Chapter 672: A Strange Calamity Approaches

Da Zhou Imperial Palace, Qanyang Palace.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was currently filled with fury due to the rumors slandering him following the death of Xu Liangxiong.

Yet, even with murderous intent surging in his heart, he still possessed sufficient composure.

Such rumors and gossip among officials and the public were always extremely thorny matters.

If left ignored, the rumors would surely grow more rampant, spreading until they almost reached the point of being taken for truth.

Because if a lie is told a hundred times, most people will believe it to be true, and from this, layers of confusion are born.

However, if the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Court of Judicial Review were mobilized to conduct mass searches and crackdowns on those spreading the rumors, the situation would become even worse.

Most would likely believe the Emperor was guilty of a guilty conscience, and he would never be able to clear his name again.

The ancients said that preventing the people from speaking is more dangerous than damming a river; this was not without reason.

Therefore, even for the Son of Heaven sitting high above, when encountering such matters, out of reason and weighing the pros and cons, one usually had to swallow the insult and let the matter rest.

Just as Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was feeling gloomy, a small eunuch suddenly entered the hall to report that the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Xu Kun, requested an audience, which improved the Emperor's mood and stirred a glimmer of anticipation.

Back then, the discovery of a large-scale clandestine firearms workshop in Jin Ling had filled Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao with deep apprehension, and the fact that the mastermind remained untraced left him deeply uneasy.

What troubled him even more was that the Jin Ling Zhen family was implicated in the firearms manufacturing case.

And because of the late Imperial Consort Zhen, the Zhen family had deep ties to the Retired Emperor; did this mean the Retired Emperor was also involved in the clandestine firearms manufacturing?

To others, such thoughts might seem absurd.

But sixteen years ago, the great upheaval in the Love Shenjing, the fratricidal strife, the Retired Emperor's shame and abdication, and Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's own miraculous ascent to the throne—

all these dramatic changes had left an indelible mark on the Emperor's heart.

Thus, he would consider possibilities that others deemed impossible...

Under the vast heaven, all is the King's land; within the borders of the earth, all are the King's subjects.

Since he was the King of the world, he could not allow the shadow of disaster to loom beside his own bed...

As for how to verify such possibilities, or how to demonstrate his firm stance against those harboring ulterior motives,

it was crucial for Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao to confirm whether Zhen Shiwen was merely deceived and participated in the firearms smuggling and manufacturing without knowing the truth,

or if he was fully aware and intentionally intervened in the clandestine manufacturing, harboring thoughts of rebellion—this was of great importance to Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao.

If the latter were proven true, he would deal with the Zhen family without the slightest hesitation, and the Retired Emperor's reaction would explain everything...

That was why he had early on selected the shrewd and capable Wang Zhangjiang, sending him south to serve as the Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard Battalion Commander to strictly investigate the Zhen family.

And Wang Zhangjiang had not disappointed him; upon arriving in Jin Ling, he had launched an intensive investigation, breaking through the deadlocks left by his predecessor one by one.

According to secret reports from the Zhongche Office, ten days ago, Wang Zhangjiang had achieved a breakthrough in the Zhen Shiwen case.

Calculating by time, Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao expected that Xu Kun's urgent request for an audience today must mean a victory report had arrived from Jin Ling.

Otherwise, with the investigation into the craftsmen attempting to infiltrate the workshop yielding no progress, Xu Kun would have been avoiding the Emperor, not delivering himself to the palace.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao understood the implications and felt his spirits lift. He said in a deep voice, "Grant him an audience!"

Shortly after, the figure of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander, Xu Kun, appeared at the towering hall doors.

He walked steadily to the imperial desk and said, "Your subject, Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander Xu Kun, pays respects to Your Majesty.

A Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard courier entered the city half an hour ago to deliver news. A breakthrough has been made in the Jin Ling Zhen Shiwen case, and I have come specifically to report to Your Majesty."

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao, his spirits high, said, "Speak!"

Xu Kun said, "Previously, when Battalion Commander Wang sealed the various shops of the Zhen family in Jin Ling, he interrogated the staff.

He unexpectedly discovered that in the registry of a shop named Haiyun Pavilion, one person was missing.

Because there were many managers and clerks in the shop, and personnel turnover due to various reasons is common among merchants, no one had paid much attention to it.

The Zhen family never mentioned it, and the local government had inadvertently overlooked it, so no one had noticed until now.

After verification, Battalion Commander Wang confirmed the missing person was named Chen Rong, a hereditary slave of the Zhen family.

Although Chen Rong was not a manager, he was a common steward.

However, according to the clerks in the shop, Chen Rong was highly trusted by Zhen Shiwen, who would often take him along as an attendant.

Therefore, Chen Rong knew much more about Zhen Shiwen's background than others.

Later, after Zhen Shiwen was mysteriously murdered and the Zhen family fell into turmoil, Zhen Jingui, to prevent further disaster, reorganized the Zhen family's businesses.

She investigated and reported all illegal activities in businesses led by Zhen Shiwen to the authorities, thereby temporarily mitigating the Zhen family's crisis.

Chen Rong's father, Chen Qiong, was the steward of the Zhen family's main branch, and he was also found guilty of illegal activities and arrested by the Ying Tian Prefecture.

Chen Rong likely feared being implicated due to his father's conviction and Zhen Shiwen's murder, which is why he fled the shop.

Battalion Commander Wang placed great hope in this person, deducing that Chen Rong might know the truth about Zhen Shiwen. After extensive searching, he confirmed Chen Rong was hiding in Quanzhou, Fujian.

He then led his elite subordinates to Quanzhou and, after many days of searching, arrested him and escorted him back to Jin Ling.

Six days ago, Chen Rong confessed in the Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard prison that the Ottoman refined iron stored in the Zhen family's Haiyun Pavilion was not goods deposited by others.

Instead, Zhen Shiwen had been entrusted by a Manager Zhao to purchase this batch of refined iron from overseas through the Zhen family's merchant fleet.

When Zhen Shiwen handled this matter, Chen Rong had followed him, so he knew the inside story in great detail.

Later, after firearms were stolen from the Liaodong border troops, the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigated the case, deducing that the stolen new-style firearms might have been smuggled to the prosperous water and land routes of the south.

Consequently, they conducted searches of those involved in illegal firearms smuggling in Jin Ling, and the Zhen family shops managed by Zhen Shiwen were among those searched.

Ultimately, the Ottoman refined iron stored in Haiyun Pavilion was seized by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

At the time, the Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard Battalion Commander, Ge Ge Zhi Cheng, acting on the advice of Marquis Lord Weiyuan Jia Cong, did not seize the refined iron from the Zhen shop.

Instead, he used it as bait, setting up secret posts near Haiyun Pavilion to lure out the mastermind behind the extraction of the iron.

Later, Haiyun Pavilion suddenly caught fire, and in the chaos, someone took the opportunity to remove the refined iron.

Chen Rong confessed under torture that the fire at Haiyun Pavilion was set at the instruction of Zhen Shiwen.

Afterward, the clandestine firearms manufacturing workshop outside Jin Ling was besieged and destroyed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and this batch of refined iron was seized from the workshop.

From this, it is clear that Zhen Shiwen was aware of the purpose of the Ottoman refined iron.

He was not ignorant of the clandestine firearms manufacturing; he was intentionally participating in it!

His assistance to the mastermind in smuggling the Ottoman refined iron into the clandestine workshop is irrefutable proof.

After the Jin Ling clandestine firearms workshop was seized by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he was also silenced by the mastermind.

All the details of the Zhen Shiwen case are in the letter from the Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard. The account is exhaustive; I request Your Majesty's perusal."

Guo Lin stepped forward, took the secret letter from Xu Kun, and presented it to Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's imperial desk.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao took the letter and browsed it for a moment, then said coldly, "Which branch of the Zhen family does this Zhen Shiwen belong to?"

Xu Kun sensed the gloom in the Emperor's tone and felt a chill in his heart. He replied, "Zhen Shiwen is the eldest son of the Zhen family's main branch, and his father is the Jin Ling Tiren Academy President, Zhen Yingjia.

Zhen Shiwen was also the future head of the Jin Ling Zhen family. I believe the Jin Ling Zhen family is a great clan of the south, not only serving as officials for generations but also possessing immense wealth, known in Jin Ling as 'Zhen Half-City.'

The Zhen family has great influence in the hearts of the southern gentry and people. Now, the eldest son of the Zhen main branch has participated in clandestine firearms manufacturing.

I believe this matter is of great importance and must be handled with caution!"

Guo Lin, standing at the lower end of the imperial desk, looked at Xu Kun without changing his expression; he naturally understood Xu Kun's intent.

He thought to himself that this Commander Xu's ability to investigate and solve cases was not as good as Marquis Lord Weiyuan Jia Cong's, but his ability to fathom the Emperor's heart was truly remarkable...

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao said indifferently, "Xu Aiqing's words are reasonable. What is your advice on this case..."

Xu Kun said, "I believe that the southern region is far from the capital, less bathed in imperial grace, with flourishing commerce, vast land, and abundant people, prosperous and thriving.

Therefore, people's hearts are fickle, and it is prone to strange changes and unpredictable dangers. More than a decade ago, the Du family, whose reputation was the greatest in the south, had a prestige and power that traced back through the ages, even surpassing the Jin Ling Zhen family.

Yet, such a great aristocratic clan had a head, Du Hengchang, who colluded with the remnants of the Hidden Sect, bringing disaster to the six prefectures and one province of the south.

Fortunately, the imperial court discovered the Du family's rebellious and disloyal intentions early, and exterminated the remnants of the Du family, winning more than ten years of peace for the southern region.

Now, the Zhen family, as a prominent Jin Ling clan, has a reputation and wealth no less than the Du family of that time.

The Zhen family has enjoyed imperial grace for generations, and although they hold no hereditary title, they have held hereditary positions for three generations. They do not think of repaying imperial grace, and their direct descendant has been rebellious and immoral, clandestinely manufacturing firearms, harboring thoughts of rebellion.

Past lessons are the guide for the future. Although Zhen Shiwen is dead, his hidden crimes have finally been revealed. His rebellious and evil nature cannot be lightly forgiven.

Whether his father, Zhen Yingjia, who is a third-rank official of the imperial court, participated in the clandestine firearms manufacturing remains to be investigated.

Even if Zhen Yingjia is not involved, he cannot escape the blame for failing to manage his family and educate his son, and for shielding rebellion; he is unworthy of his official rank and title.

Firearms are the heavy weapons of the nation, the fence of the state. The covetous hearts of the evil must be exterminated completely; they cannot be tolerated.

Today's Zhen family is yesterday's Du family. I advise Your Majesty to punish the Zhen family severely to serve as a warning to others and to shock the small-minded."

!

Guo Lin, standing to the side, felt a chill in his heart upon hearing Xu Kun's words.

This Commander Xu was trying to drive the Zhen family to their deaths; did he have a grudge against them?

But Guo Lin thought about it and understood the reason. Xu Kun had always been an official in the Love Shenjing and had nothing to do with the southern Zhen family, so he could not have had a conflict with them.

But as the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he seemed to hold great power, but it was a job of walking on the edge of a blade. Few of the successive Commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had ended well.

The Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, as the Emperor's running dog and hawk, could only sit firmly in his position and live longer if he deeply understood the Emperor's heart and acted as the Emperor's sharp blade.

Xu Kun had fathomed the Emperor's caution regarding firearms and his patience with the Zhen family had reached its limit.

Furthermore, the investigation into the Zhen Shiwen case had been handled entirely by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and now the evidence was conclusive.

Under these circumstances, if the Zhen family matter were handled lightly and left unsettled, what merit would the Embroidered Uniform Guard have?

Only by naming the Zhen family's crime of clandestine firearms manufacturing and making it known to the world could he cater to the Emperor's heart and demonstrate the merit of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao listened to Xu Kun's words, and although he remained calm and did not express a clear stance, his expression relaxed slightly.

He said, "Xu Kun, you have coordinated this well, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard has performed meritorious service in investigation and verification. I will not be stingy with rewards."

"Guo Lin, convey my oral decree: summon the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Wei Guanyao, the Minister of Justice, Chen Maoshu, and the Censor-in-Chief, Zhou Xianyang, to the palace for a meeting..."

Jin Ling, Mingde Ward, Zhen Family Mansion.

The aristocratic mansion, once filled with glory and wealth, now carried an air of decline and desolation.

The maids and servants coming and going no longer had their usual composure; their busy movements seemed to carry a trace of panic and unease.

Some time ago, a large group of Embroidered Uniform Guard officers had broken into the mansion, searching everywhere, the sound of shattered porcelain and furniture echoing throughout.

For the masters of the mansion, this was an unprecedented humiliation.

For the hereditary servants of the Zhen family, they had long been accustomed to the wealth and stability of the mansion; they had never encountered such a terrifying storm in generations, and every time they thought of it, they felt a chill.

But they were the Zhen family's slaves; their life, death, glory, and shame were tied to the Zhen family. Whether the Zhen family was wealthy or fallen, they only had the fate of acceptance.

These days, the maids in the inner courtyard moved lightly and cautiously, not daring to speak loudly.

They feared that any mistake would anger their gloomy and frustrated masters, and it might not just be a verbal reprimand, but a beating according to family law.

The reason the Zhen family servants had such worries was that since the middle of last year, the Zhen family had been going from bad to worse, with troubles and worries, and not a single thing going their way.

First, the third young master of the main branch was implicated in firearms smuggling and was taken to the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison, causing the Zhen family to lose face.

Later, it was Marquis Lord Weiyuan who came forward to mediate, only then getting the third young master out of prison.

But not long after, the third young master was murdered, and he died in the bed of a mistress; it was said he died in a very embarrassing way, causing the Zhen family to lose all face.

After that, the Zhen family never encountered anything good. By the end of last year, news came from the Love Shenjing that the Imperial Consort Zhen was seriously ill, causing panic among the masters of the Zhen family.

Everyone in Jin Ling knew that the Zhen family's wealth and glory for generations were largely due to the protection of the Imperial Consort.

Once the Imperial Consort passed away in her old age, the Zhen family's shield and prestige would likely be cut in half.

The third young lady of the second branch traveled thousands of miles to the Love Shenjing to visit the Imperial Consort, and there was a turn for the better.

Not long after, good news came from the Love Shenjing: the Imperial Consort Zhen had personally arranged a marriage, and the Emperor was to bestow the third young lady upon Marquis Lord Weiyuan.

That famous Marquis Lord Weiyuan had visited the Zhen family before, and many maids and servants in the inner courtyard had seen him; he was a top-tier figure in the world.

Not to mention that the Rongguo Jia family was a top-tier aristocratic family in the Love Shenjing; the marriage between the Zhen and Jia families would have been of great benefit to the declining Zhen family.

During that time, the Old Lady and the Second Lady were in a very good mood, and even the Eldest Master and Eldest Lady had smiles on their faces.

But they didn't expect that good things wouldn't last, and misfortune would come in pairs. Not long after, news came from the Love Shenjing that Marquis Lord Weiyuan's father had suddenly died.

The imperial court, citing the observance of filial piety, revoked his marriage to the third young lady; it was said that the imperial decree of bestowal was only half-read before it was interrupted by someone from the palace...

From that moment on, the Zhen family's situation took a sharp turn for the worse.

The Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard seemed to have found a backing, harassing them every few days.

First, they issued a formal document summoning the Eldest Master to the Embroidered Uniform Guard for questioning, causing the Eldest Master to lose all face in the Jin Ling officialdom.

Later, the Embroidered Uniform Guard sealed the Zhen family's shops in the city and even broke into the Zhen family mansion to search.

The Zhen family's century of power and glory was trampled and humiliated by the Embroidered Uniform Guard...

The Old Lady, due to the Embroidered Uniform Guard breaking into the house, was filled with shame and anger, falling ill in bed; although she invited famous Jin Ling doctors to treat her, she remained in a precarious state.

The Eldest Master and Eldest Lady were also uneasy, and the Old Lady had been busy at home these days, supposedly packing up valuables...

Even the ignorant maids in the inner courtyard could feel the panic of the approaching end.

Zhen Family Mansion, Main Branch Residence.

Zhen Yingjia returned from his official duties and saw the maids and servants in the courtyard moving back and forth, packing up wealth, utensils, and belongings into boxes.

His own wife was standing on the veranda, pointing and directing the servants.

This had been going on for two days, and Zhen Yingjia felt helpless about his wife's womanly perspective, and he was too lazy to pay attention, because he himself was full of worries.

In the past, he, as the President of the Jin Ling Tiren Academy and a third-rank high official, was a leading figure in the Jin Ling officialdom.

Every day, countless aristocratic relatives, colleagues, and students would visit, hold banquets, and exchange flattery, making him look dignified and prestigious.

Ever since he was summoned by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, ever since the Embroidered Uniform Guard brazenly searched the Zhen mansion, all those people had disappeared, and some even avoided him as if avoiding a plague.

Zhen Yingjia's inner panic and fear had reached the point of suffocation, so how could he have the mood to care about his wife's calculation of wealth?

The Eldest Lady saw her husband return to the mansion and hurriedly called a maid to serve tea, personally handing it to Zhen Yingjia.

Zhen Yingjia took a sip of tea and asked, "You've made such a scene, what are you fussing about again?"

The Eldest Lady said, "The Master also knows the situation of the family now. In the past, others would visit, but now the door is deserted, and everyone is hiding from us.

I thought that being blind and deaf is not a proper way to handle things, so early this morning, while the Master was at work, I went to visit a few old relatives.

There are still those who don't change with the wind, and they told me a few useful things.

They said that Shiwen's involvement in the firearms case violated the Emperor's great taboo. In the past, when the Imperial Consort was still alive, the Emperor had to consider the Retired Emperor's face and could not act.

Now that the Imperial Consort has passed away, the Emperor no longer has those scruples, and he will likely settle scores after the autumn... "

Zhen Yingjia heard this, his face filled with anger, and he slammed the teacup down heavily.

He said, "Shut up! How can you say such things casually? If word gets out, aren't you afraid the Embroidered Uniform Guard will come looking for trouble!"

The Eldest Lady said, "Master, this time it is others who are intentionally looking for trouble. Even if we are careful, it is of no use.

Shiwen is already gone, and we still have Baoyu. We must plan for him; we cannot just wait here. I have already packed a batch of valuables..."