Chapter 968

The imperial court wishes to reassert control over the Regional Military Commissioner of Nuergan, and must send a messenger who is bold, brave, and cunning.

Yu Qian thought for a long time, then proposed selecting someone from the Imperial Academy: "Let them go to gain experience and spread the Dao; select some tribal youths to come to the capital for study, learn our Confucian teachings, and return to stabilize their regions."

Cao Nai rolled his eyes dismissively and said: "Send students? Send them to die?"

"Also select personnel from the Imperial Guards to escort them," Yu Qian said. "Commandant Pan Yu—he was once a student of the Imperial Academy, is the son of Assistant Minister of the Honglu Temple Pan Hong, and has earned battlefield merits. He should lead the mission and escort the students."

Cao Nai fell silent, lost in thought.

The ministers also fell silent.

Pan Yu…

Zhu Qiyu hesitated, asking softly: "Wouldn't that be too dangerous?"

Yu Qian said sternly: "Whoever we send won't be safe?"

Wang Ji said: "All warriors wear their heads on their belts—where's there no danger?"

Yu Qian stared intently at Zhu Qiyu and asked: "Will Your Majesty consult the State Preceptor before deciding?"

Zhu Qiyu snapped to attention, his mind instantly clear, and said at once: "Fine, appoint Pan Yu. The Grand Secretariat draft the edict."

The court ministers collectively exhaled half their breath—apparently, the Emperor did not rely on the State Preceptor in every matter;

When the imperial edict reached the army, and the Ministry of Revenue swiftly prepared the tribute gifts for the Jurchens, Pan Yun said not a word, wholly absorbed in her instruments. The ministers' remaining half-breath fully released—apparently, the State Preceptor did not involve herself in every matter either.

The vigilance sparked by Pan Yun's forceful proposal to audit military affairs slightly diminished.

Pan Yun spent her days at the Ministry of Works and her nights observing the stars, until just before Pan Yu's departure, when the army granted him half a day's leave to bid his family farewell—only then did she silently appear at the Pan household.

Even the Embroidered Uniform Guard who watched 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 fault for being careless? It's you who scared me!"

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 the most.

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 immediately turned and left: "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 younger siblings, smiling: "I knew you'd come back, so I had the servants off yesterday."

Pan Yu muttered: "No wonder your menu asked me to buy fish…" Pan Yue shot him a glare: "Yet you still didn't buy any."

"It's not that I didn't want to—I went to buy at noon, but the market had no fish at all. I don't even like fish—too many bones. I figured with all these other dishes, it was enough, so I came back." Pan Yu grinned 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 eagerly and asked: "Did you cast my fortune? Will this journey bring me misfortune or fortune?"

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 Yisan's rebellion and self-proclamation as Khan—since he's not of the Golden Bloodline—the Jurchens would surely be aligned with them."

Pan Yun: "All under heaven bustles for profit, and all return for profit. Second brother, don't generalize about the Jurchens. To control Nuergan, you must win over the Jurchen tribes; to win them over, you must find ways to let their people benefit from Great Ming."

Pan Yu blinked: "The court's tribute gifts?"

Pan Yue said: "How much can the court's tribute gifts amount to? Besides, court ministers have long resented the continuous lavish gifts—such rewards can be given once or twice, but not thrice."

Pan Hong also said: "You must seek a border strategy suited to the Jurchens. Grand Secretary Yu has ordered you to bring Imperial Academy students—he wants them to learn our Han culture, to embrace it. Cultural unity is true unification."

Pan Yu scratched his head, looking miserable: "I never did well in school—why on earth did the court choose 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 decided to appoint you."

Pan Yu: "I'm really suitable?"

Pan Yun nodded, firmly: "You are truly suitable."

Pan Yu swelled with pride, thumping his chest: "Fine! If you say I'm suitable, then I'll go!"

Seeing his confidence return, 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 submit and embrace 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 must benefit them, but also benefit us."

The three men stared at Pan Yun: "Tame the land?"

Pan Yun nodded: "Nuergan is vast and sparsely populated—it's a vast treasure trove."

Pan Hong: "It's a frozen wasteland—where's the treasure?"

"The southern lands of Nuergan are fertile, but untamed, so useless. Once tamed, they can become a grain-producing region," Pan Yun said. "And 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 in use."

Pan Yue: "For fire?"

Pan Hong: "But coal produces toxic fumes so easily—throughout the years, neither the court nor the people have found an effective way to remove the poison."

So even though the imperial court knew that the black stones could be used to start fires and keep warm, it did not encourage the common people to use them.

Nor did they come into widespread civilian use.