gnovel Chapter 110 The Network of Connections in the Capital
Chapter 110 The Network of Connections in the Capital
In the capital city, at the office of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
Lu Yan followed a young eunuch through a long corridor to a spacious duty room.
"Lord Lu, Eunuch Wang is inside. Please come in."
Lu Yan straightened his clothes and stepped into the duty room.
Inside the duty room, a eunuch in his fifties was sitting behind a desk, flipping through a stack of documents.
This person was Wang Tiqian, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
He had a fair complexion and a slightly plump figure. He wore a bright red python robe and a black gauze hat, and looked kind and approachable, but his eyes revealed a shrewdness.
"Your humble servant, Lu Yan, pays his respects to Eunuch Wang."
Lu Yan knelt down and respectfully kowtowed three times.
"Get up, get up."
Wang Tiqian put down the documents and said with a smile:
"Lord Lu, there's no need for such formalities. His Highness speaks highly of you, and I've long wanted to meet you."
"You flatter me, Eunuch Wang." Lu Yan stood up, hands at his sides. "I am merely smattering the art of mechanisms; I do not deserve such praise."
"Oh, Lord Lu is too modest."
Wang Tiqian stood up, walked up to Lu Yan, and looked him up and down.
"Young and promising, with a bright future ahead."
He patted Lu Yan on the shoulder and said in a low voice:
"The Ninth Prince has asked me to allocate some silver for you. Ten thousand taels, is that enough?"
"That's enough, that's enough," Lu Yan quickly said. "Thank you, Eunuch Wang."
"The money is no problem," Wang Tiqian said, then changed the subject, "but there's something I need to remind you of."
"Please speak, sir."
"His Majesty values this water system highly. You must do it carefully and without making any mistakes. If you do it well, His Majesty will be delighted, and your future will be limitless. If you botch it..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Lu Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he bowed and said:
"Your Majesty understands. I will certainly do my utmost to live up to His Majesty's and the Ninth Prince's expectations."
"Good, good." Wang Tiqian nodded in satisfaction. "Our family likes responsible people like you."
He turned and walked back behind his desk, took out a silver note from the drawer, and handed it to Lu Yan.
"Here is a silver note for ten thousand taels of silver. Please keep it safe."
Lu Yan accepted the gift with both hands and bowed to express his gratitude.
"Thank you, Eunuch Wang."
"Go ahead," Wang Tiqian waved his hand. "If you need anything, come find us anytime."
"yes."
……
After leaving the Directorate of Ceremonial, Lu Yan did not return directly to the inn, but went to another place—the residence of Cui Chengxiu, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.
Cui Chengxiu was a confidant of Wei Zhongxian and one of the core figures of Wei's faction. Although he had a bad reputation, he wielded immense power and his word was law in the court.
Lu Yan knew that relying on Wei Zhongxian alone was not enough to gain a foothold in the capital. He needed to make more connections and build a larger network of relationships.
At the gate of the Cui residence, Lu Yan presented his visiting card and waited for about half an hour before being invited into the residence.
Cui Chengxiu received him in the flower hall.
This man was about fifty years old, with a thin face, three long wisps of beard, and dressed in casual clothes, looking like a scholar.
"You're Lu Yan?"
Cui Chengxiu looked him up and down, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.
"That is indeed the case."
"Please sit down."
Lu Yan sat down on the chair, but only on one side, leaning slightly forward.
Cui Chengxiu didn't mince words and asked directly:
"I heard you presented the Emperor with a set of waterworks blueprints?"
"yes."
"Does His Majesty like it very much?"
"Thanks to Your Highness, the Emperor is indeed very interested."
Choi Seong-soo nodded, a playful smile playing on his lips.
"You certainly know how to navigate social situations. You know how to get close to the Ninth Prince."
Lu Yan said neither humbly nor arrogantly:
"I am but a lowly official, and my words carry little weight. If I were to present this directly, I fear no one would heed my advice. The Ninth Prince is the Emperor's closest confidant; only through his intervention can the message reach the Emperor's ears."
"Well said." Choi Seong-soo nodded approvingly. "You're perceptive and intelligent."
He picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.
"Lu Yan, you're a scholar who passed the imperial examination?"
"yes."
"Do you want to be an official?"
Lu Yan's heart stirred, but his face remained expressionless.
"Of course I would like to. But I know that to be an official, one needs not only ability, but also opportunity."
"Opportunity?" Cui Chengxiu smiled. "Opportunity sometimes comes by waiting, and sometimes by striving for it. What do you think?"
"I believe that opportunity favors the prepared mind."
"Good!" Choi Seong-soo slapped the armrest. "Well said!"
He stood up and walked up to Lu Yan.
"Lu Yan, I like you. If you need anything in the future, feel free to come to me."
"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Cui."
Lu Yan bowed and thanked him, secretly relieved.
I also visited the second pier.
……
For the next two weeks, Lu Yan visited various powerful figures in the capital without stopping.
Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Tian Ergeng, Director of the Eastern Depot eunuch Wang Tiqian, Minister of War Cui Chengxiu, Vice Minister of Works Wu Chunfu...
These people are the core figures of the Wei faction.
Wherever Lu Yan went, he brought gifts, spoke respectfully, and acted humbly. He didn't talk about politics, only about technology, and only about the ingenuity of that water system.
Gradually, the name "Lu Yan from Shandong who knows how to build" spread among the powerful and wealthy circles in the capital.
"Have you heard? A capable man named Lu Yan has joined the Emperor's inner circle. He's a scholar who passed the imperial examinations."
"Is it the blueprint for that water donation method?"
"Yes, that's him. I heard the Emperor is very interested in that water system and wants to build one in the Imperial Garden."
"This kid has potential."
……
May 28th.
The capital city, Lu Yan's inn.
Lu Yan sat at his desk, writing and drawing on paper by the light of an oil lamp.
On the paper was a densely packed network of relationships.
Wei Zhongxian was in the very center, surrounded by Wang Tiqian, Cui Chengxiu, Tian Ergeng, Wu Chunfu, and others. Next to each person's name were notes detailing their official rank, personality, preferences, and relationship to Wei Zhongxian.
"In half a month, I visited twelve people."
Lu Yan muttered to himself.
"I've basically met with all the key figures in the Wei faction."
He put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh of relief.
For the past two weeks, he has barely rested. Every day has been spent visiting, socializing, giving gifts, and saying nice things.
It was tiring, but worth it.
"The network of relationships has been initially established."
He thought to himself.
"Next, we need to build the water system to solidify these relationships."
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night sky outside.
The stars twinkled, and the moonlight was as clear as water.
"The capital, here I come."
He muttered to himself.
"This time, I will not leave again."
……
May 30th.
Lu Yan left the capital and set off back to Jinan.
Before leaving, he went to say goodbye to Wang Tiqian.
Wang Tiqian patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly:
"Lord Lu, do a good job. The Ninth Prince and the Emperor are watching."
"Your humble servant understands."
"Oh, right," Wang Tiqian lowered his voice, "there's something we need to remind you of."
"Please speak, sir."
"There are some people in the court who are dissatisfied with Your Highness. They might cause you trouble. You must be careful."
Lu Yan felt a chill run down his spine.
"Thank you for the reminder, sir. I will be careful."
"Go ahead," Wang Tiqian waved his hand. "Our family is waiting for your good news."
Lu Yan bowed and took his leave, then walked out of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
He looked up at the sky, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"The Donglin Party?"
He muttered to himself.
"Come on, I'm waiting."