Chapter 144: Zhao and Han Make Their Moves Together

After handling this matter, Zhu Youxiao did not bother with anything else.

Because there was nothing else in the court that needed handling — the main problem at present was the ongoing factional strife.

The court needed someone to take charge of the overall situation, and that person would inevitably be cut off from many people, needing to rely on the Emperor.

Wei Zhongxian would not do. He was a eunuch, which meant he could never accomplish what Zhu Youxiao wanted him to do.

This realm was ultimately one dominated by the scholar-officials. Having Wei Zhongxian do it could only mean killing with the blade.

Unless everyone was killed off, there would inevitably be backlash afterward — there was no room for negotiation on that. What he wanted was not that kind of outcome.

So he needed someone among the civil officials. He did not know whether anyone would step forward this time.

In fact, aside from Zhu Youxiao, everyone in the court was watching how things would develop. Because the matters were simply too big, and too many.

Everyone was waiting, waiting to see who would make the first move.

Some guessed it would be Zhao Nanxing, others guessed it would be Han Kuang.

In fact, something happened that day that shocked everyone — because these two men made their moves together.

At the Ministry of Works, Zhao Nanxing sat in the main hall with a grim face, holding an account ledger in his hand. Looking at the man kneeling on the ground, he spoke slowly: "Bureau Director Chen, the evidence is all here. What more do you have to say?"

In truth, investigating this case was not difficult, nor was there anything thrilling about it. It only depended on whether you wanted to investigate, whether you were truly serious about it.

Once Zhao Nanxing made his move this time, it basically took no effort at all. The Ministry of Works' annual materials, the embezzled funds and grain — problems could basically be found with a single check.

Grab a few of the underlings, give them a few strokes of the board and question them, and the problems would basically come out.

As for this Bureau Director Chen, in just a few hours Zhao Nanxing had already investigated the cause of the matter to a considerable degree.

This Bureau Director Chen had been embezzling funds and grain and oppressing the artisans — this was a problem that would be confirmed with one check.

But everyone present knew that the matter actually being investigated was not this at all.

Everyone knew that what was really being investigated was the military pay case. That case was far bigger than this one. Once that mouth was opened, it would implicate even more people, and would cause countless heads to roll.

The question now was whether Bureau Director Chen dared to open that mouth.

In fact, there were several avenues through which the Ministry of Works embezzled money.

First was skimming money from materials. The court had many construction projects every year, basically all handled by the Ministry of Works, and within that lay the money for materials.

Some officials directly passed off inferior goods as quality ones, took kickbacks, and even embezzled funds and grain — this was a very large portion.

Aside from that, labor costs were also an easy place to skim from. When the Ministry of Works undertook tasks, it naturally had to mobilize manpower, and so naturally there were funds and grain.

Wherever there was money to be spent, there was naturally money to be skimmed. This too was a source of income.

Aside from that, one could also take outside jobs — that is, taking work from outside. These jobs were handed to the artisans to do, and the labor costs were naturally lower than market price, or there was basically no cost at all.

Because the Ministry of Works officials did not pay the artisans either — the artisans ate using the state's funds and grain. Once the goods were made, the officials took them to deliver.

As for the money the clients paid, it naturally fell into the hands of the Ministry of Works officials.

Aside from that, the most profitable part of the Ministry of Works was the Bureau of Equipment and Standards.

Because the Bureau of Equipment and Standards administered the Armory Bureau, and the warehouses for military equipment manufacturing (the Wuzi Warehouse and the Guangji Warehouse) were also under the Ministry of Works' jurisdiction.

The Wuzi Warehouse stored items such as bows, arrows, armor, and helmets, while the Guangji Warehouse stored items such as sulfur and saltpeter.

The Armory Bureau and the Weaponry Bureau were called the Armory Bureau and the Saddle and Bridle Bureau during the Hongwu era. The management of military equipment manufacturing and related resources was the responsibility of the Military Equipment Manufacturing Bureau.

Under such circumstances, the Bureau of Equipment and Standards was naturally a fine place to get rich — one could say that a casual touch left your hand covered in oil.

This Bureau Director Chen before them — he was the Bureau Director of the Bureau of Equipment and Standards. This area was under his charge, so he was the first to be investigated.

Zhao Nanxing looked at Bureau Director Chen and said expressionlessly: "Do you have anything else to say?"

Bureau Director Chen raised his head and looked at Zhao Nanxing, his eye sockets somewhat red.

Bureau Director Chen knew he was already doomed beyond escape. Whether as a scapegoat or anything else, once this matter came out, he had no way to flee — only death awaited him.

Under such circumstances, what more was there for him to say?

Bureau Director Chen raised his head and said with a smile: "Your Excellency Zhao, you are also a man of the Ministry of Works. You know how things work in this realm. If you want to get things done, how can you do it without benefits? The people below are waiting with open mouths to eat, and the people above open their mouths demanding benefits from you. If you don't do it, what can you do?"

"If you don't pay them enough, the people below will be lazy and deceitful; if you don't pay them enough, the people above will find trouble with you everywhere. I am only a Bureau Director of the Ministry of Works. Who would be willing to do such a thankless job?"

"If it were possible, would I not want to be posted out as a local official? Even if only for one term as a father-mother official, it would still be for the court, for Your Majesty. Here at the Ministry of Works, I only did my best to get things done. Some things I simply had no way to handle."

"Vice Minister Zhao, I admit to everything you have said. Whether it is exile or military conscription, I accept it all. But there is one thing I want to tell Vice Minister Zhao — your official robe is already red enough. There is no need to dye it redder with the blood of more colleagues."

After saying this, Bureau Director Chen slowly closed his eyes, appearing as if he would not speak again.

Seeing that scene, Zhao Nanxing's expression turned very ugly.

So he had indeed become the villain. Was everything he did merely to dye his own official robe red?

He glanced at Bureau Director Chen and said: "Do you have nothing else you want to say?"

Bureau Director Chen slowly opened his eyes and said with some helplessness: "What does Your Excellency want me to say?"

Some things could be said, but some things simply could not be spoken. Once he opened his mouth, the entire Ministry of Works would be finished. Implicating so many people, getting so many people killed — what would happen to his affairs after death?

That mouth could not be opened.

Zhao Nanxing nodded and said: "Since you will not say anything, then I have no choice but to memorialize Your Majesty."

Without answering Zhao Nanxing's words, Bureau Director Chen remained silent.

At the same time, at the Northern Provost Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Han Kuang was also interrogating people one by one.

Kneeling before Han Kuang now was Yao Zongwen.

Yao Zongwen's expression was very ugly. He stiffened his neck and insisted stubbornly that Wei Zhongxian had framed him.

Previously Yao Zongwen had retracted his confession once, then flipped back again, and afterward clung desperately to accusing Wei Zhongxian. Whether he had been stimulated by something or not, no matter how he was interrogated, he simply would not speak.

If Yao Zongwen had had this kind of backbone from the very beginning, he would not have ended up retracting his confession later.

Han Kuang sat expressionlessly, ignoring Yao Zongwen's clamoring.

"This Grand Secretary came here today not to listen to you say these things." Han Kuang said expressionlessly: "This Grand Secretary asks you — did you accept 3,200 taels of silver from Liu Guojin?"

Hearing Han Kuang's words, Yao Zongwen was startled, then violently shook his head. "I did not accept it."

"The accused denies it. Record it in the files." Han Kuang turned to the clerk beside him and said, then turned back to look at Yao Zongwen and said: "On the seventh day of the twelfth month last year, at the hour of full lamps in the evening, where were you, and what were you doing?"

"I was at home." Yao Zongwen spoke, his expression somewhat grave.

"What were you doing? Who did you meet with? Who can bear witness?" Han Kuang asked again.

"I was meeting Liu Guojin." Yao Zongwen said through gritted teeth.

"What business did the two of you discuss?" Han Kuang pressed on.

"Regarding the impeachment of Xiong Tingbi, I was asking him about what Xiong Tingbi had done in Liaodong. We did this for the sake of the Great Ming, for Your Majesty! It was entirely out of public spirit, with no selfish motive in it." Yao Zongwen said hurriedly, his face already showing signs of panic.

"Liu Guojin said the same, but he also said that he gave you three thousand taels of silver as a bribe. Aside from Liu Guojin, the attendant who accompanied him can also testify, because he was the one who carried the three thousand taels of silver there. In addition, the steward of your household can also testify — here is the gift list."

"Witnesses and evidence are both present. Even without the physical evidence, under the laws of the Great Ming, three witnesses constitute proof. Whether you confess or not, it can be established that you accepted a bribe from Liu Guojin."

"Since you took the money, and afterward joined Liu Guojin in impeaching Xiong Tingbi, this Grand Secretary may take it that the two of you were colluding and forming a faction for private gain. So there is nothing more to be said. Guards, have him affix his signature!"

The two Embroidered Uniform Guard officers beside him immediately rushed forward, carrying ink pads and documents to stand before Yao Zongwen.

By now Yao Zongwen was utterly distraught. If it had been an earlier interrogation, perhaps it would not have mattered. But this time was different — the court had sent a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat, and basically this case was finished here.

If he were convicted like this, his fate could not possibly be good.

Thinking of this, Yao Zongwen hastily crawled forward a few steps, then spoke: "I want to report! I want to inform!"

Han Kuang glanced at Yao Zongwen, a trace of sorrow flashing through his eyes.

But he knew he could not act on emotion now, so he continued: "Speak, then."

At this point, Yao Zongwen no longer had any thought of resisting further, and poured out everything completely.

From the very beginning of accepting the bribe to impeach Xiong Tingbi, to his later retraction of his confession, Yao Zongwen told everything in full.

At the end, Yao Zongwen also admitted one more thing — that he had formed a faction. But he said it was not for private gain.

"We did it all for the Great Ming, for Your Majesty!"

"Treacherous villains run rampant at court, and the common people can barely survive. If we do not unite, how can we sweep the court clean, how can we purify officialdom? How can we make our sovereign equal to Yao and Shun?"

Han Kuang did not look at Yao Zongwen, but directly said to the Embroidered Uniform Guard officer beside him: "Have him sign and affix his mark."

Wei Zhongxian, sitting off to one side, was nearly stunned by what he saw. Was it really that clean and decisive?

Why didn't his own subordinates have people like this?

Aside from the leather whip, had he never thought of such methods before?

What a failure!

Wei Zhongxian looked at Han Kuang with surprise, feeling that he might have a rival from now on.

If these cases were resolved so beautifully by Han Kuang, what would His Majesty think?