The official vessel carrying Pei Shaohuai was still outside Baoding Prefecture, and the Metropolitan Examination had yet to begin — yet he had already become the focal figure of the moment, with talk of him spreading throughout the court.
In accordance with the instructions of their elders, Xu Yancheng, Yang Xiangquan, Chen Xingchen, and the others had not come forward to speak on Pei Shaohuai’s behalf, so as not to muddy the waters further and hand the opposing side an advantage.
As Grand Secretary Xu had instructed Xu Yancheng: “The most important thing for the few of you right now is to prepare for the formal hearing. Establish your footing at court — as for Boyan’s affairs, there are still a few of us old men here.”
The following day, Grand Secretary Xu went together with Grand Secretary Zhang to the Hall of Military Valor.
The moment the two of them entered the hall, the atmosphere became charged and taut. Chief Grand Secretary Hu waved his hand to dismiss his attendants and subordinates and had the doors shut.
Grand Secretary Xu was still able to maintain a surface appearance of amiability — but Grand Secretary Zhang Lingyi had never bothered to conceal his temper in his life. He opened his mouth and challenged directly, “Chief Grand Secretary Hu, do times change and you wish to revert to the methods of Lou Yuying?”
The matter of Pei Shaohuai’s appointment had only been known among the Grand Secretaries — if it had not been on Chief Grand Secretary Hu’s order, how could the news have leaked so swiftly?
He had not been willing to openly oppose the Emperor’s wishes himself, and so had used the mouths of the court’s speech officials to sabotage the matter instead.
“Grand Secretary Zhang, watch what you say. Do not heap crimes on my head without cause,” Chief Grand Secretary Hu replied, his own anger fully stoked.
The two men argued back and forth across the hall.
Although Hu Qi was Chief Grand Secretary, in terms of the network of students and affiliates under him, he was somewhat inferior to Zhang Lingyi and Xu Zhannian. Behind Grand Secretary Zhang stood the Ministry of War, and he was on close terms with the commanders of the Five Military Commands — he could be said to be the unofficial representative of military officials at court. Grand Secretary Xu was of humble origins, and represented the clean-stream faction of officials.
As for Chief Grand Secretary Hu — had it not been for the incident in which Pei Jue was implicated in the “golden fly worm” affair, there would have been no opening for Hu Qi to have gotten ahead and claimed a spot in the cabinet. After entering the cabinet, he had been held down by Lou Yuying and Shen Yizhang, barely able to make a move for years.
Just when Hu Qi had resigned himself to slowly waiting out the years, a stroke of unexpected fortune arrived: the Demon Text Case broke out, Lou Yuying and Shen Yizhang fell in succession, and the third and fourth Grand Secretaries fell with them — all of this good fortune falling into his lap and lifting him to become Chief Grand Secretary of the court.
Now Chief Grand Secretary Hu wanted to use the Metropolitan Examination to extend his influence a little further — and knowing the relationship between Pei Shaohuai and Grand Secretaries Xu and Zhang, he naturally had no wish to see Pei Shaohuai gain power and insert himself into the Metropolitan Examination.
“This official has acted with integrity and rectitude — I have not promoted my own students to important posts, I have not helped my in-laws build their influence, I conduct my affairs cleanly and honestly. On what grounds am I accused of forming factions and eliminating those who oppose me?” Chief Grand Secretary Hu shot back. He implied, through the words “students” and “in-laws,” that the relationship between Xu and Zhang was not so simple, and continued in a tone of mockery, “A grand secretary helping his student, a student standing behind his grand secretary, in-laws linked to other in-laws — if anyone is following in Lou Yuying’s footsteps, it would appear to be you.”
“To use such words to slander a junior — and you could bring yourself to say that.” Grand Secretary Xu spoke up as well. “Judge by teaching rather than by personal ties, judge by merit rather than by clique — never mind what relationship I may have with him. Is Pei Shaohuai’s record of achievement genuine and substantive or not?”
Grand Secretary Xu enumerated a few items plainly, saying, “With the silver coin, has Da Qing’s national treasury not been filled? With the abolition of tributary gifts, have the demands of the four border regions not diminished? With the suppression of the pirates, has the Fujian coast not been pacified? With the opening of maritime trade, have the people of the realm not found new livelihoods? What exactly is Chief Grand Secretary Hu scheming for — for himself, for the nation, or for the world?”
The phrase came from the Guiguzi: “The petty man schemes for himself, the gentleman schemes for the nation, and the great man schemes for the world” — Grand Secretary Xu’s eloquent tongue had truly managed to curse the man without uttering a single vulgarity.
“I alone cannot argue against two of you — and there is no need to argue here before me,” Chief Grand Secretary Hu said, his face gone thoroughly red with anger. “This Hall of Military Valor, in which you come and go as you please, as though it were a public thoroughfare — in that case, during the Metropolitan Examination’s self-appraisal period, I shall submit my own resignation to His Majesty and let you come here and be masters of this Hall of Military Valor yourselves.”
Zhang Lingyi and Xu Zhannian both stiffened. Hu Qi had clearly had this calculated well in advance — a Grand Secretary of the first rank playing the bittersweet tactic, stirring the waters even murkier.
At that point, the story would become “Pei, Xu, Zhang, and their associates formed a coalition and forced the Chief Grand Secretary into resignation” — once that kind of thing was said three times, it would become accepted as fact, and there would be no way to clear their names.
Grand Secretary Zhang was somewhat more cunning, and hit upon a counter-move at once. He said, “Chief Grand Secretary Hu is not the only one who knows that trick. Xu and I will go this very moment to submit our resignations and request retirement from office — then let us see who else dares to claim that Pei Boyan was promoted through the influence of grand secretaries and in-laws.”
They had come in without goodwill, and they left without it.
To guide a crown prince required men of dignity and gravity. Only those of genuine virtue were to be chosen from among them — and so the Eastern Palace Household Administration came into existence.
That day, as Crown Prince Yan Youzheng came to the Household Administration to study military strategy and court affairs, President Wang of the Ministry of Personnel also arrived at the Household Administration.
Wang Gaoxiang served as President of the Ministry of Personnel and concurrently held the title of Grand Preceptor to the Crown Prince — the Crown Prince addressed him as “Teacher Wang.” This was to say that Wang Gaoxiang was thoroughly of the Crown Prince’s faction — the foremost minister at the Crown Prince’s side.
Four years earlier, when Pei Jue retired from office, leaving the critically important position of President of the Ministry of Personnel vacant, the Emperor had deliberately selected Wang Gaoxiang from the Eastern Palace Household Administration to fill the post — precisely to signal to all the officials of the court that this imperial throne would pass to the Crown Prince.
With Wang Gaoxiang in the Ministry of Personnel, close to the wellspring of power, he would be able to cultivate a body of officials loyal to the Crown Prince, so that on the day the Crown Prince ascended the throne, the new emperor’s hand would not be empty of people to rely on, leaving him at the mercy of officials who might dominate him.
The Emperor, in doing this, was thinking ahead on behalf of the Crown Prince — and also testing the Crown Prince, to see whether he could manage the proper balance.
On the rush-grass mat, a low table, two cups of clear tea, with wisps of steam rising slowly.
“Your Highness, there is a matter that may require you to say a few words to His Majesty,” President Wang said.
“Please speak, Teacher Wang.”
From the tone and manner of their exchange, this teacher-and-student pair clearly had a warm and trusting relationship — the Crown Prince showed considerable trust in and regard for Teacher Wang.
“I have already submitted a memorial to His Majesty requesting the bestowal of the post of Junior Household Superintendent upon Pei Shaohuai, for Your Highness’s service. I ask that Your Highness enter the palace and express a few words of eagerness to attract capable men — to bring Pei Shaohuai into Your Highness’s service.” Wang Gaoxiang paused, then continued in a very low voice, “And also to observe what His Majesty’s attitude may be.”
Hearing the first part, the Crown Prince assumed it was simply a matter of drawing in talented men. Hearing the second, he fell into thought.
After a moment, the Crown Prince showed some hesitation, as though not entirely at ease. He said, “I know something of this Prefect Pei, young as he is yet so accomplished. Father Emperor has praised him on occasion when testing my knowledge.”
“He is indeed a capable minister,” Wang Gaoxiang said.
“Since he is a capable minister, a worthy minister, a principled minister — why must Teacher Wang scheme against him?” the Crown Prince asked with some puzzlement. “If Father Emperor were to discern what is happening, I fear he would be displeased.”
Wang Gaoxiang had no choice but to speak plainly and explain: “It is not that this servant wishes to scheme against him — it is that serving at Your Highness’s side, this servant cannot but scheme about him.”
He produced a diagram and spread it on the low table. It showed a map of Pei Shaohuai’s family and marriage connections. “Your Highness, what Pei Shaohuai represents is no longer merely a single minister — but a network of influence.”
Wang Gaoxiang offered two hypothetical scenarios. “If His Majesty agrees, it means His Majesty is willing to allow Your Highness to draw this network of influence into your service — and Your Highness may begin with Pei Shaohuai himself, naturally bringing him to your side first.”
“If His Majesty declines, this becomes difficult to manage…” Wang Gaoxiang said. “One can only fear that relying on His Majesty’s imperial favor, his influence will grow ever larger, taking deep root in the court. On the day Your Highness ascends the throne, if he were to stand on equal footing with Your Highness, showing no manner befitting a minister — one would have no choice but to guard against this in advance.”
A Pei Shaohuai who remained in service long enough to become a venerable old official — with ties to the former Emperor, with meritorious achievements, with the trust of the people — was the kind of senior minister before whom even a Son of Heaven would need to show deference.
What Wang Gaoxiang said was truthful, and genuinely in the Crown Prince’s interests — yet he also concealed certain things, certain private desires.
First: Pei Shaohuai in service to the Crown Prince would also be in service to him.
Second: the glory of serving the rising emperor allowed no second tiger — all the more so since Pei Shaohuai was a full two generations younger than him.
Setting aside private desires: the Crown Prince owed an accounting to those who had declared their support, and Wang Gaoxiang likewise owed an accounting to his own students and subordinates. Everyone had boarded the same vessel and were rowing together with all their strength — the boat would not stop simply because one person put down their oar.
Seeing that the Crown Prince still wore an expression of doubt, Wang Gaoxiang offered further counsel: “As for what Your Highness is worried about, this servant believes: in His Majesty’s eyes, Your Highness’s greatest error is not in doing something wrong, but in doing nothing at all — in not daring to act.”
The art of an emperor’s authority lies precisely in adapting to circumstances and maintaining balance between those above and those below.
“One must act first — only then does His Majesty have the opportunity to guide and correct Your Highness,” Wang Gaoxiang said.
These final two sentences persuaded the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince replied, “I understand Teacher Wang’s meaning. Before too long, I will enter the palace.”
Grand Secretary Zhang’s words had been no idle jest. Within two days, he and Grand Secretary Xu had already submitted their self-appraisal memorials in advance, requesting permission to retire from official service.
The Emperor paid no attention whatsoever to those two memorials.
On the desk, an enormous pile of memorials rose like a mountain — pull out any two at random, and the name Pei Shaohuai would be found in them.
The Emperor rose from his seat, gesturing at the surrounding stacks of memorials with a show of mock exasperation, and said to the two men with a smile, “I am already vexed by these memorials, and now two Grand Secretaries come to add more to the pile — are you here to add a few more worries to my troubles?”
Naturally, their requests for retirement would not be granted.
“We would not dare.”
Grand Secretary Zhang explained their reason: “If we did not do so, there would be those with malicious intent who would slander Pei Shaohuai — and we were speaking out on his behalf.”
“There is no need for you to worry about Boyan’s affairs — I have my plans,” the Emperor said. He paused, then added, “Since so many memorials have been submitted, I cannot simply ignore them — that would chill the hearts of a hundred officials. Let it be thus: after tomorrow’s morning court, I will hold a grand deliberation — bring the matter out into the open for discussion.”
The first sentence had reassured Grand Secretary Zhang; the second, and he could not quite tell what the Emperor was planning.
The following day, after morning court, all officials learned that a grand deliberation was to be held. Everyone came with minds full of schemes and with varied expressions.
Broadly speaking, they fell into a few types.
There were those with clear-sighted understanding, like the President of the Ministry of Revenue and the President of the Ministry of War — both of them could see that the Emperor was utterly set on having Pei Shaohuai involved in the Metropolitan Examination. Why stir up the Emperor’s displeasure over it? Given Pei Shaohuai’s temperament, this year’s Metropolitan Examination might actually turn out to be conducted with some measure of fairness.
The Censorate was largely opposed, arguing that a supervising official must follow the proper path and sequence — to serve as Senior Censor, one ought first to serve among the Investigating Censors of the Thirteen Circuits.
And then there was the Crown Prince’s faction, led by Wang Gaoxiang, who came with probing and testing intentions.
Someone first spoke to set things in motion, and then wave after wave of speech officials stepped forward, delivering impassioned addresses in varied rhetorical styles — but the core of it was always the same few points.
Once the officials had spoken, the Emperor made his pronouncement.
“The various worthy officials say that a posting should not be made in haste — they advise waiting until after the Metropolitan Examination before bestowing the rank of Senior Censor. I grant this.” He agreed readily, presenting the appearance of an open-minded ruler.
“President Wang is a man of keen judgment in the Ministry of Personnel, and what he has written holds some merit as well — then after the Metropolitan Examination, Pei Shaohuai will additionally be given the concurrent post of Junior Household Superintendent.”
That phrase “keen judgment” sounded, in any interpretation, like the Emperor complimenting himself.
The Emperor showed no sign of stopping. He continued, “The various officials say that his official rank should not be elevated too quickly — then a lateral transfer it shall be, fifth rank to fifth rank.”
Everyone reacted with sudden alarm.
“I believe the position of Director of the Personnel Evaluation Bureau has yet to be filled — with the Metropolitan Examination approaching, let Pei Shaohuai serve in that capacity in the interim.” The Emperor spoke.
A post that had been bitterly contested by all factions for several months, the Director of the Personnel Evaluation Bureau — which had hung suspended, leaving no side victorious — had been settled just like that, lightly and easily, and had fallen into Pei Shaohuai’s hands.
This was something no one had anticipated.
Yet what objection could they raise now? They had just argued that elevating his rank too quickly was improper — and the Emperor had agreed readily. How could they now continue to oppose a “lateral transfer”?
No wonder the Emperor had been so agreeable earlier.
On the surface, it appeared that the officials’ “earnest petitions” had been granted — yet with a turn of phrase, they had been given even more than before: first, the post of Director of the Personnel Evaluation Bureau to enjoy until the examination, and afterward, two concurrent fourth-rank posts at once.
There were always those who fancied themselves upright enough to be bold, and even after the Emperor had made his meaning plain, someone stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, this servant has a remonstrance to offer…”
The Emperor maintained his sovereign composure, and asked only mildly, “The various officials have offered so many remonstrations — does this mean the Metropolitan Examination self-appraisals and formal hearings are all in full readiness, and you are all brimming with confidence about your records of achievement over the past several years?”