Chapter Twenty: The Ministry of Revenue’s War

After much deliberation, weighing the pros and cons circled endlessly in Fu Shuxun’s mind. Since taking up this hot potato, Fu Shuxun had been diligent in his duties, yet no matter how hard he tried, he could not conjure up money or grain; he was stretched thin on all sides, still unable to supply the military’s expenses. Fu Shuxun knew well the emperor’s impatience—when the time came, he would promise anything, a hundred assurances, a thousand good words. But once that patience ran out, anger would thunder down, and all those former assurances would be doubled as accusations pressed upon him.

Clearly, these cunning clerks would not yield a single coin.

At last, Fu Shuxun’s gaze grew resolute. He thought of those clerks, outwardly obedient yet secretly defiant, their smug and arrogant faces flashing before his mind’s eye. The balance in Fu Shuxun’s heart finally tipped. With a voice like rolling thunder, he declared, “Very well. I will go to the Central Military Command and request armed guards to escort you out of the Ministry of Revenue with these account books!”

Hearing this, Zhu Cilang smiled faintly, a weight lifted from his heart. He looked at Fu Shuxun and said, “Grand Minister, rest assured—this is by far the wisest decision of your career.”

After making up his mind, Fu Shuxun still felt a bit uneasy. Yet seeing Zhu Cilang’s unwavering confidence, he couldn’t help but mock his own efforts at composure. Who would have thought that after more than thirty years navigating the sea of officialdom, he would now be led in circles by a young upstart—willingly, at that. In the end, Fu Shuxun could only let out a bitter laugh. “So be it. From here on, you, the gallant Qin, may act as boldly as you wish. No matter what demons or monsters come at you from ahead, I will hold the line. I only hope to restore a clear and uncorrupted court as soon as possible.”

To his surprise, the uneasiness in his heart dissipated swiftly under Zhu Cilang’s infectious resolve.

As the saying goes, wealth and honor are sought amidst peril. Once his decision was made, Fu Shuxun quickly banished all distractions and began to consider the broader situation.

The clerks of this era were truly formidable. Their positions were humble, nearly insignificant, yet their expertise was unmatched and irreplaceable. Many of them inherited their posts for generations, their tricks with the accounts known only to themselves. Change the personnel, and government business could be paralyzed for years. Thus, these clerks were deeply intertwined not just with military nobles, but also with many civil officials who were drawn into their web of collusion. Even those with the integrity to resist their ways could be sabotaged, slandered, or even ruined by the clerks’ machinations.

The stronger these enemies, the greater the obstacles Fu Shuxun faced at the front.

Fu Shuxun gave his consent easily, yet even he didn’t know how long he could stand firm after this bold commitment.

It was, in effect, a war.

Zhu Cilang had declared war upon the Ministry of Revenue’s clerks, and Fu Shuxun had announced himself as Zhu Cilang’s ally.

Once the battle was joined, Zhu Cilang’s only weapon was the Ministry’s account books—no other means at his disposal.

As head of the Ministry, Fu Shuxun could suppress the more unruly elements for a time, but his ability to shield Zhu Cilang from the clerks’ counterattacks was limited. Unless Zhu Cilang found ironclad evidence in the books, there would be few options but to weather the storm and hope not to be overwhelmed and destroyed in the onslaught.

Only when Zhu Cilang held incontrovertible proof would they have the means to strike back, rather than simply waiting to be besieged and annihilated.

Though his face appeared relaxed, tension coiled within Zhu Cilang. This was indeed a battle with slim odds of victory. Yet the strength of his adversaries did not daunt him; instead, it fanned the flames of war in his heart.

A fierce excitement blazed within him. He whispered, almost shouting, “Come then… fight! I only fear you lack the courage to face me!”

By the time Zhu Cilang and Fu Shuxun had finished their discussion, the entire Ministry of Revenue was in an uproar, like a cauldron of boiling oil.

News had already reached the Ministry that Fu Shuxun’s trusted attendant had rushed into the Central Military Command, bearing an official document stamped with the Ministry seal, demanding guards.

The tangled network of clerks felt as if a shard of iron had pierced their bodies—a strong, immediate rejection surged through them.

Countless figures darted through the offices, and each new rumor was more shocking than the last.

When the news finally reached the Yunnan Division, a deathly hush fell.

As the enormity of the information echoed through their minds, everyone fell silent, mouths agape, exchanging glances as they sensed the calm before the storm.

In the office, all eyes turned to the piles of account books before them, as if they were staring at heaps of scalding lava.

At last, Wang Rui, dumbfounded, turned to Lin Guzhong, his hand trembling, and stammered, “He… he’s going to overturn both the Capital and Zhejiang factions!”

Lin Guzhong muttered, “He isn’t a pawn at all—he’s the player. We’ve all been duped by him. He’s not just a mere director. Behind him stands the Minister of Revenue, Fu Shuxun!”

Meanwhile, in Chen Gaowen’s office, after hearing the urgent report from Chief Clerk Fei Jizong, Chen Gaowen ground his teeth in fury. “Such nerve, such boldness, such incredible audacity! No wonder that ‘Gallant Qin’ looked down on the capital’s clerks from the start, so different from the infiltrators like Assistant Officer Yu or Chief Director Nan Yunji. So, our true adversary is the Minister himself! The Grand Minister! Hah! Has Fu Shuxun swallowed a celestial hound’s gall to dare move against us?”

Fei Jizong paced the room, breathing hard, forcing himself to calm down. “Enough! What use is there in dwelling on this now? If they want war, then war it is! What matters now isn’t Fu Shuxun’s power, but those account books—those books!”

“Hmph! If they’re relying on the account books, they’re dreaming! Do you know how many there are? Two hundred and nineteen volumes! That’s a mountain. Even reading them all is nearly impossible. Does Fu Shuxun think he can upend everything with those? A fool’s dream!” Chen Gaowen shouted.

On the side, Kong Tian shivered and murmured, “With my own accounting skills, even if that Gallant Qin had the expertise of a veteran clerk, to comb through all those books and find solid evidence—how long would it take? Two hundred and nineteen volumes! Ten days? Impossible. At least a month? For one person, at least two months! Yes… with that much time, Fu Shuxun and Gallant Qin could be ground to dust! We won’t lose… we can’t lose…”

As these men muttered and schemed, Fei Jizong, still panting, forced himself to stay composed. “Fine! The urgent matter now is to act before those account books yield any problems—take down Fu Shuxun and Gallant Qin! Let them see we are not to be trifled with!”

“Act at once!”

“Go to those high officials, the civil ministers, the nobles, the eunuchs—drag out every demon and monster. And… Wang Zhengzhi! We’ve fed him well for two years, given him endless benefits. Now, offer him a chance at the Minister’s post, the greatest of profits dangling before him—if that can’t move him, nothing will!”

“So what if he’s Minister of Revenue? If Fu Shuxun dares block the lifeblood of generations, we’ll bring the Ministry to a standstill if we must—just to finish him off!”