Volume One, Chapter 27: Developments (1)

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The following day, Li Jiuxiao began visiting the residences of various ministers in person, ostensibly to raise relief funds for the disaster in Changzhou. He brought along the Imperial Guards responsible for protecting the palace.

Whenever he encountered someone who tried to feign poverty and evade the donation, he produced a record of the lavish sums that the man—or his descendants—had squandered in brothels. He also announced that Prince Cheng, Shen Jianheng, had taken the lead by donating three hundred thousand taels of silver.

They claimed to have no money to provide disaster relief for the court, yet somehow had money to visit brothels and seek out courtesans.

There was simply no way to justify that.

Moreover, Shen Jianheng was a member of the imperial family and had set such an admirable example. As ministers serving the emperor, how could they fail to show their loyalty?

Thus, although the officials of the court grumbled bitterly in private, they had no choice but to cut deeply into their own fortunes and hand over silver to Shen Ran for the national treasury. The more generous among them contributed nearly one hundred thousand taels, while even the least affluent gave twenty or thirty thousand. When all was counted, they had raised no less than two million taels of silver.

Seated in the Imperial Study, Shen Ran glanced over the densely packed list of donors in his hand and said mildly, “You did rather well.”

“It was all thanks to Your Majesty’s wisdom,” Li Jiuxiao replied.

Shen Ran lowered his eyes lazily, the corners of his lips curling into an ambiguous smile. “Though I do believe myself wise, wisdom is not made useful merely by declaring oneself wise. You needn’t say such things in the future. Speak of the matter at hand.”

He tapped his index finger once against the desk. “With such a grand display, we will naturally have to dispatch an imperial commissioner. Who do you think would be most suitable among the officials at court?”

It was undoubtedly a difficult question.

Li Jiuxiao thought through every court official he knew and arrived at one conclusion: no one.

Those who currently held high positions were either greedy, incompetent, or adept at political maneuvering.

There were very few who genuinely wished to seek the people’s welfare, and those few did not enjoy the emperor’s trust.

But Li Jiuxiao dared not say so.

There were many things everyone understood perfectly well, yet none could ever be spoken aloud.

Shen Ran supplied the answer for him. “You.”

Li Jiuxiao’s temple throbbed violently. Unable to believe his ears, he asked, “What did Your Majesty say?”

Shen Ran, with remarkable patience, repeated himself. “I said, you.”

With a thud, Li Jiuxiao dropped to his knees. Anxiously, he said, “This humble subject is neither talented nor virtuous. I fear I am unworthy of such a grave responsibility, and I doubt the others would accept my authority!”

Although the Imperial Guards held official ranks, they were still quite different from the civil and military officials of the court. Their principal duty was to protect the emperor’s safety; all other matters were beyond their concern. They might be suited to delivering an imperial decree to someone’s residence, but for a major undertaking such as disaster relief, Great Zhou had almost never dispatched a guard. If it was absolutely necessary to do so, the guard would first have to be appointed to an official post.

Shen Ran was not particularly surprised by Li Jiuxiao’s refusal.

He neither agreed nor disagreed, merely saying, “Although we have raised this much silver, I am not actually pleased. Do you know why?”

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After a moment of silence, Li Jiuxiao shook his head. “Please forgive this foolish subject, Your Majesty.”

“Foolish? Is that what you are?”

“You are simply too cautious.”

Shen Ran shook his head. “It is because there are too many corrupt officials at court and too few people who can actually be trusted. If we sent just anyone, the funds would be siphoned off at every level. By the time they reached Changzhou, even two million taels—or twenty million—would probably be no more than a drop in the ocean. There is no one at court now, but I trust you. I know you will not embezzle the funds, nor will you regard human lives as worthless. You will do everything in your power to relieve the disaster.”

Li Jiuxiao’s eyes widened slightly.

When he had first entered the palace, he too had been filled with lofty ambition. He had believed he could accomplish something remarkable and become a good official beloved by the people.

But it was simply too difficult.

In the imperial palace, without money, power, or connections, even the greatest ability could take one only a few steps before meeting an impassable wall.

Of the three commanders of the Imperial Guards, he was the most skilled in martial arts and the oldest in age, yet he held the lowest status.

He had obtained even that position only because he had once happened to save the previous emperor. Otherwise, the post would never have been his.

Even the hottest heart would gradually grow cold.

Yet now Shen Ran had given him such a high opinion. Li Jiuxiao could not help but feel his blood surge with renewed passion.

He pressed his forehead heavily to the floor. “This humble subject will never betray Your Majesty’s trust!”

……

At the same time, in the Chancellor’s residence.

Liu Shizhuang sat in the seat of honor, with five officials seated on either side of him. Every one of them was a figure of considerable influence at court.

Yet at that moment, all of them wore deeply troubled expressions.

The Minister of Personnel, Shi Delu, spoke first. “Prime Minister, may I ask what Your Majesty is truly intending by this action?”

Liu Shizhuang took a sip of tea and replied slowly, “His Majesty is concerned for the common people. That is a good thing. As his ministers, we should support him wholeheartedly. Why are you so worried, Minister Shi?”

Shi Delu said nothing.

Instead, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Zhao Congshan, beside him, pulled a bitter face and said, “His Majesty’s concern for the common people is certainly a good thing, but we ministers have elderly parents above us and young children below us. Our silver does not simply blow in on the wind. To tell you the truth, my wife has only just become pregnant after much difficulty. She says she would like to eat some bird’s nest, but I cannot even bring myself to have anyone purchase it for her.”

“I thought it was something serious.”

“Is it really worth looking so distressed over?”

“As the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, you concern yourself only with the gains and losses before your eyes.” Liu Shizhuang shook his head. “As it happens, my residence has some blood-red bird’s nest that Noble Consort has had sent from the palace. Take it home later and give it to your wife.”

“How could I possibly accept that?”

Zhao Congshan was horrified.

He rose to his feet and repeatedly insisted that he dared not. “How could this subordinate take away something the Prime Minister treasures?”

“Sit, sit.” Liu Shizhuang waved his hand. “I do not like such things. Keeping them would only be wasteful. Since I am telling you to take them, then take them. But remember this: you must not behave this way again. His Majesty is still very young, after all, and it is easy for him to be led astray by treacherous men. His actions may consequently be impulsive. Though we ministers have our own difficulties, we must be more understanding. If we continue to remonstrate with him, His Majesty will understand in time.”

Zhao Congshan sat down amid a stream of thanks.

He raised a hand and rubbed at his eyes. “No wonder His Majesty relies so heavily upon the Prime Minister. You truly devote yourself entirely to him and exhaust your heart and mind for his sake!”

The others hurried to echo his praise.

But who could have expected Liu Shizhuang instead to let out a soft sigh?

“Is this not simply what we ministers ought to do? Yet no matter how loyal I may be, I fear I cannot compare with those ill-intentioned people who are secretly placing obstacles in His Majesty’s path.”

The implication was obvious, and at last they had arrived at the true subject of today’s gathering.

The Minister of Personnel, Shi Delu, immediately asked, “What do you mean, Prime Minister? Have you discovered something?”

Liu Shizhuang said, “I hear that in recent days His Majesty has suddenly shown great favor toward the Empress. He even spared the son of the convicted traitor Zhao Shoude from castration, merely because the Empress pleaded for him, and appointed him an Imperial Guard.”

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room grew strangely still.

Everyone looked at one another in astonishment.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Zhao Congshan, said, “It has long been common knowledge that Their Majesties have been at odds. How could His Majesty suddenly change his disposition? I fear there may be something suspicious behind this.”

At that, Liu Shizhuang exhaled deeply. “That is precisely what concerns me. In principle, matters concerning His Majesty’s inner palace are not something we ministers ought to interfere in. But if someone harbors evil intentions and is practicing sinister schemes behind the scenes, then we absolutely cannot stand by and do nothing. We cannot allow treacherous men to mislead the sovereign and run rampant!”

His gaze swept slowly around the room, and he said in a deep voice—

“What do you gentlemen think?”

“Of course.”

Zhao Congshan was the first to rise and declare his position. “If the Prime Minister has instructions, please give them freely. This subordinate shall follow your lead without hesitation.”

With him taking the lead, the others also rose one after another.

“Indeed. This subordinate shall follow the Prime Minister’s lead!”

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