Chapter 135 – Reasonable and Heavenly Mighty

“Lord Shangshu.”

“Lord Hu.”

With a smile on his face, Grand Maester Hu welcomed Lord Shangshu Fan in.

The officials in charge of investigating the Ministry of Revenue also gathered around and expressed their comfort to the sick Lord Shangshu, even the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Yan Xingshu, was no exception, that old face was filled with sincere worry and concern. And the investigation of the Ministry of households of the Supervisory Yuan people, but also has long been careful for the Fan Shangshu blocked the small wind blowing outside the door, eagerly.

Regardless of whether the court really wants to investigate the Ministry of Households, regardless of whether His Majesty really wants Fan Shangshu to resign, but as long as Fan Jian is in the dynasty for a day, as long as His Majesty has not torn through this layer of milk brotherhood, as long as …… far away in the south of Jiangnan, Fan Xian is still alive, these officials in the court do not dare to have a hint of negligence towards Fan Shangshu.

So the scene at this time has some absurd sense of comedy. The Minister of the Household, who was supposed to be investigated, was being cared for by everyone with small intentions.

Especially the inspection officials of the Supervisory Yuan, they are all from one place, led by Mu Tie, one place until today is still Fan Xian’s direct pro-administration Yamen, Fan Jian is their top boss’s dad, how dare they?

The prince’s face was green for a while and white for a while, looking at the scene in front of him, his heart surged with great uneasiness. Fan Jian claimed to be sick for several days did not come to the Ministry of households, today one to, it seems to attract the attention of all the people, this usually do not show the mountain does not show the minister, seems to carry some kind of aura in general.

Even though he was the crown prince, the future king of Qing, he still had no choice but to stand up in the face of Mr. Fan Xianshu, heaping a gentle smile on his face and saying comfortingly, “Is Mr. Xianshu’s body feeling better?”

The Crown Prince was not afraid of Fan Xian, nor did he care about the Supervisory Yuan, it was just that as a member of the imperial family, especially the successor to the dragon chair, he had to show some kind of temperament, the old Fan family’s relationship with their old Li family was too deep, and there was still an old woman watching from afar in Tanya state, and the Crown Prince was not sure what kind of feelings the Emperor still had for that nursemaid.

Fan Jian smiled in shame and said, “The Ministry of households, all should be started by me, but to bother Your Highness and Lord Hu to consume the effort, it is really Fan’s sin.”

The people greetings two sentences, then each take their seats, Fan Jian although belongs to the side of the Senate, but has been directed at the Ministry of households and no express decree down, so he is the grand, unshirkable sit in the center.

This was the Ministry of Revenue, Fan Jian’s turf.

Only after everything had returned to calm did the crowd turn their attention to the one who was still in place, the Minister of the Household – Fang Li.

Everyone’s eyes were not the same. Yan Xingshu was gloating, the Crown Prince was hesitant, Grand Maester Hu was apathetic, the Supervisory Court was frowning, and only Shangshu Fan had a calm face, as if he hadn’t even thought about how many people would be involved because of this person called Fang Li.

Things to this point, of course, the crown prince figured out all the things, Fan Jian this shamelessly slippery and cunning silent old fox!

When the court began to investigate the Ministry of households, not! It should be said that as early as a few years ago, the crown prince to the Ministry of households, Fan Jian has been in the cold eyes of the scene, and then used a very old tactics, quietly this thing covered down, did not allow anyone to notice, but on the other hand, but deliberately left a small unobtrusive tail, gently flicked, flung to one of the seven divisions of the… …

In this way, both for the Prince to cover up, but also hold the Prince’s handle, the key is, this kind of cover up even the Prince’s side of the officials themselves also covered up, so that the 400,000 taels of silver into a void, wiped unusually clean, clean, and even Fang Li thought that there is no longer any problem.

Coupled with the collapse of the Ministry of Rites, a hint of the Prince’s folly.

The whole world is only Fan Jian clear the whole process, and this Shangshu Lord exceptionally old and spicy not directly thrown out to combat the enemy, but on the head of the thread in the grass to leave a trace.

For example, the winter clothes worn by the soldiers in the snowy north, such as the South Vietnamese battle line did not need siege machinery.

And when the court began to check the Ministry of the Household, it would find that thread head, gently pulling and pulling …… and finally pulling off the waistband of their own pants.

This is a bureau that has been buried for several years.

Fan Jian didn’t need to do anything, just wait until he was threatened, construct some kind of situation so that certain people would grab the waistband of their pants that they had long forgotten about, and then pull hard.

Good situation.

The investigation against the Ministry of Rites has also begun, although Guo Youzhi was tied up dead in the heavenly prison, the Ministry of Rites has experienced a big blood change, a should of paperwork are a bit confusing, but in the court under the strong detection of the investigation team, in the meticulous search of the Supervisory Yuan, the Ministry of Rites issued a transfer order and the Ministry of Households has always been secretly retained the return corresponds to up.

That four hundred thousand taels of silver is indeed sent to the Ministry of Rites, the question is, the Ministry of Rites part fourteen allocated four hundred thousand taels of silver to repair the school house and the autumn examination of the school Yamen …… repair to where to go?

Hu Daoshi long in the world all the way round, after entering the door under the Chinese book to see things, of course, know that this day under the counties all the way to the schoolhouse is still that kind of dilapidated, many places of the autumn exam school Yamen is also still leaking, so his face became more and more ugly, to the Ministry of Rites in front of the official asked: “Who can tell me, this four hundred thousand taels of silver to where it has gone? ”

Grand Maester Hu faintly glanced sideways at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and sighed in his heart.

In fact, all the people in the hall, the situation for the first few years of the court are well aware of, the Ministry of Rites has always been the East Palace’s backyard, the Ministry of Rites also simply do not have the guts to dare to falsely transfer four hundred thousand two hundred thousand pieces of silver spent around, who can guess, this silver is flowing to the East Palace.

Just since the East Palace, this thing seems to be a little difficult to continue.

Hu Daoshi said after a moment of silence: “The primary issue at the moment, is to find out the whereabouts of the 400,000 taels of silver.”

The Prince’s heart was shocked, but on his face, he smiled gently and said, “Your Honor Hu’s words are reasonable.”

Supervisory Yuan a Mu Tie is not qualified to sit beside these ministers, has been standing on the side, he looked at the face of the old Shangshu Fan sitting in the center, suddenly opened his mouth and said, “The silver is to the Ministry of Rites, only the official who handled this matter died in the case of the Chun Exam the year before last.”

Prince on the side of silence, Guo Youzhi has died, Guo Baokun has flow, now the Supervisory Yuan and confirmed the death of the specific handler, even if the Princess side know their own relationship with the four hundred thousand taels of silver, but also can not find what evidence to give to the Hu Daoshi, so his heart a little bit more at ease. After a little peace of mind, but also can not help but some sadness and anger, aunt! Why are you like this?

But unexpectedly Mu Tie’s next sentence, let the Crown Prince chilled his heart.

Only to hear his voice said: “But there are always clues can be found. Grand Maester, do you think it’s a good idea to have the Supervisory Yuan check the Ministry of Rites?”

Check the Ministry of Rites?

The crowd in the hall was shocked, thinking, “Let this group of wolves and tigers of the Supervisory Yuan to check the Ministry of Rites? The court checking the Ministry of Households will obviously make Little Lord Fan, who is far away in Jiangnan, incomparably angry, and the Supervisory Yuan checking the Ministry of Rites, under the remote control of Little Lord Fan, those poor officials in the Ministry of Rites, I’m afraid that they really won’t be able to live out their lives.

But Mu Tie’s request at this time seems reasonable.

Fan Jian lightly stroked his long beard, expressionless, but in his heart he was thinking, Anzhi’s this close friend’s head seems to be much better than before, actually able to guess his own mind.

Fan Jian’s mind is very simple, the court does not want to check the Ministry of households? The Ministry of the household wants to protect itself, it is necessary to pull the battle line, drag in more ministries and offices to come …… into the Ministry of Rites, is just a beginning, and so on all six ministries are found out after the problem, that the Emperor’s Majesty, who is so wise, is not good enough to leather all the six ministers.

Yan Xingshu, the official minister glanced at Fan Jian, admired this old fox, quickly shook his head and refuted: “The court explicitly ordered to investigate the Ministry of households, not too wide.”

Fan Jian said with a smile on his face, “reasonable, reasonable.”

Anyone can hear what kind of sarcasm these two reasonable sounds are. Yan xingshu face blush, know their own this proposal is unreasonable, since the Ministry of households deficit involves the Ministry of Rites, of course, should continue to investigate.

Hu Daoshi also face difficult, persuasion said: “another discussion for a while, another discussion for a while.”

If you let go and ask for a decree to let the Supervisory Yuan to investigate the Ministry of Rites, then it will end up investigating His Highness the Crown Prince, so in the absence of a decree in the palace before, as the general leader of the investigation minister Hu Daoshi did not dare to make this decision.

At this time, the crown prince gritted his teeth and said: “the Ministry of Manners, always have to investigate. Just things have a sequence, the deficit of the Ministry of Revenue has not yet been clearly investigated, expanding too widely, I’m afraid that there is an obstacle to His Majesty’s will.”

Fan Jian still smiled and said, “Your Highness the Crown Prince is reasonable, reasonable.”

Grand Maester Hu sighed in his heart and said, “Regarding the matter of the Ministry of Ceremony, he will enter the palace later to ask for a decree to listen to the oracle, and according to Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s intention, the Ministry of Households side is better to continue it.”

Continue to investigate, the Ministry of households will definitely find out more problems, that 400,000 taels of silver is after all just the tip of the iceberg, the crown prince just simply does not believe that the Fan family will be so clean in the Ministry of households!

The Ministry of households is certainly not clean, Fan Shangshu set up the bureau, buried line is certainly not only the crown prince this one.

With the gradual deepening of the investigation work, there are several ministries and magistracies were successfully dragged down by the Ministry of the household, and the Da Lisi is the first to bear the brunt, has been a little silent Da Lisi Secretary immediately changed his face, embarrassed.

The Ministry of households is not a bad account, but there are too many dark accounts, a deficit are pointing to the misappropriation of a party in the court.

In the end, even the clean water government offices like the Imperial College did not escape!

Yan Xingshu, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, began to be vigilant, although the Ministry of Households had investigated the problem at this time, none of them involved the Eldest Princess and the Second Prince, because of his own side of the family, the silver money has always gone to the side of the inner treasury, but seeing as Fan Jian and the Ministry of Households were so well-prepared, who knows if he would be so insidious as to use some sort of a name to cloud the Second Prince’s path?

“Let’s stop here first.” Yan Xingshu frowned and said, “After we enter the palace to ask for a decree, we’ll continue tomorrow.”

“Reasonable.” Fan Jian still smiled as he said those two words.

Grand Maester Hu was filled with indifference as he looked at the officials in the investigation team, thinking to himself, “How did the imperial court become so corrupt? If His Majesty really has the determination to check down, Fan Shangshu naturally has to resign, but as long as he can not check Jiangnan, he does not need to take too much responsibility, and …… the rest of the officials in the court, I am afraid that a large part of the bad luck.

Deep spring of the palace, occasionally red apricot dew in the short inner palace wall, green trees and flowers, beautiful scenery into the curtain does not want to come out.

The day has been twilight, instantly that is dark, the imperial study of the room door opened and closed, closed and opened, several sets of ministers came and went, and finally the room is left with that a lonely emperor his majesty.

And that old eunuch, as well as a bright candle.

Snapping sound! Emperor Qing Guo’s eyes were furious, a palm slapped on top of the wooden table, but did not shake out half a thread of tea, said in a chilling voice: “A good Ministry of households, a good East Palace, really think that I don’t dare to kill?”

The ministers who had previously entered the Imperial Study Room to discuss the matter were the officials who were responsible for clearing the Ministry of Revenue after receiving the decree. After listening to their report, Emperor Qing Guo’s anger grew. His original intention was only to investigate the Ministry of Revenue, to use the transfer of silver from the Ministry of Revenue to Jiangnan to persuade Fan Jian to abdicate, and to re-establish the balance in the court in a more honorable way.

But he never expected, the Ministry of households than he imagined a lot of clean, Fan Jian than he imagined a lot of clean, but the rest of the court five departments and three divisions, but do not know in the Ministry of households in the benefit of how much, especially the East Palace!

Previously, Hu Da Shi has been secretly the Ministry of Rites, and sadly suggests that the Ministry of the Ministry of the best not to continue to investigate, or really will get to the political unrest, I’m afraid that the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry has not yet had time to bear the responsibility for the crimes that they should bear, the rest of the ministries of the ministers should begin to eat a meal in prison.

The emperor was furious, but also can not help but some chills in the Ministry of households of the means, so there will be the previous thunderous anger, in his view, Fan Jian since early know these things, why has to hide it? Until they are ready to move the Ministry of households, only suddenly thrown out, hit the group of ministers a surprise …… this is not to hit themselves as the emperor of a surprise!

He and Fan Jian grew up together since childhood, of course, know their own this big housekeeper’s ability, for the Ministry of households to cope with such a sophisticated and not surprised, he was angry, just the courtiers do not compete, was the Ministry of households tied to this big ship, more angry is the crown prince is so stupid, how can I dare to pass the world to him?

Of course, the emperor is even more angry at Fan Jian’s sharp counterattack, because this “partner” is in ……

“He’s threatening me!” The emperor frowned and said coldly.

The old eunuch Hong, who had a face full of old man spots, shook his head and sighed: “Your Majesty, I am not afraid of the old slave to say a few words, this person ah …… is always selfish, even if Fan Shangshu is such a loyal minister, in such a dangerous situation, he also has to think of some self-preservation methods.”

The emperor’s voice is slightly more harsh, said with a shameful smile, “Playing with machinations like this, is also considered a loyal minister?”

Eunuch Hong sighed: “President Chen is more interested in playing tricks, but in terms of loyalty, I’m afraid that old slaves don’t even dare to claim to be above him.”

The Emperor slowly closed his eyes and said, “Chen Pingping has saved my life countless times, how can he be compared to Fan Jian?”

“Fan Shangshu has taken care of the Ministry of Households over the years, quietly smoothing out a host of hidden dangers, for what? It is still not for the peace of the court.” Elder Eunuch Hong sighed, “If Lord Shangshu really had any insubordinate intentions, all this evidence he holds in his hands is enough for him to do too many things, but the fact that he hasn’t made any moves shows that he just doesn’t want the court to get turbulent.”

“He should at least tell me first.” The emperor said coldly.

Elder Eunuch Hong said softly, “Based on the news that has come back from the Fan House over the years, the reason why Lord Shangshu hasn’t been coming into the palace to report these matters in detail is still that he doesn’t want Your Majesty to bother …… Your Majesty should still remember the news that came in the other day.”

The emperor was slightly stunned, thinking of the news reported by the person called Zheng Tuo, the mood gradually calmed down, for Fan Jian and restored a little good feeling, frowned and asked: “Just the Ministry of households or must be investigated, or else this is a hasty end, the court’s face how to put aside?”

“The key is His Majesty’s current attitude towards Minister Fan.” Elder Eunuch Hong lowered his head and asked for guidance.

The emperor shook his head, “He can no longer do the Secretary of the Household Department, I can give him other aspects of compensation …… but this Department of the Household Department, he can no longer lead, An Zhiyuan in the South of Jiangnan in charge of the internal treasury, regardless of which way to look at it, Fan Jian is not suitable to continue to serve as the Secretary of the Department of the Household Department position. ”

Hong old eunuch’s heart born a sense of sadness, some sympathy for that these years exhaustive Shangshu adults, tried to say: “There is a word, old slave do not know when to speak or not.”

“Speak.”

Eunuch Hong said with a slightly sharp voice: “Little Lord Fan is talented, His Majesty arranged for him to take over the internal treasury and the Supervisory Yuan, which is a good job. As for Fan Shangshu this side, if according to common sense, really should not be in charge of the Ministry of households, but …… His Majesty may remember, the first year of the Qingli year, in this imperial study, at that time or the minister of the Lord of the Fan Jian, was once with the President of the Chen Academy made a big fuss. Shangshu Fan, in fact, from the bottom of his bones, just didn’t want little Lord Fan to be in charge of the Supervisory Academy.”

“Well, continue.” The Emperor frowned, knowing what Eunuch Hong was implicitly referring to with his words.

“After all, Shangshu Fan was a flamboyant and talented man back then.” Elder Eunuch Hong smiled and said, “Was a man of many emotions. The old slave is presumptuous, always thought that all sentimental people, can also become a person’s bond, Fan Shangshu stayed in the capital, small Fan Lord in Jiangnan act, will also be much more secure.”

The emperor’s face is calm, said after a long time: “Earlier in the empress dowager’s palace, the empress dowager also said so, one is to look at the face of Tanya state mama, the palace to the Fan family always have to give more rain, secondly Fan Jian stay in the capital, Fan Xian in Jiangnan do things will indeed be more at ease.”

What is peace of mind? But it’s just a secret precaution and coercion.

“Gong Hou can wait.” The emperor finally said with a cold face, “I, will not treat the Fan family poorly, but I, too, will not let the matter of the Ministry of Households end there.”

With the title of the Duke and Marquis, in exchange for a Shangshu authority, I don’t know if Fan Jian is at a disadvantage or taking advantage of it.

Fan House in the middle.

Fan Jian closed his eyes, drinking sour syrup, enjoying Liu’s massage behind him, sighed and said, “I’m just afraid that His Majesty will mistakenly think that I’m coercing him, which would not be good.”

Liu’s face was slightly gloomy, knowing that this matter was extremely difficult to end, although the palace would not go overboard with the house, but the old master looked like he would always have to step down from his position as the Minister of Households, and His Majesty the Emperor’s mind had already been accurately and discreetly transmitted to the Fan House once again through Yi Gui Concubine.

These days the work of the Ministry of households inventory is still uninteresting, implicated into more people, make the whole court has become a mess of muddy water, civil and military officials are on edge, the Supervisory Yuan has also arrested a lot of people, the Ministry of households itself has also been found out a little problem, just for the time being the efforts of certain forces have not yet achieved the effect, still no one can pull to the Ministry of households and the Jiangnan between the secret silver road.

Many people, including the Princess, began to feel a strong sense of unease, could it be that the silver that Fan Xian used in Jiangnan was really not from the Ministry of Revenue? As long as there wasn’t this big crime, even the emperor couldn’t forcefully demand that Fan Jian resign from his post and sue for his crimes.

“Immediately the summer flood will arrive.” Fan Jian smiled and said, “The court needs to use the silver, the matter of clearing the Ministry of Revenue will slow down, I’ll spend some more time with His Majesty, as long as I spend until Fan Xian returns to the capital at the time of next year’s New Year’s Festival, there won’t be much of a problem.”

Liu smiled, realizing that what his lordship had been waiting for was nothing more than the flood that the heavens would bring down.

With Heaven’s might against Heaven’s might, His Majesty wasn’t a dim king, so he naturally knew which was more important.

“I just don’t know how things are going on Fan Xian’s side.” Fan Jian said with slight concern, “Transferring silver towards the river laborers drained a lot of his bottom line, and the Ming family isn’t so good at eating it in one bite.”