Chapter 98: Tearing Up The Imperial Decree? A True Fearless One! 【 Seeking Monthly Ticket 】
“Eat! Minister Zheng! Eat quickly!”
“We’re all waiting!”
“If you eat it, you can prove your innocence!”
The audit team, enjoying the show, egged them on.
The Ministry of Works officials behind Zheng Ci were also stunned, thinking, “This wasn’t in the script!”
Zheng Ci’s hands began to tremble violently, his lips quivering as he looked at the prop within reach, caught in a dilemma.
Zhang Biao’s smile grew more malevolent:
“What? Minister Zheng, you’re reluctant to eat it? Or is this prop not up to par? Do you need me to send someone to Wang Mazi’s house to buy you two fresh, just-steamed meat buns as a replacement?”
“I… I…”
Zheng Ci’s forehead beaded with cold sweat; he was on the verge of breaking.
Just then, Zhang Biao suddenly threw the steamed bun down, clapped his hands, and his expression plummeted:
“Enough! Stop acting! I’ve audited the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, even Duke Cao’s Mansion and the Marquis of Wuding’s Mansion. I’ve seen all sorts of people pretending to be poor!”
“You’re practically branding ‘I’m acting’ on your forehead!”
With that, he suddenly waved his hand: “Accountant Shen!”
“Here!”
Shen Lang immediately straightened his posture.
Then Zhang Biao continued:
“Based on the total engineering funds handled by the Ministry of Works over the years, and a conservative estimate of the industry’s average corruption rate, the potential problematic funds for the Ministry of Works start at one hundred thousand taels! Record it!”
“Got it, Brother Biao!”
Shen Lang’s abacus clacked rapidly.
“Department Director Sun!”
“Here!”
“Shine the light on Minister Zheng’s new patch! I suspect there are Precious Notes sewn inside!”
Sun Gui diligently focused the light onto the patch on Zheng Ci’s official robe.
“Editor Li!”
“Here!”
“Record this: Minister of Works Zheng Ci is suspected of misusing props, attempting to interfere with the audit work, and wasting the auditors’ time. A fine of one hundred taels of silver!”
Li Mo quickly took notes.
Hearing this, Zheng Ci’s vision went black, and he nearly fainted.
A fine of one hundred taels for a faulty prop?!
What kind of reason was that?!
After giving his orders, Zhang Biao ignored Zheng Ci and, facing the Ministry of Works gate, took a deep breath and issued the order to attack:
“Brothers! The leaders of the Ministry of Works have poor acting skills and are resisting stubbornly! It seems they won’t shed tears until they see the coffin!”
“To expose their lies! To restore the truth! Charge with me—!”
“Remember! Go inside and look for their little gold stashes! See if they’re really so poor they can only eat steamed corn buns!”
“Roar—!”
The salary-demand team erupted with even more excited shouts than before, surging towards the Ministry of Works gate like a flood from a broken dam.
“No! Censor Zhang! Show some mercy! That inkstone is an heirloom!”
“That pot of orchids is very expensive!”
“Don’t touch my reclining chair!”
The officials inside the Ministry of Works’ yamen turned green; these madmen were not playing by the rules at all.
Zheng Ci was completely despairing.
He knew this ploy had failed.
Zhang Biao was determined to ‘audit’ the Ministry of Works.
Just as he was about to order them to defend the gate to the last and make a final struggle—
“Imperial Decree—!”
A sharp, breathless voice, like heavenly music, came from the street corner.
Yun Ming, followed by a few eunuchs, ran over, panting, holding aloft a roll of imperial yellow silk.
Swish!
All eyes were instantly drawn to it.
Zheng Ci and the others inside the Ministry of Works clutched at the straw of hope, their hearts filled with anticipation, nearly weeping with joy.
An Imperial Decree from His Majesty?!
It’s here! It’s finally here!
We are saved!
Zhang Biao raised an eyebrow, appearing somewhat surprised, yet also as if he had expected it.
The members of the salary-demand team, however, became subconsciously nervous, looking towards Zhang Biao.
Then Zhang Biao spoke first:
“Eunuch Yun, has His Majesty read my memorial?”
Yun Ming ran closer, catching his breath. Just as he was about to unroll the Imperial Decree to read it, he was stunned by the question.
He hesitated for a moment, then looked around, and said cautiously:
“Censor Zhang, I am here to deliver an Imperial Decree. I know nothing else.”
Zhang Biao asked with interest, “Then, does this Imperial Decree order my execution?”
“Heh, heh heh…”
Yun Ming gave an awkward chuckle. Ignoring Zhang Biao’s question, he cleared his throat and began to read in a high-pitched voice:
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Zhang Biao, Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, for his auditing and case-handling in the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of War, and other places, and for recovering stolen funds, has rendered great service to the nation. He is hereby rewarded with eight thousand taels of silver from the Imperial Treasury, to be distributed to him and his assisting personnel as labor compensation! Respect this!”
Whoosh!
Yun Ming finished reading the Imperial Decree in his shrill voice, and the scene fell into an eerie silence.
Eight thousand taels from the Imperial Treasury?
Labor fees? Compensation?
And they were to continue the audit?!
The hope on the faces of Zheng Ci and the others inside the Ministry of Works turned into disbelief, confusion, and despair.
His Majesty…
Did he approve of this kind of chaos?!
Then wouldn’t they be in grave danger?!
Just as Zheng Ci and the others were bewildered and disbelieving, the ‘audit team’ behind Zhang Biao, initially dumbfounded, erupted in a great cheer.
“Long live His Majesty!”
“There’s reward silver! Eight thousand taels!”
“Brother Biao! Are… are we okay? Can we keep getting paid?!”
Shen Lang forgot to use his abacus; Sun Gui’s chamber pot lamp nearly slipped from his excited grip; Li Mo’s mouth hung open.
However, Zhang Biao, at the center of the storm, his initial shock quickly replaced by a grim expression.
It was the anger of a plan disrupted, of being toyed with, even insulted.
Old Zhu still hadn’t killed him, nor had he sent anyone to arrest him. Instead, he was giving him money and telling him to continue auditing?
What the hell was this?
Was he being treated like a monkey? Or like a mad dog to be set on people, given a bite of meat to make him continue his dangerous work?
Did he, Zhang Biao, go through all this trouble for a mere eight thousand taels of silver? To be Old Zhu’s auditing dog?
Bullshit!
He came here to seek death!
He wanted to anger all the nobles and high officials of Yingtian Prefecture, prompting Old Zhu to ‘consider the overall situation’ and kill him, so he could return to the modern era!
Old Zhu’s move was a desecration of his pure desire to die!
It was a negation of all his ‘efforts’ to seek death!
“Hahaha!”
Zhang Biao let out a cold laugh, filled with mockery and rage.
He snatched the imperial yellow scroll from Yun Ming’s hand. Without even looking at it, to everyone’s horrified gaze, he clasped his hands together with force—
“Riiiip—!”
A crisp tearing sound echoed through the street.
The Imperial Decree, representing the Emperor’s authority, was torn in half by him.
“Brother Biao!”
“Censor Zhang!”
“Are you mad!?”
Exclamations erupted.
Yun Ming was so terrified that he collapsed onto the ground.
Zheng Ci, who had just been in despair inside the Ministry of Works, instantly beamed with joy.
The members of the audit team were all stunned.
Tearing up an Imperial Decree?! That was a crime tantamount to rebellion!
“What are you all yelling about!?”
Zhang Biao casually threw the torn Imperial Decree onto the ground, then wiped his hands dismissively, as if he had touched something dirty.
He scanned the crowd, his gaze finally settling on the collapsed Yun Ming, and spoke with extreme arrogance: “Go back and tell Zhu Chongba!”
“I come out to audit based on my mood! I play for the thrill! Not for his measly money!”
“Eight thousand taels? Is he trying to bribe a beggar?! The change I confiscated from the three ministries, Duke Cao’s Mansion, and the Marquis of Wuding’s Mansion alone is more than that!”
“He still wants me to be his dog and keep biting people? Dream on!”
He grew more and more enraged, kicking the half-torn Imperial Decree on the ground and shouting towards the Imperial Palace: “I’m not playing anymore! The audit is suspended!”
“I’ll grudgingly accept these eight thousand taels; consider it compensation for the mental anguish I’ve suffered today!”
Saying that, he turned to Shen Lang, who was still in a state of shock, and shouted:
“Accountant Shen! What are you standing around for? Take the money! Register it! Then take it back and divide it among the brothers. The court owes you this, and it’s what you deserve!”
“Ah? Oh! Oh!”
Shen Lang snapped out of it, instinctively taking the Precious Notes that a trembling eunuch held out, his mind still a blur.
Zhang Biao looked at the Ministry of Works gate again and sneered:
“And you, Old Zheng! Don’t hide inside and stay silent! You’re lucky today. My mood has been ruined by Zhu Chongba, so I don’t have time to audit your pile of junk!”
“Clean up your waste materials; they’re an eyesore! And that half-hard steamed corn bun, it disgusts me! Next time I come, I hope you can come up with some new tricks!”
With that, he ignored the ghost-like expressions of everyone present and waved his hand:
“Brothers! We’ve had our fun! We’ve made a scene! The Emperor isn’t going to kill you anymore! Everyone go home! Live well! Live your lives!”
“This money! And the items ‘offsetting debt’ are enough to cover your overdue salaries!”
“From now on, don’t follow me anymore! I, Zhang Biao, have publicly torn up an Imperial Decree; my crime is unforgivable! You should all turn back now and find salvation!”
He then glanced towards the Qinhuai River and laughed heartily:
“I’m going for a drink and to listen to music! I’ve been here so many times and haven’t enjoyed this decadent feudal life!”
As he finished speaking, he strode away alone, ignoring the stunned expressions of everyone around him, his shadow stretching long in the setting sun.
Left behind at the Ministry of Works’ doorway was a scene of disarray.
A torn Imperial Decree.
A collapsed Yun Ming.
A pile of rotten wood and bricks like a small mountain.
A bewildered Shen Lang and his companions.
And inside the gate, the utterly dumbfounded Minister of Works Zheng Ci and his subordinates, as if they had experienced an absurd dream.
In the shadows of the street corner, Jiang Huan’s pupils contracted sharply.
Tearing up an Imperial Decree?!
Publicly insulting the Emperor?!
And calling auditing a matter of mood?
This was beyond seeking death.
It was like riding on the Emperor’s neck to defecate, and then asking him for toilet paper.
Jiang Huan could already imagine the Emperor’s furious reaction when Yun Ming returned with the torn Imperial Decree and these words.
It would be a truly devastating thunderous rage.
He took a deep breath and said coldly to his subordinates: “Follow him, and send people to take over their ‘temporary storeroom’. The rest is not something we can handle.”
He knew that the audit storm, led by Zhang Biao, had changed in nature.
It was no longer a comical farce, nor even a salary-demand incident.
It had become the prelude to a political purge.
But no one could manipulate this Censor Zhang, not even the Emperor.
All the Emperor’s stratagems were useless against Zhang Biao; he was a true fearless one.
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