Catching Monsters

Chapter 172: Pocketing (Happy Chinese New Year!)

Soon Jiang Yun was taken out of the cage by the clerk in charge of the dungeon and tied to an iron pillar.

Many torture instruments were placed at Jiang Yun's feet by the clerks of the Censorate, and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

It is true that the Censorate has prisons and many torture instruments, but how could these officials ever use these things on a daily basis?
Even the dungeon was covered in dust.

On weekdays, even if the Censorate needed to arrest an official, in most cases, they would send a letter to the Jinyiwei Yamen, asking the Jinyiwei Yamen to assist in the arrest, and then take the official back to the Jinyiwei Prison.

But now those who have been captured are all Jinyiwei, and it is impossible to ask other Jinyiwei to come for interrogation.

Watching the clerks from the Censorate fiddling with the torture instruments.

Finally, an official in his thirties picked up a whip and swung it at Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun closed his eyes, but he didn't feel any pain from the whip.

However, using the whip for torture requires skill, otherwise the whip's maximum power cannot be exerted.

The Jinyiwei in the prison not far away frowned at the useless clerks in the Censorate.

These guys may be okay at doing clerical work, but torturing prisoners is just a joke.

Even Xiao Jingqi couldn't stand it anymore, so he pushed the clerk away, took the whip in his hand, and stared at Jiang Yun: "General Jiang, you have been detained here, I advise you to confess your corruption crimes honestly."

Jiang Yun's eyes were directed towards the ceiling, not even bothering to stare at the Sixth Prince.

Xiao Jingqi snorted coldly and said slowly: "I know what you are thinking, and I also know that you have some friendship with Eunuch Feng Yu."

"Unfortunately, Feng Yu can't save you!"

Before Xiao Jingqi took over the task of investigating corruption, he had a long talk with his father in the imperial study.

To put it bluntly, thoroughly investigating corruption is a tough job that would offend court officials. Xiao Yuzheng had also promised him that as long as it was verified, no matter who it was, no matter how high their position, they could be arrested.

Xiao Jingqi also didn't believe that Jiang Yun had no corruption.

He inquired from all sides and learned that Jiang Yun loved money. He even had shares in the Changxin Temple in the outer city and turned it into a place to make money.

With such a character, how could he not embezzle money when he became the general?
Xiao Jingqi looked down at the torture instruments below, then turned to the captured Jinyiwei and shouted, "Who among you is willing to redeem yourself and make meritorious contributions? Come and help this prince to interrogate people."

"As long as Jiang Yun confesses his crimes, I will let him make amends for his crimes!"

But what Xiao Jingqi didn't expect was that none of the more than 30 Jinyiwei present were willing.

Suo Anze couldn't help but shake his head slightly. At this time, if anyone stood up to interrogate his colleagues in the Jinyiwei, he would have no chance of staying in the Jinyiwei or even in the capital.

To the outside world, the Jinyiwei Yamen was considered a very united department.

At this moment, suddenly, footsteps and Tong Jianhui's voice were heard faintly above the dungeon.

"Your Majesty, the environment downstairs in the dungeon is not good. Why don't you rest up there? I will report to you as soon as the results of the trial are out."

During the conversation, Tong Jianhui had already followed Xiao Yuzheng respectfully into the dungeon.

Xiao Yuzheng was wearing a white uniform with golden dragon patterns embroidered on the corners.

Xiao Yuzheng also frowned slightly. He was handling government affairs in the imperial study when suddenly Concubine Shu came over and told him that Jiang Yun had been arrested by the Sixth Prince.

Concubine Shu had a look of worry on her face and asked His Majesty to come and take a look in person. If Jiang Yun really embezzled money, it would be fine, but if he was wronged, she hoped that His Majesty would enforce the law impartially.

Shufei has a very special status among the concubines in the harem, and she rarely asks Xiao Yuzheng to do anything.

Unlike other concubines, one of them wants a promotion today, and another one of them wants a promotion to the rank of marquis tomorrow.

In addition, Xiao Yuzheng had a very good impression of Jiang Yun.

In Xiao Yuzheng's impression, Jiang Yun is a young, strong, capable and honest young man.

Of course, these were all said by Feng Yu, who praised Jiang Yun highly.

This is why the emperor's personal eunuch has such great influence.

So he also wanted to see why his Sixth Prince captured Jiang Yun.

"Father." When Xiao Jingqi saw Xiao Yuzheng coming here, his expression changed slightly. He quickly turned around to look at Master Bai Chen with his brows furrowed.

He walked forward quickly: "Father." Xiao Yuzheng glanced at the prison and saw many Jinyiwei inside: "Is this the East Zhenfusi, the person who embezzled and accepted bribes?"

"Yes." Xiao Jingqi replied in a deep voice: "A total of 32 people, all with solid evidence."

Xiao Yuzheng quickly looked at Master Baichen in the prison. He frowned slightly, then smiled faintly: "Master Baichen from Baiyun Temple is here too? Is Master Baichen here as a witness, or does he have some secret method to investigate the case?"

Xiao Jingqi felt a little bitter in his heart. He knew that his father had a very bad impression of the Taoist sect...

At this moment, Jiang Yun slowly spoke.

"Your Highness, Sixth Prince, you just lost to me in the Dao Discussion Conference. There is no need to retaliate against me like this." Jiang Yun said calmly, "I was promoted to the chief flag of the Jinyiwei at a young age thanks to the emperor's grace."

"Do you think I can betray your majesty's trust and do something corrupt and unjust?"

"Master Tong, what crime did Jiang Yun commit to get him imprisoned?" Xiao Yuzheng did not ask Xiao Jingqi directly, but looked at Tong Jianhui.

Tong Jianhui respectfully took out a file, handed it over, and said, "Your Majesty, please take a look."

"Did you get your status as a scholar by cheating?"

"General Wei Huaian bribed him?"

Looking at the two charges, Xiao Yuzheng frowned.

Soon, a chair was placed next to him, and Xiao Yuzheng sat down slowly: "Jing Qi, let's try the case."

Xiao Yuzheng had some expectations for his sixth prince.

Unlike many princes who were addicted to eating, drinking and having fun all day long, Xiao Jingqi was indeed quite enterprising among the princes.

They can even put aside their status and travel for many years.

He was also looking forward to Xiao Jingqi's current abilities.

Xiao Jingqi nodded, then took a deep breath and looked at Jiang Yun without asking.

Jiang Yun then said to himself: "Your Highness the Sixth Prince, I have said before that my talent and knowledge are appreciated even by the great scholars in the academy."

"Do you really need to fake your status as a scholar?"

"The silver Wei Huaian gave me was also a gift from me because I helped him."

Xiao Jingqi's eyes turned cold, and then he said in a deep voice: "Okay, but after you arrived in the capital, your expenses are not low. According to my inquiries, Changxin Temple has received a full 1,500 taels of silver from you before."

"In addition, you also took out 1,500 taels and gave them to your Jinyiwei, 100 taels per person, and the remaining 300 taels were for them to spend at the Jiaofangsi."

"That's a full three thousand taels."

"How can you, a general of the Imperial Guards, get so much money?"

Jiang Yun looked at Xiao Jingqi as if he was mentally retarded, and said, "Aren't you asking even though you know the answer?"

"These three thousand taels were all given by Master Bai Chen."

When Master Bai Chen, who was standing behind, heard this, his face turned rather grim.

Unexpectedly, a smile appeared on Xiao Jingqi's face: "Why does Master Baichen give you money?"

Jiang Yun was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "She wanted to redeem the Taoist priest of Baiyun Temple."

Xiao Jingqi stared at Jiang Yun: "This money was used to redeem people from the East Pacification Division. Why did the money end up in your own pocket?"

"Ordinarily, this money should be collected and put into the finances of the Eastern Pacification Office, but you pocketed it for yourself and kept it for yourself."

At this point, Xiao Jingqi stepped forward and stared at Jiang Yun: “You still dare to say that you are not greedy for money!”

When Jiang Yun heard this, he was slightly surprised. He didn't expect that someone was waiting for him here.

Jiang Yun's expression gradually became serious, because if he really wanted to be serious, his actions were indeed embezzlement.

Such a huge sum of money is more than enough to sentence myself to death.

(End of this chapter)