Chapter 50

Chapter 50

When news of the snow disaster in Jiangnan, where three prefectures' granaries were damaged and snow routes were blocked, reached the capital, both the court and the common people fell into a somber mood.

Indeed, the national treasury had grown more substantial over the past few months, and the court had reduced taxes to boost grain production. While treasury silver could be recovered through confiscation from corrupt officials, grain could not be produced overnight. The granaries across Jiangnan had originally been sufficient for emergencies, but now that three prefectures' granaries were destroyed, other prefectures and counties, once called upon to supply others, might find themselves unable to meet their own needs.

The court burst into fierce debate, with the only solution being to ship grain from the capital. However, clearing the snow-covered roads to transport grain was extremely hard to advance in such harsh weather.

“Your Majesty, the Ministry of Works will do its utmost to clear the snow routes!” declared the Minister of Works.

As he spoke, the Crown Prince echoed, “The Eastern Palace will fully assist the Ministry of Works.”

Officials from the Ministry of Works stepped forward one after another, volunteering for the task. The court officials were stirred; all they could do was pin their hopes on the Ministry of Works to clear the snow routes as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if the snow kept falling, Jiangnan was sure to see disaster.

The Emperor ordered the Ministry of Works to expedite the clearing of snow routes, and several officials’ expressions shifted slightly.

When the news reached the palace, the Empress set out for Huguo Temple to pray for the people. The Crown Prince entered the Ministry of Works to plan disaster relief, while the Eldest Prince withdrew official silver from the Ministry of Revenue to purchase grain among the people. Quietly, the undercover struggle had already begun.

Ying Fusheng had been ill for three days. When his condition stabilized, he ventured out for the first time.

As his sedan chair left Cining Palace, several informants sneaked off, likely to report the news.

Tensions were brewing within the palace walls. At a concealed spot, Ye Xuanjiu fixed his gaze on Ying Fusheng until he left Cining Palace. With a wave of his hand, several Imperial Guards disguised as palace attendants stealthily followed him.

Outside the palace gates, the roads were thickly covered with snow. The carriage jolted along until it reached the Shen residence, where the household was quite surprised—as if they hadn't expected the Sixth Prince to call at such a time.

Shen Yunfei came out personally to receive him and led him into the study, where Shen Changcun and Weng Yanqing were already present. Over the past few days, Weng Yanqing had pieced together the whole picture. Ying Fusheng had made too many enemies during his investigations into corruption cases. Both the Eldest Prince's faction and the Crown Prince's faction, once word of the calamitous omen spread, every faction was more than willing to lend a hand in spreading it.

That was how the rumor spread throughout the palace and the court, creating a rift between the Emperor and the prince.

Other factions, however, could step on the Sixth Prince’s misfortune to rise.

“The urgent report did not pass through official channels. I have failed in my duty,” Shen Changcun said guiltily.

Ying Fusheng helped him up. “The news came via merchant channels, not official ones. It was no accident.”

The Shen family was openly allied with him. If the news had gone through official channels, the schemer behind it would not have been able to play this hidden card. He had long seen this coming. The schemer's moves took advantage of the open infighting among court factions, because not only the Xu family but also the Yun family did not want a favored prince like him to appear.

Weng Yanqing lowered his voice: “While Your Highness was ill these past few days, the court situation had changed drastically.”

Shen Changcun handed him a confidential report. It stated that the Eldest Prince’s estate had held a secret meeting with the Vice Minister of Revenue the previous night, while several Xu family advisors had visited the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace one after another. Both factions were making moves. Weng Yanqing cut straight to the point: “Though all factions have made moves, it should be the Crown Prince’s faction that struck.”

Shen Changcun paused: “Yanqing, how did you reach that conclusion?”

Weng Yanqing explained, “Disaster relief depends on grain and silver dispatch. On the surface, the Eldest Prince is striving to regain lost ground, but the progress hinges entirely on the Ministry of Works. Today at court, the Ministry of Works volunteered, and the Crown Prince was ordered to oversee the work. The Crown Prince has just taken office and needs to build his reputation. If he can handle this matter well, it will be enough to establish his authority at court.”

Ying Fusheng shot him a glance. The Xu family had not moved yet, yet Weng Yanqing could identify the beneficiary. “So what do you think? How will the Crown Prince leverage this?”

“At court, the Eldest Prince’s faction is still trying to stage a comeback. Behind the Crown Prince’s faction is the Xu family, which has the most scholar-officials,” Weng Yanqing had already grasped the key point. “The best way to proceed is to wait until the situation becomes severe.”

Shen Yunfei blurted out, “Isn’t that abandoning the people to suffer?”

“Only then can one truly save them from disaster,” Weng Yanqing said gravely. “To these factions, it’s just a few deaths. In their eyes, the common people are like ants, far less important than their own interests.”

The Crown Prince's faction had no choice but to stall. To truly save the people, they had to rescue them from the worst, thereby winning popular support.

Only when the snow disaster dragged on and became severe, with the people of Jiangnan suffering immensely, would the Crown Prince’s achievements win the hearts of the people.

Shen Yunfei found this absurd. He looked at Ying Fusheng. Having been ill for a few days, the Sixth Prince seemed to have grown thinner.

Several braziers were lit in the study, yet his expression remained unmoved, as if the idle gossip had not disturbed his peace. Shen Changcun, who had worked with him for a long time, could not help but admire the prince’s composure. His Highness was ostensibly an inspector in the Court of Judicial Review, yet he could not rely on the Three Judicial Offices. Add the talk of ill omens, and his situation was nearly hopeless.

“Others have power to rely on; they can achieve twice the results with half the effort,” Shen Changcun sighed.

Ying Fusheng set down his hand warmer and looked around at the others: “Power is built, not born. Isn’t it better to leverage others?”

“The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works are doing everything they're doing to solve the disaster relief problem.”

They'd stop at nothing to promote their own merit and build political capital.

“As Yanqing said, things can’t be hastened. So we have to find a way to speed them up.”

The two were stunned. With snow blocking the roads, they were neither gods nor heroes—how could they beat the other two factions' plans?

Outside the Shen residence, the informants took off one after another. Qi Hanzhou stayed outside, watching the spies who had been tailing Ying Fusheng scatter toward the Eldest Prince's estate, the Xu residence, and elsewhere.

Qi Hanzhou fixed his eyes on the carriage waiting in the distance, then waved for the Imperial Guards to disappear into the streets of the capital.

Just then, a carriage stopped leisurely in front of the Shen residence. Qi Hanzhou’s gaze paused—someone had arrived.

At the same time, a voice announced from outside the Shen residence: “Master, a wealthy merchant named Liu Dafu has come to see you.”

When Ying Fusheng heard this, he turned his head slightly: “He’s here.”

Liu Dafu. The name was unfamiliar, but his son Liu Dengke was one of Shen Yunfei’s shady buddies—a profligate who had previously been at Ying Fusheng’s side, nicknamed Fatty.

Shen Yunfei was taken aback. What good would it do to contact him?

“What do you need him for?”

Weng Yanqing retreated behind a screen, and soon Liu Dafu appeared in the study. When he saw Shen Changcun and Ying Fusheng, he hurriedly bowed and paid his respects. Ever since learning his son was buddy-buddy with the Sixth Prince, Liu Dafu had let his son handle everything, and thanks to that connection, his business in the capital was sailing smoothly.

Hearing that the Sixth Prince wished to see him, he had rushed over without delay.

“Jiangnan is your territory. This time, with the snow disaster in three prefectures, I cannot leave the capital. I need your help.”

Liu Dafu was overjoyed: “Your Highness, just give the order. You have helped the Liu family so much; I won't let you down!”

Ying Fusheng said he wanted Liu Dafu to go to Jiangnan to distribute porridge for disaster relief, and Liu Dafu immediately agreed.

“How much do you think is appropriate?” Ying Fusheng asked.

Liu Dafu pondered: “Based on the intelligence this commoner has received recently, under these circumstances, grain prices in the three affected prefectures may have risen to two taels.”

“Then go and buy grain, at six taels,” said Ying Fusheng.

At these words, even Shen Changcun and Weng Yanqing, who was behind the screen, turned pale.

Liu Dafu was a merchant. He did not understand other matters, but he knew business inside out: “Your Highness, this won’t do. Buying grain at a high price at a time like this could stir up trouble!”

Ying Fusheng replied, “Just go to Jiangnan. Everything else has already been arranged.”

“Once you hit Jiangnan, just do as I told you.”

…

After court, Hu Buyu returned to the Ministry of War office and found a request for troop deployment from the Ministry of Works, asking to mobilize some garrison forces to clear the snow routes. He approved it, his gaze drifting to the heavy snow outside.

The Ministry of Works' troop deployment was reasonable, but urgent reports for three consecutive days indicated that the snow-covered roads were difficult to clear, and progress was slow.

"With so many people borrowed, why is progress so slow!" a subordinate exclaimed angrily. "Back in our Anlong, three days would be enough to open a main road!"

Hu Buyu's gaze darkened. These troop deployment documents passed through his hands, but when they would reach the disaster relief front lines was never certain.

With each step delayed by a few hours, the cumulative effect would stretch over days... In the court, the factions would stop at nothing for profit and to attack rivals. Yet these delays were hard to pin down. Hu Buyu lowered his eyes and suddenly noticed Vice Minister of Imperial Stud Shen Changcun's routine report, its bulk filled with miscellaneous information like where to distribute official silver, where to transfer grain and pay, and the court sending decrees to local governments.

He scanned to the end, where a single sheet of paper bore a message. When he saw those lines, Hu Buyu's expression sharpened.

"Someone is passing me a message," Hu Buyu said.

His subordinate looked at him in confusion. "Post stations? In the heavy winter snow, station messages have also been stalled for a long time."

Hu Buyu destroyed the paper, and when he mixed ink, he surprisingly mimicked Shen Changcun's handwriting with uncanny accuracy.

Someone was telling him that there would be a move in the capital, and the Ministry of War should prepare.

He erased the message with his brush, stamped the official seal, then replaced it in the report.

Hu Buyu: "If it's good news, it’s worth a look."

Many days passed. The snow disaster had reached the capital for over half a month. The Ministry of Revenue was slow to mobilize official silver, so the Eastern Palace funded the Ministry of Works from its own treasury, allowing the ministry's disaster relief to proceed methodically. When the Emperor learned of this, he severely criticized the First Prince, fined officials in the Ministry of Revenue, and streamlined procedures.

In this matter, the Crown Prince received widespread praise, and news of his virtuous reputation spread through the capital.

Within the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince was visibly delighted, discussing disaster relief matters with Zhou Qingyuan. "Your strategy was brilliant. Big Brother tried to meddle, but in the end, he can only pay up."

Zhou Qingyuan: "As long as it helps Your Highness."

"With the First Prince dragging things out, the disaster in Jiangnan will soon reach its breaking point," said an advisor. "The Grand Secretary's intention is to stop at the right time. Though we’ve used schemes, we must not cross the Emperor's bottom line. His Majesty values public sentiment, and the Empress praying for blessings at Huguo Temple can also accumulate prestige for Your Highness. We can make use of that then."

The Crown Prince hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly. When the palace lantern incident occurred, he was caught off guard.

But that night, someone brought word, telling him to go with the flow—this was a golden opportunity, and the Xu family would plan for him. He thought his maternal grandfather would at most secure him a post in the Ministry of Works, but he never expected his grandfather to exploit even the disaster itself.

Just then, an urgent report arrived—

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened in Jiangnan!"

"What happened?" The Crown Prince's expression shifted.

The messenger said, "News of the grain storage incident in Jiangnan somehow spread. The originally stable grain prices in various prefectures suddenly skyrocketed. Merchants raised prices everywhere, and the price has jumped from two taels of silver per dan to four taels!"

That was almost double. Just a few months ago, prices had seemed to stabilize between one and two taels. Before this scheme, they had deliberately suppressed the news to keep grain prices stable and avoid any plan flaws. So why had prices suddenly exploded!

The advisors' faces paled. If grain prices skyrocketed, the situation in Jiangnan would worsen.

Even if they accelerated snow-clearing efforts now, they could never catch up with the developments in Jiangnan!

The message had barely arrived at the Eastern Palace when someone from the Xu family came. Grand Secretary Xu had already tried to send a message to Jiangnan.

"We learned of this through merchant channels. Within a day, the news will reach the court."

"The Grand Secretary said he has tried to intercept part of the official route messages, but the official couriers are under the Ministry of War; we can't hold them off for long."

In just one day, court officials were summoned to the palace. When the Crown Prince arrived, he met the Emperor's furious gaze. Grain prices had exploded, triggering panic elsewhere. Other prefectures could manage, but the three recently stricken prefectures were in dire straits. The official granaries that had barely maintained order were nearly empty.

Official grain hadn't been sent yet; the snow roads weren't cleared; and now popular discontent was rising.

"The Ministry of Works will clear the snow roads as quickly as possible," said the Minister of Works, head bowed. "At most five days; we will definitely open a route."

The Emperor threw the urgent memorial in his face. "Read it yourself! If in five days people starve to death in those three prefectures, will you take responsibility?"

"Your Majesty, given the current situation, we must proceed on two fronts and gather grain from the private sector," Grand Secretary Xu stepped forward with a plan. "Before I came, I sent a fast horse to order the activation of emergency grain reserves. If that's insufficient, we can mobilize official silver from each prefecture to purchase merchant grain and have the Ministry of Works alter the route to deliver grain to the remaining prefectures."

"Now we can't buy grain. In the three prefectures, a merchant from the capital is profiting from the disaster, buying rice at six taels per dan," said a courier from the post station. "This news spread through merchant channels, not through official routes—private channels. Now all merchants are selling their grain to him!"

Six taels! That's three times the price! With such competition, the government would have to spend a fortune to buy grain!

The national treasury had only just recovered; it can't be burned through like this!

Someone said, "The merchant’s surname is Liu, named Liu Dafu. He made his fortune in Jiangnan and moved his whole family to the capital. His son Liu Dengke is a well-known wastrel in the capital."

Liu Dengke—whispers spread among the officials. Wasn't he the wastrel associated with the Sixth Prince?

The factions exchanged glances. The Crown Prince faction thought of something, and an official from the Ministry of Works stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I have heard of Liu Dengke. He is a friend of the Sixth Prince. A few days ago, the Prince left the palace and seemed to have dealings with this wastrel."

"Summon him!" the Emperor said.

The news from the palace soon reached Cining Palace.

When Ying Fusheng arrived in the hall, all the ministers were present. Since the calamity prophecy, this was the first time officials had seen the Sixth Prince. He entered and knelt without further ado. "Your son pays respects to Your Majesty."

Seeing him arrive, murmurs rippled among the officials.

"You know Liu Dengke?" the Emperor asked.

Ying Fusheng said, "Your son knows him."

He suddenly thought of something. "Your son has something to report. Regarding the snow disaster in Jiangnan, your son didn't know what to do and wanted to contribute in some small way. Coincidentally, Liu Dengke had connections in Jiangnan, so your son thought of buying some civilian grain to alleviate the crisis in the three prefectures, and entrusted the Liu family to handle it."

So it was the Sixth Prince's idea! the officials thought.

The Crown Prince shot him a glance. Foolish—buying grain at such a high price would inevitably disrupt the market!

The Emperor did indeed favor this child, but after recent events, his impression of Ying Fusheng had gradually cooled. "Do you know what a grave mistake you've made! Because of your actions, grain prices in every prefecture have collapsed."

Ying Fusheng paled, hesitated, then said, "But your son just received word... The Liu family has already acquired grain and is now distributing porridge in the three prefectures."

The three prefectures covered such a vast area—how many people could a single wealthy merchant save!?

"Your Highness, Liu Dafu's capacity to buy grain is limited. Even if the Liu family went bankrupt, they could hardly save the people of the three prefectures. And now, because of his actions, all grain merchants are flocking to the three prefectures. Mobilizing official silver from other prefectures to buy grain is now difficult," said an official from the Ministry of Works.

"But isn't official grain on its way soon?" Ying Fusheng asked.

"Your Highness, the key is that the official grain hasn't arrived yet!" said another official.

Clearing the snow roads would take at least five days. Even if official grain left now, the fastest it could arrive would be half a month later!

This wasn't like a single rider on horseback, who could cover the distance in a few days to reach Jiangnan.

Grand Secretary Xu felt a premonition of dread. He sensed that Ying Fusheng's words held deeper meaning.

Just then, someone came to report from outside—a Ministry of War official, bringing the latest news from the three prefectures: "Your Majesty, grain prices in the three prefectures have plummeted!"

In just a single day, why had prices fallen so drastically!?

"It's like this: news from the court reached Jiangnan, and the grain merchants who had just arrived in the disaster-stricken prefectures received word that official grain was about to come from the court," the messenger panted. "Half a day after the official post stations sent the news, the Liu family announced they had enough grain and stopped buying. Hearing that the court was about to send grain, those merchants rushed to dump their stock! The prefectural magistrate sent your servant to report by fast horse."

Grain prices among the common folk had always been stable, and this year the imperial treasury was full, as the new tax policies had just been rolled out across Dayuan.

Only the officials in charge of the granaries knew that the treasury's grain reserves were actually insufficient, with government grain possibly even less than what commoners held, but in the eyes of Dayuan's commoners and merchants, this was not the case. Because information was slow to travel, as the court overhauled taxes, merchants in Jiangnan knew the imperial treasury was full, and Liu Dafu's statement that government grain was coming clearly caught the grain merchants off guard.

If a large shipment of government grain came down to Jiangnan, these grain merchants, who had transported grain at high costs through private channels to the three prefectures, might not even turn a profit—could even lose money! These shrewd grain merchants would then seek a way out!

The price had been driven up to six taels by Liu Dafu, but as soon as the news of government grain arrived, the price of grain plummeted to three taels, and because so many grain merchants had gathered, they were now vying to lower prices further, potentially dropping to two taels... But how could Liu Dafu move so quickly? And how did this information circulate among them?

Several officials from the Crown Prince Faction immediately understood the underlying logic, and Grand Secretary Xu suddenly looked at Ying Fusheng.

Ying Fusheng knelt there; he appeared to have handled a trivial matter, yet he had played everyone!

During the heavy snow, information was blocked; news reaching the court came in fits and starts, while the news among commoners was more plentiful and mixed-up.

As a wealthy merchant in the capital who started in Jiangnan, Liu Dafu was naturally known to the Jiangnan merchants. He was commissioned by Ying Fusheng to go to Jiangnan to buy grain at high prices, which was an unusual move. The Crown Prince, to win popular support, had the various prefectures and counties widely publicize the snow road repairs. Once this news spread, the message of government grain became more credible, and inadvertently caused grain prices to skyrocket then tank!

Grand Secretary Xu realized the problem and was about to speak, but Ying Fusheng's voice came faster than his—

"Since the grain prices have fallen, wouldn't the court be able to buy it up?"

Some shrewd officials were stirred by this; what was their goal? To provide disaster relief!

The treasury lacked grain, but it did not lack silver!

But most officials were still processing this, and Ying Fusheng looked at the Emperor, realizing the top man had already caught on.

The granaries had collapsed, but the silver in the three prefectures' treasuries remained.

Transporting grain was extremely difficult, but fortunately the treasury was full, and the various prefectures had just been allocated a significant amount of silver. Once grain prices plummeted, there would be no need to transport government grain; instead, they could directly purchase commercial grain at low prices. This would both cover up the issue of inadequate treasury grain and resolve the crisis in Jiangnan.