Chapter 491: Dirty Money

Chapter 491 Dirty Money

"On the first day of the sixth month in the twelfth year of Jiaqi, Zhang Fengyue, Senior Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat, announced during the imperial audience that under the brilliant leadership of His Majesty the Emperor, and through the unified dedication and concerted efforts of officials at all levels across the empire, the 'Jiaqi New Policy' has been fully implemented across all sinner districts after a half-year trial, achieving preliminary success. Senior Grand Secretary Zhang stated that the implementation of this new policy will not only effectively improve the harsh and backward living standards within the sinner districts, but as a vast amount of young and able-bodied labor enters the homeland to dedicate themselves to imperial construction, it will also propel the domestic economy into a new round of booming development."

"The Grand Secretariat announced that for the foreseeable future, it will continue to adhere to the strategic framework of the new policy—'Under the vast heaven, there is no land that is not the king's; within the sea's borders, there is no one who is not the king's subject'—by formulating and promulgating a series of more targeted and universally beneficial decrees and measures, thereby accelerating the process of 'homeland integration for sinner districts, and integration into Ming society for sinner sinners'..."

"At the same time, this issue of the Imperial Gazette featured an exclusive interview with the most outstanding representatives of officials from the Wa District who contributed to the milestone success of this new policy. They are Liu Dian, the Pacification Commissioner of Edo City in the Wa District, and Yang Baize, the Vice Prefect of Inuyama City in the Wa District."

"Finally, Xu Haichao, the Pacification Commissioner of the Wa District, who was likewise included in the Ministry of Personnel's commendation list, stated that he will continue to lead all officials in the Wa District to thoroughly implement the various measures of the 'Jiaqi New Policy.' He emphasized focusing on two new transformations for the common folk of the Wa District—'new mindsets and new lives'—striving to successfully restructure the Wa District into Yingzhou Prefecture before the arrival of the next Lunar New Year, thereby proactively integrating it into the jurisdiction of the Fujian Provincial Administration Commission."

"That concludes the entire contents of this issue of the Imperial Gazette."

The resonant, perfectly cadenced male voice gradually ceased, and the final frame of the broadcast froze on the speaker's unsmiling, square face.

The document screen hanging beneath the roof of the carriage emitted a faint white glow, illuminating the center of Lu Yuzhang’s tightly furrowed brow.

"It seems that Senior Grand Secretary Zhang’s new policy has successfully taken its first step..."

Leaning against the back seat, Lu Yuzhang lowered his head and gently rubbed the bridge of his nose, murmuring to himself.

Although the phrasing throughout the Imperial Gazette did not contain a single word that seemed even slightly forceful and presented an entirely harmonious picture, suggesting that the implementation of the new policy was warmly welcomed by the people of the sinner districts.

Yet as a member of the Lu family, a second-class clan within the Confucian Order, even though Lu Yuzhang did not know the exact price the New Donglin Party had paid for this, he could already smell a thick scent of blood simply from the casualty reports circulating within the Confucian faction that he was able to access.

If someone were to reach out and pull back this tapestry of blooming flowers, they would likely be frightened out of their wits by the grim white bones buried beneath it.

However, none of this was something that Lu Yuzhang, a fourth-rank Councilor of Fenghua Prefecture in Liaodong Province, needed to consider.

Right now, he had his own troubles to deal with.

"Master, we have arrived at the Golden Horse Secretariat."

The coachman driving the carriage spoke softly, interrupting Lu Yuzhang's deep thoughts.

Located on the edge of the northern district of Fenghua Prefecture, the 'Golden Horse Secretariat' was the most luxurious private club built in the entire Fenghua region, serving as a tavern, inn, and casino all at once. It was also the premier banqueting venue where all the influential dignitaries and officials of Fenghua Prefecture received and entertained guests.

For no other reason than that the proprietor behind this establishment was the Prefect of Fenghua Prefecture himself.

The building before him stood no higher than fifty feet. Unlike the gentle architectural style of the empire's Jiangnan region, every plant and tree here had been meticulously designed by artisans of the Mohist Order. The entire club utilized a massive brick-and-stone structure, with a wall of crouching tigers and rising dragons before the gate, backing into mountains and facing the water. The exterior walls from the second floor up were composed of glass curtain walls, where shifting patterns of light interwoven to form a golden stallion rearing its hooves and crying out with its neck extended toward the heavens.

"In years past, the Golden Horse awaited the imperial decree; counting the Wen Yuan pavilion, its lofty spirit remains undiminished."

The cursive calligraphy, flowing like startled dragons and darting snakes, manifested against a background of ink-wash mountains and rivers, fully displaying the rugged and uninhibited natural charm of the Liaodong region.

Having drifted through the officialdom of Fenghua for many years, Lu Yuzhang was already a regular here. Upon stepping down from the carriage, he went straight up to the tavern located on the second floor.

Unlike those low-class night venues in Fenghua City where all sorts of people mingled together, the tavern of the Golden Horse Secretariat did not feature that deafening, absurd music. Instead, it played the Liaodong Sheng-and-Guan wind music known as the 'Northern Ten Variations.'

There was no dance floor inside the tavern for crowds to wild away the night; instead, it was divided into individual private booths offering exceptional privacy.

"Master Lu, please follow me."

The moment Lu Yuzhang stepped out of the lift doors, a well-dressed maid immediately stepped forward with a polite greeting, leading him toward a booth located in the southwestern corner.

"Yuzhang arrives a step late, I must ask for forgiveness from you both. The trivial official duties of late have truly been far too overwhelming. Quite a few young and able-bodied laborers from the sinner districts were allocated to Fenghua Prefecture. It shouldn't have been a major issue, but the Prefect attached immense importance to these people and forced the resettlement task onto my shoulders. My lips have nearly worn dry these past few days before I barely managed to get the proprietors of those enterprises to accept them, which is why I am late." Pushing open the door and stepping inside, Lu Yuzhang smiled as he explained to the man and woman who had already been waiting there, while tucking the stray hairs that had fallen from his topknot back behind his ear.

Compared to the travel-worn and dusty Lu Yuzhang, this man and woman were dressed far more wealthily and properly.

The man, whose temples were already slightly flecked with gray, wore a genial expression on his round face. His name was Lu Quan, and he was the external affairs steward of the Lu family, the only first-class clan in the Liaodong region.

The other person was a beautiful woman who kept a cold face, named Xiuyue, the personal maid of Master Lu Siyi of the Lu Clan. Although she had not been granted the surname Lu like Lu Quan had, the unique meaning behind the words 'personal maid' gave her the qualifications to sit beside Lu Quan at this moment.

"Master Lu, you are far too polite. You are the biological elder brother of our Lu family's Young Mistress, which makes you the brother-in-law of Master Siyi. By all accounts, you are also our master. It is only right for us servants to wait, no matter how long it takes," Lu Quan said with a beaming smile to Lu Yuzhang after the latter took his seat.

Meanwhile, Xiuyue, who by all rights should have been closer to Lu Yuzhang, merely cast a cold glance at him before lowering her eyes and ignoring him completely.

"Elder Quan, if you put it that way, I truly cannot bear it. Looking across the entire Liaodong region, who does not know that you are the Old Master's right-hand man, a pillar of the Lu Clan? Even the Prefects of the various cities in Liaodong must call you Elder Quan when they meet you. I, Lu Yuzhang, am merely a minor official who benefited slightly from an alliance by marriage. How could I dare act presumptuously before you? If you truly regard me as a junior, just call me Yuzhang."

Lu Yuzhang spoke with a humble attitude, and the 'Old Master' he mentioned was none other than Lu Ning, the current Governor in charge of Liaodong and the head of the first-class Lu Clan.

"Then I shall boldly call you Young Master Yuzhang."

Lu Quan was quite pleased by Lu Yuzhang's flattery. Furthermore, the Lu family had never ceased their 'filial piety' contributions to him during festivals and holidays, which caused the slight resentment that had brewed from waiting to vanish completely from his mind.

"I wonder what sort of earth-shattering emergency Young Master Yuzhang has this time that could not be explained within the Lu family's Yellow Millet Dreamscape, such that Master Siyi sent Xiuyue and me to Fenghua overnight?"

As Lu Quan spoke, he deliberately turned his head to glance at Xiuyue, who sat beside him.

One had to understand that although he and Xiuyue were both servants of the Lu Clan, the masters they swore fealty to were different. Lu Quan was the trusted old servant of the clan head, Lu Ning, while Xiuyue belonged to Lu Siyi's inner circle.

Although Lu Ning and Lu Siyi were father and son, in the Great Ming Empire of today, the bond of father-and-son blood relation was no longer as close and seamless as it had been during the early and mid-Ming periods. If not for the concern that offspring fighting for power and profit might lead to the decline of the family, Lu Ning could completely have sired as many children as he pleased.

Lu Quan's arrival in Fenghua today to see Lu Yuzhang was an arrangement by Lu Siyi, relayed through Xiuyue. The implicit meaning conveyed therein was naturally that he did not want the matter to be known by Lu Ning, but rather wished to resolve the trouble Lu Yuzhang faced at the servant level.

And along their journey to Fenghua, Lu Quan had not asked a single question from beginning to end, choosing to speak only at this moment.

The timing of this choice was also highly appropriate. On one hand, if the trouble Lu Yuzhang encountered was exceedingly thorny, he could completely decline right to Lu Yuzhang's face, so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings from word spreading too much.

On the other hand, it also served to demonstrate his respect for Lu Siyi through Xiuyue, ensuring that this future head of the Lu Clan would not feel he was relying on his seniority and thus develop dissatisfaction.

"Elder Quan, rest assured, this matter has nothing to do with the Young Master. Inviting you to Fenghua was also done out of consideration for the Young Mistress's face. Therefore, help if you can, and drop it if you cannot; it will absolutely not make things difficult for you."

Xiuyue looked directly at Lu Yuzhang opposite her, speaking in a freezing tone: "Master Lu, what Master Siyi promised you has already been taken care of. Next, you can discuss it with Elder Quan yourself. I will not participate."

After leaving those words, the woman stood up directly. Yet as she was about to step out the door, her pace suddenly faltered, and she turned back to look ice-coldly at Lu Yuzhang.

"Master Lu, Master Siyi asked me to bring you a message. That everyone could become relatives by marriage is a blessing of fate. He hopes you will act more prudently in your future endeavors. Do not make things difficult for him as your brother-in-law, and do not make things difficult for your sister."

With that, Xiuyue pushed the door open and left straight away, completely disregarding Lu Yuzhang's unsightly expression behind her.

"Master Siyi is still far too indulgent with these servants on ordinary days, to the point that they have forgotten their own identities and cannot find their proper place."

Lu Quan comforted with a smile: "Young Master Yuzhang, do not take it to heart. Later, I will report to the Master to properly rectify the training procedures of the Lu family's estate cabins, stamping the concept of how to respect one's masters even more deeply into the brains of these household slaves."

"Elder Quan, if you were to do that, then I would truly be harming my sister."

Lu Yuzhang waved his hand with a bitter smile: "I have brought upon myself such trouble this time, involving Master Siyi to step forward and clean up the mess for me. It is only natural for Miss Xiuyue, as Master Siyi's confidante, to be this angry. Elder Quan, please do not blame her."

Lu Quan narrowed his eyes, asking at a slow pace: "Then I wonder what exactly is this trouble that even Young Master Yuzhang cannot resolve, requiring you to seek out this old servant through Master Siyi?"

Lu Yuzhang let out a sigh and said, "I wonder if Elder Quan knows of a descendant of the Lu family named Lu Chengjiang?"

"I know of him. The former Deputy Thousand-Commander of the Wa District."

Before the marriage alliance between the Lu and Lu families, the Lu Clan had already sent people to investigate the background of his family. Thus, for certain figures who were relatively important within the Lu family, Lu Quan remembered them quite clearly.

"I heard that back then, the Lu family braved quite a few rumors and slanders within the New Donglin Party, gritting their teeth to promise Su Ce that they would properly care for the families of all Liaodong-native Jinyiwei in the Wa District and the wounded, retired veteran soldiers returning home, before they finally pushed him up to the position of Deputy Thousand-Commander. It is a pity that this Young Master Lu's luck was not good, dying in the Wa District while still in his prime..."

"Lu Chengjiang did not have bad luck; he courted his own death, and his death was well-deserved!"

Lu Yuzhang’s face turned grim, his voice savage: "How much contempt and abuse did the Lu family bear behind the scenes back then to help him sit in that position? In the end, this waste was simply a piece of rotten mud that could not stick to the wall, actually daring to play those underhanded political ploys right under Su Ce's nose. His own death is a small matter, but he caused the Lu family to become notoriously foul because of it. Our early investments evaporated into a bubble, and we reaped absolutely nothing from this new policy!"

"Although this Young Master Lu's conduct was undesirable, the man is already dead after all. What further problem could there be?"

Elder Quan watched the expression of Lu Yuzhang before him turn from anger to shame, and his heart suddenly sank. Furrowing his brow, he said, "Young Master Yuzhang, you wouldn't be trying to tell this old servant that something went wrong with the families of those Jinyiwei, would you?"

"I dare not deceive Elder Quan. Yes."

Meeting Lu Quan's grim gaze, Lu Yuzhang moved his body forward on the chair a few inches until his buttocks sat right on the edge of the seat. Only then did he bite the bullet and say, "After Lu Chengjiang became the Deputy Thousand-Commander of the Wa District, he utilized the convenience of his office to secretly embezzle a vast amount of pension funds for the Liaodong-native Jinyiwei, as well as the living expenses of their families..."

Lu Quan's tone grew mocking: "This Young Master Lu truly had a massive appetite. He actually dared to feast on blood-money that others bartered for with their lives on the edge of a blade? Or is it that your family has declined to such an extent that you need to perform such filthy deeds to subsidize your household expenses?"

"The Lu family only found out about these wicked deeds he committed after Lu Chengjiang died. Before then, we were entirely unaware. On this point, Elder Quan can rest assured," Lu Yuzhang said hastily, striking his chest.

Hearing this, the gloom between Lu Quan's brows eased slightly, but then he seemed to suddenly recall something. His eyes stared fixedly at the apologetically smiling Lu Yuzhang as he asked, "That's not right. If it were merely the embezzlement of funds, then the Lu family could completely compensate them twofold after learning the truth of the matter. The chief culprit has been eliminated; the Lu family shouldn't be this afraid of those surviving Wa District Jinyiwei, right? Young Master Yuzhang, are you still hiding something from this old servant?"

Lu Yuzhang swallowed his saliva, his tone arduous: "Although the Wa District does not have a Yellow Millet Dreamscape connected to the homeland, and those Wa District Jinyiwei cannot return to the imperial homeland at will without orders from the Northern Garrison Command, in order to ensure that their families would keep their mouths tightly shut, Lu Chengjiang stamped them all with Confucian Order imprints. Regardless of... regardless of gender, age, or youth."

Crash!

The tea bowl on the low table toppled suddenly, spilling tea so profusely that it soaked the floor, even splashing a few drops onto Lu Yuzhang’s face.

Lu Quan inhaled deeply, rested his hand, which had been pressed on the tea table, back onto his knee, and asked calmly: “Someone from the Lu family is aiding him.”

“Who?”

“They have already been killed.”

“The marked members of the Imperial Guard’s families—where are they now?”

“They have all been dealt with.”

“Dealt with? Well done! There was still a sliver of room for negotiation, yet your Lu clan leaves no retreat for itself.” Lu Quan clenched his teeth and raged: “So you summoned Young Master Si Yi today because you fear that, once the truth is exposed, the fleeing rogue martial artist will come knocking, and you hoped to enlist his help?”

“This matter is indeed a misstep by the Lu family, but if Elder Quan is willing to assist, the terms can be set at will.”

“Young Master Yuzhang, you hold me, Lu Quan, in far too high esteem.”

Lu Quan rose abruptly, bent his head to look down at Lu Yuzhang, and said coldly: “You know what has transpired in the Japanese district, and I know it too. A lone warrior—Wu Si—who could compel Su Ce to risk his life for promotion, and still survive the deadly gambit, is a force no proud Lu heir can provoke; a humble servant like me could not dare either.”

“This affair is beyond my capacity; I must now return to Liaozhou, plead before Young Master Si Yi, and take my leave.”

“You cannot provoke me, yet Governor Lu must surely have a way to handle it, no?”

As a faint voice rose behind him, Lu Quan’s silhouette, already at the doorway, halted abruptly, a chilling aura of lethal intent radiating outward.

“Lu Yuzhang, if you entertain the notion of diverting disaster eastward, I urge you to abandon it at once. Entangling the rogue martial artist might still allow the Lu line to endure, but crossing the Lu family will erase the Lu clan in an instant—no blood, no beast, nothing left.”