384-387

Chapter 384: The Matter Of The Ministry Of Revenue (2)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After Shu the Scholar finished speaking, the Emperor nodded. Even if he did have other thoughts, he could not say anything at this time. Last year, when Fan Xian made trouble for the Ministry of Justice, the court had the Imperial Censor of the Left sent far away to Jiangnan. The excuse they had used was that he wanted to achieve extraordinary things, but his morality and conduct were not good.

These words had come from the Emperor's golden mouth,so it could now not be taken back. Then, the Emperor had to console Fan Xian, but now the Emperor wanted to use Guo Zheng's memorial to do some things but had been pushed back by Shu the Scholar. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. Does this count as digging a hole and jumping in it himself?

"Didn't a eunuch go to Jiangnan?" The Crown Prince jumped out and demonstrated his stupidity. He chuckled and said, "Father, although we cannot trust the words of Imperial Censorate Guo Zheng, once that eunuch returned, we will know exactly what happened in Jiangnan."

These words appeared to be dependable and a compromise, but in reality, they were rather sinister. Wasn't the eunuch's slander of Fan Xian controlled by the dowager empress in the Royal Palace with a single word? The Crown Prince had confidence in this matter.

The Emperor glared at him and said in a cold voice, "How can a eunuch's words be trusted? These are your ancestors' teachings, don't you forget!"

The Crown Prince timidly did not dare speak again. Eunuch Yao, who was serving to the side, was silent and did not speak. His expression did not change.

"We will wait for Xue Qing's memorial." The Emperor closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Everyone in the royal study nodded. They though the words of a proper governor of a road were naturally more trustworthy.

Hu the Scholar, who had not expressed his opinion yet, finally spoke. "Since it is so, then the Jiangnan matter should be temporarily put aside. If this matter is true, I…cannot believe it. If it is like what the Second Prince said earlier, if someone truly privately moved the national funds to Jiangnan to profit from it, then it is indeed very close to rebellion. I believe that Minister Fan is certainly not such an insane person. However, since the Jiangnan Imperial Censorate and officials of other places have already sent up their memorials, the court cannot ignore it and ask no questions. The investigation into the Ministry of Revenue should begin to satisfy the court officials and wash clean the accusations Minister Fan has endured."

The Qing Emperor still maintained a superficial respect toward these Scholars in the Hall of Governmental Affairs. After muttering to himself, he nodded his head and suddenly smiled self-deprecatingly. "Even if such a thing were done, it could not be considered insane…only, I am a little curious, has anyone thought about exactly how this should be investigated?"

Although the slight smile floated at the corners of his mouth, the hearts of the officials in the royal study still felt a chill. They could hear that the Emperor had a big objection toward Minister Fan, however, no one understood why the always-favored Fan manor would suddenly become somewhere that the Emperor did not like to see? But how did an Jian offend the Emperor?

The Emperor's last question also struck the officials mute. They had no idea how to reply.

In Qing court, there were two systems used to control and govern. One was the Imperial Censor, the Imperial Censorates who had grown used to the court floggings. Another was the powerful Overwatch Council.

The Imperial Censorate was an organization that prevented corruption and had the power to raise concerns based on rumors. That was why Imperial Censorate Guo Zheng dared to accuse Fan Xian of privately shifting national funds to the treasury and competing for interest with the merchants without a shred of actual proof.

The Overwatch Council dealt with the aftermath of situations, and their powers were immense. After receiving authorization from the Emperor, they could take any civil or military officials into court for questioning.

Under normal circumstances, if a problem arose among the six ministries, the Overwatch Council went forward to investigate the matter. They could ask any official below the third-level to that square and black building to have tea. Once the matter had been investigated to the level of the vice-minister, they would go and ask for another imperial edict to be granted special privileges. Like this, they investigated level by level.

Logically speaking, the deficit of the Ministry of Revenue should follow this procedure. The problem was…The Overwatch Council had the director above and the Eighth Bureau below. It had been many years since the unwieldy-in-movement Director Chen Pingping, so terrified the officials, had personally taken on a case. In the past year, he had almost exclusively stayed in Chen Garden outside of the capital and did not involve himself in matters. There was a new position between the director and Eighth Bureau, a very strong and special position: Overwatch Council Commissioner Fan Xian.

Fan Xian had the power to mobilize the entire Overwatch Council. Other than the hiring and dismissal of personnel, his powers were not much different to Chen Pingping's. If the Overwatch Council were to investigate the deficit of the Ministry of Revenue…

The officials in the royal study all shook their heads heavily. If the son investigates the father, it would be a miracle if any problem is found! If word of this got out, Northern Qi, Dongyi, and everyone under heaven would probably consider this the greatest joke in the Qing officialdom.

Shu the Scholar gave a pained smile and said, "Looks like the Overwatch Council will have to not be involved this time to avoid arousing suspicion. However, I do not know how to arrange for an investigation of the Ministry of Revenue."

The elderly officials beside him all nodded their heads. Since they were going to investigate the Ministry of Revenue, then it had to be done seriously. Regardless of whether they wanted to knock down Fan Jian or the suspicions from him, they needed to treat this seriously. It could not turn into a child's game.

The Emperor gave a cold laugh and said, "Why don't we follow the old rules?"

"This…" Shu the Scholar repeatedly grumbled, thinking, This issue was very clear. Emperor, why must you pretend to be confused? After hesitating for a while, he finally summoned his courage and said, "Your Majesty, after all, Sir Fan junior is the commissioner of the Overwatch Council with full authority. If we have the Overwatch Council investigate the Ministry of Revenue…if this gets out, I'm afraid the impact would not be good."

"Just have the Overwatch Council investigate," the Emperor said coldly. "At the same time, have the Ministry of Appointments, Ministry of Justice, and Supreme Court send people to help. Then you all can pick out a leader to lead this matter. Since we are investigating the deficit of the Ministry of Revenue, it is not a task just a few people can accomplish."

The officials in the royal study understood. Sending helpers was a way to monitor the Overwatch Council. However, they did not understand why the Emperor wanted to forcefully drag the Overwatch Council into this puddle of muddy water since he had already decided to have the Ministry of Appointments, Ministry of Justice, and Supreme Court investigate the Ministry of Revenue.

As for the candidate to lead the investigation of the Ministry of Revenue, the officials also hesitated. They were aware that the chosen official would heavily offend the Fan family and all related officials. They also knew that if they could find a problem, it would be an important stroke on their reputation in the world. Two sides balanced each other out. In the end, no one dared to brave this danger and accept this hot potato.

Even the enemies of the Fan family, the Minister of Appointments and Second Prince, were silent.

The Emperor's mood was hard to gauge. He was smiling slightly, and his gaze slowly brushed over the officials and his sons' faces. It landed on Hu the Scholar's face.

Hu the Scholar secretly sighed and knew that he could not avoid this difficulty. He had entered the capital earlier in the year and been elevated by the Emperor to a cabinet Scholar in the Hall of Governmental Affairs. Although his literary reputation from many years ago remained, and his official reputation in the various Roads had laid a path for him, he had not had any clear achievements in the central hub. The Emperor had his heart set on him for no other reason than the fact that he had been in the capital for a short amount of time and had not yet become entangled with the various powers. On the other hand, he also wanted to use the investigation of the Ministry of Revenue to establish his own power in court.

Hu the Scholar was grateful for the Emperor's trust and heavy use, but he also had a faint hatred toward the Emperor for making him offend the senior and junior of the Fan manor.

The Great Prince, who had said one line and then became silent again, now got ahead of Hu the Scholar and said coldly, "Father, I am willing to be the one to offend other."

The Emperor chuckled and waved his hand. "You…cannot."

"Why?" The Great Prince furrowed his brows and said. "I dare to use my head as surety that I will investigate fairly and not have any biases. Please trust in my loyalty, father."

The smile on the Emperor's face gradually vanished. "If I have said you cannot do it then you cannot do it. You are the leader of the imperial guards[JW1] , but you want to investigate the Ministry of Revenue? Do you want to set a precedent for the military interfering in politics?"

The Emperor said the last line very severely. The Great Prince paused and could not continue to push. Although the Emperor had always liked that he spoke his mind, today he still put on the heavy hat of the military interfering with politics on the Great Prince's head, so he could only hesitatingly retreat.

Hu the Scholar left his seat to accept his orders. "I am willing to lead the matter of investigating the Ministry of Revenue."

The Emperor nodded and turned to gaze at the Crown Prince. He said coldly, "The Crown Prince will also go. Follow Hu the Scholar and learn. In the matter of the investigation, Hu the Scholar is the lead. You are just there to run errands."

"I will obey the edict."

The Crown Prince's face was calm, but he was overjoyed in his heart. Although he was only an errand boy in name, once he sat in the Ministry of Revenue yamen, who would not fear him as the Eastern Palace Crown Prince? Of the so-called leaders, other than Hu the Scholar, it seemed there was a share for him too. The Crown Prince was quite happy. It looked like father's indifferent attitude toward him after the Hanging Temple incident was finally changing.

The various officials accepted their orders and left, and the royal study recovered its peace. The Emperor drank his tea with a cold expression and rose to leave the bed.

Eunuch Yao quickly placed a cloak on him. Seeing the Emperor's mood was not very good, he carefully asked, "Your Majesty, should we return to the palace to rest?"

"No." The Emperor headed out of the royal study. "We're going to the little tower."

Eunuch Yao started following and quickly caught up. He didn't say anything, but he found it odd. Recently, the Emperor had been going to the little tower more and more.

…

…

Outside the Palace gates, the officials, each with their own unease, raised their hands in farewell. Some were pleased and headed back to announce to their cohort that the Emperor was preparing to single out the Ministry of Revenue. Some were worried and preparing to go home and consider how they were going to face the court. Some were confused and remained in their confusion, wondering how the Emperor's thoughts could have made such a turn in just one day.

"Xiao Hu, come to my manor for a drink." Shu Wu did not fear anything. At the Palace gates, he pulled on Hu the Scholar, who had been preparing to leave one step ahead.

Hu the Scholar's mind was filled with the investigation and had no interest in drinking. He repeatedly begged for mercy, "Lao Shu, can't you see my luck is not bad today? I don't have the mood to make poetry with you."

Both of them enjoyed literature and were leaders among the civil officials. The Emperor did not forbid officials visiting each other in private, so their friendship was good. Although their difference in age was fairly big, they were often found together.

Shu the Scholar made a sign with his eyes, and Hu the Scholar's heart moved and agreed to the suggestion.

…

…

"The divine heart is difficult to guess."

Shu Wu's manor was in the south of the city and known for its quiet and seclusion. It was not very spacious, but the two of them talking tipsily under the pavilion did not have to worry about the spring breeze blowing their offensive discussions over the wall and being overheard by bystanders.

Shu Wu sighed and said, "I'm afraid it will not be easy for you as the official envoy. This is truly pleasing the brother but disappointing the wife."

These words compared the Emperor to the brother, and Fan family as the wife. It couldn't help but be inappropriate. Hu the Scholar laughed heartily and said, "What kind of nonsense is this? Your surname isn't Hu[JW2] , perhaps you've drunk too much?"

"It is not nonsense," Shu Wu said seriously and lowered his voice. "Tell me what you are going to do? Looking at what the Emperor wants, he definitely wants the Ministry of Revenue to be found to have some problem before he is willing to let it go. But if the Ministry of Revenue really did have a problem, then what about Minister Fan?"

"Right now, the question is, does the Ministry of Revenue have a problem or not?" Hu the Scholar's expression was worried. "Given your detailed explanation of Sir Fan junior's personality to me—looking at his ruthlessness in his clarity, and daring and arrogance hidden beneath his culture and elegance—for him to mobilize the Ministry of Revenue's silver to Jiangnan for the purpose of stabilizing Jiangnan and increasing taxes… it might actually be true!"

"Putting aside whether it is true or not. In any case, every day that Jiangnan Governor Xue Qing doesn't make clear his stance, it will be impossible for the court to the know the situation over there. As for the Ministry of Revenue deficit…"

Shu Wu smiled coldly. "The Ministry of Revenue is the yamen in charge of money. Wars need money, river repairs need money, disaster relief needs money, building gardens need money, running the spring examinations need money…all of the people in the world are stretching their hands toward the Ministry of Revenue demanding money like they are demanding a debt repayment. Adding to the fact that the princes and officials occasionally borrow a little, it is completely a mess! In every dynasty and in every generation, which Ministry of Revenue has had a completely clear account?"

"It is impossible for the Ministry of Revenue to be clean," he continued in a cold voice. "Minister Fan of our Qing court started work as a low-level official in the Ministry of Revenue and has spent his life working in this ministry. To say something fair, the Ministry of Revenue under his management is already the cleanest and clearest Ministry of Revenue since the founding of this country. But even like this, if one were to be truly nitpick, how could one not find something?"

Hu the Scholar nodded his head. Minister Fan Jian was not like the previous Prime Minister Lin Ruofu. He was also different from Fan Xian, who was currently being arrogant in Jiangnan. Although there might be some dirty things below his hands, his actions were unusually subdued and honest. There was not much to say in terms of ability, and his positive official reputation was rare to see among officials.

If such a Minister of Revenue were to fall in the political battle this time, the two scholars would feel it was a complete waste. However, the Emperor insisted on showing his intention to make Fan Jian leave his position.

"Why was this?" Shu Wu furrowed his old brows and very straightforwardly asked the question that had been running around the hearts of every official in the royal study.

Hu the Scholar was silent. He raised his wrist and lifted a cup of liquor produced by the palace treasury and gulped it down. He didn't say anything for a long time.

Shu Wu stared at his eyes. He knew that some of the judgements of this colleague, who was much younger than him, were worth trusting.

Forced by the other party's gaze for a long time, Hu the Scholar sighed and slowly said, "When nobody expected it, the Emperor had this intention, it's truly…"

He seemed to be unable to find an adjective to describe the Emperor. He could only smile bitterly and say, "It is truly admirable. His Majesty investigating the Ministry of Revenue appears to be because of his inner suspicions raised by the rumors in the officialdom, but in reality, it is a great plan of three birds with one stone to move."

"Which three birds?" Shu Wu asked. His beard was covered with alcohol.

"The first bird, of course, is the Ministry of Revenue, it is Minister Fan. If anything is found during the investigation of the Ministry of Revenue, no matter what, Minister Fan will have to resign and go home."

"The second bird is…the Eldest Princess' group of officials that initiated this," Hu the Scholar smiled bitterly and said. "If something goes wrong at the Ministry of Revenue and Fan Jian quits his position, how could Fan Xian just kindly let it go? Rest assured, the Emperor would definitely not allow this matter to implicate Fan Xian. After the incident, Fan Xian would still be the commissioner of the Overwatch Council. Thus, the Overwatch Council would naturally proceed to carry out their revenge on the Eldest Princess' group of officials. At that time, the Emperor would be forced by the pressure in the Palace to be a mediator as he watched all this happen. He might even act as if he were consoling Fan Xian and be forced to remove a few officials."

"Pressure from the Palace?" Shu Wu sighed. "Why will the Emperor not care about the pressure from the Palace after the incident? And stop being a mediator?"

"The logic is simple. The Emperor could push both Minister Fan's leaving and Fan Xian's anger onto the Eldest Princess' officials.' As a ruler, the most important task is maintaining the balance between the officials in the court. Fan Xian's side first lost a Prime Minister and later lost Minister Fan. In order the maintain the balance, the Emperor must remove a large group of people from the other side."

Hu the Scholar continued to speak, "This kind of explanation, this intention of the ruler was the best method of convincing that old woman in the Palace. Everything…is for the Qing Kingdom, is it not?"

He smiled slightly and laughed at himself.

Shu Wu continued to sigh and asked, "Then what is the third bird?"

Hu the Scholar gave him a slight smile and gazed at him. "The third bird is naturally myself and you, Lao Shu."

Shu Wu was greatly surprised. "What are you saying? You accepted the order, and our discussion in the royal study was all public related. Fan Xian is not a muddled person. How could he be angry at us?"

"What you said is exactly what I wanted to say," Hu the Scholar said. "Who told us to reveal our desire to pull Fan Xian into the cabinet in court today? The Emperor's policies have long been decided. In the future, you and I will be on one side while Fan Xian's Overwatch Council will be the other side. Since we have other intentions in mind, the Emperor will naturally break our intentions. Even if Fan Xian does not hold a grudge against us because of this matter, how could he not hate the civil officials who accused Minister Fan in front of the whole court? After this matter, Fan Xian will certainly reject thoughts for an honorable official career path. You, I, and he will never have the chance to sit together in the Hall of Governmental Affairs."

"There are only guesses, nothing more." Shu Wu laughed uncontrollably. "Even if the divine heart is difficult to guess, don't make it so complicated."

Hu the Scholar sighed helplessly. "You wanted me to say it, and in the end, it is also you who laugh. These words are enough for us to lose our heads 10 times over. Don't you go spreading it around after drinking."

"What, I am also a scholar," Shu Wu chuckled. "I am just drinking with company."

Suddenly his expression became startled. He furrowed his brows and asked, "No, your first bird isn't right. You have to explain to me clearly. Why doesn't the Emperor want Minister Fan to keep managing the Ministry of Revenue. Why is he forcing Minister Fan to resign?"

Hu the Scholar sighed faintly and said, "The reason is actually very simple. It is because the Emperor no longer wishes to see Minister Fan's face every day in court."

The two leading civil officials of the Qing court became silent at the same time. They sighed in their hearts and felt injustice on behalf of Fan Jian. It looked like with things like a dragon child, it was best to not to casually raise it.

…

…

Before the two scholars began to feel wronged on behalf of the Minister of Revenue, Minister Fan, they had once thought about whether or not they should quickly inform the Fan manor about the court's decision to investigate the Ministry of Revenue. Later, they thought Fan manor had many connections in the Palace, how could they not know? So, this thought faded.

Indeed, not long after the conference in the royal study concluded, the supposed ill Fan Jian had already heard about it and knew that in tomorrow's court conference, the Emperor would officially open the investigation into the Ministry of Revenue.

But he was not particularly worried. That solemn face had long lost the romantic air of the old days. It was simply cold and calm now.

"It's not three birds with one stone, it's four birds one stone," Fan Jian smiled slightly and said to the person opposite. "As a loyal official of the Emperor's for almost 30 years, my admiration for him has always been constant and never lessened. As for today's matter, truly it is…admirable, ah, admirable."

Regardless of whether it was in front of others or not, if the Emperor was mentioned, Fan Jian would always knit his brows calmly and be completely respectful. The two cries of "admirable, admirable" in the study were filled with great disrespect.

"What is the fourth bird?"

Fan Jian extended his right palm and opened it in front of this body. He bent his thumb in like he was learning a clever palm technique from somewhere. His four fingers pointed resolutely and unyieldingly toward the sky.

"The fourth bird is the Overwatch Council."

"The Emperor wants to see if when his order goes out, whether or not it will be like the past when he could easily control and move the terrifying Overwatch Council or if it is as he fears and already in Fan Xian's grasp."

"Xian'er's progress has been too quick." Fan Jian thought of his son far away in Jiangnan and sighed. "If the Emperor could not even direct the Overwatch Council, then the power the Fan manor holds might be a bit too much."

The corner of his eyebrow suddenly lightly arched up, and he smiled merrily. "And, the Emperor wants to see what the true relationship is between Chen Pingping and me. All these years, the Emperor has absolutely trusted me and that old cripple, and you know why. Before Fan Xian entered the capital, the old cripple and I never got along. If it was something he wanted to do, I would certainly not do it. If I wanted to do something, he would certainly oppose it."

Fan Jian's expression dimmed, "Now that I think of it, it should have been because Chen Pingping and I were suspicious of each other. We suspected that the other party had played some dishonorable role in the event of many years ago."

"Once Xian'er had entered the capital," he continued to explain in a quiet voice, "there was a lot less suspicion between us, so the Emperor's suspicions of us increased. More importantly, Xian'er was becoming more and more brilliant. Every time Xian'er became more brilliant, and the Emperor thought of what happened that year and the current scene, he became a bit more objectionable toward me."

"The Emperor is jealous."

"And so I am leaving."

In the end, the Minister of Revenue Fan Jian reached a conclusion.

But he immediately had a frivolous expression on his face rarely seen today and laughed mockingly. "However…you know me, I am always silent and have a talent for acting, but in my bones, I am a very fierce person. He wants me to learn from Lin Ruofu and ask to resign to prevent everyone from tearing into each other and making it an ugly scene…but I refuse to quit. In any case, the Emperor is always going to care more than the officials in the matter of face."

[JW1]"禁军" Translation is imperial guards, but there is already a phrase for that.

[JW2]"胡话" is nonsense. Hu the Scholar's surname is "胡" so he is punning on his name/the situation.

Chapter 385: The Investigation And The Artist's Work (1)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"This is what you taught me."

Fan Jian sighed. His fingers gently rubbed and felt the texture of a piece of paper.

There was a portrait of a woman's head drawn in charcoal on the paper. Although there were very few strokes, it managed to capture vividly the woman's spirit and appearance, particularly the eyes of the woman. They looked at Fan Jian with a kind of compassion, warmth, cheek…as he gazed at her.

"The picture the Emperor had a great artist secretly draw of you is in the palace," Fan Jian gazed at the woman in the picture and said with a slight smile. "But for me, your appearance has always been in my mind very clearly."

"Every time I want to talk with you, I cannot resist but to draw another one."

"To draw a cheeky you, a cold you, a hurt you, a happy you."

"There are so many of you, which is the true you? It's a pity, there is no way to ask you."

Fan Jian sighed and brought the paper to the candle to burn. He watched the elegant complexion gradually disappear into the fire, and said in a daze, "If, that year, the Emperor and I had not gone back to my old home in Danzhou for the summer, I would not have met you, and…nothing of the later things would have happened."

"Perhaps, I would still be that artist lingering all day long in the brothels." The Minister raised the corners of his lips and a small self-deprecating smile rose to his face. "You said before, this world most needed artists. Pity, in the end, I became the person in Qing Kingdom who stinks the most of bronze."

The fire on the paper gradually burned to the center, leaving black ash and broken remains of paper.

"You've always seen me as the most trustworthy elder brother." Fan Jian spoke like this in the end. "I am very grateful for your trust, so be at ease, even if I don't have the power to change too much. At least I will determinedly stand in Jingdou and watch Xian'er gradually grow up."

A soft knock came from outside the study.

"Come in." Fan Jian said with a slight smile.

Lady Liu walked in carrying a cup of winter cherry. She gently placed it on the table. The worry on her face was impossible to remove. What had happened in the palace had long traveled home through Yi Guipin. As the present mistress of the Fan manor, she knew what kind of difficulty the old master was going to face in court tomorrow.

Fan Jian glanced at her and sighed. "Be at ease. The Emperor will not be overly cruel."

A slight anger flashed through Lady Liu's eyes. She gently said, "If the Emperor remembers your past friendship, he would not have been provoked by those small incidences and want to investigate the Ministry of Revenue. In the six ministries, who was clean all the way from head to tail?"

Fan Jian shook his head and said, "You have to trust in the Emperor. This matter involves major court politics, of course, it cannot be easily overlooked."

Lady Liu knew that the old master did not want to continue this sorrowful topic and shook her head helplessly.

Fan Jian lifted his whole and said toward the trace of the burnt paper on the desk, "Salutations to each."

And then drank the winter cherry in one gulp.

Lady Liu was startled. She wondered who the old master was saluting.

…

…

On the second day, the court conference began again. As expected, the Emperor strictly criticized the botched performance of the Ministry of Revenue in the last two years and pushed most of the blame of the crime onto the head of the Minister of Revenue. As the Minister of Revenue Fan Jian was still said to be sick and did not attend court, thus the Ministry of Revenue had no one to defend it. The leaderless group of Ministry of Revenue officials wretchedly endured the attack of the civil and military officials in court.

The court sent out a public edict to begin the investigation into the Ministry of Revenue deficit. The Overwatch Council would be specifically carrying this out, with the Ministry of Appointments, Ministry of Justice, and the Supreme Court helping. Hu the Scholar from the Hall of Governmental Affairs would lead the investigation with the Crown Prince at his side to help out.

There had been rumors of investigating the Ministry of Revenue, so this matter did not surprise anyone. Once the circumstances were laid out, the officials still felt a thread of shock at such a big move. It looked like the Emperor really did want the Ministry of Revenue to have some hard times.

Who knew how Sir Fan junior in Jiangnan would react after learning about this matter?

That afternoon, the officials from various departments united in the investigation began to establish their presence in the Ministry of Revenue's yamen. There were also Jingdou garrisons responsible for transferring soldiers to guard the various warehouses, since the first adversary they investigated was the problem of the accounts of the seven departments of the Ministry of Revenue.

For a while, the usually lively Ministry of Revenue yamen beside the big locust tree became even noisier. There were far fewer officials who came today to pick up money, but there were a lot more officials to check the money.

The officials of the Ministry of Revenue anxiously invited in officials carrying the imperial edict to investigate. After an endless amount of trouble, they finally managed to get enough grand chairs to invite the various officials to sit down. Then, the left and right assistant ministers reported the circumstances of the running of the Ministry of Revenue for the past two years. Earlier, under the eye of the Overwatch Council, some began to clean out the accounts to be checked over later.

Hu the Scholar and the Crown Prince sitting in the center did not make things difficult for the Ministry of Revenue officials. After some warm words and advice, they waited for the specific investigation to begin. However, the officials of the Ministry of Appointments and Ministry of Justice had a rare chance to make things difficult for the old men of the Ministry of Revenue. How could they pass it up? They intimidated with words and raised their voices in angry scolding. They directly called the Ministry of Revenue a place that sheltered evil people and abetted wrongdoing, and not somewhere to help the court control money and grains.

Hu the Scholar couldn't stop himself from furrowing his brows. He knew that these two senior officials were not friendly with the Fan family at all. If he didn't keep a close eye on them, he was afraid the investigation would truly become a method for the other party to attack dissidents.

Facing such an ostentatious scene, and looking at the important officials sitting in the hall, all of the officials of the Ministry of Revenue, including the left and right assistant ministers, felt a sorrowful mood and some kind of hopelessness. Minister Fan was not in the yamen, and these officials of the Ministry of Revenue all felt a sense of being isolated by the court officials. They knew they were about to face the most critical juncture of their official careers, nay, of their lives.

The Overwatch Council officials watched the work of organizing the accounts. They watched the old officials clean out more than seven large bamboo baskets of account books. They carried it with difficulty to the main hall.

The Crown Prince was shocked by all the accounts and said with surprise, "There are so many account books. To match them all one by one, how long will that take?"

The left assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue said angrily, "Your Highness, the Ministry of Revenue has seven departments matching the seven Roads' finances. There are another four minor departs matching to river works and such. There are three large warehouses, the Xi Mountain documents warehouse, and seven other warehouses that were transferred to the Ministry of Revenue by the palace treasury to manage. There are 17 warehouses near Jingdou, and there is also the Baoquan Office and Qianfa Hall that were responsible for minting money. As for storehouse yamen for the watercourse affairs far away in Hangzhou and…"

This assistant minster blathered on and spoke for as long as it took to drink a cup of tea, and he didn't even stop for a break.

The Crown Prince's mind became confused from the listening and quickly raised his hand to stop it.

The officials investigation the Ministry of Revenue were all stunned. They had always known that the Ministry of Revenue was responsible for managing money, but how could they have expected there to be such a complex structure set up beneath it? In order to investigate clearly, it looked like it wasn't going to be the work of a day or two.

The assistant minister smiled superficially and said, "Your Highness, at this time, portions of the yamen accounts are still being tidied up. The seven large baskets here are the accounts of the Shangdong Road silver company because the minister had made me responsible a few days ago for tidying up the accounts for this Road, so they were quickly moved out. As for the final accounts, it would need at least a dozen more days to clear them out."

Rebuked by the assistant minister, the Crown Prince's face almost choked on his anger. "I don't care how many accounts there are, and I don't care how many days it takes. Since the Emperor has sent down an edict to investigate, you have all better move quickly. Otherwise, don't blame me reporting you for secretly obstructing the edict to investigate!"

No one expected this assistant minister to remain fearless and said, "You highness, naturally I do not have such daring. Since all the officials are following the Emperor's orders to investigate, there has to be some method. Which department exactly are you starting with? Other than accounts, when will you begin checking the amount of stored silver in the treasury? A few million liang of silver, even if it's counting…it will still take a few days."

The Crown Prince angrily swished his sleeve and didn't bother to argue with these wicked officials. In any case, when they found a problem, there wouldn't be good consequences for them.

Hu the Scholar watched coldly from the main table and felt it was odd in his heart. The Ministry of Revenue under the management of Minister Fan was indeed different from the other ministries. Although the assistant minister was not a lowly position, it was interesting that he dared to clash with the Crown Prince openly.

He knew that the assistant minister was angry today, and couldn't help smiling and explaining, "The assistant minister Yu's words are not wrong. Since we are investigating, of course, it should be done methodically and thoroughly. Furthermore, it is best if it did not disturb the day-to-day affairs of the Ministry of Revenue. All the state affairs up and down the country need the Ministry of Revenue to send out silver. If we overly disturb the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue in our investigation, I'm sure the Emperor would not be happy to see that."

Assistant minister Yu was clearly more respectful toward Hu the Scholar. He bowed and said in an even voice, "We will do as scholar instructs."

Since they didn't know where to start checking, they first had to tidy up the accounts in the Ministry of Revenue, and then have specialist officials proceed with the auditing. The Overwatch Council, Minister of Appointments, and Supreme Court all had specialists. However, looking at the state of things, it would have to be at least the day after tomorrow before they could start.

An official suddenly said to Hu the Scholar, "In my opinion, why don't we…first take out the accounts concerning the treasury and Jiangnan department, and have a look."

The entire hall fell silent.

The treasury was where the silver for the national treasury was stored. If the Ministry of Revenue really did move the treasury silver to Jiangnan as the officials in court had deduced, it would certainly be in the Jiangnan company account. This official had clearly targeted that department with the rumor in mind.

Hu the Scholar started slightly, but could not find any reasons to refuse. Furthermore, he wanted to know whether or not the Ministry of Revenue had the daring to privately move national funds down to Jiangnan. He and the Crown Prince discussed it briefly, and then ordered the Overwatch Council official go with the Ministry of Revenue official to first bring these two accounts.

The first night there was no trouble.

The second day there was no trouble.

The third day there was no trouble.

From the beginning, the Qing court's investigation of the Ministry of Revenue fell into the endless ocean of the battle between accounts. The officials who wholeheartedly wanted to find a problem with the Ministry of Revenue were, in a flash, buried under the accounts that were more than the snow on Cang Mountain.

In the spacious main hall, the accounts were piled like small mountains. Everywhere permeated the smell of dusty old paper, and it restricted the breathing of some of the officials investigating. Their eyes were filled with the yellow paper and numbers that exhausted their visions. They caused these officials' eyes to blur and their hearts to become confused.

The silent investigation halls were filled with the endless sounds of pages being turned, pitter patter of the abacus, and occasional sound of tea being sipped. The silence and monotonous and repetitive sounds mixed together like an effective lullaby.

The investigating officials, who sat on the grand chairs, were still physically and emotionally tired. They were full of spring fatigue, even though they did not need to personally face those terrifying and complicated numbers.

They had been busy for a few days auditing the numbers on the accounts and still did not find any problem. They were still checking the numbers of the treasury and Jiangnan department accounts, and, for now, had not found any evidence that would be used to flip the Ministry of Revenue.

This point caught everyone by surprise. Even Hu the Scholar, who secretly leaned toward the Fan family, felt it was strange. With so many accounts, even if it wasn't intentional, there should at least be some careless mistakes for it to be normal, right? With such an oceanic volume of calculation work, had the Ministry of Revenue not made any mistakes at all in the past two years?

It was said that if the water was clear, there would be no fish. If the accounts were clean, then they were fake. It was impossible for there be to such a perfect account in the world. If there was, then it had to be a fake account.

Hu the Scholar thought this, and so did the investigating officials from the Ministries of Administration and Justice also thought this. They began to check with more vigor. If they could find a single hole, they would be able to use a hair to move the whole body and pull the entire Ministry of Revenue from its horse.

However, when this warm but tedious afternoon ended, the various officials buried in the accounts raised their heads and looked at each other with shocked eyes and shook their heads at their respective superiors. The countless threads of disappointment welled up in their hearts.

There was not a problem, at least, not in the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue and the Jiangnan department.

The Ministry of Revenue they had investigated was very clean, strangely clean, as a naked as virgin after a bath.

…

…

"Something is not right," The Minister of Appointments, Yan Hangshu, who had rushed to the Ministry of Revenue, shook his head and said to Hu the Scholar beside him. "It is too unusual."

Hu the Scholar nodded.

Yan Hangshu narrowed his eyes and said, after some thought, "Of course, there wouldn't be problems from just checking these two accounts. People are not stupid. They knew that the court suspected this area so, of course, they covered their tracks in this area very well. However, all of the accounts and treasuries are under our control. The items and numbers have to match up. If the Ministry of Revenue really does have a problem, it must be from covering their tracks. I think…our next step shouldn't be focused on these places, we should expand out. Check the seven departments and three treasuries. All of the accounts have to be brought together and checked. We will surely find something fishy among them."

Hu the Scholar furrowed his brows and said, "Not even talking about how difficult it would be, it would certainly take a lot of time."

The Crown Prince listened at the side. Suddenly, a strange feeling welled in his heart. Have the officials beside him never taken advantage of the treasuries the Ministry of Revenue managed? How did they all have the daring to endlessly expand the accounts being checked? He thought about it and agreed with Yan Hangshu's suggestion. To be able to defeat the Fan family was what he most wished to see.

News of the clean accounts traveled quickly from the Ministry of Revenue to the Fan manor. The expression of the supposedly sick Fan Jian did not change, he only muttered to himself, "When an artist makes fake accounts, of course, they seek perfection. Go investigate. The broader the better. The bigger the mistake you, find the better."

Chapter 386: Fan Jian's Sword

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The investigation of the Ministry of Revenue continued. With the expansion of the battle lines and an increase in the number of people invested from each department, they finally found some traces they could use.

The investigating unit finally felt at ease. They figured that no matter how many problems this loose thread could pull out, as long as they had a good start, then they would have broken through the flawless image of the Ministry of Revenue under Minister Fan.

The first problem found was in the money for winter jackets sent to Cangzhou in the fourth year of the Qing calendar. The amount was not very big. However, following this thread, it was like rolling a snowball. The shortfall that the Ministry of Revenue elders had hidden behind layers and layers became bigger and bigger. Gradually it lay exposed in front of the shocked eyes of the investigating officials.

The Crown Prince and the Minister of Administration, Yan Hangshu, were overjoyed. They completely ignored Hu the Scholar's requests to be careful and ordered their subordinate officials to dig deeper. From the county to the capital, they dug up this complicated line from the very roots. Gradually, the evidence they held in their hands closed in on Jingdou, which was to say, it closed in on the high-level officials in the Ministry of Revenue who could truly sign off on these things.

The left and right assistant ministers who had been responsible for aiding the investigation in the Ministry of Revenue also began to feel alarmed and scared. This winter jacket account had originally had a plan, and they had once checked this project. They could never have expected that behind the mere hundred thousand liang for winter jackets, so many things could be pulled out.

No matter whether it was the court or merchants who did creative accounting, the most common method was to take a big shortfall and break it into countless trivial fragments, then scatter them among giant projects like salt in a snowstorm and water in a flood, to disappear without a trace.

No one had expected that the burden scattered out from the winter jackets had not been spread properly. On the contrary, it had given the game away.

The left and right assistant ministers waited in the Ministry of Revenue yamen for a whole night with ashen faces. When they left their posts that day, they decided that regardless of the comments, they had to go to the manor of the Minister to ask for some ideas. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince coldly sent orders that before this matter was cleared up, the officials of the Ministry of Revenue were not to leave without permission. At the same time, he had the Overwatch Council and a few trusted aides keep an eye on the two assistant ministers.

Ever since Fan Jian had entered official service, he had always worked in the Ministry of Revenue. Regardless of how the name of the Ministry of Revenue changed before and after the new policies, and no matter how the people and situation changed in the court, he had started as a lowly zhan. Nine years ago, he was already the left assistant minister. At that time, the Minister of Revenue was old and sick at home. The Emperor greatly favored Fan Jian but also did not want to bypass ranks in his promotion. So, he had forced that old and sick Minister of Revenue to remain in his post and did not allow other powers to place people in. From then, he made it possible for Fan Jian to lead the entire Ministry of Revenue from the position of assistant minister.

Time flashed, and nine years had already passed. In those years, the Qing Emperor had favored the Fan manor heavily, and Fan Jian had also used those years to make the entire Ministry of Revenue into an interest group like one solid piece of metal. A very quiet and inconspicuous interest group.

When the Ministry of Revenue investigation started, all the officials in the Ministry of Revenue looked up to watch their minister. They knew that as long as he did not fall, nothing much would happen to them. But today, the Ministry of Revenue seemed to have sunk into danger, and the left assistant minister was unable to enter the Fan manor. For the moment, the Ministry of Revenue officials felt fear and great unease.

…

…

The left assistant minister could not come, but Fan Jian had run the Ministry of Revenue for a long time. He knew everything there was to know about the tense situation of the past two days. That very night he knew the Crown Prince and officials investigating had already found a fatal weapon in the Ministry of Revenue—the winter jackets of the northern soldiers.

"This won't be able to move me." Fan Jian sat in his study drinking winter cherry. He narrowed his eyes and said, "No matter who goes to Cangzhou to inspect it, the jackets on those soldiers' bodies are all of superior quality. No matter how bad I am, I would not make an issue on the bitter cold of Northern soldiers."

Today, he was not talking to a picture. The person sitting across from him was alive, a protégé of the Fan manor who had always received Fan Jian's deep appreciation: Sir Zheng Tuo.

When Fan Xian punched the official in Jingdou, the person handling the matter was Sir Zheng Tuo. He was also a veteran official of the Ministry of Revenue. Since he handled matters well, Fan Jian decided to have him leave the Ministry of Revenue and had him use the particularly useful identity as a protégé to work for him.

Zheng Tuo thought for a bit and frowned. "Those winter jackets from that year, not only were they not of inferior quality, on the contrary, even their workmanship was done very carefully. We were very particular about the material. The cotton filling came from the palace treasury workshops, and the cotton cloth used was first-rate productions from the palace treasury. Some of the other accessories had broken the roles and used goods from Dongyi. They can't say much about you on this point…but…"

He began to speak and then stopped.

Fan Jian smiled and said, "You've been with me all these years, so you should know that I do things carefully. However, when analyzing the situation, I'm not afraid to think of the worst possible angle."

Zheng Tuo gave a pained smile and said, "However, because the material used for that batch of winter jackets was very good, when the Ministry of Revenue discussed the price, it was set slightly higher. The money taken from the national treasury…seems to have been a bit too much."

"Speak more straightforwardly."

"Yes, master," Zheng Tuo said. "The Ministry of Revenue took a lot of silver from that batch of winter jackets, and later it was used to fill in other areas."

"Correct." Fan Jian spoke without expression. "A lot of silver was indeed taken from this batch of winter jackets. That was because that month's official salaries almost couldn't be paid. The Emperor did not know of this situation, and I couldn't bear to have this matter bother the Emperor. At that time, the silver sent from the palace treasury had not arrived, and we also had to prepare the rewards for the second year of the western expedition army. The Ministry had no other choice other than to take some money from this batch of winter jackets."

He waved his hand and smiled. "However, this amount of silver was not very big; it didn't manage to fill all the other places."

"Yes," Zheng Tuo's face was full of worry as he spoke. "The winter jackets is just one thing. This time the court is investigating the Ministry of Revenue. They'll only find more and more things like this as they look. If all these incidences of moving silver to fill in deficits are gathered in Jingdou, I'm afraid…they'll eventually point to the batch of silver the Ministry moved last to Jiangnan."

Fan Jian sighed and shook his head. "It can't be helped. In reality, the silver moved to Jiangnan this time was mostly for the matter of the palace treasury opening bid. This actually has little to do with An Zhi. I am the Minister of Revenue, so I also want the palace treasury's income to be a bit better. If the court doesn't use money to challenge the Ming family, how would the Ming family be willing to pay so much silver?"

He lowered his head and said quietly, "Actually, at the very beginning of this batch of silver being moved, I had gone to the Palace and told the Emperor.

The study was deathly silent. Zhang Tuo was shocked and speechless. He couldn't talk for a moment. The excuse for investigating the Ministry of Revenue was because the Ministry of Revenue had secretly moved national finds to Jiangnan to make a profit. The movement of this large cache of silver was actually known by the Palace.

Fan Jian very determinedly shook his head. "His Majesty has his own difficulties…if it gets out that the court brought calamity to the wealthy merchant family, the Ming family, the court's reputation would be too ugly. However, everyone in the court is now guessing about that matter. The Emperor had to, however unwillingly, investigate a bit."

He sighed and said, "Since it is so, how can we make it public?"

"Then what do we do?" Zheng Tuo said, appalled. The meaning of his words were clear. Since it was the Emperor who had directed the matter, was this only to settle the discussions force Minister Fan to be the scapegoat?

Fan Jian said calmly, "As an official, of course, I have to help the Emperor with his worries and concerns. The Ministry of Revenue's move in transferring the silver was too big this time. Eventually, it could not be hidden. If, in the end, the Ministry is still found guilty, I'll have no choice but to stand before the Emperor and resolve this matter."

The methods with which the court used to defeat the Ming family were very dishonorable, furthermore, behind the Ming family were countless court officials who acted as their supporters. For the sake of the stability of the Qing court, the specifics of these kinds of methods and the Emperor's implicit consent could not be announced to the court.

Zheng Tuo's expression was moved and sorrowful. Minister Fan was indeed a loyal official. Even in the heart of the struggle, he was still thinking about protecting the Emperor's dignity and interests of the court.

"Sir, just resign," Zhang Tuo said painfully. "It's already that time, so there is no need to keep holding on."

Fan Jian shook his head with a lack of enthusiasm.

Zheng Tuo once again persuaded him painfully, "I know you're not one to hang onto a post for riches and honor. Looking at the current situation, the Emperor has already made preparations to stop the investigation after you resign. As long as you resign your post, it is something of an end for the matter of moving silver from the national treasury. I doubt the Second Prince and Eldest Princess' side will keep pursuing and attacking the matter. Hu the Scholar and Shu the Scholar will also speak on your behalf…"

In regard to the question of resigning, Zheng Tuo, as Fan Jian's confidante, had actually already suggested it many times, but Fan Jian never agreed. He gently let out a breath and said, "There some things that once you do them, it is clear you can completely pull yourself out…but you just won't do them."

Fan Jian lowered his eyelids and said, "The Ministry of Revenue has always been managed by me. The court has gone to war year after year and spend countless amounts. Yangtze River has also needed repairs for three consecutive years. In this world, there is no one who knows better than me the emptiness of the national treasury. And, there is no one who understands better than me about the dangerous situation in front of us. All of the officials think we are living in a time of peace and prosperity, but how many know of the dangers that lurk beneath the magnificent landscape?"

"But…Sir Fan junior has already gone to Jiangnan. As long as the palace treasury returns to the right track, the country's dangerous situation will be slowly resolved," Zheng Tuo said anxiously.

Fan Jian laughed in his heart. If the palace treasury situation was not completely in Fan Xian's control…if the Emperor did not have the confidence to turn the Qing Kingdom national treasury situation around in two years, how could that Emperor afford to let him resign?

Although he thought this, his face was serious and pained. "It is because Fan Xian has new control of the palace treasury and the situation is all very good, so at this moment, I cannot go…"

Fan Jian sighed. "One, because it is the critical moment between sorrow and joy I dare not let go. I want to manage it for the Emperor for another two years. Second, is An Zhi, this child. He appears to be steady and cold, but in reality, he is very emotional and ruthless. If I really resigned, and it was because of the matter of moving money to the palace treasury…given his personality, I'm afraid he would immediately quit his position in the palace treasury transport company and come back to the capital to find justice for me."

Zheng Tuo's face was full of shock. After thinking carefully, he found the Minister's words had some logic.

"It's getting late. You should go back now," Fa Xian closed his eyes and said. "As for the matters in the Ministry, you don't have to be too worried. Although a single spark has lit the fire, one day it will burn itself out, even this fire on me. But, if I can hold out for one day, I will stay another day. Furthermore, if this fire becomes larger, who knows how many people it will burn?"

Zheng Tuo sighed and felt deep admiration for the fact that Minister Fan served the public wholeheartedly. He didn't say anymore and left the study.

He left Fan manor and got into his own carriage. He returned to his home and laid down a piece of paper. He wrote a secret letter and handed it to someone in the manor, then he laid on his own bed with his eyes wide open, unable to enter sleep for a long time.

The Fan manor's protégé Zheng Tuo, until today, could still not decide what kind of person he was when he asked himself honestly.

The Minister of Revenue Fan Jian was actually also not sure what kind of person his confidante was, but he was sure about one thing.

Zheng Tuo was not his. Zheng Tuo was the Emperor's. Fan Jian wasn't sure if Zheng Tuo had been placed at his side through the Overwatch Council or if he had gone through the inner court. Regardless of how, Fan Jian knew that over these years, each of his actions has been watched by the man in the Palace. So, over these years, each of Fan Jian's actions had been performed for him, including tonight's pain and righteous analysis.

Fan Jian was not Lin Ruofu. He would not be knocked down by those closest to him. Beginning from that night many years ago, amid the drumming from the west side, he firmly made up his mind. He would never, ever trust another person in Jingdou.

The Ministry of Revenue had indeed sent a large amount of silver to Jiangnan, and this movement of silver had indeed received Qing Emperor's implicit consent. When the Palace had become angry about this matter and ordered the investigation of the Ministry of Revenue, Fan Jian was beyond angry and felt a sense of absurd drama.

He couldn't resist laughing out loud.

This cache of silver from the national treasury to Jiangnan was, of course, not for the purpose of clashing with the Ming family. Fan Jian knew that his incredible son had long gathered a shocking amount of silver. Only, he didn't know where this silver had come from.

The reason Fan Jian had moved the silver to Jiangnan was to provide a cover for Fan Xian. Compared to Xiao Fan, Lao Fan's consideration of problems appeared to be more shrewd and ruthless. He didn't believe that Fan Xian could use the excuse of the Ye inheritance to convince the Emperor, which was why Xia Qifei suddenly had so much silver on hand.

Every time he thought of this, Fan Jian couldn't help but sigh. Fan Xian was growing more and more daring in his actions. He even dared to ally with the Qing Kingdom's old enemy, Northern Qi.

When the son caused trouble, the father had no choice but to provide a cover. Furthermore, to ensure that his son's plan would be able to proceed smoothly, the Ministry of Revenue had to put some money into the money house to ensure that it could be withdrawn at any time. This, was the complete truth about the Ministry of Revenue privately transferring money from the national treasury to Jiangnan.

In this plan, although the amount the Ministry of Revenue moved was large, what was spent was very little. The majority of the portion took a loop around Jiangnan and had long returned to the Ministry of Revenue. So, Fan Jian was not at all worried about the Crown Prince, Minister of Appointments, and those people actually finding anything.

Furthermore, Fan Jian purposely let some slip to the river works yamen.

If the Emperor wanted a major official without any major slip-ups to resign, he only had to make some noise and then proceed with some clever hints to some people, and then the official had to resign. Prime Minister Lin Ruofu he had fallen under such an arrangement.

Fan Jian did not want to accept the Emperor's arrangement, and he also didn't want to retire to Danzhou so early, so he allowed them to investigate the Ministry of Revenue. Only by making the water muddy, could he better prove his own innocence. At the same time, he pricked the man sitting on the dragon chair through Zheng Tuo's mouth.

Only if he believed Fan Jian was loyal, stupid, and dumb but still not replaceable, could Fan Jian continue to stand proudly in this Jingdou filled with darkness and watch Fan Xian grow with a kind and fatherly gaze.

"Is everything under control?" Fan Jian carefully scrutinized the letter for his son.

A man dressed in black stood in front of him and bowed deeply. "Zheng Tuo is like Yuan Bo'an, both are without sons or daughters. They're both probably people of the Overwatch Council."

Fan Jian frowned and said, "Yuan Bo'an is really of the Overwatch Council? No wonder my in-laws had fallen so quickly."

The black-clothed man said in a deep voice, "But Zheng Tuo has a nephew, according to my investigation…it should be his own son. However, he is afraid of the Palace using this child to threaten him, so he hasn't dared to claim him."

Fan Jian's eyebrows twitched and he smiled slightly. "Very good. We can threaten him now."

The black-clothed man nodded. His hands were flat by his side. The man had a line of old calluses running down from the webbing between his thumb and index finger on his right hand. If Fan Xian had seen this detail, he would certainly have thought of the calluses Gao Da and the other Tiger Guards had due to long years of holding the hilt of a long knife.

Fan Jian gazed at the black-clothed man and said, "There really isn't much to do following me. These years you've been quite unoccupied. Don't be resentful of me."

The black-clothed man smiled and said sincerely, "Eleven years ago, I failed in protecting the royal family and allowed a serving girl beside the empress dowager to be killed. I was certainly a dead man. It is all thanks to you remembering our past relationships that you secretly saved me. If it were not for your saving grace, I'm afraid I would have long been under the yellow earth counting maggots."

Fan Xian smiled and shook his head. "Your personality is just this frivolous, not like a Tiger Guard at all. No wonder you were the Emperor's least favorite back then."

Then he said, "Keep an eye on Zheng Tuo. When need be, send his son's right hand to his room."

Chapter 387: Picking Up A Giant Snowball

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The investigation of the Ministry of Revenue made great progress. The officials of the three departments were pressed closer and closer to their goal. The Crown Prince's expression also became more and more boastful, and he would sigh occasionally when in conversation with Hu the Scholar. No one knew whether he was sighing about the purge that the Ministry of Revenue was facing or the stronger and stronger spring.

The description of rolling a snowball was appropriate. In Cangzhou, where there was snow year-round, the winter jackets of the tens of thousands of soldiers did not bring too much trouble for the Ministry of Revenue. But from there, traces could be followed to the capital and that led to other old incidences. All of the clues were gathered at the Ministry of Revenue.

The deficit became larger and larger. Qing Kingdom's wound, which the Ministry of Revenue officials had always carefully hidden, was bloodily torn apart and revealed for the officials to appreciate.

After the investigation unit went into the Palace to report, they increased the intensity of the investigation. At this point, even Hu the Scholar new that the Ministry of Revenue could not be protected anymore. If Fan Jian quickly resigned right now, the court might still leave the Fan manor some face for Fan Xian's sake. If this confrontation went on, it would not be as simple as Fan Jian losing his post.

Although Hu the Scholar and the civil officials were terrified by the Ministry of Revenue's deficit, they also did not wish the court to make too big of waves. They also did not want the temporarily balanced court to have some kind of slant. So, through some channels, they conveyed kindness to the Fan manor.

As long as Minister Fan personally asked to resign, Hu the Scholar and Shu the Scholar were willing to jointly guarantee his safety.

This was the only kindness of these officials. For Fan Jian, a veteran official who had followed the Emperor for almost 30 years, once he had decided on an idea, the response he made would be incredibly stubborn. The Fan manor expressed gratitude for the kindnesses the various manors secretly made, but as for the kindness themselves, Fan Jian himself still did not make any specific responses.

He had not entered the Palace crying and sobbing to the Emperor. He also did not submit his resignation. In fact, he was still ill at home, and his illness did not seem to be taking a turn for the better.

The officials knew that Minister Fan was not sick, and the Palace also knew. But, the Emperor did not send the royal doctors and eunuch Hong to check up on the Fan manor. Since the Palace that had not treated the Fan family fairly, the Palace tolerated Fan Jian's way of showing resentment through his illness.

In the following days, the Crown Prince sat in the Ministry of Revenue and watched the people below investigating. It forced Hu the Scholar to also personally come to watch. The investigating and the investigated were both quite tired.

On this day, the work of investigating the Ministry of Revenue made another breakthrough progress. The silver in the accounts did not match that in the national treasury. The huge amount of deficit pointed in four directions to four unremarkable officials.

Finally, they found specific people executing the orders and specific incidents of the deficit. Hearing this report, the Crown Prince's eyes lit up, but his expression remained very calm. He was thinking, If we follow these officials all the way up, will we not pen you into a dead end, Fan Jian? Wait until we trace it all the way to Jiangnan. The court will remember that 20 million liang of silver that was to Fan Xian's credit, but the corresponding crime would force Fan Xian to suffer all of the consequences!

When Hu the Scholar heard the names of the four officials, particularly the last one, his eyes also lit up. His expression remained calm. He thought Minister Fan's methods were truly very exquisite. It looked like he and Shu the Scholar's worries these days had been unnecessary.

The Crown Prince was young and did not have the same meticulousness of thought that Hu the Scholar had. He also did not have Hu the Scholar's ability to remember all that passed before his eyes, so he did not see the trap within. Under the mindset being able to successfully capture their enemy, he danced with joy and, without any thought to his reputation, ordered his officials to focus their attack on this problem.

Although the Minister of Appointments stood secretly on the side of the Eldest Princess and the Second Prince, in front of this positive situation and with the Crown Prince leading the way, he cheerfully joined in. He stood beside the Crown Prince and cheered. Although he didn't personally participate, his cheers rang out without stopping. Hu the Scholar watched from the side and smiled secretly.

…

…

The investigation of the Ministry of Revenue had reached a critical juncture. In the main hall, deep in the courtyard, the Crown Prince's proud laughter rang out. In his hand, he held the official's confession. With an imposing and tyrannical aura and a cold light growing gradually in his eyes, he forcefully questioned the Ministry of Revenue official in front of him.

"Speak! Where did the 400,000 liang of silver in this account go?"

It was deep into spring, and the weather had become hot. The wretched sixth-level official kneeling in front of the others was already soaked through with sweat, and the color of his official robes had become dark purple. Hearing the Crown Prince's strict yelling he wanted to cry but had no tears. He was only an agent, how could he know where the Minister had moved this cache of silver?

The Crown Prince saw the official's frightened state and glanced at him with irritation. He suddenly remembered his goal and softened his voice. "The move for this cache of coins was signed by you. You have to explain where this silver went next. The court's silver cannot just randomly be used like this."

This official could not stand the pressure of the questioning and stammered, "It was unfinished work left by the vice-director of Jiangzuo."

The Ministry of Revenue had seven departments, and each was managed by the director and the vice-director, fifth-level officials. The vice-director of Jiangzuo was Fang Li, a relatively high-level official in the Ministry of Revenue.

His name, along with the other three directors in the Ministry of Revenue, were targets the Crown Prince's investigating officials had already found. Today, they were to be questioned in court, so the Ministry of Revenue could no longer deny anything.

The Crown Prince was quite pleased with this sixth-level official's behavior, although his face remained dark. He said in a cold voice, "Go wait below and listen."

The official left the hall in a fluster and sullen. He didn't know what he was about to face."

"Send in the person called Fang Li."

The Crown Prince was in high-spirits and did not notice that his actions had already overstepped the regulations. In his ordering of people around, he did not consult the opinions of the nominal leading official, Hu the Scholar.

In a moment, that vice-director of the Ministry of Revenue, Fan Li, walked in. He bowed to the various officials standing around. His bearing was proud, and he did not seem to know what was about to happen.

The Crown Prince looked at this person's face and found his heart thudding. He felt he looked a bit familiar. He took a closer look and found that he seemed to have heard this official's name somewhere before.

Fan LI had already come into the hall, and the Crown Prince didn't have much time to think more. Hu the Scholar and Yan Hangshu still maintained a sly silence. They gave the entire stage to the Crown Prince and let him play on it alone.

The Crown Prince looked at the two officials beside him and huffed quietly thinking. In the future, this whole world would be his, what was it to question a few Ministry of Revenue officials? As long as it could implicate Fan Jian and connect all the deficits with the silver in Jiangnan…even if it looked ugly right now and damaged the dignity of the Eastern Palace, he could not worry about that right now.

He slammed the table and said in a cold voice, "Report your name and rank."

The Ministry of Revenue vice-director of Jiangzuo started, and his lip trembled slightly. His face was full of shock as he gazed at the Crown Prince. He had not expected that the Crown Prince would be so severe to him. His face flushed red. He raised his clasped hands with difficulty and said, "I am the Ministry of Revenue vice-director of Jiangzuo, Fang Li."

The Crown Prince frowned and had an Overwatch Council official hand over the file found a few days ago as well as the confession of the official who signed the silver transfer. He asked darkly, "Tell me, where did this 400,000 liang of silver go?"

Fang Li looked like he had been struck by lightning. He stared at the Crown Prince like an idiot, or perhaps…he stared like the Crown Prince was an idiot?

He stammered for a long time before he said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, I truly don't know."

The Crown Prince frowned with a look of worry for the country and its people. "Just saying you don't know…I'm afraid…won't be enough…"

Now Fang Li was truly stunned. Particularly when he heard the Crown Prince say "I'm afraid" with a twist, his heart dropped into an ice vault. He understood what he heard and saw. The Crown Prince not only forgot who Fang Li was, he had completely forgotten about the 400,000 liang.

He was sorrowful in his heart. He laughed self-deprecatingly and helplessly, after all this, what did he count as? He was just a small fry in the Ministry of Revenue. He had worked for the Crown Prince before and drunk with him at the same table. Why would the Crown Prince need to remember his normal and unremarkable face now?

What was that 400,000 liang for? That year, the Crown Prince liked women. He liked to spend money on women, repair gardens for women to play in, and reward his trusted aides. Who was the Crown Prince? He was the future master of the country. Eventually, all the money in the world was his. If he used it, he used it, why would he waste his thoughts to remember where it had come from?

Fang Li's mouth was dry. He stared speechlessly at the Crown Prince. He wished that the other party would be able to remember something to prevent this absurd and unbelievable situation from continuing and developing to a point of no return.

Unfortunately, the Crown Prince did not seem to notice the gaze of this Ministry of Revenue official.

The investigation work was still ongoing, and the vice-director of the Ministry of Revenue knew that this matter was too big. Once he spat out the truth in front of all the officials, it could not be taken back again. He determinedly gritted his teeth and refused to say another word.

The Crown Prince felt this was very strange. He frowned as he looked at the familiar looking official. He didn't understand where the other party got their daring from. The confession was before them yet he said not a word…was the other party…did they want to take all the blame for Fan Jian? Or, has there always been something more to this matter?

The long silent Minister of Appointment, Yan Hangshu, suddenly aggressively slammed the table and said severely, "This bastard sure is daring! Come! Drag him out and question him properly!"

He turned his head and asked, "Sir Hu, can corporal punishment be used?"

Hu the Scholar, who had been staring at the ants fighting in front of his shoes the entire time, seemed to only just realize what was happening. He opened his pair of listless eyes and said, "Ah? Use corporal punishment?"

The last word of "use corporal punishment" was said without much tone, and it wasn't clear whether it was a question or consent. Yan Hangshu impatiently raised his clasped hands and said, "All will be as you order."

An official of the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council took the order and prepared to go forward to drag out this stubbornly quiet vice-director. The stubbornly silent Fan Li heard that he was going to prison and the words "use corporal punishment." In his fear, he finally couldn't control his state of mind and gave a wretched cry, "I've been wronged. I was a graduate in the first year of the Qing calendar and became the vice-director in four years. It is all because of the power and might of the royal grace, how could I do such an illegal thing?"

This succession of sentences spewed forth, but he truly had some ability. In such a tense moment, he still only gazed at Hu the Scholar while he explained himself and refused to even glance at the Crown Prince.

When the always silent Yan Hangshu jumped out and suggested using corporal punishment, a sense of oddness deepened in the Crown Prince's heart. When he heard Fang Li's explanation, he felt a chill go down his back that pierced right to his bone.

A graduate in the first year of the Qing calendar? The son of the previous Director Guo of the Board of Rites, Guo Baokun, who had always had good relations with the Crown Prince was a graduate of the first year of the Qing calendar—Fang Li and Guo Baokun were the same year.

Countless memories resurfaced in the Crown Prince's mind. In a flash, he remembered many things. That year, because of Guo Baokun's recommendation, he had condescended to have had a meal with a low-level official of the Ministry of Revenue called Fang Li. Through the arrangements of the Eldest Princess, he had the other party receive two promotions in the Ministry of Revenue.

Later, the Crown Prince had hinted to Guo Baokun, and this trusted aide of his and Fang Li had secretly moved a cache of silver from the Ministry of Revenue for his own use.

Only, many years had passed, so no one knew where that cache of money had been spent. Guo Baokun had long died somewhere, and the Crown Prince had forgotten all about this matter and Fang Li. Who would have thought he would meet this person again while investigating the Ministry of Revenue?

Had…that 400,000 liang of silver flowed into his own pockets?

The Crown Prince's face was filled with shock as he watched Fang Li being dragged out of the hall by the Overwatch Council. A bitter taste rose in his mouth, and his chest began to tighten. He knew that this official could not be questioned by the three departments, otherwise, there would be a big problem. He understood that he had already made the stupidest mistake and could not let this mistake continue.

He glared fiercely at the Minister of Appointments, Yan Hangshu, who stood beside him with a slight smile on his face. He roared out, "Wait!"

The manor of the director of the Board of Rites, who had been knocked down by Fan Xian, was, in name, close to the Easter Palace. In reality, they were the Eldest Princess' trusted aids. The Crown Prince had discovered this the night His Highness recited poetry. Since the other party was the Eldest Princess' people, Yang Hangshu knew of the matter of him borrowing money from the Ministry of Revenue through Guo Baokun. The Crown Prince thought fiercely that it was fine that this old man hadn't reminded him, but he wanted to strike him while he was down.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Yan Hangshu gazed at him with a slight smile.

The Crown Prince was speechless for a moment. It was impossible to stop. He had single-handedly begun to investigate the case with great fanfare. In the end, he had implicated himself. How could he wrap this up?

He frowned and narrowed his eyes, "It looks like this official has something to say. It won't hurt to ask him first."

Yan Hangshu smiled and nodded his head. Hu the Scholar naturally also did not have any objections.

Fang Li, who had just narrowly escaped death, knew that the Crown Prince had finally remembered him and let out a big breath. When he met the Crown Prince's worried gaze, he knew that today's matter was truly difficult to handle.

A vicious thought flashed through the Crown Prince's mind. He suddenly remembered that Guo Baokun had long disappeared somewhere. As long as he, himself, refused to admit anything and found a way to have Fang Li keep his mouth closed, then he could wash himself clean.

Having thought through this point, he said with a warm expression, "Fang Li, think carefully before you tell us where this silver went. I am investigating this case by imperial edict, of course, I will not let go of a corrupt official, but…I will also not wrong a good official."

Hope flashed through Fang Li's eyes. He knew the Crown Prince was hinting to him to randomly accuse someone else. Since this 400,000 liang account had been dug out,, there was no way to close it in front of Hu the Scholar, Minister Yan, and the officials of the Supreme Court and Overwatch Council. He knew it could only be like this. He lowered his head. His eyes darted wildly as he made up his mind. He only had a moment of time, but he didn't know who to push it onto. After taking the money back then, he had secretly destroyed the accounts, but it was difficult to give this large amount of money another purpose.

Yan Hangshu glanced at the Crown Prince and sighed in his heart. He knew that the other party was preparing to sacrifice a pawn, and this pawn seemed to be prepared to be sacrificed. It was a little unexpected. How could such a useless individual such as the Crown Prince have made this low-level official, Fang Li, so obedient? It was clear that the Crown Prince had not recognized this person earlier.

He didn't understand that in Fang Li's heart, the Crown Prince was the one to inherit the throne one day. As long as he could survive this matter, he would always have a chance to turn his fortunes around. However…for 400,000 liang, why would the Emperor take pity on the life of a low-level vice-director? Fang Li had clearly not thought about this point.

…

…

Not letting Fang Li think for too long under the inspecting gazes of the hall of officials, a slightly tired voice had already helped him answer and resolve his dilemma. At the same time, it looped a chain around the Crown Prince's body.

"I recorded this transaction."

"That year the Board of Rites sent out orders because the Emperor had written an imperial edict to repair the buildings in various locations for the autumn examinations as well as the school residences, so he needed the Ministry of move money. Altogether there were 14 transactions for a total of 400,700 liang of silver."

"The silver had already been sent to the Board of Rites. They should have the receipts. However, I did not handle this matter myself. I will go check to make sure in a moment. It was all carried out according to the Qing law and court regulations. Please don't make things difficult for my poor subordinates."

"As for whether or not there is a problem with this cache of money, word just needs to be sent to the various provinces to see the conditions of the autumn examinations and school residences, and everything will be clear."

Minister Fan, who had been sick for many days, finally dragged his weak and ill body to the Ministry of Revenue yamen. He stood near the door and recounted each transaction weakly to the officials in the hall.

The official from the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council quickly went forward to help, while Hu the Scholar led Yan Hangshu and the investigating officials to quickly rise and bow. Although there were special investigation officials, not a single person dared to show a trace of disrespect.

This Minister of Revenue, who had led the Ministry of Revenue for nine years, defended his subordinate as well as explained word by word exactly where the silver had gone. As long as it was checked, the truth of this matter would come to light. The Crown Prince's face grew pale, and his eyes began to wander.