Chapter 341: Zhang Pu

“With your current reputation in the society, my dear brother, if you just brush up on the contemporary essay style, you’re sure to pass this year’s examinations,” he said with a laugh. Zhang Dai knew that Zhao Yigong’s scholarly rank was not legitimately earned—it was clear from their daily conversations that while Master Zhao was incredibly knowledgeable, his grasp of the Four Books and Five Classics was surprisingly weak.

“It’s precisely the contemporary essay that I can’t manage…”

Zhang Dai smiled and lowered his voice. “Since you’re one of us, why bother with that deceitful stuff? As long as your writing is coherent, that’s all that matters!”

Zhao Yigong had long heard about the Fu She’s manipulation of the imperial examinations—it was practically an open secret among the scholars of Jiangnan. Since the Jinling Assembly, the Fu She’s influence had grown immense, especially with the deliberate support of Donglin-affiliated officials at all levels. Joining the Fu She had become a shortcut to success in the exams. By the time Zhang Pu passed away, when the Fu She’s power was at its zenith, they could not only determine who would pass but even pre-arrange their rankings.

Many of the so-called “pure stream” scholars of the late Ming, renowned for their integrity, had no qualms about this. Even Wen Zhenmeng, a man known for his uprightness and respected even by the emperor as a court lecturer and Grand Secretary, had accepted requests from Zhang Pu and others to secretly arrange the rankings for Fu She scholars. It was clear to Zhao Yigong that these Donglin purists were willing to do this primarily because they were driven by the logic of “power struggle.”

In the court, integrity alone was not enough to survive, let alone implement one’s political agenda. Self-preservation itself was difficult. The Donglin and Fu She had learned this lesson from the fierce factional struggles of the Tianqi era. To reform the government, they first needed a sufficient number of “their own people” in the court and in local administration. Manipulating the examinations was the easiest way to achieve this. The main members of the Fu She were scholars, so it wasn’t difficult for them to produce essays that met the passing standard.

A thought stirred in Zhao Yigong’s mind. He had long been dissatisfied with his mere Xiucai degree. In social situations, he always felt a bit inferior, especially around Juren and retired Jinshi. Although they were polite to him, the moment they heard he was just a “blue-robed scholar,” a hint of condescension would inevitably show.

However, this matter would probably cost money, and Zhao Yigong hadn’t even joined the Fu She yet. From a professional standpoint, it wasn’t appropriate for him to join.

Zhao Yigong said, “But I am not yet a member of the Fu She…”

Zhang Dai nodded thoughtfully. He knew of Zhao Yigong’s “true talents and learning.” If he were to actually join the society, the “Two Zhangs” (Zhang Pu and Zhang Cai) would probably not agree—it would be a real joke.

But then his eyes lit up, and he added, “No matter, Brother Zhao can be a ‘friend of the society’.” He snapped his fan shut with a flourish. “As a ‘friend of the society,’ you are already famous throughout Jiangnan. It’s not improper for Tianru to help you climb a little higher.”

The two chatted on as their boat sailed smoothly to Taicang.

Taicang was a directly-administered prefecture, newly established during the Hongzhi era from parts of Kunshan, Jiading, and Changshu counties. Located on the banks of the Yangtze River, its land was mostly sandy and relatively high, making it suitable for growing cotton.

From the Qing Dynasty onwards, Taicang was a fairly prosperous place. Even during the “Three Years of Hardship,” many local farmers had access to commercial grain—all thanks to cotton. But in the late Ming, the bizarre fiscal system had impoverished this cotton-producing area. The reason was that the region produced very little grain, yet its annual taxes had to be paid in grain. The local people had to sell their cotton and then buy grain from other regions to pay their taxes. If the price of outside grain was low, the burden was manageable. But once the price of imported grain soared, the burden became extremely heavy.

In the past two years, the cotton textile industry in Jiangnan had been in a slump, which in turn had dealt a heavy blow to Taicang’s cotton cultivation. The villages along the way looked quite desolate.

The boat arrived at the river landing of the Zhang family. The house was new, not an old residence. The flagpole in front, signifying a Jinshi degree, was also recently erected, its paint still fresh and gleaming with a festive air.

Zhao Yigong knew that although Zhang Pu came from a typical “second-generation rich” and “second-generation official” family, his early life had been difficult. His uncle had been the Minister of Works in Nanjing, and his father was a famous major landowner in Taicang. But among ten brothers, he was the only son of a concubine. He was not only looked down upon by his family but also by his uncle’s servants, who even showed disrespect to his father. After his father passed away, the fifteen-year-old Zhang Pu and his mother moved out of the Zhang household, relying on his mother’s spinning to pay for his education.

Looking at Zhang Pu’s life story alone, this journey from a despised illegitimate son of a powerful family to a nationally renowned literary leader was not only a model of success but also a fantastic subject for a novel.

Zhao Yigong instructed Cai Shi to present their calling cards while he and Zhang Dai waited on the shore. He knew that after Zhang Pu was selected as a Shujishi, his sharp talents in the Hanlin Academy had made him stand out, which displeased Wen Tiren. He had then taken leave to care for his family and had been living at home ever since, never returning to the court before his death.

However, his influence had grown steadily during his time at home, at one point reaching a level where he could influence court politics through the Fu She’s power in the government.

Zhao Yigong thought to himself that Zhang Pu’s real ambition was to manipulate court affairs from behind the scenes. After all, as officials, he and Zhang Cai were too young and lacked seniority. To implement their political agenda, they had to rely on senior officials with deep experience and prestige: Zhou Yanru was their choice.

Persuading him from the angle of protecting Zhou Yanru and attacking Wen Tiren had at least a seventy to eighty percent chance of success.

“My master invites the two gentlemen to his study,” said a servant who was already waiting at the gate, bowing. He then led the two through the main hall, turned right from the courtyard, entered a small gate, and walked along a winding corridor to a quiet courtyard. In the courtyard was a study with one main room and two smaller side rooms. Flowers and trees were planted along the base of the walls. In the west corner was a pond surrounded by a green-tiled railing, with two strangely shaped rockeries standing in the water, amidst a dense grove of green bamboo.

Zhao Yigong had no time to admire the scenery. He hastily straightened his clothes. After the servant announced their arrival, he entered through the curtained door, head bowed, hands clasped, and with light steps.

The Hanlin Academy Shujishi, Zhang Pu, was already waiting for him inside.

Zhang Pu was very young, only thirty, the same age as Zhao Yigong. He already had three wisps of a beard, making him look quite mature. Zhao Yigong observed him and thought his expression was that of a rather magnanimous person, but the occasional sharp glint in his eyes revealed a man of firm will and decisive action, not just a useless good-for-nothing.

It was said that in his youth, Zhang Pu had been bullied by his uncle’s powerful servants, Chen Peng and Guo Kun, who had also repeatedly scorned his humble birth. He had written an oath in blood, vowing revenge. Later, after succeeding in the examinations, he indeed used his connection with Lu Zhenfei to have the two servants arrested and taken to Chongming County, where they were secretly executed after being sentenced by the magistrate.

Seeing the two of them enter, Zhang Pu came forward with a smile. They exchanged bows and greetings. Zhang Dai first introduced Zhao Yigong to Zhang Pu, followed by more pleasantries.

“I have come to see Mr. Tianru today, to be frank, with a request,” Zhao Yigong said, getting straight to the point.

“I have some inkling of it,” Zhang Pu said, his gaze powerful enough to be mesmerizing. He was indeed worthy of his position as a leader of the literary world, capable of influencing politics from behind the scenes. “Is it about the matter of Sun Huodong?”

“Precisely.” Zhao Yigong was secretly astonished. Although he had told Zhang Dai of his intentions, Zhang Dai had little interest in such matters and was unlikely to have sent someone ahead to inform Zhang Pu. For Zhang Pu to know his purpose upon seeing him showed that he had his own intelligence network.

“Yes, it is indeed about Sun Huodong’s matter,” Zhao Yigong affirmed.

Zhang Pu didn’t speak, seeming to consider something. After a long moment, he said, “Why do you think I have such ability to help Sun Huodong?”

“You may not, sir, but the Fu She and the Donglin do,” Zhao Yigong said with utmost certainty. This was a form of flattery, fully expressing the sentiment “who else but you could take on this great responsibility.”

Zhang Pu said, “Sun Huodong’s son is married to Grand Secretary Xu’s daughter. Why not seek help from Grand Secretary Xu?”

“It is for that very reason that it is inconvenient for Grand Secretary Xu to say too much,” Zhao Yigong replied.

Another silence fell. Zhao Yigong knew that although Zhang Pu was in Taicang, he was well-informed about the situation at court. At this moment, he must be weighing the pros and cons. He thought for a moment and then spoke with a tone of utmost sincerity:

“In the court, Sun Huodong is but a small pawn. Those who are now pursuing him are all aiming for Premier Zhou…” He paused to let the point sink in. “If Sun Huodong falls, I fear Premier Zhou will not be able to stand for long in the court either!”

What could move Zhang Pu was the fate of Zhou Yanru. How important Zhou Yanru was to the current Donglin and Fu She was something Zhang Pu himself had to consider.

“What makes you say that, sir?” his host stared at him intently.

Zhao Yigong had done his homework on this issue. He had one advantage: there was a wealth of research from later generations on the entanglements between Zhou Yanru, Wen Tiren, and the Donglin, as well as numerous historical sources from all sides. In terms of the breadth and depth of his knowledge, he might even be better informed than the people of that time. Thus, he began his discourse with the case of Qian Longxi and continued all the way to the recent struggles, where Xue Guoguan had instructed a censor to impeach Zhou Yanru for arranging for Wu Weiye to be placed in the first rank as chief examiner. Not only were his materials from all sides detailed, but his analysis was also coherent and logical. He was particularly clear in untangling the conflicts and interests between the various factions.

Zhang Pu listened attentively, his eyes showing surprise from time to time. Only after Zhao Yigong had finished his “thesis” did he say, “I never imagined that you, sir, living in Guangdong, would be so well-informed about the affairs of the court!”

Zhao Yigong could only respond with a smile. That was a very sensitive comment.

Zhang Pu stood up, paced a few steps, then turned and asked, “Do you truly believe that if Sun Huodong falls, Premier Zhou will not last long either?”

“Yes!” Zhao Yigong’s reply was crisp. “The relationship between Sun Huodong and Premier Zhou is known to all. In this great upheaval in Dengzhou, if Sun Huodong cannot redeem himself through meritorious service, how can Premier Zhou justify his position?” He immediately added, “Once Premier Zhou is gone, and with Grand Secretary Xu in his twilight years, which of the other cabinet ministers can stand against Premier Wen?”