SEHE Chapter 94

Recognition

To serve as officials in the same court with close and intimate relations meant being of the same faction.

This was both a threat and an attempt to win him over.

“So after going around in such a big circle, this is what Pei Daren means.” Chen Sihong said, “The Imperial Academy is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites, and I have a good relationship with Minister Zheng. Whether externally or internally, we can all be considered family.”

“From Daren’s reaction just now, Daren’s attitude toward this humble official and toward Minister Zheng doesn’t seem like that toward family,” Pei Yanci said, looking up obliquely. “In the end, Chen Daren also treats us differently.”

“Minister Zheng is also doing this for your own good, which is why he gave me extra instructions about you. Rest assured, if he agrees, I’ll be the first to submit those proposals you have.”

Although these words still deflected like before, his attitude had improved considerably.

“Actually, this humble official feels that Chen Daren should indeed treat us differently,” Pei Yanci said with a smile as he stood up. “This humble official has already submitted the documents to Daren. Recently, this humble official will also visit the Zheng residence to see Minister Zheng. At that time, Daren will know what the aristocratic families’ attitude toward the Imperial Academy is.”

Chen Sihong watched his departing back and picked up the documents that had been pressed under his hand since earlier, his gaze somewhat uncertain and suspicious.

He couldn’t quite grasp this person’s intentions.

He wanted to settle accounts after the fact for being manipulated before, kept saying he had evidence, yet didn’t produce it. Naturally, he wouldn’t take such threats seriously, but looking at his attitude, it felt like someone was backing him up. It seemed like an attack on him, yet also like an attempt to win him over. In any case, he was being targeted.

The Crown Prince?

Pei Yanci had indeed followed the Crown Prince for quite a long time before.

He also knew about the subtle relationship between the Crown Prince and Minister Zheng.

Now that Minister Zheng was suspended at home, the Crown Prince couldn’t possibly not take the opportunity to suppress the Zheng faction and win over support to strengthen his own power.

Pei Yanci speaking this way felt like a signal.

The balance between them seemed about to be broken.

After much thought, Chen Sihong ultimately decided to wait and see.

The day after the minor morning court session, he left as usual, but heard the Chief Overseer of the Elu Bureau call out from above, “Minister Chen of the Ministry of Rites.”

The hair on Chen Sihong’s back instantly stood on end, cold sweat dripping profusely.

“Please speak, Dugong.”

After the others slowly left the hall, he heard a clear voice come from behind the golden gauze, “Minister Chen handles myriad affairs daily and shouldn’t be disturbed, but last month Daren went to Hezhou, and the official report had many unclear points.”

Chen Sihong hurriedly said, “This humble official will go revise it immediately and submit it to Dugong for review tomorrow.”

“You haven’t done your duties well, yet you’re quite active in other matters. His Majesty was just wondering about this—how should this lord respond? Even if I wanted to put in a good word for you, there’s no way to begin.”

“Yes, I must trouble Dugong Daren to speak well of me before His Majesty. This humble official will come to the residence to express gratitude in the coming days.”

Just these few words were enough to make Chen Sihong come out drenched in sweat. All along the way, he pondered what Tang Xizhui meant by “other matters,” but couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard he tried.

Recently, the Ministry of Rites hadn’t assigned him any major tasks—all were routine affairs.

Suddenly, a light flashed in his mind.

Right! The matter of the Imperial Academy’s coordination rights.

After he arrived, he had only met with the Emperor together with Qi Xiang regarding this matter.

In recent years, the Emperor hadn’t concerned himself with government affairs. All matters, large and small, were handled by Tang Xizhui. Whatever they agreed upon below, if the Elu Bureau also approved, they never heard of the Emperor pursuing it afterward.

Could it be that the Emperor had some complaints about having only the Ministry of Rites handle the imperial examinations?

The sweat on Chen Sihong’s face poured out even more profusely—no longer hot sweat, but cold sweat.

He swallowed and remembered that just yesterday, Pei Yanci had mentioned this matter to him. Somehow, he had left loose ends in this affair, and this person had seized the evidence and filed a complaint before the Emperor.

Otherwise, why would His Majesty suddenly become curious about something that had already passed?

Originally, he had wanted to use the establishment of the Educational Affairs Bureau to hold back the Imperial Academy and gain some benefits. Who would have thought he’d be outmaneuvered by a teenager?

What should he do about this?

He pondered all night, and the next day quietly went to the Zheng residence.

“Teacher, this student has been targeted by the Crown Prince.” His voice was somewhat urgent.

The Great Yu officialdom had always had the tradition of taking teachers, especially after each triennial imperial examination. Candidates coming to the capital would visit powerful figures in the capital under various pretexts to take them as mentors. After receiving their guidance, they would immediately become enlightened and could achieve rankings in the imperial examination, advancing in official position.

This was also a shortcut for those without power or influence who wanted to advance.

“Stand up and speak. After all these years, you’re still rash and impetuous, unable to keep your composure.” Zheng Qinglai leisurely sipped his tea.

Chen Sihong stood up and said, “The Crown Prince sent your adopted son to harm me. Clearly, he could have impeached me at the time, but instead waited for this student to make mistakes, seized the evidence, and then attacked. And I once thought this Crown Prince was a good one.”

“If my adopted son had someone impeach you, would you be happy then, thinking you wouldn’t be in such a difficult position as now?”

“Aiya, what are you saying? Of course not happy. Tell me, will His Majesty think this student is grasping too much power?”

What he didn’t fear was anything else—he feared this Emperor. In recent years, his suspicions had grown severe, his moods unpredictable. He could kill even his own sons at will. Who in the court didn’t fear him?

“How do you know His Majesty’s thoughts?” Zheng Qinglai asked knowingly.

“That eunuch from the Elu Bureau mentioned it casually,” Chen Sihong answered.

After this sentence, he waited for quite a while without receiving a response. Unable to help himself, he called out in confusion, “Teacher?”

At this moment, what lingered in Zheng Qinglai’s mind was what Pei Yanci had said a few days ago.

“Go back first. Do what you should do, don’t do what you shouldn’t.”

“Yes.”

Chen Sihong left the Zheng residence anxiously.

Less than an hour later, Pei Yanci was invited to the Zheng residence.

“Minister Zheng.”

“You’ve already approached Chen Sihong?”

“Recently, the Imperial Academy has been quite active, and everything requires Minister Chen’s approval,” Pei Yanci said. This lazy donkey Chen Sihong wouldn’t know to come find his master unless prodded from above.

“Don’t beat around the bush with me talking about useless things. There are no outsiders here.” Zheng Qinglai put down his teacup heavily on the table.

People in court all loved speaking in riddles, and the higher their status and position, the more they loved to speak this way. This was the precious experience passed down by countless predecessors over hundreds of years. They went from initial disgust to later adaptation, finally using it flexibly, becoming guardians of these unwritten rules—this was inevitable.

This greatly reduced their own risks and conveyed an image of mysterious inscrutability to subordinates, but it also had problems of distorted information transmission and low information content.

Pei Yanci was a little fox. He was too lazy to deal with such maneuvering, yet couldn’t afford to be careless.

“Let’s not hide things anymore. A few days ago, you told me the Ministry of Rites intended to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince.” A shallow smile that was like a spring breeze appeared on Zheng Qinglai’s pale face.

This smile was too shallow—so shallow that if you looked carefully, you’d know it was only on the surface, not reaching his eyes.

“It’s the Crown Prince who intends to win over the Ministry of Rites,” Pei Yanci pointedly emphasized the subtle difference.

So much for opening the windows and speaking plainly—this person immediately started digging a pit for him.

“It’s the same thing.” Zheng Qinglai said, “Anyway, you told me the two of them have secret dealings.”

“Minister Zheng, you’re being somewhat unfair here.”

There was a big difference between the two. If he carelessly agreed to this statement, he’d be led into Zheng Qinglai’s logical framework.

“I took great risks to tip you off—isn’t that showing enough sincerity?”

Zheng Qinglai didn’t answer his rhetorical question. “So as you said, the Crown Prince intended to win over Chen Sihong, he didn’t accept, so he wanted to use Chen Sihong’s deprivation of the Imperial Academy’s examination coordination rights as an issue and directly complained to His Majesty about it?”

“So that’s how it is. Minister Zheng hasn’t left home, yet knows more than I do.” Pei Yanci said with a smile.

“So why should I accept your allegiance?” he said. “The Ministry of Rites is utterly loyal to me. With or without your tip-offs, the result is the same.”

To him, this person was someone expendable.

“If Minister Zheng doesn’t accept my allegiance, then I can only continue wholeheartedly assisting the Crown Prince under the name of a son of the Zheng family.”

It wasn’t about what benefits his allegiance to the Zheng family could bring them, but about what harm he could bring the Zheng family if he pledged allegiance to their opponents.

“Ridiculous. My Zheng family has always assisted the Crown Prince.”

“Minister Zheng, let’s not hide things anymore. Don’t bully me for being young and knowing nothing. The Crown Prince clearly no longer has this intention,” Pei Yanci said calmly. “The Crown Prince now relies more heavily on the Wang family than the Zheng family. If the Crown Prince someday ascends to the Nine Tripods, the two families will have to compete for primary credit, right? Which aristocratic family do you think weighs more heavily in the Crown Prince’s heart? Even now, when you’re still of the same faction, you’re using underhanded tactics behind each other’s backs. Can you guarantee what will happen in the future?”

(TL: “九鼎” literally means “Nine Tripods”, which in Chinese history and literature symbolizes the Mandate of Heaven and supreme royal authority.

Literal: Nine ancient bronze cauldrons used by the Zhou dynasty to represent the unity and authority of the kingdom.

Figurative: The throne, ultimate power, or the ruler’s position.)

“My relationship with the Wang family is also good. You should have known this long ago—their eldest legitimate son is even staying at my place.” He sipped some tea and continued, “I’ve already planned my own escape route. If not for outsiders adding the character ‘Zheng’ before my name, I wouldn’t want to care about the Zheng family’s life or death.”

The muscles on Zheng Qinglai’s face twitched, as if in mockery, he said, “This is the first time I’ve heard someone say that my Zheng family’s foundation is closely tied to a wet-behind-the-ears brat. I don’t know whether to say you’re arrogant beyond measure or bragging too much.”

“Who can say for certain what will happen in the future? Three months ago, I was still the lowliest official slave in the residence, doing the most menial work. Now I can sit as equals with the current Prime Minister, addressing each other as father and son.” Pei Yanci’s crescent-shaped eyes curved, filled with starlight. “Speaking of it, isn’t this also a kind of fortune?”

Zheng Qinglai’s mouth twitched. This person calling himself “fortunate” really didn’t mention all those schemes at all.

“Fine. The residence won’t lack an extra pair of chopsticks for you.”

Rather than being enemies, it was better to be allies.

“Thank you, Minister Zheng.” Pei Yanci stood up and politely bowed. “Since we’re family, let’s not speak as if we’re from two different families when outside. The Crown Prince has put out word about me, saying he’ll leave me with no way out. Before the outside world has moved to put us to death, our own people are already starting internal strife. If others find out, we’ll inevitably be laughed at.”

“Fine, I’ll remember this. I’ll watch the Crown Prince,” Zheng Qinglai said. “Additionally, I’ll have Chen Sihong look after you more in daily matters. But also remember—the Zheng family does not support idlers.”

This time, Zheng Qinglai finally reluctantly acknowledged his status as a member of the Zheng family.

“Minister Zheng knows my origins. My starting point is lower than others, so naturally I must run harder. How would I dare to be idle?” Pei Yanci said with a smile as he took out documents he had prepared long ago and handed them over.

Zheng Qinglai snorted inwardly but still took them, skimmed through them, and said, “You want me to agree? On what grounds and from what position?”

“As a parent, one should naturally consider more for one’s children. Little Brother is only nine years old and currently studying at the Chongwen Academy. He already shows the bearing of a future top scholar. In recent years, outsiders may not know about the Imperial Academy’s situation, but how could we not know the internal circumstances? Are you really at ease having Little Brother study there in a few years?”

“You have a solution?”

“I can obtain a letter of recommendation to Qingcheng Academy for Little Brother,” Pei Yanci said. “If you don’t think highly of the foremost of the Four Great Academies, I can also have the retired Great Scholar Fang Hongchun take him as his final disciple. Either way is much better than the Imperial Academy, which hasn’t produced a single top scholar in decades.”

Zheng Qinglai’s expression condensed slightly. “Conditions.”

“I hope that when you mention this to outsiders, you’ll phrase it tactfully—that you originally planned to consider the Imperial Academy, but after hearing about secret fee collection at the Imperial Academy, you decided to switch to a private academy instead.”

“I’m a bit curious what kind of fuss you’re planning to stir up.”

“It’s just some minor matters of power struggles below, nothing to trouble the Minister with.” Pei Yanci said with a smile.

The slightest hint from above had always been a weathervane for those below, let alone from the illustrious Zheng family.

With the aristocratic families’ public opinion, internal reforms at the Imperial Academy would face no resistance.