Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio 

  “How is Lanshi today?” The old matriarch of the Ming family looked coldly at her son as she showed concern for her grandson. 

  Ming Qingda narrowed his eyes and said, “The child knows what is important, besides, he has been good to her these few years.” 

  The matriarch mockingly smiled. “Men are all like this in the end.” 

  The old woman thought for a bit then shook her head and said, “Let Lanshi interact with Yuan Dajia. A few days ago, I heard that student of the imperial envoy was opening a brothel in the city. Lanshi sold Zhuyuan Restaurant and isn’t feeling very happy about it. It’s the perfect time for him to discuss with Yuan Dajia about how to ruin the imperial envoy’s business. Since we have already set the rules, we cannot act in opposition to them.” 

  She continued coldly, “Yuan Dajia is the heir’s woman, so tell Lanshi to control his drooling. Besides, it’s not like you don’t know that the Fan family absolutely hates Yuan Meng. If Fan Xian finds out that Yuan Meng is in Suzhou, he would probably kill her at the first instant. It will be a little more dangerous for Lanshi [JW1] to interact with her.” 

  Ming Qingda nodded in agreement and prepared to back out of the room. However, his mother had him stay. After a moment of silence she said worriedly, “Our plans are only our plans in the end. I keep thinking that after Sir Fan junior brought the palace treasury under control with an iron fist, so it shouldn’t be so quiet.” 

  Ming Qingda thought about it then answered heavily, “Be at ease, mother. After all, we are a large family with respect and prestige. Without actual evidence, even the imperial envoy wouldn’t dare to strike out randomly.” 

  The matriarch’s eyebrows were all white, and the lines on her all showed a worldly-wisdom and coldness. She sneered coldly and said, “Not dare? He doesn’t even want 400,000 liang of silver. What he wants must be more. Who else under heaven, other than the Ming family, can give him this much silver?” 

  Indeed it is so. To be able to pull together 400,000 liang of silver in such a short period of time and have it delivered to Fan Xian’s hands—this kind of power was already enough to shock the world. Although Fan Xian, unbelievably, did not accept, this so-named world’s largest bribe could be entered into the history books. Fan Xian did not want 400,000 liang silver, so what he wanted and sought must be even bigger. 

  “I think,” Ming Qingda said without hurry, “it might not be a bad thing for the imperial envoy to not accept the silver. Look at September last year. The old Cui family once sent 20,000 liang of silver from Yishi Tavern. Sir Fan junior did accept it, but then he turned around and destroyed the Cui family. Whether or not he accepts the silver does not represent the thoughts of this strange man.” 

  Ever since ancient times, taking money to handle matters was heaven’s law and earth’s principal. It was rare to see someone like Fan Xian, who took the Cui family’s 20,000 liang of silver, but did not give them any benefit at all. Furthermore, in a lightning strike, he toppled the Cui family. This move completely destroyed Fan Xian’s reputation in bribery among the jianghu. The merchants of Jiangnan still remembered this matter with deep hatred. 

  The skin and flesh on the old matriarch’s cheeks was droopy. When she smiled, it was particularly terrifying. She mockingly said, “The Cui family was too petty and did not see the situation clearly. That precious son of theirs had offended Fan Xian in Shangjing, Northern Qi and was forced to kneel as punishment for half a night. Do they think 20,000 liang was enough to smooth things over? Sir Fan junior accepted the silver but not to do things for the Cui family. He only took it to show that he no longer bore them ill will about the Shangjing matter. As for what will happen, who knows?” 

  The old woman then furrowed her brows and asked, “How is Hui’er?” 

  Ming Qingda replied, “Her mood is better.” 

  Under the secret arrangements of the Eldest Princess, the Cui and Ming families had joined in marriage. Hui’er was a third generation of the Ming family, Ming Lanshi’s proper wife, Cui Zhiui. Although the leading figures survived under the protection of Yan Xiaoyi, the family was scattered and their wealth went with the wind. It was difficult for the new wife entering the Ming family to not feel frightened. Every day her face was awash with tears. 

  Finished speaking of these family matters, the matriarch pulled the topic back onto the proper track. She narrowed her eyes and said, “A while ago, the shopkeeper of Taiping money house came to say that the silver deposited was almost ready. But, a few days ago, you told me about Zhaoshang money house……what is that about? How come I’ve never heard of it?” 

  “I am a bit worried about Taiping money house,” Ming Qingda furrowed his brows and said. “I heard that Shi Chanli has taken a few large caches of silver from that money house. If the court, or imperial envoy have laid some kind of trap, I’m afraid things will go wrong when the time comes.” 

  He saw that his mother was deep in thought, so he continued, “Zhaoshang money house is a new one. They only started appearing in Dongyi last year. As you know, most money houses come out of Dongyi. I’ve had some people look into the shares and background supporting them, so it shouldn’t be a problem. I was thinking that if the palace treasury bidding is raised by the imperial envoy, our future cash flow needs to have a guarantee. Other than Taiping, we should leave another road.” 

  The matriarch opened her eyes and said with a cold smile, “What background do they have for you to trust them like this? Our family does the business of the palace treasury. We need silver like flowing water; how could a small money house have enough turnaround? Fan Xian’s trip to Jiangnan has played havoc with your thoughts……how immature.” 

  Ming Qingda felt a slight rage but maintained a slight smile. “Most importantly because their supporter is reliable. Guess who is behind that Zhaoshang money house?” 

  “Don’t play these game with me.” The old Ming matriarch stared with annoyance at her son. 

  Ming Qingda coughed a few times and said, “The investigation was clear. The majority of the shares of the Zhaoshang money house is property of the Shen family. The Northern Qi court pursued them relentlessly. The man who used to manage the Shen family accounts back then escaped to Dongyi, and then started doing this business.” 

  “The Shen family?” A spark of interest finally appeared in the old woman’s eyes. “Northern Qi’s arbitrator of the Discipline Commission, Shen Zhong?” 

  “Yes.” 

  She was silent for a while then laughed dryly. “The Northern Qi court raided the Shen family. The lady of the Shen family escaped, so there is a portion of the fortune that was never raided. Back in the day, Shen Zhong and the Cui family collaborated to control the smuggling from the palace treasury to Northern Qi. Who knows how much silver they saved away. If it is their family, this money house does have some wealth.” 

  “Most importantly, the true mountain behind the Zhaoshang money house is a powerful family in Dongyi.” Ming Qingda struck while the iron was hot. “Shen Zhong was killed by the Emperor of Northern Qi. It should have some connection to Sir Fan junior. Thus, Zhaoshang money house would certainly not work with the court or Northern Qi.” 

  \r \r \r 

  Other than the massive wealth hidden in the Ming family fields and manors, the silver they used to do business with was mostly all deposited in Taiping, and the stamp to move money from Taiping has always been in the hands of the Ming family matriarch. Ming Qingda only had the empty title as master of the Ming family. In reality, he was only a puppet. Who knew what his true intentions were today in recommending Zhaoshang money house to his mother. 

  It was difficult to tell whether or not the old matriarch noticed her son’s thoughts. Her smile instantly vanished and she said icily, “Did you not find out how much Shi Chanli can mobilize in Taiping?” 

  Ming Qingda felt a drop of cold sweat trickling down his back. He forced himself to be calm and replied, “I put some pressure on Taiping, and the old shopkeeper could only break the rules and give me an actual number. It is unclear where the money Shi Chanli can use is from. It should be the Fan family’s. The total amount should be around 50,000 liang.” 

  The old Ming matriarch only sneered coldly and did not speak as she stared at her son. 

  Ming Qingda became nervous. 

  After an indeterminable amount of time, she finally sighed and said, “Don’t rush to contact Zhaoshang for now. First, the silver Shi Chanli can move is not much. It is not enough to cause trouble for us at the bidding. Second, behind Taiping money house is that strange Sigu Jian person. What this money house values the most is trust. You had them break their rules because Sigu Jian needs the Ming family to deliver goods to Dongyi. If you turn around and flirt with Zhaoshang money house, how could they be comfortable in their hearts? Third, even if it is the Shen family money behind Zhaoshang money house, that is not much. Even if there is the big family, you said in Dongyi……but Dongyi is very chaotic. The so-called big family might be a pain in Sigu Jian’s side. Why should we offend Sigu Jian?” 

  Ming Qingda raised his head. It seemed like he had never thought his mother would speak to him so warmly. 

  The old matriarch finally came to a conclusion. “There can be some small interactions with Zhaoshang money house. As for the palace treasury, we must still use Taiping money house for the purpose of safety.” 

  Ming Qingda did not dare to say anymore. He always felt that behind his mother’s warmth was a knife that killed without showing blood. However, he felt unsatisfied in his heart. When doing business, it was important to put money in different places. How can everything be put in Taiping? 

  The judgments of the mother and son deviated a little from each other. It was this slight deviation that caused very troublesome matters. ……

  “If the imperial envoy can suffer us for a few years, then we will do as you intend and go on like this. If he……is set on condemning the Ming family to certain death, you know what should be done.” 

  Ming Qingda bowed and acknowledged his mother’s words. A moment of silence later, he said, “The Junshang conference begins next week; I’m worried there isn’t enough time.” 

  The matriarch looked at him coldly. “Killing is not a job to be rushed. As for the Junshang conference, the Ming family has nurtured the Jiangnan martial artists and protected them under the gaze of the court for many years. Shouldn’t they repay us in some way?” 

  The killing mentioned was about Fan Xian, and the Junshang Conference was certainly nothing like the Martial Conference Zou Lei had wanted to use to defeat Fan Xian. 

  Qing Kingdom had a so-called jianghu, but the real jianghu looked nothing like the stone stage beside West Lake. 

  There were so-called aces among the wilderness. No one knew in how many places the aces at the level the Jiangnan water bandits worshiped were hidden. 

  The Junshang Conference was where the so-called aces of the so-called jianghu truly gathered. The Junshang conference was never known by people, and no one knew just how powerful they were. 

  If Fan Xian truly wanted to exterminate the Ming family, a centuries-old large family, they would have ways to counterattack. The Shadow of the Sixth Bureau and the professional assassins were playing a game of hide and seek all over Jiangnan with the Dongyi swordsmen. The defensive power around Fan Xian was not as tight as it looked. 

  It was clear that Ming Qingda did not approve of this suggestion and mockingly said, “Someone that even Dongyi can’t kill? I don’t believe the Junshang Conference can do it. Besides, don’t forget, mother, the imperial envoy is a martial ace in his own right. He also has the Tiger Guards the Emperor gave him and, most importantly, that Northern Qi sage girl, Haitang, should also be around him.” 

  The old Ming matriarch looked pityingly at her own son. “Killing someone is to be done at all costs. It is not a game of looking at the possibilities of success. If other people want to kill our whole family and you are still considering whether or not you can kill the other party, then you will never have a chance to kill them.” 

  Qing Mingda gave a pained smile. “So what if we can kill Fan Xian? The Emperor will be angry; the world will be angry. Will we still be able to survive?” 

  “Naturally, it has to be done perfectly. We have to give the people under heaven a believable answer,” the old matriarch said coldly. “If we can kill Fan Xian, then it would be Dongyi’s Sigu Jian who did it. What does it have to do with us? Besides, Sigu Jian has already been a scapegoat for many things these years, so one more won’t matter.” 

  Ming Qingda mockingly said, “Perhaps this excuse can only fool ourselves. It won’t be able to fool the people under heaven. It will fool the Emperor and the Overwatch Council even less.” 

  “If we can kill Fan Xian, maintaining the peace would be best,” she said expressionlessly. “However, if such a day comes, I believe that our heroic Emperor of Qing Kingdom will not shake the foundations of his rule or the entirety of Jiangnan just for a dead illegitimate child. If the matter can be suppressed, the Emperor will be sure to do so.” 

  “One live Fan Xian is worth more than 10 Ming families, but 10 dead Fan Xians cannot compare to one broken Ming family. The Emperor does not like our family, but he cannot destroy us. So the Emperor hopes that Fan Xian will be able to bring us in good shape into the hands of the court……if you can understand this point, then I can hand this family to you with ease in my heart.” 

  A thread of hatred rose on the old matriarch’s face. “At that time, I will throw in this life of mine too.” 

  All sorts of feelings welled up in Ming Qingda. Crying, he said, “What nonsense are you saying, mother?” 

  He smiled coldly in his heart. The old woman had indeed become old. She saw the situation in a truly muddled way. If we acted as you intended and killed Fan Xian, how could the Emperor leave the Ming family alive? Throw in your life? Do you really think your old life is worth that much?

  Chapter 360: A Good Man With His Body In Suzhou And His Heart On All Under Heaven 

  Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio 

  Shi Chanli walked out of Zhuyuan Restaurant and let out a breath as he wiped away beads of sweat from his forehead. The building behind him was being renovated. It would still some time before the opening. The process of expanding Baoyue Brothel into Jiangnan had been going smoothly, except some problems occurred when buying girls in Suzhou the past two days. Although using the power of the Third Prince to dig out girls from their colleagues had gone well, he did not find many outstanding ones. 

  Every time he thought of this matter, Shi Chanli got a bit of a headache. Jiangnan women were beautiful; they were famous for it. How come he could not find any decent looking girls? Was someone hiding them? He originally had other options. He had gone to a broker, but the girls the old broker woman had shown him were pitiful children from Jiangbei escaping disaster. Although she said the parents were selling them, she could not produce their deeds. Shi Chanli could not bring himself to buy them. He was also afraid that Fan Xian would be angry. 

  Thinking about his teacher made Shi Chanli’s head hurt even more. He truly had no idea what that young master was thinking. Arriving back from the palace treasury the day before yesterday, he plunged himself head first into the garden of the manor the salt merchant lent them and stayed behind closed doors. He didn’t seem to have made preparations for the opening bidding of the palace treasury. 

  Shi Chanli was wearing a thick cotton robe. Although he now had the identity of a merchant, he could not put away the scholarly mannerisms a dozen years of cold bitter studying had instilled in him. His hands touched the smooth walls of the carriage, but he didn’t get in. 

  The guards beside the carriage looked at him curiously. 

  Countless people walked by the carriage. On this wide street in Suzhou with endless horses and carriages, Shi Chanli’s mind suddenly wandered. He gazed at the Jiangnan commoners, whose expressions were happy and peaceful, and furrowed his brows slightly. Thinking back over the events of this year, he felt a few extra threads of fear concerning the choices he had made. 

  He thought about what Yan Wanli said in Hangzhou. Although the people accepted Fan Xian as their leader and determinedly stepped toward an unknown future, Shi Cahnli was not the same as those three classmates. His desire for an official career had already dulled. He had begun to manage some secretive things for Fan Xian and knew some secret information. He more and more felt that Fan Xian was difficult to understand. People like himself wanted to help the world and nurture the people, but what exactly was his teacher thinking? 

  He understood that one of the reasons for the Baoyue Brothel expansion was so that outside of the Overwatch Council, Fan Xian would have a second way of finding information. A more important purpose was for the convenience of Fan Xian laundering money. Perhaps all that the teacher did was for a kind purpose. In the process to achieve this purpose, much had to be sacrificed—the lives of innocents, the scholar’s tradition of righteousness, the……conscience everyone should have. 

  Shi Chanli knew that Fan Xian was still a powerful official and not the good official of his dreams. However, he knew even more that if one wanted to be a good official to be remembered in the annals of history, grabbing power was necessary. In this process, the word “good” would seem too stupid. 

  This was a difficult quandary in philosophy. Shi Chanli was trapped within it and could not find any answer. He could only climb silently into the carriage and put his bet on the trust he had in his teacher. 

  The carriage headed toward Taiping money house. Shi Chanli had been moving money from there to be used all around. The full 50,000 liang of silver truly scared him a little. Sir Fan junior perhaps had a bit too much silver. He only hoped that once he had sufficient power and money resources, he would remember what he had thought earlier and do something for the world. ……

  “I am very clear about what I am doing.” Fan Xian’s expression was calm as he looked at Yang Wanli in front of him. After returning to Suzhou from the palace treasury, he had transferred Yang Wanli over. Although according to the rules, Yang Wanli could not leave his post on his own. Fan Xian was one who gave absurd orders. With the identity of an imperial envoy, he thought the officials of Fuchun County and Shangzhou would not dare to point the finger of blame toward Yang Wanli. 

  Yang Wanli sighed and said, “Teacher, I am just worried that the officialdom is dangerous and very able to lure people in with extravagance and power……” 

  Although he didn’t finish what he was saying, his meaning was clear. 

  Of Fan Xian’s four students, the one he liked best was Yang Wanli because he spoke straightforwardly and never forgot the bitterness of his childhood. He was always upright, plainspoken and honest, and had self-control. He was also a strange one. Although Fan Xian was not an honest official, this did not stop his appreciation of honest officials. Even though Shi Chanli was honest and bright in his heart, he could only keep things sealed inside it. As for the other two, Cheng Jialin sought too much of the ordinary. It was only Hou Jichang, a talent who was equally famous back in the day as He Zongwei, whose thoughts were sharp. He was indeed a good choice for getting things done. It was a pity that he was in another province, and Fan Xian could not use him for a while. 

  He waved his hand to stop Yang Wanli’s excessive worries and smiled. “My nature is determined. Why do I need you to worry? Don’t always worry that I am sliding into evil and have become so used to darkness I cannot stand to see the light.” 

  Yang Wanli paused slightly and remembered what kind of person his teacher was. How could he be so useless? Perhaps his own worries were a little over the top. 

  “Money is only a tool,” Fan Xian said. “For those of a greedy nature, they always need money to obtain some kind of physical or mental excitement. But for someone who has enough money, being greedy……if it is not to count the money, then it must be for some purpose.” 

  Yang Wanli shook his head and said, “Insatiable greed. There is too much of this in the world.” Although Fan Xian often jumped out with some strange words, Yang Wanli had already gotten used to it. He could understand the basic meaning anyway. 

  “It’s not like I am a eunuch,” Fan Xian laughed and said. “I have no particular love for things like silver.” 

  Yang Wanli gave a pained smile. If you did not love silver, then why use Shi Chanli’s name to run a brothel? Particularly the move this time targeting the Ming family and the palace treasury. It is very clearly about intercepting silver, and when it comes time to hand it back to the court, how much will there be? 

  Fan Xian ignored his student’s unspoken criticism. “I have called you here this time because there are some matters I need to tell you about.” 

  Although Yang Wanli did not approve of some of the methods Fan Xian used, and had some conflicting emotions in his heart, he always carried out Fan Xian’s instructions with great diligence—as long as they did not break the law. 

  He saw Fan Xian’s serious expression and thought it was about government affairs, so he changed the way he referred to Fan Xian and said in a serious voice, “Please give me your orders.” 

  Fan Xian glanced at him and said with some consideration, “There will an appointment from the capital very soon, moving you to the Ministry of Works. I am letting you know ahead of time in case you are confused later.” 

  Yang Wanli was surprised to hear this and was indeed confused. He had been doing well in Fuchun County. Following the convention, he would be able to enter the provincial government next year. Not only was his official career going well, this was also the proper path. Although he was an honest man, he did understand the disputes in the officialdom. Of course he understood why, after the spring examinations, teacher had the three of them enter various provinces and counties rather than finding ways to stay in the various ministries in Jingdou. 

  Because the Fan family’s power in Jingdou was sufficiently strong and solid, they needed more help from outside counties. This was the reason Yang Wanli had been sent to Fuchun Country. 

  Hearing now that he was going to be transferred to the Ministry of Works, Yang Wanli could not understand why this was so. Given his ranking, he could help his teacher do some things outside of the capital. After he returned to the capital, his office would below. He wouldn’t even have the opportunity to speak. He wondered what deeper meaning there was behind his teacher’s arrangement. 

  Seeing his confusion, Fan Xian gently explained, “By convention, when moving from a regional post into the Ministry of Works, your ranking will go up half a level. Don’t think that this is my interference. As for why I am having you enter the Ministry of Works, you don’t need to guess anymore.” 

  Yang Wanli nodded with confusion. 

  “There are four departments under the Ministry of Works.” Fan Xian stared into his eyes. “When making new policies during the first year of the Qing calendar, the Water Department was changed to the Clear Water Department……this time, the department you are entering is the Clear Water Department.” 

  Yang Wanli opened his mouth slightly. He could guess what his teacher was planning to do. His delicate face flushed bright red. “Sir, although it takes a great deal of silver to fix the riverbanks, this money……cannot be moved.” 

  Fan Xian was startled. Shortly after he laughed and cursed, “What kind of pig head do you have? Have all the cursing in Hangzhou not awakened you?” 

  Only now did Yang Wanli get his sense back. If teacher wanted to take silver, why would he ignore Jiangnan’s Ming family and the palace treasury right in front of him and stretch his hand into the repairs of the riverbank. He must have thought wrong, and he sighed repeatedly with embarrassment. 

  Fan Xian glared at him in bad humor then sighed and said, “You need to change your rude and impetuous temperament. It’s fine in front of me, but after you enter the Ministry of Works and face the sly and cunning officials like this, how can I let you go with assurance?” 

  Yang Wanli clenched his teeth and said, “I will listen to teacher’s words. I will be steadier and calmer in the future. Please give your instructions.” 

  Fan Xian was silent for a while. He slowly raised his head and stared at Yang Wanli’s. He stared until Yang Wanli began to feel uncomfortable before evenly saying, “The Clear Water Department in the capital is responsible for auditing the silver the court disperses along the river for necessary repairs. The amount is very large, particularly since the banks of the Yangtze River burst last year killing and injuring countless people. This year, as long as the national treasury has a slight turn for the better, the Emperor will certainly spend sufficient silver. I am sending you to the Clear Water Department in the capital so that you can keep an eye on this silver. 

  Yang Wanli was frozen in his chair and didn’t recover his wits for a while. River repairs? Riverbanks bursting? Flooding? Silver like a flood? Everyone knew that the river transport was one of the most money-consuming matters concerning the country’s well-being and people’s livelihoods. Particularly in Qing Kingdom these dozen years, every year the rivers are repaired, and every year the banks burst. Silver flowed into it like a flood and never made a sound. 

  On one hand, it was the heavens not giving them any face. On the other, it was manmade disaster. From Jingdou to the Ministry of Works, then from the manor of the governor of river transport down to the various officials, who knew how much silver was scooped out of this massive amount of silver. The disaster of corruption was more than that of the floodwaters. 

  Naturally, the Emperor knew of this matter. Four years ago the banks of Yangtze River burst and a thorough investigation by the Overwatch Council was done. It was said that when the court killed that governor of the river transport, the accumulated wealth in his family held back the country and the supporting mountain behind him was the empress dowager. However, despite the Qing Emperor’s ruthless killing, it could not stop the corruption among the river works. The position of governor of river transport had remained empty four years, with no one to take over. 

  In addition to that, the returns of the palace treasury had gotten worse each year. They were fighting a battle on two fronts. The national treasury was empty, and the irrigation facilities on the two banks of the Yangtze River were old and in need of repairs. This then caused the terrifying consequences last year that were brought on by the banks of the river bursting. 

  How could he deal with a problem that even the Emperor could not completely solve? 

  This reality did not allow Yang Wanli to be stupid, he knew himself. Perhaps he had the capability to govern a county or a province, but to govern a river? That involved the lives and deaths of tens of thousands of people under heaven. He did not dare to make such a boast. 

  He bowed before Fan Xian in terror and tried to reject the position. 

  Fan Xian looked at him and shook his head. “What are you panicked about? I am just sending you to watch the silver. It’s not like I’m having you go fill in the dirt on the river.” 

  “To ensure the safety of the Yangtze, why should I be afraid of filling in dirt on the river?” Yang Wanli said with a pained smile. “Since teacher has thought of river work, then you know that this matter is a great responsibility. If anything is even slightly wrong, it is a tragedy that will drown tens of thousands of people. I cannot dare to accept.” 

  Fan Xian smiled coldly and said, “Didn’t you want to be an official that goes down in the history books? I am asking you to go to the darkest nest of the most corrupt officials in the Qing Kingdom, and you don’t dare to go?” 

  Yang Wanli’s face flushed red, and he slowly lowered his head. 

  Fan Xian did not say anymore and just looked at him coldly. 

  After a long while, Yang Wanli finally lifted his head bravely. He clenched his teeth and said, “As you wish.” In his heart he thought that even if he was sinisterly killed in the river transport yamen, he could at least help. Just as his teacher said, since one is working for the benefit of the world, what was the purpose of holding onto oneself? 

  Approval flashed through Fan Xian’s eyes. “He who is not afraid of death by a thousand cuts dares to unhorse the……ahem, governor.” 

  Yang Wanli froze, thinking that the sentence was a little strange. 

  Fan Xian hid his smile and said, “Furthermore, right now the position of river transport governor is empty. With the Fan family and Overwatch Council watching you……Even though the river transport yamen is deep like a dragon pond, if those corrupt officials want to use insidious methods to get rid of you, they’ll have to see if I agree.” 

  Yang Wanli thought about it. That’s right! He has his teacher, this giant mountain, why would he be afraid of what they could do? His heart turned around quickly. An eager-to-try spirit rose on his face, as if he was preparing to rush back to Jingdou right now and report, and then hurry to the banks of Yangtze River to watch the court’s silver and see if it was being spent where needed. 

  Looking at his expression, Fan Xian couldn’t resist laughing. Shortly after he became serious and said, “But there is one thing you must remember well.” 

  “Please instruct me.” 

  “You can only manage the silver. You cannot manage the river work.” Fan Xian looked at him severely. 

  Yang Wanli was a little startle. He thought repairing the river was good for the country and, why could he not do it? 

  Fan Xian stared into his eyes and said seriously, “The river repairs will naturally be done by the professionals in the Ministry of Works. You just have to ensure that the silver is being spent on the proper things. You cannot interfere with the river work. In this world, the scariest thing is when amateurs manage professionals. Do you think repairing the river is as simple as building the river banks higher?” 

  \r \r \r 

  An expression of “what else would it be?” rose to Yang Wanli’s face. 

  Fan Xian sighed in his heart and warned, “I am sending you to the Ministry of Works only because of your honesty and sincerity, and inability to turn a blind eye, not because I value your less-than smattering amount of ability to govern a river.” 

  He saw that although Yang Wanli had accepted it, he still did not seem to have really taken it to heart. Fan Xian then laughed coldly and said, “Don’t think that my words are a joke……Yang Wanli, you listen to me carefully!” 

  Yang Wanli unconsciously stood up. 

  Fan Xian stared at him and said each word carefully, “If I hear that you dare to criticize or instruct on matters of specific river repairs, if you dare to use my name to give out random ideas……I will immediately send people to have you broken into 36 pieces.” 

  Yang Wanli shivered under Fan Xian’s chilly gaze. He knew that his teacher serious about his instructions. He quickly adjusted his attitude and accepted it sincerely. 

  The two discussed some more about the details after he took the post, such as the matter of who to trust in the river transport yamen. It was at this time that Fan Xian believed Yang Wanli was not as simple-minded as he previously thought. For the matter he handed down, he should be able to solve it smoothly. Fan Xian then began to talk about the purpose of their meeting today. 

  “I am having you go to the Clear Water Department in the capital not because I expect you to get rid of the old winds of corruption in the river works,” Fan Xian said thoughtfully. “The Overwatch Council has plenty of spies over there, but there are too many officials with too deep connections to the court. Moving one person moves the whole. It’s not easy to deal with.” 

  Although Yang Wanli was slightly surprised, he had learned to be clever and did not ask questions. He listened silently. 

  “The silver the court sends to Yangtze……in the end, will never be enough,” Fan Xian said mockingly. “It doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not, but in the end the situation will always become like this. Even if the Emperor sends down 2 million liang of silver, the Ministry of Revenue will still say it is not enough.” 

  “Originally, if we planned this slowly, there was still a chance to turn this situation around.” Fan Xian narrowed his eyes. “Only there is not enough time. Last year the Yangtze burst its banks and destroyed a number of dams, further weakening the old and unrepaired defenses and irrigation facilities on the sides of the bank. When the water dried up in the winter last year, it was the perfect opportunity to repair the river, however, it just happened that the national treasury was empty at that time……so what will we do this year?” 

  “If it doesn’t flood this year, then the Qing Kingdom is fortunate.” He smiled coldly, “If there is another flood, it won’t be held back. The matter of the river works still depend on those officials, and so it is not appropriate for the Overwatch Council to make many major moves.” 

  At this moment, Yang Wanli faintly sensed that while his teacher’s body was in Suzhou, his heart was on all the people under heaven. He felt his heart warm and probingly asked, “The national treasury did not mobilize enough silver, furthermore, it is already spring. Even if we can make it past the spring floods, more silver will still be needed.” 

  “This is the real reason I am sending you to the Ministry of Works,” Fan Xian said calmly. “I will pull together a huge sum of silver. Part of it will enter the national treasury through the Ministry of Revenue and then be transferred to the river transport yamen. But as I said earlier, it will be siphoned off along the road, and I don’t know how much will be left. Most importantly, I am worried that there won’t be enough time, so I will directly transfer another portion of the silver to the river transport yamen with you taking charge.” 

  Yang Wanli paled with shock. The large amount of silver that Fan Xian spoke off must be a terrifying amount and most likely from the palace treasury. Only, this silver should, logically speaking, belong to the palace treasury and shifted to the national treasury by edict of the Emperor. To directly shirt the silver as Fan Xian said……on the lighter end was using national funds privately, on the heavier end, it was not that different from rebellion. 

  “Time is too tight,” Fan Xian said helplessly, “In the past, moving the silver uses up half a year. At that rate……my god, the Yangtze would have burst its banks long ago. Bureaucracy kills.” 

  Yang Wanli knew that Fan Xian was certainly not doing such a dangerous and non-beneficial thing in a life-threatening way for his own gain. He truly wanted to urge the matter of repairing the river onto the right track. Although Yang Wanli felt moved, he was still worried about his teacher. He anxiously urged, “Sir, you must do this carefully. If someone were to find out……then what will we do?” 

  Fan Xian smiled and said, “What are you afraid of? Could the Emperor bear to have me killed?” 

  Yang Wanli thought about it and realized this was indeed the case. Although the source of this silver could not be explained, as long as it was used on river works and not privately hoarded, why would the Emperor not forgive his own son? 

  “Where is the silver from?” he asked carefully. In reality, he knew very well that the source of the silver was certainly somewhere shady. But if he didn’t ask, he would always feel uneasy. 

  “Swindled and stolen. I am one who lives to eat up rich families.” Fan Xian smiled. “The opening bid for the palace treasury is about to start. You don’t have to worry about the silver. The important thing is to use this silver well. The Fourth Bureau of the Overwatch Council will help you deal with specific matters, and there will be people in the Ministry of Works who will help you conceal it. You don’t need to overly worry.” 

  Hearing these words, Yang Wanli understood that this large amount of silver must be channeled into the river works through unusual channels. Naturally, it needed the higher levels of the court to turn a blind eye. Perhaps the main schemer behind all this was his teacher’s father, the always silent Minister of Revenue. 

  “I will have more and more silver,” Fan Xian sighed and said. “There will be more each year. Right now I am not worried about how to earn money, but how to spend money, and spend it happily.” 

  These words were a bit of an exaggeration. He had not yet tricked the Ming family silver into his hands, but he was already thinking about how to spend it. This matter couldn’t help but be a bit absurd. 

  “The governor position of the river transport has been empty four years,” Fan Xian smiled slightly and said to his most stubborn student. “I hope that in the near future, you will be the Qing Kingdom’s river transport governor, and the first……not corrupt river transport governor in history.” 

  Yang Wanli stood upright and unafraid. A sun rose in his chest, and he felt bold and unconstrained. ……

  The reason Suzhou’s silver was being transferred into river works was to take advantage of time—trying to get in before the autumn floods to make the minimal amount of repairs to the heavily damaged river banks. Yang Wanli would not stay. He quickly said his farewells and left. He had to return to Fuchun County to explain, then enter the capital to report, then he had to double back to the river transport yamen. These tens of thousands of li [JW1] indeed needed him to rush around and work hard. 

  Fan Xian sat comfortably in his chair and waited for the person who was going to arrive. 

  After a short wait, Haitang pushed opened the doors and came in. She looked at Fan Xian like an immortal and only said, after a moment of silence, “The question is, where did you get all this silver from?” 

  “Tomorrow, the bidding opens of the palace treasury,” Fan Xian smiled and said. “If Xia Qifei is not an idiot, he will certainly be able to raise the price an appropriate amount. Forty percent as deposit is not a small sum. Since the Ming family is so kindly offering the silver to be held at the transport company with both hands, I’ll have to spend it so as to not let down the Ming family.” 

  Haitang shook her head and said, “There is already an Imperial Censorate here from the capital, and the Jiangnan governor will send someone to watch from the sides. You won’t be able to move much of this stash of silver. Even if Xia Qifei manages to take over the Cui family routes, it will require at least seven months for the goods to turn into silver cash.” 

  Fan Xian smiled as he looked at the girl. “In any case, the goods are being shipped north, and your Emperor will send out the silver. Furthermore, I am holding enough silver here at the transport company yamen. After the matter is settled, I will transfer money from Taiping money house to use for now. I think you all won’t mind too much.” 

  Haitang was slightly startled but gave a pained smile shortly after. “This is not a bad idea. After seven months you’ll have to be able to repay. However, the Emperor does not know of your arrangements. Besides, using the many years of hard-earned silver from my Northern Qi court to repair the river banks of your South Kingdom……there is no way this makes sense, right?” 

  Not only did this matter not make sense, if the intelligent young Emperor of Northern Qi knew that Fan Xian was doing such a thing, he would probably vomit blood in anger. 

  Fan Xian spread his hands and looked at Haitang. Bemoaning the state of the universe and pitying the fate of mankind, he said, “Duoduo, you once said, ‘all the people under heaven are loved by heaven. We must treat everyone equally.’ If the Yangtze bursts its banks and the people who drown are those of my South Kingdom, are they not people? Do you have the heart to see this scene happen? The silver of the Northern Qi court. The silver of the Ming family. The silver of the court……are these not all the people’s silver? I am just taking a huge risk to use it on the people under heaven. What is wrong with that?” 

  Haitang smiled slightly and nodded. “There is nothing from with using the people’s silver on the people. Only, if Northern Qi has natural disasters in the future, I hope that Sir Fan will not be miserly with his support.” 

  Fan Xian didn’t even think about it before smiling and saying, “Naturally.” 

  Haitang did not seem to expect him to answer so quickly. She couldn’t help pausing for a moment. She didn’t know if the other party really thought this way or if he was just saying it without much thought. After all, those people who truly had no sense of nation……was too rare. 

  Haitang shook her head and said, “Let’s not talk about the matter of silver for now, but what you did today truly surprised me. I have seen too many corrupt and powerful officials, but I never thought you would use the money you took from corruption and use it on this matter.” 

  Fan Xian slowly raised his head and gave a sly smile. “Is it difficult to understand? It’s actually very easy to understand……it is just like what I said to Wanli earlier. Money is just a tool. It is only a method to obtain happiness in life and in your heart. Earning money is difficult, and spending money is even more difficult. How do you spend it comfortably? Some people like to buy horses. Some people like to buy beautiful woman. Some buy manors and become landlords. Some like to buy official positions.” 

  “And all these, for me, are all too simple matters,” Fan Xian continued. “Since I am going to spend money to buy happiness, then I will spend the largest amount of silver to buy the world’s biggest happiness.” 

  “Your own happiness……everyone’s happiness……enjoy happiness?” Fan Xian began to use Mencius’ teachings to educate Haitang. 

  Haitang smiled slightly and said, “In the end, you still just want your life to be better. Just like what you wrote in your letter before. You wish that this world could be a little more perfect, so your life in it would be a little more comfortable.” 

  “Correct,” Fan Xian smiled and said. “Even if I have a life of luxury, with wealth and power, if one day the country collapses and the people die, how will I enjoy life? Even if I raise my voice to sing, with beauties to accompany me as I travel the world without carrying a shred of a cloud, but my body is hungry and rotting with black crows pecking at food, how could I be happy? To raise a dog to bite people and to laugh, this is a hedonistic lifestyle with no character. I cannot find joy in that.” 

  He finally came to a conclusion. “If one person is happy and tens of thousands are not, that is not good……if everyone is happy, then that is truly good.” ……

  Haitang stared at his eyes and suddenly couldn’t resist shaking her head. “I really can’t tell which words are true and which are false. Just what kind of person are you exactly?” 

  Fan Xian thought about it and then said with great sincerity, “Why does no one believe, I am……actually a good person.” 

  Haitang lowered her head, hiding her eyes that were as clear as lake water. In a quiet voice she said, “A good person……tomorrow the bidding opens of the palace treasury. Do you plan to keep being a good person?” 

  Fan Xian’s expression calmed. “Sometimes, not only am I not a good person, I am even a bad person. A murderous dictator. However, these two sides are not conflicting.” 

  Haitang did not continue this topic and seemed to ask very casually, “These two mornings, you’ve began to cultivate again. Has the condition of your zhenqi improved?” 

  Actually, he had begun in Hangzhou beside West Lake. Every day at dawn and dusk, during his routine meditation, he had begun to recover. However, for some unknown reason, he was unconsciously hiding from Haitang, as if there was something he was hiding from the other. 

  Haitang asked him to his face, but Fan Xian did not agree, he only smiled and shook his head. 

  Haitang smiled shallowly and asked again, “Your argument on spending money earlier was very new. However, there are many injustices and suffering people who are waiting for help. Why did you choose river works as your first project?” 

  “There will be benevolent courts gradually opening in various locations,” Fan Xian said calmly. “The court will think of ways to settle the refugees around Jiangbei. I discussed this matter with the Emperor before. I must hold at least part of the palace treasury’s silver in my hands, and then use it to do some appropriate things.” 

  “Is this the wish of some elder?” Haitang asked. 

  Fan Xian smiled and did not say anything, 

  “You still haven’t answered me. Why did you choose river works for your first project?” 

  A picture, for no reason, rose in his head. On the picture was a beautiful woman in a yellow coat. She was standing on a rock mountain beside the banks of the river. She watched with worry as she looked at the aggressive and dragon-like flood waters; she watched the hard-working commoners on the other bank. 

  “Go rest first,” he said in a gentle voice. “Tomorrow, when the palace treasury opens, there will be a battle to fight.” 

  [JW1]The name “Wanli” has the same characters as “tens of thousands of miles,” so it is a pun on his name.