Volume One: The Overseer and the Candidate Chapter Sixteen: The Mature Son and the Young Father (Part Two)

While the father and son were talking, the servants had already begun streaming into the hall with an array of dishes and wine. The two of them naturally took their seats at a nearby table, continuing their conversation as they ate.

For the past two days, Huang Ming had barely eaten anything decent, and now, just having woken up, he felt ravenously hungry. Without ceremony, he picked up a piece of meat, ready to devour it.

Unexpectedly, Huang Jin stopped him. “Hold on. You’ve just woken up, haven’t you? Don’t eat greasy meat on an empty stomach. Bring a bowl of golden porridge for the young master.”

The attendant standing by immediately responded, bringing over a small steaming bowl of golden porridge. The moment Huang Ming caught its aroma, his appetite surged.

At the same time, he felt a flush of emotion, acutely sensing the care his father showed him.

His eagerness to eat meat wasn’t only because he was hungry, but also a habit formed in his previous life. Because of his work in investigations and other duties, he’d long been used to eating irregularly, often gorging when the chance arose. Over time, this had ruined his stomach, but he couldn’t change the habit.

Now, with his father’s concern, he truly felt the difference.

The taste of that “golden porridge” was remarkable. Without needing any other dishes, Huang Ming finished the bowl in a few quick mouthfuls and asked for another.

Only then did he notice that Huang Jin was watching him with a gentle smile. Slightly embarrassed, he said, “Father, forgive my manners. I was a bit improper…”

“There’s no need to be formal with me. This golden porridge is indeed delicious. The first time I had it, I also ate two bowls in a row. It’s the kind of delicacy reserved for the royal family.”

“It must be expensive, then?”

“The cost of the ingredients is secondary. Basically, you cook millet in a rich chicken broth until the grains dissolve and blend thoroughly with the thickened soup. Then you add ginseng broth, aged over a hundred years, and continue simmering. After adding a few more things and letting it stew for most of a day, it’s ready.”

Huang Ming listened to his father’s casual explanation, but silently marveled at the complexity.

If this recipe made its way to later generations and went online, it could easily become a viral hit, selling for hundreds or even thousands a bowl. Yet to his father, the ingredients were not even the most crucial part.

As if sensing his son’s unspoken question, Huang Jin added, “Compared to the precise control of heat required to make golden porridge, the ingredients are of little importance.”

He paused, looking at Huang Ming with meaning. “Most things in this world are like that. However fine your materials, real skill lies in control and timing.

“It’s just like your wish to join the Embroidered Guards. I understand your intentions, but this is not the time.”

Huang Ming continued to sip his porridge, quickly calculating in his mind. “You mean I shouldn’t rush to enter the Embroidered Guards?”

“Exactly. Of course, if all you wanted was a respectable position without ambition, you could easily find some idle post as a Captain among them.

“But is that truly all you want? To draw a salary without any real authority, idle among the ranks?”

Huang Ming immediately shook his head and replied, “Father, please teach me your reasoning.”

“In my view, there are three reasons.

“First, the political landscape is shifting. His Majesty is determined to reform the government, to correct the abuses of the previous emperor’s reign. The Embroidered Guards and the Eastern Depot will be the first to face restraint and reduction of power. Anyone serving within them will find their days increasingly difficult.

“If you join now, aren’t you just inviting trouble for yourself?”

He paused to take a sip of wine, moistening his throat before continuing. “The second reason concerns me.

“I serve in the palace, close to the Emperor, and have always been scorned or looked down upon by many officials. As my son, you will naturally be targeted by them.

“If you remain a pampered young master at home, they’ll find no opportunity to act against you. But the moment you set foot in the Embroidered Guards, the situation changes. The more you do, the more mistakes you risk.”

After another pause, his tone became even more solemn. “The third reason, and the most crucial: having shown such talent, you will inevitably attract the attention of those with ulterior motives. Even within the Embroidered Guards, there will be those envious and ill-intentioned.

“If you join now, you’re playing directly into their hands. Liu Botao may appear to appreciate your abilities, but who can say what his true intentions are? He could be currying favor with me—or he could be drawing you in as a target to protect his own people.”

This analysis hit the mark, making Huang Ming realize anew the depths of his father’s insight. No wonder he had survived decades at the side of the Jiajing Emperor, reaching the pinnacle of power among imperial eunuchs. Though not old, his mind was already sharp and meticulous.

Yet that did not mean Huang Ming accepted his father’s view. After setting down his bowl, he said, “Father, your concerns are perfectly reasonable. But I have considerations of my own.”

“Let’s hear them.”

“The current Emperor is, without doubt, one of the wisest rulers in history,” Huang Ming began, offering a somewhat insincere compliment to the future Daoist Emperor of the Ming, renowned for his asceticism and clean governance. “But for that very reason, I don’t believe the officials will ever allow the Emperor to cut off his own arm and completely abandon the imperial security services as an extension of his authority.”

Huang Ming spoke with such conviction because he knew for a fact that during the Jiajing era, the Embroidered Guards would reach unprecedented heights under their most powerful commander, Lu Bing.

Lu Bing, as the son of the Emperor’s wet nurse, became the single most trusted figure among all the inner and outer officials. Under his hand, the Embroidered Guards overshadowed even the Eastern Depot, and he himself became a political force equal to the Grand Secretariat and the high ministers.

Huang Jin looked at his son with a tinge of admiration. “I agree with you there. But that situation won’t come to pass for some years yet. At least for the next couple of years, the security services will be reined in, with little opportunity for advancement.”

“I understand, Father, and I know this is your affection for me. But have you considered that bonds forged through adversity are far stronger than those formed in times of ease?”

That single remark brought a spark of realization to Huang Jin’s eyes, deepening his appreciation. “You’re absolutely right!”

“As for your concerns about schemes and hostility from all sides—do you think avoiding the Embroidered Guards will keep me safe? I’ve already come close to falling into their traps at the Southern City Command.

“So, comparatively, having the status of an Embroidered Guard offers me more protection.

“And besides, I believe that with my abilities, I will soon secure my footing within their ranks. When that time comes, I’ll have ways to handle, or even counter, whatever plots are set against me.”

Huang Jin gazed fixedly at his son for a long moment before suddenly laughing. “Ming’er, you truly are extraordinary. I, as your father, have indeed underestimated you!”