Chapter 46: Ascending to the Heights
After this, Fang Jian often accepted Fan Tingrong's invitations to banquets. Fan Tingrong considered herself a leader of the younger generation, and Fang Jian's deliberate efforts to get closer pleased her greatly. She was extremely friendly to Fang Jian, who in turn smoothly integrated into the Reformist Faction's circle.
Most of those who associated with Fan Tingrong were young, low-ranking officials, brimming with ambition. They considered themselves the chosen ones, and their attitude toward court politics was rather radical. Though they seemed somewhat naive and shallow, Fang Jian still managed to gather a great deal of information, which she considered a gain. Most of the time, Fang Jian simply listened with a faint smile, rarely speaking. Only when they discussed Gao Yunqu and made some rather unpleasant remarks did she furrow her brow slightly. Fan Tingrong, knowing that Fang Jian was indebted to the Gao family, would thoughtfully interrupt them and deftly change the subject. Fang Jian remained impassive, showing no signs of anger, which allowed Fan Tingrong to breathe a sigh of relief.
In private, Fan Tingrong said to her, "Linshen, don't be upset. In the current court, Lord Gao is an unavoidable figure. They are unaware of her foresight, so it's natural for them to be somewhat biased."
"It's no matter. I thank Wensong for smoothing things over for me." Fang Jian clasped her hands in a salute, her smile as warm as ever.
"It's wonderful that you understand my difficult position, Linshen," Fan Tingrong said happily. "However, if you have the chance, perhaps you could also persuade Lord Gao. Taking strides that are too large can easily lead to a fall..."
Fang Jian looked at Fan Tingrong, whose eyes glinted with calculation and the intent to recruit her. The impulsive student who had once been enraged by the injustices Gao Yunqu suffered seemed to have vanished completely. She sighed inwardly but let none of it show on her face, offering a self-deprecating smile. "Lord Gao merely supported me for a few years. What right do I have to speak before her? Wensong, you think too highly of me."
"That's true," Fan Tingrong said, changing the subject. "Linshen, you are already of the Senior Sixth Rank, are you not? Do you have any thoughts on next year's Triennial Capital Evaluation?"
"Not at the moment. When the time comes, I will certainly come to ask Wensong for your counsel."
"Of course, of course."
Fang Jian watched Fan Tingrong depart, the smile vanishing from her lips. Reeking of wine, she staggered home. Xiuzhu came out to greet her, supporting her as she walked into the house and complaining, "Why did you drink so much..."
"I'm fine, don't worry." Her stomach churned, and she frowned in discomfort. Then, unable to hold it back, she vomited up all the wine she had consumed, the sour, foul stench clinging to her. Her eyes were red, glistening with faint tears.
Xiuzhu gently patted her back, saying with heartache, "My lady, why must you put yourself through this?"
"It's nothing... nothing... I just accidentally drank a bit too much. It won't happen again." Fang Jian took the cloth Xiuzhu offered, wiped the sweat from her face, and tried to reassure her.
"You said that last time as well. You can't keep harming your body."
"I know. It's not like this every time. Today, there was some information I needed to learn..."
Only after bathing and drinking a sobering soup did she feel somewhat refreshed. Her mind, which had been numbed by the strong liquor, began to turn again. Draping an outer robe over her shoulders, she sat at her desk and wrote down some of the information she had heard that day. Those young officials mingled in the various government offices of the capital, and in their leisure, they would gossip. News traveled as if it had legs, flowing among the low- and mid-level officials. To those in the thick of it, this was nothing unusual, but to an attentive listener, the major and minor affairs of the court could be gradually pieced together from this idle chatter, forming a clear and distinct pattern.
After she finished writing about the day's events, she set down her brush, and the image of them speaking of Gao Yunqu surfaced in her mind. Gao Yunqu was still forcefully pushing for the Merit Evaluation System. The mid- and low-level officials avoided it like the plague. In their view, if the Merit Evaluation System were implemented, the high-ranking lords above would remain at the helm, while minor officials like them would be saddled with numerous new tasks and subjected to even more restrictions. Naturally, none of them wanted Gao Yunqu to get her way. From the initial scattered discussions to the current atmosphere of widespread resentment and derisive sarcasm, Fang Jian's own feelings had evolved from a simmering, restless anger to her present state of being as immovable as a mountain.
She covered her eyes with her hand, despising this duplicitous version of herself. I... what in the world am I doing...
"My Lord, would you be considered someone who wields authority?" Fang Jian had once asked Gao Yunqu.
"Hm? Me? Of course not," Gao Yunqu had replied with a light laugh.
"Then how far must one go to be considered to have truly grasped power?"
"That depends on how much power you want, and that is determined by how difficult a task you wish to accomplish."
"But if I cannot reach that position, does it mean I will be unable to do what I want to do?"
"In that case, you can also borrow influence."
"How does one borrow it?"
"When the time comes that you need it, you will naturally know what to do. Just remember, power and influence can easily dazzle the eye. No matter what, never forget your original aspiration—never forget what you are borrowing that influence to achieve."
What was Fang Jian's original aspiration? In the very beginning, it was merely to be able to support herself and her family. After entering officialdom and witnessing more of the world's people and affairs, she came to believe her aspiration was to help the common folk, who were as fragile as she had once been. From the Capital City to Zhuo County to Qinzhou, she put her ideals into practice step by step, and her convictions gradually solidified. The fog on the path ahead seemed to lift a little.
Her official career had been incomparably smooth. According to Gao Yunqu's design, she could have continued to walk that steady path indefinitely. Yet when that influence presented itself before her, she seized it without a moment's hesitation. In that instant, her heart held no thought of her parents or her ideals—only Gao Yunqu. And so she understood. The starting point of her career was Gao Yunqu; her original aspiration was also Gao Yunqu. She would borrow the Fan family's influence. She would walk faster to reach a higher and more distant place. She would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Gao Yunqu. She would help Gao Yunqu achieve all that she desired. And if one day Gao Yunqu were to fall from the clouds, she would be the one to catch her.
She would ascend to the heights.
Just as Fang Jian had thought, the debate raged throughout the court and beyond for over two months. During this period, Gao Yunqu submitted three successive memorials to the throne. Her writing was brilliant, her words sharp, pushing the great debate to its climax with the force of an avalanche. She herself became a target for all criticism. Meanwhile, using this time, the chancellors of the Council of State finally hammered out a preliminary draft of the Law of Avoidance. After Her Majesty approved it, the Office of Transmission copied and publicly announced it. In the following months, the Ministry of Personnel Appointments Bureau would use it to redefine the rules for selecting and appointing officials, with full implementation to begin during the official evaluations after the new year. With that, the Law of Avoidance was set in stone. Whether in the capital or the provinces, the families of officials sighed in dismay but were powerless to reverse it. At the same time, they attacked Gao Yunqu even more fiercely, terrified that the court would implement two major civil service reforms simultaneously.
Her Majesty remained silent for a long time before finally rejecting Gao Yunqu's proposal on the grounds that it was "too hasty," thus bringing the debate to a final close. Officials great and small throughout the capital breathed a collective sigh of relief. When the members of the Reformist Faction gathered to celebrate, their spirits were high once more. Their words were filled with disdain for Gao Yunqu, as they believed she had lost Her Majesty's favor and was no longer a threat. Fang Jian was also seated among them, yet her expression remained unchanged. She even wore a faint smile as she slowly sipped her wine, a sight that sent a chill down Cui Miao's spine.
On the journey back, Cui Miao squeezed her way into Fang Jian's carriage and asked in astonishment, "Are you truly not upset?"
"How can one discuss ice with an insect of summer? Xinmeng, don't look at the present; you must look to the long term. In ten years, where will Lord Gao, you, and I be? And where will they be?" Fang Jian replied with a serene smile.
Cui Miao was at a loss for words. Gazing at Fang Jian's face, she felt a sense of daze. In that moment, she suddenly felt that this Fang Jian bore a certain resemblance to Gao Yunqu.
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