Chapter 380
Hearing her son made Old Madam Qin grab Qin Zhun’s hand and asked, “A’zhun, what should we do then?”
Qin Zhun rubbed the creases between his brows as he said in a deep voice, “Mother, if this matter is not settled, we may lose our official position at the least, or at the worst…I am afraid that I may lose our title.”
Qin Zhun’s eyes slightly flickered and deliberately exaggerated the consequences.
In his opinion, this matter was indeed troublesome but it was not enough to lose his rank, at most it could get him a demotion, he was just afraid that if he didn’t make the consequences more serious Old Madam Qin might not be willing to help him.
After all, whether it was demotion or losing his rank, it only has one result, his official career would be completely over!
“A’zhun, you can’t lose this title! Otherwise, how can I face your father in the afterlife?” Old Madam Qin was so flustered as her eyes started to redden, “A’zhun, this is all Li Yuanchun’s fault. You just took over the job, even if the emperor finds out, we can still explain this matter clearly.”
“I can’t just explain it like that.” Qin Zhun awkwardly said, “Li Yuanchan has retired and returned to his hometown, not to mention, this position has been in my hands for more than twenty days. And even if I say it wasn’t me, I’m afraid I can’t explain it clearly.”
Qin Zhun said half-truths and half-lies.
At first, he did not notice the “big hole” in the Changying treasury when Li Yuanchun handed over his tasks, and when he did discovered it, his first reaction was to report it. However, at that time, Qin Xin came to him again to ask for silver and was enticed by the remaining silver in the treasury.
The Changying treasury’s silver also known as “horse price silver” was usually only used to purchase horses.
Thinking that since Northern Yan had already negotiated peace with Daqi, and the pirates in Minzhou had already pacified, the imperial treasury would not move the money for the time being. With these thoughts, he planned to use it first and try to return it later, or slowly try to balance the accounts…
However, the changes came too quickly.
Old Madam Qin was even more worried when she saw her son frowning, “A’zhun, why don’t you hurry and confess to the emperor now, the emperor has always been benevolent and considers your father’s loyalty, maybe he can give you a lighter sentence…”
Qin Zhun seemed to be moved. “You’re right, but…” He was about to get up in a hurry but then sat back. “However, there’s also a possibility that the emperor might make an example out of me.”
If he could hide it, Qin Zhun certainly wants to hide it. The problem was that there has been a sudden change in the court recently.
The Ministry of War proposed that since the Jiangnan horses were often too small and undersized to be used as war horses, it would be better to exchange them with silver, and this would also save time and money for Jiangnan from traveling a thousand miles away to the capital.
Now that the national treasury was empty, this move could reduce the financial burden on the imperial court, and at the same time, they could also fill the Changying treasury. The emperor and several ministers all agree with this.
So, once the imperial court began to implement this “horse price silver”, it was bound for the imperial court to check the Changying’s accounts, and if that happens, the holes in the accounts could not be concealed any longer.
Just thinking about this, made Qin Zhun regretful, so much that his intestines were turning green. If he had known this would happen, he would have taken the initiative to expose Li Yuanchun when he discovered that there were problems with the accounts, but it was too late to regret now.
Old Madam Qin became more and more at a loss and was already sweating profusely while holding Qin Zhun’s big hands, “A’zhun, what should we do?”
Panicking, Old Madam Qin’s mind went black. She could not say her life was smooth sailing, especially when the family properties were confiscated and they were exiled, but at least her late husband and eldest son were there, and although life was a bit hard, she still had a backbone, anyway, everything was done according to the late marquis plans.
Later, when the old marquis died, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to following her second son.
Meanwhile, Qin Zhun’s eyes flickered as he said hesitantly, “Mother, I want Ning’er to plead mercy for us.”
Old Madam Qin: “?”
She looked at her second son in confusion, what did this matter have to do with Ning’er?
Qin Zhun held Old Madam Qin’s hand and reminded, “Mother, Ning’er has just made a great achievement.”
“……” Old Madam Qin still hasn’t reacted.
Qin Zhun could only bite the bullet and continued, “Our dynasty has a precedent of ‘repaying crimes with merit’.”
He said this in a subtle and tactful manner, by this time also, Old Madam Qin finally understood his meaning and remembered a familiar event:
During the reign of Emperor Taizu, one of his capable generals, Marquis Changding helped him establish the Daqi Dynasty. His uncle, the Great General Wang He of the previous dynasty became a prisoner after being defeated by the now reigning dynasty, however, Marquis Changding interceded for his uncle, saying that he had no father or mother growing up, and it was his uncle who raised him so he treated him like his own father, thus, he was willing to use his title to offset his uncle’s crimes. So, Emperor Taizu withdrew his title and pardoned Wang He, as requested by Marquis Changding.
This incident was passed down as a good story in Daqi Dynasty and was often used by storytellers as folklore in teahouses.
In other words, Qin Zhun wanted to ask Qin Zening, who made a great contribution to Minzhou, to seek the emperor’s mercy and use his contributions to offset Qin Zhun’s wrongdoing and preserve the Qin family’s title.
“……” Old Madam Qin was silent.
If Qin Zening was Qin Zhun’s biological son, Qin Zhun didn’t have to come and tell her that the son should take over his father, since it was a natural thing to do. But Qin Zening was only his nephew, and the family has already split up.
Qin Zhun could naturally see Old Madam Qin’s thoughts, but could only sigh heavily in embarrassment. “Mother, I also know that this would wrong Ning’er, but I also have no choice, I have already thought all the ways I can.”
“I also even thought of filing the hole with my own money but you know that we have distributed our properties and silver with Ning’er when they separated from us, most of the family’s cash was given to them. The family is now struggling to make ends meet, and could only wait for the autumn harvest and the store’s profits to collect.”
“Mother, I really can’t bear the thought of my ancestors’ title losing in my hands ah!”
As he spoke, Qin Zhun wiped the corners of his eyes with his cuffs, his voice slightly choked.
***
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