Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 780 Give in to others

Ye Qi finally became the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, a position he had always dreamed of.

But after taking office, he discovered that he had inherited a complete mess...

The salt tax reform he had been pushing for had been successfully completed under Zhang Luan's swift and decisive action, and the results were surprisingly good.

The problem is that the crisis didn't start overnight. The financial hole in the imperial court wouldn't be improved quickly by the salt administration reform. After Emperor Chenghua's years of squandering, the granaries were practically overflowing. Money was urgently needed in every aspect, especially the current shortage of military pay for the nine border regions, which required his intervention to raise funds.

After traveling around, Ye Qi found that no merchants gave him face. From Huizhou merchants to Shanxi merchants, and even local merchants in the capital, they all now followed the Zhang family's lead.

Besides Zhang Guozhang, who enjoyed the emperor's deep trust and could profoundly influence the court's political decisions, most merchants still relied on the Zhang family for their livelihood.

Especially for the Huizhou merchants who considered themselves the purse strings of the Ming Dynasty, they had no intention of cooperating with Ye Qi at all.

Zhang Luan is not only the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but also a Grand Secretary of the court and the hereditary Marquis of Shouning. He also has the Emperor and Empress standing behind him. What does Ye Qi have?
A temporary Vice Minister of Revenue wants us to open our own pockets for you?

Go dream!

Ye Qi found it extremely difficult to raise military funds, and he was also overwhelmed by the river construction projects. Since Li Zisheng arrived at the banks of the Yellow River and began to prepare for the project in a big way, the prefectures along the river, such as Kaifeng and Xuzhou, were all asking the imperial court for money.

The reason for demanding money was not because of the Yellow River changing its course, nor was it related to river management. Rather, it was due to the long-standing arrears in local river management funds during the mid-to-late Chenghua period.

Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, everything is renewed. The court is addressing the accumulated problems of the previous dynasty, and the local areas are about to face the flood season. Li Zi Province is also focused on river management and other matters, and all the prefectures are afraid of situations such as dike breaches... Li Zi Province is having a hard time, and he will definitely take his anger out on them, the local officials.

It is said that the power of the most powerful minister at the end of the Chenghua reign, who was desperate and had nowhere else to turn, was unknown to officials in the capital, but local officials knew it all too well. After all, which of these officials had not gone through Li Zisheng's connections to successfully take up their posts in the provinces? It could be said that Li Zisheng had dirt on them and could manipulate them at will.

Nowadays, when a powerful dragon arrives in a local area, it might be an exaggeration to say that it can determine the life or death of these local officials, but to cut off their political future is just a matter of a single word.

Even if Li Zisheng doesn't ask the local government for money, they will take the initiative to ask the imperial court for money on Li Zisheng's behalf.

Ye Qi could have ignored the river works, since the emperor had already said that the Yellow River diversion project would be directly handed over to Li Zi Province, and the funds and provisions would be raised by them. At most, the local area would have to provide some laborers.

But Ye Qi was in a dilemma.

After all, he took over the things that Zhang Luan was in charge of and then immediately abandoned them. This was tantamount to telling everyone that he couldn't do what Zhang Luan could do, so he was unqualified as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and couldn't be as loyal to the emperor and the country as Zhang Luan.

More importantly, the emperor had his own scales of justice.

When the Emperor's father-in-law was in power, he could do the job well and share the Emperor's burdens. But when you, Ye Qi, were in power, you only made excuses and did what you wanted... And yet you still want my approval to continue serving as the Vice Minister of Revenue, or even to be promoted and given a higher rank?

Go dream!

This made things very difficult for Ye Qi.

I'm not afraid of lacking ability; I'm afraid of my ex being too outstanding, which makes it impossible for me to gain the trust and respect of others no matter what I do.

Even after Ye Qi took over, he realized just how much Zhang Luan had actually done for the court... All along, the court had been significantly squeezing the power of the Ministry of Revenue. From Wan An to Liu Ji, from Liang Fang to Li Zisheng, they all treated the Ministry of Revenue as an ATM, taking whatever they wanted, which led to extreme financial chaos.

During the Chenghua reign, civil officials were severely suppressed by the emperor. Now that a more accommodating emperor has finally come to power, the civil officials have done their utmost to prevent the emperor from squandering money.

To put it bluntly, the money that the previous emperor could spend was not only not allowed to be spent by the Hongzhi Emperor, but also had to be added to his coffers.

The emperor transformed from a machine for spending money into a machine for making money… This transformation is somewhat perplexing and unbelievable. Even when Ye Qi obtained some confidential accounts, he had to examine them carefully to ensure that Zhang Luan wasn't just exaggerating, but that it was actually true.

When Ye Qi discovered that Zhang Luan had generated two to three hundred thousand taels of silver for the court in the past year, not counting the silver earned from salt tax reform and mining, he felt immense pressure.

Even worse, the emperor deliberately put pressure on him, urging him to raise military funds as soon as possible!

This was like a death warrant, telling Ye Qi that if he couldn't do it, he should get out of here and stop coveting the position of the Emperor's father-in-law, which was just a waste of his time.

……

……

Just when Ye Qi was in a state of utter distress.

Zhang Luan, however, lived a carefree life, ostensibly recuperating at home. In reality, his body was now basically no different from that of an ordinary person. But whenever he appeared in public, he would pretend to be weak and unable to support himself. However, once he was in the courtyard where he kept his mistress, he would immediately become energetic and lively, showing no signs of weakness whatsoever.

His original idea was to take this opportunity to quit.

However, he always keeps his mission in mind, which is to pave the way for his son's rise to power and to raise funds for river management in southern Lizi Province. He cannot afford to slack off at the moment, so this can only be considered a long vacation.

However, his supposed vacation soon turned into something less pleasant. After learning that Zhang Luan was on sick leave, Li Zisheng sent Pang Qing back to the capital from Xuzhou to inquire about the situation. Pang Qing traveled day and night without stopping, all to prevent Zhang Luan from causing trouble.

Even if you, Zhang Laizhan, are negligent, don't joke around with our lives and property, okay?
I staked everything on the Yellow River changing its course, hoping for your help, but you turned around and backed out. Are you just messing with me?
The first thing Pang Qing did upon returning to the capital was to go to the villa inside Chongwen Gate to find Zhang Luan. He even knew that he didn't need to look anywhere else; he was sure to find him there.

Finding out Zhang Luan's whereabouts wasn't difficult, since the house and its inhabitants were all gifts from Li Zisheng. However, meeting him would be more challenging... because Zhang Luan was currently in seclusion and refused visitors, and Pang Qing held no official position. To inform Zhang Luan and request an audience, they could only do so through Qi Niang as an intermediary.

Pang Qing was originally ordered by Li Zisheng to see Zhang Yanling, but unfortunately Zhang Yanling had been staying in Xishan for the past few days, so he couldn't see him.

It wasn't until three days after Pang Qing returned to the capital that he finally met Qi Niang, who had come to deliver a message. She asked him to choose a time and place to meet. Perhaps Zhang Luan himself was too embarrassed to meet Li Zisheng's people at the villa, so he simply chose a third party's location.

Pang Qing was very responsible and took Zhang Luan directly to the new house that Li Zi Province had specially prepared for Zhang Luan.

This residence is also in the capital, but it is not near Chongwen Gate, where the social circles are relatively complex. Instead, it is in Chongjiao Ward in the north of the city. Nearby are the Confucian Temple and the Imperial College, as well as many Taoist temples and Buddhist temples. It can be said to be a place where the literary spirit of the world gathers. More importantly, it is not far from where Zhang Luan stayed when he came to the capital.

"Bingkun, when I first came to the capital, how wonderful it would have been to be able to stay in a place like this!"

Looking at the grand lintel, Zhang Luan sighed, seemingly recalling the impoverished state of his life when he first arrived in the capital over a year ago, as if it were a distant memory. "Back then, I had just arrived at the Imperial Academy, unfamiliar with the place and the people, and had very little money. I didn't have much confidence in my words or actions. Fortunately, so many people helped me, especially Minister Li... I am truly grateful!"

Pang Qingxin thought to himself, "It's good that you remember this kindness."

Then why are you abandoning your post?
Are you deliberately trying to make my Taoist master look foolish and suffer a setback?
Do I have to give you a house before you'll do anything decent?

Once the two entered the courtyard, Pang Qing led Zhang Luan on a tour. It was another three-courtyard complex, with a side courtyard on each side, exuding luxury and grandeur. Unfortunately, it was deserted at the moment, making it feel eerily quiet.

When they returned to the front yard, Zhang Luan looked at Pang Qing and asked, "Has this place always been this empty?"

Pang Qing said, “This mansion was the official residence of the former Grand Secretary Peng Hua. It has been vacant since it was confiscated by the Embroidered Uniform Guard last year. My master bought it with his own money. If we want to use it again, it is not difficult to hire servants. How about I take out some silver and give it to you so you can choose some that you like? If you want to add some extra… content here, I can also talk to the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) and make arrangements.”

"I didn't mean that."

Zhang Luan smiled and waved his hand, "I can't accept this courtyard."

Pang Qing cursed inwardly, thinking, "They're just teasing me again."

Zhang Luan said in a serious tone, "Sell this house, raise the money, and send it to Minister Li... He desperately needs money and provisions right now."

"A drop in the ocean."

Pang Qing shook his head and said, "Master Dao desperately needs Grand Secretary Zhang to plan for him in the Ministry of Revenue. Right now, countless people in the capital are watching this matter with bated breath. Master Dao is facing a very difficult situation in Southern Zhili."

Zhang Luan laughed and said, "Just sell it as I tell you to, use this money to tide you over! I need time to raise money and supplies, don't I? Look at my health..." Pang Qing carefully examined Zhang Luan, thinking, "Do you still have any health problems?"

Doesn't it look pretty good?

Zhang Luan said, "Besides, His Majesty just bestowed this mansion upon me, so I don't lack anything."

Upon hearing this, Pang Qing finally understood Zhang Luan's meaning.

The Zhang Luan of today is no longer the ignorant fool he once was. You think you can just give him a house and call him a day? That would be underestimating the ambitions of Zhang Guoda's father-in-law.

Furthermore, Li Zisheng bribed Zhang Luan simply to get Zhang Luan to help raise money and grain.

If Zhang Luan were truly wealthy, he could have easily bought his own house; why would he accept bribes from Li Zisheng?
He was criticized for embezzlement and corruption, but his purpose was to give people money and food.

Mutual bribery?

A case of perverting the law?
Pang Qing said, "What do you need, sir? I will prepare it for you. This time I returned to the capital on the orders of the Daoist Master to raise a batch of money and grain to go to the south to relieve the urgent crisis! The Daoist Master has now reached the point where he has no choice but to sell his property."

The implication was that Li Zisheng had almost run out of cash, and I had come back to sell off Li Zisheng's assets.

If you don't want to accept this bribe, you can just buy it back.

Anyway, you, Zhang the Great Philanthropist, rarely spend money, so you must have accumulated quite a fortune, right?
With your son's help in planning and the savings accumulated over the past two years, how could you not have several hundred thousand taels of silver? Why don't you gather the silver and send it to my Taoist master?

Zhang Luan sighed, "I lack nothing but time! As people get older, they become less capable of doing things. What I fear most is that what I gain now is just a fleeting moment, and in the end, everything is like passing clouds, leaving me with nothing but regret."

Pang Qing thought to himself, "You're really clueless."

Listen to this! What kind of nonsense is this?
Zhang Luan continued, "His Majesty appointed Ye Qi as Vice Minister of Revenue to temporarily replace me, actually so that I could rest for a while. After a month or two, I will definitely complete what Minister Li entrusted to me when I return to court... You can rest assured."

Pang Qing said anxiously, "I can't raise enough money and grain to go back. I can't even cope with the spring floods of the Yellow River this year. How can I explain this to you, Daoist?"

Zhang Luan asked curiously, "Is the Spring Flood also under Minister Li's responsibility? I remember he was only responsible for changing the course of the Yellow River. Does he mean to build something on the existing riverbed?"
"If we want to change the course of a major river, wouldn't we have to build new waterways? I've seen the planning drawings. The plan is to connect the Yellow River and the Huai River. The number of sections that need to be built is not as many as I imagined."

"Grand Secretary Zhang, you are right."

Pang Qing said, "But if the Yellow River, a tributary of the Yellow River, were to breach its banks at this critical juncture, wouldn't the Yellow and Huai River regions become a vast expanse of water? In that case... how would you, Daoist, deal with it?"

Zhang Luan said, "Then I'll say something unpleasant to hear: if the Yellow River really breaches its banks, it can only be a punishment from heaven... The Yellow River should have changed its course long ago. It's been delayed until now, and a major disaster has occurred. How can we blame Minister Li?"

"what?"

Pang Qing was greatly surprised.

I thought to myself, "Listen to what you're saying."

Zhang Guozhang, who was praised for his loyalty to the emperor and his dedication to the country, actually said such shameless things.
Don't you think about the hundreds of millions of people in the Central Plains?
Zhang Luan sighed and said, "Here's what we'll do. Let Minister Li focus on managing the river. I heard from my son that there won't be any major disasters on the Yellow River this year. The major disasters should happen next year, so regarding river management... everything should proceed as planned! Just put his mind at ease."

"This……"

Pang Qing thought to himself, "What kind of strategy is this?"
They rely on the will of Heaven to prevent floods, and then let us rest assured to repair the river channels?

If a disaster really occurs, can you take responsibility for it?
However, it cannot be confirmed that you actually received some divine guidance and knew that a major disaster was about to occur on the Yellow River this year. You deliberately feigned illness and relinquished your position as Vice Minister of Revenue to someone else, intending to return and clean up the mess after the disaster.

In this way, the blame falls on others, while you become the hero who turned the tide.

Although given your character, Zhang Luan, you shouldn't do something so disgraceful... but who knows if there's any room for negotiation regarding your character?

"Okay, Bingkun, listen to me."

Zhang Luan said, "Don't worry about the river works for now. If you really need to sell your property, I'll ask the Hui merchants for help. I'll also help you find people to transport money and grain south."

"..."

Pang Qingxin said, "Thank you."

Not only do you not help raise funds, but you also want to help Daoist Master sell his property?
Are you sure you won't profit from this?
"I'll look for my son again later. I heard he's going back to the capital in the next couple of days."

Zhang Luan said, "I will contact you as soon as I have definite news! It's all for the sake of Minister Li and for the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty. I will not stand idly by."

Pang Qing finally realized that Zhang Luan was using some rhetoric to manipulate him.

Perhaps it wasn't that Zhang Luan didn't want to help, but rather that... he really couldn't do anything, and most things could only be done by his son... that was the real reason.

……

……

Zhang Luan did not accept any gifts and returned to his villa after meeting Pang Qing.

Qi Niang had something on her mind and even wanted to speak up for Pang Qing, so she brought tea and snacks to serve him, and specifically mentioned that a new lady would be coming in the next two days.

"What do you mean?"

Zhang Luan said, "Pang Bingkun just returned to Beijing, and he wants to send people here to me?"

Qi Niang smiled and said, "Since we are asking for help, of course we should cater to their preferences! You have no shortage of land and houses, no shortage of money, only a little... Master, you should understand what I mean."

Zhang Luan said, "I knew it. Pang Bingkun must have other plans. But the problem is, I'm already overwhelmed. If I send more, wouldn't I be supporting them for nothing? What's the point?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Niang's smile froze.

It's as if they're asking, "Sir, can't we have some shame?"

Are the people here being supported by you?
So, you seem more like a guest here, but haven't I always been the one in charge? And the big spender behind it all is Li Zisheng?
"Qi Niang, to be honest, I'm currently penniless," Zhang Luan said. "If I had silver, I would have sent it to Minister Li long ago! Do you think I don't know he's desperately short of money right now?"

Qi Niang replied, "I understand."

Zhang Luan sighed, "Pang Bingkun returned to the capital to raise money... He asked me for help to raise funds and provisions for him. What can I do to help him? Whatever he gives me won't change... my helpless and powerless reality."

Qi Niang clearly hadn't expected Zhang Luan to be so candid.

He confided in her, admitting that he was incompetent.

“But your prestige in the court is unmatched by anyone else,” Qi Niang said. “If you can’t get the money, who can?”

"My son!"

Zhang Luan appeared self-righteous and said, "Therefore, I think Minister Li should not send gifts to me, but to my son. He knows what my son likes and dislikes and can cater to his tastes, that's real skill! Unfortunately, to this day, I still don't know where my son got such great ability to earn so much money, and I don't know what he really wants! Catering to his tastes is as difficult as climbing to heaven."

(End of this chapter)