CHAPTER 893: CHAPTER 891: PRINCE FU WAS FRAMED

The court officials each pondered the changes in the political situation, only to hear the Emperor continue, "Lih Mian, the head of the Imperial Guard Camp, will assist the Ministry of Justice in handling the case."

Hearing this, Wang Xian slightly relaxed a bit, and others could also hear that the Emperor intended for Lih Mian to assist in the case.

This meant that the Emperor wanted the direction of the case and the investigation to follow his own intentions. In other words, the Emperor aimed to control the development of the situation.

The Emperor glanced at the Crown Prince and Jinrong again, saying, "There is a severe drought in Yuanzhou, and the Ministry of Revenue should be prepared in advance. Immediately check the court’s available resources and the grain reserves in various places to prepare for timely disaster relief if the disaster occurs."

Upon hearing the Emperor’s words, Yu Shiqing’s expression was not much better than Wang Xian’s. How could the Ministry of Revenue spare extra resources? The years of favorable weather had truly made him and other officials in the Ministry of Revenue and the Crown Prince completely forget the awareness of potential worries.

The sudden disaster and the consecutive years of heavy taxes in the Yuanzhou region had already stripped the land bare, making it incapable of withstanding any turmoil. If a disaster occurs, who knows what calamities might appear?

After reprimanding the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Revenue, it was naturally Jinrong’s turn according to the Emperor. In the Emperor’s view, Jinrong’s cleverness and wit were entirely wasted on seeking personal wealth, which lacked any royal spirit.

The Emperor continued, "Prince Yu has been wise and kind-hearted since childhood, deeply understanding the importance of righteousness..."

Being praised by the Emperor did not make Jinrong feel elated; instead, he felt a pang of anxiety: It’s over, really over, this is truly over.

When did he ever deeply understand righteousness? As for being kind-hearted, he did not really deny that part, but how could the Emperor know whether his heart was good? Putting such a big label on his head, there could be no good outcome.

Sure enough, the Emperor continued, "Seeing that many parts of the country are experiencing severe droughts and the State Treasury is becoming increasingly strained. Prince Yu has been living in seclusion, accumulating considerable wealth over the years... Don’t forget, this world is the royal family’s world. The royal descendants also have a responsibility to the world and its people..."

Jinrong stared blankly at the back of the Emperor leaving, filled with grief and indignation. For this was his father; had it been anyone else, he would have cursed them.

Why is it that when it’s obvious Jinyi is profiting from the court’s restricted resources, they don’t trouble Prince Fu’s Mansion?

And the Crown Prince, the Tax Silver that should have been deposited into the State Treasury, was used by the Crown Prince to satisfy his daily extravagance and debauchery. Just by casually rummaging through the jewelry boxes of those concubines at the Crown Prince’s Mansion, the State Treasury could be quite filled.

Now his Imperial Father lacks silver and relief materials but doesn’t mention these two; instead, he comes to him to grab profits. What’s the reason for this? His money was hard-earned, not something collected during breezy times.

Jinrong was entangled with his hard-earned wealth and Silver Taels, but the looks directed at him by the others in the hall carried a different meaning.

The Emperor’s appearance in court today was recognized for disciplining Prince Fu and the Ministry of Works, as well as reprimanding the Crown Prince. However, it seems the reprimands for the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Revenue were incomplete, and they must await the final results based on the Ministry of Revenue’s inventory of materials that could be used for disaster relief.

And Prince Yu, although rebuked by the Emperor a few times, was the only one recognized today, with the Emperor affirming the careful approach of Guangsha Construction.

Although it was to seek gains unfairly, it did praise Prince Yu.

After reprimanding the two princes and two important departments, the Emperor praised Prince Yu’s character and affirmed the construction industry commissioned by Prince Yu, leaving it difficult for people not to think more, even if the Emperor had no other intentions.

...

The ensuing political upheaval in the court unfolded within just five days, with a Director and two officials in charge from the Ministry of Works being successively arrested by the Ministry of Justice and imprisoned.

Sectors under the Ministry of Works overseeing several mining operations also saw their stewards imprisoned, with new personnel swiftly appointed to replace them.

Unbeknownst to outsiders, these stewards, under the Ministry of Justice’s assistance, conducted audits and registered all iron ores and inventory of iron materials in various places.

Even some departments in the Ministry of Works related to smelting saw the residence of officials from the Ministry of Justice.

The mining and smelting accounts from the past two years were all moved into a few rooms occupied by the Ministry of Justice, and with new appointments by the Cabinet, the freshly appointed Director of the Ministry of Works and two officials in charge began verifying the Ministry of Works’ accounts, checking the inventory of ore in several mining areas and the pig iron stock in smeltery workshops.

After days of inspection, on one morning’s court meeting, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review reported that, according to the Ministry of Works’ accounts and local inventory, it could be basically determined that three main officials of the Ministry of Works, along with several subordinates, took advantage of their positions to secretly conceal the actual amount of mining and smelting from the court, engaging in large-scale acts of corruption.

Furthermore, following the iron materials that exceeded the court’s records, the Ministry of Justice traced them to several large workshops in the capital, including the Iron Workshop where Wong Qiao was working.

Many knew the Iron Workshop was under Prince Fu’s enterprise, yet the steward in actual control hailed from Prince Fu’s Mansion, and the official owner on file with the Yamen was also this individual.

The Ministry of Justice’s conclusion was that this steward, relying on Prince Fu’s trust, betrayed his master, conducting behind-the-scenes dealings detrimental to Prince Fu’s interests.

In consideration of these circumstances, this steward and owners of several other workshops were arrested and imprisoned together.

These workshops were sealed by the Yamen, with all minor stewards and craft masters being informed to stay put at home, awaiting summons from the Ministry of Justice.

When the Iron Workshop was shut down by the Ministry of Justice, Wong Qiao and everyone working in the workshop were driven out. Wong Qiao and two other master craftsmen were informed by Ministry of Justice officials that they could not leave freely thereafter and each returned home dispiritedly.

After returning home, Wong Qiao did not voluntarily inform Lady Zhao about the events at the workshop.

Lady Zhao was surprised to see Wong Qiao back home during regular working hours, and on the second and third days, Wong Qiao didn’t leave the premises either.

But when she asked Wong Qiao, she couldn’t get any reasonable explanation out of him.

On the first day, Lady Zhao could believe Wong Qiao’s claim that the workshop had suspended operations due to issues.

However, on the second and third days, several visiting women’s cautious probing and inquisitive tones made Lady Zhao suspicious.

Getting nowhere with Wong Qiao, Lady Zhao sent a maid, Xiao Cui, to Zhou Biyao’s courtyard and forcibly summoned her to Lady Zhao’s room while Zhou Biyao was away from her quarters.

Zhou Biyao, having been married for half a year, routinely went to work at Guangsha Construction. During her bi-weekly rest, she often bit her lip and served at Lady Zhao’s side.

If Lady Zhao merely postured, Zhou Biyao endured it, but if Lady Zhao truly harassed her, the next day a clerk from Guangsha Construction would deliver several rolls of drawings and documents, instructing Zhou Biyao that these must be completed urgently.

Lady Zhao tried several times, finding that if she genuinely bullied her daughter-in-law, the daughter-in-law could justifiably not serve in her presence, not even appearing in front of her.

Who could challenge the Emperor’s decree? She could act like a mother-in-law, but against imperial power, she was powerless, was she not?