Chapter 1516: Bamboo and Stone

Wang Yan's rank was truly too low; he had no opportunity to intervene in the affairs of Zhejiang.

Previously, he could influence events because he was the person in charge of Chun'an, and at that time, Chun'an was the center. Thus, when he made a move, it had some impact on matters, earning him recognition among the Jiajing Emperor, the Prince of Yu, and the Yan faction.

However, now that the policy of converting rice fields to mulberry fields had passed, the focus shifted to the massive embezzlement scandal triggered by Shen Yishi, which reached the ears of Heaven itself, involving struggles and compromises among many parties. Naturally, there was no place for him in this.

After all, as a mere chief clerk, his equivalent rank would be that of a deputy division-level cadre, while this case involved central supervisors, regional governors, and numerous lower-level officials, even subtly pointing toward those few chairs at the very top.

To draw a parallel with later times, it was like a standing committee member of a small county in Zhejiang being entangled with central supervisors, numerous high-ranking officials, and department-level bureaucrats, with faint implications pointing toward those few chairs above.

Unless Wang Yan had connections to the individuals involved in the case, allowing him to be investigated and dealt with, where would there be any room for him to speak out? Merely knowing the news would be a mistake.

As for fighting the Japanese pirates, the main battlefield was now in Taizhou; pirates in other areas were merely conducting harassment and diversionary tactics, unable to form a major threat. Moreover, within Chun'an, let alone Japanese pirates, even those who practiced brutality and violence had been subdued, all diligently engaged in production. While Chun'an might not have reached the ideal of doors left unlocked at night or lost items left untouched on the road, it was not far from it.

Furthermore, Wang Yan could not personally lead troops to hunt down pirates everywhere; previously, the military situation was urgent, but now that internal stability was secured, external matters were not yet his concern.

Thus, everything continued to unfold naturally: Hu Zongxian led Qi Jiguang and others to fight the Japanese pirates, achieving the Zhu Zhu Dajie of Taizhou. Hai Rui stubbornly persisted in trying cases, dredging up past events that made everyone from top to bottom extremely uncomfortable. Zhao Zhenji racked his brains trying to satisfy all parties while simultaneously running around with a head full of bumps to raise military supplies.

"Hai Rui, I am not asking you about trying cases; I am asking you about military supplies."

In the Provincial Governor's Yamen, Zhao Zhenji looked at Hai Rui, who stood rigidly before him staring wide-eyed, feeling utterly helpless in his heart.

Yet he showed nothing on his face, saying, "Documents have arrived from several counties surrounding Chun'an, reporting that your Chun'an disregards laws and discipline, privately leading local militia to enforce laws beyond boundaries, and raiding the homes of wealthy families accused of colluding with Japanese pirates."

"The military situation is urgent and allows no delay; naturally, we must act with expediency," Hai Rui stated bluntly. "Does Lord Governor intend for Chun'an to hand over the seized movable assets to serve as military supplies?"

"You raided so many wealthy households; there must be at least tens of thousands of taels of silver. No matter how urgent Chun'an's military situation is, can it be more urgent than Minister Hu's resistance against the Japanese pirates? Let me tell you, Minister Hu just achieved a great victory in Taizhou, defeating the Japanese pirates so thoroughly that they fled overseas. If military supplies fall short now and delay the military campaign, can you bear that responsibility?"

"That responsibility belongs to Lord Governor, not to me," Hai Rui replied calmly, shaking his head. "Moreover, to be frank, Lord Governor should also be aware of Wang Yan, the chief clerk of Chun'an; the person truly in charge in Chun'an is him, not me, the county magistrate."

"How can you say such things? As a superior officer, unable to control your subordinate officials..."

Meeting Hai Rui's gaze, Zhao Zhenji fell silent, for he remembered that he had failed to control this very Hai Rui before him...

Hai Rui said, "Lord Governor may not know that before I arrived in Chun'an to take up my post, Wang Yan was already managing affairs there... Zheng Michang and He Maocai attempted to falsely accuse Chun'an's disaster victims of colluding with Japanese pirates... Why did He Maocai dare not go to Chun'an? He feared Wang Yan would simply bind him on the spot."

"Moreover, Wang Yan developed red bricks and cement, and recently invented white glass, which he directly presented to Your Majesty. Your Majesty granted him a fifty percent share of the net profits. Since he has a good appetite and insists on having wine and meat with every meal, yet possesses no other assets, Your Majesty, considering this, ordered someone to specially deliver one thousand taels of silver to him first, allowing him to enjoy fine clothes and delicious food."

"Lord Governor, under such circumstances, let alone me, even you, Governor Zhao, could you suppress Wang Yan in Chun'an or seize his power? Let me tell you plainly: without Wang Yan saying a single word, you would find it impossible to take even a single step in Chun'an."

Zhao Zhenji frowned: "Your Majesty gives him dividends and even provides one thousand taels of silver for his enjoyment?"

"Exactly!"

"Is the military situation not still urgent? Are the people of Chun'an the only people, while those elsewhere are not? Magistrate Hai, perhaps you are unaware of the damage the Japanese pirates have caused to our Great Ming..."

Thus, Hai Rui unleashed a tirade against Zhao Zhenji, stating that his own father had died at the hands of Japanese pirates, and he detailed in full the raids the pirates had conducted against Great Ming over many past years, leaving Zhao Zhenji speechless.

However, Hai Rui did not press the matter further with Zhao Zhenji; instead, he turned and said, "Lord Governor, the assets Chun'an obtained this time are all movable properties. Due to the flood disaster, the yamen is so poor it jingles; we cannot even distribute sufficient grain salaries to the officials. Roads need repair, water conservancy needs dredging, the Ever-Normal Granary needs grain replenishment; every one of these requires expenditure."

"The people elsewhere are indeed people, but should the people of my Chun'an suffer misery upon misery? Having just endured a flood disaster and finally achieved some stability, now that we have a sum of silver allowing Chun'an to catch its breath, Lord Governor, not to mention whether this silver can even be demanded from Wang Yan's hands, even if it could, does Lord Governor truly believe the people of Chun'an are better off than those elsewhere suffering from Japanese pirates?"

"Why does Lord Governor not seek other counties? They suffered no disaster and can provide money and grain. Setting aside other matters, just consider those counties suing Chun'an: the movable assets taken by Wang Yan leading the local militia were only the tip of the iceberg; the remaining farmland and properties, which they disposed of, represent the accumulated wealth of wealthy families over generations. Selling these off would surely fill their coffers to the brim, wouldn't it?"

Hai Rui bowed with clasped hands, "If there is nothing else, this subordinate takes his leave."

Having said this, disregarding the bewildered Zhao Zhenji, Hai Rui turned and departed...

Zhao Zhenji watched Hai Rui leave, speechless and choking with frustration, feeling extremely stifled...

It was not that money could only be taken from Chun'an; it was simply that Chun'an now had money, so Zhao Zhenji set his sights on it. If he could not obtain money in Chun'an, Zhao Zhenji naturally had methods to raise funds elsewhere.

Events continued to unfold according to the original trajectory: the testimonies sent back for retrial were still delivered unchanged to Jingcheng together with Yang Jinshui. Not only were they unchanged, but Hai Rui also found evidence to overturn the recanted testimonies of Zheng Michang and He Maocai, sending those along as well.

This action was equivalent to Magistrate Hai Rui pointing at the nose of the Grand Secretariat and the Emperor, cursing them outright...

To consider the impact and avoid causing panic from top to bottom that might destabilize the dynasty, the Jiajing Emperor chose to minimize the issue. Just as in the original drama, he summoned Yan Song and Xu Jie to the Yuxi Palace, spoke a series of conciliatory words, and finally burned the testimonies uncovered by Hai Rui's investigation.

Thus, Yan Song seized the opportunity to launch an attack.

He first stated that the national treasury was empty and the military situation urgent, with various ministries still needing silver, requesting that Yan Maoqing be dispatched to inspect the salt administration. The Jiajing Emperor approved the memorial.

Afterwards, Yan Song continued, "Previously, during the conversion of rice fields to mulberry fields, this subject received reports that a smuggling commoner named Qi Dazhu was suspected of colluding with Japanese pirates. Upon hearing this, the Provincial Judicial Commission sent troops to arrest him, but was blocked by Wang Yan, the newly appointed chief clerk of Chun'an. Without seeking authorization, he arbitrarily incited local militia to capture the soldiers and militia sent by the Provincial Judicial Commission; even a thousand-household commander and a vice thousand-household commander were arrested. He also privately established a torture chamber and conducted interrogations beyond his jurisdictional level."

"Zheng Michang and He Maocai jointly submitted a memorial stating that Wang Yan, the chief clerk of Chun'an, was harboring Japanese pirates, knowing but not reporting it, privately deploying local militia, disobeying superiors, showing disrespect to the court, currying favor with the populace, inciting local militia to serve as his support, and defying orders from above."

"It is also reported that Wang Yan is arrogant, extorting wealthy families and harming innocent people. Previously, during the pirate disturbances, he privately commanded local militia, using the pretext of collusion with Japanese pirates to cross boundaries and raid the homes of wealthy families; truly, this is lawlessness."

"As for that Qi Dazhu, he has now been sent by Wang Yan to resist the Japanese pirates and is currently by Hu Zongxian's side. This subject believes that relevant matters should be thoroughly investigated to restore law and discipline."

From the other side, Xu Jie's gaze pierced over.

Lu Fang, kneeling on the ground, was also looking at Yan Song. He did not understand; the matter had already been settled, so why was Yan Song suddenly acting shamelessly, causing trouble for His Majesty?

The Jiajing Emperor, draped in a Daoist robe and wearing a floral and fragrant crown, glanced at Yan Song, his eyes deep and profound.

After a moment of silence, he finally said, "Approved. Is there anything else?"

Yan Song naturally detected the impatience in the Jiajing Emperor's words, so he requested permission to take his leave and departed voluntarily.

Xu Jie had nothing more to say either and followed, leaving the Yuxi Palace together.

Only the Jiajing Emperor remained seated in the lotus position, eyes closed in quiet cultivation.

Lu Fang stood obediently nearby, patiently keeping him company.

After a long while, perhaps his legs had gone numb, the Jiajing Emperor finally concluded his practice and stretched out his legs. Seeing this, Lu Fang quickly stepped forward to serve him, massaging his legs.

"That old dog Yan Song is becoming increasingly useless as he ages," the Jiajing Emperor chuckled lightly. "He has even come to checkmate me."

"Master, to speak plainly, Grand Secretary Yan indeed went too far this time. Knowing full well that Wang Yan is someone in your sleeve destined for future heavy responsibilities, and that this matter is inconsequential, he still insisted on using Wang Yan as a scapegoat to kill Hai Rui."

"He is doing this to show me."

The Jiajing Emperor's gaze turned cold. "He wants me to know his weight, to make me realize that everyone from top to bottom is his man..."

Lu Fang wisely remained silent, silently pounding the Jiajing Emperor's legs. Before this, due to various matters, he had already been sent away to construct an auspicious burial mound, meaning to build a tomb for the Jiajing Emperor. He had already sensed that he would be dismissed, sent far away from the center of power...

After another moment, the Jiajing Emperor said, "Isn't Zhu Qi still in Zhejiang? Now that everything has settled, he is of no use there anymore. Let him bring Wang Yan and that other one..."

"Qi Dazhu."

"Let Zhu Qi bring those two to the capital; there is no need to rush, let them come slowly, and ensure Wang Yan's food and drink are not lacking."

"Yes, Master."

"Go." The Jiajing Emperor waved his hand; his legs had recovered, and he resumed his quiet cultivation...

At the entrance of the Chun'an County Yamen, a large umbrella sewn from cloth was spread open; in its shadow lay Third Master, hair disheveled, lounging on a reclining chair and swaying gently.

Occasionally, commoners would pass by, and upon seeing him, they would always stop to say a few words; some even asked Wang Yan to check their pulse and diagnose them. Now, everyone in the county knew that the Third Master was a divine physician, who had not only contained the county's plague but also cured many people of illnesses that had plagued them for years. Moreover, the Third Master was benevolent, charging not a single coin for diagnosing patients.

Ordinary people would not be so blind as to bother the Third Master for every minor ailment; they only came to him after visiting the medical halls, where the managing Physicians failed to cure them.

Taking advantage of the disaster, Wang Yan had completely integrated the county's medical resources; now, all medical halls in the county acted in unison and obeyed his commands. At the same time, corresponding documents were issued to restrict the prices of medical consultations and prescriptions, with clear and detailed rules.

Wang Yan still possessed this authority; it was part of the county's self-governance, belonging to local laws, and did not conflict with regulations elsewhere.

"The Third Master is truly leisurely."

Hearing the sarcastic remark, Wang Yan opened his eyes, took a look, and then waved his hand: "The Eldest Master has returned; seeing that face full of sorrow, something disastrous must have happened."

"Whether it's disastrous or not, I don't know; I submitted my resignation to Zhao Zhenji and quit!" Hai Rui took the folding fan from Wang Yan's hand and began fanning himself.

This single fan of air made him freeze; looking at the painting of bamboo and rocks on the fan's surface, he could not help but recite the poem inscribed there.

"Biting fast onto Qingshan and never letting go..."

Wang Yan asked with a smile: "How is it? Is this poem decent enough?"

"I truly never expected that someone like you, who became an official just to scoop up silver, could write such a pure and proud poem."

"How could I deserve such praise? It was written for you. You, Hai Gangfeng, have nothing else but a body full of unyielding pride."

"Brother Wang, you overpraise me."

"Oh my, Eldest Master, this is the first time you have formally called me 'brother'," Wang Yan said amusingly. "When you are happy, you should laugh; you can't even suppress the corners of your mouth."

Thus, Hai Rui laughed heartily: "Indeed, you overpraise me."

"You did not 'bite fast onto Qingshan and never let go,' so isn't that overpraise? While holding office, you could still act on behalf of the people; if you cease to be an official, then everything is in vain. Did you go to the provincial capital to review a circle of cases only to judge yourself out of wanting to be an official?"

"What? The Eldest Master is no longer an official?"

Tian Youlu ran over holding a letter, greatly surprised upon hearing this: "Your Honor, please think thrice! So many people wish to be officials but cannot; our Great Ming has hundreds of millions of subjects and 1,158 counties, meaning there are only 1,158 County Magistrates—this is a position others cannot achieve in a lifetime. This humble official also emerged from the provincial examinations and has served as an official for over ten years; my entire life's ambition is to become a principal official."

"Speak of your matter." Hai Rui did not wish to deal with Tian Youlu; this fellow was far too greedy.

Tian Youlu naturally paid no heed to Hai Rui's displeasure; he said, "Eldest Master, Third Master, the Young Master of Minister Hu is passing through our Chun'an."

As this was Hai Rui's first time serving as a County Magistrate, he took the letter and looked at it perplexed: "Let him come; what does it have to do with our Chun'an?"

"According to precedent, the Young Master of a Minister must be received according to the Minister's regulations, which entails two hundred taels of silver for reception expenses and four hundred taels of silver as a gift of respect."

"What? This is outrageous! Where did this precedent come from? Where is it written?" Hai Rui exploded immediately.

Wang Yan clicked his tongue: "It is still good to be an official; if I were not an official, I wouldn't even know about toll fees. I hear Minister Hu has been traveling frequently to Jingcheng lately; just how much silver must he have earned? Second Master, we brothers must encourage each other."

"Uh... hehe..." Tian Youlu chuckled, then asked, "So how shall we arrange this? Shall we give this silver or not?"

"No!" Hai Rui stated firmly.

Tian Youlu said with difficulty: "But he is, after all, the Young Master of Minister Hu's family; if he blames us..."

This time, Wang Yan spoke: "You take the Yamen Runners from the yamen to receive him; treat him to a meal of wine and dishes according to my usual standards, with the silver coming from the yamen's public accounts; thus, we can be considered to have done our duty. If the Young Master of Minister Hu's family is dissatisfied and causes a scene, you arrest him and bring him back; let me see what makes the Young Master of Minister Hu's family so special."

"Oh my, Third Master, this will lead to a major disaster! Minister Hu is still fighting the Japanese pirates, yet we are arresting his son in the rear..."

"One matter is one matter; I previously met Minister Hu in the provincial capital; if I arrest his son, I will bear responsibility for any consequences."

"Sigh..."

Tian Youlu let out a long sigh; working alongside these two ancestors was truly unbearable.

Neither Wang Yan nor Hai Rui paid any attention to Tian Youlu's desire to die; instead, they chatted about the series of events that occurred while Hai Rui reviewed cases in the provincial capital...

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