The prince is more stable

Chapter 967 A Crazy Gamble

Most of the conspiracies and schemes in the world are decisions made when all other options are exhausted.

When you realize you can't go on living, all you can do is have a crazy thought of living towards death.

The powerful landlords who were forced to launch popular uprisings were like this, as was Li Huai, the garrison commander of Nanjing.

His buttocks were so dirty that he couldn't clean them no matter what he did. At this moment, officials from the Censorate came down and were about to discover evidence of his crimes and report it to the court. His fate was predictable.

Desperate, Li Huai chose to save himself, but his methods were ruthless. He went so far as to incite a popular uprising and kill Liu Zening to death in Nanjing, preventing any evidence from reaching Bianjing.

Throughout history, there have been countless examples of this. People will do anything to survive, just as capital is willing to risk being beheaded for triple profits. The desire to survive is stronger than the pursuit of profit.

Inside the Yingtian Prefecture government office, Li Huai looked bewildered, trying to calm his panicked emotions and maintain his official authority as the garrison commander of Nanjing.

But his pale face and his hands, trembling slightly with nervousness, ultimately betrayed his true feelings.

The popular uprising was out of control and the court was paying close attention. His mentor, Zeng Chongxing, sent an urgent secret letter to tell him that the emperor was furious and that the Imperial City Guard and the Censorate had come to Yingtian Prefecture. Furthermore, the emperor's father-in-law, Di Zi, had personally led 20,000 troops to Xiayi and Chuqiu counties to quell the uprising.

The situation escalated further, and the current state of affairs was beyond the control of Li Huai, the garrison commander of Nanjing.

Li Huai had not expected that the popular uprising would spread so rapidly, covering such a wide area in just a few days.

In his original plan, the uprising was limited to a few villages under the jurisdiction of Xiayi County, that is, the local powerful landlords leading a group of tenant farmers and servants to make trouble, kill Liu Zening in the chaos, and the incident would be quelled immediately.

If the powerful landlords then put forward a few more tenant farmers and farmhands as scapegoats, Li Huai would have an explanation to the court and the officials.

Despite being such a simple plan, what caused the uprising to spread rapidly from a few villages in Xiayi County to two counties, and even occupy two county towns? It was clearly escalating.

This is not just a simple disturbance, but a blatant rebellion.

The imperial court has already dispatched 20,000 troops to quell the rebellion. Doesn't that speak volumes?
The current situation is beyond his control as the garrison commander of Nanjing. The Imperial City Guard, the Censorate, the Palace Guard, and even the officials and the entire court who are constantly monitoring Yingtian Prefecture have taken over and are in control of the situation.

As for Li Huai and the officials of Yingtian Prefecture, they no longer need to participate. They can simply wait for the incident to subside and see how the court deals with them.

Inside the Yingtian Prefecture government office, there were other officials present, all of whom shared a common trait: their hands were not clean.

These people sitting together could be called the "Dirty Ass Group".

They also played a part in instigating the peasant uprising in Xiayi County. If the imperial court discovers any clues, none of them will escape punishment.

The silence was suffocating, but Li Huai hadn't gathered everyone here to pretend to be profound.

After a long silence, Li Huai spoke in a hoarse voice: "Are you sure Liu Zening is dead?"

None of the officials present spoke up; no one dared to confirm the matter.

After a long while, an official cautiously said, "The riot was instigated against Liu Zening. When the riot broke out, Liu Zening was present, and he was protected by dozens of imperial guards. However, the scene became too chaotic, and many people lost their minds..."

"After the uprising broke out, the people in the nearby villages and towns were all incited, and the situation escalated rapidly. People from all around quickly gathered and headed straight for Xiayi County. At that time, news could not be transmitted at all, as it was too chaotic. The powerful landlords who launched the uprising also went on a killing spree..."

Li Huai's face grew increasingly grim: "In other words, we still can't determine whether Liu Zening is dead or alive?"

No one spoke again, but everyone had undoubtedly accepted the fact.

Li Huai's face grew paler and paler, and he sighed as he looked up.

Li Huai then gritted his teeth.

"Liu Zening is no longer important. Now the Emperor and the court are watching our Yingtian Prefecture. It is said that the Imperial City Guard and the Censorate have also sent people. Even without Liu Zening, the things we have done will be exposed sooner or later."

"So now we need to seize the time to destroy the evidence. We should take advantage of the chaos of the civil uprising to deal with the merchants, landlords, and even officials who have had dealings with us in the past, and destroy the evidence that needs to be cleared. We should then shift all the blame to the civil uprising."

"If we can't get through this, everyone, we'll only meet in the underworld. Instigating a popular uprising and rebelling is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family. None of you here can escape or clear your name. So why not take a risk and go crazy? Maybe we can find a glimmer of hope."

Li Huai's tone was icy, revealing a hint of madness that had lost its mind. Everyone stared at him in astonishment, seeing his face gradually change from pale with fear to one of madness and insanity, his eyes bloodshot and flashing with a chilling killing intent.

A chill ran down everyone's spine, and despair gradually settled in their expressions. He's gone mad, completely insane!
Do you know what you are talking about?

Things have gotten this bad, and you still want to defy the imperial court? Do you really not want to live anymore?
Seeing the silence and resistance in everyone's eyes, Li Huai suddenly raised his voice and said sternly, "Now that things have come to this, do you and I have any other choice?"

"Even if we go to the gates of Yanfu Palace in Bianjing now and confess our crimes, do you think the Emperor will let us go? Our death sentence is already a certainty, and no one can save us. We can only save ourselves. Either way, we're going to die, so we might as well go all out and take a gamble. What are you all hesitating for!"

“As long as all the witnesses and evidence disappear, even if the court knows our crimes, it cannot convict us. My mentor will also plead for us, and we may be able to escape and enjoy our remaining years in peace.”

"Otherwise... your entire family will be exterminated! Your parents, wives, children, and all your relatives will be taken to the execution ground and beheaded! Think it over, everyone. Even for the sake of your loved ones' lives, you must take the risk. Even the worst outcome is still death. What are you afraid of?"

…………

In the midst of a blizzard, a cavalry escorted a carriage, silently leaving Bianjing City and heading east towards Yingtian Prefecture.

The cavalry consisted of about a thousand people, while two important figures sat in the carriage.

Han Chung-yeon and Lee Cheong-shin of the Censorate.

Inside the swaying carriage, the two men had solemn expressions and serious gazes.

They represent the Censorate, but now, Li Huai has pinned all the blame on Liu Zening of the Censorate, causing the Censorate to suddenly become under immense pressure.

If this matter is not handled properly, the entire Censorate may be abolished under the pretext of the court officials making a fuss, because even the Emperor may not be able to withstand such great pressure.

After a long silence, when Han Zhongyan's gaze inadvertently swept across Li Qingchen's face, Li Qingchen suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "I still stand by what I said: Liu Zening is fine. I personally investigated and promoted him. If it is ultimately found that he was the one who instigated the popular uprising, I am willing to share the blame with him!"

Han Zhongyan said slowly, "Brother Bangzhi, there's no need to be so agitated. The truth will soon come to light. The Imperial City Guard has already arrived in Yingtian Prefecture. Zhen Qing is personally leading the investigation. I believe we'll have results in less than two days."

Li Qingchen gritted his teeth and said, "This humble official simply cannot bear this humiliation. The establishment of the Censorate was extremely difficult, and it was set up almost against the opposition of officials throughout the country."

“Now, the slightest disturbance is met with a barrage of slander. We were trying to rectify official corruption, but in the eyes of others, we have become the culprits of the chaos in officialdom. This kind of slander has been going on for more than a day or two.”

Han Zhongyan stroked his beard, his expression calm and composed.

"To achieve great things, one must endure what others cannot. The Emperor once said to me, 'After the pain, the sky will be clear and the clouds will be bright.' I wholeheartedly agree with this. These days are just temporary pain. If we grit our teeth and endure it, the administration of the country will naturally be peaceful and orderly."

Li Qingchen said with a wry smile, "I can't see that vague future. I only know that if we can't get through this hurdle, and if this black pot is firmly pinned on us, it's still unknown whether the Censorate can even exist. Don't you see how many officials in the court and local areas vehemently oppose the establishment of the Censorate, and the opposition continues to this day?"

Han Zhongyan said calmly, "We'll get through this hurdle. In my judgment, Li Huai is highly suspicious. I've read his memorial, and it's full of loopholes. He's trying to pin the blame on the Censorate, but it won't be that easy for him."

“Brother Bangzhi, after we arrive in Yingtian Prefecture, why don’t we split up? I will deal with Li Huai face to face, while you can go to Xiayi County to inquire about Liu Zening’s whereabouts, and also ask the people of the seven counties under Yingtian Prefecture how they evaluate the officials of Yingtian Prefecture.”

Li Qingchen said worriedly, "If everything was secretly planned by Li Huai, Brother Shipu, you must be careful of this person when you arrive in Yingtian Prefecture. Do not provoke him to reveal his true intentions and hurt you."

Han Zhongyan smiled faintly and said, "Li Huai doesn't have that kind of skill yet."

After a pause, Han Zhongyan continued, "Of course, the Supervisory Office investigates cases with an impartial attitude. We will not only investigate Li Huai, but also Liu Zening, to see what he said and did in Xiayi County. Regardless of whether he is innocent or not, we will speak with evidence."

Li Qingchen nodded silently, his expression growing increasingly somber.

…………

Huiting Town, Xiayi County.

In the Xiayi uprising, more than 20,000 rioters occupied the county seat. The local magistrate fled in panic. In such chaos, the magistrate and all the officials and servants actually managed to escape and ran to Huiting Town, which was under the jurisdiction of Xiayi County.

This is a village that has not yet been occupied by rioters. The town is very small, with only a simple street, a dozen or so shops, and a dilapidated little market.

At this moment, in the front hall of a landlord's mansion in Huiting Town, Chen Su, the magistrate of Xiayi County, stood in the hall with a sense of unease, while the person sitting calmly in the hall was none other than Zhen Qing, the official in charge of the Imperial City Bureau.

The notorious head of the Imperial City Guard personally arrived and, with remarkable accuracy, located the county magistrate who had fled in panic. One has to admit that the Imperial City Guard's efficiency and methods were truly remarkable.

(End of this chapter)