349-352
Chapter 349: Palace Treasury Strike
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Smack, smack, smack, smack. The sounds were very crisp, unlike the muffled sounds when the Imperial Censorate was struck outside the Royal Palace in Jingdou. On the contrary, it sounded like someone was keeping time for a piece of music with a strong beat.
After the paddle landed 10 times, it stopped. The three workshop masters did not end like brother Baoyu with a breath in but no breath out. They also didn't faint like Second Fan.
Fan Xian watched the scene with great interest. He couldn't help feeling a bit surprised at how hardy the three masters were. After suffering 10 strikes, they did not even make a single sound. He knew his subordinates' style. Since he had ordered a beating, no one would hold back.
Looking unbelievably miserable, they had suffered a great humiliation today and forced themselves not to make any sounds. However, the strikes on the body still hurt, particularly since the pain also carried the humiliation of being stripped. It caused tears to swell in the eyes of these middle-aged men, along with some hatred, like pitiful little dogs.
Fan Xian clapped his hands and said, "Take them away."
"Yes," his subordinates replied in unison. They helped the three masters up and headed out of the yamen.
Behind these three masters, who had long reached their limit for pain and humiliation, Fan Xian didn't forget to call out like a merchant, "Three days! Three days! Don't you forget!"
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The yamen immediately fell into silence. The officials looked at Fan Xian with slight fear in their gazes. Everyone knew of Fan Xian's reputation. They were not from Jingdou, so they had never personally experienced the chill within Fan Xian's clean and literary reputation. They didn't know as clearly as the pain felt by the Second Prince's officials.
Finally today everyone saw, and felt secret fear, but they could also not help smiling coldly in secret. He can beat them if he wanted to. Was his beating of the treasurers not for us officials to see? However, no matter how learned Sir Fan was, he was still blind when it came to the matters of the palace treasury. Now that he had badly offended the masters of the three workshops, we'll just see how you clean up this mess.
Perhaps Fan Xian did not know about his subordinate officials' intention to watch the trouble in three days, or perhaps he just didn't care about this. He said a few more words before ordering them to repay the missing wages in three days. If there were any illegal actions, they were to check themselves. He then released them from the yamen.
He kept behind the Ye family general and his close helper, the deputy of the transport company. If he wanted to do things done in three days, he still needed their help.
No one knew what he said to the two officials in the back garden, but their faces became more and more serious until they finally nodded slowly. They saluted Fan Xian respectfully and then left.
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"Sir." Su Wenmao handed over the summarized intelligence report from the Overwatch Council. Fan Xian received it smoothly and nodded slightly as he read. It seemed like the people of the Fourth Bureau had some uses. They had apparently been suppressed by the Eldest Princess and treasurers and never had a chance to showcase their skills.
Su Wenmao watched as he sank into the scroll and thought about the scene earlier. He couldn't help but furrow his brows. He gathered the courage to quietly say, "The three masters of the workshop could be killed."
Fan Xian raised his head to look at him. He couldn't resist smiling. "Of course they could be killed. However, killing people isn't like cooking. What can be eaten should be ate, but those who could be killed do not need to be killed in a rush."
"Sir was too kind before." Su Wenmao was from the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council and ruthless when it came to controlling officials. He felt that Fan Xian had been too soft in his earlier decision. Three mere masters. If he wanted to kill them, then kill them. Since it was to establish power, some extra thunder would not go amiss. What sense was there in talking for a long time and only giving out 10 strikes?
Unsatisfied, he said, "Sir just gave them 10 strikes earlier. It was too light. I'm afraid it won't make them submit."
Fan Xian waved the Overwatch Council report. "With the evidence in my hands, I could chop their three heads off with one stroke and no one would dare say anything."
Su Wenmao paused and reflected that since it was so, then why was it thunder and no rain earlier? Why were the three who had no respect for the law in their eyes released?
Fan Xian smiled and explained, "Thunder and rain are both heavenly favors. If I had punished harshly earlier, although the officials and the various treasurers would not submit in their hearts and even develop hatred because of their fear, they could only accept it. Furthermore, fearing the sharp edge of the beheading sword, they would settle down. This three-day limit then…in probably just one day the officials will have filled in the debt and the treasurers will send silver like crazy to the yamen."
"Isn't this the scene you want to see?" Su Wenmao was more and more confused.
Fan Xian waved his hand. "Wrong, it will steady the situation for a time. However, only killing three masters of the workshops, what kind of root changes would that mean for the palace treasury? It's the same as hunting monkeys in the mountain. If you kill the king monkey, then the other monkeys will spread out. You know, I cannot, and have no wish to, remain with the palace treasury for a long time. What will happen when I leave? Those monkeys will run out of the mountain again and steal our corn to eat."
Su Wenmao turned it over in his mind and understood some things. The monkeys in the commissioner's example were the many treasurers in the three workshops. If he had decapitated the three masters today, then the treasurers would, naturally, spit out their silver honestly and return the wages owed to the workers. However, in that case, the commissioner would be missing another chance to wield the butcher's knife. When the commissioner leaves the North of Min and returns to Hangzhou, the mountains were south and the roads were far. Those treasurers would probably become enlivened again, and the workers in the three workshops would have to welcome even more misery as revenge.
"This is like popping a pustule." Fan Xian smiled. "Your face appears to be calm, but the pus is still inside. So, we are not going to rush and rub it. On the contrary, we are going to expand the pore to squeeze out all of the pus."
Su Wenmao paused. It was clear he had never taken a beauty class, but he understood enough to know what Fan Xian meant. Smiling he said, "You said it was complicated. Isn't it just luring the snake out of its hole?"
"What luring? This is called hitting the snake to startle the snake." Fan Xian touched his neat and smooth hair. He found this description was not very fitting, but he couldn't help smiling. "Anyway, with the three-day limit and the 10 humiliating strikes on the masters, the treasurers used to being spoiled probably would not be able to endure this at all."
"What if someone returned the silver? Then what?" Su Wenmao asked with misgivings. He was afraid that after the shock by the commissioner, those little monkeys wouldn't have the daring to jump out.
"Punishing those who came before to prevent others from following later, curing the disease and saving people," Fan Xian said with seriousness. "The treasurers who have not broken any Qing laws need only return all the silver, and I will naturally give them another opportunity. I am here to manage the palace treasury, not to break it."
"Understood."
"When dealing with enemies, we must divide them internally, proceed to order them, and then treat them separately. Group together what can be grouped…we'll see who jumps out in three days, and then we will know who has rejected my kindness." Fan Xian smiled slightly. "It is not only targeting the treasurers. I believe the Eldest Princess left trusted aides here in the palace treasury. They will not pass up such a good opportunity. From Xinyang's perspective, we have offended all of the treasurers, and the palace treasury will naturally grind to a standstill. At this moment, they will be sure to jump out. Have the people of the Fourth Bureau keep a close watch and write a list of names. I will ask these unstable elements to leave."
Su Wenmao finally understood everything. The commissioner wanted to do a complete clean out. They arrived again at the front garden and he carefully asked, "Only…Sir, the deputy is of Ren Qi'an's family and can be considered trustworthy, but the Ye family?"
Fan Xian understood what he was worried about. According to the news from Jingdou, days after the Great Prince married the Great Princess of Northern Qi, Ye Ling'er finally married the Second Prince, who used this opportunity with the empress dowager coming forward to be released from his house arrest.
"Don't worry about it. I didn't say too much. I just asked General Ye to pay attention to the routes out of the treasury. I'm not arrogant and conceited enough to think I could use a few words to win over someone of the Ye family."
Fan Xian smiled. What he asked General Ye to do was to prevent the treasurers from taking advantage of their home advantage and secretly shipping out the silver they had taken these years. Although most of their dirty silver would have been used in buying land, the deeds to the land, as determined by their personality, could only be in their home.
"Also, do not casually connect the Ye family with the Second Prince and Eldest Princess together," Fan Xian said after some thought. "The Ye and Qin families are equally famous and not as simple as others think. How could they only lean toward one prince? That would be too stupid. Even if they had a bias, before the situation is clear he will still give me some face. He wouldn't fall out with me for a group of treasurers unless Ye Zhong feels the Emperor did not send him far enough away."
Su Wenmao shivered and didn't say anything more. He took his orders and left.
Fan Xian sat on the chair and sank deep into thought. After a moment he sighed. Ye Ling'er finally got married. What kind of ending will the Second Prince have in the future? He was not a kind person, but he had once said in the teashop outside of Baoyue Brothel that he had wanted to bring the Second Prince down because he wanted to leave him his life. This was partially because of Ye Ling'er, and partially because he, subconsciously, wanted to pit himself against that Emperor that cared about raising his children with iron and blood. We'll see if you know how to play better or I know how to play better!
Over the months, the Ye family was played around by the Emperor. Without any other choice to make, they could only lean closer and closer toward the Second Prince. Thinking of this, Fan Xian felt a dark fire in his belly. It was perhaps true that the Emperor planned far ahead, but as the Emperor it was also true he was a highly suspicious scoundrel—it looked like those sitting in different positions all have their own limitations. For the Emperor sitting on his dragon chair, his limitation was that he was overly suspicious. He used the granting of a marriage as the first test and began to prepare defenses for no reason. Following that was shamelessly bringing false charges and step by step forcing the Ye family to stand in opposition to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince? Then why did the Third Prince have to leave the capital with him?
The Emperor truly wasn't a common one. He kept using methods that others could not see the logic of. Fan Xian felt a little vexed. He quickly comforted himself thinking that if he, the little scoundrel, couldn't understand, then perhaps the old scoundrel might not understand either.
As to why Fan Xian was determined to not reconcile with his mother-in-law, it was not because he had suffered as a son-in-law during the dating period. It was also not because of the "look after family property" reason he had once told Haitang. In reality, the reason was if Fan Xian truly joined sides with the Eldest Princess, both parties would increase in power and would become a terrifying force, one that was sufficient to rock the foundations of the Qing Kingdom.
This was something the Qing Emperor would not allow.
For Fan Xian, who did not hold the power under heaven, his current behavior was very much guided by the motto that great intelligence may appear to be stupidity. As long as it was something the Emperor would not allow, he would certainly not do it; unless if someone wanted to kill him.
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In the next two days, Fan Xian took his seven well-dressed maids and investigated the workshops everywhere. He began to gradually become familiar with the process in the palace treasury. He also added a layer of sentimentality to his knowledge of the Ye family. It was difficult to not touch the wooden watermill beside the river and sigh with emotion at the great changes that had happened. Sometimes he would sit with the workers and talk about glassblowing. Unfortunately, his craftsmanship was terrible and its appearance too beautiful. Although he didn't blow it successfully, the texture of the glass was still exquisite.
The workshops closer to the yamen all knew exactly what the new officials looked like. Although they did not dare look directly at the Sir Fan junior of legend, they had carefully stolen many glances. They all said that this noble young master was truly very pretty, but clumsy, and his personality was kind. The seven serving girls beside him were all exquisite. There was only one girl who was not as good. Her actions and walk were rural-like, and she didn't look anything like a girl from a big family.
Meanwhile, the four defensive lines made by the military and the Overwatch Council suddenly tightened their patrols. The patrols of the palace treasury had already been the tightest in the world. The sudden tightening immediately found some prohibited items, although they were not technical secrets of the palace treasury, there were still some heavy things.
They were both light pieces of paper as well as heavy land deeds.
Just as Fan Xian expected, the first reaction of the treasurers, including the masters of the three large workshops and related officials, after the three-days order was given was to send out all of the objects of value close to them to give to friends and family outside of the palace treasury.
However, after they ran into the strict patrols and searches, the officials and treasurers finally gave up. They knew the new imperial envoy would not allow them to transfer their wealth. Yet, if these deeds were left by their side…god, if they couldn't fill the debt in three days, does that mean their possessions would be confiscated? These people were definitely not clean. If the imperial envoy wanted to find faults, death was all around them.
It was clear the Dan Da and General Lin's work was having an effect. From the second day, no one tried to transfer their property. A dark breeze began to blow through the manors in the palace treasury and three large workshops. As to who began this breeze, the spies scattered around were quietly investigating.
At night, the rain fell hard and the river swelled. Although the embankments were in place and there were no problems, the atmosphere of the chilly winds that howled and the murky waves that reached the sky began to make many people feel strange.
The treasurers began to feel a strong sense of danger and contacted each other. Upper, middle, and lower, there were a total of over 200 treasurers. Facing the three-day order, they all had their own plans. Those who still had their consciences were prepared to hand over the dirty money and live their life as new people. Some were afraid of Fan Xian's power and planned to secretly report colleagues for illicit actions to secure their own innocence. However, most of the people began to gather in the manor of workshop master and secretly discuss how they should deal with this matter.
After the three masters had been beaten, they could only lie on their beds. Although their bodies were in different places, the hatred in their hearts toward Fan Xian and the bitter resentment in their eyes were very much of one heart. In the end, they were not willing to lower their heads to Fan Xian because they had done too many terrible things. Even if they did lower their heads, it would be difficult to escape death.
Among the communication between the treasurers, the trusted aides that Xinyang left in the palace treasury had a nasty effect. Using the name of the princess far away in Jingdou, they promised the treasurers that the court's first interest was still in the profits that the palace treasury generated and not their small pieces of silver through corruption.
What about a single chopstick? What about 10 chopsticks? In the end, most of the treasurers finally huddled into a ball and began to move like a bowling ball with no idea in which direction they were being rolled in.
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On the last day of the three-day order, Fan Xian followed the same schedule as the previous two days. In the morning, he stayed in the yamen to discuss matters. Although the treasurers had not actively come forward to hand in the stolen goods and admit to their crimes, quite a few officials had returned some of the silver. As to whether or not it was the full amount, that was a matter that would be discussed later. At least they had shown a superficial level of respect.
Some of the treasurers had secretly confessed and actively come to the Overwatch Council to be witness and name others. Naturally, Fan Xian smiled and accepted. It looked like the other party was indeed not a solid sheet of metal. The palace treasury's casting skills were indeed not up to par.
He drank his tea and absentmindedly watched the thin rain outside of the hall. He thought leisurely about the heavy rain last night. The Qing Kingdom won't be flooded again this year, right? Looked like he would have to act quickly, otherwise the silver from father wouldn't have time to make it to the side of the Yangtze River before its banks burst.
"Sir!"
A terrified voice exploded like the sound of muffled thunder and woke Fan Xian from his sage-like thoughts.
Fan Xian looked around in confusion to see a group of officials all in wet robes running in. All of the officials had been sent out today to the various workshops to announce the final day of the order. Why did they all run back?
In the lead was the second most senior person in the palace treasury, the deputy of the transport company, Ma Jie. His face was full of shock. He held up the front of his robes as he crashed anxiously into the hall, heedless of the water on the ground and his wet shoes.
"Sir Ma, why are you in such a rush?" Fan Xian looked at the other party and slightly furrowed his brows. He had Cao Cao's air down perfectly.
"Sir, it's not good!" Although Ma Jie knew long ago that the treasurers would certainly push back against the order, hearing the matter today, he couldn't help his state of mind becoming panicked. He urgently came to report to Fan Xian.
"The three large workshops are on strike!"
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Fan Xian was slightly surprised and stood dazed on the stone steps.
Ma Jie thought that the imperial envoy had been stunned by the sudden bad news. He wiped the rain from his face and gave a pained smile, "This is bad; this is bad."
The three large workshops on strike? This was something that had never happened since the Qing Kingdom had taken over the palace treasury. Fan Xian had not killed anyone, and his methods had not been as bloody as those of the Eldest Princess back in the day. However, the problem was that Fan Xian had sent out the three-day order, and he held in his hands the spy power that the Eldest Princess never had. He had also blocked the treasurers' plans to transfer their wealthy. He was fully prepared to take away all of the money that the treasurers had stolen these years.
What was money? Money was life for the large majority of the people, and that was why the treasurers dared to use such a shocking tactic as a strike to fight to the death with Fan Xian.
Fan Xian was only surprised for a moment before he came around. A faint smile floated to the corner of his lips. In reality, he wasn't shocked that the treasurers had reacted so intensely. He was just thinking that strikes also existed in this world.
"Sir, what do we do? Should we take back the three-day order?" Ma Jie's face was full of expectation. He did not approve, at all, of Fan Xian's order. Now that the treasurers had truly gone on strike, how much money would it cost the court for the three large workshops of the palace treasury to stop work for a day? Such a large crime. Who could shoulder the burden? Even if the Fan family was not the same as ordinary people and was afraid of nothing and no one, but the Emperor would still not let it go so easily.
Completely out of Ma Jie and the other officials' expectations, Fan Xian gently stroked his smooth hair and rolled his neck. A faint excitement showed on his face as he said, "Indeed they didn't let me down and caused such a ruckus. This is good. Wait until I catch them. I'm going to kill them all…clean them out!"
"Ah?"
The officials stood dumbfounded in the thin rain. A pair of swallows in the beams of the yamen lightly danced.
Fan Xian, wearing a black Overwatch Council robe, led the various transport officials, about 20 people, in a rush to the first workshop that called a strike. The officials stood outside of the workshop. They couldn't hear the hissing of the furnaces, and there was no black smoke emitting from the workshop. There was only a deathly silence. The crowd couldn't help but cast their gazes toward Fan Xian, wondering how exactly he would deal with this kind of silent protest?
No one knew that the Qinian Unit and the swordsman of the Sixth Bureau, who had come to Jiangnan with Fan Xian, were already wearing raincoats and waiting for their command in silence not far from the workshop.
Even further away, General Ye stood with a serious face and tightly clenched fists. He was restlessly beside Su Wenman, with whom he talked on and off with. His mind was entirely on the workshop that went on strike. Behind the two people, a camp of soldiers with knives and spears in hand waited.
The striking workers were all gathered in the workshop which was responsible for the creation of glass. There was still remnant heat from last night inside.
Fan Xian entered the workshop with steady steps. He raised his head and looked at the tall workshop ceiling. He then said with approval, "The rain proofing is doing well."
The workers were huddled at the very back, and their faces were full of terror. These low-level workers did not know why today they suddenly stopped work. Watching the imperial envoy who had just walked in, they were terrified.
At the front of the workshop, a dozen treasurers wearing blue jackets saluted Fan Xian with forced calmness.
"Why have you not started work?"
"For your information, Sir, the rains yesterday were too big and they extinguished the fires and broke the molding equipment, thus we were unable to start work," said Master Xiao of the First Workshop, with injuries still on his back. He glanced at Fan Xian with eyes full of hatred,
The master and treasurers were not stupid. They knew that couldn't explicitly say they were striking. Otherwise, if Fan Xian actually went crazy and raised his knife to them all, he would have a passable right to do so. Thus, they could only find an excuse. In reality they were using a strike to threaten the other party.
This was, perhaps, the so-called art of negotiation.
In terms of words and poetry, Fan Xian could be said to be an artist. In his actual line of work, he often destroyed art without a sense of aesthetics. He had a serious expression and said, "The molds are destroyed and the furnace is wet. What about the Second Workshop? Perhaps molten steel that could boil people to death has congealed? Perhaps the weaving machines have rusted?"
Not waiting for master Xiao to reply, he narrowed his eyes and said, "I think it's your brains that have rusted!"
There was no so-called negotiation. Fan Xian only needed someone to cause trouble. It was absolutely necessary for the people in charge of the technical skills of the palace treasury to change. How could he pass up this opportunity?
"Come, chop off this master Xiao's head and use his blood to warm the furnace." Fan Xian clapped his hands and said in an even voice.
Xiao paused as if he hadn't understood the meaning of the imperial envoy's words.
As soon as Fan Xian's words left his mouth, the raincoat wearing Overwatch Officials entered the workshop. One of the subordinates brought a chair for Fan Xian to sit on. A few others quickly and cleanly forced the master to his knees and dragged him to a furnace about 15 meters away.
Fan Xian waved his hand.
The transport officials behind him exploded into clamor. Deputy Ma felt anxiety attack his heart. He cried out in fear, "Sir, you can't do that!"
Xiao, who had been pushed to the door of the furnace, finally woke from his daze and knew that the imperial envoy was truly going to kill him…he truly dared to kill him. He began to fight for his life. Both his feet pushed against the dirt on the ground with a scratching sound. With tears he cried, "Spare me, sir, spare me!"
When the idiots of the world, who could not clearly perceive the situation, cried for mercy as they were about to die, it was too late.
The treasurers friendly with Xiao stared with bulging eyes. They all rushed forward thinking to rescue him.
With a swish, a streak of snow-white knife light flashed out.
A head with a slightly dark complexion rolled into the furnace. With a sputtering sound, the fresh blood struck the walls of the furnace.
The workshop exploded with countless cries of shock. All the people had been stunned by the bloody sight before them. The treasurers howled and were scared. In a flash, they all stopped their footsteps forward at the same time. At this moment, their innate self-preservation triumphed over their madness.
Fan Xian glanced at the head in the furnace and looked again at the hundreds of workers gathered at the back of the workshop. Their faces were full of fear. He said calmly, "When I kill someone, naturally I have my reasons."
Chapter 350: Why Was The Imperial Envoy Angry?
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The rain pattered down, beating a tattoo into the roof of the workshop. It was a sharp contrast to the death-like silence below.
The workers were gathered at the back. The shock and fear on their faces was unhidden, but everyone's hands had subconsciously began to reach for shovels and wooden boards. No one knew what was going to happen next.
Standing at the front, the treasurers who had organized the strike also had faces full of fear. They watched the imperial envoy sitting on a chair before the door and did not pay any more attention to the dead master Xiao. No one dared look at the tragic scene of the separated body and head beside the furnace. They only stared in fear at Fan Xian's warm and gentle face. The feet of the crowds unconsciously backed up.
One person stepped back. Ten people stepped back. The crowd stepped back. The sound of the treasurers' feet stepping back made a rustling sound like thousands of bugs crawling across a desert. However, the workshop was only so big, and a large space at the back had been taken up by the thinly dressed workers. Where could these blue-robbed treasurers back up to?
Fan Xian watched the scene before his eyes and instinctively shook his head. In an even voice he said, "I am not a violent person. Workers, don't be afraid. The court is only investigating the matter of the treasurers' corruption and stealing of wages. It has nothing to do with you."
The workers at the back met each other's eyes and felt their hearts steady a little, but they did not dare completely trust in this young powerful official. Their hands remained wrapped around the handles of the shovels.
"You…even if you are a court official, how can you kill people for no reason?" A treasurer could no longer endure the oppressive silence and cried out in a sharp voice.
Deputy Ma Jie was standing stupidly behind Fan Xian. He had never expected that Fan Xian would chop off a workshop master's head without saying anything further. Today's mess had gotten big. How could they clean this up?
Shocked and angry, he said in a shaky voice, "Imperial envoy, Sir, why…why do this? Everything could be discussed…it's over…it's all over."
In Ma Jie's heart, the most important things to the palace treasury were these treasurers in front of them. Only these people knew how to maintain the palace treasury. Even if Fan Xian chopped 10 heads today and forced these treasurers to submit, what about the future? If the treasurers worked with resentment, who knew what they would turn the palace treasury into?
Besides, there were still two masters who were striking. If they knew you killed master Xiao of the First Workshop and they roused up the anger of the people, and the strike continued on…my god! If you really killed everybody, who will do the work? Were you counting on those illiterate workers?
Fan Xian did not acknowledge the bewildered deputy next to him. He indicated for Su Wenmao to come over. He then clearly said to everyone in the workshop, "Listen closely to every word!"
The crowd froze.
Su Wenmao removed a few sheaves of paper from his dripping wet robe. He squinted a little and then began to read in a loud voice.
"Today it has been discovered, Xiao Jing, master of the First Workshop of the three large workshops of the palace treasury transport company, has, since the first year of His Majesty's reign, committed many illegal acts."
Su Wenmao furrowed his brows and glanced at the rustling and restless treasurers. He then continued, "In the second year and third month of the Qing calendar, Xiao Jing hid the disaster at a bronze mine and took the wages of the dead for five years, for a total of 13,700 liang. In the fourth year, seventh month and ninth day of the Qing calendar, Xia Jing bribed the official registrar of Suzhou to buy a good plot of land of 700 mu at a low price. In the sixth year and first month of the Qing calendar, with Xiao Jing as the leader of the masters of the three workshops, a group of treasurers owed the workers tens of thousands of accumulated wages, caused violence, 14 deaths, over 50 injured…"
A countless number of crimes were read until Su Wenmao's mouth was feeling a little dry. At the end he said, "These crimes are impossible to forgive. Following Qing law, he was decapitated."
He then took out the land deeds, Suzhou's official registrar's written confession, and other related evidence.
"Don't ask me again for evidence," Fan Xian said following the announcement. "I have many witness testimonies and not a small amount of physical evidence. Scoundrels like Xiao Jing could certainly not be kept since I am managing the palace treasury."
As the workers who were shaking with fear and uneasy heard the imperial envoy discuss the crimes and heard the lines and lines of crimes, they suddenly remembered how tyrannical Xiao Jing usually was. He was harsh and insidious to the workers beneath him. Immediately they felt that the imperial envoy had done right by killing him.
But the hatred in the eyes of the treasurers grew even stronger. Unsatisfied, someone called out, "Even if you punish him, you still need to open the court and try the case…you trumped up charges to convict him!"
When Deputy Ma Jie, standing behind Fan Xian, heard Su Wenmao read out the crimes, he knew that the imperial envoy was just looking for an excuse. The officials of the palace treasury transport company knew in their hearts of these things that Xiao Jing had done. But, even if he were to be punished by the Qing law, you…you couldn't just kill him like this!
Ma Jie wanted to remain on good terms with Fan Xian because of his cousin Ren Shao'an. No matter how much be disapproved of Fan Xian's actions, he forced himself to keep his mouth shut and did not question him.
He didn't question anything, but there were trusted aides of the Eldest Princess left in the transport company who would definitely not pass up this opportunity. Sinisterly they said, "Sir has acted decisively, but…for corrupt and lawless people like this, is it not better to open the court and try him openly? To have him confess…you wouldn't have to be so alert at night. Furthermore, Sir gave the treasurers a three-day limit, and these three days have not passed, perhaps…"
The treasurers shook with fear, but they had not given up. Hearing one of the officials speaking on their behalf, they began to daringly start quite a din.
Fan Xian didn't even turn his head. A sliver of a cold smile rose to the corner of his lips, "I am the commissioner of the Overwatch Council as well as the manager of the palace treasury transport company. The Overwatch Council is responsible for investigating the case, and the transport company, as a special case in Qing law, has the head manager determine the case. Why can I not question him and behead him? Besides, I was not beheading him on these crimes."
He slightly lowered his head and smiled. "Provoking the workers to cause trouble, striking, disobeying His Majesty's edict…can I not behead this man who respects neither his father nor his Emperor?"
The Qing law was meticulous. Given something like murder, it was fine to do in secret, but for Fan Xian to kill someone like this in the open, he needed a good reason. If he was only using Xiao Jing's illegal activities as an excuse to justify his killing of him, then he was giving the officials and treasurers a good opportunity to counter him—for not questioning the case before beheading the criminal. Put it to any yamen, and none would be able to let it pass.
However, Fan Xian did things practically. He clearly had made certain of Xiao Jing's crime, but he continued to say he was beheaded because he did not respect the Emperor's edict. Something like the edict was the most unconvincing. As the imperial envoy, he had the power of final interpretation.
The crimes the Overwatch Council had found were also necessary. When the case was brought before the Emperor, these crimes of forced purchases of good land and mistreating the people were enough to remove doubt from future proceedings.
To kill now to establish might, and then later provide the evidence to block the mouths of the leisurely people, this was a plan for the long term.
A person had died in the large workshop of the First Workshop. The workers were filled with expectations for the imperial envoy. The treasurers were terrified church mice. Although the officials had ulterior motives, they did not dare accuse Fan Xian. The situation slightly calmed down.
After another period of time, the strikes in the Second and Third Workshops were also calmed. However, these two were taken care of by General Ye and Dan Da, so it took extra time. These two were not as daring as Fan Xian. They only captured people; they did not kill them.
The treasurers in the other two Workshops were escorted by soldiers to the large workshop. The workers were strictly kept in each of the workshops. With the situation thus, the large workshop appeared to immediately feel a bit crowded after 200 more blue-robed treasurers suddenly spilled in.
With the soldiers' sharp spears pointing and ows and arrows of the Overwatch Council forcing them, the crowded group did not dare to move an inch.
Watching this scene, the officials that had come in with Fan Xian felt a big surprise. It was not until now that they realized the imperial envoy had long prepared for the situation of the last day of the three-day order and had already made arrangements. Furthermore, he seemed to have guessed earlier that the treasurers would react so intensely.
For now, all the trusted aids of Xinyang were disappointed. It looked like the mess today wouldn't get any bigger, but at the same time they were highly expectant of Fan Xian again striking down ruthlessly. Hopefully he will offend all of the treasurers. Then we'll see how he will explain the lowered production and decrease in quality to the Emperor!
After the workshop quieted a little, Fan Xian rose from his chair. The pockets of water that had been trapped in his robe spilled onto the floor.
He looked at the treasurers squeezed into a group at the front and saw there was a sense of rebellion in their eyes. Furthermore, the treasurers who had been escorted from the Second and Third Workshops looked even more proud as they didn't know what had happened.
"Everyone's here," he smiled warmly and said. "It rained heavily last night. The workshop's furnace was extinguished. What about on your sides? Also, why are all the workshop treasurers who are separated by 30, 40 li all by the yamen today? Even if the work had to stop in the workshops because of the rain, you should first go check your own workshops. It's still so early. Have you already been and then come back again?"
He kept talking without paying attention to the others. The treasurers who had just been led in had the situation explained to them by the treasurers who were there earlier. When they realized what happened, their faces gradually paled.
Fan Xian shook his head and said, "This is good, I have true evidence of your crimes of striking. Now I can go ahead and kill people."
After master Xiao's abnormal and clean death had spread by the word of mouth, the treasurers knew the imperial envoy was a ruthless man who killed without batting an eye. Hearing these light words, the treasurers broke into a clamor. Some begged for their lives. Some began to curse. Some swivelled their eyes around as if looking to see if there was some hole in the workshop they could crawl out of. The group gradually spread about, and the situation became slightly chaotic. The military and Overwatch Council on the outside edges still kept a close watch and forced the crowd back in.
Two people squeezed their way out of the treasurers. They weren't bystanders. They were the master treasurers of the Second and Third Workshops, two of the three strike leaders.
Earlier, these two masters had each in their biggest workshop high-spiritedly ordered the treasurers and workers to go on strike. Their words had flowed like water, a torrent of words that were astonishingly imposing. Although the workers had watched them dispiritedly and listlessly, the hundreds of treasurers had been hugely moved by their words. They thought that with the knowledge in their heads, the court would not dare punish them severely. Of course, these two masters severely ordered that the treasurers were to treat the imperial envoy with all respect. They were protecting the silver in their homes from being taken by the court, not actually rebelling.
Unexpectedly, not long after the strike started, countless soldiers and spies of the Overwatch Council flooded into the workshop. Facing weapons, the words of the two masters immediately lost any power. They obediently raised their hands in submission and escorted to the others. Along the way they were still confident, thinking the people would do things within limits and that there was nothing much the imperial envoy could do.
Unexpectedly, the imperial envoy did not act within the limits. After standing in the group for a while, the two masters realized that master Xiao, who had secretly planned the strike with them, was dead.
The two masters stood outside of the crowd and looked around the workshop. Finally, beside the furnace they found Xiao Jing's body. That patch of blood and the head stunned them in a flash. The two cried out mournfully, "Sir Xiao…Sir Xiao!"
There were spears all around them, so they were unable to go to the side of the furnace to cry out their grief. They still raised their heads and looked at Fan Xian with extreme hatred. They knew they wouldn't be able to escape today.
Fan Xian did not look at them. He only tilted his head slightly to listen to Dan Da's report. Once he knew the Third Workshop was normal, the technicians of the Third Bureau of the Overwatch Council had completely taken over, and no one dared to do anything during the chaos, did he relax a little. A Tiger Guard stationed inside the manor passed by the officials and came to stand beside Fan Xian. He leaned close to his ear and said, "The one in the manor wants to go out for a bit."
The Third Workshop was important because it was responsible for military technology, boats, and other harmful goods. If secrets from there were leaked, then who knew how many more youths the Qing Kingdom would lose on the battlefield. Fan Xian did not dare take this responsibility. At first, hearing Dan Da's report made him feel a bit more at peace. After hearing the Tiger Guard's report, his forehead furrowed again.
Haitang, disguised as a servant to come with him, could fool the officials and many people, but it could not pull the wool over Gao Da's eagle-like eyes. Although Fan Xian found he had made a big mistake, there was no way to fix it. Fortunately, the Qinian Unit kept watch in secret, and the Tiger Guards did not release any news to the outside. This incident caused his slightly reassured heart to start being suspicious again.
However, now was not the time to deal with this problem. The one the Tiger Guard referred to was Haitang. It seemed like this village girl knew something was happening today. He was worried she might use the opportunity to do something.
Fan Xian replied calmly, "She's not allowed out. Keep an eye on her. Use all means necessary to keep her in the manor today."
Seven Tiger Guards against Haitang was exactly the standard configuration on the meadow last year, so Fan Xian was not worried. Furthermore, once they met in battle, Haitang would know of his determination and quiet down.
Having finished dealing with his own matters, Fan Xian transferred his gaze anew to the room. "Have these two troublemaking, court-resisting criminals tied up."
Soldiers had come up much earlier and tied up the two masters. Although the faces of the treasurers were full of fear and hatred, no one dared to help. One reason being the violence machine up front, and another was that these treasurers had become full with the silver they had taken these years and truly had no courage to be fight ruthlessly. The more money someone had, the smaller their daring. Fan Xian saw this clearly.
"Sir Fan!"
The two masters did not resist, and numbly allowed the soldiers to bind their hands. However, the master of the Second Workshop still stared at Fan Xian. "If you want to kill us, then kill us! Just how you will explain yourself to the court in the future?"
"Are you threatening me?" Fan Xian laughed. "Earlier, while on the road here, I once said…if Butcher Zhang is dead, then will we have to eat pork with hair? Without you little treasurers, do you think I won't be able to manage the palace treasury?"
The master of the Second Workshop gave a wretched laugh. "Is that so? It seems like we have indeed underestimated your determination, but you seem to have also underestimated these unassuming workshops!"
His last words were almost shouted out. It was clear he had lost all hope. Even if he turned into a ghost, he had the fierce desire to see how Fan Xian was going to destroy the palace treasury.
…
…
Fan Xian glanced at Su Wenmao, who removed another case file from his robe. With a serious face he began to call out the names on the paper.
"Third Zhang, Fourth Li, Eighth Wang, Ninth Long…"
As the names were read one by one, the faces of a dozen treasurers immediately paled. They didn't know if they were about to end up like master Xiao of the First Workshop, with their heads and bodies in two pieces. The legs of the less daring ones shook, and there was a large patch of wetness on their pants.
Su Wenmao glanced at them with disgust. He didn't understand why the commissioner had to do it like this. He swallowed and said with a dark expression, "You can come out. The imperial envoy has deemed you innocent of all crimes and will send a memorial to the court tomorrow to stand as your guarantor."
Innocent? And he would write to the court? The named treasurers were immediately stunned. They had originally thought they were in hell. Who knew it was the clear springs and 72 virgins of heaven?
Under the confused and jealous gazes of the treasurers around them, the dozen treasurers walked in a daze out of the crowd. Stopping in front of Fan Xian, the fell to their knees and thanked the imperial envoy, though they did not understand why it was like this.
Fan Xian's face was full of warmth and smiles. He raised his hands as a gesture for them to rise. In an affected and calm voice he said, "To be able to have the solid evidence for the crimes of the three masters, to know of the many illegal activities that went on in the palace treasury is all due to these men who placed righteousness above family and were loyal to the court. Otherwise, I would have no idea that the palace treasury was like this and would not know that there were people who dared to incite a strike to cause trouble. You all have done well for your country. I will naturally treat you fairly."
The workshop immediately burst into a clamor. These treasurers were spies. Even the officials behind Fan Xian were dumbfounded. The imperial envoy had only been at the palace treasury less than three day, how could he have already developed such a spy network? The Overwatch Council's fame for secret agents was indeed true.
Once the other treasurers knew that the dozen colleagues Fan Xian called out had sold them out, they couldn't help feel sudden anger. Although they did not dare go forward and beat them, they cursed them viciously. Obscenities flew through the air and drilled themselves into the spies' ears.
And those traitor treasurers? They had originally loved Sir Fan junior to death. At this moment, they hated Sir Fan junior to death. He was right. They had secretly returned the treasury's money and secretly said some of the things they had overheard, but…it was nothing like what Sir Fan junior had said. They had only heard about the matter of the strike last night. How would they have had time to report it? As for master Xiao and the other two masters…they had just wanted to be beautiful wallflowers. How would they have the daring to offend the head of the treasurers?
The treasurers the people pointed at met each other's eyes. They wanted to cry, but found that they had no tears. Even if Fan Xian let them go today, he had pointed out their shameless and traitorous actions in front of everyone. How will they face their 200-something colleagues? How will they live as people?
Third Zhang gazed at Fourth Li. Eighth Wang looked at Ninth Long; they asked each other with sorrowful gazes, "You are also a traitor?"
"Yes, I am also a traitor."
Fan Xian's following words shocked the workshop again.
"Hmm…these 13 treasurers have bravely uncovered the malpractice in the palace treasury. They are a credit to the country. I have decided, from today onward, they will be the deputy masters of the three large workshops." Fan Xian smiled warmly and asked the deputy by his side, "Sir Ma, what do you think of this suggestion?"
Deputy Ma Jie was still figuring out how exactly the palace treasury would be able to produce as normal, so his mood was extremely gloomy. However, hearing these words, he nodded his head in agreeance. From the depths of his heart. he felt a great admiration for Fan Xian—this move was truly brilliant. By clearly showing these treasurers' traitorous shamelessness, there was no need to worry about them not submitting in the future when they used these men as pawns to control the treasury. This was carving a manmade chasm between the treasurers. If today's event could be satisfactorily concluded, then it would be difficult for the treasurers to join together again in the future and become a stratum that could stand against the officials.
Suddenly someone began to laugh coldly.
Everyone stared. It was coming from the Second Workshop treasurer who was tied up and kneeling on the ground. They saw him smile coldly and say with sorrow, "What a group of shameless and mean people? Sir Fan, do you think you can depend on these fellows to have the palace treasury running as before? I am not threatening the court, but without what is inside our heads, the palace treasury…will probably not last more than a few days!"
After these words came out, the atmosphere became strange again. Deputy Ma Jie wanted to lean close to Fan Xian to ask for mercy, but he didn't know how to start.
The officials who were trusted aides of Xinyang also began to speak to Fan Xian. On the surface, they were thinking for the court, but in secret they were encouraging the masters. Everything should be for the sake of the palace treasury production. Killing master Xiao was enough for a punishment for the other party.
How could Fan Xian listen to these words? He only stared at the Second Workshop master and didn't say anything for a little while.
The master of the Second Workshop could not stand the gaze of those sharp and bright eyes, and he slowly lowered his head.
It was at this moment that Fan Xian said in an angry voice, "You are at death's door, yet you still dare to threaten the court…treasurer? Rip off your underwear and put it over your head to see whether the thing growing on your neck is a head or an ass!"
With the imperial envoy's anger, there was not a single sound in the workshop.
Fan Xian swept his gaze across the treasury. He spoke with anger and disdain, "Do you really think you are worth something? Do you still think this palace treasury belongs to the Ye family? Without looking at your own abilities, you call others shameless and mean people, but what about you? Other than corruption, stealing materials to resell, taking the workers' hard earned wages, forcefully taking other's wives, what else can you do? Shameless? If you had shame, then we wouldn't have today's problem!"
He turned and said to the master of the Second Workshop in great anger, "You're tough, huh? The palace treasury can't be without you? Then tell me, why has the glass these years become more and more murky? Why is the liquor so weak it's about to hatch into a bird?[JW1] Perfume production has stopped for 10 years. Have you found a method to make it?"
"You were once a servant of the Ye family, old man." Fan Xian bitterly and hatefully cursed at that master, "How could you have fallen to this? I'm so angry!"
Everyone in the workshop paused and remembered that there seemed to have been a rumor that the angry imperial envoy in front of the them was the descendant of the Ye family.
[JW1]"酒怎么淡的快生出个鸟来了"–"weak/light tasting" and "hatch" sound similar in Mandarin.
Chapter 351: Old Shopkeeper
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The master kneeled on the floor. His face flushed red, then white. Hearing the words "Ye family," he remembered the true identity of the person in front of him. A strand of memory hidden for many years gradually rose. He felt ashamed, angry, and scared. The feelings of shame were easiest to understand. After all, back then he was nothing more than a homeless beggar on the streets. To be where he was today, it was all because of the Ye family and what the mistress of the Ye family taught people like him.
As for the anger and fear, it came from his natural reactions—a kind of shame and anger after being completely stripped by others. Remembering that the imperial envoy was a descendant of the Ye family, he was afraid the other party already knew everything in his brain. If so, how would he use them to threaten him? Fan Xian had already beheaded master Xiao. Did he think himself better than that?
"The court has treated you well," Fan Xian looked at him and said each word clearly, "and not just you three masters. The official salary of even normal treasurers sometimes exceeded that of a Third-level official in Jingdou. What more did you want?"
A coldness flashed through his eyes. "Perhaps you think the palace treasury depends entirely on your heads, and the annual 20 million liang of silver has blinded you and made you feel unsatisfied? That you should fight for more?"
These words hit the heart of the matter for the treasurers. The palace treasury's yearly production was extremely abundant. When sold to other countries, it brought the Qing Kingdom huge profits. Although the treasurers' benefits were high, they still felt unsatisfied in their hearts when it was compared that huge sum of silver. They felt that since they earned the silver for the court, then they should be given more of it. This was why there was corruption, abuses of law, and exploitation of common people.
Hearing the imperial envoy say this, although the treasurers did not dare talk back, their eyes showed a sense of agreement.
Fan Xian laughed coldly and mercilessly ripped away their painted skin. He ridiculed them lightly, "But the question is…the things you rely on, are they truly things from your head?"
There was absolute silence in the workshop. Everyone, including the officials, all admitted to this truth, until Fan Xian said, "Don't forget, before the appearance of the Ye family, what did you know? Did the skills you hold in your mind drop from the sky? Was it taught to you in a temple?"
Fan Xian cursed, "Remember it well! This is what the Ye family taught you! If it weren't for the mistress of the Ye family back then, you would all be useless trash and kept digging in the mud and begging! Why did the Ye family build these large workshops? I think you have all forgotten! You want to use the things the Ye family taught you to threaten me right to my face? Do you want your face? Do you know shame?"
The officials behind him met each other's eyes. Although the court had long stopped pursuing the matter of the Ye family, and Sir Fan junior's past was also gradually known to all under heaven, this kind of public talking about the Ye family seemed to be breaking a taboo.
Fan Xian could not currently care about this much. On one hand, he was angry. On the other, he wanted to use this opportunity to right his name. In this world, regardless the matter, it should be done in the right and proper way—the so-called doing things for the right reasons. Today, when Fan Xian cursed and scolded the treasurers and decapitated a person, he did not talk about benefits. He first talked at the level of morality. With that, he had already taken the flag. To use the skills of the Ye family to threaten a descendant of the Ye family…was this not biting the hand that fed you and showing ingratitude?
The master of the Second Workshop finally fell and sobbed, "Sir, I know I was wrong. Please give me a chance. Let me use the skills I learned before to work for the court."
Although the master was crying and sobbing bitterly, the sharp-eyed Fan Xian did not find any traces of tears on his face. On the contrary, his lips were tightly pressed together. He couldn't help laughing coldly. He knew the other party still thought he wouldn't continue killing people and that the things in his head were still useful.
Fan Xian lightly clapped. When the sound of his clap faded, four elderly people, each half a century old, were escorted into the workshop by officials of the Overwatch Council. This elderly people were not bystanders, they were the Qingyu Hall shopkeepers that had come through the middle plains and Danzhou.
The officials of the Overwatch Council put out four chairs. Fan Xian rose. His face was expressionless, but he deliberately invited the four shopkeepers to sit with great respect.
The officials, treasurers, and workers were confused. Who exactly where these old men who looked like a breeze could blow them over? How could they have the right to sit on equal ground with the imperial envoy? Although Deputy Ma Jie didn't say anything, he was grumbling in his heart. Even I am standing behind the imperial envoy. These commoners are very daring.
Fan Xian's finger ran down his robe and dipped into some of the icy cold rainwater. He spread it between his eyebrows and gently rubbed it. He asked, "Do you recognize who these four are?"
The Ye family had already been fallen for almost 20 years, and the workers in the palace treasury workshops had not been that same group for a long time. Even the treasurers had never met the lofty 23 head shopkeepers, so they did not recognize who these four were. Even if there were people from before, the distance was too far and they could not see clearly.
It was the master of the Second Workshop kneeling on the ground who raised his gaze, filled with hesitancy, and slowly swept it over the faces of the four people. He then lowered his head and thought for a while. Suddenly he seemed to have remembered something. He was so frightened his legs softened; originally in a kneeling position, he immediately fell onto his bottom into the mud.
It had been 20 years since he had seen them. He, who had once been a little helper of the Ye family, also had to spend a long time before remembering who exactly was sitting in front of him—the old shopkeepers of the Ye family.
The Second master's body began to shake. Only now did he know why Fan Xian was so confident and fearless, why he forced himself and these treasurers to rebel, and why he did not care at all about the things he had in his head. He had brought the old shopkeepers who had been under house arrest in Jingdou with him to the palace treasury.
Who were the old shopkeepers? They were the first students of the mistress of the Ye family. They were also the masters of all of the later masters and helpers of the Ye family; they were the grand masters of these palace treasury treasurers. With this group of old men beside him, the imperial envoy did not care about the problem of the art skills dying out or need to worry about the production quality of the palace treasury. To be honest, back in the day, the palace treasury was originally built single-handedly by these old shopkeepers. How could they not know how to manage it?
Having thought through this point, the master's face was filled with hopelessness, however, there was still one thread of hope that existed deep inside his heart. He opened his mouth, struggled and crawled desperately in Fan Xian's direction. Sobbing he said, "Master, please ask for mercy for your disciple!"
Everyone was startled. Even Fan Xian was a little surprised. Of course he knew that this person was not begging mercy from him. Following the gaze of the master, he found that he was actually look at Seventh Ye. He couldn't help tilting his head and curiously asking, "Seventh Ye, this was your disciple before?"
Seventh Ye's face was heavy. He stared at the master's face and said in a raspy voice full of bitter resentment, "He learned from me for a few days."
Fan Xian smiled slightly. He understood how Seventh Ye felt. After the Ye family collapsed, the 23 old shopkeepers were captured from various places by the court and put under house arrest in Jingdou. As for their disciples, some died when they resisted and some struggled at death's door. These were all choices made by themselves when facing imminent catastrophe. No one blamed them. However, for people like the Second master who had climbed to a high position, his behavior back then must have been particularly vile.
Hearing the Second master call out the word "master," the master of the Third Workshop who had been silent this entire time seemed to have been struck by lightning. His entire person froze. He stared at the four old men sitting beside the imperial envoy, completely unable to believe his own ears.
Those of the Ye family among the treasurers confirmed the identity of the four people. Scared and surprised, some of the people who still had old memories stepped forward. With surprise, joy, and fear, they knelt before the four old shopkeepers.
"Fourth Master."
"Twelfth uncle, I'm Zhuangzi."
"Greetings, shopkeeper. I was a shop assistant doing odd jobs in the Chuzhou branch."
Although most of the treasurers had no connection to the four shopkeepers, the family reunion was already well under way.
Fan Xian put on a severe face and said coldly, "You can reunite in a moment." Although his expression was not happy, his heart felt much more secure. With the 13 traitors as deputy masters, and these old shopkeepers' prestige still remaining, his plans to change the palace treasury should proceed fairly smoothly.
Seeing each other again after 20 years, the atmosphere in the workshop became emotional. This kind of emotil perfectly lightened the previous nervousness. It was only the officials who were feeling ill at ease, and some of the Xinyang figures quietly laughing coldly. If the news of the sight before them traveled to Jingdou, the Emperor would probably have objections against Fan Xian.
The Second master knelt with his head on the floor and felt a slight comfort in his heart. Looking at how things were, at most he would suffer some punishments. In a while he would do his utmost to acknowledge his mistakes. For the sake of the old Ye family, the imperial envoy would probably not trouble him further.
He slide his eyes to the side and glanced at master Xiao's body by the opening of the furnace and felt a lingering well. Fortunately, Xiao Jing had stuck his head out first. He also felt some sympathy for the bastard, thinking, those who were not connected to the Ye family surely died bluntly under the imperial envoy's hand.
Outside of everyone's expectations, after Fan Xian had sent back those treasurers, a shallow smile floated on his face and he said, "Drag this man away and behead him."
"Yes, Sir."
The Second master raised his head and looked around with confusion in his eyes. He didn't at once comprehend who else they wanted to behead. Shouldn't things just be ending like this?
Not until he was dragged up by the officials of the Overwatch Council, did he then realize the imperial envoy was still going to kill him. He had wanted to open his mouth to cry out a grievance but found a clump of mud blocking his mouth.
They watched the Overwatch Council officials dragging the limp master out of the workshop and saw a streak of water on the ground. Regardless of officials or commoners, shopkeepers or treasurers, all in the workshop became deathly silent. They all moved their gazes to the imperial envoy sitting in the middle.
Fan Xian's head was slightly lowered. It was like he could not feel the countless gazes.
From outside of the workshop came the muffled sound of a metal tool chopping into a fleshy neck, as well as a muffled groan.
The workshop exploded into a clamor and then abruptly sank into deathly silence again. Everyone knew that the master of the Second Workshop had just died.
…
…
It wasn't silent for long. The Third master, with his hands tied behind his back, laughed self-deprecatingly. His face was deathly pale with hopelessness, and he very consciously walked to stand in front of Fan Xian.
He speculated that he was completely out of luck. Since the imperial envoy was using the excuse of suppressing the strikes, naturally, he would not be stupid enough to open the court and try the case; he also didn't need any evidence. He must kill the three of them on site to establish his power. It was only in this way the four old shopkeepers would be able to gain control of the technical people in the palace treasury—of the three masters two had already died, and he was the third.
Fan Xian glanced at him and slightly frowned.
The Third master gazed at him and clenched his teeth for a while before suddenly saying, "I have chosen my own path of death. I do not resent Sir for digging this grave for me to jump in, but before I die, I beg that you let me ask about something."
Fan Xian's brow rose and he said, "Ask."
The Third master did not look at him, instead he turned his head and gazed at the Ye family's twelfth shopkeeper beside him. His lip trembled for a while before he shakily asked, "Twelfth uncle, my master…how is he in the capital? I am not filial. I have not shown filial respect these years."
"You are?" Twelfth Ye blinked his slightly murky eyes and looked at this master with suspicion.
Seventh Ye let out a breath and said from the side, "Thirteenth's head disciple. You were the closest to Twelfth back in the day, so he is asking you."
Twelfth Ye was greatly surprised. "Hu Jinlin? You're still alive? We all thought you died back then." The old shopkeeper suddenly remembered he was surrounded by court officials. These words were not quite right, and he quickly shut his mouth.
Hu Jinlin's face was full of shame. He lowered his head and wouldn't speak.
Twelfth Ye sighed and said, "Back then the mistress said living was always better than being dead. Us, old bones, struggled at death's door. How could we blame you…only, you ask about Thirteenth…ah." The shopkeeper shook his head and said, "He passed a few years ago. Of the 23 of us that entered the capital, there are only 15 left."
Hearing that his master had passed away, Hu Jinlin forgot he was also about to die and a great sorrow washed over his face. Fan Xian listened quietly. There were also some strange emotions in his heart. The old people of the Ye family had gradually been worn away by the wind and rain. The year when he had first entered Jingdou, there were still 17 of the 23 shopkeepers, and now, not even two years later, two more had died.
He gazed around at the materials piled inside this workshop and his attention drifted. If time flowed like water, when would he be able to finally rebuild the Ye family name? When would he be able to kill those who deserved to die and have those who deserved to life live anew in the hearts of the people of the Qing Kingdom?
It was only a short amount of time before he came to again. Looking at the Third master in front of him, he sneered, "Although I don't know if you are putting on a show or truly still hold old emotions, I had never intended to kill you. So don't think you are able to live because my heart is soft."
"Huh?" Hu Jinlin thought he was certain to die. After his fellow masters' wretched deaths, he had not a strand of hope. Suddenly hearing these words, he was too shocked to know what to say.
Fan Xian said, without any expression, "Those who are guilty will be beheaded, those whose crimes are small are to be forgiven. I am not here to resolve old grudges."
Chapter 352: A Whetstone With An Independent Consciousness
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The reason Fan Xian didn't kill Hu Jinlin was simple. The Third Workshop had always been managed by the palace treasury with the Third Bureau of the Overwatch Council. They were specifically responsible for the research of advanced military technology. Furthermore, the Third Bureau of the Overwatch Council was originally Fan Xian's brother- and sister-disciples, and he was particularly knowledgeable about the situation of the Third Workshop. Hu Jinlin was focused solely on studying the blueprints left by the mistress of the Ye family; his personality was silent and dull. Although he had gained a substantial amount of silver through corruption, he had never done things that Fan Xian could not forgive such as forcefully take land or take advantage of women.
Compared to the First and Second masters, there was indeed reason not to kill him. The most important reason was that Fan Xian didn't want to kill.
The Third master was taken away, yet there were still many treasurers left in the workshop. The people met each other's gazes. The strike had started. Everyone felt anxious, but they also had a measure of confidence. This was not the first time the treasurers as a group had gone in opposition to the court officials of the transport company. In the past, as long as their demands were not excessive, things could always be resolved peacefully. From their perspective, they only wanted to keep the silver they gained through exploitation and forceful extraction—a reasonable demand.
However, no one would have thought the new imperial envoy would be so ruthless. After he pointed out the nature of the palace treasury and invited out the four elderly Ye shopkeepers, the treasurers knew their trump cards had lost all effect in front of this young official. They had become a group of chicken's waiting to see how many of them would be beheaded.
It wasn't many. Following Su Wenmao's naming and description of the crimes, another three treasurers were dragged from the crowd. These three had all done many evil deeds and had secretly colluded with Suzhou government officials. The matters that had passed through their hands broke countless lines of Qing law. Killing them 16 or 17 times over was not too much.
Fan Xian took the scroll from Su Wenmao and looked at the treasurer in front who had wet his pants and could barely stand steady. He furrowed his brows and said, "It is you who has 12 concubines?"
The treasurer didn't even have the strength to nod. He was absolutely terrified.
Fan Xian shook his head and mocked, "To have 12 concubines only shows that you have a lot of money. There is a lot of faith between couples in bed. However, of the 12 concubines, nine of them were forcefully taken. This is outrageous. You stole other people's wives and killed their husbands? Incredible, incredible…you are even more aggressive than the most famous playboys in Jingdou."
Although the other two treasurers had not done such disgraceful things, there were good reasons for their death.
Fan Xian waved his hand.
The Overwatch Council officials dragged the three out. Following the sounds of three strikes and three wretched cries, three lives were thus wiped out.
…
…
The Overwatch Council officials were able to kill without a change in expression. The soldiers at the side of the workshop could also just about manage it; however, the officials of the palace treasury transport could not stand anymore. Their backs were soaked with sweat. Some who smelled the blood inside and outside of the workshop felt nauseated and wanted to throw up.
Deputy Ma Jie was fairly calm, but the sweat on his face began to drip down rapidly. Pitifully, he edged closer to Fan Xian and whispered, "Sir, the palace treasury is going to open for bidding a few days. Killing is unlucky…killing is unlucky…"
Ma Jie was worried that Fan Xian's vicious nature might be activated and he would continue to kill.
Fan Xian smiled and said, "Sir Ma, don't worry. Six years ago, my mother…when the Eldest Princess last came to the palace treasury personally, how many treasurers did she kill?"
He extended his thumb and pinky finger. "Six. I am of the younger generation. I will not kill more. I have already killed five. It is enough."
Hearing the words "enough," the officials behind him relaxed a little and the treasurers before him were overjoyed. But regardless of who, their legs were all soft from the fright of these five bloody heads. Only Su Wenmao was startled and suppressed the unhappiness in his heart. He didn't say anything.
Deputy Ma Jie furrowed his brows thinking there was more to the imperial envoy's words. The Eldest Princess killed six, so he only killed five…if things went wrong in the future and the Imperial Censorate accused him of using the law unjustly and randomly killed people, then he would have an excuse. It seemed that although this imperial envoy was young, his thoughts were meticulous. He could not miss this opportunity that his cousin Ren Shao'an had painstakingly laid out for him.
Having thought through this matter satisfactorily, he accepted Fan Xian's following orders and measures without a thread of evasion or disagreement. Some of the officials of the palace treasury were not happy, but since the deputy had set the regulations, they could not object.
In Fan Xian's plans, the three masters of the three large workshops were either dead or imprisoned. It emptied the three most important positions, which three of the old Ye family shopkeepers could deign to temporarily fill. Furthermore, for the next few days, the "traitor treasurers" who reported the crimes of their colleagues to the Overwatch Council would take the deputy positions to make up and fill in for the unfamiliarity of the old shopkeepers returning after 20 years.
Killing came first, and then the investigation of spies. Having sent this order down, the entire team of treasurers could be considered more stable. In the future, those traitor treasurers would only have to be wary of the dissatisfaction of the treasurers below them who would purposely pick on their mistakes. When they worked, they would have to be particularly careful. Once the team was established, these deputies would also become especially vicious and carefully watch the treasurers below them. The two sides would clash, and the situations that Fan Xian did not wish to see would gradually decrease.
"The three-day order still has half a day," Fan Xian said. "The people who haven't died must bring the money back and clear the accounts. Those who have committed a wrong, write a list yourself…don't look at me, I know you are all literate. Everyone can return now. Some people's workshops they should be at are a hundred li away. Why aren't you rushing home to get the silver and then coming back to work? Are you just going to continue standing here like your stuck in mud?"
His voice became colder as he neared the end of this speech. Finishing this, he left toward the large workshop under the gazes of terrified treasurers.
The soldiers General Ye brought gradually dispersed. The Overwatch Council officials all went back to their own places. The spies that the Fourth Bureau had slipped in to the workshop remained unknown. The officials all talked privately among themselves. No one knew what they were talking about. The workers watched a big drama. The treasurers were particularly well-behaved and scared after being lectured by blood and fire.
…
…
The return of the silver by the treasurers and officials went smoothly. After Fan Xian checked everything over, he gently raised his noble hand. As long as they didn't hide too much, he left all of them some face. He didn't squeeze their family fortunes dry. People became officials for money. If they were completely scraped clean, they would be greatly preoccupied in their hearts even though they could not do anything about it. They would do things with laziness, and it would be impossible to increase their productivity.
With all five fingers spread and scrabbling in the silver, the yamen received an enormous amount of silver because of the three-day order. Even though Fan Xian's family accumulated wealth through the generations and he had seen many spectacles, when he saw the number of the accounts, he still drew in a cold breath of shock.
He felt faint regret in his heart. This matter had become lively and impossible to hide from Jingdou. Under the eyes of the world, the silver brought back was used to clear the debts owed to the workers for their wages and the rest were put into the palace treasury's special counting house. It was impossible for him to mobilize it personally.
If he knew earlier that the greediest officials in the world were in the palace treasury, perhaps Fan Xian would not have made the move to clean out the treasury. Rather, he would have directly had the swordsman of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council be thieves. Other than things like deeds, he could have taken the rest of the banknotes into his personal belongings.
He was in need of silver. If he had access to this enormous amount of silver, there would be no need to ask the North for help. That would avoid further problems developing during the process. Most importantly, it would allow his father to stand outside these events and prevent him from being implicated by the bidding matter in the future.
…
…
After the strike, Fan Xian returned to the manor and scolded Haitang severely. Other than being coldly righteous, he carefully analyzed the current situation and warned her that the Qing Emperor might already know they were in the same location. If she still dared to peek into the workshops in front of the Tiger Guards, then he probably wouldn't be in his palace treasury position for long. If he wasn't able to stay in the palace treasury, how much more money would Northern Qi have to spend every year?
Haitang felt slightly wronged. She was just bored and wanted to go out for a bit. How did it become connected to some cunning plot?
Fan Xian was a suspicious person. Although he didn't mention this matter on the surface, he still felt uncomfortable.
Fortunately, all the palace treasury matters were gradually getting onto the right track in only a few days. It had to be said that the sight of Fan Xian coldly killing people during the strike deeply shocked everyone. The old shopkeepers' re-emergence and Fan Xian's clever arrangements all had a great effect.
The workers received the wages they had worked many years for, and the girls who had been forcefully taken were returned to their own homes. There was a joyous atmosphere that rose from the ground.
In the midst of the joy, there were some inharmonious notes. Although Fan Xian was detailed and had guessed some of this earlier, and thus had used the power of the government to suppress these wretched stories from happening, the story of the Qing people themselves and household affairs were complicated. The commoners found those women objectionable and forcefully said that they were used to having a good life with the treasurers and not used to a sudden change in situation.
The treasurers were not lewd demons of the night, and so there were not many cases of forcefully taking a concubine. However, even if there were very few cases, matters that involved men and women created a bad image in the public. Fan Xian thought hard about this matter but could not come up with any good ideas. Even an honest and upright official found it difficult to resolve family disputes. There was little he could do, so he could only put the matter aside.
However, this was an interlude. By and large the new manager of the palace treasury transport had already established his power. In the heart of the tens of thousands of low-level workers, Fan Xian's image as an upright and plainspoken, uncorrupted, and brilliant man was solidly cast. Now he did not need the help of the Eighth Bureau. With his literary and martial name smoothly made, Fan Xian had long become familiar to such methods.
The palace treasury gradually became quiet.
Although the strike had ended, Fan Xian's plan had only just began. Striking the snake to startle the snake, one half of the two-headed snake had been ruthlessly killed by him, and the other half would start moving now that it was injured.
"Is there news from Zi Yue?" Fan Xian asked casually as he sat in the chair and read reports from the Council with narrowed eyes.
Su Wenmao replied, "It won't be this fast. As per your orders, even if those Xinyang officials sent the news out, this back and forth will take at least a few months."
Fan Xian sighed. "The Imperial Censorates in the court are so slow to deal with matters."
Su Wenmao gave a pained smiled. He wondered how there could be such a fierce character like the commissioner who waited for the Imperial Censorate to report him. But, he had strong backing, so he was able to sit as calm as a mountain.
"We can't wait anymore. Seize those people tomorrow." Fan Xian said.
The opponents in these words were the trusted aides that Xinyang had left in the palace treasury. At the beginning of the three-day order, they secretly provoked the treasurers' emotions and provoked the people to oppose Fan Xian. After Fan Xian had demonstrated his blood methods, these officials were as happy as if they had eaten honeyed dates. Through the night they found a way to send out a memorial toward Jingdou, reporting to the officials of the Eldest Princess.
Fan Xian allowed the treasurers to communicate as they wanted during the three-day order. The final strike situation was for the purpose of having the pustule in the palace treasury grow in order to see clearly who was causing the trouble. Before and after the event, the spies of the Overwatch Council kept an alert watch on the officials within the transport company. These people had no way of escaping the news that Fan Xian had spread out.
"Make the move." Fan Xian smiled bitterly. "We are all about to leave; we can't leave them here to eat porridge."
Su Wenmao acknowledged the order and asked with confusion, "Sir, why didn't we seal the matter more tightly at the beginning? After all, this time it caused a strike. If this is discussed in Jingdou in court and Xinyang does some meddling, your days may…not be easy to pass."
Fan Xian fell silent. His fingers gently tapped on the armrests of his chair. This was a common expression when he was thinking. He eventually decided to tell his confidant more, so he raised his head to explain. "The palace treasury is split into two parts. The workshops are the foundation, and the sale of the exports are the hands and legs. If I want to chop off the hands and legs, naturally, I have to first consolidate the foundation. Furthermore, I am not used to planning situations that take a long time, so that is why I chose to force the people of the palace treasury to act excessively first. Thus, I will be able to strike heavily and have an excuse to chase out the Xinyang officials."
Su Wenmao nodded, although he was thinking that it did not answer his earlier question. Seeing the commissioner's expression, he knew that Fan Xian had his reasons and listened patiently.
"I had to force the enemies in the palace treasury to make a move." Fan Xian smiled slightly. "Does not the Eldest Princess often wait for me to force her? Given her eyes in court and the Royal Palace, how could she not know that I brought the old shopkeepers with me? Yet, she never told this matter to her officials in the palace treasury. It is clear that she didn't want those officials to know my bottom line and be too afraid to…bravely stand out. Think about it. If everyone knew the old shopkeepers were with us, the strike this time would not have happened."
"Naturally, it would not have happened." Su Wenmao furrowed his brows and said, "If they knew that you had the Qingyu Hall elders with you, then those treasurers' trump card would fail and they would not have the daring to criticize. But the question is m…why would the Eldest Princess hold back this information and wait for the palace treasury officials to connect in secret, thus giving you a great opportunity to establish your power? If she had made everything clear, then the treasurers would have been much better behaved. Those Xinyang officials would have calmed down and not allowed us to find any excuses."
Fan Xian shook his head and sighed. "The Eldest Princess stands higher than all the others. You are right. It appears that she has given me an opportunity to establish my power and has even allowed me to intimidate the officials in the palace treasury. However, in the method of dealing with this matter, I had to borrow more people and power from the old Ye family. I must kill to establish myself, so my methods appear more aggressive and ruthless."
He continued to explain, "On my first trip in to the palace treasury I have killed five treasurers. Once this gets to Jingdou, the court will certainly not think well of me. As for using the old shopkeepers to control the palace treasury, this more touches on the taboos of some people in the Royal Palace. The Eldest Princess has kept the lid on this pot of porridge. When it has come to a rolling boil, it appears that she is allowing me to eat it, but in reality she has the intention of burning my mouth."
Su Wenmao worriedly said, "It is as you say, when you were dealing with strike that day, your words seemed to touch on some taboos."
Fan Xian smiled and didn't say anything.
Su Wenmao's face was heavy. "After the news of waiting for the strike, killing, and the old shopkeepers have traveled back to Jingdou, no matter what the court will berate you. Speaking on the lighter side, your actions are impulsive and careless, not…"
He abruptly stopped. Fan Xian smiled and continued, "Not to be used for important matters? Speaking on the heavier side, they could secretly accuse me of having wayward intentions and remembering the past days of the Ye family, and so on so forth."
Su Wenmao was shocked. He understood what Commissioner Fan's biggest taboo in life was. He couldn't help sucking in a cold breath. It was at this moment that he finally felt the power of the Eldest Princess' method. The other party did not do anything. She only quietly kept Fan Xian's secret that the old shopkeepers were going south and was thus able to place Sir at the opening of a dangerous volcano.
"Since Sir knew clearly her plan…then you should have brought out the old shopkeepers at the first opportunity. Their actions would have been more careful." He gathered his courage and admonished Fan Xian.
Fan Xian shook his head and said, "The Eldest Princess calculated that I had to allow the conflict to escalate, so as to be able to take control of the palace treasury as quickly as possible. As for the rest of the waves, I can't care about that for now. Thus on this point, even if she was watching coldly from Jingdou, I had to do it."
He laughed coldly. "As for me digging out her trusted officials in the palace treasury…I'm sure she knows clearly that with the help of the Overwatch Council, these people won't be of any use for the next few years. On the contrary, they will only bring her trouble that she does not want. Since they are already useless people, then why should she care about their life or death? They are only a few abandoned pieces to bring me some trouble before their death, and that is all. No matter what she does, she will not be able to stop me taking complete control. The Eldest Princess obviously wished to see some trouble as I took over and bring me some hidden worries for the future."
The so-called hidden worries in his words was, naturally, the understanding the nobility in the Palace had of Fan Xian, this may cause undergo some slight changes because of the palace treasury matter. Who knew whether or not the coldness Fan Xian showed when dealing with the palace treasury would touch on that sensitive nerve of the empress dowager's, would it remind the empress and the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace of the Ye family back in the day?
Thinking of this things was like a venomous snake eating at one's spirit. Before Fan Xian had enough strength to defeat them, perhaps they would have raised their alertness. The empress dowager, the Eldest Princess, and the empress of this group of back palace women, and the Crown Prince and Second Prince were like a pair of loving but quarrelsome couple. If they joined together again because of Fan Xian's existence, or if the Emperor was to develop some kind of suspicion against Fan Xian, then it would be time for the Eldest Princess to laugh and Fan Xian to cry.
In this matter of the palace treasury, because he had the shopkeepers in hand and thus the world, the Eldest Princess had to accept this reality. She only wanted to derive some kind of benefit from it.
"What do we do now?"
Fan Xian lowered his head and said without emotion, "Nothing. In the director's words, the Eldest Princess' gaze remains limited to one palace. If the Imperial Censorate really accused me this time, she would probably only suffer a loss."
Su Wenmao looked at him and found it difficult to understand.
Fan Xian raised his head and a confident smile rose to his face. "Since the Emperor has given the old shopkeepers to me, that means for a short period of time he believes in my loyalty. My trip to Jiangnan to take over the palace treasury is a loss of face for the Eldest Princess. If she maintains her silence at this time, then everything is fine. If I have any trouble when taking over the palace treasury and the officials in Jingdou rise as a group to attack me, the Emperor can't help but feel a little suspicious. As for the problem of the old Ye family, on the contrary, it will not affect me to any large degree."
Fan Xian smiled and continued, "I want to quickly cook this pot of porridge that is the palace treasury. The Eldest Princess likes for me to use an aggressive flame, and I hope she will secretly help me us an aggressive flame. Although my actions in the palace treasury are impudent with much to be suspicious about, I have not purposely try to hide it. The Emperor will believe in my sincerity. However, although the Eldest Princess stands to the side with a cold gaze, she acts out her trickery without permission. This is the so-called insincerity."
He finally explained, "Any move for power, at the end stage, depends only on the Emperor's mood and intimacy, and I have always been open and honest."
Who knew if this line was to convince Su Wenmao or to deceive himself? In this battle, Fan Xian knew with certainty the son-in-law must obtain the victory. As a son, he must also obtain victory.
After the Emperor had established the Second Prince as an enemy against the Crown Prince, he has successfully established Fan Xian has the valiant whetstone.
The Eldest Princess could only see Fan Xian growing stronger and more insubordinate, putting the two princes, empress dowager, and empress in the back palace under pressure. She did not see that this kind of pressure was secretly nurtured by the Emperor of the Qing Kingdom himself. This was the line that Fan Xian had borrowed from Chen Pingping to say earlier: the Eldest Princess' gaze remained limited.
It was not the limitations of history, but the limitations of a seat. After all, she did not sit on the dragon chair with kings under her eye.