Chapter 221: A Dilemma

When Xiao Chiye entered the room, he lifted the bamboo screen, and Fei Sheng retreated. Xiao Chiye brought in the cool breeze from outside, placing the opened letter on Shen Zechuan's desk and saying, "In the second trial of the Dan City case, the Pans used their wicked servant to take the blame. They cited Pan Yi's negligence in management as grounds to remove Pan Lin from the situation."

Shen Zechuan read the letter and said, "The Pans embezzled the people's fields, causing nine out of ten families in Dan City to be displaced. It is evident from last year's Yellow Register that thousands of people were rendered homeless. Merely pinning it on an evil servant won't fill the gap. Pan Lin oversees tax collection for eight cities at the Ministry of Revenue. He couldn't have been unaware of how much was lacking."

"Everyone who oversaw the land tax under the Pans is already in jail," Xiao Chiye shielded the light. "They all stubbornly claim it was their own greed and not the Pans' instructions."

Shen Zechuan's fingertips lightly grazed the paper. "That old fox, Pan Xiangjie."

Pan Xiangjie had experienced the might of Hua Siqian and Wei Huaigu. In anticipation of this day, he had long made preparations. He had arranged for those in charge of the land tax in Dan City to be his own servants, who shared the same interests with the Pans. At this crucial moment, protecting Pan Lin would mean safeguarding his family's lives. Naturally, they would willingly accept the blame.

Xiao Chiye said, "Since Xue Xiuzhuo dared to make a move now, he must have leverage over the Pans."

"He even managed to bring Kong Qiu and Cen Yu on board. He could very well have the real account books of Dan City," Shen Zechuan mused. "But he didn't use them."

The case had already undergone a joint investigation by three agencies, and Pan Lin had been dismissed for further investigation. According to procedure, if Xue Xiuzhuo signaled Liang Cuishan to present the evidence, they would win. Even if they only removed Pan Lin, it would still have a significant impact on the current division of Qudu.

"I've thought about it, and the only thing that could stop Xue Xiuzhuo from making a move right now would be spring plowing." The sunlight slanted in from behind, spilling onto Lan Zhou's profile. Xiao Chiye raised his arm to block it, forbidding it from peeping. "The thirteen cities of Juexi are about to begin cultivation."

"But Quxi had no disasters last year, and the granaries of its thirteen cities were full," Shen Zechuan said, seemingly unaware of Second Young Master's possessiveness. "They didn't allocate military grain to Qidong's five prefectures in winter; they only replenished the granaries of Qidu. They should still have reserves for spring plowing. What is Xue Xiuzhuo afraid of?"

"There would be no problem with the original plan," Xiao Chiye said, sitting on the edge of the table and looking at Shen Zechuan. "But what if there's a hitch?"

Shen Zechuan understood at once. He put down his pen and said, "It seems the Empress Dowager plans to use Qi Zhuyin's march as an excuse to empty Quxi's granaries."

The only way Qidu could empty Quxi's granaries at this moment was through military requisition. If Xue Xiuzhuo insisted on pursuing the investigation, Quxi's spring plowing would not be able to proceed, and the food supply for hundreds of thousands of people would hang over Xue Xiuzhuo's head, forcing him to back down.

"The Empress Dowager is playing a strategic move from a disadvantaged position," Xiao Chiye said. "If Xue Xiuzhuo agrees to the military requisition, Quxi's granaries will be left empty. To ensure spring plowing, Quxi will have to borrow grain from the eight cities that still have reserves. In that case, Xue Xiuzhuo cannot afford to offend the aristocratic families and must seek reconciliation with the Empress Dowager, who represents them. If he refuses the military requisition, there will be no one to replenish Qidong's military grain, and Qi Zhuyin won't be able to march."

Quxi would not only have to bear the burden of Qidu's granaries but also Qidong's military grain. If they lacked grain during spring plowing, the provincial governments would have to report the shortages to the Board of Revenue. As the governor of Quxi, Jiang Qingshan would have to find ways to make up for the shortage. Under normal circumstances, the Board of Revenue would coordinate according to last year's harvests, and Jiang Qingshan could write IOUs to the governors of neighboring provinces with bountiful harvests to borrow their grain. Later, they would negotiate whether to repay with local produce or silver. However, the only ones who could lend grain to Quxi now were the Eight Great Cities. To convince the Empress Dowager to lend grain after Quxi's granaries were emptied by the military requisition, Xue Xiuzhuo would have to let go of the land tax collection from the Eight Great Cities, and even Dancheng.

"Money can't buy grain, and the land tax issue has already alerted the targets. It will be even harder to investigate later, especially since it has drawn the attention of the Imperial Academy. If Xue Xiuzhuo backs down, the students will criticize him with their pens," Shen Zechuan said, leaning slowly on the table. "The Empress Dowager has set a clever trap. She merely nudged the chess pieces along, and now Xue Xiuzhuo is in a dilemma."

The Empress Dowager had also used Shen Zechuan's influence here. The grain Shen Zechuan had supplied to Qidong had been "stolen" by Yan Heru from Hezhou and Quxi's granaries. Now, if Qidu requisitioned more grain from Quxi, Quxi would have to endure two rounds of military requisition within half a year, which its granaries could not withstand.

Xiao Chiye covered Shen Zechuan's hair and said, "Even the meticulous Xue Yanqing is trapped in a dead end."

"There's still a way out," Shen Zechuan looked up at Xiao Chiye with an innocent expression. "If I were in his shoes, I'd get rid of the Empress Dowager."

* * *

In the capital city, the snow of recent days had melted swiftly, with water dripping from the eaves along the streets. Fortunately, the official drainage ditches had been renovated last year, preventing any blockages. The Xue residence was not situated in a remote area, but it was too close to its neighboring house; the walls of both households had partially collapsed due to the saturation.

Xue Xiuzhuo had been residing at the Dali Temple lately. Upon returning to fetch some clean clothes, he noticed that the courtyard walls had been freshly restored. He inquired of the head servant, "When was this repaired?"

Xue Xiuzhuo was not one for tedious formalities in managing his household. Despite the supervisor's advanced age, he remained respectful by Xue's side and truthfully reported, "Milady paid a visit to Young Master Jin a few days ago. Upon seeing the collapsed courtyard wall, she mentioned it to Master when she returned. As a result, Master instructed someone to repair it."

Xue Xiuzhuo's eyes darkened slightly upon hearing this. After some thought, he found his elder brother Xue Xiuyi's actions peculiar. Xue Xiuyi had always been at odds with Xue Xiuzhuo. After they split, he quickly squandered what little inheritance remained and relied on Xue Xiuzhuo's reputation to secure a trivial position in the Ministry of Revenue, barely making ends meet. Where did he get the leisure money to repair Xue Xiuzhuo's courtyard walls?

"Have the accountant reimburse him in full," Xue Xiuzhuo instructed. "Madam, please refrain from visiting Jin-ge in the future unless it's necessary."

Jin-ge was Xue Da's legitimate son, now eight years old. Xue Xiuzhuo had taken him under his wing and continued to raise him even after the separation from Xue Da's household. Despite several attempts, Xue Da could not retrieve his son due to his inability to meet with Xue Xiuzhuo.

The steward acknowledged and agreed.

Xue Xiuzhuo's belongings were minimal. He didn't wear luxurious silk robes; the most flamboyant attire he owned was his official robe, making packing a simple task. He often resided in the administrative compound, accompanied only by a mute attendant who helped with paperwork. There were no serving maidens in his life, and he lived modestly on a diet of plain meals, a habit he had cultivated during his days as a regional envoy in the Ministry of Finance.

Finished packing, Xue Xiuzhuo prepared to return to the administrative compound. The steward held an umbrella for him, gently advising, "Third Master has always stayed in the compound without much assistance. With the sudden change in weather, you should still dress warmly."

Xue Xiuzhuo arrived at the entrance, where Mute eagerly took over the umbrella and communicated with a series of "ahs." Nodding in response, Xue Xiuzhuo indicated that he understood and then turned to address the steward. "You take care of the household; my monthly stipend will be sent on time. If you notice anything that needs replenishing or improving around the estate, feel free to do so."

Xue Xiuzhuo had given up on riding in a sedan chair ever since his promotion, preferring to walk back and forth. After giving his instructions, he had Mute hold an umbrella for him and turned to walk into the drizzle. When he arrived at the office compound, he found Liang Cuishan had been waiting for quite some time.

"Lord Yanqing," Liang Cuishan descended the steps to greet Xue Xiuzhuo, bowing in respect.

Xue Xiuzhuo dismissed the mute servant, then said to Liang Cuishan, "Let's speak inside."

Liang Cui Shan lagged behind slightly, following Xue Xiuzhuo into the room. Inside, a lamp illuminated the space, but the charcoal brazier was empty, leaving the chair on which Liang Cui Shan sat feeling chilly. He had already examined the room during his wait; it was simple and unadorned, with the only valuable item being the late Elder Yao's calligraphy hanging on the wall. Apart from that, the tables, chairs, and benches were all ordinary objects.

Who could have imagined that Xue Xiuzhuo would be capable of shouldering the financial burden for the Qidong Army?

"Xue Xiuzhuo, there's no need to be overly formal," he said, opening the window and sitting down with a warm tone. "I assume you've come today regarding the Dan City land tax case?"

Xue Xiuzhuo stood tall and carried himself with an elegance that was as refreshing as a spring breeze. Despite now being a prominent figure in the capital, Liang Cuishan felt entirely at ease in his presence. He bore none of the arrogance common to noble-born scions, nor the stiffness often found in those from humble backgrounds. His genteel conversation effortlessly won people's affection.

"Indeed," Liang Cuishan revealed the carefully wrapped ledger from his embrace, "This official has come precisely regarding the Dancheng land tax case."

Xue Xiuzhuo awaited his continuation with anticipation.

Prince Liang Cuishan continued, "Last time, the Empress Dowager issued an edict summoning Miss Hua San back to her family. General, you'll have to accompany your father on this trip. In my humble opinion, this seems like a subtle push for you."

The Empress Dowager's summoning of Qi Zhuyin at this moment was undoubtedly meant to apply pressure on Xue Xiuzhuo. The requisition of military provisions was still pending, and time was of the essence.

Xue Xiuzhuo replied, "The Cabinet has already prepared a draft approving the general's deployment against the Qingzhu Clan. Yet, the Empress Dowager has yet to give her approval. With the general now in the capital, it might not be entirely a bad thing."

Liang Cuishan said, "But the matter of military provisions is unresolved. If we delay any further, it could disrupt the spring plowing in Juexi."

This was precisely what had been troubling Xue Xiuzhuo for days. He and Jiang Qingshan had gone through great lengths to sort out the accounts of the thirteen cities in Juexi to prevent a situation similar to the displacement seen in the Eight Great Cities. The Empress Dowager held his weakness in her hands, making it difficult for him to act without consequence.

Today, Liang Cuishan didn't come to meet Xue Xiuzhuo, but Xue Xiuzhuo intended to visit Liang Cuishan himself. He said, "As the supervisor of the salt tax affairs in both Hezhou and Juxi, you must have a comprehensive understanding of Hezhou. Why don't you share the details with me?"

Xue was hinting at borrowing grain from Hezhou.

Liang Cuishan's face showed distress as he replied, "I shall speak frankly, Your Excellency. Borrowing grain from Hezhou is indeed a challenging task. Although this year has been bountiful, most of the harvest has been allocated for tribute to Qidu and the remainder is reserved for spring plowing. We can only consider borrowing from the common folk, specifically the Yan family. Yan Heru is a tough nut to crack, wealthy and stubborn. Even if we offer money, he might not lend it. More worryingly, he might seize the opportunity to ask for more, potentially spoiling the harmony in Hezhou."

Xue Xiuzhuo fell into deep thought.

His current dilemma was grain, not money; more importantly, even if he had money, he couldn't purchase grain. If he were struggling to fund the Qidong army, he could increase tariffs in Hezhou and Juxi to extract it from merchants. But unfortunately, what he desperately needed was food.

In accordance with Hai Liangyi's scheme, Jiang Qingshan has been transferred to Zhongbo for the task of revitalizing its agriculture, and by this year, there should be a modest yield of grain. Subsequently, supplementing it with additional provisions from Huai Prefecture would readily solve the issue of military rations. However, Zhongbo is now under the jurisdiction of Shen Zechuan, where the Cibei-Heiwei tea trade route has significantly curtailed a substantial portion of Great Zhou's grain supply.

"When General arrives in the capital," Xue Xiuzhuo said, "I shall have a word with him."