Prime Minister

Chapter 113, Section 112: Undeterred by Wind and Rain

Shen Qingluan's expression was firm, clearly indicating that she had thought about this issue deeply long ago, rather than simply trying to impress Xue Huai.

However, she also knew the difficulty of this matter, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "Brother Huai, the Liu family has a deep foundation and solid connections in both officialdom and among the common people. Moreover, Liu Fu will definitely be wary of Brother Huai's methods. These are just my shallow views, and there are many oversights. Please take them with a grain of salt, Brother Huai."

From Xue Huai's perspective, this is the biggest difference between Shen Qingluan and Jiang Li.

He had been dealing with Jiang Li for more than half a year. Although she had provided him with a lot of help, because of her noble background, she had a natural arrogance and an unquestionable domineering attitude in her words and deeds.

For example, she asked Xue Huai to help the Crown Prince in the imperial examination. Although she did this out of consideration for their future cooperation, she did not take Xue Huai's opinion into account.

Xue Huai even had a feeling that if Jiang Li were a prince, she would most likely be the crown prince's biggest rival—not just because of the difference in ability, but because Jiang Li's decisive personality was more likely to succeed.

Of course, as time went on, Xue Huai could also sense the change in Jiang Li's attitude towards him. She was no longer aloof and arrogant, but that was only compared to her former self. It was difficult for her to be as considerate of Xue Huai as Shen Qingluan was.

"What's wrong with me?"

Xue Huai was puzzled. Jiang Li and Shen Qingluan were from two different worlds. One lost her parents' company and guidance at a young age, yet she possessed a status and position that ordinary people could hardly reach. The other lived in love and tolerance, and the Jiangnan water town nurtured her bright and lively personality.

In short, there seems to be no need to compare these two people.

He quickly composed himself, looked at Shen Qingluan and smiled, "When I was on the Grand Canal, I pondered the deep-seated problems in Yangzhou, and my final conclusion was the same as yours. The best way to stir up trouble here is to point the finger at the Liu family."

"Brother Huai, is that really what you think?"

Shen Qingluan's eyes suddenly lit up, like stars falling to earth.

Perhaps the most beautiful thing in the world is to resonate with the thoughts of someone you love.

She didn't want Xue Huai to always see her as the little tagalong she used to be. This kind of thinking could easily lead to her always being seen as a little girl who never grew up and needed to be taken care of in Xue Huai's eyes. So, a few years ago, when Xue Huai was showing his talent in the imperial examinations, Shen Qingluan was also diligently learning the ways of business.

Under Shen Bingwen's tutelage, and with her own natural talent and understanding, the name of the eldest daughter of the Shen family quickly spread throughout the Jiangnan business community.

Shen Qingluan didn't care about the opinions of others; she only hoped to keep up with Xue Huai's pace. And now, to receive Xue Huai's approval in person was undoubtedly the happiest result for her.

Xue Huai vaguely sensed the change in the girl's emotions. Looking into her bright eyes, he also noticed the subtle shift in the atmosphere in the room, so he asked further, "It seems we have the same attitude towards the Liu family. Qingluan, how much do you know about the Liu family?"

Shen Qingluan met his gaze and felt his sincere trust and respect. Her heart warmed, and she became even more cautious.

Her slender fingers unconsciously traced an invisible line on the smooth mother-of-pearl inlaid tabletop, as if sorting out the threads in her mind: "Brother Huai, in my opinion, the Liu family's lifeline is concentrated in three places."

"The first point is the salt permit verification and approval, which involves hidden connections. The salt tax in Lianghuai is the lifeblood of the country. The issuance, verification, and transportation of salt permits seem to be handled step by step by the Salt Transport Office and the Revenue Department of the Prefectural Government. In reality, every step from the issuance of a salt permit by the Ministry of Revenue in the capital to its final destination in the hands of salt merchants of all sizes in Yangzhou is inseparable from the keys that the Liu family has planted in the Revenue Department and the Salt Transport Office."

She paused, noticing Xue Huai's slight frown, and then explained in as much detail as possible: "The process of issuing salt permits is extremely complicated. Among those who truly understand the core procedures and operational rules are the Liu family's trusted core members. They have woven an invisible net, and those salt merchants who do not follow the Liu family's rules either have their salt permits delayed with endless excuses, or suffer heavy losses due to frequent accidents during transport. Looking at the entire Yangzhou, only our Shen family and the Qiao family are temporarily not subject to the Liu family's control; other salt merchants, large and small, are more or less dependent on them."

Xue Huai pondered for a moment and said, "If the Liu family wants to achieve this, it is obviously not enough to rely on those veteran officials. They can only guarantee the Liu family's influence in specific operations. In addition, the Liu family must have a solid backer, not only the protection of the Jiangsu governor, but also someone in the court."

The words "Ningdang" came to his mind.

A line of reasoning gradually became clear: Yangzhou salt merchants were the wealthiest in the world and had always been one of the important sources of tax revenue for the imperial court. The Ning faction would naturally not ignore this enormous profit.

Ning Hengzhi could not touch the Minister of Revenue, but he could use the officials and gentry in Jiangnan to interfere in the salt administration. Officials from the Jiangsu Governor, the Salt Transport Office, and the Yangzhou Prefectural Government could all be used by him, and the Liu family were the ones who actually carried out the work.

Shen Qingluan nodded and said, "Brother Huai is absolutely right. The Liu family has used their connections with higher authorities to extend their reach into every aspect of the salt administration. If we want to uproot them, it will definitely shake the entire Jiangsu officialdom."

Her analysis was clear, logical, and to the point, demonstrating remarkable logical reasoning skills.

Looking at the girl's focused eyes as she spoke eloquently, Xue Huai couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

Before today, Shen Qingluan gave him the impression of a little girl obsessed with the past, but now he understands that it was just her true feelings that she didn't hide in front of him.

Everyone has many facets; he is one, and so is Shen Qingluan.

Xue Huai finished his slightly cooled tea and then asked, "And the second place?"

Shen Qingluan noticed the change in his gaze, her ears burning slightly, but she tried even harder to calm herself and continued, "The second issue is the grain transport and canal works. Yangzhou is a vital hub for the grain transport, and the canal is its lifeline. Every year, the imperial court allocates huge sums for grain transport, canal dredging, and dike maintenance, all of which circulate through the imperial treasury." Xue Huai was naturally already aware of this, and he picked up the thread, saying, "It seems that the lucrative jobs of canal dredging and dam repair every year almost always end up in the hands of foremen and merchants who have intricate connections with the Liu family."

“That’s not all.” Shen Qingluan said solemnly, “Brother Huai, if Liu Fu were a greedy and insatiable person, it would be difficult for him to fight my father to a standstill. The interests involved in the canal transport are too great for the Liu family to handle, so they joined forces with other local powerful families to participate, forming a huge force that advances and retreats together.”

The pavilion was quiet for a moment, with only the sound of flowing water outside the window and the rustling of banana leaves in the breeze, which made the atmosphere even more stagnant.

The scene depicted by Shen Qingluan was even more intricate and turbulent than Xue Huai had anticipated.

Based on salt permits and linked by the enormous profits of canal construction, the Liu family wove a vast network of collusion from top to bottom and inside and outside. This was no longer an ordinary local tyrant, but a behemoth parasitizing the lifeline of the government.

Xue Huai suddenly realized that the emperor must have already foreseen this when he allowed him to be transferred to Yangzhou.

His mentor Shen Wang's words of advice were still ringing in his ears. He told Xue Huai not to hesitate, as long as he made a big enough commotion in Yangzhou, the capital would provide sufficient cooperation.

With this in mind, Xue Huai asked more calmly, "Where does the Liu family's third source of confidence lie?"

Shen Qingluan sipped her tea and said softly, "Brother Huai, don't be fooled by the apparent prosperity and peace of Yangzhou. The yamen runners, nominally under the jurisdiction of the prefect and assistant prefect, are actually mostly infiltrated and controlled by local powerful families, becoming their informants and henchmen. But that's not the most troublesome thing. The Liu family secretly maintains a force that specializes in shady dealings, such as escorting smuggled salt, intimidating merchants, suppressing dissidents, and even..."

She hesitated to speak, but Xue Huai already understood.

The local powerful clan, led by the Liu family, had three classes of yamen runners as cover on the surface, but secretly they also kept a group of desperados. The two sides, one in the open and one in the dark, complemented each other, making them truly difficult to guard against.

“I just mentioned Magistrate Zhang of Yizhen County,” Shen Qingluan said with a sigh and heaviness in her eyes. “My father said that after the dike breached last year, Magistrate Zhang was heartbroken and wrote a secret letter to the Provincial Administration Commission, complaining about the huge amount of money embezzled from the river management funds… However, not long after, his trusted advisor who was sent to deliver the letter fell into the water and died. The secret letter and the evidence disappeared without a trace, and the matter was eventually dropped.”

Xue Huai said in a deep voice, "With such audacity and recklessness, does the Liu family really think they can get away with this?"

Shen Qingluan sighed, "Brother Huai, I don't mean to boost the enemy's morale or diminish our own. It's just that the situation in Yangzhou is complex and fraught with danger. Even my father can only proceed with caution and tread carefully. This place is different from the capital. Some people might take desperate measures here. You must protect yourself."

"Don't worry, I understand."

Xue Huai's calm tone dispelled the gloom that filled the room, "Qingluan, if it weren't for your analysis today, I'm afraid it would have taken me months to figure it out. Does Uncle Shen know about the information you mentioned?"

His question wasn't a test, but rather an attempt to ascertain Shen Bingwen's attitude towards the matter.

Shen Qingluan understood his implied meaning, raised her head to look at Xue Huai, her eyes clear and firm: "Brother Huai, these are all things I've pieced together and guessed over the years by helping Father with accounts, paying attention to various rumors, and combining them with information from some hidden channels in the prefecture. Father has been fighting with Liu Fu for decades, so he naturally knows that the Liu family is not to be trifled with. He either disdains many things or chooses the path of forbearance and expediency to protect the foundation of the Shen family, and he deliberately doesn't let me know too much about dirty things. He always says that in the way of business, harmony brings wealth, and it's best not to tear off the mask of civility."

The girl's trust in him was evident.

Xue Huai could fully understand Shen Bingwen's predicament. The problems in Yangzhou were so complex that even a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet would find them difficult to solve, let alone a merchant who had settled there.

The Shen family has come to this point with great difficulty. As the head of the family, Shen Bingwen naturally cannot seek only personal vendettas and peace of mind. He must consider the safety of the entire Shen family.

"Qingluan."

Xue Huai's voice softened, and he slowly said, "The information you provided has been a great help to me. This matter is of great importance, and I need to plan carefully before taking any rash actions. I will find a suitable time to discuss it with Uncle Shen after he returns to Yangzhou."

"It's good that I can help Brother Huai."

Shen Qingluan smiled sweetly and then said, "Brother Huai, can we see each other more often in the future?"

Xue Huai nodded and said, "Of course."

Shen Qingluan's eyes sparkled, and suddenly she extended her fair hand to Xue Huai, hooking her little finger together and saying, "Then let's pinky swear!"

"it is good."

Xue Huai agreed.

Their little fingers intertwined, and Shen Qingluan said with a smile, "Don't break your promise!"

Xue Huai smiled and said, "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond."

(End of this chapter)