Chapter 41: Conflict on the Boat

"Grand Secretary Pang, don't be angry yet."

"The Emperor is determined to reform the salt monopoly; imperial troops have already been dispatched—we can't stop them."

"Salt merchants are indeed a troublesome group, but it depends on who you're comparing them to."

"Do you think those merchants can stand firm against the imperial army?"

Wang Anfu said dismissively.

"The official pretext is suppressing rebellion; anyone who stands in the way is a rebel."

"The Two Huai salt merchants are wealthy and have bribed many local figures, but that doesn't mean all of them will join their rebellion."

"Moreover, the salt merchants aren't united—they frequently clash among themselves over personal interests."

"If the court acts swiftly enough, arrests the ringleaders at once, the rest will scatter like sand."

"Grand Secretary Pang, the salt merchants aren't merely merchants—the real trouble lies in the powerful clans behind them."

"You've never lived in the Two Huai region—you don't know how deeply entrenched their influence is."

"One misstep, and chaos will erupt!"

Pang Hengsheng said solemnly.

"These words come purely from public duty, not factional interest—I dare swear by my personal integrity."

"Grand Secretary Pang, the issue isn't as serious as you make it out to be."

"There are indeed many powerful figures behind the salt merchants, but that doesn't mean they'll rebel."

"How the situation unfolds depends largely on what the Emperor intends to do with the salt monopoly."

When Xu GeLao, also of the Pure Stream faction, spoke, the tense atmosphere instantly eased.

"Powerful clans are strong, but they also have many concerns."

"Salt is an important source of income for them, but certainly not the only one."

"Even if some entertain dangerous ideas, their relatives serving in court will strongly oppose them."

"After twenty years of grueling study, they finally passed the imperial exams and entered the court—suddenly switching paths would mean losing too much sunk cost."

"Although Great Yu has many problems, the overall state of the realm remains stable."

"Even so, the risks of the Two Huai salt monopoly remain substantial."

"For the sake of the empire, the Grand Secretariat must send a high-ranking official to take charge—cannot allow the eunuch faction to run rampant!"

Fortunately, Pang Hengsheng reacted quickly and shifted blame to the eunuch faction—otherwise, it would have been another political disaster.

Since Emperor Tianyuan ascended the throne, he's done many disgraceful things—but all the blame has fallen on the eunuch faction.

To date, in the hearts of the people, Emperor Tianyuan remains a good emperor.

"The Two Huai salt monopoly is a special case—ordinary officials can't control it."

"Grand Secretary Pang, you hail from Nanzhili and know the region best—why not go yourself?"

Song Haidong suggested cheerfully.

With salt reform imminent, the Eastern Depot, Embroidered Uniform Guard, and imperial troops have already arrived—the civil officials need a figure of weight to take charge.

"Since ancient times, reforming the salt monopoly has never been without deaths."

"A common civil official sent there would easily become a pawn in the struggle between both sides."

"The salt merchants are closely tied to the local gentry of Two Huai—and that region happens to be the Pure Stream faction's stronghold; no one would believe there's no connection between them."

"Others can't hold their ground—but a senior official of the Pure Stream faction can."

"Grand Secretary, please choose someone else!"

"The Two Huai salt monopoly involves too many tangled matters—it requires a vigorous, capable official to handle it. My health can't withstand the strain."

Pang Hengsheng instinctively refused.

"The relationship between Grand Secretary and Deputy Grand Secretary in Great Yu has never been good—he wouldn't dare accept a post recommended by a rival."

"It's true the southeast is the Pure Stream faction's stronghold, but there are still several venerable 'Pure Stream leaders' there."

"The Pure Stream faction isn't united—these senior figures pretend to be close friends, but behind the scenes, they're rivals."

"In politics, anything is possible."

"If they collude internally and externally and strike hard, he might end up sinking in a ditch."

"Since Grand Secretary Pang won't go, then please, Grand Secretary Xu, take this mission!"

As Song Haidong finished speaking, Xu Wenyue, named, frowned slightly.

"Pang Hengsheng finds it difficult—I find it difficult too."

"The authority to reform the Two Huai salt monopoly doesn't lie in my hands."

"Going there now sounds noble—call it what it really is: cleaning up a mess."

"The decay of the salt monopoly is inseparable from official corruption."

"In the Pure Stream stronghold, most officials are Pure Stream members—this crackdown on administrative corruption targets our own people."

"The eunuch faction watches from the side—if you don't strike hard, you can't answer to the court."

"But if you strike hard, the Pure Stream will accuse you of being heartless."

"He wanted to refuse, but Song Haidong's unyielding gaze made him swallow his words."

"The power gap among Grand Secretaries is immense—Song Haidong appears a kind man, but if you mistake him for a soft target, you won't even know how you died."

"Anyone who rose from the ranks of officials to become Grand Secretary has a ruthless side."

"A Grand Secretary's nominee may be rejected once—but never twice."

The court's power struggles were beyond Li Mu's concern—he was already on the road.

Soon after boarding the canal boat, the Five City Military Command group encountered trouble.

The landlubbers from the capital, unaccustomed to life aboard, were seasick in twos and threes.

The soldiers fared better—they'd endured hardship, adapted quickly, and only a few fell ill.

The pampered scions of noble families fared worse—many vomited and diarrhea, and the military physicians were overwhelmed.

They brought this suffering on themselves—they had to endure it with tears.

But willpower often yields to reality; by the third day, chaos finally broke out.

"Stop the boat!"

"Stop the boat quickly!"

"Stop the boat—I need to get off!"

"I'm the nephew of the Duke of Cheng—stop the boat immediately!"

"I'm the brother of Imperial Consort Rong—you dare not..."

Faced with this mob of imperial relatives and noble scions causing trouble, the boatmen had no courage to refuse.

Seeing this, Li Mu cursed inwardly.

Being on the same boat with these unruly nobles was the worst misfortune of his eight lifetimes.

"By order of the Duke of Wuyang: anyone who stops the boat shall be executed!"

"All continue sailing—anyone who disrupts military movement shall be charged as a traitor!"

Li Mu immediately intervened.

If the boat stopped, these unruly nobles would scatter—and who would become the sacrifice?

"This military operation was never mentioned to me beforehand—suddenly everyone received word; it's clearly suspicious."

"The Duke of Wuyang's behavior is also odd—he's attempting to dissuade them, but not earnestly."

"Otherwise, he could have reported the matter and had the Emperor order these troublemakers to remain behind."

After reviewing the sequence of events, Li Mu reached a startling conclusion: the higher-ups deliberately lured this group to their deaths.

"Once the salt merchants are arrested and imperial troops gather, any sensible person would lie low."

"After all, the imperial troops won't stay permanently in Two Huai—once they leave, they can resume their activities."

"The sharp drop in salt tax revenue stems mainly from rampant smuggling."

"The official salt merchants are themselves the largest smugglers—hence, salt tax naturally can't be collected."

"For the shadow operators, when the puppets are arrested, they simply install new ones—the profits keep flowing."

"Previous salt monopoly reforms failed because they never touched the core."

"These shadow operators all hold prestigious public identities—without concrete evidence, the court can't act against them."

"To lure the snake out of its hole, you need more than clever people—you need fools."

"If someone provokes conflict, violence will follow."

"If several imperial relatives or nobles die, then the court can move to arrest others—and the scholar-officials will have no grounds to object."

"A direct, reckless assault might, if mishandled, become Great Yu's own 'Five Men's Tomb Stele.'"

(End of chapter)