Chapter 230: The First Steps in the Counterattack Against Emperor Hongren! ...
After Qi Chengming studied diligently for another half hour, Xiao Dezi returned, travel-worn, with a message: "The Grand Tutor said that His Highness's marriage should be taken more seriously. This is a list of noble ladies that His Highness had previously investigated."
As he spoke, he carefully took out a roll of paper from his pocket.
"..." Qi Chengming looked helpless. "I told him to offer some advice, not in this kind of matter! Tell the Grand Tutor not to say anything. At this critical juncture, we should focus on the important matters first!"
Xiao Dezi responded listlessly, then turned and went out again.
Despite his complaints, Qi Chengming reluctantly took the list and began to examine it carefully.
He was already sixteen or seventeen years old; young men from ordinary families would be engaged by that age. Now that he had been made crown prince, he would be even less willing to drag other families into this mess, at least until things settled down. But for some reason, his loyal ministers were overly concerned and even excessively worried about this topic.
As long as no one mentions Emperor Hongren, he is still pretending to be deaf and dumb.
In the past two years, he had also asked Shen Shuzhi's family to help investigate the noble ladies in the capital, and then narrowed down the list, trying to have some ideas in mind if Emperor Hongren really brought up this topic in the future. The list that Grand Secretary Mu gave him today is the new list after Qi Chengming's last precise calculation.
Most of them... were daughters or sisters of his loyal subjects. Some were daughters of prominent families in the capital, while others were daughters of officials of humble status but with refined manners. Strictly speaking, Qi Chengming was very familiar with their family backgrounds and names, so much so that he almost wore them out on his skin, but it was of no use.
Qi Chengming's gaze froze, then settled.
etc……
Grand Scholar Mu meticulously wrote a series of notes on this familiar list. Aside from a few individuals whose status wasn't quite up to par, the rest could indirectly accept the Third Princess's invitation to the flower-viewing banquet.
The meaning behind what Grand Scholar Mu wrote is self-evident.
Qi Chengming facepalmed: "..."
"We'll see..." When he thought about how he would be dealing with the Third Princess a lot in the future, which would give him the opportunity to go to the flower viewing banquet, and how Emperor Hongren would be deeply involved in the ticket controversy and unable to attend to him for at least a few months, Qi Chengming felt that this was simply a choice of fate.
How could Grand Tutor Mu seize such a perfect opportunity?!
Qi Chengming sighed and still wrote a reply. This time, meeting Xiao Dezi's expectant gaze, he kindly said, "No rush, I'll send this letter in a couple of days."
"When does Your Highness plan to hold the meeting?" Xiao Dezi breathed a sigh of relief, but was still cautiously confirming the time. Which two days specifically did "two days later" refer to?
"Hmm...you'll find out soon enough. Let's wait until things calm down a bit before we go," Qi Chengming said after a moment's thought.
Nothing happened the next day.
Qi Chengming was studying at the mansion.
Wang Chuandao coldly observed that His Highness the Crown Prince seemed somewhat unsettled today. Reflecting on the recent schemes among the newly reborn officials, he understood the situation. However, Wang Chuandao still put on a serious face and said with a critical yet respectful tone, "Your Highness, please explain yesterday's lessons."
No matter how big the problem is, it cannot interfere with class.
—In Wang Chuandao's memory, the future emperor was far too composed; nothing external could shake his resolve. He was like the moon high in the sky, aloof and detached, forever enigmatic, and rarely interacting with his trusted ministers. In contrast, the current Crown Prince was still too immature, his emotions not entirely restrained.
Although Wang Chuandao couldn't say for sure... which of the two is a good thing? But it is a consensus that a ruler should be more composed.
Qi Chengming snapped out of his reverie, his fingers slightly clenching the thin paper as he organized his thoughts. He said, “In Gaoming County, two villages are vying for a spring. This has been a long-standing dispute, with lingering grudges. Therefore, we must address the root cause. The county government should dig another spring a few hundred paces away, with elders and village leaders overseeing and measuring both springs together, allocating water by the acre. The two springs should be dug together, but not more than one should be dug…”
When Qi Chengming wrote this passage yesterday, he carefully drew a new type of blueprint below, showing how to dig a well and find water.
Wang Chuandao narrowed his eyes and asked critically, "How does Your Highness know that new water can definitely be found there? The land in those two villages in Gaoming County is notoriously barren. The county government has certainly tried to find a solution, but it is a fact that only one spring has been discovered."
"I consulted the map of Gaoming County based on your insights, Grand Tutor. The county annals record that the area around the two villages is low-lying, and the river has changed course in the past. Several attempts to draw water failed, and all we encountered were gravel and rocks. Therefore, there is a high possibility that there are underground water veins here. The old well-drilling methods could not reach deep under the gravel, but mine can." Qi Chengming remained silent.
Wang Chuandao stared intently at him: "..."
Qi Chengming stared at him without looking away.
Finally, Wang Chuandao was the first to look away, closed the county gazetteer, and calmly said, "I will send a letter over to try."
This question was actually testing a ruler's ability to handle disputes. While the Crown Prince did mention how to negotiate, his entire response focused on his ingenious ideas. This consistent style of answering questions made Wang Chuandao vaguely uneasy, yet he couldn't find anything wrong with it.
He knew perfectly well that the new ruler was always right.
Perhaps these difficulties are beyond their control, and the new ruler could find easier solutions with far-fetched ideas, but... that's too extreme. Having witnessed this kind of governance in his previous life, Wang Chuandao remains a timid and standard Confucian minister, hoping that the new ruler can go beyond ingenious ideas and delve deeper into cultivating people's character.
But Wang Chuandao was caught in a dilemma and contradiction.
He couldn't discern whether the new emperor's later illness and death stemmed from his weariness of court intrigues and his inability to withstand suppression. The new emperor Wang Chuandao knew possessed near-saintly virtues, but even saints cannot remain mortal for long, burdened by mundane affairs. The new emperor was a capable and wise ruler, but who knew how long he would be willing to wield those abilities? And when would his limits be reached?
Wang Chuandao said he didn't understand.
He himself was still struggling with the decision, so naturally he couldn't ask His Highness the Crown Prince to do anything. Therefore, today, Wang Chuandao once again compromised on His Highness's studies. Perhaps Grand Scholar Mu could teach His Highness better.
He had made up his mind to stop the highly respected old man and have a good talk with him before the Crown Prince's tutor arrived.
"..."
Qi Chengming was reading the documents from today's class when he was unusually distracted for a moment.
He couldn't guarantee that he had completely convinced Lord Wang; Lord Wang's reaction spoke volumes. But Qi Chengming couldn't argue, because everything he had just said was a process he had painstakingly deduced from the outcome.
The truth is simple: his infrastructure system can see real-time maps of the entire country. It can see the direction and depth of water veins on the map of Gaoming County, know where to drill wells, and also know the depth that the new drilling method can reach.
That's all.
It sounds simple... but in reality, these are technologies that far surpass what this dynasty should have, and he couldn't explain them.
There will be many more situations like this in the future. He doesn't need to explain everything to others. It's enough if some people follow his advice and understand his deeper meaning.
Qi Chengming was also well aware of his weaknesses:
He was a thoroughly modern man, no match for the cunning and scheming old foxes of the bureaucracy. His only advantages were the modern mindset he had acquired, a different perspective on the big picture, and the technology inherent in the infrastructure system. Therefore, until he mastered these skills, he inevitably leaned more towards these methods.
But ultimately—since he had these abilities and resources, why did he choose to exclude them and not use them? Other feudal emperors didn't do this because they didn't have them.
The minor conflict in class has ended.
Qi Chengming noticed that after class today, during the break when Grand Secretary Mu came to teach, the two tutors whispered and discussed something. Soon after, Grand Secretary Mu was about to take Qi Chengming out for another lesson.
This time, the mission was to the Ministry of Personnel to oversee the triennial reshuffling of officials. Grand Secretary Mu wrote a memorial and had a minor official deliver it to the Emperor. He then led Qi Chengming around in silence until they finally found the sealed room where documents detailing changes over the years were kept, allowing Qi Chengming to study the changes himself.
"How come this official was rated as top-tier, and why was he transferred back to the capital this year? This official's rating is similar, and the comments are almost identical, so why was he transferred to a similar position this year? Your Highness, you'll have to figure these things out for yourself." Grand Secretary Mu only hinted at this much.
The young prince buried himself in his books, his eyes gleaming. His expression quickly changed, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "Grand Tutor... this Jia Ye, though from an ordinary family, is quite capable and a rising force in the Jiangnan faction. It was the Minister of Personnel who summoned him back to the capital, and in the same year, the Minister of Personnel also submitted a memorial requesting the return of the official Zhang Zao to the capital. But Father Emperor only approved Jia Ye's return to the capital, not Zhang Zao's."
"...?" Scholar Mu continued to listen.
“Zhang Zao’s ancestral home is Hedong. The Minister of Personnel and Shen Shuzhi were close during those two years. Perhaps this is why the Emperor did not allow him to be promoted and only transferred him to a lateral post,” Qi Chengming recalled.
He didn't just look at the chart of court relationships that Li Banhui sent him a few years ago for nothing.
The Hedong faction already held numerous high-ranking positions in the court, and during those two years, the Third Prince's lineage flourished, maintaining a close relationship with Shen Shuzhi and his apprentice. Emperor Hongren harbored deep concerns, and thus devoted considerable effort to promoting other factions while suppressing the Hedong faction (of Shanxi origin). These seemingly ordinary official transfers, when considered in conjunction with the historical context and interpersonal relationships, reveal much more than meets the eye.
Grand Scholar Mu nodded noncommittally and told him to continue reading.
The young prince didn't seem to like these complicated interpersonal relationships and the adjustments made after their conflicts, but he knew it was important, so he continued learning with a bitter expression. Grand Scholar Mu, however, watched with a sense of satisfaction and joy.
After Lord Wang secretly told him about the problem, he planned to take His Highness the Crown Prince to the Six Ministries for training. If His Majesty couldn't remember the proper way to teach the heir apparent, this old minister could still take the initiative to do it, relying on his seniority. He could just submit a memorial, and His Majesty couldn't do anything about it even if he was angry.
However, from the very beginning, Grand Secretary Mu excluded the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Revenue.
The Ministry of Works' methods, reminiscent of the Mohist school of thought, are exactly what the new emperor excels at. His Highness has already studied and thoroughly understood how to deal with the Ministry of Rites' etiquette and the imperial examinations. As for the Ministry of Revenue's financial problems… the new emperor is frighteningly adept at that as well. Whether it's plugging holes or fabricating problems out of thin air, he's a master. At least Grand Secretary Mu isn't worried about those.
The Ministry of War is not a place His Highness the Crown Prince can visit for the time being.
His Highness the Minister of Justice was also able to handle it.
That leaves only the Ministry of Personnel. It just so happens that His Highness the Crown Prince dislikes these positions… He lacks experience and needs more training.
Grand Secretary Mu stroked his beard and nodded. They had been working day and night in the Six Ministries these past two days, which also helped them avoid the upcoming turmoil.
...
Sure enough, on the third day.
During court, someone openly stepped forward and passionately presented ten charges of treason, impeaching the Wang family of Taiyuan for colluding with multiple regions to privately mint coins, forming close-knit groups, and attempting to become "rulers within the state," which was utterly rebellious.
The courtiers were in an uproar, and Emperor Hongren, sitting at the head of the table, turned ashen-faced.
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Author's note: This big storm is coming, let's launch a counterattack against Old Deng!
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