Green Mountain-Chapter 703 - 559: Kill One to Warn a Hundred

The power of the Imperial Inspection Office is immense.

Though the position of an Imperial Censor is only of a seventh-rank, they possess the authority to dismiss County Magistrates, execute prisoners, and deploy garrisons. Like the Spy Department, they conduct inspections on behalf of the Emperor, make reports on significant matters, and swiftly resolve minor issues.

In the early years, when the Spy Department and the Jiefan Guard were not as influential as they are now, Emperor Ning used the authority of the Imperial Inspection Office to pit the Qi family against the Liu family, which led to the Liu family's downfall.

During those years, the Liu Family, under the protection of the Empress Dowager, had grown accustomed to acting tyrannically and indulging in luxury, engaging in the selling of official positions and titles, corruption, maintaining private armies, and illicitly minting copper coins. When the Liu family became too complacent, they even failed to conceal evidence of their crimes, making it effortless for the Imperial Inspection Office to gather evidence against them.

Within six years, the Imperial Censor had exiled dozens of the Liu family's branches and executed over a hundred of their followers according to the law.

At that time, the Pure Stream led by the Qi family was in control of the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Inspection Office, and both were at their peak until the Ritual Supervision and the Xu family rose to power.

Chen Ji looked at the Driving Letter in his hand, aware that the other party was well-prepared, and knowing that salt permits were registered items, not freely traded, the opposing party had the legal advantage.

He looked up at Zhou Biao: "Meihua Ferry Crossing is merely a mediator, and the Da Ning Law does not prohibit being a mediator."

Zhou Biao grinned without humor: "Chen Marquis, we are not here to investigate you, just to examine the origin of these entrusted salt permits to see who is privately selling them."

Chen Ji calmly replied, "Investigating the origin of the salt permits? Lord Zhou, I'm afraid you might bring trouble upon yourself."

Zhou Biao answered leisurely, "No need for you to worry, Chen Marquis. We are merely temporarily sealing these salt permits, and if there are no issues, they will be returned."

Chen Ji felt a chill in his heart.

At Meihua Ferry Crossing, twenty percent of the consigned salt permits came from the Inner Court, and the boxes containing these permits moved in and out, which could not escape the eyes of those who looked for it.

Zhou Biao was evidently aware of this, yet he seemed indifferent. He did not intend to truly seize the permits, only delay for a few days.

Chen Ji asked in return, "Is this the idea of Third Miss Qi?"

Zhou Biao chuckled, "What is Chen Marquis speaking of? How could I not understand? Our work at the Imperial Inspection Office is according to laws and regulations, unrelated to any private persons…Men, seal the salt permits, ledgers, and Silver Coin at Meihua Ferry Crossing together."

After saying this, he instructed the Imperial Censor under his command, "Remember, seal every box properly and record it. If these salt permits prove legitimate, they will be returned intact, not one salt permit, one tael of silver, or one account book missing."

The Imperial Censor bowed and said, "Yes."

The next moment, the Imperial Censors, leading the Five Cities Military Department, all swarmed in like a raid. Brother Pao wanted to intervene, but Chen Ji shook his head. Since they came with a Driving Letter, they could not be stopped by mere anger, not even the nobles could do so.

Amid the chaos, Xiao Man and the little monk arrived, and Xiao Man approached bewildered, "My lord, what is happening?"

Chen Ji turned to look, Wu Yun crouched atop Xiao Man's head, while Xiao Man held the Whale Blade in his arms, and he curiously asked, "Why even bring the Whale Blade?"

Xiao Man explained, "You called for me urgently, so I thought there might be something major, possibly requiring some...slicing, so I brought it along."

Chen Ji took the Whale Blade in his hand, watching the infantry from the Military Department come and go before him. He pushed the blade partially out with his thumb, then sheathed it again. Pushed it out again, then sheathed it again.

While pondering, Yang Zhong came up to Chen Ji: "Mr. Chen, may I have a word?"

Chen Ji calmly said, "Speak here."

"Very well." Yang Zhong clasped his hands within his official robe and frankly said, "Third Miss Qi asked me to bring you a message. If you publicly sever ties with Second Miss Zhang, making her lose hope, Third Miss Qi will help you bring back Princess Bai Li... However, Princess Bai Li cannot stay in the Imperial Capital; she must move south to Jinling, and she can never return to the capital."

With a clang.

Chen Ji's thumb pushed open the blade again, the sound startling Yang Zhong to take a small step back: "Mr. Chen, I am an Imperial Censor of the Imperial Inspection Office. Using private punishment on me is a capital offense; even with your title, no one can protect you."

Yang Zhong watched as the gleaming blade of the Whale Blade slowly retracted into its sheath, then relaxed: "Mr. Chen, this Imperial Capital is not a place for brandishing swords. Currently, the Chen family won't support you, and Meihua Ferry Crossing is under investigation, leaving you with only Third Miss Qi to rely on. Although you had let her down before, she is willing to bury past grievances and help you this time. The silver you cannot produce, she possesses."

Yang Zhong assessed Chen Ji's expression, seeing his calm demeanor, gradually growing bolder: "Mr. Chen, you must understand that many in the Imperial Capital covet Princess Bai Li. Should you refuse Third Miss Qi, I don't mind acquiring Princess Bai Li myself. There's also the Second Young Master of Vice Minister Li of the Ministry of Industry, the son of Assistant Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Revenue, the son of the Qian Family from the Eight Great Merchants, and the youngest child of the former president of the Jin Shang Chamber of Commerce..."

"And not just them. The second master from Duke Cheng Mansion expressed his interest in 'inviting' the princess to his mansion to teach his daughter to play the zither; Minister Feng of the Honglu Temple, whose family has past grievances with Prince Jing, now desires to 'look after the daughter of an old acquaintance'; and then there's Yuan Wang, spreading the word that the Yuan Family of Ru Nan doesn't lack silver. If Mr. Chen is willing to concede to Third Miss Qi, she can have Lord Qi, the Left Imperial Censor, speak up, intimidating others to back off. If Lord Qi isn't sufficient, Official Qi can also intervene."

Yang Zhong ceased speaking, and Chen Ji remained silent. Only the infantry of the Five Cities Military Department continued searching the building, turning Meirui Building into chaos.

Chen Ji suddenly spoke: "Mr. Yang."

Yang Zhong was puzzled: "Hmm?" 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Chen Ji rubbed the hilt of his knife with his thumb: "Actually, it hasn't been easy for me to come this far. For the sake of six golden melon seeds and a dying entrustment, I've risked my life to wait until today. Xiao Man doesn't understand, Brother Pao doesn't understand, the soldiers at Chongli Pass don't understand, the Three Mountains Association doesn't understand, and the common folk won't understand either, but it doesn't matter. As long as I can bear the consequences myself, nothing else matters."

Yang Zhong was taken aback: "What are you going to do?"

Chen Ji pushed the knife's back open and shut with his thumb, then open and shut again.

In the next moment, Chen Ji struck Yang Zhong in the abdomen with the hilt, causing Yang Zhong to bend over like a shrimp, his face turning red and purple, unable to speak due to the pain.

Zhou Biao pointed angrily at Chen Ji from a distance: "Chen Ji, assaulting an Imperial Inspection Office censor in public, do you know your crime?"

But Chen Ji ignored him, dragging Yang Zhong by the collar and walking outside: "Brother Pao, get me a hemp rope and bring a horse."

Brother Pao agreed and turned to leave.

Chen Ji dragged Yang Zhong out of Meirui Building. Zhou Biao followed behind him, angrily rebuking: "Chen Ji, assaulting a court official in broad daylight, don't think that just because you've become a Viscount, the Imperial Inspection Office can't touch you. Soon, I'll enter the palace to denounce you to His Majesty, and he'll surely strip you of your title and exile you to Lingnan."

At this moment, Brother Pao brought a horse and tossed a bundle of hemp rope to Chen Ji.

Chen Ji bent down to tie the hemp rope to Yang Zhong's legs. Zhou Biao's face changed: "Chen Ji, are you asking for death? Dragging an imperial censor is a crime punishable by dismemberment!"

Chen Ji sat on the horse, placing the Whale Blade horizontally on the saddle, looking down at Zhou Biao with a sidelong glance: "Try me."

Zhou Biao was furious: "Are you really going to ignore your future?"

Chen Ji's face was as calm as a still lake: "Go back and tell Third Miss Qi, and tell everyone else, that seven days from now anyone who wants to go to the Imperial Music Bureau can come and try."

Inside Meirui Building, Xiao Man was so anxious that she was pulling on her sleeves. She turned to look at the little monk, pinched his waist hard, and urged in a low voice: "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, the young master is going crazy..."

The little monk, however, ignored Xiao Man, merely lowering his eyelids and quietly reciting sutras: "I vow, from this day forth, before the image of the Pure Lotus-Eyed Tathagata, to rescue all the sinful and suffering beings in all existent worlds, hells, and the three evil paths for billions of eons, and to save them from the hells, the evil paths, and the realm of hungry ghosts. Only when all beings who suffer such karma have become Buddhas will I then attain enlightenment... Hell is not empty, I shall not become a Buddha. Only when all beings have been saved will I attain Bodhi."

Xiao Man was beside herself with anxiety: "What sutra are you reciting at this time? What did we discuss before we came? Hurry up, I'll cook whatever you want to eat when we get back."

As soon as the words fell, the little monk opened his eyes and walked out of Meirui Building with big steps, and whispered a few words beside Chen Ji.

Chen Ji looked at the little monk unexpectedly, the little monk pressed his palms together: "Amitabha."

Chen Ji smiled: "Thank you very much."

The onlookers couldn't understand what kind of riddle they were speaking and hadn't reacted yet when they saw Chen Ji spurring his horse to leave.

Lin Yanchu, leading the Five Cities Military Department, stopped the horse and quietly advised: "Sir, it's not too late to put down Mr. Yang now."

Chen Ji said calmly: "Step aside."

Lin Yanchu pondered for a moment and finally led the soldiers to step back.

Chen Ji spurred his horse out the door, really dragging the seventh-rank imperial censor Yang Zhong away.

He passed through the bustling streets, causing passersby to stop and watch. They saw a young man in a red official robe pulling an imperial censor in a blue robe with astonishment.

As the horse trotted along the long street, Yang Zhong was like a rag doll, dragged by the hemp rope, rolling and bumping on the cobblestone road, initially crying out in pain, then turning into near-death whimpers.

The blue robe with a seventh-rank Xiezhi patch on Yang Zhong's body was soon torn to pieces, revealing the bloody flesh underneath. Leaving a long bloodstain behind.

At the back door of Meirui Building, Zhou Biao shouted in exasperation and fury: "Chen Ji, you're doomed. His Majesty won't spare you, the entire court won't spare you, and the Da Ning Law won't spare you!"

Inside Meirui Building, Brother Pao looked at the mess all over the floor, smiling as he took down the cigarette holder from his waist and slowly lit it.

Xiao Man, almost going crazy, stomped her feet: "Brother Pao, at a time like this, you're still smoking? Think quickly about what to do."

Brother Pao laughed heartily: "What else can we do? Idle is as idle does. For the next seven days, it's not us who should think about what to do, it's those who Mr. Yang just named that should think about what to do."