Chapter 295: Seniority

Yue Fei led the way with axes clearing the path, his banner covering him from behind, flanked by Imperial Guard cavalry on both sides as escort. He rode through the inner palace, out through Xuande Tower, crossed the Imperial Street, and returned home—a spectacle of unparalleled glory. The next day, the well-prepared official gazette published the Imperial Majesty's evaluations of Han, Li, and Yue, detailing their military achievements with lavish praise.

After this affair, public opinion in the capital indeed shifted direction. Discussions buzzed everywhere, all dropping the Shaolin Temple matter to focus on this... Some praised, some envied, some thought the Imperial Majesty was heading irrevocably down the evil path of prizing martial arts over civil affairs, while others felt the Imperial Majesty was acting rashly, driven to desperation by previous public pressure, and had no choice but to curry favor with military commanders to strengthen himself.

Regardless, there was no mistake that the Imperial Majesty said he could guide public opinion.

Of course, compared to the easily guided and controlled mass public opinion, the empire's elite at the higher levels were also paying attention to this matter, but their focus was not so superficial. A very small number of top ministers had long understood the situation clearly, while a minority of mid-to-high-level officials, relying on their political acumen, keenly sensed something... namely, that with the unexpected and swift sweeping away of the puppet Qi in its fragile state, and the complete pacification of the south, the national strategy that was already due for adjustment would inevitably be forced by circumstances to undergo more thorough and faster changes.

And in this, since a state of military confrontation and at least nominal war with the Jin state had to be maintained, the military-first policy still had to be upheld. Under this military-first policy, adjustments to the deployment of the armed forces would inevitably be elevated to the highest priority.

Not to mention anything else, since roughly the same time last year after the Battle of Yaoshan, a full year had passed with many events. The comprehensive standoff along the Yellow River line had fully formed, resulting in crowded frontlines and concentrated forces... The previous division into forward (Yue Fei's force), rear (Wu Jie and Wu Lin's force), left (Han Shizhong's force), right (Zhang Jun's force), plus the navy (Zhang Rong's force), cavalry (Qu Duan's force), and the central army effectively split into three parts (Li Yanxian, Wang De, and Li Qiong's forces)—a total of nine army groups—no longer seemed adequate for the situation.

Especially at the two extremes, the lowest reaches of the Yellow River and the Guanzhong region. The central government simply could not reach them, nor should it wait until war broke out to issue an edict saying who should listen to whom... This required designating several military commanders with discretionary authority in advance during actual operations.

In other words, further clarifying the attribution of frontline command authority.

In Guanzhong, mainly the Imperial Guard Left Army under Han Shizhong and the Imperial Guard Rear Army under Wu Jie, the choice was naturally Han Shizhong, and only Han Shizhong. Han Shizhong's issue was not just his achievements; his seniority also made him the foremost among the remaining Western Army forces... No one had any extra thoughts about this choice.

As for Li Yanxian in Shanzhou.

Frankly speaking, Li Yanxian had little chance of commanding other units, but his position was too important—so important that even Han Shizhong should not interfere with or command him, and even the central government should not easily redeploy him. Therefore, he had to be singled out, given the greatest title and position, to ensure his absolute command authority over the Shanzhou, Luoyang, Hezhong, Mengzhou, and Xiezhou region.

This was an army group that existed on the surface but did not actually exist; it was still just Li Yanxian's own force.

Moving further down the Yellow River was Kaifeng Prefecture. There was no need to elaborate here. The Son of Heaven and the Privy Council were both here. The central government would directly command a considerable portion of the troops, including the Imperial Guard Cavalry, the left and right divisions of the central army, and the navy. This was an unspoken, large army group that did not exist on the surface but had a much stronger presence than the two extremes.

Then further down, in the Jingdong area at the lowest reaches of the Yellow River, with the current situation of the Shandong Peninsula's terrain contraction clearly evident, it went without saying that Yue Fei and Zhang Jun should have been ranked in order of precedence. However, this choice was somewhat unexpected.

"I, of course, understand that the eastern side needs to be ranked, but I still cannot figure out why it would be Military Governor Yue?"

At the Hu residence, during the farewell banquet for the newly appointed Grand Coordinator of Jingdong East Circuit, Moqi Xie, Hu Hongxiu's father-in-law, Wang Shuzhan, finally set down his wine cup.

"Why not Military Governor Yue?" Moqi Xie sat upright in the host's seat, raising his cup with composure, unable to hide his smug satisfaction. "Lord Wang, let me say something inappropriate today. If you cannot figure this out, then don't think about filling this vacancy. Because even if you do get the position, you will sooner or later be easily cast aside by others."

Moreover, ever since the Imperial Majesty's reforms at Fangcheng Mountain, continuity in governance had always been emphasized. So unlike the Jingkang era, when there were over a dozen chief councilors in a single year, whether it was the Chancellor, central officials, or local grandees, all held their posts for an unusually long time, and their actual authority and responsibilities became clearer day by day. Consequently, official positions also became more valuable day by day... Therefore, now that Moqi Yuanzhong had become a Circuit Grand Coordinator in one go, and had been granted a Secret Pavilion title under the new regulations, he was a genuine high-ranking local official. Somewhat savoring a long-cherished wish, he unabashedly took the seat of honor at the Wang residence banquet.

By the same token, the reason Wang Shuzhan was so impatient and direct was also because he saw official positions becoming increasingly valuable and wanted to take advantage of this vacancy to earnestly seek reinstatement.

So, at such a banquet, it was impossible not to discuss personnel matters.

"It's not that Yue Pengju is incapable, but why leapfrog Zhang Boying?" Hearing Moqi Xie's stern words, Wang Shuzhan quickly straightened his expression. "You must understand, although Zhang Boying has a poor reputation regarding finances, he does have genuine talent. During the Battle of Huaishang, it was he who defended Xiacai. Later, when the Jin army invaded Henan in force and Nanjing (Shangqiu) fell, he did his utmost to maintain order. Not to mention that his son-in-law, Tian Shizhong, achieved two major merits, which must also be credited to him. Moreover..."

"Moreover?"

"Moreover, Zhang Boying is forty-six this year, the oldest among the many military commanders, while Yue Pengju is only twenty-nine. Besides, Zhang Boying's seniority in the military is second only to the Prince of Yan'an Commandery, and he only became famous slightly later than the Prince of Yan'an. Yue Pengju has only emerged for a few years?" Wang Shuzhan spoke earnestly, clearly expressing his true feelings. "Doesn't the military value seniority the most?"

"Lord Wang!" Moqi Xie shook his head repeatedly, sneering with disdain, no longer addressing Wang Shuzhan, who was only a few years older than him, as 'Uncle.' "Military achievements are one thing, but age and seniority at this time are not good words."

Wang Shuzhan was suddenly startled, then hastily asked: "What does the Grand Coordinator mean by this?"

Not only Wang Shuzhan, but also the accompanying Wang Ruohai and Hu Hongxiu looked up seriously.

Moqi Xie sighed, then smiled and said: "Lord Wang, have you heard the phrase 'the later ones come to the fore'?"

Wang Shuzhan immediately stomped his foot in the seat and smiled bitterly: "Is this the current trend now?"

"How could it not be?" Moqi Xie continued smiling. "Whenever the central government wants to accomplish something, and the Imperial Majesty is young, this phrase is unavoidable. And even if the Imperial Majesty is not as cold-hearted as Emperor Wu of Han, Lord Wang must surely understand the principle of 'a new emperor, a new court'? The word 'seniority' depends on what era the seniority comes from. You must understand, the current Imperial Majesty has only been on the throne for five years. So, dare I ask, can the seniority from the time when the Shaolin Temple was in power be used? Therefore, even when comparing seniority, we can only look at the seniority of recent years... Yue Pengju emerged during the Huaishang campaign and inherited the capital of Zong Zhongwu. His seniority is not lacking!"

Wang Shuzhan was lost in thought, his expression growing increasingly grim... He was not stupid. According to Moqi Xie's reasoning, regardless of whether the Imperial Majesty had forgotten matters in the Mingdao Palace or not, even if he hadn't, discussing seniority only in front of the current Imperial Majesty meant asking oneself: Did one have the capital of supporting the enthronement at Nanjing (Shangqiu)? Did one have the foundation of keeping watch at Bagong Mountain on the Huaishang? Did one have the experience of defending Nanyang? Did one have the merit of rescuing the Imperial Majesty at Yaoshan?

And if one set these aside, what seniority was there to speak of?!

But the problem was, he had none of these... He certainly had the merit of supporting the enthronement, but that belonged to his in-law, the Chief of the Imperial Clan, Zhao Shi, who was now apparently about to retire from affairs. Instead, it was his son, Wang Ruohai, who had some connection to that enthronement. He also had military achievements and seniority, but that belonged to his son-in-law, Hu Hongxiu. And long before that, he himself had made a fool of himself in Nanyang.

At this thought, Wang Shuzhan shook his head repeatedly.

But this was not all. Soon, Grand Coordinator Moqi seemed to see through him and delivered another heavy blow.

"And speaking of age," Moqi Xie sighed again. "The Imperial Majesty is only twenty-five this year. He still prefers younger people. For people our age, it is actually a bit late... Lord Wang, take my advice. Instead of trying to seize this opportunity to get yourself back to the central government for a good post, it would be better to push your son and son-in-law forward. Especially Liangbi (Hu Hongxiu's style name), who is already known in the Imperial Majesty's records and has both merit and seniority. It's just unfortunate that after Yaoshan, his two backers in the Privy Council—one, Lord Wang, died for the state, and the other, Director Liu, was hastily sent out on assignment—and the newly appointed Privy Council Chancellor, Zhang, doesn't know him. With your family's capital, a little effort on his behalf would make everything clear instantly."

Wang Shuzhan looked embarrassed for a moment, ignoring his son-in-law who was right there, and simply did not respond.

Seeing this, Moqi Xie shook his head outwardly and inwardly, and directly turned the conversation back to their previous casual talk: "Actually, if we talk about Zhang Boying's backing, he does have some, but it's not his seniority or age, but his merit in supporting the enthronement back then... Among the meritorious officials of the Marshal's Office who supported the enthronement, only Han and Zhang remain on the military side. This is capital that Zhang Boying could never exhaust in a lifetime. It's just a pity that he ran into Yue Pengju."

"Although Military Governor Yue has merits, is it really that clear that he surpasses Military Governor Zhang by much?" Wang Shuzhan's son, Wang Ruohai, suddenly interjected. "Why does he receive such preferential treatment from the Imperial Majesty?"

"Military Governor Yue's merit lies not in quantity, but in quality; not in scale, but in timing." At this moment, perhaps seeing his brother-in-law speak up, Hu Hongxiu, who had been silent all along, took the opportunity to respond.

"Liangbi (Hu Hongxiu's style name) speaks the truth!" As soon as these words were spoken, Moqi Xie immediately nodded. He had a very high opinion of Hu Hongxiu. This man's future would rise as soon as those from the Guansi region returned, which was also an important reason why he maintained relations with this family.

"What does that mean?" Wang Shuzhan asked curiously.

"Dare I ask, Lord Wang, what is the most difficult issue in the state's domestic affairs right now?" Moqi Xie's expression turned slightly serious.

"It is..." Wang Shuzhan hesitated for a moment, but still tentatively gave an answer. "Could it still be finances?"

"Exactly, finances." Moqi Xie confirmed the other's answer. "Without money, everything is difficult."

"In that case, I understand a little." Wang Shuzhan finally nodded, with some comprehension. "Yue Pengju's recent cleanup of the southern rebellions—setting aside military achievements—the key point is that it was clean. The fact that he gathered up the four hundred circuits of bandits so efficiently is truly astonishing. Moreover, compared to others, although his force once attracted some complaints in Jingxiang, their harassment of the local area was ultimately the least. Now, looking back, local officials in the south also have much praise... Regardless, it allowed the south to catch its breath, which can be considered a timely measure."

"It's not just that." Seeing that Hu Hongxiu remained taciturn in front of his father-in-law, Moqi Xie simply explained thoroughly. "Previously, with the Shaoxing affair, the Imperial Majesty suffered some criticism, and the court was somewhat in turmoil. And Military Governor Yue's Battle of Zichuan, although there were casualties, achieved the character of 'speed' and 'skill'... For the central government at this time, this can also be considered a timely merit."

"In that case, I now understand why the Imperial Majesty has shown such favor this time." Wang Shuzhan nodded repeatedly. "Letting Yue Pengju do it also has its benefits and justifications. It's just that he is young and still needs the Imperial Majesty to vouch for him. Hence the marriage alliance, the banner bestowal, and the parade through Xuande Tower. But this kind of behavior, wouldn't it make Zhang Boying somewhat awkward?"

Upon hearing this, Moqi Xie also pondered for a moment, but perhaps because he had just become a Grand Coordinator and was feeling smug, he did not hold back: "Lord Wang, you still don't understand the stakes... Why did I just say that the Imperial Majesty only suffered some criticism, but then the court was somewhat in turmoil? Isn't it because, within the current court, the Imperial Majesty's authority is ultimately paramount? In civil affairs, it is because the Imperial Majesty is wise and understanding, and is willing to delegate, that civil officials appear dignified. If he truly didn't want civil officials to have dignity, what about the Shaoxing affair? And even more so for military officials? In my view, even if there are some political maneuvers this time, they are mostly deliberately done to reassure people like you... As for the marriage alliance, banner bestowal, and such, ninety percent of it is just the Imperial Majesty acting on a whim."

"Therefore, the key is still to win the Imperial Majesty's personal favor?" Wang Shuzhan hesitated, then, seeing no outsiders at the table, lowered his voice. "But the Imperial Majesty does not allow the harem to meddle in state affairs. How can one reach the Imperial presence directly?"

"If Lord Wang goes after this wave of vacancies with this kind of mindset, even if you get a good post, how can you hold it steady?" Moqi Xie was completely exasperated. "The Imperial Majesty is an ambitious emperor. If you want his personal favor, you must learn from Yue Pengju and do your official duties well... Lord Wang, do you think I achieved my long-cherished wish at this age and became a Grand Coordinator because I schemed like you in the past, or because, after experiencing many things, I recognized the situation, gave frank advice to the Imperial Majesty, and worked hard in exchange? Take my advice: set aside your own ambitions and focus on planning for your son and son-in-law. That would be more appropriate."

Wang Shuzhan grew even more embarrassed, but continued to evade the topic.

Seeing that this man was obsessed with officialdom and utterly clueless, and since he himself was now a Grand Coordinator, unlike before when he had allies like Qu Duan who were skilled in both civil and military affairs, Moqi Xie was too lazy to bother further. After perhaps a few more words of advice, he waved his sleeve and left, mounted his donkey outside the door, and under the escort of several tall-horsed Imperial Guards, leisurely returned to his residence, preparing to take up his post in Jinan.

However, setting aside how Moqi Xie assumed his post and finally became a high-ranking official in his forties, on the other side, after Yue Fei, Han Shizhong, and Li Yanxian were singled out, the court indeed made many restrictions and countermeasures... which was within many people's expectations.

For example, after nearly two or three years of calls starting from the Nanyang period, the authority to manufacture armor and weapons for the various Imperial Guard units was finally substantially reclaimed by the central government... The most important and representative measure was the unification of lamellar armor design. From now on, all lamellar armor plates for all units would be uniformly manufactured by the central Armaments Directorate. The design and size were standardized, and the weaving pattern for lamellar armor was also established to ensure battlefield interchangeability.

Not only that, the Military Academy was further expanded. From now on, not only for the Imperial Guard Rear Army and Imperial Guard Right Army, but for all Imperial Guard troops seeking promotion, from the rank of Company Commander (actually leading a hundred men) onward, they would have to undergo short-term training at the Military Academy. Promotions would be granted before the Imperial Majesty's eyes, not as favors from various military commanders.

In addition, after finding craftsmen, requisitioning usable timber, and successfully trial-manufacturing a thirty-paddle-wheel large steamer, the paddle-wheel shipyard at Heyin Biankou was officially established and incorporated into the Armaments Directorate. Zhang Rong's force also formally handed over all ship and logistics support to the central government.

At the same time, the warhorses confiscated by Yue Fei's force were entirely allocated to the Imperial Guard Cavalry, which was currently in Jingdong. The defender of Nanjing (Shangqiu), the veteran general Lü Qing, also advanced into Xuzhou ahead of time.

In all fairness, the earlier measures to unify armor plates and designs were necessary. The Military Academy had also been brewing for a long time. The paddle-wheel shipyard had been under construction for a while—otherwise, Zhang Rong wouldn't have had that thirty-paddle-wheel large steamer as his flagship. But the latter two matters seemed somewhat hasty... Coupled with the fact that Yue Fei was still in the capital, Zhang Jun was still in Dengzhou, and Zhang Jun's closest nephews and sons-in-law were also in the capital, plus the matter of Yue Fei's eldest son, Yue Yun, being kept at the Military Academy after his engagement—when one piled up one matter after another, it inevitably made the central government's considerations of political maneuvering seem overly heavy.

But there was no choice.

Zhao Jiu himself certainly knew that Yue Fei would not embezzle the warhorses, nor did he think Zhang Jun would raise troops and secede due to this setback... Zhang Jun didn't have the guts, nor the ambition... But there really was no choice. Even if it was just for show, to reassure central officials and the common people, and to prevent 'some scoundrels' from misjudging the situation, such actions had to be taken appropriately.

Even based on Zhao Jiu’s understanding of Zhang Jun, it was quite possible that Commandant Zhang himself hoped the court would do exactly this.

“Prayers?”

The autumn wind rustled, the sun warm and slanting. Zhao Jiu had just returned from archery practice at the military academy and was practicing calligraphy by the pavilion when he suddenly turned his head. “Prayers for whom?”

“For Your Majesty, for the Empress Dowager, also for the imperial child in the womb, and even more for the Great Song.” Imperial Consort Pan supported her belly as she spoke carefully. “Wasn’t it four years ago at this time that Your Majesty fell into the well? And the two Empresses Dowager have returned but are reluctant to show themselves easily; outsiders all say I am unfilial. And then there was the matter of the former imperial child’s fright-induced early death—I often regret it. Today I felt the fetus move again, and everyone says it will be a prince, which makes me uneasy again… So, I wish to go with Your Majesty to Mingdao Temple.”

Zhao Jiu glanced at Imperial Consort Pan, his expression unchanged, but inwardly he was speechless. He knew full well that this consort, though beautiful with fair skin and a fragrant body, and skilled at cooking, was far less sharp-minded than the younger Wu Yu. Her coming here now must mean she had been easily swayed by someone again over key matters like the imperial child and the Empress.

And according to Zhao Jiu’s consistent style, he usually played dumb over small matters, but for big issues he directly and decisively cut off the other party’s hopes to deal with it… In fact, after hearing this, Zhao Jiu instinctively wanted to refuse it in a neither-soft-nor-hard manner.

However, as he raised his brush to write, about to refuse, he suddenly let out a laugh: “Is your body in any condition to go to Mingdao Temple?”

Consort Pan’s face lit up with joy, and she immediately replied: “It is precisely because I will soon be too inconvenienced that I want to go once before that.”

“It’s already very inconvenient.” Zhao Jiu shook his head at her, then continued practicing calligraphy without stopping.

“Then… what about within the capital?” Consort Pan, clearly prepared, hurriedly spoke again. “Regardless of Buddhist or Daoist.”

“No money, right?” Zhao Jiu sighed as he practiced calligraphy. “Every part of the state needs money, and any money must be used on proper matters. Where would the money come from for a prayer ceremony?”

“No need for Your Majesty to pay,” Consort Pan said without pausing for a moment. “There are those willing to contribute…”

Zhao Jiu nodded, not asking who was willing, and directly replied: “How much can they contribute?”

“A hundred thousand strings or so, at least.”

Zhao Jiu sighed: “That should be about enough.”

Imperial Consort Pan was overjoyed.

“You go and do it together with Imperial Consort Wu. Have her also scrape together one or two hundred thousand strings, and make it a grand affair.” Zhao Jiu finally put down his brush and spoke seriously. “Hold it at Yutai.”

Imperial Consort Pan was taken aback at this, but had no choice and could only acknowledge, then supporting her slightly showing belly, she left.

As soon as Consort Pan left, Zhao Jiu turned to Yang Yizhong: “Senior Eunuch Lan is not here, Zhengfu, make a note and take it to him for handling.”

“Understood.”

“Send to Xiangguo Temple, Shaolin Temple, Lingjiu Temple, Baima Temple, Yuquan Temple, Wuyue Temple, Mingdao Temple… in short, any temple or Daoist temple that can reach the capital before Mid-Autumn Festival, regardless of where, send them all a document. Tell them I am going to hold a proper grand Dharma assembly, not the small one held inside the palace to welcome the Empress Dowager. Have them contribute money and send people. Limit it to nine Buddhist temples and nine Daoist temples. Only those who contribute the most will be allowed to come…”

Even Yang Yizhong, with all his experience, was slightly stunned for a moment before nodding.

“Then send a document to the Secretariat, telling them that since the Shaoxing era began, rumors and gossip have been stirring for a while. It’s time to get back on track. I want to hold a sacrifice for the innocent dead and the fallen officials, soldiers, and commoners since the Jingkang Incident, to bring some closure. Have them prepare a comprehensive list.”

“Also, have them quickly assign the actual duties to those who will do the work.”

“Understood.”

“Also, specifically remind the Ministry of Revenue that if funds are insufficient, they should prepare to issue a batch of special state bonds.”

“Understood.”

“Also, have Wang Yuan compile a complete list of officers and soldiers who died in battle, to be included in the sacrifice…”

“Understood.”

“As for the various military governors, they are exempted. Those who should return, return; those who should stay in their localities, stay. No running back and forth.”

“Yes.”

“Have several Hanlin academicians compose an article, roughly meaning that the state has finally regained its footing, and from now on, any further battles will be offensive rather than defensive… The tone should be uplifting, and it should be coordinated with the official gazette.”

“Your servant understands.”

“…Tell the people from Mingdao Temple not to come, but directly reserve a spot for them.”

“…Understood.”

“That’s all for now. Go. Let me have some quiet.”

“…Understood.”

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