Chapter Eighteen: The Dagger Revealed

Everyone laughed, and Zhu Cilang followed suit with a smile on his face, though a faint unease stirred within him. Birds seek the right tree to perch upon—so they see me as a creature to be driven and used!

“Thank you for the guidance, Master Kong,” Zhu Cilang replied, inwardly sneering. “The native clerks of the capital faction have been so thoroughly outmaneuvered that their morale is shattered, and they pose no threat now. But are they so quick to rest easy?”

Recalling Lin Guzhong and Wang Rui’s theory of cannon-fodder threats, Zhu Cilang steeled himself and made his way toward Chen Gaowen’s office.

A journey of a thousand miles, and the final step must never falter at the last moment!

The matter at hand… is far more complicated than it appears!

Arriving at the office, Zhu Cilang found Chen Gaowen.

As expected, a stack of account books lay scattered about the room, and Chen Gaowen was tidying them.

Seeing this, Zhu Cilang hurried over to help.

With someone to share the work, Chen Gaowen was quite pleased, his eyes showing satisfaction. When Zhu Cilang finished, Chen Gaowen said, “When you first entered the Ministry of Revenue, I could not assign you a post. Now, with the right flank of the Five Armies Camp completed and your merit established, not only am I satisfied, but your colleagues will accept you as well. It is only right that I find a proper placement for you now. From here forward, you will serve under Kong Tian.”

“Yes, I will heed your instruction,” Zhu Cilang replied, then asked, “Should all these account books be delivered to Assistant Yu? I have some strength and am willing to help.”

Chen Gaowen frowned slightly, reluctant. Matters of account books were always the most confidential and crucial. Though these books had all been checked and meticulously prepared by him—especially those concerning the right flank of the Five Armies Camp, which he had overseen personally—he always delivered them himself to the Ministry’s chief assistant or directly to Nan Yunji of the Yunnan Bureau.

But Zhu Cilang had just pledged his loyalty and was so diligent; it would not do to dampen his spirit.

Besides, he was getting on in years; such menial work could well be left to his subordinates. Was he to worry that, in a ministry full of Zhejiang men, Zhu Cilang would steal the books away?

Reflecting on this, Chen Gaowen felt he was being overly cautious. His brow relaxed, and he said, “Do your work well, go on.”

Zhu Cilang acknowledged and departed.

After he left, Yuan Qi, rubbing his sore backside, and the short, thin Kong Tian entered.

Watching Zhu Cilang’s retreating figure, Yuan Qi asked, “Master, do you truly plan to use this man?”

“Useful, but not trustworthy. Not one of our own, after all! Who knows what loose ends remain in the capital camp’s accounts?” Kong Tian interjected.

Chen Gaowen shot Kong Tian a dissatisfied glance. “The capital camp was under my direct supervision—what could possibly be amiss?”

Kong Tian immediately looked abashed.

But soon Chen Gaowen furrowed his brow and mused, “No need for excessive suspicion, nor should you think my loose ends are so easily managed. Even if something remains in the capital camp’s records, I’ll see that he bears it all. If nothing arises, he’ll be polished for a few years, used as needed, and granted some wealth and rank. Talents are scarce, after all.”

“Master’s wisdom is profound!” Yuan Qi exclaimed, as if suddenly enlightened.

Kong Tian chimed in, “Master’s strategy is beyond compare—one lesson from you surpasses a decade of study.”

Chen Gaowen stroked his beard, basking in his subordinates’ flattery.

Meanwhile, Zhu Cilang pushed the wheelbarrow deeper into the Ministry of Revenue’s offices.

After ten days in the ministry, Zhu Cilang was familiar with its various departments.

Today, as he pushed the wheelbarrow along, the clerks glanced at him and understood that he had joined the Zhejiang faction.

Many greeted him, and Zhu Cilang responded to each.

If anyone asked what he was doing, Zhu Cilang answered, “On Master Chen’s orders, delivering the account books to Nan Yunji of the Yunnan Bureau.”

A clerk familiar with the Yunnan Bureau wondered aloud, “Isn’t Assistant Yu on duty today?”

Zhu Cilang shook his head. “I do not know; I simply follow orders and dare not question. If you wish, you may ask Master Chen, and I will wait here.”

The puzzled clerk frowned and waved him on—no one dared question Zhu Cilang when he invoked Chen Gaowen’s name.

Zhu Cilang kept his head down, laughing inwardly.

It was not Chen Gaowen’s scheme, but Zhu Cilang’s own.

He soon reached Nan Yunji’s domain. As the director of the Yunnan Bureau, Nan Yunji outranked Assistant Yu, and his office was closer to the ministry’s senior officials.

Zhu Cilang pushed the wheelbarrow past office after office—past assistants, deputies, and directors—until he reached Nan Yunji’s, but he kept moving forward.

Ahead was the office of Wang Zhengzhi, the ministry’s right deputy. Zhu Cilang continued onward.

At last, he stopped before the new Minister of Revenue, Fu Shuxun’s office.

Entering with the wheelbarrow, his official black robes marked him as a man on duty, so others did not stop him.

Zhu Cilang pushed from the outer rooms into the inner office, where Fu Shuxun, Minister of Revenue, sat at the head of the hall.

He was a pale-faced scholar, around sixty, well-preserved with dark hair and a strong frame, though his spirits were poor and dark circles marked his eyes. Clearly, serving in the Ministry of Revenue was no easy task.

Zhu Cilang abruptly wheeled the cart before Fu Shuxun’s dais, startling the clerks and aides who only now noticed him.

“Who are you, and what brings you here?”

Someone quickly identified him—Fei Jizong, the office supervisor, remarked, “I believe he’s Qin Xia of the Yunnan Bureau. Why are you here instead of at your post?”

Zhu Cilang said nothing, fixing his gaze on Fu Shuxun. “Please have everyone else withdraw; only then will I speak.”

With those words, he slapped the account books.

Fei Jizong suddenly realized something and shouted, “Seize this scoundrel! How dare you intrude into the minister’s office—interrogate him first!”

Fu Shuxun, perceptive, made a swift decision: “All of you, leave!”

The clerks who recognized Zhu Cilang still wanted to protest, but Fu Shuxun waved them away with unmistakable authority: “Leave now. I will decide.”

Only Zhu Cilang remained.

He smiled warmly at Fu Shuxun; though only a lowly clerk, he stood unperturbed before a high official of the empire, confident and self-assured, as if facing an ordinary elder.

Zhu Cilang’s voice rang out, strong and metallic: “I have come today to resolve the minister’s financial difficulties!”

Before Fu Shuxun could respond, Zhu Cilang pressed forward, “Minister, at the Battle of Songshan, Vice General Jiao Yan died in action, Governor Qiu Minyang, Generals Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen all perished… The losses in troops—were they not over a hundred thousand? After such defeat, is the Ministry prepared to pay the bereaved?”

“The loss of Liaodong brings anxiety to the capital. As new troops are assembled, are their provisions and salaries ready?”

“With February over, will the officials of the capital receive half their salaries in paper money, or seventy percent?”