binnovel Chapter 345 "The Legend of Zhen Huan" - 4th Uncle 5
Chapter 345 "The Legend of Zhen Huan" - 4th Uncle 5
Before long, a group of people entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation one after another. They each found a place to sit down, and the whole scene was somewhat noisy.
Just then, a majestic shout rang out from the palace gate: "The Emperor has arrived!" The noise instantly ceased, and everyone rose to their knees, shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
The Fourth Master walked steadily to the main seat and slowly sat down. His face revealed a dignified expression that inspired awe in all who beheld him: "Rise, all of you."
He looked around, his gaze sharp as he surveyed everyone present. After confirming that everyone had arrived, the Fourth Master slowly spoke, "I have invited you all here today to discuss matters concerning the Imperial Household Department."
His voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the room, impossible to ignore. After saying this, the Fourth Uncle paused for a moment, then continued, "Take a look at these first."
As he spoke, he gestured to Su Peisheng, who immediately understood and stepped forward, carefully taking out a thick stack of incriminating documents from his sleeve. The papers were slightly yellowed and worn at the edges, with dense handwriting recording the various illegal acts of the officials of the Imperial Household Department.
Su Peisheng took small, respectful steps and approached Prince Li, Yinreng, who was seated below Yongzheng, presenting the incriminating documents with both hands. Yinreng was slightly taken aback, then reached out and accepted them.
He looked down at the documents in his hands, his brows gradually furrowing, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. Whether he was surprised by the extent of corruption within the Imperial Household Department, or pondering the various forces involved behind this evidence, remained unknown.
The room was silent except for the soft rustling of papers. Yongzheng sat upright in the main seat, his gaze calmly fixed on Yinreng, seemingly awaiting his reaction.
After reading it, Yinreng handed the evidence back to Yinzhi, raised his head, looked at Yongzheng, and said with his hands clasped, "Your Majesty, this evidence is conclusive. The corruption of the Imperial Household Department is a real scourge to the court."
The Fourth Prince nodded slightly, then slowly said, "Yes, the reason I summoned you here today is precisely for this matter. These officials of the Imperial Household Department are not only corrupt and embezzling, but what's even more despicable is that they actually attempted to control the royal offspring!"
"What do you mean? How dare they say such a thing!" Yinreng's face showed shock and disbelief. The people in the hall who heard the two's words also found it hard to accept this fact.
"Think about the children who survived in Father Emperor's harem, and your own harems. What were the identities of the mothers of those surviving children?" Fourth Uncle reminded them.
Following his words, everyone began to recall, and someone was the first to react, their face turning deathly pale: "Your Majesty is saying that the Imperial Household Department is secretly controlling the life and death of royal offspring?"
The Fourth Master snorted coldly: "That's right. Not to mention the harem, you can think about your own backyards. Don't women of high rank and good birth have no children? Even if they have children, they either die young or are weak. Those who survive mostly have maternal families that have ties with the Imperial Household Department."
Upon hearing this, everyone gasped, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly became heavy. Yinzhi thought of his only son in the backyard. Although it was partly due to his wife, other possibilities could not be ruled out. He frowned, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, such a treasonous act must be severely punished."
The Fourth Prince's gaze was firm: "I will naturally not tolerate this. I want you to cooperate with me in thoroughly investigating this matter, no matter who is involved, investigate to the end!" Everyone knelt down to accept the order.
The Fourth Prince stood up, pacing back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back: "This matter concerns the continuation of the royal bloodline, and everyone must do their utmost. Any negligence will be severely punished!" Everyone shouted in unison: "We will obey His Majesty's decree!" Thus began a thorough investigation into corruption and conspiracies within the Imperial Household Department.
After receiving their orders, everyone began to plan how to begin the investigation. Yinzhi thought to himself that this might be a good opportunity to impress the Emperor, but he was also afraid of offending the powerful forces behind the Imperial Household Department. Yinreng, on the other hand, wanted to quickly find those audacious individuals to uphold the discipline of the court.
Su Peisheng served them carefully, his eyes constantly observing everyone's expressions. The Fourth Master glanced around and said, "This matter must be carried out in secrecy; we mustn't alert them. I've already sent men from Shengjing to gather manpower. After dealing with these people, we'll fill the gaps in various places." Everyone agreed again.
The investigation was quickly launched. The princes, along with their trusted aides, searched far and wide for evidence, while the officials in the Imperial Household Department remained oblivious to the impending danger and continued to engage in clandestine activities.
In an imperial society, when these people really put their minds to investigating something, they quickly achieved results.
Meanwhile, personnel transferred from Shengjing quietly arrived in the capital and began to cooperate with the princes' actions.
Thanks to the efforts of all parties, the truth is gradually coming to light. A massive purge that will shake the government and the public is about to begin.
One day, without warning, all the problematic bondservant families were surrounded by the Imperial Guards, and chests of gold, silver, jewels, and account books were carried out.
These bondservant families, relying on the power of the Imperial Household Department, had been accumulating wealth wantonly, and now it was time for reckoning. The Imperial Guards acted swiftly and skillfully, taking control of everyone in the mansion, regardless of age or gender, and gathering them in the courtyard.
The Fourth Prince sat in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, listening to the report with a cold and stern gaze. "Clearly compile these pieces of evidence, and do not let any of the officials involved escape justice." His voice was deep and authoritative.
That day, not only in the imperial court but also throughout the inner palace, palace maids and eunuchs were taken away. Panic gripped the palace; those who usually relied on the Imperial Household Department for support were now ashen-faced. As they were led away, their cries were deafening, pleading for their lives. A few clever maids, in order to protect themselves, began to identify their accomplices.
Upon receiving the news, the Fourth Prince ordered a thorough investigation and vowed to show no leniency to anyone involved. Suddenly, the palace seemed like a cold, oppressive prison, and everyone lived in fear.
The princes, on the other hand, were very active in this purge. They knew it was a good opportunity to prove their loyalty to the emperor.
As the investigation deepened, more and more secrets were revealed. It turned out that corruption within the Imperial Household Department had infiltrated every corner of the inner palace. The Fourth Prince was furious and decided to increase the severity of punishments as a warning to others.
This massive purge lasted for several days, bringing about dramatic changes to both the imperial harem and the court. The Imperial Household Department was reorganized, new officials took office, and a new era of governance began. The Fourth Prince also seized this opportunity to consolidate his imperial power, bringing the entire court back on track.