Recaps

Wei Nisheng brought Suzhou’s temple abuses and He Yanming’s corruption into the open, while Zhang Zai acted against those who had hidden behind their reputations. Wei then turned toward Li Jin and the Imperial Silk Bureau, with Shen Mingxuan delivering a demand for its procurement ledgers as the emperor authorized an investigation.

• Wei Nisheng compelled Xiong Hui to accept the emperor’s authority and arranged a joint investigation of Suzhou’s temples, while Xie Lin prepared to maneuver amid the disorder.
• Xie Lin urged He Yanming and Shen Mingxuan to cooperate and put their accounts in order, while Shen Mingxuan sought a safe path from Wei Nisheng.
• Zhang Zai entered Suzhou to investigate the temples, rescued abducted girls from the Sage-Protecting Convent, and executed monks who resisted.
• Wei Nisheng and Zhang Zai exposed He Yanming’s hidden grain accounts and rejected his appeal to his public reputation, then Wei stripped him of office before the crowd.
• Wei Nisheng found evidence of missing grain and ordered He Yanming’s records compared with the Ministry of Revenue’s accounts, while Zhang Zai invited the people to present grievances.
• Wei Nisheng accused Shen Mingxuan of disguising the Everlasting Abundance Firm’s accounts and tasked him with requesting the Imperial Silk Bureau’s original procurement ledgers.
• Emperor Jing of Zhou authorized Wei Nisheng to investigate the Imperial Silk Bureau, and Wang Cheng destroyed a note promising him control of the Suzhou Weaving Bureau.
• Shen Mingxuan delivered Wei Nisheng’s directive to Li Jin, who agreed to send the bureau’s procurement registers to the Imperial Envoy’s Headquarters.

Wei Nisheng brought the Suzhou investigation to a close, returned the recovered silver to the emperor’s control, and came home to Feng Yan and Fu Niang. As court factions maneuvered over the silver and Feng Yan’s declining health, Wei Nisheng went to meet the Crown Prince.

• Li Jin surrendered the original procurement records to Wei Nisheng, who promised to report his cooperation and avoid condemning him outright.
• Wei Nisheng confiscated the assets of merchants implicated in the temple accounts, spared Shen Mingxuan, and offered leniency to merchants who reported their accounts.
• Shen Yi accepted the Suzhou posting, then demoted Xie Lin and transferred him to Guilin as a county magistrate, and the verdicts also sent He Yanming to execution and stripped Li Jin of office.
• Wei Nisheng left Suzhou with more than 3.2 million taels recovered, then reunited with Fu Niang in Jinling and reported his findings to Emperor Jing of Zhou.
• Feng Yan welcomed Wei Nisheng home, praised his choices in Suzhou, and confessed that he feared no one would protect Wei Nisheng and Fu Niang after his death.
• Wei Nisheng took his place in Feng Yan’s study and told Wang Kan that the recovered silver should remain in the Imperial Treasury for the emperor to direct.
• Kou Yuan and Shen Duan maneuvered over the silver’s destination, while Feng Yan’s absence from court left the factions weighing their next moves.
• Wei Nisheng accompanied Fu Niang to seek a wedding date, then entered the Eastern Palace and met Crown Prince Jiang Heng, who asked whether he was from Suzhou.

Wei Nisheng secured an alliance with Shen Duan and won appointment as Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel’s Bureau of Selecting Officials. Emperor Jing of Zhou then entrusted Wei with the charge of “Ruler-Father,” while Yao Zhen asked the emperor to promote Wang Kan.

• Jiang Heng defended Wei Nisheng’s visit to the Crown Prince as a family matter, then heard Wei’s completed lyric about Jingkou.
• Fu Niang’s wedding date was moved to May, and she and Wei Nisheng shared a tender moment as they left the palace.
• Wei Nisheng reported recovering over 3.2 million taels of silver from Suzhou, but officials fought over how it should be used and whether he deserved a promotion.
• Feng Yan advised Wei Nisheng to build his own base of power, while Wang Kan sought Yao Zhen’s support for helping Wei and keeping the right to admonish him.
• Wei Nisheng persuaded Shen Duan to back his advancement by arguing that their factions needed a lasting alliance against Kou Yuan.
• Shen Duan proposed Wei Nisheng’s return to the Ministry of Personnel’s Selection Bureau, and Emperor Jing of Zhou approved the appointment after condemning Kou Yuan and Song Yue’s opposition.
• Emperor Jing of Zhou appointed Wei Nisheng Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel’s Bureau of Selecting Officials, gave him the charge of “Ruler-Father,” and presented him with a jade ruyi.
• Yao Zhen cited Wang Kan’s service and asked Emperor Jing of Zhou to promote him to Assistant Censor-in-Chief with the Subordinate Fifth Rank.

Wei Nisheng secured a divided allocation of the Suzhou silver and used appointments and bargains to extend his influence over officials and the northwest. As Khitan and Tangut envoys arrived seeking concessions, he prepared for the coming court audience and resolved to check Shen Duan if he expanded his power.

• Yao Zhen persuaded Emperor Jing of Zhou to appoint Wang Kan Assistant Censor-in-Chief, giving Wei Zi’s faction a foothold in the Censorate.
• Kou Yuan led the Upright Officials in demanding that the Suzhou silver go to the Ministry of Revenue, but Wei Nisheng proposed splitting it between military reserves and an emergency treasury, and Emperor Jing approved the division.
• Wei Nisheng recalled Liu Mingde and negotiated with Song Yue to appoint Zhou Quan to command Ningxia Garrison in exchange for Song Zhao’s candidacy for Kaifeng Prefectural Judge.
• Wei Nisheng enlisted Qiu Heng to advance Song Zhao’s appointment while Qin Yan returned and reunited with Feng Yan, who said he could no longer leave the Feng Residence.
• Yelü Qi and Yeli Wangrong agreed to negotiate separately while using the prospect of pressure from east and west to seek concessions from Great Zhou.
• Shen Duan investigated the envoys and Ningxia Garrison, while Liu Min rebuked Yeli Wangrong’s gossip about the Khitan empress and refused gifts in a display before the approaching Grand Court Audience.
• After Qin Yan’s letter revealed the envoys’ political connections, Wei Nisheng assessed the competing officials and decided to preserve the balance with Shen Duan but strike first if Shen expanded his reach.