Chapter 123: Adviser on Military Affairs

"Minister, are you speaking to me?"

Xue Rui looked left and right, then turned to Yu Qian with a slightly bewildered expression.

Yu Qian, dressed in his scarlet official robes, stood within the doorway of the office with his hands behind his back, a playful look upon his face. Seeing Xue Rui feigning ignorance, Yu Qian gestured across the courtyard and said with a huff, "Is there anyone else in this compound with the surname Xue?"

There was, naturally, no one else. Xue Rui could only offer a sheepish bow. "Reporting to the Minister, I saw you were busy earlier and dared not disturb you. I had matters to attend to at the Bureau, so I was about to take my leave."

"Then why did you tell others not to mention that you had come?" Yu Qian asked, his face darkening.

"Well, about that..." Xue Rui cursed his luck inwardly. He had entrusted a familiar clerk to deliver his sign-in log, specifically asking the man to keep his identity a secret. Who knew that the clerk would agree to his face only to sell him out the moment he entered the office? Now that he had been exposed by Yu Qian himself, he was so embarrassed he wished the ground would swallow him up.

Yu Qian sneered, "If you hadn't said that extra word, they might not have even mentioned your name. By saying it, how could they not be suspicious? What do you call this? 'Cleverness backfiring on the clever,' lifting a rock only to drop it on your own feet!"

"The Minister's reprimand is just. I shall not repeat such a low-level error in the future," Xue Rui said, bowing and accepting the lesson with a wry smile.

Xue Rui's wily attitude caused Yu Qian to lose the desire to lecture him further. He beckoned, "Come in. I have things to ask you."

"Yes..." Caught on the spot, Xue Rui had no choice but to follow Yu Qian into the office.

Yu Qian sat behind his desk and, while flipping through the logbook, asked, "What brings you to my office today? Is there another problem with the celestial phenomena?"

"Not at all. Since Venus entered the Pleiades, the heavens have been quite normal."

"Then do you have a favor to ask of me?"

"Certainly not!" Xue Rui waved his hands frantically. "What could a student like me possibly ask of the Minister?"

"One does not visit the three-jeweled temple without a cause. You didn't speak this way last time when you came to demand the return of your grandfather's confiscated carriage and horses." Yu Qian closed the logbook and gazed at Xue Rui meaningfully. In his view, Xue Rui was living a comfortable life at the Bureau of Astronomy; he would never come here to make a nuisance of himself without a reason.

"I truly have no agenda. It’s just that everyone at the Bureau was tied up, and I happened to have some spare time, so I took on the errand," Xue Rui said helplessly.

"Very well, that is a minor matter. Sit down; I have questions for you." Yu Qian pointed to a chair in the room.

Xue Rui sat perched on the edge of the seat according to protocol and asked curiously, "Please, Minister, enlighten me."

Yu Qian stared at him until he felt a chill down his spine, then said in a deep voice, "You are a bold one. You have played the civil and military officials of the court, and even His Majesty, right in the palm of your hand!"

*Hiss!* Xue Rui gasped. Yu Qian’s words were terrifying; to have such a label pinned on one was a matter of losing one's head!

The two stared at each other for a moment. Xue Rui stood up, walked over to close the door, and said nervously, "Minister, where does this come from? I am truly wronged!"

Yu Qian slammed the logbook onto the desk and said coldly, "The founding emperor once said: 'Heaven does not speak; it reveals its will through omens.' Yet you do the opposite—attaching current events to celestial phenomena to seek private gain. I have spoken so plainly; what else do you have to say?"

*Seen through?* Xue Rui's heart sank. He desperately searched his mind for where he might have slipped up, but found no answer.

"Minister, I am truly confused. These phenomena are reported by the Observatory, and the interpretations have plenty of precedents. If I predicted certain things, it was merely based on reasonable explanations found in divination books. If the Minister says this, does he mean he thinks I have the power of foresight?" Xue Rui decided to ask the unanswerable question. No matter how clever Yu Qian was, he could never imagine that Xue Rui knew the course of history.

As expected, Yu Qian snorted, "Having the power of foresight is the stuff of legends; I have never seen it in reality. As for you attaching current events to celestial phenomena, there is evidence to be found!"

"Please tell me, Minister. I am innocent."

"Very well, I shall be blunt. I have been thinking these past few days that since the founding of the dynasty, the Bureau of Astronomy has had many masters of the craft, yet none have been like you and your father, interpreting the heavens with such precision. For instance, when you told Eunuch Cheng that Mars was encroaching on the Ziwei enclosure, and that it would manifest in the southeast, a rebellion broke out in the southeast shortly thereafter. I believe you knew beforehand that a rebellion was coming, and you then attached that current event to the celestial phenomenon. Am I right or wrong?"

Yu Qian scrutinized the young man before him, his expression grave. Although it was the truth, Xue Rui dared not admit it. Joking aside, to know of a rebellion before the Imperial Court did was effectively admitting to being part of a rebel faction!

Xue Rui adamantly denied it: "I cannot agree with the Minister’s words. My interpretation was a lucky guess—there was indeed a gambling element. Even if I hadn't said it would manifest in the southeast, I would have made up some other place, like the Yunnan-Guizhou region. Those places are home to barbarians who do not submit to royal rule and often rebel; that would have served as proof just as well!"

Yu Qian suddenly laughed. "So you admit to having used current events to interpret celestial phenomena?"

"Huh?" Xue Rui froze. He suddenly realized that in his attempt to distance himself from the rebels, he had fallen into Yu Qian’s rhetorical trap and effectively confessed to the charge!

"Nothing to say now?" Yu Qian stroked his beard, looking quite pleased.

Xue Rui had no choice but to say, "I admit that the matter in the southeast does indeed bear the suspicion of such manipulation, but my intent was to prevent the capital from moving. My heart was for the glory of the Great Ming; I had no personal agenda!"

"I believe you on that, but just because you didn't in the past does not mean you won't in the future. This incident with Venus entering the Pleiades may be the opportunity you were waiting for!"

Cold sweat ran down Xue Rui's back. Yu Qian was like a fortune teller; he had guessed the facts with startling accuracy. He truly had intended to use this chance to help his father earn some credit. If there were an opportunity for promotion, having this merit on his record would give him a fighting chance even against rivals with higher seniority.

Xue Rui opened his mouth to make up a lie, but Yu Qian spoke first: "Don't try to claim this was a collective decision by the officials. I have inquired—Venus entering the Pleiades is not a significant phenomenon; by tradition, it is usually ignored. Yet, it was specifically reported to the Director by your father. If you hadn't leaked inside information to him, how would he have dared to do such a thing?"

These words were hurtful; if Xue Yuanhao heard them, he would likely die of shame. However, the term "inside information" made Xue Rui nervous, and he hurriedly denied it: "Minister, I have no inside information regarding Venus entering the Pleiades. My father simply felt this phenomenon required attention because the texts were so similar to the current situation of our Great Ming. I heard these things during the officials' meetings. You know, Minister, that chronologically speaking, it was impossible for me to have received news of the Oirat invasion before the Imperial Court!"

This was a fact. The Ming scouts were elite, well-trained, and professional in gathering intelligence and escaping encirclement. This time, the scouts had traveled day and night, sacrificing fifteen or sixteen men just to report the news of the invasion. If Xue Rui had a channel of information more effective than the imperial scouts, he would be truly extraordinary.

"You are correct. But judging by the results, your father is the greatest beneficiary of this phenomenon, and that is a fact that cannot be changed. Therefore, I have reason to believe that you were the one who orchestrated this!"

"I disagree with the Minister. If we are to talk about the greatest beneficiary of this prophecy, one could say it is the Emperor, the Imperial Court, or even the millions of commoners of the Great Ming. In any case, my father only performed a minor service; he is not worthy of the title 'greatest'!"

Yu Qian was slightly taken aback, then nodded in acknowledgment. "True, my phrasing was incorrect. Regardless, your father performed a service to the country, and I am not here to pursue anyone's responsibility."

"Then what does the Minister mean?" Xue Rui was very confused. Yu Qian had said so much it was enough to fill a chapter, but if he didn't want to hold him accountable, wasn't it all a waste of breath?

Yu Qian stood up and walked over to Xue Rui. Xue Rui stood up instinctively, but Yu Qian pressed his shoulder, signaling him to sit. "I said all of this to remind you: do not play with fire and burn yourself!"

Yu Qian's expression was rarely as serious as it was now, and his gaze was full of warning.

"Minister, please enlighten me. I am listening." Xue Rui was frantic. Whatever Yu Qian was about to say must be crucial, yet he could not see where the danger lay.

Yu Qian did not beat around the bush; he sat in the opposite chair and said directly, "I have sent men to investigate what you have done in the past two months. Whether it was helping the Duchess of Ying to deal with Zhang Zhong or using her influence to save your father, these were all high-risk actions. Furthermore, what you and your father have done regarding several abnormal celestial phenomena is akin to pulling chestnuts from the fire. A moment of carelessness could lead to unpredictable consequences. To take such risks for such minor gains is not worth the price."

Since Yu Qian was so explicit, Xue Rui knew he had already investigated them. To continue playing dumb would show a lack of respect for Yu Qian, so Xue Rui replied, "The Minister is right. I have no grand ambitions; I only wanted to earn some benefits for my father while serving the court so that our lives might be easier. But my heart for the country is as clear as the sun and moon. For example, this time, I synthesized various intelligence reports to conclude that the Oirats would invade soon, which prompted my father to report it to the court, allowing the court and the people to prepare in advance. If I can save the court even a little loss, the risk is worth taking."

"But have you considered that after this, the Bureau of Astronomy will be closely watched? Your father will be under the scrutiny of the entire court. Even if you are clever and skilled at analysis, if you do not have celestial phenomena to lean on, you will have no room to display your talents. The Court and even His Majesty have high hopes for your father. If he is always accurate, he will be deified. I cannot even foresee the consequences of that, but you may live to regret it!"

Yu Qian's words left Xue Rui in deep contemplation. People in this era were superstitious. If his father could indeed predict everything, he would soon be hailed as a living immortal, and the Emperor might even consider locking him up to prevent him from leaking heavenly secrets. If not for Yu Qian's warning, by the time he realized it, it would have been too late.

"Thank you for the warning, Minister. I know what to do now." Xue Rui had decided that in the future, he would only interpret abnormal phenomena to explain major turning points that could change history. As for other inconsequential events, he would let them take their course, which would solve the problem of his father being deified.

Yet, Yu Qian shook his head and advised, "Instead of letting your father take the risk, do it yourself. If you are willing to study hard, with your intelligence, you could achieve success within ten years. The court is vast, and you would have plenty of room to display your talents. Wouldn't that be better?"

Hearing this, Xue Rui realized Yu Qian had not given up on him, believing he could still be "rescued" and become a virtuous talent for the Great Ming. If it were anyone else, being so valued by Yu Qian would have them bowing down, crying and begging to be his disciple. Unfortunately, Xue Rui was like a rock in a latrine—stinking and hard, completely impervious to persuasion.

"Minister, I believe that delving deeply into what one loves and achieving results that no one has ever achieved before is far more gratifying than obtaining power. My only passion is for astronomy, and I fear I must disappoint you."

This time, Yu Qian was unexpectedly calm. He shook his head and said, "I am not disappointed. There are many talents in this world; the court will hold its examinations and find plenty of people willing to serve regardless of you. However, these are troubled times, and your intelligence could help the court navigate this crisis. Since you do not wish to study, I will not force you. There are three hundred and sixty trades, and a master can be found in any of them. But this time, I am afraid I must ask for a small sacrifice: come under my command as a consultant. It will be a great help to me, and any credit you earn in the future, I can attribute to your father. That is far better than the two of you taking such risks."

"A consultant?" Xue Rui was greatly surprised. Yu Qian was in charge of the capital's defense; besides Zhu Qiyu, he held the most power. There were countless people who wanted to offer him advice; if he posted a notice, people would be breaking down his door to apply. That Yu Qian specifically asked for his help showed how much he valued him.

Since it had come to this, continuing to refuse would be disrespectful. Since his merit as a consultant would be attributed to his father, it was much safer than them taking risks with celestial phenomena.

"Since the Minister has need of me, I shall obey. However, I have a study regarding the development of astronomy that is about to yield results, so I fear I cannot remain at the Ministry of War for long. I hope the Minister understands."

"That is fine. I spend most of my time in the palace discussing matters and only return to the Ministry of War for the last half-hour of the day. You can come by then; it is not far." Yu Qian had already planned everything.

"Then I shall accept the order." Xue Rui agreed. It wouldn't take much time, and as a consultant to Yu Qian, he would inevitably be privy to military affairs—he might even learn some inside information in advance.

After bidding farewell to Yu Qian, Xue Rui returned to the Bureau of Astronomy. He handed the appointment order written by Yu Qian to Xu Dun. Upon learning that he had been chosen by Yu Qian to serve as a military consultant at the Ministry of War, Xu Dun wished he could trade places with him...