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The investigation of the Ministry of Revenue continued. With the expansion of the battle lines and an increase in the number of people invested from each department, they finally found some traces they could use.

The investigating unit finally felt at ease. They figured that no matter how many problems this loose thread could pull out, as long as they had a good start, then they would have broken through the flawless image of the Ministry of Revenue under Minister Fan.

The first problem found was in the money for winter jackets sent to Cangzhou in the fourth year of the Qing calendar. The amount was not very big. However, following this thread, it was like rolling a snowball. The shortfall that the Ministry of Revenue elders had hidden behind layers and layers became bigger and bigger. Gradually it lay exposed in front of the shocked eyes of the investigating officials.

The Crown Prince and the Minister of Administration, Yan Hangshu, were overjoyed. They completely ignored Hu the Scholar’s requests to be careful and ordered their subordinate officials to dig deeper. From the county to the capital, they dug up this complicated line from the very roots. Gradually, the evidence they held in their hands closed in on Jingdou, which was to say, it closed in on the high-level officials in the Ministry of Revenue who could truly sign off on these things.

The left and right assistant ministers who had been responsible for aiding the investigation in the Ministry of Revenue also began to feel alarmed and scared. This winter jacket account had originally had a plan, and they had once checked this project. They could never have expected that behind the mere hundred thousand liang for winter jackets, so many things could be pulled out.

No matter whether it was the court or merchants who did creative accounting, the most common method was to take a big shortfall and break it into countless trivial fragments, then scatter them among giant projects like salt in a snowstorm and water in a flood, to disappear without a trace.

No one had expected that the burden scattered out from the winter jackets had not been spread properly. On the contrary, it had given the game away.

The left and right assistant ministers waited in the Ministry of Revenue yamen for a whole night with ashen faces. When they left their posts that day, they decided that regardless of the comments, they had to go to the manor of the Minister to ask for some ideas. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince coldly sent orders that before this matter was cleared up, the officials of the Ministry of Revenue were not to leave without permission. At the same time, he had the Overwatch Council and a few trusted aides keep an eye on the two assistant ministers.

Ever since Fan Jian had entered official service, he had always worked in the Ministry of Revenue. Regardless of how the name of the Ministry of Revenue changed before and after the new policies, and no matter how the people and situation changed in the court, he had started as a lowly zhan. Nine years ago, he was already the left assistant minister. At that time, the Minister of Revenue was old and sick at home. The Emperor greatly favored Fan Jian but also did not want to bypass ranks in his promotion. So, he had forced that old and sick Minister of Revenue to remain in his post and did not allow other powers to place people in. From then, he made it possible for Fan Jian to lead the entire Ministry of Revenue from the position of assistant minister.

Time flashed, and nine years had already passed. In those years, the Qing Emperor had favored the Fan manor heavily, and Fan Jian had also used those years to make the entire Ministry of Revenue into an interest group like one solid piece of metal. A very quiet and inconspicuous interest group.

When the Ministry of Revenue investigation started, all the officials in the Ministry of Revenue looked up to watch their minister. They knew that as long as he did not fall, nothing much would happen to them. But today, the Ministry of Revenue seemed to have sunk into danger, and the left assistant minister was unable to enter the Fan manor. For the moment, the Ministry of Revenue officials felt fear and great unease.

...

...

The left assistant minister could not come, but Fan Jian had run the Ministry of Revenue for a long time. He knew everything there was to know about the tense situation of the past two days. That very night he knew the Crown Prince and officials investigating had already found a fatal weapon in the Ministry of Revenue—the winter jackets of the northern soldiers.

“This won’t be able to move me.” Fan Jian sat in his study drinking winter cherry. He narrowed his eyes and said, “No matter who goes to Cangzhou to inspect it, the jackets on those soldiers’ bodies are all of superior quality. No matter how bad I am, I would not make an issue on the bitter cold of Northern soldiers.”

Today, he was not talking to a picture. The person sitting across from him was alive, a protégé of the Fan manor who had always received Fan Jian’s deep appreciation: Sir Zheng Tuo.

When Fan Xian punched the official in Jingdou, the person handling the matter was Sir Zheng Tuo. He was also a veteran official of the Ministry of Revenue. Since he handled matters well, Fan Jian decided to have him leave the Ministry of Revenue and had him use the particularly useful identity as a protégé to work for him.

Zheng Tuo thought for a bit and frowned. “Those winter jackets from that year, not only were they not of inferior quality, on the contrary, even their workmanship was done very carefully. We were very particular about the material. The cotton filling came from the palace treasury workshops, and the cotton cloth used was first-rate productions from the palace treasury. Some of the other accessories had broken the roles and used goods from Dongyi. They can’t say much about you on this point...but...”

He began to speak and then stopped.

Fan Jian smiled and said, “You’ve been with me all these years, so you should know that I do things carefully. However, when analyzing the situation, I’m not afraid to think of the worst possible angle.”

Zheng Tuo gave a pained smile and said, “However, because the material used for that batch of winter jackets was very good, when the Ministry of Revenue discussed the price, it was set slightly higher. The money taken from the national treasury...seems to have been a bit too much.”

“Speak more straightforwardly.”

“Yes, master,” Zheng Tuo said. “The Ministry of Revenue took a lot of silver from that batch of winter jackets, and later it was used to fill in other areas.”

“Correct.” Fan Jian spoke without expression. “A lot of silver was indeed taken from this batch of winter jackets. That was because that month’s official salaries almost couldn’t be paid. The Emperor did not know of this situation, and I couldn’t bear to have this matter bother the Emperor. At that time, the silver sent from the palace treasury had not arrived, and we also had to prepare the rewards for the second year of the western expedition army. The Ministry had no other choice other than to take some money from this batch of winter jackets.”

He waved his hand and smiled. “However, this amount of silver was not very big; it didn’t manage to fill all the other places.”

“Yes,” Zheng Tuo’s face was full of worry as he spoke. “The winter jackets is just one thing. This time the court is investigating the Ministry of Revenue. They’ll only find more and more things like this as they look. If all these incidences of moving silver to fill in deficits are gathered in Jingdou, I’m afraid...they’ll eventually point to the batch of silver the Ministry moved last to Jiangnan.”

Fan Jian sighed and shook his head. “It can’t be helped. In reality, the silver moved to Jiangnan this time was mostly for the matter of the palace treasury opening bid. This actually has little to do with An Zhi. I am the Minister of Revenue, so I also want the palace treasury’s income to be a bit better. If the court doesn’t use money to challenge the Ming family, how would the Ming family be willing to pay so much silver?”

He lowered his head and said quietly, “Actually, at the very beginning of this batch of silver being moved, I had gone to the Palace and told the Emperor.

The study was deathly silent. Zhang Tuo was shocked and speechless. He couldn’t talk for a moment. The excuse for investigating the Ministry of Revenue was because the Ministry of Revenue had secretly moved national finds to Jiangnan to make a profit. The movement of this large cache of silver was actually known by the Palace.

Fan Jian very determinedly shook his head. “His Majesty has his own difficulties...if it gets out that the court brought calamity to the wealthy merchant family, the Ming family, the court’s reputation would be too ugly. However, everyone in the court is now guessing about that matter. The Emperor had to, however unwillingly, investigate a bit.”

He sighed and said, “Since it is so, how can we make it public?”

“Then what do we do?” Zheng Tuo said, appalled. The meaning of his words were clear. Since it was the Emperor who had directed the matter, was this only to settle the discussions force Minister Fan to be the scapegoat?

Fan Jian said calmly, “As an official, of course, I have to help the Emperor with his worries and concerns. The Ministry of Revenue’s move in transferring the silver was too big this time. Eventually, it could not be hidden. If, in the end, the Ministry is still found guilty, I’ll have no choice but to stand before the Emperor and resolve this matter.”

The methods with which the court used to defeat the Ming family were very dishonorable, furthermore, behind the Ming family were countless court officials who acted as their supporters. For the sake of the stability of the Qing court, the specifics of these kinds of methods and the Emperor’s implicit consent could not be announced to the court.

Zheng Tuo’s expression was moved and sorrowful. Minister Fan was indeed a loyal official. Even in the heart of the struggle, he was still thinking about protecting the Emperor’s dignity and interests of the court.

“Sir, just resign,” Zhang Tuo said painfully. “It’s already that time, so there is no need to keep holding on.”

Fan Jian shook his head with a lack of enthusiasm.

Zheng Tuo once again persuaded him painfully, “I know you’re not one to hang onto a post for riches and honor. Looking at the current situation, the Emperor has already made preparations to stop the investigation after you resign. As long as you resign your post, it is something of an end for the matter of moving silver from the national treasury. I doubt the Second Prince and Eldest Princess’ side will keep pursuing and attacking the matter. Hu the Scholar and Shu the Scholar will also speak on your behalf...”

In regard to the question of resigning, Zheng Tuo, as Fan Jian’s confidante, had actually already suggested it many times, but Fan Jian never agreed. He gently let out a breath and said, “There some things that once you do them, it is clear you can completely pull yourself out...but you just won’t do them.”

Fan Jian lowered his eyelids and said, “The Ministry of Revenue has always been managed by me. The court has gone to war year after year and spend countless amounts. Yangtze River has also needed repairs for three consecutive years. In this world, there is no one who knows better than me the emptiness of the national treasury. And, there is no one who understands better than me about the dangerous situation in front of us. All of the officials think we are living in a time of peace and prosperity, but how many know of the dangers that lurk beneath the magnificent landscape?”

“But...Sir Fan junior has already gone to Jiangnan. As long as the palace treasury returns to the right track, the country’s dangerous situation will be slowly resolved,” Zheng Tuo said anxiously.

Fan Jian laughed in his heart. If the palace treasury situation was not completely in Fan Xian’s control...if the Emperor did not have the confidence to turn the Qing Kingdom national treasury situation around in two years, how could that Emperor afford to let him resign?

Although he thought this, his face was serious and pained. “It is because Fan Xian has new control of the palace treasury and the situation is all very good, so at this moment, I cannot go...”

Fan Jian sighed. “One, because it is the critical moment between sorrow and joy I dare not let go. I want to manage it for the Emperor for another two years. Second, is An Zhi, this child. He appears to be steady and cold, but in reality, he is very emotional and ruthless. If I really resigned, and it was because of the matter of moving money to the palace treasury...given his personality, I’m afraid he would immediately quit his position in the palace treasury transport company and come back to the capital to find justice for me.”

Zheng Tuo’s face was full of shock. After thinking carefully, he found the Minister’s words had some logic.

“It’s getting late. You should go back now,” Fa Xian closed his eyes and said. “As for the matters in the Ministry, you don’t have to be too worried. Although a single spark has lit the fire, one day it will burn itself out, even this fire on me. But, if I can hold out for one day, I will stay another day. Furthermore, if this fire becomes larger, who knows how many people it will burn?”

Zheng Tuo sighed and felt deep admiration for the fact that Minister Fan served the public wholeheartedly. He didn’t say anymore and left the study.

He left Fan manor and got into his own carriage. He returned to his home and laid down a piece of paper. He wrote a secret letter and handed it to someone in the manor, then he laid on his own bed with his eyes wide open, unable to enter sleep for a long time.

The Fan manor’s protégé Zheng Tuo, until today, could still not decide what kind of person he was when he asked himself honestly.

The Minister of Revenue Fan Jian was actually also not sure what kind of person his confidante was, but he was sure about one thing.

Zheng Tuo was not his. Zheng Tuo was the Emperor’s. Fan Jian wasn’t sure if Zheng Tuo had been placed at his side through the Overwatch Council or if he had gone through the inner court. Regardless of how, Fan Jian knew that over these years, each of his actions has been watched by the man in the Palace. So, over these years, each of Fan Jian’s actions had been performed for him, including tonight’s pain and righteous analysis.

Fan Jian was not Lin Ruofu. He would not be knocked down by those closest to him. Beginning from that night many years ago, amid the drumming from the west side, he firmly made up his mind. He would never, ever trust another person in Jingdou.

The Ministry of Revenue had indeed sent a large amount of silver to Jiangnan, and this movement of silver had indeed received Qing Emperor’s implicit consent. When the Palace had become angry about this matter and ordered the investigation of the Ministry of Revenue, Fan Jian was beyond angry and felt a sense of absurd drama.

He couldn’t resist laughing out loud.

This cache of silver from the national treasury to Jiangnan was, of course, not for the purpose of clashing with the Ming family. Fan Jian knew that his incredible son had long gathered a shocking amount of silver. Only, he didn’t know where this silver had come from.

The reason Fan Jian had moved the silver to Jiangnan was to provide a cover for Fan Xian. Compared to Xiao Fan, Lao Fan’s consideration of problems appeared to be more shrewd and ruthless. He didn’t believe that Fan Xian could use the excuse of the Ye inheritance to convince the Emperor, which was why Xia Qifei suddenly had so much silver on hand.

Every time he thought of this, Fan Jian couldn’t help but sigh. Fan Xian was growing more and more daring in his actions. He even dared to ally with the Qing Kingdom’s old enemy, Northern Qi.

When the son caused trouble, the father had no choice but to provide a cover. Furthermore, to ensure that his son’s plan would be able to proceed smoothly, the Ministry of Revenue had to put some money into the money house to ensure that it could be withdrawn at any time. This, was the complete truth about the Ministry of Revenue privately transferring money from the national treasury to Jiangnan.

In this plan, although the amount the Ministry of Revenue moved was large, what was spent was very little. The majority of the portion took a loop around Jiangnan and had long returned to the Ministry of Revenue. So, Fan Jian was not at all worried about the Crown Prince, Minister of Appointments, and those people actually finding anything.

Furthermore, Fan Jian purposely let some slip to the river works yamen.

If the Emperor wanted a major official without any major slip-ups to resign, he only had to make some noise and then proceed with some clever hints to some people, and then the official had to resign. Prime Minister Lin Ruofu he had fallen under such an arrangement.

Fan Jian did not want to accept the Emperor’s arrangement, and he also didn’t want to retire to Danzhou so early, so he allowed them to investigate the Ministry of Revenue. Only by making the water muddy, could he better prove his own innocence. At the same time, he pricked the man sitting on the dragon chair through Zheng Tuo’s mouth.

Only if he believed Fan Jian was loyal, stupid, and dumb but still not replaceable, could Fan Jian continue to stand proudly in this Jingdou filled with darkness and watch Fan Xian grow with a kind and fatherly gaze.

“Is everything under control?” Fan Jian carefully scrutinized the letter for his son.

A man dressed in black stood in front of him and bowed deeply. “Zheng Tuo is like Yuan Bo’an, both are without sons or daughters. They’re both probably people of the Overwatch Council.”

Fan Jian frowned and said, “Yuan Bo’an is really of the Overwatch Council? No wonder my in-laws had fallen so quickly.”

The black-clothed man said in a deep voice, “But Zheng Tuo has a nephew, according to my investigation...it should be his own son. However, he is afraid of the Palace using this child to threaten him, so he hasn’t dared to claim him.”

Fan Jian’s eyebrows twitched and he smiled slightly. “Very good. We can threaten him now.”

The black-clothed man nodded. His hands were flat by his side. The man had a line of old calluses running down from the webbing between his thumb and index finger on his right hand. If Fan Xian had seen this detail, he would certainly have thought of the calluses Gao Da and the other Tiger Guards had due to long years of holding the hilt of a long knife.

Fan Jian gazed at the black-clothed man and said, “There really isn’t much to do following me. These years you’ve been quite unoccupied. Don’t be resentful of me.”

The black-clothed man smiled and said sincerely, “Eleven years ago, I failed in protecting the royal family and allowed a serving girl beside the empress dowager to be killed. I was certainly a dead man. It is all thanks to you remembering our past relationships that you secretly saved me. If it were not for your saving grace, I’m afraid I would have long been under the yellow earth counting maggots.”

Fan Xian smiled and shook his head. “Your personality is just this frivolous, not like a Tiger Guard at all. No wonder you were the Emperor’s least favorite back then.”

Then he said, “Keep an eye on Zheng Tuo. When need be, send his son’s right hand to his room.”