Chapter Forty-Nine: Return to the Ministry of War

Ministry of Revenue.

At this moment, dark clouds hung over the Ministry of Revenue. In the private chamber of the Minister, everyone belonging to the ministry—from the lowly gatekeeper to the Minister himself, Fu Shuxun, and the Vice Minister, Wang Zhengzhi—were waiting inside and outside the public office.

Fu Shuxun sat upright at the head of the room, silently observing the gathered crowd. This was not a summons issued by him; in truth, it was Wang Zhengzhi who had pushed open the doors to the public office, barging in uninvited with his followers, even helping himself to a grand chair and seating himself with the air of authority.

The other directors, supervisors, and clerks flocked in as well, filling the office to bursting yet maintaining a strict order. Unspoken, they all left a vacant space, a chair, knowing it was reserved for Chen Gaowen. The remaining clerks and accountants waited quietly in the hall outside, watching the proceedings within.

Fu Shuxun endured every gaze from his seat of honor. In those eyes, there was coldness, loathing, and a hatred so intense one could almost imagine them wishing to tear him apart.

When Fu Shuxun had resolved to purge corruption from the Ministry, the majority of these officials—greedy and lawless, obsessed with hoarding wealth—had turned against him. Once the rebellion broke out, with smoke and flames rising over the northern city, Fu Shuxun’s support seemed to vanish entirely. The military ledgers kept in the Imperial Academy were besieged by Qin Xia and lost. Thus, all eyes fixed upon Fu Shuxun as if he were already a dead man, powerless and disregarded.

Now, Wang Zhengzhi stood calmly, awaiting the return of Chen Gaowen. Fei Jizong, present in the chamber, moved about like a fish released into the sea, entering and exiting to relay news from outside, sharing tidings with Wen Nanguo and Zhou Junliang in hushed, cheerful tones, his arrival each time stirring excitement in the office.

Whenever he gave an update, Wang Zhengzhi and Nan Yunjie, the director of Yunnan affairs, along with Yu Qing and others, would break into smiles.

But Fu Shuxun remained stone-faced, as if Fei Jizong’s reports were of no consequence to him.

“The mutinous troops of the capital are rioting for pay. Although the garrison at Desheng Gate and Anding Gate is in disorder, fortunately they were stopped from joining the chaos by a detachment from the Divine Machine Battalion. Meanwhile, at the Right Post of the Five Armies Camp, a great fire broke out at Jiaozhong Lane, causing confusion in the streets; the Ministry of War hastily ordered the City Guard north to restore order. Yet, there are no troops available, and the guards scattered en route, leaving the Right Post unimpeded, rampaging through the northern city, seemingly heading north.”

“The rebels at the Right Post marched into the Imperial Academy. Reports say that flames broke out at the Confucian Temple, causing panic…”

“It is said a cavalry unit entered the Academy, now besieged by the rebels, unable to escape.”

“The rebels have surrounded Yilun Hall; students of the Academy have fled, no one else has emerged…”

“His Majesty is enraged, issuing strict orders to Marquis Yangwu, Xue Lian, and Earl Xiangcheng, Li Guozhen, to quell the disturbance at once.”

“At this moment, the rebels have been in the Imperial Academy for half an hour, and not a single soul has come out.”

“Half an hour ago, Marquis Yangwu, Xue Lian, led the Divine Machine Battalion to suppress the rebellion at the Left Post of the Five Armies Camp at Anding Gate. He is now heading with his battalion to the Academy to restore order.”

“It has been an hour… yet no message has come from within the Academy. Fortunately, in another hour, the Left Post at Anding Gate should be pacified…”

As Fei Jizong spoke, everyone in the ministry turned their gaze upon the vacant chair. Each look at Fu Shuxun carried a sense of gleeful malice.

Fu Shuxun’s second son, Fu Rugui, had charged in with a cavalry unit to retrieve the compiled ledgers—a fact long known among them.

Now, both Qin Xia and Fu Rugui were trapped by the rebels. How could they not be beside themselves with excitement, their faces radiant with joy?

The evidence of wrongdoing would finally be wiped away. Their greatest enemy, Fu Shuxun, would surely suffer both the agony of losing his son and the shame of defeat.

Now… all that remained was to await news of Marquis Yangwu’s victory in quelling the mutiny at the Imperial Academy, for Chen Gaowen to emerge and announce their triumph.

Another hour passed swiftly.

The tightly shut Ministry had waited from dawn until afternoon; the impatient elders of the ministry, unable to contain their excitement, had lost all appetite, steadfastly awaiting the news.

The sound of hooves resounded…

A rider raced in, the wide-open gates of the Ministry offering no resistance.

Fu Rugui, accompanied by Xie Yi and a frail civil official, rushed into the Minister’s public office.

At that moment, within the office—

Hearing the approaching hoofbeats, Fei Jizong broke into laughter and addressed the crowd, “Judging by the time, it must be Director Chen returning. I’ll go greet him.”

“Is it time?” An aged, authoritative voice rang out. Fu Shuxun’s face took on a smile that unsettled all present. He said, “Then I shall greet him as well!”

Wang Zhengzhi sensed something was amiss, but, buoyed by the string of good news, he snorted coldly, his faith unshaken.

With two thousand rebels encircling them, even if Fu Shuxun had a capable band of retainers from his provincial post, how could a dozen or twenty men escape such a siege?

Wang Zhengzhi followed Fu Shuxun, overtaking him as they moved toward the hall.

Soon, they and Fei Jizong saw familiar faces.

It was members of the ministry, but it was Xie Yi who shouted first, his voice almost bloody with emotion: “Ministry’s Qin Xia, the audit of the thirteenth year of Chongzhen’s capital garrison ledgers is complete—we have prevailed!”

Then, Fu Rugui knelt before Fu Shuxun. “Father, I am fortunate not to have failed you; I have brought out the compiled audit ledgers as calculated by Qin Xia.”

The crowd watched Fu Rugui raise the ledgers before Fu Shuxun, and were stunned into silence. An indescribable fear rose in their hearts.

Fei Jizong reacted most violently, rushing at Xie Yi, grabbing him by the collar and roaring, “Impossible! How could you have broken through the rebel siege?”

“Impossible! How could Qin Xia have truly completed the audit? I personally checked those ledgers repeatedly—it would take three months even for us! How could it be… how could it be!”

“Where is Chen Gaowen? Where is he?” Wen Nanguo and Zhou Junliang shouted in fury, “Where is he? There is absolutely no issue with the capital garrison ledgers! And where is Qin Xia?”

Wang Zhengzhi trembled, watching Fu Shuxun take up the ledgers, his eyes full of disbelief, “Yes! Impossible, this is deception, this is fraud, this so-called compiled audit is fake—fake! Bring Chen Gaowen here, how could there be a problem with the Yunnan accounts! Bring Qin Xia to confront us!”

At this, Fu Rugui bared his teeth, his eyes bloodshot and furious, “You want Chen Gaowen? Chen Gaowen colluded with the rebels, was among their ranks, and was cut down by Qin Xia’s sword!”

“Now Qin Xia is trapped among the rebels…” Fu Rugui’s voice choked with emotion as he recalled the desperate scene, “It was Qin Xia who fought a way out for us!”

Everyone, hearing Fu Rugui’s words, were struck dumb. The entire ministry stared in shock and terror.

“Impossible… no… I don’t believe it! Never!”