Chapter 968

The court wishes to reassert control over the Nuerkan Regional Military Commission, so it must send a messenger with courage, daring, and strategy.

Yu Qian pondered for a long time, then proposed selecting someone from the Imperial Academy: “Let them go to train and spread the Dao; select some tribal youths to study in the capital, learn our Confucian thought, and return to stabilize their regions.”

Cao Nai rolled his eyes dismissively: “Send students? Send them to die?”

“Also select personnel from the Imperial Guards to escort them,” Yu Qian said. “Assistant Regional Commander Pan Yu was once a student of the Imperial Academy, is the son of Vice Minister Pan Hong, and has earned battlefield merits—he can lead the mission and escort the students.”

Cao Nai fell silent, lost in thought.

The ministers also fell quiet.

Pan Yu...

Zhu Qiyu hesitated, asking softly: “Wouldn’t that be too dangerous?”

Yu Qian said sternly: “Who wouldn’t face danger if sent?”

Wang Ji said: “Warriors always keep their heads on their belts—where’s the safety?”

Yu Qian stared intently at Zhu Qiyu and asked: “Will Your Majesty consult the State Master before deciding?”

Zhu Qiyu snapped alert, his mind clearing instantly: “Fine, appoint Pan Yu. The Grand Secretariat will draft the edict.”

The court officials collectively exhaled half their breath—apparently, the Emperor did not rely on the State Master for everything.

When the imperial edict reached the army and the Ministry of Revenue swiftly prepared the tribute gifts for the Jurchens, Pan Yun said nothing, devoting herself entirely to her instruments. The remaining half-breath of the ministers fully released—they saw that even the State Master did not interfere in everything.

The suspicion sparked by Pan Yun’s forceful proposal to audit military affairs slightly eased.

Pan Yun spent her days at the Ministry of Works and her nights observing the stars; only when Pan Yu was about to depart and granted half a day’s leave to bid his family farewell did she quietly appear at the Pan household.

Even the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who had been watching her closely, failed to notice.

As long as she wished it, no one could track her.

Pan Hong had just dug up a jar of wine from underground, turned around, and saw a person standing behind him—his legs went weak, nearly causing him to collapse.

Pan Yun quickly reached out to steady him: “Father, be careful.”

Pan Hong grumbled: “Is it my carelessness? It’s you scaring people!”

Pan Yun rubbed her nose.

Pan Hong nervously glanced upward at the ceiling.

Pan Yun said: “Even the Embroidered Uniform Guard must eat, use the toilet, and sleep—no one is watching right now.”

Pan Hong exhaled in relief and hurriedly carried the wine inside: “Come in, come in—your elder and second brothers are in the kitchen; they didn’t know you were coming. I’ll have your elder brother make another fish dish.”

Pan Yun loved fish more than anything.

From the kitchen came Pan Yu’s voice: “Where am I supposed to get fresh fish now? And no carp or grass carp—I...”

Pan Yu grumbled as he walked past, then saw Pan Yun standing in the doorway—he stepped back two paces, turned his head, and locked eyes with her.

Pan Yun winked at him.

Pan Yu turned on his heel: “I’ll go buy some right now!”

There was chicken, duck, mutton, pork, and fish—the meal was as lavish as New Year’s.

Pan Yue poured warmed wine for their father and siblings, smiling: “I knew you’d come back, so I had the servants take the day off yesterday.”

Pan Yu muttered: “No wonder your menu asked me to buy fish...” Pan Yue shot him a glare: “And you still didn’t buy any.”

“It’s not that I didn’t want to—I went to the market at noon and there was no fish at all. I don’t even like fish, too many bones. I figured we had enough dishes already, so I came back.” Pan Yu smiled apologetically at Pan Yun: “Luckily I just bought some—I specifically picked silver fish. Try them, little sister.”

Pan Yun pulled out a cloth bag and pushed it toward him: “Second brother, these are what I prepared for you. You know how to use them—take them all.”

Pan Yu accepted it gleefully and asked: “Did you cast my fortune? Will this journey bring me fortune or misfortune?”

Pan Yun: “Dangerous, but not fatal. Proceed with caution.”

Pan Yu: “So it’s not going well. Then again, the Jurchen tribes have always been close to the Oirats. If it weren’t for Esen’s rebellion and self-proclamation as Khan—since he’s not of the Golden Bloodline—the Jurchens would’ve sided with them completely.”

Pan Yun: “All under heaven bustles for profit, and all return for profit. Second brother, don’t generalize about the Jurchens. To control Nuerkan, you must win over its tribes—and to win them, you must find ways to let their people benefit from the Great Ming.”

Pan Yu blinked: “The court’s tribute gifts?”

Pan Yue said: “How much can the court’s gifts possibly amount to? Besides, ministers have long resented the lavish rewards. Such gifts can be given once or twice, but not thrice.”

Pan Hong added: “You must seek a strategy suited to the frontier. Grand Secretary Yu wants you to bring Imperial Academy students—they’re meant to learn our Han culture, embrace it. Cultural unity is true unification.”

Pan Yu scratched his head, looking miserable: “I was never a good student. Why did the court pick me for this?”

Pan Yun said: “Second brother, poor grades don’t mean you can’t do the job. I think you’re perfect for it—which is why I stayed silent when the court chose you.”

Pan Yu: “I’m really suitable?”

Pan Yun nodded firmly: “You are.”

Pan Yu swelled with pride, thumping his chest: “Alright then—if you say I’m suitable, I’ll go!”

Seeing his confidence, Pan Hong picked up his chopsticks and smiled: “Eat. Talk while you eat.”

Pan Yu: “Father, elder brother, little sister—you’re all smarter than me. While I’m still here, help me think: how can we entice them to embrace us and learn our culture?”

Pan Hong thought a moment, then said: “Mutual markets! Establish trading posts, exchange goods. When they depend on our products, they’ll naturally grow fond of us.”

Pan Yue: “Also establish watchposts—ideally station troops there. Benefits alone aren’t enough; you need authority too.”

Pan Yun: “Use the land’s advantages—teach them to tame their own land and profit from it. This profit should benefit them, but also benefit us.”

The three men turned to Pan Yun: “Tame the land?”

Pan Yun nodded: “Nuerkan is vast but sparsely populated—it’s a vast treasure.”

Pan Hong: “It’s a frozen wasteland. Where’s the treasure?”

“The southern lands of Nuerkan are fertile, but untamed—so useless. Once tamed, they can become a grain-producing region,” Pan Yun said. “The north holds diamond mines, coal mines, and oil.”

Pan Yue: “I know about diamonds and coal—but what’s oil?”

Pan Yun: “Like coal, but far more efficient.”

Pan Yue: “For fire?”

Pan Hong: “But coal produces poison gas easily. For centuries, neither court nor commoners have found an effective way to remove the poison.”

So even though the court knew the black stone could be used for heating, it never encouraged the people to use it.

Nor had the populace widely adopted it.