Chapter 119: Replacement

The Ministry of Justice closed the case, and the matter seemed to have blown over.

Over at the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Luo Yangxing had completely seized real power, and Luo Sigong once again seemed to have vanished, silent and unseen.

For two straight days, Jinghuan Palace was also very quiet.

His Highness Prince Hui passed the time reading books and practicing calligraphy when he had nothing else to do, or else he would tally accounts, calculate next year's revenue, and consider how to expand his business. When bored beyond that, he would go chat with Empress Zhang — two bored people whiling away the hours together.

After noon, Cao Huachun led Wei Zhongxian, dressed in the full robes of a chief eunuch, to Zhu Xu's study.

Wei Zhongxian's expression was calm, with none of his former viciousness visible on his person. He bowed and said in a slightly shrill voice: "This servant pays his respects to His Highness Prince Hui."

Zhu Xu was practicing calligraphy and didn't even raise his head as he asked: "How is the salt works doing?"

Wei Zhongxian remained bowed, not daring to make the slightest move, and said: "Reporting to Your Highness, the salt workers and guards at the salt works have nearly all been replaced by Your Highness's men. The Transport Office and the Lifting Office have both had their connections smoothed over. As long as the Ministry of Revenue issues the salt certificates, the salt from the works can be drawn out."

Zhu Xu set down his brush and looked up at him.

From Zhu Xu's angle, Wei Zhongxian had a rather sharp nose, a sallow complexion, and cold, hard wrinkles — giving one a feeling of icy severity, of restrained composure.

Zhu Xu stared at him for a long while, and Wei Zhongxian remained perfectly still throughout, humble yet showing neither servility nor arrogance.

The corners of Zhu Xu's eyes twitched, and a killing intent surged uncontrollably in his heart.

But he quickly suppressed it, and said in a flat tone: "Mm, good. Hand it over, then. I have a teahouse outside the palace where you may stay temporarily."

Wei Zhongxian's expression showed no discernible change. He was silent for only a moment before saying: "Yes, Your Highness."

Zhu Xu looked at him a while longer, then waved his hand and said: "You may go."

Wei Zhongxian bowed once more and slowly withdrew.

Only long after Wei Zhongxian had left did Zhu Xu slowly speak, as if to himself: "Do you think I should keep him?"

As Zhu Xu's words fell, Zhu Zonghan stepped out from behind the bookshelf, his expression unchanged as he said: "This man is deeply scheming and firm of will. Either you control him completely, or he must die."

Zhu Xu narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly, then added: "You said earlier — you are Chu Ying's illegitimate son?"

Zhu Zonghan's expression shifted slightly as he said: "My mother was a Ming woman. After my father was executed, she brought me fleeing with the refugees toward Shanhai Pass, where I was rescued by Lord Luo."

Zhu Xu nodded. Every one of Nurhaci's sons was formidable, and this Chu Ying was no exception — yet he had been schemed to death all too early. If this Zhu Zonghan were a fully Jurchen man, perhaps he wouldn't have been so caught up in the fallout, since Chu Ying's other sons were still doing well over in Liaodong — one of them was even said to have been enfeoffed as a Beile.

Zhu Xu pondered for a while, then suddenly said: "How are your connections in Liaodong?"

Zhu Zonghan was silent a moment, then said: "My elder brothers have treated me very well. In truth, my grandfather never intended to deal with me — it was simply that my mother worried too much and fled with me at the first opportunity."

Zhu Xu smiled faintly, sat down at his desk, and said: "Good. If I hand the salt works over to you, and you take charge of selling the private salt into Liaodong — can you open up those connections there?"

Zhu Zonghan glanced at Zhu Xu and said: "Liaodong is short on salt. If I make the trip, there shouldn't be much of a problem. Only, the merchants' smuggling is rampant right now — it may not be as convenient for making money as within the passes."

Zhu Xu understood what Zhu Zonghan meant. Within the Ming, official salt was expensive, and while private salt was cheaper, it wasn't much better. If he engaged in low-price dumping, it would indeed be easier and more profitable than the hard work of smuggling — and the returns would be greater.

However, he narrowed his eyes and said with a smile: "What if I monopolize the smuggling and let only you sell through Shanhai Pass?"

Zhu Zonghan's brow furrowed slightly as he said: "Your Highness — is there truly a way?"

Zhu Xu nodded, his smile turning cold and sinister: "Do you think the matter of the grain transport really ended just like that?"

Zhu Zonghan looked at Zhu Xu, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

Most of the Ming's salt came from Jiangnan — not because of any issue with the salt works' output, but because of the salt quota system, or rather, because that was how the Jiangnan official-merchant bloc had arranged it. The salt certificates and salt works had largely fallen into the hands of the Jiangnan gentry.

Private salt traveled north via the grain transport. Could His Highness Prince Hui truly be able to control the grain transport?

Zhu Zonghan looked at Zhu Xu and said: "If Your Highness can stop the southern salt from crossing the river, I am confident I can sell your private salt to the Jurchens — and at no cheap price."

Zhu Xu's smile grew wider. He took a small booklet from his drawer and handed it to him, saying: "Good. These are some methods for building a sales channel. Take it back and look it over. In a few days, I'll have you take over the salt works!"

"Yes." Zhu Zonghan accepted the booklet and tucked it into his robes.

Zhu Xu gave a few more instructions, then had someone see him out.

Cao Wenzhao turned and walked back in, his face full of worry as he said: "Your Highness, can this man really be trusted? If this matter were ever exposed, it would be no small affair."

Zhu Xu clasped his hands behind his back with confidence and said: "First, I trust Luo Sigong's judgment. Second, this man is extremely filial. And third — for now, this man poses no harm to me."

Cao Wenzhao didn't understand what 'for now' meant in Zhu Xu's words, but he didn't dwell on it either. He said: "Your Highness, I've learned what's happening. At court, the Chu faction has united many people to impeach... Xing and Wang Ji, and the grain transport has been dragged up and discussed over and over. His Majesty seems to want a thorough investigation of the grain transport, but Grand Secretary Ye and Grand Secretary Han both oppose making a big stir, hoping for cautious handling to avoid escalation — lest it affect the foundations of the state and cause panic and instability throughout the court."

This was almost entirely within Zhu Xu's expectations. These men — to put it nicely, were seasoned and prudent, wanting to live their days in peace and stability. To put it bluntly, they were muddle-headed and incompetent, shrinking from difficulty and fear of hardship, incapable and inert.

Every day they submitted all manner of righteously worded memorials that seemed to worry for the country and the people, yet all of them were irrelevant trifles. When it came to the true foundations of the state — taxation, land, grain transport, military pay — they either fled from the topic or played it safe, letting matters rot and spiral beyond recovery step by step. Yet each and every one of them was avidly devoted to fame, rank, and profit, fighting endlessly over these, scheming against one another day and night without cease.

Zhu Xu shook his head helplessly, then picked up his brush again at the desk.

Cao Wenzhao was taken aback, and stepped forward to say: "Your Highness — is this matter just going to be dropped like this?"

Zhu Xu's hand, just about to write, paused. A cold smile crept onto his face as he said: "Dropped? They're thinking far too prettily!"

"Send someone to notify Zhou Yingqiu," Zhu Xu straightened his back and said in a cold voice: "Have him inspect every vessel involved in the grain transport. Any that have problems — detain them all, and they are not to operate!"

The Ming's maritime prohibition had many consequences, one of which was that vessels of a certain size could not be privately built by the people — they required approval from the Ministry of Works. Indeed, the Ministry of Works even had a Shipbuilding Office dedicated to constructing vessels.

In reality, however, after all these years, this had long become a dead letter. Whether in grain transport or the earlier sea transport, to meet navigational needs, vessels were privately built, privately modified through every conceivable means, and even bribes were used to get the Shipbuilding Office to construct non-compliant vessels — the examples were too numerous to count.

If the grain transport fleet had a thousand vessels, then at least nine hundred were in violation, and the remaining hundred were just along for the ride.

Most importantly, this year's grain transport season was already upon them.