He called on the princes, princesses, and concubines in the palace to be self-disciplined and live a simple life. However, the money he saved was neither used to help the disaster victims nor to strengthen his army in Nanyang.

So it ended up in this traitor's pocket?!

"Your subject is present."

"Tell me, what happened?!"

"Uh, well, Your Majesty, I've been following all the proper procedures when it comes to military supplies!" Kang Fuguo was caught in the crossfire for no reason, and he hurriedly knelt on the ground, explaining repeatedly.

"The military funds of the Chi Nan Army are all paid in accordance with the imperial court's allocation and purchase receipts. We dare not embezzle military funds!" The Vice Minister of Revenue also knelt on the ground, his legs trembling.

The two explained that no matter what Marquis Chi Nan did with so much money, their Ministry of Revenue was acting in accordance with the rules, and they had no interest in embezzlement.

"Where is the Censor-in-Chief?"

"Your subject is here!"

"I hereby order you to assist the Censorate in investigating this matter!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey!"

The Inspectorate is specifically responsible for investigating corrupt officials. It conducts an annual inspection, during which the inspection team visits various departments to examine the accounts and financial transactions of officials.

Inspector Fan Fu was the highest-ranking official in the Censorate.

...

The court was in an uproar as Tan Biao's crimes were exposed one by one, and ministers from different factions argued fiercely.

Inside the Marquis of Chi Nan's residence, Tan Biao was locked in the torture chamber, with Military Advisor Cao squatting on the ground, personally watching over him.

Before he knew it, it was almost noon. The effects of the medicine on Tan Biao wore off, and he woke up grimacing in pain.

He opened his eyes and immediately started cursing, "Damn it, how dare they lock me up?!"

"I am the Marquis of Chi Nan!" Tan Biao exclaimed, his beard bristling and eyes wide.

Cao, the military advisor, ignored him. He hadn't slept all night and was now exhausted.

As for the old man who was in a terrible state in the corner but still thought highly of himself, let's ignore him for now!

...

"Your Majesty, I have also discovered that the Marquis of Chi Nan's residence is practicing witchcraft, which is strictly prohibited by the laws of Nanyang!"

"Did General Jin witness the witchcraft being performed?" General Zhou Yixuan, the cavalry general, was somewhat embarrassed.

He had always known that Tan Biao had a penchant for worshipping witches, but he had always done so in private. He had tried to dissuade him in private, but Tan Biao was very stubborn.

But how did Jin Jinzhi find out about this now?

"If I don't find any evidence, will Lord Zhou be disappointed?" Jin Jinzhi said sarcastically.

“Your Majesty, I discovered a statue of a witch in the Marquis of Chi Nan’s residence. Next to the statue stands a memorial tablet, and the inscription on the tablet was written by the Marquis of Chi Nan himself.”

"We can't let the butler do this kind of thing again, can we?"

General Zhou Yixuan lost his footing and swayed.

He steadied himself and asked, "General Jin, do you mean you searched the Marquis of Chi Nan's residence?"

"Without His Majesty's decree, how could General Jin disregard the laws and regulations of the court and trespass into the residence of a court official?"

"I heard that the capital was also mobilized?" General Zhou Yixuan asked unhurriedly.

“Lord Zhou, I found the little princess’s belongings at the entrance of the Tan residence. To ensure the little princess’s safety, is it reasonable to search the residence?”

Before Jin Jinzhi could finish speaking, Zhou Yixuan interrupted him: "You..."

"Does Lord Zhou want to ask if there is any evidence?"

"Zhen Quede, the steward of the Marquis of Chi Nan's residence, personally admitted at the main gate of the residence that the little princess was in the backyard of the Marquis of Chi Nan's residence!"

"So many guards and soldiers heard it."

Zhou Yixuan glared at him, and Jin Jinzhi glared back.

Yun Beiye rubbed his temples. He had heard the name Zhen Quede far too many times during the morning court session today.

"Your Majesty, out of concern for the princess's safety, I kindly asked the steward to go in and inform Marquis Chi Nan to release her. However, the negotiations failed, so I had no choice but to lead my troops into Marquis Chi Nan's residence."

"But later, I discovered that the force that came out of the Marquis of Chi Nan's residence to oppose me was not the residence's soldiers, but the Chi Nan army! The second-rank marquis actually had an army hidden in his residence?!"

"I am deeply worried. I wonder what Marquis Chi Nan is plotting. I am thinking that once the princess is rescued, I must report this matter to Your Majesty!" Jin Jinzhi said earnestly.

"While I was searching for the princess, I discovered a torture chamber filled with horrifying instruments of torture. The walls were covered in blood, and in a corner, I found the statue of the witch."

"Lord Zhou, do you think this evidence is sufficient?"

Zhou Yixuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and said nothing.

After hearing so much about Tan Biao's deeds that morning, Yun Beiye was so angry that his liver ached. "Tan Biao disregarded the laws of the court, treated human life like dirt, and showed contempt for imperial authority. He should be stripped of his official rank and imprisoned in the imperial jail. He will be executed on a chosen day!"

...

The matter of Tan Biao came to an end, and all the property in his mansion was confiscated.

As for the embezzled silver, an investigation revealed that a vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue had betrayed his post and falsified the accounts. This lawless vice minister was naturally imprisoned in the imperial prison and interrogated thoroughly.

Jin Jin played an indispensable role in the Tan Biao incident, and Yun Beiye bestowed upon him the title of King of Jibei.

Guan Guan was frightened after being kidnapped by Tan Biao, so Yun Beiye bestowed upon her the title of Princess Anning as a form of consolation.

Yun Duoduo also deserves credit. Although Yun Beiye repeatedly told his daughter not to leave the palace without permission, he still sent many rare treasures and delicious food to reward her.

Yun Duoduo shared the delicious food with everyone in the palace, and they were all extremely grateful to the little princess.

Soon, news of Yun Duoduo's solo intrusion into the residence of the traitor spread rapidly.

Under the cover of darkness, when no one was watching, the palace maids who had been humiliated by Tan Biao brought Yun Duoduo many of their embroidered works and local specialties. They also included notes among the specialties to express their gratitude.

The note expressed their pride in having such a brave, upright, and kind princess.

The palace maid Xiaoying even wrote a letter to thank Yun Duoduo.

She had been humiliated by Tan Biao, and her period was delayed, so she came to Yun Duoduo for a pulse diagnosis. Fortunately, after taking the medicine prescribed by Yun Duoduo, her period returned in less than a month.

In her letter, Xiaoying also wrote that although Hui'er did not survive, her family was very grateful to Princess Jiu after learning that Tan Biao had been brought to justice.

Yun Duoduo was deeply moved as she looked at these things.

[It turns out that doing righteous things brings such a warm feeling to the heart.]

Initially, she planned to ruin Tan Biao's reputation, and distributing leaflets to create public opinion was the best way to do so.

After Tan Biao's glorious deeds were spread through leaflets, his subsequent house arrest, house search, and imprisonment all happened naturally. It can only be said that what goes around comes around, and no one escapes the wrath of Heaven.

That pervert finally got his comeuppance!

Yun Duoduo looked at Xiaoying's letter in her hand and fell into deep thought.

As for Hui'er, she was thrown into a well in Consort Zheng's cold palace...

She still remembered that day in the main hall, Tan Biao falsely accused her of being a poor doctor who had caused someone's death. In reality, Hui'er had been beaten to death by the steward of the Xin Zhe Ku and thrown into a dry well after her death.

Consort Zheng is definitely suspicious.