029 [Inheritance]
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“Be more specific.”
Shen Wang lifted the tea Xue Huai had poured for him and gestured with evident interest.
Xue Huai said, “From the very beginning, Master never intended to investigate only the Waterworks Bureau. But the other side cannot read your mind. They have no way of knowing how far you intend to go, so they can only analyze your actions and make their guesses. Take Minister Xue of the Ministry of Works, for instance. He cannot afford to offend Master, yet he must remain wary of you.”
“And then?”
“Under ordinary circumstances, Master would only need to conduct a thorough investigation of the Waterworks Bureau and report the results to His Majesty. But important ministers like Minister Xue believe they understand you well, so they certainly do not believe that you will raise your hand high only to let it fall lightly this time.”
Xue Huai paused. His thoughts seemed to be opening up before him, and he continued, “If Minister Xue believes you intend to use a small matter to strike at something much larger, then he has only two choices. The first is to do nothing and let us proceed as we please. The second is to drag more people into the mire and use them against the Investigation Office.”
Shen Wang neither agreed nor disagreed. Instead, he asked, “Then tell me what you think Minister Xue and I discussed today.”
Xue Huai pondered. “Since you want to lure the snake from its hole, you must first arouse Minister Xue’s suspicion. The best strategy, then, is to act contrary to your usual manner. If you take the initiative to show him goodwill, create an atmosphere of harmony, and stop deliberately drawing a clear line between you, Minister Xue’s temperament would lead him to believe that you were trying to lull his vigilance.”
At that moment, Shen Wang found the tea prepared by the clerks surprisingly good. It was far better than the Orchid Isle Jade Dew that Xue Minglun treasured as though it were priceless.
He set down his teacup, making no effort to hide his approval. “Then what will Minister Xue do?”
Xue Huai suddenly saw the whole matter clearly and said with conviction, “Minister Xue certainly will not come forward and openly oppose the Investigation Office. He knows very well how to protect himself. Most likely, he will divert the disaster elsewhere, just as he used me against Gu Heng last time. Before he knows his opponent’s true purpose, Minister Xue prefers to kill with a borrowed blade. I believe he will bring forward those powerful figures whose interests are entangled with the Ministry of Works and rely on them to pressure you into stopping of your own accord.”
“Continue.”
“In that case, your objective will be achieved directly. You never regarded the Waterworks Bureau as your sole target, and Minister Xue’s actions would be exactly what you wanted. All you need to do is wait. Once the various factions step into this whirlpool one after another, even His Majesty will find it difficult to calm the situation at once.”
“Very good.”
Shen Wang was highly satisfied with Xue Huai’s insight. In truth, he had never underestimated Xue Huai’s intelligence. He had merely been somewhat disappointed because Xue Huai’s stubbornness could not be changed.
Now, he smiled and asked, “One final question. According to your reasoning, I hardly need to go to such lengths. If I simply made my intentions clear and went after the Ministry of Works, those powerful men hiding behind the scenes would be unable to sit still. They would emerge all the same. Why, then, have I gone out of my way to do this?”
Xue Huai smiled as well and answered calmly, “Master, you are an imperial commissioner.”
Shen Wang pretended not to understand. “What do you mean?”
“Your authority comes from His Majesty’s appointment. But His Majesty must also have implied that this case should not be allowed to cause turmoil throughout the capital. The floods this summer caused severe losses in many parts of the south. On the one hand, that was due to the mercilessness of nature. On the other, the flood defenses and embankments in those regions concealed serious dangers, for which the Waterworks Bureau must bear responsibility. Moreover, His Majesty wishes to recover from those corrupt officials the money that ought to belong to the court, thereby replenishing the depleted treasury.”
Xue Huai gave his answer with complete confidence. “You cannot make a grand display of the investigation, much less deliberately direct the flames toward people outside the Waterworks Bureau, because His Majesty would dislike that. If you truly did so, then even if His Majesty did not openly reprimand you, he certainly would not entrust you with a similar assignment in the future.”
In the bright candlelight, Shen Wang’s smile was radiant. He nodded and said, “To see through matters so thoroughly in such a short time has truly made me look at you in a new light.”
Xue Huai remained calm.
Although he had not entered a circle as close to power in his previous life, the principles behind certain things were universal.
In officialdom, one could not focus solely on accomplishing a task. One had to consider its effects from every angle, above all taking into account the attitude of those in power.
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Reading the ruler’s intentions was not necessarily a commendable virtue, but anyone who charged forward recklessly without regard for anything else often received no second chance.
It was difficult enough to accomplish something in earnest. To accomplish it without arousing the resentment of others was harder still.
Xue Huai looked up and saw that Shen Wang’s smile seemed to conceal a trace of weariness. Unable to hold back any longer, he asked the question that had remained buried in his heart for a long time.
“Master, was my late father truly one of His Majesty’s most trusted ministers?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Your disciple does not mean to show disrespect to His Majesty. It is only that, looking at the court today, I feel that although His Majesty may once have relied heavily on my father, achieving harmony between ruler and subject would have been difficult.”
Shen Wang gazed at Xue Huai’s young and handsome face. He thought of the brilliant and capable Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review from years ago, and a trace of melancholy rose in his heart.
Slowly, he said, “Jingche, His Majesty is the Son of Heaven chosen by fate, but he is also a man. How could anyone in this world remain unchanged? Take you, for instance. Two years ago, you could never settle your mind. Yet now you have learned when to advance and when to yield.”
Xue Huai fell silent.
Shen Wang’s meaning was simple. The emperor who had once devoted himself to good government and promoted a great many capable and loyal ministers had not been a false memory. Nor was the present emperor, who cared only for power and pleasure, merely pretending.
The same person, with a different temperament.
Or perhaps the emperor had always possessed his current nature. Perhaps, when he first ascended the throne, he had faced too many doubts and therefore devoted himself to proving that he was a wise and virtuous ruler.
Once the few venerable ministers who had served under three reigns retired, and no one in court remained capable of influencing his authority, he no longer needed to rise early and retire late as he had in those years.
“Enough. There is no need to dwell on the past.”
Shen Wang gathered his thoughts and said indifferently, “Although our objective is not limited to the Waterworks Bureau, we cannot allow its officials to continue enjoying their freedom. Within seven days, we must establish the guilt of every official involved. This matter cannot be allowed to drag on.”
Xue Huai agreed, then asked, “Master, apart from investigating the Waterworks Bureau, what are we to do next?”
Although he had deduced Shen Wang’s plan, he had done so only because Shen Wang had given him many hints. At present, he did not believe himself qualified or capable of laying out such a scheme, much less of seeing through his teacher’s thoughts.
“Next?”
Shen Wang looked slightly puzzled, then asked in return, “What next is there?”
Xue Huai was momentarily stunned. He had imagined that what followed would be a display of Shen Wang’s complete mastery, with a few brief words enough to outline a grand game in which even an old fox like Xue Minglun became a piece moved at his command.
Shen Wang now understood and laughed. “Can you play chess?”
“I know a little, but I am not very skilled.”
“Then let me ask you a simple question. When you play against someone, do you take turns, responding to each move as it comes? Or do you first arrange several enormous dragon formations across the board and wait for your opponent to obediently fill them with his pieces?”
Xue Huai could not help feeling ashamed. He realized that he had fallen into a mistaken way of thinking.
Perhaps the brilliance surrounding Shen Wang was simply too dazzling, causing him to make everything more complicated than it was.
Shen Wang said slowly, “Planning is like playing chess. You make one move and observe the next. Only after your opponent has placed a piece can you decide what to do afterward. Some people in this world put too much faith in schemes and political stratagems, never realizing that the more complicated a scheme is, the more easily it fails. If a single link goes wrong, the entire game may collapse, just as it did in the trap you encountered before.”
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“Yes. The other side stretched the chain of their plan too far. In the end, Gu Heng and Liu Pingshun slipped beyond their control, and the situation collapsed in an instant.”
“That is the lesson I want to teach you.”
Shen Wang paused slightly, then said earnestly, “The saying ‘plan carefully before you act’ means that before doing something, you must consider its consequences and understand the needs and interests of every side. It does not mean shutting yourself away and constructing an elaborate scheme in the hope that everyone will move like puppets on your strings.”
Xue Huai straightened and said, “Your disciple understands.”
“Of course—”
Shen Wang changed his tone. “This time, we have seized the initiative, so we can take one more step.”
Xue Huai struggled to keep pace with him and ventured, “You want to make the fish take the bait?”
“Precisely. At present, the Investigation Office is sealed as tight as a drum, and outsiders have no idea what we are doing. Xue Minglun has only his suspicions. That is deliberate. We want those people to grow anxious and uneasy.”
Shen Wang looked at Xue Huai with deep expectation. “But this state of affairs cannot continue indefinitely. Otherwise, a staged performance will become reality. We need to open a narrow crack so that those people will come looking for us of their own accord. The bait is already in the water. We must give them a hook they can bite.”
Xue Huai raised a hand and pointed at himself.
Shen Wang smiled. “Exactly. As my personal disciple and a member of Minister Xue’s clan, you are the most suitable hook. Stay here tonight. Tomorrow, I will give you half a day’s leave. Go home, pack your belongings, and return afterward. While you are there, give my regards to your mother.”
Xue Huai now fully understood the purpose of this arrangement. Rather than agreeing at once, he considered for a moment before asking, “Master, I have a question as well.”
“Ask.”
“Why do you trust me so completely?”
Xue Huai knew that the original owner of this body and Shen Wang had been on very poor terms for most of the past six months. Yet over the last two days, Shen Wang had trusted him almost without reservation. If he harbored any ulterior motive, Shen Wang’s plan would be doomed before it even began.
Shen Wang’s answer was simple.
“I have never doubted your nature.”
Xue Huai nodded.
“Continue your work, but do not stay up too late.”
With that reminder, Shen Wang rose and left the duty room.
After walking a dozen or so steps, he glanced back.
The middle-aged man’s gaze was deep as he silently thought, Only when you prove the strength of your convictions in this affair will I be able to entrust you with greater responsibilities in the future.
I only hope... that I will not walk this path alone.
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