[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor":3,"chapter-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-366":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Wanli, the Enlightened Emperor",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2322188,4542,"Chapter 366: Fear for the Fate of Destiny, Not a Trivial Matter","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-366",366,"\u003Cp>Outside Xinghua Temple, a thin layer of snow began to fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu, Imperial Commissioner overseeing Guangyun Granary and managing Yongfu Granary and transport, and Ke Yong, Provincial Military Commissioner of Zhonghe Waterways and also managing grain transport, both stood with arms crossed, directing their eunuch subordinates and thuggish gangs as they smashed the temple gates, their breaths puffing white clouds as they shouted curses without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very titles of these two men made it clear they were powerful eunuchs of high standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though grand eunuchs might be experts at feigning madness or stupidity, this physical labor of shouting was clearly beyond their strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After only a cup of tea’s worth of cursing, both felt their throats dry and tongues parched; silently, they handed the shouting duty to the junior eunuchs and began pacing anxiously, their figures crossing back and forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby junior eunuchs carried firepots—or warming baskets—following closely behind to keep the two grand eunuchs warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dry Father, talking without action won’t solve anything. Those bastards in the Censorate are hiding inside and refusing to show themselves—why don’t we just storm in and give them a taste of our wrath?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the junior eunuch finished speaking—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SMACK! A sudden slap landed squarely on his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior eunuch clutched the back of his skull, staring blankly at his Dry Father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong wiped his hand with a grimace and snorted coldly: “Storm in? If you’re so brave, why didn’t you step forward this morning to block Fan Vice Minister outside Guangyun Granary?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing mention of the morning’s incident, the junior eunuch shrank his neck in fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stammered in defense: “That was like a scholar facing soldiers—reason doesn’t work! Fan Vice Minister’s Embroidered Uniform Guard had no humanity at all; they didn’t even give me a chance to threaten them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That morning, when Fan Yingqi, Director-General of the Granaries and Right Vice Minister of Revenue, led his men in a surprise raid on Guangyun Granary, it had been like thunder splitting the earth, terrifying everyone in the granary complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, loyal junior eunuchs had rushed forward to block them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for their fate, when others arrived on the scene afterward and saw the several corpses carried out by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they understood instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no one dared say outright they’d been beaten to death; they concocted some flimsy excuse instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story went that when Fan Vice Minister stood there, before he even opened his mouth, several junior eunuchs and clerks began whispering hints about “someone above,” but the Embroidered Uniform Guard were no fools—they instantly scrambled up onto the roof, screaming for someone, someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t find anyone, but accidentally trampled through several beams, crushing to death the few men gathered to block the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the junior eunuchs found this absurd excuse infuriating, seeing how lawless the Embroidered Uniform Guard had become, they dared not press further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong laughed bitterly: “The Vice Minister of Revenue dares kill your junior eunuchs—do you think the Censor-in-Chief won’t?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just a temple gate, not a bronze-and-iron wall—do you really think it won’t break?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not that they can’t break it; they’re just afraid of provoking Chen Wude and losing their last chance at negotiation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu grew increasingly agitated as he listened, his pacing steps growing ever faster: “Chen Wude keeps avoiding us—if we wait another half-day, the yin-yang ledgers of Guangyun and Yongfu Granaries will surely be turned upside down!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Investigations and purges of corruption are always led by the Censorate, with the Ministry of Revenue assisting; Chen Wude’s word carries far more weight than Fan Yingqi’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when Fan Yingqi shut them out completely, they had all rushed here to Mount Yunlong to beg Chen Wude for mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so, if the Ministry of Revenue finishes auditing the ledgers, even if the Censorate wants to call it quits, it will be too late to stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong was anxious, but still composed enough to soothe his companion: “The official ledgers alone number in the thousands—finding the secret accounts won’t be done in three or five days; we still have time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The falsified ledgers of the two granaries, built painstakingly over years, were solidly rooted; the Ministry’s hastily trained accountants, with their shaky foundations, could hardly spot the flaws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu didn’t know if he was afraid or cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pushed away his adopted son, took the firepot into his own hands, and sighed worriedly: “I fear Chen Wude won’t care about the bigger picture—Wang Lao and the others have been inside for a long while, and there’s still no sign of movement; they probably haven’t even won him over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone was deeply pessimistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These Censorate people prioritize official achievements above all else—they’ll do anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the sake of cold bureaucratic rank, they’ll even send warm colleagues straight to prison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong brushed snow from his shoulder and gritted his teeth: “If Wang Lao’s words fall on deaf ears, we’ll go speak to him ourselves!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as Chen Wude still understands right from wrong, he should stop here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, if he calls it off, the number of officials brought down will be enough for Chen Wude to claim credit at the year-end departmental meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he goes further, it might not even help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu remained unconvinced; both he and Ke Yong had been exiled from Beijing in the first year of Wanli, and they knew little of Chen Wude and his kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ke Yong had already said all he could—further words of despair would be inappropriate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to the eunuchs smashing the gate and shouted shrilly: “Hit harder! If you’re too weak to eat, go to the Censorate’s prison and eat your fill!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this barbed order, the junior eunuchs rallied their strength and renewed their assault with fresh fervor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the group prepared to continue waiting out Chen Wude—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two heavy temple gates slowly swung open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sounds of smashing, shouting, and murmuring all ceased at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As someone stepped out from within, the junior eunuchs’ eyes flickered between the newcomer and their Dry Fathers, hesitated a moment, then retreated behind Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong didn’t have time to think—they hurried forward side by side: “We’re unfamiliar with your Excellency—where is Censor-in-Chief Chen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They nearly asked outright: “Where’s your master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent years, many young men had entered the Forbidden City; regional eunuchs far from the center barely recognized them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou remained silent, standing on the steps, looking down at the group of eunuchs outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch affairs were complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that they dared not arrest them—right now, killing a few eunuchs would be as easy as raising a hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But killing one, then another, wouldn’t solve everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides the Xuzhou case itself, the Emperor demanded they draw broader lessons and reform the system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the bureaucratic structure of granary supervisors had persisted for two hundred years; mislabeling it would offend countless court officials and inner court eunuchs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ministry of Revenue’s branch office at Xuzhou Water-Stage Granary was established in the thirteenth year of Yongle, with only a low-ranking official in charge—yet its power was great, and corruption was frequent. So in the second month of Zhengtong three, the Yingzong Emperor dispatched a host of eunuchs to supervise the water-stage granaries to check the Ministry of Revenue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ministry’s branch had only one or two officials, yet now a swarm of supervising grand eunuchs arrived; as Li Mengyang said, “Fewer than five or six, more than twenty or thirty—they couldn’t even fit in the court,” and “One tiger among ten sheep leaves no sheep whole—how much less ten tigers and one sheep?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One man doing the work, twenty or thirty men supervising—this system was bound to fail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, both sides began attacking each other: the eunuchs accused the water-stage granary officials of “exploiting soldiers and civilians with exorbitant demands,” while the granary officials countered: “The greatest harm to granaries comes from eunuchs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And matters grew worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuchs, within their authority, constantly obstructed civil officials; in Xuande, Zhang Lun arrived with 100,000 hu of tax grain to deposit at Xuzhou Granary, but the eunuchs refused entry, claiming “the granaries are full,” and held him up for over forty days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, civil officials were no pushovers either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fourth year of Jingtai, when Shandong and Henan suffered famine, Wang Hong, Provincial Governor of Huai, Yang, and Lu prefectures and also in charge of the Two Huai Salt Revenues, unable to wait for imperial orders, “opened the granaries without waiting for approval” and posted notices urging starving people to come for food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The starving came—but Huai, Yang, and Lu prefectures had no surplus grain; only Xuzhou’s Guangyun Granary held reserves, so Wang Hong ordered it opened fully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ministry of Revenue’s branch obeyed, but the eunuchs insisted they must wait for imperial orders. Wang Hong said nothing, then declared: “The people will become bandits within a day or two—rely on the eunuchs? First, I’ll execute them, then I’ll beg for death myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Needless to say, though he executed five or six leading eunuchs without imperial decree, Wang Hong certainly didn’t need to beg for death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court merely issued a reprimand: next time, just detain the eunuchs—don’t be so quick to chop heads off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Xuande to Zhengde, the conflict raged without end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t until Jiajing fourteen, when supervising eunuchs Wang Feng and Ji Shen exposed each other’s crimes, that internal strife erupted among the grand eunuchs, plunging the court into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the Ministry of Revenue’s censor Guan Huaili seize the chance to submit a memorial: “The granaries’ finances are the Ministry of Revenue’s responsibility; adding eunuchs only encourages greed and brings no benefit to state finances—please abolish all internal eunuch supervisors of granaries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ministry of Revenue, the Censorate, and the Grand Secretariat all supported it; the Jiajing Emperor yielded to the departmental consensus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after the eunuchs were removed, the Ministry of Revenue’s branch monopolized control of the granaries, repeatedly being impeached by touring censors for corruption and bribery,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and extorting grain merchants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inner court seized the opportunity to petition for reinstating eunuch supervisors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After years of dispute, by Jiajing twenty-nine, both sides compromised: additional eunuch supervisors could be appointed, but their rank and number would match the Ministry’s branch officials—only one or two, to monitor and check each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original intent was good, and it did bring temporary harmony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after thirty years of smooth operation, the flaws had resurfaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fewer people meant fewer ideas—and collusion became easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even worse, after merging, they formed broader networks, making resistance to imperial audits simpler than ever!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So how should they draw broader lessons this time? Should they blame the inherent wickedness of eunuchs, or the chronic corruption of civil officials?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how should they reform the rites? Abolishing eunuchs was impossible; adding more wasn’t right either—could they really send supervisors to supervise the supervisors?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, problems in the Ministry of Works or the Transport Office were internal bureaucratic issues, discussable behind closed doors; but when inner and outer court conflict was involved, harmony vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One risked losing reputation, branded by literati as eunuch hounds—or accused by eunuchs whispering to the Emperor that scholar-officials were selfish and lacked impartiality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until this issue had clarity, neither Chen Wude nor Xu Fuyuan nor others dared make a definitive judgment—or even voice an opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Writing for others, carving up interests—isn’t that precisely the duty of the Grand Secretaries? Old, decaying ministers hesitate at such tasks; newly minted Jinshi should see them as raw material!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much internal deliberation—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou finally fixed his gaze on the two leaders: “I am Xiao Liangyou, Compiler of the Hanlin Academy and Acting Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat. I salute you, two Grand Eunuchs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You two Grand Eunuchs have disregarded propriety and shouted at the Imperial Secretariat—what is your purpose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bowed respectfully, his demeanor neither humble nor haughty, revealing nothing on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong exchanged glances, both hesitating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course they’d heard his name—he was the current palace examination’s third-place laureate—but the question was: Chen Wude avoided them entirely, yet sent this minor figure to speak—was there even any point in talking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Wan Xiangchun, Xu Fuyuan, and others, who had deliberately lagged behind, saw Xiao Liangyou already speaking to the eunuchs and finally appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grand Eunuch Sun, Grand Eunuch Ke—regarding the Xuzhou cases, Compiler Xiao’s view represents the stance of the Imperial Hanlin Academy and the Secretariat. Censor-in-Chief Chen will consider it carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Technically, Xiao Liangyou had no authority to represent the Imperial Hanlin Academy or Secretariat—but the entire department was stationed in Xuzhou, and wasn’t he the only one present?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By placing a high hat on Xiao Liangyou and pushing him forward to face the eunuchs, they could later have him write a report on the granary system’s flaws—perfectly logical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong, long removed from court politics, didn’t understand these new bureaucratic twists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They only heard several censors placing high hats on the Secretary and assumed he was the Emperor’s trusted confidant, someone whose words carried great weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gentlemen, let us speak privately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two grabbed Xiao Liangyou’s arm and dragged him toward the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as they reached the wall, Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong laid it out bluntly, their expressions anxious: “Quickly recall Fan Vice Minister! This matter in Xuzhou must end here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xingjian, Wan Xiangchun, and others followed behind, exchanging silent glances, their thoughts unclear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou feigned confusion, staring at the two eunuchs in astonishment: “End here? Are you two here to turn yourselves in, so we can close the case swiftly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Sun Dexiu flew into a rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stuck out his neck and snarled: “Turn myself in? You’re a fucking fool! This is a matter of heaven-shaking magnitude—I dare admit it, but do you dare listen?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’ve all been in officialdom for years; who doesn’t know these people stir up trouble but fear it too?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you push them too far, who cares about ‘properly confessing their crimes’? At that point, who will be the one afraid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After listening, Xiao Liangyou, disregarding decorum, bared his teeth in a grin: “In the eighteenth year of Hongwu, Vice Minister Guo Huan stole over 1.9 million shi of autumn grain and accepted over 500,000 taels in bribes—he was executed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the sixth month of Tianshun four, a thunderstorm ignited a fire at the Jizhou granary, burning four granaries and spoiling 67,800 shi of rice; the granary director, deputy director, and clerks—all twenty-two—were executed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What colossal grain-storage scandals haven’t we seen in our dynasty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eight years ago, the salt administration case implicated countless meritorious nobles and imperial relatives, even the former Grand Secretary and the current emperor’s uncle—did His Majesty ever hesitate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as you two are here to turn yourselves in, I have nothing I won’t hear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu’s face flushed red; he opened his mouth to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong quickly pulled him back, then shot Xiao Liangyou an apologetic glance to defuse the tension: “It’s different, Xiao Bianxiu—this time in Xuzhou, it’s truly different.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course it’s different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What are salt and grain? Pfft! A few dozen shi of salt or grain—stolen, so what? Back then, Yan Song’s in-laws and old associates openly embezzled over a million shi of grain, and the Jiajing Emperor still tolerated it—try obstructing the canal transport and see what happens!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of the empire’s taxes come from Suzhou and Songjiang; what do the poor, remote regions of Beijing and the Nine Borders live on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The canal transport is the very lifeline connecting north and south, the only artery linking the people of both regions!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the reign of Xiao Zong, the Yellow River changed course, submerging hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland and displacing over 100,000 people along its banks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, between restoring the old riverbed and using the Yellow River to protect the canal, Xiao Zong resolutely chose to protect the canal—ancient river management aimed only to remove harm from the people; today’s river management fears disrupting transport and jeopardizing state affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To protect the canal transport, the Hongzhi era spent two million taels; the first decade of Zhengde spent over three million taels; in the early Jiajing years, repeated expenditures ranged from fifty to over eighty thousand taels—how many millions of silver taels have flowed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the canal transport, the “lifeblood of the realm,” which emperor hasn’t turned a blind eye to minor embezzlement of tens of thousands of taels?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Xuzhou’s Three Hong is now the most clogged section of the canal—any delay of half a month, any fewer stones of rubble cleared from the Three Hong, and this national lifeline will instantly collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the canal transport fails, four million shi of autumn grain cannot reach the Nine Borders on schedule; the fierce north-south conflict now raging may no longer remain mere words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since ancient times, has any empire ever unified the land with blocked freight routes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his voice, trying to make these insensitive civil officials understand the stakes: “Your Excellencies, the canal transport cannot be judged by the same standard as the former Nan Zhili salt administration case.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After all, salt merchants are scattered, powerless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the canal granaries are the very livelihood of a million canal workers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you investigate further, it’s not just about how many officials are implicated—it’s that once you stir up the resentment of scholar-gentry and commoners—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This canal, which transports four million shi of autumn grain annually, may not even operate next year!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, not only Xiao Liangyou, but Wan Xiangchun, Chen Xingjian, Xu Fu yuan, and others watching nearby all turned pale with fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How dare you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How dare you threaten the court with the nation’s lifeline!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong, shaken by their anger, immediately lowered his tone: “I’m not threatening you! I’m terrified too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think these Wangs are clean? Why else would they come pleading?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Xiao Liangyou and the others realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man claims other cases are scattered and powerless—does that mean the scholar-gentry’s collusion in Xuzhou’s canal transport is even deeper than the salt merchants’ in the salt case?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou steadied himself and sneered: “The provincial government’s corruption was investigated by the Censorate; the shoddy engineering of the Water Division was reviewed by the Ministry of Public Works—yet we only heard two cries of protest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But as soon as we turned to your water-side granary’s ledgers, the Xuzhou scholar-gentry, gangs, and canal workers grew bold—claiming to sever the canal to blackmail the court to protect Sun Dang’s accounts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you two think we’re children?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong opened his mouth to speak, but some things couldn’t be said outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stamped his foot in frustration!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his demeanor, everyone realized the water-side granary’s involvement ran deep—so entrenched in interests that they dared threaten to disrupt the canal transport.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sent chills down their spines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuzhou’s canal transport concerns the state’s livelihood—it cannot fail. Our dynasty established its capital in Beijing; without four million shi, we cannot survive; without moving grain across rivers, over the Huai, through the Ji, we cannot connect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court’s need for southern tribute is desperate—if anti-corruption shakes the canal, even the capital itself will be left “unable to survive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Xiangchun’s face darkened as he weighed the possibility of anti-corruption destabilizing the canal: “Could it be that Sun Dang’s water-side granary has become the scholar-gentry’s private treasury, open for anyone to take?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong had not yet spoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Sun Dexiu leapt up: “Nonsense! Since I took charge of the Xuzhou granaries, I’ve been honest, focused solely on increasing reserves—I’ve never let a single grain of rice leave the storehouse for anyone! How dare you slander my integrity!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Criminals defending themselves was common; no one found it strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But those words immediately alerted Chen Xingjian, Chief of the Ministry of Revenue’s Censorate: “Increasing reserves? The water-side granary’s sources are only four: land tax, grain purchases, salt-grain exchanges, and donations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did Sun Dang ‘increase’ the sources?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu’s face changed—he realized he’d spoken carelessly and quickly turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong wished he’d covered Sun Dexiu’s mouth earlier—it was too late now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since the words were out, Chen Xingjian wouldn’t let it go: “Purchases cost money—can’t be called ‘increasing’; salt-grain exchanges originate from the salt administration—so it’s land tax and donations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xingjian’s eyelid twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add to that the scholar-gentry’s collective opposition—and the answer was obvious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu’s single slip had been deduced to this extent—he felt like crying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need to hide anymore; he slumped, turning away: “The donated grain was also recorded in the water-side granary’s ledgers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Fuyuan, the Ministry of Personnel’s Vice Minister, who had been confused until now, instantly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grabbed Sun Dexiu’s collar in shock: “You’ve manipulated the donation system—selling official posts and ranks?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou and Wan Xiangchun, belatedly grasping it, both paled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Donations!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ancestors established granaries to store grain; any commoner who donated grain could be granted honorary titles as a righteous citizen, appointed as a clerk, or given a civilian rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words: buying office with money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Wu Zhipeng’s grandfather became a yinyang official through donation—in October of Jiajing twenty-three, the court decreed: 200 shi of grain for a ninth-rank civilian post, 300 shi for eighth, 400 shi for seventh—all civilian ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buddhist monks could donate to become clerics; in March of JingTai five, after the chief monk of Yanzhou’s Buddhist Bureau died, Monk Jue Xing donated 700 shi to fill the post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Military posts in the garrison system could also be bought; in JingTai three, it was decreed: those above the rank of zheng Battalion Commander—including vice commanders—donated 800 shi for promotion; those above fujianhu donated 600 shi; banner leaders donated 600 shi, corporals and sheren donated 700 shi, and military dependents donated 800 shi—all could be promoted to acting Company Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minor clerks were even easier: 150 shi for a chengcha, 200 shi for a zhiyin, 100 shi for a sansi dianshi, 70 shi for clerks in prefectural and transport bureaus, 50 shi for clerks in legal offices, 30 shi for clerks in miscellaneous offices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even local prefectural and county schools allowed donations to become jiansheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But such sale of offices had limits: first, most were powerless civilian ranks or low-grade clerks; second, they were usually permitted only when local finances collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, in Chenghua eleven, Huguang and Jiangxi were permitted to accept donations because of famine—local governors petitioned for two hundred civilian posts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In August of Chenghua twelve, Zhejiang was permitted to accept donations after a Japanese raid—to aid the people, wealthy households were allowed to donate for one thousand jiansheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, places like Xuzhou, long plagued by Yellow River floods and famine, were frequent petitioners for civilian posts and jiansheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If donation practices were secretly manipulated—no wonder the Xuzhou scholar-gentry and commoners were so close!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu had only wanted to scare these men into backing off—now he threw caution to the wind: “Years of flooding, endless corvée labor—how could the few honorary civilian posts granted by the court possibly suffice?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Falsely reporting disasters to petition for donations, altering donation quotas, multiple people per post, rotating into the Imperial Academy, even donating first and later altering records to make appointments permanent—these tricks were already standard practice before I even came to Xuzhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who in Xuzhou doesn’t want to buy an official title for themselves or a jiansheng for their descendants?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every office, from top to bottom, deceived superiors and concealed truths; after opening all these paths, a thousand taels for a meeting, two thousand for a meal, three thousand for an arrow shot—the Xuzhou scholar-gentry rushed to it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, thousands along the canal—yinyang priests, scholar-gentry, commoners, jiansheng students, dike clerks, inspectors—all these people, countless in number, gained their posts through donation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once this is exposed, they’ll conspire to defy imperial orders, sever the canal—there’s nothing they won’t do!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Dao rises one foot, the demon rises ten—Your Excellencies, please, have mercy. This concerns the nation’s lifeline; our ancestral tombs are above us—anti-corruption will destroy the state!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dao rises one foot, demon rises ten”—how bold!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ancestral tombs above us”—this was a naked threat: if scholar-gentry interests were harmed, they’d rather let the canal silt up than risk disturbing the ancestral tombs and undermining the state’s vital energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou took a deep breath, staring at Sun Dexiu as if he were already dead: “Even so, donations still involved grain—it shouldn’t have left any flaw in the water-side granary’s ledgers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then pressed: “Where’s the grain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu stammered, unable to answer clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong turned, meeting Xiao Liangyou’s gaze: “At the time, the granaries were damaged and unsuitable for storage; the prefectural office and the Revenue Division agreed to convert the donated grain into silver for deposit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This matter—hadn’t yet been reported to the central court.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xingjian, as Chief of the Ministry of Revenue’s Censorate, laughed bitterly: “And where’s the silver?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong clenched his lips, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu, seeing the civil officials’ hatred and disgust, grew increasingly terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was utterly defeated, muttering: “It was used for disaster relief—all given to the people. Their appetites were too great.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu couldn’t understand why these scholars reacted so coldly—he was suffering so badly, yet they showed no sympathy or understanding?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering the palace, he’d been capable, repeatedly praised by senior eunuchs and imperial consorts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was utterly dejected, muttering, “The disaster relief has been distributed, all of it—too much for the common people’s appetite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu could not understand why these Grand Secretaries behaved this way; if he himself was in such misery, how could they feel no empathy or understanding?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering the palace, he had demonstrated exceptional ability and received repeated praise from senior eunuchs and imperial consorts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his professional triumphs could not mask his spiritual and material despair—his physical disability, meager salary, the palace’s cold isolation, and the exile to Xuzhou—all cast a gray shadow over his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was under these circumstances that local officials and gentry swiftly recognized Sun Dexiu’s spiritual emptiness and set about corrupting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emotional value the court could not provide was found in Xuzhou’s bureaucracy; without it, how could he have ever aligned himself with these people?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is such suffering not worthy of pity?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he thought of these things, Sun Dexiu’s eyes reddened, and he wept openly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou saw this and nearly retched in revulsion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Wan Xiangchun seized Xiao Liangyou’s hand and pulled him aside: “Xiao, the Imperial Scholar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou turned back in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the group had gathered apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Xiangchun spoke solemnly: “Corrupt eunuchs are hateful, but this matter concerns the nation’s lifeline—it demands caution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking the blame for minor officials is acceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one can bear the blame for undermining the grain transport system and severing north-south ties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou frowned sharply and interrupted: “With villains before us, are you, Wan, the Censor, suggesting we let them off?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Xiangchun’s words were cut off; a flicker of annoyance crossed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glared fiercely at Xiao Liangyou: “Did I say that? Is your, Xiao the Imperial Scholar, the only upright minister in the entire imperial court?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou realized he had spoken rashly and hastily bowed in apology, gesturing for Wan Xiangchun to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Xiangchun snorted coldly and went on: “Set a clear boundary for this case: it must not affect the grain transport system or shake the nation’s lifeline. Do any of you object?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xingjian and Xu Fuyuan immediately nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, Xiao Liangyou also nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Southward, it connects the rich lands of Huai and Chu; eastward, it channels the flow of Qi and Lu. Merchants trade, goods abound—this speaks not merely of economy, but of the river’s vital role in sustaining our dynasty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Xiangchun exhaled in relief: “The case must proceed, but matters involving the masses must be set aside—draw a clear line between guilt and innocence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No official or eunuch is beyond punishment, but we must not provoke the Xuzhou gentry factions—lest they stir unrest, collude, and cut off the grain transport.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purging the bureaucracy won’t break anything; kill one batch, replace them with another—easy enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the clerks and students bought through donations, along with the gentry factions behind them—that’s entirely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are the ones who collect taxes, conscript laborers, supervise sluices and locks—if they truly wanted to sabotage the grain transport, it wouldn’t be empty threats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet despite this prudent counsel, Xiao Liangyou shook his head vigorously: “Wan, the Censor, this talk of cutting off the grain transport and corrupt officials bringing down the state is merely their scare tactic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does our Xuzhou bureaucracy have no capable officials? Do our Xuzhou people have no honest souls who depend on the river for their livelihood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even with the condition that the grain transport remain untouched, this case must be handled with care—but not to the point of paralysis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still advocate peeling away the layers, cutting out the rot—even if we must shift to land or sea transport.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cutting off the grain transport? That’s just code for saying Xuzhou has no good officials, no good people—as if continuing the purge will leave the bureaucracy empty and the gentry and commoners in revolt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is seeing a single leaf and missing the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Xiangchun sees only the corrupt officials wielding power and their ‘supporters,’ and is deceived by the illusion—he fears that a vigorous purge might provoke a desperate, united counterattack, bringing ruin to Confucian order and the state, and even considers yielding slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where does this leave the honest citizens and virtuous merchants of Xuzhou who merely wish to live in peace?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou paused, then added: “How could we, of our kind, overestimate the corrupt officials’ resolve or underestimate the court’s governance? Wan, the Censor—you are only thirty miles from the error of excessive gentleness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Wan Xiangchun could no longer contain himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blood boiled; he roared: “You, young man, are blindly optimistic and blind to reality!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shift to land transport? Do you know how to move four million shi of autumn grain by land? Use ice boats! Pour water on the roads in winter to freeze them, then drag the boats along—barely a few li per day!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know why sea transport is capped at five hundred thousand shi annually? Because ships risk the sea, and storms strike! One capsizing means total loss—then who dares send all four million shi by sea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All this talk of overestimating and underestimating is mere paper strategy—you’ve never seen these men, driven to desperation, burn the dragon granaries or cut the grain transport! Filled with resentment, they’d pay out of their own pockets to send military intelligence to the Tartars!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In my view, it’s you, Xiao the Compiler, who’s already half-stepped into the error of excessive harshness!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you truly believe purging corruption is the dynasty’s top priority?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout history, when has anyone ever interfered with the grain transport without the Emperor being the first to panic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the grain transport is shaken, even the Zhu emperors will have to explicitly delay punishment of corruption—“If anything can stabilize the state, rescue the people, and ensure smooth river passage, all beneficial measures shall be permitted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Distorting priorities and ruining the great matter—those among you will suffer first!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two glared at each other, and began to argue openly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two senior eunuchs, driven from the water-side granary by Fan Yingqi to Mount Yunlong, seeking a sliver of survival, had revealed part of their secrets to Xiao Liangyou and others, and had been tense, constantly watching their reactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the dispute erupt, they understood instantly: seize the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong stepped forward cautiously and spoke up: “Just now, Censor Sun asked about the funds from donation posts. I just recalled—years ago, during Prince Lu’s establishment of his fief, I delivered ten thousand taels to Marquis Wuqing through the Marquis of Pingjiang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knew, who didn’t know—I can’t say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I urge you all to think carefully!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xingjian rolled his eyes; Xu Fuyuan pressed his hand to his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again, Marquis Wuqing—every anti-corruption case involves this bastard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Xiangchun immediately sensed Ke Yong’s malice: this fellow bribed Marquis Wuqing, yet brought up Prince Lu’s establishment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is he implying the Empress Dowager demanded this for her son? Did the imperial treasury even cover the gifts—with the Emperor’s tacit approval?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Xiangchun opened his mouth to ask—but dared not voice the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you suggesting this corrupt eunuch’s embezzlement in Xuzhou was tacitly approved by the Two Empress Dowagers and the Emperor—that we should not meddle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group stared, stunned into silence, turning to look at Xiao Liangyou, who had spoken without restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Ke Yong was stunned speechless, frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou frowned: “Stop dragging in the tiger’s hide—I’m asking you a question!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had intended to speak vaguely, guiding them to suspect the Emperor and Empress Dowager, and avoid further inquiry—but Xiao Liangyou had blurted it out outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was finished—even if he hadn’t embezzled, he’d be beaten to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention he had truly embezzled—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Ke Yong’s prolonged silence, Xiao Liangyou lost patience and turned to Xu Fuyuan and the others: “How we proceed with the case is still open to discussion among us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But these two corrupt eunuchs’ crimes are plain as day—let us detain them immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong stepped back several paces, voice trembling with false bravado: “Xu Fuyuan! Xiao Liangyou! I warn you—don’t bring ruin upon yourselves!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xingjian hesitated: “Our ministry has no authority to arrest him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes: internal and external are distinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had we possessed such authority, Fan Yingqi would have arrested them during his granary inspection—no need to divert the trouble to Mount Yunlong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong exhaled deeply and retreated to the wall: “I am the Imperial Commissioner overseeing Guangyun Granaries, managing Yongfu Granaries and transport—this is an imperial appointment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only the Emperor’s decree can touch me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Liangyou’s expression grew impatient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The logic was sound—but letting them go was unthinkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to the senior officials and volunteered: “Execute first, report later! I’ll go get Chen Sixian’s signature and seal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group stirred, tempted, yet hesitant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Yong seized the moment and raised his voice: “I am appointed by the Directorate of Palace Affairs, personally selected by the Empress Dowager, and approved by the Emperor as Granary Superintendent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All the hundreds of thousands of taels I’ve amassed in Xuzhou—you truly think the palace knows nothing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I urge you: the nation’s lifeline lies here. Don’t let the people of Xuzhou starve, and don’t make the Emperor’s life harder!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Show leniency now. Preserve the grain transport, honor the Emperor’s grace—emotionally and rationally, you cannot be blamed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If not—don’t think your rank as Minister or Secretary protects you. Even if Heaven’s own lord came—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words cut off mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu, who had alternately nodded in agreement and bowed his head weeping, found the half-spoken words unbearable. He couldn’t help but laugh through his tears: “Are you introducing someone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He joked to ease the tension—but no one answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu looked up in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw Ke Yong, face filled with disbelief and bitterness, staring blankly at the stone steps leading up the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young eunuchs beside him also looked down, their legs trembling, sticks slipping from their hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Fuyuan, Xiao Liangyou, and the others abandoned them entirely, walking toward the mountain path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu followed their gaze—and saw a crowd, swarming up the mountain, approaching head-on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vice Minister of Works Wan Gong, Director of River Management Pan Jixun, former Vice Minister of Works and Director of River Management Fu Xizhi, Director of the Waterworks Bureau of the Ministry of Works Liu Dongxing—all familiar faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, of course, the one person they least wished to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu felt a hand on his shoulder—he realized Ke Yong was unsteady, leaning on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met; they finally understood, trembling with dread, and supported each other as they stepped forward, bowing in abject terror: “Your servants kneel before the Heavenly Lord, Your Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun climbed the steps, puzzled by the title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the scattered sticks on the temple grounds, the chaotic scene, and after a moment, understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was weary from his journey, utterly uninterested in conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gather everyone. Hold a meeting.” Zhu Yijun waved his hand, gave the order, and walked straight into Xinghua Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd around him paid no attention to the eunuchs, surrounding the Emperor like stars around the moon as they entered the temple gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Wei Chao of the Directorate of Ceremonial deliberately lagged half a step behind to clean up the mess in the Inner Court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He summoned the young eunuchs and questioned them, finally understanding what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Chao turned to look at the two senior eunuchs who had just been shouting, his expression filled with revulsion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong had been kneeling, awaiting execution by bastinado, but when they heard the Emperor did not order their beating or killing, and instead ignored them entirely as he walked straight into the temple, hope flared again in their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two wept uncontrollably, crawling and rolling to grasp Wei Chao’s legs, urgently asking: “Old Ancestor, His Majesty carries the Nine Provinces and Ten Thousand Lands in his heart—he will not be confined to a single prefecture or county.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will the matter in Xuzhou be dropped?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words were passed down after Old Ancestor had carefully gauged the Emperor’s intentions; they must carry their own logic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few cases of corruption in Xuzhou’s bureaucracy are negligible compared to the state’s lifeline: the Grand Canal transport system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two looked up at Wei Chao with great hope, waiting for his mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Chao paused, startled, then couldn’t help laughing, before nodding solemnly and speaking with sincere earnestness: “His Majesty carries the Nine Provinces and Ten Thousand Lands in his heart—he naturally prioritizes the greater good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces lit up with joy; they felt as if reborn from death, and moved to rise, eager to flatter him with words of celebration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet different people understand the “greater good” in different ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, Wei Chao’s expression changed instantly—he wiped the smile from his face, looked down upon them with solemn authority, and barked: “Sun Dexiu! Ke Yong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have persistently ignored the Central Authorities’ warnings, conspiring to seize state property and plunder the people’s wealth. By the Emperor’s decree, you are hereby dismissed and investigated, sentenced to two hundred strokes of the cane, and handed over to the Imperial Censorate on the Move!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take them away!”\u003C\u002Fp>",6501,"2026-06-20T16:31:35.124Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b04ada2b8125e2db31469c64fa48cff9ca1bb48819c2afe209e311eae9253025","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-367","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-365",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwanli-the-enlightened-emperor-cover.jpg"]