Transmigrated to the Northern Song Dynasty as a County Magistrate (GL) - Chapter 51

51: Reunion and Interrogation

Following Qingyu’s suggestion, Tian Qingyi channeled all her longing for Yun Jingchu into letters sent to Hangzhou—three or four per month at minimum, sometimes as many as seven or eight. The frequency of her correspondence even impressed the couriers.

Autumn faded into winter, and soon it was late December, the weather growing increasingly cold.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, the Spring Festival, Winter Solstice, and Cold Food Festival were known as the “Three Major Holidays,” during which all government offices closed for seven days. While local magistrates couldn’t leave their posts, other officials faced no such restrictions.

Though these were the official rules, implementation varied. Huating County had its own unwritten tradition: while the magistrate remained, deputies took turns returning home for the holidays. Those who lived too far away would travel instead.

Li Chong, the Registrar, lived quite a distance away. Even with extra leave from Tian Qingyi, he couldn’t make it home, so during the Winter Solstice break, he took his wife Zhao sightseeing in Suzhou.

The upcoming Spring Festival was Deputy Magistrate Wu Yong’s turn. His hometown was close enough for a round trip in seven or eight days, so Tian Qingyi granted him additional leave. His bags were already packed for an early departure the next morning.

Wu Yong, having served for years, had never managed to return home for New Year’s due to previous postings being too distant. Though closer now, it still wasn’t feasible within the standard holiday. He’d resigned himself to another year away—until Magistrate Jiufang extended his leave. With some haste, he and his wife could make it home in time. Grateful, he hosted a farewell banquet for Tian Qingyi and Li Chong at a restaurant, both in thanks and as a send-off.

Yun Jingchu’s letters had promised her return by mid-December. By the start of the month, Tian Qingyi was already eagerly awaiting her. But now, nearing month’s end with no sign of her, worry and wild imaginings plagued Tian Qingyi’s thoughts.

Her work suffered as a result. She frequently questioned Wei Shier, fearing the guards stationed at the Long Pavilion might grow lax. If Yun Jingchu hadn’t returned by Minor New Year (23rd of the 12th month), she planned to send Wei Shier searching along the route.

Tian Qingyi had little desire to attend Wu Yong’s banquet, afraid Yun Jingchu might arrive in her absence. But when Li Chong had hosted before his departure, she’d attended with Wu Yong and Zhang Sancheng. To refuse Wu Yong’s invitation now, without good reason, would seem discourteous.

At times, Tian Qingyi felt grateful for her posting to Huating County. With fewer officials, social obligations were lighter. Families and merchants aware of her habits wouldn’t extend invitations without cause—and those she couldn’t decline were usually handled by Zhang Sancheng in her stead.

Knowing Zhang Sancheng’s fondness for money—something Jiufang Xin had explicitly warned about—Tian Qingyi had cautioned him sternly before allowing him to represent her at banquets, fearing bribery.

To her surprise, Zhang Sancheng not only listened attentively but swore an oath: if he accepted so much as a single coin, his son would amount to nothing in life. Considering the high hopes Zhang placed in his son, such a vow reassured Tian Qingyi considerably.

Still, she wasn’t entirely at ease. Whenever Zhang attended banquets on her behalf, she sent Wei Shier and two guards—partly for his protection, partly as watchdogs.

A seasoned bureaucrat, Zhang Sancheng understood perfectly. He neither object nor commented, simply conducting himself with extra care to avoid embarrassing Tian Qingyi.

With Jiufang Xin, he might have dared to accept small gifts. But Jiufang Xiyan was entirely different. When a clerk was caught taking a string of cash recently, Tian Qingyi punished him severely the same day, deterring others from similar temptations.

This incident further convinced Zhang Sancheng that Jiufang Xiyan and Jiufang Xin were nothing alike. No matter how much he loved money, experience had taught him what could and couldn’t be taken.

Another advantage of Huating County was its distance from the capital. No need to fear the emperor’s unpredictable temper or attend predawn court sessions!

Best of all, as magistrate, she answered to no one locally. Occasional tardiness or early departures went unremarked. The only real obligation was periodic reporting to the prefect in Xiuzhou—where, without fail, banquet invitations flooded in daily.

As a former “drawing dog” (overworked draftsman), Tian Qingyi keenly understood laborers’ hardships. She scrupulously observed every official holiday. Though she couldn’t leave Huating County, others could.

Of course, holidays didn’t empty the yamen entirely. Clerks and guards maintained a skeleton crew of about twenty on rotation. Even deputies on leave arranged their duties beforehand, with colleagues covering temporarily.

As for the magistrate? Tian Qingyi considered staying in the rear courtyard a holiday in itself—time for personal pursuits, free from official duties unless emergencies arose.

In the end, Tian Qingyi attended Wu Yong’s banquet after all—and ended up drinking too much. Returning to the yamen, she staggered unsteadily yet insisted she wasn’t drunk, refusing Wei Shier’s assistance. The helpless attendant could only follow anxiously.

Li Chong and Wu Yong, even drunk, had already been carried home by their servants.

With no other options, Wei Shier sent guards to fetch Qingyu and Xiazhu from the rear courtyard while he kept watch. Just as Tian Qingyi managed to navigate past the ceremonial gate into the main courtyard—with help imminent—she abruptly detoured toward the Stone of Admonition Pavilion.

Though her limbs disobeyed, Tian Qingyi’s mind remained clear. Upon first assuming office, she’d visited this pavilion and approved its inscription, believing it captured proper governance.

Now, after half a year as magistrate, she felt her salary and benefits might exceed her contributions. Spotting the pavilion, she approached unconsciously. The sixteen-character maxim—”Your salary comes from the people’s toil; commoners may be abused, but Heaven won’t be fooled”—still drew her admiration and agreement.

Other jurisdictions might operate differently, but within Huating County, she would permit no wrongful convictions, no bribe-taking clerks, no oppression of citizens.

As Wei Shier hesitated outside the pavilion, unsure whether to intervene, Qingyu and Xiazhu arrived—accompanied by the completely unexpected yet delightful sight of Yun Jingchu herself, though with noticeably fewer attendants than when she’d departed.

Yun Jingchu was surprised to find them waiting. Hoping to surprise Tian Qingyi, she’d deliberately avoided sending word ahead. That Tian Qingyi had anticipated her return anyway was unexpected.

The three servants, just regrouping to speak, hurried forward to greet Yun Jingchu. Noticing their awkward hesitation, she directed Qingyu to explain. When Qingyu could only provide vague details, Wei Shier stepped in with a full account.

Hearing this, Yun Jingchu glanced toward the lantern-lit pavilion but saw no sign of Tian Qingyi. Instructing Xiazhu to arrange rest for Zhou Ba, Yuanqi, and the others after their journey (luggage could wait until morning), she headed for the pavilion.

She found Tian Qingyi asleep behind the Stone of Admonition. With Qingyu’s help, Yun Jingchu half-carried her back to the rear courtyard. Wei Shier, though offering assistance, was promptly assigned other tasks.

Tian Qingyi slept until dawn. Rolling over, she saw a familiar face and thought she must be dreaming. Unwilling to wake, she stared intently at Yun Jingchu’s features, marveling at the dream’s vividness—the fine down on her cheeks, the tiny mole near her eye, all rendered with lifelike clarity.

Yet the longer she looked, the more Yun Jingchu seemed to have lost weight. Had she ignored Tian Qingyi’s letters urging balanced meals beyond just meat? Or was this simply a worry-induced dream?

When Yun Jingchu awoke to find Tian Qingyi propped on one elbow, frowning pensively, her first question was: “No headache?”

“None,” Tian Qingyi answered automatically—then brightened. Dreams didn’t hold conversations! Dropping her arm, she asked eagerly, “When did you return? Why no advance notice?”

“Last night. I wanted to surprise you.” Yun Jingchu’s expression turned stern. “Instead, you surprised me first. I told you repeatedly not to overdrink—why ignore me?” Before departing, she’d warned endlessly against alcohol-induced slips that might expose Tian Qingyi’s secret. The promises in return letters now rang hollow.

“I… was wrong. It won’t happen again.” Under Yun Jingchu’s clear gaze, Tian Qingyi abandoned excuses and confessed: “A’Dan, I remembered all your warnings. Last night was the only time I drank heavily since you left. Ask Qingyu if you don’t believe me.”

“I believe you.” Yun Jingchu’s trust in Tian Qingyi surpassed ordinary bounds. With others, she’d demand proof; with Tian Qingyi, she accepted her word. “But why last night?”

Now embarrassed, Tian Qingyi lay back, staring at the bed canopy. “First Zhang Sancheng returned to Kaifeng, then last night was Wu Yong’s farewell. Partings always sadden me. With New Year approaching and you overdue, my heart felt anchorless. The sadness overwhelmed me, they kept urging me to drink… so I overdid it.”

The promised mid-December return had come and gone without Yun Jingchu. Fear that something might have happened gnawed at Tian Qingyi. Yesterday en route to the restaurant, the festive atmosphere—vendors selling holiday foods, peach-wood charms, Spring Festival couplets, and Zhong Kui prints; crowds of red-cheeked, joyful people despite the cold—only deepened her gloom.

While others celebrated, she faced paperwork without even her secretary—Zhang Sancheng having left for Kaifeng at the month’s start to reunite with his family. As his superior, she could hardly refuse such a reasonable request, especially when she herself couldn’t go home.

Wu Yong would soon depart too, and Li Chong had Zhao. Tian Qingyi stood alone. The holiday cheer reminded her painfully of parents and sister, of past New Years together. Yun Jingchu’s absence compounded the sorrow.

In low spirits, alcohol offered temporary relief. Tian Qingyi drank more the more she drank, egged on by Li Chong and Wu Yong. That she ended up drunk was hardly surprising. Fortunately, this was mild compared to their wedding night—at least she hadn’t made a scene.