Volume One: The Overseer and the Student Chapter Thirty-Five: Alas, Conflicting Stances

Huang Ming blinked. "What could possibly make Father so anxious?"

"It's those court officials and bureaucrats again, refusing to let us go..." Huang Jin sighed. "You'd think they've had enough, given our current situation, but they just don't know when to stop."

Huang Ming remained silent, though inwardly he thought: it's a matter of positions. You stand apart from them, and the likes of Liu Jin have served as cautionary tales.

Huang Jin didn’t expect his son to provide the right answer, only saying, "It's not just me—Master Gu and the others are feeling wronged as well.

"Back in Emperor Wu's day, they did gain some benefits following Liu Jin, but they've learned their lesson since then, keeping their heads down. Still, those officials refuse to let them off.

"And now, even we—servants who have only just arrived in the capital and done nothing—are regarded by the literati as monsters, determined to eradicate us!"

After venting his frustrations, he remembered something and reached into his robe. "Oh, right. A few days ago, they each visited me under the pretense of checking on my injury, bringing plenty of gifts. This time, you contributed the most, so they're all yours."

When Huang Jin handed him a thick stack, Huang Ming took a closer look, and despite having lived two lives, he couldn't help but gasp.

It was a bundle of fourteen or fifteen silver notes—the top one alone was worth five hundred taels, and those beneath it were for even greater sums.

"They've shown real sincerity this time, gifting nearly a hundred thousand taels of silver as thanks. I kept half, the rest is yours to safeguard!"

He barely stopped himself from exclaiming aloud, unable to disguise his shock.

These eunuchs were extraordinarily generous!

A hundred thousand taels of silver—what did that mean? In modern terms, with purchasing power, one tael could be worth three to five hundred yuan, making this a fortune of tens of millions. Even now, the sum was enough to buy two fine estates in the capital, including dozens of servants.

People often said eunuchs were greedy and skilled at accumulating wealth, and this was ample proof—the ten thousand taels was just a fraction of their fortunes.

No wonder there were tales of impoverished men choosing to enter the palace by self-castration; if anyone could gain such wealth simply by sacrificing their manhood, along with a grand estate in the capital, many struggling workers in later generations would hesitate not at all, knife in hand...

No, he mustn't think that way.

This was the survivor's bias—only those at the very top of the eunuch hierarchy, like Gu Dayong and his peers, could afford such gifts. In truth, most eunuchs serving in the palace lived far worse lives than modern wage earners; at least the latter didn't face mortal danger or constant beatings.

Of course, for someone like himself, who crossed time and could enjoy all the benefits while retaining manhood, it was the best outcome.

Unaware of his son's inner musings, Huang Jin was not surprised by Huang Ming's loss of composure. After all, no matter how clever, he was a sixteen-year-old from a small town, lacking experience.

Once Huang Ming recovered, Huang Jin continued, "But for now, these gifts feel rather hot to the touch."

"What do you mean?"

"Because everyone is now relying on me—or rather, on us, father and son." Huang Jin gave a bitter smile. "This is why I came home today: to discuss with you how we might resolve this looming crisis."

At last, he revealed the real issue. "The officials kept it well hidden, but yesterday our people learned from a Hanlin scholar.

"They plan to target us at the upcoming imperial lectures, with Yang Ge's son—the former top scholar, now a Hanlin compiler, Yang Shen—as chief speaker. He'll use ancient stories as veiled criticism, aiming at us, urging His Majesty to drive us from the palace, or at least distance himself from us."

The name Yang Shen made Huang Ming's brow twitch.

He was among the most renowned figures from the Ming passed down to later generations—at least his poem "Immortal by the River" was household knowledge thanks to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Anyone who has read a little knows the lines: "The endless Yangtze flows eastward..."

But what truly etched Yang Shen's name in history was not that poem, nor being the son of Yang Tinghe, but another event—the "Left Shun Gate Incident" during the Grand Rites debate.

His cry outside the palace, "The state has nurtured scholars for a hundred and fifty years; to uphold justice and die for principle, today is the day!" shook the realm, and himself—banished to Yunnan, never to return to the heartland.

Of course, that was all yet to happen.

When he first read of Yang Shen's deeds, Huang Ming admired his courage; but now...

With opposing positions, they could only stand as adversaries, and he must defeat him—being a eunuch's son, he was their natural opponent.

Seeing Huang Ming deep in thought, Huang Jin assumed he was unfamiliar with palace affairs and explained, "The so-called imperial lecture is when learned Hanlin scholars teach the emperor—be it classics or history."

"Usually, these lectures are held only in spring and autumn, two or three times a month.

"This month's fifteenth marks the last lecture of the year, so both court and palace attach great importance."

Huang Ming nodded, making his decision. "Father means they want to use this opportunity to sway the emperor with public opinion, undermine your legitimacy in the palace, and perhaps expel you from the court altogether?"

"Exactly. Since ascending the throne, His Majesty has sought to right past wrongs, reverse Emperor Wu's policies, and they've seized upon that.

"First it was Jiang Bin and Qian Ning, then Gu Dayong and Zhang Yong, and at last, us."

"I understand—this move is clever, for the lectures are entirely their domain," Huang Ming said solemnly.

Not only their domain—it was as if they controlled everything: referee, assistant, organizer, players, audience—all theirs.

For the eunuchs, it would be nearly impossible to find anyone to counter them, and even if there were, they couldn't take the stage.

The emperor was the only exception, but in such a setting, he too was at their mercy.

"Is there no way?" Huang Jin asked, seeing his son silent for a long time.

He himself had pondered for ages without a sound solution, so his hopes for his son were not high.

Unexpectedly, Huang Ming smiled. "Not entirely hopeless, but I'll need your help—and assistance from others in the palace."

"What kind of help?"

"Well..." Huang Ming revealed his idea, leaving Huang Jin momentarily stunned.