Chapter 1943: The Ending Was Long Since Sealed

If toward the meritorious nobles Emperor Liu had shown some restraint, even able to calm himself and listen to reports on details, when Wang Xuanzhen submitted his investigation findings, Emperor Liu stopped pretending.

He was not furious or hysterical, merely indifferent in attitude—a coldness bordering on cruelty—without meticulously inquiring into the specific cases, lightly accepting the list of implicated officials that Wang Xuanzhen submitted.

Such a reaction was naturally good news for Wang Xuanzhen, sparing him from facing Emperor Liu's interrogation and reducing the risk of mishandling the situation. But for Wang Ji'en, his mood was less agreeable—His Majesty had probed his report to the very bottom, investigating every detail, yet asked that little brat Wang Xuanzhen nothing at all. The differential treatment was too obvious. Could it be that His Majesty trusted a newcomer over this old servant?

While Wang Ji'en's heart soured, Emperor Liu's question came again: "These past days, what has been the sentiment of the gentry and commoners of the Western Capital regarding the Kangning case?"

This question was naturally directed at Wang Ji'en, since monitoring public opinion in the capital region was one of the Palace City Office's primary duties. However, raised at this moment, it rather caught Wang Ji'en off guard—his energy these days had been devoted entirely to digging deep into the affairs of those meritorious nobles. How could he have spare effort to pay attention to the talk of ordinary people? They were all common rabble, their words like farts, unworthy of attention...

Muttering inwardly, Wang Ji'en was not the least bit flustered. His mind turning, he reported composedly: "To answer Your Majesty, Kang Ning is after all a great merchant renowned throughout the realm, and the Kang family is deeply entrenched within the capital. With Kang Ning arrested, it is only natural that some repercussions arise among the people.

These past few days, there has indeed been much discussion among the populace, with many gloating. Of course, there are also those who fear being implicated themselves, especially those with direct ties to the Kang family.

According to investigations, the Kang family's employees within and outside the capital number several thousand. Some of the Kang family's hired workers gathered to cause trouble, leading to some disturbances and several incidents of injury.

The specific cause—with Kang Ning arrested and the Kang family's numerous businesses in the city closed and shuttered, those hired workers lost their livelihoods and thus stirred up trouble. In the Southern Market, an entire street operated by the Kang family has come to a complete standstill, causing the whole marketplace to become somewhat depressed. Merchants complain, and the common folk grumble endlessly..."

Wang Ji'en's words were half true and half false—he was merely recalling hard and expanding upon content based on reports from his subordinates. This was not deceiving Emperor Liu, but rather "reasonable extrapolation," and Wang Ji'en believed that what he reported was what Emperor Liu wished to hear. Even if there were omissions, they could be made up for.

As Wang Ji'en spoke, Wang Xuanzhen couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at him, clearly moved in his heart, and inwardly marveled at this old eunuch's audacity and cunning. Wang Xuanzhen naturally understood the problems in what he said, but trying to seize him by such a handle would easily backfire.

At the same time, with the Kangning case investigated to its current stage, the situation had become quite clear. Kang Ning and even the entire Kang family were merely a pretext—what Emperor Liu cared about was clearly the problems reflected behind it, and he also wished to use this to accomplish something.

The primary duty of his Palace City Office and the Wude Office was to help Emperor Liu achieve his goals. Under this premise, the Kangning case could not be reversed; everything had to be firmly established. This was the awareness required of one who served as claws and fangs.

Therefore, not to mention that Wang Ji'en's words had no fatal flaws—even if they did, they would have to be helped patched up at present. The struggle between the two offices had to be conducted on the foundation of not delaying His Majesty's great affairs. Without this understanding, Wang Xuanzhen could not securely hold the position of Commissioner of the Wude Office.

Emperor Liu naturally paid no attention to the thoughts of these two Wangs, merely listening carefully to Wang Ji'en's report. The smile on his old face grew ever more pronounced, yet the arc at the corner of his mouth increasingly resembled a sickle reaping lives.

"What of the other merchants in the capital? They all took Kang Ning as their model for doing business and building enterprises—what has been their reaction?" After a moment's thought, Emperor Liu asked again.

To this, Wang Ji'en responded almost without hesitation, following his previous line of thought and speaking in a low voice: "Your Majesty sees with the clarity of fire and examines the finest details. If one speaks of the populace's reaction to Kang Ning's arrest, the capital's merchants must be counted first.

However, their reactions differ. Small traders and petty households mostly feel it is none of their concern, while middle-class merchants, though concerned, mostly remain silent.

Of course, among the small and medium merchants, there are not a few who are delighted, for the Kang family often engaged in bullying and monopolistic practices that harmed their businesses and interests. Now that the Kang family is under investigation, many are spreading the news to one another and celebrating..."

"Is that so?" Emperor Liu interrupted Wang Ji'en, speaking with a mocking tone: "It seems this Kang family is not, as some have claimed, a good and righteous merchant operating honestly. And such a great merchant could actually influence market prosperity and affect the livelihoods of thousands of common folk—no wonder they acted with such reckless abandon!"

Having spoken, his stern tone shifted, and Emperor Liu asked calmly: "In terms of influence, a hundred small and medium merchants are probably not worth one so-called wealthy magnate! The Great Han's great merchants number more than just Kang Ning—I hear there are several families of comparable renown. What has been their reaction?"

Wang Ji'en immediately spoke up: "To answer Your Majesty, according to what this humble one's subordinates have observed, the capital's great merchants are the most concerned about the Kangning case. Avoiding harm and seeking benefit is their instinct. After Kang Ning's downfall, most people cut ties with the Kang family, especially those who had previously been in close contact, but all are secretly probing for information through various means.

Some have even gone so far as to flee far from the capital, making a show of escape..."

At this point, Emperor Liu did not continue questioning, but once again sank into deep contemplation. If what Wang Ji'en said was true, then a vivid picture of the marketplace's myriad faces had already taken shape in his mind. Clearly, the impact of the Kangning case extended not only upward to the court's powerful nobles, but downward to the marketplace's merchants, artisans, and common livelihoods—equally significant, and on the surface perhaps even more severe, with effects visible immediately.

Yet it was precisely for this reason that the killing intent in Emperor Liu's breast boiled all the more fiercely, difficult to suppress. He had always encouraged commerce, but that did not mean unconditional support. Once his psychological bottom line was breached, there could only be harsh laws and severe punishments.

Recalling the reports on the Kang family—their household servants, tenant farmers, and hired workers numbering tens of thousands, perhaps even a hundred thousand—these were organized people fed and paid from the Kang family's coffers. Emperor Liu still vividly remembered the rebellion of the Yulin strongman; that was merely a local tyrant on the frontier. If a great clan like the Kang family were to pull such a move on the court, what kind of result would that be...

At this thought, Emperor Liu's mood was not exactly one of trembling fear, but his vigilance and suspicion surged violently.

While Emperor Liu was deep in thought, Wang Xuanzhen opportunistically added another cut: "Your Majesty, your servant received a report today from the Guannei Circuit. On his journey back to the capital, the imperial grandson Wen Huan made the acquaintance of a youth named Kang Mingrui. According to investigation, this person is Kang Ning's grandson..."

At these words, Emperor Liu no longer concealed his killing intent at all. His fierce gaze was enough to make one's heart leap with fright.

Pondering, Emperor Liu straightened his back. Noticing the change, the two Wangs and Yan Tuo all unconsciously grew solemn—clearly, all were prepared to receive the imperial instruction.

He did not make them wait long. Emperor Liu raised his hand and directly commanded: "The Palace City Office, the Wude Office, the Patrol Inspectorate, and the Luoyang Prefecture—four agencies acting in concert. On the charge of plotting rebellion, seize the entire Kang family in one net. Not one person may escape. Should anyone resist, kill without mercy!"

"Yes!" Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Ji'en and Wang Xuanzhen responded, both appearing crisp and decisive.

"Your two offices have had surveillance in place for some time—surely no one will slip away!" Emperor Liu said coldly, looking at the two Wangs.

At the question, Wang Ji'en replied with a grave expression: "Rest assured, Your Majesty!"

"Should any Kang clan member on the list escape, your servant will accept the consequences!" Wang Xuanzhen also appeared quite confident.

In fact, the Palace City Office and the Wude Office had long since placed the Kang family's key members under surveillance. A great net had already formed around Luoyang, waiting only for Emperor Liu's command to close at any moment.

And the Kang family's fate had long since been sealed. Rebellion—such a charge—no one under heaven could bear it.

"May I ask Your Majesty, how should the meritorious nobles and officials implicated in this case be dealt with?"

Emperor Liu glanced sideways at Wang Ji'en, who had posed the question, and only after a long while said: "We shall discuss it later."