The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the Carpenter Prince!

The great discussion resumed at dawn the following day.

Yesterday's departure was abrupt, but today the officials arrived even earlier. Just after dawn, the six ministries and nine ministers had already gathered outside the Wenhua Hall to await their turn, and not a single person was late. News of the military situation in Puhe had spread throughout the corridors of the six ministries overnight, and everyone knew that today's court meeting was not the same as yesterday's.

Zhu Youxiao intercepted Wang An in the corridor before entering the palace.

"I've seen the urgent report."

He only said those four words.

Last night, Wang An delivered a copy of the urgent report from Liaodong to the Eastern Palace. The outer outposts of Puhe were attacked, with over half of the hundred-plus defenders lost; the remnants retreated to Puhe city. Jurchen scouts launched a feigned attack to probe the enemy, but retreated immediately without lingering.

It wasn't a fierce battle, but a test.

But the act of probing itself is a warning sign. The Jurchens are assessing the strength and weakness of the Puhe defense line. The next time they besiege the city, it may not be just scouts again.

The urgent report included a three-sentence appendix by Xiong Tingbi: "My troops actually number less than 20,000. The fortifications along the Puhe River have been in disrepair for years. If the enemy launches a large-scale attack, I will be unable to defend them alone."

In just three sentences, every single word was a ploy to extract money.

But where is the money?

On that long journey from the capital to Liaoyang, 1.7 million taels of silver vanished into thin air.

…………

The atmosphere in the hall was quite different from yesterday.

Yesterday was a tug-of-war between three parties, each sticking to their own version of events. Today, with an additional military intelligence looming overhead, everyone's expressions have darkened. Although the news from Puhe has not been officially released, how could the Six Ministries keep it a secret? The Ministry of War was kept brightly lit all night, and the clerk on night duty was busy running around for half the night. The clerks in the neighboring Ministry of Revenue had all seen it, and the news spread like wildfire.

Emperor Taichang took his seat on the throne, his expression even more somber than the day before.

The ginseng soup was placed beside me as usual, but I didn't pick it up.

Zhu Youxiao sat down on the left side of the imperial desk and opened the memorial.

He secretly calculated in his heart. Yesterday's question, "Where did the silver go?" had already been posed, and overnight, military intelligence from Puhe arrived. With these two matters overlapping, Emperor Taichang had no reason to back down today.

There's no need for him to tear open another gap. The rift he opened yesterday will be filled with the blood of the Pu River today.

…………

Emperor Taichang finally spoke.

He did not summon his ministers to discuss the matter in court, nor did he mention military affairs.

He asked the question directly.

"Yesterday, the Crown Prince asked where the silver had gone. I thought about it all night and also wanted to ask you all."

Emperor Taichang spoke in a low voice and very slowly, enunciating each word clearly.

"How much military pay did Liaodong actually receive last year?"

Eight characters were written in the hall.

The hall was deathly silent.

The Vice Minister of War lowered his head. Several officials from the Ministry of Revenue exchanged bewildered glances. Fang Congzhe's hand holding the teacup remained as steady as a rock, his face as calm as a still well.

Yang Lian stood in the train, his lips moved slightly, but he remained silent. This question was not for him to answer, nor could he answer it.

The hall remained silent for a long time.

A voice suddenly rang out from the rear of the train.

"Your Majesty, I know the answer."

Sun Chengzong stepped forward from the crowd.

He was fifty-seven years old, quite tall, with a square face, slightly prominent cheekbones, and a white beard hanging down to his chest. Standing among a group of people in scarlet robes, he looked as if he had been moved directly from the lecture platform to the hall of the Great Council.

All eyes in the hall were focused on them.

Most people didn't recognize him at all. Zuo Chunfang Zuo Shuzi had long sat on the sidelines of the Hanlin Academy and was not well-known in the court. The people in the Six Ministries' corridors only remembered him as "Sun Jiangguan, the one who lectured on the Four Books."

What right do these insignificant officials have to hold high-level discussions in the imperial court before the emperor?

Emperor Taichang glanced at him. "Speak, my lord."

Sun Chengzong cupped his hands and said, "According to the official documents of the Liaodong Military Commission over the years, in the 47th year of the Wanli reign, the Ministry of Revenue allocated 1.2 million taels of silver for Liaodong military expenses, the Ministry of War recorded 1.03 million taels as the amount transferred during transport, and the Military Commission actually received 530,000 taels."

A collective gasp filled the hall.

From 1.2 million to 530,000. A sharp decrease of 670,000 taels.

This is only one year's worth of data.

Sun Chengzong did not pause.

"In the 46th year of the Wanli reign, the Ministry of Revenue allocated 1.15 million taels of silver, while the Military Commissioner's Office actually received 480,000 taels. In the 48th year of the Wanli reign, the Ministry of Revenue allocated 1.3 million taels of silver, while the Military Commissioner's Office actually received 610,000 taels."

"Over the three years, the Ministry of Revenue allocated 3.65 million taels of silver, while the Military Commissioner's Office actually received 1.62 million taels."

"The difference is 2.03 million taels."

The three numbers landed one after another, like three heavy hammer blows striking the hall.

Two million three hundred thousand taels!

Zhu Youxiao secretly compared the figures in his mind. Han Kuang's inventory totaled 1.7 million, while Sun Chengzong's figure was 300,000 more than Han Kuang's. The calculation methods were different; Han Kuang used the Ministry of War's transport records as a benchmark, while Sun Chengzong used the Ministry of Revenue's allocation figures. However, regardless of the method used, the deficit was shockingly large.

The hall was deathly silent; so quiet that one could hear the wind whistling through the eaves of the corridor outside.

Fang Congzhe finally put down his teacup. This time, however, he didn't put it down gently; the bottom of the bowl tapped on the table, making a slight sound.

For the first time in seven years as Grand Secretary, he lost even a fraction of his composure during a court meeting.

Emperor Taichang looked down at the more than one hundred faces below, neither angry nor pleased, his voice as calm as a stagnant pool.

"Does the Cabinet have a copy of the official document that Minister Sun cited?"

Fang Congzhe bowed and said, "It's in the cabinet's records. I'll check it when I get back."

The answer was watertight. Neither denying nor acknowledging, the matter was first dragged back to the Cabinet for investigation. As for the duration of the investigation and the wording of the results, that was entirely in the Prime Minister's hands.

Emperor Taichang did not pursue the matter further. He turned to Fang Congzhe, his tone suddenly becoming much calmer.

"Grand Secretary Fang, I recall that the system for verifying the Liaodong military funds has already been implemented on a trial basis. How has it been?"

Zhu Youxiao lowered his head and flipped through the question book, his fingers as steady as if he were carving wood.

This was something he had subtly foreshadowed. Last night, while attending to his ailing father in the warm pavilion, he casually mentioned it: "Father, if the grand discussion tomorrow turns into another argument, Grand Secretary Fang's inspection system is a ready-made tool. Asking him how it's going is better than listening to their pointless arguments."

Emperor Taichang simply hummed in response, offering no comment.

I finally got the answer today.

Fang Congzhe remained expressionless and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, since the trial implementation of the inspection system, the sealing and recording along the way have shown results, and the numbers of goods issued and delivered can gradually be compared. It is still in the process of being implemented and will take some time."

The words "effective" were uttered by the Prime Minister in court and recorded in black and white in the daily records, and there was no going back.

Fang Congzhe has personally endorsed this inspection system.

From now on, Fang Congzhe will be the first to object to anyone who dares to secretly obstruct the inspection, because obstruction is tantamount to slapping himself in the face.

Zhu Youxiao continued to flip through the question book. His expression remained calm.

He secretly made a mental note of Fang Congzhe. This seven-year premier was completely put on a pedestal, and he saw right through him. But in this situation, he only had one option—to go with the flow.

If you used this elaborate scheme in your previous life, it would be tantamount to having the supervisor in charge verbally endorse your plan at a Party committee meeting. Once the meeting minutes were released, he would have to think twice before he could back out.

Emperor Taichang spoke again. His tone remained calm, as if he were chatting casually.

"Speaking of systems, the Imperial Medical Academy's prescription verification system has saved me a lot of trouble. The other day there was some kind of 'Nourishing Vitality and Strengthening the Body Ointment,' but the chief physician rejected it after one examination, saving me from getting sick from taking it."

While this was said in a formal discussion, it appeared to be casual conversation, but in reality, it was a public endorsement of the drug testing system. I have personally tried it, and it works very well.

Whether a system is effective or not is entirely up to the emperor.

Many people in the hall showed slight changes in expression. The system of testing medicines was originally an oral decree of the inner court, and most officials of the outer court were unaware of it before. Today, Emperor Taichang mentioned it in court, which was tantamount to bringing a trivial system of the inner court to the public.

Fang Congzhe frowned slightly. This was the first time he had ever heard of the drug testing system. He was completely unaware of the fact that matters of the inner court did not go through the cabinet.

Was this the work of the Crown Prince or Wang An?

…………

The situation had progressed to this point, and should have continued along the path laid out by the Crown Prince.

Sun Chengzong revealed his hand, Fang Congzhe endorsed it in court, and Emperor Taichang laid the groundwork with the medicine testing system. The next step was simply for the emperor to ask, "Since the testing system is effective, shouldn't we formally discuss and decide on the detailed rules for its implementation in a grand meeting?" Everything would then fall into place naturally.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, someone the Crown Prince never anticipated suddenly spoke up.

Han Kuang.

The newly appointed cabinet minister, who had been in office for less than two months, always sat quietly during important discussions. He was neither as outspoken as Yang Lian nor as shrewd as Fang Congzhe; rather, he was more like an observer detached from the situation.

At that moment, he suddenly stood up, cupped his hands, and said loudly.

"Your Majesty, I believe that the two matters of inspecting the Liaodong military supplies and the departure of the military commanders can be handled in parallel without conflict."

The entire hall fell silent.

This statement surprised everyone.

Yang Lian's eyes brightened slightly. The decision to proceed as planned, including the inspection and reassignment of the commander, was made without contradiction. The Donglin faction, which had been clamoring for a change of commander for over a month, finally had a cabinet minister step forward to endorse it.

Fang Congzhe's expression changed drastically.

The change was subtle, merely a slight tightening of the lips. But Zhu Youxiao, standing close by, saw it clearly.

Fang Congzhe's concern was not about changing commanders. His plan to increase the number of troops had been disrupted by military intelligence the day before, and sticking to the old ways was already a dead end. What he was truly concerned about was the word "parallel."

Parallelism means continuous verification.

The hidden traps, raised thresholds, and poisonous clauses he spent half a month planting in the draft bill were all based on the premise that "the investigation can be delayed." Once the investigation and the change of commander proceeded in parallel, the court's attention would not be diverted from the investigation, and his room for secretly turning a blind eye would be severely squeezed.

Zhu Youxiao's heart was also filled with turbulent emotions.

Han Kuang's words were completely outside his calculations. The path he paved for Emperor Taichang was "verify first, then discuss," first establishing the verification process in the court, then postponing the ministers' discussions until the verification was complete. In this way, he could use the verification data to strongly protect Xiong Tingbi.

Han Kuang's use of the term "parallel" is essentially a way of linking the investigation with the change of leadership. Donglin will definitely hold onto the "parallel" approach and could use the results of the investigation to force a change of leadership at any time.

Suddenly, a move from heaven appeared on the chessboard.

Can it be withdrawn? Absolutely not. Han Kuang is a Grand Secretary, and these words were spoken in front of the entire court. How could the Crown Prince suddenly jump out to refute his side?

Can we handle it? We absolutely must. And we must handle it flawlessly: satisfy Donglin, prevent Fang Congzhe from overturning the table, and secretly leave a way out for Baoxiong.

In the blink of an eye, a plan was devised.

A snap of the fingers is enough.

Zhu Youxiao lowered his eyes, turned a page of the exercise book, and spoke as if casually.

"What Grand Secretary Han said is well said."

This was the Crown Prince's second time speaking during the grand council. All eyes in the hall turned to him once again.

"The inspection and the commander-in-chief's affairs should proceed in parallel, each handling its own matters without interfering with the other." He scratched his head, feigning ignorance. "However, the commander-in-chief's affairs are of paramount importance. In my humble opinion, perhaps we should wait until the inspection results are available before making a decision? If the inspection yields results, the commander-in-chief's proposal will have a basis, avoiding empty arguments."

Emperor Taichang gave him a deep look.

His gaze lingered for a moment, as if holding a deep meaning.

Immediately the emperor spoke.

"Han Kuang is absolutely right. We should investigate both the commander and his officers. However, the fate of the commander and his officers is a matter of great importance. We should wait until the investigation is completed and a conclusion is reached before discussing it further."

Not a single word is different.

The son offered his "foolish opinion," and the father replied, "It's not too late." The son followed the father's lead perfectly.

Yang Lian's expression softened slightly. Running in parallel was their victory. The change of leadership was not a mere "holding back," but rather a matter of "investigating until a conclusion is reached before further discussion." With a timeline established, the Donglin Party gained leverage.

Fang Congzhe remained calm and composed, cupping his hands in greeting and exclaiming, "Wise and enlightened!"

The two words came out crisply and decisively, without any hesitation.

Zhu Youxiao looked down at the government affairs, his face remaining calm and composed.

But deep down, he was making plans.

"The matter of the commander-in-chief will be decided after investigation and a conclusion is reached," this was a promise made in public and recorded in the daily records. If the investigation results show that the Liaodong military pay has been embezzled to an extremely serious degree, the pressure to change the commander-in-chief will be overwhelming. At that time, the room for protecting Xiong will be squeezed to the brink of despair.

Han Kuang's casual remark planted a seed of shock in the Crown Prince's heart.

This thunderbolt was not malicious. Han Kuang made what he believed to be a fair decision. A newly promoted cabinet minister offered a compromise during a deadlock in court. He failed to see that the Crown Prince intended to protect Xiong, and he did not realize that the Crown Prince urgently needed the time difference of "verification before discussion" to protect Xiong Tingbi.

Han Kuang is a living piece with its own inherent nature in the game of chess.

This is the imperial court. Not everyone acts according to your rules, not even your closest confidants.

…………

With the major discussions concluded, the overall situation was settled.

The verification process was now openly implemented, and Fang Congzhe readily agreed. The verification and leadership change were conducted on a two-pronged approach, with the latter to be decided later. Under the heavy pressure of the military situation in Puhe, the urgency of a thorough investigation overwhelmed everyone's desire to conceal anything.

Emperor Taichang rubbed his temples slightly and waved to dismiss the court.

"The specific regulations shall be drafted by the Cabinet in conjunction with the Ministries of War and Revenue, and submitted for review within three days."

The officials shouted and kowtowed in respect to see him off.

…………

Stepping out of the Wenhua Hall, Zhu Youxiao walked along the corridor, his pace slightly faster than usual.

The fifteen-year-old's body had been tense for two whole hours. Only after leaving the main hall did his shoulders suddenly relax, and a tingling numbness ran down his neck.

They won the majority of the battle. This was their first major victory since transmigrating.

Even after the great victory, two tails remained.

Sun Chengzong's brilliance at today's grand meeting means that the eyes of the three parties will now be fixed on him. He had already calculated the cost before leaving; once the move is made, there's no going back.

Han Kuang's statement, "parallelism without contradiction," narrowed the opportunity to protect Xiong. Once all the cards are revealed, the pressure of changing the coach will collapse, and the outcome will be determined by data, not by the crown prince's word.

I'll jot down these two accounts for now.

Zhu Youxiao walked to the corner of the passageway, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

Sun Chengzong had somehow followed behind, trailing at a distance, neither too close nor too far.

The prince stopped and turned around.

Sun Chengzong stepped forward and bowed.

The two stared at each other for a moment in the passageway.

Sun Chengzong remained silent.

Zhu Youxiao also remained silent.

After a moment, Zhu Youxiao finally spoke.

"You've worked hard, sir. The inspection system is now clear, but we'll need your continued attention to the details."

Sun Chengzong cupped his hands and said, "It is my duty."

Zhu Youxiao nodded and turned to leave.

He took two steps, then suddenly turned back.

"gentlemen."

"Your subject is here."

"Be careful when you walk from now on; there are more people under the eaves than in the scripture lecture hall."

Sun Chengzong was taken aback, then suddenly realized.

He bowed deeply and said, "Your subject understands."

Zhu Youxiao turned and left without looking back.

Sun Chengzong stood on the passageway, watching the Crown Prince's figure gradually disappear into the distance.

Fifteen.

He spent over twenty years sitting on the sidelines in the Hanlin Academy, and he had seen quite a few emperors. But no emperor had ever uttered such a profound statement at the age of fifteen: "There are more people in the corridor than in the lecture hall."

These words sound like concern, but they are actually a warning: You made a name for yourself at the important meeting today, and from now on, someone will be watching you closely. You should walk on thin ice and be careful.

Sun Chengzong bowed respectfully in the direction the Crown Prince had left, then turned and departed.

…………

The Eastern Palace.

When Zhu Youxiao returned to the palace, he neither looked at the memorials nor did he work with the wood.

Upon entering, he gave instructions to Wang An.

"Go and invite Vice Minister Sun over. There are a few points that need to be discussed before we can review the detailed regulations. The cabinet must submit the regulations within three days, and before Grand Secretary Fang puts pen to paper, I need to add the missing information."

Wang An acknowledged and withdrew.

Zhu Youxiao sat down, picked up his brush, and spread out a sheet of Xuan paper.

Independent verification.

The poison of "local self-inspection" in Fang Congzhe's draft bill still lingers, and the clause on random inspections was not formally agreed upon in the plenary session. When the cabinet drafts the detailed rules, the chief minister has plenty of room to make the random inspections vague and drag out the verification process.

If this clause is not added, the 60% version of the system will have to be further compromised.

The pen touched the paper, wrote two lines, and then suddenly stopped.

To conduct a supplementary independent review, it would be necessary to send personnel from the Ministry of War to Liaodong. But to do that, they would have to get past Fang Congzhe. Fang Congzhe had just been forced to recite a text at the grand meeting today, and he would surely be seething with anger upon returning. If salt were rubbed into his wounds now, he would have a hundred ways to subtly plant hidden clauses in the detailed rules.

We can't force it. We need to find another way.

Zhu Youxiao put down his brush and waited quietly for Sun Chengzong.