Prime Minister

Chapter 258, Section 257: [A Show of Force]

On the seventh day of the fourth month, in the second hall of the Yangzhou Prefectural Government.

The spring sun shines brightly outside the window, and the occasional chirping of birds can be heard.

The atmosphere inside the hall was tranquil, with a wisp of smoke curling from the incense burner.

On the left sat a high-ranking official in a scarlet robe adorned with peacock embellishments. This was Song Yi, the Councilor of the Grain Transport Office. He wore a gold belt around his waist and exuded a dignified and imposing presence.

Xue Huai sat opposite Song Yi, wearing a blue official robe with a cloud and goose embroidered on it, and said gently, "Councilor Song has come from afar and must be tired from his journey. I apologize for any shortcomings in my greeting and hope you will forgive me."

"You're too kind, Lord Xue."

Song Yi's tone was not loud, but it possessed an air of authority cultivated from long years in a high position. He continued, "I have been ordered by Governor-General Jiang to travel south to inspect the important affairs of the Grand Canal. Yangzhou Prefecture is a vital town on the Grand Canal, controlling the throat of north-south water transport, and has always been a top priority for the Governor-General. The safety and stability of this place are related to the smooth flow of grain from eight provinces to the capital, and to the stability of the imperial court's lifeline. It cannot be neglected for even a moment."

Xue Huai bowed slightly and said, "This humble official understands. The Grand Canal is a matter of national importance, and the Yangzhou government dares not slack off in the slightest."

Song Yi was slightly surprised by Xue Huai's attitude.

This time, he went south to Yangzhou on Jiang Jizhou's instructions. On the one hand, he wanted to make good use of the power of the canal administration to put Xue Huai in a bad light. On the other hand, he wanted to settle Sang Chengze's case as soon as possible so that old man Sang Shichang wouldn't keep nagging about it. Although the case wasn't serious, what if Xue Huai used it as an excuse to make trouble?
The canal gangs were indeed under the jurisdiction of the canal administration, but many things in this world cannot be treated so simply. A stable and docile canal gang was far more important than the face of the Qiao family in Yangzhou.

Song Yi had already read Xue Huai's resume and information on the way here and had some understanding of the temperament of this rising star in officialdom. Therefore, as soon as they met, he put on the airs of a superior, not because he thought that this would make Xue Huai humble himself, but to let the other party understand his attitude.

Although Jiang Jizhou cannot directly decide Xue Huai's career path, the Grand Canal Administration, once determined, can use various legitimate and legal means to keep Xue Huai busy. Moreover, even if Xue Huai complains to Shen Wang, it will be useless. After all, he is now in charge of a region and is no longer an innocent child being bullied. If he cannot even solve the problems within his own jurisdiction, it will only make the emperor think that he is incompetent.

However, contrary to Song Yi's expectations, Xue Huai never showed any resentment; on the contrary, he adopted a humble attitude.

"Lord Xue is wise and reasonable, which is a blessing to the local area."

Song Yi nodded slightly, his tone still steady, and then changed the subject, saying, "The key to the smooth flow of grain transport lies in the unobstructed waterways. I have been entrusted by Minister Jiang to clarify the effectiveness of dredging and maintenance in the various prefectures and states along the river, so as to ensure that the grain transport to the north this year is carried out without any problems."

Xue Huai looked focused, as if he were listening attentively.

Song Yi continued, “Yangzhou Prefecture is located at the hub of the Grand Canal, where the waters of northern Jiangsu converge and flow into the Huai River. The water flow is complex, and siltation has always been a major problem for the canal transport. Every year in late spring and early summer, the waterway here narrows and the current becomes rapid. It is not uncommon for heavily loaded cargo ships to run aground, collide, or even capsize here. This not only delays the delivery of cargo but also damages the tax revenue of the imperial court, which is a major obstacle to the navigation of the Grand Canal.”

Xue Huai agreed wholeheartedly, saying, "Your words, Councilor, hit the nail on the head. I have learned a lot from your advice."

As early as when he imprisoned Sang Chengze, he had anticipated that the Grand Canal Administration would take action. Therefore, after Song Yi arrived, he remained calm and waited patiently for the other party to make a move.

To this day, Xue Huai still hasn't figured out the extent of the relationship between the Xuan Yuan Sect, the Canal Gang, and even the Canal Administration. Therefore, his order for Ye Qing to escort those criminals to the capital and detain Sang Chengze was all a ploy to lure them out and try to find out what hidden dangers were lurking in the shadows.

As for what trouble Song Yi or Jiang Jizhou might bring, Xue Huai wasn't too worried. He had long understood the powers and responsibilities of the Grand Canal Administration, and he knew exactly where the other party could control him.

Seeing that Xue Huai seemed not to have understood his implied meaning, Song Yi raised his voice slightly and said, "Lord Xue, according to the records of the canal administration, in the past four years, there have been as many as 43 accidents in Yangzhou Prefecture, especially in the section from Shaobo Lake to Gaoyou Lake and the section from Guazhou to Yizhen, caused by siltation of the waterway and disrepair of the dikes! Twelve canal boats and more than thirty merchant ships have been damaged, and the loss of canal grain and goods is equivalent to nearly 100,000 taels of silver. Moreover, dozens of boatmen have unfortunately lost their lives!"

Xue Huai's expression was slightly serious.

Song Yi leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Lord Xue has been in Yangzhou for over a year, reforming officialdom and implementing new policies, and his reputation as an upright official has already spread far and wide. However, why haven't these long-standing problems in the canal transport system, which threaten the very lifeline of the nation, been fundamentally improved? While you are in charge of Yangzhou, do you only know about the new policies, but ignore the hidden dangers on this vital waterway of the canal?"

This hat is a bit too heavy.

Xue Huai met Song Yi's cold gaze, his face still displaying a gentle and composed expression. He spoke calmly and clearly, "Councilor Song, you are wise. Ensuring the smooth flow of the Grand Canal is the responsibility of the Yangzhou government. How could I dare to neglect it? The sections from Shaobo to Gaoyou and from Guazhou to Yizhen are indeed treacherous waterways, with complex water conditions and a tendency for siltation. This is a natural geographical problem that cannot be eradicated overnight. I am deeply saddened by the mistakes of my predecessors."

Song Yi frowned slightly; Xue Huai's calmness was beyond his expectations.

He had thought that this questioning would at least make the other party nervous or eager to defend themselves, but Xue Huai's remark about the mistakes of predecessors pushed the topic back.

In truth, he knew perfectly well that Xue Huai's achievements in the year or so since taking office were remarkable: investigating the Lianghuai salt scandal, purifying officialdom, punishing corrupt powerful clans, and implementing new policies for the people's livelihood—each and every one of these was documented. Of the more than 170 prefects in the Great Yan, how many could achieve Xue Huai's accomplishments? Not to mention that the siltation in the canal was a chronic problem; if the canal administration used this to hold Xue Huai accountable, it would truly be shooting itself in the foot.

Song Yi naturally understood this, so he did not pursue the matter further. Instead, he said in a deep voice, "The Minister is deeply concerned about this section of the waterway and has specially ordered me to go south to oversee the work. Now that April has arrived, the flood season is approaching and the current will be even stronger, which will only exacerbate the problem of waterway siltation. Lord Xue, the Yangzhou Prefectural Government must immediately come up with a practical and feasible plan to thoroughly dredge these two vital waterways and reinforce the dikes before the flood season truly arrives in June, ensuring smooth navigation and preventing any further accidents. This is an order from the Grain Transport Commissioner and is crucial to ensuring the overall success of this year's grain transport. Can the Yangzhou Prefectural Government shoulder this heavy responsibility?"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.

Song Yi finally revealed his true intentions. On the surface, his words seemed perfectly reasonable: dredging the canal was under the jurisdiction of the Grand Canal Administration, and local officials did indeed have a responsibility to cooperate. However, clearing the waterway required a large amount of manpower and resources, and there was only a maximum of two months. Even if Xue Huai had extraordinary abilities, he could not possibly conscript laborers to complete the Grand Canal Administration's task in such a short time.

If he refuses, Song Yi can then impeach him.

Xue Huai did not answer immediately.

He slowly picked up the teacup in front of him, gently blew away the foam, took a sip, and then slowly said, "Counselor Song is concerned about the canal transport and acts decisively, which I admire. The siltation of the waterway in the Yangzhou section is indeed a major concern. Although I am not very knowledgeable, I know that this is my duty and I dare not slack off in the slightest. As Councilor Song has ordered, ensuring that the waterway is unobstructed during the flood season in June is the responsibility of the Yangzhou government!"

At that moment, Song Yi thought there was something wrong with his ears.

He had considered all sorts of possible responses from Xue Huai, but he never expected the other party to agree so readily. Didn't he know that this was a task that was impossible to complete?
Under Song Yi's solemn scrutiny, Xue Huai continued, "The reason I agreed was not out of arrogance, but because the Yangzhou government had already begun preparations last summer. This is because I am well aware of the importance of this section of the river and the harm of delays. Now that Yangzhou's new policies have increased revenue and reduced expenditure, the treasury has some savings, which we are prioritizing for investment here."

Song Yi said incredulously, "Lord Xue, this matter is of great importance, and you cannot speak recklessly."

Xue Huai said frankly, "How dare I speak nonsense in front of the Councilor? Guards, please bring Prefect Zhang here."

A clerk's voice rang out from outside: "Yes, Your Excellency."

About a quarter of an hour later, Zhang Shi, the prefectural magistrate, arrived at the second hall with the case files.

"Councilor Song, Lord Zhang was only promoted to Vice Prefect of the Prefectural Government at the beginning of this year. Before that, he served as the Magistrate of Yizhen County, mainly in charge of the dredging of the Caohe River. Now, he will explain the details to you, Councilor Song."

Xue Huai and Zhang Shi exchanged a glance, and simultaneously recalled the scene on the river embankment last year.

At that time, he told Zhang Shi that as long as Yizhen County could initially solve the flood problem, he would guarantee that Zhang Shi would be able to leave the sideline he had been sitting on for eight years. Zhang Shi lived up to his expectations and gave him a nearly perfect answer.

Under Song Yi's complex gaze, Zhang Shi unfolded the dossier and began to speak calmly and forcefully.

Starting in May of last year, Xue Huai mobilized veteran officials from the government office and experienced river workers, together with officials from Yizhen County, to conduct several surveys of the waterway prone to siltation under the leadership of Zhang Shi. They accurately mapped out siltation points, sandbar locations, and weak points in the dikes, and estimated the amount of work to be done. The relevant maps and documents have been fully archived.

Meanwhile, Xue Huai and former prefect Tan Mingguang withdrew a sum of money from the treasury to purchase and stockpile some of the materials needed for dredging, such as wooden stakes, bamboo cages, straw bags, and stones. Then, during the off-season for farming last autumn and winter, they dredged the canal section by section and dug diversion channels through a work-for-relief program.

At that time, the Lianghuai Salt Case had been investigated and dealt with, and the government treasury had sufficient silver. In addition, local gentry and merchants, led by the Qiao and Shen families, voluntarily donated money and hired laborers to participate in the dredging of the river, so the project proceeded very smoothly.

As Zhang Shi's voice continued to ring out, Song Yi's mood became extremely awkward.

He had thought that after he posed that difficult question, Xue Huai would at least be conflicted, if not panicked. Who knew that the other party had done so many things quietly, and even outside of those dazzling political achievements, as if it were his duty as a local official, and there was no need to boast about it. As a result, he did not mention it at all in his report to the court.

After Zhang Shi finished explaining the situation, Xue Huai looked at Song Yi again and said solemnly, "The construction work ordered by Councilor Song today is one of the top priorities of our Yangzhou government. Preparations have been underway for more than half a year. Now that Councilor Song is personally overseeing the work, the entire Yangzhou government should do its utmost to ensure that the canal is unobstructed when the flood season arrives, and Councilor Song can also inspect and supervise it at any time."

Song Yi did not lose his composure, but he tightened his grip on the teacup slightly. Looking at the composed expression of the young official opposite him, he suddenly understood the frustration and helplessness that Xu Guanlan had felt back then.

Fortunately, he was not entirely the same as Xu Guanlan; at least he did not do anything foolish that would harm the foundation of the court.

Upon thinking of this, Song Yi put on a slightly forced smile and exclaimed, "Lord Xue's profound wisdom and diligence in serving the king have truly impressed me."

Xue Huai also picked up his teacup, smiled slightly, and said unhurriedly, "You flatter me, Councilor."

(End of this chapter)