Chapter 1942: The Two Wangs

"How is the Court of Judicial Review's investigation coming along?" After a long silence, Emperor Liu raised his head, seemingly in a different mood, and asked calmly.

"From what this humble one knows, there has been no progress at all!" Hearing the question, Yan Tuo replied with concentration.

"That Xiang Minzhong, though rigid and conservative in character, is not one to drag his feet in handling matters. To have been promoted all the way to Vice Minister by Murong Chengde, he must be a man of competence!" Emperor Liu said lightly: "How is it that this matter is being handled so sloppily?"

Yan Tuo made a bow with clasped hands and said: "This Xiang Minzhong is probably still waiting for His Majesty's instruction. Without an explicit order from above, he would not dare act rashly!"

"Is My instruction not clear enough?" Emperor Liu turned his head to look at Yan Tuo, wearing a puzzled expression.

Yan Tuo said in a low voice: "These past days, the Court of Judicial Review has been rather lively. As Your Majesty anticipated, there are many watching Kang Ning, and many who cannot sit still..."

"Within expectations!" Emperor Liu smiled faintly—an ugly smile—and waved his hand in the air with a weary motion, instructing: "Have those two enter the hall!"

"Yes!"

Lately, the officials Emperor Liu received most frequently, aside from Lü Duan and Yang Ye, were the two commissioners of the Palace City Office and the Wude Office. Upon receiving the summons, Wang Ji'en and Wang Xuanzhen quickly entered the hall to pay their respects. While waiting outside for the imperial decree, the two had evidently already exchanged words—this was another rare joint operation between the two offices.

Wang Xuanzhen had changed greatly over these past few years. His once dashing little mustache had been replaced by a thick, full beard, showing clear signs of aging, but his overall bearing had become more restrained and profound.

Of course, in Wang Ji'en's eyes, this was a manifestation of cunning and treachery. Li Chongju's risky recommendation had not been in vain—Wang Xuanzhen had indeed done quite well in the position of Commissioner of the Wude Office.

After all, he had grown up within the Wude Office system and had long held substantive posts. Though Wang Yinwu's influence had been vigorously purged earlier, some residual favor remained, and with Li Chongju's support, Wang Xuanzhen's succession, while not exactly smooth sailing, had passed without major incident.

Compared to his uncle, Wang Xuanzhen's greatest difference was his extremely high political acumen and awareness. He had known from the very start that his appointment as Commissioner of the Wude Office was a stretch, that he still carried old debts on his back—if he made the slightest misstep, old and new accounts would be settled together.

And to resolve this, the most fundamental thing was not how much support he could garner, but Emperor Liu's opinion of him. It was precisely through these years of burning the midnight oil and exhausting his loyalty that Wang Xuanzhen had won Emperor Liu's recognition.

In his tenure as Commissioner of the Wude Office, Wang Xuanzhen had mainly done two things. First, building on Li Chongju's rectification, he further strengthened discipline work, thoroughly reversing the many unhealthy tendencies that had arisen during Wang Yinwu's tenure, and deeply resolving a large number of historical leftover problems.

Second was the rectification of the convict labor camps. After administrative control of the convict camps was formally transferred from local government to the Wude Office, the previously endless convict riots were quickly brought under control—all thanks to the forceful management of Wude Office officials. Of course, behind this lay a rise in the convict camps' mortality rate; many were not worked to death but directly executed in secret. Wang Xuanzhen had devised a complete, rigorous, even cruel system of supervision for this purpose.

Once Wang Xuanzhen truly held power, he was ruthless—in decisiveness and swift action, he far surpassed his uncle and indeed any previous Commissioner of the Wude Office. However, this man knew how to conceal himself and acted with thoroughness. Under his command, the Wude Office's dark side grew even deeper and wider in scope.

But through these years of effort, Wang Xuanzhen's impression on Emperor Liu had been fundamentally strengthened. In Emperor Liu's view, Wang Xuanzhen was perhaps the most competent and professionally capable Commissioner of the Wude Office in its history. After all, the others, including his uncle Wang Yinwu, had come to the position from other paths, whereas Wang Xuanzhen had grown up step by step within the Wude Office system itself.

In the eyes of outsiders, the Wude Office was becoming increasingly mysterious, and in inspiring fear, it was drawing ever closer to the Palace City Office. As for these changes in the Wude Office, the old eunuch Wang Ji'en naturally paid close attention. It was precisely because he knew things ordinary people did not that he had developed an unprecedented wariness toward the younger-generation Wang Xuanzhen—this fellow was truly no easy character.

Even while entering the hall, Wang Ji'en was observing Wang Xuanzhen's calm, almost indifferent face from the corner of his eye, his gaze full of wariness and also jealousy. With Wang Xuanzhen's age and seniority, he actually controlled the Great Han's most massive intelligence apparatus, holding real power nearly on par with—even exceeding—this old eunuch's own. With such a fierce wave crashing in from behind, how could Wang Ji'en's heart find true balance?

However, once before the imperial presence, the two Wangs both lowered their eyes in unison and paid their respects with proper deference. Glancing casually at the two men, Emperor Liu bade them rise, then cut straight to the point: "Report on your findings from these past few days! I hear the Court of Judicial Review has been quite lively—who has been showing up?"

Clearly, placing Kang Ning in the Court of Judicial Review was merely a fishing expedition by Emperor Liu. No doubt many could see this, but even so, when interests and prospects were at stake, not many could restrain themselves—otherwise the Court of Judicial Review would not have been "as busy as a marketplace."

Tonight marked the beginning of Emperor Liu's "net-drawing," and at the same time, he was extremely curious and concerned about just what kind of web of noble interests Kang Ning had "woven."

The Palace City Office and the Wude Office had a division of labor in their investigations: the Palace City Office focused on the meritorious nobility, while the Wude Office handled the bureaucracy. Due to seniority, Wang Ji'en naturally reported first. Presenting a report of no great thickness, Wang Ji'en began his detailed briefing...

The key item Wang Ji'en submitted was a list—a list of those connected to the Kang family, categorized by the degree of their involvement. Because of Emperor Liu's intense focus, Wang Ji'en did not dare cut any corners in this investigation, so he essentially reported the facts as they were.

There were indeed many meritorious nobles who had received favors from the Kang family, and the various forms of exchange under all sorts of pretexts were dizzying, but those truly "in cahoots" with the Kang family were still a minority. Though Wang Ji'en did not dare make judgments on Emperor Liu's behalf, the tendency of his report leaned that way.

Emperor Liu reviewed it carefully, his face revealing nothing. He raised his eyelids slightly and asked: "Is the Guangyang Earl's household also colluding with them?"

Wang Ji'en: "Recently, especially frequently. The Kang family has been most attentive to the Guangyang Earl's household. Before Kang Ning's arrest, he personally visited the household; after his arrest, the Kang family sent a chest of gifts to the earl's residence..."

Emperor Liu thought for only a moment, then asked again: "Did Li Chongjin's family also borrow money from the Kang family?"

Wang Ji'en was clearly thoroughly familiar with these matters. Almost without hesitation, he answered: "It was Guyang Earl's son Li Yanchang, who owed gambling debts of considerable size. To avoid discovery and punishment by the Guyang Earl, he secretly borrowed money from the Kang family. This matter seems to have already come to light—the Guyang Earl gave Li Yanchang a severe beating, and yesterday personally went to the Yangyi Marquis's household. What the two discussed in detail has not yet been ascertained."

His old face still showed no ripple of emotion. Noting this briefly, Emperor Liu went on to ask about other nobles' situations, including the Empress's brother Li Ye—and he also heard a more detailed account of the investigation into Wang Yansheng's household.

Overall, the relationship between the nobles and the Kang family was one of mutual willingness—one party willing to give, the other willing to take. The Kang family spared no expense in currying favor and buying loyalty, while the nobles, especially the younger scions, enjoyed the Kang family's tributes with clear consciences—even giving Emperor Liu the impression that they were collecting "protection money."

The Kang family's targets were mostly those idle, dissolute sons of the nobility, some of whom inevitably became tools for Kang Ning. But on the whole, the nobles remained reserved—after all, the disparity in status and the dignity of aristocracy led most to not take the Kang family too seriously.