Chapter Fifty-Six: Addicted to Catching Corrupt Officials

After reviewing numerous tax bills submitted by various cities, Yang Chuan noticed a troubling issue. Over the past three years, the silver paid to the imperial court by the provinces and cities was merely a fraction of what it should have been. It became clear that during the Empress’s absence, many local officials had engaged in corruption and embezzlement. However, as a newly appointed official of the Great Qi, Yang Chuan had no intention of delving deeply into these old affairs. After all, he currently lacked any loyal supporters. Offending all officials throughout Great Qi would not only complicate his governance but also destabilize the Empress’s reign.

Moreover, having already secured an initial sum from Yuan Tianze, the treasury had enough funds to sustain itself for three years, so there was no urgency to raise taxes immediately. While he was willing to turn a blind eye to local officials, he had no intention of letting the influential figures within the capital off the hook—especially those allied with Chancellor An Xunlu, who had surely hidden large sums of wealth behind the chancellor’s powerful backing.

When Yang Chuan was first impeached and removed from office, only the Protector Duke Sun Xin had spoken up for him in court. To replenish the treasury, Sun Xin had even proposed that all officials in the capital contribute some silver from their personal wealth. Yet, upon hearing this, these officials quickly turned hostile toward the Protector Duke. If they had not reacted so vehemently, Yang Chuan would not have been suspicious. Their extreme response only confirmed that they were hoarding silver in secret.

Determined to clean up the corrupt officials within the capital, Yang Chuan knew he must proceed cautiously. First, he needed to finish reviewing all the ledgers and then investigate the connections between local officials and the central government, aiming to catch all the major offenders. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he ordered a subordinate to retrieve the tax records for Xiao City from the past three years. The official, after a moment of stunned silence, stammered, “Governor Yang, Xiao City has not submitted any bills or silver in the past three years.”

Yang Chuan was genuinely shocked. He recalled what Li Yunshan had said earlier and finally understood the meaning behind the claim that once Yuan Tianze fell from power, he would be willing to repay all the taxes owed by Xiao City over the past three years. It seemed all the taxes from those years had been stashed away in Yuan Tianze’s secret underground chamber. No wonder a mere local official had managed to embezzle ten million taels of silver in one go!

This era was, after all, not the future world Yang Chuan came from. Back in his time, even after years of isolation, the Qing government’s treasury held hundreds of millions of taels. But now, the emptiness of the treasury reflected the chaotic Warring States period, when the mighty Zhou dynasty had just fallen. The numerous small states that followed had sparse populations and inconsistent currencies. As a result, even the wealthiest country rarely possessed more than tens of millions of taels of silver.

In this context, Yuan Tianze had embezzled nearly a tenth of the national treasury through his singular efforts—an ability comparable to the infamous Heshen of later history. Still, Yang Chuan believed that the capital’s officials were not as corrupt as Yuan Tianze. The capital’s economy was weaker than the commercial hub of Xiao City, and the awe inspired by the Emperor’s divine authority kept their greed somewhat in check. For these officials to have embezzled even a tenth of Yuan Tianze’s wealth would have been an extraordinary feat.

After leaving the treasury, Yang Chuan, feeling bored amidst the crumbling palace walls, decided to wander outside the palace grounds. Surrounding the palace were the mansions of dozens of officials. With plans to root out corruption among the capital’s officials, he thought to discreetly visit these residences. If luck was on his side, he might catch some corrupt official red-handed and recover their stolen wealth for the treasury.

Indeed, after a few stops, Yang Chuan overheard a whispered conversation beneath a tall wall in a courtyard. An official was urging his wife, “Quick! You must take all this gold and silver back to your family today. Ever since Yang Chuan became the Financial Governor, I fear the good times for us old officials are over!”

His wife replied, “Is it really that serious? I heard Yang Chuan recently left the capital on a tour. Besides, if we don’t move this money, how would he know how much you’ve embezzled?”

She thought her husband was just nervous, always trying to make her uneasy. Since Yang Chuan took office, the only official he had dealt with severely was the once tyrannical Grand Marshal Cao Ding, who was now imprisoned. The rest of the officials had restrained themselves, and Yang Chuan seemed reluctant to strike hard against them.

Though his current power was not as grand as during the Great Kang era, his skills in governance and combat were formidable. If he truly chose to confront all officials, even in a united front, they would not easily defeat him.

As for her husband, a second-rank official and Right Deputy Minister, he had served Great Qi diligently for many years. Owning a few thousand taels of silver at home was hardly excessive. When his wife refused to move the wealth, the Right Deputy Minister, Zuo Ci, hastily explained, “You don’t understand. It’s because Yang Chuan captured the biggest corrupt official in Xiao City, Yuan Tianze, on this tour that I’m worried he might get addicted to rooting out corruption!”

Hearing this, Yang Chuan couldn’t help but admire the man’s foresight. As a time traveler, he knew well the ancient rulers’ preferred strategy: if the treasury lacked funds, never fly into a rage. Nor should one prematurely reveal plans to purge officials. Instead, quietly observe and first identify a major corrupt figure before taking action. This approach not only swiftly solves the treasury’s emptiness but also publicly exposes officials who oppress the people and deceive the court, letting the populace know who the true culprits are.

The wife, after hearing Zuo Ci’s explanation, found it reasonable and lightly lifted a bundle he had prepared for her. However, she was surprised to find the bundle too heavy for a woman’s strength. Additionally, aside from this bundle, much of the silver was already loaded onto a carriage outside.

Zuo Ci glanced at the bundle and chuckled, “Madam, I’ll escort you out now. The carriage is waiting just outside.”