Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 496 Bai Tang's Imperial Decree

The Yang residence was located in the southern part of Rizhongfang, near Shichahai Lake, while the Shang residence was located near the Berlin Temple, southwest of Beijuxianfang. The two residences were quite far apart. Even by the shortest route, one would have to completely pass through Zhaohui Jinggongfang and Jiaozhongfang to reach them.

Shang Jingying rose to prominence early, having accumulated enough wealth to purchase a house in the capital by the early Wanli period. He then steadily prospered, outlasting a number of his predecessors, including his own godfather, before ultimately reaching the pinnacle of his eunuch career, becoming the official in charge of the Imperial Stables.

However, Shang Jingying did not become complacent with his success and promotion. Although he took every cent of the customary filial piety due, he never overreached or became overly greedy, acquiring no additional property in or outside the capital. Even his residence remained unchanged until his death.

After nearly two quarters of an hour, the Imperial Household Department carriage carrying Liu Ruoyu finally reached the last alleyway before the merchant's residence. As soon as they entered the alley, a strange and deserted atmosphere gradually took over.

This wasn't just because of the lanterns hung at the gate, specifically for funerals. It was also because, exiting this alley, one could directly see the Imperial College and the Confucian Temple. Though the day hadn't arrived yet for the newly minted scholars to pay their respects to Confucius and inscribe their names on the monument, the neighborhood surrounding the Imperial College and the Confucian Temple, along with several others, had already been engulfed in a jubilant atmosphere over the triumphantly concluded Taichang Imperial Examination. The announcement of the results, the celebrations on the Imperial Street, and the vibrant colors of the city had intensified the atmosphere, reaching a fever pitch.

The hotter it is outside, the colder it is inside, and the more desolate it becomes.

Liu Ruoyu sighed softly in his heart, walked up and knocked on the door himself.

This time the door was answered much faster than before.

The doorman was a young middle-aged man, and his mourning attire suggested some kind of kinship with Shang Jingying. Liu Ruoyu guessed he must be one of Shang Jingying's godson.

Seeing the visitor wearing a dragon robe, the doorman was immediately shocked and instinctively wanted to kneel down to pay his respects. But the doorman's popliteal fossa softened, and he realized that he was wearing mourning clothes. Kneeling in front of a living person in such clothes would shorten his life. So the doorman did not kneel, but only bowed to Liu Ruoyu with the utmost respect. "Your servant pays homage to the ancestors!"

"No need to be so polite." Liu Ruoyu gently supported the doorman's shoulder. "Take me to the mourning hall to burn a stick of incense for the Shang ancestor."

"Yes." The doorman didn't think it was strange that the funeral had come uninvited, so he simply opened the door and gestured for him to come in. "Please come this way."

"Just wait here." Liu Ruoyu gestured to the accompanying eunuchs and followed the doorman to the mourning hall.

Shang Jingying's funeral hall was set up in the largest reception room of the Second Hospital, with the coffin placed in the center. In front of the coffin were incense tables, memorial tablets, candles, three kinds of animals, and various offerings.

Before the incense table, beneath the memorial tablet, Yang Songquan, the eldest son and legitimate heir of Shang Jingying's lineage, knelt on a cushion in the center. Beside him knelt Shang Jingying's other godsons. The godsons' godsons, Shang Jingying's godchildren, lined up in order of seniority, regardless of godfather status, on either side of the mourning hall.

Since the day Shang Jingying passed away, they have been guarding here. Apart from the necessary eating and sleeping, they have never gone anywhere else.

Liu Ruoyu's arrival brought an unusual and dazzling touch of vermilion to this place of black, white and gray, like a drop of red ink falling on an ink painting of only black and gray.

Liu Ruoyu's arrival attracted almost everyone's attention, except Yang Songquan, who was kneeling under the tablet. Only when the doorman who led the way came to Yang Songquan and whispered softly did he turn around and look at Liu Ruoyu.

"Brother Yang," Liu Ruoyu said, his voice so low as if he wasn't afraid to disturb the spirit of the deceased. "Would you allow me to burn a stick of incense for Elder Shang?" Shang Jingying and Chen Ju weren't from the same sect, but they were of the same generation. There was nothing wrong with Liu Ruoyu and Yang Songquan calling each other brothers.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Yang Songquan stood up slowly, with a look of confusion and surprise on his face.

Logically, Shang Jingying's disciples had long since left the imperial court with Yang Songquan's voluntary resignation. Yang Songquan hadn't announced Shang Jingying's death, much less sent anyone to inform the palace. Such a high-ranking eunuch shouldn't have taken the initiative to offer condolences. Furthermore, Yang Songquan had almost no memory of Liu Ruoyu's face.

Although Yang Songquan was surprised by Liu Ruoyu's visit, he didn't find it strange. A large white lantern hung at the entrance to the merchant's residence. The two factories and one guard under the Imperial Household Department had also dispatched spies to investigate public sentiment. Furthermore, the censor from the Metropolitan Censorate had brought personnel from the street office to conduct a review and re-registration of the local baojia system. It was only natural for the Jinyiwei to report on this incident.

Liu Ruoyu returned the greeting and said, "I am Liu Ruoyu, the humblest one under the name of Chen Xianjianju. I am currently the Chief Secretary of the Imperial Household Department."

Yang Songquan was visibly stunned for a moment, then he was relieved. "So it's Junior Brother Liu. My apologies." After greeting, Yang Songquan personally took a stick of incense and handed it to Liu Ruoyu. "Please."

Liu Ruoyu took the lit incense, walked to the table and worshiped respectfully, "Namo Amitabha, Dothagata, Dodiyata." While worshiping, he recited the mantra for rebirth to comfort the soul and pray for blessings.

Yang Songquan felt some resonance because he had just been silently reciting the mantra of rebirth in his heart.

The Rebirth Mantra wasn't long, only fifty-nine syllables. Even if Liu Ruoyu recited it three times in a row, it didn't take him long. After reciting it, Liu Ruoyu bowed a few more times before inserting the incense into the burner.

Liu Ruoyu turned to look at Yang Songquan and bowed in apology. "I heard from Yang Qianshu's servant that our ancestor Shang passed away on the 16th. It's really disrespectful to come here today to pay our respects."

Yang Songquan was stunned again. Wang An was busy with his work. After hearing the news of Shang Jingying's death, there was nothing wrong with asking his junior apprentice Liu Ruoyu to come and burn incense and pay his respects. But why did he go to the Yang family first?

"We invite you to happy events, but not to sad ones." However, Yang Songquan didn't want to ask any more questions at this time, so he just replied politely, "Besides, the affairs of state are complicated, and there is a tragedy in the palace. We don't want to burden our Lord and Senior Brother Wang with any more worries. So there is no advertisement. This is our fault, not Junior Brother Liu's fault."

"Having such good sons like you and the others, our Shang ancestor can rest in peace and smile in his grave," Liu Ruoyu said sincerely. This afternoon, Wang An went to the East Depot to question him, and the emperor took the opportunity to give Liu Ruoyu a gentle rebuke. From the emperor's perspective, the rebuke seemed quite light: no yelling, no slapping, no throwing, no kicking, not even making Liu Ruoyu kneel for long. But from Liu Ruoyu's perspective, it was nothing short of a thunderbolt.

Originally, Liu Ruoyu had always imagined the emperor as a tyrant who disregarded human life. Although the emperor never executed anyone indiscriminately, the thought of him killing without blinking an eye after careful consideration still left Liu Ruoyu deeply uneasy. Furthermore, this time, the emperor not only reprimanded him but also appointed a new eunuch to the Southern Study. Liu Ruoyu even suspected that if it weren't for his contributions to the inner court staff reduction, the emperor would have expelled him from the Imperial Household Department.

But even so, when Liu Ruoyu heard that the new eunuch in charge of writing was Yang Songquan, he still felt a little self-deceiving comfort in his heart.

Yang Songquan inherited Shang Jingying's legacy and possessed both experience and prestige. Even within the tainted Wanli court, Yang Songquan was considered a man of integrity. The emperor's inclusion of him in the Imperial Household Regiment after the purge of the inner court was not unusual. Liu Ruoyu even used this as a solace to speculate that the emperor had already planned to appoint another Imperial Household Regiment to assist in government affairs, and this incident simply happened, prompting him to thwart his plans.

"Thank you for your kind words, Liu Bingbi," Yang Songquan said, still humbly returning the compliment. "It will surely comfort my godfather's spirit that his descendants, old friends, have come to pay their respects."

"I'm here not only to mourn the Shang ancestor, but also to say something." Liu Ruoyu didn't dare to keep the emperor waiting for long, so he got straight to the point.

Yang Songquan sighed inwardly and said rather sadly, "If Liu Bingbi needs my services, please wait for the seventh day of mourning. After the mourning period for godfather is over, I will serve you wholeheartedly." At this moment, Yang Songquan was certain that his previous guess was wrong. The Imperial Household Department had no idea that his godfather had passed away. Liu Ruoyu had come to ask him for help, so he went to his own residence first. In order to get him to do something, he even chased him all the way to the Shang residence, regardless of the fact that the first seven days had not yet passed.

"I'm afraid that won't work." Liu Ruoyu shook his head.

"What's going on? Is it necessary to be so anxious?" The faces of Yang Songquan and the filial sons and grandchildren around him quickly darkened.

"In compliance with the imperial decree, I bring Senior Brother Yang to the palace for an audience." Liu Ruoyu said with an apologetic look on his face.

Yang Songquan's expression softened immediately. The emperor's summons couldn't wait, not even if there was a family bereavement. "An audience, why?"

"State affairs are complex, and the two factory supervisors rarely participate in state affairs. Even after I, under your protection, relinquished my position, I was left struggling. Therefore, His Majesty has decided to appoint a second eunuch to the Imperial Household Department to serve as a scribe." Liu Ruoyu said slowly, "The candidate has been chosen: it's you, Senior Brother Yang."

Yang Songquan was a little surprised, but his expression didn't change much.

But Yang Songquan's own calmness didn't mean the others were calm too. When they heard the Purple Forbidden Pill Edict, the faces of the fellow apprentices and adopted sons around Yang Songquan all showed some inappropriate joy.

These people looked at Yang Songquan eagerly, hoping that he would agree immediately.

As the saying goes, when a big tree falls, the monkeys are affected. Chen Feng and Liang Yong's corruption in the mining tax department not only led to the downfall of Shang Jingying, but also ruined the careers of many people.

But as long as there were jobs and a chance for advancement, they were unwilling to sit back and relax. Furthermore, many of them were still in their prime, still harboring a lingering desire. However, Yang Songquan's voluntary retreat and the subsequent purges effectively cut off their path to recovery. The imperial city, ravaged by the "salary system reform," "strict palace restrictions," and "abolishing the independent personnel authority of various government offices," was like a giant iron barrel, with no room to squeeze money in. Not to mention being benched, many were so caught up in the situation that they didn't even know where to find the bench.

But if Yang Songquan could enter the Imperial Household Department, then many people present would be able to get in touch with the emperor directly through him.

No matter how he consolidated power, the Emperor couldn't start from scratch and examine available candidates one by one; ultimately, he still had to rely on recommendations. Everyone had been culled through the ranks of the Imperial Library or the Imperial Horse Training School, each holding a key to advancement, and their abilities were comparable. Rather than comparing strength, it was better to curry favor with a cardinal eunuch. When a position became vacant, a simple comment from the Imperial Library or the Imperial Horse Training School, "quite experienced" or "somewhat capable," followed by "loyalty and exemplary conduct," would speak louder than a thousand words from anyone else.

"Who recommended me?" Yang Songquan asked dryly.

"No one recommended it. It was ordered directly by His Majesty." Liu Ruoyu replied dryly.

Upon hearing this, the joy on the faces of his junior students and adopted sons deepened. Since no one recommended him, then the emperor favored him. Therefore, Yang Songquan no longer needed to rely on others and could establish his own business. This was a great joy! If the emperor gave him a government office to manage concurrently, just like the Wei Dynasty managed the bank, then perhaps the re-employment problem of all these people would be solved.

Yang Songquan's eyes also moved. He turned back to look at his godfather's coffin, but accidentally saw the eagerness in those eyes.

The junior disciples and godchildren all lowered their heads, not daring to express their feelings too much. But Yang Songquan immediately understood their intentions. As he understood, a trace of sadness rose in his heart. "But, but I haven't finished the seventh day of mourning for my godfather yet."

"The Book of Rites says that when the country is in trouble, filial sons cannot follow the usual rituals, so they have to follow the rules. The rules are that in civil affairs, they can override their emotions to handle affairs, and in military affairs, they can wear mourning clothes and join the army. Senior Brother Yang used to be the Imperial Horse Supervisor, in charge of horse affairs, which was related to military affairs. Now he is the Supervisor of Rites, in charge of key government, which is related to civil affairs. How can there be anything unfilial about wearing mourning clothes and joining the army, and abandoning his emotions to handle affairs?" Liu Ruoyu's words of persuasion made everyone present look bright.

After a moment's hesitation, his junior fellow apprentice, Liu Yingkun, who had just knelt beside Yang Songquan and was once the assistant secretary of the Imperial Horse Supervisor, came over and said, "Brother, the Emperor has summoned you, and you can't refuse no matter what. Even if you want to decline for reasons of mourning, you must personally go before the Emperor to say goodbye. Only with the Emperor's approval can you fulfill both your loyalty and filial piety. We are here to protect Godfather, so he will be fine."

Liu Yingkun certainly didn't want Yang Songquan to resign the emperor's appointment. But if Yang Songquan refused to even go, it would be disobedience. By then, not only would the emperor no longer favor Shang Jingying, but he might even label all of Shang Jingying's disciples as "disloyalists under the guise of filial piety."

"Okay," Yang Songquan sighed deeply, without saying whether he would refuse or not, and simply said, "I'll go right away. You guys stay with your godfather."

(End of this chapter)