Chapter 1791: The

The morning court finally came to an end only after Emperor Liu grew weary. Emperor Liu appeared quite pleased with himself, but most of the ministers in attendance felt deeply tormented. These men were all outstanding figures of their generation, yet they would rather spend their days diligently working in their offices than face Emperor Liu directly.

He was no longer a man—merely an emperor—but they were all mortals, of flesh and blood. When communicating with Emperor Liu, they feared he might suddenly toss out a difficult question. His way of thinking had become somewhat peculiar, and his focus and reactions were always strange and unpredictable, often leaving people at a loss.

Even those seemingly cheerful smiles seemed to conceal a knife. If one failed to respond properly, losing one's post was the least of it; losing one's life would be truly unjust. Although Emperor Liu had not, up to now, engaged in mass slaughter or punished the innocent, the ministers could not help but be afraid—it was almost a bodily instinct, like a flood dragon encountering a true dragon, subject to a natural suppression of bloodline.

Court sessions like this one actually felt manageable, after all, with so many people, the torment was shared by all. What they feared most was reporting to the throne alone, in that magnificent yet empty and cold hall—the very thought of that scene was enough to send chills down one's spine.

Terrifying! That was probably the sentiment of most court officials after the session ended. The bloodstains before the Zichen Hall had not yet been cleaned, and under the warm, gentle spring sunshine, they were truly shocking to behold.

Many people paused to look, then walked around with trembling hearts. The one who lingered longest was Lu Mengzheng, the Governor of Luoyang, and his expression was the most complicated of all.

Although he had not been in office long, Lu Mengzheng was actually quite satisfied with Zheng Xu, his right-hand man in the Luoyang administration. The man had risen through the ranks as a clerk, was well-versed in the law, and had always been skilled at case investigation and judgment—a fairly capable official.

As for his lifestyle, Lu Mengzheng had heard of it and likewise disapproved. Having been poor in his youth, and having maintained a frugal household even after achieving wealth and fame, he naturally had no good impression of those who indulged in pleasure. However, his temperament was tolerant, and he could not be as harshly strict with others as Wang Pu had once been.

Generally speaking, as long as official business was not neglected, Lu Mengzheng would not press the matter, at most offering a word or two of reminder. But he had underestimated Zheng Xu's extravagance, and never imagined it would reach Emperor Liu's ears, much less cost the man his life.

In fact, just moments ago in the hall, Lu Mengzheng had considered pleading for Zheng Xu. He believed the crime did not warrant death—dismissal or demotion would suffice; there was truly no need to take the man's head. But under Emperor Liu's cold, piercing gaze, even the outspoken Lu Mengzheng lost his nerve.

This incident shook Lu Mengzheng considerably. At least in his view, he needed to be more attentive in educating and admonishing his subordinates, and he needed to strengthen management and discipline over the officials of the prefectural office—it was not enough to simply conduct himself well.

At the same time, there were some matters he could no longer approach with hesitation and timidity. Having served as Governor of Luoyang for half a year, Lu Mengzheng had gained deep insights—it was a world of difference from his time at the Ministry of Justice.

Luoyang Prefecture was the foremost region of the realm, governing over a million people. As its chief official, one could be said to wield immense prestige and power. But accomplishing anything was by no means easy.

Within the capital, anyone one might encounter could be connected to the powerful and influential families of the court. In the past six months, the most common thing Lu Mengzheng encountered was precisely personal connections—people constantly coming to his door, causing him endless vexation, yet in many cases he had to exercise extra caution.

Lu Mengzheng's gentle temperament and magnanimous tolerance were widely praised, but in Emperor Liu's eyes, they also revealed a certain weakness. This had already shown itself in Lu Mengzheng's conduct as an official, and Emperor Liu had not appointed him to be agreeable with everyone.

Lu Mengzheng himself was not entirely unaware of this. The warning delivered in the Zichen Hall this time had finally awakened him somewhat and made him far more vigilant.

The Luoyang Prefecture held great power and weight—the post was hard to fill, and the work was hard to do. But Emperor Liu would not consider such things. He had mentioned it again in the hall just now: what he wanted were officials who could get things done.

What others felt upon hearing this was unknown, but Lu Mengzheng, already on edge, felt it was a reminder aimed at him. Lu Mengzheng was also well aware that his appointment as Governor of Luoyang had been forcibly pushed through by Emperor Liu, drawing the attention of court and country alike. It had provoked much dissatisfaction and opposition at the time, and countless people above and below were watching him, waiting to seize on his faults, expose his shortcomings, and drag him down from his position.

Had it not been for Emperor Liu directly handing down the punishment of "half a year's salary forfeited" in the case of Zheng Xu, there would certainly have been censors seizing the opportunity to impeach him. Lu Mengzheng, with his weak foundation, had only Emperor Liu as his true support.

And if he failed to meet Emperor Liu's requirements, or if his performance displeased Emperor Liu, then his position would be unstable. Even his life and safety could be in danger—after all, the Great Han had no such saying as "punishments do not reach the high officials," and bureaucrats could not truly rest easy in their posts.

In the Great Han, officialdom was exceedingly treacherous, and the cruelty of power struggles was not as harmonious and gentle as it appeared on the surface. When trouble truly came, heads rolled without hesitation—right before one's eyes, Zheng Xu's blood had not even dried yet.

In his day, Lu Duoxun had held immense power and prestige, yet once he was thrown into prison, he died, his reputation was utterly destroyed, and his family was implicated and exiled. In the great case of the northwest a few years ago, how many officials had been arrested and severely punished, how many heads had rolled—it was still vivid in memory. And the man who had led the team to confiscate Lu Duoxun's household back then was none other than Lu Mengzheng himself.

Thinking of these things, even the steady-minded Lu Mengzheng could not help but feel a greater sense of urgency. Though he believed he was far from reaching such a state, it was enough to serve as a warning.

Lu Mengzheng currently enjoyed great imperial favor, but had not Lu Duoxun been the same back then? Among the ministers who shared "harmonious ruler-minister relations and mutual understanding" with Emperor Liu, Lu Duoxun had been one.

"What is Governor Lu thinking about, so lost in thought?" Zhao Kuangyi's voice came from behind, startling Lu Mengzheng awake.

Turning around to see Zhao Kuangyi's beaming face, Lu Mengzheng clasped his hands and said, "Chancellor Zhao!"

Lu Mengzheng was well aware that Zhao Kuangyi was a formidable figure. He had been among those who opposed Lu Mengzheng's appointment as Governor of Luoyang, so Lu Mengzheng maintained a measure of caution around him.

Zhao Kuangyi sized up Lu Mengzheng for a moment, his face full of warmth, then pointed at the still-crimson bloodstains beneath the hall steps and asked, "Lingering here—could it be that you feel pity for that Zheng Xu?"

Lu Mengzheng's heart tightened instantly, but he kept his composure on the surface: "The man is already dead; I was merely paying a small token of collegial respect. Zheng Xu's own misconduct brought about this calamity. One should only take it as a warning—why should there be any regret!"

Hearing this, Zhao Kuangyi chuckled twice and said, "Governor Lu is truly a man of substance and virtue. No wonder His Majesty says you are a pure and loyal minister, with the magnanimity of a chancellor!"

At these words, Lu Mengzheng immediately assumed a solemn expression and said, "His Majesty's praise is excessive—I am unworthy of it! His Majesty's orders still require execution; I beg your pardon, but I must take my leave!"

"Of course!" Zhao Kuangyi smiled and extended a hand: "Please, go ahead!"

After Lu Mengzheng had walked far away, Zhao Kuangyi quietly sighed to himself—when it came to magnanimity, he truly was not this man's equal.

After leaving the palace and returning to the prefectural office, Lu Mengzheng immediately set about arranging two matters. The first was, naturally, to carry out Emperor Liu's decree—arresting those Persian merchants who had filed the complaint, and demolishing the mosque.

The action was swift, truly resolute and decisive. Unlike the situation in Anxi, in the heartland of the Great Han, those Muslim believers dared not act recklessly. Though deeply indignant, they did not dare resist, and could only weep bitterly as they watched the temple that held their faith be destroyed. When the Great Han's constables enforced the law against these foreigners, they truly dared to kill...

As for the second matter, Lu Mengzheng had a wooden placard made and hung at the door, inscribed with the words: "Official matters, come to the prefectural office; personal requests, kindly do not call at my home," to declare his stance.

At the same time, he began expediting matters that had been dragging on. Thus, within Luoyang city, more people were arrested and more cases were adjudicated. From the Governor on down, the administrative efficiency of the prefectural office greatly improved, and for a time, everyone became earnest and responsible.

They did not dare not to exert themselves. Setting aside Prefect Lu's resolute expression and tense demeanor, one only needed to look at the fate of Administrative Assistant Zheng—one court session, and the man was gone. Who dared not stay alert?

Meanwhile, in the upper echelons of Western Capital society, a movement against ostentation and extravagance was stirred up once more. How long it would last depended on circumstances—at the very least, they would have to wait until Emperor Liu's attention shifted elsewhere.

As for complete prohibition, that was clearly impossible. What era was this? If everyone had to maintain frugality, then wouldn't the Great Han's abundant resources be wasted for nothing?

Everyone had worked so hard back then precisely for the comfort of today. Slogans—well, one shouted them when needed; one had to respond to the Emperor's call. As for privately, one simply learned from the Emperor himself...

As long as one didn't end up like that Zheng Xu, who couldn't even wipe his own backside without help, wasn't that enough?