White-robed Minister

Chapter 172 0170 [Presenting a Strategy for Pacifying the Barbarians]

Yang Shu wasn't very familiar with the capital, so he asked around for directions on Ansumen Street. He knocked on the door of a house and asked, "May I ask, madam, does Xu Lai, the top scholar of the previous imperial examination and now a censor, live around here?"

The woman laughed and said, "You're looking for Scholar Xu? Turn left at the intersection ahead, and you'll find the City God Temple. After passing the City God Temple, turn right at the fork in the road. His house is the one closest to the city wall."

Xu Lai was already famous in the capital, and many neighbors in the area knew him.

"Thank you for giving me directions."

Yang Shu quickly thanked the woman and followed her instructions.

After passing the City God Temple, Yang Shu slowed down and turned right, looking at the plaques on the doors of the houses along the way.

A bullock cart drove past him, and two men jumped off, busily unloading rice, wheat, firewood, and charcoal. One of them, having just hoisted a sack onto his shoulder, exclaimed joyfully, "Yang Shisanlang!"

Yang Shu was taken aback upon hearing this, then quickly stepped forward: "Brother Bu Chao, you've come to the capital too?"

"Yes, Sanlang is still working at the yamen. I went to collect my salary and firewood," Bu Chao said with a smile. "You're here to see Sanlang, right? Come in and sit down."

Yang Shu immediately picked up a bag of rice: "I'll help you carry it."

Bu Chao quickly stopped him, saying, "That won't do. You are a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination)."

"It's alright." Yang Shu had already started walking.

Bu Chao introduced, "Xiao Yi, this is Yang Shu, Yang Shisanlang, a close friend of our young master. Mr. Yang, this is Chen Xiaoyi, my young master's servant."

Yang Shu nodded in greeting.

Chen Xiaoyi quickly put down the rice bag and bowed to Yang Shu with his hands clasped.

The three entered one after another.

Bu Chao said to the doorman Chen Dequan, "This is the young master's close friend, Master Yang Shu."

Chen Dequan quickly remembered Yang Shu and then went out to help unload the coal.

Bu Chao carried Yang Shu, who was carrying rice, inside. His newlywed wife greeted them. Another round of introductions followed.

Upon hearing that Yang Shu had come to visit, Pianpian quickly led Yu'er out to greet him.

Although she had never met Yang Shu, she was very familiar with his deeds and knew that her husband's first Confucian classic was a gift from this friend.

Pianpian performed a curtsy and warmly greeted him, "Brother, please come inside and rest. My husband won't be home for another half an hour."

Yang Shu was somewhat embarrassed: "Greetings, Sixth Sister. I—I'll wait in the outer courtyard."

Pianpian didn't want to invite them too much, so she went back to the inner courtyard to make arrangements, asking Li Guiniang to cook more food and having Yu'er take the tea set to the outer courtyard to serve tea.

Hearing the commotion outside, Dou Niang skipped out and immediately recognized Yang Shu: "Uncle Thirteen!"

"You're a dragonfly? You've grown so tall!" Yang Shu exclaimed in surprise.

The two had only met once five years ago, when the girl was only five years old.

The damselfly said happily, "The first time I ate a sugar ring with honey was when Uncle Thirteen bought it. I remember it very clearly."

Yang Shu smiled and said, "I'll buy it for you next time."

Since Pianpian couldn't receive guests alone, Dou Niang chatted with Yang Shu, asking, "Thirteenth Uncle, have you become an official too?"

Yang Shu said, "I'm just a minor official, not as high-ranking as your third uncle. I was able to get promoted this time thanks to him."

The damselfly boasted, "I've read a lot of books and know a lot of words."

"What books have you read? Let me test you," Yang Shu teased her.

The Bean Girl said, "I've been reading the Analects of Confucius recently, the one you gave to my third uncle."

It wasn't until evening that Xu Lai finally rode his donkey home.

At this point, Dou Niang had stopped reciting her lessons and was watching Yang Shu and Bu Chao fight. Bu Chao was mainly getting beaten up; he asked Yang Shu for martial arts advice but was treated like a three-year-old child by Yang Shu.

Xu Lai handed the donkey to Chen Xiaoyi and said with a smile, "Haha, Brother Jiezhi, you're finally back in the capital."

"Thanks to your guidance, my worthy brother," Yang Shu stepped forward to greet you.

Old friends meeting again is a joyous occasion, and Xu Lai took him to the inner courtyard for drinks.

Pianpian had already prepared food and drinks, and invited them to sit down in the dining room. She personally poured wine for Yang Shu to welcome him.

"Sixth Sister, you're too kind." Yang Shu quickly stood up.

Pianpian used to be lively, but after getting married she became less lively, but she seemed more generous and composed. She smiled and said, "Sanlang often says that if it weren't for the book you gave him, he wouldn't even be able to learn the Analects. I've always wanted to thank you in person."

Yang Shu said, "You flatter me."

It was summer, and the three of them were drinking and fanning themselves.

As they chatted, they started complaining about Guangzhou's summers and recounting various embarrassing incidents that happened while they were there, making each other laugh out loud.

"By the way, you haven't been back to your hometown yet, are you still not married?" Xu Lai asked.

Yang Shu said, "She's engaged to Zhao Binxing's (Zhao Jian's) cousin, the magistrate of Guo County. In a way, you're practically my matchmaker."

Xu Lai smiled and asked, "What's it to me?"

Yang Shu explained, "After you went to Yingtian Prefecture to serve as a judge, you sent more than ten letters back to the capital at once, all of which were sent to the home of Prime Minister Ouyang. Ji Mo (Ouyang Bian) and I helped you deliver the letters everywhere, and one of them was sent to the home of Su Zizhan (Su Shi). When Su Zizhan learned that I was going to Baoji to take up my post, he asked me to take a letter and a jar of wine to the magistrate of Guo County."

This magistrate of Guo County had a drink with me and inexplicably asked me to marry his cousin. I was drunk at the time and somehow agreed.

Xu Lai: What nonsense is this?

Pianpian covered her mouth and chuckled.

Yang Shu said, "Zhao Binxing was transferred from Guo County last year. At the beginning of this year, he sent me a letter saying that his uncle had agreed to the marriage and asked my family to send someone to formally propose marriage. Although he agreed while drunk, a gentleman's promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold, so I have written home to tell him about it."

"What does his family do?" Xu Lai asked.

Yang Shu said, "Zhao Binxing and his son were both Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). Zhao Binxing's uncle, however, was a mine owner who ran an iron mine."

His family mined and smelted iron into ingots, which they then sold to the government to be minted into iron coins.

Goodness, did she find a father-in-law who's got a fortune?

Sure enough, as long as you pass the imperial examination, you can marry any kind of wife.

After a few more drinks, Yang Shu suddenly said, "Sanlang, on my way back to the capital, I met a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) named Wang Shao from the second year of the Jiayou era—"

"Who did you say you met?" Xu Lai interrupted immediately.

Yang Shu asked, "Wang Shao, does Sanlang know this person?"

Xu Lai nodded: "I've heard of it."

Yang Shu said with great admiration, "Wang Shao actually resigned from his official post and traveled to border prefectures and military garrisons after failing the imperial examination, and even went to those barbarian territories. I have read his 'Strategy for Pacifying the Barbarians,' which is truly brilliant and extraordinary!"

Xu Lai asked, "Where is Wang Shao right now?"

"He came back to the capital with me," Yang Shu said. "At that time, I was waiting for the boat at the post station outside Shanzhou City, and the Shanzhou Prefect also sent him to the post station to wait for the boat. We came back on the same boat, and now we are both staying at an inn outside Dongjing City."

"I will visit you tomorrow," Xu said.

The next day.

Xu Lai went to his workplace early in the morning to clock in, falsely claiming that he was going to the Ministry of Works to check official documents, and then went directly out of the city to find Yang Shu and Wang Shao.

Wang Shao was also getting ready to go out.

He learned that his fellow top scholar, Zhang Heng, had recently become the Vice Minister of the Three Departments. Such a high-ranking and powerful official might be able to introduce him to the emperor.

Although Wang Shao had resigned from his official post many years ago, he was still qualified to submit a memorial to the emperor.

This memorial would first be sent to the Tongjinsi (the Imperial Secretariat), where it would be registered, copied, and presented to the emperor. However, the emperor was busy with state affairs and prioritized reviewing memorials from high-ranking officials; who knew when he would see Wang Shao's memorial?

"Brother Zichun, wait a moment!" Yang Shu called out.

Wang Shao stopped and turned around: "What is it?"

Yang Shu said, "A friend will be visiting today, and he can help you present the 'Strategy for Pacifying the Barbarians'."

"Really?" Wang Shao asked in surprise.

Yang Shu nodded: "Absolutely true."

The two waited at the inn, and about 45 minutes later, Xu Lai arrived on a donkey.

Yang Shu warmly introduced: "Brother Zichun, this is Xu Lai, Xu Xingzhi. Brother Xingzhi, this is Wang Shao, Prince Zichun."

Xu Lai and Wang Shao greeted each other with a bow.

Wang Shao had just returned to the capital and had casually inquired about Xu Lai yesterday. He didn't know how capable Xu Lai was, and he seriously doubted whether Xu Lai could help submit memorials.

Xu Lai said, "Brother Zichun, you can make two copies of the memorial. One copy should be given directly to the Ministry of Personnel, and the other copy should be given to me to take into the palace."

Xu Lai was making it clear that he would not claim Wang Shao's strategy for pacifying the Rong as his own.

With the records from the Tongjin Division, this strategy for pacifying the Rong must have been Wang Shao's.

At the same time, we are also following the rules and procedures, since it is not compliant to bypass the Tongjinsi to submit memorials.

Although Wang Shao did not believe in Xu Lai's abilities, he thought it was worth a try, even if it seemed hopeless.

When he copied the "Strategy for Pacifying the Barbarians," Xu Lai was watching nearby. He could understand the content, but he couldn't figure out the geographical locations.

After Wang Shao finished copying, Xu Lai hurriedly asked for his advice.

Wang Shao took out a piece of writing paper, picked up a pen and started drawing a simple map, clearly demonstrating his thorough knowledge of the frontier geography.

Three days later, Xu Lai was granted permission to enter the audience and was led by the eunuch to a side hall to wait.

Inside the main hall, the emperor was arguing with Sima Guang.

-

Sima Guang said, "Your Majesty has a prime minister, Hanlin scholars, and censors by your side, as well as local officials in various regions. These are Your Majesty's eyes and ears, and your trusted confidants. As long as you select virtuous and capable officials and enable them to fulfill their duties, you will be able to understand the affairs of the world. Why does Your Majesty need to consult the eunuchs around you?"

Even before he became emperor, Zhao Xu liked to send eunuchs to investigate the people's conditions, and he even corresponded privately with Xu Lai because of this.

Even after becoming emperor, Zhao Xu still liked to do this.

Moreover, he frequently sent eunuchs out of the palace to inquire about things inside and outside the city, and this matter was eventually exposed.

How could Sima Guang not object?

Zhao Xu vehemently denied it: "Absolutely not!"

Sima Guang continued, "Your Majesty lives deep within the palace, surrounded by sycophants who spread rumors and even deliberately distort the truth. How can you possibly know the real situation?"

"Take Wang Zhongzheng for example. His Majesty sent him to Shaanxi before. Liu Huan, the prefect of Jingzhou, flattered him, so Wang Zhongzheng found a way to promote Liu Huan. However, Wu Shunchen, the military commander of Langyan Road, did not comply with his wishes, so Wang Zhongzheng falsely accused him and demoted him."

"If Your Majesty regards officials like Wang Zhongzheng as your confidants, how can you distinguish between loyalty and treachery? If this continues, ministers will flock to curry favor with eunuchs, which is the root cause of the decline and fall of the Han and Tang dynasties!"

Zhao Xu was skeptical: "Where did you hear about what Wang Zhongzheng did?"

Sima Guang said, "I am the Imperial Censor, and I only report matters based on hearsay. Wang Zhongzheng is a eunuch, and Your Majesty should know better than anyone what he has done. I am outside the palace and do not associate with eunuchs, so how can I know the truth? If it is found to be untrue, Your Majesty may punish me."

Zhao Xu defended the eunuch, saying, "Wu Shunchen was never talented, as the late emperor said. I demoted him not because I listened to Wang Zhongzheng's words."

Sima Guang stopped talking about Wang Zhongzheng and continued to urge the emperor not to listen to the eunuchs' words and not to send eunuchs out of the palace to spy on the people's conditions.

Zhao Xu became increasingly annoyed as he listened, and the two parted on bad terms.

The eunuch Wang Zhongzheng, whom Sima Guang impeached today, was the one who later went to war without enough military rations, fed his soldiers half-cooked food, causing casualties, and then blamed Zhuang Gongyue for the defeat!

No matter what Sima Guang said, Zhao Xu insisted on continuing to favor Wang Zhongzheng.

Because Wang Zhongzheng was eloquent, knowledgeable in poetry and literature, skilled in calendrical calculations, and knowledgeable in military affairs, he personally used a bow and arrow to kill bandits and quell the rebellion of the palace guards during the Qingli era when he was only eighteen years old.

This eunuch often talked about military strategy on paper, fooling the young emperor so much that he actually believed he was some kind of military expert.

"Your Majesty, the Censor Xu has come to request an audience."

"Please let him in."

Zhao Xu, who had just argued with Sima Guang for half a day, was in a very bad mood and was not happy to see Xu Lai.

He just couldn't understand why Sima Guang insisted that Wang Zhongzheng was a villain, given how outstanding he was.

Following Xu Lai's advice, he recently promoted and cultivated many officials, four of whom were slandered as villains by Sima Guang.