Zhù Ying, standing in the doorway, took in the whole of the study.
Zheng Xi still sat in his own seat.
Zheng Yi and Wen Yue both wore the polite false smiles one puts on as a courtesy. Shu Yan, Bai Qingzhi, and Liu Chang, whether they had not detected this or simply did not care, wore expressions far more genuine than those two artificial faces.
The three were all good-looking. Liu Chang was the handsomest; the other two were equally presentable, and Shu Yan even had a square jaw. Sitting in Zheng Xi’s study, their faces showed a faint happiness that was entirely sincere. Young officials of no particular fame who had come to the capital and were now seated in this study had every reason to feel a quiet, contented gladness. The Zheng household at this moment was even more illustrious than in years past — under Zheng Xi’s stewardship the family had shown no signs of decline, which meant its accumulated depth had grown yet thicker.
Zhù Ying stepped in without hesitation, nodding to the page who lifted the door curtain. Once inside, she addressed Zheng Xi first: “My lord, so you are hiding from the wine here.”
Zheng Xi said: “I am not you! No one dares press wine on you.”
“And no one dares urge wine on you either.”
Shu Yan and the other two looked with curiosity at the “legendary Third Zhù,” no less famous for not being able to drink than for her fair, beardless complexion. Rumour had it she must be well past thirty, yet she looked to be in her mid-twenties; and she did not put on the airs of a provincial prefect. Nothing about Zhù Ying suggested even the faintest trace of the ferocious spirit of one who “opens and extends territory.”
Zheng Yi rose. “Come — sit!”
He had been in the first seat, with Wen Yue in the next, and a third chair standing empty. When he moved, Wen Yue promptly rose also, and they shifted down in sequence. Zhù Ying’s step faltered slightly, then she was already settled into the third chair, saying, “What are you two standing up for?”
Shu Yan hurriedly stood as well to offer his seat.
Zhù Ying laughed. “What is the matter with everyone?”
Zheng Xi said: “All sit down.” Only then did everyone return to their seats.
A page brought Zhù Ying tea and a few light refreshments, checked the charcoal brazier at her feet, and withdrew. Once things were in order, Zhù Ying said: “The outside is so lively — you are all indoors, which must be on account of these three. I haven’t been introduced yet.”
Zheng Xi said: “Shu Yan, Bai Qingzhi, Liu Chang.” As he named each one, that person rose and gave a clasped-hands bow. Zhù Ying did not stand on ceremony and returned each with half a bow.
Zheng Xi said: “All three are able men. You are their senior — in future meetings, look after them well.”
Zheng Yi smiled. “All able men — I fear by the time anyone tries to ‘look after’ them they will need no help. Third Fellow, you don’t know, do you? They can manage things very well on their own — far better than the lot of us in our day.”
Zheng Xi said: “Speak for yourself, don’t drag him in — how old was he when he arrived in the capital?”
There was a thread of wistful regret in Zheng Xi’s tone. After Zhù Ying, he had never again found anyone so young whose potential was already visible.
Among these three new arrivals, Shu Yan was about the same age as Zhù Ying. He was a man of some experience; he had not entered officialdom too late, but without anyone to guide him had taken some small knocks, and after various setbacks had found his way to Zheng Xi.
Bai Qingzhi and Liu Chang were not much younger — all three wore short beards, which gave them an air of shrewdness beyond their scholarly appearance.
Zhù Ying said: “The moment ages are mentioned, you are all laughing at me.”
Wen Yue said: “We dare not, we dare not — you are the most capable of us all.”
“Ah, then perhaps don’t — let this be how you show it, by keeping an eye on my household while I am gone.”
Wen Yue said to Zheng Yi: “Thirteenth Fellow, see how perceptive he is? And he says he is still young? You haven’t seen the southern children, have you? The youngest is six or seven, the oldest in their teens, and they all call him — A’Weng!”
Wen Yue, speaking this much in one breath before the whole company, was almost unbelievable. Zheng Yi echoed him in turn: “That is something you wouldn’t understand — it’s called ‘the turnip isn’t large, but it grows in a high-ranking generation.’ In such cases you just have to accept it.”
Zhù Ying said: “So I am to be the topic today, am I? If it is to be like this, I am leaving — I brought them all here and entrusted them to Auntie Jin and the others; I am worried the little monkeys are making trouble right now.”
She made as though to rise. Zheng Xi said: “You need not worry — someone will keep them in hand.”
Zhù Ying settled back down. “In that case I can relax. Later I’ll take them to see the Marquis and beg for some New Year’s money.”
Zheng Xi said: “He is fond of children — ask away.”
Zhù Ying said: “One of the children wants a fine knife.”
“Which one?”
“Can you guess?”
“The one with the most to say — that girl?”
Zhù Ying nodded and asked: “What do you think?”
Zheng Xi said: “That would be Su Mingluan’s daughter, I assume? That is exactly the sort of thing she would do. She will inherit the family affairs one day — softness would not serve her.” Then, pointing to Shu Yan, he said to Zhù Ying: “You two are both currently posted to regional positions; I imagine you will have much to discuss.”
Zhù Ying asked Shu Yan which county he was from and where he was lodging in the capital.
Shu Yan replied: “I am the county magistrate of Xinfeng.”
Zhù Ying parted her lips slightly. “That is no easy post.”
Shu Yan gave a somewhat rueful smile. “Without the advantages of the capital, yet burdened with all its disadvantages. It is very difficult. Were it not for the Minister’s attention, it would be hard to continue.”
Zhù Ying said: “With my lord seated right there, clearly things will not be so difficult in the future.”
Zheng Yi said: “Third Fellow is right! Now then! The few of you — things are going much more smoothly now, aren’t they?”
Zheng Xi said: “Don’t flatter me. Since you were small, every time you flatter me you invariably want something from me.”
The room laughed.
Zheng Yi said: “There truly is something — but I’ll wait until Seventh Brother is free before I bring it up.”
Zheng Xi nodded.
At a first meeting, no serious business could be discussed. Zheng Xi simply wanted them to become acquainted. That Zheng Yi and Wen Yue had been cold toward Shu Yan and the three others was beyond Zheng Xi’s expectation — the people he selected were all decent in appearance, capable enough, and not disagreeable. If the two sides could not get along, there had to be another reason.
Judging by Zheng Yi’s words, it seemed he was bearing a grudge that Zheng Xi had been cultivating Shu Yan without minding the rest. Zheng Xi gave Zhù Ying a faintly helpless look.
Zhù Ying witnessed first-hand how these people interacted and made her decision firmly: What does this have to do with me?
She acted as if she had noticed nothing and kept to small talk. She did not mention the likelihood that she herself would not be in Wuzhou much longer, nor anything related to official duties. She only spoke of her early days arriving in the capital, and how without the household’s help she could barely find a place to rent; Bai Qingzhi and Liu Chang chimed in to say they were still renting in the capital as well.
Zhù Ying said: “The capital is expensive. At the time I wanted to buy a haunted house.”
Liu Chang laughed. “That sort of thing — we are still a little afraid of it. We will keep renting for now.”
Shu Yan said: “Renting is tiring too. Rented housing is never quite what you want.”
Bai Qingzhi said: “Right now we are focused on working hard. One doesn’t feel the hardship so much.” Liu Chang nodded beside him.
Bai Qingzhi served as an assistant director in the Ministry of Rites. When chatting with her contacts at the Ministry of Rites recently, Zhù Ying had not heard this person mentioned. Liu Chang served as an assistant director in the Ministry of Justice. On the cases sent up from Wuzhou, Liu Chang’s name had not appeared on the Ministry of Justice’s sign-offs — though it was possible he had only been promoted to the Ministry of Justice relatively recently.
Both these men — if they were not aggressively taking in money — would have difficulty affording to buy property. Looking at their dress, neither seemed particularly wealthy. They had just been speaking of housing, when Zheng Yi said: “You are too modest! The places you are renting are not simple at all. Third Fellow, do you know? Where they are staying is even closer to here than your own house. One of them is renting the residence of Retired Director Yuan, who has returned to his home province; the other’s situation is even more remarkable — it is the property of General Wen, who has been posted out of the capital to garrison troops. In a few years they might as well buy them outright — it would be convenient and comfortable.”
Wen Yue said: “Now that is a good arrangement.”
Zheng Yi said: “Right? Once you get used to a place you make it yours — saves the trouble of moving.”
Zheng Xi looked at the time and judged it sufficient, then beckoned the six to come out for the banquet. Walking, he pointed at Zhù Ying and said to the others: “You may talk among yourselves about whatever you like — public or private. He is experienced in both. Go on — let us eat and drink.” Then, to Zheng Yi he gave a meaningful look. Zheng Yi gave Zhù Ying a glance. Zhù Ying gave a quiet shake of her head.
All present sat down for the meal. Su Zhe was already in conversation with Zheng Ling. Lang Rui had been taken in hand by the Marchioness. The other three young people were competing in archery with Jin Biao, and Zheng Marquis had produced a carved bow as the prize. Zheng Marquis said: “There has been endless talking — come, let us all drink together.”
Zheng Xi laughed and took his seat next to the old man; the two fell to talking. Zheng Yi slipped over to Zhù Ying’s side. “Well?”
Zhù Ying said: “You were too obvious. I tell you — when I am about to hit someone, I would never let it show. Your jealousy is strong enough to sauce a hundred portions of sweet-and-sour fish. Lord Zheng’s eye has always been reliable; these three must have something exceptional about them. If you had been willing to let them speak more today, I might have seen even more of what they are made of. You spoke over all of them.”
Zhù Ying spread her hands. Zheng Yi muttered: “You are blaming me now?”
“Who else? If I were you, I would either conceal it entirely from the Minister, or go and speak plainly with him — ask what he means by old people and new. You are brothers; what cannot be said openly between family? Ask on Wen Yue’s behalf as well.”
“I was already planning to go find Seventh Brother.”
“There you have it.”
“You two, what are you whispering about?”
Zhù Ying and Zheng Yi looked up — it was Tang Shan who had come over. Tang Shan had remained in the Marquis’s household; compared to Jin Liang who had gone out into the world, he actually carried more face in front of people like Zhù Ying. Jin Liang had still not worked his way to the rank of subordinate fifth grade; he had been close, but the emperor had rearranged the Imperial Guards and reshuffled them all at once, which broke the momentum of his advancement entirely. For officials, having a carefully laid plan suddenly disrupted was the worst of things.
Zhù Ying said: “Saying you won’t go down yourself.”
Tang Shan said: “If I were to enter, what would the others do?”
“Then I will keep you company. Elder Brother Jin, come! Let us both go.”
Those in the household who knew the old stories raised a cheer.
Zhù Ying, Tang Shan, and Jin Liang each displayed their respective skills. Zhù Ying shot first, then Jin Liang, and Tang Shan last. Tang Shan placed first; the difference between Zhù Ying and Jin Liang was not great.
Zheng Marquis said: “All three shall receive prizes!”
Zhù Ying said: “Change the girl’s to a knife.”
Zheng Marquis looked at Su Zhe and said: “Hers is counted separately! Yours will not be short either.”
Su Zhe received her knife with great delight and said to Zheng Marquis: “Let me trade you bolts of silk for it!”
The Marchioness and the others all laughed and said: “No need, no need.”
At the New Year feast that followed, very few people in the Marquis’s household would tease Zhù Ying anymore — they laughed, but there was a trace of deference in how they spoke to her. Zhù Ying did not let this create distance; she still chatted with Gan Ze, Lu Chao, and the others, and looked in on Lu Chao’s son. The boy was already working in the household, doing what Lu Chao himself had once done — currently still serving before Zheng Xi, not as a childhood companion to Zheng Chuan.
Zhù Ying also went to check on Su Zhe and the others and told Jin Yu and the rest not to get drunk: “Anyone who gets drunk will be trussed up until they are sober.”
Zheng Xi said: “You say this of others — what about yourself?”
“I don’t drink. Biao, don’t you drink too much either. My lord, would you not agree?”
Zheng Xi said: “Quite right — being in the Imperial Guards, one especially must not let wine interfere with duty. You all look at Wen Yue — he sets a good example.”
After the banquet wound down, the Zheng household saw its guests off. Those who had come today were mostly the sort who required no personal escort from the host; Zheng Chuan brought his younger brother to see people off. Zhù Ying still had to look after five children, so by the time she was done lingering she was among the last to leave. She said to Zheng Xi: “You should find time to talk things over with Thirteenth Fellow.”
Zheng Xi said: “At his age and rank, it is a period of waiting it out. Whoever comes, it would be the same. In the future, once he works through this and advances, am I to do everything myself? Don’t follow his example.”
“Understood.”
—
Leaving the Zheng household, Zhù Ying turned the situation’s flavors over in her mind. She had not yet reached the point where she needed to worry about such things herself; seeing it in advance did no harm.
Zheng Xi, for his part, found that Zhù Ying had spoken sense, and felt it was time for a talk with Zheng Yi.
Thus, before Zheng Yi could seek out Zheng Xi, Zheng Xi summoned his younger brother first. The two brothers sat together at a low table, warming themselves by the heated brazier. Zheng Xi said: “I need not buy vinegar for the New Year.”
Zheng Yi let out a grunt. “You are comparing me to a resentful woman?”
Zheng Xi smiled and said: “If a person is holding something up, and the thing is on the ground, stretching out one’s hand can lift it quite a bit higher. If it is already in one’s hands, pulling it up a little further is still possible. But if it is already at chest height, lifting it even an inch more takes real effort — one must gather one’s strength first.”
Zheng Yi grumbled: “I am not asking you for anything. Those few men — one foot already in their graves — and still coming to nothing? What is there to be jealous of? When Third Fellow first came to the household and was that small, I was not jealous of him then either. I am saying that you are less close to us than before.”
Zheng Xi smiled and asked: “Are you certain?”
“Hmph.”
“You and I are brothers. What cannot be said openly? You said you were going to come find me — what was the matter?”
“I was originally going to ask about an external posting. I wanted to let you know first.”
Zheng Xi said: “One external posting is a good thing. I myself regret that I never had one, and what may yet come is uncertain. But you and Wen Yue — you cannot leave right now.”
“Oh?”
“I would not want even Lan Zhen to leave. The capital is as it is; we need sufficient people here. At this moment, patience is called for — wait for the right opportunity to make one’s mark with a single stroke. Bow down low, be quiet and still, hmm?”
Zheng Yi nodded. “All right.”
Zheng Xi said: “The holidays are nearly over. Take advantage while you still need not be at your post — go and drink.”
One candid conversation from Zheng Xi, and Zheng Yi was greatly calmed. Zheng Xi then summoned Wen Yue and offered him similar reassurance.
—
The matter of Zheng Yi — Zhù Ying had mentioned it to Zheng Xi and let it be. Whether it came to anything or not, she did not take it to heart. Unlike what others might assume, she did not greatly care about the cohesion of the “Zheng faction.”
She continued making rounds of calls, going again to Wang Yunhe’s and Liu Songnian’s residences, and not neglecting the Cold Marquis’s household either. This time she also happened to see Prefect Lu and Chen Meng, and Chen Meng hosted another banquet at his residence; Prefect Wu and the others were present as well.
She made a particular point of sharing another meal with her contacts at the Ministry of Personnel. After the holiday, the ministry would as usual be making a new batch of appointments. In the winter of the previous year, the various prefects and others had come to the capital to give the Ministry of Personnel a briefing on the situation of the officials in their respective prefectures, and also to assign performance grades. Because the prefects had arrived at different times, the performance evaluations for officials in different prefectures came in at different times as well.
The later batch — those whose promotions, demotions, and dismissals were to come in the New Year’s season — were among those Zhù Ying was angling to address. She wanted to settle things with the Ministry of Personnel.
After meeting with her ministry contacts, Zhù Ying also invited the two students Wuzhou had recommended to the Imperial Academy for another meal, gathering them together with Zhao Zhen and the rest for a full table. At the meal, Zhù Ying asked them: “With First Young Master Xiang in the capital these days, you have had a much easier time of it, yes?”
Student Zhang said: “Yes. He brings delicacies from home from time to time, which eases our homesickness.”
Student Fan said: “With Brother Zhao’s instruction first, then First Young Master Xiang’s care, we two have truly been fortunate.”
“Do not become too accustomed to it. When you are officials governing a district someday, if you take what others do for you as a matter of course, things will go badly. Is it that they seek nothing in return? Then all the more should you have some awareness of it yourself.”
The two hurriedly rose from their seats to protest: “We dare not.”
Zhù Ying said: “Sit down — don’t be so easily startled. The character of these two men is trustworthy; when you encounter others in the future, they may not be. Your families have no official rank; I have set you on this path, and of course I must give you some guidance. Why do the sons of officialdom find it easier to become officials? Having someone to teach them is one reason. Without someone telling you where the pitfalls are, you must feel your own way through.”
“Yes.”
Even Zhao Zhen and the others listened attentively, and Little Wu beside them was practically itching to carve every word into stone.
Zhù Ying offered a few more pointers and then said nothing further in the way of lessons; she asked about their classmates at the Imperial Academy — primarily the other recommended students — openly inquiring about how these people fared at the academy.
After dinner, Zhù Ying gave them each a few writing supplies and had people escort them back.
As soon as the holiday ended, Zhù Ying contacted Yue Huan and asked to visit the Imperial Academy.
Yue Huan said: “Of all the prefects and deputy prefects here, you alone are this attentive to the students you recommended! You think I am mistreating them?”
Zhù Ying said: “Absolutely not. The thing is, my prefecture is still short one county magistrate — and not just that, also short a county deputy magistrate. I want to see if there are any suitable candidates for county deputy magistrate.”
Yue Huan was extremely willing to help with this and said: “Tomorrow after the morning court, come with me!”
Zhù Ying smiled. “Excellent.”
With Yue Huan as guide, things became simple. Most people at the Imperial Academy did not know Zhù Ying; seeing her arrive in red official robes, they assumed she was some well-connected young lordling whose father had thrown him in to study. Some even said: “Strange — I haven’t heard of any family whose son got in trouble with his father and was sent here.”
“Could it be a royal relative?”
They speculated endlessly without arriving at an answer.
Yue Huan said: “The recommended students are on the whole not as good as those who passed the examinations. Of course they are better than some of the more unruly ones who got in through family privilege. Among the privileged students there are also good ones — their fathers and grandfathers have been officials, so they understand something of it. Those from more remote places are worse — someone like Zhao Su, who could pass examinations on his own merit, is genuinely rare. Since these are people who will govern at the grassroots level, it would be better to have them be somewhat more capable. Otherwise it is the common people who suffer.”
Zhù Ying said: “I am looking for a county deputy magistrate; the county magistrate must still be selected from among officials already in service.”
“Oh — that is also fine, yes. Having a chief official to guide the deputy makes sense. Have a look — these ones!”
Zhù Ying said: “Actually, there is a person I would like to ask you about.”
“You already have a candidate in mind?”
“Not yet — I wanted to take a look.”
Zhù Ying had only a general idea in mind. Her experience with Shang Peiji had put her on guard; she was not willing to simply select someone on the basis of good scholarship. If the scholarship was poor, however, it would be hard for the candidate to appear before her at all — so she chose a middle path: Prefect Lu’s judgment and methods had always been reliable.
In concrete terms, the people who came out under his hand were always useful.
Ideally she might have asked Prefect Lu, whose territory was closer and whose students had grown up in an environment more similar to Wuzhou. But Prefect Lu had come to the capital the previous year and was not due in this year. Going back and forth would be troublesome.
So Zhù Ying asked Yue Huan to let her see the two students Prefect Lu had recommended — she wanted to form an impression of them. At first glance she found them fairly satisfactory. She then borrowed their assignment books from Yue Huan to read through, and in the end asked that both be called in for a brief interview.
Zhù Ying’s way of examining a candidate was unlike anyone else’s. She asked no formal questions, made no mention of selection, and simply said she had formerly served under Prefect Lu and had come to look in on his own students, taking the opportunity to see these two as well. Then she fell into casual conversation with them, touching on their family circumstances and looking for any signs of extravagant habits. She asked whether they had the desire to serve, whether they intended to sit for examinations themselves or take any opportunity that came. Then she shifted tack and spoke of Prefect Lu’s strengths; from there she moved on to some of the cases she had handled in her own day. All the lofty principles one could speak were abstractions; what mattered was watching how they treated the vulnerable in a case, how they arranged matters for widows and orphans, how they spoke of people of such stations as merchants or servants — from this one could gauge what manner of person they were.
After conversing with the two of them for half a day, she settled on the one named Hang Qin — slightly younger, only twenty years old this year. He had no relatives in office, and his clan was not large.
Having identified her candidate, Zhù Ying said nothing to either of them but gave Yue Huan a look; Yue Huan sent both off. Zhù Ying then went through the motions of speaking a few words with Student Fan and the others, thanked Yue Huan, and took her leave.
Only then did she go to the Ministry of Personnel to negotiate the appointment.
With Shang Peiji recalled to the capital and put on idle status, the post of deputy county magistrate of Fulu County was first earmarked for Hang Qin so that county affairs would not be disrupted. With a deputy in place, there was no rush for a county magistrate; Zhù Ying planned to stop by Prefect Lu’s residence on her return journey to ask whether he had any suitable candidates who could be promoted to county magistrate. This would both do Prefect Lu a favor and allow her to more easily investigate the candidate’s background — after all, Gu Tong was still serving under Prefect Lu.
Then there was Little Wu. He had been muddling through officialdom for several years, with satisfactory annual evaluations, and his rank and seniority were both sufficient. Zhù Ying accordingly recommended Little Wu for a county magistrate position. Her contact at the Ministry of Personnel, Assistant Director Xia, gave Zhù Ying face and produced a book: “These are all posts with vacancies.”
Zhù Ying asked: “What sort of people are the prefects and deputy prefects in these areas? I need to look into it — I don’t want it to be someone I have offended. I won’t be sending anyone off to serve as someone’s punching bag.”
Assistant Director Xia laughed helplessly: “You are thorough.”
Zhù Ying said: “I am.”
From the Ministry of Personnel she also surveyed a great many overviews of officials in various prefectures, committing the relevant details to memory. In the end she chose for Little Wu a relatively close-by upper-grade county and placed him there as deputy county magistrate.
Assistant Director Xia said: “The official appointment documents for a few of these won’t be ready until the day after tomorrow.”
“Good things are worth waiting for.” Zhù Ying smiled.
In good spirits, Zhù Ying planned to wait for the appointment documents and then first dispatch Little Wu, then take Hang Qin to meet Prefect Lu.
Returning home, Little Wu came to report: “My lord, that Grand Supervisor Meng from before has sent another calling card.”
“Did he say what the matter was?”
“He said he did not know when you planned to depart, and asked you to be sure to let him know — he has a matter to entrust. The household did not dare accept his things!”
Zhù Ying nodded.
—
Meng Hong, having been refused a second time, showed no displeasure.
He summoned one of his younger sons and asked: “Was the message delivered as I said?”
The son replied: “Father’s errand — how would I dare be negligent? I already found my fellow townsman and told him — someone has learned that after the late Crown Prince passed away, the Zhao Prince was so pleased he did not know where to put his hands and feet. If the Zhao Prince were to come to power, whether the imperial great-grandson would still have a path to survival would be another matter entirely.”
Meng Hong nodded. “Well done. Keep your mouth shut — tell no one, whoever asks.”
“You may rest easy. I did not say it to his face — I said it in such a way that he could overhear.”
His fellow townsman was one who served in the Crown Prince’s consort’s household. The late Crown Prince was dead, but there was a son; the boy’s birth mother had entered religious life as a female Daoist, and so the Crown Prince’s consort raised the child. This child was at the very least a prince — and both the Crown Prince’s consort and the boy kept maids and eunuchs around them; these two types of servants even spent more time with them than the maternal relatives did.
Meng Hong tossed him a money pouch. “This is yours — a reward.”
“This subordinate does father’s errands — why should I take father’s money?” The young eunuch held the pouch out before him with both hands and did not withdraw it.
Meng Hong raised an eyebrow. The young eunuch kowtowed. “Thank you for father’s gift.”
Meng Hong rose and walked toward the Wei Prince’s study…
—