Chapter Sixty-Six: Those Who Command Through Strength

After bidding farewell to Xu You, Zhan Wenjun shed her ornate robes for a fitted black brocade suit. Accompanied by Wan Qi, she passed through a secret stone gate and descended a winding, serpentine staircase. After an indeterminate time, they finally arrived at the depths of the Qujing.

Shi Shu, having been alerted by her subordinates, waited at the entrance. She knelt, pressing her forehead to her hands, and said respectfully, "Madam!"

Behind her, dozens of people knelt in a dense crowd, echoing, "Madam!"

"You are always the one with the most rigid adherence to etiquette!"

Zhan Wenjun swept her gaze over the dark sea of people, a fleeting brilliance flashing in her eyes. She leaned down to take Shi Shu’s wrists and said softly, "I have told you many times: you are injured and find it difficult to walk; you must not perform such grand gestures!"

Shi Shu struggled to stand, her face instantly turning pale as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Seeing that she was in great pain, Zhan Wenjun raised her voice: "Bring a camp stool!"

Two maids brought the stool. Shi Shu lowered her head, declining, "In your presence, Madam, how could this servant sit?"

"Nonsense!" Zhan Wenjun’s brows knit together. "Are you injured and yet you expect me to force you to endure it? Jinxiu, help her sit."

"Yes!"

Jinxiu, who had been kneeling behind Shi Shu, quickly stood, supported Shi Shu’s shoulders, and carefully guided her onto the stool. Zhan Wenjun moved forward, and the kneeling crowd parted like a wave, leaving a narrow path in the center.

Once inside the room, Zhan Wenjun paced back and forth, eventually stopping at a specific floor tile. Jinxiu glanced at it, feeling a sudden, inexplicable tension, for this was exactly the spot where Liu Wuzi had met his end.

Zhan Wenjun stood silent for a long time, her back to the others, before suddenly asking, "Is this where Little Wu died?"

Jinxiu’s breath hitched; her mind went blank. The Qujing was under absolute control; by any logic, Zhan Wenjun should not have known such details. Yet, having just returned to Mingyu Mountain, she not only knew Liu Wuzi was dead but exactly where he had died.

How terrifying!

Could Wan Qi have leaked the information? But Wan Qi had not appeared since returning to the mountain last night. The Qujing was a restricted area of the Guo estate; even Wan Qi could not enter without Shi Shu’s permission. Furthermore, Wan Qi was cold-natured and antisocial; she would never have probed the secrets of the Qujing staff.

Jinxiu subconsciously looked at Shi Shu, only to see her expression unchanged, calm as a lake, seemingly unsurprised by all this. Suddenly, it dawned on Jinxiu: compared to these people, her own mastery was far from sufficient.

Silence descended. No one dared to answer.

"Yes." After a long pause, Shi Shu finally spoke.

Zhan Wenjun did not turn around, her expression hidden, but her voice sounded unusually calm. "Was his crime punishable by death?"

"Liu Wuzi abandoned his post while on duty. Strictly speaking, the crime did not warrant death." Shi Shu’s expression was stern, her words decisive and leaving no room for negotiation. "However... this concerned Jueya Waterfall, and the Master once gave strict orders: those who disobey are to be executed!"

Hearing her mention Guo Mian, Zhan Wenjun sighed softly. She was deeply saddened by Liu Wuzi’s death, but at this stage, pursuing the matter would only be futile and cause unrest and chaos among the staff. In such troubled times, with powerful enemies lurking, it would be a loss that outweighed the gain.

*Shi Shu, you clever girl, you chose the perfect moment!*

Zhan Wenjun asked, "How have his family members been provided for?"

"A monthly stipend of one tael of silver, with grain and flour provided during festivals. Liu Wuzi’s son is eleven and can be sent to work in the firm..."

One tael of silver might not seem like much, but as a pension for the retainers of the Chu State, it was quite generous. Especially since Liu Wuzi was executed for a crime, not killed for the family's benefit; by the rules, he shouldn't have received even five hundred coins.

Zhan Wenjun nodded. "Wan Qi, take another fifty thousand coins to his wife and child..."

Shi Shu suddenly began to cough, covering her mouth. Jinxiu’s eyes darted around; thinking she had grasped the situation, she knelt forward and said, "Madam, I fear that is inappropriate!"

Zhan Wenjun finally turned around. With a look of surprise, her clear, moonlit eyes fixed on the bold maid. "Why is it inappropriate?"

Jinxiu felt sweat trickling down her back, soaking her undergarments, but having gone this far, she had to bolster her courage. "Liu Wuzi was a criminal; he deserved his fate. For you, Madam, and for my sister to show mercy with one tael a month already bends the estate’s rules. It will make people follow out of necessity, but not out of conviction!"

"Insolent!" Shi Shu, usually stoic, suddenly changed color. "Is it your place to babble in front of Madam? Shut your mouth!"

Zhan Wenjun laughed instead of getting angry. She walked slowly to Jinxiu and leaned down. "No rush. Let her finish. Jinxiu, speak your mind; I am listening!"

Jinxiu knew that a step back meant death. If her logic held, with Shi Shu’s protection, Zhan Wenjun could not easily touch her. She lifted her chin, adopting the air of a loyal, outspoken advisor. "Liu Wuzi was an old servant you brought from the Zhan family; we understand your desire to show him grace, so one tael of silver is against the rules but understandable in human terms. But fifty thousand coins... forgive my ignorance, but if someone dies for the Master, for you, or for the Guo family later, how much should be given to console them? In your eyes, is the life of a Guo family member worth less than that of a Zhan family member?"

*Slap!*

Jinxiu was sent flying, bright red blood dripping from her thin lips onto her chest. She clutched her swollen cheek and looked at Wan Qi, who was staring coldly at her. "Those who submit by force do not submit from the heart! Sister, you could kill me with one finger, but I wonder if the thirty-seven people here in the Qujing are truly convinced?"

Wan Qi had long noticed that although the others remained kneeling, they were shaken by Jinxiu’s words—some lost, some confused, some thoughtful, some resentful. They no longer held that absolute, reverent look.

Wan Qi was cold by nature and did not care; if someone was bold enough, she would simply kill them. "If I wanted your life, why would I need you to be convinced? That slap was to remind you: if you disrespect the Madam again, you won't be this lucky."

Jinxiu felt a chill. She did not doubt that if she said anything more reckless, she would die there. Just as she was panicking, Zhan Wenjun spoke softly:

"Wan Qi, stand down."

Wan Qi glanced at Jinxiu one last time and stepped back. Zhan Wenjun smiled. "Jinxiu, you have always worked in the Qujing, and I know little of you. Today, I see you are well-read; otherwise, you wouldn't quote Mencius so aptly and opportunely. Remarkable!"

She paused. "However, one should not read blindly. Mencius said that those who use force under the guise of benevolence are hegemons, but having strength is not necessarily a bad thing. As for the Zhan and Guo families, since I married into the Guo house, all servants and retainers are considered Guo, with no distinction between inside or out. Your divisive words—what is your motive? Furthermore, fifty thousand coins is less than the cost of a meal for the nobles in the capital. To you, it is an excessive reward? Is a human life so cheap and worthless in your eyes?"

She walked past Jinxiu and into the center of the crowd. "As for you, you labor for my Guo family, loyal and diligent, ready to face death without hesitation. Yet you have families and children; how could a mere tael of silver compensate for the blood on your collars? Let me make a promise today: for any who are injured, disabled, or sacrificed for this family, their kin shall receive a pension between one hundred thousand and five hundred thousand coins, and a monthly stipend of five taels of silver. As long as this family stands, this support shall never cease!"

The dense crowd stirred with agitation. Though they dared not shout, their expressions were turbulent, their eyes filled with such gratitude and loyalty that they would gladly die for her.

Shi Shu watched this silently, then turned to Jinxiu. The confidante who usually prided herself on being clever now looked ghastly pale, her soul seemingly drained away.

"Someone, seize Jinxiu! She has overstepped her bounds and disrespected her superiors. Take her away to await judgment!"

Jinxiu fell into despair, realizing she had been abandoned by Shi Shu. She lacked the strength to resist and collapsed, limp on the floor.

"Wait." Zhan Wenjun waved her hand dismissively. "Jinxiu acted out of concern for the big picture. Though her words were ill-chosen, her intent was not malicious. I will overlook it this time, but let this be a warning. Do you understand?"

Jinxiu, having escaped death, was overwhelmed with joy. She knelt and kowtowed three times with all her might.

This time, she was truly convinced!

It was exactly as Mencius said: those who submit by force do not submit from the heart; those who submit by virtue submit with a joyful and sincere heart!

Thus, a ruler need not abandon the art of the hegemon; rather, they use others to exercise the power of the hegemon while they themselves exercise the art of virtue, achieving both submission by force and submission by heart.

Once everyone had withdrawn, Wan Qi closed the door and retreated into the shadows. Shi Shu sat quietly on the camp stool and said earnestly, "I knew Liu Wuzi was your long-time retainer, and that you would be unable to bear it, so I took the liberty of executing him before your return. This preserved your grace and the Master’s authority. I intended to seek your punishment after you returned. I did not expect Jinxiu to be so bold and provoke your anger. I failed to restrain her and am willing to accept any punishment."

Zhan Wenjun showed a look of relief. "You did very well! The Master established the Qujing specifically to set rules and rectify family law, to prevent laziness and negligence. You understood my difficulties and handled the task I should have dealt with myself. I should reward you, not punish you."

These words were like needles hidden in silk—seemingly praise, yet carrying weight. Shi Shu listened, choosing to let the matter of Liu Wuzi pass. She reported, "Madam, there is one more thing: the people sent to investigate Zhou Village have returned..."