Huangming

Chapter 178 The Feast of Wisdom, the Star Chaser of the Zhi Office

South City.

Inside the Qian residence, red candles burned brightly, and the sounds of string and wind instruments could be faintly heard.

Qian Qianyi hosted a banquet in the main hall, inviting Ma Shiying, the principal of the Ministry of Revenue, and Gao Hongtu, the censor of the Censorate, for a small gathering.

During the banquet, a red-clad maidservant, her thin gauze revealing her figure, carried a gilded wine pot and poured drinks back and forth.

Qian Qianyi leaned against the Xiangfei couch, embracing his newly acquired concubine surnamed Su, his large hands freely roaming inside her lotus-colored jacket.

As for Qian Qianyi's choice to hold a banquet at home instead of going to the Jiaofangsi or Zuixianlou for pleasure as usual, it was because the court had recently been cracking down on officials' patronage of prostitutes.

He had already gotten wind of the situation, so he acted cautiously, hosting banquets behind closed doors to avoid trouble.

At this critical juncture, several colleagues still took a chance and defied the rules by going out to drink and carouse. As a result, they were all investigated and lost their jobs, and it was too late for them to regret it.

Qian Qianyi, however, remained unharmed, waiting for the purge to pass before he could enjoy himself.

After all, life is short.

Women are the best seasoning.

Unfortunately, that prostitute Liu Ruyan didn't even pack her things and fled to Jinling overnight; otherwise, she would be his plaything by now.

Thinking of this woman, Qian Qianyi felt particularly bad.

He downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, slammed the cup down, and sighed, "Since Han Kuang was demoted, the court has become increasingly unbearable! Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe is nothing but a puppet, and Second Grand Secretary Liu Yizhu doesn't even dare to look His Majesty in the eye. Outspoken ministers like Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou have been sent to repair river embankments and inspect waterways, and no one in the court dares to disobey His Majesty's orders."

He suddenly gripped Su's slender waist tightly in his arms, causing the woman to let out a soft cry.

"Nowadays, the key positions in the Six Ministries are filled with eunuch henchmen. Even I, an old man, have to be mindful of the Directorate of Ceremonial's attitude if I want to recommend a person of integrity!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Shiying squinted his drunken eyes and lowered his voice, saying, "Minister Qian, please be careful what you say. These days, the Eastern Depot's spies are even planting spies at officials' private banquets."

Before the words were finished, the sound of porcelain shattering suddenly came from outside the hall.

The three were all startled, only to see that it was just a maid who had knocked over a fruit plate, kneeling on the ground begging for forgiveness.

Qian Qianyi flung his sleeve, smashed a teacup, and cursed, "You filthy thing! Get out of here!"

He turned to the two men with a meaningful smile: "However, Brother Ma is right. Speaking of which, that person in the palace has been trying to win over the gentry in the south lately. Perhaps we should feign compliance for now."

Gao Hongtu suddenly interrupted: "Master Qian is drunk."

He glanced at the red-clad maids, raised his wine cup meaningfully, and said, "We should emulate Vice Minister Liu's prudent self-preservation. The spring scenery in the capital is far more interesting than the political intrigues of the court."

"Hahaha, absolutely right!" Qian Qianyi laughed loudly as he reached into Su's clothes, indulging in the soft warmth.

"What national righteousness is nothing compared to the warmth and beauty before my eyes."

The truth is this.

However, Ma Shiying had other worries.

Hey ~
He sighed and said, "Your Majesty wants to survey the land in Beizhili. I still own several thousand acres of land in Beizhili, much of which was acquired through requisitioning wasteland. Do you expect me to watch my land be surveyed by Your Majesty?"

Upon hearing this, Qian Qianyi sneered, slammed his wine cup down, and said, "Brother Ma, why are you so worried? The land survey is nothing more than a show put on by the court. Although His Majesty has this intention, who among those in charge doesn't turn a blind eye?"

As he spoke, he pinched Su's grape-like nipple in his arms, which made her give a coquettish laugh before continuing, "Besides, you and I are both important officials in the court. Do you think we're afraid of a few petty officials who are conducting land surveys? If they really dare to touch your land, we only need to bribe a few people, and someone will naturally cover for you."

Ma Shiying frowned, still uneasy: "But now the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard are keeping a close watch. If they discover we've hidden land, I'm afraid..."

Qian Qianyi laughed heartily and waved his hand, saying, "Brother Ma, you're overthinking it! Those eunuch henchmen may seem imposing on the surface, but aren't they all greedy and avaricious? As long as the money is right, they know better than anyone the principle of 'knowing when to stop'."

Gao Hongtu nodded in agreement: "What Qian Gong said is absolutely right. Besides, His Majesty is currently busy with factional struggles in the court and may not really have the energy to thoroughly investigate the land throughout the country. We just need to wait and see how things develop, and once the storm has passed, everything will return to normal."

Qian Qianyi nodded in satisfaction, raised his glass and said, "That's right! Come, let's drink! Life is too short to worry about such trivial matters. When things calm down, we'll go to Zuixianlou and have a good time!"

Ma Shiying was slightly relieved. They raised their glasses and clinked them together. The three of them looked at each other and smiled, as if the imperial decree to conduct a thorough investigation was nothing more than a passing breeze that would soon dissipate.

After three rounds of drinking.

Ma Shiying suddenly leaned forward and lowered his voice, saying, "Qian Gong, Gao Xiong, have you heard that His Majesty intends to restart the Western Depot? The agents of the Eastern Depot are already terrifying. If we add the Western Depot as well, how will we survive?"

Upon hearing this, Qian Qianyi's hand, which was reaching inside Su's clothes, suddenly stopped.

The music in the hall stopped at that moment, leaving only the crackling of the red candles.

Gao Hongtu choked on his drink, ignoring the wine stains on his sleeve, and asked urgently, "Brother Ma, where did you hear this from? Is it true?"

"The other day, my colleagues in the Ministry of Revenue copied a confidential letter from the Secretariat of Ceremonial, mentioning that His Majesty disapproved of the Eastern Depot's inefficiency."

Before Ma Shiying could finish speaking, Qian Qianyi sneered, "Absurd!"

He pushed away the concubine in his arms, his face showing a mixture of anger and fear.

"The calamity caused by Wang Zhi of the Western Depot is still fresh in our minds. If Your Majesty dares to defy the world, we will surely..."

"Mr. Qian, be careful with your words!"

Gao Hongtu suddenly kicked over the table, and the fruit plate shattered on the floor.

"Be careful, the walls have ears!"

Qian Qianyi also realized that he had almost made a slip of the tongue.

Amidst the panicked kneeling of the maids, Qian Qianyi feigned anger and shouted, "Get out! I have important business to discuss with my two friends!"

After the red-clad maids had all left, Gao Hongtu wiped away his cold sweat and whispered, "Have you forgotten the power of His Majesty's Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot's agents? How dare you speak ill of His Majesty?"

Qian Qianyi snorted coldly and said unhappily, "If someone does something wrong, can't we offer them advice?"

Ma Shiying, however, was deeply worried and said, "Now, all the officials in the Six Ministries are adopted sons of Wei Zhongxian. If His Majesty really issues an imperial edict, I'm afraid no one can stop him."

"Then let the gentry of the South jointly submit a petition!"

Qian Qianyi suddenly squinted his drunken eyes, dipped his fingertip in wine, and drew the character '漕' (cāo, meaning grain transport) on the table. He said, "The Nanjing garrison eunuch just took 30,000 taels of silver from me last month. As long as the grain transport is cut off in time, when the officials in the capital have nothing to eat, they should rebel."

"No!"

Gao Hongtu suddenly interrupted in a low voice.

"Didn't you see what His Majesty's edict appointing Yang Lian to inspect the grain transport said? 'He is to take up his post immediately and is forbidden from engaging in private dealings with officials in the capital.' This is clearly to prevent collusion! The grain transport is related to the livelihoods of millions; if there is any chaos, countless people will lose their heads."

Qian Qianyi snorted coldly, slammed his wine cup down, and a sinister glint flashed in his eyes as he said:
"We must make those whom His Majesty favors lose their heads! Whether it's the imperial examinations, the inspection of grain transport, the surveying of fields, or the promotion of sweet potatoes and corn, we must create chaos! His Majesty likes to promote outstanding talents, so we will make these talents commit crimes one by one, leaving His Majesty with no one to use!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Shiying's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he lowered his voice, saying, "What Lord Qian said is absolutely right. Those newly promoted officials are ignorant of their own limitations, relying on His Majesty's favor to dare to undermine our foundation. Perhaps..."

He gave a sinister smile and said, "During the imperial examinations, we'll arrange a few 'cheating cases' to ruin the reputations of the examiners appointed by His Majesty; during the canal inspections, we'll secretly use some tricks to capsize the canal boats and then frame those new-style inspectors; as for measuring the land, it's even simpler—we'll incite a few 'popular uprisings' by the local gentry, and then say that the new laws have made it impossible for the people to survive..."

Gao Hongtu clapped his hands and chuckled, his eyes full of calculation: "Brilliant! Doesn't His Majesty want to promote sweet potatoes and corn? Then let the officials in various places secretly obstruct it and spread rumors that these new crops are poisonous and have killed people. At that time, those 'capable ministers' entrusted with important tasks by His Majesty will either be dismissed for their poor performance or punished for inciting popular uprisings. Let's see who His Majesty can use then?"

Ma Shiying, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Revenue, sighed from the side:

"Recently, His Majesty has not only summoned border generals to the capital garrison, but also promoted Hong Chengchou, Yuan Keli, and others. I heard that he has also transferred three county magistrates who did not complete their examinations back to the capital, which means he intends to give them important positions. We will not let His Majesty have his way!"

There were only a few positions for the Six Ministries, the Censorate, the Six Offices, and the Office of Transmission, each like a radish with its own pit.

They had to count down the days to rise to power, and now the emperor was letting others cut in line—this was utterly outrageous! Upon hearing this, Qian Qianyi's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he sneered:
"Hmph, His Majesty is cultivating his own confidants! Hong Chengchou and Yuan Keli are just ignorant and arrogant low-ranking officials who dare to make irresponsible remarks about state affairs, talking about 'rectifying officialdom' and 'investigating land'. Do they really think they are saviors of the world?"

Ma Shiying squinted his drunken eyes and smiled sinisterly:

"Why should Lord Qian be angry? These people have shallow foundations. With a little maneuvering, we can ruin their reputations. Wasn't Hong Chengchou just sent to Beizhili for disaster relief? Why not... let him make a 'mistake' with the provisions and pay? Then, even if His Majesty appreciates him, he won't be able to protect him!"

Gao Hongtu also chimed in with a sinister smile:

"As for those county magistrates who didn't complete their exams, it's even simpler. They're new to the capital and don't know the rules. We just need to set a trap for them to 'embezzle and pervert the law' and 'form cliques for personal gain,' and then have the censor impeach them. Even if His Majesty still wants to promote them, he'll have to consider the criticism from the court and the public!"

Qian Qianyi nodded in satisfaction and sneered, "That's exactly right! His Majesty wants to use new people, but they have shallow foundations and can be ruined with a little manipulation. When there is no one else in the court, His Majesty will naturally have to rely on us old ministers."

He reached out and pinched the cheek of Su, the concubine in his arms, and said with a sinister smile, "This world will ultimately still be our world."

The three county magistrates summoned to the capital by the emperor were not insignificant figures, but rather renowned individuals in history.

They are Yuan Chonghuan, the magistrate of Shaowu County; Sun Chuanting, the magistrate of Yongcheng County; and Chen Qiyu, the magistrate of Kaifeng County.

At this moment, the three of them were waiting to be summoned in the office of the Nine Ministers.

The air inside the duty room was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and the faint sound of palace maids' footsteps could be heard outside the window.

Yuan Chonghuan, dressed in a faded seventh-rank official robe with a mandarin duck pattern, was talking quietly with Sun Chuanting.

Both of them were Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) in the same year of the Wanli Emperor's reign (1618).

Sun Chuanting ranked 41st in the third class of the imperial examination (111th overall) and was granted the title of Jinshi.

Yuan Chonghuan ranked 40th in the third class of the imperial examination (110th overall). He was granted the title of Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination).

The two walked one after the other, their fates intertwined.

At this moment, when talking about the grand event of "three top scholars from the Southern Zhili region" at the Qionglin Banquet, his brows were full of reminiscence.

"Brother Sun, you implemented the 'Single Whip Law' in Yongcheng. I heard that this year's summer tax revenue is 30% higher than in previous years?" Yuan Chonghuan tapped the tea table lightly with his fingers, his cuffs revealing the worn lining.

"Now that you've been sent out to the countryside, you should naturally make some achievements and be a local official. It's better than being a Beijing official who has never seen the lives of ordinary people."

Of course, Sun Chuanting's words were also sarcastic.

On the day the results of the imperial examination were announced, the successful candidates had already quietly divided into two factions—the pure stream and the corrupt stream.

A clear path is a shortcut to success.

The top three scholars, namely the first, second, and third place winners, entered the Hanlin Academy immediately upon passing the imperial examination.

The top scholar was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy (a sixth-rank official), while the second and third-ranked scholars were appointed as editors (a seventh-rank official), thus embarking on a straight path to success.

If nothing unexpected happens, within ten years they can rise from Attendant Reader/Lecturer (sixth rank) to Hanlin Academician (fifth rank), then be transferred to the Ministry of Rites as Vice Minister (third rank), or even directly enter the cabinet to become a Grand Secretary in charge of national affairs.

Even those who passed the imperial examination at the second-class level had the opportunity to be selected as probationary officials.

After three years of apprenticeship at the Hanlin Academy, the best performers were retained, while the next best were able to obtain positions such as Supervising Secretary of the Six Ministries, Censor, or Principal of a Department (ranks 6 to 7), thus joining the ranks of the elite.

Take Ma Shiying, for example—who was on the same list as Yuan Chonghuan and Sun Chuanting, but was selected as a probationary official and is now a principal officer in the Ministry of Revenue, with a bright future ahead of him.

The turbid current is a long and rugged path to advancement.

If a second-class Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) is not selected as a Shujishi (a junior official in the Hanlin Academy), he can only be appointed as a county magistrate (a seventh-rank official) or a principal officer in a ministry.

Most of the top three Jinshi graduates were directly assigned to local positions, such as county magistrate, prefectural judge (rank 7) or prefectural judge (rank 7). A few lucky ones might get a sinecure such as a messenger in the Ministry of Personnel or a doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

For example, Yuan Chonghuan and Sun Chuanting, although they passed the imperial examination in the same year, had no connections and could only be sent to serve as county magistrates, thus embarking on a path of corruption.

It is far more difficult for the turbid to rise above the turbid than for the clear to advance.

To be promoted from county magistrate (a seventh-rank official) to prefectural assistant prefect (a sixth-rank official) or prefectural vice-prefect (a sixth-rank official), one must serve a full three-year term and have an "outstanding" performance evaluation.

But how many people struggle for six or nine years to achieve this "outstanding" quality?
Further up the ranks, the Prefect (a fifth-rank official) and the Governor (a fourth-rank official) represent the limits of corrupt officials.

As for the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner (rank 3), the Provincial Administration Commissioner (rank 2), and even the Governor and Governor-General (rank 2 and above)?
That's nothing but a mirage, something you can only dream of but never reach.

A high-ranking official in charge of a region?

It sounds impressive; in later generations, it would be considered the mark of a high-ranking official.

But only one in a hundred can actually reach that level.

A person from the upright officialdom could rise to the rank of Vice Minister or Grand Secretary within twenty years, while an official from the corrupt officialdom might not even reach the rank of a fourth-rank prefect in their entire life.

This was the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty—a single step could make all the difference.

It's perfectly normal for Sun Chuanting to criticize those upright officials.

“Officials in the capital have their advantages, and local officials have theirs; they are not comparable.” Yuan Chonghuan seemed rather magnanimous.

Just as Sun Chuanting was about to reply, he suddenly saw Chen Qiyu turn around from the window.

Chen Qiyu was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the 44th year of the Wanli reign, so he could be considered their "senior".

The Kaifeng magistrate, who had been staring at the direction of the Qianqing Palace, suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Have you two ever considered why His Majesty would summon a magistrate who has not yet completed his term of office? I've heard that the matter of land surveying has been making headlines in the court recently."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chonghuan and Sun Chuanting exchanged a glance, their brows furrowing slightly.

Sun Chuanting smoothed the worn patches on his sleeves and pondered, "Brother Chen's words are indeed puzzling. Although the three of us have achieved some success in our local areas, there are hundreds of county magistrates throughout the land. Why did His Majesty summon only us? Could it be..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tightly closed carved door of the duty room, and lowered his voice, saying, "Is it related to the recent dispute in the court over the land survey?"

Yuan Chonghuan tapped the tea table lightly with his fingertips and sneered, "Brother Sun, why be so modest? The Single Whip Law in Yongcheng increased revenue by 30%, and the floods in Kaifeng were well managed. These are real achievements that those incompetent officials in the capital cannot compare to."

His words, though tinged with arrogance, also revealed a degree of confusion.

"But His Majesty resides deep within the nine heavens; how could he possibly know the details of a small border county? Unless..."

He suddenly stopped and looked at Chen Qiyu at the same time as Sun Chuanting.

Chen Qiyu nodded slightly, a sharp glint in his eyes: "Do you two remember the secret report from the governor of Beizhili last year? I heard that His Majesty ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to secretly investigate the performance evaluations of officials in various places since last winter, paying particular attention to the land survey and tax reform."

He took two steps closer, his voice barely audible.

"Many officials who were hiding in Beizhili were exposed by such secret reports. Now that His Majesty wants to break the deadlock, he naturally has to bypass the Six Ministries and directly appoint those who dare to act."

Yuan Chonghuan's eyes narrowed as he recalled his past actions of forcibly seizing land from wealthy landowners in Shaowu, and a cold sweat suddenly broke out on his back.

Sun Chuanting clapped his hands and chuckled: "If that's really the case, it's a golden opportunity! Those upright officials rely on their mentors' support, while we will win the Emperor's favor through hard work."

Before the words were finished, a eunuch's high-pitched voice suddenly rang out from outside the duty room: "His Majesty summons Yuan Chonghuan, the magistrate of Shaowu County, Sun Chuanting, the magistrate of Yongcheng County, and Chen Qiyu, the magistrate of Kaifeng County, to an audience!"

The three men straightened their clothes and looked solemn. Before leaving, Yuan Chonghuan suddenly sighed in a low voice, "I only hope that this time I won't be used as a pawn."

Upon hearing this, Sun Chuanting paused slightly, gazing at the sunlight half-hidden by the evening clouds deep within the palace walls, and murmured, "Whether one is a player or a pawn, only by entering the game can one know the answer."

Yuan Chonghuan took a deep breath and stepped over the vermilion threshold first.

The spring sun shines brightly outside the duty room, making the golden tiles of the Forbidden City gleam, but it cannot penetrate the deep palace passages.

Whether the road ahead is a broad and smooth road or a thorny and dangerous path remains to be seen!
(End of this chapter)