Dugong

Chapter 90 The Righteous Path of a Prestigious Family
The first year of Yongning.

Autumn.

Emperor Yongning issued an edict to exempt several types of border taxes and anti-suppression taxes, and to reduce the 100-day corvée labor service to 40 days.

The imperial gazette was copied and circulated far and wide, and the people kowtowed to express their gratitude for the Emperor's grace.

……

Tianjianmen.

The sword-fighting sect, which is quite famous in Quzhou, was founded by Tianjianxia Xiao Ying. It has more than 100 formal disciples and thousands of registered disciples, who are spread throughout the villages and towns of Faquan County.

The sect's headquarters are located in Kunshan, south of the county seat. After more than 20 years of inheritance, the local people have come to call it Tianjian Mountain.

This day.

Xiao Ying summoned his seven personal disciples to the Sword Hall to discuss important matters.

“I know Master Li. A few days ago I learned that his son had joined the Beijing Garrison and was making meritorious contributions by catching thieves and suppressing bandits.”

The eldest disciple, Xiao Yuanqiu, Xiao Ying's son, asked in surprise, "Father, I've heard of Master Li, one of the most renowned heroes in Lingnan. How did he become a lackey of the imperial court?"

"Ahem, when discussing matters within the sect, one must address each other by their official titles!"

Xiao Ying reprimanded, "What do you mean by 'lackeys'? A great hero should serve the country. I summoned you here today because you have connections to work for the Beijing Garrison."

Xiao Yuanqiu asked in confusion, "With our strength, we can enlist anywhere. Why bother going through mountains and rivers to the capital garrison?"

Xiao Ying was helpless because her son was dull-witted, but fortunately he had excellent martial arts talent: "Want to join the army as a common soldier? The sect won't lack your meager rations!"

The second disciple came from a merchant family; his father ran a cloth business in Faquan County. He was influenced by his father's environment and his mind became very sharp, and he suddenly realized the Dao.

"Master, can you get promoted in the Beijing Garrison?"

Xiao Ying nodded and said, "That's right. It is said that 10,000 taels is enough to promote a captain, 20,000 taels to a commander, and 50,000 taels to a lieutenant general. The prices are roughly like that, but you can't buy it directly. There will be additional fees for connections."

Xiao Yuanqiu exclaimed in horror, "This isn't selling official positions..."

"Shut up if you can't speak!"

Xiao Ying interrupted his son, having already assessed the accumulated resources of the Heavenly Sword Sect over the years and estimated that they could be exchanged for a deputy commander. The only thing missing was a place to suppress bandits and earn merit.

"I've summoned you here today so that you can pack your bags and head to the capital as soon as possible. As Master Li instructed, first go to Hengchang Trading Company to buy 1,000 taels of fodder..."

There won't be a single fodder, of course, but the manager of Hengchang Trading Company will take you to see the Imperial Horse Administration eunuch, and then everything will fall into place naturally.

Xiao Ying cautioned, "The capital is not like Faquan County; there are countless experts there. When you go, be sure not to cause trouble."

The seven disciples bowed and accepted the order: "We will obey Master's teachings."

Xiao Ying said, "Yuanqiu, stay here. Go home and tell them that you are going to the capital and don't know when you will be able to return."

After the disciple took his leave, Xiao Ying took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket.

"When you go to the Imperial Horse Stables, you must be respectful when speaking to the eunuchs, regardless of whether they are senior or junior eunuchs. Take every opportunity to slip them silver."

Xiao Yuanqiu was quite unwilling. Influenced by rumors from the martial arts world since childhood, he was extremely averse to the imperial court, especially eunuchs.

Many famous heroes and chivalrous figures gained renown by killing eunuchs and saving honest officials.

Xiao Ying's face darkened slightly: "Don't be ungrateful. If it weren't for my close relationship with Master Li, I would never have been able to find this way to become an official!"

Xiao Yuanqiu retorted, "Father, becoming an official by bribing eunuchs is not the mark of a chivalrous person..."

Snapped!
Xiao Ying slapped her son across the face, gathering her inner energy in her palm, leaving him bruised and swollen.

“Your mother died young, it seems I spoiled you. If you don’t get an official position in the capital, don’t come back. I don’t have a son like you.”

Xiao Yuanqiu was a filial son by nature, and he knelt on the ground, not daring to refute.

"Father, why are you so determined to make me an official?"

"I have quite a reputation in the martial arts world, a dignified swordsman of this region. Even a county magistrate has to queue up to see me. Why? Simply because I am a commoner, while he is an official!" Xiao Ying had experienced many humiliations, especially in the early years when the sect was first established. Even a yamen runner dared to come to the Heavenly Sword Sect to collect taxes. They claimed that Kunshan belonged to the imperial court, and that their private encroachment on the land was suspected of treason. It took a lot of money to smooth things over.

Xiao Ying could kill a yamen runner with a single sword strike, and he could also storm into the county government office and kill the county magistrate. After that, he could only flee to the ends of the earth with his entire family.

"Yuanqiu, you must remember this: taking the civil service exam is the ultimate skill, and the path of officialdom is the righteous path in the world!"

Xiao Ying was afraid that her son would act out and miss the best opportunity, so she patiently taught him.

"To say nothing of the distant past, Bodhi Temple is the leading righteous sect in Quzhou. Several eminent monks in the temple all hold different ranks of monastic officials, and the abbot, Yuantong, is a fourth-rank official, in charge of all the temples in Quzhou."

Zen Master Yuantong was highly renowned in Quzhou, and Xiao Yuanqiu held him in great esteem.

“Father, I understand. I will strive to achieve merit and be promoted to military officer as soon as possible.”

"Once you are promoted to the rank of Assistant Commander, the money will be transferred to Quzhou. Even if you are transferred to a lateral position, you will be a Captain or a Garrison Commander. At that time, the county magistrate will have to pay his respects to you."

Xiao Ying was able to establish the Heavenly Sword Sect from scratch, so his vision was naturally extraordinary.

"You will incorporate your disciples into the army, allowing them to receive rations from the imperial court and support their own troops. In this way, the Heavenly Sword Sect can expand beyond Faquan County and become a renowned sect in Quzhou!"

……

The first year of Yongning.

Lunar New Year's eve.

Li Ping'an served Empress Dowager Zhou until she fell asleep. Unusually, he did not stay by her bedside to keep watch. Instead, he quietly left Cining Palace and went to the Imperial Horse Administration Office.

The Imperial Horse Administration is no longer as desolate as it once was. Now, having gained control over the finances and provisions of the Beijing Garrison, it has become a bustling area second only to the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Directorate of Imperial Seals.

The city is brightly lit tonight, decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations everywhere.

As Li Ping'an stepped into the government office, Xiao Yuzi, who had been waiting for him, greeted him in a high-pitched voice.

"Godfather has arrived!"

More than ten eunuchs, young and old, knelt down in unison, their foreheads touching the ground as they shouted.

"Your son wishes you a Happy New Year, Godfather! May you live a long and healthy life!"

The other eunuchs, large and small, of the Imperial Horse Administration knelt respectfully on both sides, only allowed to kowtow and offer their congratulations after their adopted sons had finished paying their New Year's greetings.

"Happy New Year to Your Excellency the Admiral! May Your Excellency enjoy Your Majesty's blessings and favor forever!"

"Good good."

Li Ping'an nodded in satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over the eunuchs in the courtyard. He recalled how he had kowtowed and offered his congratulations years ago, his greatest hope being to receive a reward from the master.

"We're in a good mood today, so everyone will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver. Take fifty taels for drinking and gambling, and send the other fifty taels home to support your parents!"

"Thank you for your kindness, sir."

For eunuchs with official positions or who were older, a hundred taels of silver was neither too much nor too little, but for a young eunuch who had only been in the palace for a few years, it was a large sum of money.

Especially since they had only recently entered the palace and still missed their families, it was hard for them not to be moved to tears upon hearing Li Ping'an's words of concern for his parents.

Li Ping'an instructed, "We'll pay half of this silver, and have Hengchang Trading Company deliver the other half directly to our home. Remember, don't skimp on a single penny."

"Don't worry, Godfather, I will handle it properly."

Xiao Yu knew that his godfather was trying to win people over. This year, everyone in the Imperial Stables had made a fortune. Anyone who dared to reach out for this allowance would surely suffer the consequences.

Enter the duty room.

In the center, there was a long table, two or three zhang long, on which were placed more than a hundred kinds of imperial dishes and several jars of imperial wine.

Li Ping'an was already used to delicacies from land and sea, and he couldn't stand the imperial food and wine. However, when he saw a few white steamed buns on the table, he immediately showed a satisfied smile.

"Little Yu, you're so thoughtful!"

(End of this chapter)