Prime Minister

Chapter 212 211 [Great Potential]

The 30th day of the first month of the 20th year of the Taihe era.

For the officials of Yangzhou Prefecture, this was an extremely special day. The imperial envoy sent by the court arrived in Yangzhou yesterday afternoon, and today, under the witness of Dou Xian, the Jiangsu Provincial Governor, the imperial edict commending the meritorious officials in the Lianghuai Salt Case would be read out.

At the beginning of the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), Xue Huai arrived at the government office. His subordinates, including Zhang Shi, Wang Gui, and Kong Li, greeted him respectfully, each of them unable to hide their excitement. They were extremely curious about how the emperor would reward this young deputy prefect, knowing that they were gradually bearing Xue Huai's mark, and Xue Huai's future was related to everyone's future.

Xue Huai couldn't help but chuckle. He sent everyone back to their respective duty rooms and then went straight to the inner hall.

"Brother, it seems you slept very soundly last night."

Tan Mingguang had a genuine smile on his face, but his eyes were slightly puffy, indicating that he must not have slept well last night.

Xue Huai couldn't help but joke, "Your Excellency, why don't you go back and sleep for a while longer?"

"Hey, stop making fun of your foolish brother."

Tan Mingguang rubbed his hands and sighed, "Looking back on the past year, it feels like a lifetime has passed. I thought I would never make any progress in my life and would be content with a third-rank official title when I retired. Who knew... my good brother, thanks to you, I made the best decision of my life last year!"

Now, this usually stoic old bureaucrat has finally stopped hiding his true feelings. Although his words were not overly flattering, his admiration for Xue Huai was evident.

"You flatter me, Your Excellency."

Xue Huai smiled and said, "Without the strong support of the Prefect, I would have had a very difficult year. Therefore, the Prefect and I have worked together and moved forward side by side."

"Walking side by side... well said."

A hint of longing appeared in Tan Mingguang's eyes as he looked around at the furnishings in the inner hall and said softly, "Brother, I have something to tell you."

Knowing that this would be a valuable lesson from Tan Mingguang's thirty years of experience in officialdom, Xue Huai immediately said solemnly, "Please speak, Your Excellency."

Looking at Xue Huai's excessively youthful face, Tan Mingguang slowly said, "You are different from others. If you weren't here today, I would only spout some clichés about being modest and unassuming, and going with the flow. These are useless to you, because you are destined to walk a path different from the vast majority of officials. In my opinion, whether this path is stable does not depend on whether you act decisively or ruthlessly, but on whether you can etch Xue Huai's name on this path!"

Xue Huai was slightly taken aback. Tan Mingguang's words were somewhat unexpected, so he said sincerely, "Please tell me, Your Excellency."

"Take the new policies in Yangzhou as an example. If you can truly break through the silted-up riverbed and bring out a flowing stream, then no matter where the wind and rain come from, they will not shake your foundation."

Tan Mingguang leaned forward and said, word by word, "You must make this flowing water carve a riverbed deep enough that even if someone later sits in the place you left behind, they cannot overturn it! In addition, you must remember that whether it is the current new policies in Yangzhou or your future transfer elsewhere, everything you do is in accordance with the Emperor's will! Merit is your foundation, and the Emperor's heart is your greatest protection. The two are not contradictory, and I believe you can grasp the balance between them."

Xue Huai said solemnly, "Your Excellency's words are invaluable; I will certainly remember them."

Tan Mingguang smiled with satisfaction and said slowly, "Power should not be exhausted, but the Way can endure. You have the ability to break with the old and establish the new, and you should also have the lofty ambition to establish rules and regulations and benefit future generations. My dear brother, I hope you take care!"

Xue Huai stood up and bowed deeply.

Tan Mingguang helped him up, overwhelmed with emotion.

After the two men calmed down a bit, Huang Xibin entered and announced, "Your Excellency, Your Excellency, the Imperial Envoy and the Provincial Governor have arrived."

"Let's go greet them."

Tan Mingguang raised his hand and gently patted Xue Huai's shoulder, a slightly intimate gesture that made Huang Xibin's eyes well up with tears.

He had followed Tan Mingguang for many years, and now the time had finally come when the clouds parted and the sun shone through. He was so excited that he could hardly express it. What made him even happier was that Tan Mingguang and Xue Huai were getting closer and closer, which meant that his benefactor's official career would definitely not stagnate.

A moment later, the group arrived at the gate of the government office to greet the imperial envoy and Dou Xian, the Jiangsu Provincial Governor. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, they went together to the main hall of the government office.

This was not the first time Xue Huai had met Dou Xian. At the end of last year, he had gone to Jinling with Tan Mingguang to report on his duties. Dou Xian was very friendly to him. This was partly due to the close relationship between Dou Xian and the Shen family, but more so because Xue Huai's momentum was not to be underestimated. Although Dou Xian was the superior, he still dared not be careless.

At this moment, the provincial governor stood aside with a warm smile, not stealing the spotlight from the two main characters of the day.

The official who came to deliver the imperial edict was Ying Chen, a supervising secretary of the Ministry of Rites, which shows how much importance the emperor attached to this matter.

According to the regulations of the imperial court, imperial edicts to local officials were usually delivered by the Office of Imperial Censors or the Directorate of Ceremonial. Only in cases of extremely important rewards or punishments would the emperor appoint officials from the Six Ministries or the Censorate as imperial messengers to deliver the edicts.

An incense table had already been set up in the main hall. Ying Chen, with a gentle expression, looked at everyone and read out the first imperial edict.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Tan Mingguang, Prefect of Yangzhou, is a seasoned official with skillful governance and strategic acumen. He stabilized the overall situation in times of crisis, assisted in the salt administration to bring peace to the people, helped in the inception of new policies, and calmed the turbulent officialdom. His thirty years of diligence and prudence are truly commendable to me."

Upon hearing these words, Tan Mingguang, who was receiving the imperial decree with great ceremony, could hardly control his emotions, while Huang Xibin, kneeling to the side and behind him, had tears welling up in his eyes.

The officialdom is like rowing against the current, especially for ordinary officials like Tan Mingguang who have no powerful backers. Being able to gain the emperor's favor at the age of fifty is the greatest fortune.

Reflecting on the ups and downs of his thirty-year official career, Tan Mingguang felt a complex mix of emotions, and his gratitude towards Xue Huai deepened. Ying Chen was not surprised by Tan Mingguang's reaction and continued reciting: "I hereby appoint you as the Director of the Department of Agricultural Reclamation under the Ministry of Works, in charge of the administration of agricultural reclamation and water conservancy throughout the land. I also bestow upon you the title of Senior Grand Master of the Palace, as a sign of your favor. You shall diligently serve the king and assist the nation in promoting agriculture. This is my decree!"

The position of Director of the Agricultural Development Division of the Ministry of Works is a fifth-rank official, while the position of Prefect of Yangzhou is a fourth-rank official. Although the official ranks are two levels lower, the power and influence of the two officials are incomparable. Moreover, the current Minister of Works is Shen Wang, and Tan Mingguang will serve under him upon returning to the central government. This is undoubtedly the best place for him.

Most local officials who come to the capital will be demoted. The key is that the position of Director of the Agricultural Reclamation Office is a powerful and important post. This is obviously a great opportunity for Tan Mingguang. Not to mention that the emperor also bestowed upon him the title of Grand Master of the Palace, which is a third-rank official title. This means that Tan Mingguang has already stepped into the ranks of high-ranking officials!
"Your subject, Tan Mingguang, receives the imperial decree and kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's divine grace!"

Tan Mingguang was moved to tears and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Dr. Tan, congratulations."

Ying Chen handed the imperial edict to Tan Mingguang, and Dou Xian, who had come to witness it, smiled and said, "Lord Tan has a bright future ahead of him, congratulations!"

Tan Mingguang thanked them one by one. Although he was extremely excited, he knew that he was not the real protagonist today, so he quickly composed himself and stepped aside.

Ying Chen followed suit and said, "Xue Huai, the Assistant Prefect of Yangzhou, has received the imperial decree."

Xue Huai immediately bowed deeply and said, "Your subject Xue Huai receives the imperial decree."

Ying Chen unfolded the second imperial edict, glanced at Xue Huai, and said loudly: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Xue Huai, the Assistant Prefect of Yangzhou, has rectified the salt administration at a time of deep-seated corruption and suppressed the rebellious party at a critical juncture. He has supervised the administration to eliminate traitors and stabilized the Huai River region to consolidate the foundation of the nation. His loyalty, diligence, and quick wit have brought him great merit to the country."

Although Xue Huai was not as excited as Tan Mingguang, he still showed just the right amount of emotion.

Ying Chen took in his reaction and continued reading: "I hereby appoint you to act as the prefect of Yangzhou, fulfilling the duties of the prefect. You are hereby granted the title of Grand Master of the Court and appointed as Assistant Prefect. Furthermore, considering your loyalty and love for the people, you are hereby bestowed with a bullfighting robe to honor your character. You shall remain steadfast in your loyalty and diligently assist in the new administration. This is my decree!"

Compared to the rewards Tan Mingguang received, Xue Huai's imperial edict is more worthy of closer examination.

His official position remained unchanged, still the fifth-rank Assistant Magistrate of Yangzhou. However, after Tan Mingguang stepped down, there was no successor. Instead, Xue Huai took over the affairs of Yangzhou Prefecture. In fact, he was the head of Yangzhou Prefecture, but he did not have the title of Prefect.

This arrangement gave Xue Huai great power without making him a target of discussion in the court and among the people too early; the emperor's intentions were truly ingenious.

Of course, this was not enough to reward Xue Huai's achievements, so the emperor added the honorary titles of Grand Master of the Court and Assistant Magistrate, both of which were honorary titles of the fourth rank. The significance was not only that Xue Huai could receive two more salaries, but more importantly, it paved the way for his future.

With these two honorary titles, even if Xue Huai did not achieve anything during his subsequent tenure in Yangzhou, the emperor could still legitimately promote him.

As for the bullfighting robe, it was the highest honor that civil officials below the second rank in the Great Yan Dynasty could receive.

The bullfighting robe was a bestowed garment for a third-rank official. Although Xue Huai was a fifth-rank assistant prefect, wearing this bestowed garment did not mean that he was a third-rank official. However, in an emergency, he could act beyond his rank, mobilize the troops of the garrison, directly arrest lower-ranking officials, and submit secret reports directly to the emperor.

In short, with this bullfighting outfit, Xue Huai is now a true close advisor to the emperor!
At this moment, not only Tan Mingguang and his officials were filled with shock, but even Dou Xian, the Jiangsu Provincial Governor who was nearly sixty years old, showed envy!
"Your subject Xue Huai accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"

Xue Huai slowly rose and respectfully accepted the imperial edict from Ying Chen.

Ying Chen knew he couldn't overstep his bounds, so he offered Xue Huai a few words of encouragement on behalf of the emperor before taking his leave. Dou Xian didn't linger either, only instructing Xue Huai to be diligent in state affairs and to seek help from the Provincial Administration Commission if he had any questions. He then left with mixed feelings.

At this moment, a burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted in the main hall of the government office, and everyone surrounded Xue Huai to congratulate him.

Xue Huai smiled and thanked everyone, then promised to host a banquet before sending them off.

"Brother, the Emperor's favor is truly enviable!"

Tan Mingguang spoke with deep emotion. He had long known that the emperor would reward Xue Huai handsomely this time, but after hearing the contents of the imperial edict and feeling the emperor's appreciation, respect and care for Xue Huai, he didn't know whether to be envious or happy, or perhaps both.

Holding the imperial edict, Xue Huai glanced at the bright spring sunshine outside and smiled, "Your Excellency, thank you."

"That's too polite of you."

Tan Mingguang breathed a sigh of relief and looked outside, saying, "I entrust Yangzhou to you from now on, my brother. I hope you will live up to the Emperor's grace and the people of Lianghuai."

Xue Huai nodded and said, "It is my duty to do so."

The two smiled at each other and stood side by side in front of the main hall of the government office. There was no sadness about their impending separation, only a heart full of ambition waiting for the future.

The morning sun shone on them, making them shine brightly.

……

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(Hello readers, Volume 2, "Washing Tassels in the Vast Waves," has concluded. Volume 3, "Spring Thunder Awakens the Hibernating Beasts," will begin tomorrow.)
(End of this chapter)