Chapter 57 Summoning Qin Chuan
The room was quiet.
Qin Xiao leaned back against the soft couch, placing Chu Jiubian's legs between his lower back and the backrest.
Chu Jiubian glanced at his legs, then looked up at Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao was also looking at him, his expression calm.
"The last caravan that transported fine salt from the Qiu family hasn't returned yet, but since they control the canal, transporting goods is both fast and convenient. I imagine another batch should be back this month," Qin Xiao said casually.
Chu Jiubian stood up, pulled his leg back from behind him, and sat cross-legged.
“Wine is better when it’s aged, but I don’t have that much good wine right now.” He was sitting opposite Qin Xiao and asked, “I’ve always wondered why the canal transport business ended up in the hands of the Qiu family?”
The construction of canals and waterways in Da Ning began during the reign of Emperor Taizu. In addition, the imperial family of the previous dynasty spent a lot of money and resources to build and open up many waterways.
Therefore, by today's standards, the conditions for canal transport in Daning can be described as excellent.
The canal is extensive, connecting the north and south.
Not only did it facilitate trade between the north and south, but it also enabled the rapid and large-scale transport of supplies during wartime, demonstrating the crucial role of the canal.
Why would the imperial court delegate such an important project and such a lucrative "business" to aristocratic families?
"This is all thanks to the elder of the Qiu family, Qiu Hongkuo," Qin Xiao said.
Chu Jiubian knew this person.
Qiu Heng, the Minister of Justice, and Qiu Xuanzheng, the head of the Qiu family, are brothers. One fights in the imperial court, while the other manages the family.
But in reality, neither of them were the true heads of the Qiu family.
The one who truly made the decisions was their elder brother, Qiu Hongkuo.
This person has a leg ailment and is unable to walk properly. He rarely appears in public, and Chu Jiubian had never seen him before.
Qin Xiao said, "During the reign of Emperor Wuzong, the head of the Qiu family was Qiu Hongkuo's father, who was also the Minister of Revenue at the time. However, Qiu Hongkuo himself had grown into a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy by then, and it would not be an exaggeration to call him a genius."
However, this man disliked the imperial court and preferred traveling as a merchant, so he always went out with merchant caravans.
Later, after injuring his leg, he turned his attention from the vast world to the imperial court.
At that time, Emperor Wuzong was on the throne, and he spent more than half the year on war campaigns, which exhausted the people and wasted resources. The court was unable to support him to continue fighting.
But at this time, Qiu Hongkuo proposed to his father that the Qiu family take over the military pay.
"The Qiu family's wealth was indeed comparable to that of a nation, which was no exaggeration. They did indeed solve Emperor Wuzong's worries, and they never complained." Qin Xiao recalled the old stories his grandfather told him, and said, "Emperor Wuzong therefore favored and trusted the Qiu family, and even felt somewhat guilty towards them."
"After recovering the southern border and other places, Emperor Wuzong thought that he should stop fighting for the time being and give the people a chance to restore their livelihoods."
"In order to make up for the silver spent by the Qiu family, Emperor Wuzong specially set up a special 'Grand Canal Transport Office' to manage the Grand Canal transport, and selected the then Minister of Revenue, who was Qiu Hongkuo's father, to serve as the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner."
After that, Emperor Chengzong and Emperor Yingzong succeeded to the throne, each more absurd and incompetent than the last, so no one bothered with these "trivial matters".
It can be said that these two emperors bear an unshirkable responsibility for the four great families' complete control of the court.
Chu Jiubian frowned and said, "So, since then, the matter of the Grand Canal has always been in the hands of the Qiu family?"
“That’s right.” Qin Xiao nodded. “The current Grand Canal Transport Commissioner is Qiu Shan, an elder of the Qiu family.”
The Grand Canal Commissioner not only possessed power, but also amassed enormous profits.
Today, the canal is still under the jurisdiction of a single canal transport authority, and there are no taxes or restrictions on different goods and loads. It can be said that apart from providing convenience for official and merchant ships, the canal has no other "profit-making projects".
Leaving aside the official ships of the imperial court, the merchant ships of those merchants who wanted to travel smoothly on the canal absolutely had to bribe the officials in charge of the canal transport.
These must have involved countless transactions of profit, and it's impossible to verify how much the Qiu family benefited from them.
"You want to take back the power of the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner?" Chu Jiu asked.
When Qin Xiao brought up the canal transport, it couldn't have been a casual conversation; he must have had some plan in mind.
"Yes." Qin Xiao didn't keep them in suspense. "This year, several provinces in the north and south suffered from disasters. The imperial court exempted taxes for three years. In addition, there were the ships borrowed from Hexi County, as well as the expenses for the imperial examinations and raising troops. There was no expense that was free."
The national treasury could indeed make a considerable profit from fine salt.
However, the areas where money is needed are still increasing, so we still need to find ways to continue to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.
Since ancient times, the simplest way to replenish the national treasury has been to confiscate property, but Qin Xiao has no way to confiscate property from anyone right now, so he can only turn his attention to the canal transport.
If a tax system for the canal could be established, it would be an extremely profitable industry.
However, before that, the management of the Grand Canal must be returned to the imperial court.
Chu Jiubian was also familiar with the canal transport system of Da Ning, and upon hearing this, he asked, "What do you want to do?"
“I want to manage the canal in sections,” Qin Xiao said.
Chu Jiubian raised his eyebrows: "That's a good idea."
The canal is so long that it almost runs through the north and south, and also branches out in the southwest and southeast directions, forming a well-connected river transport system.
Previously, the Grand Canal Transport Office was established in counties and prefectures that were more suitable for transit, but all of them were under the management of the Grand Canal Transport Office.
What Qin Xiao wanted to do was to turn these sub-commissions into independent agencies, each responsible for a section of the river.
The relevant section of the canal was assigned to the canal transport department responsible for that section, with different "canal governors" appointed to avoid one person being in charge of the entire process.
At the same time, a Grand Canal Transport Commissioner should be appointed in the imperial court to oversee the work of these sub-commissions.
With all of the above in place, the Qiu family's power could be divided, and the grain transport system could be returned to the imperial court.
In addition, the imperial court would issue decrees ordering merchant ships to pay different levels of taxes on different sections of the river. They would also need to apply for specific documents specifying the quantity of goods, the amount of tax to be paid, the departure date of the merchant ship, and the expected return date, etc.
In this process, personal connections and favors are certainly involved in every little detail. But if the water is too clear, there will be no fish. People below must be able to eat well so that they can better serve the court.
As long as things don't get too out of hand and the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner doesn't find out, the imperial court can turn a blind eye.
If someone really pushes their luck, then Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian can make an example of them to warn others.
"These river governors must be our own people. Where are we going to find them?" Chu Jiubian asked.
The imperial examinations haven't started yet, and talented people are still on their way. This process will take at least three months, and by then it will be November.
Even after recruiting people, he still needs to provide further training and personally observe and learn about their character.
Given this lengthy process, it's estimated that it won't be until after the new year.
However, the imperial court was in a hurry to use the money, and Qin Xiao proposed to change the canal transport system, which would certainly not take that long.
“I’ve seen the list of candidates for the imperial examinations in Southern Zhili. There are quite a few scholars who already have some reputation.” Qin Xiao had obviously thought everything through. “I’ll ask Wei Yi to screen them more carefully and send someone to investigate the backgrounds of those scholars. If they are suitable, I’ll let them enter officialdom without taking the exams.”
Chu Jiubian's heart skipped a beat.
Entering officialdom without taking an exam is no small matter.
However, it seems there is no better way than this.
Wei Yi, the Governor-General of Southern Zhili, was Qin Xiao's man, and he was indeed able to handle this task well for him.
Chu Jiubian suddenly had a thought.
Wei Yi will definitely investigate those students thoroughly, but this is a good opportunity for Chu Jiubian.
He hadn't dared to use the card that belonged to Qin Chuan because he didn't know how to gain Qin Chuan's trust and could only wait for the right opportunity.
Now that the time is right, he can summon Qin Chuan and ask him to go to Southern Zhili to help investigate the true character of those students.
Qin Chuan has a large number of subordinates in charge of the martial arts world and a secret intelligence network, so investigating these matters is "a matter of expertise".
Most importantly, the other party will definitely know that Qin Xiao asked Wei Yi to investigate those students.
The High Priest and Qin Xiao are investigating the same matter and have the same goal, so doesn't that mean the High Priest might be helping Qin Xiao?
Even so, Qin Chuan might not fully believe in the High Priest.
But with this preconceived notion, he would definitely prioritize thinking that the High Priest and Qin Xiao had the same "goal" in whatever happened afterward.
Trust will be cultivated unconsciously.
Chu Jiubian's thoughts raced.
Qin Chuan is a good card, but also a dangerous one.
If the time comes to truly confront Qin Xiao in the future, Chu Jiubian will decide whether or not to use Qin Chuan depending on the situation. However, for now, he only needs to reveal his existence to Qin Chuan.
There was also his fifth follower, Lu Yao, the god-like figure who never slept or spaced out.
The other party was not a famous student. Not only did the four great families and various forces not pay attention to him, but even Qin Xiao only sent one bodyguard to protect him.
Compared to Tan Yuzhu of Baxian County, who was protected by eight secret guards, she was far inferior.
In other words, only Chu Jiubian knows that the other party's intelligence level is 200%, but he still can't contact the other party, which won't do.
Therefore, he planned to have Qin Chuan personally protect Lu Yao.
It would be best to find another way to get this divine being to take a nap so he can pull people into the divine realm.
Chu Jiubian quickly thought everything through, but on the surface, he only seemed to be deep in thought about the canal transport, so Qin Xiao didn't notice anything amiss.
"What about the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner?" Chu Jiubian looked at Qin Xiao again and asked, "This kind of official position should at least be a second-rank official."
The position of Grand Canal Transport Commissioner was a high-ranking and powerful official with significant responsibilities.
Therefore, a minister who is upright and pure is needed, preferably a loyal minister, and who is also capable.
Ideally, the other party should have a certain background and influence, which would give them the confidence to oppose others, thus ensuring the proper oversight.
Without even thinking about it, Chu Jiubian immediately thought of someone who was the perfect fit.
Qin Xiao looked at him with a smile: "Does the young master have someone he likes?"
When their eyes met, Chu Jiubian knew that they had thought of the same thing.
"Who has taken a fancy to this time, sir?" he asked with a smile.
Qin Xiao said, "The Censorate is responsible for supervision, so it is reasonable for it to also serve as the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner."
Chu Jiubian nodded: "That's what I meant too."
The Imperial Censor Qi Zhili is an upright and incorruptible man, and with Jiang Shuoye, the commander of the Northern Desert Army, backing him, he is truly an excellent candidate.
Thinking of Jiang Shuoye, Chu Jiubian suddenly asked Qin Xiao as if possessed, "What do you think of Jiang Chifeng as a person?"
Qin Xiao thought for a moment and said, "I have never met him before, but I have heard that he is a fierce general with excellent martial arts and strategy. He is a born general."
"Aren't you afraid of him?" Chu Jiubian asked again, his eyes fixed on the man in front of him.
Qin Xiao met his gaze without flinching and said, "The people of the northern desert have not seen any war in the past eight years."
This one sentence alone shows that he trusted Jiang Shuoye and the Northern Desert Army.
No matter how powerful the Northern Desert Army is, at least for now, the Northern Desert Army, led by Jiang Shuoye, is protecting the people very well, and that's enough.
Chu Jiubian had assumed that Chu Jiubian would mention that there were former generals of the Qin family army in the Mobei army, so he believed that the general who could subdue the Mobei army must be a good general who served the country and the people.
Unexpectedly, Qin Xiao's concern was for the common people.
It's the common people again.
Chu Jiubian stared at Qin Xiao, trying to see even the slightest hint of hypocrisy or other emotion in his eyes, but he couldn't discern anything.
He didn't see any trace of "acting" in Qin Xiao.
Chu Jiubian was somewhat confused.
When he was in Hexi County, he thought Qin Xiao genuinely cared about the people.
But then he thought that perhaps Qin Xiao was just putting on an act for him. As the cruel villain designated by the author in the book, what was most important to him was power and status.
But now, he felt that Qin Xiao seemed to genuinely care about the people and truly care about the country and its people...
Chu Jiubian was somewhat confused. The tinnitus rang out again, piercing his eardrums and causing a stinging pain in the veins on his neck.
Qin Xiao noticed that his eyes were somewhat vacant, and his heart skipped a beat.
“Chu Jiubian.” He reached out and grasped the young man’s left wrist, applying a little force.
Chu Jiubian blinked slowly, his pupils refocusing.
"You—" Qin Xiao was about to say something when Chu Jiubian interrupted him, "Guess which ear I have tinnitus in?"
Qin Xiao paused, then asked, "The right ear?"
Chu Jiubian immediately laughed: "You guessed right, here's a reward for you."
As he spoke, he took out a piece of candy, leaned slightly forward, and used his free right hand to put the grape-flavored candy into Qin Xiao's mouth.
Then he ate one himself, and it also tasted like grapes.
At that moment, the taste on their lips became identical.
Qin Xiao lightly rubbed the candy in his mouth with the tip of his tongue, his gaze sweeping over the young man's moist lips, seemingly casually.
Chu Jiubian noticed that Qin Xiao's fingertips were gently stroking the inside of his wrist.
He looked down, and Qin Xiao followed his gaze.
The young man's wrists were smooth and fair. Because he had been eating well recently, he had gained a little weight, so they didn't feel rough to the touch; instead, they were quite soft.
"Your magic power has been restored?" Qin Xiao asked.
Chu Jiubian was taken aback, and then almost couldn't help but laugh.
Why does Qin Xiao still remember the lie he made up on the spur of the moment?
Seeing his half-smile, Qin Xiao couldn't help but curl his lips and say, "What about other places?"
"What?"
Qin Xiao's gaze fell on the young man's chest.
Today was a day off, and the other person was wearing a pure white robe with a slightly disheveled collar, revealing a white undergarment underneath.
Qin Xiao still remembered the first time he saw the other person wearing his inner clothes, with bloodstains on his chest like red plum blossoms, and the collar slightly open, revealing a few messy scars on his fair skin.
Chu Jiubian raised his hand and touched his chest, vaguely remembering that there seemed to be such a thing.
His long eyelashes fluttered slightly as he looked at the man and asked, "Do you want to see?"
Qin Xiao stared at him for a long time, then withdrew his hand and said, "Shall we go for a walk?"
This should be a simple invitation, and taking a stroll around would be perfect for having dinner at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
"Okay," Chu Jiubian agreed.
After the two walked out of the palace, Qin Xiao asked again, "Why did you ask me to guess which ear you had tinnitus just now?"
“If you guess right, something good will happen,” Chu Jiu argued.
With a strong sweet taste in his mouth, Qin Xiao said in a low voice, "Indeed."
==
That night, Chu Jiubian summoned Jiang Shuoye into the Divine Realm once again.
The other party is now familiar with the ways, and this time they didn't jump off on their own, but finally got on the Golden Phoenix "express train".
When he entered the Divine Realm last time, he saw that Wang Qichen had arrived riding a golden phoenix.
Although the opponent wasn't exactly a master, he was skilled in light-footed martial arts and wouldn't get hurt even if he jumped from a height.
So the golden phoenix was originally meant to guide believers, but he jumped down directly in the first place, which is why he missed it for so long.
Jiang Shuoye jumped off Jin Feng and bowed to the High Priest.
Chu Jiubian responded indifferently, "Sit down."
Jiang Shuoye agreed, walked to the table, and saw that the chair to the left of the seat he had sat in last time had changed.
Pale purple, and swaying flower branches.
Chu Jiubian had already figured out his personality and preferences quite well, and as soon as he walked to his seat, a thought struck him.
Jiang Shuoye was about to sit down when he noticed that the chair in front of him had changed.
The white jade gradually reveals a hint of emerald green, and then a pine tree, as if carved from jade, appears on the back of the chair, verdant and upright.
Jiang Shuoye's eyes brightened slightly. He raised his hand and gently stroked the pine tree. Its warm, jade-like texture blended seamlessly with the seat, a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
It truly deserves to be called a divine object.
Fearing he might delay the High Priest's business, he didn't linger to admire the scene. After only a couple of breaths, he sat down and looked up to ask, "High Priest, did you summon me here for any instructions?"
"This is a gift for you; take it and use it to make steel." After Chu Jiu finished speaking, three large boxes appeared on the table in front of Jiang Shuoye, each filled to the brim with silver.
Jiang Shuo had been stingy for many years, and he almost didn't react when he suddenly saw so much silver.
After regaining his senses, he quickly got up to express his gratitude.
Chu Jiubian remained silent, waiting for Jiang Shuoye to ask a question.
However, the other party did not ask where the silver came from. Only after picking up a piece of silver and examining it did he say with some concern, "High Priest, this is all government silver."
"Um."
"To be honest, High Priest," Jiang Shuoye said, "Ever since your name spread throughout the northern deserts, people have been coming to inquire about you, but none of them have come up with any clues. However, if this government silver is used, it may bring you trouble."
There are some differences between official silver and silver that circulates among the people.
Silver circulating among the common people can be cut into pieces of different sizes while retaining its original ingot shape. However, official silver is different; it is mostly used for business transactions under the jurisdiction of the imperial court.
For example, the salt and iron trade used official silver, and the huge amounts of gold and silver hidden in the treasuries of the four great families were also official silver.
It's hard not to suspect when such a large amount of government funds are spent.
Chu Jiubian didn't seem to mind and said, "It's alright."
Let whoever wants to investigate go ahead. His biggest worry was that Qin Xiao would discover his relationship with the High Priest. As for the others, Chu Jiubian never took them seriously.
After all, the High Priest's purpose in gathering believers was not to deal with others, but to fight against Qin Xiao when necessary.
But now the situation in the capital is in complete chaos, and Qin Xiao has never given up investigating his relationship with the High Priest. So he decided not to pretend to be ignorant and let Qin Xiao find out that they were indeed related.
However, this relationship cannot be "the same person".
"If anyone asks, it wouldn't hurt to reveal some details about my relationship with the Divine Lord," Chu Jiu argued.
Jiang Shuoye lowered his eyes and replied yes.
The high priest had previously mentioned his relationship with the Grand Tutor Chu in the capital, saying that they were inseparable.
The silver in front of us must have been given by Grand Tutor Chu to the High Priest.
"High Priest, I have another question."
"What is it?"
Jiang Shuoye looked up at the enormous phantom of the god and asked solemnly, "Does this subordinate need to recruit soldiers?"
Chu Jiubian raised his eyebrows, his eyes revealing a hint of appreciation.
Before he could say anything, he simply gave him more opportunities to go to the steel mill and revealed his relationship with "Grand Tutor Chu." Jiang Shuoye had already guessed what would happen next.
To become the commander-in-chief of an army at such a young age is truly remarkable.
“Not for now,” Chu Jiu argued.
That might be needed in the future.
Jiang Shuoye understood and accepted the order to leave the Divine Realm.
==
A few more days passed, and it was August 23rd.
The west courtyard of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The rain of the past few days has stopped, and the moonlight is very bright tonight. Even without lighting an oil lamp, you can see the furnishings in the house through the open window.
It was already late at night.
Qin Xiao stood by the window, gazing at the silver moon in the sky through the wide-open window.
A few steps behind him, Qin Chaoyang reported, "Sir, news from the northern desert has just arrived."
He watched Qin Xiao's retreating figure, his tone somewhat cautious: "The batch of official silver you gave to the young master did indeed appear in the Northern Desert, and it came from General Chi Feng."
This incident is enough to prove that Chu Jiubian and Yu Mobei are indeed in contact.
The connection with that mysterious "High Priest" is even more complicated; perhaps the young master is that High Priest.
Qin Chaoyang's back was drenched in cold sweat, and he was filled with extreme fear.
The capital city is a few days' journey from the northern desert. During this time, the young master has not left the capital city, nor has he had any contact with anyone they do not know.
Therefore, it was impossible for Chu Jiubian to send the silver to the northern desert.
So the silver had mysteriously ended up in the northern desert. Thinking back to how Chu Jiubian had transported grain to Hexi County and the southern border out of thin air, Qin Chaoyang was filled with emotion.
Supernatural powers!
Young master, you are truly amazing!
The room was quiet, and Qin Xiao remained silent.
Qin Chaoyang looked up and saw the man standing by the window, his figure bathed in moonlight, creating a stark contrast with the dimness inside the room and making him appear exceptionally lonely.
Qin Xiao gazed into the distance.
Gazing at the distant, unreachable silver moon.
Meanwhile, inside Yaotai Residence.
Chu Jiubian closed his eyes and lay on the bed, summoning the system into the Divine Realm.
News just arrived from Southern Zhili today: Wei Yi has selected more than a dozen students who are suitable for managing the grain transport and is already assessing their character.
Now that we have found capable people, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian should bring up the matter of revising the canal transport system at tomorrow's morning court session.
Chu Jiubian was finally able to summon his fourth believer.
After entering the Divine Realm, he didn't waste any time and said directly, "System, summon Qin Chuan."
[Follower Qin Chuan has been detected to be in a dormant state; summoning is underway.]
Summoning successful.
Chu Jiubian raised his eyes and looked into the clouds.
A black figure descended from the sky.
The person was agile and reacted the moment the feeling of weightlessness came over them. Their toes slipped and they landed safely a moment later.
Those light footsteps suggest that her lightness skill is even better than Jiang Shuoye's.
Chu Jiubian was able to see everything in the Divine Realm, so he naturally saw the other party's face.
That face, almost five-tenths similar to Qin Xiao's!
They are indeed brothers, they do look alike, but their temperaments are completely different.
Qin Xiao is more reserved and aloof, with an occasional hint of gloom, while Qin Chuan has a lazy air about him and a more carefree demeanor.
Three believers had previously entered the divine realm, and each person's reaction was different.
Qin Chuan seemed to be the type with a strong ability to adapt. Even though he suddenly appeared in the Divine Realm, he was not wary at all and remained at ease.
Even when he sensed movement ahead, he walked slowly and leisurely, making it seem to anyone who didn't know better that he was out shopping.
The believers' reactions were quite interesting, and Chu Jiubian found it rather amusing.
Qin Chuan walked out of the clouds and came to the long white jade table.
Chu Jiubian didn't want him to know how many believers he still had, so he put away all the other chairs, leaving only one unadorned chair.
The current scene should be the same as when Jiang Shuoye first entered the Divine Realm.
Qin Chuan scanned his surroundings, then looked up at the enormous phantom of the god, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Was it a dream?
"Welcome to my divine realm," Chu Jiubian said, his voice clear and cold.
Divine Realm?
Recently, two famous "deities" have appeared in Daning.
One was Chu Taifu, the reincarnation of the Holy Star God in the palace, and the other was the High Priest who once taught Jiang Shuoye in a dream.
And the person in front of us is, of course—
Qin Chuan's mind stirred, and then he straightened his expression and bowed to the illusory figure: "Qin Chuan greets the High Priest."
Chu Jiubian was not surprised that he could guess his identity.
"Have a seat," he said.
I was right.
A strange light flashed in Qin Chuan's eyes. After thanking him, he walked to the chair and sat down.
He placed his hands on the long table and felt no trace of artificial carving, yet the table was indeed engraved with many runes or totems.
Legend has it that Jiang Shuoye was once given a dream by the high priest, who taught him how to make stirrups and saddles.
Why is the high priest seeking him out now?
What is the relationship between this high priest and the Grand Tutor of Chu?
With that in mind, he asked directly.
"What brings you to my dream, High Priest?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com