The playboy county magistrate

"Gao Huai'an has already confessed and accepted punishment, and the main culprit has been apprehended; the case could have been closed. However, Imperial Censor Li insisted on digging deeper, making baseless accusations, and forcibly dragging a minor local corruption case into the hands of high-ranking officials in the court, deliberately creating turmoil in the court. His intentions are sinister!"

"Censor Li, residing in Jinling and wielding the power of an imperial envoy, has allowed unruly commoners to speak recklessly about official affairs and to readily believe the testimonies of criminals, thus convicting high-ranking officials based on biased accounts. This is an act of corrupting officialdom and disrupting the order of the court!"

"We humbly request Your Majesty to issue an edict ordering him to return to the capital immediately for questioning and to thoroughly investigate his misconduct in the investigation!"

When one person speaks, his entire faction follows.

In an instant, several officials close to Left Chancellor Ren Jianxiao stepped forward one after another, seconding his opinion. The chorus of voices piled up, filling the entire Golden Palace.

Some people used less extreme language, but they still expressed the same meaning.

"Your Majesty, there are still doubts in the case, and it is not advisable to hastily convict. It would be better to summon Imperial Censor Li back to the capital immediately for a confrontation in court. Only by clarifying the truth can we convince the public."

What was clearly a massive case of corruption, arson, and destruction of evidence by Xun Gui was twisted into a scandal involving Censor Li Xuanzhi's mishandling of the case and his deliberate framing of a high-ranking official.

A commotion gradually arose in the hall, with foul language filling the space and black and white being turned upside down.

On the dragon throne, the emperor remained silent.

His gaze swept over the bustling officials below the steps, his expression unfathomable, and no one could discern his thoughts.

Just as the court was in an uproar, a belated report from Jinling City broke through the palace gates and rushed into the main hall.

The imperial eunuch, carrying the newly delivered urgent report, hurried into the hall, knelt down, and loudly proclaimed:

"Your Majesty—Urgent news from Jinling! Imperial Censor Li has found remnants of private invoices amidst the ashes of the fire. Upon verification of the coded marks, it has been confirmed that they are indeed the exclusive seals of the Princess and Prime Minister Ren's private estate! Furthermore, the purchasing manager who fled to avoid disaster years ago has voluntarily surrendered, confessing to years of laundering embezzled funds and secretly transferring money!"

A deathly silence swept through the Golden Palace.

The chorus of seconding and questioning that had just been rising and falling suddenly ceased, and all the civil and military officials stood frozen in place, their expressions varied.

All eyes were fixed on the kneeling Prime Minister Ren Jianxiao.

The officials who had echoed the sentiment instantly lost their initial fervor and indignation, leaving only pale panic. They all lowered their heads, not daring to utter another word.

The emperor sat upright on his dragon throne, looking down at the myriad figures below. His long-silent gaze finally turned completely cold, and his voice was devoid of any warmth.

"You just said you had no involvement whatsoever, is that all a one-sided frame-up?"

Left Prime Minister Ren Jianxiao's body trembled slightly, his knees pressed tightly against the cold gold brick floor, his fingertips gripping the hem of his robe, his knuckles turning white.

Even in this dire situation, a final glimmer of struggle remained in his eyes as he loudly prostrated himself in prayer:

"Your Majesty! The incomplete receipt is illegible and insufficient to convict! The servants' accusations are merely attempts to absolve themselves of responsibility! This purchasing manager has been on the run for many years and is a convicted fugitive; how can his words be trusted? We implore Your Majesty to discern the truth and not be deceived by the treacherous words of criminals!"

A chilling glint flashed in the emperor's eyes, his imposing presence radiating authority without anger.

"Unreliable?" The emperor's voice suddenly turned stern, echoing throughout the entire hall. "Issue my decree: all the confessions, rubbings of private invoices, and witness testimonies that Li Xuanzhi urgently sent back this time shall be publicly displayed to all officials! Furthermore, retrieve all the secret records of financial transactions of private estates in Jinling City over the years and verify them in public!"

Once the decree was issued, no one dared to disobey.

The eunuch carried the scrolls and quickly entered the hall, spreading them out below the jade steps in front of the hall.

The yellowed ticket stub fragments are incredibly clear, with neat and distinct dark patterns, making it impossible for them to be replicated or forged.

The purchasing manager's testimony was written in neat handwriting, detailing in detail how the embezzled silver was laundered over the years and how it was secretly transported north to the princess and other nobles.

Every transaction time, amount, and all those involved in each transaction were recorded without omission.

The officials all craned their necks to examine the evidence closely, inwardly marveling at how irrefutable it was, leaving no room for doubt, and impossible to clear their names. No wonder the emperor favored Li Xuanzhi so much; his competence and efficiency were unmatched even if all of them were combined.

"I see... They intercepted the grain transport funds year after year, laundered them with private notes, evaded the national treasury's audits, and all of it flowed into their private coffers."

"Using substandard materials to repair the river, withholding wages, and neglecting water conservancy have wreaked havoc on Nanjing for years, causing displacement of people along the riverbanks. Their crimes are unforgivable!"

"They sent assassins to silence witnesses in the dead of night, set fire to evidence, and obstructed the imperial envoy's investigation, all to deceive the emperor. Each and every one of these acts constitutes an unforgivable crime!"

As the Left Prime Minister listened to the surrounding whispers, a sudden tightness gripped his chest. His years of arrogance and self-assurance crumbled completely.

Those officials who chimed in and jumped the loudest even felt their legs go weak and unconsciously took a half step back.

They knew very well that rashly seconding the motion and protecting the treacherous officials would be committing the grave crime of framing the imperial envoy. It was too late for them to abandon their evil ways now; they were already implicated in the case and could not escape punishment.

The emperor's gaze was icy, and he immediately issued an edict.

"Left Chancellor Ren Jianxiao, whose family had been favored by the emperor for generations, held a high position. Instead of serving the country and bringing peace to the people, he used his power to amass wealth, empty the national treasury, wreak havoc in the local areas, and harm the people. To cover up his crimes, he secretly recruited assassins to kill court officials. He also set fires to destroy evidence and deceived the emperor."

"Remove Ren Jianxiao from his position as Left Chancellor, revoke his wife's title of Princess and her salary, and seal off Ren's residence! The Ministry of Justice and the Censorate are ordered to conduct a thorough investigation, thoroughly uncovering any involved associates and implicated officials!"

"The officials who just endorsed the proposal to cover up wrongdoing and form cliques in court are immediately suspended from their duties pending investigation and punishment! Court adjourned!"

Ren Jianxiao seemed to lose all his strength in an instant, and his whole body collapsed in defeat.

He lost.

The carefully woven web of years has been torn apart just like that.

They did not hesitate to intercept and kill people on official roads, set fire to Nanjing to destroy evidence, and engage in sophistry in the imperial court.

In the end, they were all defeated by Li Xuanzhi, a young imperial censor who investigated the case alone.

The emperor gazed into the distance towards Jinling City, his coldness softening slightly, replaced by a hint of approval.

News of the downfall of Left Chancellor Ren Jianxiao spread along the official road. Within five days, it had reached the entire city of Jinling.

Local officials who had previously been allied with the Left Chancellor and the Princess were filled with fear and unease, and all the businesses involved in the case were shut down.

Li Xuanzhi stood atop the city wall of Jinling, gazing at the city's crisscrossing streets and the ever-flowing river. A deep unease settled in his heart; he knew that in the future, he would face a united attack from countless powerful figures.

Compared to the capital city where he was not in control of his own destiny, the prosperous and bustling city of Jinling, with its well-connected waterways, was the place where he could truly develop his power and improve his resilience.

"Young master, when shall we depart for the capital?"

Li Xuanzhi smiled and looked at Tang Zheng, "Return to the capital? Why go back? The capital's court is all about empty titles and positions. To gain a foothold, you don't rely on court rhetoric, but on local connections, street intelligence, and hidden wealth. If others can establish themselves here, so can I."

The power to speak in the imperial court is never earned through integrity and fairness, but rather through solid influence, intelligence, and a strong foundation.

"Understood!" Tang Zheng rubbed his hands excitedly. "Young Master intends to establish a foothold in Jinling, secretly cultivate his power, and build his own network of connections and intelligence!"