The night breeze had stilled, but the summer heat had yet to fade.
The villagers of Dayan Village sat in twos and threes beside Slender Lake, swatting mosquitoes with palm-leaf fans.
Gu Zhengchen lay in a small fishing boat, gazing at the stars as it drifted gently along. Gu Cheng worked the two oars now and then.
A breeze skimmed across the lake, its soothing touch almost intoxicating.
"Master, over there..."
Gu Cheng stood up and looked toward the distant official road.
Gu Zhengchen sat up and turned to look.
Two red lanterns led the way along the road, with what seemed to be a dozen or so people following behind at a brisk, hurried pace. They had left the road and were heading toward Dayan Village.
"Could they be bandits?"
Gu Cheng grew nervous and hurriedly rowed toward the landing.
Gu Zhengchen studied them. "No need to worry. Have you ever seen bandits carry lanterns when traveling at night? Let's go ashore. It's time we went home anyway."
Gu Cheng promptly agreed.
Gu Zhengchen had just stepped onto the landing, and Gu Cheng was tying up the boat, when the piercing blare of a suona tore through the stillness, its wailing notes ringing across the open countryside.
"A suona?"
Gu Zhengchen's expression darkened.
In later generations, people always said that among a hundred instruments, the suona was king: it either sent you to heaven or ushered you into the wedding hall.
I haven't heard of anyone getting married in Dayan Village. Could Elder Yan have kicked the bucket? But this doesn't sound like the finale of someone's life. It's full of joy.
"Zhengchen! Zhengchen! Why are you still here? Hurry home! Big news-wonderful news!"
Whiskers Wang came running over.
Gu Zhengchen froze for a moment, then understood and strode quickly home.
Gu Shi, Chen Shi, and Gu Qingqing were already standing in the courtyard. When Gu Zhengchen returned, Gu Shi hurried over, pulled him close, and straightened his collar.
Gu Zhengchen looked at the man leading the group. It was none other than Yan Bin, the adviser from the County Yamen.
Yan Bin gave Gu Zhengchen a slight nod, turned to take a scroll from a yamen runner, and presented it to him with both hands. "Candidate Gu, please receive your notice of appointment!"
Gu Zhengchen stepped forward and raised his hands slightly, supporting each end of the scroll between thumb and forefinger. Yan Bin released it and stepped aside.
"Brother, hurry and open it!"
Gu Qingqing could hardly wait.
Gu Zhengchen looked at his mother, Gu Shi.
Gu Shi nodded.
Gu Zhengchen drew a deep breath and released one end. The scroll dropped open, and Gu Shi and Gu Qingqing stepped forward to hold it. Gu Zhengchen took a step back and finally saw what was written on it:
Good news: Gu Zhengchen, a provincial examination graduate of your county, has been appointed county magistrate of Jurong.
"Congratulations, Zhengchen."
"Congratulations, Auntie Gu."
"Zhengchen's a county magistrate now!"
"Our Dayan Village has an official of its own!"
The villagers watching grew excited as well.
Gu Zhengchen stared intently at the notice.
Jurong!
Isn't that Old Zhu's ancestral home?
Back then, Zhu Chuyi had rolled up his trouser legs and stood in the rivers of Jurong, hoping to pan a tiny bit of gold. Unfortunately, there was no gold in those rivers, so as a registered gold-panning household, Zhu Chuyi had been forced to sell grain and buy gold to meet his required payments.
Later, poverty left him no choice but to flee. His family became a penniless moving company, packing up again after no more than a few years in each place. That was how Xuyi, Lingbi, Fengyang, and all the rest had entered the story...
If I remember correctly, it's less than a hundred li from Nanjing.
That's an interesting location: outside Jinling, yet never beyond its gaze.
Did someone arrange this deliberately, or is it pure coincidence?
County magistrate?
Why only a county magistrate? Of the men recommended for office in the sixth year of Hongwu, didn't nearly half enter Jinling as either censors or vice ministers? Some even became ministers outright, senior officials of the Six Ministries.
Why did I get nothing more than a seventh-rank county magistracy when my turn came...?
It was happy news. He ought to be happy.
Gu Zhengchen thanked everyone for their congratulations.
Gu Cheng handed out money nearby, thanking the men for bringing the good news. There were not many of them, so twenty copper coins apiece served as a token of appreciation. Gu Qingqing held out her hand for a share. Gu Cheng's eyes widened. Surely you don't need any...
Gu Qingqing shot Gu Cheng a threatening look and fiercely helped herself to a little extra.
The notice was hung in the main hall.
Gu Shi was delighted. She hurried into her room, took out Gu Pei's Memorial Tablet, and poured out everything she wanted to tell him.
Gu Qingqing hid away her pocket money, while Gu Cheng gazed at Chen Shi with a foolish grin.
Gu Zhengchen stood in the courtyard, staring at the night sky for a long time.
There must be some deeper meaning to my coming from a later age into the Hongwu era, right?
Zhu Yuanzhang was not an easy master to serve. His methods and temperament were difficult to fathom, and the slightest misstep could cost a man his head. Yet Great Ming had reached its peak at its founding, and Zhu Yuanzhang had laid the foundations for it all.
But those foundations were like the palace complex in Nanjing: unstable and liable to sink.
If I can reach Zhu Yuanzhang's side, correct the shortcomings in his institutions, and help him strengthen the foundations of the Great Ming Empire, could the Ming dynasty last longer than two hundred and seventy-six years?
The dynasty has only just been founded. Many institutions remain incomplete, and much is still being explored. Zhu Yuanzhang isn't yet so stubborn and autocratic. He has only begun placing his pieces on the imperial chessboard. Anything is still possible!
The Great Ming in my heart is the righteous spirit of heaven and earth, unyielding even in death!
The Great Ming in my heart stands upright and forthright, mighty in arms and strong as a nation!
In the Great Ming in my heart, every land beneath the sun and moon is Ming territory!
Zhu Yuanzhang, Hongwu Emperor!
Let me help you leave future generations a Great Ming dynasty more vibrant and powerful, one that no one dares bully and no one can bully, its heavenly might sweeping forth, unrivaled in the world!
Gu Zhengchen lowered his head, turned, and went inside.
He was thinking too far ahead. He might be driven out of Jurong before he had even served there for long.
Hu Weiyong was about to become left chancellor, truly below one man and above ten thousand. His honeymoon with Old Zhu was about to begin. At this point, he would slay any god who barred his path and any Buddha who stood in his way.
He simply did not know that all of this was a trap laid by Zhu Yuanzhang-a trap that began in sweetness and ended in agony.
Dawn broke the next day.
Gu Shi called Gu Zhengchen out of bed. After getting ready, he went to his father Gu Pei's grave beneath the mulberry tree.
"Your father had two wishes while he was alive. The first was for peace to come to the realm soon, and the second was for you to succeed in your studies and earn scholarly honors. Your road has been a little rough, but I believe you can become a good official."
Gu Shi lit incense and planted it before the grave.
Gu Zhengchen knelt and spoke to the grave. "Father, the court has appointed your son county magistrate of Jurong, but this is only the beginning. I believe that within ten years, I will stand in a higher position. When that time comes, I will do everything in my power to make Great Ming better and stronger, so countless people can live in peace and work in contentment, never again suffering the misery and burdens of war."
Gu Shi looked at Gu Zhengchen and said sternly, "Promise your father that you will be an honest official, loyal to your sovereign and your country, never greedy, never corrupt, and never harming the common people!"
Gu Zhengchen solemnly gave his promise.
Gu Shi nodded slightly and helped Gu Zhengchen up, then said anxiously, "You must remember: greed and corruption are forbidden. You're my only son. I can't bear for anything to happen to you."
Gu Zhengchen assured her firmly, "Mother, a gentleman loves wealth but obtains it by rightful means. Your son will never take money he shouldn't. The Hongwu Emperor hates corruption as he hates an enemy. I'm not foolish enough to run headfirst into that."
Gu Shi looked at Gu Zhengchen and said slowly, "Zhengchen, shouldn't we settle your marriage before you leave? I'll speak to a matchmaker today and see what can be arranged. Is there a young woman you fancy?"
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