EMHTC -Chapter 70 Disaster Relief Without Food but with Banknotes!

The Minister of Works was startled by his daughter’s actions, his face filled with alarm.

“No, no! This simply won’t do!”

“Ahem… Little Xu!” The Minister forced a smile. “You should head back for now. You’ve worked hard lately—oh, I heard that His Majesty purchased the house you were renting and gifted it to you. Do you have any plans for furnishing it? Just let me know; I’ve got plenty of timber and craftsmen here. Don’t hold back. If it weren’t for you accompanying me today, I wouldn’t have been able to tackle this head-on and might still be drowning in worry. If you insist on being modest, I’ll have no choice but to give you silver as a token of thanks.”

Xu Yanmiao couldn’t refuse, so he cupped his hands and expressed his gratitude. Then, he quickly excused himself. “This humble official will take his leave now.”

【Hurry, hurry! If the Minister of Works suddenly changes his mind and decides to make me his son-in-law, I’m done for. I’m not ready to settle down and start a family yet! I still want to enjoy life!】

The Minister of Works also breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as Xu Yanmiao didn’t have such thoughts, it was fine. Leaving aside the fact that Bai Ze was involved—something absolutely forbidden to harbor privately, or the emperor would never stop scrutinizing their family—there was the issue of familial bonds.

If they became family, and Little Bai Ze attended court and absentmindedly thought about home matters, he’d unintentionally expose every secret of the household. Who could endure that?

After Xu Yanmiao left, the Minister of Works released his grip on his daughter’s mouth and spoke with rare seriousness. “My dear girl, remember this. Anyone else is fine, even if you wish to enter the palace. Although I would oppose it, if you were to threaten me with your life, I’d have no choice but to compromise and beg His Majesty on your behalf.”

Miss Jin blinked in confusion. “???”

Am I that unreasonable?

“But Xu Yanmiao…” For once, the Minister looked genuinely conflicted as he gazed at his beloved daughter.

After a pause, his expression turned grave. “He is absolutely out of the question. Only he is forbidden. Unless he takes the initiative to pursue you, you must never try to involve yourself with him. Otherwise, it will bring ruin to our family.”

Miss Jin clutched her chest, nearly frightened out of her wits. Seeing her father’s serious demeanor, she realized the gravity of the situation and quickly nodded. “Don’t worry, Father. From now on, I’ll turn the other way whenever I see him.”

“That’s unnecessary. There’s no need to act deliberately. Just interact with him normally.” The Minister patted her on the head and smiled. “Also, I have a surprise for you. I went to His Majesty and secured you a position.”

Miss Jin’s eyes lit up, and her breathing quickened. “A position?!”

Was it what she thought it was?

“You’ve come at the right time. In the past, even if your father performed meritorious deeds, it would’ve been impossible to achieve this.”

The Minister of Works spoke with a sigh of emotion.

Looking at it this way, they really owed Xu Yanmiao a debt of gratitude.

“Let’s go home. I’ll tell you all about it in detail. It will require your martial skills…”

“Got it!”

What porridge? What scholar? Miss Jin had already forgotten everything as she followed her father and left. However, while she had moved on, the Minister of Works had not. Taking advantage of his daughter’s distraction, he gave the scholar a deep, scrutinizing look.

His family indeed wasn’t short on money, but to scheme against his daughter, walk away with a house, and enjoy the fox fur leisurely? Dream on!

In the capital, a story circulated about a scholar who had lost his house and was shivering in thin clothing on the street during the cold winter. However, his plight was even less significant than a pebble in a stream. Compared to him, there were many more unfortunate people awaiting the court’s attention.

This year was anything but peaceful.

• On the 15th day of the first lunar month, heavy snow blanketed Nancheng County, leaving 80 people frozen or starved to death.
• On the 9th day of the sixth lunar month, frost descended like falling stars, destroying all the summer crops in Yanshan County.
• By late September, floods ravaged Taiping, Ningguo, and Anqing, drowning over 20,000 people.
• Meanwhile, in Fujian, while floods plagued other regions, it endured a severe drought.

From summer to the current winter, Fujian had seen no rain for three consecutive seasons. Wells and ponds had dried up entirely.

This wasn’t divine punishment; every dynasty had its share of natural disasters. With a land as vast as the Nine Provinces, there would always be one or two regions struck by calamity. The Grand official of the Ministry of Revenue in Daxia was so frugal partly because he had to reserve funds for disaster relief.

“Your Majesty, are you seriously sending Hua Chun for disaster relief this time?”

Empress Dou was taken aback. She could hardly believe that her husband, who constantly referenced the Admonitions for Women, would assign the task of disaster relief to Princess Wanshou. And he wasn’t cutting any corners—he treated her just like he would any male official. He appointed her as the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, sent her to the disaster-stricken areas, and even arranged for personnel to ensure her safety.

The old emperor, however, spoke nonchalantly. “Didn’t I plan to strip her of her position right after the New Year? But then I got busy touring the Nine Provinces and didn’t have time. Now that it’s year-end, she’s proven to be quite useful. This disaster relief mission will test her abilities. If she can prove herself, I’ll let her remain in her post at the Ministry of Revenue. Once she’s accumulated enough experience and merits, she can be promoted as usual.”

As he spoke, the emperor grew indignant. “You have no idea, Empress. Everyone else has their own agendas. Only our family truly has our interests at heart. With Wanshou managing finances at the Ministry of Revenue, at least we won’t lose our own money!”

Empress Dou fell silent for a moment. “Minister Yuan has faithfully managed the Ministry of Revenue for you and has never embezzled…”

The emperor coughed. “I know. But he won’t be able to hold the position for much longer. We need to prepare for the future.”

After a pause, he added, “I also plan to send Xu Yanmiao this time. He’s done a lot of work behind the scenes, but he hasn’t been credited publicly. This mission will be a formality, and when he returns, I’ll use the opportunity to give him a promotion.”

Unfortunately, his efforts were met with a lack of ambition.If Xu Yanmiao knew the truth, he’d probably say: Why not just convert the promotion into money? The higher the rank, the more work there is to do. Being a official is much more comfortable.

“The one he’s close with—Lian… Lian Hang, a official in the Ministry of War—should go with him. That way, they can still accompany each other during court sessions, avoiding separation due to differences in rank.”

“Although Princess Wanshou will be the lead officer this time, I’ll assign her two experienced deputies. If she proves incapable, the deputies can take over to prevent any disasters.”

This plan showcased the emperor’s meticulous and comprehensive thinking.

The next day, Xu Yanmiao received his orders.

The disaster relief mission to Fujian would be led by Princess Wanshou, supported by Shen Guifang, Minister of Justice, and Liang Rui, an assistant minister in the Ministry of Justice. Additionally, Xu Yanmiao from the Ministry of Personnel and Lian Hang from the Ministry of War would accompany them.

The relief team was further supplemented by a contingent of Imperial Guards, with martial-skilled women specifically assigned to protect Princess Wanshou. Among them was none other than Miss Jin.

The journey from the capital to Fujian covered nearly 3,000 li (approximately 1,500 kilometers). Given the need to transport supplies, the team would require at least a month to reach their destination.

For the first three to four days, Princess Wanshou managed to remain patient. However, by the seventh or eighth day, she grew anxious and asked the two experienced officials, “With travel taking so long, won’t the local disaster victims suffer even more?”

There was nothing they could do—flying wasn’t an option.

The Minister of Justice, his brows furrowed with worry throughout the journey, patiently explained when asked, “Your Highness, disaster relief has always been like this. If the afflicted area is close to the capital, a Censor can ride swiftly to the scene. But for far-off regions, it all depends on the competence of local officials. Regardless, having a Censor present is crucial. Many officials will only exert themselves fully when they know they’re being watched by a Censor.”

In other words, if the disaster zone was far away, no one expected these capital officials to arrive immediately and take charge. Their role was to wrap up the efforts and assess whether local officials had handled the situation diligently.

Princess Wanshou asked, “What if the local officials are incompetent or corrupt?”

The Minister of Justice said nothing.

After several moments of silence, Princess Wanshou understood. If they encountered inept officials or those exploiting the disaster for personal gain, there was no immediate remedy. Such individuals could only be executed after the fact.

With that, Princess Wanshou also fell silent.

Sitting on the carriage’s shaft, Xu Yanmiao flipped through reports about Fujian, snow piling thickly on his shoulders. His frown deepened as he read. Leaning toward Lian Hang, he said, “Lian-lang, I have a question for you.”

Just as the Ministry of War official was about to answer, Xu Yanmiao abruptly jumped off the carriage. “Wait, I need to ask the Minister about this!”

Xu Yanmiao posed his question to the Minister of Justice: “Since the founding of our dynasty, has the exchange rate of Daxia Baochao (paper currency) for copper coins decreased?”

The Daxia Baochao was the paper currency of the Xia dynasty. Paper money had been used since the previous dynasty, and Xia inherited the Zhou system, including its paper currency.

At the beginning of the Tiantong reign, one guan of Baochao could be exchanged for 1,000 copper coins.

The previous dynasty often used paper currency to pay officials. For reasons unknown, the old emperor hadn’t followed this tradition, so Xu Yanmiao had never paid much attention to whether the Baochao had depreciated.

The Minister of Justice confirmed, “Nowadays, one guan of Baochao can only be exchanged for 100 copper coins.”

Xu Yanmiao: “…”

【Good heavens, it’s been devalued to one-tenth of its original value. Just how much Baochao has the court printed in the past thirty-something years?】

【This is bad. That idiotic disaster relief proposal from the Fujian Governor is probably going to be approved.】

Although they were handling affairs outside the capital, everyone present still held official positions within the central government and could hear Xu Yanmiao’s inner thoughts.

The Minister of Justice furrowed his brows even tighter. “Why has Xu Lang suddenly brought this up? Are you concerned His Majesty might resort to using Baochao for disaster relief?”

【The old emperor might not think of it himself, but it only takes one ‘brilliant’ suggestion!】

【How did that Fujian Governor even get his position? To propose printing over a million liang worth of Baochao, equivalent to fifty million copper coins, to buy grain—what utter nonsense! And he sent this memorial to the emperor through expedited delivery. It’s pure chaos! Even I, who know little about economics, understand you can’t flood the market with that much paper money all at once!】

【Calm down. Maybe the ministers in court are economically savvy, and the emperor will listen to reason!】

【Besides, since the emperor hasn’t used Baochao to pay officials’ salaries, it proves he must have some understanding of economics, right?】

While his mind raced, Xu Yanmiao only vaguely replied, “It’s a valid concern.”

Beside him, Liang Rui imagined the chaos of over a million liang worth of Baochao flooding the marketplace. The very thought made his scalp tingle, and he quickly suggested, “That might actually happen. Xu Lang, come back with me to the capital! Your Highness, the Minister, and official Lian can continue to Fujian!”

“Huh? Alright!” Xu Yanmiao sighed, “But I can’t ride a horse.”

Liang Rui calmly replied, “We’ve prepared a bamboo carriage for you.”

The snow was heavy that day, so the court session was held indoors.

In the grand hall, the envoy sent by the Fujian Governor passionately presented his proposal. “Your Majesty! This is the solution! Fujian is suffering a severe drought, the disaster victims lack food, and the court has limited funds. Why not print over a million liang worth of Baochao to purchase grain from other provinces and help the people through this crisis?”

The Vice Minister of Revenue, who had been agonizing over the empty state treasury for days, suddenly lit up, his bloodshot eyes gleaming. He stepped forward eagerly. “Your Majesty! This appears to be a sound strategy for governance…”

The old emperor was moved. “In that case…”

A familiar voice, filled with shock, rang out—

【No way! The old emperor actually believes this nonsense?!】

The old emperor felt a familiar throb of pain in his temples. He looked sharply toward the source of the voice and spotted Xu Yanmiao standing outside the hall. Though he couldn’t see the man’s expression, his inner thoughts were clear—

【Even the Vice Minister of Revenue believes this? You’re the Vice Minister of Revenue! The official in charge of the court’s finances!】

From this, the emperor could easily imagine Xu Yanmiao’s expression: utterly stunned, as if he’d seen a ghost.

The old emperor: “…”

The Vice Minister of Revenue: “…”

Suddenly, the Vice Minister couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d just been labeled an idiot.

The envoy from Fujian stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty! This man is fearmongering! If rice runs out, there’s still wheat. If wheat runs out, there’s silk. And even if silk is gone, there will always be oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. The world has an abundance of goods…”

Liang Rui frowned in disdain and interrupted sharply, “But there’s even more Baochao— because it’s just paper. You can produce as much as you want. The result of unchecked printing is a market with no goods and waste paper flying in the wind! What are your intentions in harming Daxia like this?”

The envoy froze, his face turning red. “How dare you slander me without evidence!”

Stubbornly, he continued, “Furthermore, even if what you say is true, when has my lord ever suggested unrestrained printing? He merely instructed me to suggest printing enough to get through this crisis.”

Xu Yanmiao grew increasingly alarmed as he listened, his anxiety mounting.

【Oh no! How did this Fujian Governor ever get his position? Doesn’t he understand the concept of drinking poison to quench thirst?!】

【Huh? So he didn’t actually come up through the formal imperial examination system? Wait a second—this… this… wow! So that’s all it takes to become a high-ranking official?】

Yikes!

Many officials—especially those from the Ministry of Revenue—suddenly brightened.

Say more!

They desperately wanted to avoid the emperor’s gaze, the one that seemed to ask, “If you can’t even solve this problem, what use are you?” This issue… they truly didn’t know how to handle it! Historically, officials with business acumen were as rare as phoenix feathers, and those who could attend court debates were even scarcer.

The imperial examinations never tested this! And once in office, we’re prohibited from engaging in commerce. What are we supposed to do?

Xu Yanmiao, say a bit more. Divert the emperor’s attention—and as for the Fujian Governor’s fate, well, it doesn’t matter. Sacrifice him to benefit the entire court!

Besides, this problem is his doing in the first place! Would it have killed him to request grain for disaster relief honestly?

Unsurprisingly, many court officials were already harboring resentment toward this unseen Fujian Governor.

Some others, however, were fidgeting, as though sitting on pins and needles.

【Scholars across the land must be cursing their parents. Why didn’t they give them a better name? Look at this one—his name alone turned him from a student of the Imperial Academy into the Governor of Fujian. Other students have to intern in various ministries first, but he went whoosh straight to a second-rank governor position in Fujian, a wealthy coastal province with bustling maritime trade!】

Beyond those directly involved, most of the court officials and ministers of Daxia were now utterly hooked, their curiosity burning.

What kind of name could do this? To leap from having no official position to a second rank—this was more than a meteoric rise! Those of us risking our necks on the battlefield or clawing our way up step by step… how can we compete with that?

【Yu Ai, huh? Hmm, wasn’t there a loyal minister from the previous dynasty named Wang Yu Ai who sacrificed his life for the nation? Same name, different fate. They even come from the same region and share a similar accent… Wait. The Marquis of Yangwu recommended him for this position the moment he saw him—could it be…?】

Feeling the emperor’s meaningful gaze, the Marquis of Yangwu instinctively hunched his shoulders, trying to shrink into the background.

It’s not… it’s not…

【Oh no! I knew it! I thought it was just because his name sounded nice—but no, men’s words are lies. Clearly, it’s because his name and accent resemble that loyal minister from the previous dynasty!】

【I never expected this. The Marquis of Yangwu tried to recruit that minister three times without success, and now his obsession runs this deep? Tsk tsk. Who can say this isn’t some kind of surrogate narrative?】

Although most had never heard of “surrogate narratives,” the context was enough for them to piece it together.

Mocking glances now drifted toward the Marquis of Yangwu.

At this moment, unaware that he would soon earn the “honorary title” of Surrogate Marquis, the Marquis was on the verge of tears. He forced out his words one by one:

“Your Majesty, the Governor of Fujian is unworthy of his position. When I recommended him, it was a moment of foolishness, and I am deeply at fault. Please, Your Majesty, punish me.”

What surrogate narrative? I am not, I did not! I simply wanted that loyal minister to serve Daxia as a colleague, to stop devoting himself to that rotting court! Later, when I saw someone named Yu Ai, it reminded me of him, and I indulged my selfishness for a moment.

This person happened to have talent—just not in commerce. That’s why I recommended him! If he had been an uneducated scoundrel, I wouldn’t have given him a second glance!

The Marquis of Yangwu felt utterly wronged but had no way to explain himself now. Gritting his teeth, he said, “I implore Your Majesty to demote this man from the governorship. His foolishness renders him unfit for such a weighty role. Furthermore, I ask Your Majesty to strip me of my own position to serve as a warning to others.”

The old emperor pondered for a moment, his lips twitching…

【Ah, the surrogate is still just a surrogate. When trouble arises, he’s the first to be discarded.】

The Marquis of Yangwu ground his teeth.

“I already said—there’s no such thing!”

Yu’s abilities were passable, but that prime minister of the previous dynasty was extraordinary. Under the rule of such a tyrannical and brutal emperor, he managed to protect himself while also helping the Zhou Dynasty, at the height of its prosperity, withstand the assault of 18 rebel armies for four extra years!

How could they be compared? How could this be similar? Substitute? What substitute? Nonsense!

“Pfft—” The old emperor barely held back a laugh, stifling it with immense effort so Xu Yanmiao wouldn’t notice anything unusual. Then, stealthily pinching his thigh, he suppressed his mirth before speaking again: “You exaggerate. While you misjudged this individual, no grave error has occurred. Hence, your fief shall only be reduced by 200 households. As for the Fujian Governor, for offering ill-advised proposals and nearly causing great harm, he shall be dismissed from office!”

The Marquis of Yangwu, terrified that Xu Yanmiao might say something even more shocking, quickly replied: “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy!”

The old emperor continued: “As for the issue of treasure notes, we will not print more for now. However, the crisis surrounding them still looms. Does anyone have a solution?”

Silence.

Well, not entirely…

【We do! We do! Just ask someone who knows business! Isn’t the Minister of Works’ wife a skilled businesswoman? And she’s particularly adept at it!】

But in any dynasty, officials and their families were strictly forbidden from engaging in commerce.

The Minister of Works’ face turned green in an instant.