Hongzhi Year 18, Ninth Day of the Second Month.
List had twenty-three people in total.
Zhu Houzhao looked at that paper several times, flipped over, back had one line of small characters, added by Hongzhi Emperor. Characters very light, like used great strength to write, strokes somewhat trembling, but each stroke clear:
"These people, are court's future. You treat them well, they will treat you well."
Zhu Houzhao looked a while, folded paper, tucked in sleeve.
"Go."
"Where to?"
"See first one."
First one was a Ministry of Rites secretary, surnamed Lin, Liu Jian's student, but not involved case. His residence in east city small lane, door face not big, but cleaned very neat. Door planted a pomegranate tree, bare, branches still hanging few last year's unpicked dried fruits, black, wind blew they swayed.
Zhu Houzhao knocked on door. A book boy poked head out, seeing us, paused.
"Seek who?"
"Secretary Lin."
"Master not in—"
"In." Zhu Houzhao pushed door in.
Secretary Lin in study, writing something. Seeing Zhu Houzhao, brush in hand dropped on table, ink splashed all over paper. He stood up, chair kuang dang fell over.
"Your Highness, Your Highness—"
Zhu Houzhao didn't speak. He walked to table, looked at that paper splashed with ink. On it wrote a letter, opening was "Esteemed Teacher Liu Gong". Not yet finished.
"He still in capital, you write what letter?" Zhu Houzhao asked.
Secretary Lin paused, couldn't answer. His face from white to red, then red to white. Adam's apple rolled, like swallowing something bitter.
Zhu Houzhao didn't pursue. He took list from sleeve, placed on table.
"Your name, on it."
Secretary Lin looked down, lips trembling.
"Father Emperor said, you not involved case." Zhu Houzhao's voice very flat. "Liu Jian matter, has nothing to do with you."
Secretary Lin's lips trembled more. He opened mouth, couldn't speak.
"Get up." Zhu Houzhao said.
Secretary Lin didn't get up.
Zhu Houzhao looked down at him. After a while, he took a peanut from sleeve, threw in mouth, chewed.
"Letter, you finish writing." he said.
Secretary Lin looked up.
"Tell him, you in capital fine. Let him not worry."
Secretary Lin looked at him, eyes red.
"Your Highness—"
"But one thing." Zhu Houzhao squatted down, eye-level with him. "Liu Jian matter, ends here. You heart how think, I can't control. But your hand's duty, must do well."
Secretary Lin looked at him, long time. Then he kowtowed.
"Minister, understand."
Zhu Houzhao stood up, turned to walk out. I followed behind.
Walking out of lane, he suddenly stopped.
"You think," he asked. "He will do duty well?"
I thought. "Will."
"Why?"
"Because you still let him write letter."
He didn't speak. Continued walking.
Second one was a Ministry of War bureau director, surnamed Wu. His residence in west city, bigger than Secretary Lin's, door also planted trees, two locust trees, bare, branches stretching to sky.
Zhu Houzhao knocked. Door opened, Bureau Director Wu stood inside door. He younger than Secretary Lin, thirty-something, thin long face, short beard, wearing a half-old long gown. Seeing Zhu Houzhao, he didn't panic. Just stepped aside.
"Your Highness, come in."
Study cleaner than Secretary Lin's. Table placed a cup of tea, still steaming. Wall hung a calligraphy, wrote "Clear, Cautious, Diligent" three characters. Zhu Houzhao looked at that calligraphy, didn't speak.
"Your Highness come for Grand Secretary Liu matter?" Bureau Director Wu asked.
"Is."
"Minister not involved case."
"I know."
Bureau Director Wu silent a while. "Your Highness want say what?"
Zhu Houzhao took list from sleeve, placed on table. Bureau Director Wu looked down, didn't pick up.
"Father Emperor said, you just do duty well, he won't pursue."
Bureau Director Wu looked at him. Long time.
"Your Highness," he said. "Minister want ask one thing."
"Ask."
"Grand Secretary Liu—will how?"
"Strip post, return hometown."
Bureau Director Wu silent a while. He stood up, walked to window, pushed open window sash. Courtyard those two locust trees' branches creaking in wind.
"Minister is Grand Secretary Liu's student. Hongzhi Year 12 passed imperial exam, was Grand Secretary Liu who marked paper. Minister first day to capital, no place stay, was Grand Secretary Liu let minister stay at his home. Minister married, was Grand Secretary Liu who did match-making."
He turned around, looked at Zhu Houzhao.
"Your Highness, minister won't write letter entrust him. But minister will do duty well."
Zhu Houzhao looked at him, nodded.
"That's enough." he said.
Walking out of Wu family main gate, sky already dark. Street lanterns lit one by one, orange-red light spreading on ground, like a river.
Zhu Houzhao walked front, pace neither fast nor slow. I trotted two steps catch up. He silent time longer than just now. Walked long while, he spoke.
"He more honest than Secretary Lin." he said.
I didn't reply.
Third, fourth, fifth… we saw one by one. Walking to tenth, my legs already sour. Some cried, some panicked, some silent. Zhu Houzhao to each person said same words, voice always flat.
Walking to fifteenth, sky already dark. Walking to twentieth, street already not many people.
Some believed, some didn't. But all nodded.
Twenty-third, in north city a very deep lane.
Lane very narrow, both sides high walls, no trees, no lanterns. Only moonlight from overhead leaked down, drawing white lines on ground. Door was two old wooden doors, paint all fallen off, revealing wood grain underneath, gray, by moonlight shone white.
Zhu Houzhao knocked on door. No answer. Knocked three more times.
Door opened. An old man stood inside door. He older than previous twenty-two people, hair all white, face wrinkles like knife carved, one by one. Wearing a washed faded long gown, collar buttoned neat.
Seeing Zhu Houzhao, not surprised, not panicked. I noticed his hand on door frame, very steady. Previous twenty-two people, none like this. He stepped aside.
"Your Highness, come in."
Study very small, one table, one chair, one bookshelf. Bookshelf stuffed with books, from ground piled to ceiling, some pages already yellowed, corners curled. Table placed a cup of tea, already cold. No calligraphy, no ornaments. Like a person who spent all money on books, didn't care about anything else.
Zhu Houzhao stood before table, didn't sit. He took list from sleeve, placed on table.
"Your name, on it."
Old man looked down. "Minister know."
"Father Emperor said, you not involved case."
"Minister not."
"Then why you write letter to Liu Jian?"
Old man silent a while. He took that half-finished letter from table, handed to Zhu Houzhao.
"Your Highness look."
Zhu Houzhao took it, unfolded. I glanced—on it wrote: "Esteemed Teacher, student incompetent, cannot save you. But student remembers what you taught: be an official, benefit the people. Student will do duty well, not disappoint your teachings."
Zhu Houzhao finished reading, put letter back on table.
"You write these, not afraid I angry?"
"Afraid." Old man said. "But minister still must write."
"Why?"
"Because he is minister's teacher."
Zhu Houzhao looked at him. Long time.
"You name?"
"Zhou. Zhou Ding."
Zhu Houzhao nodded. He took a peanut from sleeve, threw in mouth, chewed.
"Letter, you send it." he said.
Zhou Ding paused.
"After Liu Jian returns hometown, you can still write him. Ask him health good, ask him have people care." Zhu Houzhao looked at him. "But one thing, you remember."
"Your Highness please speak."
"You do duty well, is how repay him."
Zhou Ding looked at him, long time. Then he bent down, deeply bowed.
"Minister, remembered."
We walked out of lane. Moonlight shone on ground, green-white, like frozen ice. Zhu Houzhao walked front, pace very slow.
"You just now," I said. "Let him send letter."
"Mm."
"Previous those people, you only let them write letter. Him, you let him send."
Zhu Houzhao didn't speak. Walked a stretch, suddenly stopped.
"Because he different."
"Where different?"
"He wrote letter, but didn't send." Zhu Houzhao looked at me. "He waiting for me to come."
I paused.
"He knew I would come. He letter wrote long time, always waiting." Zhu Houzhao took that peanut from sleeve, looked, tucked back. "He afraid I angry, so didn't send. But he also didn't want lie me, so showed me letter."
He didn't speak again, turned to continue walking.
Moonlight cast his shadow on ground, green-white, very long. I followed behind, stepped in his shadow.
"You tired ba." I said.
He didn't answer. After a while, suddenly said: "A little."
"Then go back rest."
"Mm."
He continued walking. Pace slower than just now.
Walking to palace gate, he stopped, turned back to look at me.
"Tomorrow," he said. "No list."
"Mm."
"Then do what?"
I thought. "Rest."
He laughed. Not that mouth corner twitch light laugh, but real laugh, tiger teeth showing.
"Good." he said.
He turned and walked.
I stood in place, watching his back disappear into palace gate.
He saw twenty-three people. Each one said "do duty well". Each one nodded. But he remembered, that one who didn't send letter.
I thought, I probably also. Remember his.
I reached hand into sleeve, felt that "Kill". It still there.
I clenched it in palm, held a while, tucked into deepest.
(End of Chapter 28)