SWDnovel Chapter 022 Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
Chapter 022 Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
Chapter 022
"Your humble servant is Dong Qianli, Right Commander of the Guide Guard..."
Dong Qianli was utterly speechless with despair. He didn't know how he had offended this living devil. Ever since Xu Xianchun defected to Wei Zhongxian, although he only served as the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he was cruel by nature, frequently instigated major prisons, and was skilled in using torture. He was infamous and had the reputation of being able to stop even a child from crying.
"Smack..."
Xu Xianchun raised his hand again and slapped Dong Qianli hard across the right cheek, making him dizzy.
The key problem was that he couldn't move at all. Two Imperial Guards held him down on either side, pushing his face into the most convenient position for Xu Xianchun.
"I've already said it, and you still..."
"I'm happy to do so. Do you have any objections?"
Faced with the domineering Xu Xianchun, Liu Huan, the commander of Guide Guard, silently chanted to himself, "You can't see me, you can't see me..."
"without!"
Dong Qianli wasn't stupid; he instantly grasped the crux of the problem, and sure enough...
"What do you need the blueprints from the Yongcheng Agricultural Implements Manufacturing Bureau for?"
As soon as Xu Xianchun's words landed, the five commanders, four assistant commanders, and two deputy commanders in the Guide Guard Commandery instantly understood why Dong Qianli had been beaten.
Because he sent Zhou Jiechun, the centurion of the Ma Mu Baihu Office, to the Yongcheng Construction Bureau to request the blueprints, but unexpectedly, he was driven back by Chen Boying. At that time, these officers guessed that Chen Boying dared to be disrespectful to his superiors and beat Zhou Jiechun, either Chen Boying was crazy or he had someone behind him.
Now everything is clear: Chen Boying does indeed have someone behind him, and that person is none other than the infamous King Yama Xu, who has been feared in recent years.
Almost all the officers looked at the unfortunate Dong Qianli and silently mourned for him.
"No...this humble official..."
"Slap... slap... slap..."
Xu Xianchun slapped Dong Qianli's face more than a dozen times in succession. His face was bruised and purple, with not a single unscathed spot. The problem was, he couldn't even cover his face.
"What use are you if you can't even be a proper official?"
Xu Xianchun said calmly, "You don't need to be the Right Commander anymore. Let Chen Bo be the Deputy Commander. If you still can't do a good job as Deputy Commander, then you can hang yourself. Otherwise..."
Dong Qianli was so frightened that he felt the urge to urinate: "This humble official understands!"
Xu Xianchun then looked at Liu Huan, the commander of Guide Guard: "Do you... understand?"
How could Liu Huan not understand? "This humble official understands..."
"You know what to do?"
Liu Huan broke out in a cold sweat: "I know. Zhou Jiechun, the centurion of the Guide Guard's Ma Mu Centurion Office, abused his power and engaged in favoritism and fraud, falsifying the examination results. Chen Boying, the hereditary centurion, had an excellent evaluation and was eligible for promotion to hereditary deputy commander according to regulations... Last year, when the White Lotus Rebellion broke out, it was Chen Boying who killed the rebel leaders Wang Haoxian and Yu Hongzhi in battle, and his superior, Dong Qianli, took credit for it..."
Liu Huan, being the commander, immediately figured out how to promote Chen Boying. His grandfather was a hereditary centurion, and although his current position had been inherited by his uncle, they could overturn the verdict.
The selection process for succession at the centurion level was handled by the garrison. It only required reporting to the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions. Generally, the Ministry of War would not obstruct the process and would approve it directly. Once the Ministry of Personnel had filed the record, the succession was possible.
Of course, those at the level of a thousand households or above need to take an exam at the Ministry of War or a designated location. The current civil service system is actually based on the official selection system of the Ming Dynasty, where both civil and military officials needed to take exams.
Even if it was hereditary, it didn't mean that you could become an official as soon as you reached a certain age. You had to participate in military and political examinations, which included archery on foot, archery on horseback, spear fighting, and combat. In archery on horseback, you had to hit the target two out of three times, and in archery on foot, you had to hit the target seven out of ten times. You also had to write a policy essay. Even if you passed the exams, you still had to first become a probationary centurion. Only after passing the probationary period could you become a formal centurion.
Zhou Jiechun ultimately took the blame, while those officials who engaged in "behind-the-scenes manipulation" simply used a junior official or a deputy commander as scapegoats.
As for whether they are willing to take the blame, that depends on how smart they are. If they honestly take the blame, they can still save their lives. If they are not smart, they will "commit suicide out of fear of punishment".
As for the vacant positions of Assistant Magistrate and Commander, they can be sold for a profit, and then split 30/70 with Xu Xianchun, making everyone happy.
"It's good that you understand!"
Xu Xianchun said calmly, "I hope to see Chen Boying obtain the official document from the Ministry of Personnel within a month."
"This humble official will certainly handle it properly, certainly, certainly..."
Despite being a third-rank official, the Commander of Guide Guard still had to be extremely careful in front of Xu Xianchun, a fourth-rank official commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
In Xu Xianchun's view, Sun Chengzong, the Grand Secretary of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, was too conservative. He suggested that Chen Boying participate in the military and political examinations and become the Ma Mu Hundred-Household Commander with the hereditary title of Hundred-Household Commander. He then merged the Ma Mu Hundred-Household Commander with the Yongcheng Agricultural Implements Manufacturing Bureau, upgraded it to the Ma Mu Garrison Thousand-Household Commander, and transferred him to Changping...
Is it really necessary to go through all this trouble?
There's absolutely no need for that. The name Chen Boying is extremely sensitive. If we send Chen Boying's name to the Ministry of Personnel, it could easily cause trouble if someone with ulterior motives sees it.
It would be better to be simple and direct, starting from the bottom up and getting it done in one step. Let the Guide Guard handle it internally, since the Guide Guard Command has the power to assess and promote its subordinate centurions. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War are just going through the motions. As long as we keep a close eye on the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War, this matter can be completed smoothly without any setbacks.
As long as Chen Boying can please the Tianqi Emperor, what does it matter if he is a mere fifth-rank commander, or even a fourth-rank deputy commander, or a third-rank deputy commander?
After seeing Xu Xianchun off, Liu Huan slumped into his armchair and it took him a long time to catch his breath.
"Commander..."
Jiang Gui, the deputy commander of Guide Guard, cautiously approached: "Should we really do things according to Xu Yanwang's wishes?"
"Not going to do it?"
Liu Huan smiled wryly: "Do you want to go to the imperial prison and experience the 'Red Embroidered Shoes' torture? Or the 'Pipa Torture'?"
Jiang Gui shuddered. Xu Xianchun's tortures had long been legendary. The red embroidered shoes were red-hot iron shoes that people were forced to wear. The pipa torture involved using iron hooks to pierce through the ribs and pluck the strings. It was said that the victim would scream as if a pipa was being played.
"But Chen Boying? A mere centurion, directly promoted to right chiliarch, that's against the rules. What about the military and political selection process? What about the Ministry of War?"
"Rules? Xu Yanwang's words are the rules. As for the Ministry of War..."
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Liu Huan's eyes: "Do you really think this is just Lord Xu's idea alone?"
Everyone looked at each other.
Those who could become officials of the seventh rank or above in the Ming Dynasty, whether civil or military, were not fools, because the Ming Dynasty's selection system would first exclude fools.
Why did Chen sometimes fail to inherit the position of captain? Because he was too honest and didn't know how to handle things, unlike Chen Youfu who was shrewd and adept at social maneuvering.
Whose man was Xu Xianchun? Everyone knows that he was not only Wei Zhongxian's man, but also the Tianqi Emperor's man. You can question Xu Xianchun's character, but you absolutely cannot question his loyalty to the Tianqi Emperor.
"Chen Boying is an ordinary military household member, and moreover, a foreman of craftsmen. Who would want a foreman of a crafts household to be a commander of a thousand men in Changping? Think about it, what kind of place is Changping? It's the rear midline of the Jiliao defense line, less than a hundred miles from the capital..."
Liu Huan didn't spell it out, but everyone present understood: Wei Zhongxian was using Chen Boying, the foreman, to curry favor with the Tianqi Emperor.
"Then let's..."
"Do as instructed, and do it well!"
"Jiang Tongzhi, you are in charge of compiling the records of last year's White Lotus Rebellion case. Also, have Dong Qianli compile the merit book of the Ma Mu Hundred-Household Office. Remember, it must be reasonable, compliant, and legal; it must be done flawlessly."
"Sir, what about Zhou Jiechun?"
"Him? He abused his power and falsified exam results, which is punishable by death according to the law. But since King Xu didn't say he wanted him dead, then... he'll be dismissed from his post, but he must be silenced."
"What about the vacant centurion position?"
"According to the old rules, it's split 30/70. Seventy percent will be sent to King Xu, and the rest... will be divided among the brothers."
Everyone's eyes lit up.
The officers of the garrison were hereditary and their positions were permanent. Each officer was a full-fledged centurion, with a monthly salary of twelve shi (a unit of dry measure) and an annual salary of one hundred and forty-four shi. Based on the current grain price, their annual income was about one hundred and fifty taels (another unit of dry measure).
Of course, in normal times, each shi of grain cost seven to nine qian of silver. Even so, a centurion who wanted to inherit an official position would have to spend at least 1,500 taels of silver.
Chen Ying originally asked Song Xianze for 1,000 taels of silver, but that wasn't enough to buy even a centurion, let alone a flag officer.
Liu Huan dipped his brush in ink and began writing the petition: "It has been verified that Chen Ying, the chief supervisor of the Yongcheng Construction Bureau, whose courtesy name is Boying, is the ancestor of Chen Dayong, who was granted the hereditary title of centurion of Shunhe during the Hongwu era… In the White Lotus Rebellion of the second year of the Tianqi reign, this officer distinguished himself by beheading the rebel leaders Wang Haoxian and Yu Hongzhi. However, Zhou Jiechun, the centurion of the Ma Mu Centurion Office at the time, was greedy and claimed the credit, causing this jewel to be tarnished… Now that the facts have been ascertained, this officer is commendable for his loyalty and bravery, and possesses superb skills. Therefore, we hereby request that he be promoted to Right Thousand-Household Commander of Guide Guard to recognize his merits…"
He blew the ink dry and stamped it with the commander's seal.
"Tomorrow morning, send it by express horse to the Central Military Command, and simultaneously copy it to the Five Military Commands and the Ministry of War!"
Liu Huan handed the document to his confidant Li Quan and said, "Remember, bribe the people in the Ministry of War's Military Selection Department with at least a thousand taels of silver, and the Five Military Commands with eight hundred taels."
"Sir, this money..."
"It's from the garrison's public account. We can't skimp on Xu Yanwang's business. Even if we dismember Chen Boying, that poor soldier, he still wouldn't be able to come up with a hundred taels of silver!"
……
When Zhu Youjian returned to the Yongcheng Construction Bureau, it was already late.
Zhu Youjian did not get out of the carriage, but said to Chen Ying from inside the carriage: "This young master should go now. Boying, I hope you will stay true to your heart and create more things that benefit the people."
"I will keep that in mind."
The carriage slowly drove away and disappeared into the twilight.
Zhang Zhengyu stayed behind, beaming, "Brother Boying, congratulations! With His Highness Prince Xin's name on you, from now on, you can do whatever you want in Guide Prefecture!"
"King Xin?"
Chen Ying feigned surprise and asked, "He...is Prince Xin?"
Song Xianze was startled, but also breathed a sigh of relief.
"hehe!"
Zhang Zhengyu didn't expose Chen Ying's lie, and lowered his voice to say, "Boying... my mother is getting old and can't withstand the hardship of a bumpy ride, so I'm preparing to order a four-wheeled carriage..."
Zhang Zhengyu was only using the pretext of doing it for his mother. He was sitting on the sofa, feeling the ups and downs of the springs. If he were in the car with his concubine, the feeling would be indescribable.
"only……"
Chen Ying said with a troubled expression, "This kind of carriage is quite difficult to build..."
"Understood, understood!"
Zhang Zhengyu beckoned to a steward behind him, who stepped forward and took out several silver notes from his pocket.
"These are silver notes from our Zhangji Money Shop. You can exchange them for cash at any money shop in the eight counties of Guide Prefecture..."
Zhang Zhengyu smiled faintly and said, "I need this four-wheeled carriage urgently; my mother wants to go back to Nanjing to visit relatives..."
Chen Ying looked at the silver notes. There were eight in total, totaling eight hundred taels of silver. Don't be fooled by the fact that the carriage given to Zhu Youjian cost five hundred taels of silver. Chen Ying was not exaggerating. The cost was high to begin with. Every part required a new mold, and the wood used was also expensive.
If we mass-produce four-wheeled carriages and RVs, we can naturally reduce costs. However, now that we have molds and production experience, even if Zhang Zhengyu gives us 500 taels of silver, we can still make a profit. Of course, 800 taels of silver would be even better.
"Young Master, rest assured, seven days is still seven days. Please come and see the car in seven days!"
"Excellent!"
Chen Ying was still unaware that a single official document had completely rewritten his fate. He was overjoyed, for with the money, the craftsmen of the supervising workshop were temporarily free from worries.
Chen Ying handed eight hundred taels of silver directly to Song Xianze: "Procure more materials according to the original specifications..."
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Chen Ying quietly handed the fifty taels of gold that Cao Huachun had given him to Song Yanniang.
Song Yanniang took the gold and looked at the inscription: "Fifty taels of pure gold, nine-tenths finest, from the Imperial Horse Stables, on an auspicious day in the tenth month of the first year of the Tianqi reign!"
"This is……"
"It was a gift from Prince Xin!"
Song Yanniang quietly put the gold away. She knew that Chen Boying had used the Bureau of Construction to embezzle a lot of money, but with thirty-five children, the family's expenses were also high.
I'm getting married soon, and there are expenses everywhere.
Just then, Song Xianze practically rushed in, clutching a crumpled letter in his hand.
"Boying, something terrible has happened!"
"Are the soldiers from Guide Guard coming?"
"No, it's an urgent letter from Lord Sun from Shangqiu!"
Song Xianze handed the letter to Chen Ying: "You...you see for yourself."
Chen Ying unfolded the letter.
Sun Chuanting's handwriting was hasty and messy, clearly indicating that he wrote it in a hurry.
"Bo Ying, this letter is as if we were meeting in person. I have received a secret report from the capital that Xu Xianchun, a member of the eunuch faction, has arrived in Guide. This man is ruthless, and I fear his intentions are not good. We should make plans as soon as possible. If things are urgent, you may bring the blueprints and craftsmen with you. I will meet you in Shangqiu. Remember this..."
Hsu Hsien-chun?
Chen Ying was all too familiar with this name. He was the leader of the Five Tigers under Wei Zhongxian, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and was known for his cruelty. Why would he target someone as insignificant as himself?
"Boying, let's...run!"
"run?"
Chen Ying gave a wry smile. "Where can we run to? How can we possibly run away with over a thousand people in the Construction Bureau?"
"We can't just wait to die, can we?"
"Never mind!"
Chen Ying looked at Song Xianze and said, "Bo'an, tell me... if we go to seek refuge with Mao Wenlong now, will he take us in?"
Song Xianze was taken aback: "General Mao Wenlong, the Commander-in-Chief of Dongjiang Town, Left Grand Commander, and General Who Pacifies Liaodong?"
"Um!"
Chen Ying nodded and said, "Anyway, we can't fall into Xu Xianchun's hands. If we do, we'll be lucky to escape with our lives. Whether it's Lord Sun or Lord Zheng, they're both like clay bodhisattvas crossing the river, barely able to save themselves. If he really dares to come, I'll rid the people of this scourge, kill Xu Xianchun, and then join Marshal Mao!"
Chen Ying's mind immediately clicked. Sun Chuanting wouldn't last long as the magistrate of Shangqiu County. He would be dismissed for offending Wei Zhongxian and wouldn't be reinstated until the seventh year of Chongzhen's reign. Zheng Sanjun was also sidelined. Neither of them could protect themselves.
More importantly, the Dongjiang Army is poorly equipped and severely lacks supplies. We have the technology to improve the Dongjiang Army's equipment. As long as Mao Wenlong can hold the four prefectures in southern Liaoning with the support of the Chain Thunder Cannon, the Dongjiang Army will have a chance to contain the Jurchens.
This is one way out for now...
Song Xianze frowned: "Brother-in-law, can the Construction Supervision Bureau still function without you...?"
"Producing iron-shafted plows and seeders is no problem; the technology for those two products is already mature. As for the others... it's not feasible yet!"
"Why doesn't my brother-in-law take a step back to advance?"
P.S.: Surprisingly, there's another chapter today! Happy New Year everyone! May all your wishes come true and may you achieve great success in both love and career in the new year. If you have any votes, please cast a monthly vote or a recommendation vote.