Chapter 33
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Gu Yuanbai handled the matter of the Deputy Censor-in-Chief and Qi Wang swiftly. Even before the local officials who dared to conceal information and not report it arrived in the capital, they were already branded with the crime of corruption and colluding with officials in the capital.
It should be said that they already had this crime, but Chu Xun failed to meet Gu Yuanbai’s expectations. He was scared off by the life-threatening situations he faced several times and didn’t dare to expose the evidence of their corruption. In that case, Gu Yuanbai had to take matters into his own hands.
The middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River were in Shandong and Henan. These corrupt officials dared to embezzle the money the Emperor allocated for disaster relief and river repairs, let alone the various savings in granaries, meat storage, and weapons storage across the country, which had been tampered with by these parasites.
As soon as these local officials arrived in the capital, they were immediately sent to the dungeon by Gu Yuanbai.
He had plenty of evidence against them, all of which had been sent to the relevant institutions for examination. The Dali Temple would investigate how much they had embezzled from the people and how much they had taken in bribes, one by one. As for the other people who colluded with these officials, the deeper ones, he only scratched the surface in his investigation.
Scaring these hidden individuals a bit and giving them a chance to return the embezzled goods discreetly before he found out. Before the anti-corruption campaign began, Gu Yuanbai could turn a blind eye.
He first cleaned up the Imperial Censorate, sending those with a criminal record of corruption to the Dali Temple and leaving behind the clean ones, then bringing in a new batch of personnel. Chu Wei, with the spirit and pride of an imperial censor, was also put inside to temper his character.
As for Chu Xun, he would be promoted.
And those who dared to speak up for Qi Wang during the morning court sessions would be transferred from the capital to the local areas, stripped of their status as capital officials to fill in the gaps, and then would bear the consequences of the Emperor’s subsequent anti-corruption actions.
Dare to take money from the royal family to speak up for them?
Then you shall forever be banished from the political center.
As each matter was dealt with, the officials of the Ministry of State Affairs and the Grand Council were busy to the point of dizziness, and no one dared to breathe loudly in the entire court. Gu Yuanbai’s work hours had greatly increased, and when he came to his senses, it was the day the Deputy Censor-in-Chief’s home was raided, and he was exiled.
On this day, Gu Yuanbai abandoned all official duties and, accompanied by his personal guard Xue Yuan and others, disguised himself and went out of the palace to see the scene of the Deputy Censor-in-Chief’s exile.
A miserable procession of people, at the forefront of which was the Deputy Censor-in-Chief, his face haggard, eyes empty, devoid of any hope.
With bloodshot eyes, cracked lips, and clad in prisoner’s clothing.
The commoners standing on both sides cursed at these people, throwing rotten vegetables and leaves at them, their faces filled with a sense of relief and resentment.
“It’s him, embezzling under the guise of supervision! He colluded with local officials to oppress the people!”
“He’s so despicable! A useless official!”
The Deputy Censor-in-Chief… no, Feng Chengzhi, listened to the insults along the way and suddenly felt that the Emperor had burdened him with the crime of corruption, spared him from death, and left him in his current situation not out of kindness.
The Emperor wasn’t that kind.
This was simply worse than death.
Feng Chengzhi looked up at the taverns and tea houses on both sides, looking at the people who looked at him with disgust, their rotten vegetables and leaves flying towards him. The disgusted looks were as if they were looking at some unforgivable scoundrel.
Indeed, he was a scoundrel…
Feng Chengzhi had spent over a decade in the Imperial Censorate before he became the Deputy Censor-in-Chief. Naturally, he knew how severe the consequences would be for an official of the Imperial Censorate to embezzle under the guise of supervision.
He also rarely accepted bribes because once discovered, he would be despised by everyone, even more so than ordinary corrupt officials.
And he had indeed not embezzled any money.
But when the Emperor said he had, and he himself said he had, then he was a criminal for eternity.
Years ago, this street where he was praised for being on the list of top scholars had now become a place where he was ridiculed. At that time, the people on the street and the unsuccessful scholars looked at him with envy and jealousy. Now they looked at him with disgust and schadenfreude.
Gu Yuanbai, dressed in ordinary clothes, quietly observed the procession of these sinners and their families hidden among the layers of people.
Amidst this group, there were innocent and helpless women, as well as young and pitiful children. They were either tearful or anxious, waiting for a future that was like a nightmare. In ancient times, crimes, especially major ones, were treated as family affairs.
The greater the opportunity, the higher the price paid, but there were always those who thought they could get what they wanted without paying.
Gu Yuanbai felt he was quite ruthless.
At this moment, as he watched these innocents being implicated, his heart was filled only with regret and pity. Even as he watched the Deputy Censor-in-Chief being cursed by the people, he remained calm.
When mistakes are made, there is always a price to pay. Since the Deputy Censor-in-Chief had boarded Qi Wang’s ship, he had to be prepared for Gu Yuanbai to capsize it.
Surrounding them were not only commoners but also impassioned scholars. They loudly cursed the corrupt Deputy Censor-in-Chief, their neck veins bulging with anger, their faces turning red with each vehement accusation.
Some even composed satirical poems on the spot, and as soon as these crude verses were recited, the crowd erupted in applause and cheers.
This is reality, and with time, it becomes history.
After the Deputy Censor-in-Chief was taken away, Gu Yuanbai turned around. His companions shielded him as they left the crowd, and once the dense crowd dispersed, the air cleared.
Outside, there were scattered scholars in Confucian robes standing around. With the midday sun beating down, Gu Yuanbai glanced at the teahouses on both sides and said, “Let’s go, find a cool place.”
Even under the sunlight, Gu Yuanbai’s complexion remained fair, with tiny beads of sweat glistening on his forehead like pearls. His tied-up long hair fell gracefully over his shoulders, looking refreshing.
Xue Yuan, feeling hot, loosened his collar, revealing two fierce bite marks on his neck. Tian Fusheng, beside him, chuckled when he saw the wounds. “Guard Xue, it must be painful, huh?”
That day, Xue Yuan had blood on his neck as he carried the Emperor back to the palace, but since the blood was wiped away, no one had seen the wound. Seeing it now, they wouldn’t think about that day.
Xue Yuan raised an eyebrow and, glancing at the Emperor, touched the wound, saying meaningfully, “Quite painful, the person who bit me had sharp teeth.”
Tian Fusheng smiled again, winking, “With such sharp teeth, biting so deep, yet it seems Young Master Xue isn’t angry.”
“How could I be angry?” Xue Yuan replied, half-serious, half-joking. “I’ve got quite a temper.”
Gu Yuanbai turned to look at them. “What are you guys talking about?”
Xue Yuan smiled slightly. “Discussing the wound on my neck.”
Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but glance at his neck. On either side were deep, harsh bite marks. If someone unaware saw them, they might think Xue Yuan had had a wild night.
Gu Yuanbai, with a stern face, asked, “Oh? How did Guard Xue get those wounds?”
Guard Xue feigned ignorance. “Naturally, it has nothing to do with Your Majesty.”
Tian Fusheng laughed, clearly amused. “Our Guard Xue is really quite entertaining.” Of course, it had nothing to do with their emperor.
Gu Yuanbai smirked a warning smile at Xue Yuan and walked into a teahouse.
There were still seats available in the private rooms on the second floor. After sitting down, Tian Fusheng noticed the sweat on Gu Yuanbai’s forehead and went to the teahouse kitchen to find something to cool him down.
Gu Yuanbai wiped his sweat with a handkerchief. Xue Yuan, holding a teapot, poured two cups of tea and handed one to him, smiling, “Should I test for poison first?”
“Drink,” Gu Yuanbai commanded. “Drink it all.”
Xue Yuan picked up the cup, drank it all, and smacked his lips, “Tastes awful.”
His drinking style was as rough as the Heqin Wang’s, though at least Heqin Wang didn’t complain. Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but laugh, took the cup, and said, “Drink your tea, don’t say things to spoil the mood.”
Xue Yuan watched him sip from the green porcelain cup, the moisture from the tea clinging to his lips. Xue Yuan lowered his head, “Your Majesty’s tea looks sweeter.”
Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow, “It’s from the same pot.”
Xue Yuan frowned, knowing this but not understanding the sensation, so he stayed silent.
A cool breeze blew in from the window. Gu Yuanbai looked outside and saw that the crowd had dispersed. Just as he was about to look away, he caught sight of a familiar figure.
He paused, then looked more closely. It was a tall, young man—Li Yan, Marquis Pingchang’s Shizi.
Li Yan walked briskly, without any servants, heading towards an alley next to the tavern, looking anxious.
Gu Yuanbai sipped his tea calmly. After a while, he saw another familiar figure heading into the same alley—Tang Mian, the son of the Ministry of Revenue’s Shangshu and an assistant in the Hanlin Academy.
Tang Mian seemed more composed compared to Li Yan’s urgency.
Gu Yuanbai put down his cup, squinting towards the alley. What could be there that attracted both the shizi of Marquis Pingchang and a high-ranking official’s son at the same time?
Gu Yuanbai raised his chin and asked, “What’s in that alley?”
Xue Yuan glanced at it indifferently, replying casually, “Probably a tavern.”
Gu Yuanbai didn’t have to oversee everything personally. If he did, he would be too exhausted to rule effectively. Young men’s gatherings only sparked his curiosity momentarily.
Just as he was about to look away, a carriage slowly approached the tavern and stopped at the alley’s entrance.
Gu Yuanbai: “…”
Who could it be this time?
Heqin Wang, dressed in black, stepped out of the carriage with a serious expression, accompanied by a deferential servant who led the way into the alley.
Gu Yuanbai stood up and, with a meaningful glance at the alley, said, “Let’s go, Guard Xue. Accompany me to see what treasures lie within this alley.”
It must be something significant to attract so many people.
Xue Yuan stood, adjusted his robe, and said, “After you, Your Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai led the way out, with Xue Yuan following. As they left, Xue Yuan noticed the half-finished cup of tea the emperor left behind, and he drank it in one gulp. No sense in wasting it after spending money on it.
The alley was narrow, and the three men who had just entered had been discreet. Gu Yuanbai instructed the rest of his guards to wait at the teahouse and took only Xue Yuan with him.
Crossing the street, they reached the alley entrance. Gu Yuanbai expected it to lead to a residential courtyard, but turning in, he saw a red-painted door adorned with lanterns. A banner beside it read “Hundred Flowers Fragrance.”
A faint scent lingered in the air. Gu Yuanbai sniffed, sensing something off.
He turned to Xue Yuan, “What do you think?”
Xue Yuan gave him a puzzled look, frowning, “Isn’t it just a tavern?”
In the Grand Heng, one in ten taverns might bear the name “Hundred Flowers Fragrance.”
Gu Yuanbai sighed and walked slowly into the Hundred Flowers Fragrance with Xue Yuan. As soon as they entered, a thick aroma of alcohol and flowers enveloped them. The courtyard was exceptionally large, decorated with light red curtains, exuding a romantic atmosphere.
A dozen or so handsome young men with charming smiles were scattered around the courtyard, accompanying guests to enjoy the flowers and scenery. Gu Yuanbai glanced around and saw a man with powdered face walking towards him, his lips stiffened.
Oh, so this is the rumored Nanfeng Pavilion.
But in Great Heng Dynasty, it was strictly forbidden for government officials to frequent brothels or engage in such activities.
Gu Yuanbai glanced towards the upper floor, showing a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown. Government officials and Nanfeng Pavilion? Didn’t he remember that Heqin Wang didn’t like men?
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