412 In Exchange for a Life (Part 1)
There was a long silence in the hall.
Finally, it was Shen Xiduo who broke the silence. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"
Jin Yan hesitated for a moment, then continued to ask, "I want to know how I will live."
"First, you have to hand over that document. Then, all your martial arts will be destroyed. You will be sentenced to life imprisonment in the Heavenly Prison. I promise that you will not suffer any abuse, you will have two meals a day, you will not be forced into hard labour, so you will also not be allowed to leave your cell. You will not have cellmates and the guards will not talk to you. Life will be a little boring but it's not entirely hopeless. If you encounter the next Emperor's wedding, or a natural disaster, amnesty may be granted for all under Heaven. You are a traitor and should not be included in a general pardon, but with the merit from turning yourself in and surrendering the document that will help me investigate this conspiracy, I can plead with His Majesty on your behalf," Shen Xiduo narrated at an unhurried pace.
Jin Yan smiled bitterly. "This is what Minister Shen means by how I will live."
"Nobody in the Heavenly Prison has ever died under my watch. I have always allowed them to live very well," Shen Xiduo said seriously.
Shen Xiduo meant what he said, which was to continue living, but his terms were very different from Xiao Se's deal, and couldn't be more different than Jin Xuan's deal. But he seemed to have more confidence.
"How confident is Minister Shen?" Jin Yan asked the same question again.
"Close to absolute certainty." Shen Xiduo's answer was quite different.
Jin Yan couldn't help but feel curious. "Why do you say close to?"
"There's always a chance that I can't fulfil the promise I just made, and that is—" Shen Xiduo paused. "If I die before you."
Shen Xiduo, Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, was indeed a ferocious wolf that everybody in Heavenly Revelations City feared.
"I understand." Jin Yan nodded. "Thank you, Minister Shen."
"I have one last piece of advice to tell you," Shen Xiduo added suddenly.
"Your Excellency, please speak."
"If you choose either of the others, then I have absolute certainty that I can kill you. We, the Court of Judicial Review, will never let any fugitive go. We will hunt you down to the ends of the earth. I have no doubt that they have the ability to help you leave Heavenly Revelations City. But, in the days to come, every moment of every day, you will wait for us to hunt you down." Shen Xiduo said with a smile. "No rest until death. Your death, or mine."
"Minister Shen." Jin Xian put the Buddhist beads on the table. "Please take your leave."
Shen Xiduo picked up the executioner's blade on the table, turned around and walked out. Outside the door, Xiao Se and Lei Wujie were sitting on the steps, looking into the sky. Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan was sitting on a chair to one side, drinking his tea slowly, while Shen Xiduo wrapped his arms around his blade and stood straight as a pole in the doorway.
"Minister Shen," Jin Xuan greeted.
"The Grand Eunuch is also here to strike a deal?" Shen Xiduo asked rhetorically.
"He's my shidi, after all." Jin Xuan smiled.
"Does His Majesty the Emperor know that the Grand Eunuch is here?" Shen Xiduo asked again.
"Perhaps." Jin Xuan was noncommittal.
Inside the hall, Jin Xian sighed softly. "Choose Shen Xiduo."
Jin Yan drank the tea in front of him. "I don't want to enter the Heavenly Prison."
"You'll only lose your martial arts and a few years of freedom. After you get out of the prison, you'll be free. By then, no one will come after you anymore. My Court of State Ceremonial can also ensure your safety," Jin Xian advised.
"But…" Jin Yan hesitated, and all he could hear were Jin Xuan's earlier words.
"Why do you only want to live?"
"You can have more than that."
"You are the Eunuch of Seal. Only to live? That's hardly enough."
"You definitely cannot choose Jin Xuan," Jin Xian said solemnly. "The reason you've fallen to this state was because you were too greedy. You must not repeat the same mistakes."
"But I…" Jin Yan was sweating profusely. "I don't want to enter the Heavenly Prison."
Suddenly, Ling Jun ran in and interrupted them. "Shifu!"
Jin Xian frowned and said, "What's happened?"
"Someone else is here," Ling Jun replied.
"Who is it?" Jin Xian was annoyed. "Didn't I order our doors to be closed today and we won't be entertaining visitors? Even if he's one of the Five Ministers, he cannot enter the Court of State Ceremonial today."
"He's…" Ling Jun said helplessly, "Lanyue Marquis."
In the courtyard, the young and handsome marquis, all dressed in golden robes, was standing there, his sabre hanging from his waist. He smiled and looked at the rest of the people in the courtyard and said pointedly, "Everyone is so refined today. Are we all here at the Court of State Ceremonial to worship Buddha?"
"Huang-shu." Xiao Se pursed his lips with his greeting.
Jin Xuan and Shen Xiduo both bowed respectfully. "Marquis."
"One is the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review who is in charge of all serious cases involving court officials. The other is a Grand Eunuch of the imperial palace, never far from His Majesty's side. This looks like a dereliction of duty. A dereliction of duty!" Lanyue Marquis's words were filled with amusement.
Jin Xuan and Shen Xiduo were caught off guard and didn't know how to answer.
In fact, Lanyue Marquis was always such a person. Whether he was dealing with a cunning old fox brandishing his authority, or a strict official filled with integrity, they would all be rendered speechless before him.
Ling Jun walked out, bowed to Lanyue Marquis and said, "Marquis, please enter."
"I'm going in." Lanyue Marquis waved his hand and stepped into the hall. Even he was taken aback when he saw the setup inside. "Hey, I've long heard of the six iron-masked officials. It's a real honour to meet you."
"Marquis, please take a seat." Ji Xue pointed to the chair at the head of the long table.
Lanyue Marquis nodded, and plopped down onto the seat casually. He looked at Jin Yan, and before Jin Yan could speak, he preempted, "You're a fugitive of the imperial court, and here you are, conducting an assembly with a Prince, the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the Grand Eunuch. You sure are bold. I know that you are one to smash a pot to pieces after it's cracked, and an army of thousands on a single-plank bridge. You only have one desire, and that is to live. Am I right?"
Jin Yan was furious inside but dared not say it out loud. He merely responded, "What wise counsel does the Marquis have?"
"You can live." Lanyue Marquis grinned and added, "You don't need to enter the Heavenly Prison, and the Court of Judicial Review will no longer hunt you down. You can continue living happily ever after."
Jin Yan was stunned. "Marquis, you can make this happen."
"I can't, I'm just a marquis and there are still three Princes in Heavenly Revelations City. At my most powerful, I was only a regent of the state, but there was still Grand Preceptor Dong. He's an elder, after all, so I still have to listen to him. But, the person who sent me here can make this happen." Lanyue Marquis took out a scroll and rolled it open. "This is a decree of pardon. Will you read it carefully?"
"The person who sent you is…" Jin Yan exhaled a long sigh. "His Majesty."
"You're the Eunuch of Seal, so you should recognise the imperial seal on it." Lanyue Marquis rolled up the scroll. "But I can't give it to you yet. You have to come with me to meet him, and bring with you your most precious asset. The asset that everyone outside wants."
Both Xiao Se and Jin Xuan were wrong. There was indeed someone in the world who could give him hope with absolute certainty, and was not lying about it.
It was just that no one thought he would step forward.
"I heard that you have to make a choice, so choose." Lanyue Marquis spread his hands and said, "I love these kinds of occasions. Like my little nephew, I love gambling. But I love it when my opponent… runs out of options."
Jin Yan barely hesitated. He nodded and said, "I'll go with you."
"Gonggong is a smart man." Lanyue Marquis stood up and knocked on the table. "Then let's get going, shall we?"
*
Non-poetry note:
破罐子破摔，千军万马独木桥
"smash a pot to pieces after it's cracked, an army of thousands on a single-plank bridge"
Lanyue Marquis's words to Jin Yan Gonggong are two separate idioms. The first refers to someone who has already done something wrong but instead of trying to make amends, he goes on and does something worse. The second means there are many people trying to reach a goal, but only a few can pass.