Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 746 It's Hard to Be an Official

The court meeting has ended.

Just when everyone thought Zhang Luan would stay in the palace to have a private chat with the emperor, Zhang Luan showed no intention of staying and was carried out in a sedan chair by palace servants arranged by Qin Ji.

Although they didn't take the same route as the dismissed court officials, they were still heading in the right direction out of the palace.

Everyone was shocked to discover that Zhang Luan needed help to get into the sedan chair. In addition, during the latter part of the court meeting, Zhang Luan was clearly physically exhausted and was only barely holding on to argue with everyone. His hunched figure and the occasional trembling of his limbs were enough to prove how serious his illness was.

"He's really going all out."

At the palace gate, Xie Qian watched the departing sedan chair and turned to Xu Pu for a comment.

Xu Pu said, "Yu Qiao, what do you mean by that?"

Xie Qian said helplessly, "Tell me, is it really necessary for Zhang Laizhan to risk his life for Li Zisheng? He could have completely ignored what happened today. Come to think of it, he is indeed a loyal and righteous person, but he has misplaced his loyalty."

"Ugh!"

Xu Pu also sighed softly.

Regardless of whether Zhang Luan's actions were right or wrong, at least his character was not despicable.

It was no secret that Li Zisheng helped Zhang Luan's daughter choose a concubine.

Later, Zhang Luan repeatedly stood up for Li Zi Province, and even specially planned a great victory in the Northwest for Li Zi Province. This loyalty and righteousness is far beyond what ordinary people can match.

Liu Jian leaned closer and said, "If it weren't for Zhang Laizhan, the exposure of Li Zisheng's crimes would never have been so smooth and successful. Moreover, His Majesty would not have knowingly shielded him, even pleading with us to turn a blind eye... Alas, what a tragedy..."

Xu Pu said, "Now that things have come to this, it doesn't seem inappropriate to let Li Zisheng manage the river."

"What if something goes wrong?"

Liu Jian frowned and asked, "Is punishing only Li Zisheng enough?"

Xie Qian smiled and said, "That's a huge project to change the course of the Yellow River... Can one person really complete it with high quality and quantity? At that time, won't Zhang Laizhan be strategizing for him in the court? Once this project starts, it will definitely be difficult for Zhang Laizhan to handle. Why should we worry about him? Hehe."

By leaving it half-finished, I was essentially telling Xu Pu and Liu Jian that I believed Zhang Luan had jumped into a pit he had dug himself.

It seems the emperor doesn't want Zhang Luan to be associated with Li Zi Province, but in reality, Zhang Luan is already trapped and can't get off Li Zi Province's pirate ship.

If Li Zisheng fails to accomplish the river management task, Zhang Luan's reputation will be severely damaged. Therefore, Zhang Luan will definitely do everything he can to help Li Zisheng.

Such a large project would mean that if Zhang Luan chose to join the cabinet, he would have to give up his current position as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, which would be equivalent to losing his financial power and making it even more difficult for him to provide effective assistance to Lizi Province.

Even if Zhang Luan remained as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, he could not break through the restrictions on allocating funds and grain from the imperial court for assistance. He could only allocate funds under other pretexts to the prefectures and counties along the Yellow River, which would have to go through several intermediaries before they could actually be used for river management. This was enough to make him extremely anxious and unable to eat or sleep.

Once Zhang Luan is preoccupied with such a trivial matter, he will no longer be able to interfere in court affairs, nor will he affect the process of civil officials completely controlling the emperor's governance of the Ming Dynasty, which began during the Hongzhi reign.

For the next three years, Zhang Luan could only devote himself to the task of river management, which was perfect for an official who came from a background as a lecturer in the Eastern Palace.

Xu Pu said, "That's true, Yu Qiao, have you considered that Lai Zhan mentioned his son opening a coal factory in Xishan? This son is quite capable, and we must be wary of him."

"Heh, just a child."

Xie Qian smiled and said, "Do you think a mere child can keep the river management funds running smoothly? This is a major event involving millions of taels of silver, and with Eunuch Huai overseeing it, do you think Eunuch Huai would let Li Zisheng handle it carelessly?"

……

……

With the end of the court session, Li Zisheng was officially exonerated.

Regarding accusations of treason against him, no public opinion formed in the court. In the eyes of those who opposed Li Zisheng, the claim of treason was far-fetched. Moreover, many people disdained to stand with Liu Ji, as it would not only lower their own standards but also make them appear uncultured.

As a result, Li Zisheng, who was originally under investigation and detention for treason and was secretly placed under house arrest, was released from charges without any defense.

When Li Rong led his men to the villa where Li Zisheng was being held and delivered the news, Li Zisheng, who was having breakfast, was stunned, because things had gone much more smoothly than he had imagined.

Li Rong reminded him, "Minister Li, didn't you hear His Majesty's meaning clearly? You may leave here and return to your residence."

"Not urgent."

Li Zisheng then came to his senses and smiled, saying, “Let’s have breakfast before we leave. It’s rare to have bird’s nest porridge and refreshing side dishes with rice. When Henan gets busy with the river management, we may not be able to eat a peaceful meal... Moreover, at that time, we will be busy raising money and grain every day, and we may have to empty our pockets. It would be good if we ate bran and wild vegetables.”

Li Rong comforted him, saying, "Minister Li is joking. It's just a few bowls of bird's nest porridge. How did you come to talking about spending your entire fortune?"

Li Zisheng said, "What a big deal it is for the Yellow River to change its course! Now I have to bear the expenses all by myself, it's really extremely difficult."

Li Rong said, "If you feel that you are not capable of doing it, then you should quickly explain to His Majesty. You must act according to your ability. If the Yellow River is not repaired properly, it will bring endless hidden dangers. At that time, not only will you not gain any merit, but you will also be guilty of a great sin, which is extremely unwise!"

"That's not necessary."

Li Zisheng shook his head and said, "To knowingly do something that is impossible is naturally causing trouble for the court and His Majesty. But right now, I haven't even tried it yet, so how do I know it can't be done?"

Li Rong asked, "Can you really support such a large project with your own wealth? That's definitely not something that can be solved with just a few hundred thousand taels of silver. Once the project starts, money will be spent like water."

"How could I not know these things?"

Li Zisheng picked up a piece of pickled bamboo shoot from his bowl, ate a bite with his bird's nest porridge, and then continued, "I will do my best. I think His Majesty will not ignore any problems that arise. Does the court really not contribute a single penny? To achieve this goal that will be remembered for all time, I will dedicate myself to the cause until my dying breath. I believe that as long as I do my best, others will understand me."

"hehe."

Li Rong wore a smile that was less than flattering, and even contained a hint of mockery.

You, Li Zisheng, really have a high opinion of yourself.

You actually naively believe that someone will bail you out if something goes wrong?

Don't you realize how many people in the court are waiting to see you make a fool of yourself?
If you fail, they will do everything in their power to attack you, hoping you'll die and be reincarnated sooner, and they will absolutely not offer you any help.

Li Zisheng asked, "Would Eunuch Li like to sit down and eat with us?"

"No need."

Li Rong quickly declined.

Who wants to go to jail with you?

When others hear they can leave, they'll definitely run away as fast as they can. But what about you?

Speaking of that person in the next yard...

I want to leave but I don't even have a chance yet.

……

……

Li Rong didn't eat with them, but he didn't turn around and leave either. Instead, he moved to the courtyard outside and chatted with Zhu Ji for a while.

The two were not particularly surprised that Li Zisheng was released after only two nights, or rather, they had expected it. They knew that Li Zisheng was just there for a vacation and would leave as soon as he was done, still enjoying his glamorous life abroad.

When Li Zisheng finished eating and came out of the room, Li Rong and Zhu Ji went to greet him.

"Oh, right, I forgot to ask earlier, do we still need to confront...that Grand Secretary Liu face to face?" Li Zisheng asked.

"No need."

Li Rong smiled and said, "His Majesty didn't say that the two of you should confront each other, so you don't need to worry about it."

Li Zisheng said, "This isn't right. The man surnamed Liu accused me of treason, and I sued him back. There's still no result. Why don't we even talk about it in person? Is this... going to just be left unresolved?"

Li Rong said, "Your matter can be settled, but Grand Secretary Liu's matter is very serious and cannot be resolved for the time being."

"So that means my report was valid?"

Li Zisheng laughed and said, "This makes me quite embarrassed... To be honest, I didn't mean to harm him; I was just telling him what I knew, that's all."

Li Rong nodded: "You're right. Revealing the inside story is more important than anything else. On the other hand, when Grand Secretary Liu targeted you, he didn't tell the truth. He accused you of colluding with Liang Fang, Wei Xing, and others to push for a change of heir. How could such a big matter be known only to him? But regarding Grand Secretary Liu and Grand Secretary Wan's conspiracy with people in the court... there is solid evidence." "Is that so?"

Li Zisheng smiled, seemingly unaware of the situation Li Rong was referring to.

Li Rong was inwardly grumbling, thinking to himself, "It was clearly you who reported Liu Ji, so why are you pretending now?"
Li Zisheng, your actions are steady, accurate, and ruthless; you seem intent on utterly destroying Liu Ji.

However, thinking back to the end of the Chenghua era, because the emperor's condition was uncertain, there was actually a lot of controversy in the court about whether to change the heir apparent. The whole thing started because of the previous emperor. If it weren't for the Chenghua Emperor's secret instruction, who would dare to interfere in the succession issue?

This is tantamount to the Hongzhi Emperor settling scores after the fact!

On the contrary, Li Zisheng, because he had sided with Zhang Luan from the beginning and had Zhang Luan speak on his behalf, was the most difficult to convict, since everyone knew that Zhang Luan was the most steadfast member of the princeling faction.

Li Zisheng said, "In that case, I'll head back now. I need to get my official documents quickly and head south as soon as possible; I'll probably be leaving soon. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you personally before I leave the capital."

Li Rong smiled and said, "You're too kind. We're waiting for your good news in the capital. If you can really complete the Yellow River diversion project within three years, it will be a great achievement for the country and your name will be remembered for eternity."

"Yes, it would be a great achievement for the country... If I fail, I will be nailed to the pillar of historical shame! I must work harder."

After saying that, Li Zisheng walked away with a laugh.

……

……

Li Zisheng walked leisurely out of the courtyard gate, where a carriage was already waiting.

Li Rong and Zhu Ji saw the guests off together.

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Zhu Ji asked, "Eunuch Li, it's alright that Li Zisheng is gone, but what about the one inside?"

“His Majesty hasn’t given any orders, so keep him locked up,” Li Rong said. “After all, he’s a Grand Secretary. If they can’t find any major crimes, he’ll probably just be dismissed from office.”

"After all, he is the Grand Secretary..."

Zhu Ji felt that this matter was of great importance.

Everyone says the emperor is benevolent and righteous, but he took down both the previous and current chief ministers as soon as he came to power, and even the former cabinet minister Peng Hua was punished...

In other words, after the emperor ascended the throne, he dismissed several of the highest-ranking officials in name only, leaving only Xu Pu, who had just joined the cabinet, unscathed.

Li Rong said, "Everyone knows what kind of person this Grand Secretary Liu is. It's no wonder he's ended up in this predicament."

"..."

Zhu Ji was deeply moved upon hearing this.

Liu Ji was just bored and had nothing better to do; he brought this on himself.

Li Rong continued, "Just look at who's speaking up for him in court today... Heh, do they really think the court officials don't know the reasons behind this? Nobody wants to pay him any attention!"
"Let's leave him hanging. When he comes to his senses and is willing to resign, and can even move His Majesty, then perhaps we can let him retire and return to his hometown. At that point, our mission will be accomplished."

"Yes."

Zhu Ji hurriedly accepted the order.

……

……

Liu Ji, who was in the west wing, seemed to have his edges smoothed out overnight.

When he learned that Li Zisheng, who had been imprisoned with him, had been released and that Li Zisheng was on imperial orders to repair the Yellow River and had not been dismissed from his post, he felt even more that he was doomed.

He smashed things in the room and caused all sorts of trouble, all in an attempt to meet the person in charge.

In the end, it was Zhu Ji who took the initiative to come and meet him.

“Hey you, Zhu, hurry up and call Eunuch Li here. I have something to say to him. Li Zisheng has committed many evil deeds; we can’t let him get away like this.”

Liu Ji still doesn't forget who his enemy is.

Zhu Ji said calmly, "Grand Secretary Liu, now that things have come to this, there's no need to waste your energy... Your imprisonment here is not something we can decide. Without His Majesty's orders, you can't go anywhere."

Liu Ji said, "Did I say I was going to leave? I just want to confess all the evil deeds of Li Zi Province."

Are you in cahoots with him?

Zhu Ji countered, "If not, why do you know so clearly?"

Liu Ji grinned, revealing a mouthful of black teeth. At this moment, he looked like an old man on his deathbed, and said, "After meeting the Emperor, I will explain myself."

It was only then that Zhu Ji realized how right Li Rong was.

Liu Jicai is the troublemaker in the court who is like a headless fly. He still doesn't understand the situation and doesn't know where he went wrong.

Is it because you reported Li Zisheng that you ended up being detained?

Or rather, could the Lizi Province's counterattack against you really deprive you, a high-ranking official, of your freedom and secretly imprison you here without any investigation?

The root cause is that the emperor is annoyed with you!

They believe that you, Liu Ji, are no longer useful to the Ming Dynasty or to maintaining the emperor's rule, and this is a punishment for you!
But you still want to use your position as chief minister to reduce your own crime by accusing Li Zisheng of being a treacherous minister.
The problem is that Li Zisheng has long admitted to the crimes he committed in the past, and he didn't even try to hide the fact that he was misled by Liang Fang and did some things that were detrimental to the Crown Prince.

What good does it do for you to shout here?

"Grand Secretary Liu, you are old and frail, and in your senility you are no longer fit to shoulder great responsibilities. Why not choose to retire gracefully? This would be a good thing for both you and the court!"

Zhu Ji kindly reminded him.

"Retire? What retirement? How am I old? I'm clearly in my prime, the time to make a difference. Without me, who can take charge of affairs in the court?"

Liu Ji said angrily, "You surnamed Zhu, quickly go and pass on my message. You don't need to worry about the rest. Huh... where are you going? Did you hear what I said?"

After that, no matter how much Liu Ji shouted and got angry in the room, Zhu Ji ignored him.

I warned you to resign earlier, so that you could have parted amicably as ruler and subject. But you're still stubborn, and what will happen next... is beyond your control.

……

……

Li Zisheng returned home in good spirits.

Pang Qing was sorting through valuables in the storeroom in the side courtyard when he heard that Li Zisheng had returned, so he hurriedly came out to greet him.

"Master Dao, you're out already?"

Pang Qing asked with concern.

Li Zisheng said, "The intercalary first month hasn't even ended yet. Do you really intend for me to spend another New Year inside? With Lai Zhan helping me, getting out will be easy. It's just that I'm really not sure about the subsequent river management."

Pang Qing said, "So... you really want to go all out, even if it means sacrificing your entire fortune?"

"Ah."

Li Zisheng nodded and said, "A new emperor brings a new court. I am now in office and have made contributions, which is already quite remarkable. In particular, I spend money to do practical things for the people, handing over all the money I have gained through power, and doing my best to leave a good name for myself for all time. This will make my career in officialdom worthwhile."

"So it was all for nothing?" Pang Qing asked, both amused and exasperated.

Li Zisheng frowned and scolded, "Can't you speak properly? You're working for the court, how can you be so concerned about personal gains and losses? Even if you were to be... I've enjoyed myself all these years!"

"I...cough cough...oh, my vast fortune! Being an official is really difficult!"

He originally wanted to say a few more nice words, but later, Li Zisheng couldn't help but burst into tears.

(End of this chapter)