Chapter 545: Zhu Ting

On the official road southwest of Jiaxing, a line of horse carts creaked and rattled along. Inside a swaying sedan compartment, Pang Yu clutched a cotton handkerchief and kept wiping sweat, a wave of nausea surging up from his chest — he nearly vomited.

After finishing their talks with Wang Ranming in Hangzhou, they had set out without much delay, passing through Tongxiang on the way to Jiaxing. The market towns they saw along the way rivaled the county seats around Anqing in scale — this, at least, matched Pang Yu's understanding from later eras.

Puyuan Town, where they had lodged yesterday, was a key silk hub in the Jiangnan region. The town was dense with waterways, boats coming and going endlessly on the river channels, and laborers and carriages visible everywhere along the roads, all signs of thriving commerce. Most of the common people were dressed with care, the vast majority wore shoes, and the economic level clearly surpassed that of Anqing on the Middle River.

The journey was also relatively peaceful. This area around Jiaxing did not fall under Yingtian's jurisdiction, but geographically and economically it was essentially part of the Taihu periphery, and also belonged to Jiangnan in the broader sense. Because Pang Yu was attached to Nanzhili, the Yingtian Grand Coordinator Yamen regularly forwarded dispatch bulletins from its jurisdiction. Unrest in the Jiangnan region had been increasing year by year — including near Taihu, where Zhang Guowei was stationed; water bandits had stirred up trouble two years prior. After the great battle at Susong, Zhang Guowei had briefly transferred Xu Strengthening to Suzhou, which finally quelled those water bandits.

On the whole, there was no major unrest around Jiangnan, and in Pang Yu's view the economy was fairly prosperous — though he had never been to Zhejiang before and had no basis for comparison. Judging from the reports sent back by the Riverside Silver House, shipping volume had been on a declining trend for several years. It rebounded slightly when the Roving Bandits were quelled, but with the Eight Bandits rebelling again, shipping volume to the Upper River had plummeted this year. Jiangnan had a commercial economy, so one could deduce that their economic situation was also worsening.

But even so, compared to the north, where white bones stretched for a thousand li, it could still be called paradise.

On this relatively safe stretch of road, Pang Yu's mood was quite relaxed. Since becoming a military officer, he had rarely had such an easy journey. In ordinary times, to say nothing of marching to battle, even when he went out to Nanjing he always stayed at the Silver House and Baishun Hall, handling official business. This trip to Hangzhou had also been made with a purpose, and since he was not familiar with Wang Ranming, he had spent the entire journey considering to what extent he should fight the Hui Gang, and what the maximum compromise he could accept was — he had not relaxed at all.

This trip to Jiaxing was also for an important matter, but the broad strokes had already been agreed upon beforehand. Although he had never met Zhang Pu, psychologically he was no stranger, so his mood was relatively light — only riding in the horse cart was truly unbearable.

After leaving Hangzhou, Qian Qianyi had changed his usual manner and insisted that both Pang Yu and Ruan Dacheng ride in horse carts, and even made them lower the carriage curtains. Moreover, he was in no hurry at all, deliberately dragging out the journey, traveling only thirty to fifty li a day.

The carriage frames of horse carts at this time had no shock absorption whatsoever; Pang Yu could only rely on his own flesh as a cushion. Military cart frames were the same, which was why Pang Yu normally never rode in carts in the army. Now, a general who rode horses campaigning north and south was nearly getting motion sickness from sitting in a horse cart.

Afraid of losing face if word got out, Pang Yu had no choice but to swallow his nausea and silently curse Qian Qianyi. This Donglin bigwig didn't want to be recognized, nor did he want Pang Yu and Ruan Dacheng to be recognized — but Pang Yu had never even been to Zhejiang; even if he swaggered openly down the road, no one would know him. But here, Qian Qianyi had the most seniority, so Pang Yu was forced to sit in the horse cart for several days, his entire skeleton feeling as if it were about to fall apart.

Ruan Dacheng was also sitting in the sedan compartment at this moment. This big-bearded man was long accustomed to riding in horse carts and was in much better shape than Pang Yu. He had originally had his own cart, but presumably out of boredom on the road, after leaving Puyuan Town he insisted on squeezing into one cart with Pang Yu, talking nonstop the entire way.

"I might as well tell you, Pang Xiaoyou — on this trip to Jiaxing, this old man's restoration to office hinges entirely on Elder Zhou."

Ruan Dacheng waved his folding fan, his beard swaying with the breeze it stirred. Ever since the day he had cursed out Xie Sanbin, Ruan Dacheng's state had been somewhat agitated. Pang Yu had always thought it was the effect of the scolding, but now it seemed it was the hope of restoration.

"Then congratulations, Ruan Xiansheng."

Ruan Dacheng chuckled and waved his hand. "With just myself, I'm afraid it's still not secure. Yesterday I again made a request of Mr. Yushan, and he has already agreed. With him bringing it up to Elder Zhou as well, it will be more reliable."

Seeing Ruan Dacheng in high spirits, Pang Yu played along with his mood. In this political alliance, Ruan Dacheng was the southern liaison, but also the weakest party. His stake in participating was to re-enter the court as an official.

Pang Yu stole a glance at Ruan Dacheng. This big-bearded man was already fifty-three, yet he still hadn't let go of that official status. He had just suffered a heavy blow from the Public Denunciation in Nanjing, and now he was turning around and brimming with hope again. When he spoke of restoration, his face glowed with vigor, as if he had grown twenty years younger.

"However, I'm afraid those two will still need a couple of days before they can meet."

Pang Yu asked in surprise, "Why would they need a couple more days?"

"Elder Zhou and Mr. Mace have some old, unsettled matters from the past. I'm afraid we mustn't rush." Ruan Dacheng's expression turned reminiscent. "Back then, Yushan was a capable official of the Donglin, rising to Ministry of Rites Vice Minister. He had already been set to enter the Cabinet. With the Donglin as his backing, becoming Chief Grand Secretary in time was only a matter of time. It happened that the Zhejiang examination fraud case broke — someone brought charges that during that year's Provincial Examination, candidates had bribed the examiners, writing the phrase 'one morning, step straight up to the blue clouds' at the end of their papers as a secret signal. At the time, Elder Zhou and Wen Tiren seized on it relentlessly, stirring it up until the whole court knew. The Emperor ordered an investigation, and sure enough, that phrase 'one morning, step straight up to the blue clouds' was found on the exam papers. From this, it was concluded that it was not a false accusation. Mr. Yushan could not extricate himself from involvement. In the end, not only did he fail to enter the Cabinet, he couldn't even keep his official status and could only return home to be a literary figurehead. He has never been able to enter government service since. To Mr. Yushan, it is no different from a mortal blood feud. In all fairness, it was Elder Zhou who was in the wrong."

Pang Yu nodded. The Dark Sentinel Division had once reported on this matter, and more clearly than Ruan Dacheng put it — it was not a coincidence that the case broke; behind it, Zhou Yanru and Wen Tiren had orchestrated it.

Within this alliance were three major powers — the Eunuch Faction, the Donglin, and the Restoration Society — who had fought back and forth in the past, with no shortage of grudges, favors, and feuds. That Zhang Pu and Wu Changshi could gather these factions together for negotiation was a remarkable political victory.

"But precisely because of this, Elder Zhou probably cannot easily refuse Mr. Yushan's suggestion. That is why this old man made the request..."

Before Ruan Dacheng's voice had faded, the horse cart suddenly stopped. Yan Guan's voice sounded from outside the carriage: "My lord, Mr. Tianru is waiting ahead at a pavilion to welcome us from afar."

Pang Yu estimated they were not far from Jiaxing. Hearing that Zhang Pu had come to greet them, he couldn't wait to leave this horse cart. After stepping out of the sedan compartment, he saw Qian Qianyi also disembarking and adjusting his attire. Pang Yu hurriedly fell in behind him, and the group walked together toward the pavilion ahead.

On the way, Pang Yu studied the person emerging from the pavilion. Zhang Pu had a thin, gaunt frame and a face that looked somewhat old. But Pang Yu knew he was actually only thirty-seven or thirty-eight; he looked even older than the fifty-three-year-old Ruan Dacheng. His steps were a bit unsteady as he walked — his health was probably not very good.

"Mr. Yushan." Even from a distance, Zhang Pu bowed in salute toward Qian Qianyi.

Qian Qianyi was clearly quite familiar with Zhang Pu. He returned the greeting warmly: "I've put you to the trouble of coming so far to welcome us, Tianru."

"I knew I would be seeing Mr. Yushan today..." Zhang Pu's gaze shifted to Ruan Dacheng and Pang Yu. "Jizhi and General Pang. My heart was so eager with anticipation that I could neither sit nor lie down peacefully in the garden, so I simply decided to step out for a walk and meet you all a bit sooner. Now, at last, my heart is no longer flustered."

Qian Qianyi laughed heartily. Zhang Pu stepped closer and first greeted Ruan Dacheng — the two had clearly met long before as well. Finally, he came before Pang Yu.

Pang Yu cupped his hands. "Latecomer Student Pang Yu pays his respects to Mr. Tianru."

Zhang Pu looked Pang Yu up and down for a long moment, and at last a trace of a smile appeared. "I have long heard of General Pang's name. Mizhi, Ciwei, Weidou, Laizhi — they all told me I ought to go to Nanjing to meet the General. It was only that worldly trifles entangled me and I could not make the trip. Today, that long-cherished wish is finally fulfilled."

Pang Yu bowed. "It should have been this latecomer student coming to pay respects to you, sir. I have received much assistance from the various gentlemen of the Restoration Society. Today I at last have the chance to thank you in person. This latecomer student has also fulfilled a long-cherished wish."

Zhang Pu laughed heartily, then turned to look at Qian Qianyi and said, "Shao Garden is just ahead, not far. Mr. Yushan has been traveling and toiling the whole way — let us rest first; there will be no delay in discussing matters afterward."

Qian Qianyi said gravely, "Naturally, there is no need to rush the discussions. Right and wrong ought to have a public verdict. Only after settling the old, unfinished matters of the past can we properly discuss other things."

After hearing this, Pang Yu stole a glance at Zhang Pu. In their previous interactions, Qian Qianyi's temperament had been relatively mild. Pang Yu felt that just now, he was deliberately adopting a high posture in order to gain an advantageous position in the negotiations to come and secure better terms within the alliance.

That said, although Pang Yu was Qian Qianyi's disciple, it was only in name. At the beginning, it was simply because Qian Qianyi was short of money, and Pang Yu needed him to inscribe a plaque and cut the ribbon for the Silver House, while Qian Qianyi wanted to associate himself with talent — that was how the formal discipleship came about. Pang Yu did not actually understand this teacher of his. But from the analysis provided by the Dark Sentinel Division and Ruan Dacheng, Qian Qianyi also wanted to be restored to office.

Back then, the Emperor had concluded that he was involved in the examination fraud, and his impression of him had greatly soured — which was why he had been unable to return to office for so many years. But compared to Ruan Dacheng, who was implicated in the Reverse Case, Qian Qianyi's hopes were much greater. If this alliance succeeded in pushing for Zhou Yanru's restoration, then he would certainly assume the post of Chief Grand Secretary, and Qian Qianyi's chances would be very good. He therefore hoped all the more to secure a more favorable position within the alliance.

For Zhou Yanru and Zhang Pu, although the Donglin were weak in the Cabinet, they were still the largest faction at court. Winning over Qian Qianyi would gain the support of the Donglin. In the future, Zhou Yanru as Chief Grand Secretary would find governance at court much smoother, and court politics would suffer less internal friction.

Zhang Pu showed not the slightest awkwardness or hesitation. He immediately nodded and said, "Everything will be according to Mr. Yushan's wishes. I also feel that it should be so. Only if we harbor no grudges against one another going forward can we jointly accomplish this grand endeavor. Sir, please."

By the shores of Yuanhu, south of Jiaxing, the lakeside was lush with verdant trees, and pavilions, terraces, and waterside lodges were faintly visible among them.

At the northwest corner of the lake shore, a small strip of land extended deep into the lake, shaped exactly like a ladle. Pang Yu was currently walking along a winding corridor at the eastern edge of this "ladle." Emerald bamboo grew thickly on both sides of the corridor, the lake water now hidden, now visible through the bamboo groves. Jiaxing's climate was sultry, but a clear breeze off the lake passed through the bamboo forest, producing a soft, continuous rustling sound.

The guide stopped at a place screened by bamboo groves. Here, the cicadas' drone rose and fell, the bamboo grew luxuriantly, and the branches and leaves nearly blocked out the sunlight. In the grove stood a stone table, surrounded by four stone stools. The table and stools were simple and unadorned in design, evoking a distant, profound mood; green moss grew in some of the crevices.

Pang Yu sat down directly on one of the stone stools and immediately felt a trace of coolness transmitted from the grove. As he let his gaze wander, he discovered that through the bamboo, he could see the lake water outside, and from somewhere unseen, the faint sound of string and bamboo music drifted over.

This place was Wu Changshi's garden, Shao Garden — also called Zhu Ting — situated on the northwest shore of Yuanhu. It had been designed and built by the garden master Zhang Nanyuan, and was the agreed meeting place for all parties of this alliance.

Today was already the third day since their arrival. Shao Garden was quite sizable, and the several men were lodged separately. Pang Yu knew that Zhou Yanru was already in the garden but had not yet shown his face. Yesterday, Zhang Pu had been bustling back and forth in Qian Qianyi's courtyard, acting as intermediary in the negotiations between the two.

Today, Zhang Pu had presumably sounded out the general situation and finally found the time to see Pang Yu. The agreed place was this peninsula jutting deep into the lake — the character for "shao" (ladle) in Shao Garden came from this very feature.

Zhang Pu had probably chosen this spot because the scenery was the finest here, and the dense trees made it a bit cooler. The several courtyards on the shore were all somewhat stuffy, which made discussing matters a little irritating.

Pang Yu had seen plenty of negotiations. He had originally expected Zhang Pu to exploit his home-ground advantage, making him wait an hour and sapping his momentum before showing up. As it turned out, after sitting for only a brief moment, Zhang Pu arrived in haste — which rather surprised Pang Yu.

After a simple exchange of courtesies, the two sat down across the stone table from each other. Zhang Pu smiled and said to Pang Yu, "Shao Garden gets its name from this very spot, taken from the meaning 'a ladle of water can contain the vast sea.'"

Pang Yu gave an "oh" and put on an exaggerated expression of sudden enlightenment. Zhang Pu extended a hand and pointed west. "Over there is the Listen-to-the-Flute Pavilion. Jizhi is there right now, directing the Zhu Ting Troupe in a performance of a play — that Spring Lantern Riddles he wrote himself."

Pang Yu burst out laughing. He had even once sung the Sheng Role in that very Spring Lantern Riddles; hearing of it made him feel a sense of familiarity. Zhang Pu, it seemed, was very considerate — he had seen Pang Yu first and had specially arranged for Ruan Dacheng to do something he enjoyed, so he wouldn't feel neglected.

With just a few words from Zhang Pu, the rapport between the two men grew considerably closer. After a few more jokes and pleasantries, Zhang Pu said, "I have kept the General waiting long. When I woke this morning, I was reflecting carefully. I first heard the General's name way back in the eighth year, because of the civil unrest in Anqing. Later, Wu Yingji made a special trip from Nanjing to meet with me and spoke of the General's willingness to assist with rations and pay to start a newspaper. I knew at once that this was a great good — a matter of civilizing the common people and bringing benefit for ten thousand generations. Looking at it now, that remains largely the case. Throughout the Suzhou-Songjiang area, anyone who can read looks forward to the days when the newspaper arrives. One newspaper lets you know the world's affairs and understand the world's principles; it has become an indispensable item in every scholar's study."

With this speech, Zhang Pu claimed the greater part of the credit for the newspaper for himself. Pang Yu played along and replied, "Had this matter not been facilitated by Mr. Tianru, the newspaper would never have achieved its present success. Today, the newspaper is widely distributed across several provinces. Whether good news or bad, once something is published, its impact is extraordinary."

Pang Yu stopped there. He did not directly mention the matter of the Public Denunciation, but the Public Denunciation had been initiated by Restoration Society scholars, drawing the newspaper into it — he needed to understand Zhang Pu's stance.

Zhang Pu assumed a thoughtful expression. A moment later, he looked up and said, "As the General says, the Newspaper Office has become a weighty instrument of public opinion. Never mind the areas along the rivers — previously, Wu Changshi wrote a letter specifically describing the situation in the capital. He said that quite a few copies of the newspaper circulate in the capital's streets and alleys; people even scramble to read last year's back issues. It also circulates among no small number of Capital Officials. Its influence is evident. Given this, I believe the newspaper must be gentle, generous, and prudent. If it stirs up too many disputes, it will inevitably create more estrangement, allowing others to exploit the gaps — detrimental to society's affairs, and detrimental to the newspaper as well."

Pang Yu discerned Zhang Pu's meaning: he agreed to replace the person running the newspaper, but hinted that in the current sensitive period, he hoped Pang Yu would not use drastic measures against Liu Licentiate and Wu Yingji. At this critical juncture of the alliance's formation, Pang Yu had no intention of opposing Zhang Pu on secondary issues. He nodded at once and said, "As expected, Mr. Tianru sees things from a commanding height. I am filled with admiration. The newspaper indeed ought to be more prudent."

Seeing that Pang Yu did not argue, Zhang Pu's demeanor relaxed further. This time, he directly entered the main topic: "This grand endeavor has been long in the making. The General knows the antecedents — it is precisely because petty men hold sway at court, and upright men are not tolerated there, that court politics have rotted and the realm is in turmoil. Therefore, we are not forming cliques, but rather jointly seeking a path of survival for all under heaven. The General is of the same mind. If you have any suggestions regarding future court governance, please speak frankly and without reserve."

Pang Yu rallied his mental spirit. Zhang Pu was clearly probing his conditions. Every party in this alliance had its own role. Pang Yu's was military support — something that had been unnecessary in the past, but now, with the times in turmoil and the court facing threats from both the Roving Bandits and the Eastern Invaders, the status of military men was rising rapidly.

Here, every party had its own role and naturally its own conditions. Zhou Yanru needed to assess them. Zhang Pu was the actual initiator of this alliance, and his relationship with Zhou Yanru was the closest, so he was the one to test the waters first.

After thinking for a moment, Pang Yu spoke. "The realm is in turmoil — Roving Bandits within, Eastern Invaders without. We join in this grand endeavor to bring righteous men to court. But if military affairs go poorly, the righteous men's positions will not sit steady, and there will be no way to speak of righting the world. This Latecomer Student's humble view: the Eastern Invaders enter the border roughly every two years, so they can be dealt with later. For suppressing the bandits, the Yinghuo Mountain Area is the key. This place lies at the junction of three provinces, stretching for several hundred li, crisscrossed by a thousand gullies and ten thousand channels. This Latecomer Student has been organizing and training Local Militia in the counties along the mountains in Anqing, but restricted by my designated territory, I can only defend a few dozen li along the mountains. Going deeper would violate court regulations. If we win, it is fine, but if we lose troops and officers, when the local authorities shift blame and shirk responsibility, the matter will inevitably be dragged out. Brought before the court, a Military Officer trespassing beyond his designated territory is a grave crime. I once joined a joint encirclement campaign with Fang Military Gate in Huguang, but it still failed and we returned empty-handed due to the difficulty of coordination. As things stand, the Camp Heads everywhere look out only for themselves. The Roving Bandits occupy the Mountain Region, moving in and out of several provinces. The troops of the three provinces have no unified command and will inevitably attend to one thing and lose sight of another."

Zhang Pu nodded slightly. Pang Yu could not tell if he had taken it in. He only heard Zhang Pu say, "Then what is General Pang's Suggestion?"

"My Suggestion is to establish the Anqing Garrison along the perimeter of the Yinghuo Mountain Area, at the junction of the three provinces."

Zhang Pu mused, "Have you thought out the designated territory for this Anqing Garrison?"

Pang Yu looked at Zhang Pu. "West to Macheng, north to Gushi, south to the Great River, east to Luzhou."