As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned to Song Yue.

The whispers grew louder. The chief eunuch, Huang Heng, shouted, "Silence!"

Emperor Zhu Rui remained silent for a moment before speaking, "I didn't hear you clearly, Grand Secretary Song, please say it again."

Although Zhu Rui was usually lazy and negligent in his duties, he was not a muddle-headed person. He knew what kind of people his officials were. Especially the cabinet ministers and the high-ranking officials of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, all of whom he had personally appointed and who acted under his nose every day. How could he not know what kind of people they were?

Song Yue was not born into a prominent family; his household was small, and he himself remained unmarried, living a solitary life in the capital. He devoted his days to court affairs and had few hobbies outside of official duties.

If a person has simple relationships with others and no bad habits, they will not have many desires, let alone take risks for those desires.

How could someone like that be corrupt? If even Song Yue was corrupt, then his Ming Dynasty would have been wiped out long ago.

This situation is quite interesting.

Both Grand Secretaries claimed to have matters to report, but Chief Minister Xu insisted on speaking first. As a habitual corrupt official, why was he impeaching someone for embezzlement? What exactly happened between these two men?

Zhu Rui only had a brief moment to think about it, but he already felt that today's events were somewhat absurd. However, for Xu Yan, the chief minister, to personally impeach someone in front of all the civil and military officials was clearly not a joke.

That would be a rather serious matter.

Zhu Rui's eyebrows furrowed again. With the New Year approaching, this whole mess had to happen, and he was in a terrible mood. A fire was quietly burning in his chest; he wished he could burn all the ministers before him.

Most of the people below were unaware of the situation, watching this rare spectacle, and for a moment, they were also wondering what was going on this year. They knew that the two Grand Secretaries had some private disagreements.

But this is the first time in the Ming Dynasty in twenty years that they have openly fought each other, and to the point of life and death.

"Your Majesty, as I just said, I am guilty." Song Yue nodded slightly and repeated himself.

It was the coldest time of winter, and this winter was already exceptionally cold. Upon hearing this, Qingchen couldn't help but shiver all over.

What is he doing? He couldn't possibly have done such a thing, so why is he confessing? According to the Ming Dynasty Code, embezzling eighty taels of silver would result in beheading, three hundred taels would warrant slow slicing, let alone three hundred thousand taels...

The image of him bound and tortured flashed through her mind, and Qingchen felt a tightness in her chest, as if she couldn't breathe. Although Zhao Qiran had warned her and she had a vague guess that something was going to happen, the distress she felt when it actually happened still exceeded her expectations.

Xu Silin, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, stood with his head bowed, his expression indifferent.

He had imagined the situation on the field many times in his mind these past few days, experiencing hesitation and inner turmoil, but finally he understood. The process was certainly not pleasant, but there could only be one outcome.

Xu Yan turned his head and glanced at Song Yue.

He had expected him to be shocked, nervous, and want to immediately refute, but he saw none of that. In the eyes of this young opponent, there was only calm and composure.

He confessed so easily, could it be that the news of my framing him has leaked from Shandong?

Even if he knew beforehand, it wouldn't change anything. They were well-prepared, with witnesses and physical evidence. No matter how capable Song Yue was, he couldn't turn the tide this time.

Xu Yan organized his thoughts and continued, "Your Majesty, I have a memorial here, submitted by Zhang Mao, the Shandong Provincial Governor. In it, he details his conspiracy with Song Yue to embezzle funds. Please take a look."

"Bring it here."

Zhu Rui flipped through the memorial, his brows furrowing more and more as he read, his anger growing stronger.

What a Zhang Mao! In his confession, he downplayed his own mistakes and shifted all the blame onto Song Yue. The entire letter was filled with how Song Yue bullied his subordinates, how he coerced and tempted him, how Zhang Mao had no choice but to comply, and how he was restless and unable to eat or sleep afterward. In the end, he insisted that he had come to his senses and was so ashamed that he had to confess.

After reading the memorial, Zhu Rui was angry that Zhang Mao clearly showed no sincerity in repenting, but at the same time, his trust in Song Yue also wavered somewhat.

Just because someone has never done anything bad doesn't mean they'll never do anything bad in their life.

The memorial describes in such detail how they embezzled, how they negotiated grain sales, and how they divided the spoils, that it doesn't seem like mere fabrication. Could it be that Song Yue, who had served as an honest official for over a decade, only suddenly succumbed to greed now?

"Your Majesty," Xu Yan said, a slight smile playing on his lips as he observed Zhu Rui's expression, "Zhang Mao, the Shandong Provincial Governor, is waiting outside the palace. I implore Your Majesty to allow him to enter and confess his crimes."

Zhu Ruihe closed the memorial and tossed it onto the imperial desk, saying, "Bring it in."

Zhang Mao, the Shandong Provincial Governor, was already sixty years old this year. As soon as he entered the main hall, he kowtowed and wept uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face.

"Your Majesty, I am ashamed. A moment of folly has led to this grave mistake. However, because Grand Secretary Song holds a high position and wields great power, I dared not disobey. With all the officials present today, I am willing to confess and plead guilty..."

The old man wasn't stupid; he knew that even if he turned himself in, he would still lose his head. But how he lost his head was something he could decide.

Those at the top of the power chain knew about the interception of Shandong's grain; clearly, it couldn't be kept secret any longer. Song Yue wasn't someone who could be bought off with money; for him, cleaning up the bureaucracy was his greatest interest. Therefore, once he had leverage over them, they were doomed.

Zhang Mao faced two paths: one was to wait for Song Yue to expose him and Xu Yan, and the other was to cooperate with Xu Yan to impeach Song Yue. Regardless of which path he chose, he would likely face death. But comparing the two ways to die, he had to choose the one that was better for him.

Xu Yan agreed. As long as he cooperated in impeaching Song Yue, Xu Yan would do his best to protect him. If he couldn't save his life, he would at least ensure his family's livelihood. He was sixty years old this year and didn't have many years left to live. Rather than being impeached by Song Yue and losing everything, it was better to listen to Xu Yan and ensure his family's well-being.

After all, Xu Yan was the chief minister in the court.

Hearing the old man speak so vividly and confidently, Qingchen's heart leaped into her throat again.

Even now, he doesn't defend himself, and no one stands up for him. What are Zhao Qiran and the others thinking? Are they just going to let Xu Yan instigate someone to be falsely accused?

Xu Silin glanced at her. The bright candlelight fell on her, the crimson robe on her slender shoulders shimmered, the skin at her temples was still so fair and delicate, and her hands at her sides trembled slightly.

Is she worried about Song Yue?

Two years have passed, and she was abandoned by that man in Yunnan. Can she still not forget him?

I thought she would forget over time, but I was too naive.

Song Yue remained silent, watching Xu Yan and Zhang Mao sing in perfect harmony, offering no comment.

Zhang Mao spoke for a long time before finally finishing. Zhu Rui glanced at Song Yue, then turned to Zhang Mao, "Where are those 600,000 shi of grain now?"

Zhang Mao: "Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Song has transported all 600,000 shi of grain to the capital. It should be in his own granary."

“Your Majesty,” Xu Yan added, “I have inquired with the guards at the four gates of the capital, and indeed, a large amount of grain was transported to the capital a few days ago. Some people saw that the grain was all transported to Grand Secretary Song’s warehouse. Your Majesty might as well send someone to check; the grain should still be there.”

Zhu Rui's face was grim as he looked at Song Yue. "You just said you were guilty. What Xu Ge Lao and Zhang Mao said, is it all true? Is the grain in your granary?"

“Your Majesty,” Song Yue said calmly, “it is not. The 600,000 shi of grain is not in my granary.”

Where is it?

Song Yue glanced at Xu Yan, “...in Xu Grand Secretary’s warehouse and shops.”

Xu Yan's expression suddenly changed.

Having witnessed over sixty years of court intrigue, his heart was now gripped by panic. In that instant, he suddenly understood why Song Yue had intercepted that batch of grain, thus placing himself in the perilous situation of being falsely accused.

"What?" Zhu Rui was a little confused now.

Those present murmured amongst themselves again. The political winds in the court had suddenly shifted, leaving everyone somewhat confused.

Qingchen's clenched fist finally relaxed slightly. Xu Silin's heart, however, was in his throat.

This situation was something he hadn't anticipated. He couldn't help but glance at Xu Yan, but Xu Yan remained motionless, deep in thought.

“Half a month ago, a document arrived from Shandong, addressed to Grand Secretary Xu. That day, while on duty in the cabinet, I mistakenly read the Grand Secretary’s document. The document stated that Shandong had a bumper summer grain harvest this year and could pay 600,000 shi of tax grain to the court,” Song Yue said. “However, later, Grand Secretary Xu’s report to the court stated that Shandong Province had a poor summer grain harvest this year and had no grain to pay.”

He spoke slowly and calmly, “After I learned of this, I went to ask Grand Secretary Xu for clarification. However, Grand Secretary Xu insisted that I had misread it and that there was no document reporting the abundance of the harvest. Grand Secretary Xu also told me that I should not speak of things that should not be spoken of, lest I bring trouble upon myself. At that time, I had no real evidence, so I dared not report back to His Majesty.”

Zhu Rui: "Then where is that document from Baofeng?"

Song Yue looked at Zhu Rui and shook his head, "I have only met him in the Cabinet."

Xu Yan, after all, was a man who had been in the court for decades, and he was still able to remain calm at this moment. "Your Majesty, there has never been any document reporting a bumper harvest. I believe that Song Yue has ulterior motives and is spouting nonsense."

“Your Majesty,” Song Yue nodded slightly, “I truly cannot provide that document, for I imagine that something so important has already been collected or burned by Grand Secretary Xu.”

Shandong did indeed have a bumper harvest, but Xu Yan did indeed lie and report a poor harvest. He held immense power as Grand Secretary, but also bore enormous risks.

A single, non-existent "real" document left him speechless.

Zhu Rui pondered the two men's words, unable to discern the truth from the falsehood, and waved his hand, "Grand Secretary Song, please continue."

"Yes. Because what I saw did not match what I heard, I sent people to Shandong to investigate the matter privately. After investigation, it was found that the whereabouts of the 600,000 shi of grain were not much different from what Grand Secretary Xu said; it was indeed transported to the capital. However, the grain was not transported to my warehouse, but to Grand Secretary Xu's granary. Your Majesty might as well send the Embroidered Uniform Guard to check; a search will reveal the truth."

Lu Shenyun was not in court today, so Zhu Rui said to Huang Heng, the eunuch in charge of writing, "Go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard in person and lead men to search the place."

Xu Yan's expression grew increasingly grim. Xu Silin, too, couldn't help but feel tense.

Huang Heng accepted the order and left. Zhu Rui looked back at the officials below the steps, "Grand Secretary Song, you mean you didn't embezzle those 600,000 shi of grain? How do you explain the testimony of Zhang Mao, the Shandong Provincial Governor?"

Song Yue said unhurriedly, "In my opinion, it is reasonable for some people to want to cover up their wrongdoings or even frame others to protect themselves when others find out about them."

He did not name names, but he made sure everyone present understood.

"As for Lord Zhang, I have a question for you," Song Yue continued. "Lord Zhang knows he is doomed to die for embezzling taxes, right? No matter who he conspired with, he cannot escape his guilt. But Lord Zhang, do you know that there is a crime that is many times more serious than embezzlement? Do you know what it is?"

Zhang Mao was puzzled. "What does Grand Secretary Song mean by that?"

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that we wait for Eunuch Huang to return before proceeding with the details."

Zhu Rui nodded. "Approved."

A short while later, Huang Heng returned.

Ever since he entered the hall, Xu Yan's gaze had been following him, although he himself did not have much hope for the outcome.

The Xu family was a large and powerful family with many shops and warehouses in the capital, some of which were rented out and others were still idle. Although 600,000 shi of grain was a lot, his shops and warehouses were more than enough to hold it all.

Huang Heng, accompanied by the Imperial Guards, searched several of Xu Yan's shops and found them easily. To avoid causing the emperor to be impatient, he returned to the palace to report first, while the Imperial Guards continued searching Xu Yan's other shops and warehouses.

Xu Yan was a corrupt official, and his family owned many things of dubious or unspeakable origin. Valuable items were kept in his mansion, while less valuable items were stored in warehouses under his name. The shops and warehouses that were not rented out were also poorly managed. Occasionally, something would be put in, but since it was not anything valuable, no one was assigned to guard it strictly.

Moreover, as a servant of such a corrupt official, the guards were taught from the moment they entered the mansion to remember one principle: never ask questions that should not be asked.

So when the grain was transported into these empty warehouses and shops in the middle of the night, the warehouse guards didn't pay much attention. They just accepted it because it was brought by an acquaintance of the Imperial Concubine.

Little did Xu Yan know that overnight, all the grain that had been stored in Song Yue's warehouse had ended up in his own warehouse.

"Have you found that batch of grain?" Zhu Rui asked.

Huang Heng nodded. "It's rice from Shandong."

"Have you gone to see Grand Secretary Song's warehouse?"

"Your Majesty, I have checked. There is no grain."

Zhu Rui's expression grew increasingly grim. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Grand Secretary Song, please continue from where you left off."

"Yes." Song Yue nodded slightly. "In my opinion, investigating why Grand Secretary Xu embezzled 600,000 shi of grain is not the most important thing. What is more important is..."

He paused for a moment, then stopped talking.

Zhu Rui: "What is it? Tell me."

"Why is Grand Secretary Xu hoarding so much grain?" Song Yue continued. "An adult eats less than five shi of grain a year. Six hundred thousand shi of grain is enough to feed 120,000 people for a year. Grand Secretary Xu, do you have that many people in your family? Or, does Grand Secretary Xu want to support so many people, but what is your purpose?"

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Zhu Rui, sitting on the dragon throne, shuddered as he recalled the dream Consort Zheng had a few days ago, and the word the Taoist priest interpreted—"反" (fǎn, meaning "rebel" or "oppose").

Although Zhang Mao was old, he reacted quickly. He slammed his sturdy head against the solid floor of the Golden Palace again. "Your Majesty, this matter has nothing to do with me. I, I have absolutely no knowledge of it..."

Xu Yan was a veteran official who had served Zhu Rui for many years. Even if he hadn't made any great contributions, he had certainly worked hard. Therefore, a charge of embezzlement wouldn't be enough to implicate him. Song Yue was well aware of this.

But those who harbor ill intentions and plot rebellion are a different story.

This is the bottom line for every monarch.