Chapter 415: One Word: Poverty

Chapter 415: A Single Word—Poor

“As of now, the Inuyama Castle Hundred-Man Station has apprehended a total of four hundred and seventeen suspected Honghu members, including eighty-four Sequencers and twenty-two at Sequence Eight or above. Eighty-five were neutralized on the spot, and all have been committed to the Imperial Prison. We have fully met the 'purge' quotas handed down by the Thousand-Man Station.”

In the dimly lit conference room, Xie Bi'an stood before a projection. With a wave of his arm, various data metrics and profiles of individuals shifted like a revolving lantern.

Arranged in a row before him were seven chairs, where Chen Qisheng, Yuan Mingfei, Zou Sijiu, Ma Wangye, and the others were present. Seated in the central position was, naturally, the Station Chief, Li Jun.

“The numbers aren’t very high. If we report this up, I’m afraid our ranking this time won't be very good.”

Seated at the far end on the left, Fan Wujiu spoke first, his face clouding with worry. “Should we look into procuring a few more targets from the other stations?”

“There is no need for that.”

Xie Bi'an, presiding over the meeting, shook his head. “Although the numbers we apprehended this time are few, do not forget that Mizumura Goutou and Chu Ke were both captured by us. The weight of those two alone is enough to match a thousand ordinary Honghu members.”

“Furthermore, from what I currently understand of the situation, the harvests of the other Hundred-Man Stations are likewise meager. Aside from the Honghu whose movements they had accurately grasped early on and kept under close watch, they have unearthed barely any fresh leads at all.”

“What Whitey says is indeed true. We in the First Department also discovered this situation during our operations.”

Fan Wujiu furrowed his brow, looking perplexed. “It is as if, overnight, the entire Honghu presence across the Yamato sector vanished into thin air! Those we captured were nothing more than sacrificial pawns left behind to cover their retreat—gifts specifically delivered to soothe the wrath of our Jinyiwei.”

“With the assistance of Guest Elder Zou’s Great Archival Scry, we in the Second Department analyzed and assessed this anomalous situation, and the conclusion we reached involves this individual.”

With a flick of Xie Bi'an's wrist, the projection beside him shifted rapidly. The flickering light and shadow interwoven to form an elegant man dressed in a white, Ming-style long robe, possessing bright eyes, sharp brows, and a scholar's hairnet upon his head.

Swoosh!

The man unfurled a luxurious cypress fan within his palm. Upon its surface was painted a grand, imposing ancient fortress of towering pagodas. Gently swaying the fan, he offered an unhurried, composed smile to the assembled crowd.

“The Prince of Heian, Sugawara no Hiramasa!”

Xie Bi'an stepped several paces to the side, and a vast array of information dossiers immediately manifested around Sugawara no Hiramasa.

“Sugawara no Hiramasa, Han name Zhang Hiramasa, born in the thirty-second year of Longwu. His ancestral registry places him in the Yamato Criminal Defector Zone, though he was raised in the Empire's Shandong Province from early childhood.”

Xie Bi'an recounted the details as if enumerating his family treasures, delivering Sugawara no Hiramasa's background in a smooth cadence. “This man’s talent is exceptionally outstanding, and his genetic activity is considerably high. While studying at the Confucian Temple in Jinan Prefecture, Sugawara no Hiramasa spontaneously awakened and unlocked the Confucian Sequence gene entirely on his own, without the aid of any Six Arts chips.”

“In the first year of Jiaqi, the Imperial Court erupted with the 'Great Court Debate' incident. As an exemplary model of Confucian indoctrination, Sugawara no Hiramasa traveled to the capital alongside eight others to audience the Emperor, performing Yamato's submission and allegiance before the civil and military officials.”

“After the New Donglin Party achieved victory, Sugawara no Hiramasa originally had the opportunity to enter the New Donglin Academy for advanced studies, but for reasons unknown, he suddenly vanished without a trace within the Empire.”

“In the fifth year of Jiaqi, a Honghu member named Sugawara no Hiramasa successfully rose to power in the Yamato sector, earning the internal title of Prince of Heian!”

Xie Bi'an continued slowly, “According to our analysis of the intelligence on hand, after the downfall of Kamakura, a large number of mid-level and low-level Honghu members under his command were entirely absorbed by Sugawara no Hiramasa and systematically withdrawn from the Yamato sector. As for where they have fled, it cannot be determined at this moment.”

Seated upright among the crowd, Li Jun propped his chin upon one hand, his gaze lingering for a moment on Sugawara no Hiramasa’s elegant and handsome countenance.

“So the deduction of your Second Department, Whitey, is that this Prince of Heian gathered Kamakura’s forces, abandoned the stronghold he had painstakingly built, and fled the Yamato sector?”

“From all indications, there is a high probability that this is the case. The conclusion reached by Guest Elder Zou is roughly identical to ours.”

Xie Bi'an nodded toward Zou Sijiu, who kept his eyes lowered. The latter's right thumb continuously tapped against the joints of his fingers. A moment later, he smoothed back his pomaded hair and spoke with a solemn expression.

“Gen below, Qian above. Qian is heaven, Gen is mountain. Beneath heaven lies the mountain; the mountain is high and heaven recedes. This hexagram is an anomalous one. It governs the waxing of Yin and the waning of Yang, where lesser men gain power, noble scholars withdraw into seclusion, and wise men preserve themselves while biding their time to save the world!”

“This man possesses quite some boldness.”

Seated nearby, Chen Qisheng smiled upon hearing this. “Knowing that remaining in the Yamato sector would likely lead only to a dead end, rather than waiting until the end to become merit points in someone else’s hands, he chose to proactively sever his tail to escape. One can only wonder which unfortunate soul within the Honghu will have their nest usurped by him.”

The meaning within the Daoist’s words was clear to everyone present at the meeting.

Although Sugawara no Hiramasa had fled the Yamato sector, his own strength had not suffered any major losses. In fact, after taking over Kamakura’s forces, it was even more formidable than before.

No matter which criminal defector zone such a powerful and well-equipped branch of the Honghu arrived in, they would be a fierce dragon crossing the river; the local Honghu would either have to submit or face liquidation.

The Honghu organization was hardly a sanctuary of saints and scholars. Although it possessed a refined organizational structure internally, at the end of the day, everything came down to the size of one’s 'fist.'

Moreover, Sugawara no Hiramasa belonged to the Confucian Sequence, which excelled above all in power struggles and internal strife.

Xie Bi'an summarized, “With Sugawara no Hiramasa's flight, there is no longer any large-scale Honghu presence left in the Yamato sector. The remaining two or three stray cats and dogs can no longer stir up any waves. We can temporarily dismiss any threat from the Honghu and concentrate our energies on other matters.”

Though the current situation in Yamato mattered little whether the Honghu participated or not, being rid of a pack of frantic, trouble-making agitators was still a welcome development.

“Mm.”

Li Jun nodded. “Next agenda item.”

The projection changed once more, switching to a three-dimensional map of the ten cities of the Yamato sector, with two red dots representing Okayama Castle and Edo Castle glowing faintly.

“Word has come from Kakumujiao that Ming Wang's injuries have healed, and he will return to the Edo Castle Hundred-Man Station in a matter of days. Furthermore, Ming Wang had an elder contact him, stating that if Kakumujiao’s Okayama Castle cannot complete the purge quota this time, Edo Castle can render assistance.”

“What does Ming Wang mean by this? Has he forgotten the pain now that the wound has healed, and is already preparing to build his own faction again?”

Fan Wujiu crossed his arms over his chest, a sneer plastered across his face.

Li Jun pondered for a moment, then smiled. “Intriguing. It seems the Thousand-Man Station still harbors some fondness for old times.”

Li Jun, of course, knew the true reason behind Ming Wang's 'injury.'

Now that he had 'recovered' and returned to duty, it was likely with the permission of Su Ce.

“That is a matter for the Thousand-Man Station; it is not for us to worry about.”

Li Jun turned his head toward Fan Wujiu. “Blackie, pass a word to Kakumujiao. Tell him that if he isn't a clever man, he had best not play clever games. If he intends to be a fence-sitter, then the next time he is uprooted entirely, he shouldn't blame others for not giving him a chance!”

“Understood.”

Fan Wujiu displayed a grim smile. “I will make sure to explain your words to him thoroughly, Brother Jun!”

“This agenda item ends here. Next.”

“The matters under my responsibility have been reported. Next is Sister Yuan’s turn.”

As he said this, Xie Bi'an appeared somewhat embarrassed, burying his head as he walked quickly back to his seat.

Step.

Two long legs stood up, the two thin lines reflecting a metallic sheen along the sides of her legs particularly catching the eye. Her waist swayed with boundless allure.

“Mature, she really is thoroughly mature.”

Fan Wujiu leaned in close to Ma Wangye’s ear, whispering softly.

That solitary eye gleamed with a brilliant red light, nodding like a pestle pounding grain.

Yuan Mingfei stopped at the position where Xie Bi'an had just stood, flipping her skirt as she turned around, her aura crisp and valiant.

“My agenda item is very simple. Our station has run out of money.”

With a tap of Yuan Mingfei's finger, a detailed chart of expenditures popped up beside her. It contained numerous columns, yet it was planned in a highly rational, simple, and easy-to-understand manner.

“During last year's internal Jinyiwei review, Inuyama Castle took the top spot, receiving a reward from the Thousand-Man Station of two hundred million banknotes and a four hundred million allocation from the Ministry of Works. I arrived late, so everyone here should know this figure before me.”

“Revolutionizing the equipment of the entire station cost forty million banknotes and seventy million allocation points. Updating Ma Wangye's chassis cost thirty million allocation points.”

“When Honghu's Matsuyama raided Inuyama Castle, the Second Department spent two hundred million allocation points to purchase a Mohist Array, trading it for one of his avatars. The subsequent compensation for our fallen comrades was executed at the highest standards across the board, which likewise cost one hundred million banknotes.”

After officially joining the Inuyama Castle Jinyiwei, although she still held the title of Guest Elder, Yuan Mingfei had taken over the financial reins from Xie Bi'an's hands.

At this moment, she calculated the sums meticulously item by item. Hearing it made the veins on Li Jun’s temples throb, and he hurriedly spoke up, “All of this money was necessary spending.”

“I never said this money shouldn't have been spent. On the contrary, so long as it is spent on the right path, even if there are no surplus grains left in the station, I would find a way to borrow from other stations.”

Yuan Mingfei raised an eyebrow, a fierce aura suddenly surface across her bright and gorgeous face.

“But a good deal of your money was spent on some rather bizarre things.”

Light rippled within a pair of charming, phoenix-like eyes, sweeping across Fan Wujiu, Ma Wangye, and the newly seated Xie Bi'an in turn, staring so intently that the three dared not lift their heads, before finally resting upon Li Jun.

“In the less than two months since the New Year turned over, Fan Wujiu and Lord Ma have already patronized that White Emperor Mixed Hall outside the city nearly twenty times, on several occasions bringing along every single male Embroidered Uniform Guard from the Household Office.

I heard from my subordinates that every single time they ordered only the most expensive, never the most suitable. The key point is, every time the bill was charged to the Inuyama City Hundred-Household Office's account.”

Yuan Mingfei cast a sidelong glance to the right. “Commander Fan, Guest Minister Ma, am I correct?”

“It is absolutely slander!”

The two shouted in unison: “Which little bastard is spouting nonsense out there? Am I that kind of person?”

Yuan Mingfei let out a cold snort, and the projection beside her instantly displayed a detailed bill from the White Emperor Mixed Hall.

“February 1st, Year 12 of Jiaqi. Honored guests ordered the 'Stillness Before the Emperor: Great Harmony Nurturing Version' and the 'Sun Shangxiang Unmarried Version.' Cost: 60,000 treasure notes. Charged to Inuyama City Hundred-Household Office.”

“February 2nd, Year 12 of Jiaqi. Honored guests ordered the 'Pan Jinlian Sister-in-Law Series, Party of Four.' Cost: 120,000 treasure notes. Charged to Inuyama City Hundred-Household Office.”

“February 4th, Year 12 of Jiaqi. Honored guests booked the entire venue. Cost: 400,000 treasure notes. Charged to Inuyama City Hundred-Household Office”

A myriad of details, nothing too great or too small.

Yuan Mingfei gritted her teeth. “You two brothers simply cannot bear to rest a single day, can you!”

Li Jun, who had been wearing a look of utter indifference, whipped his head around, glaring at Fan Wujiu and Lord Ma with blazing fury in his eyes, seemingly enraged that the two had gone to the White Emperor Mixed Hall so many times behind his back.

Zou Sijiu wore a similar expression; heartbroken and resentful, he lowered his voice: “I treated you as brothers, you treat me as an enemy, eating the good stuff alone? Serves you right!”

“As of yesterday, you two went again! Cumulatively, at the White Emperor Mixed Hall alone, you've run up a tab of nearly three to four million. Counting other places, the total spent is nearly five million treasure notes. How do you propose to settle this?!”

Fan Wujiu hung his head dejectedly, not daring to speak, when a hoarse, aged voice suddenly drifted into his ear.

“We admit fault. Deduct it all from Xiaohei's salary!”

Fan Wujiu snapped his head up, staring at Lord Ma in utter shock: “Old Ma, you son of a—”

“Relax. I've already deducted it. Including your Guest Minister stipend, Lord Ma.”

Yuan Mingfei blinked. “Also, I've already spoken with the owner of the White Emperor Mixed Hall. If she wants to stay in Inuyama City, she is forbidden from letting any Embroidered Uniform Guard charge anything to the Household Office's name ever again!”

“Truly a pair of lecherous worms. Ashamed to be in your company!”

Xie Bian'an sneered, lifting the chair beneath him and scooting it sideways.

“Xie Bian'an, I was talking about them, not you, right?”

Yuan Mingfei planted her hands on her hips, her rolled-up sleeves revealing the Buddhist Celestial Maiden tattoo on her arm, a fierce, domineering aura sweeping the room.

“You may not run up tabs everywhere like them, but your salary and bonuses have been advanced all the way to Year 25 of Jiaqi! A full thirteen years! Where did all that money go?!”

“I—”

Xie Bian'an looked utterly crushed, his naturally fair features pale as paper, sighing softly: “Alas, all karmic debts of the mortal world, karmic debts of the mortal world.”

“Cough, cough.”

Li Jun feigned a couple of coughs, only to see a pale white finger jab toward him; his slightly open mouth hadn't managed to utter a syllable before Yuan Mingfei cut him off directly.

“And you!”

Li Jun pointed at his own nose, bewildered: “Me? What did I do?”

“Your generosity knows no bounds. You gifted Jinze City a hundred million in Ministry of Works quotas, scattering the family fortune until nothing remained!”

“Those are all social obligations. People came to help us put out a fire; you can't let them bleed and weep both, can you?”

Li Jun stiffened his neck. “Besides, back in Osaka Castle, I caught that Yongle Palace Daoist Fuhe, and scraped ten million treasure notes off him. At Shuri Castle, I even won thirty million in Ministry of Works quotas from Leopard Tail. I earned a fair bit back, didn't I?”

Yuan Mingfei sneered. “Yes, and then you turned around and had Zou Sijiu give away fifty million in quotas. Right now, the entire Inuyama City Hundred-Household Office has less than thirty million treasure notes left, and a deficit of twenty million in quota credit!”

The projection, originally showing the account details, twisted and rotated; a giant character 'Poor' leaped from the vortex, hanging before everyone, glaringly stark.

The five men led by Li Jun bowed their heads, not a sound escaping them.

The sole unscolded one, Chen Qisheng, sat ramrod straight with a stern expression, not daring to show any other look.

“The Wa Zone is still far from pacified. Our Household Office will have many battles ahead. When equipment is consumed, what will replenish it? If there are casualties, what will pay the pensions?”

“Even if we take first place in this purge operation, it won't necessarily cover our future funding needs.”

Yuan Mingfei's gaze swept over the forest of drooping heads. “With a hole this big, what do you propose we do?”

Mechanical hearts halted, red eyes dimmed. The silver-tongued investigators sealed their lips; the unruly warriors wore faces clouded with gloom.

The room was deathly silent, a pin drop could be heard.

“Since there's no money!”

After a long silence, Li Jun, in his capacity as Hundred-Household Commander, sprang to his feet, declaring loudly: “Then we generate revenue!”

“Landlady, your cooking is truly superb.”

In the izakaya in the southern district of Inuyama City, the proprietress named Feiyi cradled a tray, her face slightly flushed, bowing deeply to the guest feasting heartily.

“Thank you for your praise.”

“Just speaking the truth.”

Luo Cheng, having swept the table clean, lifted his head from the mountain of stacked plates, let out a satisfied burp, and grinned: “Good thing I kept my stomach as an anchor for my humanity. If I couldn't even enjoy fine food, I'd sooner or later degenerate into a heartless, desireless Yellow Millet Ghost!”

The proprietress didn't quite understand the accented Ming speech, but she could feel the compliment, smiled sweetly, and bowed again.

“No need for such formality.”

Kneeling, Luo Cheng propped his right hand on the low table, turning half-sideways to face her. “Let me ask you something. Does a man named Xie Bian'an often come here to eat?”

“Ah?”

The proprietress suddenly ducked her head, a look of shock on her face.

Tap tap tap.

The peachwood charms hanging under the eaves spun in the early spring's chill wind, striking the doorframe again and again.