Jinghe Fourteenth Year, Winter, Eleventh Month, Renyin Day. Minor Snow.
Two days earlier, Wang Kan's three impeachment memorials had shaken court and country.
The Grand Secretariat's Court Deliberation had reaffirmed the proposal that "the Arrears Investigation shall begin with Suzhou Prefecture," tightening the tension at court.
Thus, today followed the customary practice of the Regular Court Audience: only officials of the Fifth Rank or above stationed in the capital took their turn attending.
In the Small Courtyard of the Wei Residence, Wei Nisheng lacked the requisite rank and could not attend court.
So he had risen before dawn, washed his face with cold water, put on his official robes, and fastened his Fish Bag.
He carefully folded his completed "Memorial on the Relative Importance of Gansu and Liaodong" and tucked it into his robes, but did not submit it.
It was not yet time.
The court was still discussing the arrears, and His Majesty had not summoned him. To submit a memorial rashly would be to overstep his bounds.
He remembered well the rules the Hanlin Academy had instilled in him.
Once the situation had broadly settled, if His Majesty asked for his views,
he could then submit a memorial taking his leave, on the grounds that he was "a minister about to depart, concerned for his Ruler-Father."
Then everything would fall naturally into place, and no one could find fault.
Before long, Cui Fu drove him to the Ministry of Revenue offices in a carriage.
As he alighted, Wei Nisheng glanced back at him and said,
"You needn't come to collect me today. Go and attend to what I instructed you to do.
After the new year, I may go on an inspection tour of Suzhou Prefecture."
Cui Fu acknowledged the order, turned the horses around, and left.