Zhu Ping’an watched Zhao Wenhua and Hu Zongxian leave together before following the messenger into the room.
Inside, Zhang Jing sat in the main seat, with a mix of civil and military officials below him. Zhu Ping’an recognized some, like Li Tianchong, Yu Dayou, Lu Tang, and Tang Kewan, but many others were unfamiliar.
“Greetings, Lord Zhang. Greetings, esteemed lords and generals,” Zhu Ping’an said, cupping his hands in a respectful salute.
“Zihou, no need for formalities. Please, take a seat,” Zhang Jing said, waving his hand to indicate a place for Zhu Ping’an.
There was only one empty seat, the third in rank, surpassed only by Zhang Jing and one other person.
This man, whom Zhu Ping’an didn’t recognize, was around fifty, with a stern, square face.
As the Right Vice Minister of the Nanjing Ministry of War and Zhejiang Inspector, Zhu Ping’an knew that anyone seated above him must be a significant figure.
As Zhu Ping’an was about to sit, Yu Dayou stood, cupping his fists in respect. “Greetings, Lord Minister. Had I known you were coming, I’d have traveled with you for mutual support.”
“General Yu, your thoughtfulness is appreciated. Please, sit,” Zhu Ping’an said with a smile and a nod.
No sooner had Zhu Ping’an taken his seat than the senior official beside him spoke up.
“Making a grand entrance, eh, Young Lord Zhu? Keeping us all waiting this long,” the man said, looking at Zhu Ping’an with clear dissatisfaction.
*Zhu Ping’an, you young upstart. How long have you been Right Vice Minister and Zhejiang Inspector? Already getting arrogant, arriving late and making the Governor-General and me wait?*
*There’s always someone greater, a sky beyond the sky. You may be Right Vice Minister and Zhejiang Inspector, but I’m Left Vice Minister and Yingtian Inspector!*
*Though we’re both deputy ministers of the Nanjing Ministry of War, both at the third rank, left comes before right! My position as Left Vice Minister outranks your Right Vice Minister. My seat is above yours, my status above yours. When promoted to Minister, it’s the Left Vice Minister who ascends, not you—you step aside!*
*And while we’re both inspectors, I’m Yingtian Inspector. Yingtian is the secondary capital of our Ming Dynasty, naturally half a rank above a provincial inspector like you, with greater authority and influence.*
“Cough, Lord Tu, Zihou is based in Shaoxing, farther than us. It’s only natural he’d arrive a bit late,” Zhang Jing said, coughing lightly to defend Zhu Ping’an.
“Farther? Yu Dayou is stationed in Zhenhai, even farther than Zhu Zihou, yet he’s been here for an hour. Zhu Zihou’s tardiness can’t be explained by distance alone,” Lord Tu retorted, shaking his head and citing Yu Dayou as evidence that distance wasn’t the issue.
“I’m from a military background…” Yu Dayou began, trying to explain on Zhu Ping’an’s behalf.
But before he could finish, Lord Tu cut him off with a displeased scowl.
“Silence! When lords speak, what place does a mere deputy general have to interrupt?” Lord Tu snapped, his tone laced with irritation.
Yu Dayou awkwardly cupped his fists in apology.
Tang Kewan, Lu Tang, and others looked at Yu Dayou with sympathy, offering silent support.
They were used to this.
In the Ming Dynasty, civil officials were valued over military ones. Forget a Left Vice Minister and Yingtian Inspector scolding them—even a civil official two or three ranks below could berate them.
Military officers, even those of third or fourth rank, had to dismount and salute a seventh-rank county magistrate.
Civil officials commanded military officers. Promotions, rewards, demotions, and punishments were all at their whim.
Civil officials could rise to imperial censors, regional governors, or inspectors, but military officers, no matter how high they climbed, could never become regional governors or inspectors.
Military officers were merely commanders of soldiers. No matter how many promotions they earned, they only managed more troops.
Regional governors and inspectors were the true strategists.
Even if a military officer achieved great merit and became a frontier governor, they’d still have to stand obediently and listen to a regional governor’s reprimands.
In nearly two hundred years since the Ming Dynasty’s founding, no military officer had ever entered the Grand Secretariat.
After scolding Yu Dayou, Lord Tu continued, “I’m not putting on airs or deliberately targeting a junior. The affairs of the state lie in rituals and warfare. If everyone disregards the Governor-General’s orders, how will his commands be carried out in the future? How will we suppress the Japanese pirates?”
“Lord Tu speaks wisely. I apologize for my tardiness to the Governor-General, the lords, and generals,” Zhu Ping’an said, rising to cup his hands in apology to Zhang Jing, Lord Tu, and the others.
He then briefly explained, “Upon receiving the Governor-General’s summons, I arranged matters immediately and rode here…”
“If Young Lord Zhu rode here immediately, by my calculations, you shouldn’t have been this late,” Lord Tu pressed, unrelenting.
“Lord Tu is correct. I should have arrived about three-quarters of an hour earlier. The delay was due to encountering a small band of Japanese pirates burning a village along the way. As Zhejiang Inspector, charged with protecting the land and people, I couldn’t ignore pirates burning villages in my jurisdiction. I directed the Zhejiang troops to attack from both sides, swiftly eliminating the pirates. To prevent plague, we burned their corpses, which took some time, hence my late arrival,” Zhu Ping’an said, calmly recounting the incident.
“What? Lord Zhu annihilated a band of pirates en route? How many were there?”
“Is this true?”
“Lord Zhu claims to have wiped out pirates—where’s the proof?”
The room buzzed with surprise. No one expected Zhu Ping’an to have casually eradicated a pirate group while traveling.
“There were thirty-six pirates, all killed. Their heads were handed over for registration at the front courtyard,” Zhu Ping’an said calmly. “The messenger traveling with me witnessed it.”
“Is this as Lord Zhu says?” Zhang Jing summoned the messenger who had guided Zhu Ping’an and questioned him in front of everyone.
“It’s exactly as Lord Zhu said. He commanded the Zhejiang troops to split into two groups, attacking from front and rear, wiping out the pirates in one strike. The Zhejiang army’s firearms were formidable—the thirty-six pirates had no chance and were completely annihilated,” the messenger confirmed.
“Impressive!”
“Lord Zhu is remarkable, wiping out thirty-six pirates on the way!”
The room erupted in praise.
