dognovel Chapter 1072 The End of an Official's Life
Chapter 1072 The End of an Official's Life
In the following days, officials in Chengdu with a keen sense of trends noticed that the atmosphere seemed to be changing.
The initial changes were subtle, but officials are used to seizing benefits from the smallest clues, and even subtle changes were enough to arouse their vigilance.
On this day, Zhou Huan, the person in charge of salt and iron transportation, sent his trusted steward to Xiyingmen with an inconspicuous camphor wood box, as usual.
The box contained top-quality Yunnan Pu'er tea, with several gold ingots pressed underneath.
In the past, one of the sentry captains under Yu Daliang, who was guarding the gate, would have accepted the money with a smile and let his convoy pass without asking any questions.
Even though the team was slightly over the rules and had a lot of personal agendas involved.
This time, the butler returned looking disheveled, but the box remained untouched.
"Commander Wang has stricter rules in the camp now. All goods entering and leaving the camp must have a formal approval document from the Transport Commissioner's office and be registered and inspected according to the new system."
The steward observed Zhou Huan's expression and whispered, "He also said that this tea is precious and that the master should keep it for himself, as the camp has sufficient supplies."
Zhou Huan's heart tightened immediately, and his face turned pale.
Everyone knows that although this sergeant is of low rank, he has an enormous appetite.
In addition, this person was related to Yu Daliang, which is why he was assigned to this place. No smuggling business in the city could pass through his hands.
If you can't get past him, you can't do any business.
He used to be so greedy that he wanted to go to people's doors to collect money, but now he won't even accept gold that is offered to him.
He dismissed the butler and sat alone in his study, watching the twilight deepen outside the window, his sense of foreboding growing stronger.
Similar incidents occurred in succession over the next few days.
Someone invited several Shu army captains who were on good terms with him to his residence for a banquet to appreciate newly acquired calligraphy and paintings.
Three or four invitations were sent out, but the replies were all remarkably consistent: "Military affairs are busy, we'll talk later."
A minor conflict arose between a family member and a young captain in the Shu army. It was a trivial matter, but the elder brought up his past relationship with a certain general, trying to force the other party to back down.
Unexpectedly, the captain simply straightened his back and replied curtly, "This humble general now only recognizes military law and imperial orders. This matter will be decided by the superior, so there is no need for the general to worry about it!"
After saying this, he locked up the young men from the aristocratic families and took them directly back to the military camp.
What alarmed some officials even more was that their own businesses were in serious trouble.
Their shady business, which originally operated within the city, moved outside the city after the Qing army entered.
Unexpectedly, business outside the city is now impossible, and the original Shu army background seems to have evaporated overnight.
Several gambling dens and underground dens that were originally thriving were suddenly targeted by the Qing army and immediately shut down.
The officials finally panicked and began to gather to discuss how to proceed.
. . . . . .
"Outrageous! Who helped Yu Daliang cover up the trouble his men caused in the city back then? Now they're turning their backs on us!"
A hot-tempered official from a powerful family slammed his fist on the table.
"Shh...be careful what you say!" Another civil official, his face pale, glanced warily at the tightly closed doors and windows. "Things are different now. I heard that His Majesty has not only won over fierce generals like Yu and Xiong, but has also personally promised them immense rewards and promising futures."
"The Shu generals are no longer on our side."
"A reward? How generous could it be... more generous than all the transactions over the years?" someone muttered.
"Foolish! That was a favor bestowed by His Majesty himself, it was perfectly legitimate! Those past transactions... were, after all, shady dealings."
"I've heard that people in the army are saying that from now on, according to the Qing Army's rules, those who make merits will be rewarded, those who commit crimes will be punished, the wounded will receive compensation, and veterans will receive land and silver... Just listen to that, that's how generous they are!"
"With the emperor being so generous, who would want to follow us and live in constant fear to reap those meager benefits?"
A moment of silence fell over the room.
The civil and military officials in Sichuan were not as harmonious as those in Fengtian. The aristocratic families in Sichuan were not much more humble than those in other places, and naturally looked down on these peasants.
Their relationship is barely maintained by mutual benefit.
“That’s not all,” Zhou Huan, who had been silent all along, slowly spoke up, “The atmosphere in the army has also changed extremely quickly.”
“In the past, it was easier to make exceptions for subordinates, but now everyone is watching closely and is afraid of being used as a typical example of old problems.”
“My batch of goods is a case in point. Even Wang Bapi didn’t dare to accept the money. What they’re afraid of now isn’t a lack of money, but rather that the emperor will think they’re too deeply involved with us.”
These words were like ice water poured over everyone's hearts.
Stripped of their reliance on military force and collusion with interests, what are these local powers compared to imperial authority?
"Then... what should we do?" someone asked anxiously.
No one could answer that question.
However, they could not answer; someone else would.
boom! ! !
The bolt broke, and sawdust flew everywhere.
After a loud bang, the heavy wooden door of the secret room was kicked open from the outside!
"Open the door! The Imperial Guards are on duty!"
Immediately afterwards, a group of figures dressed in flying fish robes and wearing embroidered spring knives emerged from all directions in the darkness.
They filed in, instantly surrounding the secret room.
The candlelight flickered in the wind, casting shadows on the expressionless faces of the Imperial Guards.
The officials were horrified. Caught off guard, some dropped their wine glasses in shock, some collapsed to their seats, and some turned deathly pale...
This is terrifying! One second they're loudly plotting something, and the next second someone comes knocking on their door.
Was the emperor's intelligence capabilities really that terrifying?
Qiu Bai slowly walked out of the darkness, and the group of Imperial Guards quickly made way for him.
He casually swept his gaze across the terrified faces in the room, and teased as if meeting an old friend, "Oh, quite a complete group. It saves me the trouble of inviting them from house to house."
Everyone naturally recognized Qiu Bai, after all, he followed the emperor around every day, never leaving his side.
After a brief silence, an official leaning against the door forced himself to stand up, his voice trembling, and said, "Marquis Cheng'en?! We are all officials appointed by the court. Even if there is something inappropriate about us gathering here after our shifts, we have not violated the law, have we?"
"Although Your Excellency is a close advisor to His Majesty, it is far too much for you to break in like this and humiliate a scholar like yourself!"
Qiu Bai seemed not to hear his question, walked straight to the table, and casually picked up a pear from the fruit plate.
He casually wiped it on his sleeve, then took a big bite with a 'crunch', and it was bursting with juice.
While chewing on a pear, he mumbled, "Keep your voice down. It's the middle of the night. Don't disturb the neighbors' sleep."
This attitude of completely disregarding the officials in front of him was even more chilling.
Zhou Huannian was older and always kept his composure.
Ever since he discovered that his smuggling routes had all been cut off, he had a bad feeling that something was wrong.
Now that Qiu Bai has come in person, he already has a guess in his mind.
He took a deep breath, pushed aside his colleague, and faced Qiu Bai directly: "May I ask what business Marquis Chengen has with us, leading his men here in the dead of night?"
Qiu Bai took another bite of the pear, then leisurely tossed the core aside and clapped his hands.
The casual smile on his face vanished abruptly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd with a serious expression, each word falling like an ice pick:
"Gentlemen! Your plans have been made!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Huan's expression turned even more unpleasant.
Qiu Bai stopped wasting words, took out a scroll of imperial edict from his bosom, and unfolded it with a whoosh.
The indoor air instantly dropped to freezing point.
Qiu Bai's voice was flat and cold: "Investigate, Zhou Huan, the head of the Rongcheng Salt and Iron Transport Office, has disregarded national laws and enriched himself since taking office! He has also been colluding with the barbarian chieftains in the southwestern mountains, and has been smuggling salt and iron, which are strictly controlled by the imperial court, out of the country in the form of inferior products, to benefit the enemy. The evidence of his crimes is conclusive."
"Here he is to be stripped of all his official titles and ranks, arrested, and handed over to the Embroidered Uniform Guard for rigorous interrogation!"
Zhou Huan trembled violently, and his face turned deathly pale in an instant.
His lips trembled as he tried to say something, but he couldn't utter a single sound.
Qiu Bai's gaze shifted slightly, landing on another person:
"Sima Jun, the Vice Prefect of Rongcheng Prefecture, is a judicial officer who knowingly breaks the law. He has been operating thirteen brothels, karaoke parlors, and underground casinos in the city and surrounding counties, amassing a fortune. He is also suspected of forcing women into prostitution and trafficking people, corrupting morals, poisoning the local area, and arousing great public resentment!"
"He is hereby dismissed, arrested, and severely punished without leniency!"
Sima Jun, whose name was called, collapsed to the ground with his legs giving way, leaving a wet patch beneath him and a faint stench emanating from him.
Qiu Bai's voice continued to echo in the secret room. With each name he uttered, one person would be struck by lightning and collapse.
Those who embezzled grain and salaries, seized military farmland, colluded with clerks to exploit merchants, and used criminal justice to frame others and amass wealth...
Every single detail, including the time, place, amount, person in charge, and even fragments of secret correspondence, is clearly listed on the imperial edict.
After Qiu Bai finished reading the last clause, he slammed the imperial edict shut.
Less than a third of the officials in the secret room were still able to stand; the rest had all lost their minds and were as limp as mud.
Qiu Bai rolled up the imperial edict and held it in his hand as if he were holding an invisible guillotine.
Looking at the disheveled group of Sichuan officials before him, he sneered:
"Aren't you all wondering why His Majesty hasn't made a move against you these past few days, even though he has clearly taken control of the entire situation?"
Everyone remained silent, and Qiu Bai, not expecting a reply, continued speaking to himself:
"That's because you people have too many dirty secrets in your hearts, and it takes too much effort to investigate! It took seven days and seven nights to figure it out!"
"Now, the evidence is irrefutable, and the case is airtight! What else is there to say?!"
Qiu Bai withdrew the imperial edict from his hand, drew his sword from his waist, and roared, "Take them all down!"
"Here!"
The Imperial Guards responded in unison, their voices shaking the rooftops.
The fierce Imperial Guards rushed forward, two to a time, and lifted up the officials who had collapsed to the ground one by one.
Without any hesitation, he tied her hands behind her back, put chains on them, and dragged her out the door like a dead dog.
In the secret room, only overturned tables and chairs, and spilled food and wine remained.
Qiu Bai snorted coldly, walked to the table, picked up a chicken leg, and chewed it.
"Damn, it's actually pretty good!"
He then said to the Imperial Guards standing beside him, "These are all evidence; pack them all up carefully."
"Ah Qiang should like to eat it..."