Chapter 59 Han Lusheng's only blue-clad figure walks in eyes filled with hidden thoughts...
The capital city was bustling with activity in October, and the residences of powerful families and officials were always crowded with visitors.
Newly arrived tribute students in the capital sent out visiting cards and poems, hoping to gain the favor of high-ranking officials and nobles and gain an advantage in the imperial examinations. Officials from various regions also sent people to deliver local specialties to the homes of powerful and influential people, both acquaintances and strangers, hoping to get them to speak well of them to the emperor.
The princess's residence was lively, but not too lively.
During the auspicious year, no visiting cards were accepted, no recommendations for candidates were made, and no one sought official positions. All tributes sent to the mansion entered through a side gate, following the usual practice. Therefore, the area outside the main gate was empty, while the storerooms were bustling with activity, as cart after cart of tributes were quietly being stored away.
The Qiao family's residence was also bustling, but it was a completely different kind of bustling compared to the Princess's residence.
No one from the Qiao family sent gifts, because even if they did, they wouldn't be allowed inside. But students preparing for the exams would always "accidentally" pass by outside the Qiao family's house; one would come today, another would come tomorrow.
The area in front of the Qiao family's gate would be even more lively after the New Year, continuing until the start of the imperial examinations in spring. Fu Sui had witnessed this firsthand.
The most bustling place in the capital was undoubtedly the residence of the Earl of Yuyang. Even the residences of princes and high-ranking officials did not have as many visitors as the Feng family.
Fu Sui unfolded the list, unfolded it again and again, until it was as big as a desk. It was densely covered with information about the people who came and went from the Yuyang Earl's Mansion and the items that were delivered to the mansion.
"Tsk." Fu Sui frowned, browsing quickly and impatiently.
Qin An leaned over to watch, clicking his tongue in amazement as he looked: "These people are really reckless; they'll give away anything in private."
As he looked at the list, he noticed that it read "Nine songstresses" and that they came from Yangzhou.
Recalling the last time Fu Sui condescended to visit the Feng family to save face for Feng Xiang'er, only to find the Feng family harboring ulterior motives, he felt even more contemptuous: "Aren't Feng Man and Feng Xianyi afraid of exhausting themselves? The beauties in Man's mansion are worse than anyone else in Pingkang Lane, and even the pimps are more respectable than them."
Although the list is large, it doesn't contain many officials' names.
Those local officials are extremely shrewd; the gifts they send out must be something tangible in return. The Feng family even had to have others clean up their mess with a fake visiting card—where would they get the ability to promote those local officials?
It was only because they were blinded by the wealth and status before them that the Feng family felt that the unattainable position was within their grasp. Otherwise, given that Feng Xianyi doesn't even have a proper job now, the Feng family should understand how much true affection the emperor has for Consort Feng.
It's important to understand that, despite both being palace maids, Consort Xu, though of lower rank, still had several jobs assigned to her family's younger members. Whether someone was valued or not ultimately depended on the power and influence of the previous dynasty's officials.
"They were just reprimanded by the emperor a few months ago, but it hasn't affected the Feng family's wealth accumulation at all. This list is not much different from last year's." With such a grand spectacle, the Censorate could impeach them until next year.
After reviewing the list, Fu Sui told Qin An to fold it up and put it away. Every year, October and January are big days for the Censorate. From the ministers of the three provinces, princes and princesses, to the lowest-ranking officials, everyone has to be criticized. It's unknown which official will lead the criticism this year.
However, this year the Censorate finally received some different memorials. At the end of October, Xue Guangting, who had been away from the capital for more than two months, returned.
The soft crunch of boots rolling over the blue bricks, accompanied by the rustling of clothing, was both clear and silent in the vast and tranquil hall.
“Since last winter, Feng Man, the Earl of Yuyang, has forcibly seized 300 mu of farmland from the people of Meiyuan County under the pretext of repairing ancestral halls and temples. He only paid 3 dou of millet and 200 coins per mu, which is less than one-tenth of the market price. The farmland seized was all fertile land with a yield of nearly 2 shi per year. After the Earl of Yuyang seized the farmland, he used less than 10 mu to repair houses and build houses. The remaining 290 mu were still cultivated and have become the private land of the Earl of Yuyang’s mansion.”
Xue Guangting stood in the hall, recounting the Feng family's crimes word by word. Two months of travel had made his already thin frame even thinner, and the wide blue robe he wore hung loosely on his body, making him look like a lone figure standing in the hall, utterly alone.
It's not uncommon for officials to acquire land; those powerful families all own vast tracts of land.
Although laws explicitly prohibit land consolidation and strictly forbid the private sale of land, there are always ways to circumvent them.
High-ranking officials engaged in extortion and exploitation, forcing ordinary people to sell their land to survive. Land was then registered under the names of temples, circumventing land restrictions and granting them the privilege of exemption from taxes under the guise of "charity." Anyone with an official position and some wealth would buy some land.
The officials in the court lowered their heads and remained silent, secretly mocking the Feng family for their carelessness in letting a newly appointed scholar, fresh out of school, uncover their scheme.
"In Meiyuan County, there was a farmer named Zhao Gui who owned three mu of land adjacent to the Feng family ancestral hall. The Feng family offered to buy the land from Zhao Gui for 300 coins per mu, but Zhao Gui refused and insisted on not selling. Qian Lin, the steward of the Yuyang Earl's Mansion, falsely accused Zhao Gui's son, Zhao Dali, of theft and bribed the local county magistrate to imprison and severely torture Zhao Dali. In order to save her son, Zhao Gui tried to file a complaint with the prefectural government. Qian Lin bribed local thugs to stop Zhao Gui, beat him until he was barely alive, and then threw him in front of the Zhao family's door. With her husband seriously injured and her son tortured, Zhao Gui's wife had no choice but to hand over the land."
Xue Guangting recounted in great detail what the Feng family had done in Meiyuan County.
The emperor sat upright on the high dragon throne, without saying a word.
"Zhao Gui died from his injuries because he had no money for medical treatment. Zhao Gui's son, Zhao Dali, had both legs broken and is still bedridden."
Meng Yan secretly glanced at Xue Guangting out of the corner of her eye. The Earl of Yuyang was Consort Feng's father. This hothead was really courting death.
Yue Shanling then looked at General Zheng. Despite being from the same maternal family as the concubines, General Zheng stood calmly with his hands clasped, seemingly unaffected by the impeachment of the Feng family.
“In early June last year, the Feng family accepted 28,000 taels of silver from a merchant surnamed Sun in Shangzhou under the pretext of buying an official position.”
Zheng Gongchuo stroked his beard discreetly. Official appointments and transfers all went through the Ministry of Personnel, and as its Minister, he was most familiar with official movements. From last year until now, no merchant surnamed Sun had been appointed to an official position. The Feng family spoke eloquently and collected the money readily, but things didn't seem to be going smoothly.
"After failing to buy an official position, the merchant surnamed Sun demanded that the Feng family return the money. The Feng family refused and threatened him with their lives and property. Fearing the power of the Feng family, the Feng family could only swallow their anger."
Zheng Gongchuo raised his head slightly. He had never heard of this Sun woman before. Was it that the Feng family had taken the money but did not do the job, or that Consort Feng's pillow talk could not reach the emperor's ears?
His gaze swept over Xue Guangting, who wore a blue robe and held the rank of an eighth-grade official. Today was not the first or fifteenth of the month; only fifth-grade officials were present for the regular court session. Xue Guangting was only allowed to attend because of his special status as a censor. As for the Feng family, the Earl of Yuyang held a title but no official position, and was not even qualified to attend court.
As expected, young people are fearless and energetic.
Zheng Gongchuo smiled slightly and looked away, only to see Prime Minister Qiao at the front sizing up Xue Guangting.
He pondered Qiao Xiang's meaningful look for a moment, and his smile deepened. It seemed there was going to be a good show.
"On the 28th day of the tenth month last year, the son of the Earl of Yuyang was drinking at Huichun Tower when he saw a beautiful young woman named Lü. He ordered his men to secretly follow her and forcibly bind her in a secluded place, taking her to his residence. Lü's family consisted only of an elderly woman who was blind in one eye, and the mother and daughter depended on each other for survival. After Lü disappeared, her mother searched everywhere for her. An eyewitness told her where Lü had gone, and Lü's mother went to the Feng residence to demand her daughter back, but was beaten and driven out of the residence. As far as I know, Lü escaped from the Feng residence in February of this year, but was found drowned in the Li River the day after she escaped."
Xu Asheng, who was waiting in a corner of the main hall, noticed something amiss. Last October, Feng Xianyi was still in mourning for his wife.
Although very few people actually complete the full three-year mourning period for a wife, they still have to observe at least the six-month period. Even the most anxious person will pretend to observe three months.
When serving as an official in the court, reputation and etiquette are always excuses for attacking others. Regardless of what happens in private, everyone must always put on a good show.
Less than a month after his first wife died, Feng Xianyi dared to openly drink and forcibly abduct women in the street. For the Feng family to think they could get Feng Xianyi a high-ranking official position is just wishful thinking.
"The first month of this year..."
There was finally some commotion in the court. If it were just a few crimes, that would be one thing, but the Feng family had far too many incriminating evidence against them, one case after another, without end.
Grand Master of Ceremonies Gao Ye sensed something was wrong and frowned.
Xue Guangting, this anomaly who was appointed to an official position by the emperor without going through the selection process, was being watched by countless eyes in the court. Gao Ye had felt it was strange when he suddenly went to serve as the inspector of the capital prefecture, but now he realized that he was using the inspection as a pretext to investigate the Feng family in the capital region.
Gao Ye felt a little relieved. He didn't believe that Xue Guangting's actions were done without the Emperor's authorization. How could a tribute student from a remote area, who knew nothing about the capital, have so thoroughly investigated the past affairs of the favored concubine's maternal family in such a short time?
Fortunately, he aligned himself with the sage on the issue of the system of appointing officials in different regions; otherwise, the Gao family might have been impeached today.
"Alright," the aloof sage finally spoke.
He stopped Xue Guangting's rambling accusations, pondered for a long time, and then said, "Summon the Dali Temple...summon the Ministry of Justice to take charge of the Feng family case and make sure it is thoroughly investigated."
The Minister and Vice Minister of Justice hurriedly received the imperial decree.
"Is there anything else to report?" the sage asked, seemingly a little impatiently.
Nothing major was happening today. Several officials from the Censorate held several memorials impeaching officials in the capital for accepting excessive gifts, but it was not appropriate to bring them up now, so the morning court session ended hastily.
Xue Guangting put away the memorial in his hand, straightened his casual clothes which were wrinkled from kneeling, and stepped out of the hall.
The officials who had left court went their separate ways, none of them accompanying Xue Guangting. He walked amidst the bustling crowds of red and purple, like a sharp arrow cutting through the water, leaving an empty path in the flow of people.
Yu Wei, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, stepped out of the palace gate and stood on the high steps in front of the palace, gazing at Xue Guangting's upright figure from afar.
The Emperor originally intended for the Court of Judicial Review to preside over the case, but changed his mind at the last minute. He handed the case over to the Ministry of Justice. The Emperor's thoughts were both difficult and easy to guess; it all depended on whether this newly appointed scholar would only impeach the Feng family or truly uphold justice.
However, he's likely to suffer some hardships. Yu Wei shook his head slightly. What a pity for a young man.
"Young Master Yu, the young people are so energetic. Seeing them makes me realize how old I am." Zheng Gongchuo stood next to Yu Wei, his eyes fixed on the receding blue figure, and said with a smile.
Yu Wei glanced at Minister Zheng and offered a half-hearted compliment: "Minister Zheng's demeanor and speech are full of vigor, and his demeanor is even more outstanding than before. Moreover, his ability to manage affairs is becoming more and more skillful and exquisite. Even an ordinary young man would find it difficult to match even one ten-thousandth of Minister Zheng's abilities."
Zheng Gongchuo chuckled, then sighed deeply: "They really don't have the courage of young people anymore."
He looked around and saw the bright sun hanging high above the glazed tiles, with only a patch of blue reflecting in the eyes that held hidden thoughts.
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