Chapter Thirty-Four: Chen Gaowen’s Lethal Move

"That's right! Isn't it just a battle of life and death? For the sake of generations of wealth and prosperity, what does it matter if he's Minister of Revenue? I'm not afraid of anything!" Chen Gaowen's voice was cold, and his sinister, violent gaze made everyone instantly alert. Seeing this, Chen Gaowen softened his tone slightly and said, "There are two things we must address urgently!"

Everyone focused their attention on Chen Gaowen. "First, we must quickly ascertain Qin Xia's movements!"

Almost as if in response to Chen Gaowen's words, the plump Yuan Qi came running over, gasping for breath and shouting, "Qin Xia has emerged! He's riding north at full speed, but I don't know his destination!"

"Qin Xia has come out? Of course, with Fu Shuxun fighting so desperately, Qin Xia must have his own plans as well. But where is he heading? The Military Command? The Censorate? Or is he planning to beat the drum of grievance in the Imperial City? Wait, none of those... North lies only the new and old Granaries and the Maritime Warehouse. Qin Xia doesn't hold the accounts for those. Where is he going?" Zhou Junliang pondered, voicing question after question.

Almost on cue, another hurried set of footsteps approached.

"Report... report, report, report... Qin Xia's destination has been found!" The short and thin Kong Tian rushed in, panting heavily. "Qin Xia has gone to the Imperial Academy!"

"The Imperial Academy?" Zhou Junliang was stunned. "Not to those so-called upright officials, nor to the Censorate, nor directly to the Emperor—what's he going to the Imperial Academy for? Is he planning to make a donation to avoid trouble? What else has Qin Xia done?"

Kong Tian thought for a moment. "According to reports, Fu Shuxun's son, Fu Rugei, led a team to Qin Xia's residence and took all the account books to the Imperial Academy with him."

Suddenly, Chen Gaowen shouted in anger, "That scoundrel is going to the Imperial Academy to settle accounts!"

Zhou Junliang was struck, and suddenly remembered, "Mathematics at the Imperial Academy?"

"At least he's not completely foolish!" Chen Gaowen gritted his teeth, his face full of regret for his miscalculation.

The entire hall fell silent; the clerks were speechless. No matter how resourceful they were at making accountants disappear from the guilds, they had no authority over the world of scholars at the Imperial Academy. Besides, the Imperial Academy had been neglected for so long—who even remembered a minor subject like mathematics?

After a long pause, Fei Jizong put on a relaxed expression and said softly to comfort everyone, "So what if they've gone to the Imperial Academy? Mathematics is the lowest-ranking subject there, kept alive by one professor, two assistants, and barely a dozen students—what kind of accounting can they possibly accomplish? Even if they try, the ten-day deadline is looming; they're just making a desperate final stand. Why panic?"

"Brother Fei is right. Brother Chen, you're always so jumpy—why scare yourself? Even if they bring in a few accountants, so what? With your own accounting skills, can you really be afraid of a bunch of impoverished scholars who've never handled real accounts?" Wen Nanguo encouraged, "The urgent task now is to immediately seek out the staff at the Imperial Academy and win over all the mathematics scholars! We mustn't let Qin Xia have anyone to use!"

Everyone exchanged glances and words, trying to digest this shocking news.

But at this moment, Zhou Junliang quietly fixed his gaze on Chen Gaowen and said, "Some days ago, Yu Qing's visit to Qin Xia's residence was likely orchestrated by Fu Shuxun. Yu Qing is quick-tempered and easily deceived by Qin Xia, making us believe that Qin Xia was truly weak, so we failed to uncover Qin Xia's real strategy. Because of this, in our anxiety, we gave up on manipulating the capital garrison, abandoning what should have been our guaranteed winning move. And all of this—did Xie Yi foresee it?"

"What use is there in discussing this now?" Chen Gaowen replied coldly. "Qin Xia has moved, and the enemy has made their play. Dwelling on the past is pointless! The second urgent task is to deploy the trump card we've been holding back! Immediately mobilize the capital garrison! Only by striking with this deadly move can we take Qin Xia's head and leave the enemy no chance to breathe!"

Fei Jizong's breathing grew rapid as he gazed at everyone. "Brother Chen is absolutely right! There's no need for further discussion—now we're all in the same boat, and must give it our all!"

Once Fei Jizong finished, everyone, however reluctant, had no choice but to muster their spirits.

Chen Gaowen spoke first: "The proposal to cull three thousand of the old and weak was mine and Wang Zhengzhi's. Once it was put forward, I had people spread word within the capital garrison to see if any plots would unfold."

He paused slightly, and the others felt a chill in their hearts, realizing Chen Gaowen was calculating every step, cold and ruthless.

"Sure enough, Xue Lian, inheriting the title Marquis of Yangwu and commander of the Divine Machine Battalion, heard the Emperor wanted to reform the capital garrison. Dissatisfied with the Baron of Xiangcheng, Li Guozhen, claiming all the benefits, he wanted a share too. His ambitions matched mine, so I provided the funds, he found the men, and we placed agents within the garrison. Once the plan is activated, there will be a military mutiny to resist the culling, demanding provisions from the court. When that happens, I'll proceed..."

Zhou Junliang's eyes gleamed. "I'll coordinate from the Ministry of Revenue, directing the chaos..."

"When the mutiny erupts... hmph..."

"Excellent! I happen to have a relative in the Five Armies Camp as a Left Flank Centurion, quite greedy for gold and silver. I'll prepare ten thousand taels, immobilize the left squad so they can't suppress the mutiny." Zhou Junliang spoke fiercely.

Wen Nanguo added, "I can set things up in the right squad, causing trouble to tie up the Right Flank officers, preventing them from leaving camp."

In that moment, they truly felt the power of Fu Shuxun, the Grand Minister of Revenue. To defeat such a man, they'd have to risk everything—even his life.

Fei Jizong nodded slowly. "I'll go find Wang Zhengzhi and have him stir up trouble in the Ministry of Revenue!"

Chen Gaowen smiled, a hint of ferocity in his expression. "I'll personally go to the Five Armies Camp myself. Let's see if Qin Xia's head is really so resilient—can it withstand the blades of war?"

"Come, let's go!"

At once, the four heads of the clerks set out, leaving Kong Tian and Yuan Qi spinning like tops hit with a hundred whips, so busy their heads spun, grumbling, "Damn Qin Xia!"

"Damn Xie Yi, you get to rest at home in peace and leisure while we toil—how I hate you!"

...

"Ah-choo..." Xie Yi suddenly sneezed. He shook his head and tried to clear his mind.

But Xie Yi was not, as Kong Tian and Yuan Qi believed, resting at home. He had, at almost the same time, learned of Zhu Cilang's movements, and followed him.

The Imperial Academy!

Xie Yi immediately guessed Zhu Cilang's plan. Recognizing it, he couldn't help but admire Zhu Cilang's resolute mind—able to hold such an unexpected trump card until now.

This move struck the Ministry of Revenue clerks completely off guard.

Perhaps it was curiosity about how Zhu Cilang would play his hand, or perhaps other thoughts lingered in his heart, but Xie Yi followed to the Imperial Academy, arriving even before the men sent by Chen Gaowen.

A cold, indifferent emotion, dormant for ten years, began to stir.