Chapter 86

Chapter 86

The officials were pressed before the prefect, crying out that they were wronged. The Prefect of Jiangling's sweat was streaming down his forehead uncontrollably.

In all the years, no imperial commissioner had ever dared to drag local officials before the prefect, let alone enumerate their crimes in his presence. He picked up the account book from the ground; on it were recorded collusion between officials and merchants that indeed existed. But he had ordered these matters to be buried deeper. This Sixth Prince had only been in Jiangling a few days, spending all his time near the embankment. The men he had sent to watch reported no unusual activity. When on earth did he investigate all this!?

The prefect flipped through the book, and when he saw the entries on stone materials, he knew this could not be suppressed. He bowed and said, "Your Highness, please allow Your Servant to conduct a thorough investigation!"

"Thorough investigation?" Ying Fusheng looked at him with a smile. "How? Is the evidence here not sufficient?"

"Your Highness may not be aware. Since the flood disaster in Jiangling, Jiangling has descended into chaos, and we were already short-handed. At times they take on multiple duties, and it's inevitable that oversight slips. There is no shortage of troublemakers in Jiangling. Some merchants have jacked up prices on the suffering people more than once." The Prefect of Jiangling steadied himself, taking the chance to look at this overly young prince. Seeing his frail demeanor, the prefect found his nerve: "This evidence might not hold up. In my humble opinion, if guilty, punish severely; if minor, go easy..."

"Get to the point," Ying Fusheng said.

Seeing a chance to ease the situation, calculation flashed in the prefect's eyes: "Your Highness has detained them for several days. Besides the embankment project, these officials also have to manage grain transfers and disaster relief. To be honest with Your Highness, Jiangling's granary has been depleted after days of consumption, and we need them to hustle to other counties for grain. If Your Highness does not believe me, you may send someone to inspect Jiangling's granary."

There were over a dozen people in total, including officials and artisan foremen. Among them, eight were officials of Jiangling Prefecture, the highest-ranking was the Vice Prefect (Tongpan). The Jiangling embankment project had always been his responsibility. These were key personnel of Jiangling Prefecture. Is this prince insane to just get rid of them without cause? When that flood of refugees comes, the entire Jiangling Prefecture would be paralyzed.

"You're saying I should release them?" Ying Fusheng leaned forward slightly to look at him.

The Prefect of Jiangling raised his head and met Ying Fusheng's eyes. Though the prince was young, when he looked at him, the prefect inexplicably felt a chill: "This matter, Your Servant cannot decide. It is entirely at Your Highness's disposal."

He thought to himself, if this prince truly wanted to deal with these officials, he would have done so already. Why come to ask him?

A prince from the capital, of course—he didn't even bother to consider the gentry clans behind these officials. The massive web of connections behind these gentry reaches all the way to the southern region. If the prince acts, the scholars backing those gentry will go on the offensive. Public outrage will brew, and then rioters will pop up everywhere.

But if this prince does nothing and just stalls, news from Jiangling would reach Jiangnan and Western Shu. Once higher-ups from the capital come, the prince's ability to move against Jiangling Prefecture would be severely hindered...

Either way, this prince is screwed. These imperial commissioners from the court don't get how things work in the south. If the prefectural government weren't holding things together, Jiangling would be in chaos within three days.

"Since Prefect Liu is leaving it all to me, men, drag the ringleader out and beat him to death in public." Ying Fusheng looked at the official held by the soldiers—it was the Vice Prefect who had been in charge at the embankment camp.

Beat to death!? The Prefect of Jiangling was shocked. This prince really means to kill!

He looked at the Vice Prefect, who cried out, "Prefect Liu, save me!"

Prefect Liu cried out, "Please reconsider, Your Highness!"

Standing beside the prefect, Vice Prefect Xu was startled at the sight. This prince is actually going through with it.

Ying Fusheng watched expressionlessly. A few days ago, he had received a letter from Qi Hanzhou, in which several names of Jiangling officials were circled in heavy strokes, including that of the Vice Prefect. He was the one who had aggressively pushed the Deposed Crown Prince's project back when he oversaw the works. After the court's Ministry of Works went back to the capital, this Vice Prefect passed everything to underlings, removing himself from the embankment patrols.

He had ordered the old craftsmen from the Ministry of Works to inspect carefully during the emergency repairs. The breach did not match the engineering survey map. That means someone in the Jiangling patrols rigged it, leading to the embankment failure... This man was clever, knowing how to distance himself. But he was too slow—Qi Hanzhou had already set a trap for him.

He deserved to die.

Once the man was dragged out, the soldiers immediately struck without hesitation, each blow hitting flesh.

The sound of falling staves and wails echoed throughout the government offices. Inside, officials could not help but look.

"Death doesn't wipe out debts. Confiscate his family estate too."

Ying Fusheng smiled at Prefect Liu. "According to Dayuan law, that's correct, isn't it?"

Prefect Liu said nothing. Ying Fusheng turned back, glanced aside: "So, Prefect Liu, will you do it yourself, or do I send my men?"

"I have no such intention." Prefect Liu looked at Ying Fusheng, gritted his teeth, and ordered the prefectural soldiers to head out.

Ying Fusheng leaned back in his chair. When he was silent, his eyes were razor-sharp.

He watched, his casual gaze sweeping over the remaining officials in the hall. He waved a hand for his men to follow, and said flatly, "That's better. Anyone would think Prefect Liu wanted to wash his hands of this."

"Pass the word: Prefect Liu is a man of justice, ridding the people of a scourge."

Before Prefect Liu could stop it, the soldiers and constables were already going out the door.

Weng Yanqing, standing next to Prefect Liu, pushed him into a seat without a word. "Sir, please have a seat."

Ying Fusheng said flatly, "That's only one taken care of."

His eyes fell on the remaining officials and artisans. "Not finished yet."

Wherever his gaze landed, those still held trembled.

This Sixth Prince actually killed the Vice Prefect—the second-in-command of Jiangling!

"Prefect Liu, how about you pick? Who do we interrogate next?" Ying Fusheng suddenly remembered something, and looked at Prefect Liu: "Oh, almost forgot—those stone merchants who held up relief a few days ago."

...

Wails echoed from inside the yamen. The thud of staves kept drawing the crowd's gaze.

Outside the Jiangling yamen, soldiers cordoned off the area, and locals gathered to watch. They saw the usual officials being held by soldiers, and when asked, were told that these officials had embezzled and taken bribes. The Sixth Prince, having repaired the embankment, had rushed to deal with them, saying these men were the chief culprits behind the embankment failure.

"How could that be? These officials have always treated us well!"

"Yes, the prefect has been transferring grain to comfort us! The court is forcing confessions!"

A few "commoners" in the crowd started agitating, but before they could finish, a refugee from elsewhere shouted angrily, "That prince from the court fixed the embankment! Jiangling Prefecture worked for half a month and couldn't match ten days of the court's effort! What capability does your Jiangling prefect have?"

"That's just because the court has money!"

"The government cheated us on stone materials; the court couldn't buy stone, so they had us dig it... Those merchants and officials were in cahoots. The quarry has been on strike for two days. We saw it all when we dug the mountain rock!"

Outside Jiangling Prefecture, a large number of refugees had gathered. Some were farmers whose crops had been washed away near the embankment; others had fled from other counties. Their eyes were red at the scene. Over this period, they had heard that this prince, in repairing the embankment, had employed refugees in exchange for work and pay, not forcing labor levies like in previous years, but actually giving them money.

At that moment, a corpse was dragged out of the government offices. The dead Vice Prefect was hauled to the gate. The commoners and refugees were stunned. Those who had tried to stir up trouble were dumbfounded to see the body.

"Sir, what's happening inside?" someone in the crowd asked cautiously.

A constable said, "The imperial commissioner from the court is conducting interrogations. It's not just that. They say these officials colluded with merchants. The interrogations are still going on. No one involved will escape. They're confessing inside now."

"What happens after they've confessed?" the man asked.

The constable said, "The Sixth Prince has decreed: the light punishment is imprisonment; the heavy is exile or execution, applied according to the nine familial degrees. Prefect Liu has already sent men to confiscate their property."

Spies in the crowd heard this and hurried back. Many of Jiangling's gentry and wealthy merchants heard the news. They had had extensive dealings with the Jiangling government; some officials had even taken their bribes. Now that the court had arrived, they were being eliminated wholesale!

"Prefect Liu has already sent men to confiscate the Vice Prefect's property. The stone merchants who had dealings with him have all been taken away."

The rich merchants did not believe it until they went out and saw that the confiscators were indeed men from the Jiangling prefectural office. If it had been soldiers, it might still be manageable, but since it was the prefectural office, it meant Prefect Liu had sold them out!

"Master, what do we do? This is a prince from the court, with an imperial edict authorizing execution without prior approval. The Vice Prefect was beaten to death in public, his body still hanging outside the government offices. The men from the prefectural office say Prefect Liu is hearing the case in the main hall. Many have been imprisoned or sentenced!"

At this, the merchants prepared to pack up and flee Jiangling. But before they could finish packing, word came that the soldiers had sealed the city, declaring that traitors were being rooted out. Jiangling would be locked down for three days!

They had no way to escape and were trapped inside the city.

Then suddenly, news came from within the government offices: one of the stone merchants taken in had been released, having confessed everything in court and volunteered to contribute stone materials to atone for his crimes!

The gentry were momentarily stunned at this news, while the wealthy merchants had already sensed an opportunity.

"Prefect Liu says he'll confiscate without hesitation—better to atone for our crimes than lose everything! To the government office!"

Fearing for their lives—their assets weren't all within Jiangling, but what were possessions compared to a life? If officials could die on the spot, how much were merchants' lives worth? To save themselves, many immediately rushed to the authorities.

"The prince sent from the court is a kind man who won't kill indiscriminately. With Jiangling still in crisis, the Sixth Prince has seized the corrupt officials' assets, saying they'll all be used to aid the displaced in Jiangling!"

The crowd outside Jiangling's prefectural office grew larger. Inside, Prefect Liu braced himself as he watched the Sixth Prince interrogate suspects. First, the magistrate was beaten to death, breaking the resolve of other officials who had been stubborn. Several immediately confessed, pleading for leniency in exchange for their cooperation.

Throughout the process, no formal torture was used—but the dangling corpse hanging high at the prefectural office not only intimidated the restless refugees outside but also weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone present. One misstep, and they would share that fate. This Sixth Prince truly showed no regard for the local administration; with his imperial decree granting him authority to execute first and report later, even if others appealed to higher authorities, by the time they arrived, bodies would already litter the ground.

No one had said the Sixth Prince was like this!

Hadn't the court described him as merciful and kind?

Beside him, the Ministry of Personnel official accompanying the delegation trembled as he wrote down the charges. This prince was nothing like his court persona—his decisive ruthlessness now was completely at odds with his reputation...

"Have you recorded everything?" Ying Fusheng asked.

The official's hand shook. "Yes."

Those who didn't confess fully were dragged out; those who did were sent to prison.

Weariness showed on Ying Fusheng's face, yet he remained seated, as if he wouldn't leave this courtroom until the case was fully resolved. "Prefect Liu, continue."

Prefect Liu hadn't expected things to spiral so far out of control. "Your Highness, if you do this, you won't be able to justify it to the court."

"Justify it? Your Jiangling should be answerable to the court—or to the imperial family?" Ying Fusheng countered.

"Your Highness, several wealthy merchants have gathered outside, saying they wish to donate to aid the court's difficulty! And two stone merchants say they're willing to make amends!"

Prefect Liu was stunned when he heard the merchants had gathered at the gate. What were these businessmen doing here? Apart from a few stone merchants, the others weren't even implicated. Not only merchants but also local gentry had assembled, claiming they wanted to donate for Jiangling's flood relief to accumulate merit.

"Make amends?"

Ying Fusheng said, "The court does sometimes exercise discretion during disaster years, but..."

"Prefect Liu, which of them do you think deserves this chance?"

Prefect Liu was frozen.

Ying Fusheng raised an eyebrow slightly. "Can't decide? Then I'll choose for you."

"Tell those gentry and merchants: the court isn't short of money. Not everyone gets a chance to atone."

Watching from the side, Vice Prefect Xu suddenly understood what the Sixth Prince was doing.

He was deliberate!

Originally, Jiangling's officials, merchants, and gentry were tightly bound together. But ever since the Sixth Prince executed the magistrate and sent the prefectural troops to confiscate his property, that bond began to unravel. On one side was a prince who ordered executions without waiting for the court; on the other, the dwindling number of amnesty slots. Those desperate to survive wouldn't let this chance slip away.

By controlling the prefectural office, using its own staff to carry out arrests and confiscations, and killing the magistrate, the prince knew the deep ties among Jiangling's officials, merchants, and gentry—a vast network. So he chose to pressure the officials, forcing the other two factions to suspect and fragment each other.

With no one outside spreading news, but already today the magistrate was dead, everyone in that room feared becoming a scapegoat. The bait was thrown, and someone would bite.

Vice Prefect Xu thought: Could this Sixth Prince be someone trustworthy?

"Continue," Ying Fusheng said coldly.

Prefect Liu was frantic, desperately signaling his adviser. He couldn't let this go on—Jiangling would slip from his control entirely. But just then, Vice Prefect Xu, who had been silent for so long, suddenly stepped forward and knelt before the Sixth Prince.

Ying Fusheng glanced at him. "What are you doing?"

"Your Servant, Vice Prefect of Jiangling, hereby denounces Prefect of Jiangling for hoarding relief grain!" Xu said, knowing there was no turning back. But if he missed this opportunity, he might never find a better one.

Beside him, Prefect Liu glared furiously. "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Xu continued: "He conspired with the city's largest grain merchant to hide a granary deep in the mountains of Jiangling—on private land. Most of Jiangling's relief grain is hidden there! I can lead the way!"

Prefect Liu panicked. But Vice Prefect Xu, resigned to his fate, spoke without regard for consequences—he couldn't wait for the next imperial envoy. "Before Your Highness arrived, he ordered me to move the grain. With refugees gathering, within three days, Jiangling will face a grain shortage!"

He looked at the Sixth Prince and saw him suddenly smile.

It was a different smile from the one he had shown Prefect Liu. Xu heard him say: "Jiangling isn't entirely rotten after all."

"General Chen, let him lead the way," Ying Fusheng said.

General Chen finally relaxed, nodding to Vice Prefect Xu. "Sir, let's go."

Vice Prefect Xu understood from his eyes—the prince had come for the granary.

How could this prince, who had rebuilt the dike in ten days with such efficiency, not know that relief grain was the top priority with refugees arriving? The same person who uncovered the stone corruption would certainly investigate the grain. Prefect Liu had been counting on a refugee riot to force the prince's hand, which was why he'd clung so tightly to the grain.

All this interrogation, and no one mentioned the granary. Everyone kept it as a fallback, assuming the envoy was simply punishing corrupt officials. They all thought the prince wanted to establish authority—but his real goal was to find Jiangling's grain.

Autumn, Jiangling's harvest season—except for what was washed away, where was the government's stored grain? He wanted to save the people.

As the party left the prefectural office, Ying Fusheng turned back to the others. "Continue."

Deep in the mountains, soldiers stormed the granary and were stunned by the quantity of grain stored.

Vice Prefect Xu knelt in relief as troops quickly secured the area, capturing two men who tried to set the grain on fire. Seeing this, the soldiers' eyes reddened as they subdued the arsonists.

Sacks of grain were rushed by fast horses into Jiangling's official granary. Outside, the refugees who witnessed this were stunned.

Tears streaming, they asked what the grain was for. When they heard the soldiers' reply, they burst into sobs.

The wealthy merchants and gentry saw this and had a rough idea of what was happening. Prefect Liu was nowhere to be seen; a large group was locked up in the prefectural office. Some were glad they had spoken up early, while a few gentry still wanted to stir trouble—but the refugees only had eyes for grain. With grain, Jiangling could hold out.

General Chen's hundred men—elite troops of Old General Chen—controlled the city. The Jiangling officials hadn't expected this seemingly gentle prince to use one corrupt official's life to subdue the entire city.

The granary was found, and without any effort, the most volatile gentry and merchants were neutralized.

"Have the dike craftsmen recruit some refugees, pay them wages, and set up refugee tents outside the city," Ying Fusheng said, coughing as he steadied himself on Weng Yanqing's arm. "No delays. The granary's defense is entrusted to General Chen."

"Understood," General Chen said.

"You must guard it day and night without rest,"

Ying Fusheng said softly. "The real battle is just beginning."

In the mountains, a large number of refugees were heading toward Jiangling, and the nearby disaster-stricken counties all received the news.

Qi Hanzhou looked down. "The water flow has slowed down."

Ye Xuanjiu hurried over. They had been collecting clues on the road, but the Supreme Commander had left only limited information. They had to act in secret before anyone else arrived, so they didn't dare to delay. "Did they stop them in Jiangling?! Junior General, too many refugees are passing through. Jiangling could be in deep trouble!"

"This is different from the capital. Can the Sixth Prince handle things over there? We still have a few days until we reach Jiangling. Old General Chen cannot spare troops. If Jiangling runs into trouble by then..."

The refugee problem is the toughest part. He's using a work-for-relief scheme, which turns Jiangling into a magnet for refugees. There are many victims around Jiangling. Then they'll have to deal with food shortages and epidemics. Rushing to repair the dam is only the beginning. If they can't calm these refugees down, it'll mark the beginning of full-blown public outrage.

What was he thinking?

Suddenly, a falcon's cry pierced the mountain forest, and a high-flying falcon disappeared into the woods.

Qi Hanzhou looked up. A speeding silhouette spread its wings and halted.

His heart trembled. When he caught the falcon, he saw a few clean and neat words on the letter paper—

"Jiangling's safe."