Chapter 223: Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings Can Be Used Like This?! Seeking Monthly Tickets
Inside the main hall, a dead silence reigned.
Commander Wang looked at the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings in Zhang Biao’s hand, the muscles in his face twitching as if he had seen the most incomprehensible thing in the world.
He struggled for a long time before squeezing out a sentence from between his teeth:
“Censor Zhang… Censor Zhang, are you… are you toying with this subordinate? These Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings… what do you need them for?”
“What for?”
Zhang Biao raised an eyebrow, then picked up the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings, holding it like an Imperial Sword, and stepped up to Commander Wang. The spine of the book was almost pressed against his nose, and his voice boomed like a great bell, echoing throughout the hall:
“Commander Wang! And all you soldiers! Listen clearly to this official!”
“Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings – First Chapter! The Ancestor Emperor’s Ming Decree: ‘All my descendants, who obey my command, shall not act cleverly and disrupt my established laws. Not a single character may be altered!'”
“Imperial Ancestral Teachings – Law Chapter! The Ancestor Emperor’s Ruling: ‘Those who in future generations speak of changing the ancestral system shall be considered treacherous officials and subjected to severe punishment!'”
With every sentence he recited, he stepped forward. Commander Wang, intimidated by his imposing presence, could only retreat. The flesh on his face trembled.
“The Emperor established the Anti-corruption Bureau to purify governance and consolidate the foundation of the state. This precisely follows the Ancestor Emperor’s sacred intention of ‘governing officials with severe penalties, punishing corruption, and pacifying the people’! It is the core essence of practicing the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings!”
“You, a mere Garrison Commander, dare to speak wildly, using supposed Ministry of War regulations and Military Commission procedures to resist this official practicing the Imperial Ancestral Teachings?! To obstruct the fundamental law of governing the state established by the founding Emperor?!”
With that, Zhang Biao slammed the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings in his hand forcefully onto Commander Wang’s stiff chest, making a crisp ‘crack’ sound.
Song Zhong and several Imperial Guards beside them could only stare, their eyelids twitching wildly.
Even Old Sun, Old Qian, and their subordinates were stunned by Zhang Biao’s actions.
They seemed to have never imagined that the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings could be used in such a way.
After all, the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings were the ‘ancestral laws’ that Old Zhu had established for the Zhu Ming imperial family and subsequent emperors.
In their understanding, the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings had nothing to do with them.
Let alone using the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings to conduct official business.
However, Zhang Biao’s actions seemed to have refreshed their minds.
More strange knowledge had been acquired.
Then, Zhang Biao struck while the iron was hot, speaking forcefully:
“Commander Wang! I ask you! Are the Ancestor Emperor’s Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings greater, or are your Ministry of War and Five Military Commissions regulations greater?!”
“Ah? This…”
Commander Wang felt his brain was not enough. He thought, how can these be compared?!
If he was asked to wield a saber and fight, he would not hesitate. But when it came to using his brain, how could he possibly outwit a civil official like Zhang Biao?!
So, he stammered for a long time and couldn’t even let out a fart.
Zhang Biao, however, did not intend for him to answer. He continued on his own:
“You obstruct anti-corruption efforts, which means you obstruct this official from obeying the Imperial Ancestral Teachings! It means you are resisting the laws established by the Ancestor Emperor!”
“Are you trying to say that the Ancestor Emperor’s words don’t hold sway in your Jiujiang Guard?! Are you trying to ‘change the ancestral system’?! Are you trying to be the ‘treacherous official’ who deserves ‘severe punishment’?!”
Rumble!
These grand accusations were pressed down, like Mount Tai bearing down!
What are the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings?
According to Zhang Biao’s line of thought, they were not only the ‘ancestral laws’ personally established by Zhu Yuanzhang but also the supreme guiding ideology of the Great Ming Dynasty!
Ministry of War regulations and Military Commission rules were all inferior to it!
Commander Wang and his group of soldier ruffians were good at being aggressive and ruthless, but they had never encountered such a situation.
If you talked to them about laws, they could act shamelessly!
But Zhang Biao directly brought out Old Zhu’s ‘ancestral laws’ and elevated the issue to the political height of ‘resisting the Ancestor Emperor’!
Who could withstand this?
Commander Wang’s face turned ashen, and cold sweat immediately broke out.
He felt that if he dared to say another ‘no,’ he would be labeled a ‘rebel’ the next moment.
There would be no need for trial; dragging him out and beheading him would be perfectly reasonable.
“I… I dare not! This subordinate dares not!”
Commander Wang’s legs went weak, and he almost knelt before Zhang Biao. His voice even carried a crying tone.
The toughness he had just displayed seemed to have vanished in an instant.
To resist the ‘supreme directive’ left by the founding emperor for his descendants? This political hat, once placed, could not be borne not only by a mere commander but even by a Duke or Prince!
However, besides pinning a hat on Commander Wang, Zhang Biao did not let his subordinates off the hook.
He picked up the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings, flipped through a few more pages, then looked at Commander Wang’s subordinates as if reading an eulogy:
“Imperial Ancestral Teachings Record – Military and Garrison Chapter states: ‘All officers and soldiers of the garrisons throughout the empire must diligently perform their duties, care for the military households, strictly enforce the laws, and must not bully the weak or embezzle military property.'”
After reciting, he raised his head and looked intently at Commander Wang’s subordinates:
“You soldiers, haven’t you heard of the Anti-corruption Bureau? Haven’t you been lecturing me on rules? The Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings clearly state it in black and white!”
“Your Jiujiang Guard forcibly recruits able-bodied men and frames innocent citizens. Does this not count as ‘bullying the weak’?”
“Your ledgers are so clean they can reflect a mirror, but how much filth is hidden beneath them? Does this not count as ’embezzling military property’?”
“I, holding the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings, am investigating whether your Jiujiang Guard is diligently performing its duties according to the Ancestor Emperor’s teachings. Is there anything improper?”
“Does your Jiujiang Guard no longer obey the Ancestor Emperor’s teachings?!”
“Are you planning to rebel?!”
Swish!
As the words fell, the faces of Commander Wang’s subordinates changed drastically, and they were terrified to their souls.
They all knelt down with a thud, crying out in injustice:
“We dare not! Your Excellency, please see reason, we dare not rebel!”
“Lord Zhang! We are, of course, loyal and devoted to the Ancestor Emperor and the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings, keeping them in our hearts…”
“Yes, Censor Zhang! Grandpa Zhang, please let us go.”
They spoke incoherently, cold sweat streaming down their faces.
“Let you go? That depends on whether you understand the rules!”
“We do, we do! We understand the rules the best!”
“That’s good!”
Zhang Biao closed the book and pressed forward:
“Since you all understand the rules, then act according to the Imperial Ancestral Teachings! Guards!”
Old Sun, Old Qian, and the others immediately stepped forward, their voices booming: “Here!”
“Hold this Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings!”
Zhang Biao held the book high, as if holding an Imperial Sword: “Follow me to the garrison’s storeroom to verify the actual count of military equipment and grain provisions, to see if they match the ledgers, and to see if there is any violation of the Ancestor Emperor’s teaching of ‘strict laws’!”
“Yes!”
Old Sun and the others responded with a thunderous roar, their spirits soaring.
“Wait! Lord Zhang! You mustn’t!”
Commander Wang was almost in tears. He rushed forward to stop them but was blocked by Zhang Biao with the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings.
“Commander Wang, are you going to obstruct this official from following the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings?”
Zhang Biao narrowed his eyes dangerously: “Or do you have disloyal intentions and wish to rebel?”
“No, no, no!”
Commander Wang was so scared he almost urinated himself. He quickly shook his head and explained: “This subordinate is loyal to the Great Ming and will pledge his life to the Emperor. We would never dare to disobey… disobey these Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings.”
“If that is the case, why are you obstructing me?”
“Your Excellency, it is not that this subordinate is obstructing you, but rather that this, this storeroom is a sensitive area and requires… requires a key to open!”
Zhang Biao frowned: “Then hurry and get the key.”
“Reporting to Your Excellency…”
Commander Wang, thinking quickly, came up with a delaying tactic: “The key is with… with the Battalion Commander in charge of the storeroom. He took leave today!”
“Took leave?”
Zhang Biao sneered inwardly, then nodded as if enlightened:
“Oh, he took leave… I understand, I understand. Who doesn’t get a headache or a fever sometimes.”
Commander Wang just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Zhang Biao turn to Old Sun and say:
“Old Sun, I recall that in your military days, besides being literate, you also learned how to pick locks from an old artisan for a few days?”
Old Sun was taken aback. Looking at Zhang Biao’s meaningful gaze, he immediately understood. He puffed out his chest and said with a hint of pride:
“Reporting to Your Excellency! It’s not that I’m bragging, but back in the Northern Desert, when the lock on the supply cart broke, it was me who opened it with a piece of wire!”
“The lock on this garrison storeroom, I imagine… is just a little bit easier to open than a lock from the Northern Desert barbarians!”
Commander Wang: “!!!”
Song Zhong and several Imperial Guards watched from the side, their scalps tingling and their mouths twitching.
They were completely won over by Zhang Biao’s reckless bravado.
Using the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings as an Imperial Sword to silence a group of soldier ruffians, this was truly… a stroke of genius!
One wondered what the Emperor would think and how he would react upon hearing this.
“See, the problem is solved!”
Zhang Biao spread his hands and smiled at the ashen-faced Commander Wang:
“Commander Wang, don’t worry, we’ll just take a look and count. We promise not to break your lock. We’ll restore it to its original state after we’re done. Old Sun has good skills!”
After speaking, he no longer paid attention to the petrified Commander Wang and waved his hand:
“Let’s go! Target: Storeroom! Let’s see if the brilliance of the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings can illuminate every corner of this Jiujiang Guard!”
With these words, they set off in a mighty procession, ‘led’ by the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings, heading straight for the storeroom.
Seeing this, Commander Wang looked as if his soul had been extracted. He suddenly collapsed to the ground.
“Boss!”
Two subordinates immediately stepped forward to help him up.
He struggled to push away his subordinates and staggered after Zhang Biao and the others, muttering unconsciously:
“Madness… it’s truly madness… using the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings as a procedure…”
Not long after, they arrived at the Jiujiang Guard’s storeroom. The massive storeroom door was indeed tightly locked with a bronze lock.
“Old Sun, go!” Zhang Biao commanded.
“Yes!”
Old Sun responded and, under everyone’s gaze, took a thin piece of wire from his inside and fiddled with the lock for a few moments, feigning effort.
With a light ‘click.’
The result was… the lock didn’t open?
“Uh…”
Old Sun showed a troubled expression: “Your Excellency… it’s a bit tight…”
Zhang Biao impatiently waved his hand: “If it’s tight, use more force! The Ancestor Emperor is watching you!”
Old Sun suddenly realized and immediately ‘borrowed’ a Xiuchun Saber from a nearby Imperial Guard’s waist. He used the sheath to smash the lock head forcefully.
Clang!
The lock head fell off in response.
Zhang Biao glanced appreciatively at Old Sun, then turned and bowed respectfully to the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings, muttering:
“Ancestor Emperor is wise! See, it’s open now, isn’t it? It shows your teachings have infinite power!”
Everyone: (⊙⊙)?!
Commander Wang looked at the violently broken lock and then at Zhang Biao’s ‘prayer,’ finally breaking down completely. He sat on the ground, his eyes vacant, and began to question life itself.
Creak!
The storeroom door was forcefully opened, and Zhang Biao immediately led his men inside.
Dust danced in the slanted beams of light.
Unlike the ‘cleanliness’ of the yamen outside, the air here was a mixture of rust, stale grain, and mildew.
“Old Qian, take two men to count the military equipment!”
“Old Sun, take two men to verify the grain and provisions!”
“Everyone else, split up and examine all the original invoices and inventory records in the storeroom. Don’t miss a single one!”
Zhang Biao issued orders consecutively, his voice echoing in the vast storeroom.
Old Sun, with two men, went directly to the wooden box containing the original invoices for grain and provision receipts.
One of his subordinates casually picked up a few invoices and quickly flipped through them, his brow furrowing deeper.
“Your Excellency!”
One of Old Sun’s subordinates, holding a few invoices, walked over:
“Look, this is the approval document and receipt record from last autumn after the harvest, where the garrison applied for ‘rebellion loss’ subsidy grain from the court. It was a total of five thousand shi.”
After speaking, he took out another stack of crumpled small notes, clearly the private records of the warehouse keeper:
“This is the secret ledger secretly kept by the old warehouse clerk. The actual amount stored was only three thousand shi. The difference of two thousand shi was directly recorded as ‘transportation loss’ and ‘rodent and bird consumption’ on the official ledger.”
Zhang Biao took the stack of private ledgers and sneered:
“What a ‘rodent and bird consumption’! The mice in this Jiujiang must have become spirits to eat two thousand shi of grain at one meal?”
Commander Wang, slumped on the ground, weakly argued: “Grain Transport… the Grain Transport route is long, so losses are large…”
“Nonsense!”
Old Sun, with his one eye, glared:
“From the Grain Transport dock to your Jiujiang Guard, it’s all downstream by water. Where do two thousand shi of losses come from? Your losses are higher than fighting on the front lines!”
“Do you really think I haven’t fought in battles!”
Although Old Sun and Old Qian didn’t understand accounting, they understood basic common sense.
Especially concerning the military and grain transport, they had been through many years of fighting and roaming around Yingtian Prefecture. Even if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they had heard a lot.
Meanwhile, Old Qian, with two men, was counting the military equipment stored in the storeroom.
“Standard sabers, ledger records one thousand two hundred, actual count… nine hundred, deficit of three hundred!”
A subordinate announced loudly:
“Bows and crossbows, ledger records five hundred, actual count three hundred and twenty, deficit of one hundred and eighty!”
“Armor, ledger records eight hundred sets, actual count… five hundred sets, deficit of three hundred!”
The more Old Qian listened, the more grim his expression became. He walked to a pile of items covered with oiled cloth, lifted it, and saw rusty spears, some even with broken spearheads, clearly scrap material used to make up the numbers.
“Commander Wang, is this the ‘undamaged’ military equipment on your ledger?”
Old Qian picked up a spear that was so rusty it was about to fall apart, and his tone was icy: “Is this the kind of weapon for our brothers to fight with?! You’re not valuing the lives of our brothers!”
Commander Wang’s face was ashen, his lips trembling, unable to speak.
Zhang Biao sneered but did not settle the score with him immediately. He picked up the Military Household Register and the troop roster himself.
He flipped to the most recent ‘replenishment’ record, his sharp gaze sweeping over the names one by one.
“Wu Dagen… Li Laoshuan…”
He read the names of the relatives of the common people who had complained outside, and indeed found them on the roster, marked as ‘already enlisted in the army.’
But when he asked his subordinates to call out names according to the roster, they discovered that at least a hundred names corresponded to people who simply did not exist.
Either they were households like Wu Dagen who were forcibly recruited and had already been deregistered, or they were complete ‘ghosts.’
“To be ‘eating empty salaries’ to this extent, Commander Wang, you have a big appetite.”
Zhang Biao closed the roster, his voice betraying no emotion.
Just as the audit was about to conclude with the discovery of massive corruption, a subordinate of Old Qian brought news of a new discovery.
“Your Excellency! Look at this!”
In a broken wooden box in the southwest corner, Old Qian’s subordinate found an account book without a cover, made of rough paper, which seemed to record some irregular material allocations.
Zhang Biao quickly walked over, took the ledger, and flipped through it.
It contained records in scribbled handwriting of some scattered material inflows and outflows, spanning a long period and involving bowstrings, arrowheads, gunpowder, and even standard sabers.
One entry caught Zhang Biao’s attention:
【 Hongwu 24th year, third month, seventh day. Based on the ‘Beast Token’ seal, 150 standard sabers and 30 crossbows were taken out, handed over to a man with a scar on his face for transport. No official approval, recorded in hidden accounts.】
“Beast Token? Scar-faced man?!”
Zhang Biao’s heart leaped.
This description was strikingly similar to the ‘scar-faced man’ that Old Zhou and the others had seen at Shuiximen Dock!
He quickly flipped forward and found several similar entries:
【 Hongwu 23rd year, winter, eleventh month, ninth day. Based on the ‘Beast Token,’ 300 jin of fine iron and 50 jin of saltpeter were taken out.】
【 Hongwu 25th year, summer, fifth month, twenty-first day. Based on the ‘Beast Token,’ 】
These records were intermittent but pointed clearly.
Someone, holding a mysterious ‘Beast Token’ as a token, had been taking military equipment and supplies from Jiujiang Guard, a place that was neither a frontline nor an important military town, in small quantities over a long period.
Furthermore, the recipient was repeatedly referred to as ‘scar-faced man.’
“Commander Wang!”
Zhang Biao held up the hidden ledger and walked to the collapsed Commander Wang, his voice like ice:
“What is this ‘Beast Token’? Who is this ‘scar-faced man’? Where did you transport these military equipment and supplies? For what purpose?!”
Commander Wang saw the hidden ledger as if he had seen a ghost, and his body trembled violently:
“I… I don’t know… this subordinate doesn’t know!”
“These were all… all instructed from above… pick up goods with the token, no questions asked about the destination… this subordinate was just following orders…”
“From above? Which above?!” Zhang Biao pressed.
Commander Wang’s eyes flickered with terror, as if touching upon a great fear. He kowtowed violently:
“Censor Zhang! This subordinate truly doesn’t know!”
“I only know that the people holding the ‘Beast Token’ are not to be offended! The goods transported out, most likely… most likely went onto the grain transport ships…”
Zhang Biao exchanged glances with Old Sun and Old Qian, seeing the shock in each other’s eyes.
They had originally intended to seek justice for Old Zhou’s nephew and Old Li’s village, but unexpectedly, in the seemingly insignificant Jiujiang Guard, they had uncovered a clue of ‘raising bandits for self-importance.’
And it was even related to the grain transport corruption case.
Good heavens!
Truly, good heavens!
“Song Zhong!”
Zhang Biao suddenly shouted.
Song Zhong jolted and quickly stepped forward: “This subordinate is here!”
Zhang Biao looked at Song Zhong with a solemn expression, speaking calmly and indifferently:
“Investigator Song, you must have seen it too? The Jiujiang Guard’s deficit in military equipment and falsified accounts are already serious crimes!”
“What’s even more shocking is that military supplies are flowing to unknown places through the garrison channels!”
“This case is no longer just corruption; it potentially involves treason, aiding bandits, and raising bandits for self-importance – a major case!”
Song Zhong’s face was extremely solemn. He had witnessed the discovery of the evidence firsthand and could not refute it.
He said gravely: “This matter… is of great importance and must be reported to the Emperor immediately!”
“Naturally!”
Zhang Biao’s gaze swept over the mountains of evidence piled in the storeroom, his voice resolute:
“But a single Jiujiang Guard is likely just the tip of the iceberg! I suspect that similar situations are not isolated cases in garrisons across the country!”
“Does Your Excellency need me to notify the Imperial Guard for assistance?”
“No!”
Zhang Biao directly refused Song Zhong’s suggestion, then took out the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings from his inside with a smile:
“As the saying goes, ‘I do it for everyone, and everyone does it for me.’ Since this official is seeking justice for the people and has uncovered a shocking case!”
“Naturally, it must be reported back to the people!”
After saying this, he turned to Old Qian and Old Sun and said resolutely:
“Old Qian, Old Sun, I command you to distribute the hundreds of copies of the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings from my carriage to those with aspirations!”
“For example, Wu Dagen, Li Laoshuan, and the like. Let them uphold the Imperial Ancestral Teachings and use this case as a model to expand the scope of the audit!”
“Lord Zhang, you cannot!”
Song Zhong was startled by this, but Zhang Biao directly picked up the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings and thrust it at him, coldly saying:
“Investigator Song, do you also wish to obstruct this official from following the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings?! Or do you, Investigator Song, also wish to rebel?!”
“You!”
Song Zhong was silenced by the retort.
Old Sun, Old Qian, and the others were deeply moved.
With Zhang Biao’s actions, they were now legitimately serving the country.
Moreover, Wu Dagen and Li Laoshuan, who had been arrested, could be recalled under the pretext of assisting in official duties.
Then, Zhang Biao continued unequivocally:
“Old Sun, Old Qian! Remember, use these ‘non-standard’ cargo manifests we discovered as a reference, and focus on investigating the garrisons in areas where rebellions have been frequent in recent years! See if there are similar abnormal outflows of military supplies!”
“Yes!”
Old Sun and Old Qian immediately took the order.
“And!”
Zhang Biao added another point:
“Have your men, based on the confessions of Commander Wang and his subordinates, follow the line of people who received the goods with ‘tokens’ and investigate them! Unearth the grasshoppers on this line!”
“As for us…”
Zhang Biao looked at Song Zhong again, a smile he was most familiar with, a mixture of madness and excitement, appearing on his face:
“Investigator Song, it seems our trip to Wuchang will have to be postponed.”
Song Zhong looked at Zhang Biao, who was full of fighting spirit as if he had discovered a new continent, then looked at the case files in his hand recording the evidence. His heart churned.
“This subordinate… will truthfully report what was seen here to the Emperor.”
He had a premonition that the entire military system of the Great Ming would likely be turned upside down by this unconventional madman.
And Zhang Biao, looking at the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings in his hand, which he wielded with masterful skill, wore a meaningful smile.
“Old Zhu, Old Zhu, no wonder the civil official group cherishes the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings. I must say, it is indeed very useful.”
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