When the Emperor’s health was poor, it was entirely ordinary for various troubles to arise around the Crown Prince.

The ministers gradually came to know what Yao Zhen had done. Privately there were worries, but they remained largely composed. Whenever circumstances like these arose, ministers had their established way of responding. The first step, for most, was to offer some words of support for the Crown Prince, then adjust their position as the situation developed further.

Of course, there were also those who had never found their footing and would seize the moment to gamble. Backing the Crown Prince was a gamble; backing the dethroning of the Crown Prince was also a gamble.

But on the whole, nothing had yet exceeded the bounds of what could be reasonably anticipated.

The restlessness in court stemmed from Yao Zhen.

Though the Emperor had said that the Ministry of Personnel would go on just the same without Yao Zhen, the reality was otherwise. Autumn had already arrived, and the days were passing one by one — the annual performance review was about to begin once again. This type of yearly review took the Ministry of Finance’s calculations of revenue and provisions as its benchmark, but the results were necessarily recorded by the Ministry of Personnel as the “regular assessment scores” going into the comprehensive review conducted once every three years.

Of course, the Ministry of Personnel did not always have a minister in post. In such a situation, if a vice minister proved capable, as long as there was one person who could preside over the overall affairs, it was workable.

However, Mu Chengzhou was genuinely inadequate.

Barely half a month had passed before Dou Peng could no longer restrain himself and sought out the Emperor, who was in the midst of recuperation.

The Empress sat beside the Emperor’s sickbed. Nearby, a Zhang Jieyu set down a medicine bowl and withdrew behind a folding screen.

The Emperor said: “You’ve come at just the right time. The envoy to confer the title of Princess Gongan — who do you think would be more suitable?”

Dou Peng said: “Yang Jing, I would say.”

The Emperor smiled: “Not a bad choice! Excellent.”

Yang Jing had fine looks, and his standing was not low.

Dou Peng glanced over at the Empress, then said without ceremony: “Your Majesty, you have finished with your business — may we now speak of mine?”

“?”

Dou Peng wasted no courtesy and submitted a memorial to the Emperor impeaching Mu Chengzhou directly: “Mu Chengzhou has betrayed the imperial trust. Since taking charge of the Ministry of Personnel, he has made bribery the common practice and appointed people based purely on personal favoritism. He has engaged in repeated disputes with Li the Chancellor. I request that he be dismissed from his post. Should Your Majesty wish to show consideration for imperial relatives, his noble rank and stipend may be increased, but he should no longer be permitted to conduct official duties — so as to prevent him from sinking deeper into the mire.”

The Empress’s expression became difficult to maintain, but she held herself back. That her brother from her family of origin was not outstanding was something she knew perfectly well. But if you do not give someone a position to practice and develop in, how will they ever be trained up properly?

The Emperor said: “Has Mu Chengzhou so thoroughly disappointed the Chancellor?”

Dou Peng said: “It is not that he has disappointed me — it is that he has disappointed the laws of the state!” Dou Peng had come fully prepared and enumerated a systematic account of Mu Chengzhou’s errors. For instance: one official had been demoted in rank for wrongfully executing an innocent person. After giving a bribe to Mu Chengzhou, Mu Chengzhou had promptly reassigned him to a different posting and had him promoted right back.

As another example: one official had concealed a disaster and continued collecting taxes in full to protect his own record of achievements. This had made life impossible for the common people in his jurisdiction, causing them to flee in droves. The decrease in household numbers was a clear sign of dereliction of duty, yet Mu Chengzhou had still failed to hold him accountable. And so on, and so on.

The Empress’s complexion became quite poor.

But Dou Peng continued with perfect composure and added yet another point: “And beyond that, he accepted bribes and arranged to insert Chang Yong’an into the Eastern Palace.”

The Emperor asked: “Who is Chang Yong’an?”

“He is the nephew of an outside concubine of a certain Zhang — the maternal uncle of the Qi Wang.”

The Empress said in shock: “What?!”

Dou Peng said: “Apart from Chang Yong’an, there are also individuals surnamed Guan and Dong and others — all inserted into the Eastern Palace in this manner.”

Brother against son: the Empress did not need to weigh the two for long before her mind was made up. She said: “Your Majesty — in the family they may be nephew and uncle, but in the court they are sovereign and subject! The Eastern Palace is Your Majesty’s son, the heir apparent. He cannot be allowed to be manipulated at Mu Chengzhou’s whim.”

The Emperor nodded and asked Dou Peng: “In your view, who is capable of taking on the Ministry of Personnel? Would Li the Chancellor serve?”

Li the Chancellor doesn’t know the first thing about it!

Dou Peng said: “The Council of State already has a great many affairs to manage — which is precisely why I relinquished the Ministry of Finance concurrently. If the Chancellor’s burden becomes too heavy, I fear he cannot attend to both properly and will do neither well. I would suggest that Your Majesty summon the Honorable Shi Kun and seek his counsel.”

The Emperor had a very favorable impression of Shi Kun and said: “Very well.”

Shi Kun was at his home at the time, leaning on a staff by the edge of a pond, watching the fish. His inner thoughts were far from tranquil. On one hand, he was congratulating himself that he had withdrawn at exactly the right moment. On the other, he was troubled: what had this court come to, and what in the world was Dou Peng doing?!

When the Emperor’s summons arrived, he could no longer keep to his reclusion and hurried in to present himself.

……

Shi Kun was a Chancellor who had officially retired from his post. The Emperor had extended him courtesy treatment. When he entered the palace gates, an attendant eunuch was already relaying an imperial directive: Shi Kun was permitted to travel by litter to the audience.

Shi Kun declined several times out of propriety, expressed his deep gratitude, and was then physically lifted and carried by two sturdy eunuchs into the great hall.

Before the great hall, Shi Kun leaned on his staff and made his way inside, walking very slowly, composing his thoughts as he went, working out how he would shortly speak up for the Crown Prince on behalf of the Emperor. The Crown Prince’s capacities were also quite ordinary, but he was still somewhat stronger than the Emperor. Shi Kun could see clearly that the Emperor had begun preparing for what lay ahead, and so he was willing to be patient with the Emperor’s erratic behavior.

When a person reached a certain age, it was natural to think about one’s children — and so building up the princely residences and conferring titles upon the princesses and such things struck Shi Kun as entirely normal. At the same time, showing some wariness toward the Crown Prince was also normal. But the Emperor had not done anything to the Crown Prince as yet; the vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel was still the Crown Prince’s own maternal uncle. The Emperor had not gone mad.

As for Li the Chancellor and those like him — once the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Li the Chancellor could be tossed out to dig graves. By then, Zheng Xi would have returned as well. A new Chancellor could be elevated. And a new era with a new atmosphere would begin.

Protecting the Crown Prince, ensuring the state did not descend into internal chaos — that was the paramount priority before everything else!

These were the thoughts Shi Kun had turned over these past few days, and by the time he stood before the Emperor, he had already worked out what to say.

Shi Kun bent down in a bow. The Emperor said: “Du Shi’en, quickly help him up.”

Shi Kun glanced once at the Emperor, his tone carrying genuine surprise: “How has Your Majesty come to look this way? So gaunt and worn — please do take care of yourself for the sake of the realm.”

The Emperor said: “I am old!”

The two exchanged a few pleasantries before the Emperor moved to the matter at hand and asked: “In your view, how is Mu Chengzhou doing as Vice Minister of Personnel?”

Shi Kun said: “Him? Naive and guileless — he tends to see things as more straightforward than they are.”

“In other words, not quite suited for the role.”

Shi Kun said: “He would need someone to lead him along and teach him gradually.”

The Emperor said: “A pity — there is no time for that now! Honorable Elder, what am I to do at present?”

Shi Kun said: “I have already taken my retirement, and my energy is not what it used to be. Since Your Majesty has asked, I do happen to have one suggestion — simply bring in a few more capable people, and would that not do?”

“How so?”

Shi Kun said: “Your Majesty need not be anxious. Zheng Xi will be out of mourning in a matter of months; once he returns to the Council of State, he will be able to share the responsibilities of Dou and Li — that is something for the future, there is no hurry.”

The Emperor nodded. His trust in Zheng Xi was fairly solid.

Shi Kun continued: “As for the present — simply add one more person to the Council of State!”

“Who would be suitable?”

Shi Kun replied straightforwardly: “In my view, the Capital Prefect Chen Meng is in his prime, vigorous and strong, and he is also the son of a former Chancellor — he could shoulder this responsibility.”

“He… hasn’t he only been Capital Prefect for a short while? The Capital Prefecture cannot go without someone to manage it either! Zhù Ying manages the Capital Prefecture admirably, but the Ministry of Finance also cannot do without him.” The Emperor was quite vexed. The people he valued all had every quality he could want — the only pity was that none of them possessed the ability to be in two places at once!

“Zhù Ying is young,” Shi Kun also said with some regret, “and at present there is really no one more capable of managing the Ministry of Finance well! Otherwise, transferring him to take up the Ministry of Personnel would also have been entirely feasible. As for the Capital Prefecture — I must urge Your Majesty to exercise the utmost caution. Capability and loyalty — neither can be lacking. The capital is full of imperial relatives and noble houses. Should the Capital Prefect slacken even slightly, it will inevitably result in great chaos.”

The Emperor deliberated for a long while and asked: “What about your son — could he do it?”

“I have four sons. My eldest and my youngest are in the capital; the other two are posted outside. My youngest, Ji Xing, has too thin a record of service and has only just assumed the post of Vice Magistrate of the Court of Judicial Review — I fear he would not be up to the task. My eldest is currently in the Ministry of Works and is more than adequately capable. Should Your Majesty see fit to entrust him with this role, I will personally urge him to be loyal to the sovereign and show benevolence to the people, and not fail Your Majesty’s grace.”

……——

Chen Meng sat at home, and Chancellorship descended upon him from above.

Shi Kun had given him no advance notice of any such matter; it was the Emperor who first sent word to him.

At the time, Chen Meng was at home hosting Zhù Ying.

With the regional governors due to arrive in the capital soon, both of them had several people from their home regions coming this year. The two were mapping out how to properly gather with those from their home regions, and discussing the next stage of their plans for mutual support and coordinated positioning.

Chen Meng said: “By the way — aside from old Wu and the others, this year my eldest son is also coming!”

“Oh?” Zhù Ying said with interest, “He’s coming in person? Is there something in Yanzhou that needs to be negotiated?”

Chen Fang and Jiang Zheng had both been posted to Yanzhou. This year it was fine for either to come — they simply took turns in proper rotation. But generally speaking, wouldn’t the governor be the one to arrive first?

Chen Meng said: “I suspect as much too! Was this really a posting to Yanzhou? It’s more like half our hearts were put out there in Yanzhou.”

“They’ve actually been doing quite well out there. I’ve had a thought for a while now — it concerns land consolidation.”

“How so?” Chen Meng asked with interest.

Zhù Ying said: “If consolidation continues unchecked, it will inevitably cause unrest. The only thing to try is this — prohibit purchases and sales. Of course, a complete halt is not what I mean; the finer details will need to be examined. Simply take a certain prior year as the baseline: anything before that year may not be bought or sold. Newly reclaimed wasteland may still be traded.”

Chen Meng said: “I’m afraid that’s difficult. Leave even the narrowest crack, and they’ll pry it into a gaping hole. Prohibiting transactions — that could be worth trying. You can’t simply watch on helplessly! You don’t know what it’s like here in the capital — they just divided up land for the people, and the next moment these people are trying to seize the common folk’s property again. The noble families and imperial relatives are the most brazen of all. Better to fix it in stone for them!”

“I’m afraid it’s difficult. His Majesty and the ministers in power — none of them yet have the prestige or the resolve to make that decision. Submit the memorial, and the very next moment the noble families will be at His Majesty’s side in tears.” Zhù Ying said.

“Haven’t they taken enough advantages already?” Chen Meng said. “The most aggravating of all is Princess Anren — His Majesty has showered her with gifts all these years, and still she is not satisfied! How is it that she is so capable of causing trouble? How has she gone and stirred something up again — and gotten caught red-handed at that?”

Zhù Ying said: “She is like a wolf-tooth mace — handles sticking out from every part of her. That she is being impeached is no extraordinary thing. The question is still how His Majesty will handle her, and how the Eastern Palace will respond. If the Eastern Palace has any sense, they should take the initiative to petition for the princess to be suppressed.”

At a moment like this, Princess Anren’s very existence was a deeply irritating complication. She was forever being impeached. Members of the imperial clan and noble houses were frequently impeached — you couldn’t treat it as a weather vane. One couldn’t even say that impeaching Princess Anren was an act of disrespect toward the Eastern Palace.

Chen Meng said: “Irritating as it is! I don’t care whether it’s extraordinary or not — I’m going to keep investigating her! What is Luo Sheng even good for? He has just this one mother, and he can’t even talk her out of anything!”

Zhù Ying said: “If he could rein in Princess Anren, he wouldn’t be who he is.”

“It’s only the Crown Prince’s consort I feel sorry for,” Chen Meng muttered.

Zhù Ying said: “Everyone has their own path to walk.”

“She is the future mother of the realm — how can one not be concerned? Sigh — it would be so much better if the Empress would take Mu family in hand.”

Zhù Ying said: “She will.”

“How would you know?”

Zhù Ying said: “Mu Chengzhou — what’s sitting on top of his neck isn’t a brain, it’s a pair of guts. He took money and was willing to do anything for it. And I happen to know a few things about that. Dou the Chancellor was in a state of worry, so I told him. As long as a son matters more to the Empress than a brother, she will no longer shelter him. When the Empress speaks, both His Majesty and the Crown Prince will take it in.”

Chen Meng asked in surprise: “When did all this happen?”

“The tone of His Majesty’s words when he was berating Yao Zhen — something was off.”

Chen Meng said: “Fair point. If the Empress doesn’t bother herself with it, then we needn’t expend any worry over her either. If she and her son fall out, that certainly isn’t our concern.”

Zhù Ying was just about to reply when news arrived from the palace — Chen Meng was to prepare himself to be appointed Chancellor.

The entire Chen household erupted in wild jubilation!

The envoy also caught sight of Zhù Ying and extended greetings her way. Zhù Ying smiled and said: “That is wonderful news indeed. By the way — the Capital Prefecture, who will it be?”

The envoy did not conceal this from her. Seeing that Chen Meng was also looking over, the envoy smiled and recounted everything that had happened in the palace. Chen Meng would enter the Council of State ranked last among the ministers, but he would also temporarily co-manage the Ministry of Personnel alongside Li the Chancellor. Shi Kun’s eldest son became the new Capital Prefect. Beyond that, the vacant post in the Ministry of Works went to the former Chamberlain for Ceremonials of the Lu princely household. With this set of reshuffling, Shi Kun — who had stood watching from the sidelines — emerged the great winner.

Madam Chen was busy preparing the customary red envelope for the envoy and also making arrangements for the celebration banquet in honor of Chen Meng’s appointment as Chancellor.

Zhù Ying offered Chen Meng her congratulations. In her heart, what she felt more deeply was admiration — ginger truly grows hotter with age. Shi Kun had made one move, and somehow managed to draw a situation that had been an utter tangle back into order. Of course, this was also because Shi Kun had cultivated his network over several decades, had people at his disposal, and his son had proven more than capable.

Zhù Ying made up her mind firmly: this year, she would do even more to promote and cultivate officials from the southern regions.

With Chen Meng appointed as Chancellor and concurrently managing the Ministry of Personnel, this meant she now had someone in the Ministry of Personnel. The many matters to come would be easier to handle than they had been when Yao Zhen was there.

Forming factions and pursuing private interests was, it turned out, this easy! Whether it was promoting people from their home regions or cultivating officials from the south, she and Chen Meng would find things considerably more convenient going forward.

Jockeying for power and advantage was this simple and straightforward!

By comparison, advocating on behalf of the common people was this much harder. And what she truly wanted — to serve as an official openly and with dignity, in her true self — was harder still than “giving the common people a way to live.”

The smile on Chen Meng’s face had not broken. He saw the envoy off and said to Zhù Ying: “I need to draft a memorial of gratitude for this imperial grace — you……”

Zhù Ying said: “I won’t trouble you any further. Just tell me when you host the banquet, and I’ll come drink then.”

“Excellent!”

“Don’t forget the handover for the Capital Prefecture.”

“I won’t forget!”

Zhù Ying smiled, then watched as Chen Meng completed the handover of the Capital Prefecture’s affairs and went about managing the matters surrounding his appointment as Chancellor. This business was pressing, because Dou Peng was urging that Chen Meng be ready to take up the work before the governors arrived in the capital. After so many years, Dou Peng had finally found a capable and vigorous “junior” with experience in getting things done!

Dou Peng let out a long, long breath.

……

On Chen Meng’s first day in the Council of State, he stood inside it with not a trace of joy on his face.

Dou Peng and Li the Chancellor, seeing him this way, both secretly nodded in admiration: He does not let happiness or displeasure show — there is something of a Chancellor’s bearing to that.

Chen Meng’s gaze swept across the Council of State. His father had governed from this very place for twenty years, having reached the very pinnacle of official rank. When Chen Meng had been cast out and sent back to his hometown as a young man, he had made a fierce inner vow: One day I will return to the capital. I will reach a higher official rank than you. I will claim justice for my mother. I will……

But his father had already been Chancellor!

How could he exceed that?

The truth was, his father’s abilities were also stronger than his own.

He had returned to the capital in later years and gradually come to know himself clearly; no longer did he dare entertain such imaginings.

I am made Chancellor, and this court — it truly is declining with each generation. Chen Meng murmured inwardly.

Dou Peng cleared his throat: “Come then!”

The busy life had begun! When a new person arrives, there is always the inevitable fate of being sent here and there to handle things — even when coming to serve as Chancellor. Who had told him to be a new Chancellor, after all?

And on top of that, he concurrently held the Ministry of Personnel. Previously, Li the Chancellor and Mu Chengzhou had each had their own plans, leaving the Ministry of Personnel a tangled mess — that would also need to be sorted out.

After pushing through seven days of continuous work, Chen Meng finally had a rough plan for what would need to be done going forward.

Yet before he could set anything in motion, Zhù Ying came knocking at his door.

This was one of her own people. Chen Meng met with Zhù Ying privately at his home: “I am nearly run to death with exhaustion! If you have something, just say it plainly to me — but there is one condition: you need to have already worked out how you want to handle it. You say, I do. Let me save what’s left of my brain.”

It was a form of trust.

Zhù Ying said: “There is indeed one matter.”

“What is it?”

“Since returning to the capital, I have not dared set foot in the pleasure quarter.”

Chen Meng’s expression also became difficult to hold, and he said in a low voice: “There is still a barrier in your heart you haven’t crossed.”

“You haven’t crossed it either,” Zhù Ying said. “I have been thinking about this for a very long time. I want to submit a memorial requesting the abolition of officially-registered courtesans.”

Chen Meng was greatly startled: “Is that what you’ve been thinking? This — how could it possibly work?”

Zhù Ying said: “I know. Officially-registered courtesans serve two purposes: one is as punishment, and the second relates to taxation — and then there is the matter of caste, the distinction between the freeborn and the base. As for punishment — it should not be delivered with blows below the belt. The most resplendent dynasty under heaven finding its dignity in the brothels — it is a shameful joke.”

“This distinction between the respected and the lowly……”

Zhù Ying said: “It is not as though I am proposing that all bondservants and slaves be freed at once — that is something that cannot be done today either. It is simply that the court ought not to be running a brothel-keeper’s enterprise. Even convicted rebels and their families — they may be reduced to bondservants, and that is punishment enough.”

“I’m afraid that would not put an end to private courtesans.”

“My meaning is this: once someone has entered the courtesan house, it takes an official document from the government before they can be freed. This…… there is no way out. It should not be this way.”

Chen Meng bit down on his lip: “The current system still includes…… household registrations……”

“You’ve worked in the regions too — is this really so troublesome? Stop the intake of new entrants while gradually releasing those already there. It need not take long for this to fade away on its own.

As for taxation — there are always other livelihoods. Without officially-registered courtesans, privately operated ones would likely still not be suppressible — isn’t that right? We both know this. Bondservants can be released from their status — but in reality, how many bondservants have ever been fortunate enough to obtain that? Yet simply by not being officially-registered bondservants on the register, life always holds at least a little more hope.

It is only because it is you that I am saying all of this. This memorial — I will submit it regardless. I only ask that when it is being deliberated, you do not oppose it.”

Chen Meng said: “This is a matter of accumulating virtue and doing good. However, I think you should wait. For a matter like this, having a proper occasion makes it considerably easier. Such as…… a new ruler ascending the throne.”

He spoke those last four words so softly they were barely a breath.

Zhù Ying laughed: “And when would that be? If he keeps on not dying, I can’t very well just go and……”

“Easy, easy, easy!” Chen Meng was somewhat alarmed and cut off that dangerous thread of conversation. “How can you make this kind of joke over a matter concerning courtesans? Once you step out of my gates, you must not be so careless in your words!”

Zhù Ying went along with it easily: “Let me raise it once now, and if it doesn’t work, raise it again when the occasion you mentioned arrives.”

Chen Meng said: “Exactly how to go about this — it will probably still need careful consideration.”

Zhù Ying said: “Several approaches can be laid out. Or set an age threshold — for instance, those thirty and above are released immediately. Those under thirty may redeem themselves with payment. As for how the various regions react — there will be some impact on their tax revenue, but you know what? I believe — if there are no officially-registered courtesans, they’ll go right ahead and collect taxes from the privately-operated ones. Now is the time to act — revenue and provisions are controlled by my hands; their record of merits is controlled by yours. They will have to do something resembling the work of a decent human being.”

Chen Meng gave a slow nod: “Your heart has always been compassionate.”

Zhù Ying smiled: “The world is too simple. It is nothing more than finding myself some difficult work to do — a way to pass the time.”

After all, she could not keep doing nothing but the simplest, most self-serving kind of jockeying for power and influence, all while telling herself: I must reach paramount power before I can find the leisure to do something that resembles the work of a human being.

Was she really going to keep watching girls who thought of her as a good person climb cheerfully into the carriage she had arranged for them and ride off to the pleasure quarter?