Chapter 186: Subsequent Issues

Chapter 186: The Fallout

Not long after the Marquis of Changyang passed his title to Yu Zhangxing, he was promoted to Duke, leaving everyone to realize they’d been outplayed, grumbling about the cunning old fox.

"This marquisate title was supposed to last only three generations, but Yu Zhangxing not only extended it another three but also rose to Duke. The Yu family’s luck is unreal," sighed an old marquis.

His own descendants were useless—neither scholarly nor martial, nor even content to stay out of trouble—and had squandered the family’s wealth. Once he passed, the situation would only worsen.

Regret gnawed at him. "These worthless brats have no shame at all."

The Marchioness said, "My lord, you still have seven or eight bastard sons—why worry? Surely one of them will amount to something."

The old marquis slapped his thigh in frustration. "What’s the use of having so many if none are capable? They’re just burdens. If I had a worthy eldest son like Yu Zhangxing or a talented son like Yu Lanyi, I wouldn’t bother having any more."

The Marchioness thought bitterly. Now that he saw how outstanding other families’ sons were, he wanted to claim them as his own. As if those children would ever agree.

"You used to be pleased that Yu Lanyi, a mere young master, was so arrogant, but now you’ve changed your tune. My lord’s thoughts are too hard to predict."

"That was then, this is now. How can it be the same? Zheng Shanci became a Grand Councillor at such a young age. When the Crown Prince becomes Emperor, his status will rise even higher. How many years of protection will that bring the family? With descendants like these, I could die happy."

As the old marquis rambled on, the Marchioness had already stopped listening. This was wishful thinking—the Yu family had such outstanding descendants, and envy wouldn’t change a thing.

Meanwhile, Yu Zhangxing received the edict. Feng De hurriedly helped him up, grinning. "From now on, when we see Lord Yu, we must address him as Duke."

Emperor Wuming had sent Feng De to deliver the edict, granting Yu Zhangxing the utmost respect.

Yu Zhangxing had someone prepare gifts to send Feng De off, then took a deep breath and bowed toward the palace with the edict in hand.

"Tonight, we’ll celebrate properly," Mr. Yu said happily.

The Marquis of Changyang’s lips curled upward. "Indeed. From now on, we must act with even greater caution. I’ll go to the study first to write letters informing the rest of the clan."

He patted Yu Zhangxing’s shoulder and hurried off.

Yu Zhangxing crouched down and ruffled Yu Hebai’s hair. "From now on, you’ll be the heir of the Duke’s estate."

Yu Hebai looked up at his father.

An Geer felt both thrilled and a little wistful. Yu Zhangxing pinched Yu Liuge’s cheek—he adored both children dearly.

"I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare a grand meal," An Geer said eagerly.

After he left, Yu Zhangxing had just sat down in the main hall for a sip of tea when a servant entered. "My lord, several officials have arrived with gifts."

These people were too well-informed. Yu Zhangxing understood the ways of the world.

"Let them in and serve tea quickly."

As expected, the visitors included nobles and high-ranking officials. Yu Zhangxing handled them with perfect grace.

An Geer, still in the kitchen, was unaware of the guests arriving. He was finalizing the evening’s menu: "Add plenty of fortifying foods for my husband—don’t forget the ginseng chicken soup. Also, prepare beef and peanuts to pair with wine for Father and my husband..."

The cook nodded. "Of course, my lord."

Satisfied, An Geer left the kitchen and instructed his personal attendant, "Go into the city and see if you can find someone skilled in therapeutic cooking. Invite them to the estate."

"Yes, my lord."

The attendant was overjoyed for his master. Originally betrothed to Heir Zhang, the young master had been scorned when Heir Zhang committed disgraceful acts before the wedding. But after marrying Lord Yu, his life had been smooth sailing—and now he was the Duke’s spouse.

The Duke keeps no concubines, only the young master, and the eldest son has become the heir to the dukedom. This is truly a heaven-ordained match.

An Geer went to the main hall and saw officials departing cheerfully. They greeted An Geer when they saw him, and he nodded politely in return.

"They brought some gifts. Have the storeroom attendants come and register them," Yu Zhangxing said.

An Geer replied, "Understood. You should go and rest first."

Seeing the exhaustion in Yu Zhangxing's eyes, he felt a pang of heartache.

"It's fine. I'll walk through the garden and rest later in the evening."

Emperor Wuming had granted him and Yu Zheng a seven-day leave to recuperate at home before returning to court. After registering the gifts, An Geer went to the garden to find Yu Zhangxing, who was sitting in the pavilion studying a chess game.

"This morning's game was between Father and Father. Father said he won't play with you," An Geer said with a smile as he sat down.

Yu Zhangxing wasn't surprised to hear An Geer's voice. He chuckled, "I'll invite Shan Ci over for a game another day."

An Geer replied, "He should be coming tomorrow."

Looking at Yu Zhangxing's handsome features, An Geer felt his heart skip a beat again—all his love and desire were tied to this man. His ears turned red as he reached out to hold Yu Zhangxing's hand resting on the stone table.

Yu Zhangxing's eyes flickered, and he clasped An Geer's hand in return.

An Geer lowered his lashes, casting shadows on his flushed cheeks. It was a summer evening, the air somewhat cooler, but their clasped hands grew damp with sweat. Yu Zhangxing released his grip, turned, and kissed An Geer's cheek.

"It's too hot like this," Yu Zhangxing murmured in a low voice.

An Geer withdrew his hand and placed it primly on his knees.

"Should He Bai move up to the senior class this year?"

"He already has."

Yu Zhangxing acknowledged with a hum and remarked that it was getting late. He stood up, and An Geer followed suit. Yu Zhangxing slipped an arm around An Geer's waist.

An Geer's face flushed crimson. Fortunately, there were no servants in the garden at the moment, or he would have been too shy.

"I looked—no one's in the garden. In a few days, let’s go kite-flying. I’ll propose at Marquis Anxin’s residence, just like when you accidentally fell into my arms after retrieving a kite from the roof."

An Geer responded cheerfully and walked arm in arm with Yu Zhangxing.

...

The next morning, Zheng Shanci went to court early, while Yu Lanyi woke up and went straight to the Duke's estate.

When he arrived at the Duke’s estate, many carriages were still parked at the gate. Yu Lanyi lifted the carriage curtain and remarked, "So many visitors."

After stepping down, the other ladies and gentlemen greeted him warmly upon recognizing him.

"Ah, Young Master Yu! What have you been occupied with lately?"

"Young Master Yu..."

Yu Lanyi gave some polite but brief replies, then looked up at the grand plaque inscribed with "Duke’s Residence," bursting with pride. He strode in with his head held high, with Jin Yun trailing behind, strutting with borrowed importance.

The household servants wore smiles as they worked. Upon entering the main hall, Yu Lanyi saw Mr. Yu and An Geer entertaining the visiting ladies and gentlemen.

"Our grand main hall is nearly overflowing," Yu Lanyi remarked with a sigh.

Seeing Yu Lanyi arrive, Mr. Yu quickly ushered him over to help with the socializing.

The high-status guests were all important figures who left after presenting gifts and exchanging a few words. People trickled out, leaving behind numerous gifts. In the end, only the Duchess and her family, along with Yu Lanyi, remained.

"Changxing has truly made us proud. We were overjoyed to hear the news yesterday," the Duchess said with a smile.

Mr. Yu replied, "This achievement is thanks to His Majesty’s favor and the troops’ hard work. My son's title is not solely his own merit."

Hearing this, the Duchess felt both envy and admiration. With these words, Mr. Yu had already outshone half the noblemen and ladies in the capital.

"When Tong'er inherits the title, I hope these two cousins won't grow distant," the Duchess remarked cheerfully.

Upon learning that Yu Changxing had been made a Duke the previous day, their emotions had been mixed—joyful because their family ties through marriage to the Yu family would benefit them, yet sorrowful because their own family's title would be downgraded to a Marquis when passed to He Tong, while the Marquis of Changyang's household was elevated to the Duke’s household.

After a few more pleasantries, the Duchess took her leave.

Yu Lanyi sat in a chair sipping tea and had a servant bring him a bowl of iced jelly dessert.

"Don’t eat too much cold food," Mr. Yu couldn’t help but chide.

"It’s scorching—this’ll cool me off," Yu Lanyi replied, scooping up large mouthfuls with a spoon.

"So many visitors today. The next few days will be busy. I’m only here to mooch a meal today—I won’t be coming back for a while." Yu Lanyi disliked socializing and preferred to avoid it when possible.

Some engagements were unavoidable, but others could be skipped.

"After lunch, rest in your room. In the afternoon, the three of us will go shopping for jewelry and clothes—Dad and I are footing the bill," Mr. Yu said with a smile.

An Geer replied, "Thanks, Father and Dad."

Yu Lanyi exclaimed, "Sweet! I’m going all out!"

After dinner, Yu Lanyi chatted with Yu Changxing. "How many days of rest does Eldest Brother have?"

"His Majesty granted us seven days off," Yu Changxing said with a smile. "In the imperial gifts were several batches of fine fabric. Your sister-in-law set some aside for you—take them home when you leave."

Yu Lanyi nodded happily, happy to raid his old home.

With the sun beating down after the meal, Yu Lanyi yawned and went to nap. Meanwhile, Zheng Shanci was still dining with friends in the hall. Xiao Gaoyang had been promoted to Hanlin Chancellor, now the highest-ranking official managing the Hanlin Academy. His friends toasted with soup bowls to congratulate him.

Xiao Gaoyang laughed. "Come to my house on our day off—I’ll treat you all to wine."

"That’s what I’m talking about!" Cui Ziqi cheered.

Zheng Shanci sipped his soup and said, "Now that Brother Xiao is Hanlin Chancellor, when Xiao Chen enters the Hanlin Academy in the future, you can show him the ropes."

Xiao Gaoyang’s smile deepened. "Chen'er is still young—who knows if he’ll even pass the Jinshi exams? You’re giving me too much credit, Brother Zheng."

"New stars rise every generation. We’re already old," Du Ning said with a sigh.

"I don’t feel old," Zheng Shanci said innocently.

"Cut the act," Jiang Lanli teased. An ex-Tanhua, he had grown even more elegant with age. None of the new Tanhua held a candle to him.

This bunch bantered freely, their bond remaining unbroken despite years in office. Shi Xuan joined the conversation, absently thumbing his prayer beads.

Other officials also had friends, but after a few years, they might drift apart or turn on each other. It was rare—and enviable—to see a group like Zheng Shanci’s, who had stuck together through thick and thin.

Having like-minded friends to work with in this life is truly a great fortune.

Cui Ziqi said, "We agreed to go to Brother Xiao's place for drinks on our day off. You better treat us well."

Xiao Gaoyang replied, "Don't worry about it."

They lingered so long chatting in the dining hall that by the time they left, few officials remained. Zheng Shanci entered the cabinet office, walking quietly to his office. Once inside, he slowly closed the door and let out a deep breath in the inner room.

After removing his shoes and official robe, he lay down to rest.

After waking, washing up, and drinking some cold water, Wang Fu entered to announce, "Vice Minister Fan is here."

"Let him in," Zheng Shanci said, sitting up straight.

Vice Minister Fan entered with a bow, presenting documents as he spoke: "Recently, I've been reviewing Lizhou's tax records. Liangzhou consistently reports droughts every summer, prompting the court to dispatch Imperial Commissioners for relief. Yet we must allocate 200,000 taels annually to Liangzhou—year after year the Ministry of Revenue finds this becoming a real headache."

"Please sit and explain in detail," Zheng Shanci said.

Wang Fu brought chrysanthemum tea, served both men, then stood guard outside.

After sipping his tea, Vice Minister Fan continued: "Finding this peculiar, I had subordinates investigate Liangzhou's historical drought records. The findings revealed irregularities—before Prefect Ruan's tenure, while minor disasters occurred, they never warranted court relief. Yet since his appointment, relief has been dispatched three times."

Zheng Shanci examined the documents: "As you suggest, this does appear suspicious. Annual allocations of 200,000 taels should have funded waterway repairs. Over three years, 600,000 taels could divert even seawater."

Vice Minister Fan eagerly agreed: "Exactly! Yet I dared not speak rashly, as this implicates both frontier governors and the Imperial Commissioners His Majesty dispatched these three years. Thus I came to seek your counsel, Young Master Zheng."

With the war concluded, Ministry of Revenue officials breathed easier—no longer needing to make every tael count. While soldiers had completed their battles, subsequent matters like death benefits required joint deliberation between the Ministries of War and Revenue. The pension stipend alone constituted massive expenditure: regulations mandated 50 taels and five acres per fallen soldier.

Fortunately, land surveys had been conducted—allocating farmland would otherwise prove impossible. Beyond pensions for the deceased, living soldiers required rewards, plus His Majesty's imperial rewards—all drawn from state coffers. Though restraining imperial gifts seemed prudent after such victory against the barbarians, none dared suggest it.

They had to tighten the purse strings.

Understanding the Ministry's difficulties, Zheng Shanci said, "I'll submit a report, requesting the Censorate investigate. If wrongdoing is found, they'll pay back every stolen tael with interest."

That puts my mind at ease," Vice Minister Fan said.

"I appreciate your hard work regarding pensions, rewards, and land allocations. Additionally, every transaction must be recorded, down to the last copper," Zheng Shanci reminded.

In Revenue Ministry affairs, even the smallest amounts required documentation to ensure accountability. Auditors and accountants feared nothing more than being falsely accused without clear records.

Vice Minister Fan nodded: "Understood, Young Master Zheng. I will remember."

Having a boss like Zheng Shanci was a blessing in officialdom—one who took responsibility instead of blaming subordinates. Having previously served as deputy, Vice Minister Fan had taken the fall for bosses before. Rather than resent this, he considered it a mark of trust—only those close were asked to take responsibility.

Now in the Revenue Ministry with his predecessor's connections, Vice Minister Fan collected his thoughts and excused himself.

"After work, things will be easier," Zheng Shanci said. "Once this period passes, summer tax collection will bring substantial revenue." Calculating repeatedly, Zheng Shanci put his head down on the desk.

Managing the Great Yan Dynasty's finances proved exhausting. Sometimes treasury inspections nauseated him—despite the piles of silver, careful accounting revealed endless shortfalls.

Returning home, he took Xiao Ping'an to visit the Duke's residence.

Alighting their carriage, Zheng Shanci gazed up at the ducal plaque.

"Young Master Zheng, please enter."

Little Ping'an tagged along with Zheng Shanci as they entered. By now, he was used to his grandfather’s estate, so upon entering, he went straight to play with Yu Hebai and Yu Liuge.

"Shan Ci’s here—have a seat," Mr. Yu said.

Yu Lanyi was slumped in his chair, looking bored out of his mind. The room was kept cool with blocks of ice, and walking in was like gulping down ice-cold water, instantly refreshing Zheng Shanci. He sat down, and Yu Lanyi shot him a half-hearted look before popping an ice-cold grape into his mouth.

"Still swamped with court business?" Mr. Yu asked.

"The Grand Secretariat’s business as usual. The Ministry of Revenue’s tied up with the soldier compensation funds," Zheng Shanci replied, knowing what Mr. Yu wanted to hear.

Mr. Yu sighed. "Those soldiers have it rough. Best get that silver to their families, just as the court decreed."

"No need to fret, Father. This time, the Ministry’s gone all out and is working with Lord Nie from the Ministry of Justice. Anyone dumb enough to skim this silver’s gonna land in jail."

"That's good," Mr. Yu said with a smile.

After sitting for a while, Zheng Shanci was called away by Yu Changxing for a game of chess. The two were evenly matched, each move requiring careful thought before placing a piece.

The Marquis of Changyang asked where the two had gone.

A servant replied, "The Duke and his second son-in-law are at the pavilion, playing chess."

Hearing this, the Marquis's eyes lit up with interest. "Shan Ci’s about as good as I am. Can he really hold his own against Changxing?"

"No shot. I gotta see this. If Shan Ci and I team up, we might scrape a draw against Changxing." Unable to resist, the Marquis made to leave and observe the game.

Mr. Yu cut him off. "Go mind the kids instead."

The Marquis grumbled but gave in, skipping the game. Mr. Yu knew the Marquis’s chess skills were mediocre—his matches with Shan Ci only seemed competitive because Shan Ci went easy on him. If he saw Shan Ci holding his own against Changxing, he might start doubting himself.

After the match, Zheng Shanci had a hearty dinner at the Duke’s place.

"Father-in-law, Dad, we’re heading out."

"Go ahead."

Yu Lanyi flopped into the carriage, while Xiao Ping'an waved around a wooden dagger. "This was a gift from Cousin Hebai."

Xiao Ping'an adored it.

Playing chess with his elder brother-in-law had left Zheng Shanci mentally exhausted, yet exhilarated afterward.

"I should play chess with Eldest Brother more often."

Yu Lanyi shot him a look. "Just make sure Father doesn’t see you."

Zheng Shanci obediently agreed.

Xiao Ping'an raised his hand. "I can play chess too! I can play with Father."

Zheng Shanci glanced at his son and chuckled. "When your skills improve, then you can play with me. I don’t take it easy on kids."

Xiao Ping'an huffed, cheeks puffing out.

He vowed to practice chess diligently, determined to shock his father. Picturing Zheng Shanci’s shocked face, Xiao Ping’an giggled gleefully to himself.

Zheng Shanci heard his laughter but couldn’t fathom what was so amusing. When they reached home, Zheng Shanci helped Yu Lanyi down from the carriage first, while Xiao Ping'an simply leaped off, landing with a loud thud.

Zheng Shanci just stared.