Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 109 Jiang Taigong Fishing, Those Who Are Willing Will Take the Bait

Inside the warm pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, only a single candle burned dimly, casting a faint light.

On the dragon bed, Zhu Youjian moved slightly.

The palace maid standing nearby immediately noticed and quietly approached, asking in an almost inaudible voice, "Your Majesty, are you about to rise?"

Zhu Youjian grunted in acknowledgment, and then very carefully and slowly withdrew his arm.

Zhou Yu let out a few muffled murmurs, turned over, and fell into a deep sleep again.

Last night was far too wild, and this body is far too young...

Perhaps, after this initial busy period, we'll need to find a few more people to share his boundless energy.

Zhu Youjian stood barefoot on the ground, where the underground heating was burning just right at a comfortable temperature.

He put on an outer garment and walked out of the bedroom.

Upon seeing this, the palace maids who had been waiting outside immediately swarmed forward and began to work swiftly.

Before long, all the giant tallow candles in the entire hall were lit, illuminating the hall in a magnificent and bright manner.

I used warm water for washing up, and the towel was a soft cloth with a soapy scent.

Gao Shiming was already bowing and waiting. He watched as the emperor dressed before stepping forward and whispering, "Your Majesty, a strong wind blew last night, and it's getting a bit cold. It would be best to wear an extra cloak."

Zhu Youjian did as instructed, allowing the palace maid to tie a cloud-patterned brocade coat around his neck.

Only then did he finally step out of the palace gate.

Outside the palace, the sky was barely light, and the rising sun was just crossing the horizon, like a hazy salted egg yolk, offering little warmth and hanging there in vain.

The morning breeze was chilly and desolate.

Zhu Youjian wrapped his brocade coat tighter, but still couldn't help shivering.

He frowned slightly.

Today is the seventh day of the ninth lunar month in the Ming Dynasty.

As a modern person, he has never been good at converting between the lunar and Gregorian calendars.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty's lunar calendar seemed to have some problems, otherwise Xu Guangqi wouldn't have revised the calendar later.

However, during this period, there is a point of reference—the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of August, which is often not far from the National Day of later generations.

And it's only been about twenty days since the Mid-Autumn Festival, so it should be around October 20th in the Gregorian calendar?
Is Beijing really this cold at this time of year? Or is it due to the Little Ice Age?

As for Zhu Youjian, being from the South, it's really hard to understand.

However, this chill reminded him of something else.

He turned his head to look at Gao Shiming, who was following closely behind him: "Are there any more reports on the resettlement of the starving people in the capital?"

Gao Shiming paused, then respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, since you said that those who submit memorials must be in charge of affairs in Shuntian Prefecture, the number of memorials received these past few days has... decreased significantly."

He paused, then added, "Guo Xingyan, the engineering censor who was originally the most proactive, has not submitted any more memorials in the past two days."

"I understand."

Zhu Youjian's tone was very calm.

Not just the Ming Dynasty, but later dynasties were no different.

Asking questions is the easiest thing to do, but it becomes very difficult when it comes to doing things, especially things that require sacrificing one's own interests.

However, the fact that the censors were unwilling to do it did not mean that the doctors, clerks, or even the officials were unwilling to do it.

If you provide enough bait, eventually some fish will bite.

Zhu Youjian looked up at the sky, where the sun, which resembled an egg yolk, was still hazy.

He withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "Let's go. Let's inspect the Brave Guard Battalion first and see how the newly arrived elite troops of the Nine Borders are doing. We can deal with this matter after I return from the inspection."

……

Almost at the same moment, in a corridor room on the outskirts of the imperial city, Qi Xinxiao slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing I saw was a familiar roof, blackened by soot.

He felt cold all over and struggled for a long time in the icy bed. Finally, he gritted his teeth and suddenly threw off the covers.

A chill instantly swept over his body, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

He got out of bed and glanced at the brazier in the corner of the room. Sure enough, the charcoal inside had burned out, leaving only a pitiful little bit of white.

The weather turned cold in the last few days, so he had no choice but to start burning charcoal.

But fearing carbon monoxide poisoning, I had to open the window again, and slept in alternating hot and cold conditions all night.

After living in the capital for five years, this southerner still found it difficult to adapt to the harsh northern cold.

He picked up the tongs and carefully searched through the ashes for a moment, then picked up a piece of charcoal that still had embers and put it into the hand warmer.

He then hung the hand warmer on his chest, and a faint warmth finally spread throughout his body.

Then, he walked to the water vat in the corner, scooped up a ladle of cold water, and began to wash up.

The towel, soaked in cold water, was wiped on his face, instantly energizing him and dispelling his earlier drowsiness.

After he finished tidying up, he pushed open the wooden door.

The cold wind outside felt like a knife, making him shiver. He quickly pulled back inside, put on an old cotton robe, and then went out again.

The small room he rented was a corridor room specifically for officials in Beijing. It was not only somewhat dilapidated, but also unbearably miserable in winter.

But its advantage lies in its proximity to the government office and the low rent.

If you don't want to live here, you'll have to rent a house yourself, which costs more than ten taels of silver a year, which is really too high.

He preferred to save the money to buy books, paper, pens, and ink.

Qi Xinxiao rubbed his hands together, unable to help but feel envious of his colleagues in the Ministry of Rites.

The Ministry of Rites was fortunate. During the Hongzhi era, Minister Lin took the lead in raising funds and donated ten years' worth of his own salary to build more than thirty free government offices, all of which were equipped with underfloor heating, making them extremely comfortable to live in.

Unfortunately, in later dynasties, officials became even more corrupt, and no one mentioned this office again.

Qi Xinxiao stepped out of the narrow alleyway, and the outside suddenly became lively.

The cries of vendors, the hustle and bustle of carriages and horses, and the laughter of pedestrians mingled together, creating the unique, lively atmosphere of the capital city in the early morning.

He walked a short distance and arrived at the mutton soup restaurant he frequented.

As a southerner, he has never been able to adapt to the dry and cold autumn and winter in the north. The only thing he can do is eat this steaming hot mutton soup. After five years, it has become an addiction he can't break.

As Qi Xinxiao stepped into the store, a warm breeze carrying the aroma of meat and pepper wafted towards him, instantly invigorating him.

He glanced around the store.

At a table near the entrance sat several minor officials in green robes whom I didn't know very well.

In the corner sat a colleague all alone—Wu Kongjia from the Hanlin Academy.

Qi Xinxiao's gaze lingered on Wu Kongjia for a moment before he subtly looked away.

This colleague, Wu, was a well-known henchman of the eunuch faction in the past.

Although the new emperor seems to have no intention of purging the eunuch faction, who can say for sure? It's best not to get too involved.

He found an empty table, sat down, and shouted, "Shopkeeper, a bowl of mutton soup, with scallions but no coriander, and a sesame seed cake!"

……

Soon, the piping hot mutton soup was served.

The soup is milky white, sprinkled with bright green scallions and a touch of precious pepper powder. Large chunks of mutton are stewed until tender, and the mutton tendons are chewy and satisfying.

Qi Xinxiao first took a big gulp of soup, and a warm current instantly surged from his throat into his stomach, then quickly spread to his limbs and bones, dispelling all the coldness in his body.

He sighed contentedly, picked up a piece of mutton, and was about to put it in his mouth when he faintly heard the chatter of the officials in blue robes at the next table.

"Have you heard? Minister Xue of the Ministry of Works spoke at the ministry meeting yesterday, saying that he will fully cooperate with Prefect Xue on the road construction project," a voice said in a low voice.

The other person immediately scoffed: "Full cooperation? You believe that? I heard that the document sent by the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has been delayed for two days and still hasn't been approved."

"It's not just the Yuheng Division, the same goes for the Dushui Division. Just take Minister Xue's words with a grain of salt."

The man who had spoken earlier suddenly realized, "I see, that explains it..."

A slightly mature voice interjected, carrying a hint of instruction: "The way of being an official is to do nothing, to refrain from doing something. Some things don't need to be said explicitly. If the Minister doesn't agree, that's the biggest disapproval."

The words were spoken cryptically, but those present were all seasoned veterans of officialdom, and they instantly understood.

Someone said in a low, mocking voice, "That 'Xue Jingshi' is probably going to run into a tough nut to crack this time. No matter how eloquently he writes his articles, when it comes to actually doing something, he'll still be hampered at every turn."

The nickname "Xue Jingshi" was clearly a mockery of Xue Guoguan's "First Article on Governing the World," which was praised by the emperor himself.

But someone immediately countered: "That's not how it works. That article was indeed well-written. I read it three times. It was clearly presented and truly pioneered a new approach to governance."

"So what if it's well-written?" The man scoffed. "His Majesty has given his word, sending him to Shuntian Prefecture. Heh, why give up a perfectly good position as a Censor to wallow in that quagmire of Shuntian Prefecture? Isn't that just ruining his future?"

"Indeed, Your Majesty handled this matter rather hastily. It would be more prudent to leave the implementation of the new policies to the Six Ministries. Shuntian Prefecture is, after all, merely an attached prefecture; how can it accomplish anything significant?"

Qi Xinxiao unconsciously slowed down his chewing of the lamb tendon.

He listened silently and wrote down everything that was said.

At this moment, someone else chimed in, "I don't think so. Even if Xue Jingshi hits a wall this time, the road construction will probably still have to go on. I think His Majesty values ​​merit and is not acting rashly. In the end, this task will probably fall back to the Six Ministries."

The atmosphere at the table immediately became awkward after those words were spoken.

Someone changed the subject and asked, "Speaking of which, since His Majesty values ​​merit so much, will the path to the Hanlin Academy still be considered prestigious and lucrative in the future?"

"Who can say for sure?" someone said vaguely. "The Hanlin Academy is prestigious because it allows one to be constantly in the Emperor's presence. The Emperor's favor is the fundamental factor. In the future, there may just be different emphases, but it's not to say that it will become less prestigious."

At this point, someone seemed to sense something was amiss, coughed lightly, and tugged at the speaker's sleeve.

Those people immediately fell silent, noticing Qi Xinxiao and Wu Kongjia at the next table, both of whom were Hanlin officials.

They smiled awkwardly and quickly changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, will this road repair require all the officials to donate their salaries again?" "Don't even think about it! Last year, I donated my entire year's salary for the three major projects!"

“I heard from people in the Yuheng Division that the entire road construction project is estimated to cost around 400,000 taels of silver. It shouldn’t be too big of a project. Maybe donating one or two months’ worth of firewood and firewood will be enough.”

"I hope so," one man sighed. "We've been living in poverty for years. I was planning to bring my wife and children to Beijing this year. I hope it won't be delayed again."

"Then why don't you just ask for a post outside the capital? Three years in a post outside the capital, and you'll have a fortune in your pocket!" someone joked.

The man immediately rolled his eyes and retorted, "You're the one working away from home! Your whole family is working away from home!"

While a post outside the capital may be lucrative, it also means being far from the center of power and facing a bleak future. In the eyes of officials in the capital, this is almost a curse.

……

After finishing their breakfast, the group of officials in green robes dispersed in a noisy commotion.

Qi Xinxiao lingered for a few more moments until he saw Wu Kongjia in the corner also pay his bill and leave. Only then did he stand up and follow behind at a leisurely pace, always keeping a distance of about ten steps.

Just as he turned a corner, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Brother Junqiu, what a coincidence!"

Qi Xinxiao turned around and saw Ni Yuanlu, who was also in the Hanlin Academy.

"Brother Yu Ru!" Qi Xinxiao smiled and walked alongside him.

"Which text did Brother Yuru prepare for the lecture this afternoon?" Qi Xinxiao asked.

Ni Yuanlu chuckled, looking somewhat smug: "Scholar Yang selected me to lecture on 'The Great Learning'."

He lowered his voice: "I spent several days carefully considering this manuscript, striving for both elegance and accessibility!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Xinxiao's eyes were filled with envy.

The Great Learning contains only a little over a thousand characters, yet every word is a gem.

The principles of "cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world" can be considered an introductory text to Confucian education. Being able to expound this text to a monarch is of extraordinary significance.

"Brother Yu Ru is truly remarkable," Qi Xinxiao praised sincerely.

Ni Yuanlu waved her hand and said modestly, "It's alright, it's alright."

Qi Xinxiao smiled slightly and said reservedly, "I am talking about the Analects, Book 2, Chapter 2."

Upon hearing this, Ni Yuanlu rolled her eyes: "You've already lectured on 'The Book of Governance,' and you still think I'm great? Governing with virtue is like the North Star, which remains in its place while all the other stars revolve around it. This book is no less important than my 'Great Learning'!"

Qi Xinxiao laughed heartily, then sighed, "What a pity, with the Holy Lord before us, Youxuan missed this opportunity."

Ni Yuanlu patted his shoulder and comforted him, "It's alright. Brother Youxuan's mourning period has long passed. It's just that the eunuchs in the court are rampant, which is why he can't return to the court."

“I asked Scholar Yang yesterday, and he is already on the list of those to be reinstated. However, Fujian is a long way away, and by the time he returns to the capital, it will probably be early next spring.”

The two chatted and laughed all the way into the Hanlin Academy, where they returned to their seats.

Before long, all the officials in the courtyard had arrived.

Wang Zuoyuan, the Imperial Reader, struck the bell on the table, and the courtyard instantly fell silent as everyone stood up in solemn silence.

Wang Zuoyuan cleared his throat and began to take attendance.

"Zhu Jizuo".

"exist."

"Ni Yuanlu".

"exist."

"Sun Zhixie".

"exist."

……

After roll call, Wang Zuoyuan looked around at everyone and said, "This afternoon, during the daily lecture, everyone on the list must carefully go over the court etiquette again."

He raised his voice slightly and said sternly, "You must never follow Huang Youxuan's example. If you behave improperly before the emperor, Scholar Yang will also be implicated!"

"We understand!" Everyone bowed in unison.

Wang Zuoyuan nodded and sat down, and the others followed suit.

The Hanlin Academy returned to silence, with only the rustling sound of turning pages.

After an unknown amount of time, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

Wang Zuoyuan frowned.

Everyone looked up curiously.

The noise grew louder and louder. Wang Zuoyuan coughed and said to Ni Yuanlu, who was sitting by the door, "Yuru, go out and see who is making a fuss outside?"

Ni Yuanlu accepted the order and went out. A moment later, she hurriedly ran back.

"Scholar! A group of eunuchs have come out from Chengtian Gate and posted a new notice next to the 'List of Scholars on Governing the World'!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Zuoyuan immediately understood and stroked his beard, saying, "It seems there is another important document on state affairs. I just wonder who has caught His Majesty's eye this time."

He paused for a moment and said, “Don’t all crowd out to see it. Last time the notice was posted, a bunch of people rushed to see it. Wu, the censor of the Ministry of Rites, even submitted a memorial impeaching the officials of various ministries, saying that we had failed to manage them properly, resulting in a lack of discipline among officials.”

He glanced around and pointed to a few names: "Ni Yuanlu, Qi Xinxiao, and Fu Guan, the three of you have the best calligraphy. Bring paper and brushes to the table and copy the notice back."

The three men accepted the order and carried the table to the front of Chengtian Gate.

Although there were fewer people here than last time, there were still seven or eight tables piled up, and many people were carrying tables over in the distance.

The three of them quickly put down the table, reserved a spot, and then stood together in front to take a look.

However, it turned out that the notice was not a newly issued document on state affairs, but rather a smaller notice placed next to the official notice of state affairs, on which several large characters were written in vermilion:

[Call for Submissions on New Political Affairs in the Capital]

Below are several lines of smaller print:
“Since the founding of the dynasty, the affairs of the ministries, the capital, and the guards have been overlapping and the responsibilities have been unclear, resulting in cumbersome tasks and lazy officials.”

"The new policies should be implemented with Shuntian Prefecture taking overall control and redefining powers and responsibilities."

"The following is a list of matters concerning the new policies. Anyone who can submit a memorial with a clear and detailed analysis may take charge of one matter and enter the Shuntian Prefecture to implement it with full authority."

"If the task under your command is accomplished, you will be awarded one to five red ribbons, depending on the difficulty of the task."

At the very bottom, there is a line of smaller print:
"The newly cast official seals of Shuntian Prefecture have been issued. All matters concerning the new policies shall be submitted directly to the palace and supervised by the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Grand Secretariat."

Below that are the list of more than ten new policy items:
The resettlement of starving people in the capital, the crackdown on gambling in the capital, the suppression of thieves in the capital, the elimination of commercial taxes at the nine gates of the capital, and the rectification of criminal cases involving officials in the capital...

Among them, the lowest level, such as the elimination of the nine commercial taxes, is marked with "a red line".

The highest-ranking case was the crackdown on thieves in the capital, which was marked with "five red-level awards"!
All three were quick-witted individuals. They exchanged glances, briefly assigned tasks, and then focused their attention on memorizing them.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he had memorized the entire list of names.

They returned to their desks, wielded their pens swiftly, and in a short time, copied the notice perfectly.

When they put down their pens, they found that the surrounding area was already bustling with noise, and the discussions were like a boiling pot.

The three of them opened their mouths, only to find that unless they shouted loudly, the other party couldn't hear them at all.

They exchanged a glance, then decisively picked up the table and left, far away from this noisy place.

The three of them stopped after walking about a hundred paces.

Fu Guan looked at the copied notice, pondered for a moment, and spoke first: "What exactly does this 'adding red' mean?"

Ni Yuanlu and Qi Xinxiao immediately looked over, their faces filled with disbelief.

Ni Yuanlu said, "Were you not present at the court assembly that day? You should know that Grand Secretary Li was given a red mark for his outspoken remonstrance."

Qi Xinxiao added, "Minister Guo of the Ministry of Revenue also received a question during the audience at the Wuying Hall."

Fu Guan shook his head and smiled, "Of course I know. What I mean is, what exactly does this 'red accent' represent?"

The two fell silent.

Yes, since the emperor ascended the throne, he has only added red twice, but he has never explicitly stated what this "red" actually is.

Is it a promotion? A raise? Or is it based on seniority?
No one can tell.

This time, however, all tasks were clearly linked to the number of red envelopes added.

Ni Yuanlu pondered, "Could it be the opposite of 'adding green'? Before Grand Secretary Zhang was stripped of his title, wasn't he given ten greens?"

Fu Guan stroked his short beard and finally shook his head.

"This thing is not related to salary or seniority; it seems to be just an empty title favored by the Emperor."

"However, it is not explicitly stated. I think it's somewhat like... Jiang Taigong fishing, letting those who are willing take the bait."

He turned and glanced in the direction of Chengtian Gate, then sighed: "Those officials who have been working their way up in various departments are probably going to go crazy now."

Ni Yuanlu chimed in, her tone laced with an air of self-righteous superiority: "Isn't that right? They're not like us, the censors and scholars, who are usually bogged down in departmental affairs and whose promotions depend entirely on a single word from their superiors. Now that they have this opportunity to speak directly to the emperor, how could they not go mad?"

He paused, then laughed, "However, this has nothing to do with us. We should prepare ourselves well, use the classics to assist the monarch, and enlighten his mind. This is our duty as scholars."

Fu Guan did not argue, but simply smiled and nodded, saying, "Brother Yu Ru is right. The Hanlin Academy is a place of nobility and prestige. Doing one's duty is the right path."

Qi Xinxiao opened his mouth, but ultimately did not speak.

He remained silent in the end, quietly lifting a corner of the table.

The three of them fell silent, carried the table, and walked together toward the Hanlin Academy.

Another gust of wind blew by, making the robes of the three men billow.

Ni Yuanlu wrapped her warm cotton-padded jacket tightly around her robe, while Fu Guan's silver hand warmer radiated a cozy warmth.

Qi Xinxiao then noticed that the hand warmer on his chest had become ice-cold.

Same green robe, different lining.

Same Hanlin Road, different intersections.

(End of this chapter)