Chapter 191 Yinzhou stabilizes, but the epidemic enters the city (…)
After bidding farewell to the people, Zhang Ting returned to the government office with tears in his eyes.
With so many officials killed, within three days, the outside world will surely be in uproar, and memorials impeaching her will flood Emperor Chengtai's desk like a river.
She has caused a major disaster; it's time for Prime Minister Gao to take the blame.
She began writing almost immediately after sitting down:
Your Majesty, I have been ordered to inspect the water administration of Yinzhou Prefecture. My intention was to understand the people's conditions and rectify official corruption, so as to repay even a fraction of Your Majesty's grace. However, what I have seen and heard has shocked and horrified me, and my heart is burning with grief. Therefore, I have no choice but to submit this memorial with tears in my eyes.
First, the filth I witnessed was appalling. Wherever I went, the surface appeared peaceful and calm, but beneath the surface, turbulent currents surged. Officials…sucked the people's blood and sweat, slaughtered the common folk; their despicable and heinous acts were utterly outrageous!
Second, the resolute enforcement of the law is unsettling to my conscience. Following Your Majesty's sacred instruction that "both thunder and rain are acts of imperial grace," and in accordance with the laws of the Great Yong Dynasty and the authority bestowed upon me by Your Majesty, I have executed one hundred and sixty-seven individuals whose crimes were irrefutable and who aroused great public outrage… a truly horrifying number! Your Majesty's wisdom shines throughout the world, yet beneath your divine radiance… I am filled with grief and indignation, my heart is pierced with pain!
Thirdly, the deep-seated nature of the root causes fills me with even greater anxiety and fear. What truly keeps me awake at night is that these corrupt officials are not only audacious and reckless, but also wield terrifying power behind the scenes. An investigation has revealed… they have formed a clique… they disregard the laws of the land and Your Majesty as if they were nothing, and high-ranking officials in the court are advocating for them. Local corruption is rampant, with officials plundering and embezzling from the imperial treasury and even Your Majesty's private funds… This is unprecedented in history! I am filled with immense fear and cannot sleep at night!
As Zhang Ting wrote this, his hand, which had been holding the pen, suddenly paused. Not much money from Yinzhou Prefecture had been embezzled. How would they proceed with infrastructure construction after the flood control efforts? He would ask this old woman for it! He would say that the corruption and cruelty of officials were so rampant that it led to a popular uprising. Although the people had all submitted and been deterred, two million taels of silver were needed to appease the people, and so on.
So what if there's no popular uprising in Yinzhou Prefecture? Nothing is impossible if you dare to speak up.
...
I am willing to offend the powerful and influential, and I only wish to use my frail body to sweep away the treacherous officials and bring peace to the world for Your Majesty!
Your subject Zhang Ting bows twice and respectfully reports.
Having completed this masterpiece in no time, Zhang Ting stood up, stretched her limbs, and ordered it to be delivered to the Emperor by express courier, so that it could be presented to His Majesty before the censors impeached her.
Thinking that this time the disaster relief grain was taken from Emperor Chengtai's pocket again, she silently shook her head. This old woman was going to have a lot of trouble.
With the external threat to the court resolved, Zhang Ting turned his attention to the internal threat. The court received a memorial stating that it was uncertain when grain and other supplies could be redistributed. In the meantime, the people needed to eat; without food, they would be reduced to cannibalism.
She summoned Zhao Tongpan, the only remaining official in the prefectural government, and said, "Go and check how much grain is left in the granary and report back to me as soon as possible." She hadn't found anything suspicious about him yet, so she would keep his head for now.
Judge Zhao's teeth chattered, he was more afraid than if he had seen the King of Hell. "Sir, I am not in charge of money and grain matters."
“I know, but aren’t you and I the only officials left in the entire government office? At such a critical moment for Lord Zhao, you should show some courage as a woman and take responsibility for this ‘family’ of Yinzhou Prefecture!” She spread her hands, looking quite helpless. “Lord Zhao, please go quickly and don’t keep me waiting.”
Judge Zhao was terrified of this living demon. He dared not refuse or delay and ran out to work. He even tripped over the threshold and fell flat on his face. He got up and ran out without stopping, as if a ghost was chasing him.
She returned in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, fearing for her life.
"After deducting what was consumed today, the granary of this prefecture still has 300,000 shi of grain left..." Magistrate Zhao's voice trailed off, as if afraid of incurring bad luck. With over three million people in the entire Yinzhou Prefecture, what use is 300,000 shi of grain? It wouldn't even last half a month!
Zhang Ting sighed and rubbed his forehead. Even if the imperial court received a memorial and immediately began transporting grain, it would still take a month, let alone operating the inefficient and slow ancient bureaucratic system.
He instructed her: "This year, apart from our prefecture, the harvest is quite good elsewhere. Take half of the grain and exchange it for wheat bran. You should be able to get about 600,000 shi of wheat bran in return."
Judge Zhao asked in surprise, "Why are you exchanging wheat bran, sir?" What need is there for so much cheap stuff to feed livestock?
"Eat! Mix wheat bran with rice and cook it together." Zhang Ting tapped the table, speaking matter-of-factly. "At that time, we will both have to eat with the people to get through this difficult time." Although wheat bran doesn't taste as good, it has some nutrition and can fill our stomachs, right?
"Huh?" Judge Zhao was dumbfounded, even forgetting his fear. "How can you put wheat bran, something that lowly animals eat, into your throat?"
Zhang Ting chuckled. A person on the verge of starvation wouldn't care about grit in their porridge, let alone bran. She said, "If the people have no more food, they'll become so hungry they'll probably kill you and eat you. Do you want them to eat you, or do you want to eat bran with them?"
Judge Zhao was so frightened that he almost fell to the ground. He couldn't help but move away from her. This person was simply a devil incarnate.
Fearing that Zhang Ting might change his mind, she quickly agreed, "This humble official will eat wheat bran, I'll go and do it right away!" She turned to leave.
Finally, Zhang Ting stopped her: "Summon all the remaining minor officials from the government office." The dead are dead, but the living still have to continue working.
Zhang Ting summoned a group of minor officials to the courtyard and stood in the center of the steps to give them a speech.
First, she would rectify official corruption, express her feelings about killing, and remind everyone that if they dared to do bad things again, she would help them move their heads.
Secondly, she wanted them to go to the neighboring prefecture to beg for food, or rather, to use every means at their disposal to borrow grain. As long as it didn't violate morality or the law, she would report and reward them for any method that brought them grain.
Thirdly, she left a few to establish supervisory agencies to oversee the actions of the lower-ranking officials. They would also be dispatched to various counties to conduct overt and covert investigations. Once an official was found to have committed numerous misdeeds, he would be brought before her immediately.
After she finished speaking, she dismissed the crowd and then promoted a few people from among her personal guards, yamen runners, and commoners to serve. She then assigned them tasks in pairs, distributing the commoners to them based on their numbers.
Having established their authority in Yinzhou Prefecture, the rest was much easier. The homes of those corrupt officials were ransacked, and their guards were ordered to move grain and money—everything was emptied, leaving nothing behind.
As for their families, they were all taken away to do hard labor. It's time for them to undergo labor reform after enjoying such a good life brought about by so much public wealth.
There were also some wealthy merchants and gentry. Zhang Ting thought that a place that could support so many corrupt officials must be rich. So he took advantage of the situation... or rather, struck while the iron was hot and called on his wealthy friends to donate grain or money. He said the government would not treat everyone unfairly and that the government would honor those who donated grain and money by erecting monuments in their honor.
What? You're asking what happens if we don't donate?
Lord Zhang is a kind and gentle person. It's not a big deal if you don't donate. It's just that everyone else is donating, so if you don't, you'll stand out and leave a deep impression.
To consolidate public support, she specifically set a rule regarding the crucial issue of food security: "If the chopsticks float, the head falls to the ground."
As for the people who had enough to eat, they certainly couldn't be idle either. When people are idle, they are prone to overthinking, either rebelling or becoming depressed. Zhang Ting thought both were bad, so he was particularly considerate and assigned tasks to the people.
The water level has dropped a lot recently, so we're asking everyone to dig ditches to drain the water. It's a work-for-relief program. The sooner the work is completed, the sooner everyone can return to their homes. Why not do it?
We need to cut costs and reduce expenses, and we also need to assign extra people to fish, dig for wild vegetables, play mahjong, build houses, etc. In short, we can't be idle at all.
On that day, Zhang Ting had just dispatched a team to patrol the area, when the wealthy people of Yinzhou Prefecture quickly brought dozens of cartloads of grain to offer their enthusiastic assistance to the prefecture.
Zhang Ting looked around and was very satisfied. He praised them, saying, "You are all truly righteous merchants who understand the bigger picture. Our prefecture is indeed blessed with outstanding people and resources." With a wave of his hand, the yamen runners escorted dozens of carts of grain to the granary for inventory and cataloging.
The wealthy women wiped their sweat. They were relieved that the man was satisfied; at least their heads were safe.
He then smiled obsequiously and said, "The people are suffering from hunger and hardship. We have long wanted to donate grain, but unfortunately, corrupt officials and treacherous ministers are in power. Fortunately, Your Excellency has swiftly swept them away, so we can now offer our grain with peace of mind."
Zhang Ting liked these wealthy people with high moral character. "Now the government of Yinzhou Prefecture is clean and efficient, but the people are suffering. If you still can't bear it, you can do your best. I will convey your righteousness to the people under my jurisdiction."
Another donation? The wealthy were shocked. What a shameless person! Some were so angry that they almost fainted while pointing a trembling finger at Zhang Ting.
Even those who remained calm looked pale and said, "Reporting to the lord, we have already donated most of the grain from the warehouse. If we donate any more... I'm afraid we won't be able to support our families."
It seems Yinzhou Prefecture isn't very wealthy. Zhang Ting was a little disappointed, but he comforted them, saying, "Business is all about 'trust.' You all act as righteous merchants and do righteous deeds, which has already earned you the trust of the world. Once the floods in this prefecture are quelled, why worry about your businesses not prospering?"
The wealthy businessmen nodded in agreement, finding it to be true, and felt somewhat relieved.
Today, about 100,000 shi of grain were put into storage. It sounds like a lot, but it's far from enough to feed all the people in the prefecture. We still have to deduct some from His Majesty's share.
The secret memorial from a few days ago contained too much information, and Zhang Ting was worried that Emperor Chengtai might have overlooked something due to his advanced age, so he wrote another memorial outlining the perils of Yinzhou Prefecture, but the main point was to ask for money and grain.
This was a real hardship for her. To get Emperor Chengtai to give her money willingly, she had to abandon all pretense of decency, spending a great deal of time and effort flattering him and saying all sorts of insincere things.
Alas, she went to great lengths for the post-disaster reconstruction of Yinzhou Prefecture, disregarding her lifelong reputation.
The next day, Zhang Ting went to inspect the dike early in the morning. The blockage was successful, but it didn't look very stable, so she ordered people to reinforce it.
Guan Guang, the official in charge of the river and lake administration, was standing next to her and was so frightened he almost wet himself. "Yes, yes, you're right. I'll take care of it right away!"
"return!"
The minor official froze, thinking he had displeased the god of death, and stiffly turned around, saying, "You, you say."
As Zhang Ting walked over, he smelled a strong odor of urine. He frowned and took two steps back. "I'm not going to eat you, why are you so afraid?" It's just that I killed a little over a hundred people. Is it really that big of a deal?
The minor official said, "I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong!" He straightened his body again, but his legs didn't seem to mean it.
Zhang Ting was too lazy to watch it; it was really disgusting.
Are there any houses around this dike?
"In reply to you, sir, there are two villages on each side of the river."
Zhang Ting clasped his hands together and said, "Good! I will have someone draft a notice to establish a dike chief system in this prefecture. Once you receive the document, go and spread the word."
The so-called "dike chief system" involves selecting dike chiefs from villages near dikes to monitor the waterways for any abnormalities. After all, the prefecture has numerous waterways and a vast area, and officials from the river management office cannot be stationed in one place at all times.
To prevent opportunists from the surrounding area, the unit responsible for the dike is a village. This means that if there is a problem, the whole village will be held accountable. However, in addition to punishment, there is also a reward, and the reward is generous.
Upon hearing this, the minor official even forgot his fear. "Your Excellency is truly brilliant! I am deeply impressed. With this plan, the riverbank will be free from future troubles." Imagine, if the entire village regarded the riverbank as their own head, as their very eyes, how could this situation have arisen today?
It both eliminated the trouble and won over the hearts of the people—it was brilliant!
Zhang Ting yawned, unconcerned, and led her guards elsewhere. It was just a minor incident for her today.
The clerk suddenly felt ashamed. With such a diligent and good official as Lord Zhang in Yinzhou Prefecture, who had executed so many corrupt officials for the prefecture, how could she feel fear? It was truly inappropriate.
Without any treacherous officials to cloud their judgment, Zhang Ting delegated tasks, and everything was able to function reasonably well. However, the lack of talent was a problem that couldn't continue in the long run.
She petitioned the court to dispatch talented individuals and to grant special permission to hold a local official assessment. As the name suggests, this would allow the common people to participate in the assessment, and those who passed would remain in the local area as minor officials, some without even a rank. This was a feasible option.
No sooner had the memorial been written than an unexpected guest arrived at the government office—Ji Cui.
He came to turn himself in.
The man knelt below the hall. He was clearly in the prime of his youth, yet he was emaciated and extremely haggard, looking like a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties.
Ji Cui recounted how Magistrate Hu had colluded with the three bandits to divide the silver among the dead, and also said that his parents had been killed by them. He had infiltrated Magistrate Hu's side to seek revenge for his parents.
“That day, Hu Die said she ordered people to destroy the dike and dragged me to escape to Huzhou Prefecture. I hated the injustice of Heaven and was so angry that I killed her with a stone. This is my crime, and I beg Your Honor to punish me!” He presented an object with both hands and kowtowed to the ground. “This is evidence of Hu Die’s embezzlement, bribery, and collusion with others. Please examine it, Your Honor.”
Zhang Ting clicked his tongue lightly. He didn't blame his wife for being heartless; he blamed Magistrate Hu for his deserved punishment.
The bailiffs presented her with the incriminating evidence. Zhang Ting spread it out and clicked her tongue twice. She had executed every single person listed on it. "I will report this evidence to the Emperor. As for your crime of murdering your wife, the saying goes, 'The hatred between parents and children is irreconcilable.' Considering your meritorious surrender, I will plead for you. Guards, take him away."
The group dispersed.
Zheng Er sighed deeply at what had just happened, "Master, killing one's wife is a capital offense. Can this Ji woman possibly survive?"
Zhang Ting continued writing at his desk, this time reporting Ji Cui's matter to Emperor Chengtai. Upon hearing this, he replied without hesitation, "Not only will he survive, but he might even receive a reward."
"Why?" Zheng Er asked, puzzled. "Isn't it said that the law of the land is merciless?"
Zhang Ting put down his pen and instructed her: "Our dynasty values filial piety and righteousness. At this critical juncture, we also need a story to promote His Majesty's benevolence, so as to appease the people and stabilize the country. I reckon that once His Majesty receives this letter, he will issue an edict to pardon the Ji family and lavishly praise their loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness."
"So that's how it is." Zheng Er breathed a sigh of relief. "The Ji family has already lost their parents. If they were to waste the rest of their lives because of corrupt officials, then heaven would truly be blind."
He couldn't help but curse Magistrate Hu, "He not only harmed the Ji family, but also the Zheng family. This corrupt official deserves to die!"
Zhang Ting sighed, "She harmed more than just two people! The current state of Yinzhou Prefecture is entirely due to Magistrate Hu's 'merit'; even the eighteenth level of hell wouldn't be enough to repay it."
"Speaking of the Zheng family, how is Senior Sister doing these days?"
"I've inquired and found out that Lord Yang has returned to Tongzhou Prefecture." Zheng Er couldn't help but feel indignant for his master. "How come I never realized that Lord Yang was this kind of person? You kindly arranged for her to stay, and she left without even saying goodbye."
Zhang Ting didn't care at all, and instead comforted her: "Always remember the kindness of a meal, and don't hold a grudge over a moment's mistake. When judging a person, you should judge them as you would a piece of jade. Flaws do not detract from the overall beauty. Do not discard a priceless treasure because of a minor flaw."
Zheng Er was stunned, then bowed and said, "I have learned a lot." The mistress is kind and gentle, and he has been by her side for many years, yet he has not learned even a tenth or a twentieth of what she has learned. He is truly ashamed.
Zhang Ting blew on the ink to dry it, closed the memorial, handed it to her, and said with a smile, "You're a mother now, but you're still not settled down. You have a lot to learn."
"The flood will recede soon, and after two months of rebuilding our old home, we can go home." She thought for a moment and then smiled. "I've been away from home for so long, I wonder if Tun Tun will still remember her mother when I go back?"
As the days went by, it was clear to the naked eye that the situation in Yinzhou Prefecture was getting better and better. Zhang Ting had established unparalleled prestige in the area by controlling the floods, and it was about to enter the final stage.
There were quite a few people in the court who impeached her, saying that she was tyrannical and cruel, and unfit to educate the people for His Majesty. Zhang Ting didn't care, but what surprised her was that Gao Qiu's faction, who wished they could eat her flesh and blood, did not show up to criticize her.
Compared to Gao Qiu's reluctance to move forward, Zhang Ting believes it is the calm before the storm.
...
Inside the Zichen Palace, you could hear a pin drop; only the dripping of the water clock remained, each drop striking the hearts of the palace servants.
"Excellent!" Emperor Chengtai suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up, holding the memorial and praising Zhang Ting for governing Yinzhou Prefecture so well in just over two months. "He truly deserves to be called a minister bestowed upon me by Heaven."
She was the one who quelled the floods and stabilized the country.
Unlike the frantic situation a few months ago, Emperor Chengtai was overjoyed by the series of victories. She never imagined that civil officials governing the people could be as exciting and inspiring as military generals conquering cities and territories!
Another very important factor is that the memorial stated: the local people are full of praise for the emperor, extolling her achievements and praising her for selecting virtuous and capable officials, making her the revivalist ruler of this dynasty!
These days, whenever Emperor Chengtai received memorials from Yinzhou Prefecture, he felt as if he had returned to his youth, experiencing that same exhilarating and exciting emotion once again.
Of course, Zhang Ting, who was praised by all the people, was also loved by Emperor Chengtai, who wished he could immediately summon her back to the capital to reward her.
"This is truly a pillar of the nation," Emperor Chengtai sighed, lamenting that there was only one like him in the world.
Xu Qiu offered her a cup of tea, saying, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. However, such a genius is rare, appearing only once every hundred years. The fact that he was born under your rule proves that your wisdom has inspired Heaven to bestow upon you a virtuous minister to assist you."
"Old friend, you're right." Emperor Chengtai clapped his hands together and said excitedly, "I want to promote her to a higher official position. A fifth-rank position is too beneath her."
“A wise minister assisting in governance should have an audience with the emperor. What do you think of appointing her as a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy?”
Xu Qiu's hand froze. Good heavens! A lecturer in the Hanlin Academy is a close advisor to the emperor, a potential successor to the throne. To have Lord Zhang re-enter the Hanlin Academy—isn't that a clear indication that he favors her…?
That's why people with sweet tongues get promoted so quickly! Lord Zhang's flattery is truly brilliant. If she could learn even 70% of it, she wouldn't have had to wait so long to finally get ahead.
She remained composed and said, "This servant is ignorant of court affairs and cannot discern right from wrong."
Emperor Chengtai was just asking; he didn't really want to discuss it with her.
After calming his agitated emotions for a while, he said, "Summon Gao Qiu." The news from Yinzhou Prefecture wasn't all good news; there was collusion among cronies and embezzlement of public funds, which made Emperor Chengtai resentful for a long time.
They conspired together to steal from the emperor's private treasury.
Is the world not ruled by the Gao family, but by the Chen family?
Gao Qiu entered the palace at dusk and stayed inside for two hours before coming out, looking very unwell.
Zhao Xi helped her up: "Teacher..." Her round, plump face was so dark it could drip ink; even he, her disciple, was intimidated by it.
Gao Qiu refused her help and was scolded by Emperor Chengtai, leaving him in a terrible mood. Zhang Ting had now completely eliminated Gao Qiu's allies in Yinzhou Prefecture, and Gao Qiu truly wished he could skin her alive, tear her to pieces, and rip her to shreds!
Suddenly, she threw her head back and laughed, her laughter carrying a sinister malice. "Zhang Ting, do you think you can live a peaceful life now? I will make sure your family is destroyed, your reputation is ruined, and you become a homeless dog!"
...
Zhangzhou Prefecture, the prefectural city.
The wind and snow rushed into the city, covering the bustling streets with a blanket of white snow. Several children played and frolicked among the snow, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
A stranger, a traveling merchant, led his horse into the city. He couldn't help but smile when he heard the children's cheerful and light laughter.
She continued walking, and the vendors along the way were all smiles, enthusiastically attracting customers. They were clearly well-nourished by a prosperous life and living very happily.
Unfortunately, this vibrant city is about to become a ghost town.
After inquiring about inns, the traveling merchant booked three nights' accommodation.
When the night was deep and quiet, she put on a dark hood and went out to the prefect's residence.
She was led into the inner courtyard by servants and entered the study before she took off her hood.
He twitched the corner of his mouth and asked with a smile, "Lord He, do you still remember me?"
Having been sidelined for too long and indulging in sensual pleasures, Prefect He found the person before her utterly unfamiliar. "You are...?"
The newcomer scoffed and sat down without any ceremony. "Forget it, my status is too lowly to warrant your concern, sir. I've come late at night to avenge you." She took out a paper package from her bosom and placed it on the table.
"A dignified prefect, how dare he bow down to a mere prefect? Where is his dignity?"
"I've heard that the family of the prefect has recently been distributing rice porridge. You can have someone sprinkle this stuff into the porridge. This stuff is a secret recipe of croton powder, colorless and odorless. Even if the imperial physicians come to investigate, they won't be able to figure out the cause. It will only cause the people to vomit and have diarrhea, but they will recover after some time. However, if the prefect's family feeds the people unclean food, it will surely arouse public anger. Consider it a lesson to the petty person who offended you."
Prefect He hesitated, wanting to reach out his hand, "Why would you help me?"
The merchant rose, smiled at her, and said, "This is also Lord Gao's intention. I heard you've been desperately seeking to join the Fifth Prince's ranks, but haven't found a way. If this matter succeeds, it will be your stepping stone." With that, he bowed and withdrew.
Prefect He's hand hovered in mid-air. After hesitating for a long time, he finally picked up the paper package.
Where she couldn't see, the merchant's lips curled into a sinister smile.
The package contained not croton powder, but corpse powder extracted from the plague.
If it spreads, this place will surely become a dead city.
There was absolutely no chance of survival for the people, husbands, and children under Zhang Ting's rule.
After her family was destroyed and her reputation ruined, Zhang Ting will probably only be able to wag her tail and beg for mercy like a stray dog, right? Haha.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
