Chapter 139: Just Mind the Wharf
Shortly after Gu Yan threw down a plea for an imperial decree, before the decree arrived, a document from the Ministry of Revenue was sent at express speed.
Prince Rui was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, ordering Young Lord Gu Yan to assist in the affairs of the Jiangnan Maritime Tax Bureau.
The three superiors of the Maritime Tax Bureau, facing the thin departmental document, all knitted their brows.
Vice Minister Wang was the most composed. Among the three vice ministers, he had the lowest rank and the least experience. He decided to first hear the opinions of Vice Minister Du and Vice Minister Luo; he had always been one to agree.
Vice Minister Luo lowered his eyelids, concentrating on drinking his tea.
The supervisor of the Jiangnan Maritime Tax Bureau was Vice Minister Du. How this matter would be handled was up to Vice Minister Du!
Vice Minister Du knitted his brows tightly, looked at Vice Minister Luo, then at Vice Minister Wang, and lowered his eyes to drink tea.
The three sat opposite each other. After drinking two or three cups of tea, Vice Minister Du put down his cup and sighed, “Young Lord wants to clean up the Jiangnan Maritime Tax Bureau; this intention has been there for more than a day or two. Countless memorials, both open and secret, have been submitted. Now, Young Lord has truly arrived. You two, speak your minds.”
Vice Minister Wang looked at Vice Minister Luo, and Vice Minister Luo looked at Vice Minister Du. “Our Maritime Tax Bureau has always followed your lead. Please state your plan.”
Vice Minister Du looked at Vice Minister Luo with a speechless expression.
Vice Minister Luo forced a dry laugh. “At least I will listen to you completely.”
“I will too,” Vice Minister Wang immediately added.
“Since Vice Minister Wang also says so, at least, whatever the three of us do, we will listen to you. Please state your plan,” Vice Minister Luo said with a dry laugh.
“What can we do? The chief official of the Maritime Tax Bureau, from the initial term of ten years, to five years, and now changing every three years, what can we do?
“The official duties of the Maritime Tax Bureau are incredibly complex. One only gets a grasp of it in the first year, understands a bit more in the second, and by the third year, one has to worry about the next term. What can we do? You agree, don’t you?” Vice Minister Du sighed mournfully.
Vice Minister Luo still had a dry laugh on his face, while Vice Minister Wang lowered his head to drink tea.
Vice Minister Du looked at Vice Minister Luo, then at Vice Minister Wang, picked up his cup, brought it to his lips, then put it down, and sighed, “Perhaps, we should wait and see for now?”
“We’ll listen to you,” Vice Minister Luo nodded.
Vice Minister Wang quickly nodded in agreement.
“Vice Minister Luo, please first find a place for Young Lord to handle his official duties. Choose the best place,” Vice Minister Du continued.
Upon hearing “the best place,” Vice Minister Luo and Vice Minister Wang both looked at Vice Minister Du.
The best place was none other than Vice Minister Du’s half-floor on the third floor facing the sea.
Vice Minister Du looked at Vice Minister Luo, then at Vice Minister Wang, and sighed again. “Clear out my place. You two don’t move. Young Lord doesn’t know how many days he’ll be here. I’ll temporarily move to those empty rooms on the west side of the second floor.”
“Should it be redecorated?” Vice Minister Luo asked.
“That would require Young Lord’s instructions,” Vice Minister Du replied irritably.
Before Young Lord even arrived, his office with an excellent view was gone. This omen… Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!
Vice Minister Du spat several times in his heart, telling himself not to bring bad luck upon himself.
On the same day the Maritime Tax Bureau received the document from the Ministry of Revenue, Gu Yan, leading a large group of attendants, servants, and guards, galloped to Linhai Town, bypassed the Maritime Tax Bureau, and headed straight for the wharf.
Gu Yan wore a golden crown and a black robe with golden python embroidery on his sleeves. He rode a black horse, its coat glossy black. The horse’s mane was trimmed into three elegant, proud strands. The horse was a peerless steed, and the man was even more exceptional.
The man and his horse, surrounded by elite guards, trotted along the wharf.
Where the procession passed, it was as if an invisible hand had cast an immobilization spell. People stood stunned, watching the man and horse approach from afar and then recede into the distance. Afterward, exclamations and discussions erupted.
Gu Yan circled the wharf once, returned to the entrance of the Maritime Tax Bureau, dismounted, threw the reins to a servant, and strode into the Maritime Tax Bureau.
As Gu Yan passed the Maritime Tax Bureau, the doorman on duty quickly ran to report to Vice Minister Du. By the time Vice Minister Du called Vice Minister Luo and Vice Minister Wang and rushed to the entrance of the Maritime Tax Bureau, Gu Yan had long since passed the main gate and entered the wharf.
The three of them hurried to chase into the wharf.
When Gu Yan returned to the entrance of the Maritime Tax Bureau, the three vice ministers had just reached the far end of the wharf.
Gu Yan stood on the high stone steps of the Maritime Tax Bureau, turned around, and from the main street leading out of town, slowly turned to look at the boundless wharf and the forest-like masts lining its side.
He stood here once again.
The Maritime Tax Bureau was still the same Maritime Tax Bureau, but he was no longer the impetuous youth he once was.
Gu Yan turned around, walked through the Maritime Tax Bureau’s main gate, which had never been closed, stopped, and looked at the large garden before him, and the three-story building in a courtyard layout surrounding it.
He clearly remembered the shock he felt the first time he stood here and saw this garden and the long, imposing courtyard building. Now, standing here again, looking at the garden and the spacious, tall building, he was still amazed and awestruck.
This Maritime Tax Bureau was established under Emperor Taizong and built by the founding ancestor of their Prince Rui’s Mansion.
This was a vital financial hub of the Empire, one of its most important cornerstones.
This time, he would definitely be able to thoroughly clean this cornerstone, meticulously and completely.
Gu Yan turned, walked slowly along the wide corridor, pausing at the entrance of each room, meeting the gazes of the officials inside, smiling and nodding, then moving on.
After completing the circuit and returning to the main entrance, Vice Minister Du, Vice Minister Luo, and Vice Minister Wang arrived, panting like oxen.
Just before the three vice ministers stumbled up the steps, Gu Yan went up to the second floor via the staircase.
Gu Yan inspected over a dozen rooms. The three vice ministers, short of breath and pale, drenched in sweat, finally caught up.
“What happened?” Gu Yan looked at the three, raising his eyebrows in extreme surprise.
“To welcome Young Lord to the wharf…” Vice Minister Du coughed before finishing his sentence; he was exhausted.
“I am here, aren’t I? Why were you welcoming me to the wharf?” Gu Yan looked bewildered, then waved his hand. “Hurry and rest, wash up properly. You’re all covered in sweat.”
“Yes.” Vice Minister Luo, not bothering with pleasantries, helped the coughing, speechless Vice Minister Du, took two steps back, and along with Vice Minister Wang, quickly went back to wash and change.
Alas, he had said earlier that there was no need to go to the wharf, just wait here. Vice Minister Du insisted on chasing after him. Look at this chase; no merit, not even the effort, just two words: serves them right!
Gu Yan continued walking, looking, and smiling as he went, from the second floor to the third. When he reached Vice Minister Du’s office with its excellent view, Vice Minister Du had finally washed up, changed into a new official robe, and came out to greet him.
Gu Yan stood at the doorway, glanced inside, but did not enter. Instead, he turned to go out.
“Your subordinate, along with Vice Minister Luo and Vice Minister Wang, has just discussed it. This is the place with the best view. Your subordinate will move downstairs now. How this place should be arranged still requires Young Lord’s instructions,” Vice Minister Du caught up with Gu Yan and said with a fawning smile.
“Oh?” Gu Yan stopped in surprise, turned back, looked, and smiled. “I have no intention of staying in Linhai Town. There’s no need to clear a place for me. You should continue as you were. I am assisting the Maritime Tax Bureau because the brawls on your wharf are as numerous as cow hair; it’s simply too much!”
Vice Minister Du was stunned.
Assisting the Maritime Tax Bureau is because there are too many fights on the wharf? This is too childish!
“I am best at dealing with these scoundrels who neglect their duties and only know how to fight. You all carry on with your work; leave the wharf to me. Don’t worry, in a month at most, no one on this wharf will dare to brawl or fight fiercely again,” Gu Yan said, fanning himself with his folding fan as he walked and smiled.
