Han Dynasty Achievements

Chapter 36 Checks and Balances

Huangfu Jianchang felt relieved that he had survived a disaster. He limped back to the mansion through the back door, avoiding people along the way. He only breathed a sigh of relief after he brought the baggage into the room and closed the door.

"Damn it, have I been unlucky lately..."

Huangfu Jianchang put down his package, leaned on his crutches and wanted to go to the table to have a cup of tea.

"what……"

Huangfu Jianchang suddenly saw a man in black appear behind the curtain. He screamed and turned around to run.

砰

A long sword was nailed to the door frame above his head, making a trembling sound.

Huangfu Jian immediately stopped talking, his legs trembling, his hands tightly grasping the door, he turned his head with difficulty and said, "Hero... is it you?"

The man in black was not wearing a mask. He walked forward, drew back his sword, listened carefully and heard no movement outside the door. Then he looked at Huangfu Jianchang and said, "In this capital, I only trust you, my benefactor. I probably won't survive this time, so I came to entrust you with a few things."

Huangfu Jianchang was no longer afraid when he saw the man's face. He picked up his crutches with difficulty and walked forward, saying in shock and anger: "You received a favor from my father, why do you come to scare me?"

This man was named Shi A, and he was a knight-errant. He once followed his father Huangfu Song to fight against the Yellow Turban Army together with Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and others.

Shi Abi was half a head shorter than Huangfu Jianchang, with droopy eyebrows and a sad look. He followed behind Huangfu Jianchang and said, "If it were anyone else, they would have died. I have something to do for you. If you help me do it, I will tell you a secret and give you 10,000 strings of cash."

Huangfu Jianchang drank his tea and said, "You must be going to assassinate someone, and you want to entrust your wife and children to me."

Shi A knew that Huangfu Jian was smart, so he didn't care and said, "Yes."

Huangfu Jian's breath stabilized, and he turned around leisurely and said, "Address."

Shi A took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to him.

Huangfu Jianchang took it, opened it and took a look, then tore it into pieces, threw it into the teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and said, "Secret."

Shi A turned his head to look outside the door, then stepped forward and whispered, "I found out that someone in the court was colluding with the Yellow Turban rebels. When our benefactor failed, it was because someone tipped him off!"

Huangfu Jian's face suddenly changed, and he asked, "Who!?"

He may not care about other people, but he cannot help caring about his father.

Shi A stared at Huangfu Jianchang for a moment, then stood back and said, "I don't know, but I know that this man has great power and is in the court."

Huangfu Jian frowned and said unhappily, "What kind of secret is this? Everyone knows that someone in the court is colluding with the rebels, and the Twelve Eunuchs even accepted money. I want to know who it is!"

Shi A remained calm and said, "In addition, the Yulin Army killed so many people yesterday because someone secretly paid money, 200 coins per head."

Huangfu Jianchang's breathing suddenly became rapid. He knew that the man her lover was rewarded by his superiors because he killed many people!

"So that's how it is..." Huangfu Jian stared with eyes wide open, a look of disbelief on his face.

Spending money to buy a head, this is Luoyang, the Eastern Capital, who is so bold and so cruel! ?

Shi A didn't say anything more. He covered his face and climbed out of the window.

Hearing the voice, Huangfu Jian turned around with a troubled look on his face. The corners of his mouth moved again and again, and finally he slammed the table in anger and said, "You told me this, what should I do!?"

Imperial Palace, West Garden.

Liu Bian sat in a small pavilion, reading quietly.

The courtyard was filled with palace maids and eunuchs carrying and counting things back and forth.

West Garden was the happy residence of Emperor Ling. It was built magnificently with carved beams and painted rafters, and was luxurious and picturesque everywhere.

Liu Bian finally had time to clean up the messy palace.

Not long after, a fair-skinned eunuch, about seventeen or eighteen years old, came to the pavilion in small steps, holding an account book. Seeing Liu Bian reading, he stopped immediately and then entered the pavilion silently.

Liu Bian turned a page and asked, "How many have you counted?"

This was a middle eunuch. He said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I have counted a treasury and found 300 million in cash, 10,000 in gold, 800,000 in silver, 120,000 in jade, 80 famous swords, 27 famous knives, 300 good horses, and 3,000 in gold and silver..."

Liu Bian looked up at him and said, "You mean, it's just one warehouse, how many are there in total?"

Zhong Huangmen lowered his head and said, "There are sixteen in total, and this is the most."

Liu Bian estimated in his mind and thought: It should be enough for a while.

He immediately looked at the Zhonghuangmen and thought he looked familiar. After thinking for a while, he said, "Are you from the Imperial Prison? What's your name?"

The imperial prison in the palace is the dungeon next to Fanglin Garden. Its official name is: Huangmen Beisi Prison.

The Zhong Huangmen bowed his body, his fair face slightly tense, and he pursed his lips and said, "Yes, I am Zuo Li."

Liu Bian nodded and remembered this person because this person was a jailer. He hated Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and others very much. He used extremely cruel torture during the interrogation. If it were not for Pan Yin's suppression, at least half of Zhang Rang and others would have died.

"Do you have any grudge against the Twelve Eunuchs?" Liu Bian had nothing to do, so he chatted while reading a book.

Zuo Li raised his head, hatred on his face, and said, "They killed my whole family and castrated me, leaving the Zuo family without descendants!"

Liu Bian was startled and looked away from the book to look at Zuo Li.

These twelve eunuchs are so cruel!

Zuo Li remained calm and did not try to hide his hatred at all.

Just as Liu Bian was about to speak, there was the sound of anxious footsteps. Pan Yin came over with his men and said, "Your Majesty, the memorial from the Secretariat has arrived."

The Shangshu Tai was originally a private office set up by Emperor Guangwu to serve as an advisor, and was located next to the Jiade Hall.

As successive emperors continued to entrust important affairs to the Secretariat, the Secretariat became the central institution of the Han Dynasty.

However, the rank of Shangshu Ling, the chief official of the Shangshu Tai, was too low to handle major affairs, so the real big men in the court took on the additional title of "Lu Shangshu Shi" and managed the Shangshu Tai, becoming the de facto prime minister.

Liu Bian put down the book and said, "Go on."

Pan Yin said, "Yes. There are four in total. The general requested to hold the enthronement ceremony on May 15th, the Minister of Works Liu Hong reported illness, the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei requested to completely lift the two party bans, and the Central Army Captain Yuan Shao requested pardon to visit his father because his father was critically ill."

Liu Bian looked calm and asked, "Has anyone written a letter to impeach the general or anyone else?"

"No, the Secretariat sent only four." Pan Yin said.

Liu Bian smiled, stood up, looked towards the Shangshutai, and said, "Do you think it's strange that there was no impeachment for such a big thing?"

Zuo Li bowed his head, staring at Liu Bian's back with his peripheral vision, and said softly, "Your Majesty, I think Your Majesty has no idea how many memorials are submitted to and from the Shangshutai. This is not in accordance with the laws of our Han Dynasty."

Liu Bian was startled and turned his head in surprise. He had just said it casually and didn't expect to hear the answer.

Pan Yin also glanced at Zuo Li. His sallow face remained unchanged, but his brows wrinkled slightly.

"What do you think we should do?" Liu Bian asked with a smile.

Zuo Li bowed further and said in a very calm tone: "I think Your Majesty should set up a permanent assistant to review the incoming and outgoing memorials."

Originally, the Shangshu Tai was responsible for this task.

Liu Bian looked at Zuo Li, and his smile gradually deepened.

Zuo Li's proposal was actually nothing new. Liu Bian had the memory of later generations and knew how to control the Secretariat. What made him happy was that Zuo Li reminded him of something very important!

He had previously considered developing the Inspector of the Imperial Guard into an informant, but he had overlooked the checks and balances!

Liu Bian sat back slowly, picked up the teacup, and said nonchalantly: "I plan to move the Huangmen Beisi Prison outside the palace. Zuo Li, what do you think?"

Thanks to the boss of 'Just call me Longya Ya Lord' for the generous reward~