Chapter 308: The Paper Mounter of the Ming Dynasty 36 |
The proud expression on Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Fuzheng’s face froze.
What unfolded before him was somewhat unexpected.
On the surface this contest for top scholar seemed like a fight between Chen Shi and the Young Master, seemingly Chen Tang against the civil and military officials, but the real person steering the outcome was him, Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Fuzheng!
He was the one who truly controlled the situation.
Outwardly he supported Chen Shi and Chen Tang’s bid for top scholar, provoking a duel between the Young Master and Chen Shi, giving them the impetus to clash. Chen Shi and Chen Tang would not suspect him, allowing him to approach the Nine Halls of the True King whenever he wished.
At the same time he triggered the Nine Halls to stop Chen Shi from executing the Young Master at the last moment, thereby serving the interests of the Thirteen Great Clans.
Thus, whether it was Chen Shi’s side, the Young Master’s faction, or the Thirteen Great Clans, all would be intimidated by his actions.
He was the backbone of this decisive battle, the pillar of the Ming Dynasty, the elder who shouldered responsibility for the fifty provinces of the Western Ox New Continent!
Former Grand Secretary Yan Xianzhi had resigned because of the arrival of Creation Little Five, withdrawing to avoid disaster and waiting for a chance to return, his eyes on the Chief Grand Secretary seat. Zhang Fuzheng had taken that post in a time of crisis, but his seniority and network were insufficient, lacking Yan Xianzhi’s gravitas and prestige; it would not have been difficult for Yan Xianzhi to reclaim the seat.
His authority and prestige were set to reach their peak, making it impossible for Yan Xianzhi to regain the Chief Grand Secretary position!
The only problem now was that he had failed to control Chen Shi.
The Young Master was dead.
At the very moment Zhang Fuzheng activated Zhongji Hall’s power and shouted “Stop, all of you,” Chen Shi had already exterminated the Young Master with the force of the Ten Extremities Array!
Zhang Fuzheng felt as if the sky had fallen.
The Thirteen Great Clans had spent decades carefully cultivating and selecting someone who could wield and control a True King; twenty or thirty years of effort bore fruit only for it to suddenly die.
Cold sweat broke out on his brow, and his heart turned frigid.
His maneuverings seemed clever and had stabilized his position, increasing his prestige, but he knew he had botched it.
At that moment the sky suddenly turned a blood-red; the two suns slowly closed their eyes. The fierce flames in the Celestial True God’s gaze were pushed out by the eyelids, forming a vast sea of fire tens of thousands of li long in the skies eighty li above the Western Ox New Continent, burning fiercely like evening clouds.
“It’s dark, and arrived a moment early!” The registrar from the Directorate of Astronomy hurried in to report, his features tense with ill omen.
It was May twenty-sixth, and although it was midsummer, there was none of the usual oppressive heat.
Outside the Chenxi Teahouse on Wuchang Street stood an extremely ornate carriage. The body was painted with soaring talismans; besides the traditional Divine Travel Talisman and Horse Gallop Talisman, there were dragon and phoenix patterns, thunder scripts, and an extravagant protective dome talisman adorned with dangling beads and depictions of the sun, moon, and stars.
The beasts pulling the carriage were dragon-blooded: two azure-red dragon steeds that had already sprouted wings, nobly majestic.
When these creatures ran, they rose on clouds and raced through the air; traveling thousands of li a day was nothing to them.
Xiao Wangsun circled the precious carriage four or five times before reluctantly leaving it behind.
Inside the teahouse, Yan Xianzhi and Zhang Fuzheng sat face to face. The two old men watched Xiao Wangsun being led away by Jin Hongying in silence for a long while.
After quite some time—as the tea had cooled—Zhang Fuzheng finally said in an unhurried tone, “Grand Secretary Yan, I have won this battle between us. Will you acknowledge it?”
Yan Xianzhi stirred his power to warm the tea, lifted his cup, and solemnly said, “Fuzheng, you usually keep your talents concealed. I never expected all that learning in you, a hundred times greater than mine. I did not foresee that you could navigate among the three forces with such ease. Had Chen Shi’s final strike not come as a surprise to you, you might have achieved a complete victory! I lose to you, and I admit it with sincere respect. I toast you!”
Zhang Fuzheng raised his cooled tea and laughed, “To receive such praise from Brother Yan is enough for me in this life.”
They drank the tea like wine, downing it in one gulp.
Yan Xianzhi ordered a servant to fetch a fresh pot of hot tea and poured for Zhang Fuzheng, saying, “But Chen Shi killing the Young Master creates a huge entanglement. How we handle the aftermath is the real test of a Chief Grand Secretary’s skill. The Ming Dynasty is riddled with wounds; if the Chief Grand Secretary lacks the skill of a master restorer, the cabinet would have already collapsed. Fuzheng, can you teach me?”
Zhang Fuzheng smiled, “Brother Yan has served as Grand Secretary for so many years, you must already have private plans. But since you asked, I will say a few words.”
He paused, then continued, “The Young Master is dead. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Everything is finished; we do not need to worry about him. Those factions the Young Master planted within the court and the provinces—those that should be uprooted, uproot them; those that should be incorporated, incorporate them. After all, they are a considerable asset.”
Yan Xianzhi nodded gently.
Zhang Fuzheng went on, “As for Chen Shi’s title as top scholar, give it to him with no punishment. First, it demonstrates court justice. Second, it seals the mouths of Chen Shi and Chen Tang. Third, the Chen family has three generations of accumulation. Though their household is small, their strength can already rival the great clans. The court must maintain a measure of respect toward such strong powers.”
Yan Xianzhi said, “I only fear the remnants of the Young Master’s faction will not let this go quietly.”
“That is their matter with Chen Shi, not the court’s concern. The court should treat the Chen father and son with conciliatory policies.”
Zhang Fuzheng sipped his tea and said, “As for the third point, we must give the Thirteen Great Clans an explanation for their years of toil. Those responsible for causing this situation must face punishment.”
Yan Xianzhi sighed, “That is the most difficult part.”
Zhang Fuzheng nodded lightly, “Indeed it is difficult. Brother Yan, this round of tea, it’s on you.”
Yan Xianzhi replied, “I will pay.”
Zhang Fuzheng rose, left the teahouse, then stopped and turned back, saying, “You did nothing, and I did everything. I won everywhere and beat you at every turn, yet I still cannot make sense of it. I truly cannot.”
Yan Xianzhi laughed, “In the Ming court nowadays, sometimes doing nothing is winning. Doing something can be wrong and lead to loss.”
“Doing nothing is right?”
Zhang Fuzheng shook his head and laughed loudly as he descended the stairs.
After a moment, Yan Xianzhi came to the window and looked down. He saw the carriage driver open the carriage door and Zhang Fuzheng bow and enter.
The carriage set off, leaving the Western Capital.
That morning, Zhang Fuzheng’s resignation had already been submitted to the Cabinet.
Zhang Fuzheng had done everything; Yan Xianzhi had done nothing, yet because Zhang Fuzheng had erred and had to give the Thirteen Great Clans an explanation, he resigned as Chief Grand Secretary.
Yan Xianzhi once again became Chief Grand Secretary.
When Yan Xianzhi descended, the storyteller in the teahouse was still recounting the battle between Chen Shi and the Young Master with tears and dramatic flair, painting top scholar Chen Shi as monstrous and villainous.
Yan Xianzhi stood among the crowd for a while, shook his head, thinking, “What these common folk know is only the surface, partial, and driven by emotion.”
He left the teahouse and strolled toward the inner city at a leisurely pace.
On the streets, people gossiped about the duel between Chen Shi and the Young Master, vividly recounting Chen Shi’s killing of the Young Master as if they had witnessed it in person.
Rumors flew wildly—some utterly absurd, others argued with persuasive logic.
“When the tree falls the monkeys scatter; these rumors will all fade in a month. Commoners will go on with their lives—who’s right or wrong doesn’t change daily bread and fuel,” he thought quietly.
He listened to people’s discussions until he reached the inner city and then things quieted down. He went to Wenyuan Pavilion and entered the Cabinet, taking his seat.
At this moment, the other twelve ministers were already waiting for him, their eyes fixed on his face.
Yan Xianzhi smiled slightly and said, “Gentlemen, we must settle the top scholar title.”
“Grand Secretary, regarding Chen Shi killing the Young Master…”
“Through history, contests for top scholar unavoidably lead to casualties. This is unfortunate. The Cabinet will convey condolences to Ren Mu’s family, and the court will provide some relief.”
Yan Xianzhi said, “Also, Minister of War Ren Xiao has lost his son, and he is grief-stricken and old. The court must not impede his retirement. Tomorrow’s morning court, we shall persuade him to step down.”
The twelve ministers silently nodded.
Xia Canghai asked, “What about Chen Tang? As Vice Minister of Revenue, he manages the Eight Treasuries and Four Granaries; over the years he must have siphoned a lot!”
He could not help but be indignant, “Minister Cui of Revenue acts like a fool, completely unaware of how much Chen Tang has stolen!”
Cui Baihe, who carried the title of Minister of Revenue and was also a cabinet minister present in Wenyuan Pavilion, flushed and slammed the table in anger, “Xia Canghai, if you took office as Minister at the Revenue Ministry, you would be deceived by him into looking like a fool! Which among us does not think Chen Tang is a loyal minister? Who does not think he is a pillar of the state? Who noticed that he had embezzled thirty-seven Talisman Gods Tianji? You all think him a great talent!”
Xia Canghai sneered, “He didn’t serve under me; he served under you! Your people embezzled so much, assaulted the civil and military officials, even injured several elders—Ma Family’s elder had his leg broken!”
Ma Lishu, Lord Ma, objected, “What do you mean Ma Family elder had his leg broken? Did Li Family elder not also have his leg broken? Li Family elder was humiliated by Chen Wu, beaten and gravely injured; when he was just recovering, a white-robed fairy struck him again, gravely injuring him; when he was just recovering again, Chen Tang beat him badly…”
Li Xiaoshuang, Lord Li, slammed the table and shouted, “Ma Lishu, what do you mean? The Thirteen Great Clans are all related. Which family elder has not been beaten by Chen Wu? Which family elder has not been wounded by the white-robed fairy? If they had not died early, they would have been beaten by Chen Tang this time too!”
…
The twelve ministers erupted into a brawl, nearly coming to blows.
Yan Xianzhi let them argue, feeling helpless: “The Ming Dynasty’s master restorer only pastes and mends these affairs.”
When everyone tired from shouting, Xia Canghai asked, “Grand Secretary, Chen Tang has committed many crimes and corruption. How shall we investigate?”
“Investigate? Investigate what? Who will investigate?”
Yan Xianzhi spread his hands in astonishment, “If this old man does not investigate, who will? Minister Xia, will you investigate? Or Lord Ma? What does pocketing some money amount to? Is the Revenue Ministry not still functioning? Is the court not still functioning? Has Lord Li never taken bribes? Or Minister Cui? Or Minister Gao? Or Minister Fei?”
Silence fell.
Xia Canghai could not help but say, “Even so, we cannot let him remain in that position. As Vice Minister of Revenue these years, he embezzled thirty-seven Talisman Gods Tianji. If he stays, how many more can he amass? Why not demote him?”
Yan Xianzhi shook his head, “You fear his thirty-seven Talisman Gods Tianji, and I fear it too. Chen Tang has been diligent at the Revenue Ministry and achieved much. How could we demote him? Promote him! Make him an honorary official of Yonglu, with rank of the first class. What do you all think?”
The twelve ministers exchanged knowing smiles and nodded approvingly.
This move was a promotion that hid a demotion.
Vice Minister of Revenue is a third-rank official with real authority over the Eight Treasuries and Four Granaries; Yonglu honorific is a nominal first-rank position with no real power. It was a way to raise his rank while stripping him of access to resources.
“Grand Secretary, what about top scholar Chen Shi? He should be given some official post.”
Cui Baihe said, “Chen Shi is currently serving as Grand Emissary at Guangji Treasury. In my view, he is not much different from his father. Guangji Treasury might become Chen Top Scholar’s personal fund.”
Yan Xianzhi smiled, “Naturally, promote him. A Grand Emissary is a ninth-rank official. Promote him three ranks to become a historiographer and compiler at the Hanlin Academy, to match his literary talent.”
Everyone approved enthusiastically.
Thus the Cabinet’s plan was set.
The next day, the court announced the Cabinet’s decrees: a large number of officials were dismissed or investigated; Minister of War Ren Xiao formally requested retirement and returned home.
Additionally, Fu Zheng Pavilion was abolished; its officials would no longer be appointed.
The matter caused an uproar across court and country.
Chen Tang’s promotion also sparked heated debate.
The Thirteen Great Clans had been troubled by the Chen father and son, but with Grand Secretary Yan’s intervention the turmoil was gently smoothed and left people admiring.
A few days later the court released the examination results: Chen Shi was top scholar, Zhang You was second place.
The third place created a stir: it belonged to a female presented scholar named Hu Feifei.
Because the Thirteen Great Clans had suffered heavy losses among their scions, other clans’ scions could not defeat Hu Feifei, and with the Fox Clan’s whispering influence, the third place inexplicably fell to Hu Feifei.
After the third place came the second and third class presented scholar slots.
Hundreds of names were on the golden list.
A couple days later the court allocated official posts. Many presented scholars received appointments, either local or minor posts in the Western Capital.
Chen Shi’s appointment came through: a historiographer and compiler at the Hanlin Academy, sixth rank. It was not insignificant, but it was a sinecure with no real power.
Chen Shi did not mind; he signed in at the Hanlin Academy office and then went home to rest, delighted with his leisure.
He retrieved Stone Ji Your Ladyship and the Ginseng Grass Doll along with other spirit medicines from Chen Tang, and recovered his Pocket Heaven. Stone Ji Your Ladyship returned to his small temple satisfied, but upon seeing a white-robed woman already occupying one of the shrines she suddenly changed color and was about to flare up.
However, feeling the woman’s aura, she calmed considerably and obediently sat on the third shrine.
Chen Shi was surprised and thought, “Has Stone Ji Your Ladyship changed her temperament? She didn’t chase away this female presented scholar.”
He was also puzzled that this female presented scholar had been unconscious for so long and still could not wake in his little temple.
His Primordial Spirit sat on the central shrine, with the “female presented scholar” and Stone Ji Your Ladyship on either side. His true energy became exceptionally pure, and his Dao-body naturally formed.
At that moment, commotion came from outside the Chen residence. Chen Shi stepped out to see hundreds of presented scholars and examinees—Hu Guanghan, Tian Yue’e among them—gathered outside seeking an audience.
Chen Shi hurriedly invited them into the residence, but there were too many and the Chen home was too small, so they could only speak on Qianyang Street.
“Master, we have been granted posts and must leave for our jurisdictions. Today we came to bid farewell.”
They all bowed.
Chen Shi hurried to support them and smiled, “We are all examinees and presented scholars of the same year; how dare you call me master?”
He asked each presented scholar about their official posts. Most received small local posts—county assistant magistrates or chief clerks; some better ones got positions like judges, registrars, or secretaries at prefectural offices—practical posts, unlike his historiographer role.
He inquired whether they had any cultivation problems and gave answers on the spot, leaving each of them a thousand-li voice transmission talisman.
At the time of departure, they bowed together.
“Master, our journey ahead is long and perilous and we know not whether we will live. We bow and take leave, hoping in the future to return before you for your guidance!”