98. Chapter 98
"none"
Early the next morning, Chen Jinwen asked his steward to take the salt stored in other warehouses to the City God Temple. He himself, carrying the gold and silver he had prepared, went to the post station to pay the outstanding taxes.
Qi You set up his troops in front of the inn and counted the gold and silver. Chen Jinwen's initial anxiety and subsequent ease, even his ability to joke and chat, were all seen by the various people who came to gather information.
This move quietly shifted the tide of opinion in Yangzhou. Other salt merchants who owed taxes began to pay their taxes with salt and silver. Those who simply didn't have enough cash took their valuable jewelry boxes with them.
The items that had been handed over to the Ministry of Revenue and the treasury, and the jewelry that had been taken back, were another mess, and who knew who would get them. Qi You didn't take their jewelry, but gave them time to exchange it for gold, silver, and copper coins.
The officials who were refused entry yesterday looked as if they had not slept all night, with dark circles under their eyes and listless looks, as they all rushed to the post station.
This time, Qi You didn't stop them outside. He called them into the lobby one by one and talked to each of them for a few words.
Onlookers noticed that the officials were nervous before entering the room and looked pale when they emerged. Even familiar colleagues stopped exchanging pleasantries and, like frightened birds, plunged into their carriages and scattered.
Various news spread, and the most rampant one was that an official was about to get into trouble.
Cao Yin naturally kept a close eye on Qi You's movements at the post station. He was extremely anxious and busy dealing with Wang Qichang. At the same time, he was unraveling the matter in a state of anxiety.
The memorial written to Kangxi should appear in front of the imperial desk soon if it is sent at full speed.
Although the memorial was just an ordinary greeting, it was precisely because of this that we could see Kangxi's attitude.
It would be a good thing if Kangxi would review the memorial and return it, saying a few words casually, and everything would go back to normal.
Cao Yin could not sleep well until he received the memorial from Kangxi.
As for Qi You, Cao Yin had already seen clearly that he would definitely turn the salt industry in Lianghuai and even the officialdom in Jiangnan upside down and thoroughly rectify them.
The Cao family must not capsize in this stormy situation, and must be cautious in every step.
No matter how hard he thought about it, no matter how thoroughly he thought about it, Cao Yin was still in a state of panic. Moreover, he couldn't see clearly at all, and he couldn't predict Qi You's next move.
What exactly did Qi You say to the officials?
Did the salt merchants surrender?
Cao Yin dared to challenge Ashan, but he could not fight all the salt merchants. If they fought to the death, the Cao family would be in great trouble.
The more he thought about it, the more impatient he became. Cao Yin quickly handed over the matters at hand to his subordinates and hurried to the post station.
The sun was setting, the sky was a sea of red, and a faint red light flickered on the cold gun barrel of the guard at the door.
The ingots of silver and gold in the box were also covered with a layer of light.
Dazzling and chilling.
The scene before me seemed like an absurd dream, gorgeous and loud, yet strangely desolate.
Cao Yin stood there, looking a little dazed and feeling sad for a moment.
"The pagoda remains even after the monk's death, the flowers on the old tree are gone. Although the worldly affairs are unpredictable, my life has its limits." This poem "Traveling in the Mountains" by Lu You inexplicably emerged in my mind.
Li Guangdi was talking to Qi You. Seeing Cao Yin standing there motionless, he whispered, "Your Highness, Cao Ziqing is here."
Qi You looked up and said after a moment: "He's here. It's already evening, and his concentration is still okay."
Li Guangdi smiled apologetically, thought for a moment, and then stepped forward. Cao Yin came back to his senses, and the two of them clasped their fists in greeting. Cao Yin asked, "Is your Highness done with your work?"
Li Guangdi replied, "The silver has been counted, and we just need to check the account books carefully again."
Cao Yin's eyes swept over the boxes of gold and silver and he said dryly, "Your Highness, you don't take so much silver seriously and just leave it lying there. Your Highness truly has the demeanor of a great general!"
Li Guangdi smiled and said, "Your Majesty's demeanor is beyond words. But those who dare to come and rob tax silver are probably rebelling. I see you are tired too. Come in and have a cup of tea."
Cao Yin forced a smile and stepped forward to greet Qi You: "Your Majesty, the matter with the Wang family is almost done. I came to report to you."
Qi You thanked them for their hard work and said, "You guys go into the house first, I'll be right here."
Cao Yin responded respectfully, and entered the hall with Li Guangdi, sitting down at the eight-immortal table where they usually sat.
The waiter brought tea and snacks. Li Guangdi waved him off, picked up the kettle and poured two cups of tea, handed one to Cao Yin, and said, "I don't usually pay much attention to tea, and neither does Your Majesty. The post station manager was worried that we wouldn't have enough to eat, so he went to the tea shop and bought some of this year's Mingqian tea. When Your Majesty heard about it, he gave the manager some silver. Mingqian tea is expensive, so how could Your Majesty let a post station manager pay for it out of his own pocket? I heard that the Cao family usually pays attention to food, and they value elegance the most. The Biluochun from Jiangning is a tribute. I wonder if Your Majesty can get used to the tea at this post station."
The tea in the tea bowl is relatively clear, but the shape of the tea leaves is a little lacking, with uneven leaves, some large and some small.
Mingqian is Mingqian, and Mingqian tea also has different qualities. Cao Yin only needed to take a glance to know that this bowl of Mingqian tea was just of medium to low quality.
The implicit meaning of Li Guangdi's words was that Qi You was not particular about trivial matters and did not compromise on ostentation and enjoyment.
Cao Yin felt ashamed and even more uneasy. The Cao family's wealth and reputation were renowned, even greater than that of the prince. Unable to argue, he thanked the man and took a couple of sips from his teacup.
The tea had a faint bitter taste that spread throughout his mouth. Cao Yin put down the teacup, thought for a moment, and made up his mind. He said sincerely, "Lord Li, please tell me the truth. What exactly does the prince intend to do?"
Li Guangdi raised an eyebrow in surprise and said frankly, "Look at what Lord Cao is asking. It's really hard for me to answer! Your Highness has accepted the errand entrusted by the Emperor, so of course you have to complete it well. Lord Cao has been here for many years and should understand the difficulties better than anyone else. No matter how difficult it is, it must be done. Eat the emperor's salary, and be loyal to the emperor."
Cao Yin felt even more depressed after hearing this. Li Guangdi's words were very precise and impolite.
Although it was not stated explicitly, it was pointed out that even though he was receiving Kangxi's salary, the Lianghuai Salt Administration was still in a mess. This was due to his negligence and his idleness.
Cao Yin no longer had any appetite for tea. He looked depressed and stared at the tea bowl lid in his hand.
Seeing this, Li Guangdi said nothing and drank his tea leisurely.
After a while, Qi You entered the room. Cao Yin shot up like a straight sword, startling Li Guangdi who was standing opposite him.
Qi You took the hot cloth handed to him by De Gao and wiped his hands and face, then said casually, "Please sit down, no need to be polite."
After Cao Yin thanked him, he sat down. Li Guangdi was just reaching out to grab the teapot, but he quickly snatched it away.
Li Guangdi raised his eyelids and took a look, then turned his hand to the snack plate next to him, picked up a piece of green tea pastry and ate it slowly.
Qi You accepted the tea from Cao Yin, nodded in thanks, took two sips, and began to pick at the snacks on the table. He saw Li Guangdi eating a green tea pastry, so he picked one up and ate it, saying to Cao Yin, "Eat some too. It doesn't matter if it suits your taste or not, just eat your fill first."
Cao Yin didn't understand what Qi You meant, so when he heard Qi You say this, he picked up a piece and took a small bite.
The green tea pastry was sweeter than the ones he usually ate, and was almost inedible. Cao Yin forced himself to eat two pieces.
After finishing his snack, Qi You drank another half bowl of tea, exhaled, and said, "The tax and silver issue has come to an end. I can finally take a break."
Cao Yin suddenly looked up at Qi You, unable to understand the meaning of his words for a moment.
Now that the tax and silver issue has come to an end, will Qi You return to the capital to report, and will the officialdom in Jiangnan and Lianghuai come to an end?
Cao Yin had a hunch that the situation was not that simple, as the officials at the salt field had not yet been dealt with.
As expected, Qi You looked at him and said solemnly, "After the Wang family's affairs are dealt with, the next thing to do is to deal with the officials involved. Especially those at the salt works, they colluded with each other and committed embezzlement, which is truly heinous. They are now under the supervision of the military camp. You will go and take over. You must handle this case well and restore peace to the people of Lianghuai!"
Cao Yin opened his mouth, then finally lowered his head and agreed.
Qi You stared at Cao Yin and continued, "Officials from Yangzhou came to see me earlier, and I spoke with them. You're probably dying to know what I said. I have nothing to hide from you. I told them that anyone who took bribes should immediately return the money to the Ministry of Revenue and the national treasury. There are so many officials involved, not just in Yangzhou, but also in Jiangning, Suzhou, and other places. After you've dealt with the salt fields, you can deal with the officials involved in the salt business one by one."
Cao Yin felt a chill on his back when he heard this, and his hands under the table trembled uncontrollably.
It’s here, it’s finally here! After dealing with the salt merchants, it’s finally the turn of the Jiangnan officials!
Suddenly he understood what Qi You meant when he asked him to eat more snacks.
If he were asked to deal with the officials with whom the Cao family had daily dealings and complicated relationships, the Cao family would have offended countless people. How could he still eat?
Qi You took a sip of tea, sighed, and softened his tone. He seemed very understanding and said, "It's not enough just for you. As the governor of Liangjiang, Ashan has to contribute. How about this? You go find him and he can help you."
Cao Yin tried his best to calm himself and said, "Your Highness, I know there must be officials involved, but where is the evidence? I dare not compete with Your Highness. I can't just tell them to obey with just one word. Hurry and pay the fine! Besides, Lord Ashan is a high-ranking official. How can he obey my orders? I'm afraid he will need the Emperor's personal order."
Li Guangdi, sitting on the side, couldn't help but glance at Cao Yin. His words were full of meaning, saying that Qi You had no right to order A Shan to do anything.
Looking at Qi You again, he looked calm. Li Guangdi breathed a sigh of relief and continued to sit quietly.
Qi You called Degao and gave him a few instructions. Soon, Degao went into the backyard and came out holding a box.
Qi You took the box, opened it, took out an account book from it, and threw it in front of Cao Yin: "Take a look."
Li Guangdi saw that the thick account book was unfamiliar, and like Cao Yin, his heart skipped a beat and he stared at the account book.
Cao Yin subconsciously felt something was wrong. He was stunned for a moment, picked up the account book and took a look, his face turning pale.
The names of officials recorded in the account book can almost cover all the officials in Yangzhou government, plus a few from Jiangning Prefecture.
Not only the Cao family is above, but also Ashan.
Qi You said: "Take this and go find Ashan."
Cao Yin felt cold and hot all over.
Since Qi You has the account book, he must have other evidence. If you want to quibble, just look at what happened to the Wang family.
From another perspective, since Qi You has handed this matter over to him, whether Ashan and others can get themselves out of it depends on their actions in this matter.
Cao Yin reluctantly felt relieved, holding the account book tightly in his hand, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
Qi You gave him such a good opportunity, this time he will definitely make Ashan suffer a lot!
Li Guangdi noticed Cao Yin's changing expression, then looked at Qi You and couldn't help but feel more admiration for him.
Qi You had earlier reassured him not to worry about the other officials, and he hadn't been speaking without reason. Either he had a backup plan, or he had foresight.
Let Cao Jia and Ashan, the two confidants of the emperor, fight each other, and let them deal with their subordinates and confidants personally.
Qi You's move was truly brilliant. Li Guangdi felt so happy that he wanted to have a few drinks.
Qi You said to Cao Yin, "You must count the silver they spit out and keep a good account of it."
Cao Yin had no other choice but to mutter, "Your Highness, if they are unwilling to give it, it will probably take some time. Please be patient and wait."
Qi You said nonchalantly, "It's okay. We'll take as much as we can. If you don't give, we'll deal with you according to the law."
Cao Yin was stunned and nodded in agreement. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Your Highness, there are too many officials involved in this incident. If we want to deal with them all according to the law, we need the imperial court's approval. Also, if we arrest them all, the government office will be empty."
That's right, if all the officials are arrested, there will be no one left to work in the government office. When Li Guangdi heard this, he looked at Qi You with worry in his eyes.
Qi You said calmly, "Raise the banner of recruiting soldiers, and there will be soldiers to serve and eat the food. Back then, Emperor Wanli did not attend court for decades, and there was no one serving in the government. Now it's only vacant for a few days, and it can save the court a lot of salary."
The more you talk, the more mistakes you make. Anyway, the decision wasn't his, so Qi You would be held responsible if anything went wrong. Plus, the Cao family was also inside, so Cao Yin didn't dare to say anything more and stood up to leave.
As soon as Cao Yin walked out of the door, Li Guangdi couldn't wait to ask, "Your Highness, are you really going to arrest all the offenders? If they join forces, I'm afraid the emperor won't agree!"
Qi You smiled and asked, "Sir Li, the imperial examination just ended this year. You are in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, so you should know better than anyone how many people in the capital are waiting to be appointed as officials."
Li Guangdi's eyes suddenly widened. Why didn't he think of this!
The current situation of the imperial court is that there is no shortage of officials, only a shortage of official positions!
Even so, Li Guangdi was still worried when he thought about the fact that they had never been officials. He said, "There are many people waiting to be officials in the capital. It's okay to start as a county magistrate, but if they are suddenly assigned to a position like a prefect, can they do well?"
Qi You's smile widened, and with a hint of sarcasm, he asked, "Master Li, there are many people who have risen to the position of prefect or governor right after entering the government. Look at the resumes of Cao Yin and Ashan. They can do it well. What can't others who have passed the imperial examination do? In any case, they all have to be good people first, then do things. When it comes to writing memorials and official letters, if they don't have their advisors or attendants to do it for them, and do it themselves, they will definitely not be able to compete with this group of scholars."
Neither Ashan nor Cao Yin had ever taken the imperial examination, but that did not prevent them from rising to prominence.
The responsibilities of the government offices today are limited to the following: education, education, public security, and tax collection. Local development, infrastructure, and other matters are not within their scope of assessment.
For those who were able to pass the imperial examination and become an official, at least writing official letters and doing things according to laws and regulations was much easier than writing eight-legged essays.
Qi You's words were rather polite. To be an official, one must first be a good person. Being a good person is not easy. One must have connections above them. It would be best if one could reach the emperor directly. If one could become Kangxi's confidant, one could achieve the highest position in the government.
Li Guangdi thought about the careers of powerful officials. He had worked hard all his life, experienced ups and downs, and thought he had a successful career. But when compared with them, he felt that he was far behind.
Thinking of this, Li Guangdi's expression darkened, and he said, "I was thinking too much."
After a moment of silence, Qi You said, "Sir Li, the Ministry of Personnel is busy, and the candidates in the capital are still waiting for you. Please pack up and escort some of the tax silver back to the capital. The candidates are probably getting impatient, so go back and talk to them properly, telling them the truth about Yangzhou. And while you're at it, try to wake them up and tell them to be good officials."
Li Guangdi was stunned, and suddenly looked at Qi You in surprise. Meeting his calm gaze, he slowly lowered his head.
Qi You never lied, and when he took one step forward, he always looked three steps ahead. He must have anticipated that Kangxi, in order to maintain stability, would not allow the Jiangnan officialdom to become chaotic, nor would he allow the government offices to remain vacant.
Only scholars and those waiting for official positions wish that all official positions would be vacant.
Once they knew that the officials in Yangzhou and even Jiangnan were corrupt, and that so many vacancies, and lucrative ones at that, were left, they would immediately start a riot if Kangxi did not deal with them.
The Jiangnan region was a wealthy land, and countless officials at court were watching closely. With their support, Kangxi had no choice but to agree.
Li Guangdi pondered for a moment, then sighed and said, "I only hope that after a few years, they will still remember their initial enthusiasm."
Qi You did not answer, nor could he answer.
Relying solely on morality is far from enough, and this is where the importance of the legal system lies.
Talking about the rule of law at this moment is like telling a joke.
As an emperor, Kangxi was a highly centralized ruler, and it was he who took the lead in destroying the poor legal framework of the Qing Dynasty.
Li Guangdi lamented that even if a wave of officials in Jiangnan was replaced, the old ways would return after two years.
The system is like this, the substance remains the same in a new bottle.
Qi You was discouraged for a moment, but soon cheered up again.
Once the salt tax was changed, the Ministry of Revenue had money, and the issue of increasing officials' salaries could be implemented quickly, allowing them to maintain integrity through high salaries.
After returning to the capital, the fire consumption issue will be resolved. Officials will be burdened with fewer levies, which will give them fewer reasons to commit crimes, and the people will benefit.
Meanwhile, just days after Li Guangdi left Yangzhou, Qi You was drafting a plan to reissue salt tickets when an urgent letter from Kangxi, thicker than the resumes of all the officials involved, arrived.
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