Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

As long as things don't go too far, even if Zhao Yuan finds out, he'll turn a blind eye.

Next, Wei Liangchen asked his brother to take care of their parents and manage the newly acquired businesses.

He also had his younger brother enroll as a formal clerk, hoping to pave the way for him to become an official.

He didn't even need to ask anyone for permission; as long as his younger brother "accidentally" let it slip, he would be strongly recommended by local officials.

Wei Liangchen was very cautious. Five years had already passed, and his younger brother had only just been promoted to county clerk.

A truly incorruptible minister!

Even with his classmate and roommate Qin Hui, Wei Liangchen deliberately avoided suspicion and repeatedly declined Qin Hui's invitations to banquets.

Chen Dong was very upset: "You should feign illness and wait for the investigation."

"Although your brother is only a registrar, he secretly uses your name to drag several censors into the mess and act as a middleman for those local officials and gentry."

Wei Liangchen's breathing quickened as he asked, "How serious is his crime?"

Chen Dong said, "It could be the death penalty, or it could be confiscation of property and exile."

Wei Liangchen's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Chen Dong comforted him, saying, "Your parents and siblings settled here as migrants from the south, so they are not on the same household registration as you."

"As long as you were not involved, you will not be implicated, but your future career will definitely be affected."

Who was Wei Liangchen?

Historically, he was Qin Hui's classmate and roommate, but he always belonged to the pro-war faction.

Even though he was sent by Qin Hui to negotiate peace with the Jurchens, he still belonged to the pro-war faction.

After seeing Qin Hui's true colors, he chose to sever ties with him.

He was impeached by the pro-war faction and demoted as a member of Qin Hui's faction, but Qin Hui did not offer any assistance.

Once Qin Hui had completely taken control of the court and recalled Wei Liangchen to serve as an official, the two had another major disagreement.

He was repeatedly demoted and transferred by Qin Hui, serving as prefect in various places until Qin Hui's death, at which point he was promoted back to the imperial court.

In this timeline, there were twenty-seven students from the Imperial Academy, including Chen Yuan, who followed Zhao Yuan, who had been placed under house arrest, to Guizhou.

Those students of the Imperial Academy were led by Chen Dong and Wei Liangchen.

Even the idea of ​​following Zhao Yuan to Guizhou was first proposed by Wei Liangchen.

Chen Dong is now the Left Censor-in-Chief, and Wei Liangchen is the Right Censor-in-Chief.

In terms of their positions, the two are at the same level and are not in a strict superior-subordinate relationship.

They were by no means ordinary meritorious officials who followed the emperor, but rather His Majesty's staunch confidants!

Wei Liangchen smiled sadly and said, "In the five years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, I have only been away on official business and passed through Huainan once to return home."

"At the time, I warned my brothers to behave themselves."

"He also said that within ten years, I would definitely enter the cabinet and become prime minister, and my Wei family would also produce a prime minister, and a founding prime minister of the dynasty."

“I shouldn’t have tried to get official positions for my brothers, and I shouldn’t have told them these things.”

"Go back and wait for news."

Chen Dong, unable to bear it any longer, added,

“You can write a letter and honestly explain what has happened over the past few years, and I will deliver the letter to His Majesty for you.”

"Thank you." Wei Liangchen slowly stood up and left the Inspectorate with heavy steps.

...

When Qin Hui returned home from get off work, he asked his wife as soon as he entered the inner courtyard, "What news have you found out today?"

Chapter 3307 A Doting Mother Often Spoils Her Son

Wang said, "Wei Liangchen, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, claimed to be ill and went home, and has not been going out since. I heard that his brother has committed a crime."

"That was close! That was close!" Qin Hui exclaimed, his heart pounding with fear.

Fortunately, when he tried to build a relationship with Wei Liangchen, Wei Liangchen repeatedly refused to host banquets and deliberately kept his distance.

Fortunately, during the land survey, I didn't manage to steal even half an acre of land.

Lady Wang smiled happily and said, "This time, many important officials will be implicated. Once they step down, you will have a chance to rise in rank."

Qin Hui curled the corners of his mouth: "That makes sense."

Wang continued, "Xu Fuyan's son was arrested yesterday, and I heard that he implicated many people."

"Among them are some sons of officials in Beijing, who frequently socialize and hold banquets, and have probably committed quite a few crimes."

"Any other news?" Qin Hui pressed.

Wang said, "Song Hui, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, has also been arrested."

Qin Hui exclaimed in surprise, "He's a capable and efficient official! He's been promoted four ranks in just a few years!"

Song Hui was the kind of bureaucrat who acted as a lackey; whatever the emperor asked him to do, he would always exceed expectations.

In pursuit of political achievements, they will stop at nothing, as long as they can please their superiors.

Historically, Song Hui served as the prefect of Lin'an under Zhao Gou. Due to his extremely ruthless methods of governance, he earned three nicknames: "Oil-pouring Stone Buddha," "Squid," and "Fire-sending Army."

After thinking it over carefully, Qin Hui confirmed again: "Was he arrested directly, or did he claim to be sick at home?"

"He was arrested this afternoon, and his house has been sealed off," Wang said.

Qin Hui shuddered upon hearing this. Overwhelmed by a sense of shared grief, he felt a profound fear: "This is a third-rank official! They just arrested him like that!"

As the couple were talking, a servant suddenly shouted from outside: "Husband, wife, the residence of Minister Li is surrounded!"

Qin Hui and Lady Wang exchanged a glance, both feeling utterly shocked.

...

Li Bangyan knelt before Zhao Yuan and wailed, "Your Majesty, I really didn't become a corrupt official in the Ming Dynasty!"

"I had already been greedy enough in the former Song Dynasty, and now that I am a high-ranking minister, why would I need to be greedy again?"

"I...I only accepted some gifts at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty and helped recommend a few capable officials."

"Later, the imperial court cracked down harder, especially after the promulgation of the Great Ming Code, I stopped accepting gifts altogether..."

"When I entertain guests, I don't allow them to bring gifts; I always pay for the hospitality myself."

"I don't have any other hobbies, just listening to music, singing opera, and playing Cuju (ancient Chinese football).

"My health has been poor these past few years, so I don't even go to Fanlou anymore, and I'm not taking any new concubines."

"The wealth I amassed in the previous dynasty is more than I could ever spend in several lifetimes..."

"That unfilial son broke the law himself, so he should be killed. I really didn't know anything about it."

"Your Majesty, please allow me to personally handle this case. I will certainly uphold justice and punish that rebellious son by slow slicing!"

Zhao Yuan was both amused and exasperated.

What a simple and honest excuse! He directly said that he had already been greedy enough in the Song Dynasty, and since the new Ming Dynasty was strict in its enforcement, there was no need for him to be greedy anymore.

Zhao Yuan asked, "Do you know what your sons have done wrong?"

"I really don't know," Li Bangyan shook his head repeatedly.

He was genuinely unaware, because he was only focused on enjoying his own life and rarely paid attention to what his children were doing.

Zhao Yuan said, "Your two sons who stayed in the capital, along with other sons of powerful and influential families, are interfering in the government's gambling and betting affairs."

Chapter 3308 Seeking Death

"They colluded with officials from the Ministry of Revenue and Kaifeng Prefecture to help merchants illegally profit from gambling!"

"That's good..." Li Bangyan actually breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of course, that's not all,"

Zhao Yuan rebuked angrily.

"Your two sons colluded with their nephew to fix matches, secretly bribed other sports clubs, and set up private casinos to make huge profits from betting on matches!"

"Xu Fuyan's son, the Minister of Justice, got involved with them because he helped cover up their gambling den. They even conspired to drag the Prefectural Magistrate of Kaifeng into it!"

Li Bangyan's forehead was sweating profusely.

Zhao Yuan continued, "Your second son actually dared to take a well-bred woman from a respectable family as a concubine in the capital city of Tokyo, right under the emperor's nose."

"The woman's fiancé was beaten so badly he was bedridden for two months, and the family's guard dog was also beheaded. He was so scared that he ran to the woman's family to break off the engagement!"

Li Bangyan said with a sob in his voice, "Your Majesty, I truly know nothing of these matters."

Zhao Yuan slammed his fist on the table: "You're to claim you're sick and go home to await the investigation. You're not allowed to leave the house!"

"Yes...as you command."

Li Bangyan left dejectedly.

He was accompanied by guards on his way home, and the gates of his house were guarded by soldiers.

Li Bangyan's two sons and nephew had already been arrested and imprisoned. His wife rushed over as soon as he returned to the inner quarters and asked:

"My lord, is there any hope?"

"Could you let my nephew take the blame and save my two sons?"

Li Bangyan flew into a rage, shouting, "You still want to protect your son? I can't even protect myself!"

"You've ruined two perfectly good children!"

"You heartless bastard, waaaaaah..."

His wife began to wail and clung to Li Bangyan's leg, throwing a tantrum: "You say I'm the one who corrupted him? Since you became an official, how many times have you stepped into my courtyard, and how many times have you personally taught our son?"

"How many lowly women have you taken as concubines over the years?"

"Those sluts gave birth to five sons, and apart from the one still in school, you've made them all officials!"

"On the contrary, you haven't helped my two legitimate sons get official positions..."

Li Bangyan kicked his wife away, saying, "Luckily, we didn't let them become officials, otherwise the whole family would have been executed, leaving no way out for them."

"You woman come from a humble background, and you're full of petty and foolish ways. Your son has been corrupted by you!"

The wife stopped crying, stood up, grabbed Li Bangyan's collar, and argued: "You look down on me because I come from a humble background, but why didn't you look down on me back then?"

“My family is at least a gentry family, while your family is just a bunch of craftsmen who made their fortune by hoarding gold!”

"You have the nerve to look down on me?"

"Let me tell you, Li Bangyan, if anything happens to our son, I'll drag you down with me!"

"Die, all of you die! Die together, your whole family!"

Li Bangyan, having given up all hope, pushed his wife aside and went inside to drink.

Hanlin Academy.

The Seljuk envoy Abu was translating Chinese poetry, with officials explaining the historical allusions to him from time to time.

"Cao, Cao..." Abu shouted several times.

The translator also called out, "Lord Cao, Lord Cao..."

"Ah...what is it?"

Cao Xun seemed to be lost in thought when he was suddenly awakened.

Abu said, "If you are feeling tired, then I will not disturb you today."

Cao Xun looked back outside and forced a smile: "No need, let's continue."

Aibu asked curiously, "Cao, you seem to have something on your mind these past few days. Several scholars in the Hanlin Academy are also acting strangely."

"It's nothing," Cao Xun replied dismissively.

Cao Xun's biological father, Cao Zu, was a Dasheng poet who was greatly favored by Emperor Huizong of Song. His erotic poems were so vulgar and provocative that they were almost unbearable.