Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 755 Chicken talking to duck
Shen Guangzuo stood in front of the imposing vermilion gate of the Shen residence, straightened his collar and cuffs one last time, and then raised his hand to grasp the bronze door knocker held by the assistant, knocking three times with neither too light nor too heavy a sound.

Bang, bang, bang
The sound of metal and wood clashing was clearly audible, completely undisturbed by the increasingly close hawking cries. Before long, hurried footsteps echoed from inside the door.

The door opened quickly, and a young doorman peeked out from the crack.

The gatekeeper couldn't remember what Shen Guangzu looked like, but seeing that he was dressed smartly and didn't look like a commoner, he subconsciously assumed that he was the magistrate whom he had asked to come earlier that day.

The gatekeeper hesitated for a moment, choosing not to ask to confirm the visitor's identity, but instead put on a familiar smile: "The Shen family has arrived! Please come in, please come in!" He opened the door wide and stepped aside to make way for the visitor.

Shen Guangzu stepped over the high threshold and into the mansion, a polite smile appearing on his face: "I apologize for my unauthorized visit and for disturbing the tranquility of your residence."

“What are you saying, Master Shen? We are honored guests; how could we possibly disturb you!” the gatekeeper replied repeatedly, eagerly leading the way. “This way, please.”

Upon reaching the hanging flower gate, the gatekeeper stopped and tapped twice on the door panel. The gate quickly opened from the inside. Behind it stood a middle-aged man with a sharp, capable-looking face, dressed in a dark blue robe. This was Shen Juan, Shen's steward.

Shen Juan recognized Shen Guangzuo at a glance. He immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and bowed, saying, "This humble one, Shen Juan, greets the Shen family." The gatekeeper breathed a small sigh of relief and silently turned and left.

Shen Guangzu smiled and returned the half-bow with his hands clasped: "Steward Shen, you are too kind. May I ask if Prime Minister Shen is free at the moment?"

"Reporting to Master Shen," Shen Juan replied respectfully, "my master is reading in the study in the backyard. Please come to the living room for some tea and a seat, and I will go and inform him immediately."

“Alright,” Shen Guangzuo nodded. “Thank you for your help, Steward Shen.”

“You,” Shen Juan immediately beckoned to two servants standing in the corridor and instructed, “Come and lead Shen Dazan to the living room. Serve him well and do not neglect him.”

"Yes." Two servants responded and stepped forward, walking to Shen Guangzuo's side and respectfully gesturing for him to come this way: "Master Dazan, this way please."

Shen Juan bowed to Shen Guangzuo again, saying, "Please go first, Master Shen. I will take my leave."

“Alright.” Shen Guangzu smiled and nodded at Shen Juan, then followed the two servants toward the reception room. Shen Juan straightened up and quickly passed through a side door in the corridor. He didn’t go straight to the study, but instead made his way to the gatehouse.

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When Shen Juan tiptoed into the study, Shen was leaning against the couch by the window, looking at the sunset outside, flipping through a newly copied ancient book he had ordered—"Yu Zhao Xin Zhi".

“Master,” Shen Juan stepped forward and bowed slightly, “Prefect Shen has arrived and is waiting in the living room.” As he spoke, he took out the gift list he had obtained from Shen Yao from his sleeve and presented it to Shen with both hands, “This is his gift list. Please take a look.”

Upon hearing this, Shen put down the book in his hand, sat up straight, but did not reach out to take the gift list. He simply asked, "What are the items?"

Shen Juan then unfolded the gift list and read in a low voice: "Two boxes of top-quality pre-Qingming Longjing tea, a Hetian jade red wolf hair brush, a box of top-grade Huizhou pine ink, a Jiangzhou Chengni inkstone, and an authentic painting of 'Li Bai Strolling and Singing' by Liang Kai."

"Hmm, these are all elegant items; they show thoughtfulness. Prepare a return gift of similar value according to this list, and deliver it to him when you have time to visit him again." Shen Wei nodded slightly, quickly rising to her feet while supporting herself on the armrest. She then stepped forward, preparing to go to the living room to meet Shen Guangzuo.

But he had just taken a step when he heard Shen Juan say again, "Master, there's more."

Shen paused, turning her head to look at him: "Anything else?"

“And also,” Shen Juan blinked, his voice seeming to lower, “five taels of silk and colored brocade, one hundred taels of silver, and ten taels of gold.”

"And ramie silk, yellow and white?" Shen's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. He turned and extended his hand to Shen Juan. Shen Juan immediately understood and respectfully presented the gift list to Shen.

Shen unfolded the gift list, his gaze quickly sweeping over the additional items. The relaxed expression on his face gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful look. "Such lavish gifts?"

"Prefect Shen has come here," Shen Juan whispered, speculating, "He must have something important to ask of you, sir."

Interactions between officials often involve the exchange of gifts, and these gifts can reflect, to some extent, the purpose of the officials, especially those who take the initiative to visit. Shen was well aware of this, so whenever he met a stranger, he would first look at the gift list.

Pre-Ming dynasty Longjing tea, Hetian jade brushes, Huizhou pine ink, Jiangzhou clay inkstones, and ancient paintings from the Song dynasty—these items were certainly valuable, costing tens or even hundreds of taels of silver, but their significance lay more in their "refined" nature. They were common gifts exchanged among officials to demonstrate elegance and intimacy. The silk, silver, and gold listed later, however, were blatantly "heavy gifts," their meaning entirely different from the aforementioned "refined items." To a discerning eye, this was practically a direct request written on the gift list.

After pondering for a moment, Shen gently placed the gift list on the small table beside him, then looked up and asked Shen Juan, "Has anything important happened in the capital recently?"

Shen Juan thought for a moment and shook his head: "Reporting to your master, I haven't heard of any major events related to Shuntian Prefecture recently. It's probably just Prefect Shen's personal business."

"Private matters." Shen Wei nodded slightly, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the table as she murmured, "What private matters could he possibly have that would require him to come to me for help?"

"Perhaps Prefect Shen intends to reassign him?" Shen Juan guessed. "After all, there are still so many vacant positions for junior officers in various departments and Nanjing."

The position of Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture in the Ming Dynasty was seemingly high-ranking and powerful, but extremely difficult to hold. Located in the capital region, Shuntian Prefecture directly faced imperial power and various factions, handling numerous and complex affairs, and prone to making mistakes. Therefore, the term of office for a prefect was usually very short, averaging only one or two years, with those who served a full three years being extremely rare. However, if a Shuntian prefect could leave office smoothly, he would most likely be promoted to a deputy head of one of the Nine Ministers' offices, which meant he could be relieved of his heavy workload and receive a promotion at the same time. Therefore, many prefects would begin paving the way for a "transfer" while still in office.

“Hmm, that makes sense,” Shen nodded. “But why did he come here to me?” “Master,” Shen Juan said, “Prefect Shen is from Zhejiang, just like us.”

"A native of Zhejiang." Shen glanced at Shen Juan and said indifferently, "Isn't Chief Minister Fang also from Zhejiang?"

Shen Juan chuckled awkwardly: "The Grand Secretary is only from Zhejiang, so he doesn't speak with a trace of his hometown accent."

"Heh," Shen Wenyan curled her lip, a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm in her voice, "According to you, Shen Guangzuo should be going to find Han Kuang. Aren't they both from Pingyang?"

Shen Juan was speechless for a moment, and could only laugh awkwardly, "Perhaps it's because both families share the surname Shen."

Shen remained silent for a moment, his gaze shifting between the gift list and the view out the window. "Never mind, I don't want to think about it anymore. Has the gift arrived?"

“No,” Shen Juan replied. “His coachman said the gift is still on its way.”

"The gifts have arrived, but don't put them in storage yet. I'll ask him about their purpose when I see him." With that, Shen picked up a casual hat that was placed to the side and placed it firmly on his head. He straightened his robes, glanced at the gift list again, and strode out of the study.

"Yes, sir." Shen Juan quickly bowed to his back.

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The reception room in the Shen residence was decorated in a rather antique style, with several calligraphy works hanging on the four walls. These included calligraphy scrolls written by the owner, Shen himself, as well as copies or originals of works by famous predecessors.

Shen Guangzuo sat quietly in the head seat of the guest section, with a cup of tea and several delicate snacks on a small table beside him. His gaze inadvertently swept over a painting on the opposite wall—it was Liang Kai's concise yet masterful "The Sixth Patriarch Chopping Bamboo," which shared the same lineage as "Li Bai Strolling and Singing" listed on his gift list.

Just as Shen Guangzuo put a small piece of pine nut and goose fat roll into his mouth, chewing it but not swallowing, his ears keenly caught the sound of steady footsteps approaching from afar. He immediately swallowed the pastry in his mouth, then picked up the celadon covered bowl beside him and quickly rinsed his mouth with tea. Almost simultaneously, Shen's figure appeared at the living room doorway.

Upon seeing this, Shen Guangzuo immediately put down his teacup, stood up, and quickly stepped forward. From a few steps away, he bowed deeply and said, "This humble official, Shen Guangzuo, pays his respects to Prime Minister Shen. I apologize for disturbing you, and hope that Prime Minister Shen will forgive me."

"Oh dear, Brother Yanfu, there's no need for such formality. Please rise, please rise!" Shen stepped forward, reaching out to gently support Shen Guangzuo's forearm, preventing him from bowing deeply, and said with a beaming smile, "I changed into my guest-receiving clothes in the inner hall just now, which has kept Brother Yanfu waiting. Please forgive me."

"No, no, I dare not." Shen Guangzuo straightened up and said repeatedly, "Prime Minister Shen is too kind. It was I who came abruptly and disturbed the Grand Secretary's enjoyment. I should be the one apologizing."

Shen smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for Shen Guangzuo to sit down again. He then sat down in the main seat next to him, saying, "When we meet in private, Brother Yanfu, you can just call me Mingzhen. Calling me 'Prime Minister Shen,' 'Grand Secretary,' or 'Your humble servant' makes things too formal."

"How could I, Guangzuo, dare to befriend Prime Minister Shen with such courtesy?" Shen Guangzuo wanted to continue exchanging pleasantries, but before he could finish his polite words, Shen raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Hey!" Shen's face darkened slightly. "Brother Yanfu, we are both officials in the same court and are both from Zhejiang. Why be so polite and distant?"

"This..." Shen Guangzu hesitated for a moment, then could only shake his head with a smile, saying in a clearly restrained tone, "In that case, I will take the liberty of bowing." He raised his hand and cupped it slightly hesitantly. "Brother Mingzhen."

"That's more like it." Seeing that Shen Guangzuo had finally changed his tune, Shen immediately turned his annoyance into a smile, nodded in satisfaction, and returned the half-bow. "These past few days, with the collection of summer taxes and the preparations for the autumn imperial examinations, Brother Yanfu must have been extremely busy at the Shuntian Prefecture office, hasn't he? I've heard that your entire department hasn't had a moment's rest for quite some time now?"

Shen's intention was to provoke Shen Guangzuo into discussing the complexities of affairs in Shuntian Prefecture. He explained that although the prefect seemed to hold a high position of power, he lived in constant fear and trepidation. In this way, even if Shen Guangzuo did not bring up the idea of ​​a transfer, Shen could easily steer the conversation towards that topic.

Unexpectedly, Shen Guangzuo took this as a casual compliment and pleasantries, shaking his head repeatedly and praising the other party even more highly: "Brother Mingzhen, you flatter me. It is my duty and my responsibility, how dare I complain about the hardship? Shuntian Prefecture only governs a small area around the capital. Although there are many things to do, I can still do my best. It is Brother Mingzhen who is in the cabinet, assisting the emperor, managing the affairs of state, and coordinating all matters. That is truly exhausting his energy and working tirelessly day and night."

Upon hearing this, Shen's body trembled almost imperceptibly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes before turning into a helpless smile. He pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said with a smile, "Brother Yanfu, you flatter me. In matters of state, the Emperor makes the final decisions above, and the Grand Secretary oversees the overall situation below. I am but a mediocre talent, and it is only through the Emperor's favor and the Grand Secretary's kindness that I have been able to be included. I only hope to be diligent and conscientious, and it would be a great fortune if I could avoid any mistakes. Speaking of which…"

Shen's eyes darted around, and he subtly changed the subject, seemingly casually bringing up a matter: "Wang Wuyuan officially took office yesterday and has taken charge of the Ministry of Revenue. Some old agendas will probably have to be brought up again. Brother Yanfu, you are involved in this matter while you are in Shuntian Prefecture, so you should be careful in dealing with it."

This is yet another trigger. Previously, Shen Guangzuo had publicly submitted a memorial opposing the printing of banknotes and the establishment of banks. Some time ago, it seemed that the palace had instructed officials to propose "tax reform into banknotes," and Shen Guangzuo's attitude was ambiguous and evasive. In Shen's view, as long as Shen Guangzuo continued along this topic, whether complaining about the difficulties or seeking support, it would be easy to steer the conversation toward the demand for "tax reform."

However, although Shen Guangzuo responded, he still failed to detect the probing intent hidden in Shen's words. He simply answered matter-of-factly, "Brother Mingzhen, you must be referring to the matter of changing tax invoices, right? The Ministry of Revenue has already issued me a summons, ordering me to go over first thing tomorrow morning to discuss this matter."

"So fast?" Shen was somewhat surprised. He was immediately taken aback, his thoughts quickly wandering. However, Shen didn't ponder for long, and only for a few moments did he bring his mind back: "I wonder what Brother Yanfu's opinion is on this matter now?"

Shen Guangzu frowned slightly and shook his head: "It's not easy."

"This matter..." Shen smiled contentedly, leaning forward slightly and lowering his voice, "is indeed troublesome. Even if..." He paused briefly, choosing a more prudent approach, "it will inevitably bring numerous drawbacks and disturbances to local areas at the outset." His tone shifted subtly again, carrying a hint of encouragement and suggestion, "However, if Brother Yanfu can understand His Majesty's intentions and handle this matter properly and thoroughly, ensuring peace and stability for all, then your future promotion and reassignment will be a foregone conclusion."

This is practically an open question: I understand you find it difficult and don't want to get involved. But this is likely something the emperor wants to do, and doing it well will benefit your transfer. Or, if you feel you can't do it and want to leave, I can understand that too.

As Shen had anticipated, now that things had come to this point, Shen Guangzuo should have accepted the challenge. He should either express his willingness to do his best to "retire successfully" or frankly admit the difficulties and ask for "the selection of a more capable person" and request that Shen be "reassigned".

Shen looked at Shen Guangzuo expectantly, but Shen Guangzuo seemed completely oblivious to the deeper meaning. He raised his head, looked directly at Shen, and suddenly seized upon a word from Shen's earlier words, earnestly asking, "Brother Mingzhen just said that this matter is 'beneficial to the national economy and people's livelihood'? Forgive my ignorance, but may I ask if Brother Mingzhen truly believes that this matter is beneficial to the country?"

(End of this chapter)