sovbooks Chapter 5 Birthday
Chapter 5 Birthday
On his birthday, at Zhang Ye's private residence in Zhangjiawan, Tongzhou.
Excluding those who were serving in other places, those who betrayed their masters or were dismissed due to their incorrigible behavior, and those who died of illness or violent death.
Of Zhang Ye's 85 adopted sons, 69 came to celebrate his birthday.
They were seated in three classes according to their social status.
Because of Zhang Ye's trust in him, and because he brought Chen Jizong with him, Zhang Kun was able to be ranked at the end of the second class.
Third-class seats below second-class seats:
Those who are too young are either mediocre or have made serious mistakes.
Some worked as managers in private residences or properties, some as clerks in tax bureaus, and some as gang leaders outside.
They held no official positions; they were merely household slaves.
First class seats above second class:
They were already Zhang Ye's right-hand men, protégés, former subordinates, and even political allies.
For example, the fourth-ranked commander, the Admiral of Horse Breeding Warriors and the Fourth Guard Battalion, held a position in the Imperial Horse Administration second only to Zhang Ye.
Zhang Ye was a eunuch, and most of them were also eunuchs, so they called him "godfather." Civil officials would call him "teacher," and military officials would call him "elder brother."
Second-class seats sandwiched in the middle:
They all held official positions, but the highest rank they attained was that of a guard commander in the Shandong transport army.
Their status was higher than that of the household servants, but they were not yet qualified to sit at the same table for a meal; they were neither here nor there.
If Chen Jizong recognized Zhang Ye as his godfather, he could directly be ranked first in the second seat.
"Brother, what birthday gift have you prepared?"
At Zhang Kun's suggestion, Chen Jizong found someone to acquire eight ingots of tung oil ink from Luo Longwen of Huizhou.
That's right, the one who lost his head along with "Little Grand Secretary" Yan Shifan, the head of the four great masters of Huizhou ink in the Ming Dynasty.
In addition, there is a bamboo carving ink box with a pine and crane design by Zhu Xiaosong from Jiading, a famous bamboo carver. The total cost of the silver used is over 1200 taels.
"I've prepared tampons, a local product from the south."
Tampocho is tobacco.
As early as the Jiajing era, it began to spread to Guangdong and Fujian in the southeastern coastal areas through Luzon, which was colonized by Spain.
It has now spread to Zhejiang and Southern Zhili, and includes dry tobacco, snuff, cigars and even cigarettes.
This stuff spread very quickly; by the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, even Ningguta in Heilongjiang was cultivating danbagu (a type of wild rice).
Before his time travel, Zhang Kun became addicted to cigarettes at a construction site and got hooked on hand-rolled cigarettes, so he knew a little about them.
As early as last year, he began using his accumulated monthly allowance to hire someone to purchase tampons from the south.
The old industries are all occupied by others. If he wants to build a business, he must invest in emerging industries.
Danbagu was one of the hottest trends in the late Ming Dynasty.
The birthday banquet begins.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the Kunqu Opera troupe began their performance of the main play, "Wenchang Diankui".
After watching the main performance, Zhang Ye got up and went to his study, instructing his servant to find Zhang Kun and bring Chen Jizong over to deliver gifts.
"As hard as stone, as fine as rhinoceros horn, as black as lacquer—truly fine ink. Commander Chen, you've put a lot of thought into this."
Zhang Ye, who was playing with the ink stick, smiled at Chen Jizong and said:
"Back when my family worked in the clerk's office, we met Mr. Wang Taicang, who was a great tea connoisseur."
In order to obtain a piece of Luomo ink from Mr. Shen Changzhou, he was willing to give up all the Jie tea that the Emperor had bestowed upon him!
My family has only a rudimentary understanding of literature, and we are truly unworthy of such fine ink. But a tea connoisseur like myself can't resist this fine tea!
Chen Jizong bowed and said respectfully to Zhang Ye:
"Zhang Gong is too modest. I have heard that you are a scholar from the Wenshu Hall, a person of noble learning and a literary star descended to earth!"
This ink will be of good use to you, so that its brilliance will not be obscured!
Zhang Kun, standing nearby, seized the opportunity to add:
"Sir, you have obtained such fine ink today. Why not bestow upon me a piece of your calligraphy, so that Commander Chen may share in the blessings of the God of Literature?"
Seeing Zhang Ye nod, Zhang Kun immediately went over, took the ink dropper, and added water to the inkstone.
Hearing Zhang Ye test Chen Jizong:
"What kind of job did Commander Chen hold before joining the police force?"
"This humble servant inherited the position and trained for six years in the junior officer's quarters of the main camp, eventually becoming a squad leader."
Chen Jizong quickly introduced himself to Zhang Ye:
"After inheriting the position, he first served as a sentry officer, leading the soldiers of his own guard in training at the camp for three years, eventually becoming the acting commander of the training."
He was appointed as a clerk by the Ministry of War, and served as a military officer in charge of garrison troops for three years, followed by a three-year term in charge of granaries. He then requested to transfer to the patrol battalion.
With both military and warehouse management, no wonder Chen Jizong was able to produce so much silver.
Zhang Ye asked a few more questions, then took the pen and ink prepared by Zhang Kun and wrote four characters, "Serve the country with utmost loyalty," in a flourish.
Chen Jizong accepted the calligraphy with both hands, overjoyed, and knelt down on the ground, saying:
"This humble servant will certainly follow Lord Zhang's teachings and dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the country!"
After sending Chen Jizong away, Zhang Ye asked Zhang Kun:
"Where did the three kinds of tawny mushrooms you sent come from?"
Zhang Kun briefly introduced the background of Danbagu and then looked forward to Zhang Ye's future:
"...This danba is a favorite of tea, wine, and other similar things; people become addicted to it after a long time."
It's not popular in the north yet, so it's a very promising business!
With Zhang Kun's assistance, Zhang Ye first tried snuff and sneezed several times.
He tried cigarettes again, choked and coughed incessantly, his face turning red as he said:
"This stuff is so fiery, how can anyone become addicted to it!?"
Zhang Kun couldn't explain the addictive mechanism of tuna, so he could only put on a confident look and say:
"Sir, this basil is like spirits; it's pungent at first, but you get used to it gradually."
This food, if consumed in excess, can harm the lungs, but it can relieve fatigue and calm the mind.
Nicotine crosses the blood-brain barrier, stimulating the brain to release dopamine, which begins to give Zhang Ye a feeling of pleasure.
Zhang Ye reached into the cigarette tray, picked up a cigarette, took a few puffs, and nodded after a moment:
"It really relieves fatigue."
Setting down his cigarette, Zhang Ye picked up the project proposal that Zhang Kun and Danbagu had brought together and commented:
"I have read your proposal, and it has some of the insights found in Pan Wucheng's 'Chen Duan Da Gong Lu'. It shows great care."
"After I discuss it with the fourth brother and the others, if the timing and location are right, then we will proceed according to your proposal."
Hearing his eunuch godfather say this, Zhang Kun was secretly delighted:
Zhang Ye oversaw many taxes in Zhangjiawan, Tongzhou, Datong, Xuanfu, and even the entire Zhili region, and had a huge cash flow.
As long as Zhang Ye supports it, this matter is at least halfway done.
......
After the birthday banquet, Zhang Ye, having briefly introduced the project to his several adopted sons seated at the head of the first-class table, asked them:
"This matter is not about making a few taels of silver, but about helping Xu Bengao secure his position in the street-side property."
What are your thoughts on this matter?
"Godfather, why are you helping a descendant of a civil official?"
Li Cheng, ranked fourth and serving as the commander of the Imperial Horse Stables and the Four Guards, raised an objection:
"Since Emperor Jiajing ascended the throne, the number of civil officials' descendants in the Embroidered Uniform Guard has increased so much that they've almost driven out all the families of us palace officials!"
Before the Jiajing era, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was often alternately managed by hereditary officials of the guard and eunuch brothers or nephews.
After Emperor Jiajing ascended the throne, he began to select officers for the Embroidered Uniform Guard through examinations, which were administered by the Ministry of War.
The hereditary officials of the Imperial Guard and their eunuch brothers and nephews were suppressed, and Lu Song, Lu Bing and his son, and other former members of the Prince of Xing's Mansion successively took control of the Imperial Guard.
It wasn't until after Lu Bing's death that Zhu Xixiao, who was not a former member of the Xingwang Mansion, emerged from the Chengguo Duke's Mansion.
Luo Sigong, who is currently in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has a great-uncle, Luo An, who was the first person from the Xingwang Mansion to take charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
The Jiajing Emperor also bestowed the title of Imperial Guard upon the sons and grandsons of many civil officials, such as Xu Fan, the eldest son of Xu Jie and great-grandfather of Xu Bengao.
Starting from the Longqing era, the restrictions on eunuchs' brothers and nephews and civil officials' descendants who came from hereditary privileges to hold substantive positions were lifted.
The combination of examinations and selections resulted in six of the seven people in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard after Zhu Xixiao's death being descendants of civil officials.
Among them, Wang Chonggu's grandson, Wang Zhizhen, commanded the Embroidered Uniform Guard for seventeen years, a longer period than Lu Bing.
In examinations, the younger brothers and nephews of eunuchs could not compete with the sons and grandsons of civil officials.
"Fourth Brother, how many of those officials' families in the Embroidered Uniform Guard are capable of accomplishing anything?"
The seventh-ranked man retorted to Li Cheng, "If Xu Bengao's position is unstable, who can take his place?"
Li Cheng glanced at the other person, did not answer, and continued to persuade Zhang Ye:
"Godfather, there's no need for Xu Bengao to handle this matter. I will petition His Majesty to take direct action."
Zhang Ye picked up his teacup, took a sip, and shook his head at Li Cheng, saying:
"If you bypass Xu Bengao and don't let him get involved, you'll definitely offend him. Why bother?"
He can't hold onto his position in the street office; he'll most likely go back to take charge of the Southern Garrison Command!
The Southern Garrison Command oversees the punishments of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, as well as the tens of thousands of military craftsmen in the capital, the surrendered high-ranking officials, and the guards of noble sons.
With heavy responsibilities, he was in charge of the seal of the Imperial Guard by a Vice-Chancellor, and his status was second only to the Third Admiral of the Third Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, making him the fourth-in-command of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Li Cheng bowed his head to Zhang Ye and admitted his mistake, saying, "Godfather is right. I didn't think things through."
"This matter will require money, and it will most likely have to come from the imperial treasury."
Zhang Ye shared the ideas that Zhang Kun had written in the project proposal with his adopted sons:
"His Majesty values the imperial treasury. If you want His Majesty to grant you favors, you can use the Chongwen Gate Teaching Office as a pretext."
"Using this opportunity, we should completely take over the Chongwenmen Propaganda Department from the Ministry of Revenue!"
Initially, each of the nine gates of the capital had either a Bureau of Education or a Bureau of Taxation.
As trade routes became more concentrated, only four gates—Andingmen, Deshengmen, Zhengyangmen, and Chongwenmen—were retained, while the other five gates were incorporated into the Capital Tax Office.
As it has developed, Chongwenmen has become the capital's premier customs office, overseeing the other three gates and the Capital Tax Office.
Nominally under the Ministry of Revenue, it was actually jointly managed by the Ministry of Revenue and the Inner Court, with an annual tax of about 10 taels of silver, split equally between the two.
An additional 5 taels of revenue each year was very attractive to the Wanli Emperor, who was so greedy that he was almost pathological.
......
Xu Bengao sat listlessly in the yamen of the street office when his subordinates reported that Captain Zhang Kun had something to ask to see him.
"I won't see him! Tell him what he needs, and have him write it down and send it over!"
A moment later, his subordinate returned to report that it was related to the moat of the nine gates of Dajun. Zhang Xiaowei said that the matter had been settled.
"What did you say?!"
Xu Bengao stood there stunned. After recovering, he hurriedly said to his subordinates, "Quickly, bring him in to see me!"
Zhang Kun presented Xu Bengao with another version of the project proposal, reporting the good news that his eunuch godfather was willing to support the matter.
Of course, Zhang Kun would repeatedly emphasize that it was his eunuch godfather who successfully advised him, and that he deserved great credit.
"Really!?"
"This is a message from your godfather to you."
Upon seeing Zhang Ye's handwritten letter, Xu Bengao was overjoyed and suddenly stood up, feeling dizzy and almost falling to the ground.
Zhang Kun rushed forward to support Xu Bengao, who said in a trembling voice:
"Principal Zhang... Nephew Zhang, thanks to you, thanks to you so much!"
Even a high-ranking official of the second rank has to address eunuchs as brothers?