Chapter 427 First-Rank Minister

Chapter 427: First-Rank Minister

The three little troublemakers were sent back to the palace by Lord Ran. Fortunately, Wen Zhao did not blame them—he even chuckled and praised Tong'er for having Ge Quan's style, and complimented A Yan for being clever and quick-witted.

The eldest prince stole a glance at his father's smiling face, then hung his head in silence. He was doomed tonight—even if his father didn't punish him, his mother certainly wouldn't let him off lightly. But the lard flatbread had been truly delicious, and the mutton soup from the street stall had been mouthwateringly good.

Song Tingzhou had received Ge Quan's message in advance and stayed home. Only when the palace sent word did he hurry over to pick up the children. Even though Wen Zhao hadn't issued any punishment, he still knelt respectfully to apologize.

He and Ge Quan each led their own child out, parting ways at the palace gate.

Ge Quan brought Tong'er home. The boy had been running wild all day and was young besides—he fell asleep halfway there. Ge Quan carried him to the heated brick bed, and Tong'er didn't even stir; his head hit the pillow and he was dead to the world.

At least Ge Quan thought to take off his son's outer clothes before letting him sleep. He saw Fang Jinrong lying beside Tong'er, staring at him without blinking, also lying in the same position. The couple studied their son's peaceful sleeping face for a long while.

"Should we give him a beating?" Fang Jinrong asked.

Ge Quan thought seriously for a moment. "A Yan doesn't seem to have gotten beaten."

Fang Jinrong looked thoughtful. "Then we won't beat him either?"

"Let's not." Ge Quan reasoned it wasn't that serious anyway—the Jinyiwei Commander's men had known about the three boys running off all along and had reported it to the emperor, who only told them to follow discreetly.

Ge Quan's pale complexion looked somewhat weary. He felt these mundane official duties dragged on endlessly—he'd rather be out taking bounty contracts from the martial arts world.

"Do we have enough silver at home?" Ge Quan suddenly asked.

Fang Jinrong looked at him blankly. "You're asking me?" How would he know how much money his household had?

"Then... maybe not enough." A hint of eager anticipation flickered in Ge Quan's handsome slanted eyes.

Fang Jinrong paused. "Are you tired of living in Shengjing? If you want to leave, I'll go with you wherever you go."

Ge Quan held his hand, touched by the sentiment—until Fang Jinrong pulled free and produced two prepared bundles out of nowhere, their contents clinking loudly. Either silver or gold pieces, most likely.

Ge Quan: "..."

Early the next morning, Tong'er was brought to the Song residence in a daze. A Yan was lying face-down on the bed, his buttocks red, half-dead.

"Brother A Yan, did you get beaten?"

A Yan grunted. He'd cried until midnight and was still groggy. "My father beat me. Uncle Xue Sheng tried to stop him, but it didn't work." Song Tingzhou had simply avoided the scene entirely, not even attempting to intervene. A Yan thought mournfully—his loyalty had been misplaced after all.

"Huh?" Tong'er snapped fully awake. "Little Uncle looks so kind—how could he hit that hard?"

"Heh. My father said I was foolish. Taking the prince out went so smoothly that I should have immediately guessed someone would be shadowing us. When I couldn't shake them and didn't know if they were friend or foe, instead of asking for help I went to a brothel to watch the dancers. I had that beating coming." A Yan finished speaking, grief welling up again, and two more tears slipped out.

Meng Wan had punished his child late the night before and also woke up late. When Huang Ye told him Fang Jinrong had brought the child over early that morning, he'd assumed it was the usual drop-by. But that evening Song Tingzhou returned and said: "Brother Ge directly petitioned His Majesty after the morning audience, begging to resign his post as Jinyiwei Commander and return home."

Meng Wan's spoon clattered into his soup bowl. "He resigned just like that? And the Emperor said yes?"

Song Tingzhou wiped the table in front of him with a handkerchief. "The Emperor had already expected it. He put him on indefinite leave with his rank intact, telling him to come back whenever he wished." Experts like Ge Quan were one in a million, and he was unusually principled—Wen Zhao would only seek to keep him closer.

Meng Wan sighed. "Leave with his rank intact—must be nice. But they certainly moved fast, leaving their kid with us and skipping town. What about Old Master Ge?"

Song Tingzhou had seen Ge Quan at court that day; the two had spoken. "Sent to the Fang family to live out his days."

Well, that settles it—both the old and the young were handled, and the couple had taken off free and easy.

Meng Wan wasn't about to admit he was envious. He'd get antsy if he wasn't making money, but proper rest was still necessary. If he kept pushing himself this hard, he feared Song Tingzhou would keel over from overwork.

The triennial imperial review was about to begin. The busiest ministries at court were the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate, followed by the Ministry of Rites. Lin Congrong had barely returned before being buried in work.

Since returning from the south, Song Tingzhou had been running back and forth between the Shuntian Prefecture and the Ministry of Revenue every day. The Ministry of Revenue managed the nation's land taxes and fiscal revenues, and he needed to coordinate with Kou Wen for a while before he could fully hand things over to his subordinates.

The political winds had shifted—everyone knew Song Tingzhou was the emperor's golden boy. His promotions had already been fast, but judging by His Majesty's intentions, Song Tingzhou's position would rise even further after the year-end review. That was somewhat terrifying, and it explained the many probing advances.

"Many positions have opened up in the south. My advice is that you should voluntarily request an external posting. The equal-field decree will show results within a year, and by then the south will inevitably become the focal point of power struggles among all factions. If you remain at the center, you'll enjoy His Majesty's trust, but you'll also be on the edge of a storm—one misstep could drag you into conflict. An external posting is different: you can achieve tangible results locally, build popular support and experience, and return to the capital once your foundation is secure." Song Tingzhou was in his study discussing affairs with Wu Zhaoyuan, calmly analyzing the court situation.

Wu Zhaoyuan undoubtedly trusted Song Tingzhou, but he had his own concerns. "Xiao Cao is still young. If I take him and your sister-in-law on an external assignment..." Though the south had been cleaned up by Song Tingzhou, other risks might remain. His hesitation was only human.

Because of his childhood experiences, Wu Zhaoyuan placed great weight on family. If his wife and children would suffer hardship with him, he'd rather live an ordinary life forever.

"Elder brother, if you're worried, go take up your post first. Wan'er and I will look after sister-in-law. Once everything is stable at your post, you can send for them to join you."

That was a viable solution. Wu Zhaoyuan said he'd think it over before leaving, and he did indeed visit the Ministry of Personnel himself afterward.

He wasn't the only one who saw opportunity in the south, but everyone in Shengjing knew he and Song Tingzhou were as close as brothers. When the Ministry of Personnel got word, they took note—and after the review, Wu Zhaoyuan was indeed posted externally as he'd hoped.

The triennial imperial review was the grand ceremony at the heart of national governance—the state's great rite for distinguishing the worthy from the unworthy, promoting and demoting officials.

It concerned court discipline above and local livelihoods below, drawing the attention of the entire court and the eyes of the realm. No civil or military official dared take it lightly.

Besides Wu Zhaoyuan's external posting, the other vacancies in the south saw major reshuffling. Shen Chongshan was transferred to Yingtian Prefecture as a second-rank Provincial Administration Commissioner, while Wu Zhaoyuan was posted to Suzhou Prefecture, filling the vacant prefect position.

In the capital, Lin Congrong smoothly rose to first-rank Minister of Rites—which everyone had expected. Song Tingzhou's promotion to Minister of Justice, however, caught a group of people who couldn't read the situation completely off guard.

"Elder brother... should we still seek revenge against Song Tingzhou now?"

The aristocratic families who had been affected by the equal-field decree couldn't help but feel anxious, gathering privately to discuss.

"Revenge? What revenge? Before, when Song Tingzhou was only second-rank, he was already as ruthless as a living Yama. Now that he's firmly seated as first-rank Minister of Justice, are you trying to charge in and get our entire clans exterminated?"

"But... we did go to Lin'an and Youcheng back then, me and Old Third from the Yang family. We won't be found out, will we?"

"If they were going to investigate, they'd have done it during the Luo family's purge. Letting it go now means they're not seeking total annihilation."

"That Song fellow has a family too—maybe he's scared?"

"Scared? The people under his husband's command outnumber all our clans' members combined. Who would dare touch him—unless they're sure their own businesses don't depend on the Shijian post station?"

The group fell silent for a moment, then someone hesitated: "Should we... prepare a congratulatory gift for Lord Song's household, to congratulate him on his promotion?"

"I'm afraid he won't accept it."

The elder brother who had spoken earlier made the final call: "Even if he won't accept, we still send it!"

—

"Even if little uncle won't accept, your nephew must still send it—not just as my own gesture, but as the Xiang family's sincerity." Mr. Xiang, who had once encountered Meng Wan on Ji Po Island, had undergone a complete transformation from his former arrogant attitude. He had traveled with servants and heavy gifts all the way from Licheng to Shengjing to pay respects to Meng Wan.

It was fortunate timing—had he arrived even a few days later, Meng Wan's family would have already departed for their hometown in Changping.

Song Tingzhou was busy arranging Ministry of Justice affairs. Meng Wan was at home packing when Gui Cheng told him the Xiang family had come calling. He'd already guessed as much—and sure enough, it was the eldest legitimate son of the Xiang family, whom he'd met once before.

Meng Wan crossed his arms and smiled sardonically. "As I recall, Mr. Xiang didn't want to acknowledge me as a relative. How is it that you've been sending letters frequently since half a year ago, and now you've come all this way in person?"

"Your nephew was young and ignorant on Ji Po Island—those were truly arrogant words. I failed to recognize greatness. After returning home, I reflected day and night, and my regret ate at me." Mr. Xiang's face was full of sincere apology as he bowed slightly. "When my father heard of my disgraceful behavior on Ji Po Island, he flew into a rage and administered family discipline on the spot. He said if I couldn't earn little uncle's forgiveness, he would no longer acknowledge me as his son."

Meng Wan was speechless. "Ha?" That was so long ago—why apologize now? They were simply frightened by the Luo family's fate.

Meng Wan did not wish to expose him either. "Come in and sit. Regarding the matter of Guo Qixiu back then, I owe the Xiang family a favor."

Mr. Xiang was overjoyed and bowed respectfully once more. "My young uncle is magnanimous. To be able to contribute even a small effort for my young uncle is the Xiang family's honor. Our matriarch has you as her sole disciple—please, you must help the Xiang family!"

Meng Wan knew what he was about to ask. He glanced at Uncle Heng, who had grown visibly older beside him, and thought of his late mentor Xiang Yun. At last, he offered a hint: "The court has not spread any word, which means there is no intention to wipe you out entirely. If the Four Great Houses fall, other houses will naturally rise in their place. It all depends on whether the Xiang family knows which way the wind blows."

Mr. Xiang felt a chill run through him. He first had his old servant sit down, then perched himself on the edge of a chair, looking up at Meng Wan. "Please, my young uncle, enlighten me."

Huang Ye brought in the gift list. Meng Wan took it and glanced over it briefly. They were about to return to their hometown, and the New Year gifts for various relatives and friends had to be sent out tomorrow before they departed. His gaze rested on the list as he said calmly, "I wouldn't call it enlightenment, but I can offer some idle talk. Take it for what it's worth."

Mr. Xiang sat up straight with a solemn expression. "My young uncle, please speak."

Meng Wan handed the list back to Huang Ye and considered for a moment before saying, "In the coming years, the equal-field policy is the wave of the future, and the north will follow suit. If the Xiang family wishes to protect itself, just keeping your head down won't cut it. You noble scions know better than I do how families rise and fall. If you want to bow out gracefully before the tide turns, you should learn from Chen Zhenlong."

Chen Zhenlong's deeds were known throughout the nation. Wen Zhao had the Imperial Observatory compose ten grand essays, all praising Emperor Xuanzheng as the rightful ruler chosen by heaven, which was why Lord Chen had presented grain seeds to His Majesty, relieving the people's suffering.

The Xiang family naturally knew who Chen Zhenlong was. Mr. Xiang asked with difficulty, "Maritime transport is not hard, but the grain seeds are hard to come by..."

He trailed off because Meng Wan was looking at him like he was an idiot. "Lord Chen traded grain seeds for generations of hereditary honor. Can't the Xiang family use something else? The north's literary culture is not as flourishing as the south's—why not establish charity schools on a large scale, paying for poor scholars to study?"

"I know of charity schools, but wouldn't that make His Majesty suspicious?" Mr. Xiang had a point—if those scholars actually passed the imperial examinations, wouldn't they all become the Xiang family's connections?

Meng Wan took a sip of tea. "Then get the other great houses to pitch in. As one of the Four Great Houses, surely the Xiang family has that kind of pull? You don't need to fund them all the way to prominence—follow the model of my own charity schools. Three years is enough, with at least one school capable of housing a hundred students in every city and every town."

Mr. Xiang drew in a sharp breath. "A hundred students? Every city, every town?" That would bleed their family dry!

Meng Wan looked at him skeptically. "Can you even make such a decision?" Had the Xiang family sent some rookie to negotiate with him?

"I sure can!" Mr. Xiang pulled himself together, stood up, and bowed with clasped hands. "Thank you for your guidance, my young uncle. When I return to the Xiang family, I will surely report this to my father and the clan elders, and do everything in my power to make it happen."

If it actually worked out, he'd be happy to call Meng Wan his granddaddy.

Later that evening, when Song Tingzhou returned, Meng Wan told him about the Xiang family's visit. "When a great house falls, it takes countless innocent lives down with it. If the Xiang family is willing to part with their silver, there may still be a chance to turn things around."

Song Tingzhou listened while lifting Meng Wan onto the bed. "Then it's up to the Xiang family to decide for themselves."

He was wearing a loose robe from his bath, easy to slip off. Meng Wan lay half-reclined on the bed, slowly tugging at the sash, his gaze hooking Song Tingzhou like a fishhook.

The air was thick and heavy with desire, candlelight flickered a warm glow, flushing their faces pink.

Song Tingzhou had to go to the Ministry of Personnel early the next morning. He had already submitted his documents to cancel his registration, and now needed to collect his appointment credentials from the ministry's administrative office.

The Ministry of Justice was his old stomping ground, so there was no need to report there again. After collecting his credentials, he would go directly to the palace for an audience with the emperor. They would depart for home the day after.

"Lord Song, are you here to collect your appointment credentials? Please, follow me inside." The ministry clerk courteously led Song Tingzhou to the administrative office and, ignoring however many people were waiting in line, handed him his credentials first.

Song Tingzhou clasped his hands in thanks. Just as he stepped out of the administrative office, someone called out to him.

"Lord Song, please wait a moment." Chai Jun walked with heavy steps. He had been a solid Fifth-Rank Court of State Ceremonies Vice Director, but after the grand review, he had been exiled to Ningxia Prefecture on the northwestern frontier as a Fifth-Rank Assistant Prefect. On paper, it was a half-rank promotion, but how could a frontier official compare to one in the capital? Never mind the desolate Ningxia Prefecture—even Yangzhou Prefecture would be considered a demotion.

Unlike Song Tingzhou's situation back then, Song Tingzhou had made a name for himself before the emperor. Even setting that aside, if he had lacked ability, Lin Congrong could have pulled him out of Lingnan. Who would have thought he'd be so capable that he never even needed to call in favors?

As for Chai Jun, unless he could reach Song Tingzhou's level, he would never climb out of this hole. A Fifth-Rank Assistant Prefect, with a prefect above him—and a familiar one at that. Cao Jinxiu, the newly appointed Prefect of Yangzhou.

"What is it?" Song Tingzhou's expression was cold, even less courteous to Chai Jun than he had been to the minor clerk at the ministry.

"Was it you who arranged my exile to the northwest?" Chai Jun's face shifted through several expressions. He had pulled every string to stay in the capital, and even the top scholar a year behind him was securely seated in Shengjing. Going to the northwest meant he could see the end of his road from here—how could he accept that?

---

"I know why you've come to see me." Meng Wan spoke kindly, with a look of pity as he advised the woman before him. "Shun Ying, though we've only met a few times, I find you quite agreeable. Your Qi family has earned military merit this time, putting them worlds above the Chai family. Everyone in Shengjing knows the Chai family's reputation. If I were you, I wouldn't be running around for that wretch Chai Jun. Even joining the army as a woman would be better than being mired in the Chai family's filth."

Qi Shunying's prepared words of pleading and appeasement were choked off in her throat. Her eyes widened slightly in disbelief. "A woman... joining the army? The Yu Dynasty has never had such a precedent."

Meng Wan encouraged her, "No precedent doesn't mean it can't be done. Believe me—if you went to propose it right now, there's a six in ten chance His Majesty would agree."

Wen Zhao was first and foremost an emperor, but also a highly competent practitioner of statecraft. He respected and loved his wife, but that didn't mean he would never grow wary of the Qin family. Where he was wiser than the late emperor was in his ability to divide and balance. With Nie Chuan fallen, he couldn't allow the Qin family to dominate alone. Yi Hongfei had already been propped up, and if the Qi family produced a female general, wouldn't that be icing on the cake?

Meng Wan was full of schemes, yet his face remained serene and pleasant. "If you don't believe me, go ask General Qi at your natal home. She trained in martial arts from childhood with a heart full of valor—do you think she's content to waste away in a back courtyard? And of all places, the Chai family's back courtyard."

At the mention of Chai Jun, his brow furrowed slightly, disgust pooling in his eyes. He truly loathed the man to the core.

---

"Your question is laughable. You're the one who has repeatedly spouted nonsense in my presence, yet I have never once regarded you as worth my notice. The reason His Majesty did not extend his wrath to you over Prince Lian's affair is not because you are a figure of importance to the court, but because you are utterly insignificant." Song Tingzhou's tone was flat, matching the arrogance of his words. He swept a cold glance over Chai Jun's ashen face. "The fact that you've been sent out at all is His Majesty's mercy. What right do you have to question me?"

The Ministry of Personnel was bustling after the grand review, but everyone passing by unconsciously slowed their steps and pricked up their ears. Chai Jun's features were frozen stiff, his face pale with humiliation, unable to string together a single complete sentence. "You... you..."

Song Tingzhou had no time for his stuttering. He turned and left with his attendants, leaving Chai Jun to flee with his face covered in shame.