When 25-year-old Emperor Qianlong took over the reins of the Qing Empire from his father, Emperor Yongzheng, the “young sovereign” naturally wanted to prove that he could surpass his predecessor and be an enlightened ruler.

Coincidentally, in Qianlong’s first year of reign, an unprecedented drought swept across the Qing Empire, causing what could be described as a “drought storm.” With a new emperor comes new hope, but ancient superstitions saw this natural disaster as an “inauspicious sign” for Qianlong’s fresh rule.

Determined to win this “special war,” Qianlong saw an opportunity to win the hearts of the people, secure the loyalty of his ministers, and affirm his status as the “true Son of Heaven.”

Qianlong acted swiftly. He appointed the esteemed official, Liu Tongxun, head of the Ministry of Justice, as the chief commander of this relief effort. The deputy commander was Mi Rucheng, who was in charge of the nation’s grain storage. These two were tasked with forming a “special inspection group” with a mission to provide disaster relief and investigate the national grain reserves.

Providing disaster relief was straightforward, but auditing the grain reserves across the empire? That was a nightmare for local officials. Although Emperor Yongzheng had been the most rigorous in punishing corrupt officials in Qing history, the saying goes: “With a 200% profit, most people would risk their lives for it.” And the profit from grain? It far exceeded 200%.

The Greed of Corrupt Officials

Through a series of thrilling covert and overt investigations, Liu Tongxun and Mi Rucheng were shocked by what they uncovered—shocked and terrified.

Even Liu Tongxun, known for his integrity and resolve, hesitated to report the true state of the national grain reserves to Qianlong. Their findings were startling: the actual amount of grain in official granaries nationwide was less than half of the reported figures.

Most of the grain in the granaries was old, poor quality, or worse, sand disguised as grain. To pass inspections, officials often placed good grain on top, while the lower layers were either empty, spoiled, or filled with sand and stones.

To prepare for the special inspection group, local officials resorted to bribery with money and women. Those who refused to play along faced darker, more sinister threats.

While Liu Tongxun and Mi Rucheng were contemplating their next steps, a massive fire broke out at the Xicang warehouse in Tongzhou, destroying seventeen granaries.

For the corrupt officials who feared exposure for embezzling grain, this fire conveniently erased the evidence. The court would have no grounds to prosecute them with no proof left.