Prime Minister.

Chapter 285, Section 284: [Bowing]

Looking at Zhao Cong, who had collapsed unconscious, the people in the hall found it difficult to quickly calm their shock.

Although Zhao Cong's official rank was not high, only a fifth-rank Yangzhou Tongpan, his position in the Grand Canal Administration was not low, because Yangzhou was a key hub for canal transport. Zhao Cong was in charge of the Yangzhou Superintendent's Office, and in terms of real power, he was one of the most powerful figures in the entire Grand Canal Administration.

If such an official were to be found to be corrupt, no one present would be surprised. Corruption was already quite serious in the entire canal transport system, and truly honest officials like Zhao Cong were rare. Even if Zhao Cong were found to be a major corrupt official, it wouldn't have surprised them so much.

However, what Ye Qing said was indeed beyond their imagination. Zhao Cong was actually related to the heretical cult, which was probably the biggest scandal in the nearly 100-year history of the Grand Canal Administration.

"Someone is coming."

Fan Dongyang glanced at Zhao Cong lying on the ground with disgust, and said to the two imperial guards who stepped forward, "Drag this man to the side room and lock him up. You two stay by his side and keep an eye on him. If he escapes or commits suicide, I will hold you responsible!"

"Subordinates take orders!"

Two guards swiftly dragged Zhao Cong away.

Fan Dongyang's cold gaze swept over the crowd, and he said in a deep voice, "This concludes our discussion for today. Everyone, please return and await my instructions regarding further matters. Before the Zhao Cong case is resolved, no one is allowed to discuss or spread this matter. Anyone who violates this rule will be punished for interfering with the Imperial Envoy's investigation!"

Both the canal gang and the salt association knew that Fan Dongyang's last words were mainly aimed at them, so they immediately responded in unison: "We will obey the imperial envoy's order!"

Zhao Shengzhong was filled with unease. Just moments ago, under Zhao Cong's leadership, he had righteously and sternly accused the salt merchants of undermining the foundation of the nation. Who could have imagined that in the blink of an eye, this representative of the Grand Canal Administration would become a corrupt official colluding with a heretical sect? This was a shock to him like a bolt from the blue.

What terrified him even more was whether someone like Zhao Cong was an isolated case in the grain transport office.

If not, then the Grand Canal Administration will inevitably undergo a major reshuffle. The imperial court may tolerate these officials taking bribes and demanding favors, but it will absolutely not tolerate them colluding with rebels.

If the Grand Canal Administration were to undergo a catastrophic change, what would become of the Grand Canal Gang that depended on it?

Compared to Zhao Shengzhong's obvious unease, the four representatives of the Salt Association appeared much more composed.

Previously, Zhao Cong, standing on the moral high ground, quoted classical texts and spoke eloquently about the fundamental principles of the nation and its laws, denouncing them as greedy and treacherous villains who brought ruin to the country. This pressure left them feeling suffocated and utterly resentful. They never expected the Jing'an Division to suddenly intervene, instantly stripping this hypocrite of his righteous facade and exposing his corrupt, lawless, and treacherous nature, revealing his ugly face of collusion with evil forces.

The shock and exhilaration brought about by this huge reversal almost made them cheer. Moreover, the investigation and punishment of Zhao Cong meant that all the performances of the Grand Canal Commissioner's Office in this consultation meeting had become a laughing stock, and the situation would naturally tilt towards the Lianghuai Salt Association.

With differing feelings, the two groups bowed to Fan Dongyang and took their leave, leaving only a few high-ranking officials in the main hall.

"That's unreasonable!"

Fan Dongyang no longer tried to suppress his anger. He slammed his hand on the table and roared, "A high-ranking official of the imperial court dares to collude with the heretical sect! I was just listening to his impassioned and eloquent speech, constantly talking about the fate of the nation, and I thought he was a loyal and upright person! Councilor Song, the grain transport office has actually allowed such an arrogant and unruly person to hold power. You have to give the court an explanation!"

Song Yi, utterly humiliated, quickly rose and replied, "Your Excellency, I am indeed responsible for oversight in this matter, but I beg Your Excellency to see the truth: Zhao Cong is a black sheep who chose to degenerate; the grain transport office was unaware of this beforehand!"

He knew Zhao Cong wasn't entirely clean, but he genuinely didn't know this man was connected to the rebels. Otherwise, even if he had a hundred times the courage, he wouldn't dare let Zhao Cong continue to control the Yangzhou section of the Grand Canal, since that was a heinous crime punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the entire clan.

Fan Dongyang took a deep breath. Song Yi was, after all, Jiang Jizhou's deputy and the second-in-command of the Grand Canal Administration. Before the matter was investigated, he couldn't force a connection between him and Zhao Cong. So, with an unfriendly expression, he said, "Counselor Song, please sit down. Commander Ye, please tell me in detail what Zhao Cong has done wrong? What is the evidence?"

Ye Qing bowed respectfully and said calmly, "Your Excellency, this case originates from the Xuan Yuan Sect rebellion case cracked by the Jing'an Division several months ago. This sect uses charitable institutions such as the Jimin Hall as a cover, but in reality, it is developing its influence in many parts of Jiangnan, amassing wealth and gathering followers to plot wicked schemes. Through the interrogation of the sect's holy maiden Liu Ying, and the investigation of other clues, I have discovered that Zhao Cong has been secretly colluding with the sect for many years."

Through his calm and unhurried presentation, the high-ranking officials present gained a clear understanding of the ins and outs of the case.

The Jing'an Division raided several banks in Yangzhou and Nanjing, uncovering secret accounts run by Zhao Cong under the aliases Zhao Shi'an and Zhao Fu, containing a total of over 327,000 taels of silver. Furthermore, a large quantity of antiques, paintings, jewelry, jade artifacts, and precious medicinal herbs were found in the residences of his relatives, with a preliminary estimated value exceeding 100,000 taels.

Given Zhao Cong's salary, it was impossible for him to amass such a vast fortune. According to the confession of the wanted rebels, Zhao Cong, using his authority over the inspection and ship dispatching of the Yangzhou section of the Grand Canal, provided various conveniences to smuggling vessels controlled by the Xuan Yuan Sect for a long time, and also passed on some important government secrets to the sect.

Ye Qing concluded, “Your Excellency, the above evidence chain is complete, with both witnesses and physical evidence. Zhao Cong, as an official of the court in charge of a vital canal, willingly became a henchman of a heretical sect, engaging in corruption, bribery, and embezzlement. His actions have seriously endangered the safety of the canal, disrupted local order, and corrupted the court’s discipline! This case involves a wide range of issues, and the Jing'an Division is making every effort to investigate it thoroughly. The detailed case file will soon be submitted to the Imperial Envoy’s headquarters and the Jing'an Division’s main office in the capital.”

The hall was completely silent.

Song Yi was restless, while Huang Chong had a cold and stern expression.

Fan Dongyang glanced thoughtfully at Xue Huai, who remained silent. Although he had no evidence, after calming down a bit, he could roughly conclude that this matter was related to Xue Huai.

The reason for this is, of course, that Ye Qing appeared at the perfect time.

If the salt and grain transport dispute is to be successfully mediated and resolved, the Grain Transport Commissioner's Office must make certain concessions. Otherwise, the salt merchants will not rise up with the determination to fight a lose-lose situation. Since they have already taken this step, they are unwilling to return to the previous situation of being at the mercy of others.

The transport commissioner was fully aware of this, so Zhao Cong, as the representative, immediately elevated the matter to the level of national stability, characterizing the salt merchants' refusal to cooperate as a threat to the foundation of the Great Yan Kingdom. In this way, the transport commissioner could gain absolute initiative.

Even though the salt merchants had Xue Huai backing them, they still dared not dwell on this topic, which was the reason why Zhao Cong was able to control the situation just now.

However, Ye Qing's appearance was like a sharp steel knife, instantly dissecting the seemingly imposing shell of the Grand Canal Administration and revealing its internal corruption and decay. The salt merchants' accusations of harsh inspections and differential treatment were not unfounded. After all, even the private ships of the sorcerer's cult could move freely on the canal, so what did those extortionate fees from merchants matter?
Looking back now, Jiang Jizhou's memorial impeaching Xue Huai for undermining the foundation of the country seems ironic. The real people eroding the foundation of the Grand Canal were probably the parasites and evil spirits hiding within the Grand Canal Administration, just like Zhao Cong!

Xue Huai calmly met Fan Dongyang's gaze.

As early as when Liu Ying was captured, he had already learned about Zhao Cong's actions from her, and later, through the investigation of the Jing'an Division, he gradually obtained conclusive evidence.

Xue Huai had been holding back all this time, even enduring Zhao Cong's coldness and neglect at the exchange hall, all for this very moment.

He deliberately feigned weakness, handing the stage of negotiations over to Zhao Cong, allowing him to perform in front of the imperial envoy and the crowd, thus elevating him to a moral high ground. Just as Zhao Cong was basking in his triumph, Ye Qing appeared and delivered the fatal blow. This strike not only brought down Zhao Cong but also shattered the carefully constructed image of righteousness that the transport department had cultivated during these negotiations.

As for why he didn't inform Fan Dongyang beforehand, Xue Huai didn't think he was wrong. He had been planning this salt and grain transport dispute for a long time and had made various preparations, not wanting any link to go wrong.

Although he had some acquaintance with Fan Dongyang, the two never spoke frankly about it. If Fan Dongyang had any secret connections with the Ning Party, he was fully capable of eliminating Zhao Cong as a potential threat in advance.

Looking at Xue Huai's calm demeanor, Fan Dongyang felt a mix of emotions. He was amazed and even wary of Xue Huai's deep scheming and ruthless methods, but also felt a sense of displeasure at not being trusted.

Fortunately, he was a seasoned veteran of many storms and knew the unpredictability of human nature, so he did not harbor any resentment towards Xue Huai because of this matter. He then looked at Ye Qing and said, "Commander Ye, since Zhao Cong is involved with the demonic sect and rebels, I will hand him over to the Jing'an Division for investigation. In addition, in my capacity as Imperial Envoy, I order you to lead the elite of the Jing'an Division to thoroughly investigate Zhao Cong's interpersonal relationships and find out whether he has any accomplices."

Ye Qing solemnly replied, "Your subordinate obeys!"

He then bowed and took his leave, without exchanging glances with Xue Huai the entire time.

Fan Dongyang raised a hand to rub his temples, then turned his gaze to Song Yi, whose expression was grim, and slowly said, “Councilor Song, Zhao Cong is colluding with the heretical sect and acting recklessly. If this case is made public, the Grand Canal Administration will lose face, and the imperial authority and the foundation of the Grand Canal will be damaged. For the sake of the greater good, I can temporarily suppress the case and keep it secret to avoid upheaval in Jiangnan. However, the dispute over salt and grain transport has deep-seated problems. If the Grand Canal Administration continues to adhere to the old rules and refuses to yield an inch, the imperial court will surely be furious and conduct a thorough investigation. The most urgent task is for the Grand Canal Administration to set aside past grievances and make concrete concessions in subsequent negotiations, and jointly discuss fair new regulations with the Salt Association in order to quell the dispute and regain trust. I hope that Councilor Song will understand this and quickly convey this to Minister Jiang.”

These words struck Song Yi like a heavy hammer blow.

He knew Fan Dongyang was right. At this critical juncture, if the Grand Canal Administration wanted to maintain its dignity, it had to show sincerity and make concessions. Otherwise, once the Zhao Cong case was made public, the court would not sit idly by, and no one could guarantee what kind of storm the Grand Canal Administration would face.

Forced by the situation, Song Yi had absolutely no room for resistance.

He glanced at Xue Huai sitting opposite him with a gloomy look, then stood up, bowed to Fan Dongyang, and said dejectedly, "This humble official will obey the imperial envoy's orders."

(End of this chapter)