Chapter 53: Chapter 53

The official vessel traveled downstream. In just over ten days, it had already entered Bianzhou territory.

At the Bianzhou docks, several figures in brilliant crimson stood on the shore, with a sparse scattering of Embroidered Uniform Guards in black-and-white Flying Fish Robes behind them.

Before the vessel had even come to a complete stop, Zhao Jiu could no longer contain himself. Tears filled his eyes.

“Unc—Fifth Master! I’m pleased to report that I fulfilled my mission. I’ve missed you terribly these past few days!”

“Good, good. All that matters is that you’ve returned safely.”

Lu Wenyu helped Zhao Jiu disembark. The deep affection between them truly made them look like an uncle and his nephew. In particular, the sight of them clasping both hands was so convincing that no one could have called it an act.

The two Oscar winners of Great Qi freely displayed their respective acting talents upon this tiny stage. On the vessel was a newly risen young talent, while on the shore stood a veteran actor seasoned by many years of experience. One side’s performance was slightly exaggerated and still somewhat green, while the other’s was natural and mature, carrying the air of a senior guiding a promising newcomer.

Aside from Eunuch He in his crimson official robe, everyone nearby belonged to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Their boss enjoyed this sort of atmosphere, so they could simply play along. What was the rush?

Couldn’t they see Lu Wenyu’s crimson Flying Fish Robe and Zhao Jiu’s blue-green Flying Fish Robe? They were all wily old hands. Who would be foolish enough to spoil the mood now?

Eunuch He had also been in the Western Garden Duty Room that day, so he knew Zhao Jiu’s background perfectly well. Besides, wasn’t Lu Wenyu’s lawful wife surnamed Su? Where had this nephew surnamed Zhao suddenly come from?

However, Eunuch He had spent many years in the palace and naturally understood that Lu Wenyu was publicly lending Zhao Jiu his support, so he allowed them to continue their performance.

Unfortunately, the two became increasingly immersed in their roles and showed no sign of stopping. They had already begun discussing brothels and entertainment quarters. If they continued, even three days and three nights wouldn’t be enough.

Eunuch He had no choice but to interrupt them.

“Lord Lu, who might this be?”

Hearing Eunuch He’s voice, Lu Wenyu finally returned to his senses. He had been careless and gotten too deeply into character.

“Heh, please forgive me, Eunuch He. This is Zhao Muzhi, my nephew. We haven’t seen each other for too long, so we exchanged a few extra words. Muzhi, this is Eunuch He of the Directorate of Ceremonial.”

Following Lu Wenyu’s gaze, Zhao Jiu saw Eunuch He smiling like Maitreya Buddha and hurriedly saluted him.

“Eunuch He, this lowly official is Zhao Muzhi.”

Eunuch He smiled in acknowledgment. “Lord Zhao, have something to eat first. You’ve endured a long and exhausting journey.”

He then turned to Lu Wenyu. “Lord Lu, let’s head over first. The case is important.”

Zhao Jiu was ostensibly Lu Wenyu’s nephew, so Eunuch He had to show him some consideration. His latter words were merely a reminder: there was official business to handle, so they shouldn’t make a grand production out of Zhao Jiu’s welcoming banquet.

Lu Wenyu smiled. “There’s no hurry. Magistrate Xu hasn’t arrived yet. Let’s eat first. The interrogation won’t begin until this evening, so there’s no need to rush.”

Eunuch He had only spoken to interrupt their performance. As for when the interrogation began, naturally, they had to wait until everyone was present. He nodded in agreement with Lu Wenyu.

After nightfall, inside the Prefectural Yamen of Bianzhou, Vice Minister of Justice Wang Yantong occupied the seat of honor. Seated below him on the left were Magistrate Xu Ren and Magistrate Wen Yun, who would serve as associate judges.

The two County Magistrates ordinarily wouldn’t have been qualified to participate in such a major case. However, after officials across several prefectures in Jiangnan had been investigated, these two alone had been found completely clean. Furthermore, both were highly accomplished in criminal law and familiar with local affairs, so the Grand Secretariat appointed them as associate judges.

To the right sat the recording clerk, who was currently grinding ink and moistening his brush.

After a short wait, Eunuch He and his attendant, Eunuch Shen, arrived first. Lu Wenyu and Zhao Jiu followed immediately afterward.

The four took their seats on either side. Several Thousand-Household Officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard stood outside the doors, along with two Section Chiefs from the Eastern and Western Depots.

Looking across the hall, the two County Magistrates were the only ones dressed in blue official robes. Everyone else wore crimson, dark scarlet, or blue-green. With such a formidable gathering, forget interrogating a few Prefects—even princes and dukes would receive no grander treatment.

Once everyone was seated, they leisurely sipped tea from their cups. Wang Yantong, sitting in the place of honor, didn’t seem to care whom they were interrogating. He leaned sideways against his chair and drank tea as though the matter had nothing to do with him.

Magistrate Xu had no desire to keep waiting. He called toward the doors, “Bring in the imperial prisoner!”

Before long, two Embroidered Uniform Guards escorted in a prisoner wearing a complete set of chains and fetters. He shuffled forward one step at a time before being seated on the stool in the center of the hall.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards and the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial showed no reaction, while Wang Yantong acted as though he hadn’t even seen the man. Magistrate Xu could only conduct the questioning himself.

“Lord Lin, you haven’t yet been convicted, so I’ll still address you as Lord Lin for the time being.” Magistrate Xu’s tone was mild, but his attitude was firm. “Let me ask you this: by what means did you embezzle so much silver? Where was it used, and through whose hands did it pass?”

Lin Kui sat on the stool with his hair hanging loose around his face, his expression utterly defeated. After hearing Xu Ren’s questions, he merely smiled without any intention of answering.

He was certain to lose his head for murdering an Imperial Envoy. The corruption charges were merely an additional detail.

“Why are you silent?” Xu Ren roared, startling Lin Kui and freezing the smile on his face.

Lin Kui quickly regained his composure and said mockingly, “You’re merely a Seventh-Rank official. Before I was imprisoned, someone of your standing couldn’t even get through my front door. Heh.”

Xu Ren’s expression remained unchanged. He had anticipated this outcome long ago. Lin Kui was already a dead man. The only thing left for him to bargain over was the survival of his wife, children, and elderly kin.

In a case of this magnitude, forget Xu Ren—even the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard seated nearby couldn’t make that decision.

Xu Ren could only wave his hand and have Lin Kui taken away.

“Bring in the accused official Chen Fuyi.”

Before long, Chen Fuyi was dragged into the hall by two Embroidered Uniform Guards, just as Lin Kui had been. They tossed him onto the stool, but he failed to steady himself and fell off, landing sprawled on the floor.

Xu Ren asked, “Lord Chen, according to my information, the Bianzhou yamen recorded tens of thousands of taels in additional expenditures every year—nearly five hundred thousand taels over five years. As Deputy Prefect of Bianzhou, can you explain where that silver was spent?”

“Naturally, it was spent on necessary projects. Over those five years, both the Qinhuai River embankment and the Yangtze River embankment were rebuilt. Such work requires money, so the Prefectural Yamen naturally covered the excess expenditures first.”

Chen Fuyi spoke in broken, halting sentences. However, river embankment repairs had always involved murky accounts in which everyone could make their own case.

“Utter nonsense!” Xu Ren slammed the table and roared.

How could he know nothing about repairing embankments? But the same embankment had been under reconstruction for five years, exceeding its budget every single year by nearly the same enormous amount. This excuse was far too flimsy.

Chen Fuyi lay on the floor. He had already been tortured during the investigation into the Imperial Envoy’s murder, so he was naturally weak and listless. Nevertheless, he chuckled softly.

“Magistrate Xu already knows this accused official is talking nonsense, doesn’t he? Surely you can figure out the truth?”

Xu Ren stared grimly at Chen Fuyi, but he couldn’t say the answer himself. He could only ask, “Whose idea was it to rebuild the embankments?”

“The Prefect’s, naturally.”

“And at whose behest was the Prefect acting?”

“…”

Chen Fuyi no longer dared to speak. For them to embezzle money, they naturally required protection from the Capital. Otherwise, how could they have continued stealing for so many years without being discovered until now?

Seeing Chen Fuyi stammer and hesitate, Xu Ren raised his voice.

“Speak! Who instructed you to rebuild the embankments? Furthermore, the Yangtze River embankment failed twice within five years. Were those breaches caused by problems with the construction?”

Upon hearing those questions, Chen Fuyi simply played dead and refused to speak, his entire body trembling.

Wasn’t that obvious? If there had been no problem with the construction, how could the embankment have failed twice?

Xu Ren might be asking about the embankment repairs, but what he truly wanted was a list of everyone who had taken bribes. If Chen Fuyi remained silent, he might survive. If he spoke, he might not even live through the night.

There are so many corrupt officials throughout Jiangnan. Why are they hounding me in particular?

Chen Fuyi wailed inwardly.

“Humph! Why aren’t you answering? How much public money was allocated to constructing the river embankments? Through whose hands did it pass? Speak at once!”

Xu Ren pressed him relentlessly, showing no mercy in his words.

After that question, it wasn’t only Chen Fuyi on the floor whose expression changed. Even Wang Yantong, seated in the place of honor, paled.

Is there something wrong with this man’s brain? Just investigate how much money they embezzled and leave it at that. Why does he keep digging upward? You might be a sesame-seed-sized Seventh-Rank official who never accepted any money, but I sure as hell don’t dare claim that I never did!