奏覆查辦鹽商馮奇等貪取銀錢欺壓窮商偷漏庫銀等惡行
Yongzheng-era memorial

奴才莽古賚跪着上奏，是爲了請皇上明示教導的事兒。長蘆有個被開革的商人馮琪遞了狀子，告發官商侵吞了九十多萬兩銀子。奴才一聽到有關諭旨，就急忙趕來上書彈劾，請求查清國家的錢糧，並解決商人的難處。山西蒲州地方被革退的商人馮琪，從他老家來到這裏，告發這裏的鹽商顧徵、顧大淳、賈以思、昌色等人。他們偷盜庫銀，劫奪窮商人的銀子，還把彙集起來的銀兩情況報到部裏，檔冊上都有清楚可查的憑據，一共八項罪狀，連同控訴的狀子和清單一起遞了上來。這案子由公阿爾松阿等人看過，說：“你們看着合適，酌情處理。”奴才我在離開京城之前，就已經聽說過郭大、舒某、賈某、史某、常某這些人的名字。而且在出發前，皇上曾教諭：像宋福希這類爲頭的惡劣光棍要嚴查。奴才恭敬遵從，到這裏一查，宋福希已經死了，他的家口子女都回原籍去了。跟宋福希一樣行事的郭大、舒、賈、史、常這幫人，欺負衆多窮困的商人，藉着各種事由，私自挪用鹽商的銀子，在要緊地方攀交情、請託送禮，剩下的大部分就進了自己腰包，造成庫裏的錢糧虧空，不但不收手，反而又生出各種法子，連年拖欠錢糧，還附帶勒索等等，到處鑽營。即便沒有虧欠錢糧的商人，也被他們算作欠債的，逼着補賠。他們仗着勢力和威風，把持一切事務，這是實情。有些商人私下怨恨，但到了當面問話的時候，沒一個敢頂撞他們一句。現在馮琪告他們侵吞了九十多萬兩銀子，因此，這個案子如果按照常規審訊，衆商人害怕那些閒雜人等，只會順着他們的眼色走，一點不敢違抗，因爲將軍的禁令嚴厲，輕易得不着實情。如果一定要查清楚，就得先把爲首的人抓起來，先嚇唬着審問，要是他們痛快招認，就免了治罪，只讓他們各自把勒索的銀子如數退還結案。倘若爲首的那些光棍拼死不招，那案子必定鬧大，就要嚴加捉拿，用刑審問，追出始末；要是侵吞屬實，立刻把他們從商人裏革退，從重治罪，用他們的家產抵賠，這樣才能了結。馮琪所告的事，只要一經承認審問，往後就沒辦法再遮蓋了。這件事究竟是應該徹底查辦，還是把馮琪的狀子私下發還，讓他自行消弭，請皇上明鑑，降旨詳細指點。奴才一定恭謹照辦。爲此，奴才把馮琪遞交的漢文狀子照原樣抄錄了一份，一併封好，恭恭敬敬地詳細上奏，請旨。這件事的原委〔?〕寫明。雍正元年七月初六，監察御史奴才莽古賚。

奴才莽古立跪奏，為請旨教導事。長蘆歇業商人馮琪提起訴訟，指官商侵吞銀九十二萬餘兩，如實指證出示，若有二千（情節），即聞旨匆忙前來呈文彈劾，以明國帑，並請使商人罪難之處得以昭雪。山西蒲州地方歇業商人馮琪，自其原籍豐潤來，此處鹽商古正、古達遜、賈伊斯、倉色等人，私動庫銀劫掠，收取貧窮商人銀兩，布特斯上報檔冊內有明白查覈憑據，列舉八項事，呈遞訴狀。此互控文書，公阿爾松阿等人看後，諭令酌情辦理爾等商販之事。奴才我出京城之前，即聞高大人、舒大人、史倉等人之名，且出發前，恭遵主上教導之旨，察訪宋福海等為首惡棍。奴才到此查訪，聞宋福海已死，其家屬子女皆回原籍。似此放縱之高大人、舒大人、史倉等人，欺凌眾貧困商人，藉事端私動鹽商銀兩，用於要害之處，央求索要財物，大量餘剩者肥己，致使庫帑虧欠，不思悔改，又施計策，連年拖欠帑銀，拖延催收兼行搜刮等事。即使未欠帑之商人，亦被誣為欠款賠補。彼等仗勢霸佔一切事務，誠為實情。間有商人私下抱怨，然至公開詢問時，不敢涉及彼等一言。今馮琪等控告彼等侵吞九十萬兩銀，故此事若依常規詢問，眾商人懼怕頭人，惟視其指使而行，稍有違者，將軍法令嚴酷，輕易難獲實情。若務必明查，則擒獲頭人，先加震懾詢問，若輕易承認，即免其治罪，僅令各將勒索所得銀兩按數賠補完結；倘若頭目惡棍死忍不認，則事必擴大，嚴拿之，施加刑訊，審出首尾明白，若侵吞屬實，即行革退商人，從重治罪，以其家產抵賠，方能完結。馮琪所訴之事，僅一次承認審理後，即了結不得。此事或應究出首尾審理，或應將馮琪訴狀私回，使之了結，主上明鑑，可否朱筆指明教導。奴才謹遵行之。為此，照馮琪所呈漢文狀，另繕一份，一倂封進，謹密奏請旨。此事緣由若有另寫，雍正元年七月初六日，查看官員奴才莽古立。

Your slave Manggūri kneels and respectfully memorializes, to request instruction by imperial decree. The retired merchant Feng Qi of Changlu submitted a lawsuit, accusing official merchants of misappropriating over 920,000 taels of silver, presenting witnesses and evidence. If there are two thousand [details], upon hearing the decree, he hastily came to present a document of impeachment, to clarify the national treasury and to request the elucidation of the merchants' difficult crimes. The retired merchant Feng Qi from Puzhou, Shanxi, came from his native Fengtun. Here, the salt merchants Gu Zheng, Gu Dashun, Jia Yisi, Cang Se and others secretly used the treasury silver to plunder and extort silver from poor merchants. Butesi reported that in the archives there is clear investigatory evidence, listing eight matters, and submitted the complaint. This mutual accusation document was seen by Gong Arsongga and others, who ordered that the matter of your merchants be handled as appropriate. Before I, your slave, left the capital, I had already heard the names of Gao, Shu, Shi Cang and others. Before departing, I respectfully obeyed my lord's teaching decree to investigate the chief thugs like Song Fuhai. Upon arriving here and investigating, I heard that Song Fuhai had died, and his family and children had all returned to their native place. Such rampant behavior of Gao, Shu, Shi Cang and others, bullying many poor merchants, under pretext of matters, secretly moving the salt merchants' silver and using it in critical places, soliciting and demanding bribes, and embezzling the surplus for themselves, led to deficits in the treasury. Without remorse, they devised schemes, year after year delaying the collection of silver debts, combining harassment and seizure. Even merchants not indebted to the treasury were falsely accused and forced to repay. Relying on their power, they seized all affairs, which is true. Some merchants dared to complain privately, but when openly questioned, they did not dare to mention a word about them. Now Feng Qi and others accuse them of embezzling 900,000 taels of silver. Therefore, if this matter is inquired in the usual manner, the merchants are afraid of the leaders and will only follow their directions. Any slight resistance is harshly punished under the general's strict laws, making it difficult to obtain the truth. If it must be clarified, then arrest the leaders, first intimidate and interrogate them. If they easily confess, spare them from punishment, and only have them repay the misappropriated silver according to the amount. If the chief thugs stubbornly refuse to confess, the matter will escalate. Strictly arrest them, apply torture, and thoroughly investigate the beginnings and ends. If the embezzlement is true, immediately dismiss them from merchant status, severely punish them, and force repayment from their household property, only then can it be resolved. If Feng Qi's complaint is merely accepted and judged once, it will be concluded and cannot be eliminated. Regarding whether this matter should be thoroughly investigated or Feng Qi's complaint should be privately returned and resolved, my lord, with your brilliant insight, may you instruct by vermilion rescript. I, your slave, respectfully obey. For this reason, according to the Chinese document submitted by Feng Qi, I have written a separate copy, sealed it together, and respectfully and secretly memorialize, requesting the decree. If there are any causes for this matter to arise, on the sixth day of the seventh month of the first year of Yongzheng, the examining official, your slave Manggūri.