Sheltering the refugees

In the capital, news of the peace negotiations spread rapidly throughout the city after the emperor personally acknowledged them at court. These past few days, not only court officials but ordinary people, too, had been talking about "peace negotiations."

Soon, two different voices emerged in the city. One naturally argued that peace negotiations were a good thing. If peace could be made, they would no longer have to live in fear all day, nor would there be so many refugees. Those who ought to return to farming could do so, and everyone could get on with their lives.

The other argued that negotiating peace disgraced the court. How could the mighty Great Ming make peace with barbarians? Besides, did anyone truly think peace would bring good days? The Jurchen could negotiate this year, take their benefits, and return again next year. Would they then have to offer up more gold, silver, money, and grain in exchange for another year of peace?

The two voices filled the streets and alleys. Those who disagreed, however close they usually were, now wanted nothing more than to bare their arms and fight, as though the emperor would listen to whoever had the harder fists.

In Stone Stele Alley, the gates of the Fan residence stood tightly shut. A moment later, a side gate creaked open, and a man in coarse cloth clothes stepped out. He glanced left and right, then quickly disappeared at the mouth of the alley.

At the same time, a dark figure flashed out from a corner and silently trailed him.

Only after seeing which residence the man entered did the pursuer turn back. After winding through several streets, he entered the offices of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Commander Luo, your subordinate caught someone coming out of the Fan residence. He belongs to Chen Zhiguo!"

"Editor Chen? Him?" Luo Yangxing's eyes widened in disbelief. "Hah! A mere editor at the Hanlin Academy. I really underestimated him. Usually so quiet and unassuming, yet he's actually colluding with the Fan family. Did you remember what the man looked like?"

"Your subordinate has already drawn him!" The guard took a sheet of paper from inside his robe. It depicted the man poking his head out at the gates of the Fan residence, his small eyes watching his surroundings warily, two wisps of mustache beneath his lips. Whichever way one looked at him, he seemed utterly sleazy.

"Keep a close watch on him!" Luo Yangxing folded the drawing and strode outside.

How could he fail to report something this important to His Majesty?

Luo Yangxing eagerly went to claim credit, only to discover upon reaching Wuying Hall that others were already there: Fan Fucui, minister of the Court of Judicial Review; Liu Zongzhou, prefect of Shuntian Prefecture; and Xue Guoguan and Zhou Kui, both wearing miserable expressions.

"Minister Luo, you've come at just the right time. You should hear about this, too!"

Luo Yangxing set his own business aside for the moment and asked, "What matter does Your Majesty mean?"

Zhu Youjian glanced at the men below. Xue Guoguan and Zhou Kui seemed reluctant to speak, while Liu Zongzhou merely kept sighing. Left with no choice, Fan Fucui told Luo Yangxing, "Here is what happened. Grand Secretary Xue and the Count of Jiading lost some silver and reported it to Prefect Liu, but neither can say how much silver was lost. His Majesty is troubled over it as well!"

Luo Yangxing was utterly speechless. It was one thing for the others not to know the truth, but His Majesty was asking him to get involved?

Was the thief crying, "Catch the thief"?

"Apprehending criminals falls within the duties of the Five City Military Command. Your servant should not overstep his authority!" Luo Yangxing said.

"That is no matter." Zhu Youjian snorted coldly. "Right beneath the Son of Heaven's feet, thieves actually dared to steal from the homes of court officials! They have no regard for the law-their arrogance knows no bounds. We cannot let this matter slide. You two need not worry. With Ministers Fan, Liu, and Luo here, the thieves will surely be caught, and every bit of the stolen silver returned."

Luo Yangxing watched the solemn-faced emperor. His words blazed with fury, but who knew how delighted he was inside?

Following His Majesty's orders, he had sent the Embroidered Uniform Guard to search those officials' homes for silver, and they had indeed found hidden silver in the very places His Majesty had named.

Count of Jiading Zhou Kui had buried five hundred thousand taels in his garden, and it had taken several trips to carry it all away. Xue Guoguan had hidden one hundred thousand taels inside a hollow wall in his study; the rest was presumably hidden elsewhere. Then there was Chen Yan. Whether he had yet to discover the loss or was simply keeping his composure, there had been a full six hundred thousand taels of silver in his cellar!

Luo Yangxing had personally watched all of it being transported into the palace. He still remembered Zhang Yixian's stifled expression upon seeing so much silver and not daring to ask where it had come from.

The Imperial Treasury had gained more than a million taels of silver in one stroke. His Majesty would surely wake up laughing even in his sleep!

"Your Majesty, your servant believes the silver was stolen by refugees in the city," Fan Fucui suddenly said.

Xue Guoguan and Zhou Kui knew perfectly well that this was highly unlikely, but they could not bring themselves to argue. Refugees might steal three or five taels at most. Could they possibly steal three hundred or five hundred thousand?

But now they were like a mute eating bitter herbs, forced to swallow all that bitterness themselves!

"What do you think should be done, Minister Fan?" Zhu Youjian knew perfectly well that the refugees had not stolen the silver, but nearly ten thousand of them had gathered in Beijing City. A proper way to handle them did indeed need to be found.

"As far as your servant knows, the refugees gathered in the capital are enduring hunger and cold. They escaped the Jurchen's iron hooves, yet still cannot survive. Otherwise, why would refugees resort to theft? Your servant therefore believes the court should increase its relief efforts so these refugees may live."

As soon as Fan Fucui finished speaking, everyone in the hall turned to Liu Zongzhou, prefect of Shuntian Prefecture. After all, this fell within his responsibilities.

Liu Zongzhou cursed inwardly, but he had already considered the matter. He immediately said, "Your Majesty, this was a failure in your servant's duties. But your servant had no way to remedy it!"

Liu Zongzhou sighed and continued, "Your Majesty, as an official entrusted with the people's welfare, your servant ought to do everything in his power for them. But the granaries have long been empty. Your servant has also asked the Ministry of Revenue. If the ministry could allocate grain, the refugee problem would have been resolved long ago."

Hearing this, Fan Fucui also sighed. He cupped his hands toward Liu Zongzhou, then said to Zhu Youjian, "Your Majesty, the weather is growing colder. Without a sound plan, the people may lose their lives amid these natural disasters and human calamities!"

Zhu Youjian's expression was heavy with grief. After considering for a moment, he said, "There are still two hundred thousand taels in the Imperial Treasury. Here is what we shall do: I will give Minister Liu one hundred thousand taels. Take some men to the Imperial Estate and build shelters, purchase clothing and bedding, and buy some grain. Settle the refugees there for now. And build extra shelters. More refugees will likely follow."

Zhu Youjian was thinking of the people being evacuated from Gaoyang and Jinan. The Sun Family had a residence in the capital, so he need not worry about them. Zhu Youshu and his family could stay in the palace temporarily, but those ordinary people could not be left without somewhere to settle.

Apart from those who had someone to turn to in the capital or elsewhere, the rest could only be settled by the court. They could not be allowed to leave their homes only to end up dying in a strange land. If that happened, the ranks of the Rebel Bandits in the Central Plains would surely swell even without Zhang Xianzhong and the others calling for recruits.

The emperor had offered half the silver in the Imperial Treasury as soon as he spoke. Unaware of the truth, Fan Fucui and Liu Zongzhou were deeply moved. Overwhelmed at serving such an enlightened ruler, they immediately knelt with tears in their eyes and thundered cries of "Long live Your Majesty!"

The two left Wuying Hall smiling and headed to the Imperial Treasury to collect the silver. Xue Guoguan and Zhou Kui, the two who had lost their silver, left the palace and returned home with gloomy faces. They probably would never recover what they had lost. It was like having a great chunk of flesh carved out of their hearts-even after it healed, a scar the size of a bowl would remain!

Only Luo Yangxing remained in the hall. Zhu Youjian leaned back on the imperial throne, relaxed, and gave Wang Cheng'en a look. Once everyone else had left, he finally said, "You handled this well. Have you come today to ask for a reward?"