Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 303 If too many grasshoppers are tied to the same rope, who would dare to easily burn that rope?

After August, the seasons seem to know the changing of the seasons, arriving earlier than in previous years, and the chill seeps into our clothes more thoroughly.

In Qingjiangpu, Huai'an Prefecture, where boats from the south and horses from the north once sailed, the bustling scene remained unchanged. However, the mist rising from the water seemed to carry with it the stench of blood and the chill of death that drifted from Nanjing.

The news traveled along the canal, even faster than the official urgent dispatches.

It is said that the newly enthroned emperor, Zhu Youjian, who came from the Prince Xin's mansion, personally left the capital and toured the south of the Yangtze River.

The journey was far from one of joy and celebration with the people; it truly lived up to the saying, "When the emperor is angry, millions will die."

From Suzhou to Songjiang, those wealthy gentry who had served in the imperial court for generations, and the textile manufacturers whose wealth rivaled that of a nation, were all implicated in "hidden land" or "embezzlement." At best, they were arrested and their property confiscated; at worst, they were executed on the spot, without even a chance to cry out for justice.

For a time, officials and gentry in Jiangnan were in a state of panic, everyone felt insecure, as if an invisible sword was hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any moment.

This biting southerly wind naturally blew along the canal to the Huai'an Customs House.

However, at this critical juncture when the storm was about to break, the residence of Lin Yuanshan, the eunuch superintendent of the customs, remained isolated from the outside world's fears, still a scene of peace and prosperity, as if it were a paradise outside the mortal world.

The Lin Mansion is located in the most valuable part of Qingjiangpu, yet it is surrounded by high walls and deep courtyards, offering a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

The pavilions, terraces, and winding streams within the mansion, along with every blade of grass and tree, exude the elegance of a Jiangnan garden and the extravagance of the inner court.

At this very moment, in the waterside pavilion of the back garden, a scene of leisurely tranquility, completely out of place with the tense atmosphere outside, is unfolding.

The waterside pavilion is surrounded by the pond on all four sides, with only a half-rolled Xiangfei bamboo curtain hanging on it. It allows visitors to admire the colorful koi carp wagging their tails in the pond and also take in the colorful scenery of the autumn chrysanthemums in the garden.

A censer of fine agarwood burned in the pavilion, its faint fragrance mingling with the aroma of freshly brewed tea, creating an intoxicating atmosphere of wealth and luxury.

Lin Yuanshan was half-reclining on a soft couch carved with passionflower patterns on sandalwood. He was casually dressed in a plain blue Hangzhou silk robe, with a jade belt loosely tied around his waist.

He was over fifty years old, but his face was very well-maintained, with no wrinkles. Only a few strands of silver hair at his temples betrayed the passage of time.

Unlike his lewd colleagues in the palace, he was quite burly, with a deep and steady voice. His eyes, when opened and closed, revealed a sharp and restrained glint, showing no trace of effeminacy.

At this moment, his eyes were slightly closed, and his fingers tapped gently on his knees as a pretty young actress beside him sang the Kunqu opera "The Peony Pavilion" in the soft Wu dialect. He was calm and composed, completely unconcerned about worldly affairs.

His godson, the eunuch Li Jin, who was serving him, was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead.

He tiptoed closer, lowered his voice, and almost whispered, "Godfather, there's just been confirmation from Yangzhou. Eunuch Sun from the Imperial Textile Bureau... has been arrested, and his house has been ransacked. They say... they said they found millions in gold and silver in his residence, and tens of thousands of acres of land deeds across the country..."

Lin Yuanshan didn't even lift his eyelids. He simply brought the celadon-colored Ru kiln teacup to his lips, took a sip of this year's new Biluochun tea, and uttered three words: "Understood."

This nonchalant attitude only fueled Li Jin's anxiety. He leaned closer, his voice trembling with tears, "Godfather! This fire is about to reach our Qingjiangpu! All the stewards and clerks outside are like ants on a hot plate, whispering that His Majesty's next target for reform is the Grand Canal and customs! We..."

"How about we?" Lin Yuanshan finally opened his eyes, his eyes clear and deep, as if they could see through people's hearts.

He waved his hand slightly, signaling the young singer to step down.

The pavilion fell silent instantly, with only the soft rustling of the wind through the bamboo curtains.

"Little Jinzi, how many years have you been with us?" Lin Yuanshan sat up straight and asked slowly.

Li Jin was taken aback, and quickly bowed and replied, "Replying to Godfather, it has been a full nine years since you took me out of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

"Nine years have passed, and you're still so impatient." Lin Yuanshan chuckled, picked up a pair of silver chopsticks from the table, took a piece of rock sugar bird's nest, but didn't eat it, only gently stirred it in the bowl. "When you, the current emperor, go on a killing spree in Jiangnan, is it really to clean up the bureaucracy and restore a bright and just world?"

Li Jin dared not respond to that question and could only lower his head even further.

"Foolish child." Lin Yuanshan placed the silver chopsticks on the white jade bowl, making a crisp, soft sound.

"What kind of mess did the Tianqi Emperor leave for this current emperor? Even rats in the national treasury would go in with tears in their eyes and come out with tears in their eyes. Hundreds of thousands of troops on the border are starving for food and pay. This new emperor wants to establish his authority, but he also needs money! Who would be the cheapest person to kill?"

These were naturally the self-important officials and gentry of Jiangnan.

They have plenty of money and land, and they always like to boast about being a paragon of virtue.

"Using them now would solve two problems: first, the confiscated property would go to the imperial treasury, relieving the immediate crisis; second, it would earn us a reputation for a wise and benevolent ruler, winning over the hearts of the people. Such a win-win situation—would you do it?"

He changed the subject, picked up his teacup, looked past the pond and up at the vast canal, his tone full of composure as if he had a complete grasp of the situation: "But our family is not the same as that Sun textile manufacturer you just mentioned."

"Who are we? We come from the Forbidden City, we are the emperor's servants! From Emperor Xiaozong to the late emperor, and now to the current emperor, we have served three generations of masters. We understand the rules of imperial power better than those pedantic scholars who only know how to quote classics."

Those officials and gentry were courtiers, ultimately outsiders in the Emperor's eyes. If outsiders are fattened too much, they'll naturally be slaughtered and eaten. But what about us? We're the Emperor's own money bag!

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was firm and resounding: "The Grand Canal is the lifeblood of the Ming Dynasty. The grain from the south, the military supplies from the north—neither of them can do without our Qingjiangpu! We're not just good at making money; we're good at getting things done!"

Every year, millions of bushels of grain are transported safely and securely to Tongzhou, not a single grain missing. This is what the Emperor values ​​most.

He killed a few officials and gentry to make an example of them, so that the remaining officials and gentry would obey and hand over their silver.

But if he were to harm our family, who would take care of the tens of thousands of people living along the canal?

If the grain transport is disrupted, what will the soldiers and officers in the nine northern garrisons eat? What will the million soldiers and civilians in the capital eat?

Li Jin was stunned. The fear and unease in his heart gradually dissipated in the way the words were explained in detail.

Seeing that his expression had softened slightly, Lin Yuanshan continued, "Besides, our family isn't entirely alone in the capital, without any connections. In the Duke of Ying's mansion, Lord Zhang is a trusted minister appointed by the late emperor, and the current emperor trusts him the most."

"While we wouldn't call our relationship with the old master as blood-like, we are certainly old friends. We've never missed a day of letters and gifts during holidays and festivals. If His Majesty truly intends to punish us, he'll have to consider the old master's feelings, won't he?"

This statement is half true and half false.

He did have dealings with Duke Zhang Weixian of England, but the significance of their relationship was far from enough to exempt him from death.

This was merely a rhetoric he used to appease people and, more importantly, to solidify his own beliefs.

Those who come from this palace are best at leveraging and creating momentum, blurring the lines between reality and illusion, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

"Alright," Lin Yuanshan waved his hand, regaining his calm demeanor, "Instead of worrying unnecessarily and scaring yourselves, let's get down to business. Pass down my message: have the managers at all the sluice gates focus their attention on us! The first batch of grain from Huguang is about to arrive. Inspecting the grain, storing it, distributing the surplus rice—every single task must be handled perfectly by us, without the slightest mistake! Let the Emperor see who his truly indispensable minister is!"

"Yes, Godfather!" Upon hearing these words, Li Jin felt reassured, his spirits lifted, he straightened his back, accepted the order, and retreated with light steps.

The waterside pavilion returned to tranquility once more.

Lin Yuanshan lay back down on the soft couch, all alone.

He glanced at the koi carp in the pond, jostling and fighting over a few grains of food, and a disdainful sneer appeared on his face.

emperor?

He's just the biggest master in the world.

What the master needs is a dog that can guard the house, bite people, and also find its own food.

If a dog is useful enough and knows how to wag its tail and beg for mercy, why would its master easily slaughter it and make soup?

Lin Yuanshan considered himself the most useful and well-behaved dog.

……

Observing the situation calmly does not mean sitting idly by and waiting for death, leaving everything to fate.

Lin Yuanshan, this old fox who had spent thirty years in the Forbidden City and the Grand Canal, understood the principle of "a cunning rabbit has three burrows" better than anyone else.

On the surface, he remained calm and composed, diligently handling the grain transport affairs for the emperor to demonstrate his loyalty and competence; in secret, he had already made preparations and quietly laid out his plans.

It's late at night and everything is silent.

Lin Yuanshan's study was still brightly lit.

Unlike the leisurely and extravagant Bai Ri Shui Xie, the furnishings here are simple and solemn. On the wall hangs only a calligraphy scroll with the words "Still waters run deep," which is said to be the work of a great Confucian scholar from a previous dynasty. The powerful strokes perfectly match his state of mind.

Lin Yuanshan sat upright behind a large rosewood desk, personally grinding a Longwei She inkstone. The fine Huizhou ink slowly dissolved in the inkstone, filling the room with the fragrance of ink.

He spread out a sheet of plain paper from Chengxintang in front of him, picked up a pen, but instead of writing an official document, he wrote a letter to his family back home in Hejian.

The recipient of the letter was his nephew, Lin Wenyu.

"My nephew Wenyu, how I feel..."

The letters all began with ordinary greetings, inquiring about the health of the elders in the family and how the autumn harvest was going on the farm.

After writing only a few lines, the writing style suddenly changed, becoming obscure and circuitous.

"...I've recently heard of the continuous autumn rains in Jiangnan, which may cause flooding and affect the north. As your uncle in Huai'an, I am deeply concerned for you all. Those old houses in the family have withstood many years of wind and rain; we should take precautions as soon as possible, reinforcing the beams and pillars, and digging deep wells to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. The several idle fields and properties I acquired years ago have numerous deeds, making them inconvenient to manage. Perhaps they could be temporarily entrusted to a few close relatives or neighbors for safekeeping until next year when the weather is better, at which point we can make further plans. Remember, always keep a low profile and avoid ostentation. Harmony is paramount in our community; mutual kindness is the way to long-term stability..."

The letter made no mention of gold or silver, but its words were always about land and property.

However, the underlying meaning was quite clear: the so-called "strengthening the beams and pillars and digging deep cellars" meant that he should pack up all the valuables and valuables in his home that were inconvenient to move and hide them in the secret underground cellar.

The land "temporarily registered under the names of relatives and neighbors" was an even clearer instruction: he was to break up most of his family property and transfer it to other people to avoid trouble.

Lin Wenyu had been taught this set of coded language by him since childhood, and he could understand it instantly with just one glance.

After writing, he held the letter up to the candlelight and carefully read it again to make sure that not a single word would leave any room for criticism. Only then did he carefully fold it, put it in an envelope, and seal it with sealing wax.

This letter would naturally not be sent via the official postal service.

After finishing this task, Lin Yuanshan showed no sign of resting. Instead, he took out a black lacquered box with gold dragon patterns from a hidden compartment under his desk.

When the box was opened, it contained not gold or silver jewelry, but a thin booklet.

The booklet's cover was simple and unadorned, but inside, it was filled with tiny, meticulously written names of prominent figures in the capital, along with the corresponding dates and gift lists for each name.

This is Lin Yuanshan's true "protective charm," an invisible net woven from thirty years of hard work and countless amounts of gold and silver.

He summoned another trusted confidant who had been standing outside the door, a middle-aged man named Zhao Meng.

This man was originally a boatman's leader on the canal. He almost lost his family and his life because he offended a powerful figure. He was saved by Lin Yuanshan and has been devoted to following him ever since, handling his shady dealings.

"Zhao Meng." Lin Yuanshan's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

"Yes, Father-in-law." Zhao Meng bowed and entered, his footsteps silent, his expression as respectful and reserved as ever.

"The 'charcoal tribute' for these people on the list should be sent over this month." Lin Yuanshan handed over a list that had already been copied. "The situation is unstable now, so we need to reassure them. You go and do it yourself. Tell them that everything is normal in Huai'an, and we'll take care of the canal transport. We won't let them miss out on their benefits."

Zhao Meng took the form, glanced at it quickly, and saw that it clearly stated:

"The British Duke's Mansion: a pair of top-quality South China Sea pearls, a box of fifty-year-old ginseng from Changbai Mountain, and a Western self-ringing clock."

"Han Fu Lao: A Tang Dynasty copy of Wang Xizhi's 'Ping An Tie' from the previous dynasty."

"Minister Wang of the Ministry of War: One fine Hetian white jade ruyi scepter, and fifty gold ingots with the character 'Fu' (福, meaning good fortune) on them."

"Eunuch Wang of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs:..."

This list encompasses almost half of the imperial court in the capital, from cabinet ministers to key officials of the six ministries, from favorites in the palace to nobles and relatives of the emperor.

After reading it, Zhao Meng hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice, "Father-in-law, at this critical juncture, with the situation so tense, wouldn't sending such an important gift be too conspicuous?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuanshan let out a cold laugh and said, "That's exactly what we want! We want everyone to know that Huai'an is a very stable ship! Those who accept our goods are now on the same boat as us. The Emperor was able to kill swiftly in Jiangnan because those killed were either shallow-rooted or opportunists. But our network is so interconnected that a single move can have far-reaching consequences."

"If His Majesty truly intends to investigate our family, it's tantamount to investigating half the capital. At that point, without us even speaking, others will naturally step forward to speak on our behalf. If too many grasshoppers are tied to the same rope, who would dare to easily burn that rope?"

(End of this chapter)