Chapter Thirteen: An Audience with the Magistrate

This was Du Shiyi’s first time entering the county town of Dengfeng.

After Zhuying had brought back such news, he decided to come to the city and see for himself. He had originally intended to make the trip alone, but Du Shisanniang was insistent, refusing to let him go without someone to accompany him. She insisted that Tian Mo stay by his side, and unable to withstand his sister’s persistence, he had no choice but to agree. Sure enough, as soon as he entered Dengfeng, he noticed that every gaze around him without exception first fell on the Kunlun slave behind him before looking curiously at him. Knowing that Tian Mo, who had changed hands several times, was something of a celebrity in the county, he simply ignored these stares and, following Tian Mo’s whispered guidance, headed toward the busiest marketplace in town.

Dengfeng was a large city under the jurisdiction of Henan Prefecture, its inner quarters divided into several wards running north to south and east to west. The main streets in each direction were wide thoroughfares, and except for pedestrians and carriages, there wasn’t a single street vendor in sight. The tall walls of the wards blocked any attempt to peer inside, and each ward gate was guarded and patrolled. Only after reaching the bustling market in the city’s northeast did the noise and clamor finally wash over them.

The marketplace was filled not only with ordinary farmers selling melons and fruit, but also with wealthy merchants trading in silk and satin. Occasionally, even foreign traders with deep-set eyes and high noses could be seen. Goods of every kind crowded the stalls, and many shopkeepers shouted to attract customers, making the place lively and bustling. Yet Du Shiyi noticed that the most splendid shops were almost deserted, while those selling rice and flour had long queues outside, with loud voices carrying for some distance. As he frowned slightly and approached one of these stores with Tian Mo, he heard a sudden commotion from the people in line outside.

“Sold out again!”

“They only sold eight dan of rice today—less than the ten from yesterday! This is profiteering!”

After a few angry shouts, a neatly dressed middle-aged man came out of the shop, bowed to the crowd, and said with a forced smile, “Dear neighbors, our shop truly isn’t holding back on purpose. It’s just that grain is scarce at the moment, and stocks are limited, so we can only sell this much each day. For those who didn’t get any, come early tomorrow! The price will be the same—”

“That’s what you said ten days ago, but yesterday the price suddenly jumped thirty percent!”

“Last year’s locust plague only just got under control, and now there’s another swarm. Heaven itself won’t let us live!”

“I heard some young scholars say locust plagues come from loss of virtue, not something we can control. Last year we killed the locusts and angered Heaven, so now disaster has come again! Instead of repeating what we did last year, we should make proper offerings at the Eight Sacrifices Temple and ask the gods for mercy…”

Hearing this cacophony of voices, Du Shiyi pondered for a moment before quietly instructing Tian Mo to wait nearby. Then, smiling, he stepped forward and greeted an elderly man who was shaking his head and sighing as he walked past. “Sir, may I ask if this rice shop is not selling any millet today?”

“No more! They just announced it—come early tomorrow if you want any. But people will come even earlier than you, and at this rate, our families will soon be out of food!”

“I’ve heard this has been going on for days. With locusts in the fields and prices suddenly rising, hasn’t the county office done anything?”

The old man, who had been speaking to himself, finally looked up at Du Shiyi. Seeing a young man in plain clothes, he sighed, “Young sir, you’re still hoping for the authorities? All they do is put up notices asking people to catch locusts. Last year they made a big show of it, and now the locusts are back—who wants to take on such a thankless task? People were just saying it’s Heaven punishing us for killing last year, that the gods of the Eight Sacrifices are angry. Instead of catching locusts, we’d be better off preparing offerings and making sacrifices at the temple!”

Just then, a middle-aged man carrying an empty rice sack joined the conversation. “What good is catching locusts? Kill ten thousand and ten million more take their place. Besides, locusts are connected to the gods—killing them brings guilt! The county office has posted notices for days, but no one answers. Even the constables avoid the matter as if it were a viper. I heard the court sent locust controllers to the provinces, but the magistrate in Bianzhou refused them, and our own Prefect Cui is probably at his wit’s end!”

By now, Du Shiyi had grasped the situation. He thanked the two men with a smile, and after they left, he glanced at the disappointed townsfolk dispersing from the rice shops, then walked back to Tian Mo, saying, “Let’s go.”

Tian Mo stared in surprise. “Sir, didn’t the lady say I’m strong enough to carry a dan of grain home?”

“They’ve already closed up shop. No matter how strong you are, you can’t just take a dan of rice by force.” Seeing the confusion on Tian Mo’s face, Du Shiyi added irritably, “Enough questions. You’ve lived in Dengfeng for years—you should know where the county office is. Take me there.”

Dengfeng County was just a few hundred li from Luoyang, once called Songyang. Its heyday was in the reigns of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu, who built the Fengtian Palace and Sanyang Palace on Mount Song as imperial retreats for rituals. Times had changed; though the palaces were maintained each year, they hadn’t had a resident for ages. Since the present emperor ascended the throne and abolished gold and jade extravagance, the Dengfeng county office hadn’t been repaired in two years. Its once grand gatehouse and high walls now showed their age and dilapidation.

Now, standing before the county office, Du Shiyi observed the listless constables at the entrance and then turned to the notice board. As expected, a proclamation in bold script urging the people to catch locusts was still posted there, but besides Du Shiyi, no one stopped to read it. After going over the notice twice, he walked up to the entrance and addressed one of the middle-aged constables calmly: “Please announce me to Prefect Cui. Tell him that Du Shiyi of Duling, Jingzhao, has come specifically regarding the locust affair.”

The constable had already taken note of him when he paused at the notice board, and now, hearing his words, was even more surprised. He wanted to ask more, but noticing the dark-skinned Tian Mo following closely, he quickly put on a smiling face and nodded. “Please wait here, young sir. I’ll announce you at once.”

After instructing the other constables, he hurried inside. Passing several gates, he reached a quiet side door, where he spoke to a waiting servant. Soon, Cui Yuan, a close attendant of Prefect Cui Weizhi, appeared at the end of the path, his brows tightly furrowed.

“His Excellency is receiving an important guest from the Eastern Capital. What matter requires interruption?”

“A young gentleman is outside seeking audience, saying he is Du Shiyi of Duling in Jingzhao, here about the locusts.” Wu Jiu, the constable, saw Cui Yuan hesitate and pressed on, “He may be in plain clothes, but he carries himself with composure, and is accompanied by a Kunlun slave—the very one who was favored by the late Assistant Prefect Xue, and who, after passing through several owners, was purchased by a Taoist priest at Songyang Temple. Now he’s with this young man—perhaps there’s a connection to the temple.”

At this, Cui Yuan was finally moved. Remembering that the temples and monasteries around Mount Song were often patronized by nobility, he pondered a moment before replying, “Wait here. I’ll announce him.”

Cui Weizhi, the Prefect of Dengfeng, was a man just over forty, from the illustrious Cui clan of Qinghe. He had risen through official ranks thanks to family privilege, enduring many years to reach his current position, which matched his middling reputation. Entertaining a distinguished guest when Cui Yuan entered, he signaled him repeatedly, then found an excuse to step out. When Cui Yuan cautiously relayed the message, Cui Weizhi’s initial annoyance turned to interest. “Have him wait in the side hall. I’ll summon him when I’m ready.”

Just then, a voice called from inside, “Uncle Seven!”

Cui Weizhi exchanged a glance with Cui Yuan, then hurried back into the room, his face taking on a genial smile. Reclining on the guest couch, swinging his feet with a careless air, was a youth of delicate, almost feminine beauty, about fifteen or sixteen years old. At Cui Weizhi’s entrance, the youth raised an eyebrow impatiently. “Uncle Seven, do you have guests outside?”

“No one important,” Cui Weizhi replied offhand, though his mind was racing. Though he was the official Prefect, this boy, Cui Jianxuan, was the legitimate grandson of the late Chancellor Cui Zhiwen. His father, Duke of Zhao, Cui E zhi, was Cui Weizhi’s cousin. Cui E zhi had been second in merit after the suppression of the Wei rebellion, ennobled as Duke of Zhao with five thousand households, and promoted from Deputy Minister of the Imperial Guards to Prefect of Huazhou. If his older brother Cui Taizhi hadn’t already been Minister of Works at court, Cui E zhi might have joined him in the capital. Huazhou was nearby, and Cui E zhi could be transferred to the capital at any time.

Moreover, Cui E zhi’s mother, Lady Dowager Du of Qi, was herself from Duling in Jingzhao. With that in mind, Cui Weizhi ventured, “There is a young gentleman outside who claims to be Du Shiyi of Duling, come about the locusts. I remember the Dowager is from Duling—has Eleventh Young Master ever heard of such a person?”

He had asked merely out of curiosity, but to his surprise, Cui Jianxuan pondered for a long moment before suddenly laughing. “Oh? Could it be that talentless Du Shiyi of Fanchuan? How amusing—last I heard he was deathly ill, and now he’s come to see you about locusts? Since he’s here, Uncle, you might as well meet him!”