Prime Minister

Chapter 213, Section 212: [The Case]

On the sixth day of the second lunar month, Tan Mingguang left Yangzhou, where he had stayed for nearly three years, and boarded an official boat to travel north along the Grand Canal to the capital.

Xue Huai led his officials and local dignitaries to the Dongguan Wharf to see him off, and representatives of the people presented him with a "Ten Thousand People Umbrella" to express their respect for the esteemed prefect.

Tan Mingguang's performance in Yangzhou can be roughly divided into two parts. Before Xue Huai came, although he did not achieve much, at least he did not choose to collude with those people, which gave him the opportunity to change later.

After Xue Huai took office, Tan Mingguang first generously relinquished power, and then firmly stood on Xue Huai's side. The two worked together to investigate the Lianghuai Salt Case. After everything was settled, he personally and tirelessly promoted new policies, helping Xue Huai lay a solid foundation.

Generally speaking, although Tan Mingguang was not a person of extraordinary talent or exceptional skills, he was an outstanding official who could distinguish between advantages and disadvantages, uphold the bottom line, and dare to take action at critical moments.

Before parting, Xue Huai gave Tan Mingguang a letter, asking him to pass it on to Shen Wang, the Minister of Works, when he reported to the Ministry of Works after arriving in the capital.

Tan Mingguang naturally knew the weight of this letter. Having this proof meant that he and Xue Huai were on the same path. And given Shen Wang's high regard for Xue Huai, his personal disciple, he would certainly not underestimate the person recommended by Xue Huai.

"Brother, take care."

Tan Mingguang gladly accepted the letter, and his future stance needs no further explanation.

"Your Excellency, have a safe journey."

Xue Huai smiled and bowed in farewell.

Tan Mingguang then bid farewell to everyone and boarded the official ship heading north.

Watching the official ship sail away, Wang Gui, who was now serving as the clerk of the prefectural government's clerk's office, approached Xue Huai and said respectfully, "Your Excellency, I will tidy up the inner hall and the back residence of the prefectural government within three days."

The people around him largely agreed with this, and even the usually upright Zhang Shi did not express any opposition.

This wasn't a case of people forgetting their place after leaving; rather, they were well aware that the imperial court wouldn't send a new prefect, and Xue Huai would assume the duties of a prefect while serving as an assistant prefect. Therefore, the inner quarters and residence belonging to the prefect would naturally belong to Xue Huai.

Nowadays, Xue Huai's daily work is done in the Tongzhi Hall, which is actually a suite of duty rooms, divided into an outer hall, side rooms and an inner hall, which is far less spacious and comfortable than the inner hall of the government office.

Xue Huai smiled and said, "No need. The Tongzhi Hall is enough, and I'm used to living in the official residence."

Wang Gui said admiringly, "Your Excellency is of noble character and integrity. I was confused for a moment, and I beg your forgiveness."

Although he was one of the earliest officials to follow Xue Huai, he still couldn't shake his habit of flattery because of his powerful family background. Xue Huai said calmly, "There's no need to be so nervous. You've been working for me for quite some time now, so you should know my likes and dislikes. Since everyone is here today, I'll just say a few words: as long as you keep your hands to yourself and do your job well, nothing else matters."

Wang Gui felt a chill run down his spine and quickly lowered his head in agreement, as did the others.

Upon returning to the government office, Xue Huai immediately convened a meeting of officials, including the Vice Prefect Zhang Shi, the Judge Hao Shifang, the Clerk Wang Gui, the Registrant Kong Li, and all the clerks from the three departments and six offices.

Xue Huai explained the key tasks for the first half of the year to everyone. Under the premise of ensuring the smooth progress of spring plowing, he continued to promote the various policies of the new government and directly linked them to the performance evaluation of all officials at the prefectural and county levels, including himself.

"The key to the so-called new policies is not the word 'new,' but whether they can be sustained and transformed into a regular system that benefits the people. The fundamental principle lies in the nine characters: clean government, smooth salt transport, and improved livelihoods."

Xue Huai looked around at everyone and said solemnly, "This is not an attempt by me to be unconventional, but rather a policy implemented in accordance with the Emperor's will to eradicate corruption and bring peace to the people, and a measure to address the long-standing problems in Yangzhou. Specifically, in the first half of the year and into the next year, you should all focus on the following aspects, striving to lay a solid foundation, not pursuing empty fame, but seeking only practical results!"

Everyone said in unison, "Please give your instructions, Your Excellency."

Xue Huai instructed his clerks to distribute the revised pamphlet on new policies, and then said, "Yangzhou is an important town for salt and grain transport in the Huai River region. However, salt affairs are managed by the Salt Bureau and grain transport by the Governor-General's Office. These are all established by the imperial court, with clear division of powers and responsibilities. Our prefectural office cannot overstep its bounds. Therefore, the essence of Yangzhou's new policies lies in strengthening the foundation, ensuring the well-being of the people, and promoting the prosperity of the market. Its key tasks are to clean up official corruption, encourage agriculture and sericulture, stabilize market prices, revitalize all industries, provide relief to the poor and orphans, and maintain local peace!"

Everyone listened intently, while flipping through the booklets in their hands, which still smelled of ink.

Compared to the three new policies spearheaded by Tan Mingguang last winter, Xue Huai's refined strategy is more detailed and solid.

For example, in the first part concerning agriculture and sericulture, Xue Huai emphasized three points: strictly prohibiting clerks from disturbing farmers, ensuring the supply of oxen and seeds, and repairing irrigation ditches. Each point was very detailed, specifying who was responsible, when the inspection would be conducted, and how the evaluation would be conducted.

For example, Xue Huai entrusted Hao Shifang with the task of eliminating market bullies and stabilizing prices. He instructed Hao to severely punish market bullies and brokers, establish official scales and measures, and create a market price report every ten days, so as to ensure the stability of people's livelihood and protect the lives of the people within the territory.

In addition, there were policies such as revitalizing various industries and dredging trade routes, caring for the poor and orphans and promoting good customs, and adjudicating lawsuits and maintaining peace in the region. These policies were not exactly innovative or groundbreaking, but they penetrated into all aspects of people's lives.

Most importantly, Xue Huai clearly defined everyone's responsibilities, preventing any situation where people would shirk their duties or pass the buck—given his current power and prestige, no official at the prefectural or county level dared to provoke him.

"Gentlemen, the above items concern all aspects of people's livelihood and are within the purview of the government."

Seeing that no one had any objections, Xue Huai solemnly said, "The success or failure of the new policies depends on their continuous implementation, effective supervision, and clear rewards and punishments! From myself down to the clerks and servants of each county, all those who have made merit in promoting the new policies will be given preferential treatment in their evaluations, while those who are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, lazy, or corrupt will be severely punished without exception!"

Everyone stood up and respectfully said, "We will obey Your Excellency's orders!"

Xue Huai nodded slightly, then ordered Wang Gui to send a letter to the magistrates of each county, asking them to come to the government office on the tenth day of the second month to discuss the new policies in person. After that, he dismissed everyone.

When he returned to the inner hall, Ye Qing had already been waiting there for some time.

The two exchanged greetings, and Ye Qing got straight to the point: "Lord Xue, I just received a letter from the capital. The matter you wanted to inquire about has been resolved."

Xue Huai's gaze sharpened slightly as he looked to the side. Jiang Sheng and Qi Qingshi understood and withdrew, remaining outside as guards.

“That case was rather complicated,” Ye Qing said with a slightly somber tone. “In the second year of the Taihe reign, your father, then serving as a censor, was ordered to assist in investigating a case of embezzlement of military equipment. This case involved the then Minister of War, the commander of the Xishan Camp of the Capital Army, and the commander-in-chief of Xuanda. It was the first major case dealt with after the current emperor ascended the throne. At that time, Ling Qing, a secretary in the Ministry of War’s Armory Department, was involved. Your father found out that Ling Qing was an important link in the corruption chain. Later, with His Majesty’s permission, the Jing’an Division searched and confiscated Ling’s family property, discovering a large amount of evidence of embezzlement and bribery. Ling Qing committed suicide in prison out of fear of punishment, and his wife subsequently took her own life.”

Xue Huai frowned slightly upon hearing this.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, in the elegant room of Yingyuan, he learned from Xu Zhiwei the reason why the other party poisoned him, extracted several key pieces of information, and then asked Ye Qing to inquire through the Jing'an Division about the cases that Xue Mingzhang had handled back then.

According to the judgment of the high-ranking officials of Jing'an Division, only the Ling family in the major case of the Ministry of War in the second year of Taihe met the conditions of family destruction and death mentioned by Xu Zhiwei. However, Xue Huai did not expect that this case involved so many people. The Minister of War, the Commander of the Capital Garrison, and the Commander-in-Chief of Xuanda were all important officials in the court.

He thought for a moment, then pondered, "Is anyone from the Ling family still alive?"

Ye Qing said, "Ling Qing had two sons and a daughter. Two of his sons died in exile, and his daughter was already married to the wealthy Liu family in the capital. At that time, because His Majesty was furious, the Ling family was investigated and their property confiscated. Ling Qing and his wife died suddenly one after another. His daughter, Ling Ying, was not implicated according to the law because she had already married into the Liu family. However, in order to protect themselves, the Liu family quickly divorced her. Not long after Ling Ying was expelled from the Liu family, her husband, Liu Cong, was killed by bandits on a business trip. His goods were stolen, and the Liu family also fell into ruin as a result."

Xue Huai's heart skipped a beat. Judging from Ling Ying's age and experiences, she was very likely the aunt Xu Zhiwei had mentioned. So he asked, "Do you know where Ling Ying is?"

Ye Qing shook his head and said, "There is no clear record in the case file, because the case has been closed. Ling Ying was not implicated, and no one cares about her life or death. Lord Xue, this case is from a long time ago, and many of the people who were involved are no longer alive. The Ling and Liu families have long since turned to dust. It is extremely difficult to find out the details."

Xue Huai understood his unspoken meaning.

Han Qian, the commander of the Jing'an Division, knew how much the emperor valued Xue Huai and didn't mind helping him with such a small matter. However, if Xue Huai wanted to use a large number of people in the Jing'an Division to investigate an old case from eighteen years ago, that would be overstepping his bounds.

Xue Huai then changed the subject and asked, "Commander Ye, based on your experience, are there any obvious suspicious points in this case?"

"Your father, Xue, was serving as a censor at the time. He was highly praised by His Majesty for his impartiality and solid evidence in the investigation of this case. In the fifth year of the Taihe era, he was transferred to a post outside the capital and promoted to the position of prefect of Yangzhou."

Ye Qing carefully chose his words and said softly, "However, the speed at which this case was closed is indeed unusual. In a major case involving three high-ranking officials, such a case is often complicated by the wide range of issues and difficulties in obtaining evidence. There are also various parties arguing and the court is vying for power. Normally, it would take one or two years to resolve the case. But this case was closed in just six months. Moreover, according to the case file, your father strongly advocated for tracing the exact whereabouts of the missing military equipment, but this proposal was ultimately suppressed by the cabinet."

Xue Huai tapped the armrest lightly with his fingers.

He recalled that before he left the capital last year, the emperor had said these words to him: "Back then, the salt tax in Yangzhou was deeply corrupt. When Minister Xue came to the palace to request an audience, he told me frankly that he was going to Yangzhou to clean up the salt administration, return the taxes to the people, and replenish the national treasury."

The emperor seems to be indicating that Xue Mingzhang actively sought to be transferred to Yangzhou, but is that really the case?

Was Xue Mingzhang forced to temporarily leave the central government because he offended someone he shouldn't have, just like Xue Huai himself?
"What about Ling Qing?"

Xue Huai did not overlook this person and looked at Ye Qing, asking, "Is he truly guilty or has he been wronged?"

"According to the records, Ling Qing was indeed part of the corruption. The Jing'an Division seized 5,000 taels of gold and a number of jewelry and jade artifacts from the Ling family, and Ling Qing confessed to his crimes without reservation."

Ye Qing said solemnly, "But there are doubts about his suicide out of fear of punishment, and the deaths of his two sons are also not normal. The two were sentenced to exile in Liaodong to guard the border. One suddenly died of an acute illness, and the other accidentally fell off a cliff in the middle of the night, less than half a month apart."

Xue Huai pondered for a moment and said, "So... such a seemingly ironclad case with conclusive evidence actually has quite a few oversights?"

Ye Qing coughed lightly and comforted him, "Lord Xue, your father, Lord Xue, was not in charge of the investigation at the time. He did not know the full picture of the case and had no way of getting detailed information afterward. Therefore, the subsequent fate of the Ling family was actually unrelated to your father."

Xue Huai wasn't suspecting Xue Mingzhang of having a problem; he just felt that the case was definitely more complicated than expected. The problem was, as Ye Qing said, a full eighteen years had passed, and even if he were in the capital, it would be difficult to investigate further.

He pondered for a moment, then asked, "Commander Ye, who was in charge of investigating this case back then?"

Ye Qing hesitated slightly, then whispered a resounding name: "Ning Hengzhi, then serving as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites."

Grand Secretary Ning Hengzhi.

Xue Huai felt a chill run down his spine. Ning Hengzhi's appearance meant that the outcome of this case was in accordance with the current emperor's demands.

Another name popped into his mind, and he said casually, "Commander Ye, I remember that Lord Qin, the Marquis of Zhenyuan, was promoted to the position of Commander-in-Chief of Xuanda in the fourth year of Taihe, and then won a great victory in the seventh year of Taihe, annihilating tens of thousands of Tartars in one battle, thus laying the foundation for decades of peace in the northern border of our dynasty, right?"

Ye Qing admired the young magistrate's keen insight and simply replied, "Yes."

Xue Huai did not delve into this topic.

The two talked for a while about the problems with Jimintang and the subsequent arrangements, and then Ye Qing hurriedly took his leave.

Xue Huai got up and stood by the window, gazing at the tender new buds sprouting in the courtyard, his eyes slightly narrowed.

In the second year of the Taihe reign, before the emperor had even settled firmly on his throne, a timely major case involving military equipment brought down a Minister of War, a commander of the Beijing garrison, and a general of Xuanfu and Datong.

Ning Hengzhi became famous throughout the court and the country through this major case, laying the foundation for his subsequent promotion to Minister of Personnel. Qin Wanli smoothly took over the military power of Xuanda and became a rising star in the army with a resounding victory, enjoying unparalleled fame for a time.

Meanwhile, the emperor in the palace gradually consolidated his power by taking advantage of numerous personnel changes in the court and the outstanding performance of several close ministers.

As for whether any of the fallen heads were unjustly killed, and what kind of torment Xue Mingzhang, who had just begun to make a name for himself, was obviously not something the Holy Emperor would care about.

"call……"

A cold smile appeared on Xue Huai's face, and his eyes grew even more unfathomable.

(End of this chapter)