353 Some Things Can Be Done But Not Said (1/2)
Chapter 353: Some Things Can Be Done But Not Said
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
By mid-March, spring had long since swept across the world. Regardless of whether it was Shangjing in the North or Jingdou in the South, they were all enveloped by a flourishing scene. In Jiangnan, the crystal-clear waters undulated, the green mountains shadowed each other, and the willows along the river pushed out their tender new branches. They all fully embodied the word ”vitality.”
The palace treasury was southwest of Jiangnan Road, and it could not escape the blessings of nature. In only a few days, up and down the river and outside of the workshops, shoots of green grass began to slowly grow. Light pink flowers adorned the slightly dry and dusty yamen and workshop. It greatly lessened the harsh and cold atmosphere.
Amidst the peace and harmony, officials going to the yamen to receive their assignments had faces full of smiles and raised their hands in greeting. Now that the bloody rains had passed, the imperial envoy was going back to Suzhou to host the spring opening bidding. The mood of officials was relaxed.
Opening the court to discuss matters, Fan Xian sat in the center seat and spoke briefly about arrangements for the coming days. However, there were no trusted aides at his and much of what he said was quite standard. For example, other than reviewing the articles of the Qing law in making arrangements for various workshops, the special regulations the court had revised for the palace treasury couldn't be violated.
No matter whether it was wages or officials' salaries, they had to be passed down promptly. The day-to-day maintenance of law and order and defensive work also needed to be done more vigilantly. The officials agreed to whatever the imperial envoy said. With the vision of five headless bodies from before, no one was stupid enough to clash with him face to face.
Fan Xian arranged for Su Wenmao to remain behind, except he did not have a position in the transport company. Fan Xian temporarily shifted his jurisdiction into the Fourth Bureau. Together with Dan Da, they led the Overwatch Council spies in the palace treasury.
The officials knew that after Fan Xian finished hosting the spring opening of the palace treasury in Suzhou, he would make his home in Hangzhou. This was a practice established many years ago so the transport company manager did not live in the palace treasury. Thus, Su Wenmao who remained in the palace treasury, essentially became the representative of the imperial envoy. The officials dared not be irreverent, so they quickly stood and greeted Su Wenmao.
As the greetings were exchanged, Fan Xian furrowed his brows. He quietly said to Deputy Ma Jie beside him, ”The matter we talked about last night; I am about to do it.”
This was a superfluous show of respect toward the deputy, however, Ma Jie's face looked pained as he shook his head.
Sitting on Fan Xian's right hand, a strange light flashed through General Ue's eyes. He didn't know what the imperial envoy was up to. He hadn't been informed him, but his questions were quickly answered.
Smiling insincerely, Su Wenmao walked to the front of the hall. He raised his hands in greeting. ”Today, we have made certain acts undertaken by some palace treasury officials illegal…those who mobilized treasurers to cause trouble and rocked the foundations of the palace treasury. Apologies to all for the offence.”
Following the apology, seven or eight Overwatch Officials came in from the side of the yamen and openly and rudely asked a few of the seated officials to leave their seats, then rudely removed their official's hat.
These officials became angry. As they refused, they berated, ”You are too daring!”
The other officials who it wasn't aimed at relaxed a little, but they knew the methods of the Overwatch Council. In front of the Overwatch Council, the Qing Court civil ministers were in a natural alliance. They quickly stood up and asked Fan Xian, ”Sir, what is this for?”
In reality, none of them were stupid; they knew. The officials who had their official's hat removed by order of Fan Xian were all trusted aides the Eldest Princess had planted in the palace treasury. The imperial envoy's action was nothing more than uprooting the previous person and replanting his own seedlings. This still concerned the officials. To aggressively take people in the yamen left the officials nowhere to hang their face. It was understandable they had to argue a bit with Fan Xian.
Fan Xian glanced at the officials and said warmly, ”There is no need to be suspicious, and there is no need to ask for mercy. I will definitely be taking down these officials.”
To his right sat General Ye, who had an unpleasant expression. He glanced at Deputy Ma Jie beside him and saw that although he was hiding the awkwardness with difficulty, there was no expression of surprise in his eyes. He had probably been notified by Fan Xian last night. General Ye's mood became gloomy. He said in a muffled voice, ”Sir, these officials had worked the transport company for a long time and dedicated themselves selflessly to public duties. To just take them like this, perhaps…it will be difficult to explain.”
Fan Xian glanced at him, and then smiled and said, ”Dedicated themselves selflessly to public duties? I'm afraid that likely is not the case.”
General Ye's expression was slightly heavy. ”Even if they have occasionally acted inappropriately, you gave out the three-day order and these men followed and done as ordered. You said clearly that no one would be punished, so they should not be punished.”
Fan Xian lowered his head. He knew why General Ye and the other officials had jumped out to oppose him today. The reason was actually quite simple. When he suppressed the strike, the general knew that he could not hold back his methods and the hat he used to suppress him was sufficiently large. The court could not afford to have the palace treasury not working for a day. However, taking down the officials today touched on a sensitive line. They were scared that the dual positioned Overwatch Council commissioner and imperial envoy would use this as an excuse to weave a large net and overturn the entire transport company.
For General Ye, his family had already been forced heavily. Adding to the fact was Ye Ling'er's relationship to the Second Prince, so they were already faint signs of them leaning that way. Although General Ye had never received any secret messages from the Ye family in Dingzhou, he knew that Fan Xian was capturing people today to dig out the Eldest Princess' trusted aides in the palace treasury. He instinctively wanted to keep something for the Eldest Princess. In case Fan Xian expanded his power in the palace treasury, General Ye was worried that his future would not be a smooth one.
Fan Xian did not explain anything. He simply took out a scroll from his robes and handed it to General Ye.
General Ye was surprised and accepted the scroll. He spread it open. His expression gradually darkened as he read it. On the scroll was listed all the shameful and illegal wrongdoings of the officials being captured. The crimes were not focused on the so-called bribery matter, rather they zeroed in on the inglorious roles these officials played on the jianghu. All of the evidence, even the confessions of the traitorous treasurers, were clear. It listed which official spoke at which time to which treasurers and what was said. The places and names were all written clearly. The strike description was extremely accurate, and it was truly a superior move by the Overwatch Council.
Looking at the lines of evidence, the general began to develop a chill in his heart. This imperial envoy had only been in the palace treasury a few days, so how could he have investigated all of the secrets of the transport company so clearly? Furthermore, how could the people of the Overwatch Council know so clearly the conversations between Xinyang's trusted aides and the treasurers? Was it to say that there were Overwatch Council spies within the palace treasury itself? Thinking of this, General Ye remembered the rumors of the Overwatch Council terrors—spies described as night vipers who found their way in through any crevasse. Involuntarily he began to worry about himself and his own manor. Would there be Overwatch Council spies in there?
As a general in charge of the palace treasury defenses, he was not particularly afraid of the Overwatch Council. First of all, he was a Third-level official, and the Overwatch Council did not have the power to investigate him without applying for an edict. Second, as a member of the military, he was not part of any faction. Looking at the power of the Qing Kingdom army, the Overwatch Council had to give him some face. In terms of the jianghu, General Ye speculated that his performance was decent. Today truly involved the matter of the Eldest Princess' face as well as the matter of the princes in Jingdou. He resisted the unease in his heart and stood up. He saluted Fan Xian and said sincerely, ”Sir, this…”
After all, he had the identity of a leader and wasn't sure how to organize the words to ask for mercy. Fan Xian smiled and look at him. He shook his head and said, ”There is no need to ask for mercy.”
General Ye was terrified that Dingzhou had not sent any messages. He did not know which side to stand on, thus he sunk himself into a position between a rock and a hard place. However, Fan Xian moved first, so he gritted his teeth and gathered up his courage to speak. ”But Sir, these people are all officials of the transport company. Are you taking them in as the manager of the transport company or as the commissioner of the Overwatch Council?”
He lowered his voice and said, ”Sir, even as an imperial envoy and all the evidence is present, if the case is to be tried, the court still needs a few days to open. This…the palace treasury is about to open.”
Fan Xian glanced at him and was slightly surprised by his daring. He thought about it and understood. If he wanted to take in these officials, the identity under which he did so was important. If he used the identity of the Overwatch Council commissioner to investigate the case, then it could incite discussions in court once it got back to Jingdou. The court elders would likely think he was targeting the Eldest Princess and so on. If he used the manager of the transport company identity or that of the imperial envoy, he didn't have the time to drag it out.
But, who was Fan Xian? Why would he care about the discussions in Jingdou? He smiled and said, ”General Ye, don't worry too much. I have always believed in the Qing law and would not do things carelessly. Today, I am taking in this officials. For the sake of being fair, I will not try these officials myself.”
General Ye was startled and thought\: As long as it is not you personally trying the case, no matter who tries will always look at which way Jingdou leans. Having received Fan Xian's promise, he now had an explanation for Jingdou, so he mumbled and retreated. He was only curious about why Fan Xian was not trying the case personally. Was he going to shut these officials in the palace treasury? They couldn't always be kept shut away. The court would eventually send out an inquiry.
”I will bring them with me,” Fan Xian said. ”The palace treasury also belongs to the court, although they rarely interact with court officials, by the regulations they are governed by Jiangnan Road.”
He gazed at the uneasy faces of the officials and said comfortingly, ”I know what you are all worried about. Please be assured, I am not one to hold a grudge and seek revenge. Just as I said to General Ye earlier, for the purpose of being fair, I will not personally try these people, instead I will hand them over to the Suzhou governor.”
He smiled slightly. ”With Sir Xue trying the case, I trust that you will no longer have any suspicions.” He looked at the trusted aides of the Eldest Princess still standing opposite the Overwatch Council officials. A thread of anger flashed by the corner of his mouth. ”When did capturing people become a game of eagle catching chicks?”
Su Wenmao's face flushed slightly as he glared viciously at his subordinates. The Overwatch Council official felt shame in their hearts. They went forward. A few circle kicks later, they had palace treasury officials who cried their grievances to the heavens and would not submit kneeling on the ground, so they tied them up securely.