Chapter 527: The Disappointed Politician

"Your Majesty, this is the report from Jiangdu Prefecture on the rectification of the Huainan salt administration. Through Governor Wang's efforts, all salt fields within the Yangzhou, Taizhou, and Chu territories have been fully collected and rectified. The salt workers have been pacified, and before long, Huainan's salt can be shipped north. The Huai north will no longer suffer salt shortages, and the court will gain a substantial new source of revenue!" Zhang Yisu held up a memorial and presented it to Liu Chengyou.

"Minister Wang works quickly!" Liu Chengyou grew interested, took the document, and scanned it rapidly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "One can already glimpse Huainan's benefit to the state!"

Wang Pu's mission in remaining at Yangzhou, beyond stabilizing the situation, adjusting the administrative system, and establishing the Great Han's governing order over the prefectures and counties of eastern Huai, centered on fiscal reform—and at the heart of that lay the salt administration rectification.

"Has the State Finance Commission calculated how much annual revenue the court can gain from the eastern Huai salt administration?" Liu Chengyou asked.

Zhang Yisu replied: "Based on current conditions alone, with this addition, the court can increase its annual revenue by at least one million five hundred thousand strings of cash, and as time passes and operations continue to expand, that figure could well double!"

Nodding, Liu Chengyou could not help but murmur to himself: "Even at one million five hundred thousand, think of how much the court could accomplish with that!"

"What about the currency policy?" Liu Chengyou asked again.

Zhang Yisu answered: "The State Finance Commission plans to mint one million new coins for distribution in Huainan. Once the situation stabilizes, the two circuits' governments will issue proclamations to the people, ordering them to exchange for Han coins, with a six-month period to gradually phase out Tang coins and all other old currencies!"

"Good to have preparations in place!" Liu Chengyou nodded.

According to the State Finance Commission's plan, just looking at this outflow and inflow, they could skim off another large sum in tax revenue. This was a governing measure, but also a disguised plundering of the Huai people's wealth. After a moment's consideration: "We should dispatch dedicated personnel to oversee this. The exchange ratio must be comprehensively implemented and handled with caution. Additionally, mind the impact—do not provoke popular unrest!"

"Yes!"

Liu Chengyou looked up at Zhang Yisu. This man was not yet thirty, standing there with humble naturalness, giving one a sense of solid reliability. For his achievements in Huainan, upon returning to court, Zhang Yisu had been transferred to the State Finance Commission, serving as a chief clerk under the Salt and Iron Fiscal Commissioner.

"How is Minister Wang's health?" Liu Chengyou asked casually.

Upon the question, Zhang Yisu hurriedly responded, his tone somewhat mournful: "To answer Your Majesty, last night he vomited blood again and was unconscious for two hours. My wife is attending him at his bedside. According to the physicians, his illness has already reached the terminal stage—no medicine can cure it. Perhaps it will be within these few days!"

Hearing this, even Liu Chengyou, hard-hearted as he was, could not help but be moved. He remembered how, when Wang Zhang presided over the State Finance Commission and managed the nation's finances, Liu Chengyou had often described him as "spitting out his heart and draining his blood." Half of Wang Zhang's illness was surely from overwork on behalf of the state.

Though inwardly sighing, his face betrayed nothing. Liu Chengyou instructed Zhang Dejun: "Have two old ginseng roots taken from the palace stores. Later, let Minister Zhang take them back with him!"

"Yes!"

"When you return to the residence, tell Minister Wang to take care of himself. Say that I will find time to visit him!" Liu Chengyou said to Zhang Yisu.

"Your servant, on behalf of my father-in-law, thanks Your Majesty!" Zhang Yisu knelt to the ground, his voice already choked with emotion.

After Zhang Yisu withdrew, Liu Chengyou murmured softly: "Another elder statesman gone..."

He searched through the documents on his imperial desk and pulled out a memorial submitted by Wang Jingchong, Deputy Director of the Wude Office. What it contained was Wang Jingchong's investigation into Wang Zhang, listing his "violations of law and regulations"—forming cliques for private gain, accepting bribes, harboring resentment toward the sovereign, and nursing treacherous intentions. Wang Jingchong had listed over a dozen charges...

Of course, Liu Chengyou did not believe most of this memorial, and even the small part he did believe had largely been embellished by Wang Jingchong. This was essentially a frame-up targeting Wang Zhang.

As for why Wang Jingchong would do this, it was likely due to the accumulated grievances between the two. Two years ago, during the Yang Bin case, Wang Zhang had shown great contempt for Wang Jingchong, who had been scurrying about energetically, and there had been repeated verbal clashes between them.

His eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze gradually turning cold. Liu Chengyou handed the memorial to Zhang Dejun and said in a low voice: "Go personally to the Wude Office, find Wang Jingchong, and burn this memorial in front of him!"

"Yes!" The Son of Heaven's gaze sent a chill down Zhang Dejun's spine; he dared not be negligent.

"Also, have Li Shaoyou come see me!"

Regrettably, Wang Zhang did not live to receive Liu Chengyou's imperial visit. He passed away on the morning of the fourteenth day of the third month in the fifth year of Qianyou. The Son of Heaven lamented that he had been unable to see him one last time before his death, counting it as a regret!

As the Great Han grew increasingly stable, the markets of the Eastern Capital became ever more prosperous. Within the pleasure quarters of the Northern Market, all manner of pavilions, courtyards, and establishments sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain, joining the official establishments in providing entertainment for officials, soldiers, and common folk alike.

Since the imperial uncle Murong Yanchao had assumed the post of Governor of Kaifeng, he had carried out a rectification of the civilian entertainment districts, issuing licenses and conducting regular inspections of the courtesans, making this market both proper and prosperous.

Compared to the many soldiers and wealthy merchants who preferred the official establishments open to the public, many court officials favored the private establishments—especially those high-class venues trading in poetry, lyrics, painting, and music. There they would compose verses, trade couplets, play the zither and flute, enjoying themselves with great refinement, and with far fewer constraints, so as to avoid exposing their indiscretions.

Tao Gu was no different.

"Master Tao, go slowly. I shall surely call upon you at your residence another day!" Before a poetry house festooned with colorful lanterns, a lavishly dressed middle-aged man, bowing humbly with a fawning smile, helped Tao Gu into his carriage.

"Thank you for the hospitality!" Tao Gu seemed to have drunk quite a bit; his tongue was already somewhat thick.

Today he had come at the invitation of a friend to gather, and the host was naturally this middle-aged man. The man was a merchant from Huainan. Merchants chase profit with keen noses, and as newly submitted subjects of the Han, many such merchants had entered the Eastern Capital these days, acquiring properties, scattering silver lavishly, and engaging in vigorous activity. The Huai merchants coming north contributed to the Eastern Capital's prosperity in every way...

Climbing into the carriage, though his drunken eyes were bleary, Tao Gu still retained a shred of clarity. Leaning against the carriage wall, he lifted the curtain and looked at the merchant still standing respectfully at the roadside with hands clasped: "Whatever you seek, we shall discuss it another day, another day!"

"Everything as Master Tao wishes!" The middle-aged man maintained his humble composure.

The carriage wound its way, taking over a quarter of an hour to return to his residence. Those summoned to attend him were the two dancing girls Feng Yansi had given him during his mission to the Tang. Toward these two young maidservants, young enough to be his daughters, Tao Gu had always been fond, often calling them to serve him together. The old rogue knew how to enjoy himself.

Two pairs of slender jade-white hands, each holding one of his old legs, massaged and scrubbed Tao Gu with devoted care. His drunkenness had largely worn off by now. Looking down at the two maidservants, Tao Gu sighed softly, his face full of melancholy: "Young maidens are like flowers, fit to be plucked; talented men are like orchids, yet no one appreciates them..."

"What troubles you, Master? Have we served you poorly?" One young woman looked up and asked nervously.

Gazing at that upturned, delicate, lovely face, Tao Gu reached out, pinched her chin, and said with a smile: "You have served me very well. It's just that the sigh in this old man's heart is not something you could understand!"

Tao Gu was comparing himself to a fragrant orchid that no one appreciated. Since returning to court from the southern campaign, Tao Gu had felt a sense of unrecognized talent. Not only had he received little reward for his arduous service, but his political aspirations were also completely ignored.

These days, the court situation had changed greatly. Guo Wei had left the court to take up his post in Xiangyang. Fan Zhi had gone to Hedong on an inspection tour. Su Yugui had completely retired. Wang Zhang had died of illness, and the position of State Finance Commissioner was now formally vacant.

A slot among the chancellors had suddenly opened up, and for years, this was all Tao Gu had diligently pursued. Yet this time, it still did not come to him.

Liu Chengyou directly fixed the number of chancellors in the Hall of State Affairs at five. After promoting Vice Commissioner Xue Juzheng to the full post, he made no further moves, simply having Feng Dao, Li Tao, Fan Zhi, Wei Renpu, and Xue Juzheng share the chancellorial power. Tao Gu's full enthusiasm was doused with cold water, chilling him to the bone.

As a result, Academician Tao's grumbling increased, and he attended banquets and entertainments with ever greater frequency.

In Tao Gu's own words: "Full of poetry and learning, yet no one asks; the bustling streets are full of disappointed men."

Originally, Liu Chengyou had indeed considered making Tao Gu a chancellor. It was just that this man had too little self-respect and self-discipline. Throughout, although Liu Chengyou valued ability over virtue, there was still a bottom line—and in certain matters, Tao Gu had precisely crossed that line.