Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1162 Taking advantage of this favorable wind to exert pressure
On the calm river surface,

As the two large ships slowly departed, Zhang Jinyu's flagship set sail and chased after the fleet not far away. Only after entering the canal did it regain its leading position.

inside the cabin,
Looking out the window, the sky had already darkened. The leading warships of the Imperial Guard had raised their large navigation lanterns and were advancing in a triangular formation at a slightly longer distance ahead. Their speed was not significantly affected.

"Ningbian, is there a problem with the boat speeding so fast at night?"

During the day, you can see far and go fast without any problem, but at night, this speed is not like riding a horse on the road where you can stop whenever you want.

"My lord, I asked General Lü, and he said that his warships have already advanced ten miles, and the lead ship three miles away has maintained a constant distance. In this way, the width of the canal can be known to the fleet behind, so it will not affect the speed of the ships. If they encounter other ships on the river, they will have enough distance to deal with them."

Even Ningbian was somewhat surprised by this. It is said that different professions are like different worlds, and the navy and the infantry are indeed very different.

Zhang Jinyu secretly praised him, thinking, "They really do have their own expertise. If that's the case, the time it will take to return to the border won't be long."
"That's good. When we arrive at Yunyang County, leave a thousand soldiers to occupy a dock and send people to contact the merchant caravans at Luoyue Pass to prepare to receive the grain and supplies transported by the canal gang."

Zhang Jinyu wouldn't leave anyone any loopholes in this regard. Hou Xiuqing, the Zhaowu General of Yunyang County, was considered a man of Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong. These secret matters could be kept from others, but not from him.

"Yes, my lord. We have established outposts for our spies along the way. The transport of grain and fodder is handled by Chai Yanping of Luoyue Pass. All the transport along this route has been entrusted to them. As for the reward money, it was all issued from the Marquis's residence."

Ning Bian looked somewhat dazed. In less than three months, the Marquis had actually won over everyone in Luoyue Pass.
"Haha, as the saying goes, a wise man knows when to yield. General Chai is also a remarkable person. My old friend Shen Baichuan is ruthless. He was the one who did the bribery."

Thinking that he had been away from the capital for so long, Ning Bainian wondered if Commander Shen was comfortable in his seat. His eyes flickered as he replied.

“My lord, many people from the Imperial City Guard in the north have already defected to your household, all thanks to Commander Shen. It seems that this man is on the same path and wants to follow you.”

Although the Marquis's residence also had secret guards, their scale was not comparable to that of the Imperial City Guards in various regions, making it difficult to gather information.

Zhang Jinyu waved her hand, looked at the blurry scenery on the shore, and smiled.
“It’s not that he’s following us blindly; he has no choice but to. He’s done so much. For a commander to be accused of colluding with local forces should result in his family being exterminated and his clan wiped out. This time, when we return to the border, my intention is to mobilize the entire army and see if we can pacify the Jurchens.”

Once the thought took hold, he couldn't suppress it. It was autumn outside the pass, neither too hot nor too cold, which was perfect for large-scale military operations. Moreover, there was a large amount of grain and military equipment in Pingyang City. As long as Pingliao City could wear down the Jurchens' morale, he could lead his army to press on, and the victory would be seventy percent guaranteed.

“Well, my lord, although the main force of the Jurchens suffered a major defeat in the north, Liaonan is the heartland of the Jurchens, and there must be a lot of troops left behind. This time, although they have added Han Eight Banners troops, the elite Jurchen Eight Banners troops have probably been replenished. If we directly push forward, the main force will be in great danger.”

This place is not like the interior. No matter how many die here, they are still the imperial army. But the people outside the pass are the foundation upon which the marquis rose to power. If the losses are too great, someone will inevitably make a fuss about it.

Zhang Jinyu nodded in agreement. He understood all of this perfectly well. No matter what dynasty it was, having soldiers was essential. There was also the fact that the court had been sending refugees to the border regions, nominally as servants of the Marquis's household. This was a loophole that had been exploited.

“What you’re thinking isn’t unreasonable, but as long as the threat from the Jurchens isn’t eliminated, we’ll live in constant fear. This time, the new army in Pingyang City has at least 150,000 men. With the addition of the troops stationed in Pingyang City and Pingyao City, it won’t be a problem to gather 200,000 men. If we want to deceive everyone, we can select some able-bodied men from the many refugees under the Marquis’s name and form the Marquis’s army to guard the city. In this way, the soldiers can be freed up. Do you understand?”

With a slight smile, Ning Bian realized that this was a method used by the court within the pass. In places like the area around the capital, the government troops were a real force. Ning Bian's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood the Marquis's intention. He clasped his hands in greeting.

"Yes, my lord, I understand."

And so, after the two men in the cabin finished their discussion, only the sound of the waves on the canal remained.

Flushing County,
Inside the main hall of the Grand Canal Transport Office,

The atmosphere at this moment was as heavy as the thick twilight along the river before nightfall in Fuling County. Huge vermilion beams supported the empty palace ceiling, and the plaques hanging on the walls, such as "Providing Assistance to the World" and "Clean Up the River Roads," appeared somewhat somber under the flickering candlelight.

Shen Xueshi, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, sat solemnly in the main seat, wearing a scarlet official robe of a second-rank official, embroidered with a qilin badge symbolizing a first-rank military officer. At this moment, however, it seemed as if a heavy burden was pressing down on him, making the wrinkles between his brows even deeper.

On both sides of the hall, according to their official rank and status, sat the various guards commanders, captains, chief officers, transport officials, and several managers of the canal transport guild.

The person sitting first on the left is Li Cong, the commander of the Imperial Guard's canal transport. Behind him are the powerful Imperial Guard officers. The people on the right are mostly staff and civil officials from the canal transport office. The first person is Cao Hui, the supervisor. His fair and round face has a somewhat unpredictable look in his eyes. The transport official behind him is even more silent, with his hands neatly placed on his knees. Several clerks stand behind him with their heads bowed, nervously waiting to record the events.

At the very back were several members of the Grand Canal Gang. Although the leader was not dressed in official robes, his clothes were made of extremely fine materials. The one in the lead was an elderly man with white hair and beard but vigorous spirit, Zhao Kaishan, the chief of the Grand Canal Gang in Fuling County. On his left and right were two more capable-looking middle-aged men: one was Luo Wei, who was in charge of water and land transportation, and the other was Ding Tai'an, who was in charge of the accounts, warehouses, and dealings with local government offices.

After everyone was seated, they all looked at the governor's face with some unease. As time passed, the hall became completely silent, with only the crackling of the candlelight.

After an unknown amount of time, the Governor finally raised his head, his sharp eyes slowly sweeping over everyone in the hall, finally settling on Zhao Kaishan, the leader of the Grand Canal Gang, and said;
"I have summoned you all here today for two matters, which concern the very foundation of the Grand Canal transport and your very lives, fortunes, and futures. These matters are of utmost importance and cannot be ignored!"

Shen Xueshi's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. As their gazes shifted, some guesses began to form in everyone's minds.

"Firstly, the canal gangs will be the main force, purchasing grain, cloth, and other supplies, including pig iron, in various counties along the route. They will then form a fleet to transport these goods to Yunyang County and hand them over to the people of the Marquis of Luoyun outside the pass. The transportation on the canal and the procurement along the route will all be handled by the canal gangs. Remember one thing: don't think about making money in this transaction."

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone in the hall held their breath. Not to mention the astonished expressions on the faces of the members of the canal gang, even the civil officials exchanged glances in private, all seeing the pressure in each other's eyes. Marquis Luo Yun from beyond the Great Wall was notorious for his fierce reputation, but why would he need the canal gang to buy grain? A single official document from the court would suffice.

Zhao Kaishan, the chief leader of the Canal Gang, immediately stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said;

"My lord, purchasing grain is not difficult; the autumn harvest will be ready soon. The grain transport guild relies on this for its livelihood. However, in your opinion, we need other supplies, such as cloth, pig iron, or other items. Purchasing these would attract too much attention, as we might not know if it's an official document from the imperial court."

It was a private affair organized by the Governor's Office. Although Zhao Kaishan didn't ask openly, everyone present was shrewd and capable.

Shen Xueshi smiled slightly, turned his gaze to the leaders of the canal gang, and softened his tone a little;

"Old Master Zhao is indeed wise. I can tell you frankly that this matter was verbally agreed upon by Marquis Luoyun and myself. The money will be paid through the government's account. We will prioritize purchasing grain and fodder, and for the transportation northward, we will still need to rely on your gang's assistance."

The journey to the north is long and arduous, with numerous river and land transport points. Speed ​​is of paramount importance, but ensuring the safe arrival of provisions in Yunyang County requires a foolproof plan from you!

These words, spoken in front of everyone, were understood by almost everyone present. It seemed the Governor-General had taken on the responsibility of governing beyond the Great Wall, but without an order from the Imperial Court.
Zhao Kaishan raised his eyelids slightly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, and said in a deep voice:
"Rest assured, sir. The task you have given me is not only a task assigned by the imperial court, but also a top priority for the grain transport guild. Our guild has already explored and managed the grain transport routes for many years. As for the waterways, the main canal is unobstructed. The key lies in the land routes, where we purchase grain from various transshipment points, which are still time-consuming and labor-intensive."

Luo Wei, a member of the canal gang beside him, immediately chimed in, his voice loud and clear;

"Your Excellency is wise! The purchase of grain and supplies mostly requires sourcing from the prefectural cities and towns. If the amount is small, it can be gathered from the various prefectural cities. However, if the amount is large, it will take more time. In addition, the yamen guards need to confirm the location of the transport nodes." In this way, it was no longer just a matter for the canal gang alone. The atmosphere immediately became somewhat delicate. Even the supervisor Cao Hui and others sensed something was wrong. They gave a wink to someone behind them, and the transport official Jiang Zan stepped forward with a stiff upper lip and clasped his hands in greeting.

"My lord, if you want to mobilize the guards, you need to report to the Ministry of War of the Imperial Court, or obtain a transfer order from the Ministry of War. I wonder if you have any transfer order documents from the Imperial Court?"

With his head down, he forced himself to finish speaking. Once one person stepped forward, the others were eager to follow suit. The Grand Canal Transport Commissioner's Office was a large and powerful organization, naturally with many factions vying for power. Unfortunately, Shen Xueshi sneered and said;
"What, you still want the Ministry of War's transfer order? This time, you just need to do what I'm doing. Li Cong, immediately dispatch guards to various parts of the Grand Canal for defense. The matter of transporting grain by the canal gangs is the top priority."

"Yes, sir, this subordinate obeys the order."

Li Cong rose to his current position thanks to the efforts of Governor Shen, who also incorporated the Governor's Guard into his ranks, making him a close ally of the Governor.

"Your Excellency, this matter still needs to be reported to the Ministry of War of the Imperial Court. Marquis Luoyun's return to the border is nothing more than a contest with the Jurchens, but there is no imperial decree from the capital to inform the whole country. If the government takes on this matter and something goes wrong, the court will surely..."

Upon hearing the Governor-General's order, Inspector Cao Hui immediately became restless. The interests of the canal gang and these people were closely intertwined. This time, not only did they not earn much money, but the risks were all on the canal gang. After all, the money in the government office was not so easy to obtain.

With this remark,
The members of the grain transport guild showed a hint of satisfaction, wondering how the governor would respond. However, Shen Xueshi completely ignored them.
“Well said. Since Lord Cao is worried about these things, why don’t we have him write a memorial and report it to the Ministry of War in the capital? As for the things I’ve decided, just do them. In particular, be wary of the bandits and the harassment and sabotage of certain ‘malicious individuals’!”

When Shen Xueshi mentioned "those with ulterior motives," his gaze seemed to casually sweep over the bowing civil officials below the hall, and many of them trembled almost imperceptibly.

Li Congxin understood immediately and cupped his hands in greeting:

"Rest assured, Governor, I have my own plans for security. The elite guards have been deployed along the route, with both overt and covert sentries to ensure safety."

"Alright, Chief Zhao, what do you think?"

Shen Xueshi waved his hand, his gaze locking onto Zhao Kaishan of the Grand Canal Gang, and asked in a deep voice. Zhao Kaishan's heart sank; it seemed the Governor-General had made up his mind.

"We will follow your instructions, Your Excellency. The entire canal gang will not slack off. However, I wonder if Your Excellency could arrange for a portion of the required funds first."

Since there's no way to avoid it, the only option is to take more money, since the purchases needed are no small amount.
"Haha, of course. Someone, bring the things over here."

"Yes, my lord."

With a response, the advisor behind him took out a wooden box and placed it on the table. Shen Xueshi opened the box, revealing a thick stack of silver notes inside. He took out ten notes and placed them on the table.

"A deposit of 100,000 taels, Chief Zhao, what do you think?"

"This"

Zhao Kaishan's eyes widened in surprise. The governor had just casually picked up so much silver, and the silver notes in that wooden box were worth at least a million taels. With so much silver, the goods that could be bought would be endless. The area outside the Great Wall would need that much. But then he thought again, with so many refugees being sent from outside the Great Wall, it would still not be enough to feed the people and horses.

"My lord, I obey your command."

Seeing that the matter was settled, Cao Hui could only give up in frustration. Just as he sat back down, Shen Xueshi's expression suddenly turned solemn. He slowly took out an account book from under the wooden box. The book was unusually thick, with yellowed and curled pages, clearly having been read many times over the years.

There was a "pop" sound,
He slammed the heavy ledger onto the table, the loud noise startling everyone in the room!
"The second thing!"

Shen Xueshi's voice suddenly rose, filled with barely suppressed anger and deep exhaustion.

"It is the huge deficit and old debts accumulated over the years in this canal transport office! I have received news that the Ministry of Justice in the capital is going to reopen the case. You must have heard about Xu Changwen's case. Is there any memorial from our canal transport office in the public security book?"

The air in the hall seemed to freeze instantly, and even the candlelight dimmed. The officials on one side of the civil service team barely dared to raise their heads. How could they not know about these things? Unfortunately, so many people were involved, and no one dared to speak out.

Therefore, Lord Cao, who had just sat down, had a somewhat cold expression and had no choice but to stand up and reply.

"Your Excellency, there are quite a few old cases in the yamen. The Ministry of Justice has already issued a closing order for the cases from the Tianbao era. Now that they are being brought up again, it is nothing but sophistry. I have heard a little about what happened in the capital. During the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet, Xu Changwen, in order to gain fame, disrespected the emperor and made treasonous remarks. He deserves to be killed."

"Yes, sir. The old accounts of the Grand Canal Transport Office are mostly related to the imperial court. In some cases, we have been implicated. I believe we should submit a petition to the emperor."

The transport official, Jiang Zan, was also getting restless. If an investigation were to be launched, where would it begin? It would only involve the current officials, and they would be the ones who would suffer.

"My lord, please present your case."

Almost simultaneously, all the civil and military officials on both sides knelt down, as if they were forcing the emperor to abdicate. Shen Xueshi's gaze swept over the officials in the hall like a knife, and he sneered.
"You're really of one mind, submitting petitions and appeals. Aren't you afraid of dying quickly? This matter has become known throughout the capital. I've seen the case from years ago, and there are many hidden secrets involved. Let's not talk about those for now, but in the years that followed, there were deficits every year. Only in recent years have there been some profits. If the court really sends people to investigate the deficits, how many heads do you have to fill?"

This is what Shen Xueshi wanted to say: where did all the money allocated by the imperial court every year for grain transport, salt tax, and the 'waste' and 'excess revenue' squeezed from the bones of countless boatmen and canal workers, as well as the official silver given by the canal gangs, go? The deficit in the accounts was getting bigger and bigger.

Shen Xueshi picked up the ledger and almost threw it at Cao Hui.

"Look! So much money has been allocated for river dredging, yet every year it's 'dredging,' only to be clogged again. The amount of money spent on repairing and repairing cargo ships is staggering, money is being spent like water, and what's the result? Look at those broken-down boats at the dock! And the grain that was 'drifted away' or 'lost by rats'... These figures on the books are shocking. Even if someone from the imperial court came to investigate, it wouldn't be able to hide it from anyone. Lord Cao, you're in charge, you tell us."

Shen Xueshi's chest heaved with anger. The imperial court couldn't be unaware of these matters; otherwise, he wouldn't have been appointed as the governor. While some progress had been made in recent years, someone had to make up for the long-standing deficits.

Looking at the room full of officials and members of the Grand Canal gang, he suddenly smiled slightly;
"These old debts, you left behind, you shall make up for them. As for how to make up for them, I will not ask. I can tell you frankly! I know about these messy accounts from the past years. The Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, and even the Imperial City Guard all know about them. In this major case in Jiangnan, the Water Conservancy Department is implicated. Lord Cao, you are in charge of the Water Conservancy Department."

His gaze swept over, and these words struck him like a bolt from the blue.

Cao Hui's vision went black, and his body swayed violently. If it weren't for a transport official next to him who caught him quickly, he would have almost collapsed. The other civil officials were even more pale. Almost instantly, someone took the lead and they all knelt down and shouted.

"Your Excellency, please save us!"

(End of this chapter)