Note: For more accuracy, Military Office will now be referred to as Grand Council. The Grand Council (军机处; literally Office of Military Secrets, or Military and Political Affairs Office) was an important policy-making body during the Qing dynasty ^^
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“Our side had dragged the court spinning around,” Gu Yun whispered. “It is ti to rest and recuperate.”
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A few days later, the news of the Western Region countries seeking truce ca to the capital. After the Grand Council reported to Emperor Long An, discussing urgently for a day, they replied to the Marquis of Order. There were two things that needed to be ensured: first, let the traitors have no power to turn over in the next three to five years, to avoid inner conflict when dealing with the foreigners; second, demand Ziliujin, the more, the better. The danger of the treasury will be relieved temporarily, but the predicant of Ziliujin in Great Liang had not yet been released. All four fronts were encircled, the reason why they chose to act from the west first was because the Black Iron Camp was stationed here, on the other hand, it was because they hoped to solve the Ziliujin problem at the fastest speed.
Other major and minor matters were to be decided by the Marquis as he saw fit.
Yan Wang then entered the Palace to make a brief report on the war and the achievents of the Feng Huo ticket.
Li Feng calculated with his fingers and was almost shocked by how effective the tickets are. He couldn’t help asking, “How co there are so much?”
“It is not surprising either. There are countless people in the court who are eager to give all their wealth. There is no reason for self-preservation at the critical mont. For better or worse, they had provided so of their strength.” Chang Geng first casually flattered him in no hurry and said, “As for the people, there is a saying that ‘rchants purchase leather in sumr, silk in winter, boats in a drought and carriage in a flood, waiting for the day where they could sell them for a profit’. People who can beco a giant are not small businessn who only chase small profits in front of their eyes.”
Li Feng quietly pondered for a mont and asked, “According to you, what are they seeking from ?”
Chang Geng said without hesitation: “Businessn are rich in wealth, but they also need to co and go in the wind and rain. To so extent, they are no better than the peasants who need to assess God’s face to make a living. Sotis a court decree can make their property collapse, or when eting with bandits on their business trips, their lives and the lives of their families will not be guaranteed. Now the country is in trouble, the giants from the trading group ca forward with Du Wan Quan, the richest man in Jiangnan as their head. On one hand, it is to serve the country, on the other hand, is it not to look for a place of support from Royal Brother?”
Li Feng had listened to many flatteries and was not so easily moved. He gazed at Yan Wang’s hidden aning with a faint look.
Chang Geng did not let out the bait for too long either, he took advantage of the opportunity to press on: “At the mont, money is needed, the court also plans to issue a second batch of Feng Huo tickets. My brother, you see... should we give these head rchants a little appropriate profit in order to encourage more people to donate their money?”
Li Feng remained silent and looked at Chang Geng with an unusual expression.
Sotis such things as ‘sincerity’ were only effective in a certain amount of ti and would expire without waiting. For example, when the capital city was besieged, Emperor Long An was full of grief, anger, and guilt. He wished he could crash into the mausoleum of his predecessor, and his decision to pass the throne to Chang Geng was sincere.
But perhaps right now, as the situation was stabilizing, his point of view about Chang Geng that was slowly deflecting with each day was also very sincere.
Yan Wang Li Min was only in his early twenties. If he were to be placed in an ordinary family, he would still be a young man who had just begun to learn how to carry household matters. But in a short period of only six months, he had single-handedly eased the danger of Great Liang. At this ti, as he was standing in the pavilion quietly, with extraordinary talents, maturity, and stability, it truly made one feel... indescribably envious.
Imagine a supre ruler, who, just a few years after their accession to the throne, was t with two rebellions, causing irritation to pile up, creating a strange story of the ‘The Northern Camp Rebellion’, becoming a laughing stock for the world. Finally, the mountains and rivers were infected by the iron hooves of foreign countries, civilians being displaced everywhere... and all of this, after going through the lowest point, had begun to improve slowly after Yan Wang entered the palace and took control of the Grand Council — what would Li Feng feel inside?
How should historians evaluate this period of history after a hundred years?
Li Feng truly did not want to know at all.
Most importantly, Li Min — his fourth brother, was still so young.
Li Feng’s heart was full of gloom, his attitude had also grown cold with him. He said lightly, “There is no place that is not part of the kingdom, they are the children of Great Liang, serving the country and the people. Even if it were to ruin their property, is it not a part of their duty? What other profit would they hope to seek from ? Would that not be the sa as buying and selling positions? Where would dignity be!”
Chang Geng was very good at observing words and expressions, eting Li Feng’s eyes lightly. He imdiately understood where the Emperor’s unprovoked indifference ca from. Although he was sneering in his heart, his face was shocked and puzzled with no hint of pretense: “Royal...”
Li Feng interrupted him impatiently: “All right! How to reward the understanding righteous folk businessn, return to the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Rites to work out a proper asure, only within the limit, we cannot award and spoil them too much.”
Chang Geng put on a ‘depressed’ face for a while before reluctantly saying “Yes”.
Li Feng looked at him and suddenly, seed to had unintentionally or intentionally said, “The Ministry of Administration Wei Shu was already of old age. As it happened to rain last night, when he got up early and rushed to court, without paying attention, he had fallen and broke his leg in his ho. He was already being seen by the doctor, it seed to not be very good. His family had brought forth the retirent request to ... in this way, the Minister of Administration will have to be vacant. You are in charge of the Grand Council, A Min, do you have soone to recomnd?”
This sentence was a not so clever test, but not clever did not an ineffective.
For a doubtful person like Li Feng, whether Chang Geng pushed his boat along the river flow, to recomnd soone on his side to the position, or if he answered too carefully, both were not what Li Feng hoped to see. The forr showed that he was too ambitious, and the latter showed that he was too preoccupied with calculations.
Chang Geng was stunned at first then instinctively blurted out, “What? Sothing had happened to Master Wei?”
He appeared as if he truly was unaware of this matter.
After blurting out this sentence, Chang Geng seed to have ‘just returned to his senses’ and found himself answering the wrong questions. He frowned and pondered for a long ti and sighed anxiously to Emperor Long An: “This... Royal Brother forgive , Your subject had been running around for bits of gold and silver these days, I truly had no ti to pay attention to anything else. I may not have read the request of the Minister yet. This... the position of a Minister is very important, your subject montarily could not think of any candidate...”
Li Feng suspected that he intended to stall: “It’s alright, go on.”
Chang Geng stretched out his hand and pressed his furrowed brows. He paused and answered, “In this way, isn’t it better for Royal Brother to publicly appraise in the court, seeking the talented individual?”
Li Feng: “...”
The answer was really unexpected. Li Feng was frightened by Yan Wang‘s unusual ans of doing things and was almost led by him. He blurted out, “How should the evaluation be?”
“For example, the official’s resu, his achievents, his rits over the years and so on are all recorded,” Chang Geng paused, changing his voice. “It can also be added whether this person has the criteria of responsibility and righteousness, such as whether they had purchased the Feng Huo ticket or not. Speaking of this, Your subject suddenly was reminded of one thing: in the future, in order for the tickets to work smoothly, would Royal Brother include how much tickets one possessed in the evaluation criteria? This does not count as buying and selling positions, does it?”
Li Feng: “...”
Speaking for half a day, he was led back here again by this kid. Li Feng felt that if he prized off the beautiful head of Yan Wang at this ti, the brain inside must have ford into the shape of a gold ingot.
Emperor Long An did not know whether to cry or laugh: “You... such outrageous words!”
Chang Geng could not afford to press on this ti, he lowered his voice to apologize, his face dyed with a hint of sorrow unable to be concealed.
After a few sentences of conversation that did not quite et, Li Feng’s gloomy doubts in his heart were already scattered for the most part, and it seed that Yan Wang’s aim truly was not in the Minister of Administration.
“Either way,” Li Feng thought, “It could be said that he had done his best.”
Just as this thought ca out, his attitude also eased up, he waved to Chang Geng and said, “Alright, you go back first to rest, let think about it again.”
Chang Geng answered, paid his courtesy and retreated, knowing in his heart that he had overco this test.
However, just as he was about to exit the pavilion, Li Feng suddenly stopped him.
“Wait a minute, A Min, there’s one more thing,” Li Feng said with a gentle expression, speaking in the tone of discussing family matters: “Now you’re no longer little, it is not good to be alone all the ti. After all, it is ti to start a family.”
Chang Geng’s heart jumped.
Li Feng said pleasantly, “The eldest granddaughter of Grand Scholar Fang is seventeen years old. She is waiting to be wed. I heard that this lady has long had a good na. She is a girl of a scholarly family, She must be well educated. Her origin would not be a disgrace to you either, it could be said that you both will make a good couple. Your elder sister-in-law heard about this, she would love to help you more or less take care of this matter. I took it upon myself to ask you this question. If you like it, Royal Brother will initiate for you, how about it?”
This marriage was not only good, but very good — although Fang Hong was a scholar who had been in office for many years, most of the important mbers of the court still wished to worship him as a teacher. He had three sons in total, each of whom had good foundations, one of them had just taken up the position of the Minister of Housing. Since the years of Yuan He, the noble families had sowhat considered the Fang family to be their lead.
Yet Chang Geng’s expression turned unsightly in an instant.
Li Feng raised his eyebrows, asking: “What’s the matter?”
Chang Geng lifted his robes and knelt down. His face was tense, but he said nothing.
Li Feng asked in surprise: “What are you doing?”
Chang Geng continued to kneel in silence.
No matter how friendly and caring Li Feng could be, he was also the Emperor. When he saw him like this, his face had also changed for the worse. “If there is any dislike about their lady, you can say it, you are Yan Wang, who would be able to force you to get married? Who are you displaying such an expression for?”
“Your subject does not want to,” Chang Geng perford a grand courtesy, his voice also beca different: “Elder sister-in-law is like a mother, Her Highness the Empress’s care was wasted on . My brother should punish .”
Li Feng frowned and said, “What is the reason? Did you hear that there is sothing not good about that lady, or did you have another person in your heart? There are no outsiders here, don’t shy away from anyone, you can say it.”
Chang Geng’s eyes swept around the pavilion, stubbornly refusing to squeak, his eyes were slightly red.
Of course, Li Feng was not trying to find a good marriage for Chang Geng, he would never want to watch the Fang and Yan Wang beco a family. ntioning this matter with ingenuity, in truth, it was because he was not finished with his test, but he did not expect to arouse such a fierce emotion from Yan Wang either. At the mont, he had also beco quite curious. He signaled for the servants inside to withdraw to the outside and await further command.
There were only the two brothers left in the Pavilion. Li Feng said, “Can you speak now?”
Chang Geng offered him a deep bow, but without saying a word, he slowly opened the collar of the court attire.
Li Feng was surprised, standing up abruptly: “This...”
The young Yan Wang‘s chest was covered with old scars. The most striking and frightening one was a burnt wound, placed very close to his throat, it was quite thin, seeming to have been created by being whipped with a hot fire stick.
“Royal Brother, please forgive my impoliteness.” Chang Geng whispered, his voice carried a tremor that was difficult to detect.
As the shock passed, Li Feng imdiately ca to a realization. After a mont of being puzzled, he softened his voice and asked: “Was it... the barbarian woman that ti?”
Chang Geng’s complexion was pale, he slowly pulled his clothes together again.
The fingers that had drawn the bow and shot an arrow through the head of the Dong Ying’s spy trembled violently. He lowered his eyes and whispered, “Although it is the behavior of a coward to disdain the world for one person’s fault, but...”
He gritted his teeth, his voice breaking involuntarily, bowing to the ground: “Fang family’s lady is gracious and prestigious, deserving of soone who could be a life-long support. Your brother has strange temperant, I truly do not like to be close to another. The matter of marriage... Royal Brother, please never ntion it again.”
Li Feng said in astonishnt, “What are you saying? You are a prince, how could there be such a thing as never getting married in your whole life?”
Chang Geng said expressionlessly, “Then Your Majesty might as well take back my royal status and let wander the pugilist world with the monks?”
Li Feng: “...”
Although Yan Wang appeared bright, big-hearted, knowledgeable, and reasonable, but in truth, he could have a lot of petty temper. Moreover, when throwing a fit, he did not cook up a storm either, he had but one sentence: “I am abandoning my duty, find whoever else as you please.”
Li Feng was powerless with him, instantly growing furious and ordering Yan Wang to get out. Yan Wang did not say more either, imdiately and obediently getting away.
A keen servant slowly ran up to him and asked, “Your Highness, do you want to go back to the Grand Council?”
Yan Wang did not necessarily go ho for ten days to half a month. He almost lived in the Grand Council.
Chang Geng stopped for a mont, his focus scattered, seemingly standing in a daze in one place. The servant did not dare to disturb him, staying on one side silently.
“... No,” Chang Geng whispered. “Go ho.”
The old scars on Chang Geng’s body, even Gu Yun had never seen them, he thought it would be a period of ti that could not be touched. But unexpectedly today, it had turned to be a tool for him to stall with Li Feng.
The carriage rumbled across the broad and all-rounded bluestone road of the capital. Chang Geng, who closed his eyes to rest, suddenly opened them.
One day, these things would co to a point of being irrediable.
Soday he would use any ans, even more than he did now.
But he always felt his heart was not uncomfortable, because each step he took was his own decision, he had long thought about it carefully, there was no regret.
All the way back to the cold and quiet Marquis’s manor, he did not disturb anyone, nor did he eat anything, going directly to Gu Yun’s incomparably clean and simple bedroom to lie down, closed his eyes, as if the light dicinal fragrance were still lingering on the blanket.
More than half a month later, after nurous wrangling argunts in the court, Emperor Long An finally rejected the absurd proposal of Yan Wang that the first people who bought the beacon tickets should have official positions and ranks according to the amount of money they spent.
He only promised to the trading group that once the situation would be stable in the future, they would open comrcial roads escorted by the military, to protect them from thieves and bandits. At this ti, the people who bought the Feng Huo tickets could obtain the right to join. No fee was required to qualify for mbership.
And more than a month later, a law shocking the governnt and the countryside ca into effect from top to bottom — the Feng Huo ticket was declared an important indicator for the examination of officials.
The blade of a knife, which no one could see at this ti, slowly ford into shape.
As soon as this decree ca out, the whole world was shocked. The Great Liang court did not treat officials unfairly, salaries were not low. However, the human relations and expenses in the official circles were also high. Especially under Yuan He regency, the national power had been unprecedentedly strong under the iron blood of Emperor Wu, and the extravagant display had sowhat beco a trend. At this ti, officials were encouraged to buy Feng Huo tickets to reinforce their future.
Would this not be the sa as encouraging corruption and fraud?
It had only been a few days, the frontier had caught wind of this.
“Zi Xi!” Shen Yi threw the reins into a personal guard’s hands and charged into the handso tent. He was about to speak, but as he saw Gu Yun had a platinum glass mirror on his nose, he knew that he had not taken any dicine, He swallowed the following words back.
Regarding Gu Yun recently, he did not know what had happened. As long as there was no need to see outsiders, he would take the dicine less and less, as if he intended to be a blind and deaf man with a peaceful state of mind.
Shen Yi raised his hand.
Gu Yun instantly said, “No need, you can say it, I also need to practice lip reading.”
Shen Yi sighed: “... Have you heard about the reform of official administration?”
Gu Yun did know lip reading, but these years, he had been relying on drugs, people around him were also considerate of him and used sign language instead, thus he was not so familiar and have to slowly getting accustod to it. It took a while for him to understand what Shen Yi ant, Gu Yun’s eyebrows slowly wrinkled up, he slowly nodded.
“What is the matter with His Highness Yan Wang? Is he not afraid people will say he is a corrupted official? Even if we can solve the urgent problem for a while, what will we do in the future? Well-known families with money to spare is one thing, will the disciples and students in the country not want to pierce his backbone? You see, he was in charge of the Grand Council alone, already being a large tree easily catching the wind of jealousy, I really...”
Shen Yi’s words were full of worries, as soon as he was worried, his mouth was as fast as a chicken pecking rice, causing Gu Yun to be dizzy looking at him. He could not able to ‘listen’ to more than half of the words, but he understood the last sentence.
Shen Yi: “How is he going to end this in the future?”
Gu Yun was silent.
Shen Yi: “Zi Xi, say sothing.”
“No more fighting.” Gu Yun made a completely off-base answer.
Shen Yi: “...”
He sighed heavily and suspected that Gu Yun had not ‘heard’ what he had said at all. He thought to himself, “Practice lip language my ass, more like training my lip muscles.”
As Shen Yi was planning to change communication thods, Gu Yun spoke up : “I was a little too impatient and rushed in before, served right being exploded by them. Fortunately, there is no real danger here, I have been thinking a lot these days... Jia Lai is not a bunch of scraps like those on the West side. I’m afraid there will be several fierce battles on that side. But as we are right now, we do not have enough money to serve as an inspiration — we need to make a more thorough discussion.”
Shen Yi was stunned: “You are planning to...”
“Our side had dragged the court spinning around,” Gu Yun whispered. “It is ti to rest and recuperate.”
To be Continued...
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