xymnovel Chapter 45 Running for an Official Position
Chapter 45 Running for an Official Position
On the way back to the ware shop, Zheng Fan was still somewhat dazed, and his feelings were complicated: joy mixed with uncertainty and even worry.
"You really have some wild ways of doing things. You always manage to turn the tide and do something unbelievable." Inside the carriage, Zheng Fan looked at Shao Shuyi and said with admiration.
Yu Yuan and Liang Tai lowered their heads, looking down at their noses and minds, remaining silent, as if they were just background figures.
Unable to get a word in edgewise, they simply stopped talking.
Shao Shuyi observed Zheng Fan's expression and said with a smile, "My lord, I was just thinking that whenever the southeast wind blows, Sun Chuan would bring his relatives and children to the docks to meet with foreign merchants and sea travelers. Despite his wealth, he still works tirelessly, braving the sun and rain, to personally bring the foreign merchants and sea travelers home."
The reason is obvious. If Sun Chuan can do it, why can't I?
Meeting Ali might have been a coincidence, but it was also the result of my long-held thoughts and desires. Even if I hadn't seen them on September 15th, I might have met other people in a few days; it was only a matter of time.
"It's not as simple as you make it out to be." Zheng Fan shook his head and said, "It's not that no one has tried to get acquainted with foreign merchants and overseas travelers, but few succeed and many fail. The fact that you were able to free Ali from Sun Chuan's constraints and make the decision to give you a chance is something that not everyone can do."
Shao Shuyi smiled shyly and said, "Thanks to your blessing, sir."
Zheng Fan gave him a disgruntled look, then weighed the bag in his hand and said, "Why should I trade with you? Do you think I'm short of a few gems?"
Shao Shuyi laughed and said, "I've heard that in your younger days, you roamed the land as a swordsman, traveling far and wide, leaving your wife to manage the household affairs—it must have been quite a hardship for her. These jewels are something women appreciate; wouldn't it be wonderful if you took them home to please your wife?"
Zheng Fan laughed heartily, then patted Shao Shuyi's shoulder heavily with his other hand, saying, "You're quite the smooth talker. It's not so easy for ordinary people to give me gifts, but you—well, fine, I'll go along with you. On the winter solstice, if we're still in Taicang, come to my house for a meal."
"Definitely, definitely." Shao Shuyi was secretly delighted.
There are plenty of people in this world who don't even know how to give gifts. If you can give a gift and the recipient is happy to accept it, that's already quite good.
However, he sensed another layer of meaning in Zheng Fan's words, so he asked, "Sir, is there anything else happening around the winter solstice?"
"Isn't this all the trouble you caused?" Zheng Fan said irritably. "If I'm not mistaken, tomorrow the Third House will send someone to take Ali's two followers away and settle them in. Next, we'll be heading to the porcelain kilns. You said it yourself, we'll be heading to Jingdezhen in Jiangxi too."
Shao Shuyi was speechless; this was indeed something he had brought upon himself.
"However—" Zheng Fan changed the subject, adding, "Actually, there is something even more important."
"What is it?" Shao Shuyi asked.
Zheng Fan glanced at him and said, "Running for an official position."
Shao Shuyi suddenly realized, and said, "To Suzhou?"
"We are going to Suzhou," Zheng Fan nodded, then said, "but do you think the Grand Canal Administration can decide on the selection of the Deputy Commander of Ten Thousand Households?"
"No," Shao Shuyi shook his head.
"In truth, we can decide part of it, but the Central Secretariat has to give in," Zheng Fan added.
"Does this mean we're going to Dadu (Beijing) to try and get an official position?"
"Of course I'll go."
"When are you going?"
"Next year's Spring Festival travel rush."
"By sea?"
Mentioning this, Zheng Fan became somewhat annoyed, and couldn't help but punch Shao Shuyi on the shoulder, laughing and scolding, "Taking the land route isn't impossible, but it's too slow and dangerous. Taking the sea route, well, it's equally dangerous, but at least it's faster."
"Your Excellency will personally go and run the errand?" Shao Shuyi asked.
Zheng Fan looked at Shao Shuyi with a mischievous look and said, "You have to come with me."
Shao Shuyi felt that fate had played a huge joke on him...
He looked at Zheng Fan, somewhat dumbfounded, and asked, "Sir, are you really going to Dadu?"
"Really." Zheng Fan sighed and said, "I'm not lying to you. I won't be the manager of the azurite shop anymore after the New Year, so there's not much to do here anyway. After getting rid of Wang Sheng, Lu San from the duanzi shop was terrified and personally went to see the old master. He will also resign from his position as manager after the New Year. There's a shortage of people everywhere, and there's work to be done everywhere. And getting an official position is so important. Either I'll take charge, or my thirteenth brother will. It'll probably be me."
Shao Shuyi remained silent.
He was originally recruited by Zheng Song and assigned to the ceramics shop, but due to unforeseen circumstances, Zheng Song went to Suzhou and then Gaoyou, and had no time to deal with this matter, which led to him getting in touch with Zheng Fan. Now, after several months, he has probably been labeled as Zheng Fan—he himself is even trying to find ways to deepen his relationship with Zheng Fan.
Once such a major matter as seeking an official position is handed over to Zheng Fan, it's impossible for Shao to remain uninvolved; he'll almost certainly have to go along on the trip.
He simply couldn't refuse it.
"I'll accompany you on a trip after the New Year," he replied almost without hesitation after thinking it through.
Zheng Fan nodded and said, "Make sure everything that needs to be taken care of is done as soon as possible. If you need any help, just tell me. I'll help if I can. I can't let you leave after the New Year with your mind elsewhere."
"Yes," Shao Shuyi replied, a slight bitterness in his heart.
Why is it so difficult? Your career is just starting to take off, and your status is just beginning to rise, and you have to risk going to sea? What if you capsize? Who can you complain to?
But then again, Zheng Fan has already gone to sea, what can you do?
Zheng Guozhen also went to sea twice, so what do you mean?
Given the state of the world, it's very difficult to develop peacefully and steadily.
******
After returning to the shop, Shao Shuyi pretended to wander around for a while. Seeing that it was almost time, he left with Yu Yuan and Liang Tai and returned to the small courtyard they were renting.
Several months later, Kong Tie returned to Liujiagang, a place he hadn't visited in a long time. He was sitting in the courtyard, chatting and laughing with Wang Huadu.
Beside them stood a man in his early twenties, smiling broadly, who occasionally chimed in with a remark that greatly surprised Kong and Wang.
Yu Yuan followed behind Shao Shuyi, who was showing off with great enthusiasm: "Brother, I can now fill the medicine room with gunpowder in just a few breaths, it's so fast—"
He would only say half a sentence before retreating like a mouse seeing a cat.
"Second brother, now that you've seen your elder brother, why don't you come over and pay your respects?" the man stood up and said loudly.
After hesitating for a moment, Yu Yuan finally stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Elder brother."
The man stood with his hands behind his back, glanced at the bronze flintlock pistol his younger brother was hiding behind his back, then looked at Shao Shuyi, bowed, and said, "Accountant Shao."
"Brother Shao, this is Yu She's elder brother," Wang Huadu said, standing up.
"Interpreter Yu." Shao Shuyi stepped forward and bowed, smiling, "I have long admired your name, but have never had the chance to meet you. Today I finally get to see you."
Yu Chu returned the greeting and said, "My younger brother is unruly and has probably caused you trouble."
"Not at all." Shao Shuyi glanced at Yu Yuan and said, "Two months ago, if it weren't for Yu She, I would be dead. I will never forget such kindness in this lifetime."
Yu Chu looked at Shao Shuyi, trying to connect him with the mischievous boy who couldn't learn anything in his father's school years ago, but ultimately failed. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly at how much one's life is full of encounters and changes.
"Little Tiger." Kong Tie stepped forward, looked Shao Shuyi carefully, and smiled, saying, "You've grown taller, stronger, and look great."
"You've gotten darker," Shao Shuyi laughed, "Tell me about the raging waves at sea later."
After saying that, he leaned close to Yu Yuan's ear and whispered, "Yu She, go buy some wine and food. Use your own money, and I'll pay you back in a while."
Yu Yuan responded and ran off with his head down.
"Come, sit down," Shao Shuyi said, gesturing for everyone to sit.
Wang Huadu brought over a chair.
After Shao Shuyi sat down, he looked at Yu Chu and said, "Thank you for what happened earlier."
Yu Chu understood what he meant, waved his hand, and said, "It's a small matter. Actually, it's not that easy for the prefectural government to arrest you. Someone has already suppressed it for you, using the excuse that the summer grain transport is approaching and it's not advisable to act rashly. But as far as I know, you weren't assigned to transport grain, were you?"
"Brother Shao hasn't bought a boat yet, how can he transport grain?" Wang Huadu laughed. "But he's a favorite of Zheng Zhaomo now. If he owns a boat, probably no one will force him to transport grain."
"The Zheng family's third quarters have already been upgraded to the seventh rank," Yu Chu said. "Today, the Darughachi, Shan Gong, personally used his seal, and the official letter has been issued."
Although Shao Shuyi already knew that Zheng Guozhen's promotion was a foregone conclusion, he was still somewhat surprised that he skipped the prefecture.
"What is your name, Master Shan?" Wang Huadu asked. "It doesn't seem to be a Han surname?"
"Zhen Ding people, Shan Si," Yu Chu said. "His ancestors were from the Abbasid Caliphate. He submitted to our dynasty and served as Darughachi for several years despite being of mixed ethnicity."
After speaking, seeing that even the high-ranking officials of the Grand Canal Administration were unaware of the situation, he explained: "Commander Fu, a native of Yutian in Jizhou, is skilled in poetry and prose, comes from a family with excellent traditions, and is a northerner. The four deputy commanders..."
Yu Chu explained it in great detail, which gave Shao Shuyi a deeper understanding of the Caofu (Grain Transport Office).
"Actually, it's not surprising that Zheng Jiasan was promoted to the position of Lieutenant." Yu Chu changed the subject and said, "Now that the court is short of grain, as long as you make contributions in the grain transport, it's easy to get promoted. The positions of Lieutenant, Prefect, Advisor, and Clerk are all head officials, not the main officials of the Grain Transport Office (Darughachi, Wanhu, and Fu Wanhu). It's not difficult to get promoted; it's just a matter of a word."
Shao Shuyi said "Oh," and then asked, "But I wonder how much grain was transported to Zhigu this spring and summer?"
"It should be over 1.6 million shi. I still need to check the exact amount; I don't remember it very well," Yu Chu said. "The peak of maritime grain transport was during the reign of Emperor Wenzong, when 3.52 million shi were transported in one year (1329). Most other reigns saw around 3 million shi, with Emperor Wuzong's reign seeing nearly 3 million shi in a single year. During Emperor Chengzong's reign, maritime transport had only been popular for a short time, and the amount was less than 2 million shi..."
Upon hearing this, Shao Shuyi couldn't help but glance at Yu Chu a few more times.
The canal transport office had forty-seven officials, including one translator and one interpreter. The former was responsible for written translation, while the latter focused on oral interpretation. However, in practice, because there were many Mongol and Semu officials, there was a demand for translators everywhere. Therefore, the translators and interpreters had similar jobs, and both of them were busy translating documents. If needed, they would often accompany officials on trips to act as interpreters.
Therefore, Yu Chu did indeed have access to a large number of official documents, even though he was just a clerk with no official rank.
To be honest, some people might not even remember the contents of a document after handling it, or they might remember it at the time but forget it after a while. Yu Chu not only has a good memory but is also very sensitive to numbers. Moreover, he is usually a very attentive person and has read through most of the documents sent by various departments, which is quite interesting.
"According to Master Yu, maritime transport has passed its peak and is beginning to decline?" Shao Shuyi asked.
Actually, this is similar to his own experience. With seafarers so impoverished, how can the maritime industry not decline?
"We definitely won't be able to transport as many ships next year," Yu Chu said. "More than seventy ships sank during this year's Spring Festival travel rush, right?"
As Yu Chu said this, he looked at Kong Tie.
Kong Tie was silent for a moment, then said, "I don't know either, but I heard that a ship sank."
"More than a thousand ships were mobilized for the Spring Festival travel rush," Yu Chu said. "Actually, it's not too bad; out of a hundred ships, only five will sink."
Yu Chu then gave another set of figures, namely the number of sunken ships in the Grand Canal.
According to Shao Shuyi's rough calculations, the shipwreck rate was 0.5% in the year with the most grain transport during Emperor Renzong's reign (1320), 1% during Emperor Yingzong's reign, 0.8% during Emperor Taiding's reign, and rose to 5.2% during Emperor Wenzong's reign. The current rate is roughly between 5-6%, close to 6%...
Holy crap, the shipwreck rate has increased. This is probably related to the economic situation of seafarers.
The grain transport ships were mostly old and few new, and were generally aging with insufficient maintenance. Many experienced managers and sailors deserted – the more experienced they were, the longer they had been transporting grain, and the greater the losses.
Shao Shuyi couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
A 6% shipwreck rate doesn't sound like much, but what if you're one of that 6%? Zheng Guozhen's second brother was one of them, wasn't he?
All we can say is that we hope the Zheng family's grain transport ships are relatively new, well-maintained, and that the sailors are experienced, so that the chance of the ships sinking can be reduced to less than 1%.
He had no choice but to go on this trip to Dadu, whether he wanted to or not.