Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 734 The Atmosphere Returns
The Fuxing Bank, owned by the Shen family, attracted a large number of deposits by leveraging the reputation of the second-ranking official. Ten million yuan, originally borrowed as principal, was transferred out by several family members under various pretexts and embezzled.

The problem is that they had already spent the money, and it was gone when the accounts were checked. Fortunately, it happened early, and the depositors' money is still there.

The central bank is getting anxious; they need to get the money back. As for the depositors' lives or deaths, what does that have to do with me?
Li Wan was furious after reading the memorial, but hesitated. After all, the central bank had not suffered any loss in the matter of defaulting on depositors' money, and the Shen family was still the ones who took the blame.

It seems like I'm getting the best of both worlds, but there's always a hint of something fishy about it.

After much deliberation without success, he recalled that Jia Lian had been the one who first proposed establishing the bank, which had resolved Emperor Chenghui's financial crisis. So he sent someone to invite Jia Lian to the palace to consult him in person.

Jia Lian entered and, after reading the memorial, felt quite helpless. In this matter, the central bank had not done anything wrong, and it was naturally justifiable to recover the principal.

"Aren't the Shen family members willing to patch up this hole?" Jia Lian asked curiously. Just how much money-grubbing is this family?
"According to the memorial, that's indeed the intention. The central bank has withdrawn the principal, and Fuxing Bank has declared bankruptcy." Li Wan nodded helplessly, also feeling that the Shen clan was being irrational.

Jia Lian laughed and said, "Your Majesty should hand this matter over to someone else! Such a huge mess, and you still want to bankrupt it? Your Majesty's crime is confirmed!"

Huh? Li Wan didn't understand for a moment, and her question came out instinctively.

Jia Lian further explained, "The person in charge of handling this matter accepted a bribe from the Shen family, which is why they handled it this way. If depositors cause trouble in the future, that will be the central bank's decision."

Jia Lian didn't mention that the money was the result of a guarantee from a high-ranking official at the central bank, which Li Wan must have understood.

"Depositors causing trouble? What kind of trouble?" Li Wan still didn't understand. Jia Lian sighed and said, "For ordinary people, ten million is not something that one family or household can have. There are at least three to five hundred thousand involved. The money deposited by the powerful and influential people has been returned first, and they don't even care about the interest. The rest are ordinary people. What can they do? This is their hard-earned money, their retirement money, their coffin money."

Li Wan felt a chill run through her body. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people's hard-earned money was gone—what a momentous event! Yet the memorial described it so casually.

No, where are the people from the Inspectorate? Why aren't they in charge of oversight, why aren't they submitting reports to clarify the matter, or are they aware of it but failing to report it?

"Huang Jin, go to the Censorate and ask why their report on the Shen family hasn't arrived yet." Li Wan remained relatively calm and didn't immediately lash out.

Jia Lian stood to the side watching with a smile. The emperor had matured, which was a good thing. It could only be said that from Emperor Chenghui to the present, all three emperors of the Li family had been quite good.

As for the methods used against Jia Lian, that's perfectly normal. What emperor wouldn't use his own people?

"Why are you laughing, sir?" Li Wan was taken aback. Jia Lian put away his smile, straightened his posture, and clasped his hands: "Your Majesty, I congratulate you on behalf of all the people of the world. Your Majesty remains calm in the face of adversity and listens to all sides to gain wisdom. You are the mark of a wise ruler."

For an ordinary person, such words wouldn't be very damaging; at most, they might bring a moment of amusement. But for Jia Lian, a veteran of three reigns and a universally acknowledged genius, to say such a thing is incredibly damaging—it's like a nuclear weapon.

Li Wan was instantly overwhelmed by a sense of euphoria following intense stimulation. This... does Mr. Jia think of me this way?
This strong sense of recognition is just so great!
"This is all thanks to your excellent teaching, sir. I dare not compare myself to my grandfather and father." Li Wan quickly regained his composure and said modestly, but his words were somewhat unsteady and had a strong lingering effect.

"Your Majesty need not belittle yourself. I have served three emperors and witnessed the rise and fall of three great rulers in our dynasty. I am truly fortunate. If the two late emperors were alive, they would be smiling in their graves to see that Your Majesty has surpassed them. They would be glad that the Li family has descendants, that China is fortunate, and that all the people are blessed."

This was the first time Li Wan had ever heard Jia Lian praise someone like this; it was an unprecedented act.

Huang Jin returned and reported that the memorial from the Censorate had been sent to the Cabinet, but Ou Zhendong was still reviewing it, so it had not been sent in time.

Jia Lian smiled slightly upon hearing this, offering no comment. Li Wan, with her sharp eyes, noticed and asked, "Sir, is there some explanation?"

Jia Lian laughed and said, "Perhaps it's just a coincidence?"

Li Wan chuckled coldly. Jia Lian took his leave, and Li Wan had Huang Jin see him out. Then, she sat down at her desk and began to review the central bank's memorials again.

The message came by telegram, and I confirmed it was accurate after several checks. Telegrams are truly wonderful; they allow for immediate reporting. Telephone technology is currently outdated; it can only guarantee clear communication within the capital city, not over long distances.

Despite Jia Lian's veiled words, Li Wan had already believed him. The so-called coincidence was nothing more than a deliberate arrangement. Now that Jia Lian was no longer involved, the two memorials arrived simultaneously. The two cabinet ministers only needed to collude to send them out one after the other. Seemingly insignificant, it was actually quite telling. If Li Wan had lost her temper and dealt with it immediately, the memorial from the Censorate would have arrived in the afternoon, making it difficult to change the situation.

Considering the close relationship between Shen Lei and Fei Yun in the past, it's understandable that he might offer some assistance. Once something is decided, the emperor, concerned about his reputation, might not change his mind.

The memorial from the Censorate had also arrived, but Jia Lian deliberately left early because he didn't want to read it. He'd rather avoid that pile of shit.

The Inspectorate had a different meaning, making it very clear that they demanded the Shen family sell their assets to repay the money; otherwise, if hundreds of thousands of depositors protested, chaos would be inevitable in Jiangnan.

Li Wan was very disappointed. After ascending the throne, he promoted his own people to key positions, but this is how they repaid his trust.

Taking the central bank as an example, it has one president and three vice presidents, three of whom are either members of the imperial family or relatives of the empress. The guarantor for Shen was a member of the empress's family. Presumably, this guarantee required payment; otherwise, who would do the job?

In other words, Li Wan's "own people" conspired to set a trap for the emperor. If things went wrong, they wouldn't take responsibility; the emperor would be the one to blame.

Okay, okay, so this is how everyone plays, right?

Li Wan was furious and a little out of control, but when he remembered Jia Lian's previous praise of him, he calmed down.

Li Wan waited a day, and after calming down, he urgently convened a cabinet meeting, showing two memorials to several cabinet ministers. The cabinet was currently short one person, and the new appointee had not yet taken office.

Fei Yun, who had previously been in charge of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue, remained silent after reading the two memorials, letting out a silent sigh. He hadn't been able to fool them. But he wasn't flustered, after all, his actions could be easily explained.

Memorials were received in order of arrival; if the matter was urgent, it would certainly be sent to the emperor promptly.

"Let me start with something. From now on, for urgent reports from other provinces, the telegraph office should make an extra copy and send it to me." The opening remarks were neither too harsh nor too blunt, but it was clear that Fei Yun and Ou Zhendong's expressions changed. "Now, the second matter: the Central Bank's investigation of the Fuxing Bank case was an oversight on my part. Let the Audit Bureau handle it." Li Wan didn't criticize anyone, but this decision was more alarming than any criticism. Without even specifying how to proceed, he simply replaced the investigators, indicating a lack of trust in the previous team.

The Vice Minister of the Audit Bureau was a protégé and former subordinate of Jia Lian. The existence of this department was all thanks to Jia Lian. Although it was only a department at the level of Vice Minister, its importance was becoming increasingly apparent.

"Your Majesty," Jia Lian said, "the Audit Bureau's investigation is facing difficulties at the implementation stage. Perhaps the Governor-General of Liangjiang could assist in the investigation, and a regiment of troops could be deployed to keep an eye on the Shen family to prevent them from transferring funds." This was a rare occurrence for Jia Lian, who added this crucial point. He certainly wouldn't have spoken if Li Wan hadn't brought it up. Right now, his job was to fill in any gaps in the investigation.

"Your concerns are indeed valid, sir. I am still inexperienced. Let's proceed as planned." Fei Yun and Ou Zhendong, who were also attending the meeting, were surprisingly left without a chance to speak. The emperor and his minister had made their decision!

"Your Majesty, the matter concerning the central bank is of great importance. We should also have the audit bureau investigate it to prevent any further trouble," Jia Lian added subtly.

“That’s right, the Audit Bureau and the China Banking Regulatory Commission will go to investigate as a team. Hmm, we’ll have Xia Gang cooperate with the People’s Bank of China.” Li Wan gritted her teeth, hardened her heart, and made the decision.

Tigers will always eat people; good men and women can't become emperors.

The late Emperor Li Yuan gave Li Wan the impression of having delegated too much power. When it came time for Li Wan to reclaim power, he found that Li Yuan was not capable of doing anything useful.

Li Wan reflected on his actions and realized that he had been too hasty. He should have taken a year or two to gradually understand the situation before changing the power structure of the court.

It's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost. Fortunately, only the cabinet and the central bank were affected, and other departments were not significantly adjusted.

Before the meeting adjourned, Li Wan added, "Sir, you are old and can relinquish your daily political duties, but for urgent and important matters, you should still oversee them in the cabinet."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian smiled wryly and said, "Your humble servant will do his best!"

The emperor and his minister hadn't rehearsed at all, yet their duet was remarkably synchronized. This demonstrates Jia Lian's seasoned skill.

After the meeting, Li Wan was surprised to find that he wasn't actually that angry anymore, and even found a bit of the thrill of being emperor. It was like solving a problem in school; there was joy in solving a difficult one.

After such a meeting, the atmosphere of the entire cabinet completely changed. Fei Yun and Ou Zhendong no longer sent the memorials directly to the emperor after they finished processing them each day, but instead sent them to Jia Lian first.

Jia Lian made it very clear that His Majesty had said that only urgent reports and important matters should be sent, and that routine government affairs should not be sent.

Faced with Jia Lian's refusal, the two had no choice but to give up; their methods were indeed no match for Jia Lian.

It's not that they were stupid, but rather that they were like frightened birds, momentarily losing their composure. Jia Lian had never underestimated them; these two were not incompetent.

Shen Lei was implicated in the affairs of his clan and stepped down. Officially, it was said that he retired due to illness, but those in the know knew the real reason.

At this time, high-ranking officials in the capital intensified their control over their clansmen and relatives. The arrogance that the imperial family and their in-laws had just begun to display was dealt a heavy blow, and they once again became subservient.

What followed wasn't so simple. Of the four high-ranking officials from the central bank, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the China Banking Regulatory Commission who took over, three voluntarily recused themselves, leaving only Xia Gang, an unrelated person, who stubbornly insisted on presiding over the work. The development of events was beyond Xia Gang's expectations; how did things turn out this way? After much thought, he realized that only Jia Lian could have gone this far.

In reality, Jia Lian didn't do much; he simply explained things clearly, and Li Wan made adjustments on her own initiative, which outsiders were unaware of.

It was only when the accounts were checked that a major problem was discovered at the central bank. In just six months, eight unsecured loans were guaranteed, ranging from a maximum of ten million to a minimum of three million, totaling fifty million yuan. The money was all borrowed from the four major private banks, and the borrowers were all relatives of the emperor and powerful. These people were treating the central bank like their own personal ATM.

If they can't repay the money, these three people will at most be dismissed from their posts, not beheaded. At least that's what they think. While they're in power, they want to make as much money as they can, and deal with the rest later. They're afraid of missing this opportunity and never having such an easy chance to make money again.

During the cabinet meeting, an enraged Li Wan lost her temper and uttered a string of harsh words, though she refrained from cursing. She then ordered the Nine Gates General to immediately dispatch troops to arrest those involved and place their families under control.

Li Wan's fierce reaction terrified everyone in the cabinet except Jia Lian, as well as the Empress and Empress Dowager in the inner palace.

The Empress and Empress Dowager pleaded on her behalf, leading to a heated argument between Li Wan and them. She even produced a small notebook left by the late Emperor, meticulously detailing the benefits he had bestowed upon the imperial family and his relatives. The rewards of silver and goods were minor; the real prize was the opportunity to invest in their assets. These relatives alone held over 20% of the shares in the Royal Steel Group. They also received 30% of the shares in the winter vegetable business. Furthermore, 10% of the central bank's annual profits were distributed to the imperial relatives.

In the end, Li Wan roared excitedly, "Father Emperor has treated the imperial relatives well. If they had even a shred of gratitude, they wouldn't have played this trick on me. Since I ascended the throne, I have entrusted them with important responsibilities, but they treat me like a fool and use the money in the imperial treasury and the national treasury as if it were their own."

The two empresses tearfully pleaded with the Empress Dowager, but were instead scolded and ordered to reflect on their actions behind closed doors.

With things having progressed to this point, the entire world was waiting for Li Wan's final decision.

During the cabinet meeting, Li Wan invited Jia Lian to join him and shared his thoughts. Jia Lian expressed his firm support for any decision the emperor made.

After much deliberation, Li Wan realized that if he wanted to become a capable ruler who could surpass the two previous emperors, Jia Lian was his greatest support.

That's right. Although Jia Lian also made money, he didn't take advantage of others' wealth or draw money from the national treasury or the imperial treasury.

At the cabinet meeting, Li Wan didn't give the other cabinet ministers a chance to speak, directly stating his decision. Jia Lian stood up to support him. The rest dared not speak!

Ultimately, the central bank dismissed the three imperial relatives and ordered them to recover the loans within a specified period, or face confiscation of their property and exile. As for the Shen family, they were told they had to pawn all their assets to repay the loans within three months, or face exile of the entire clan. Upon receiving the imperial edict, the officialdom fell silent, and countless officials trembled in fear in the corners.

They're back, everything's back. In less than a year of relative calm, the atmosphere in officialdom has returned.

(End of this chapter)