Chapter 30 : Settling the Case

Hong Pei returned from Xiyan County, the Royal Historian's office immediately became a gathering place for people from all walks of life to inquire about news, either by buying, or by infiltrating in disguise, there is no way that people can't think of.

Just in order to hear the first-hand news, to see waiting for the young Wu Pan who has been in office for only three months is alive or dead - the four auxiliary ministers are powerful, in important positions, so the penalty has always been more severe than the other officials, if the Wu Pan adults really embezzlement of public funds, I'm afraid that the light is banished to the frontier, the heavy will be the head to the ground.

Finally waited until the day of the trial, court officials gathered in front of the palace early in the morning, discussing. Unfortunately, when it was almost time for the morning court, an imperial decree descended from the sky, roughly saying that the matter was of great importance, only a few important court ministers could participate in the interrogation, and the rest of the people were waiting outside.

In addition to the several ministers named, all others were greatly disappointed and sighed.

The emperor has been on the throne for many years, but this is the first time that he has encountered a case that concerns his ministers, who would not want to sit in on the trial and gloat over the saddest end of those who are in the position of being the most important ministers?

Feng Taishi face gloomy, snatched in the witch Luo before the front of the hall, attracted the crowd whispering. The struggle between the two important ministers has been going on for a whole month, so far has not been divided into high and low, so that the dynasty's hearts are on edge, afraid of accidentally being implicated in.

Wuluo was dressed in a light-coloured cotton robe trimmed with fox fur, a modest gentleman's posture, slowly following behind Imperial Master Feng into the main hall.

Feng Taishi to clean name resounded up and down the blue country, and Wuluo reserve Qing Yue nature of light, modest, really do not know this dispute in the end who is innocent and who is inconsistent, or someone deliberately provoked, reap the benefits of fishing.

Inside the main hall, Pei Si Yan has long been waiting, face with the colour of anxiety, especially after seeing Feng Taishi, face is even more white as paper, eyes full of helplessness and sorrow. She pulled out a silk handkerchief and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes in front of Feng Taishi.

Feng Taishi did not have any change on the surface, his heart secretly happy.

It seemed that Wu Pan's charge had been confirmed.

Woo Li on the side looked in his eyes, thoughtfully skimming his head to look at Hong Pei, and then glancing back to the Feng Taishi.

"The Emperor has arrived." Eunuch Zuo, the chief chamberlain, shouted with a duck's voice, the crowd hurriedly kneeled and saluted, not long after the emperor came in stride, from his face it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry, only the sound of flinging his sleeves was much louder than usual.

"All the love ministers levelled off." The emperor said softly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

When everyone rose, the Emperor asked, "Secretary Hong, how are the results of the investigation over the past few days?"

The hall was suddenly quiet without a single sound, and people nervously looked at Hong Pei, the expressionless imperial historian who seemed like a wax statue, waiting for the final answer.

"Your Majesty," Hong Pei stood in the centre of the hall, holding a wooden tray in his hands with a few things on it, "I am fortunate enough not to insult the emperor. After my investigation, the relief rice was indeed switched halfway through the journey, my humble servant found some mouldy rice in the granary that hadn't had time to be processed enough to prove it, and then interrogated a few of the soldiers responsible for escorting the rice, but unfortunately, they would rather die than tell the mastermind behind it."

Feng Taishi frowned and asked, "How does Lord Hong know that this rice was not originally left behind?"

"According to the testimonies of Ge Kuo, the former Assassin of Xiyan County, and Shi Hui, the Chief Historian, there wasn't a single grain of rice in the original granary, and there was a seal of the Ministry of Households on the bags of rice," Hong Pei said, "While investigating, my humble servant also received letters of the ten thousand people spontaneously written by the people of Xiyan County, all of them praising Lord Wuban's diligence in government and love for the people, and that he was in no way a corrupt official. "

I don't know who gently "hummed".

The emperor did not care who hummed, asked: "so can be concluded, Wu Pan is not guilty?"

"But how do we explain the sudden appearance of large quantities of grain and rice in the counties around Qinghe?" Feng Taishi interjected again, the emperor covered his mouth and coughed twice.

Hong Pei said, "According to the investigation of the microconsultant, the officials in Xiyan and Qinghe are in a serious situation of embezzlement, and these grains and rice came from their hands, not from Lord Wuban. Your Majesty, micro-chen can conclude that Lord Wu Pan is innocent, is someone deliberately framed, if you add time, micro-chen will be able to uncover the mastermind behind the scenes, but also the court a fair and clear!"

"Then ..." the emperor rose, majestic sweeping a cadre of courtiers, "declared other love secretary are on the temple to come, I want to announce the results."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Eunuch Zuo trotted down the steps and waved his hand to signal the chamberlains to leave the temple door open.

As soon as the officials waiting outside the hall saw the hall door open, they immediately entered in order, curiously and nervously sizing up Wu Pan.

Pei Si Yan saw the stunningly beautiful man in purple clothes in the crowd and smiled slightly. King Hui Lanxuan nodded his head and returned the salute, and the two of them were like strangers who no longer made any movements.

When the crowd stood in their positions, the Emperor coughed again and loudly announced, "After Hong Aiqing's investigation, the case of Woo Pan was deliberately framed by someone, now I order the Ministry of Justice, the Imperial Historical Observatory, and the Da Lisi to jointly investigate this matter, the situation is so bad that we must find out what happened!"

"Yes, I obey the decree." The governors of the three magistracies stepped out to receive the order.

Feng Taishi looked towards Pei Si Yan and found that the sad clouds on her face had somehow dissipated cleanly and was replaced by a smiling face, coincidentally, Pei Si Yan did not know whether it was intentional or unintentional happened to look towards him as well, revealing a sneer and then turned her head away again. Feng Taishi suddenly felt a blockage in his heart, when he turned away his gaze, he saw that Wu Li was depressed and had an absent-minded look.

"I thank the emperor, thank you Lord Hong for returning my innocence," the emperor explained everything, Pei Si Yan stood out of the line, "I have something else to enlighten the emperor."

"Wu Pan please say."

"I have seen and heard this disaster relief, there are many feelings, as Hong said, Western Yan Qinghe and other places of corrupt officials rampant as bandits in the mountains, regardless of the people's livelihoods openly encroach on the fields, swallowing the food that should be filled into the national treasury, leading to the people are not bored with life, grievances," Pei Siyan said in a loud voice, the tone of voice contains hidden indignation, "If not for the fact that I was ordered by the emperor," Pei Siyan stood in line, "I have something else to say to the emperor," the emperor said. "If I hadn't been ordered by the emperor to go to the disaster relief, I'm afraid that the corrupt officials would still be at large and preying on the people. Your Majesty, the country is based on the people, and the people take food as the sky, only if the people don't have to worry about food and clothing, and live and work in peace and contentment, can the country prosper!

"I think that the former Western Yan County Assassin Ge Ge Kuo is only a small piece of the officials who have this bad behaviour, in order to figure out the country's strength and the people's wealth, I implore Your Majesty to order the re-measurement of farmland throughout the country, thoroughly investigate the corrupt officials, and fill in the sea!"

Wu Pan's words just finished, immediately caused an uproar, Wu Li was the first to come forward to oppose.

"Your Majesty, I don't think this is a good idea! If Your Majesty orders this, it would be tantamount to distrusting the various local officials, chilling the hearts of those officials who are dedicated to serving the country and the people na!"

"Lord Wuli has a point ..." Some officials nodded their heads in agreement, voicing their opinions in whispers.

Seeing that some people supported him, Wu Li was relieved and bold enough to open his mouth once again, "Lord Wu Pan, you are young and vigorous, so I guess you don't deeply understand the way of being an official."

"Oh?" Pei Si Yan laughed, "But this is how I understand it, if it is found out that there is no problem, wouldn't it be an opportunity for the local officials to show their abject loyalty to the Emperor?"

Wuli retorted, "Peace everywhere and prosperity is the most superior way for local officials to express their loyalty."

"Lord Wuli has been residing in the imperial capital, how do you know that there is peace everywhere? Firstly, you don't know that Ge Ge is a corrupt official, do you?"

"I agree with Lord Wuban's proposal, the people are the foundation of the country, if the people's heart is unstable then the kingdom is in danger, we cannot let it go." Wuluo squinted at the pale Wuli, "And since as a local parental official one should be subject to assessment and scrutiny to stop corrupt officials from endangering the people and the country!"

"Your Majesty, I also agree." Shan Hao, the Minister of the Ministry of Appointments, said.

The two auxiliary ministers and the magistrates in charge of appointing officials and so on had expressed their opinions, and most of the officials followed suit and expressed their approval, with a few of them patting their backs in passing. Seeing that there were far more people in favour than against, Wuli's face was ugly as hell and he closed his mouth.

"But who is to be appointed to take charge of this matter?" The Emperor was concerned about a number of issues and must find a person with authority and who could be trusted to take on this important task.

Pei Si Yan glanced at Lan Xuan and said, "Your Majesty, I think the matter is of great importance, why don't we ask His Royal Highness to take charge? The son of the saint is sufficiently authoritative."

The Emperor nodded slightly, his eyes unintentionally swept to the eldest son, King Hui, thinking that this trip would require long distance travelling and suffering, sending a prince who had been raised in a dignified manner since childhood would definitely not be able to endure the suffering. However, King Hui is different, the last few times of tribal unrest in the west, he is responsible for marching and fighting, hard work, never had a complaint.

Thinking of this, the emperor made up his mind, "Lanxuan, re-measuring the fields all over the place and reviewing the local officials is entrusted to your full responsibility, so don't let down my expectations."

In the face of his father's still cold tone, Lanxuan's lips were slightly hooked, kneeling down and said, "Yes, my son will not fail my father's expectations."

No more important matters need to be presented in court, the emperor hurriedly left, the hundred officials kneeled and saluted before exiting the hall.

Lan Xuan walked slowly towards the palace gates, lagging behind the officials by a large margin. By the time he walked out of the palace gates, most of the officials had already left, with only a few minor officials of low rank gathered in the distance, discussing something.

"Your Highness." A young handsome man hurriedly ran in with an anxious face.

"Fang Ping ah, prepare to pack up and pack up, we're leaving the imperial capital again." Lanxuan elegantly dusted off his robes, his eyebrows were like a picture, smiling like a complete demon.

Fang Ping looked a little lost in thought, but he didn't forget the main thing, waiting at the palace gate for his own king to leave the court, from the discussion of the officials already knew what happened in the temple today. The blue country is vast, this circle of investigation down, people are not alive and tired? What's more, even if the final credit is great, it is only a salty compliment from the emperor, half of the benefits are not. I really don't know how the king is thinking, facing the difficult task can still smile and nothing like a person.

As if Lanxuan had read the mind of the personal guard, he patted him on the shoulder and smiled, "It seems to be an errand with no benefits at all, but Fang Ping, have you thought about it, how many people's hearts can be bought by travelling around the world on this trip?"

Fang Ping was first stunned, then suddenly realised, his own master as a prince, generally no imperial order is not allowed to leave the imperial capital at will, but this time the king can go out on a tour around the world, greatly conducive to buy people's hearts.

Lanxuan looked into the distance, his smile charmed the small officials in the distance.

"It seems that Lord Wu Pan has the intention to ally with me ..."