Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 344: One Case, Two Hands

"Just consider this case as one we discovered, and that's it. You haven't reported it yet, have you?" Zheng Shiyi's face darkened completely. He turned his head, bit his teeth lightly, and stared at Shen Guangzuo.

But Shen Guangzuo wasn't deterred by Zheng Shiyi's look or expression. He still refused to give in. "This is just a formality. You can definitely get it done. It's just an extra trip. I can wait here for you."

Zheng Shiyi forced a smile and continued to persuade him, "Master Shen Zan, with a case like this where you don't know where it might lead, the fewer people who know about it, the better. As the old saying goes, secrecy leads to success, while disclosure leads to failure. Isn't it for this reason that you didn't report the case to the Ministry of Justice or the Dali Temple, but instead had Master Tan Tui report it directly to the Eastern Office?"

"No. Those are two different things." Shen Guangzuo subconsciously glanced at Tan Shijiang. "As I said earlier, reporting the case to the Imperial Guard is customary. Turning over evidence requires approval from the Ministry of Justice or the Supreme Court; that's the rule. But reporting the case to the Imperial Guard doesn't require reporting to the Ministry of Justice or the Supreme Court. Shuntian Prefecture only needs to investigate the facts of the case and then report the results." Shen Guangzuo paused, concluding:
"In other words, Shuntian Prefecture has not handed the case over to you. The Jinyiwei's investigation and Shuntian Prefecture's investigation do not conflict. You investigate yours, and we investigate ours. On the other hand, if you have collected evidence and we come to ask for it, will you give it to us directly?"

Zheng Shiyi was stunned. He had been a Jinyiwei for so many years, but he had never seen such a Shuntian Prefecture governor. "You still want to investigate this case?"

"Of course, even if this case involves someone in the palace, it happened within the jurisdiction of Shuntian Prefecture," Shen Guangzuo confirmed. "As the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, I naturally have to investigate the truth."

"Aren't you afraid of investigating something you shouldn't?" Zheng Shiyi swallowed and the corners of his eyes began to twitch.

"There's nothing we shouldn't investigate. If it's a murder, we need to get to the bottom of it." Like Luo Sigong, Shen Guangzuo had been certain from the outset that no matter how much he tried to explain the case, it couldn't possibly lead to the emperor. He wasn't afraid of finding out about some noble or eunuch. On the contrary, Shen Guangzuo was somewhat looking forward to the outcome.

When the case of the assassination with a club was first brought up, he was very dissatisfied with the officials' hasty closing of the case on the grounds that the thug Zhang Cha was already "mad". If he had not returned home for mourning at that time, he would have submitted two memorials to express his opinions.

"Just hand this case over to the Embroidered Uniform Guards," Zheng Shiyi said bluntly.

"Yes. But you have to bring the imperial edict." Shen Guangzuo
"." Zheng Shiyi's pupils trembled. He found that he really had no way to deal with the governor of Shuntian Prefecture.

"Zheng Baizai, if you wish to investigate these bodies, please take the coroner to the mortuary. The Tan Tuifu will facilitate this. However, if you wish to remove the bodies from the mortuary at Shuntian Prefecture, please first obtain approval from the court. If you wish to take this case away from Shuntian Prefecture, please request permission." Shen Guangzuo stood up and bowed. "I have official business to attend to. Zheng Baizai, please forgive me. I will take my leave."

Zheng Shiyi's face turned pale and he sat in his chair without moving.

"Xuefu." Shen Guangzuo turned and looked at the prosecutor Tan Shijiang.

Tan Shijiang was stunned by Shen Guangzuo's attitude towards the Imperial Guards. He had served in officialdom for over a decade, his career unsuccessful and his days a blur. He had never seen an official speak so rudely to the Imperial Guards. Even the previous Shuntian Prefecture Governor, Chen Dadao, had always maintained a policy of avoiding dealing with the Imperial Guards whenever possible. But now, this newcomer, Shen Zanfu, was actually trying to work on a case alongside the Imperial Guards.

"Tan Xuefu!" Shen Guangzuo shouted again.

"Yes!" Tan Shijiang replied.

"Cooperate with Zheng Baizai in investigating the case according to the regulations." After saying that, Shen Guangzuo pushed the door and left the reception room.

At this time, a yamen runner turned the corner and ran hurriedly along the corridor.

"Master Zanfu!" The yamen runner shouted as soon as he saw Shen Guangzuo.

"What are you doing? You look so flustered." Shen Guangzuo stopped.

"Report to the Lord Zanfu. A eunuch came and said he wanted to see you. He is now waiting in the lobby." The bailiff reported.

"Eunuch!" Shen Guangzuo was startled and looked back suddenly, only to find that the shock on Zheng Shiyi's face was no less than his.

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In the hall of Shuntian Mansion, Hui Jingao and Li Tingyuan were standing one after the other, with a number of servants and retainers following behind them.

About three quarters of an hour ago, Hui Jingao and Li Tingyuan completed their inspection of the three-story quadrangle courtyard house at No. 2, Huifeng Lane, Nanxunfang. Although the overall width and depth of the house remained unchanged from the indenture, the internal layout differed significantly from the indenture.

Li Ruhua had been working at the Ministry of Revenue since the 36th year of the Wanli reign, a position he held for twelve years. He had purchased the property in Huifeng Lane in the 39th year of the Wanli reign, when he was serving as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

The same year he purchased the property, Li Ruhua commissioned a complete renovation. He not only enlarged the study and the south-facing main room, but also the gatehouse and back rooms where the servants lived. Later, when Li Tingyuan married and took in concubines, Li Ruhua paid for the renovation of several side rooms. The principle of renovation remained the same: to increase the area by reducing the number of rooms. This resulted in a significant reduction in the number of rooms in the courtyard compared to when the deed was signed.

These minor changes were enough to become bargaining chips. But Hui Jingao didn't change his offer. As long as the house was indeed a three-story courtyard house located in Huifeng Lane, Nanxunfang, then buying it for three thousand taels and reselling it would definitely be a huge profit. Moreover, Hui Jingao had already identified several potential buyers. After the Emperor ascended the throne, he gradually added many ministers, vice ministers, senior officials, and junior officials to various ministries and temples, even bringing the number of cabinet ministers to six. These people were all wealthy, or potential clients who would soon become wealthy.

Hui Jingao had also finalized a furniture deal with Li Tingyuan. Wanting to travel light and return home quickly, Li Tingyuan sold the entire house's furniture for a total of eight hundred taels. Hui Jingao inspected the furniture and noted the high-quality materials used. Several of the step-out beds were crafted from huanghuali wood alone; these items were truly high-end. The craftsmanship alone, not to mention the quality, was well worth the price.

Hui Jingao originally wanted to pay a visit to Li Ruhua, but because Li Tingyuan politely declined, he had to give up.

After signing the deed in the Li family's study and finalizing the furniture sales agreement, Hui Jingao and Li Tingyuan traveled to Shuntian Prefecture to pay the deed tax. Once this necessary process was completed, this courtyard house would become the first in the entire Ming Dynasty to belong to a legal entity rather than an individual.

The deed tax rate in the Ming Dynasty was generally one in thirty. Although local governments could apply to increase or decrease it, even if there were fluctuations, it would not be too different in the end.

Dealing with the government requires not only adherence to explicit rules but also implicit ones. Take the deed tax, for example. From the household registration office to the bank, every official involved in the matter must be dealt with; if even one is missing, the process could be stalled. To minimize hassles and provide convenience for clients, brokers often maintain long-term "cooperative" relationships with the government.

There are many different ways to cooperate, but it all comes down to money. With a bit of conscience, government fees would be comparable to the court's taxes. But throughout the Ming Dynasty, there weren't many government officials with such a conscience. Most of the time, government fees were two to three times the tax rate. Even if officials didn't consciously want to be corrupt, the yamen still relied on this money to maintain normal operations. Collecting national taxes, maintaining public order, and preventing theft all required money. Furthermore, there weren't many officials who didn't consciously care about money. Normally, the yamen's headmaster wouldn't personally handle small matters like collecting deed taxes, and he wouldn't touch the money himself. After the assistant officials and clerks finalized everything, the headmaster would sign and stamp the bill, and it was done.

However, Hui Jingao didn't want to give the extra half a cent, nor would he give it. Using palace money to pay government fees was really against the will of heaven. So when Hui Jingao entered the palace, he showed his badge and said he wanted to see the governor of Shuntian Prefecture.

After passing through the gatehouse of the second hall, the prefect Shen Guangzuo came to the lobby of Shuntian Prefecture Yamen. Accompanying him was Zheng Shiyi, who looked nervous.

Although Hui Jingao and Li Tingyuan were both wearing casual clothes, Shen Guangzuo still locked onto Hui Jingao at first sight.

Shen Guangzuo came before Hui Jingao and asked his name, "Greetings, sir. May I ask your name?"

"Please tell me your surname is Hui." Hui Jingao handed the badge in his hand to Shen Guangzuo.

"Sun Moon Bank? What kind of government office is this?" Hui Jingao's badge was a small round badge made of pure silver. Shen Guangzuo took it in his hand and felt it was heavy.

"To be precise, our bank is not a government office, but a financial institution owned by the palace," Hui Jingao replied.

"Jinrong?" Considering his eunuch status, Shen Guangzuo could easily guess what the so-called "Gongyou" meant, but he couldn't understand the meaning of "finance". After hearing the pronunciation, he didn't even know how to write these two words.

"Money, financing." As Hui Jingao spoke, Li Tingyuan, standing beside him, immediately recalled the definition of finance he had seen in the "Regulations": Finance refers to the circulation of money, that is, transactions and economic activities related to currency and credit. Banks, bill exchanges, pawnshops, and brokerages that provide credit and lending services all fall under the category of financial institutions.

An idea flashed in Shen Guangzuo's mind. "Is it the Sun Moon Bank near Andingmen?" When Shen Guangzuo saw the sign, he thought it was a shop selling silverware.

"Yes. Chaoyangmen, Zhengyangmen, Fuchengmen, Andingmen—we have branches in all four directions," Hui Jingao said. "I'm the president of the Zhengyangmen branch. I hold the rank of Sixth-Rank Official."

"Okay." Shen Guangzuo returned the silver waist badge to Hui Jingao. "President Hui, what brings you to the Shuntian Prefecture Office?"

Hui Jingao took the badge and put it away. "Pay the tax and sign the deed."

"Ah?" Shen Guangzuo was stunned for a moment, but Zheng Shiyi behind him was obviously relieved.

Hui Jingao glanced at Zheng Shiyi, but continued to speak to Shen Guangzuo, "To put it simply, our bank has done a real estate transaction with this Mr. Li. Now, the deed has been signed, and it needs to be stamped by the Shuntian Prefecture Office."

"Isn't this the business of the pawnshop?" Shen Guangzuo became even more confused.

"You can understand it this way." Hui Jingao waved his hand, and a clerk standing behind him came over and handed the completed deed to Hui Jingao.

Hui Jingao took it and handed it to Shen Guangzuo. "Prefect Shen, this is the indenture signed between me and Master Li. Please take a look."

"The palace has actually started a pawnshop business?" Shen Guangzuo didn't respond. The first thing that came to his mind was to submit a petition of opposition. This was not because he had any interests involved, but because he felt that allowing eunuchs to engage in business in the name of the palace was too absurd and shocking.

"We handle not only yahang (trading houses), but also money houses, bill exchanges, and pawnshops. But you don't have to worry about any kind of business going on in the palace. There's buying and selling, and taxes are paid. Prefect Shen, please quickly seal it." Hui Jingao walked to the main table in the hall and spread the deed flat on the table. "This is a deal of three thousand taels of silver, and the deed tax is one hundred taels. Once the quality is verified and the property is deposited in the warehouse, you can stamp it." In the Ming Dynasty, the deed tax on real estate transactions was the sole responsibility of the buyer.

"Don't just stand there." Hui Jingao waved to the clerk holding the wooden box. "Give me the silver."

"Yes." After the clerk put the wooden box on the big table, Hui Jingao took out the key and opened the lock hanging on it.

The lid of the box was opened, and ten neatly stacked silver bars appeared before everyone. "Prefect Shen, come here." Hui Jingao looked at Shen Guangzuo.

Shen Guangzuo paused for a moment, then walked over to the desk and looked down at the deed. He hoped to find something illegal so he could reject the deal. And he did.

"Something's wrong here! The seal can't be used." Shen Guangzuo pointed at the deed and said loudly.

"Oh, don't be too happy." Hui Jingao could even hear the excitement in Shen Guangzuo's voice. Hui Jingao took a closer look and found that it was indeed a problem with the signature, so he took out the "Provisional Banking Regulations" from his pocket. "Take a look at this first."

"This..." Shen Guangzuo saw the word "Regulations" on the cover, and the joy on his face immediately disappeared. "When was this promulgated? How come I don't know about it?"

"Rules and regulations" are an important form of law. In the Ming Dynasty, important matters such as taxes and labor service, grain transport, opening of the economy, currency law, banknote law, commercial tax, horse administration, royal family ties, official salary assessment, military supply and rewards, donations, and redemption were all regulated by relevant rules and regulations.

"I don't know the exact date. But it won't be a day off." Hui Jingao shrugged.

Shen Guangzuo opened the "Banking Regulations" and asked, "Who proposed the drafting of this?"

"No one proposed it, it was decided by the emperor."

(End of this chapter)