Chapter 487: Another Fish in the Pond

Yun Yan said: "Your Majesty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard also found a warehouse in Fuzhou—an abandoned grain depot—filled entirely with silver secretly hoarded by Zhang Kai. After counting, it totaled eighty-nine thousand seven hundred taels."

The Emperor sneered: "So they can't even round up to one hundred thousand taels? Do they think I'll believe only Zhang Kai committed crimes?"

Yun Yan bowed his head in silence.

The Emperor said: "Transport it all back to the capital. Only now does the state treasury have a foundation—but it's still far from sufficient."

Yun Yan remained silent.

Zhu Qizhen tapped his fingers on the table, murmuring: "The silver mines in Fujian and Jiangxi must be reopened… Cao Jixiang—"

Cao Jixiang: "Your servant is here."

Zhu Qizhen saw his face, swallowed the words on his tongue, and changed course: "Go summon Mr. Xue."

Cao Jixiang paused, bowed low, and withdrew: "Yes."

That evening, news spread that the Emperor had bestowed a python robe upon Wang Zhen; the Qingliuyi Sect officials nearly bit their teeth to dust.

Before they could recover, Wang Zhen proposed on the next court day a redefinition of the Jiangnan silver mine tax.

"The Jiangnan silver mines have reopened, yet last year's tax revenue was negligible—just eight taels from a single mine in Jiangxi!"

Wang Zhen's face darkened: "Even farming a hundred mu shouldn't yield only eight taels in tax. How can a vast mountain mine produce only eight taels a year?"

Fang Physician, from the Ministry of Works responsible for mining, stepped forward immediately: "Your Majesty, that Jiangxi mine is a poor deposit. It has been closed for years; even before closure, it was already exhausted. Reopening it now means sifting silver from waste rock—immense labor, difficult smelting. After accounting for wages and materials, any output at all is astonishing."

Wang Wen, Wang Zhen's loyal pawn, sneered: "So the Fang Physician implies this mine shouldn't be reopened?"

Fang Physician's face was stern and upright: "Yes. Several mines have been shut due to overmining. It's simply unwise to reopen them."

"Yet I know these reopened mines have long been illegally mined by local gentry—decades of bans, yet they still extract silver. How is it you, the Ministry of Works, cannot?"

"This is slander, my lord. Illegal mining has always been hearsay, without proof. Your Majesty, mining consumes immense civilian strength. These mines have been worked for years—they're exhausted. Better to close them than waste lives."

The court erupted into chaos; the Emperor's face grew darker by the moment.

The Qingliuyi officials' faces were especially grim—especially those from the Jiangnanyi Sect.

Jiang Da Ren, the Salt Transport Commissioner, rushed after Yang Bo the moment court ended: "Grand Secretary Yang, Grand Secretary Yang…"

Yang Bo stopped.

Jiang Da Ren caught up: "Grand Secretary Yang, the Emperor has taken no action against Wang Zhen. Our evidence of his corruption and bribery has been suppressed by the Grand Secretariat. Why?"

Yang Bo's face was rigid: "The Grand Secretariat has not suppressed your memorials. They've already been submitted to the Emperor."

Jiang Da Ren's face flushed faintly red: "So now it's the Emperor suppressing them?"

Yang Bo: "The Emperor has been preoccupied these days with Chief Grand Secretary Yang's family affairs and the Jiangnan silver mines. He has no mind for this matter."

Jiang Da Ren couldn't hold back: "At first, he wanted silver from smuggled salt and maritime trade. Now he's targeting silver mines. Is one Wang Zhen enough to make everyone turn Jiangnan upside down?"

Yang Bo sneered: "This realm belongs to the Zhu family. The Great Ming's rivers and mountains—what here is not worth turning over?"

"What of Wang Zhen? What of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?" Jiang Da Ren snapped. "How much did Wang Zhen and the Embroidered Uniform Guard embezzle during this house search?"

"Zhang Kai's vault held a full hundred thousand taels of silver. How much was reported? How much will actually reach the state treasury once transported back? Grand Secretary Yang, Wang Zhen is a man with no roots—no family, no ties. Leaving him beside the Emperor to sow discord—isn't that terrifying?"

Yang Bo fell silent. Seeing him thoughtful, Jiang Da Ren whispered: "I know you're troubled by Chief Grand Secretary Yang's family affairs. Rest assured—we'll handle this."

"Some colleagues were enraged. They're upright and impartial. When they saw Chief Grand Secretary Yang colluding with Wang Zhen, they couldn't accept it—so they impeached him. I'll persuade them to re-investigate the Jia'an case in detail."

Yang Bo fixed him with a solemn gaze: "Are the accusations against the Yang family true—or fabricated?"

Jiang Da Ren smiled: "Grand Secretary Yang, you jest. How could we stoop to such vile fabrication? If we raised it, it must be true."

Yang Bo's heart sank. He turned silently and walked away.

Jiang Da Ren watched his back disappear. Soon two close colleagues approached, whispering his name: "Jiang Da Ren?"

Jiang Da Ren's voice was cold and heavy: "Step by step, they press forward. Human greed is boundless—even an emperor cannot escape it. We must stop the Emperor's investigation. Let it end here."

The two officials exchanged a silent glance. They knew Jiang Da Ren's family hailed from Jiangxi, and two silver mines near his county were among those reopened.

"How do we stop it?"

"Wang Zhen is too arrogant. He's been investigating Jiangnan cases these days and forgot the Xue Xuan case is still open—with no progress. Now that Wang Zhen is riding high, he surely doesn't want his own weakness waving before his eyes."

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The two officials glanced at each other, whispering: "But… but Xue Xuan has high prestige in Hedong. Not only are scholars from Hedong and Hexi tied to the Xue family, his reputation at court is excellent…"

Jiang Da Ren: "Isn't there another person?"

"Pan Hong?"

Jiang Da Ren's face darkened: "He's in the Imperial Prison. How many people has Wang Zhen secretly executed?"

"The men we sent to find Pan Hong's daughter are already on the road. They should catch up to her soon…"

"Then all the better," Jiang Da Ren said. "If she learns Wang Zhen killed her father, won't this young Daoist be even more willing to join us?"

The two nodded silently in agreement.

Pan Hong knew nothing of this. He had grown accustomed to prison life. His meals were normal now—no spoiled food, only plain buns and vegetables—and he lived in quiet contentment.

He sensed no danger. But Xue Xuan did.

After his nephew returned and described how court officials had clashed over the Jiangnan silver mines, Xue Xuan's heart lurched: "Are the Qingliuyi officials from Jiangnan still silent?"

Xue Shao: "No. Today they were furious—almost came to blows."

Xue Xuan paced in place: "Jiang Feng, the Salt Transport Commissioner, hails from Guixi in Guangxin Prefecture. The two reopened mines lie just within Guixi's borders—and the Jiang family is one of Guixi's major clans."

"Isn't Long Hushan right there? Isn't the Zhang family the major clan?"

Xue Xuan glanced at him: "The Zhang family doesn't mine silver. They've lived off selling talismans for generations."

Xue Shao lowered his head.

Xue Xuan mused: "Wang Zhen is riding high. The Emperor has reversed his stance. The Jiangnanyi Sect handed over so many men—even Zhang Kai. Yet Wang Zhen is back in his python robe. They must be furious."

Xue Shao's mind stirred: "Lord Pan?"

Xue Xuan nodded grimly: "Go find Yin Da Ren at once. You must protect his life." (End of chapter)