I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 267 The Waters of Jiangnan Run Deep! Misappropriation of Disaster Relief Funds, Assassination of the Censor
On the eighth day of the eighth lunar month, around noon, in Qingpu County, Songjiang Prefecture.

This refers to the areas most severely affected by the floods in Yingtian, Songjiang, and Suzhou prefectures.

At this moment, the villages surrounding the county town are still like a vast expanse of water, but the floodwaters have gradually receded in the county town, which is located at a higher elevation.

The villagers who survived all brought their families to the outskirts of the county town.

Disaster victims who have no relatives or friends to rely on in the county town, and who have no money or possessions to pawn, are not allowed to enter the town.

Because once they become desperate for food, they will definitely rush into shops in the county to rob and even kill, causing various public security problems.

Outside the county town, there were two large pots set up by yamen runners. The porridge inside was like plain water, with hardly any rice grains visible.

But some disaster victims still lined up in long queues, waiting to drink a mouthful of life-saving porridge.

Not far from the porridge pot, a tattered straw mat was scattered around, where some elderly people and children were lying.

This is where the disaster victims were resettled.

The disaster victims can only rest here at night, and whether they can survive this calamity depends almost entirely on their own physical condition.

at the same time.

The magistrate of Qingpu County, along with a group of clerks and runners, was busy clearing away the bodies of the flood victims.

This is the top priority.

Otherwise, if an epidemic breaks out, even more people will die.

At this moment, a middle-aged man dressed in a cloth shirt with a thin face glanced at the porridge pot and the haggard-looking disaster victims, then walked toward the county town with a solemn expression, followed closely by two guards.

This person is none other than Cao Zheng, the current Imperial Inspector of Southern Zhili.

Since the floods occurred, he has been inspecting various counties and townships that have been severely affected by the floods.

Three days ago, he heard that the 100,000 taels of disaster relief funds allocated by the imperial court had arrived in Nanjing, and that Xu Bangrui, the Duke of Wei and garrison commander of Nanjing, had sent people to Huguang and Jiangxi to buy grain.

But he did not believe the disaster could be resolved.

This flood destroyed countless houses and fields, drowned tens of thousands of people, and caused great damage to the three prefectures of Yingtian. One hundred thousand taels of silver can only provide temporary relief, not a cure.

He planned to inspect several more places, record the severity of the floods in detail, and then submit a memorial to the court, requesting that the three prefectures of Yingtian be exempted from taxes for three years.

In addition, he hoped that the textile manufacturing in the three prefectures could be suspended for a year to allow the people to recuperate.

He did not intend to discuss these plans with local officials.

As an imperial inspector.

Cao Zheng remained outside the local government, but he possessed the great power of supervision, cooperation, and independent impeachment. Even the high-ranking officials in Nanjing would greet him with smiles to avoid being impeached by him.

However, in Southern Zhili, he could not supervise everything.

Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of Nanjing, and Sun Long, the eunuch in charge of textile production in Suzhou and Hangzhou, should have been under his supervision.

However, because the two were favored by Emperor Wanli and Feng Bao, Cao Zheng knew nothing about what they did in private, and was even told that he was not qualified to investigate.

Cao Zheng vaguely suspected that the two might embezzle disaster relief funds, so he ordered his spies to keep an eye on them in Nanjing.

……

In the afternoon, just as Cao Zheng was about to leave Qingpu County with two guards.

Just as he reached the gate of the county town, a young scholar blocked his way.

His two guards immediately stepped in front of Cao Zheng.

Cao Zheng looked closely and couldn't help but ask, "Zou Wendong, why are you here?"

"Imperial Censor Cao, your student... your student has finally found you! Your student has important matters to report to you!" Zou Wendong said excitedly.

Zou Wendong, 18 years old, a student of the Nanjing Imperial Academy.

A month ago, while exchanging literary ideas at a teahouse in Nanjing, he criticized the current censors for being spineless and lacking backbone, far inferior to the censors of the Song Dynasty. He then got to know Cao Zheng through a debate. Afterward, Cao Zheng revealed his identity and hoped that Zou Wendong would report any injustices he discovered in Nanjing to him.

When imperial censors arrive in a new place, they will seek out spies to obtain more intelligence more efficiently.

moment.

Cao Zheng and Zou Wendong arrived at a remote place outside the city.

Zou Wendong lowered his voice and said, "Imperial Censor Cao, I have made a major discovery. The claim that the grain in the Changping granary of Yingtian Prefecture was destroyed by the flood is a complete lie. At the time of the flood, there was no grain stored in the Changping granary at all. The stored grain had already been sold off a month ago!"

"Sold? Where did you get that information?"

“An old official from the Yingtian Prefecture Changping Granary let slip while drinking at a tavern. I investigated and found that the grain in the Yingtian Prefecture Changping Granary was sold in two separate transactions. There’s no doubt about it. Many people know about this. As long as we investigate, we can get the results. Maybe the grain reserves in the Songjiang Prefecture and Suzhou Prefecture Changping Granaries were also sold. Those corrupt officials are cheating the court out of disaster relief funds!” Zou Wendong said angrily.

Cao Zheng paused for a moment and said, "Very well, I have heard of this news. I will order someone to investigate immediately."

It was common for local officials to embezzle grain reserves, either to pay taxes and profit from the difference in prices by using the grain to pay taxes, or to use it to pay off other debts.

Just then, one of Cao Zheng's guards walked over from a short distance away, holding a letter in his hand.

"News from Nanjing!" the guard said.

Cao Zheng also had two guards in Nanjing, who were specifically responsible for gathering information about the city.

Tear!

Cao Zheng tore open the envelope, opened the letter, and began to read it carefully.

Before long, Cao Zheng's face turned ashen, one hand clenched into a fist, and he cursed, "Those two eunuchs!"

Zou Wendong, a student at the Imperial Academy, was so frightened that he dared not move.

At that time, officials dared not easily insult eunuchs, because they represented the inner court and the emperor.

After reading the letter, Cao Zheng let out a sigh of relief.

"Of the 100,000 taels of disaster relief funds, 80,000 taels were directly taken by Sun Long, the eunuch in charge of textile production in Suzhou and Hangzhou. Amid the devastation of the floods, he actually ordered all the official and private textile workshops in the three prefectures to start production. Isn't this forcing the disaster victims to rebel?"

Upon hearing this, Zou Wendong couldn't help but look furious.

He thought that corrupt officials were hateful enough, but he never expected that there were eunuchs who would not let the people have enough to eat and would make them work themselves to death.

The reason why eunuchs were always able to complete the imperial tasks, and even exceed the quota and complete them ahead of schedule, was not because they were excellent, but because they were willing to do anything for the imperial tasks and had no pity for the people.

Cao Zheng paused for a moment and looked at the guards beside him.

"Today I will not go on inspection tours elsewhere. Let's go to the county town and find a quiet place. I must immediately write a memorial to impeach Sun Long, the eunuch in charge of textiles in Suzhou and Hangzhou, Xu Bangrui, the Duke of Wei and garrison commander of Nanjing, and Wang Yue, the garrison commander! Only if the imperial court sends an envoy can these disaster victims be saved!"

Then, Cao Zheng looked at Zou Wendong and patted him on the shoulder.

"You must return to Nanjing immediately and find evidence that the three prefectures' granaries have no grain reserves, and that the eunuch Sun Long, the textile commissioner of Suzhou and Hangzhou, has embezzled disaster relief funds. Remember, be careful!"

"I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!" Zou Wendong said.

……

The following day at noon, a notice was suddenly posted at the city gate of Qingpu County.

It is reported that yesterday at dusk, Cao Zheng, the Imperial Inspector of Southern Zhili, was inspecting the river south of the city with two guards when their carriage accidentally fell into the water, and all three drowned. Their bodies have just been found.

The people who saw the notice showed no reaction.

Firstly, they didn't know Cao Zheng, and secondly, in their eyes, since the flood started, they had been almost entirely on their own, with no officials appearing at all.

……

On August 12th, news of Cao Zheng's death reached the capital.

Chen Kai, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, wept uncontrollably, saying that Cao Zheng's death in the line of duty was a great loss to the Censorate.

At Zhang Juzheng's suggestion, the young Wanli Emperor immediately ordered people to comfort his family and promised to give him a proper burial and provide compensation to his family after the flood.

Upon hearing this news, Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian were both very surprised and suspected that something was amiss. Yin Zhengmao had already sent people to Nanjing to secretly investigate the detailed use of the disaster relief funds.

at the same time.

Zou Wendong, a student of the Imperial Academy who had just returned to Nanjing, also heard the news of Cao Zheng's death.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! Imperial Censor Cao had clearly decided to write his memorial in the city that day, how could he possibly have gone to inspect the river? He... he... he must have been murdered!"

“In Nanjing right now, no one…no one can be trusted. I…I have to find a way to get the truth to the capital!” Zou Wendong murmured.

……

On August 16th, the weather in Yingtian Prefecture, Suzhou Prefecture, and Songjiang Prefecture gradually cleared up, and the floodwaters in the counties and townships receded considerably.

The officials of the three prefectures all submitted memorials reporting good news.

It is said that after the disaster relief funds were provided, the floods were effectively controlled, and the local people praised the government for its timely response, which reduced their losses. Any occasional disturbances were also quickly suppressed.

In the afternoon, at the lecture hall of the Hanlin Academy.

After reading the copies of these memorials, Shen Nian remained skeptical. At that moment, he could only wait for the investigation results sent by Yin Zhengmao to be reported back.

Just then, Zhao Yongxian, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, arrived outside Shen Nian Hall.

"Scholar Shen, I have important matters to report!" Zhao Yongxian said earnestly, cupping his hands in greeting.

Shen Nian stood up and said with a smile, "Senior Brother, there are no outsiders in the hall, just call me Ziheng."

Shen Nian walked to the side, intending to personally make tea for Zhao Yongxian.

Zhao Yongxian walked into the front hall, closed the door, took out a letter from his pocket, and said, "Ziheng, there's no need to make tea. This is an urgent matter, an extremely urgent matter!"

Shen Nian immediately put down the teapot, walked up to Zhao Yongxian, and took the letter.

(End of this chapter)