Chapter 29 3. I finally found the ironclad evidence that the vassal gang embezzled the disaster relief funds

After Yan Jingming lived in Taiyuan City for five days, he left Taiyuan and went to Beijing to take up his post, accompanied by his grandnephew and a military inspector specially sent by the Shanxi Governor's Yamen.Zhang Zhidong instructed the inventory bureau to follow the method taught by Yan Jingming. Ma Piyao transferred out all the licenses with false titles during the three years of Guangxu's disaster relief period.More than 1,500 of the 2,000 licenses were issued, of which more than 300 were donated with the intermediate titles of the sixth to fourth ranks, accounting for half of the total donations, about 2.5 million taels.Among them, there were forty-two people who donated four ranks and two ranks from four ranks, totaling 1.38 million taels.These forty-two people are all the bosses of the bank.

The ticket bank, also known as the ticket bank, also known as the exchange bank, was a credit institution in modern Chinese society before the banking industry appeared in China, and was engaged in remittance, deposits, lending and other businesses.It is said that this kind of organization was first established in Shanxi in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. It is also said that it was reorganized from the Rishengchang Pigment Company set up in Tianjin by merchants from Pingyao, Shanxi during the Qianlong and Jiaqing years.In short, most of the ticket offices are operated by Shanxi people, so they are called "Shanxi ticket offices".During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi eras, the Shanxi ticket office business was very prosperous.During the Guangxu period, there were new developments, and its branches spread all over the country. Several large bank offices are preparing to open overseas branches in Tokyo and Moscow.Shanxi is poor, but Shanxi's financial industry is so developed. This is really an interesting story.

The word "trust" is the life of a bank.Strong capital, operators who keep their promises, etc., are all extremely important conditions for a bank to gain trust.However, in China, all industries must have a close relationship with the government. Only with the government as the backstage and the government giving face can they have status in the eyes of the people.Relying on the government is an important means for the ticket number to exchange for trust.Therefore, the bosses of ticket offices have strengthened their ties with the government.Not only must we maintain close ties with the three powerful yamen, Fu, Fan, and Nie, but we must also support what the government advocates.Therefore, the bosses of Shanxi ticket offices dare not neglect the donations called for by the government for disaster relief.This is one of them.

Second, although the bosses of ticket offices have stacks of gold and silver, eat delicacies from mountains and seas every day, and sleep in luxurious houses at night, when they go out, they will hug each other, and when they go in, they will have wives and concubines in groups, but they are people, not officials.There is no place for them in the splendid conference banquet; in the well-dressed public occasion, the host does not know which seat to put the ticket boss.These rich and wealthy men are often embarrassed and depressed because of this, and their faces are dull.Therefore, they want to use silver to buy tops, and the bank bosses with more money hope to buy high-grade tops.It's just because the imperial court stipulates that those who use money to buy officials can't exceed the fourth rank. If there is no such restriction, some of them would rather pay hundreds of thousands or millions of taels to buy a first- and second-rank red crown. own head.What they want is not power, but to fight for social status and gain social recognition, so that all living beings know that reading and politics is a road to success, and running bank accounts is also a road to success, and they can also achieve success. The peak of life, winning glory and scenery.This is also an important reason why all the well-developed bank owners are willing to exchange silver for false title licenses.Of course, at the same time, it won greater trust for the ticket number.It can be imagined that the owner of a ticket number is an official with a rank of four ranks, and the boss of a ticket number is a commoner with no rank or grade. Which ticket number do rich people trust more?Which bank would he prefer to deposit his money into?In China, this is a question with a simple answer.

The bosses of these ticket offices, even though they have been touring the major branches of the country, their roots are still rooted in their origins.Usually there is a large courtyard and a large area of ​​land in the original place, or the father, brother, or wife is in charge of housekeeping, and important documents issued by the court such as false title licenses are kept in the original home as usual.Therefore, it is not difficult to check the original. The Inventory Bureau dispatched six committee members to investigate the origins of the forty-two bank owners.Two months later, these committee members returned to Taiyuan one after another.Sure enough, as Yan Jingming expected, the trip was very rewarding.The original copies kept in the homes of the 42 bosses, and the amount of silver donations written on them, except for seven people who agree with the copies, the original copies of the remaining 35 are inconsistent with the copies. The big one amounted to three thousand taels, while the small difference was eight hundred taels. The total amounted to more than 70,000 taels, accounting for about one-twentieth of the donations made by the forty-two bosses.More than 1,500 licenses with false titles were exchanged for a total of more than five million taels of silver. According to this calculation, there should be about 250,000 taels in and out.

The original records provided by Yang Shenxiu also played a big role.He only recorded the details of donations for two and a half months, and compared this detail with the silver amount on more than 1,200 copies of military medals signed by Xu Shilin kept in the treasury, there was a discrepancy of 20,000 taels of silver. The situation is now more or less clear.During the disaster relief period in the third year of Guangxu, the Rehabilitation Bureau, presided over by Bao Geng, the feudal official, with Wang Ding'an, a Taoist member of Ji Ning, as the deputy, and Xu Shilin, the magistrate of Yangqu County, as the main person in charge, accepted donations. It was 90,000 taels, and it was suspected of embezzling about 300,000 taels of silver.

Zhang Zhidong couldn't help being furious when he saw the letter sent by the Inspectorate Bureau.This is not an ordinary corruption, it embezzles disaster relief money.In those years of catastrophe and famine, one tael of silver was a life!As an official of the imperial court, holding the power granted by the imperial court, in the position of the parents of the people, in charge of the life and death of the people, but using power to enrich his own pockets and disregarding the life and death of the people, he really has no conscience, and the heavens will not tolerate it!Zhang Zhidong wished he could immediately arrest Bao Geng, Wang Ding'an and others, kidnap them and take them to the market, show their heads to the public, and appease the hearts of the people with their anger.But as senior officials, they can't do it so simply.He discussed with Sang Zhiping.

Sang Zhiping said: "Mr. Yan Danchu knew that there was an accident in Shanxi's disaster relief funds, and he also knew that Baogeng, Wang Ding'an and others were suspected of corruption, but he just kept quiet. He neither reported to the court nor reported to Zeng Guoquan and Wei Rongguang. Expose it, if he hadn’t gone to the capital to serve as Minister of the Household Department this time, he might have remained silent. Why is that?” Zhang Zhidong said: "You have raised this question well. In my opinion, there are two reasons. One is that I am in a guest position. Although I have doubts, it is inconvenient to check them out one by one. If I don't have any real evidence, it is inconvenient to point them out. The second is to be wise and protect yourself, one thing more is worse than one thing less.”

Sang Zhiping rubbed his hands back and forth for a long time, and said: "These two reasons are good, you might as well think about it further: Mr. Yan, as the imperial envoy for disaster relief, came to report the embezzlement of disaster relief funds by the officials in Shanxi. He himself felt that it might not be suitable. If he was worried, his biggest concern might be that Zeng Jiushuai. A few years ago, Zeng Jiushuai was in Shanxi, Bao Geng trusted him, and Wang Ding'an was his confidant. Zeng Jiushuai Jiushuai is unwilling to hurt these two people, and as the head of a province, the governor cannot escape the blame for such a big problem in the disaster relief funds. Mr. Yan knows Zeng Jiushuai's character well. He will cover everything up with one hand and completely deny it. Wei Jinglan is timid and afraid of trouble, and even more afraid of offending Zeng Jiushuai. Therefore, in the final analysis, the affairs of Shanxi are all on Zeng Jiushuai. Brother Xiangtao, you must first For this preparation, we have to think about how to deal with Wei Yibo who is proud of his achievements and has the trust of the Queen Mother."

"I'm not afraid of that Wei Yibo!" Zhang Zhidong said without hesitation, "Last February, he was given the important task of governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, and the court relied heavily on him, but he was recuperating in his hometown. I went to the Empress Dowager Shu and said that Shaanxi-Gansu is an important place, and it is impossible to be without a governor for a long time. Since Zeng Guoquan is seriously ill, it is better to open a vacancy so that he can rest at home to recuperate. As a result, the imperial court really made him vacant. If I say offend, I have already offended him. "

Sang Zhiping said with a smile: "There is a difference between the two. Last year's memorial was certainly rude to Zeng Jiushuai, but it didn't hurt his face. He can say that he is indeed seriously ill, maybe he is not I am willing to go to that miserable place in Lanzhou, and I wish you could take this offer. You see, he was released as governor of Guangdong and Guangxi this year, and he set off as soon as he received the order. He was a different person. He is also the governor, and he would like to go to Guangzhou, but he doesn’t want to go to Lanzhou. If last year He will be released from Guangdong and Guangxi, and he will never stay in Xiangxiang for half a year." Zhang Zhidong also smiled and said: "That's right, you said it right into his heart, I really helped him a lot by scolding him." Sang Zhiping said: "It's different this time. Bao Geng and Wang Ding'an are both close to him, and he at least made a mistake. Zeng Jiushuai is a very domineering person. If you smear him, he will not let it go." "So what if he doesn't do well?" Zhang Zhidong became a little annoyed. "At worst, he would bite me back and accuse me of a crime of framing. I'm not afraid of asking the court to remove me as governor. Besides, as long as the evidence is convincing, he will Can't bite back." "You just need to be prepared." Sang Zhiping said after pondering for a moment, "Mr. Yan does not want to expose the other party as a colleague, and his cautious way of handling things is not something that cannot be imitated. In my opinion, this matter is It’s not possible to do that.” "What do you think?" Zhang Zhidong stared at Sang Zhiping, eagerly waiting for his next words. "We'll get the evidence solid, and then we'll get the evidence to the capital, and invite your friends from the past, Zhang Peilun and Chen Baochen, to participate in the impeachment. Maybe it's more appropriate to do so." Zhang Zhidong thought for a while, and said, "Alright, give this credit to Youqiao and Tao'an. I'll ask Uncle Qiao to help Ma Piyao to make the writing smoother." While the governor's office was discussing how to punish corrupt officials, the vassal's office was also nervously discussing how to deal with this conscientious celebrity Futai. It was still the top-secret smoke room behind the third aunt Baogeng’s bedroom, and Xu Shilin, who was too addicted to office work, said to Wang Ding’an in a teasing tone: “Ding Weng, your three tricks: dissuade, take over, and beauties, look at them now. None of them worked. Do you have any other ideas? It must be the time when the donkey is at the end of its rope!" Wang Ding'an's scorched black and thin face had a gloomy and cold expression. He glanced at Xu Shilin and said, "Magistrate Xu, don't gloat. If Zhang Zhidong really shakes everything out, I, Wang Ding'an, won't be able to pass the test. You Xu Shilin's seventh-grade black gauze hat can't be kept either." Baogeng, who was lying down, sat up and accused his brother-in-law with a dejected expression: "You still have the heart to say sarcastic words. Everyone is in a leaky boat. If you want to be saved, everyone will be saved, and if you want to sink, everyone will sink!" Xu Shilin suddenly felt the threat of a catastrophe, his heart tightened, he closed his eyes and stopped talking. There was silence in the smoke room.Although the unburned bubbles still exude an attractive lingering aroma, the three smokers are no longer in the mood to smoke. "We still have to help each other and discuss a way to get through this." Baogeng left the cigarette couch and took square steps in the room. He, who has always been obese, has obviously lost weight due to anxiety and fear in the past two months. I lost weight, and the two small eyes that were flexible on weekdays also became dull.He said to Wang Ding'an, "Ding Weng, you have been with Zeng Wenzhenggong and Jiu Shuai for many years, have seen the world, and stepped through the big storms, can't you come up with an idea?" Wang Ding'an was still reclining on the cigarette couch, twirling his thin yellow beard like a mouse, without saying a word, his eyes staring at the lamp in a daze. "You all stay silent, I have a solution." Bao Geng stopped walking, and Wang Ding'an, who was reclining, and Xu Shilin, who was sitting cross-legged, were watching him. "We are no match for Zhang Zhidong. I think we might as well turn ourselves in to him. We will cover the total loss of money. I know that Ding Weng has invested in several big bank accounts in Taiyuan City. There have been many incidents in the past few years." Less interest, it’s not a problem to take out your share. My money, my brother’s donation to an official, and my son’s marriage are all used up. If you can’t get it out for a while, you can lend me tens of thousands first!” Xu Shilin immediately shouted: "My silver is also empty, and I can't get it out for a while, Ding Weng will lend me tens of thousands!" "Hey!" Wang Ding'an sneered a few times before he could speak, "Bao Weng, are you kidding me, or are you really surrendering to Zhang Zhidong?" After finishing speaking, he sat up and stared at Baogeng with straight eyes.Bao Geng felt that those two gazes pierced his heart like two sharp knives, making him feel pain. "To tell you the truth, I can get the money, one hundred thousand and two hundred thousand. The bosses of those ticket numbers are loyal men, so you can lend them to me, but is this an idea? Thank you, Baoweng, thank you Having been a Fang Bo for many years, do you think that you can pass the customs safely if you make up for the embezzled money? An official may be exempted from being in the prison, and a third-rank chief executive can still keep his head Is it the sapphire top? You have worked so hard to get to this point, are you willing to end up with nothing?" "Then what do you say?" Bao Geng also knew that this method was not good, he wanted to pay the embezzlement money first, so as to redeem a more serious punishment.Dismissal is inevitable, as long as he is not sent to the army or imprisoned, he will stay idle in the capital for two years. With his family background and connections, plus a lot of gold and silver, he will not worry about his recovery.Once it is restored, he is sure that in a few years, this official third-rank official hat will be put back on steadily.Back then, Qishan was dismissed from his post and ransacked his home because he lost Hong Kong, and within a few days he was ordered to execute him on the spot in Guangzhou.As a result, he was neither executed on the spot nor later in the fall. He was sent to the military platform to serve for less than a year, and he was rewarded as a fourth-class bodyguard and acted as an assistant minister of Yarkand.In the second year, he was rewarded with the third rank Dingdai, and he was promoted to Rehe Dutong.In another three years, he will be granted the title of governor of Sichuan, and he will be restored to the top rank of Dingdai to co-organize the bachelor degree.In five years, everything recovered.For Qi Shan's big crime and heavy punishment, what did he rely on to make things right? Firstly, relying on family background, secondly relying on connections, and thirdly relying on money.Compared to Qi Shan, what is embezzling tens of thousands of taels of silver?As a descendant of Prince Yu, Bao Geng is well aware of the court's laws and regulations, as long as a person like him doesn't beheaded, everything will be easy.At the end of the catastrophe, it is imperative to try to avoid the pain of flesh and blood first. "What should I do? Zhang Zhidong won't be able to do it!" Wang Ding'an sat up suddenly from the cigarette couch, looking like he would fight Zhang Zhidong to the end. "Why can't he do it?" Bao Geng seemed to see a glimmer of hope in it. Maybe it was because he sat up too hastily just now, Wang Ding'an said a little out of breath: "Let's draw up a report quickly, collect all kinds of inappropriate things about Zhang Zhidong's coming to Shanxi for a year, charge him with dereliction of duty, and suggest that the court dismiss him." With the position of governor of Shanxi, he can't do anything." "Is Zhang Zhidong guilty of dereliction of duty?" Xu Shilin asked. "Why not?" Wang Ding'an sneered, "Using soldiers to go to the countryside to eradicate poppy seedlings without permission is a major crime of dereliction of duty. You all know that, as Fang Junyi said, there were seven or eight cases of homicide in the whole province because of this incident. Is it not a serious crime to go to a house with no fewer than two or three hundred rooms?" "That's right!" Xu Shilin clapped his hands, "This one is enough for him." Baogeng remembered that he had worked very hard to carry out this order at that time. If he wanted to investigate seriously, he would not be able to escape responsibility, not to mention that Admiral Greer would be implicated in this matter, so he shook his head and said: "This matter is the responsibility of Zhang Zhidong and Ge Leer. It was co-organized by Le Er. Ge Le Er is a demon who turns his face and denies anyone. If he knew that you and I reported him, he might stab us with a knife!" Wang Ding'an also knew about Greer's character. Bao Geng said something well, and it annoyed him. Maybe he was hacked in the middle of the night, and he still couldn't find his opponent. Wang Ding'an didn't dare to persist after a while of trembling in his heart. Seeing that Wang Ding'an didn't speak, Baogeng said: "Let's ask Jiu Shuai to help. If Jiu Shuai speaks out, everything will be fine. Jiu Shuai brought Zhang Zhidong down with one little finger." "You said it too easily!" Wang Ding'an raised his head, with a somewhat melancholy expression on his face. "Zhang Zhidong is not easy to mess with. He poked Jiu Shuai last year." Bao Geng said: "Jiu Shuai is just looking for an excuse to vent his anger!" "Jiu Shuai has left Shanxi, how can he come to ask about Shanxi again, we have to find a reason for him." "I don't think you need to bother Marshal Jiu, just give it a shot!" Xu Shilin gritted his teeth, straightened his right palm, and shook it vigorously. When Baogeng saw it, his face turned dark immediately, and Wang Dingan was also stunned. Xu Shilin walked to the side of the two, and the three heads were close together. Xu Shilin said in a low voice: "We'll start in a few days, when the court will investigate the murder case, who will care about the disaster relief five years ago!" Bao Geng stared at Wang Ding'an in awe.After Wang Ding'an stood there like a log for a long time, he nodded his head gently twice. The three heads moved closer together, and the voice of speaking became softer.