Prime Minister

Chapter 133, Section 132: [The Second Move]

"Well done, what a righteous and awe-inspiring Magistrate Xue!"

Chen Lun never expected Xue Huai to dare to take such a risk. Now that he was backed into a corner, even though he felt a violent urge for a moment, he ultimately dared not do such a heinous thing.

Xue Huai was not afraid of death, but he lacked the courage to fight back.

If he were to publicly harm the Yangzhou Assistant Magistrate, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy, the Chen family wouldn't have enough heads to go down with him.

Therefore, he could only grit his teeth and say, "I have truly witnessed the brilliance of Magistrate Xue today, and I will certainly repay him in the future."

Xue Huai did not respond. When Chen Lun led his men into this place, it was impossible for him and the Salt Transport Bureau to coexist peacefully. Moreover, he never intended to associate with the Salt Transport Bureau.

As the Assistant Magistrate of Yangzhou, he was responsible for overseeing the salt administration. Even if Chen Lun hadn't come today, he would have clashed with the Salt Transport Bureau sooner or later. However, there was no need for him to make harsh statements for the sake of saving face, like Chen Lun did.

"let's go!"

Chen Lun roared in anger and resentment. Several salt soldiers stepped forward to help up their comrade who had been subdued by Jiang Sheng. Gone was their previous arrogance. They mounted their horses in a rather disheveled state and followed Chen Lun away at high speed.

For most of the people in Qingshan Town, today's public trial was full of twists and turns. The arrival of the two groups of people almost saved the Hu family father and son from danger, but fortunately, Magistrate Xue withstood the pressure.

This young man truly lives up to his reputation as the son of Lord Xue!

Zhang Shi and Wang Gui, along with other officials in the prefecture, thought about things more deeply. Today's situation might have been somewhat dangerous, but it had not gotten out of control. Both Zhao Cong and Chen Lun knew that they could not go too far. This was not because they were afraid of public opinion, but because they dared not push Xue Huai to the brink.

Because behind Xue Huai stood the Emperor and Shen Wang.

Zhang Shi was just glad that Xue Huai was there today, otherwise how could he, as the magistrate of Yizhen, have forced back the people from the Salt Transport Office and the Grand Canal Transport Office?
Wang Gui and the others quietly pondered. It is said that the most important thing in officialdom is to follow the right person. Now that they have a promising young official like Xue Huai, why should they still care about Liu Rang and Zheng Xuan's feelings?
Xue Huai paid little attention to the thoughts of his subordinates. He turned and walked to the high platform, looking at the gathered people and said, "Fellow villagers, I am Xue Huai, now the Assistant Prefect of Yangzhou Prefecture. I have been ordered by the Prefect to inspect the counties within my jurisdiction. There are Hu Qing and his son Hu Yong, students of the Imperial Academy in Qingshan Town. They are rich but heartless, oppressing the villagers. Their various evil deeds are too numerous to list. The evidence is conclusive and they should be severely punished."

His clear voice echoed all around, and the people all looked expectantly at the high platform.

Xue Huai said loudly, “According to the law, the Hu family father and son should be executed. Since they are students of the Imperial Academy, I will first petition the Ministry of Rites to strip them of their academic titles, and then determine their crimes according to the law. Before sentencing, I will first seize the Hu family’s assets involved in the case, such as account books, land deeds, and treasury silver. Please rest assured, fellow villagers, the gold, silver and land that the Hu family took from you in the past will be returned to you by the government after verification, and you will be compensated according to the laws of the court.”

These words instantly stirred up a storm in the crowd, who excitedly exclaimed, "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

"besides--"

After the uproar subsided slightly, Xue Huai continued, "I hereby assure you all that the Hu family father and son, as well as those who aided and abetted them, will be severely punished by the law! If I break my promise, I will personally go to Qingshan Town to apologize to the villagers!"

"My lord...this humble subject kowtows to you!"

A middle-aged man led the way, and the people in the square all bowed their heads, as if this was the only way to express the turbulent emotions in their hearts.

"Please rise, gentlemen. I am merely fulfilling my duty!"

Xue Huai quickly stepped down from the platform and helped an elderly man up, while Zhang Shi and the others led the constables to help up the surrounding people.

About an incense stick's time later, the excited crowd gradually dispersed.

Seeing the weariness on Xue Huai's face, Zhang Shi stepped forward and said, "Your Excellency, no one else should be coming. Please rest for a while. You can leave the rest of the affairs to me."

"You must put in a lot of effort to make the case of the Hu family father and son an ironclad case that no one can overturn. All relevant evidence must be preserved and no loopholes should be left."

Xue Huai gave him a word of advice, then said, "Go ahead and get busy, I have something else to do."

Zhang Shi was curious, but he didn't ask anything and immediately went to do his own thing.

……

The side hall in the front yard of the Hu family mansion.

Xue Huai sat at the table, with Jiang Sheng standing behind him, his sharp eyes fixed on Hu Qing sitting below him.

Half a day ago, Hu Qing was filled with fear and anxiety, but he also had a glimmer of hope. He felt that with the Hu family's many years of hard work, they shouldn't have fallen to the point of being discarded like trash. Therefore, his resentment towards Xue Huai outweighed his despair.

He sat there blankly, his face devoid of any emotion, revealing the dejection of a dying man.

He had no doubt that Xue Huai was capable of fulfilling his promises to those people.

The first thing to do is to strip him and Hu Yong of their official titles. It's simple: everyone knows that Xue Huai's mentor, Shen Wang, is the leader of the Qingliu faction, and the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Academy have always been the territory of the Qingliu faction.

Once they lose the protection of their official titles, Hu Qing and Hu Yong will be nothing more than ordinary, lowly merchants. At that time, Xue Huai won't even need to lift a finger; Zhang Shi will be able to condemn their crimes.

At this point, Hu Qing knew that he had no chance of escaping this predicament.

Xue Huai picked up his teacup and calmly drank the tea.

Seeing this, Hu Qing couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Lord Xue, may I ask why you have summoned me here?"

Since he was already doomed, why should he grovel before Xue Huai? Xue Huai said leisurely, "Let's have a chat."

"Your Excellency is in high spirits."

Hu Qing said expressionlessly, "It's just that I have nothing to talk about with you, sir."

"is it?"

Xue Huai put down his teacup and smiled, "Do you know why I'm holding a public trial for you and your son today?"

Hu Qing coldly said, "Sir, are you testing me? You just want to mobilize the townspeople to find more evidence of my and my son's crimes."

"This is just one of them."

Xue Huai said, "Although this matter is complicated, it doesn't need to take three whole days. This time, Magistrate Zhang and I have brought dozens of people. If we just need to clarify the outline to convict you and your son, and then gradually gather evidence, then it can be completed in a day at most."

Hu Qing remained silent.

Actually, he had a feeling before that Xue Huai seemed to have waited for three days on purpose.

“I know what you’re thinking. You think that with the Hu family’s years of hard work in helping those people amass wealth, even if you’ve become a prisoner, someone will surely come to rescue you. That’s why I waited for three days.”

Xue Huai's tone remained calm, yet it pierced Hu Qing's heart like a sharp thorn: "I want you to see with your own eyes how the reinforcements you were so eagerly anticipating returned empty-handed. I believe you must have felt utterly desperate when you saw the people from the Salt Transport Office and the Grand Canal Administration turn back."

"My lord, you really are..."

Hu Qing wanted to say the word "insidious," but after glancing at Jiang Sheng beside Xue Huai, he swallowed the word back.

Xue Huai didn't take it to heart and calmly said, "You think I'm playing with you? Why would you think I have such leisure time? Hu Qing, I'm doing this just to make you face reality."

Hu Qing couldn't help but ask, "What reality?"

"No one can save you and your son, that's the reality."

Xue Huai looked at Hu Qing's face and said, "Now you should understand that so-called patronage for personal gain cannot withstand the test of reality. Over the years, you have worked your ass off for the Salt Transport Bureau, the Grand Canal Administration, and the Liu family. Your nephew Hu Quan in the government office only followed Liu Rang's lead. What was the final result? Although the Liu family pleaded for you, and Zhao Cong and Chen Lun also came to Qingshan Town, you should be able to see clearly that they were just going through the motions and had no firm determination to save you."

Hu Qing slowly lowered his head, his hands unconsciously clenching.

"From the moment you fell into my hands, the fate of your Hu family was already sealed. Those big shots won't make a huge fuss with me over a small Hu family."

"enough!"

"How can this be enough?"

Xue Huai slowly said, "Believe it or not, even if I deal with your Hu family, when I meet Liu Fu and the others again in the future, they will still talk to me happily, as if they have never remembered you, Hu Qing, at all."

Hu Qing felt as if his heart was bleeding. His eyes turned bloodshot as he stared at Xue Huai and said, "Lord Xue, what is your intention in saying all this?"

"Your fate and Hu Yong's fate are already sealed. Even if I said I could make an exception, you certainly wouldn't believe me, and of course I wouldn't make such a false promise."

Xue Huai paused briefly, then calmly said, "But the fate of your Hu family is still uncertain. To put it bluntly, if I'm too lazy to bother, the Hu family can be removed from Yangzhou Prefecture. But if I carefully investigate, the Hu family's bloodline won't be completely severed; I can always find a few clean people."

Hu Qing was deeply shocked, and his hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

He understood Xue Huai's unspoken meaning: the Hu family's downfall was irreversible, and he and Hu Yong were doomed to die. However, Xue Huai could decide whether to exterminate them all or to distinguish right from wrong.

If the Hu family line were to end, he didn't know how he could face his ancestors after death. Therefore, even knowing that Xue Huai had offered a poisoned bait, he could only lower his head and ask, "What does Your Excellency desire?"

“You’ve served those people for many years, so you must have kept some things to protect yourself.”

Xue Huai solemnly said, "Give me those things, and I guarantee I will judge the case impartially, and I will not let the evildoers go unpunished, nor will I wrong the innocent. Of course, if your entire Hu family is full of people like Hu Yong, then you don't need to waste your energy."

“My lord! I also have two nephews. They are kind and honest and have never done anything illegal!”

Hu Qing appeared extremely anxious at this moment.

"Ah."

Xue Huai simply responded with a faint "yes".

Hu Qing recalled the despair he felt kneeling on the high platform, the decisiveness with which Zhao Cong and Chen Lun left, and the fact that the Liu clan members had never appeared. He couldn't help but give a bitter, self-deprecating smile, and then resolutely said, "This junior is willing to offer those account books to you, sir."

Xue Huai turned to look at him, and after a long while, nodded and said, "A wise move."

Jiang Sheng then led Hu Qing downstairs. Xue Huai slowly stood up, walked to the window, looked at the azure sky, raised his hand to press on the windowsill, and his expression became more and more determined.

(End of this chapter)