Hot flashes

Chapter 170 Tibetan Affairs

In late June, it rained incessantly in Jiangnan.

For half a month, the capital was filled with disaster reports from all over the country—the floodwaters in Jiangling had inundated three counties; flash floods in Xuancheng had breached more than ten miles of dikes; and Suzhou, Huzhou, and Changzhou were all in a state of emergency.

The Ministry of Revenue was diverting funds and grain southwards like water. Today, 30,000 taels were allocated for dike repairs, tomorrow 50,000 taels for disaster relief, and the day after tomorrow another 20,000 taels for grain purchases. Qian Duan's face grew increasingly grim each day; he frowned at everyone he met, looking deeply worried.

Zhou Heng saw it all but said nothing.

On the third day of the seventh month, at the court assembly, Qian Duan presented a memorial.

The folded paper was short, but its contents silenced everyone.

He said that this year's severe disaster in Jiangnan has made a poor summer harvest inevitable. The disaster relief funds allocated by the imperial court have already exceeded this year's budget. If this continues, the border troops' rations and salaries, the salaries of officials in the capital, and the expenses of various departments will all be affected.

He suggested suspending the new policies in Jiangling and diverting the money intended for canal repairs, opening pawnshops, and tax reductions to disaster relief.

He spoke very tactfully. Not a single word of his was against the new policies. He simply said that there are priorities, and in the face of the disaster, people's livelihoods should be the top priority.

But everyone could tell that this was undermining the very foundation of the new policy.

The money for the new policies was squeezed out of the treasury. Xiao Jue had only recently ascended the throne, and the national treasury was already low. The new policies had already cost a considerable amount in just three months. If they were to be stopped now and the money diverted to disaster relief, the new policies would be doomed.

Even after the disaster is over, it won't be easy to pick it up again.

The court remained silent for a long time.

Shen Yu stood at the very front of the civil officials' line, motionless.

Xiao Jue sat on the throne, looking at the folded fold, without saying a word.

Then he put the folding paper down.

"What do you all think?"

The officials from the Ministry of Revenue stepped forward first. Chen Jing, the Left Vice Minister, was one of Shen Yu's men. He said that Minister Qian's words were absolutely correct; in the face of disaster, the people's livelihood should be the priority.

The officials from the Ministry of Works stepped forward. They said that repairing the dikes required money, disaster relief required money, and purchasing grain required money. They feared that all construction projects in Jiangnan would have to be halted this year.

Then came the Censorate. Wang Xun stepped forward, holding his imperial tablet, and said in a resounding voice, "I believe that while the new policies are good, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. This year has brought a great disaster, and disaster relief should be the priority. It would be more prudent to suspend the new policies for a year and discuss them again after the disaster has passed."

One after another, they stood up to second the motion.

Zhou Heng stood there, listening to those words, each one like a stone falling down.

Using natural disasters to suppress new policies.

The natural disasters are real. The rains in Jiangnan lasted for half a month, flooding so many counties—that's a fact. The Ministry of Revenue allocated so much money and grain—that's also a fact. No one can deny these facts.

But was the figure Qian Duan reported really that high? Was the money needed for dike repairs really that urgent? Was the disaster relief fund truly insufficient? These accounts were all in the hands of the Ministry of Revenue. Whatever Qian Duan said was the amount.

Zhou Heng stood there, looking at those who had seconded the motionless back of Shen Yu, and suddenly felt a chill in his palms.

He turned his head and looked at the throne.

Xiao Jue sat there, his face expressionless.

After the last person to second the motion finished speaking, the court fell silent.

Xiao Jue's gaze swept across the faces of those people one by one.

Then he spoke.

"Are you done talking?"

No one answered.

Xiao Jue nodded.

He stood up, walked down the steps, and step by step, walked to Qian Duan.

Qian Duan kept his head down, so his expression was not visible. But Zhou Heng noticed that his shoulders tensed slightly for a moment.

Xiao Jue stopped in front of him.

"Minister Qian," he said, "you just said that the disaster relief funds allocated this year have exceeded the budget. I ask you, what is this year's budget?"

Qian Duan's voice was somewhat strained: "Your Majesty, this year's budget is... three hundred thousand taels."

Xiao Jue nodded.

"How much was allocated?"

"Three hundred and forty thousand taels were allocated."

Xiao Jue nodded again.

"Three hundred and forty thousand taels," he said, "forty thousand taels too much. Then I ask you, where did these forty thousand taels go?"

A bead of sweat appeared on Qian Duan's forehead.

"Thirty thousand taels were allocated to Jiangling Prefecture for dike repairs; ten thousand taels to Xuancheng County for disaster relief..."

Xiao Jue looked at him.

Who reported the need for repairs to the dike in Jiangling Prefecture?

Qian Duan's voice tightened: "It was reported by Jiangling Prefecture..."

Xiao Jue nodded.

"It was reported by Jiangling Prefecture," he said. "What was the figure reported by Jiangling Prefecture?"

Qian Duan's lips moved, but he didn't speak.

Xiao Jue spoke for him, saying, "The Jiangling Prefecture reported that twelve li of dikes had been breached, and they urgently needed 50,000 taels of silver to repair them. But you only allocated 30,000 taels. Why?"

Qian Duan's face turned red.

Xiao Jue didn't wait for his reply. He turned around and looked at those who had seconded the motion.

"The Ministry of Revenue's accounts," he said, "have been examined by my men."

He pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and unfolded it.

"The disaster in Jiangnan this year is real. However, the figures reported by the Ministry of Revenue do not match the figures reported by various localities."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clearly audible to everyone.

"Jiangling Prefecture reported that twelve li of dikes were breached, but the Ministry of Revenue recorded eight li. Xuancheng County reported that three villages were flooded, but the Ministry of Revenue recorded one. Suzhou Prefecture reported that 30% of the harvest was lost, but the Ministry of Revenue recorded 20%."

He handed the paper to the eunuch beside him. The eunuch took it and read it aloud.

Each and every one of them, clearly and distinctly.

The court was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Qian Duan's face turned pale.

Xiao Jue looked at him.

"Minister Qian," he said, "do you have anything else to say?"

Qian Duan knelt down with a thud, his forehead touching the ground, his whole body trembling.

Xiao Jue didn't look at him. He turned around and looked at Wang Xun.

Wang Xun's expression also changed.

"Imperial Censor Wang," he said, "you just said that the new policies should be suspended. I ask you, where did the money for the new policies come from?"

Wang Xun opened his mouth, but didn't speak.

Xiao Jue spoke up for him, saying, "The money for the new policy was squeezed out of the salt tax. The extra portion of the salt tax was discovered by Zhou Heng in Jiangling."

Those salt merchants had been smuggling and evading taxes for decades, and no one had ever investigated them. Zhou Heng investigated and found that they were evading tens of thousands of taels of silver annually. "These tens of thousands of taels, I've used to repair canals, open pawnshops, and reduce taxes—is there a problem?"

Wang Xun's lips moved, but he couldn't speak.

Xiao Jue looked at him for a while.

Then he spoke: "Imperial Censor Wang, at the beginning of the year you impeached Zhao Ting, accusing him of allowing his troops to harass the people. I ordered an investigation, but found no evidence. Do you know why?"

Wang Xun's face turned completely pale.

Xiao Jue did not continue speaking.

He turned around, walked back to the throne, and sat down.

The imperial court was deathly silent.

Xiao Jue's gaze swept across the faces of those people one by one.

"That's enough for today," he said.

He paused.

"Qian Duan is suspended from his post and handed over to the Censorate for investigation. The Ministry of Revenue's accounts are to be re-audited. Once the audit is complete, the results are to be reported back."

Qian Duan lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to raise his head.

Xiao Jue glanced at him, then looked at Shen Yu.

Shen Yu stood there, motionless.

Xiao Jue's gaze lingered on him for a moment.

Then he looked away.

"Dismiss the court."

That night, Zhou Heng sat in the Qianqing Palace for a long time.

After Xiao Jue finished reviewing the memorials, he walked over and sat down next to him.

"What are you thinking about?"

Zhou Heng shook his head.

Xiao Jue looked at him.

"What I said today," he said, "you already knew?"