Ming East India Company

"But..." Feng Titing scratched his head, "When the vassal states are officially established, His Majesty will personally receive the envoys from the foreign vassals. If the Ryukyu envoys arrive and the accounts are checked, won't everything be exposed?"

"What do you know?" Shi Xing said sarcastically, "His Majesty hasn't held court for over a decade. In those years, vassal states from all over the country have come to the capital to pay tribute at least dozens of times, but His Majesty has never received them."

This time, the Ryukyuans have come to request investiture, and His Majesty will most likely just send someone from the Ministry of Rites to meet them, especially since His Majesty is currently only focused on the war in Korea, and is even less likely to have the time or inclination for such a matter. Nine times out of ten, His Majesty will ultimately have someone else conduct the investiture on his behalf. What are you afraid of?”

"What was the Ministry of Rites' response?"

"First, have them send the head to the capital by express 600 li. When it comes time for inspection, just insist that the head is fake. Then the investiture ceremony can proceed as usual. I don't believe that the Ministry of Rites would fight to the death for the Ryukyu people and us."

Shi Xing sat back down in his chair as he spoke.

Feng Titing nodded, then hurried down to prepare a reply for the Ministry of Rites.

Shi Xing sat in his armchair, leisurely watching the sunset outside the window. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he ran outside the Ministry of War and called over his page, who had served him for many years.

"Go home immediately and tell Zu Chengxun in Liaodong that I have a way to solve his problem. Tell him to cover up his defeat in his memorial to His Majesty and say that he has killed dozens of Japanese pirates."

As for the head, I'll figure something out, but if you want my cooperation...

The pageboy nodded very sensibly:

"I understand, it will cost more."

Shi Xing nodded with satisfaction. Then, still a little worried, he added:

"Remember, this is quite risky. No letters allowed; a trusted, reliable servant must deliver the message verbally. In case of any trouble, don't implicate us..."

The pageboy quickly left the military headquarters and rode off at full speed outside the palace.

……

At 3:45 PM, Feng Titing, having finished a busy day, left the military headquarters and returned to his residence.

"Why are you only coming back now? Mo'er has a fever again today. The doctor said that if we don't pay up soon, we can forget about getting any medicine from him."

Feng Titing sighed deeply, took out a small piece of silver, about the size of a fingernail tip, from his waist, and handed it to his wife.

"That's all we have left this month. Tell the doctor that if it's not enough, we can pay it off next month."

His wife, Wang, went to look at the rice jar again, then turned and complained:

"The rice in the house will only last for three days at most. If you spend all the money, there are still thirteen days left this month. Will the whole family be eating chaff then? Mo'er's health is already poor. What if she dies if she doesn't eat properly?"

Feng Titing was also angered by his wife's complaints:

"You're the one who asked for money to treat Mo'er's illness, and now you're asking me for money for food. I, Feng Titing, am a chief clerk in the Ministry of War, not a money shop manager. Do you think I can conjure up money for you?"

"Then what do you suggest we do? In the capital, which family is like ours? We can't even afford our son's food and medicine?"

"Master Kong entered officialdom ten years later than you, yet his wife eats honey, his children drink honey, and he has servants to cook for him. How come you live like a beggar..."

His wife's words struck a nerve with Feng Titing, who, annoyed by the noise, threw down the silver and slammed the door shut.

Walking on Chongwenmenwai Street, Feng Titing, who had been busy all day and hadn't had dinner, was starving. He could only walk to a sesame seed cake stall on the street and ask the vendor to "borrow" two sesame seed cakes to fill his stomach.

Although the vendor looked displeased, he still gave him two sesame cakes because he saw that the person opposite him was a high-ranking official in the Ministry of War.

While eating the fragrant sesame cakes, Feng Titing vaguely recalled his many years of studying, the imperial edict on the day he passed the imperial examination, and the grand scene of riding a tall horse all over the capital before the palace examination...

Why is it like this now?

Why is it that, even though they are both in charge, others can live in big houses, marry and take concubines, and indulge in debauchery in brothels and taverns, while he has to live like a peddler, barely having enough to eat?

Is it because he's a native of Beijing that he can't, like his colleagues, seize land in his hometown, bully men and women, and commit all sorts of evil deeds?

Is it simply because he hasn't learned how to flatter his superiors or cater to their preferences all these years?

Is it simply because he doesn't know how to extract bribes from local officials?

How could someone like Shi Xing become the Minister of War? He handles all the affairs himself and suffers all the hardships, yet he lies in his armchair making a fortune every day. This world truly doesn't give good people a way to survive...

Thinking of this, Feng Titing gritted his teeth and, taking advantage of the darkness, made a large detour to the outside of Dong'an Gate.

Looking at the plaque of the Eastern Depot above his head, he sighed, took out a letter from his waist, and handed it to the gatekeeper. After reading the handwriting, the gatekeeper immediately welcomed him in.

In the main hall of the Eastern Depot, Luo Sigong, the chief executioner, sat in a chair, his cold gaze sweeping over Feng Titing below the stage:

"What? Has Steward Feng finally seen the light?"

Feng Titing slowly knelt down...

"From now on, I am willing to obey the orders of the commander."

Luo Sigong laughed heartily. Several months ago, he discovered that there was a down-on-his-luck official named Feng Titing among the officials in the Ministry of War, so he devised a way to win him over to the Eastern Depot's camp.

"You should have done this earlier! You're just a sixth-rank official, and you can't even support your family. The other officials are all from wealthy families with land and property in the area. How can they talk about the integrity of scholars?"

"You're just a poor, down-on-your-luck guy who grew up in the capital. You have no land or family, what are you doing getting involved in this mess? You should have joined the Eastern Depot earlier, and you wouldn't be in this situation now."

Feng Titing's face was now completely red. As a civil official who had studied diligently for ten years to pass the imperial examinations, he and his colleagues were always ashamed to associate with such people who had been tortured. In their daily lives, they would grit their teeth with hatred when they mentioned the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard...

Now that I've been reduced to serving as a lackey for the Eastern Depot, I naturally feel ashamed.

After a few pleasantries, Luo Sigong got straight to the point:

"Tell me! What's been going on with the Ministry of War lately?"

Feng Titing immediately spilled the beans, recounting in detail all of Shi Xing's recent illegal activities...

The more Luo Sigong listened, the more his brows furrowed.

Feng Titing's reports were all about trivial matters such as accepting bribes, keeping concubines, and making money through lending. These things posed no threat to His Majesty.

Feng Titing also noticed the change in Luo Sigong's expression and quickly revealed that Shi Xing had accepted bribes from North Korean officials.

Unexpectedly, Luo Sigong frowned even more deeply and interrupted Feng Titing before he could finish speaking:

"Master Feng, we in the Eastern Depot never keep idle people. If you're only handling such trivial matters, then you'll have to reconsider your monthly salary."