Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 228 Thorough Investigation of the Ministry of Revenue, God-Level Manipulation Technique!
Household Department.

The warehouse, a key area with a blue brick floor, had two glaring seals crossed on its vermilion-lacquered, copper-nailed gate.

The still-wet ink of the "Imperial Censorate Seal" and the "Ministry of Justice Edict" stood starkly opposite each other in the morning light, like two unsheathed swords hanging over the heads of everyone in the Ministry of Revenue.

Jiang Xingzhou stood with his hands behind his back under the corridor.

The hem of the dark official robe remained perfectly still, while the silver fish-shaped pouch at his waist cast a swaying shadow on the bluestone slab with each unhurried stroll.

Inside the warehouse, the clanging of abacus beads was as dense as a torrential downpour.

More than ten doctors and assistant doctors, along with dozens of minor officials, were writing furiously at their desks, the sandalwood abacus leaving marks on the silk account books.

The newly presented Jiangnan salt tax book is marked with annotations in vermilion that have soaked through the Xuan paper.

"Snapped!"

Suddenly, a crisp sound of an abacus bead snapping rang out from somewhere.

The young manager hurriedly covered his face with his sleeve, but could not hide the cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

A muffled cough came from the corner, like a dull knife cutting into a taut drum.

They knew that two knives were hanging over their heads.

The Left Vice Minister's gleaming blade was pressed against their necks, forcing them to audit the accounts and thoroughly investigate all the Ministry of Revenue's records.

Behind them, however, were countless thin blades emerging from the shadows, slowly unsheathed with the sound of ledgers being turned—if they were to actually find out some important figures, they would likely be in big trouble as well.

The main hall of the Ministry of Revenue.

Wisps of white steam rose from the celadon teacups on the sandalwood table. Yang Sizhi, the Minister of Revenue, sat at the head of the table, his fingertips lightly tapping the rim of the cup, his expression calm and composed.

Right Vice Minister Ren You was pale and sweat beaded on his forehead. He said in a low voice, “Sir, are you really not worried? There are many people handling the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue, and there are bound to be oversights.”

If the Censorate seizes on this and doesn't let it go, at best you'll be accused of negligence and dereliction of duty, at worst you'll be charged with embezzlement...

His voice lowered, "Isn't this a miscarriage of justice?"

Minister of Revenue Yang Sizhi raised his eyes, a half-smile playing on his lips: "What are you panicking about?"

He paused, gently setting down his teacup. "The destination of the Ministry of Revenue's silver and grain supplies involves powerful clans and the Three Provinces and Six Ministries... Those at the top are still sitting firmly on their seats, so why should you throw yourself into chaos?"

Ren You was taken aback, then suddenly realized, and his tense shoulders slowly relaxed: "That makes sense... If those officials aren't in a hurry, why should I, the Right Vice Minister, be in a hurry?"

The disorder in the Ministry of Revenue's finances and grain was never without cause.

The emperor built a temporary palace and asked for a sum of money.
A prince is getting married, so I'm asking for another wedding gift;
It was commonplace for the cabinet to temporarily "borrow" officials from the three provinces.

The Minister of Revenue, a high-ranking official and one of the six ministries, could only grit his teeth and agree to these people who were asking for favors.

Some debts can be repaid in three to five years;

Yes, even after eight or ten years, it's still a mess.

As for border disturbances, floods in the great rivers, and the suppression of bandits... these are all important military and national affairs. Silver is poured out like water, and before the ink on the account books has even dried, new holes are torn open.

How could the accounts not be in disarray under such circumstances?

Can this account be thoroughly investigated?
Even if the truth is found, which of those recovered coins wouldn't affect the nerves of the imperial relatives and nobles?
Behind every set of accounts lies the interest of powerful clans and aristocratic families.
If we were to settle accounts one by one, the powerful and wealthy officials in the imperial court who were so angry that they were grinding their teeth could line up all over Zhuque Street!

By then, this will be more than just a matter for the Ministry of Revenue.
Among the three provinces and six ministries, kings, nobles and generals, who can remain untainted?
Thinking of this, Ren You felt a sense of peace.

No wonder Minister Yang remained calm and composed—if something were to be discovered, it would be unclear whether Jiang Xingzhou would be the first to be condemned by the public, or whether Yang Sizhi would be uneasy.

Yet a lingering unease still coiled around my heart like a venomous snake.

Is the Emperor truly unaware of the Ministry of Revenue's messy accounts?
Knowing this already, why did you still allow Jiang Xingzhou to investigate freely? What was your intention?
Jiang Xingzhou—a peerless scholar who achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations six times, his policy essays astonishing and his strategies boundless. How could he not know that the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue were a taboo subject to be touched?
Since we know it all
So what is he really looking for?
What do you intend to do with the results of the investigation?
This game of chess is incredibly complex and unpredictable!

This left him utterly confused and puzzled.

The heavy warehouse doors were guarded by the Imperial Guards.
The iron chains stood menacingly.

As the candlelight flickered, Jiang Xingzhou sat upright at the table, his face ashen.

Censor-in-Chief Zhang Ji stood to the side, pen in hand, several lines of glaring red annotations already written on the open notebook beside the vermilion inkstone.

A group of junior officials from the Ministry of Revenue filed in, trembling with fear, carrying account books.

"Your Honor,"

A junior official, sweat beading on his forehead and his voice trembling, said, “When former Prime Minister Lu built his mansion, he still owed the Ministry of Revenue a promissory note for 10,000 taels of silver.”

After he finished speaking, he secretly raised his eyes—

Prime Minister Lu was the mentor of Tang Xiujin, the Minister of War.

Tang Xiujin was Jiang Xingzhou's mentor.

Should we pursue this debt or not?
The candle wick crackled and popped.

Jiang Xingzhou tapped the table lightly with his knuckles, his expression unchanged, as if he hadn't heard it.

The official felt a chill run down his spine and immediately understood—this Lord Jiang probably wasn't looking for these public accounts.

"Report!"

Another official stepped forward, saying, "Lord Wu Siqi has embezzled 100,000 taels of silver from the Ministry of Revenue's treasury, borrowed 300 beams and pillars, and demanded 100,000 shi of grain."

"Lord Wei, the Prefect of Jiangnan Circuit, has submitted an unusual amount of money and grain."

Each account was like a knife, tearing away the fig leaf that the Ministry of Revenue had used for so many years.

In the flickering candlelight, Jiang Xingzhou's eyes deepened—these were not what he was looking for.

Zhang Ji listened intently from the side, his brush moving like a dragon and a snake as he recorded without stopping for a moment.

His eyes were bloodshot, his knuckles were white from gripping the pen so tightly, and a urge to grab someone was surging in his chest.

If these pieces of evidence can be verified, it will be a tremendous achievement.

Let alone being promoted to Imperial Censor, it wouldn't be impossible for him to be promoted even further.

However, Jiang Xingzhou remained calm. After listening to the reports from the minor officials, he simply waved his hand to signal them to leave and ordered them to continue checking the accounts.

This nonchalant attitude made it seem as if what he had just heard was nothing more than trivial matters.

Zhang Ji could no longer contain himself and said urgently, "Lord Jiang, this matter is of utmost importance! Should we arrest the person immediately? Or send someone to collect the debt? Are you just going to ignore it like this?"

Jiang Xingzhou chuckled upon hearing this and countered, "Brother Zhang, what do you think His Majesty's purpose is in ordering me to investigate the Ministry of Revenue?"

Zhang Ji frowned and pondered for a long time before replying, "The imperial edict clearly states that first, the old accounts of the Ministry of Revenue must be investigated, and second, corrupt practices must be reformed and new sources of revenue must be opened up. This matter is known to everyone in the court and among the people."

He paused, then added, "His Majesty ordered Brother Jiang to thoroughly investigate the old accounts, presumably to recover the lost silver."

The Ministry of Revenue is currently facing a deficit, and the border war is escalating, causing His Majesty great concern.

Brother Jiang should expedite the recovery of the funds and grain that have been diverted from the Ministry of Revenue.

Jiang Xingzhou slowly sipped his tea, the teacup making a barely audible crisp sound as he gently set it down.

A faint smile played on his lips, but his gaze was unfathomable.

"Get it back?" He shook his head slightly. "Brother Zhang, do you know how many powerful figures are entangled behind this mess of accounts at the Ministry of Revenue? If we really want to get to the bottom of this..."

He tapped his finger on the table, "I have cut myself off from the court, becoming a deadly blade in His Majesty's hand."

The swaying bamboo shadows outside the window cast flickering light and shadow on his face.

"From now on, I will be Your Majesty's loyal subject."

The court is full of officials, but no one dares to confide in me anymore.

And the one who can protect me

He looked up towards the direction of the imperial city, "There is only that one person."

Zhang Ji was stunned, and subconsciously said, "Isn't this precisely the duty of a subject? As a minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty, to be able to die for His Majesty is surely a worthy death."

He choked up halfway through his sentence.

He suddenly realized that he wasn't even qualified to be His Majesty's sword.

Now he is nothing more than a dagger in Jiang Xingzhou's hand, to be used wherever Jiang points.

Jiang Xingzhou picked up the teacup, his fingertips gently tracing the celadon patterns, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

He suddenly chuckled softly, "Your Majesty is giving me a test!"

The tea reflected his deep-set eyes: "If all we do is investigate the accounts and pursue the confiscations, then I will only become a knife in her hand."

But if it is…

He drew a circle on the table with his fingertip, "Investigating but not taking action can lead to another path."

Zhang Ji pressed on urgently, "What do you mean by that, sir?"

"To become the head of the three ministries and the cabinet."

Jiang Xingzhou said slowly and deliberately, his robe fluttering even without wind as he stood with his hands behind his back, "This is my true path to heaven."

A startled bird suddenly flew past the window.

His gaze followed the bird as it flew away: "I, Jiang Xingzhou, am but a humble scholar, yet even if I achieve the highest rank in the imperial examinations, I am unique throughout history."

Without the help of classmates or fellow townsmen, how can he gain a foothold in the court? How can he contend with the three powerful cabinet members?

As he turned, his eyes were sharp as knives. "But now, the Ministry of Revenue's account books are the Achilles' heel of the entire court!"

He suddenly lowered his voice: "Even if I can't touch the Grand Secretaries and Ministers of the Three Provinces and Six Ministries, what about those officials below me?" A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth, "Do you think I can't control them?"

Zhang Ji's teacup trembled slightly, and the tea almost spilled.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice tightened: "Your Majesty has actually tacitly approved of the Lord's actions?"

Jiang Xingzhou chuckled softly, his fingertips slowly tracing the edge of the celadon teacup: "This is His Majesty's art of managing people."

Jiang Xingzhou smiled, "She doesn't control people, but rather the court factions."

She is supporting me to form a new faction in the court and break the current stalemate.

He wants me to contend with the Three Departments and Six Ministries, to seize power from these veteran officials. However, His Majesty didn't say it explicitly, wanting to see how much I can understand and how much I can accomplish.

His Majesty's order for me to audit the accounts at the Ministry of Revenue may not necessarily be to collect those old debts.

These old debts,

It could serve as evidence to force lower- and mid-level officials to take sides. This would allow me to quickly establish a new power base in the court, enough to rival the other veteran officials.

As for the second point, "expanding sources of revenue," that is indeed true.

The imperial court is short of funds, and expenditures on all fronts are enormous. His Majesty still hopes that I can find a way to increase the Ministry of Revenue's revenue.

Zhang Ji's pupils suddenly contracted.

"I see!"

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice carried an undeniable shock.

The complex fog surrounding the political situation was completely cleared up at this moment.

No wonder Jiang Xingzhou was able to rise so quickly in the Great Zhou court—with such keen political insight, it was only a matter of time before he became a cabinet minister.

He suddenly stood up, his robes sweeping over the official documents on the table.

His knees slammed heavily onto the floor tiles, and even his fingertips trembled as he clasped his hands in a fist salute: "This humble official is dull-witted and unable to fathom the secrets of heaven. I only beg to serve you, my lord, like a dog or a horse, and to be a sharp blade in your hand!"

Jiang Xingzhou lightly tapped the celadon teacup with his fingertips, the ripples in the cup reflecting his ambiguous smile: "You should recruit more people to the Censorate."

"What do you mean, sir?"

When Zhang Ji looked up, he saw Jiang Xingzhou pointing to the account books on the table.

“Pick a few unimportant small fish and throw them out.”

Jiang Xingzhou patted his shoulder lightly with the account book, the pages rustling. "Those starving censors will naturally follow you, drawn by the scent of blood!"

Zhang Ji's pupils constricted sharply, as if struck by lightning—

Yup!

Lord Jiang allowed him to sit in and participate, and he had already heard about and witnessed the secrets of the court and the incriminating evidence left by various forces in the Ministry of Revenue's accounts.

He couldn't touch those truly important figures of the third rank or above.

But if you just pick out a minor official of the fifth or sixth rank from the accounts, a few small fry, they'll have a bunch of ready-made credits!
If these credits were "given" to the censors of the Censorate who have been eagerly seeking them out... wouldn't they rush to attach themselves to him?
In this way, the people in the Censorate would take him as their leader, and he would follow Jiang Xingzhou closely.

He is the sharp sword in Lord Jiang's hand!

Jiang, on the other hand, will quickly gather a group of censors in the court and gradually form a new faction.

The more followers one has, the more stable one's foundation becomes, and ultimately, one can truly gain a foothold in the court!
"Brilliant... Your Majesty's move is truly a fabrication out of thin air!"

Zhang Ji was deeply shocked.

For so many years, no one has dared to touch the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue in the Great Zhou Dynasty. But now His Majesty has issued an edict ordering Jiang Xingzhou to investigate them. It may seem like just an investigation, but in reality, it is giving Lord Jiang an opportunity!
Lord Jiang didn't need to delve into those old grievances, nor did he need to break ties with the powerful officials of the court, yet he had already grasped an invisible deterrent force out of thin air!
The officials in the court were terrified; who would dare to offend him easily?

Those petty officials and clerks who were originally helpless and alone would naturally flock to him...

In this game, His Majesty is playing the game.

Lord Jiang, on the other hand, is the chess piece that occupies the four corner positions on the chessboard—beginning to form a new force!

This new force will surely pierce through the stubborn old order of the Great Zhou Dynasty like a sharp blade!
As for how far Jiang Zemin will ultimately go?
Zhang Ji's Adam's apple bobbed, and he dared not think too deeply about it.

But he was certain that Jiang Xingzhou's future would not stop at the level of Chen Shaoqing, the Grand Secretary!

Zhang Ji, now a trusted confidant who was among the earliest to follow Lord Jiang, is practically a faction elder. Given time, he might even attain the position of Imperial Censor.
Thinking of this, Zhang Ji's fingertips trembled uncontrollably, and a surge of hot heat rushed from his spine to the top of his head, making him shudder all over!

This method is exactly the same as the previous major case during the Lantern Festival!
That major case remains unresolved to this day, and it was precisely through this slow and ruthless investigation that Zhang Ji became known as the "Iron-Faced Yama," feared by all the officials.

These are the old accounts of the Ministry of Revenue.
A glint flashed in Zhang Ji's eyes, and a cold smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

These account books will surely become the sharpest sword in Lord Jiang's hand—not necessarily to kill everyone, but enough to keep the powerful officials of the court awake at night!
(End of this chapter)