Chapter 892: Candidates for Vice Ministers

Both Shi An and Chen Yong were recommended to Zhang Yue by Li Qing back then. Now transferred to the Beijing Ministry of War, they had left behind the stagnant atmosphere in Nanjing. Naturally, they were determined to prove their abilities. One worked in the Military Selection Department, the other in the Personnel Department, both working diligently, as if willing to split themselves in half and stretch twelve hours in a day into twenty-four. So, although they hadn’t yet been recommended to participate in the discussions at the Hongwen Pavilion, they had a seat as observers and witnessed a significant event, still feeling unsatisfied. It wasn’t until they noticed something amiss that they saw an extra person in the room.
“Oh, my lord has returned!”
Zhang Yue waved his hand at the two who hurriedly stood up, then walked over and sat behind the desk. He didn’t mention what he had just heard but instead asked about some official matters. After pondering for a while, he said, “It seems that not only our Ministry of War but also the Ministry of Punishments will likely not send a minister anytime soon. After all, the Ministry of Punishments already has a full complement of vice ministers, while our Ministry of War’s lack of one vice minister would cause great trouble. The candidates proposed last time were rejected by the emperor. You both have been in the court for quite some time and have long served in the Ministry of War. If you have any candidates, let me know so I can consider submitting them.”
Having served for many years, Zhang Yue had extensive connections, but if we were to talk about his own team, aside from his former colleagues and subordinates in the Ministry of War, the rest were those he had truly built up during his recent assignment advising on military affairs in Jiaozhi. Both Shi An and Chen Yong were older than him and had experienced many ups and downs in their careers. They considered themselves more reliable than the overly ambitious young officials, and after spending so much time together, he also had considerable trust in their character. Thus, he handed over such an important task with his usual calm expression.
He could take it for granted, but Shi An and Chen Yong didn’t dare think that way. They exchanged a glance, thinking of the restless atmosphere throughout the imperial court—after all, there were too many vacancies in the six ministries. Many didn’t want to come to the Ministry of War to curry favor with a young vice minister, but there were indeed those willing to take a chance, though most of them had ulterior motives.
After considering for a moment, Chen Yong said softly, “Does my lord know Mr. Xu Wenqi?”
Zhang Yue thought for a while before recalling someone: “Are you referring to Mr. Xu Kuo, the head of the Imperial Stables?”

Chen Yong nodded and then explained, “Lord Xu Wenqi was appointed through recommendation. Initially, he served as an official in the Bureau of Military Affairs, specifically in the Department of Geography. Later, he held various positions as a court official and was also assigned to external posts before finally coming to the Ministry of Equine Affairs. He is a straightforward man who is diligent and meticulous in his work. The Ministry of Equine Affairs deals with horse breeding, a task that is both complicated and exhausting, yet he remains ever meticulous. In fact…”

Seeing Chen Yong pause, seemingly embarrassed, Zhang Yue frowned slightly before suddenly realizing, “You mean that if I hadn’t happened to return to the capital, that position as Vice Minister of the Bureau of Military Affairs should have gone to him?”

“That’s exactly right!” Chen Yong smiled without adding anything, but Shi An took over, “Lord Xu is more than twice your age. He is now sixty-three. In terms of seniority in the court, few can compare to him. It’s because during the Yongle era, the high-ranking officials in the six ministries were hardly changed, so he didn’t get the chance. It was only later that he was promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Equine Affairs. When I was in the Bureau of Military Affairs, I received guidance from Lord Xu and have always admired him greatly.”

“Since you and Uncle Zhen agree, Lord Xu must indeed be the right choice.”

Zhang Yue also felt relieved. However, thinking of Xu Kuo’s age of sixty-three, he couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous. But then, remembering that most of the other high-ranking officials were around the same age, he put aside his concerns. After all, although the average lifespan back then wasn’t long, and an emperor was considered lucky to live past sixty, those who reached high positions seemed to know well how to maintain their health and would never retire easily before reaching seventy or eighty—except for Jin Chun, the former Minister of Punishments who was unfortunately forced to retire.

“In that case, I’ll find an opportunity to meet Lord Xu.”

Although he was pretty sure, Zhang Yue wasn’t certain whether this man, who was more than a decade his senior, would be willing to come to the Bureau of Military Affairs, so he didn’t want to be too definitive. Shi An and Chen Yong only mentioned that they had been superior and subordinate in the past and didn’t have a close relationship, so aside from knowing that Xu Kuo was from Xiangcheng, they couldn’t provide much more information.

Now that most of this issue was resolved, when he was alone in the room again, Zhang Yue picked up the documents with greater ease. He called in a clerk, and within an hour, he approved or rejected them all, finishing processing the thick stack of documents. Only then did he realize he was very hungry. So he got up and went out to call Shi An, Chen Yong, Cui Fanzhi, and a few other subordinates he knew well, and they all went together on foot to a street near Chongwen Gate to look for food.

Official life in the capital was hard, but even so, people still needed to eat and live. It was impossible to rely solely on pickled vegetables and dried radishes for 365 days a year. Thus, in Dongjiangmi Alley near Chongwen Gate, where officials went to court every day, shops were relatively rare. The other alleys were different—there were restaurants of every kind, all prepared for the officials in the government offices. Even if one couldn’t afford to dine there, when external officials came to the capital on official business, they would at least treat the local officials to a meal, if not as a bribe.

Zhang Yue and the officers from the Ministry of War were also regulars here. So when they stepped onto the street, the familiar staff members didn’t shout loudly but instead showed their warmest smiles. After all, this wasn’t just another place to attract small customers—it was an elegant spot dedicated to serving officials. A group of them stopped in front of what seemed to be a newly opened restaurant, and someone immediately came forward to greet them.

“Is this place also called ‘The Best in the World’?”

Hearing Zhang Yue’s question, the staff member replied with a beaming smile, “Sir, have you been to the old store in Dengshi Hutong? This one opened only after the Lantern Festival. Come in and give it a try—it will taste exactly the same as the old one.”

Seeing few customers in the first-floor dining area, Zhang Yue remembered the crowded scene at the store in Dengshi Hutong and couldn’t help but smile. Still concerned about the various fish dishes served here, he led everyone inside and began talking about the events of the Lantern Festival. Hearing that a meal could cost several guan, some people gasped, then chuckled and said, “Fortunately, it’s you who’s treating us. Otherwise, if we had to eat here, we’d have to become officials!”

Shi An and Chen Yong also came from ordinary families. During the New Year, they didn’t even have wives or children by their sides—simple because the capital was huge and living there was difficult. At that moment, they naturally joined in the joking. But as they went up to the second floor and passed by a private room, a staff member came out with an empty tray. The observant Chen Yong glanced inside and quickly stepped forward to catch up with Zhang Yue.

“Sir, I saw Lord Xu Wenqi.”

Zhang Yue stopped in his tracks, puzzled. He had decided to take his subordinates out for a meal on a whim, and entering this restaurant was also impulsive. Shi An and Chen Yong only mentioned Xu Kuo because he asked. How could it be so coincidental that they met him here? After a moment of surprise, he told the others to find a quiet private room first, then asked Chen Yong, “How many people are inside?”

“Just give Lord Xu one.” Seeing Zhang Yue freeze in surprise, Chen Yong couldn’t help but laugh as well. “Your Excellency has never worked with Lord Xu before, so you probably don’t know his temperament. He’s famous in the capital for his love of fine food. Thanks to his wealthy family background, during his time in Nanjing, there was hardly any restaurant, big or small, that he hadn’t tried. Even after the capital was moved, he retained this habit. He naturally loves fish, and ‘The World’s Finest Fish’ is exactly what he likes.”

Hearing Chen Yong say this, Zhang Yue remembered the Minister of Imperial Carriages he had seen in court before. Indeed, among those court officials in their sixties, Xu Kuo seemed particularly energetic. He often heard this man laugh and talk in a deep voice that was completely out of proportion to his age, which made Zhang Yue smile.

“Since we’ve met, it must be fate. After we sit down and order food, accompany me to pay a visit to this old Xu.”

In the wealthy families of the capital, it was common to eat meat from beasts and birds. Among beast meats, those from wild animals like roe deer and deer were highly prized, while among bird meats, in addition to ordinary chickens, ducks, and geese, there were also wild birds that flew in the sky. As for fish, tastes varied from household to household, and a full fish banquet was certainly not the trend at the time. Thus, as Zhang Yue confidently ordered a large number of dishes, the skilled officials from the Ministry of War, who were adept at handling official affairs, began to discuss them curiously. Meanwhile, Zhang Yue left with Chen Yong.

Xu Kuo’s private room was the third one along the staircase. Chen Yong knocked on the door and waited for a long time before an impatient voice came from inside: “The food is already here. Why come disturb me?”

Hearing this, Chen Yong glanced at Zhang Yue before smiling and saying, “Old Xu, this is your humble servant, Chen Yong.”

“Chen Shuzhen? Why not come at any other time? You have to come during meals… Alright, alright, come in!”

Zhang Yue followed Chen Yong inside and saw an old man in casual clothes sitting by a square table. Half of his hair was white, but his back was straight. He skillfully picked the bones out of the fish with his chopsticks. Without even looking up when they entered, he stuffed a piece of fish free of bones into his mouth, savored it for a while, then nodded but still didn’t put down his chopsticks. Zhang Yue found it interesting. Seeing Chen Yong about to speak, he waved his hand to stop him and then slowly walked over.

“Old Xu, you really have a great mood.”

Only then did Xu Kuo lift his head. Seeing it was Zhang Yue, he was shocked and froze for a while before standing up. Then, noticing Chen Yong not far behind Zhang Yue, he scolded with a smile, “You old Chen Shuzhen! Why didn’t you say earlier that Vice Minister Zhang was coming too? Are you trying to make fun of me on purpose?”

As he spoke, he set about moving the chairs. Zhang Yue quickly stepped in to help, then said with a smile, “It was just now when we passed by here that Uncle Zhen happened to see Lord Xu inside, so he spoke to me. I thought I’d come and pay a visit. To be honest, it was my recklessness.”
“What recklessness? I really didn’t expect guests to show up while I’m enjoying a meal like this.”
Xu Kuo gestured for Zhang Yue to sit first, but since he refused firmly, he sat down himself. Just as he was about to invite Chen Yong, he saw Chen Yong smile and bow slightly, saying, “There are many colleagues over there. Since you’re treating us, you’d better leave first. I need to go and keep an eye on things, so no one thinks no one will pay the bill later. Lord Xu is very magnanimous; he surely won’t mind having me as company. I won’t disturb you any longer. Goodbye.”
Chen Yong left quickly, even closing the door behind him. Xu Kuo, caught off guard, shook his head irritably before turning his attention back to Zhang Yue. “They say you get the subordinates you deserve as a boss. Everyone says the Ministry of War offers good benefits—even the charcoal given during festivals is better than in other government offices. And since your position as a superior isn’t domineering, it seems true today. No wonder those high-ranking officials are reluctant to work with you at the Ministry of War. Which official could be like you?”
Finding Xu Kuo’s words interesting and seeing him hand over a pair of clean chopsticks, Zhang Yue accepted them without hesitation. He then picked up an empty cup and poured wine into it, saying, “Since Lord Xu knows so much, you must also understand that my real interest isn’t in the wine. Truth is, the Ministry of War is really short-staffed now. It’s okay with the clerks, and if we look carefully, there are suitable candidates, but having two positions vacant is a problem. The ones I recommended either refused or were assigned elsewhere by the emperor. I’m in a dilemma. It just so happened that Uncle Chen Zhen and Shi Zhijing mentioned Lord Xu, and we met here, so I came straight over.”
“Are you suggesting I be appointed as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War?” He asked directly. When Zhang Yue nodded, Xu Kuo pondered for a while before raising his cup and drinking it in one gulp. Then, resting his chin in his hand, he said, “I’m about the same age as the former Minister Zhang. Aren’t you afraid I’ll rely on my age to give orders?”

“If Elder Xu intends to rely on his age to give orders, why bother mentioning it now and causing trouble for himself?” Seeing Xu Kuo freeze for a moment, Zhang Yue burst into laughter, thinking to himself that this old man truly had a generous temperament. He then praised him even more, saying, “Besides, if Elder Xu can make Uncle Chen Zhen and Shi Zhijing sound so heroic, surely he won’t make things difficult for a young junior like me!”
“Good, good!”
Xu Kuo simply said “good” twice, then personally poured a cup of wine for Zhang Yue and filled his own cup as well. Only after that did he raise his cup and say, “Since it’s an old acquaintance talking to another old acquaintance, and you, Vice Minister Zhang, are such an open-minded person, I won’t say any nonsense. As long as I can pass the approval from the ministry and the emperor agrees, why can’t I change my position? Just don’t be fooled by my current appearance; when it comes to doing things, I’m very meticulous and won’t consider anyone’s face. Don’t blame me for offending others later!”
“Doesn’t Elder Xu know that I, Zhang Yuanjie, am known for offending people the most?”
Zhang Yue and Xu Kuo exchanged glances, then clinked their cups together and drank them in one gulp, both laughing again.