Chapter 105: Zhao Nanxing

Zhou Yingqiu had not yet taken up his post, and Zhu Xu had not let him know about this matter either.

Therefore, the Ministry of Works had received no advance notice. But out of bureaucratic instinct, the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue adopted the same strategy—stalling for a while before producing a box of miscellaneous junk.

The two teams had finished their work while Yang Zhe was still at the Li residence, and they hurried away carrying the boxes.

In a dark alley, the Centurion and the Chiliarch appeared, striding over, and knelt on one knee before a figure with his back turned: "Your subordinate greets Your Excellency."

Luo Yangxing turned around, looking at the two with authority and indifference: "How did things go?"

Both men wore respectful expressions: "Everything was done as Your Excellency instructed. All went smoothly."

Luo Yangxing nodded, his gaze carrying a cold edge, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.

At this moment, a young man appeared beside him, dressed in Chiliarch attire, his face as expressionless as a paralyzed mask, radiating coldness.

Luo Yangxing's brow furrowed slightly. He did not like this man, but he knew he was his father's man. His expression unmoved, he said, "Tell me, what should we do next?"

The young man bowed slightly and said in a calm tone: "Your Excellency's father left the capital on official business an hour ago. All orders have been issued by Lord Yang Zhe. The items brought out from the two ministries should be taken directly back to the Provost Prison. There will be plenty of evidence inside. Not only must the capital be stirred, but the Grain Transport Governor-General's yamen and Fengyang Prefecture should also be shaken—not necessarily to accomplish anything, but the momentum must be great."

Luo Yangxing quickly understood the young man's meaning, a hint of ruthlessness showing on his face: "Good. I'll leave the matter in your hands. Handle the measure carefully. When the time comes, I'll mention your name to His Highness."

"No need." The young man remained slightly bowed, his expression calm, showing not a trace of fluctuation.

Luo Yangxing's brow furrowed again. He knew this was not a man he could arrange, so he nodded: "Very well. I will leave the capital now. Everything proceeds according to plan."

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

Figures soon stirred in the dark alley, and the group vanished from sight.

The sun was setting in the west, and the heat grew ever more oppressive.

But Yang Zhe was in an exceptionally good mood. Looking at the figures continuously being tallied, his heart felt as cool as if he had drunk ice and snow.

Not only had he found evidence of the Grain Transport Governor-General's yamen tampering with grain transport, he had also obtained documents and letters from many court grandees—especially one ledger that meticulously listed the names, amounts, and methods of the spoils distribution.

This sent Yang Zhe into raptures. With this in hand, everyone in court and out would have to obey him.

"Good. Take everything back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I'm going to go meet that Young Master Li!" Yang Zhe snapped the ledger shut, stood up, and announced in a loud voice.

"Yes, Your Excellency!" The Embroidered Uniform Guard officers in the courtyard answered with resounding voices. Wasn't their duty all for silver? By the usual rules, a small portion of this would be divided among them.

Mounted on a tall horse, Yang Zhe could not wait to return to the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison. He knew this Young Master Li still had potential to be mined. This time, he was going to scoop up a big haul!

At the same time, members of the procession, in twos and threes, had imperceptibly dwindled by a dozen or more.

An official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices scrambled and stumbled into the inner courtyard of the main hall: "Your Excellency, something terrible has happened! Li Jinyan's residence has been searched. A ledger recording comings and goings has fallen into the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"What? Li Jinyan still has a ledger?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. Think of a way quickly!"

A director from the Ministry of Revenue paced back and forth in the courtyard, drenched in sweat. Gritting his teeth, he hurried straight to the Minister's side chamber.

"Yang Zhe?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. We must think of something quickly. If that ledger is really taken back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison, getting it back will be troublesome."

"Wait, don't panic, don't panic!"

At the Office of Transmission, an assistant administrator heard the news and could not sit still, sweating profusely.

"Your Excellency, we must think of a way. Otherwise we'll all end up in the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison, and getting out again won't be easy."

The assistant administrator kept wiping his sweat: "I know, I know! Am I not thinking of a way right now?"

The grain transport matter was far too momentous. It involved every aspect of the court. Over so many years, it had touched nearly every important yamen inside and outside the capital. The Six Ministries and Nine Chief Ministers, the Office of Transmission, the Censorate, the Grand Secretariat, the Eastern Depot, the Embroidered Uniform Guard—scarcely any were uninvolved; it was only a matter of depth.

Under the deliberate dissemination arranged by Luo Yangxing, before Yang Zhe had even returned to the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison, the news that he had taken down Li Jinyan and collected a ledger of spoils distribution had already spread throughout the capital.

Yang Zhe, still unaware, smugly led a large batch of "confiscated goods" toward the Southern Embroidered Uniform Guard prison in the distance.

At this moment, 【Censor】 Xing, who had finally returned from duty, also received the news. With an enraged expression, he rode in his official sedan chair straight for the Southern Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Li Sancai had been a giant of Donglin. Both his learning and his character were widely praised. He especially possessed extremely extensive connections, and with the Donglin Faction spread throughout the court, his influence was naturally immense.

And 【Censor】 Xing, as the sole survivor among the Three Gentlemen of Donglin still serving at court—with Li Sancai having just passed away—would naturally never allow anyone to touch his descendants.

He was past seventy, with a head of white hair, yet vigorous in spirit, bearing an air of refined elegance, calm and steady. Seated in the sedan chair, his expression carried a cold pride.

In the decades of the late Ming court, the political currents were treacherous and strange. Courtiers resigned and returned for all manner of reasons—resign, return, resign, return, back and forth—and the higher their offices rose, the more they delighted in the game.

【Censor】 Xing had entered official service several times. Whether within the Donglin Faction or at court, he stood like a mountain, with immense prestige and a distinguished reputation. He was the man with the loudest call to enter the Grand Secretariat.

Likewise, the loudest call also brought the loudest opposition. All manner of attacks, frame-ups, and muddying of the waters emerged endlessly, determined to block his entry into the Grand Secretariat.

【Censor】 Xing sat in the sedan chair, his expression gradually becoming unreadable as it swayed along. Only his eyes were pitch-black, as if cold light flickered within.

"Master, are you certain you want to involve yourself in this? Now is not the time for rash action." A middle-aged man trotted alongside the sedan chair and spoke by the window.

【Censor】 Xing knew this all too well, but he had no choice but to step forward. And he had thought of more—perhaps moving against Li Jinyan was only the first step. Someone wanted to use him to tear open a larger gap, to use this to settle accounts with the recently deceased Li Sancai. The ultimate goal was to target him, to target the Donglin Faction!

【Censor】 Xing's brow twitched slightly: "Has there been any news from Luo Sigong's side?"

The middle-aged man said: "Not yet. But reportedly Lord Luo is gravely ill and can no longer leave his bed."

【Censor】 Xing's face was expressionless. After a moment he said: "Send a message to Eunuch Liu in the palace later, and tell him about this matter."

Hearing this, the middle-aged man quickly replied: "Yes, Master."

The Eunuch Liu that 【Censor】 Xing referred to was Liu Shimin, brush-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial. Since he had become Director of the Eastern Depot, he had acted with steadiness, neither humble nor overbearing, which endeared him to court officials, who vied to cultivate his friendship.

The brush-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial was known as the "Inner Chancellor," while 【Censor】 Xing, the Minister of Personnel, was known as the "Hidden Chancellor." Having friends throughout the realm, he naturally would not miss the chance to befriend Liu Shimin.

Though Liu Shimin was a eunuch, he was also exceptionally talented, and he naturally held this elder of the literary world in high esteem and respect. Their relationship was like a hot iron plunged into water—seething and bubbling, quite extraordinary.

"Master, we have arrived."

Before long, the middle-aged man's voice sounded outside the window, and the sedan chair came to a stop.