Chapter 525: Imperial Envoy

Each and every one rather wanted to explain, just more often than not, as soon as they open their mouth, they would just get scolded until drenched in dog’s blood. And the more they said, they more miserably they got scolded. Words like disobedient, unfilial, great disrespect, even along with treason were all said out loud. Of course, this last one, not everyone had the qualifications to be honored with.

As the saying goes, ‘the tree grows in a forest, the wind will certainly ravage it’. This probably was just the best portrayal of Kang Qinwang and Rui Qinwang, and second to them was just Gong Qinwang. These big trees bore the ruthless ravaging of Le Cheng Emperor’s violent wind and storming rain. Never mind having all the assignments on hand all stopped, they also won’t have an official salary for several years. And if not for, prior to Le Cheng Emperor opening his mouth to take away their noble titles and having them locked up in confinement, a crowd of people with Ruan Rui Zhong in the lead persuasively stopping him, Le Cheng Emperor afraid would have just had all the power holding princes all overturned with one bamboo pole.

Although in the future, wanting to restore their noble title and lift the confinement order, it was also just one word from him, but even if the emperor wants to make unpredictable changes in policy, that still required a reason, and this excuse wasn’t that easy to find. Fortunately, Le Cheng Emperor wasn’t completely without rationality, and after having the officials thoroughly chewed out, he also can be considered to have found a way out. Just, thinking about it, it was still difficult to quell the anger. Thus, getting official salary seized as punishment instantly went from three years to ten years. Afterwards, it was just all going back home to live off their savings and if they dared to randomly extend their claws again, directly chopped off.

However, regardless of how many years of official salary, for the most part, no one took it to heart. Ten years, none of them believed that Le Cheng Emperor can still sit on the throne for another ten years. And regardless of which one ascends the throne, as the brothers, as long as one was still alive, one won’t be mistreated in terms of salary. No matter what, the one on the throne would always show off their benevolence by using them, no?

However, for Le Cheng Emperor, this violently raging lion, the anger fire this time wasn’t that easy to quell. Even including Empress Sun, and Noble Consort Su, let alone the numerous pampered consorts that had connections with the front court, as long as a single word was mentioned, he would immediately just throw them an unsightly look and the line ‘the inner palace is not allowed to interfere in politics’, and then storm off in a huff.

And so, the imperial consorts also turned silent like a cicada in winter, not daring to rashly mentioned another word. Of course, the situation now was Le Cheng Emperor simply just didn’t go to their palaces. If one wasn’t even able to see the person, what else can be said? So, they began playing tricks and using schemes again, but after two imperial concubines got demoted in succession, they also didn’t dare to have any more movements. —————Of course, it was also just ordinary pampered consorts that would do this kind of thing.

So Le Cheng Emperor didn’t go the chambers of the imperial consorts? This rather wasn’t the case. These last few days, he practically rested in Shu Consort Qin’s Ganlu Palace every night. And at present, between the front court and inner palace, seemingly only this place was able to let him feel at peace. Shu Consort Qin perhaps wasn’t that understanding and tactful, but she was a gentle and serene person, and probably because Le Cheng Emperor didn’t have a preference for her type, she naturally wasn’t that understanding flower in Le Cheng Emperor’s heart either. Just, whenever feeling all kinds of irritation, her place was always able to make him feel much more comfortable.

Speaking of which, this kind of Le Cheng Emperor was also an ample degenerate, practically just the typical definition of heartlessness.

Le Cheng Emperor called together a large scale court meeting, and those with the qualifications to attend court, not a single one can be left out. This was precisely the reason why Li Hong Yuan attended court.

Everyone outside the main hall watched Jin Qinwang slowly arrive, still that undisciplined attitude, and handsome in appearance, as if all things were all unable to affect him. He truly made one very envious, and also very much resent. Everyone’s hair were all about to turn white. In the last several days, even if there was a happy matter at home, one was still unable to reveal a single smile. As for the numerous palace attendants serving by Le Cheng Emperor’s side, they didn’t dare to even breathe loudly. On normal days, they would throw in everything they got to be near Le Cheng Emperor, but now, as soon as they receive a ‘nice assignment’, they would just grit their teeth in anger, inwardly hating that the person above them was a bastard. In the past, they’d exerted all their favors, used up all their compliments, yet all weren’t able to have a chance to show their face, but now…………..

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Who wants to cover Jin Qinwang with a sack, raise your hand and sign up, let’s form a team to sack him!

Regardless of what they thought inside, by the time Li Hong Yuan approached, the ones that should bow to him still needed to bow, and the ones that should greet him still needed to greet.

Just as Li Hong Yuan said, for him to be able to appear, it was already giving face. Right now, to be able to nod his head and respond, the other party should just feel overwhelmed by the favor.

And it was also just Luo Pei Shan, as his wife’s grandfather, that was still able to make him slightly lower his stance and say a few words.

However, the conversation between them, the focus was probably just Jing Wan, so they seemed rather ‘happy and harmonious’. Just, it would more or less appear a bit weird.

However, Li Hong Yuan timed the timing relatively accurately, and in just a few sentences, before the others even had time to say anything, the imperial court meeting just began. The hundred civil and military officials lined in formation, entering the main hall in succession, preparing to welcome Le Cheng Emperor’s arrival.

On this aspect, Le Cheng Emperor has almost never stood the crowd up before. After all, these court sessions didn’t happen every day either. To even be able to ‘go fishing for two days and dry the net for three days^[1]‘ on this matter, then he can also just purely be a foolish ruler. Sitting high atop the dragon throne, looking down at the people below crying out ‘long live the Emperor’ three times, his face was ripple-less like an ancient well. However, seeing Li Hong Yuan obediently standing among them, this bastard at least didn’t throw his face this time. Among the grown princes, it was also just him that didn’t get tainted in the slightest. His old heart was very pleased.

If the others knew of Le Cheng Emperor’s thoughts, don’t know whether or not they’ll vomit blood in anger? If they had as much money as Li Hong Yuan, how bored would they have to be to put their hands on the salt administration!

(T/N: Please read the note below regarding salt politics, because it’s very important to understanding a lot of the plot points in this arc.)

However, for the people that knew of Li Hong Yuan’s actual situation, they just want to ‘heheh’ at Le Cheng Emperor. Although they don’t know what the specifics were like, but would the living Enma be indifferent towards the salt administration, this piece of fatty meat? Don’t joke! Exactly how much money in this matter that ultimately land in his hand, it was very difficult to say.

The matter this time, although appear to be because of the courtyard exam’s issue, it got inadvertently dragged out, but to say there wasn’t Li Hong Yuan’s handiwork in this matter, no one would believe, especially the people who clearly knew that Li Hong Yuan wanted to touch Rui Qinwang’s money pouch. As for the others, sorry, you all just got implicated because of Rui Qinwang.

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The victims didn’t know, and the one being victimized also didn’t know. Because each and every one all suffered a calamity, simply no one suspected that this was schemed by someone, just miserably thinking to oneself that one was just too unlucky.

Le Cheng Emperor’s aim today was very simple, these two matters, how should it be handled?

Regardless whether it was the courtyard exam, or the salt administration, neither were a small matter. The former can be said to bear upon Qi Yuan’s future. One has to know, of all the officials in the entirety of Qi Yuan, nearly forty percent were transferred over from Jiangnan. If the matter really gets big, the other officials that came from Jiangnan won’t be indifferent, and perhaps there will be some that will take advantage of this opportunity to carry out dubious business. The consequences of this, one can well imagine. As for the salt administration, Qi Yuan’s finances similarly had a very large portion that originated from this. If they were to encounter disaster or war, the state treasury will very possibly have problems arising. Originally, the south had just suffered from a large flood, and currently the situation at the borders was also somewhat amiss, so how could Le Cheng Emperor not be in a thundering rage.

(T/N: Remember how the Pei family is the number one influential family in Jiangnan, producing many renowned scholars and having many of their disciples serve as officials. If forty percent of all the officials in the country come from Jiangnan, you can imagine just how great of an influence the Pei family has in politics without actually serving in the imperial court.)

This time, sending personnels to Jiangnan to conduct a thorough inspection, who to send as the imperial envoy, this bit was of the utmost importance.

Because the number of people involved was very vast, the ones that were suitable were too few. Moreover, it was very difficult to achieve impartiality. And for the ones that were suitable, it was either the status being too low, unable to keep the matter under control———-Even if holding a token bestowed by the emperor, carrying out the emperor’s order, if the other party looks down on you, they similarly will say pretty words, agreeing overtly, but opposing in secret, and you won’t even be able to easily handle them. Or, it was just residing in an important position, unable to leave———Never heard of a first rank high official as an imperial envoy before. In short, all sides all recommended quite a few people, but there was always someone firmly opposing.

Up and down the imperial court, one was unexpectedly unable to find a single suitable person. Le Cheng Emperor’s complexion turned more and more blue.

“Beloved Minister Ruan, do you have a suitable candidate?”

Ruan Rui Zhong stepped out from the ranks, “Your Majesty, how about letting Jin Qinwang be the imperial envoy.”

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Once these words came out, the entire imperial court fell dead silent, following which numerous people practically spoke in unison to oppose.

Ruan Rui Zhong neither quickly nor slowly faced the hundred officials, “This official just ask everyone, why oppose? Who else can be more suitable than Jin Qinwang?”

Why oppose? Naturally because Jin Qinwang has no good points and doesn’t know anything at all, so what can he do if he goes? Of course, the words can’t be said like this. He was his Majesty’s son after all. No matter how his Majesty reprimands and disdains, it was all okay, but it definitely wasn’t their place as subjects to criticize.

“Your Majesty, last time, ninth wangye, as the imperial envoy for the trip to the west, his symbolic significance was similarly greater than his practical significance. Jin Qinwang, for this trip, doesn’t need to do anything at all, only needing to subdue the Jiangnan officials, and he will have achieved his purpose. What kind of temper Jin Qinwang has, everyone all knows. With him carrying out an imperial order, if he says one, who would dare to say two? If he lets someone thoroughly investigate, who would dare to work half-heartedly? Moreover, Jin Qinwang has countless wealth, and gone through countless beauties, so no one would be able to bribe him. He also has no relations with the various parties of the imperial court. In this subject’s view, this matter, even if it’s unrelated to the other wangyes, in terms of handling matters in a strictly businesslike manner, there’s no candidate more suitable than Jin Qinwang.”

[1] The idiom, ‘going fishing for two days and drying the net for three days’, is used describe someone’s lack of perseverance, unable to persist for a long period of time, doing something on and off on a whim.

T/N: Sometimes I feel like I’m giving out extra reading assignments in a history class. Anyways, regarding the salt politics, I’ll try my best to summarize information in my notes, because they are kinda important to understanding parts of this arc, which to the chinese audience is just basic historical knowledge, that’s why not a lot of context or explanation is given in text.

So a few important points why the salt administration is such a huge deal. Since ancient times, the imperial government has had a monopoly on salt. In fact, this government monopoly over salt has continued to modern times, with it only starting to dismantle around 2016, as of 2018, it still hasn’t fully been abolished yet. Salt was, and still is, considered a necessity of life. The salt tax is actually one of the greatest source of revenue for the government along with land tax, there were no such thing as sales tax and income tax at this point in history. Because the government had a monopoly, the prices were all set by the government, and because of how lucrative the sale of salt was, even if setting a low tax, it was still a huge stream of revenue for the government. So many things throughout history were funded with salt money. You can kinda see how easily corruption can happen, especially at the local level. Along with setting the prices, the government also controlled the regions that produced salt, thus controlling the source.

Although for a period of time, the imperial government oversaw the salt business directly, from production to distribution, afterwards they sold the rights to private merchants, passing on an indirect tax to the consumer. This is explained more in detail in the Salt Commission. Salt merchants were actually one of the wealthiest types merchants in ancient times, because of how lucrative the business was, and because they worked with officials, there were a lot of benefits, and corruption.

And where there’s a monopoly, there will be bootleg and smuggling, well you can’t exactly bootleg salt, but there were people that privately sold ‘unofficial’ salt, basically salt not licensed by the government, as well as bandits and gangs smuggling and hijacking government salt transports. The salt black market was a thing. In fact, in modern times there were even a salt police force that were in charge of cracking down on the sale of illegal salt.

Here’s the link to the huge article on salt in chinese history, personally I would recommend reading the moral debate section and the section about corruption.

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