Moma Liangshan

Chapter 54, Four Seas Restaurant, Discussion

Wang Hao frowned and asked, "What is the price of a shipbuilding craftsman?" The prefect smiled helplessly and said, "The highest-paid craftsmen in Mingzhou are shipbuilding craftsmen." Wang Hao was incredulous and asked again, "Compared to the craftsmen who build harbors, their prices are even higher?" The prefect nodded and said, "About forty percent higher." Wang Hao was surprised and let out a long sigh, saying, "Unexpected!" The recruitment of craftsmen had gone beyond expectations, and he had to rethink his plans. Wang Hao looked at the eunuch in the Bureau of Approval and said, "I have a batch of utensils and jewels that I would like to ask for your help in converting them into cash. Is that possible?" The eunuch replied without hesitation, "No problem at all! May I ask where you are staying, young master? I will send someone to appraise them tomorrow." Hao replied, "Mingzhou Post Station." He then said, "I brought several jars of Eight Immortals Wine from Tokyo, and I would like to invite you two gentlemen to taste them!" The eunuch said, "Is it the Eight Immortals Wine named by the Emperor?" Wang Hao replied, "Indeed." The eunuch said, "There's no time like the present. How about the Sihai Restaurant tonight?" Wang Hao said, "I just don't know if the Prefect is free today?" The Prefect said, "I have long heard of the fame of Eight Immortals Wine, but I have never had the chance to taste its wonders. Today, thanks to Young Master Wang's hospitality, my long-cherished regret has been fulfilled. How could I refuse?" Wang Hao said, "I will take my leave now and immediately prepare for tonight's banquet!" The eunuch and the Prefect exchanged a glance and said, "See you later!" After saying that, Wang Hao turned and left.

As dusk fell, Wang Hao booked a private room on the second floor of the Sihai Restaurant in Mingzhou City. A moment later, the prefect and the eunuch arrived. Wang Hao rose to greet them, saying, "I am new to Mingzhou and unfamiliar with the local customs. I will trouble you two gentlemen to prepare the dishes and delicacies!" The eunuch immediately said, "Dragon and Phoenix Golden Dumplings, Eight Treasure Rice with Red Bean Paste, Braised Eel, Steamed Pork with Lotus Leaf, Yellow Croaker with Vegetables, and Water Chestnut Cake—these are my six favorite dishes." Wang Hao looked at the prefect and said, "Please add more, Prefect!" The prefect said, "Young master, you are unaware that Eunuch Qian has been in charge of the Suzhou and Hangzhou Imperial Cuisine Bureau for six years, and has tasted the flavors of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. In front of Eunuch Qian, you and I can simply wait patiently and enjoy the meal!" Wang Hao said, "I understand." After a pause, he added, "Eunuch Qian..." "Have you ever met Eunuch Chen of Tokyo?" the eunuch asked. "I wonder which Eunuch Chen you are referring to, young master?" Wang Hao replied, "Eunuch Chen often accompanies the Emperor, and he has a stepson named Chen Song." The eunuch suddenly dropped his teacup, his face full of surprise. "Are you referring to the Grand Eunuch Chen, the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Palace?" Wang Hao said, "I have met the Emperor more than ten times, both inside and outside the palace. Whenever he meets the Emperor, Eunuch Chen serves him. He has a stepson, about my age, whom he sent to my business to broaden his horizons." The eunuch was utterly shocked, as if a thousand words were stuck in his throat, unable to be uttered. Wang Hao continued, "I grew up in the countryside, and my achievements today are entirely due to the Emperor's favor. I'm not afraid you two will laugh at me, but wherever I go, I rely on this imperial fan bestowed upon me by the Emperor to wield his power!"

The spilled tea dripped onto the eunuch's clothes, the cool dampness bringing him back to his senses. He said, "I didn't realize you and my godfather were old acquaintances. My apologies!" He suddenly stood up, raised his wine cup, and said, "This servant has been disrespectful to you, young master. I will punish myself with three cups!" He then downed three cups of strong liquor. Wang Hao hadn't wanted to rely on others, but the eunuch and the prefect showed him, the magistrate of Laoshan County, no respect whatsoever. He had no choice but to resort to this tactic, saying, "Your Excellency is in charge of the Hangzhou Bureau of Imperial Sacrifices, your rank is equivalent to a fifth-rank Inspector. How can I, a mere seventh-rank magistrate, compare to you? I hope Your Excellency will not be so disrespectful!" The more humble Wang Hao appeared, the more respectful the eunuch became, saying, "You are my son's mentor, and Eunuch Chen is my godfather. We are uncle and nephew in terms of seniority. Today is a family banquet; I should treat you with the respect due to a junior. How could I use my official position to act unfilially and unjustly?" Wang Hao suddenly realized he couldn't understand the world of eunuchs, so he could only say, "You are, after all, older and in charge of a government office. If you are truly willing, we can treat each other like brothers, without mentioning the relationship between uncle and nephew! If you agree to treat each other like brothers, then let's drink this cup together; if you insist on your own way, I can only turn around and leave, then rush back to Tokyo tonight to see off Chen Yanei!" The eunuch knew Wang Hao was exaggerating, but he was still very pleased and said, "Shall I shamelessly call you 'brother'?" Wang Hao raised his cup and said, "Brother, let's drink this cup together!" After saying that, the two drank together. The prefect, left standing awkwardly to the side, changed the subject, saying, "If you want to recruit craftsmen in Mingzhou, you can't avoid the Qin and Di families." The eunuch chimed in, "Don't be so mysterious, just say it!" The prefect quickly replied, "Mingzhou City, Mingzhou Port, and all the roads and bridges between the city and the port were designed by the Qin family. The Di family can build sand barges, Fujian ships, Guangdong ships, and multi-ship ships; moreover, all the seagoing vessels in Mingzhou with a rank of 3,000 shi or higher are from the Di family's shipyard." After a brief pause, he continued, "If you want to build a fleet, the Quanzhou gang is equally indispensable."

Wang Hao quickly replied, "I would like to hear the details!" The prefect said, "There is something you may have considered, young master: during the pre-Qin period, a hundred schools of thought contended across China, so why is it that only Confucianism has flourished to this day?" Wang Hao pondered for a moment and answered, "During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Dong Zhongshu submitted a memorial to the court, proposing the 'dismissal of all other schools of thought and the exclusive veneration of Confucianism.' Emperor Wu adopted his suggestion and vigorously promoted it from top to bottom. From then on, classical studies flourished, and Confucianism became the basic national policy of successive dynasties." The prefect then asked, "The court only promoted Confucianism and did not persecute other schools of thought. Daoist disciples often retreated to the mountains to cultivate their bodies and qi, yearning for immortality. Legalist disciples, though not granted titles or high positions, were able to compile laws and stabilize the state. Military disciples often joined the army, charging into battle to defend their country. Yin-Yang disciples entered the Imperial Observatory to deduce the calendar and study astrology. As for Confucianism, it goes without saying..." "Serving as Prime Minister and Imperial Tutor, he held the reins of power and governed the people. During the pre-Qin period, the Mohist school was a prominent school of thought, but after Emperor Wu, it quickly disappeared. Doesn't that seem strange, sir?" Wang Hao casually replied, "It's said that the Mohist school later split into two branches. One branch studied the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, crafting ingenious weapons unlike any other, freely roaming the world; the other branch wielded swords, upholding justice and righting wrongs." The Prefect said, "Sir, your knowledge is vast!" Wang Hao smiled slightly and said, "But there's one thing I don't understand. Among the Six Ministries, the Ministry of Works is closest to the Mohist school, yet we never see any members of the Mohist school?" The Prefect sighed and said, "During the pre-Qin period, the Gongshu clan betrayed the Mohist school, acting as accomplices to evil. During Emperor Wu's reign, the Gongshu clan allied with the Confucian school, combining Confucian classics with Mohist techniques, and from then on, they controlled the Ministry of Works. The Mohist school and the Gongshu clan are sworn enemies, irreconcilable!"

At this moment, the eunuch said from the side, "Brother, do you know which school the Prefect belongs to?" Wang Hao shook his head and smiled, saying, "Could it be the Mohist school?" The eunuch slapped the table in admiration, saying, "Brother, you are truly a remarkable person, guessing right away. The Prefect's surname is Di, and he is the nineteenth-generation direct descendant of Mozi, the founder of the Mohist school." Wang Hao looked at the Prefect and asked, "Mozi's surname was Di?" The Prefect replied, "Exactly! Perhaps you think my ancestor's surname was Mo?" Wang Hao finally understood and said, "Mozi, 'Mo' refers to the school of thought, and 'Di' is the surname." The Prefect nodded and said, "After the An Lushan Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty, my ancestors migrated south, and the whole family came to the Zhejiang and Fujian regions. To avoid being affected by the war, they changed 'Di' to 'Di'." Wang Hao said, "I wonder what the relationship is between the Prefect and the Di family of Mingzhou?" The prefect said, "The current head of the Di family is my elder brother!" Wang Hao blurted out, "My apologies! My apologies! I'd like to offer you a cup of wine, Prefect, as a token of my respect!" Wang Hao's casual remark shocked the prefect, who solemnly asked, "A family of all sorts of people, how can they be worthy of your respect, young master?" Wang Hao nonchalantly replied, "A family with a thousand-year heritage, scholarship recorded in history, with neither the misdeeds of oppressing the people nor the ambition to seize the world, how can they not be worthy of the world's respect?" The prefect felt a pang of melancholy, as if a thousand cups of wine were not enough to satisfy a kindred spirit. Wang Hao continued, "Your Excellency should know that my favor with the Emperor is based solely on some ingenious skills and whimsical ideas, which are utterly insignificant compared to the great principles of governance and statecraft of the court officials!" The prefect hurriedly said, "Young master, please..." "Don't underestimate yourselves! Those self-proclaimed scholars and high-ranking officials these days are all just empty talkers; they don't even know how many bushels of millet a mu yield!" Wang Hao looked around and said, "My lord, please be careful with your words!" The eunuch said, "Brother, you're new to the court, and there are some things you don't know. The court officials, relying on the ancestral precept of 'the law does not apply to high officials,' use the name of benevolence and morality to act aggressively. Our Emperor has suffered many such humiliations!" After a brief pause, he continued, "Many people say that factional strife ruins the country, but if our Emperor doesn't balance the court, there's a risk of power slipping away. If left unchecked, the throne might change hands!" Wang Hao asked, "Are there any officials in the court who harbor rebellious intentions?" The eunuch shook his head and said, "His Majesty..." "For ten years, the court has been at its peak, with no single minister wielding absolute power, and no one harboring rebellious intentions," Wang Hao said. "Even so, how can one say the imperial regalia has changed hands?" The eunuch smiled smugly and said, "Ordinary people can only see one step ahead; you, my wise brother, can see three steps ahead; but who is our Emperor? He is well-read, knowledgeable in history, and can see the big picture from small details, for he can see more than ten steps ahead. 'Changing hands' doesn't imply ministers plotting rebellion, but rather that 'water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.'" Wang Hao understood and said, "The Emperor maintains balance in the court to prevent one faction from becoming too powerful, which would lead to officials colluding with each other, causing widespread suffering, and ultimately, rebellion, plunging the entire country into chaos!" The eunuch was very impressed and said, "With such insight, it's no wonder the Emperor values ​​you so highly!"