SEHE Chapter 80

Predicament 

“Where are your eyeballs wandering to?” Tang Xizhui said with a sinister smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “So beautiful—I’ll feel heartache when I strike.”

His white robe and lotus-pink vest were both tucked into a silver rice-pearl-inlaid linked waist belt. Pei Yanci only had time to glance at the round, oily red bloodstone at the center of his belt before cool fingertips caressed the corner of his eye. Unable to endure it, he closed his eyes, turned his face away to avoid those fingers, and when he opened them again, his gaze shot toward Tang Xizhui with hatred.

“Whose eyes do you want to gouge out?” A cold smile floated at the corner of his mouth.

“Just joking.” loved this noble and elegant appearance of his. He smiled apologetically and said, “The person should arrive soon. If you move again, there won’t be time to finish styling your hair properly.”

Pei Yanci had no choice but to look back at the mirror.

If he truly extended his hand below Tang Xizhui’s waist, he wouldn’t think it was just a joke.

Forget it—such a filthy place for the eyes, he couldn’t be bothered to look anyway.

When his hair was nearly styled, the courtyard gate was knocked upon. Tang Xizhui gave permission, and soon Huo Cun entered leading a young man approaching thirty years of age.

The man had regular features and was shorter and thinner than ordinary men. His luxurious narrow-sleeved brocade robe couldn’t fill out properly. When he walked, his head and body didn’t move, but if one looked carefully, those sharp triangular eyes constantly darted left and right curiously, as if wanting to spy on something, while the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up with smugness.

Treacherous and cunning as a ghost.

Pei Yanci watched him approach along the path from the window and made this preliminary judgment about him in his heart.

Tang Xizhui had been dawdling, but seeing Xiao Yu enter, he quickly finished placing the jade crown, helped Pei Yanci stand up, straightened his robes, and had him go out first.

Pei Yanci emerged from the bedroom just as Xiao Yu was lifting his hem to step into the front hall.

He clearly hadn’t expected to encounter another person here. His feet froze one before and one behind the threshold for a moment before he stepped inside.

“This gentleman looks unfamiliar. I am Xiao Yu.” The young man knew that someone emerging from the back hall must have an extraordinary status, so he didn’t dare be presumptuous and honestly bowed first in greeting.

“Pei Yanci.” He returned the courtesy, raising his eyebrows slightly.

This was Tang Xizhui’s main courtyard, yet this person showed no signs of constraint or awkwardness—it seemed their relationship was quite good.

“I’ve long heard Young Master Xiao’s name like thunder piercing the ears. Today I specially asked Nine-Thousand-Years to arrange this meeting with you. I hope it won’t disturb the Young Master.”

“It’s Xiao’s honor.”

The two exchanged courteous words, offering seats to each other before finally settling down.

“I wonder what matter brings Young Master Pei to seek Xiao today?”

At this time, Tang Xizhui also finished styling his own hair and came out.

Xiao Yu and Pei Yanci hastily rose to pay their respects.

“Sit.” Tang Xizhui didn’t sit with them but went to recline on a long couch to the side. “Today it’s Vice Chancellor Pei who’s looking for you. Don’t mind this lord.”

Two rows of beautiful maidservants appeared in the room, each lighting the candles in the hall before silently withdrawing.

As the surroundings brightened, when Xiao Yu straightened up after paying respects, his gaze happened to sweep across Tang Xizhui’s left cheek.

On that deathly pale bloodless face, several intersecting red swollen marks stood out glaringly—clearly handprints from someone slapping him. Miserably beautiful and alluring, provoking boundless imagination while harboring hidden danger.

Xiao Yu immediately felt that the warning smile on his face was terrifyingly eerie. He withdrew his gaze, and when he looked back at Pei Yanci, he noticed something off about the man’s lips.

The skin was broken in places, the whole mouth somewhat swollen, unnaturally red—clearly having just suffered ravaging.

Xiao Yu’s gaze wandered between the two for a moment. He wanted to say something but didn’t dare, holding it in with some difficulty.

Understood. All understood.

Pei Yanci was personally pouring tea for the two of them and missed this exchange.

A soft laugh from Tang Xizhui suddenly rang out in the hall, which had been quiet to the point of oppression.

Pei Yanci raised his eyes, casting an inquiring gaze toward the beauty on the couch.

Tang Xizhui’s sharp brow bones pressed down. In the thick shadows, his ink-dark pupils directed a gaze that was damp and greedy, displaying a self-satisfied smile with a showing-off posture.

He was like a rat in a gutter who had finally obtained a complete piece of fresh meat, unable to wait to leave his mark on it. Holding it in his mouth as he poked his head out from the foul water, his matted wet fur not yet dried, he couldn’t wait for the whole world to know he’d obtained a treasure.

Xiao Yu’s eyes carried several parts teasing, his mind already beginning to wander with wild thoughts. If Tang Xizhui weren’t still here, he could take up brush and paper right then to start painting, completely disregarding others present.

His gaze was so blatant and direct that Pei Yanci couldn’t ignore it even if he wanted to. His expression inevitably grew bland. His crescent-moon eyes narrowed, and he withdrew his hand from his sleeve without taking out anything.

He licked his broken lips and said seriously, “Previously I heard that the new tax law reform being hotly debated in court first flowed from Young Master Xiao’s brush. At that time I already felt some admiration and respect for you in my heart. I am fortunate to enter court as an official, unworthily holding the position of Vice Chancellor of the Imperial Academy. Now I wish to reform the Imperial Academy and eliminate accumulated abuses. I wonder if Young Master Xiao could point me in a direction.”

“I dare not accept such praise.” Xiao Yu held no official position whatsoever. Such courteousness from someone of higher rank made his tone carry more apprehension and politeness than his earlier casualness. He said seriously, “I’ve had the fortune to study the reasons why the Imperial Academy has reached its current state, and have bitterly criticized today’s chaotic situation.”

He then pointed out four problems the Imperial Academy currently needed to solve urgently.

First, the conduct and learning of students entering the academy declined year by year. The graduation assessment was a mere formality. Under a system of strict entry but lax exit, chaos frequently arose. There were people like Xu Du who relied on their ancestors’ military achievements to enter, spending their days only walking dogs and fighting roosters, frequenting gambling dens and pleasure quarters. As soon as studies were mentioned, they fell asleep. The court’s factional clique-forming atmosphere was also growing increasingly severe here.

Second, the Imperial Academy formerly had jurisdiction over official schools in all prefectures and provinces of Great Yu, but as Great Yu’s territory grew increasingly vast, situations arose where they couldn’t reach far enough and were stretched thin. Thirty years ago, the previous emperor simply had the Circuit Commissioners of each prefecture also manage the official schools under their jurisdictions. This undoubtedly weakened the Imperial Academy’s status and power.

Third, having lost control over official schools in various prefectures, the Imperial Academy’s authority to draft policy strategies was also stripped away. Now it only managed this small patch of land in Anjing, becoming the most fatal blow to the Imperial Academy.

The Zheng family and other aristocratic families had always wanted to persuade the Crown Prince to use tax law proposals drafted by their own faction, undoubtedly because they contained enormous entanglements of real gold and silver interests, plus immense power distribution.

Without authority to draft policies and unable to manage official schools in various prefectures, there was no voice or influence.

Fourth, the Imperial Academy declined, prefectural official schools acted independently, leading to the rise of private academies. In recent years, top scholars frequently came from various famous mountain academies, with few students from official schools appearing. This led to another problem—the high tuition fees of academies left children of poor common people with no chance to rise. Round and round, the court was still those same surnames, those same people.

Aside from the first point, the remaining problems were linked one to another, ultimately becoming a fatal knot that dragged down the Imperial Academy.

His use of the term “dragging down” seemed somewhat alarmist for now. The Imperial Academy still had its reputation, remaining the place most admired and yearned for by scholars throughout Great Yu.

It was just that internally, only those in such positions could feel the desolation.

Xiao Yu sighed. “Unfortunately, no matter how well conceived the measures are, they must be implemented on the ground. Reform is fraught with difficulties. Qi Daren contended with the Ministry of Rites and the Three Departments for five years. Not only did he fail to successfully implement a single measure, but the Imperial Academy’s status continued to decline. The Ministry of Rites found fault in this year’s provincial examination and wanted to strip the Imperial Academy of its duty to assist with the imperial examination three years hence. Fortunately, I have a good relationship with Dugong Daren, so this matter was dropped.”

This was stripping away power.

The Imperial Academy’s power was already limited. If it also lost its qualification to assist the Ministry of Rites in hosting the imperial examination, its status would likely become even more pitiful. In the future, the Imperial Academy would have an empty reputation with no real power whatsoever.

What meaning would there be for Pei Yanci to remain at the Imperial Academy then?

“Young Master Xiao is very familiar with Qi Daren?”

“Qi Daren is Xiao’s friend despite the age difference. I’ve also discussed reform with him, though it ultimately came to nothing.”

“How did the Imperial Academy deteriorate to this state?” Pei Yanci said. What Xiao Yu described didn’t differ much from Qi Xiang’s written statement. “Were the previous Chancellors all inactive?”

This absolutely hadn’t happened overnight. Judging from the documents listing the number of top three finishers from the Imperial Academy over successive years, it had started at least thirty years ago with some of the previous emperor’s reforms.

“Alas, in the end, it’s still because those people at the Ministry of Rites are inactive.” Xiao Yu said disdainfully. “Those without a grand vision are like this—they only care about the bit of power in their own hands, completely disregarding Great Yu’s future. That group at the Ministry of Rites considers itself the first of the Six Ministries and grasps power fiercely. With the Zheng clan of Liuhe backing them, they especially look down on scholars’ integrity and behavior, saying their words are alarmist and confusing court principles. If not for Dugong Daren’s relationship, Qi Daren would have long been impeached into a death cell by them.”

Hearing him express gratitude toward Tang Xizhui twice in succession, Pei Yanci felt somewhat conflicted.

This person’s attitude didn’t seem like someone who would flatter and fawn, so evidently these feelings came from deep within his heart.

Previously when he was at Gu Jiuqing’s residence, he often heard how tyrannical and excessive Tang Xizhui was, how he controlled court politics. Here, he heard how the Zheng family formed cliques for private gain, using people in the Ministry of Rites to suppress the Imperial Academy.

He remained noncommittal about this.

As he’d once told Wushu, if you use black and white, right and wrong to debate political affairs, you’ll forever be wavering, forever confused. Many things can never have clear right or wrong.

You only need to do what benefits yourself.

When you stand at a high enough position, great scholars will naturally debate scriptures for you. All black and gray will turn to white.

Right now, he needed a reform that would let Qi Xiang see his abilities while using it as an achievement to take the position of Imperial Academy Chancellor.

This was very important to him and currently his only way forward—having schemed against Zheng Qinglai once, that person wouldn’t give him a second chance to scheme. If he didn’t advance, he would forever be trapped in the small patch of land that was the Imperial Academy Vice Chancellor.

At this moment, Pei Yanci took out the document Qi Xiang had given him from his sleeve. Xiao Yu only glanced at it briefly and said, “What’s written here is precisely the policy discussion I jointly deliberated with Qi Daren when we first became acquainted recently. To think it’s in your hands.”

Pei Yanci felt somewhat between laughter and tears. His original intention was that if this person could keenly perceive the tax law’s flaws, he would naturally understand the internal and external court situation thoroughly and could also point out the Imperial Academy’s flaws incisively—which didn’t differ from his expectations. But if this document was jointly drafted by Xiao Yu and Qi Xiang, then didn’t those laughable measures also come from both their hands?

“Did Qi Daren not raise any doubts about the measures above?” Pei Yanci was somewhat speechless.

“He did feel something was improper, but having debated with the Ministry of Rites for five long years with no results whatsoever, he finally realized perhaps his own measures were inappropriate. Under my vigorous persuasion, he finally compromised.”

Might it not be because the man had been beaten down until he lost confidence, rather than being convinced by your faulty logic?

“What, you think these measures are improper?” There was some dissatisfaction in Xiao Yu’s heart.

“I’m afraid implementing them will be difficult.” He said tactfully.

Xiao Yu’s expression looked rather unpleasant. If Tang Xizhui weren’t present, never mind who the hell he was, he would flip the table right then and there.

“Forget it—never mind implementation, even getting approval will be difficult. Qi Daren previously took this to the Ministry of Rites to debate with them several times, likewise returning with no success. After coming back, he also stopped raging and denouncing them.”

Speaking of this, he sighed. “I feel he’s changed too.”

With his sigh, the front hall fell into a spell of oppressive silence.

After a long while, Pei Yanci rose to see the guest out. “I understand now. Thank you very much today, Young Master Xiao.”

“Young Master Pei is too polite.” Xiao Yu followed his steps to the doorway, glancing from afar at Tang Xizhui behind him, his steps somewhat hesitant.

Since earlier, the Chief Overseer hadn’t spoken, but the terrifying aura he unconsciously emanated made one feel his presence at every moment.

“If there’s anywhere Xiao can be of use in the future, Daren need only ask.”

Aside from Tang Xizhui, he could refuse everyone else in the world, even the Emperor.

But he owed Tang Xizhui quite a few favors. Today this eunuch had also brazenly made clear the relationship between the two in front of him. He understood the implicit meaning.

Earlier, Pei Yanci hadn’t first produced the document he and Qi Xiang drafted but instead first asked his views on the Imperial Academy—clearly probing his depths and harboring intent to recruit him. Though he utterly detested officials’ hypocrisy, he had to give Tang Xizhui face.

The two exchanged more courtesies. Pei Yanci saw the person off, then turned around to see Tang Xizhui had already begun removing his clothes.

“I need to go to the theater. I probably won’t return tonight.”

Tang Xizhui’s expression froze.

“Oh right, give me an ordinary pass token.” Pei Yanci held out his hand. “I don’t want yours—too troublesome.”

It was now neither early nor late, just approaching curfew time.

Tang Xizhui looked at the pinkish palm extended toward him, snorted, and turned his head away.