"Ever since Duan Yanxing rose straight into the clouds seven years ago, he has accepted gifts from a great many merchants. That alone is nothing unusual; plenty of capital officials take such money. But relying on the emperor's trust, he helped people bury more than a dozen murder cases. Some of the victims seeking justice were even thrown into prison because of him, and they are still suffering there today. Once local gentry or merchants, they have since seen their families destroyed and their livelihoods ruined."
"Zhou Lu is greedy too. He hasn't cost anyone their life over money, but he has another vice: he is especially fond of beautiful women. Moreover, he is a brutal man, quick to beat and curse the concubines he takes into his residence. Every year, two or three corpses are dragged out of his estate. Though most of these women were sold to the Zhou Residence as servants, not all of them were sold willingly."
"Several times while serving outside the capital, he spotted beautiful women in the street and sent men to their homes to demand them. If their families refused, he would fabricate charges, ruin them, and bring the women back to his residence as convicted slaves. Women taken this way often lasted less than a year before being dumped in a mass grave."
"My lord, both these men deserve to die!"
The Wild Daoist said this with a calm expression.
After all, during his time among the gangs, he had heard of officials like these. Civil officials might still care somewhat about their reputations, but powerful nobles and military officers trusted by the emperor were often far bolder.
It was little wonder that some upright civil officials looked down on nobles and military officers. Their ranks contained far too many rotten