Zhù Ying walked out of the Ministry of Revenue with Sun Yidan and asked: “How did this come about?”
Sun Yidan smiled: “Good news!”
Zhù Ying said: “It seems rather fast — and I hadn’t heard any hint of it.”
Sun Yidan kept smiling: “Come with me — once it’s in your hands, you’ll see I’m not deceiving you.” A few people who had nothing pressing had already turned to look their way. Sun Yidan maintained his smile, inwardly marveling: it truly was fast.
Southern Prefecture was no desirable posting, it was true — but the prefect of Southern Prefecture was a full fifth-rank official. Not counting the formal promotion to junior fifth rank from a few months prior, taking the conferral of the scarlet robe on her last visit to the capital as the starting point, it had not been very long at all. Zhù Ying had gone from full sixth to junior fifth and now to full fifth — two steps taken as one. Those who saw it all said it was conspicuous.
Zhù Ying’s promotion this time went through the formal process: it was not an impromptu imperial decree but rather a recommendation from the Council of State endorsed by the Emperor, followed by drafting, review, approval, signatures at each step, and finally entry into the records at the Ministry of Personnel. From yesterday to today it had moved very quickly. Sun Yidan was bringing her to the Ministry of Personnel to check in, and she would then need to receive all the documents and items pertaining to her assumption of office in Southern Prefecture — including the official seal.
Sun Yidan led her to the Ministry of Personnel, where there were many acquaintances who, upon seeing her, felt both pleased and a little wistful. Some said: “Congratulations — so young, such achievement.” Others said she was “always in the Emperor’s thoughts,” or that she had won the favor of the great court figures.
Zhù Ying thanked each of them in turn. She did not put on a triumphant expression — she knew all too well what Southern Prefecture was like. Fulu County had been dirt poor, owing back taxes to the court, and before her arrival each year the arrears had been widening further. Even after two years it could only be said to have reached seven-tenths of sufficiency. Sicheng County had been that mess of land annexation and private courts. Southern Prefecture had had no proper prefect for years. Southern Prefecture as a whole was only slightly better than Fulu County — measured against the whole of the realm, it was a miasma-ridden outpost that was slightly larger than Fulu County but still far from a wealthy place in the broader prefecture. Being given such a place certainly offered more scope for achievement than a single county, but to govern it well still required hard work. To draw an analogy: she had been tutoring a student ranked last in the class, and now someone was saying — we’ll also give you the students ranked second-to-last and third-to-last.
She was very modestly: “You flatter me — I’m still thoroughly at sea. Please, all of you, give me your guidance.”
Among “all of you,” some had already received her cards and gifts. Vice-Director Yin said: “What guidance could I give? When I was your age, I was nowhere near where you are now. Come — let’s get the paperwork done first.”
In addition to receiving the appointment documents, official commission, and credentials for Southern Prefecture, she also had to handle matters concerning Fulu County. Now that she was prefect, there was no provision for also holding a county magistrate post concurrently.
She quietly asked Vice-Director Yin: “Has a county magistrate for Fulu County been decided upon?”
Vice-Director Yin smiled oddly: “Apart from someone like you, who in their right mind would want to go to a place like that? I’ve been fretting over it! ” Likewise for Sicheng County. The Ministry of Personnel had no shortage of people waiting for appointments, but nobody was eager to go somewhere like that. Some with legitimate excuses — illness, bereavement — would put things off in hopes that someone else would take the fall. The local people who knew the area well were disqualified from serving in their home region — and even within all of Southern Prefecture, there were not many who could be lined up for official appointment.
Zhù Ying said: “I see.”
Once her own formalities were completed, Sun Yidan brought her to the Council of State.
Zhù Ying made a point of promising the Ministry of Personnel staff: “Southern Prefecture and the capital are separated by mountains and rivers — once I go back, who knows when I’ll return. Before I leave, please be sure to keep some time free so we can have a meal together.”
Ministry of Personnel staff all said: “Of course.”
Vice-Director Yin had someone bring a box to put everything in: “Wait a moment — let me find someone to carry it for you. What would it look like, you carrying it yourself?”
Zhù Ying had been away from the palace for several years, and various offices had seen some staff turnover. The Ministry of Personnel had seen the least. A newly arrived executive gentleman who did not recognize her asked a colleague who this person was. Several veteran staff members told him: “You don’t know this one? You should have seen her at the height of her power. Back then, Tian Pei…”
A Ministry of Personnel clerk carried the box behind Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying thanked him. She slipped a red packet into his hand; the man smiled: “A little bit of good fortune rubs off on me, too.” Ordinary county magistrates coming to him would ordinarily be very deferential; yet here he was being very deferential to Zhù Ying.
Zhù Ying said: “You haven’t been promoted yet?”
The man said: “Lord Zhù still remembers me?”
Zhù Ying said: “That year you and Old Huang carried the table together.” The man said: “Yes — the pork trotters you brought that time were so delicious.”
Sun Yidan’s ears twitched.
At the outer gate of the Council of State, Zhù Ying accepted the box and offered her thanks, and the man said: “This official will return to duty.”
“Safe travels.”
Zhù Ying carried the box into the Council of State, where Grand Counselors Shi and Wang were both present. Inwardly both watched her enter without expression. Seeing her gaze steady and her steps unhurried, her expression natural and her composure unruffled, both took it in. Zhù Ying bowed to them. Shi Kun said: “Sit.”
Zhù Ying set the box on the side table, sat up straight, and waited for either of them to speak. Shi Kun said: “Hmm — you do have a little of the bearing of a proper official now.”
Zhù Ying said: “This official is flustered and at something of a loss.”
“You call this ‘at a loss’?”
Zhù Ying’s brow creased slightly: “When His Majesty previously said the scarlet robe was merely lent to me, I haven’t finished planting my wheat yet — wearing it feels a little uncertain.”
Shi Kun said: “You feel uncertain?” He cocked his head toward Wang Yunhe: “Is this genuine understanding or is it feigned stupidity?”
Zhù Ying said first: “I am thoroughly puzzled and dare not feel pleased — it is not common for a local county magistrate to be promoted to prefect of the same region.”
Wang Yunhe said: “It is not common, but you’d also need someone willing to contest the post with you.”
In that part of the country, only someone coming from Fulu County would regard it as a fine position. Anyone with the ability to contest with Zhù Ying would look down on this region; and anyone who would look favorably on the region would be too unimpressive for the powers that be.
Shi Kun laughed and offered a few more words of praise: “Young people willing to knuckle down and work hard always get their opportunities. This time you brought the Asu clan into submission, and a tribal woman chieftain is now a county magistrate. Loosely administered though it is, her rank is what it is — if you were still a county magistrate yourself, even as her adoptive father, it would be difficult for you to hold authority over her. I hear you’ve set your eyes on the Liji clan as well? How could a single county magistrate govern multiple groups?”
Zhù Ying said: “The matter is not yet accomplished — this official would not presume to speak rashly.”
Shi Kun immediately changed tone: “Whether it’s accomplished or not is a secondary matter — you are not permitted to start a border conflict on your own authority! Giving you Southern Prefecture is to better foster agriculture, pacify those within and without — not to give you a club to beat people with!” When he turned stern, he had genuine authority — his gaze sharp and piercing, and even Zhù Ying felt a small jolt inside.
She stood up at once: “Yes. This official has also studied the earlier pacification campaigns. The expenditure was enormous, and full success was never achieved — what was maintained was merely a precarious stability, dependent on the presence of border troops to intimidate. Peace is hard-won, the people’s livelihoods are difficult, and if genuine fighting were to break out, the already-meager resources of Southern Prefecture would be smashed to pieces.”
Wang Yunhe was startled: “You truly gave this serious thought?”
“No — no thought of fighting anyone. From the moment I arrived in Fulu County, one look at the state of things made it plain that it would not work. One cannot rely entirely on conciliation either — fortunately Southern Prefecture has several thousand troops stationed there, and I’m told the surrounding prefectures and counties combined come to some twenty thousand in total, enough to deter any threats. So regardless of which clan, none dares to provoke. There are only some scattered mountain bandits, and those are relatively easy to deal with. With so many troops — the moment war breaks out and military conscription and civilian labor drafts begin, there would be tens of thousands of mouths to feed doing nothing — the prefecture’s granaries and stocks would be exhausted and the fields would be left to waste, and all my years of work would come to nothing. I am not about to tear down my own foundation.”
Shi Kun said: “Remember what you’ve said, and don’t speak recklessly before His Majesty when you have your farewell audience.”
“Yes.”
Wang Yunhe said: “The Asu County matter is settled, but Xian Jing says he still has the winter wheat to discuss with you further. Stay a few more days — now that you hold Southern Prefecture, you two can have a thorough discussion and settle things clearly before you go. You have kept two jurisdictions in good order with your own efforts and kept the tax revenues intact — continue in this manner.”
“Yes.” Zhù Ying agreed, then asked whether she might also arrange for Leng Yun to join them — she had needed him before and would continue to do so.
Both Wang Yunhe and Shi Kun considered her thoughtful in her approach to relationships, and said: “No one is more familiar with this than you — if you say you need him, then so be it. No need to request approval for every minor matter. When it’s all done, just give us a full account.”
“Yes.”
Only then did the two Grand Counselors release her.
Zhù Ying carried the box out of the Council of State, and was again surrounded by several acquaintances offering congratulations. Zhù Ying said: “The same to all of you. In a few days I’ll treat everyone to a meal.” They all laughed and agreed.
Zhù Ying did not leave right away but instead ran back to the Ministry of Revenue. Seeing Xian Jing, she said: “I’ve already asked the two Grand Counselors — would you have Lord Leng come to join us for discussions?”
“Still not giving up?”
Zhù Ying said: “Within Southern Prefecture, I can call the shots. For matters involving the neighbors, I still need him. He may be averse to handling things now, but once he returns, he’ll still need to take care of what needs taking care of — better to have him involved from the start.”
Xian Jing said: “Fine. You go home first — carrying that box around is unbecoming.”
Zhù Ying took her leave, and encountered more people along the way — those who knew congratulated her; those who didn’t speculated.
Zhù Ying arrived home to find guests: Lady Jin had come by again. Her son Jin Biao had now become a minor military officer, and with both father and son away from home, Lady Jin came to chat with Zhang Xiangu for company.
When Zhù Ying got home, Zhang Xiangu asked: “What have you brought back this time?”
Zhù Ying said: “Ah — the great seal of Southern Prefecture.”
“What?”
Xiang Le said: “Mistress Zhang, the master is now Prefect of Southern Prefecture.”
The whole Zhù household erupted in joy. Lady Jin happened to be there to hear the good news, and she clapped her hands: “Oh my — promoted again! Wonderful, just wonderful! When our man gets back tomorrow, he’ll be over the moon when he hears.”
Zhù Ying asked: “Has Elder Brother Jin not been transferred?”
Lady Jin said: “No, he hasn’t — but Wen the Elder has been transferred. Didn’t you run into him?”
Zhù Ying said: “I’ve barely had a moment to breathe since I got back. Let’s plan for tomorrow’s rest day to get everyone together while we still can.”
“Of course.”
Zhù’s father said: “You’ve been promoted again — is there a new official robe? Put it on and let us have a look! And let’s burn some incense for the ancestors! Let them share in the joy too. Ah — let me go fill a bowl of chicken meat to put as an offering.”
Zhù Ying said: “There’s no need for incense. And the robe isn’t much different from before.”
Everyone refused to hear of it, insisting she must go and pay respects to the ancestors. The Zhù family ancestors were ones Zhù Ying had improvised herself; now having to bow to them herself felt somehow strange. After bowing to the ancestors, Zhù Ying changed back into her everyday clothes.
Lady Jin looked her over and said: “This outfit is lovely.”
“A gift from the lady of the residence,” Zhù Ying said — Yue Miaojun had always been extraordinarily thoughtful; anything she gave had never been unsuitable.
Lady Jin then urged them to send word of the good news around, adding: “Everyone is saying Sanlang is a person of good conscience.”
Zhù Ying said: “What a thing to say — everyone has a conscience; the only question is for whom you put it to use.”
Lady Jin sighed: “That’s true.”
Zhù Ying arranged for someone to take word to the Zheng Marquis’s residence along with, following the old custom, some banquet dishes sent over to the residence. She herself prepared to gather that evening with her former colleagues from the Court of Judicial Review as previously arranged. At the gatehouse, however, the dog had begun to bark.
This dog’s life in the capital had been something of a waste. Old Cao and his wife were frugal, and the dog had not eaten particularly well, growing somewhat thin. With better rations over the past two days, it was visibly livelier.
Hou Wu opened the gate. Taking one look, he said: “Young Master Zhao is here!”
Zhao Su stood outside in a scholar’s blue robe. The dog stopped barking the moment it saw him, but watched the person behind Zhao Su with quiet suspicion, a low rumble in its throat. Hou Wu looked at the porters behind Zhao Su and asked: “What’s all this?”
Zhao Su said: “Hearing that my adoptive father had returned, I thought the household might be short of certain things after so long away, and brought some items.”
Hou Wu thought to himself: you’ve been back for days already — if we’d been waiting for your supplies, we might have starved. He lowered his head: “Please come in.”
Zhao Su had the porters set their loads down in the courtyard and leave, and sent an older family servant to settle accounts with them outside. The loads contained foodstuffs as well as firewood and coal. Only Zhao Su’s personal manservant, carrying a box and a bundle, remained.
Zhù Ying and the others came out. Zhao Su looked somewhat older than the last time she had seen him — he had grown out a beard, and in his clothing and manner he now looked fully like a scholar long resident in the capital. Zhù Ying said: “Not bad — you’re starting to look the part.”
Zhao Su said: “Adoptive Father, I have come too late.”
Zhang Xiangu laughed: “Not late at all — just right. And there’s more good news today.”
Zhao Su asked urgently what it was. Zhang Xiangu said: “She’s been made a prefect!”
Zhao Su asked quickly: “Adoptive Father is leaving Fulu County?”
“Going to Southern Prefecture.”
A weight lifted from Zhao Su’s heart. “That is truly wonderful — my congratulations, Adoptive Father, on your promotion.”
“There is more good news — come, let’s go inside and talk.”
They went to the main hall of the front courtyard, where Zhù Ying took the seat of honor.
Zhao Su formally paid his respects to his adoptive father and offered congratulations. Gu Tong, hearing him finish, followed with a double bow of his own. Xiao Wu, sharp as ever, took the opportunity and bowed as well. Zhù Ying said: “All of you, please rise. You two already hold official ranks — bowing like that is no longer appropriate.”
Gu Tong smiled: “I am bowing to my teacher — that’s different.”
Xiao Wu said: “This official was cultivated by the master — that’s different too.”
Zhao Su smiled: “So I am just some outsider?”
Gu Tong said: “That’s what you imagined.”
Zhao Su and Gu Tong sat facing each other in the lower seats. Xiao Wu squeezed in beside Gu Tong and sat down as well. Xiang An and Xiang Le stood behind Zhù Ying. Du Dajie came to serve tea.
Zhù Ying said: “Little Sister’s mandate has also been issued.”
Zhao Su’s feelings were very complicated; for a moment he could not conceal them, and said: “Uncle…”
Zhù Ying nodded: “He has gone. I was there to see him off — his final affairs were handled with dignity. And you? You’re looking well?”
Zhao Su drew himself up: “I have finally caught up.”
He told his manservant to bring the small bundle, received it, and presented it formally to Zhù Ying: “Adoptive Father, these are the notes I took while studying at the Directorate of Education. The books Adoptive Father could obtain in full, but the instructors’ lectures were often given spontaneously, and were not necessarily written down. Please take these back to our hometown.”
Zhù Ying said with pleasure: “You’ve been very thoughtful!”
Zhao Su smiled: “The capital is a place of richness and breadth — it truly opens one’s mind.”
“It does, doesn’t it? Did you get into arguments with them? Get into any fights?”
Zhao Su broke into a laugh: “Once I was here, unless I spoke up myself, no one knew I was the son of a tribal woman. Here we all share one name — ‘barbarian.'”
“Pah!” said Gu Tong.
Zhao Su said: “Never mind us — the people from those prefectures and counties several regions to the north are also ‘barbarians.’ Classmates taunting one another can say all manner of things: southerners, northerners, easterners, westerners — each side has its own slurs, and they banter back and forth. That’s how it goes.”
Gu Tong said: “Right — when they call you barbarian, you can say they’re…” He stopped himself, remembering that their teacher was from the north.
Zhù Ying asked: “Did anyone gang up on you?”
Zhao Su said: “More or less all right. With so many people, all sorts of things happen. I could handle it.” He had a modest amount of money — neither the poorest nor the wealthiest — which made him a relatively unremarkable target, and any grudges he attracted were small enough not to draw much attention.
The capital was full of people from all the four directions and of all descriptions — there was even a school for foreign peoples. He was glad he had not gone to that school but to the regular Directorate of Education, where he had been admitted on his own merits.
Perhaps because of Zhù Ying’s letters, figures like Yue Huan and others had been slightly favorable toward him, saying: “Not a bad natural ability — just came a bit late.” He had entered near the bottom of the class and worked his way up to the middle — unable to break through to the very top tier despite his efforts, but as a middle-ranked student admitted on his own merits, he was still a promising young talent of some standing.
Gu Tong looked at him with a hint of envy: “How wonderful!”
Zhao Su said: “You’re not doing badly yourself.”
“That’s true!”
Zhù Ying said: “Tomorrow is the rest day — stay a while. Tonight we’ll go out and see some guests.”
“Yes.”
When she had returned to the capital, she had not yet expected to become Prefect of Southern Prefecture, and so some of her earlier arrangements now required minor adjustment.
That evening, Zhù Ying kept her appointment to gather with her old colleagues from the Court of Judicial Review. On top of “reunion of old friends,” the occasion gained the added dimension of a promotion banquet, and several more dishes were added to the table.
Some of those colleagues had been transferred elsewhere, some posted to the provinces — not as many as the last time, and the gathering was smaller. Most of the clerks were still present. Xiao Wu, in front of his father, didn’t dare put on airs; Zhù Ying assigned him to go and offer a toast to each of his elder colleagues.
The Left Vice-President watched Zhao Su and Gu Tong deflecting toasts on Zhù Ying’s behalf, and Xiang An and Xiang Le standing at her back. “How the spring breeze favors you!” he said.
Zhù Ying said: “Then shall I invite you to come with me?”
The Left Vice-President waved a hand: “No, no — my old bones couldn’t manage it. Young people are a different matter.”
Zhù Ying said: “Everyone has their own difficulties — I still have plenty of burdens on my shoulders.”
“You’ll certainly manage.”
Zhù Ying said: “We’ll have to see how it goes once we start.”
Nearby, Hu Lian said: “Whatever our Lord Zhù sets her hand to always turns out well.”
General laughter.
Zhù Ying patted the Left Vice-President on the shoulder and said: “It’s all right.” The Left Vice-President asked: “Really?” Zhù Ying said quietly in his ear: “Look at me — I’m fine, aren’t I? Is he the sort of man to sit idle and wait for things to deteriorate?”
The Left Vice-President relaxed, and began playing a finger-guessing game with the person beside him. Zhù Ying watched him, thinking to herself: and yet even he won’t come to Southern Prefecture!
Her former colleagues from the Court of Judicial Review all said they envied her. Zhù Ying said: “Then come! Let’s work together again.”
They all laughed and changed the subject. One said: “Fine — when things get too difficult I’ll come and throw myself on your mercy.” Another said: “I’ll come once I’ve finished my current cases.” None of them said it with any real seriousness — all in jest.
Zhù Ying also seemed to be joking along: “Then good — once you’re free, give me a word and I’ll be well underway.”
The clerks were rather tempted. Xiao Wu flitted about the room like a butterfly, calling everyone elder brother or elder sister very sweetly. A ninth-rank official might count for nothing among other officials, but the clerks saw it differently. Those who served at the central offices had a very complicated inner world: they looked down on local officials who hadn’t risen to a certain rank. Yet “official” status was something they deeply envied.
Go to Southern Prefecture? They couldn’t bring themselves to take that step. Miasma-ridden territory — that was genuinely not something they could endure, and they couldn’t give up their current clerkship positions either. Unlike Old Wu, whose son Xiao Wu was the youngest of several children and would have had few other prospects, making it worth the risk. The older ones thought of their own sons and nephews and wondered whether Lord Zhù might agree to take on a few extra errand runners.
With this thought in mind, more than a few people grew distracted. Then there were those who weren’t thinking about this at all and were simply enjoying themselves tremendously. Lord Zhù’s hospitality was, as always, a pleasure to receive. The female court attendants were even more cheerful — most of them didn’t have brothers or sons to consider. Those among them who did have sons saw Xiao Wu right in front of them but still had no intention of sending their children to Southern Prefecture.
Zhù Ying ate and drank with everyone, renewed old friendships, and had not managed to recruit a single talented person. She estimated she would at most end up with a couple of servants doubling as runners, and they probably wouldn’t even be as sharp as Xiao Wu.
As darkness fell, the guests began to take their leave one by one. Zhù Ying saw them off and made her way home when the curfew had already begun. Zhao Su said: “This is a problem.”
Gu Tong said: “It’s fine — the master has it covered.”
Walking alone in the street, they suddenly encountered a procession of carriages coming the other way. The carriages had a placard hanging from them; Zhù Ying said: “Let’s move aside.” She pointed out the placard to her companions, explaining: carriages bearing that placard were permitted to move at night — there were a few noble families in the capital with that privilege.
Turning a corner, they ran into a group of young men howling in the street. Night watchmen moved to stop them; one of the young men produced a pass, claiming it was from the capital prefecture office.
Zhù Ying murmured: “The weather is warming up — they’re all out for an evening stroll.” The junior prefect’s efforts to clean up the capital’s public order were nowhere near as effective as having the full prefect handle it personally.
Returning to the Zhù residence, Zhao Su and Gu Tong went to settle their bedding and rest. Zhù Ying went to the study to read through Zhao Su’s notes. The notes were solid, the handwriting neat and tidy — one could see they had been copied out in one sitting. Zhao Su was indeed a thoughtful person.
Over in the other room, Zhao Su knew that Gu Tong already held an official rank, and various feelings churned together within him; but finally he made up his mind: I have chosen this path, and I will walk it to the end. Teacher, adoptive father — a student need not succeed as the teacher has; an adoptive son who takes his adoptive father as a model is no different. From childhood he had never fitted in anywhere and had had to think everything through for himself. But that had given him a resolute will. Having decided, he buried himself under the covers and slept soundly until the next day.
The next day, the rest day, Zhù Ying first brought them to Wang Yunhe’s home.
It was Zhao Su’s second visit, and both he and Gu Tong were inwardly quite stirred, though Zhao Su’s outward manner appeared more composed than Gu Tong’s. As it turned out, both were left in a small side parlor to wait. The staff there politely served them tea and refreshments.
Zhù Ying quickly saw Wang Yunhe. Wang Yunhe, elderly as he was, also did not sleep late on his rest days. Seeing Zhù Ying, he said immediately: “You have something?”
Zhù Ying smiled: “Yes.”
“What is it?”
Zhù Ying said directly: “My lord — might it be possible to arrange for someone capable as county magistrate for Fulu and Sicheng Counties?”
Wang Yunhe was somewhat indulgent with her: “Making arrangements already?”
Zhù Ying spread both hands and started in about her difficulties. She wanted to find a suitable county magistrate for Fulu County. Now that she was prefect of Southern Prefecture, she could make requests to the court concerning her subordinates. Drawing up a list of specific demands wouldn’t work, but asking for a person of a certain type within a general range was possible. Her relationship with the Ministry of Personnel was decent; she might even be able to name specific individuals — but naming them required first having people in mind.
Wang Yunhe said: “You’ve genuinely thought this through?”
“Miasma-ridden territory — it does put people out somewhat. A forced assignment yields no sweetness. I need willing people.” Zhù Ying started counting on her fingers, telling Wang Yunhe her difficulties: “Being a prefect is harder than being a county magistrate — in a four-county prefecture, I need to coordinate and deploy centrally, which means less time for direct inspection than I had before. The work in Fulu County is at a critical juncture; if things had already set into place I wouldn’t be so worried. And Sicheng County has just gone through a great upheaval. Within Southern Prefecture now, the man who was previously above me is now below me, and when I return I’ll need to manage that carefully. I truly need people who can work smoothly alongside me. If I go to the Ministry of Personnel on my own, the best I could hope for is two eighth- or ninth-rank clerks. I genuinely need a few people who suit me. Without talking to you first, there’s simply no way to manage.”
Wang Yunhe looked at her and thought: there aren’t many people willing to go there either. He asked: “What do you have in mind?”
Zhù Ying thought for a moment: “Failing all else — Fulu County is the kind of place where, in the first year my parents were there, they were struck down by heatstroke during summer outings. If someone is forcibly posted there and collapses within days, that’s also a loss for the court.”
Wang Yunhe asked directly: “Who?”
“What if the current county registrar of Fulu County were transferred to Sicheng County as magistrate? What do you think? Acting in the role would be fine, as a trial?”
Wang Yunhe heard the word “transferred” and laughed: “What a little sly one.”
Zhù Ying said: “When you’re a county magistrate you don’t notice, but the moment they tell you you’re now a prefect, suddenly your eyes see so many things you couldn’t see before. Only today did I understand what Lord Lu the Governor used to worry about — you cannot handle everything yourself, you must entrust matters to others. Being colleagues in the same court, one cannot suspect others of incompetence, yet one worries they won’t do things well. So one is compelled to find ways to make subordinates ‘compliant.’ In those days I was presumptuous.”
Wang Yunhe smiled, pointing at her: “You can actually find fault in yourself?”
Zhù Ying said seriously: “Presumptuous — and I don’t regret it. Do it all over again and I’d do the same.”
Wang Yunhe laughed so hard the room seemed to shake. When the laughter subsided he said: “Go on — what else do you want?”
Zhù Ying said: “If I’m given a few more years, I can handle any kind of person without worry — it’s only that I now have so many more burdens and have to consider others. Just take the winter wheat: I argue with Vice-Minister Xian, and argue I will, yet in my heart I know it is already remarkable that he’s willing to give me five years. How many more years will he remain in his post? He may not hold a grudge about one particular matter — but rather than seeing some opportunist gain an advantage at the expense of upright people, I would rather not let down those who are genuinely committed.
Lord Asu Chieftain entrusted his children to me — I cannot abandon them halfway through. Before the previous unrest, all the clans had been inclined toward the court; and then one fire burned everything to nothing. That fire was started precisely because the people weren’t treated as belonging to us. That is what led to the conferral. What follows must be to stabilize things further and draw them closer.
How much time will any of this be given? My lord, if you won’t give me time, then you must give me people.”
Wang Yunhe nodded: “Go on, speak.”
Zhù Ying thought for a moment, then said: “Otherwise — might that person be promoted and moved on?”
“Hmm?”
Zhù Ying deliberately put on a sweet smile. Wang Yunhe shuddered and hugged his own arms, rubbing them: “Stop that. Don’t take lessons from Liu Songnian!”
Zhù Ying said: “That person has held on until now — he has some ability. Last winter he had already planted some trial wheat in Southern Prefecture, and this spring the harvest will come in — he will have experience. Wherever you post him nearby, I’d be glad to send him more wheat seed to take with him. Our promotion efforts will go faster that way. Wheat planting, as things now stand, is not too difficult — rolling it out, getting the yields stable enough to collect rent, all requires sustained effort; even if you are determined, the trial planting step cannot be skipped. Experienced people are all concentrated in Southern Prefecture — that would be a waste.”
Wang Yunhe listened very carefully and was ultimately persuaded: “Only one year of planting. Hmm — but then again, you also did it yourself in trial first. Very well — it feels as though going to the outskirts to look at the wheat was only yesterday. All right.”
Zhù Ying brightened. Wang Yunhe said: “And Fulu County?”
“I haven’t thought of a solution yet. Will you allow me to look around a while longer? If I can’t find the right person, I would rather leave it vacant and come handle it myself — at worst I’ll be more tired, but at least nothing will go wrong.”
Wang Yunhe said: “Go on.”
“Then the other two — you’ve agreed?”
Wang Yunhe said: “Agreed.”
Zhù Ying gave him a proper bow: “Thank you, my lord.”
Wang Yunhe said: “I’ve agreed to what you asked — and what I ask of you, you must also do well!”
“Yes.”
“They say Grand Counselor Shi is lazy — but who knows his worries?”
“I will absolutely not stir up trouble. I would rather be slow, rather be late, than risk a misstep. I cannot afford mistakes.”
“Off with you. I can see you still have more running around to do.”
Zhù Ying grinned and left. Passing the small side parlor, she collected Gu Tong and Zhao Su, and outside the residence gate asked: “Were you anxious waiting?”
Gu Tong said: “I was too busy thinking that I was inside the Grand Counselor’s residence.”
Zhù Ying said: “In the future, when you’re running around on your own making calls, you’ll wait far longer than this — and still might not get to see anyone. Practice your patience.”
Gu Tong was alarmed: “Is teacher casting us away?”
Zhù Ying flicked him on the forehead and brought them next to Yue Huan’s residence. Yue Huan was home on his rest day and, with his brother-in-law Zheng Xi recently stripped of his post, was keeping a low profile and not going out for social calls. Still, when Zhù Ying came to the door, he received her.
Yue Huan had an excellent impression of Zhù Ying. He said as soon as they met: “I’ve already heard Sanlang’s good news — a pity it is still the south; so very far away.”
Zhù Ying said: “It is much better than before.”
Yue Huan glanced at Gu Tong — did not recognize him — and then at Zhao Su, and paused. He asked: “Who is the young man beside Zhao Su?”
Zhù Ying said: “A student I took on in Fulu County — Gu Tong.”
Gu Tong and Zhao Su both stepped forward to pay their respects. Yue Huan said: “Both fine young men.” Zhao Su’s appearance was somewhat more striking, perhaps because of his mixed heritage; Gu Tong more plainly showed the look of a southern man. Both were reasonably fed and in good condition, with smooth and clear complexions.
Yue Huan said: “Zhao Su is diligent and capable — he was simply buried by circumstances before. It was thanks to you that he came to light. And Gu Tong, I imagine, is much the same. You have merit in bringing out their abilities! Lord Liu — my elder uncle — speaks highly of you.”
“What good is ability without the right books to read? The books you sent were of the greatest use.”
“Books alone are no use either — they must be read and understood.”
Zhù Ying said: “Then take a look at these — are they read and understood? If there’s anything not quite right, might you give them a review? I want to bring them back for the others to study.”
She produced a thick bundle of hand-stitched notebooks — no one quite knew where she had been keeping them — and presented them. Yue Huan accepted them, leafed through a few pages, and said with surprise: “These are notes from the Directorate of Education — this piece looks like it was from Master Wang’s hand.”
He glanced at Zhao Su; Zhao Su was slightly tense. Yue Huan looked away again and nodded: “Well recorded. Here — and here — something was missed, probably a mishearing. All right — I’ll go over them.”
Zhù Ying said: “Thank you.”
Yue Huan said: “You are a person who takes things to heart. Someone else arriving in a place like Fulu County would not even know where to begin — and in the end, nothing would get done. They would first levy taxes to show they were capable officials, and then forget all about education! Lord Liu likes you not because you carved his character-learning inscription, but because your priorities are right — you never forgot to educate the people.”
“I know he was pleased. Otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered with me at all.”
“Ha — he does have his small vanities.” Yue Huan said this with his voice lowered, as though Liu Songnian might leap in through the window at any moment.
They chatted a while longer. Yue Huan asked when Zhù Ying would be heading south, so that he could have the notes reviewed before she left. Zhù Ying said: “At least ten more days — I still have matters to finish with the Ministry of Revenue.”
“Good — there’s no rush.” He said a word to Zhao Su as well: “You attend every class diligently — instead of trying to cover every subject equally, you might do better to select one classical text and specialize in it.”
Zhao Su bowed: “Yes — I am grateful for your instruction.”
Yue Huan saw Zhù Ying to the door and glanced at the neighboring residence of Liu Songnian: “A pity he went out early — otherwise we could go over and beg a cup of tea.”
“There will be other chances. Please don’t see me further — I’ll come back in a few days to collect the notes?”
“I’ll have to work quickly then.” Yue Huan smiled as he said it.
Having finished calling on both households, Zhao Su was in a somewhat excited state and asked: “Adoptive Father, where are we going next?”
“Home.”
She had arranged today’s gathering with Jin Liang, Wen Yue, and others — a bond of a different kind, requiring more than just a single evening at a restaurant. It would be held at her home, with banquet dishes ordered in advance.
Returning home, Lady Jin and others had already arrived. Jin Liang and Jin Biao, father and son, were at the wooden practice post-stumps below. Wen Yue and Zheng Yi had not yet arrived. Shao Shuxin had come, and Lin Zhen as well. Then Gan Ze and Lu Chao arrived — the two of them moved among these officials with complete ease, their servant status no constraint on them whatsoever. They had come accompanying Zheng Chuan.
It was Zheng Chuan’s first visit to the Zhù residence. He had expected that Zhù Ying — now promoted and long spoken of as a capable person — would have a home that, if not opulent and grand, would at least be refined and tasteful. On entering, he found it was not particularly large; the household was small; and the residence was even somewhat — aged in feel. He was rather puzzled.
Zhù Ying came out and seeing them, laughed: “For the Elder Young Master to come — today must be a particularly auspicious day.”
Zheng Chuan greeted her: “Sanlang.” Without any awkwardness.
Zhù Ying said: “Come, please come inside.”
The ordered banquet dishes also arrived. Lady Jin, because Zheng Chuan had come, brought some of her own household’s specialty dishes as well. When the wine was set out in the front hall, Zheng Yi also arrived.
Without any music or entertainment, they set up an arrow-pitching game and reminisced. Zhù Ying placed Zheng Chuan in the guest of honor seat; Zheng Chuan deferred: “The elders are all here — I’ll just sit alongside.”
Jin Liang said: “Doesn’t matter — at Sanlang’s place, if she says you may sit there, you may sit there.”
Only then did Zheng Chuan take the seat. Everyone also asked about Zheng Xi. Zheng Chuan said: “Father says he has been busy for many years — having a chance to rest for a few days is quite good.”
Zhù Ying pinched her chopsticks and drew them slowly backward: “That’s right — step back a little and you can see things you couldn’t see up close.”
That day Zhù Ying saw no one else, and everyone gathered until after dark, each recounting news of their time apart and offering congratulations to Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying asked Jin Liang: “Let’s stop talking about me — everyone knows my story. What about you? Has Ah Biao finally been given a post?”
Jin Liang said: “There! Attendant Cavalryman of Merit.”
Ninth rank from the bottom? “Not bad,” Zhù Ying said. “Would you be interested in coming to serve under me?”
Jin Liang said: “Sure!”
Zhù Ying said happily: “Then it’s settled?!”
“Can you arrange it?”
Zhù Ying said: “Southern Prefecture’s Military Affairs Clerk — how does that sound?” This military affairs clerk was a prefectural office post, separate from the garrison troops. The clerk also managed weapons and armor, gates and access, beacon and courier relay stations and the like. Not a military post, but a useful one.
Jin Liang sighed: “Too detailed and precise — he couldn’t handle it.”
Zhù Ying had no choice but to drop it.
Wen Yue said: “Ah Biao has his own blessings.”
Zhù Ying asked: “And you?”
Wen Yue said: “I’m still in the palace — but I’ve been transferred to the Left Militant Guards. So you didn’t see me.”
Zhù Ying also thanked Shao Shuxin for the introduction of Qi Tai. Shao Shuxin said: “You were the one who turned useless into useful.”
Lin Zhen was an academician. Eating and drinking without having to compose poetry, with no pretense at elegance, just talking — he found it quite relaxing.
All of them were stuck at the sixth rank, envying how quickly Zhù Ying had reached the fifth, yet when they considered that it had been earned by running three thousand li away, they felt that staying in the capital to accumulate seniority was more suited to themselves after all. Zheng Yi was in the Ministry of War, but for Jin Liang to be promoted to fifth rank, that would need to go through the Minister of War, which was not the sort of thing to arrange quietly, and so nothing came of it.
Wen Yue asked for bamboo-tube drawing lots, and they started a drinking game. Zheng Chuan played with the bamboo sticks, finding it entertaining. Zheng Yi said: “What are you staring at?”
“Thirteenth Uncle — at home we have toothpicks, not anything like these.”
“I’ll have to tell Seventh Father — you’ll be kept too ignorantly sheltered at this rate.”
The uncle and nephew murmured among themselves. Zhù Ying saw that several had a mild wine flush on their cheeks and asked: “Do any of you know of anyone willing to go to Southern Prefecture? Not as servants — if there are suitable people, we can make private arrangements, either Southern Prefecture or Fulu County — I’ll handle the run to the Ministry of Personnel.”
Shao Shuxin said plainly: “Those who would suit you probably won’t want to go.” The Qi Tai situation earlier had been someone looking for a livelihood — the lower one’s standing, the harder life was, so they were willing. Now what was needed were people who already held official rank and had some standing, which made them more protective of themselves. Either they had a gambler’s spirit, or they were at a dead end, or they were genuinely full of ideals.
The latter option was something they usually didn’t trust as genuine; those at a dead end with a gambler’s spirit were not encountered every day.
Zhù Ying said: “Then forget it — make do with the people at hand.” She dropped the topic. Assembling a circle like this — when you were in this in-between position, it really was not easy.
The group talked no more of any serious matters, just discussed customs and local affairs. Zheng Chuan listened with rapt attention.
As the sky darkened, guests began to take their leave. Zhù Ying saw everyone off and, returning home, had made up her mind.
She decided: she would discuss with the Ministry of Personnel and arrange to post Qi Tai, Xiao Wu, and Gu Tong all into Southern Prefecture. They already held official rank; they would be given substantive posts, even if only as ninth-rank officials in a miasma-ridden posting. That was what they would be. In her hands, a few years of work and accumulation of merit would see them to eighth rank without trouble; beyond that, it would depend on their own fate. Gu Tong could go further; Qi and Wu — it would be a matter of luck.
The restaurant staff collected the leftover dishes and left. Xiao Wu sidled up: “Master — they have a few people who’d like to come and speak to you.”
Zhù Ying said: “About what?”
Xiao Wu smiled: “Now that you’ve been promoted, master, you can’t keep being served by just us few, can you? They have a few children at home — sharp and willing to work hard.”
Zhù Ying said: “Are they all people we know?”
“They certainly are!” Xiao Wu lowered his voice and gave a brief introduction. “They’re people I’ve known since childhood — I know them all. I wouldn’t dare recommend bad ones to you, master. If they weren’t good I wouldn’t bring them to you and let you suffer a loss. If I weren’t stuck here unable to get away, my own brother-in-law would want to come south with you.”
Xiao Wu’s recommendations: a cousin of his named Ding Gui, and Old Niu’s grandson from the Court of Judicial Review — Niu Jin. Plus several backup candidates, all either Xiao Wu’s relatives or acquaintances from the Court of Judicial Review.
Zhù Ying said: “Those two.” She had an impression of both. The ones Xiao Wu had put forward were reliable — Xiao Wu hadn’t lied, their reputations were decent. But Xiao Wu’s cousin’s family was fairly comfortable, with a house and a small shop. Zhù Ying asked: “Your cousin’s family is not badly off — why would he be willing to leave?”
Xiao Wu said: “He wants to see a bit of the world while his parents are still strong and well.”
Zhù Ying said: “You didn’t tell your cousin that not everyone in my household gets an official post.”
One sentence went straight to Xiao Wu’s heart. Terrified, he immediately dropped to his knees: “This official deserves to die.” He had not felt self-important outside, but in front of his relatives, with everyone flattering him, he couldn’t help putting on a bit of a show. He’d talked up the good points of being in Zhù Ying’s service just a little more than warranted. He wasn’t sure how she had seen through it.
“Get up. Go back and think clearly, then explain things clearly to them. There are advantages in this household — and there are disadvantages, including the threat of a beating. Don’t let people hear only the good and not the bad. If they’ve eaten all the hardship and the advantages haven’t fully materialized, you’ll be blamed for it.”
“Yes.”