Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 745 Argument
The next day, in the court.

The ministers discovered something very strange: Liu Ji, who was always very enthusiastic about attending court and eager to demonstrate his status as the head of the civil officials, was absent without giving any prior notice.

This surprised everyone.

After all, Liu Ji was shameless. Ever since Wan An was dismissed from office, he had been jumping around trying to interfere in almost every matter of the court. Moreover, he was used to nepotism, so whether it was the promotion or dismissal of officials in the court or the appointment of local officials, they all had to be approved by him before they could be allowed to proceed.

It was extremely difficult for the Ministry of Personnel to submit the personnel assessment list through Liu Ji, and Liu Ji would always cause trouble for the court officials in matters such as drafting the proposal.

On the contrary, he almost always shirks responsibility when it comes to serious matters, meaning he lets others do the work, but when it comes to reaping the credit or sharing the benefits, he is the first to rush to the front.

As a result, when he doesn't attend court today, everyone in the court feels much more at ease.

However, an "uninvited guest" appeared at the court assembly that day. He was someone who had been recuperating at home since the Lunar New Year and had not appeared in court, and was almost forgotten by the court officials.

Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan looked haggard. Standing there, it was as if his body had no bones to support him. He couldn't even stand steadily, and his body kept swaying. He looked very pitiful.

However, the emperor did not give his father-in-law any special treatment on the spot.

Originally, some people planned to directly impeach Li Zisheng and urge the emperor to expedite the case. However, Zhang Luan's arrival made them hesitant to act, resulting in no one at the scene mentioning Li Zisheng's name.

It wasn't until the court session was almost over that Zhang Luan sauntered out and reported: "...Your Majesty, my son Yanling has made great progress in exploring coal deposits in the Western Mountains. We are now preparing to send people to mine them. Please grant Your Majesty's permission to build coal plants in multiple locations to increase the revenue of the Imperial Treasury."

Before Zhu Youcheng could respond, Ma Wensheng stepped forward and questioned, "Minister Zhang, isn't this against the rules? Such a wasteful and extravagant act will surely bring endless troubles. The court would never provide manpower or resources to assist! Your proposal is completely impractical."

"Is it impractical?"

Zhang Luan said indifferently, "Heh. Alright then, just pretend I didn't say anything."

The ministers present felt insulted upon hearing Zhang Luan's reply.

Was Zhang Luan testing the bottom line of the people in the court?

He hasn't attended court for two months, and this is the first thing he does upon returning?
It's as if only you, Zhang Luan, are a loyal subject of the Ming Dynasty!
But in reality, you are abusing your public office for personal gain, using the resources of the imperial court to seek personal wealth!
Zhu Youcheng said, "Father-in-law, please tell me in detail."

"According to the order!"

Zhang Luan respectfully replied, “Your Majesty, these were all done by my son, and I am not very familiar with them. However, as far as I know, this time the court will not need to provide any funds, provisions, or manpower. The mining of coal in Xishan will be carried out by private individuals, and each mine can bring the court at least ten thousand taels of silver in revenue every year.”

Upon hearing this, Ma Wensheng assumed Zhang Luan was delirious and didn't bother arguing with him.

What nonsense?
Can a single mine earn 10,000 taels of silver a year?

Why don't you just say one million taels?

Since we're all just dreaming anyway, why can't we dream bigger?
Because his ideas were so unrealistic, most people in the court didn't want to pay attention to Zhang Luan, who was indulging in daydreams.

Zhu Youcheng said, "If the court doesn't need to contribute a single penny, and only permission is granted to mine in Xishan, then it's certainly feasible... How about this, we'll transfer personnel from the palace to assist, and see where we can help Yanling. Father-in-law, what preparations are needed if we really want to mine?"

"Nothing is needed."

Zhang Luan shook his head and said, "My son is rather unconventional in his actions and never needs anyone's help. As long as His Majesty approves, just let him do it."

Standing at the head of the civil officials, Xu Pu said, seemingly unintentionally, "Scholar Zhang, mining is a major national affair, and each time it costs millions in money and grain. Is there really no need for the court's assistance? The Ministry of Works has many craftsmen with rich mining experience."

Zhang Luan shrugged and said, "There are quite a few mines in Xishan, specializing in mining coal. I don't know what they're digging for. But my son said that he won't rob any private mines. The imperial court will only open large-scale mines in Xishan. As long as we send people to maintain order and prevent harassment, that's fine."

Xu Pu asked with a smile, "If it's a good thing, why would anyone cause trouble?"

Zhang Luan sighed, “I’m afraid some people will get jealous when they see this… This mining operation alone will generate a net profit of ten thousand taels of silver a year, equivalent to ten million coins. How many people will covet that? Don’t be fooled by the fact that you all seem to have no objections now. Once we see results, it will be pointless to say that this is against the rules.”

"hehe."

Xu Pu smiled and said, "Scholar Zhang, shouldn't you carefully consider such blunt words before speaking? You should know that nowadays, most people burn charcoal. How many people would burn coal that can suffocate people?"

"Different things will have different effects in different people's hands, and my son happens to have the ability to turn the rotten into the miraculous. Gentlemen, if I may say something that is not pleasant to hear, if my son makes the coal factory bigger and stronger in the future, bringing huge income to the inner court, please allow him to use the income to cast cannons and research firearms. Please do not say that he is lining his own pockets. My Zhang family has never been selfish in such matters."

Zhang Luan's words sounded like a plea to everyone.

But the ministers present all looked down on it.

Or rather, they held it in utter contempt.

Do you Zhang family really think that just because you have the emperor backing you, you can open up new avenues for making money at will?

Opening a coal mine?
And profit from it?
And you want to use your huge profits to cast cannons for the imperial court? Who gave the Zhang family the courage? Do you really think you can act like you're above the law, that you're all-powerful just because you're related to the emperor?

Zhu Youcheng, however, seemed very enthusiastic, saying, "Yanling is just taking people to the Western Hills to mine. The proceeds will all be used by the court. How can that be considered seeking personal gain? Just let him do it. I can even allocate some manpower to him."

“Absolutely not,” Zhang Luan said. “In my opinion, let Yanling do it himself. If he succeeds, the credit will go to His Majesty; if he fails, let him bear the blame alone. Otherwise, if we use someone from the court, people will say that he is just using others to seek benefits and fame for my Zhang family.”

"how could be?"

Zhu Youcheng felt that Zhang Luan was worrying too much.

Zhang Luan lamented, “People’s hearts are not what they used to be. Now that my son has finished exploring the coal mine, we can start investing and production immediately. We should not cause any unforeseen problems. The mining will be carried out at the same time as the river repair. I request that the guilty subject Li Zisheng be allowed to atone for his crimes by going to Henan and Southern Zhili to repair the Yellow River channel, dikes, dams and weirs.”

Ma Wensheng was furious: "Why did you suddenly bring up a treacherous and wicked official?"

"What you said is incorrect."

Zhang Luan glanced at Ma Wensheng and shook his head, saying, "Li Zisheng did do wrong things and deserves to be punished; no one will cover for him. But... didn't he also do many practical things for the court?"

Ma Wensheng's face was filled with anger, but he remained silent.

Zhang Luan said helplessly, "Li Zisheng has been accumulating wealth by taking advantage of the late emperor's reputation. There are reasons for this, and he himself has not done anything seriously wrong. However, some things were not his own intention."

Wang Shu hurriedly asked, "Zhang Guozhang, what do you mean by that?"

He was just short of guiding Zhang Luan to say that the sale of official positions was actually done by the late emperor, and Li Zisheng was merely an accomplice.

If Zhang Luan had blurted this out, the emperor would probably have immediately turned hostile, or rather, be forced to turn hostile.

Zhang Luan didn't fall for the trap. He turned his head to the side and sighed, "As for the meaning, you can figure it out for yourselves. I don't need to say anything more."

Wang Shu said, "Li Zisheng's selling of official positions is well-documented. However, considering that he has done many practical things for the court and is currently serving as the military governor in the Northwest without disgracing the Ming Dynasty's military prestige, we have allowed him to return the ill-gotten gains. This is considered an act of leniency. Do you still have any complaints about this?"

"Who showed leniency?"

Zhang Luan asked with a dark face, "Minister Wang, did you show mercy?"

Wang Shu didn't dwell on the verbal dispute. He smiled calmly, shook his head, and said, "You can say whatever you want."

Zhang Luan asked, "How much must one pay to be completely absolved of guilt?"

"Of course, we will refund the full amount."

Wang Shu replied matter-of-factly.

Zhang Luan lamented, "How should we define the credit limit?"

Wang Shu said, "Doesn't he know how much he has embezzled and abused his power?"

"So, are you aware of this?"

Zhang Luan argued forcefully, "He knows it, but you don't, so in the end it's the same as not knowing it at all, isn't it?"

Wang Shu pursed his lips: "If he wants to retire, then naturally we should make him produce an account, listing it item by item, so that the world can know how many things he has done that have wronged the late emperor and the court over the past few years."

Zhang Luan said, "Who would leave evidence after committing evil? Do they want to die?"

Wang Shu said, "Then let him recall each item one by one until he has listed all the accounts." "But how can we be sure that he has not missed anything, or that he has truthfully confessed to every single one?"

Zhang Luan countered with a question.

The two went back and forth, each saying a sentence, all revolving around how much silver Li Zisheng should pay to atone for his sins.

Zhu Youcheng interrupted their conversation, saying, "If we insist on determining a specific number, wouldn't it be too embarrassing? Even if we send people to investigate, it would take years, or even several years. Who could come up with an accurate result? It would also involve many officials from the previous emperor's time, causing widespread panic and plunging the court into chaos. Who would be responsible for that?"

Wang Shu said, "Your Majesty, a clean and efficient government is the most important thing... This should be thoroughly investigated!"

Zhu Youcheng said, "If the court devotes too much energy to investigating past human affairs, what will happen to the current work? I think what my father-in-law said makes a lot of sense. We should take a lenient approach and let it go."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shu instantly realized that the emperor and Zhang Luan were in cahoots.

“Father-in-law, I saw your memorial. You said that Li Zisheng should be in charge of repairing the river and changing the course of the Yellow River, and that the Ministry of Revenue should not contribute a single penny… Is that what you said?”

Zhu Youcheng asked.

"Return to Your Majesty."

Zhang Luan replied, "That is precisely my intention. Regardless of how many evils Li Zisheng has committed in the past, since we have said that he should atone for his sins, then let him use all his abilities to make amends for his mistakes. If that is the case, why not proceed with the original plan and let him complete the Yellow River construction project?"

Wang Shu rebuked, "Even if we let him bear the cost of repairing the river alone, it is not advisable. The Yellow River's course change is related to the stability of the Ming Dynasty for the next hundred years, and even more so to the safety of millions of people. How can we entrust such an important matter to a minister who has not even investigated his crimes? If the Yellow River breaches its banks in the future, and it is caused by someone's careless handling, how can we explain this to the people of the world?"

Zhang Luan nodded: "Minister Wang is absolutely right. Then please ask the court to send someone to supervise. If Li Zisheng dares to treat the river repair matter carelessly, just impeach him or directly punish him! If even the person supervising thinks he has done a good job, and we are here nitpicking about something that has not even happened, isn't that... too arbitrary and one-sided?"

The debate was getting more and more intense, especially since it was Wang Shu, the head of the six ministries, arguing endlessly with a potential cabinet minister.

It was like a battle between a newly rich and an old minister for the right to speak.

Ma Wensheng stepped forward to support Wang Shu, questioning him: "Minister Zhang, you keep saying that Li Zisheng will bear the cost of repairing the river. How can you guarantee that he will repair the river well? If the Yellow River's course change is not completed in three to five years, will the matter just be left unresolved?"

These words were tantamount to telling the ministers present.

They could actually accept Zhang Luan's proposal, which meant that Li Zi Province would have to spend money to cover the huge expenses of the imperial court for a project.

The cost of managing the Yellow River is far greater than the amount of money that Li Zi Province had to return.

Everyone knows that Li Zisheng is simply incapable of undertaking such a large project. Even if he were to take out all the money he had previously contributed to the Imperial Household Department and Emperor Chenghua, it would still be far from enough.

Zhang Luan said, "Then it's settled. If Li Zi Province hasn't tamed the Yellow River by the time the spring floods arrive three years from now, we'll confiscate his property and exterminate his entire clan to give the world an explanation. Is that feasible?"

"you!"

Ma Wensheng was so angry that he was trembling all over.

After all that talk, it's just to extend Li Zisheng's life by three years?
And during these three years, Li Zisheng continued to serve as an official, and was even entrusted with such an important project?

Ma Wensheng then asked, "What if he can't do it?"

Clearly, Ma Wensheng believed that if Lizi Province failed to complete the Yellow River diversion project within three years, Zhang Luan would also bear joint responsibility.

Just as Zhang Luan was about to make a bold statement and deeply ally himself with Li Zisheng, Zhu Youcheng couldn't stand it any longer and frowned, saying, "This discussion is over, it's time to end it here!"

Even though Ma Wensheng was furious and wanted to drag Zhang Luan down with him, he immediately realized that it was time to stop when he saw the emperor's unfriendly attitude.

He wanted to push Zhang Luan into the pit where Lizi Province was located, but the emperor would never agree to it.

This is the emperor's father-in-law!
Moreover, the relationship between the emperor and empress was so close that even people outside the palace knew that the current emperor relied entirely on the Zhang family, and they were completely integrated into each other, both emotionally and politically and economically.

Zhu Youcheng said, "Father-in-law, are you serious about telling Li Zisheng to complete the Yellow River diversion project within three years?"

Zhang Luan said, "I do indeed have this intention. I am currently ill and unable to support myself, so I cannot explain it clearly. But I have truthfully reported my thoughts to the emperor before."

"Ah."

Zhu Youcheng nodded, "I've seen it too. I think it's very appropriate to let Li Zisheng take charge of the river management for the next three years. No matter what mistakes he has made in the past, the root cause was not him, and it included many special factors."

The emperor's words were intended to address the ministers present.

The merits and demerits of the late emperor should not be discussed here. I will not blame all the mistakes made by the late emperor on Li Zisheng, the one who implemented the late emperor's policies, just because I cannot say the reason.

At least for now, this person is still useful to the court, and we need to get him to do things.

Zhu Youcheng looked at the ministers present and continued, "Do you think there's anything wrong with doing this? I know you feel that letting someone you don't trust be in charge of river management could bring a lot of unexpected trouble, but for now, who is more suitable than him?"

Even the emperor felt that Li Zisheng was the best candidate to manage the river.

In other words, indirectly, this matter was settled.

Xu Pu said, “Your Majesty, the management of the Yellow River should be coordinated and managed by the imperial court, and it is not appropriate for one person to take charge of all matters. Once the Yellow River diversion project starts, there will inevitably be countless problems. The local planning and other matters involved will affect the stability of the region, so we must treat them with caution.”

The words weren't spoken too bluntly, but rather subtly told the emperor whether giving Li Zisheng too much power in managing the river was excessive.

The river management project spanned multiple prefectures and involved many aspects. The manpower alone required the deployment of millions of people. You sent a disgraced official to the project and gave him full authority. Have you considered the political risks involved?
Zhu Youcheng said, "Huai Daban said he wanted to return to Suzhou to retire, and I have already agreed. On his way back, he can stay at the construction site for a long time to supervise the whole process."

The ministers were very surprised to hear this.

The emperor actually allowed the seriously ill Huai En to continue his work by going to the south to supervise Li Zi Province.

If that's the case... then we can discuss it.

Although Huai En is dying, there is absolutely no doubt about his hatred for Lizi Province, and with Huai En's abilities... supervising the river management project is a piece of cake.
"The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue have each sent personnel, and with the local censors constantly inspecting and reporting, I think that should be enough."

Zhu Youcheng said, "The spring flood season is just around the corner, and many preparations related to river management must be started as soon as possible... I am at ease sending Minister Li."

Who said that only Li Zisheng was allowed to facilitate the change of the Yellow River's course?

Since it is about river management, we must ensure a smooth passage through the spring flood season, especially during the construction of new river channels, and especially during the spring flood season of the next three years.

Someone has to be responsible for where river embankments need to be reinforced, where emergency rescue is needed, where people need to be evacuated, and where food needs to be allocated for disaster relief.

Zhang Luan cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

These words sounded like pure flattery, but they were also a veiled message to everyone present: I am in league with the emperor, our opinions are completely aligned, and it's up to you what you're going to do about it.

If you're so capable, then step forward and object!

Xu Pu asked, "Your Majesty, in what capacity will Li Zisheng go?"

"Supervise the construction of the waterway..."

As Zhu Youcheng pondered, he said, "He shall concurrently serve as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief. He shall be in charge of the prefectures and counties along the Yellow River in Henan and Southern Zhili. He shall be at the behest of the authorities in matters concerning the management of the Yellow River. If there are any issues, he shall report directly to the court and need not contact the local provincial administration."

It's clear that Zhang Luan had consulted with the emperor beforehand and offered forward-thinking advice on these matters.

Xu Pu thought about it and couldn't seem to find any fault with it.

As for Li Zisheng's appointment as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, it was more of a concurrent post and did not involve real power, so Zhang Luan's position as Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue did not need to be changed.

Zhu Youcheng said, "Since that's the case, then the matter is settled. Let Li Zisheng go to the south as soon as possible. Gentlemen, let's be lenient when we can. Letting Li Zisheng serve the court is the best choice at the moment. Please... stop making trouble."

These words carried a hint of pleading, but more than anything, they expressed helplessness.

When emperors are begging their ministers not to stoop to the level of someone with irrefutable evidence of guilt, this attitude isn't sincerity, but rather... "You're being given face, so you have to accept it."

If that doesn't work, then we'll have to resort to force.

Do you want me to execute a meritorious official who achieved military success in the Northwest? He just returned, and now his family is to be raided and he is to be beheaded? How can I maintain order in the future?

(End of this chapter)