MLMD -Chapter 173 Upheaval at Court

Regarding this issue, Hou Xun had already calculated it countless times in his heart, so he answered without hesitation:

“Reporting to Your Majesty, if taxes are levied according to the normal court rates, Wuli Village should pay three hundred thousand dan of grain, or the equivalent of two hundred and ninety thousand taels of silver.”

“Three hundred thousand dan? Isn’t that a bit too little?” Chongzhen smacked his lips a few times, sounding as if he was not quite satisfied.

“Your Majesty, three hundred thousand dan, or two hundred and ninety thousand taels of silver, is already no small amount,” Hou Xun hurriedly explained.

“According to ancestral regulations, three hundred thousand mu of Wuli Village’s land was newly reclaimed this year and should not have been taxed at all. Taxing them now has already drawn criticism. If we demand any more, it would truly be excessive.”

“Sigh… how could I not understand that?” Chongzhen sighed, gazing at the setting sun outside the hall with a forlorn expression.

“Tell me, Minister Hou, how is it that a mere barren Wuli Village, with only a few hundred thousand mu of land, can hand in three hundred thousand dan of autumn grain, while Jiangnan—the so-called land of fish and rice, stretching for thousands of li—only submits a few million dan a year? Why is this so? Can you tell me?”

Chongzhen’s words were filled with desolation, and he looked deeply lonely.

Seeing the solitary figure of the emperor standing by the door, Hou Xun’s eyes reddened. His lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but in the end he held back. The topic was far too sensitive—something even the Son of Heaven could not touch, let alone a mere Minister of Revenue.

“Enough, enough…” Chongzhen turned back with a faint smile. “In any case, a good harvest is a good thing. With more grain, the court can send extra supplies to the Liaodong front. Oh right, I also have a memorial here from Lu Xiangsheng. He proposes transferring Yue Yang to serve as garrison commander of Hunyuan Prefecture, with the original Yingzhou garrison to be taken over by Yue Yang’s old subordinate, Yue Shunbao. What do you think, Minister?”

Hou Xun was quite in favor of it. “This can be approved. Yue Yang is not only skilled in military affairs, but also adept at land reclamation and farming. If he can develop Hunyuan Prefecture into another Wuli Village, that would be a great blessing for the Ming.”

“Mm, that’s exactly what I think.” Chongzhen nodded, a smile appearing on his face. “Yue Yang is indeed a capable man. In just one year he has delivered several hundred thousand dan of grain to the court—his merit is enormous. If he can turn Hunyuan into another Wuli Village, what harm would there be in granting him the rank of General?”

Hou Xun thought to himself, His Majesty really values Yue Yang. Well then, I might as well give him another push.

He then spoke up: “Your Majesty, Yue Yang truly is a man of great talent. In this humble minister’s opinion, Your Majesty might as well promote him to Vice Commander (Zhihui Tongzhi) and place him in charge of both Hunyuan Prefecture and Yingzhou’s farming and military affairs. What do you think?”

“Promote Yue Yang to Vice Commander?” Chongzhen was startled.

“I have heard that Yue Yang holds the degree of xiucai. Would he be willing to accept it?”

Yue Yang’s current post—Assistant Regional Commander and Garrison Commander of Yingzhou—was a regular civil-service appointment, a full fourth rank. But the position of Vice Commander was hereditary, meaning that from then on, Yue Yang’s family would forever be bound to the military caste. Although it was a junior third-rank post, many would not find it appealing.

Hou Xun smiled. “Your Majesty, as the saying goes, thunder and rain alike are all imperial grace. Since Your Majesty deigns to grant him an office, that is his good fortune. How could he dare to refuse?”

Chongzhen thought about it and found the logic sound. He was the emperor—whatever post he granted was a matter of a single word. If Yue Yang later did not wish to remain a hereditary officer, he could always change it back.

Thus, Chongzhen agreed. “Very well, let it be as you say. Issue my decree.
Bestow upon Yue Yang the post of Shanxi Vice Commander and the noble title of Light Chariot Cavalier. He shall be responsible for the farming and military preparedness of Yingzhou and Hunyuan. He is to take up his post in Hunyuan immediately. Oh, and make sure he submits the autumn grain before he leaves!”

“Uh…”

…

“By imperial decree… Yue Yang, Garrison Commander of Yingzhou, loyal and devoted, storing grain and training troops for the state… is hereby appointed Shanxi Vice Commander and granted the noble rank of Light Chariot Cavalier. May he live up to Our expectations and continue to defend the realm and stockpile grain… So decreed!”

An official from the Ministry of Personnel stood in the main hall of the Yue residence, holding a bright yellow edict and reading it aloud. Yue Yang knelt before him, with the old matriarch, his wives, and a large group of servants behind him.

“Lord Yue, hurry and receive the edict and give thanks,” the official reminded him softly.

“…This…”

Yue Yang felt as though his brain was not keeping up. Lu Xiangsheng had only intended to transfer him to Hunyuan—how had the court turned him into a hereditary officer?

Seeing him frozen there, the official tugged at his sleeve. “Lord Yue, give thanks quickly!”

Only then did Yue Yang come back to his senses. With a bitter smile, he kowtowed. “Your servant Yue Yang receives the decree with gratitude!”

“Congratulations, Lord Yue!” the official said with a smile, handing the edict to him.

Holding the edict, Yue Yang could only smile wryly. From now on, he too was a hereditary military man. But so what? The Ming dynasty didn’t have many good years left anyway—being a military officer was just fine.

He handed the decree to Yuling behind him, then gave a look to the steward, Cao Youqian. Cao immediately stepped forward and quietly slipped two banknotes into the official’s sleeve.

The official accepted them without ceremony, cupped his hands, and said with a smile, “Lord Yue, I still have official business to attend to, so I shall take my leave.”

“Safe travels, sir.”

Yue Yang saw him to the gate and then returned.

The hall was filled with people, all eyes fixed on him.

Walking up to the old matriarch, Yue Yang lowered his head with a bitter smile. “Grandmother, look at the mess this has become. Even your grandson had no idea things would turn out like this.”

He was worried she might be displeased—she had always valued civil posts over military ones, and now he had become a hereditary military officer.

But the old matriarch looked at him kindly and instead comforted him. “My dear grandson, as they say, thunder and rain alike are all imperial grace. Since His Majesty has made you Vice Commander, there must be his reasons. Just accept it.”

“Exactly, big brother! Haven’t you been promoted? That’s a good thing! Who cares what kind of office it is—promotion is promotion. Why do you look unhappy?” Yue Ying, his younger sister, did not understand the difference between hereditary and regular offices and looked at him with wide, curious eyes.

“You silly girl…” Seeing her innocent expression, Yue Yang felt much lighter. After more than two years in this world, the once scrawny little girl had grown into a fifteen-year-old young lady, tall and graceful. He reached out and affectionately tapped her on the head.

Since the old matriarch did not reproach him, Yue Yang felt relieved. What remained now was the practical issue of how to move to Hunyuan. He was no longer a man with nothing to his name—he had a large household now, and could not simply leave at will.

Seeing his hesitation, the old matriarch smiled. “What are you worried about? Hunyuan isn’t Taiyuan—it’s only one or two days’ journey from Yingzhou. Now that you’re Vice Commander, you’ll be living in Hunyuan most of the time. And Hai Lanzhu is pregnant; she can’t be separated from you. So let’s just move the whole family there, so you won’t have to worry.”

“Grandmother, you’re willing to move with me?” Yue Yang was overjoyed. He had been most afraid that she would be reluctant to leave Yingzhou. Since she was so open-minded, one of his biggest worries was now resolved.