388 With Reason And Heavenly Migh (1/2)

Chapter 388: With Reason And Heavenly Might

Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

”Minister.”

”Sir Hu.”

Hu the Scholar's face was filled with a slight smile as he welcomed Minister Fan.

The officials responsible for investigating the Ministry of Revenue all gathered around and expressed their condolences to the recovered Minister. The Minister of Appointment, Yan Hangshu, was not an exception. His old face was filled with sincere concern and worry. The Overwatch Council investigating officials had carefully helped block Minister Fan from the breeze blowing through the door.

They were eager to learn whether or not the court was truly investigating the Ministry of Revenue. Did the Emperor really want Minister Fan to resign? As long as Fan Jian was in court, and the Emperor did not tear apart this bond of being milk brothers…and as long as Fan Xian was still alive, no official in the court dared to treat Minister Fan lightly.

Thus, the current scenario had a preposterous sense of comedy. The Minister of Revenue, who was being investigated, was instead being asked after by everyone and carefully protected, particularly the investigating officials from the Overwatch Council. Led by Mu Tie, the First Bureau had always been, and still was, the yamen Fan Xian directly managed. He was their superior's father, so how could they dare to do otherwise?

The Crown Prince's face turned green then white. Watching the scene in front of him, a great sense of unease welled in his heart. Fan Jian had claimed illness for many days and did not come to the Ministry of Revenue. Today he had arrived and seemed to have attracted everyone's gaze. This usually secretive and unassuming official seemed to have some kind aura around him.

He was the Crown Prince, the future ruler of the Qing Kingdom, but when faced with Fan Jian, he still had to unwillingly stand up. A warm smiled was pushed onto his face and he comfortingly said, ”Minister, are you feeling better?”

The Crown Prince was not afraid of Fan Xian, and he did not care about the Overwatch Council. As one of the royal family, and particularly as the inheritor of the dragon chair, it was necessary for him to show a certain respect. The old Fan family and their old Li family's relationship was too deep. In Danzhou, there was still the old woman watching from a distance. The Emperor was not sure how his father felt toward that wet nurse.

Fan Jian gave an ashamed smile and said, ”The matter of the Ministry of Revenue all began because of me, yet Your Highness and Sir Hu had to tire yourselves. It is truly my wrongdoing.”

Everyone exchanged some pleasantries, and each returned to their own seats. Although Fan Jian belonged to the side being investigated, there had been no public memorial edict targeting the Minister of Revenue. He made no secret of it and sat in the dead center, not letting anyone take over his position.

This was the Ministry of Revenue. This was Fan Jian's territory.

…

…

After everything had recovered its peace, only then did everyone turn their gazes to the vice-director Fan Li.

No everyone's eyes were the same. Yan Hangshu's were filled with schadenfreude. The Crown Prince was hesitating. Hu the Scholar was cold. The Overwatch Council officials watched with furrowed eyebrows. Only Minister Fan's face was peaceful as if he never had the thought about how many this Fang Li could implicate.

At this point in the proceedings, the Crow Prince had understood everything. Fan Jian was a shameless, sly, and silent of fox.

When the court began to investigate the Ministry of Revenue…actually, it began a few years ago when the Crown Prince had stretched out his and for a loan. Fa Jian had coldly and clearly saw this scene, and then had used ruthless methods to quietly suppress the matter. No one found out about it. In doing so, he had purposely left a nondescript and unassuming little tail. Once it had been gently shaken, it would land on one of the seven departments.

Thus, not only had he helped the Crown Prince hide it, he also got hold of something big to use against him. Most importantly, this kind of hiding also hides the officials on the Crown Prince's side. From then on, this cache of 400,000 liang became nothingness and was covered up unnaturally well. So well, that even Fang Li thought there wouldn't be any problems.

Adding to it was the collapse of the Board of Rites and the Crown Prince's trace of stupidity.

Only Fan Jian was clear about the entire process, and he was unusually shrewd and ruthless. He didn't directly throw this out to attack his enemy, rather, he placed the loose thread in the wild and left a slight trace. For example, the winter clothes the soldiers wore in the Northern snow and completely unnecessary siege machines on the Southern battle lines.

When the court began to investigate the Ministry of Revenue, they found this loose thread and began to gently tug. In the, they pulled out their own belt. This was a ploy that had been planted for years.

Fan Jian did not have to do anything. He only had to wait until he was being threatened and create some kind of situation, then have someone pull on their long-forgotten belt with strength. It was a good ploy.

The investigation targeting the Board of Rites had already begun. Although after Guo You was strangled in the imperial prison, the Board of Rites experienced a huge change of personnel. The documents were in a mess. Under the strong abilities of the court's investigating unit and Overwatch Council's meticulous search, the transfer form the Board of Rites had made out and receipts the Ministry of Revenue had always secretly kept were matched against each other.

That 400,000 liang of silver had indeed been sent to the Board of Rites. The question was, where had the Board of Rites sent the 400,000 liang that had been split into 14 batches to repair the autumn examinations and student residences?

Hu the Scholar had long patrolled the various places under heaven and afterward joined the Hall of Governmental Affairs. He knew that the various student residences in the various provinces and Roads were still rambling and broken down. Many of the autumn examination buildings were even leaking rain. Thus, his expression became uglier and uglier. He asked the Board of Rites' official in front of him, ”Who can tell me, where did this 400,000 liang go to?”

Hu the Scholar turned his body slightly. He glanced at the Crown Prince and sighed.

Everyone in the hall was aware of the situation in the court a few years ago. The Board of Rites had always been the Eastern Palace's back garden and did not have the daring to falsely request 400,000 liang and spend it. Everyone could guess that this cache of silver must have flowed toward the Eastern Palace. Since it has been traced to the Eastern Palace, it seemed that it was difficult to proceed with the matter.

Hu the Scholar muttered to himself for a moment then said, ”The most pressing problem at hand is to investigate the whereabouts of this 400,000 liang of silver.”

The Crown Prince felt his heart jump, but a warm smile was on his face. ”Sir Hu's words are logical.”

Mu Tie of the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council did not have the privilege to sit beside these officials, so he was standing to the side. He looked at Fan Jian's expression. He suddenly opened his mouth. ”The silver did reach the Board of Rites, however, the official that handled this matter died in the autumn examination case the year before last.”

The Crown Prince was silent. Guo You was dead. Guo Baokun was gone. Now the Overwatch Council had confirmed the death of the person who had handled this matter. Even if the Eldest Princess' side knew that he had some connection to this 400,000liang of silver, they would not be able to find any evidence to give to Hu the Scholar, so his was slightly reassured. Although reassured, he still couldn't help feeling a bit sorrowful and angry. Aunt! Why did you do this?

Unexpectedly, Mu Tie's next words made a chill run through the Crown Prince's heart.

He only heard him say, ”But, there are always traces to be found. Scholar, do you think the Overwatch Council should go investigate the Board of Rites?”

Investigate the Board of Rites?

Everyone in the hall was startled. He wanted these wolves and tigers of the Overwatch Council to investigate the Board of Rites? The court investigating the Ministry of Revenue would clearly make Sir Fan junior, far away in Jiangnan, very angry. If the Overwatch Council investigated the Board of Rites under Sir Fan junior's control, the poor officials of the Board of Rites might not survive.

However, Mu Tie's request seemed appropriate.

Fan Jian slowly stroked his beard. His face was expressionless but he was thinking that the brain of this trusted aide of An Zhi's seemed to work much better than before, He even managed to guess my intentions.

Fan Jian's intentions were simple. If the Ministry of Revenue wanted to protect itself, it had to drag out the battle lines and pull in more ministries…the Board of Rites was only the beginning. After all six ministries had problems found with them, the extremely wise Emperor couldn't remove all six ministers.

The Minister of Appointments, Yan Hangshu, glanced at Fan Jian and felt great admiration for this old fox. He quickly shook his head and rejected the idea. ”The court explicitly stated to investigate the Ministry of Revenue. It would not be good for the ripples to extend too far.”

Fan Jian smiled superficially and said, ”Makes sense…makes sense.”

Everyone could hear the mockery in these two repeated words. Yang Hangshu's face flushed red. He knew his objection made no sense since the Ministry of Revenue's deficit implicated the Board of Rites, of course, it should be investigated.

Hu the Scholar's expression was also very pained. Trying to mollify the situation he said, ”Let's discuss a bit more..”

If he let go and asked for an imperial edict to have the Overwatch Council investigate the Board of Rites, then in the end it would certainly come to the Crown Prince. Before they went to the palace and asked for the edict, as the leader of the investigating officials, Hu the Scholar did not dare make this judgement.

The Crown Prince suddenly gritted his teeth and said, ”The matter of the Board of Rites will eventually have to be investigated. However, there has to be an order. The matter of the Ministry of Revenue deficit has not yet been resolved. If the investigation is expanded too broadly, it will likely be an obstruction to His Majesty's edict.”

Fan Jian remained smiling slightly and said, ”You Highness makes sense, makes sense.”

Hu the Scholar sighed in his heart and said, ”For the matter of the Board of Rites, we'll go the Palace later to listen respectfully to the imperial wishes. We will follow the Crown Prince's wishes and continue with the investigation of the Ministry of Revenue.”

…