Prime Minister

Chapter 153, Section 152: [Irresistible]

"Prefect Xue is a son who has carried on his father's will. If Lord Xue were alive, he would surely be pleased."

Xu Guanlan was naturally not thrown off balance by Xue Huai's words. The infighting within the Salt Administration was unimaginable. Someone like him, who had the last laugh, had seen countless storms and was not about to lose his composure in front of a junior like Xue Huai.

He brushed aside Xue Huai's sharp words with a polite remark, then said with deep feeling, "Lord Xue's integrity is admirable, but in officialdom, rigidity cannot last, and excessive gentleness leads to ruin. Sometimes, to achieve great things, one must also know how to be flexible and adaptable. For example, Lord Xue was known for his uprightness and incorruptibility, but he also deeply understood the essence of being outwardly flexible but inwardly principled. Now that Xue Tongzhi is assisting in governing a region, he must understand this even more deeply, right?"

These words were almost a direct instruction; even if Xue Huai, who had lived two lives, were a complete idiot, he would understand them.

In officialdom, "blending in with the world" has never been a derogatory term; on the contrary, very few people can truly master this skill.

Xue Mingzhang's fifteen years in officialdom left the world with an impression that was definitely not that of a strong-willed magistrate. In fact, he was very clear about the necessity of taking a roundabout approach. Today, Xu Guanlan is using this to remind Xue Huai that even your father could not be all-powerful and invincible, so why do you have to go down a dead end?

In terms of both official rank and scope of authority, Xue Huai was powerless against Xu Guanlan. The reason why the latter was so patient in persuading him was simply because Xue Huai was likely to take action against the local powerful clans upon returning to the prefectural city.

At this crucial moment when the ceremony for recognizing one's home was about to take place, Xu Guanlan had no intention of going against this young comrade with a powerful background.

"Thank you for your valuable advice, Yuntai."

Xue Huai naturally understood the other party's intention. He straightened his back slightly and said calmly, "My late father often said that the most important thing for an official is to maintain a righteous heart. Maintaining a righteous heart is like a scale, with reason as the standard. Reason and law are the way of heaven, and human feelings can only flow smoothly within the bounds of the law. If one crosses the bottom line of the law for the sake of so-called flexibility, even if it can solve the problem temporarily, it will eventually sow the seeds of endless disasters. This is not because I am foolish and inflexible, but because I dare not sacrifice the public good for my own convenience, fail the Emperor's grace, and feel ashamed before my father's spirit in heaven. If the rope of the law is loosened even a little, the blood of the common people will be shed an inch more. The weeping and wailing of the suffering people in Xinghua County is still vivid in my mind. How could I dare to ignore it?"

He maintained respect for Xu Guanlan throughout, but this seemingly gentle but actually barbed statement quickly extinguished the last glimmer of hope in Xu Guanlan's heart.

This young man's will was as firm as iron; no matter how Xu Guanlan tried to reason with him, he would not change his mind.

A brief silence fell over the hall. Xu Guanlan's gaze fell on the cup of light tea on Xue Huai's table, its color now pale. He looked up again, the lines of his smile seeming to deepen, but the underlying sense of probing beneath the surface of social etiquette had quietly faded.

"The Xue family's reputation is indeed extraordinary. With Xue Tongzhi having such ambition, how can we worry about the clean governance of Yangzhou?"

Xu Guanlan's tone was sincere, yet subtly contained a hint of concession: "To be honest, my words seem rather inadequate. Upholding one's principles and governing with public interest is the fundamental principle of being an official. Today's earnest conversation with Magistrate Xue has made me realize even more that you possess extraordinary insight and are far more mature and composed than ordinary young talents. In the future, if there are any difficulties in the salt administration of Lianghuai, we will have no choice but to rely heavily on Magistrate Xue's strong support in the local area."

These words do not mean that he has completely given up; they are merely a way to give each other a way out before the banquet has even begun.

Xue Huai was well aware of this, but he remained humble and said slowly, "You flatter me, Transport Commissioner. Salt administration is the foundation of national revenue and is of great importance. As a local official, I will do my utmost to assist you and all other officials in ensuring smooth salt administration and local stability. I will not shirk or neglect any of my duties or responsibilities within my power."

In this peaceful and even harmonious atmosphere, Lou Shizong, who had been away for some time, quickly returned and respectfully said, "Reporting to Yuntai and Lord Xue, the meal is ready."

At that moment, the setting sun shone through the delicate window frames, casting dappled light and shadow on the ground.

"Very well!" Xu Guanlan laughed heartily, stood up first, and said gently, "Today's simple banquet at the East Garden is a welcome feast for Magistrate Xue after his inspection tour of four counties and one prefecture and his return to Yangzhou. We will not discuss official business during the meal, but only talk about local customs, people, poetry, wine, and literature. How does that sound?"

He extended his hand, making a gesture of invitation.

Xue Huai felt slightly relieved. Today's banquet was never a good one. Xu Guanlan's background was too strong. Not to mention in Yangzhou, even the Jiangsu governor and the provincial treasurer would not easily fall out with the Lianghuai Salt Commissioner.

Seeing that the other party intended to ease the tension, Xue Huai gladly said, "I would be honored to accept your offer. Please, Yuntai."

The two chatted and laughed as they walked side by side toward the banquet hall in the East Garden. The previous undercurrents seemed to have vanished under the setting sun, leaving only a calm pool of autumn water.

Upon arriving at the banquet hall, Lou Shizong directed the maids to prepare the table and serve the dishes, inviting Xu and Xue to take their seats, while he personally accompanied them.

Xu Guanlan kept his word and indeed did not mention official business at all during the meal. He only talked about the scenery of the Grand Canal in Yangzhou, anecdotes about local celebrities, and even inadvertently mentioned Xue Huai's great deeds in the capital.

Lou Shizong was a very competent deputy, using witty remarks to lighten the mood, making the atmosphere at the table instantly harmonious.

Xue Huai's response was quite appropriate, humble and polite yet maintaining the demeanor of a noble family. If others had witnessed this scene, they would never have guessed that Xue Huai and Xu Guanlan had almost gotten into a fight just moments before.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. Xu Guanlan smiled and said, "A few days ago, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner Jiang happened to acquire a batch of old imperial kiln wares from the previous dynasty and specially presented me with a few pieces. Among them is a small doucai (enamel overglaze) grape-patterned cup, with a lustrous glaze and exquisite painting. Someone, go and fetch that cup so that Assistant Magistrate Xue can appreciate it. It will be perfect for discussing philosophy over drinks."

The attendant responded and soon returned with a brocade box. He carefully opened it and took out a delicate, small wine cup with bright glaze.

Xue Huai looked up and saw that the grape pattern on the cup was vivid and lifelike, with blue and white outlines and red, green and yellow colors filling the gaps. It was indeed a rare and excellent piece.

He praised it, then calmly added, "The Doucai porcelain is all about color, especially this red. It would be difficult to fire such a pure color without top-grade cobalt. The depiction of the grape branches and leaves also shows great skill; only a master could do it."

"Prefect Xue has a good eye."

A hint of smugness flashed in Xu Guanlan's eyes. He specifically pointed out that it was a gift from Jiang Jizhou, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, undoubtedly to tell Xue Huai who the real power holder of the Grand Canal Transport Office was now. Although Wu Changling was the Grand Canal Transport Commander, his power was far inferior to that of Jiang Jizhou.

Xue Huai gently picked up the small doucai cup, feeling the warm, smooth porcelain with his fingertips, and said as if moved by a sentiment, "This cup is exquisite, truly an extraordinary piece. The value of doucai lies in the word 'dou' (meaning 'competitive' or 'exquisite'). It is said that the blue and white is the framework, and the enamels are added on top, so that they complement each other beautifully. However, if one deliberately pursues vibrant colors and piles up the enamels haphazardly, the firing temperature will be slightly too high, causing the framework to become inaccurate and the piece to be ruined. Therefore, such a superior piece is quite precious."

He paused, then looked at Xu Guanlan with a half-smile and said, "Your Excellency is very kind, but how could I possibly use such a rare item as an accompaniment to wine?"

He certainly disliked the murky customs of officialdom, but that didn't mean he was powerless to deal with them. Since Xu Guanlan liked to use things to express his thoughts, why couldn't he use the same approach against him?

Whether it was the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner Jiang Jizhou, the Commander-in-Chief Wu Changling, or even the Jiangsu Governor Chen Yan, these people each had their own stance. Even if the Lianghuai Salt Transport Office contributed tens of millions of taels of silver to the national treasury, it was all thanks to Xu Guanlan. How could they possibly gain the emperor's favor for that?

Xu Guanlan will definitely share some of the benefits, but since Jiang Jizhou and others have already taken charge of a region, it's fine for them to do Xu Guanlan some favors for the sake of money, but it's wishful thinking to expect them to risk everything to help him.

Xue Huai was clearly telling Xu Guanlan not to use those people to pressure him anymore. He was not a country bumpkin who had never seen the world. Back in the capital, he had already brought down a Minister of Works and a Vice Minister of Rites. How could he be easily intimidated in Jiangnan?
"It turns out that Xue Tongzhi is also an expert in the art of epigraphy."

Xu Guanlan smiled faintly and said calmly, "You are right. The key to porcelain is the firing temperature. However, it is not easy to fire famous porcelain. It would be a pity to destroy it because of a small flaw."

Xue Huai suppressed his impatience and said leisurely, "If it's just a minor flaw, it's not unbearable."

Lou Shizong listened with great interest. Putting aside his own position for the moment, he was genuinely curious about how this Prefect Xue had cultivated such composure beyond his years.

As one of Xu Guanlan's confidants, Lou Shizong had seen too many young officials behave in front of Xu Guanlan. Only a few could answer questions and express their own views clearly; most would just become yes-men.

Young officials like Xue Huai, who are so adept at witty exchanges and even manage to gain the upper hand in verbal sparring, are truly rare.

The same applies now. Xu Guanlan intended for Xue Huai to let things go, but Xue Huai subtly stabbed him in the back, never lowering his bottom line.

Lou Shizong sighed inwardly, then smiled and interjected, "I've heard that the Xue and Shen families are old friends. With Lord Xue now taking office in Yangzhou, the Shen family is sure to rise to prominence."

"Rising with the wind?"

Xue Huai put the small doucai cup back, turned to look at Lou Shizong, and said with a forced smile, "Thank you for your kind words, Lord Lou. Guangtai Trading Company has always had an outstanding reputation and spares no effort in benefiting the local people. Its products are trustworthy. Such a company is sure to develop steadily. On the other hand... well, just now the magistrate specifically mentioned not to talk about official business. How could I spoil the mood?"

Lou Shizong was actually speaking on behalf of Xu Guanlan, simply wanting to tell Xue Huai that it's impossible for a person to live in this world without any ties. With the Shen family's business reaching its current scale, it's natural that they would engage in illegal activities.

Xue Huai is now acting swiftly and decisively in Yangzhou. Isn't he afraid that the Shen family will hold him back at crucial moments?
How will he handle this situation?

"but--"

Xue Huai did not give Lou Shizong a chance to muddy the waters. He looked at Xu Guanlan and said solemnly, "If the Shen family also commits the evil deeds of oppressing the people, I will absolutely not tolerate it. Please rest assured, Governor."

(End of this chapter)