Chapter 432: Family Matters

In the tenth month of the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign, Dengzhou's commercial activity had largely ceased, and the surface was utterly calm. In reality, many affairs beyond Dengzhou were in motion, all ultimately converging here.

After receiving his orders, Geng Zhongming set out for Jingshi, reporting in at the trading company at every place he passed along the way, as obedient as a student from a garrison village. Wang Tingshi, for his part, began dispatching personnel to Jinan to take over the registers of taxes, grain, and population for Qingzhou Prefecture.

Chen Xin was busy in Dengzhou with the consolidation, training, and operational plans for the seventh year of Chongzhen, spending entire days shut inside the Regional Commander's residence.

The civil affairs system was in the midst of restructuring. Liu Minyou took advantage of the winter lull in operations to begin adjustments, dividing the Deng-Lai and Qingzhou regions into six sub-districts: Wendeng, Dengzhou, Pingdu, Jiaozhou, Qingzhou, and Liaonan. Each was assigned a civil affairs officer, with subordinate bodies corresponding to the various departments of the Civil Affairs Ministry. Mo Huaiwen and Wu Youdao spent half a month locked in struggle, delineating the powers of the local civil officers and the departmental offices. The subordinate bodies were placed under dual management: the local officers controlled funds and grain, while the departmental offices controlled personnel. Operations were guided by each department, while day-to-day affairs fell under the jurisdiction of the civil affairs officer. A civil officer could ordinarily mobilize up to one thousand men from the garrison protection teams; in emergencies, they could request aid from the local garrison, which could dispatch support at the company level or below. The rank of a civil affairs officer corresponded to that of a battalion commander in the army, equivalent to the head of a departmental office.

The effectiveness of the civil affairs officers still required adjustment after a trial run. The trial area was Pingdu Department, where Mo Huaiwen was effectively the civil affairs officer and had the most experience in this regard. All the senior officials of the civil affairs departments were stationed in Pingdu Department to refine inter-agency coordination with Mo Huaiwen.

Beyond Civil Affairs Ministry matters, Liu Minyou also had the planning for the trading company and the bank. Every winter was when he freed up energy to plan, and this year was no different. He remained busy like this until the end of the tenth month. Chen Xin, with whom he had not been in contact for several days, suddenly sent Hai Gouzi to find Liu Minyou and summon him to the Regional Commander's residence to discuss matters.

The interior of the Regional Commander's residence was, in practice, a military institution. Chen Xin did not have a study, but rather an official workroom with a small attached bedroom. When Liu Minyou walked in, Chen Xin was there, sunk deep in brooding thought. Liu Minyou paid him no mind and went to find a cup and pour himself some tea.

Once he was seated, Chen Xin waved a hand at Hai Gouzi. Hai Gouzi pointed at his own nose. Chen Xin said impatiently, "Out, out. I have matters to discuss with your Brother Liu." Hai Gouzi promptly shrank back, turned, and left the room.

Watching Hai Gouzi go out the door, Liu Minyou turned to Chen Xin and asked in surprise, "You and Hai Gouzi are as thick as thieves — you even took him along when you visited the brothels in Yangzhou. What can't he be allowed to know?"

Chen Xin pulled a report from a drawer and tossed it to Liu Minyou, then lit a cigarette from the charcoal brazier and began to smoke.

Liu Minyou flipped through it. It was the interrogation report on Chen Yijing. The earlier parts were all details about the Later Jin spies transmitting intelligence. Suppressing his curiosity, Liu Minyou flipped to the back and saw a page with underlined passages.

"Bribed Xu Yuanhua with three hundred taels to help Wantong Trading obtain a share of cigarette wholesale distribution." Liu Minyou frowned and continued reading. "Because large-scale cigarette wholesale by the Industry and Commerce Department required Chen Yijing's countersignature, Xu Yuanhua repeatedly approached Chen Yijing, demanding he approve a share for Pingdu's Yangxing Trading. It was later determined that Yangxing Trading was operated by Lu Ertun, a man from Yanggu. Those holding shares in it included Lu Chuanzong, Xu Yuanhua, Huang Yuan, and two others, five in total. Not only did they sell cigarettes, but they also procured low-priced southern goods purchased from Jiangnan through the Industry and Commerce Department, reaping profits exceeding twenty thousand taels this year…"

Liu Minyou raised his eyes to look at Chen Xin. "These people from Yanggu are truly incorrigible. I'm not inclined to keep Xu Yuanhua around. Fortunately, a bribe of three hundred taels isn't too large. I'll arrange to send him elsewhere. How do you plan to deal with Lu Chuanzong?"

"What does Lu Chuanzong count for? Look further back," Chen Xin said, continuing to smoke with his head down.

Liu Minyou glanced at Chen Xin doubtfully, then lowered his head to read on. A moment later, he looked up and asked in astonishment, "Xu Yuanhua actually bribed someone in your household, getting her to speak to Zhou Laifu and request a batch of cigarette distribution quota? Who is this person?"

Chen Xin stood up and said coldly, "Zhou Shifa conducted this interrogation alone. The document doesn't name a name. There are only a few people in the household. The mother-in-law wouldn't bother with such things. Juxiang doesn't have the standing. You tell me who it is."

"Zhao Xiang? Why would she be short of this bit of silver?"

Chen Xin gave a snort. "She's not short of it, but look at the sort of things she accepted — a bit of jewelry and cosmetics. Xu Yuanhua's concubine was in and out of my residence every day, playing mahjong and backgammon with Zhao Xiang, sometimes going out to burn incense on the streets. The moment she opened her mouth, Zhao Xiang agreed. You could say the Yanggu clique is keeping up with the times. Xu Yuanhua used to seize land out in the open; now he's learned to conduct diplomacy through the wives."

Liu Minyou lowered his head, thought for a moment, and said, "Perhaps Zhao Xiang thought she was just doing a favor and didn't think too much of it."

"Damn it all. Such a perfect chance to clean up the Yanggu clique, and Zhao Xiang had to go stick her nose in." Chen Xin was somewhat gnashing his teeth. Xu Yuanhua definitely had to be dismissed, and removing Lu Chuanzong was only logical — none of the Yanggu people could say much about it. What dissatisfied Chen Xin most about Yanggu was that they all came from a single village and spanned civil affairs, commerce, and the military, sticking fiercely together. This had originally been an opportunity to purge them, but now that Zhao Xiang was implicated, how to handle Xu Yuanhua and Lu Chuanzong became awkward.

"How about," Liu Minyou said quietly, "we only deal with Xu Yuanhua."

"On what grounds? There's no solid proof of their investment in Lu Ertun's shop."

Liu Minyou thought for a moment and said, "Xu Yuanhua is easy to handle. No matter how he did it, the Industry and Commerce Department's quotas are reserved for merchants who can expand trade routes — that is, those who can bring needed goods to Deng-Lai, with cigarettes used as an incentive to attract them. The shop Lu Ertun ran clearly didn't qualify. This violates the Industry and Commerce Department's work regulations. Add to that his derivative responsibility in the Chen Yijing affair, and he can be demoted or transferred. We'll take advantage of this structural adjustment to move him away from an important post. I'm thinking of creating a Science and Technology Department, with no duties assigned for now, and just have Xu Yuanhua sit there."

Chen Xin nodded. "Have you thought of a replacement?"

"The former deputy department head, Xiao Heling, who is now managing the textile factory. If we pull him back, the textile factory will need a replacement, and it's in the middle of expansion right now — that's also a bit difficult."

Chen Xin's eyes shifted repeatedly. Finally, he sighed and said, "Then we'll only dismiss Xu Yuanhua. As for Lu Chuanzong… transfer him to be the head of the Military Academy."

"Will he be willing? This is being done without even giving a reason."

"It's not up to him whether he's willing. I'll raise the Military Academy head to the associate rank — he's being promoted. There's no need to reason with him; the military is no place for reasoning. Have the Industry and Commerce Department seal that tobacco shop of Ertun's. Lu Chuanzong will understand what's going on. If he's smart, he won't cause any more trouble."

Liu Minyou was also quite displeased with Xu Yuanhua's repeat corruption. Still, he advised Chen Xin, "There's no evidence for Lu Chuanzong's investment either. It's best not to make things too drastic. Transferring him to an unimportant post is fine. The people involved in the connections aren't implicated, and we're not toppling the entire Yanggu clique. We don't do that rectification campaign stuff."

Chen Xin nodded. "You might as well go inspect the Grand Canal and Lin County. Those places are so far from Deng-Lai; I'm not entirely at ease sending anyone else. Take people from the Finance Department and the Inspectorate Department and go check thoroughly. Problems caught early are always small problems; left too long, they become big ones. I'll handle things here in Dengzhou. I'll make sure she stops idling around all day. Juxiang has also given birth to a boy. I'll change the surname of the one Zhao Xiang bore to hers — that was the agreement back then anyway. Let's see if she still goes around speaking on people's behalf."

Liu Minyou had stood up and was about to leave to prepare. Hearing this at the door, he hurried back and said, "You must handle things steadily with Zhao Xiang. She probably didn't do it to receive any benefits. Don't let this matter cause utter chaos at home."

"I know," Chen Xin said, waving his hand impatiently. "And while you're at it, call my adjutant in for me."

Liu Minyou shook his head and walked out. A moment later, the adjutant entered. Chen Xin said to him, "Notify all officers at the rank of Company Commander and above currently in Deng-Lai to come to Dengzhou for a meeting. Five days from now, in the morning, at the Regional Commander's residence. Have Fan Shouye come early. Also, inform Wang Zhangfu that starting the day after tomorrow, the Guard Battalion is to cancel all leave and go to second-level combat readiness…"

…

After night fell, Chen Xin leisurely returned home. Lanterns hung everywhere in the residence, casting a very soft light on the snowy scenes in the courtyard. As was his custom, Chen Xin went back to his study. He rested and gathered his spirits there, planning to read a little later. Naturally, a maid would go inform Zhao Xiang.

A moment later, Zhao Xiang arrived. Seeing Chen Xin, she said happily, "You're back early today — the earliest in all these days. Are all the military affairs settled?"

Chen Xin looked at Zhao Xiang and said with a smile, "Military affairs are never settled. Finish fighting one and you fight the next. The world is so big — where does the fighting ever end?"

Zhao Xiang came over and stood beside his chair, pressing his forehead as she gently asked, "Is the earth truly a sphere, as you say?"

"Mm, round," Chen Xin tilted his head to look at her. "Why do you suddenly think to ask this?"

Zhao Xiang pouted. "I heard it from Song Wenxian's wife. The Songs' youngest son has been studying at the Wendeng Academy recently. Last time he came home, he told Sister-in-law Song that the earth is round, and that if you keep walking in one direction, you'll eventually return to where you started. So next year he's chosen the navigation elective. He says a few classmates made a pact to sail a ship around the earth someday to prove it. Sister-in-law Song says he's gone mad. She spent the whole afternoon weeping and wailing with me, asking me to go with her to the temple tomorrow to request a talisman to put on her son to exorcise the demons."

Chen Xin let out a hearty laugh. "Exorcise my foot. This youngest son of Song Wenxian's is interesting — more promising than the eldest. Next time he's back, have his mother bring him over so I can see him. And you — when you've nothing to do, you should read the Wendeng textbooks. Don't waste your time with those gossiping women."

"What do you mean, waste my time? You're never home. If I don't talk with the women of these families, I'd be bored stiff. It's more fun with them."

Chen Xin sighed softly and patted her hand. "You may have no ulterior motives, but among those women, some come with motives from their families. I am now the Regional Commander of Dengzhou, governing nearly a million people. With more people come more interests. It's fine to amuse yourself with them, but you must be more vigilant."

Zhao Xiang asked in surprise, "What's happened? Who came with ulterior motives?"

Chen Xin hesitated a moment, then turned his eyes to gaze at Zhao Xiang for a while. Finally, he smiled gently and said, "It's nothing. Just think things over more yourself. But from now on, whenever anyone asks you to put in a word or get something done, you must not agree. Matters within the household are fine, but do not deal with the officials under my governance, including the trading company."

Zhao Xiang thought for a moment and smiled. "Alright then, I don't want to deal with them anyway. Young master, help me get a set of the Wendeng Academy textbooks. I heard this earth business was written by Mr. Liu in some geography textbook, and that it was also in those books by Wang Zheng back then, but it's all stuff passed down from the red-haired barbarians. Even their Wendeng Academy hasn't reached a conclusion."

"Who says there's no conclusion?" Chen Xin sat up in one swift motion and, while grinding ink, said smugly, "You ought to learn some things too. Your master has time today, so I'll give you a bit of popular science. The land where the red-haired barbarians live is called Europa. One group of red-haired barbarians came from west to east, rounding the Cape of Good Hope into the Indian Ocean and arriving at our Chinese shores. Another group went westward, crossing the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, and from the Americas, great sailing ships continued further west, also arriving at Chinese shores. Different directions, yet they reached the same place — naturally, it's round. In fact, a hundred years ago, a red-haired barbarian named Magellan completed the very circumnavigation that the Songs' youngest son spoke of. Now we have young men like the Songs' son among us as well. We can conquer the oceans just the same…"

Chen Xin finished his torrent of words and looked up to see Zhao Xiang yawning. Seeing that Chen Xin had stopped, Zhao Xiang rolled her eyes at him. "Nothing but nonsense. Sister-in-law Song is frantic with worry, and you're still not being serious." (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian to cast your votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at.)

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