I'm really not doing business

The key to Chapter 1016 is finding the key problem.

Feng Bao was doing this for the good of the Ming Dynasty, but this iron box really cannot be sent. Even if the local officials cooperate, it won't work, because they can't withstand false accusations alone.

Moreover, the local authorities would certainly not cooperate, or they would turn this iron box into a tool for struggle.

The Imperial Palace and Tonghe Palace both had similar iron boxes, which were mostly filled with false accusations. It was easy to deal with in the palace, since it was the emperor's home. He could just make up stories and hang the person up to beat them, and that would solve the problem. But if you looked at the whole country, it would just be nonsense.

In fact, Fan Yuanshan was well aware of the harm. He believed that since they were going to fight, they should fight fiercely and openly, stripping the skin off this upright official and letting the people see what kind of people he was.

"Isn't it enough to just put a few hundred in Shuntian Prefecture?" Zhu Yijun pondered seriously and asked Feng Bao for his opinion.

"Your Majesty, we can't investigate everything, can we? What if we find something wrong?" Feng Bao answered the emperor's question.

Politics must be flexible. Just like the tax authorities can negotiate prices using tax receipts, politics can be flexible. Once politics loses its flexibility, it can lead to armed conflict, which is extremely dangerous.

The capital city must not be released either.

"Alright then." Zhu Yijun didn't hesitate, but he didn't approve Lu Guangzu's memorial. Fan Yuanshan was a powerful figure he had invited himself, so no matter how difficult it was, he would continue down this path.

This policy is inappropriate, not because it is unsuitable for the Ming Dynasty at present, but because it is not suitable for China in the future.

The core logic of the Wanli Reforms was to make the barbarians suffer, allowing the powerful to eat meat while the poor and laborers could only drink soup, in order to achieve the greatest consensus. This was also a dynastic change, a self-reform by the ruling class in order to save itself, which involved patching up the old foundation and framework. This is also the fundamental reason why class theory was not suitable for the Ming Dynasty.

If the core driving force of the reform can only come from the Ming Dynasty itself, then it is necessary to mobilize the people.

Different paths lead to different policies, and class theory naturally becomes a disliked doctrine.

Although Fan Yuanshan's method was not feasible, his saying, "Heaven does not grant power to man, nor does the earth lend him benefits; everything is given to man by man," was still very useful.

The concepts of rights and obligations are derived from the public-private relationship theory. Human rights are not granted by God, but by human beings.

Once this concept emerged, many things became clear. For example, why the imperial court levied taxes, why opening the seas meant enslaving the indigenous people like the Western barbarians, and why the Ming Dynasty was so harsh on Japan—all these questions were answered.

The concept of natural human rights has always been a religious one, a fantasy, while the human endowment of human rights is the fundamental logic of this world.

Of course, some loyalists might interpret this as follows: all the benefits that the people of the Ming Dynasty enjoy today, brought about by the Wanli Reforms, are earned by the emperor at the cost of his reputation. All the infamy of being cruel and inhumane belongs to the emperor alone. It is His Majesty who has bestowed these rights and benefits upon the people.

"Gao Zongbo's words have become increasingly blunt lately, and I don't know if it's good or bad for him." Zhu Yijun picked up another memorial.

This memorial is a censor's impeachment of Gao Qiyu for misconduct. In recent court discussions, Gao Qiyu's words have become increasingly direct, which displeases some scholars in the court who prefer subtlety, and impeachments have naturally followed.

How can you just say it out loud?
In response to the impeachment, Gao Qiyu also submitted a petition, in which he gave two reasons and answered the questions from the censors. Since it was not a false accusation, Gao Qiyu naturally had to give a clear answer.

Gao Qiyu was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and a scholar-official. He naturally possessed the skills of self-cultivation, but he abandoned all self-cultivation and chose another way to become active in the center of the Ming Dynasty.

There are two reasons for being so straightforward.

The first Gao Qiyu believed that the Ming Dynasty was not efficient enough. Admittedly, compared with the past, under the two whips of the Examination and Evaluation Law and the Official Selection Law, the huge bureaucratic machine of the Ming Dynasty was operating with unprecedented efficiency, but it was far from enough.

The implicit and deliberate avoidance of making things clear and explicit affected the efficient operation of the imperial court.

Under this general implicitness, orders from superiors could not be effectively conveyed, and subordinates had to carefully ponder the unspoken meanings of their superiors. Officials in the Ming Dynasty wasted their energy on internal strife.

When superiors have certain preferences, subordinates will follow suit even more. If we want to make changes, we must start by changing the Wenhua Hall. If the Wenhua Hall is not changed, it will be difficult for the Ming Dynasty's officialdom to make any changes.

Secondly, Gao Qiyu believed that as the Minister of Rites and a sovereign official, he had to say what others dared not say. If he were too conformist, he would not be a sovereign official. This was the path he had chosen, and he could only continue to do so.

All the hardships and obstacles on the road are nothing more than a little bit of wind and frost.

These two answers, one for the ministers and one for the emperor, both convey the same meaning: he will not change this style and will become even more direct.

"What do you think, Feng Bao?" Zhu Yijun asked Feng Bao, the insider, for his opinion on Gao Qiyu.

“Gao Zongbo is respectful.” Feng Bao considered for a moment before answering the question. His Majesty’s repeated choice to ring the bell when Gao Qiyu went straight to the point was not out of dislike, but out of protection.

Feng Baotai understands His Majesty. His Majesty likes Gao Qiyu's straightforward personality and hopes that the Ming Dynasty's officialdom can be more efficient.

"Feng Bao, you always say things I like to hear." Zhu Yijun glanced at Feng Bao sideways, then reviewed the two memorials in front of him. Whether it was an impeachment or Gao Qiyu's petition, the reply was the same: I understand.

"This is what I do," Feng Bao replied cheerfully. If he said something the emperor didn't want to hear, the emperor would be unhappy, so it was better not to say anything.

Zhang Juzheng's internal purge had yielded initial results, and he wrote a detailed memorial to the throne, which he then submitted for preview.

The primary reason for corruption within Zhang's faction was the formation of cliques for personal gain. Corruption was never committed by one person, but rather by a network. Each node in this network was involved in a case of collusion, with members using their power to facilitate each other's affairs and offering each other gifts and favors.

Zhang Juzheng spent his entire life governing officials; he understood the officialdom all too well.

The Ming Dynasty's corrective forces were ineffective against Zhang's faction not because it lacked upright and outspoken officials, or because everyone was afraid and speechless, but because as long as any point in this network was attacked, the network would come crashing down on them. In addition, there was no force in the court that could check and balance Zhang's faction, so even upright and outspoken officials could only wait for an opportunity.

The Zhang faction before the purge was the Yan faction before its destruction.

If Zhang Juzheng hadn't taken up the sword, he would have followed in the footsteps of Yan's faction. After his death, the Zhang faction fell, which would inevitably implicate Zhang Juzheng and ultimately the Wanli Reforms.

Even though the Wanli Reforms had passed their vulnerable period, the collapse of Zhang's faction would certainly have caused losses to the Wanli Reforms, such as the performance evaluation system, the official appointment system, the land survey, the land return policy, and the anti-corruption bureau.

If you can't negate everything, start by negating the individual cases, and then gradually negate everything. After all that fuss, the Wanli Reforms are judged to be 80/20, which is hilarious.

If any of these new policies were lost, the governance of the Ming Dynasty would become exceptionally difficult.

The second reason for corruption within Zhang's faction was the constant targeting and harassment of key officials.

Moreover, the most common tactic in this hunt is to use the allure of a beautiful woman to seduce a hero. By keeping a low profile and testing the waters slowly, they can eventually succeed.

This beauty must be the most suitable one. To corrupt an official, you must cater to his tastes. Even if she is not beautiful, as long as she can resonate with the official, that is fine.

Zhang Juzheng came from a humble background. He was born into a family with a thousand households and worked as a guard for the Prince of Liao's residence. This meant that those who joined Zhang's faction were generally not from good backgrounds.

In the Ming Dynasty, people were expected to marry at the age of sixteen, while in ordinary households, most people were expected to marry at the age of fourteen. By the time they passed the imperial examinations and became successful candidates in the provincial or metropolitan examinations, they often already had children.

At this time, the wife was a country girl and couldn't understand her husband at all. What she said was meaningless to him, and what he said was completely incomprehensible to her.

It's incredibly easy to corrupt this type of person.

Take Fan Yuanshan as an example. Fan Yuanshan's wife felt that her father's 60th birthday should be a grand occasion, so she wanted to have a bottle of Guojiao liquor.

It was highly taboo for Fan Yuanshan to be on duty at the tax bureau. With Fan Yuanshan's salary, his entire family could only afford one item if they didn't eat or drink for a year. Naturally, people would wonder if Fan Yuanshan had shown leniency to certain powerful individuals during the investigation.
Fan Yuanshan couldn't argue with his wife. If he tried to reason with her, she would think he was a modern-day Chen Shimei, an ungrateful wretch. She would say that without her father-in-law's financial support, Fan Yuanshan wouldn't even be able to study, and even if he passed the imperial examination, he wouldn't have the money to travel to the capital for the final exam!
Are you suggesting that Fan Yuanshan should discuss public and private matters with his wife?
Similar conflicts will increase. Fan Yuanshan is already in such a bad mood at home. If a beautiful woman suddenly appears who knows him, understands him, and is devoted to him, won't Fan Yuanshan be tempted?

Forming cliques for personal gain and hunting for corrupt officials were the two main reasons for the corruption of officials in the Ming Dynasty, and the official residences, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the large guards seemed to have the ability to restrain these two methods.

The official residence is patrolled by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and they are in full view of everyone. How could they collude in private?

The same applies to hunting. There is a curfew at the official residence. If you work for the court and come home late, you need a reason, and the reason must be verified.

Zhu Yijun processed the memorials in his hands one by one, and it was already night. He went to Wang Yaozhuo's place a little early today, took a look at the six-month-old child, and then went to rest in the Empress's palace.

In the palace coup of the twenty-first year of the Jiajing reign, the Taoist priest was nearly strangled to death. After this incident, the Ming emperors rarely stayed overnight in the inner palace, instead summoning concubines to serve them in bed.

This wasn't the first time the emperor had stayed overnight in Empress Wang's palace. No one had ever doubted the relationship between the emperor and empress, not even Empress Dowager Li, his mother-in-law, could utter a single word of objection.

Empress Dowager Li was very satisfied with her daughter-in-law, Wang Yaozhuo.

As the moon rose above the willow branches, Fan Yuanshan was working overtime again. Xu Chengchu of the Zhang family was conducting a comprehensive investigation of the Zhang family. There were many cases, and Fan Yuanshan could only finish his work under the stars and moon.

He was not stumped by the accounts, but he looked extremely anxious.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau was indeed completely different from the Tax Audit Bureau. On his first day at the Anti-Corruption Bureau, he showed that he was going against the grain and that he was out of place. He told everyone that he was a troublemaker, but he still needed to socialize, and these were all socializings that he could not refuse.

The Tax Bureau is solely responsible for tax auditing. His Majesty pays his taxes in full every year, and the powerful and wealthy must also pay their taxes. Even the Emperor himself is not as powerful as His Majesty. Therefore, the Tax Bureau's work is actually quite easy, except for being busy. They deal with whoever evades taxes and don't have to care about anyone else.

However, the anti-corruption work of the Anti-Corruption Bureau is an internal power struggle among officials who select other officials. In addition to the complexity of the situation, personal relationships and favors are also involved, making it impossible to avoid.

"They've already brought out the honey trap so quickly." Fan Yuanshan leaned back in his chair, gently rubbing his forehead to calm his unease.

He clearly realized that he had been hunted, and that this net had only just been set up. He had thought that the initial process would involve coercion and enticement, since even Hai Rui's hunting had started with coercion and enticement.

But the first trap he encountered was a honey trap.

Previously, Fan Yuanshan scoffed at the idea of ​​using a beautiful woman as a weapon, deeming it nothing more than a beautiful woman with a deadly trap.

But he discovered that when he fell into this trap, the honey trap was indeed very effective.

Your Majesty and the Empress have a very good relationship. If, after Empress Wang passes away, a woman suddenly appears who looks, has a similar personality, speaks, and acts very much like Empress Wang, what will Your Majesty do?
Then there will be no more disputes over the Five Great Cases or the Four Great Cases of the Wanli Emperor; there will only be the Wanli Emperor's False Empress Case, in which His Majesty will probably fight to the death.

Having actually experienced it firsthand, Fan Yuanshan understood why the "beauty trap" has been passed down for thousands of years and remains a very effective strategy, because there is a very convoluted logic behind it.

If you think you'll fall for a trap, you won't.
But if you fall for the trap, you'll think you didn't.

Fan Yuanshan realized that this was a honey trap, so he did not fall into it.

But what if one day he knows it's a trap, yet still deceives himself and says it's not? That's the most terrifying thing.

Humans are capable of deceiving themselves, making themselves believe in falsehoods.

In fact, many people fall for scams even when they know they've been fooled, yet they still deceive themselves willingly.

Fan Yuanshan had finished dealing with the accounts, but he still didn't want to go home; his wife had changed.

The deed for the official residence was issued, and Fan Yuanshan thought things would finally calm down, but not at all. He was moving recently, and things became quite troublesome. His wife wanted to buy some furniture that they couldn't afford at all. A grand master's chair cost seven taels of silver, and a display shelf cost four taels of silver. What use were these? But his wife always said that if relatives, friends, or classmates came to visit, it would look a bit shabby, and she wouldn't let it go. She insisted on buying them.

In the past, his wife was a very frugal person. She would patch up her clothes when they were worn out and continue to wear them, always saying that she would patch them up for another three years. Later, when he became a scholar, his wife continued to do things her own way and was even a bit stingy.

Since he became a ninth-rank magistrate, everything seems to have changed. His wife has changed too; she can't be lacking in anything, for fear of being looked down upon.

Fan Yuanshan repeatedly said no, that official business would be done at the yamen, and that only people with close personal relationships would visit his home. If they had a close personal relationship, how could they look down on him because of some furniture?
Fan Yuanshan couldn't understand his wife's thoughts at all.

Besides, when it comes to schooling, everything that others have to have, their own children must have too. Pens, ink, paper, inkstones, books—everything must be the best. It wasn't like this before. His wife said that now that they live in this official residence, things are different. If their children are not as good as others, it would be a disgrace for him, the censor.

Fan Yuanshan felt that this was completely wrong. Going to school is for learning, so why compare these material possessions? Moreover, the imperial court had ordered that school buildings should not be compared, and there were regulations on what students could bring to school. The school rules and regulations were very strict.

And indeed, none of the things his wife had prepared were used.

Besides these, there were many other things that left Fan Yuanshan feeling helpless. For example, when his child was sick, instead of going to the Huimin Pharmacy of the Imperial Hospital, he would go to some unknown, hidden clinic, always with the excuse that good wine needs no bush and that the best wine was hidden in the alley.

This minor illness turned into a major one, and in the end, I still had to go to Huimin Pharmacy to get the medicine.

There were just too many things to handle, so many that Fan Yuanshan felt genuinely exhausted. In fact, Fan Yuanshan knew very well the reason: it was all because his wife was somewhat short-sighted.

It's not that he hasn't tried to change; he's already thirty, and his wife is only two years younger than him. She has long since developed a solid logic of thinking, which is very difficult to change.

"Imperial Censor Fan, this is a copy of 'On Contradictions' sent by Miss Lin. She says it was printed by the Imperial Printing Office in the second year of the Wanli reign." Fan Yuanshan's clerk placed a book and a letter on the table.

The clerk had just graduated from the Imperial University of Peking, was full of energy and had many ideas. Fan Yuanshan worked day and night, and the clerk lived directly in the official residence of the yamen.

If Fan Yuanshan achieves the highest rank in the three-year examination, the clerk can be promoted to a ninth-rank official and officially obtain his official position, thus following in Fan Yuanshan's footsteps.

In the eyes of the officials, Censor Fan was a remarkable person, fair and honest, and imposing without being angry.

"Zhao, please return the book. This one costs twenty-seven taels of silver, which I cannot afford." Fan Yuanshan opened the book, looked at it, and handed it back.

I really like it, but I can't have it.

In the second year of the Wanli reign, the first edition of "The Theory of Contradictions" was published, with a total of four thousand copies printed that year. Later, the Grand Secretary revised "The Theory of Contradictions" again, deleting many taboo words and words that might affect the Emperor's wisdom, and made a lot of revisions. After the revisions, all the nonsense was said by Zhang Juzheng, and the Emperor was wise in every way.

The initial version of the contradiction theory reveals a fundamental fact: although Emperor Wanli in the early years of his reign was naturally wise and insightful, he was somewhat naive in politics.

This first edition is extremely valuable; even a copy is very expensive.

This Miss Lin is the beauty in the "Beauty Trap" story. This beauty is very special. Miss Lin is not only young and beautiful, but also has a deep understanding of contradictions.

She's different; she understands contradictions.

"This letter is unnecessary." The clerk was also taken aback when he heard that the book was so expensive. Mao Dun said that they were everywhere, and he thought it was a gift from a friend, so he accepted it. But this letter could not be considered a bribe.

Fan Yuanshan opened the letter, read it for a moment, placed it on the table, and sighed heavily.

"Imperial Censor Fan, please go ahead with your business. I'll be leaving now." Seeing that Fan Yuanshan's expression was off, the clerk quickly left. It was best not to pry into his superior's private affairs.

"This honey trap is indeed difficult to guard against." Fan Yuanshan looked out the window at the bright moon and sparse stars, his expression solemn.

This Miss Lin is very sensible. The reason she handed the book and letter to the steward was to show that she was upright and honest, and to tell everyone that there was nothing dirty here, that everything was clean and innocent.

It was precisely through the delivery of the goods by the steward that it appeared so elegant and dignified.

After the Wanli Reforms, the atmosphere in the Ming Dynasty gradually became more open, and some daughters from official families also began to study. Some of them were even quite learned and insightful, showing a style reminiscent of the female poet Li Qingzhao.

This young lady, Lin, is only eighteen years old this year. She grew up during the Wanli Reforms and has a very cheerful personality and acts quite generously.

The letter was also very clean. It was about how, after their last chance meeting, she asked some questions she didn't understand, and Fan Yuanshan gave her some brief answers. After returning home, she carefully studied what Fan Yuanshan said and wrote down her thoughts.

For example, the principle of successive contradictions: contradictions arise one after another, but always move upwards. For example, contradictions are everywhere, but we must also prevent them from becoming excessively escalated.

At the end of her letter, Miss Lin also expressed her distress. She was already eighteen years old and considered an old maid. Her family was pressuring her to get married, but once she got married, she would no longer be able to continue working as a female teacher at the family school.

Miss Lin worked as a female teacher at a private school in Xizhimen. Fan Yuanshan knew this school very well. It was a private school built by a wealthy family who had moved to the capital in the garden area outside Xizhimen. It was called Xishan Shoushan Academy and had as many as 1,400 students, both male and female.

This academy taught the various schools of thought from ancient China, mathematics, the theory of contradictions, the theory of public and private interests, and the theory of production diagrams. It was famous far and wide, and even wealthy families from Shanxi would travel thousands of miles to send their children here to study.

Miss Lin's talent is certainly enough to teach at this school, but once she gets married, it won't be good for her to show her face in public again, and she'll need her husband's family's permission. Naturally, Miss Lin is quite worried about this.

"Is it a coincidence?" Fan Yuanshan tapped his hand lightly on the table. He was not good at scheming and disliked socializing, but he couldn't refuse some of them, so he had to attend. During the socializing, he used feeling unwell as an excuse to rest in the courtyard, where he happened to run into Miss Lin.

Just right? There aren't that many coincidences.

This was no accident; he knew perfectly well that this was a trap.

Fan Yuanshan did not reply. He turned off the lime torch, stood in front of the door, and suddenly felt a little envious of the young clerk. He could live in the official residence of the yamen. It was already late at night. Whenever it was this late, whether he went back or not, he would be nagged a lot.

If he doesn't go back, his wife will nag and cry, crying that he's a heartless man, that he's ungrateful, and that he's been fooling around outside.

If he goes back at this time, his wife will nag him, saying that the court only gives him a small salary each year, is it worth him working so hard and neglecting his family?
Fan Yuanshan went home, and just as he expected, his wife's nagging continued until he finished washing up. Fan Yuanshan didn't answer a word, and the nagging became even more intense.

His mind was always filled with images of Miss Lin's gentle smile and her sparkling peach blossom eyes.

The next morning, Fan Yuanshan got up very early. Before leaving, he asked his wife, "Have you made any new friends lately?"

“You’re always so busy you’re never home…” His wife stopped mid-sentence, realizing the problem.

The wife was just a country bumpkin and not very knowledgeable, but she wasn't stupid. The atmosphere at home was getting more and more awkward, and the husband was always silent and even suppressing his anger.

How could she not know what kind of person her husband is?
Husbands and wives used to be family, but now they are even like strangers.

When Fan Yuanshan brought it up, his wife finally realized something was wrong. Some time ago, she had met a sister by chance. This sister, after hearing about her experiences, always stood up for her and said that Fan Yuanshan's success today was all thanks to his father-in-law's help.

However, Fan Yuanshan was intelligent and resourceful from a young age. Even if his father-in-law didn't provide financial assistance, someone else would. Moreover, Fan Yuanshan repaid this kindness by passing the imperial examination. There was never any debt between husband and wife.

Was it really necessary to buy all that expensive furniture? Did she, a woman, really have to concern herself with all those messy rules? Were the children's silks and satins, and all those odds and ends, really important?
"I have to go now, you can think about it carefully." Seeing his wife's expression, Fan Yuanshan said no more and went to the yamen with a relaxed expression.

The key is to find the key problem, and Fan Yuanshan has already found it.

The hunt for him had already begun long before his promotion; it didn't start when he was promoted, but rather when he was still in the tax bureau, people had already begun to subtly discipline his family and his weaknesses.

People are easily swayed. If someone puts you in their shoes and says a few nice things, you can win their favor. Then, by gradually instilling these ideas in them, you can transform a person into a completely different person in just a few days.

This vast net has not only been cast upon him, but also upon his family; it is virtually all-pervasive and extremely difficult to defend against.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau holds a morning meeting to discuss various cases. All censors must attend, and Grand Secretary Lu must attend the court discussion. The morning meeting is chaired by Xu Chengchu.

Contrary to his usual behavior, Xu Chengchu, who was usually very efficient, did not start immediately but waited quietly. Xu Chengchu remained silent, and the seventeen censors waited quietly for nearly a quarter of an hour before the Chief Censor entered with two imperial guards and took one of the censors away.

The censor who was taken away turned pale instantly, and he could barely walk. He was dragged out of the West Flower Hall by the imperial guards.

All the censors looked at each other, their expressions grave.

"Gentlemen, we are anti-corruption censors, responsible for establishing the laws and regulations. Corruption is punishable by three degrees of severity. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is a matter of great importance, hated by all officials. Countless eyes are watching us. At the slightest sign of trouble, impeachments will pour in. Gentlemen, you should take this as a warning." Xu Chengchu said after the man was taken away.

This job is not easy. There is a special Northern Garrison Command that targets all officials. Once someone is impeached, and the Imperial Guards verify the facts, the punishment is increased by three degrees.

"Alright, let's begin." Xu Chengchu started today's meeting.

After the meeting, Fan Yuanshan found Xu Chengchu, handed him Miss Lin's letter, and then told him everything that had happened to him.

"Can I go back to the Tax Inspection Office? The Tax Inspection Office is peaceful." After telling his story, Fan Yuanshan thought for a while before saying, "Censor Xu is a disciple of the Quan Chu Guild Hall. His waist token was personally given by His Majesty. Everyone knows that. They don't dare to deal with Censor Xu like this, but they dare to deal with me like this."

Xu Chengchu had also been hunted before, but it was much milder, and never as aggressive as this!

A huge net completely caught Fan Yuanshan, leaving him nowhere to escape or avoid. If he made a slight mistake, it would be a catastrophe.

“You’re right. I have the backing of the Quan Chu Guild Hall. I’m a righteous and upright official in His Majesty’s eyes, and I’m the next Hai Rui to continue the fight against corruption. They wouldn’t dare to deal with me like this.” Xu Chengchu looked at the letter and the delicate handwriting, and said with great certainty, “Censor Fan is a righteous official. He’s withstood this. To be honest, if it were me, I’d probably have fallen for it.”

Xu Chengchu was from Chu, and he had been under Zhang Juzheng's wing from the beginning. No one dared to do this, as Zhang Juzheng was known for protecting his own. If he did this, Zhang Juzheng's retaliation would be extremely ruthless.

"Grand Secretary Lu submitted a memorial, but His Majesty refused. State affairs are not child's play. In this way, His Majesty summoned me to inquire about the purge of the party. When I meet with His Majesty, I will present my case to him." Xu Chengchu knew that this transfer had plunged Fan Yuanshan into a quagmire. He had no powerful backers in the court, and the net of entrapment would only tighten.

"Thank you, Imperial Censor Xu." Fan Yuanshan breathed a sigh of relief; he had been under a lot of pressure lately.

Only then did Zhu Yijun learn from Xu Chengchu that Fan Yuanshan had been hunted in such a way.

"They actually went to such lengths. That Miss Lin is known for her virtue, even I have heard of her." Zhu Yijun was quite surprised. With one side stirring up trouble and the other undermining her, Fan Yuanshan did not fall for their tricks.

"Your Majesty Fan Yuanshan is very capable. He has just arrived at the Anti-Corruption Bureau and all the accounts are in perfect order. It is precisely because he is capable that such a large investment is worthwhile," Xu Chengchu said with great certainty.

If Fan Yuanshan were even slightly incompetent, these people wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to hunt him down, because it wouldn't be worth it.

"Give him this waist token. If he suffers such a calamity again in the future, tell him to come to Tonghe Palace to find me. I will support him." Zhu Yijun took out a waist token from the drawer. This was the waist token of the Emperor's Party.

Xu Chengchu said with a complicated expression, "Your Majesty, I think this is not aimed at the Anti-Corruption Bureau, but at Fan Yuanshan himself, or rather, it is to preemptively place a bet on Fan Yuanshan."

"This Miss Lin is Fan Yuanshan's big bet after his promotion."

(End of this chapter)