Chapter 60 Authority to Assist Governance

Chapter 60: The Power of Regency

When news of the northwestern conflict arrived, the court was observing a holiday period for the festival.

Baili Hong was taking an afternoon nap, while Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were reviewing petitions in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

They had just come across a memorial submitted by Qi Zhili, which discussed the establishment of canal transport administrative branches. It mentioned that upon arriving in Tongzhou, he had contacted the local magistrate's office and three scholars from Tongzhou who were on the list.

Thanks to the court’s decree and the fact that setting up branch offices would benefit Tongzhou—boosting both local officials’ achievements and their unofficial income—the officials cooperated enthusiastically, making the process smooth.

The three scholars on the list were indeed talented and capable, each with their own strengths and mutual respect. Together, they helped Qi Zhili resolve many issues.

Even the most challenging tasks, such as "recruiting workers" and "recommending officials," were handled by these three through negotiations with local officials and wealthy local gentry. Without offending anyone, they managed to select capable minor officials rather than those who might have connections through wealth.

Qi Zhili also mentioned that in another half month, he would be able to proceed to his next destination.

"Entrusting this matter to him was definitely the right decision," Chu Jiubian remarked.

Qin Xiao nodded. "It’s just that the three thousand taels given to him might be too little. I wonder how long it will last."

"The merchant caravans selling refined salt should be returning soon, right?" Chu Jiubian asked.

Qin Xiao replied, "The Lu family’s merchant caravan returned early this morning. The others will definitely be back by October."

By then, the first share of refined salt profits would enter the imperial treasury, alleviating some financial pressure.

However, these influential families would certainly not obediently pay the fixed amounts. So, Chu Jiubian had long been considering how to deal with them.

Consider the Qiu family, for example.

After the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet, the Qiu family had given the court a sum of silver as a gesture of goodwill to Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao, hoping to obtain the exceptional wine served at the banquet from Chu Jiubian.

But Chu Jiubian had not given them a definite answer, waiting instead for the Qiu family to quickly deliver the remaining share of profits.

Other influential families were more straightforward to manage compared to the Qiu family.

Because the allocated quota of refined salt given to them was limited, and the price at which each merchant caravan sold the salt per jin could be tracked, it was difficult for any family to falsify their accounts.

At most, they might retain minor profits, but it was negligible.

The Qiu family was different.

Their merchant caravans could travel beyond the frontier, with trade routes reaching places like the Northern Desert and the Western Regions.

Exploiting the information gap between inside and outside of Great Ning, the Qiu family took advantage of the fact that people beyond the borders had never seen refined salt, employing many questionable methods.

As Qin Xiao had previously learned, when selling refined salt, the Qiu family did not sell it purely. Instead, they blended it with crude salt in certain proportions, creating a "premium salt" that was better than crude salt but far inferior to refined salt.

By mixing the salts, the quantity of sellable premium salt increased, allowing them to earn more money.

Other influential families naturally wanted to follow suit, but within Great Ning, households that could afford refined salt were well-connected and informed and knew what genuine refined salt looked like. Even if mixed premium salt was available, they wouldn’t be tempted—they only wanted refined salt.

For these two reasons combined, the Qiu family could earn considerably more than other influential families.

As a result, the Qiu family was more likely to cook their books.

But for now, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao planned to overlook minor discrepancies unless the Qiu family went too far.

After all, they had just taken over the canal transport operations from them. If they weren’t allowed to profit from refined salt either, the Qiu family might be driven to desperate measures.

It wasn’t yet time to openly rupture relations with the influential families.

"Let’s wait a bit longer," Chu Jiubian said. "Hasn’t the salt field in Haizhou already been brought under our control? Once production stabilizes there, we’ll take back the refined salt trade for the court."

By then, with the profits from refined salt and the canal transport revenues, the court would no longer be short of funds.

Haizhou is located at the border of Southern Zhili Province and Shandong, adjacent to the vast Eastern Sea, and home to the third most productive salt field in Great Ning.

After refined salt was introduced, Qin Xiao sent people to Southern Zhili Province to seek out Governor Wei Yi, instructing him to find a way to assert control over the Haizhou salt field.

The salt field was originally under the court’s jurisdiction, but due to neglect, local forces had colluded with the Haizhou prefect to deceive the imperial court, leading to rampant private salt trading and diverting considerable silver from the court.

Wei Yi had long wanted to initiate reforms regarding the salt field, but during Emperor Yingzong’s reign, his inaction meant that several memorials Wei Yi submitted were ignored. Additionally, since private salt was cheaper than official salt, the common folk preferred to buy private salt, leaving him no choice but to overlook the situation.

However, in the message Qin Xiao sent him, it was made clear that salt prices would be reduced in due course. But before that, the court needed to secure control over the major salt fields.

The Haizhou salt field was the first to be designated for restructuring.

So, Wei Yi personally went to Haizhou several times. Some time ago, word came that he had taken control of the salt field and had already begun refining and purifying refined salt using the method taught by Chu Jiubian.

This was substantial progress. Once the salt field’s refined salt production stabilized, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian planned to sell salt in three tiers.

Crude salt would be the lowest grade, and its price would definitely be lowered.

Even if not cut in half, it would be reduced by at least one-third, allowing more of the general populace to afford salt.

The second grade would be second-grade refined salt with insufficient purity or some impurities.

This salt would not be as expensive as pure refined salt but would taste better than crude salt, making it suitable for sale to ordinary wealthy households.

The first grade, naturally, would be pure, snow-white refined salt.

The price of refined salt would be twice that of the second-grade mixed salt, but even so, the affluent and powerful would undoubtedly readily purchase it.

This way, the salt fields producing refined salt would be in the hands of the court, and the profits would flow into the imperial treasury.

As for the unprofitable crude salt, it would benefit the common people.

In the future, when the Da Ning Dynasty's governance was completely stable, the imperial treasury was prosperous, and the people were living in peace and contentment, crude salt and mixed salt could gradually be phased out.

These were matters for later. For now, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao were steadily moving step by step toward their goals.

Qin Xiao looked up at Chu Jiubian, saying nothing, just silently gazing, lost in thought.

Lately, Qin Xiao had often stared at him like this, and Chu Jiubian had grown accustomed to it. So, he simply ignored the weighted gaze and continued calmly reviewing memorials.

But just then, voices of palace servants offering greetings one after another came from the courtyard: "Greetings, Commander An."

Chu Jiubian instinctively looked up, first meeting Qin Xiao’s eyes, then turning to glance toward the door.

Almost simultaneously, An Wuji hurriedly stepped inside.

His face was filled with anxiety as he approached Qin Xiao and handed him a confidential letter, saying, "Sir, this is an urgent military dispatch from the southwest!"

A military report?

Chu Jiubian frowned, stood up, and walked to Qin Xiao’s side.

He leaned slightly forward, one hand resting on the table, his head almost touching Qin Xiao’s.

But neither of them noticed the overly intimate gesture at this moment, both focusing intently on the contents of the military report.

It was a brief letter from Pang Ruizhi, the General of the Northwestern Army.

"On August 30th, the Serbian Kingdom of the Western Regions launched an invasion. Our forces were defeated, and Gansu fell within three days. Prince Dingbei went for peace talks but was instead detained and placed under house arrest. Tsanpo Moba Zanpu, the ruler of the Serbian Kingdom, declared that only His Highness Prince Ning himself must attend the negotiations within a month, or else the city would be massacred. The violence will cease only upon Prince Ning’s arrival!"

The Western Regions of the Great Ning Dynasty were divided into two major parts.

According to Chu Jiubian’s previous world’s geographical framework, this included parts of Xinjiang, Tibet, and areas beyond, all collectively referred to as the Western Regions in Great Ning.

However, the people in the Xinjiang part of the Western Regions mostly existed as small tribes, lacking significant influence.

The Tibet region, on the other hand, had been unified under the Serbian royal family during the previous dynasty, with its various tribes ruled by a "Tsanpo."

The military report referred to the Serbian Kingdom of the Western Regions, which bordered Gansu.

And this Pang Ruizhi was no ordinary figure.

He came from a noble family in Gansu and had married Lu Yourong, the eldest daughter of the Wuwei Lu family—also the younger sister of Minister Lu Youwei.

During Emperor Cheng’s reign, he leveraged the Lu family’s connections to secure the position of General of the Northwestern Army.

However, his military competence was clearly lacking; otherwise, he wouldn't have been defeated by the Serbian Kingdom in just three days despite commanding a 70,000-strong Northwestern Army.

Yet, falling within merely three days was still highly suspicious.

Unless it was intentional...

Qin Xiao’s face darkened as he set down the military report on the table.

Chu Jiubian rose and settled into the chair beside him, frowning slightly.

An Wuji didn’t know what the report contained; he had forwarded it immediately upon receiving it.

After seeing that Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had finished reading, he took it back and reread it himself.

Once he finished, he was so enraged that he erupted in curses: "What damn three days! With 70,000 troops in the Northwestern Army, even if they formed a human barricade, they couldn't have held for only three days! That Pang fellow is a fool! A waste!"

He paced around in circles.

Chu Jiubian turned to look at Qin Xiao’s rigid profile: "What do you think?"

Qin Xiao’s voice was level: "The entire Northwestern Army has several Deputy Generals besides Pang Ruizhi. They can’t all be fools."

Chu Jiubian let out a mirthless laugh, though his eyes held no warmth: "Even if the army had no capable men, there were still so many local officials, not to mention the many advisors and administrators under Prince Dingbei’s court."

With so many people, how could Gansu fall in just three days?

Was it reasonable?

Moreover, after Gansu fell, Prince Dingbei, Baili Yu, naively went for peace talks alone and was captured—was that even possible?

Which of these vassal princes didn’t have talented aides under them?

How could they stand by and watch their master walk to his death?

An Wuji paused mid-step and looked at the two: "Could this be a trap targeting you, sir?"

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao remained silent, but An Wuji grasped the implication. He sat down in the seat opposite them, his expression grim.

Yes.

It was all too clear.

Qin Xiao had long been a thorn in the side of those in the capital. They had always sought ways to undermine him, and given the chance, they would even kill him outright.

In the early days, assassins sent from various factions came almost daily.

Only after realizing it wouldn't be easy to eliminate Qin Xiao did they gradually back down.

When clandestine tactics failed, they resorted to overt ones, suppressing him from all sides in the court, almost suffocating him.

But then a game-changer appeared beside Qin Xiao—Chu Jiubian—catching everyone off guard.

Otherwise, Qin Xiao’s path would have been even more difficult.

Yet precisely because Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian’s influence in the court grew stronger, with imperial authority increasingly eclipsing that of the noble families, and various factions suffering losses, these people could no longer sit still.

They didn’t dare move against Chu Jiubian, so they plotted to publicly dispose of Qin Xiao.

This conflict in the northwest was clearly masterminded by Prince Dingbei, but other forces were undoubtedly involved as well.

Not just those in the court, but perhaps even other vassal princes were part of it.

This was a collective effort—a coordinated elimination plot against Qin Xiao.

It was a blatant scheme.

These people knew such an obvious scheme wouldn't escape Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian’s notice, yet they proceeded anyway, not even bothering to maintain appearances, leaving flaws everywhere.

Their ultimate goal was to back Qin Xiao into a corner.

The situation presented in the northwest was one where the people of Gansu were enduring dire hardship, facing potential massacre. All hope hinged solely on Qin Xiao—only if he went could he possibly save everyone.

Additionally, Prince Dingbei’s capture was a blow to the dignity of the Great Ning royal family and a show of disrespect to the new emperor, Baili Hong.

Only by going to the northwest and "rescuing" Prince Dingbei could Qin Xiao preserve the royal family’s honor, save the people of Gansu, and provide accountability to the nation.

Chu Jiubian turned to look at Qin Xiao, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He had pieced together all the complexities of the situation, and he knew Qin Xiao had done the same.

Now, only two choices lay before him: go or not go.

If he didn’t go, he would lose popular support, the court’s prestige, and the hope they had carefully cultivated among the populace over the past few months.

But if he went, what he might lose was his own life.

Was there a choice?

Of course there was.

Given Qin Xiao’s defiant character and his disregard for reputation, he could easily trade his reputation for his safety.

And given his merciless "antagonist" reputation, he could absolutely abandon the people of Gansu without hesitation.

Yet for some reason, Chu Jiubian was certain Qin Xiao would be incapable of abandoning them.

Qin Xiao might not care about his own reputation, but he cared about the court’s prestige and, even more, the innocent people of Gansu.

Even though Prince Dingbei most likely would not order a massacre, Qin Xiao dared not gamble on it.

Up until this moment, Chu Jiubian could no longer deceive himself.

Qin Xiao was a caring official who cared about the people. He had the coldest, most ruthless exterior, but inside, he was more soft-hearted and more humane than anyone else.

He was a perfectly normal person—he had healthy family relationships, a dangerous yet stable upbringing, and a remarkably well-adjusted character.

Qin Xiao was not, at least not yet, the ruthless and cruel regent described in the original work.

Thus, he and Chu Jiubian had never been alike.

Chu Jiubian’s Adam’s apple rolled, his hands unconsciously clenching together and hidden in his sleeves.

He instinctively wanted to pick at something, but his rationality held firm, forcing him to suppress that urge.

Perhaps the medicine bought from the System Mall was taking effect.

He thought.

Meanwhile, Qin Xiao also spoke up, saying, "An Ping."

An Wuji immediately stood up: "My lord."

Qin Xiao calmly instructed: "Find Qin Zhaoyang. Tell him to inform the Ministry of War to mobilize troops—at least fifty thousand soldiers. Also, have the Ministry of Revenue prepare military funds and rations. Everything must be ready within three days. We depart at dawn on the thirteenth."

"My lord," An Wuji frowned, "the commander..."

"Is me," Qin Xiao said lightly.

He sat with legs crossed in his chair, leaning back against it, his posture and expression completely at ease.

An Wuji hesitated but ultimately dared not delay. He bowed and said, "As you command."

With that, he turned and quickly left the room.

Once Qin Xiao made a decision, no one could change his mind.

After An Wuji left, the council hall fell into dead silence.

Chu Jiubian tilted his head and saw Qin Xiao’s cold, hard profile.

He suddenly recalled a passage from the original work: "Prince Ning Qin Xiao led the army to defeat the Western Regions' Serbia, suffered grave injuries, and took three months to recover."

If he had read more carefully back then, he might have wondered why Qin Xiao, as the regent, needed to personally lead the campaign.

But now, Chu Jiubian had no such doubt. He knew Qin Xiao had to go.

It had to be said that the various factions in Great Ning understood each other extremely well—they had calculated that even if Qin Xiao knew it was a trap, he would still step right into it.

This event also existed in the original work.

But the timing of this event was a full year earlier than described in the original!

Chu Jiubian quickly realized it was all because of his appearance.

His series of actions had accelerated Qin Xiao’s efforts to suppress the noble families, accomplishing in a much shorter time what should have taken a full year.

This undoubtedly intensified the pressure and urgency felt by other factions regarding the imperial authority, prompting them to move up their plans to eliminate Qin Xiao.

Perhaps sensing Chu Jiubian’s gaze, Qin Xiao pulled himself out of his thoughts and turned to meet his eyes.

Chu Jiubian blinked lightly, unsure what to say.

Even words like "take care" felt unnecessary, because he knew Qin Xiao would return alive.

But Qin Xiao didn’t know that.

Fully aware that this journey was perilous, he still decided to lead the expedition himself.

Chu Jiubian truly felt that, at this moment, he and Qin Xiao had nothing left to say.

Yet after a long silence, Qin Xiao suddenly smiled.

Chu Jiubian’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. "What are you laughing at?"

"After I depart on this campaign, matters concerning His Majesty and the capital," Qin Xiao said, smiling at Chu Jiubian, "will trouble you greatly, young master."

Chu Jiubian avoided his gaze and said nothing.

Qin Xiao looked at him deeply, then stood and walked to the young emperor’s usual desk, preparing to grind ink and draft an edict.

After a pause, Chu Jiubian rose and walked to his side, taking the inkstick from his hand. "Let me do it."

Qin Xiao withdrew his hand, his fingertips lightly brushing against each other.

They seemed to retain the faint, cool touch of the young man’s fingers.

When the various factions in the capital received news from the northwest, they were all shaken.

Everyone knew this was a trap set by Prince Dingbei for Qin Xiao—and, of course, they, the nobility, were also part of the scheme.

Prince Dingbei had already set the board; now it was up to them to push Qin Xiao onto it and corner him step by step.

They couldn’t wait for Qin Xiao to summon them. One by one, they rushed from their homes to the imperial palace, all the way to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, seeking an audience.

During this time, Hong Fu had also received the news and hurried over from the Directorate of Ceremonial.

It was he who received the officials and led them to the council hall.

Inside, Chu Jiubian had returned to his usual seat, while Qin Xiao remained standing beside the throne.

On the throne, Baili Hong sat obediently, looking somewhat listless.

But as the ministers approached, he quickly straightened up.

Almost all the Ministers of the Six Ministries had come, each wearing an expression of anxiety. However, among them, only Jian Hongzhuo, the Minister of Works, was genuinely concerned. The rest were eager for Qin Xiao to rush to his death.

Without Qin Xiao in the capital, the greatest threat would be Chu Jiubian alone.

A lone tree finds it hard to withstand the wind—the pressure on Chu Jiubian would be immense, and these ambitious nobles would undoubtedly try every means to suppress him.

Yet they still feared Chu Jiubian’s identity as a "deity," so the ideal scenario would be to win him over to their side while Qin Xiao was away.

If it meant greater benefits for their families, they wouldn’t mind pledging allegiance to the emperor and becoming "loyal ministers."

Reputation meant everything. They had never considered overthrowing the Baili royal family and seizing power themselves—that would make them "traitors and rebels." They had no desire to leave such a legacy in history, shaming their descendants for generations.

So, who sat on the throne didn’t matter—what mattered was that the ruler could be manipulated and offer them greater advantages.

Everyone concealed their private concerns quite well. After greeting the emperor, they were about to bring up the matter of the northwest rebellion.

However, before they could say anything, Baili Hong spoke up: "My esteemed ministers must have come at this time regarding the northwest rebellion. We have already decided."

These words were put in his mouth by Qin Xiao. In truth, he had no idea what "decision" had been made. He only knew that his uncle was going to battle, that he would be away for a long time, and he didn't know when he would return.

At this thought, the boy's eyes grew sore.

His grandparents had gone to battle and never returned. Grand Marshal Qin, too, had suffered old injuries from battles in his early years, which caused him illness in his later life. He had only held on until Baili Hong was born before passing away.

So, to Baili Hong, war was an extremely dangerous thing.

He was very likely to lose another family member because of it—arguably, the only important family member he had left.

His mother was gone. If his uncle were to leave too, then he...

The boy fought desperately to hold back tears, his small hands gripping the hem of his robe tightly.

His uncle had told him that he was the emperor, and must not cry in front of his ministers.

Chu Jiubian didn't notice the boy's expression at that moment. He merely lowered his gaze slightly, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts—as if he had been pondering many things, yet also as if he had been thinking of nothing at all.

It wasn't until he heard Qin Xiao's voice that he snapped back to attention: "Since Moba Zanpu has demanded my presence for the peace talks, I will go."

His gaze swept over the gathered ministers as he said calmly, "With all of you here in the court, I can leave with peace of mind."

The ministers had not expected Qin Xiao to already be prepared to depart before they had even tried to persuade him.

So they considered whether they ought to feign urging him to stay.

But Qin Xiao continued speaking: "However, His Majesty is still young and requires constant guidance. Therefore, after I leave the capital, Senior Tutor Chu will temporarily handle governance."

No one was surprised by this. After all, in their view, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had long been bound together.

But Chu Jiubian felt his heart beat heavily, and he slowly lifted his gaze to look at Qin Xiao.

Others might not understand the relationship between him and Qin Xiao, but he knew it all too well.

Between the two of them, there was only that barest thread of trust.

He had never imagined that Qin Xiao would entrust him with the regency authority.

But...

Qin Xiao's profound, unfathomable gaze fell upon the young man, meeting his complex and indecipherable gaze.