White-robed Minister

Chapter 231, page 0229: [The Eccentric Emperor of Liao]

Xu Lai and his family continued to live at Daxiangguo Temple. Every morning, he would go to the temple to look up various documents and materials, and in the afternoon, he would take his family to select furniture, pots and pans, buckets and basins, bronze mirrors, bedding and other items.

On days off, he would invite old and new friends to have drinks together, and incidentally help Yu Shanyuan, Ding Zhengchen and others to run errands for official positions.

The emperor granted him a month's leave, allowing him to skip court and work, and to have his new residence arranged.

Pianpian also bought a few kittens, saying that the house had been uninhabited for a long time and was infested with rats that needed to be eradicated.

"Grab it, grab it!"

Pianpian, Yu'er, Dingxiang, Dou Niang, and their respective maids were cheering for the cat in the courtyard.

Before long, a newly bought kitten came back carrying a mouse that was not much smaller than itself.

Yu'er exclaimed, "Wow, a huge rat!"

Xu Lai was speechless: "You guys aren't going to wait until the cats have finished catching the mice, and then play with those cats again, are you?"

"That's true, catching rats is so dirty." Pianpian also felt disgusted looking at the rat.

Dingxiang suggested, "We can wait until the rats are caught, then give the cats a good bath and feed them clean food for a month."

That way it won't be dirty.

The damselfly quickly said, "Yes, yes, yes, it won't be dirty after being raised for a while."

As they were talking, Wang Hou and Chen Xiaoyi, along with their servants, brought in some loose furniture.

Pianpian quickly went to instruct on how to place it.

For such a large house, just buying the furniture would be a huge expense. It doesn't have to be made of expensive wood, but it certainly can't be too cheap or of poor quality.

Including gardeners, cooks, and wet nurses, there are now a total of 21 male and female servants. In addition to their wages, they also need to be provided with clothing, and they receive bonuses during festivals.

On average, the monthly expenses for servants amounted to nearly 100 guan.

Xu Lai's salary is really a bit too much for him. He currently receives 157 guan (a unit of currency) per month in various salaries and allowances, in addition to in-kind income such as rice, firewood, and clothing.

To be honest, the salary was not as high as when I was a military commander.

Because the salaries of powerful local officials are certainly higher than those of prestigious positions like Hanlin Academicians.

In addition, Pianpian also receives a salary, and it is quite considerable, after all, she is now a Lady of Imperial Decree, a title of "Junjun".

They can be considered a dual-income family.

"Young lady, this is the carved bed you personally chose yesterday," Wang Hou asked with a smile, "Which room would you like it to be carried to?"

The damselfly pointed inside: "That room."

Wang Hou immediately summoned several male servants, who personally helped Dou Niang carry the bed inside. This young man was Xu Lai's student, yet he volunteered to do all the work, practically becoming a servant of the Xu family.

Moreover, he always appeared in front of the damselfly, intentionally or unintentionally.

Pianpian gave Xu Lai a meaningful look, and Yu'er and Dingxiang also chuckled secretly, having already seen through Wang Hou's intentions.

As the saying goes, even a strong woman can be swayed by a persistent suitor.

The girl was at the age where her heart was beginning to flutter with romantic feelings, and Wang Hou was quite handsome. At first, she didn't have any feelings for Wang Hou, but gradually she developed feelings that were hard to explain.

Poor Shen Kuo's son, who used to get along very well with Dou Niang, has now had his home stolen by a whirlwind.

Yes, Shen Kuo has also returned to the capital with his wife and children, and he even visited the Xu family a couple of days ago. When Shen Boyi saw Dou Niang again, he became somewhat distant, and he was introverted, shy, and spoke very little.

Comparing the two, Dou Niang felt that the cheerful and generous Wang Hou was more charming.

"My lord, Mr. Ding has come to visit."

"Quickly, invite him in."

Before long, Ding Zhengchen strode into the inner courtyard and exchanged greetings with Xu Lai and his family.

Ding Zhengchen said happily, "I've already marked it wrong."

"What position?" Xu Lai asked.

Ding Zhengchen replied, "I will take up my post as magistrate of Guishan County in the spring."

Xu Lai was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this.

Dingxiang found it amusing; she understood her brother's thoughts perfectly.

Guishan County was the seat of Huizhou Prefecture, right next to their hometown of Guangzhou. Song Dynasty officials also avoided using their place of origin, as long as the prefecture was different.

The position of county magistrate in this backwater place wasn't sought after. Ding Zhengchen begged Xu Lai to help him secure an official post, but in the end, he only got the position of magistrate of Guishan County. The only advantage was that it was close to home, so the news could reach Guangzhou and make his parents feel proud.

Ding Zhengchen said, "I'm not only doing this to bring honor to my family, but also because I know Huizhou quite well. The magistrate of Guishan County is also in charge of the Fumin Mint, and I've heard that it's rife with corruption and the amount of coins being minted is decreasing year by year. Once I get there, I'll definitely rectify the situation, and it will be easy to achieve good results."

Xu Lai nodded and smiled: "It's good that you have a plan. What about Brother Ti Ren (Yu Shanyuan)'s assignment?"

Ding Zhengchen replied, "He is a higher-ranking official than me and can serve as a judge in a prefecture. Good positions are not easy for him to get; we will have to wait patiently. However, his requirements are not high; he is willing to go to an ordinary prefecture. As for the internal personnel department, we have promised to make proper arrangements for him after the spring."

Having connections in the court makes it easier to get an official position. Who doesn't know that Xu Lai is a favorite of the emperor? He personally invites people to dinner, so arranging official positions is naturally much faster.

Liao Dynasty.

The Liao Dynasty had many capital cities and various imperial palaces.

The current emperor, Yelü Hongji, strictly enforces the "Nabo" system, spending only a few days a year in the city.

If described using place names from later generations, he would fish and catch geese in Changchun, Jilin in the spring, escape the summer heat in northern Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, hunt deer in the mountains in southern Chifeng, Inner Mongolia in the autumn, and hunt in Ongniud Banner, Inner Mongolia in the winter to escape the cold.

After returning from another winter hunt, Xiao Guanyin advised, "Your Majesty, I have heard that King Mu of Zhou died during a distant expedition, leading to the decline of the Zhou Dynasty's virtue. The Xia Dynasty ruler Tai Kang lost his kingdom due to his indulgence in pleasure. These are lessons from past hunting expeditions, and they are lessons that emperors should learn—"

Yelü Hongji frowned and asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Xiao Guanyin continued, "Although Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, protected by all the gods and spirits, you may still face danger if you encounter a formidable beast. Though I am foolish and ignorant, I am deeply concerned for the nation and Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will heed Lao Tzu's admonition regarding the joy of galloping and follow Emperor Wen of Han's advice—"

He had once adored this empress, not only for her beauty and elegance, but also for her talent in poetry and painting, and her knowledge of classics and history. But now he was growing weary of her, because Xiao Guanyin always spoiled his fun and ruined his hunting and leisurely mood.

Xiao Guanyin hesitated, for she had long sensed the emperor's growing distance, but there were some things she had to say.

This Liao emperor is utterly absurd. He's already faced one rebellion by a powerful minister, and now he's promoting another. He spends all his time hunting, leaving all military power to the Grand Tutor.

"Your Majesty, the Grand Tutor requests an audience."

"Bring him in."

Yelü Yixin, the Grand Councilor of the Southern Court, Grand Tutor, and Prince of Wei, entered the tent: "Your Majesty, the envoys from Western Xia have been waiting anxiously for half a month, hoping to pay homage to the Emperor in person."

Yelü Hongji asked, "What exactly is the purpose of the Western Xia envoy's visit?"

Yelü Yixin replied, "The Song state has utterly defeated the Western Xia and seized all the border territory. The Western Xia has conscripted nine out of ten men and is also suffering from a severe drought. Now, their population is dwindling and famine is rampant. If we don't lend a helping hand, they may be annexed by the Song state."

"How did the State of Song suddenly become so good at fighting?" Yelü Hongji was quite surprised.

Yelü Yixin said, "The State of Song produced a top scholar named Xu Lai. In three years, he expanded the territory by a thousand li, and Mu Zheng and Dong Zhan both submitted to the State of Song."

Yelü Hongji interrupted, "Isn't Dong Zhan my brother-in-law?"

"It is indeed this person," Yelü Yixin said.

Yelü Hongji said, "Continue."

Yelü Yixin said, "Xu Lai created two types of firearms, and then had a civil official named Shen Kuo improve them. One type of firearm is called a cannon, which makes a sound like thunder and can launch iron balls a mile or two away. The other type of firearm is a three-eyed cannon, which sprays out thousands of projectiles, leaving no way for anyone in its path to avoid them."

"What are you talking about?" Yelü Hongji felt like he was listening to a myth or legend.

Yelü Yixin had already accepted the generous gift from Western Xia. He took out a pair of binoculars and said, "Your Majesty, this was presented by a Western Xia envoy. It was obtained by killing a Song scout. It is said that only Song generals are allowed to possess binoculars. When the time comes to battle, we will grant them to the scouts as appropriate."

Yelü Hongji took the telescope and examined it carefully.

Yelü Yixin taught him how to use it, and said, "This thing is made of crystal. The Western Xia have made dozens of imitations, but none of them are as good as the one they seized from the Song army. The Empress Dowager of Western Xia heard that Your Majesty enjoys hunting, so she presented it to Your Majesty for your hunting trips."

Yelü Hongji stepped out of the main tent, operated the telescope to observe the scenery, and immediately exclaimed with delight, "This thing is excellent; it will be a divine help when used for hunting!"

Yelü Yixin said, "Your Majesty, should we receive the envoy from Western Xia?"

"I will disappear. What requests does Western Xia have?" Yelü Hongji asked.

Yelü Yixin said, "The Western Xia wishes to ask Your Majesty to mediate the war and requests that our Great Liao provide grain assistance."

Yelü Hongji really liked telescopes, and feeling embarrassed to refuse the gift, he said, "Then send an envoy to the Song Kingdom to mediate. If the Song Kingdom doesn't listen, send troops to intimidate them. Also, provide the Western Xia with 100,000 shi of grain. We can't let the Song Kingdom keep winning; whoever wins, we'll suppress them."

"The Western Xia still wants to buy grain," Yelü Yixin said.

Yelü Hongji preferred to be a hands-off manager: "You can handle the grain sales."

Yelü Yixin was overjoyed, offered a few words of flattery, and bowed before taking his leave.

Yelü Hongji looked like a child who had just received a new toy, observing everything through his binoculars. If it weren't already dark, he would have wanted to go hunting immediately.

Having witnessed the entire process, Xiao Guanyin felt increasingly worried.

Since becoming Grand Tutor, Yelü Yixin has gained the power to mobilize the entire nation's army. Moreover, he openly solicits bribes from his officials; anyone who wants a promotion must bribe him, and those who refuse to pay will face retaliation.

Yelü Yixin will definitely take a cut from this grain delivery and sale to the Western Xia. The more grain he gives to the Western Xia, the more kickbacks he'll receive!

As for the lives and deaths of the Liao people, that was none of Yelü Yixin's concern.

"Your Majesty—" Xiao Guanyin finally couldn't help but speak.

"Shut up!"

Yelü Hongji knew perfectly well that his empress was about to offer another piece of advice. He had heard it far too many times and was already fed up with it; it always seemed to spoil his mood.

After playing with the telescope for a while, Yelü Hongji turned and left. He didn't want to sleep with the Empress, so he went to find other concubines.

The other concubines were very sensible and obedient, and wouldn't give him long-winded advice that would upset him.

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