Zhong Zhiwei did not disclose the visitor’s identity, and Lu Liangcheng naturally did not dare to speak of it directly either. After leading the guest to the main chamber and offering a meal, he carefully withdrew.
The Marquis Luding came from a wealthy family, and in no time at all, the bedding and utensils in the room were replaced with an entirely new set. Lu Liangcheng himself was in a difficult position – if he did not put in his utmost effort, he risked offending the Emperor; yet if he went too far, he feared it would give the Emperor the impression that the Lu family was excessively extravagant. Perhaps due to the haste of the preparations, a single book lay scattered on the table in the room.
Wen Yanran smiled and said, “Ah-Yi, take a guess – what might be written in that book?”
Chi Yi replied with a smile, “It is either the personal manuscript of the Marquis Luding himself or his commentary and annotations.”
Wen Yanran gave a slight nod. “Since you speak of that Marquis Lu as both a man of letters and a man of martial prowess, what is written in this book most likely pertains to military affairs in the western regions.”
She had ventured out privately today and had returned from the western part of the city. Though Lu Liangcheng was said to be ambitious and fond of lofty goals, such ambitions must have something to aspire to. If his basic judgment was not lacking, he could likely guess where she had gone and for what reason.
At this moment, Wen Yanran did not realize that her standard for “not lacking” had undergone subtle changes compared to before her transmigration.
She asked Chi Yi to bring over the book that had been left behind and flipped through it casually. As expected, it was a strategy for governing the western tribes written by Lu Liangcheng in the past. It mainly analyzed the local livelihood and even mentioned that the western tribes were bound to rebel, urging the court officials to prepare early. It also suggested deploying forces from the central region to firmly guard Changxing Pass, preventing the western rebellion from spreading to the central area.
Wen Yanran smiled and remarked, “What a cunning young man.” Turning to Chi Yi, she said, “When Minister Tao volunteers later, have Marquis Luding accompany him as well.” She then added, “For today’s outing, did you bring the cloak?”
Though the weather was now hot, and cold-weather garments like cloaks were hardly necessary, Chi Yi had brought along a thin cloak out of concern for the significant temperature difference between day and night.
Zhong Zhiwei initially thought the Emperor intended to wear it herself, but she noticed that Chi Yi imply took out the cloak, tidied it slightly, and set it aside without offering it to the Emperor.
The meal served by the Marquis Luding’s household naturally followed the standards for entertaining distinguished guests. Wen Yanran ate a small portion before having it cleared away. Although imperial cuisine in the palace had long been a subject of her own complaints, it was only through comparison that she truly understood the difference. She now realized that, compared to what was available outside, the palace chefs had indeed been doing their utmost.
About fifteen minutes after the meal, a light flickered in the courtyard. Lu Liangcheng, dressed in white and holding a candle, arrived and knelt in the yard.
Marquis Luding governed his household with great strictness. While all other personal belongings had been tidied away, the deliberate act of leaving only that single book behind was, of course, intended as a gesture of self-recommendation. Strictly speaking, it also carried a hint of attempting to gauge the Emperor’s thoughts. The new emperor was an astute ruler of her generation and would likely discern his intentions at a glance. Now, he had come specifically to acknowledge his offense.
Chi Yi had long been prepared. Upon seeing the light in the courtyard, she pushed the door open and stepped out. Without waiting for Lu Liangcheng to speak, she first draped the cloak over Marquis Luding and then said with a smile, “Why must you be so overly reverent, Your Excellency? Today, we owe thanks to you for your hospitality.” Lowering her voice, she added, “Her Majesty has only recently ascended the throne and thirsts for talent. With the Marquis’s deep-rooted family learning and in these troubled times, it would be fitting for you to serve the state.”
Lu Liangcheng was momentarily taken aback, but a glimmer of understanding soon flashed in his eyes. He rose, bowed once toward the direction of the study, then offered another bow to Chi Yi before slowly withdrawing.
Early the next morning.
Attendant Song, being ever diligent, set out from his home very early and happened to see an unfamiliar carriage overtake his own. Though it was also heading toward the imperial palace, it did not stop at the gate of Taiqi Palace but continued on toward Tianfu.
As a native of Jianping, Attendant Song was well-acquainted with the affairs of the city’s nobility. He was elderly, held a high-ranking position, and came from an esteemed family. Generally speaking, even if someone was rushing to attend court, they would not have driven their carriage ahead of his…
A flash of insight crossed Attendant Song’s mind. He closed his eyes, pretending to doze off, and said to the puzzled coachman, “Pay it no mind. Just act as if you never saw that carriage.”
Though the new emperor was far more astute than the previous one, in the matter of slipping out unnoticed by the ministers, the two shared quite a bit in common.
Wen Yanran had never intended to conceal her whereabouts completely. This way, when she later revealed her true nature as an incompetent ruler, her ministers could more easily draw parallels between her and the previous emperor based on these shared traits. However, what she did not anticipate was that, despite both rulers leaving the palace without notice, Attendant Song believed the previous emperor had done so solely for leisure, whereas with the new emperor, although he did not know exactly where she had gone, he was convinced it must have been for serious and official matters.
The unassuming carriage paused briefly at a side gate of Tianfu Palace before driving straight in. The State Preceptor and the Director of the Imperial Household were both waiting there. Wen Jingmei wore a trace of fatigue on his face, as if he had not slept well, while Hou Suo was brimming with the excitement and relief of “Your Majesty has finally returned.”
Zhang Luo and Cai Qu brought over the imperial attire and assisted the Emperor in changing. The group then hastened to Heqing Hall, arriving just in time.
The morning assembly proceeded as usual. Most of the ministers standing in the hall were dignified figures, and even if some suspected something, none would bring it up immediately.
After the assembly adjourned, Yuan Yanshi and Attendant Song left together, followed by Lu Yuanguang and He Tingyun. Huang Xu, the Minister of Works, trailed behind unsteadily, his face showing signs of a hangover.
Following Huang Xu was Li Zengyu from the Ministry of Personnel. His official rank was still only that of Vice Minister, but due to the prolonged absence of a chief minister, he was temporarily overseeing the affairs of the ministry, much like Lu Yuanguang. Whether he would eventually become a full Minister of Personnel depended entirely on the Emperor’s will.
The morning assembly of the Great Zhou court typically concluded early. Aside from certain ministers being specifically retained by the Emperor for discussions, the rest either returned to their duties or went home. Li Zengyu, however, went with several friends to a suburban estate for a gathering.
After a few rounds of drinks, Li Zengyu, now showing some signs of intoxication, sighed to his friends, “Most of the senior court officials believe Her Majesty is wise and formidable. I, too, once thought so. Yet, it turns out that while Her Majesty appears wise, in reality, much like the previous emperor, she places extraordinary reliance on inner attendants.”
One friend hesitated and said, “Are you referring to those two, Chi and Zhang? We’ve long resided in Jianping, yet we haven’t heard of many misdeeds by them…”
Another literati scoffed, “Those two have not even been by the Emperor’s side for a full year. How many merchants have already flocked to their doors? Even some scholars have started submitting their writings to their residences, seeking their recommendations.”
Speaking with indignation, the scholar took out a historical text from a previous dynasty and declared, “The annals of history are stained with evidence – are the cruel and corrupt deeds of inner officials mere fabrications? In my view, most of these inner attendants come from impoverished and lowly backgrounds. Having never cultivated virtue from a young age, once they gain prominence, they inevitably indulge in pleasure and exploit the common people. As loyal ministers of the Great Zhou and descendants of scholarly families, it is our duty to make Her Majesty understand that inner officials cannot be trusted. Only by relying on upright and virtuous officials can lasting peace and stability be achieved. If we wait until these inner attendants reveal their true nature before taking precautions, it will be too late for regrets!”
Li Zengyu had been drinking quietly, but upon hearing this, he could not help but shed tears. “Though there are many powerful families in the realm, the Song family associates with the vulgar, the Yuan family is decrepit and incompetent, and the Cui family once served a treacherous usurper… Are we, the scholars of our time, truly doomed to endless darkness?”
Another scholar remarked, “Her Majesty has only recently ascended the throne and is in a phase of determined progress. How can we speak of endless darkness?” He then comforted, “We have all lived through the final years of the previous emperor, when the court and the common people were in constant turmoil. Now, though Her Majesty relies on inner officials, her rule is truly one of peace and stability. Why stir up further trouble?”
As soon as these words were spoken, someone present retorted, “It is precisely during times of peace and stability that we can act with composure.” They continued, “The reason the world has fallen into such decline is because the previous emperor favored vile individuals and alienated virtuous gentlemen. Should we now allow Her Majesty to repeat the same mistakes?”
“In that case, what can we possibly do?”
Li Zengyu said, “Though we may lack ability, the son of the Gao family has completed his mourning period and should now return to court to serve. Why not recommend him for the Ministry of Revenue?”
The Gao family was also a prominent clan of the Great Zhou, its prestige originally on par with that of the Yuan and Cui families. Even its younger members, upon entering official service, could reasonably leap from commoner status directly to the position of Vice Minister.
A scholar said, “It seems the Ministry of Revenue is not particularly short of personnel at present…”
“If it isn’t now, it will inevitably be in the future.”
The speaker was Jiang Zhaoli, a daughter of the Jiang family, who currently served in the Ministry of Rites.
“Please enlighten us, Vice Minister Jiang.”
Jiang Zhaoli did not resort to mystification and explained, “Because the western tribes are bound to rebel.”
As the saying goes, before an army moves, provisions must be secured. Once war breaks out with the western tribes, the Ministry of Revenue will undoubtedly become extremely busy.
Jiang Zhaoli sighed, “All of you hail from Jianzhou, so you must have heard from your elders about the deeds of the inner officials during the last rebellion of the western tribes.”
War places an immense strain on a nation’s resources, yet for those without scruples, it also presents an opportunity to seize power and amass wealth.
When the previous emperor waged war against the western tribes, neither palace officials nor court ministers neglected the chance to enrich themselves. The Emperor’s personal attendants at the time even openly sold crucial strategic supplies, including grain, to the enemy, reaping exorbitant profits, with Emperor Li himself taking a substantial share.
In truth, it wasn’t just inner officials – even the outer court ministers from scholarly families were not entirely free of private dealings with the western tribes. Some aimed to gauge the enemy’s strength, while others believed in keeping options open with additional connections. Such was the nature of the times, a problem not easily resolved merely by changing the emperor. Wen Yanran, for now, was merely leveraging her momentum of progress to temporarily suppress the undercurrents within the court.
Li Zengyu and the others harbored resentment toward the inner officials, partly due to fear stemming from their past actions, and partly because the Emperor’s dominance had become increasingly evident over the months since his accession. Even the former Grand Tutor had begun to show clear signs of retreat. If they did not wish to be gradually sidelined, they had no choice but to fight with all their might.
If the Emperor realized that inner officials were unreliable, he would have no choice but to rely on the scholar-officials.
Jiang Zhaoli said, “However, the war with the western tribes is, after all, a matter of national importance. If we use this opportunity to trouble the inner officials, I fear…”
Before she could finish, Li Zengyu angrily interjected, “Does relying on us necessarily mean hindering Her Majesty’s great affairs?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Zengyu realized he had spoken out of turn. He set down his wine cup and cupped his hands toward Jiang Zhaoli, saying, “Vice Minister Jiang is cautious by nature. It was my fault for speaking improperly.”
Jiang Zhaoli was not offended. “Brother Li’s point is also reasonable. If Chi and Zhang truly harbor treacherous intentions, they will inevitably reveal themselves in the matter of the western tribes sooner or later. We should first observe coldly and then plan gradually to prevent them from obstructing the court’s important affairs. As for Brother Gao, let us first invite him to Jianping. With the Gao family’s prestige, even if we take no action, Yuan and Song will certainly recommend him actively.”
