Zhu Ping’an, this is your Zhejiang’s wall construction, it is simply child’s play! Your Zhejiang administers ten prefectures and thirty-seven counties, among which only twelve county seats have walls. The remaining twenty-five county seats have no walls at all. Eight are under construction, and another seventeen county seats have not even begun any work on building walls. Those with walls are fortunate; when Japanese pirates attack, close the gates in time, mobilise and organise soldiers and able-bodied men to defend the city, and it might just hold. But those without walls? When the pirates come, do you expect the common folk to resist them with their bare bodies?! Zhu Ping’an, you always pride yourself as the parents of the people! Look at your Zhejiang’s wall construction; you simply disregard the lives of the commoners, and yet you have the cheek to call yourself their parent!
Entering the duty room, Luo Longwen, with an air of superiority, berated Zhu Ping’an and tossed a document at him.
He, Luo Longwen, coming from the capital, was always received with the utmost courtesy wherever he went, yet Zhu Ping’an had the audacity to receive him in such a shabby duty room!
Even when beating a dog, one must consider its master!
By receiving him like this, you are disrespecting the Yan Party, disrespecting the Eastern Tower, disrespecting Elder Yan Ge!
Zhu Ping’an took the document and scanned it at a glance per ten lines, then looked at Luo Longwen. “Zhejiang’s wall construction is indeed insufficient; this is a historical issue…”
“What historical issue?! Zhu Ping’an, you are shirking responsibility!” Luo Longwen pressed aggressively.
“In the Yongle era, to strengthen control over the localities, reinforce central rule, and weaken local powers, the court ordered the demolition of many walls in the Jiangnan region. Among those belonging to our Zhejiang, ten walls were successively demolished during this period. Building walls requires approval from the Ministry of Works. I have reviewed the historical applications and approvals; setting aside those from over a century ago, which were approved only once in a hundred years, in recent years with the severe pirate threat, our Zhejiang has applied for eighteen walls to be built. Currently, eight have been approved, which are the eight under construction. This year, the court strongly supports wall construction in the pirate-afflicted Jiangnan regions. Seizing this opportunity, I have applied for walls to be built at all cities without them, and submitted the report to the Ministry of Works last month, awaiting their approval. Once approved by the Ministry, construction can commence.”
Zhu Ping’an said slowly.
“Ah?” Luo Longwen was stunned.
He clearly did not know this situation. He had only checked whether walls existed and whether any were under construction, nothing more; it was all superficial. Much of it he had not even inspected personally; for instance, during this time, he had lingered mostly in prosperous places like Nanjing, Suzhou, and Hangzhou to collect gifts. The conditions across Zhejiang were largely handled by his subordinates; he merely awaited the results.
Luo Longwen was not even from the Ministry of Works to begin with; he was merely a Hanlin academician. As for why a mere academician like him had taken on the Ministry’s inspection duties, it went without saying: it must have been the machinations of the Yan Party.
Being unaffiliated with the Ministry, he had no idea about the procedures for wall construction, nor did he know that building walls required this step of Ministry approval.
With Zhu Ping’an delving into the details, Luo Longwen was utterly confounded. How could building walls involve so many twists and turns?
“Do you have any other matters? If not, you may leave. This official has pressing military duties and no time to entertain.”
Zhu Ping’an stood to see him out.
“Zhu Ping’an, do you know what situation you are in now?! Do you want to follow in Zhang Jing’s footsteps?!”
Luo Longwen’s face darkened as he threatened viciously.
“Good riddance, no need to see you off!”
Zhu Ping’an’s expression remained impassive, too lazy to bother with him further.
“Zhu Ping’an, if you offer up ten thousand taels of silver, I can put in a good word for you with the Eastern Tower, get him to let you off the hook. You know my relationship with the Eastern Tower is no ordinary one. Otherwise, Zhang Jing’s fate today will be yours tomorrow. Think it over carefully.”
Luo Longwen extended a finger, using both threats and inducements to coerce Zhu Ping’an into offering him ten thousand taels of silver, or face the same end as Zhang Jing.
Your relationship with Yan Shifan is indeed no ordinary one; your wife and concubines have all been offered up to him, making you fellow travellers, so naturally your ties are close.
But what of it, even if Yan Shifan himself stood before me saying to offer ten thousand taels and he would let me off? If I were willing to wallow in the same mire as the Yan Party, would I have waited until today?!
Moreover, you, Luo Longwen, are a thorough scoundrel, mad-dogging and biting your own in the capital like a rabid hound. And you think you can speak well of me?!
Faced with Luo Longwen’s threats and inducements, Zhu Ping’an unhesitatingly flipped him the bird and replied with one word: “Scram!”
“Zhu Ping’an!”
Luo Longwen’s face flushed crimson with rage, his pointing finger trembling at Zhu Ping’an. “Zhu Ping’an, do not refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!”
“Luo Longwen, enough with the pretence. What toast or forfeit? Based on what I know of you, by showing me this report now, you must have already submitted it to impeach me, have you not?!” Zhu Ping’an looked at Luo Longwen with disdain.
“Ahem…” Luo Longwen had not expected Zhu Ping’an to see through him so astutely; he could not help but cough.
Seeing Luo Longwen’s reaction, Zhu Ping’an knew his guess was spot on. The fellow had indeed impeached him.
“Luo Longwen, this impeachment memorial of yours will bring you disaster. Offer me ten thousand taels of silver, and I can let you off the hook.” Zhu Ping’an extended a finger towards Luo Longwen, looking at him with a half-smile.
Luo Longwen shook his head. How had it turned around?! Had Zhu Ping’an gone mad, or was he hallucinating?
Luo Longwen shook his head three times, but in his vision, Zhu Ping’an was still extending a finger, gazing at him with that half-smile.
Confirming he was not hallucinating, Luo Longwen laughed in fury. “Zhu Ping’an, are you mad?”
“If you do not offer me ten thousand taels of silver, then I have a suggestion for you.” Zhu Ping’an smiled faintly.
“What suggestion?” Luo Longwen asked instinctively, only realising after he had spoken that he had fallen into Zhu Ping’an’s verbal trap again. He quickly stiffened his neck. “Let us see how you spout nonsense.”
“Find a good doctor for treating staff injuries; you will need one.” Zhu Ping’an smiled faintly.
“What?! You intend to use force against me? Zhu Ping’an, I represent the Ministry of Works. Do not act rashly… I am the Ministry’s inspector on imperial orders. I am an imperial official. If you use troops to assault an imperial official, you must have eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard. I tell you, Zhu Ping’an, do not be impulsive…”
Luo Longwen thought Zhu Ping’an meant to use military force to thrash him, and he panicked at once. This was Zhu Ping’an’s territory now, and Zhu Ping’an commanded nearly ten thousand troops. His own guards had already been beaten half to death by Zhu Ping’an. If Zhu Ping’an gave the order, he truly had no escape. In his fright, he trembled all over, his voice quavering.
“You said it yourself: good riddance, no need to see you off. Go, go, go, let us leave…” Luo Longwen fled in panic like his trousers were on fire, taking his entourage with him, abandoning even those hundred-household officers and soldiers who had been beaten with military staves.
