Chapter 40: The Innocent Bystanders

On the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, when the Ministry of Justice’s men trampled through the dust and burst into the Xijing Silver Mine, the craftsmen were all busy at their posts. More than half were underground working the veins, those responsible for washing ore were busy constructing waterwheels, and the blacksmiths in the smelting workshop were occupied with repairing furnaces.

"By the Emperor’s decree, all craftsmen involved in the Chaoxian iron mine case are to be seized!" Cai Xin, a registrar of the Ministry of Justice, held the official document high. His face was stern, as unyielding as a stubborn stone.

Li Leqi ran out of the office, followed by his nephew, Li Qingyao, the deputy manager of the silver mine.

"Official, this is the Xijing Silver Mine. How could we have any connection to Chaoxian? There is no such thing."

Cai Xin pulled a list from his robes. "These are the craftsmen who have been to the Chaoxian iron mine. Someone at that mine provided iron to rebels; everyone who appeared there is a suspect."

"Hand them over immediately. No one can bear the consequences if this case is delayed."

When Li Leqi heard the word "rebels," he knew things were turning dire. He offered a fawning smile. "Official, this Xijing Silver Mine is under the charge of Princess Chaoyang. She is the Emperor’s own granddaughter; it is impossible for her to be involved with rebels. Look, can you just interrogate them here on the spot? The Emperor ordered the Princess to deliver silver by the ninth day of the eighth month. With only two months left, time is tight and the task is heavy. We cannot afford to lose a single craftsman."

Cai Xin impatiently pushed Li Leqi aside. "A mere silver mine manager dares to obstruct the Ministry of Justice? Whether you are connected to rebels or not, that will be decided at the Ministry. As for the Princess’s military pledge, I am only acting under orders; I know nothing else!"

"Who dares to touch my people?" Shen Jifeng rode her horse directly over the mine’s barrier, pulled the reins to a halt in front of Cai Xin, and dismounted.

"Who goes there, causing trouble at the silver mine!"

Cai Xin bowed and presented the official document. "Cai Xin, registrar of the Ministry of Justice, pays respects to Princess Chaoyang. I am here to carry out an imperial decree; I ask for the Princess's cooperation."

"The Emperor’s decree is to arrest people?" Shen Jifeng’s gaze swept over the document, landing on the words "Chaoxian Iron Mine."

"Yes. The iron used by the rebels came from Chaoxian. These craftsmen worked there, and by law, they must be escorted back to the capital for interrogation."

Cai Xin had long heard of Shen Jifeng’s reputation. In the Great Ning Dynasty, no official, no matter how high-ranking, was unafraid of impeachment by the censors. Due to the tradition of not executing speaking officials, even Emperor Wenchang sometimes had to give them three parts of deference. Princess Chaoyang was the only one who, when impeached by a censor, did not suffer in silence but instead cursed them back openly. Her remark to Censor Zhang—calling him a "shameless old man clutching a coffin lid while singing stale clichés"—had become a famous insult in Bianjing.

Facing such a formidable Princess, he could be neither too soft nor too hard. If he were soft, he wouldn’t get the prisoners; if he were hard, he didn’t know what kind of trouble would befall him.

"By law?" Shen Jifeng smiled, though the mirth did not reach her eyes. "Then do you know that I, too, have a decree?"

"I have signed a military pledge with the Emperor to deliver silver by the ninth day of the eighth month. If I fail, I shall offer my head. Here at the Xijing Silver Mine, that decree is the law, and everything else must step aside."

"These craftsmen are the key to producing the silver. If they are gone, the task will not be completed. Will your Ministry of Justice take responsibility for me?"

Cai Xin’s face turned pale. He knew well that the Princess had signed a military pledge—it had spread throughout the capital. People wondered why the Princess would leave behind the luxuries of Bianjing to come to this desolate, god-forsaken mine.

Emperor Yuanchang’s decree, "Better to kill the innocent by mistake than to let a single traitor escape," carried the weight of thousands. He was only following orders. Cai Xin sighed inwardly; he had truly hit a streak of bad luck to be assigned such a task.

"Princess, the imperial order cannot be defied..."

"I, too, am carrying out an imperial order!"

Shen Jifeng turned to Cai Xin, her tone softening but carrying an unquestionable authority. "Registrar Cai, I will not make things difficult for you. You may stay at the mine while I go to Bianjing to petition the Emperor to change his mind. Give me one day; by this time tomorrow, I will surely return with a new decree."

Cai Xin hesitated. It was often better to be accommodating. Waiting a day wouldn't hurt. However, the head bailiff pulled him aside. "Registrar, you cannot. If the Emperor truly wanted to show leniency, he would not have said 'better to kill the innocent by mistake.' If you let the Princess return to Bianjing, it would be fine if the Emperor agrees, but if he doesn't, you and I will be the ones to suffer the consequences."

Cai Xin realized he was too young and inexperienced; he hadn't seen the situation as clearly as the old bailiff.

"Princess, the imperial order is hard to defy. I cannot comply."

"Men!" Cai Xin waved his hand. Ten bailiffs swarmed forward, ready to enter the mine to make arrests.

Shen Jifeng sneered. "Dongyang!"

Guards emerged from nowhere, surrounding the bailiffs and Cai Xin. In less than a quarter of an hour, they were all bound hand and foot.

"Registrar Cai, I must trouble you to wait here."

Dongyang led them to a side room and posted guards at the door to keep them under watch. Shen Jifeng walked swiftly toward the office, where Zhang Lao-han and the others were already gathered, waiting for news.

"Do not be afraid. I will do my best to petition the Emperor to have the Ministry of Justice send someone else to conduct the investigation at the mine."

She turned to Li Leqi. "Go and bring the 'Skinny Monkey' and Brother Qin here."

If this were any other case, Shen Jifeng would have been confident, but involving rebels changed everything. She had to ensure that even if the craftsmen were away for a while, the mining could continue. Skinny Monkey and Brother Qin had the skill and influence among the miners; they were not as capable as Zhang Lao-han’s group, but they could hold the fort for a while.

They were at a critical stage of excavation, and she had to prepare for every eventuality.

"Zhang Lao-han, I give you one day to hand over the excavation plan for the next ten days to Skinny Monkey and Brother Qin."

Ever since hearing that the Ministry of Justice had come to arrest them, Zhang Lao-han had been terrified, as were the other craftsmen. They cried out, "Princess, we don't want to go to the Ministry of Justice! We are not rebels!"

Shen Jifeng knew they were innocent. Whether there were any true rebels, she didn’t know, but if there were, they would have fled long ago; no one would be foolish enough to stay and dig for silver while waiting to be arrested.

"You are the gold nuggets of my Xijing Silver Mine. Without you, I would have to offer my head. Even if I have to risk half my life, I will protect you."

Shen Jifeng said no more. She didn't even bring her gold hairpin, taking only Dongyang with her. She mounted her horse and left the mine.

Her fine Dawan steed carried her south. The mountain wind whipped her skirts, revealing the frayed edges of her boots. The Tianmeng Mountains faded into the distance.

"Princess, the crime of detaining imperial officials is not light," Dongyang said, riding close, her voice carried away by the wind.

Shen Jifeng gripped the reins tightly, her fingertips turning white. "If the craftsmen are taken, given the Ministry of Justice’s efficiency, I will never finish the military pledge. Detaining officials only means being punished, but failing to produce the silver means I must offer my head."

The sound of hooves shattered the silence of the main road as they carried Shen Jifeng toward the unknown city of Bianjing.