Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

Chapter 32: How Could They Be So Rampant?

After Huai En, Mou Bin, and Wang Zhi left the Imperial Study, they each returned to their respective lairs.

Mou Bin had just stepped into the gates of the Northern Garrison when he instructed the Embroidered Uniform Guard commander beside him.

"Quickly write a letter and send it to Pingliang Prefecture with all speed, to be delivered into the hands of Zhuque and Xuanwu."

"His Majesty has only given the Embroidered Uniform Guard five days. After five days, His Majesty must see the nine generations of Qiu Yue's family in the capital!"

"If there is any delay, I will punish you severely!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard commander accepted the order and immediately went to carry out Mou Bin's instructions.

A moment later, a rider darted out from the Northern Garrison.

After leaving the capital, he sped towards Pingliang Prefecture.

The situation was the same on the West Depot side. Wang Zhi had just entered the West Depot gate when he issued an order to the West Depot agents.

"Urgent dispatch, eight hundred li, quickly go to Junzhou to inform the chief leader."

"His Majesty has only given the West Depot five days. After five days, Ma Wensheng's family members must appear in the capital!"

"If anyone dares to delay even for a moment, this commissioner will personally investigate!"

The West Depot agent trembled and immediately accepted the order: "Yes, Commissioner!"

Shortly after, a rider also rushed out of the West Depot yamen, galloping towards the outside of the city.

After leaving the capital, he went all the way to Junzhou.

Inside the East Depot yamen, there wasn't the same tense atmosphere as in the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the West Depot.

But the atmosphere in the East Depot was not relaxed, but rather even more solemn.

Huai En came to the East Depot yamen, sat down, and then spoke: "Go, find Li Guang for this old one."

"Yes."

Soon, Li Guang, covered in sweat and with a nervous expression, hurried over.

"Godfather, you're looking for me?"

Huai En looked at Li Guang's tired appearance and pointed to the seat next to him: "Sit down and talk."

"Thank you, Godfather."

After Li Guang was seated, Huai En began to ask: "How is your investigation of that matter going?"

"The Imperial Hospital has been thoroughly investigated. The left vice-president of the Imperial Hospital, Liu Wentai, should be the mastermind, and several imperial physicians and clerks are involved."

"What about Shi Qin, the director of the Imperial Hospital?"

"No evidence has been found against Shi Qin, so I dare not draw a conclusion."

"Hmph!" Huai En sneered, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Regardless of whether he participated in it or not, he certainly cannot escape the charge of dereliction of duty and lax supervision."

"This matter is so serious and so bad that, with His Majesty's temperament, it will probably not end well."

Li Guang dared not say anything. Huai En asked again: "What about the investigations in other areas? Is there any progress?"

"Yes."

Li Guang took out a notebook from his arms and turned to the latest page.

"The number of people involved in the Court of Judicial Review is more than a dozen."

"The offices of the Six Departments of Scrutiny and the Censorate also involve dozens of people."

"The most involved is still the Department of Ministries. Among the people in the Six Ministries, there are hundreds of suspected people…"

Huai En gasped, trembling with anger.

"How could they be so rampant?!"

Li Guang remained silent.

Huai En slammed the table heavily: "These dog officials, they've turned the world upside down!!!"

"Investigate! Continue to investigate to the death for this old one!"

"Even if the investigation reaches the Grand Secretary of the Department of Ministries, don't be afraid. This old one still has some backbone."

"If it really doesn't work, this old one will personally investigate!"

"Rest assured, as long as His Majesty is here, the sky of this Great Ming will not collapse!"

"Yes, Godfather."

Li Guang nodded: "Godfather, I'm afraid these officials will have to be investigated by you personally."

As he said that, Li Guang tore a page from the notebook and handed it to Huai En.

Huai En took the paper, and his eyebrows kept twitching.

There were not many words on the letter, only eight names.

But every name was a high-ranking official in the court.

The lowest was a fourth-rank official.

After Huai En silently memorized the names of these eight people, he burned the paper with an oil lamp.

"This old one knows. You don't have to worry about these people. This old one will investigate them personally."

"Go ahead and continue the investigation. Don't let anyone go."

"Yes."

After Li Guang left, Huai En pondered for a long time, and finally took the people from the East Depot and returned to the palace first.

Compared to the low profile of the East Depot, the West Depot was extremely glorious today.

After Wang Zhi sent someone to deliver the letter, he also quickly sent someone to summon the second leader, Qin Lu, and the third leader, Ji Sheng, back.

Before long, the two who were investigating cases outside returned to the West Depot.

"This subordinate has seen Commissioner Wang!"

The two immediately cupped their hands in salute after seeing Wang Zhi.

Wang Zhi's face was as cold as iron. After glancing at the two of them, he immediately gave the order.

"His Majesty has decreed that the West Depot shall confiscate the homes of the one hundred and seventy-six retired officials investigated before within five days."

"Second Leader, you lead a thousand men to confiscate the homes of the fifty officials you are responsible for investigating."

"Yes, Commissioner!"

"Third Leader, you also lead a thousand men to confiscate the homes of the fifty officials you are responsible for investigating."

"Yes, Commissioner!"

"This commissioner will personally lead a thousand men to confiscate the homes of the remaining seventy-six officials."

"The deadline is five days. If you don't finish confiscating after five days, this commissioner will hold you accountable!"

"Yes, Commissioner!"

"Go."

Wang Zhi waved his hand, and Qin Lu and Ji Sheng, who had long been unable to restrain themselves, gathered their men and left the West Depot yamen impatiently.

Wang Zhi also immediately selected a thousand men and began to confiscate the homes and interrogate the one hundred and seventy-six officials in the capital!

In an instant, the entire capital was shrouded in a cloud of despair.

The night was deep.

But tonight, none of the officials in the capital dared to sleep.

Rows and rows of West Depot agents, holding torches high, illuminated the capital as bright as day.

A large number of West Depot agents were coming in and out of different homes, escorting silver and escorting people, busy with their hands and feet.

"Lord Ji, please spare my son! He's still young and doesn't understand anything!"

Ji Sheng punched out, directly causing the talkative person to bleed profusely.

"Take him away! Don't let anyone go!"

"…"

"Lord Qin, please, please spare me! I can give you anything, silver, houses, fields, please give me a way out!"

Qin Lu slashed out with his sword, cutting off the tongue of the official who was begging for mercy on the spot.

"Noisy, take them all away!"

"…"

"Lord Wang, why must it be like this, why must it be like this!"

Wang Zhi stood in the courtyard, looking at the moonlight in the distance, silent.

But his pressure made Ye Qi, the former Minister of Revenue, unable to even say the words for mercy.

Hundreds of West Depot agents walked past him, confiscating the gold and silver treasures in his home.

His wife, children, and old people cried in a group and were escorted out of the house by the West Depot agents.

Seeing this scene, Ye Qi sighed and walked out of the house with a face full of ashes.

"Lord Wang…"

Ye Qi turned around: "Really, is there no way out?"

Wang Zhi's body did not move, and his eyes slowly moved down: "Minister Ye, you walked this dead end yourself."

Ye Qi's whole body shook, and the last bit of light in his eyes went out.

He turned around and walked towards the West Depot prison like a walking corpse, following the West Depot agents.

Actively walking towards the West Depot prison, instead of being escorted like other people.

This was the last bit of dignity of the former Minister of Revenue, Ye Qi.

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