The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 053 Hearts Linked As One Part 2
That day, when Tang Shen and Yao Shan returned home, it wasn’t long before eunuchs arrived at the Zhuangyuan Residence and the Tanhua Residence with gifts.
Zhao Fu had sent each of them a fox fur coat and many palace delicacies. Tang Shen and Yao San had both been to Luohe Town and dealt with the Liao people. Especially Yao San, who was familiar with many Liao merchants. The Liao kingdom produced fine mink fur coats, and Yao San marveled at the fox fur coat given by Zhao Fu, saying: “Little boss, this coat has such glossy fur, it’s rare even in the Liao kingdom. It’s truly excellent material!”
Tang Shen silently caressed the fox fur coat, closed his eyes, and sighed softly.
After storing the fox fur coat in his wardrobe, Tang Shen entered the study and began grinding ink. The candlelight flickered in the study as Tang Shen pondered for a long time, dipped his brush in ink, unfolded a memorial, and wrote carefully. The next day, he sent the memorial up, and after another three days, Li Shu and Tang Shen were on duty together when Zhao Fu kept Tang Shen behind alone.
Li Shu glanced at Tang Shen in surprise, then bowed and left.
Under the lead of Ji Fu, Tang Shen entered the Immortal Ascension Platform.
The Immortal Ascension Platform was lit with ninety-nine candlesticks, arranged in three layers and four directions, surrounding Zhao Fu in the center. In front of Zhao Fu was a row of bronze candlesticks, each holding a perpetual flame. Zhao Fu wore a white Daoist robe and sat among them. He was not wearing a dragon crown but had casually pinned his hair with a hairpin. A few strands of white hair fell on his shoulders; he looked nothing like an emperor who commands the world but rather like a transcendental Daoist.
Li Shu had said that, apart from a few officials from the Palace Secretariat, only the Marshal of the West, Li Jingde, the Minister of Revenue, Wang Zifeng, and the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Su Wenyun, were allowed to enter the Immortal Ascension Platform. Tang Shen wondered if those people visited frequently or had only been there once.
But in any case, Tang Shen was there today.
Zhao Fu sat in the center of the candlesticks, still as an immortal, as if he had even stopped breathing.
After a long while, he exhaled softly, opened his eyes, and said to Tang Shen, "Jing Ze, what did you see today when you met me?"
It is said that accompanying the emperor is like accompanying a tiger; upon hearing this, even Ji Fu looked somewhat bewildered.
Zhao Fu was the most peculiar during his time cultivating, with an eccentric and unpredictable temperament. Sometimes he would laugh heartily, other times he would become furious. Several eunuchs and Daoist page boys had died in the Immortal Ascension Platform. Zhao Fu could maintain a facade of a wise ruler outside, but once inside the Immortal Ascension Platform, he no longer considered himself an emperor but rather an immortal.
Ji Fu didn't know how to respond, and Tang Shen didn't understand either.
But he only panicked for a moment before calming down. His remarkable memory made many Daoist classics flash instantly in his mind, from the Book of Changes and Zhuangzi to the Book of Dao and Huainanzi. Tang Shen bowed and spoke gracefully, "The highest virtue does not act virtuously, hence it is virtuous. The lowest virtue does not lose virtue, hence it is unvirtuous. I observe that Your Majesty transcends the world, and what is seen is not seen; it is as if seeing and not seeing at the same time."
Zhao Fu laughed heartily.
Ji Fu, who could not read many characters, did not understand Tang Shen’s words but, seeing Zhao Fu’s happy expression, thought to himself, Didn’t expect Tang daren to flatter him even better than he does! Today we’ve met a real expert.
Zhao Fu said, "You may leave now."
Ji Fu was somewhat surprised but bowed and said, "Yes."
When the main gate closed, only two young Daoist page boys guarding the perpetual flames, Zhao Fu, and Tang Shen remained in the Immortal Ascension Platform.
Zhao Fu sat cross-legged, looking at Tang Shen, "Jing Ze, have you been to the Liao State?"
Tang Shen immediately bowed and said, "I have not been there."
"Oh, then what does the memorial you wrote mean?"
Tang Shen explained, "I have not been to the Liao State, but I have been to Luohe Town. Your Majesty may not know, but Luohe Town is a small town on the border between the Song and Liao states, located in the northeast of Song territory. Our western northern towns often have conflicts with Liao, but to the east, there is more trade."
Zhao Fu nodded.
Tang Shen continued, "I once visited Luohe Town with my family and saw one or two Liao merchants and some Liao people on the streets. These Liao people appeared friendly on the surface, but they were arrogant and vulgar, showing no respect and never considering us Song people. If even the small Liao merchants are like this, one can imagine how the Liao court views us. Therefore, I, lacking talent, hope Your Majesty will be clear-sighted; those Liao people are wolves and tigers, not to be underestimated!"
Zhao Fu's gaze moved past Tang Shen to the nine perpetual flames behind him.
Tang Shen kept his head down, not daring to make a sound, even holding his breath.
Zhao Fu said, "I understand. You may go."
Tang Shen bowed and stepped back. Only after leaving the Immortal Ascension Platform did he straighten his back. He first bowed to the Chief Eunuch Ji Fu outside the door. Ji Fu, pleasantly surprised, said, "Tang daren, you’re overvaluing me." Although he said this, his expression was calm, as if it were only natural.
Tang Shen left the Immortal Ascension Platform and returned home.
The next day, an official from the Ministry of Personnel arrived at the Palace Secretariat office and found Tang Shen, who was reading the “Chronicles of the Former Emperor”. The official presented a decree, and all the chamberlains and junior chamberlains in the room knelt down. The official loudly read the decree: "To the Department, I, having received the mandate of Heaven, promote Junior Chamberlain Tang Shen, a cultured and humble gentleman, who respects the court and manages a small office while also handling peripheral tasks. He is now appointed as a fifth-rank Chamberlain, effective immediately. Given on the 28th year of Kaiping, the first month."
At the same time, the official presented another decree: "To the Department, I, having received the mandate of Heaven, promote Chamberlain Xu Si, a diligent and benevolent gentleman, to the fourth-rank director of the Yu Department in the Ministry of Works, effective immediately. Given on the 28th year of Kaiping, the first month." (TN: This title refers to a mid-level official in the Yu Department, which deals with construction, water management, and public works, under the Ministry of Works.)
Everyone was greatly astonished. Tang Shen and Xu Si received the decrees.
After the official from the Ministry of Personnel left, everyone congratulated Xu Si and Tang Shen on their promotions. Xu Si smiled bitterly and said, "Thank you, colleagues."
Xu Si’s promotion from a fifth-rank Chamberlain to a fourth-rank Ministry of Works official might seem like a promotion, but it also meant leaving the center of imperial power and no longer being able to frequently see the emperor! Chamberlains and Junior Chamberlains typically end up in one of two situations: either they are promoted directly to higher-ranking Palace Secretariat officials, allowing them to frequently see the emperor, or they completely distance themselves from the center of power.
Xu Si’s future might not stop at a fourth-rank official, but re-entering the Palace Secretariat would be difficult. He would need to become a minister of a department to return to the center of power.
Everyone then congratulated Tang Shen.
Tang Shen, showing surprise, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, colleagues."
Xu Si looked at Tang Shen with a hint of jealousy and envy.
The promotion of two fourth- and fifth-rank officials caused only minor ripples in the court. However, in the 28th year of Kaiping, shortly after the New Year, Emperor Zhao Fu issued an edict to build a new official road and canal extending north from Shengjing!
This news caused a large stir among the court officials.
Xu Linghou, the Left Deputy Minister of Revenue, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it has been eighteen years since the Song and Liao states signed the peace treaty in the 10th year of Kaiping. However, in these eighteen years, there have been continuous natural disasters. To cite a few recent examples, there was the southern snow disaster three years ago and last year’s severe drought in Henan. With the treasury not abundant, the construction of an official road and canal should be reconsidered."
Xie Cheng, the Right Deputy Minister of Works, waved his sleeve and said, "There have been natural disasters throughout history, but wars have been avoided for eighteen years. If there are no man-made disasters, only natural ones, why is the treasury not sufficient? Deputy Minister Xu’s implication is that the natural disasters during your office are more severe than before?"
Wang Zhen, who had been listening quietly, suddenly lifted his eyes and looked at Xie Cheng.
Xu Linghou’s face turned red, "I did not mean that! As for the official road, it is acceptable, but historically, the construction of canals has always been costly. I hope Your Majesty will extend the deadline and not rush into it."
Xie Cheng announced, "I believe that the Grand Canal of the previous dynasty began in Shengjing and extended south to Qiantang, connecting to the south. Constructing a new canal to the north will connect the north and south, bringing benefits for a thousand years!"
For a moment, all the ministers offered their advice.
Emperor Zhao Fu sat on the throne, waiting for the ministers to finish their arguments and exhaust themselves before looking at Yuan Mu, the Minister of Works, and asking, "Yuan qing, what do you think?"
Yuan Mu stepped forward and saluted, "Regarding the matter of connecting to the north, it is a benefit for eternity. I believe it is a great good."
Zhao Fu looked at Wang Zhen and asked, "What do you think, Zi Feng?"
Wang Zhen stepped out from the ranks of officials and bowed, "In ancient times, Emperor Yang connected the south, which was beneficial for a hundred generations. Your Majesty connecting the north, making both north and south connected, is indeed a great event for eternity. However, Emperor Yang's canal project benefited from the many rivers in the south and the annual rainfalls. In the northern Song, rivers are scarce and droughts are frequent. I believe that the canal project should be postponed and instead, we should abandon the canal and repair three main roads to connect the east, west, and true north."
The Ministry of Revenue officials immediately agreed, "I believe so."
Yuan Mu looked at Wang Zhen, who was staring down at the ground, and thought to himself that while Wang Zhen spoke flawlessly, he was clearly trying to spend less money. Yuan Mu mentally cursed Wang Zifeng but also acknowledged that building a canal to the north was indeed costly and laborious, so he also agreed, "I believe so."
Zhao Fu said, "Then as Zi Feng suggested, the court is dismissed."
After the court was dismissed, Yuan Mu blocked Wang Zhen on the palace road. Wang Zhen smiled slightly, and Yuan Mu, speechless, asked, "We really can't build the canal?"
Wang Zhen replied, "The Ministry of Revenue can afford it, but can your Ministry of Works build it?"
Yuan Mu was left stumped.
Indeed, his Ministry of Works really couldn’t manage to build a canal to the north!
At that moment, the chief eunuch Ji Fu came over. He first bowed and then said to Wang Zhen, "Wang daren, His Majesty summons you."
Wang Zhen followed Ji Fu to the Shuiguang Hall.
Upon meeting, Zhao Fu seemed in a good mood and immediately smiled, "Zi Feng already knew?"
Wang Zhen glanced around. The chamberlain on duty today was Li Shu, and the Junior chamberlain was named Guo Hui. Both were Zhao Fu's trusted aides. Zhao Fu spoke to Wang Zhen in private, and neither of the two men made any note of it in the "Daily Records."
Wang Zhen, puzzled, asked, "I do not understand what Your Majesty means."
Zhao Fu, who was evidently in a good mood, got down from his throne, circled Wang Zhen for a while, and then said, "You really don’t know! Then it seems that the hearts of you and your junior brother are linked as one to have such tacit understanding."