Chapter 74: A Minor Punishment

Lü Jiawen heard the strings and understood the intent; he guessed it was Zhao Xu’s will and said, “I’ll send men to check immediately.”

After resting awhile, Zhao Ti sat down at the banquet, which was arranged solely for the new party members of Jiangning—no old party member was invited.

The next day, he went to the Wang family; Wang Anshi had no direct bloodline left, so they had adopted his grandson Wang Di, who was listed under his eldest son Wang Pang, and who now remained at home without holding office.

Wang Di was the biological grandson of Wang Anshi’s younger brother Wang Anli; Wang Anli had once served as Prefect of Kaifeng and as Vice Minister, but had submitted memorials opposing the Xining Reforms, aided Su Shi, repeatedly urged Emperor Shenzong against attacking the Western Xia, and held views sharply opposed to Wang Anshi’s.

Yet despite this, among Wang Anshi’s two elder brothers and four younger brothers, it was Wang Anli’s grandson who was adopted.

At the Wang residence, besides Wang Di, many other Wang clan members were present, lining up to greet him; Zhao Ti conveyed Zhao Xu’s message, offered greetings, then stayed for a meal and inquired about the number and status of the Wang family’s younger generation.

Wang Di replied that apart from Jiangning Prefecture, the Wangs also resided in Suzhou and Hangzhou, engaged in various trades, but most still pursued scholarship and official service.

Zhao Ti lingered awhile longer, then rose to leave; the Wang family had little more to say—Wang Anli was still alive, but had been exiled these past years to serve as Prefect of Yongxing Army, though he would soon be reinstated, albeit not returning to court, instead appointed as Grand Coordinator of Hedong Road in the north.

The next day, Zhao Ti ordered his troops to mobilize and departed for Suzhou; as Lü Jiawen saw him off, he ventured cautiously: “Your Highness, the Prefect of Suzhou, Wang Zhonghuan, is from the old party; he may show disrespect.”

Wang Zhonghuan? Zhao Ti paused briefly; a well-known figure indeed.

Wang Zhonghuan was the youngest son of Chancellor Wang Gui, who decades later married his daughter to the corrupt Qin Hui for a dowry of 200,000 strings of cash—making him Qin Hui’s father-in-law.

Zhao Ti nodded: “Lü Anfu, you’ve thought well.” Then the troops marched out, heading straight for Suzhou.

Upon reaching Suzhou, the scenery grew even more beautiful; the troops advanced slowly, stopping and starting, until they arrived before Suzhou’s city gates—yet no one came out to greet them.

Zhao Ti, as Imperial Inspector overseeing the military and civil affairs of four circuits, wherever he went—whether circuit, prefecture, or department—became the seat of the Inspectorate, assuming full authority over all administration.

Seeing no one from Suzhou come to receive or relieve him, and the troops unable to enter the city, he smiled faintly at the distant gates.

Suzhou was prosperous; at the gates, many men, women, and children came and went, all curious about Zhao Ti’s bannered troops, staring over repeatedly.

Zhong Pu’s face turned ashen: “Your Highness, let me take men into the city and drag Wang Zhonghuan here to pay his respects!”

At the same time, the martial artists under his command stepped forward to volunteer: “Your Royal Highness, let us go fetch that corrupt official and bring him before you to avenge you!”

Zhou Dong, seeing this, twitched his face; he feared these men usually turned pale at the mention of officials—how had they suddenly gained such boldness? And how dare they use the term “corrupt official”? He hurried to stop them.

Zhao Ti said: “General Zhong, no need for many men—avoid disturbing the people. Take five hundred soldiers to the Suzhou Prefectural Office and see what’s happening.”

Zhong Pu asked: “Your Highness, should we arrest him and bring him back directly?”

Zhao Ti replied: “Assess the situation first, then report back.”

Zhong Pu departed with his men; Zhao Ti rode Black Rose around the camp, spotted a small river, dismounted to water his horse, then patted Black Rose’s head after drinking: “Your master probably doesn’t want you anymore—hasn’t come to claim you in a year. From now on, you’re mine. Even if he returns, I won’t give you back.”

Black Rose nuzzled him, neighing twice: “Hiiii-luuu.”

After a while, Zhong Pu returned, furious, to report: “Your Highness, when we reached the Suzhou Prefectural Office, Wang Zhonghuan claimed illness and refused to see us, saying you should enter the city yourself.”

Zhao Ti stroked Black Rose’s head: “Traditionally, the Imperial Inspectorate takes over wherever it arrives. Throw Wang Zhonghuan out—turn the Suzhou Prefectural Office into the Inspectorate’s headquarters.”

Zhong Pu said: “I obey!” Then he returned to the city.

Zhao Ti selected a hundred men from his army and ordered the martial artists to accompany him, strolling slowly toward the city gate.

The city guards’ faces were grim; having just heard Zhong Pu announce Zhao Ti’s identity, they knew exactly who he was and hurriedly bowed: “Your Highness, a thousand greetings.”

The Imperial Guard Command did not merely oversee the capital’s troops; nominally, it held authority over all regional armies. The Palace Guard Command controlled more troops in the capital than the Imperial Guard Command, but had no authority over regional armies.

That meant the Suzhou troops, even without an imperial edict or a decree from the Secretariat, could not be mobilized by the Imperial Guard Command—but they could still be supervised.

Zhao Ti said: “Lead me to the Prefect’s Office.”

The soldier dared not disobey, leading the way through streets and alleys to the Suzhou Prefectural Office, where dozens of clerks surrounded a man with a sallow face and goatee, his official robes caked in dust, looking disheveled, shouting at the office gates.

Hearing footsteps, the man turned; seeing the city guide, he frowned, then spotted Zhao Ti on horseback and the capital-style imperial guards behind him, and asked: “Are you the Prince of Yan?”

Zhao Ti studied Wang Zhonghuan; he had never met him before—he only attended grand court assemblies, and Wang Zhonghuan had always been posted outside the capital, leaving no impression.

“Prince of Yan, why do you meddle in governance? Abolish the old, restore the new, and disrupt the court?” Wang Zhonghuan shouted.

Zhao Ti said coolly: “Who is making this noise?”

Wang Zhonghuan roared: “I am Wang Zhonghuan, Prefect of Suzhou, demanding an explanation from the Prince of Yan!”

Zhao Ti sneered: “Take this insolent rogue who overstepped his bounds and bind him!”

The imperial guards immediately stepped forward, seized Wang Zhonghuan’s arms, and bound him tightly with ox-hide ropes.

Wang Zhonghuan froze, startled and panicked: “I am a court-appointed official! By what right do you arrest me? What authority do you have? I will impeach you before the court! I will denounce you!”

Zhao Ti said: “I am Imperial Inspector of the Four Circles and Forty-Three Prefectures of Jiangnan. Do you say I have no authority to arrest you?”

“I… I’ve broken no law, violated no statute! You abuse your Inspectorate powers to pave the way for your new laws, retaliate against court officials—I will impeach you!”

Zhao Ti slowly shook his head: “Investigate Prefect Wang Zhonghuan of Suzhou: his jurisdiction has nurtured bandits, ignored and tolerated them, allowed them to grow rampant; he neglects governance, is lazy and incompetent, and has shown disrespect and overstepped propriety. Arrest him and imprison him until further orders!”

“I… I have no bandits in my jurisdiction… uuuh.” Wang Zhonghuan’s words were cut off as Su Da stepped forward, stuffed a rag into his mouth, knocked off his official hat, and dragged him away.

The martial artists all wore expressions of satisfaction; though they daily called corrupt officials “dogs” and “hounds,” whenever they settled down to establish a sect or school, who didn’t rush to court the authorities? They’d never even seen a Prefect, let alone a County Magistrate or Deputy—yet they’d scramble to befriend them.

As for assassinating corrupt officials or pleading for the people—were corrupt officials vegetarians? Did they have no guards? Who would kill an official for no reason? How many injustices were there to right? Sects weren’t bandits; they weren’t lone wolves. If they stirred up trouble, the monk could run, but the temple couldn’t—their families and disciples would suffer.

Now, seeing the Prefect of Suzhou captured in an instant, none of the clerks dared to defend him; they felt a surge of joy, thinking this was true manhood—to hold power over the world, to control life and death—this was the unextinguishable dream of a man.

At that moment, more people were driven out from inside the gates; Zhong Pu stepped forward to report: “Your Highness, the Prefectural Office has been cleared. Please proceed.”

Zhao Ti nodded and walked inside: “Summon all Suzhou officials, large and small—I will question them.”