After ten years of accompanying me in my studies, the entire court begged me to shut up.

With the Imperial Guards in action, efficiency was significantly improved.

Of the thirty-seven households, all but the Marquis of Shouning's household paid silver.

A row of imperial guards stood at the gate in broad daylight, and if the neighbors saw it, they would think the owner of the house had committed a crime.

After all, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was indeed making arrests; in just two days, they had arrested more than a hundred people.

The imperial prison was already overcrowded, filled with all sorts of people from all walks of life, including a large number of ragged refugees.

At the Beizhen Prefecture Office, Mu Bin looked at the confessions one by one, his face so dark it seemed to seep ink.

With the three-day deadline fast approaching, not a single spy had been spotted.

What's even more infuriating is that most of the people arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard were refugees!

"A bunch of useless trash!"

Mu Bin threw the confession in his hand away forcefully, and roared, "No wonder His Majesty scolded us Embroidered Uniform Guards for being good-for-nothings! What are you doing bringing back a bunch of vagrants instead of spies? Are your heads filled with mush?"

Several commanders knelt below the hall, all silent and trembling, not daring to utter a sound.

"Commander, please calm down!"

One of the commanders, mustering his courage, said, "There are indeed many refugees lately. I'm thinking, perhaps... perhaps it's these refugees who leaked the military intelligence..."

"Bullshit!"

Mu Bin was trembling with rage. Pointing at the man, he yelled, "Can't you use your brain? Most of these people have suffered disasters in their families, forced to leave their homes, and are struggling to even get enough to eat. Where are you going to steal military intelligence? You try stealing one and see!"

The commander was so frightened that he immediately kowtowed, saying, "Your subordinate is foolish! Your subordinate deserves to die!"

The others also kowtowed, saying, "Commander, please calm your anger!"

Looking at his men, Mu Bin felt a surge of anger rising within him.

The three-day deadline was fast approaching, but he hadn't managed to grab a single hair.

If His Majesty were to dismiss me from my post and investigate me, losing my official position would be the least of my worries; I might not even be able to save my life!

He rubbed his temples and said weakly, "Release all the refugees in the imperial prison!"

The commander was taken aback and asked, "Should we just release them?"

Mu Bin glared at him: "Nonsense! Why keep them here for the New Year? Release them right now, clear out the prison, and I'll go in with you all tomorrow!"

The commander was terrified and said, "This subordinate will intensify the efforts and must use our spies to find him!"

Mu Bin's face darkened: "Hurry up and go!"

"yes!"

Everyone agreed in unison and scrambled out of the room.

Mu Bin glanced at the sky outside the window; the sun was setting, and it was already dusk.

With only one night left of the three-day deadline, there was only one night left.

He gritted his teeth, forced himself to stand up, straightened his official robes, and prepared to enter the palace to meet the emperor.

What's meant to happen will happen; there's no escaping it.

Inside the Fengtian Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed to drip water.

The Hongzhi Emperor sat upright behind his desk, his face terribly gloomy.

Minister of Rites Zhang Shengzheng bowed and reported, his voice growing softer: "...The Crown Prince of Northern Yuan is taking a hard line, saying that if we don't sign the agreement by tomorrow, he will... he will send troops to the Hetao region..."

"You bastard!"

The Hongzhi Emperor slammed his hand on the imperial desk, causing the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to jump.

Zhang Sheng was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground: "Your Majesty, I am incompetent! I am guilty!"

Grand Secretary Liu Jian, Minister of War Ma Wensheng, and others stood with their hands clasped, their faces solemn, as if they had lost their parents.

Xiao Jing stepped forward with small, quick steps and said softly, "Your Majesty, Mu Bin, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, requests an audience!"

"Announce!"

Mu Bin entered the main hall with his head bowed and knelt on the ground: "Your subject Mu Bin pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

The Hongzhi Emperor looked at him coldly: "How's the investigation going?"

Mu Bin's forehead was covered in sweat, and he forced a smile as he said, "Your Majesty, I...I am doing my best to investigate. However, recently...recently the Haihe River has breached its banks, and Hejian Prefecture, Baoding Prefecture, Tianjin Wei and other places have suffered disasters. A large number of refugees have poured into the capital, and the situation is very complicated..."

"Oh?"

The Hongzhi Emperor suddenly laughed, but his laughter was filled with coldness.

"The Haihe River breaching its banks is a matter for the Ministry of Revenue to provide disaster relief and the Ministry of Works to manage the river. What does it have to do with your Embroidered Uniform Guard investigating a case? Mu Bin, are you joking with me?"

Mu Bin trembled violently and banged his head on the ground, crying out, "I deserve to die ten thousand times! I deserve to die ten thousand times!"

He knew that any explanation would be futile at this moment.

The Hongzhi Emperor slowly stood up, walked down the imperial steps, and came to Mu Bin.

"What did I say two days ago? If you couldn't find the spies within three days, you should submit your resignation. Now the three days are almost up, and all you've brought back to me is the claim that there are too many refugees?"

Mu Bin lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to raise his head, only repeatedly saying, "I am guilty! I deserve to die!"

The Hongzhi Emperor turned to Ma Wensheng and asked, "Minister Ma, how long will it take to mobilize the troops in the border towns?"

Ma Wensheng looked troubled and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, each garrison and military unit has its own defense zone. If we want to mobilize them on a large scale, we need to redeploy provisions, equipment, and barracks... It will take at least two or three months."

"Two or three months?"

Suppressing his anger, the Hongzhi Emperor said, "They have already figured out our troop deployment perfectly! If we really fight, won't our soldiers become sitting ducks? Can't we hurry up?"

Ma Wensheng said with a bitter face, "Your Majesty, please calm down! We are working hard to formulate a new plan. But even without considering logistics, just mobilizing troops, the assembly, departure, and march of the various garrisons... will take at least half a month."

Liu Jian then said, "Your Majesty, even if the troops are redeployed, the spies in the city will not be eliminated, and military intelligence will still be leaked. When we move troops, the enemy will know; when we set up an ambush, the enemy will know. This battle is unwinnable."

The Hongzhi Emperor looked at Mu Bin, who was still kneeling on the ground, and a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

"Mu Bin, did you hear that? The entire court is helpless because of your dereliction of duty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard! The entire Embroidered Uniform Guard in Beijing can't even catch a few spies? What use are you to me?"

Mu Bin lay on the ground, trembling all over, unable to even utter the words "I will die ten thousand times over."

After a brief silence, Liu Jian said, "Your Majesty, the current situation is passive. I think... it would be better to temporarily agree to the Northern Yuan's conditions, provide them with more supplies, stabilize them first, and then make further plans."

Zhang Sheng said urgently, "The Northern Yuan are ambitious wolves, and their biggest constraint has always been the scarcity of resources. If we give them ample supplies, it's tantamount to raising a tiger to threaten us! Once their army is strong and well-equipped, they will definitely launch a large-scale invasion southward!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Liu Jian frowned and said, "The border towns' strength has been exposed, troops can't be mobilized in time, and spies can't be caught! Are we really going to just watch the Hetao region fall into enemy hands? If the Hetao region is lost, Xuanfu and Datong will be in danger! The capital will be in danger!"

The two argued back and forth, unable to reach a conclusion.

The others looked at each other, none daring to interrupt.

When the Hongzhi Emperor saw this scene, he felt a tightness in his chest.

He slowly sat back on his throne and closed his eyes wearily.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke: "Minister Zhang."

Zhang Sheng immediately bowed and said, "Your subject is here."

"Prepare the official letter; we'll go to the Court of State Ceremonies to sign it tomorrow."

The Hongzhi Emperor's voice was soft, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

Zhang Sheng opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately let out a sigh: "Your subject... obeys the decree!"

The Hongzhi Emperor waved his hand: "All of you, step down!"

The ministers, however, did not leave; they looked at each other.

The Hongzhi Emperor asked, "Is there anything else?"

Liu Jian said, "Your Majesty, I have received several memorials here, all impeaching..."

She paused here, glancing furtively at Mu Bin kneeling on the ground.

The Hongzhi Emperor said impatiently, "Speak your mind!"

Liu Jian then said, "Impeach the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Tell me, what exactly are you impeaching us for?"

"Impeach...the Embroidered Uniform Guard, under the guise of searching for spies, is actually extorting money."

Mu Bin nearly jumped up from the ground, hurriedly saying, "I'm innocent! I absolutely didn't do it!"

The Hongzhi Emperor coldly said, "Shut up! Minister Liu, continue speaking!"

Mu Bin looked at Liu Jian with pleading eyes.

It seems to be saying, "Don't you dare mess with me at this crucial moment!"

Liu Jian truthfully reported: "Your Majesty, please allow me to say that the Crown Prince's residence is currently constructing the first batch of biogas digesters, but... it costs money. According to the list of thirty-seven households, each household needs to pay at least five hundred taels of silver. Many people do not want to build them, so Li Chun, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, led his men to forcibly break in and search under the pretext of arresting spies. Many people had no choice but to obediently pay the money. Once the money was paid, the Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately withdrew."

The Hongzhi Emperor frowned and said, "Five hundred taels? Does building a biogas digester require that much silver?"

Ma Wensheng said, "What Grand Secretary Liu said is true. I have also paid six hundred and fifty taels of silver."

Zhang Sheng followed closely behind: "Your subject has paid 580 taels."

Liu Jian said, "His Majesty's original decree was for the court to provide subsidies, but now we haven't received the subsidies and are being asked to pay even more money. Doesn't this increase the burden on the people?"

The Hongzhi Emperor looked at Mu Bin: "You can't catch anyone, yet you're using this opportunity to amass wealth?"

Mu Bin was on the verge of tears, stammering, "Your Majesty, I am innocent! Li Chun is the commander of the Crown Prince's guards. He only obeys His Highness's orders. I never assign him any tasks, let alone allow him to embezzle money..."

"You mean, it was the Crown Prince's idea to use this opportunity to amass wealth?"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty...that's not what I meant. I didn't know..."

Mu Bin bowed his head to the ground again, not daring to say another word.

The Hongzhi Emperor, still furious, said, "Xiao Jing, have the Eastern Depot investigate whether what Minister Liu said is true!"

"yes!"

Xiao Jing agreed and turned to leave.

The Hongzhi Emperor stood up and looked at Mu Bin on the ground: "Why are you still kneeling?"

Mu Bin kowtowed repeatedly, his voice trembling as he said, "Your Majesty, please grant me a few more days. I will definitely bring the spy to justice..."

"Go talk to the Northern Yuan envoy yourself and see if he'll give you time!"

The Hongzhi Emperor uttered a single sentence and stormed off.

Mu Bin was struck dumb and collapsed to the ground.