Time flowed by like a fleeting river, and before they knew it, it was already June of the third year of Zhaoming.
After the earthquake, the core circle of the Great Zhou court, led by Wen Yanran, had relocated to the Gui Palace. Considering that the Taiqi Palace required repairs, they never moved back. By the time the palace was nearly restored, summer had already arrived. Taking advantage of the coolness of the outskirts, they decided to stay on.
However, not everyone remained absent from Jianping.
Wen Jingmei never left the Tianfu Palace, and officials from various ministries took turns on duty. Among them, the Ministry of Works was the most affected – due to urban construction matters, more than half of its members did not follow the Emperor to Gui Palace.
Today, after Huang Xu, the Minister of Works, took a trip to the city gate and, as usual, encouraged his subordinates with a few words, he hurried back to the city without delay. Smiling, he remarked to a colleague beside him, “Compared to the Minister, it seems you are more like a member of the Ministry of Works.”
The person he was talking to was Gao Changjian.
Gao Changjian had first served in the Ministry of Revenue, then moved to the Central Secretariat as a secretary, and was now temporarily seconded to the Ministry of Works for training.
Gao Changjian smiled and said, “The Minister has numerous matters to attend to, so naturally he cannot be here all the time.”
The others chuckled but did not expose the truth.
The reality was that Huang Xu was not overwhelmed with affairs – he simply did not want to handle the work.
Gao Changjian, on the other hand, had been personally overseeing the construction ever since he arrived at the site. He meticulously arranged the transport of various stone and sand materials, ensuring everything was in order. Though he was considered a close official of the Emperor, he had taken on the duties of a minor clerk without a single complaint.
Today, Du Daosi returned to the city on business and, guessing that her cousin would be at the city gate, went over to see him.
Taking a casual look around, she noticed that in addition to bean porridge, the staff managing the construction site’s meals had also prepared warm water infused with herbal ingredients. She realized this was a measure to prevent heatstroke, prescribed by the Imperial Medical Bureau due to the hot weather. Silently, she nodded in approval.
Gao Changjian clasped his hands in greeting and said apologetically, “I should have been the one to visit you, Sister. Instead, I’ve troubled you to come see me.”
Du Daosi studied her cousin for a moment and remarked, “You have indeed become much more steady and composed lately.” Then she added, “The court is currently in need of capable people. Once the city wall repairs are completed, you might consider seeking an appointment outside the capital.”
It was common for central officials, after gaining sufficient experience, to be posted to local positions. However, during their last meeting, Du Daosi had advised Gao Changjian to remain in the capital for another two years.
Gao Changjian understood after a brief moment of thought. “Does this have something to do with the North?”
Du Daosi nodded slightly. “You are a secretary in the Central Secretariat, so you naturally understand how to plan accordingly.”
The North was unstable, and it was only a matter of time before a change of personnel was necessary. The Emperor had previously sent one of her close attendants to Qingyi as a commandery administrator and had appointed the former Censor-in-Chief to Tai Province as its inspector. It was evident that he favored assigning trusted court officials to less stable regions. While part of the reason was that others were not as trustworthy, it was also because the Emperor had not been on the throne for long and did not have an abundance of capable individuals at her disposal.
Whether Gao Changjian was willing to go to the North or not, it would be best for him to start making plans early.
Recently, Gao Changjian had spent much of his time at the Ministry of Works, where he had overheard colleagues discussing how the North seemed to have sent numerous memorials impeaching Song Nanlou.
As a secretary, he was well aware that these so-called rumors were, in fact, true.
Gao Changjian remarked, “The realm is at peace, yet the North is never quite tranquil.”
Du Daosi nodded. “In the North, some have impeached Song Nanlou for secretly storing armor and for causing the deaths of many civilians during campaigns to suppress bandits. Officials serving in the North, fearing his influence, dare not treat him with anything less than the respect due to a superior officer, even if they are commandery administrators.” She added, “And it seems these accusations are likely true.”
In these times, the line between public and private matters was often blurred. As a general, it was not unusual for Song Nanlou to have some armor in his household. Moreover, many in the North turned to banditry in the mountains and returned to civilian life when they descended – there was no clear separation between the two. Additionally, Song Nanlou was an exceptional commander. Some bandits, fearing him while also harboring resentment, would plunder and then spread slogans claiming their actions were provoked by Song Nanlou’s oppression.
Many officials in the North, due to their ties with powerful local clans, often feigned subservience and displayed exaggerated deference when meeting Song Nanlou, all to undermine his professional reputation. When tales of such encounters spread, they served as further evidence of his supposed arrogance.
A more serious issue, however, lay in the fact that the Emperor had previously sent the City Bureau to the North. These inner court officials had clashed with Song Nanlou’s front camp, resulting in numerous deaths. On one side were the Emperor’s favored inner court officials; on the other, a general he trusted heavily. Their internal conflict inevitably became a headache for Jianping.
A general commanding a large army faced impeachment, while the Emperor’s own people refused to speak in his defense. Clearly, he was in a precarious position.
Du Daosi sneered, “Those inner court officials are indeed somewhat arrogant… but not everyone in the North is a good-for-nothing.”
In truth, this was hardly surprising. People who possessed both capability and integrity were rare in the world. When Chi Yi and Zhang Luo selected members for the City Bureau posts in the regions, they had little choice but to relax their standards, prioritizing those willing to risk their lives to get things done. Since such individuals were somewhat lacking in moral character, only their desire for promotion and wealth could drive them forward.
Originally, the City Bureau was supposed to target officials who had colluded with local powerful clans. However, dazzled by the flattery of the Northerners, they instead turned their focus onto Song Nanlou, sparking conflict with him. Coming from a distinguished family and having achieved success at a young age, Song Nanlou was hardly one to back down. Thus, a grudge was born.
Gao Changjian and Du Daosi both found themselves pondering the Emperor’s reaction. Though they were known for their intelligence and worked in close proximity to the sovereign, they could never quite discern the Emperor’s true stance.
At the Gui Palace.
In recent days, the inner court officials had been doing their best to avoid Zhang Luo. Although he maintained his usual smiling facade, there was something chilling about him now.
The fools he had sent to the North had clashed with the local generals, and the City Bureau had suffered as a result.
If one were to analyze the situation as Wen Yanran might, the emergence of this conflict was inevitable.
She had appointed Song Nanlou to the North with the intention of consolidating power. Naturally, his authority would continue to expand, extending beyond the typical scope of a general’s role. Meanwhile, the City Bureau had been dispatched to oversee and gradually wrest control away. With two parallel forces exerting pressure, friction – and eventually open conflict – was almost unavoidable.
If the Emperor chose not to support the inner court officials, the development of the City Bureau system would likely suffer a severe blow. Meanwhile, the Northern faction, by rallying together to impeach Song Nanlou, was also testing the Emperor’s intentions.
A couple of days ago, members of the Song family had come to the palace to apologize, and Song Nanlou himself had submitted a memorial, claiming he was unaccustomed to the climate in the North and requesting permission to resign and return home to study and recuperate.
Although the Emperor had not agreed to Song Nanlou’s request, neither had she issued a clear edict of reassurance. From this, many ministers inferred that the sovereign’s favor still leaned toward the inner court officials.
Grand Tutor Yuan had even privately met with Song Wenshu to gauge his stance.
Song Wenshu said, “By rights, those inner court officials were arrogant and overstepping. That child merely dealt with them according to military law – there should be no fault in that. However, there are indeed questionable aspects to his conduct. Now that he faces impeachment, even if the Emperor extends her grace and does not remove him from office, he ought to resign nonetheless.”
Grand Tutor Yuan shook his head. “These are all ambiguous charges. If one were to be dismissed on such grounds, is there a single general in the realm who could retain his post?”
Song Wenshu sighed. “I serve in the Censorate, and he commands the front camp. If he cannot act with utmost caution, it would be better for him to remain idle than to bring trouble upon the family.”
As the two were discussing, they suddenly heard an announcement from outside – a messenger had arrived from the palace, bearing the Emperor’s decree for the Song family.
In truth, Song Nanlou was a general himself, so any imperial decree intended for him would naturally be sent directly to the forward camp. However, since Song Wenshu was his elder, the Emperor, mindful of their uncle-nephew bond, had sent an additional notice to inform him personally.
According to Her Majesty’s intent, since Song Nanlou was unaccustomed to the northern climate, he might as well be transferred to a different post – specifically, to the right camp in the east. However, considering that his current affairs in the North were not yet concluded, the transfer could be postponed. He was to assume his new position in the fourth year of Zhaoming. Meanwhile, Shi Zhuhe, the current commander of the right camp, would be transferred to the front camp, effectively swapping their posts.
Perhaps due to the Emperor’s particular emphasis on this matter, the principal envoy delivering the decree to the front camp was none other than Chi Yi, while the deputy envoy was a young man newly appointed to office from the Du family.
As for why the Emperor had arranged things this way – neither the court ministers nor the inner court officials could fathom her intentions at the moment.
As Zhang Luo made his way toward the Emperor, Lu Yuanguang, the Minister of Revenue, who had just reported on the summer harvest, was taking her leave.
The heat had arrived early this year, leading to a slight decrease in the summer harvest – down by ten percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, expenditures across the regions had risen considerably, with substantial sums of grain and silver being funneled into projects such as the canal system and official academies.
Moreover, if the intense heat showed no signs of abating, the autumn harvest was likely to suffer an even greater decline than the summer one.
These were merely the matters concerning the court. Within the palace, there were also numerous areas requiring expenditure. Wen Yuansheng and Wen Zhihua were gradually coming of age, and discussions about their establishing residences outside the palace were imminent. Additionally, the construction of the imperial mausoleum demanded a colossal sum of funds. The Imperial Household had once again petitioned for approval on the matter, only to be rejected once more.
Such were the myriad concerns – truly a tangled web of affairs.
The Emperor was in the midst of reviewing memorials, while Zhang Luo stood cautiously to the side, not daring to make the slightest sound.
Initially, he had suggested sending Xiu Zhui to deliver the decree to the front camp, but the Emperor had rejected the idea.
Just as Zhang Luo’s thoughts were swirling, he suddenly heard the Emperor’s voice from above. “The weather is hot. Have a physician called in to examine Ah-Zhui.”
As she spoke, Wen Yanran’s gaze remained fixed on the memorial before her. She merely added, “Ah-Zhui is still young. Given Minister Song’s loyalty and forthright nature, if they were to quarrel, he might very well have your nephew’s head on the spot. As things stand, Ah-Yi’s reputation outside the palace is slightly better than yours. Sending her there will help placate Minister Song.”
As Chi Yi and Zhang Luo’s influence and authority grew, some of the inner court officials had begun addressing Chi Yi as “Aunt” and Zhang Luo as “Uncle.”
Zhang Luo bowed deeply. “I have achieved my current position entirely thanks to Your Majesty’s care, yet I am unable to ease Your Majesty’s burdens.”
Wen Yanran gave a slight shake of her head and smiled. “These past few years, managing affairs has not been easy for you either.”
Xiu Zhui was an inner court official whom Zhang Luo had promoted and, in private, addressed as his nephew. Zhang Luo held great regard for this unrelated “nephew” and had always taken care to nurture him. Precisely because of this, when he discovered misconduct among the inner court officials, he deliberately used Xiu Zhui as an example to discipline those under him.
He and Chi Yi were, after all, powerful attendants whose reputations were well established in the comment sections – ruthless by nature. Moreover, they were far from foolish. Since the third year of Zhaoming, even officials without sufficiently strong backing scarcely dared to breathe too loudly in their presence.
Zhang Luo, being shrewd and perceptive – qualities that allowed him to become the Emperor’s trusted confidant in numerous branching paths – immediately sensed the situation. Though the Emperor had not yet shown any sign of reproach, he repeatedly confessed his faults and remained respectfully in the palace to attend to his duties.
By evening, Wen Yanran set aside the memorials on her desk and stood up to stretch.
On the wooden table in the hall sat a glass plate filled with watermelon. The transparent, water-like dish set off the red flesh of the fruit, making for a delightful sight. However, the watermelon had been sitting out all afternoon and was no longer quite fresh. Zhang Luo ordered the plate removed and then approached the Emperor for instructions. “Your Majesty, it is getting late. Shall I summon the evening meal?”
Wen Yanran nodded, then pulled one particular memorial from the stack on her desk.
At that moment, Zhang Luo was still in a bowing posture. Wen Yanran lightly placed the memorial on top of his head.
“This is a memorial submitted from the canal authorities. Take a look for yourself.”
Zhang Luo took it with both hands and carefully opened it – Since the canal construction began last year, nearly ten months had passed. The officials in charge of the project had sent a memorial to the capital, reporting that everything was proceeding smoothly. Before the Emperor’s birthday this year, the section from Yong Province to Tuoqing River would be completed. However, most of those involved in the canal’s construction were government slaves from the eastern regions. Depending on the severity of their crimes, their labor sentences varied in length. Some who had committed minor offenses would be eligible for release by the fourth year of Zhaoming, so arrangements needed to be made in advance.
Wen Yanran spoke unhurriedly, “They ask whether these people should be sent back to their places of origin. But since they are already in the southern regions, there’s no need to go through such trouble. It would be simpler to resettle them locally.
“Once this section of the canal is completed, there’s no need for them to continue serving the remainder of their labor sentences on the canal. I will later issue an edict to have someone arrange for their resettlement – preferably before the spring plowing begins. All able-bodied men will be granted official farmland, to be cultivated but not bought or sold, and taxed according to the acreage they hold.” She looked at Zhang Luo. “When Ah-Yi returns, you will handle this matter.”
Resettling the people was undoubtedly a benevolent policy. By entrusting Zhang Luo with this task, the Emperor was helping him build up his reputation and salvage his steadily declining standing.
Zhang Luo knelt down. “I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness. I will devote myself entirely to this task and strive to be worthy of Your Majesty’s grace.”
As he expressed his gratitude, he reflected inwardly – Given the Emperor’s authority and prestige, she often took the initiative to help her ministers manage matters, leaving them room to retreat when necessary. Yet he himself had increasingly neglected to care for his subordinates. No wonder they had become difficult to manage.
Wen Yanran had indeed heard of the inner court officials’ poor reputation, which only strengthened her trust in the comment section’s guidance. Considering that she would still need Chi Yi, Zhang Luo, and the others to stir up trouble in the court in the future, she could not allow them to stumble and fall prematurely during their developmental stage. Thus, to prevent them from attracting too much resentment, she had to steer them away from pure power games and toward more pragmatic, substantive work – helping them build up some goodwill.
