Chapter 83 Undercurrents
Master Chen walked out with heavy steps. He stood in front of the steps in a daze, staring blankly at the smooth stone steps under his feet. He couldn't understand why he had gone down the path instead of going up.
"Master Chen?" Doctor Cui called out, "What's wrong? Are you sick?"
Master Chen raised his head, saw the other person's face clearly, then lowered his head again, silently walked down the stone steps, and left with slumped shoulders.
Zhao Xingwu was startled when he saw Chen Yuanwai's appearance. He quickly went to help him up and took him into the duty room. He then arranged to fetch water.
"Sir, please wipe your face." Zhao Xingwu carefully handed over a handkerchief.
Master Chen shook off his hand and cursed in a hoarse voice, "Get out."
Zhao Xingwu immediately scrambled out. As the door closed, the room fell into darkness. Chen Yuanwai, hidden in the shadows, removed his official hat and placed it on the table, staring intently. He carefully recalled the events of the past year. The fame of paper-made funerary objects in Chang'an, the establishment of the free school, and its inclusion under the Ministry of Rites were all his achievements. It could be said that he deserved the greatest credit for the appearance of paper-made sacrificial offerings in the Fengshan ceremony.
“Sir…” Zhao Xingwu saw the door open, went up to him and asked, “Sir, it’s time to finish your shift, where are you going?”
"Go to the Dali Temple." Master Chen was furious. He finally realized that Du Min, a newly appointed official, could not be swayed by his words alone. The main reason for his rapid decline in his official career was today's events. The Chief Justice of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Director of the Imperial Household Department had set a trap for him.
When Master Chen arrived at the Dali Temple, Chief Justice Lu had already finished his shift and left. He then went to Chief Justice Lu's house, only to be told that Chief Justice Lu had not returned. Furious, he waited at Chief Justice Lu's house until curfew was approaching before Chief Justice Lu finally returned.
"Eh? Lord Chen? What are you doing at my house? What's the matter that's so urgent? Curfew is about to start." Lu Sizheng walked into the reception room unhurriedly.
"Master Lu, we have no grudge against each other, why are you framing me?" Master Chen asked bluntly.
"What do you mean? I'm truly innocent." Lu Sizheng looked wronged, but remained completely calm.
"It was your idea to send the craftsmen from the Imperial Household Department to help at the free school," Master Chen said resentfully. "Why did you invite me to dinner out of the blue? Was it to help the Imperial Household Department? You two conspired to set me up."
Lu Sizheng shook his head. "Lord Chen, you've wronged me. I only said that paper effigies made by country women are not worthy of being presented in a refined manner. Now, they've suddenly become something else and are going to appear at the Fengshan ceremony. It's really ironic. These things don't even have a proper name or a decent origin. If the Emperor asks about them, you won't even be able to put up a proper platform."
Master Chen was speechless. It was his greed that made him want to elevate the status of paper effigies after hearing these words. The same item made by a country woman and made by a craftsman from the Imperial Household Department had vastly different statuses.
"You remember now? You said the school was short-staffed and wanted to borrow craftsmen from the Imperial Household Department to help, and asked me to act as your go-between. You said that yourself, didn't you?" Lu Sizheng looked helpless. "I was just trying to help you, I put in a good relationship, and I said a lot of nice things to the Imperial Household Department. How come you're complaining about me in the end? What did I get out of this?"
Master Chen knew in his heart that Lu was not innocent, but he couldn't find any evidence against him. He also didn't understand what Lu Sizheng was after. How could Lu Sizheng, the head of the Dali Temple, have anything to do with paper effigies and funerary objects? Why would he go to such lengths to frame him?
"Have I offended you?" Master Chen asked.
"Have you offended me?" Lu Si asked with a smile. "If you had offended me, would I have helped you find out what Dugu Ying was saying? No, you haven't offended me, and you can't offend me. My surname is Lu, and I come from the Lu family of Fanyang. If you had offended me, it wouldn't be worth me going to such lengths to take revenge."
Master Chen finally grasped a glimmer of hope. He had almost no relationship with Lu Sizheng and had no opportunity to interact with him in official circles. Why would Lu Sizheng be willing to help him find out what Dugu Shi was saying?
“You were interested in paper-made funerary objects from the beginning; you came here for that,” he said definitively.
Lu Sizheng smiled with satisfaction. This old fool had finally figured it out, but he still refused to admit it: "My lord, do you remember that I work at the Dali Temple? How could I possibly have designs on paper effigies and funerary objects? To be honest, like Dugu Shi, I look down on these rural things."
He never told a lie in front of Master Chen. It was true that he thought paper-made funerary objects were rustic and unworthy of being presented in a refined setting.
Master Chen no longer believed him. "Yes, you are the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review. The Court of Judicial Review is not an easy department. How could a fifth-rank official like you have the leisure to bother with me, a mere Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites? I don't believe you have no ulterior motives."
“There’s nothing I can do if you don’t believe me.” Lu Sizheng shrugged. He heard the night watchman’s drum and said, “It’s curfew. You can’t go home tonight. Stay at my house. I’ll have the servants prepare a room for you.”
After calming down, Master Chen nodded and said, "Thank you for your help."
"Lord Chen, you're too kind." Lu Sizheng stood up, then, remembering something, asked again perfunctorily, "You've confused me with your questions, I don't even know what happened."
"The Imperial Household Department wants to compete with the Ministry of Rites for the task of making paper offerings, and I have become the sinner of the Ministry of Rites." Master Chen looked up at Master Lu and said solemnly, "I came here tonight not to cause you trouble, but to understand why I lost. I fell into your trap from the beginning, and it was inevitable that I would fall into the trap. Now that I understand, I will not make things difficult for myself."
Lu Sizheng remained silent.
Master Chen stood up and said to his servant, "Where is my lodging? Lead me there."
The servant looked at his master, Lu Sizheng, who nodded and watched Master Chen walk into the night. After the man left, he crossed his legs and sneered. It was inevitable that he would fall for the trick, even if he was just pretending. Anyone with a brain wouldn't fall straight into the pit.
*
Two days later, Vice Minister Zheng met with Prime Minister Lu. The Minister of Rites was with the Emperor in Luoyang. In recent years, whenever the Minister of Rites was not in Chang'an, Vice Minister Zheng would report to Prime Minister Lu on official business.
After finishing his official report, Vice Minister Zheng said with a smile, "I wonder when Your Excellency will have some free time? I would like to invite you to visit the free school that the Ministry of Rites has been working hard to establish, and please take a look at the paper offerings that will be used in the Fengshan ceremony."
Prime Minister Lu glanced at him.
"I dare to guess that you are interested in paper offerings," Minister Zheng added.
"It's going to be part of the Fengshan ceremony, so I can't be uninterested," said Prime Minister Lu. "After I finish my shift today, I'll go with you."
"Yes, I will arrange it immediately. The Director of the Imperial Household Department is also interested in this matter, I will go and invite him to come along." Zheng Shilang said tactfully. Lu Si was serving in the Dali Temple, so no matter how much he meddles in the matter of paper offerings, he wouldn't get a share of the profits. There must be someone directing things behind the scenes.
Prime Minister Lu nodded in satisfaction.
...
At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), the Director of the Imperial Household Department arrived at the Ministry of Rites. After meeting with the Vice Minister of Rites, the two went together to the Hall of State Affairs to wait for Prime Minister Lu. After Prime Minister Lu finished his business, the three of them took a carriage to the charity school in Chang Le Fang.
Meng Qing and Du Min had already received the letter, and she had sent all the apprentices in the school away in advance. When Prime Minister Lu's carriage stopped outside the gate, there were only the four members of their family in the school, along with the paper effigies of funerary objects arranged in the front yard.
Du Min, along with his elder brother and sister-in-law, bowed in greeting. Prime Minister Lu nodded, "No need for formalities, please lead us inside."
Du Min stepped forward and led Prime Minister Lu and the others inside, explaining, "There have only been six days since we learned of the Emperor's decree to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai. We haven't had time to make too many paper offerings, so we currently only have these three sacrificial animals."
Prime Minister Lu did not express his opinion. He stood in front of the paper pig, cow and sheep and examined them closely. The paper cow and sheep were dark amber in color, with a glass-like luster, while the paper pig was completely black.
"Why not just one color?" Prime Minister Lu asked.
Du Min looked at Meng Qing and gave her the opportunity to shine.
Meng Qing stepped forward and explained, “The pig’s body is plump and its hooves and legs are short. Black would make it look more dignified and would also highlight the pig’s shape. I have also made a paper pig in brass, the same color as the cow and sheep. After it was finished, the pig looked like a smoked pork and was not very attractive. I also plan to make the same sacrificial offerings in two colors. I would like to ask the Vice Minister to decide whether it should be black or brass.”
"Once it's finished, I will invite the Prime Minister to make a decision," Vice Minister Zheng replied.
Prime Minister Lu thought for a moment and said, "Your Ministry of Rites can decide for yourselves."
Upon hearing this, Minister Zheng immediately understood that the paper offerings had passed the Prime Minister's approval and could be presented at the Fengshan ceremony.
The Imperial Household Supervisor walked around the sacrificial offerings and nitpicked, saying, "If I'm not mistaken, this is made of mulberry bark paper, isn't it? The paper is too soft and wrinkles easily, which damages the luster of the offerings. The brush used for applying the glue is also of poor quality. Look, the glue marks here are too obvious, and there are still bristles from the brush here."
“The paper used to make brass paper oxen needs to be soaked in tung oil to make it waterproof and moisture-proof. Tung oil is very oily and sticky, and any paper will wrinkle when soaked in tung oil,” Meng Qing explained. “As for the brush, I can’t refute it. The brush with glue on it is the same as the brush my third brother used to write with, just an ordinary brush in a bookstore.”
"Is this thing waterproof and moisture-proof?" Prime Minister Lu asked.
"Replying to you, sir, the paper offerings we make won't get wet even when soaked in the river, and they can withstand rain and snow," Meng Qing replied.
"Bring two buckets of water and pour it on," Prime Minister Lu ordered.
Upon hearing this, Du Li went to the backyard to fetch water.
Two buckets of water were poured on it. Prime Minister Lu, the Director of the Imperial Household Department, and Vice Minister Zheng all came closer to examine it closely. The Director of the Imperial Household Department glanced at Vice Minister Zheng and asked, "Your Excellency, don't you know this thing is waterproof and moisture-proof?"
"I don't know, Scholar Du's explanation wasn't thorough enough," said Vice Minister Zheng.
"It was my oversight," Du Min said again. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the water off the paper ox and said, "Wu County is rainy, and the selling point of paper funerary objects being waterproof and moisture-proof is very effective in Wu County."
Prime Minister Lu nodded in satisfaction.
“My lords, paper effigies look beautiful when they are burned. Would you like to see them?” Meng Qing guessed that these three had never seen what paper effigies looked like when they were burned.
“Alright, light it.” Minister Zheng immediately replied.
Du Li hurriedly went back to the backyard to get a candle and lit it. He returned to the front yard, held the candle, and stuffed it into the mouth of the paper cow. Flames leaped up, and he then fed the paper sheep and paper pigs with the fire.
Those present retreated. The Imperial Household Supervisor witnessed the fire burning ever brighter within the paper effigy. The outermost amber-colored skin remained unburnt and unbroken under the intense heat of the flames, turning a translucent golden yellow. After a few breaths, the flames broke free and leaped out, and the paper effigy, its internal organs scorched, quickly transformed into a large fireball before burning out just as fast. After the flames disappeared, only three clumps of black ash remained on the ground.
"Minister Zheng, the task of making paper offerings is arduous. To ensure the success of the Fengshan ceremony, our craftsmen from the Imperial Household Department will come to supervise and assist." Having witnessed this scene before, the Imperial Household Department was determined to take a share of the profits.
When Vice Minister Zheng summoned him today, he was already planning to share the credit. He was heartbroken, but he generously said, "The Directorate of Imperial Household is in charge of all crafts and skills, so this matter should naturally be handled by you. However, the free school belongs to our Ministry of Rites, so the person in charge should be someone from our Ministry of Rites."
"It's only right." The Director of the Imperial Household Department was already satisfied that he could tear off a piece of meat.
Seeing that the two had reached an agreement, Prime Minister Lu said nothing more. As it was getting dark, he said, "The curfew is approaching, we should go."
Vice Minister Zheng and the Director of the Imperial Household Department left together, and Meng Qing's family saw them off.
Watching the carriage drive out of the alley, Du Min's face revealed a gleeful smile. As soon as he entered the door, he couldn't help but say gloatingly, "Master Chen is finished. He probably won't be able to stay in the Ministry of Rites anymore."
“He’s fallen. You need to be careful, or you might fall into someone else’s trap,” Meng Qing warned. “The paper effigies have attracted the Prime Minister and the Director of the Imperial Household Department. It shows how many people are watching us. Luckily, Master Chen was greedy and affiliated the charity school with the Ministry of Rites. Without the Ministry of Rites as a backer, we would be finished.”
“The third brother also has a greedy problem,” Du Li added.
“Not being greedy is not suitable for being an official, but for becoming a Buddha. But I’m not afraid, I still have my second sister-in-law as my advisor. With her reminding me, I can control my greed.” Du Min ran in front of Meng Qing and bowed deeply, “Second sister-in-law, please accept my bow again.”
"Alright, you'll have to rely on yourself." Du Li pushed him aside. "You sweep away the ashes, and we'll make dinner."
Du Min was annoyed by his interference. "I'm talking to my second sister-in-law, don't interrupt."
Du Li ignored him.
Meng Qing glanced at Du Li, then said thoughtfully, "Third brother, the craftsmen from the Imperial Household Department might arrive tomorrow. Now that I have help, you don't need to stay at home anymore. Go to the Ministry of Rites more often and take this opportunity to make more connections."
“Okay.” Du Min also had this plan.
*
The following day, the Imperial Household Department sent fifteen craftsmen, along with five cartloads of kudzu paper and a box of deer hair brushes. The deer hair brushes were soft and more suitable for applying glue.
From then on, Meng Qing began to teach the craftsmen how to make paper offerings. These people were indeed royal artisans; by October, they were able to independently complete a series of steps, including bone-binding, fattening, and paper-mounting, for the paper offerings.
After being relieved of her teaching duties, Meng Qing had a new idea. She wanted to develop new products and make paper effigies of funerary objects stand out at the Fengchan Ceremony, attracting the attention of the powerful and wealthy.
On the eighth day of the tenth month, the Vice Minister of Rites led officials from the Ministry of Rites to visit the paper offerings and select the colors and styles of the paper offerings.
“My lord, my second sister-in-law has something to discuss with you. Would you mind coming to see me?” Du Min said as he walked to the side of the Vice Minister of Rites.
After leaving the crowd, Vice Minister Zheng followed him and revealed, "You made a significant contribution to the appearance of paper offerings at the Fengshan ceremony. Next year, all officials will accompany the emperor to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony. Although you have no official rank, you are still considered a member of our Ministry of Rites. I have already added your name to the list."
Du Min was overjoyed. He quickly thanked him and asked, "Sir, can my brother and sister-in-law come along? If the paper offerings get damaged on the way, they can come along and fix them."
“It should be craftsmen from the Imperial Household Department who are accompanying him,” said Minister Zheng.
Du Min's expression darkened.
"This humble woman greets Lord Zheng." Meng Qing stepped forward and bowed.
Wang Zhou followed behind her and awkwardly gave a bow as well.
When Vice Minister Zheng saw this, he smiled and asked, "What is it?"
"I've heard that the Holy Woman is very fond of Buddhism, so I had a sudden idea to make something special with the paper offerings. I'll use paper covered with Buddhist scriptures to cover them. That way, when the offerings are burned, the animal hides will have a glassy texture, making the Buddhist verses even more prominent. And when the glue melts, the characters will appear to be floating and leaping in the air. It will definitely be amazing," Meng Qing said. "I wonder if Your Excellency has the time? If you do, you could copy a few stacks of Buddhist scriptures and send them over."
Upon hearing this, Vice Minister Zheng suddenly perked up. What a brilliant idea! In this way, the Director of the Imperial Household Department wouldn't be able to steal his thunder.
“Alright, I’ll write it.” Vice Minister Zheng readily agreed. He was overjoyed and changed his mind, saying, “Your whole family can go to Mount Tai with the officials’ procession. I’ll make the arrangements.”
Du Min immediately beamed with joy.
Meng Qing was delighted, but after thinking it over, she declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, but the three of us will not go."
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