Chapter 178: The Fisherman

Chapter 178 The Retired Official

The Marquis of Changyang returned home, took off his official robe, and changed into everyday attire, placing the bundle from his office in the house.

Before leaving the palace, the Marquis of Changyang had already burned all confidential documents related to the Ministry of War. His bundle contained nothing critical, but some items needed to be stored in his study, the key to which only he possessed. He didn’t trust others to handle things in his study.

Mr. Yu, returning from outside, saw the Marquis of Changyang and asked, “Has His Majesty approved your retirement?”

The Marquis of Changyang nodded. “Now, without official burdens, I no longer have to deal with court politics.”

He smiled, and his shoulders felt lighter.

Mr. Yu said, “Hurry and put your things away. Why leave them piled up here?”

...

Zheng Shanci returned to the Grand Secretariat and began processing petitions. During breaks, he would take a moment to envy his retired father-in-law before resuming his work. His speed was fast—he finished the petitions before noon.

Chief Grand Secretary Wei and Second Grand Secretary Xiao worked more slowly, while Grand Secretary Lei took his sweet time, occasionally stepping out to refill his teapot, deliberately dragging out his tasks.

Among the petitions Zheng Shanci processed, two were submitted by the Board of Punishments concerning murderers in two prefectures. Zheng Shanci took an interest in such cases and pored over them carefully.

These murderers operated at night.

While counties and prefectures had constables patrolling at night, towns and villages lacked such patrols. Zheng Shanci mused on this. During his time in the countryside, he had felt that the Great Yan Dynasty’s governance was quite effective, as integrating numerous villages into the local administration was no easy feat. Ensuring trickle-down governance was even more challenging.

The Great Yan Dynasty practiced balanced oversight of its rural areas.

Zheng Shanci proposed adding street lamps along village roads and organizing patrols during important festivals. He had another idea but dismissed it upon considering the imperial coffers. He decided to wait until more funds were available before submitting a memorial.

He wanted to establish village academies with tuition-free education, charging only for meals—or allowing students to bring their own food to be heated in the canteen. Every three years, the Great Yan Dynasty produced three hundred Jinshi, all erudite scholars. Most came from aristocratic families, while those from commoner families found it difficult to pass the exams. But if they learned to read and write, they could find work in towns.

He wanted them to gain more knowledge. The path was tough, but Zheng Shanci hoped they could catch a glimpse of the Great Yan Dynasty through learning, offering those with potential another way to change their lives.

For now, Zheng Shanci set aside these thoughts.

At noon, everyone dined together. Given his position, Zheng Shanci could have had a minor official deliver his meal to his duty room, but he preferred eating in the canteen.

Today’s fare included bamboo shoot and chicken soup, and Zheng Shanci asked for seconds on bamboo shoots.

Xiao Gaoyang was already seated and eating. As Zheng Shanci sat down, Cui Ziqi looked up and said, “Brother Zheng, both your and Brother Xiao’s fathers-in-law have retired.”

Zheng Shanci took a bite of bamboo shoots. “That’s a good thing.”

Xiao Gaoyang thought of Grand Secretary Shi staying at home all day and felt a twinge of envy. However, he knew that retiring in his thirties would leave him unsatisfied—he still aspired to climb higher.

Cui Ziqi had only broached the topic to show Zheng Shanci his newly written manuscript.

“Take a look. Can this sell?” Cui Ziqi asked expectantly.

“I’ll give you an answer in a few days,” Zheng Shanci said, accepting the manuscript.

Du Ning was surprised. “Brother Cui, you’re impressive—so busy yet still finding time to write stories.”

Cui Ziqi said proudly, “The Board of Punishments’ work is manageable. Once you get used to it, you save time.”

Mei Huai nodded in agreement. At the Ministry of Works, he also preferred finishing official duties early to focus on personal matters—a habit he’d cultivated since childhood.

Du Ning glanced at Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci defensively sipped his soup: "Don’t give me that look—I’m swamped."

However, he would get his work done on shift so that he could spend time with Lan Yi and Xiao Pingan when he returned home.

They weren’t bursting with energy, but they managed their lives in an orderly manner.

Shi Xuan, after finishing his tasks, still observed Buddhist rituals. Listening to his friends’ conversation, he smiled faintly.

After eating, the group went their separate ways. Zheng Shanci went for a nap and quickly fell asleep. Meanwhile, Yu Lanyi lounged in bed at home, and Xiao Pingan hadn’t seen him all morning.

Yu Lanyi lounged in bed in the morning, thinking that Zheng Shanci had already left for duty. The blankets were too cozy, so he couldn’t muster the will to get up. He had servants serve him breakfast in bed, ate, and went back to sleep.

Xiao Pingan had breakfast and lunch alone, but he didn’t mind. When he had nothing to do, he paced the hallway or took the servants to check out the guest quarters in the house.

He counted six guest rooms in the residence—it was quite a large estate. Xiao Pingan wandered into the kitchen, where the cook was preparing pastries. Seeing him, she greeted, "Young master, perfect timing! The fresh pastries are just out of the oven."

Xiao Pingan ate a few pieces and noticed the cook packing the pastries into a food box—lotus cakes, cloud cakes, and sweet rice rolls.

"I’ll deliver these to Dad."

The cook agreed, "Mind your step, young master. What would you like for dinner tonight?"

Xiao Pingan listed a few dishes, and the cook noted them down. Then, he scooped up the food box and bolted straight to Yu Lanyi’s door, knocking excitedly.

"Dad, pastries for you!"

Yu Lanyi sat up, ruffled his hair, threw on his robe, and opened the door.

Xiao Pingan’s eyes sparkled as he placed the food box on the table and took out the three plates of pastries.

"I brought them from the kitchen."

Yu Lanyi patted his son’s head. "Dig in together."

Xiao Pingan nodded.

After having a few pastries, Yu Lanyi washed up, then took his son out for some fun.

"Let’s get books!" Xiao Pingan said happily.

"Sure, you buy books, and I’ll buy novellas," Yu Lanyi replied, letting his son board the carriage first before getting in himself. The carriage was warm with a brazier.

At the bookstore, Xiao Pingan immediately headed to the book section, picking out several titles. One book’s title stumped him, but the cover looked appealing, so he decided to buy it, planning to read it once he learned more words.

Each of them bought their books, and Yu Lanyi bumped into Mei Geer.

Mei Geer had also brought Jiang Jiao to buy books. Jiang Jiao was younger than Xiao Pingan and still in kindergarten.

Xiao Pingan approached with his books, and Mei Geer smiled. "Xiao Pingan is in upper class now. Why don’t you recommend some books to Jiang Jiao?"

"Sure!"

The two boys went off to pick books together. Xiao Pingan was already familiar with this bookstore—it was managed by the Ministry of Revenue. Yu Lanyi insisted on buying books and novellas here, reasoning that if someone was going to profit, it might as well be Zheng Shanci.

Many of the novellas here were written by Imperial College students, though none revealed their real names. Some were quite popular among the capital’s elite girls.

Xiao Pingan helped Jiang Jiao choose books, first recommending a complete set of "Top Scholar’s Notes." He shrewdly explained, "Buying them one by one costs a tael each, but getting the whole set saves a couple taels."

Jiang Jiao seemed unsure but looked at the notes in Xiao Pingan’s hands and scratched his head. "My family already has these." Xiao Pingan put the notes back and pulled Xiao Chen over, recommending illustrated books instead. Jiang Jiao happily took them all. In their secluded corner, Jiang Jiao gushed, "My father loves painting—he especially likes painting plum blossoms."

Xiao Ping'an thought for a moment, then squatted down and said, "Maybe it's because your dad’s last name is Mei."

Jiang Jiao blinked in confusion. "Is that so?"

Jiang Jiao came out holding the picture books and a few collections of Tang and Song poetry. Mei Geer said goodbye to Yu Lanyi and took his son back to the carriage.

Mei Geer kept noticing Jiang Jiao staring at him.

"What's the matter?"

Jiang Jiao asked curiously, "Does Father like plum blossoms because his last name is Mei?"

Mei Geer was happy to explain. "I first noticed plum blossoms because of my name, but I love them for their spirit and beauty."

"If Father likes plum blossoms, then I like them too," Jiang Jiao said.

That evening, Jiang Jiao picked some winter plum blossoms from the garden and gave them to Mei Geer, who felt bad for the flowers.

Jiang Lanli had been busy at the Personnel Ministry. Seeing the winter plum blossoms in a vase, he smiled. "Alright, alright, I gave Jiang Jiao a talking-to, and he knows he was wrong."

Mei Geer was just slightly annoyed, not truly angry.

Jiang Lanli handed him a painting. "This is a plum blossom I painted in my spare time. What do you think?"

Mei Geer took the painting and examined it carefully before commenting, "It’s okay."

Jiang Lanli wasn’t offended. Both of them came from scholarly families, naturally sentimental. For instance, Mei Geer would get teary-eyed over falling leaves, but Jiang Lanli understood him, never thought he was being dramatic—just sweet.

"Then paint a plum blossom for me," Jiang Lanli teased, pushing his luck.

Originally, he had gotten close to Mei Geer through Mei Huai, who let Jiang Lanli sneak into his life without realizing it.

Mei Geer gave a faint nod.

They had all the time in the world. Jiang Lanli planned to collect many of Mei Geer's plum blossom paintings, lock them in a chest, and admire them slowly in private.

"Lately, work at the Personnel Ministry has been quite exhausting. Many official positions will change after the New Year, so both the Personnel Ministry and the Revenue Ministry will be busy making sure officials’ pay was correct."

The thought of these matters gave Jiang Lanli a headache.

As luck would have it, Minister Mei had transferred from the Revenue Ministry to the Personnel Ministry, where Jiang Lanli worked—meaning he was now serving under his father-in-law.

This made Jiang Lanli even more diligent in his duties.

Neither his nor his friends' fathers-in-law were easy to deal with—they were tough customers.

Jiang Lanli climbed into bed and wrapped his arms around Mei Geer's waist.

Mei Geer glanced at him and mussed up his hair.

While Jiang Lanli was moping at home, Zheng Shanci had no such worries about the Revenue Ministry's affairs. He had long assigned Vice Minister Fan to handle the salary adjustments, which should be completed by now.

After finishing his duties, Zheng Shanci played in the snow with Xiao Ping'an before dinner, and the whole family huddled around the fire for warmth.

They brewed fruit tea over the fire—too late for real tea, but Xiao Ping'an enjoyed the fruity brew.

All three had eaten their fill earlier, and now, sleepy from the fire’s heat, Yu Lanyi nuzzled against Zheng Shanci. Seeing this, Xiao Ping'an cuddled up to him too.

Xiao Ping'an went to bed first, and he was out like a light.

Yu Lanyi yawned and tugged Zheng Shanci into bed with him. The night was frigid, so they clung to each other as they fell asleep.

The winter chill soon passed, and the weather warmed. The soldiers at the frontier received padded jackets and blankets sent by the Ministry of Revenue this year, allowing them to ring in the New Year in comfort. The new garments were of excellent quality, and when the weather turned warmer, they carefully tucked them away at the bottom of their trunks.

"Fitting for a military family’s son-in-law—Lord Zheng is truly good. He’s so thoughtful, even remembering to send us warm clothes," one soldier remarked.

"Which official from the Ministry of Revenue ever remembered us on the frontier before? They’d sooner let us starve while guarding the borders, unwilling to spare a single coin."

In their eyes, officials from the Ministry of Revenue were usually stingy. That Zheng Shanci, now Minister of Revenue, still thought of them earned him their goodwill. Combined with his connection to the Marquis of Changyang, the military held no ill will toward him.

Their breaths turned to white mist in the barren land of the frontier. Every day, they rose for morning drills before standing guard on the city walls. The barbarians would holler from below, but the soldiers had grown accustomed—this season, they wouldn’t attack, so their taunts fell on deaf ears.

Seeing the high spirits of Great Yan’s soldiers, the barbarians balked, too intimidated to attack.

This year, the frontier remained stable.

Winter melted into spring, and before they knew it, two years passed. During this time, tax revenues consistently exceeded ten million taels. The grueling land audits conducted in previous years now foreshadowed Great Yan’s golden age.

There had been a brief period of revival in Great Yan’s history when tax revenue once surpassed ten million taels—though only for a single year, it had delighted the emperor and court officials. Now, with three consecutive years of such revenue, the auspicious sign whetted the officials’ appetites.

Recently, some had approached Chief Grand Secretary Wei to discuss raising official salaries.

"Lord Wei, since the founding of Great Yan, official salaries have remained unchanged, while prices in the capital have risen more than tenfold. In the past, we endured hardships for the sake of the court, but now that the treasury is full, shouldn’t our salaries increase—even just a little?"

This was not the first time someone had raised the issue with Chief Grand Secretary Wei. He sighed and replied, "I understand your concerns. Though the Ministry of Revenue has seen better revenues in recent years, expenditures remain high. While I am Chief Grand Secretary, matters within the Ministry are better understood by Lord Zheng. If you seek a salary increase, I suggest consulting him for advice."

The official pondered this, realizing Chief Grand Secretary Wei was passing the matter to Zheng Shanci. Nodding, he decided to hear what Zheng Shanci had to say.

Zheng Shanci, diligent in the Grand Secretariat, had just finished revising memorials when three officials sought him out. Sensing their hostility, he had a clerk bring them tea.

"Gentlemen, please sit and speak."

Calm and composed, Zheng Shanci took a sip of tea first.

Seeing his unshaken demeanor, the officials felt somewhat diminished. Their anger fizzled out like a doused flame, and they sat meekly, sipping their tea.

One of them cut to the chase, repeating what they had told Chief Grand Secretary Wei.

Zheng Shanci pondered before responding, "I deeply sympathize with the plight of underpaid officials. This matter weighs on my mind. However, His Majesty likely has other plans for these funds. If you trust me, once the Ministry of Revenue secures more revenue, I will lobby the emperor to raise official salaries."

He spoke truthfully—Emperor Wuming had long intended to use a replenished treasury to wage war against the barbarians. With the treasury’s current reserves and his private funds, he could sustain a campaign, a pet project he wouldn’t let anyone derail.

Hearing this involved the emperor, the officials grew cautious. After exchanging pleasantries, they hastily excused themselves from the Grand Secretariat.

"This concerns His Majesty—we’d best not escalate it to court, or we’ll face consequences."

"Let it go for now. We can make do for now."

"You may manage, but I’m struggling," the sixth-rank official said bitterly.

Starvation wasn’t an issue—they still received monthly grain stipends. But with only one maid to handle all household chores and a coachman to maintain appearances, expenses piled up. Selling off the carriage and letting the coachman go meant trudging to the palace on foot, but what choice did they have?

Zheng Shanci usually walked to and from work, only taking a carriage in rain or winter.

They had to tighten their belts—who knew if salaries would ever rise? His low-ranking post in the capital offered no lucrative opportunities, nor was his department prestigious. Among the capital’s many officials, a sixth-rank post commanded no respect.

With resigned sighs, the three dispersed.

Zheng Shanci had indeed considered raising salaries. As the saying went, "Fat paychecks keep hands clean." If officials couldn’t meet their basic needs, they might resort to graft. In the capital, where real estate came at a premium, everything cost money—especially for those still renting homes, where rent alone bled them dry.

He now lives a comfortable and well-off life, primarily because Lan Yi's family is wealthy. The Marquis of Changyang provided them with a matrimonial house, carriages and horses, along with servants, so Zheng Shanci has no worries. After earning a living in Xinfeng County, he moved to the capital to continue making ends meet, making his days seem pleasant.

In reality, if Zheng Shanci were just an ordinary official, his life in the capital would be tight. Now that the funds have been seized by Emperor Wuming, Zheng Shanci has no say in the matter.

When Zheng Shanci returned home after his duties, Xiao Ping'an, who had already finished primary studies, was now studying the Four Books and Five Classics. Wei Yun, who often played with them, was even eligible to take the imperial exams this year.

It was common to take the exams young to test the waters, but Zheng Shanci didn’t want Xiao Ping'an to take the imperial exams so soon. He preferred the boy to thoroughly master the Four Books and Five Classics first and gain some confidence before attempting them.

Upon returning, Zheng Shanci could hear Xiao Ping'an reciting lessons aloud in the courtyard.

As he had grown older, Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci discussed moving him to a separate room. Now, he no longer stayed near Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi’s quarters but had his own independent courtyard.

Zheng Shanci made as if to walk by but couldn’t resist sneaking to the entrance of Xiao Ping'an’s courtyard for a peek. There, he spotted Yu Lanyi also peeking curiously at the gate.

Amused, Zheng Shanci quietly stepped forward and tapped Yu Lanyi on the shoulder, startling him. Recognizing Zheng Shanci, Yu Lanyi pulled him down to crouch together and watch Xiao Ping'an.

After observing for a while, the two quietly retreated.

Just as Zheng Shanci was about to speak, Yu Lanyi glared and said fiercely, "You scared me! Who gave you the guts?"

Yu Lanyi lightly jabbed Zheng Shanci, who caught his fist in his palm. "We’re off tomorrow. Let’s have an early meal and go fishing with your father."

Distracted by Zheng Shanci’s words and now holding his hand, Yu Lanyi forgot his annoyance.

Since retiring, the Marquis of Changyang often went fishing with Zheng Shanci and enjoyed playing chess with him. Zheng Shanci usually conceded defeat, though he occasionally won a few games, which only made the Marquis even more eager to challenge him again.

Yu Lanyi joined them for fishing, bringing his own bait and fishing rod. Xiao Ping’an was thrilled to hear he’d be fishing with his grandfather.

A family that loves fishing.

After dinner, Yu Lanyi quickly tossed the bait into Zheng Shanci’s fishing basket—he was afraid of those squishy, wriggly things.

The Marquis of Changyang also brought Yu Hebai along. The group headed to the outskirts to fish and spent the night at a manor in the countryside. The two children fished side by side, casting their lines. Yu Lanyi glanced at their chosen spot.

"There are no fish there. I sat on that big rock for ages and didn’t get a single bite," Yu Lanyi kindly advised.

Fishing required the right location, so Xiao Ping’an and Yu Hebai moved to another spot, cast their lines again, and sat quietly under their straw hats.

The Marquis of Changyang found his own spot to fish.

Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi baited their hooks, cast their lines, and settled in to wait.

Before long, Yu Lanyi dozed off against Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci took hold of Yu Lanyi’s fishing rod, secured it with a stone, and tucked a blanket around him.

Yu Lanyi spent half his fishing trips asleep.

Everything went quiet, with only the sounds of insects breaking the silence, as if the entire world had stilled. Zheng Shanci lowered his gaze and waited patiently.

The rod twitched, and Zheng Shanci felt a tug. He pulled it up smoothly, and a fish flew out of the water. With practiced ease, he placed it into the basket.

By nightfall, Zheng Shanci had caught three big ones and four little ones.

Xiao Pingan looked at the two small fish in the basket and gently stroked their slippery scales.

Yu Hebai had good luck, catching three small fish. The two cousins bonded over fishing.

The manor's steward kept waiting, urging them to wash up and sleep. Yu Lanyi, half-awake in Zheng Shanci's arms, caught a glimpse of himself nestled there before drifting back to sleep.

After all, Zheng Shanci was the one who could fish—Yu Lanyi only needed to know how to eat. He smacked his lips.

He was craving grilled fish.

Zheng Shanci was also tired. He dreamed of a big fish wrapping its tail around him, pressing heavily on his body, and jolted awake in the dead of night.

He found Yu Lanyi's legs tangled around him, his whole body pressing down on him. Zheng Shanci adjusted his position. Still asleep, Yu Lanyi complied easily, his head resting on Zheng Shanci as he mumbled something, fingers resting on Zheng Shanci's waist.

Zheng Shanci sighed in relief, drowsiness washing over him again.

He thought to himself—now this was a real big fish.