Qiang Jin Jiu (Author : Tang Jiuqing 唐酒卿)

Chapter 89 : Thunder

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Ge Qingqing had been out of the capital for a little less than half a month. The Xi Clan’s money vaults that were opened one after another all turned up empty, but the good thing was that the stores in the various regions could be managed by Xi Dan. Coupled with the four million silvers he had gotten earlier, Shen Zechuan did not end up totally empty-handed with nothing to show for. 

The two million that had been transported via the Northeast Provisions Bridle Path in the fourth month had already arrived at Cizhou. When the letter was delivered back to Qudu, it was directly handed over to Shen Zechuan right from Ding Tao’s hands.  

Shen Zechuan wiped his sweat. Before he opened it, he waved to Xiao Chiye, who was similarly drenched in sweat. Xiao Chiye took off his clothes and went inside to take a bath. He said from the other side of the screen, “Just read it out to me.” 

Shen Zechuan read out the letter. Xiao Jiming had been brief and concise in his message, which was that the silver had arrived in Cizhou without a hitch, and the army provisions for Libei’s Armored Cavalry this summer and autumn had also arrived at the warehouse.

“Jiang Qingshan was transferred to Zhongbo to take up the post of the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Zhongbo. Then was this batch of army provisions prepared by someone else?” 

Xiao Chiye took a quick bath. As he wiped himself, he said, “It was jointly prepared by the Assistant Administration Commissioner of Juexi, Yang Cheng, and the subordinated Vice Prefects along with the various Juexi Vice Magistrates. They are all old hands under Jiang Qingshan’s command, and they are the fastest when it comes to the past preparation of the military provisions.” 

Shen Zechuan set down the letter on the desk. He wanted to say that since it had not been through Jiang Qingshan’s inspection, then the military provisions should still be properly inspected before distribution. But he thought the better of it when it came to his mind that Xiao Chiye was not managing Libei’s military affairs. Xiao Jiming should know the ins and outs of this matter; there was no need for an outsider like him to interfere, so he dropped it and did not bring it up again.    

Xiao Chiye draped on a dark-colored wide-sleeved robe over his inner garment. He could hold his own against these solemn colors. Even with it hanging loosely over his shoulders, he cut an imposing figure. He drank a cup of tea that had gone cold when he came out and said, “Gu Jin went to the Xue Residence to check it up last night. Teacher and Shifu are most likely detained in one of the lofts.” 

“Common places aren’t able to trap shifu.” Shen Zechuan touched the brush. “I want to see it for myself.” 

“If someone as vigilant and wary as him were to discover it and transfer Teacher and Shifu to another place, then we will be looking for a needle in a haystack.” Xiao Chiye removed the crown for Shen Zechuan. “I’ve already called for men to take turns to keep the periphery of the Xue’s Residence under surveillance. We have to think of a safer method.” 

“There’s still one thing I can’t figure out.” Shen Zechuan let Xiao Chiye comb his hair for him. That clumsy back and forth was not at all like the Second Young Master. “How exactly did he empty out the Xi Clan’s money vaults? Ge Qingqing did not find out anything in Qinzhou either.” 

Xiao Chiye cast a glance at Shen Zechuan in the mirror and said, “Can’t figure it out? I already did.” 

Shen Zechuan looked at him.

“We know that four million silvers you got are all subjected to inspections at the various regions’ checkpoints as long as they are transported through a trade route, regardless of whether it was by land or water. He must have this concern too, so there’s no point checking the trade routes.” Even as Xiao Chiye spoke, his hands did not remain idle. He weaved a little braid the width of a finger for Shen Zechuan and slowly continued, “The governmental posts Xue Xiuzhuo holds in successive order are all important positions. A Chief Supervising Secretary audits the accounts in the various regions, and when it’s close to the Banquet of A Hundred Officials, he no doubt has to have dealings with the Transport Office. The Transport Office is responsible for the management of the local taxes paid out to the imperial court. It can’t get any more convenient for him to enter and exit Qudu if he smuggles the silvers in between.”