Chapter 5: Snatching Chestnuts from the Fire

At that time, Hu Zhong was already over sixty years old. For the sake of his son's future, he decided to submit a request for retirement from his official post. Unexpectedly, the court rejected his petition, stating that there was no precedent for officials of his office retiring. Left with no choice, Hu Zhong had to ask the then Director, Huangfu Zhonghe, to arrange a transfer for his son to serve as an official in the Nanjing Office of Astronomical Observation, hoping this would quell the complaints among the officials.

With this transfer, Hu Wei only needed to spend a few years honing his skills in Nanjing, and once Hu Zhong retired with honor, he would be able to return to the capital for a post, clearing the way for his future promotions. But fate is ever unpredictable; on the boat journey to Nanjing, both Hu Wei and his son, Hu Cheng'an, fell ill with a cold. His wife, Madam Zhao, had no choice but to disembark halfway to tend to her sick husband and son.

Tragically, Hu Wei never recovered and passed away. Although their son, Hu Cheng'an, survived, his mind was damaged by the prolonged fever, leaving him simple-minded. After Madam Zhao returned to the capital with her children and her husband's coffin, she soon succumbed to grief and died as well, leaving behind two underage children.

Now, at seventy-four, Hu Zhong still bore the responsibility of raising his grandchildren. His cautious approach to self-preservation was beyond reproach in both sentiment and reason.

Understanding this, Xue Rui still felt puzzled by one thing. According to his mother, Lady Liu, his father had visited Hu Zhong a few days ago, but Hu Zhong had not even met with him, sending him home without a word.

In recent years, with Hu Zhong growing ever more frail and frequently ill, much of the work at the observatory had been handled by his disciple Xue Yuanhao. The civil officials, unable to persuade Hu Zhong, encouraged Xue Yuanhao to privately seek out the Duke of England, hoping to use their special connection.

When his father visited, a single word of advice from Hu Zhong would have kept him from getting entangled in the matter. So why had the old man said nothing?

Seeing Xue Rui hesitate, Hu Zhong asked, "Are you wondering why I didn't warn your father?"

"Please enlighten me, Master," Xue Rui replied frankly.

Hu Zhong sighed. "Though I have no need to maintain a reputation for daring remonstrance, your father does. Do you know that Lord Bu of the Spirit Platform and I have toiled in the observatory for over fifty years, yet we are still mere seventh or eighth-rank officials? Such is the difficulty of advancement in the Office of Astronomical Observation. Your father has served as an astronomical student for more than ten years and consistently ranked among the top in the annual evaluations. Whenever there was a vacancy among the officials, he always stood a chance. But in all these years, he has never been selected. Do you know why?"

"Is it because my father's seniority isn't as deep as the others?" Xue Rui knew well that the Office of Astronomical Observation prized seniority as much as skill and that a bit of luck was also needed. Compared to the other astronomical students in their forties or fifties, his father's decade of service was not that remarkable.

Hu Zhong shook his head again. "That is only part of it. The main reason is that he has been held back because of me."

"What does that have to do with you, Master?"

"This relates to my official duties. As Director of Divination, I am responsible for observing celestial changes and interpreting omens. When calamities or anomalies appear in the heavens, the emperor is supposed to reflect and improve his virtue. If any of his close courtiers are sycophants, they will surely conceal signs of disaster and paint a false picture of peace. Since the first year of the Orthodox reign, I have repeatedly offended such villains by refusing to falsify celestial records. Because of this, your father has been resented by association, and so he has never been chosen to fill a vacancy. This time, he went to see the Duke of England, knowing the duke's strong belief in omens, hoping to warn him of danger and persuade him to petition the emperor against the campaign."

"So my father met with the duke not because he didn't understand the risks, but because he wanted to snatch victory from the jaws of danger?" Xue Rui was truly alarmed by his father's boldness.

To put it plainly, his father was making a risky move. If he succeeded in persuading the head of the noble faction, the Duke of England, to take the lead in remonstrating, there might be a chance to stop the emperor's campaign. Should his father render such a service, wasn't it likely the high officials would secure him at least a ninth-rank post?

"Your father was left with no choice. I am old and infirm and may not have many days left. Once I'm gone, the personal connections I leave behind will dissipate. Securing a vacancy will be harder than ever, and he may remain an astronomical student for life. Your father is a clever man. Though this contest between ruler and minister is perilous, it is also a rare chance to turn the tide. Had he seen me, he might have hesitated, unwilling to risk everything."

Xue Rui suddenly understood: Master had refused to see his father so as not to sway his decision or leave him with lifelong regrets.

"Master, you have truly thought it through," Xue Rui said with emotion. "But alas, with wicked courtiers in power, my father has made a misstep. Now that he is in the Imperial Prison, he will surely suffer. Still, if I can identify the official who instigated him, perhaps I can ask that person for help. Even if I can't free my father, sparing him some suffering would be good. Do you know who this official surnamed Chen is?"

"There are more than twenty officials surnamed Chen in the capital—it will be hard to find the right one." Hu Zhong shook his head.

Xue Rui gritted his teeth. "Then I have no choice but to spread word of my father's arrest widely, forcing the Chen official to show himself. I cannot believe he would abandon my father to his fate!"

Hu Zhong looked at him with newfound respect, surprised by his resourcefulness. Given the methods of the court officials, once they knew Xue Yuanhao had been implicated because of them, though they would not dare storm the Imperial Prison to free him, they could at least put pressure on the Embroidered Guards, making Xue Yuanhao's ordeal easier.

Yet Hu Zhong disagreed. "This is unwise. Your father took the risk in hopes of currying favor with the high officials. If you publicize his arrest, they may indeed help him, but at most they will clear him of guilt. When he is released, resuming his post as an astronomical student will be the best outcome; no further benefits will come. Such a favor should be reserved for a more crucial moment."

"But we can't just watch my father be tortured day and night in prison! What if he can't endure it..."

Xue Rui could not bring himself to continue.

"Don't worry. Your father won't be tortured. I've already arranged for someone to take care of things. According to the Embroidered Guards overseeing the prison, they have not been instructed to use torture and are willing to turn a blind eye. Your father is fine in prison," Hu Zhong said calmly.

"Master, you have such connections?" Xue Rui was astonished. So it was the old man who had arranged matters with the Embroidered Guards. It seemed that after decades of officialdom, Master still had some influence.

"It was a small matter," Hu Zhong replied, clearly unwilling to dwell on it. He changed the subject. "There is no need to worry about your father. He will be safely released in due time, and who knows, something good may come of it. You, on the other hand, must be careful now that you have been drafted into the observatory. Do not ruin your father's reputation there or jeopardize his prospects. Do you understand?"

"Master, rest assured—I understand," Xue Rui replied.

From Hu Zhong's words, Xue Rui sensed an extra meaning. With the foresight of a modern man, he knew the imperial campaign would end in disaster. But from Hu Zhong's tone, it seemed he too suspected as much. Could it be that the old man was also a time traveler?

Unable to contain his curiosity, Xue Rui asked, "Master, do you think the omens will truly come to pass?"

"Whether omens come true, and in what way, I cannot say," Hu Zhong replied. "But I do know this: Esen is a most cunning adversary, one even the late emperor feared. The late emperor once described Esen's military strategy with a single word—'trickery.' To repel the Oirat horde, a wise general is needed. Yet our army's command is in the hands of eunuchs, which will surely sap its strength. Facing such a formidable foe, setbacks are inevitable. His Majesty, inexperienced and raised in the inner palace, will feel fear when confronted with Esen. It will be easy to believe in omens, and with a little encouragement from his advisers, he will soon think of retreat. When His Majesty returns to the capital, that will be the best time to publicize your father's case. Then all the officials at court will surely speak on his behalf!"

Hu Zhong seemed fully confident in his assessment.

"I see," Xue Rui said, finally at ease.

So Hu Zhong was not a prophet, but simply made a sound judgment. Still, he underestimated the incompetence of the Emperor and Wang Zhen.