Hot flashes

On the tenth day of the sixth month, Shen Yu invited Zhou Heng to his residence for a chat.

Zhou Heng has left.

Shen Yu sat in his study, with a pot of tea and two cups in front of him.

Upon seeing Zhou Heng enter, he stood up and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Lord Zhou, please have a seat."

Zhou Heng sat down.

Shen Yu personally poured tea and handed it to him.

Zhou Heng took it and drank a sip.

Shen Yu looked at him with a complicated expression.

"Lord Zhou," he said, "I've invited you here today to ask you something."

Zhou Heng waited.

Shen Yu asked, "Were the things you did for the people, or for His Majesty?"

Zhou Heng was stunned for a moment.

He thought for a moment and said, "I have both."

Shen Yu nodded.

He then asked, "If one day Your Majesty's decision conflicts with the interests of the people, whom would you choose?"

Zhou Heng remained silent for a while.

Then he said, "That day will never come."

Shen Yu looked at him.

Zhou Heng said, "He won't let that day come."

Shen Yu remained silent for a long time.

Then he picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Lord Zhou," he said, "do you believe him?"

Zhou Heng nodded.

"letter."

Shen Yu looked at him.

Then he put down his teacup, stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to Zhou Heng.

"Lord Zhou," he said, "I have lived for fifty years and have seen three emperors. Each one was a fine man before he sat on the throne. But after he sat on it, he slowly changed."

He turned around and looked at Zhou Heng.

"Power corrupts."

Zhou Heng remained silent.

Shen Yu looked at him with a deep gaze.

"You believe him now because he's still the same person. But what about ten years from now? Twenty years from now? Will he still be the same person?"

Zhou Heng remained silent for a long time.

Then he stood up and walked up to Shen Yu.

"Prime Minister Shen," he said, "I don't know what he will become in ten or twenty years. But I do know one thing."

Shen Yu waited.

Even if he changes, I will bring him back.

Shen Yu was stunned.

After Zhou Heng finished speaking, he turned and walked out.

He stopped at the door.

"Minister Shen, thank you for the tea."

He pushed open the door and went out.

In mid-June, the turmoil in the imperial court gradually subsided.

On June 20th, the Xie family sent people to the capital.

The visitor was Xie Xun's eldest son, Xie Ming. In his early thirties, he was handsome and refined. He brought a cartload of gifts to visit Zhou Heng.

Xie Ming was very polite. He first greeted Xie Xun on behalf of Xie Xun, and then apologized for Zheng Mingyi's matter, saying that the Xie family had not disciplined their children properly and had produced such an unworthy descendant, causing trouble for Lord Zhou.

Zhou Heng listened without saying a word.

Xie Ming added that the Xie family was willing to support the new policy. In Jiangling, the Xie family's land could be used as a pilot project, allowing farmers to rent and cultivate it, with the harvest split 30/70.

The Xie family's pawnshop can also be converted, with interest rates halved, just like government-run pawnshops.

Xie Ming waited for a long time but received no response, and the smile on his face became somewhat stiff.

"Lord Zhou," he said, "the Xie family sincerely wants to cooperate with the imperial court."

Zhou Heng looked at him and finally spoke.

"Young Master Xie," he said, "the Xie family's fields are rented to farmers, with the harvest split 30/70—70 for you and 30 for the farmers?"

Xie Ming's smile faltered for a moment.

Zhou Heng continued, "The government-run pawnshop has halved its interest rates, but what was the original interest rate you were charging? 3%? 5%? Or compound interest, like borrowing one and repaying ten?"

Xie Ming's expression changed.

Zhou Heng stood up.

"Young Master Xie," he said, "take the gift back with you. The court has its own rules regarding the new policies. If the Xie family wants to support them, they should follow the rules. If they don't want to support them, they should also follow the rules."

He turned and walked out.

"Lord Zhou!" Xie Ming caught up, "The Xie family is truly sincere—"

Zhou Heng pushed open the door and went out.

Xie Ming stood there, his face a mixture of pale and ashen.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

During the morning court session

At 3:45 AM, the discussion turned to the matter of the canal transport in Jiangnan, and Zhang Yu, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present." His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just right. "This year, the summer harvest in Jiangnan has been poor, and three out of ten local reports indicate that the disaster is severe. I believe that the grain tax should be reduced to alleviate the people's suffering."

There was a moment of silence in the imperial court.

Zhou Heng's brow twitched.

Reducing the grain tax. It sounds like a good thing, advocating for the people. But Jiangnan is the ancestral home of powerful families, and the grain tax is the lifeblood of the imperial court. If the grain tax is reduced, what will the court eat? How will it support the border troops? How will it quell border troubles?

Zhang Yu was Shen Yu's man.

Xiao Jue sat on the throne, looking at him without saying a word.

Shen Yu stepped forward.

"I believe this is unacceptable."

Zhang Yu turned to look at Shen Yu, his gaze carrying just the right amount of surprise: "What do you mean by that, Prime Minister Shen?"

Shen Yu's voice remained calm and composed: "The poor harvest in Jiangnan is indeed a fact. But reducing the grain tax is a complex issue with far-reaching consequences. The border troops' provisions and the salaries of officials in the capital all depend on it. If it's reduced today, what will make up for it tomorrow?"

Zhang Yu asked, "Then, according to Prime Minister Shen's opinion, what should be done?"

Shen Yu said, "We should thoroughly investigate local areas and verify the extent of the disaster. Those who have indeed suffered losses should be granted appropriate reductions or exemptions; those who falsely report or fraudulently claim benefits should be severely punished. In this way, we can both protect the foundation of the court and alleviate the suffering of the people."

Zhang Yu paused for a moment, then returned to the queue.

Xiao Jue's gaze swept across Shen Yu's face and then landed on Zhang Yu. That glance was very indifferent, as if he hadn't seen anything at all.

"Accurate," he said.

After the court session, Zhou Heng waited for Shen Yu in the corridor.

When Shen Yu came out and saw him, he paused for a moment, then quickly regained his composure.

"Lord Zhou, is there something you need?"

Zhou Heng looked at him without saying a word.

Shen Yu wasn't in a hurry. He just stood there, letting him look.

"Prime Minister Shen," Zhou Heng finally spoke, "that memorial from Zhang Yu, you asked him to deliver it, didn't you?"

Shen Yu's lips curved slightly. The smile was so faint that it was almost imperceptible.

"Why do you say that, Lord Zhou?"

Zhou Heng did not answer his question.

"You had Zhang Yu propose reducing the grain tribute, then you yourself stood up to oppose it. One played the good cop, the other the bad cop. Finally, your proposal to 'strictly investigate local areas' sounded fair, but do you know who will be sent to do that?"