Chapter 231 – Loyalty and Rectitude

The scandal involving Jingguo Duke’s slave assaulting a court official had spread far and wide. However, during the next day’s assembly, there was an eerie calm, and no censor dared to bring up the matter. Only Xu Chun submitted a petition confessing his guilt, while Xie Yi remained neutral. Due to the involvement of a noble, the Ministry of Justice was ordered to conduct a detailed investigation and report back.

The case was straightforward. The involved parties, including Jingguo Duke, Fan Muchun, and Zhuang Zhizhan, were summoned to the Ministry of Justice for questioning. The facts were clear, and soon, the imperial edict reprimanded Jingguo Duke for assaulting officials, setting up a private tribunal, and acting with reckless abandon. His annual stipend was docked, and he was ordered to seclude himself at home for a month to cultivate his character. As a son, Xu Chun had failed to counsel his father and also suffered a penalty of having his salary withheld for a year. As for Bao Sixin, he faced severe punishment, being scolded by the imperial decree for slandering the emperor, maligning meritorious officials, defying authority, and engaging in absurd and base acts. He was dismissed from his post and sent to Qiongzhou as punishment.

Upon seeing the imperial edict, Bao Sixin’s fellow scholars and friends who shared his interests secretly clicked their tongues in astonishment, grateful that they had listened to Zhuang Zhizhan and Fan Muchun yesterday and refrained from rashly impeaching Jingguo Duke. Otherwise, they might have been implicated in the punishment as well. Suddenly, Bao Sixin’s residence became desolate, with not a single soul daring to visit him. Did anyone notice that even Li Meiyao, who harbored a grudge against Linhai Marquis, had not participated in the impeachment of Jingguo Duke?

“This has stirred up public outrage!” Li Meiyao said, biting into a peach on the table, his anger evident. “Do they think the Censorate can investigate anything? How dare they, without any accomplishments, spew filthy slander to vilify ministers? If any minister favored by the emperor is henceforth deemed a sycophant, how will they be able to serve His Majesty in the future? If His Majesty wishes to be close to virtuous ministers, must he also be wary of these small-minded people’s malicious accusations?”

He recalled the emperor’s sagacity and righteousness, his demeanor becoming righteous. “His Majesty treats his subjects with sincerity, and the subjects’ loyalty to His Majesty is as clear as day. Heaven and earth bear witness. How can we allow such small people to defame us at will? This trend must not be allowed to grow, as it would cut off the path for ministers to serve His Majesty loyally! Serving the state with rectitude and loyalty, dedicating oneself wholeheartedly to serving both sovereign and fatherland, only to be falsely accused of bewitching the emperor to advance oneself—their hearts deserve condemnation!”

Li Meiyao looked sympathetically at Xu Chun, who was standing awkwardly nearby with a slightly flushed face. Patting his shoulder, he said, “Xu Yuanlin! Stand tall! Don’t be afraid! We’re all on your side! Those words are laughably absurd! Even if the emperor did favor men, which he doesn’t, the appearances of Zhuang Zhizhan and Fan Muchun far surpass yours. Why would he favor you more?”

Fang Zijing, sitting nearby, spat out his tea and began coughing uncontrollably, scolding Li Meiyao, “Li Meiyao! Don’t talk nonsense here!”

However, Li Meiyao’s eyes reddened, and his emotions ran deep. “Hasn’t His Majesty always valued talent and virtue? Is he the kind of ruler who judges people solely by their appearance? Even towards this old man, over the years, through promotions and demotions, he has always had our best interests at heart. I never expected that today, we would be defiled by these small people! Naturally, it’s because you have genuine achievements and capabilities. A pillar of the state, a capable official, cannot be slandered so easily.”

His passion grew stronger as he pointed to the plaque above his head that read “Hall of Utmost Fairness.” “As long as we ministers harbor a spirit of utmost fairness in our hearts, why should we worry about temporary glory or disgrace? When the monarch and his ministers act in unison, then we can achieve a golden age!”

Feeling awkward, Xu Chun picked up his teacup and took a sip, mumbling, “Thank you for your support, Sir Li.”

Fang Zijing, suppressing his laughter, shooed Li Meiyao away. “Enough, enough. Don’t you have other matters to attend to at your Censorate? You come every day just to drink our good tea. If you’re so idle, why don’t you help us discuss some methods for military reform.”

Li Meiyao replied, “Military reform has long been overdue, but it’s not an easy task. The treasury is empty; how can you reform the military without money? Where will you get the funds? Xu Chun’s debt certificates can barely prop up the military equipment factory. Whether the Ministry of War fully supports it or disbands the troops, it requires a substantial amount of silver. First, figure out these details before you start military reform.”

Xu Chun said, “We must first obtain accurate numbers of soldiers in various regions. Currently, many are merely names on the rolls, not actually serving, or are incapable of fighting. Quantity does not matter; quality is key. Moreover, these soldiers and generals must have a set of rules for daily drills. Only then can we have a formidable army of a million.”

Li Meiyao nodded. “If this could be accomplished, the Ministry of War would have done it long ago. The empire is vast; I advise you not to rush. Wait a few more years until the treasury is more abundant before tackling these issues. After all, the princes have been withdrawn, and for now, peace prevails.”

Xu Chun said, “It’s precisely for the grand strategy of the nation that His Majesty established the Military Affairs Office. If we are also fearful of challenges, who else will dare to take action? Haven’t the foreign barbarians submitted proposals for trade ports? Let me think about how to cover the military expenses.”

Li Meiyao agreed. “You young people are indeed bold and determined. In my opinion, draft a plan for the military system first. Determine how many soldiers and generals should be stationed in each region, and create a preliminary plan for discussion among the Nine Ministers. Once His Majesty approves it, proceed accordingly.”

“There’s another matter,” Li Meiyao continued. “Don’t blame me for being blunt. For such significant reforms, if you only sit in the capital and theorize, you may not come up with suitable solutions. You need to visit important locations and consult with various generals, listening to the opinions of seasoned generals stationed across the empire. But this presents a problem: once word gets out about your intentions, you’ll offend many people. Be wary of scheming individuals.”

Glancing at Wu Yinggong, he added, “But with Wu Yinggong watching over things, I’m not too worried.”

Fang Zijing remarked, “Xu Yuanlin has only been back from Jinhaizhai for a few months, and you’re already urging him to go out again. Ha!”

Li Meiyao said, “That’s true. Xu Yuanlin hasn’t married yet, which is why those scoundrels can fabricate such rumors. Perhaps he should marry a virtuous wife sooner rather than later. Military reform won’t be achieved overnight, so let’s take it step by step.”

Seeing that Li Meiyao was digging his own grave with his words, Fang Zijing ignored him and said, “Speaking of marriage, Nong Siji has arrived in the capital. His wedding will take place in a few days. Yuanlin, why don’t you ask him for his thoughts on military reform?”

Xu Chun’s eyes lit up. “He’s in the capital? I didn’t know.”

Fang Zijing said, “Yes, his new residence isn’t ready yet, and he doesn’t want to return to live with his pretentious younger brother. For now, he’s staying at my house. Come over tonight for a chat.”

Li Meiyao quickly chimed in, “Is there wine? I’ll come too!”

Fang Zijing gave him a sidelong glance. “Come on, it’s just a family dinner. Only Zi Xing will be there.”

Suddenly remembering that Fang Zixing never attended banquets outside, Li Meiyao realized that dining at Wu Yinggong’s residence alongside Fang Zijing, Fang Zixing, Linhai Marquis, and Nong Siji, two military officers, might invite speculation. He couldn’t afford to raise suspicions. “Forget it. I suddenly remembered that I still have a case His Majesty entrusted to me that I haven’t resolved yet. I’ll leave now. I won’t come tonight, but I’ll visit another time.”

With that, he casually grabbed a few oranges, tucked them into his sleeve, and left hastily.

Only Fang Zijing and Xu Chun remained in the Hall of Utmost Fairness. These days, Prince Jinkuo seemed to be busy with something and rarely visited. Xu Chun looked at Fang Zijing’s sharp eyes, suspecting that he knew everything, making him increasingly uneasy. He mumbled, “Nong Da Ge is in the capital. I’ll return home to prepare some gifts and visit your house tonight.”

Fang Zijing knew that Xu Chun spent most of his time in the palace these days. He was undoubtedly planning to find an opportunity to seek leave from the emperor so he could visit in the evening. Not stopping him, he said, “Regarding military reform, the funds may not be entirely lacking. Don’t just think about solving the problem on your own. Think about the Zhuang family. By confiscating their assets, the Jiuchou Academy was built. There are plenty of people who embezzle public funds for personal gain, especially in the military. See how you can squeeze out the money that these people have been hoarding over the years. Of course, cracking down on smuggling is also a method.”

Surprised, Xu Chun turned to look at Fang Zijing, his eyes widening.

Fang Zijing waved him away, urging him to hurry. “Go ahead.”

Xu Chun knew that Fang Zijing was a man of many strategies. With these words echoing in his mind, he returned to the palace. Coincidentally, Xie Yi had just finished discussing matters and was returning to the palace for lunch. Seeing Xu Chun’s expression, he smiled. “What are you thinking about?”

Xu Chun replied, “I was thinking about military reform. Today, Sir Meiyao said that this is a significant issue. Sitting in the capital, it’s easy to engage in armchair strategizing. It’s best to travel around more often.”

Xie Yi’s face darkened. “Don’t listen to his nonsense. There are plenty of generals who have rotated back to the capital. If you want to know about military affairs in a specific area, summon them for questioning. If you’re worried that one person’s account might not be accurate, question several of them.”

Seeing that Xie Yi was displeased, Xu Chun quickly reassured him. “I was just speaking casually. We’ll draft a preliminary plan first. Then, following Jiu Ge’s advice, we’ll summon generals who have served in various regions to gather their opinions. If we truly need to conduct inspections, we can discuss that later.”

Xie Yi said, “I’m not trying to hinder your aspirations for the empire. It’s simply that the weather is sweltering now, and there’s an epidemic in the south. Besides, the empire is vast; how can you personally inspect every corner? You’ve already participated in military campaigns and led troops in Jinhaizhai for three years. Military affairs are all interconnected. There are experienced military officers like Fang Zijing and Lei Ming in the court to assist with military affairs. There’s no need for you to travel thousands of miles.”

Xu Chun reached out and took his hand. “Jiu Ge, I understand your concern.” Afraid that Xie Yi would remain worried, he smiled. “Besides, Nong Siji has arrived in the capital, and I need to accompany him during his wedding. I wanted to tell you that I’ll be going to Wu Yinggong’s residence tonight to meet with Da Ge Nong.”

Xie Yi said, “Go ahead. Zi Xing mentioned it to me.”

Xu Chun held onto Xie Yi’s wrist, smiling. “I’ll be back soon, Jiu Ge. Wait for me.”

Xie Yi said, “Enjoy your reunion. Fang Zijing invited you to ask for Nong Siji’s opinions on military reform. He’s a man of many thoughts. He won’t reveal his true intentions openly, fearing that I might become suspicious. Even if he has ideas, he might not share them directly.”

Reminded by Xie Yi, Xu Chun realized, “No wonder he suggested today that I shouldn’t just focus on the hardships of raising military funds on my own. The gap is too large. Think about the Zhuang family. There are plenty of people who embezzle public funds for personal gain. Find a way to squeeze out the ill-gotten gains.”

Xie Yi smiled faintly. “That’s one approach. But now that the Zhuang family has met such a fate, how dare the great clans challenge the court’s authority? They’re all behaving themselves now. I’ve heard that among the local gentry, the general atmosphere has improved significantly, and they’re all eager to do good deeds and benefit the common people. Even in the imperial court, the administration is remarkably clean… I wanted to seize a few corrupt officials, but I haven’t found any major offenders yet.”

Xu Chun couldn’t help laughing. After some thought, he said, “But Wu Yinggong mentioned it this way, so he must have a target in mind but is hesitant to speak about it.”

Xie Yi said, “It’s probably the imperial clan. As a subject, how can he speak about it? I’ve actually been dissatisfied with the imperial clan’s excessive consumption…”

It seems that Fang Zijing knows Jiu Ge very well. He must realize that Jiu Ge has been concerned about the imperial clan’s dependence on rations for a long time. Xu Chun couldn’t help bursting into laughter. Xie Yi looked at him. “What are you laughing about?” His eyes held a hint of chiding.

Afraid of revealing his thoughts, Xu Chun quickly changed the topic. “I was laughing at what Sir Meiyao said today, pointing to the plaque above the Hall of Utmost Fairness, saying that with a spirit of utmost fairness and unity between monarch and minister, we can achieve a golden age.”

Hearing the phrase “unity between monarch and minister,” Xie Yi couldn’t help but smile faintly as well.