Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 120 Overturning the verdict? Seeking death!
The Forbidden City, between Xi'an Gate and Taiye Lake, is the headquarters of the Western Investigation Bureau.

On Wei Zhongxian's desk lay a detailed and summarized list of the emperor's private tour expenses. Over the two days, he'd spent nearly five thousand taels—not a lot, but not a small amount either. The operation itself was the primary responsibility of each team, requiring no additional expenses. The main expense came from hidden bribes hidden in the various taverns and teahouses along the route.

As Wei Zhongxian flipped through the detailed account, he cursed inwardly: "These country bumpkins who've never seen the world! They're all fixated on the most expensive tea. This bastard, he ordered three cups of tea worth one tael of silver in this morning. It seems like we need to set some rules for these guys, otherwise the entire budget allocated by the Imperial Household Department for the Western Investigation Bureau will be spent on this shitty expenses."

"Sir, the factory governor, the spy reported that Lu Wenzhao has returned with his men." Fu Yingxing, who was entrust with the title of Qianzong and was in charge of the general flag directly under the factory governor, walked quickly to Wei Zhongxian and reported.

Wei Zhongxian was anxious. Cui Wensheng was gradually recovering. Yesterday, when he visited the Imperial Household Department headquarters, he saw him strolling around the courtyard. Wei Zhongxian could foresee that once Cui Wensheng fully recovered, the East Factory would be reactivated. At that time, the West Factory would have to hand over the temporary East Factory responsibilities.

He didn't want to hand over this job, at least not before the Emperor began to purge the inner court. To put it bluntly, disciplinary rectification meant using the Emperor's orders to dismiss or kill people. Even if it was just a list compiled by the Inspection Bureau, it was a perfect opportunity to establish power and authority.

Wang An's seal was untouchable, but the thickness of the eunuchs' pens could still be distinguished. Once Cui Wensheng completed his task of purging the inner court with the East Factory, he would return to his position as the chief eunuch in the Imperial Household Department and continue to tread heavily on Wei Zhongxian's shoulders. Wei Zhongxian truly didn't want to continue kneeling before Cui Wensheng, a talentless and immoral fool.

"What a shame, he actually found it," Wei Zhongxian said regretfully. "Let's leave the matter of the Tianshi Mansion as it is. Let the Jinyiwei handle it."

Jinyiwei. Jinyiwei!
"Send more people to keep an eye on the Embroidered Uniform Guard." Wei Zhongxian ordered Fu Yingxing.

"Is it the team from Tianshi Mansion? There are already people watching on the scene." Fu Yingxing replied.

"No, we'll have someone assigned to monitor all those with the rank of 100 households or above." Wei Zhongxian sighed, then took the seal of the West Factory and gently stamped it on the verification and summary documents. "Once the East Factory is rebuilt, we'll have to give up at least half of our jobs."

"Didn't the emperor ask us to supervise the East Factory? Even if the East Factory is rebuilt, it will be under our jurisdiction." Fu Yingxing asked.

"The East Depot's staff is all newly recruited, and Cui Wensheng has been punished again. As long as he doesn't do anything stupid, the East Depot won't make any mistakes for a while. What are you controlling? Don't forget, his pen is still in place. If we start a fight, he'll definitely go to the ancestors to complain. When the case reaches the Lord, who will be on the hook? You or me?" Wei Zhongxian pulled a blank sheet of paper from a drawer and began writing the new rules for the cancellation of official duties. "Climbing the ladder requires strategy. The current emperor is wise and decisive, and even though I sit here, I'm treading on thin ice."

"I am a stupid official." Fu Yingxing kowtowed and apologized quickly.

"The Lord will not just deal with the East Depot. Sooner or later, there will be major changes in the Imperial Guard. We must prepare for this." Wei Zhongxian practiced calligraphy whenever he had free time, and now he can write in a fairly neat regular script. "When the time comes, we will quickly and decisively complete this matter and bring the Imperial Guard under control. Only then will the West Depot be able to properly oversee the rear for the Lord. Previously, the East Depot controlled the Imperial Guard. We can't let Cui Wensheng take back what the Lord has given us, can we?"

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Guarding the Zhang residence was essentially the same as monitoring Westerners; both involved finding a spot to sit all day. The only difference was that Lu Wenzhao and his subordinates of high rank no longer wore their regular uniforms, but instead wore the dignified blue uniforms that denoted sixth and seventh rank officials.

As soon as the bell in the clock tower rang to announce the hour of dawn, Lu Wenzhao led his former small flag team to the gate of Zhang's house to stand guard.

"Give me a bowl of noodles with soybean paste." Lu Wenzhao sat down at the newly set up breakfast stall, greeted the Jinyiwei who were on duty at night, and then arranged nine large copper coins on the table.

"Sir, please wait a moment." The old man, who was over 60 years old, smiled and said to his grandson. "What are you standing there for? Show the adults the tea."

Nanxunfang was inhabited by high-ranking officials and dignitaries. Aside from entertaining guests and watching operas, these people rarely needed to dine out, so there was no room for wine shops or teahouses. Yin Cheng, who stayed behind at Zhang's residence, searched for a suitable place to stay, so he took it upon himself to have tables, chairs, and braziers set up near the front, back, and side doors of the residence.

His idea was simple: it was freezing cold, and he and his brothers couldn't just stand outside and eat snow, right?
However, the presence of dozens or even hundreds of stools at the entrance to Zhang's residence immediately attracted the small vendors who made their livings by setting up tea and snack stalls. They scattered around the restricted area to shelter from the wind and snow, then placed stoves and kettles inside, providing a warm and humid environment while also selling refreshing hot tea.

Although the Jinyiwei were vicious, as long as you didn't have much money and didn't actively offend them, they wouldn't bother you. Of course, the Jinyiwei usually wouldn't lower their status to extort street vendors or eat a free meal worth only a few copper coins.

"Captain. When are you free? I brought that with me." Shen Lian untied the small backpack tied to his back.

"You're so anxious!" Lu Wenzhao scoffed. "I saw it a long time ago. Isn't it too heavy to carry more than 20 kilograms on your back?"

"Why are you carrying the stones? Are you practicing martial arts?" Lu Jianxing didn't know what was going on. He just felt that Shen Lian was too excited.

"I'm almost that age." Shen Lian stammered.

"How old are you?" Lu Jianxing nodded at the old man, then smiled and put a little more than a penny of silver on the old man's tray.

"Thank you, sir! May you live a long life! May you be blessed with good fortune!" The old man understood and did not take the copper coins in front of Lu Wenzhao, Shen Lian and Yin Cheng.

"He's old enough to get married." Lu Wenzhao nodded to Lu Jianxing, then put away his nine big coins as a token of his gratitude for Lu Jianxing's kindness.

"Which young lady would want so much betrothal gift?" Yin Cheng understood that the full bag was filled with silver.

"." Shen Lian was a little embarrassed by the question, but his embarrassment only lasted for a moment. "She used to be a daughter of an official family. But not now."

"What the hell?" Lu Jianxing was a member of the Imperial Guard after all, so he quickly understood. He lowered his voice and asked, "Official prostitute?"

"A young man." Shen Lian didn't shy away from it.

"You don't want to marry a wife, but take a concubine first?" Lu Jianxing was stunned.

"No?" Shen Lian said firmly, but still shrank his neck.

"An elder brother is like a father!" Lu Jianxing slapped Shen Lian on the head. "Your father entrusted you to my father before he died. Now that my father has passed away, you are under my care." "Brother." Shen Lian said, casting a pleading look at Lu Wenzhao. "I really like that girl."

Lu Wenzhao chuckled: "Forget it, I'm not a scholar, so I don't care about these things. Being able to carry on the family line is enough to fulfill my filial piety."

"That's right. I heard that Mi Juzheng, who's been so popular lately, is a teacher..." Yin Cheng was halfway through his words when Lu Wenzhao's fierce look forced him to swallow them back. "I haven't heard anything."

"If you keep talking nonsense to me, I will ask my superiors to transfer you to Qiongzhou," Lu Wenzhao threatened.

"Alas." Lu Jianxing pretended not to hear Yin Cheng's nonsense. He just sighed and nodded, saying resignedly, "How much? I'll buy you some."

"It costs one thousand taels to redeem you, and you have to go to the Ministry of Justice to get some connections." Lu Wenzhao looked at Lu Jianxing with a playful look, as if asking: Can you afford it?
"One thousand taels? Does that woman weigh one thousand taels?" Lu Jianxing was frightened.

"Probably not." Shen Lian thought about it seriously.

"I can only lend you 120 taels." Lu Jianxing said. "That's all."

"Brother, that's not necessary. The captain has come up with a good plan for me." Shen Lian skipped Lu Wenzhao's explanation and recounted the key points of the conversation in Tianjin. "You can save money slowly. As long as you don't focus on making money, you can always save a little every year. In five or six years, it should be enough."

"There's another way that doesn't cost money." Yin Cheng came up with an idea.

"Hurry up and tell me!" Shen Lian's eyes lit up immediately.

"Overturn the verdict." Yin Cheng's lips curled up slightly. "As long as the verdict can be overturned, there will be no guilt. Without guilt, there will be no guilty officials. Without guilty officials, there will be no guilty officials' daughters! This way, we can save money, manpower, and be clean."

"Overturning the verdict? How many people would that offend?" Lu Jianxing didn't think it was a good idea. "Cases involving officials must go through the three judicial departments. Overturning the verdict would offend all these officials."

"What's that girl's name, or what's her father's name?" Lu Wenzhao didn't respond, but suddenly asked Shen Lian a question.

"Her name is Zhou Miaotong. I don't know her father's name, but he's dead. He died on the way to exile." Shen Lian replied.

"How old was she when she went in?" Lu Wenzhao asked.

"About eight years old." Shen Lian thought for a moment.

"Eight years old. Thirteen this year, five years ago. Five years ago was the forty-third year of the Wanli reign. In the forty-third year, the case of the assassination with a club!" These three fatal words popped up in Lu Wenzhao's mind.

Lu Wenzhao's head was immediately covered in cold sweat. He instinctively lowered his voice and denied it, "No! This case involves the emperor. We can't touch it. Absolutely not!"

"Then I..." Shen Lian was unusually panicked. However, his panic and Lu Wenzhao's nervousness were not due to the same thing.

"Change the woman." Lu Jianxing advised. "Brother will make the decision for you."

Shen Lian shook his head stubbornly. "Master, please." If Lu Wenzhao didn't help him put pressure on the government-run brothel, then his little money would not be enough.

"Hiss! Huh!" Lu Wenzhao took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. "Go to the archives to confirm something."

"Confirm whether her father is related to this case?" Shen Lian's eyes burned with an almost fanatical fire.

"No! There's no point in investigating this." Lu Wenzhao waved his hand, grabbed the teacup in front of him, and gulped down the inferior tea. He waited a few breaths, until the dryness in his throat had completely faded, before continuing, "The assassination case involved a wide range of people. Although, in order to quickly close the case and appease the public, only Zhang Cha, the assassin who entered the palace, was sentenced to death, not long after, the inner court secretly executed the two eunuchs involved in the case, Pang Bao and Liu Cheng."

"Since then, officials from the Prince's Party and the Prince of Fu's Party have been fighting over this case, either openly or secretly, and officials from both sides have been convicted." Lu Wenzhao paused.

Lu Jianxing took over the conversation: "The case was closed from the moment Zhang Cha was executed. The official's conviction can only be based on other grounds. Starting from this aspect, there will be no results."

"Yes, you are quite right. So, Shen Lian, what you need to do is to confirm which officials Zhou Miaotong's father was close to during his lifetime. Her father died on the road to exile in the 43rd year of Wanli. It is most likely because of this case, but whether it is or not, as long as he was close to officials from the lineage of Prince Fu, then you must completely give up this idea. If he was close to officials from the lineage of the Crown Prince, then I can help you."

After saying this, Lu Wenzhao cast a cold question at Yin Cheng:
"As for overturning the verdict just to save money, that's a completely rotten idea. Do you have the Emperor's blessing? If a few censors come out to impeach you, will the Emperor protect you? If the Emperor follows public opinion and has the Censorate or even the Western Depot investigate you, can you withstand the investigation? Who the hell are you? Overturning the verdict? You're courting death!" Lu Wenzhao finished, his scolding turning into a stern rebuke. "How many times have I told you to think before you speak?"

"Sir, I know I was wrong." Yin Cheng bowed his head and admitted his mistake.

"This is the last time. I, Lu Wenzhao, swear to heaven, if you don't cover your mouth, I'll transfer you out of town even if it means paying you." Lu Wenzhao rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned to Lu Jianxing and said, "You followed Shen Lian when he was checking the case file library. I don't know what kind of magic potion that woman gave him. He might be horny and trying to deceive us."

"Sir, I can still tell right from wrong." Shen Lian bit his lower lip, as if he had made up his mind: "If things really come to that, I will give up. It can also save some money, right?"

"Money is just material possessions. There's nothing wrong with using it for what you want. But as the emperor's personal guards, we must distinguish right from wrong." Lu Wenzhao licked his lips. "If I can help you, I will, and everyone else will too. So don't let a woman put you, or our brothers, in harm's way."

Lu Jianxing patted Shen Lian's shoulder gently and said comfortingly, "Don't worry too much. Haven't we gone to the archives yet?"

(End of this chapter)