Hao Dafang hunched his shoulders and curled his back, not daring to breathe too loudly, while carefully and discreetly keeping watch on the new Emperor’s expression.

The new Emperor grew even more awkward. He managed to say, “Your words are far too candid.”

Zhù Ying said, “Does Your Majesty wish to hear something less candid? I can provide that too.”

The new Emperor choked on his words.

Hao Dafang was terrified that the new Emperor might flounce away in a rage, or perhaps throw this Minister into a great prison.

Yet Zhù Ying was unhurried and composed — she could speak this way precisely because she had already worked out her approach. “When you were receiving instruction here, your grandfather had already reigned over the realm for forty years, more than twice your age at the time. Every civil and military official in the court had been shown his favor; the majority of the ministers were his juniors. He watched them enter the court — indeed, watched many of them grow up. He knew the particulars of every single one of them and understood their temperaments and capabilities.

I venture to ask boldly: does Your Majesty possess that depth of understanding of the current court ministers?”

The new Emperor’s face went dark as charcoal.

Zhù Ying continued, “These words are unpleasant to hear. But now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne as sovereign, things are entirely different from being Crown Prince or a vassal prince. There is no one above you now to shelter you from wind and rain — every storm must be borne by yourself. You are everyone’s pillar of support.

All the principles recorded in books, you have certainly read more of them than I have. If following the text to the letter could solve every problem and bring lasting order, why would Your Majesty need to ask me today? A sage emperor is unfathomable and profound. Since you have asked, I can no longer worry about my own position, and I can only speak some truth.”

The new Emperor slowly nodded.

“Your Majesty surely wishes to devote yourself to diligent governance, yet you find yourself with certain inconveniences, feeling the path obscure and difficult. The realm is ailing, and you want a prescription to treat the sickness and heal the people, a formula to follow directly — not vague talk of balancing yin and yang.

In truth, the prescription has already been written by those who came before. It has been taken without much visible effect, because the balancing was not done well.

An adult’s formula applied to a child must be adjusted in dosage; men and women have different symptoms requiring different medicines. Even the same illness calls for different treatments in spring versus autumn. One cannot rigidly apply the same method to every situation.

I ask that I first analyze the present situation for Your Majesty; you may then consider adjusting the dosage. Once the situation is seen clearly, a great part of the trouble will already be resolved.”

The gaze of someone like a divine oracle always made people involuntarily wish to draw closer and to agree. The new Emperor said, “Speak.”

“To put it in a single phrase: prolonged peace has accumulated deep-rooted maladies. On the surface, there are two things — one is land encroachment, the other is the selection of officials. Wealth and talent. Military talent is talent too.”

The new Emperor nodded again.

Zhù Ying said, “The situation at present is not your fault. It did not even begin in the previous emperor’s reign — it must be traced back at least several decades.

Whatever the matter, nothing collapses in a single day, nor is it resolved in a single day. However much you admired your grandfather, ministers brawling physically in court first appeared during his twilight years. Land encroachment too was not created in one day. Though the present is vexing, the causes must still be sought further in the past. These are deep-rooted maladies, not made in a day. To change them, one must proceed gradually and in order.

He taught you more than he taught your father — he placed his hopes on you. To have been favored by that old gentleman, you must possess qualities that surpass others. He placed the hope of healing this sickness on you.”

The new Emperor gave a short, brief laugh.

Zhù Ying said, “The circumstances you face are different from those he faced. First, you have not accumulated forty years of imperial authority; second, the realm you have taken over is not as strong as it was in his time. In those days, the weather was favorable and the harvests were good; these past years, calamities have come one after another…”

The new Emperor said uneasily, “That is because I lack virtue.”

Zhù Ying said, “It is merely Heaven’s test. I beg you not to lose heart before the battle has even begun.”

The new Emperor nodded again.

Zhù Ying said, “In facing such a test, what preparations do you have? What do you intend to rely upon? And what plans do you have?”

The new Emperor said, “Select the worthy and the capable.”

Zhù Ying laughed. “Between Zheng and Xian — which of the two is worthy, and which is capable?”

The new Emperor’s expression turned unpleasant again.

Zhù Ying said, “The path must be walked one step at a time. Your Majesty’s prestige — not the vague prestige that comes with being ‘the sovereign,’ but Your Majesty’s own personal authority — must also be accumulated and cannot be rushed. To endure through difficult times is precisely the essence of that accumulation. Restlessness and anxiety will harm your dignity.

First and foremost, your resolve must be firm. If you are not firm, everyone loses their anchor and can only drift along with the current. What is it you wish to do right now? You must set a guiding tone in your own heart.”

The new Emperor nodded once more.

Zhù Ying said, “Once the tone is set, do not draw up a list of proposals, and certainly do not immediately issue orders. Instead, think about this — who should carry it out, and which people you will rely upon. The Son of Heaven holds dominion over the four seas, and all the common people are his children — that is the principle. But fingers on a hand differ in length, and even children born of the same parents differ in wisdom and foolishness, do they not? Among all the civil and military officials in the court, whom do you wish to employ?”

“I will use those who are capable.”

Zhù Ying shook her head. “There must still be a primary and a secondary. Even the revenues of the various prefectures and counties throughout the realm differ in how much or how little they yield!”

“The present disputes in court…”

“Looking broadly, it divides into several factions. The most fiercely at odds are Zheng and Xian,” Zhù Ying spoke very plainly, and the new Emperor marveled at how daring she was to say so. “The root of it is not in the two Chief Ministers Zheng and Xian themselves — it lies in the people behind them, who are all deeply uneasy, fearing you will harm their interests and protect the other side. At such a time, they must each find a person they believe will not betray them, rally around that person, push him forward, and fight for dominance.

If you wish to draw the finest talents of the realm to serve you — Yu Qingquan, do you keep him or not? Chai Lingyuan, do you employ him or not? Can your resolve hold firm? When you find them objectionable and wish to move against them, how will you do it? Who will you send to act?”

This new emperor — prestige, he had none. A young boy, even if he were the sovereign… how to put it? If the moral bond between ruler and minister were so effective, Liu Xie would not have had to abdicate, and Cao Mao would not have been killed.

And yet the moral bond of ruler and minister was not entirely without use, either. Using the emperor to command the lords was extremely useful — rather than letting others “hold” him, the new Emperor had not yet reached the point of a dynasty’s ruin, and he was fully capable of exploiting the advantages of that position himself. His very existence was itself an advantage.

As long as he did not become too self-confident, believing that being emperor meant he could manipulate all the world’s people in the palm of his hand.

Having no prestige, with abilities inferior to those of his grandfather, one should honestly refrain from playing those games of control, and instead single-mindedly invest in one faction, having that group serve him. On that foundation, take into consideration the interests of some others as well. For an ordinary emperor, that would be sufficient.

The new Emperor was different from his late grandfather’s grandfather. The latter had been able to handle all the various factions, and all the various factions had accepted him. The new Emperor’s position could not manage such complexity, nor did he have sufficient ability. He could not play such a large game, and had to behave honestly and follow the rules. Just as she — Zhù Ying — had earnestly and carefully identified the “southern scholars” and the “indigenous peoples,” and quietly cultivated women. She did not compete with Zheng Xi for influence among the old noble families, nor did she push her way into the company of the purist scholars.

“The realm needs stability, not strife. Even if there are disputes at court, panic must absolutely not be allowed to spread to the common people. However fierce the fighting at court may be, it is nothing serious — but if the fighting and turmoil afflicts the common people and causes grievances below, it is Your Majesty who will suffer the loss, and great upheaval will be at hand.

Whether it is suppressing land encroachment or opening the examination to recruit scholars, everything must be aimed at pacifying the people, not at disturbing them.

Approximately thirty years ago, there was a great case: the faction of Gong Jie was purged — hundreds were sentenced, removed from office, and demoted from top to bottom. Yet the common people were at peace. A couple of years ago, a mere handful of incompetent officials uncovered in local areas was enough to drive local gentry to suicide and clamor for redress.

That is the difference.”

“And yet land encroachment must be suppressed, and worthy scholars must be promoted. There will inevitably be a fight.”

“Then let them fight. As long as all of this fighting is kept within the confines of this capital, it will cause no great harm — to you or to the realm. Whatever you do from here onward will carry this same meaning. Newly recruited worthy scholars sent to serve in the localities will follow the same principle.”

Zhù Ying turned both palms upward and raised them, lifting a small table as if to bear it steadily, holding it firm and level.

The Emperor was suddenly enlightened!

His grandfather had taught him that toward ministers one must be impartial and fair — on the surface, the master of all under Heaven must of course be fair and just; but seen through darker eyes, this was also the emperor’s art of keeping a balance of power. The world has yin and yang, and an emperor’s heart also has two sides. But his grandfather had truly never taught him what to do if suppression was impossible and balance could not be maintained.

Zhù Ying had given him a plan that was suited to his execution: choose one reliable and useful side, hold it steady, and then speak of the rest.

The Emperor humbly asked, “What should I do next?”

Zhù Ying set the small table down and spread both hands open. “That is not something a minister can ‘instruct’ Your Majesty in. I can only say: select the worthy and the capable, draw close to worthy ministers and keep petty men at a distance. Who is a worthy minister and who is a petty man — that is for you alone to decide. What a minister sees and what the sovereign sees are not the same.”

Hao Dafang had been listening for a long while and thought to himself: all that time you spoke, and it amounts to saying nothing at all.

The Emperor, however, fell into thoughtful reflection.

Zhù Ying saw that the hour was growing late and rose to take her leave. The Emperor did not detain her.

Hao Dafang was intensely curious: was all of this useful, or was it not?

Judging by the Emperor’s expression, he appeared fairly satisfied. Suddenly, the Emperor said to Hao Dafang, “Summon Chen Meng.”

Zhù Ying left the main hall and returned, as usual, to the Ministry of Revenue to attend to her work.

The spring plowing was one matter; beyond that, there were also several disaster reports that required the Ministry of Revenue to coordinate responses. Some localities had reported disasters — records needed to be kept, so that when accounts were settled in the tenth month, there would be a basis for reference.

She had no idea that the new Emperor was already deep in conversation with Chen Meng, and even less that Xian Jing was at this very moment enduring a great ordeal.

Xian Jing was not in the Secretariat of State. Since there were now more Chief Ministers, each of them had gained opportunities for days off in rotation. Today was his day off, and he was obliged to stay home and pacify “his own people.”

Being appointed Chief Minister had in a roundabout way consolidated his standing among the purist scholars, yet it was by no means a once-and-for-all achievement. Precisely because of the appointment, many people’s expectations of him had grown by yet another layer, and the demands they placed on him in their hearts had multiplied as well.

He had been Chief Minister for only a short time, yet the pressure from his own people was considerable.

After being appointed Chief Minister, Xian Jing had not moved house, remaining in his original residence. The mansion appeared austere, yet those wearing the scarlet and purple robes of high officials crowded its gates. Beyond the scarlet and purple, there were also many in green and blue robes — it was also thronged with people. These visitors were extremely courteous, bowing with respectful salutes, yet their eyes all glittered with eager expectation.

“Chief Minister, Elder Yu and his associates — can they return now?”

Such longing eyes made Xian Jing lower his eyelids. “I have my own arrangements. Seizing this opportunity is precisely the chance to let him gain experience in local posts. Without that local seasoning, one is never truly complete.”

This explanation was passable, and the scholars grew animated once more, each wishing to make a good impression before him. There were also those with well-connected sources of information, who said, “Chai Lincheng has declared that Chai Linyuan is to be reinstated as well! That a rake such as he could stand in court! Chief Minister, we cannot allow them to have their way! The unlawful acts he has committed are numerous — how can we let them harm the common people again?”

“Chief Minister, I have heard that the Ministry of Personnel has finalized Su Zhe’s official post — she is to be assigned to the Ministry of Rites. Is this not a collapse of ritual and music? How can this be tolerated?! If she is a barbarian, let her go home and be a barbarian! If she has entered the realm of civilization, she must abide by its ritual codes! Would the Chief Minister truly condone this?”

“Chief Minister, Su Zhe is Minister Zhù’s person, and who doesn’t know that Minister Zhù is Chief Minister Zheng’s person? Their outrageous conduct warrants that they all step down and yield to more worthy persons! If the Chief Minister is afraid of them, we shall go and submit memorials directly to His Majesty to argue the matter! If the Chief Minister shows indulgence, then I’m afraid even this junior student will have to be disrespectful toward you.”

Xian Jing’s head was buzzing. It was not that he personally had to keep his eyes fixed on Su Zhe — if he let Su Zhe pass, others would not let him pass.

Xian Jing’s expression grew stern. “Enough of this insolence! Wuzhou, though its land is remote, a rebellion there would also bring no benefit to the common people. Why should the court begrudge a single official post?”

The one he had reprimanded was not subdued, but dared not dispute with him face to face. By evening, however, Xian Jing’s nephew Xian Zhen came to inform him: “They have gathered at the Huo family’s place!”

Huo Yu was the Deputy Censor-in-Chief. His official rank was not high — just barely qualifying for the scarlet robe — yet he was a man who dared to speak boldly. The learning he had devoted himself to bore no connection to the Wang or Xian schools, and he shared no ties of fellow discipleship with Xian Jing. But he was also a “man who had risen from humble origins,” and he admired Wang Yunhe’s conduct and character. He was also one of those whom Chen, Shi, and Wang had in those earlier years selected and sent out for local experience.

In the past, some had counted him as a member of the “Wang faction,” then later as a member of the Xian faction. Even Xian Jing had considered him one of his own people.

But now…

Xian Jing’s temples throbbed. He said, “Prepare the carriage.”

How could he not know how difficult these people were to rein in? Every one of them had a “great principle” lodged in their hearts; it was not unheard of for them to spout wild words at the slightest disagreement.

There was no saving these people — better to go and select some fresh and earnest young men, and begin cultivating them from the beginning, just as his teacher in those years had sent Zhù Ying and others out of the capital. Though they were of no use in the immediate moment, there was still “the future”!

“Go to the Yang residence,” Xian Jing said.

Yang Jing’s hands held many promising young prospects.