Chapter 383

Flying geese at sunset, dusk pressing on the city.

Inside the Yanchang Hall, Emperor Xiao Ze was standing in front of the desk, full of spirit, waving his brush. The brush tip opened and closed, the ink traces like a dragon or snake.

The newly appointed small supervisor of the Huangmen Office (eunuch manager, middle-level eunuch) Qian Ruoer was kneeling on the side with a sad face, holding a square sandalwood box in his hands. It didn't look heavy, and it didn't feel heavy to hold, but it was pressing down on his forehead, making him sweat and his heart sink.

(The power and status of eunuchs in the Southern Dynasties were very low. Important positions for internal attendants were mostly filled by external officials. Eunuchs were responsible for low-level affairs, and many managers didn't even have a rank. Except for a few special cases who were heavily relied upon, the middle level was generally not as good as a county magistrate when converted to external officials. If the county magistrate was a noble, then the difference was even more heaven and earth.)

"Come over and see, how many characters do you recognize?"

The Emperor put down his brush, his eyes falling on the eight ink-drenched characters on the paper. The corners of his mouth rose slightly, his brows relaxed, and he looked to be in a good mood, as if he had already swept away the haze that had accumulated since the Prince of Badong raised his troops.

Qian Ruoer didn't dare to delay, carefully holding the box, stood up, bowed, and approached the imperial desk, looking at the imperial brush with fear and trepidation, trying hard to identify them:

"Li... Fang..."

The Emperor laughed loudly:

"What Li Fang! You only recognize half of the characters! This is called 'Shi Yu'! Shi, Yu, Si, Fang!"

Under Qian Ruoer's shame, a flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in his mind, and he blurted out:

"Do not disgrace the monarch's command!"

"Eh? You even know these four characters?" The Emperor was a bit surprised.

"The small person doesn't recognize many characters, just often serves in the province (Tai province, central department), hears the scholars talk a lot, and remembered a few sentences randomly, not knowing if I remembered them correctly..."

"You remembered correctly, but the four characters I wrote below are not 'Do not disgrace the monarch's command'."

Qian Ruoer said in confusion:

"Then that is—"

"Do you know what the sentence 'Shi Yu Si Fang, Bu Ru Jun Ming' means?"

"Maybe... after the mission, didn't disgrace... disgrace... it means... it means the thing the Emperor entrusted was accomplished."

The Emperor laughed heartily:

"Hahaha, accomplished, interpreted well, that's exactly what it means. Everyone thinks that a person who can do this is very powerful, what do you think?"

Qian Ruoer wanted to give a smart answer to please the Emperor, but he really couldn't think of any witty words, and there was no time for him to think, so he had to say what was in his heart:

"The small person also thinks it's powerful. The thing the Emperor entrusted must not be easy to handle, let alone being on a mission abroad without the Emperor's care..."

The Emperor sighed:

"Yes, it's not easy, but it's not that powerful."

The Emperor added a slightly lively emphasis on the words "that" and looked at Qian Ruoer:

"Do you know what is more powerful?"

Qian Ruoer shook his head blankly.

"What is more powerful is handling it better than what the Emperor entrusted! Better by I don't know how many times!"

Qian Ruoer thought thoughtfully:

"Is the Emperor talking about Wang Sanqi?"

The Emperor was stunned for a moment, then nodded with a smile:

"Wang Sanqi, Wang Sanqi..."

This was why he chose to use this small eunuch and was willing to talk to him a few more times.

This person wasn't stupid, not to the point of not understanding words. He also often had some small cleverness. Although he couldn't be called eloquent, he was attentive and could handle things, so he could be considered a talent that could be molded.

But he couldn't be called too smart, or rather, he was smart in a way that matched his ability.

In Xiao Ze's view, if an eunuch in the palace was both talented and smart, then heroes shouldn't be judged by their origins, and they could be capable ministers. If they only had talent and no cleverness, that was also not bad, as they could use their talent. But if they only had cleverness and no talent, or if their cleverness far exceeded their talent, then it was dangerous—

Because such people only had cunning and resourcefulness but no real talent to support them, often specializing in drilling and taking shortcuts, plotting for positions with treachery. Once they got the position, their talent didn't match, and they couldn't do proper work, only knowing how to be jealous of the talented and frame others. They both ruined things and caused disasters, which was more terrifying than those who were mediocre in power.

Added to that, this small eunuch wasn't slippery and experienced enough, had schemes but not deep ones, and dared to answer, so he could be more open when talking to him, without having to hide too much. For example, if the words he just said were heard by Liu Shilong, it wouldn't take much, just the four characters "Shi Yu Si Fang," and Old Liu would probably soon guess what he was thinking. Unlike this small eunuch...

But being able to think of Wang Yi, he could be considered to have some wisdom...

The Emperor looked at the eight characters he wrote, then said:

"Withdraw it."

Qian Ruoer had served the imperial brush a few times, and as soon as he heard the words "withdraw it," he knew it meant to burn it on the spot.

He first carefully placed the sandalwood box on the ground, then bowed forward, holding the large white paper flat with both hands, folded it neatly, and held it to the incense burner in the corner of the hall, slowly sending the paper into the burner.

The line of fire ran rapidly along the ink lines, and the eight characters lit up simultaneously in the firelight—

Mission to the four directions, a single horse opens the territory!

The next moment, it turned into flying ash.

Xiao Ze sat down, his eyes carrying a bit of teasing and playfulness:

"Tell me, did you make a fortune again?"

As soon as Qian Ruoer heard this, he looked sad again, hurriedly returned to kneel, and held up the sandalwood box:

"It was sent by Noble Lady Xiao, the small person didn't dare to open it..."

"Open it, open it."

Xiao Ze seemed very interested.

As soon as the box lid opened, two round white pearls were embedded in the brocade cushion. Although Qian Ruoer had been mentally prepared, he gasped when he saw this scene:

"So big! This is a white miscellaneous pearl!"

Xiao Ze leaned in to look:

"This is not a miscellaneous pearl, it is a proper white Xuan pearl. It's really rare to see one this big, it should be Nanhai goods (foreign pearls imported by Nanhai ships). You can sell it at the North Market in front of Guishan Temple, and then you can become a wealthy person! Lady Yue's hand is really big..."

Qian Ruoer was both happy, afraid, and confused:

"What should the small person do..."

"Isn't it good to receive treasures? If she gives it to you, you keep it."

"Then, then the letter—"

"Still the same, you just say the Emperor doesn't see anyone, you can only be in the outer hall, and can't get in at all."

Qian Ruoer was afraid of this! He immediately knocked his head on the ground, his voice urgent and bitter:

"The small person doesn't dare to say that anymore! Noble Lady Xiao doesn't tolerate sand in her eyes! The small person has been taking money without doing things, if Noble Lady Xiao is really angered, what should the small person do!!!"

The Emperor said indifferently:

"That's your own business."

Qian Ruoer saw that the Emperor had no intention of supporting him at all, so he had to say painfully:

"Then... then the small person will return the thing to Noble Lady Xiao—"

The Emperor categorically rejected:

"That won't do. Since you accepted the first time, you have to keep accepting."

Qian Ruoer knocked his head repeatedly in a hurry:

"Emperor, please have mercy! The small person really can't bear this consequence..."

The Emperor slowly cut off his words:

"Everything has a cause and an effect. If you take the benefits, you naturally have to bear the consequences. How can you only take the advantages and not bear the risks? You took the money yourself, so this consequence and risk naturally have to be borne by yourself. You come to beg me, that makes no sense!"

Qian Ruoer's body stiffened, and he suddenly realized, holding the sandalwood box high with both hands:

"The small person, the small person is willing to offer this pearl to the Emperor!"

The Emperor didn't even lift his eyelids:

"People sent it to you, why are you giving it to me?"

"This pearl looks like it was sent to the small person, but the small person being able to get this object is all relying on the Emperor!" Qian Ruoer's voice trembled but became smoother as he spoke, "The small person didn't get these gifts by himself, but by relying on the Emperor's planning—"

"I didn't plan."

"It's not relying on planning! It's relying on, relying on the duty of the Huangmen Office! Yes! The small person getting these things is not relying on himself, but on doing things for the Emperor! So these gifts should logically belong to the Emperor! What's more, it was the Emperor who taught me to use the gifts I got to give gifts and make arrangements, and that's how I was promoted to supervisor, so I should offer these things to the Emperor even more!"

The Emperor sighed "gratifiedly":

"Oh, it's not easy, you finally got the hang of it."

He reached out and picked up a pearl to examine it, saying:

"It's not that it should all be given to me, it's just that I should have a share, shouldn't I? This wealth, you have to learn to share. Look at others—"

The Emperor didn't know what he thought of, laughed to himself, didn't specify who "look at others" was, looked at Qian Ruoer, and said with hatred for his lack of success:

"You say you only care about stuffing your own pockets, who is willing to cover for you?"

The Emperor placed the pearl on a porcelain inkstone. The pearl spun slightly and stabilized in the shallow concave part of the inkstone center.

"Look, I took this pearl of yours, don't I have to give you an idea?"

Qian Ruoer was like receiving an amnesty:

"Please, Emperor, give me guidance!!!"

"Go out and wait, I'll call you in a while."

"But, but Noble Lady Xiao is still waiting for a reply outside the Yunlong Gate, I'm afraid it will be too late if it's late..."

The Emperor laughed:

"It's good if it's too late."

But Qian Ruoer was so scared that he could hardly stand up, his lips trembling, his voice already close to crying:

"Emperor! This won't do! The small person feels that Noble Lady Xiao's breath has reached the limit, if she is left out like this, I'm afraid she will use a carriage wheel to crush the small person's head!"

"What are you afraid of? If something happens, you run into the palace, she can't use a carriage to chase you (Yunlong Gate doesn't allow carriages to enter), as long as you run into Shanghe, she can only stare. If she wants revenge, it's a matter for tomorrow. (Shanghe is a gate for entering the 'forbidden area,' entering Yunlong Gate to the north, passing Shanghe allows entering the palace forbidden area, so palace coups and seizing the palace often go through Yunlong Gate. Reading history, all places involving 'gates' and 'halls' in the palace are joints, whether in war or peace. The seemingly chaotic names and the routine routes actually reveal important information. If you don't understand this, you can't understand the political situation, and you can't understand the situation. It doesn't matter if you don't have a concept of these, I will clarify a part in the next chapter)"

Qian Ruoer knew the Emperor was teasing him, but he was really scared! If he died inexplicably one day, who would care about his cheap life!

He lay on the ground and refused to get up, only begging.

The Emperor saw his soul-flying-and-scattered appearance, both angry and amused, comforted him a few words, but he was still afraid, requesting the Emperor to allow himself to go out first to explain to Xiao Baoyue.

The Emperor laughed:

"Look at your courage, smaller than a sparrow. I think you are like your name. Ruoer, Ruoer, the more you call, the weaker you get. Change your name in the future, don't call it Qian Ruo, call it Qian Qiang..."

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Note: 1. "Book of Southern Qi, Biography of the Deposed Emperor Donghun": "Zhenguo and Zhang Ji feared disaster, so they plotted to respond to Xiao Yan, and told the plan to Qian Qiang, the attendant of the rear pavilion. Qiang agreed, and secretly ordered Cui Shuzhi, the wandering master, to open the Yunlong Gate at night. Ji and Zhenguo led troops into the hall, and divided the army to enter the rear palace from the West Shanghe. Feng Yongzhi, the imperial sword, was an internal response."

2. "Book of Southern Qi, Biography of Xiao Huixiu": "Younger brother Huixiu was the Inspector of Guangzhou in the fourth year of Yongming. When he left office, he offered his private wealth. The Emperor ordered Ru Faliang, the attendant of the Secretariat: 'Ask Xiao Huixiu. I previously ordered you to declare the imperial decree to tell him not to use his private salary to fill the offering, but this time I really feel his lower feelings are thicker than before. Ask him, is he not private anymore? I want to share it.'" (This paragraph is very interesting, you can substitute Xiao Huixiu and think about how he can answer)

3. "Jingding Jiankang Annals" cites "Palace Garden Records": "The North Market was established in the middle of the Yongchu period of Emperor Wu of Song, outside the Daxia Gate, in front of Guishan Temple."