Chapter 22: The Failed First Half of Nine Thousand Years Old’s Life
Chapter 22: The Failed First Half of Nine Thousand Years Old’s Life
“He will pay!”
Yang Xin, who was heading downstairs, pointed at Chen Yujie.
The latter couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. The Chen family of Songjiang didn’t care much about money anyway. He immediately threw a silver ingot to the shopkeeper and followed Yang Xin out.
Yang Xin and Nine Thousand Years Old didn’t avoid him. Soon, they arrived together at a residence not far away in the Xianyi Neighborhood.
It was actually just a siheyuan courtyard.
And it already had many tenants. After all, the Inner City of the Capital City was quite crowded, especially with many people from other places coming to make a living. These people certainly couldn’t afford to rent an entire courtyard. It was more like a group rental. Although such a standard siheyuan courtyard cost less than a hundred taels of silver, those struggling at the bottom could barely make ends meet. Saving even a few taels was difficult, let alone over a hundred. The current Capital City was like Beijing during the Beiyang era. Commoners at the bottom would have several families sharing the rooms of an entire siheyuan courtyard. Even the rooms facing away from the main gate were occupied. However, the east wing inside the inner gate was still empty. It was daytime, and most people were out busy making a living. Only a provincial graduate who had failed the exams, renting the main house, was studying hard inside, with the sound of reading occasionally coming out. His old servant, however, was very diligent and came out to attend to them.
The person managing this house and collecting rent for Wei Zhongxian was the local puzhang…
The Capital City had not yet implemented the baojia system.
Although various places in Great Ming, including the southern capital, had all adopted the baojia system, this capital still followed the old huojia system.
The city was divided into several wards. Each ward had a zongjia, responsible for helping officials collect taxes. Below them were several pu, each with a puzhang, also called putou. Each puzhang had several huofu under him, which were basically corvée duties rotated among the ward residents. But powerful and influential families certainly didn’t do this. In the end, it was the commoners who suffered. Moreover, once the Five City Military Inspectorate caught thieves in the ward, these huofu usually became cannon fodder. Another important duty was fire prevention and firefighting, a serious and persistent problem in this city.
In short, the puzhang was the most basic level official in the current Capital City.
Of course, he was just someone who served “masters.”
The Capital City was full of high officials and nobles. They certainly couldn’t be puzhang. A puzhang was just a lowly commoner in the ward. What else could he do but serve the masters?
As for Yang Xin…
He was, of course, warmly welcomed.
Things like travel passes weren’t even mentioned. The nephew of Eunuch Wei coming here, why would anyone need to see a travel pass? As for one surnamed Wei and the other Yang, that was simply ignored.
“My uncle is really approachable!”
Yang Xin watched Wei Zhongxian’s hurried departing back after arranging things for him and couldn’t help but voice this sincere feeling.
“He’s just an inner attendant without even an official rank. What did you expect? To be arrogant and overbearing? He’s not a eunuch!”
Chen Yujie sneered.
“Huh? He’s not a eunuch?”
Yang Xin was stunned.
“It seems Brother Yang knows nothing about inner court officials.
The term ‘eunuch’ has indeed been used loosely, but it hasn’t reached the point where any inner official is called a eunuch. Strictly speaking, a eunuch is only the highest rank among inner officials, a rank 4a official.
Below them are left and right assistant directors, rank 5a. Then left and right assistant supervisors, rank 5b. Further down are registrars, attendants, and then regular attendants — these all have ranks. Among them, those serving close to the emperor in places like the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Qianqing Palace wear red tieli robes. Those in the twenty-four offices, imperial tombs, and lower ranks like regular attendants and below wear blue tieli robes. But the heads of various offices can all wear yesa robes. Whether wearing yesa or tieli, those of attendant rank and above wear gangcha hats. Your so-called uncle wears a blue tieli robe and a flat headcloth. That means he can only be a regular attendant or lower. But a regular attendant at least must wear an ivory pass. Your uncle has an ebony pass. At his age, he shouldn’t still be a huozhe. So he can only be an inner attendant without a rank!
Your uncle must be about fifty, right?
Fifty and still hasn’t managed to get an ivory pass. This inner official career of his…”
Chen Yujie shook his head disdainfully.
“Really… a failure?”
Yang Xin said.
“That word is quite fitting!”
Chen Yujie said.
“But he’s from Jiazi Storage.”
Yang Xin said.
He still wanted to salvage Nine Thousand Years Old’s failed life.
“Jiazi Storage is indeed a lucrative post. But that only means he’s good at maneuvering and has some skill. It doesn’t mean his status is high. Jiazi Storage is just one of the inner transport storages. The inner transport storages have one rank 5a seal-holding eunuch, with subordinates like near-attendants and scribes, all of whom have ranks. It oversees ten storages, labeled A, B, C, D, etc., storing goods tribute from various regions. Each storage has a storekeeper, who also has a rank. He certainly isn’t the storekeeper. So, does he know how to write?”
Chen Yujie said.
“Probably illiterate!”
Yang Xin said sheepishly.
“Then he can’t be a scribe. That leaves only overseer. Below the storekeeper are scribes and overseers. Your uncle is an overseer in Jiazi Storage without a rank.
And he’s fifty.
Not much prospect in this lifetime!”
Chen Yujie shook his head.
“I heard he’s on good terms with a senior eunuch named Wang An.”
Yang Xin wasn’t giving up.
“Wang An? There’s no senior eunuch in the palace named Wang An. You’re probably talking about the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince’s study companion is indeed named Wang An. That is a prospect, since the Crown Prince will eventually ascend the throne. Then Wang An will rise to prominence and might give him a hand. Your uncle still has a chance for promotion.”
Chen Yujie said dismissively.
“But he served Consort Wang, the Crown Prince’s consort, and the imperial grandson in the past. I heard he served them very well.”
Yang Xin struggled.
“That means he served in the Eastern Palace’s Catering Bureau. He probably curried favor with Wang An to get transferred there. The Eastern Palace Catering Bureau has directors and assistants, who have ranks. If he served Consort Wang, he couldn’t have been a director or assistant. Just a minor supervisor. The imperial grandson born to Consort Wang might indeed be named heir apparent. If that’s the case, he does have a future. However, the current emperor is only in his fifties. The Crown Prince is just over thirty, in the prime of life. Your uncle is fifty. The imperial grandson born to Consort Wang is only fourteen this year. Are you sure he can live until the day the imperial grandson ascends the throne?”
Chen Yujie said with contempt.
So Nine Thousand Years Old’s life was practically a miracle!
Yang Xin thought with amazement.
“Let’s go!”
Chen Yujie urged him impatiently.
“I still need to get some things!”
Yang Xin said, looking back at the almost empty room.
Chen Yujie casually threw a silver ingot to the puzhang…
“Trouble you, Puzhang!”
He said.
“Young master, rest assured. This humble one will take care of it. Would the young master like to buy a servant? About seventeen or eighteen taels should be enough.”
The puzhang said with a beaming smile.
“A little maid?”
Yang Xin said, quite tempted.
“Let’s go now!”
Chen Yujie said unhappily.
Yang Xin still left with regret. Buying a little maid was just a thought. Such transactions required a contract and a guarantor. Someone like him without even a legal identity shouldn’t even think about it. Even if someone, greedy for money, sold one to him without a contract, once discovered, it would be considered abduction and selling of commoners — punishable by a hundred blows and exile three thousand li. His little maid would be sent back to her original master by the authorities.
However, hiring someone was different. As long as he paid, hiring a young male servant was no problem.
If his tastes were more fashionable…
“The wicked old society!”
Yang Xin said with a shudder.
Chen Yujie, leading the horse on the other side, didn’t hear what he said. The two walked through the bustling street, heading south until they reached Xuanwu Gate, then turned east. They passed through Daming Gate and entered the eastern part of the city. They walked like this for over an hour before reaching a fence-like ward gate. Yang Xin looked up at what was above…
“Mingshi Quarter. This name sounds a bit familiar!”
He said.
Then he realized why the name felt familiar.
A carriage approached from ahead. The carriage’s curtain and window were open, revealing two young women inside, one slightly older than the other, like twin blossoms talking. The younger one, holding a small round fan, was speaking animatedly. Then she inadvertently looked up, and the moment she saw him, she froze, staring at him somewhat bewildered. The slightly older one, seeing her like this, also turned her head with curiosity, likewise staring at Yang Xin in his white, flowing clothes, her expression also confused…
“It’s you?”
Wang Wanqing said in surprise.
“It’s not me!”
Yang Xin said firmly.
Then he turned his gaze to the one beside her.
Miss Fang’s face instantly turned bright red. She almost subconsciously covered her face with her fan.
“It’s clearly you! Changing clothes doesn’t mean I won’t recognize you! Where is Elder Sister Huang? Why didn’t you come find me to play? Also, why are you dressed like this, all proper? Are you doing something wrong to Elder Sister Huang, planning to go to a dirty place like the Southern Court?”
Wang Wanqing scolded angrily.
“Huh? What place is this Southern Court?”
Yang Xin asked, puzzled.
“The Southern Court of the Imperial Music Bureau. Right here in Mingshi Quarter!”
Chen Yujie kindly explained.
“Would I go to such a place? Wang Wang, you need to be responsible for what you say. Don’t think because you’re young you can slander people’s innocence for no reason. Am I the kind of person who visits brothels? You can ask Young Master Chen. I was clearly invited by him to come study astronomy and geography with his uncle, Junior Advisor of the Left Xu, at his residence. As for your Elder Sister Huang, she’s still in Tianjin. We encountered water bandits robbing us in Tianjin. Her father was injured and is still recovering in Tianjin. I was specially invited by Young Master Chen from Tianjin!”
Yang Xin said righteously.
“You study astronomy and geography? You understand astronomy and geography? And with a great scholar like Advisor Xu?”
Wang Wanqing tilted her little head, her face full of doubt.
“If you don’t believe it, come along and see!”
Yang Xin said casually.
“Elder Sister Fang, shall we go along and take a look?”
Wang Wanqing immediately turned to ask Miss Fang, her expression clearly eager.
The latter’s face had returned to normal by now. She was a clever girl. She knew the best choice now was to pretend not to know Yang Xin.
“Wouldn’t that be too presumptuous?”
She said very ladylike, waving her small round fan.
“Come on, it’s not like we’ve never been to Advisor Xu’s residence before!”
Wang Wanqing said, shaking her shoulder.
“I am Chen Yujie, from Songjiang. Advisor Xu is my uncle. If you two young ladies are also interested, I can extend an invitation on my uncle’s behalf. May I ask your names?”
Chen Yujie immediately said, cupping his hands.
“She is Wang Wanqing, granddaughter of Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of War. This is Fang…”
Yang Xin said.
Miss Fang’s eyebrows shot up…
“As for what Fang… I don’t know!”
Yang Xin quickly said.