Chapter 316: Stealing the Credit

After learning the precise intelligence from Zhao Laosan, Feng Yucheng, taking advantage of the fact that the grain tribute fleet was still at Suqian, rushed overnight to Jining Prefecture, intending to find reliable forces to crack the case and make arrests. Though meticulous in his considerations due to his lack of experience, he went to the wrong yamen and, in a state of wishful thinking, sought out the Jining Prefecture Centurion Station of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The reason he did not seek out the local government to dispatch constables and bailiffs for the arrests was his consideration that if things went awry and word leaked out, this case—which could lay a solid foundation for his official career—would die in the womb, and finding leads afterward would become all the more difficult, because that group would surely temporarily rein in their activities, and even if they acted again in the future, they would be far more cautious.

Whether from the elders in his family who had served as officials, or from what he had observed and heard in the Censorate, Feng Yucheng had a thorough understanding and knowledge of the low-level petty clerks in local governments. These people served in the yamen for generations, and their control over and contact with local powers exceeded that of the masters in the prefectural offices. At the slightest sign of trouble, these people would always be the first to get word. Feng Yucheng believed that this case in Jining Prefecture had surely been brewing for some time, and the local powers-that-be in the yamen would very likely be involved.

Only the Embroidered Uniform Guard was most reliable. He naively believed that since the Embroidered Uniform Guard was the Son of Heaven's personal army, investigating all manner of wrongdoing was their foremost duty, and leaking secrets was absolutely impossible. As long as the Embroidered Uniform Guard made their move, catching both the culprits and the evidence was a sure thing, and his own first credit was certainly in the bag.

His thinking was indeed not wrong. How could the Embroidered Uniform Guard spare a thought for these local small fry? The Embroidered Uniform Guard had never leaked secrets in the course of their duties, and when prospects and rewards after completing a job were in no short supply, no officer or captain would be foolish enough to make such a mistake.

But where he went wrong was that he overestimated the integrity of the Embroidered Uniform Guard as a whole.

Gao Lizhi, the Jining Embroidered Uniform Guard Centurion, received him lukewarmly. Toward the Censorate—a yamen that competed with the Embroidered Uniform Guard for work—the entire Guard held deep hostility.

Feng Yucheng paid no heed to Gao Lizhi's attitude, but briefly related the intelligence that the grain tribute fleet would arrive at Jining Prefecture within a few days, that someone would then collude from inside and out, transporting sacks filled with sand and gravel into Yongji Granary as if they were grain, then later at night siphoning out the true tribute grain from Yongji Granary and reselling it to others for private profit, and demanded that the Embroidered Uniform Guard prepare their men and arrest the culprits at the appropriate moment.

Hearing that such an important case had been discovered by this Censor, Gao Lizhi knew that once the case was concluded, Feng Yucheng's name would reach the emperor's ears directly, and merit and reward were certain. Burning with jealousy, Gao Lizhi began to scheme. He made the excuse that his captains had all gone to other places on official business, and that the guard station currently lacked sufficient manpower, so they would have to wait until everyone returned before acting. He asked Feng Yucheng to go rest and wait, and said he would notify him when it was time to make the arrests.

Feng Yucheng was no fool. He keenly observed that the other man had taken on different intentions. After arguing with Gao Lizhi for a few rounds, he simply refused to leave, eating and sleeping at the Centurion Station that very day, and sticking to Gao Lizhi like a shadow—a move that left Gao Lizhi at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Meanwhile, after receiving the message sent by Gao Lizhi, Li Lie, the Chiliarch of Yanzhou Prefecture, immediately led his men on horseback at full speed to Jining. After arguing with Feng Yucheng for half a day to no avail, he could only send someone to invite Li Banghua, to see if they could reason with this Censor-in-Chief. When the case was concluded and reported upward, they would say that the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Grain Transport Censor had independently discovered leads to the case from different angles, and ultimately joined forces to crack this major case.

After receiving the notification from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Li Banghua arrived at Jining Prefecture city at the end of the Shen hour that afternoon.

After entering the city, guided by two captains, Li Banghua arrived at the Centurion Station located not far to one side of the prefectural yamen. Feng Yucheng and Li Lie were still seated facing each other in the inner hall. After most of a day of arguing, both were physically and mentally exhausted, and both wanted nothing more than to find a bed and rest, but to maintain their final shred of dignity, they could only remain locked in stalemate in the hall.

"Greetings, Censor-in-Chief!"

"Censor-in-Chief Li, you old worthy have finally come! This Censor Feng under your command is truly a talent!"

Li Banghua walked into the hall with his hands clasped behind his back, and Feng Yucheng and Li Lie hurriedly rose to pay their respects.

"Mm. Zihou, you have worked hard! Rest assured, I will see justice done for you in all matters!"

Li Banghua called Feng Yucheng by his courtesy name and comforted him gently, his eyes filled with unconcealable appreciation.

In this young man who hated evil as an enemy and acted with bold decisiveness, he seemed to see a reflection of his own youth. Having briefly inquired along the way about the cause of the dispute between Feng Yucheng and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Li Banghua was more inclined to believe that the leads to the case had been first discovered by his own beloved subordinate.

Li Banghua's arrival seemed to inject new vitality into Feng Yucheng's long-fatigued body and mind, reviving his gradually wilting spirit and restoring his soaring fighting spirit.

Li Banghua paid Li Lie no attention at all, walking straight to the seat of honor that Li Lie had previously occupied, turning around and lifting his robe to sit down. Li Lie let out a "Hey!" of frustration. Though burning with indignation inside, Li Banghua's reputation and standing were what they were, so in the end he could only sullenly take the lower seat, while Feng Yucheng sat across from him with an air of triumph.

"Zihou, relate the full account of the matter, and do not touch upon anything else!"

After Li Banghua gave this brief instruction, Feng Yucheng rose and bowed, then recounted in detail his experiences in Suqian city.

"Excellent! Zihou, you discern the signs of things to come, possess both courage and insight, and handle everything personally—truly a model for the Censorate! Chiliarch Li, since you already know the details of this matter, have you posted men to watch the key points? Per Zihou's account, the grain tribute fleet may arrive at the Jining Prefecture canal docks as early as tomorrow. How to catch both the culprits and the evidence and then follow the trail is the responsibility of the personal army! The primary credit for this case belongs to Zihou, with the personal army second! Well then, I am somewhat weary. Zihou, come with me to the inn to rest, and await word of the personal army's success tomorrow!"

Having spoken, Li Banghua rose to his feet and strolled out of the hall with his hands clasped behind his back. Feng Yucheng followed behind with a calm expression, though his eyes could not conceal his joy.

Throughout the entire process, Li Lie had not managed to get a single word in edgewise, and the outcome ended in Feng Yucheng's complete victory. Li Banghua had come in a flash and left in a flash, leaving only the dumbfounded Li Lie standing there on the spot.

"Chiliarch, should we first send a secret memorial to the Guard Commander, and have the Guard Commander fight for the primary credit for us?"

Seeing Li Banghua's party exit through the main gate, Gao Lizhi, who had been waiting outside the hall, hurried inside and saluted Li Lie, who was sitting on a chair fuming with anger, as he made his request.

"Send a secret memorial my ass! You think Old Man Li won't submit his own memorial? That old man is famous for his upright conduct, and his seniority is older than our Guard Commander's own father! You think the emperor would believe him over us? Forget it, forget it—it's just a primary credit, isn't it? Let that greenhorn have it! From now on, have men keep a close watch on him, and when you find a fault, nail him! Are all the men at the various posts properly deployed?"

Though Li Lie was extremely frustrated, since things had come to this, that was that. The next matter was how to deploy for the arrests. The outcome of this case would surely shake the court and the realm. Feng Yucheng's primary credit was equivalent to being first over the walls in a siege; what remained was just mopping up, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard would only get a bit of reflected glory. Had the primary credit gone to himself, he would certainly have had a chance to move up a notch, and his subordinates would have shared in the benefit. But now it could only be a matter within his own authority.

As the emperor's eyes and ears, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was responsible for investigating all wrongdoing under heaven, yet such a major case had occurred right under their noses without their knowing a thing—what would the emperor think? This Yongji Granary was right under the noses of the Jining Centurion Station. This truly counted as darkness right beneath the lamp.

Looking at Gao Lizhi standing before him, Li Lie wished he could kick this bastard to death—if not for the fact that this fellow never failed to send gifts at the New Year and festivals.

"What are you still standing there for? Why aren't you rolling out to investigate everywhere? Get lost!"