Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 357 Jia Changchao's Scheme
In the afternoon, in a side hall of the Jia family mansion.

Wang Kui sat in the chair, having been waiting for quite some time.

Jia Changchao, who had just returned home from his shift at the Privy Council, had not come to see him for a long time, making him quite anxious.

Logically speaking, as a high-ranking official in charge of a region, he shouldn't be so impatient.

But things are different now.

Not long ago, Wang Kui was removed from his post as prefect of Jiangling due to Bao Zheng's ninth impeachment and was ordered to return to the capital to await investigation.

He had just rushed back to Kaifeng from Jiangling, his official robes still dusty from the journey, and his face showed a hint of undisguised panic.

In fact, ever since Chen Zhizhong retired, he has been like a kite with a broken string, struggling to cope with the storms in the imperial court.

Previously, when Lu Beigu and others passed through Jiangling Prefecture, he planned to observe the political climate and see if he could curry favor with Song Xiang, who was also at odds with Wen Yanbo.

Although Song Qi had clearly refused to act as his intermediary at the banquet in Jiangling, Wang Kui had not completely given up after arriving in Kaifeng.

However, Song Xiang, who was clearly unemployed at home, didn't even let Wang Kui into the door and returned his visiting card directly.

This finally drove Wang Kui to utter despair.

He is now truly at his wit's end.

At this moment, Jia Changchao, who had deliberately made Wang Kui wait for a long time, changed into a casual outfit and walked into the side hall.

"Master Jia"

Wang Kui spoke first, his voice trembling with tears.

"Now that Wen Yanbo has become prime minister and Han Qi is in charge of the Grand Secretariat, that mad dog Bao Zheng is watching me closely and won't let me go. I'm really afraid! I beg you, Prime Minister Jia, to consider our past relationship and Prime Minister Chen's sake, to help me out! I am willing to serve you like a dog or a horse, even at the cost of my life!"

As he spoke, he slammed his head heavily on the ground, making a dull "thump, thump" sound.

The scholar-officials of the Song Dynasty valued integrity and did not need to kowtow.

Even when facing officials, scholars would at most bow as a sign of respect, but Wang Kui's attitude, like that of a stray dog ​​on the roadside, was so humble that it was utterly disgraceful.

Jia Changchao lowered his eyelids, looking at Wang Kui at his feet, who was kowtowing repeatedly, and felt a surge of disgust.

Wang Kui exploited Chen Zhizhong in Jiangnan and Huainan with ruthless methods, and he did indeed make a lot of money. But because of this, Wang Kui offended too many people and had a terrible reputation.

Taking him in would be tantamount to throwing mud at ourselves, and would immediately make us an excellent target for attacks from Wen Yanbo, Han Qi, Bao Zheng and others.

When Chen Zhizhong was in power, he still wanted to distance himself from this "cruel official," let alone now.

“But…” Jia Changchao tapped his fingertips lightly on the chair, a thought flashing through his mind.

No matter how despicable Wang Kui was, he was still a useful vicious dog under Chen Zhizhong's command, and knew a lot about Chen Zhizhong and Jia Changchao's private affairs.

If we push him away completely, forcing him to act desperately and bite back, or if he gets lured to one side and spits out things he shouldn't, that would also be troublesome.

Moreover, the current political situation is turbulent and unpredictable. Having an extra henchman who dares to bite and gets things done can be useful in critical moments.

For Jia Changchao, a bad reputation was not an intolerable flaw. After all, people with good reputations are more cautious when it comes to risking their lives.

In reality, Jia Changchao's situation was not as stable as he appeared.

Although he had many protégés and former subordinates, and a great many capable people among the middle-level officials, at the top level, compared to Wen Yanbo and others, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he was isolated and powerless.

Of course, the two prime ministers, Wen Yanbo and Fu Bi, were not entirely of one mind.

But no matter what disagreements they had, they were exceptionally united when facing Jia Changchao.

With Wen Yanbo, Han Qi, and Bao Zheng pressing him relentlessly, Jia Changchao needs a knife that can be at the forefront to help him fight back.

After much deliberation, Jia Changchao finally spoke.

"You should stand up and speak first. As a high-ranking official, what kind of behavior is this?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Kui felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He kowtowed again before getting up.

Even so, he still dared not stand up completely straight, but bowed his body, looking as if he were listening to instructions.

"I understand your difficulties."

Jia Changchao took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Although Lord Chen has retired, his affection for the family remains. You have worked hard all these years, even if you have not made any great contributions."

Wang Kui was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you for your consideration, Master Jia!"

"but."

Jia Changchao changed the subject, looking up at Wang Kui: "You must also understand that times have changed. Your past actions were indeed careless, giving others a handle to use against you. If you want to get through this safely, and even make some progress in the future, you must repent and correct your past mistakes, be careful with your words and actions, and more importantly, know how to be tactful."

Wang Kui was an extremely astute man, and he immediately understood the hidden meaning in Jia Changchao's words.

—I can take you in, but you need to know your place, be obedient, don't say what you shouldn't say, don't do what you shouldn't do, and be a good, obedient knife.

"I understand! I understand!"

Wang Kui replied repeatedly, "This humble official will follow all of Minister Jia's arrangements! From now on, I will only follow Minister Jia's lead! I will never cause Minister Jia any trouble!"

Jia Changchao nodded slightly, his face still expressionless.

"The turmoil is not over yet, so you should stay in your residence in the capital and keep to yourself. Do not cause any more trouble, and do not provoke others. As for your return to the capital for investigation and your future assignments, I have my own plans."

"Yes, yes, yes! This humble official will follow Lord Jia's instructions!"

Wang Kui finally felt relieved.

Although Jia Changchao did not give him any specific promises, his attitude already indicated that there was still a dock willing to take in his dilapidated boat for the time being.

"Go."

Jia Changchao waved his hand, turned his gaze back to the window, and stopped looking at him.

Wang Kui bowed and backed out of the side hall, gently closing the door behind him.

It wasn't until he stepped out of the Jia family mansion and was hit by a cold wind carrying a light drizzle that he realized his undergarment was soaked with cold sweat.

Wang Kui let out a long sigh of relief, but a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

He remembered Wen Yanbo, Han Qi, Bao Zheng, Song Qi who humiliated him, and even Song Xiang who refused to help him in his time of need!
Given the chance, Wang Kui will definitely get his money back with interest!

In the mansion.

Jia Changchao paced a few steps in the side hall. Outside the window, the spring rain gradually pattered, tapping on the banana leaves in front of the courtyard, making a fine and muffled sound.

Taking in Wang Kui was a risky move, but also a last resort.

The struggles within the imperial court are like a game of chess; sometimes, even knowing it's a risky move, you have no choice but to make it.

What he cares about more now is another person, the young top scholar who has caused a great uproar and even subtly attracted the attention of the palace, Lu Beigu.

This young man has a close relationship with Song Xiang, and also seems to have some unclear connection with Princess Fukang. Now that he has become the top scholar in the world and his reputation is soaring, he will probably soon become the focus of contention among various forces.

Although Pei Degu's case did not implicate more people, Jia Changchao would not let his guard down. Having weathered decades of ups and downs in the imperial court, Jia Changchao understood one principle very well: if you don't kill the snake, you will suffer the consequences.

"Take my letter and go invite Wang Chou to your residence for a chat."

Wang Chou was the son of Wang Bowen, the former Minister of the Three Departments. He entered officialdom through his father's influence. Although he later participated in the imperial examination and passed the Jinshi examination in the eighth year of the Tiansheng era, he was not close to Ouyang Xiu, Fu Bi, Wang Gongchen and others of that generation. On the contrary, he had a good relationship with Jia Changchao and was promoted by Jia Changchao.

Wang Chou is currently in a very crucial position. — Acting as the Director of the Ministry of Personnel's internal personnel selection.

If Feng Jing's position as the head of the Capital Survey Office was in charge of money, then Wang Chou's position as the head of the Ministry of Personnel was in charge of people.

In the Song Dynasty, the power to appoint civil officials was not entirely the responsibility of the Ministry of Personnel. Senior civil officials were directly under the jurisdiction of the Secretariat, while officials in the capital were appointed and dismissed by the Court of Judicial Review.

However, the Ministry of Personnel still holds a great deal of power over personnel matters.

The largest group of civil officials, namely local officials below the rank of prefect and those in the capital who had no right to attend court, were all assessed and appointed by the Ministry of Personnel.

About half an hour later, Wang Chou hurriedly arrived at the Jia residence.

When he met Jia Changchao in the study, he bowed respectfully and asked, "Master Jia, what brings you here?"

“Jingyi has arrived, please have a seat.”

Jia Changchao put on a gentle smile, gestured for Wang Chou to sit down, and even poured him a cup of tea himself. His attitude was completely different from how he treated Wang Kui.

"It's nothing serious. I just heard that the palace examination has ended this year, but these newly appointed scholars haven't been given official positions yet. I've been looking through old files lately and have some doubts about the appointments of the newly appointed scholars over the years. Since you are now in charge of the internal personnel selection, I'd like to hear your opinion."

Jia Changchao first talked about some unimportant past practices, and then asked a few questions about the initial official positions and ranks of the Jinshi graduates, as well as their job assignments.

Wang Chou answered each question carefully, but his eyes revealed shrewdness.

He knew that Jia Changchao would never specifically ask him to come and see him in the rain for such a trivial matter. If he was looking for him now, it was either because he wanted to take care of someone or because he wanted to make trouble for someone.

Sure enough, Jia Changchao changed the subject, seemingly casually mentioning: "Speaking of which, Lu Beigu, the top scholar of this year's imperial examination, achieved the highest score in four consecutive examinations, making him an unparalleled figure. It's truly a once-in-a-century achievement. I wonder, in Jingyi's opinion, where would be a better place for this young man to realize his ambitions and serve the country?"

Jia Changchao picked up his teacup, gently blowing on the steam, but his gaze fell on Wang Chou's face.

Wang Chou didn't understand what Jia Changchao was trying to do. After a moment's thought, he said...

"When Lord Jia asked, I dared not hide it. I only found out today that the Three Departments, the Censorate, and even the Imperial Academy are fighting tooth and nail over this child!"

"Oh?"

Jia Changchao subtly expressed a hint of surprise without revealing any obvious malice.

"Is that so? Tell me the details."

Wang Chou lowered his voice: "Zhang Fangping, the Commissioner of the Three Departments, and Fan Xiang, the Deputy Commissioner of Salt and Iron, jointly petitioned the Emperor, saying that the national treasury was empty and the salt and iron industry was riddled with problems. Only a capable and enterprising person could rectify the situation. They strongly advocated that Lu Beigu be promoted to the Salt and Iron Department and given the responsibility of chief investigator in order to increase revenue as soon as possible. Ouyang Xiu, the Acting Censor-in-Chief, argued that the censorate was empty and urgently needed to be replenished with fresh blood. He said that Lu Beigu was excellent in both character and insight and was a perfect candidate for censor. He requested that he be appointed as the Acting Censor of the Palace. Yang Anguo, the Director of the Imperial Academy, hoped to follow the example of Yan Shu and place this young man in an important position in the Imperial Academy to cultivate talent for the country."

Jia Changchao was genuinely surprised after hearing this; it wasn't the feigned surprise he had shown earlier.

With three parties vying for him, Lu Beigu had unexpectedly become a hot commodity? This was somewhat beyond his expectations.

In reality, the Salt and Iron Bureau was a powerful and lucrative institution, the Censorate was a vital channel for public opinion, and the Imperial Academy was a place for cultivating talent and serving as close advisors. Going to any of these places would greatly benefit the young man's future career; they were all good paths to success.

Has the Emperor made a decision?

Jia Changchao asked a crucial question.

If the government has already made a decision, then it's too late for him to do anything. But if the government hasn't made a decision, then there's still room for maneuver.

Wang Chou added: "It was precisely because His Majesty was unsure that he instructed the Ministry of Personnel to decide on the matter based on the availability of vacancies, and that's how I learned about it."

In fact, this is a matter that the government can decide with a single word.

But the government has not made a decision.

"As expected, His Majesty is still as indecisive as ever. He likes to act as a middleman and avoid taking responsibility. Even in matters like this, he is unwilling to make decisions himself," Jia Changchao thought to himself.

Then, as if showing concern, he asked again.

"What vacant positions are currently available in the Ministry of Personnel?"

"There are actually vacant positions in the Salt and Iron Bureau, the Censorate, the Imperial Academy, Kaifeng Prefecture, and local prefectures and military garrisons, but the Ministry of Personnel can't make a decision."

After hearing this, Jia Changchao paused for a moment and said, "It seems that there is a shortage of people everywhere."

"Yes."

Wang Chou nodded. The current situation in the Song Dynasty is that it is both short of people and not short of people. What the various departments lack are truly capable talents, but not lazy and incompetent people.

"The Privy Council is also short-staffed recently."

Jia Changchao said casually, "The Privy Council's 'Office in the Capital' is currently lacking a capable head clerk as a deputy. For the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examination), the rank is also suitable. There is a precedent in the past. Jing Yi, as the judge of the internal personnel selection, could you consider selecting a capable person to serve in the Privy Council when drafting the official appointment plan for the newly appointed Jinshi? This is also for the smooth operation of the Privy Council and to select virtuous people for the country."

Wang Chou's heart stirred.

The Privy Council has twelve departments responsible for military affairs throughout the country, while the "Department in the Capital" is responsible for the deployment, equipment, and supply of the Imperial Guards of the Palace Guard.

This is one of the core departments of the Privy Council, and its position is very important. Ordinary Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) are not qualified to enter at all. Although there have been precedents in previous years, they were all sporadic.

Although Jia Changchao didn't explicitly say he wanted Lu Beigu, he wasn't stupid. Couldn't he understand what was meant by his words?

Wang Chou quickly weighed the pros and cons, and immediately put on a smile of approval. He cupped his hands and said, "Lord Jia's considerations are thorough. The Privy Council is a vital institution for the military and the nation, and the capital is an even more crucial location. It certainly needs young talents. When I draft the list of newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) to be awarded official positions and submit it to the Secretariat, I will definitely take Lord Jia's proposal into consideration and strive to make this matter a success."

"That's not how it works; it's all done with the public good! How could it be my suggestion?"

Jia Changchao waved his hand instead: "The Privy Council is indeed short of people. I will have the Privy Council's Imperial Edict Office issue an official document to the Ministry of Personnel later. Everything must be done in accordance with the regulations of the dynasty. As for who can come among the newly appointed Jinshi, my idea is to do what is possible, rather than accepting unqualified candidates."

Wang Chou finally understood.

Although Jia Changchao wanted to transfer Lu Beigu to the Privy Council, he did not want to leave any loopholes in the procedures. He simply used the pretext that "the Privy Council is short of personnel" to issue an official document from the Privy Council to the Ministry of Personnel. Just like the Three Departments, the Censorate, and the Imperial Academy also forwarded the document to the Ministry of Personnel in accordance with the system, specifying which post was short of personnel.

On the surface, it's just that a certain post has become vacant, and the Ministry of Personnel can transfer any newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) to the post.

In reality, this vacancy is only for a specific candidate; if that person doesn't come, then the position is no longer "vacant."

As for which newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) the Ministry of Personnel would transfer, that was their business. In this process, Jia Changchao would certainly leave no trace.

Well, actually, it's not entirely the Ministry of Personnel's business.

Even if the Ministry of Personnel drafts the list, it still has to be submitted to the Secretariat, where it is decided by the chief ministers of the Council of State Affairs. In the end, it will definitely go through a process of negotiation.

The reason there is room for maneuver in this matter is that there are too many departments that Lu Bei needs to consider.

If only one institution wanted the position, the Ministry of Personnel would not be able to transfer the candidate elsewhere. However, now that we include these three institutions, plus the vacant positions that should have been allocated normally, there are as many as seven or eight options.

Adding the option of the Privy Council further leaves everyone speechless.

Therefore, for Wang Chou, this was actually a risk-free matter. There was an official document on file, the Privy Council was indeed short of personnel, and the final decision-making power was not his.

Since the Emperor instructed the Ministry of Personnel to "determine the appropriate appointment based on the availability of vacancies," Wang Chou was merely within his authority to suggest, on behalf of the Ministry of Personnel, that Lu Beigu be appointed to the Privy Council when drafting the list of newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). He did not commit any wrongdoing.

As for Jia Changchao, he wasn't forced to accomplish this task; he was simply given the best he could do, so the pressure on him was even less.

"I understand. If we can do it, we will; better to have nothing than something substandard."

Jia Changchao nodded in satisfaction and leaned back in his chair: "Then I'll trouble Jingyi to handle this matter. You and I will keep it to ourselves."

For Jia Changchao, it was essential to follow proper procedures rather than engaging in private transactions.

If it works out, that would be great. He could keep Lu Beigu under his watchful eye, make things difficult for him from time to time, and prevent him from causing trouble for him at the Censorate. If it doesn't work out, so be it. He wouldn't suffer any losses. The whole process would be compliant and wouldn't leave any leverage for anyone to use against him.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Wang Chou tactfully took his leave.

The study returned to silence, with only the pattering rain outside the window.

(End of this chapter)