Su Jin’s peripheral vision swept over Shu Wenlan: “Your Majesty, only Du Zhen and Ren Xuan are implicated.”

This time it was Zhu Yushen’s turn to be slightly startled, as an unfathomable emotion seemed to surge in his ocean-deep gaze.

It was said that back when Minister Xie was in court, he never miscalculated. Now Su Shiyu of the Xie family, having weathered many storms, had become like the Minister Xie of old.

Su Jin did not dwell on the suspects in this case, but continued: “There are omissions in the fish-scale registers and the yellow registers. The official tax records have been destroyed, but the townspeople of Cuiwei Town still preserved an account book of their own, which could have served as court evidence. However, this civilian account book was secretly kept by Jiang Jiutong, the master of the Jiang family of Cuiwei Town. Because the eldest son of the Jiang family evaded military service, Yao Youcai seized this as leverage to blackmail the Jiang family. Jiang Jiutong had no choice but to burn the civilian account book in front of Yao Youcai and sign over the land deed, making it difficult to find evidence for this case.”

“Fortunately, I later sent people to find the previous county magistrate of Cuiwei Town. This Magistrate Lin was cautious and meticulous when in office. Whether collecting taxes or recruiting soldiers, he would privately copy the official extracts. Right now, Magistrate Lin and the townspeople of Cuiwei Town are waiting outside the Zhengwu Gate and are willing to testify for this case. Would Your Majesty like to summon them into the hall?”

Zhu Yushen said: “No need.”

No need to summon witnesses into the hall, no need to see the evidence she brought back from Shu.

Trust those you employ, don’t employ those you doubt.

These two short words were actually this deep-minded Emperor’s trust in the new Left Censor-in-Chief, at least in this case.

Su Jin continued: “Afterwards, Jiang Jiutong learned that half a year earlier, Yao Youcai, seeking to establish merit, had fabricated evidence and embellished charges to accuse the eldest son of the Jiang family of evading military service, causing him to die miserably in prison. In extreme anger, Jiang Jiutong accidentally killed Yao Youcai.”

“Although killing requires a life in return, this case had its reasons, and the law has room for compassion. I request—” Su Jin paused slightly, lowering her eyes, “that Jiang Jiutong’s sentence be changed from beheading to exile.”

When these words came out, the entire hall was astonished.

This was not the first day they had known Su Shiyu. They knew she had always enforced the law fairly, so how could she now plead for clemency on behalf of a commoner?

However, what they did not know was that years ago, when Zhu Nanxian narrowly escaped death and drifted to Shu, he stayed with the Jiang family for two years. Without knowing his identity, the Jiang family treated him with respect and never showed him any disrespect.

Zhu Nanxian failed no one in his life. Now, though she and he were worlds apart, she only hoped to do something for him. Pleading for clemency for the Jiang family could be considered repaying this debt on his behalf.

Zhu Yushen looked at Su Jin, his gaze deep, as if he could see through her thoughts.

But what did it matter if he saw through them?

That she could return, aside from her aspirations, was it not also because she was constrained by her feelings for Zhu Nanxian?

Zhu Yushen hoped that the two of them would be deeply devoted and unwavering in their commitment.

“Granted.”

Su Jin continued: “Yao Youcai deserved his death. His death is a small case within the larger garrison field case, and the Fengtian Hall is the Son of Heaven’s court. I should not have reported this trivial matter here. However, observing a part to infer the whole, seeing the large from the small, from the mulberry field case in Cuiwei Town one can see that the reason why garrison field cases everywhere are difficult to investigate, aside from officials oppressing the people, is mostly because there are cases within cases. For example, officials seize leverage over the people, forcing them to swallow their grievances in silence. Therefore, I request—”

Su Jin said this and knelt directly: “Your Majesty, deploy the Imperial Guard units and dispatch them to various regions. During the investigation of the remaining forty-six garrison field cases, first protect the civilians involved in the cases. Afterwards, the censors of the Imperial Censorate in various regions will interrogate officials and civilians separately.”

Zhu Yushen said sternly: “There are over a hundred censors in the capital. Why not dispatch censors but instead mobilize my Imperial Guards?”

Su Jin said: “Although there are over a hundred censors in the capital, when dispersed to the regions, it would be but a drop in the bucket. With insufficient manpower and difficulty preventing incidents, local officials involved in cases would have opportunities to exploit. The Imperial Guards symbolize Your Majesty, symbolize the imperial command. In trials in various regions, having Imperial Guards accompany them, officials involved in cases will not dare act rashly. Using this to separate officials and civilians and interrogate them separately can prevent tragedies like the civilian killing the official in Cuiwei Town from happening and suppress deterioration of the situation. This is the first reason.”

“Second, there are already censorial inspectors in various regions, so I do not wish to send the hundred-plus censors from the capital to the regions. I want these censors to remain in the capital. From top to bottom, starting with Du Zhen, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Ren Xuan of the Ministry of Personnel, investigate the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel to purify the administration. Only with this three-pronged approach—central government, regions, and the people—can we eradicate the root causes. This is the fastest and most effective method.”

The entire court remained solemnly silent.

The Imperial Guards only obeyed the Emperor’s commands. No matter how eloquently Su Jin spoke, her meaning was to temporarily place the Imperial Guards under the Imperial Censorate’s use, which inevitably glossed over certain issues.

Zhu Yushen neither approved nor disapproved, only asking: “Which Imperial Guard unit do you want to use?”

Su Jin pondered for a moment: “Your Majesty, every unit.”

When these words came out, it was still acceptable inside Fengtian Hall, but outside Fengtian Hall, some of those holding tablets and listening to the proceedings were so frightened their legs went weak and nearly knelt down.

Su Jin continued: “I request that from the twelve Imperial Guard units—Tiger Guard, Metal Guard, Feathered Forest Guard, Phoenix Guard, Embroidered Uniform Guard, Palace Army Guard… through to the Loyal Filial Guard—fifty men be drawn from each to go to the regions.”

Since ancient times, civil officials and military generals have had their separate duties.

If only one Imperial Guard unit were sent to the regions, its responsibilities and position would easily be confused with those of the local censors, and with parallel investigative powers, if conflicts arose, it would instead delay the investigations. But if men were drawn from every unit, the various Imperial Guards would balance each other, and the censors could act more smoothly.

Although Su Jin’s proposal was a risky move, it could not be said to be anything less than ingenious.

However, whether it was feasible or not depended entirely on the Emperor’s will.

If it had been the Jingyuan reign, Emperor Jingyuan would probably have already sentenced Su Jin to death. If it had been the Jin’an reign, let alone drawing from the Imperial Guards, even if all three Imperial Guard units were handed over entirely to Su Jin, as long as the surface reasons were appropriate, Zhu Nanxian would have granted permission.

The intentions of the two earlier emperors could generally be predicted, but Zhu Yushen was too inscrutable, impossible to fathom. What one thought would bring punishment instead brought commendation; what one thought would greatly please him instead met with indifference.

Zhu Yushen looked at Su Jin, not speaking for a time.

Actually, he was not always in control of everything. Earlier, he had been puzzled why Liu Yun wanted to mobilize the Embroidered Uniform Guard but did not inform him in advance.

Only now did he understand that Liu Yun’s action was merely laying the groundwork for today’s performance.

If Liu Yun had not privately mobilized the Embroidered Uniform Guard beforehand, today, at this moment, he would not have agreed to Su Shiyu’s proposal.

No wonder Liu Yun had taken the crimson robe to Shu. Probably at that time, he was already planning to personally request the Son of Heaven to deploy the Imperial Guards.

And no wonder Su Shiyu wore this crimson garment today. Probably when she saw Liu Yun’s crimson robe, she had penetrated his deeper meaning.

This was the significance of their wearing crimson robes. They wanted to tell him—the Son of Heaven’s army should also protect and guard the people.

The great hall was silent. After a while, Zhu Yushen did not respond to Su Jin’s proposal, but instead asked: “I heard that before you left Shu, you dismissed Provincial Administration Commissioner Ma Lu from his post?”

Su Jin was startled, then bowed with folded sleeves: “Yes, though it wasn’t dismissal. I don’t have that authority. I only issued an official document ordering him to suspend his duties pending investigation.”

“The reason?”

“Ma Lu held his position like a corpse, doing nothing. After the mulberry field case broke out, not only did he accomplish nothing, but he only knew how to evade responsibility. A regional Provincial Administration Commissioner should shoulder the great responsibility of governing and benefiting the people of one region. To be so incompetent yet making such a clamor, the court might as well have been supporting him for nothing.”

Zhu Yushen laughed once: “Zeng Youliang.”

“Your subject is here.”

“Proceed accordingly.”

Zeng Youliang was a bit bewildered, and only after a moment realized that Zhu Yushen was having him act according to Su Jin’s intention and completely dismiss the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shu. He hastily acknowledged the order.

After Zhu Yushen finished speaking, he seemed to add casually: “The Military Governor’s Office, the matter of the Imperial Guards—proceed accordingly as well.”

When these words fell, all the civil and military officials seemed stunned for an instant. Only after Qi Wujiu acknowledged the order did they silently lift their robes and bow down to Zhu Yushen.

When morning court ended and the assembled officials were exiting Fengtian Hall, Zhu Yushen called out: “Liu Yun, Minister Zeng, you two remain.”

Liu Chaoming halted his steps: “What are Your Majesty’s instructions?”

Zhu Yushen said indifferently: “Since Su Shiyu has returned to the Imperial Censorate as Left Censor-in-Chief, according to regulations, include her in the Grand Secretariat and restore her rank as a first-rank assistant minister.”

Liu Chaoming and Zeng Youliang, hearing this, bowed with folded sleeves along with Su Jin, who had also stopped.

Zhu Yushen said: “Enough. Liu Yun, you stay. Everyone else may withdraw.”

Su Jin and Zeng Youliang walked out of Fengtian Hall together. Half of the assembled officials who had withdrawn outside the hall had surprisingly not left yet.

The autumn air was clear and crisp, heaven and earth bathed in bright light. The palace towers stood silently in the long wind.

And beneath the palace towers, on the vast terrace, the members of the Imperial Censorate finally shed the exhaustion and anxiety of these past months. Yan Xiu and Zhai Di took the lead, stepping forward ahead of the crowd, and along with a group of censors, bowed to Su Jin with utmost respect.

“Your subordinate—Left Vice Censor-in-Chief Yan Xiu—” “Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Zhai Di—” “Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief Song Jue—”

“Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief Gu Yunjian—”

“We greet Lord Left Censor-in-Chief!”