Chapter 297 — Pleading for Mercy

If Hua Tang had not been a formidable character, he could never have conceived the idea of having his own son take Qiu Lingwei's place as chiliarch. Still, it was rather hard to believe that a father could truly be helpless before his son.

After Wang Yu left, he pondered for a long while, then went to the Marquess of Lu'an's residence.

The Marquess of Lu'an was staring at his chief steward in utter disbelief. "You mean the Earl of Donglin refused to release him?" Unwilling to accept it, he pressed again. "With me as guarantor, he still refused to release him?"

That very morning, his personal attendant had been seized by men from the Shuntian Prefecture on suspicion of involvement in the fire at the Yingzhen Duke's residence. He was not well acquainted with Huang Qi, so he had written a letter and sent his chief steward to the Earl of Donglin, hoping the Earl might put in a word and secure the man's release.

The chief steward lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "The Earl of Donglin says the Emperor has set a deadline for the arrest of the culprit, and that he and Lord Huang share joint responsibility in the matter. He truly cannot bring himself to ask Lord Huang for this favor. He also said—perhaps you might try the heir of the Yingzhen Duke's household. The Emperor has bestowed upon the Duke's heir the very sword the Taizong Emperor carried in life, charging him with urging the Five Districts Garrison Command and the Shuntian Prefecture to hunt down the culprit; and since he is the injured party besides, if he were to speak a word on your behalf, it would be easier for the Earl and Lord Huang to oblige..."

Before he had finished speaking, the Marquess of Anlu's face had turned iron-gray. With a crash, he smashed the teacup at his hand onto the floor.

"They arrest my personal attendant without so much as asking right from wrong! Never mind that he has nothing whatsoever to do with the affair at the Yingzhen Duke's residence—even if he were involved, they had no business slapping me in the face like this. And now they expect me to go beg a favor of a junior? What do they take me for? Do they think that because a tiger does not bare its fangs, it must be a sick cat?" With that, he coldly ordered the chief steward, "Call up the household guards. We are going to the Shuntian Prefecture. I refuse to believe Huang Qi would dare stand in my way!"

The chief steward shuddered.

If they seized the man from the Shuntian Prefecture by force, the matter would blow up beyond all control.

In his alarm he could think of no words of persuasion—but then out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a trusted servant boy peeking in at the door. It was as if he had seen a savior. Whatever the boy had come about, he thought, he must first stall the Marquess, then seize the chance to send word to the Dowager. With the Dowager to bar the way, the Marquess would not dare disobey. At once he barked toward the spot where the boy was hiding, "Who is that skulking outside?"

The boy came in trembling. "My lord, Commander Hua of the Yu Prefecture Garrison seeks an audience!"

The Marquess of Anlu frowned and was about to say "Turn him away," when the chief steward said, "Is not the Hua family about to be joined in marriage with the Song family? Perhaps Commander Hua brings good news."

The Marquess of Anlu considered this and gave a slight nod.

The chief steward breathed a sigh of relief and at once invited Hua Tang in.

Hua Tang and the Marquess of Anlu took their seats as host and guest, and Hua Tang lost no time in tactfully disclosing the purpose of his visit. "...I am not familiar with the ways of the capital, and I have no way of judging whether what the heir of the Marquess of Yan'an said is true or false, so I have come especially to consult you, my lord."

The Marquess of Anlu was hot-tempered and careless of propriety; rumors of the streets and markets usually made no impression on him. Hearing this, he could not help starting. His thoughts turned to the arrest of his loyal servant...

Could this affair have something to do with his having acted as matchmaker for the Duke of Ying?

The notion flashed through his mind, and he swiftly dismissed it.

Even if it were so, the Duke's heir was a youth not yet of age—how could he possibly command the Earl of Donglin and Huang Qi to do his bidding?

"Do not listen to the nonsense of these youngsters," he said carelessly. "A father who cannot control his son? There is no such thing under heaven! Set your mind at ease. When I return from the Shuntian Prefecture, we shall think the matter over carefully together and decide whom best to approach."

Hua Tang was somewhat reassured. He thanked him repeatedly and rose to take his leave.

The Marquess of Anlu immediately led his guards to the Shuntian Prefecture.

By the time the chief steward helped the Dowager of Anlu into the hall, the Marquess and his guards were long gone.

Huang Qi was the Prefect of Shuntian, with Daxing, Wanping, and other counties under his jurisdiction. He had only lately taken up his post and had not yet visited any of them; nor could he have sat in his office day after day awaiting news merely because of the fire at the Yingzhen Duke's residence.

When the Marquess of Anlu reached the Shuntian Prefecture, it happened that Huang Qi had gone to Daxing and was not in his office.

The Marquess of Anlu was all the more unrestrained. After a few words with the Deputy Prefect that ended in disagreement, he set about seizing the man by force.

The Deputy Prefect was shaking with rage. Though he and the constables resisted for a time, they dared not in the end do the Marquess any injury, and he ordered his constables to fetch the Earl of Donglin at once.

Gu Yu, sitting in a teahouse across the street from the Shuntian Prefecture drinking tea, was utterly delighted. He said to his personal guards with a laugh, "Tianci's brother called it exactly—the Marquess of Anlu would let his temper get the better of him and come to the Shuntian Prefecture to seize the man." He waved his hand. "Come, it is our turn to take the stage!" His excitement was plain on his face.

The two guards exchanged glances and could only steel themselves and follow. From afar they heard Gu Yu shout loudly, "Where is that thieving, two-faced wretch from the Marquess of Anlu's household? Tianci's brother told me to bring the man to the Yingzhen Duke's residence—we mean to interrogate him thoroughly and find out on whose orders he acted!"

When the Marquess of Anlu saw who had come, he was so furious he nearly spat blood. "Gu Yu!" he roared. "What business have you stirring up trouble here? Mind that I do not tell the Marquess of Yunyang!"

"Oh!" Gu Yu's eyes went wide. "So my honored uncle is here too! I have been helping at the Yingzhen Duke's residence all these days—my grandfather knows of it. What brings my honored uncle here? Surely you have not come to the Shuntian Prefecture to seize a man? If the Emperor were to hear of it, there would be no end of trouble! Rather than bring your men to lay siege to the Shuntian Prefecture in secret, honored uncle, you would do better to enter the palace and lodge a complaint before the throne. At least then you need not be impeached by the censors on charges of 'contempt for the court' and the like..."

The Marquess of Anlu was beside himself, but Gu Yu's words had also reminded him—and he had to admit Gu Yu had a point.

With several cold snorts, he led his guards away from the Shuntian Prefecture.

Gu Yu stepped up and patted the shoulder of the still-stunned Deputy Prefect. "I am off to the palace with the Marquess of Anlu to plead our case before the Emperor. You had best send word to Lord Huang at once. Even the Emperor is apt to be swayed by first impressions." And he added, "If any prisoner should attempt to escape, you are perfectly within your rights to shoot him down on the spot!"