Chapter 143 Military rations are separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, yet even a few kind words are not enough...
"Over the years I've spent in Yifeng Pavilion, listening and observing for others, and I've come to see that the current situation is turbulent. I have nothing to repay Commander Gao's kindness with, but with just one word, the system of hereditary privilege will surely be abolished. But then again, dynasties rise and fall, and there are also aristocratic families that have lasted for a thousand years. My lord, you should make plans as soon as possible."
As the night deepened and the dew grew heavy, Gao Guan stood alone before the tightly closed gates of the Princess's residence.
He didn't ask anyone to announce his arrival, nor did he knock on the door loudly.
In a moment of euphoria, I spurred my horse and galloped here, only then did I carefully consider the meaning of Li Yujing's words.
The abolition of hereditary privilege by the Jiang family's Jiang Wende lineage was just the beginning. He was not unaware of the rumors circulating in the court; it was likely that the new policies were already on the imperial desk, and the hereditary privilege system would be uprooted sooner or later.
The "Records of Ten Thousand Officials" is the foundation of the hereditary system, and it was written by the eldest princess. As the eldest princess's power and position grew, she might be able to preserve her hereditary status. Even if the old system collapsed in the future, those who entered the eldest princess's household would not necessarily be without a way out.
Since Emperor Zhenyuan took over the Agriculture and Sericulture Bureau from the Secretariat, the Princess has lived a secluded life for many years, only appearing to deal with matters of national importance. She seems to be indifferent to power, so although he had long wanted to serve her, he had not yet expressed his loyalty.
Li Yujing reminded him.
If one is truly indifferent to fame and fortune, why would one need to control the fate of a courtesan at Yifeng Pavilion? Who is this person Li Yujing speaks of as someone who listens and sees for others? At first glance, Gao Guan assumed it was Sheng Yu'an. But upon further reflection, considering her statement that her fate was in the hands of the Eldest Princess, all his guesses became clear.
The door hinges turned, not because the main gate was wide open, but because a side gate, used for emergency passage, opened.
A white-faced, beardless eunuch dressed in a dark blue official's robe leaned out, his sharp eyes quickly scanning Gao Guan and the empty street behind him. Then, his expression and demeanor became respectful, and he stepped aside to invite someone out.
Rong Jun cupped his hands in greeting: "Commander Gao? This is the residence of the Eldest Princess. No one may enter without being summoned. It's past midnight. What are you doing here, Commander?"
Gao Guan offered no pleasantries or explanations, but stated directly, "Gao Guan from the Southern Court has urgent business to discuss with Her Highness the Princess."
The west wing of the Princess's residence was shrouded in gloom, except for the study, which was usually kept closed and lit. The servants and guards in the residence all knew that when the candle in the Princess's study burned this late, she was most likely looking at old grain tax documents.
With the iron letterbox beside him, Xie Wenjun unfolded the letter from the northern border; it was written in Chen Liangyu's own handwriting.
To secure the northern border, Chen Liangyu planned to build beacon towers in Yunya Military Town and Hudong, incorporating these two locations into the territory of Dalin. However, the Ministry of Revenue and the Secretariat encountered problems with grain tax, and after the merging of post stations, the post roads were cut off, causing delays in the transport of money and grain to the northern border.
The handwritten letter was delivered to Xie Wenjun, and there should also be an urgent memorial to be sent to the palace. Chen Liangyu knew that the various departments in Yongdu were slow in their work and that the administration was sluggish, so she had no choice but to ask Xie Wenjun to urge them on.
The letter was written on coarse hemp paper commonly used in the military, each stroke of which was stiff and unyielding. The entire letter was formal and businesslike, ending with just a single sentence: "Wishing Your Highness well."
Xie Wenjun put the letter aside and chuckled softly at the empty study.
She recalled that when they parted, even in such an urgent military situation, they still knew to kiss goodbye. Now, separated by thousands of miles, they didn't even bother to say a few sweet words.
I feel like something's missing from this letter.
The corridor outside the study was extremely quiet. Rong Jun stopped at the door. "Your Highness, Commander Gao Guan requests an audience."
Xie Wenjun put away the iron letter tube, burned the letter, and threw it into the ashes of the incense burner.
Gao Guan was still waiting outside the Princess's residence. The side gate opened and closed again, and Rong Jun came out of the residence again, slightly stepping aside to make way for the narrow passage of the side gate: "Commander Gao, His Highness invites you."
Inside the gate was not the vermilion and gold-painted mansion of a noble family that Gao Guan had imagined. There was only a plain blue brick wall around the entrance. There were no rare and exotic decorations in the courtyard. Instead, there were some farm tools such as waterwheels and curved plows lined up side by side. The fields by the road were divided into rows, with green vegetables growing and bearing bean pods. At first glance, the princess's mansion looked more like a larger farmhouse.
Rong Jun led Gao Guan to a side hall, then stepped back to stand beside Xie Wenjun.
"Someone, bring tea." Xie Wenjun said, "What brings Lord Gao here so late at night?"
Gao Guan bowed respectfully. “The Imperial Guards have recently added many sentries to the palace. Judging from the unusual atmosphere, Yongdu is likely to experience some turmoil again. I was thinking about this and came to ask Your Highness whether it is necessary to deploy the Sixteen Guards to strengthen security outside the residence, so as to avoid any unexpected incidents that might disturb Your Highness?”
"The addition of Imperial Guards to the posts is a movement within the palace. The Sixteen Guards are in charge of patrolling the entire Yongdu, not protecting this palace. The Sixteen Guards should each perform their duties, and there will be no chaos here."
Gao Guan was a military officer, and his speech was difficult to understand if it was slightly off-key.
As soon as Xie Wenjun finished speaking, he remained bowing, his neck stiffening, unable to find a suitable word for a long time. He had originally thought that Xie Wenjun would have some reservations, and the prepared excuse of "better to have it than not" was stuck in his throat.
"Your Highness's safety is of utmost importance..."
Gao Guan wanted to come up with some more arguments, but seeing Xie Wenjun calm and composed, as if he wasn't talking about any unusual movements by the Imperial Guards, but rather that some merchant family had hired a few more thugs.
If he continues, it will seem like he's making a mountain out of a molehill.
"This humble official understands."
Just as Gao Guan was about to bow and take his leave, halfway up his hand, Xie Wenjun asked, "Does Lord Gao have a cousin who works at the Shipyard in Zhuodong, in charge of the grain transport ships there?"
Gao Guan nodded hurriedly, "Yes, that's true. My cousin is the director of the Shipyard and has been in Zhudong for seven years."
“Hmm,” Xie Wenjun nodded, his tone calm. “A batch of military rations will soon be shipped from Zhudong to the northern border via the Grand Canal, passing right through his territory. This batch of rations is of great importance, and there may be delays along the way. Please pass on a message to him, telling him to pay close attention and keep a close eye on things to prevent any mishaps.”
Xie Wenjun paused, then added, "No need to make a fuss. Just let him check the escorts according to the regulations, and don't delay things."
Gao Guan quickly composed himself and replied, "This humble official understands. I will take care of it at dawn and will certainly not let Your Highness worry."
This time, his reply was much more efficient than before. Compared to dealing with those political upheavals, he was always better at handling practical matters like this.
***
The northern army's food supplies were delayed, and the funding for the new beacon towers was also in arrears. Xie Yuan questioned the officials in court in a stern voice, and the voices of the six ministers in the Chongzheng Hall rose one after another.
Minister of Revenue Xun Shutai first took his tablet and reported, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue has already issued the documents for the allocation of funds and grain. I would like to ask Minister Sheng of the Ministry of War whether the transportation capacity was not adjusted in time, which almost caused a delay in military operations?"
Minister of War Sheng Xiuyuan's hair stood on end. "Absurd! How can the Ministry of War be blamed for the delay in military supplies to the northern border? It's clearly due to the hasty dismantling of the postal stations, resulting in delayed news from many places and insufficient transport capacity. Before dismantling the postal stations, did they consider the urgent needs of the border military? Now that the postal routes are paralyzed, even fast horses will take much longer. Are we, the Ministry of War, supposed to carry the grain to the northern border by hand? Moreover, the grain tax accounts are unclear, and it's questionable whether the funds and grain allocated by the Ministry of Revenue are sufficient. Don't the Ministry of Revenue and the Secretariat bear any responsibility?"
The focus immediately shifted to the Central Secretariat.
Grand Secretary Cheng Lingdian said, “The abolition of the post stations is to save money for the country and eliminate redundant personnel. This is His Majesty’s decision and a policy advocated by Han Sheren, which is known to everyone in the court and the public. The proposal to abolish the stations has also been carefully considered. As for the slight obstacles that occurred during the implementation, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War failed to respond in time. This is the responsibility of the practical matters. How can it be attributed to the decision made by the Grand Secretariat?”
Minister of Works Tang Shiqiong seized the opportunity to smooth things over, saying, "Gentlemen, please don't argue. The most urgent matter right now is the funding for repairing the beacon towers. The Ministry of Works has already prepared the craftsmen and materials at the border, but the Ministry of Revenue has encountered a problem with the allocation of funds and provisions, and the money is delayed. If the Northern Yong takes advantage of this situation and fails to raise the beacon fires, who can bear the responsibility for this loss of territory?"
...
For a moment, the hall was filled with a great commotion.
The six ministries and the central government blamed each other and shirked their responsibilities.
The urgent reports of delayed military rations rolled around in the court for days. The Six Ministries and the Secretariat argued incessantly for days, from the blockage of the Grand Canal to the Ministry of Revenue's money, from the abolition of the post stations to border checks. Spits flew all over the hall. No matter how angry and urging the emperor was, the ministries could not come up with a feasible solution.
In the waterside pavilion of the Princess's residence, several small white porcelain dishes, each containing different seeds, were placed on a bluestone table. Fish in the water were vying for the food.
Gu Xie waved his folding fan, and in front of him, the agricultural book was filled with densely packed characters written in tiny characters.
Xie Wenjun bent down and approached the small butterflies, crushing the rice seeds in her palm. "The late rice we tried planting last year was always a little underdeveloped. The seeds of this Hezhou rice have a thinner seed coat and can head about ten days earlier."
The river channels in Hezhou are silted up twice a year, but the rice varieties grown there actually grow better than those grown elsewhere.
Xie Wenjun said to the old gardener standing behind her, "Go and fetch last year's rice sample."
Gu Xie said, "My sister and I inquired and found that the grain transport convoy to the northern border was first stopped for two days by the Ministry of Revenue under the pretext of 'accounts pending verification,' and then delayed for three days by the Ministry of War under the pretext that 'the guards for the grain have not yet been assembled.' It is clear that someone deliberately blocked it. The urgent messages urging for money and grain arrived in Yongdu a few days ago, and these people have been attacking each other for a few days. No matter how loudly they talk, they haven't done anything of real importance."
The dismissal of redundant officials and the abolition of favoritism were like knives that would tear the hearts of countless people apart. The court officials dared not openly defy the imperial decree, so they used the pretext of military provisions to slack off.
"It's the same old thing again."
"The war in the north is critical, yet they are using the lives of their soldiers as bargaining chips, making a fuss over military rations and supplies, all in an attempt to force the emperor to stop thinking about abolishing the hereditary system." Gu Xie closed his folding fan. "Let them argue. Eventually, they will lose their argument and one side will have to give in. Then we'll see."
Xie Wenjun said, "Let them argue. When they're tired of arguing, Chen Liangyu will starve to death in the northern border, which will just be what Zhai Ji wanted."
Gu Xie leaned back, "If I had known Your Highness wouldn't let the storm rage on and remain calm on the sidelines, this would truly be a case of the snipe and the clam fighting, exhausting the fisherman."
"Go and convey my decree: Xiling Yunshan County and Yunzhou should open their granaries immediately. The two major granaries directly under the Imperial Household in Zhudong County, namely the Imperial Treasury Granary and the Imperial Granary, should be opened simultaneously. All stored grain and fodder should be transported via the Grand Canal and sent directly to the northern border. The grain transported by private grain merchants to the north should be intercepted and purchased by the local government at market prices. Temporary grain should be levied on local gentry and landlords along the way, and local governments should issue IOUs for repayment in the future, or it can be converted into donations or tax deductions."
The arrangements were meticulous and thorough, as if the food shortages and transportation routes in the northern border had been mentally reviewed countless times.
No matter how fierce the struggle within the Chongzheng Hall, once she made a move, the entire game came to a head.
Xie Wenjun said to Gu Xie, "You shall handle this matter personally."
Gu Xie pointed to himself with his fan, "Shall I go and do it?"
“Where among the Six Ministries and Nine Temples are there not scholars from humble backgrounds who have graduated from Hanhong Academy? The storm has already begun; if we don’t step forward now, when will we?”
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