Prime Minister

Chapter 271, Section 270: [Flaw]

When the wealthy merchants of Yangzhou first demonstrated their unity and solidarity, the vast majority of people in the Huaiyang region who relied on the Grand Canal for their livelihood soon felt a profound shock.

Faced with the aggressive tactics of the Grand Canal authorities, the Salt Merchants Association adopted a strategy of avoiding confrontation and reducing the proportion of chartered canal boats and canal transport capacity to minimize the risk of being harassed by the officials of the Grand Canal authorities.

Following the example set by the Qiao family's De'an and the Shen family's Guangtai, other merchants also followed suit, shifting some of their cargo shipments to land routes.

This will indeed cause their freight costs to soar, but compared to the losses caused by the detention of ships and goods by the authorities, the increase in costs in the short term is not unacceptable.

The canal transport office on the other side was also having a tough time.

Of the eight provinces along the Grand Canal, Jiangsu clearly occupies a crucial position. Yangzhou, as a hub for trade between the north and south, and with the Lianghuai Salt Transport Office being the head of the eleven salt offices of the Great Yan Dynasty, already boasted unparalleled strength among Huaiyang merchants.

Now, under Xue Huai's instigation, they have banded together and adopted a non-violent, non-cooperative attitude towards the canal transport. This affects not only the few officials in the government office, but also countless boatmen, canal workers, trackers, clerks, and even lower-level officials who rely on the canal for their livelihood.

In short, in the past, most people could have a full meal, but now that dozens of businesses are reducing their reliance on the canal, many people who used to be able to eat their fill can no longer even get rice porridge.

Just as Xue Huai had expected, pressure from all directions continued to be transmitted back to the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner's Office located in Huai'an City.

Inside the main hall, Councilor Song Yi looked solemn. Although the situation was not yet out of control, it had reached a critical moment. He couldn't help but look at Jiang Jizhou, who was sitting in the main seat, and said, "Minister, I never expected Xue Huai to use such a mutually destructive method."

Jiang Jizhou did not fly into a rage. He calmly said, "Xue Huai is a smart man. This method is not a lose-lose situation. Those salt merchants are just no longer renting the canal boats. Can you force them to rent them? We are officials appointed by the court. We must follow the rules and laws. Xue Huai has grasped this point and is sure that the canal administration will not dare to act recklessly."

Song Yi sighed silently.

The methods employed by that Yangzhou Assistant Magistrate were indeed extraordinary, putting the Grand Canal transport office in a very passive position.

However, he knew very well that Jiang Jizhou absolutely could not let this go, otherwise it would be an open message to all merchants that as long as they followed the example of the Lianghuai Salt Merchants Association, they would no longer have to endure the endless demands of the grain transport authorities.

In this way, how can the Grand Canal Administration control this thousand-mile-long canal?

"Your Excellency, I believe these salt merchants are indeed being outrageous, perhaps..."

Song Yi paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Since they are going against the Grand Canal, we might as well tighten the reins on them and see how long they can hold out."

Jiang Jizhou did not answer.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and shook his head after a moment, saying, "This strategy is inappropriate. I previously instructed you to target the Qiao and Shen families, firstly to make an example of them, and secondly to keep the situation within a certain scope. Now they have banded together. If the Grand Canal expands its crackdown, Xue Huai will surely impeach me for abusing my power and causing public resentment to boil over. Don't forget, although he is only a fifth-rank Assistant Prefect, he is still a rising star favored by His Majesty and has very solid connections in the court."

Song Yi hesitated and asked, "Then how do we break this deadlock?"

"We still need to inspect the cargo ships of the Qiao and Shen families, but we shouldn't target other businesses for the time being, so as to avoid further deterioration of the situation."

Jiang Jizhou tapped the armrest lightly and pondered, "Furthermore, we must not do anything that is fabricated out of thin air again. We can nitpick, but we cannot give others a handle to use against us. In any case, this time it was the salt merchants of Lianghuai who provoked the dispute at Xue Huai's behest. We can make reasonable use of the power in our hands, but we cannot be too arbitrary."

Song Yixin replied with conviction, "Your subordinate obeys."

He understood that Jiang Jizhou wanted to cool things down on the surface. If he were to engage in a petty argument because of the salt merchants' resistance, he would fall into Xue Huai's trap.

This matter sounds simple, but it is not an easy decision to remain calm when you are in the thick of it, especially for a powerful official like Jiang Jizhou who holds a high position.

Jiang Jizhou pondered for a moment, then suddenly frowned and asked, "What's the deal with the Grand Canal Gang?"

As he initially planned, the Grand Canal Administration suppressed the salt merchants on the official front, while the Grand Canal Gang cooperated in the private sector. These outlaw heroes had many ways to make things difficult for the wealthy merchants.

With this two-pronged approach, the salt merchants couldn't hold out for long.

Song Yi sighed and slowly said, "Minister, Xue Huai released Sang Chengze some time ago, and the Yangzhou branch of the Canal Gang immediately ceased its activities. I met with Sang Shichang yesterday, and the old man was vague and ambiguous, never giving a definite answer. He said that Xue Huai made a condition for releasing Sang Chengze: if the Canal Gang dares to cause trouble in the next two months, Xue Huai will send someone to arrest Sang Chengze and bring him back."

"Humph."

Jiang Jizhou snorted coldly, but he couldn't afford to make a scene over this matter. Both sides knew perfectly well that Sang Chengze's trouble-making in Yangzhou was instigated by Jiang Fangzheng.

"And this Sang Chengze..."

Song Yi hesitated slightly, but ultimately recounted his observations at the Yangzhou government office in brief. He then said, "Minister, I find this matter rather strange. Sang Chengze doesn't seem to be coerced by Xue Huai; on the contrary, he willingly stays by his side, serving him tea and water. Although Sang Chengze is a good-for-nothing playboy, Sang Shichang and his wife have always doted on him. If he has already sided with Xue Huai, I'm afraid it will affect the stance of the Grand Canal Gang." "Sang Shichang isn't that naive. He can't be unaware of where the Grand Canal Gang's current status comes from."

Jiang Jizhou calmly said, "Even if Sang Chengze has been subdued by Xue Huai, how much influence can a powerless playboy have? Would Sang Shichang abandon the century-old foundation of the Grand Canal Gang just because of a son?"

After thinking about it carefully, Song Yi realized that it was indeed the case.

The salt and grain transport dispute was ultimately a struggle for interests. Every penny saved by the salt merchants meant a loss of income for the grain transport guild, and the conflict between the two sides could never be resolved.

Previously, the salt merchants tacitly accepted and tolerated the exploitation by the Grand Canal Gang. Now, with Xue Huai and the Salt Association as their backing, they are unwilling to give up that portion of their profits. Can the Grand Canal Gang accept this outcome?
Even if Sang Shichang was willing to make concessions for his son, would the other elders, managers, and lower-ranking members of the Canal Gang be willing?
With this in mind, Song Yi said solemnly, "Minister, rest assured, I will go to Sang Shichang again today to explain the pros and cons. If the canal gang wants to maintain their previous good days, they must lend a hand this time."

"Ah."

Jiang Jizhou nodded and said, "There are two more things you need to arrange personally. First, during this special period, the canal administration must take care of the livelihoods of the lower-level clerks and canal workers in the Huaiyang section. They can be provided with some rice, flour, salt, and oil. We must ensure internal stability to prevent them from being taken advantage of by those with ulterior motives."

Song Yi quickly agreed.

Jiang Jizhou slowly said, "The second thing is that the salt merchants are not a monolithic group. I told you not to expand the scope of the suppression earlier because we should start from within. They are in high spirits now, and continuing to suppress them will only make them hold on tighter. If we relax a little, some people will naturally feel the pain of the sudden increase in operating costs, and then we can win over and shake those people, causing a split within the Salt Association."

Song Yi's eyes lit up, and he praised, "Your Excellency is brilliant!"

The solemn atmosphere inside the hall eased considerably.

Jiang Jizhou smiled with a complicated expression.

Xue Huai's maturity and rationality were somewhat beyond his expectations, making it hard for him to believe that the other party was only in his early twenties. In particular, Xue Huai's response this time was a model of official tactics, hiding behind the scenes from the beginning and using a move that backed down instead of advancing to put the canal administration in a difficult position.

If Wu Changling had such skill and shrewdness, how could he have been so thoroughly suppressed by him?

Jiang Jizhou suppressed the turmoil in his heart and said softly, "This turmoil may last for a long time. We must not be careless, especially the officials below us. They must always keep a good eye on things. So you have to be more careful so as not to give anyone a handle to use against you."

"Yes, Minister."

Song Yi respectfully agreed, then hesitated and said, "I am worried that if this matter is brought to the court, Xue Huai will get his wish."

"You mean he caused such a commotion just so that the salt merchants of Lianghuai could form their own fleets and get involved in the canal transport?"

Jiang Jizhou pondered for a moment and nodded, saying, "This is indeed very much like Xue Huai's style of doing things, and it can also explain why he organized those salt merchants to do something that would hurt the enemy a thousand while hurting himself eight hundred. As long as the matter is blown up, in order to quell the chaos, His Majesty might actually make both sides back down. In the future, the Salt Association can continue to rent canal boats, but can also reduce costs by using its own fleet. It is indeed a good plan."

The more Song Yi thought about it, the more he felt that this was Xue Huai's plan, but there was no good way to stop it at the moment, unless the canal administration tacitly allowed the salt merchants of Lianghuai to form their own fleet.

This is obviously impossible.

Are they just supposed to watch helplessly as things escalate, until Xue Huai finally tears open a crack in the Grand Canal's monopoly by the transport authorities in the imperial court?
"Don't worry."

Jiang Jizhou's gaze darkened slightly, and he slowly said, "Now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to submit a memorial to His Majesty to explain the whole story."

Song Yi asked, slightly agitated, "Does the Minister intend to impeach Xue Huai?"

"Why not?"

A cold, sharp look appeared on Jiang Jizhou's face as he said, word by word, "As the Assistant Magistrate of Yangzhou, he instigated salt merchants to form associations for profit, thereby undermining the foundation of the Grand Canal. How can I, as the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, ignore this?"

Song Yi took a deep breath. Once Jiang Jizhou's memorial was presented, there would be little room for maneuver in the salt and grain transport dispute.

"Minister".

Song Yi cautiously advised, "Should we reassess the situation before making a decision?"

"Even if I were willing to wait, do you think Xue Huai would wait? This young man is known for his ruthlessness and cruelty; his secret report may have already been sent to the capital."

Jiang Jizhou stood up, his eyes flashing with murderous intent, and said in a cold voice, "I am not an arrogant person like Xu Guanlan. I will not be foolish enough to wait and see him make a move."

(End of this chapter)