Chapter 43: The Strife of Factory Guards

  Qin Kan finally bit the bullet and cut off this source of wealth.

  Sometimes I really resent my thin face, actually if I learn from Tang Bohu, every time I enter the Qinglou, eat and drink, sleep, intentionally or unintentionally, I don't notice the girls secretly giving him silver, getting drunk and coming back to sleep, the next day waking up with no memory of anything, considering the silver as something picked up on the road, not hurting my self-respect and without damaging my integrity, next time again appearing in Qinglou with a proud swan-like demeanor...

  Unfortunately, Qin Kan was too shy... and I don't know who gave him this definition.

  As for the Qing girl named Jin Liu, I don't know where she went. From Tang Yin's account, he felt that this was a good girl who had knelt in front of the county government gate for him and refused to get up, and her feelings were deep. Although Qin Kan's soul disappeared before, if there is an opportunity to meet her in the future, I will definitely give her a generous reward.

  Life is still passing by in a dull manner, it's good, not lacking money or food and clothing, although there is no fame or official salary, but living freely and leisurely, ordinary people have their own pleasures.

  Unfortunately, such good days did not last long, and Du Yan was released from prison after serving her sentence.

  At first, the matter of Du's daughter resisting marriage was gradually forgotten by people as time passed. Du Hong also felt that the storm had passed and it was unbearable to keep his beloved daughter locked in her room every day. So he let her out, strictly ordering her not to leave the inner courtyard of the prefecture, but how could Du Yan listen? As soon as her father turned around, she eagerly flew out.

  When Du Yan burst into Qin Kan's room with a kick, Qin Kan knew that his miserable days had arrived...

  "Has the sentence been served and released?"

  "Ah!" Du Yan nodded excitedly.

  "Has it been renovated properly inside?"

  Yes!

  "Released, happy?"

  "Happiness!"

  "Your happiness is my happiness...... Never mind, you go back first, I have to work and make money."

  Du Yan's face turned red as she handed him a delicate little purse: "When we first met, wasn't your wallet stolen? I've been confined at home these days and embroidered a purse for you... don't despise it."

  Qin Kan took a look and burst out laughing: "Why are there two fat ducks embroidered? Hmm? One of the ducks has three legs, were its parents long-lost siblings?"

  Overjoyed and suddenly Qin Kan was lifted into the air by Du Yan with just one hand.

  "It's a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water, not a fat duck! You bastard, you did it on purpose!" Du Yan revealed her ferocious face.

  The Imperial Palace in Beijing, the East Warm Pavilion of Wenhua Hall.

  The Hongzhi Emperor handled state affairs not only in the Yushufang, but occasionally also sat in the Wenhua Hall. This was because the three senior scholars of the inner cabinet, Liu Jian, Xie Qian and Li Dongyang, were already old and frail. In order to take care of his elderly ministers, Hongzhi often personally came to the Wenhua Hall. Whenever he handled government affairs, he would always discuss and deliberate with the three senior scholars before making a decision.

  When the ruler is saintly and his ministers are wise, it is inevitable that there will be a reason for the prosperity of the Great Ming Dynasty during the Hongzhi era.

  At this time, the Hongzhi Emperor sat calmly on the imperial throne in the Dongnuan Pavilion to review the memorial, while Mu Bin, the commander of the Imperial Guard, stood respectfully beside him.

  Mou Bin was a commander of the Brocade Guard, although he was in charge of the palace guards and ceremonies, but it was not necessary for him to attend the emperor's side, which was generally the responsibility of the eunuchs of the inner court.

  He had been an official for many years and was extremely perceptive. Once he had the opportunity to meet with the emperor, he would not easily leave without a good reason.

  Mo Bin had Mo Bin's worries. Since the ascension of Emperor Hongzhi, although he trusted the Imperial Guards without reduction, he also deeply knew the troubles caused by the Imperial Guards. Therefore, intentionally or unintentionally, he suppressed the power of the Imperial Guards, not allowing them to grow wildly and bring disaster to the world.

  What's more important is that the Hongzhi Emperor deeply understood the way of power balance, so originally the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, which were still relatively calm, began to openly and secretly struggle with each other in recent years. Although on the surface, Wang Yue, the head of the Eastern Depot, and Mu Bin, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, seemed harmonious, they actually hated each other so much that they could hardly bear to see each other. The Hongzhi Emperor sat in the middle, seemingly ignoring the struggle between the two sides, as if he was pleased to see it happen. The emperor's attitude directly led to the intensification of the conflict between the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot.

  When both sides are evenly matched, the only thing left to compete for is divine favor.

  At this point, the East Factory obviously had an advantage because the East Factory was a eunuch class, and the eunuchs accompanied the emperor day and night. In terms of distance and closeness, the emotions of Emperor Hongzhi were undoubtedly biased towards the eunuchs.

  This is the main reason why Mou Bin often accompanies Emperor Hongzhi with or without reason. In simple terms, he wants to let the emperor see him more and form a psychological positioning of "someone by his side". In this way, in the struggle between the imperial guards and the eunuchs, Mou Bin will not be at a disadvantage.

  This is really a very helpless and negative approach, but Mou Bin had no choice but to do so.

  The Wenhua Hall was quiet, with only Liu Jian's suppressed coughing sound being heard.

  In the spring, the cold air was still deep, and Liu Jian's body contracted a cold. These days have not seen much improvement. The Hongzhi Emperor sent four or five times to the Imperial Medical Office to examine his illness and prescribed several prescriptions, but Liu Jian's condition did not improve.

  "Huh? This memorial... " Liu Jian furrowed his brow, pondering for a moment, feeling unable to make a decision. He then got up and walked into the warm pavilion beside the palace, handing the memorial over to Emperor Hongzhi.

  "Your Majesty, this memorial is not something your humble servant dares to decide on his own; I beg Your Majesty to first take a look and then deliberate."

  Xie Qian and Li Dongyang, two university scholars, curiously lifted their heads and looked at the memorial in the emperor's hand.

  The Hongzhi Emperor flipped through it, carefully reading each line.

  "Heh heh, borrowing and lending accounts method? Is this thing reliable? Can it be implemented throughout the world?" The Hongzhi Emperor smiled slightly, but did not make a definitive judgment.

  Liu Jian cupped his hands and said, "The Nanjing Minister of Revenue, Qin Hui, reported in a memorial that he had tested this method on the Ministry's accounts and found it to be much more ingenious than the current flowing water accounting method. The account entries were clear and distinct, showing where there were deficits, who was responsible, and how much was spent, all at a glance. Minister Qin is a steady and reliable old minister; since he has spoken out, he must be certain of his facts, otherwise he wouldn't dare to make such a reckless memorial and disturb the imperial court."

  "Since this accounting method is so ingenious, why not try it out in a certain county for one or two years first and see the effect before deciding whether to implement it throughout the country? What do you think, Mr. Liu?" The Hongzhi Emperor was very cautious and would not make reckless decisions on major matters related to the Ming dynasty's taxation of money and grain.

  Liu Jian shook his head and sighed: "Your Majesty, this method cannot be implemented, at least not for the next few years. It's even unsuitable for a trial run in some counties..."

  Hongzhi Emperor: "Why?"

  The Hongzhi Emperor understood the reason without Liu Jian's answer.

  In this officialdom of the Ming dynasty, there are too many corrupt officials. Who would be willing to use such a nearly completely transparent accounting method to cut off the financial routes of these corrupt officials?

  The problem is not with the accounting method, but with people. Corrupt officials can't be eliminated, yet the emperor needs them to help govern the country.

  The Hongzhi Emperor sighed with a gloomy expression, his eyes cast downward, gazing at an unfamiliar name on the memorial.

  "What a pity for this scholar named Qin Kan, who had the ambition to serve the country and be loyal to the emperor, but his lofty aspirations were not fulfilled, and he was born in an unfavorable time." The Hongzhi Emperor said, with a painful expression on his face.

  Whose responsibility is it when talent is born out of time?

  Apart from this great Ming emperor, whose responsibility will it be?

  The pain of Emperor Hongzhi was not Qin Kan's encounter, but the crisis hidden everywhere under the symbol of the great Ming dynasty.

  Listening to Hongzhi Emperor's evaluation of Qin Kan, this strange book student, Mou Bin, who was silent beside him, showed a glimmer in his eyes.

  He took two steps forward and bowed his head to say, "Your Majesty, please forgive my rudeness, I have something that must be reported in person."

  "What's wrong?"

  "Your Majesty just mentioned a scholar named Qin Kan. He... is actually one of the hundred officials under my Jin Yiwei."

  "Oh? So it's actually a talented person from the Brocade Guard. Well, Mu Ai is a national treasure, loyal and admirable. Hehe." Emperor Hongzhi said with delight.

  "Your Majesty is overpraising." Mou Bin replied calmly and thanked him with a tranquil expression.

  As soon as he stepped out of the Wen Hua Hall, Mou Bin's footsteps quickened slightly.

  Leaving the imperial palace, he galloped into the Beizhen Fu government office and hastily instructed his subordinates: "Immediately go to Shaoxing to find out the whereabouts of a person named Qin Kan. Give this person a Jin Yiwei hundred households' token, official clothes, and all official credentials. Have the Nanbei Zhenfu government create a case file for Qin Kan, quickly!"

  The subordinate hastily took orders.

  "Remember, this Qin Kan is one of my Imperial Guardsmen, always has been! Hmm, after granting him the title of Bai Hu, immediately dispatch him to Nanjing."

  After his subordinate left, Mou Bin finally revealed a relaxed smile.

  Those who have entered Your Majesty's ears and eyes are all ordinary people who have been praised by Your Majesty, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard must bring them into their clutches in front of the Eastern Depot.

  This is also a kind of vying for favor.