Huangming

Chapter 235 The Emperor's Henchmen, the Gentry's Donations

Upon receiving Chen Qiyu's order, Xu Xianchun immediately mustered his Imperial Guards and divided them into several groups, heading straight for the residences of Zhang Erxin, Mei Yingwen, Ni Guangjian, and others.

As the commander of Tianjin Garrison, Zhang Erxin's residence was located in the most prosperous area of ​​the city, with high walls and deep courtyards, vermilion gates and copper nails, and a pair of majestic stone lions in front of the gate.

However, as soon as the Imperial Guards arrived, the entire mansion was thrown into chaos.

"The Imperial Guards are handling a case; all unauthorized personnel must stand aside!"

Xu Xianchun gave a cold shout, and his men kicked open the door and filed in.

The steward of the manor tried to stop him, but was kicked to the ground by a member of the Imperial Guard: "Get out of the way! If you dare to block the road again, you will be punished for treason!"

Zhang Erxin himself has been imprisoned, and only his family and servants remain in his residence.

The Imperial Guards, as fierce as wolves and tigers, headed straight for the warehouse.

"boom--"

The warehouse door was kicked open, and everyone's eyes were suddenly opened.

Inside the vault, gold and silver were neatly stacked on wooden shelves, copper coins were strung together, and jewelry, jade, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings were countless.

"Ha, what an upright and honest commander!"

Xu Xianchun sneered and waved his hand, saying, "Register them all, seal them up, and confiscate them!"

The Imperial Guards acted swiftly to take inventory of the valuables.

Before long, a captain found a ledger in a hidden compartment. Upon opening it, he discovered that it contained detailed records of Zhang Erxin's embezzlement of military funds and resale of military equipment over the years!
"Sir, look at this!"

The captain presented the account book.

Xu Xianchun glanced at it, a cold glint in his eyes: "Good, the evidence is conclusive, Zhang Erxin is doomed to die!"

Originally, he was mindful of Zhang Erxin's status as the commander of Tianjin Garrison, so he only dared to tug at his hamstrings and did not dare to kill him.

With this evidence, Zhang Erxin was already prepared to die!
Once he returns to Tianjin Prison, he can deal with Zhang Erxin however he wants!
Meanwhile, another group of Imperial Guards stormed into the residence of Mei Yingwen, the commander of the Tianjin Left Guard.

Although Mei Yingwen did not hold a high position or great power as Zhang Erxin, the extravagance of his residence was in no way inferior.

As soon as the Imperial Guards entered the inner courtyard, they saw Mei Yingwen's wives and concubines weeping and trying to hide valuables.

A concubine's bosom was bulging when the captain ripped it open, and dozens of gold beads fell out!
"take away!"

The Imperial Guards showed no mercy, taking all the women in the mansion aside.

The final fate of these family members was either execution or demotion to the brothel, with virtually no chance of recovery.

Therefore, the actions of the Imperial Guards were extremely brutal, completely disregarding the shouts and pleas for mercy from these noblewomen dressed in silk and satin.

After a chaotic search.

Soon, they discovered a large number of land deeds, silver notes, and even several secret letters in Mei Yingwen's study hidden in a cabinet!

"Ha, colluding with pirates and communicating with traitors, Mei Yingwen is truly audacious!"

The team leader, Lu Jianxing, sneered and ordered his men to seal up all the stolen goods, preparing to take them back for interrogation.

The residence of Ni Guangjian, the commander of the Tianjin Right Guard, was the most secluded. It was located in a manor on the outskirts of the city. It appeared simple on the surface, but it was actually a hidden gem.

When the Imperial Guards broke down the door, Ni Guangjian's servants tried to resist, but several were killed on the spot by the guards, and the rest knelt down and begged for mercy.

"Search!"

Lu Wenzhao, commander of the Northern Garrison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, led his team straight to the backyard with a blank expression.

Under a rockery in the backyard, the Imperial Guards discovered a secret passage. Upon entering, they found it to be an underground silver vault!
The treasury was neatly stacked with dozens of chests of silver, as well as piles of copper coins, silk, spices, and even blueprints for several warships!
"No wonder the Tianjin Navy has fewer and fewer warships; it turns out they've all been secretly sold off by this fellow!"

Lu Wenzhao was so angry that he laughed, and immediately ordered: "Confiscate everything, leave not a single brick or tile behind!"

After the multiple teams of the Imperial Guards completed their raids, the loot was piled up like mountains, including hundreds of thousands of taels of silver alone, not to mention jewelry, land, shops and other real estate.

Holding a thick stack of confiscated property lists, Xu Xianchun hurriedly stepped into the main hall of the water fortress.

His expression was solemn, but a hint of excitement could not be hidden in his eyes, clearly indicating that he was extremely satisfied with the results of the raid.

"Lord Hōken!"

Xu Xianchun clasped his hands in a salute, his voice loud and clear.

"I have led the Imperial Guards to confiscate the properties of Zhang Erxin, Mei Yingwen, Ni Guangjian, and others. A total of 480,000 taels of silver, 3,000 taels of gold, and countless jewels and jade artifacts were seized, along with land deeds, shops, ships, and other valuables. A rough estimate puts the value at at least one million taels!"

Chen Qiyu, who was engrossed in reviewing documents, suddenly looked up upon hearing this, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He then slammed his hand on the table and burst into laughter: "Good! Good! Good!"

He said it three times, a long-lost look of joy appearing on his face.

"With this money, how could the Tianjin Navy not prosper? How could it not prosper!"

He suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, clearly already planning how to use this huge sum of money.

A moment later, he stood still, waved his hand, and loudly ordered: "Pass on my order to immediately recruit craftsmen and rebuild the shipyard. We must resume warship construction as soon as possible! At the same time, requisition fishing boats and merchant ships from the coast to bolster the navy in case of emergency!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals in the hall were greatly encouraged and clasped their hands in agreement.

However, just as everyone was getting ready, Xu Xianchun frowned slightly, stepped forward, and whispered a reminder: "Sir, although these ill-gotten gains are substantial, they ultimately belong to the imperial court. How to dispose of them requires His Majesty's approval. We have no right to act arbitrarily."

Upon hearing this, Chen Qiyu paused for a moment, then suddenly realized, slapped his forehead, and laughed, "That's right, that's right! I was so happy that I forgot the rules." He pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "What Vice Commissioner Xu said is absolutely right. This matter does indeed need to be reported to His Majesty for a decision."

He turned back to his desk, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and prepared to write a memorial to the throne.

However, before he could finish writing, he seemed to remember something, looked up at Xu Xianchun, and a deep meaning flashed in his eyes: "However, the reconstruction of the Tianjin Navy is urgent. If we wait for the court's approval, it may delay the opportunity. Vice Minister Xu, in your opinion, how should this matter be handled?"

Xu Xianchun's eyes flickered slightly; he naturally understood what Chen Qiyu meant.

After a moment's thought, the henchman of the Embroidered Uniform Guard cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency is wise. I believe that we can first use some of the silver to recruit craftsmen and prepare for shipbuilding. Once His Majesty's decree is issued, we can then proceed with the full-scale construction. In this way, we can both comply with the laws of the court and buy time."

Xu Xianchun had also heard about the emperor's support for Chen Qiyu.

To be honest, these embezzled funds will eventually end up in Tianjin.

The reason it can't be used now is because we still need to go through a process.

Since it's just a formality, it's not unreasonable to be a little flexible within the rules.

after all
The important task of rebuilding the Tianjin Navy cannot be delayed.

Upon hearing this, Chen Qiyu clapped his hands and laughed, "Excellent! Vice Minister Xu is indeed meticulous. We will do as you say! I will immediately submit a memorial to His Majesty!"

As a confidant of the emperor, Chen Qiyu had the right to submit secret memorials, which could be presented directly to the emperor without having to go through the layers of the Office of Transmission.

This was a newly established secret edict system by the emperor, intended to allow trusted ministers to bypass cumbersome bureaucratic procedures and quickly reach the emperor's ears.

In fact, quite a few officials were entitled to this privilege, such as Zhao Lüjiao, who was also stationed in Tianjin.

Upon hearing this, Xu Xianchun's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he immediately clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I am willing to do the task of delivering the message for you, sir."

His tone was respectful, but he couldn't hide his urgency.

He was eager to return to the capital.

Chen Qiyu pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.

Now that the situation in Tianjin has stabilized and the confiscation of property has been completed, leaving one commander of the Imperial Guard in charge is sufficient. Xu Xianchun can indeed return to the capital to report for duty.

Compared to Xu Xianchun's ruthlessness, Lu Wenzhao is more suited to the affairs of Tianjin today.

but
Without this mad dog keeping things in check, many things would probably be slower to proceed.

He looked up at Xu Xianchun, his tone gentle yet solemn: "Xu Qianshi, you have worked so hard. I will certainly describe your merits in detail in my memorial, and I will not let the court forget your hard work."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xianchun's face immediately lit up with a fawning smile, and even his voice softened involuntarily. The speed at which he changed his expression was truly astonishing.

"You flatter me, Military Commissioner! In fact... if there are still important matters in Tianjin, I can stay a few more days without any problem."

He was in a hurry to return to the capital because he was afraid that if Wei Zhongxian didn't see him for a long time, he would promote someone else instead, and he would lose his support as the head of the Eastern Depot.

But if we can gain the emperor's favor directly through Chen Qiyu's recommendation, then why should we still rely on Wei Zhongxian's whims?

If he could become a close advisor to the emperor like Luo Sigong, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, wouldn't his future be brighter than if he were to rely on the eunuch faction?
He wants to improve so much.

If he could climb up to the emperor's wing, his career would surely be faster and more stable than if he were to scheme and plot under Wei Zhongxian!
Seeing that Xu Xianchun was still willing to serve, Chen Qiyu's lips curled up slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, and he said gently, "Commander Xu is indeed commendable for his loyalty. There are indeed a few important matters that require the help of Commander Xu."

Xu Xianchun was taken aback upon hearing this, then bowed and said, "Please give your orders, my lord, and I will do my utmost."

Chen Qiyu walked to the window with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sea and sky merging into the distance, and said in a deep voice, "Although the spoils from this confiscation are plentiful, the need to rebuild the navy is enormous. The construction of warships, the recruitment of soldiers, and the repair of the naval fortresses all require money. This sum of over a million taels may seem considerable, but in reality, it is just a drop in the ocean."

He turned and looked directly at Xu Xianchun, his gaze sharp: "The most urgent task is for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to thoroughly investigate the area around Tianjin to find out which gentry and powerful families own large ships and which wealthy merchants have substantial assets. Without their generous donations, this great undertaking of rebuilding the navy may not be able to continue."

Xu Xianchun nodded thoughtfully, but hesitated to speak: "This matter is indeed important, but..."

Seeing this, Chen Qiyu understood.

We should give this mad dog some benefits.

He stepped forward slowly, patted Xu Xianchun on the shoulder, and said meaningfully, "Rest assured, Vice Minister Xu, I will certainly describe your merits in detail in my secret report. With your talent, if you can gain His Majesty's favor, what need is there to worry about your future being anything but bright?"

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Xu Xianchun's eyes.

He immediately straightened his back, clasped his hands in a fist and said loudly, "Sir, you are so kind to me, how could I not do my best! Leave this matter to me, I will definitely get to the bottom of it!"

Chen Qiyu nodded in satisfaction, then added, "Remember, this must be done in secret. Don't alert them. Once the evidence is conclusive, then take swift and decisive action."

"My subordinate understands!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Xu Xianchun's eyes.

“These wealthy people have always acted arrogantly and domineeringly; now it’s time for them to do their part for the country.”

Chen Qiyu smiled meaningfully: "With Vice Commissioner Xu's assistance, I am relieved. Once this matter is accomplished, I will certainly put in a good word for you before the Emperor."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xianchun's fawning expression deepened, and he repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

He was secretly delighted: if he could take this opportunity to show his face in front of the emperor, how could he not rise to prominence?

Thinking of this, he became even more motivated.

The gentry and powerful families of Tianjin!
Just wait until your grandpa Xu Xianchun gets his hands on you!

(End of this chapter)