“What? Qi Jingtang… that Dengzhou brat who nearly drugged me to death, has been summoned to join Yu Shilang in overseeing military affairs and to go encircle and suppress the Liao–Wang allied forces?” On his sickbed, Xie Shiyan glared wide-eyed in shock and anger, so agitated that he even knocked over the medicine bowl in the maid’s hands. “Does His Majesty not know what he did to me?”
Xie Shiyan’s eldest son, Hanlin Academy Reader Xie Yun, replied, “His Majesty naturally knows. Isn’t that why he also sent two imperial physicians to diagnose and treat Father, and bestowed quite a number of medicinal tonics for recuperation? It shows that His Majesty still places great trust in Father.”
Xie Shiyan waved his hand, dismissing the servants in the room, and spoke his true thoughts to his son: “Imperial physicians and tonics, those are just gestures, something done for your Royal Father and the court officials to see, in order to display imperial virtue. As for whether one truly holds weight in His Majesty’s heart, that depends on whose proposals are adopted when the court makes its decisions.”
“I had originally planned to first deal harshly with that Dengzhou brat, and once my illness improved, submit a memorial accusing him of intent to murder. But who would have expected His Majesty to promote him a step ahead, how am I supposed to swallow this grievance!”
Xie Yun said, “Father has been resting at home due to illness recently, do you know that Qi Jingtang only rose to his position because of Su Gelao’s recommendation?”
Xie Shiyan pressed a slice of ginseng under his tongue, steadied his breathing, and then said, “I guessed it was him. The man was already locked up in the woodshed, yet he was forcibly taken away midway by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, saying it would be handled according to the law, and what was the result? Clearly it was deliberate deception against me! If you say the Embroidered Uniform Guard weren’t acting under Su Twelve’s orders, who would believe it?”
Xie Yun revealed a strange, ambiguous sneer: “Has Father not heard of those romantic affairs between Shen Qi, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Su Yan? Privately in court, people say that Su Gelao is truly capable, no matter how sharp a blade or how fierce a beast, once it falls into his hands, even steel tempered a hundred times can become soft as silk around the fingers.”
Xie Shiyan knew the two were on good terms, but didn’t know there was such a layer to their relationship. But frankly speaking, he didn’t care who was whose lover, in this matter, Shen Qi standing on Su Yan’s side meant he was his enemy.
Su Yan had entered the Cabinet at a young age, standing on equal footing with these veteran ministers, this matter was not without objections in court.
But the new emperor’s attitude was firm, and Su Yan himself not only had the merit of supporting the emperor’s accession and protecting him, but also had sufficient political achievements to back him, and was moreover one of the ministers entrusted with the late emperor’s dying charge. Therefore, even if the old ministers felt unbalanced, it was not easy for them to say much.
Su Yan held the post of Left Shilang Ministry of Personnel and was additionally granted the title of Gelao of Wenhua Hall, ranking third in the Cabinet. Xie Shiyan, ranked second, had endured this. But the new emperor then adjusted the positions of the assisting ministers, placing Su Yan at the same rank of Vice Gelao as him, this left him so choked with resentment that it was like a fishbone stuck in his throat, and he couldn’t eat for days.
What troubled him even more was that in several major state policies in succession, the new emperor had adopted Su Yan’s opinions. Regardless of whether those opinions were correct, just concentrating power in one person like this, what need was there for the other Cabinet ministers to exist?
“The momentum is not good…” Xie Shiyan murmured, “Su Twelve is about to cover the sky with one hand.”
Xie Yun was startled: “Not to that extent, right? He’s still so young! Besides, above him there’s still Chief Gelao Yang.”
“Yang Ting? Heh, how about making a bet with your Father? I bet he won’t last five years as Chief Gelao.” Xie Shiyan cast a sidelong glance at his son, his eyes revealing a shrewdness never seen in court.
Xie Yun was even more shocked: “Why does Father say this?”
“Throughout court and countryside, behind my back they all call me ‘the muddler Gelao,’ saying I only mediate disputes and smooth things over, do you think I don’t know? Of course I know. But I still choose to preserve myself wisely.”
“Doesn’t Chief Gelao Yang also avoid contention to preserve himself wisely?”
“It’s not the same. Yang Ting is indecisive when facing matters, easily influenced by stronger personalities. By nature he is gentle, always hoping everyone around him is well and that everyone’s interests can be taken into account, but the court is like a battlefield, and competing for advantage is like a game of strategy. Where does this ‘everyone being well’ come from? What he has isn’t wise self-preservation, it’s honest naïveté. People like that aren’t suited to be officials, no matter how high their position, they won’t sit there for long.”
“Father means that in the future Cabinet… Su Gelao will dominate alone?”
“He already dominates alone! If he is allowed to become Chief Gelao, not only will there be no room left for other ministers to speak, I’m afraid even the ‘Cabinet’ itself won’t be preserved!”
Xie Yun was stunned: “Could it be that the Secretariat will be reestablished, restoring the prime minister system? That was personally abolished by the founding emperor!”
“That’s hard to say. Judging by His Majesty’s current favor toward him… His Majesty is only seventeen, over the next decades, who can say what kind of storms and changes will arise?”
“Then Father intends to…?”
Xie Shiyan stared at the shattered bowl and spilled medicine on the floor before the bed, his tone slow and heavy: “Your Father is already past fifty this year, how many years do I have left? I’m not like Jiao Yang and Wang Qianhe, who still want to compete for the position of Chief Gelao in their lifetime, but I also cannot just watch helplessly as that position is snatched away by a mere yellow-mouthed child!”
“I place my hopes on you. You are a jinshi of both lists, with a Hanlin Academy background, fully qualified to enter the Cabinet. I will pave the way for you and send you to the position of Chief Gelao. The first step is the last vacant seat in the Cabinet, the Gelao of Dongge Hall!”
Xie Yun’s eyes filled with tears as he said emotionally, “Father!”
Xie Shiyan patted his arm in reassurance: “I know this is difficult, and I know that asking you to face Su Twelve alone, you would have almost no chance of winning. So I must do one thing for you, push Su Yan out of the Cabinet.”
“Father also said just now that Su Gelao is greatly favored by His Majesty; I’m afraid he won’t be easy to shake.”
“That’s why we must join forces with all forces that can be joined. Among the Cabinet ministers, Yang Ting, because of his nature and his relationship with Li Chengfeng, will likely still support Su Yan at critical moments; Yu Chezhi is a man of temperament, Su Yan promoted Qi Jingtang to be his deputy in overseeing military affairs, so he is temporarily dissatisfied, but it won’t create a rift over such a matter; I have probed Wang Chunnian, this man is not eloquent, his thoughts are deep, he appears unremarkable, but he may not be without ambition. In other words, both Yu Chezhi and Wang Chunnian could become people I join hands with.”
“As for the other court officials, among the Six Ministries, most officials in the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Works support him; in the future, even the position of Minister of Personnel will likely be his. The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites are relatively indifferent; Minister of Rites Yan Xing once allied with him over the imperial edict matter, but disapproves of his unorthodox conduct; the Ministries of War and Justice are relatively neutral.”
“As for the censors, especially the imperial censors of the Censorate, their evaluation of him is polarized, there are fanatical supporters, as well as fault-finders who are intent on watching for his weaknesses. It all depends on who will take the position of Left Censor-in-Chief in the future. If it is Chu Qiu, the Censorate will likely become his backyard.”
After the kneeling-at-the-gate case, the former Left Censor-in-Chief was dismissed for participating in a joint petition to change the heir, and the position is currently vacant, temporarily held concurrently by the Right Censor-in-Chief. Chu Qiu, a friend Su Yan made while investigating the Baizhifang explosion case, is quite reputable among the younger censors and has a good chance of promotion.
“As for the Five Courts, aside from the Dali Temple having some power, the others are not worth mentioning. The Minister of the Dali Temple, Guan Pan, is also one who preserves himself wisely, and he once served as Su Yan’s superior, he will likely leave some room for sentiment.”
After hearing his Father’s analysis, Xie Yun suddenly realized that Su Yan, having been an official for only three or four years, had already built a considerable power base in the court, wouldn’t the future court of Great Ming become his domain?
“Father, this road is too difficult, why don’t you just not take it…”
Xie Shiyan laughed and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder: “What do you think your Father is going to do, put on armor and go to battle? Child, you must understand one thing, at court, allies and enemies often look no different. Do you think I will glare at Su Yan and pick faults in everything? No. I will work with him smiling, continue being a ‘muddler Gelao,’ and then operate in secret, and at a critical moment, stab him fiercely in the vital spot from behind.”
Xie Yun seemed to gain some understanding. He said, “Father, I suddenly thought of a small matter related to Su Yan, I don’t know whether it’s worth mentioning.”
“Of course it’s worth mentioning. What you think is a small matter may indeed be small now, but at some moment in the future, it may become a big matter. A thousand-li dike collapses from an ant hole, that’s the principle.” Xie Shiyan said.
Xie Yun nodded and said, “It seems there has been a rift between Su Yan and his old acquaintance Cui Jinping. A few days ago after court was dismissed, I saw Su Yan go to speak with Cui Jinping, but Cui Jinping snubbed him and turned away. Cui Jinping wanted to join the investigation of the Demon Book case, but His Majesty did not permit it. Could he think that Su Yan is obstructing him behind the scenes, unwilling to give him the chance to display his talent?”
Xie Shiyan pondered for a moment and also recalled something: “Cui Jinping, as merely a fifth-rank Consulting Official of the Office of Transmission, was more active than his superior during last year’s dispute over changing the heir. He was on the Crown Prince’s side. Logically speaking, after the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he should have been rewarded according to merit, yet among the batch of officials promoted at the beginning of the year, his name was not included. What is the reason?”
Xie Yun knew his Royal Father was testing him, and after thinking, replied: “Either he simply did not catch His Majesty’s eye, or Su Yan does not wish for him to stand out.”
Xie Shiyan stroked his beard and smiled: “The top graduate and the second class of the same examination, their rankings on the golden list differ by just one position, yet once entering the court, that hierarchy is reversed, how subtle. Thinking back, the second and third-ranked graduates of the same examination were all indirectly ruined by Su Yan, how could the top graduate escape?”
Xie Yun also smiled: “I understand. This Cui Jinping may be useful in the future.”
Xie Shiyan said, “Bring paper and brush, I will personally write a letter of recommendation.”
***
Cui Jinping felt somewhat regretful.
That day after court was dismissed, when Su Yan walked toward him, his lips pressed in troubled thought, his eyes shining with eagerness, clearly intending to explain himself. But at that time, anger had surged in him, and he turned away, not giving the other any chance to speak.
Now that most of his anger had subsided, he wondered whether he had been somewhat ungrateful. No matter how young Su Yan was, and no matter their shared cohort bond, he was still a Gelao.
This disparity like clouds and mud made Cui Jinping feel, alongside admiration, a faint bitterness,
Back then, Su Yan had only placed seventh in the second class, while he himself had been the top graduate.
In terms of literary talent, he believed he did not lose to the other at all, indeed, he might even surpass him.
Of the requests Su Yan had made, which one had he not done his utmost to help with? Even if mixed with selfish motives, he had still done everything he could.
Yet he had not received the expected, proper return.
Cui Jinping hesitated whether to pay another visit and speak properly with him, but could not bring himself to lower his pride and face the cold looks of the Su residence’s servants again.
Just then, two colleagues from the Office of Transmission entered the room with smiling faces and made a deep bow to him: “Congratulations, Vice Director Cui! Congratulations, Vice Director Cui!”
Cui Jinping was startled: “What? Don’t talk nonsense, I am only a consulting official.”
Colleague A laughed and said, “Today still a consulting official, tomorrow already a Vice Director! The paperwork has already been sent down to the Ministry of Personnel, it will soon reach Lord Cui’s hands!”
From a fifth-rank consulting official to a fourth-rank Vice Director, not only was it a full promotion of one rank, he would also become the second-in-command of the Office of Transmission, and his chances of being promoted to Director would greatly increase. Cui Jinping was both shocked and delighted.
Colleague B added, “I heard it was a Gelao who personally wrote a recommendation letter to His Majesty. With such backing, won’t Lord Cui soar straight to the top in the future?”
Cui Jinping was so moved that tears filled his eyes. He thought to himself: Qinghe truly still has me in his thoughts, it was I who wronged him!
He wiped his face and said, “I should go and properly thank Su Gelao.”
Colleague B was somewhat surprised by his words: “Su Gelao? No, the one who recommended Lord Cui was Xie Gelao. I have a relative working in the Cabinet as a Secretariat Drafter, so I asked a bit more. He said that Su Gelao did not agree with this matter, but Xie Gelao insisted on his own opinion. Su Gelao was unwilling to make things too stiff with him, and only reluctantly agreed in the end.”
Cui Jinping froze.
***
In his study, Su Yan sat at the desk, flipping through memorial reports sent from Beizhili. Yu Chezhi and Qi Jingtang, leading the capital troops, had already engaged in a probing skirmish with Madman Liao’s rebel forces. The capital army held the advantage; the bandit Liao temporarily retreated to avoid their edge, but it was not impossible that this was a feint to lure the enemy deeper.
The oil lamp had dimmed somewhat. He set down the report and used small scissors to trim the wick.
Shen Qi pushed the door open, entered, and handed him several newly received intelligence reports.
Su Yan smiled slightly: “You’ve worked hard, Qilang. Local memorials always take longer to reach the capital, thanks to the spies stationed in the various posts of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”
Shen Qi nodded at him, brought over a chair, and sat down beside him.
“I already know about your dispute with Xie Shiyan today. To be honest…” Shen Qi hesitated slightly, but continued, “what you did may not have been wise.”
Su Yan focused on the intelligence reports: “I know.”
“Have you thought that if Cui Jinping finds out, he may harbor resentment toward you? Some forces may be slight, when they serve as assistance, they don’t seem of much use, but once they turn into hostility, they require extra vigilance.”
“I’ve thought about it.”
“But you still did it.”
“Yes.” Su Yan turned his head to look at Shen Qi, a trace of helplessness appearing on his face. “There are some things where I know which choice would bring me the greatest benefit, yet for certain reasons, I do not choose the most advantageous option. Let alone you, Qilang, even when I think back on it myself, I wonder if I’m being foolish.”
Shen Qi revealed a faint smile, grasped the back of his hand, and lightly rubbed it with the calluses from holding a blade: “With a mind as clever as yours, if you still think yourself foolish, where does that leave everyone else? I know you don’t act impulsively, there must be your reason for doing this.”
Su Yan looked into his eyes, faintly reflecting soft light in the candle glow. He said softly, “Qilang understands me.”
“But I cannot be certain which trade-off this reason comes from.”
Su Yan set down the intelligence report and said seriously, “Then I’ll tell you. Cui Jinping is indeed my friend, and I know his strengths and weaknesses equally well. He is exceptionally intelligent and full of talent, but also competitive and proud. He is passionate about state affairs, while he does have the intention of serving the country and the people, more than that he wants to display his own abilities and gain recognition and admiration. He comes from a prominent family, naturally suited to study and enter officialdom. He has never suffered setbacks, nor has he ever witnessed the hardships of common people. A Cui Jinping like this can only be a brilliantly dressed, high-spirited top graduate, he cannot shoulder the heavy responsibility of heading a bureau.”
“I originally planned to send him out to a local post to be tempered for several years, starting as a local magistrate, gradually grinding away his pride and utilitarian mindset, letting him understand what it truly means ‘to be an official and how to be an official.’ After accumulating sufficient practical experience, I would then transfer him back to the capital and entrust him with important duties.”
“Xie Shiyan’s interference at this time is no different from pulling up seedlings to help them grow. Moreover, Xie Shiyan has no personal connection to him, why promote him? Nothing more than a deliberate attempt to win him over and use him as a weapon. I wonder whether he can see through this, or whether he will instead treat Xie Shiyan as a benefactor and resent me for blocking his path to promotion.”
Shen Qi said, “You could also win him over and use him.”
“Yes, I could. If all I wanted was an ally or subordinate at court, I could grant him favors, win him over, and then use him. As for what he becomes in the end, it would have nothing to do with me, useful, then use him; useless, then discard him. But I treat him as a friend. I hope he can see his own heart clearly, not waste his talent, and truly become a pillar of the state.”
“But he may not see it clearly. Even if he realizes it afterward, he may not thank you.”
Su Yan gave a bitter smile: “I know. But there are some things, no matter the outcome, if I feel it is the right thing to do, I will go ahead without hesitation. At least I will have tried, and have no shame before my own heart.”
“You could also explain your good intentions to him.”
“If I say such things now, he will only think I am making excuses, and it will instead deepen the misunderstanding. Forget it, let it be. Perhaps I am too fond of playing the teacher, and Heaven found it disagreeable, using Xie Shiyan’s hand to disrupt this situation; perhaps for him, this is the true tempering. In any case, no matter whether he treats me kindly or with hostility in the future, I will still do what must be done. I will try to resolve the misunderstanding, but I will not let him ruin my affairs.”
Shen Qi slowly rubbed the back of his hand: “Do you know what I’m thinking right now?”
Su Yan shook his head: “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking of completely devouring you, without giving even a single glance or breath to anyone else.”
Su Yan was slightly startled, then laughed: “Qilang, you won’t scare me like that. You could never bear to truly eat me.”
Shen Qi’s gaze was deep and burning, the corner of his lips curving up: “Right, I can’t bear to. Not only do I not dare to eat you, I will place everything you want before you. If you, in turn, want to eat me, I am also willing.”
Su Yan’s stomach very cooperatively let out a rumbling sound.
He immediately covered his stomach and gave Shen Qi a somewhat disdainful look: “No, I don’t want to eat you at all, the smell of blood is too strong.”
Shen Qi laughed aloud, leaned in, and pressed him against the back of the chair to kiss him.
At that moment, the window suddenly flew open, and a fierce wind swept into the room. Jinghong Zhui, carrying with him the scent of wild grass and trees, landed before the desk and said coldly, “Does my lord require this subordinate’s help? This subordinate is skilled in roasting game, bleeding, cleaning, then marinating, I guarantee there won’t be the slightest trace of fishy smell.”
