Qing Yao

Chapter 201 It's time for Lord Zhao to change his sedan chair.

"."

Vice General Wen had a headache: No, what does it have to do with you whether this matter is reported or not?

Ignoring what Vice General Wen thought, Zhao An said to Lao Ding with extreme dissatisfaction: "What you said, Lord Wen, is indeed true that the canal workers rebelled. Moreover, these rebels are really powerful. Otherwise, how could you have been defeated by the rebels twice in a row? Our imperial army was defeated by the rebels and lost its armor!"

This matter is no longer something the local authorities can handle. I was unaware of it before, but now that I am, I must immediately report it to the imperial court and order the dispatch of a large army to suppress it! Otherwise, the rebels' arrogance will grow daily, and the region will surely be trampled upon by them. The Jianghuai region has enjoyed peace and prosperity for a century, and the people have lived in peace and contentment. I cannot, under any circumstances, sit idly by and watch this century of prosperity be destroyed in an instant!

The Grand Canal is the lifeline of our Great Qing Dynasty. If it falls into the hands of the rebels and cut off next year's grain transport, the very heart of the capital will be shaken! Who can bear such consequences! If the rebels were to gain the upper hand, we could not atone for it even if we died a hundred times!
If Lord Ding continues to speak for the rebels and distort the truth, I cannot help but suspect that you are indeed in cahoots with that rebel!

By the end, Zhao An was so excited that he could hardly contain his patriotic and concerned feelings.

These words enraged Old Ding, who, disregarding his status as a civil official, abruptly stood up and said, "Lord Zhao, don't make baseless accusations! This county magistrate is utterly loyal to the Qing Dynasty, how could I possibly collude with rebels!"

"If Lord Ding has not colluded with the rebels, why does he speak for them and present them with that blood-written letter that distorts the truth? Isn't Lord Ding using the rebels to bolster his own position?!"

Zhao An responded sharply and refused to back down.

"Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit your mother's bullshit!"

Old Ding, enraged beyond measure, jumped high into the air, shouting, "Even if the canal workers rebelled, it's because their canal transport yamen soldiers are incompetent, cowardly, and easily routed by bandits! That's what emboldened the canal workers! If the government troops had been brave, things wouldn't have dragged on like this! What does this have to do with our county from beginning to end?"

These words were extremely embarrassing to the officials in charge of the canal transport, especially to Deputy General Wen.

"You are the magistrate of Yangzhou, and the rebels are the grain transport workers from your Yangzhou. If you don't know, who does!"

"The canal transport is under the jurisdiction of the canal transport office. How would I know if they were fighting?"

"That's just an excuse. As a local official, how could you be unaware of the local uprising? You've failed in your duty, you're incompetent!"

"The matter was caused by the canal transport office; what does it have to do with this county?"

"Then what are you doing here!"

"This county magistrate has been dispatched by the prefect to mediate this matter!"

"."

The grandfather and grandson were attacking each other, one saying one thing and the other another, and the people from the canal transport office couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"Forget it, whether Lord Ding has colluded with the rebels is something I cannot say for sure, and I do not wish to waste my breath on Lord Ding here. Today, I will only write down what I have seen and heard in a memorial and submit it to His Majesty. Let His Majesty decide whether it is right or wrong!"

Zhao An snorted and turned to leave. Just as he reached the door, he heard Vice General Wen's anxious voice: "Lord Zhao, please wait!"

A minor official from the canal transport office standing at the door strode forward like an arrow to block Zhao An's path.

"What do you mean?"

Zhao An's eyes flashed with shock and anger. "I am the Imperial Inspector appointed by the Emperor. What are you trying to do to me?!"

"Lord Zhao, please don't take offense!"

Councilor Wu coughed lightly and glanced at his subordinates: "You may all step back."

"Whoo!"

Several officials tacitly withdrew silently.

"Lord Zhao, let's sit down and have a cup of tea to discuss this matter of the canal workers, and then we can talk about it slowly."

Wu, the seasoned official, came over and warmly invited the Censor to return to his seat. Zhao An was reluctant to go back physically, but willing in spirit, so after some half-hearted refusals, he somehow ended up sitting back down.

Looking up, he saw Old Ding standing there angrily and couldn't help but let out a soft snort.

Seeing this, Councilor Wu quickly used the opportunity of pouring tea to separate the two. After the tea was poured, he saw that Old Ding had also sat down.

The deputy general opposite him didn't look too good, but not with the stern expression he had before; rather, he looked embarrassed and unpleasant.

"The canal workers' rebellion is true. What else is there to say? As the Inspector of the Canal Transport, if I do not report this matter truthfully to the court, how can I live up to the Emperor's trust, the official robes I wear, and the high expectations of the people!"

Zhao An picked up the teacup and put it down again; his upright character was impossible to conceal.

Deputy General Wen spoke up: "Well, I may have exaggerated before; the canal workers may not have actually rebelled."

"If it's not a rebellion, then what is it? If it's not a rebellion, why did the government troops have to suppress it twice, resulting in more than a dozen deaths and injuries?"

Zhao An's question was rather pointed.

Like a newbie in the workplace, always trying to expose the boss's new clothes.

"This"

The situation left Deputy General Wen speechless, regretting that he had spoken too quickly and focused on making a big accusation, which resulted in this shameful incident being exposed.

Even the governor is unaware of this matter.

If this gets reported to the imperial court, what will the emperor think of him?

It seems that his term as deputy general is not just a matter of time; he will most likely have to go to Ningguta.

That's still considered good. The worst-case scenario is being sent to the front lines as a criminal, in which case there would be no way out.

The consequences of the matter being exposed were too much for Vice General Wen to bear, and even Councilor Wu couldn't handle them.

Because it was he, the councilor in charge of transportation, who advocated a tough stance.

"Lord Zhao, Lord Ding, the most important thing for us officials is to solve problems for the court. When problems arise, we should solve them, not cause trouble for the court and make the emperor worry."

Wu, the councilor, meant that if Censor Zhao were to report such exaggerated news, the court would certainly take it seriously and would inevitably mobilize troops from various places to suppress it, which would incur huge expenses.

Regardless of whether the canal workers actually rebelled, the soldiers from other places would definitely come to claim military merits, and then there would be no way to salvage the situation. The canal workers would definitely rebel in order to protect themselves, and then the Jianghuai region would truly be in ruins, with countless people dying.

Therefore, things shouldn't be reported in a grander way; they should be reported in a smaller way, the smaller the better.

"As long as the canal is completed as soon as possible, the livelihoods of the people and merchants will not be affected, and the canal workers will have an explanation. Our county will definitely not cause any more trouble."

Old Ding spoke first, explaining that his earlier performance with his grandson-in-law was simply to soften the stance of the canal transport authorities. Now that their attitude had softened, he naturally wanted to go with the flow.

After all, he came to negotiate and resolve the conflict, not to escalate it. If things really escalate to an unbearable point, he won't be able to get the "capable official" title he wants.

Zhao An remained noncommittal, simply appearing deep in thought.

Seeing this, Councilor Wu and Deputy General Wen exchanged a glance. A hint of heartache flashed in the latter's eyes, but he finally nodded. He then led Zhao An to the next room under the pretext of asking Imperial Censor Zhao to come next door for a detailed discussion.

As soon as he entered, a silver note worth three thousand taels was slipped into Zhao An's hand without him noticing: "Lord Zhao, as the Imperial Inspector in charge of the grain transport, it must be hard for you to be out here in the dead of winter. It's time for you to get a warmer sedan chair."

Vice General Wen's expression was sincere, and his attitude was genuine.

(End of this chapter)