Chapter 228: Old Zhu: Zhu Fu! How Dare You Have Such Audacity!! Monthly Ticket Bonus Chapter 30
As dawn broke, Zhang Biao and his entourage arrived dusty outside Raozhou Guard, successfully meeting with Old Qian, Old Sun, and others who had been anxiously waiting there.
The scene before him made Zhang Biao’s pupils constrict.
Inside the crudely constructed temporary shelters, over a dozen men and women, appearing to be common folk, were tending to each other’s wounds.
Some had cuts on their foreheads, others bruises on their arms, and some even had makeshift splints tied to their legs. The air was filled with a faint smell of blood and medicinal herbs.
Several scrolls with blue covers, the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings, were torn to shreds and scattered on the ground, stained with mud and some dark red bloodstains, like trampled beliefs.
“Sir!”
Seeing Zhang Biao, Old Qian rushed forward, his single eye filled with indignation and lingering fear, “You’re finally here! These soldiers, they’re completely unreasonable!”
“We had just taken out the Ancestral Teachings and hadn’t even read two sentences before they rushed out and started beating people, hitting them hard!”
“They didn’t even spare the women and children!” He pointed at the injured civilians, his voice choked with emotion.
“We identified ourselves as being from the Anti-Corruption Bureau, but they acted as if they hadn’t heard a word!”
Old Sun chimed in, his single eye red with anger, “They said that without documents from the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions, they wouldn’t let anyone in, not even the Emperor himself!”
Zhang Biao listened with a blank expression. He bent down, picked up a fragment of the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings from the ground, and rubbed the dirt off it with his finger, his gaze icy.
He didn’t lash out immediately but asked in a low voice:
“From when you were beaten until now, have any strangers entered Raozhou Guard? Or have any particular individuals left?”
Old Qian and Old Sun exchanged glances, thought carefully, and then nodded affirmatively.
“No, sir. Our men have been watching all the entrances and exits. Apart from their own soldiers on routine patrol and guard changes, we haven’t seen any unfamiliar faces go in.”
“The people inside… it seems they didn’t take us seriously at all. Not even a single official came out to speak with us.”
“Oh?”
A cold smile curved Zhang Biao’s lips, “No strangers entered, and no one came out to acknowledge you… Interesting.”
He stood up straight, his sharp gaze sweeping over the towering Raozhou Guard yamen gate and the tightly shut city gates.
The other side had clearly decided to ‘play dead,’ intending to use delaying tactics and violent deterrence to make them retreat or await further instructions.
Ordinary methods, such as reasoning with the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings or forcibly breaking through, would not work here.
The former would be ignored, even met with violent suppression, while the latter would play right into their hands, allowing them to accuse them of assaulting a military stronghold.
Song Zhong whispered,
“Sir, it seems Commander Geng is determined not to see us. Forcing our way in carries too much risk. Why don’t we retreat to a safe distance and await the Emperor’s decree…”
“Wait?”
Zhang Biao scoffed and interrupted him,
“Waiting will only result in them building their walls even higher!”
“Aren’t those people pretending to be foolish and ignoring us, acting as if we don’t exist? Then let’s stir things up a bit, make them ‘see’ us!”
A characteristic smile, a mixture of madness and intelligence, appeared on his face – one that Song Zhong and the old soldiers knew well, sending shivers down their spines.
“Old Qian, Old Sun!”
“Yes!”
“Gather our men, and these injured villagers!”
Zhang Biao waved his hand, pointing to an area on the side of Raozhou Guard, “Follow me! We’re not going to the yamen gate!”
Everyone, though bewildered, followed his command.
Zhang Biao led them, avoiding the heavily guarded main gate, to a relatively flat open space outside the Raozhou Guard city wall, near the water source.
“This is it!”
Zhang Biao stopped, hands on his hips, like a foreman ready to start work.
“Sir, what… what are we doing here?”
Old Qian asked blankly.
Zhang Biao grinned, revealing a row of white teeth that seemed somewhat sinister in the morning light,
“What are we doing? They say Raozhou Guard is large and has many rules, and they won’t let us in? Then right at their doorstep, we’ll ‘help’ them!”
He suddenly raised his voice, shouting to all the villagers and subordinates who had followed him,
“Villagers! Brothers! You’ve all seen it, the military men at Raozhou Guard are putting on airs and can’t be persuaded!”
“But we, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, have received an imperial decree to help our Great Ming clean out vermin and rectify military affairs!”
“They won’t let us in, but we can’t just wait around!”
He pointed to the ground beneath their feet, his voice booming, ensuring that the guards vaguely visible on the city wall could also hear,
“This spot has good feng shui! It’s close to the water and conveniently located! I’ve decided that right here, we’ll first erect the framework for our temporary office of the Raozhou Guard Anti-Corruption Bureau!”
“Old Sun! Take men to find timber and stones, and mark out the foundation for us!”
“Old Qian! Take men to dig earth and build stoves! We have so many people, we can’t neglect food and water!”
“Injured villagers, don’t stand around idly either. If you can move, help pass things. If you can’t, cheer us on from the side!”
“And raise our banner high! Make it visible so that all the brothers at Raozhou Guard can see, the Anti-Corruption Bureau is here to stay!”
This series of commands completely stunned everyone.
They were… building a house at the foot of the garrison’s city wall? Establishing an office?
What kind of operation was this?!
Song Zhong was dumbfounded, almost thinking he had misheard,
“Sir! This is not in accordance with regulations! This area is near a military zone, how can you privately build…”
“Not in accordance with regulations?”
Zhang Biao turned to him and said righteously, “Which article in the Great Proclamation stipulates that one cannot erect a shelter to rest outside a garrison?”
“This is our temporary office, to facilitate ‘official communication’ with the gentlemen of Raozhou Guard!”
“If they don’t open the door, we can’t just stand in the wilderness and catch the wind, can we?”
“But…”
Song Zhong opened his mouth, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Zhang Biao, however, said unequivocally, “There’s no ‘but’!”
With that, he waved his hand,
“Get to it! Everyone, get moving! Today, let’s get the foundation and the stove built! Tomorrow, we’ll start building the walls!”
Although his command was absurd, the old soldiers and villagers under him were already seething with anger. Seeing something to do, and a way to annoy the people of Raozhou Guard, their spirits soared.
“Let’s get to work!”
“Let’s build an office for Sir Zhang!”
“Let those bastards inside see how capable we are!”
Everyone immediately started working with great enthusiasm.
Some chopped trees, others dug earth. Although the tools were simple, with many hands, they made quick work of it. Soon, dust was flying, and the air was filled with shouting.
The banner of the “Great Ming Anti-Corruption Bureau” was also erected high, fluttering in the morning breeze.
The guards on the walls of Raozhou Guard were stunned.
What… what were these people doing? Building a house right under their noses?
They quickly sent someone to report to Commander Geng Zhong.
Inside the Commander’s yamen, Geng Zhong was leisurely sipping tea. He was feeling quite pleased with himself upon hearing from his subordinate that the group from outside had fled after being beaten and hadn’t made a move since.
Upon hearing the new report, he nearly spat out his tea.
“What?! Building a house?!”
Geng Zhong stood up abruptly, thinking he had misheard, “What do they want? Are they planning to settle down in front of my garrison?”
“It… it looks that way…”
“Sir. They’ve also raised the banner of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, saying they’re building some kind of temporary audit office…”
“Bastard things!”
Geng Zhong’s face instantly turned ashen.
He had intended to play dumb and make them retreat, but he never expected them to pull off such a shameless stunt!
This was simply like a toad crawling on one’s foot – not biting, but disgusting!
If he ignored it and let them build their ‘yamen’ outside, what would that make them?
Where would his Raozhou Guard’s reputation stand? If news of this spread, wouldn’t he, Geng Zhong, become a laughingstock of the world?
They would say he was so scared of an investigating censor that he didn’t dare open his door, allowing someone to ‘establish an office’ at his doorstep?!
But if he sent men to drive them away… they were flying the banner of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and they weren’t storming the garrison, just building a house on land they ‘deemed’ suitable. What excuse could he use to drive them away?
Would he have to say that this land was also a military restricted area of Raozhou Guard? Wouldn’t that make him appear even more guilty?!
As Geng Zhong paced back and forth in the hall, caught between a rock and a hard place, the “construction” noise outside grew louder, with faint sounds of chanting even carrying in.
“Damn it! Madman! He’s a complete madman!”
Geng Zhong gritted his teeth, finally understanding the feelings of the officials who had been tormented by Zhang Biao before.
This guy was a madman who didn’t play by the rules.
Continuing to play dead was impossible.
If he continued to pretend, by tomorrow, the other party might actually finish building the walls, putting him in an even more passive position.
“Hoo…”
Geng Zhong let out a long sigh, his face so gloomy it could drip water.
He knew he could no longer hide.
He had to meet this ‘Imperial Envoy,’ whether he wanted to or not.
However, before he went to see Zhang Biao, he asked his personal guard one more thing: “Has the message been delivered to Blue Dragon?”
“Sir, it has been delivered. I believe we will receive a reply soon.”
“Good! Prepare my horse!”
Geng Zhong’s heart settled, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. He said in a deep voice,
“I want to see for myself, what kind of formidable person this Zhang Biao is!”
As the gates of Raozhou Guard slowly opened and Geng Zhong, clad in military attire, rode out with a group of his personal guards, his face ashen, he saw a bizarre scene:
Amidst flying dust, a group of commoners and what looked like ruffians were busily leveling the ground and carrying timber.
And the young man, wearing the official robe of an investigating censor, stood with his hands on his hips, gesturing like a construction site supervisor.
Soon, Zhang Biao spotted Geng Zhong.
A bright, innocent smile immediately appeared on his face, as if he had met an old friend. He cupped his hands in a salute from afar,
“Yo! Isn’t this Commander Geng? We’ve finally managed to get you, the ‘busy man,’ to come out!”
“Look, sir, I thought it inconvenient to communicate with you on official matters, so I specially found a good spot at your doorstep to build a temporary resting place. This way, it will be convenient for us to visit often and get acquainted! You don’t mind, do you?”
Geng Zhong’s face remained cold, and he said nothing.
He slowly rode his horse to the “construction site.”
He didn’t dismount immediately. Instead, he remained on his horse, his sharp, hawk-like eyes, with a hint of indifference and roguishness, appraising Zhang Biao from head to toe.
His build wasn’t particularly imposing, but his muscles were strong. There was a prominent scar on his hand, extending from the inner side of his thumb into his sleeve. Its depth was unknown, but it added a fierce aura.
Furthermore, unlike ordinary military officers, he did not shout at the commoners who were ‘working.’ Instead, his lips curved into a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, with a hint of a soldier’s rogueish demeanor.
“Well, well? I wonder which celestial being is digging up the ground at Old Geng’s doorstep?”
He spoke abruptly. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a rough edge, as if from a battlefield.
“So it’s Censor Zhang from the Capital? What’s the matter, are the yamen in the Capital not enough for you to stir up trouble, so you’ve come to my Raozhou Guard to play house? This place has good feng shui, quite suitable for burying people!”
As soon as he spoke, he exuded an air of defiance.
He neither dismounted to pay his respects nor acknowledged Zhang Biao’s official title. Instead, he used a tone akin to a street thug, immediately bringing up the threat of ‘burying people’ to disrupt the pace from the start and gain psychological advantage.
Zhang Biao mentally cursed him as an ‘old hand’ but maintained his smile, even cupping his hands in a salute.
“Commander Geng, you jest. How would I dare to dig on your territory?”
“It’s truly out of desperation! Your subordinates are hot-headed and had a misunderstanding with these villagers who hold the Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings dear and are devoted to the country. They didn’t hold back their blows.”
He gestured towards the injured villagers cheering nearby and the torn Imperial Ming Ancestral Teachings in their hands, then sighed,
“Look, some are injured, some are disabled, and the Ancestral Teachings are torn… As the Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, I can’t just ignore this upon arriving here, can I? I must give the court and the people an explanation.”
Geng Zhong scoffed, casually pointing his horse whip at the injured civilians and the scraps of paper.
“An explanation? What explanation? A group of ruffians gathered to assault a military stronghold. I haven’t settled accounts with them yet!”
“Tearing the Ancestral Teachings? Who knows who tore them? Is there any evidence? Perhaps it was a group of people with ulterior motives trying to frame my brothers!”
He pushed his ruffian persona to the extreme, then looked intently at Zhang Biao.
“Censor Zhang, you’re new here. Don’t be fooled by these commoners.”
“A garrison is no place for child’s play. Without documents from the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions, let alone building a house here, even standing here for a moment longer could lead to your arrest on charges of espionage and sedition!”
“Oh? Assaulting a military stronghold? Sedition? Commander Geng, these are serious charges!”
Zhang Biao feigned surprise, then became serious.
“Then I must investigate even more thoroughly! Otherwise, if they can assault your Raozhou Guard today, will they be able to assault other garrisons tomorrow? If there’s no one directing them, who would believe that?”
After speaking, he leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice.
“General Geng, I came from Jiujiang Guard, where we uncovered some interesting things.”
“Some military equipment that shouldn’t have been there was taken away with just a ‘Beast Token,’ and it seemed to be related to certain illicit vessels involved in Grain Transport.”
“What do you say, Commander? Could today’s ‘assault on a military stronghold’ also be related to that ‘Beast Token’? Is someone trying to deliberately create chaos to cover up something?”
Boom!
The words ‘Beast Token’ struck Geng Zhong like a venomous needle.
The corner of his eye twitched almost imperceptibly, but the defiant expression on his face remained unchanged. Instead, he sneered,
“Censor Zhang, investigating cases requires evidence, not baseless speculation! What Beast Token, dog token, I’ve never heard of it!”
“Don’t try to pin the mess at Jiujiang Guard onto my Raozhou Guard!”
Although he denied it, Zhang Biao keenly caught the momentary stiffness in his demeanor.
He knew he had hit a nerve.
“Whether it’s a false accusation or not, we’ll know after an investigation.”
Zhang Biao straightened up, his voice regaining its volume.
“Since General Geng claims I am here ‘plotting sedition,’ then to prove my innocence, I must proceed with building this temporary office!”
With that, he pointed at the ‘construction site’ and declared with conviction,
“Right here, in front of you, Commander Geng, and all the officers and soldiers of Raozhou Guard, I will publicly try this conflict, and I will also take this opportunity to ask Commander Geng about some ‘minor issues’ regarding military equipment accounts and personnel adjustments.”
“This way, the court and the Emperor can see whether I, Zhang Biao, am here to cause trouble, or to help our Great Ming army ‘clean house’!”
Geng Zhong stared intently at Zhang Biao, his eyes sinister.
He realized that his usual tactics of playing dumb, being aggressive, and making accusations were not very effective against this madman.
The other party was like a tough, unyielding piece of meat, resistant to both soft and hard approaches, and always finding a tricky angle to counterattack.
If he continued to let Zhang Biao ‘perform’ outside like this, public opinion would definitely not be in his favor, and the ‘Beast Token’ issue hung over him like a sharp sword, making him wonder how much this madman had actually uncovered.
To forcibly block him would make him appear guilty and could even lead to more serious charges.
Letting him in would be like inviting a wolf into the fold!
Geng Zhong rapidly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.
Letting him in, on his own turf, he’d have plenty of ways to deal with him!
Create an accident, delay time, destroy evidence, or even… have him ‘accidentally’ commit suicide!
It was better than letting him run rampant outside, fanning the flames!
As long as he crossed this threshold, it would be up to him how to handle him!
How he investigated, and what he investigated, would depend on his own discretion!
Besides, Blue Dragon was arriving soon. Did he really think he dared to lay a hand on Duke of Liang, Lan Yu?
Thinking of this, the rogueish smile returned to Geng Zhong’s face, though a cold glint of killing intent flashed in the depths of his eyes.
“Fine!”
As if amused by Zhang Biao’s persistence, he laughed heartily and pointed his horse whip at Zhang Biao,
“Censor Zhang is truly dedicated to the country and its people, fearless of hardship! I admire you! Since you’ve said it all, it would seem I’m the one with something to hide if I continue to block you!”
His tone shifted, sounding somewhat hearty but with hidden barbs,
“You want to investigate? I have a clear conscience and fear no shadow! Please! I will open the gates right now and invite Censor Zhang inside to investigate thoroughly! The garrison’s post station has been prepared for all of you!”
With that, he no longer gave Zhang Biao the opportunity to perform for the outside world. He turned his horse and shouted to the wall,
“Open the main gate! Welcome the ‘Imperial Envoy’—!”
The heavy main gate of Raozhou Guard slowly creaked open, revealing the stern military camp within.
Zhang Biao watched Geng Zhong’s seemingly hearty but inwardly sinister back, and the gaping city gate that resembled the mouth of a beast, a cold smile playing on his lips.
The old fox, finally willing to crack open his shell a little? Luring him into a trap?
Heh, I’ve smashed my way out of plenty of traps, which one didn’t end up shattered by me in the end!
Let’s see who ends up in whose trap!
He took a deep breath, waved to the people behind him, and with his head held high, he was the first to step through the gates of Raozhou Guard.
He knew that crossing this threshold marked the true beginning of a life-and-death struggle.
Geng Zhong’s ‘cooperation’ was merely a shift to a more dangerous battlefield.
But he was fearless, even feeling a thrill of excitement.
Song Zhong looked at Geng Zhong, then at the slowly opening gates of Raozhou Guard, his heart filled with complex emotions.
This madman Zhang’s methods are truly… unpredictable, like ghosts and spirits!
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace, at Huagai Hall.
Old Zhu stood alone before the vast Great Ming Territory Map, his gaze sweeping over the location of Qingzhou like a hawk, his sense of unease growing stronger.
Although Zhang Biao had employed a tactic of ‘feigning a direct attack while secretly crossing the river,’ it did not mean the investigation into the Grain Transport corruption case was abandoned.
On the contrary, Old Zhu’s attention remained fixed on the Grain Transport corruption case.
Because compared to the ‘Raising Bandits for Self-Importance’ case, Old Zhu could see much more.
After all, Zhang Biao had already uncovered many leads, such as the Grain Transport transshipment at Prince Zhou’s Mansion, and the possible involvement of Prince Qi’s Mansion.
Regarding Prince Qi, Zhu Fu, Old Zhu’s emotions were very complex, as he had a brother who had also been restless in the past.
“Yun Ming.”
Old Zhu called out unexpectedly.
“Your servant is here.”
Yun Ming appeared silently from the shadows.
“Are there any new messages from the Qi region yet?”
Old Zhu’s voice carried a trace of imperceptible anxiety.
“Replying to Your Majesty, the people sent by Investigator Song should still be on their way. Currently…”
Before Yun Ming could finish speaking, a series of extremely hurried, almost panicked footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the hall. This was extremely rare in the highly regulated Imperial Palace.
Old Zhu turned sharply, his gaze like lightning shooting towards the hall door.
Jiang Huan practically rushed into the main hall.
He didn’t even have time to formally salute before kneeling on one knee, holding aloft a secret report with a red feather, indicating the highest level of urgency. His voice trembled slightly from his rapid run and nervousness.
“Your Majesty! An urgent dispatch from Qingzhou, eight hundred li in length!”
“An urgent report from the secret network in the Qi region: Investigating Censor Zhao Fengman has been missing since April 12th!”
“What?!”
Old Zhu’s pupils contracted sharply, and he stepped forward, almost snatching the secret report from Jiang Huan’s hand.
He quickly broke the seal and his gaze, like a knife, swept over the words.
The content of the secret report was brief but shocking:
On April 12th, at the hour of the monkey, the Chief Clerk of Prince Qi’s Mansion extended an invitation to Censor Zhao for a banquet at his residence. Censor Zhao outwardly agreed. Subsequently, his yamen was sealed by the guards of Prince Qi’s Mansion under the guise of ‘protection.’
Upon investigation, Censor Zhao is no longer in his yamen and is suspected of having absconded.
Prince Qi’s Mansion is currently conducting a large-scale search within Qingzhou city, with considerable commotion. Censor Zhao’s whereabouts are unknown, and his fate is uncertain.
The Grain Transport accounts and related files he was investigating have largely been destroyed or have fallen into the hands of Prince Qi’s Mansion.
Bang!
Old Zhu slammed his fist hard onto the dragon desk beside him, causing the brush holder and inkstone to jolt.
His chest heaved violently, a terrifying aura instantly enveloping his face, veins bulging on his forehead.
“Zhu Fu—! You have immense gall!!”
A roar, like that of a wounded lion, reverberated through the entire Huagai Hall.
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