The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 150 The Sentiments Here
The first lunar month had just passed, but Shengjing City was still blanketed in heavy snow. The officials of the Ministry of Works had just returned to their offices when an imperial edict was delivered to the office of Yuan Mu, the Minister of Works.
Yuan Mu received the edict and sat in his armchair for a long time without speaking. Half an hour later, he summoned his trusted confidant, Li Yude, the Left Vice Minister of Works. With only the two of them in the room, Yuan Mu didn't hesitate and directly handed the edict to Li Yude, signaling him to open and read it.
Li Yude solemnly accepted the small folded document. After opening it and reading its contents, his expression changed dramatically. He quickly looked up and said, "Daren."
"You've seen it too."
Li Yude whispered, "Why does His Majesty favor Wang Zifeng and his junior brother Tang Jingze so much?"
Yuan Mu glanced at him and smiled, "You still don't see it clearly. As officials serving our emperor, there are only two ways to ensure our safety and prosperity. The first is to be like Prime Minister Xu and me—officials who feign ignorance. We never meddle in other affairs. Whatever His Majesty orders, we carry out wholeheartedly. We are the emperor's most useful tools."
Li Yude gradually understood. As the Left Vice Minister of Works, he was one of the "ignorant officials" Yuan Mu spoke of, but he wasn't foolish. After some thought, he said, "The other type must be like Wang Zifeng and Tang Jingze, right?"
Yuan Mu nodded, "Exactly. The other type is the kind of official who wins the emperor's favor. Look at what Wang Zifeng has done with the Silver Pull Division and the tasks Tang Jingze has taken on. And what about Su Feiran and Li Jingde? Why have they, despite their youth and one even as a gui zheng ren, become such influential high-ranking officials in the court? They excel at what they do. They act because they want to, not because the emperor orders them to. However, serving the emperor is like walking alongside a tiger. Dancing on the edge of a blade has its risks and rewards. The last official who enjoyed such favor from the emperor was Prime Minister Ji."
Li Yude deeply agreed.
Prime Minister Ji Wengji was also a renowned pragmatist in the Great Song Dynasty.
Despite being a second-rank scholar in the imperial examination, he rose step by step to become the Left Prime Minister of the court. This was because, during his tenure as an official, he accomplished many significant tasks. After returning to the capital, he also used forceful measures to reform the court, bringing peace to the realm.
Emperor Zhao Fu once regarded him as his right-hand man. However, his downfall was also tragic. The only reason he was spared was due to Emperor Zhao Fu's consideration of their long-standing relationship and the Great Song's law against executing officials.
Thinking of this, Yuan Mu and Li Yude exchanged a knowing smile and said no more.
Tang Shen, at such a young age, had already risen to the third rank. He had gained much, but the threats behind him were equally numerous. Whether he would become the next Wang Zifeng or end up like Prime Minister Ji was a matter of fate, unknown to anyone.
In the second lunar month, Tang Shen, the Right Vice Minister of Works, began reforming the Ministry of Works, changing many long-standing regulations.
This move shocked the entire Ministry of Works. Immediately, some officials went to seek out Minister Yuan Mu and Left Vice Minister Li Yude. However, the two high-ranking officials remained silent, allowing Tang Shen to proceed as he wished. The officials were at a loss, but some began to realize, "Only one person in the world could make all three daren act together."
"Who?"
The official pointed a finger toward the sky.
The Ministry of Works had many officials. Besides the Minister and the two Vice Ministers, there were four departments: Agricultural Garrison, Department of Forestry, Department of Waterworks, and Institute of Literary and Artistic Works. Each department had directors, assistant directors, and various other officials. Additionally, there were lower-ranking officials not affiliated with any specific department.
As for the craftsmen under the Ministry of Works, they were countless.
If the Ministry of Works summoned them, all craftsmen from the thirty-six provinces of the Great Song had to respond.
The first thing Tang Shen did was directly promote Ji Mengwen, the judge of the Institute of Literary and Artistic Works.
Ji Mengwen was forty-five years old and had passed the xiangshi in the fifteenth year of Kaiping to become a juren. The Institute of Literary and Artistic Works was responsible for repairing gold and silver artifacts across the realm, and the judge was an insignificant seventh-rank position. Such positions were usually not assigned by the court but directly appointed by officials of the Ministry of Works and then reported to the Ministry of Personnel.
Ji Mengwen had been directly appointed by the former Right Vice Minister of Works, Su Wenyun.
After passing the xiangshi, Ji Mengwen repeatedly failed the huishi. In fact, when Tang Shen took the huishi in the Shengjing Examination Hall back then, Ji Mengwen was also among the ten thousand candidates. Unfortunately, he failed again. A few years later, he was appointed as the judge of the Institute of Literary and Artistic Works due to his skill in craftsmanship, abandoning the imperial examinations to become a seventh-rank official.
Tang Shen directly promoted Ji Mengwen from a seventh-rank judge to a sixth-rank director, which shocked Ji Mengwen.
A mere juren without a higher degree could only hold a position up to the seventh rank. Although the Great Song's laws did not explicitly prohibit juren from holding sixth-rank positions, since the founding of the dynasty, no juren had ever held a sixth-rank position.
Ji Mengwen was filled with trepidation and fear as he followed the government officer to meet Tang Shen.
Who was Tang Shen? As an official of the Ministry of Works, Ji Mengwen naturally knew. He was well aware that Right Vice Minister Tang was a pillar of the Wang faction. At just twenty-three years old, he had already risen to the third rank. However, since Tang Shen's relationship with Su Wenyun seemed strained, and Ji Mengwen had been promoted by Su Wenyun, Tang Shen's sudden promotion of him naturally made Ji Mengwen suspect there was more to it.
Upon entering the Right Vice Minister's office, Ji Mengwen kept his head down, not daring to speak.
Tang Shen's voice was gentle, "Are you Ji Mengwen?"
Ji Mengwen bowed, "This lower official, Ji Mengwen, greets the Right Vice Minister."
Tang Shen said, "You may look up when you speak."
Ji Mengwen raised his head and finally saw Tang Shen's face clearly. At this moment, he had no idea that his entire life's fate would be completely altered by the young man before him.
Promoting talent and improving the wages of craftsmen were only the first steps Tang Shen took.
In the third month of the thirty-fourth year of Kaiping, Tang Shen submitted a memorial to the emperor, requesting the establishment of a new department within the Ministry of Works, the Department of Construction and Reform, in addition to the existing four departments. This time, even Emperor Zhao Fu hesitated. Once the proposal was made, officials voiced various criticisms. Most felt that Tang Shen had only become the Right Vice Minister of Works the previous year and was now attempting to add another department to the Ministry of Works.
"Our Great Song's official system mostly follows that of the previous dynasty. The previous dynasty used it for hundreds of years, and our dynasty has used it for over a hundred years since its founding. How can it be changed just because he took office? This is simply absurd!"
Although Minister Yuan Mu was surprised, he did not voice any opposition.
Fortunately, the current dynasty's governance was strict, unlike the previous dynasty where the Ministry of Works was a lucrative post. Being an official in the Ministry of Works was not a desirable position. While the officials had some objections to Tang Shen's actions, they were not overly concerned. The final decision once again rested with Emperor Zhao Fu.
On the fourth day of the third lunar month, Wang Zhen set out for Jinling. Before leaving, he gently kissed Tang Shen's forehead and said softly, "Jing Ze, have you ever felt worried?"
Tang Shen saw him off and asked in return, "Worried about what?"
"Do you know why His Majesty has always supported you but hesitated when you proposed establishing the Department of Construction and Reform?"
Tang Shen smiled, "His Majesty is concerned that my power is becoming too great. If I establish the Department of Construction and Reform, it will inevitably be filled with my trusted associates. His Majesty's concern lies precisely in this. Senior Brother, am I right?"
Wang Zhen said, "Yes, yes, you are very clever. You've hit the nail on the head."
Tang Shen sighed, "This time, I truly have no confidence. This touches on something His Majesty cannot tolerate."
"Why worry?"
"Huh?"
"You are only twenty-three this year. Our Emperor has been balancing the court for longer than you've been alive. Other matters are manageable, but in this, no one in the world can compare to the current Emperor."
Not long after, Wang Zhen left Shengjing and headed south to Jinling.
Three days later, Tang Shen finally learned how Emperor Zhao Fu intended to use him.
"By the decree of the heavens, the Ministry of Works shall rise, excelling in its craft. Above, there are pillars and supports; below, there are skilled artisans. Henceforth, a Department of Construction and Reform is established, expanding the Ministry of Works by thirty positions. This decree takes effect immediately."
"Your subject Yuan Mu receives the decree." Minister Yuan Mu, along with the other officials, accepted the decree.
From then on, the Department of Construction and Reform of the Ministry of Works fell into Tang Shen's hands. The Department of Construction and Reform could expand by thirty people. Emperor Zhao Fu had truly given Tang Shen full authority. These thirty positions were not specifically assigned to Tang Shen but were left for him to choose. Even if he selected twenty craftsmen with only the rank of xiucai, the Ministry of Personnel might still approve them.
Such imperial favor made many officials view Tang Shen in a new light.
However, many others remained calm and did not harbor jealousy.
When Wang Zhen, far away in Jinling, received the news, he was having tea with his fourth uncle at the Langya Wang family's estate. Although Wang Hui, the fourth master of the Wang family, was a merchant, he was well aware of the intricacies of officialdom. With two first-rank high-ranking officials in the family, Wang Hui had absorbed much through osmosis. He sighed, "Zi Feng, what do you think His Majesty will do?"
Wang Zhen gazed at the clear tea. Just moments ago, he had praised the tea for its refreshing taste and lingering aroma, but now he silently set down the cup.
After a long while, he smiled wryly, "Only the Silver Pull Division remains!"
Soon, Tang Shen received another imperial edict. The emperor appointed Tang Shen as the head of three departments within the Ministry of Works: Department of Forestry, Department of Waterworks, and the Department of Construction and Reform, overseeing all three. However, this was a promotion in name but a demotion in reality. His position as the Right Deputy Imperial Censor of the Silver Pull Division was revoked, and the additional position of Deputy Imperial Censor was abolished. At the same time, the position of the other Left Deputy Imperial Censor, Yu Chaosheng, was also removed, and he was given another role: Commander of the Jiangnan Silver Pull Division.
Tang Shen had anticipated this outcome, but he hadn't expected it to affect Wang Zhen as well. Emperor Zhao Fu further divided some of Wang Zhen's authority and gave it to Yu Chaosheng.
He immediately wrote a letter and sent it to Jiangnan.
Soon, Wang Zhen replied.
"Recently, I've been rising early and retiring late, occasionally thinking of this matter. It keeps me tossing and turning, unable to sleep. I once thought that our names would be written together in the annals of history, passed down for a thousand years because of the Silver Pull Division. Never did I expect that, instead of seeing my beloved, I would see Yu Xianzhi. At noon, I had no appetite and lost a pound."
After reading this, Tang Shen laughed for a long time, as if he could see Wang Zifeng earnestly writing such nonsense.
He sent a reply, and seven days later, Wang Zhen received the letter and was stunned for a while.
Wang Hui, who was nearby, asked curiously, "Is it a letter from Tang Jingze?"
Wang Zhen clutched his chest and turned to Wang Hui, "Fourth Uncle, when you traveled for business, did Fourth Aunt ever write you letters?"
"...Of, of course she did."
"Oh, so she didn't."
"..."
"The sentiments here are probably hard for Fourth Uncle to understand."
Wang Hui: "..."
What nonsense is this!
Tang Shen had no idea that his simple reply would keep Wang Zifeng re-reading the letter for two nights, reluctant to put it away.
The letter, written in elegant calligraphy, contained heartfelt words: "Before lying, you forgot to kiss me again. Senior Brother always breaks his promises, but I am different from you. Our names are already tightly intertwined, etched on the Stone of Three Lives. Even if history spans a thousand years, it is not impossible for us to be together. Do you believe that the Silver Pull Division may not surpass the Department of Construction and Reform..."
Wang Zhen didn't pay much attention to the rest of the content; it wasn't very important.