Chapter 89 – Fengxiang

Xu Chuan slept until the sunlight streamed through the window. Upon waking, he heard the rustling of raindrops and, hugging the quilt, took a while to remember where he was. Wufu came in with a smile and asked him, “Young Master, what would you like for breakfast? The Emperor has gone to court and said that once you’re up and have eaten, he’ll have Minister Fang take you out.”

Xu Chuan replied, “Is Minister Fang waiting for me?”

He hurriedly got up, and Wufu quickly said, “No need to rush, Young Master. Take your time. Minister Fang went with His Majesty to the front hall and said that once you’re ready, someone will inform him.”

Xu Chuan was unfamiliar with the palace, but Wufu and Liuli were acquainted. They brought water for him to wash his face and helped him change clothes. He noticed the clothes were a bit large and paused, “Whose clothes are these?” Suddenly, he remembered his hurried entry into the palace; he hadn’t brought any servants, and Chunxia, Dongxi, and Dinghai were left behind in Minzhou…

Liuli smiled, “These are the new clothes made by the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau for the Emperor this summer. They haven’t been worn yet. Last night, Supervisor Su had them altered for you. Young Master, do they fit well?”

Xu Chuan saw that apart from the silk undergarments, the outer robe was a jade-colored gauze gown, intricately embroidered with silver thread depicting auspicious cloud patterns. Recalling how his Ninth Brother wore similar attire last night, he felt a slight joy and got up to wash and change. Liufu combed his hair and placed a cloud-patterned silver crown on his head. After breakfast, he indeed saw Fang Zixing, dressed in a dazzling qilin flying-cloud robe, approaching.

Seeing Fang Zixing, Xu Chuan recalled the commotion from yesterday and felt a bit embarrassed. Fang Zixing, however, was quite natural and asked, “Shall we go to Zhuzhifang first? The medicine you gave me worked well, and my brothers all liked it. Can you make some more for me? Also, after you returned from Nanyang, you sent some sauces back to me. There was a bottle of red scallion sauce that was great for mixing with noodles. It was kept in the duty room, but others finished it off. Additionally, there was a jar of lemon-pickled vinegar fish that my sister-in-law loves, saying it’s good for the appetite. Do you still have any?”

Xu Chuan quickly smiled, “The medicines are commonly stocked on ships. If you like them, I can have more sent. I’ll check the sauces when I get back. If they’re gone, I’ll have Lao Li try to replicate the taste and make something else for you to bring back to the princess.”

Fang Zixing casually said, “It’s fine if you don’t have the others. It’s just a bother for my sister-in-law.” He led Xu Chuan out of Suiyu Hall. Xu Chuan turned to look at the plaque, remembering how he had envied it when Xie Fei and Fan Mucun mentioned it, only to realize he had stayed there last night.

Noticing Xu Chuan’s gaze on the plaque, Fang Zixing said, “His Majesty wrote it himself. When he was young, he studied with the Marquis and Fan Mucun. He liked books, paintings, and anecdotes, even though they gave him headaches. I thought you’d be like me, but then I heard you ranked seventh in the exam.”

Xu Chuan: “…” He laughed, “Big Brother Fang, saying this makes me feel ashamed. I studied day and night with Mr. Shen, even dreaming about reciting books. Luckily, it was just this once. If I failed, I wouldn’t dare come again.”

Fang Zixing enthusiastically said, “Did Shen Mengzhen really teach you so diligently? It seems the Emperor has a way with people!”

Xu Chuan was startled, “The Emperor asked him to teach me?” He suddenly realized it must have been the case. The invitation was originally for Fang Zixing, but no one knew he was a first-rank general and a close confidant of the Emperor. No minister would dare ask him to accompany guests. Fang Zixing received the invitation but didn’t say anything, and the next day, Shen Mengzhen came instead, even arguing with Li Meiyi during the banquet. After that, Shen Mengzhen became his teacher…

To think the Emperor had been planning for his studies for so long, even when he was still a frivolous young man. A bittersweet feeling welled up inside him.

Fang Zixing, oblivious to Xu Chuan’s thoughts, was still lost in his own memories, “Yes, when I came to the capital to study, my father, who was a longtime friend of the Shen family, entrusted me to their care. I lived with them for a while. His father was still alive then and said he was good at his studies, so he should teach me. But he was very hateful, always complaining that I learned too slowly and calling me a blockhead. Now he’s actually taught you, I wonder if it’s because the Emperor is impressive or if you are…”

Xu Chuan: “…”

Two black-clad qilin guards brought over two horses. Fang Zixing mounted his horse and said, “I’ll take you around the back mountain first. This is where the Emperor likes to ride alone. In the future, you can enter the imperial forest from behind Zhuzhifang and follow the mountain path to reach Suiyu Hall directly. The guards have been instructed, so you can pass freely.” He handed Xu Chuan a token, “This is a deputy token given to you by His Majesty. With this, you can command the guards. If you encounter someone you don’t know who stops you, show them this token.”

Xu Chuan took the token and saw the words “Phoenix Xiang” (meaning Phoenix Soaring) engraved on it. Fang Zixing explained, “This is the Fengxiang Guard, dedicated to protecting you.”

Xu Chuan was surprised, and Fang Zixing added, “There are twelve imperial guards, all under the direct command of His Majesty and not subject to the Ministry of War. The Longxiang and Huben Guards are responsible for the Emperor’s security, both overtly and covertly. Following the Emperor’s example, you will also have covert guards. Dinghai is part of the Huben Guard, and since he’s not here, I’ve assigned two others to follow you. You don’t need to worry about them; they won’t interfere with your outings.”

“Additionally, the Yingyang and Tiance Guards handle external duties such as investigations and arrests. The Yulin Guard is mainly for noble children to gain experience, usually handling ceremonies and sacrifices, and rarely on duty. The Baotao and Feixiong Guards are responsible for palace security. The Zhenwu and Xuanwu Guards manage the capital’s defenses, with their camps located in the suburbs.”

“The Wude and Shenwu Guards are special, overseen by Chief Eunuch Su Hui, who also manages the four palace gates.”

After listening for a while, Xu Chuan mentally counted the number and responsibilities of the guards, gradually understanding. The Fengxiang Guard, he guessed, was originally for the Empress’s protection. Feeling a bit flustered, he held the token, feeling it was almost too hot to touch. Fang Zixing, however, was already galloping ahead, “Let’s go, the sun will be high soon.”

Xu Chuan quickly followed on his horse, seeing the lush trees and abundant vegetation of the back mountain. Occasionally, rabbits and pheasants darted out, reminding him of how his Ninth Brother was bitten by a venomous snake here. He was surprised to find such a secluded forest in the palace.

The horses were magnificent, and they quickly reached the back of the mountain. Sure enough, there was a palace gate. Seeing Fang Zixing approach, the guards opened the gate, and he led Xu Chuan out on horseback. They passed through three palace gates before reaching the imperial lake. Xu Chuan indeed saw the familiar back door of Zhuzhifang.

So, this is how Ninth Brother always rode to see me.

Thinking this, Xu Chuan and Fang Zixing arrived at Zhuzhifang. Xu Chuan knocked on the door, and Old Liusheng opened it. He called for Lao Li to find the vinegar-pickled fish sauce and a few other sour and spicy sauces suitable for pregnant women, packing them for Fang Zixing. Fang Zixing then said, “Dinghai will be back soon. It’s not right for you to be without anyone. The Emperor said you’re going to Xianyunfang today. I’ve arranged two guards to wait outside, and a carriage and driver are also ready. Just call them when you need to go out. It’s getting late, so I’ll head back now.”

After giving instructions, Fang Zixing left with two jars of sauce and a large dried sea fish. Xu Chuan wandered around Zhuzhifang, leaning on the railing and looking toward the palace. Previously, he could only see the deep palace structures and faint outlines of pavilions and terraces. Now, everything was clear—the Guanfeng Tower he had just passed, the book tower, and turning the corner, the Suiyu Hall where his Ninth Brother stayed.

Xu Chuan stood there for a while, then reluctantly left for Xianyunfang.

At Xianyunfang, Qingqian had already prepared a room and the books to be reviewed, along with selected illustrations on the shelves. Xu Chuan arrived, and He Zhiqiu and Fan Mucun soon followed. He Zhiqiu entered with a smile, bowing, “Congratulations, I heard you ranked seventh in the imperial examination. If it were someone else, they would have a grand celebration. You’re so young, and I heard Mr. Shen recommended you for the Ministry of Revenue?”

Fan Mucun, who knew about the news from the palace yesterday, glanced at Xu Chuan. Yesterday, Su Hui unusually sent him a message, and he immediately understood its meaning. After much thought, he decided to tell Xu Chuan. Xu Chuan’s face had turned pale, his eyes red, but he managed to smile and thank him, though the smile was more painful than crying.

Today, however, Xu Chuan looked calm and gentle, his eyes sparkling with joy, a stark contrast to yesterday’s despondency and panic. He smiled and bowed, “The Ministry of Revenue might not be suitable for me. I might be going to the maritime customs office in Jinport.”

He Zhiqiu was surprised but then smiled, “Who planned this for you? It’s indeed a good position. You’re young, and in the Ministry of Revenue, even as a fifth-rank official, you’d be a mere clerk, dealing with paperwork and unable to delegate much to subordinates. Above you would be the Minister and Vice Minister, and below you, a bunch of cunning clerks. Capital officials are numerous, and a fifth-rank official in the capital isn’t worth much.”

“But if you go to the maritime customs office, you’ll be the chief, with significant authority, only accountable to the local inspector. Jinport is a unique place, being close to the capital, where the inspector is concurrently the Minister of War, who rarely handles local affairs. The maritime customs office will be almost entirely under your control, reporting directly to the Ministry of Revenue, with little restraint. It’s an excellent opportunity to work freely.”

“The only catch is that, except for the Guangdong maritime customs office, which is appointed by the Duke of Pingnan, the others are overseen by eunuchs. The Jinport maritime customs office, I remember, is directly under the Chief Eunuch of the Inner Palace, Su Hui. Your appointment suggests the Emperor intends to remove the eunuch supervisors from various military and customs offices.”

Xu Chuan hadn’t expected his Ninth Brother to learn about his passing the imperial examination so quickly and to arrange such a suitable position for him. But… wasn’t it Su Hui who informed Fan Mucun yesterday? He had visited his residence to announce the decree and was quietly serving last night, barely noticeable.

He sneakily glanced at Fan Mucun, who was also looking at him, saying, “This has been rumored for a long time. The Emperor has expressed this intention multiple times. He started by removing the flower and bird envoys, and the military supervisors have been gradually withdrawn, leaving only a few key border towns. The maritime customs offices, which don’t affect local military affairs but involve revenue collection for the Ministry of Revenue, have been retained. It seems they will also be phased out. As a trusted eunuch, Su Hui is likely to be the first to be withdrawn.”

Xu Chuan’s eyes flickered, and he asked with a hidden agenda, “Is Eunuch Su highly trusted by the Emperor? If I really go to the Jinport maritime customs office, will I offend him?”

Fan Mucun replied, “Su Hui was promoted by the Emperor after he took personal control of the government. Originally, he was a common eunuch in the imperial library, responsible for cataloging and maintaining books, quite unremarkable. After joining the Emperor’s side, he seemed ordinary, and rumors spread that he was greedy, accepting bribes from ministers to leak information. Later, it was discovered that those who bribed him often faced misfortune, while those whose information he leaked sometimes proved accurate and sometimes not. People speculated that the information he leaked was intentionally released by the Emperor to gauge the reactions of his ministers. If the reaction was intense, the plan would be postponed; if many supported it, it would proceed. If the Emperor insisted, and opposition remained strong, he would find a reason like embezzlement or financial loss to deal with the opposing ministers.”

He Zhiqiu: “…”

Xu Chuan: “…”

Seeing their expressions, Fan Mucun couldn’t help but laugh, “This isn’t just my speculation. Ask the cabinet ministers in the capital, and they all know. Su Hui is one of the two gods at the imperial court, knowing what he doesn’t know, and Commander Fang knows what he doesn’t know.”

The three of them burst into laughter.