Chapter 256: Cleansing the Palace
Pei Tingyue took his men away.
Soon, everyone in the Imperial Household Department knew that the Imperial Concubine Chen had suddenly come tonight and conducted a thorough investigation of the Guangchusi. She then sent Zhang, the chief steward of the Guangchusi, to the Shenxingsi.
Everyone in the Imperial Household Department was shocked.
Isn't it the tenth day? Why is it tonight?
After the shock, they fell into fear and panic.
Since the Imperial Concubine doesn't play by the rules, will she find out about me tomorrow?
Apart from the Guangchusi, the heads of the other six departments and three courts all sent people out to inquire.
After learning the specific news, everyone widened their eyes and fell into a long silence.
The Imperial Concubine was actually serious about this and actually found out the accounts of the imperial merchants outside. No wonder the slippery fish, Manager Zhang, was caught!
So what should I do next...
There is no point in continuing to make the accounts look good. The imperial concubine has obtained evidence and can expose it in person. I am afraid that I will end up like Zhang Zongguan and be sent to the Ministry of Punishment.
This is not what they want to see.
The only solution now is to change the account book to a real one, return the money that he had taken in, and even make up for the part given to his trusted subordinates.
Now they have only this way before them, otherwise they will die.
Several managers were entangled, struggling, and heartbroken.
After much deliberation, for the sake of his life, he decided to give up what he had greedily invested.
This is no different from cutting flesh, or even worse.
Several managers felt as if their hearts were being cut by a knife, and they almost lost half their lives. However, in order to finish the accounts before dawn, they had to stay here and watch. It was really like a knife being cut into their hearts.
That night, almost no one in the palace slept.
*
Pei Tingyue slept soundly.
After waking up in the morning, he had breakfast with Xiao Si and even personally sent him to Wenhua Hall.
After returning to the palace, the results of the interrogation by the Ministry of Punishment were presented.
Zhang Zheng entered the palace for 29 years and served as the eunuch in charge of the Guangchu Division of the Imperial Household Department for 14 years. He accepted bribes and made purchases for profit totaling 220,000 taels of silver.
When Pei Tingyue saw the results of the interrogation, all he felt was anger.
Twenty-two thousand taels, how dare they embezzle so much silver? This amount is almost the annual salary of the Northern Frontier!
Although the silver in the Imperial Household Department's account and the national treasury's silver were not interchangeable, some things that benefited the people's livelihood, such as the royal family building tents to distribute porridge, building more temples, and expanding the Ci'an Bureau, all used the silver in the Imperial Household Department's account.
If we had this extra money, how many great things could we do to benefit the country and the people?
In the past, everything was eaten by these termites. It’s so hateful!
Pei Tingyue took a few deep breaths before suppressing the anger in her heart. She ordered in a cold voice, "There's no need to keep Zhang Zheng any longer. Execute him immediately."
The young eunuch who came to report from the Ministry of Punishment shuddered and asked, "What should be done with those close associates that Zhang... Zhang Zheng has confessed to?"
Pei Tingyue said coldly, "There's no need to interrogate them any further. All of Zhang Zheng's accomplices will be exiled to the imperial mausoleum and will never be allowed back into the palace."
She was determined to eradicate them completely and completely, so she would not be soft-hearted.
The Guangchusi is just the beginning. In the future, she will clear out the filth little by little from the six departments and three courts.
The young eunuch received the order and immediately went back to report.
After the others left, Yun Shu stepped forward and asked, "Madam, shall we continue the investigation today?"
"Of course we'll continue." Pei Tingyue's eyes flashed with light. "With the Guangchusi as an example, I'm sure the other places will be alerted. Give them a day to smooth over the accounts. We'll continue the investigation tonight!"
Yun Shu agreed: "Then I will prepare for today."
Pei Tingyue smiled and nodded.
*
Wait until evening.
Pei Tingyue selected some people and went to the Imperial Household Department again.
This time we went to Du Yu Si.
In addition to the palace guards, the Du Yu Si is responsible for maintaining the security of the palace, and this department is also responsible for some military equipment.
Except for cases ordered by the master, minor cases in the palace were not sent directly to the Ministry of Punishment, but through the Ministry of Public Security. If the Ministry of Public Security considered the case serious, it would be transferred to the Ministry of Punishment.
When Pei Tingyue arrived, the accounts had probably been prepared and most people had left. There were only two lonely lamps lit in the room and a few people around.
Pei Tingyue was ushered to the main seat and sat down. Her expression was cold: "Go and call someone over."
Several young eunuchs went there immediately.
After about half a quarter of an hour, everyone arrived and the house and the yard were full.
Xu Yu, the eunuch in charge of the Du Yu Si, also arrived.
He was a little surprised to see Pei Tingyue.
He thought that the Imperial Concubine would check one by one, and under the Guangchusi, the Finance Department should be the most important. He didn't expect that the Imperial Concubine would skip the Finance Department and go to the Duyusi.
Besides being surprised, he also felt somewhat relieved.
Fortunately, he made up his mind last night and returned all the money he had embezzled, otherwise he would have ended up in a miserable situation today.
Manager Xu suppressed his heavy thoughts, stepped forward, and said with a flattering smile, "Your Majesty, please drink some tea to moisten your throat."
Pei Tingyue responded coldly, "Where is the Du Yusi account book?"
Chief Steward Xu immediately said, "They are all in this room. I will have them found and presented to the Imperial Concubine."
Tonight there is still a thick pile of accounts.
Pei Tingyue concentrated and opened the account books one by one.
Although there were many people, it was extremely quiet, with only the sound of flipping pages.
Manager Xu held his breath, not daring to make any big movements, and waited quietly for the verdict.
Pei Tingyue looked at it for a while and didn't see any major problems. He was satisfied and checked the accounts.
"The accounts of the Du Yu Si are quite clear, unlike the Guang Chu Si, which gave me a headache."
Chief Steward Xu responded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes. The entire Du Yu Division is working diligently. How could we dare to act like that Zhang Zheng, deceiving his superiors and subordinates and committing such heinous acts!"
Pei Tingyue raised her eyelids, the cold light in her eyes no longer concealed, "Du Yusi's accounts don't bother me, but Manager Xu is giving me a headache!"
The smile on Manager Xu's face completely collapsed. His heart trembled, and he fell to his knees with a plop, wailing, "Your Majesty, why do you say that? I am truly terrified!"
Pei Tingyue slowly picked up the teacup and skimmed off the foam. "It's true that Chief Steward Xu doesn't covet the palace's money, but he covets the palace maids' money! He accepted bribes privately, harassed the palace maids, couldn't distinguish right from wrong, and even took human life lightly. Was all of this what I said he did?!"
Chief Steward Xu was stunned at first, then he kowtowed repeatedly, "I am innocent. There must be some evil person who gave advice to the Imperial Concubine, causing her to misunderstand me!"
"Misunderstanding?" Pei Tingyue slammed the teacup down and looked at Yun Shu, "Give him the evidence!"
Yun Shu handed over dozens of petitions.
Manager Xu took it with trembling hands, and the more he read it, the more frightened he became. Every word written on it was a tearful accusation.
He began to tremble uncontrollably, his upper and lower teeth chattering, and he had no control at all.
Pei Tingyue raised his eyebrows and sneered, "Manager Xu, do you still need a witness?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a pretty palace maid came in, knelt on the ground, and told him a heinous crime that was hard to describe.
"My servant and I are originally from Qingzhou. Due to hardship at home, we came to the capital to live with relatives. By chance, we learned that the palace was selecting maids, so we were selected and entered the palace together."
"After learning etiquette, because the six palaces in the east and west were full, my cousin and I moved into the flower room. Our only daily duties were to tend to the flowers, water them, and deliver flowers to the masters of the various palaces."
"One day, after delivering flowers, my cousin returned in a panic. Upon further questioning, I learned that she had...had run into Steward Xu. Seeing her youth and beauty, Steward Xu teased her and then threatened her."
"Manager Xu told my cousin that she'd better behave herself and come to him, or he'd have to resort to some trickery."
"I tried to comfort my cousin, saying that Manager Xu was from the Du Yu Division and had no control over our greenhouse. Only with this reassurance did my cousin finally calm down. But Manager Xu turned out to be worse than a beast. Seeing that his threats didn't work, he falsely accused my cousin of theft and had her taken to the Du Yu Division."
"After toying with my cousin, Chief Steward Xu was afraid that my cousin would be too aggressive and do something extreme, so he used his power to move my cousin to the Ministry of Punishment. He colluded with the people there and tortured my cousin to death!"
"Poor servant cousin, she's not even twenty yet, and she's been tortured to death!"
The pretty palace maid cried hard, her face was covered with tears, and she took something out of her bosom while trembling.
"This is a blood letter left by my cousin. I found it when I was collecting her body. She bit her ten fingers and wrote down her grievances on her inner garment, begging the Imperial Concubine to intervene!"
Pei Tingyue asked gloomily, "Manager Xu, we have all the evidence, do you have anything else to say?"
Chief Steward Xu continued to argue, "This palace maid framed me. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"
Pei Tingyue was too lazy to look at him again. She waved her hand and ordered, "Take him away and have him interrogated severely by the Ministry of Punishment. Anyone in the Ministry of Punishment who was in cahoots with Xu Yu will be sentenced to death."
Manager Xu was carried out, and he kept shouting that he was innocent.
As soon as he walked out of Du Yusi's door, Liang An took advantage of the night and knocked him unconscious with a punch.
Inside the house, after sending Chief Steward Xu away, a palace maid brought tea again.
Pei Tingyue took a sip and asked, "Is Deputy Chief Steward Shi here? From now on, you will be the chief steward of the Du Yu Division. Just like the Guang Chu Division, the accounts of previous years will be put on hold. After we have compiled the accounts of the division, we will use new account books. The accounts will still be submitted monthly. If there are any errors, I will hold you accountable!"
In fact, this person was her confidant. Even without explaining these things, he would know what to do. Now, she was just going through the process again in front of everyone.
Deputy Chief Steward Shi immediately responded, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will definitely live up to your trust."
Pei Tingyue put down the teacup, stood up and returned to the palace.
*
Everyone in the Imperial Household Department barely slept the entire night before. The various eunuchs coughed up the silver and money they had embezzled over the years, and they thought they were fully prepared.
They thought nothing would happen tonight, but unexpectedly Xu, the chief steward of Du Yu Si, was punished. They were shocked and immediately sent people to Du Yu Si to inquire.
When we inquired, we found that everyone was completely silent. Some of them were very angry and were throwing things around in the office.
Having served as stewards for so many years, they are the most honorable except for a few stewards in front of the emperor. They are praised and admired wherever they go. As their status increases, their desires begin to expand. Who doesn't have a little secret?
Clean and tidy? That's impossible. In order to keep this position, one can only use every possible means.
Even if they spit out the money they had swallowed, they would not be able to save their lives. The several general managers were worried and gathered in the main courtyard to discuss how to survive.
"The Imperial Concubine is using drastic measures. What should we do?"
"Look at us, stop struggling, just clean your neck and wait for death!"
"I don't want to die, who can save me?"
"Think of a solution quickly..."
“…”
The eunuchs who used to be in high positions were like headless flies tonight, either crying or running around the room.
A younger eunuch in charge suddenly stood up and said, "I want to go to Chengning Palace to apologize. Is there anyone who wants to go?"
Someone asked, "Are you crazy? Are you rushing to die?"
The one who had spoken just now was the eunuch in charge of the Construction Department, whose surname was Qian. He said now, "You're wrong. We're not going here to die, we're going to seek a way to survive. If we just sit there and wait for death, it will be our turn sooner or later. We might as well take a chance and confess the matter, hand over our position and status. Maybe the Imperial Concubine will spare our lives."
The room was completely silent.
After a while, a slightly hoarse voice was heard, "Mr. Qian, let me make a bet with you!"
After a while, a trembling voice was heard, "Our family...our family also gambled!"
Apart from these two voices, no other sound was heard.
Manager Qian looked at his two colleagues and said solemnly, "There's no time to lose. Pack up your things and go apologize together."
The three of them went out.
There were five people left in the house, and it was not easy for them to give up everything at once. After a while, one of them thought about it and left the house.
There were only four people left, and no one wanted to go this time. The remaining few people had a glimmer of hope in their hearts, and they all imagined that they could successfully make it through.
*
Chengning Palace.
After Pei Tingyue washed up, she saw Yun Shu coming to report.
After hearing the whole story, she met the four stewards in the warm room.
"Masters, are you here late at night for something important?"
The chief, General Qian, said, "Of course, the servants have something to report to the Imperial Concubine."
Pei Tingyue's words were concise: "Speak."
First, Chief Steward Qian presented the accounts and tearfully recounted his faults. The three chief stewards followed suit, and when they finished their narration, they all kowtowed and said, "Please, Your Majesty, spare my life."
Pei Tingyue sat on the couch, flipping through the accounts with an expressionless face.
The four managers below didn't get a response, and their hearts were in their throats, almost jumping out.
After a long while, until his knees were numb from kneeling, a cold voice rang out from the palace, "Since you have confessed voluntarily, the death penalty can be spared, but the living punishment cannot be escaped. Go, and take your confidants with you, and guard the imperial mausoleum. Never let me see you for the rest of my life."
The bet was right!
This was the first reaction of several managers.
Everything is gone, but at least I'm still alive. That's good enough, that's good enough.
After they kowtowed and expressed their gratitude, they left the Chengning Palace.
Pei Tingyue decided overnight that the people who would take over their general manager position would be hers and the people Xie Chen gave her, and both of them would hold important positions.
Early the next morning, she went to the Imperial Household Department.
The first thing to deal with was the result of the interrogation of Xu Zongguan of the Du Yu Si yesterday. Xu Zongguan and his accomplices from the Shenxing Si were sentenced to death last night, but the whereabouts of their accomplices were still undecided. Pei Tingyue asked them to guard the imperial mausoleum as usual.
The second thing to deal with was the announcement of the candidate to replace the general manager among the four departments, and the procedures and regulations for doing things from now on were repeated several times.
After doing all this, it was already noon. Pei Tingyue didn't even have lunch and went straight to the remaining places.
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