I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 307 On the Canal! Anchoring at Qingkou Wharf at Night, Meeting an Old Friend

July 23rd, early morning.

After the regular court.

Holding the imperial edict that gave him control over all officials in Nanjing, Shen Nian left the capital for Nanjing.

Nanjing was a major area plagued by redundant officials and bureaucratic redundancies during the Ming Dynasty.

If Nanjing is stable, then the Jiangnan region will be at peace.

Jiangnan accounts for more than 60% of the total tax revenue of the Ming Dynasty.

The stability of local government is of utmost importance; the elimination of redundant officials and positions must not lead to local unrest.

Shen Nian's mission this time is to ensure the smooth implementation of the policy of eliminating redundant officials and positions throughout the country in Nanjing. If the ministers of the six ministries in Nanjing fail to strictly implement this policy, then Shen Nian may have to personally arrange and adjust personnel.

Traveling from the capital to Nanjing by boat along the Grand Canal is naturally the best option.

If there is no severe weather, it should take about twenty days to arrive.

The officials who accompanied Shen Nian to Nanjing included Sun Weiqing, a senior official in the Ministry of Personnel; Wang Jia, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat; and Qi Hu, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Sun Weiqing and Wang Jia each led more than ten clerks, who were responsible for recording, copying, compiling, checking, and keeping the performance evaluation files.

Qi Hu, a commander of the Imperial Guard, led over a hundred Imperial Guards to protect Shen Nian's safety, while soldiers maintained order along the way.

When cabinet ministers travel, they usually conduct inspections on behalf of the emperor.

With both civil and military personnel in command, they can easily handle any official business without relying on local resources.

In addition, as was customary, the court arranged for Shen Nian to have servants, grooms, maids, and more than ten clerks carrying umbrellas, fans, flags, and other ceremonial items, but Shen Nian dismissed them all.

He prefers to do things efficiently and dislikes making a big fuss.

At noon that day.

Shen Nian and his party arrived at Luhe Post Station in Tongzhou and then boarded an official boat.

Because Shen Nian's mission was not particularly urgent, the official boats traveled during the day and rested at post stations at night.

……

The next day, the sun shone brightly and the weather was scorching hot.

The canal water flows slowly.

Merchant ships could be seen sailing across the vast waters from time to time, and they would give way to official ships when they saw them.

Shen Nian and his entourage's official boat traveled south along the North Canal.

It was near noon, inside the cabin.

Shen Nian, dressed in a thin shirt and cloth shoes, sat on a large chair in the middle.

Standing in front were Sun Weiqing, a senior official in the Ministry of Personnel; Wang Jia, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat; and Qi Hu, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Shen Nian addressed the three of them, saying, "From this moment on, I hereby establish three prohibitions."

"Firstly, it is forbidden for any member of the royal family, local officials, gentry, merchants, or celebrities to visit us, give gifts, or hold banquets to welcome us at the post stations along our route."

"Secondly, all acts that disturb the people are prohibited. All officials and servants who are not engaged in official duties shall not leave the post station without my order after the boat has stopped and docked."

"Thirdly, it is strictly forbidden for ordinary people to block boats on the river for any purpose!"

"Yes, Your Excellency!" The three bowed in unison.

In the present Ming Dynasty, let alone the Grand Secretary traveling, even local governors, provincial governors, or even seventh-rank officials who were in charge of remonstrances would be greeted and seen off by a large group of officials.

When Zhang Juzheng returned to his hometown to observe the mourning period, many princes and officials held banquets to welcome him.

Because the message was an expression of mourning for Zhang Juzheng's father, Zhang Juzheng sometimes had to participate in social engagements.

Shen Nian detested such social niceties the most.

After he finished giving his instructions, Qi Hu, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, would naturally make arrangements in advance to persuade local officials, gentry, and merchants to abandon such bad habits through the post stations.

As for Shen Nian's statement that officials and clerks were not allowed to leave the post station, it was because the riverbanks were bustling with commerce, which brought with it many brothels and gambling dens. Shen Nian disliked the people on the boat getting involved in such activities.

The rule that "it is strictly forbidden for ordinary people to block boats on the river for any purpose" was based on a variety of considerations by Shen Nian.

When commoners block boats from high-ranking officials, it is usually to appeal for justice or to sue local officials. Such cases fall under the jurisdiction of local censors, and Shen Nian cannot overstep his authority.

In addition, most of the matters reported by the people were not things that only Grand Secretary Shen Nian could resolve.

For example, their land was seized, their property was stolen, or they were bullied by local bullies.

Such things happen everywhere. If local officials abuse their power and break the law, then it is up to the local governor and censor to handle the matter.

Shen Nianruo was stuck on the canal due to these civil disputes.

If he were to deal with each of these matters individually, he might not even be able to reach Nanjing by the time the New Year arrives.

Now that he is a cabinet minister, he naturally prioritizes important matters.

……

Shen Nian hasn't been idle on the ship these past few days.

Before leaving, he ordered Wang Jia, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, to go to the Ministry of Personnel and collect all the performance evaluation documents of officials of the fifth rank and above in Nanjing, filling two bamboo baskets.

Shen Nian spent his days reading documents in the cabin, and went to bed early when he returned to the post station at night.

Their lifestyle is extremely regular.

The only thing that bothered him was that the ship was very humid and hot, and there was no ice to cool him down. He would always sweat profusely when he took a nap at noon.

……

These days, Qi Hu, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has been very meticulous in his guard duties.

The young Wanli Emperor gave an explanation.

If Shen Nian is injured in the slightest, he and his entire Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) will be executed along with their entire families.

Qi Hu is thirty-eight years old this year and has been in charge of the inspection and protection of many high-ranking officials.

He had never seen an official like Shen Nian.

In the past, some officials from the capital would be sent on official business outside the capital, and they would run wild like horses.

In the evening, they were entertained by local officials with wine, meat, singing and dancing, and some dancers were even secretly brought to the official post station.

Even those who are not attracted to women.

That also means finding some new and delicious foods to enjoy.

This is already a consensus in official circles.

Unless caught red-handed, the officials in charge of the censors will not impeach someone for such a thing.

Shen Nian, who was at the age of primal lust, was not only uninterested in women and singing and dancing, but also found great satisfaction in eating half a bowl of rice and a salted fish.

Qi Hu, who had little contact with Shen Nian, sensed a certain energy emanating from her, a kind of powerful force that filled people with strength.

He gradually came to believe what Shi Qing, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, had said to him when he was drunk.

"Do you believe that there are people who become officials so that the people of the world can have enough to eat? Grand Secretary Shen is such a person. Every time I see him, I feel that he has a line written on his head: 'Strive to feed the people of the world.' He may be the purest scholar-official in the entire court at present!"

……

On July 28, the boat passed Dezhou and entered the core section of the river in Shandong. The water flow became abundant, and the boat's speed increased.

On July 30th, heavy rain fell on the canal.

The ship made a temporary stop.

Shen Nian ordered his men to find some fishing rods and competed with Sun Weiqing, a senior official in the Ministry of Personnel, Wang Jia, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, and Qi Hu, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. However, the four of them fished for more than an hour without catching a single fish.

……

On the second day of the eighth lunar month, the official boat arrived at the confluence of the Yellow River and Huai'an.

For this section of the waterway, ships need to cross the Yellow River, then travel south along the South Canal, and enter the Huaihe River section of the canal.

These days.

Shen Nian had thoroughly read through the two bamboo baskets of performance evaluation documents, gaining a clearer understanding of the current Nanjing government.

Since the disasters in Yingtian, Songjiang, and Suzhou prefectures, and the subsequent misappropriation of disaster relief funds, many positions in Nanjing have been reassigned.

Currently, the highest power core in Nanjing belongs to three people. One is Ling Yunyi, who serves as the Minister of War in Nanjing, concurrently holding the positions of Assistant Advisor and Governor of Huai and Yang provinces.

One was Li Yangong, a meritorious official who served as the garrison commander of Nanjing and was the Marquis of Linhuai.

Another one is Guo Xiao, the eunuch who was in charge of the Nanjing garrison.

The highest authority in Nanjing was the Nanjing Garrison Command, and the core of the Nanjing Garrison Command at present consisted of these three people.

In the past, the eunuch in charge of Nanjing had the greatest supervisory power because he represented the emperor.

However, after the previous Nanjing garrison eunuch got into trouble, the one with the most power, who is currently in charge of all military and political affairs in Southern Zhili, is Ling Yunyi, the Minister of War in Nanjing.

Ling Yunyi was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the 26th year of the Jiajing reign (1547). He is 62 years old this year and once served as the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi.

He gained military merit for suppressing the Yao people's uprising in Guangxi and was promoted continuously. He was an official like Yin Zhengmao who was "a civil official but more skilled in military affairs".

This person was quite capable, but he was ambitious, violent, and bloodthirsty. He was extremely cruel to his subordinates and clerks and was impeached by officials on multiple occasions.

If it weren't for his significant achievements in the military and political affairs of Nanjing over the past two years, he would have been impeached and forced to retire long ago.

The heads of the other five ministries are—

Zhao Jin, Minister of Personnel in Nanjing; Wang Haowen, Minister of Revenue in Nanjing; Pei Yu, Minister of Rites in Nanjing; He Kuan, Minister of Justice in Nanjing; and Pan Jixun, Minister of Works in Nanjing.

Pan Jixun, the governor-general of the Grand Canal, was not in Nanjing. The affairs of the Ministry of Works in Southern Zhili were overseen by Yang Cheng, the left vice minister of the Ministry of Works in Nanjing.

These six Nanjing ministers, apart from Ling Yunyi who held real military and political power and Pan Jixun who was in charge of the Grand Canal transport, all shared a prominent characteristic.

"He was at odds with Zhang Juzheng."

In particular, Zhao Jin, the Minister of Personnel in Nanjing, was the main force behind the implementation of the policy of "reducing redundant officials and positions throughout the country" in Nanjing.

Zhao Jin is the 21st generation descendant of Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, and is 64 years old this year.

He was imprisoned for impeaching Yan Song, and after being severely tortured, he was demoted to commoner status. He was not reinstated until the Longqing era.

In his eyes, Zhang Juzheng was a treacherous minister who used his power as a subject to suppress the power of the emperor.

He raised objections to the new policies on several occasions, but the young Wanli Emperor mostly dealt with them by leaving them in the capital.

He was a decent person and was very close to Zhang Siwei, feeling that Zhang Siwei's demotion from the capital was a great injustice.

In the past two years, perhaps due to the abundant national treasury and the remarkable achievements of the new policies, Zhao Jin has stopped criticizing Zhang Juzheng and the new policies.

At present, the position of Minister of Personnel in Nanjing is actually the most leisurely among the six ministries in Nanjing.

Because the appointment and removal of officials of the fifth rank or above in Southern Zhili required the approval of the Ministry of Personnel and the Grand Secretariat in the capital.

The Nanjing Ministry of Personnel was only responsible for screening officials, not for selecting and appointing them.

Zhao Jin did a good job in selecting officials, and he probably had the idea of ​​returning to the capital to take up an important position.

Shen Nian was still unaware whether he would take this policy of eliminating redundant officials and positions across the country seriously.

Shen Nian understood that although he was a cabinet minister.

However, these ministers in Nanjing were all just one step away from becoming cabinet ministers.

They definitely looked down on Shen Nian.

These people had been in Nanjing for many years, and many officials in Southern Zhili were their protégés and old friends.

It will be very difficult for Shen Nian to complete this mission successfully, and offending a large number of officials will be inevitable.

……

On the fifth day of the eighth lunar month, in the afternoon, the canal was calm and peaceful.

The official ship stopped at Qingkou Wharf in Huai'an to resupply before setting sail early the next morning.

After departing tomorrow, it is expected to sail for another five days to reach Yangzhou, and then enter the Yangtze River from Yangzhou, and soon arrive at the Qinhuai River wharf in Nanjing.

After the official boat stopped.

Shen Nian walked from the cabin to the deck and looked at the rows of sails in front of her, feeling a surge of joy.

Qingkou in Huai'an is the confluence of the Yellow River, the Huai River, and the Grand Canal.

It is the most crucial and vital passageway on the Grand Canal.

Here, shipbuilding, cargo handling, warehousing, hotels, catering, foreign exchange and other industries are thriving.

Merchants from all over the country gather here.

These uniquely favorable conditions also made this place one of the wealthier areas in Huai'an Prefecture.

……

As dusk approached, Shen Nian arrived at Qingkou Water Station.

Just as he was about to have dinner, he suddenly realized that Qingkou Wharf was right next to the border of Shanyang County.

Shen Nian has someone she really wants to see living here.

"Qi Hu, I'm giving you two tasks!" Shen Nian said to Qi Hu.

"First, order someone to find out where the Hermit of Sheyang Mountain... that is, the author of the 100-chapter Journey to the West, Mr. Wu Cheng'en, lives, and we need his exact location."

"Secondly, send someone to buy some wine and food. Later, take a few plainclothes guards with you. I want to visit Mr. Wu. Remember, do not disturb the local government!"

"Understood!" Qi Hu immediately went to carry it out.

At this moment, the ship docked at the pier.

Shen Nian's impromptu visit to an old friend was not against the rules and would not interfere with her business.

……

About half an hour later.

Shen Nian, dressed in a cloth shirt, rode in a horse-drawn carriage towards Shanyang County.

Qi Hu rode in front, a plainclothes Imperial Guard drove the carriage, and there were eight more Imperial Guards on horseback behind.

Inside the carriage, besides Shen Nian, was Wang Jia, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat.

The serious and experienced Wang Jia is also a die-hard fan of Journey to the West. He really wants to ask Wu Cheng'en whether Bodhi Patriarch or Buddha is more powerful.

Shen Nian had another purpose in taking him there.

Wang Jia is skilled in painting.

Shen Nian wanted Wang Jia to paint a picture of Wu Cheng'en so that his image could be preserved for posterity along with Journey to the West.

Wu Cheng'en lived in the suburbs of Shanyang County, only seven or eight miles from this dock, which would take at most half an hour to reach.

……

At this moment, the sky is full of stars, and the croaking of frogs can be heard from the surrounding ponds.

The carriage moved forward along the rugged path.

Shen Nian was excited, and he had many questions in his mind that the author needed to answer.

Before long, the carriage arrived at a small courtyard.

There are three large tile-roofed houses in the courtyard. Judging from their condition, they were all newly built. It is likely that Wu Cheng'en renovated the houses after receiving two hundred taels of silver in royalties.

Just then, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old ran out of the courtyard.

The boy held a long stick that looked like a golden cudgel in his hand and looked at Shen Nian warily.

"You bunch of outsiders, can you please stop bothering Grandpa? He only has one copy of Journey to the West left, it's his treasure, and he won't sell it for any amount of money!"

The boy mistook Shen Nian and the others for book buyers.

"Weren't there ten? How come there's only one left?" Shen Nian asked.

"The other nine books...all were donated...donated to the large bookstores in the county and prefecture. Grandfather asked them to print more!" the boy said.

Shen Nian smiled and said, "Tell the old man in the house that my name is Shen Nian, and that I am the one who bought his manuscript. I would like to have a casual meal with him and chat for a while. Is that alright?"

"You...you...you're that...that high-ranking official?"

The boy, his face beaming with excitement, picked up the long stick in his hand and ran into the courtyard.

(End of this chapter)