gnovel Chapter 15, The Boss is indeed a Boss
Chapter 15, The Boss is indeed a Boss
Just as Lin Zhou had predicted, the Marquis did not come in person, but one of his subordinates did. This illustrates the principle of managing without placing too much importance on the matter; in this kind of power struggle, it can be considered a form of tug-of-war.
This person was clearly of a high rank, and his only request was to see Lin Zhou, so the people from the salt tax office did not obstruct him, but simply sent someone to accompany him.
"Young Master, this matter may not be easy to handle." The man turned to look at the people watching them, and spoke with perfect discretion: "They are using the law as an excuse, and the Marquis of Si can't say much. But don't worry, Young Master, just say what you should say. No one can force you to say what you shouldn't say. If they can't reason with us, the people from the Imperial City Guard know a thing or two about martial arts."
Lin Zhou sat there with his arms crossed, his face full of impatience: "When are you going to get me out of here, with all this fighting and kicking? Are you going to make me spend the night here?"
"Tomorrow morning, the magistrate will report to His Majesty and impeach these people. Please do not panic, young master."
Lin Zhou, now acting like a mad dog, launched into a tirade against the man: "I came to rely on my clan uncle, not to suffer this injustice! Go tell my clan uncle that I'm not one to take on much hardship. If they mess with me, I won't be able to hold on, and I'll have to hand over the overseas grain seeds and medical books. I just want peace and quiet; it's not worth risking my life for this!"
"Young Master, please be patient... everything will be decided tomorrow morning."
The dog left looking dejected, and their conversation naturally reached the ears of their mastermind.
"Your Excellency, it seems that Xu Ping's words that day were true; there are indeed overseas grain seeds. If the yield is indeed high, then congratulations in advance on your great achievement."
The speaker was none other than the man Lin Zhou had dumped rice on his head for earlier that day. Although he was not of official rank, he was quite influential. He was one of the retainers of the current prime minister, Qin Hui, and he handled some matters that were inconvenient for an official to do. He was a typical black glove in the prime minister's household.
So even when he encountered someone of the rank of Vice Minister, he spoke in anger without much respect, and even with a hint of teasing and joking.
"Did you notice anything suspicious when you were talking to that guy?"
"He doesn't seem like a capable person, just putting on airs and making a show of things. There's no need to get angry with him. He was just a street vendor in Lin'an City before. He said he was Xu Ping's nephew, but in my opinion, it was just a gimmick. We don't know where his goods came from, but we have to say they were all rare items."
"A rare find. Those things are beneath my notice." The Vice Minister shook his head and laughed. "What I want are the grain seeds and the plague cure he has. These days, dysentery has broken out in fourteen counties in the south, and more than three thousand people have died. It also appeared in Lin'an City a few days ago, but as long as this person's medicine is used, the disease is cured instantly. This is an incredible achievement."
After speaking, he paused for a moment: "Xu Ping is always cautious and prudent, why would he leak such important information?"
"Two days ago, Xu Ping attended a family banquet and, after hearing about this matter, revealed to his friend Han Deli that Han Deli had later informed the Prime Minister. If it weren't for this method, it would have been impossible to find out from any other source."
"The Prime Minister is indeed the Prime Minister; his plans are far-reaching. However, it seems this young man is proving to be a tough nut to crack. What are your thoughts, sir?"
The man whose head had been covered in rice by Lin Zhou chuckled and cupped his hands towards the upper side, saying, "It's nothing more than coercion and enticement. Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will inform His Majesty and reject Xu Ping's memorial. This matter of saving the world and helping the people should be the responsibility of the Ministry of Revenue. What does it have to do with Xu Ping? This matter will be settled naturally tomorrow."
That makes a lot of sense.
"If we could win them over further and find a way to get our hands on their supply, it could be a considerable fortune."
The Vice Minister of Revenue stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and then nodded, saying, "Then so be it."
At the same moment, on the other side of Lin'an City, the Imperial City Guard's office was brightly lit. Xu Ping sat in his study, staring blankly at the photos Lin Zhou had brought last time.
Cheng'er sat at the lower end of the table. Although he and Lin Zhou didn't get along well usually and seemed to clash, he was the most anxious at this moment: "Father, are we really going to let them take him away? You know what kind of person that Fatty Liu is. If that hothead Lin Zhou falls into his hands, won't he squeeze him dry?"
"Cheng'er," Xu Ping interrupted him, "If Liu Yu wants to claim this credit, let him. The more fiercely he fights, the faster he pushes it away, the more people will survive. This is a thousand times better than our Imperial City Guard taking it up the chain of command, getting caught up in endless wrangling, and ultimately shelving it."
Xu Cheng was still unwilling to give up: "But... those were brought by Lin Zhou, they're from over there..."
"Precisely because it was brought from over there, we can't just focus on what's in front of us." Xu Ping gently pressed the photo on the table. "Lin Zhou is a messenger, not the treasure itself. That old thief only sees the immediate gains and money; we want something much further ahead."
He looked at his son, his eyes deep: "Let him go. Liu Yu may be greedy, but he's still pragmatic. They'll use Lin Zhou, and we just need to watch and, when necessary... give him a little push."
Xu Cheng seemed to understand, but he always obeyed his father's decisions. He just couldn't help but mutter, "I'm afraid that kid won't be able to handle it, or he'll make some random promises."
Xu Ping, unusually, gently patted Cheng'er's head: "The people behind him are not simple. You've seen part of that reply letter; it was full of confidence, yet also very measured. They dared to let Lin Zhou come here, so they're not afraid he'll get hurt here. Besides..."
He turned to look out the window: "Lin Zhou has a reckless streak to his core. He seems slippery, but he's actually very principled. He can't bear to part with the children outside the city; that's his weakness, and also his armor. Liu Yu and his group might not be able to tempt him with official positions and gold and silver. We just need to make him understand that only by cooperating with us can those children truly be safe, and only then will this connection remain intact."
Xu Cheng nodded thoughtfully.
"Go," Xu Ping waved his hand. "These next few days, you'll move from the open to the shadows. That old thief and the Ministry of Revenue will definitely be watching Lin Zhou, so you don't need to be constantly by his side drawing attention. But keep an eye on things nearby. If Lin Zhou really encounters a life-threatening situation, you know what to do."
"Yes, sir!" Xu Cheng clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, and strode out of the study.
The next morning, everything proceeded as smoothly as a train on its tracks. Sihou Xu Ping was reprimanded by the emperor for overstepping his bounds. He said that if all the officials in Lin'an were like him, wouldn't the mighty Song Dynasty be in chaos?
However, Xu Ping was not one to be reprimanded easily. He argued, "Your Majesty, that is, after all, my own nephew..."
"Enough with the talk." Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou waved his hand dismissively. "Has the Great Song ever mistreated loyal and virtuous people? The young man's willingness to offer this treasure is certainly for his own good. What kind of behavior is this, with you all arguing and fighting like this!"
Zhao Gou not only reprimanded Xu Ping, but also scolded the people in the Ministry of Revenue, and the matter was dropped.
As for the claim that the Song Dynasty did not mistreat loyal and virtuous officials, that's essentially no different from farting.
After the court session, Sihou sent a message to Lin Zhou, saying that the Emperor had personally instructed him to transfer the treasure that was supposed to be presented to him to the Ministry of Revenue.
The originally suspicious offering of the treasure suddenly became completely legitimate.