Dapeng's Time Travel Life

Chapter 20 Political Turmoil

Zhang Peng stood on the winding official road, gazing at the towering city walls of the capital in the distance, yet felt no joy at the prospect of returning home. The autumn wind, carrying a chill, seeped through his heavy cloak, adding to his desolate air. Beside him, Xia Lijuan tightened her clothes, looked up at Zhang Peng, her eyes filled with worry and concern: "Your Highness, the capital is near, but..." She hesitated, her voice tinged with unease.

Zhang Peng nodded slightly, his gaze deep and unfathomable, and said in a deep voice, "I knew the situation in the capital was delicate, but I never expected it to be so complicated." After saying that, he turned and walked towards the carriage, his steps steady yet carrying a hint of heaviness.

Upon entering the capital, the streets remained bustling, yet Zhang Peng keenly sensed an unusual tension permeating the air. In the streets and alleys, people whispered amongst themselves, their expressions filled with apprehension. He surmised that news of the court's upheaval must have already spread, causing unrest among the people.

The next morning, before dawn, Zhang Peng rose and tidied his court robes, preparing to enter the palace to meet the emperor. Xia Lijuan stood beside him, carefully fastening his jade belt, and softly advised, "Your Highness, please be careful in all matters in court." Zhang Peng grasped her hand, his gaze firm, "Rest assured, I will handle things with caution."

The imperial court was solemn and dignified, yet Zhang Peng sensed an undercurrent of tension. The Emperor sat high on his dragon throne, his face weary, his eyes revealing helplessness and worry. Zhang Peng stepped forward, knelt, and bowed: "Your subject Zhang Peng greets Your Majesty."

The Emperor slightly raised his hand: "Rise, my dear minister. This great victory at the border is truly a great achievement, and I am very pleased."

Before Zhang Peng could express his gratitude, Wang Hong, the Vice Minister of Rites, suddenly stepped forward and said loudly, "Your Majesty, although Zhang Peng has made meritorious contributions in battle, he has been privately allocating supplies at the border without reporting to the court. I fear he may have rebellious intentions."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Peng felt a chill run down his spine and immediately retorted, "Lord Wang, the border war is urgent and supplies are scarce. If we wait for the imperial court's instructions for everything, it may delay the battle and endanger the lives of our soldiers and the safety of the country."

At this moment, Zhao Ming, the Minister of Revenue, also stood up to echo: "Zhang Peng, your actions have exceeded the rules and you have acted on your own initiative. Who can guarantee that you are not acting for your own selfish interests?"

Immediately, opinions swirled in the court, and accusations rose and fell. Zhang Peng looked around at the officials who usually appeared dignified and upright, and a surge of anger and disappointment welled up in his heart. He took a deep breath and tried to remain calm: "My lords, Zhang Peng is devoted to the country. If I had any selfish motives, may I be condemned by heaven and earth. The supplies allocated this time were all used for the border war, and there are detailed accounts to verify them."

Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Grand Secretary Li Zhong slowly stood up. He was advanced in years, highly respected, and held considerable prestige in the court. Li Zhong's gaze swept over the crowd, and he said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, General Zhang Peng has risked his life for the country and repeatedly rendered meritorious service, yet he is now subjected to such unwarranted accusations, which is truly disheartening. Border warfare is inherently unpredictable, and General Zhang Peng's adaptation to changing circumstances was a last resort. We should prioritize the overall national interest and not let personal gain blind us."

Li Zhong's words caused a huge uproar, instantly changing the atmosphere in the court. Several ministers nodded in agreement. The Emperor frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "This matter will be set aside for now. I will investigate the truth before making a decision. Zhang Peng, you may leave."

After leaving court, Zhang Peng was filled with worry. He knew that this turmoil in the court was no accident; someone must have been deliberately plotting behind it. Back at the Prince's residence, Xia Lijuan was already waiting at the door. Seeing his grave expression, she hurried forward: "Your Highness, how did things go in court?"

Zhang Peng recounted the details of the incident to Xia Lijuan, who frowned and said, "These people are truly despicable; they actually framed you like this."

Zhang Peng sighed, "They are wary of my military achievements and want to control the government, so naturally they won't let me off easily."

Xia Lijuan pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness, we cannot sit idly by and wait to die. We must find a way to expose their crimes."

Zhang Peng nodded: "I have already made plans. In the coming days, I will contact my former subordinates in the government to collect evidence, and at the same time, I will keep an eye on their every move."

In the days that followed, Zhang Peng and Xia Lijuan began their intensive operation. Zhang Peng, leveraging his existing connections, secretly met with some righteous individuals to discuss countermeasures. Xia Lijuan, disguised, went into the streets to gather information on the various misdeeds of the treacherous officials.

One day, Xia Lijuan overheard a conversation among several merchants in a tavern in the city. It turned out that Wang Hong and Zhao Ming were secretly colluding to manipulate the salt and iron trade, driving up prices and reaping exorbitant profits, causing immense suffering to the people. Xia Lijuan was delighted, believing this to be an important clue. She secretly followed one of the merchants and found the location of their transaction.

She informed Zhang Peng about this, and Zhang Peng immediately sent people to secretly investigate and collect evidence. After much effort, they finally obtained irrefutable evidence of Wang Hong and Zhao Ming's corruption, embezzlement, and forming cliques.

Meanwhile, Zhang Peng was also subtly maneuvering in the imperial court. He used a court assembly as an opportunity to remonstrate with the emperor, discussing the hardships faced by the people, particularly the excessively high prices of salt and iron, which made life difficult for them. Upon hearing this, the emperor's face darkened, and he ordered the relevant departments to conduct a thorough investigation.

Upon hearing this, Wang Hong and Zhao Ming were filled with fear and unease. They attempted to destroy evidence and transfer assets, but Zhang Peng discovered their plans beforehand. Zhang Peng sent men to record their every move and present it to the Emperor.

Finally, having gathered sufficient evidence, Zhang Peng launched another attack in court. He exposed Wang Hong and Zhao Ming's crimes one by one, with irrefutable evidence. The Emperor was furious and ordered Wang Hong and Zhao Ming to be dismissed from their posts, investigated, and imprisoned.

This political storm at court ended in Zhang Peng's victory. This battle dealt a heavy blow to the corrupt officials in the court, and the atmosphere of the court was renewed. Zhang Peng, through his wisdom and courage, also won the respect and support of many. But he knew that the struggles at court were endless, and many more challenges awaited him in the future.