Chapter 186

Chapter 186

Han Zhang's words were righteous and forceful, ringing clearly throughout the entire government office, drawing cheers and applause from the gathered onlookers.

"Well said! Well spoken! Lord Han is wise!"

"Exactly! If you have a clear conscience, why fear a search?"

"It's just a routine inspection—Lord Yang, Lord Zhou, Advisor Xu... what are you afraid of?"

Yang Tongpan and his two associates had long relied on the fact that the emperor was far away and no one could rein them in, acting without much restraint. After all, if you play with fire, you're bound to get burned.

Having done plenty of misdeeds, no matter how sweet their words, the common folk weren't stupid. Every time they suffered injustice and ran to the yamen for help, it was useless—they knew exactly what these officials were made of.

Now, seeing Han Zhang, the newly appointed prefect, young and fiery, with nothing to fear, willing to stand up for them, the people naturally seized the opportunity to voice their support. After all, there was safety in numbers, and Yang Tongpan and his ilk wouldn't be able to find specific targets for revenge later.

"You—you! Han Zhang! This is twisting words and abusing your power!"

"How dare you... are you out of your mind?"

The three stared in disbelief at the unyielding Han Zhang, their faces turning livid with rage.

Why couldn't they just go along with the corruption together? Why did this Han fellow have to push them to the brink? Weren't they afraid they'd get revenge later?

Weren't they afraid they'd spill the beans about his "new salt-making method"?

For a moment, none of them could make heads or tails of it.

But soon, they understood—Han Zhang dared to come at them like this because he never planned to let them walk out alive!

Just as the standoff in the courtroom hit a deadlock, the constables sent to search the mansions finally returned.

Not only did they bring back evidence of Yang Tongpan and his associates colluding with local magnates to seize farmland, but also proof of their corruption and illegal sale of salt and grain to neighboring states.

"Make way! Make way!"

The constables stumbled into the main hall, slamming several heavy rosewood chests and bundles of ledgers onto the stone floor with a thunderous crash.

"Report—!"

The leading constable, panting hard but speaking loud and clear, as if scared someone in the hall might not hear him, announced loudly:

"Your Honor! On your orders, we searched the homes of Yang Tongpan, Master Liu, and the other accused. In their hidden study rooms, secret bedroom compartments, and even underground tunnels, we dug up several chests of secret ledgers and letters!"

"These ledgers spell out, in full detail, how Lord Yang and the others, in collusion with several wealthy clans of Yunyang, used places like the Drunken Flower Pavilion and the Four Symbols Gambling House to swindle the common folk, grab their land, and force them into slavery! Every last coin's trail, every village they ruined, is written down clear as day!"

The constable then unrolled a yellowed deed and barked: "What's more, at the end of these ledgers, there's a border trade list meant for neighboring states! It says—'In such-and-such year of Tai Xuan, shipped five thousand dan of grain, six thousand dan of salt, in exchange for so many million taels of silver'! Your Honor! This is betraying the state!"

"Whoa—!"

The hall went dead quiet for a second, then exploded into a thunderous uproar!

"God almighty! They... they actually smuggled salt and grain to sell to enemy states for silver? That's feeding the enemy!"

"No wonder salt and grain prices in Yunyang kept climbing every year, and there was never enough to eat—it's because these rats swiped it all!"

"Corrupt bastards! Animals! Wolves in sheep's clothing! Have you no conscience at all? You live off the people's sweat and blood!"

The crowd went absolutely ballistic! Spit, rotten veggies, and stinking eggs flew in a storm at the crumpled Yang Tongpan and his cronies.

Everyone was truly furious.

Yunyang Prefecture was already dirt poor, with folks struggling to fill their bellies, and these men only made things worse. No wonder no matter how hard the common folks worked from sunup to sundown, they just kept getting poorer.

"No! That's not true! It's a setup! Han Zhang set us up!"

"Han Zhang, it's you! You faked evidence to destroy loyal officials just to grab power! You're the real traitor!"

The three completely lost it, screaming and flailing around in desperate denial.

They never dreamed Han Zhang would get his hands on proof of their illegal salt and grain deals.

Sure, in the Zhao State's official circles, especially out in the borderlands, plenty of local officials did shady deals with neighboring states—nothing new there.

But once it got dragged into the open, especially under the label of "aiding the enemy," it was a crime worthy of having your property seized, your family exiled, and all nine generations wiped out!

At that thought, the three dropped all pretense and made one last desperate play, staring at Han Zhang with eyes about to pop out of their heads as they threatened:

"Han Zhang! If you so much as touch a hair on our heads, aren't you scared of what our backers will do?! Aren't you afraid we'll spill your secret and take you down with us?"

If word got out that Han Zhang had a new salt-making method and never handed it over to the capital, that alone was a treasonous crime. How could he dare do this to them?

But the next second, Han Zhang looked at them all confused and asked: "Hmm? What did you just say? My ears were buzzing just now and I didn't catch that. Could you repeat it?"

"You—ah... ah... ah..."

The three tried to threaten him again, but suddenly felt a sharp ache in their throats—they'd gone mute!

Han Zhang watched them panic and flail in silence, and slowly broke into an innocent smile:

"Since you 'gentlemen' have nothing left to say, and with witnesses and evidence all locked in—solid as iron—this case is closed."

"Guards!"

"At your command!" The fierce constables on both sides answered in unison.

"Strip the convicts Yang Zhiyi and Liu Maocai of their official robes and hats, and throw them into the death cell under strict guard! Seal up their homes, seize their property, and lock up all kin within nine generations—no delays! Once I have submitted the full case report to His Majesty for final judgment, sentencing will follow!"

"Understood!"

The constables on duty that day were mostly Han Zhang's own people, so they obeyed without a second thought, stepping forward to drag away the wide-eyed, struggling Yang Tongpan and his associates.

And with that.

Han Zhang finally turned to Jiang Liu with a gentle look and said: "The full picture of this case is now clear to me. Young lad of the Jiang family, you've been wronged. Go home for now and tend to your wounds—I will see justice done for you and all others."

"Once I have confiscated Yang Tongpan's entire estate, tallied all the embezzled amounts and the roster of wronged citizens, and submitted a memorial to the capital for the Emperor's decree, I will compensate each of you victims according to the law. Does this arrangement suit you?"

"Thank you, Your Honor... thank you for seeking justice for this commoner. I am endlessly grateful."

Jiang Liu wept tears of joy and immediately kowtowed.

The commoners outside the government office saw this outcome and couldn't help but erupt in cheers:

"Lord Qingtian! Truly a Lord Qingtian!"

"Heaven is watching! The fields that were seized from us, the land that was taken away—we can finally get them back! My parents, who have passed on, can finally... finally close their eyes in peace!"

"Thank you, Your Honor! Thank you, Lord Han, for standing up for us common folk and giving us a fighting chance!"

"These heartless corrupt officials, these bloodsuckers who bleed us dry—today they've finally gotten what they deserved! What a relief—"

Cheers, cries, shouts of approval, and curses against the corrupt officials mingled together, turning the square outside the government office into a lively, jubilant scene.

In less than half a day, with the help of Old General Shao leading troops to surround their residences, Vice-Prefect Yang and his associates, along with their affiliated local powerful clans, all had their homes raided and were thrown into prison.

When the news spread, the entire ruling class of Yunyang Prefecture was rocked.

...

Yunyang Prefecture, Su Family Mansion

Upon hearing the news, Lord Su's voice went shrill with shock, staring in disbelief at the steward who'd brought the news:

"What did you say? Say that again—what do you mean, Vice-Prefect Yang, Assistant Prefect Zhou, and Secretary Xu, along with the powerful clans they were allied with, have all had their homes raided by Prefect Han?"

"Y-yes, my lord, they've all... all been cleaned out..."

The steward's legs were shaking so badly they nearly buckled, his voice quivering and stammering as he dropped to his knees with a thud and repeated in a trembling voice:

"Just now, Prefect Han, in the main hall of the government office, before all the people of the entire prefecture, passed judgment on Vice-Prefect Yang, Assistant Prefect Zhou, Secretary Xu, and the others!"

"The charges are... are corruption, abuse of power, seizing farmland, forcing innocent people into slavery, secret dealings with enemy nations, and trafficking salt and grain!"

"What?!"

The purple clay teacup in Lord Su's hand shattered with a sharp crack, scalding tea splashing over his pant leg, but he didn't even feel it. He shot to his feet, his face white as a sheet:

"Secret dealings with enemy nations? Trafficking salt and grain? How dare Han Zhang pin such serious crimes on Vice-Prefect Yang and the others? And dragging so many people into it?"

He glared at the kneeling steward, his eyes wild with shock and panic:

"Are you sure you didn't mishear? Vice-Prefect Yang and the others... were just cleaned out and thrown in jail just like that? They didn't resist? Those powerful clans just rolled over without a fight?"

"There was no resisting it, my lord!..." Su Fu thumped his head against the floor, his face crumpled in misery: "I've heard the news—Prefect Han has pulled out all the stops!"

"He somehow talked Old General Shao, who's stationed here with his troops, into helping, and they surrounded the Yang, Zhou, and Xu residences... and every related household, so tight not even water could leak through!"

"Not just the ringleaders—even the men, women, old folks, and kids of their entire nine clans have been thrown in jail! Not a single one escaped!"

"No, a few quick ones did manage to slip away on the spot... but just as they reached the outskirts, they were cut down by soldiers lying in wait outside, mistaken for bandits."

"How is this possible... Why would Old General Shao stick his nose into local government business?"

Lord Su staggered back two steps, bracing himself against the table to keep from falling, his voice trembling:

"Vice-Prefect Yang and Assistant Prefect Zhou have princes backing them in the capital, and Secretary Xu's connections run deep... What right does Han Zhang, a prefect who just dropped in from nowhere, have to do this?"

"Where does he get the nerve to poke a hole through half the sky of Yunyang Prefecture? Isn't he afraid of angering the capital, afraid of..."

Before Lord Su could finish his words.

"Bad news! My lord! Terrible news!"

Another shrill cry came from outside, and a gatekeeper's servant stumbled in, rolling and crawling:

"My lord! Outside... outside there are soldiers everywhere—they've surrounded our mansion!"

"What? They've surrounded our mansion too?"

Lord Su's face turned deathly pale at the news, his voice shaking:

"The Su family had no part in Vice-Prefect Yang's affairs, and I've never offended that Han fellow—why would he surround my Su mansion too? Is he trying to wipe out all the powerful families of Yunyang Prefecture in one fell swoop?"

Could that Han fellow have been driven mad by their cold-shouldering and exclusion?

Why else would he do something that flips the table like this?

Just as he was trembling with anxiety.

A servant from the Han residence walked in, accompanied by several soldiers, and handed over a red invitation card, saying with a smile:

"Greetings to Lord Su. The day after tomorrow happens to be my young master's hundred-day banquet. My master has sent me to deliver this invitation, hoping Lord Su will honor us with his presence and join us for a cup of wine."

Lord Su's expression stiffened: "..."

A hundred-day banquet? He'd call it a Hongmen banquet more like!

And scenes like this were playing out simultaneously at the remaining powerful families' mansions across Yunyang Prefecture.