Eagle-eyed and wolf-watching

Chapter 1777 Borrowing Money!
The Provincial Governor only has the right to recommend people to the Prefect. He can recommend the people you want to promote to the Ministry of Personnel, which will then consider them. If the Ministry of Personnel thinks that the person you recommended is fine, it will include that person in the candidate list. Finally, the decision is left to Ye Mingsheng.

When the provincial governor wants to dismiss a prefect, you do not have the right to dismiss him directly. You can only impeach him to the court, and Ye Mingsheng will ultimately decide whether to dismiss him or transfer him.

Therefore, Zhao Wanxian's actions at that time can be said to have broken the rules of the Great Qian Dynasty. Although Zhao Wanxian did a good job in releasing floodwaters to eliminate the danger of floods in Ye City and did not allow the flood to endanger the people of Ye City, he was still impeached by the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate for overstepping his authority.

Although Ye Mingsheng had always admired and trusted Zhao Wanxian, he couldn't show favoritism towards Zhao Wanxian in this matter. After all, if Zhao Wanxian did the first thing, others could do the fifteenth, and everyone would follow suit. Where would the dignity of the court be then?

Therefore, Ye Mingsheng could only dismiss Zhao Wanxian from his post and fine him, and then temporarily appoint him as the Provincial Governor. So, legally speaking, Zhao Wanxian is not the Provincial Governor of Hebei and Henan at present; he is only temporarily in charge of this position.

At the same time, to compensate Tan Guangqing for being imprisoned for nearly a month, Ye Mingsheng transferred him to the Ministry of Justice, appointing him as Vice Minister of Justice...

As someone who experienced the incident firsthand, Gao Congwen also felt Zhao Wanxian's recklessness, which deepened his understanding of Zhao Wanxian.

Originally, Gao Congwen thought that after this incident, he would not be shocked by anything else Zhao Wanxian did!
But to my surprise, Zhao Wanxian has once again broadened my understanding today!

He not only openly criticized the Ministry of Works' proposal as a sham, but also accused Minister Su of the Ministry of Works of currying favor with the emperor!

To be honest, it would be one thing if you insulted Minister of Works Su Junjie, but your statement about the evil of the emperor also insulted His Majesty!

What is the evil of currying favor with the ruler?

Doesn't this mean that Su Junjie is a treacherous minister and His Majesty is a foolish ruler?
Gao Congwen felt that this time, Provincial Governor Zhao was really in trouble!
The reason why he was able to act arbitrarily in Hebei and Henan, angering a deputy provincial governor to the point of illness and forcing him to resign, and removing Tan Guangqing, the prefect of Yecheng, without seeking permission, was ultimately due to His Majesty's trust. If anyone else had done something so outrageous, they would have gone home to reflect on their actions long ago. Only Zhao Wanxian is still sitting here unharmed.

Gao Congwen originally thought that now that nearly half a year had passed since the Yecheng incident, the storm had almost passed. Therefore, when His Majesty inspected Ji and Yu this time, Zhao Wanxian should perform well and produce some achievements. If His Majesty was pleased, Zhao Wanxian would be able to be reinstated and have the "temporary" title removed!

But unexpectedly, Zhao Wanxian has stirred up trouble again...

Seeing that Zhao Wanxian remained seated without speaking, Gao Congwen also felt that this was not a solution, so after a moment's thought, he tentatively asked:

"Sir! What should we do next?"

Gao Congwen's words seemed to pull Zhao Wanxian out of some state of mind. The Hebei-Henan Provincial Governor took a deep breath and then asked:
What are your thoughts now?

Gao Congwen was speechless upon hearing this. Zhao Wanxian had already told everyone about this, and now he was asking him what to do?
Although speechless, Gao Congwen thought for a moment and then said:
"Sir, I think we should still try our best to salvage the situation!"

"Of course I know I need to fix it, I'm asking you how?"

Just as Gao Congwen was wondering how to answer, someone came in and reported:

"Your Excellencies, Lady Wang Jiang has arrived!"

Upon hearing this news, Gao Congwen was immediately startled, while Zhao Wanxian nodded in agreement:

"Let her in!"

"Yes!"

After the visitor left, Gao Congwen immediately asked Zhao Wanxian:

"My lord, what brings Lady Wang Jiang here?"

"What are you making such a fuss about? I'm the one who called her here!"

"What did His Majesty instruct you to do?"

"No! I asked her to come myself!"

"Sir! How could you let her come!"

"Why can't I let her come? The Wang family is the richest family in Hebei and Henan now, and her bank has a turnover of millions of taels of silver every year!"

"If we want to build the Liujiadu Dam, we need Jiang Yuyan's support. Otherwise, where will we get so much money?"

"It's common knowledge that His Majesty is stingy, so it's impossible for him to spare too much money for me to repair the Liujiadun Dam. I can only find a way to raise the money myself!"

At this point, Zhao Wanxian felt somewhat wronged. He felt that although he had misspoken, shouldn't have used the phrase "opportunistic," he had clearly stated the truth. Su Junjie knew that Ye Mingsheng was unwilling to spend too much money on dam construction, so he concocted that deceptive plan to cater to Ye Mingsheng's ideas...
While you can't say Su Junjie's plan was completely useless, its effectiveness was only marginal. In the event of a major flood like this year, the water conservancy facilities Su Junjie planned to build would be largely ineffective, ultimately amounting to the court's 200,000 taels of silver being wasted. Shouldn't you state this fact?

Just as Gao Congwen was about to say something, Jiang Yuyan entered the room. Seeing this, Gao Congwen could only shut his mouth and, together with Zhao Wanxian, greeted Jiang Yuyan.

After a few brief pleasantries, Zhao Wanxian went straight to the point:

"What are your thoughts on the construction of the Liujiadu Dam, Madam Wang?"

"Your Excellency, the Wang family has lived in Hebei and Henan for generations. Now that Your Excellency wishes to manage the De River, our Wang family is naturally duty-bound to do so. Therefore, our Wang family is willing to contribute 20,000 taels of silver!"

Zhao Wanxian, who had initially held high hopes for Jiang Yuyan, frowned immediately upon hearing that she was only willing to contribute 20,000 taels of silver.

"Madam Wang, I don't want your Wang family to contribute funds. I hope you can take out the silver from the bank and lend it to the Provincial Administration Commission to build the Liujiadu Dam!"

Upon hearing Zhao Wanxian's words, Jiang Yuyan immediately looked troubled and said:

"Lord Zhao, although this bank belongs to the Wang family, the silver inside doesn't belong to us. It belongs to the depositors. We, the Wang family, dare not make decisions on our own. If they come to withdraw their money and we can't produce it, then everything will be ruined..."

Upon hearing Jiang Yuyan's words, Zhao Wanxian immediately said somewhat angrily:
"You dare not make decisions on your own? Hasn't your Wang family done enough things on your own? Do you really think I don't know what you've done? Should I have the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner go to your bank and thoroughly investigate the accounts to see if they're accurate?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuyan's expression immediately showed some surprise and uncertainty, while Zhao Wanxian continued:

“In the past, your banks cooperated with the Provincial Administration Commission, so I turned a blind eye to some of your actions. But you can’t take my tolerance for granted. Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been doing behind my back. I am the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Hebei and Henan. There’s nothing in Hebei and Henan that can escape my notice!”

Hearing Zhao Wanxian say this, Jiang Yuyan, who was already suspicious and uncertain, became even more flustered. Zhao Wanxian continued:

"I don't know why you're making such excuses. What am I building this Liujiadu Dam for? Is it just for me?"

"Once this dam is built, the defense against floods along the Deshui River in the entire Hebei and Henan provinces will be significantly improved, and the lives and property of the people in Hebei and Henan will be better protected. This is a great thing that benefits the country and the people. I didn't ask you to put those 200,000 taels of silver into my pocket..."

Jiang Yuyan looked at Zhao Wanxian, who was somewhat agitated, and wondered what had triggered his strong reaction. She then looked at Gao Congwen, the Deputy Governor who was standing silently to the side, hoping that this official who had once received her gifts would say a few words on her behalf.

However, at this moment, Gao Congwen lowered his eyes and brows as if he were a high monk in meditation, ignoring Jiang Yuyan's gaze.

Although somewhat annoyed by Gao Congwen's refusal to help, seeing Zhao Wanxian's gaze refocus on her, Jiang Yuyan could only grit her teeth and continue:

"Lord Zhao, I have always admired your deep love for the people. I also know that you are a good official who is wholeheartedly for the people. It is a blessing that all the people of Hebei and Henan can only dream of having a provincial governor like you!"

Although Zhao Wanxian knew perfectly well that Jiang Yuyan was flattering him and praising him, his resentment was somewhat relieved after hearing these two kind words.

Seeing this, Jiang Yuyan continued:
"But I really want to lend the money from the bank to the Provincial Administration Commission. However, the court has regulations in this regard. The money from our bank can only be lent to farmers. If it is to be used for other commercial purposes, it needs the approval of the Ministry of Revenue and the filing of the Ministry of Justice. Without the approval of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Justice, even if we are the owners of the bank, we dare not misappropriate a single tael of money from the bank!"

Hearing that Jiang Yuyan had brought out the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Justice to pressure him, Zhao Wanxian, whose mood had just eased, immediately sneered and said:

"What a convenient requirement: approval from the Ministry of Revenue! And filing with the Ministry of Justice!"

"Madam Wang, when you lent the money from your bank to those factories in Yecheng through Tan Guangqing, did you get approval from the Ministry of Revenue and register it with the Ministry of Justice?"

Before Zhao Wanxian could finish speaking, Jiang Yuyan's expression froze. When Zhao Wanxian mentioned checking the accounts, she thought he was just bluffing to scare her, but she didn't expect him to actually know about it!
About half a year ago, the former prefect of Yecheng, Tan Guangqing, also privately approached Jiang Yuyan, hoping that Jiang Yuyan's Rishengchang Bank could lend out 30,000 taels of silver. At that time, Tan Guangqing said that there was a drought in Hebei and Henan, and disaster relief was needed in various places, but the government was short of money. Therefore, 20,000 taels of the 30,000 taels of silver should be lent to the government for disaster relief.

Tan Guangqing promised that as soon as the court's disaster relief funds arrived, he would immediately return the 20,000 taels of silver.

The remaining ten thousand taels of silver were borrowed by Prefect Tan Guangqing for several businesses and factories in Yecheng. At that time, due to the natural disaster, the overall situation in Hebei and Henan was not good, and these businesses and factories were on the verge of bankruptcy.

At the time, because Ye Mingsheng proposed the slogan of developing industry and commerce to revitalize the nation, the entire Daqian government followed suit, responding to Ye Mingsheng's call to develop industry and commerce. Tan Guangqing, as the prefect of Yecheng, was no exception. Several factories in Yecheng were key projects he had supported during his tenure. Therefore, if those factories were to close down, it would not only be a major blow to the factory owners but also a significant setback to Tan Guangqing's personal political record…
Tan Guangqing, one of Cui Shao's students, came from a respectable family and was highly regarded by his teacher for his extensive knowledge. Just over forty years old, he became the prefect of Yecheng, the second largest city in Hebei and Henan provinces. He was in the prime of his life, full of vigor and ambition, so he had strong political aspirations. As such, he cared a lot about his political achievements.

Although the factory's closure due to the circumstances was somewhat understandable, Tan Guangqing did not want to see his years of hard work go to waste. Therefore, he wanted to help these factories, but the government had no money. So he hoped that Jiang Yuyan would lend the government 20,000 taels of silver and also lend 10,000 taels of silver to these factories, so that they could survive in such a difficult time and not go bankrupt.

When faced with Tan Guangqing's request back then, she politely declined in the same way she was now with Zhao Wanxian, using the exact same excuse as today: that the money in the bank didn't belong to them, and that it required approval from the Ministry of Revenue and filing with the Ministry of Justice.

In fact, given the circumstances at the time, Tan Guangqing was not the first local prefect to come to her. Before Tan Guangqing, other local prefects had come to her asking for donations of money. However, under the circumstances at the time, the operation of Rishengchang Bank was also in danger. Jiang Wenyan could only maintain the normal operation of the bank with all her might. Therefore, Jiang Yuyan understood that she could not lend to everyone. If she lent to one person but not to another, she would undoubtedly offend people completely!
So, faced with this situation, she used the court's regulations as an excuse, refusing to lend money to anyone. She had originally planned to do the same with Tan Guangqing, but Tan Guangqing brought up his old mentor, saying that she would borrow the money first and complete the formalities later…