Huangming

Chapter 468 Eunuchs Struggle for Power, a Major Crisis for Jiangnan (Bonus Chapter for 600 Monthly Tickets!)
Did the Wei Dynasty receive any benefits?

Zhu Youxiao's voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone present breathe more softly.

Wei Chao was the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who held the power to approve imperial edicts. If even he was involved in the corruption case of the Bureau of Armory, it would show that the corrupt elements within the palace had taken deep root.

Zhu Youxiao had always had zero tolerance for corruption, especially among his close advisors.

If Wei Chao truly dared to accept bribes, then he was ignoring his words. Such a disloyal person, even if holding an important position, could only be sent to Nanjing to guard the imperial tombs.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian lowered his head even further, a barely perceptible hint of embarrassment flashing across his face.

His fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the book in his sleeve, secretly making plans in his mind.

These days he has been investigating Wei Chao with all his might, questioning almost everyone from the artisans in the weapons bureau to the merchants who made the purchases, but he has not found any concrete evidence that Wei Chao directly accepted bribes.

It was found that the Wei Dynasty received some "tribute" every month.

For example, the Director of the Bureau of Armory would send a few bolts of silk, and a young eunuch from the Imperial Horse Administration would hand over a few kilograms of tea. But such things were an unspoken rule in the palace, and Wei Zhongxian himself couldn't help but accept these "gifts of favor."

If "filial piety" is to be considered "bribery," then it would be like shooting oneself in the foot. In that case, not only would it fail to bring down the Wei Dynasty, but it would also drag oneself down.

"Your Majesty."

Wei Zhongxian's voice was a few decibels lower than usual, carrying a hint of caution.

"I have searched through the accounts of the Bureau of Armory and the testimonies of the craftsmen, but I have not yet found any evidence that Wei Chao, the official in charge of the seal, accepted bribes."

only……

In the daily procurement of military supplies, there were indeed cases of false reporting and misappropriation, and those in charge were mostly people promoted by the Wei Dynasty in its early years.

He deliberately avoided the topic of "filial piety" and instead targeted Wei Chao's cronies.

Zhu Youxiao gave an "Oh," drawing out the last syllable, his eyes flickering slightly.

Zhu Youxiao was well aware of the rules of "filial piety" in the palace.

China is a society based on personal relationships, and the same applies to the palace.

As long as he doesn't get involved in major corruption cases or interfere with national affairs, he usually turns a blind eye to minor social interactions.

Wei Zhongxian's words, though seemingly not targeting Wei Chao, actually pointed out Wei Chao's influence in the Bureau of Military Affairs.

The people in charge were all his people, so even if he didn't directly accept bribes, he can't escape blame.

"You can rest assured and do your job at the Bureau of Armory."

Zhu Youxiao picked up the warm tea on the table, took a sip, and slowly said:

"Investigate what needs to be investigated, replace what needs to be replaced, and Wei Chao dares not say anything."

These words were like a reassuring pill, putting Wei Zhongxian's mind at ease.

He instantly understood that although His Majesty had not allowed him to directly overthrow the Wei Dynasty, he had tacitly permitted him to eliminate the Wei Dynasty's influence in the Bureau of Military Affairs.

With those officials who made false reports and misappropriated funds falling from power, the Wei dynasty lost half of its power in the palace.

Furthermore, seeing that the Wei Dynasty has lost His Majesty's trust, the officials outside the palace will surely turn to their side.

As for Wei Chao himself, without the support of his forces, he will inevitably reveal his weaknesses sooner or later. At that time, we can find another pretext to bring him down.

"This servant understands!"

Wei Zhongxian bowed even more respectfully.

"This servant will go and handle the matter of the Armory Bureau immediately, and will certainly not fail His Majesty's trust."

"Ah."

Zhu Youxiao put down his teacup, glanced at Wei Zhongxian, and gave a brief reminder:
"There's only one rule: don't paralyze the military affairs bureau."

"The nine border regions urgently need firearms. Delaying weapons production will have consequences you know."

Wei Zhongxian's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied:

"This servant understands! This servant will first identify and investigate the most corrupt individuals, and then transfer capable people from other bureaus to fill the gaps, ensuring that the production of military equipment is not interrupted."

He instantly understood His Majesty's deeper meaning:
Corruption must be addressed, but internal strife should not be allowed to affect national affairs.

This is both a warning and a sign of trust.

After Wei Zhongxian bowed and left, the warm pavilion returned to silence.

Zhu Youxiao remained unfazed.

He observed the struggle between Wei Zhongxian and Wei Chao, but was too lazy to intervene too much.

The mutual checks and balances among the eunuch groups prevented a situation where one person became too powerful and threatened the imperial authority.

As long as they don't cross the line or interfere with national affairs, a little internal strife is actually a good thing.

at this time.

Zhu Youxiao raised his eyes and looked at Wang Tiqian, the Western Depot Commander who stood with his head bowed below the steps, and slowly asked:
"Wang Da Dang hasn't uttered a word since he came in. Does he have something important to report to me?"

Wang Tiqian's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and he quickly took half a step forward.

He kept his head down the whole time, and only said respectfully:

"Your Majesty, I saw that Your Majesty was focused on state affairs and dared not disturb you."

Now that Your Majesty has inquired, I have a confidential matter to report.

The Western Depot's agents discovered that in recent months, many officials and gentry in various prefectures of Southern Zhili had been frequently exchanging letters with cabinet ministers Ye Xianggao and Zhao Nanxing, as well as Qian Qianyi. Several secret letters even managed to reach Xu Guangqi in Shaanxi.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao frowned slightly.

Although Ye Xianggao was from Fuqing, Fujian, he had served in the cabinet for many years and had long become a "backer" for the gentry in Jiangnan.

Scholars in Jiangnan privately called him the "pillar of Donglin," and even those Jiangnan officials who entered officialdom through his recommendation all followed his lead.

"Ye Xianggao..."

Zhu Youxiao repeated the name in a low voice.

"He truly cares about Jiangnan."

Wang Tiqian continued:
"And then there's Zhao Nanxing, who, although a native of Gaoyi in Beizhili, is the undisputed leader of the Donglin Party."

As for Qian Qianyi and Xu Guangqi, they were originally from Southern Zhili. Qian Qianyi had thousands of acres of land in Changshu and was related by marriage to prominent families such as the Qu family of Suzhou and the Gu family of Wuxi.

Xu Guangqi previously oversaw water conservancy projects in Songjiang, using funds entirely donated by gentry from Jiangnan. It's said that his residence frequently hosted cloth and salt merchants from Songjiang.

Zhu Youxiao looked thoughtful.

"It seems that Yuan Keli has really touched a nerve with these people in Jiangnan."

Zhu Youxiao's lips curled into a cold, sharp smile.

“They controlled the grain transport routes and monopolized river resources in the localities, and even dared to embezzle disaster relief funds. Now that Yuan Keli has extended the imperial power to the counties and townships, cutting off their roots, these people are naturally eager to band together.”

Zhu Youxiao asked:
"Have Ye Xianggao and Zhao Nanxing made any moves after receiving these letters?"

Was it a private gathering, or had a memorial been submitted to speak on behalf of the gentry of Jiangnan?

Wang Tiqian quickly shook his head, his voice becoming even more respectful:

"Your Majesty, the Western Depot is keeping an eye on us."

Ye Xianggao and Zhao Nanxing made no move; everything remained as usual.

Neither Qian Qianyi nor Xu Guangqi dared to make any unusual moves. Xu Guangqi even proactively handed the secret letter to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, seemingly to avoid suspicion.

It seems that Xu Guangqi still cared a lot about the emperor's favor.

It's unclear whether Ye Xianggao and Zhao Nanxing are not making any moves, or if they are plotting something.

of course
Zhu Youxiao wasn't too afraid.

When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it.

"Southern Zhili accounts for half of the nation's wealth, yet it has been controlled by these gentry and court officials in collusion for so many years. I have long since had enough."

The purpose of sending Yuan Keli this time, along with having Duke Zhang Weixian of Yingguo lead the Beijing garrison to Nanjing and having Gao Qiqian keep an eye on the local princes, was to take back the power of Southern Zhili.

Anyone who dares to obstruct me in court, whether a cabinet minister or a high-ranking official, I wouldn't mind letting them experience the harshness of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's prison.

His last words were spoken casually, yet they carried a murderous intent.

Upon hearing this, Wang Tiqian's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying:
"Yes, Your Majesty! I will immediately order the Western Depot to send more men to keep an eye on Ye Xianggao, Zhao Nanxing, and the others. If they even gossip about someone, I will report to Your Majesty immediately!"

Zhu Youxiao turned around, looked at Wang Tiqian lying on the ground, and slowly nodded:
"Go. Remember, if you do this well, I will reward you."

If word gets out, or if the investigation isn't thorough enough...

"This servant would gladly die a thousand deaths!"

Wang Tiqian quickly responded, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

Only after Wang Tiqian bowed and left did the warm pavilion return to silence.

Zhu Youxiao gazed at the candlelight, his eyes gradually hardening.

Now that he has made his move in the game of Jiangnan, he will not allow those gentry and officials to ruin his plans.

Even the biggest storm.

He has to hold on!
Outside the East Warm Pavilion.

Wang Tiqian wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and walked along the white marble railing toward the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Just as I turned past the west corridor of the side hall of the Qianqing Palace, I saw a group of people walking in front of me. The leader was wearing the robe of the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, which was embroidered with gold python patterns, and had a jade belt around his waist. It was Wei Chao.

Wang Tiqian quickly stopped, turned to the side, lowered his head, and placed his right hand on his waist in a standard eunuch salute:

"This servant, Wang Tiqian, pays respects to Master Wei."

Wei Chao stopped and glanced at Wang Tiqian. He disliked being called "Wei Zhangyin" the most. All the eunuchs in the palace called him "Grand Ancestor," but Wang Tiqian insisted on the words "Zhangyin," clearly showing that he did not want to acknowledge his title as the "Head of the Inner Court."

But he also knew that Wang Tiqian held the power of the Western Depot and served as the Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial, making him the most powerful eunuch in the palace besides himself and Wei Zhongxian. If they really broke off relations, it would not benefit him.

Wei Chao let out a faint chuckle, his tone carrying a hint of condescension:
"Thank you for your courtesy."

After saying that, he was about to take another step forward.

He had just come from the Wenyuan Pavilion and still had to go to the East Warm Pavilion to serve the Emperor; he didn't have time to waste with Wang Tiqian.

"Hold on, palm print!"

Wang Tiqian suddenly stepped forward, lowering his voice slightly, but enough for Wei Chao to hear.

Wei Chao stopped in his tracks and turned around. His nonchalant expression had been replaced by a forced smile, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes gathered together, revealing a hint of sinister intent.

"Wang Bingbi, is there anything you wish to teach us that you've stopped us from doing?"

He emphasized the three characters "Wang Bingbi" as if to remind the other party that even if he held the West Depot, he was still under his control.

Wang Tiqian quickly glanced around.

The guards stood ten paces away at the end of the corridor, the locust trees on both sides of the palace road casting shadows, and there was no one else around.

He then leaned closer to Wei Chao, almost whispering in his ear:

"After the official in charge left, Wei Zhongxian took advantage of the time when he was presenting a memorial to the emperor to present a book of corruption in the Bureau of Armory to His Majesty."

In a flash, the smile on Wei Chao's face vanished, and his expression turned ashen.

He suddenly clenched his sleeve with his left hand.

He controlled the Imperial Workshop and knew that Wei Zhongxian was keeping a close eye on the Bureau of Armory, which involved several of his trusted eunuchs, including his adopted son. If the investigation were to be launched, it would inevitably implicate him.

But he did not expect that Wei Zhongxian would launch an attack while he was away from the palace, leaving him no room to maneuver!
"Your Majesty... what did Your Majesty say?"

Wei Chao's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly, and his usual authority had largely vanished.

Accompanying you is like accompanying a tiger.

Despite being the head of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, revered as the "Ancestor" by the palace eunuchs, and holding the top position among the three great eunuchs, his power was entirely granted by the emperor.

The previous Grand Eunuch, Wang An, was demoted to guard the imperial tombs in Nanjing by imperial decree because of his loyalty. He died of illness less than half a year later, and the thought of his fate sent chills down Wang An's spine.

Seeing his panic, Wang Tiqian's eyes flashed with a very faint smile, but he quickly concealed it, his tone remaining respectful:
"His Majesty read the booklet but did not blame the head of the Bureau of Armaments too much. He only said that 'the Bureau of Armaments has long been plagued by problems, and this is not a problem that has arisen overnight.'"

These words were like a reassuring pill, making Wei Chao's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly fall down. He even subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, and a thin layer of sweat had already broken out on his back.

Before he could even catch his breath, Wang Tiqian abruptly changed the subject, his voice now tinged with coldness:
"However... His Majesty said in front of Wei Zhongxian that the reorganization of the Armory would be entirely entrusted to Eunuch Wei, and no one else should interfere."

"hateful!"

Wei Chao suddenly let out a low shout.

He understood perfectly well that Wei Zhongxian was openly trying to seize power from him.

By reforming the Armory, we can both expose his people and seize control of the Armory—killing two birds with one stone!
If he just admits it, what will the palace eunuchs think of him?

What's the difference between an "ancestor" who doesn't even dare to fight back when his opponent attacks and an empty shell?
He abruptly turned to look at Wang Tiqian, his eyes filled with urgency and ruthlessness:
“Wang Bingbi, you control the Western Depot, and you have the best access to information both inside and outside the palace. How come you don’t have a single piece of evidence against Wei Zhongxian?”

Wang Tiqian lowered his eyes and smiled, speaking slowly.

"Eunuch Wei has always been cautious in his actions, and he would never get involved in corruption or bribery."

but……

His nephew, Wei Liangqing, wasn't so well-behaved back in their hometown of Suning.

Wei Chao's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had grasped a lifeline in the darkness, and he quickly asked:

"Wei Liangqing? What happened to him? Tell me in detail!"

Wang Tiqian then lowered his voice and recounted the information that the Western Depot's agents had gathered:

Using Wei Zhongxian's name, Wei Liangqing seized thousands of acres of farmland in Suning, abducted women, and even set up a private court last winter, breaking the legs of local gentry who refused to pay "tribute money".

Wei Zhongxian may have known about these things, but he never cared and pretended not to see them.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Wei Chao clapped his hands three times, his eyes flashing with a terrifying murderous intent, but a cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Wei Zhongxian, you wanted to harm my adopted son, so now we'll use your nephew as our target! Let's see who has the last laugh!"

Wang Tiqian stood to the side, his face downcast and expressionless, his long eyelashes concealing the scheming in his eyes.

He was secretly overjoyed.

Let them stir things up, let them make a ruckus, the fiercer the Wei Dynasty and Wei Zhongxian fight, the better.

You absolutely must fight it out!
Once these two are both severely injured, and no one in the palace can control him, the position of Director of Ceremonial Affairs might actually fall into Wang Tiqian's hands.

The palace is rife with intrigue and turmoil.

Meanwhile, in Nanjing, thousands of miles away, the turmoil was even greater for Yuan Keli than it was in the inner court.

The autumn winds of September finally dispelled the months of rain, and the water level of the Qinhuai River slowly receded, revealing the black mud accumulated at the bottom of the river and the broken stones of the collapsed embankment.

But this belated clearing of the sky brought no life to Nanjing.

Seven or eight out of ten shops along the street were closed, and dark water stains remained on the door panels.

In front of the occasionally open grain shops, people lined up from one end of the alley to the other, clutching crumpled copper coins in their hands, their eyes filled with anxiety.

On the riverbank, several boatmen were struggling to pull a cargo boat that had run aground in the silt out of the water. The weeds and rotten wood under the boats emitted a pungent, fishy smell, as if telling the story of the lingering effects of the flood.

Yuan Keli stood at the window of the Jiangnan Governor's Office, looking at the desolate street scene below, and a heavy sigh escaped from his throat.

This flood, which lasted from June to August, was like a dull knife, slowly eroding the vitality of Jiangnan.

The rain has stopped, but the mess left by the flood is even harder to clean up than the flood itself.

The first thing to be exposed was the skyrocketing prices in Nanjing.

He had his staff check yesterday and found that the price of rice in Beijing was only three taels of silver per shi (a unit of dry measure), while in Nanjing it had soared to eight taels and five mace, and there was often no market for it.

A bunch of ordinary green vegetables that used to cost one coin can now only be bought for three coins, and only a few leaves.

Even the bran cakes that people relied on to fill their stomachs have doubled in price.

The staff said that the canal transport had been blocked for nearly two months. Grain ships coming from Yangzhou and Zhenjiang either ran aground in the silted-up sections of the canal or had their grain bags stolen by starving people along the way. Less than 30% of the usual amount of grain could be transported to Nanjing.

The official granaries in the prefectural city only have enough grain to last for one month. If the grain tribute doesn't arrive soon, there's a risk of grain robbery.

What worries him more than prices is the harvest in Jiangnan.

In Suzhou, Songjiang, and Changzhou, these fertile rice-producing areas, almost all the rice paddies were flooded.

The officials he sent to investigate reported that in some rice paddies, the rice ears were soaked, turned black and rotten, and crumbled at the slightest touch.

Some of the field ridges were washed away, and the silt covered the seedlings, leaving no chance for replanting.

According to incomplete statistics, at least one-third of the farmland in the southern provinces has failed to yield a harvest, and hundreds of thousands of people have lost their livelihoods.

Many people carried their bedding and fled to the outskirts of Nanjing, gathering in dilapidated temples and shrines, lacking food and clothing.

There are already signs of an epidemic in the hair, and if disaster relief is not provided in time, it may lead to another disaster.

Even more troublesome was the job at the Jiangnan Arsenal.

This year, His Majesty specifically instructed the Imperial Workshop to expedite the production of raw silk for the exclusive supply of merchant caravans from the Western Regions.

Those Western barbarians were willing to exchange silver for raw silk, and a single transaction could earn the imperial court millions of taels of silver, making it an important source of revenue for the court.

However, the floods submerged the mulberry fields, and the silkworm farmers in Huzhou and Jiaxing either had their silkworms drowned or starved to death due to a lack of mulberry leaves, and the supply of raw silk was suddenly cut off.

The head of the manufacturing bureau came crying yesterday, saying that the raw silk in the warehouse was only enough to weave three thousand bolts of silk, which was far from the task assigned by the palace.

The Western barbarian caravan is scheduled to arrive in Tianjin in November. If the goods cannot be delivered, it is feared that the Western barbarians will no longer be able to earn silver from them in the future.

Furthermore, to Yuan Keli's dismay, the cloth merchants in Jiangnan were still outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant.

Yuan Keli had previously ordered that cloth merchants give priority to handing over their stockpiled silk to the manufacturing bureau, and the imperial court would purchase it at the market price plus 20%. However, the cloth merchants pretended not to understand.

Some say the stockpiled silk was soaked in water and they can't get it out.

Some secretly sold the silk to domestic silk shops, earning a higher profit margin.

Even worse, some local gentry in Suzhou joined forces to send a letter to the government office, saying that "commercial people also need to live," forcing the government to retract its decision.

The soldiers sent by Yuan Keli to search the cloth shop were stopped at the gate by local gentry and tenants as soon as they arrived. The situation became tense and almost resulted in a death.

Yuan Keli rubbed his throbbing temples and piled the documents on the table together.

Hey ~
Difficult!

With the floods coming, coupled with the collusion between local gentry and cloth merchants to obstruct government orders, this year's tax revenue in Jiangnan is likely to be in trouble.

On the civilian side, the starving and freezing refugees could cause chaos at any moment.

This war without gunfire is even more difficult than fighting and killing the enemy!
After all, the enemy on the battlefield is someone you can see and touch.

Once you find it, you can kill it.

However in Jiangnan
He was dealing with famine, corruption, collusion between officials and businessmen—the long-standing problems plaguing the Jiangnan region.

These things are difficult to touch directly.

To eradicate it completely is even more difficult.

Sorrow!

(End of this chapter)