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

Chapter 144 The Crown Prince's move was too ruthless!
Zhou Mingyuan knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, and told everything he knew.

The details of how Defeng Grain Store was instructed by the Cui family, how it coerced the people not to trade with the Crown Prince, how it secretly hoarded grain and manipulated grain prices, and even the details of several communications with him, the amount of "hard-earned money" received, and the location of its storage, are all clearly explained.

In order to save his life, he also revealed the location of the secretly copied secret letter and the account book.

Li Chengqian listened expressionlessly until Zhou Mingyuan could say nothing more and lay on the ground sobbing. Only then did he slowly speak.

"Take him down and, according to his account, seize the evidence of the stolen goods."

His voice was icy cold, devoid of any emotion.

The guards dragged Zhou Mingyuan, who had slumped into a limp heap, out of the room.

Only Li Chengqian, Dou Jing, and Wang Cong remained inside the tent.

The air was heavy.

“Your Highness,” Dou Jing broke the silence first, her tone tinged with excitement.

"We have both witnesses and physical evidence; the proof is irrefutable! Should we immediately send people to seal off Defeng Grain Store and arrest all relevant members of the Cui family?"

Li Chengqian did not answer immediately. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his gaze deep.

Zhou Mingyuan's confession and the physical evidence that will soon be seized are enough to nail the Cui family to the crime of disobeying imperial orders and disrupting disaster relief.

But he knew that a behemoth like the Cui family would never sit idly by and wait for its demise.

"Seal off the grain store, take control of all the accountants and managers, and do not allow a single one to escape."

Li Chengqian gave the order.

"But I won't directly target the Cui family for now. I want to see how they respond."

Wang Cong frowned slightly.

"What do you mean, Your Highness?"

“The Cui family is deeply entrenched, with extensive connections both in and out of the government. They must have a backup plan for daring to act this way.”

“If we go directly to their door, they might either cut their losses and try to survive, or they might try to make false accusations, which would be counterproductive.”

A cold glint flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes.

"Let them show their true colors before we make our move, so that we can strike them dead in one blow and let the world see their true colors."

Dou Jing and Wang Cong exchanged a glance, both seeing admiration in each other's eyes.

After these experiences, His Highness the Crown Prince has become more thoughtful and his methods more shrewd.

Sure enough, less than half a day after Defeng Grain Store was sealed off and relevant personnel were detained, Cui Han, an elder of the Cui clan in charge of the Qinghe Cui clan in Yanzhou, came to the Crown Prince's residence with his visiting card to request an audience.

Li Chengqian received him in the council tent.

Cui Han was about fifty years old, with his hair and beard neatly combed and dressed in a dark-patterned brocade robe, exuding an extraordinary air.

After entering, he bowed respectfully, his demeanor composed.

"This humble subject, Cui Han, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Please rise, Mr. Cui."

Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly, his tone indifferent.

"May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

Cui Han stood up, his face bearing just the right amount of sorrow.

"Your Highness, I have come on behalf of my family to beg for forgiveness. Our family is unfortunate to have produced such a wicked child who dared to deceive his superiors and disrupt relief efforts. He is a disgrace to the Cui family!"

He paused, stealing a glance to observe the Crown Prince's expression. Seeing that the other was expressionless, he felt a chill run down his spine.

"After an urgent internal investigation, it was found that this was caused by Cui Deli, the family's chief steward stationed in Yanzhou, who was blinded by greed and acted recklessly."

"This man has been apprehended by the family and awaits Your Highness's judgment. The family's lax discipline has allowed this scoundrel to wreak havoc in the area and disturb Your Highness. The entire Cui family is filled with fear and trepidation, and is willing to accept any punishment Your Highness may impose. Furthermore, we are willing to contribute some of our stored grain to assist Your Highness in disaster relief and to atone for our mistake."

As he spoke, he took out a gift list and a confession from his sleeve and presented them with both hands.

"This is Cui Deli's signed confession, his list of embezzled assets, and proof of the Cui family's donation of 5,000 shi of grain. Please take a look, Your Highness."

Dou Jing stepped forward, took the document, and presented it to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian glanced at the confession, which placed all the blame on the steward named Cui Deli.

They said he was blinded by greed and acted recklessly behind his family's back.

The confession was written flawlessly, and it was signed and sealed with all the necessary documents.

The figures on the gift list are also quite considerable: five thousand shi of grain, which can indeed play a role in alleviating the current food shortage.

Cui Han stood with his head bowed, but his heart was somewhat at ease.

He believed that, faced with a scapegoat who had already confessed and a substantial sum of five thousand bushels of grain, even the crown prince should know when to stop.

After all, a complete falling out would benefit no one.

The tent was completely silent.

Li Chengqian gently placed the confession and gift list on the table, his gaze calmly falling on Cui Han's face.

"Mr. Cui,"

Li Chengqian spoke slowly, his voice remaining steady.

“The Cui family is a prominent family in Shandong, with a tradition of poetry and etiquette. They must value rules and regulations the most.”

Cui Han bowed immediately.

"What His Highness said is absolutely true."

“Hmm,” Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

"In that case, I hope that the Cui family will strictly discipline its members in the future, keep their duties as subjects, and not make any more mistakes, so as not to betray the family's reputation for being a family of scholars and officials."

Cui Han's heart skipped a beat.

The crown prince spoke calmly, without uttering a single harsh word, but the words "be mindful of your duties as a subject" and "do not make any more mistakes" felt like an invisible whip lashing at his heart.

He understood; this was the Crown Prince's warning, a warning that the Cui family should behave themselves from now on, otherwise, next time, it would not be enough to simply hand over a mere Cui Deli.

He showed no expression on his face, but bowed deeply, his tone as respectful as ever.

"This humble subject will heed Your Highness's teachings. The Cui family will certainly rectify its family traditions, strictly discipline its members, and uphold its duties, so as not to fail the court or Your Highness."

"So good."

Li Chengqian spoke calmly and said no more.

Cui Han tactfully took his leave and walked out of the tent.

Inside the tent, Li Chengqian stared in the direction Cui Han had left, his eyes filled with coldness.

He turned to Dou Jing and Wang Cong.

"Pass on my order!" Li Chengqian's voice was resolute.

"Zheng Xian, Prefect of Yanzhou, Wang Hong, Chief Clerk, and Zhang Yun, Military Advisor, as assistants to the prefecture and county, have either been perfunctory and irresponsible, failed to report information, or had ambiguous relations with local powerful figures during this critical time of disaster relief. They are hereby dismissed from their posts and escorted to Chang'an to be dealt with by the Ministry of Personnel and the Court of Judicial Review!"

"Zhou Mingyuan, the magistrate of Xiaqiu County, although he made meritorious contributions in reporting corruption, has been found guilty of embezzlement and dereliction of duty. He is hereby dismissed from his post and investigated, and his family property is confiscated!"

"Cui Deli and all the officials and clerks involved in the case shall be severely punished according to the law, without any leniency!"

The series of orders sent a jolt through Dou Jing and Wang Cong.

Your Highness is going to wipe out almost all the officials in Yanzhou!
"As for vacant positions,"

Li Chengqian pondered for a moment.

"The officials of the Crown Prince's Palace and the staff of the accompanying departments will temporarily take charge. The administration of Yanzhou will be temporarily managed by Wang Cong."

"Dou Jing will oversee the rectification of officialdom and the allocation of disaster relief resources. The specific list of candidates should be drafted immediately, submitted to the Emperor for approval, and they should assume their duties immediately without delay!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!" Dou Jing and Wang Cong suppressed their excitement and bowed to accept the order.

They did not directly assume local official positions, but rather served as "assistants" and "supervisors" as special envoys of the Crown Prince, a position that was legitimate and did not violate the established system. This effectively placed a portion of the real power in Yanzhou and even Shandong directly in the hands of the Crown Prince!
Li Chengqian concluded, "Tie up Cui Deli and all the other key figures involved in the case from Defeng Grain Store!"

"Tomorrow at noon, parade them through the streets as a public spectacle, announce their crimes, and let the people of Yanzhou see who these people are who are defying the imperial court and exploiting them!"

……

The next day, noon.

The main streets of Xiaqiu City were packed with people.

The news had already spread that His Highness the Crown Prince had apprehended corrupt officials and unscrupulous merchants who were obstructing disaster relief efforts, and that they would be paraded through the streets today.

Despite the hunger and exhaustion still etched on their faces, countless people struggled to flood the streets, crowding along the roadside and craning their necks to look around.

The team has arrived.

Ahead were the soldiers clearing the way, their armor gleaming and their expressions solemn.

Immediately following them were a group of prisoners bound with ropes and with death warrants stuck to their backs.

Leading the group was Cui Deli, the chief steward of the Cui family. His face was ashen, his eyes were empty, and he was being roughly pushed forward by two soldiers.

Following them were several key managers of the grain store, as well as Zhou Mingyuan, the dismissed magistrate of Xiaqiu County, and others.

Zhou Mingyuan had long lost his official authority. His official robes had been stripped off, leaving him only in a white prison uniform. He was crying and staggering.

On both sides of the procession, soldiers with loud voices walked along, loudly proclaiming the crimes of these people.

"The corrupt official Zhou Mingyuan, as the county magistrate, committed embezzlement, dereliction of duty, colluded with unscrupulous merchants, and oppressed the people. His crimes are heinous!"

"The unscrupulous merchant Cui Deli manipulated grain prices, coerced the people, and defied the Crown Prince's disaster relief decree. His crimes are unforgivable!"

……

Each time a charge was read aloud, a suppressed commotion would erupt from the crowd.

"Serves them right! Those damned bastards! If it weren't for them, so many of us wouldn't have starved to death!"

An old man leaned on a wooden cane, growling through gritted teeth, his cloudy eyes blazing with hatred.

"That Magistrate Zhou, he always seemed so respectable, I never imagined he was so ruthless!"

A woman holding a emaciated child spat at Zhou Mingyuan.

"The Cui family... even members of the Cui family have been arrested?"

Some people whispered among themselves, their faces showing disbelief and lingering fear.

"Didn't you hear what the soldier was saying?"

"The Cui family...they're a family with hundreds of years of history, how could they do such a thing..."

"What's wrong with the aristocratic families? Do they not need to eat? They're trying to hoard grain, waiting for prices to skyrocket so they can bleed us dry!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince is truly a just and upright official! He has exposed all these corrupt officials!"

The sounds of discussion, cursing, weeping, and gratitude intertwined, converging into a surging undercurrent that crashed against this ancient city.

Many ordinary people, seeing those once arrogant and domineering officials and unscrupulous merchants now imprisoned and paraded through the streets, felt an unprecedented sense of unease—that these people were not as high and mighty as they seemed, and therefore not so unshakeable.

It turns out that the laws of the imperial court can indeed protect ordinary people like them.

The procession moved slowly through the streets, and the charges against the guilty were made public one by one.

The sunlight shone on the pale, desperate faces of the prisoners, and also on the complex and excited faces of the people lining the road.

When the procession passed the street where the Cui residence was located, the gates were tightly closed and the area in front of the gates was deserted, forming a stark contrast to the surrounding hustle and bustle.

The murmurs among the crowd grew louder, and people kept glancing at the tall gatehouse, pointing and whispering.

The Cui family's informant, hidden among the crowd, listened to the undisguised accusations and contempt, his face turning extremely ugly. He quietly withdrew his head and hurried back to report.

Inside the mansion, Cui Han listened to the servant's report, his face turning ashen.

Paraded through the streets as a public spectacle!

Publicly announce the charges!

The Crown Prince's move was ruthless!
This is not just about killing a few people; it's about tearing off the Cui family's face and trampling it on the ground!
After this incident, the Cui family's reputation in Shandong will surely plummet!
……

Several days later, in Chang'an City, at the Liangyi Hall.

Li Shimin looked at the secret reports and memorials presented by the Hundred Cavalry Commandery and the newly appointed officials of Yanzhou, his expression complex.

The memorial was submitted by Wang Cong in his capacity as Assistant Administrator of Yanzhou. It detailed the changes in Yanzhou officials, the progress of disaster relief, the investigation and punishment of Defeng Grain Store, the public announcement of the charges, and the public shaming of the detainees.

The secret reports were even more detailed, recording the entire process and the various reactions from the local area.

Li Shimin put down the memorial and gently rubbed his temples with his fingers.

Are you happy? Of course I am.

The Crown Prince's actions were swift and decisive.

He rooted out corrupt officials, rectified officialdom, and appeased the people. He also took the opportunity to place the Crown Prince's people in key areas of Shandong under the guise of assistants and supervisors, thus initially breaking the monopoly of local power by powerful families.

In particular, the practice of parading people through the streets and announcing their crimes directly pointed the finger at specific illegal acts and individuals, rather than broadly attributing them to "natural disasters" or "corrupt governance."

This move, which garnered maximum support from ordinary people, was indeed brilliant.

Furthermore, the disaster relief strategies such as exchanging salt for grain and guiding merchants to transport grain also demonstrated ingenuity that differed from ordinary relief efforts.

This ability and this courage far exceeded his expectations of a crown prince.

But the unease is also real.

The Crown Prince's move was too drastic.

The dismissal of the main officials of a prefecture, with the Crown Prince's subordinates directly assisting and supervising the process, was unprecedented in this dynasty.

Although the reasons are sufficient and the evidence is conclusive, it inevitably gives the impression that the Crown Prince's power has expanded rapidly.

Especially in Shandong, the relationships are incredibly complex...

"Your Majesty," Wang De, who was standing to the side, asked cautiously, "about the matter of Yanzhou..."

Li Shimin waved his hand, interrupting him: "The Crown Prince handled the matter well, and I am very pleased."

He walked to the huge map and his gaze fell on the location of Shandong.

Shandong alone can't turn the world upside down.

If the Crown Prince can use this opportunity to truly control Shandong, it may not be a bad thing for the country.

At the very least, it can severely dampen the arrogance of those powerful and unruly families.

However... this speed of growth, this remarkable achievement, made him, as the father and the emperor, feel a slight pressure, even as he was gratified.

He recalled his days in the Prince of Qin's mansion, that spirit of ambition and unwillingness to be second to anyone...

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince's swift and decisive actions in Shandong swept through the imperial court in Chang'an like a whirlwind.

The consensus among the senior officials was that the Crown Prince's method, though seemingly urgent, directly addressed the crux of the matter.

In the past, it was common to kill a few local officials to appease public anger during disaster relief efforts. However, it is rare for someone like the Crown Prince to take down even the assistants of the prefectures and counties, announce their specific crimes, and direct the blame towards the powerful figures behind them, thus winning over the hearts of the people.

This is no longer a simple disaster relief effort; it's an opportunity to consolidate local authority and establish its own power.

Undercurrents were swirling within the imperial court.

Everyone realized that, after the events in Shandong, Crown Prince Li Chengqian's status and prestige were no longer what they used to be.

The crown prince of the Tang Dynasty is asserting his existence with a powerful stance.

The impact of this locust plague is only just beginning to emerge.

Meanwhile, letters from powerful figures in Chang'an and other regions were being sent day and night to the Crown Prince's camp.

(End of this chapter)