Chapter 714: Governor Dai Jun'en of Shanxi
Eunuch Lan felt a prickle of fear. Salt smugglers, it seemed, were indeed different from ordinary imperial officials. Before arriving, he hadn't fully grasped the brutal reality of Shanxi. Now that he was here, he realized that anyone without considerable skill couldn't possibly survive in this region.
Although he had brought a contingent of his own trusted enforcers, their numbers were clearly insufficient. If Xing Honglang decided to deal with him, it would likely be an effortless task.
Eunuch Lan cleared his throat. "Ahem... well... we don't need to see the salt villages, do we? They're all pretty much the same anyway."
Xing Honglang arched a brow. "Oh? Not going to see them? There's even worse to come! In the last salt village, there were piles of bleached bones. After the rebels slaughtered the people, their corpses were all left in that village. Now, once dusk falls, the entire village flickers with eerie will-o'-the-wisps."
Eunuch Lan, doubly terrified, stammered, "Cough, cough, it's enough for this official to know about such villages. I won't be going there to see."
The group returned to the Hedong Circuit. Xing Honglang produced a fraudulent ledger, specially prepared by Gao Family Village's Middle School graduates, their top math students. Every single entry, from inventory to outgoing goods, was recorded with far more clarity and precision than the imperial court's original ledgers.
It looked incredibly impressive, but unfortunately, it was fake.
With Eunuch Lan's limited talent and scholarship, he couldn't discern any flaws in the ledger at all. After much scrutiny, he only identified one issue: the salt production from Xie Lake had decreased rather significantly.
Compared to its peak years, production had essentially halved.
Xing Honglang replied, "The only solution is to recruit a large number of salt artisans. But Shanxi is currently embroiled in war and chaos. Where are we to find people to recruit?"
Eunuch Lan said nothing.
Xing Honglang extended her hand and slipped a beautiful jade into his palm.
Eunuch Lan weighed it in his hand, instantly recognizing its considerable value. He immediately changed his tune. "Since that's the case, there's nothing that can be done. The salt tax from Xie Lake will have to remain as it is for now. This official will inform the Emperor and think of proper solutions."
Eunuch Lan had been easily dealt with.
Xing Honglang returned to the main hall, only to find Dai Jun'en still seated there, with no intention of leaving.
It seemed this poet-governor still had something to say.
Xing Honglang stepped forward. "Does Your Excellency the Governor have any further instructions?"
Dai Jun'en let out a long sigh. "General Xing, this old man's visit today isn't just to bring a eunuch. There are also some military matters I wish to discuss with you."
Xing Honglang said, "Oh? Discuss with me? Shouldn't Your Excellency the Governor be speaking with General You Shilu, the Regional Commander of Shanxi, instead?"
Dai Jun'en shook his head. "The imperial troops... they're difficult to talk to..."
Xing Honglang raised an eyebrow.
Dai Jun'en continued, "Those fellows kill innocent civilians to claim merit and falsify military reports; it's become commonplace. Every one of them is a rogue soldier, and this old man simply cannot command them. The previous Governor of Shanxi, Xu Dingchen, was dragged down by these very rogue soldiers."
Xing Honglang was speechless for a moment.
Dai Jun'en said, "Come, let me show you some secret reports this old man has received."
He produced a stack of letters.
Xing Honglang opened them and read. The first letter reported that Deng Qi, the Regional Commander of Sichuan, allowed his troops to plunder and rape civilians in Hebei. The second detailed how Zuo Liangyu killed innocent people to claim merit, submitting the heads of common folk as those of bandits. The third accused Zhang Zongheng, the Supreme Commander of Xuan-Da, of framing Xu Dingchen, the Governor of Shanxi, by shifting all blame for the failed bandit suppression onto him...
Among the officials in Shanxi, hardly two were clean.
She finally reached the last two letters. One praised the White Pole Soldiers for their strict discipline, asserting they never harmed a single civilian.
The other stated that Xing Honglang led her army with excellence, maintaining harmony between soldiers and civilians, helping the common people resolve their difficulties, and distributing grain to aid the populace—surpassing even the White Pole Soldiers.
Reading this, Xing Honglang couldn't help but frown. "So, Your Excellency the Governor knows everything."
Dai Jun'en said, "Yes, this old man even knows about your little performance just now, using fake salt villages to fool Eunuch Lan. To the southwest of Xie Lake, there are new salt villages whose production has increased several-fold. Such a deception can only fool a simpleton fresh from the palace; it can't fool a true administrative official who genuinely wants to get things done."
Xing Honglang's hand instinctively drifted to the hilt of her saber.
Dai Jun'en sighed softly. "But this old man didn't expose you. Because you've been aiding the people in Puzhou, and again in the Hedong Circuit. The silver spent on this relief work is no small sum. If you didn't divert some of the salt revenue, how could you possibly achieve it?"
Xing Honglang's grip relaxed slightly.
Dai Jun'en continued, "These salt funds, you used them on the common people. If Eunuch Lan had gotten his hands on them, they'd all have ended up in his private coffers. Ah! This old man is old and forgetful. Many things I just saw, I'll forget in a moment; I only know how to write poetry now... I can't suppress bandits either. In this position as Governor of Shanxi, I'm probably just here to wander around, write a 'been there, done that,' and in a year or two, I'll be dismissed, won't I?"
Having said this, Dai Jun'en stood up. "General Xing, take good care of the people. This old man will be leaving."
With that, he staggered out.
Just then, Eunuch Lan walked back in. "Your Excellency the Governor, what were you discussing with General Xing in there?"
Dai Jun'en exclaimed, "Oh! I've suddenly thought of a poem."
His household guard instantly sprang forth and presented him with writing implements.
Dai Jun'en rapidly scribbled a few lines, then crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it aside. "No, no, it's terrible writing."
Having said that, he turned back to Eunuch Lan. "Where were we just now in our conversation?"
Eunuch Lan replied, "Uh, we weren't discussing anything just now."
Dai Jun'en mused, "Ah, yes, of course... of course... Speaking of which, this old man has just taken up the post of Governor of Shanxi. What am I supposed to be doing now? The Emperor instructed this old man to... er... what was it he instructed this old man to do?"
Eunuch Lan's voice rose five octaves. "He instructed you to suppress bandits!"
Dai Jun'en blinked. "Oh? So it was bandit suppression."
He turned his head to Xing Honglang, who had followed him out. "General Xing, this old man has no idea how to suppress bandits; I only know how to write poetry. So, this heavy responsibility of bandit suppression, this old man will entrust it to you."
Xing Honglang clasped her fists in salute. "Your Excellency the Governor, rest assured. Leave it to your humble subordinate."
Dai Jun'en shakily climbed into his carriage. His household guards encircled him, and they set off towards the city gates. From inside the large carriage, his aged voice recited, "Amidst glowing blossoms, autumn's halls are bright; A gentle sway in the west wind, a Daoist's calm delight. Since ancient souls passed out of sight, How many Double Ninth festivals have known cold mist and scattered rain?"
His guard asked, "Ah? Master, you've composed a beautiful poem! Do you need your writing implements?"
"No need!" Dai Jun'en replied. "This poem is an old man's masterpiece; I won't forget it. Oh, right, what was I just discussing with Eunuch Lan? I've forgotten again."
The guard whispered, "Eunuch Lan said he would go on an outing with you to compose poetry another day."
Dai Jun'en chuckled. "That's good, that's good, that's truly wonderful."
The governor's carriage slowly made its way north. The governor's yamen was located in Taiyuan, to the north—a place the rebels would casually besiege every now and then...
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