Court intrigue, but upholding one's original aspirations

Under the scorching sun in the disaster-stricken southern region, Shen Chengyou, carrying relief supplies and documents from the imperial court, traveled day and night, arriving at the capital of the disaster area. By the time he reached it, his official robes were soaked with sweat. Without even taking a break, he went straight to the government office to check the granaries, only to find that the accounts and the actual grain stored were far apart—the previous officials had embezzled grain under the guise of disaster relief, and most of the grain had ended up in their own pockets.

"How dare you!" Shen Chengyou suppressed his anger, took out the imperial sword and placed it on the table. "His Majesty granted me the power to execute first and report later, yet you dare to line your own pockets and disregard the lives of the people!" He immediately ordered the arrest of the officials involved, posted notices to recover the lost grain, and opened the granaries to set up soup kitchens, so that the fleeing people could finally drink hot porridge.

In the days that followed, Shen Chengyou lived and worked on the construction site. He personally measured the riverbed and planned the canal routes, working alongside the local people, hoeing and digging in the mud, his hands developing calluses, but he didn't care at all. Seeing that this young official from the capital was so approachable, the people took the initiative to participate in the canal construction, and their previously scattered hearts gradually came together. In just two months, three new canals were successfully completed, bringing fresh water from the distant mountains to the parched farmland, and even the withered seedlings sprouted new buds.

When news of the easing of the disaster reached the capital, the court was filled with praise, but it also stung the eyes of some. The censor who had once refuted Shen Chengyou in court secretly contacted several ministers who were involved with the officials under investigation, intending to bring down this rising young man.

When the court session resumed, the censor stepped forward first, bowed, and impeached Shen Chengyou: "Your Majesty, Shen Chengyou has been falsifying disaster reports and embezzling relief supplies in the southern disaster areas! I have already investigated and found that he has been secretly appropriating grain and fodder allocated by the court to win over the people. His intentions are despicable!"

Upon hearing this, the emperor frowned slightly. He knew Shen Chengyou's character well, but he was also wary of factional infighting in the court, so he asked, "Shen Chengyou, is this matter true?"

Shen Chengyou stepped forward calmly, his expression open and honest: "Your Majesty is wise! My actions in the disaster area are all documented in the accounts and can be testified by the people. The so-called false reporting of the disaster and embezzlement of supplies are pure nonsense!"

"Your Majesty, I have witnesses!" The censor immediately summoned several merchants from the disaster area whom he had bribed. "They witnessed Shen Chengyou appropriating the grain for himself!"

To everyone's surprise, the merchants immediately knelt and kowtowed upon entering the palace: "Your Majesty, you have been wronged! Lord Shen is fair and honest in the disaster area. He not only distributed grain and fodder truthfully, but also severely punished unscrupulous merchants who hoarded goods, which is why we were able to operate normally. The Censor forced us to give false testimony, and we dare not deceive Your Majesty!"

The censor's expression changed drastically, and he shouted sternly, "You...you dare to betray us! You must have been threatened by Shen Chengyou!"

"Your Excellency, do not make false accusations!" Shen Chengyou's gaze sharpened as he stared directly at the censor. "You have a long-standing relationship with the corrupt officials under investigation. Now that they have been caught, you are trying to frame me and cover up your own crimes! Your Majesty, I have here correspondence between the censor and the officials involved, which is sufficient to prove that they colluded with each other!" With that, he presented a stack of letters, the ink and seals clearly legible.

Faced with irrefutable evidence, the censor turned ashen-faced and could no longer refute it. The emperor, seeing this, flew into a rage: "You audacious censor! How dare you fabricate facts and frame a loyal official! Guards, drag him away and throw him into prison for rigorous interrogation!"

The ministers in the hall were all shocked, and their gazes towards Shen Chengyou held a newfound respect. This young official not only possessed the talent to serve the people, but also the courage and wisdom to confront framing.

After the court session, Shen Nianqing waited for his son outside the palace gate. When he came out, he nodded with satisfaction: "Chengyou, you did well. In the court, the most precious thing is to stick to your original intention. You did not disappoint your father."

Shen Chengyou held the folding fan in his hand that read "Speaking Up for the People," his palm warm: "Father, when Grandfather faced the framing of treacherous officials, he was just as upright and incorruptible. I am just following in the footsteps of my predecessors and dare not slacken in the slightest."

The setting sun cast long shadows on the father and son as they walked side by side. Shen Chengyou knew that this was only the beginning of court intrigue, but as long as he upheld his original aspiration of "serving the people" and acted uprightly, he would have nothing to fear from any storm.