Chinese New Year

Chapter 1486 Grand Secretary

The twelfth month of the second year of Longhua was somewhat special, because many high-ranking officials who had left the town and other prefectures returned, visiting relatives and friends, holding banquets and feasts, making it a very lively time.

On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Wen Qiao, the military governor of Qin and He prefectures, returned to the capital in a low-key manner and did not visit anyone.

However, some people were still keeping a close eye on him. The background was that Fan Yi, the Pingzhang Zhengshi, was getting old and was promoted to Taibao, thus relinquishing his position in the Zhengshitang.

Liu Runzhong was promoted to Minister of Works, and similarly relinquished his position as Chancellor.

The sudden opening of two prime ministerial positions has certainly sparked much speculation.

Wen Qiao's wife came from the Langya Wang clan, a fact Wang Yan had told him when he was still alive. She was of above-average appearance but was skilled at managing the household. Having received strict training from a young age, she was always attentive to her husband's emotions and could also analyze the political situation at court, making her own judgments and participating in important matters alongside her husband.

Seeing that Wen Qiao only stayed at home reading, practicing calligraphy, drinking wine, and composing poems, she understood that he only talked to his husband about their children, or chatted about his newly written poems, or about the rare items that had been added to the house.

"A merchant from the Western Regions brought a kind of vinegar wine. I heard it was made from grape juice that had been left to ferment for too long and turned into a bitter wine (containing grape vinegar). Dalang bought some back, but no one wanted to drink it," Wang said with a smile.

Wen Qiao smiled and said, "Hezhou has a type of bitter wine made from grapes, which is a delicacy for the poor herdsmen. During several expeditions to quell the rebellion, we also found a lot of bitter wine. After the victory, the soldiers talked and laughed and drank together without feeling bitter."

“My husband has been on the frontier for many years, so he naturally knows more than I do,” Wang said with a smile. “I can only raise the children well, manage the household affairs, and look westward every day.”

Wen Qiao put down his pen and smiled, "Without you, Madam, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to govern Helong for long."

Wen Qiao spent most of his life working hard in the Hexi Corridor.

I've traveled all over Qinzhou, Liangzhou, Shazhou, and Hezhou. At one point, I couldn't continue working because of a toothache. Now that my toothache is gone, I've become more down-to-earth and honest.

They say environment shapes a person. Wen Qiao once thought that if he had served as an official in Henan or even Jiangnan, he would probably still be a dashing and debonair gentleman. Well, not quite a gentleman, though; he would gamble sometimes, but that would be the general impression.

But once I went to Helong, the way we socialized changed.

Gambling is something all men love, and that will continue. But riding and archery, hunting, drinking heavily, eating large chunks of meat, talking loudly, and not holding grudges overnight are the mainstream. Over time, people are deeply shaped by their environment.

He is now completely unaccustomed to some of the ways of the Henan scholars, which is one of the reasons why he has not socialized since returning.

Of course, this is not the main reason.

Fan Yi has retired, Liu Runzhong has retired, and now only Liang Fen and Wang Que'er remain in the Political Affairs Hall.

Liang Fen is theoretically the prime minister, but given his age and humble nature, he has no ill will towards Wang Que'er. Therefore, Wang Que'er currently holds the loudest voice in the Council of State. The emperor is certainly not satisfied with this situation and will soon appoint a replacement, changing the current power structure.

Wen Taizhen didn't return to the capital for no reason. He has a great chance of becoming a prime minister in the Council of State—in fact, many people have seen this. If he hadn't closed his doors to visitors these past few days, his doorstep would have been worn down by the crowds.

Given this, the question of how to enter the Council of State in the future has become an urgent matter to consider.

He was from Taiyuan, his wife came from the Langya Wang clan, and he was on good terms with Yu Liang. At the same time, he had been stationed in the Hexi Corridor for many years. In truth, he had something to say about which side he represented.

Judging from the current situation, the position vacated after Liu Runzhong's retirement will most likely be filled by Wang Feng, the Minister of State Ceremonies. There is no other reason than that there are a large number of Wuhuan people from Yuyang to Hexi, and many tribal nobles of the Tuoba Xianbei also have close ties with Wang Feng. They need someone who can speak for them at the top. Wang Feng was practically sent to the Hall of State Affairs without even having to lift a finger.

The emperor called this "united front work," and Wen Qiao did not understand its meaning, but he knew that if the country wanted to be stable and maintain the Yinshan defense line, it had to do this until the Wang family's influence in the area faded—not because they were replaced by other families, but because, through the efforts of generations, the court was able to gain deep control over these counties and tribes.

Therefore, it seems that Wen Qiao was actually competing for the position left by Fan Yi.

Simply put, he wanted to speak on behalf of the Qin, He, Liang, and Sha prefectures west of Longshan, and even the military towns of the Western Regions, to advocate for them and fight for their interests, so as not to alienate them.

To put it bluntly, the emperor's concept of "mutual forbearance for the sake of the country" is still relevant today, and perhaps it never will be.

Even within a family there are conflicts and inequalities, let alone in such a large country.

Once Wen Qiao understood this, he knew what to do. When the emperor summoned him for a question in the future, he wouldn't say the wrong thing. If he did say the wrong thing, even if the emperor thought highly of him, he would have to let him go for various reasons.

This is politics, the highest level of politics, which requires you to have a deep understanding of the country's overall structure.

Furthermore, the saying goes that the greatest truths are the simplest, and a heavy sword has no edge; the highest level of politics is actually quite simple: the distribution of interests.

Wen Qiao had already figured this out, so he knew what he had to do.

******
After spending several days in the capital, the officials of the Futen Agricultural Encouragement Bureau returned to Luoyang just in time for the New Year, including the Crown Prince and Yu Liang.

Many people are discussing whether the Crown Prince will continue the land survey next year, with opinions varying widely and no consensus reached. Judging from the results, the five prefectures of Yu, Yan, Xu, Qing, and Ji have been thoroughly investigated for two consecutive years, and half of Sili Prefecture has also entered the investigation stage. The population of various prefectures has increased significantly, and a large amount of farmland has flowed into the hands of ordinary people.

For generations, they had been farm laborers, and this year many of them finally had a family fortune to pass on to their descendants. For the first time in their lives, they even had surplus grain. They were all overjoyed and wept tears of gratitude, deeply grateful to the Crown Prince.

Without a doubt, this was the emperor sending the crown prince to win over the hearts of the people. Whether he liked it or not, he was forced to take this step. And once that step was taken, there was no turning back.

Even the land that scholars had acquired during the Tai Shi era could not be kept. They were forced to hand over their property and go south to seize land. The Crown Prince should be very aware of the resentment and hatred among them. There were no major rebellions, but there were quite a few minor ones. Coupled with various underhanded methods such as ambushes, poisoning, and assassinations, the Crown Prince's two years of land-grabbing life must have been quite "exciting".

Wen Qiao was far away in Helong, and even heard that the Crown Prince once ordered Yuan Xi, the Left Guard Commander, to wear armor and carry a blade to guard the inn and manor where he was staying.

When some incited the followers of the Celestial Masters to rebel, the Left Flying Dragon Guard rushed to quell the rebellion, while many powerful clans remained neutral. After these events, Wen Qiao was very curious about what the Crown Prince was thinking now.

He boldly predicted that the land survey would continue, with half of Sili Province remaining, and some counties in Bing Province, Yong Province, Yang Province, Jing Province, You Province, and Qin Province not even having started yet.

The Crown Prince can't stop; he'll be busy for at least another year.

Of course, during this process, the emperor might also give him some tasks, such as having the court select and send some memorials to the official post station, so that the crown prince can truly participate in the governance of the court, rather than just "listening to the government".

Wen Qiao, acting from his own heart, felt that the emperor might also want the crown prince to have a deeper understanding of the difference between imperial power and the power of the prime minister.

With the current emperor still alive, imperial power surpasses that of the prime minister. Whether it was Wang Yan, who served as the sole prime minister during the era of the prime minister's office, or Liang Fen and Wang Que'er, who served as prime ministers in the era of the Council of State Affairs, they were merely echoes of the emperor and had no power to resist. From another perspective, the relationship between the emperor and the prime ministers was very harmonious, which is what is meant by "the emperor and his ministers are in harmony".

With the current emperor absent, the relationship between imperial power and the power of the prime minister becomes very delicate. It's hard to say who will prevail; it depends on the times, the prevailing atmosphere, and each person's skill.

When the prime minister rejects the crown prince's order, don't get angry; this is probably what the emperor wants the crown prince to understand.

On the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, just as Yu Liang was preparing to visit the emperor to reminisce, Wen Qiao entered the palace first and paid his respects to the emperor.

Shao Xun sat in front of the Nine Dragons Hall, watching the swirling snowflakes, and said, "Tai Zhen, how does this snow compare to that of He Long?"

“Your Majesty, the snow in Hexi and Longxi is as cold as a knife, covering thousands of miles of land. This snow sharpens my bones and makes me aware of the hardships of the people.” Wen Qiao replied, “But the snow in Luoyang is auspicious and light, nourishing all things silently. This snow cleanses my body and mind, making me realize the clarity of the court.”

Shao Xun glanced at him, somewhat speechless.

He just casually said something meaningless, like asking "Have you eaten today?", and you've given me all this high-sounding advice. Do you have perfect reading comprehension?

However, Wen Qiao's words had a deeper meaning and directly expressed his attitude.

Now that things had come to this, Shao Xun stopped beating around the bush and followed Wen Qiao's words, saying, "In the past, the snow in Helong pressed down on bows and swords, and you transformed the cold blades into the Great Wall. Today, the snow falls on the jade steps of the Imperial Palace, and I wish to melt the clear, cold snow into sweet rain. Both strength and gentleness reside in your heart, and the world awaits this snow."

Upon hearing this, Wen Qiao's mind wavered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and replied in a calm and composed voice, "Your Majesty, I am willing to follow your example, whether it is the bitter cold of the border or the auspicious signs of Luoyang and Bianjing, I will do my utmost to serve you."

Shao Xun laughed happily.

Who says scholars are all arrogant and pretentious? Wen Taizhen and Yu Yuangui were well-trained.

He took Wen Qiao's hand, pointed to the heavy snow outside the corridor, and laughed, "From this day forward, the Hall of State Affairs shall have an additional seat. You shall emulate the spirit of the snow on the frontier to uphold the order of the court, and cherish the warmth of the snow in the capital to comfort the common people. I will stand with you in the wind and snow, and watch this snow nourish the Central Plains!"

"Your subject is willing to devote himself to the cause until his dying breath," Wen Qiao said, bowing.

Shao Xun pulled him up and scolded him, "What are you saying, Tai Zhen! The world is at peace now, a time to share wealth and honor. How can you talk about death? The position of Grand Secretary is rightfully yours."

After saying this, Shao Xun put his hands behind his back, looked at the snow falling in front of the palace, and said, "I only wish that the snow would come as soon as possible, and once it falls, it will be over. But things in this world can't always go as planned. After you take charge of the Secretariat, your first priority will be to manage Jiaoguang. This is the most important thing next year."

"Your subject obeys," Wen Qiao replied.

Shao Xun took two steps forward, stretched out a hand, caught a few snowflakes, examined them for a moment, and then said, "Major and minor matters can be discussed more with the Crown Prince. He—should also get involved in these matters."

"Yes," Wen Qiao replied in a deep voice, bowing his head.

Power is delegated step by step. The Crown Prince has endured so many years, walking on thin ice, and has never allowed the Emperor to find any major faults with him. Finally, the day has come when the clouds part and the sun shines through.

At this moment, Wen Qiao suddenly realized that his entry into the Council of State might also be related to his relatively complicated background.

The emperor needs someone like him to mediate between various parties and ensure peace and stability for the world.

(End of this chapter)