After court was dismissed, the crowd gradually dispersed into the various offices. Zhù Ying walked in the same direction as Yao Zhen, keeping a certain distance. As they neared the Ministry of Personnel, she noticed the Wei Wang also heading in the same direction. She slowed her pace slightly, then saw the Wei Wang make straight for Yao Zhen. Without another moment’s hesitation, she turned the tip of her foot, changed direction, and strolled back to the Court of Judicial Review at an unhurried pace.

Once she had arranged the day’s affairs, she casually drafted an official document and had Zhao Zhen take it to a Department Head at the Ministry of Personnel: “This case requires the service records of two demoted officials — go to the Ministry of Personnel and make copies. And while you are there, have a look at what Minister Yao is doing.”

Zhao Zhen went and came back carrying two official documents. He first completed the handover of the official business, then shared what he had observed: “The Wei Wang and Minister Yao shut themselves up together and talked for a long while — I had copied out both documents before they came out. The two appeared to be on friendly terms; Minister Yao kept smiling and bowing at the Wei Wang. They made mutual requests of each other. Later, Vice Minister Mu came out and said a few odd things in a loud voice; at that point Minister Yao’s expression immediately fell, and the Wei Wang took it with a smile.”

“What odd things?”

“Something like — Minister Yao is skilled at paying respects at new temples, but pity the temple is a bit small…” Zhao Zhen said quietly.

“Has the Wei Wang left?”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying said: “Pass these two service records to Old Left, then have him come over.”

“Yes.”

Very soon, the Left Vice Chief Justice arrived. Zhù Ying said: “Sit down.”

The Left Vice Chief Justice sat. Zhù Ying looked at his white-streaked temples and slightly bent back — the signs of age already visible — and said gently: “In a blink, twenty years have passed. Back then you envied Old Wang for retiring at the junior fifth rank, and now you yourself have reached the junior fifth rank — only to still be a Left Vice Chief Justice at the Court of Judicial Review. If a suitable posting came up, would you be willing to take an assignment to the regions?”

The Left Vice Chief Justice thought it over and said: “I would be willing, only I fear I am not up to it. Under Chief Minister Wang’s current strict evaluations, my strengths do not lie in governing a region on my own.”

Zhù Ying said: “Not as a principal official — what about as a Vice Chief of Staff or as a Judicial Administrator? A substantive post — when it comes to conferring hereditary privileges on your children and grandchildren, it would be more convenient. You would not need to govern the region yourself; your forte is in penal and legal matters, so start from there, and there would be fewer things to worry about. A regional posting also means more generous financial remuneration.”

The Left Vice Chief Justice was tempted. He ventured cautiously: “Is there something you need me to do?”

Zhù Ying said: “Carry out your duties honestly and conscientiously, do your work well until you wish to retire, and bring our period of cooperation to a proper and complete end — that is all I ask. Since Chief Minister Zheng left the Court of Judicial Review, you have persevered here, and it has not been easy. In the imperial city, one cannot bring one’s children nearby to teach them. Better to be on a regional posting, where handling official affairs becomes a form of instruction; students can hold the inkstone and grind the ink beside you as you work. Otherwise — when a child takes up office, he will be unable to learn from watching you, and will have to rely on his superiors to ‘guide’ him; how much he absorbs will be entirely up to himself.”

The Left Vice Chief Justice grew more and more eager. He said: “If there were truly such an opportunity, I would of course be willing.”

Zhù Ying said: “Very well — I will go and put in a word at the Ministry of Personnel. The cases you have in hand now must be properly handled.”

The Left Vice Chief Justice slapped his chest: “Rest easy!”

Zhù Ying picked up two more documents and went to the Ministry of Personnel herself.

At the Ministry of Personnel, Mu Chengzhou had no liking for Yao Zhen; he assumed the Emperor had sent him to the Ministry to replace Yao Zhen, and had accordingly made some moves to edge out his rival and seize control. And the Wei Wang — Mu Chengzhou instinctively disliked him as well, though he could not articulate why, other than a gut feeling that it was wrong for the Emperor to be more drawn to his brother than to the Crown Prince.

He said a few things, then went back to his own office to handle official duties. The evaluations of officials throughout the regions were about to begin, and he threw himself into an intensive period of preparation. There were perceptive people in the Ministry of Personnel who, reading the direction of the Emperor’s intent, had weighed the situation carefully and begun, tentatively, to draw closer to Mu Chengzhou.

Amid all this, Yao Zhen could not suppress a sigh, wondering how much longer he could remain Minister of Personnel.

Hearing that Zhù Ying had arrived, Yao Zhen rose to receive her. Zhù Ying said with a smile: “Here I am, imposing on you again.”

Yao Zhen smiled wearily: “I am glad to have anyone willing to come here at all — what is the matter?”

Zhù Ying said: “Official business.”

“Please come in.”

The two entered and sat down. Zhù Ying first produced one document and said: “This is our Left Vice Chief Justice — a long-standing veteran.”

“Indeed he is.”

Zhù Ying said: “In this year’s round of regional appointments and transfers, there will inevitably be some reassignments. He has a command of penal and legal matters — as a Vice Chief of Staff or Judicial Administrator, he would not be negligent.”

Yao Zhen looked over the Left Vice Chief Justice’s details as written in the document, and said: “Quite suitable.”

Zhù Ying said: “Then it is settled?”

Yao Zhen shook his head: “Alas — I am afraid I will submit the proposal only to have our Vice Minister interfere, and have His Majesty refuse it!”

Zhù Ying said: “As long as you approve it, it will not be refused.”

Yao Zhen shook his head, pointing at the other document: “And this one?”

Zhù Ying said: “Half official, half personal.”

“Oh?”

This one Zhù Ying was seeking for Zhù Lian. The child had seemed sharp and capable as a boy, and had also been able to handle tasks in Wuzhou. But as she had said in the case of the Left Vice Chief Justice — she had no way of keeping an eye on him and teaching him by example, and he was in danger of letting his talents go to waste. Better to send him out to be tempered. Zhù Lian’s former household registration had been in the original Wuzhou, and when Zhù Ying had left her post, she had, as a precaution, transferred his household registration to Asu County.

Because of Asu County’s household registration, the imperial court had no fixed rule about it — anyone could be put on the register there. In a normal prefecture or county, to become an official through the proper channels one needed proper background, and Zhù Lian, whose own parents he barely knew, could only have a fabricated household registration. But Zhù Lian was different from Zhù Ying back then — everyone knew he was a “tribal person.”

So the arrangement was made under Su Zhe’s name, as a recommendation. Zhù Ying wanted to place him under Gu Tong: first, to give Gu Tong an extra pair of hands; and second, to give him the chance to learn how to handle affairs by following Gu Tong. Gu Tong was also only a county magistrate, so Zhù Lian’s official rank would be even lower. The one complicating factor was that Zhù Ying had specified the location — a case of “ordering from the menu.”

Yao Zhen thought it over and said: “That is workable.”

Zhù Ying said: “Then I leave it in your capable hands. You don’t look well — are you worn down by the press of official duties? You must take care of yourself for the sake of the nation. Those lingzhi mushrooms I sent the other day were the best quality — the very same I use myself. You might try them.”

Among the several households she had sent gifts to, Yao Zhen’s was one of them.

Yao Zhen had both items accepted, and seeing Zhù Ying brimming with energy, he said with feeling: “My thanks. I have already taken some — otherwise my color would look even worse. How the young surpass the old — I am already an old man of no account to anyone.”

Zhù Ying said: “What manner of talk is that?”

Yao Zhen said: “Can you not see for yourself? I cannot compare with you — young, with established merit, and with the Emperor’s personal confidence.”

Zhù Ying knew their acquaintance was not very deep, so she spoke first herself: “Is this because you feel the Emperor’s favor has grown uncertain?”

“It is not uncertain exactly, but…” Yao Zhen hesitated.

Zhù Ying said softly: “Do you feel you have been passed over and neglected?”

Yao Zhen met her eyes and gave a nod: “You are a person of insight. The Emperor cannot very well ask us to lay all our cards on the table in his presence, can he?”

Zhù Ying said: “Then do not make the Emperor guess at what is in your mind — don’t wait for a ‘three-visit overture.’ You are a full Minister; the Council of State is directly above you. What cards are you laying down? Take your cards and go present yourself to the Emperor. It is not a business transaction requiring a middleman — and does not a middleman take a cut? A hand of cards, once you hand two-tenths of it over to someone else, your value in the game is diminished. You hold your cards and sit still, doing nothing — and the Emperor also needs to play the game. He will simply reach over and draw from your hand. If the middleman were trustworthy, that might be acceptable — someone who could speak up for you. But if he is not trustworthy — why would you suffer that?”

Yao Zhen asked: “I am not like you, with Chief Minister Zheng from the start.”

Zhù Ying said: “Comparing yourself to me is demeaning yourself. I am nobody — who am I? An obscure nobody. You — who are you? A great minister of the previous Emperor. His Majesty is precisely at the moment when he has need of capable people. You must make yourself of use to the Emperor — how did you come to treat yourself as a mere attendant?”

Yao Zhen reflexively explained: “The Wei Wang came just now — it was only because a literary attendant in his household had died, and he asked me to fill the position.”

Zhù Ying said: “Well, in any event — let us both ensure we do not become attendants to anyone. Don’t you agree?”

Yao Zhen considered, then gave a nod, as though having reached a decision, and said to Zhù Ying: “Though you say so — I have let time slip past in vain!”

Zhù Ying said: “As long as you are willing, I am willing to speak up for you.”

Yao Zhen said: “Good!”

Zhù Ying rose and said: “Then I won’t keep you from your deliberations any further. And do keep my matters in mind?”

“Your affairs are my affairs — how could I forget? There is even a suitable match right now — this Zhù Lian, shall I give him a ninth rank? Would that be too low?”

Zhù Ying said: “That will do just fine — let him grind and learn.” For someone of Zhù Lian’s background, a ninth rank was already quite something. A ninth rank — inconspicuous, not inviting anyone to find fault. Something slightly higher, and people might take a disliking to him. Zhù Lian’s background could not withstand close scrutiny.

“Very well.” Yao Zhen smiled, called a Department Head over, had the documentation for both individuals drafted, signed it himself, and sent it out.

Then he said to Zhù Ying: “Those are about the last people I can still call to action.”

……

Zhù Ying left the Ministry of Personnel and went to the Council of State.

The Council of State was now staffed by a pairing of “old and young” — Wang Yunhe and Zheng Xi. Wang Yunhe had been working without let-up for days, and the shadows under his eyes had deepened, yet he had not lost a pound — if anything, he appeared slightly more rounded. Zheng Xi remained elegant and refined, carrying with his maturity an added air of composed and assured distinction.

Both of them were somewhat puzzled by her arrival. Zheng Xi spoke first: “If you have something to ask of us, wait a moment before bringing it up.”

Zhù Ying smiled: “I was afraid the two of you might ask something of me.”

Wang Yunhe asked with concern: “Have you encountered some thorny case at the Court of Judicial Review? Is there still a case you cannot handle?”

Zheng Xi said to Wang Yunhe: “You see — I said he would come here to set us to work. He has his way of dealing with it, I am certain. The only thing is that he probably cannot be the one to step forward directly.”

Zhù Ying said: “It has little to do with the Court of Judicial Review — it is more connected to the Ministry of Personnel.”

Zheng Xi frowned: “Has Mu Chengzhou been making trouble for you?”

Zhù Ying shook her head and said: “Just now I noticed the Wei Wang going to speak with Minister Yao. This prince has been most energetically alive of late.”

When Wang Yunhe and Zheng Xi met Zhù Ying, even when it was said she was putting them to work, there was still the faintest trace of a smile. Upon hearing “Wei Wang,” their expressions remained the same — still smiling — yet the warmth drained out of it entirely, leaving a cold indifference. It was a very subtle change; to a casual observer, they still appeared to be smiling, but the coldness was unmistakable.

“Oh,” said Zheng Xi.

Zhù Ying said: “When the Emperor met obstacles in his governance, he would naturally think of family and kinship. Brothers spending time together is a fine thing — even the imperial family has its human bonds. But the Emperor has no private affairs; great duty and proper name define all. What concerns me is that someone may try to make himself into a Huan of Qi or a Wen of Jin.”

Wang Yunhe and Zheng Xi needed only a hint to understand. The two men — independent-minded people who had never been fully of the previous Emperor’s faction — looked upon the previous Emperor’s faction with no particular genuine warmth. Yao Zhen’s earlier predicament had been known to them, but neither had given much thought to rescuing him. For Zheng Xi, having one fewer person sharing the pie was a welcome thing. For Wang Yunhe, the dead weight in the previous Emperor’s faction was a source of fury — Zhou You was a scion of that faction, and there were plenty more useless men like him; culling some was of benefit both to the nation and the people.

Now they had no choice but to proactively sift through part of it and keep the useful ones. Better to prop up the previous Emperor’s faction than to allow the enfeoffed princes and princes of the blood to gain the upper hand! As if things were not already chaotic enough — the Emperor simply had no judgment!

Zhù Ying had already departed, unburdened and at ease.

……

Returning to the Court of Judicial Review, Zhù Ying called in the Left Vice Chief Justice: “It is done.”

The Left Vice Chief Justice’s face broke into an expression of delight. Regional postings varied enormously in their conditions. Yao Zhen, in deference to Zhù Ying, had chosen a prosperous location for him — south of the capital, not too far away, a genuinely fertile and abundant territory.

Zhù Ying said: “The cases in your hands must be properly handled — if they are not, then there is nowhere to go. Put every thought of good fortune aside. And when you leave, make sure all handover matters are settled cleanly and completely.”

The Left Vice Chief Justice’s face immediately fell in misery: “Handover to… Old Qi?”

His voice was quavering; the mere thought of Qi Tai made his head ache.

Zhù Ying said: “Niu Jin — please invite Old Qi in. And summon Zhao Zhen as well.”

The two arrived shortly. The moment Qi Tai heard the Left Vice Chief Justice was leaving, his face did not go stiff — it went green, and his voice quavered in a manner identical to the Left Vice Chief Justice’s: “M-my lord, I — I manage the handover? And — and after this, I am responsible for all of this? That surely won’t — won’t work?”

Sorting through documents and such, he could manage. But what had the Left Vice Chief Justice been doing before? Dealing with people all the way up and all the way down — all manner of miscellaneous affairs; disbursing supplements and allowances to the staff up and down the hierarchy; conducting dealings with certain merchants and others…

Zhù Ying said: “Zhao Zhen.”

Zhao Zhen stepped forward with a bow: “Here.”

“You — assist the Vice Chief Justice.”

Both the Left Vice Chief Justice and Qi Tai simultaneously exhaled in relief, for it was already Zhao Zhen who had been helping the Left Vice Chief Justice with a portion of his duties.

Zhù Ying said: “There is no hurry to begin the handover — just keep it in the back of your minds. Wait until the formal appointment comes down before acting on it. You should all prepare yourselves.”

“Yes.”

That evening, Zhù Ying returned home and called Zhù Lian over: “Starting from tomorrow, begin putting your affairs in order. In a day or two, you will go to Gu Tong’s post.”

Zhù Lian said: “I — I am going there — then you here…”

Zhù Ying said: “Can you enter the imperial city on your own? Or am I here at home every day? In a day or two, once the formal appointment arrives, you leave.”

“F-formal appointment?” Zhù Lian was momentarily unable to take it in.

Zhù Ying said: “You were fairly sharp as a child — why have you grown slow now? Pull yourself together!”

“Yes!” Zhù Lian answered with an especially loud voice.

Zhù Ying laughed: “Don’t celebrate just yet — if you do not perform well, I will not let it pass.”

“Yes!”

The following day, the formal appointments for both of them arrived.

Zhù Ying first made the Left Vice Chief Justice’s good news known to the entire Court of Judicial Review. The veteran staff, such as Old Huang, said: “The Left Vice Chief Justice has finally made something of himself — even better luck than Master Wang back in the day.”

Both Shi Ji-xing and Lin Zan expressed their admiration: quietly, without a word, and here was a substantive junior fifth rank appointment for an old man of this age. And to a person of this age, of all people.

Zhù Ying’s own base of support was thin — she had only just risen to one of the Nine Ministers, with limited reserves of personal favor. Using up one favor for a junior fifth rank substantive posting for the Left Vice Chief Justice, an elderly man in his sixties, was less cost-efficient than investing in someone in their mid-forties in their prime. Yet this was exactly the choice she made.

Shi Ji-xing thought to himself: There is truly nothing for it but to admire her.

He said: “We should make him treat us to a celebratory banquet.”

Lin Zan said: “Absolutely right.”

The Left Vice Chief Justice clasped his hands in a bow to all around: “My deep thanks for the care you have all shown me over these many years.”

The mood in the Court of Judicial Review was one of joy. One person’s happiness was everyone’s happiness; in every heart, a sense of hope stirred. Not even Zhù Ying’s words — “Stop your grinning, all of you — if the handover is not done properly, no one gets to leave!” — could wipe the smiles from their faces.

In the Zhù household, there was likewise celebration. Su Zhe and Lin Feng both insisted that Zhù Lian treat everyone: “It is settled — you must treat us, even if your funds are limited. You are going to Gu Tong’s post — and we will give you traveling money. They are two separate things.”

Zhao Su also said: “When taking up a regional posting, there are things you must bear in mind…” and was about to launch into a list of essentials.

Xiang An said they needed to prepare more luggage for Zhù Lian, and added: “Oh my, you cannot set out on the road alone!”

The Zhù household’s greatest shortcoming was always forgetting that the person of the house needed servants.

Everyone turned to look at Zhù Ying — this too had to be settled by her. Zhù Ying accordingly designated two attendants to accompany Zhù Lian: “Once you arrive, you are not to treat them as servants — you must also urge them to study and practice their martial arts.”

Xiang Le thought: With this arrangement, the rotation of household guards will need to be reorganized. Should they buy or hire new people here in the capital, or simply hold back two of the people bringing the New Year gifts from the private estate when they pass through, and keep them on permanently?

As he thought this through, Zhù Ying looked at him, then at Zhù Qingjun and Xiang An, and she was thinking ahead on their behalf. The issue for the brother and sister was one of background. Once upon a time, Xiang Le had had an opportunity — when the case against Huang the Twelfth was being handled. At the time, he had been mixed into the crowd, snatching some credit along the way, but it had not worked out in the end.

Zhù Qingjun and Xiang An faced an even greater difficulty. Xiang An’s abilities were no less than her brother’s, but Zhù Ying could not bring her along to handle official duties and receive officials; she lacked that kind of training and exposure. Zhù Qingjun was even more gifted, but unfortunately…

Truly damned unfair!

Zhù Ying felt a rare flicker of irritation. If her identity on the outside were that of a woman right now, Zhù Qingjun and Xiang An would have a much more legitimate and natural footing. The reason Zhù Qingjun could currently move freely and attract relatively little unwanted attention was mainly because of the name “Zhù” Qingjun. Just as “Zhù Lian” was Zhù Ying’s student, and therefore could be given a ninth rank position.

……

Whatever the case, the departures of the Left Vice Chief Justice and Zhù Lian were both occasions for celebration.

The Zhù household held a banquet, and Zhù Ying sent Zhù Lian off to assist Gu Tong.

The Left Vice Chief Justice’s farewell was more involved — he had many friends and connections in the capital, and methodically made his way through the rounds of visits and farewells all over the city before finally calling at Zhù Ying’s residence to bid her goodbye.

Zhù Ying asked: “Have you called on Chief Minister Zheng’s household?”

The Left Vice Chief Justice said: “Yes — I submitted a calling card to the residence and was received. The Chief Minister instructed me to apply myself diligently and not give people cause to say you have poor judgment.”

“When it comes to how you conduct your work, we are all entirely confident in you.”

Zhù Ying also gave him travel funds. The Left Vice Chief Justice demurred: “How could I accept these? My official post was given to me through you — without even speaking of repaying your kindness, I ought not to be taking still more as I leave.”

Zhù Ying said: “When I first came to the Court of Judicial Review, you were both teacher and friend to me — you taught me a great deal.”

The Left Vice Chief Justice had entirely forgotten his own earlier little schemes, and his eyes grew moist: “Those were truly good years!”

“Good as they were, I would not go back,” Zhù Ying said with a smile. “I only press forward.”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying asked about how many people he was taking with him, how he had arranged his household, and so on. The Left Vice Chief Justice said everything was in order, and only then did Zhù Ying let him go.

The Left Vice Chief Justice took a lingering farewell, and before the weather turned truly cold, set off with his whole household to take up his post.

Qi Tai was especially reluctant to see the Left Vice Chief Justice go, watching his retreating figure and asking Zhù Ying: “My lord — now that we are short one Vice Chief Justice, when will the position be filled?”

Zhù Ying glanced at him: “Filled? I had no intention of filling it right away!”

Qi Tai’s face went green again.

Those in the household who witnessed this all bowed their heads to suppress their laughter, knowing full well why Qi Tai was distressed. At last Lin Feng could not contain himself and burst out laughing — and laughter rippled through everyone. Qi Tai was furious and scolded: “Keep laughing — keep it up and you will all be writing two extra examination papers!”

Lin Feng let out a shriek and bolted for the door, and ran headlong into Zhù Wen.

Zhù Wen was holding a calling card and said: “My lord, a calling card from the household of Xian the Executive of the Crown Prince’s Household — an invitation to celebrate his elderly mother’s birthday.”