Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 310 The Emperor's Divination

If it weren't for Grand Commandant Shen mentioning Jin Huai, Lu Jie would have almost forgotten the name.

Eight years ago, Jin Huai served as the grain transport officer in the Northwest. In the same year, his granddaughter married Yan Liang.

The cups on the imperial desk clinked slightly, and the emperor's voice rang out: "What have you done to offend Jin Huai that his granddaughter would seek revenge against you?"

"Your Majesty, in the thirty-fourth year of the Jiayong reign, Jin Huai was appointed as the grain transport officer and was ordered to escort 300,000 taels of military pay to the Northwest Camp. Halfway there, he was caught in a sudden downpour. Since 200,000 taels of this 300,000 taels were for war preparations, I was worried that traveling in the rain at night could lead to accidents. Therefore, I sent someone to inform him to stay overnight in Longzhong and wait for the rain to stop before proceeding."

"Jin Huai insisted on continuing his journey, citing the fear of being robbed if he stayed overnight in the rain. In the end, when he passed through a mountain pass, the carts carrying dozens of cartloads of pay plunged into the bottom of the cliff."

"Jin Huai missed a crucial opportunity in the battle because of this incident, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of our soldiers. I have punished him according to military law and imprisoned him."

"Later, while being escorted back to the capital by his subordinates, Jin Huai committed suicide by poisoning himself."

"Since the Jin family later impeached me, and because I have kept a low profile for many years and have not offended any other families, my daughter-in-law's sudden murder by the Jin family can only be because the Jin family is retaliating against me."

These words were spoken without the slightest hesitation or pause, as if they had already been prepared.

Lu Jie quickly withdrew his gaze and turned it back to the desk behind him.

The emperor's hand, which was holding the cup, paused on the lid. After a moment, he looked up again: "Suicide by poison?"

Shen Bo lowered his head: "Exactly."

"But I remember that Jin Huai reported the cause of death as follows: on the night of the incident, he was seriously injured while trying to protect the carriage, and his second son also died as a result. He later died in prison from his injuries."

“If I had no evidence, I would never dare to make a false report even if I died ten thousand times. Here are the prison guards who guarded Jin Huai back then, as well as the coroner who went to examine his body after his death. I guarantee with my life that there is not a single falsehood in this document.”

As Shen Bo spoke, he took something out of his pocket and presented it with both hands.

These are two yellowed files, with several names written on the cover, each with a corresponding fingerprint.

The eunuch immediately handed them over to the emperor.

The emperor casually flipped through the book, quickly glanced at it a few times, and then looked up and turned his gaze to Shen Bo.

The hall fell silent.

The blazing sun outside the hall seemed to melt away all movement and noise.

"Lu Jie, what do you think?"

After a long silence, the emperor turned his face to the side again.

On the surface, Shen Bo's report about the Jin family seemed to be about the Jin family's revenge, but who could ignore the 300,000 taels of silver that were unexpectedly lost while escorting the salary?

Not to mention that this was the military pay needed to fight the enemy.

Eight years ago, when the news reached the capital, the emperor wanted to behead Jin Huai, but because news of the deaths of Jin Huai and his son came one after another, the matter was not pursued further.

At this moment, Grand Commandant Shen said that Jin Huai did not die from his injuries, but committed suicide by poisoning.

He spoke lightly, but every word he uttered was still about seeking justice for his daughter-in-law.

But why did Jin Huai commit suicide by poisoning himself?

Lu Jie slowly lowered his head: "Your Majesty, regardless of how Jin Huai died, it is a fact that the Grand Commandant imprisoned him."

"It is also a fact that Jin Huai died in prison."

"Then it makes sense that the Jin family harbors resentment towards the Grand Commandant." The Emperor glanced at him. "Is that what I asked you about?"

Shen Bo also glanced at him.

Lu Jie remained silent for a moment, then lowered his head even further: "Your Majesty, I am foolish and ignorant. I beg Your Majesty for guidance."

He understood, of course, that the emperor was asking about Jin Huai's death, but the war in the Northwest had nothing to do with him. Even at the risk of being reprimanded, he couldn't give a direct answer.

The emperor propped himself up and then stepped out from behind his desk.

He paused in the center of the hall, then lowered his head and shook the dossier in his hand before carrying it behind his back: "Issue the imperial decree! Yan Shu has failed to manage his family properly and has allowed his family members to commit wrongdoings. He shall be demoted three ranks and transferred to the Ministry of War."

“Yan Liang was also ordered to suspend his duties for observation, to see how he behaves.”

Yan Song, currently serving as a vice minister in one of the Six Ministries, has been demoted three ranks, leaving him only a fifth-rank assistant minister in the Ministry of War! Not to mention, this time he also directly stripped Yan Liang of his official position…

Given the Emperor's favor towards the Yan family, it was already quite remarkable that he could immediately impose such a punishment. This should cause some upheaval within the Yan family.

Lu Jie glanced at Shen Bo, who appeared perfectly calm and was already kneeling to express his gratitude. He then also kowtowed, thanking Shen Bo on behalf of his daughter as a father.

After walking out of the palace gate, Lu Jie paused outside the gate and bowed to Shen Bo, who came out after him: "Thank you, Grand Commandant, for protecting my daughter."

Shen Bo said, "Once you enter the Shen family, you are a member of the Shen family. I am just maintaining the dignity of the Shen family. Minister Lu, you don't need to take it to heart."

After saying this, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and walked away, making the gesture seem somewhat perfunctory.

In the main hall behind them, the Grand Eunuch Li Quan, carrying a whisk, came to the emperor's side.

"His Majesty."

"I remember you were the one serving me at my desk eight years ago. Do you still have the memorial regarding the death of Jin Huai, the grain transport official in the thirty-fourth year of the Jiayong reign?"

"Yes." Li Quan took out a memorial from his robes and presented it with both hands. "In August of the thirty-fourth year of Jiayong, Jin Huai was appointed as the grain transport officer and led the soldiers of the Ministry of War to the northwest. When they reached Menggang Mountain, about three hundred li to the north, they were caught in a sudden rainstorm. Dozens of carts of military supplies overturned off a cliff and were mostly lost. Jin Huai and his son were unable to rescue them in time, and one died and the other was injured. Later, Jin Huai was arrested and imprisoned by the generals under Grand Commandant Shen who came to reinforce him."

"Jin Huai died from his injuries just three days after being imprisoned."

"The person in charge of the autopsy afterward was Tong Yin, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. This memorial was written by Tong Yin."

"Where is Tong Yin?"

He died of the plague seven years ago.

Upon hearing this, the emperor turned around, his eyes shining like candles even though they were backlit.

Li Quan slowly lowered his head: "In addition, in the same year that Jin Huai died, Yan Liang, the eldest son of the Yan family, was told by a fortune teller that he needed to find a woman whose zodiac sign was snake to avert disaster. Soon after, a matchmaker arranged for Jin Huai's granddaughter to marry Yan Liang."

"Your words are all implying that there is something wrong with the Yan family. Are you saying that the Yan family, who have served me for decades and shared my burdens in every way, who have single-handedly shielded me from the storms of the world, have tampered with the military pay in the Northwest and then killed Jin Huai to silence him?"

"Slave dare not!"

Li Quan knelt down. "Grand Secretary Yan's heart is entirely devoted to His Majesty, and naturally he would not embezzle military funds! This servant also believes that all of this is merely a coincidence, and it was only because His Majesty inquired that this servant answered with what he knew in advance!"

The emperor paced around him, glancing at him repeatedly.

Finally, he walked to the side of the imperial desk, picked up the Holy Grail on the table, and tossed it onto the surface to cast a divination.

The two cups face up, which is a yang hexagram.

He turned to look at Li Quan: "Go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard and bring He Ping here."