Chapter 219: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 219: Stop Acting, Uncle
“Xiao Ah Li, what’s this you’re writing?” Ah Dian asked as he stuffed pastries into his mouth.
Chang Suining: “A manifesto.”
“A manifesto…” Ah Dian thought for a while. Back when he was in the army, he often heard that word. Usually, Uncle Qiao would be the one to draft it, while Uncle Chang would stand by with his hands on his hips, supplying curses for Uncle Qiao to add in.
So Ah Dian curiously asked: “Who’s it scolding? Is the scolding good?”
Xi’er’s scalp tingled, and she quickly changed the topic to coax him: “General Dian, do you want some jujube pastries?”
“Yes!” Ah Dian nodded heavily, his eyes full of delight as he looked at Xi’er. “You have some?”
Xi’er gave an embarrassed laugh. “...No, this maid was only asking.”
Ah Dian let out a disappointed “ah,” but soon forgot what he had just asked, returning to munching his pastries.
Xi’er secretly let out a breath of relief. But just as she had managed to restrain the “little one,” the “old one” was no less troublesome:
“tsk, this scolding is really vicious…” Wu Jue sighed. “If anyone dared to scold me like this, I’d dig up his ancestral tombs for sure.”
“...” Xi’er’s mouth twitched. She gave up trying to intervene.
Forget it. Even the Buddha couldn’t do anything; how could she?
Chang Suining nodded. “So this Mister Luo, in writing such a manifesto, has staked even his ancestors’ graves.”
If anything went amiss, the graves of his ancestors from eight generations back would be relocated—pledging one’s lineage to insult others. That was the ultimate level of scolding.
This manifesto had been written by Luo Guanlin, under Xu Zhengye’s command, and it naturally denounced the Holy Emperor of the Ming clan.
It listed the empress’s crimes: first, as a concubine, she had corrupted the palace; later, as empress, she wove networks of factionalism, eliminated dissenters, and secretly consorted with the Prince of Huainan, Li Tong, in an attempt to usurp the throne—branding her a demoness and harlot.
It accused her further of harming imperial kinsmen, intimidating the Crown Prince, framing loyal ministers, and ruling with cruelty and malice, becoming a scourge upon the nation.
It even claimed that the deaths of her children were divine punishment, a sign she was a cursed star.
The words were highly inflammatory—anyone reading it would be compelled to denounce her as unforgivable.
After condemning the empress, the text then extolled Xu Zhengye as a loyal and upright minister, born of a noble and righteous family, brave and resourceful, ever victorious in battle.
Finally, it declared that Xu’s army already held the advantage of Heaven’s will, geographical strength, and popular support, with ample supplies and strong troops. Before long, they would march on the capital, restore the Crown Prince to the throne, and accomplish the great cause—calling upon all men of the realm to join the righteous cause and establish merits of loyalty.
Finishing the last line, Chang Suining couldn’t help but feel an urgent rush—as if failing to join now would mean missing the chance of a lifetime.
Conversely, to resist would not only mean certain death, but even after death, being branded as an accomplice of the demon empress—one’s descendants for hundreds of generations would never lift their heads again.
Though the writing was distorted and exaggerated, a manifesto was itself a weapon of war.
“No wonder the court strictly forbade its circulation. Such a manifesto is too provocative,” Chang Suining sighed. “For Xu Zhengye to gather over a hundred thousand men so swiftly, half the credit must go to Luo Guanlin. No wonder—he used to be a censor.”
“In the past, when this man served as a censor in the capital, his mouth was already prone to remonstrate to death.” Looking at the relentless abuse written across the page, Wu Jue sighed. “After being exiled, his mouth has only grown deadlier.”
Ah Dian didn’t understand. “If both are remonstrating to death, what’s the difference?”
“No difference.” Wu Jue didn’t want to corrupt the child. “I’m praising him as someone hard-headed and sharp-tongued!”
Chang Suining nodded. “Truly a talent.”
If only they could capture this man, establish an academy, and have him teach the “art of cursing” day and night—what a fine way to cultivate national talents in the art of insults.
“What was the Holy Emperor’s response, when this manifesto entered the capital?” Chang Suining asked.
Last night, Xi’er had used an errand as an excuse to go back, but in truth, she went to gather news. Now she pulled out a notice. “Young Miss, look at this!”
Chang Suining unfolded it. On it was a portrait of Xu Zhengye, declaring to the realm: Whoever delivered the rebel’s head, whether noble or commoner, would be rewarded ten thousand taels of gold and granted a third-rank official post. For the heads of his other accomplices, a fifth-rank post.
Looking at the words “other accomplices” at the end, Wu Jue nodded approvingly. “This notice is well worded…”
High EQ—“other accomplices.”
Low EQ—“dog Luo Guanlin.”
Meanwhile, seeing the line “ten thousand taels, third-rank official,” Chang Suining felt that anyone looking at Xu Zhengye’s portrait would find his face strangely agreeable—agreeable enough to make one want to claim his head as one’s own.
She casually tucked the notice into her sleeve and handed the manifesto back to Xi’er. “Keep this well. When free, you may let Ah Che and the others study it carefully.”
At their age, in their teens, children were still forming their character. Learning a new skill wasn’t bad; even the arts of cursing and inciting were profound studies.
“Young Miss.”
Just then, Ah Zhi came in quickly. “The young master says he cannot get away from the Great Hall, and sent a little monk to ask you to come help.”
Chang Suining frowned in puzzlement. But thinking that her brother had not yet recovered, she hurried over.
At the main hall, she found Chang Sui’an surrounded by a group of finely dressed ladies.
That morning, after taking a stroll around the temple courtyard, he had been pushed in his four-wheeled chair by Jiantong to offer incense. But when a certain official’s wife recognized him, she expressed concern: “Young Master Chang, though you’ve suffered, blessings await you after misfortune…”
Chang Sui’an had replied politely, not realizing the danger until more and more ladies gathered.
Those who came so early to offer incense were sincerely devout, eager to express their goodwill. With his pitiful state widely known, in this sacred place he became the perfect vessel for them to bestow their kindness upon.
Chang Sui’an wanted desperately to escape, but couldn’t. He even felt they might start chanting scriptures at him, sprinkling holy water, and treating him as a relic to consecrate.
Seeing his sister, he grasped at her like a drowning man at a reed.
Soon, the ladies also turned their attention to Chang Suining. Besides the plight of the Chang family’s young master, everyone knew about Young Miss Chang’s actions at the Confucius Temple. How could they not be drawn to her?
So Chang Suining went outside the hall with them to converse.
Yao Xia was also among them. She had come early with her mother to offer incense. Now, she too wanted to approach, but against a crowd of matronly ladies, she had no chance.
At that moment, Jiantong wheeled out Chang Sui’an, who needed fresh air.
Yao Xia turned, just as Chang Sui’an looked her way.
Their eyes met. Both spoke at once:
“Miss Yao—”
“Young Master Chang—”
Chang Sui’an gave a dazed smile. Seeing no one was watching, he said apologetically: “That day when I first awoke, I was discourteous. Please forgive me, Miss Yao.”
Discourteous?
Yao Xia thought, then realized he meant the time he had clutched her hand without letting go. Enlightened, she smiled forgivingly. “It’s fine. I was discourteous in return!”
Chang Sui’an: “?”
Yao Xia coughed. “I mean… that was an unconscious act while you were in a coma. I completely understand.”
Hearing this, Chang Sui’an relaxed. Once relaxed, his words strayed: “But Miss Yao’s grip is truly strong!”
He faintly remembered he couldn’t break free from her hand.
The young man’s tone carried affirmation and praise. Yao Xia, delighted, said: “Yes! For the past half year, I’ve been practicing martial arts and riding with my brothers—just like Sister Chang!”
She adored Sister Chang, of course she had to follow in her footsteps.
The girl raised her hands, palms open, proudly showing: “Look, my hands are full of calluses now!”
Chang Sui’an looked. To him, her palms still looked tender, the thin calluses even pink. The same hands belonged to a round-faced girl, with delicate features and bright, lively eyes. Her smile was dazzling.
Chang Sui’an stared blankly, then without warning—his face flushed red.
Fortunately, his darker complexion concealed it well.
Just then, someone called Yao Xia.
“My mother is calling. I must go!”
She hurried off, her cloak brushing the morning light, leaving behind a faint sweetness like summer fruit.
Meanwhile, a kindly lady borrowed brush and paper from the monks, writing down a name and place. “...Two years ago, my husband broke his leg. Thanks to this physician, he recovered without lasting ailment. Miss Chang, you may send someone to seek him. The place is only a hundred li from the capital—two days’ travel there and back.”
“Thank you, Madam.” Chang Suining gave sincere thanks, carefully putting it away.
Thanks to these kind ladies, her plans were falling perfectly into place.
After the ladies dispersed, a young monk came to summon her to the rear hall.
From afar, she saw a man’s back beneath a bodhi tree. She stepped forward and bowed. “Minister of Justice Yao.”
For the Yao family, it was not only Yao Xia and her mother who had come to pray that day.
Suining understood — their presence here was no coincidence. Likely, it was arranged by Yao Yi himself.
“Have your injuries healed?” Yao Yi asked. “The physician said you won’t be hindered in holding a brush?”
“Nearly healed. It won’t hinder me,” Suining replied. Then she asked, “Why does Minister of Justice Yao seem so concerned about whether I can still write?”
Back at the Hibiscus Garden, when she tamed the Fire Pomegranate, she had scraped her palm. His first reaction had been the same — “Will it affect your ability to hold a brush?”
“This is the very hand that painted the Tiger in the Mountain Grove,” Yao Yi stroked his neatly trimmed beard. “Any lover of talent would worry.”
Suining gave a small smile.
Then she lowered her voice. “Stop acting, Maternal Uncle.”
Yao Yi’s hand froze mid-beard-stroke. He looked at her in shock — what had she just called him?!
Glancing around anxiously, though no one was nearby, he still dared not speak freely. “Child, what nonsense are you spouting?”
“Rest easy, Maternal Uncle. I have guards watching — no ears beyond these walls.”
“You—” Yao Yi’s expression shifted, his eyes fixed on her. “You mean…”
“You wonder when I learned the truth?” Suining answered herself. “I’ve known for a long time. Minister of Justice Yao is my mother’s distant cousin.”
So when he once spoke of seeking an old friend’s daughter, he hadn’t been lying. He had indeed found her — only, he had never revealed himself.
Ah Li’s birth mother and Yao Yi were cousins, but the kinship was distant, and her mother had died years ago. Few remembered it. Suining had pieced it together from hints of her mother’s origins and confirmed it through quiet investigation.
Looking at the girl before him, hearing the words “distant cousin,” Yao Yi’s memory leapt back decades.
As a boy, too poor for proper tutors, his mother had sent him to live with a maternal aunt a thousand li away.
At that time, her family had not yet declined. Her husband was a county magistrate, and so he lodged there until age seventeen.
For ten years, he grew close to his cousins. His cousin Jiu-niang was timid, always hiding behind him for protection.
In his youth, he imagined she was in love with him. Before leaving, he promised her that once he achieved success, he would ask his family to arrange a marriage.
At those words, her face — usually gentle — went pale with horror, as though seeing a ghost. Trembling, she asked how he could think such a thing!
Ah. He had misunderstood.
Relieved, he realized he himself had no such feelings either — only a desire not to disappoint her. Once clarified, he returned home to continue his studies, still resolved to repay his aunt and uncle someday.
But years later, life was fickle. By the time he passed the exams and came to the capital, Jiu-niang was already a palace maid in the Bureau of Imperial Cuisine.
Dragging himself back to the present, Yao Yi stared at the young girl before him. She claimed she had long known her mother’s origins — and that he was her distant maternal uncle!
His voice dropped to a whisper. “Then… do you know that you are…”
The girl nodded calmly. “Of course.”
Yao Yi nearly collapsed in shock.
“Does anyone else know?” he asked urgently.
“That depends on whether Minister of Justice Yao can keep his mouth shut.”
His heart pounded. What kind of answer was that? Of course he wouldn’t dare breathe a word!
“It is you who must keep quiet,” he muttered uneasily.
She smiled. “Haven’t you kept up the act this long without revealing it? Isn’t that secret enough?”
“…True enough.”
So that was it!
The reason she trusted him, allowed him to remain by her side — there was a reason!
He had thought himself the one in control, but from beginning to end, the one truly holding the reins, fully aware, was this girl he’d believed naïve and reckless!
“You…” For once, he was at a loss. “Why reveal it now?”
“Because after so long, I see that Maternal Uncle is truly sincere toward me. I think it’s time to acknowledge it.”
“And?” His look said: speak plainly.
“And, I plan to leave the capital. But I ask Maternal Uncle to keep it secret.”
His face sharpened. “Where? To do what?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” she said, half truth, half concealment. “Once I go, I may not be able to keep you informed. But now that we’ve acknowledged each other, we share a bond. I know you, you know me — we’ll have more understanding between us.”
That much was true. Without clarity, their thoughts might diverge.
“So you mean to leave the capital secretly?” Yao Yi pressed.
Otherwise, why the need for secrecy?
But the girl said earnestly: “Yes, I plan to leave both secretly and openly.”
Yao Yi: “??”
What kind of talk was that?
He was about to question further when voices interrupted.
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