Chapter 231: The Imperial Tutor is Imprisoned

Wu Qi, Cheng Weiyao and other female members of the Qingping Palace attracted everyone's attention. With the whole nation decorating the palace with lights and lanterns, naturally no one noticed the actions of Wen Chengyun and his group.

Whenever he arrived at a prefecture or county government office, Wen Chengyun would actively communicate with the government office. He soon discovered that all the old rice in the rice shops was taken by the Minister of Revenue, Sun Youcai, so there was no record of it in the account books.

However, when Wen Chengyun was flipping through the account books of major rice and grain stores, his hand paused. He saw a familiar address in the account book.

"Master, what's wrong? The source of the rice has been confirmed. The account books are useless. The witness testimony has been notified to the authorities and is being recorded..."

Wu Qi had basically finished collecting evidence at the rice shop and was about to pack up, but when he turned around, he saw that Wen Chengyun had a strange expression on his face, so he stepped forward to show concern.

"I need to temporarily withhold these account books as evidence. As for your rice store owner, he should have another copy. I'll use it for now."

Wen Chengyun temporarily relaxed his frown. It was just an address and didn't mean anything. What's more, his mentor had many students all over the world and his kindness was well-known. Maybe he was collecting grain to help the people?

Subjectively, he was unwilling to believe it, but reason overcame emotion, and he immediately followed the address left by the rice store.

The warehouse that had purchased the large amount of grain was indeed owned by Grand Tutor Jiang Nantian, but the grain inside had disappeared, which aroused Wen Chengyun's suspicion. You know, this amount of rice is enough to feed an army...

The town was already quite close to the capital at this time, so he immediately contacted Wen Chengfeng and told him about his suspicions.

Imperial Palace, Main Hall

Wen Chengfeng, having received his son's message, rubbed his temples and raised his hand to signal Jiang Dehai to prepare an imperial decree to temporarily detain Jiang Nantian. Secretly hoarding grain, in such large quantities and for unknown purposes, was something the emperor would have found intolerable in any dynasty.

To put it in a more serious way, there was even suspicion of plotting to usurp the throne and raising an army. After all, Jiang Nantian was the emperor's teacher, and he was also the father of his childhood sweetheart. Wen Chengfeng didn't want to break up with him before he found out the truth.

"Forget it, I'll go and invite him myself. Jiang Dehai, prepare the sedan chair and go to the Grand Tutor's residence..."

After much deliberation, Wen Chengfeng decided to go himself. Of course, since Jiang Nantian was not completely above suspicion, he gestured for the palace's secret guards to provide covert protection.

Jiang Nantian didn't know Wen Chengyun had already suspected him at this moment. He was leisurely practicing calligraphy at home. Now that famine was everywhere, the people were panicked. Even Wen Chengfeng had the foresight to issue an edict of repentance.

But if the problem is not resolved for a long time, his status will naturally be shaken. Wen Chengfeng is waiting for the day when the people will rebel.

"Teacher, your skills are still as good as ever! Your handwriting is as good as ever!"

Wen Chengfeng clapped his hands and walked up leisurely from behind. For the first time, he did not knock on the door properly. Instead, he used comfort to sneak in quietly, just to see if he could get any unexpected gains.

"Your Majesty, may you live in peace. I am old, and this is just a simple hobby I enjoy."

Jiang Nantian looked at the unconventional emperor with a deep gaze. This emperor was the one he had personally trained, and he had always treated his mentor with respect. Could this action now be a sign of suspicion?

It's just that he has always been cautious in doing things and should not have left any clues. He doesn't know what information Wen Chengfeng knows, so Jiang Nantian behaves calmly and neither humble nor arrogant.

Wen Chengfeng looked at his mentor, whose temples were already graying, and wondered if his arrival was too sudden. He opened his mouth and asked tentatively, "Teacher, I'm here mainly to discuss food. After visiting the people, I found that the grain you have stored..."

Before Wen Chengfeng could finish his words, Jiang Nantian had already fallen to his knees with a thud, raising his hands spontaneously. The first words he said stunned Wen Chengfeng.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty. I shouldn't have hoarded grain without permission. Grain and salt are the lifeblood of the imperial court. I prepared them secretly for emergencies. Now the people are suffering, and I can only secretly provide relief..."

Jiang Nantian was indeed a cunning old man, and with a preemptive move, he left a good impression on Wen Chengfeng. The implication was that he was hoarding grain not for personal use, but to leave a way out for the people.

As for why he didn't immediately start providing relief after hoarding grain, it was because he was afraid of stealing Wen Chengfeng's limelight. After all, the emperor was unlucky, and rumors of disaster were spreading. He was afraid that his relief efforts would divide the already shaky public sentiment.

This explanation was almost perfect. Wen Chengfeng was a little shaken in his heart, but considering that Wen Chengyun's letter firmly requested to restrict Jiang Nantian's freedom.

Amidst Jiang Nantian's grief-stricken eyes, he still covered his face and waved his hands: "Catch him, send him to the prison first, and be sure to treat him well."

Covering the face is a signature gesture of reluctance. Jiang Nantian had been very confident that the emperor would relent and let him go under his sophistry, but he did not expect that Wen Chengfeng was so determined this time.

"I don't care about you. I can walk on my own, so I'll lead the way."

Shocked, Jiang Nantian got up from the ground, straightened the joystick and followed the guards.

"Your Majesty, do you want to put on handcuffs and shackles?" Jiang Dehai looked at Jiang Nantian and asked hesitantly.

"Forget it, just push him in. Handcuffs and shackles are a humiliation to my mentor." Wen Chengfeng subconsciously chose to refuse. He still didn't think Jiang Nantian was a good man who endangered the country, but just an old loyal minister who used the wrong method.

As for the temporary detention, it was out of trust in his son Wen Chengyun. Although a mentor is important, he believes that his own flesh and blood would not make such a decision without reason.

Under Wen Chengfeng's arrangement, Jiang Nantian was placed in a solitary cell. Everything in the prison was deliberately replaced with new ones, and the bedding and bed boards were much better than those in other cells.

But even so, Jiang Nantian sat at the head of the bed with an arrogant look on his face and said nothing since he was thrown into the cell, and he ignored the sumptuous food and wine handed to him by the jailer.

"My dear sir, if the old man doesn't want to eat it, why not give it to me? It's hot out now, and it will go bad if it's left out. We don't need to waste food!"

Jiang Nantian didn't want it, but many other prisoners were jealous and begged the jailer for it with their eyes drooling.

The jailer knocked fiercely on the iron bars to signal the others to be quiet, put down the food and left. Jiang Nantian could not eat, but he could not refuse to give it to him.

This move put the secret guards left by Wen Chengfeng in a difficult position. Should they inform the emperor? After all, this was the Empress's biological father, and he was old. What if he died of starvation?