"Have there been any reports from Qin Prefecture?"
It had been five days since the people were dispatched, and Liang Shicheng was starting to feel a bit anxious.
"Replying to Esteemed Father, for news to travel from Bianliang to Qin Prefecture, even with an express courier, day and night without stopping, it would still take about two days. Add to that the time for investigation, and it should be noon or evening by the time the carrier pigeons return!"
Seeing Liang Shicheng's urgency, his adopted sons beside him quickly spoke in hushed tones.
"You are right. I was indeed a bit too hasty about this matter!"
After a moment's thought, Liang Shicheng shook his head with a hint of self-mockery.
"Esteemed Father is merely too involved to see clearly. Please rest assured, as soon as there is news from there, I will deliver it to you immediately!"
"Go to the manor's accounting office later and collect fifty taels of gold, tell them it's a reward from Esteemed Father!"
Nodding with satisfaction, Liang Shicheng said casually.
"Thank you, Esteemed Father, thank you, Esteemed Father!"
Upon hearing Liang Shicheng's words, the young eunuch was almost moved to tears.
Liang Shicheng's generous reward had truly caught him by surprise.
Although reaching his current position meant fifty taels of gold wasn't a huge sum to him, the real value lay in the recognition from Liang Shicheng, something no amount of gold could buy.
It wasn't until past noon, when Liang Shicheng was feeling drowsy and preparing for a short nap, that a young eunuch on horseback arrived with news from outside the door.
"Esteemed Father, there is news from Qin Prefecture!"
"What did you say? Present it quickly!"
Hearing this, Liang Shicheng, who had just been feeling drowsy, immediately perked up.
News from Qin Prefecture was something the Emperor had been urging for for several days.
"Yes!"
The young eunuch spoke as he hurried to hand over a message tube.
"Where is the messenger? Where is he now?"
After receiving the message tube and carefully inspecting the wax seal, Liang Shicheng asked again.
"The man is outside, but he's exhausted from the journey. I figured Esteemed Father might have questions for him, so I had him brought here!"
The young eunuch spoke while obsequiously opening the door.
"What is the situation in Qin Prefecture?"
Liang Shicheng did not open the message tube immediately, as doing so would diminish its persuasive power.
"Replying to Grand Tutor, that fellow surnamed Huang lied. In Qin Prefecture back then, not only were there countless deaths, but a great fissure even opened on Yunwu Mountain, and the Wei River shifted by five zhang!"
"Can you still hold on?"
Hearing this, Liang Shicheng felt reassured.
It seemed that Mr. Yuan and his associates had indeed put in a great deal of effort!
Even after so many years, they could still investigate such details. Not only would Huang Qianshan face dire consequences, but those monks would also have to stay put obediently.
"Replying to Grand Tutor, this subordinate can still hold on!"
After hearing Liang Shicheng's words, the messenger trembled all over. Being asked if he could hold on at this moment, and with such clear implications, was a sign of immense fortune within reach!
"Guards, carry him and escort me!"
Nodding with satisfaction, Liang Shicheng directly summoned two young eunuchs. They carried the messenger as Liang Shicheng proceeded towards the Fanning Hall.
"Your Majesty, the news from Qin Prefecture has arrived!"
"Present it!"
Upon hearing Liang Shicheng's words, Zhao Ji immediately stood up.
"Yes!"
Taking the message tube from Liang Shicheng, Zhao Ji without hesitation grabbed a dagger from a nearby table.
He swiftly opened the message tube and immediately saw a thick stack of documents inside.
"Well done, Huang Qianshan!"
After a brief perusal, Zhao Ji was furious.
After reading these documents, he immediately attributed all the frustrating events of recent years to Huang Qianshan.
It was likely that even Huang Qianshan himself never imagined that while he was sitting peacefully, disaster would strike from the heavens!
"Your Majesty, what exactly happened? Regardless, Huang Qianshan is currently a prefect. Shouldn't this matter be investigated more thoroughly?"
Clearing his throat, Liang Shicheng quickly added another blow.
"Investigated thoroughly? How else can it be investigated? Where is the messenger? Where is he now?"
Indeed, it was better if he had remained silent. After his words, Zhao Ji nearly leaped up.
"The person is outside, but due to the relentless journey, he is likely unable to stand at the moment!"
"Carry him in for me!"
In his rage, Zhao Ji immediately commanded without thinking.
"Yes!"
Responding, the two young eunuchs outside immediately carried the barely alive messenger in.
After the messenger reiterated his earlier account, Zhao Ji's face turned ashen.
"Guards, issue an imperial decree, ordering Du Chong, the Deputy Prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture, to thoroughly investigate Huang Qianshan's deception of the Emperor!"
Even Liang Shicheng was taken aback by Zhao Ji's words.
He had initially expected Zhao Ji to hand the matter over to the Ministry of Justice for resolution. However, in his anger, he had directly entrusted it to the Kaifeng Prefecture.
This meant that the matter had truly escalated to the highest level, as the Kaifeng Prefecture's involvement in investigating such matters constituted an imperial case!
Furthermore, once the Kaifeng Prefecture made its ruling, even the Censorate would be unable to overturn the verdict!
However, with the situation having reached this point, he had no intention of obstructing it.
At this moment, he was also very curious to see which powerful figure stood behind this Prefect of Meng Prefecture!
The struggle between Cai Jing, Wang Fu, and Cai You had reached a fever pitch, forcing even the provincial pacification commissioners to take sides.
At such a juncture, to open another battlefield and force the Han family to participate, he was truly eager to see what this individual was plotting.
"Your Majesty, these are memorials impeaching Huang Qianshan, as well as memorials submitted by Huang Qianshan himself. This old servant specially selected them from the Directorate of Transmission yesterday. Please see..."
Liang Shicheng certainly wouldn't let the efforts of Han Mo go to waste. He quickly and discreetly stepped forward, approaching Zhao Ji's desk and retrieving several memorials.
"He truly is a loyal minister of the state! A judicial registrar can embezzle hundreds of thousands of strings of cash from the treasury? Does he take me for a fool?"
"And this, impeaching Han Mo, the Pacification Commissioner of the Zhejiang and Fujian coastal regions, for colluding with unlawful merchants and engaging in corruption and lawlessness? This prefect is truly idle! If he had Han Mo's capabilities, I would cover for any amount of corruption he committed!"