Chaos of Ming 1628

Sun Qing looked around and then gestured for Li Qingshan to find another place to talk.

In the low shack, a tattered straw mat was laid on a wooden plank, and Li Qingshan's mother lay on it.

The autumn wind was bleak, and she huddled up in a ball, chilled to the bone. Beside her lay some herbs, the dregs of which, mixed with clay, had been made into cakes.

The two explained the matter in detail, and Li Qingshan's expression was full of seriousness. He nodded emphatically: "Don't worry, Young Master Sun, I will definitely handle this matter well."

Sun Qing's gaze swept over the old woman, and he sighed silently. He took out the jade pendant he had kept for escape from his pocket and quietly placed it beside the old woman.

This jade pendant, when exchanged for silver, could allow them to survive. For Sun Qing, it had lost its initial meaning. Originally intended as funds for escape, it had now, after all these actions, completely embroiled him in the struggle between the Donglin Party and the eunuch faction.

Can't run away.

As soon as Sun Qing appeared on the streets of Jiahe County, a yamen runner rushed over, both amused and exasperated: "Young master, we've been looking for you for ages!"

"Young master, Madam and Lord Zhou request your presence."

At the county magistrate's residence.

Madam Ke sat upright in her armchair, gently skimming the foam from her teacup, and glanced at Sun Qing: "Young Master Sun, have you brought the things?"

Besides the servants she brought on the first day, she was followed by more than a dozen men dressed as sedan chair bearers. However, each of them had an arrogant air about them, and their hands were frequently placed on their waists.

Ordinary sedan chair carriers were of low social status, their very being imbued with a sense of inferiority. Such arrogant and hateful gazes were now most commonly seen on the faces of the Eastern Depot's agents.

It must be said that the divine punishment incident did indeed have an unknown impact on the agents of the Eastern Depot. So much so that when they came to Jiaohe County, they all had to disguise themselves.

Compared to before, the arrival of the sedan chair bearers truly gave Ms. Ke more confidence.

Sun Qing remained unhurried, feigning madness: "What is it? You summoned me, so am I supposed to bring a gift too?"

"Stop pretending to be confused," Mrs. Ke raised her eyelids slightly, "What day of the week is it? You tell me yourself."

Zhou Ji stood up shakily, nervously eyeing the sedan chair bearers, and stepped forward with tears welling up in his eyes.

He stammered, "Young Master Sun, there's no other way. You saw it yourself, all these grandfathers have come."

"I think we should just forget about it and tell us where the money is kept!"

Sun Qing frowned slightly. This week, Zhou Ji had really mastered the art of double-dealing. He secretly sent people to keep a close eye on the movement of money, then turned around and pushed everything onto Sun Qing.

"Money?" Sun Qing remained calm and answered accordingly, "I wonder where this money you speak of comes from?"

"It's the Imperial Guard!" Zhou Ji exclaimed anxiously.

Sun Qing laughed again: "Lord Zhou, could you explain in detail where this money came from, why it ended up in your hands, and why you're asking me for it?"

This move baffled Zhou Ji, who scoffed, "Young Master Sun, your question is unreasonable."

"It wasn't that officer who started extorting money indiscriminately after arriving here." Zhou Ji's tone became more serious when he mentioned this: "After he got into trouble, this money, as embezzled funds, naturally stayed in the yamen."

"Isn't it because of some reason that I entrusted it to you for safekeeping?"

Sun Qing nodded: "I understand."

"So, the money is dirty stuff, it doesn't belong to me, and I'm just entrusted with its safekeeping? In that case, I did indeed hold these accounts in safekeeping."

Zhou blinked repeatedly, but received no response from Sun Qing.

"Are you... done talking?" Zhou Ji asked again, somewhat uncertainly.

People are willing to die for money. He dared not clash with Madam Ke, but he also really did not want to give away so much money.

Sun Qing smiled and nodded, "That's all."

Zhou Ji was confused. Hadn't they agreed not to hand over the money? Why did he admit it in front of Madam Ke? He looked at the clerk, who nodded at Zhou Ji with a profound expression.

Regardless of the clashes, this is a matter between Madam Ke and Sun Qing. If the matter is handed over, Sun Qing will be nothing more than a sycophant, unworthy of being the Dragon King's man. Once the reputation of Jiaohe County is lost, who will listen to him?

Even if Madam Ke absconds with the money, there will still be some profit to be made through further exploitation. Without the eunuch faction and without Sun Qing, Zhou Ji will become the true local tyrant of Jiahe County.

If he doesn't give it to them, then he'll offend Madam Ke. Whatever happens is their business; they shouldn't offend either side.

Mrs. Ke took a sip of tea: "It's good that you've admitted it."

"Sun Qing, where's the stuff? My men can go get it too."

Sun Qing did not answer Madam Ke's question, but instead continued to press Zhou Ji: "May I ask, did this lady ask for it, or did Lord Zhou?"

"Since the embezzled funds are in my possession, I naturally need to find out the truth."

"Do I need your permission to get what I want?" Mrs. Ke was clearly angry, and snapped impatiently, "It's best if you can speak properly; if not, my people will teach you!"

Zhou Ji, like a quail, hurriedly stood to the side with his head tucked in, acting as if it were none of his business.

Sun Qing's smile remained unchanged: "Why must you be angry, Madam?"

"This money was embezzled by Zhang Yinlong and his entourage in Jiaohe, and it is not anyone's private property. According to the Ming Dynasty Code, all embezzled funds should be sealed up and handed over to the government office for safekeeping."

"To be honest, I am just a commoner, only temporarily guarding it, and have no right to hand it over to anyone."

Zhou Ji breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Sun Qing as if he were a complete idiot. It was best if he didn't hand it over; as for whether it was embezzled money, that would be up to him to decide after Madam Ke left.

"Oh?" Ke Shi drawled, her tone full of sarcasm. "That's easy, the Great Wei will transfer this to the national treasury."

"Sun Qing, you dare to stop me?"

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

The dozen or so sedan chair carriers also stepped forward, their eyes even sharper.

Only Shen Junru, lounging lazily by the pillar, yawned and remained aloof.

Sun Qing remained polite and slowly said, "First of all, the ironclad law of the Taizu Emperor stipulates that the outer court is not allowed to exchange money or goods with public wet nurses. If I knowingly violated this law, wouldn't that be currying favor with the palace and needlessly tarnishing the reputation of my late Grand Secretary? The entire clan would be executed. I would never dare to do anything that violates the law and harms my family."

"Moreover, there is a procedure for handling embezzled funds. Whether you want them or someone else wants them, they all need to carry a formal official document from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, which must be sent to Hejian Prefecture, and then to the Jiaohe County government office. After the transfer procedures are completed, the local officials will verify and confirm the documents on the spot, register and seal them, and then confiscate them and put them into the treasury according to the law."

"It's against the rules for you to ask for it verbally like this, so it absolutely cannot be delivered."

These words made Mrs. Ke's face turn pale again and again.

Another person with a deathly pale face was Zhou Ji. His mouth was slightly agape, completely baffled as to how this had happened to him again.

Sun Qing wouldn't dare give it to him if he didn't nod. If he did nod, he would be seen as a corrupt official who was incompetent, a scourge to the people, and deserved to die.

Zhou Ji was so frightened that he knelt on the ground with a thud, at a loss for what to do: "Madam, please spare me! Young Master Sun is the son of Grand Secretary Sun, so naturally he can't just say whatever he wants!"

"Madam, I dare not speak unless he agrees!"

When the time came, he didn't even bother to pretend anymore and just blurted out the whole story.

He was already angry at being polite, and seeing this only fueled his anger, so he suddenly threw down the teacup in his hand.

The teacup fell to Sun Qing's feet and shattered into pieces. Scalding hot tea splashed all over the floor. Madam Ke slammed her hand on the table and stood up.

Pointing at Sun Qing's nose, he shouted angrily, "You bastard surnamed Sun, ever since I arrived in Jiahe County, you have been making things difficult for me at every turn."

"I've been putting up with you repeatedly, even at Grand Secretary Sun's expense."

As she said this, the fierceness in her eyes only intensified: "But you also need to understand that Sun Chengzong is Sun Chengzong, and you are you."

"We cannot kill the Imperial Tutor, but who are you? You're just a member of the Sun family, yet you've repeatedly offended me. Even your subordinates show you some respect, but do you expect me to defer to you?!"

"I'll kill you if I want, what can Sun Chengzong do to me?!"

Seeing that Sun Qing dared not speak, he sneered and sat back down in the armchair, slightly straightening his sleeves, and said in a raised tone, "Sun Qing, you should know your place."

"You said Sun Chengzong holds military power, which made me somewhat wary. But what does he have now?"

"Be a good girl and listen to me. Considering your good looks, I might be willing to spoil you!"

Having said that, Madam Ke smiled smugly. The breath that had been weighing on her chest was finally released.

Sun Qing nodded, pondered for a moment, and replied, "Madam is right."

"Please dismiss everyone else, Madam. I have something I'd like to say to you."