I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 598: Chapter 437: The Eunuch Governing the Country
 

Orthodox Year Seven.

Prince of Pingxi committed regicide and betrayed the nation, elevating the Fake Emperor and controlling the Imperial Court.

The legitimate son of the late Emperor, Zhao Mu, along with righteous scholars and heroes, stormed the palace gates, restored authenticity, and renamed the era Tianshun.

All the blame lies with the Prince of Pingxi!

Emperor Tianshun ordered historians to compile biographies of flatterers, documenting all the treacherous officials since the founding of Daqing, with the Prince of Pingxi listed first, to be promulgated throughout the land.

Others, such as the Empress Dowager and Emperor Longqing, were not allowed to be mentioned even in a single word.

A son killing his father or mother is the greatest act of filial impiety, which at the least affects the dignity of the Imperial Clan, and at most undermines the foundational rule of Daqing.

Even Emperor Longqing was not recognized by the Daqing Imperial Clan, with the historians ordered to record him as the Fake Emperor.

In later generations, many experts studying the death of the Orthodox Emperor and the enthronement of Emperor Longqing wrote hundreds of papers based on unofficial histories, among which a few were nearly accurate. Yet the authors did not believe them, merely using them as tools for professional evaluation.

After his ascension, Emperor Tianshun announced the restoration of the Orthodox Emperor’s system.

Tang Mingyuan, drawing on hindsight from future generations, investigated and filled in the gaps, making the new policy even more perfect.

Should major clans hold grievances, the Inspectorate would bury dragon robes in their backyards and arrest them overnight, sometimes conducting trials and arranging for their swift execution.

Tang Mingyuan was originally wary of the Inspectorate, yet with the implementation of the new policies, he declared openly without concealment,

“Whoever controls the Grand Superintendent controls the world; such is the will of the people!”

…

Tianshun Year Two.

Autumn.

Inspectorate.

Dungeon.

Dark and gloomy, never seeing the sun all year round.

Zhou Yi sat on a cloud-patterned tiger skin chair, taking the imperial tea from his adopted son’s hands, blew on the steam, and sipped it leisurely.

“Hu’s tea leaves are indeed the most agreeable.”

The adopted son serving tea flattered, “It’s an honor for their family that godfather prefers Hu’s tea.”

The one massaging his shoulders added, “If it weren’t for godfather’s word, those talents in the sky prison would have drained Hu’s family dry.”

The one massaging his legs continued the conversation, “Hu’s family is sensible. They specially delivered several golden tea trees a few days ago, congratulating godfather on his reinstatement to his official position.”

The Hu family caught Zhou’s eye with their tea-frying methods years ago, becoming the biggest tea supplier for the Imperial Tea Bureau.

With the imperial endorsement, Hu’s business flourished day by day, becoming one of the great tea merchants of the National Dynasty, the head of the family known as Hu Bancheng.

As Zhou Yi fell from grace in the power struggle, the Hu family lost their support and were labeled as part of a “castrated faction,” with the entire family thrown into the sky prison for interrogation.

Now that Zhou Yi had returned to the Inspectorate, Hu’s family had regained their former prosperity.

The position of the Superintendent of the Eastern Depot carried not just the future of his own son — thousands, even tens of thousands of people, relied on it to make a living.

Zhou Yi said, “I’ve told you all before, you must strive to be officials even at the risk of your lives. Never become businessmen, nothing but plump pigs in the end.”

“Rear them when they look pleasing, and on the day they are needed, simply pin a label on them and slaughter them!”

Another adopted son asked, “What about being an honest and simple farmer then?”

“Hehehe…”

Zhou Yi let out a strange laugh, tapping the forehead of the small adopted son, “You fool!”

All the eunuchs burst into laughter, looking at the small adopted son with both envy and jealousy.

While there was harmonious fun between godfather and adopted sons on one side, the other side was filled with the continuous wails of prisoners. Responsible for the interrogation was the notoriously cruel Li of the Inspectorate.

Within a short span of four years, he rose from a menial official with no rank to a sixth-grade director, earning the reputation of a legendary figure.

After about half an hour, the prisoner was at his last gasp.

“Superintendent, this wretch knows not where the leader of the Sanyang Sect hides.”

Li Chao reported, “However, in his desire to die, he mentioned another matter. It seems an Innate Grandmaster is targeting the Sanyang Sect, having killed many sorcerers and hermits.”

Zhou Yi nodded slightly, having a guess about the Grandmaster who was pursuing the Sanyang Sect.

The Orthodox Emperor had passed away more than two years ago, yet Eunuch Wei, who had guarded him day and night, still had not appeared, as if he had vanished into thin air.

Zhou Yi pointed towards the nearby prison cell, which held a dense crowd of prisoners, each one covered in scars and barely clinging to life, and instructed,

“Interrogate them one by one. We must uproot the Sanyang Cult completely. I refuse to believe that the all-encompassing heavens can’t catch a few rats!”

“Your subordinate accepts the order,”

Li Chao bowed and said, “Over the past few years, your subordinate has thoroughly studied penal methods, visited all the Garrison Commanders and the veterans of the Heavenly Prison, compiling the tortures into a book named ‘Eighteen Levels of Hell’.”

“In this prison, not one in ten criminals can endure the third level; not one in ten thousand can withstand the sixth level, and so far, no one has survived the ninth!”

“Good, very good.”

Zhou Yi nodded in approval and said, “I’ve heard you have three sons who are not bad scholars. As long as you locate the Sanyang Cult’s stronghold, I guarantee your sons a place in the Six Ministries.”

“Thank you for your grace, Supervisor,”

Li Chao hurriedly bowed in thanks. It was both a motivation and a warning.

All those who knew Li Chao, whether colleagues, friends, or relatives, called him a man with stubborn integrity, a notable Inspectorate official in charge of punishments who dared not take a concubine.

The two sons born to his official wife were all the sons Li Chao had, at least publicly.

But in reality, knowing that his actions had offended the harmony of the heavens, Li Chao feared a day might come when his Nine Clans would be exterminated. So, while he feigned fear of his wife publicly, in secret he kept a mistress to continue his family line.

Little did he expect, the Inspectorate’s secret agents were so pervasive they had long uncovered Li Chao’s secret.

At that moment,

a venerable eunuch hurriedly entered, knelt down, and after a bow whispered a report.

“Supervisor, His Majesty has taken in another adoptive son, the little deer from the Imperial Cuisine Office, who is said to excel at making nutrient-rich soups, enabling His Majesty to energetically visit ten concubines in one night without feeling tired!”

Zhou Yi asked, “Where has this Eunuch Lu been assigned to work?”

The old eunuch licked his lips, barely concealing his envy, “He’s been appointed as an official in the Ministry of Revenue!”

The Ministry of Revenue is the Imperial Court’s purse, managing all matters of finance including coin, grain, salt, iron, taxes, and stipends; it’s said to be so wealthy that even the imperial households pale in comparison.

Eunuchs love money more than anything, and to work in the Ministry of Revenue is like a mouse falling into a rice bin.

There’s just no end to the amount one could consume!

“Little Deer…”

Zhou Yi pondered for a while before saying, “Select a few capable servants to assist Eunuch Lu at his post, pick a few rotten elements from the Ministry of Revenue from the secret records, and send them to Eunuch Lu to help him establish merits.”

The Eastern Depot oversaw both the Imperial Court and the martial world, with officials of the Ministry of Revenue being of paramount importance.

If a major case were to be discovered, it would be reported to His Majesty for thorough investigation. As for minor cases of embezzlement and the like, they were recorded in the secret records for future use.

They might coerce or tempt offending officials to become insiders,

or use the cases to promote newly risen servants, such as Eunuch Lu using evidence and lists to apprehend culprits and achieving great success. How could His Majesty not consider him a right-hand man?

As Supervisor Zhou flipped through the secret records, he instructed the surrounding servants,

“This is the sword and spear, the halberd and saber of our Eastern Depot!”

The old eunuch asked puzzledly, “Supervisor, this Eunuch Lu isn’t close to us, always working under the command of the Garden Superintendent. Why assist him in rising to power?”

The position of ‘official on duty’ was created by Emperor Tianshun, not belonging to the formal ranks of the Imperial Court, meaning that the eunuch could be dispatched to certain posts and directly report to His Majesty.

The magnitude of authority held by this position could fluctuate greatly.

If this ‘official on duty’ is not favored by His Majesty, it’s tantamount to running errands at the Ministry of Revenue; otherwise, the power rivals that of the Minister of Revenue, enabling oversight and review of all matters.

Somewhat like an elder statesman, when the power is small, it’s just a secret technique, but when powerful, it’s comparable to the Prime Minister.

“I have my reasons for everything I do.”

Zhou Yi commanded, “Additionally, dispatch skilled men to secretly follow and take note of every single word and action of Eunuch Lu, not missing a single detail!”

The old eunuch bowed and accepted the order, “Rest assured, Supervisor, even if Eunuch Lu speaks in his sleep, I will jot it down.”

Zhou Yi drained the tea from his cup, stood up, and his gaze grew distant,

“His Majesty has adopted eight sons now, from the Six Ministries, the Imperial Household Department, the Garrison Commanders… When he gets to the ninth, will it be time for the Inspectorate?”

The servants and eunuchs around him held their breath in concentration, not daring to utter a word.