Chapter 55

In fact, whether it was Zhan Shanchang, Tong Huan, or even Xu Qingyan, none of them had seen through the true intentions behind Zhao Junchen's plan.

The real purpose of Zhao Junchen's decision to offer nearly half of the shares of "Yuerongfang" at once was not to buy off Wen Guanliang's disciples and thereby completely sideline Wen Guanliang. In Zhao Junchen's view, to buy off an official, power and money were equally important. At present, Zhao Junchen could only offer them money but could not satisfy their desire for power.

In Zhao Junchen's mind, although the shares of "Yuerongfang" were tempting, it was sheer fantasy to think that this alone could cause Wen Guanliang's faction to fall apart.

Zhao Junchen's true intention was to use this move to make the already unstable officials in Wen Guanliang's faction even more anxious, leading to mutual suspicion and distrust, ultimately further weakening Wen Guanliang's power and influence.

Of course, if the shares of "Yuerongfang" could indeed buy off some of Wen Guanliang's subordinates, thereby weakening Wen Guanliang while enhancing his own power, Zhao Junchen would be more than happy to see it happen.

However, this time, Zhao Junchen was wrong. He had not been in this era long enough to understand the corrupt officials as deeply as Zhan Shanchang, Tong Huan, or even Xu Qingyan. He underestimated the allure of money to these corrupt officials and overestimated Wen Guanliang's control over his subordinates.

For most corrupt officials, although their positions and power were their foundation, money was their ultimate goal.

Moreover, although Zhao Junchen could not satisfy their desire for power, in reality, Wen Guanliang could not do much more either.

Therefore, the day after the banquet, when the morning court session began, Zhao Junchen was shocked to find that Wen Guanliang seemed completely unaware of his actions the previous night!

At least, from the surface, Wen Guanliang arrived at court on time as usual, and his expression when facing Zhao Junchen was as gloomy as ever, with no other actions.

Wen Guanliang was not as deep and calculating as Zhou Shangjing. If he had known about Zhao Junchen's attempts to poach his subordinates, he should at least have shown some abnormal behavior.

"Could it be that those people all betrayed Wen Guanliang last night? Not a single one revealed the news?"

During the morning court session, Zhao Junchen, who was at the back, stared at Wen Guanliang's back and thought to himself.

In fact, Zhao Junchen had never thought that this matter could be kept from Wen Guanliang. In his mind, although the bait he offered was tempting, at least one or two of those people should still have some loyalty to Wen Guanliang.

"If that's the case, things will get interesting."

Thinking this, a meaningful smile flashed across Zhao Junchen's lips.

...

After the morning court session, at the Ministry of Works.

Minister of Works Zuo Lanshan sat in his office, but he had no heart for official business. He was frowning, deep in thought.

In recent days, the political situation had been stable, with no major events. Although Wen Guanliang and Zhao Junchen had already shown their true colors, they were still preparing, waiting for the right moment, and building their strength, without initiating any conflict.

However, as Wen Guanliang's right-hand man, Zuo Lanshan knew very well that although Wen Guanliang seemed to be doing nothing, he had already prepared a series of plans to deal with Zhao Junchen in secret. These plans were interconnected, and once implemented, they would certainly cause Zhao Junchen a lot of trouble.

The timing for implementing these plans was when Zhao Junchen's bet with the Crown Prince Zhu Heyu ended!

Wen Guanliang had his own informants at the banquet, and like most officials in the court, he believed that Zhao Junchen would definitely win the bet.

Because of this, dealing with Zhao Junchen at that time would be advantageous. Although the Crown Prince's faction also opposed Wen Guanliang, they would become Wen Guanliang's vanguard because they had just lost the bet and were eager to regain their dignity.

Moreover, Wen Guanliang had already reached an understanding with the other two Grand Secretaries, Shen Changmao and Huang Yourong. Although these two old foxes would never be used by Wen Guanliang, they also did not want to see Zhao Junchen's power rise. Therefore, when Zhao Junchen was in a disadvantageous position, Shen Changmao and Huang Yourong would not miss the opportunity to kick him while he was down.

With the combined efforts of four factions, even Zhou Shangjing would be overwhelmed, let alone Zhao Junchen.

At that time, even with the protection of Emperor Deqing, Zhao Junchen's power would inevitably be greatly weakened.

The key to dealing with Zhao Junchen lay with Zuo Lanshan.

Zuo Lanshan had already made full preparations and was confident.

However, after the morning court session today, for some reason, Zuo Lanshan felt something was off, but he could not pinpoint what it was.

Zuo Lanshan was already in his fifties and had long passed the age of trusting his intuition, but this feeling was so strong that he could not ignore it.

"What is wrong?"

Zuo Lanshan absentmindedly flipped through the documents from the Ministry of Works, thinking to himself.

Just as Zuo Lanshan was deep in thought, a clerk outside the room reported, "Minister, Right Attendant Chen Dongxiang, Director of the Construction Department Wang Zhao, Director of the Water Department Liu Qi, Director of the Land Reclamation Department Xu Gongzhang, and others are here to see you."

The clerk listed over a dozen names, which surprised Zuo Lanshan.

These people mostly belonged to Wen Guanliang's faction and had helped Zuo Lanshan control the Ministry of Works over the years. In Zuo Lanshan's eyes, they were all capable subordinates.

If they all came to see him at this time, did something major happen?

Not wanting to delay, Zuo Lanshan quickly said, "Please bring them in."

A moment later, led by Right Attendant Chen Dongxiang, a group of important officials from the Ministry of Works entered the room.

Zuo Lanshan's office was not small, but with so many people, it was packed.

"Did you all come together because something major happened?"

After everyone gathered, Zuo Lanshan asked urgently.

To Zuo Lanshan's surprise, these important officials exchanged glances and then, instead of looking at Right Attendant Chen Dongxiang, they all focused on Director of the Water Department Liu Qi.

Liu Qi was also from Wen Guanliang's faction, but he had never been valued by Zuo Lanshan. In fact, over the years, Zuo Lanshan had intentionally or unintentionally suppressed him.

Because Liu Qi was not only a small person but also a person without principles. Although Zuo Lanshan did not consider himself a gentleman, he still could not tolerate Liu Qi's character and actions.

However, small people had their advantages, and a person without principles was easier to deal with than a gentleman with many principles. Therefore, Liu Qi had excellent relationships and was good at networking, so Zuo Lanshan could not deliberately target him.

Seeming to sense Zuo Lanshan's surprise, Liu Qi smiled slightly, stepped out of the line, bowed to Zuo Lanshan, and said, "Minister, we have come to see you because we have a request. We hope you will not refuse. After all, if this matter is accomplished, it will benefit everyone in the Ministry of Works."

Seeing the smug look on Liu Qi's face, Zuo Lanshan frowned even more tightly. His eyes swept over the people in front of him, and he finally understood the source of his unease today.

Since the morning court session, the way people in the Ministry of Works looked at him had changed. They seemed to have less respect and more probing and targeted gazes.

This made him feel a sense of loss of control over the Ministry of Works, which had always been united with him.

Thinking this, Zuo Lanshan's expression remained unchanged, and he slowly said, "Oh? What is it? What could make you all come together to ask? Speak up. If I can help, I will not refuse."

As he spoke, Zuo Lanshan stared intently at Liu Qi, knowing that the problem must lie with him.

Liu Qi, feeling Zuo Lanshan's gaze, became a bit nervous and subconsciously avoided his eyes. However, he still said, "It's like this. Minister Zhao Junchen, feeling that the officials in the Ministry of Works live in poverty, and seeing that his 'Yuerongfang' has been making a fortune in recent days, wants to invite all the officials in the Ministry of Works to invest in 'Yuerongfang.' In the future, we will share the benefits. Minister Zhao is so considerate of us, how can we refuse? So, I told my colleagues about this, and they naturally did not oppose Minister Zhao's kindness..."

Pausing for a moment, Liu Qi seemed to find his confidence and looked up to meet Zuo Lanshan's gaze, continuing, "This way, the only one whose opinion is undecided is you, Minister. We are here to invite you to stand with us and invest in 'Yuerongfang.' If you agree, it will show that you are in harmony with us, and we will continue to support you wholeheartedly. If you do not agree..."

Hearing the implied threat in Liu Qi's words, Zuo Lanshan felt a surge of anger and said coldly, "What if I do not agree? Will you not treat me as the Minister?"

Seeing Zuo Lanshan's cold tone, Liu Qi did not dare to say more and looked to Right Attendant Chen Dongxiang for help.

Among these people, Chen Dongxiang was the leader, and Liu Qi was just the initiator.

Following Liu Qi's gaze, Zuo Lanshan also looked at Chen Dongxiang and asked slowly, "Dongxiang, are you also in agreement?"

Chen Dongxiang, as Zuo Lanshan's capable assistant, was in his thirties, efficient, and had a keen eye. Although his personality was slightly gloomy, he was still the most trusted by Zuo Lanshan.

Liu Qi seemed to remember something and quickly said, "Minister, perhaps you do not know how big the business of 'Yuerongfang' is. I know that 'Yuerongfang' has only opened in the capital, but it makes over a thousand taels of silver every day. Minister Zhao plans to expand the business, and when 'Yuerongfang' is established in every province, prefecture, and county of the Ming Dynasty, the annual income will be enormous. Minister, why do we become officials? Isn't it for wealth? Now, Minister Zhao is offering us such a great opportunity. How can we not take it..."

Halfway through his speech, Liu Qi noticed that both Zuo Lanshan and Chen Dongxiang were looking at him coldly, and he trembled, quickly shutting his mouth.

Chen Dongxiang gave Liu Qi a light hum, then finally spoke, not with the smugness of Liu Qi but with a serious expression. He said to Zuo Lanshan, "Minister, I know that you have been supported by Grand Secretary Wen and have always been grateful to him. But one must look out for oneself, or heaven will punish. Once in the bureaucracy, we have no way out and must think long-term."

"What do you mean?"

Zuo Lanshan asked slowly.

"From the beginning, I disagreed with Grand Secretary Wen's plan to deal with Minister Zhao Junchen. I tried to advise him, but he scolded me for being cowardly and incapable. Ha!" Chen Dongxiang laughed coldly, his voice and expression turning icy. "Grand Secretary Wen thought that by allying with the Crown Prince's faction, Grand Secretary Shen, and Grand Secretary Huang, he could completely defeat Minister Zhao Junchen and leave him with no chance of a comeback. But he did not realize that Minister Zhao Junchen is favored by the emperor, and the emperor cannot do without him. Even if he succeeds temporarily, Minister Zhao Junchen will surely rise again. When that happens, how will we deal with Minister Zhao Junchen's relentless revenge?"

After giving Zuo Lanshan some time to think, Chen Dongxiang continued, "It is better to bully an old man with white hair than a poor young man. This saying fits Minister Zhao Junchen perfectly. Grand Secretary Wen is not afraid of offending Minister Zhao Junchen because he will eventually retire. According to bureaucratic norms, once he retires, all his past conflicts with Minister Zhao Junchen will be forgotten. But what about us? Who will protect us then?"

As he spoke, Chen Dongxiang's voice became even colder, "We all know the reason behind Zhan Shanchang's downfall. This time, Grand Secretary Wen, for his own dignity, has decided to oppose Minister Zhao Junchen without considering us. How can this not make us feel disheartened? One must look out for oneself, or heaven will punish. Since Grand Secretary Wen never considers us, why should we remain loyal to him? Minister Zhao Junchen's offer to invest in 'Yuerongfang' shows his sincerity. This is our chance to change. The timing is right, and joining him will not make him look down on us. Minister Zhao Junchen has a bright future, and following him, besides the tempting business of 'Yuerongfang,' we may have even more opportunities."

Hearing Chen Dongxiang's words, everyone in the room was stunned.

When Liu Qi and others first mentioned investing in "Yuerongfang" to Chen Dongxiang, he had almost immediately agreed and even helped Liu Qi persuade many officials in the Ministry of Works who Liu Qi thought were impossible to convince.

Everyone thought that Chen Dongxiang did this for the money, but now it seemed that Chen Dongxiang had already made his calculations.

Perhaps, even without today's events, Chen Dongxiang would eventually betray Wen Guanliang.

On the other side, after hearing Chen Dongxiang's persuasion, Zuo Lanshan, who was not a blindly loyal person, was no longer angry but remained silent.

On one hand, he thought Chen Dongxiang's words made sense, but on the other hand, he remembered Wen Guanliang's kindness to him, which made him hesitant and conflicted.

Seeing Zuo Lanshan's hesitation, everyone in the room looked worried.

If Zuo Lanshan ultimately refused, they would have to break with him.

Zuo Lanshan was their superior, and opposing him, even with Chen Dongxiang's support and Minister Zhao Junchen as their backer, would still be a troublesome matter.

Seeing Zuo Lanshan's hesitation, Chen Dongxiang felt reassured because it meant Zuo Lanshan was seriously considering it.

Therefore, Chen Dongxiang continued, "Minister, please consider carefully. At this point, whether you agree or not, Grand Secretary Wen's power will be greatly weakened, and his plans to deal with Minister Zhao Junchen will fail. Minister Zhao Junchen will gain more power, and the situation is now clear who the winner and loser will be."

Hearing Chen Dongxiang's words, Zuo Lanshan gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind. He hummed lightly, looked at Chen Dongxiang, and said slowly, "Dongxiang, you are wrong."

Chen Dongxiang was slightly stunned, his gaze subconsciously becoming deeper.

Could it be that Zuo Lanshan ultimately decided to remain loyal to Wen Guanliang?

If that were the case, things would be complicated.

However, Zuo Lanshan's tone changed, and he continued, "You call Minister Zhao by his name, which is disrespectful. Although Minister Zhao's rank is the same as yours, we both know he is about to be promoted to Minister of Revenue and has a bright future. Even I will have to call him 'Minister Zhao' in the future. How can you call him by his name?"

Hearing Zuo Lanshan's words, Chen Dongxiang was slightly stunned but then understood Zuo Lanshan's meaning. He felt relieved and bowed, saying, "I was wrong. Thank you, Minister, for your guidance."

After admitting his mistake, Chen Dongxiang straightened up and saw that although Zuo Lanshan had expressed his stance, his expression remained serious. He realized that Zuo Lanshan felt that their actions today were a form of coercion, which made him lose face.

Therefore, Chen Dongxiang continued, "Minister, since you have made up your mind, please find an opportunity to inform Minister Zhao about our current stance in the Ministry of Works. As the head of the Ministry, you must represent us in securing our interests in the future."

Indeed, hearing Chen Dongxiang's words, Zuo Lanshan's expression improved.

On the other side, while Chen Dongxiang was speaking, he gave a meaningful look to the officials in the Ministry of Works. They were all shrewd and immediately understood Chen Dongxiang's meaning. They all admitted their mistakes and said a lot of good things, such as, "We had no choice but to do this to avoid future conflicts with you," or, "We will follow your lead in the future."

With the officials' deliberate flattery, Zuo Lanshan's expression finally returned to normal, and at least on the surface, he no longer blamed them.

Then, Zuo Lanshan turned his gaze to Liu Qi.

Noticing Zuo Lanshan's gaze, Liu Qi, thinking about his earlier arrogance, was startled, fearing that Zuo Lanshan would settle accounts with him later.

However, after hesitating for a moment, Zuo Lanshan asked, "Liu Qi, is it true that 'Yuerongfang' has been making over a thousand taels of silver every day recently? How will the profits be distributed after we invest?"

With Zuo Lanshan's question, everyone in the room fell silent, all looking at Liu Qi.

They had already asked Liu Qi this question and knew the answer, but they could not help wanting to hear it again.

Hearing Zuo Lanshan's question, Liu Qi let out a sigh of relief and was about to say something when a clerk outside the room reported, "Minister, Left Attendant Li Lide of the Ministry of Justice is here to see you."

Almost simultaneously, another clerk reported, "Minister, Deputy Chief Inspector Gu Quan of the Censorate is here to see you."

Hearing the reports, a shadow of sadness crossed Zuo Lanshan's face.

He had probably already guessed the purpose of Li Lide and Gu Quan's visit and knew that Wen Guanliang had already lost this struggle.

Although he had already decided to change his stance, betray Wen Guanliang, and align with Zhao Junchen, thinking about Wen Guanliang's future, he could not help feeling a bit sympathetic.

Zuo Lanshan was not a gentleman, but he was not as self-centered as Chen Dongxiang, nor was he a completely unprincipled person like Liu Qi. He still valued old relationships.

However, these old relationships could not stop Zuo Lanshan from betraying Wen Guanliang because, in the end, relationships were one thing, and interests were another.