Chapter 1628: Is This the Kaibao Golden Age?

"That surviving groom?" Wang Yinwu suddenly thought of something, stared at Wang Xuanzhen, and ordered: "Seize him! No—protect him first, make sure he's kept alive. This sole surviving witness has some value!"

Wang Xuanzhen seemed to catch a hint of deeper meaning and immediately asked: "You suspect this was collusion between inside and outside?"

"Can't say for certain! At a time like this, anyone can be suspected!" Glancing at him, Wang Yinwu said: "But regardless of the circumstances, this one person who personally experienced the robbery will be helpful to our investigation!"

Wang Xuanzhen said with slight hesitation: "That groom—Hexi is presumably also trying to treat him, but for now, the man is in Liangzhou's hands..."

"Issue an order in my name, have our people go demand him. Liangzhou and even Hexi are mired in troubles right now; I expect they won't have the face to refuse. A major case like this still needs our Wude Office to investigate—clearing it up is also helping them!" Wang Yinwu said flatly.

"Yes!"

"Also, have all the intelligence officers of the four northwestern circuits get moving, investigate carefully—the matter must be fully cleared up, and those audacious bandits found!

Not just the horse bandits—the northwestern government offices and military units must also be subjected to increased scrutiny!" Wang Yinwu added, his tone especially cold and hard:

"Warn Zheng An in my name—let the entirety of Hexi stay alert. If anything else goes wrong, he can forget about being Hexi's Chief Intelligence Officer!"

Wang Xuanzhen was startled and asked: "Isn't this too much of a stir? I'm afraid it will provoke resistance from Hexi's military and civil authorities!"

"I think your head isn't clear!" Hearing this, Wang Yinwu immediately rebuked: "At a time like this, who cares about their reaction—first do our own duty properly!"

Startled by the reprimand, Wang Xuanzhen dared not argue, lowered his head, and murmured assent. Seeing this, Wang Yinwu sighed and said gravely: "A major case occurring within Hexi Circuit means Hexi bears primary responsibility. Whether or not we can find problems, we must act first—otherwise, how do we answer to His Majesty?"

At this point, Wang Yinwu's voice was deliberately lowered. Clearly, these postures were still for Emperor Liu to see—at least, they would give him something to say when facing Emperor Liu, to avoid being implicated himself as much as possible.

"Yes! Your nephew understands!" Wang Xuanzhen suddenly saw the light and steadied his heart as well.

"Order someone to prepare the carriage—I must enter the palace immediately and report to His Majesty in person!" Wang Yinwu said: "We must hurry! The Palace City Office also has claws in Hexi—perhaps not much, but we absolutely cannot let them get ahead of us, or we'll be put on the defensive. If that old eunuch gets to slander us first, who knows whether His Majesty, in his fury, might turn his anger on me!"

Hearing this, Wang Xuanzhen immediately left the hall and directed an attendant to prepare the carriage. When he turned back inside, Wang Yinwu had already begun tidying his official attire.

Wang Xuanzhen stepped forward, took the official hat, and stood in attendance, continuing: "There are two more matters I find unusual!"

"Speak!" Wang Yinwu looked into the mirror and stroked his forehead.

Wang Xuanzhen: "The Guanzhong circuit reports that another convict labor camp riot broke out in Binzhou. Although the supervisor led the prefectural troops to suppress it, many died and over a dozen escaped!"

"Another one?" Wang Yinwu's brows knitted together as he murmured: "Why so frequent?"

Wang Xuanzhen nodded, somewhat gravely: "Precisely because of this that I find it unusual! Over the years, riots in convict labor camps across the regions are nothing out of the ordinary. But in the past two years, there have been over a hundred—especially in Guanzhong, Yulin, and Shanyang circuits. It looks concentrated in the northwestern region. I feel someone might be secretly stirring things up...

Also, in recent years, in the northwest, conflicts among the common people keep occurring—between Han and barbarians, among the various Hu peoples—contradictions pile up, disputes never cease, public order deteriorates, and casualties keep mounting!"

Hearing this, Wang Yinwu's brows were already tightly locked. He thought seriously for a moment, then gave instructions: "Since you find it unusual, then investigate—thoroughly! If there really is some person or force secretly stirring things up, that is conspiracy and rebellion—it must be dug out! This matter cannot be taken lightly; it must be treated with importance! Otherwise, if something truly goes wrong, that would be the real trouble!"

"Yes!" Receiving Wang Yinwu's approval, Wang Xuanzhen's face lit up with joy as he eagerly accepted.

Taking the official hat and putting it on, straightening it before the mirror, and reflecting on Wang Xuanzhen's report, he couldn't help but sigh: "Everyone speaks of the Kaibao golden age. As I see it, beneath this golden age, things are anything but peaceful—it gives one no rest..."

Of course, only an intelligence agency like the Wude Office could clearly know what the Great Han Empire was truly like—to a certain extent, even better than the chancellors in the Hall of State Affairs who governed the people, and with deeper insight into some matters. But in the end, they were merely tools, with no voice in matters of state.

"Convict labor camps!" Wang Yinwu muttered: "If the convict labor camps were under my Wude Office's management, how could any riot dare break out!"

To be fair, letting the Wude Office manage them might indeed yield better results—the nature of the institution meant they were suited to this kind of work.

However, even if the Wude Office wanted them, the court wouldn't give them up. In recent years, under Zhao Pu's leadership, the court's central officials had again been working hard to restrict the Wude Office's power—all changes that had come after Wang Yinwu took office.

No matter the era, such secret police institutions were always detested by bureaucrats. In the past, the Palace City Office absorbed the fire; now the Wude Office was no less conspicuous, so it naturally drew targeting.

On the other hand, due to the connection between Wang Yinwu and Lu Duoxun, out of considerations of power, interests, and positions, Zhao Pu could hardly watch the Wude Office continue to expand.

Moreover, an institution like the convict labor camps, though extremely inhumane and filled with darkness, did bring the court substantial, tangible benefits.

Over all these years, the total number of convicts nationwide had never fallen below one hundred thousand. To this day, instead of decreasing, it had increased—now approaching two hundred thousand—and their "quality" was remarkably high, all prime young labor.

Compared to ordinary corvée labor, they could be used without any burden or restriction. Though insignificant relative to the entire empire, they did to a certain extent make up for the court's use of the Great Han's manpower—after all, the court still had to cherish its people...

As for the convicts—with such a designation, there was no need to treat them as people. At the same time, where so many "convicts" came from need not be examined too closely.

"One more matter—a report from the Hebei circuit mentioned that Li Jiqian, of the Anyang Li clan, committed a massacre of an entire family locally!" Wang Xuanzhen added.

"The Anyang Li clan? That Tangut Li family? The victims were Han civilians? What status?" Wang Yinwu raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly! The victims were a mason who had been hired to build a wall at Li Jiqian's residence. For some unknown reason, he offended Li Jiqian, which led to the massacre of his entire family!"

"What audacity!" Wang Yinwu said disdainfully: "Even if he was just a mason, he was still a Han civilian—where did Li Jiqian get the nerve! But even so, this isn't worth you bringing up specially. His Majesty has no intention of dealing with the Li family for now!"

Wang Xuanzhen pondered a moment, then said: "I'm just puzzled—how could a lowly mason have offended Li Jiqian? Even if he did, a beating and scolding would suffice. Why massacre his entire family and turn himself into a fugitive, fleeing to the ends of the earth?

"This Li Jiqian is also descended from officials. For such young scions, committing any crime is hardly surprising!" Wang Yinwu shook his head: "Let the local authorities handle this case!"

"Li Jiqian has already fled, and the Xiangzhou authorities have sent constables to track and arrest him!" Wang Xuanzhen said: "Should we issue an order for intelligence officers everywhere to keep an eye out and offer some assistance—after all, it is the Tangut Li family!"

Wang Yinwu didn't seem particularly concerned and said dismissively: "No need. Since Xiangzhou has already responded, there's no need for us to interfere—otherwise we'll be accused again of the Wude Office meddling in local governance!"

"For now, the situation in Hexi is the real problem!" Wang Yinwu walked out: "Carry out my instructions just now. I'm going to the palace to see His Majesty..."

"Yes!"