Chapter 154: Land Survey 2

Chapter 154: Land Survey (Part 2)

As winter arrived, the common folk changed into cotton-padded clothes. The young men in the households went to the docks to carry sandbags, while their wives sought piecework in town. If they had time at noon, they would bring meals to their husbands. Some vendors specialized in selling food to dockworkers, setting up stalls at noon to sell packed lunches, much like modern-day boxed meals. Here, the food was sold by a young couple who had been running the stall for over a year. Their dishes were well-liked by the workers, who all came to buy from them—one meat dish, one vegetable dish, a bowl of rice, and complimentary cabbage soup. It was a hearty deal.

The two men served the food while the *ge’er* (a term for a young married man) handled the accounts. The *ge’er* greeted everyone with a smile and was known for being straightforward.

A few clerks from the Ministry of Revenue came here to buy packed lunches. The court had allocated funds for their food and drink while they carried out the land survey. Not long ago, someone had boldly mentioned to Lord Zheng that the food here was delicious, so at noon that day, they sent people to buy meals for everyone.

Each person got two meat dishes and one vegetable dish. The clerk paid cheerfully and asked, “Do you set up your stall every noon?”

The *ge’er* smiled and replied, “Yes, brother. We’re here every day except during Lunar New Year when we go back to our village to celebrate.”

The clerk nodded in understanding.

At noon, everyone found a place to eat. Zheng Shanci found the food quite good. After finishing his meal, he let everyone rest for a while.

Hanlin Academician Zhao had taken a team to survey farmland, while Zheng Shanci had assigned a few Hanlin Academicians and was now mentoring them. Hanlin Academician Cui stayed with Zheng Shanci. His land survey sketchbook was complete, so Zheng Shanci handed it to Minister Mei and gave him a new one.

Zheng Shanci patted his shoulder. “Your work is impressive. Once this is over, you’ll have a bright future ahead.”

Hanlin Academician Cui was delighted. “Thank you for your kind words, Lord Zheng.”

Zheng Shanci’s words weren’t baseless. His land sketches were meticulous, and Minister Mei had praised him for his thorough and steady work. Once Minister Mei presented the sketchbook to the Emperor, Hanlin Academician Cui’s name would be known to His Majesty. When Hanlin Academician Zhao finished recording the household registries, they would be submitted together. Since both men were working under him, Zheng Shanci would do his best to help them gain recognition before the ministers and the Emperor.

The winter wind and snow were harsh. Zheng Shanci wore a cotton-padded coat and gloves. He blew on his gloved hands, rested briefly, and then continued working. That day, they investigated more than a dozen officials, four of whom were involved in concealing land. Without ceremony, Zheng Shanci sent them to the Ministry of Justice as usual.

Du Ning, now a *langzhong* (a mid-ranking official) in the Ministry of Justice, smiled when he saw the new arrivals. “If this keeps up, we won’t have room to hold them all. Brother Zheng, send them to the Court of Judicial Review tomorrow. These officials are still stubborn, and their families are frantically pooling funds. No one has come forward to bail them out yet.”

Zheng Shanci nodded. “Then I’ll send those caught tomorrow to the Court.”

While Zheng Shanci was busy with this, the Cabinet was also restless. The task required sending people to each prefecture to enforce the survey. Vice Councillor Pang recommended a few candidates, but Chief Grand Secretary Wei said, “Vice Councillor Pang’s judgment is unquestionable, but to avoid suspicion, these men should be assigned elsewhere—not to Vice Councillor Pang’s hometown. If I recall, Vice Councillor Pang is from Yongzhou?”

Vice Councillor Pang was displeased but maintained his composure. “Lord Wei has an excellent memory, remembering that I’m from Yongzhou.”

Chief Grand Secretary Wei remained unruffled by the jab. “It came up in passing, and I remembered. These men are capable, and I approve their assignments.”

The candidates were selected by the Cabinet. A clerk whispered something to Chief Grand Secretary Wei, who then stepped out.

A young eunuch bowed respectfully. “Your servant pays respects to Lord Wei.”

Chief Grand Secretary Wei gestured for him to rise. This eunuch was Feng De’s adopted son, and Lord Wei treated such people with courtesy.

“His Majesty has drafted a list of candidates for next year’s provincial postings and sent this servant to deliver it to Lord Wei.”

Chief Grand Secretary Wei accepted the document and opened it in front of the other grand secretaries.

After a brief review, they had no dissent and added Emperor Wuming’s chosen candidates to the list. When Vice Councillor Pang saw that the Emperor’s appointee was assigned to Yongzhou, he seethed.

The Emperor’s chosen men were undoubtedly loyalists—officials who couldn’t be swayed.

Outwardly, Vice Councillor Pang remained composed, but inwardly, his mind was in turmoil. His thousands of *mu* (over 150 acres) of concealed land couldn’t be sold off without detection—the government had records. A few hundred *mu* might be overlooked if an official had the means to dispose of it discreetly, but thousands of *mu* was impossible.

Zheng Shanci continued his investigations until just before Lunar New Year, when he uncovered a major offender.

The Duke had concealed over a thousand *mu* (over 150 acres) of land, shocking everyone. No one knew how much of that land had belonged to commoners. When arrested, the Duke raged at Zheng Shanci’s team.

The arrest of a duke was a major event. Zheng Shanci hurriedly submitted an official memorial to the Cabinet and sent the man to the Court of Judicial Review.

The Duke of Zhuang called out to Ye Yunchu, “My worthy nephew!”

Ye Yunchu: “…Throw him in jail.”

After delivering the prisoner to the Dali Temple, Zheng Shanci handed this political hot potato over to the Grand Secretariat and the Dali Temple to handle, then went home for the New Year.

Yu Lanyi bought Xiao Pingan a new cotton-padded jacket—a vibrant red one. Wearing it, Xiao Pingan looked like a festive New Year’s poster child. The moment Zheng Shanci returned, Xiao Pingan came running over, hugging his leg and cheerfully calling him “Dad.”

“Dad, let’s build a snowman,” Xiao Pingan said, tugging at Zheng Shanci’s robe.

Zheng Shanci let himself be led along.

Yu Lanyi had already built a large snowman. Xiao Pingan let go of Zheng Shanci and waddled over to make his own small snowman. He had already rolled a small snowball and was now working on a bigger one.

Zheng Shanci went to help his son roll snowballs.

They finished fast. Yu Lanyi had gone inside to warm himself by the fire and only came out after they were done.

Xiao Pingan, grunting with effort, placed the small snowball on top of the big one.

Zheng Shanci: “It still needs two ears.”

He rolled two small snowballs and attached them as ears.

Xiao Pingan took two small twigs and stuck them into the snowman as arms.

Yu Lanyi handed Xiao Pingan three grapes. “These are for the eyes and nose.”

Xiao Pingan carefully placed the grapes as the snowman’s eyes and nose.

“Awe-some! It’s the big snowman’s little snowman!” Xiao Pingan exclaimed loudly, his eyes shining. He reached out and gently patted the little snowman’s head.

Seeing how happy he was, Yu Lanyi went inside and brought out a red scarf. “Pingan, do you want to give this scarf to the little snowman?”

Xiao Pingan said yes. Yu Lanyi handed him the scarf, and Xiao Pingan carefully draped it around the snowman’s neck.

Zheng Shanci changed out of his official robe and came out to warm himself by the fire as well.

Yu Lanyi sat on a chair by the fire, with Xiao Pingan, a tiny figure nestled close beside him, sitting on a small stool.

Zheng Shanci hadn’t taken a long break in a while, so this New Year was a perfect opportunity to rest properly.

They visited relatives, had meals at the Marquis’s estate and the Zheng family home, and lit fireworks.

All of them were smiling—except for the officials Zheng Shanci had arrested, who were left cold and hungry in prison.

Those with wealthy families paid to have their relatives released, while the rest, unable to afford it, remained in the Ministry of Justice, facing unavoidable beatings.

The Duchess of Zhuang came to see the Duke of Zhuang and asked, “What has His Majesty decided about your punishment? I went to plead with others, but everyone shut their doors on me. No one wants to be involved—it seems our household is in deep trouble this time. How could you be so foolish? My dowry and the family’s shops alone would have been enough for us to live comfortably. Why did you have to hide land? A few hundred acres might have been overlooked, but this much? You’ve slapped His Majesty in the face!”

The Duchess began to cry. “His Majesty was already intent on disciplining the nobility and imperial relatives, yet you had to walk right into his grasp. What will happen to our children now? Our daughter is married—perhaps His Majesty will be lenient and spare her. But our son will suffer because of you!”

The Duke of Zhuang looked wretched. “What could I do? Regret is useless now. Those so-called friends who once feasted with me are nowhere in sight in times of trouble—not a single one can be relied upon!”

The Duchess had brought food for the Duke of Zhuang. After speaking for a while, she left.

Zheng Shanci had originally been investigating officials when a mid-ranking official claimed that the Duke of Zhuang’s estate had concealed vast amounts of land in exchange for leniency. Zheng Shanci decided to strike the Duke’s estate first this time.

Otherwise, he would have handled the officials before the nobility. Zheng Shanci met up with friends at a tavern. The delicacies at Xianwei Lou were a capital favorite. The group dined together sans family, sipping wine and discussing politics.

On the way home, Zheng Shanci brought some pastries from outside. Xiao Pingan was already asleep, and Yu Lanyi ate a few pieces before curling back into bed.

Zheng Shanci had drunk a bit too much. After freshening up, he lay under the covers, his mind still slightly numb.

Yu Lanyi tucked both hands under the blanket, lying on his side to look at Zheng Shanci.

"Zheng Shanci."

Hearing his name called, Zheng Shanci lowered his head slightly.

Yu Lanyi reached out and touched Zheng Shanci's head.

"Go to sleep now."

At these words, Zheng Shanci hugged Yu Lanyi and closed his eyes.

After New Year’s, Zheng Shanci was busy again. While he was occupied with conducting the land survey, officials and nobility sent numerous invitations to Yu Lanyi, asking him to visit their homes for tea. The invitations piled sky-high.

"Master Yu, what should we do with these invitations?" Jin Yun was stunned.

"They know Zheng Shanci is handling the land survey, so they’re inviting me to their gatherings. If I make a misstep or say the wrong thing, I might end up being manipulated by them." Yu Lanyi simply had Jin Yun set them aside, with no intention of attending.

This time, he wouldn’t go to anyone.

Someone like Mr. Wei wouldn’t invite Yu Lanyi at this time—they were too close, and it might raise suspicions.

Instead, Yu Lanyi visited Lv Jin at the Cui residence or went to the Marquis’s manor to relax.

He couldn’t afford to be a burden to Zheng Shanci.

On the first court assembly after New Year’s, Emperor Wuming ordered the Minister of Justice to thoroughly investigate the Duke of Zhuang’s case, checking for any other crimes besides concealing land.

The Minister of Justice took on the case and indeed uncovered that the Duke of Zhuang had embezzled a million taels of silver during his tenure. Emperor Wuming had once sent him to oversee disaster relief, where 500,000 taels were allocated—only 200,000 reached the victims, while the Duke embezzled 200,000, and the remaining 100,000 was spent as kickbacks.

The Minister of Justice identified most of the officials involved with the Duke of Zhuang. In his fury, Emperor Wuming ordered the execution of the implicated officials, demoted the Duke’s family to commoners, and exiled them a thousand miles away. Married daughters and sons were exempt.

The Duke of Zhuang, once a noble, became a spectacle in the marketplace. His married daughters were now lower in status than a minor official’s daughter, and their families, along with their grandchildren, were ostracized by their spouses’ families.

For now, no one dared to divorce the Duke’s daughters or sons—doing so would earn them a reputation for heartlessness. They would have to wait until the scandal died down before discreetly divorcing them or declaring them "ill."

A few with some conscience kept their wives in the main household but took concubines instead. The wives, already at a disadvantage, had no say in the matter.

Even commoners would avoid the children of a criminal, let alone aristocratic families who valued reputation above all. Their marriages were often alliances—when one family fell, it was no longer an alliance.

The Duke of Zhuang’s embezzlement implicated over a dozen officials. The Ministry of Personnel filled the vacancies, appointing Hanlin scholars to sixth-rank positions.

Zheng Shanci had surveyed half of the capital’s land. One morning, as he led his team to the fields, he saw the Duke of Zhuang locked in a prisoner’s cart. The Duke, already resigned to his fate, looked broken.

But when he spotted Zheng Shanci, hatred flared in his eyes. "Zheng Shanci, I’ll haunt you from the grave!"

He repeated it several times, his face twisted with rage.

Zheng Shanci, wearing a protective charm around his neck, calmly said, "Let’s go."

The group followed him, though a few minor officials glanced back at the Duke. The Duke had once been so powerful—why did someone so powerful need to embezzle so much? If they were dukes, they’d live well on their salaries without resorting to greed.

After finishing the land survey that day, Zheng Shanci walked back with his team. At a fork in the road, they parted ways, and Zheng Shanci headed home alone. Suddenly, sword blades lunged at him.

They were desperate enough to attack.

"Watch out, Lord Zheng!"

Wang Fu shouted as several guards rushed to block the assassins in black.

There were over twenty attackers, and even though the Marquis of Changyang's men were crack soldiers, the narrow alley made it difficult to maneuver. The assassins were also highly skilled in such tactics, and Zheng Shanci, taken by surprise, was struck by a sword.

The blade was sharp, slicing through his official robe and clanging against hidden armor with a crisp, metallic ring.

The assassin's sword failed to pierce through.

"Is the Lord unharmed?"

"You dare attack in the Emperor’s own capital?!"

The Metropolitan Prefect's men arrived, and the assassins exchanged glances before swiftly fleeing within moments.

The common folk had all taken cover. The Metropolitan Prefect ordered his Yamen Runner to continue the pursuit while he hurriedly helped Zheng Shanci up. Seeing that Zheng Shanci was unharmed, he sighed in relief. "Praise heaven Lord Zheng is unharmed. These criminals are highly skilled—clearly trained professionals. I wonder who Lord Zheng has offended?" the Metropolitan Prefect asked routinely.

Zheng Shanci's voice came low and weary: "I couldn’t even name all my enemies now."

The Metropolitan Prefect fell silent.

He could only offer an awkward smile.

Zheng Shanci was still injured, his palm bleeding steadily from the sword's slash. The Metropolitan Prefect quickly arranged for someone to accompany him for bandaging.

Meanwhile, the Yamen Runner dispersed the crowd. The twenty-odd assailants had vanished without a trace in the capital, leaving Emperor Wuming fuming but helpless. His anger only grew—these nobles and officials dared to openly assassinate a court official in the capital, and they even had so many trained killers at their disposal. What if they come for me next?

Emperor Wuming grew uneasy.

"Feng De, go to my private treasury and select some medicinal herbs to deliver to Lord Zheng."

Feng De bowed and hurried off.

Emperor Wuming clenched a pair of night-luminous pearls in his hand, his eyes dark and brooding. "So they’re desperate now? Then let’s investigate everything. Let’s see if these twenty assassins can shake the capital!"

Zheng Shanci had suffered scrapes while evading the attack, and the medicine boy applied ointment before wrapping his wounds in bandages. The injury to his palm was the most severe, but fortunately, he had retreated swiftly—otherwise, his hand might have been severed.

He had just taken his medicine at the clinic when Yu Lanyi stormed in, frantic, his eyes filled with panic. After a quick scan of the room, his gaze settled on Zheng Shanci’s bandaged hand, and his distress deepened.

"Are you alright? Any other injuries? Does your hand hurt?" Yu Lanyi sat beside him, gently lifting Zheng Shanci’s hand to inspect it.

The wound had already been cleaned, leaving only layers of gauze visible.

"I’ll live," Zheng Shanci reassured him.

Yu Lanyi was terrified. "Can’t you leave this matter to someone else? You’re a third-rank official now—we don’t need any more promotions. Stay safe in the Ministry of Revenue. Whoever is supposed to handle this should take over."

"I brought this to the Emperor myself. It’s only natural that I lead the charge in the capital first," Zheng Shanci consoled him. "Besides, they only had this one chance. They’ll think twice next time."

Zheng Shanci was determined to see this through.

It wasn’t about promotion. As an official of the Great Yan Dynasty, in high office, his words could reach the court, and his proposals could gain the Emperor’s approval. He wouldn’t just collect a salary.

Knowing Zheng Shanci’s temperament, Yu Lanyi didn’t press further after one attempt. He helped Zheng Shanci into the carriage, but Zheng Shanci sighed in exasperation. "Only one hand is injured—my arms and legs are still perfectly fine."

"Don’t joke about it. Wang Fu told me—that assassin stabbed you in the chest, but it was like hitting an obstacle. If not for that, you wouldn’t be laughing in front of me right now."

Zheng Shanci admitted, "I knew this work would make enemies, so I sewed metal plates into my official robe. This time, they saved my life."

Zheng Shanci’s heart hammered in his chest; he swore he could hear the blood rushing from his heart. The blade clanged against the iron plate, rattling his skull.

Then the officers from the Capital Prefecture arrived. If not for the iron sewn into his robe, he would have suffered at least a severe injury—possibly even died on the spot. The black-clad assailant was ruthless, aiming straight for his heart.

Saying he wasn’t scared would be a lie, but he’d braced for this when undertaking this task. Now that they had made their move against him, Zheng Shanci was even more determined to smoke out these shadows, before they came after his family.

His mind made up, he decided to accelerate his efforts the next day.

Upon returning home, Yu Lanyi told the kitchen to keep supper light. Zheng Shanci sat at the table to eat, while Xiao Pingan kept staring at his bandaged hand, worry swimming in his eyes.

The boy nudged his rice bowl and asked softly, “Did Daddy hurt his hand?”

“Just a scratch—needs wrapping is all,” Zheng Shanci replied. “Pingan, remember to protect your hands when playing.”

Xiao Pingan nodded. After finishing his meal, he ran to Zheng Shanci’s side, gently took his hand, and blew on the bandaged palm.

“Blowies fix everything.”

Zheng Shanci’s throat tightened. “Thank you, Pingan.”

That night, after drinking his healing tonic, Zheng Shanci lay in bed. Yu Lanyi couldn’t focus on his stories, keeping his gaze fixed on Zheng Shanci’s hand, turning it over in his hands.

Just as Zheng Shanci was about to speak, Yu Lanyi lowered his head and kissed the bandaged palm.

“…”

“You must take care of yourself in your work,” Yu Lanyi said.

Zheng Shanci was momentarily stunned, staring at Yu Lanyi’s face—dead serious. He no longer thought of dissuading him from his duties.

“I will.”

...

The next morning, as Zheng Shanci began to rise, Yu Lanyi sensed his movement and woke as well.

After Xiao Pingan had breakfast and left for school, Zheng Shanci was about to depart when Yu Lanyi called out to him.

“Wait a moment.”

Jin Yun had gone to the storeroom early to retrieve something and now presented a box to Zheng Shanci.

Opening it, Zheng Shanci found the Golden Silk Armor inside.

“This was from the young master’s bridal trousseau.”

Yu Lanyi gathered the armor and steered Zheng Shanci to the inner chamber to help him put it on. “With this Golden Silk Armor, I can breathe easier.”

Zheng Shanci touched the armor, his chest too full to speak. With his uninjured arm, he embraced Yu Lanyi.

“Thank you, Lan Yi.”

Then Zheng Shanci left.

Yu Lanyi watched his back as he walked away until he disappeared from sight before finally looking away.

“Get more guards from the Marquis’ household.”

Jin Yun bowed and went to do it.

Yu Lanyi gritted his teeth in hatred toward the men in black. These people hired assassins to kill Zheng Shanci, who was just following orders. As long as the higher-ups didn’t change their orders, killing him wouldn’t change anything.

They just wanted to take their anger out on Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci was so good—how dare they seek his life?

He was going to rise straight to the top—no stopping him.

...

Zheng Shanci had been attacked right out in the open the day before, and the officials all knew about it, expressing concern for him. Zheng Shanci said he was fine and continued leading the land survey. Every acre of land uncovered would be taken back by the state and later distributed to landless peasants.

If any official had seized land from the people, it would be returned to its original owners.

Zheng Shanci’s investigation persisted until summer, finally reaching Vice Chief Councillor Pang.

Vice Chief Councillor Pang thought about pinning it on his son but ultimately gave up. Emperor Wuming and the court weren’t stupid—how would they believe his son had concealed two thousand acres of land?

Zheng Shanci showed up at the Pang residence.

Though the group held respect for the Second Grand Secretary, Lord Pang offered them tea. Zheng Shanci placed the documented land records before Vice Chief Councillor Pang.

“We’ve currently uncovered one thousand acres, but some records are too old. We’ll need to visit your hometown to verify them.”

Vice Chief Councillor Pang’s face twitched. “You’ve got quite the nerve.”

Vice Chief Councillor Pang continued, “You think playing the saint will keep you safe? The longer you stay in the officialdom, the more you’ll become like us. I was just like you at first—my family was a minor noble house, never wanting for food or clothing. In my youth, I wanted to plead for the people’s welfare. But once I became an official, I found everyone in the court was corrupt. If you didn’t take bribes, you’d be ostracized and targeted. So I took them too. I thought I could control it, but I grew greedier and greedier. I had money but didn’t know how to spend it. I considered indulging in women, but at my age, I’d be ridiculed for such behavior.”

“I wanted to splurge recklessly, but I feared being exposed. I embezzled as an official, yet this official robe stopped me from spending freely. I kept swinging back and forth till I clawed my way to Second Grand Secretary. This world eats people alive.”

Zheng Shanci gave no response.

Vice Chief Councillor Pang didn’t need one. He laughed softly. “You’ll all end up like me—all of you.”

Zheng Shanci left the Pang residence, and the Dali Court took Vice Chief Councillor Pang away.

In this land survey, Zheng Shanci had already arrested officials and nobility, but he never expected to capture a Second Grand Secretary as well.

The minor officials exchanged uneasy glances after Pang’s speech.