Chapter 45: The Benefactor of the Brush Rest

In front of the Wenhua Hall.

Zhu Zaiyi stood beneath the hall's entrance, with Feng Bao accompanying him in a bowed posture.

Master and servant, the two of them watched as Gao Gong, who was currently only an expositor in the Hanlin Academy, strode away with his head held high and chest puffed out.

"What do you think of this man?"

Zhu Zaiyi asked faintly.

Feng Bao glanced sideways, not answering immediately. After pondering for a moment, he smiled and said, "This servant is dull-witted, but Master Gao seems rather violent in temperament. Entrusting him with a single specific task might still be feasible."

He left the rest unsaid.

Yet the meaning was clear enough: Gao Gong could only handle specific execution tasks, rather than serving as a grand secretary in charge of the affairs of the entire nation.

Zhu Zaiyi looked back at Feng Bao, offering no comment on his words, and merely nodded, saying, "It is time to visit the Western Park."

Understanding the hint, Feng Bao immediately bowed and said, "This servant will go right away to invite Daoist Master Tao."

The Daoist Master Tao referred to here was not Tao Zhongwen, but his grandson, Tao Zhongfu.

After all, although this grandson was indeed a true grandson, he now nominally served as the spiritual protector of the Imperial Crown Prince, functioning as a human shield to ward off disasters and avert calamities.

A little later.

Outside the Wuyi Hall of the Wanshou Palace.

Zhu Zaiyi was already squatting on the ground, holding out a prepared small dried fish half-suspended in the air to lure Frostbrow, who was sitting on the ground with her neck stretched long.

"Meow."

"Would you like a bite?"

"Meow-meow!"

With one hand suspending the small dried fish and the other pressing down on Frostbrow, Zhu Zaiyi looked around vigilantly and whispered, "The Qingning Palace has endless small dried fish. If you sneak over there, they will all be yours!"

Frostbrow's two snow-white eyebrows twitched, as if she had understood what this human had said.

Only then did Zhu Zaiyi lower the suspended dried fish.

Frostbrow, having already coiled her body in readiness, immediately sprang forward with a single arching leap and snatched the dried fish into her mouth.

With the food in her mouth, Frostbrow did not immediately scurry away to hide and savor it.

Instead, she sat right there on the ground, fixing her gaze straight upon the human.

Zhu Zaiyi said with a serious expression, "Remember, the Qingning Palace has all the dried fish you can ever want!"

Having said this, his ears twitched as he heard footsteps approaching from the inner hall. He hurriedly stood up and gazed straight ahead.

Yet out of the corner of his eye, he already saw Frostbrow darting away with the small dried fish in her mouth, disappearing into the depths of the palace.

The first attempt at enticement seemed to have yielded good results.

Zhu Zaiyi reined in his thoughts and quietly awaited the arrival of the old Daoist master.

Jiajing emerged from the inner hall and saw that his son was already waiting within. His gaze swept around the surroundings before landing on Huang Jin: "Where is Frostbrow?"

Huang Jin looked all around and replied, "Perhaps she has hidden somewhere to bask in the sun."

Jiajing gave a hum of acknowledgment, then turned his gaze back to his son, his eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny and suspicion.

"You—"

Zhu Zaiyi hastily spoke up, "Father Emperor, regarding the candidates for the new Viceroy of the Southeast, this son has recently found a few men who could be of service."

The fact that he had his eyes on Frostbrow had long since been exposed; any enticement had to be carried out covertly.

Once Frostbrow grew attached to the Qingning Palace and refused to leave, the old Daoist master surely couldn't forcefully drag her back, could he?

Jiajing, who had originally intended to warn this rascal not to harbor any more thoughts about Frostbrow, nodded immediately upon hearing business brought up: "Speak then, whom have you set your sights on?"

Zhu Zaiyi responded promptly, "The current Director of the Bureau of receptions in the Ministry of Rites, Zhu Heng; the Expositor in the Hanlin Academy, Gao Gong; and the员外郎 (Assistant Director) of the Bureau of Armaments in the Ministry of War, Yang Jisheng. Although these three men do not hold high official ranks, they are all usable talents, and none of them originated from the southeast coastal region."

Gao Gong was naturally easy to understand; his nomination was essentially just paving the way to get him sent to Laizhou.

As for Yang Jisheng, it was because he happened to be one of the five individuals recommended by Zhang Zhi on that previous day. Although he had not secured a post in the Wenhua Hall like Zhang Juzheng, he had obtained a tally plaque of the Qingning Palace.

As for Zhu Heng, the Director of the Bureau of Receptions in the Ministry of Rites whom he had mentioned first, he was the candidate whom Zhu Zaiyi truly wished to recommend this time as the Viceroy of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.

This man Zhu Heng might not be widely renowned.

Yet if one were to mention another person, that name would be universally known.

In the entire Ming Dynasty, he was universally recognized as incomparably incorruptible, bearing the moniker of the "Brush-Rack"—Hai Rui!

And the relationship between Zhu Heng and Hai Rui could well be described as that of a patron.

Had it not been for Zhu Heng's patronage and protection, Hai Rui would have been squeezed out of officialdom within his first few years of entering it.

Therefore, Zhu Zaiyi naturally acted on the principle that if Hai Rui was a bronze mirror reflecting all monsters, then the man capable of protecting him, Zhu Heng, could certainly be no less exceptional.

Over on Jiajing's side, upon hearing these three names, he also understood whom his son intended to promote.

However, a smile crossed Jiajing's face as he remarked faintly, "Gao Gong is currently your daily lecture tutor; recommending him is quite reasonable. As for that Yang Jisheng, if my memory serves me right, he also holds a tally plaque from your Qingning Palace. Tell me, should I select Gao Gong, or Yang Jisheng?"

This was clearly a father teasing his own son.

Zhu Zaiyi also wore a look of helpless resignation, smiling bitterly as he said, "Father Emperor is wise. Even if this son harbors the slightest private thought, it has nowhere to hide before Your Majesty."

Hearing his son's flattery, Jiajing wore a look of gratification.

He waved a hand, settled comfortably into his seat, and hummed, "Speak then. I recall that you have had no prior dealings with this Ministry of Rites Director Zhu Heng; why are you recommending him?"

Zhu Zaiyi immediately stated, "Although Zhu Heng is currently only a Director of the Ministry of Rites of the fifth rank, bestowing upon him the additional title of Censor to inspect Zhejiang and Fujian does not exceed established regulations. The reason this son considers employing him is also because this man passed the imperial examinations in the eleventh year of Jiajing, and in that same year was appointed as the Magistrate of Yuxi in Fujian. In his governance of the locality, officials both great and small all held him in respectful awe."

This was the most crucial point.

Zhu Heng was not a native of Zhejiang or Fujian, yet he possessed a track record of serving as an official in Fujian. Thus, recommending and deploying him in this manner would appear entirely proper and appropriate.

However, Zhu Zaiyi continued, "This son has heard that after Zhu Heng was transferred from Yuxi to become the Magistrate of Wuyuan in Huizhou Prefecture, the then Minister of Personnel, Wang Hong, was a native of Wuyuan and hosted several banquets for Zhu Heng, all of which were declined by him. When Wang Hong's son celebrated his wedding and abused his authority by using official government offices to host the banquet, he was driven out by Zhu Heng. Without fearing the might of the Heavenly Official, he left the Wang family without a single flaw or loophole to exploit, which shows that his administration of a region was incorruptible and observant of the law."

Having finished this account, Zhu Zaiyi affirmed firmly, "Father Emperor, with an official such as this—one who is familiar with Zhejiang and Fujian, yet unafraid of the powerful and influential—just as we are in urgent need of talent in the southeast, how can we fail to bestow grace upon him, so that he may go forth to the southeast with a heart full of gratitude and toil for Father Emperor?"

Having stated all his reasons for the recommendation, everything now depended on whether the old Daoist master would give his consent.

At this moment, Zhu Zaiyi could only wait silently for the imperial decree and judgment from the Emperor.

Jiajing, however, furrowed his brows in contemplation and glanced sideways at Huang Jin.

Huang Jin understood the gesture instantly, cast a silent glance toward the Crown Prince, and then said softly, "Master, this servant remembers this Zhu Heng. It is precisely as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has said—he does not fear the powerful and influential."

Only then did Jiajing let out a hum.

Yet he did not immediately reach a verdict.

Instead, he looked back at his son.

"You have set your sights on Zhu Heng to serve as the Viceroy of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, but where do you intend to deploy the two men you mentioned, Gao Gong and Yang Jisheng?"

Just as his son had said, how could he fail to see through those little schemes?

Even when recommending talent, whom to use and whom to bypass—any recommendation inevitably carried an underlying purpose.

As for whom to ultimately employ?

What did it matter to him?

He would simply treat it as a test for his son to try his hand at governance and personnel selection.

Jiajing silently pondered in his heart.

Even if his son recommended the wrong person, his Great Ming could still weather it!

The Great Ming could certainly afford to let his Crown Prince experiment with a few official appointments!