he heard Shen's voice behind him again: "Wait."

Shen Juan immediately turned around: "Does the master have any other instructions?"

Shen put down his pen and blew on the still-wet ink at the signature: "This is an invitation. Whether Prefect Shen is sensible or foolish tomorrow, you must deliver this invitation to Zeng Shide's residence." With that, he handed the invitation to Shen Juan.

Shen Juan's heart skipped a beat. He respectfully accepted the still-freshly printed invitation and turned to take out an envelope from the drawer: "Yes, I've got it. I'll send someone to deliver it first thing tomorrow morning."

Zeng Shaofang, courtesy name Shide, sobriquet Lanruo, was a native of Yongxing County, Chenzhou, Huguang Province. He passed the provincial examination in the Gengzi year of the Wanli reign (1610) and became a Jinshi in the Dingwei year of the Wanli reign (1617). In the 36th year of the Wanli reign (1617), he served as the magistrate of Wucheng County, Zhejiang Province. He currently serves as a secretary in the Department of Military Affairs of the Ministry of War.

Shen, courtesy name Mingzhen, was a native of Wucheng County, Zhejiang Province. He passed the Zhejiang provincial examination in the 19th year of the Wanli reign (1611) and became a Jinshi in the 20th year of the Wanli reign (1612), and was selected as a Shujishi (a probationary official). In the 28th year of the Wanli reign (1619), he served as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy and was appointed as an examiner in Huguang.

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As Shen Guangzuo left the Shen family in his carriage, the evening drum, which signaled the start of the curfew, had already sounded for quite some time. The streets of the capital were deserted and desolate, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the daytime. Only the occasional sounds of the night watchman's gong and the footsteps of patrolling soldiers broke the silence of the night.

When the carriage reached the crossroads connecting Zhaohuijinggongfang, Jiaozhongfang, Baodafang and Renshoufang, it was indeed stopped by a wooden fence across the road and a group of patrol soldiers carrying lanterns and wearing weapons at their waists.

The carriage came to a steady stop in front of the fence. A foreman from the police battalion, his hand on his saber, stepped forward, facing the light from the lantern on the carriage shaft, and asked warily, "Whose carriage is this? Don't you know the curfew has already passed?"

Shen Yao, perched on the carriage shaft, listened intently to the faint snoring coming from inside. He lowered his voice and bowed to the officers, saying, "Sir, the person in my carriage is Master Shen from Shuntian Prefecture. We have just come from Master Shen's residence and are on our way back to the prefectural office. Please do us a favor and let us pass."

The foreman was taken aback upon hearing this. By the light of the lantern, he carefully examined the rather plain, even somewhat rudimentary, carriage and asked in confusion, "Prefect Shen? This doesn't look like a carriage from Shuntian Prefecture."

“My lord, you are wise,” Shen Yao quickly explained, “I didn’t use an official vehicle; this is my master’s private car.”

"Private car?" The officer frowned and held out his hand, saying, "Bring me the receipt to check."

“Sir,” Shen Yao said with a troubled expression, “I am a coachman for the Shen family, not a constable of the Shuntian Prefecture. What credentials do I have on me?”

"What are you saying?" The captain clicked his tongue with a half-smile. "You may not have proof, but your master should, right? Please show me your official credentials or ceremonial token, Master Shen. After we have checked them, we will naturally let you pass."

"Sir," Shen Yao sighed helplessly, pointing back to the carriage behind him, his voice even lower, "You heard that too?"

"What did you hear?" The captain frowned and listened intently. He then discerned a faint snoring sound amidst the subtle night breeze.

"What are you doing?" The team leader hesitated. According to regulations, officials could indeed pass through the checkpoints set up by the police during curfew, but they had to verify their identities and register. However, the "prefect" inside the car was clearly fast asleep. If he forcibly woke him up for inspection, it would displease him and invite trouble. But if he let him pass without checking, he couldn't bear the responsibility if there was any fraud.

Just as the officer was in a dilemma, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar. Following the sound, the officer saw a young military officer dressed in the uniform of a sixth-rank official, with a square-shaped goose-feather saber at his waist, leading two Jinyiwei captains briskly towards them. This was the Jinyiwei centurion in charge of the curfew patrols in this area; seeing the carriage lights stop in the distance, he came to investigate.

"What's going on? Whose carriage is this?" The commander of the Imperial Guard glanced around the scene and asked in a deep voice, "Why are you stopping here?"

The officers of the patrol camp breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the newcomers. With a high-ranking official from the Embroidered Uniform Guard involved, they had someone to back them up, whether it was negotiating or letting them pass.

He quickly bowed and reported, "Master Pan, you've come at the right time. This gentleman claims," ​​he pointed to Shen Yao, "that the person in the carriage is Shen Dazan from Shuntian Prefecture. I was just about to check his identity as usual, but you see..." The officer spoke while slyly backing away.

The Imperial Guard commander surnamed Pan stepped forward. The carriage lights illuminated his unusually young face. He hadn't heard the snoring and assumed it was just a routine check, so he walked straight to the carriage and bowed through the curtain: "I am Pan Zhaohuan, a commander of the Western Division of the Imperial Guard responsible for catching thieves, and I am here to enforce the curfew. May I ask if the person sitting inside is Mr. Shen Dazan from Shuntian Prefecture?"

Shen Guangzuo was not awakened by the greeting; the only response Pan Zhaohuan received was a series of soft, steady snores.

Pan Zhaohuan, not receiving a response, frowned slightly. He took a half step forward and raised his hand to knock on the carriage wall. Just as his hand was about to touch the wall, he finally heard the snoring clearly.

Pan Zhaohuan paused, his hand hovering in mid-air, then slowly withdrew it and turned to the foreman, ordering, "Remove the fence and let them through."

Although the Imperial Guards would be the ones to take the blame if anything happened, the officer hesitated for a moment before reminding him, "Master Pan, according to the rules, shouldn't we verify their identities first?"

Pan Zhaohuan waved his hand, interrupting the officers: "It's alright. I'll personally escort this carriage to the Shuntian Prefecture Office later. Once we get there, their identities will be confirmed." As he spoke, Pan Zhaohuan glanced at Shen Yao.

The officer was taken aback upon hearing this, secretly praising the newly appointed young centurion for his quick wit and intelligence. Without further hesitation, he turned to his soldiers and ordered, "What are you all standing there for? Quickly move the fence!"

The soldiers rushed forward and hurriedly moved aside the barriers and chevaux-de-frise blocking the way, clearing a path.

Escorted by the Imperial Guards, the blue-curtained carriage moved freely through the curfew streets, eventually coming to a slow stop in a quiet alley behind the Shuntian Prefecture government office. Inside the carriage, an exhausted Shen Guangzuo remained deep in a less-than-pleasant sleep, almost completely unaware of the commotion outside.

"Commander Pan, this is the back gate." Shen Yao put down the reins, jumped off the carriage, and gently stroked the packhorse's head. The packhorse seemed to know that its errand for the day was about to end, and it neighed happily, then nuzzled against Shen Yao's rough hand in response.

Pan Zhaohuan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the back gate of the government office, which wasn't even lit with lanterns. He then looked at the Imperial Guard who had been standing guard on the left side of the carriage: "Knock on the door."

"Yes." The captain answered crisply and strode toward the closed back door.

Pan Zhaohuan turned around and walked towards the carriage, intending to personally wake Shen inside. But before he could get close, Shen Yao, just like earlier in front of the Shen family's gate, stretched out his fingers and tapped lightly on the sturdy carriage frame.

Thump, thump, thump
Almost at the same time as the knocking sound, the officer in brocade uniform also grabbed the door knocker and knocked on the back door of the Shuntian Prefecture Office.

Bang, bang, bang
The dull thud of the door knocker hitting the door panel, combined with the sound of knuckles tapping on the carriage wall, instantly woke Shen Guangzuo from his light sleep.

Shen Guangzuo's eyelids twitched a few times before he slowly opened them. His vision shifted from darkness to light. By the dim light of the car's lantern, he vaguely made out Shen Yao's familiar face.

"Are we home?" Shen Guangzuo rubbed his temples, his voice still groggy from just waking up.

"Yes, sir, we've arrived at the back door." Shen Yao replied, reaching out to help Shen Guangzuo out of the car.

Shen Guangzuo subconsciously reached out and touched Shen Yao's arm when he heard a clear conversation coming from outside the carriage.

"Who are you?" The sound of the door opening was followed by a wary and tense voice.

Then came the cold, curt reply from the Imperial Guard captain who had knocked on the door: "Imperial Guard."

"The Imperial Guard?" The Imperial Guard knocked on the door at night, their voices rising and falling like a whirlwind. The voice inside instantly changed, all traces of sleepiness vanishing, replaced by fear and trembling: "What brings you here in the dead of night?!"

“No need to panic.” At this moment, Pan Zhaohuan’s clear voice broke in, “We are just escorting your Shen Dazan’s family back to their residence.”

The servant inside seemed to pause for a moment upon hearing this. Then, the back door, which had only been slightly ajar, creaked open. A servant boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old cautiously peeked out, looking at the door with a mixture of fear and confusion. His gaze swept warily over the captain who had knocked on the door, finally settling on the familiar carriage.

Just then, Shen Guangzuo, supported by Shen Yao, bent down and walked out of the carriage.

"Father!" the servant called out to Shen Yao.

"Father what?!" Shen Yao glared at him. "Didn't you see the master?"

"Master," the servant quickly corrected himself.

Shen Guangzu steadied himself, offering no reply, but simply waving his hand. His gaze passed over Shen Yao and landed on Pan Zhaohuan, dressed in the uniform of a sixth-rank military officer: "Thank you for seeing me off so late at night. Forgive my poor eyesight, but may I ask who you are?"

"Your humble servant is Pan Zhaohuan, a centurion of the Western Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard," Pan Zhaohuan immediately returned the greeting with clasped hands, "Greetings, Prefect Shen."

Shen Guangzu pondered the name "Pan Zhaohuan," seemingly searching his memory. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and he tentatively asked, "May I ask, are you Pan Jiemin Gong Zongyan?"

Pan Zhaohuan's pupils contracted, a complex light flashing in his eyes. He lowered his head sadly, his voice also becoming a few degrees lower: "Reporting to the Grand Master of the Palace... Lord Jiemin... is indeed my father."

Pan Zongyan, courtesy name Shizan, sobriquet Huailu, was a native of Bao'an Guard in Beizhili, born in the tenth year of the Wanli reign. He was skilled in poetry and prose, and knowledgeable in astronomy and military strategy. In the fortieth year of the Wanli reign (1612), he passed the Shunzhi provincial examination and became a Juren. In the forty-first year of the Wanli reign (1612), he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, serving as a Principal of the Ministry of Revenue, later rising to the rank of Langzhong. In the forty-seventh year of the Wanli reign (1618), he was promoted to Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Shandong Province, responsible for military affairs in Kaiyuan. In March, the Ming army launched a four-pronged attack. Pan Zongyan, as Assistant Military Commissioner supervising the northern route's Ma Lin Army, was defeated and killed in battle at the age of thirty-six. Upon hearing the news, he was granted a state funeral, posthumously awarded the title of Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and later Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. His son, Zhaohuan, was granted the hereditary title of Centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He was posthumously honored with the title of Jiemin, and a shrine was erected in his honor.

"Truly a descendant of loyal martyrs." Shen Guangzuo's sleepiness vanished, replaced by a solemn expression of respect. He straightened up, solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed deeply towards Pan Zhaohuan, and even further into the distance: "My apologies, my apologies!"

Pan Zhaohuan silently accepted this respect without saying anything, but simply clasped his hands in a fist and returned the greeting deeply.

After a moment of silence, Pan Zhaohuan composed himself and said, "Now that Shen Dazan has returned safely to his residence, I am relieved. I have the duty of patrolling the city during the curfew, so I cannot stay any longer and will take my leave now."

Shen Guangzu bowed again: "Thank you for your hard work, you three. I will thank you again another day."

Pan Zhaohuan said no more, nodded, and turned to his two subordinates, saying, "Let's go." The two Jinyiwei captains immediately gathered behind him, and the three of them quickly disappeared into the night at the alley entrance.

Shen Guangzu watched them leave before turning around and, respectfully led by a servant, stepping through the back gate of the Shuntian Prefecture Office.

After Shen Guangzuo passed through the door, the servant looked at Shen Yao, but Shen Yao did not respond to the gaze. He simply drove the empty carriage slowly away from the back alley in the direction he had come from, heading towards the side gate near the stable.

As the night deepened and the dew grew heavy, all was silent. Just as the door closed once more, from afar, from some unknown alleyway, came the clear, drawn-out sound of the night watchman's clapper and his shouts:

"Thump—thump—"

"Dry weather, be careful with fire—close doors and windows to prevent theft—"

(End of this chapter)