Chapter 1702: This Province Is Innocent

Dragging iron shackles across the floor with a grating screech, escorted by two Wude Battalion soldiers, Salt Province Prefectural Administrator Liu Fang was brought into the hall. Wang Xuanzhen, who had been sitting idle for some time, set down the investigation materials in his hands and looked up at Liu Fang. He had not originally planned to meet this man, but after all, this was the first shot fired upon arriving in Yulin—a bit of extra attention was only proper.

Liu Fang was around forty years old, right in the ascendant phase of his official career. With Wang You as his backer, had he not suffered this sudden reversal, his future would have been bright.

Thus, when the Wude Office's men entered the provincial city, burst into the provincial yamen, and without a word seized him directly, he was both shocked and enraged. Cutting off a man's wealth is like killing his parents—let alone cutting off his career. In truth, once the Wude Office had its sights on you, and even moved against you directly, one could well imagine that prospects were bleak, and whether even his life would be spared was a question mark.

He was a typical civil official, with a good reputation in the past, elegant in bearing, possessed of the air of a scholar-official, often praised by others. Even at this moment, he still maintained the proud backbone of a loyal literatus. Though his steps were heavy, they were resolute; though he wore prison garb, it was as if he still wore fine robes—a posture of unyielding integrity.

Unfortunately, his posturing stirred not a flicker of feeling in Wang Xuanzhen, who merely studied Liu Fang like prey and said flatly: "I hear you wished to see me, Governor?"

This posture of looking down, even contempt, seemed to sting Liu Fang, who stared hard at Wang Xuanzhen: "Hound of the tyrant! To persecute loyal officials so—do you not fear Heaven's punishment?!"

Seeing him trapped in prison yet still howling so arrogantly, Wang Xuanzhen's brow furrowed slightly. But he had seen plenty of such civil officials, and inwardly mocked him, saying flatly: "If Prefectural Administrator Liu sought me out merely to vent these pointless grievances, then this Commissioner is busy with official duties—I shall not keep you company!"

At these words, Liu Fang's expression froze, his gaze sharpening. He met Wang Xuanzhen's eyes for a moment, noticed the coldness in them, and dropped his pretense, saying in a low voice: "What crime has this province committed?"

"Though Salt Province is a remote border land, given your position, Prefectural Administrator, your information should not be so blocked. You must have heard something of affairs in Guannei, Longyou, and Hexi. Whatever crimes the officials previously taken by my Wude Office committed—those are the crimes you have committed!" Wang Xuanzhen replied calmly.

At these words, Liu Fang could no longer contain himself and angrily retorted: "Is the Wude Office so utterly unscrupulous? I, Liu, have served in Salt Province for six years. Though I claim no great feats, I have been diligent and never remiss—above, I have not failed the court; below, I have not shamed the people."

Hearing Liu Fang sing such a lofty tune, Wang Xuanzhen sneered and cut him off: "This Commissioner has come to the northwest bearing grave responsibilities. The Wude Office's actions, though occasionally overzealous, have always been targeted—never do we punish the innocent without cause! Do you not know yourself why you have been bound?"

At Wang Xuanzhen's words, Liu Fang's face showed conflict, and he sank into thought, as if genuinely pondering where he had gone wrong.

After a long while, Liu Fang looked up and said in a resolute tone: "This province has held himself upright, devoted to serving the court, never once overstepping the law or violating regulations. You act wantonly, seeking to frame loyal ministers to bolster your fearsome reputation—this fine head of mine, take it if you will!"

Seeing this display, Wang Xuanzhen was somewhat surprised. Of the many officials he had previously taken down, some were panicked, some questioned the Wude Office's authority, and some simply yielded and confessed—but one who proclaimed his own integrity like Liu Fang was a first.

Wang Xuanzhen thought for a moment, then said unhurriedly: "From Salt Province and the Liu residence, a great quantity of gold, silver, money, and silk was seized. The women of your household all wear gold and silver, and even the servants are clad in brocade. As this Commissioner understands it, you rose from humble origins—with no inheritance and no business ventures, where did such vast wealth come from?"

Hearing this, Liu Fang was stunned for a moment, then reacted and said coldly: "If you would convict on such grounds, then among all the officials under heaven, who is without sin?"

These words rather stumped Wang Xuanzhen. In truth, if one were to convict everyone on grounds of "unexplained property sources," then arresting all the officials under heaven—few would be innocent.

However, Wang Xuanzhen's actions in the northwest were clearly targeted; corruption and embezzlement were merely a precondition. The real reason lay in how deeply these officials were entangled with local powers.

And without question, Liu Fang had violated this taboo in Salt Province. Toward the powerful clans and the barbarian peoples, he had gone beyond compromise—even to indulgence. The reason the court's sinicization policy could not be implemented in the northwest and Yulin was precisely because officials like Liu Fang did nothing, seeking only their own ease.

In Emperor Liu's view, such officials paid lip service to the court while acting on their own authority—nominally serving the court, in reality self-governing—digging at the very roots of the court's rule, and were utterly intolerable.

And according to the Wude Office's investigation, the situation in Salt Province had become deeply entrenched and beyond remedy. Liu Fang himself, however, was unaware, still believing himself a loyal minister.

"Enough!" Wang Xuanzhen knew there was no point in further communication with a bureaucrat like Liu Fang. Waving his hand, he said coldly: "This Commissioner has no interest in arguing with you, nor in hearing your pleas. If you wish to dispute, wait until you reach the Eastern Capital and plead your case in the Ministry of Justice's main hall!"

Having said this, Wang Xuanzhen impatiently instructed his subordinates in the hall: "Take him away. Along with his family, property, and evidence, escort him to the Eastern Capital for trial!"

"Yes!"

Though Wang Xuanzhen's northwest mission carried heavy authority, it was still restrained—he had the power to arrest, but could not arbitrarily dispose of the officials he seized. This was perhaps the last shred of sobriety Emperor Liu had preserved. Otherwise, with such upheaval in the northwest, who knew what chaos would have erupted by now. And the reason Liu Fang dared to argue with and even interrogate Wang Xuanzhen was precisely because he knew these hounds of the Wude Office had no power of disposal.

Faced with Wang Xuanzhen's shooing-away gesture, the famed scholar Liu Fang felt renewed shame and anger, but made no further display. However, perhaps too immersed in his role as a loyal minister of the court to extricate himself, he turned as he left and said solemnly to Wang Xuanzhen: "This province warns Governor Wang of one thing—Salt Province is not stable at present. If the Wude Office does not learn restraint, great chaos will surely arise. When that day comes, we may meet again in the Eastern Capital!"

Hearing this, Wang Xuanzhen immediately sneered: "Does the Prefectural Administrator think—who is responsible for the severity of the situation in Salt Province today?"

"And one more thing!" Wang Xuanzhen paused, his tone stern: "This Commissioner came north not only to punish the wicked, but my primary task is to assist the imperial army in clearing out the rebels in the northwest. In Salt Province, rebels lurk in hiding, and the place has nearly become lawless territory. The situation in Minghu Township—has the Prefectural Administrator truly been oblivious?"

At these words, Liu Fang was stunned, his face gradually turning pale, and he said uneasily: "To frame a man, what pretext cannot be found?"

Wang Xuanzhen replied coldly: "The Wude Battalion has already been dispatched to Minghu Township. Once your brother-in-law is apprehended and brought to justice, everything will have its explanation. I hope that when that time comes, you still have your current confidence!"

Fear finally appeared on Liu Fang's face. Clearly, as the chief official of a province serving for years, how could he have been completely unaware of the situation within his jurisdiction?

Regarding the situation in Minghu Township and some of Yuan Ke's behavior, Liu Fang had not been without suspicion—he had merely subconsciously ignored it in the past. But now, with Wang Xuanzhen pointing it out, an inexplicable panic began to fill Liu Fang's heart.

He was led away somewhat dejectedly. However, perhaps out of deep loathing for a hound like Wang Xuanzhen, before leaving the hall Liu Fang turned around again and forced a mocking smile: "Governor Wang wields power and commits outrages in the northwest, offending every official here. I pray you do not follow in your uncle's footsteps."

Unfortunately, at these words meant to pierce his heart, Wang Xuanzhen did not even blink, and his face showed barely a ripple: "No need for Prefectural Administrator Liu to trouble himself over me!"

In truth, how could Wang Xuanzhen not understand that after this northwest campaign, he had likely become the Wude Office clerk who had offended the empire's bureaucrats most severely. Setting aside other regions, at least in the northwest, those who wished to eat his flesh and sleep on his skin likely numbered in the hundreds or thousands.

Yet by now, what retreat did he have? Moreover, what decided his fate was not these bureaucrats. On this point, Wang Xuanzhen's understanding was far clearer than that of his uncle, whose grave mound was already overgrown with green grass.