Chapter 104: Fall Guy

Yang Zhe looked at Li Jinyan, having thought he was someone of consequence, only to find he was nothing but this sort of trash.

In all his years with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he had seen plenty of this kind of goods. He had originally planned to put on an imposing show of intimidation, but now even that thought was gone.

He said nothing—naturally someone else would act. A guard beside him kicked Li Jinyan to the ground and sneered, "The thing our Embroidered Uniform Guard fears least is lawsuits. Once you're in the Provost's prison, I guarantee you'll never want to see His Majesty again for the rest of your life!"

During the Wanli era, the Embroidered Uniform Guard committed very few atrocities, and Luo Sigong was considered an upright and fair man. Though many feared the Embroidered Uniform Guard, as the native-born local tyrant of Fengyang Prefecture, he did not in the slightest take a small fry like Yang Zhe before him seriously.

Kicked to the ground, his expression grew all the more vicious as he glared at Yang Zhe and spat hatefully, "You've truly gone blind, you dogs! Cross me, and I'll skin you alive!"

A sinister smile crept across Yang Zhe's face. He stepped closer and said in a low voice, "Don't worry. Once you're in the big prison, I'll take good care of you!"

Li Jinyan's chest ached terribly, and rage burned in his heart. He gritted his teeth and said, "You want to arrest me? Ridiculous. Word of your charge in here has surely already spread—who knows how many people will come looking for trouble with you. What's more, tomorrow I've already arranged to visit Grand Secretary Ye at his residence. You pack of hawks and hounds—do you still dare to seize me?"

Yang Zhe's pupils dilated slightly. He hated nothing more than being threatened, even if the threat carried no weight whatsoever.

"Fine, I'll wait. Let's see if the people you speak of will come to save you!"

His face cold, Yang Zhe kicked Li Jinyan in the chest once more.

Two guards pulled him back up and pressed him along as they dragged him out. He roared without cease: "You pack of hawks and hounds will regret this! When the time comes, I'll make you kneel before me and beg for mercy, you dogs! I won't let any of you off!"

A chill gleamed in Yang Zhe's eyes. Ignoring him, he said coldly to the guards beside him, "Search for me. Dig three feet down if you must—don't you dare miss a single thing!"

"Yes!"

All the men he had brought surged inside, turning this Li residence over inch by inch.

This was, after all, not Li Sancai's mansion—merely the temporary residence in the capital of that Fengyang branch. Whether Yang Zhe had deliberately snatched Luo Yangxing's assignment to show him up, or was after silver, he now had no intention of letting this Li Jinyan off easily.

Just as the Embroidered Uniform Guard was ransacking chests and cabinets, gathering everything, the old steward of the Li residence slipped a servant out through the back gate, urging him anxiously, "This is Master Li's name card. Lord Zhao will surely save the young master for Master Li's sake. Go quickly—do not delay a moment."

The servant took the card with trembling hands. He had never seen an official as grand as a Minister before.

Before long, the Li residence's valuables had all been carried to the front courtyard.

Yang Zhe looked at the chests of ready silver, gold and silver ornaments, fine silks and satins, antiques and calligraphy—by his eye, a rough glance told him it was at least a hundred thousand taels!

A smile slowly spread across his cold face. He muttered to himself, "It seems Yangxing really did find a treasure. But now it's mine."

The guard beside Yang Zhe looked at his expression, hesitated, then said in a low voice, "Sir, I hear this family has deep connections—many great lords at court have ties to them. With us making such a show of force, could it stir up trouble?"

A confident look crossed Yang Zhe's face, and he said with a hint of mockery, "Rest easy. Luo Yangxing has the complaint, the account books—witnesses and evidence all in hand. If there really is someone too big for us to suppress, then it was the Guard Commander's orders we were carrying out."

Hearing this, the man beside him quickly said, "The Commander is brilliant!"

"Sir, we found the account books." A squad of guards came over carrying a large pile of ledgers. "We've examined them—these concern grain transport by water. With just this in hand, we can take him straight to prison for interrogation!"

The smile on Yang Zhe's face grew wider. He nodded and said, "Good. Keep searching. Register everything in the records. You don't need me to teach you how it's done, do you?"

Immediately one man stepped forward and said, "Rest assured, sir. One public ledger, one private ledger—we all know the drill."

Only then did Yang Zhe nod with satisfaction. Flipping up his robe, he sat down in a chair, patiently waiting under the blazing sun.

At the same time, two other squads of Embroidered Uniform Guard also set out, mounting two government offices.

The Ministry of Revenue.

A Centurion stepped forward and said with an imperious air, "By order of Vice Prefect Yang of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, we are to requisition all grain transport files and account books from the Ministry of Revenue. There must be no error!"

The one receiving them was a Vice Bureau Director of the Ministry of Revenue. Seeing them, he hurriedly said, "Wait a moment, please. I'll go seek instructions at once."

The Centurion waved a hand, gripping his sword hilt as he paced back and forth before the Ministry of Revenue's gate, looking quite imposing and overbearing.

The Vice Bureau Director went inside and immediately saw Fu Changzong. He bowed hastily and said, "Lord Fu."

Fu Changzong held a teacup, and beside him was a chest of documents, account books, and correspondence.

"Don't rush. Find all sorts of excuses to stall them—give it to them after a little over half an hour," Fu Changzong looked up at him and said flatly. "Even if they're carrying out the Emperor's orders, our Ministry of Revenue is not so easy to push around."

The Vice Bureau Director understood at once and nodded in assent. But inwardly he thought, so the rumors were true after all—this Vice Minister guarded his turf fiercely, daring even to toy with the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Still, he had better notify the Minister as soon as possible.

The Vice Bureau Director lingered inside for a while, then ran out and said to the Centurion, "Sir, I've ordered the documents to be organized, but they go back a long time—it will take a while. Please step inside and wait."

The Centurion waved his hand and shouted loudly, as if wanting the entire Ministry of Revenue to hear: "Fine! Our Lord Yang Zhe, Lord Yang, will not wait long. If you deliberately delay, don't blame Lord Yang for being rude!"

"Yes, yes." The Vice Bureau Director agreed repeatedly.

The Ministry of Works.

A middle-aged man with the bearing of a Chiliarch led a large force of Embroidered Uniform Guard men charging recklessly through the Ministry of Works' gate, shouting directly, "Find me someone in charge. We are here by order of Vice Prefect Yang Zhe, Lord Yang of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to investigate a case. All idle persons, stand aside."

The Ministry of Works had many people to begin with. Hearing this, they all came out, wearing very strange expressions.

What had gotten into their Ministry of Works offices lately? Anyone could just barge in as they pleased—and now they were being called idle persons!

A man with the bearing of a bureau director walked out with his hands clasped behind his back, sweeping him a glance with somewhat cold arrogance. "Are you here by imperial decree or by orders? If by orders—even if your Guard Commander himself came, he'd have no right to storm through our Ministry of Works' gate like this!"

The Chiliarch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard let out a derisive laugh. "You really think we've never sealed off your Ministry of Works before? Shall I refresh your memory?"

What the Chiliarch referred to was naturally that incident with Zhu Xu previously.

The bureau director's face instantly turned very ugly. That time they had come out covered in disgrace, with enormous losses. Even though it was His Highness Prince Hui who had made the move, they still felt their faces burning with shame—deeply humiliated.

The others who heard this were all enraged as well.

"You wait here. I'll go report this to our lord." The bureau director suppressed his anger, flicked his sleeve, and walked off.

The Chiliarch sneered, looking at the onlookers gathered by the doors and windows, and shouted loudly, "By order of Lord Yang Zhe—within the time it takes one stick of incense to burn, you must have ready all documents and ledgers concerning grain transport ship construction, approvals and denials, and quantities large and small from the past half year. Lord Yang requires them as court evidence. Do not delay."