Ming Dynasty: He was ordered to give lectures in prison, but Lao Zhu eavesdropped and made people nu

Chapter 716 The Dark Side
The night was as dark as ink, and the Jinan Experimental Field was shrouded in silence. The moonlight was obscured by dark clouds, and only a few lanterns by the field swayed in the breeze, casting flickering shadows.

Old Zhang, the old farmer on night watch, wrapped himself tightly in his coarse cloth clothes, squatted by the edge of the field, and held a pipe in his hand, taking a puff every now and then to ward off the night chill. He squinted his dim eyes, looking at the field where tender shoots had just sprouted, his heart filled with both anticipation and trepidation.

"Lord Lin said that if this land can be cured, the people of Jinnan will no longer have to go hungry..." He murmured softly, his rough fingers gently stroking a tender green wheat seedling.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from afar.

Old Zhang looked up alertly, squinting into the darkness. He could vaguely see several dark figures creeping towards the edge of the field, seemingly carrying something in their hands.

"Who's there?" he shouted sharply, his voice hoarse but loud.

The shadowy figures paused, then one of them whispered, "Damn it, someone's watching!"

"What's there to be afraid of? Just an old codger!" another man sneered. "Proceed according to plan!"

Old Zhang's heart tightened. He abruptly stood up, grabbed the hoe beside him, and strode towards the dark figure: "What do you want?!"

However, he had only taken a few steps when he saw one of them suddenly raise his arm and splash a ladle of liquid out—

"Wow!"

The pungent smell of kerosene instantly filled the air!
"Oh no! They're going to burn the fields!" Old Zhang's eyes widened in horror. Ignoring his advanced age, he grabbed his hoe and rushed over.

"You old bastard, you're asking for death!" The leader of the men in black sneered, drew a short knife from his waist, and with a flash of cold light, thrust it straight at Old Man Zhang!

"Thud!" The blade pierced the flesh, and blood splattered out.

Old Zhang grunted, staggered backward, but still clung tightly to the man's wrist, roaring, "You beasts! This is the lifeblood of the people!"

"Hmph, lifeline?" the man in black sneered. "If someone doesn't want this field to live, it won't live!"

Having said that, he abruptly withdrew his knife, kicked Old Man Zhang to the ground, then took out a tinderbox from his pocket and gently blew on it—

"call!"

Flames leaped up and landed on the ridges of the field, which were soaked in kerosene.

"boom--!"

Flames erupted instantly, the tongues of fire frantically devouring the tender green seedlings, and thick smoke billowed straight into the sky!
Old Zhang lay on the ground, watching helplessly as the fire spread, desperately reaching out his hand: "No...no..."

The next morning, in the Golden Palace.

"boom!"

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his palm on the imperial desk, causing the teacups to jump and spill tea everywhere. The entire court fell silent, none daring to look directly at the emperor's face.

"How dare they!" The emperor's voice was icy cold, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials like a blade. "My experimental fields—someone actually dared to set them on fire?!"

The hall was deathly silent, except for Jia She, whose forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and whose fingers unconsciously clenched the cuffs of his court robes.

Lin Che stood in the hall, his face grave, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, this matter is by no means accidental. The experimental fields are vital to the livelihood of the people of Jinnan, and now they have been deliberately sabotaged. If this is not thoroughly investigated, I fear..."

"I'm afraid of what?" Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted coldly.

Lin Che took a deep breath and looked directly at the emperor: "I'm afraid there are people in the court who don't want to see the people of Jinnan living a good life."

These words caused an uproar throughout the court!

Jia She could no longer contain himself. He stepped forward abruptly and shouted sternly, "Lin Che! Don't you dare make false accusations! The burning of the experimental fields could have been the work of unruly commoners, or it could have been an accidental fire. You have no evidence whatsoever, how dare you slander a court official?!"

Lin Che sneered, "Why is Lord Jia so agitated? Are you perhaps feeling guilty?"

"You—!" Jia She trembled with rage, his face flushed red.

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two men, before finally saying coldly, "Minister Lin, do you have any evidence?"

Lin Che cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, last night, the old farmer Zhang, who was guarding the fields, was stabbed by thugs, but he clearly saw the face of one of them and found this item." As he spoke, he took out a waist token from his sleeve and held it up above his head.

The courtiers took a closer look and immediately gasped in shock—

That was clearly a travel permit from the Ministry of Revenue!
Jia She's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly took a step back: "This...this is impossible!"

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly stood up, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "Jia She, do you have anything to say?"

Jia She fell to his knees with a thud, his forehead touching the ground, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please see the truth! I am innocent! This waist token... this waist token must have been a frame-up!"

Lin Che coldly said, "Oh? Then Lord Jia might as well explain why the tax figures for Tianjin reported by the Ministry of Revenue over the years differ so greatly from the actual situation?"

"What?!" Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with anger.

Lin Che took out an account book from his robes and presented it with both hands: "Your Majesty, this is what I discovered through secret investigation. The people of Jinnan have suffered from poor harvests year after year, yet the Ministry of Revenue reports 'bumper harvests' every year, and taxes remain unchanged! The people cannot afford to pay taxes and are forced to sell their children, while the extra tax revenue..."

His gaze was like a knife, piercing Jia She: "Where did you go?"

Jia She's face turned ashen, and he trembled all over: "Nonsense...nonsense! You're framing me!"

Zhu Yuanzhang took the account books, his face growing increasingly grim as he read them. Finally, he slammed the books shut and said coldly, "Guards! Thoroughly investigate the Ministry of Revenue's accounts for the past five years! Also, detain Jia She pending trial!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare my life!" Jia She collapsed to the ground, still wailing pitifully as he was dragged out of the main hall by the Imperial Guards.

The court was deathly silent; no one dared to speak.

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly sat down, closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, his gaze had returned to calm: "Minister Lin, the experimental fields have been destroyed. How should we continue with the affairs of Jinan?"

Lin Che said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the fields can be replanted, but if the corrupt officials in the court are not eliminated, even the best strategies will be difficult to implement."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slowly: "I understand."

Three days later, outside the Jinan County government office.

As soon as Old Zhang's injuries improved slightly, Lin Che invited him over to publicly identify the arsonist.

The area surrounding the county government office was packed with people, a dense, dark mass, yet eerily quiet. All eyes were fixed on the few men in black kneeling below, their eyes burning with fury.

"It was them!" Old Zhang pointed at one of them, gritting his teeth. "That night, he was the one who stabbed me and set fire to the fields!"

The man who was identified turned ashen-faced and kowtowed repeatedly, pleading, "My lord, spare my life! I was only following orders!"

"Whose orders are you on?!" Lin Che asked coldly.

The man looked up tremblingly, his eyes flickering, and finally whispered, "It was...it was Lord Jia's confidant, Master Zhou, who ordered us to do it..."

"Whoa—!" The crowd erupted in an uproar!

"It really was that corrupt official!"

"That damned Jia She! He's made us suffer so much!"

"Please, Lord Lin, do us justice!"

The crowd was outraged, and the outcry was deafening.

Lin Che raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and said loudly, "Fellow villagers, His Majesty has ordered a thorough investigation into this case, and Jia She will soon be brought to justice! Although the experimental field has been destroyed, as long as our hearts remain united, we can start all over again!"

"Lord Lin! We believe in you!" Old Zhang led the way by kneeling down, and then hundreds and thousands of people followed suit, their cries shaking the heavens—

We believe you!

Lin Che gazed at the scene before him, his heart surging with emotion. He knew that the real reform had only just begun…

(End of this chapter)