Even without Su Chen saying anything, Su Yu had no intention of bringing the matter out into the open. She had her own preparations and plans anyway; to blurt it out prematurely would only cause unnecessary trouble for both sides.
Deep within a wealthy merchant's sprawling courtyard in the western district of Guining City, a group of extraordinary-looking individuals were holding a secret gathering. At the head of them sat a man with regular features, though his expression and demeanor exuded a cold and ruthless aura—none other than Su Changqing.
"Gentlemen, whether the Su Clan and the Li Clan suffer severe damage or even a crippling blow over the next three years depends entirely on you. Once the deed is done, each of you will receive your rightful share of the wealth."
Su Changqing glanced around at his fellow conspirators, then raised his wine cup and said, "Come, let me propose a toast to you all."
"Cheers!"
"We shall exert ourselves to the utmost and not fail the trust placed in us by Brother Changqing and the Provincial Governor!"
"With all of us joining forces, it shouldn't be a problem to gradually devour a portion of the Su and Li clans' businesses over three years. It's just that we will inevitably need some official backing along the way."
And naturally so. A group of wealthy merchants and powerful tycoons, being outsiders at that, how could they possibly hope to shake the local local tyrants so easily?
One had to bear in mind that the local prominent clans had deep ties with the city's officials and minor magistrates, who had taken no shortage of bribes. It wasn't as if just anyone could walk in and say a few words to make those officials turn against them. If not for taking advantage of the friction between the newly appointed Provincial Governor and the Su and Li clans in Guining City, all the people gathered here combined wouldn't have been able to so much as rattle the local tyrants.
Therefore, this plot against the Su and Li clans was by no means something that could be accomplished overnight. Aside from openly leveraging the power and pressure of the Provincial Governor, covert maneuvers were equally indispensable.
On the other side, Su Yu was hardly idle. By day, she maintained the appearance of someone completely oblivious to everything, keeping to her quarters; but by night, she would slip into a spacious black cloak and sneak out to scout out information on her opponents.
The New Year had passed, and a brand-new year had begun. Su Luo's side had yet to make any major moves for the time being. Everyone knew this was merely the calm before the storm; the real show would not gradually unfold until the new Provincial Governor took office.
Far away in Yun City, the capital of Jiyun Province, some two hundred miles from Guining City, lay a stretch of land that led another one thousand two hundred miles northwest to the Vast Sea. Yun City was a heavily fortified military town; arable land here was scarce, and most of the city's supplies had to be transshipped from Guining City and other major cities in the rear.
One hundred and fifty-three years had passed since the founding of the Dashun Dynasty. Mindful of the lesson from the previous dynasty, where frontier armies nurtured bandits to ensure their own continued importance only to ultimately perish by their own hand, the current dynasty strictly reined in border generals. The capital of every border province had to be dispatched with civil officials to maintain control, bringing an end to the era where frontier generals got whatever they asked for simply by opening their mouths. The financial and grain provisions of the border towns were now firmly in the hands of the Provincial Governor. Aside from military command, which remained under the Jiyun Province Provincial Commander, the Provincial Governor could be said to hold the economic lifeline of the entire border province in his grasp.
Little wonder people called the newly appointed Provincial Governor of Jiyun Province greedy. With the resources of an entire province in his hands, how could he not be greedy?
In Yun City, Liu Su, the newly appointed Provincial Governor, had no sooner assumed office than he slapped additional taxes across every district of Jiyun Province under the fine-sounding pretexts of raising revenue, providing disaster relief, and defending against foreign foes. Having taken office just three months ago, Liu Su had already levied taxes three years in advance, throwing the entire Jiyun Province into turmoil and robbing it of any peace.
"Lord Liu, um... if we keep adding taxes like this, I'm afraid the people will be driven to destitution. Jiyun Province is already a border province; its produce cannot compare to the wealth of the South. If this sparks a popular uprising, I fear it may not bode well for Your Lordship's reputation." A civil official dressed in a black brocade robe adorned with peacocks bowed and advised Liu Su, who sat upon the main seat clad in a black brocade robe embroidered with golden chickens.
"Ha, ha, ha! Reputation? Is there anyone under heaven who doesn't know what kind of reputation I, Liu Su, have?"
Liu Su, seated in the place of honor, was already fifty years old and had spent over thirty years navigating officialdom. What kind of scene had he not witnessed? To have risen to the rank of Provincial Governor by his age, reaching the prestigious second rank, was a rare feat indeed across the entire realm!
Logically speaking, he was in the prime of his life, and his own daughter, Liu Ying, was the wife of the reigning sovereign—the Empress of the realm. Yet he had voluntarily requested a foreign posting, unwilling to go to the wealthy and prosperous lands of Jiangnan or Liangguang. It truly baffled the mind.
Ever since the Emperor ascended the throne fourteen years ago and his nineteen-year-old daughter Liu Ying became Empress, Liu Su—who had previously conducted himself with a certain smoothness and propriety—began to change. He grew increasingly arrogant and overbearing, embarking on a spree of frantic wealth accumulation. He also became obsessed with female beauty, endlessly taking concubines and new women for himself.
The officials of the imperial Censorate could not stomach his conduct and daily blasted Liu Su in the imperial court, condemning him for his poor moral character, his greed akin to a pixiu, his incompetence in office, and his habit of drawing a salary while doing no work.
Faced with these memorials, not only did the Emperor refuse to strip Liu Su of his post, but he promoted and favored him all the more. Just when all the officials in the court assumed that Liu Su, having gained momentum, would use his status as an imperial relative to stir up trouble in the court, he suddenly submitted a memorial requesting a transfer to Jiyun Province.
This baffling maneuver left all the high ministers dumbfounded. They had seen men greedy for power who clung stubbornly to the imperial court, and they had seen men greedy for wealth who rushed off to the South to reap a massive haul; but they had never seen anyone like Liu Su, greedy for money and lustful alike, voluntarily ask to serve in a border province. While Jiyun Province could not exactly be called destitute, it was certainly no place of abundance. Trying to squeeze profits out of that place carried high risks with precious little to be gained—even if one were to scrape the ground three feet deep for three years, it wouldn't equal what could be raked in down south in half a year!
Although the court officials failed to understand Liu Su's baffling maneuver, it did not stop them from gleefully celebrating, hoping that Liu Su would roll as far away as possible and stop lingering in the capital to torture everyone else.
This time, upon taking office, Liu Su immediately imposed additional levies of all kinds, particularly grain and commercial taxes. Although these decrees had made Jiyun Province a chorus of grievances over the past few months, Liu Su did not care in the slightest. He narrowed his eyes, stared ruthlessly at the fourth-rank civil official who had dared to advise him, and said, "Everyone under the realm knows my reputation as Liu Su. Isn't it only natural that I come here to do such things?"
"Besides, I haven't raised the agricultural tax. The only ones who suffer are the grain merchants and other large merchants. Where are these popular grievances coming from? Where is this talk of sparking a popular uprising?"
"Or perhaps... you sympathize with those merchants?" At this, Liu Su's expression suddenly turned stern. How dare the official admit to sympathizing with lowly merchants? Though he himself took no shortage of bribes, saving his own official hat took precedence for the moment.
The official hurriedly shook his head in denial. "Not at all, not at all! My lord, please don't say such things. Your subordinate does not sympathize with those merchants in the least."
"Then... what do you mean?"
"Uh, no, no particular meaning..."
Liu Su swept his gaze across the other officials present and let out a cold huff. "Hmph! And you? If any of you have opinions, feel free to voice them all at once."
"Otherwise, don't blame me, Liu Su, for not giving you a chance to speak!"
The room instantly fell into a chorus of nervous assent, everyone professing that they dared not. Only then did Liu Su's amiable smile return as he said, "That's more like it! Rest assured, everyone, Jiyun Province won't descend into chaos. The policies I've decreed this time will only last for some three to five years—quite enough—and I won't make it difficult for the aristocratic clans, powerful tycoons, and wealthy merchants of Jiyun Province."
Not make it difficult? I'm afraid that after three or five years, everyone will be dead, so how could they even feel the difficulty? The officials present all sighed inwardly, yet none dared to defy Liu Su's will.