Prime Minister

Chapter 165, Section 164: [The Emperor's Wrath]

The capital city, the imperial palace, the Wende Hall.

The main figure at today's meeting was still Wang Xu, the Minister of Revenue.

The Great Yan God of Wealth from Shanxi frowned and patiently explained to the officials in the temple the reasons for the deductions in various expenses.

In short, the national treasury doesn't have that much money.

The crowd naturally objected. One argued that the soldiers' pay and winter clothing for the border troops could not be delayed, otherwise it could very likely shake morale and affect the stability of the frontier. Another said that the drought in Shandong and Henan this year was particularly severe, and the court could not just stand by and watch the people starve to death.

"Your Excellencies are wholeheartedly devoted to the country, and I deeply sympathize with your eagerness. However, the autumn taxes have not yet been deposited into the national treasury, and I truly have no money to spare. If you do not believe me, the Ministry of Revenue's accounts are open to audit by the court at any time."

Wang Xu was never weak-willed; sometimes he even dared to refute the decisions of Grand Secretary Ning Hengzhi to his face. At this moment, he adopted a stoic attitude, leaving everyone helpless.

In fact, they knew in their hearts that there was no extra silver in the national treasury. If it weren't for the support of the Shanxi merchants behind Wang Xu, who could lend him money from time to time to help him with his business, the court would probably have faced a financial crisis in May or June.

Although they are living beyond their means, they can at least maintain the normal operation of the dynasty. If someone else were to replace Wang Xu, things would only get worse. This is the source of Wang Xu's confidence in holding the position of Minister of Revenue and not relying on Ning Hengzhi or Ouyang Hui.

Since the Ministry of Revenue could not come up with the money, the high-ranking officials couldn't help but look at the person on the dragon throne.

They all knew that the emperor's treasury should be quite full, but no one dared to bring up the topic.

On the dragon throne, Jiang Chen cursed under his breath.

As the emperor of the Great Yan, possessing a vast empire, he certainly did not want to see his people living in misery.

If the court is really in such dire straits, it's not that he can't take out silver from the imperial treasury. The question is, is that really the case?
The Great Yan's annual fiscal revenue is approximately 16 to 17 million taels, of which land tax accounts for 70%, salt tax and commercial tax combined account for less than 20%, and other miscellaneous taxes account for more than 10%.

Jiang Chen knew perfectly well that, in reality, the court's annual tax revenue was far more than what it was now, and the burden on the people's shoulders was still very heavy. All the silver that had disappeared into thin air had been pocketed by officials and gentry at all levels.

This is not an isolated phenomenon, but rather a reflection of the already corrupt officialdom, where honest and incorruptible officials are a tiny minority.

"All of you may leave, except for Yuanfu and Shen Qing."

When the emperor spoke, no one dared to hesitate. As the second minister Ouyang Hui was leaving, he gave a deep look to the minister of work, Shen Wang.

The rumors circulating were not unfounded. The Emperor's intention to promote Shen Wang to the cabinet was becoming increasingly clear, which made Ouyang Hui feel extremely threatened. After all, Shen Wang was extraordinary in both reputation and ability. If he were to enter the cabinet, he would definitely not become a paper elder in name only like Sun Yan and others.

Ouyang Hui thought to himself, "It seems His Majesty has already chosen someone he appreciates more. Should I retire while I'm still ahead?"
His steps seemed much heavier than usual.

After more than ten high-ranking officials withdrew, the emperor looked at Ning Hengzhi and asked, "Prime Minister, what is the situation in Jiangnan?"

"Your Majesty, I have already sent letters to Chen Yan, the Governor of Jiangsu, Dou Xian, the Provincial Treasurer of Jiangsu, Jiang Jizhou, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, and Xu Guanlan, the Salt Transport Commissioner of Lianghuai, informing them of the current situation of the court and ordering them to raise funds for the transport of salt and canal taxes to the capital as soon as possible. Judging from their replies, they fully understand the difficulties of the court and are eager to share Your Majesty's burdens. All arrangements have already begun."

Ning Hengzhi spoke slowly and deliberately, then hesitated slightly before saying, "However, according to Xu Guanlan's recent urgent report, the Lianghuai Salt Transport Office's annual reclamation ceremony is facing numerous difficulties and will likely be postponed for some time."

The emperor frowned and asked, "Why postpone it?"

Ning Hengzhi glanced at Shen Wang out of the corner of his eye and slowly said, "Your Majesty, as soon as Xue Huai, the Assistant Prefect of Yangzhou, took over the powers of Prefect Tan Mingguang, and then launched a large-scale investigation and interrogation of officials and gentry in the area, causing panic throughout Yangzhou. If that were all, it would be fine, after all, a new official always makes a big show of things, and Xue Huai is young and impulsive. But his subsequent relentless pursuit of the salt merchants of Lianghuai, and his various overreactions, have caused Xu Guanlan great distress, making it difficult to carry out the 'Recognizing the Nest' meeting."

"This hothead..."

The emperor looked displeased, yet also somewhat puzzled.

He had clearly told Chen Yan beforehand to keep an eye on Xue Huai and not let him interfere with the salt administration and the canal transport, so why was Xue Huai still able to cause such a big commotion?
Ning Hengzhi continued, "Your Majesty, although Xue Huai is only the Assistant Prefect of Yangzhou, he is different from ordinary officials. Chen Yan and Dou Xian and others cannot be too harsh on him."

This statement precisely answered the emperor's doubts.

He turned to look at Shen Wang, who stood respectfully, and said in a deep voice, "Minister Shen, what is your opinion on this matter?"

Because of Ning Hengzhi's reminder, the emperor realized that while troublemakers like Xue Huai would be suppressed in the capital, he was a true young prodigy in Jiangnan. Even though Xue Mingzhang had passed away many years ago, he still had a mentor who served as Minister of Works and was likely to enter the cabinet. Chen Yan and others would certainly not make things difficult for Xue Huai unless absolutely necessary.

Shen Wang calmly said, “Your Majesty, Xue Huai may have acted rashly, but investigating illegal activities and rectifying official corruption are his duties. Salt tax is the lifeblood of the nation, and Lianghuai is of paramount importance. Long-standing malpractices cannot be effectively addressed without swift and decisive measures. The difficulties that Transport Commissioner Xu mentioned in the identification meeting may not stem from Xue Huai's investigation, but rather from his own unease and anxiety.”

A glint of light flashed in Ning Hengzhi's eyes.

Shen Wang has been serving as Minister of Works for almost a year, and his achievements are evident to all. On the one hand, he has used his time to adjust his subordinates and gradually establish a clean and honest style in the government offices. On the other hand, he has ordered the auditing of the accounts of various departments and eliminated those that were obviously excessive, which has saved the court a lot of money.

This opponent was clearly not someone like Ouyang Hui, a pedantic official. Today, facing the emperor's veiled accusations, he cleverly shifted the focus with his words. With just eight words—"long-standing abuses" and "his own uneasy state"—he successfully redirected the emperor's suspicions to the Lianghuai Salt Transport Commission.

Why has the relocation ceremony been delayed? Is it because Xue Huai's actions were too drastic and caused unrest among the people, or is it because the Salt Transport Bureau officials are desperately trying to gain personal profit?
Before the emperor could express his opinion, Ning Hengzhi calmly said, "Minister Shen's words are all reasonable. However, the way of an official lies in being flexible and adaptable, especially for those in charge of local affairs, who must assess the situation and consider the overall picture. Salt administration involves commercial licenses, canal transport, people's food, and the national treasury; a change in one part affects the whole. Xue Huai's determination to eliminate abuses is commendable, but his eagerness for quick results without prioritizing has led to the obstruction of salt transport. If the salt administration collapses, it will shake more than just Yangzhou."

"Your Excellency is experienced and wise in governing the country, and has a comprehensive understanding of the overall situation. I have learned a lot from you. Stabilizing the salt transport is indeed the most urgent task at present."

Shen Wang's tone was calm, but his following statement was sharp: "At this time of autumn tax collection and the imminent recognition meeting for salt merchants, Transport Commissioner Xu is not focused on completing the recognition of salt merchants and the payment of taxes as soon as possible. Instead, he has repeatedly reported to his colleagues on how they are hindering him in handling the case. In my opinion, this shows a lack of consideration for priorities. If he himself is acting openly and without hindrance, why should he be afraid of investigation? Why should the salt merchants be afraid of a magistrate who enforces the law impartially? Are the difficulties this time due to the case itself or the difficulties of personal relationships? The doubts cannot be concluded based on just one side of the story."

"Minister Shen."

Ning Hengzhi raised his voice slightly, with a hint of the authority of the Grand Secretary: "Xu Guanlan has been in charge of the salt administration of Lianghuai for many years, and his merits and demerits can be verified in the court's performance evaluation records. Xue Huai has only been in office for a short time, yet he has stirred up such a storm. Whether his motives are entirely for the public good is debatable. I have also heard that he acts domineeringly, implicating others at every turn, causing many legitimate merchants in Yangzhou to live in fear. Can this be excused by simply saying 'upholding the law impartially'? He is so reckless in pursuing the matter in Yangzhou. If he mishandles the situation and dampens the enthusiasm of the people and merchants to help the country, can Xue Huai bear the consequences?"

The atmosphere inside the hall seemed to freeze.

The emperor's solemn gaze swept across the faces of the two men.

He didn't quite understand why Shen Wang was being so tough today; it was clearly Xue Huai's actions that were affecting the normal operation of the Lianghuai Salt Transport Office.

Although Xue Huai had no selfish motives, there are priorities in everything. The emperor did not forbid him from cleaning up official corruption and investigating unscrupulous merchants, but compared to the difficulties of the court, these matters were ultimately just temporary disturbances in one place, and could be postponed for a while.

"Shen Qing."

The emperor's words silenced the two high-ranking officials. He slowly said, "Do you believe Xue Huai is without fault?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not make a hasty judgment on whether it is right or wrong, however—"

Shen Wang paused slightly, then looked up at the Emperor and said, "This morning, I received a secret memorial from Xue Huai, who sent it over a thousand miles. He asked me to present it to Your Majesty on his behalf."

"Secret report?"

The Emperor's brow twitched slightly. Xue Huai hadn't followed the proper procedure of submitting a memorial through the Ministry of Justice; instead, he had Shen Wang help him present it. The contents of this memorial must hold a great secret.

Ning Hengzhi's heart sank. He hadn't expected Shen Wang to be able to produce a secret memorial so quickly.

Zeng Min, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, personally received Xue Huai's memorial from Shen Wang and then respectfully handed it to the Emperor.

Time passes bit by bit.

"Ah."

The emperor let out a strange laugh without any expression on his face.

Ning Hengzhi sensed something was wrong. He knew the emperor's temperament all too well; this was clearly a sign of extreme anger.

"Motosuke."

The emperor closed Xue Huai's secret memorial, his face showing no obvious anger.

"The minister is here."

Ning Hengzhi dared not be careless and quickly bowed in response.

The Emperor said quietly, "Arrange for an 800-mile express horse to deliver an imperial edict to Xu Guanlan, ordering him to complete the 'nest recognition ceremony' within a month. I want to see a clear amount of 'nest silver' at that time."

This statement left Ning Hengzhi somewhat bewildered. He had expected the emperor to be furious about Xue Huai's secret memorial, or to question him about the long-standing problems in the Lianghuai Salt Transport Office and the Jiangsu officialdom. In his mind, the secret memorial was inseparable from these issues. Who would have thought that the emperor would make such a request?

At that moment, he could only respectfully reply, "Your subject obeys the decree."

"All of you, step back."

The emperor said no more, his expression cold.

After the two high-ranking officials left the Wende Hall, the emperor turned to look at Zeng Min, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "Summon Han Qian to the palace!"

(End of this chapter)