The rise of the poor

"Zhu Ping'an, this is the construction of city walls in your Zhejiang! It's utterly childish! Zhejiang has ten prefectures and thirty-seven counties under its jurisdiction, of which only twelve have city walls. The remaining twenty-five counties have none, eight are under construction, and seventeen haven't even started construction. Having city walls is fine; when the Japanese pirates attack, you can close the gates in time, mobilize soldiers and able-bodied men to defend the city, and barely manage to hold them off. But what about those without walls? When the Japanese pirates come, are you expecting the common people to use their flesh and blood to resist them?! Zhu Ping'an, haven't you always prided yourself on being the people's father and mother?! Look at the construction of city walls in your Zhejiang! You utterly disregard the lives of the people, and you still have the nerve to call yourself their father and mother!"

Upon entering the duty room, Luo Longwen arrogantly berated Zhu Ping'an and tossed him an official document.

Luo Longwen received top-level treatment wherever he went after leaving the capital, but Zhu Ping'an received him in such a simple duty room!
It's up to the owner to beat the dog!

The way you're treating me is disrespectful to Yan Dang, to Donglou, and to Grand Secretary Yan!
Zhu Pingan took the document, skimmed through it, and then looked at Luo Longwen. "The construction of city walls in Zhejiang is indeed inadequate; this is a historical issue."

"What historical issues?! Zhu Ping'an, you're just shirking your responsibility!" Luo Longwen pressed aggressively.

"During the Yongle reign, in order to strengthen control over local areas, reinforce central rule, and weaken local power, the court ordered the demolition of many city walls in the Jiangnan region. Among them, ten city walls belonging to Zhejiang were demolished during this period. The construction of city walls required approval from the Ministry of Works. I have reviewed the applications and approval documents from previous years. Not to mention the historical applications, which were only approved once every hundred years, in recent years, due to the serious threat of Japanese pirates, Zhejiang has applied for the construction of eighteen city walls. Currently, eight have been approved, meaning that eight are under construction. This year, the court is strongly supporting the construction of city walls in the Jiangnan region affected by Japanese pirates. Taking this opportunity, I have applied for the construction of city walls for all the cities without walls. I submitted the application to the Ministry of Works a month ago and am awaiting their approval. Once the Ministry of Works approves it, construction can begin."

Zhu Pingan said slowly.

"Huh?" Luo Longwen was stunned.

He was clearly unaware of this situation. He only checked whether there were city walls or whether they were under construction. It was all just a cursory glance. He didn't personally investigate many things. For example, he spent most of his time in wealthy places like Yingtian, Suzhou, and Hangzhou collecting gifts. He left most of the investigations in Zhejiang to his subordinates. He just waited for the results.

Luo Longwen was not originally from the Ministry of Works; he was merely a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat. As for why a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat would accept the official duties of the Ministry of Works' inspection, it is undoubtedly the result of the Yan faction's manipulation.

He wasn't from the Ministry of Works, so he had no idea about the process of building the city wall, nor did he know that the construction of the city wall required approval from the Ministry of Works.

As Zhu Pingan ventured deeper into the city, Luo Longwen was completely bewildered. He couldn't believe there were so many twists and turns involved in building the city wall.

"Do you have anything else to attend to? If not, you may return. I am busy with military affairs and have no time to entertain you."

Zhu Pingan got up to see the guest off.

"Zhu Ping'an, do you even know where you are?! Do you want to follow in Zhang Jing's footsteps?!"

Luo Longwen threatened menacingly with a dark expression.

"It's easy to leave without seeing him off!"

Zhu Pingan remained expressionless, too lazy to pay him any more attention.

"Zhu Ping'an, if you offer ten thousand taels of silver, I can put in a good word for you with Donglou and get him to let you off the hook. You know my relationship with Donglou is not ordinary. Otherwise, what happened to Zhang Jing today will happen to you tomorrow. You'd better think it over."

Luo Longwen held up a finger, threatening and enticing Zhu Ping'an to offer him ten thousand taels of silver, or else he would follow in Zhang Jing's footsteps.

Your relationship with Yan Shifan is indeed unusual. You've given all your wives and concubines to Yan Shifan, so you're all like-minded people and your relationship is naturally special.

So what if you have a special relationship with Yan Shifan? What if Yan Shifan stood in front of me and said he'd let me go if I offered him ten thousand taels of silver? If I were willing to collude with Yan's faction, would I be waiting until today?!
Moreover, you, Luo Longwen, are a complete scoundrel who bites at me like a dog in the capital. How could you possibly say anything good about me?!
Faced with Luo Longwen's threats and inducements, Zhu Pingan didn't hesitate to give him the middle finger and reply with a single word, "Get lost!"

"Zhu Pingan!"

Luo Longwen's face flushed with anger, and his finger trembled as he pointed at Zhu Ping'an, "Zhu Ping'an, don't be so stubborn!"

"Luo Longwen, stop putting on airs. What's with this 'toasting and forcing' nonsense? Based on my understanding of you, you've already submitted this report to the emperor to impeach me, haven't you?!" Zhu Pingan looked at Luo Longwen with disdain.

"Cough cough." Luo Longwen didn't expect Zhu Pingan to see through him so quickly, and he couldn't help but cough.

Seeing Luo Longwen's performance, Zhu Pingan knew that his prediction was correct; the guy had already impeached him.

"Luo Longwen, this impeachment memorial of yours will bring you disaster. Offer me ten thousand taels of silver, and I may let you go." Zhu Ping'an held up a finger to Luo Longwen, looking at him with a half-smile.

Luo Longwen shook his head. How come it's reversed?! Has Zhu Pingan gone mad, or am I hallucinating?
Luo Longwen swayed three times, and in his line of sight, Zhu Ping'an was still holding up a finger, looking at him with a half-smile.

Luo Longwen confirmed that he was not hallucinating, and couldn't help but laugh in exasperation, "Zhu Pingan, are you sick in the head?"

“If you don’t offer me ten thousand taels of silver, then I have a suggestion for you.” Zhu Ping’an smiled slightly.

"What suggestion?" Luo Longwen asked subconsciously, only to realize after asking that he had fallen into Zhu Ping'an's trap again, and quickly straightened his neck, "Let's see how you talk nonsense."

"Find a good doctor to treat club injuries; you'll need that." Zhu Pingan smiled slightly.

"What?! You're going to take action anyway, Zhu Ping'an? I'm representing the Ministry of Works. Don't mess around. I'm an inspector from the Ministry of Works, ordered by His Majesty. I'm an official of the imperial court. You're using the army to beat up an official of the imperial court? You've got some nerve! Let me tell you, Zhu Ping'an, don't be impulsive."

Luo Longwen thought Zhu Pingan was going to use force to teach him a lesson, and he was immediately terrified. He was on Zhu Pingan's territory, and Zhu Pingan had nearly 10,000 soldiers under his command. His own guards had been crippled by Zhu Pingan. If Zhu Pingan gave the order, he would have no chance of escaping. He was so scared that he trembled and his voice trembled.

"You just said 'goodbye and no return,' so let's go, let's go, let's go!" Luo Longwen, as if his pants were on fire, led his entourage and fled in disarray, abandoning the centurions and soldiers who had been flogged. (End of Chapter)