Just as they were about to set out, Jia Huan reined in his horse.
"I nearly missed an important piece of evidence. Old dog Su, where are your secret letters with Yuan Yong?"
After handling ordinary cases for so long, he had grown used to simple, forceful methods and had become somewhat careless.
Court officials were different from Jianghu criminals. He needed a complete chain of evidence to make the case ironclad.
Su Chongshan's lips moved. "On the third shelf of the wooden rack in the study, beneath the inkstone."
Jia Huan ordered:
"Skinny Monkey, go!"
"Yes, sir!"
A quarter of an hour later, Skinny Monkey returned with several secret letters, all in the same handwriting, plotting the destruction of the Xinchang Dam.
Jia Huan carefully put them away, then said sternly:
"Move out. Ride day and night without stopping. We must get back to the Capital as quickly as possible."
"Thank you all for your hard work. Once this is done, I'll treat everyone to a good time at the finest brothel in the Capital!"
"It's no trouble!" Fathead Fish, Skinny Monkey, and the others were fired up.
They knew this was their leader's most crucial step. Nothing could go wrong.
How many of their colleagues in the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been trapped at the leap from General Banner to Hundred-Household Commander? Once he crossed that threshold, his power would soar. Then the seas would truly be wide enough for fish to leap!
Braving the torrential rain, they spurred their horses onward. After riding hard for a full day and night, they finally returned to the Divine Capital on the third day.
Once through the city gates, Jia Huan instructed:
"Twin Whips, Biaozi, escort old dog Su, Shopkeeper Sun, Escort Chief Zhou, and their clansmen to the Imperial Prison. Without my order, no one is allowed near them!"
"If our colleagues at the Celestial Pivot Office guard station ask, don't breathe a word!"
"Yes, sir!" The two accepted their orders and escorted Su Chongshan and the others to the Imperial Prison.
Exhausted though he was, a critical moment demanded even greater caution. First, he could not let word leak out and drive Yuan Yong into a corner, where even a desperate dog would leap over a wall. Second, he could not let anyone steal the credit.
Jia Huan said gravely:
"The rest of you, come with me to the Ministry of Works."
Scholar went pale at this and hurriedly tried to dissuade him:
"Boss, you absolutely must not!"
"Without an Arrest Warrant and Approval Seal, even a Thousand-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard has no authority to arrest a vice minister of the Six Ministries directly, let alone a General Banner. That would be overstepping your authority! The Golden Guards are stationed right beside the Six Ministries. If Yuan Yong refuses to cooperate, the Minister of Works need only give the order, and you could be killed on the spot. Any resistance at all would count as rebellion!"
Fathead Fish was badly frightened as well, frantic with worry:
"Boss, that's the heart of the government. We have to be careful with every word and action. It isn't like Xinchang Prefecture, where we could use extrajudicial punishment directly. To arrest a high court official, we need every required document. Why don't we report to the Southern Commandant Office first and let the higher-ups in the Embroidered Uniform Guard handle it?"
Jia Huan waved a hand and snapped:
"Do you think I'm that foolish and rash? Of course I'm not going to the Ministry of Works to confront Yuan Yong. I'm going there to find the most important piece of evidence."
"Only with that evidence can we make this case ironclad!"
"Now that we've reached the Capital, we'll receive our due credit whether Yuan Yong is brought to justice or not. But I intend to speak up for the people of Xinchang Prefecture. Yuan Yong must pay in blood!"
With that, he rode away.
"Yes, sir!" Loyal to the core, Scholar and the others steeled themselves and followed.
The Six Ministries, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review all stood east of the Imperial City. Passing one red wall after another, they reached the Ministry of Works.
Scholar and the others trembled with apprehension. Jia Huan led the way, passing room after room along the corridors until he reached the Government Office of the Assistant Director of the Ministry of Works.
Jia Zheng reclined in a grand armchair, a cup of piping-hot tea on his left, leisurely turning the pages of an ancient book with his right hand. At the sound of footsteps, he looked up.
Jia Huan entered the Government Office and looked down at him.
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is investigating a case. Jia Zheng, come with me!"
Jia Zheng's pupils contracted sharply. Whether from shock or anger, his face instantly turned thunderously dark.
He's gone mad!
Who are you to call me Jia Zheng?
An ill-bred beast with no regard for family or moral order!!!
"You wretch-"
He never finished the words.
Jia Huan's tone hardened:
"Jia Zheng, I'm conducting official business! In government, public duty and private affairs must remain separate!"
"You..." Jia Zheng flushed with anger, yet could find no rebuttal. It truly was inappropriate to address him as Father while conducting official business at the ministry. Otherwise, what would become of the court's dignity?
Wait...
The Embroidered Uniform Guard is arresting me?
At that realization, Jia Zheng grew agitated, wondering who had impeached him and who was maliciously throwing mud at his name.
He pointed at Jia Huan and railed:
"Jia Huan, where are your Arrest Warrant and Approval Seal? This is outrageous! Who sent you to arrest this official?"
Expressionless, Jia Huan deliberately lowered his voice:
"Are you determined to make a scene? Would I really dare make things difficult for you? Just cooperate. We only need to go through the motions."
Jia Zheng bristled and glared. This calamity had fallen on him out of nowhere, and the wretched boy had come to arrest him personally. His thoughts tangled into a knot as he declared resoundingly:
"My conduct is upright, and my conscience is clear. I'll go with you!"
Jia Huan breathed a sigh of relief. Had anyone else insisted on seeing the Arrest Warrant and Approval Seal, he would have been unable to take a single step within the Ministry of Works.
They left the Government Office one behind the other. The ministry's officials and clerks buzzed with speculation. Those who had previously seen the assistant director's concubine-born son were especially dumbstruck, scarcely able to believe their eyes.
This member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard looked like...
"If you cannot explain this, you'll have ruined my reputation!"
Outside the ministry, Jia Zheng's face was ugly. Once they returned home, he would skin this wretched son and tear out his tendons.
"Boss, should we put him in shackles?" Fathead Fish approached to ask.
Jia Huan immediately fixed him with a piercing stare.
Scholar panicked. "Slap your own mouth, hard!"
Only then did Fathead Fish get a clear look. This man seemed to be the Assistant Director of the Ministry of Works-his leader's own father...
Smack! Smack!
Fathead Fish gave himself two hard slaps.
"Enough. Let's go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard offices first."
The Geng-Character Office.
Jia Huan ordered:
"Shut the door."
"Yes." Scholar and the others withdrew.
"Father, please sit." Only then did Jia Huan gesture for Jia Zheng to take a seat.
Jia Zheng flung his sleeve sharply. Something about this was deeply suspicious. Had the wretch acted entirely on his own? Was there no impeachment at all?
His fury instantly soared, and he roared:
"You unfilial wretch! The Embroidered Uniform Guard took me away from the Ministry of Works, and you've ruined my reputation! You did this deliberately to harm your father, didn't you? How did I ever sire such an unfilial son?"
Jia Huan turned a deaf ear. He merely poured a cup of tea and said calmly:
"Father, don't you want a promotion?"
"What promotion?" Jia Zheng's anger ebbed, and he gave a mocking laugh. "You wretch, you're a mere sesame-seed-sized General Banner. Can you decide your father's official career?"
Jia Huan remained silent.
Easy enough to say, but this pedantic old scholar knows nothing but empty talk and has no practical ability whatsoever. A promotion, my ass! He only became an Assistant Director of the Ministry of Works thanks to the Duke's Estate's inherited privileges and imperial grace.
In all honesty, promoting him would only bring calamity upon the state and its altars.
"Explain yourself." Sure enough, Jia Zheng was interested.
Seeing this, Jia Huan knew that interest would allow them to speak calmly.
"Let me show you a few letters first."
He took out the secret letters Yuan Yong had written to Su Chongshan.
"Father, which official in the Ministry of Works has this handwriting?"
"You wretch, this is Vice Minister Yuan's own hand!" One look at the scrawled handwriting, and Jia Zheng identified it immediately.
Jia Huan nodded and handed him the letters.
Jia Zheng read them carefully, his expression growing grave. The more he read, the more alarmed and furious he became.
He murmured to himself:
"How could Vice Minister Yuan extinguish his humanity and utterly forsake his conscience for silver..."
Jia Huan said gravely:
"I investigated this case myself. It involves a high official of the Third Rank, Lower Class, so I must proceed with the utmost caution. Xinchang Prefecture has suffered a terrible disaster, refugees are everywhere, and the people's suffering is unbearable. The chief culprit must be brought to justice!"
"There is still one piece of evidence missing: Yuan Yong's request to the Ministry of Works and Ministry of Revenue for funds to rebuild the Xinchang Dam. Father, as an Assistant Director of the Ministry of Works, copying the contents of such documents falls within your duties. You must have made a copy."
"Su Chongshan, the Deputy Prefect of Xinchang Prefecture, has already confessed!"
With that, he showed him the Xuan Paper bearing the signature and thumbprint.
Jia Zheng sank into a long silence, a trace of shock deep in his eyes.
The wretched boy had been absent from the household for seven or eight days. So he had been investigating a major case like this.
He had never imagined that this wretched son possessed such ability and resourcefulness, such courage and resolve. A mere General Banner, and yet he dared investigate a court official of the Third Rank, Lower Class!
He could scarcely imagine the hardships involved.
For the first time, he felt as though he was getting to know this concubine-born son anew.
Jia Zheng nodded:
"I copied the contents of that document."
It was part of his duties as assistant director. Working at the ministry was like treading on thin ice; he carefully made a copy of every document.
"Bring me the evidence as soon as possible," Jia Huan said.
Jia Zheng sprang to his feet and accused him angrily:
"You wretch, couldn't you have spoken to me properly? How dare you destroy your father's good name? Taken away by the Embroidered Uniform Guard in full view of everyone—how will others slander me? What will they say about the Duke's Estate?"
Jia Huan nearly unleashed an angry retort. With an effort, he restrained his emotions and said coolly:
"Are you Yuan Yong's accomplice, Father? If not, why fear gossip and slander?"
"Once Yuan Yong is brought to justice and thrown into the Imperial Prison, people will praise you for hating evil like a mortal enemy and standing firm in righteousness. By volunteering clues against such an inhuman beast, you'll be pleading for the people, further cementing your reputation for integrity! Besides, the position of Right Vice Minister of Works will be vacant, and you'll be one of the strongest candidates. Make the right approaches, and you may well have a chance!"
"I haven't slept for two days and two nights. I've worked myself to the bone, and all you do is blame me! I merely brought you here for questioning. I haven't harmed a single hair on your head!"
At this, Jia Zheng puffed out his aged cheeks and found himself speechless.
"I... I'll fetch the document." Feeling somewhat ashamed, he hurried out of the office.
"Scholar, go with him!" Jia Huan instructed.
Before you continue