Thief Emperor

Chapter 1102 Imperial Might
"Teacher."

Just as Lord Lu walked out of the palace, Zhang Sui was already in the office of Chancellor Du, bowing respectfully to him.

He lowered his head and said, "I was supposed to visit my teacher yesterday, but after I got back and settled in, it was already late and I smelled terrible, so I didn't bother him."

"Today, I might as well come to the Secretariat to see my mentor."

At this time, Master Du was already in his early fifties, and his white hair had increased considerably compared to a few years ago. He was flipping through a book when he heard this, so he looked up at Zhang Sui and nodded, saying, "It was right that you didn't go to my house. Even if you had gone last night, I probably wouldn't have seen you."

"Teacher."

Zhang Sui lowered his head and said with a wry smile, "I have failed in my duties in Jiangdong and have brought shame upon you."

Du Xiangong looked at him and said quietly, "In all these years in Jiangdong, the only mistake you made was the kidnapping of officials in Jiangnan. Everything else was alright."

At this point, Minister Du gave him a meaningful look: "Do you know where Qin Tong is now?"

Upon hearing the name, Zhang Sui took a deep breath, lowered his head, and smiled wryly, "I know, he's the current governor of Jizhou."

After Qin Tong returned to the capital after handling the case of the kidnapped official in Jiangdong, His Majesty the Emperor was very dissatisfied with the first draft of the plan he had given as the imperial envoy.

Not long after, they found an excuse to kick him out of the court and send him to Liaodong Circuit to serve as a prefect.

From Imperial Censor to a prefectural official in a border region, it was as if he had fallen straight from heaven to the mud.

Du Xiangong lowered his head and took a sip of tea before saying, "He was appointed as the governor of Jizhou because Yao Juzhong spoke well of him. At that time, His Majesty intended to send him to Liaodong as a county magistrate."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sui's smile turned bitter.

“My beloved teacher…”

Du Qian looked at him again and continued to ask, "Do you know why you were unharmed and even became the governor the following year?"

Zhang Sui said quietly, "I know, it's because the new policies in Jiangdong are important, and His Majesty doesn't want to change the leadership in Jiangdong at the last minute and ruin the court's grand plan for new policies."

Master Du nodded: "You're quite clever to think this way. If you think that your teacher has more face than Qin Tong's teacher..."

"Then there's truly no hope for them."

Zhang Sui sighed and said with a wry smile, "I know that I have displeased His Majesty because of that case. In the past three years, I have done my best to implement the new policies in Jiangdong."

As he spoke, he pointed to his hair and said, "Look, the students' hair has turned so white."

Du Xiangong looked at his hair and said, "The new policies in Jiangdong have been implemented quite well in recent years, which is why I am able to see you here."

He paused for a moment, then said, "You will have lunch in the Secretariat in a little while. In the afternoon, I will take you to the Ganlu Hall for an audience with His Majesty."

Zhang Sui was overjoyed upon hearing this.

He came to the Secretariat early in the morning, just waiting for Minister Du to say those words.

Because of the case of the kidnapping of officials in Jiangnan, he knew that His Majesty the Emperor harbored some resentment, so he himself was not very willing to see Li Yun.

At the same time, he also knew how much influence his teacher had with His Majesty the Emperor. With his mentor around, the Emperor was likely to…

They'll let him off this time!

Thinking of this, Zhang Zhongcheng lowered his head and said, "Master, I've heard there's a nice restaurant near the Imperial City gate. I'll accompany you there for lunch."

"No need."

Du Xiangong waved his hand and said, "His Majesty built a few rooms next to the Secretariat and set up a few imperial chefs to provide food and drink for us old men."

As he spoke, he said with a smile, "It's paid for by the imperial treasury."

Du Xiangong shook his head and sighed, "Throughout history, there has never been a dynasty whose officials have received such direct imperial rations as we have."

The common saying "eating the emperor's grain" actually refers to eating grain from the national treasury.

However, Du Xiangong and his ilk ate the very food that His Majesty the Emperor provided, with his own money being used to supply their meals.

Du Xiangong stood up and said with a smile, "Since the beginning of Jiangdong, His Majesty has never skimped on the food for his subordinates. You probably haven't eaten in our Zhongshu canteen yet. Come on, let me take you there for a meal."

This canteen of the Imperial Academy was actually built just over two years ago, less than three years ago.

Before this, when the prime ministers ate, they would either have their meals delivered by their families or have restaurants outside the capital prepare the food in advance and then have their servants fetch it.

Nowadays, several prime ministers have become accustomed to receiving government stipends from the Secretariat.

Even high-ranking officials considered it an honor to eat at the Secretariat's canteen. Sometimes, the ministers and vice ministers of the six ministries would come to the Secretariat to report on matters during mealtimes and go for a free meal with the prime minister they knew.

Each time he successfully mooched food, he would be very proud of himself and call it "the food of the Imperial Secretariat".

Even at this time, some officials would jokingly say this while drinking in private.

Don't you want to go to the Central Secretariat and live off the emperor's salary for a few years?
Zhang Sui was led by Du Qian to the dining hall near the Secretariat. It was a small place with only about two rooms. At a glance, among the prime ministers, only Prime Minister Xu Ang was eating there.

The two gentlemen greeted each other, and Zhang Sui then jogged up to them, bowing and addressing them as "Master Xu."

Xu Xiangong glanced at him, nodded slightly, then looked at Du Qian and sighed, "Prime Minister Du, I seem to have fallen ill as well. I would like to ask for a few days' leave to rest."

Upon hearing this, Du Qian also sighed silently.

As the years passed, these civil officials who had been by His Majesty's side the longest had grown increasingly old.

Du Qian himself is still considered young, already fifty-one years old this year. Xu Ang, Yao Zhong, Zhuo Guangrui, and others are all over sixty.

In this era, they are truly old people.

Even Guo You, the prime minister who only entered the Zhongshu a few years ago, is actually over fifty years old this year.

Du Xiangong looked at Xu Ang and said helplessly, "If Brother Ziwang is sick, he should rest at home for a few days and come back when he is well. However, Brother Ziwang should make arrangements for the Censorate in advance."

Xu Ang nodded.

Looking at him, Master Du continued, "Once Brother Ziwang returns, I'd like to rest for a few days as well."

The two prime ministers chatted for a while.

At this time, although Tao Wenyuan had not been dismissed as prime minister, he had been bedridden for more than half a year and had not come to the Secretariat, so he was basically no longer a person.

And the new policies in Jiangdong…

Actually, the results were quite good.

If all goes as planned, the new policies will be rolled out nationwide next year, at which time the Central Secretariat will likely see a surge of new talent.

It is certain that if there is a new prime minister, he will most likely be the one in charge of implementing the new policies.

After the meal, Du Qian led Zhang Sui into the palace. As they walked along the palace road, Du Qian glanced back at his student and shook his head slightly: "The Secretariat is short-staffed again. His Majesty needs a prime minister capable of overseeing the new policies. If you had been a little smarter about the kidnapping case back then…"

"Next year, I will at least be able to serve as a Vice Minister of State Affairs in the Central Secretariat."

Zhang Sui was startled and said with a wry smile, "The student is stupid."

He was truly unwilling to give up, and lowered his head, saying, "Master, could I possibly use my connections at the Crown Prince's palace...?"

"I've heard that in recent years, many people have obtained official positions through the Crown Prince's connections..."

Lord Du stopped and glanced at him, saying indifferently, "You are in Jiangdong, yet you are sharp of hearing and sight."

Whether or not you go to the East Palace is your personal decision, and it has nothing to do with me.

As they spoke, the two arrived at Ganlu Hall. Upon seeing that it was Prime Minister Du, Eunuch Gu, whose hair had also turned white, carefully invited Prime Minister Du inside and said with a smile, "Prime Minister, please wait in the side hall. This servant will go and inform His Majesty."

Du Qian nodded slightly, indicating that he appreciated the gesture, and led Zhang Sui into the side hall of Ganlu Hall in a generous manner.

At this moment, Zhang Zhongcheng was filled with emotion.

Others who wanted to see His Majesty sometimes couldn't even see the Ganlu Hall. Even if they did see the Ganlu Hall, they had to bribe the eunuchs to have a chance to wait at the entrance.

The teacher received the treatment of being allowed to wait directly in the side hall without needing to announce his arrival…

There are probably very few people like that in the entire court.

The master and disciple did not wait long in the side hall before being led by Eunuch Gu to the emperor, where Prime Minister Du bowed and paid his respects to the emperor.

Zhang Sui knelt respectfully on the ground, his forehead pressed against the floor tiles.

"Your subject, Imperial Censor Zhang Sui, has been ordered to inspect Jiangdong Circuit and Jinling Prefecture. I pay my respects to Your Majesty."

His Majesty the Emperor was looking through a painting when he heard Zhang Sui's voice. He looked up at Du Qian, then down at Zhang Sui, and said with a smile, "Isn't this Bodhisattva Zhang?"

"You've returned to Luoyang?"

The words "Zhang Bodhisattva" made Zhang Sui's cheeks burn. He lowered his head and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, I am filled with fear..."

The emperor narrowed his eyes and raised his hand: "They're not strangers, why are you trembling?"

When Zhang Sui was exactly twenty years old, he was already serving in Li Yun's army as a clerk for Emperor Li. From this perspective, they were indeed very familiar with each other.

"Get up and talk."

Zhang Sui trembled with fear, barely managing to get up, but dared not lift his head.

Having reigned for many years and made great contributions to the founding of the dynasty, His Majesty now exudes immense power and authority, even in the smallest gesture.

Even a high-ranking official like Zhang Sui could only proceed with extreme caution.

Emperor Li looked at Zhang Sui, then at Du Qian, and said with a smile, "Brother Shouyi, your student has become timid after a few years in Jiangdong."

“He still dared to offer opinions when he was a clerk in our army.”

Zhang Sui kept his head down, not daring to speak. He knew that the emperor was not speaking to him anymore.

Du Xiangong remained calm and said, "The amount of courage depends on what one does. Zhang Gongda has done quite a lot of things in Jiangnan over the years."

Upon hearing this, His Majesty the Emperor chuckled and said, "Now that he's back, let's proceed as we agreed beforehand. He shall be appointed as the Vice Minister of Rites, and next year he shall be sent as an envoy to Tibet."

"Bring back a few Tibetan princesses."

His Majesty the Emperor looked at the trembling Zhang Sui and chuckled.

"Marry my princes."

(End of this chapter)