This year’s capital had unusually heavy rainfall, making it both humid and hot.

On the main streets, people hurried along with umbrellas and straw rain capes. Business was slow in the shops, with assistants crouching to watch the rain, enjoying the rare quietness of the usually bustling marketplace.

The shop assistant even felt a bit sorry that he wasn’t as learned and talented as the scholars in the teahouse across the street; otherwise, he could have composed a poem to express his feelings.

But this tranquility was soon broken. Hooves splashed through puddles as a squad of Imperial Guards galloped over. They wore rain cloaks and bamboo hats, but neither the cloaks nor the rain could conceal the dragon patterns flashing on their robes and the swords at their waists.

Dragon Imperial Guards.

The shop assistant quickly stood up, and even though he was indoors, he couldn’t help but step backward.

Though the scholars from Jingzhou had previously praised the Dragon Imperial Guards, these guards, who could appear without warning and break into the homes of high officials and nobles, still inspired fear in everyone.

Fear mixed with curiosity.

After the Dragon Imperial Guards galloped past, the shop assistant eagerly leaned out to look, ignoring the rain hitting his face.

Who was going to be unfortunate enough to be arrested this time?

Across the street, the scholars who had been writing poetry on the second floor also stopped, standing by the window to watch the Dragon Imperial Guards racing through the rain.

“It seems the Huzhou summer flood case won’t be settled lightly,” one scholar said.

“With the Vice Minister of Revenue personally involved, who could escape?” another scholar sighed and said, “Why did Vice Minister Du have to do this? Was he unsatisfied with his share of the benefits? Is he dragging everyone down with him?”

The clamor raised by a Hanlin Academy Editor crying out for justice for his friend had not yet subsided when the Vice Minister of Revenue from the Ministry of Revenue stood up in court, asking the Empress to examine the account books of the Huzhou summer floods from previous years. He even suggested acting quickly to prevent the account books from being altered or destroyed, causing an uproar in court.

The Empress immediately ordered the Dragon Imperial Guards to surround the Ministry of Revenue. She also announced that for convenience, the Dragon Imperial Guards would be separated from the City Guard Bureau to form the Protection Bureau. She established official positions, with Captain Ding becoming the Commander, and that Hanlin Editor Zhu Yong, though still in Jingzhou and not yet returned, was reassigned as Deputy Commander, and so on. At that time, everyone was shocked by the Vice Minister of Revenue’s behavior and then focused on the Ministry of Revenue, momentarily not paying attention to the Protection Bureau and such.

After all, they were all the Empress’s private troops; changing their name made no difference.

Problems were quickly discovered in the account books. The funds allocated for the Huzhou summer floods had been skimmed at every level, from top to bottom, so that very little actual money remained. As a result, water channels and embankments that could have been repaired once had to be fixed year after year. Everyone above and below was happy with this arrangement, as they could continue to divide the money.

The Empress was furious. The Dragon Imperial Guards began making arrests, with Vice Minister Du being the first.

Vice Minister Du should be considered as having voluntarily turned himself in. Not only had he exposed the account books in court, but he also handed over his private correspondence without requiring the Dragon Imperial Guards to search his home.

With both testimonial and physical evidence, even Grand Tutor Deng Yi could only remain silent.

Officials from the Ministry of Revenue were arrested one after another, each implicating more. Next, those in Huzhou couldn’t escape either. The newly appointed Deputy Commander of the Protection Bureau, Zhu Yong, who had not yet returned to the capital, had already led Dragon Imperial Guards directly from Jingzhou to Huzhou. One could imagine that a bloody storm would inevitably be stirred up there as well. The prison cells of the newly established Protection Bureau would soon be insufficient.

This incident shocked all the court officials.

Of course, they weren’t shocked by the embezzlement of flood control funds. Of the amounts allocated by the court, very few were ever fully implemented, and corruption was common. Among these court officials, who could claim to be completely clean?

What shocked them was: what madness had possessed Vice Minister Du? He was involved himself, so why was he seeking his destruction?

Someone had gone to question Vice Minister Du in prison. Du insisted that he had suddenly repented and wanted to be a clean person, willing to accept punishment for what he had done.

Hearing such words, what else could it be but madness?

“He’s not mad,” Chu Zhao said softly. “He’s desperate.”

At first, she didn’t understand this matter either, but she knew Vice Minister Du wasn’t doing this to show loyalty to her.

Chu Zhao looked through the records submitted by the Dragon Imperial Guards, which specifically tracked officials’ private activities: “Once at a banquet at Deng Yi’s home, two men exchanged cold remarks over the matter of their children’s marriage. One was the father of Ministry of Revenue Official Tian Lin, and the other was Vice Minister Du’s father—”

From there, she had Ding Dachui investigate carefully, finally learning that the Tian family had once discussed a marriage alliance with the Du family—specifically between Tian Lin’s son and Vice Minister Du’s young daughter. But the Tian family’s son was incompetent, and Vice Minister Du didn’t approve, thus angering the Tian family.

Last year, Du’s daughter encountered a frightened horse while out and broke her leg, becoming lame. The previously arranged marriage was then canceled.

“Did the Tian family do it?” Chu Zhao asked.

Adviser Yin said: “Before Miss Du’s horse was frightened, she had encountered Young Master Tian, but there’s no evidence.”

“Although Tian Lin’s position is lower than Vice Minister Du’s,” Ding Dachui said, “the Tian family has a more prestigious lineage than the Du family, and Tian Lin has a closer relationship with the Grand Tutor.”

“Tian Lin must have also blackmailed Vice Minister Du about his corruption,” Adviser Yin said, looking through the records in his hand. “Du’s coachman said he once overheard Tian Lin and Vice Minister Du arguing beside the carriage, mentioning the division of money, and the two parted unhappily.”

So Vice Minister Du saw his daughter’s life ruined, but because of the Tian family’s high status and his corrupt position, he had no way to take revenge or escape Tian Lin’s harassment.

“If he reported to Deng Yi, Deng wouldn’t truly punish Tian Lin for his sake,” Adviser Yin said with a smile. “Tian Lin gave Deng Yi much more money than Vice Minister Du did. How could the Grand Tutor abandon the Tian family over a matter of children? Even if Tian Lin were removed from office, the Tian family wouldn’t fall because of it. Vice Minister Du would instead face even fiercer retaliation from the Tian family—”

A-Le, who had been listening to the whole conversation, suddenly realized: “So in Vice Minister Du’s eyes, you, Your Majesty, are the best enforcer.”

Chu Zhao smiled. Whatever it was, she didn’t mind being an enforcer. She threw the records on the table. She didn’t question Vice Minister Du’s intentions; she only cared about this matter.

This was something she had to address.

“Vice Minister Du says in prison that he deserves to die, but only asks to atone for his crimes in exchange for his family not being implicated,” Adviser Yin said.

So he wasn’t mad after all, but was still seeking a way out. Chu Zhao said: “Investigate thoroughly, leave no one out. Make them spit out every coin they swallowed, without exception.”

There were plenty of places that needed money.

The summer floods in Huzhou had to be resolved, and the military expenses for the border commanderies were also enormous.

As Ding Dachui and Adviser Yin took their leave, twilight enveloped the imperial city. Chu Zhao didn’t wait in the hall for Xiao Yu to finish his studies, but instead had the imperial kitchen prepare dinner to bring to the front hall.

Since the Zheng Xia case, Chu Zhao and Deng Yi hadn’t met privately for two months.

When Chu Zhao arrived, she saw that the Grand Tutor’s hall was empty, with no officials crowding around.

She knew Deng Yi must have dismissed everyone.

The Imperial Guards in the outer hall were under Deng Yi’s control, so he knew in advance about the Empress’s visit.

“I thought I might hear what everyone has to say about the Huzhou summer flood funds case,” Chu Zhao said directly.

Deng Yi sat behind his desk, with a half-smile, half-sneer: “Everyone is worried about being seen by Your Majesty and arrested as accomplices.”

Deng Yi used to joke with her like this before, but back then his eyes were gentle and sometimes even contained hidden laughter.

But now his gaze was cold.

Chu Zhao paused slightly, then said: “As long as they haven’t committed crimes, I won’t arrest them.”

Having said this, without waiting for Deng Yi to speak again, she walked over and sat down, sighing lightly.

“Grand Tutor, let’s set this matter aside for now,” she said. “Let’s just talk.”

Deng Yi looked at her and smiled: “Your Majesty has never really been one for just talking.”

…

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