New Policies in Sichuan

Chapter 10, First Thread

The cry of "This humble commoner can bear witness!" rang out loudly at the gate of the granary.

The noise was so loud that even a gray sparrow that had been nestling peacefully on the granary beams fluttered out and circled halfway around the door, as if it wanted to see just how many shameful things Qingcheng County could still reveal today.

Meng Xuanzhe stood in the warehouse, his gaze falling on the man.

He was in his forties, with tanned skin, thick arms, and broad shoulders—clearly a laborer who carried sacks and drove carts year-round. His clothes were old, and his trousers were still covered in mud. When he knelt on the ground, his knees landed heavily, indicating that it wasn't just a momentary impulse, but rather something he had been holding back for a long time.

Meng Xuanzhe had seen many people like this in his previous life.

He might not be willing to write a complaint in public.

Even if you asked him to speak to an official, he might not dare.

But if he really lets go of that fear, it's often more effective than those flowery complaints.

Because what they say is usually not pretty, but it's very true.

"What's your name?" Meng Xuanzhe asked.

"This humble citizen, Zhao Heiniu, is from Xiliu Village in Qingcheng. I usually transport grain for several grain shops and granaries in the city..." The man paused, seemingly realizing he had been a bit too blunt, a hint of annoyance flashing across his face. But then he gritted his teeth, "Your Highness, I'm not making baseless accusations. Last autumn, I personally witnessed the grain in the official granaries. It entered through the east gate sealed with official granary seals, and two days later, when it left, it had become a cart belonging to Fenghe Grain Shop in the south of the city!"

Upon hearing this, there was another series of soft gasps from inside and outside the warehouse.

Good guy.

This isn't just a matter of "something being missing from the granary"; it's a charade orchestrated by the official granary and the grain merchants.

Zhou Ling'an's face turned even paler on the spot, as if someone had applied a new layer of paint to his skin.

Lu Yuanfeng stood behind, but his eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly.

It's very light.

It was so light that if Meng Xuanzhe hadn't been paying close attention to him, he would have almost missed it.

Fenghe Grain Store.

Upon hearing the name, the first to react were not the county magistrate or the granary official, but the wealthy man surnamed Lu, who smiled the most like a benevolent person.

interesting.

Meng Xuanzhe's mind skipped a beat, but he didn't rush to chase after them. He just looked at Zhao Heiniu and said, "You only saw the cart coming out of the official granary, and you assumed it went into the grain store?"

Zhao Heiniu nodded vigorously: "I recognize both the cart and the people. I know Old Zhou, the driver; he's been running the grain route for over ten years, and he's missing a corner on the right side of the cart shaft. And the two men escorting the cart, one is called Liu San, and the other is missing half a little finger on his left hand—I've had drinks with them twice at the tavern south of the city, I know them all!"

This testimony is no longer trivial.

The fact that he can recognize cars, people, and fingers shows that this matter has been on his mind for quite some time.

Gu Chengyan was scribbling notes beside him, his pen moving so fast it seemed to fly.

Gao Chengli's eyelids twitched as he looked at it.

He originally thought that once the warehouse doors were opened, at most a few warehouse officials would be arrested and a few fake accounts would be recovered. Who knew that as soon as three warehouses were opened, someone outside took the initiative to jump out and point the clues directly to the grain stores in the city.

This situation is no longer just a matter of "something going wrong with the local warehouse".

This means that someone is taking money, rice, and even lives out of the official granaries.

Inside the warehouse, Feng Si, who was kneeling, trembled on the spot when he saw Zhao Heiniu speak, and lowered his head even further.

Meng Xuanzhe did not miss this action.

He felt more at ease.

When someone is wrongly accused, the most common reaction is to rush to shout "I didn't!" But if there really is a ghost, when he hears someone else pull the thread correctly, his first reaction is often not to argue, but to be afraid.

Feng Si is afraid right now.

"Zhao Heiniu," Meng Xuanzhe continued, "since you saw the grain carts from the official granary entering the grain store, why didn't you report it at the time?"

A look of shame and bitterness appeared on Zhao Heiniu's face.

"Your Highness..." He swallowed hard. "I'm just a cart puller. Who would I report to? And even if I did, would they believe me? Besides... that time I asked a few more questions, and the next day someone blocked the village entrance, saying that if I kept watching what I shouldn't be watching, I wouldn't be able to drive my cart in Qingcheng anymore."

As he said this, a hint of ruthlessness appeared in his eyes.

"I am not afraid of hardship, but I have an old mother and children at home. If I lose my way to make a living, I will have no choice but to eat dirt. But last night there was a commotion at the soup kitchen near the city gate. My sister-in-law was there too. When she came back, she said that His Highness the Crown Prince went to the pot himself and even held down the guards, so I came."

As soon as he said this, a few low murmurs arose in the crowd.

Someone whispered, "It's the one who distributed porridge at the Crown Prince's Palace last night..."

"It really was the Crown Prince himself who came."

"No wonder he dared to say that."

Hearing these rustling sounds, Meng Xuanzhe felt no pride; instead, he gained a clearer understanding of the situation.

It's not that people don't want to tell the truth.

Most of the time, telling the truth is useless and will only get you beaten.

You have to let them see it first; once the truth is out, someone will follow.

The atmosphere outside the warehouse door changed noticeably the moment Zhao Heiniu spoke.

The crowd, which had initially just been watching the spectacle, now started to actually push forward—not to see who would suffer, but to see if anyone in Qingcheng County dared to completely expose the truth today.

Meng Xuanzhe turned around and looked at the rows of sealed grain bins in the warehouse, then glanced at Feng Si and the other warehouse officials.

"Gu Chengyan".

"Your subject is here."

"Make a separate record of what Zhao Heiniu just said and have him sign it."

"Yes."

Upon hearing the word "signature," Zhao Heiniu not only didn't panic, but instead puffed out his chest, adopting a "since I've already spoken, I'll admit it to the end" attitude.

Meng Xuanzhe then turned to Sun Kuo: "Pick two more literate soldiers from outside and have them memorize the location of Fenghe Grain Store for me. Don't make a fuss, just make sure they recognize the entrance, the carriages, and the warehouse."

Sun Kuo clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general obeys the order."

Lu Yuanfeng's eye twitched again.

This time, it's much more obvious than before.

Meng Xuanzhe saw this and already had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

But he didn't rush to expose it, and just casually asked, "Master Lu?"

Lu Yuanfeng immediately stepped forward, his smile remaining relatively composed: "This humble subject is here."

"You were standing outside just now, and you seemed quite moved by the name 'Fenghe Grain Store'?" Meng Xuanzhe asked softly.

Lu Yuanfeng's heart skipped a beat, but he dared not show it on his face. He quickly smiled and said, "Your Highness is joking. Fenghe Grain Store is a large and reputable company in this county. Although I do some business, I inevitably have some dealings with them. I was quite surprised to hear someone mention it today."

That was a very good answer.

There was some contact, but not deep; I was surprised, but unaware of the details.

This is a very standard sales pitch for self-preservation.

Meng Xuanzhe said "Oh," and didn't pursue the matter further. He simply smiled and said, "That's perfect. If I need to inquire about Fenghe Grain Store later, Master Lu will surely be able to save me a lot of trouble."

Lu Yuanfeng almost lost his smile for a moment.

This sounds polite, but it actually puts him in a very difficult position.

Didn't you say we were in contact? Okay, then I'll come find you later.

If you push it further, it's not "having contact" anymore, it's "being haunted".

Gao Chengli watched from the side, speechless with astonishment.

He now understood that His Highness had a problem when investigating matters—he didn't like to alert the enemy.

He liked to first surround the snake's nest, then slowly ask, "Will you come out yourself, or should I poke it with a stick?"

That's scary.

And it's very effective.

At this moment, Zhou Ling'an finally caught his breath and took a step forward, trying to stall the situation.

"Your Highness," he chuckled dryly, "the words of a mere porter may not be entirely credible. Now that problems have been discovered in the granary, I will certainly deal with the granary officials severely. As for the grain shops in the city, they involve trade routes and tax deeds, so perhaps I should allow myself to examine them more closely first—"

"Severely punish the granary official?" Meng Xuanzhe looked at him. "What do you plan to do?"

Zhou Ling'an was speechless for a moment.

He had originally intended to start by saying "Feng Si was flogged," "Several granary officials were dismissed," and "The granary administration was ordered to reorganize," essentially pinning the blame on those at the very bottom. But now that the Crown Prince had asked him this, he dared not blurt out anything.

Because those surrounding the granary entrance were not just officials.

And the common people.

Sometimes, what one fears least in the yamen is being questioned by officials, but what one fears most is having a group of people standing outside listening while the officials are questioning them.

Sweat beaded on Zhou Ling'an's forehead, and he could only mumble, "This humble official... will naturally investigate and handle the matter according to procedure."

Meng Xuanzhe nodded: "Following precedent."

It's another very useful word.

It can encompass all the minor and insignificant procrastination.

He didn't expose it, but turned to Gu Chengyan and said, "Make a note of it. Magistrate Zhou intends to investigate according to precedent."

Gu Chengyan immediately picked up his pen.

Zhou Ling'an's face darkened.

This statement alone is nothing special; but once it's written down so solemnly, it's a bit like erecting a memorial archway at the entrance of a government office, inscribed with: "When this county encounters trouble, they prefer to take the old route."

This crown prince is truly wicked.

Moreover, the insults are delivered in a way that is not loud at all, yet they are precisely the kind that makes people feel embarrassed.

After memorizing this sentence, Meng Xuanzhe didn't linger and directly gave the order:

"Put Feng Si and the warehouse manager and several other people involved in the transaction under separate custody."

"Zhao Heiniu shall remain at the county office and no one shall be allowed to approach him."

"Fenghe Grain Store, do not move today."

"but--"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over everyone, lingering particularly on Lu Yuanfeng's face.

"From this moment on, if anyone sends a word to Fenghe Grain Store, I will hold them responsible."

This statement seemed to be addressed to everyone.

But everyone knows who is the most terrified.

Lu Yuanfeng's heart sank.

He had originally planned that once he left the granary, he would immediately send someone to the south of the city to make arrangements for the hidden accounts, the moved grain, and the people who needed to be kept quiet. He hadn't expected the Crown Prince to be so blunt, practically cutting off this escape route in front of everyone.

But he didn't dare to refute it immediately.

Because if you refute it, it will only make you seem guilty.

This is very uncomfortable.

It's like having a knife to your throat, and you still have to smile and nod, saying, "Your Highness is brilliant."

The atmosphere inside the warehouse was as tense as a taut string.

Just then, Shen Bushu, the old official who had been pretending to be a blockhead in the back, suddenly coughed lightly.

Meng Xuanzhe looked at him: "Does Secretary Shen have something to say?"

Shen Bushu quickly bowed, his posture as humble as could be: "This humble official dares not say anything, but... just now, when I heard Zhao Heiniu mention Fenghe Grain Store, this humble official suddenly remembered something."

"speak."

"In the old records of the granary, there seem to be a few entries for 'temporary storage during transit'," Shen, the clerk, said softly, as if afraid of saying the wrong word. "Logically speaking, once the grain enters the official granary, it's gone; there's rarely any mention of 'temporary storage' outside. However, there was one entry from a couple of years ago during the autumn harvest: 'Due to repairs in the granary, the official grain was temporarily stored in an empty courtyard of a merchant's shop'..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Chengyan's eyes lit up.

Meng Xuanzhe narrowed his eyes as well.

coming.

There's more than one loose thread.

Zhao Heiniu pointed to Fenghe Grain Store from the road outside; Shen Bushu added the "temporary transfer" label to the old records to cover up the truth.

What does "borrowing an empty courtyard of a merchant house to store official grain" mean?

The gist of it is: the government grain first enters the merchant's business legitimately, and then they see if they can conveniently avoid returning it.

Gao Chengli felt like cursing when he heard this.

These people really dare to think big.

When the imperial granaries were insufficient, they borrowed empty courtyards from merchants; as the merchants continued to borrow their courtyards, the government's grain reserves were eventually depleted.

wonderful.

That's brilliant.

If His Highness hadn't forcibly dismantled the three granaries today, who would have thought that Qingcheng County could handle "stealing grain" in such an elegant and procedural way?

Meng Xuanzhe looked at Shen Bushu and suddenly laughed: "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Shen, the clerk, stiffened and immediately said, "I'm old and forgetful, I just couldn't remember for a moment..."

"Didn't remember?" Meng Xuanzhe nodded. "Well, it's quite a coincidence that you remembered it now."

Shen Bushu's forehead immediately broke out in a sweat.

This prince may look young, but he has a sharp eye. It's not that he doesn't know why I didn't speak up earlier; it's just that I was saving him a little face.

Why didn't you say so sooner?

Because experienced officials are best at reading the wind direction.

If the crown prince were just going to flip through a couple of pages of accounts and scold the granary clerk, there would be no need for him to reveal all the secrets he knew. Revealing them might not bring him any merit, and he might even face retaliation later.

But now that the warehouse doors have been demolished and Zhao Heiniu has signed the document in public, Donggong Lianfeng and the grain company have already set their sights on it. If we continue to play dumb, it won't just be being cunning; it will be sliding down a dead end.

Shen, the clerk, bowed deeply: "This lowly official is muddle-headed."

"You're not confused," Meng Xuanzhe said calmly. "You know how to live well."

Shen Bo lowered his head even further, not daring to utter a single word.

Meng Xuanzhe, however, did not pursue and attack.

An experienced official, if used well, is better than a new one; but if you force him to his death right away, he'll lose half his knowledge and skills along with him.

So one tap is enough.

"Now that you've remembered, go find that old book," Meng Xuanzhe said. "I can't find it—"

He paused, looking at the row of sealed grain bins.

"I have no choice but to accept it; you also want to go in and become a hoarder."

Shen Bushu: "..."

His face turned pale, and he repeatedly replied, "Yes."

Gao Chengli, who was listening nearby, couldn't stop his mouth from twitching.

Your Highness's analogy is becoming more and more down-to-earth, and also more and more frightening.

A moment later, Shen, the clerk, indeed found a worn-out account book with curled edges among a pile of old books in the side room of the granary.

The dust on it was very thick; it was clearly not the kind of "clean account" that was recently dug out to show people.

Gu Chengyan took it, and after flipping through a few pages, his eyes darkened completely.

"Your Highness," he whispered, "I've got it."

Meng Xuanzhe accepted it.

Sure enough, the ledger recorded several entries for "transfer and temporary storage".

The timeframes were all concentrated in the few days after the new grain was stored in the granary in autumn, and the reasons given were quite high-sounding: the granary was under repair, the rain caused heavy dampness, the store was temporarily using a side courtyard, and the grain would be transported back at a later date.

And the name of the business is always the same:

Fenghe Grain Store.

well.

Now there are not only witnesses, but also old records.

This line has now been officially pulled out of the warehouse.

Meng Xuanzhe flipped through those pages of the notebook and suddenly smiled.

"Magistrate Zhou."

Zhou Ling'an's heart tightened: "Your humble servant is here."

"Your accounts in Qingcheng County are very well organized," Meng Xuanzhe said slowly. "There's one set outside, another in the granaries, and yet another set of old ledgers. If I hadn't come to look at them myself today, I would have really thought that everyone here is a sage, even knowing how to repair the granaries, temporarily store grain, and consume all the grain on their own."

Zhou Ling'an felt his face burning with embarrassment from what he said, but he didn't even dare to look up.

Feng Si was completely paralyzed, like a lump of mud.

Lu Yuanfeng could no longer maintain his earlier "I'm just a local enthusiastic merchant" smile.

Because the Fenghe Grain Store connection has already been touched upon.

He was lifted up.

Meng Xuanzhe, however, still did not make a move against him immediately.

Not urgent.

Don't rush to lift the rod when a fish has just taken the bait.

He handed the old book to Gu Chengyan: "Make a copy, and seal the original."

"Yes."

"Send someone to ask again," Meng Xuanzhe said, looking at Zhao Heiniu, "who else ran those few trips to the official granary for Fenghe Grain Store last autumn?"

Zhao Heiniu thought for a moment and immediately said, "Yes, yes! Besides this humble citizen, there's Ma Er from Donghekou, Qi Luzi from the south of the city—oh no, Qi Laosi, I've gotten used to his nickname—and Li Laoguai, who's currently guarding the night gate outside the Fenghe Grain Store!"

At this point, even people's names started popping out on their own.

Meng Xuanzhe felt even more at ease.

Now that the end of the thread is held, the rest of the rope won't be short.

He looked around the warehouse and suddenly realized that Qingcheng County was indeed a good place to cook.

What's so good about it?

Fortunately, it rotted evenly enough, so that each layer knew each other, and so that if you lifted one part, steam would rise from the others.

If there are problems in the granary, problems in the grain store, the county government may not be clean either; once grain can be put into a business under the guise of "temporary storage," the subsequent tax deeds, loan receipts, and land deeds are likely not innocent either.

Thinking about this, Meng Xuanzhe suddenly felt quite good.

Although the place deteriorated faster and more completely than he had anticipated.

But conversely—

The more evenly the rotten parts are, the more it indicates that it's not that you can't find the thread, but that there are too many threads.

What he fears least is having many lines.

What's frightening is that everything seems normal on the surface, but nothing can be seen inside.

Just then, another commotion suddenly arose outside the warehouse door.

Someone shouted, "Make way! Make way, everyone!"

Immediately afterward, a young man in shorts and sweating profusely pushed through the crowd, stumbled to the door, and knelt down with a thud, barely able to speak: "Your Excellency! The Fenghe Grain Store...it's on fire over there!"

The warehouse was completely silent, both inside and out.

Gao Chengli was stunned at first, then his eyes widened.

Gu Chengyan's pen stopped in mid-air.

Zhou Ling'an's face turned deathly pale.

Lu Yuanfeng felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his legs swayed.

Meng Xuanzhe, standing in the middle of the warehouse door, merely raised an eyebrow slightly.

well.

The moment the line was pulled out, the fire spread.

That's a very quick reaction.

This also illustrates—

The people over there are even more afraid than the people on this side.

He looked at the messenger and smiled slowly.

"What a coincidence."

"I was just about to go to Fenghe Grain Store when they lit a lamp for me there first."