The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 403 Li Yi: Crying? Crying counts as time too.

The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month.

The city of Xiapi in Xuzhou is brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the festive atmosphere is in full swing.

Suddenly, a cloud of dust rose from the north, and two large armies swept in like black dragons.

Before the defenders on the city walls could react, Zang Ba of the Qing-Xu Army and Gao Shun of the Henan Army had each led 5,000 elite troops to control the four gates.

"By order of the Prime Minister's Office! Martial law is hereby declared throughout the city!"

The messenger rode his horse across the street, and the people quickly made way for him.

Upon hearing the news, Xu Dan and Zhang Kuang rushed to the city gate.

Jiang Wei, clad in black armor and white robes, was directing his soldiers to post notices.

"General Jiang, what is the meaning of this?"

Xu Dan tried to remain calm, but an ominous premonition was rising in his heart.

"Leading a large army into Xuzhou at the end of the year, could it be that you intend to celebrate the New Year with the people of Xuzhou?"

Jiang Wei glanced coldly at the two men and took out the Prime Minister's token from his robes.

"I am acting on orders from Prime Minister Li to investigate a case involving officials in Xuzhou who are colluding with the Xianbei and smuggling military supplies."

"Please, gentlemen."

Zhang Kuang's expression changed drastically, and he said urgently:

"General, do not make false accusations!"

"Slanderous accusations?"

Jiang Wei waved his hand, and the soldiers carried over ten wooden boxes.

"These are the account books and invoices seized in Liaodong, with the signatures of the people involved all present."

"Should I read it aloud in public?"

Xu Dan's body trembled, and he staggered backward, his face ashen.

Zhang Kuang stared wide-eyed and sighed deeply:
"If only I had known I would be so greedy back then, I would be in this situation today."

"take away!"

Jiang Wei said sternly:
"Another order from the Prime Minister's Office: The Governor of Xuzhou shall be temporarily detained, and all official documents shall be sent to this General for review!"

After thoroughly investigating the specific details of the smuggling case in Liaodong, the Prime Minister's office...

He immediately ordered Jiang Wei to arrest the relevant personnel involved in the Xuzhou incident.

To cooperate with Jiang Wei's work, the Prime Minister's Office also specifically ordered the Qingzhou Army and the Henan Army to step forward and assist.

We entered Xuzhou before the Chinese New Year.

After receiving the highest instructions from Luoyang, Jiang Wei acted swiftly and decisively.

The relevant individuals involved were immediately arrested.

He immediately dismissed the governor of Xuzhou from his post, and all administrative items, including the governor's seal and ribbon, were discontinued.

The reason for this was to prevent the people of Xuzhou from colluding.

Its efficiency and speed of action are remarkable.

This caught all the high-ranking officials in Xuzhou off guard.

that night,

Jiang Wei was stationed in the governor's mansion, which was brightly lit.

Suddenly a soldier came to report:

"Reporting to the General, Chen Ying, the Pingzhun Commander of Xuzhou, has fled upon hearing the news!"

Jiang Wei closed the book and chuckled softly:
"...There's no need to chase after them."

"He must have gone to Luoyang to seek protection from his elder brother."

The lieutenant said with concern:

"If Prime Minister Chen intervenes to protect it, it will probably be beyond our control."

"...That's not something you or I should worry about."

"We are merely acting on orders from the Prime Minister's office. As for the Prime Minister's side, we will leave it to the Prime Minister's office to decide."

Jiang Wei picked up his pen and wrote quickly.

"Immediately escort all the criminals to Luoyang."

"Remember, escort them in batches, with each batch spaced half a day apart."

On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Luoyang was covered in snow.

The Chen residence was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and servants were bustling about, preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.

Chen Deng sat in his study, writing Spring Festival couplets.

Suddenly, a commotion of footsteps was heard outside the door. My cousin Chen Ying, covered in snowflakes, stumbled in and fell to his knees with a thud.

"Brother, save me!!"

Chen Ying's voice trembled, and his face turned deathly pale.

Chen Deng put down his pen, frowned, and asked:
Why is Yuanfang so panicked?

"Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, let's talk about it slowly."

With tears streaming down his face, Chen Ying confessed to smuggling Xianbei people.

Having finished speaking,
The charcoal fire crackled in the study, creating an eerie silence.

"Confused!"

Chen Deng slammed his hand on the table, hands behind his back, furious:

"Have you made enough money in Xuzhou over the years?"

"The position of Equalization Commissioner, isn't that enough for you to live on?"

"How can you be so greedy? You even dare to collude with the Xianbei!"

Chen Ying kowtowed repeatedly, as if pounding garlic:
"The Xianbei offered three times the price... I was momentarily blinded by greed..."

"Who would have thought...who would have thought the Prime Minister's residence would get involved in this matter!"

Although the position of the Pingzhun Ling (a high-ranking official) in Xuzhou was not prestigious, it wielded immense power.

Chen Ying profited from it, and also relied on his cousin, the prime minister, in Luoyang as a powerful patron.

Only then did they dare to smuggle military supplies with the Xianbei without any scruples.

I never expected that this smuggling incident would escalate to such a huge extent.

This greatly surprised Chen Ying, and even the higher-ups in Xuzhou.

"Xiangfu?"

Chen Dengbai frowned deeply. "My brother personally intervened?"

Upon hearing the name "Prime Minister Li," Chen Ying turned ashen-faced and clung to Chen Deng's leg, weeping:
"Those who fall into Li Yi's hands never escape unscathed!"

"Brother, you must save your little brother this time!"

Chen Deng helped his cousin up and sighed deeply:
"Do you really think Li Ziyu is involved in the smuggling case?"

"After he resigned as prime minister and took up a military post, he always wanted to carry out military reforms."

"This is just a pretext to seize local military power."

Chen Deng is indeed a seasoned politician with many years of experience.

Based on only a little existing information, the true purpose of this matter was determined.

The reason is quite simple.
The smuggling case appears to be a serious incident.

But to be honest, it had no negative impact on a large empire.

At the very least, it would absolutely not warrant someone of Li Yi's stature personally getting involved in handling the situation.

Since Li Yi has stepped down, it means he has other motives.

Chen Ying was taken aback:

"Then...then what should I do, little brother?"

"Immediately head to Jiaozhou to avoid disaster."

Chen Deng said in an unquestionable manner.

"I will arrange for someone to take care of everything."

"Although Lingnan is plagued by miasma, it is still better than being tortured in the imperial prison."

"Just stay there for now and wait until things calm down."

"I... will bring you back."

Chen Ying was shocked and hugged Chen Deng's leg, crying:

"Brother, Jiaozhou is a place of exile!"

"My Chen family has been officials for generations, how could we go to such a place!"

"Confused!"

Chen Deng interrupted sharply, "If it weren't for the fact that we are of the same clan, would I have taken such a risk?"

"If you want to live, set off immediately!"

Seeing that Chen Ying was still hesitant, Chen Deng took out a stack of land deeds:
"I will send someone to handle your properties in Xuzhou."

"These silver coins were divided into ten batches and sent to Jiaozhou through different merchants."

"We'll make a decision after things calm down."

The implication is that Chen Deng will help Chen Ying transfer assets.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the door.

The old butler rushed in to report:
"Master, the Prime Minister's guards are coming this way!"

Chen Deng immediately took the bag he had prepared and handed it to Chen Ying.

"Fast horses are prepared at the back gate; go straight out to the south gate, and someone will be there to meet you."

He then took out a token from his bosom:
"This is a token of the governor of Jiaozhou. Seeing it is like seeing the governor himself."

Chen Ying realized that his elder brother had arranged everything in an orderly manner, and that he truly deserved to be called the King of Huainan for more than twenty years.

Their connections and resources are indeed far superior to mine.

Chen Ying was about to say something more when Chen Deng pushed him out the door:

"Remember! I won't contact you first."

"You are not allowed to send any messages to Luoyang without authorization!"

In the snowy night, Chen Ying rode his horse to the south.

Before long, Tai Shiheng led the guards of the Prime Minister's residence to knock on the gate of the Chen residence.

"Lord Chen," Taishi Heng greeted him with a cupped-hand salute.

"By order of the Prime Minister's Office, we invite Mr. Chen Ying of your household to come to our residence for a discussion."

Taishi Heng was the son of Taishi Ci.

He was also a representative of the sons who rose to prominence through their fathers in the court, eventually becoming the Commandant of the Yue Cavalry.

He commanded the guards in the Prime Minister's residence.

Chen Deng frankly stated:
"...The Grand Historian is late."

"My younger brother went to Jiaozhou on business half a month ago, so I'm afraid he won't make it to the New Year's Eve dinner."

Tai Shiheng's eyes flickered slightly, and he finally bowed and said:
"In that case, I shall take my leave."

After the Prime Minister's entourage left, Chen Deng stood alone in the courtyard, letting the snowflakes fall all over his shoulders.

The old butler stepped forward to help Chen Deng brush off the snow and asked in a low voice:

"Master, Second Master is going..."

"Fortune and misfortune are unpredictable."

Chen Deng looked up at the southern sky and sighed, "The Prime Minister's mansion is using the smuggling case to reorganize Xuzhou. I'm afraid their next step will be to take military power."

"Pass down the message: after the spring, all members of the Chen family should behave themselves and avoid running into danger."

As the New Year's Eve bells rang, firecrackers echoed throughout Luoyang.

It concealed so many undercurrents.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's residence was also decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.

Inside the warm pavilion, the charcoal fire crackled, and the four ladies—Mi Zhen, Yuan Ying, Zhen Mi, and Lü Lingqi—were setting up a banquet with their children.

Li Yi was tiptoeing as he hung the red lanterns, while his brothers Li Zhi and Li Ping helped set out the tableware.

"Father is here!"

I don't know who shouted.

Li Yi entered the warm pavilion dressed in casual clothes, his brows showing signs of fatigue from official duties.

Just as everyone was about to bow, Li Yi waved his hand and smiled:
"There's no need for formalities at today's family dinner."

Just as he was about to sit down, Taishi Heng suddenly appeared, covered in snow, and stood under the eaves, seemingly wanting to speak but then stopping.

Li Yi gestured for him to come closer:

"We are all family here, so please feel free to speak your mind."

Taishi Heng said in a low voice:
"Your Excellency, I am ordered to arrest Chen Ying."

"Who knew he had already fled to Lingnan? Should we send someone to capture him?"

Although Lee Ik resigned as prime minister, he retained the power of the prime minister's office.

Therefore, his subordinates still habitually address each other as "Xiang".

After the report was completed, the room fell silent.

Li Zhi couldn't help but interject:

“Father, Lingnan is the hometown of Zhuge Liang.”

"Although he has left the company, he still has a certain influence."

"We might as well have Jiang Wan, the governor of Jiaozhou, arrest him."

The implication is that Zhuge Liang was Li Yi's junior brother, and Jiang Wan was Zhuge Liang's junior brother.

It's only right to give orders to my younger brother's younger brother.

This was also a common tactic during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period.

You don't need to control every single person, you only need to control their leader.

For example, Xu Chu.

Xu Chu's retainers were all from clans, and the special era created special blood ties.

This caused these clan members to obey only Xu Chu.

In this regard, Cao Cao did not need to win people's hearts one by one; it was enough for him to keep Xu Chu loyal to him.

Controlling Xu Chu is equivalent to controlling his underlings.

Similarly, Jiaozhou is located far away in Lingnan.

Although it is nominally required to listen to Luoyang.

However, considering geographical and transportation issues, the central government's control over it is actually very weak.

You issue an order, and no matter how Lingnan responds, they can always find a plausible excuse.

However, it's difficult for the central government to verify this; going back and forth is time-consuming, laborious, and expensive.

Therefore, in remote and special areas like Lingnan, people of good character and trustworthiness are usually sent there.

Ability is secondary.

If we're looking at ability, then the central government should just choose Shi Xie.

Because Shi Xie was actually very capable, he governed Jiaozhou very well.

But the price was that Jiaozhou would be entirely under the control of the Shi family.

Therefore, after Zhuge Liang left Jiaozhou, he insisted on recommending Jiang Wan to be the governor of Jiaozhou.

Liu Bei and Li Yi both agreed.

Given the vast territory and abundant resources of the Han Dynasty, there were many people more capable than Jiang Wan.

But Jiang Wan's greatest strength is that she is "obedient".

Historically, Jiang Wan was a typical "good girl" figure.

He avoids trouble and firmly supports all the political propositions of his former leader, Zhuge Liang.

Although such people lack self-innovation and the idea of ​​upward exploration.

But the advantages are also obvious: it is very stable.

He can be considered a mini-Cao Can of the late Han Dynasty.

Only by keeping such people in Jiaozhou can the central government strengthen its control over Lingnan.

Otherwise, Lingnan could easily become independent, or become a mere shell of its former self like Jiaozhou under Shi Xie.

Therefore, Li Zhi believed that although Chen Ying had fled to Lingnan, the court still had relatively strong control over Lingnan.

They can still be arrested.

Li Yi, however, held a different opinion.

"No need."

Li Yi picked up a candied fruit and said, "Since Chen Yuanlong has arranged for his cousin to go to Lingnan, he has his own dignity."

Why should we drive them to extermination?

"Leave a way out for others, so that you can meet again in the future."

Li Ping frowned:

"But what about the corruption in Xuzhou...?"

That's just how the world is.

Li Yi sighed softly, "It will always be like this."

"Remember this: live in the world with a heart of justice."

"But to insist on absolute justice is foolish."

He looked around at his children and said, "In this political cesspool, sometimes you have to say things you don't want to say and do things you don't want to do."

"Otherwise, you will be unable to protect yourself or others."

Li Zhi seemed to understand something:
"Father, are you saying that there's more to the Liaodong smuggling case than meets the eye?"

Li Yi nodded:

"Let's wait for Jiang Boyue's report."

Suddenly, he smiled at Taishi Heng and said:
"Why don't you stay and have a meal with us? It's just a matter of adding another pair of chopsticks."

Mi Zhen hurriedly ordered her maid to add more seats, cloths, and chopsticks.

Unable to refuse, Tai Shiheng had no choice but to sit down sideways.

Li Yi personally served him a bowl of steaming hot mutton soup, while Li Ping served him food and offered him wine.

……

Seven days later,
The snow in Luoyang City has not yet melted.

When Jiang Boyue escorted Xu Dan, Zhang Kuang, and more than 30 other convicted officials to the Prime Minister's residence.

Li Yi was teaching his youngest son, Li Tai, to build a snowman in the courtyard.

“My lord,” Jiang Wei said, weary from his journey, “the prisoners have all been brought here.”

Li Yi patted the snow off his hands and glanced at Xu Dan, who was in shackles:
"...Take him to the Court of Justice."

"Tell Chen Changwen that I need to see the confession within three days."

The Imperial Prison of the Court of Justice was cold and damp.

Chen Qun stared at the case file with a furrowed brow when he suddenly heard a jailer exclaim:
"Xu Dan has run into a wall!"

When he was revived, Xu Dan smiled bitterly:

"Chen Tingwei, just give me a quick death."

Chen Qun dismissed his attendants and whispered:

"If you confess the truth, you may be able to save your family."

Xu Dan's eyes flickered:
"I want to see Prime Minister Li."

The next day, in the Prime Minister's study.

Xu Dan knelt down and wept:
"This guilty subject is willing to confess, but begs Your Majesty to spare my son."

As he spoke, he took out a silk book from the inner pocket of his clothes:
"This is a detailed record of all transactions over the years." Finally, Xu Dan gave in to his concerns.

To protect himself and his family, he decided to go all the way and betray all his accomplices in Xuzhou!

He had prepared these documents in advance, just waiting for the day when the truth came out so he could voluntarily hand them over to gain merit.

At least this way, I can still get my sentence reduced.

Li Yi flipped through the document for a moment, his expression gradually darkening:
"Someone, please summon Chen Tingwei."

When Chen Qun saw the densely packed list on the silk scroll, he almost dropped his teacup:

"This...this involves far too many implications!"

"If the trial is held publicly, I fear it will shake the imperial court!"

Li Yi said coldly:
Is this lengthy post an attempt to protect a colleague?

No!
"Chen Qun said urgently, "But this matter is of great importance."

"Twenty-seven military generals were involved, along with nearly a hundred state and county officials."

"If we wipe them all out, how will we maintain border defenses?"

Li Yi walked to the window and looked at the snowman that had just been built in the courtyard.

"...Does the long text tell you why the snowman stood in the courtyard for three days without melting?"

Without waiting for an answer, he answered himself:

"Because its core was already frozen solid."

"This imperial court needs a good overhaul."

Chen Qun still refused, unwilling to comply with Li Yi's request for a public trial.

However, Li Yi directly pressured Chen Qun in the name of the Prime Minister's residence.

Under pressure, Chen Qun had no choice but to agree to a public trial for the smuggling case.

On the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the court of the Minister of Justice was as somber as a dead of winter.

The people of Luoyang gathered outside the government office, listening to the yamen runners loudly announce the names:

"Bring in the criminal officials Xu Dan and Zhang Kuang!"

In the courtroom, Chen Qun slammed the gavel.

"You have been secretly colluding with the Xianbei and smuggling military supplies. Confess the truth!"

Xu Dan raised his head and said:

"This guilty subject confesses."

"However, there is one thing I wish to say; would the Court of Justice dare to record it?"

"speak!"

“Liu Dai, the magistrate of Taicang, took two hundred taels of gold from me last year in exchange for Xianbei horses to cross the border.”

"Wang Zan, a valiant cavalry captain, solicited bribes of a thousand strings of cash and illegally allowed salt and iron to leave the country."

"besides……"

Every time Xu Dan mentioned a name, an uproar would erupt outside the hall.

Zhang Kuang suddenly burst into laughter:

"Brother Xu missed the biggest one!"

"And there's Liang Guan, the governor of Bingzhou, who has embezzled a total of two million coins over the past three years!"

An uproar immediately broke out in the gallery.

Suddenly an old voice rang out:
"It's full of nonsense!"

Liang Guan stepped forward from the crowd and bowed to Chen Qun:

"The Court of Justice is wise; these traitors are clearly seeking personal revenge!"

Not long ago, Liang Guan received a summons from the imperial court in Luoyang.

An ominous premonition had already risen in his heart.

I never expected that people from Xuzhou would be so disloyal.

They betrayed him so quickly.

Xu Dan sneered:

"Does Lord Liang remember last year's Mid-Autumn Festival?"

“When we met secretly at the Jinyang Restaurant, you said to yourself, ‘Why not make money off the Xianbei?’”

As he spoke, he took out a letter from his pocket:
"This is your own handwriting!"

Liang Guan's expression changed drastically, and he reached out to snatch the book, but was stopped by the yamen runners.

Chen Qun unfolded the letter with trembling hands, becoming increasingly alarmed as he read:
"This this……"

At that moment, a clear voice suddenly came from outside the hall:

"Why doesn't Judge Chen continue the investigation?"

Li Yi, dressed in a purple robe and wearing a jade belt, slowly walked into the courtroom.

All the officials in the hall turned pale.

"Master Xiang!"

Liang Guan knelt down on the ground, "This humble official was confused for a moment!"

Upon seeing Li Yi arrive in person, Liang Guan immediately gave up any chance to continue struggling.

They chose to confess and receive leniency.

He knew that lying to Li Yi was the most futile trick.

Li Yi ignored him and spoke only to Chen Qun:

"Long post, continue."

“…Here you go.”

Chen Qun took a deep breath and continued to hear the Liaodong smuggling case.

No one present expected that a small smuggling operation would lead to such a large-scale investigation.

So many people have been implicated!

This appears to be the biggest political event of the eleventh year of Zhangwu's reign.

For three whole days, the Court of Justice became the most sought-after stage in the Han Dynasty.

Every day, new officials are implicated, and confessions are handed in.

In the end, even the clerk who recorded the case files had swollen and painful wrists.

Inside the Weiyang Palace, the incense burner emitted fragrance.

Liu Bei, wearing a fox fur coat, flipped through the files on the Liaodong case presented by the Court of Justice, and the more he read, the more alarmed he became.

The brush tip trembled slightly on the list, and drops of ink fell onto the silk, spreading out in a blur.

"Ziyu, you've gone a bit too far with this matter."

Liu Bei put down the scroll and sighed to the eunuch standing to the side.

"Many officials were also implicated and were even exiled as a result?"

"The handling was far too ruthless."

Before the eunuch could answer, a servant rushed in to report.

"Your Majesty! Many ministers are kneeling outside the palace gates, weeping bitterly!"

Liu Bei strode out of the hall, only to see a large group of nobles kneeling in crimson robes beneath the steps.

Mi Fang kowtowed to the ground, weeping as she said:

"I have failed to properly discipline my subordinates, and I am willing to apologize on their behalf!"

Behind him, Yang Yi, Yang Dao, Cao Bao, Liu Yan, and others were all weeping uncontrollably, their cries of grief shaking the heavens.

Liu Bei helped Mi Fang and the others to their feet:

"All of you, rise. I will handle this matter myself."

This is what Liu Bei was worried about.

Li Yi followed the clues and pulled out so many officials at once.

Many officials were involved in cases that were not actually serious, but Li Yi chose to deal with them seriously.

Or, to put it another way, it's an expanded treatment.

This will cause widespread panic and fear among the court officials.

Liu Bei had no choice but to personally step in to appease the officials one by one and stabilize the morale of the court.

That night, the charcoal fire crackled in the Prime Minister's study.

Liu Bei sought out Li Yi alone, gazed into his eyes, and said in a deep voice:

"The Liaodong case involves far too many people."

"If nearly three hundred officials are dismissed at once, wouldn't the administration of various prefectures and counties be paralyzed?"

Li Yi calmly poured the tea:

"Does Your Majesty know how many meritorious officials and generals are in urgent need of resettlement after the Battle of Guanzhong?"

"This is a good opportunity to rejuvenate the workforce."

"For example, Wei Yan, Guan Xing, Guo Huai, etc., can all be sent out to gain experience."

Li Yi's serious and extensive handling of the Liaodong case served two purposes.

First, a complete reshuffle was carried out, and local military power was fully reclaimed.

Secondly, it digested and absorbed the new elites who emerged after the end of the Guanzhong Campaign.

This new elite can purge some veteran officials and bring fresh blood to the army.

"...What if the new official is also corrupt?" Liu Bei asked.

"This thunderbolt will surely instill a sense of awe and deterrence."

Li Yi's eyes were piercing. "It's like treating an illness; if a boil or carbuncle isn't removed, it will eventually ulcerate."

"Today's pain is only for tomorrow's peace and well-being."

Although Li Yi could not guarantee that newly appointed officials would necessarily be honest and upright.

But at least this case can serve as a deterrent.

After all, no one in this world can guarantee that they can ensure that every official is incorruptible.

Liu Bei remained silent for a long time, then finally sighed:
"Anyway, things have already blown up, and it's not easy to clean up the mess now."

"If that's the case... then we'll do as you say."

"Let's handle it however we see fit."

The following day, at the Prime Minister's residence.

Chen Deng looked at the list sent by the Court of Justice and said with a wry smile:
"Ziyu, you're making me offend both the powerful families and local military officers at the same time."

He pointed to several names:

"I've only been prime minister for a year... Are you trying to offend all the powerful families in every state?"

Li Yi served a cup of fresh tea and smiled:
"...If it weren't for Brother Yuanlong overseeing things, how could Yi dare to undertake such a momentous task?"

"For the sake of the nation, I have no choice but to trouble my elder brother."

Chen Deng sighed:
"Are you aware of the deeply entrenched connections among these aristocratic families?"

"Among the officials dismissed today, seven are relatives of the Empress, and three are members of the Wang family."

"That's precisely why we must do it."

Li Yi said solemnly, "Otherwise, the historian's pen will be as sharp as iron in the future, and they will remember our crime of condoning nepotism."

Chen Deng sighed again and stretched his back:

"I don't know what sins I committed in my past life that I owe you."

Li Yi smiled and said:

"Alright, Prime Minister Chen, give the order."

"Without your Prime Minister's written order, these officials wouldn't be able to investigate."

Chen Deng gave a wry smile; he knew that Li Yi had also shown mercy.

No responsibility was pursued against the Chen clan members.

The price to pay is that he, as prime minister, must carry out an investigation into the officials involved.

This kind of offensive task has fallen on Chen Deng's shoulders again.

Chen Deng could already foresee that his historical reputation would certainly not be good in later generations.

Because those scholar-officials would definitely criticize them harshly.

But for now, let's focus on the present.

Chen Deng picked up the pen and signed the arrest warrant without much hesitation.

……

On the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, the vermilion gates of the Court of Justice were suddenly flung open.

The imperial guards sped out in all directions, their hooves shattering the morning mist of Luoyang.

While the people were still dreaming, they suddenly heard urgent knocking on doors in the streets and alleys.

"Open the door! The Court of Justice is arresting someone!"

Just as Liu, the silk merchant in the West Market, removed the door panels, he saw that the Taicang Magistrate's residence across the street was surrounded by soldiers.

Liu Taicang, dressed in his nightgown, was dragged out of the gate, his hair disheveled, and he shouted hoarsely:
"I am an official appointed by the imperial court! How dare you be so disrespectful!"

The Imperial Guard Captain coldly presented his token:

"By order of the Prime Minister's Office, Liu Dai has been found guilty of embezzling military rations and is to be immediately detained!"

Having said that, he threw an official document onto the steps.

The onlookers were in an uproar.

Liu Taicang was usually very dignified and often distributed porridge to the poor in the West Market.

Now, overnight, he has fallen from the mountain and ended up in such a state.

As expected, once power is in hand, orders are issued.

It seems that being an official isn't as good as one might imagine; one can fall from grace in an instant.

At the same time, a disturbance suddenly broke out in the cavalry camp south of the city.

When the troops were mustered at the drill ground, the supervising censor publicly read out the imperial edict:

"Wang Zan, the valiant cavalry captain, has illegally allowed salt and iron to leave the country. He is hereby dismissed from his post!"

The soldiers stared in disbelief as their commander was stripped of his armor and sword.

The old soldier murmured:
"General Wang said yesterday that he would lead us to fight the Xianbei... how come he's done it today...?"

The most sensational event was the arrest of Liang Guan, the governor of Bingzhou.

This is also one of the highest-ranking officials involved in this reshuffle.

He's practically the top local official.

General Zhang He, who had returned to Luoyang from the front lines, personally led troops to arrest him.

The soldiers quickly surrounded the governor's mansion.

Knowing that the situation was hopeless, Liang Guan drew his sword and resisted arrest, standing before the steps and shouting fiercely:
"I am a high-ranking official of the imperial court! How dare you humiliate me!"

Faced with this situation, the officers and soldiers were somewhat at a loss.

Because Liang Guan refused to be arrested, and the officers and soldiers could not harm him.

Someone then reported this matter to their superiors.

Only when Li Yi appeared in his purple robe and gold belt did Liang Guan dejectedly drop his sword, kneel down, and sigh:

"Prime Minister...why would you go to such lengths?"

Li Yi said indifferently:
"Does Your Excellency remember the snow disaster in Bingzhou three years ago?"

"When you withheld disaster relief funds, did you ever think about this day?"

He then waved his hand: "Take him away!"

The people of Luoyang treated it like a grand opera, and teahouses and taverns were packed to capacity for days on end.

The storyteller worked through the night to write the script for "Li Gong Judges the Corrupt Officials," and every performance was packed.

An old scholar sighed:
"Where is the dignity of the court in arranging its officials in this way?"

The words had barely left his mouth when the peddler immediately refuted them:

"Corrupt officials should be killed! Prime Minister Li handled this matter with integrity and righteousness!"

On the second day of the second lunar month, the dragon raises its head, and a high platform is erected at the vegetable market entrance.

Xu Dan, Zhang Kuang, and other ringleaders knelt on the platform, while the executioner's razor blade gleamed coldly.

Because of their meritorious report, the two only received the punishment of being executed in the marketplace.

Because corruption was a very serious crime in the Han Dynasty.

In particular, the Han Dynasty government dealt with corruption within the military quite strictly.

According to historical records, if the number exceeded a certain limit, the offender would be directly executed by "abandoning the market".

That is, the death penalty.

In more serious cases, family members may be held jointly liable.

The reason for such severe criminal law was largely due to the influence of the Yongchu Qiang Rebellion and the Yonghe Qiang Rebellion.

During this period, corruption within the Han Dynasty army was extremely serious.

The officers embezzled military pay at every level, then resold clothing, bows and arrows, and food for huge profits.

This led to a fiscal deficit for the Eastern Han government.

The war against the Qiang people became a bleeding wound that the Eastern Han government could never heal.

As for Xu Dan and Zhang Kuang, their families were not implicated because they had made meritorious contributions in reporting the crimes.

As the executioner read out the charges, the crowd below threw rotten vegetables and eggs at him.

Suddenly, an old woman shakily climbed onto the stage, pointing at Zhang Kuang and crying and cursing:

"My son died in battle in Liaodong! And yet you sell your swords to the Xianbei!"

After saying this, she cried so hard that she fainted.

The crowd erupted in uproar; had it not been for the soldiers' intervention, the offending official would have been torn to pieces on the spot.

As blood splattered, a child covered his eyes, but his father pulled them away.

"Look closely! This is what happens to corrupt officials!"

Meanwhile, more than 300 prison vans left the city one after another.

The exiled convict, shackled and chained, staggered forward amidst the scorn and curses of the people.

Some relatives of officials who had been convicted tried to bribe the escorts along the way, but were coldly refused.

"Prime Minister Li has decreed that anyone who dares to accept bribes will be punished equally!"

As dusk fell, Li Yi stood alone atop Mount Beiman, overlooking the myriad lights of Luoyang.

Jiang Wei quietly stood behind him:

"Your Excellency, today we executed thirty-seven people and exiled two hundred and ninety people."

"……understood."

Li Yi said calmly.

"Prime Minister, what's the next step?"

Jiang Wei stood beside him and asked cautiously.

Li Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze cold and stern.

"...It's time for military reform."

"Taking advantage of this opportunity, military officers from various regions have fallen from grace."

Suddenly, thousands of lanterns rose from the foot of the mountain, as the people prayed for the anti-corruption campaign.

In the lamplight, Li Yi said softly:
"May future generations remember that we strived to make this empire better."

The night wind carried the stench of blood, mingling with the aroma of Lantern Festival dumplings in Chang'an, drifting into the depths of history.

……

(End of this chapter)