Chapter 244: The Welcome Banquet (1)

While the emperor was casting about for any pretext with all his might, Le Wuya had already moved into his new residence, all smiles.

He Qingsong held Er Ya's hand, Yang Zheng carried a cage full of kittens, and Hua Rong drove the cart carrying the two sisters-in-law, Mrs. He and Mrs. Yang. He Qingsong's eldest son had grown into a sturdy young man, and together with the taciturn Zhong Piaoping, they guarded the trunks and other family members bringing up the rear.

The group kept their heads down and rushed along, not daring to even glance at the bustling sights of the capital once they entered the city gates.

Only after they'd noisily piled into the new courtyard house did they finally perk up.

"This trunk's got winter clothes and bedding—no need to unpack it, just stash it; this one's got pots, pans, and bowls..."

He Qingsong hauled the bundles off the cart one by one. Hua Rong only needed one glance to know what was in each trunk, and after unpacking them one by one, he helped Yang Zheng and Zhong Piaoping carry the items into the rooms.

The two sisters-in-law put their heads together and talked: "Is it too late to set up a grape trellis this season? Or maybe plant a row of baby bok choy first?"

Le Wuya stood off to the side with his hands tucked in his sleeves, watching the courtyard slowly come to life, and laughed heartily.

The day after moving in, Le Wuya got official word that he was to go to the Ministry of Personnel to collect his appointment certificate and the newly minted censor's seal.

The day had come for him to take office.

Le Wuya was completely unfazed. He put up with the weird looks from the vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel, picked up his official credentials, then put up with the weird looks from his new colleagues, did the ceremonial bow at the ceremonial gate, and calmly walked into the office. He finished the seal handover with the previous Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief and received his own censor's seal.

To be fair, you couldn't really blame the officials for whispering among themselves.

The emperor had executed that traitor Le Wuya years ago, cutting all ties between ruler and subject. How could he suddenly reappoint someone who looked so much like that same Le Wuya?

Although Wen Ren Yue had held a low rank before and never met the emperor—so the emperor didn't know what he looked like—now that the emperor had seen him in person, he still let him take office, gave him a jade belt, granted him a mansion, and didn't send him out to the provinces. Instead, he put him in charge of all oversight matters for Shuntian Prefecture, with authority over the censors of the Yizhou, Yuzhou, and Jinzhou circuits, and the power to take part in capital evaluations, review death sentences, and inspect military gear and horse management.

Though looking at his whole career, these were all things he was good at, but this level of favor was just too...

No one dared to think about it too deeply. They just put on friendly faces and, full of suspicion, welcomed him through the gates of the Censorate to pay their respects to the Left Censor-in-Chief.

The Left Censor-in-Chief, Wang Su, styled Gongzhi, was a man of few words, true to his name—stern and proper, with neatly groomed beard and hair, sitting as straight as a sword.

After meeting Le Wuya, he didn't rush into pleasantries but asked in a measured tone: "Surveillance Commissioner Wenren, the 'General Regulations of the Censorate' says: when censors or inspection officials travel through their jurisdictions and come across corruption, negligence, or officials who harm the people, if they see wrongdoing and don't arrest the culprit, what's the penalty?"

Le Wuya lowered his gaze: "If you know of good deeds but don't promote them, or see wrongdoing but don't arrest the culprit, the penalty is a hundred strokes of the rod, followed by banishment to a miasmic frontier region. If there's bribery involved, the punishment is increased accordingly."

After a series of questions, seeing that Le Wuya answered without hesitation, Wang Su's stern face finally softened a bit: "Shou Yue, your entry into the Censorate is a favor from His Majesty's great kindness—you must never forget it. Among censors, gifts must not exceed five taels in value each time, or it's a breach of regulations. Since this is our first meeting, I'll make an exception and give you a gift worth a thousand pieces of gold."

Le Wuya's eyes lit up, and he looked up.

The old man pointed behind him. On the plaque behind him were four characters: "Hold oneself as pure as jade."

He said with a measured cadence: "These four words are the foundation of your conduct—worth more than a thousand pieces of gold."

Le Wuya: "..."

What a letdown. He'd thought it was something real.

It was in that very moment of raising and lowering his head that Le Wuya's peripheral vision caught sight of his waist.

For any censor of the Dayu dynasty, during court audiences, three items were required: the ivory tablet, the official tablet, and the censor's seal.

And the censor's seal was never to leave one's person for even a moment.

Wang Su's belt bore his censor's seal. The xiezhi beast on the seal knob bore a deep crack that wound like a centipede, and dark red seeped from within the fissure—whether dried blood or cinnabar, one couldn't tell—staining the mythical beast's single horn a mix of red and black.

Back then, Wang Su had come to the Round Prison to interrogate him, and Le Wuya had beaten him soundly.

The old man had no martial skill to defend himself, and Le Wuya had broken his nose, sending blood streaming down his face.

And Le Wuya could have escaped unscathed, but his lung disease was a torment—before leaving, he had coughed up blood all over him.

So he could never quite figure out whether the bloodstains on that seal knob were his own or Wang Su's.

Either way, his death warrant had certainly borne the imprint of that cracked seal.

He assumed an expression of sincere deference and bowed his head in respectful salute: "Shou Yue will remember this and never dare forget."

Seeing him so receptive to instruction, Wang Su's expression grew even more kindly, like a soft-hearted old man with a gruff exterior: "A few days ago, the Yuzhou circuit just sent up a death penalty case. Shou Yue, since you're in charge of criminal matters, I'll leave the review to you. I've already examined it carefully—it should be without error—but you still need to verify it yourself."

Le Wuya displayed just the right amount of confusion: "Since you, sir, have already examined it, this subordinate..."

Wang Su cut him off: "Shou Yue, you must remember one thing. As a censor, the only person you can trust is your own judgment."

Facing his new superior's earnest instruction, Le Wuya bowed gracefully and gently: "Thank you for your guidance, sir. This subordinate will engrave it in his heart and never dare forget."

...

At ordinary government offices, taking up a post was always celebrated with wine and feasts, gifts and ceremonies.

But the Censorate was different from ordinary offices.

Since it was the very institution in charge of enforcing regulations, how could it take the lead in violating them?

Therefore, following past precedent, they should hold a simple tea gathering with clear tea in place of wine.

Unexpectedly, with Le Wuya's assumption of office, a secret decree was delivered to the Censorate.

Wang Su had just finished admonishing Le Wuya and sat down when the secret decree arrived.

After reading it through, Wang Su's expression shifted through several changes. He pondered for a long while, then tucked the secret decree into a hidden compartment in his desk.

...

When the invitation from Wang Su arrived at Le Wuya's home, Le Wuya was sitting on a swing that Qin Xingyue had just built for him, holding a bundle of thin bamboo strips in his arms. He watched with a smile as the two sisters-in-law deftly set up a cucumber trellis, while he himself pulled out a few strips and wove an intricate cricket cage.

Hua Rong hurried over with an invitation and announced in a crisp voice: "Sir, the Left Censor-in-Chief's household has sent an invitation. They request your presence the day after tomorrow after office hours for a small banquet."

Though now in the capital, Hua Rong had seen no shortage of the world—even princes were a common sight to him—so he conducted himself with natural grace and composure, never losing face for his master.

Le Wuya took the invitation and had only read a few lines when Sister Yang, busy in the thick of work, turned her head and called out: "Sir, are you busy? We need some strips over here."

Le Wuya responded with an "Ah!" tossed the invitation carelessly onto the swing, and trotted over obediently, handing the bamboo strips to Sister Yang: "Sister, almost done?"

"Almost, almost! This frame is easy to set up!" Sister He said quickly. "Cucumbers grow fast. Once summer comes, the vines will climb up and cover the whole frame in just a few days. You can rest in the shade under the trellis and have tea—it'll be so comfortable!"

Hearing this, Le Wuya beamed with joy: "Then I'll be waiting!"

When he returned to the swing, Wang Cheng also emerged from the inner room.

Seeing that his master was weaving a cricket cage and worried that the thin, sharp bamboo strips might cut Le Wuya's hands, he rummaged through the luggage and found a pair of thin gloves.

Seeing Le Wuya pick up the invitation again to read it, he asked: "Sir, what is it?"

Le Wuya didn't look up: "Inviting me to a banquet at his residence."

Wang Cheng frowned.

Having journeyed extensively with Zheng Miao, he was well-versed in the intricacies and unspoken rules of officialdom: "Sir, by protocol, a censor should not accept private invitations."

Le Wuya: "The invitation states that Magistrate Wang has already filed a record of this matter, noting it as a small gathering at his private residence, with only a few colleagues invited, and it will by no means exceed proper protocol."

Wang Cheng was rendered speechless.

A superior's invitation, with all formalities in order, not violating protocol.

Given that, it seemed he had no choice but to go.

Le Wuya let out a sigh.

Hearing him sigh, as if reluctant to socialize, Wang Cheng skipped all preliminaries and directly proposed a solution: "Sir, you could simply plead indisposition."

"There's no escaping it," Le Wuya spoke plainly. "Someone wants to test my capacity for alcohol. If I don't go this time, there will be a next. You can put it off today, but not forever."

Wang Cheng had heard that his master's tolerance for alcohol was incredibly low—one cup and he was done, and after drinking, he was prone to blurting out the plain truth.

He added, "Sir, let me accompany you. My tolerance is decent; I can take a drink or two for you."

Le Wuya held up the invitation: "Only I was invited."

"Then..."

Le Wuya rose to his feet, folded the invitation, and said succinctly, "Then I'll go."

With that single word, Le Wuya returned to his room.

He occupied himself briefly inside, and moments later pushed the door open, stepping out toward the courtyard.

Wang Cheng, who had been discussing with Hua Rong which herbs to buy and planning to brew a hangover remedy in advance, quickly called after him: "Sir, where are you headed?"

Le Wuya adjusted his loose sleeves and replied with a smile, "I need to find someone dependable to come get me and take me home."