Chapter 510: Taking Care

The faint rustle of petition paper in the Warm Pavilion ceased. Now the discussion turned to the Cabinet Chief Grand Secretary's proposed handling. Behind the desk on the left, the Drafting Clerk of the Directorate of Ceremonial finished recording and remained utterly still, as if the slightest sound might draw a misunderstanding from the Emperor.

"Then follow the Cabinet's opinion. Though it is sent down to the Censors for deliberation, that does not mean the Cabinet washes its hands of it. What is being deliberated is the Chief Grand Secretary. The Censors must not, as they have in the past, merely mutter vague generalities under their own windows. There must be a reasoned framework."

Chongzhen's voice was icy cold, betraying nothing of the fact that he was deciding the fate of the Cabinet Chief Grand Secretary, as if this man had never intersected with his life. A Censor deliberation could be handled lightly or severely. In theory, Liu Yuliang was not necessarily doomed; until a conclusion was reached, he remained Chief Grand Secretary. But given the Emperor's attitude, the likelihood of his fall from power was greater.

The Emperor had no interest in discussing Liu Yuliang further. After a brief pause, he turned to the war. His gaze fell upon Yang Sichang. "The Eastern Invaders have passed Hexiwu and are seeking an opening to exit the border. What is the Ministry of War doing about it?"

Yang Sichang cleared his throat and said, "In reply to His Majesty, the Jurchen Slaves crossed Xianghe and are heading east, intending to exit the border through the Ji Garrison. According to reports from various dispatch bulletins, the Jurchen Slaves number in the hundreds of thousands, including both people and livestock, passing through a single area in an unbroken stream for days. Now that the rivers everywhere are thawing, their exit from the border cannot be accomplished in a few days. I have ordered Chen Xinjia to continue defending Tongzhou to prevent the bandits from threatening the Divine Capital. All passes along the Ji Garrison border are to tighten their defenses. Sun Chuanting and Gao Qiqian are to swiftly cross Hexiwu in pursuit. The Liao Garrison is to draw elite troops to close the encirclement from the east. We must keep the Eastern Invaders constantly off balance. Once their men are weary and their horses spent, we will then seek an opportunity to strike and slaughter them in several major engagements."

"It is not a matter of 'seeking an opportunity' to strike and slaughter. With the Relief Troops gathered like clouds, several major slaughters are to be expected. The former Chief Grand Secretary was actually diligent in this impeachment, but he himself lacked a firm opinion and followed Sun Chuanting down a wrong path. He then copied Sun Chuanting's methods, at first only knowing to shield and indulge. In the end, did we see any real results? Once Execution Before the Troops was explicitly ordered, only then did every battalion learn to vie for precedence. The effect was immediate. The troops are still those same troops, the officers still those same officers. This shows it is not that they lacked the strength to fight. For decades, they have never managed to do a good deed. It is truly that they themselves do not strive, and there are simply no men who put their hearts into doing things!"

Yang Sichang bowed slightly but did not voice agreement. A flush of red rose on Chongzhen's pale face, and his tone rose slightly. "The Ministry of War should grant rewards where rewards are due and assign blame where blame is due. Most critical is that in the east of the capital region, the Eastern Invaders are still present, and the abducted common people yearn day and night for rescue. At present, the Tartars are heading for the border exit. Regardless of whether it is the Commander-in-Chief of Relief, the Grand Supervisor, or the Supreme Commander of Xuan-Da's forces, do not draw such clear distinctions. All must unite in purpose to kill the bandits. The Ministry of War must also diligently manage the deployments. If by the Yongding River they could rout over ten thousand Tartars in a single battle, then as long as we strictly press them, every garrison and every battalion is capable of fighting. Now that relief troops are massing from all directions, we must win several more great victories, rescue and release all the common people, and take at least another three to five thousand heads, so that the Eastern Invaders will never again dare to harbor thoughts of raiding the border!"

Hearing this, Yang Sichang's body trembled slightly. He raised his head a fraction. Chongzhen's majestic gaze was fixed upon him. Yang Sichang seemed about to speak but then hesitated, slowly lowering his head again.

……

In the Waiting Chamber not far from the Warm Pavilion, several eunuchs moved about the room, mainly from the Directorate of Ceremonial. Both the Court Conference and the Imperial Summons were organized by the Directorate of Ceremonial, and they were responsible for the specific arrangements of the summons. Because there were multiple batches, the Directorate of Ceremonial needed to arrange the order in advance based on the Emperor's degree of attention. When the previous session was nearly over, they had to have the next batch ready to wait, so as not to keep the Emperor waiting.

The Cabinet was always first; this went without saying. The order for the subsequent Five Chief Military Commissions, Six Ministries, Embroidered Uniform Guard, and so on was not fixed each time. The waiting officials all waited in the Waiting Chamber.

Over twenty officials from the Six Ministries sat around a long, rectangular table (Note 1), most leafing through their own memorials, cramming at the last minute for the upcoming audience. A small number of officials who were acquainted were conversing, but because they were very close to the Warm Pavilion where the summons was held, everyone spoke in very low voices.

Because interactions between inner and outer officials were sensitive, the civil officials in the room rarely engaged in prolonged talk with the eunuchs. At most, they would ask about the waiting time so they could go use the latrine or the like. The rest of the time, everyone attended to their own business.

A eunuch carrying a basket entered through the main door. He went to the northwest corner and crouched down, picking up pieces of charcoal from the basket with tongs and placing them into the brazier. The long strips of charcoal were coated in a layer of red clay. As soon as he placed a piece in, a series of crisp popping sounds burst from the charcoal brazier. In the quiet Waiting Chamber, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial nearby turned his head to look, his face full of displeasure.

The eunuch adding the charcoal hurriedly picked that piece up with the tongs and held it before his eyes to examine it. There were actually some droplets of water on it. He immediately put that piece back into the basket, then carefully inspected another piece, which also seemed to have water marks.

That eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial walked slowly over and said angrily, "You didn't check it clearly before bringing it in."

The eunuch carrying the charcoal bowed repeatedly. "This humble one understands. This humble one will change it immediately."

Having said this, Lin Dengwan lifted the red basket and hurried out of the Waiting Chamber. At the doorway, he encountered a Junior Supervisor from the Directorate of Ceremonial and quickly stepped aside to let him enter.

Several eunuchs in the room gathered around. After listening to the Junior Supervisor give a few instructions, the several of them soon walked back along the long table, quietly notifying a few officials.

The Junior Supervisor paced around to confirm once more. "Are the Ministry of Works and the Court of the Imperial Stud all present?"

No one else in the room answered. Once the officials for the summons were confirmed, the Junior Supervisor led them out.

Only after these people had all left and the doorway was clear again did Lin Dengwan exit. Over by the Warm Pavilion, a few civil officials had just come out and were discussing something in low voices. Lin Dengwan had only recently come to the Warm Pavilion and did not yet recognize these people, but he knew the first batch to enter were all Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet. A little fearful at heart, he quickly turned to the right.

Not far away was the Tea Room, where over ten eunuchs waited on standby. Another eunuch from the Fuel Office was stationed there. Several baskets were lined up against the wall, all filled with charcoal coated in red clay. This was the Red Basket Charcoal specially used in the palace, made only from trees in the mountain region around Yi County. The raw materials were limited to a few types of trees like green oak and white jujube, making it the highest quality charcoal. After production, a section was wrapped in red clay to mark its distinction, hence the name Red Basket Charcoal.

Lin Dengwan and that eunuch inspected them carefully together. The first two baskets also had some water stains, likely caused by melting snow. Fortunately, the later baskets did not. Lin Dengwan lifted one and headed back toward the Waiting Chamber.

Just as he reached the doorway, Shen Xun hurried past in front of him, arriving beside the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who was seated at the long table, and began conversing in a low voice.

Lin Dengwan entered the door. Seeing that no one else was paying attention, he kept his head down, carried the basket to the charcoal brazier behind the two men, and focused his mind to listen to Shen Xun's whispers.

"His Majesty has approved the release of ten thousand taels from the Imperial Privy Purse. For this Yongding River Victory, the various garrisons reported three thousand five hundred heads taken. The Ministry of War has verified one thousand three hundred genuine heads. Elder Yang's opinion is to count them all as Eastern Invaders and grant fifty taels per head, totaling sixty-five thousand taels. After deducting the ten thousand from the Imperial Privy Purse, fifty-five thousand remain. We must trouble the Ministry of Revenue to raise the full sum as soon as possible to boost the morale of the various garrisons."

Lin Dengwan gently placed the charcoal pieces in. He heard the man from the Ministry of Revenue immediately say, "I have heard that five or six hundred of those were Western Invaders. Why are they being counted as Eastern Invaders again? Please ask Elder Yang to first clarify this with His Excellency the Minister, so that we may act accordingly. Moreover, the Tartars have been rampaging for half a year, and the roads everywhere are cut off. The various treasuries of the Ministry of Revenue have practically no silver left. Raising these sixty-five thousand taels is exceedingly difficult. I hear there are also many instances of Meritorious Service like slaying officers and capturing flags. I fear the total will exceed sixty-five thousand. It would still be better to raise the funds together with the Ministry of Works and the Court of the Imperial Stud…"

"This humble official understands that raising rations and pay is not easy. But the war is still raging, and His Majesty has issued an edict that we must take another three to five thousand heads. This all depends on the troops of the various garrisons. While the provision of rations and pay is one aspect, the head bounties must also be delivered swiftly. The Cabinet has not yet verified the Meritorious Service of slaying officers and capturing flags. The soldiers and officers are all counting on the head bounty. Only with something to strive for will they exert themselves fully in the killing. Therefore, we must still impose upon everyone in the Ministry of Revenue…"

Lin Dengwan had been taught shorthand while recovering from his injury. Holding a piece of charcoal in his hand, he concentrated fully on listening and memorizing. Suddenly, a stream of heat spread through his crotch. Lin Dengwan's whole body shuddered, and the charcoal slipped from his hand, clattering loudly against the edge of the copper basin.

Shen Xun turned his head to look. Lin Dengwan hurriedly lowered his head, placed the charcoal properly, and hastily moved to the next brazier. The heat in his crotch had turned icy cold. Lin Dengwan clamped his legs tightly together, slowly adjusting the charcoal pieces in the brazier with his right hand.

As the Cabinet's summons concluded, the discussions in the room gradually increased. Matters from the summons that involved various ministries were conveniently communicated here first. Lin Dengwan moved cautiously along the wall, doing his utmost to avoid attracting the attention of the civil officials and the Directorate of Ceremonial staff, straining to hear clearly the content of the conversations nearby.

Although his movements were very slow, he eventually finished adding charcoal to all the braziers. Not daring to linger, Lin Dengwan exited and went back to the Tea Room to wait. When he reached the place where the charcoal was stored, he suddenly saw his own supervisor, Junior Director Zhang, and hurriedly moved to kneel.

Junior Director Zhang pulled him aside and said in a low voice, "No need for such formalities. You've only just arrived here. Remember, the ones in charge here at the Platform are the Directorate of Ceremonial. The lowest ranks coming and going for audiences are from the Five Chief Military Commissions, the Six Ministries, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The most important thing in handling affairs here is caution. You must not make any mistakes. Be sure to remember this rule."

"This humble one understands. Thank you, Your Excellency, for the guidance."

Eunuch Zhang sighed. "No need for thanks. With the Tartars causing chaos for so long, I've been worried that my family has met with disaster. Of all those I'm usually on good terms with, not one was willing to help me make inquiries. That relative of your family truly has ability. In the chaos of war, he could still make that trip to Hejian Prefecture, help bury the deceased, and give money and grain to settle the living. All the relatives around there remember it as my good deed. When I am old and return home in the future, perhaps I can still be entered into the clan genealogy and the ancestral shrine. This is a great kindness. You must help me convey my thanks to that relative of yours. In the future, within the Fuel Office, if there is anything I can do, just speak."

Lin Dengwan bowed and said, "That relative of mine was originally heading that way anyway. He is also a warm-hearted person. When I mentioned it to him, he agreed immediately. Ah, it's just that he wasn't able to help in a bigger way. Please accept my condolences, Eunuch Zhang."

Junior Director Zhang's eyes reddened slightly. He waved his hand and turned to walk out.

Lin Dengwan stood in place for a moment, then leaned against the wall in a daze. Eunuchs came and went busily in the Tea Room, all eunuchs from the various inner offices who served here at the Platform. Some who were acquainted chatted with each other. Because they all worked at the Platform, the content of their conversations was far richer than at the North Depot.

Lin Dengwan and a few others from the Fuel Office took turns going to the various rooms to add charcoal and adjust the fires. Near the hour of Noon, the Imperial Summons finally ended. Lin Dengwan went with the others to check and return the Red Basket Charcoal, then walked wearily back toward the North Depot. His crotch area was now completely icy cold.

Lin Dengwan quietly repeated the content he had just memorized, unconsciously carrying a trace of a choke in his voice.

"Three thousand five hundred, one thousand three hundred, fifty each, sixty-five thousand, three to five thousand…"

Soon, as he was almost at the North Depot, he suddenly heard a voice call out, "Eunuch Lin."

Lin Dengwan took a few more steps before stopping. He turned his head to see it was that palace maid he knew.

The palace maid's eyes were completely red. Lin Dengwan slowly approached her. After a moment of silence, he said, "The message that relative of mine brought back was just that. On that street of yours in the Guanxiang of Qingdu, less than two out of ten people remain. I asked those who survived. Several members of your family could not be found. The neighbors said they died elsewhere and can no longer be located. The bodies of three people in your family were found, and the names matched. That relative of mine helped bury them all. Too many people died in the surrounding area, so there was no time yet to carve the names on the gravestones, but the silver for the carving has already been paid. That neighbor named Xiang will help urge them on."

The palace maid covered her mouth and began to sob. Lin Dengwan reached out a hand, then drew it back. He shifted awkwardly for a moment and said, "Please accept my condolences."

The woman bit her lip, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks. "Father, Mother, older brother, younger brother… all gone. My relatives are all gone. I'm the only one left. In this world, I'm the only one left… wuwu…"

Lin Dengwan hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took the palace maid's left hand. A strange sensation traveled up from his fingertips. Lin Dengwan's hand trembled along with the palace maid's. There was a trace of warmth in his palm, so much so that he could no longer even feel the icy cold between his legs.

After a long while, the palace maid finally stopped crying. She seemed to only just realize that her hand was being held by Lin Dengwan and quickly pulled it back.

Lin Dengwan felt a bit awkward. Just as he was at a loss for words, the palace maid looked up at him and said quietly, "I haven't thanked you yet. Everyone says the Tartars are coming north again, and no one in the Capital dares go toward Baoding. You are truly capable, able to find someone to help me with this great matter, allowing my family to be laid to rest in peace."

Lin Dengwan looked at her blankly. The palace maid's eyes were full of gratitude, even a trace of admiration. He stood stunned for a moment, still not knowing what to say. He merely nodded and said, "Please accept my condolences. That relative of mine will go again in a few days and ensure the epitaphs are properly carved. In the future, when you leave the palace and return, you'll be able to find them."

The palace maid lowered her head and said, "Only a few grave mounds remain of my family. Even if I am released from the palace in the future, what then? Alone, where could I go? I dare not…"

Lin Dengwan blurted out, "In the future, I can still take care of you."

The palace maid raised her head and looked at Lin Dengwan through tear-blurred eyes. A glimmer of light flashed in her misty eyes.

……

In the small market outside the Fuel Office's North Depot, Lin Dengwan once again came to the contact's stall. As he crouched down, he clamped his legs tightly together.

After crouching, he picked up a teacup and asked the contact in a low voice, "Has any news been found about that family in Daming Prefecture?"

The eunuch running the stall looked at him mockingly. "Lin Dengwan, that place in Daming Prefecture you keep asking about — whose eunuch's hometown relatives are they, really? Do you truly think Master Zhang doesn't know?"

Lin Dengwan kept his head down and said nothing. The contact eunuch chuckled and said, "Who do you think you're fooling? If you want to get things done, do it honestly. If you truly want to inquire about your own family's news, you should also tell Master Zhang plainly. Being so secretive like this, who are you treating like a fool?"

Lin Dengwan's face flushed red and then turned pale. Just as the contact was about to continue scolding him, Lin Dengwan suddenly spoke up. "Today at His Majesty's Imperial Summons, Chief Grand Secretary Liu was sent down to the Censors for deliberation. The Meritorious Service of slaying officers has not yet been verified by the Cabinet. The Ministry of War is ordered to take another three thousand heads."

The contact's face changed. He immediately stopped talking and focused on memorizing.

"The various garrisons reported three thousand five hundred heads taken, one thousand three hundred verified. The Ministry of War's opinion is that although it was said one hundred taels per head, this time it will still be paid at fifty — but in full-weight silver. Chen Xinjia is at Tongzhou. Supreme Commander Sun has crossed Hexiwu in pursuit. The Liao Garrison is also coming to encircle and strike."

Having said this, Lin Dengwan shot the other man a glance. "If I didn't look after people's hometown relatives, how could I have gotten into the Platform Warm Pavilion to work, and how could I have managed to get wind of this information?"

The contact ignored him. Only after silently fixing the information in his mind for a moment did he raise his head. "The Daming Prefecture family, fine. But the one in Qingdu — which old gentleman is that?"

Lin Dengwan did not answer him, but said directly, "I need silver to buy rouge and powder."

The contact stared blankly. "Buy them for what? Which old gentleman uses that sort of thing?"

"Women use them. They just like those things. I also need to figure out how to find a house."

"Lin Dengwan, what exactly are you up to?"

"I've gotten to know a palace maid from Tian Fei's palace."

The eunuch official twisted his mouth. "Got yourself a Paired Meal that fast — and someone from Tian Fei's palace at that. Is she good-looking?"

"What does it matter if she is?" Lin Dengwan shifted his body. "That Master Zhang said: only in places the Emperor often visits can you hear important information. The Emperor goes to Tian Fei's place the most. From her, I can pick up quite a few things. I just need to find a house. There are houses inside the Imperial City — spend some silver and find the proper office, that's all it takes."

The contact raised his eyes to look at Lin Dengwan. "Giving silver depends on whether Mister Zhang approves."

Lin Dengwan gritted his teeth. "As long as there's information, Master Zhang will give it. You help put in a word. Once I get the silver, I won't let your efforts go unrewarded."

The contact narrowed his eyes. This time he did not mock him; his manner was much gentler than before.

Lin Dengwan stared at the ground for a moment, then said, "You come and go from the Imperial City easily. Help me bring one tael of silver to Lu Fu, who's staying in the main hall of Guangyuan Temple. This is my own private matter — I'm asking for your help. I still won't let you help for nothing."

The contact shot Lin Dengwan a sidelong glance. "As long as Mister Zhang gives the silver, I'll help you deliver it. Fine."

At that moment, someone walked up to the stall. Lin Dengwan set down the teacup he was holding and walked straight out of the market. Outside the North Depot, the palace maid's figure was no longer visible. Lin Dengwan stared blankly at the spot where she had stood moments before.

After a long while, he suddenly felt that icy coldness in his lower body again. The muscles on Lin Dengwan's cheeks twitched uncontrollably. From his mouth came a low, choked sob, like a moan. He hunched his back and twisted his body as he walked toward the North Depot.

……

Note 1: For the setting and process of the Imperial Summons and awaiting summons at the Platform Warm Pavilion, refer to the records in "Collected Works of Mister Yang Wenruo, Volume 43: Records of the Imperial Summons."