Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 230 Xue Chonghu is transferred to the post of Prefect of Mizhou!

The next day, the news spread, and the entire Zhou court was shaken.

His Majesty's approval of Minister of Revenue Yang Sizhi's retirement was a sudden decree, like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, the ripples of which quickly spread to every corner of power in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The powerful position that once held the reins of the nation's finances and ranked second among the Six Ministries was thus left vacant.

However, this is quite different from the past when undercurrents and factional power struggles would arise whenever a high-ranking official left a vacancy.

An eerie silence descended upon the court this time.

No one submitted a memorial recommending him, no one made any secret efforts, and even the usual tentative requests for advice disappeared.

It was as if the coveted position of Minister of Revenue had become a hot potato that no one dared to touch and no one wanted to touch.

The reason is obvious to everyone.

The real person in charge of the Ministry of Revenue now is Jiang Xingzhou, the Left Vice Minister of Revenue, who was ordered to investigate the accounts.

Although he did not hold the title of Minister, he effectively acted as one, and the entire Ministry of Revenue and its related financial system operated under his control.

All the officials in the court could see clearly that His Majesty was waiting. He was waiting for Jiang Xingzhou to sort out the mess in the Ministry of Revenue, waiting for him to open up new sources of revenue for the empty national treasury, and to establish outstanding achievements that would convince the people.

At that time, it would be a natural and logical progression for the Left Vice Minister to be promoted to Minister of Revenue.

At this juncture, anyone who is out of touch with reality and attempts to seize that position would be openly challenging His Majesty's plans and making an enemy of Jiang Xingzhou, who is at the height of his power.

Such a foolish thing to invite trouble would naturally not be done by the high-ranking officials in the court.

In the imperial court, a peculiar tacit understanding was reached among the ministers.

Since Jiang Xingzhou is destined to be promoted to Minister of the Six Ministries sooner or later, there will always be a Minister who has to step down and give way to a more capable one.

Since Yang Sizhi, the Minister of Revenue, has voluntarily resigned, he has conveniently vacated his position. Therefore, there's no need for the various factions in the court to argue over which minister should step down and yield the position to a more capable individual.

The inner hall of the Wei residence.

The flickering candlelight illuminated the aged and profound face of Minister Wei Min.

He was dressed simply in a casual home robe, appearing somewhat relaxed, with the composure of someone who had long held a high position.

Former Minister of Revenue Yang Sizhi stood bowing below the hall, his face ashen, his expression filled with shame and resentment.

He will be leaving the prosperous capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty tomorrow, and before leaving, he came to bid farewell to his mentor.

He was a protégé of Wei Min, and was in his prime. He was the successor that Wei Min's faction was cultivating and pinning their hopes on, expecting him to take over the mantle of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and support the faction.

However, his resignation, which was not persuaded to stay, completely ruined his promising future.

"Student...I am ashamed!"
Careless!
I originally thought His Majesty would reject the memorial and try to retain him!

Yang Sizhi's voice was hoarse, with a hint of sobs, "I never imagined that His Majesty would... would not try to stop me at all!"

Ultimately, the students were incompetent and unfit for important tasks!

He cannot compare to Jiang Xingzhou, whose talent is so extraordinary, the foremost literary figure of a thousand years, enjoying the Emperor's favor and at the height of his power!

Yang Sizhi's tone was filled with helplessness.

Wei Min listened quietly, then slowly shook his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the disciple before him, seeing something far deeper.

He sighed softly, his tone calm yet carrying a sense of world-weariness, "The sage is not benevolent; he treats the people like straw dogs."

His Majesty's actions are not due to any personal dissatisfaction with you.

Wei Min paused, his fingertips lightly tapping the back of the chair, producing a dull sound that seemed to strike Yang Sizhi's heart. "It's not that you, Yang Sizhi, lack ability, but rather that you've just been unlucky... It's fate."

"What do you mean by that?"

Yang Sizhi was taken aback upon hearing this, and quickly composed himself, bowing to ask for guidance.

He realized there was a deeper meaning behind his mentor's words.

Wei Min's gaze sharpened, as if it could penetrate the walls of the mansion and reach the depths of the Zichen Palace.

He lowered his voice, his tone grave:
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid you've sensed a dangerous atmosphere... a danger that could shake the very foundations of the nation."

Otherwise, why would they resort to such drastic measures, even going so far as to forcibly dismiss a minister in order to reform the Ministry of Revenue and collect taxes?
This is by no means an ordinary power struggle within the court, but rather... a precautionary measure, or even a desperate attempt to survive.

His Majesty has no time for your elaborate courtesies and refusals.

Yang Sizhi's expression changed drastically; his previous concern for personal gain or loss was instantly replaced by a greater sense of unease.

He never considered his resignation from this perspective.

Wei Min abruptly changed the subject, asking, "By the way, when you were in the Ministry of Revenue, did you keep track of the situation on the frontier? What were the military reports like from the northern frontier, the southern desert, and the northern Ji region?"

Although Yang Sizhi had resigned from his post, he had previously been in charge of the Ministry of Revenue and still had a thorough understanding of the flow of money and grain throughout the country.

Whenever there is a military report, the Ministry of Revenue must allocate funds.

He thought for a moment, then cupped his hands in a respectful reply:
"Reporting to my esteemed teacher, as far as I know, the borders of our Great Zhou have been quite turbulent recently, with the barbarian demon tribes launching increasingly frequent and larger-scale attacks than in previous years."

However... the imperial court was overwhelmed with affairs, and the Ministry of Revenue was short of funds and supplies, making it impossible to support large-scale wars.

The central government's strategy has always been to strictly order all border prefectures and counties to hold their ground and wait for a change in circumstances.

"Then, what about the Snow Wolf Kingdom?"

Wei Min pressed further, pointing out the threat posed by the most powerful demon kingdom in the north.

"Snow Wolf Kingdom..."

Yang Sizhi's voice was even lower, "They have repeatedly launched military raids under the pretext of avenging the Seventh Prince, and have been probing and attacking the border city."

Urgent dispatches from the border towns flooded into the Ministry of War like snowflakes… but ultimately, they all disappeared without a trace.

At this point, Yang Sizhi gave a helpless, bitter smile: "My mentor also knows that supplies must be prepared before troops can move."

The Ministry of Revenue is currently unable to allocate the enormous sums of money and provisions needed for a national war.

The imperial court... could only pretend not to see it.

The Ministry of War, naturally, remained completely silent.

After listening, Wei Min slowly closed his eyes.

After a long while, he finally let out a soft breath.

"That's right... The border troubles are raging, and the national treasury is empty."

His Majesty sensed danger.

The appointment of Jiang Xingzhou was no longer a simple reform of the Ministry of Revenue, but a desperate attempt to accumulate resources for a possible major battle.

Your position as Minister of Revenue is merely the first piece to be moved in this grand scheme. Since you can't raise the funds, Jiang Xingzhou will have to take it.

A glint of light flashed in Wei Min's cloudy eyes, and he immediately gave a deep order to the door:
"Go and bring me all the transfer orders and documents from the Ministry of Personnel for the past month."

In the stillness of the night, the study in the Wei residence was brightly lit.

A servant brought over a thick stack of files, and Minister Wei Min and Yang Sizhi buried themselves in them, carefully examining the hundreds of densely packed documents concerning the appointment and dismissal of officials.

Finally, a seemingly ordinary transfer order was drawn up—[Xue Chonghu, Prefect of Jiangzhou, is transferred to be the Prefect of Mizhou in the Northern Frontier Circuit].

In the candlelight, Wei Min's fingers tapped lightly on the words.

Under normal circumstances, such a transfer involving the prefect would have no chance of escaping the eyes of the Minister of Works.

However, with the recent political turmoil and the downfall of hundreds of local officials, coupled with other normal transfers, documents to fill vacancies are arriving in droves.

This transfer order, which was mixed in with a large number of personnel changes, was quietly approved by the Ministry of Personnel according to the usual procedures.

Because he was transferred from Jiangzhou Prefecture to Mizhou Prefecture, it was a lateral transfer!

Nobody cares!
"What a brilliant tactic of feigning one's intentions while secretly advancing another..."

Wei Min stroked his beard, his brows furrowed.
"Everyone was focused on the changing situation in Luoyang and the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue. But no one noticed that Xue Chonghu had been transferred to the frontier."

Yang Sizhi leaned closer for a look and gasped in shock: "Xue Chonghu? He's Jiang Xingzhou's father-in-law!"

Although this former governor of Jiangzhou was not in the central government, he was a powerful local official.

More importantly, he was the father-in-law of Jiang Xingzhou, the then-powerful Vice Minister of Revenue, and the Duke of Xue.

Transferring him to the war-torn northern front was no ordinary personnel arrangement.

"What a fine Jiang Xingzhou!"

Wei Min suddenly stood up and paced around the study.

"He was not only decisive and efficient in the court, but also prepared to make his mark on the frontier."

Xue Chonghu's presence in the northern frontier is tantamount to planting a crucial piece on the border.

"If things change on the border, he will make a big move..."

The old Minister of State turned around, his eyes piercing: "Sizhi, do you understand now?"

His Majesty and Jiang Xingzhou's plans go far beyond simply reforming the Ministry of Revenue's accounts.

They are preparing for an even bigger storm.

Your loss of power is merely part of the overall strategy in this game.

Outside the window, a sudden night wind arose, causing the lanterns to sway precariously.

Inside the study of the Wei family mansion, the candlelight flickered.

Wei Min tapped his thin, withered fingers lightly on the table, and pondered for a moment:
Xue Chonghu, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), has served as the prefect of Jiangzhou for nearly ten years.

His political achievements were merely above average, neither particularly good nor bad. According to convention, his official career would likely end here, with little hope of ever reaching the position of a high-ranking official.

His gaze deepened, and his tone turned cold:

"Xue Chonghu's transfer to Mizhou in the north must have been Jiang Xingzhou's doing."

The war in the north is about to break out, which is a dangerous place to make a name for oneself.

If Xue Chonghu could achieve a significant military merit at the border, he might be able to break the deadlock and advance further.

Yang Sizhi was taken aback upon hearing this.

According to the regulations of the Great Zhou Dynasty, if one can be promoted to the position of governor of one of the ten circuits of the Great Zhou Dynasty, one will be a true regional official.

Externally, he could guard a region; internally, his status was comparable to that of the Ministers of the Six Ministries, and he could be summoned to the capital at any time to take charge of the Six Ministries.

"Jiang Xingzhou is using the border war as a pretext to pave the way for his father-in-law's promotion!"

Yang Sizhi suddenly realized, "But to gain military merit, one must first prepare sufficient provisions. No wonder Jiang Xingzhou reorganized the Ministry of Revenue and local officials so quickly—it turns out he was raising military funds for Xue Chonghu, exchanging border merits for power!"

Wei Min sneered, his fingers tightening slightly inside his sleeve.

In the candlelight, his face was half-lit and half-shadowed, like a lurking eagle.

Yang Sizhi carefully pondered his mentor's words, becoming increasingly alarmed with each thought.

A chill ran down his spine and up to his head, making his scalp tingle.

He suddenly realized a crucial question, his voice trembling with disbelief: "Master! If His Majesty truly intends to wage a decisive battle against the Snow Wolf Kingdom on the frontier, how could you, as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and a member of the Cabinet, be completely unaware of such a matter of national importance?"

This is so unusual!

Mobilizing troops and preparing provisions—which of these can be done without completely bypassing the central government?

Unless... His Majesty issues a direct decree.

A cold glint flashed in Wei Min's eyes, like a sharp blade being drawn from its sheath in the dark.

A mocking and cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Humph!"

A cold snort revealed the anger and insight of a high-ranking official who was excluded from the core decision-making circle.

"Don't you understand?"

His Majesty's move is not merely about waging war, but also about using this opportunity to personally cultivate a new leader in the court!

Wei Min's voice was deep and powerful, each word striking Yang Sizhi's heart: "This new giant's position will be comparable to, or even shake, our three cabinet prime ministers in the future!"

How could His Majesty allow us to know about such an important plan in advance, or even interfere with it?

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the deep night, as if he could see the unfathomable intentions of the emperor in the Zichen Palace.

"His Majesty will not allow us to interfere."

Deep down, they probably worry that we old folks might interfere and hold back that "six-time top scholar, the greatest literary talent of a thousand years"!

“Look at this game of chess, from reorganizing the Ministry of Revenue and collecting taxes, to transferring his father-in-law to Mizhou... the player in this whole game, from beginning to end, is probably only one person—Jiang Xingzhou!”

He practically single-handedly managed finances, provisions, and troops.

Wei Min turned around and looked at Yang Sizhi with piercing eyes: "That's not hard to understand."

If Jiang Xingzhou continues his meteoric rise and becomes Minister of Revenue, his next step will inevitably be to challenge the positions of the three cabinet ministers.

If we harbor any fears, we should join forces to obstruct it.

Even with extraordinary talent, he will still face many difficulties.

"So His Majesty simply cut off our supply lines and abandoned us!"
Jiang Xingzhou was tasked with single-handedly completing the seemingly impossible mission of 'attacking the Snow Wolf Kingdom'.

If successful, this would be a tremendous achievement, proving that this young man possesses extraordinary talent, no less than that of the prime minister, and fully capable of shouldering the responsibility alone.

When he is promoted to Grand Secretary and appointed Prime Minister, who will dare to object?
"One of us in the three cabinet members... must step aside to make way for this newcomer."

Upon hearing this, Yang Sizhi felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, so shocking that he almost lost his balance.

The three cabinet prime ministers were truly giants standing at the pinnacle of power in the Great Zhou Dynasty, with their protégés and former officials spread throughout the court and the country, their roots deeply embedded in every corner of the Great Zhou Holy Dynasty.

He, the former Minister of Revenue, was merely a relatively sturdy branch on the towering tree of his mentor, Wei Min.

It's not a big deal that he, the Minister of Revenue, has fallen from power.

Once the main leader collapses, the entire faction will crumble like a building falling apart.

The fate of those who depended on him, including his protégés and former subordinates, was predictable.

Thinking of this, Yang Sizhi's back was already soaked with cold sweat.

His Majesty intends to reshape the court!

Wei Min took in Yang Sizhi's frightened expression, but his face remained expressionless, instead displaying an almost indifferent calm.

He slowly sat back in his chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the table, making a soft sound, as if he were tapping a silent chessboard.

"Since His Majesty's will is made, the decision rests solely with Heaven and Earth..."

Wei Min's voice was calm, yet it carried a sense of world-weariness and a sharp, dormant intelligence: "Then let us stand aside for now and observe the situation."

He looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the layers of buildings.

He gazed northwards, where war was about to break out, his tone carrying an indescribable air of scrutiny and coldness:
"I really want to see how this once-in-a-millennium Minister Jiang will lay out this grand plan and single-handedly take on the covetous Snow Wolf Kingdom."

As the words fell, the candlelight in the study flickered, casting the old man's shadow long and short, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, just like the unpredictable and turbulent political situation.

……

(End of this chapter)