Ink Burns

Chapter 215 Coincidentally
Invariably.

Chang Lin and Cui Bainian moved simultaneously, but Chang Lin suddenly looked up, while Cui Bainian, the Marquis of Wuding standing in front of him, raised his eyelids without making a sound. His gaze did not look at the Vice Censor-in-Chief who had stepped forward from the crowd on the left, but instead precisely locked onto Emperor Yongping on the dragon throne.

The young emperor's intense gaze was hidden behind the beaded curtain. Through the swaying crown, only the corners of his lips and eyes could be vaguely seen. His lips were slightly pursed, but the lines at the corners of his eyes remained unchanged—when a person is truly astonished, their eyes can be faked, but the lines around their eyes will definitely change.

Cui Bainian understood and closed his eyelashes.

Emperor Yongping was already aware of the Imperial Censorate's report on the breach of the dike in Duzhou.

It is even highly likely that this young emperor instructed the Censorate to reopen the case of the Duzhou dike breach.

Cui Bainian completed all his thoughts in silence in a swift manner. Compared to his composure, the reaction of Chang Lin, the Marquis of Guanbei, behind him was rather intriguing.

Chang Lin raised his head, his eyes wide, and glared angrily at the Vice Censor-in-Chief Xiao Po: "What utter nonsense! The Duzhou dam breach case has been going on for twenty years! Twenty years after a person dies, their flesh and bones have been carried away by wild dogs! What waves could it possibly stir up?! It's just trying to remind the young emperor of that scoundrel Xue Xiao!"
Chang Lin raised the jade tablet in his hand slightly. Cui Bainian seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, lowered his chin, and his gaze, like that of a hawk, leaped over his shoulder and shot straight at Chang Lin.

Before Chang Lin could hesitate, the young emperor said, "Granted."

Xiao Po took another step forward, pulled a thick, yellowed book from his sleeve, bowed, and presented the account book with both hands, speaking respectfully: "This is the account book of Guan'anzhai's sales and purchases for the entire year of the twenty-third year of Zhaode. From May to August, Guan'anzhai sold a total of forty-one paintings and calligraphies to wealthy merchants in Jiangnan. Among them, there are twenty-one named wealthy merchants, all from the six prefectures and twelve counties that suffered heavy losses from the floods in the Duzhou dike breach case. The total amount is exactly thirty-two thousand taels—exactly the amount that Su Shen, the Assistant Transport Commissioner of the Ministry of Works, is suspected of 'embezzling'!"

Not a single copper coin less! Not a single copper coin more!

Xiao Po spoke with a resounding voice. After a slight pause, he bowed, holding his jade tablet. His face was solemn as he turned slightly to the side, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the three most important officials in the court: Yuan Wenying, Cui Bainian, and Chang Lin. Finally, unexpectedly, his gaze landed on the handsome, refined third-rank civil official in red robes who stood in a secluded corner.

"Your subject, Zhou Xingyun, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, used the sale of calligraphy and paintings to launder the large sums of money he embezzled for the repair of the river embankment! He also orchestrated the breach of the embankment in Duzhou, and in collusion with six prefectures and twelve counties in Jiangnan, he framed Su Shen, the former Assistant Commissioner of the Waterway Transport of the Ministry of Works, resulting in the extermination of Su's entire family of 173 people!"

Zhou Xingyun served as the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, a third-rank official position, but a completely sinecure. His main responsibilities included court ceremonies, receiving foreign envoys, and presiding over ceremonies such as sacrifices, banquets, lectures, and investitures. Emperor Yongping had just changed the court ceremonies to "nine sessions," and wars between the north and south, and between the interior and exterior, were imminent. Peaceful and friendly relations with foreign envoys had not yet been established. Emperor Yongping was low-key and simple, had no interest in music and ceremonies, and rarely held banquets. As for investitures, they were even more uncertain. He didn't even have enough concubines to fill a handful of his harem, let alone any offspring. Therefore, the current Court of State Ceremonies was indeed just a nice-sounding title.

Zhou Xingyun never expected that the poisoned arrow was aimed at him!

He was used to being a background figure in court assemblies. He followed the trend of ceremonies and then left the court as well. If he really needed to contact the Court of State Ceremonial, there was a capable junior official to help him. He only needed to be a handsome prince consort.

Now he was placed in the sight of the ministers, as if several hands had stripped him naked and made him stand out!
Zhou Xingyun's fair face instantly turned bright red!
Zhou Xingyun, the "Weiwei Chen," stepped forward in a panic, raised his hand, and bowed as he stepped out of the ranks: if someone impeached him, he would definitely have to respond to the lawsuit! He knew this!
"Your humble servant does not know what the Vice Censor-in-Chief is talking about." Zhou Xingyun's face turned red, and his handsome features appeared even more broken and frightened in his helplessness.

“I think you know a lot about this, Lord Zhou.” Xiao Po bowed and smiled. “The apparent owner of Guanzhai is a Mr. Hu from East Twelfth Alley. Going back up the chain of ownership, the names of his mother, wife, and children are all registered under your name. They are your servants, and you have enough power of life and death over his family members—” Xiao Po leaned back. “May I understand that you are the real owner of Guanzhai?”

Zhou Xingyun swallowed hard, his gaze instinctively turning to Chang Lin, his brother-in-law.

Chang Lin straightened his back, strode forward, and bowed with his jade tablet in front of him: "Your Majesty, I have something to say."

"allow."

Chang Lin raised his chin and looked down at the short Xiao Po: "Imperial Censor Xiao, let me ask you a question, is that Boss Hu a servant under Lord Zhou's name?"

“No,” Xiao Po replied. “In April of the twenty-third year of Zhaode, exactly one month before the opening of Guanzhai, Boss Hu was freed from slavery at the government office.”

Chang Lin snorted coldly: "If that's the case, where did Imperial Censor Xiao get the idea that Lord Zhou is the real owner of Guan'anzhai? Holding account books from who-knows-where, you're making baseless accusations against the honest and simple Lord Zhou. Is this how your Censorate operates?! Regardless of whether these account books are real or not, what business do you have with how much silver someone buys and sells? No matter which shop it is, as long as the total amount reaches 32,000 taels, he's responsible for the Duzhou dike breach case?! Lord Xiao, you've never shown your face before, and now you're being used as a pawn. I'll just assume you've been deceived and coerced!"

Chang Lin's voice was extremely loud, his rough tone echoing around the roof beams.

Speaking like this in the imperial court, before the emperor, or among colleagues sounds extremely impolite.

Cui Bainian raised his eyelids without making a sound. Emperor Yongping on the dragon throne did not move at all, not even the tassels in front of him. He seemed to be an outsider, waiting for the situation to develop.

Xiao Po never glanced at Chang Lin, and bowed again, saying, "Your humble servant humbly requests that the cloth merchant Yue Xiu of Songjiang Prefecture sign his testimony."

"allow."

Xiong Laowu, standing behind Xiao Po, presented a thick book to Wu Dajian with both hands.

Wu Dajian forwarded the report to Emperor Yongping.

"In August of the twenty-third year of Zhaode, Yue Xiu, a cloth merchant from Songjiang Prefecture, obtained a sum of six thousand taels of silver from Liu Hezhou, the then prefect of Songjiang Prefecture, and went to the capital to purchase Mi Yao and the painting 'White Cranes in Farming' from Guan'anzhai. Of course, what Guan'anzhai sold him was not Mi Yao or the original, but merely a copy made by a failed scholar. That painting is still in the Yue family to this day—this is Yue Xiu's confession," Xiao Po slowly recounted.

"That proves nothing!" Chang Lin shouted. "One was willing to buy, and the other was willing to sell; it's a case of willing buyer and willing seller. It only shows that the scoundrel had no taste! Guan'anzhai was lax in its oversight! What does this have to do with the Duzhou dike breach case?!"