The rise of the poor

"Luo Longwen, Imperial Secretary, receive the imperial decree." The voice of the eunuch announcing the decree reached Luo Longwen's ears as he stood respectfully.

Upon hearing this, Luo Longwen couldn't help but be overjoyed. "Great! Great! The windfall is finally coming my way!"

Just now, Zhu Ping'an received the imperial decree and was rewarded with a golden crane robe and an additional rank in salary; then Hu Zongxian received the decree, and wow, Hu Zongxian was even more impressive, directly promoted seven ranks and becoming the Governor of Suzhou and Songjiang. Now, it's finally my turn.

"Your subject, Luo Longwen, receives the imperial decree." Luo Longwen couldn't suppress his excitement as he stepped forward and knelt to receive the decree.

He had a smug look on his face, and was as happy as could be.

"The Imperial Secretary, who was in charge of the Ministry of Works' inspection tour, failed to perform his duties diligently, made inaccurate investigations, and wrongly accused an innocent person. He shall be punished with eighty strokes of the cane and fined one year's salary. He shall continue his inspection tour while under punishment and shall not neglect his duties. If he commits any further offenses, he shall be severely punished without leniency!"

The eunuch's dramatic pronouncements of the imperial decree struck Luo Longwen like a series of thunderclaps, leaving him stunned. Before the smile on Luo Longwen's face could fade, terror gripped his throat, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

what happened? !
Weren't they going to promote me and give me a raise?! But what I'm hearing sounds like they're going to give me eighty strokes of the cane and deduct a year's salary! Negligence in my duties, inaccurate investigations, wrongly accusing an innocent person?! Is this talking about me?!
It must be an illusion!

"I must be dreaming! Yes, I must be dreaming!" Realizing this, Luo Longwen slapped himself.
Damn, that hurts!

broken!

This is not a dream!

Luo Longwen panicked instantly. When he looked up, he saw the eunuch delivering the imperial edict looking astonished, as well as a group of equally surprised officials.

Holy crap, this is the first time I've ever encountered someone slap themselves in the face before receiving an imperial decree?! Is this guy seriously insane?!
To be fair, Luo Longwen was quite quick-witted. In this critical moment, he put on a show, saying, "Your subject Luo Longwen receives the imperial decree. I am ashamed to have failed the trust of Your Majesty and the court. I have no face to see Your Majesty. What use is this face to me?"

As he spoke, Luo Longwen slapped himself twice more before respectfully kneeling on the ground and raising his hands to receive the imperial decree.

"Alright, Lord Luo, it is a great virtue to admit one's mistakes and correct them. I hope you will take this as a lesson and make amends through meritorious service."

After recovering from his astonishment, the eunuch delivering the imperial decree spoke a few words to Luo Longwen as usual, then waved his hand and distributed the "rewards."

Two imperial guards came over and said to Luo Longwen in a friendly but unquestionable manner, "Lord Luo, please forgive us, please come with us."

Can I say no?!

Luo Longwen's legs felt a little weak, and at that moment his eyes fell on Zhu Ping'an, who was watching leisurely from the side.

He opened his mouth to himself, speaking silently.

In an instant, Luo Longwen seemed to be able to read lips, understanding Zhu Ping'an's unspoken words: "I told you long ago to find a good doctor to treat your injuries. See? You didn't listen to me, and now you're suffering the consequences."

Damn Zhu Ping'an!

I get it now. You meant today when you said you were looking for a doctor to treat my injuries. Damn it, I thought you were threatening to send soldiers to beat me up. Haha, that makes sense. How could a top scholar be so rude and lacking in class? Haha, so that's what happened. Damn Zhu Ping'an!

You're just showing off that you're the smartest, aren't you!
Damn!

Luo Longwen glared at Zhu Ping'an with resentment and unwillingness, knowing that he had no way to complete the task assigned by Donglou!
Zhu Ping'an knew all along that he had impeached him, and that he would be punished with caning because of this impeachment!

Haha, no wonder. When I impeached him, he didn't panic or hold me accountable. It turns out he knew all along that there was something wrong with the impeachment memorial, and he knew he would be punished for impeaching him!
Damn Zhu Ping'an!

Luo Longwen, unwilling and fearful, was taken downstairs by two guards. He pleaded in a mosquito-like voice, "I have a thousand taels of silver to offer. Please, Generals, have mercy. Donglou and I—oh, Donglou is Yan Shifan, the son of Grand Secretary Yan Song—I'm not exaggerating. I have money and influence, and I will repay the kindness of the two generals."

"If you think it's too little, just name a number, and I will certainly not disappoint you."

Luo Longwen pleaded in a low voice, but he did not hear any response from the two guards holding him. After being carried to a position, he only heard a "sorry" before being pressed onto a long bench. His official robe was lifted up, and a wooden cane was swung around, making a whistling sound. Then, with a "bang," a bone-chilling pain struck.

"what!"

Luo Longwen couldn't help but let out a scream.

The heavy thuds of the cane striking the ground echoed one after another, followed by screams of agony.

Eighty strokes of the cane, not a stroke more, not a stroke less. Luo Longwen's screams grew fainter and fainter, his buttocks a bloody mess.
After Luo Longwen dealt with the matter, the eunuch who proclaimed the imperial edict continued to announce it, and several more people received the edict after Luo Longwen.

The governor of Yingtian was dismissed from his post.

Generals such as Lu Tang, Tang Kekuan, Yu Dayou, Li Fengshi, and Zou Jifang, who were promoted and given important positions by Zhang Jing, were all implicated in Zhang Jing's case. They were reprimanded, had their salaries reduced for a year, and were ordered to atone for their crimes by performing meritorious service.

They were all considered lucky. Didn't Li Tianchong and Zhang Jing get arrested and taken to the capital to await their fate? They were only reprimanded and had their salaries reduced by a year, which was already beyond their expectations, and a huge weight was lifted off their shoulders.

With that, the announcement of the imperial edict concluded, and the eunuch who delivered it finished his duties.

Zhao Wenhua looked at the eunuch who was delivering the imperial edict, and saw that he had no intention of delivering any more edicts. Then he looked at the little eunuch behind the eunuch, and saw that the tray he was holding was empty, with no other imperial edicts.

No, that's it?! That's it?!

Zhao Wenhua was stunned. There was still an imperial edict that hadn't been announced yet, and the appointment of the governor was still pending. You haven't announced it yet!
"Ahem, Your Excellency, have all the imperial edicts been read aloud?"

Seeing that the eunuch who had delivered the imperial edict had finished his work, Zhao Wenhua couldn't help but step forward and ask in a cupped-hands-as-a-reminder manner.

Have you finished proclaiming the imperial edict? Then you're done.

"Reporting to Lord Zhao, the announcement is complete. I have announced all the imperial edicts I brought," the eunuch who delivered the edicts replied, bowing.

what? !

You've read out all the imperial edicts you brought!
No imperial edict appointing a governor?!

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wenhua couldn't help but frown, his disappointment evident. Why wasn't there an imperial edict appointing him governor? Zhao Wenhua had made so many preparations to receive this edict, eagerly awaiting his appointment as governor. But to his utter surprise, this time there was no such edict.

The next second, Zhao Wenhua reassured himself again. Perhaps the imperial edict appointing the governor was too important to be announced together with the others; it was probably coming up later, the grand finale. He'd wait a little longer; the edict should arrive in a few days. (End of Chapter)