Chapter Sixteen: The Official Handover

After Chu Lushan left, Zhu Cilang could clearly sense that Seventeen and Si Qi both seemed much more at ease. Observing this, Zhu Cilang merely chuckled softly without saying a word. Si Qi, though aware that Zhu Cilang was the Crown Prince, saw that in their current situation—traveling incognito—there was hardly any chance to bask in the glory of accompanying the Prince; instead, he had to be constantly on edge, ever fearful that some random bandit might spring forth and harm His Highness.

As for Seventeen, only a month ago he had been a worn-out old soldier, barely clothed or fed. Now, following Zhu Cilang, he had finally turned his fortunes around. Yet, when faced with a sixth-rank official, the principal supervisor of the Linqing Tax Office, it would be a lie to say he felt no pressure.

Now that the two were once again in relaxed company, the atmosphere was much livelier than before.

Seventeen, with his usual blunt candor, sighed, “When we were at the tax office gate earlier, Si Qi was still thinking about finding a good inn or a clean, quiet house for Master. But now, with high officials serving us front and back, where’s the need to spend money on lodgings? Our Master is truly remarkable.”

Si Qi, watching this forthright old soldier, felt no displeasure toward him. He was rather astute; otherwise, he would not have been entrusted with high hopes by Si En. For all that Si En, as the Crown Prince’s chief attendant, might disregard a mere sixth-rank official, Si Qi understood that outside the palace, things were different. The authority wielded by the head of the Linqing Tax Office meant he could mobilize hundreds with a clap of his hands, and the resources he could command were far beyond the imagination of most. For a prince traveling under an assumed identity to challenge such power upon arrival was daunting to even contemplate.

Thus, Si Qi had hoped first to settle in, then proceed gradually.

Yet Zhu Cilang had charged straight in, confronting matters head-on upon arrival in Linqing, launching an immediate assault. This was beyond anything Si Qi had anticipated.

Now, reflecting on it, he found himself with nothing but admiration for his master’s prowess.

“With such skill in maneuvering and mastery of human affairs, our lord is far more thorough and perceptive than we could ever be. Success will surely follow wherever he goes,” Si Qi said, grinning. “Of course, as subordinates, we must also fulfill our duties. Master, will you attend tonight’s banquet? Shall I prepare for you?”

“Of course we’ll go. Why not? I didn’t come to Linqing just to launch a sudden assault and seize property. This is the foundation of our first enterprise; we must secure it at all costs!” Zhu Cilang entered his room, changed into a loose, plain white Daoist robe, passed through the halls and corridors, and settled beside a small terrace overlooking a pond. Reclining there, he gazed at the flowing water, the green trees and blossoming flowers in the garden, and sighed softly, “What a beautiful scene.”

Having spoken, he lay back, closed his eyes, and relaxed.

Si Qi hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke, “Master, where should I put those account books?”

Zhu Cilang murmured, then smiled, “Put them in the most conspicuous spot in the main hall. Such things are excellent for warding off evil.”

Seventeen listened, utterly baffled. Si Qi, after careful thought, seemed half-understanding. It would not be long before he fully grasped the meaning.

At the welcoming banquet, Chu Lushan, naturally eager to please, introduced Zhu Cilang to all the officials and clerks, scribes, accountants, supervisors, and stewards of the Tax Division. In this way, though there was no formal handover, Zhu Cilang’s status was publicly affirmed.

For the next three days, the supervisor of the Tax Division, Chu Lushan, called diligently every day, not daring to neglect a thing. At first, Si Qi thought this caution arose from having been intimidated by Zhu Cilang’s display. But soon, he understood the real reason. Each time he led Chu Lushan into the hall, and Chu Lushan caught sight of that conspicuous stack of account books, the man became visibly uneasy, as if seated on pins and needles.

Three days later, Chu Lushan finally produced a brand-new dossier, awaiting Zhu Cilang to complete the handover.

“Lord Chu, you must take care of your health. So many late nights are not good for you,” Zhu Cilang quipped, catching the scent of still-wet ink on the new dossier. Skipping over the thick ledgers, he picked up the thinnest one.

As Zhu Cilang spoke, Chu Lushan forced a smile. “I hear my next post is as Prefect of Quanzhou—a long journey, and hardly a restful one.”

Zhu Cilang glanced at the thin ledger, noting the large characters on its cover: “Linqing Ministry of Revenue Tax Division: General Accounts for Years Fourteen and Fifteen of the Chongzhen Era.”

As expected, it was the general account.

Zhu Cilang smiled, opened it directly, and saw the key figures:

“Annual tax revenue: seventy-three thousand six hundred ninety-three taels of silver; three million two hundred nineteen thousand seven hundred sixty-two strings of cash.”

Squinting at these numbers, Zhu Cilang savored their meaning and said, “Lord Chu, in just seven months of office, you have collected over seventy thousand taels in tax silver—truly the mark of a capable minister.”

This was indeed a fair assessment. The Linqing customs post usually reported one hundred thousand taels in annual tax revenue; for Chu Lushan to gather seventy-three thousand in seven months, another two months at that rate would exceed the annual quota by thirty percent.

In tax matters, after all, collecting ample silver is all that matters. In the first year of the Tianqi reign, the Linqing customs house reported a staggering half a million taels in revenue—no wonder Wei Zhongxian was so delighted. Yet that year, Linqing suffered terribly, tormented by the tax commissioners.

Zhu Cilang’s praise coaxed a more genuine smile from Chu Lushan, albeit tinged with bitterness. Only he knew that over ten thousand taels of that silver had been earmarked for his own embezzlement. He had never imagined Zhu Cilang would arrive so swiftly. Just as he tried to show some authority and put Zhu Cilang in his place, he was immediately and thoroughly cowed, daring no further mischief.

Thus, his performance appeared all the more outstanding.

But Chu Lushan had no intention of revealing this layer or claiming credit for it.

With the accounts in order, the handover was more than halfway complete. The remainder concerned specific administrative matters.

Though Chu Lushan had initially looked down on Zhu Cilang, now he dared not underestimate him. Aware of Zhu Cilang’s actions in the capital and his skill in administration, Chu Lushan grew wary and explained each procedure clearly and thoroughly. Since Zhu Cilang was already an expert in such affairs, the handover proceeded swiftly.

When, in the grand public hall before a hundred officials and clerks, Chu Lushan finally handed over the great seal to Zhu Cilang, he seemed to relinquish a long-held obsession, a sincere smile lighting his face.

“Lord Qinxia, the Linqing Tax Division is now yours. I will soon depart for my new post in Quanzhou,” Chu Lushan said with a smile.

Zhu Cilang accepted the seal, neither particularly pleased nor sorrowful. “Lord Chu, your transfer to Quanzhou—well, as the saying goes, ‘Where misfortune lies, fortune follows; where fortune lies, misfortune lurks.’ Linqing is in the north; from afar, it stands in the path of the Jianzhou raiders’ advance. Closer to home, just five hundred li away, the rebel forces are besieging Kaifeng.”