In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 964 A fish out of water survives the rain
The summer sun casts its scorching rays.

The entire city of Yingtian was shrouded in scorching heat.

The moisture left over from the rain a few days ago has dissipated without a trace.

The entire city was permeated with a persistent, oppressive heat.

The lower city is a relatively poor area of ​​Yingtian City, mostly inhabited by ordinary people and small merchants.

When exposed to the scorching sun, the garbage everywhere emits a hot, rotten stench, and flies buzz around in it.

No. 12 Baibao Street was a shop that made a living by selling used cloth.

The shopkeeper was an elderly man in his fifties.
He sat behind the counter with a gloomy expression, meticulously cutting old fabric with an unusually focused look.

Time passed slowly, and suddenly hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

A young man in his early twenties rushed in, his expression full of anxiety.

Upon hearing the noise, the shopkeeper merely raised his head slightly, glanced at him indifferently, and showed no emotion in his eyes.

The young man quickly stepped forward, lowering his voice to a whisper:

Is the master here?

"What sir?"

The shopkeeper's voice was hoarse, and his aged tone conveyed a cold indifference that kept people at arm's length.

The young man's face suddenly turned ugly.
He stomped his foot hard, as if expressing disappointment and frustration:

"Oh dear, what time is it!"

News has come from the palace: His Majesty wishes to see the esteemed official, but the official is nowhere to be found!

"This old man has no idea what you're talking about."

The shopkeeper glanced at him indifferently before turning his gaze back to the coarse cloth.
He moved the scissors rapidly in his hand, unwilling to pay any more attention.

"well,"

The young man sighed heavily, glanced at the dilapidated furnishings of the shop, turned and left, his steps still hurried.

The footsteps gradually faded away until they were completely drowned out by the chirping of cicadas outside, at which point the old shopkeeper slowly raised his head.

He placed the needle and thread on the table, slowly stood up, and walked towards the back room.

The furnishings in the back room were extremely simple.
There was only one square, silver-gray cubicle.
That was newly built last year when the construction company renovated the dilapidated houses in the city.

Inside, the worn-out furniture clashed with the smooth walls.

The shopkeeper walked up to the wobbly wardrobe.

He pulled it open, revealing a deep underground passage, and he bent down and crawled inside.

The passageway was narrow and cramped, and people could barely stand up straight inside.

The burning candlelight was insufficient to illuminate the entire space.

It could only reflect the pitted, uneven walls.

It was clearly recently unearthed.

Upon reaching the end of the passage, the space suddenly opened up.
A dark, damp, and enormous cellar came into view.

A dozen or so young men dressed as Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) officials moved about among them.
A simple desk was placed haphazardly, its surface piled high with densely packed documents.

At the end of the line of sight, against the wall.

A middle-aged man in his forties was sitting quietly in a chair.

He examined the documents in his hands by the dim candlelight, his expression extremely solemn!
The candlelight made his figure appear exceptionally tall, yet flickering, as if it might vanish at any moment.

This person is none other than Mao Xiang, who has recently disappeared from Beijing!

Seeing this, the old shopkeeper lowered his eyelids, his cloudy eyes filled with regret.

He slowly stepped forward, bowed, and said:

"My lord, His Majesty has summoned you to the palace, and now everyone is searching for you."

Mao Xiang slightly raised his eyes, a ripple appearing in his calm gaze, and his hoarse, heavy voice rang out:
"understood,"

The old shopkeeper bowed deeply and slowly withdrew.

The entire underground stronghold fell into a deathly silence, with only the soft sound of pages turning.

After an unknown amount of time, the candles on the candlestick gradually burned out, and darkness completely enveloped Mao Xiang's face.

"Discipline and discipline."

Ji Gang, who was flipping through the book, suddenly felt a jolt.
He quickly looked up in the direction where the adults were.

The next moment, he was so startled by the sight before him that his heart skipped a beat.
The adult's head was completely swallowed by darkness.

From his angle, it looked like a headless corpse sitting in a chair.

Ji Gang was instantly drenched in cold sweat, finding the scene utterly chilling.

Before he could get up, a hoarse voice came from the darkness again:

"what are you waiting for?"

His voice carried a hint of doubt, yet it exuded an undeniable authority.

Ji Gang suddenly realized what was happening, picked up the document, stood up, quickly walked to the table, and bowed slightly:
"grown ups."

"Are the documents ready?"

"Reporting to my lord, everything has been sorted out."

"Bring it here."

"Yes!"

Ji Gang hurriedly returned, picked up three thick documents from the table, and placed a rather solemn memorial on top of them.

"grown ups,"

He placed the document on the table, slowly backed away, his expression full of restraint.

Mao Xiang raised his head slightly and glanced at him:
"You've been with the Embroidered Uniform Guard for a year now, how can you still be so timid?"

"Big, big man, little man, little man has been timid since childhood."
I just wanted to study peacefully and find a job, but... I never expected...

Ji Gang's voice suddenly became aggrieved, trembling as if he was about to cry.

He was originally a scholar who had come to the capital to take the imperial examinations.
Having run out of money, he inexplicably became a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and missed the imperial examination.

Over the past year, even though he tried his best to fit in,

But I always felt out of place, and the more I thought about it, the more wronged I felt.

Mao Xiang chuckled softly, the coldness in his eyes gradually melting away, and he looked at him calmly:
"I never expected to become a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Ji Gang lowered his head like a deflated balloon.
He sighed softly, nodded, and looked resigned to his fate.

Upon seeing this, Mao Xiang was not angry at all; instead, a smile appeared on his lips.

He leaned back in his chair, his fist pressed against his forehead, his eyes deep-set, as if recalling the past:
"Back then, I was just like you, with no grand ambitions or many other thoughts."

He only thought about serving in the army well and not disgracing his father's reputation.

As it turns out, I do indeed have the ability to fight.

During the suppression of the rebellion in Zhejiang, I killed all those traitors without leaving a single one alive.

To say it's Japanese pirates invading is to treat me like a fool!
The Japanese pirates were almost half the height of the men from the Central Plains.
With no weapons in hand, what right do they have to attack?
With that fishing boat that can only carry three people? Or is it just rusty iron?

A hint of suspicion flashed in Ji Gang's eyes.
I don't understand why the adults are bringing up these old stories today.

"After I decisively defeated the rebel army that year, I submitted a memorial to the throne, speaking frankly..."
There are no external enemies in the southeast, only rebellious factions, yet His Majesty merely smiled faintly.

Later, I was promoted to Vice Commander-in-Chief, and I was not even thirty years old at the time!

If one could stay in the Five Armies Commandery indefinitely,

Now I'm at least a military commander, and maybe even a marquis.

Have you ever thought about what life would be like after you pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi?

Mao Xiang looked at Ji Gang, a rare gentle smile appearing on his lips.

Ji Gang's eyes widened, his breath hitched, and he nodded repeatedly:

"I've thought about it! A humble person like myself must govern the country and its people, and bring peace to all directions."
Yes, we must ensure that the people live and work in peace and contentment! Yes, we must!

His voice stopped abruptly.

His whole demeanor instantly turned bleak and dim, and the light in his eyes was completely extinguished.

What's the point of saying all this now?

Becoming a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard meant his life was over.
Seeing his expression, Mao Xiang burst out laughing:
I was just like you back then.

Just as I was full of vigor and ready to show my skills,

He was inexplicably dismissed from his post and thrown into the Imperial Guard, and later transferred to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Unable to fight and defeat the enemy openly and honorably on the battlefield, they can only scheme against people's hearts in these dark corners.

He pointed to the cramped space in front of him, his tone full of self-mockery:

“Ji Gang, the moment I see you, I am reminded of myself back then.”

There is another person who is very similar to you, named Jiang Huan.

It's laughable, but you wanted to study and become an official; at least you had ambition.
But all he wanted was to open a wine shop, and he spent all his time thinking about those few ounces of wine.
They even brewed wine in the government office; it's utterly absurd.

Ji Gang suddenly remembered the underground storeroom of Miaoyinfang.

Those large wine vats covered in cobwebs

He suddenly realized that it was left by this Lord Jiang.

"My lord, where is Lord Jiang now?"

"He's dead. He was murdered."

"Murdered? Who did it?"

Ji Gang was extremely shocked that someone dared to kill a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
"You don't need to know, you can't afford to mess with them."

Mao Xiang sighed softly, his voice tinged with melancholy.
"I can't afford to offend them either."

Ji Gang's pupils suddenly contracted, and his whole body went cold.
The last glimmer of hope vanished completely.

He had originally thought that even if he couldn't pass the imperial examinations and become an official, he could still...
Staying in the Embroidered Uniform Guard was a secure and stable job, regardless of circumstances. But now it seems there are people in the Embroidered Uniform Guard that are not to be trifled with; they wouldn't even dare to speak out if one of their own was killed.

Mao Xiang straightened up, his face emerging from the darkness, covered in stubble, his eyes bloodshot.

He picked up a document from the table and handed it to Ji Gang:

"From today onwards, you will be a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
The monthly salary is two taels of silver, with a bonus at the end of the year.

Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard did mostly shady things, it was still safer than the outside world.

Stop thinking about the imperial examinations.

Once you've joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard, you're never going to leave. You'd better stay put.

After saying this, under Ji Gang's shocked gaze, Mao Xiang stood up, picked up the documents and memorials on the table, and made as if to leave.

But after taking only two steps, he stopped and said calmly:

"If I don't make it back this time, you should work hard with Du Pingping. He's a good person and has a soft heart."

"S-lord!"

Ji Gang stepped forward, wanting to press for details.
But Mao Xiang had already pulled up his cloak and walked away quickly, leaving only a silhouette that gradually disappeared into the darkness.

Inside the Wuying Hall of the Imperial Palace.

The sandalwood scent mingled with the sweltering air, clinging to everyone's robes.

Just past noon, the cicadas outside the hall began to chirp incessantly.

The light seeped through the window lattice, but it couldn't dispel the stagnant atmosphere inside the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne at the head of the table.

His gaze swept over the ministers below the steps, and his expression was not pleasant.

The six ministries and nine ministers were arguing endlessly about mobilizing troops in the city.

Many people are clamoring for the release of the arrested grain merchants to appease public anger.

This made him even angrier.

Just as the two sides were deadlocked, a eunuch suddenly made an urgent report from outside the hall:

"Your Majesty, Mao Xiang, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, requests an audience!"

The people below were all taken aback.

These days, Mao Xiang has disappeared without a trace.

Why would someone who doesn't even go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard's office suddenly enter the palace today?

"Let him in."

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes, a fierce glint flashing in them.
The voice remained calm, but the air inside the hall grew increasingly heavy.

Before long, a figure slowly walked into the hall.

Mao Xiang remained calm and composed, his steps steady, seemingly unaffected by the heat and commotion within the palace.

He held several books in his arms, and after his gaze swept over the faces of the assembled ministers,

Upon entering the hall, he knelt down with a thud, his voice heavy:

"Your subject Mao Xiang has an important matter to report!"

All the ministers present turned their gazes to him, their eyes filled with unease.
This kind of behavior clearly indicates that the visitor has ill intentions.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked down at him, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, and said indifferently:
"explain."

Mao Xiang kowtowed, his voice hoarse yet exceptionally firm:

"I risk my life to speak this out today, and I am willing to guarantee with my life that every word I have said is true. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"

Zhu Yuanzhang leaned back on the dragon throne, gazing at Mao Xiang below the steps:
What do you want to play?

Mao Xiang took a deep breath, pulled a blue ledger from his pocket, and held it high with both hands:

"Your Majesty! I impeach Zhao Mian, the Minister of Revenue!"

"Wow!"

A commotion instantly erupted inside the hall, and everyone's pupils contracted sharply.

Only one thought crossed my mind: Has he gone mad?

The unrest among the people had not yet subsided, and undercurrents were still surging within the imperial court.

He actually wants to put the fight in the open?
What benefit would this bring to the imperial court?

Just as everyone was still puzzled, Mao Xiang continued, his voice strong and clear:

"His wife, Liu, took advantage of Lord Zhao's power..."

He accepted bribes from salt merchants in Lianghuai, totaling more than 100,000 taels of silver!
Salt merchants, in order to pay less salt tax,

Every spring, gold, silver, and land deeds would be delivered to the Zhao family residence.

Liu welcomed all who came, and even pleaded on their behalf before Lord Zhao, causing the imperial court to lose nearly 50,000 taels of salt tax annually!

Upon hearing this, the expressions on everyone's faces immediately turned strange, and they instantly understood Mao Xiang's intention.

He did not intend to escalate the current conflict.

Instead, he wanted to use a minor offense to bring Zhao Mian down.

"You bullshit!"

Zhao Mian's expression changed drastically, and his hand pointing at Mao Xiang trembled uncontrollably:

"Mao Xiang! You're spouting nonsense! My wife has always been law-abiding and honest; how could she possibly accept bribes?"

"Your Majesty, Mao Xiang is a man of treacherous intentions, spouting nonsense! I humbly request Your Majesty to execute him and display his head to the public as a warning to others!"

Mao Xiang snorted coldly and pushed the ledger forward again:
"Lord Zhao, do not have a guilty conscience. Your Majesty, I have evidence!"

This ledger was secretly copied by the Zhao family's steward.
The document contains detailed records of the annual transactions between the Zhao family and the salt merchants.

Last August, Wang Lin, a salt merchant from Yangzhou, delivered 3,000 taels of silver and 30 bolts of brocade.

In the same month, Li Sidao, a salt merchant from Hangzhou, donated 130 mu of farmland in the suburbs of the city.

Last winter, Zhang Zongkai, a salt merchant from Suzhou, gifted me a pure gold Buddha statue weighing twenty jin!

These are all supported by testimonies from the servants of the Zhao household.
"I have already imprisoned the man in the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison, and he can be brought in for interrogation and confrontation at any time!"

Zhao Mian's face instantly lost all color, his pupils dilated sharply, and his breathing became rapid.

An uproar erupted once again inside the hall.

Chang Sheng raised an eyebrow, his gaze towards Zhao Mian now tinged with disdain, and said indifferently:

"Lord Zhao, you always said you were honest and upright,"

They boast of coming from a scholarly family, disdain money, and often accuse us martial artists of corruption.

Now it seems no wonder Lord Zhao disdained money; it turns out someone was embezzling it for him.

Lord Zhao truly has a knack for making money.

Left Army Commander Zhu Shou also added a kick without hesitation, letting out a cold laugh:
"Lord Zhao has only been Minister of Revenue for a year, yet he has already amassed over 100,000 taels of silver."
If word gets out, the merchants in the capital will be incredibly envious.

Zhu Yuanzhang remained calm, glancing at Mao Xiang with a meaningful look in his eyes.

Then, his face darkened, and he looked at Zhao Mian, saying in a deep voice:

"Minister Zhao, do you have anything else to say?"

Zhao Mian opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

Finally, he could only kneel down with a thud:
"Your Majesty! I, your subject, know nothing of this matter! I am innocent!"

"I don't know?"

Mao Xiang snorted coldly and pulled out another document:
"Your Majesty, last year there was a shortage of salt tax revenue in Jiangnan."

Lord Zhao also submitted a memorial stating that salt merchants were facing difficulties and requested the court to reduce or exempt taxes.

In reality, it was to benefit the salt merchants who offered bribes!
I found this draft of the memorial in the study of the Zhao residence.
There was also a note from Liu, instructing him to increase the reduction amount further!

Even Zhan Hui couldn't sit still anymore.

He looked at Zhao Mian with some shock.

How could there be such a foolish person?
Zhan Hui got up and walked into the hall.

He took the account books and documents from Mao Xiang and carefully flipped through a few pages.

The account books were written in neat handwriting, with clear and detailed records, and even bore the signatures of the servants.

His brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and he bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang, saying:

"Your Majesty, the evidence presented by Minister Mao is detailed and convincing. I request Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate Zhao Mian!"

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent, only turning his gaze to Mao Xiang, his voice as cold as ice:

"If there's anything else, just say it."

Mao Xiang knew in his heart that he had stepped into a dead end.

If he doesn't take a gamble, his death will come once the matter is over!

A flicker of madness and resolve flashed in his eyes.

He then pulled out a yellowed document, raising his voice slightly:
"Your Majesty! I also wish to impeach Minister of War Shen Jin and Minister of Works Qin Kui!"

"what?"

Even the ministers who had previously maintained a calm demeanor suddenly widened their eyes.

Looking at Mao Xiang kneeling on the ground, has he really gone mad?

What happened today?
First came the stupid Zhao Mian.

Another reckless Mao Xiang has appeared?
Ignoring everyone's gaze, Mao Xiang continued:

"The two men misappropriated classified military equipment, including telescopes and flintlock muskets!"

Your Majesty, I have discovered that Lord Shen used the pretext of inspecting the capital...

They took ten telescopes from the Ministry of War's armory.
Instead of sending it to the capital army, he gave it to some trusted confidants to monitor the movements of the Market and Exchange Bureau and the route taken by the Imperial Guards after they left the palace!
Lord Qin then helped Lord Shen forge the requisition records to cover up the matter!

(End of this chapter)