Volume One: The Inspector and the Scholar Chapter Seventeen: Success All But Certain, Victory Sealed

At these words, Huang Ming felt his heart settle once more.

Clearly, this meant that Huang Jin had come around to his point of view; the matter was as good as decided.

Sure enough, Huang Jin continued, “Then you should seize this opportunity to secure a solid post within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. With someone like Liu Botao, a Chief Commander of Punishments, appreciating your talents, and Gu Dayong offering his support, there’s no reason you should be relegated to some idle position.”

“The most important thing is that I have you as my father,” Huang Ming quickly replied with flattery, which drew a rare laugh from Huang Jin, “For now, you can’t count on me for much.” Yet in his heart, he was pleased.

Feeling that his entry into the Embroidered Uniform Guard was all but certain, Huang Ming instinctively adopted the role and asked with concern, “By the way, Father, how much do you know about the White Lotus Sect?”

Judging by this recent case, the White Lotus Sect had clearly become a hostile force to which the Ming court attached great importance—a primary target of the Guard’s current operations.

Yet Huang Ming’s knowledge of this sect was scant; now that he would soon hold office, he knew he must prepare himself in advance.

Huang Jin narrowed his eyes and spoke solemnly, “To speak of the White Lotus Sect is to speak of a chronic affliction for our Ming dynasty. Though they are not as fearsome as the northern barbarians, their name alone is enough to make officials at every level turn pale.

“If we trace their origins, the White Lotus cult is an ancient one, founded as far back as the Tang dynasty, and now has endured for centuries.

“Its very existence seems to be defined by opposition to the ruling court, sowing chaos at every opportunity. Whether under the Han Chinese dynasties of Tang and Song, or under the Mongol Yuan, the White Lotus has always worked among the common people, deluding followers and inciting rebellion.

“Still, their power has never been enough to overturn the world, so each time they rise, the authorities quickly crush them. Yet each time they’re suppressed, they manage to rise again from the ashes, perpetuating their mischief for hundreds of years.

“Especially since our Ming dynasty, though the realm is peaceful and the people prosper, the White Lotus still stirs up trouble in secret. Once there was Tang Sai’er inciting rebellion during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, and more recently, the Liu Liu and Liu Qi uprising a few years ago—said to have been instigated by the White Lotus as well.

“And these are just the disasters made public. In secret, they masquerade under all manner of false gods to deceive the ignorant and disrupt local order. Truly, their crimes are unforgivable.”

He paused and glanced at Huang Ming. “So, over these years, the court’s policy toward the White Lotus has been one of uncompromising repression—leave none alive. The Embroidered Uniform Guard bears special responsibility for striking against them.”

Hearing this, Huang Ming could not suppress a chill of apprehension.

He had previously assumed the White Lotus Sect was little different from some unruly martial society in later tales, only targeted by the authorities for causing a disturbance.

Now he saw they were, in fact, outright rebels.

No wonder, after capturing Yan Feihu, officials from several major departments had hastened to interrogate and escort the prisoner. And once the attempted rescue occurred, the matter received such serious attention.

All in all, the credit he had earned from this case was far from trivial.

The father and son continued their meal, chatting as they ate. Huang Jin offered his son much advice on how to handle various relationships after entering the Embroidered Uniform Guard, from which Huang Ming gleaned many useful insights.

At this point, for both father and son, Huang Ming’s entry into the Guard was a foregone conclusion.

…

“This young master of the Huang family is quite an interesting fellow.”

This favorable assessment of Huang Ming came from the lips of a dignified elder.

Seated before him, cautious and deferential, were a young man and woman—brother and sister, Xu Xingzhi and Xu Yunzhi.

Earlier, in her efforts to save her brother, Xu Yunzhi had appealed to the Duke of Dingguo. Though it was not ultimately his intervention that absolved Xu Xingzhi, the proper courtesies still had to be observed.

That afternoon, the siblings seized a free moment to visit and express their gratitude, also explaining the sequence of events to the duke.

This Duke of Dingguo was named Xu Guangzuo, the fifth heir of the title. As the head of a branch of the illustrious Xu family—one of the most eminent non-imperial clans of the Ming—Xu Guangzuo’s standing was far greater than that of a mere duke.

He also held a key post in the Central Military Command and served as commander of the Shenji Battalion, one of the three great garrisons of the capital—a rare figure in Beijing with true military power at his command.

What mattered even more was his crucial role in enthroning the current emperor. That March, when the Wuzong Emperor died without an heir, the court had to select an eligible prince from the collateral branches. Thus Zhu Houcong, as Prince of Xing, was summoned from Anlu in Huguang to assume the throne.

And among those entrusted with conveying the court’s decree to Anlu and escorting Zhu Houcong safely to Beijing was none other than this Duke of Dingguo, Xu Guangzuo.

Though for various reasons his influence at court was not as great as it might have been, in terms of rank, he stood at the very peak of the nobility—even Grand Secretaries and Ministers of the Six Ministries had to greet him with deference.

Before such a man, even younger members of the clan dared not relax, and for a collateral branch like Xu Xingzhi, words were few and cautious.

Only Xu Yunzhi, always favored by her uncle, could speak freely. “This Young Master Huang has indeed done my brother a great service, so I was considering how I might repay him…”

“Why not pledge yourself to him, then?” Xu Guangzuo suddenly interjected with a laugh, causing the girl’s cheeks to flush bright red. “Uncle, how can you say such things…”

He chuckled, “I’m only looking out for you. After the new year you’ll be eighteen—a grown woman. You should give some thought to your future. Since your parents are gone, it falls to me, as your uncle, to see to these matters.”

Xu Guangzuo laughed again, but then turned serious. “Very well, let me handle the matter of repaying him. Didn’t you say Liu Botao wishes to promote him and secure him a real position in the Embroidered Uniform Guard? As it happens, I have a vacant hundred-man command in the Guard—let it be his.

“As for bringing him into the Guard, Liu Botao cannot appeal to His Majesty directly, and I know Zhu Chen’s character—he never dares to take initiative, and certainly will not beg favors from the emperor for a subordinate. Let me speak to His Majesty on the matter.”

This gesture left the siblings deeply grateful, and they rose at once to offer thanks.

“There’s no need for such formality—we are family, after all. Yunzhi, if you truly wish to repay me, visit the household more often and keep your aunt and me company. And you, Xingzhi, serve diligently in the Guard—don’t repeat your past mistakes and cause your sister more worry.”

The brother and sister hastened to agree, feeling certain that with their uncle’s assistance, nothing could stand in the way of this matter.