Xuanqing Guard
Chapter 153: Request for an Audience
"Your subordinate greets you, my lord."
"You’re here? Grab a stool and sit down yourself, wait for me a moment, let me finish reading this document first."
"Yes, sir."
Jiang Cheng didn’t even lift his head, just pointed to a stool beside him, which counted as having greeted Shen Hao.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Jiang Cheng put down his brush and looked up at Shen Hao: "How does it feel to be promoted? Has anyone brought you gifts?"
Shen Hao spoke honestly: "You wouldn’t believe it, but there really have been plenty of people bringing gifts. The steward said they’re hauling them to my doorstep carriage after carriage. Looks frightening, I didn’t dare accept any."
"Hahaha, even you, Shen Hao, have something you don’t dare do? Carriage after carriage? Well now, when I was in Fengri City, they were never so generous with their gifts to me."
"That’s because your reputation precedes you, sir. No petty crooks would dare come pestering you for no reason. Me—well, they all take me for a soft persimmon, trying to probe me. Otherwise who would deliver gifts so openly in broad daylight, cart after cart to someone’s home? As if afraid no one would notice. They’re clearly up to no good." Shen Hao sounded very relaxed in front of Jiang Cheng, but he was more than a little speechless toward those in Fengri City who took him for a fool.
"Hahaha, indeed, those people underestimate you. You can take note of them for now, and deal with them later if you wish. But from your tone, it sounds like these aren’t your only troubles?"
"Main problem is, Households Commander Wu tried to get a handle on me but I pushed back. He probably holds a grudge now. Then, two Flag Officers below are planning to collude and report me behind my back, because they don’t want me spreading the practices of Li City Black Banner Battalion. I intend to make an example out of the two of them."
"Make an example? Have you got a plan?"
"Yes, sir. In fact, I came here today to seek your continued support for my plan." Shen Hao took the chance to pull from his breast the materials he’d written in recent days and placed them on Jiang Cheng’s desk. Much of it was sensitive; without Jiang Cheng’s approval, it would be impossible to implement.
"Oh? So quick to have a plan?" Jiang Cheng was a bit surprised. Usually, the first thing a new official does is to get familiar with all the avenues under their purview before drafting new policies based on the actual situation. Very few, like Shen Hao, come in playing with new ideas from the start—it’s an easy way to cause trouble.
Still, out of his trust for this young man, Jiang Cheng didn’t give an opinion immediately. He took the thick document and decided to read it all the way through before speaking.
He read for a full hour. The deputy outside brought Jiang Cheng tea twice during this time, saw the official was engrossed and didn’t dare disturb, but smiled kindly at Shen Hao sitting to the side. Since Jiang Cheng took office, this was the first time a subordinate had been kept waiting so long. The deputy secretly thought, this Hundred Households Officer from Fengri City must be highly valued?
Jiang Cheng skimmed the first time.
Went through carefully line by line the second time.
The third time, he was marking and annotating the document with his own views and comments.
At last, lifting his head, Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but marvel again at how nimble this young man’s mind was. This one was completely unconcerned with any of the old conventions, and with a wave of his hand could devise ways to break them—what’s more, on closer thought, those ideas were quite good and held plenty of promise.
"In principle, I agree with your ideas. However, some details are still a bit aggressive. Leave this with me for now, I’ll think it over thoroughly."
"Does that mean I can at least proceed with the initial preparations on my end?"
"You may. Go ahead and make preparations, but don’t rush—wait for my word. Also, keep this confidential. It’s best to split up the assignments; don’t let any one person handle the whole operation. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand, sir. However..."
"If you have something to say, just say it. No need to hem and haw."
"My lord, do you think we should give Households Commander Xue a heads-up as well?"
"Of course, he’s your immediate superior. Wu Changhe was parachuted in from above—he’s not one of us. If you ran up against him, so be it; if anything happens, I’ll cover for you. Households Commander Xue is different; you must show enough respect there."
"From what you’re saying, sir, Households Commander Xue has quite a background?"
"He does, but it’s not overly complicated. It’s just that with things as they are, his position is a bit sensitive."
Sensitive? Shen Hao didn’t fully grasp the meaning.
"He was once the Eldest Prince’s imperial guard. Five years ago the Eldest Prince placed him in the Xuanqing Guard Commander’s Office; with several reassignments, Liao Chengfeng eventually had him transferred to the Jingxi Town Governor’s Office as the Households Officer for the Black Banner Battalion. He’s as well-connected as they come. So long as he doesn’t make a huge mistake, even a string of minor ones won’t topple him. On the other hand, if he takes a dislike to you, you’ll have a tough time."
Hearing this, Shen Hao understood, and an intangible pressure pressed on his heart. It would be awkward if the man started interfering with his plans.
"But don’t worry. Households Commander Xue has his sense of measure; he knows his place in the Xuanqing Guard, and won’t be meddlesome. Otherwise, Lord Pang wouldn’t have agreed to have him sent down to the Governor’s Office."
With business finished, they chatted a bit longer. Shen Hao offered to treat Jiang Cheng to drinks at night, but Jiang Cheng sighed, saying he had another drinking engagement, though he lamented that drinking with Shen Hao and his circle was the most enjoyable.
...
By the time Shen Hao left the Governor’s Office, it was already mid-7 p.m.
"Sir, if you still have things tomorrow, why not stay around here tonight?"
"Let’s eat first. We’ll decide about lodging afterwards."
"Don’t worry, dinner’s already been arranged."
Wang Yiming, an old hand, led Shen Hao to a private restaurant in West City. This kind of place, tucked away in an alley, was unknown to most, but don’t think such places are inferior—in fact, they were often pricier than the big public restaurants.
Shen Hao felt an odd sense of familiarity with this kind of private eatery. It seems, in every world there are people who want to stand out and seek the special.
Wang Yiming kept him company but they didn’t drink much, nor talk much. After dinner, Shen Hao went to rest at the inn Wang Yiming had arranged.
The next morning, he went again to the Thousand Households Station. Still carrying his little token, he waited in the tea room. Only this time, it was much faster. Before the scent of the incense stick faded, a Xiaoqi came to summon Shen Hao inside.
One had to sigh—officials in the Imperial City really weren’t worth much. A Small Banner Officer of Xuanqing Guard would have been a middling figure in Li City, but here, they were just errand boys.
So in the end, being an official in a small place is the most comfortable.
When Shen Hao saw Xue Houxuan for the first time, he truly felt, "Wow, so young." Although he’d already known before coming that Households Commander Xue was only thirty-five.
Having grown used to all sorts of rough-hewn or strange-looking characters in Xuanqing Guard, Shen Hao couldn’t help but be dazed for a moment by the sight of Households Commander Xue.
Delicate features, fair skin, and a smaller build than most—he looked almost "refined." Like one of those elegant young gentlemen in the storybooks, even the temperament fit the part.