Chapter 901 Dark Tide
Manbao lay on his back and said, "This is just the beginning. The master is really angry this time."
Zhou Silang carried Manbao home, washed her hands, and after eating, she applied ointment to her little hands. This was the ointment she had tried to make herself before. Because it was just a practice work, Dr. Ji thought it was not good enough, so he gave it to Manbao home.
But she never had the chance to use it. Now, she opened a can, divided it into three parts, and still had some left over.
Just as she applied the medicine, a servant from the Bai family came over with a packet of medicine. "The young master asked me to bring it here. He said it's medicinal materials for foot bath. We have a lot in the storeroom at home, so I sent some over for Miss Man."
Qian answered the call, asked Manbao, and then made her some foot bath.
Although it was very tiring to stand for five hours a day, the leg strength was developed after standing for a long time. After seven or eight days of pain, the three of them gradually got into the better condition. Every day they would recite in the yard with their necks hunched or exposed.
Mr. Zhuang sat by the window, listening and reading his book, feeling quite at peace with himself.
Life was peaceful in Qili Village, but outside, there were undercurrents. Not only the initiators, County Magistrate Yang and County Magistrate Tang, but also the King of Yizhou felt an inexplicable atmosphere.
News came from the capital that the emperor planned to send an imperial censor to inspect Jiannan, especially the Yizhou area, because the tax exemption period for the court was about to expire this year, and the emperor wanted to know whether the disaster victims in Yizhou had settled down.
Of course, the court is still discussing it and has not decided yet.
But based on the King of Yizhou's understanding of the emperor, this matter is likely to succeed.
The situation in the court was volatile and changing from one day to the next. No one knew what would happen next. The King of Yizhou did not want outsiders to enter his territory.
The King of Yizhou was unaware that a group of people from the capital had already quietly arrived in Yizhou. Meanwhile, the Emperor was repeatedly looking through the account books, registers, letters, and deeds presented to him. The account books were divided into two parts: one original and the other reorganized.
The emperor looked at it for a while, then closed it again and asked, "I forgot to ask Mr. Tang yesterday who compiled this account book. I see that although the handwriting is still immature, it already has some style. Hmm, there are three people, one is not so good, but these two are very good. My dear Mr. Tang, you have recruited many talented people in Yizhou City."
How would Lord Tang know who compiled this account book?
He thought for a moment and said, "The booklet was sent by the Luojiang County Magistrate. It should be someone under Magistrate Yang's command."
"Oh? It's Changbo." The Emperor thought of the three children when he mentioned Luojiang County, but he felt that Yang Heshu wouldn't be so unreliable as to drag the three children into this mess, so he smiled and said, "They have good handwriting, and the account books are well organized, making it easy to understand at a glance. They are talented people with great potential."
The emperor only mentioned it once, then asked, "Have you found the person who wrote to Bai Qi?"
Old Master Tang shook his head, "It would be difficult to find someone from twelve years ago."
The emperor knocked lightly on the table and said, "The person who can remember so many confidential matters must be someone very close to Lao Wu and someone he trusts. As long as he is still alive, it will not be difficult to find him."
The emperor sat up slightly straighter and said, "I want to know how far Old Five has come, or whether he has already... given up."
Old Master Tang lowered his eyes and responded. After a pause, he asked, "Your Majesty, if the prince gives up after years of failure, what will you do?"
The emperor looked at Lord Tang with displeasure.
Old Master Tang remained calm and said, "Your Majesty, I have another list here, submitted by the magistrate of Huayang County."
Old Master Tang bowed and handed it over.
The emperor took it, unfolded it, and saw that it was full of names, followed by their positions, and the first one listed was Bai Qi.
"Your Majesty, twelve years ago, a total of fifty-eight people were known to have perished in this incident. Twenty-six of them have names, but the rest only have heads, and no names or surnames. We don't know how many more perished in places unknown to us." Old Master Tang lifted his robe and knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, please clear these people's names and make the world clear."
The emperor clenched the list in his hand and said after a while, "Tang Qing has entered the Censorate, but his temper is still the same as when he was in the Ministry of Justice."
Old Master Tang lowered his head.
The emperor unfolded the list, carefully folded it, and tucked it among the other names. He then said, "I understand. Bai Qi, He Ziyun, Zhou Yin, and the others are all loyal and righteous men. I will not forget them."
The emperor paused and asked, "Tang Qing, who do you think should be sent as the imperial censor to inspect Jiannan?"
Old Lord Tang thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, the inspector doesn't necessarily have to be the Censor. Didn't Lord Wei go there once when Yizhou was hit by a flood four years ago? Why not send him this time? Firstly, he's seen the devastated Yizhou and understands the difference between before and after. Secondly, Lord Wei was the first to discover Bai Qi's case. He's known for his quick wit, steadiness, and competence, so he's the best choice."
The emperor laughed heartily upon hearing this and said, "Then do you know who he recommended to me this morning?"
Old Master Tang lowered his eyes and said, "I don't know."
"It's you, hahahaha..." The emperor laughed heartily. "He said you've always been meticulous and a master at solving cases. And your son has been the county magistrate in Yizhou for three years. If you go, it would be a perfect opportunity to cooperate with the outside forces."
"Your Majesty, it is precisely because I am serving as the county magistrate in Huayang that I must avoid suspicion, otherwise the officials in the court will follow my example in the future..."
The emperor pondered for a moment, felt that what he said made sense, and nodded slightly. "Then let Wei Qing go. It's just right. Let him go to Longzhou and look for Bai Qi's descendants. This case must have a lead."
Old Master Tang nodded in agreement, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
The king and his minister did not know that the pile of evidence on the table was the result of the efforts of Bai Qi's descendants, but Wei Zhi knew, as he had been communicating with Old Lady Liu.
When the three children just found the things and ran to find County Magistrate Yang, Old Lady Liu asked someone to send a letter to Wei Zhi, so Wei Zhi knew that the evidence that Zhou Yin was left in the mountains was found.
Before this pile of evidence was sent to Beijing, he had already learned from Old Lady Liu that it contained evidence that the King of Yizhou was raising troops and illegally opening iron mines, but Old Lady Liu did not know the more specific details because Daji only sent back this sentence.
Bai Shan and Man Bao, fearing that they would be punished, both played cowards and did not go home or write letters. Old Madam Liu did not want to reveal too much, so she turned a blind eye and indulged them.
The next day, Lord Wei was formally appointed at the morning court. The emperor even spoke to him, "I have already sent people to Yizhou, but I still want you to check on me to see if the King of Yizhou still has any intention of rebellion. If so, please send Bai Qi's descendants to the capital. I will be of use to them."
Lord Wei hesitated for a moment and then said, "Your Majesty, the Luojiang County Magistrate may have kept silent to protect the two children. In fact, this evidence was found in the mountains by their descendants."
The next update will be around 4:00 PM
(End of this chapter)
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