The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 141 I will not hesitate to bestow rewards!

"Zhang, your job is done."

"Injustice! Your Honor, I've been wronged!"

Zhang Bantou's pupils suddenly contracted, realizing something was wrong, but he still clung to a sliver of hope and stubbornly tried to argue his way out.

"I have always been law-abiding and diligent in my work. It must be...it must be a malicious accusation by a troublemaker! I beg you, sir, to investigate thoroughly!"

"False accusation?"

Dou Jing sneered, too lazy to say anything more to him, and waved her hand, shouting, "Search!"

The guards immediately surged into the house like a tidal wave, ransacking the place with swift and orderly movements.

The tables and chairs were moved, the chests and cages were opened, and the bedding was torn and inspected... However, after the search, apart from some ordinary household items and a small amount of copper coins, no obvious stolen goods were found.

Seeing this, a barely perceptible smug glint flashed in Zhang's eyes as he struggled to speak, "Sir! You see, I'm innocent! This is all a misunderstanding..."

Dou Jing frowned slightly, and Wang Cong also looked solemn.

Did this guy hide the thing somewhere else?

Just as the atmosphere became slightly tense and Zhang Bantou's face was about to show a hint of relaxation, a guard in charge of searching the bedroom suddenly let out a low shout.

"Lord Dou! Look at the foot of this bed!"

All eyes immediately focused on them.

The guard pushed the sturdy wooden bed with force, and the bed legs made a dull thud as they rubbed against the ground.

On the floor where the bed leg was originally pressed down, there was a ring of tiny marks that were almost the same color as the surrounding floor.

"There's a hidden compartment!" the experienced Dou Jing immediately asserted.

Two soldiers stepped forward and carefully pried along the marks with their scabbards.

With a soft "click," a floor tile about a foot square rose up, revealing a dark compartment underneath.

The color drained from Zhang Bantou's face in an instant, his body went limp as if his bones had been removed, and he let out a desperate whimper.

Dou Jing bent down and took out an object wrapped tightly in oilcloth from a hidden compartment.

Upon opening the oilcloth, two account books and several well-sealed packets of snowflake salt were revealed!

Wang Cong took the ledger and quickly flipped through it, his face growing colder with each page.

The records on the document meticulously documented the amount of grain distributed to each household, the amount of refined salt requested in exchange, and the actual details of what was handed over, including the time, the people involved, and the quantity—everything was recorded precisely.

Behind several key instructions and summaries, a familiar signature and personal seal are clearly visible—Chen Jingyuan!

"Caught red-handed, the evidence is irrefutable!"

Dou Jing held up the ledger and the salt, her voice like ice striking ice.

"Chief Zhang, what else do you have to say?"

"I...I..." Zhang Bantou trembled like a leaf, tears streaming down his face, his previous arrogance completely gone.

Faced with the gleaming blade and irrefutable evidence, his psychological defenses completely crumbled.

"It was Magistrate Chen! It was Magistrate Chen who ordered me to do it!"

He confessed everything about how he was instructed by Chen Jingyuan, how he selected and controlled poor families, how he distributed grain and collected refined salt, how he shared the spoils with Chen Jingyuan, and the forces that might be involved behind Chen Jingyuan, all in the hope of being spared his life.

"Take him away and keep him under strict guard!" Dou Jing ordered, then turned sharply towards the county government office. "Go to the county government office and 'invite' Magistrate Chen!"

In the back courtyard of the county government office, Chen Jingyuan was startled awake from his sleep and was "invited" to the main hall, his clothes disheveled.

He was initially startled by the sudden appearance of the Eastern Palace guards and the cold-faced Dou Jing and Wang Cong, but he quickly regained his composure.

He straightened his robes, and even managed to force a familiar, slightly obsequious smile onto his face.

"Lord Dou and Minister Wang, you have come so late at night. What brings you here? Or is there anything Your Highness commands?"

“Magistrate Chen,” Dou Jing said, too lazy to mince words with him, and threw the account book and several packets of refined salt in front of him.

"How do you explain these things?"

Chen Jingyuan's gaze swept over the ledgers and refined salt, his eyelids twitched suddenly, but he still denied it outright, his face showing fear and grievance.

"What...what is this? I have never seen anything like it before! Someone must be framing me! Lord Dou, Minister Wang, you two are wise enough to see that I am loyal to His Highness and the court. How could I possibly do such a treasonous thing?"

“Framed?” Wang Cong stepped forward, pointing to the clear signature and seal on the ledger.

“Magistrate Chen, could the handwriting and seal on these documents be fabricated by someone else? Zhang, the head constable, has already confessed and identified you as the mastermind!”

Upon hearing that Zhang Bantou had been captured and confessed, Chen Jingyuan's expression changed slightly, but he still made a last-ditch effort, raising his voice eight octaves, revealing a hint of bravado but inner weakness.

"Prime Minister Wang! Without any evidence, how can a county magistrate be convicted based solely on the accusations of a lowly clerk? I am not satisfied! I demand to see His Highness the Crown Prince to present my grievances in person!"

"See His Highness?" Dou Jing scoffed. "Does His Highness think you can just see him whenever you want?"

Seeing that the situation was not good, Chen Jingyuan gritted his teeth and decided to play his last card.

He straightened his back, and the feigned respect on his face vanished completely, replaced by an arrogant confidence.

"Dou Jing! Wang Cong! Don't push your luck! I advise you to think this through!"

He glanced around at the menacing guards, his tone threatening.

"My younger sister is married into the Cui family of Qinghe! She is the principal wife of the third branch of the Cui family!"

"To mess with me is to slap the Cui family in the face! It's to declare war on the entire Shandong aristocratic family!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he had regained his confidence, and looked directly at Dou Jing.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is young and may be easily misled by you, but His Majesty is wise and surely knows the risks involved."

"For the sake of a few lowly commoners, you've offended the powerful families of Shandong and shaken the foundations of the nation. Can you bear this responsibility? Do you still want His Highness the Crown Prince's position to remain secure?"

Dou Jing glanced at Chen Jingyuan with disdain.

"Do you really think you're someone important? The Cui family would never offend His Highness the Crown Prince for someone as insignificant as you. You're overthinking it. Take him away!"

Magistrate Chen's face turned ashen instantly, and he was immediately put in shackles.

The whole process was exceptionally efficient, and by the time everything was settled, it was nearly dawn.

As dawn broke, the last vestiges of the long night were dispelled.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian rose with the assistance of his officials in the Eastern Palace. He had been reviewing memorials until late last night, and there was still a hint of weariness between his brows.

He had just picked up a bowl of congee and hadn't even taken a bite when he heard hurried but steady footsteps outside the tent.

Dou Jing and Wang Cong arrived together, both of them having not slept all night, their eyes bloodshot.

But he was unusually excited. After bowing, he recounted the entire operation of the previous night, as well as the irrefutable evidence such as the account books and refined salt that had been seized, to Li Chengqian in a clear and organized manner. Li Chengqian had been listening quietly at first, but when he heard that Chen Jingyuan had not only caught the culprit red-handed, but also dared to use the Cui family of Qinghe to threaten the officials of the Eastern Palace, his hand holding the porridge bowl tightened suddenly.

"Well done! Chen Jingyuan is truly remarkable!"

"You are incredibly audacious, disregarding the law and oppressing the people. Now that you have been caught red-handed, you still dare to use your power to intimidate others and threaten my Crown Prince!"

He stood up abruptly, the last trace of weariness on his face vanishing.

"Bring him here. I want to interrogate this parasite of the nation myself!"

Crown Prince Li Chengqian sat upright in the main seat, his face ashen.

Dou Jing and Wang Cong stood on either side, with the Eastern Palace guards standing below, holding halberds. Their armor was imposing, their eyes sharp, and an invisible pressure permeated the entire tent.

Chen Jingyuan was escorted in by two guards. The night in prison had left him looking rather disheveled, his official robes wrinkled and his hair disheveled, but his eyes still gleamed with resentment and a sense of relief.

The heavy shackles around his neck and wrists clanged with every step he took.

"Your Majesty, I, Chen Jingyuan, pay my respects to the Crown Prince."

He knelt down with difficulty, his voice hoarse, yet he still tried to maintain his last shred of dignity.

Li Chengqian did not immediately tell him to get up. His cold gaze fell on him as if it were a physical object. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but every word was like a hammer blow.

"Chen Jingyuan, do you know your crime?"

Chen Jingyuan trembled, suddenly raised his head, his face instantly filled with a look of injustice, and his voice suddenly rose, tinged with sobs.

"Your Highness! Your Highness, please see the truth! I am innocent! I have been wronged beyond measure!"

He struggled to move forward, but was held down firmly by the guards behind him.

"It was Grand Tutor Dou and Chancellor Wang who framed me! Those account books and seals must have been forged by them! Zhang Bantou was tortured into confessing! Your Highness, you must do justice for me!"

While protesting his innocence, he secretly observed the Crown Prince's expression. Seeing that Li Chengqian was expressionless, he became increasingly uneasy. In desperation, he once again resorted to what he thought was his protective charm.

"Your Highness! I...I am an official appointed by the court. Even if I have made a mistake, it should be tried by the three judicial departments and decided by Your Majesty!"

"Furthermore... furthermore, my sister is the matriarch of the third branch of the Cui family of Qinghe. The head of the Cui family values ​​his reputation most. If he knew that I had suffered an injustice, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it would cause controversy among the scholars of Shandong, which would damage Your Highness's reputation and be detrimental to the stability of the court!"

His words, seemingly a plea for mercy, were in fact a threat, emphasizing the phrase "Qinghe Cui family" heavily.

They attempted to use the immense influence of the Shandong aristocratic families to force the crown prince to hesitate before taking any action.

However, the scenario he had envisioned—where the crown prince would be wary or even soften his stance—did not materialize.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian's lips slowly curved into an extremely faint and cold smile, devoid of any warmth, filled only with endless mockery and disdain.

He chuckled softly, a sound that was unusually clear and jarring in the otherwise silent hall.

"Ah."

That laugh sent Chen Jingyuan's heart plummeting to the bottom.

“Chen Jingyuan,” Li Chengqian’s voice suddenly turned stern.

"Even now, you still dare to try and coerce me with your family background? Do you think that by mentioning the Cui family, I won't dare to touch you? Do you think I'll be afraid of you?!"

He suddenly stood up, walked down the steps, and stood in front of Chen Jingyuan, looking down at the county magistrate who was slumped on the ground.

The young crown prince exuded a powerful aura that was beyond his years, an absolute authority that held the reins of power and the power of life and death.

"Don't tell me you're just an outsider who married into the Cui family because of your sister!"

Li Chengqian's voice was icy.

"Even if the head of the Cui family were to personally stand in this hall today, he still couldn't save you!"

Chen Jingyuan suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief and terror, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word.

The crown prince's words shattered his last illusions and reliance.

"Your corruption and perversion of justice are well-documented! Your exploitation of the people is beyond redemption! You forcibly exchanged government grain for salt from the people to enrich yourself, causing the people under your jurisdiction to suffer from hunger and cold, and to be filled with unspeakable misery! Such behavior is intolerable to Heaven and unforgivable under the law!"

Li Chengqian's voice became louder and louder.

"Do you still care about the imperial court? Do you still care about your father? Do you still care about me, the crown prince?"

"You disregard the laws of the land and treat the common people like dirt. Now that you are about to die, you show no remorse and even dare to use the name of your noble family to threaten the crown prince! Who gave you the audacity?!"

"I...I..." Chen Jingyuan was so shocked by the barrage of questions that he was completely disoriented and his face turned ashen.

He sensed the undisguised killing intent in the Crown Prince's eyes; it was the decisiveness that only a true holder of power could possess.

"Your Highness, spare your life! Your Highness, spare your life!"

He finally broke down completely, no longer caring about the dignity of his noble family or the decorum of an official. Tears streamed down his face as he pounded his head on the ground with a loud thud.

"This sinful subject knows his mistake! This sinful subject was bewitched! I beg Your Highness, for the sake of the Cui family, spare this sinful subject's life! This sinful subject is willing to hand over all his family's wealth, willing..."

"Too late!" Li Chengqian abruptly interrupted his pleas, turned around sharply, and returned to the main seat.

"Chen Jingyuan, a high-ranking official of the imperial court, is not only unpatriotic but also corrupt and exploitative, with irrefutable evidence against him! Furthermore, he has threatened his superiors and shown contempt for the crown prince, making his crime even more serious!"

His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept across the entire room, finally settling on Chen Jingyuan, whose face was ashen, as he pronounced his verdict:

"According to the law, the sentence is—immediate execution! All family property is confiscated, and all wives, concubines, and children are exiled three thousand li away, with no possibility of pardon!"

"No—!" Chen Jingyuan let out a shrill and desperate roar, his whole body completely collapsing to the ground like a mangy dog ​​with its spine removed. A foul smell even came from his crotch, as he was so frightened that he lost control of his bladder.

Two guards, expressionless, stepped forward, lifted him from the ground like a dead dog, and dragged him away. His desperate wails faded into the distance and eventually disappeared.

Silence returned to the hall, but the oppressive atmosphere lingered.

Li Chengqian slowly sat back down, took a deep breath, and calmed his turbulent emotions.

After a moment, he looked at Dou Jing and Wang Cong, his tone softening slightly, but with a hint of inquiry.

"You two deserve immense credit for the swift resolution of this matter and the capture of the perpetrators. However, I am quite curious: how did you manage to pinpoint Zhang's location so precisely and find that deeply hidden compartment?"

Dou Jing and Wang Cong exchanged a glance. Dou Jing stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Your Highness, the credit for this matter does not belong to us. It was Li Yichen, Li Yichen's tutor, who provided the clue."

“Li Yichen?” A look of understanding flashed in Li Chengqian’s eyes, followed by a deep sigh of “I knew it.”

'As expected of you, sir!' he thought to himself, a warm feeling and admiration welling up inside him.

Despite his intense inner turmoil, Li Chengqian remained outwardly calm and composed.

He nodded slightly and said to Dou Jing and the other person, "I see. Li, the attendant, is meticulous and loyal to the king. He certainly deserves to be rewarded."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "The situation in Shandong has not yet been completely resolved, and matters concerning the canal transport and people's livelihood still need to be coordinated."

"Once this matter is resolved and disaster relief and the rectification of officialdom are on track, I will then reward those who have made contributions. At that time, Li Yichen will be credited with the greatest merit, and I will certainly not hesitate to bestow a reward upon him!"

(End of this chapter)