The two white turtles and the dragon’s saliva incense presented by Zhu Ping’an greatly pleased Emperor Jiajing. His pleasure was such that he took the two white turtles out of the Western Garden and went to the ancestral temple to offer incense and comfort the ancestors of the Great Ming.
Auspicious omens appearing one after another, signs of a prosperous era indeed. Ancestors, you can rest assured; I, Jiajing, will surely carry forward the Great Ming to even greater glory.
After offering incense at the ancestral temple, Emperor Jiajing also convened a ritual of abstinence and prayer, instructing the duty ministers of Wuyi Hall to present green-word poems.
Yan Song, Xu Jie, and others all composed green-word poems for this purpose.
However, at the ritual the following day, the one that took first place was the “White Turtle and Dragon’s Saliva Poem” that Zhu Ping’an had presented along with the white turtles and dragon’s saliva incense.
“Little Lord Zhu is truly a man of great fortune. White turtles are a rarity once in a century, yet Little Lord Zhu encountered two at once, and such a large piece of dragon’s saliva incense is also exceedingly rare in the world.”
“The ‘White Turtle and Dragon’s Saliva Poem’ that Little Lord Zhu presented with the auspicious omens was written so superbly that it outshone the green-word poems by Grand Secretary Yan and Grand Secretary Xu, claiming the top honour.”
“His Majesty rewarded Little Lord Zhu with a one-grade increase in salary and bestowed upon him a golden crane robe.”
In an instant, Zhu Ping’an, along with the white turtles and dragon’s saliva incense he had presented, became the hottest topic among the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace.
Wuyi Hall, Yan Song’s duty chamber.
Yan Song sat in the seat of honour, with a thick cotton cushion behind him for support. Xu Jie sat in the lower seat, only half-perched on it.
“Huating, your green-word poem today was well written and earned praise from His Majesty. Not bad at all,” Yan Song said slowly, his eyes drooping as he took a sip of tea.
“Where, where, Grand Secretary flatters me. Compared to your fine work, I must humbly yield. His Majesty also selected your fine work as the prayer text for the assembly,” Xu Jie replied modestly, flattering Yan Song’s green-word poem.
“I am old, no longer up to it. Talented individuals emerge with each generation to take the helm. Just take today as an example: that young Zhu lad’s poem clearly outdid ours, and His Majesty chose it to close the proceedings,” Yan Song waved his hand, squinting as he spoke.
“Zihou is too young after all; he can only occasionally produce something passable. Unlike you, Grand Secretary, whose fine works come one after another without end, evergreen in ink and brush,” Xu Jie replied slowly as he lifted the teapot to refill Yan Song’s cup.
“No good, no good. When one is old, one must accept it. In the past, I could walk a full circuit around the city walls without so much as a gasp, but now, after just these few steps from the grand hall back to Wuyi Hall, I am huffing and puffing. From here on, the world is yours. As for me, while I can still move about and am not yet addled, I plan to request retirement from His Majesty one of these days and return to my hometown in Jiangxi for my twilight years. No need for a grand estate: three leak-proof rooms will do, one for my wife and me, one as a guest room, one as a kitchen. Surround the courtyard with a fence and plant a ring of chrysanthemums; till a small vegetable patch inside for melons and greens. On sunny days, bask in the sun and admire the chrysanthemums, watch my old wife pick vegetables and pinch melons in the garden; on rainy days, sit at the door and watch the raindrops fall from the eaves. Such a fine life…”
Yan Song waved his hand with a wry smile, declaring himself old and expressing his intent to request retirement from Emperor Jiajing to return to his hometown. His face was full of longing as he mused on his envisioned retirement.
“Grand Secretary, I fear you will not have that good fortune. His Majesty cannot do without you, nor can we, and the Great Ming certainly cannot,” Xu Jie chuckled and shook his head. He did not believe a single word of Yan Song’s talk of retirement.
Given Yan Song’s grip on power, he would never entertain the notion of retiring to his hometown. What he sought was to work until his dying breath! Even in old age, he would not relinquish power! Why else was Yan Shifan called the Little Grand Secretary, if not because Yan Song, in his dotage and waning energy, left many matters to Yan Shifan to handle on his behalf?
“Heh, I am but a decrepit old man. Without me, His Majesty remains a sagely and martial sovereign, and the Great Ming prospers just the same. In this world, no one is indispensable to another,” Yan Song chuckled. Seeing Xu Jie about to speak, Yan Song waved him off. “Enough of this topic for now. Huating, I called you here to seek your opinion on a matter. Zhang Jing was deceitful and disloyal, deserving of punishment, and he has been thrown into the imperial prison. Yet the campaign against the Japanese pirates in Jiangnan cannot go without someone at the helm. Who do you think would be best to replace Zhang Jing?”
Who would be best to replace Zhang Jing as Governor of Jiangnan?
Upon hearing this, Xu Jie narrowed his eyes slightly and pondered for two seconds. He then opened his eyes, cupped his hands towards Yan Song, and said, “Grand Secretary, at this moment, is not Wenhua precisely in Jiangnan performing the sea sacrifice and overseeing the campaign? The great victory at Wangjiangjing owes much to Wenhua’s oversight. He has been directing affairs in Jiangnan for several months now and is thoroughly familiar with the officials high and low, as well as the various armies and guards. Having Wenhua succeed to the position of governor would not that be the best choice? It would also spare the time needed for familiarisation; he could dive straight into the campaign against the pirates upon assuming office.”
“Wenhua, eh? He has no prior experience in military affairs. Can he shoulder the heavy responsibility of commanding the suppression of the pirates in Jiangnan?”
Yan Song opened his turbid eyes and looked at Xu Jie, observing the subtle expressions on his face.
“Grand Secretary, everything must have a first time; without a first, how can there be a second? Though Wenhua has no experience in military matters and has never commanded an army, have you forgotten, Grand Secretary, that Wenhua is no novice when it comes to suppressing the pirates? Before going to Jiangnan to oversee the campaign, he submitted the ‘Memorial on Seven Matters’ to His Majesty. The first matter spoke of the sea sacrifice, the second accused the local officials of concealing skeletons and imposing light corvée, the third called for recruiting more naval forces, the fourth for enlisting wealthy men to contribute funds and serve, the fifth for dispatching senior ministers to oversee the campaign, the sixth for recruiting former collaborators among the foreign bands as spies… All seven strategies struck at the heart of the pirate suppression. Moreover, Wenhua’s merit in the great victory at Wangjiangjing also demonstrates his capability in military affairs. In my view, having Wenhua replace Zhang Jing and succeed as governor to command the overall campaign presents no problem at all.”
Xu Jie replied slowly.
“Oh, I had no idea you thought so highly of Wenhua, Huating, remembering even the main points of his ‘Memorial on Seven Matters’ so clearly.”
A look of surprise appeared on Yan Song’s face.
If Xu Jie recommending Zhao Wenhua was within Yan Song’s expectations, after all, Xu Jie had long been in the habit of echoing him and divining his intentions to recommend Zhao Wenhua, that was foreseeable. But for Xu Jie to recite the key contents of Zhao Wenhua’s ‘Memorial on Seven Matters’ like a catalogue of treasures, that greatly exceeded Yan Song’s expectations.
“The pirate scourge has become a dire threat to our dynasty’s very heart. Without eradicating the pirates, the state cannot be secure. Wenhua’s ‘Memorial on Seven Matters’ hits the nail on the head. I believe Wenhua has the ability to eliminate the pirate threat in Jiangnan; that is why I recommend him to succeed as governor. Jiangnan is our dynasty’s key region for taxes and grain production. The pirates have caused a sharp decline in grain levies there. The pirate problem in Jiangnan can no longer be delayed; it must be swiftly uprooted, lest it affect our dynasty’s grain supplies and leave lasting harm,” Xu Jie said with a face full of concern.
“Mm, Wenhua can be considered,” Yan Song nodded slowly, then asked again, “Besides Zhao Wenhua, Huating, whom else do you have in mind?”
“Aside from Wenhua, this requires some careful thought. Let us first consider candidates from the Ministry of War,” Xu Jie replied after a brief moment of reflection.
“Huating, have you considered Zhu Ping’an for the succession?” Yan Song asked, staring into Xu Jie’s eyes.
Xu Jie’s heart stirred, but he shook his head at once, replying with feigned seriousness, “Zhu Ping’an? No, no, that will not do. Zihou is too young; he fears he could not command those arrogant soldiers and fierce generals.”
