(Let me admit here that I was indeed wrong about the old lunar "Dragon Raising Head" festival yesterday. Let's just leave it as is and continue with the third day of the third month. Anyway, no one has researched Qingli history. Am I a little shameless? But today's chapter was much smoother to write than yesterday's :p)

Qingli, the third day of the third month, Dragon Raising Head.

A large ship, escorted by the Jiangnan naval fleet, slowly approached the dock. The crew cast anchor and ropes, and the officers completed a series of actions with extreme efficiency. Immediately afterwards, a gangplank fashioned into a staircase was placed between the dock and the deck. The clerks on the shore quickly spread thick cloth to prevent slipping.

A curtain of spring thunder rumbled in the distance, bursting and crackling, as if welcoming the arrival of the Imperial Envoy. At the same time, firecrackers and drums were deafening at the dock. The sky-soaring thunderbolts prepared on the shore were lit one after another, and the sound of cannons drowned out even the majesty of the heavens.

The officials on the dock frowned, but they were embarrassed to cover their ears, focusing their attention on the gangplank.

Soon, a young official appeared on the deck, leading a line of guards who silently disembarked and formed two rows.

After a while, a handsome young official wearing a purple official robe emerged with a smile. He wore a crane cloak over his robe. The plain white color immediately diluted the visual stimulation brought by the deep purple of the official robe, and the eyes of everyone on the dock were drawn to his gentle, affable, and incredibly delicate face.

Only officials of the third rank or higher were qualified to wear purple official robes. The officials on the dock knew that the Imperial Envoy, Supervisor Fan, whom they had been "eagerly awaiting," was the man before them. They instinctively squeezed forward two steps, raising their hands to salute.

Fan Xian did not rush to stop them. Instead, he stretched out his hand to grasp a small hand that appeared from nowhere, and led a little boy to stand side by side on the deck, stepping down the ladder towards the shore.

The little boy wore a light yellow everyday robe, with a circle of fluff from a wool shirt peeking out at the collar. A pair of adorable but unidentifiable mythical beasts were embroidered on the shirt, and coupled with his delicate face and bright eyes, he looked incredibly cute.

The officials were taken aback, knowing that this was the Third Prince, whom the Emperor had sent to Fan Supervisor's side. They quickly adjusted their direction and saluted the Third Prince in unison: "The officials of Jiangnan Road greet Your Highness."

The Third Prince nodded with a smile, saying in a voice that had not yet lost its childishness: "The weather is cold, and you have worked hard, gentlemen. I am only here with my teacher to learn and do not require such courtesy."

Reminded by the word "teacher," the officials quickly saluted Fan Xian again, repeatedly saying how much he had toiled on his journey, and so on.

While saluting, the dozens of officials stole glances at the two men descending from the ship. They noticed that although the ages of the two men differed significantly, their faces were remarkably similar. Standing on the shore, the river wind blew the hems of their robes, revealing not only an air of nobility but also a rare sense of harmony and detachment from the mundane world.

The crowd couldn't help but speculate in their minds that the rumors about Supervisor Fan's background were likely true... Thinking of this, they began to feel uneasy, wondering if their initial greeting to the Third Prince would displease Fan Xian. After all, he was the one in charge, and according to court rules, the status of an Imperial Envoy was far more valuable than that of a minor Prince.

Fan Xian didn't have so many thoughts. He looked at the unfamiliar officials on the dock, his face plastered with the most affable smile. He responded to each greeting with a smile, diligently memorizing their official titles and names, fully embodying the courtesy and self-possession expected of a rising political star.

Supervisor Fan bringing the Prince to Jiangnan was a major event. Therefore, a large number of officials came to the dock to welcome them. On the civil side, there were direct officials from the Governor-General's Office of Jiangnan Road and the Governor's Office, as well as the prefects of Suzhou and Hangzhou, each leading two groups of people. Although the prefects of several more distant prefectures did not dare to leave their jurisdictions without permission to welcome them, the vice-prefects and officials of equivalent rank still came in large numbers. In addition, there were officials from the Jiangnan Salt Transport Department. On the military side, the garrison commanders and generals of the Jiangnan navy were naturally indispensable. Of course, the Internal Treasury Transport Department, now directly under Fan Xian, had all its personnel present.

In short, the total number added up to nearly a hundred people. It was estimated that more than half of the parent officials of the entire Jiangnan Road were squeezed onto the dock. If Dongyi City stole the Third Bureau of the Overwatch Council's gunpowder and detonated it here, the most prosperous Jiangnan Road in the entire Qing Kingdom would probably be paralyzed within a day.

Fan Xian greeted the officials on the dock with a smile. The problem was that he only saw a sea of heads, a mixture of official robes, and a strong smell of sweat in the dead of winter. Unfamiliar and flattering faces flashed before his eyes. How could he possibly recognize who was who? But these officials were unaware of his inner feelings. Seeing the smile on Master Fan's face unwavering, they felt even more that the gifts they had sent along the way had taken effect. They boldly squeezed towards him and the Third Prince, determined to exchange a few pleasantries and curry favor to be worthy of the silver they had sent!

Those officials from the more distant prefectures and counties who had not found an opportunity to offer gifts were not so confident. They watched their colleagues inside the crowd shamelessly brown-nosing with envy and a hint of jealousy.

For a while, the flattery on the dock was unbearable. Fan Xian's cleanly shaven chin was touched countless times, making it quite lively. Gradually, the officials' words became more and more outrageous, especially those officials from Suzhou Prefecture, who came from the Taixue (Imperial Academy) system. Because Fan Xian now concurrently served as the Taixue Siyue (Director of Education), they kept calling him... Teacher Fan!

Fan Xian forcibly suppressed his annoyance and refused to accept it. He was only twenty years old and was already the teacher of a prefect... If this news spread back to the capital, he would probably be laughed to death by the Emperor! The Third Prince, holding his little hand, endured the shameless words around him and felt unhappy. He thought that Master Fan was his own teacher; how dare these old men try to take him away? The little child finally couldn't bear it and coughed coldly twice.

As soon as the cough came out, the scene immediately cooled down. The prefect of Hangzhou, a quick-witted old fox, secretly rejoiced that the prefect of Suzhou had been put in his place but said seriously: "The weather is cold today. I think you gentlemen should quickly invite the Imperial Envoy and His Highness to rest."

As soon as these words came out, Fan Xian and the Third Prince were greatly comforted and simultaneously cast appreciative glances at the prefect of Hangzhou. The prefect of Hangzhou felt warm and comfortable all over as he was swept by this gaze, as if he had eaten a ginseng root.

……

……

Rest? It wasn't that easy. Even after the officials had retreated slightly, the related ceremonies still took a lot of time. Fan Xian and His Highness were finally escorted by the officials towards the slope on the shore. There was a large bamboo shed on the slope, which looked quite new. It was probably built a few days ago specifically for Fan Xian's visit to Jiangnan.

Walking up the slope, two high-ranking officials in purple official robes were solemnly waiting outside the bamboo shed. As soon as Fan Xian saw these two, he grabbed the Third Prince's hand and hurried a few steps towards them to show his respect.

These two officials had unusual identities. One was Xue Qing, the Governor-General of Jiangnan Road, and the other was Dai Sicheng, the Governor.

In the Qing Kingdom's officialdom, there was a saying: "One Palace, Two Provinces, Three Institutes, Seven Roads." "One Palace" naturally referred to the Imperial Palace. "Two Provinces" referred to the Menxia (Secretariat) and Zhongshu (Chancellery) Provinces, which were now combined to handle government affairs. "Three Institutes" referred to the Overwatch Council, the Privy Council, and the Education Institute. However, the Education Institute had been abolished in the new policies of the Qingli Yuan Year and replaced by the Taixue (Imperial Academy), Tongwen Ge (Hall of Translators), and the Ministry of Rites.

The "Seven Roads" referred to the seven major regions into which the Qing Kingdom was currently divided. The governors-general of each road patrolled and governed on behalf of the Emperor. Moreover, the administrative functions of the county-level between the roads and prefectures of the Qing Kingdom had gradually weakened. The governor-general of each road, in addition to military affairs, had begun to directly control the counties under his jurisdiction. They wielded great power and were truly powerful regional officials.

Of course, His Majesty the Emperor had to choose his most trusted confidants to fill this important position, and the governors-general were also extremely capable in terms of ability.

Compared with the power and prestige of the governor-general, the governor placed more emphasis on civil administration, but his weight was much lighter.

In terms of official rank, the governor-general was a second-rank official, and the governor was a subordinate second-rank official, not particularly high levels. However, in order to facilitate the governors-general of these seven roads to concentrate on government affairs and be less constrained by the six ministries, the consistent practice in the Qing Kingdom had been to allow the governor-general of each road to concurrently hold the title of Associate Grand Academician of the Council of State, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, or Minister of War. This made them first-rank officials, who would not be without a voice when facing the prime ministers of the Council of State.

Jiangnan was the most important region in the Qing Kingdom, and the current Governor-General of Jiangnan Road, Xue Qing, was deeply trusted by His Majesty, so he directly held the title of Grand Academician of the Hall of Literary Profundity, a genuine first-rank super-official!

With Xue Qing's status and position, even Fan Xian and the Third Prince did not dare to be the slightest bit negligent, so they quickened their pace.

But when they reached the outside of the bamboo shed, Fan Xian only looked at Xue Qing with gentle eyes and did not speak first. This was the rule. Xue Qing and Dai Sicheng understood that the other party was an Imperial Envoy. No matter how high their positions or how much power they held, they had to salute the other party first. This was not respecting Fan Xian, nor was it respecting the Prince, but respecting... His Majesty.

An incense table was set up, the Imperial Edict was presented, and the ceremonial sword was displayed. The officials inside the bamboo shed knelt on the ground. After completing all the necessary rituals, Fan Xian quickly helped the Governor-General of Jiangnan, Xue Qing, to his feet, and then turned around to help the Governor. Only then did he lead the Third Prince to salute Xue Qing extremely respectfully.

Xue Qing's status was worthy of his and the Third Prince's deep bow, but the Governor-General of Jiangnan seemed not to have expected that the legendary Supervisor Fan did not have the slightest bit of the arrogance of a young, powerful official or a scholar. He was willing to smooth things over in small matters, and a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes.

The Governor stood aside and quickly returned the salute, half-turned. Xue Qing would not be foolish enough to let the "two brothers" complete the salute, having already warmly supported the two, and said: "Master Fan is too polite."

Fan Xian was stunned, and when he looked at the little Third Prince next to him, who seemed a little embarrassed towards Xue Qing, he was even more puzzled.

Xue Qing said with a smile: "Before I came to Jiangnan, I worked in the Book Pavilion. The so-called Academician is not entirely a nominal position. When the Third Prince was young, he often played by my side... But it's been several years, and I don't know if His Highness still remembers."

The Third Prince gave a wry smile, and re-saluted Xue Qing as a disciple, and said softly: "When Your Excellency returns to the capital every year to report on your duties, Father Emperor always orders students to pay respects at your residence. How dare I forget?"

Fan Xian was a little confused and pondered carefully in his heart, becoming increasingly unclear about what the Emperor in Kyoto was thinking. Just as he was thinking, he heard Xue Qing say in a gentle voice: "Speaking of which, I and Master Fan also have a connection."

Fan Xian did not want to appear pretentious in front of this great official, and asked curiously: "To be honest, I really don't know."

Xue Qing liked his straightforwardness, and said with a smile as he stroked his beard: "When I passed the imperial examinations, my examiner was Prime Minister Lin. In terms of seniority, you should really call me 'brother'."

Fan Xian then understood what was going on. However, since the other party was now the governor-general of a region, those past relationships were naturally just talk. Moreover, no matter how thick-skinned, black-hearted, or bold he was, he would not dare to climb up that pole and call the governor-general "brother"? He had enough power to qualify, but his age and experience... seemed to be far off.

The group rested briefly in the grass shed. Fan Xian chatted with Xue Qing about the things he had seen and heard along the way. Xue Qing frowned slightly and asked if His Majesty was well in the capital. In short, they were all clichés and platitudes, but they did narrow the distance slightly and became a little more familiar. Fan Xian looked at the first-rank official and noticed a trace of worry in his clear face that was not deliberately concealed. After a little thought, he knew what was going on.

As the Governor-General of Jiangnan, he would not be happy if an Imperial Envoy suddenly appeared in his territory to be stationed there permanently. Moreover, this Imperial Envoy was going to take over the Internal Treasury, which would probably lead to a big fight with the nobles in the capital. Although the Governor-General had high authority and was deeply trusted by His Majesty, it would always be awkward to be caught in the middle.

Xue Qing raised his teacup and took a sip, inadvertently asking: "Master Fan will probably have to work hard in Jiangnan for the next two years. Although it is because of His Majesty's trust, Jiangnan is not like Kyoto. Although it is prosperous, it is not a place to stay for long... In another two years, I will also ask His Majesty to allow me to retire and return to the capital to be a fisherman... Being able to be closer to the Emperor is always better than being in Jiangnan."

Fan Xian understood the meaning in his words and greeted him with a smile: "Your Excellency patrols and governs on behalf of His Majesty, and your merits are immense."

Xue Qing said with a smile: "Has Master Fan decided where to live? There are many salt merchants in this Suzhou City, and they are all willing to offer their residences for Master to choose from."

Everyone knew how rich the salt merchants were. Fan Xian knew without asking how luxurious the residences they offered would be. However, he changed the subject and asked: "It's not good to disturb too much, and if it's reported back to the capital, I'll always feel uneasy." He spoke straightforwardly, causing Xue Qing to shake his head and smile, thinking that poets had this flaw: they had to cover up everything they did. Why didn't you cover up a little when you were collecting silver on the river?

Fan Xian asked very sincerely: "Please instruct me, Your Excellency, what will happen to the Internal Treasury Transport Commissioner of previous years... how were they arranged?"

Xue Qing looked at him with some surprise and said: "Master Fan, your identity is not the same as that of the Internal Treasury Transport Commissioner in previous years. As for arrangements, the official residence designated by the Internal Treasury is far away in Min, but in the past ten years or so, no Commissioner has actually lived there. Take your predecessor, Master Huang, for example. He lived in... Xinyang for many years."

When he said the word "Xinyang," the Governor-General of Jiangnan looked at Fan Xian intentionally or unintentionally.

Fan Xian frowned slightly and said: "Is it possible not to live in the official residence arranged by the court?"

These words seemed to be doubt and seemed to be a test.

Xue Qing nodded.

Fan Xian said with a smile: "I dare not hide it from Your Excellency. I have been living in Hangzhou this month and have not come to Suzhou to visit you. It is my fault... But that residence is really good. If I can choose myself, I would of course like to live in Hangzhou."

Xue Qing was slightly stunned. He did not expect the other party to propose living in Hangzhou. He looked into Fan Xian's eyes and was silent for a while, as if he was guessing whether what the popular young official said was true or false. The Governor-General's Office of Jiangnan was in Suzhou. What he was most afraid of was that Fan Xian would also stay in Suzhou. Not to mention interfering with government affairs, just the situation where the two were equally powerful would give the officials of Jiangnan Road a headache and greatly hinder him in handling affairs.

He looked at Fan Xian's sincere face, and a different color flashed in his eyes. He said with a smile: "Of course, it's no problem. Master Fan can live wherever he wants."

Fan Xian chuckled and said: "Of course, even if I live in Hangzhou, I will inevitably have to come to Suzhou often to trouble Your Excellency for a few meals. I heard that Your Excellency's mansion uses famous chefs from Northern Qi. People in Kyoto are very envious, and I would also like to have that good fortune."

Governor Xue laughed loudly and said: "I just happen to like this. I didn't expect Master Fan to be a fellow traveler. Why wait until later? Tonight, my colleagues have prepared a welcome banquet for Master and His Highness at Jiangnan Residence. Tomorrow, I will invite Master to sit at my home for a while."

Having obtained Fan Xian's promise not to interfere with his work, the Governor-General of Jiangnan relaxed uncontrollably.

These few bursts of laughter immediately spread inside and outside the bamboo shed. The officials of Jiangnan Road looked towards the sound of laughter and saw the Governor and the Supervisor talking happily. After feeling relaxed, they admired him even more, thinking that Master Fan was indeed an extraordinary person. The confrontational situation that everyone was secretly afraid of had not happened, and they did not know what he had said to make the Governor so happy.

Fan Xian leaned closer to Governor Xue Qing's ear and said something in a low voice. Xue Qing's face showed a slight surprise, and then he became solemn. With a hint of anger, he nodded and snorted coldly: "Master Fan, don't worry too much, and don't look at my face. I always remember His Majesty's benevolence and harmony on weekdays, so I have temporarily tolerated these guys. Master Fan's proposal is absolutely correct."

Having obtained the other party's nod, knowing that Xue Qing was returning his favor of not settling in Suzhou, Fan Xian sincerely thanked him and then slowly stood up.

……

……

Fan Xian stood up, and the bamboo shed immediately quieted down. At this time, the light from the river shone through the bamboo shed, emitting a clear brightness, and the river wind was slightly cool, creating a sense of solemnity.

Everyone looked at him, wondering how the inaugural address of this Imperial Envoy would begin.

"I am a person who does not play by the rules." Fan Xian first glanced at the officials around him and said with a smile: "Although I have never worked with you gentlemen before, I think I still have some reputation. Everyone probably knows a little about it. This temperament, to put it positively, is that I always come up with something unique, and to put it negatively, I am a young fellow who is a bit of a troublemaker and does not know the importance of things."

The officials chuckled and said that the Imperial Envoy's words were really humorous and humble.

Fan Xian said unhumbly: "I won't say any more of those empty words and clichés. His Majesty is in good health, so you don't need to ask after him. The Empress Dowager is in good health, and there is an atmosphere of harmony in the capital, so we don't need to add more to this aspect. Since you gentlemen have been entrusted with the important task of governing the important land of Jiangnan by the court, the tax revenue figures over the years are all here, and the people's livelihood and market conditions I saw along the way are not false. You don't need me to mention your merits and hard work..."

The officials of Jiangnan all knew that Fan Xian had been making secret visits along the way. Hearing these words, they breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that Fan Xian would mention them a few more times, preferably in his secret memorial to His Majesty.

Unexpectedly, Fan Xian changed the subject!

"I won't talk about your advantages, but I will talk about what you have done wrong." Fan Xian was still smiling, but a hint of coldness began to rise in the shed. "It seems a little unkind, but I still have to say it. Why? Because you gentlemen seem to have forgotten my background."

What was Fan Xian's background? It was not a poet's home, a scholar's home, or the Taichang Temple, but... the dark, gloomy Overwatch Council! The officials were shocked and did not know what he was going to say next, thinking that they had already delivered the silver to its place. What else did he want? The Overwatch Council couldn't bully people like this!

"I came by land, passing through Shazhou and Hangzhou, and that sailing ship sailed on the Great River." Fan Xian squinted his eyes. "I heard that the Great River is a silver river. You gentlemen sent many gifts and silver to that ship and also used many laborers to pull the towlines... I am grateful for your kindness... But to openly bribe me like this is really admirable... What great courage you have!"

Before the officials could speak, Fan Xian turned around and bowed to Governor Xue Qing of Jiangnan, saying with a smile: "Today, when I saw Your Excellency, the Governor, Your Excellency was furious and directly reprimanded me for my faults. I couldn't help but feel a little terrified and confused. Fortunately, Your Excellency was considerate and told me frankly that I was not aware of the situation. Only then did I know that you had secretly concealed it from me... and did such a bold thing."

His voice gradually rose, and he sneered: "The Overwatch Council supervises the administration of the entire country and arrests corrupt officials. But you are so bold as to bribe me... Do you think that because I have left the capital, the knife in my hand... can't kill people anymore?"

The officials were dumbfounded and stunned by Fan Xian's words, not knowing what to say. They turned their eyes to the Governor for help and found that the Governor was stroking his beard and pondering, putting on an appearance of being uninvolved!

Only then did the officials understand that Fan Xian's previous words, saying that these officials along the river were secretly sending gifts without his knowledge, had easily cleared himself and also given the Governor a big hat of not fearing the powerful and being of noble character under the pretext of the Governor's anger!

Sending gifts along the river? Your subordinates didn't refuse! The information of the Overwatch Council is unobstructed. Even if you are in Hangzhou, how could you not know? But Fan Xian insisted that he knew nothing at this time. Of course, the officials of Jiangnan Road could not resist him head-on, so they had to swallow this huge loss. Looking at Fan Xian's eyes again, they were a little strange - This Supervisor Fan, as rumored, hid shamelessness, baseness, and viciousness under a gentle and harmless delicate smile!

The officials did not know what Fan Xian would do next and stood up in shock, looking foolishly at Fan Xian.

He clapped his hands, and the applause spread outside the shed. An official from the Overwatch Council came down from the capital ship with thick gift lists in his hands - the gift lists were already so thick, so the gifts hidden on the ship must really have piled up into a small mountain!

Fan Xian turned around and asked Governor Xue Qing for instructions. Xue Qing smiled as he watched the scene before him and waved for the yamen runners to follow the officials of the Overwatch Council onto the ship. Soon after, those runners and servants pulled several large boxes off the ship with great effort and came to the bamboo shed.

Several boxes were opened in public, and all that could be seen was a golden light! Countless jewels and valuable items were inside, all of which were gifts from the officials along the river.

It was cold in the shed, so braziers were lit. Fan Xian took the gift list handed over by his subordinates and quickly flipped through a few pages. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said with a smile: "There are really a lot of things."

The officials were both ashamed and angry, thinking that the Imperial Envoy was acting too unkindly, fabricating charges, and was really disgusting. Did he still want to punish the officials? Unless he wanted to destroy the entire Jiangnan officialdom in one fell swoop, the Governor would not be able to continue watching the show at that time! He had broken the rules and offended the officials of Jiangnan. See how he would end up in the future.

Who would have expected Fan Xian's next action to make the officials' eyes almost pop out? He casually threw the thick gift list into the brazier!

The fire immediately grew bigger, and the gift list recording the evidence of the officials' bribery quickly turned to ashes.

Fan Xian stood by the brazier in silence for a moment and then said: "Don't think that I am using a naive trick to buy people's hearts. You are not that stupid, and I am not that self-indulgent... The reason I burned these is to give you a reminder, a way out."

He put his hands behind his back, and a firm look flashed across his delicate face: "I am the Supervisor of the Overwatch Council, and I don't need to sell you any favors. I don't need your cooperation in the affairs I want to do in Jiangnan, so please be more awake. If similar events happen again in the future, don't blame me for arresting people without mercy."

The Overwatch Council can review all officials below the third rank. He dared to say these words, so he had the courage. As for the issue of face, his identity was too special, more special than any other official in the court, so he really didn't need to sell it. As for the future cooperation in affairs... With the faces of the officials of Jiangnan Road gone, would they dare to secretly oppose the dignified Supervisor?

"After the welcome banquet later, you gentlemen will take all of these materialistic things in the boxes back." Fan Xian frowned and said: "What should be returned should be returned. As for the laborers who were employed, pay them for their work at a discounted price. If those poor counties can't come up with it for a while, send a document to me, and I can still come up with that little bit of silver."

The officials had no choice but to lower their heads and agree.

At this time, the zip line at the Suzhou wharf had started to operate. This novel thing that originated more than 20 years ago could carry the heaviest loads. The zip line stretched to the capital ship and slowly hoisted a large box down. No one knew what was in this box. It was so heavy that the zip line steel cable was trembling slightly.

Fan Xian had checked the data in advance and knew that the port of Suzhou was a large port responsible for the Internal Treasury's exports, and it had this hoisting capability, so he was not too worried. But those officials who had just been frightened by him were shocked again.

The large box was hoisted ashore, and more than a dozen people had to work hard to push it up the slope, directly into the bamboo shed. An official from the Overwatch Council respectfully asked for instructions: "Supervisor, the box has arrived."

Fan Xian hummed and walked to the box. The outside of the box was wrapped in willow branches, but the inside seemed to be made of iron.

The officials were puzzled, wondering what trick this master was playing again. Even Governor Xue Qing and Governor Dai Sicheng became interested and came forward to see what treasure was hidden in this box.

Fan Xian took out a key from his arms and opened the lid of the box.

……

……

Like Su Wuwei when she first saw the contents of this box, after a burst of silver light in the shed, all the officials' eyes were a little straight... Silver! It was full of dazzling silver inside! No one knew how many ingots of silver were neatly stacked in the box!

In fact, the value of the gifts in the previous boxes was not necessarily lower than that of this large box of silver ingots, but since ancient times, people have been used to using silver. Suddenly, so many silver ingots appeared in front of everyone, and the visual impact was really too stimulating!

After a long time, everyone reluctantly looked away from the box and looked at Fan Xian, preparing to see his next performance.

"This box of silver came with me from Kyoto to Jiangnan. No matter where I am an official in the future, I will bring this box of silver with me." Fan Xian said in a gentle voice: "Why? It's just to tell officials from all over the place that I... have plenty of silver. Don't laugh at me. I, Fan Anzhi, am a person who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Anyone who wants to use money as a weapon to bribe me, please give up on this idea."

He then said coldly: "This time, I came to Jiangnan to investigate your silver matters. I will not interfere in any of your government affairs, but if anyone dares to bribe, take bribes, embezzle, or deceive the people, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"A former sage knew the terrible consequences of the corruption of the bureaucracy, so he brought hundreds of coffins, claiming that even if he had to kill all the corrupt officials, he would stop this trend." Fan Xian said quietly: "I am not a person who likes to kill people, so I don't bring coffins. I only bring silver."

The officials were silent and frightened.

"There are 138,880 taels of silver in the box. I will say a word here in front of all the officials and the elders who came to welcome me. Jiangnan is rich, and I can't guarantee how much of this silver will be used for the people's livelihood, but I guarantee that when I leave Jiangnan, the silver in the box... will not be even one tael more!"

Fan Xian swept over the eyes of the officials and said: "I hope you gentlemen will keep this in mind."

After performing this scene, the welcome at the dock temporarily came to an end. Fan Xian sat back in his chair and felt that the goosebumps on his arms inside his sleeves had already started to rise. He secretly rejoiced that he had not spoken any grandiose words like "ten thousand-丈 deep abyss" or "minefield" just now.

———————————————————————

In Suzhou in the afternoon, the study of the Governor's Office was quiet.

A first-rank official, Governor Xue Qing of Jiangnan, sat on the grand master's chair in the middle, with a hint of a smile on his face. Two advisors who had followed him for many years sat on either side of him. One of the advisors shook his head and sighed: "I didn't expect this Imperial Envoy... to really be a troublemaker."

Another advisor frowned and said: "It's very unwise. Master Fan has swept away all the faces of the officials of Jiangnan. Although he naturally doesn't fear this with his identity, he still seems not mature enough."

Xue Qing said with a smile: "Do you two also think that his performance was a bit pretentious?"

The two advisors looked at each other and nodded.

Governor Xue sighed: "Young people, after all, are more willing to perform."

The advisor asked carefully: "What does Your Excellency think of this little Master Fan?"

Xue Qing was slightly stunned, pondered for a long time, and then opened his mouth and said: "A smart person, an extremely smart person, can be associated with... can be deeply associated with."

The advisor was a little surprised, thinking why did it not match the previous conclusion?

Xue Qing smiled self-deprecatingly: "What if it's pretentious? How many people in the world can see the scene at that time? How would those Book Pavilion ministers in Kyoto know the truth of this month? Rumors are ultimately rumors. In the word-of-mouth of people, there will always be conscious or unconscious modifications of the facts according to their own tendencies."

"Master Fan has an excellent reputation among the people. The people will naturally spare no effort to spread this matter. Because of their love for him, even if there is something inappropriate about Master Fan in this matter, it will be erased and ignored by those words of mouth. The scene of not fearing the abuses of the bureaucracy and directly reprimanding the officials along the way will naturally be exaggerated..."

"Hahahaha." The Governor laughed heartily: "Hiding ten thousand taels in a box, taking a boat to Suzhou. Before long, I'm afraid it will be another good story in our Great Qing Dynasty. The people who come out of the Overwatch Council are really a bit cunning."

Another advisor said incomprehensibly: "Since he is a smart person, there are clearly more and better ways to solve today's matter. Why did Master Fan have to choose such a violent and absurd method?"

Governor Xue Qing looked at him with a half-smile: "What do you know?"

He closed his mouth and did not continue to explain. There were some things that should not be known even by his closest advisors. Fan Xian today revealed his sword and offended the officials of the entire road. Wasn't it also showing sincerity to himself, the Governor? The other party took the lead in saying that he wanted to live in Hangzhou, which showed that he understood the taste of the officialdom, and that after he scared these officials, the officials in Jiangnan would not surround the Imperial Envoy, and he, the Governor, was still the number one figure.

Xue Qing suddenly thought of another matter, and his eyebrows could not help but frown, and his evaluation of Fan Xian was even higher - this young powerful official's display today was probably not just to show sincerity to himself - from the Spring Examinations to Jiangnan, this Fan Xian seemed to hate to offend all the officials in the world. In the past two years, the big officials in the court could see clearly that Fan Xian was not even willing to take care of his father-in-law's old relationship. This... this... was he going to be a lone minister?

Xue Qing was a confidant of the Emperor and had many spies in the court, so he certainly knew that the rumors about Fan Xian's background were true. When he thought of Fan Xian's identity, he immediately understood why the other party insisted on being a lone minister.

This was preventing suspicion.

Xue Qing sighed, shook his head, and thought that everyone was a hard-working person. It seemed that he should have a good relationship with this young Supervisor Fan in Jiangnan in the future.

……

……

The warm sun in the afternoon slightly dispelled some of the chill of early spring. The people of Suzhou City were drinking tea and chatting in teahouses. The people of Suzhou were too rich, so rich that they had too much free time, so they liked to pass the time in teahouses. Especially since such a big thing had happened in the city today, both saliva and tea were boiling in the building.

People were all discussing the newly arrived Imperial Envoy, the world-renowned Supervisor Fan.

"Have you heard? The faces of those officials were all scared green." A middle-aged merchant chuckled. The common people were always happy to see the officials deflated.

Another person shook his head and sighed: "Unfortunately, it's still turning big things into small things and small things into nothing? I think if the Imperial Envoy really cherished the people, he should have arrested all those corrupt officials and put them in jail."

"Nonsense!" The middle-aged merchant in front ridiculed and mocked: "If the officials are all in jail, who will hear the cases? Who will manage the affairs? Master Fan is talented and far-sighted, how can he be as ignorant of the priorities as we common people? This move is called 'shaking the mountain to frighten the tiger'. Watch, the good show is still to come. I think the officials of Jiangnan Road are really going to taste the power of the Overwatch Council this time."

The man nodded in agreement: "That's certainly true. Fortunately, His Majesty is wise and sent Supervisor to