Chapter 118: Case Closed

Zhu Xu sat in the carriage, heading toward the Fu residence.

He breathed a quiet sigh of relief inwardly. He had always been wary of Luo Sigong—if Luo Sigong truly grew suspicious of him and resorted to some means against him, his secrets might not be fully safeguarded.

Arriving at the Fu residence, Fu Changzong had been waiting at home since early. The two went to the secret chamber, where Fu Changzong still wore a worried expression.

"What's wrong, Uncle?" Zhu Xu sat down, looking at Fu Changzong's face with curiosity.

Fu Changzong sat across from Zhu Xu, pouring him some cold tea, and shook his head: "Today at the ministry office I read the memorials submitted from various regions. Shaanxi, the West, Sichuan, Gansu—the drought is severe. Many prefectures and counties have seen no harvest at all. Even Jiangnan has been affected. I worry that this year's tax silver may not be collected in full."

Zhu Xu chuckled and said: "Uncle's concern is well founded."

Seeing Zhu Xu unmoved, Fu Changzong added: "With the disaster so severe, popular unrest will grow worse, and the court's expenditures will increase. At this rate, the court will sooner or later be unable to bear the burden."

Zhu Xu took a sip of the cold tea and said: "Uncle, you're overthinking it. The court has long been unable to make ends meet—it started in the fortieth year of Wanli."

Fu Changzong, having assumed the post of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, naturally understood the state treasury better than Zhu Xu. He looked at Zhu Xu with a strange gleam in his eyes: "Xu'er, the silver you earn... when will you..."

Zhu Xu understood Fu Changzong's meaning and shook his head directly: "Uncle, it's too early for you to set your sights on me now. In another five years or so, that would be about right."

Fu Changzong paused, then nodded and sighed: "I know. But the gentlemen at court are all deeply worried about this, yet powerless to act. Perhaps I should have listened to you earlier—then we might have silver to meet the emergency now."

"It's not too late now," Zhu Xu said. He knew Fu Changzong had always harbored reservations about his doings, so he didn't dwell on the subject and changed the topic: "By the way, how is the weapons factory preparation going?"

Fu Changzong looked at Zhu Xu, knowing he disliked involving himself in court affairs. After a moment's deliberation he said: "For the firearms factory, I've already selected a site—in a village outside the city. The villagers there have made their living by ironworking for generations. I quietly purchased an inconspicuous courtyard and dug out the underground space; it will be usable before long. As for gunpowder, it's still inconvenient to transport at present—around the new year should be easier. Pig iron and coal are no problem for now."

Zhu Xu nodded. This was currently his greatest concern. He didn't demand that Bi Maokang produce a highly practical flintlock all at once; what he wanted was continuous improvement, refinement, and firearms suited for actual combat. Whether it took three to five months, three to five years, or even ten years, he could wait.

Seeing Zhu Xu nod, Fu Changzong thought for a moment and said: "Xu'er, regarding the grain transport—what exactly are you planning?"

Zhu Xu smiled. He knew Fu Changzong would ask this question, and he was also aware that no one yet knew his true intentions.

He narrowed his eyes, organizing his words: "Sea transport has already ceased. The land routes are long and fraught with checkpoints, not to mention tolls and bandits. So the grain transport is the most important channel linking north and south. I want to seize hold of this channel."

"That's all?" Fu Changzong frowned, still puzzled: "If you want to expand your business to Jiangnan, there's no need to make such a big stir?"

Zhu Xu's expression shifted, his gaze turning deep: "Naturally not. I want to seize this channel—to seize some people by the throat. I want them to help me expand my business, whether it's workshops, money houses, or even private salt. Most importantly, I must gain control over their businesses!"

Fu Changzong still didn't understand: "You mean the Donglin? If you want to peel a layer of skin off them, you don't need to go this far. I could make some moves in the Ministry of Revenue, and with a little cooperation from you, it should be achievable."

Zhu Xu naturally couldn't tell him that his real target was the future Eight Great Families. These eight families were too important and too harmful—Zhu Xu would absolutely never let them be.

After thinking it over, Zhu Xu found an excuse: "At present, my target isn't actually Jiangnan—it's the Shanxi merchants."

"The Shanxi merchants?" Fu Changzong was startled at first, then nodded in sudden understanding: "I see. The Shanxi merchants have developed with astonishing speed over the past few decades, with business spread across the length and breadth of the land—even establishing roots among the Tatars and the Jurchens. If they could be reined in a bit, that wouldn't be a bad thing."

Seeing that Fu Changzong hadn't paid attention to the word "at present" in his words, Zhu Xu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He then inquired about land purchases, sweet potatoes, corn planting, and such matters. These were all handled by Fu Changzong through the convenience of his position, and since most of the land purchased was poor-quality fields, everything had gone smoothly without much trouble.

The two discussed everything from the Huimin Chamber of Commerce and the Huitong Trading Company to private salt and the handling of Wei Zhongxian. Only as evening fell did Zhu Xu take his leave and exit the Fu residence.

"Your Highness." The moment he stepped out of the Fu residence, Cao Wenzhao approached with a slightly odd expression.

Zhu Xu was taken aback: "What's happened?"

Cao Wenzhao hesitated, then said: "Your Highness, you've missed the time. Will Her Majesty the Empress take offense and forbid you from leaving the palace in the future?"

Zhu Xu waved his hand with a smile and boarded the carriage: "It's fine. My sister-in-law has already lifted my house arrest in a roundabout way."

Hearing this, Cao Wenzhao's expression relaxed slightly. As he drove the carriage along, he said in a low voice: "Your Highness, there's one more matter—Yang Zhe has committed suicide."

Zhu Xu, who had just sat down, raised an eyebrow: "At the Ministry of Justice?"

"Yes." Cao Wenzhao said.

A look of amusement appeared on Zhu Xu's face, and he couldn't help but laugh: "That old fox Luo Sigong probably hadn't even gotten the chance to make his move. Either it was the Ministry of Justice or the Eastern Depot. Heh heh—I'd really love to see the old fox's expression right now."

Cao Wenzhao drove the carriage along slowly and said: "Your Highness, what should we do? Should we do something?"

"Do nothing at all," Zhu Xu said with a sinister smile. "Back to the palace. This prince intends to study the art of poetry in earnest—I must compose a fine poem worthy of being passed down through the ages."

Hearing Prince Hui's words, Cao Wenzhao knew that someone else was about to meet misfortune.

The entire Ministry of Justice was also visibly breathing a sigh of relief at this moment.

With Yang Zhe's suicide out of guilt, the case ended there. Wang Ji also closed the case with the greatest speed.

"My lord." Wang Ji, holding the case-closing documents, walked to the rear courtyard and looked at 【Censor-in-Chief】 Xing.

Although both were second-rank Ministers, Xing's seniority was simply too formidable. Combined with his status in the Donglin, Wang Ji had to defer to him as a junior, always observing the rites of a younger student.

Xing took a sip of tea and said flatly: "The case is closed?"

Wang Ji could hear the restrained confidence in Xing's tone and smiled as well: "Yes. Everything involving the grain transport has been concluded. Shen Aodong is to be executed immediately, and Li Jinyan sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. The only remaining trouble is on Guan Yingzhen's side—he likely won't give up easily."

Xing harbored deep loathing for the Chu faction yet didn't pay it much mind. He nodded: "As long as the case is closed, that's fine. Don't give others any handle—it must be an ironclad case."

"Rest assured, my lord—it can't be overturned!" Wang Ji sat down beside Xing and glanced at him: "With the case closed, there shouldn't be much impact on the grain transport. Let them consolidate internally, and this storm should settle."

Xing's expression remained unchanged, and he said with a rather domineering air: "Mm. The grain transport concerns the nation's livelihood—I will never allow anyone to make a mess of it."

Wang Ji nodded in agreement: "My lord, we should plug up the loopholes in the grain transport as soon as possible, lest they find other places to fixate on and stir up trouble."

Xing looked up toward the outside, a cold gleam appearing on his aged face: "I'll handle that. But the post of Governor-General of Grain Transport is far too critical—just anyone can't be shoved into it. After all the hard work Brother Sancai has put in maintaining it for so many years, it absolutely cannot be handed over to those petty men!"

Wang Ji knew who Xing was referring to, and a look of resolve also showed in his eyes.

The matter of the Governor-General of Grain Transport had been debated at court for months, with no one willing to yield, and so it had dragged on unresolved. To this day, no candidate had emerged who could satisfy the court as a whole.