Chapter 2198: Renzong Chronicles 7: New Bureaucratic Nobility, the Anti-Fan Group

An exquisite and ornate official carriage drove in from the main street, stopping before the Wang family gates. Under the nervous and attentive service of a host of servants, an elderly man of gaunt but imposing bearing stepped down from the carriage, lightly smoothed his purple robe, and with steady strides returned to the residence.

The elder was none other than the court's chief minister and Minister of Personnel, Wang Shilin, grandson of Wang Xuanzhen—former Commissioner of the Wude Office, Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan, chief minister, Chief Censor, and Grand Coordinator of Shanyang. Sixty years ago, who would have believed that a family of "hawk-and-hound" origins could, sixty years later, become a legitimate aristocratic clan of the empire?

The rise of the Wang clan began with Wang Yinwu, Commissioner of the Wude Office during the Kaibao era under Shizu, but the true founder was Wang Xuanzhen. As the nephew of a disgraced official (Wang Yinwu had been executed by Shizu over the Lu Duoxun case), he first rose again through the "Tangut Rebellion," then survived the brutal political environment of Shizu's later years in his post as Commissioner of the Wude Office, and ultimately gained the acceptance of Emperor Taizong, becoming a highly representative capable official of the Yongxi era.

Even more valuable, he became one of the auxiliary ministers personally appointed by Emperor Taizong. Though he was soon squeezed out of the central government by the old nobles and pure-stream critics, and did not live to see the glorious Jianlong golden age arrive, the foundation Wang Xuanzhen laid for the Wang clan was already deep enough.

Throughout the entire Shizong era, the Wang clan remained in a state of lying low and nurturing reputation. Wang Xuanzhen's eldest son Wang Xuekun and second son Wang Xuepei both entered officialdom smoothly—especially Wang Xuepei, who once rose to Administration Commissioner of East Huainan. Though he never reached his late father's achievements and status, he steadily held onto power and wealth.

As for Wang Shilin, he was the eldest legitimate grandson of the Wang family's main line. From childhood he displayed extraordinary talent—able to compose essays at age eight—and often held startling insights on current affairs. The period of his rapid growth happened to coincide with the empire's march toward the zenith of Jianlong, and he possessed deep understanding and insight into the many rectifications and reforms carried out by Emperor Shizong.

Precisely because of these many remarkable qualities, Wang Shilin received full support from his father and uncles. After a complete resume running through the jinshi examination, probationary service, and county, prefecture, and provincial posts, he was maneuvered into a position in the Eastern Palace in the late Jianlong period.

At that time, Emperor Shizong had not long completed the Fengshan sacrifices, but his age was already showing, while Crown Prince Liu Jili was in the prime of life. Despite the threats posed by Empress Yang and Liu Jiying, for the Wang clan, the Crown Prince's orthodox legitimacy was still the more worthy investment.

Unfortunately, fortune is unpredictable—Crown Prince Liu Jili died prematurely, disrupting many people's plans and arrangements, including those of the Wang family. Perhaps precisely for this reason, Wang Shilin emerged from the pack all the faster.

From the twentieth year of Jianlong, the three-year struggle for the succession, though kept to certain basic "bottom lines" under Emperor Shizong's suppression, was nonetheless accompanied by flashing blades and hidden arrows enough to make one's scalp crawl.

It was precisely under such a seemingly perilous situation that Wang Shilin, through several memorials and analyses, gradually became the most important strategist for Liu Weizhen, then still an imperial grandson.

Wang Shilin's strategy rested on three pillars: first "filial piety," second "forbearance," third "waiting." But the precise measure and timing were truly difficult to grasp. Had Wang Shilin not constantly prompted and schemed, the mediocre and weak Liu Weizhen might never have actually waited until the day Liu Jiying "made his mistake."

Precisely because of their "shared hardships and common perils" during the Eastern Palace period, when Liu Weizhen ascended the throne, Wang Shilin smoothly rose to prominence. For this trusted heavy minister, the "loyalty-minded" Liu Weizhen gave extremely generous rewards.

First he was made Director of the Palace Treasury, taking charge of the emperor's coffers; then he was promoted to Director of the Palace Administration. Within two years he entered the inner sanctum, becoming chancellor with the post of Chief Censor. When Fan Zhongyan returned to court to serve as Director of State Affairs, Wang Shilin seized the opportunity of the great political shift and, with the emperor's support, advanced to Minister of Personnel, becoming one of the top-ranking chancellors at court.

Since Liu Weizhen's accession, at the level of the Hall of State Affairs, the emperor personally engaged in political maneuvering with only two ministers: one was Wang Shilin, and the other was Minister of War Li Kaiyuan. And Li Kaiyuan was the nephew of Empress Li, Shizong's original consort—the emperor's maternal cousin-uncle.

From this one can see Wang Shilin's standing in the heart of Emperor Liu Weizhen. Though Emperor Zhengtong presented himself as "mediocre and weak," Wang Shilin exploited the value and function of the imperial banner to the utmost—both for the state and for himself.

It was precisely through Wang Shilin's efforts over these dozen or so years that the Wang clan began to truly shed its common skin and be reborn as an aristocratic scholar-official family of the empire—new bureaucratic nobility.

As a scholar-official standing at the empire's summit, Wang Shilin was loyal to his sovereign and responsible to the state. Beyond both of these, he could not help but also support his personal reputation and family interests.

Just as now—returning to the residence and passing through the hall, waiting there with a grim, heavy expression and a mind full of worries, was a middle-aged man: Wang Zhimin, currently serving as Left Fiscal Commissioner of the Jianghuai Division under the Ministry of Revenue's Finance Department. He was Wang Shilin's nephew.

Seeing Wang Shilin return to the residence, Wang Zhimin immediately rose, hurried forward, and proactively took Wang Shilin's cap and crown, his attitude exceptionally humble: "Respectfully welcoming Second Uncle home!"

Wang Shilin only glanced at him without speaking. Under the service of two maidservants, he removed his ornate yet heavy embroidered outer robe, washed his hands and face, took his seat, and after drinking a mouthful of hot tea, finally asked Wang Zhimin: "Can't sit still anymore?"

Throughout the entire process, Wang Zhimin waited obediently, daring not the slightest impropriety. Upon the question, he answered with a hint of grievance: "Your nephew is merely resentful at heart—how could the situation suddenly change and let that Wang Anshi take over my nest?"

"So, you've come to demand an explanation and seek satisfaction from me?" Wang Shilin said blandly.

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhimin's expression shifted slightly, and he hurriedly said: "Your nephew would never dare! I simply feel utterly stifled!"

Seeing this, Wang Shilin gave a cold laugh and said: "Official posts and key positions are the heavy instruments of the state, not the private property of our Wang family. If you think that because I hold the post of Minister of Personnel, what I promised you was guaranteed without fail, then your official career deserves to end right here.

The sea of officialdom rises and falls, with fierce winds and sudden storms. If you cannot withstand the buffeting, if you only chase after petty immediate gains, then you might as well resign your post and return home to study and farm. Otherwise, sooner or later you'll sink yourself and ruin our Wang family's reputation and standing!"

Wang Shilin's words were indeed severe. Hearing them, Wang Zhimin felt as if cold water had been poured over his head. His legs went weak, and he knelt, saying: "Your nephew was blinded by greed, lost his composure, and failed your teachings, Second Uncle. Please punish me!"

"You are already a fourth-rank senior official, a capable minister of the court—not a schoolboy who still needs me to constantly instruct and educate you?" Wang Shilin rebuked coldly.

Wang Zhimin kowtowed again: "Your nephew knows his mistake! I will never mention the Jianghai Customs post again!"

"Get up!" After scrutinizing Wang Zhimin for a while, Wang Shilin finally relented.

"Thank you, Second Uncle!"

"A mere deputy director of a tax bureau—is that worth such pursuit from you? Are you concerned about the weight of the court's customs revenue, or are you like those swarming flies, chasing after money and profit, heading for Shanghai's den of dissipation?"

Facing Wang Shilin's probing question, a flash of panic crossed Wang Zhimin's face, but he quickly steadied himself and said solemnly: "Having received your teachings, Second Uncle, how could your nephew harbor such petty thoughts and treacherous ambitions? I seek only to be loyal to the sovereign, serve the state, govern well, and bring peace to the people!"

At this, Wang Shilin smiled, neither confirming nor denying, then his tone sank again: "You want to know the reason? I'll tell you—Fan Xiwen wrote a note of recommendation for that Wang Anshi. Tell me, could I directly refuse?"

Hearing this, Wang Zhimin was first stunned, then his face filled with indignation: "State offices are public positions—how could Chancellor Fan privately grant them and appoint only his own people?"

"Enough! The dignity of a chancellor is not something you may criticize!" Hearing this, Wang Shilin's expression turned stern, and he shouted to cut him off.

"Yes!"

That said, for Wang Shilin, this matter was not easily brushed aside. In the years Fan Zhongyan had presided over governance, Wang Shilin—as the Minister of Personnel deeply trusted by the emperor, and also a politician of no mean insight, ability, and skill—had cooperated with Fan Zhongyan in many respects.

Wang Shilin also did his best to cooperate with Fan Zhongyan's many opinions on talent selection and official cultivation. Though behind this lay Wang Shilin's agenda of using Fan Zhongyan's hand to build his own authority and install his own people, Wang Shilin was nonetheless quite tolerant of Fan Zhongyan's interference in Ministry of Personnel affairs.

And Fan Zhongyan's evaluation of Wang Shilin was also quite high—the two enjoyed a considerable period of cordial friendship. But as time passed, as Wang Shilin's authority consolidated, this "cooperative relationship" grew increasingly fragile. As the head of a ministry and a "living Buddha" in the Hall of State Affairs, how could one enjoy others' meddling, even if that other was the Chief Chancellor?

Take the post of Deputy Director-General of the Jianghai Customs Revenue Bureau, for instance—Wang Shilin could not help but suspect that Fan Zhongyan had learned of the news in advance and come to block it. Because in these past two years, Fan Zhongyan had begun eyeing the court's hereditary privilege system. His measures of control and suppression were quite obvious—both inside and outside the court, a large batch of noble scions lacking in talent, deficient in virtue, or faulty in governance had already been dismissed under Fan Zhongyan's pressure.

On this matter, Wang Shilin instinctively felt repulsed—after all, he himself was a beneficiary of the hereditary privilege system. But the court being filled with unqualified noble scions was indeed improper.

Acting on the principle of serving the state, Wang Shilin, while doing his utmost to mediate and coordinate, also helped Fan Zhongyan purge a batch of mediocrities. However, when this wind blew onto his own family's head, Wang Shilin truly felt anger rising from his heart.

With a grim expression, he pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up and revealed a relaxed smile: "You can't go to Jianghai Customs, but you'll still go southeast. I've already drafted it—the post of Fiscal Commissioner of Huainan will fall on your head."

"This time, there will be no mistakes!" Wang Shilin added with emphatic certainty.

Hearing this, Wang Zhimin's face lit up with joy, and he hurriedly bowed: "Thank you, Second Uncle, for your promotion!"

The Fiscal Commissioner of Huainan was a post of the third rank, the second-in-command of the Huainan Fiscal Commission. The court's fiscal transport system had been in operation for a hundred years. Among the several major fiscal commissions, the Southeast Fiscal Commission was the most prominent—after all, it handled the fiscal heartland of the southeast, one of the court's most important sources of tax revenue. Especially after the rise of overseas colonization and trade, it had become even more unstoppable.

The Southeast Fiscal Commission covered a vast area, including the six circuits of the Two Huai, Two Jiang, and Min-Zhe. Among them, the Huainan Fiscal Commission was responsible for the audit, collection, and transport to the capital of the Two Huai's fiscal revenue—a position of great power.

In terms of illicit profit, it might not exceed Jianghai Customs, but in power and influence, the two could not be compared. The key point was that this was a substantive post with real authority. One could imagine—for a man of deep cunning like Wang Shilin to be able to take out such a position and hand it to his own nephew, what kind of emotions must have been accumulating in his heart.

After dismissing Wang Zhimin, Wang Shilin sat upright in the hall, brooding for a long time, his old face shifting between overcast and clear. When he was thinking, his family never dared disturb him—until his clever little grandson came bouncing in to fetch Grandfather for the evening meal, and only then did his face once again reveal a kindly smile.

But in his heart, Wang Shilin said silently: "Fan Xiwen, you've been Director of State Affairs long enough! If you, Fan, can do it, why can't I, Wang, do it?"

In fact, he truly could not—at least not for the next term. According to established rules, after Fan Zhongyan, the successor to the post of Director of State Affairs would basically be a representative of the meritorious nobility bloc.

What Wang Shilin could contend for was clearly only the term after next. Based on this, he naturally felt tremendous urgency—after all, he was already past fifty, and he didn't have many years left to wait.

And so, quietly yet inevitably, the "Anti-Fan Group" gained another main general.