stonecrandall Chapter 1192 Not only did he satisfy them, he also gave them official positions! Emperor Qing's
Chapter 1192 Not only did he satisfy them, he also gave them official positions! Emperor Qing's
The reason Emperor Qing didn't do anything was simple: Gao Yao was greedy enough. What Gao Yao was demanding now was to seize the opportunity to gain more benefits, and this actually reassured Emperor Qing, because knowing Gao Yao's greed made him easier to satisfy. If Gao Yao were truly not greedy, that would be what Emperor Qing would be more wary of.
This reflects the mindset of countless people in positions of power: they will never appreciate someone who is truly without desires or wants, because being without desires and wants implies being uncontrollable, and those in positions of power always despise this kind of person.
Unbeknownst to him, at that very moment, in the Gao family study, Gao Yao was receiving a secret letter. The letter was unsigned, bearing only a line of small print:
"An imperial edict will arrive tomorrow, appointing you as the Director of the Grain Industry Supervision Department, under the control of the Ministry of Revenue. Be careful."
After reading it, Gao Yao lit the letter over the candlelight, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
"Emperor Qing, you want to use official positions to bind me, but you don't know that what I want has never been an official position."
He walked to the window and looked towards the palace. The imperial city stood majestic and solemn in the night, symbolizing supreme power. But Gao knew that even the strongest city walls could not hold back the hungry hearts of the people; even the most imposing imperial power could not suppress the desire to survive.
And these are precisely the two things he possesses.
Three days later, the imperial edict was issued.
When Gao Yao received the imperial decree, he was extremely respectful and courteous, even donating 50,000 shi of grain on the spot to show his loyalty. The news spread, sparking much discussion among the people of the capital. Some praised Gao Yao's benevolence, some questioned why the court would suddenly bestow such a reward upon a merchant, while many more breathed a sigh of relief—at least, their food supply would not run out.
Only a few discerning people saw through the trick.
Chen Pingping sat in a wheelchair in the Censorate, listening to his subordinates' report with an expressionless face. Only after the report ended did he slowly speak: "What actions did Gao Yao take after receiving the imperial decree?"
"Reporting to the Dean, Gao Yao began preparations for the establishment of the Grain Industry Supervision Bureau on the very day of the incident, and at the same time registered half of the grain stored by the Gao family's business and submitted it to the Ministry of Revenue for record-keeping. On the surface, he seemed to be cooperating very well."
"On the surface?" Chen Pingping repeated the three words, a sharp glint in his eyes. "If he were really so easy to manipulate, he wouldn't be in this situation today. Continue to monitor him, but don't alert him."
"Yes."
After his subordinates left, Chen Pingping pushed his wheelchair to the window. From the high vantage point of the Censorate, one could overlook half of Kyoto. The streets were bustling with people, seemingly calm, but undercurrents were swirling beneath the surface.
He thought of Fan Xian—that exceptionally intelligent yet somewhat naive young man. He didn't entirely believe Fan Xian's death. It was too coincidental, almost like a carefully orchestrated event. But if Fan Xian was truly still alive, why hadn't he contacted him? Unless… Fan Xian had even lost trust in him.
This thought stirred a complex mix of emotions within Chen Pingping. He had genuinely cared for Fan Xian, grooming him as his successor and even secretly protecting him from the turmoil of the royal power struggles. But if Fan Xian truly began to doubt him, it meant the young man had already grasped some truths.
The truth about Ye Qingmei's death.
Chen Pingping closed his eyes. Memories flooded back—Ye Qingmei's brilliance, her ideals and ambitions, her love-hate relationship with Emperor Qing, and the final upheaval that shocked the court. Everyone thought it was an accident, but only a few knew it was inevitable.
And he was one of the people in the know.
"Dean, a guest has arrived." A voice announced from outside the door.
Chen Pingping opened his eyes: "Who?"
"Gao Yao, Gao Sizheng."
Chen Pingping frowned slightly. What was Gao Yao's purpose in visiting at this time? A demonstration? A test? Or something else entirely?
"Please let him in."
When Gao Yao walked in, he had the smooth smile typical of businessmen on his face. He bowed politely and was respectful, but there was a subtle scrutiny in his eyes.
"Gao Sizheng has just taken office. What brings you to my Censorate?" Chen Pingping spoke first.
"President Chen is too kind." Gao Yao sat down in the guest seat. "Although I have been granted this official position by the Emperor's grace, I am aware of my limited talent and knowledge, and I fear that I may fail to live up to His Majesty's expectations. The Censorate supervises all officials, and it is only natural that I should come to report to him. I hope that President Chen will give me more guidance in the future."
The words were well-spoken, but Chen Pingping understood the underlying meaning—Gao Yao was implying that he knew the Censorate was monitoring him and didn't mind the surveillance.
"You are too modest, Director Gao," Chen Pingping said calmly. "You stepped forward during the famine to relieve the people's urgent needs. This sense of responsibility is beyond the reach of many officials in the court. His Majesty's conferment of this official position on you is well-deserved."
The two exchanged pleasantries for a long time without getting to the heart of the matter. Gao Yao seemed to have really only come to "pay his respects," and got up to leave after sitting for less than fifteen minutes.
But before leaving, he suddenly turned back and said, seemingly unintentionally, "By the way, I ran into an old friend a few days ago. We talked about the past of the Control Yuan and mentioned the grand occasion when Ms. Ye Qingmei founded the Control Yuan. It was truly fascinating. It's a pity that such a talented person passed away so young."
Chen Pingping's hand trembled slightly, but her expression remained unchanged: "That's all in the past. If Director Gao has nothing else to say, please leave."
Gao Yao smiled, turned and left.
After he left, Chen Pingping sat alone for a long time. Gao Yao's last words were definitely not unintentional. What was he implying? What did he know? Or was he just testing him?
What concerned Chen Pingping even more was who the "old friend" Gao Yao mentioned was. There were many people in the court who knew about Ye Qingmei's connection with the Censorate, but few would mention it to Gao Yao.
A name popped into his mind—Fan Xian.
If Fan Xian is indeed still alive and has made contact with Gao Yao... then many things need to be reassessed.
Meanwhile, Gao Yao sat in the carriage returning to his residence, his smile long gone. He had gone to see Chen Pingping today for two reasons: first, to test the attitude of the head of the Censorate; and second, to convey a message—that he knew more than Chen Pingping imagined.
Fan Xian did indeed contact him and revealed some clues about Ye Qingmei's death. Although Fan Xian didn't say it explicitly, Gao Yao was incredibly clever and pieced together a rough outline from those fragmented pieces of information.
Emperor Qing, Chen Pingping, the Empress Dowager, several princes... the people involved in that upheaval were far more numerous than he had imagined. And what Fan Xian must do now is uncover the truth and avenge his mother.
Gao doesn't want revenge; what he wants is power, an unshakeable position. Fan Xian's investigation will stir up the court, which is exactly what he needs—the muddier the waters, the more benefits he can reap.
"Master, we've arrived." The carriage stopped, and the butler's voice interrupted his thoughts.
Gao Yao got out of the carriage and looked up at the plaque above the gate of the mansion. The two golden characters "Gao Mansion" gleamed in the sunlight.
One month later, the Grain Industry Supervision Department was officially established.