The following day, in the Golden Palace.
Meng Anci forward, holding a bamboo tablet, his voice clear and resonant, "I impeach Chang Yi, the Chang Yi of Dingchuan Prefecture. The funds allocated by the court for disaster relief and dike repair have been misappropriated by him to bribe subordinates and form cliques."
Under the guise of river management, they forcibly levied river maintenance fees and dike protection fees on the people, causing them immense suffering. Their accounting fraud was meticulous and flawless. This case has far-reaching implications, and if it is not thoroughly investigated, the officialdom of Dingchuan Prefecture may never be clean again.
Your Majesty, I humbly request that you thoroughly investigate all officials in Dingchuan Prefecture to uphold the law.
These words caused an uproar throughout the court.
Some people whispered among themselves: Meng Anci mad... The emperor sent him to Pingcheng Prefecture, what is he doing investigating Dingchuan Prefecture? This newly promoted censor hasn't even established his position yet, and he dares to impeach a fourth-rank prefect.
Chancellor Cai felt a chill run down his spine. He knew Chang Yi corrupt, but he never expected him to dare to involve all the officials in the prefecture in corruption.
Xiao Yuan sat on the dragon throne, his gaze deep and thoughtful.
Last night, Zhao Zhiyuan presented all the evidence of Chang Yi's crimes; today's presentation was merely a formality. Chancellor Cai, relying on his seniority, never took him seriously.
He used Meng Anci and Zhao Zhiyuan to completely eradicate his power.
"Imperial Fang Shu, obey my command."
Fang Shu stepped forward, saying, "Your subject is here."
"I order the Censorate to thoroughly Dingzhou Prefecture, to find out all those involved, and to show absolutely no leniency towards evil."
"I obey the decree."
After the court session ended, the ministers Meng Anci even further. In the past, they would have kept their distance by five paces, but now no one dared to approach within at least fifteen paces.
If they can't see the situation clearly, they shouldn't be in the court. The new emperor clearly intends to promote new officials, cultivate confidants, and suppress old ministers... The court is probably about to change.
Zhao Zhiyuan beside Meng Anci and lowered his voice, "We've been used as pawns."
Meng Anci glanced at him indifferently, "You should be glad you're the knife..."
Zhao Zhiyuan frowned slightly, and said worriedly, "So sooner or later we'll all become a piece of meat, right?"
Meng Anci didn't reply, but just smiled.
Zhao Zhiyuan at him and suddenly felt that there was something hidden in that smile. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he felt a chill run down his spine.
The Cai Household.
Chancellor Cai smashed the vase in his study to pieces... That good-for-nothing Chang Yi, even with the ladder built for him, still managed to get bitten by a dog. He dared to embezzle river repair funds behind his back; it seems he can't be allowed to live.
There were also two puppies. If it weren't for the palace eunuchs secretly sending messages, he really wouldn't have known that all this evidence was arranged by Zhao Zhiyuan.
Okay, very good...
One secretly gathered evidence, while the other impeached the suspect in court; their cooperation was flawless. Since that's the case, don't blame me for being ruthless.
Jin Shanyao remained oblivious to the bloodshed and turmoil within the imperial court. She found a pear tree outside the city; its trunk was straight and upright, and she immediately took a liking to it, intending to plant it in the courtyard so that her brother and sister could also enjoy sweet pears.
She carried the pear tree and strode into the city gate. From afar, she saw Tu Geng coming off duty and greeted him happily, " Tu Geng... good morning..."
Tu Geng took a deep breath, pretending not to hear, and walked quickly forward. The rustling sound of branches scraping the ground behind him grew closer and closer.
He stopped when the tree root was right in front of him, forcing him to stop. "Good morning, Shopkeeper Jin..."
Jin Shanyao stared at him for a long time before speaking in a serious tone, " Tu Geng, I heard that you went to propose marriage a few days ago, but were rejected?"
The book says that men are most vulnerable at times like this and need to be comforted.
Having known Tu Geng for so long, she should offer him some words of comfort, both out of kindness and reason.
Upon hearing this, Tu Geng's expression grew even more unpleasant. Jin Shanyao knew she had struck a chord with him. She carried the tree with one hand and patted his shoulder affectionately with the other.
"Some people... just encountering Tu Geng is enough to cause heartache. To completely miss them is truly a blessing. In this vast sea of people, to have met them is to consider it a misfortune."
Tu Geng silently closed his eyes, then opened them again, intending to walk around her, but was blocked again. " Tu Geng... do you need a wife? I can introduce you to someone, the Meat Xi Shi at the market, she's divorced."
Tu Geng took a deep breath and forced a smile, "When did Shopkeeper Jin start playing matchmaker?"
"The other day, there were two kids at home, weren't there? They had to learn everything..." Jin Shanyao her dirt-covered face as she looked at him, "So, why didn't she agree? Was it because you're a doorman? Or because you're dark-skinned?"
Tu Geng took a deep breath. " Shopkeeper Jin, I think you're right. Some people are destined to be a calamity when you meet them..." After saying that, he strode forward. He didn't want to hear anyone else's words right now; he just wanted to sleep.
Jin Shanyao chased after him, "What do you mean? Are you saying I'm your calamity?"
Tu Geng turned his face away, "I didn't say that!"
Jin Shanyao saw him smirking and said sternly, "That's what you mean, Tu Geng... You hurt me... I thought we were friends..."
After saying that, she walked towards the Anzhi Hall on her own. Tu Geng watched her retreating figure and for some reason felt a little guilty. " Shopkeeper Jin... are we friends?"
Jin Shanyao glanced sideways at them, "Aren't we friends if we greet each other every day?"
Tu Geng scratched his head, his face turning bright red before he could even speak. "I... I don't want the Meat Xi Shi '... I heard you're collecting portraits of men all over the city, how about I?"
Jin Shanyao him up and down, then asked bluntly, "Do you want a formal title?"
Tu Geng's cheeks flushed instantly, and he stammered, "Of course I want to..."
"That won't do. You're asking for too much. My family can't afford it." With that, he shouldered the pear tree and walked away without looking back, leaving Tu Geng standing alone on the street, bewildered in the wind.
What does "Shopkeeper Jin" mean? Does it mean he should marry into the family?
Jin Shanyao returned to the Anzhi Hall, planted the pear tree in the corner of the courtyard, and poured a thick layer of Spiritual Power into it to ensure that the fruit it bore every year would be sweet.
After planting, he washed his hands and asked Qing He, "Where's Anzhi? I haven't seen her."
Qing He smiled and said, "The maple leaves in the suburbs have turned red. Miss wants to go see them, so she asked me to let you know that she will be back a little late today."
Jin Shanyao her head and said, "The child is growing up... He can't stay cooped up at home all the time. It's good for him to go out more." She went back to her study and took out two booklets from a drawer.
The booklet's cover bore the names Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci. She opened it... ground ink, and began writing.
Article 18: Anzhi doesn't like to cry when she's wronged; she just keeps quiet and needs someone to gently coax her to calm down.
Article 19: Anzhi is afraid of the cold, so she needs to add clothes early in autumn, and her shoes and socks should be kept warm by sunning them often.
Article 20: Anzhi looks best in red and worst in gray. Note: It makes her complexion look sallow...
After finishing writing about Anzhi, I also took out Anci's book.
It starts with the eighteenth rule: Anci is afraid of the dark, so a small lamp should be left on at night and not blown out.
Article 19: Although Anci is young, he likes to act like an adult. Don't expose him in public; save him some face.
Article 20: Anci is tall and fast, so choose durable and loose-fitting clothing, and avoid making it too tight.
Just as she was engrossed in writing, Qing He's voice came from outside, "Master, dinner is ready, the young master is back..."
"Sigh..." Jin Shanyao her hand and lightly brushed the paper, the ink drying instantly. She closed the book and put it in the drawer, casting a small Law Technique on it.
When I left the study, Qing He had already set out the meal.
Meng Anci sat at the table and noticed someone was missing. "Auntie, where's my sister?"
" Went to the outskirts of the city to see the autumn leaves..."
Meng Anci paused slightly as he picked up some food, thinking to himself that it was no wonder Zhao Zhiyuan was dressed so neatly today; he had planned this all along. However, he never interfered with his sister's decisions and simply pretended not to know.