Chapter 179 The Dust Settles
Chapter 179 The Dust Settles
With Yang Shimin in charge and the Minister of Revenue leading the way, plus Qi Fengyu's entourage immediately pulling several more officials from the Ministry of Revenue from the crowd, each one of them was like a wolf that hadn't eaten for three days, almost howling at the sight of money. They all rushed up to snatch the booklets from Wan Quan's hands, but when Wan Quan refused to give them up, they were quite clever. They immediately found paper and pen and started taking notes themselves, and had someone count them, getting busy on their own.
He Yuchang smiled and said, "It's alright, let's make a copy too, so we can check the accounts later. Eunuch Wan, you can make a copy as well, and we can just borrow it to copy later."
Wan Quan was exhausted. With Yang Shimin and He Yuchang around, he couldn't stop these hungry wolves from the Ministry of Revenue. Most of the stolen goods were definitely not going to be brought back to the Eastern Palace. But the Eastern Palace had been busy for so long, they couldn't go back empty-handed, could they?
He quickly pulled He Yuchang aside: "Lord He, if you take over everything, how am I supposed to explain this to His Highness? Besides, there are two or three hundred Imperial Guards deployed in total. We can't just send them away without paying a single copper coin, can we? At least leave us something to report!"
He Yuchang said righteously, "Eunuch Wan, these huge amounts of property have unclear origins. According to the law, they should be sealed in the national treasury first. After the ins and outs are found out, what should be confiscated should be confiscated, and what should be returned should be returned. How can we let you bring them back to the Eastern Palace without knowing the truth?"
Wan Quan said, "Lord He, His Highness hasn't decided whether to hand this matter over to the court or the Imperial Clan Court yet, which is why the Imperial Guards were used. After all, they are imperial relatives and His Highness's own uncle. It's against the rules for the Ministry of Revenue to step in now. You still want to take the things away. Even if Grand Secretary Yang were here, this old servant couldn't bear the responsibility. Minister He, can you pretend you didn't see this today?"
He Yuchang nearly jumped up: "We've found mountains of armor and weapons, and you still want to hand them over to the Imperial Clan Court for trial? This is practically enough to be classified as treason!"
The two argued fiercely, neither willing to back down. Unfortunately, there were only a few civil officials in the Ministry of Revenue. Moreover, the timing of the Ministry of Revenue's intervention was inappropriate. Seeing that Wan Quan and He Yuchang were arguing, the imperial guards at the gate directly prohibited anyone from entering. Even the two vice ministers who rushed over after hearing the news could not get in.
Yang Shimin gave He Yuchang a wink, signaling him to stop while he was ahead. With so much stolen goods discovered, it was impossible for the Ministry of Revenue to take it all to the national treasury. They had to leave some for Wan Quan to take back and report. Otherwise, if he really took it seriously and brought it all back to the Eastern Palace, the national treasury wouldn't receive a single penny.
He Yuchang gritted his teeth and endured the pain, finally backing down. He agreed that Wan Quan could pretend he didn't know about the items that had already been counted and loaded onto the carriage, and let him take them back to the East Palace. However, the remaining items were not acceptable and had to be handled by the Ministry of Revenue.
The matter has already alarmed Grand Secretary Yang and the Ministry of Revenue. It's only a matter of time before word gets out. Wan Quan was already doing well to secure the first few dozen carts of silver. He knew when to stop. Otherwise, if He Yuchang, that reckless scoundrel, had made a scene and brought the Crown Prince over, the Crown Prince would never have kept the stolen goods for himself in front of everyone. They would definitely have had to be confiscated.
Wan Quan flipped through the previous register and calculated what had already been taken. It was quite a lot. Even if some were to be given to the Imperial Guards who had contributed today, it would still be a huge fortune for the Crown Prince. He decided to stop while he was ahead and stuffed the register into his pocket.
The Ministry of Revenue officially took over the inventory work, and the more they counted, the more alarmed they became. The area under the artificial hill seemed to be a bottomless pit, or a treasure trove, hiding countless amounts of silver, copper coins, weapons, and armor that they could not count or lift out. The sheer quantity was astonishing.
Wan Quan had all the divided items loaded onto the car, but then he turned back. He Yuchang asked warily, "Is there anything else, Eunuch Wan?"
Wan Quan smiled and said, "Lord He, please don't be in a hurry. I came in to wait for someone. I won't delay Minister He's work. Please order slowly."
He Yuchang asked curiously, "Waiting for someone? Waiting for whom?"
Wan Quan pointed to the artificial hill and said, "The artificial hill and the secret passage were both discovered by Guard Li. She led a small team of Imperial Guards into the secret passage to explore. We don't know where this secret passage leads. We have to stay here and wait for her to come out."
He Yuchang and Yang Shimin exchanged a glance. He Yuchang said in a deep voice, "If it leads outside the city, then foreign enemies will be able to invade the capital as easily as taking candy from a baby, and the city gate guards will be useless."
Yang Shimin nodded: "How long has she been gone?"
Wan Quan said, "They've been gone for almost an hour."
The hearts of everyone present sank. They hadn't returned for an hour, which meant that the secret passage must have been extremely long and far.
Wan Quan waited in the same spot for another hour. During this time, Imperial Guards kept coming in from outside. Upon reporting back, it turned out that they were all people who had followed Li Xiaoxiao to explore the secret passage, and they had come out from different exits in the city.
Yang Shimin counted: "Are there four exits in the city in total?"
The Imperial Guards nodded and reported the locations of the exits, which were all secluded but spacious places where people could easily gather, and they happened to be located in the four cardinal directions of the capital.
Wan Quan asked, "Where is Li Xiaoxiao?"
The Imperial Guard said, "Lord Li went in another direction. According to her, it should be the outer city."
It really is outside the city!
No wonder Prince Chun placed so many weapons and armor in the secret passage. As long as the rebels sneaked into the secret passage from the entrance outside the city, took the weapons and put on the armor, they could immediately rush out from all directions of the capital and attack from both inside and outside the city. The Imperial Guards would be attacked from both sides and would surely suffer a great defeat.
Who knows how long it took Prince Chun to build this secret passage? What was he planning to do? Was he trying to collude with the enemy or betray the country?
Fortunately, the Crown Prince discovered the plot in advance and captured the man. If he had succeeded, the capital city would likely have fallen immediately.
Yang Shimin said, "This secret passage cannot be left standing. Once Guard Li returns, have someone inform His Highness to destroy it immediately!"
At this moment, Li Xiaoxiao entered from outside the Prince Chun's mansion. Her hair was still covered in grass, her clothes were muddy, and her face was messy. When she saw Yang Shimin and He Yuchang coming towards her with Wan Quan, she opened her eyes wide and asked, "Lord Yang, Lord He, what are you doing here?"
Wan Quan didn't have time to explain and hurriedly asked her, "Have you found the exit of the secret passage? Where is it?"
Li Xiaoxiao said, "It's far away, on the back slope of a small hill to the left of the city. There are several clumps of thorns and bamboo planted around it, and a large rock is blocking the way in front of it."
With thorns growing and large rocks blocking the way, who, apart from those in the know, would have imagined that there was a cave entrance leading to the capital city?
Yang Shimin said, "Eunuch Wan, you should immediately send men to guard the cave entrance and find an opportunity to block it up."
Li smiled and said, "Oh, it's okay, I've already plugged it up."
Yang Shimin frowned: "You blocked the entrance by yourself? What did you use to block it?" Mud and grass won't work. It's best to fill it with gravel so that it can't be opened.
Li smiled and said, "Wasn't there a big rock over there? I picked it up and stuffed it directly into the hole."
An eerie silence fell over the scene.
However, Yang Shimin had also heard of Li Xiaoxiao's great reputation and knew that she often made surprising remarks and was extremely unpredictable. Fearing that she might be exaggerating, he still got into the carriage and asked Li Xiaoxiao to lead the way so that he could personally see the situation outside the city gate.
After leaving the city gate, they walked straight to the left and soon saw a small hill covered with weeds, thorns, and saplings. Wan Quan helped Yang Shimin follow behind Li Xiaoxiao as they climbed up the hill and walked to the back. Li Xiaoxiao pointed to a spot and said, "This is it."
When everyone peered ahead, they saw a huge rock that even three strong men might not be able to hug was firmly stuck in a hole. Yang Shimin gestured to the imperial guards who had followed him, and the four guards, each holding one corner, struggled until their faces turned red, but they couldn't move the rock an inch.
An eerie silence fell over the scene once again...
After a long while, Yang Shimin said, "Although the stone has blocked the entrance to the cave, it would be best to seal off this secret passage from the city, so as to completely cut off the way for outsiders to move the stone and enter the city."
Wan Quan hurriedly replied, "Yes, Your Highness. I will report back as soon as possible and vow to seal off all the secret passages as soon as possible."
The discovery of a huge amount of wealth and countless suits of armor and weapons in Prince Chun's residence shocked the court and the public. The enormous sums of money were one thing—many members of the royal family were known for their shrewdness—but the mountains of armor and weapons found were undeniable. If not plotting rebellion, why would a prince in the capital privately manufacture so many weapons? Where did the iron come from? Did he own a private mine?
The Crown Prince held court the following day and handed the case over to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review for investigation, thus making the case public. Prince Chun, Vice Minister Wang, and Zheng Mian were immediately transferred to the Imperial Prison to await trial.
Unlike Prince Chun and Vice Minister Wang, whose faces were ashen, Zheng Mian possessed a calmness that suggested he had seen through life and death. He was also very cooperative, answering all the questions from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review without missing a single word.
Upon learning the reason for his revenge, almost everyone fell silent.
Even Yang Shimin couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, his face devoid of any smile for several days.
Zheng Mian, the top scholar, was recommended by him. He greatly admired Zheng Mian's talent and thought that he would be able to see him enter the central government before he retired, so that someone would share the burden on his shoulders. But this happened instead.
The matter of Prince Chun's rebellion is now a foregone conclusion. Officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review are investigating and arresting local officials who colluded with Prince Chun. Imperial envoys are being dispatched in waves, and it won't be long before the relevant personnel are brought to the capital for trial.
Zheng Mian's involvement in the case is so deep that the death penalty is inevitable. It's just unknown whether the Crown Prince will consider his merit in reporting Prince Chun and not implicate his family.
But Zheng Mian may not live to see the day of his trial.
Zheng Mian was the main culprit in this case and should have been the focus of the interrogation. However, the key point was that he offered no resistance and proactively confessed to various details. The officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review obtained what they wanted without any further interrogation. So they simply put him back in jail. When the jailer reported to the Ministry of Justice in a panic that Zheng Mian might not make it, the Vice Minister of Justice, Wen Tai, stood up in shock: "What did you say?"
The jailer said in a panic, "Sir, Lord Zheng has a high fever that won't go down, and he's already unconscious. Should we send a royal physician to take a look?"
Wen Tai immediately rushed to the prison. The prison was pitch black, with only a small hole less than a foot square through which the sun could be seen. The smell was naturally unpleasant, but Wen Tai was already used to it. He followed the jailer toward Zheng Mian's cell. In the open door of the cell on the far right, he finally saw Zheng Mian, who was so haggard that he was unrecognizable.
Wen Tai noticed the unnatural flush on his face at a glance, reached out and touched it, and found it to be alarmingly hot. He then took a closer look at the damp straw in front of him, which was covered in specks of blood. There were also traces of blood in Zheng Mian's beard, indicating that it was blood he had vomited.
Wen Tai checked his pulse and sensed something was wrong. He whispered, "You stay here and guard him. I'll go to the palace to see the Crown Prince immediately."
When Wen Tai went to the Crown Prince to report Zheng Mian's situation, Li Xiaoxiao happened to be there as well. Upon hearing that Zheng Mian was in trouble, she immediately looked at the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince pondered for a moment, then instructed Wan Quan: "Go and find an imperial physician to examine him. The case is not yet closed. He is an accomplice and a witness. Spare his life for now."
Wan Quan received the order and immediately sent someone to fetch the imperial physician.
Li Xiaoxiao hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
The crown prince put down his pen and looked at her: "What do you want to say?"
Li Xiaoxiao said, "Can't Your Highness pardon Zheng Mian? If he hadn't implicated Prince Chun, the capital would be in chaos right now!"
The crown prince's expression gradually turned serious: "You sympathize with him?"
Li Xiaoxiao said, "Doesn't he deserve sympathy? Zheng Chuyang, Zheng Fuyang, Zheng Jingwen, and now Zheng Mian, aren't their family's fates tragic enough?"
The Crown Prince said, "He has committed a capital offense!"
Li Xiaoxiao said, "Can't he make amends for his mistakes? Why doesn't Your Highness demote him to a poor place like Biyang County to be a county magistrate? He became the top scholar at the age of sixteen, even younger than our Meng Guanqi. He is only thirty-two years old now and is already a second-rank official. Given time, he might even become the Grand Secretary. Can't Your Highness forgive him this once, considering how miserable he is?"
The Crown Prince said, “A country has its laws, and a family has its rules. Although I am about to ascend the throne, I cannot act arbitrarily according to my own desires. The Censorate will impeach me, the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review will supervise me, and the Cabinet will restrain me. How can I disregard the laws of the country and the rules of the family?”
Li smiled and said, "He may have made mistakes, but he also has merits. His merits and demerits cancel each other out. Can't you spare his life?"
The Crown Prince looked at her intently and said, “I can only promise you that I will not implicate his family. This is the greatest mercy and forgiveness I can offer. Do not forget that my three children died at the hands of Poison Stone, who was the one who gave the Poison Stone to Prince Chun.”
Li Xiaoxiao lowered her head in frustration.
These past few days, she and Meng Guanqi have tried every possible method, but they still haven't found a way to spare Zheng Mian from the death penalty.
Execution at the Meridian Gate was a disgrace. Li Xiaoxiao recalled the two deep vertical lines on his forehead. He must have grown up in an extremely repressive environment. The word "revenge" permeated his entire life. He was clearly a genius, but he was trapped in the quagmire of revenge and could not break free. In the end, he even lost his life.
She wanted to see him.
She was always the type of person who would do whatever came to mind, and without even saying goodbye, she went straight to the prison.
Zheng Mian was a serious criminal, and under normal circumstances, no outsider could see him without the Crown Prince's warrant. However, when Li Xiaoxiao stood there and said she wanted to see Zheng Mian, the jailer did not dare to make things difficult and immediately let her in.
When she arrived, the imperial physician was still there, but he had already put down her hand and was walking out while shaking his head.
Wen Tai, the Vice Minister of Justice, and Jiang Liandao, the Minister of Justice, were also present. They heard from the imperial physician that Zheng Mian would not survive the day, and his complexion was also very bad.
They never expected Zheng Mian to be so seriously ill.
The imperial physician said, "Lord Zheng has suffered internal injuries, and coupled with years of overthinking and worry, he is no longer destined for longevity. Now, having been delayed in this environment for so many days, medicine is no longer of any use. Please prepare yourself, sir; it will be over in the next few hours."
Wen Tai and Jiang Liandao were silent for a moment, then had the jailer take the imperial physician out, but they immediately spotted Li Xiaoxiao.
Li Xiaoxiao is now a favorite of the Crown Prince, so the two officials were naturally very polite to her: "What brings Guard Li to the prison?"
Li Xiaoxiao had already heard the imperial physician's diagnosis, and her expression turned solemn: "The Crown Prince sent me to see Lord Zheng off."
The tragic news of the Zheng family's death had already spread throughout the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review in recent days. The law is merciless, but people are righteous. Almost everyone who knew the truth felt sorry for Zheng Mian. When they heard that the Crown Prince had sent Li Xiaoxiao to see Zheng Mian off, Wen Tai and Jiang Liandao were not surprised at all. Instead, they nodded to her and went out at the same time, leaving the place to Li Xiaoxiao.
Li Xiaoxiao stepped forward: "Lord Zheng..."
Zheng Mian was barely breathing and no longer responded.
Li Xiaoxiao stepped forward and checked his pulse. After a long while, she could only feel a faint beat. A wave of sorrow rose in her heart, and she couldn't help but call out again, "Lord Zheng..."
Even in his weakened state, he cannot leave. Is it because he has unfulfilled wishes?
It's better that he died in prison than to be beheaded and displayed to the public at the Meridian Gate.
Her palm rested on his chest, and a faint halo, like the midnight moonlight, appeared around her palm, flowing slowly down her fingertips into Zheng Mian's broken body: "Lord Zheng, the Crown Prince said that the past matters are over and will not involve your family, nor will they be punished. You can rest assured."
Zheng Mian's eyelids twitched slightly, and Li Xiaoxiao said, "Lord Zheng, is there anything else you haven't fulfilled?"
She released her grip, and after a long while, Zheng Mian slowly opened his eyes and whispered, "General Li..."
Li Xiaoxiao helped him sit up against the wall: "Lord Zheng, how are you feeling now?"
Zheng Mian felt an unprecedented sense of ease and comfort throughout his body. The huge rock that had been pressing on his chest seemed to have disappeared. He smiled slightly, knowing that this was a final burst of energy before death. Well, he thought he would die silently like this, but he didn't expect to have the chance to give his last words.
He took a breath and said softly, "General Li, is what you just said true? The Crown Prince really forgave my family?"
Li Xiaoxiao nodded: "He just said it to me personally."
Zheng Mian felt that the heaviest burden on his shoulders had been lifted, and a smile appeared on his lips: "That's good. I risked everything and finally managed to give them a chance to live... General Li, I would like to ask you for a favor."
Li smiled and said, "Go ahead."
Zheng Mian said, "After I die, please take my body to that small estate. My guards will surely still be waiting for me there... Have them cremate me on the spot and take my ashes back to Shanxi with Uncle Jingwen's ashes, and deliver them to my wife. I have a son and a daughter, the older one is eleven years old and the younger one is six years old. Please tell my guards to let my wife take the children back to our hometown, and for three generations, no one is allowed to hold office..."
Li Xiaoxiao felt tears welling up in her eyes: "Are you afraid that your son will repeat the same mistakes, afraid that he will avenge you?"
Zheng Mian murmured, "My whole life has been ruined by the word 'revenge.' I don't want my children to walk that path again. It's too tiring and too difficult..."
He reached out his hand, trembling, trying to find a little strength: "General Li, could you please find me some paper and pen? I want to write this down so they won't suspect the guards of relaying the wrong message."
Li Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth: "Yes, you just wait!"
She dashed out like a gust of wind, found the jailer, got paper and pen, ran back to the cell, dipped the pen in ink, and handed it to Zheng Mian.
Zheng Mian's hands were trembling. Li Xiaoxiao pressed his shoulder, letting him lean on her. He finally overcame his physical discomfort and wrote a farewell letter. When he signed it, a tear fell on it. He trembled and put his finger to his lips and bit it hard, pressing a bloody mark on the letter. He handed the letter to her, his eyes filled with hope: "Please."
Li Xiaoxiao carefully put the letter away: "Don't worry, I will definitely deliver it."
Zheng Mian smiled slightly, and Li Xiaoxiao noticed that the two deep vertical lines on his forehead had suddenly smoothed out.
He smiled, leaned against the wall, and left peacefully.
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