Chapter 138: Chapter 137 Jinling City 9
Aunt Mei’s eyebrows lifted ever so slightly, her red lips pursed a little.
"Hmph! My Lord, you only know how to tease me. What is Madam’s status, and what is mine? How could I possibly compare to Madam!"
Reverse psychology?
Prefectural Magistrate Hou knew it was reverse psychology, but he couldn’t help but be amused nonetheless.
"Mei’er, no need to worry. I will surely let you see that day!"
Aunt Mei extended a finger as white as a scallion and tapped him on the forehead.
"Alright, you shameless old thing, get up now..."
While they were speaking, a rapid knocking suddenly came from outside.
"Lord! It’s terrible! The Inspector General from the Capital City is here, waiting for you in the Yamen! Please go quickly!"
Upon hearing this, Prefectural Magistrate Hou completely panicked.
"What... What? The Inspector General from the Capital City?"
Aunt Mei quickly said, "He’s here, he’s here..."
Saying this, she ordered a young Maid to fetch Prefectural Magistrate Hou’s official robes from the front courtyard and called for water to be brought for washing his face.
After a bit of tidying up, Prefectural Magistrate Hou left the residence.
「...」
It turned out that the Inspector General who came from the Capital City was none other than Chen Juzheng, entrusted with a secret imperial mandate.
The mandate was to thoroughly investigate all evidence of Prefectural Magistrate Hou’s crimes and to punish him severely.
Conviction depended on evidence.
Under the laws of Great Chu, no one could be deemed guilty just because someone said so—not even the Emperor.
These were the ancestral rules and the proper way of conducting affairs.
If even the Emperor did not act by the rules, how could you expect his subjects to do so?
Zhao Junyao had always acted honorably, disliking such sordid affairs. Relying on violence to kill, on power to pressure? Unexplained deaths? Out of the question! If I want you dead, I will naturally make you die understandingly and without complaint. Since you are a corrupt official, your ’glorious deeds’ will be thoroughly investigated by me. Then, I will announce them to the entire world and ensure you are reviled for millennia. Let your descendants be unable to hold their heads high in society. Let your neighbors, your friends, and your family be too ashamed to speak of you.
Only when this point was reached did Zhao Junyao feel satisfied.
After witnessing this, Xia Ruqing could not help but sigh.
"The Emperor is so devious! His methods are truly ruthless!"
She genuinely sympathized with those treacherous officials targeted by the Emperor. This is comparable to the eighteenth level of hell; it’s simply eternal damnation!
「Ahem, but back to the story.」
Prefectural Magistrate Hou arrived at the Yamen and immediately saw the Inspector General, clad in official robes.
Chen Juzheng glanced at Prefectural Magistrate Hou, who had rushed over, panting.
He let out a cold laugh, took a seat where Prefectural Magistrate Hou usually sat, and slammed down the Gavel. Prefectural Magistrate Hou’s legs trembled uncontrollably.
"Y-your... Your Excellency, the Inspector General... I had no knowledge of your arrival, a-a failure on my part to welcome you... I hope... hope you can forgive me!"
Chen Juzheng, looking at the groveling Prefectural Magistrate Hou below him, smirked coldly.
"Magistrate Hou, such fine decorum! It’s well past sunrise, and you’ve yet to arrive at the Yamen for roll call!"
Prefectural Magistrate Hou, already nervous, became so frightened that his knees buckled, and he knelt down.
Thoughts raced through his mind.
"Your Excellency, the Inspector General... This isn’t my usual practice. Today... there is indeed a reason!"
Chen Juzheng coughed lightly, then asked, feigning ignorance, "Then tell me, what is this reason?!"
Prefectural Magistrate Hou kowtowed and then recounted the entire sequence of events.
At the end, he pleaded, "My child is young and undisciplined. It is my failure in his upbringing. Even if he has been unruly, he did not deserve this end! Inspector General, I have worked diligently in Jiangning Prefecture. Throughout my many years as an official, if I haven’t achieved great merit, at least I’ve endured hardships. Inspector General, you must seek justice for me!"
Magistrate Hou wept bitterly. Disregarding everything else, his priority was to get through this immediate crisis.
Governor Chen, of course, knew what was going on and stopped him immediately.
"Stop!"
After saying that, he waved his hand and continued with a cold laugh, "Yet, how is it that I’ve heard... in this Jinling City, you indulge in all manner of vices—eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling? I suppose... your son is hardly any better!"
With that, another strike of the Gavel, and Magistrate Hou was once again scared out of his wits!
He bowed his head, his eyes darting about.
The common people of Jinling City wouldn’t dare to speak ill of me after so many years under my ’governance’! he thought. Therefore, this Inspector General must be trying to trick me. As long as I stubbornly deny everything, I’ll definitely be fine.
So, he began to weep again!
"Your Excellency, I... I haven’t! Please, Inspector General, investigate clearly!"
"My son was beaten, and I simply... simply cannot bear such agony. I hope Your Excellency can be lenient!"
Having finished speaking, the fat, robust figure knelt there, sobbing, snot and tears streaming down his face.
His crying was so intense that snot bubbles formed.
Chen Juzheng watched, feeling utterly disgusted, and waved his hand dismissively.
"Enough! Seeing you like this, it’s not proper for me to trouble you further!"
Having said so, he stood up, then looked around and spoke with profound meaning, "Today is my first visit to this place, and I’m... unfamiliar with the local environment. I wonder... which inn would be suitable?"
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Hou saw an opportunity to curry favor.
He quickly responded, "Your Excellency speaks too formally! You’ve traveled a great distance to come here; how could I possibly allow you to stay at an inn? That would be a joke!"
While speaking, he probed tentatively, "I also have a separate courtyard. It’s an old residence left by my father years ago. It has been vacant for many years, which is quite a pity. If Your Excellency doesn’t mind, how about... you stay there?"
This was exactly what Chen Juzheng wanted to hear, so he smiled and said, "Well then, since you’ve offered, I won’t be polite!"
After speaking, the two exchanged knowing smiles.
The cold sweat on Magistrate Hou’s forehead finally diminished considerably, and his racing heart began to calm.
Hah! he thought. All that tension, and it turns out he’s one of us—someone who understands how things work. If he’s susceptible to this, then it’s manageable. I’ll lure him into a trap first. If everything goes smoothly, then there’s no issue. But if that Inspector General tries to cause trouble for me, he won’t get far. He won’t even leave here alive! I have the means to ensure he arrives with his life but departs without it! Hmph!
「...」
That very day, Chen Juzheng went to the separate courtyard arranged by Magistrate Hou.
Although it was somewhat dilapidated, in his view, it was still habitable.
Magistrate Hou, with a servile grin, expressed some embarrassment.
"Please don’t mind its condition, Your Excellency. Although I have been an official for many years... with such a large family to feed, I truly haven’t been able to save much money. So... I haven’t prepared much. Your Excellency won’t mind, will you?"
Chen Juzheng appropriately showed a hint of dissatisfaction but still ’reluctantly’ waved his hand.
"It’s alright. It’s much better than an inn with people constantly coming and going!"
After speaking, he went inside.
Magistrate Hou revealed a smug smile.
Doesn’t mind? Hmph! This Governor Chen puts on a convincing act of being incorruptible. Fine, I’ll play along. I can’t be the first to reveal my hand, can I? I’ll wait until he can no longer keep up the pretense and shows his true colors. That will be my chance to cater to his desires. No rush, take it slow!