Chapter 375: Taking Office

"My lord, this is the Document Team's winter training petition, delivered by Wu Dacai. The gist is that the Document Team will undergo ten days of concentrated drill, then follow the army on maneuvers according to the Advisory Room's plan. Any clerk officer who fails to meet the standard is to be demoted to scribe."

Mr. Yu handed over a sheet of petition paper. As Pang Yu took it and skimmed through, he continued, "The Document Team also submitted several other petitions — reviewing military merit rewards, expanding the night school, and a few other items. There were some minor errors and omissions among them; I sent them back for him to rewrite."

Pang Yu gave Wu Dacai's petition a general look. The main content was the consolidation training of Document Team personnel, requiring all clerk officers to meet army standards, thoroughly memorize military law, unit organization, and the like. Those who failed to complete it were to be eliminated. But the camp had enough scribes, and where exactly the eliminated ones would be assigned was not made clear.

Mr. Yu stood properly on the opposite side of the desk. Three years ago, when he was serving as Advisor to the Tongcheng County Vice-Magistrate, the Vice Regional Commander Pang across from him had still been a runner in the yamen — many tiers separated them. Later, the County Vice-Magistrate, frightened by the civil unrest, returned to his home village, and Mr. Yu then threw in his lot with Pang Yu. Now he held the deputy post in the Document Receiving Office at the Garrison Headquarters. Many tiers still separated the two of them.

Although nominally deputy of the Document Receiving Office, he no longer handled affairs there. After the great battle of Susong, Pang Yu had remodeled the Rear Office, converting the Study into three connected Direct Offices and having Mr. Yu stand duty there, responsible for processing documents that required Pang Yu's attention.

"Mr. Yu, do you find Wu Dacai's petition appropriate?"

Mr. Yu carefully observed Pang Yu's expression. Wu Dacai had just been promoted; only two days into his post, he had produced a consolidation training petition. What the training entailed was not critical — the main substance was the elimination at the end, which could be seen as a vital step for Wu Dacai to establish his authority. From what Mr. Yu knew, some clerk officers in the various units performed well, but the majority still carried the old literati habits, clashing badly with the army and far from satisfying Pang Yu. Since he had appointed a military man like Wu Dacai to the Document Team, he wanted him to stir things up — and the bigger the stir, the better.

With this understanding, Mr. Yu spoke: "This humble one believes consolidation training is indeed necessary. In the past, not only in the army but even in the yamen, no one could figure out whether a clerk officer was a soldier, an officer, or a functionary. Wu Dacai is using this training to tell everyone that a clerk officer is definitely not a functionary. Only, as for where these eliminated men are to be reassigned — that perhaps still merits discussion."

Pang Yu nodded slightly. "The army has few literate men to begin with. If these men are unsuited to be clerk officers, it is also unwise to discard them. Just now Wu Dacai also had a petition to expand the night school. We can make the night school a substantive institution and place these men there as instructor. In this way, every talent is put to use."

"My lord sees clearly. A Martial Academy has already been established. If we also make the night school substantive, there seems to be duplication."

Pang Yu rubbed his forehead. In the past, the night school had only been run on an ad hoc basis. Most of the literacy instructors came from the Document Team, with some scribes from the various offices as well. The man in charge was Mr. Hou. Even within Pang Yu's own small system, it had no independent establishment. As soon as the army mobilized, instruction ceased. Last year, when the bandit alarm grew urgent and the army deployed along the mountains, the night school halted for over half a year. After the Susong battle, instruction had only resumed in the Prefectural City.

"The Martial Academy is only established in one location, in the Prefectural City. My intention is that this night school be set up alongside each Thousand-Leader Headquarters, so that it will not be interrupted."

"Which office does my lord see as taking principal charge of the night school? This subordinate can make arrangements early."

By convention, a school could be placed under the Rites Office. But the Rites Office at this Garrison Headquarters had very limited function — it mainly received the Appointment Certificates of subordinate officers and soldiers. The Clerk there was a holdover from the previous administration, kept on only because he alone was familiar with those cumbersome rituals. Pang Yu had no wish to let that old man manage other affairs, especially since this night school still had no official establishment and did not conform to court institutions.

"Establish one night school per Si, to be concurrently managed by each Si's clerk officer. Assign two instructor, with Wu Dacai in overall command."

"This humble one receives your order. Then this petition..."

"Reply to Wu Dacai: proceed generally according to the petition. Clerk officers, after all, have different duties. In combat skills, they need not meet the Drill Manual in every particular. How exactly to evaluate them, let him use his own discretion. But at minimum, marching and encampment — these two items — shall be to the soldier's standard. During drill, clerk officers are not permitted to ride horses or travel by cart. Once evaluation is complete, first submit the roster to me."

Mr. Yu understood at once that the Document Team was about to be turned upside down. Pang Yu was also assigning the night school to Wu Dacai, granting him still more authority — a clear sign that he thoroughly approved of this first blaze of authority upon taking office. It confirmed once more that Wu Dacai was the man of the moment in the yamen. One could only follow this direction and add fuel to the fire.

"My lord is brilliant. But this humble one has a suggestion. This night school is to be set up within the army. If the eliminated clerk officers remain there as instructors, they will inevitably harbor resentment. If such resentment is carried into their teaching, this humble one fears it may affect army morale. Last time, my lord said that reading and literacy could also be practiced in the fortified villages. The Household Office has repeatedly mentioned to the Document Receiving Office that all literate men among the captives have been selected away, and the fortified villages report all matters orally, making it truly difficult for the Household Office to conduct detailed inspections. It would be better to place these eliminated clerk officers in the fortified villages. Whether drafting documents or keeping accounts, it seems preferable to keeping them in the army."

Pang Yu thought for a moment, then said, "Mr. Yu speaks reason. Reply to Wu Dacai accordingly."

"Here is another important matter. It concerns those captured roving bandits... refugees. After the Susong battle, the total captured came to over thirty-nine thousand seven hundred. After selection by the various offices and workshops, a total of over two thousand one hundred were chosen. Thirteen fortified villages were built along the post road, with over twelve thousand settled in the forts. The remaining twenty thousand are all still at Susong. According to Circuit Intendant Shi's intent, one meal of congee is provided daily, after which each county is to arrange settlement. Susong's Gou County Magistrate provided only a single hundred shi of grain. Anqing Prefecture provided twice, totaling two hundred shi. All the rest has been supplied by my Garrison Battalion. My lord said not to restrict their coming or going, but several months have passed, and fourteen thousand still linger at Susong. Now that Prefect Pi has left his post, the counties are unwilling to settle them and keep stalling. We have sent documents to Circuit Intendant Shi several times, but to date no reply has come. I fear we can only ask my lord to go speak in person."

Pang Yu searched his memory. That was indeed what Shi Kefa had said at the time regarding the captives' disposition. Pang Yu needed to differentiate and select the usable talents among them, so for the time being they were kept at Susong. Given the enormous numbers, there were not enough troops to Watch and Control the perimeter. Many of those bandit spawn likely took advantage of the chaos to flee. After the various offices finished their selection, those remaining were all old, weak, sick, or disabled — unwilling to leave even on one meal of congee a day at Susong.

These people had little physical strength. Even if put to Farming, they could not produce grain in the short term. They were a burden to anyone, not to mention they were still roving bandits. Pang Yu's screening could not possibly investigate every connection thoroughly; some might well have kin or friends killed in the battle of Susong. They were a burden to every county, so naturally no one was willing to take them in. But leaving them there idly consumed grain, and beyond that, they posed a hidden danger to security. Simply slaughtering them all like Zuo Liangyu would do was even less feasible. Leaving aside that Shi Kefa and Zhang Guowei would not agree, the Remonstrance Officials at court would certainly impeach him endlessly. Pang Yu was a man who needed a good name — he could not compare himself to Zuo Liangyu. If he kept them on, he would have to waste a great deal of his own Rations and Pay.

"I understand."

Pang Yu waved his hand. Mr. Yu, knowing well how troublesome this matter was, gathered the stack of documents he had just reported on, opened the door, and returned to the outer room.

Just as he picked up his teacup, Pang Ding appeared at the door with Jiang Fan. Pang Yu hastily set the cup down and beckoned the two inside. For Jiang Fan to hurry back to Anqing in person, there must be urgent business from Nanjing.

After saluting, Jiang Fan said in a low voice, "My lord, Wen Tiren has indeed been dismissed from office. He has already left the capital."

Pang Yu nodded with composure. This was perhaps the greatest shakeup at court in several years; the entire court situation would be affected. Had it been half a year ago, Pang Yu would have leapt with excitement, because Wen Tiren's moves to arrest Qian Qianyi and investigate the Restoration Society had both implicated him. But after the battle of Susong, with military merits in hand, Pang Yu had already extracted himself from the vortex. Economically, however, he still needed to rely on the Donglin and the Restoration Society, especially for the money house's next expansion into Jiangnan. So the matter of Wen Tiren was still a major affair for Pang Yu.

"It is heard that Qian Qianyi approached Cao Huachun. The Eastern Depot seized the two men who had brought accusations against Qian Qianyi, and this in turn implicated Cai Yichen as the behind-the-scenes instigator. Wen Tiren thus fell under suspicion of Forming Cliques."

"The Chief Grand Secretary could not even match a Eunuch. What is the situation in the Southern Capital?"

"The Donglin and the Restoration Society are congratulating each other as if they had already won. And not only them — men like Ruan Dacheng and Ma Shiying have all sent agents to the capital to gather information, hoping to seize the chance to return to power."

"So they are already celebrating." Pang Yu tapped lightly on the tabletop. "Can it be confirmed that Wen Tiren alone was dismissed, or was the entire Wen Faction removed together?"

"Only Wen Tiren alone. Xue Guoguan has even entered the cabinet."

"Only one man removed. Who succeeded as Chief Grand Secretary?"

"It is Zhang Zhifa. Afterward, the Ministry of Personnel recommended seven candidates for cabinet membership. The Emperor settled on Liu Yuliang, Fu Guan, and Xue Guoguan. None of these men are Donglin. This subordinate believes the Emperor still wishes to use the Solitary Faction."

At this point, Pang Ding served tea. After thanking him, Jiang Fan continued, "But the various factions in the Southern Capital still believe the Donglin are about to seize power. Recently, countless people have sought to meet with my lord through Liu Ruogu. Even Zhang Pu of the Restoration Society has come."

Because Pang Yu had earlier, through Ruan Dacheng's introduction, formally taken Qian Qianyi as his teacher — his original intent being to find a celebrity to endorse the money house — he had consequently been implicated. But many in the Southern Capital believed Pang Yu was truly Qian Qianyi's disciple. Now, everyone thought Qian Qianyi had toppled Wen Tiren and was surely about to return to power, and they wanted to connect through Pang Yu. This was beneficial to Pang Yu, but he would not actively engage with it. At the mention of Zhang Pu's name, Pang Yu raised his eyes to look at Jiang Fan. "Zhang Pu also wishes to see me?"

"Yes, but he did not go through someone in the Restoration Society. Instead, he sent Wu Changshi to find Ruan Dacheng, saying he wishes to invite my lord to Jiaxing for a meeting."

"Ruan Dacheng." Pang Yu smiled at that. He was not the least bit surprised now. The Restoration Society itself was rife with factions. The younger faction, men like Fang Yizhi and Wu Yingji, loathed Ruan Dacheng to the marrow, yet the Restoration Society's upper echelons had countless ties to him.

For now, he could not guess what Zhang Pu wanted to discuss. The most likely possibility was pulling him into the Restoration Society, so as to rely on frontier talent to advance his own career again. But Pang Yu already had considerable connections with Restoration Society members, and yet Zhang Pu was reaching out through Ruan Dacheng — that suggested there were other matters to discuss.

"Has Qian Qianyi been released?"

"Qian Qianyi is still held in the Heavenly Prison. He has not been released, but word in the capital says he is no longer being interrogated."

Pang Yu pondered for a moment, then said, "Since Zhang Zhifa and the three new cabinet appointees are not Donglin, and the matters of Qian Qianyi and Zhang Pu are also not yet concluded, the time for the Donglin to gain power has not yet come. If the Eastern Depot could trace it to Cai Yichen, they could naturally trace it to Xue Guoguan as well. Yet the Emperor still appointed him to the cabinet — this shows he still intends to use the Solitary Faction. The Donglin and the Restoration Society will have to keep fighting. We will stay out of these murky waters for now. Reply to him: say that I am guarding Anqing and cannot lightly leave my post."

"But Ruan Dacheng says that if my lord cannot go to Jiaxing, he can first bring Wu Changshi to Anqing to meet my lord in person."

Pang Yu furrowed his brow. Zhang Pu was the public face of the Restoration Society. Not only was his image excellent, but in Jiangnan official circles, whenever he spoke up, matters were basically handled smoothly. With his support, the money house's development would yield twice the result with half the effort. In the past, Pang Yu had wanted to meet him but could not — Zhang Pu had been unwilling. But after this round of political turmoil, Pang Yu had no intention of easily getting drawn into a new vortex, at least not without securing suitable returns. Zhou Zhikui's impeachment matter was still unresolved; connecting with Zhang Pu now still carried risks.

Seeing Pang Yu silent, Pang Ding could not help interjecting, "If Ruan Dacheng comes, there is no harm in the young master meeting him. Sounding him out would be good too. Ruan Dacheng will naturally know how to reply and will certainly not cause Zhang Pu to lose face."

Pang Yu looked up at Pang Ding. What he said seemed reasonable. Wu Changshi was not Zhang Pu, after all. He had been overly spooked by Wen Tiren.

"Then let Ruan Dacheng come to Anqing. But he must be quick. If Chief Strategist Xiong should suddenly order the Garrison Battalion to suppress the bandits, he will find an empty nest."

Jiang Fan asked curiously, "Chief Strategist Xiong has arrived at his post?"

"He has already reached Jiujiang. He will arrive here within two or three days."