Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 299 The Familiar Young Grand Secretary Appears Online

"My son!"

The vermilion gates of the Yan residence slowly opened in the twilight, and Ouyang, supported by a maid, staggered out.

As soon as Yan Shifan got off the carriage, he was grabbed and embraced.

Madam Ouyang hugged her son tightly, as if to confirm that this was not a dream.

When Yan Shifan looked down, he saw a few clumps of frost on his mother's temples, and his eyes welled up with tears: "Mother!"

“My son… my son, you’ve finally returned…”

As she choked back tears, Madam Ouyang stroked her son's cheek, her fingertips touching the marks left by the elements, and burst into tears.

Yan Shifan couldn't hold back his tears either.

When Yan Song walked down to the corridor with his cane, he saw his wife and children embracing and weeping bitterly.

He pursed his dry lips and just stared at it.

After an unknown amount of time, Yan Shifan raised his head.

I realized that my father had also grown old.

Yan Song is 61 years old this year, past the age of sixty.

Even for pampered bureaucrats, this is definitely advanced age.

Moreover, Yan Song was the Grand Secretary of the court, the implementer of the new policies, and held great power.

The two capitals and fourteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty truly rested on his shoulders.

Due to unavoidable hard work, Yan Song's hair had mostly turned gray, his face was deeply lined, and his back was somewhat hunched. He looked ten years older than when they parted.

"father!"

Yan Shifan felt a pang of sadness, gently released his mother, took a few steps forward, and knelt down on the ground.

Yan Song watched quietly as his son kowtowed.

After a long pause, he turned around and said, "Come in!"

Yan Shifan helped Ouyang Shi slowly into the inner courtyard. The mother and son spoke for a few more moments, reluctant to part, before entering the study.

"After four years away from the capital, you are now appointed as a principal officer in the Ministry of War. Are you satisfied?"

Yan Song sat upright at the table, sizing up his son, his tone calm and unwavering.

If Yan Shifan had prepared for the exam for three years and passed the imperial examination in the seventeenth year of the Jiajing reign, and then gone to observe the administration of the Six Ministries and the selection of officials by the Ministry of Personnel, he would have likely become a principal officer in one of the Six Ministries.

In other words, during his four years in Taiyuan, he seemed to have made outstanding contributions in the local area, and no local official in any prefecture or county in the country could compare to him.

But that only brought them back to the starting point of becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

Moreover, although they appear to be on the same page now, the career paths of those who pass the imperial examinations and those who pass the provincial examinations will be completely different in the future.

A scholar who passed the imperial examinations could not even get a position in the cabinet, let alone become a high-ranking official in one of the six ministries.

So no matter how you look at it, it's a losing proposition.

Yan Shifan sat down opposite him, but he didn't think so. He smiled slightly and said, "What if I don't pass the exam?"

Yan Song's face darkened, and his anger flared up again: "Since you are determined to go out and make your way in the world, and have devoted so much effort to studying for three years, how could you not pass the exam?"

"I was set up. That person wanted me to fail the exam, and I knew I would fail!"

Yan Shifan shook his head: "Besides, my not entering officialdom through the imperial examination is not necessarily a bad thing..."

Yan Song frowned: "What do you mean by that?"

Yan Shifan didn't explain, but instead changed the subject: "These past few years, Xia Yan hasn't been able to compete with Father, has he..."

Xia Yan's governing ability is much stronger than that of Li Shi, Fei Hong, and Huo Tao before him.

But he still couldn't defeat Yan Song.

This was not only because Xia Yan's promotion relied on flattery, which was far less effective than Yan Song's step-by-step approach, but also because Xia Yan lacked a group of capable and trusted subordinates.

Yan Song's current close associates and cronies mainly consist of two groups.

One group consisted of those pardoned in the case of Li Fuda, led by Mao Bowen, the Minister of War, who made outstanding contributions in the campaign to destroy Annam.
The other part consists of Yan Song's protégés and former subordinates, who were personally promoted by him. Starting as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, they successively served as Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel, and many of their subordinates were promoted during this process.
In comparison, Xia Yan had no such accumulation at all. He only gained favor by lecturing the emperor on classics and regulations. After there were signs of him entering the cabinet, he was surrounded by sycophants and opportunists. How could such a person manage state affairs well?

The gap between the two sides is indeed huge.

Yan Shifan added, "The most crucial point is that the Emperor's attitude is impartial. Although he allowed Xia Yan to enter the cabinet to check my father, he did not show excessive favoritism. And if I pass the imperial examination and become an official in the capital, the situation will be different if father and son work together!"

Yan Song's eyes flickered, but his face darkened: "What nonsense are you thinking? After serving as a local official for so long, haven't you learned to be careful with your words?"

"Ah!"

Yan Shifan smiled enigmatically and continued, "Father's preparations for war in the Ordos region are nearing completion, but some people want to facilitate Altan Khan's tributary relationship. They see that our Great Ming is preparing for war and those Tartar tribes are no longer able to resist. They want Altan Khan to unify the grasslands so that they can continue to put up a stubborn resistance..."

Yan Song's expression immediately changed: "You were involved?"

“I wrote a letter to Mingwei, asking him to present me with a memorial requesting the opening of the horse market. I thought he would refuse outright, but he easily threw the problem back at me!”

Yan Shifan said, “Anda has an elder brother named Gunbilike. Mingwei means that since it is a matter of paying tribute, it should start with his elder brother first.”

Yan Song pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "This method is brilliant, causing them to collapse on their own without any attack!"

The key to this tactic is that neither side can find fault with it.

Not only does Confucian etiquette emphasize hierarchy, but the grasslands also value this, and sometimes even strictly adhere to it.

Before Gunbilik died, even if Anda coveted the other's army and power, he would not dare to directly invade his brother's tribe. He still respected him in everything. How could he tolerate this man who had received tribute from the Ming Dynasty?
The key issue wasn't Gunbilik himself. Once he received the title and tribute, he could pass it on to his son after his death, which posed the greatest threat to Anda.

Therefore, once this method was introduced, the one with the strongest motivation to undermine the tribute system became Altan Khan himself.

"Mingwei is still as formidable as ever..." Yan Shifan sighed. "Even someone as talented as him has to endure hardship in the Hanlin Academy, not daring to stand out. I didn't understand it before, but it dawned on me later. Only by hiding one's talents and keeping a low profile can one gain a foothold in the current court. Serving as a minister under that person is too difficult!"

Yan Song was getting old and didn't react immediately.

Yan Shifan continued, "Even the most powerful person, when wielding power, is merely engaging in checks and balances. The world's awe is nothing more than a superficial observation. Father, as the Grand Secretary, you understand this perfectly well..."

"presumptuous!!"

Yan Song finally realized what his son was talking about, slammed his fist on the table and stood up, his face turning pale with anger: "Shut up!"

Yan Shifan, however, did not shut up and continued, "Between father and son, why beat around the bush? That man seems to have remarkable methods, but in reality, he's nothing special. Otherwise, he wouldn't need to use a secret society..."

Yan Song was already furious and wanted to grab his cane and beat people up: "Insolence! Insolence! Shut up...shut up!"

Unexpectedly, this kid treated the emperor's authority as nothing when he went to the prefectures and counties.

Losing reverence for imperial power is an extremely dangerous thing.

"That's fine!"

Yan Shifan finally stopped talking, stood up and bowed, earnestly saying, "Father, in order to ensure your position as Grand Secretary is as secure as Mount Tai, I will become an arrogant and domineering playboy after I return to the capital!"

After saying this, he kowtowed three times again, got up and left: "I'm going to see Mother. Father, take care of yourself. There's no need to get angry."

Yan Song was stunned.

Watching her son's figure disappear into the distance.

After a while.

He let out a slow sigh.

For a moment, I didn't know whether to feel gratified or not.

It's still tragic.

……

"Donglou is back!"

"Brother Yan has changed."

"Master Yan completely ignored me..."

In the Hanlin Academy, Haiyue could clearly sense Lin Daqin's disappointment from the change in how he addressed her.

Lin Daqin was indeed very saddened by Yan Shifan's attitude after his return.

It should be noted that they were not only classmates at the Imperial Academy, but also good friends in the same dormitory.

The kind that can talk about anything.

Unexpectedly, in just a few years, their relationship deteriorated to the point of being like strangers.

People change, and Haiyue didn't know what Yan Shifan was thinking, so she naturally wouldn't comfort him without considering the facts. However, she was also a little puzzled: "How could Yan Donglou, who is the principal of the Ministry of War, keep running into Jingfu?"

Lin Daqin sighed: "He's not just powerful in the Ministry of War; even Zhao Tongzheng of the Tongzheng Office, who works in the Six Ministries, has become his follower!"

Zhao Wenhua was caught red-handed.

Thirty-eight years old this year, he has been an official for twelve years since he passed the imperial examination and has a long tenure in the Six Ministries. Later, under the promotion of Yan Song, he was appointed as the Left Vice Minister of the Court of State Affairs, a fourth-rank official.

The Office of Transmission was responsible for matters such as official documents and petitions from both inside and outside the capital, as well as sealed appeals from officials and commoners; it was a crucial position.

Historically, Zhao Wenhua served as the Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs, a third-rank official. Whenever there were memorials or reports in the court impeaching Yan Song, they would be sent to Yan Song first, and then presented to the Jiajing Emperor.

The current head of the Court of State Affairs is Xia Yan's man, but he is being closely watched by Zhao Wenhua, who reports everything to Yan Song, making him one of his confidants.

I never expected to be stopped by my boss's son.

"Why?"

Yan Shifan looked at him with a smile: "Is it too much of you to do things for this senior member of the Yixin Society?"

"Brother Donglou, what are you saying..."

Zhao Wenhua really felt wronged.

Putting aside his identity as Zuo Tongzheng, what is the current scale of the Yixin Society?

Officials who had passed the imperial examinations were found throughout the prefectures and counties of the country, and their influence was also beginning to grow in the central government of the capital.

Now that they are communicating again, they can both see a bright future.

In contrast to the head of the Hanlin Academy who has always been a role model for everyone, the Imperial Study system proposed not long ago has been unanimously praised by the court and the public as soon as it was introduced.

A certain veteran figure has been forgotten by most people.

This includes Zhao Wenhua, who once watched with a smile as he failed the exam.

Unexpectedly, Yan Shifan's return this time involved him calling himself a senior, acting arrogantly and domineeringly to such an extent.

They are all Hanlin scholars and Jinshi graduates. You, a mere Juren, have no right to join the society!

What? Yan Shifan is the only son of the powerful Grand Secretary?
Oh, that's okay.

Zhao Wenhua suppressed his anger and said with a dry laugh, "Brother Donglou invited me, how could I not serve you like a dog or a horse?"

"Haha! I knew you'd understand!"

Yan Shifan patted him with a smile: "There is another person who volunteered, Yan Maoqing, a newly promoted Jinshi this year. He is also a knowledgeable and sensible person. With the help of the two of you, I feel at ease after returning to the capital!"

"Come, come with me to take up your post in the Ministry of War!"

(End of this chapter)