The Emperor believed that when officials reopened their offices, it was also time for students to begin school. So Yun Ye could continue slacking off at home under the pretense of academy business. Yun Ye had discovered a great secret of officialdom—the more concurrent posts you held, the more leisure time you had. He was first and foremost the commander of the Lingnan Navy, then bore the title of Yuezhou Provincial Governor, which he had recently regained. Now as long as one was an important minister, everyone held the title of provincial governor of some province. Zhangsun Wuji extremely unwillingly hung the title of Zhaozhou Provincial Governor on himself—in the Great Tang, no one could now go against the Emperor’s will. When meeting Zhangsun Wuji, one must never address him by all his official titles. Even if one absolutely must say them all out, one must omit the words “Provincial Governor” and call him “Zhangsun of Zhaozhou.” Once one carelessly uttered the two words “Provincial Governor,” Zhangsun Wuji would immediately assume you were mocking him, with dire consequences.
In addition to the two positions mentioned above, Yun Ye was also a Reader of Hanyuan Hall. This position mainly facilitated his entry and exit from the palace and had no great use. His favorites were still his position as Academy Administrator and Administrator of the Imperial Medical Academy. The position of Administrator of the Imperial Medical Academy had originally belonged to Sun Simiao. When the old Daoist was being rewarded by the Emperor, he stubbornly refused to accept this position. Seeing that Li Er couldn’t save face in front of everyone, Yun Ye volunteered to accept this position.
Yun Ye now circulated among these several positions, slacking off—it worked wonderfully! When the Lingnan Navy needed to do tedious clerical work, Yun Ye was generally toiling for Yuezhou and could not be disturbed. When Yuezhou officials came to pay their respects, Marquis Yun was lecturing at Yushan Academy and did not handle mundane affairs. When Yushan Academy held meetings, Yun Ye was generally researching new medicinal formulas together with Sun Simiao.
After making this full circuit, Yun Ye discovered that all four departments could operate very well without him, so he became increasingly leisurely. In the dead of winter, who liked running around everywhere? Hiding at home playing games with the children was more interesting than official duties.
Today he couldn’t avoid it. A young man in a blue scholar’s robe brought his entire family over. He had won first place in last year’s academy assessment and, because of his outstanding literary talent, had received the academy’s reward of one string of cash. That string of copper coins had already been polished to a brilliant golden shine. The court had changed the currency, but the academy had never changed the reward currency.
Previously, victorious students would go to Master Yuanzhang for eulogies or to Master Lishi for portraits. Now finally a student appeared who wanted Marquis Yun to personally cook a meal.
Originally Yun Ye didn’t need to do it himself—the Yun family’s cooks could handle it. As long as this meal was eaten at the Yun residence, that would be sufficient. Today was different. Yun Ye prepared two dishes with a playful attitude, only because this student’s name was Li Yifu!
One of history’s great schemers! On the same level as Xu Jingzong as a master of conspiracy, and moreover a fellow who loved women and beauty, who sold offices and titles. It was just unknown what he would be like in his youth, whether the academy’s education had taken any effect on this person. Yun Ye very much wanted to know.
Just his single “Art of Governing Hearts” was enough to make Yun Ye vigilant about this person: “Officials are capable ones—governing them is not easy. Benevolent ones are rare—controlling them requires generosity. Those with great ambitions do not come to court; those with few desires care nothing for the world. Those with high talent are unrestrained; those with shallow virtue are good at deception. What the people fear, officials do not dread. Cunning officials rely on intelligence, their courage must be lacking—press them, it works. Fierce officials lack schemes, their actions are often careless—coerce them, it works. Honest officials are inherently proud, their hearts tied to reputation—praise them, it works. To govern officials, govern their hearts—a wise ruler does not abandon those who oppose him. To know people is to know their desires—the intelligent skillfully use those of corrupt virtue.”
This was merely the first chapter of his entire ten-chapter essay on political strategy. This was a person who thoroughly understood human nature, and also an absolutely brilliant person. Those of great treachery and great evil must be those of great wisdom and great courage. Yun Ye was very clear about this. Holding ten thousand parts hope, Yun Ye met Li Yifu—a handsome, thin young man.
He had already learned that elegant smile of scholars, sunny enough to place in a room for illumination. The academy’s blue robe he wore was spotlessly clean. When he bowed in salute, he perfectly revealed a scroll of books tucked under his arm, immediately creating a favorable impression in Yun Ye. The reason was simple—what was tucked under his arm was Yun Ye’s authored work “Elementary Mathematics.”
He stood steadily behind an old farmer and a farm woman, and finally behind them was a tall, sturdy young farmer. In his left hand he carried a basket of eggs, in his right hand he grasped a fat rooster. This was their visiting gift.
The Yun family’s noble status made the old farmer, farm woman, and young farmer extremely nervous. As long as Yun Ye spoke in a slightly louder voice, they were ready to flee immediately.
“Student Li Yifu pays respects to Teacher. This is the proof that this student obtained first place in the last academic year. Please, Teacher, verify it.”
Yun Ye looked at Li Yifu’s face and accepted the string of cash from his hand, but didn’t acknowledge Li Yifu. Instead, he smiled and said to the old farmer and farm woman: “Coming all the way from Yingzhou just for a meal—Yun truly doesn’t deserve this honor! Li Yifu has made a great error. The way to express filial piety should not be to make the elders work so hard. Spring plowing is about to begin—this delays the farming season!”
The old man immediately showed an expression of agreement, subconsciously glanced at his younger son, and hastily said: “It’s no trouble, no trouble at all. Being able to make a trip to Chang’an and cross the threshold of a noble’s home is this old man’s honor.”
These were not words an old farmer could say. Yun Ye turned his head and glanced at Li Yifu, saying: “What have you done? Do you even have to teach the old man what to say? Your father is already over fifty years old—doesn’t he know how to speak? I most enjoy hearing the old folks’ experiential wisdom, not this meaningless drivel.”
Just as Li Yifu was about to apologize, Yun Ye had already taken the old man’s hand and walked toward the Yun residence, turning his head back to look at that sturdy young farmer and saying: “The old man has good fortune to still have such a sturdy fine young man.”
When the old man and farm woman saw that Yun Ye was amiable and approachable, they immediately relaxed and said: “Han Lu’er is indeed a good child. Who within ten miles in all directions doesn’t praise him as an expert at tending crops? Gou’er…”
Just after saying “Gou’er,” they immediately stopped speaking. It seemed Li Yifu’s childhood name was also among the forbidden words. The old people didn’t dare speak anymore, and the atmosphere immediately became awkward. Li Yifu became somewhat exasperated.
Old Qian smiled and took the rooster and basket of eggs from Han Lu’er’s hands, smiling and making pleasantries: “Our family hasn’t received such practical gifts in a long time. My lord, look at how fat this rooster is.”
Han Lu’er mumbled for quite a while before saying: “This is the biggest rooster on the estate. Hearing we were coming to a noble’s home, my father specially selected it. It’s just that the eggs, being brought from Yingzhou after such a long time, aren’t too fresh anymore.”
Yun Ye had Old Qian lead Li Yifu’s parents into the flower hall to drink tea, keeping Li Yifu behind for a lecture. Before Yun Ye could speak, Li Yifu first bowed in apology and said: “This student loves vanity and does not conform to the conduct of a gentleman. Please, Teacher, punish me!”
“Li Yifu, the academy has never thought about teaching everyone to become gentlemen, nor can everyone be taught to become gentlemen. Your nature is smooth, you’re clever in handling affairs, and sometimes even full of stratagems—in my view, these are not shortcomings. I’ll only ask you one question: Why do you conceal it? Do you feel that having the identity of a gentleman makes things easier to navigate in the Great Tang?”
“Your parents and brother are old farmers. Old farmers talk about mulberries and hemp, cattle and sheep, fields—this is a matter of course. Even in front of His Majesty, it can be said. Does their way of speaking embarrass you? Your family produced you, this scholar, so the whole family must revolve around you? What kind of reasoning is this? The academy requires preserving truth, requires removing the false and preserving the true. Have you achieved this?”
Li Yifu wanted to speak, but Yun Ye stopped his defense and continued: “Today’s main guests are your family members. You are the younger brother—comfort them properly. Since the old folks have come to Chang’an, let them tour around well. Your family is also comfortably well-off and can afford it. Repay them properly.”
After finishing, he gave a bitter smile, slapped Li Yifu on the head, lifted his leg to kick him, but Li Yifu agilely dodged. It was precisely because of these two actions that Li Yifu’s dejected face came alive again, returning to his appearance at the academy. When Yun Ye kicked at academy students, they were allowed to dodge—this was custom. When Old Master Li Gang hit people, those being hit had to prepare the cane and assume the best position for beating—this was also custom. Academy students all knew these two rules.
Since Yun Ye was willing to lecture and even strike him, it meant he still regarded him as a student and had not developed contempt for him because of the earlier bad impression. Wasn’t a teacher precisely for lecturing people?
Returning to the flower hall, Li Yifu performed very actively. As the maids brought out dishes one after another, he explained each one to his parents and brother—what were fish from the Eastern Sea, what were soft-shelled turtles from the Northern Lakes, what were mountain delicacies, what were sea flavors, how they should be eaten, how to eat them—he made everything crystal clear. He especially instructed his father that the wine here could be drunk more freely, as it was all good wine that couldn’t be bought or afforded outside.
Yun Ye smiled and drank a cup with Li Yifu’s father, talking about Yingzhou affairs. Yun Ye was quite familiar with Yingzhou—his own great army had once been stationed there.
“We Yingzhou people still remember Your Lordship’s great kindness. With one fire, you burned all the Goguryeo people to death. To this day, Beisha City still doesn’t have a ghost’s shadow—all the Goguryeo people have run away. When this old man has leisure time from farming, he also goes out to sea to fish. Seeing Beisha City from afar makes me happy. Now on the sea there’s not a single Goguryeo ship—they’re all our Tang people. Hebei is now a prosperous region! If Your Lordship goes to Yingzhou again, this old man will have Han Lu’er go into the sea to catch sea cucumbers for you.”
This was what a farmer who had drunk too much should say. Han Lu’er’s performance was the same. The whole family went after the meat. When Li Yifu ate two more chopsticks full of bamboo shoots, he was scolded by his father—who eats vegetables when there’s meat? It cost one string of cash!
Li Yifu’s face immediately darkened, but Yun Ye laughed heartily, loudly echoing the old farmer’s honest words, urging the whole family to eat more, and even having the maids bring out another bowl of preserved meat.
The meal lasted a full hour. Han Lu’er supported his father, who had eaten his fill to the brim, while he himself burped as they left the Yun residence. Li Yifu had an embarrassed expression on his face. Yun Ye pointed at the plaque on the gate bearing the imperial edict to establish the Marquis of Lantian’s residence and asked Li Yifu: “Don’t you have the ambition that ‘he could take his place’?”