I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 187 I, Lin Shisan, am innocent

Wei Yuanji was considered to be the smartest among all the censors, otherwise Xu Jie would not have let him be the chief judge to poke a hole in the Yan Party.

Lin Shisan said that people from the Ministry of War could testify for him. Wei Yuanji remained silent, but his mind was turning around like a donkey pulling a millstone: the Ministry of War belongs to Yang Bo.

The Yan Party was trying to dig into the Nine Frontiers and get Yang Bo's neck. Yang Bo must have hated these termites to the core. How could the people in the Ministry of War help Yan Shifan's brother escape punishment?

Thinking of this, Wei Yuanji said, "Well, tell me who was the one who handed over the cotton armor to your father Lin Youniu in the Ministry of War. I will call him to the court to testify."

Lin Shisan replied: "The head of the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, Xu Deyong."

Wei Yuanji's eyes lit up. That Xu Zhushi was his classmate, and he was a man of noble character. As an honest official, he would never speak up for a "jester" like Lin Shisan.

Thinking of this, Wei Yuanji said, "Send Xu Deyong, the head of the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, to come to the hall to answer. No, not send, but invite."

The trial of the Nine Frontier Army corruption case was held at the Metropolitan Procuratorate, not far from the Ministry of War. Soon Xu Deyong was brought to the lobby.

Wei Yuanji said, "Master Xu, at the beginning of this year, the Nine Frontiers produced 10,000 pieces of cotton armor. Were you the one who delivered this batch of cotton armor to Lin Youniu?"

Xu Deyong replied: "Report to Wei Geshi, I am responsible for this matter."

Wei Yuanji asked again: "Are the cotton armors too crude and unusable? After receiving these cotton armors, did the soldiers of the nine frontiers write to the Ministry of War to report that these rags were unusable?"

Xu Deyong actually replied: "I personally inspected the cotton armor. Yang Bo and Yang Bu Tang were also present during the inspection."

"Ten thousand pieces of cotton armor, all of them are of top quality. The Ministry of Works has been making cotton armor for the Ministry of War for many years. This time, they use the most abundant materials and the best quality."

"In addition, several generals from the nine frontiers submitted official documents to the Ministry of War, praising the quality of this batch of cotton armor. The document also said, 'From now on, please follow this procedure for armor.'"

Lin Shisan laughed and said, "Wei Jieshi, did you hear that? Can the testimony of Master Xu prove my innocence? Every piece of that cotton armor is top-notch and amazing. Anyone who uses it will know!"

Wei Yuanji said angrily, "No! Your father clearly only spent three thousand taels of silver. The silver used was only one tenth of the public funds allocated by the Ministry of Works. How could he have made such a good cotton armor?"

"Xu Deyong, did you take bribes from the Lin family? Did you give false testimony to protect the Lin family? You often call yourself a gentleman. You should know that a gentleman does not give false testimony."

Xu Deyong was a mediocre official with a high level of integrity but little ability to get things done. He could not do much, but he was arrogant.

You can say he is incompetent, you can say he can't do things. You can even say he is ugly. But if you say he accepted bribes, it is basically the same as pointing at his nose and cursing his ancestors; riding on his neck and running diarrhea.

Xu Deyong's eyes widened in anger: "Wei Jieshi, a gentleman can be killed but not humiliated! When did I take the bribe from the Lin family? How dare you slander my innocence out of thin air?"

"If you are determined to falsely accuse me, I will hold you accountable for the crime of slander even if I have to take the case to the cabinet!"

"Also, as I said just now, when I was inspecting the goods that day, Yang Butang happened to be inspecting the armory, and he was present. Yang Butang can also testify. You can't say that Yang Butang also accepted bribes from the Lin family, right?"

Wei Yuanji frowned: That's not right, why would my brother Xu Nian speak for Lin Shisan?
Wei Yuanji said, "Although Lin Shisan is of low rank, he holds great power. Officer Xu, did he hold something against you? Did he threaten you, and that's why you gave false testimony for him?"

Xu Deyong said angrily, "What a joke. This official uniform of mine was given to me by the imperial court, not by Lin Shisan. Don't say that he didn't threaten me. Even if he did, would I surrender?"

"I also hate jesters like him. But the Book of Han says: Study the ancients and seek truth from facts. I can't confuse right and wrong, call a deer a horse, or call a good person a bad person just because I hate people like him."

Xu Deyong's words left Wei Yuanji speechless.

Lin Shisan said, "Did you hear that? My father provided the border troops with only the best cotton armor! If that's the case, the charges you put on me are self-defeating."

Wei Yuanji didn't want to let Lin Shisan off easily. This was the first prisoner he had tried since he was in charge of the corruption case of the border troops. The first shot was about to be fired.

He also wanted to make a name for himself with this case and become a well-known figure among the upright officials in the court.

Wei Yuanji said: "Unless Yang Bo, Yang Bu Tang, personally guarantees that there is no problem with the cotton armor, you will not be able to clear your name."

Lin Shisan turned to look at Xu Deyong and said, "Master Xu, the Ministry of War is only three hundred steps away. Could you please go back to the Ministry of War and ask Minister Yang to write me a note of acknowledgment?"

Lin Shisan turned around and said to Wei Yuanji, "If the Minister of War testifies for me, it will at least prove that my father and I are innocent, right?"

Wei Yuanji said: "Well, if Yang Butang testifies, he can naturally prove your innocence. I will release you in court."

Wei Yuanji thought this way: I am helping you, Yang Butang, by punishing the corrupt military. You can't let my first shot go silent, can you?
So he asked Xu Deyong to return to the Ministry of War to find Yang Bo.

Just two moments later, Xu Deyong came back and handed Wei Yuanji a piece of paper.

All I saw on the paper was "The 10,000 pieces of cotton armor made by Lin Youniu are all of excellent quality and fine quality."

The back is signed by Yang Bo and is stamped with the official seal of the Minister of War.

Wei Yuanji was dumbfounded: How could the most capable minister in the court, who was a general when he was out and a prime minister when he was in, speak for Lin Shisan, a sycophant?

Lin Shisan asked with a smile: "What does Yang Butang's note say? If I'm not mistaken, it means he is guaranteeing me, right?"

Wei Yuanji was like a large eggplant that was hit by frost and picked by a widow. He said dejectedly, "Since Yang Butang has testified, Lin Shisan, you can leave now."

Lin Shisan said angrily, "I am a royal official, a deputy commander of the Imperial Guard, and I have the Feiyu robe on me! You are a seventh-rank official, so you can arrest me and release me as you please?"

"Wei Yuanji, just wait!"

After saying that, Lin Shisan turned around and left angrily.

As soon as he walked out of the trial hall, Yan Shifan, Zhao Wenhua, Luo Longwen and a group of Yan party officials came to meet him.

Yan Shifan was surprised: "Why did you come out?"

Lin Shisan said with a smile, "Brother, I am innocent and they can't do anything to me. If I don't come out, am I going to live in this shabby place? There is no good wine or beautiful women here."

Yan Shifan said, "The group of people under Xu Yicheng are trying their best to deal with you this time. I brought people here to support you."

"You came out so easily?"

Almost all the land in Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture was owned by the surname "Xu", so Yan Shifan privately called Xu Jie "Xu Yicheng".

Lin Shisan smiled and said, "The reason they arrested me is because the cotton armor made by my Lin family was of poor quality."

"Brother, let me tell you clearly. They really did have a point. In the matter of the cotton armor, my father and I made too much money."

"But whether the cotton armor is good or bad is not decided by these officials. It is decided by the Ministry of War."

"Yang Bo testified for me that those cotton armors were of superior quality. So they are superior. What can the noisy crows inside do to me?"

Yan Shifan was surprised: "Yang Bo doesn't often cover up for others. Have you caught him?"

Lin Shisan lowered his voice and said, "I don't have any leverage over Yang Bo. Brother, you forgot that I saved Yang Bo's life in Xiangshan a few years ago."

"Yang Bo is a man who will repay his enemies and his kindness."

"He told me. Help me this time, and we won't owe each other anything in the future."

Yan Shifan smiled and said, "So that's how it is. I had forgotten that you are the lifesaver of Xia Guan from the Ministry of War! Come on, come on, let's go to my house and have a drink to calm your nerves."

Lin Shisan escaped the crime smoothly, but the corrupt officials of Yan's party in Jiubian were not so lucky.

Over the next month, the corrupt officials who were escorted to Beijing were interrogated and convicted one by one.

According to historical records: In the 38th year of Jiajing, Wei Yuanji, the Right Secretary of the Household Department, and others impeached the border officials for embezzlement and dereliction of duty. Emperor Shizong issued an edict: This year, the amount of grain distributed at the border was too much, and the grain officials arbitrarily embezzled money, resulting in a loss of money and grain. The officials were severely punished. Yan's study.

Yan Shifan angrily said to Yan Song: "Dad, Xu Jie seems to have joined forces with Lu Bing! Otherwise, how could his useless censors have such detailed evidence?"

"They almost captured all of our Yan family's people in Jiubian. All our hard work in Jiubian was in vain!"

"Dad, if you don't fight back after getting hit, you're a coward. Xu Jie punched our family, so we have to kick them back."

Yan Song sighed, "People all over the world say that you, Yan Shifan, are one of the three smartest people in the court. You are good at solving riddles posed by the emperor."

"Unfortunately, your cleverness is just a little cleverness."

"Don't you think about it? Is Lu Bing so bold as to touch so many of my disciples and adopted sons? Or is Xu Jie so bold as to make such a big move in the court?"

"Behind them is the Emperor!"

"The emperor is thinking that the southeast has been given to Yan Song's favorite student. The Nine Borders cannot be allowed to be involved by the Yan family again."

Yan Shifan was surprised: "Is the emperor going to kill the donkey after it has done its work?"

Yan Song said helplessly: "If you kill me after I'm done with my work, can you and I still have a leisurely conversation in this study?"

"How many times have I told you and the people below? It is true that the Yan family is a big tree now, but a big tree attracts the wind. I have no objection to you making money. But you should not be too ostentatious."

"Don't put all the money into your pocket without paying any attention to the countless eyes watching you."

"If I were the emperor, I would also have to suppress the Yan Party!"

Yan Shifan was a little impatient: "Dad, I studied hard for ten years just for power, and I stayed in power for thousands of miles just for money. Those people under us want to get rich, and I can't stop them."

Yan Song sighed, "Well, you guys can make a scene all you want. I'm already eighty years old. At seventy-three or eighty-four, the King of Hell won't call me to go. Sooner or later, I'll get you into trouble and end up with a bad end."

An eighty-year-old man had to engage in intrigues with his political enemies and guess the emperor's intentions to deal with the Jiajing Emperor. How could he have the energy and strength to strictly control his followers?
A feeling of powerlessness arose in Yan Song's heart.

After a long silence, Yan Song said: "Write a letter to Hu Zongxian for me. Tell him..."

Dragon Boat Festival in May.

Lin Shisan and his family ate rice dumplings and drank realgar wine together.

After dinner, Lin Shisan went to Biyun's room to rest.

Lin Shisan asked Biyun: "Lord Yan will be turning 80 in ten days. Is the gift I asked you to prepare ready?"

Biyun was a little embarrassed: "Should I still give this gift? I heard some rumors. Recently, the court severely punished more than 40 officials of the Yan Party. The Yan family seems to be in danger."

Lin Shisan said, "The Yan family will not be in danger in the next one or two years. The emperor is only giving the Yan family a slight warning this time. Do you know why?"

Biyun asked: "Why?"

Lin Shisan said: "Because the Japanese invasion has not been resolved. We have to rely on Hu Zongxian, the favorite student of Lord Yan, to suppress the Japanese pirates."

"Until the Japanese invasion is resolved, maritime trade cannot be carried out. The imperial court cannot increase revenue, and the finances remain tight. The emperor has to rely on the calculating experts of the Yan Party to collect money for the country."

"Furthermore, if the Yan family falls, who will stand in front of the stage to check and balance the Qingliu forces headed by Xu Jie? Wouldn't the emperor be annoyed to death by those noisy crows?"

"If we give the Yan family a warning this time, they will learn from their mistakes and control their followers in the future. The Yan family can still hold power for a few more years."

At this time, the prince's uncle Li Gao came to the house.

Lin Shisan came to the living room to greet him.

Li Gao bowed respectfully to Lin Shisan: "Master, Happy Dragon Boat Festival."

Lin Shisan said with a smile: "Why are you here at this time? Shouldn't you be visiting Yihonglou with Sun Yue at this time?"

Li Gao said with a sad face: "Don't mention it! I just took off my pants, stripped off the beautiful woman's bellyband and underwear, and was carrying her to the port. Guess what happened?"

Lin Shisan laughed and scolded: "How the hell do I know what's going on?"

Li Gao said: "My sister sent Feng Bao to look for me. He didn't find me at home, but found Yihonglou instead."

"Feng Bao brought a box of Dragon Boat Festival treasures, saying that my sister gave them to you as a reward. I was asked to deliver them to you immediately."

Lin Shisan was surprised: "Empress Li asked you to come in person to present me with the Dragon Boat Festival treasures?"

Li Gao smiled and said, "Yes! Feng Bao said that in the entire court, there are only two people that my sister values so much. One is Zhang Juzheng, and the other is you."

"My sister also asked Feng Bao to pass on a message, thank you for taking care of me."

Lin Shisan said, "Well. What's there to thank me for? We are both master and disciple, and brothers. We have similar interests and affinities. I have long regarded you as my own family."

"Isn't it the responsibility of family members to take care of their own family members?"

Li Gao lowered his voice: "My sister has something else for you to do."

It is true that if you are too nice to others, you will definitely ask for something from them.

Lin Shisan was stunned: "Oh? What's the matter?"

Li Gao asked: "My sister heard that you got two jars of wine for Zhao Wenhua in Liaodong?"

Lin Shisan was stunned, thinking to himself: Concubine Li has good eyes and ears! She knows everything about this matter.

Lin Shisan nodded: "That's the case."

Li Gao said, "Those two jars of wine are rare in the world. Zhao Wenhua wants to present them to Yan Song to win his favor and ask Yan Song to recommend him to the cabinet, right?"

Lin Shisan said: "Yes."

Li Gao said: "My sister's idea is that you should persuade Zhao Wenhua to give one jar of wine to Yan Song and the other jar to the emperor."

"You don't have to worry about other things. As long as you can get Zhao Wenhua to offer an altar to the emperor, you will be a great contributor to Prince Yu's mansion. These are my sister's original words."

Lin Shisan didn't understand. But as husband and wife were one, Concubine Li represented Prince Yu. There were only advantages and no disadvantages in working for the Crown Prince.

Those who do not plan for eternity are not worthy of planning for the present. King Jing was driven out of the capital and became a vassal in Anlu, losing the possibility of succession. King Yu was the only heir to the throne. Sooner or later, the world would belong to King Yu.

With the physique of Emperor Jiajing and the large amount of elixirs he consumed every day, he did not seem like a long-lived monarch.

In a word: if you serve Prince Yu well, the Lin family will have long-term wealth and prosperity.

Lin Shisan said, "Tell the Empress Li that I will definitely handle this matter. I will never let the Empress down."

Li Gao smiled and said, "Okay! Feng Bao is still waiting for me at my house. I will go back to Yihong Tower after I finish delivering the message. The beauty is still waiting for me."

(End of this chapter)