Chapter 1095
Eunuch Chen's Test
Chapter 1095 Eunuch Chen's Test
The voice was deafening.
Not only was Zhang Jinyu somewhat surprised, but even the Prince of Jin, who was originally a bit annoyed, seemed quite invigorated and boasted.
"Good, well said. If everyone could follow the teachings of the sages and prioritize the well-being of the people, how could such a great scourge remain unresolved?"
"Yes, Your Highness, Lord Marquis, I, Xu Dong, believe that the court has its own difficulties, but if even such acts of embezzlement cannot be thoroughly investigated, others will follow suit, and corruption will become increasingly serious. If each case is discovered, it should be thoroughly investigated; this will at least serve as a deterrent."
Xu Dong's face flushed as he suppressed his anger. This trip to Jiangnan had turned out to be unexpectedly difficult, but the more challenging it was, the more he understood the necessity of a thorough investigation.
The three of them, one after another, were talking animatedly.
After Zhang Jinyu ate another pastry, she clapped her hands.
"Good, well said, you all make sense. In fact, whether we investigate or not, the case is already like this. It's just that the palace will find a few more scapegoats, and then the matter will be over. Do you think those important officials, grand secretaries, ministers, and even the censors of the Six Ministries don't know about these things?"
Zhang Jinyu sighed again, paused for a moment, and then said;
"No, they all know, or rather, they know better than any of us here. Just like those commoners who have been wrongfully arrested in the yamen, they all cry out for justice. Your Highness, those officials know better than those commoners how you were wronged. That's the human heart. If the human heart is gone, no amount of trying to change it will work."
At that point, the only solution was to use a knife. Finally, he added to his mind, "..."
The weighty words dampened the passionate spirit of the three people at the table. It wasn't until Ning Bian arrived with a entourage and brought out a table full of delicious dishes that...
The Prince of Jin was somewhat unwilling.
"My lord, you—"
"Shh, Your Highness, it's already noon. Lunch is important. This matter can be discussed privately, but it must not be spread. Your Highness is probably thinking about how to write the congratulatory letter and prepare the tribute for the birthday banquet. The same goes for you two. Not a single official in the capital can be missing."
As for whether so many people could even read all the congratulatory messages, that was another matter. Muttering this to himself, the three Princes of Jin nodded and began eating in the pavilion.
But the more this was the case, the more somber the thoughts in the hearts of the three became. However, with the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet just around the corner, they certainly needed to make proper preparations.
Beijing,
Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs
Chen Hui, the eunuch, stormed back to the ministry, followed closely by Eunuch Ma. As soon as they entered the house, they closed the door. Ma Fei asked in a low voice.
"Eunuch Chen, how did Yang Jinshui become like this? Is he really crazy, or is he just pretending? We didn't receive any news about him yesterday."
It was Dai Quan who had Xiao Yunzi personally arrange everything, which is why Yang Jinshui was able to stay in the nearby water courtyard. They say it's darkest under the lamp, no wonder. Chen Hui's eyes narrowed and he sneered.
"Hmph, as far as I know, yesterday morning I heard that Eunuch Yang wouldn't arrive in the capital until today. I didn't expect him to come to the palace last night without us knowing anything. It's clear that the Old Ancestor deliberately kept it from us, and that there's someone hiding right under our noses, in the darkest hour."
"So, what Eunuch Chen means is that this person has already been questioned and no information can be obtained from him, and Lord Song is also at a loss. Therefore, he is considered innocent, and the position of Director of the Imperial Household Department should be vacant."
Towards the end of the conversation, there was a slight hesitation. Even if a free moment came, it wasn't certain the opportunity would fall into their hands. Yang Chi was a cunning and shrewd man, yet he had been forced into such a desperate situation. Clearly, this was a murky water not worth getting involved in.
"Whether it's vacated or not, we fought for it together, so it's still uncertain. After all, the palace hasn't done anything to Yang Chi. I heard they invited three imperial physicians last night. You and I should test him ourselves. If he's feigning madness..."
A glint of light flashed in his eyes; perhaps this was an opportunity. He was currently in charge of most of the affairs of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
"Eunuch Chen, if we want to test the waters, we need to be careful. If we really want to investigate, we should summon those three imperial physicians. But I'm afraid if the old master finds out, we'll lose face."
These two men were essentially under the command of Chief Eunuch Xia of Chang Le Palace, and had remained in the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. Their situation had become increasingly precarious in recent years, but they were all under the watchful eye of an old patriarch. However, no one knew who this patriarch was.
"Then let's be on the safe side and fetch those three imperial physicians."
"Yes, father-in-law."
Ma Fei nodded in agreement, then nodded to his trusted steward behind him. Someone then left through the back door. Inside, although the two were anxious, they didn't show it too much. After they sat down, a eunuch brought tea, pastries, and fresh fruit, placing them on the table.
Before long, the head eunuch on duty came over to report;
"Reporting to Eunuch Chen, the Grand Secretariat has sent several memorials mentioning military preparations in Shu, as well as the reorganization of the armies in the capital, Sizhou, and Hongnong Prefecture. These need to be submitted to the palace for approval."
After reporting, he handed over several memorials.
Upon seeing the gleaming memorials, Chen Hui had no interest in reading them. He casually took one, glanced through it a few times, and came across the matter of organizing the local militia in Shu. What was the point of submitting a memorial for such a thing?
"Sizhou and Hongnong need to replenish their garrison troops and train them. Shu has been peaceful for a long time, so why train garrison troops? Even if they are just drawing salaries without working, if they want to train garrison troops, they only need to fill the quota. Upon closer inspection, it seems that the court is going to add garrison troops to the roster. This is a bit strange. By the way, the current Grand General of Shu is An Yunqi."
After all, these were officials stationed far away in Shu, too far from the capital. Unless there was an annual performance review, these officials rarely submitted memorials. There were so many officials in the Great Wu Kingdom; who could possibly remember all their names?
"In reply to Eunuch Chen, the Governor-General of Sichuan is An Yunqi. He entered Sichuan in the third year of Yuanfeng and once organized the local army to suppress bandits, which made him very famous."
These records of the assessments of officials from various regions are all archived in the Ministry of Personnel in the capital for reference. Hearing the steward say this, even Ma Fei noticed something unusual and asked.
"Have there been any memorials from Sichuan before?"
"According to Eunuch Ma, there are memorials sent to the cabinet, but they are mostly about auspicious omens and do not involve the government troops."
After the eunuch on duty gave his reply, the room became somewhat tense again.
"Auspicious omen," Chen Hui sneered inwardly. "It's all just a bunch of deceptive tricks. Any rare occurrence can be called an auspicious omen. There are even more auspicious omens in the capital." Suddenly, a person came to mind, and he asked.
"By the way, I remember that in the sixth year of Yuanfeng, the Ministry of War issued an order to send someone from Hanzhong to Shu as a military supervisor."
After thinking about it, he remembered this person. When the Ministry of War issued the transfer order to the Directorate of Ceremonial, he had inquired about it back then.
"In response to Eunuch Chen, it was Fang Tianhe, the Prefect of Hanzhong, who was promoted to Military Supervisor of Anyang, and later transferred by the Ministry of War to Shu as Military Supervisor, where he remains to this day."
As soon as he opened his mouth, he recited the man's resume in great detail, and Eunuch Chen gave him a satisfied look.
"Has he submitted any memorials?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, no, and it's strange, in the first year after I went there, I still received memorials from the capital reporting on my duties, but since this year, apart from the assessment documents submitted from Shu, I haven't seen any more memorials from Supervisor Fang."
The head eunuch who answered was also somewhat puzzled. After receiving the memorial from Shu, he had also examined it and felt something was amiss. Perhaps, as Eunuch Chen had said, the memorial from Supervisor Fang might have been overlooked.
He couldn't understand it, but the two eunuchs present immediately sensed something was amiss. As military supervisors, their job was to monitor the troops; a year without any reports—what kind of monitoring was that?
"Understood. This matter will remain in the central government and be sent back to the Cabinet for further review."
"Yes, father-in-law."
The steward acknowledged and took the document back. His initial impatience had now turned into a complex mix of emotions.
"Eunuch Ma, can you guess what An Yunqi is up to, even though Shu is far away? Do you have any guesses?"
Eunuch Chen was still worried. After all, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was now under their supervision, and the Ancestor had also brought Xiao Yunzi into the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. If something went wrong, it would be enough to cause them trouble.
"Eunuch Chen, please don't let your imagination run wild. I don't know what An Yunqi is up to, but the military supervisor Fang Tianhe has been wanting to return to his hometown of Qingyang for quite some time now. If you want to know what's happening in Shu, have the Imperial City Guard investigate. Also, pass on a message to this man, and those who know will naturally know."
Ma Fei smiled. He wasn't as good at considering the big picture as Eunuch Chen, but he believed he had some experience in understanding people's hearts. So, his explanation eased Eunuch Chen's brow.
"Okay, let's do it like this."
After he finished speaking,
A young eunuch entered the room and reported;
"Eunuch Chen, the three imperial physicians have arrived,"
"Hmm, well done. I'll have to ask them properly. Go out and bring them in. By the way, where did you bring these three back from? So quickly," Chen Hui had just wanted to rest when he heard that the people from the Imperial Medical Bureau had arrived. He couldn't sit still any longer. He really didn't believe that, given Yang Chi's appearance, no one would have tested him. Even if the Ancestor didn't intervene, that little Yunzi wouldn't have let him go unchecked.
"Replying to Eunuch Chen, this servant brought the three back from the side courtyard. I heard that the three imperial physicians have been staying in Eunuch Yang's courtyard to serve him,"
The young eunuch dared not lie. When he passed by the side courtyard, he heard a commotion inside. He led his men to investigate and learned that Eunuch Yang lived there, along with three imperial physicians, which was why they were able to return quickly.
"Hehe, oh dear, it seems some people are even more anxious than I am. Bring them up."
"Yes, father-in-law."
As he spoke, he brought in three imperial physicians. Upon entering the hall, the three physicians appeared pale and somewhat uneasy. After entering, they all bowed to Eunuch Chen.
"Greetings, Eunuch Chen,"
"Hmm, no need. I know the three of you well; your medical skills in the Imperial Medical Bureau are outstanding. From yesterday to today, Eunuch Yang has certainly tested you."
Without exchanging words or probing, he went straight to the question. The three men were taken aback, appearing somewhat at a loss. Wu Heling was surprised but not panicked, while Chen Qingyuan and his companion seemed bewildered. It seemed that Eunuch Chen knew everything.
All they wanted was information about Eunuch Yang's current situation, so they didn't hide anything.
"Your Honor, I have been using methods since yesterday to put laxatives in Eunuch Yang's food. He has indeed lost control of his bladder. Last night, he had someone pretend to be a vengeful ghost and cry outside his window to frighten him. But no matter what methods I used, Eunuch Yang remained insane. He even learned to draw talismans on the wall with his excrement, muttering: 'Zhang Tianshi is here, evil spirits begone!'"
Wu Heling sighed and shook his head. Yang Gonggong wasn't suffering from phlegm-related ailments; he had truly gone mad.
"Eunuch Chen, Eunuch Yang has really gone mad."
"Haha, it's only people like you who think about such nonsense. I've never seen what it's like when Eunuch Yang is mad. Why don't we go and take a look? I heard that Xiao Yunzi is there too, so we should at least pay her respects. Let's go."
Without waiting for a reply from the people inside, he gave Ma Fei a wink, and then, together with many head eunuchs and several junior eunuchs, they headed towards the side courtyard of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
Just as I stepped outside the courtyard gate,
A commotion erupted in the courtyard, accompanied by the foolish laughter of one person. The leader, Eunuch Chen, slowed his pace, allowing two junior eunuchs to enter the courtyard first.
After waiting a while, he slowly followed. His bright red official robes from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs were never as dazzling as they were today.
Upon entering, one sees many serving eunuchs surrounding a figure. Under the eaves sits Eunuch Yun from the Hall of Mental Cultivation. This commotion is likely a test.
"Guards, tie up Eunuch Yang and make him sit down!"
"Yes,"
At Chen Hui's command, the group of eunuchs behind him swarmed forward, grabbed Yang Chi, tied him to a stool, and leaned him against a water vat. This action alerted Xiao Yunzi, who was guarding the area. Seeing the newcomers, she understood what was happening.
"I wonder what brought Eunuch Chen here. What's he up to, all this aggressive?"
"Oh, it's Eunuch Yun! Aren't you serving in the Hall of Mental Cultivation? What brings you here? You haven't come to visit Eunuch Yang, have you?"
After saying that, he took out Yang Chi's favorite Yangzhou candied fruit from the food box in the hands of the little eunuch behind him, came to Yang Chi and teased him.
"Chief Steward Yang, do you still remember when we were in the Imperial Household Department, you loved this osmanthus cake the most?"
Before he could finish speaking, Yang Chi suddenly leaned forward, bit into a piece of candied fruit, spat it out into Chen Hui's mouth, and clapped his hands and laughed loudly.
"Father-in-law, try some poop too!"
This caused not only those present to stifle their laughter, but even the eunuchs and servants watching couldn't help but suppress their snickers. Chen Hui, suppressing his anger, spat the candied fruit in his mouth onto the ground, his expression unchanged, but he carefully scrutinized Yang Chi before him.
His hair was disheveled, he had an unpleasant odor, and his eyes were unfocused with a relaxed expression; it was clearly not an act.
Looking back at the three imperial physicians, who stood there nervously, he asked;
"We used needles on Eunuch Yang."
"In reply to your question, Father-in-law, we used acupuncture last night on three major acupoints. A normal person definitely couldn't withstand that."
Wu Heling dared not say another word. He glanced cautiously at Eunuch Yun, only saying what he could say, and daring not to utter anything more.
After questioning him, Chen Hui's expression grew increasingly grim. He had initially thought Yang Chi was faking it to evade responsibility, but it turned out he had genuinely gone mad. Remembering his ancestor's shrewdness, he realized Yang Chi hadn't failed to test him. Yet, Yang Chi himself had lost his composure and come here, only to be seen by Xiao Yunzi. Truly...
His expression changed several times before he finally waved his hand.
"Well, since he's gone mad, we can't let him go mad in the Directorate of Ceremonial, Eunuch Yun. Why don't we send him to the Laundry Department to be cared for?"
"What are you saying? Eunuch Chen, those dogs of a servant just now couldn't even serve a person properly. They're all a bunch of worthless bastards, heartless scoundrels. The Emperor and the Ancestor haven't even punished them yet, and the people in the courtyard dare to treat him like this."
Xiao Yunzi had a menacing look on her face, and it didn't seem like she was faking it. So, seizing the opportunity, she kicked the head eunuch in the courtyard to the ground, and then, still angry, stomped on him several more times, leaving several shoe prints on his purple eunuch uniform.
"Guards, strip him of his clothes and send him to the Imperial Stables to serve the horses and reflect on his actions."
"Yes, Eunuch Yun."
A group of eunuchs rushed over and stripped the man of his clothes on the spot. When they saw that he was still crying out for justice, they tore off his inner lining, stuffed it into his mouth, and took him away. This scene left Chen Hui and Ma Fei somewhat dumbfounded. Wasn't this courtyard arranged by Eunuch Yun? Now he's putting on this show for whom?
He turned to give Ma Fei an inquiring look, but saw a hint of confusion in Ma Gonggong's eyes. He shook his head.
"Eunuch Yun is so kind-hearted. These unruly servants should be properly disciplined."
The so-called "Shangsi Jian" is an old palace term; the current position remains with the Imperial Horse Administration, which is now under the jurisdiction of the Zhao Si (a high-ranking official). Sending one's own people there—can that really be considered exile?
“We palace servants, are we even human anymore? If it weren’t for the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs supporting us all these years, we wouldn’t have had a good life. Sending him to serve horses is too good for him. He can’t even serve people, let alone humans. Send him to the laundry department to wash clothes.”
At the last minute, he changed his mind. Since they weren't one of his own, no matter how they were punished, it wouldn't be his fault. So he simply sent them to the laundry department.
"Haha, oh dear, Eunuch Chen really knows how to make arrangements. Alright, then send the person to the laundry department to have their clothes washed properly. Go ahead."
He waved his hand,
Several eunuchs took the man away without hesitation, a sight that Chen Hui observed thoughtfully.
“You’re all unfortunate people. In the palace, you should at least have some conscience. Eunuch Yang has been quite kind to you. If you don’t even have that much conscience, you shouldn’t even think about being human; you should just become beasts.”
It was as if issuing a warning. Since there were no leads here, the only option was to investigate those few people. However, it was difficult to question the people inside the palace. But there was one more person: who from the Imperial City Guard was responsible for the escort?
“Eunuch Chen is indeed sensible. Isn't it all thanks to the Old Ancestor protecting us in this palace? Guards, take Eunuch Yang back and give him a good dressing down.”
"Yes, Eunuch Yun."
(End of this chapter)