Following these clues, they uncovered quite a few more things.
By the time the Cheng family finished their investigation and reported the results to Yinzhen, it was already evening. At that time, Yinzhen was with Yunrong and their two children. Upon seeing the results, he immediately asked him to report them in public.
"Your Majesty, we found letters between Cheng Jingxiu, his father Cheng Ting, and his uncle Cheng Cheng at the Cheng family residence. Some of these letters relate to the salt transport in Suzhou… We also found two scholars forcibly taken by the second young lady of the Cheng family in the backyard of the Cheng residence. Upon investigation, we found that one of the scholars was a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations) and the other a Juren (a successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examinations), both holding official titles, but both from peasant families. Before being taken to the Cheng residence, both had wives and children. The second young lady of the Cheng family used their wives and children to threaten the two scholars. We have already sent people to verify that the wives and children of the two scholars have been brutally murdered…"
The second-class guards sent by Yinzhen to surround the Cheng residence spent almost half an hour recounting everything they had found that day. The most serious offenses included the Cheng family patriarch's salt smuggling with his father and uncle, as well as the crimes committed by the Cheng family's masters and servants.
Among the most heinous acts were the murder of the husband of the man whom Miss Cheng had taken a fancy to, and the brutal killing of his wife and children by Madam Cheng, as well as the mutilation of her servants and concubines by Madam Cheng.
This is only what was found in less than a day; the real situation is probably even more outrageous.
Yinzhen was naturally not happy after hearing this, and his expression was not good. Yunrong was a person who grew up under the red flag. Although she came to the Qing Dynasty, she had limited experience with the underhanded things. Because she had someone backing her up, she mostly used open and aboveboard schemes.
So hearing about this makes me feel very bad.
Yinzhen waved his hand, dismissing the guard.
After everyone left, Yunrong said, "I originally thought she was just a spoiled and arrogant young lady, but who would have thought that calling her arrogant would be too mild. The Cheng family is far too audacious."
Although Yinzhen was angry, he also knew that there were many more such incidents! He estimated that even more outrageous things had happened.
Yinzhen sighed: "Human hearts are unpredictable, and the sea is immeasurable. Don't overthink it. However, the Cheng family's matter really needs to set an example. Jiangnan is difficult to manage, but we really can't let it continue like this."
Although Yunrong didn't know much about politics, she did know one thing: money can move people's hearts.
"Jiangnan is a prosperous place where you can buy many things you like with money. But people are not saints and have emotions and desires. It is easy to lose yourself here."
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