Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 128: Rewritten Destiny
"When appointing talented individuals, the principle is 'don't avoid enemies when appointing outsiders, and don't avoid relatives when appointing insiders.' It's just a matter of hiring a few trustworthy people. It's not a big sin." Just as Cui Wensheng expected, the emperor really didn't care much about his personal appointments. "Just be more careful in the future."

"I bow to thank my master for his grace." Cui Wensheng quickly took advantage of the situation and knelt down to thank God for his grace.

"Is there anything else?" Zhu Changluo picked up the teacup and drank the strong tea.

"Replying to the master. That's all."

"The affairs of the East Factory have not been sorted out yet. If there is nothing else important, you can go back to the yamen." Zhu Changluo waved his hand.

"Then I will take my leave." Cui Wensheng let out a long sigh and thought to himself: I am really a lucky person.

Wang An, seated behind the first table to the left of the imperial desk, remained silent until Cui Wensheng left. He then spoke, "Master, Cui Wensheng, this servant, would have come all the way to the Southern Study to apologize. I'm afraid he must have used more than one or two personal agents." Cui Wensheng's tricks were completely invisible to Wang An. "Isn't it too easy for this servant to just let him go?"

"He's useless," Zhu Changluo shrugged, saying, "The West Factory has already warned him. If I say a few more words to him, it would be too much. The East Factory has to be a little more arrogant. If we numb his paws and make him timid and hesitant, that would be bad."

"I'm afraid he will get too aggressive." Wang An said worriedly.

"Hmm." Zhu Changluo nodded. "Send someone to call Mi Mengshang to the South Study."

Wang An was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening. "Master, you are wise!"

Wei Chao was in excellent physical condition, with swift steps, and he soon entered the Wenhua Hall. However, it took him a while to find the records the emperor needed. As he passed the Qianqing Gate, he saw a thin figure, also dressed in a bright red robe, trudging through the wind and snow towards the same destination.

Wei Chao was a bit nearsighted, so it took him a while to discern the person's identity. "Your servant greets Master Mi." Wei Chao stopped and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Eunuch Wei." Mi Mengshang returned the greeting and said considerately. "Even if the emperor asked you to come out to pick me up, you wouldn't have to walk all the way here. It's freezing cold, don't hurt yourself."

Wei Chao felt a warm feeling in his heart. He didn't expose the truth, but simply said vaguely, "It's okay. I'm just doing my job for my master. Besides, I'm not that old."

"Let's go." Mi Mengshang walked towards the south study with big square steps, with the air of an official.

"Okay." Wei Chaoruo took half a step towards Mi Mengshang and followed her closely.

A moment later, Mi Mengshang and Wei Chao arrived at the door of the South Study together. Since they both could enter without announcing their names, they went in when they saw the door was slightly ajar.

"Your humble concubine Mi Mengshang greets the emperor!" Mi Mengshang bowed as a wife.

"Come and sit down." Zhu Changluo smiled.

Beside the throne, a hollow stool with charcoal for warming the buttocks was ready. Mi Mengshang walked over and sat down obediently.

"The Emperor finally remembered me." Mi Mengshang blinked, trying to make her eyes sparkle, but the mountains of paperwork made them dry, and she couldn't manage to look tearful and pitiful. "I thought the Emperor had forgotten me."

After all, Mi Mengshang was trained by the Imperial Music Bureau. Even with just this well-controlled angry voice, it was enough to arouse the emperor, who had been abstinent for a long time, into a frenzy of lust.

"Ahem!" Zhu Changluo coughed twice to calm himself down. He pointed at Cui Wensheng's empty seat and said seriously, "Cui Wensheng was here just now."

"Eunuch Cui should be here to apologize to the emperor, right?" Mi Mengshang asked knowingly.

"How many private individuals did he use?" Zhu Changluo asked back.

"Whether it's civil or military affairs, or criminal justice, Eunuch Cui has filled every important position he can," Mi Mengshang scoffed. "Eunuch Cui's way of using his power to establish his authority is too ugly."

"Oh?" Zhu Changluo became interested and asked, "What does it mean to be good-looking?"

"I don't know what is considered good-looking. But Eunuch Wei's method is definitely much better than Eunuch Cui's." Mi Mengshang replied.

Wei Chao thought Mi Mengshang was talking about him and couldn't help but cast a puzzled look at her. However, he soon realized that the eunuch Wei that Mi Mengshang was referring to was not sitting here.

"The officers and soldiers of the Western Factory's Executive Bureau came from two sources: the Xu family's Tongzhou soldiers, and the Imperial Horse Prison Guards. Eunuch Wei didn't disband the smaller Tongzhou soldiers. Instead, he directly assigned Captain Liu Zongcong, a captain from the Imperial Guards, to lead the First Execution Brigade, which was primarily composed of Tongzhou soldiers. He also transferred Captain Ye Ye and Huang Yuming, two captains promoted from the Tongzhou soldiers, to lead the Imperial Guards." Mi Mengshang recounted her observations.

"At the same time, Eunuch Wei promoted more mid- and low-ranking officers, including centurions, from the smaller Tongzhou troops. After completing the by-elections for all officer schools, Eunuch Wei assigned the soldiers to them by drawing lots."

"Draw lots?" Zhu Changluo asked, "Didn't you say you didn't disperse the Tongzhou soldiers?"

"Oh!" Mi Mengshang replied, "Eunuch Wei's lot wasn't drawn by all three thousand people. It was only drawn within each execution team."

"Why is that?" Wang An has always been very concerned about Wei Zhongxian's movements, but this does not mean that he can understand every detail of the establishment of the Western Factory.

"I don't know the specific reason." Mi Mengshang turned slightly towards Wang An. "Anyway, in the end, the only private person Eunuch Wei appointed was Fu Yingxing, the captain of the factory director's guard. Fu Yingxing is Eunuch Wei's nephew. The emperor should know about this."

"Fu Yingxing came to me to ask for that official uniform." Zhu Changluo thought for a moment and said with certainty. Zhu Changluo knew at that time that Wei Zhongxian was not only asking for an official position, but also trying to dispel suspicion and show loyalty.

"You did a great job." Zhu Changluo suddenly said to Mi Mengshang. "What reward do you want?"

Mi Mengshang's heart beat erratically, and something immediately popped up in her mind. But she still opened her mouth to decline, saying, "As a concubine receiving a salary from the Emperor, I should share his worries. How can I talk about rewards without permission?"

Mi Mengshang received two rations: one was the standard salary for a concubine, and the other was the 2,000 taels salary for a fourth-rank official. This amount was very high.

The salaries of low-ranking executives in the Western Factory were increased on a tiered basis. This did not include the "lifetime imperial bonus" granted by hereditary titles. Executives without titles received a net salary of 18 taels per year. Team leaders received an additional 3 taels, bringing the total to 21 taels. Banner leaders received an additional 4 taels, bringing the total to 25 taels. Chief banner leaders received an additional 5 taels, bringing the total to 30 taels.

From the mid-level executives upwards, the step-by-step growth principle shifted to a leapfrog approach. A battalion commander, commanding a squadron (three general flags), received an annual salary of 100 taels of silver. A thousand-man commander, commanding a battalion (three squadrons), received an annual salary of 500 taels of net silver. In other words, the combined annual salary of ten battalion commanders at the Western Depot was only equivalent to that of two thousand-man commanders, while the combined annual salary of four thousand-man commanders, including Fu Yingxing, the general flag officer with the title of thousand households, was equivalent to Mi Mengshang's.

In other words, her salary alone was equivalent to that of 111 ordinary prostitutes. If Mi Mengshang wanted, she could redeem two high-class prostitutes like Zhou Miaotong every year to keep her company.

"One thing is another. Salary is salary, and reward is reward." Zhu Changluo enumerated and praised: "You completed the task of clearing the accounts in such a short time. As soon as Cui Wensheng was reinstated, you put him on a leash and diligently kept an eye on Wei Zhongxian. This is very good, and I am very satisfied."

"This is not my own achievement." Mi Mengshang still refused. "Others have their own rewards. I won't allow you to refuse again." Zhu Changluo waved his hand to stop Mi Mengshang, and said in an unquestionable tone: "Whatever you want, I can give it to you."

"Then, then my humble concubine." Hearing these words, Mi Mengshang felt that the time had come, so she stood up and walked to Zhu Changluo's desk and knelt down.

"Just tell me what you want. There's no need to kneel down. Stand up." Zhu Changluo frowned slightly.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for my presumptuous behavior." Mi Mengshang kowtowed and said, "I would like to ask Your Majesty to pardon my father and brother. Spare them the three thousand miles of exile."

The Ministry of Rites had just drafted titles for the Wanli Emperor's concubines, but the official canonization hadn't yet taken place. Therefore, Li Zhulan, Mi Mengshang, and other concubines of the Emperor's own had to continue waiting with the less prestigious titles of Selected Concubine and Talented Lady.

Without the official canonization, the Ministry of Rites would not have conducted the routine background checks on them. Without the relevant government reports, Zhu Changluo, who was busy as a top, never took the initiative to ask about Mi Mengshang's past, and thus did not know the situation of her father and brother.

"What did they do wrong?" Zhu Changluo looked at Wang An.

Wang An licked his lips. He knew Mi Mengshang's background, but he also thought the emperor should know about it, so he didn't say anything.

"I'll ask someone to check it out right away." Wang An decided to pretend he didn't know, because the situation of Mi Mengshang's father and brother was not suitable to be mentioned in the current situation.

"Alright, forget about checking." Zhu Changluo didn't think too much about it and simply waved his hand and said, "A gentleman's words are not a joke. Since you've asked, I'll grant you permission. Wang An."

"I'm here." Wang An stood up and walked to the imperial desk.

"Tell the Ministry of Justice to pardon Mi Mengshang's father and brother and exempt them from punishment. The inner court should allocate funds and find a pleasant place in Jiangnan for their resettlement." Mi Mengshang held an important position and was very obedient, making her a very useful scabbard. Zhu Changluo did not want to allow these people with criminal records who could have a significant impact on her to come into contact with her for the time being.

"I obey your order." Wang An replied formally.

"Your humble concubine Mi Mengshang bows to thank the emperor for his great grace!" Mi Mengshang understood the truth that "once you enter the palace, it is like entering a deep sea". She never expected that she would be able to reunite with her family one day. She was already very satisfied to be able to ask for the emperor's pardon for her father and brother.

"Okay, stop kneeling there. Come and sit down." Zhu Changluo said with a smile.

"I obey your command." Mi Mengshang bit her lower lip tightly, trying her best to suppress the mixed feelings of joy and sadness, and sat back on the warm cotton pad.

"How is the investigation into Xu Keqiu's case going?" Zhu Changluo turned to ask Wei Chaodao.

Wei Chao let out a long sigh, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand, and said carefully: "To reply to the master. Xu Keqiu was from Xi'an County, Zhejiang Province. He was the 42nd place in the third class of the Renchen Imperial Examination in the 20th year of Wanli. He was initially appointed as the magistrate of Nanchang County. In the 21st year of Wanli, he was changed to the magistrate of Shanghai County. Later, he was promoted to the director of the Military Affairs Department, and served as the director of the Personnel Department. In November of the 34th year of Wanli, he was changed to the Deputy Director of the Inspection Department. Later, he was promoted to the Langzhong of the Wenxuan Department. In the 40th year of Wanli, he was impeached and dismissed for taking bribes." After waiting for a long time, Wei Chao did not continue speaking.

"Then what?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"My Lord, this man is an idle official, without an active position." Wei Chao first searched for officials in Sichuan, but to no avail. He then searched for officials in Beijing, but to no avail. He then searched for officials throughout the country, but still to no avail. It wasn't until he had an idea that he finally found a record of Xu Keqiu by looking through the rosters of dismissed officials over the years.

It can be said that it was precisely because Xu Keqiu did not wear the black hat on his head that Wei Chao came late and entered the palace with Mi Mengshang.

"How is it possible!?" Zhu Changluo did not think that he had remembered it wrong, because the starting point of the "She'an Rebellion" was Fan Long, the son-in-law of Yi chieftain She Chongming, who instigated the rebellion in Chongqing parade ground and stabbed Xu Keqiu, the then governor of Sichuan, to death while riding a horse and brandishing a spear.

"Have you really verified it?" Zhu Changluo asked again.

"I swear that nothing is left out." Wei Chao swore to the sky.

"How is it possible!?" If Xu Keqiu was not in office, how could he be stabbed to death while in office?
"Master?" Wei Chao felt that the emperor was in a state of evil and couldn't help but worry.

Something must have happened! That’s why the people who should be in office are not in office, while the people who shouldn’t be in office are in office instead. The people who shouldn’t be in office shouldn’t be in office!

Zhu Changluo stood up suddenly, walked to the shelf where the documents were placed, and began to search frantically.

"Wei Chao! What's going on?" Wang An couldn't sit still any longer. He quickly walked over to Wei Chao and scolded him in a questioning tone.

"I don't know either! Xu Keqiu is just an idle man who was dismissed from office!" Wei Chao was at a loss.

Just when Wang An was hesitating whether to call the imperial physician, Zhu Changluo took out the memorial he wanted from the documents.

"emperor?"

"I'm fine." Zhu Changluo smiled bitterly, which made his words seem unconvincing.

"master?"

"Everyone, sit back down." Zhu Changluo closed the memorial and handed it to Wei Chao.

Wei Chaobong received the memorial. As soon as he saw the cover, he wondered why the emperor mentioned Xu Keqiu, the idle man who had been dismissed from office.

This was the "Memorial of Recommendation for an Official Position" submitted by the Minister of Personnel, Zhou Jiamo, in August, which was rejected by the emperor. Wei Chao flipped open the memorial and quickly saw that line of words.

Xu Ke asked to be appointed Governor of Sichuan.

"The butterfly's wings flapped out the first hurricane so quickly." Zhu Changluo muttered something that no one present could understand.

He understood. Xu Keqiu failed to take up his post as scheduled because the "Emperor Taichang" who was supposed to take office had resigned early.

In August of the first year of Taichang, Emperor Guangzong Zhu Changluo ascended the throne, and Xu Keqiu was promoted to the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate and Governor of Sichuan.

The gears of history have changed. Zhu Xieyuan, who was originally scheduled to quell the She'an Rebellion, is likely to replace Xu Keqiu to go to Chongqing to inspect the army supporting the Liao chieftain, and then become the first victim of this turmoil.

(End of this chapter)