The matrons and aunties were seized by the constables, each one wearing an anxious expression. Liu Yun stepped forward to comfort them, saying,"Don't be afraid, aunties! Even if he is a court official, heaven's justice is clear and retribution never fails. So what if he was struck?"
The constable was utterly baffled and asked in confusion,"How could such a thing be possible?"
He stepped forward toward Helan Jinming and asked respectfully,"May I ask how this honorable sir is addressed?"
Helan Jinming struggled to his feet in a sorry state and replied,"I am Helan Jinming, Prefect of Chenzhou."
The constable said,"Lord Helan, does this matter require formal reporting to the authorities?"
Helan Jinming was a cowardly man who clung desperately to life—learned in letters but hollow in spirit, a mere wax spear tipped with silver. This journey to the capital was meant to secure promotion and honor, yet the high officials of court showed no regard for old ties. In these turbulent times, everyone followed the wind. With the recapture of the Two Capitals, officials scrambled for merit and rank—who would spare a thought for Helan Jinming?
Moreover, the court had not forgotten his past failures. All under heaven mourned Zhang Xun and his comrades, whose loyal sacrifice stirred both court and commoners alike. Tang Suzong was a man of clear rewards and punishments; were it not for the general amnesty, Helan Jinming would have lost his head a dozen times over. Yet he lacked all self-awareness. His visit to the capital yielded nothing but cold shoulders, and upon leaving the palace he ran into his old nemesis, Wu Tong of the Loyalty Hall—misfortune upon misfortune.
Forcing a smile, Helan Jinming said,"Constable, it is all a misunderstanding. Nothing serious—only trouble for you to come this way."
Hearing this, the constable turned and ordered,"Very well. Release them."
The constables immediately let the women go, and the aunties hurried away. With a single command, the constable led his men and departed.
Liu Yun walked up to Helan Jinming and said mockingly,"Lord Helan, what business brings you to the capital?"
Helan Jinming offered no reply.
Wu Tong said coldly,"You've read the sages and write eloquent prose, yet you are a coward who feared death and abandoned the righteous. You stood by while Zhang Xun defended Suiyang unto death. All your talent amounts to nothing more than a silvered wax spear. I dare say you never even saw His Majesty on this visit—otherwise, your life would scarcely have been spared."
Helan Jinming trembled violently, his face drained of color. Overwhelmed by regret yet powerless to undo the past, he stood there swollen-faced and wretched, like a stray dog."Gentlemen," he stammered, "I still have official duties to attend to. Hall Master Wu, please show mercy and allow me to leave. I must return to my prefecture at once."
Though still a court official, Helan Jinming's cowardice and failure to aid Zhang Xun had long ignited Wu Tong's righteous fury. Today, scolding him mercilessly in the streets of Chang'an was a release long overdue. To strip him of face before the capital's people was deeply satisfying. Yet today was not the time to take his life—there would be opportunities later.
Helan Jinming, once so full of himself, had now been publicly humiliated—stopped in the street, cursed to his face by Wu Tong, and slapped repeatedly by a group of aunties. His disgrace was complete. Worse still, when the authorities arrived, the matter could not even be exposed; it had to be quietly smoothed over. In the end, it was all the consequence of his own sins. As the saying goes: calamity and fortune have no door—men invite them themselves.
Wu Tong said coldly,"Since you know shame, I shall temporarily leave your head where it is."
He stepped aside and let Helan Jinming go.
In stark contrast to the disgraced Helan Jinming stood Zhang Hao, a rising star of Tang politics. Entering office late in life, he rose to the rank of chief minister in only three years. His achievements in the campaign against the rebels won universal praise, and he was widely hailed as a "pillar of the state."
Wu Tong and the four women arrived at Zhang Hao's residence. Only upon reaching the gates did they realize just how crowded it was—officials packed the entrance, the household bustling with visitors. Civil and military officials alike waited outside, hoping for an audience, most of them ignored or turned away.
Wu Tong announced his name and position at the gate. To everyone's surprise, the steward hurried out personally to welcome him, sparking murmurs among the waiting officials. Wu Tong and his four wives were led into the reception hall, and shortly thereafter summoned into the garden courtyard.
There, amid rockeries and flowing water, the sound of a zither filled the air. Zhang Hao had been playing for his own amusement. Seeing Wu Tong arrive, he rose together with his wife to greet them.
"Hall Master Wu and honored ladies grace my humble home," Zhang Hao said warmly. "I am deeply honored. Please, be seated."
After formal greetings, a banquet was laid. It was late autumn, the courtyard filled with the sound of running water.
Wu Tong said,"Lord Zhang, on my way here today, I happened to run into Helan Jinming."
Zhang Hao raised an eyebrow slightly."After being slapped by Hall Master Wu before, meeting him again today—surely he could not escape punishment."
Liu Yun laughed."My lord, Hall Master Wu did not strike him—he merely gave him a light lesson."
Zhang Hao's wife smiled with interest."And how did Hall Master Wu discipline him?"
Ling Xian'er smiled gracefully."My lady, my three elder sisters are versed in letters. Together, they teased and outwitted Helan Jinming."
Zhang Hao's wife laughed."That sounds most amusing—do tell."
Ling Xian'er said,"Has my lady ever heard Helan Jinming's poetry?"
Zhang Hao's wife replied,"Though his character is vile, his writing is excellent—especially his five poems 'Hard Is the Road Ahead,' which are still widely admired. I can even recite a few lines:
Have you not seen the well beneath the cliff,A hundred feet deep yet never reaching the spring?Have you not seen the shoots atop the mountain,Inches tall yet brushing clouds and mist?Man's fate is much the same—Why sigh and torment oneself so?"
Zhang Hao continued the recitation:
May friends and kin always smile,May our meetings never lack a coin for wine.Cold nights call for candles and cheer—Why dwell forever on youth and fleeting pleasures?
Hearing husband and wife recite the poem together, Wu Tong sighed deeply and said,
"Helan Jinming's talent was renowned throughout the realm, yet his character was despicable. Talent without virtue leaves only a name cursed for all eternity."