Chapter Thirty-Four: The Blades Are Drawn-The Last Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty(A few words, full of meaning.)

A man, drenched in sweat from head to toe, burst through the back door of the Bamboo and Timber Tax Division, collapsing from exhaustion not far from Liu Pei. At that moment, everyone in the division was wholly absorbed by the confrontation unfolding between Zhu Cilang and Liu Pei at the main entrance; who could have imagined that a soldier would suddenly storm into the courtyard like this?

It was Chu Lushan, who had retreated to a corner and dared not meet Zhu Cilang’s gaze, who first noticed this man. “That’s… a swift-banner courier?” Chu Lushan recognized him at once—the bow-legged man in a red military jacket was a specialist entrusted with carrying urgent military reports over great distances.

“Hurry, help him up,” Chu Lushan called to Fan Wenju, and they rushed to assist.

The courier, still gasping for breath, managed to speak in a hoarse, excited voice, “Damn it, I actually made it this time. Where’s my reward? Doesn’t anyone here know how to take care of business?”

Chu Lushan and Fan Wenju were both inwardly appalled: “We’ve picked up an ungrateful wretch!”

But the courier’s next words made them empty their pockets without hesitation. “The Regional Commander ordered me to deliver a message from Minister Zhou in the capital! Is there anyone with sense in this place?”

The Regional Commander referred to Liu Zeqing, the Commander-in-chief of Shandong, Liu Pei’s greatest patron. As for Minister Zhou, the mere mention of his name sent a jolt through Chu Lushan and Fan Wenju. This was none other than Zhou Yanru, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

With that realization, the two men quickly scraped together a hundred taels of silver and stuffed them into the courier's arms. Only then did the courier, satisfied, draw a piece of white paper from his breast. At the sight of the written words, Chu Lushan was struck as if by lightning and scrambled, stumbling, toward the division’s front entrance.

“I’ve done all I can. Even a message from Minister Zhou won’t change a thing—there’s no saving the Bamboo and Timber Tax Division! If that Qin Xia knows what’s good for him, he’ll back down and leave. If not, Liu Yongquan had better act swiftly. This is my Linqing City—why should a mere official intimidate me?”

Meanwhile, in front of the division’s gates—

“A decree from the court, is it?” Zhu Cilang laughed softly, a hint of mockery in his voice as he looked at Liu Pei. “What if, by chance, it has already reached my hands?”

He drew a white silken scroll from his breast and raised it high.

This time, no one took the lead.

Whether it was Liu Pei, the head of the division, or the hundreds upon hundreds of merchants, scholars, and boat owners gathered at the gate, or even Chu Lushan who had just rushed over, all were shaken to the core. Then, as one, they dropped to their knees in solemn obeisance.

Only Liu Pei’s face betrayed panic, paling with a tinge of ash. He could never have imagined that Zhu Cilang would actually have the imperial edict at this moment! The implications were obvious. The imperial court, uncharacteristically, had prioritized resolving Linqing’s grave affairs, and the inner court had moved with unusual speed—quietly, and as swift as lightning, the edict had been issued!

It defied all logic, no matter how Liu Pei tried to comprehend it.

Zhu Cilang, however, began to read the decree with perfect calm: “By Heaven’s mandate, the Emperor proclaims: The memorial by Qin Xia, Administrator of the Linqing Tax Division of the Ministry of Revenue, regarding the merger with the Bamboo and Timber Tax Division of the Ministry of Works, has been deliberated and approved by the Ministry of Revenue. Recognizing his great talent, I have granted my assent. The Bamboo and Timber Tax Division is hereby merged into the Tax Division; its head, Liu Pei, shall serve as Qin Xia’s deputy. You, my ministers, are the backbone of my realm—work together with one heart, and do not disappoint my hopes. Thus decreed!”

“Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor…”

…

Hou Fangyu bowed in bewilderment, not bothering to ponder why Zhu Cilang was the one reading the edict. Coming from an official family, he understood all too well how long the debates and wrangling over such a policy change could last at court. The Ministry of Revenue, the direct superior of the tax division, would certainly have plenty to say, not to mention Liu Pei’s many supporters among the court officials. Hou Fangyu himself had learned of the backing Liu Pei enjoyed from Liu Zeqing, who, in the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, had personally led troops to escort Zhou Yanru to Yangzhou, and had sent him twenty thousand taels of gold after his departure.

Amidst such a complicated web of connections, the fact that the imperial edict had been settled in less than ten days left Hou Fangyu astounded—not only by Zhu Cilang’s ability to operate behind the scenes, but also by the sheer improbability of it all.

As for the other merchants and boat owners, they were already utterly convinced. With the imperial decree settled, the Bamboo and Timber Tax Division was now truly merged into the Tax Division. Henceforth, the watergate would be under Zhu Cilang’s control; how it would be run was now entirely up to him.

With this in mind, many now turned their gaze quietly upon Liu Pei, waiting for this last act from the former division head.

Liu Pei exhaled softly, while Chu Lushan, having finished speaking, quietly withdrew. Only when Chu Lushan noticed Zhu Cilang watching him with a playful look did he shrink back into the shadows behind the door, as if pricked by a needle.

Now, as if accepting his fate, Liu Pei’s face was wooden as he addressed Zhu Cilang: “The imperial edict has been issued. I must give thanks for His Majesty’s grace…”

With that, Liu Pei stepped forward, turned north, and bowed. At his side, Liu Yongquan did not retreat but instead heard a familiar voice ring out: “The rebels have seized Qin Xia!”

“I, Liu Pei, Administrator of the Bamboo and Timber Tax Division, accept the imperial decree!” Liu Pei kowtowed, then strode back into the division without a backward glance.

At this, Zhu Cilang finally allowed himself a relaxed, quiet laugh and began walking toward the entrance. But after only a single step, he stopped.

For, at some unknown moment, the burly men who had been milling outside the division had silently closed in. At their head, Liu Yongquan grinned savagely. “Master Qin,” he sneered, “I’m here to pay my taxes—open the watergate for me!”

Zhu Cilang stepped aside, revealing the soft sword at his waist, and fixed Liu Yongquan with a steady gaze, lips curling into a faint smile. “The Bamboo and Timber Tax Division is abolished. Starting tomorrow, the Tax Division will collect shipping dues in place of the former tax. The dues for your Wan Quan Company will be collected tomorrow.”

“But I want to pay today!” Liu Yongquan retorted, broad shoulders barring the way as he took a step forward. Dozens of burly men followed, wordlessly pressing Zhu Cilang back against the wall. Over a hundred others blocked the view from outside, preventing anyone from seeing what was happening within.

“I want to pass the watergate today!” Liu Yongquan’s voice rose sharply.

Zhu Cilang merely smiled, calm and resolute. “I do not permit it!”

Liu Yongquan gave a signal, and a dozen men closed in, forming a half-circle as they advanced on Zhu Cilang. “Master Qin, you refuse the cup of wine offered in goodwill—are you forcing us to punish you?”

Driven to the corner, Zhu Cilang replied, “Oh? So the Wan Quan Company dares defy the imperial decree?”

“If the Tax Division won’t let me through, you’re cutting off my livelihood. You force the people into rebellion! Brothers, bring out your weapons!”

With Liu Yongquan’s furious roar, the sound of blades being drawn rang out in quick succession. In the crowd, Luo Da and Zhang Xiaonan cried out in alarm, “They’ve drawn their knives! Liu Yongquan is rebelling! Run for your lives!”