Chapter 131
Although the Emperor had said that, with the metropolitan examination fast approaching, he had to set aside most other matters before May and focus first on this one. This was the first metropolitan examination held since his accession, and those who passed could call themselves “the Son of Heaven’s disciples”—the very people he would find most useful in the years to come.
Cui Lanyin therefore felt that the matter of moving the capital was still some way off. The Emperor was merely giving her advance warning so she could prepare herself mentally.
Besides, the Emperor had always planned everything with remarkable foresight. Before taking action, he would arrange every detail thoroughly. Cui Lanyin felt that when the time came, she would only need to follow his instructions.
Of course, she needed to make some preparations of her own as well. After arriving at the East Hall that morning, she asked Song Zhang, “Roughly how much commercial tax can we expect to collect over the next two months?”
Song Zhang made a quick estimate. “Since we began assigning personnel to establish offices in each province, monthly commercial-tax revenue has increased by twenty percent compared with before. It should continue to rise with time. At present, we’re collecting approximately four hundred and twenty thousand taels a month.”
Commercial taxes were collected once every three months. The court had already received 1.05 million taels for the previous three months, so by late April, another 1.2 million or so should come in.
Ever since she became pregnant, the Emperor had read memorials aloud to her every day, addressing them to the child in her belly. After reading each one, he would explain the response he had written as well. Without realizing it, Cui Lanyin had gradually gained a general understanding of both major and minor affairs of state.
Comparing the increased military expenditure required over the past few years to defend against Tatar incursions, Cui Lanyin estimated that the additional two million taels or so—roughly a quarter of a year’s military expenses—should be enough to sustain an operation for a while.
The moment Cui Lanyin asked the question, Song Zhang sensed what was going on. He gestured quietly toward the north and asked, “Your Highness, is His Majesty preparing to make a move?”
Jiang Shi, standing nearby, also looked over with bright, eager eyes.
The two men were her right- and left-hand aides, trusted confidants to whom she could entrust anything. She would need to assign them tasks later, so there was no reason to keep them in the dark.
Cui Lanyin gave a slight nod. “His Majesty is preparing to move the capital back to Yancheng. He will likely send troops against the Tatars. This must not be announced publicly for now. You need only keep it in mind.”
Both Song Zhang and Jiang Shi were invigorated. Song Zhang said excitedly, “His Majesty is wise indeed. We will do everything in our power to help him accomplish this.”
Jiang Shi said, “An army may not move before provisions are sent ahead. I estimate that the grain reserves in the various granaries are insufficient. Should we begin stocking up in advance?”
The three of them were discussing the matter when Buyan came over. “Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence.”
When the court officials were absent, the Emperor would sometimes find it troublesome to have memorials carried back and forth, so he would ask her to go to the West Hall and listen as he read them aloud.
Cui Lanyin did not think much of it. She said to Song Zhang and Jiang Shi, “Continue working here. Organize everything you can think of into a plan. I’ll be back shortly.”
The two men acknowledged her, and Cui Lanyin left the East Hall. Only then did she notice that the officials waiting to see the Emperor had already gone from the western side hall.
They normally could not disperse this early. Had the Emperor become even faster at dealing with affairs?
That was entirely possible. Minister Gu had once come over and remarked that the Emperor’s thoughts moved so quickly that the officials often could not keep up. If the Emperor did not need to explain things step by step, there was no reason for him to spend the entire morning in the West Hall.
When Cui Lanyin entered the West Hall, she discovered that another desk had been placed beside the Emperor’s large desk. The Emperor rose and led her over to sit there.
“From now on, you’ll sit here and read the memorials.”
If the Emperor had not pressed down on her shoulder, Cui Lanyin might have stood up again in surprise. She had never expected that he would actually put into practice what he had mentioned only the previous night.
“Uncle, you can’t joke about something like this.”
“Didn’t you say you would guard my back?”
Although the Emperor spoke in his usual teasing tone, Cui Lanyin knew that he was serious.
The Emperor pointed to a stack of memorials on the desk. “Don’t think about anything else. Read these first, then try writing responses to them.”
Cui Lanyin steadied herself and said no more. She picked up the top memorial and began to read.
Buyan had already prepared brushes, ink, and paper beside her. Based on the problems she identified and the solutions that occurred to her, she tried writing responses.
Before she knew it, she had become completely absorbed. It was only when the Emperor called out to her that she realized it was already noon.
The Emperor had picked up the responses she had written and was reading them. All the memorials were already in his mind, so he did not need to compare them with the originals.
He truly read each page at a glance, finishing in an instant. Cui Lanyin had spent more than an hour reading the memorials and composing her responses. This was the first time she had experienced firsthand what the officials must feel like in the Emperor’s presence.
The Emperor, however, began praising her. “Quite commendable. You’ve taken to it immediately. Given time, your responses will certainly become even more thorough.”
By then, Cui Lanyin naturally understood. She turned to the Emperor and asked, “Were you reading the memorials to the child before, or to me?”
The Emperor smiled and drew her into his arms. “To both the child and you. Don’t you always say that, whenever I act, I accomplish three things with one stroke—and often more?”
Cui Lanyin could not help saying, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you were reading them for me? I would have paid closer attention.”
The Emperor looked at her meaningfully. “Weren’t you overthinking everything back then?”
Cui Lanyin had no answer to that. At the time, no matter what the Emperor did, she had been suspicious and unwilling to believe him.
The sixteenth day of the third month was the day of the metropolitan examination, an event watched closely by both the court and the public.
The Cui and Gu families had both sprung into action. Among the women, Madam Gu, Dong Xiang, Lady Chang, Lady Ding, and Cui Lanting accompanied Lady Jiang and Cui Lanzhi to Tianfu Temple to pray for a blessing tablet for Hong Ji.
Cui Lanzhi then went alone with Hong Ji to the Temple of Confucius to pay his respects.
Cui Lanyin had no time to return home, so she sent Buyu to look through her dowry for an auspicious ornament or plaque to send back.
Buyu searched for a while before returning with a jade Kui Xing figurine and a five-colored “Toad Palace Laurels” hanging vase. “Your Highness, these two are passable. The others aren’t as good as the things you sent before, so I left them where they were.”
When Cui Jian, Cui Yu, and Cui Zhong had taken the county-level examinations earlier, she had sent all three of them auspicious plaques and ornaments. That time, she must have already picked out all the finest pieces.
People found it easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to return from extravagance to frugality. Cui Lanyin felt that her standards had risen continually—from the impoverished Cui family to the Prince of Wei’s residence, and from the Prince of Wei’s residence to the imperial palace. Ordinary things could no longer catch her eye.
The same was true of Buyu, Aiye, and Sangzhi.
Cui Lanyin could see that Buyu was not particularly satisfied with these two items either. In truth, she also felt that they were somewhat lacking.
Hong Ji was now the undisputed eldest son of the Cui family’s main branch. His metropolitan examination was a matter of the utmost importance to them. Since she could not return home, she would feel guilty if the gifts she sent were inferior to those she had given Cui Jian, Cui Yu, and Cui Zhong.
She said to Buyu, “Put them aside for now. Later, we’ll find something better and send it all together.”
The Empress’s private treasury contained only so many things. Where else could they find anything better? Understanding her meaning, Buyu smiled and pleaded, “Your Highness, will you let me go and broaden my horizons later?”
Cui Lanyin could not help laughing. “Don’t make it look as though you’re going there first to mark out the things you want.”
Buyu shook her head with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll do my best to restrain myself.”
When Cui Lanyin had first taken over the Empress’s private treasury, she had assumed that it would provide her with another source of gifts for social obligations. She had been far too naive.
The Empress’s private treasury sounded impressive, but most of what it contained was merely there to fill the shelves—heavy, clumsy objects that people would find burdensome even to receive as gifts.
It was Grand Empress Dowager Chen who had told her, “Things were better in my day. But when I moved to the imperial retreat, I took all the good things with me. Otherwise, where do you think all those dowry items of yours came from?”
By the time of Empress Dowager Xu, the late emperor treated her as little more than a decoration. Aside from putting the finest things into his own private treasury, he sent them all to the western palace. The empress’s private treasury was nothing but an empty shell. If not for the exceptionally generous dowry the Xu family had given her back then, who knew how destitute she would have become?
Fortunately, the Xu family had given her most of their wealth as her dowry. Thus, when the Xu family’s property was confiscated and they were exiled, all that wealth escaped falling into the hands of the Li family.
Now that Xu Xian and his family had returned, everything that would sooner or later go back to the Xu family had effectively been safeguarded for them.
“So, families that treat their daughters generously are blessed in return. Yours and the Xu family’s are both like that.”
Seen in that light, the Li family had not treated its daughters any better than the Chen family had.
Putting those thoughts aside, Cui Lanyin said, “Let’s go.” She brought Buyan with her to the Eastern Pavilion.
For the past two mornings, Song Zhang and Jiang Shi had been handling affairs in the eastern side hall, ready to answer her questions at any time.
She had only just sat down when Song Zhang and Jiang Shi arrived to pay their respects.
After learning that Cui Lanyin went to the Western Pavilion every day to review memorials and practice drafting replies, Song Zhang had become as energetic as if he had soaked in a pot of tonic soup. He practically wished he could work day and night without sleep and sort out every matter in one go.
Jiang Shi was no better. After hearing from Geng Dayou that Cui Lanyin had come to study, he too worked late into the night in his study after returning home.
Fortunately, Young Madam Dong was very supportive and understanding. Whenever Jiang Shi was in his study, she would stay there with him, either reading or doing needlework. The couple lived together in perfect harmony and affection.
Only then did Cui Lanyin feel somewhat reassured. Jiang Shi had given up his prospects for her sake. If his demanding duties now caused him to neglect Young Madam Dong and damaged their marital affection, she would truly feel she owed them both far too much.
Song Zhang presented the booklet in his hands. “This is what Your Highness instructed us to prepare yesterday. We’ve finished sorting it out.”
Cui Lanyin took it and flipped through it briefly. “Very good. Once I’ve consulted His Majesty, we can discuss what to do next.”
Song Zhang and Jiang Shi returned to the eastern side hall. After the officials waiting for an audience with the emperor had all departed, Cui Lanyin brought Buyan with her to the Western Pavilion.
Once seated, she handed the booklet to the emperor. “These are the figures Song Zhang and Jiang Shi worked out based on my estimate of the grain stored in the various granaries. Uncle, do you think we should prepare provisions according to these numbers?”
The emperor raised a hand and gently stroked the top of her head, an undisguised smile curving his lips. “Lanyin really is clever as ice and snow. You’ve already figured out that I intend for you to prepare all the military supplies here?”
“I’m not a child. Save that sort of behavior for when your daughter is born.” Cui Lanyin brushed his hand away.
The emperor arched a brow at her. “But I’m your maternal uncle, am I not?”
Cui Lanyin ignored him and pushed him into her seat. “I also know that you had me take charge of the Office of Commercial Taxation and collect commercial taxes precisely so they could be used at a time like this.”
After putting everything together yesterday, Cui Lanyin had finally stopped entertaining any other possibilities. Every move the emperor made might seem casual, but each one concealed a purpose. He had laid his lines long ago, here and there, so that by the time anyone noticed, they would already be bound to act according to his plans.
Cui Lanyin felt fortunate that she was the wife to whom the emperor wished to entrust his back. Most of his affairs were laid bare before her. Otherwise, even if she had been tied up several times over, she still would not have escaped his calculations.
The emperor picked up the booklet and examined it. “I’ll have the Ministry of War’s records of military supplies from past years brought to you later. Have Song Zhang and Jiang Shi begin preparing everything by comparing them against those records. If they come across anything unclear, they can go to the Commander-in-Chief’s Office and ask Xu Xian.”
Cui Lanyin understood. This time, the emperor intended to bypass the Ministry of War.
After the husband and wife finished discussing official business, Cui Lanyin tugged at the emperor’s sleeve. “The metropolitan examination is the day after tomorrow, and I still haven’t chosen a gift for my brother-in-law. Should I have Buyan fetch the key to my private treasury and look for something myself, or should you have Gufeng bring Buyan along?”
“So there really isn’t a third option?” the emperor asked, putting on a troubled expression. “It hasn’t even been that long, yet have all the things in my private treasury already been moved into yours? If I’d known, I should have handed everything over to you back then. At least I could have earned a reputation for generosity.”
But the corners of his mouth kept lifting, betraying his good mood. Clearly, he greatly enjoyed the way Cui Lanyin simply asked him directly whenever she wanted something.
