Chapter 154 154 Reunion
But six days ago, Liang Wangjin failed to impeach Du Qingtang, but instead played with fire and got himself burned, which involved a series of dirty deeds in the Liang family.
Emperor Qingyuan was furious and ordered the Minister of Justice to investigate the case personally.
The Minister of Justice sent people to interrogate the servants who served Liang Yixing, confirmed the identities of some of the dead, took fifty silver notes worth one thousand taels from the Liang family, and asked the prefect to arrange for someone to deliver the compensation to the deceased's home.
The prefect had not expected that the huge Liang Mansion would collapse so easily. Except for the unfavored illegitimate sons and daughters, all the other members of the Liang family were imprisoned and would be executed at a later date.
Thinking about the past few years, because he didn't want to offend Liang Wangjin, who was still the Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace, every time Liang Yixing committed a crime, he turned a blind eye, either ignoring it or asking the Liang family to come to the government office to pick him up, the prefect was terrified, fearing that he would suffer in front of His Majesty and lose his official position.
Thinking of how he had offended the emperor's favor by trying to please Liang Wangjin, the prefect regretted it so much that he wanted to strangle himself.
After the official from the Ministry of Justice who had delivered the message left, the prefect looked up at the sky and sighed deeply.
I just hope that Lord Wen Anbo will be magnanimous, understand his difficulties, and not bother with him too much.
Even though we are worried, we cannot ignore the orders from above.
The prefect summoned the yamen runners and ordered them to deliver compensation to the deceased's family. He concluded with a warning: "Normally, you exploit your positions to make money, and I don't bother to intervene, nor do I want to. But this matter is being closely monitored by the higher-ups, even His Majesty is paying close attention. If I learn that you are dishonest..."
The yamen runners had originally planned to deduct three or five silver notes and divide them equally among several people, so that each person could get several hundred taels.
Now that the prefect had brought up the issue of Emperor Qingyuan, how could they dare to deceive their superiors and subordinates? They nodded and fawned, saying that they dared not.
The bailiff left with the banknotes, the list of names of the deceased and their addresses. The prefect wiped his face and was about to deal with the files when someone came from the palace.
"Your Majesty has issued an oral decree: Zhou Yong neglected his duties as the prefect of Xiajing Prefecture, abused his position for personal gain, and engaged in corruption and bribery, resulting in numerous false and wrongful convictions. Effective immediately, he is dismissed from office and exiled three thousand miles away!"
Zhou Yong: “???”
Zhou Yong: “!!!”
......
On the other side, yamen runners wearing red and black uniforms and square scarves on their heads knocked on door after door, explained the situation, and offered thousands of taels of compensation.
Some people beat their chests and cried bitterly.
"If I had known this would happen, I would never have let Sister Fang set up a stall. In the end, she was snatched away by that tyrant Liang. Within half a year, she was gone. It's like the old man sending the young off!"
"I don't want this money! I just want my daughter! I want my daughter to be alive! Get out! Get out!"
The bailiff cursed, dropped the banknotes and ran away.
Some families were overjoyed and told each other the news.
"A money-loser died and died, but he actually got so much money. If I had known earlier, I would have sent the second girl to Liang Bawang as a concubine."
"With this thousand taels, I'll be the richest person in the surrounding villages. I'll go to the city and buy a house tomorrow to prevent it from being robbed one day."
The woman rolled her eyes and looked mean, then kissed the banknote hard and said something meaningful.
The woman who lived next door couldn't stand hearing this, so she picked up the water from the washing pot and poured it all over her head and body: "Do you really think we care about the money you got from selling your daughter? Sister Yun is so unlucky to have a mother like you. Fortunately, Sister Duo ran away, otherwise she would have had a bad ending. You two are so heartless, aren't you afraid of retribution..."
"Who are you calling heartless?"
"I'm talking about you! You still want to have a son? I don't think you'll ever be able to have one in your lifetime. Even if you do, he'll be a worthless one!"
"Who are you saying has no **?"
Xia Duo learned that Liang Yixing was arrested and that all the decent women who had been forced into the mansion in recent years had been sent home. She didn't care that her parents wanted to marry her to the sixty-year-old master as a concubine at the beginning of the year. In a fit of anger, she broke up with her family, unilaterally severed ties with them, and hurried back to the village.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she reached the door of her house, she heard her mother happily boasting to the neighbor aunt that because the beast Liang Yixing killed her sister, the court ordered the Liang family to pay the Xia family one thousand taels of silver as compensation.
The sun was scorching overhead, but Xia Duo felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave. Her vision went dark and she almost fainted on the spot.
My eldest sister...is dead?
"Hey, isn't this Erya? Did you hear that the imperial court would compensate our family with 1,000 taels, and you want to come back for a share?"
"You shameless little bitch, I'm telling you, this thousand taels has nothing to do with you. But if you agree to be Master Zhang's concubine, I might consider giving you two taels of silver as a dowry."
The darkness in Xia Duo's eyes faded away, and she met Xia's mother's eyes that were waiting for a price, and she felt it was extremely ironic.
Her mother took the one thousand taels of silver that her elder sister had exchanged for her life and asked her to marry the sixty-year-old master as a concubine.
How could she still laugh when her elder sister died?
She also gave birth to my eldest sister after ten months of pregnancy. How could she be so cold-blooded and heartless?
Yes, in their eyes, daughters are money-losing goods and the reason why they cannot hold their heads up in the village.
If a money-losing person dies, you get one thousand taels of compensation. Isn't it a sure-win deal?
Xia Duo's heart was filled with hatred. She picked up a stone and threw it at Xia's mother, crying hysterically, "If you want me to marry that old man, wait for the next life!"
Mother Xia was caught off guard, with a bloody hole on her forehead. Blood was flowing out, and she lay on the ground howling and screaming that she was going to die and wanted Xia Duo to pay with her life.
Xia Duo thought expressionlessly, it would be better if I died.
She wanted to kill everyone.
Liang Yixing, Xia's mother and Xia's father.
But Liang Yixing was in prison and she was out of reach.
As for Xia's mother and father, to be precise, they did not collude with Liang Yixing to kill the eldest sister.
They just chose to ignore the eldest sister's request for help after learning that Liang Yixing had forced the eldest sister into the mansion, and excitedly calculated how much benefit they could squeeze out of the eldest sister.
They watched coldly, but it was more terrifying and hateful than killing my eldest sister with their own hands!
Xia Duo ignored the insults and shouting behind her and ran away without looking back.
She returned to the city and unknowingly walked to the bank of the Jinshui River, thinking about every moment she spent with her elder sister.
......
Xia Yun is only five years older than Xia Duo. She has a gentle and strong personality and is the most beautiful girl in the surrounding villages.
Xia's father and mother favored boys over girls, and they ignored Xia Duo after she was born. It was Xia Yun who raised her and made her grow up into the graceful young lady she is today.
The two sisters were inseparable, working in the fields together and going up the mountain to cut grass for pigs together.
Later, the Qiong Ying English Society was established and invited women from inside and outside Xia Jing City to join. They accidentally learned about it and were very excited. They secretly signed up without telling their families and became members of the Qiong Ying English Society.
They took advantage of the time when they went to the city to buy groceries to absorb knowledge crazily in the Qiong English Society.
They privately agreed that they would become mistresses in the future, earn a lot of money, and live a good life without worries about food and drink!
They are looking forward to and fantasizing about life. Although their days are hard, they are full of hope and extremely sweet.
Perhaps it is because of excessive joy that sorrow comes, and disaster strikes from the sky.
Two years ago, Xia Yun went to the city to sell vegetables and never returned.
She was favored by Liang Yixing and was forced to be his concubine.
The Xia family made a living by farming and was very poor. The Liang family could crush them to death with just one finger.
In order to gain so-called wealth, Xia's father and mother asked Xia Yun to be a concubine of Mr. Liang Qi. After they had a son, they would persuade Mr. Liang Qi to promote the Xia family.
However, Xia Duo felt that the Liang family was not a place of wealth, but a den of tigers and wolves!
"Sister, why don't we leave Xiajing? The world is so big, anywhere can be our home." Xia Duo burst into tears. "Or I can go talk to the Princess of Changle County and ask her to go talk to Madam Liang and ask the Liang family to let you come back."
Xia Yun shook his head and refused: "We are just acquaintances with the Princess of Changle. How can we have the nerve to ask her for help? No matter how bad my parents are, they still gave me life. If I leave Xiajing, the Liang family will not let them go."
Xia Duo's persuasion failed, and she could only watch with tears in her eyes as Xia Yun boarded the carriage back to Liang Mansion and drove away.
In the following two years, Xia Duo never saw Xia Yun again, but they kept in touch through letters.
Until more than two months ago, Xia Duo wrote to Xia Yun as usual, but received no reply.
She waited for twenty days and couldn't help but go outside the Liang Mansion to inquire. The doorman told her that Aunt Xia had been feeling unwell recently and was recuperating.
Xia Duo was anxious and wanted to go into the mansion to see Xia Yun, but was turned away.
The next day, Xia Duo received another letter from Xia Yun.
Xia Yun said in the letter that she was fine, but just caught a cold due to the change of seasons.
Xia Yun also said that after she recovered from her illness, she would go to another place with Liang Yixing and would not be able to communicate normally.
Xia Duo believed it to be true and stopped writing letters to the Liang Mansion.
Until today, she learned that the court had decided to give a letter of release to the decent woman who was abducted by Liang Yixing into the mansion, allowing her to return home. She hurried back to the village, but was told that Xia Yun was dead.
Xia Duo stood by the river and smiled bitterly.
She should have known.
The eldest sister treated her like a treasure and would not fail to reply to her letters even if she caught a cold.
If she had resolutely taken her elder sister away, her elder sister would not have died young and would not have been able to see her for the last time before her death.
Xia Duo looked down at the churning river water beneath her feet.
Life is quite boring.
Her only relative is gone, but she can't kill her enemy with her own hands. So what's the point?
Xia Duo raised her hand, wiped away the tears on her face, and murmured, "Sister, I'm here to look for you."
After saying that, he jumped and fell into the Jinshui River.
-
The river water surged and swallowed the woman in white in an instant.
Du Qingtang's drunkenness suddenly disappeared, and he made a quick decision: "Du San, go save them."
"yes!"
Du San jumped off the carriage, ran to the riverside, and jumped into the river.
Fortunately, the rescue came in time and the woman in white was not washed away by the rapid current. Du San quickly fished her out and laid her flat on the shore.
Du Qingtang knelt down and gave the woman first aid.
Not long after, the woman tilted her head and spat out river water, coughing violently and gasping for breath, her chest heaving rapidly.
Du Qingtang took out a handkerchief from the hidden pocket of his wide sleeve and handed it to the woman: "Wipe your tears."
The woman looked stunned. She raised her hand to touch her cheek. Her fingertips were stained with wet marks. She couldn't tell whether they were tears or river water.
A gust of wind blew, and she shivered, tears rolling down from the corners of her eyes like beads that had broken off the string.
Xia Duo lay on the grass, crying loudly.
"I don't have a sister anymore."
"My sister is dead."
"I can't even avenge her."
"Instead of lingering on in this world, it's better to die. In the underworld, I can reunite with my sister sooner."
The night was eerie, and the little girl's voice was sharp and her crying was eerie and quite scary.
Du Qingtang wiped the sand off his fingertips with a handkerchief, saying nothing as he just watched her cry.
Xia Duo cried until she was out of breath and her whole body was shaking. She murmured "Big Sister" in a desperate and sad voice.
She didn't know how long she cried, until she had no more strength left to cry. Then she gradually stopped wailing and turned to sobbing.
Du Qingtang lowered his eyes and looked down at her condescendingly: "Can you get up?"
Xia Duo rolled her eyes, sniffed, and stammered, "My legs are numb."
Du Qingtang said calmly, "Then wait until the numbness wears off before getting up."
Xia Duo: “…”
Xia Duo bit her lower lip, wiped the moisture off her face, and climbed up using her hands and feet.
Du Qingtang also stood up and slowly brushed off the grass debris on his robe: "Do you have anywhere to go?"
Xia Duo looked up and found that the man was a head taller than her. She felt scared and replied softly, "Yes."
After falling out with Mr. and Mrs. Xia, she rented a house in the west of the city.
Although the house is small and it is difficult to even turn around, it is good enough to shelter me from the wind and rain, so I don’t have to live on the streets.
Du Qingtang's eyes fixed on the patch on Xia Duo's clothes: "West of the city?"
Xia Duo said nothing, her eyes alert.
Du Qingtang didn't miss the fleeting surprise and turned to walk towards the carriage: "Follow me."
Xia Duo stood still: "I can go back by myself."
Du Qingtang said without turning his head: "Either come with me, or I will push you into the river."
Xia Duo: “…???”
Xia Duo choked, gritted her teeth, and followed.
After rolling in the river, she became much more sober.
If the eldest sister knew about this and saw her committing suicide by jumping into the river, she would definitely be very angry.
If we meet in the underworld, I would probably pick up a branch, beat her, and then blame myself and cry.
Xia Duo suddenly didn't want to die anymore.
She died, and that was the end of it.
Xia's father and mother lived a good life because of the one thousand taels, and Liang Yixing in prison was still alive and well.
She can't die.
She wants to avenge her elder sister!
During these three years, Xia Yun sent some money to Xia Duo, and she also worked as a cleaner in the Qiongying English Society, earning one penny of silver every month.
It didn't cost much to rent a house, so Xia Duo saved up dozens of taels of silver and planned to use it to bribe the jailer.
She wanted to sneak into the prison, kill Liang Yixing, and avenge her elder sister!
She even thought of the murder weapon.
He used a pair of scissors to poke a hole, and blood gushed out.
She wanted Liang Yixing to bleed to death!
Xia Duo thought darkly, with an obedient look on her face, she climbed onto the carriage using her hands and feet and got into the compartment.
The seats were covered with a mat embroidered with dark patterns, and there was a blanket on the floor, which looked very expensive. Xia Duo didn't dare to dirty it, as she couldn't afford to pay for it, so she simply sat at the door of the carriage and curled up in a small ball.
Du Qingtang followed her, closed his eyes, leaned against the carriage, and continued to empty his mind.
"Master, we're here."
Du Qingtang opened his eyes and raised his chin slightly to signal, "Go down."
Xia Duo jumped off the carriage quickly. Du Qingtang took her to the second courtyard and asked the maid to find Liang Chuxia to borrow some clothes from her.
Liang Chuxia is the youngest in the family and has a small frame, so you can't give Xia Duo the maid's clothes.
Xia Duo took a hot bath, put on clothes that were obviously ill-fitting, and sat under the lamp with red eyes.
It was obvious that he had just cried in the shower.
Du Qingtang ignored him and took a sip of hawthorn tea: "Tell me, why did you jump into the river to commit suicide?"
Xia Duo pursed her lips: "I accidentally..."
Suddenly meeting Du Qingtang's black and white eyes, she shrank back, feeling embarrassed as if everything was seen through.
Du Qingtang said calmly, "You can keep silent or leave now. But just now, I wasted a set of clothes saving you. That set of clothes is worth thirty-seven taels. Adding the cost of the hot water and the clothes you're wearing, I'll give you fifty taels for your pity."
Xia Duo: “?”
Du Qingtang crossed his arms and said calmly, "You can leave after paying."
Xia Duo: “…”
Even if she was sold, she wouldn't get more than fifty taels, not to mention that she wanted to use the money she saved to do something big and avenge her elder sister!
Xia Duo licked her dry lips, took a deep breath, and truthfully told the reason why she jumped into the river to commit suicide.
Du Qingtang had a subtle look on his face after hearing this: "You said your name is Xia Duo, and your sister's name is Xia Yun?"
Xia Duo didn't understand, but nodded anyway.
Du Qingtang: “…”
If I remember correctly, in my previous life, in order to avenge my sister, I entered the wolf's den alone and became Liang Yixing's concubine. The ruthless person who stabbed him hundreds of holes with scissors was the one in front of me.
Perhaps it was because Liang Yixing was imprisoned in this life, and Xia Duo had nowhere to seek revenge, so she was so desperate that she jumped into the river and committed suicide.
Ultimately, it was because Du Qingtang exposed Liang Yixing's evil deeds.
If she hadn't happened to pass by tonight, she would have been responsible for a life without knowing it.
Du Qingtang raised his hand and lightly tapped his brow, took a deep breath, and said in an unclear tone: "Are you going to avenge your sister?"
Xia Duo's eyes flickered, not daring to meet Du Qingtang's gaze. "He's already in jail, and he'll probably be executed soon. Why bother with this?"
Du Qingtang had no expression on his face: "Tell the truth."
The tone was neither light nor heavy, but it made Xia Duo shudder all over. Her body moved faster than her brain, and she blurted out her true thoughts.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Xia Duo: “…”
Du Qingtang leaned back, the back of the chair supporting her upper body, her eyes sharp: "Have you ever thought about what will happen if you succeed?"
Xia Duo stiffened her neck and said stubbornly, "I'll leave after I'm done. No one will find out."
Du Qingtang sneered at her naiveté. "The crime Liang Yixing committed was of great consequence. The entire court, both civil and military officials, is closely following the progress of this case. He died in prison for no apparent reason. The jailer responsible for guarding him must be held accountable."
Xia Duo's eyes widened.
Du Qingtang continued, "There are so many people in this world who are willing to give up after they have done their job. The jailer could easily have arrested you after you killed Liang Yixing and used you to claim credit for it."
"Even if you are the victim, your actions are acting in the name of justice. The imperial court cannot interfere."
"You owe money but you must pay it back, and you must pay it back with your life. You will surely die then."
With every word Du Qingtang spoke, Xia Duo's face became paler, until in the end it was as pale as paper, without a trace of blood.
Du Qingtang knew that this girl was stubborn and cruel.
As long as she makes up her mind, she will definitely find a way to sneak into the prison, kill that bastard Liang Yixing with her own hands, and avenge Xia Yun.
Just like in her previous life, in order to seek revenge, she did not hesitate to become Liang Yixing's concubine.
If I remember correctly, Xia Duo in my previous life also died.
After she used scissors to poke Liang Yixing into a sieve, she was hacked to death by the guards of the Liang Mansion who rushed over after hearing the news. After her death, Mrs. Liang, who had lost her beloved son and was almost crazy, cut off her head and limbs and threw her body to feed the dogs.
Long after Xia Duo's death, the decent women who were forcibly taken into the mansion united and tried every means to make Liang Yixing's actions public.
The Liang family scandal spread throughout Xiajing, and even Du Qingtang heard about it. At that time, he thought that the girl who killed Liang Yixing was brave and decisive.
After many years and reincarnations, Du Qingtang never expected to see Xia Duo alive, and he saved her by accident.
Du Qingtang had a very good impression of Xia Duo, and because of the guilt that almost caused her to jump into the river to commit suicide, he could not watch her die.
"But......"
Xia Duo tried to argue, but Du Qingtang refused to tolerate her and stood up to walk out: "No buts, if you want to die, go ahead."
Xia Duo was speechless and picked at her fingers: "I've told you everything you want to know. Can you let me go?"
Du Qingtang said without turning her head, "It's late at night. It's not safe for a girl to walk alone at night. Let's talk about it tomorrow."
Xia Duo: “…”
Xia Duo scratched her head and muttered softly, "Why do I feel like I've entered a den of thieves?"
However, she was sure that the sister had no ill will towards her, which was why she sternly warned her not to go and die.
Xia Duo sat there for a while, thinking that it was indeed unsafe to walk at night, so he simply closed the door and lay down on the bed.
After rushing on the road and jumping into the river, Xia Duo was already exhausted. She fell into a deep sleep as soon as the back of her head touched the pillow.
That night, Xia Duo had a dream.
She dreamed of Xia Yun.
Xia Yun was wearing a light blue dress and had a peaceful and gentle smile.
Xia Yun stroked her hair gently and whispered softly, "Aduo, don't do anything stupid for me that will make your loved ones sad and your enemies happy."
"Big sister hopes you are well, live a long life, and have many children and grandchildren."
"Life is long. You can be a mistress or do business. You must save more money. A girl will have confidence only if she has money."
Having said that, Xia Yun smiled and hugged her sister.
"Aduo, just think of it as living well for me."
When Xia Duo opened her eyes, it was already bright outside.
She lay on the bed, her pillow wet with tears.
......
Xia Duo cried secretly for a while and planned to leave.
She also had to go to the Qiong English Society to study, and after finishing her studies she had to do the cleaning work. She worked together with several other members from poor families to clean the entire five-courtyard house.
As a result, as soon as he entered the courtyard, he was stopped by the maid.
Xia Duo tried to keep a straight face: "Your lady didn't ask me to pay back the money."
Maid: “?”
The maid was stunned for a moment, then she said politely, "The master asked you to stay at the mansion for another day. When the master gets off duty in the evening, she has something important to discuss with you."
Now it was Xia Duo's turn to be stunned: "On duty?"
Could it be that the sister is a medical officer from the Women’s Medical Bureau?
Apart from being a doctor, Xia Duo couldn't think of any other job that could be described as "high-value".
It's impossible for her to be an official in the court. She is not Wen An...
"Don't you know?" The maid chuckled, covering her mouth. "My master is the current Shangshu, Wen Anbo."
Xia Duo: “???”
Xia Duo: “!!!”
Wen Anbo?!
The person who pulled her out of the river was Wen Anbo?
Xia Duo's face flushed instantly, she felt ashamed and embarrassed, and she wished she could dig a hole and bury herself in it.
Everyone knows that Wen Anbo is a woman who walks in the court, holds the second-rank official position, and is even ranked as a super-rank earl.
Just ask the emperor's daughter, who doesn't admire Wen Anbo? Who doesn't take him as a role model?
For a woman to achieve what Wen Anbo has achieved, it can be said that she has reached the pinnacle of her life.
The members of the Qiongying English Society often talked about Wen Anbo, and their words were full of admiration and envy. Xia Duo was naturally no exception under the influence of everyone.
So her idol saw her crying last night with tears and snot on her face and the messy look of waterweed on her head?
The maid saw Xia Duo's face turn pale and blue, as if she was frightened, and she was also startled: "Miss Xia, what's wrong with you?"
Xia Duo: "...I'm fine."
Don’t say anything, just let her die first... Ugh, be quiet!
-
At the hour of Chen, the first morning court session after the holiday ended peacefully.
Du Qingtang had few close friends in the court, so he walked out of the Golden Palace alone, intending to handle his official business first and then go to the imperial farm.
"Lord Du!" Minister Qi came forward with a broad smile. "Yesterday, the grocery store sold a thousand hand-cranked fans, and they were all sold out in less than two hours. I plan to recruit another group of craftsmen to specialize in fan production."
"Thanks to you, Lord Du, the national treasury will have an additional income this year."
Du Qingtang was not surprised by this, as rare gadgets were always very popular.
However, fans are seasonal products and are only suitable for use in summer. After the season, they will probably be piled up in the warehouse and collect dust.
Even if they sell at low prices and high volumes, Liulifang and Ningxianglou are still the ones that make the most money.
"Master Qi, you are too kind. I am just talking big. The ones who really contribute to the national treasury are the craftsmen and guests."
Minister Qi laughed out loud: "Yes, yes, the guests are indeed generous."
Not only in hand-cranked fans, but also in Liulifang and Ningxianglou, it can be said that they make a fortune every day and count money until their hands are tired.
Du Qingtang spoke a few more words with Minister Qi and then parted ways outside the Ministry of Revenue's gate.
Arriving at the Ministry of Works, Du Qingtang fetched some clean water, soaked a rag in it, and wiped the desks and bookshelves one by one until they were spotless. He also brewed a pot of tea and put it on the stove to boil.
Du Qingtang ground the ink, the tea was bubbling, the mist was rippling, and various departments also delivered today's official documents.
While he was working at his desk, Wan Langzhong from the Du Shui Qing Li Si came to report.
"Sir, the construction team has returned to Beijing."
Du Qingtang was stunned for a moment before he remembered what a construction team was.
Last year, she presented cement and proposed that Emperor Qingyuan set up a construction team to pave cement roads in Xiajing and major official roads.
Half a year passed in a flash, and Du Qingtang returned to Beijing to take up his post. The construction team also converted all the official roads in Daxia into cement roads.
"Very efficient." Du Qingtang kept writing and gave a fair comment, "Everyone has worked hard recently. I'll give you some money. You can arrange the rest yourself."
Du Qingtang did not have such a strong desire for control, so he took charge of all the affairs of the Ministry of Works.
She is not a superhero, so ten days or half a month is fine. If she does this every day, she will probably be exhausted to death.
Although the Shangshu Lord gave him the authority, Doctor Wan did not dare to get carried away.
With the Liang family's previous experience as a lesson, anyone who dares to confront this person head-on without sufficient confidence would probably end up hanging himself because his life is too long.
"Yes, I will take my leave."
Near noon, Doctor Zhang from the Ministry of Works and Renovations brought in the expense accounts for last month's palace renovations.
The imperial palace where Du Qingtang lives has gone through three dynasties and is hundreds of years old. The palace needs monthly maintenance, otherwise it will be unsightly and damage the majesty of the royal family.
Renovating the palace is a considerable expense. Last month, the Ministry of Works withdrew a sum of money from the Ministry of Revenue. Now that the detailed accounts are out, we have to go to the Ministry of Revenue to settle the account.
Du Qingtang took a quick look through it, put it aside after confirming that it was correct, had lunch and took a short break, then went to the Ministry of Revenue in person.
Du Qingtang once worked in the Ministry of Revenue for a period of time. As the money bag of the court, its status among the six ministries was second only to the Ministry of Personnel, which was responsible for the transfer and appointment of officials. Most of the officials in the Ministry of Revenue were arrogant and liked to put on airs.
Many times, a matter can be resolved on the spot, but officials from other departments have to urge them repeatedly before it is reluctantly completed.
When they meet someone with a higher official position or a stronger background, they will be ignored by the other party and suffer for no reason, which is very frustrating.
Du Qingtang entered the Ministry of Revenue and came to the Secretary's Office. The ninth-rank secretary did not even raise his head and said impatiently: "Put your things down and you can leave."
Du Qingtang put down the account book without changing his expression: "Thank you for your help."
Unlike the clear and cool voice of the man coming from above his head, the steward inexplicably thought of someone, his heart skipped a beat, and he quietly lifted his eyelids, a hint of purple coming into his sight.
Secretary: "!!!"
The steward's hand trembled, and the teacup fell to the ground. He stood up tremblingly and bowed repeatedly: "Your humble servant is blind and didn't know you were here in person. I beg your forgiveness for any offense!"
Du Qingtang said calmly, "Closing the account."
"Yes, yes, I'll settle the account for you right away!"
The settlement of accounts, which was originally delayed and would take at least three to five days to complete, was resolved in just a cup of tea after Du Qingtang's intimidation.
After leaving the Ministry of Revenue, Du Qingtang went straight to the Imperial Study and asked to see Emperor Qingyuan.
Emperor Qingyuan had just finished dealing with some memorials and was playing with a magpie.
The magpie was still the same one from five years ago, only the size of an adult man's palm. The sunlight coming in through the window made its feathers glow with a metallic luster of blue, green and purple, which was gorgeous and dazzling.
Du Qingtang entered, bowed and greeted.
"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."
"Chiu~"
The magpie tilted its head, and its black eyes seemed to be thinking about something.
It's a purple two-legged beast!
The magpie rubbed the yellow Twoleg's fingers, flapped its wings and flew towards the purple Twoleg, tilting its head and rubbing the side of her neck.
After rubbing this and that, he can be said to be a true master of water-cutting in the bird world.
"Chiu~"
The magpie chirps, and the birds remember you.
Du Qingtang tilted his head and lowered his eyes, then raised his finger to gently stroke the glossy feathers and praised: "Your Majesty's magpie really understands human nature."
"She's not my bird," Emperor Qingyuan flatly denied, but the smile in his eyes didn't seem fake. "What brings you here today, Lord Du?"
Du Qingtang let the magpie perch on his left shoulder, gracefully preening its feathers. His back was as straight as a pine tree, and he bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, may I ask how the investigation into Liang Yixing's case is going?"
Emperor Qingyuan was a little surprised and looked at Fu Rui.
Fu Rui spoke truthfully, "The identities of the 498 deceased have been confirmed, and the Ministry of Justice has discovered that the Liang family father and son committed multiple crimes. The case will be closed in three to five days."
Du Qingtang bowed again and pleaded, "Your Majesty, I will personally supervise the execution."
Emperor Qingyuan: “…”
Fury: “…”
Fu Rui couldn't help it, raised his hand to pick his ears, and after confirming that he had heard it correctly, the corners of his mouth twitched.
It is true that wherever there is excitement, there is Lord Du.
The matter at the research institute has not been settled yet, and he is now thinking about the job of executioner.
Emperor Qingyuan sat back at the imperial desk and said, "Tell me, what do you want to do?"
Du Qingtang lowered his eyebrows and eyes, his posture respectful, but his words were completely different from his actions: "Your Majesty will know when the time comes."
Emperor Qingyuan laughed in anger, pointing a finger at Du Qingtang: "How dare you play tricks on me? Do you really think I won't punish you?"
"Your Majesty, I only wish to fulfill a wish for one person." Du Qingtang paused. "How about considering it as a reward for you stealing countless gold and silver from the Liang family?"
Emperor Qingyuan: "...sophisticated arguments!"
He was so angry that he stood up, pacing back and forth with his hands on his hips. He was so angry that he turned around and pointed at Du Qingtang: "No one has ever dared to disrespect me, and you, Du Qingtang, are the first!"
Nonsense, Cao Yuan was clearly the first one.
Du Qingtang secretly complained, but he didn't show it on his face. He leaned forward and said, "Your Majesty is so kind and generous that I dare to be so presumptuous."
Emperor Qingyuan scoffed at this.
He didn't believe a single word of Du Aiqing's nice words, except for his loyalty to Daxia.
He had ordered her to be beheaded.
She had deceived and exploited him many times, and was even still testing his bottom line.
However, they just have their own needs, and they use each other and achieve each other for common interests and goals.
Emperor Qingyuan traced the dragon pattern on the jade ring with his fingertips and stared at Du Qingtang.
What's the point of keeping things the same? Someone always has to break the rules.
Compared to those law-abiding ministers, he could tolerate the person in front of him.
"Your Majesty, I just went to the Ministry of Revenue to settle accounts and found that many officials deliberately delayed their work. Matters that could have been completed that day often took three to five days to resolve."
"This is true not only in the Ministry of Revenue, but also in other departments and even at the local level."
"If this continues, the efficiency of various ministries and agencies will inevitably decline, and conflicts between officials will become increasingly serious."
Emperor Qingyuan raised his eyebrows, stopped thinking about those trivial things, and listened attentively.
"On the way to the Imperial Study, I was reminded of the many malpractices and hidden rules that exist in the current officialdom. I personally think we could refer to the official register system and establish an official register for officials."
"In addition to name, age, place of origin, and previous official positions, the official register can also record in detail the official's rewards and punishments, making his achievements and mistakes clear at a glance."
"If a certain number of mistakes are made, one can be fined or demoted. Similarly, if a certain number of meritorious deeds are achieved, one can be rewarded or promoted."
"During their term of office, the official records will be kept by the highest official, and rewards and punishments will also be recorded by the highest official. At the end of their term, they can bring this official record to the capital, and appointments will be arranged based on the rewards and punishments."
"To prevent the highest official from abusing his power for personal gain, the official can make a handwritten note. If there is any discrepancy between the official record and the official record, he can report it to the Ministry of Personnel, which will then administer justice on his behalf."
“In addition, cross-evaluation can be conducted every year.”
"So-called cross-evaluation is done across departments—for example, the Ministry of Revenue rates the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Personnel rates the Ministry of Works, and officials rate each other, with 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest."
"After the evaluation is completed, the highest and lowest scores are removed, and the average of the remaining scores is taken. This is then combined with the year-end performance evaluation to assess the officials from multiple perspectives..."
Du Qingtang talked eloquently, and Emperor Qingyuan found it more and more interesting the more he listened. He glanced at Fu Rui, who understood and hurriedly took notes.
An incense stick of time passed in a flash, and Du Qingtang stopped talking: "That's basically it, Your Majesty can fill in the blanks yourself."
Emperor Qingyuan twirled his beard and said, "I will discuss this with Zhaoyang later and then decide whether to formally adopt the official registration system you mentioned."
It seems that Princess Zhaoyang has already started to get involved in political affairs.
Du Qingtang thought with certainty and replied respectfully, "Yes."
For Emperor Qingyuan, the official registration system must have a hundred benefits and no harm.
But for all officials, it will definitely do more harm than good.
No matter how big a mistake a person makes, people will forget it as time goes by.
Once you have an official position and make a mistake, it will follow you for the rest of your life, until the day you retire.
As a result, all officials must be careful in what they say and do, otherwise they must be prepared to be nailed to the pillar of shame.
Du Qingtang could imagine how many people would scold her after the court adopted the official registration system.
But she didn't care.
People like Yan Tiande and Shi Zishan are upright and naturally not afraid of being listed or the so-called cross-evaluation.
Those who have something to hide will curse the most harshly.
Just like when she first entered the court as an official, some people were afraid of being outdone by her, so they jumped up and down and cursed her ancestors.
Just because Du Qingtang didn't bother with them doesn't mean he doesn't hold a grudge.
It's time for them to taste the bitter fruit of their actions.
Du Qingtang's thoughts drifted, and he returned to the topic: "The matter of supervising the execution..."
Emperor Qingyuan glanced at her unhappily and said, "Okay."
Du Qingtang raised a faint smile on his lips: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."
Fu Rui looked at His Majesty and then at Lord Du, and felt more and more that these two men were like two villains in a storybook, sitting in a dark room discussing how to cause trouble.
As soon as this thought came to his mind, he quickly shook his head and cursed a few times in his heart.
This is treason, you deserve to be beaten! You deserve to be beaten!
......
In the evening, Du Qingtang returned to the Du residence from the imperial farm.
As soon as I entered the door, I saw Xia Duo standing under the hanging flower gate, staring at the courtyard gate.
Seeing Du Qingtang, her face flushed, her eyes full of admiration, she bowed, her voice trembling with excitement: "This humble girl greets you, sir."
Du Qingtang was not surprised by this and just nodded slightly: "Follow me."
Xia Duo hesitated for a moment, then followed Du Qingtang to the study.
When she came out again, the little girl had red eyes and she lowered her head as she trotted away from the Du residence.
Du Qingju and Liang Chuxia happened to be returning from the Women's Medical Bureau. Seeing Xia Duo was unfamiliar, they asked during dinner, "Who was that girl before?"
Since joining the Women's Medical Bureau, they have been going out early and coming back late every day. They happened to miss Xia Duo this morning and didn't know that there was a guest at home.
Du Qingtang said casually, "Last night, she was depressed and jumped into the river to commit suicide. Du San rescued her and stayed at his home for one night. He just gave her a few words of advice and then let her go."
"You're so young and can't let go. You must be going through some difficulties. But you still have to overcome some hurdles on your own." Du Qingju sighed casually, then changed the subject, "By the way, my eldest sister and the others will be arriving in a few days. Have you sorted out everything at the Bo's Mansion?"
Du Qingtang responded, "Meng Fang has been very thorough. He has already prepared accommodations and is just waiting for my elder sister and the others to arrive in Beijing."
After all, the Wen'an Marquis Mansion is different from ordinary houses. Du Qingtang has been reluctant to move in because he wants to wait for Du Qingqin and the others to come, and then they can hold a house-warming party and then officially move in.
"That's good." Du Qingju's eyes curved, "I haven't seen my elder sister and the others for a long time. I miss them very much."
Du Qingtang did not comment. The two chatted casually, and Liang Chuxia listened quietly the whole time.
After eating and drinking, Du Qingtang went to the study to organize data and fell asleep near midnight.
Have a good night's sleep.
-
After a few more days, the Liang Yixing case came to an end.
In addition to the previous charges, Liang Yixing also allowed his concubine's brother to seize fertile land and force women into prostitution. Liang Wangjin was even suspected of embezzling public funds, stealing and selling official property, and selling official positions, among other crimes.
Even Old Madam Liang and Madam Liang used the power of the Liang family to lend money at high interest rates, causing countless people to lose their homes and lives.
The crimes committed by Liang Yixing and his brothers are too numerous to list, and they have been responsible for countless wrongful murders.
Emperor Qingyuan was furious and waved his hand: "The Liang family is guilty of heinous crimes. All of them shall be sentenced to death by slicing. The execution will be carried out at 3:30 PM today!"
"Also, since it was Lord Du who reported the Liang family's numerous crimes, you will serve as the executioner."
Du Qingtang stepped out and said, "I will follow your majesty's wishes."
After the morning court session, Du Qingtang ignored the different looks from the people around him and returned to the Ministry of Works. After processing some official documents, he saw that it was almost time, so he went straight to Caishikou.
At noon, Liang Yixing and others were dragged out of the prison van by the yamen runners without any courtesy, pressed on Xingtai, and had their prison uniforms taken off and covered with fishing nets.
The area around Caishikou was filled with people who came to watch the execution.
They hated corrupt officials and hated even more those who abused their power to oppress the people, so they cursed and rushed to throw stones and rotten vegetable leaves at the Liang family.
"That sly-looking kid has hundreds of lives on his hands. He's worse than an animal!"
"You killed my daughter, go to hell and make amends to her!"
Liang Yixing, a spoiled young man, had never seen such a scene before. He was so scared that he screamed and howled like a ghost.
"I was wrong! Please let me go!"
"It was all done by my father. I have nothing to do with it. I am innocent. I didn't do anything!"
"How dare you! I am the young master of the Liang Mansion, and you dare to disrespect me? Come, beat him to death!"
Liang Wangjin looked at his young son, who looked mad, and smiled bitterly: "Retribution! It's all retribution!"
Du Qingtang looked at them crying and shouting coldly, looked up at the sky, took out a fire sign from the sign tube and threw it out.
With a light "pop" sound, the fire order fell to the ground.
"It's three quarters past noon, execution!"
The executioner stepped forward, held him down with one hand, and with the other hand, he twisted his wrist and cleanly cut off a piece of flesh.
"ah!"
Liang Yixing wailed and struggled desperately like a dehydrated fish.
However, he was bound by shackles, and no matter how he struggled, he could not escape the executioner's five fingers mountain.
Screams rang out one after another, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood.
Behind Du Qingtang stood two guards, one tall and one short.
The short man was so frightened by the bloody scene that he trembled all over and his face turned pale, but he opened his eyes wide and stared at Liang Yixing without blinking.
Watch him wailing, watch him twitching, watch his skin and flesh being cut off to reveal his beating heart.
It turns out his heart is also red.
A full sixteen hundred dollars.
In the end, Liang Yixing was just a skeleton, and died with his eyes open.
Xia Duo whimpered like a little animal in her throat, and tears fell like beads that had broken off the string.
......
After the execution, Du San drove the car, and Du Qingtang and Xia Duo sat opposite each other in the car.
Du Qingtang took out a thousand taels of silver: "Take this money."
Xia Duo was stunned: "This is...my parents'?"
Du Qingtang crossed his arms and said matter-of-factly, "They have never fulfilled their parental obligations and don't deserve it."
"Don't live in the west of the city anymore. It's not safe for a girl to live alone. Either rent a yard in the south of the city, or stay at the Qiong Yingwen Society."
"Study hard when you go back, and don't commit suicide again."
"I...I can't do it anymore." Xia Duo sobbed, slid off the seat, knelt on the blanket, and kowtowed firmly. "Thank you, sir. I will study hard and live a good life."
Du Qingtang curled his lips: "Well, I believe you."
The carriage stopped at the residence in the west of the city. Xia Duo jumped out and watched the carriage rumble away.
Xia Duo rubbed her red eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "Sister, let's move together to a better and safer place."
Only them.
There were only the two of them.
On the other side, Xia Village.
Father and Mother Xia rummaged through the drawers at home.
"Gone! The money is gone!"
"Where's the money? Where's my money? Without it, my son will be left starving."
"Did you take it away secretly?"
"Bullshit! I said you stole it!"
"Besides me, you're the only one who knows where the banknotes are hidden. Hurry and take out the money, you bastard!"
Mother Xia's face was ferocious, and she pounced on Father Xia with her teeth and claws bared.
The two men wrestled with each other, neither giving in and screaming in pain.
The villagers passing by shook their heads when they heard this.
"A crazy couple."
"It's all retribution."
-
July 20th is a holiday.
Du Qingtang had nothing to do, so he got up early in the morning and went to the residence of Marquis Wen'an. He checked the residences of his sisters and asked Meng Fang to add some things.
Just as he was about to leave, the maid came to report: "Master, the young ladies and their husbands have arrived."
Du Qingtang was stunned for a moment, then immediately ordered, "Please invite them in."
"Yes." The maid took the order and left.
Du Qingtang then instructed Meng Fang: "Send someone to the Female Medical Bureau and the Qiong Ying Society to inform Miss Six and Miss Eight."
"Yes." Meng Fang also stepped back.
Du Qingtang adjusted his clothes in front of the mirror to make sure he looked presentable before going out to greet him.
"This mansion is so big and beautiful, even better than Mr. Zhang's in the county!"
"Aren't you talking nonsense? Mr. Zhang is a wealthy businessman, and our Xianyu is the Earl of Wen'an, personally appointed by His Majesty!"
Du Qingtang listened to the female voice that sounded proud, curled his lips slightly, and unconsciously quickened his pace.
The sound of talking and laughing was getting closer. Du Qingtang took another step and successfully saw his long-lost relative——
Du Qingtang fixed his gaze on the charming woman with a slender waist, holding a boy in her arms. The smile on his lips gradually faded: "Who is this?"
The talking and laughing stopped abruptly.
No one spoke, and the situation became awkward for a while.
The woman smiled and said, "I am Guo..."
"This is the wet nurse hired by the Guo family, right?" Du Qingtang spoke first. "Meng Fang, it's not appropriate to have outsiders present at the family banquet. Arrange accommodation for this wet nurse and send some food over."
The woman's face changed slightly and she subconsciously looked at Guo Qian.
Guo Qian seemed to realize something and said with a smile: "Xianyu, this is my cousin, not an outsider, why not let her come with us..."
Du Qingtang's eyes were cold: "You go with her."
Guo Qian's smile froze on his face.
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