He is a good official
Zhao Yu had grown quite a bit taller. His hair was styled in a simple bun, adorned with a sandalwood hairpin. He wore a light blue robe with a yellow belt around his waist. Zhao Yu went to the kitchen to fetch dinner for Wei Qiao and was surprised to run into Xi Chun. "Greetings, Young Madam. I didn't expect to see you here."
Xichun smiled and nodded at him, "You're back from Yangzhou?"
"So, even the eldest young mistress knows that our second young master went to Yangzhou to investigate a case? The magistrate of Yangzhou has quite a background and is cunning, making the case difficult to solve. Fortunately, our second young master is clever and capable; he has already imprisoned him and will be executed after the Ministry of Justice reviews his case."
"My uncle is truly a good official," Xichun said admiringly.
"Indeed." Zhao Yu beamed, feeling honored that Xi Chun was praising Wei Qiao. But then he glanced at Xi Chun carrying the food box alone, without a maidservant by her side, and felt a pang of sympathy for her plight. Remembering that Wei Qiao was still hungry and waiting for him to bring the food back, he quickly said goodbye to Xi Chun and ran to the kitchen.
Inside Xuesong Hall, Wei Qiao was still wearing his red official robes. Last night, upon returning to the capital, he went to the palace to report to Yan Zhongyou on the results of his trip south to Yangzhou. The evidence of the Yangzhou prefect's corruption and collusion with merchants to harm the people was irrefutable. Today, he had handed the man over to the Ministry of Justice and transferred the case files as well. He was busy until 3:45 PM before leaving the Ministry of Justice. During his trip, he also discovered records of wealthy merchants from Jiangnan bribing the Yangzhou prefect and dealings with antique shops under Zhang Yunyao's name. Suspecting that Wei Changsong was secretly accepting bribes through Zhang Yunyao's shops, he was currently reviewing the transcribed account books.
Fu Qing came in and brought Wei Qiao a cup of tea. "Second Young Master, A Gui has already prepared the water."
"Alright." Wei Qiao didn't look up and continued looking at the account book in his hands. After a while, he got up and stretched his stiff shoulders and neck. After taking a sip of tea, he left the study and returned to his bedroom to take a bath. After bathing, Wei Qiao put on a moon-white Taoist robe, his half-dry hair casually draped over his body.
The food Zhao Yu brought from the kitchen had already been placed on the table. Wei Qiao was already starving, so he sat down and began to eat.
Wei Qiao had lunch at the Ministry of Justice's kitchen. Minister Wei of the Ministry of Justice pulled him aside to inquire about the case details, causing him to miss lunchtime. When he arrived at the kitchen, the cooks were already resting, leaving only a kitchen helper from Sichuan. Minister Wei had no choice but to have the helper cook three dishes for Wei Qiao. Seeing that they were two high-ranking officials, the helper wanted to show off his skills, so he cooked authentic Sichuan dishes, each containing an ingredient called chili pepper.
Every dish was so spicy that Wei Qiao could hardly eat it, and in the end he only ate half a bowl of white rice. He digested that little bit of rice in less than half an hour. Lord Wei was also from Shu, and the dishes cooked by the kitchen helper suited his taste perfectly. He didn't see at all that Wei Qiao's claim of not being hungry was just an excuse to resist, and he buried his head and ate three bowls of rice on his own.
Wei Qiao slowed down his eating pace after finishing a bowl of rice. Zhao Yu, who was eating a slice of watermelon next to him, suddenly remembered his encounter with Xi Chun in the small garden. He leaned over to Wei Qiao and said, "Second Young Master, I ran into the Eldest Young Mistress in the small garden when I went to the kitchen to get food. She went to the kitchen to get food by herself and came back alone."
Wei Qiao's chopsticks didn't stop. Xue Songtang and Qing Wuyuan had to pass through the small garden to get food from the kitchen, so it wasn't unusual for them to bump into each other. However, it seemed that Xi Chun's status in the mansion remained unchanged; she didn't even have a maid to help her get food.
Seeing that Wei Qiao ignored him, Zhao Yu continued, "The eldest young mistress actually knew that you went to Yangzhou to investigate the case. After I told her the results, she even praised you as a good official."
Wei Qiao hadn't expected Xi Chun to have such a opinion of him. Remembering the night he held a dagger to her neck and how terrified she looked, he hesitated to pick up a single bite of food. After dinner, Wei Qiao went to the stone pavilion to enjoy the breeze, while Fu Qing talked to A Gui under the eaves behind.
“Ah Gui, do you remember the crane-shaped candlestick in the Second Young Master’s study? After you left, I searched the entire Cedar Hall but couldn’t find it.”
Ah Gui scratched his head, puzzled, and said, "Really? I don't remember it."
Seeing that Agui had no memory at all, Fuqing sighed and walked to Wei Qiao's side. "Second Young Master, do you remember that candlestick? You brought it back from Young Master Qiu's residence last year during the New Year. I remember it was placed in the study."
“I gave it away,” Wei Qiao said, looking up at Fu Qing beside him.
"Huh? Who did you give it to?" Fu Qing asked, puzzled. She hadn't heard A Gui or Zhao Yu mention this.
Recalling the smiling face that had confessed to him that he had eaten two red bean cakes, Wei Qiao's lips curled into a fleeting smile. He said in a flat tone, "A fool." Then he looked at the closed door of Xuesong Hall.
Upon hearing this, Fu Qing and A Gui exchanged glances, one shaking his head and the other shrugging. The second young master's words were somewhat incomprehensible. Seeing that Wei Qiao didn't intend to continue, Fu Qing stopped pressing the matter and invited A Gui to help make tea for Wei Qiao.
Half a month later, on July 20th, the Ministry of Justice completed its review of the case of the Yangzhou County Magistrate, and the review results were the same as those found by Wei Qiao. Yan Zhongyou was furious and issued an imperial edict ordering the Ministry of Justice to execute him immediately. All the accomplices were also executed, and all their property was confiscated and turned over to the national treasury as a warning to others.
Yan Zhongyou was very satisfied with Wei Qiao, who could both find him elixirs and investigate corrupt officials. Consort Li had given birth to a little princess in March, whom he personally named Cai Luan. Although not a prince, it still made him very happy. Because of Cai Luan's birth, the rumors about his infertility had lessened considerably. He had already promoted Consort Li to the rank of Virtuous Consort, one of the Four Consorts, and her father, Zhang Pinxian, the Prefect of Huaizhou, had been promoted to Salt Commissioner of Liangjiang. As for Wei Qiao, the unsung hero behind the scenes, he hadn't yet been rewarded for his investigation in Yangzhou, so he decided to reward him after the case was closed.
The following day in the Taicheng Hall, Mi Qide, the chief eunuch beside Yan Zhongyou, first announced the news that the magistrate of Yangzhou had confessed his crimes and been executed, and then read out the imperial edict that Yan Zhongyou had bestowed upon Wei Qiao.
By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:
Wei Qiao, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Deputy Commander of the Dragon Feather Guard, was ordered to investigate a case. He has been loyal to his duties, eliminated a scourge for the people, and is a model for all officials. He is hereby specially awarded one thousand taels of gold as a reward.
So be it.
"Your subject Wei Qiao accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude." Wei Qiao knelt down to receive the decree with gratitude, but no one could see the disdain on his face as he bowed his head.
Yan Zhongyou originally intended to bestow a marquis title upon Wei Qiao, but later thought that Wei Qiao was still too young and it was not appropriate to grant him such a high title. Therefore, this time the reward was only a monetary bonus and no promotion.
"Wei Qiao, you handled the case of the Yangzhou magistrate very well this time, and you have rid our Great Zhou of another scourge. I am very pleased that Great Zhou has such a pillar of talent as you."
Wei Qiao bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am unworthy of such praise. It is all thanks to Your Majesty's effective governance."
Yan Zhongyou nodded in satisfaction, glancing at the few officials and upright scholars below the stage who had consistently criticized Wei Qiao for currying favor with the emperor. This time, however, their faces showed no dissatisfaction, and even some admiration. He pointed to one of them, "Zhang Zheng, what are your thoughts on Lord Wei's investigation of the Yangzhou magistrate's case?"
Zhang Zheng, whom Yan Zhongyou had pointed out, was a notorious troublemaker. Almost every time he submitted a memorial, he would advise Yan Zhongyou against listening to Wei Qiao's slander and against indulging in the pursuit of immortality and Taoism. He even bluntly stated that Zhang Zheng's lack of offspring was disrespectful to the ancestors and detrimental to the state. Yan Zhongyou wanted to behead him many times, but Zhang Zheng was also a renowned incorruptible official, known throughout the Zhou Dynasty for his integrity. Because of his outspokenness and courage in remonstrating with the emperor, the late emperor had even granted him a pardon. Yan Zhongyou was helpless against him; seeing him every time he went to court was annoying.
A thin, elderly man with high cheekbones walked to the center of Taicheng Hall. This man was Zhang Zheng. He first bowed respectfully before speaking, "I believe that Lord Wei's merit is considerable. He investigated and punished Du Tian, the magistrate of Yangzhou, restoring justice to the people of Yangzhou. Lord Wei has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the people, and His Majesty's judgment of character is profound and farsighted." Li Zhun, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, was Zhang Zheng's chess partner. Zhang Zheng heard the whole truth about the Yangzhou case from Li Zhun. The Ministry of Justice also sent people to assist Wei Qiao. From what they saw and felt, Wei Qiao was indeed a good official. He worked tirelessly through the night to investigate the case and never accepted bribes from local officials or merchants. He even used his own money to help farmers whose fields had been destroyed by Du Tian to buy seedlings for spring planting.
Yan Zhongyou could tell that Zhang Zheng was speaking sincerely, and when Zhang Zheng praised him for his good judgment of character, he couldn't help but want to clap his hands and laugh. After the morning court session ended pleasantly, he instructed Mi Qide to have Wei Qiao come to the Yuanhe Hall in the afternoon to talk with him.
Hearing the emperor's praise and his colleagues' compliments, Wei Changsong appeared humble but was secretly flattered. That evening, after finishing his shift, he specially invited Wei Qiao to have dinner in his front yard.
Wei Qiao casually dealt with Wei Changsong, listening to his boastful nonsense. Just as he was about to leave, a maid named Pei'er from the front yard secretly called him back.
Pei'er gestured for Wei Qiao to go to an empty room in the front yard, a place where no one would usually come. After confirming that no one was around, Pei'er told Wei Qiao about her discovery.
"Second Young Master, a couple of days ago, the shopkeeper from the shop outside Madam came to the mansion and gave her an account book. Madam then gave the account book to Master, and now Master is keeping it in the study. There are other maids cleaning in the study, so I can't go in. That's all I know."
Wei Qiao glanced at Pei'er, his spy planted in the front courtyard. Pei'er had sold herself into the household because her mother was seriously ill. Wei Qiao had learned of Pei'er's background by chance and gave her enough money to pay for her mother's medical treatment. Pei'er then became the person who helped him monitor Wei Changsong.
He nodded. "I understand. You did a great job."
Wei Qiao turned to leave, but seeing Pei'er's conflicted expression, as if she still had something to say, he asked, "Is there anything else?"
Pei'er looked up at Wei Qiao and said, "Second Young Master, I heard something from the other maids a few days ago about Master and Eldest Young Mistress." Pei'er had taken leave to go home on the day Wei Changsong attempted to defile Xichun, so she was unaware of the matter until a few days ago when she was drinking with the other maids and one of them got drunk and told her about it.
Wei Qiao's face turned cold as he listened to Pei'er finish recounting the story with a furrowed brow. He hadn't expected Wei Changsong to be not only ungrateful and treacherous, but also a beast who disregarded all human ethics.
"I understand. I'll have someone send another sum of money to your mother. I'll be going now."
"Thank you, Second Young Master."
At 1:15 AM, Wei Qiao opened the main gate of Xuesong Hall and headed straight for Wei Changsong's study in the front courtyard. The guards at the front courtyard were already fast asleep, and Wei Qiao had brought a bottle of "Ten-Step Reversal" medicine with him for emergencies. Initially, everything went smoothly. Wei Qiao easily retrieved the account book from a hidden compartment on Wei Changsong's bookshelf, safely exited the study, and was about to leave the front courtyard when a pair of mynah birds hanging under the eaves began to squawk, "Someone's here! Someone's here! Someone's here!"
Before the servant could regain his senses, Wei Qiao quickly slipped out of the front yard and ran straight into the large garden.
Wei Changsong was awakened by the myna bird's cries, realizing someone was watching his account books. He immediately got up, dressed, and ignoring Aunt Meng's whining behind him, pushed open the bedroom door, ran into the study, and found the secret compartment where the account books were kept in the dark. Sure enough, they were gone. Wei Changsong slammed his fist on the desk and shouted, "Chase after them!"
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