Qing Yao

Chapter 349 I understand!

Upon returning to the yamen, Old Song immediately dispatched capable men to Jiangning with Zhao An's name card and a secret letter to handle two important matters: the loan and the repatriation of his family.

Inside the study, Zhao An did not rest; a mountain of official documents lay on his desk, waiting for his review.

These were all documents from various prefectures and counties in Anhui. Most of them were complaints about poverty and demands for money, making Zhao An's head spin as he read them, like IOUs.

There was certainly a lot of exaggeration involved, but Zhao An approved it all, ordering the provincial treasury to allocate silver to meet local needs. If the provincial treasury was insufficient, the Xianfeng Bank would provide temporary low-interest loans or borrow tax silver from the Wuhu Customs to make up the difference.

The reason is that at this time, Anhui's priority was to restore production, and there was no rush to carry out a province-wide rectification of officialdom and investigate and confiscate the property of corrupt officials.

Although he has already sent working groups to several counties that refused to give gifts, he has also begun to develop a financial auditing system.

This financial auditing system was groundbreaking and pioneering. To date, no dynasty or era has had a dedicated auditing system for the six departments of the state and county. If Zhao An had implemented it, it would have had a significant impact on future generations.

Zhao An even considered that once the Xianfeng Bank had spread throughout Anhui, he would formalize the salaries of all minor officials and temporary staff in the prefectures and counties, and have them all distributed by the Xianfeng Bank, thereby further penetrating and controlling the "grassroots".

Just as they were busy, a soft knock came from outside the door, followed by the respectful voice of "Secretary" Liu Penggao: "Sir, Lord Akdang'a, the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai, has sent someone to request an audience, saying that he has important matters to discuss with you in person."

Akdanga?

Zhao An paused slightly in his grip on the pen, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

When the disaster situation in Anhui was urgent, he wrote a letter in his personal capacity to the Lianghuai Salt Administration, earnestly hoping that Akdang Aneng, the "God of Wealth" who controlled the salt profits of Lianghuai and was as rich as a country, would temporarily lend 300,000 taels of silver for Anhui to purchase grain for disaster relief.

However, the letter disappeared without a trace, leaving him furious and cursing Akdang for being stingy. He also regretted betraying Germany.

Otherwise, if Quan De had successfully come to power, he would never have been as "unfilial" as Akdan'a.

Unexpectedly, just as the situation in Anhui had eased and his position as acting governor had been secured, the other party took the initiative to send people to his door.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation!
Zhao An put down his pen and solemnly instructed Liu Penggao: "Invite the man to the flower hall and treat him well. Tell him that I will arrive after finishing my urgent official business."

"Yes, my lord."

Liu Penggao acknowledged and withdrew.

Zhao An did not get up immediately. Instead, he picked up his teacup and took a couple of sips, his mind racing as he tried to figure out why Akdang'a had sent someone over at this time. Did he know that Akdang'a had made meritorious contributions in suppressing bandits and providing disaster relief, and was now being appointed as the Governor of Anhui? Or had he heard some rumors and changed his previous arrogant attitude?

Judging by the timeline, Akdan'a should have known that he was actually appointed as a provincial governor, since the matter was reported in the newspapers, but he probably didn't know that he had been awarded a double-eyed peacock feather.

Judging from the "business" relationship between the two sides, the river water has no business with the well water. Not to mention the Anhui Provincial Administration Commissioner, even the Anhui Governor and the Governor-General of Liangjiang had no jurisdiction over the Lianghuai Salt Administration.

Therefore, no matter how high Zhao An's official rank became, even if he went to the capital to serve as an official, as long as he did not become the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, he would not pose the slightest threat to Akdang'a.

So, why did Akdan send someone to specifically request an audience with him?
About an incense stick's time later, Zhao An strolled leisurely into the flower hall. Upon entering, he saw an official dressed in a sixth-rank heron-patterned robe, with a capable-looking face, stand up from his chair. His face was full of fawning smiles as he quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply to Zhao An: "Your humble servant Wu Desong greets Your Excellency. May Your Excellency be well!"

Hey, it's someone I know.

Zhao An's face instantly showed just the right amount of surprise and enthusiasm. He gestured for Wu Desong to sit down and said happily, "Oh my, who is it? It's Lord Wu! Please get up quickly. There's no need for such formalities between us!"

This Wu Desong was the same person who had secretly obtained three thousand salt permits for Zhao An in Yangzhou.

Of course, Wu didn't help for nothing. Zhao An not only gave him a thousand taels of silver as a reward, but also did him a very secret private matter.

Wu Desong had a nephew who was studying at the Huai'an Prefectural School. He was stripped of his academic title for frequenting brothels with his classmates. Zhao An, acting as an inspector of education, secretly manipulated the destruction of his nephew's academic record and issued a document to the Huai'an Prefectural School to restore his nephew's title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination).

Judging from this incident, Wu Desong was not helping Zhao An, but rather using his power to force Zhao An to do things for him by taking advantage of his position.

There's no loyalty or gratitude involved; it's just an exchange of interests.

The kind that's done in a strictly businesslike manner.

Therefore, Zhao An's enthusiasm must have been feigned.

Wu Desong first leaned half his buttocks against the edge of the chair, then leaned forward slightly to lower his posture as much as possible, before repeatedly saying, "I dare not, I dare not. In front of you, sir, how could I dare to be impolite?"

As they spoke, he carefully observed the young governor in front of him and felt that although the man had a warm smile, he had an air of authority that he didn't need to be angry to command respect compared to when he was in Yangzhou.

Thinking back to the astonishing news that had been circulating privately in Yangzhou's official circles recently, he felt relieved. If it weren't for that reason, how could this kid have climbed to such a high position in just over a year?

Back then, this kid had to beg him for a favor!

Sigh, it's true what they say, comparisons are odious.

If I had known earlier that this kid was the emperor's illegitimate child, I would have definitely granted him an extra three thousand salt permits to build a good relationship. Now look what's happened; he's a second-rank official, and I, a mere sixth-rank clerk, have no choice but to act like a grandson.

"Was the journey arduous? The situation in Anhui hasn't been good lately, so you must have suffered quite a bit on the way."

After exchanging a few polite words, Zhao An asked Wu Desong the purpose of his visit.

"This humble servant has come to pay a visit to you on the orders of Lord A!"

Wu Desong quickly stood up and presented a secret letter sealed with bright red sealing wax, along with a gift list written on a large red and gold-flecked invitation.

His attitude was extremely respectful.

"Sit, sit."

Zhao An took the letter and gift list but did not open them immediately. Instead, he casually placed them on the tea table beside him and said with a smile, "How is Your Excellency? I have been busy with many matters since taking up my new post in Anhui Province and have not had time to write to inquire about Your Excellency. It is I am ashamed that Your Excellency has thought of me first."

Upon hearing this, Wu Desong quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Excellency! Your governance of Anhui is excellent, especially the battle of Suzhou, where you swiftly and decisively quelled the rebels, protecting the borders and the people. The court and the public are full of praise for you. Your Excellency and I are filled with admiration after hearing about it!"

That was a sincere statement, because when the news reached Yangzhou, the people in the salt administration office found it quite unbelievable.

Wu Desong simply couldn't reconcile the image of a prefectural school professor with a formidable military commander, but the facts were undeniable, leaving him no choice but to acknowledge that "Zhao Youlu" was indeed quite capable. "Lord A said that Anhui has suffered many disasters in recent years, causing hardship for the people. Although the Lianghuai Salt Administration is located in Yangzhou, Yangzhou and Anhui are neighbors, and Lord A is from Yangzhou. Therefore, Lord A believes that they should help each other."
Therefore, I have specially ordered this humble servant to escort a batch of grain and medicinal herbs, totaling approximately 500,000 taels, all of which will be donated to the Anhui Provincial Treasury for disaster relief and to help restore people's livelihoods. This is a token of our Lianghuai Salt Administration's goodwill towards the people of Anhui, and also a small contribution to Your Excellency's service in Anhui Province.

After saying that, Wu Desong took out a densely written list of supplies from his sleeve and bowed as he handed it over.

Five hundred thousand taels?!
Zhao An was shocked. He had initially asked Akdang'a to "remain silent" about borrowing 300,000 taels of silver, but this time he had taken the initiative to send grain and medicine worth 500,000 taels of silver. This was quite a generous gesture.

This also shows how "sincere" Akdang'a is.

On the surface, he remained calm and quickly glanced at the heavy gift list. Besides some appropriate local gifts, several items were listed below, each of which was quite valuable. A rough estimate put the value of these private gifts at least 30,000 taels of silver!

At this point, Zhao An understood perfectly well that this was not a simple donation or a matter of colleagueship. It was more likely that Akdan'a, like Jiangning Governor Fuchang, had believed the rumor about the dragon seed and was therefore in a panic to try to salvage the situation. Otherwise, such a large sum of money would not have been lost.

530,000 taels of silver may not seem like a large sum to the Lianghuai Salt Administration, but it was equivalent to the tax revenue of the entire Yunnan and Guizhou provinces.

If it weren't a matter of life and death, would Akdanah be so generous?

Well, even a wild prince is still a prince!

Now that Kuangye Age holds real power in a province, Akdang'a is trying to buy peace by taking remedial measures after the fact.

Although the salt administration was the most lucrative position in the country, it was also the most dangerous. Countless eyes were watching, and without a strong enough backer in the capital, one could be attacked by political enemies at any time and end up with one's property confiscated and exiled.

It is true that Akdan'a's patron was Heshen, but what patron could be more powerful and direct than a regional official who might have imperial blood?

Fu San and Fu Si are ready examples.

Even if we don't rely on Prince Zhao as our backer, we still have to guard against him secretly causing trouble.

Haven't you seen that Prince Zhao is now fully armored, wielding the four divine artifacts, and enjoying the Emperor's favor to the point of turning red and purple?

Having figured this out, Zhao An sneered inwardly. Sometimes, rumors can be just as effective as ten divisions.

We have to thank that imaginative guy from Fuchang.

If Fu Chang hadn't been so obsessed with making things up and spreading rumors, how could someone like Akdang'a have been fooled!
They'll spare Fu Chang's life if they turn back.

On the surface, he showed surprise at the "gift," and couldn't contain his excitement. He picked up Akdan'a's letter and opened it. In the letter, Akdan'a praised Zhao An's achievements in "governing and saving Anhui" to the skies, but only briefly mentioned the donation of 500,000 taels of silver. The whole letter had only one purpose: to get closer to Zhao An.

Confirmed.

Even if he's not a prince, he's still a prince.

"Lord A's generous gift and profound kindness are truly a godsend for me, and have relieved the urgent needs of the people of Anhui! On behalf of the millions of people of Anhui, I thank Lord A for his noble character. Please, Lord Wu, convey my sincere gratitude and respect to Lord A upon your return!"

Zhao An's excitement and joy didn't seem fake.

"Of course, of course! This humble official will convey the message to Your Excellency word for word!"

Seeing Zhao An accept the generous gift, Wu Desong felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He also noticed Zhao An's warm hospitality and his lack of concern about their previous "deal." He felt that his trip to Anqing had been incredibly worthwhile. Not only had he completed his mission admirably, but he had also made a good impression on this "brother." Perhaps he could use this good connection to advance his career in the future.

If a second-rank official really wanted to promote him, he wouldn't dare say he could get a higher rank, but getting him promoted one or two ranks would be a sure thing.

Just as he was "lost in thought," Zhao An unexpectedly changed the subject, tapping the back of his chair lightly with his fingers, and said as if chatting casually, "I am naturally very grateful for your strong support of the people's livelihood in this province, but I know that the recovery of the people's livelihood in this province cannot rely on donations from colleagues, as it is not in accordance with the regulations of the imperial court."

However, Anhui is currently in dire need of reconstruction and has many areas requiring funding. As the provincial governor, I must devise long-term methods to generate revenue and stabilize the current situation; otherwise, the future will be difficult.”

At this point, pretending to serve tea, he casually remarked, "Anhui's conditions are limited, unlike the wealth of Jiangsu, and its merchants are not as prosperous. Even if I were willing to revitalize industry and commerce, I would be constrained by the scarcity of gold and silver. Alas, I have the will but not the power."

Wu Desong was completely confused, not knowing what Zhao An was trying to say.

Zhao An gently put down his teacup, tapped the table lightly, and said, "After much thought, I have a request. I wonder if Lord A could do me a favor?"

Wu Desong quickly and tactfully asked, "What does Your Excellency mean?"

"It's nothing,"

Zhao An said calmly, "I propose that the Salt Administration allocate 100,000 salt permits annually from the Huaibei salt fields, to be sold by Xinglong Trading Company throughout Huaibei and even the entire Anhui province. This would provide a stable source of income for the Anhui provincial treasury. As for the regular taxes, likin, and miscellaneous fees due to the Salt Administration, I guarantee that not a single penny will be deducted, and that Lord Wu and his colleagues in the Salt Administration will not suffer any loss. Lord Wu, what do you think of this proposal?"

One hundred thousand quotes!
Wu Desong's heart pounded wildly as he listened, and he almost gasped. The amount of salt permits he was talking about far exceeded what a lowly sixth-rank official like himself could handle or even imagine.

The amount of salt that the Lianghuai Salt Administration sent to Anhui each year was fixed, and the salt permits were controlled by the eight salt merchants in Yangzhou. The 100,000 permits that Zhao An is now proposing are actually "privately issued". To put it bluntly, privately issued salt permits are smuggled salt.

If an extra 100,000 illicit salt samples suddenly appear in Anhui, would legitimate salt merchants allow that?
If it doesn't cause a scene, that's fine, but if it does, it could reach the highest levels of government and could easily become another major case involving the Lianghuai salt monopoly.

However, Wu Desong did not dare to refuse directly, so he stammered, "This matter... this matter is of great importance, involving the national treasury for salt tax and the regulations for salt fields. I am but a lowly official and dare not make such a promise. I must report to Lord A and let him decide."

"It should."

Zhao An's smile remained unchanged. "Whether it succeeds or not depends on Lord A's wishes. How can I force him? After all, the imperial court has its own regulations. In that case, I would like to trouble Lord Wu to go back and tell Lord A that if this matter is successful, everyone in Anhui will remember Lord A's kindness, and I will also remember Lord A's favor. From now on, Anhui and Lianghuai Salt Administration will be one family, closely connected, and mutually beneficial."

After saying this, as if to reassure Wu Desong and Akdang'a, he solemnly said, "As for the risks of this matter, please report back to Lord Akdang'a. If anything goes wrong, I will take full responsibility. I will not implicate Lord Akdang'a, nor will I implicate the Salt Administration."

He stood up, exchanged a few polite words, and then left.

This left Manager Wu quite disappointed. Not long after, someone came in and gently handed him a five-thousand-tael silver note.

Liu Peng said in a low voice, "My master said that as long as Lord Wu helps to make this happen, there will be a great reward in the future."

"this?"

After a long pause, Chief Wu silently accepted the silver note and asked Secretary Liu to pass on a message to Lord Zhao. The core message was simple: "This subordinate understands!"

(End of this chapter)