Without money, what is the point of being a traitor?

Chapter 665 A Web of Layers
All three of them were getting tired of listening.

Every single thing Pei Yuan mentioned was a fact known to many, but why did it become so deadly when put together by him?
These combined events clearly indicate that the officials of the Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commission and the Provincial Administration Commission had an unspeakable collusion with the De Prince, and that the De Prince, in turn, had an unspeakable collusion with the rebels in Bazhou.

Therefore, when the rebels from Bazhou attacked Shandong, the patrols of the Provincial Administration Commissioner and the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner would adopt a strategy of bypassing the rebels.

Therefore, when Pei Yuan investigated those rebels in Bazhou, Fei Yue, the assistant inspector of the Provincial Surveillance Commission, would come to interfere and demand that the investigation be stopped; Jiang Hong, the left provincial governor and head of the Provincial Administration Commission, would join a large number of Shandong officials in writing to the court to request the recall of the Embroidered Uniform Guards who were investigating the case.

Even more threatening is that the details of the "Bian Xian and Xiao Chong case" are well known to everyone. He Jian, the Minister of War, even resigned from his position as one of the Seven Ministers because of this. In addition, there is the personal testimony of the Duke of Yansheng that "they went to great lengths to avoid the enemy and did not come to the rescue when the city was breached."

The saying "opening the mouth of a tiger and spitting out the venom of a long snake" is nothing more than this.

After hearing all this, Bi Zhen was even more dumbfounded than the others.

Because he was a witness to this event!

Wasn't it because Commander Pei wanted to confiscate other people's property but ended up taking too much out of greed, which angered the local scholars and caused the matter to escalate?
Why do my memories feel so unfamiliar?!
Unexpectedly, Pei Yuan still had something to say, continuing to add to his arguments.

"The imperial court received a memorial from Jiang Hong, the Left Provincial Governor of Shandong, and ordered the Censorate to send Chen Bing, the Supervising Censor, to Shandong for questioning."

"Out of loyalty and righteousness, I once reminded Chen Bing to pay attention to why so many powerful families in Yanggu were helping those bandits from Bazhou who were shouting 'Purge the emperor's inner circle and support the virtuous king'; and why the Shandong officials were now calling for the killing of Pei, but protecting the accomplices who helped the bandits from Bazhou."

"I believe that Chen Bing has not forgotten what happened that day. Perhaps today's outcome will reveal the cause of what happened the day before in the records of the Censorate."

After listening, the three exchanged glances, each with a thought in their minds.

Not only will De Fan be in trouble, but the local officials in charge of Shandong will also be in trouble.

Pei Yuan continued speaking.

"There's something you might not know. I was originally from the Northern Garrison Command, but I was recognized for my talent by Commander Han and transferred from the Northern Garrison Command to the Evil Suppression Command."

Bi Zhen wasn't as familiar with Pei Yuan's private life as Wang Chang and Xiao Ying. Hearing this, she casually asked, "Is it that Commander Han who didn't like you but was forced into marriage by you yesterday?"

Pei Yuan glanced over: "?"

Bi Zhen said awkwardly, "Go on, go on."

Pei Yuan had already made a judgment in his heart: the treacherous minister must be Gu Dayong, the eunuch who was also in Shandong!
It's also possible that Qiu Ju, who likes to spread pornographic rumors, is involved!

Pei Yuan continued with a stern face, "When I went south, I was unexpectedly harassed by the vanguard of the bandits from Bazhou. At that time, Cheng Leixiang was with me. His father, Cheng Zhihu, was a powerful figure in Huai River region and had extensive knowledge. Cheng Leixiang recognized one of them as Xue Songqi, a retainer of the Prince of De."

The three who had previously thought Pei Yuan was framing Prince De were now quite shocked. "What? Prince De really colluded with the bandits of Bazhou?"

Pei Yuan was not the kind of person to call a deer a horse, and immediately admitted frankly, "No, that's not it. He involved people in this matter in order to attract the Bazhou bandits to attack Dongchang Prefecture, causing the people of Dongchang Prefecture to be displaced, and then take the opportunity to seize the land."

The three of them agreed that this made sense.

It's hard to believe that a dignified prince of the Ming Dynasty would collude with bandits.

Then Pei Yuan added, "What he has his eye on is the horse-breeding land of the Han commoners in Dongchang Prefecture."

Upon hearing this, the three men's hair stood on end, and they exclaimed in disbelief, "Whose?"

Pei Yuan said solemnly, "A commoner of the Han Dynasty."

Bi Zhen, who was familiar with the situation in Shandong Province and was responsible for guarding Shandong, thought of all the things Pei Yuan had done before and blurted out, "Prince De is not colluding with rebels, he is going to rebel!"

The Han commoner was none other than Zhu Gaochi, the Prince of Han, who was demoted to a commoner!
As the most valiant son of the Yongle Emperor, Prince Han, Zhu Gaoxu, was once a major concern for Emperor Renzong, Zhu Gaochi.

Later, when Emperor Xuanzong ascended the throne, Zhu Gaoxu rebelled and was eventually killed by Emperor Xuanzong who placed him in a bronze vat and roasted him to death.

Moreover, not only was the Prince of Han sensitive, but Dongchang Prefecture was as well. This was a place that harbored remnants of the Yuan Dynasty's Mongols, and the imperial court had never felt at ease with Dongchang Prefecture.

So, how much impact would the combined influence of the vassal kings, Dongchang Prefecture, and the horse-breeding grounds of the Han King have on the imperial court?
Under Pei Yuan's careful elaboration and guidance, the three of them thought about the unclear relationship between Prince De and the bandits of Bazhou. Who wouldn't think that Prince De harbored great ambitions and wanted to rebel?
If we add to that the image that Pei Yuan deliberately created—that Prince De had a high prestige in Shandong, that he could command a hundred followers, and that everyone would cover for him—which emperor could let go of such a Prince De?
Wang Chang finally understood why Pei Yuan had used the rumor of the emperor's lineage to launch this series of schemes.

When Wang Chang first heard about this, he remained calm and thought: the rumors were all nonsense; there was no evidence to suggest that it was the Crown Prince of De who did it; and that it was only right for officials in various places to help the Crown Prince of De suppress the rumors that slandered the emperor.

But when Pei Yuan finished his narrative, and when Wang Chang re-examined the measures he had initially dismissed as child's play, or even as a blunder by the commander…

Wang Changcai was horrified to discover that this seemingly ordinary opening was actually the final scheme that would decide everything.

This is no baseless rumor. It is clear that Prince De has already revealed his rebellious intentions and instructed the Crown Prince to deliberately spread this matter in an attempt to undermine the Emperor's legitimacy.

Local officials in Shandong Province are vying to cover up the source of the rumors, which is a clear case of collusion and malpractice.

This rumor involves the emperor's background, and the sensitivity of the matter will keep the emperor watching this matter closely.

Wang Chang seemed to have already foreseen the scene after the incident: officials in various parts of Shandong would be replaced one after another, and new officials transferred from surrounding provinces would avoid local forces like the plague, fearing that they might be unintentionally involved in the Prince of De's rebellion.

If this is the situation...

Then officials will not dare to collude, clerks will not dare to cause trouble, and local gentry and common people can benefit from it.

The bureaucratic hurdles that needed to be addressed to implement the Single Whip Law were suddenly cleared up.

If Luo Jiao revitalizes the exchange of grain and paper money, allowing the imperial court's policies to proceed smoothly, then once this wheel starts turning, who can stop it? Shandong could very well be transformed in a short period of time.

Given Shandong's abundant land and large population, as long as Shandong is secured, the Single Whip Law can be extended to the neighboring Northern and Southern Zhili regions.

The customs and traditions of Beizhili are very similar to those of Shandong, and successful experiences can be quickly promoted.

Although Southern Zhili had a large and deeply entrenched network of officials and gentry, not all of them were involved in commerce; many large landowners still relied entirely on agricultural production. This Single Whip Law could at least divide a significant portion of the resistance forces.

Furthermore, with Shandong, which has been unified, to the north, there is a successful precedent, so it won't be so easy for them to incite unrest.

The area encompassed by the Grand Canal, including the northern and southern provinces plus Shandong, covered more than half of the Ming Dynasty's population and more than half of its revenue.

Since the collection of goods in kind has ceased, the exchange of goods between different regions has shifted from the imperial court's distribution of goods to commercial demand. This will lead to greater prosperity in commerce and transportation, and will also help absorb more people who have lost their land.

The existence of the Grand Canal reduced transportation costs and eased the difficulty of the reforms.

If we can establish these three locations, and then expand outwards, it will be enough to create an overwhelming force.

Thinking of this, all three of them had the same idea.

He seems capable of actually doing it...

Everyone's thoughts were in disarray, and they felt their minds were somewhat sluggish.

Pei Yuan gently tapped the table.

Once everyone had recovered, Pei Yuan said to Wang Chang, "The reason I've talked so much today is because the matter of Shandong still needs to be handled by you, Your Excellency." Wang Chang was slightly taken aback and subconsciously said, "Hasn't the court already decided to appoint Bian Xian as the new governor of Shandong?"

Pei Yuan scoffed, "Bian Xian?"

Wang Chang immediately realized he had made a mistake.

Ok.

Having finally cleared his name and was eager to make a comeback, Bian Xian might not even be able to save his life this time.

After all, if the matter of “avoiding the enemy and failing to come to the rescue when the city was breached” were brought up again, it would be as if the Xian himself had run back and jumped into a fire pit.

However, the fact that various Shandong troops avoided the Bazhou army at that time was an important piece of evidence that "Prince De colluded with the Bazhou army and Shandong officials protected Prince De".

This matter will inevitably be brought up.

Wang Chang thought silently for a moment. Xiao Chong, who had been sent to Shandong to investigate the case, was killed by Pei Yuan. Bian Xian, who was to be appointed as the governor of Shandong, was also likely to die.

In this situation, there is a high probability that the imperial court will reinstate Wang Chang.

Although Wang Chang's performance was too non-stick, which made people suspicious, he really didn't stick!
When a large number of powerful local officials at the grassroots level are being replaced, sending Wang Chang, the governor of Shandong, back can still help to stabilize public sentiment.

After all, Wang Chang's position as governor of Shandong has not yet been officially revoked.

Wang Chang, thinking that his political life had been extended again, couldn't help but feel anxious about losing it.

Although he didn't want to, he still gave a somewhat sinister reminder, "Commander, after all, the governor is in charge of this trip south. Don't let things get out of your control."

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuan calmly replied, "I'm not entirely clear on the situation with the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice. However, twelve of the censors that Bian Xian brought from the Censorate are my men. How do you think he could escape my control?"

The three of them simultaneously hissed and gasped.

Then, it sat even more obediently.

With Pei Yuan's words, the complex web surrounding the Shandong affair was officially laid bare.

Whether Prince De is guilty or not depends not only on his own actions, but also on the power structure surrounding him.

If he already has the ability to rebel, even if he doesn't actually rebel, the emperor absolutely cannot tolerate it.

Does Prince De have such ability?
What Pei Yuan wanted to show the emperor was that Prince De was indeed very capable.

At the same time, Pei Yuan, manipulating the techniques of shifting between illusion and reality, will simultaneously complete the replacement of silver and copper coins with the Great Ming Treasure Notes.

The three decided not to leave immediately and stayed to have a good talk with Pei Yuan about the details.

It wasn't until noon, after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, that they gradually took their leave.

After the three left, silence returned. Pei Yuan walked into the courtyard alone, looked around, and suddenly felt that the residence in Chengqingfang was somewhat empty.

Pei Yuan had stayed in Chengqingfang for a few days before.

At that time, Pei Yuan was satisfied with the house's magnificence and didn't think much of it.

But now, it seems that the house is a bit too big.

Perhaps this house was previously occupied only by the male owner, and now the female owner has come and gone.

Pei Yuan went straight to the front yard and instructed Xiao Tong and Lu Yong, "Pack my things and go home."

Xiao Tong and Lu Yong have become quite perceptive these days.

I'm not stupid enough to say anything; this is Chitoge's home.

After the two of them had tidied up the clothes Pei Yuan had worn these past few days and searched through all the documents that had been processed, they followed Pei Yuan back to the old house in Dengshikou.

Pei Yuan kept thinking about Shandong while on the road.

I only started to feel a little uneasy when I was almost home.

Jiao Yan'er was not an ordinary concubine in Pei Yuan's heart. In addition to being favored by Pei Yuan, she also had the Jiao faction behind her who were not dead.

Whatever the reason, Pei Yuan was willing to give her enough respect.

Jiao Yan'er was only a concubine, so she naturally had no right to interfere in Pei Yuan's marriage.

In fact, in this era, Jiao Yan'er's status as a concubine would only be valid if Commander Han officially recognized her.

At this moment, Pei Yuan no longer cared about Commander Han. In his heart, this obedient little beauty held more weight.

This left Pei Yuan somewhat at a loss as to how to bring up what had happened earlier.

When the guards and servants at the old house saw Pei Yuan return, they quickly and happily came out to greet him.

Cheng Zhihu first congratulated Pei Yuan, and then dutifully remarked that the family had been peaceful and there had been no other incidents.

Seeing the Imperial Guards on rotation making a ruckus and offering their congratulations, Pei Yuan guessed that with Jiao Yan'er's abilities, she should have known by now.

Pei Yuan dismissed everyone and slowly entered the inner courtyard.

When the servants guarding the inner quarters saw Pei Yuan arrive, they happily opened the door and welcomed him inside.

After entering the inner quarters, Pei Yuan unexpectedly encountered Qingge and Wanyue.

Pei Yuan hadn't seen them for some time, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth. He pinched his left cheek, then his right, and laughed a few times before asking, "Where is the young mistress?"

Qingge and Wanyue blushed and quickly replied, "The young mistress is counting the accounts in the back room."

Pei Yuan said "Oh," indicating that he had remembered as well.

Most of the money earned from this speculation in precious paper money went into his own private account. Even the money earned from the fund, after being transferred through the ledger every day, also largely ended up in his own account.

This money belongs to Pei Yuan, so it cannot be mixed with outside money. Jiao Yan'er is in charge of managing this money and accounts.

Pei Yuan thought to himself, it seems that the expenses for this wedding and some of the decorations for Chengqingfang were also paid from his own account.

(End of this chapter)