Chapter 57: The Many Rules of the Tang Court

Fang Chongyong and Zheng Shuqing's judgment was correct; Li Longji was flattered and felt very "comfortable," and he did not pursue Zheng Shuqing's "neglect" of Yang Yuhuan, but instead rewarded him with a hundred bolts of Tang brocade. Then Old Zheng kept none of them; he used them all to… smooth over connections.

"Where's the invincible twin sister pair you promised last time?"

A few days later, in the study of the Fang family residence, the two had just taken their seats when Fang Chongyong looked at Zheng Shuqing and asked.

"What twins? What sister pair?"

Zheng Shuqing was taken aback, having no idea what Fang Chongyong was talking about; he had long forgotten that episode.

"Didn't you say that after the matter was settled, you'd give me a pair of twin sisters? I've now helped you with that Tang brocade issue, right?

Shouldn't you show some appreciation?"

We're both adults; why still try to coax a child?"

Fang Chongyong didn't care whether he received the sisters, but he was extremely displeased with Old Zheng's repeated issuance of empty promises.

"Oh, you're talking about that. As a youth practicing abstinence, how could I harm you? I simply can't give you the twin sisters, can't give them."

Zheng Shuqing said insincerely.

Seeing Fang Chongyong on the brink of exploding, he hurriedly said, "I've prepared a grand gift for you; dress formally tomorrow, and I'll take you somewhere."

"It can't be a blind date, can it? I'm already engaged; you digging at the wall so brazenly isn't decent…"

Fang Chongyong looked at Zheng Shuqing with a puzzled expression and asked.

"I know you have an engagement with a Wang family lady. Rest assured, it's a good thing, absolutely a good thing! I'll pick you up tomorrow."

The more Zheng Shuqing said that, the more Fang Chongyong felt something was off.

He let out a light sigh and asked, "If there's anything you need help with, just say it straight, no need to beat around the bush."

Old Zheng only comes to his house at night like an owl when there's nothing to do.

"Here's the thing: the Ministry of Revenue's Vice Minister post I'm holding hasn't been smooth…"

Zheng Shuqing said somewhat apologetically.

Anyway, we're all so familiar now; asking others would be awkward, and besides, they wouldn't be trustworthy.

Fang Chongyong sighed helplessly, spread his hands and said, "If you want a post, you should go to the Right Prime Minister or a saint; what can you hope to obtain from me?"

"Alas, this is what you don't get: the Ministry of Revenue has the Revenue Division, Fiscal Division, Gold Division, and Granary Division. One Minister and two Vice Ministers, each Vice Minister overseeing two divisions; it looks like they're very busy, right?"

"And then?"

"Then the Revenue Division and Fiscal Division, which easily produce achievements, are overseen by another Vice Minister; I am in charge of the Gold Division and the Granary Division."

Zheng Shuqing began to pour out his grievances.

The Gold Division handles the nation's treasury cash flow, balances and measurements, as well as trade in the two capitals Chang'an and Luoyang—inter‑city markets, allied markets, palace markets—plus gifts to officials, military outposts, foreign guests, and clothing for palace staff, consorts, and official servants.

The Granary Division oversees the national reserves, tax receipts, stipends, and granary affairs.

Both divisions have a principal and deputy chief, the posts being a Langzhong (fifth‑rank official) and a Yuanwailang (sixth‑rank official). Under them are three chief clerks, ten magistrates, twenty‑one record officers, one accountant, and four custodians.

Heh, it seems Zheng Shuqing does indeed have a sizable staff.

But considering the Tang empire has tens of millions, and looking at the numbers in these Revenue divisions, it's clear the Ministry of Revenue isn't overstaffed; it's pitifully understaffed, and following regulations would make even normal operation difficult.

Yet the Ministry of Revenue is now operating normally, so we must work backward and ask whether its authority is truly as grand as the statutes claim.

So the conclusion is clear: it's not that the Ministry of Revenue lacks officials, but its power has been siphoned off by other offices, leaving it with few tasks.

The fact is exactly that; after Zheng Shuqing's explanation, Fang Chongyong fully understood why Old Zheng was in such a hurry.

In truth, most of the authority of these two Revenue divisions is nominal. The actual executing bodies are elsewhere; they just file reports with the Ministry afterward. The Ministry cannot directly control those operations.

The clearest example is the Grand Treasury Temple, one of the Tang central "Nine Temples."

It is the agency managing economic affairs, also called the Outer Treasury Temple or the Department Temple. Its chief is the Grand Treasury Minister, and its deputy is the Deputy Grand Treasury Minister, one each.

The Grand Treasury Temple oversees national goods and trade, with sub‑agencies: the Two Capitals Market Office, handling commodity transactions; the Left Treasury Office, managing money and silk—essentially the state treasury; and the Right Treasury Office, overseeing gold, jade, jewels, copper, iron, and bone‑horn items.

Moreover, since the Kaiyuan era, Li Longji ordered the Grand Treasury Temple to establish a Constant‑Peace Office in both capitals, responsible for the "pingdi" system—buying grain in bumper years for storage and selling it in lean years to stabilize prices and calm the populace.

Then the problem arises: the Ministry's Gold Division seems to overlap heavily with the Grand Treasury Temple's functions, leading to conflict—whose orders would be followed?

This is an unavoidable issue.

The court's answer: the Grand Treasury Temple takes precedence; the Ministry of Revenue only has the right to be informed, not jurisdiction.

Over the past hundred years since the Tang's founding, the Ministry's authority has been gradually hollowed out by many other departments.

Hence Zheng Shuqing is not overly busy now, but overly idle. The Ministry's affairs can run smoothly without his intervention.

Or put another way, Zheng Shuqing's sole title of Vice Minister is insufficient; he still lacks a crucial "appointment."

Nominally he holds the Vice Minister rank, but lacks the actual power a Vice Minister should wield. That's Zheng Shuqing's awkward situation.

The missing "appointment" is the very reason Old Zheng exists in the central administration.

The Ministry's matters can operate orderly on their own; does the Revenue Vice Minister's job merely consist of checking ledgers daily and sipping tea?

Perhaps ledger‑checking is one of the Vice Minister's routine tasks, but idling is not the norm of Tang officialdom.

The Tang "appointments" meant creating a post for any needed task. Even the Military Governor originally started as an appointment, not a rank.

The specific appointment is the key to what achievements Zheng Shuqing can deliver.

As for the Ministry's daily minutiae, it's fine not to mention them.

"The Right Prime Minister asked me yesterday whether I want to take the appointment to repair the canal between Chang'an and Luoyang, to improve grain transport. Should I accept this appointment? If I do, I'd become the Revenue Vice Minister and Transport Commissioner."

Zheng Shuqing asked hesitantly.

Fang Chongyong noted that the two characters "official post" in ancient Chinese lexicon now have a clear split—each character denotes a separate meaning, and together they form a new term. For over a millennium, the original sense has largely been retained.

A Vice Minister is an office, while Li Linfu's canal‑repair appointment is a "Transport Commissioner," a position. Combined, they constitute the basic Tang bureaucratic configuration, collectively called "official post."

A "luxurious configuration" might be one official holding several positions plus some auxiliary titles, e. g., "Revenue Vice Minister and Salt‑Iron Commissioner, Transport Commissioner."

An official's power derives from the appointment, not the title itself.

So Tang officials aren't that easy to be! Common folk think a Revenue Vice Minister just idles in the Six Ministries office waiting for quitting time; if that were true, the Ministry would have been abolished long ago.

"So you need a Transport Commissioner appointment, then take the canal‑repair task, right?"

After a winding mass, Fang Chongyong finally understood what Zheng Shuqing was actually trying to do.

"Exactly so."

Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly, his expression solemn.

"Vice Minister Zheng probably doesn't want to take this assignment, does he?"

Fang Chongyong gave Zheng Shuqing a strange look and asked, "If you wanted this task, you'd have already made a guarantee with Li Linfu; why bother coming here for 'seeking advice'?"

"Who says it's not?"

Zheng Shuqing sighed and said, "My own virtues are crystal clear. Digging a canal isn't something ordinary people can handle; it requires a ruthless heart. I, however, lack that ruthlessness and worry about damaging my reputation."

"Digging a canal requires ruthlessness?"

Fang Chongyong scratched his head, not grasping the logic at all.

"The Saint is impatient. You plan to dig for five years, but the Saint can't wait five years; at most three. Then, during excavation, various problems may arise, and the normal schedule could easily stretch to six or seven years."

Precisely because of this, continuous corvée must be mobilized, forcing the locals along the route to work on the canal. Since the project is under pressure, ordinary methods won't do; it must be built day and night without pause.

Even after completion, it's not enough; the canal boats must deliver goods to Chang'an on schedule for the Saint to see results. How much manpower must be mobilized, and how many resources consumed?

If it succeeds, that's fine; but if it fails, a scapegoat will surely be presented. Who do you think would be more suitable as a scapegoat than me?

The Right Prime Minister, or the Saint?

Zheng Shuqing spoke at length, summarizing in six characters: "Difficult, high risk."

Digging the canal is hard enough, and then there's the rush to meet the deadline.

Not only the deadline, but it must also be navigable smoothly.

And once navigable, the grain and goods from Luoyang must be transported to Chang'an promptly and smoothly!

You should know that when Li Longji comes to inspect the project, he won't travel from Chang'an along the canal to Luoyang to see how the canal is built.

The Great Tang Saint's strict standard for inspecting the canal transport project is just one thing:

Have you delivered the goods from Luoyang to Chang'an for me or not?

If you have, how much did you deliver? How much time did it take?

This achievement is a nightmare to manage; old Zheng thought it over for three days and kept feeling the pit was too deep to ever fill!

"Vice Minister Zheng, I have something to say; could you forgive my youthful ignorance and let me speak freely?"

Fang Chongyong asked softly.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Shuqing sensed trouble.

He let out a long sigh and said, "Go ahead; we've come this far, what else can't be said?"

"The thing is, the course of mountains and rivers is ordained by Heaven. Humans cannot easily alter it; man cannot overcome Heaven.

That's why man-made channels are prone to damage and silt.

Opening another canal from Chang'an to Luoyang goes against Heaven. It may work for a few years, but I'm certain it will be abandoned within ten years.

A canal destined to be abandoned, Vice Minister Zheng would be wise not to invest too much; even if the achievement is made, it only pleases the Saint briefly and serves no great purpose.

Vice Minister Zheng might as well drop the assignment.

Fang Chongyong said very sincerely.

He just doesn't trust what he's saying; this old stubborn Zheng is impossible to read!

The Tongji Canal and Yongji Canal, when they were built, took terrain into account. So they remain relatively stable, having functioned as regional canals for at least several hundred years.

But the canal being dug now is a classic "defying Heaven" project, grossly violating the operating patterns of the Yellow River and Wei River systems. In other words, this thing will inevitably be abandoned; maintaining its flow would require unimaginable manpower and resources!

"Actually, this canal does have problems, but the officials in court have unspoken reasons. Saying here that the canal shouldn't be built is meaningless."

Zheng Shuqing let out a long sigh and said.

Who doesn't know that this canal's construction is certainly off?

Of course they know. However, the grain needed by Chang'an and the supplies being transferred to the Western Regions urgently require this new main artery!

Whatever is most urgent gets done first; that's the only viable method.

"You mean, drop this assignment?"

Zheng Shuqing asked reluctantly, he could fully foresee that if the canal succeeded, he could at least secure the post of Minister of Revenue, or shift to a position like Grand Minister of the Treasury.

But if he drops this assignment... one can only say that Li Linfu also has a temper, and what would happen is hard to say.

The last time Zheng Shuqing grovelingly flattered Yang Yuhuan, he then went to Li Linfu's residence in Pingkang Fang and explained at length to this Great Tang Right Prime Minister, barely passing the hurdle.

And this isn't because old Zheng is eloquent; mainly Li Linfu is currently staffing, and doesn't want extra complications, also fearing other forces, such as Zhang Shougui, might undermine him from his side.

Otherwise, old Zheng would inevitably be demoted.

"A long pain is worse than a short pain."

Fang Chongyong emphasized.

Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly, sighed silently, effectively acquiescing.

"In fact, the full-scale war between Great Tang and Tufan is imminent, a burning urgency. When the time comes, transporting grain, troops, and the like to Hexi and Longyou will undoubtedly become the Ministry of Revenue's top priority.

Vice Minister Zheng might as well consult the Right Prime Minister, requesting a transfer appointment; instead of digging the canal, he would be responsible for moving supplies from Chang'an to Hexi and other places.

If the Tang army loses, Vice Minister Zheng will naturally be implicated and demoted. But if the Tang army wins, regardless of logistical support, Zheng will be promoted without effort. Can he still take this assignment?

Hearing this, Zheng Shuqing recalled the things the cow immortal guest described when he met him at the Chang'an post station.

Indeed, the battles in Hexi and Longyou are already at the brink. Supplies must precede troops, and in logistical support, it's actually easy to earn achievements.

The premise is that the Tang army must win against Tufan. If they lose, even if Zheng Shuqing proves his innocence and effective supply, at most he can avoid punishment.

Should he gamble on the Tang army's victory?

Zheng Shuqing lowered his head in silence, as if making a difficult decision.

"This time, I'm arranging for my future father-in-law Wang Zhongsi to go to Hexi as a border commander. Vice Minister Zheng can take a gamble, and since you handle logistics in Chang'an, the Tang army's chances of winning are greater."

Fang Chongyong lowered his voice and said.

"Fine, let's do that. I'll go find the Right Minister right now to discuss this."

Zheng Shuqing nodded solemnly.

"Um, are you really confident about this?"

Zheng Shuqing couldn't help but ask doubtfully.

"Don't worry, I'll also go to Hexi—I wouldn't drag myself into a trap, would I?"

Fang Chongyong patted his chest and assured.

Hearing that, Zheng Shuqing froze, then retorted: "What are you going to do in Hexi? You can't even wield a knife!"

"Just treat it as seeing the sights of the Western Regions."

Fang Chongyong laughed it off casually.

After they parted, Zheng Shuqing immediately went to find Li Linfu to discuss the matter.

As expected, Li Linfu had been worrying about lacking an opportunity to intervene in Hexi's political and military affairs; Zheng Shuqing's proposal quickly won his approval. Li Linfu even gave the go-ahead on the spot, saying this task could be taken care of without any difficulty.

The next day, when Zheng Shuqing brought Fang Chongyong, dressed in a Tang silk robe and looking rather respectable, to the eighth block counting north from the east side of the fourth street east of Zhuque Gate Street—that is, Xuanping Block—the Chang'an prodigy was utterly dumbfounded.

"There won't be anything strange, will there?"

Seeing Zheng Shuqing about to enter an ordinary residence, Fang Chongyong suddenly stopped and asked.