Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

Chapter 147 Cao Jixiang

Ansu County is a county with walls so low that even a horse could jump over them.

There is a small inn by the official road outside the east gate of the county town, with a sign that reads "Yuelai Old Shop".

In the backyard of the inn, a sweaty, green horse was drinking water by the trough.

In the upper room on the second floor, Wang Chongde was sitting at the table, staring blankly at an oil lamp.

He is 52 years old this year and is the chief executive officer of the Shanxi business community in Beijing. He has been working in the Beijing business community for 30 years.

He rose from a lowly accountant to his current position by relying on four words: caution and humility.

But this time he failed.

He hadn't expected the Ministry of Revenue to have such good anti-counterfeiting measures for the bonds.

He had previously been told that bonds, like the old paper money, were easy to counterfeit.

He never expected that the Embroidered Uniform Guard would find him so quickly.

A soft knock came at the door, and Wang Chongde immediately became alert.

Three long and two short lines are the agreed-upon code.

Wang Chongde breathed a sigh of relief.

His pupils contracted sharply the moment the door opened.

Standing outside the door was not his attendant, but a person wearing a black cloak.

The man looked up, revealing a gaunt face: "Chief Steward Wang, you run pretty fast."

Wang Chongde's hand trembled slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

He took a step back: "Sir, would you like to come in and speak?"

Menda didn't move, only looking at him with a half-smile: "Isn't Chief Steward Wang going to ask who I am?"

Wang Chongde smiled wryly: "Who else but the Embroidered Uniform Guard could have found this place at this time?"

He paused, then stepped aside and gestured for him to come in: "Please come in, sir, it's windy outside."

Menda then stepped into the house.

Wang Chongde closed the door, and when he turned around, the bitter smile on his face had turned into calm: "May I ask your surname, sir?"

"Menda, Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Wang Chongde cupped his hands in greeting and sat down at the table: "Since Lord Men has managed to find this place, Chen Tingjing must have already confessed?"

Menda sat down opposite him without saying a word.

Wang Chongde poured himself a cup of tea, then poured another cup for Menda and pushed it towards him, saying, "Please have some tea, sir."

This inn may be small, but the tea is quite good.

Menda stared at the cup of tea without touching it.

Wang Chongde didn't mind and took a sip: "Lord Men, let's not beat around the bush."

I asked Chen Tingjing to handle the fake bonds.

I came up with the idea, and I also provided the capital.

Chen Tingjing was just someone who handled things.

Menda was surprised that he admitted it so readily and was momentarily speechless.

Wang Chongde continued, "Sir, are you wondering why I admitted it so readily?"

He sighed: "Because I know that if I fall into the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I will die whether I confess or not."

I accept it. It'll be better to die quickly and suffer less.

"I won't admit it. I can't withstand the torture instruments of the Northern Garrison."

Menda stared at him for a long time, then suddenly said, "You're stalling for time."

Wang Chongde was taken aback.

Menda stood up, walked to the window, opened it a crack, peeked out, and then closed it again: "What are you waiting for?"

Are you waiting for someone to rescue you?

Or should we wait for your attendants to move something away?

Wang Chongde's expression finally changed.

Menda turned around and looked at him: "Chief Steward Wang, I brought twenty men with me."

There are people watching your inn from all sides.

Your two followers were captured by my men half an hour ago.

You wanted to stall for time until they delivered the items, but unfortunately, you didn't get the chance.

Wang Chongde lost his composure.

Menda walked back to the table and sat down again, picked up the cup of tea and took a sip: "Master Steward Wang, now we can have a proper talk."

Chen Tingjing said you were the mastermind, and you admitted it.

But I don't understand how a merchant guild steward like you can earn hundreds or thousands of taels a year.

Why do this?

Wang Chongde's lips moved, but he didn't speak.

Menda continued, "And there are those templates for fake coupons."

The bonds issued by the Ministry of Revenue have five layers of anti-counterfeiting measures, making them impossible for ordinary people to forge.

Even if you, as a businessman, have seen genuine coupons, you couldn't possibly counterfeit them to this extent.

There's someone behind this, isn't there?

Wang Chongde's facial muscles twitched, and after a moment he suddenly laughed: "Lord Men, you truly live up to your reputation as a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I admit defeat."

He pulled an oil paper package from under his pillow and handed it to Menda: "This is my life-saving item, originally intended for dealing with people in the gang."

I didn't expect you to come looking for me first.

Menda took the oil paper package, opened it, and found a thin account book inside.

Wang Chongde said, "This ledger records the special business deals I handled."

Every transaction, the person involved, and the profit-sharing percentage are all recorded on it.

Menda's gaze swept across the lines one by one.

As he looked at him, his brows furrowed.

The ledgers record all transactions within the Shanxi merchant guild.

Wang Chongde said, "Sir, I did indeed do the fake bonds myself."

The people listed in this ledger have nothing to do with counterfeit coupons.

Menda looked up: "Then what do you mean by handing this over to me?"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard doesn't concern itself with your gang's affairs.

Wang Chongde sighed, "I just wanted to tell you, sir, that I have nothing more to hide."

Menda nodded: "Chief Steward Wang, I have already interrogated your two attendants."

The things they recruit are quite different from what you described.

Wang Chongde's expression changed drastically.

Menda pushed open the door and said to the person outside, "Take him away."

Two Imperial Guards rushed in and pinned Wang Chongde to the ground.

Wang Chongde struggled desperately.

Menda squatted down in front of him and whispered, "Chief Steward Wang, you will tell us everything once we arrive at the Northern Garrison."

He stood up and waved his hand: "Take them away and return to the capital tonight."

The sound of horses' hooves rang out again, disappearing into the night.

On the same day, Zhu Qiyu received a secret report from the Eastern Depot.

After reading it, Zhu Qiyu laughed: "Lu Zhong, how come there are so many people in this world who aren't afraid of death?"

Lu Zhong cautiously replied, "Your Majesty, I do not know."

The Eastern Depot's secret report said that this matter was related to Cao Jixiang, the eunuch in charge of Nanjing.

Cao Jixiang.

Zhu Qiyu is a very familiar name.

Historically, he colluded with Zhu Qizhen, Shi Heng, Xu Youzhen, and others in the Southern Palace.

He was also one of the three "heroes" in the coup of the gate.

After the Tumu Crisis, Cao Jixiang tearfully recounted his story to Empress Dowager Sun.

He claimed that he was coerced by Wang Zhen and that he was loyal to the court.

Empress Dowager Sun believed her, and thus protected him.

Later, when Zhu Qiyu ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Sun sent him to Nanjing to defend the city.

Zhu Qiyu thought he would stay in Nanjing obediently and live out the rest of his life there.

But he wouldn't have it; he was determined to cause trouble!

Lu Zhong raised his head and looked at Zhu Qiyu.

Zhu Qiyu's face showed no emotion, he simply said, "Go investigate."

We need to find out whether Cao Jixiang was involved or not.

If so, handle it accordingly.

Lu Zhong bowed his head and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

He stood up and was about to leave when Zhu Qiyu suddenly called out to him, "Wait."

Lu Zhong stopped in his tracks.

Zhu Qiyu: "That Wang Chongde, whatever you do, don't let him die."

Lu Zhong was taken aback, then understood, and bowed deeply: "Your subject understands."

Zhu Qiyu gazed at the dark southern night sky, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "Cao Jixiang, you'd better not let me find out anything."

Meanwhile, in Nanjing, at the residence of the garrison eunuch.

Cao Jixiang also didn't sleep.

He was clutching a letter in his hand.

The letter was sent from the capital and I just received it.

The letter contained only eight characters: "The matter has been leaked, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard has already begun the pursuit."

Cao Jixiang held the letter up to the candle flame, watching it slowly burn to ashes.

His expression was calm, even with a hint of a smile.

He muttered to himself, "Wang Chongde, you'd better be able to handle this."

"It's okay if you can't handle it; the ledger you have has already been tampered with."

Cao Jixiang then got up, walked to the wall, and unrolled a scroll.

Behind the scroll was a hidden compartment, inside which was a sandalwood box.

He opened the wooden box, inside which was a stack of silver notes and several secret letters.

He took out the secret letters, read them one by one, and then threw them all into the brazier.

The firelight flickered on his face.

Cao Jixiang watched the letters turn to ashes and sighed softly, "What a pity, these letters could have been exchanged for a lot of silver."

After doing all this, he picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, investigate if you wish."

I'll be waiting in Nanjing.

Let's see if you find out about me first, or if I do—"

He didn't continue, he just smiled.

Beijing, the Imperial Prison of the Northern Garrison Command.

Wang Chongde has been tied to a wooden stake for several days.

Aside from the initial torture, the Imperial Guards did not beat him again in the following days.

However, no one interrogated him; they simply threw him into this dark and damp cell.

Finally, someone came again today.

Menda walked up to Wang Chongde and looked at his haggard face: "Chief Steward Wang, how have you been these past three days?"

Wang Chongde remained silent.

Menda pulled the ledger from his pocket and pointed to a page: "Chief Steward Wang, who are the people from the palace recorded on this page?"

Wang Chongde's pupils contracted slightly before returning to normal: "Sir, that's just a code name."

The little man doesn't even know who he is.

He always sent someone to find me; I've never even seen his face.

Menda nodded: "Okay, what about this one?"

In March of the first year of the Jingtai reign, three thousand taels of silver were received, and the matter in Nanjing was settled.

What's going on in Nanjing?

Wang Chongde fell silent.

Menda wasn't in a hurry; she just watched him quietly.

After a long while, Wang Chongde raised his head: "Sir, can I exchange my life for what I said?"

Menda laughed: "Chief Steward Wang, you forged bonds, which is punishable by death according to the law."

"Whether you live or not depends on whether what you say is worthwhile."

Wang Chongde took a deep breath: "Alright, I'll say it. It's Cao Jixiang, the eunuch in charge of the Nanjing garrison."

Menda's breath caught in her throat for a moment.

Wang Chongde continued, "In the winter of the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, he sent someone to find me, saying he wanted to do business with me."

He provides the technology, I provide the capital, and we'll make a fortune together.

I asked what kind of technology, and he said it was the technology for printing counterfeit coupons.

Menda gripped the ledger tightly.

Wang Chongde said, "He said he knew the printing process of genuine banknotes."

He said that those anti-counterfeiting measures weren't actually that mysterious.

With good craftsmen and the right paper and pigments, it's possible to replicate it.

He provides the templates and recipes, I pay for the printing, and he's responsible for sales.

Menda asked in a deep voice, "And then?"

Wang Chongde smiled wryly: "Then the Chen Tingjing incident happened."

That idiot tried to redeem a fake coupon for money, and was caught red-handed.

I knew things were going to go wrong, so I ran, but you guys still caught up with me.

Menda stared at him: "You just said he'd be in charge of sales. Where did he sell all those counterfeit coupons?"

Wang Chongde shook his head: "I don't know. He only said that they would be sold in the south, but he didn't say exactly where, and I didn't ask."

Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask; that's my rule.

Menda asked, "Do you have any other evidence?"

Wang Chongde nodded: "Yes. I didn't destroy the templates he gave me; I hid them."

I also kept several letters he wrote.

"Where?"

Wang Chongde looked at him: "Sir, I've asked, can I exchange my life for yours?"

Menda stared at him for a long time, then suddenly turned and walked away.

Wang Chongde called out from behind, "My lord! My lord! I told you! I really told you! Can I exchange my life for yours?"

Menda did not turn around.

After leaving, Men Da said to the Imperial Guards around him, "Send men to Shanxi. Find everything Wang Chongde has hidden, even if it means digging three feet into the ground."

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