The guests were already at the door; it would hardly be appropriate to refuse to see them. Prefect Lu cleared his throat: “Show them in.”
The attendant answered and hurried out. The servant beside him asked: “My lord, these crates…”
“Leave them there — do I fear him seeing them? It is the right time to be heading back, in any case.” Prefect Lu said, lifting his collar slightly and raising his chin a touch.
Hang Qin found himself at a loss for the second time. After the good news had struck him dizzy at the Imperial Academy, a breeze on the road had brought him back to clarity; but now that he had stepped inside this “grand residence,” he realized with a start that he was about to meet Prefect Lu.
He was in a daze again.
Zhù Ying rarely put on airs; she presented herself as calm and quiet, so Hang Qin had not felt the weight of it so strongly. Prefect Lu was a different matter entirely. He was well past fifty, somewhat portly, with a severe face that only added to his imposing quality; his build reinforced that gravitas. Even the cadence of his speech could set a person’s nerves on edge. Hang Qin had met Prefect Lu once before entering the capital; the weight of that encounter still pressed on his chest now.
Zhù Ying glanced at once at the boxes being packed and said: “Rushing and pressing, I finally made it in time. I told you — one had to come early. Leave it too late and you’d have to wait another who knows how many years.”
Prefect Lu, in a tone of deliberate unconcern, said: “In the official sea we rise and fall; all partings come in time, and so do reunions. You too are ready to set out, I take it?”
Zhù Ying said: “Yes.”
Prefect Lu’s skeptical gaze swept over Hang Qin. Hang Qin started, quickly lowered his head, and stood up straight.
Zhù Ying said: “This is Hang Qin.”
“That name — oh!” Prefect Lu looked Hang Qin over again.
The Imperial Academy did not issue identical uniforms to its students, but the attire of scholars all followed a broadly similar style. Prefect Lu put together the various clues and quickly recalled who this was.
Since this was a student from his own territory and Zhù Ying had brought the person forward again, Prefect Lu had to take an interest. If the student had done something wrong, he also had some obligation to stand up for him.
Prefect Lu said: “What is it that brings him here?”
Zhù Ying said: “Bringing you good news.”
“Oh? What good news that I do not already know about?”
Prefect Lu’s tone was not reproachful, only curious.
Zhù Ying said: “Fulu County is short both a magistrate and a deputy magistrate, and they cannot be left unattended. The magistrate requires someone with some experience; the deputy magistrate can be filled with a student. It happens that I was at the Imperial Academy looking in on the Wuzhou students, and I made some inquiries while I was there. He suited, so I went and talked it over with the Ministry of Personnel and got him a deputy magistrate post first.”
Prefect Lu gave a sound of understanding, looked at Hang Qin once more, and Hang Qin trembled slightly. The cut of Prefect Lu’s appearance was the kind that exerted pressure in the officialdom — severe, measured, with a voice pitched just slightly low. Hang Qin had met Prefect Lu once before leaving home; the force of that meeting still sat on him.
Zhù Ying said: “Why are you standing there looking blank? Prefect Lu went to the trouble of selecting you and sending you all the way to the Imperial Academy — he has already seen something worthy in you. Now that you are away from home, he is the person closest to you. The very reason I came to see you was that Prefect Lu chose you. Stop acting like you have nothing to say.”
With Zhù Ying framing it that way, Hang Qin recovered some of his composure and quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.
Prefect Lu, who had just been fed a mouthful of goodwill whether he liked it or not, cleared his throat; Hang Qin’s scalp prickled. Then Prefect Lu said: “Prefect Zhù is capable and diligent and treats people with kindness. Since she has taken a liking to you, you must have something worth taking. There is no need to be so restrained. Come, sit.”
The three sat down. Hang Qin dared to sit only on the edge of his chair.
A servant brought tea. Prefect Lu saw that Hang Qin dared to take a small sip; he then looked at Zhù Ying, and remembered what this person had looked like the first time he met her. He thought to himself: now this Hang Qin — this is what a normal young person looks like!
He felt even more warmly disposed toward Hang Qin.
His words, however, were directed at Zhù Ying: “You are someone who can accomplish great things. Quietly, without drawing attention, you have things done. You have always been this way — it can be called caution.”
“You flatter me. I simply care about appearances — I was afraid of announcing it and then failing, only to be laughed at.”
Prefect Lu laughed: “When have you ever failed to accomplish something?”
“When I fail, I say nothing. You do not know, and so you think I am capable.”
Prefect Lu laughed again: “Every success you pull off is a surprise.”
After a few exchanges of banter, Prefect Lu said a few words of encouragement to Hang Qin, telling him: “Follow Prefect Zhù well and learn from her. Fulu County is a place where Prefect Zhù herself once served; when you arrive, you must seek guidance humbly and not be arrogant.”
He went on for quite a few more sentences, all of which Hang Qin dutifully committed to memory.
What Prefect Lu said to him ended there; from then on he spoke mainly with Zhù Ying: “I am preparing to go back. And you?”
“Soon as well. The household is already packing. I still need to say farewell to friends and family. If nothing goes wrong, I plan to set out before month’s end; going quickly I can make it back for spring planting.”
Prefect Lu said: “Yes — one cannot be easy in one’s mind without keeping an eye on things. Even if you had not come to find me, I was going to find you.”
“What guidance do you have for me?”
“Looking over the literacy coursebook, I think it can serve as a primer text. Do you have any spare copies? If so, give me two more — I will take them back and have more woodblock prints made.”
Zhù Ying said: “I still have a few. How many do you want?”
“I already have one copy of my own. Give me two more as models.”
“Fine — I’ll have them sent over by tomorrow at the latest.”
Prefect Lu said: “Did things go smoothly for you at the Ministry of Personnel?”
“Reasonably well. A few old contacts have been moved along, but fortunately there are still people I know. And you, my lord?”
Prefect Lu said: “As long as one has not made serious enemies, the Ministry of Personnel will not deliberately make things difficult for reasonable requests.”
But wanting to place a specific person in a specific post was a different matter — it depended on each person’s capabilities. Prefect Lu had spent many years in local posts and knew the Ministry of Personnel well. As for Zhù Ying — with her ancestors eight generations back having no prominent figures, it was probably thanks to Chief Minister Chen, her fellow townsman from Wuzhou, who had once briefly concurrently headed the Ministry of Personnel as chief minister. Given the way the young master Chen interacted with Zhù Ying, he had likely played something of an intermediary role.
Prefect Lu assessed the situation inwardly and felt a touch of the sentiment that “the young are to be regarded with awe.” Zhù Ying had extended goodwill; he accepted it in turn. Cultivating good connections for one’s descendants was worth doing too. Hence his intent to “reprint” — because the literacy coursebook also bore Zhù Ying’s name. Prefect Lu planned to print several hundred copies, add a brief preface himself with a few words of praise for Zhù Ying, and add his own name to it as well.
Zhù Ying and Hang Qin sat awhile in Prefect Lu’s temporary residence, giving Prefect Lu a look at Hang Qin; after a few more exchanges they took their leave. “I will take him along on my return journey. Shall I take him?”
“Yes, yes, do.”
“I see you are packed ahead of me; your road is shorter and you will be leaving sooner. Or, if you like, you can have someone go and let his family know? The order for ennobling his parents has come through as well.”
“All right.” Prefect Lu agreed with a smile.
Zhù Ying took Hang Qin and bid farewell.
—
Out of the temporary residence, Hang Qin finally came fully to himself, kicking himself inwardly: I didn’t speak well just now — I must have made a fool of myself.
He grew anxious and regretful.
But Zhù Ying said to him: “Come — let us get you measured for some clothing first. The fitting is now; the garments will be ready by the time we leave.”
Hang Qin had no knowledge of the conventions of officialdom; he assumed it was standard practice for a superior to provide clothing. It was actually the case in local postings to some extent — a portion of the public office funds was distributed by the chief official. Zhù Ying was getting ahead of that.
She took him to be measured. His rank was low, unlike Zhù Ying who required multiple sets of formal robes for different occasions. A deputy county magistrate was simple — two sets to start.
After the measuring, Zhù Ying said: “Your lodgings have many people coming and going; leave the appointment documents with me for now, and I will give them to you when we depart.”
“Yes.”
Zhù Ying sent him back to the Imperial Academy; he was free now to tell his classmates his news. But she said: “No heavy drinking, no accepting of substantial gifts, no breaking of prohibitions. From this moment on, everything you say and do is under scrutiny and evaluation. With any luck an imperial censor might happen to take an interest in you.”
Hang Qin said hurriedly: “Yes.”
“Off you go.”
“Yes.”
Hang Qin returned to the Imperial Academy. Every last bit of his wits came flooding back, and he kicked himself with regret. He realized now — this was a great benefactor! The reason there were recommended students at all was that Zhù Ying had submitted a memorial. Never mind the others; among the recommended students themselves, everyone spoke of it with gratitude. So how had he ended up unable to say a word when face-to-face with the real person?
Why do I always lose my head in front of important figures?
Hang Qin did not immediately tell his classmates his good news. Instead he drew up a mental list: one, two, three — the next time he saw Lord Zhù, he would make sure to attend her diligently and closely. A person so young and already a prefect must have something exceptional about her; he needed to learn from her. Fulu County had been the place where the prefect had risen to prominence, so she would surely care about it. Even as deputy magistrate, he would not go unnoticed. When he got to Fulu County, he had to work hard.
For public and personal reasons alike, this was the best choice available.
Having made up his mind, Hang Qin then began speaking with his classmates. He specifically invited the two Wuzhou classmates, Student Zhang and Student Fan, to talk. Along with Hang Qin’s townsman, a recommended student surnamed Deng, the four sat down together to one side.
Zhang, Fan, and Deng all found the gathering strange — the four of them would not normally seek each other out. Sharing hometowns in pairs, the four were not very well acquainted as a group.
Student Fan said: “Brother Hang, you have called us together — what is the reason?”
Hang Qin said, with a touch of satisfaction: “I am about to depart, and will be leaving the Imperial Academy.”
Student Deng said in surprise: “Your studies are going well — why leave? Is there a family matter?”
“It is… Brother Zhang and Brother Fan know, of course, that Prefect Zhù has come to the capital.”
“Oh? How do you know the great lord?” Fan asked.
Hang Qin said: “You two are from Wuzhou — surely you know the story of the old Nanfu? Our Prefect Lu once served as prefect in the south.”
Student Deng said: “Was it when Lord Zhù came to see us all at Yue Huan’s that time?”
Hang Qin said: “Yes. She originally came to see Brother Zhang and Brother Fan, and thought of Prefect Lu, so she called on us as well.”
“Oh!” Zhang and Fan both understood. But the question was still unanswered. Student Zhang said: “But what does this have to do with you leaving the Imperial Academy?”
“The great lord said Fulu County is short a deputy county magistrate and asked me to go.”
Student Deng drew a sharp breath and sat on his chair in silence for a long moment, a torrent of feeling welling up inside him.
Student Fan’s tone held a small note of wistfulness: “Your schoolwork has always been better than ours. Since the great lord says you are ready, you are ready.”
Prefect Lu had his own method of selection. What was called “recommended” involved Prefect Lu’s choosing — anyone too foolish, no matter how many gifts the family sent, could not be sent to the capital to embarrass him. The territory Prefect Lu currently governed was not too far from the capital, and the local schools there were considerably better than those in a place like Wuzhou. Hang Qin had simply been “not certain to pass examinations” — he was not poor in ability. Fan’s remark about his schoolwork was not pure flattery.
Student Zhang also said: “Among our recommended students, you are the first to take up an official post. Congratulations — you are a model for us all.”
“It is because you two are local here — even if the great lord admires you, it would be difficult for her to have you return to your home region.” Hang Qin said, unable to conceal his delight.
Student Deng felt some disappointment but would not let it show; he rallied his spirits and said: “So I am going to have a new roommate — no knowing who will come next.”
“Whoever comes will be a fellow townsman,” Fan said.
He and Zhang were not from Fulu County, but both planned to invite Hang Qin for a meal before he set off — just in case there was an emergency at home someday; an extra deputy magistrate meant an extra recourse.
Hang Qin said: “I will still be staying here for a few days. And I can still go out. If there is anything you want brought, I will bring it.”
All three said: “Attend to your own proper business — your proper business.”
The three felt a slight wish to get closer to him, and at the same time a slight unwillingness to look at his smiling face; they were caught between the two impulses.
What Hang Qin was thinking, however, was: I must get these two to tell me everything they know about Wuzhou — otherwise I might do something wrong when I arrive and inadvertently offend Lord Zhù.
—
While the students were playing out their little games of feeling and maneuvering, before Zhù Ying everything was harmony.
She returned home to find the entire Wu family waiting for her — a whole family of old and young!
Little Wu had taken his appointment document home. Old Wu, being more experienced, understood what this was, and quickly had the whole family tidy themselves to go to the Zhù residence and give thanks.
Little Wu said: “Is this a good place?”
Old Wu spat at him: “What nonsense? When has my lord ever short-changed her own people? Even if it were a hardship post, we would need to wade through fire and oil for my lord after being raised up from being summoned back and forth to having an official position! And for us to only have to wade through a hundred li to get here!”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t wade!”
“Hmph! There is no wading needed. It is a good place — the people are good and the land is good. When I was your age, there was an evaluating secretary at the Court of Judicial Review who came from that very place. Oh, the local products there were fine!”
“Then why don’t you come and stay with me a while?”
Old Wu agreed: “I had better come and keep an eye on you for a bit.”
Little Wu’s household had acquired a few more servants of late; seeing his mother and sister-in-law and the others directing the servants in a flurry, Little Wu asked Old Wu: “Father, take my nephew along? Hmm, my nephew’s son is still too small, otherwise…”
“Taking your nephew along is fine. You need your own people to get things done.” Old Wu had his own thoughts: Little Wu was no longer a sesame seed — he was a mung bean now. Grind away for another twenty or thirty years, and he could surely work himself up to a soybean? That much, at any rate, could give the eldest son’s family a bit of a boost and help make them a sesame seed themselves, even just a ninth-rank position. That should be achievable.
That way the whole family would have pulled themselves up.
And then with any energy to spare, pull up the grandchildren through the daughter’s line as well. Then the whole family would truly have risen.
Thinking this way, it became even more important to show loyalty to Lord Zhù.
He dragged his daughter and son-in-law along too.
Xiao Tao inside was honestly full of regret. Ten years was all it had been. At the time, Little Wu looked to be heading off to a place of suffering three thousand li away in a miasma-ridden land — but now looking back, he had returned to within not even a thousand li of the capital. Another ten years of building seniority and he could be county magistrate; even if it took twenty years, becoming a county magistrate was very worth it.
Time once gone does not return. Such a future was only possible because Little Wu had been willing ten years ago to go to Fulu County. To show loyalty now was another ten years. And he balked again.
His wife also hesitated and could not steel herself to it.
The smiles on the couple’s faces were thus a touch sheepish.
Over on the other side, Ding Gui was being reproached by Xiao Liu and the others: “You were keeping this from us! Are we or are we not brothers?”
“He and Little Wu Elder Brother are the real brothers there.”
Ding Gui was surrounded and pressed to bow and apologize in every direction; the scene was extremely lively. He promised endlessly and pleaded for forgiveness, saying: “I only just found out myself — truly. When my elder brother said these past two days that he was going to teach me more things, I was puzzled. I thought — am I really so much worse than you lot? Why does he keep picking at me?”
“Pah.” All three spat at him.
They were all young people; after a while they made up again with some bad feeling lingering. The elder cousin had gone off to be an official — did that mean this younger cousin would also get the lord to promote him to officialdom? Judging by what they had seen of the lord, she did not seem that partial.
The four of them tumbled about together. Meanwhile, Zhù Ying was saying to the Wu family: “In those days when I went south, it was Old Wu you who were willing to support it and let Little Wu come with me.”
Old Wu launched into a round of flattery: “My lord has never short-changed her own people — we have known that since the days at the Court of Judicial Review!” Then followed a scolding of Little Wu: “Even when you become an official and leave my lord’s side, you must not forget my lord’s grace.”
The scene was most moving.
Old Wu, having expressed his loyalty, was given two bolts of fabric by Zhù Ying for Little Wu to have new official robes made — so that he would arrive at his posting looking smart. From tomorrow, Little Wu would be going home to prepare and ready himself for departure; he would no longer be attending upon her.
Ding Gui formally took over some of Little Wu’s previous duties, and the others could only sigh.
Zhù Ying sent Xiao Huang to help Ding Gui stay behind and go over things once more; she herself took people to Wang Yunhe’s residence to chase up the draft.
—
Wang Yunhe’s residence had no visitors today, which surprised Zhù Ying somewhat.
At this time of year, the prefects were gradually heading home and would all come to bid farewell.
Wang Yunhe was famously capable and never arrogant or rude. Prefects and deputy prefects who came to call — he would see all of them. If the day’s quota was full, it would be deferred to the next day, but everyone was to be seen in turn. The gate should be busy too.
She had to make an appointment to see him, but Zhù Ying could jump the queue.
The fact that there was no queue at all was truly strange.
The gate manager smiled and explained: “Old Master Liu has come; the Minister has specially cleared today to speak with him. The two of them have not been able to have a good long talk about Chan in quite some time.”
Zhù Ying understood then and said: “Then I will not disturb them. Please pass on my card to the Minister.”
Zhao Zhen quickly produced the card, feeling slightly disappointed — he had thought they would have another easy entry into the residence today.
Zhù Ying said: “Bring a brush.”
Jing Sheng quickly produced brush and ink; the gate manager gave a bit more water to the inkstone.
Zhù Ying wrote a few lines on the card — urging Wang Yunhe to submit his draft. Wang Yunhe had agreed to write a preface for the literacy coursebook; she was about to leave, and Wang Yunhe had to hand in the draft.
The Wang household manager held the card waiting for the ink to dry, and accidentally caught a glimpse of it; he forced himself not to laugh. The minister was being chased for a submission — what a thing.
Handing the card to the manager, Zhù Ying left. She had kept the whole evening free; now it might as well be spent at home resting quietly.
She had not gone far when someone came running after her from behind: “Prefect Zhù, please wait!”
Zhù Ying reined in her horse and looked back — it was one of Liu Songnian’s servants: “Prefect Zhù, Chief Minister Wang and our lord invite you.”
The Wang household manager, well acquainted with Liu Songnian after all these decades of friendship, knew that when these two were together in a more relaxed moment they appreciated a small diversion. Something like this debt-chasing card — a thing worthy of comment between two old gentlemen. Watching Liu and Wang growing increasingly tense day by day, having something fresh to liven things up was not bad.
He brought the card in to the entrance of Wang Yunhe’s study, checked whether the two were discussing weighty matters inside where no one was to listen, and finding them simply playing chess and bickering, brought the card in.
Liu Songnian burst out laughing: “Has she gone? Bring her back! Ha ha ha ha! He chases you for your wheat levy; she chases you for the draft! How delightful!”
Zhù Ying was dragged back.
Back at the Wang residence, Zhù Ying was familiar enough with the way and went to see the two old gentlemen. Upon entering the study, Liu Songnian wasted no time making things difficult and grabbed her to say: “Come, come, come — chase Old Wang for his debt!”
Zhù Ying said: “I dare not, I dare not — tomorrow would be fine too.”
Liu Songnian said: “With me here, I will chase him for you. Today — today.”
Wang Yunhe smiled, pulled open a drawer, and took out a sheet of paper: “Look at this, what is it?”
Liu Songnian gave a sound of disappointment.
Wang Yunhe said to Liu Songnian: “What about yours?”
Liu Songnian said: “I could write it right now!”
“Write it.”
Liu Songnian wrote without pausing; it was done in moments. Zhù Ying received both drafts. The two pieces were different in style, yet both were written with economy and clarity — no piling on of ornate phrases and allusions. They suited perfectly the spirit of the literacy coursebook.
Zhù Ying thanked them both and said: “The original momentum has already passed; with these two pieces from you both, far more people will pay attention to this book. And look — it has gained two more pages!”
In total, the literacy coursebook was a thin little thing of only a dozen or so pieces; add in the prefaces, postfaces, table of contents, and cover, and calling it a book was embarrassing. Gaining two more pages was a very great improvement.
Both Liu and Wang laughed.
Wang Yunhe said: “The momentum has already passed?”
Zhù Ying said: “More or less. Don’t you know the capital? One fresh thing after another — wave follows wave. The number of people still talking to me about the literacy coursebook these past two days is a fraction of what it was before. Among those who truly care about it, there are not many. A few days ago speaking with Deputy Prefect Pei, he kept a few copies. And Prefect Lu…”
“That name sounds familiar,” Wang Yunhe said.
Zhù Ying said: “You remember correctly — it is him. We met before the New Year and I paid a call. When going to the Imperial Academy to check on the Wuzhou students, I also happened to look at the student he recommended, took a liking to a young man, and went to the Ministry of Personnel to arrange him as deputy magistrate for Fulu County.”
Wang Yunhe smiled. “Suitable?”
“I think so,” Zhù Ying said. “It is a deputy magistrate position, not county magistrate. The county magistrate is also rather a headache.”
Liu Songnian said: “Shang Peiji has already been sent packing, hasn’t he? What is there to fret about?”
“It is not a matter of getting rid of someone unsuitable — it is a matter of finding someone suitable. I have a small idea; shall I ask the two of you for your view?”
“Say it.” Wang Yunhe said.
“I looked through the records of Wuzhou — Nanfu as it once was — at the Ministry of Personnel, and also borrowed the previous twenty years’ worth. Looking at these officials, in the Ministry of Personnel’s allocation of postings, northerners far outnumber southerners overall. But among those who could remain and serve for three years or more, northerners make up less than half. Those who actually do the work at the lower levels are mostly southerners. The lower clerks are almost entirely southerners; some who have accumulated merit and been elevated to minor official rank have been running things in the south year after year.
Northerners come, look for ways to leave, or die on the road, or once they arrive report illness — the numbers are considerable.
One cannot entirely blame them either — if it were a desirable place, the court would not be sending criminals there.
There are also those who want to do the work but are constrained by various difficulties. From north to south, the first problem is acclimatization; the second is the language barrier…”
Liu Songnian said: “Get to the conclusion.”
“Could more slots for southern scholars to serve as officials be opened?”
Wang Yunhe’s brow furrowed.
Zhù Ying said: “Southerners are no less intelligent than northerners — give them more opportunity.”
Liu Songnian bluntly said: “Court regulations cannot be lightly altered. Do you know what would happen if you said this openly? What is gained here is lost there. Northerners would eat you alive. This is seizing power! This is forming a faction!” He said the last five words very quietly, as if afraid of Wang Yunhe hearing.
“I am bestowing favor? Making secret arrangements is forming a faction. Petitioning the court openly is asking the court to win over the hearts of the southern people. I propose it; the court takes the larger share, and I merely benefit a little on the side — that is not unreasonable.”
“Southern tax revenues have risen too,” Zhù Ying continued. “Above the old tax, the winter wheat now produces revenue as well. Then there is the sugar tax — that is also a sum. With tax revenues increasing, should there not be some reward? I am not asking for southerners to outnumber northerners — only that the court pay more attention to the miasma lands.”
Wang Yunhe said: “No. First: as you say. Southern field tax is still less than the north, only slightly improved, and not yet stable. You need to consolidate the gains before you speak of other things.
Second: the court’s standard is indeed based on tax and population, but it does not consider only those two criteria.
If having these two criteria entitled you to more officials — as if exchanging money for goods, one hand giving coin and the other giving goods — what would result? Local gentry would squeeze the common people simply to reach that tax figure, then exchange it for an official posting. What kind of person would take such a posting? Power-hungry, corrupt, overbearing.
For tax revenues you would compromise on fundamentals and lose the very point.
What you are arguing now is only your own hypothesis. It may not actually reassure the southerners, yet it would certainly alienate the northerners.
Third: the path for southerners to enter officialdom has not been closed. The numbers are not few. You have already proposed the scheme for recommended students. Wait until capable scholars have come out of it and can show themselves, and then speak of southerners being the equal of anyone.
“
Zhù Ying said: “When there is no longer any choice, certain things will no longer be a matter for discussion.”
Wang Yunhe made a halting gesture. “That is exactly the right point — you are someone among the young who can think far ahead, which is admirable. But in all matters of national policy, one must not force growth — one must not act on assumptions.
If the return is not a hundredfold, do not change the law. Wait for the fruit to ripen and fall. You say ‘the south’ — south to where? How many prefectures? Why only those? Officials selected this way will not have distinguished learning or ability. How are they to be promoted? Are they to have better careers than capable northern scholars? Would northerners be satisfied? Or are southerners to serve only in the south? Then that is a state within a state. This is not as simple as two recommended students.
Nobility to reward merit, position to confer ability.
The imbalance between north and south has existed long and its causes remain; as long as those causes exist, it cannot be changed by mere words. What you seek to alter is wealth and rank! You must understand the weight of that. And you must understand whom the court relies upon. The heartland — that is not said for nothing.
Fulfill your responsibilities and duties. If there are unrecognized talents in the field, you may recommend them. As for the broad policy of choosing talent — do not make any rash moves.”
Zhù Ying said: “I was insufficiently considered.”
Wang Yunhe said: “Still young — full of edge and energy, wanting to have everything done by the next day. When you reach my age you will understand: one must be patient. Do not let a Shang Peiji make you feel you must do everything yourself. One must also trust in those who come after.”
“Yes.”
Wang Yunhe did not agree, and without a powerful supporter, the matter was effectively closed. As Liu Songnian had said, the northerners would eat her alive. But the court was north-heavy and south-light, while those she needed to rely upon were southerners…
This avenue was blocked. She would have to do more work on the allied minority counties instead.
Zhù Ying earnestly reviewed her position before the two, saying: “I was not considering things thoroughly. What I detest most is those who mouth great principles while spending the people’s hard-won toil. Common people look at it and think: I suffer and labor, and you grow fat and glossy and splendid on the outside. What does your great principle have to do with me? Oh — it does have something to do with me: whenever you invoke it, I am in trouble.
Would that not breed alienation and resentment? When that time comes, the commentary will certainly be ‘they don’t know the bigger picture; even if hounded to death, one must wait for the sagely ruler to uphold justice.’ I cannot help but feel a certain attachment to the south, and I cannot bear the prospect of that happening there.”
Wang Yunhe listened seriously and said: “What you say has its truth, but that time has not come.”
“Yes. The recommended students — those are the boundary pool for now.”
Wang Yunhe nodded: “Good that you understand.”
Liu Songnian gave a yawn and said: “So much tiresome talk — I’ve grown sleepy. I’m off.”
—