Chapter 25: Daozhang
The next morning, Xie Qianbing's memorial was brought to Jiang Changbai's desk. This wasn't the first time that Jiang Changbai had received a memorial impeaching Lin Yingqing; actually, among the memorials that had piled up on a corner of the imperial study's bookshelf, a good portion of the impeachments were of Lin Yingqing. Sometimes, even Jiang Changbai felt that it was amusing. She didn't know whether, as an official, Lin Yingqing having cultivated this many political opponents was deserved or not.
But, in the end, others were others; previously, having seen these sorts of memorials, Jiang Changbai had always viewed these with disdain beneath contempt as political struggles; but, now, even Xie Qianbing had sent a memorial indicating to her that Lin Yingqing's oddness, and Jiang Changbai struggled not to mind it.
It was just that she didn't have the time to investigate it; she'd just set down the memorial when Song Juguang pushed the door open and entered. Song Juguang had never needed to announce herself when entering the imperial study, and naturally, no one dared obstruct her. But she stopped by Jiang Changbai's desk with her brows tightly furrowed, and she set the fan she always held in her hand down on the desk. Song Juguang sighed, and said, "Lin Yingqing didn't come today, saying he was sick; the Ministry of Revenue collected a pile of matters. This one was rather important, so I brought it over."
Jiang Changbai looked at Song Juguang's expression, and knew that she'd already looked at this memorial. As a result, she didn't open it either, only raising her head to look at her and ask, "What does it say?"
A bit of astonishment flashed in Song Juguang's eyes, but she shrugged. "You'd better look at it yourself."
Jiang Changbai's gaze swept over it quickly; the more she looked, the tighter her brows knit.
Boyang was located on the plains; it had always been the most fertile agricultural land in the Great Li. But now, its temperature had suddenly risen, and for the past forty days, Boyang had been without rain. The river had dried up, and the wheat and sprouts that had been planted were about to wither to death due to lack of water, and the common people were suffering an unspeakable misery. The prefectural magistrate of Boyang had struggled to support it for countless days and there was still no indication of improvement; the farmland was dry and cracked, the common people in dire straits, homeless and miserable. The prefectural magistrate knew well that, if it continued like thist, the results would be grave, and only because of this had sent an urgent report, requesting the court provide assistance.
This truly was an important matter. Jiang Changbai's expression solidified, and she dropped the memorial on the tabletop, smiling bitterly. "If it doesn't rain in Boyang, I fear the harvest this year—"
Song Juguang shrugged, yet the words she spoke seemed to be an opener. "But not only that."
"Ah, yes, not only that. If the harvest isn't good, there's still the grain from previous years that can be eaten; but if there's no rain, then how are the commoners of Boyang meant to survive?" Jiang Changbai muttered, seeming to be asking Song Juguang, and to be asking herself. Abruptly, she raised her head, looking towards Song Juguang, and asked, "When did Lin Yingqing request time off?"
Song Juguang shook her head. "It ought to be this morning; his figure wasn't present during morning court."
"Then this urgent report, when was it brought to the Ministry of Revenue?"
"That's not clear; anyway, it was this past day or so." When she spoke, Song Juguang's face still held an indifferent expression, as if the common people of the Great Li were utterly unrelated to her.
Seeing this, an unnamed anger rose from the bottom of Jiang Changbai's heart, but she could only say, "This illness of Lin Yingqing's is truly well-timed. Xun Zhu, arrange an imperial doctor to go to Lin-daren's residence and look him over; We must know what sort of illness could be this fortuitous. A Guang, you arrange someone to go call the vice-minister of the Ministry of Revenue, the Minister of Works, and Xie Qianbing to come to the Shengru Palace, and the Board of Astronomy, have the Director of the Board of Astronomy called over as well.
The two let out an "Understood" and then left; in the imperial study, only Jiang Changbai remained. Jiang Changbai made her way over to the window, raising her head, merely staring fixedly at the sun in the sky. Then she sighed, long and deep, frustration on her face. The sunlight passed through the window and fell upon her figure, and Jiang Changbai felt it was a dry heat without parallel. Summer this year was truly a great deal hotter than it had been in previous years, and Boyang wasn't a province accustomed to abundant rainfall, and now, this circumstance actually followed traces of this. But Jiang Changbai's mind was wound around the words that Song Juguang had said at the start.
"Bixia, it wasn't me who chose you. It was the heavens; from birth, you were meant to be the Great Li's emperor."
But looking at the current situation, before she'd even ascended to the throne two months, a drought had broken out. Jiang Changbai felt that that was Song Juguang falsifying the decree of the heavens, causing the heavens to be infuriated and a calamity to be brought down on the common people.
But what crime had the common people committed?!
Thinking this, tears unexpectedly fell on Jiang Changbai's cheeks
"Bixia?"
Xun Zhu's searching voice called her spirit back to her body. Her face still facing out the window, the beads of tears which had just rolled down Jiang Changbai's cheeks almost evaporated entirely in the blazing sunlight in a flash; she cleared her throat, and said, "You arranged it all?"
"Replying to Bixia, it's all been arranged. Ning-taiyi[1] is an elder who came out of the Prince's residence, and will most definitely not be in error." Xun Zhu lowered her head deferentially.
Jiang Changbai nodded. "Let's go to the Shengru Palace, then."
"Understood."
The Shengru Palace was silent, no one speaking. Even though the heat of the scorching sun had been blocked by this palace, the foreheads of the ministers before Jiang Changbai were all sheened in a faint layer of beads of sweat.
The Vice-Minister of Revenue, Shen Yanyi's, courage was a bit larger. "Bixia, this minister believes that the most important matter is to channel water from other places to Boyang. Farm crops are easy to deal with; the commoners of Boyang must survive first."
Jiang Changbai nodded. "What you say isn't wrong, but if a canal is to be dug now, I fear it will be a bit too late."
Shen Yanyi was a spirited, robust woman, taller than eight chi.[2] But although her outer appearance was like this, she was a scholar through and through. Among the aides and advisors that Jiang Changbai had previously groomed in secret, she was one of the very best.
"Then Boyang must be forced to rain," Song Juguang said suddenly.
At this, everyone's gazes shifted to her; a hope that even she herself wasn't aware of flashed in Jiang Changbai's eyes. "Does A Guang have a solution?"
Unexpectedly, Song Juguang sat back down on the chair, and shook her head. "This minister is merely a crude person; how could I have way to force the heavens to rain? Perhaps the Director of the Board of Astronomy knows a bit more."
"Bixia, this minister, this minister's hands are also bound and unable to do anything!" That Director of the Board of Astronomy, hearing this, knelt down in nearly an instant, kowtowing almost uncontrollably. "This minister observed the night and measured the skies, and couldn't find a trace of rain in Boyang."
"Since Director Qian doesn't know either, then perhaps we can only send out an imperial notice. Who knows, there my be someone capable amidst the common people, who can solve the current calamity of Boyang," the Minister of Works said.
Jiang Changbai stared at her, the might of the Emperor rushing out in a flash. "The court expended money to groom you, and in the end, you still have to search among the common people for someone capable of resolving this matter?"
That Minister of Works, having been scolded by Jiang Changbai, didn't dare say any more, only standing in agreement. Yet Xie Qianbing spoke at this. "Then it would be better for Shen-daren to go check the remaining money and grain in the state treasury, to prepare for a period of need. The Ministry of Works can send out a few people to inspect Boyang in person, and see whether the local irrigation works can be improved, using methods in line with local circumstances. Even if it's a great drought, it's unlikely that all the rivers have dried up."
Jiang Changbai, at long last, had heard a satisfactory answer, and couldn't help but nod. "Not bad; then, following Qianbing's solution, do any of you have objections?"
No one dared to have objections. But after all the others had left, Song Juguang spoke indistinctly. "Bixia, this minister believes that using magic to call on rain counts as a method as well. It would be better to post a notice, and if there truly is this sort of person, then it would really be the court's gain."
Jiang Changbai's expression stilled, yet her words were somewhat sorrowful. "Could it be that A Guang also thinks that this severe drought in Boyang has been sent down by the heavens in fury at me?"
"Of course not," Song Juguang hurried to deny. "Although Boyang is in a severe drought, yet other areas are bursting with efficient administration and peace for the people, becoming more prosperous each day. Even if there's a problem that caused the heavens' punishment, this mistake can't be placed on you."
Jiang Changbai restrained her expression, and scoffed. "Then we'll follow what Qianbing just sais; posting a notice isn't necessary. If an imperial notice were to be sent out now, how will the common people view me as an emperor?"
"What Bixia says is utterly correct," Song Juguang said, not only not insisting, but a light smile had also unconsciously settled on the corners of her mouth. "We'll all follow Bixia's words."
In a flash, half a month passed. Xie Qianbing was nearly going to go mad with how busy she was.
The method of managing Boyang's drought had been raised by her, and theh details' implementation had naturally all been given to her to preside over. Work at the Ministry of Appointments had already been bustling, and Liu Zihe had intentionally made things difficult, giving trifles which originally ought to have been his to her; the regormation of the keju was even more of an important matter, and how to advance was all fumbled about by her and He Leyong; even if He Leyong was understanding of the matters on her shoulders increasing, and told her not to worry, Xie Qianbing still struggled to shift all her thoughts away from this matter.
By coincidence, the matter of managing Boyang's severe drought was complicated at every turn. In the half month since that day they'd discussed the matter in the Shengru Palace, nevermind that the entirety of Boyang's territory hadn't seen a single drop of rain, the news that the Ministry of Works' people had sent back was all bad. The grain remaining in the Ministry of Revenue's storehouse was nowhere near as much as she'd imagined; even with the more than two months since Jiang Changbai had ascended the throne, the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue had seemed to have stagnated in deficit, neither increasing nor decreasing.
It was as if the heavens were determined to kill every single commoner in Boyang and the borders of Boyang with drought.
As a result, Xie Qianbing was naturally so busy she was burnt from trying to put out the fire; until today, when she truly couldn't withstand it anymore, and came to Kuangzhuang Road, wanting to drive away her cares. The most bustling street of the Li state's capital city, the merchants and traders were uncountable in number; Honghailou was also on this street.
But Xie Qianbing truly hadn't had the intent to go to Honghailou today, ao much so that, because of having been introduced by Chen Xun into the private room, a shadow had been left on her psyche, and she intentionally kept a distance from Honghailou. However, here, there were people who were unavoidable, and over there, there were people rushing like ducks. Shen Yanyi, at this moment, had just sat on that mat that Xie Qianbing had sat on half a month ago, drinking a cup of tea that she hadn't had the chance to try.
Shen Yanyi's gaze fell entirely on the sinking and floating tea leaves, and she naturally couldn't take note of Xie Qianbing, outside the restaurant, wearing casual dress.
"Many thanks to Shen-daren for doing me this honour," Chen Xun said with a smile, waving a hand to dismiss the waiter by the door.
Shen Yanyi raised the cup and took a sip. "What sort of words; with that official's salary of mine, how could I drink the highest quality tea of Chen-zhanggui's?"
"Shen-daren jests; you're the Vice-Minister of Revenue, what sorts of tea under the heavens could you not drink?" As Chun Xun spoke, she filled up the cup of tea before her, yet her words carried another meaning.
Shen Yanyi was intelligent, and calmly and collectedly turned the ornamental thumb ring on her finger. "I won't drink tea in vain; if Chen-zhanggui has something to say, then say it. If I can help, then I'll definitely think of a solution for you."
Chen Xun, hearing this, smiled, her fox's eyes seeming to want to draw one in. "Who could have guessed that even an intelligent person would guess wrongly. I didn't merely seek Shen-daren without a matter, but rather, I have an opportunity to gift to you."
"Oh?"
"It's said that Shen-daren most recently Shen-daren has a headache because of the matter of Boyang's drought?" Chen Xun didn't reply, but rather responded with a question.
"It can't be counted as such," Shen Yanyi said with a grim smile, "the people getting a headache because of this matter are others. I only count as an assistant; whether this matter resolves or not, none of it has too much of a relation with me. It's just that this matter hasn't been debated widely; where is it that Chen-Zhanggui learnt it from?"
Chen Xun was startled first, and then immediately her gaze shifted as she said, "Myself and the common people have no access to gaining knowledge of the court's matters, but, after all, Boyang isn't too far from the capital, and my Honghailou does business. Day after day, Boyang has been without rain, which is easy to learn."
Shen Yanyi knew that Chen Xun wasn't truly telling her the truth, of course, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to press for an answer through asking. So, she only fell silent, not speaking, and waited for Chen Xun's next works.
"But, I've observed Shen-daren's talent; there's no one in the court who can surpass you. Now, not being put to use, it's merely because Bixixa has yet to see your ability. I have someone who might be able to help you." Having finished, without waiting for Shen Yanyi to speak, Chen Xun clapped her hands and called out the door, "Send Qin-daozhang[3] in!"
Translator's notes:
[1]: 太医, the title of imperial physicians.
[2]: The value of a chi (尺) varies based on the period of time, but from the Qin dynasty to Three Kingdoms period (2nd century BCE to 3rd century CE) it was around 24cm; eight chi, by this measurement, would be around 1.92m, or roughly 6ft 3in. Shen Yanyi is, in fact, quite tall, even by modern standards!
[3]: 道长, an address for a Daoist priest.
Thank you for translating this!
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