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Edited: 15/10/23

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From ancient times, the Central Government's control over local affairs has always been a headache for those in power.

In the later years of the previous emperor's reign, due to his incompetence and misrule, not only was the central government affected, but the local areas were also impacted.

After Shang Junlin ascended the throne, he first tackled the issues within the central government swiftly and then gradually addressed the matters at the local level. Up until now, most localities can be said to have clean and just governance.

However, there are always exceptions.

For instance, the recently resolved situation involving officials in Subei, and now, the issue arising in Hanzhou.

In the end, Shang Junlin entrusted this matter to the Prime Minister and Minister Duan to handle together. The problem of officials' reassignment was a problem, and as ministers of the inner court, they bear varying degrees of responsibility.

Officials who can be transferred to the capital have all passed the assessment of the court. This assessment is not solely based on examination scores but takes various factors into consideration. Only those deemed capable and without major faults can return to the capital.

Since Official Xu has been transferred to the capital, it indicates that he passed the assessment. As for the matter in Hanzhou not being discovered, that's a question that the Prime Minister and Minister Duan need to clarify.

Back at the Yu Zhang Palace, when Shang Junlin saw Shen Yu standing by the window, his anger dissipated somewhat.

"Your Majesty, back already?" Shen Yu turned around upon hearing footsteps.

Shang Junlin walked over without saying a word and embraced Shen Yu: "Did news come back from Hanzhou today?"

"Have they found any trace of King Yue?" That was Shen Yu's immediate concern.

"Not yet. It's about the Xu family. The illegitimate daughter from the Xu family was telling the truth. What the Xu family did in Hanzhou goes far beyond that."

"Your Majesty, are you upset about this matter?" Shen Yu raised a hand to soothe the man's back.

"For someone like that to still be transferred to the capital... I¹Zhen = I for emperor..."

"Your Majesty didn't originally know. Now that he knows, he will naturally go where he should go. Those who make mistakes will eventually receive the appropriate punishment. Your Majesty need not overthink it," Shen Yu comforted.

Having broken the first barrier, the next steps in the investigation became much simpler.

Hanzhou.

"What exactly happened during the autumn hunt? Why did Junjun offend His Majesty during that encounter? How is the Xu family now?"

Madam Xu's maternal family, the Cheng family, was in a state of panic.

When news reached them, the Cheng family immediately made preparations. With deep roots in Hanzhou and a close connection to Official Xu, they held immense influence in the region. Leveraging Official Xu's power, they practically held sway over Hanzhou.

If not for their formidable connections, they wouldn't have been able to force the aggrieved party into silence after the incident. Outwardly, they appeared untouchable, but behind the scenes, their hands were stained with the blood of countless innocent individuals.

"Sir, what should we do now? Imperial officials have arrived in Hanzhou, and news from the capital is spreading. Many people are no longer heeding our words."

"What's the use of talking about this now? You all should be well aware of the current Emperor's disposition. Unless he can't uncover the truth, otherwise, considering what we've done all these years, none of us can escape!"

A deathly silence filled the room.

"Is there truly... no way to turn things around?" After a long silence, someone couldn't help but speak up.

"What about that nobleman? Didn't he ask us to temporarily shelter a distinguished guest? Our Cheng family has done so much for him. He can't just ignore us..." As they spoke, their voices grew quieter.

At that moment, all eyes turned towards the leader of the Cheng family.

The head of the Cheng family closed his eyes briefly. "I will contact that nobleman."

Another person stepped forward, saying, "Things haven't reached the worst point yet. Let's not lose our composure."

In contrast to the tense atmosphere within the Cheng family, the smaller families that had long suffered oppression were jubilant.

"Didn't the Cheng family always boast about their connections to high-ranking officials and nobles?"

"If it wasn't for Official Xu's protection, would the Cheng family have been so audacious all these years? Now that their protector is gone, let's see how long they can stay arrogant."

"The imperial court sent officials to investigate the Xu family's legitimate daughter. Those who held grudges can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

"It's a tragedy. Such a fine young lady, just because she dressed a bit prettier, had to go through such things. It's not just one family, right?"

"Of course, it's not just one. The things we know about happened because the families involved had some influence. The small families dependent on the Cheng family for survival don't dare to speak up if something goes wrong."

"Remember the young lady who was arranged to marry the young master of the Li family? Didn't she hang herself the night before the wedding? There might have been foul play involved."

"I recall that for a while, the Xu family's lady was very close to the young master of the Li family. After that young lady passed away, the Li family swiftly moved away. There might be some hidden connection there."

"Do you all remember an old story from years ago? When Official Xu was sent on a mission, he had a family, and it was the young lady from the Cheng family at the time. Relying on the Cheng family's influence, she forced herself into his life. Later on, Madam Xu was replaced by another person, and the original Madam Xu never appeared in public again."

As the Cheng family lost power, old stories that were never openly discussed were brought to light one by one. While the Cheng family had been dominant and powerful, such revelations came back to haunt them as they fell from grace. Those who had grudges from the past were quick to seize this opportunity.

After the initial difficulties, the officials sent by the imperial court to Hanzhou made rapid progress. Details about the crimes committed by the Xu and Cheng families were sent to the capital like snowflakes in a blizzard.

"I underestimated them. A mere local aristocratic family managed to cause so much trouble," Shang Junlin said, his expression turning cold as he looked at the reports from Hanzhou.

"When far from the capital and backed by someone powerful, people tend to get bolder," Shen Yu said, sitting on a soft divan, a sly smile playing on his lips. "The farther away from the imperial city, the more likely events like these are to occur."

When the desire for power grows within people, and they're no longer restrained by external forces, they can easily be led down a path towards destruction.

"The Cheng family can't be allowed to remain," Shang Junlin made a decision within his heart.

"Your Majesty, why not wait a bit longer? The people who kidnapped King Yue and took him to Hanzhou might also have the Cheng family in their sights. If that's their destination, and they've managed to evade the Hidden Dragon Guards this far, why not wait at the destination and catch them in the act?" Shen Yu suggested.

It was only in the last couple of days that Shen Yu recalled this possibility. In his previous life, when King Yue rebelled, the Cheng family had been loyal supporters of his cause. They had reportedly aligned with him quite early. But what about now? Regardless of whether they were involved or not, the Cheng family would serve as a potential anchor point.

"If their destination is indeed Hanzhou, and assuming it's not just a coincidence related to the Xu family's situation, then once they reach Hanzhou, the Cheng family could indeed ensure Shang Jun Yue's safety," Shen Yu continued.

"But according to your analysis, the premise is that these individuals haven't heard of the developments and actions we've taken. Now that I've dispatched people, will they still proceed according to their original plan?" Shang Junlin questioned.

"But they don't have much of a choice," Shen Yu smiled knowingly. "They must have realized the presence of the Hidden Dragon Guards by now. How long can they continue hiding and evading? They have so many people, they'll need supplies. According to their original plan, Hanzhou is their resupply point. Even if they suspect a trap, they'll have no choice but to press on."

As Shen Yu predicted, the situation unfolded accordingly.

The middle-aged man, escorting King Yue on their journey, found the prince's condition improving over time. Still, the journey was rough, and they had to avoid being detected, leading to minimal food, rest, and accommodations.

Apart from his time spent in the dungeon, Shang Jun Yue had never endured such hardships.

"The Emperor has already sent people to Hanzhou. If we go there too, won't we be walking right into a trap?" King Yue sat by the doorway in a dilapidated shrine, asking.

"Do you think that after so many days, your fiefdom is still under your control as it was before? If you were to go back directly, that would truly be walking into a trap," the middle-aged man replied irritably.

"Where exactly are you all taking me?" After these days, even if he was slow on the uptake, Shang Jun Yue could sense that something was amiss. These people didn't treat him with the respect he was accustomed to, and they never listened to him. He had thought he escaped a dire fate, but he still felt confined by others.

"You'll find out once we arrive, Your Highness. Don't worry, we won't harm you."

Shang Jun Yue wasn't at all reassured. He detested the feeling of being controlled by others.

"You've rescued me, but what comes after that? I can't return to my fiefdom. What else can I do?"

"Your Highness need not worry. Even if you can't return to your fiefdom, there are still some things you can do. As long as..."

Whatever that "some things" was, the person didn't specify.

Aside from the ongoing war with Beimo, the most discussed topic in the capital was the examination organized by the Ministry of Public Works.

The originally scheduled date was postponed due to various reasons, and it finally commenced, much anticipated by everyone.

Shen Yu was quite interested in this first assessment and asked Shang Junlin about it afterward.

Shen Yu: "Your Majesty, how many people did the Ministry of Public Works recruit this time?"

Shang Junlin: "A total of forty-eight individuals were recruited. Among them, twelve were formally accepted. They all demonstrated remarkable skills in certain areas. Currently, all twelve have chosen to take positions within the Ministry of Public Works. Apart from these, an additional thirty-six candidates were selected. They will undergo a probationary period, and their suitability will determine their final appointments."

Shen Yu: "Who came up with this approach?"

Shang Junlin: "It was suggested by the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue. For this examination, the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works kept visiting the Ministry of Rites, and the Minister of Rites became quite annoyed by this. So, he started inviting a few other secretaries each time. Except for the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, who attended every time, the others declined after participating twice."

Shen Yu: "This approach seems effective."

Shang Junlin: "Among the remaining candidates, some of them are illiterate. Illiteracy poses its own set of problems. The Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works plans to use this period to teach them some basic characters."

In Da Huan, those who could read often had some wealth, as the cost of printing books was high, leading to expensive book prices. People without some financial backing could hardly afford books.

"I recall that previously, Ah Yu had the lower-ranked officials sell basic literacy books at a low price. Many citizens in the capital purchased them."

After all, compared to the usual price of other books, the cost of this book with its limited content was extremely low. Many people bought a copy to keep at home; learning to read was much more convenient than relying on others to do the work for them.

"It's good that people are buying them. I plan to have them organize some activities if the sales aren't satisfactory, to push for more sales," Shen Yu picked up a cup of tea from the table and took a sip. "Have the noble families caught on?"

"There's been a lot going on in the court recently, so they haven't paid much attention to these matters. Even if they notice, it'll be a while before they can spare the resources to address it."

"That's good. By the time they start taking this seriously, the situation will have settled. Even if they decide to act, it won't achieve much."

When common people can afford to read books, what will the noble families use to maintain their sense of superiority?

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Author's Note: The story's a bit stalled, and the update's a bit later, sorry QAQ