Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 659 Raising troops to investigate crimes
The Empress Dowager did not interrupt the master of ceremonies. Instead, after she finished speaking, she reached out her hand and asked the master of ceremonies to help her to the inner palace to rest.

As she passed the window, the Empress Dowager looked outside.

"No matter what, she's living a relatively peaceful life, while some people are probably going to be worried for a while."

……

Several horses were already parked in front of the Wang family's gate. The steward was busy instructing his servants to lead the horses to the backyard, because he guessed that more people would come today. Sure enough, before he could finish giving the instructions, two more officials arrived.

"Where's my husband?"

Upon hearing the question, the steward replied, "In the study."

Who's here?

The steward hurriedly said, "A high-ranking official from the Secretariat, along with Councilor Li and Censor Shu..."

Before the steward could finish speaking, the man walked toward the study: "I have urgent business to attend to and cannot wait. I must report to the master now."

"Inspector Zheng." The steward knew the gravity of the situation and dared not stop him, but when he reached the study door, he called out to remind Wang Bingchen inside the room.

The next moment, the study door opened, and the people inside invited Zheng Jianzheng in. The steward breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

He didn't know what had happened, but he could sense that the atmosphere was extremely tense, because every adult who came had a gloomy expression.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the manager hurried to the door to continue guarding it.

Inside the room, Zheng Jianzheng stepped forward and bowed to Wang Bingchen, then spoke directly: "Is Your Excellency aware of this? The Emperor has ordered the Imperial Attendant to investigate Xie Shumi, and the imperial edict has already been sent to the Secretariat."

Wang Bingchen replied, "Understood."

Before the imperial edict even reached the inspector, someone had already sent a message to Wang Bingchen. This news, however, originated from within the palace, and Wang Bingchen knew perfectly well that this was the Emperor's will.

The official reminded him beforehand so that he could be prepared.

“Privy Councilor Xie has been imprisoned in his residence,” said Councilor Li. “The news will spread throughout the Privy Council within an hour.”

"We only have one hour to prepare."

Everyone understood Li Canzheng's meaning: this was a good opportunity to bring down Xie Yizhi's faction.

“We have a lot of evidence of Xie Yizhi and her gang’s crimes, and we’re taking advantage of the fact that Xie Yizhi is under house arrest to bring it out.”

The crowd discussed amongst themselves, and after a while, Wang Bingchen raised his head and said, "The evidence you've mentioned is all flawed and can't really stand up to scrutiny."

These words silenced the room.

If the evidence was conclusive, they would have acted long ago. Why wait until now?
“That’s because the Privy Councilor is there. Now that no one is protecting them, if the investigation really goes on, there will definitely be results,” said Councilor Li. “They have been secretly obstructing the new policies in every possible way. This debt should have been settled long ago.”

"Once we take those people down, who will dare to stop us when we propose new policies in the future?"

None of the officials in the room raised any questions, but Wang Bingchen remained silent for a long time as well.

"My lord," said Li, the councilor, "this opportunity is too good to miss!"

Wang Bingchen said, "The fact that Xie Shumi colluded with the heretical sect is no small matter and should not be involved in factional strife."

“My lord,” Li, the councilor, advised again, “even if you don’t take action, Xie, the Privy Councilor, and his people will try every means to target you, after all, the one who impeached Xie was a court official.”

The two parties had long agreed not to attack each other's officials indiscriminately. Now that the Privy Councilor has been impeached by Wang Yan, this balance will surely be broken. If they do not take the first step, the other party will gain the upper hand.

Wang Bingchen remained silent.

"My lord," Zheng Jianzheng, who was standing beside him, couldn't help but speak up, "The Councilor is right. We must always be on guard. Who knows what methods those people might use?"

Wang Bingchen's attempts to implement new policies repeatedly failed, and had it not been for his stubborn nature, he probably would have given up long ago. In each of these struggles, Wang Bingchen would forge ahead, even clashing head-on with several senior ministers in the court.

But this time... Wang Bingchen hesitated. Not long ago, Wang Yan questioned him for engaging in factional strife in the court because of the new policies. Regardless of whether officials had faults or abilities, as long as they supported the new policies, they were all given important positions. Some officials were corrupt and lawless under the cover of the new policies.

The new policies are for the sake of the Liang Dynasty, but under this umbrella, many unsavory practices will also be hidden.

Wang Bingchen raised his eyes: "Why are you in such a hurry?"

The people in the room were taken aback.

Wang Bingchen said, "After the new law was implemented, how many people used the name of the new law to engage in exploitation?"

The people inside the room looked even uglier.

Wang Bingchen said, "It seems you all know, but you've all been keeping it from me."

Councilor Li sighed: "Since it's a new law, we're bound to encounter various problems when it's implemented. We'll gradually correct them. As long as we ultimately achieve our goal, even if we suffer some losses along the way, it's... worth it."

Upon hearing this, Wang Bingchen sighed and said, "I'm afraid the situation will become uncontrollable and beyond our control." If it weren't for Xie Shumi's accident, he might not have heard such honest words.

It seems that, just as Yan Ge'er said, he was so focused on promoting the new laws that he failed to carefully examine how much unsavory stuff was hidden beneath the glittering facade.

Li Canzheng wanted to say something more, but Wang Bingchen waved his hand and said, "You all go back first, let me think about it carefully."

Since their husbands did not grant their request, they naturally could not take action to eliminate the old faction.

Everyone got up and left, but Zheng Jianzheng stayed behind last. He pursed his lips and said, "Actually, if the Imperial Attendant could help, this matter might not be so troublesome."

Wang Yan was able to secretly coordinate and implicate many officials by using Xie Yizhi's alleged crimes as an accomplice.

If this succeeds, it will at least buy them a few years for the new policies, allowing them to do many things and avoid being as constrained as they are now.

He didn't understand why, as the eldest son of his husband, he wouldn't do anything for his husband.

Wang Bingchen waved his hand again, and Zheng Jianzheng bowed and slowly withdrew.

Wang Bingchen sat alone in the room, his gaze fixed on the official documents on the desk. Just as Li Canzheng had feared, Xie Shumi would surely order his men to take action against them.

Inciting factional strife will garner more support for Hsieh Yi-chih.

Wang Bingchen could also foresee what the outcome would be...

Xie Yizhi would have people tear off the fig leaf of the new policies, exposing the filth beneath, and he, the prime minister who had been pushing the new policies so hard, would become the target of public criticism.

At that time, his authority and dignity will be completely lost.

As Wang Bingchen was pondering this, the steward's voice came from outside: "Madam, you..."

Before the steward could finish speaking, the door was pushed open and Madam Lin walked in.

“You…” Wang Bingchen looked at his beautiful wife in front of him, not knowing what to say.

These days, he has moved back to the main house to rest, but the couple still rarely speak to each other, and Wang Bingchen keeps waiting for Madam Lin to bow her head...

No matter what, she is a married woman. Does he have to beg her?

After waiting and waiting, today has finally arrived. Clearly... she's not here to bow her head; it's more like she's here to interrogate me.

(End of this chapter)