amaotonovel Chapter 170: People in the light don’t tell the hidden story
Chapter 170: People in the light don’t tell the hidden story
It must be said that this wonderful misunderstanding had a very positive effect; at least Yinzhuo's first day on duty at the Ministry of Works went very smoothly.
The imperial edict from Emperor Kangxi ordered Yinzhi to oversee the Ministry of Works. Overseeing meant supervising and managing the ministry. The edict had already been issued to the Ministry of Works, so as soon as Yinzhi and his entourage left, the Minister of Works arrived with his men.
The current Six Ministries are headed by Manchu and Han Ministers, and Left and Right Vice Ministers. The Manchu and Han Ministers work together and supervise each other, while the Left and Right Vice Ministers have clearly defined roles. Yinzhuo is not very clear about how the other ministries are arranged, but he has been cramming on the Ministry of Works these past few days. As far as he knows, in the Ministry of Works, the Left Vice Minister is mainly in charge of construction, while the Right Vice Minister is mainly in charge of equipment and supervises the Baoyuan Bureau.
Although it's said that a new official makes a big splash upon taking office, Yinzhuo had no intention of doing so. After all, they had their own set of rules for doing things, and he didn't understand any of them. There was no need for an outsider to direct an expert. Moreover, his purpose in coming to the Ministry of Works was for Dai Zi. He didn't want to worry about anything else. He would leave all these matters to the Ninth and Tenth Princes when they arrived in a few days. He would only hold a nominal position and then he could go back to his carefree life. Therefore, he was very casual in his attitude towards the Minister of Works and the Vice Ministers who came to pay their respects.
"Everyone, please find a place to sit down. I suppose you have all heard that I had no experience with court affairs before coming to the Ministry of Works, so I am not very familiar with you all. Why don't you all introduce yourselves first and get to know each other better?"
Although Yinzhuo said he wanted them to get to know each other better, everyone knew exactly who he was. Didn't he mean he wanted them to introduce themselves to him? Understood!
"Your servant Marsai, the current Minister of Works, greets Prince Zhao."
"Your subject, Wang Hongxu, currently serving as Minister of Works, greets Prince Zhao."
"Your subject, Bai Shuose, currently serving as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, greets Prince Zhao."
……
After patiently listening to their introductions, Yinzhu gestured for them to find seats, then beckoned a servant to come and serve them tea before clearing his throat.
"From now on, you should continue to follow the same procedures for all matters concerning the Ministry of Works. Ninth and Tenth Princes will be coming over in a few days. If you have any questions, you can discuss them with them. Do you all understand what I mean?"
"I understand, so what you're saying is that we shouldn't come to you unless it's absolutely necessary?" Marseille, Wang Hongxu, and the others exchanged bewildered glances. After all, this was the first time they'd encountered such a situation! Something wasn't right. Shouldn't they have said something polite first? Or given them a warning? Was it really appropriate to just tell them directly not to come to me unless it was absolutely necessary?
But regardless of whether this matter unfolded correctly or not, Yinzhuo was still waiting for their answer. So the group stood up and bowed to Yinzhuo.
"I understand."
Very good. Yinzhuo was obviously satisfied with their answer. He invited everyone to sit down and chatted for a while before asking to see Dai Zi. Dai Zi had been sent back to the capital more than a month ago, and his family had been arranged to stay at the Ministry of Works. It was easy for Yinzhuo to see him. Almost as soon as he spoke, Dai Zi was brought over!
"This humble commoner, Dai Zi, greets Prince Zhao."
Yinzhuo had been observing Dai Zi ever since he entered. To put it simply, his first impression was one word: thin. Although he was not much older than Kangxi, he looked more than twenty years older than Cang's father. It seems that the historical account of his impoverished exile to Shengjing was not untrue.
"Please get up and sit down, Hatu, Akshan and all the other officials, please go out first and close the door behind you. Lord Dai and I have something to discuss."
After Akshang and the others left, only Yinzhuo and Daizi remained in the room. Daizi was clearly a little reserved in front of Yinzhuo. Seeing that he was somewhat at a loss, Yinzhuo did not ask any questions rashly. Instead, he gestured for him to sit down and chatted with him about what he had seen and heard in Shengjing, giving him ample time to adjust. Only after he had adjusted did he tell him his purpose.
"The person who went to fetch Lord Dai before should have already told you that I went to the Khan and asked him to bring you here. You must be very curious about why I want you here. Let's not beat around the bush. What I value is your talent in firearms manufacturing. I hope you can use your talent to create weapons for our Great Qing that are more powerful than those of Western countries. So now you have two choices. First, stay. This means that from now on you will live in anonymity and lose your freedom. Your every word and action will be monitored and even recorded. But in return, I can assure you that your family will not only be able to live a life of comfort from now on, but I will also protect them as long as I am here. Second, if you do not want to stay, you can pretend you did not hear what I said. I will immediately send someone to send you back to Shengjing."
After Yinzhu finished speaking, he looked up at Dai Zi, who was frowning as if he was thinking. Yinzhu did not interrupt him, but took the teapot on the table and poured himself a cup of tea. Dai Zi thought for a long time, and Yinzhu drank several cups of tea before he spoke.
"Your Highness, I can stay and serve you, but can you really do as you say and protect my family?"
Upon hearing Dai Zi's words, Yinzhuo breathed a sigh of relief. Although he appeared calm on the surface, he was actually quite anxious. He had gone to great lengths to get this person from his father, and if he had let him get away now, he would have been furious. Fortunately, although this person was talented, he was not an inflexible and pedantic scholar.
"Of course, I can assure you that as long as I live, I will ensure the safety of your family. Even if you don't trust my abilities, you can trust my father, right? With him around, I can do whatever I want in this capital. You may not know, but I have a pretty good relationship with my brothers. They will help me if something really happens."
In truth, Dai Zi knew perfectly well that what appeared to be two paths before him were actually only one. This Prince Zhao might indeed allow him to leave the capital with his family, as he claimed, but their Emperor would certainly not permit it. If he chose the second path, his entire family would likely be beheaded as soon as they left the capital. Therefore, he had no choice at this moment. Regardless of whether what Yinzhuo said was true or false, he could only believe him.
"This humble citizen, Dai Zi, is willing to serve the Qing Dynasty with utmost loyalty."
Yinzhuo may not have been unaware of Dai Zi's thoughts, but as the saying goes, it doesn't matter whether a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice. Whether Dai Zi trusts him or not is unimportant. As long as he does what he is supposed to do, Yinzhuo will keep his promise and ensure that his family is well-fed, clothed, and safe.
"Okay, go back and say goodbye to your family properly. Someone will pick you up tomorrow. Just go with him. As for your family, don't worry. I will arrange for them to stay in my garden after you leave tomorrow. It's absolutely safe there."