Chapter Twenty-Two: Launching Another Attack

Kong Tian immediately smiled and nodded.
Afterward, Yuan Qi gathered his expression and asked, "I've already taken care of the accountants; Qin Xia has no one left to support him, and there's absolutely no way he can unravel the ledgers now. But even so, dealing with Qin Xia may not be easy."
"I've sent someone to inform Yan Lu. From today onwards, if the Qin household in Chengqing Lane wants to buy a single grain of rice, they can run themselves ragged, but they won't find a supplier nearby! As for any peace and quiet on their street, they shouldn't even dream of it!"
"And that's not all... What we have done is enough to handle Qin Xia. But if we want to deal with Fu Shuxun, who stands above Qin Xia..."
Kong Tian, hearing this, let out a deeper, shadowed laugh. "In that matter, the Magistrate will certainly handle it with even more finesse than we could!"

Meanwhile, Chen Gaowen appeared at the side entrance of a stately residence in Dashiyong Lane. When Chen Gaowen knocked on the door ring, a portly middle-aged steward slid open the door just enough to let him in discreetly.
This was the residence of Wang Zhengzhi, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
Though a seventh-rank official at the gate of a prime minister, the steward who was usually quite arrogant seemed remarkably amiable today—especially when something in his arms grew subtly heavier, his smile gained genuine warmth. "Master is reading in the study. Manager Chen, your timing is perfect. Just now, Master ordered the servants to prepare water from Yuquan Mountain, and brought out Da Hong Pao tea grown in the Nine Dragons Nest of Tianxin Rock, Wuyi, Fujian. In a moment, you’ll be able to savor it."
"Wuyi Da Hong Pao? Such fortune, I hardly dare accept," Chen Gaowen replied with modest politeness, and soon was led to Wang Zhengzhi, who was feigning leisure in his study, pretending to read ancient scrolls.
The steward quietly summoned a maid to prepare the mountain spring water and tea leaves, apologetically motioning for Chen Gaowen to take a seat.
Chen Gaowen watched Wang Zhengzhi’s pretense, knowing full well this was the high-ranking official showing off his status and depth, a display of cunning. Though Chen Gaowen felt disdain, he kept a respectful demeanor.
His judgment was accurate: Wang Zhengzhi appeared calm, but he actually placed great importance on this visit.
As a subordinate, facing an ambitious superior, Wang Zhengzhi had lately felt suppressed. The big boss decided to forge ahead, so as the second-in-command, he had to keep a low profile and act modestly. For someone who had just managed to push out Li Shiwen and hadn’t relaxed for long, the mood was distinctly unpleasant.
Fortunately, it seemed these days would soon be over.
Thinking of the Ministry of Revenue almost in turmoil, and seeing Chen Gaowen, once outwardly respectful but inwardly domineering, now coming in person to seek favor, Wang Zhengzhi could not help but show a rare triumphant expression.

That expression betrayed Wang Zhengzhi’s inner state.
Noticing Chen Gaowen’s attention, Wang Zhengzhi set aside his scroll and said, "Oh? Manager Chen. Forgive my neglect; I was absorbed in reading just now."
"Master Wang’s refined taste—I would never dare spoil your mood," Chen Gaowen replied with a smile.
"Who would have thought Manager Chen is also a man of elegance and discernment? Ha, perfect! We can appreciate this Da Hong Pao together."
Wang Zhengzhi laughed, and the two sat together in the study’s parlor.
After exchanging polite words, their conversation gradually shifted to business.
"Master Wang, I have come today regarding the Yunnan Division," Chen Gaowen said quietly. "The Grand Minister’s assessment is very strict this year, and the Yunnan Division failed to avoid disaster—a great fire broke out, and all the records were lost. I fear the Grand Minister will punish them."
"Hmm," Wang Zhengzhi responded noncommittally, feeling a touch of satisfaction. As the deputy, there were indeed benefits: when calamity struck, the Minister would bear the brunt; anyone seeking to oppose the boss would first look to Wang Zhengzhi as their protector.
Zhu Cilang had turned the tables, found a patron in Fu Shuxun, and made his move.
Facing them, the clerk class led by Chen Gaowen would naturally strike back swiftly.
Of course, Chen Gaowen was not truly afraid of the Grand Minister’s wrath; he was hinting that the Grand Minister had become their adversary. Their first move was the Yunnan Division’s warehouse disaster.
Wang Zhengzhi, attuned to the subtleties, pondered for a long time, rehearsing countless prepared responses in his mind before finally smiling at Chen Gaowen. "The most pressing matter in the Ministry of Revenue is not old accounts. With the latest defeat in Liaodong, His Majesty worries about the aftermath. As ministers, we must ease his concerns. Those who wail before the throne and provoke His Majesty’s anger—I would never follow their example. Manager Chen, as long as you can cover the shortfall in military funds, what does it matter if there are old accounts?"
Hearing this, Chen Gaowen relaxed a little, letting a slow smile spread across his face. "Master Wang, you are wise. As ministers, our duty is to ease our sovereign’s burdens. Before arriving at your residence, I calculated: if you reorganize the Ministry, dismiss incompetent clerks, select talented ones, reallocate funds from the Yellow River works, and forgo the stipends in Henan, you can gather a sum of five hundred thousand taels of silver. Such a plan should suffice to reassure His Majesty."
"Gaowen! Such a brilliant plan—you are truly my Zhang Liang!" Wang Zhengzhi laughed heartily.
These clerks had truly opened up a great opportunity this time!

Chen Gaowen’s underlying message was clear: if he could bring down Fu Shuxun, defeat Zhu Cilang, and purge those capital faction members, he could assemble five hundred thousand taels for Wang Zhengzhi to wield as a trump card against Fu Shuxun before the emperor!
As for the trifling matter of diverting funds from the Yellow River works or swallowing the pay of Henan’s officials and soldiers—compared to the matter at hand, could it even be called an issue?
"All thanks to Master Wang’s abilities. I hardly deserve your praise."
"Haha, don’t be so modest. Come, let us explore the art of tea! I’ll show you the wonders of this Da Hong Pao."
…
After Chen Gaowen left, Wang Zhengzhi returned to calm, though his mind was still stirred.
"The Grand Minister, eh..." Wang Zhengzhi squinted, countless images flashing through his mind.
The political ecology at the end of the Ming was extremely complex. As a veteran of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Zhengzhi felt this profoundly. The Minister of Revenue stood at the summit of the empire’s political landscape, yet their political life was exceedingly fragile. Li Shiwen had worked diligently for years, struggling to supply the military—if not meritorious, certainly laborious. But once the emperor grew dissatisfied, he was dismissed and prosecuted without hesitation.
By contrast, Wang Zhengzhi, serving as deputy and overseeing the western army’s supplies, held a much steadier position.
Below that, setting aside those directors and managers with inadequate skills and low status, the true foundation of the Ministry of Revenue lay in the hereditary clerks, whose families had served for generations.
These people possessed enough professional skill to be indispensable for any practical work. After a hundred years of inheritance, their roots ran deep, their influence stretched through the capital, truly astonishing in power.
Yet, such clerks, belonging to the lowest social ranks, could never truly stand in the spotlight. If they were to oppose Fu Shuxun, even if they tore off their masks and resorted to the ultimate weapon of strike, victory was by no means assured.