Prime Minister

Chapter 214, Page 213: [Framed]

Three hundred li north of Yangzhou lies Huai'an City, a crucial hub for the Grand Canal.

The Grand Canal Transport Commissioner's Office was located within the city. Outside the main gate were three memorial archways, inscribed with "A High-Ranking Official in Charge," "Commanding the Great Nation," and "Despotism in the Central Plains." Opposite the main gate was a giant screen wall.

Above the gate hangs a plaque that reads "Governor-General of the Grand Canal Transport Department". A high platform stands in front of the gate, flanked by a pair of majestic white alum stone lions.

Inside, one can see double eaves and bracket sets like clouds, with courtyards layered upon each other, and strict security everywhere, which inspires awe.

In the second hall, a high-ranking official in his fifties sat in a grand chair, his posture upright like a pine tree. Although his temples were already streaked with white, his eyes still revealed a sharp edge.

He was Jiang Jizhou, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner of the Great Yan Dynasty.

Two other people sat on either side of him in the hall: Song Yi, a third-rank official in charge of grain transport, and Zhao Cong, the prefectural magistrate of Yangzhou who had come to report on his duties.

Jiang Jizhou's expression was not good, because Song Yi had just sent news that Wu Changling, the commander of the grain transport army who had escorted the stolen silver from the Lianghuai salt case to the capital, had been rewarded by the emperor for his merits and was granted the title of Earl of Pingjiang.

The Great Yan Dynasty had enjoyed a long period of peace, and the emperor was always cautious in bestowing titles. Back then, Qin Wanli killed more than 20,000 Tartars in a battle while serving as the general of Xuanda, and was only granted the title of Marquis of Zhenyuan for that. Now, Wu Changling received a count's title simply for going to Yangzhou to cheer on the young Yangzhou magistrate. It was as if a huge pie had fallen from the sky.

In recent years, Jiang Jizhou, with his own methods and the support of Grand Secretary Ning Hengzhi, has been suppressing Wu Changling's power. Just when it seemed that Wu was about to lose power completely, he unexpectedly turned the tables and became a favorite of the emperor. How could Jiang Jizhou remain calm about this?
"Minister".

Song Yi coughed lightly and said cautiously, "Although General Wu was granted the title of Earl for his merits, this merit and title are like building a tower on sand, seemingly glorious but actually superficial."

"Superficial?"

A scrutinizing look appeared in Jiang Jizhou's deep, pool-like eyes. He said calmly, "Councilor Song, Wu Pingjiang has indeed deposited over eight million taels of embezzled silver into the national treasury. His Majesty praised his loyalty and integrity. Now tell me, where is the weakness in his foundation?"

Song Yi bowed slightly, his attitude becoming even more respectful, yet his words were clear and articulate: "Your Excellency, General Wu's merit lies in assisting, not leading. In detail regarding the Lianghuai salt case, the strategy was orchestrated by His Majesty, and the breakthrough was achieved by Xue Huai. General Wu merely led his troops in assistance; this was the duty of the grain transport army. General Wu's exceptional reward this time is not due to his outstanding achievements, but rather because His Majesty favors Xue Huai, and General Wu simply happened to benefit from this opportunity."

Jiang Jizhou said thoughtfully, "Continue."

Song Yi glanced at Jiang Jizhou's face and, seeing that his expression had eased slightly, calmly said, "Minister, the most taboo thing in the army is sudden promotion. Back then, Marquis Zhenyuan personally braved arrows and stones to behead hundreds and fought for several days to annihilate tens of thousands of enemies. His Majesty considered it again and again before bestowing upon him the title of Marquis. Now, what are General Wu's merits? Such an overstepping of authority to bestow a title will surely attract the attention of the military nobility. For General Wu, this title of Earl is by no means a blessing, but rather the beginning of disaster."

Jiang Jizhou lowered his eyelids slightly, seemingly calm, but Song Yi knew that the governor's pent-up frustration had dissipated considerably.

He leaned forward and lowered his voice, saying, "There is another crucial point. General Wu's acquisition of the title this time is inseparable from Xue Huai. The two are now inextricably linked, sharing both glory and ruin. Xue Huai is too ambitious. His Majesty used him as a tool to break the deadlock, and he recklessly uprooted the salt bureaus and salt merchants of Lianghuai. Such ruthless methods may have won His Majesty's favor for a time, but they will also make countless enemies. Xue Huai is indeed enjoying immense prestige right now, but... if one day His Majesty no longer needs this tool, and the court and the people are purged, how will General Wu, who has advanced and retreated alongside Xue Huai, find himself?"

After saying this, Song Yi lowered his head and said nothing more. Only the soft sound of the spring breeze blowing through the eaves of the windows could be heard in the hall.

After a long silence, the usual cold and stern curve of Jiang Jizhou's lips seemed to curve slightly upward as he slowly said, "What the Councilor said is not without reason. It may seem lively when things are going to be booming, but the truth is that prosperity must eventually decline."

His gaze swept over Zhao Cong, who had been listening attentively with his head bowed, and then he said to Song Yi, "However, Wu Pingjiang is currently in power, so we must be considerate of the Emperor's wishes. After he returns to Huai'an, we should tell his subordinates to behave themselves and not to withhold what they are entitled to, lest he suddenly decide to file a complaint with the Emperor."

Song Yi smiled and said, "Don't worry, Minister, I understand."

"Ah."

Jiang Jizhou trusted his confidant's abilities quite a bit, and after thinking for a moment, he asked, "Where has Princess Yun'an's boat arrived?"

Song Yi replied, "We received news yesterday that the fleet has just arrived in Linqing."

"So fast?"

Jiang Jizhou's gaze narrowed slightly.

Princess Yun'an set off on the 20th day of the first lunar month, and now it is early February. In just over ten days, she has arrived in Shandong. For the princess's imperial carriage, this speed is obviously not slow.

Song Yi carefully said, "Princess Yun'an is very filial. This trip south to Hangzhou is to pray for the Empress Dowager. She will certainly not be delayed on the way. I heard that the Governor of Tianjin made a great show of hospitality, but Princess Yun'an did not disembark at all. She only had a lady-in-waiting say that it was absolutely necessary to avoid causing trouble for the people and wasting money. Governor Sheng's old face immediately turned red with embarrassment, and he immediately wrote a letter of apology and sent it to the capital."

"Sheng Jing is old and blind. His flattery backfired, and he only has himself to blame. Doesn't he realize that Princess Yun'an is so favored by His Majesty? In terms of vision and shrewdness, how can she be compared to an ordinary royal princess?"

Jiang Jizhou sneered and instructed, "Since Your Highness dislikes pomp and circumstance, we should naturally keep to our duties. However, the guards along the way must not be underestimated, and we must not allow any petty people to disturb Your Highness's peace. You must handle this matter personally."

Song Yi solemnly replied, "Yes."

Jiang Jizhou raised his hand to rub his temples and said in a low voice, "I've heard rumors in the capital that Princess Yun'an and Xue Huai have a close relationship?"

"That's what happened."

A strange smile appeared on Song Yi's face as he slowly said, "It's said that in the autumn of the year before last, Xue Huai ran to the vicinity of Princess Yun'an's villa to attempt suicide by drowning, but was rescued by His Highness's guards. The two then came into contact. Later, when His Highness the Prince of Dai wanted to cause trouble for Xue Huai, Princess Yun'an mediated. This matter has long been circulating in the capital, but it's all discussed in private; no one dares to openly spread rumors." "This Xue Huai really knows how to play both sides..."

As one of the most respected members of the Ning Party, Jiang Jizhou's feelings and attitude towards Xue Huai were self-evident.

Although the Lianghuai Salt Case did not directly affect the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner's Office, this was because Jiang Jizhou was skilled at making money and would not be as ruthless as Xu Guanlan in directly undermining the foundation of the dynasty. Furthermore, even Wu Changling could not find any fault with him, let alone Xue Huai, who was far away in Yangzhou.

The two sides are at peace for the time being, but Jiang Jizhou will not let his guard down against Xue Huai. After all, the two words "salt and grain transport" are always linked. Who knows when that young and fierce Yangzhou magistrate will bite him?
Furthermore, Xue Huai has caused great losses to the Ning Party in the past two years. Ning Heng's position as Grand Secretary makes it inconvenient for him to argue with a junior, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want Xue Huai to fall from grace.

Thinking of this, Jiang Jizhou looked at Zhao Cong and asked, "What's been happening in Yangzhou lately?"

Zhao Cong understood the deeper meaning behind the Governor's question. He first briefly described the vigorous new policies in Yangzhou, and then respectfully said, "Minister, although Assistant Magistrate Xue is a young and outstanding talent, he is not without flaws. Recently, I have heard some interesting rumors."

"Oh?"

Jiang Jizhou stroked his thumb ring and said gently, "Tell me about it."

Zhao Cong said, "When Xue Tongzhi's father, Lord Xue, was in charge of Yangzhou, he was a close friend of Shen Bingwen, a wealthy merchant in the area. Shen Bingwen has a daughter who is nineteen years old now, and she and Xue Tongzhi are a match made in heaven. Last winter, the Guangtai Company of the Shen family took the initiative to donate grain, fodder and winter clothing to the court, which won the Emperor's praise for its righteous merchants. Rumors are circulating that this was Shen Bingwen paving the way for his daughter so that she could marry into the Xue family legitimately."

What's so strange about a young man being infatuated with someone?

Jiang Jizhou didn't even blink, and said calmly, "Even if Xue Huai and the Shen family are suspected of misusing public resources, you should know that the Shen family received favors from Lord Xue Wensu back then. Given Lord Xue's position in His Majesty's heart, this matter should not be mentioned at all, otherwise..."

"How dare this humble servant speak nonsense?"

Zhao Cong quickly denied it, then said, "Your Excellency, I wanted to talk about something else. This Assistant Magistrate Xue is truly a lecherous scoundrel, actually daring to imprison a renowned physician!"

Jiang Jizhou was taken aback.

He found it hard to connect the two things: being a lustful madman and imprisoning a divine physician. After all, the divine physicians in his mind were all old men with white hair and beards. Could Zhao Cong have gone mad?
Zhao Cong quickly explained, "Your Excellency, last autumn a divine physician came to Jimintang in Yangzhou. Although she wore a veil while practicing medicine, she still exuded an outstanding aura. On the eighth day of the first lunar month this year, the Yangzhou government hosted a banquet at Yingyuan to entertain local merchants, and that divine physician named Xu Zhiwei also made an appearance. Everyone who saw her said that she was a woman of unparalleled beauty!"

Jiang Jizhou had no interest in women, and remained unmoved by these words, saying with slight impatience, "Nonsense."

Zhao Cong was slightly embarrassed and could only say concisely, "Who knew that after the banquet at Yingyuan Garden that day, Doctor Xu never appeared in public again. The official explanation from Jimintang was that the doctor was ill and unwell and needed to rest for a while. However, I learned from secret channels that Xu Zhiwei was actually being held captive in the official residence by Magistrate Xue!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jizhou and Song Yi's expressions changed slightly.

The Great Yan Dynasty had strict control and restraint over its officials, explicitly forbidding them from entering brothels. While this could not completely prohibit philandering, it at least ostensibly violated the laws of the court.

Even seeking pleasure with prostitutes is not allowed, let alone such heinous acts as abducting women. Moreover, Xu Zhiwei is not an ordinary woman; she is a benevolent doctor who selflessly dedicates herself to treating the poor!

Jiang Jizhou tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.

Song Yi frowned slightly and asked, "Prefect Zhao, is this really true?"

Zhao Cong said solemnly, "Absolutely true!"

"It is natural for young people to admire love..."

Jiang Jizhou repeated the sentence again, then said leisurely, "But we also need to be careful about what we say."

Song Yi understood immediately and said, "Minister, if Xue Huai really has such an outrageous act, we, as officials of the court, are afraid we cannot sit idly by."

"Ah."

Jiang Jizhou simply responded with a faint "yes".

Zhao Cong secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

As long as Jiang Jizhou agrees, someone in the court will naturally impeach Xue Huai. This matter may not shake his position in the emperor's heart, but over time, as the dust settles, how long can his imperial favor last?

Most importantly... someone didn't want to see Xu Zhiwei kept under Xue Huai's control. Although Zhao Cong didn't know why the other party cared so much about this matter, he could only do as the other party asked. After all, he had received countless benefits over the years, and this time he could get another generous reward just by saying a few words unintentionally.

At that moment, all three people in the hall wore smiles, as if a spring breeze was blowing on their faces.

(End of this chapter)