Transmigrating to the Chongzhen era, I started by confiscating the Donglin Party.

April 3rd, Huai'an.

Li Ruolian received an urgent report from Nanjing: His Majesty had decreed the establishment of the "Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption," directly under the Cabinet, and appointed Li Ruolian as its Director (a fourth-rank official), to be in charge of its affairs immediately.

Along with the imperial decree came a draft of the "Regulations of the Anti-Corruption Bureau" and a newly cast bronze seal—the seal read "Seal of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Great Ming Dynasty," and it was quite heavy.

"My lord, this is an immense favor!" the guard exclaimed excitedly. "A fourth-rank official, equivalent to a vice minister of one of the six ministries!"

Li Ruolian stroked the bronze seal, her expression calm: "It's a responsibility."

He opened the "Regulations." The clauses were detailed and the powers and responsibilities were clearly defined: there was the power to inspect, but not the power to adjudicate; for all cases, the case files were available for review, and the judgments were to be made public; those with objections could appeal to the three judicial departments...

"The rule of law," he murmured, "is what His Majesty desires."

Just then, a commotion arose outside the door. An old man dressed as a canal worker rushed in and knelt down with a thud: "Your Honor! I have a complaint to file!"

Li Ruolian gestured to her personal guards to help her up: "Whom should we sue?"

"I'm denouncing... I'm denouncing Zhou the Skinflint, the coordinator of the grain transport!" The old man cried, tears streaming down his face. "On the surface, he pays wages according to the new regulations, but behind our backs, he demands 'tribute' from us, taking three coins for every shi of grain! When the youngest refused, he threw his son off the boat, breaking his leg!"

Li Ruolian's eyes turned cold: "Do you have any evidence?"

"Yes! I have an account book!" The old man pulled a crumpled booklet from his pocket. "I secretly kept track of it. In the past two months, he's taken a total of... twelve taels of silver from more than thirty of our brothers!"

Li Ruolian took the ledger and opened it. The handwriting was crooked, but the entries were clear: on a certain day of a certain month, so-and-so was charged a certain amount, and signed as proof.

Where is Zhou Bapi now?

"Supervising the work right there on the dock!"

Li Ruolian stood up: "Prepare the horses, let's go to the dock."

The spring rain has just cleared at Huai'an Wharf.

The grain barges were being loaded with grain, and the sounds of shouts and calls filled the air.

A middle-aged man dressed in a brand-new official's uniform stood on the pier, gesturing wildly. He was Zhou Bapi, the newly appointed assistant coordinator of the canal transport—whose real name was Zhou Fu. He was originally a minor leader of the canal transport gang, but because he knew a few words and was the first to defect during the strike, he was selected as the assistant coordinator.

He was scolding a young canal worker: "What are you dawdling for! If you don't finish loading this boat with grain today, I'll dock your pay!"

The young canal workers dared not utter a sound, and buried their heads in carrying the grain sacks.

At that moment, the sound of galloping hooves filled the air. Li Ruolian arrived with more than ten Imperial Guards, reining in their horses and stopping in front of the pier.

Upon seeing him, Zhou Fu immediately put on a smiling face and greeted him: "Lord Li! What brings you here? I'm currently overseeing the loading onto the ship, and it will definitely be completed today..."

"Take it down." Li Ruolian's voice was not loud.

Two Imperial Guards stepped forward and bound Zhou Fu's arms behind his back.

Zhou Fu was stunned: "My lord! What do you mean by this? I... I'm innocent!"

Li Ruolian took out the account book from his bosom and opened it in front of everyone: "On the 18th day of the second month of the 16th year of Chongzhen, fifty cash was deducted from Wang Ermazi's wages."

On February 25th, eighty coins were taken from Li Tiezhu; on March 3rd, one hundred coins were taken from Zhao Laosan… a total of twelve taels and four mace. Zhou Fu, do you agree?

Zhou Fu's face turned deathly pale, and his lips trembled: "That...that was a donation from the brothers voluntarily..."

"Voluntary?" Li Ruolian sneered. "Then Old Wang's son broke his leg, was that voluntary too?"

He turned to face the growing number of canal workers gathering at the dock and declared loudly, "The first rule of my newly established 'New Regulations for Canal Transport' is 'Wages shall be paid directly and without deduction.' Zhou Fu, as an assistant, knowingly violated the law, and his crime is doubled!"

He paused, then raised his voice: "Today is the first case I have handled since assuming the concurrent post of Director of the Anti-Corruption and Anti-Corruption Bureau. According to the Regulations, this Bureau has the power to investigate, but not the power to adjudicate."

Therefore—Zhou Fu and his incriminating evidence are hereby transferred to the Huai'an Prefectural Government for trial in accordance with the "Great Ming Code." The verdict will be posted at this wharf three days later!

Having said that, he waved his hand: "Take him away!"

Zhou Fu was taken away, crying and begging for mercy all the way.

The dock was silent. The canal workers watched this scene with complex emotions—a mixture of pleasure, fear, and bewilderment.

Li Ruolian mounted his horse and, before leaving, said to the canal workers: "The new rules are not just words on paper, but real rules. Whoever breaks the rules will pay the price."

But if you have been wronged, you may come to me—or this official, or this department, and I will help you.”

The sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance.

After a long while, an old canal worker murmured, "The heavens are truly clear... the heavens are truly clear."

Another person whispered, "But if Zhou the Skinflint falls, won't there be Zhang the Skinflint and Li the Skinflint?"

"Go ahead and sue us if you have any complaints!" the young canal worker gritted his teeth. "Lord Li said he'll stand up for us!"

On the dock, the shouts of the workers loading grain rang out again. This time, the voices were even louder.

April 5th, Yangzhou.

As midnight approached, the night was as dark as ink.

In the cellar of Guanyin Temple, Scarface Liu and One-Eyed Zhang were leading men to move barrels of kerosene. Thirty barrels of kerosene and five hundred catties of saltpeter were being loaded into three horse-drawn carts, ready to be transported to Huai'an, Yangzhou, and Zhenjiang.

"Hurry up!" Scarface Liu urged. "We must be out of the city before midnight!"

The cellar door was suddenly kicked open.

The torchlight surged in, illuminating the oil barrels scattered on the ground and the panicked crowd.

Li Jizhen, dressed in an official robe, stood at the door, with two hundred Nanjing garrison soldiers behind him, their swords drawn and bows strung.

"Wang Youcai, Scarface Liu, One-Eyed Zhang," Li Jizhen said calmly, "I have been waiting for you for a long time."

Scarface Liu gritted his teeth and kicked over a bucket of kerosene, the oil gushing out. He pulled out a tinderbox: "Don't come any closer! If you do, I'll set you on fire! We'll all die together!"

Li Jizhen laughed: "Order."

Scarface Liu was stunned.

"This cellar goes three zhang (approximately 10 meters) underground, with stone walls on all four sides," Li Jizhen said slowly. "You started a fire, and you're burning yourselves. Besides..." He stepped aside, revealing someone behind him, "Look who this is?"

A man bound hand and foot was pushed forward; it was Wang Youcai.

"You...how could you..." Scarface Liu's hand trembled, and the tinderbox fell to the ground.

"How were they caught?" Li Jizhen continued, "It's very simple. Three days ago, Empress Zhou hosted a 'Spring Gathering' and invited the female relatives of Yangzhou salt merchants."

During the meal, Wang Youcai's wife "inadvertently" let slip that her husband had been restless lately, often writing in his study until midnight and burning many letters.

He walked toward Scarface Liu: "Following this lead, I discovered your secret correspondence with Jin Shenghuan, a general under Zuo Liangyu. The letter stated, 'On the fifth day of the fourth month, fires will break out in three places simultaneously; if chaos erupts, troops will arrive.'"

Scarface Liu's face was ashen.

"Take them all." Li Jizhen waved his hand.

The soldiers swarmed forward. All thirty-odd remaining accomplices were captured.

Outside the cellar, the city of Yangzhou slept in the night, completely unaware that a great calamity had been averted.

April 8th, Caishikou, Yangzhou.

Empress Zhou personally oversaw the execution.

This was her first public appearance since her southern tour. The imperial carriage stopped beside the execution ground, the curtains slightly lifted, revealing a glimpse of her seated figure. The surrounding crowd was dense, buzzing with discussion.

Li Jizhen read out the charges: "Wang Youcai, colluding with remnants of the grain transport gang, privately purchased kerosene and saltpeter, plotting to burn down grain transport ships and granaries, and conspiring with military officers from other garrisons to incite rebellion... The evidence is conclusive, and he shall be executed according to the law. Eight accomplices, including Scarface Liu and One-Eyed Zhang, shall be executed as accomplices. The rest shall be exiled to Qiongzhou."

After reading it, he looked at the imperial carriage.

A calm female voice came from behind the curtain: "Execute."

As the blade flashed, nine heads rolled to the ground.

The people were in uproar; some cheered, while others covered their eyes.

Empress Zhou's voice rang out again, clearly carrying across the execution ground through the curtain: "The new policies must be implemented, and those who obstruct them will meet the same fate! From this day forward, anyone who reports a conspiracy or exposes corruption will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver upon verification. I hereby swear: as long as I live, the world of Jiangnan will never be turned upside down!"

The execution ground was silent.

Then, applause erupted from one corner and quickly spread. The people may not understand politics, but they know who is protecting the Grand Canal, who is stabilizing grain prices, and who is giving them hope for the future.

The imperial carriage slowly departed.

In the crowd, a salt merchant's relative whispered to his companion, "Go back and tell the master that from now on... we should do business properly. Her Majesty the Empress is serious."

April 15th, Nanjing.

The Department of Anti-Corruption and Anti-Corruption was officially established.

The yamen (government office) was located to the east of the former Censorate, with a black lacquered gate and a plaque hanging high above. A stele stood in front of the gate, inscribed with the "Regulations of the Censorate." In front of the stele was a "Grievance Drum," which anyone with a grievance could beat to appeal for justice.

On the day of the official opening, Li Ruolian presided over the second case in public—a land dispute.

The case was simple: local gentry forcibly seized farmland from the people, and the county magistrate accepted bribes and showed favoritism. Li Ruolian retrieved the case files, conducted an on-site investigation, and concluded the trial within three days, ordering the gentry to return the land and pay compensation, and dismissing the county magistrate from his post and ordering an investigation.

The judgment was posted publicly, with a total of over a thousand words, analyzing the situation in detail, citing laws and regulations, and explaining the reasoning behind it.

People gathered around to look at the list; those who could read read it aloud, while those who couldn't listened intently.

"This is true justice!"

"Now if you ever feel wronged, you'll know where to seek redress!"

Among the crowd, several officials in blue robes watched from afar, their faces grim. They were censors from the Nanjing Metropolitan Censorate, whose joint memorial impeaching Li Ruolian for "abuse of power and indiscriminate killing" remained unreleased.

One of them whispered, "Li Ruolian is trying to destroy us."

Another person sighed, "It's no use. His Majesty is determined to implement the new policies. Didn't you see that Empress Zhou personally killed someone to establish her authority? This Jiangnan region... is about to change."

April 20th, Jianmen Pass, Sichuan.

Qin Liangyu was finally able to get out of bed and walk around.

Supported by her niece-in-law Ma Xianglin, she slowly walked up to the gate tower. The spring breeze was gentle, the distant mountains were verdant, and the battlefield below the gate had been cleaned up, with fresh soil covering the bloodstains and soft green grass growing.

But some things can't be hidden.

The dense arrow holes in the walls, the knife marks on the parapets, and the faint smell of blood in the air—that was the blood of three thousand White-Spear Soldiers, seeping into the bricks, into the earth, into every inch of this pass.

"Madam," Ma Xianglin said softly, "General Sun Kewang has arrived."

Qin Liangyu turned around. Sun Kewang, dressed in military uniform, strode forward and knelt on one knee: "This humble general greets the old general!"

"Get up." Qin Liangyu reached out to help him up. "How is the security checkpoint?"

"The defenses have been redeployed. Eight thousand men from the Zhaowu Battalion are stationed at the pass, while General Qin Yiming is leading five thousand White-Spear Soldiers to the rear camp, forming a defensive alliance."

Sun Kewang paused, "However... our supplies are still tight. Zuo Menggeng, who was 'assisting in the defense' of Hanzhong, has looted all the local grain supplies and transported them back to Kuizhou. Our reserves will only last for half a month."

Qin Liangyu sneered, "Zuo Liangyu and his son have always been like this. Don't count on them." She looked southeast, "The imperial grain should be on its way."

Just then, a rider galloped to the pass. The messenger held up a document: "Urgent dispatch from Nanjing—His Majesty's decree has arrived!"

Qin Liangyu took it and unfolded it. The imperial decree was very generous, starting with the bestowals: she was granted the title of Earl of Loyalty and Integrity, a hereditary title, and was also appointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince; Sun Kewang was appointed General of Zhaoyong and Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan; Qin Yiming was promoted to Assistant General…

When she turned to the last page, her hand trembled.

The imperial edict was accompanied by a copy—a report of victory by Zuo Menggeng, detailing his "bloody battle to recapture Jianmen Pass, beheading tens of thousands." Beside it were annotations in bold, vigorous handwriting:

"I am well aware of Minister Zuo's meritorious service in the 'bloody battle' and am very pleased. I hereby bestow upon him one hundred taels of silver and ten bolts of silk. Furthermore, I order Minister Zuo to immediately march north to assist in the defense of Hanzhong—without fail."

Qin Liangyu laughed, but then coughed.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty is wise." She handed the decree to Sun Kewang. "Look."

After reading it, Sun Kewang laughed: "One hundred taels of silver, ten bolts of silk... this is a slap in the face to Zuo Menggeng."

"Well done." Qin Liangyu looked towards the pass. "In this world, merit is merit, and crime is crime. Those who steal credit will pay the price sooner or later."

She suddenly remembered something: "Where's Yiming?"

"They're training troops in the camp," Sun Kewang said. "He said the White Spear Army lost three thousand men and needs to be replaced as soon as possible. They're recruiting young men from Sichuan and training them according to the old general's methods."

Qin Liangyu nodded and looked into the distance. That was the direction of the stone pillar, the direction of the Qin family ancestral hall.

"Once I'm healed," she said softly, "I need to go back to Stone Pillar. To erect a monument for the brothers who died in battle."

The wind blows through Jianmen Pass, and the pine trees seem to whisper secrets.

Like three thousand loyal souls, they are responding.

April 25th, Wenhua Hall, Nanjing.

Li Ce looked at the three reports on the table.

One document is Li Ruolian's "Summary of Cases from the First Month of the Anti-Corruption and Anti-Corruption Bureau," which lists seventeen cases, punishes nine officials, and recovers embezzled funds and fines of five thousand taels of silver.

One document is Li Jizhen's "Detailed Record of the Suppression of the Yangzhou Rebellion," which includes a copy of a secret letter between Wang Youcai and Jin Shenghuan.

One document is Qin Liangyu's "Memorial on Thanking the Emperor and Reporting on the Situation in Sichuan," which details the defense of Jianmen Pass and the predicament of food supplies. At the end, it mentions: "Zuo Menggeng's troops are moving north slowly, traveling only thirty li a day."

Li Ce picked up his pen and circled Zuo Menggeng's name.

Then, he looked out the window.

The spring rain has stopped, and the early summer sun shines through the window, casting bright spots of light on the blue brick floor.

The canal transport in Jiangnan was stabilized, the Anti-Corruption Bureau was established, and Jianmen Pass was successfully defended.

However, when Li Ruolian investigated and confiscated the remaining members of the Shanxi merchants' faction in Yangzhou, he discovered a new clue—the remaining forces of the Shanxi merchants were still active through the canal network.

The accounts show that they transported raw silk and tea from Jiangnan to the north in exchange for ginseng and sable fur from Liaodong.

The clues point to Xuanfu.

Li Ce thought of Wang Pu, the deputy general of Xuanfu—the general who had been placed under house arrest in the first chapter. His former subordinates were still active.

A storm is brewing.

He stood up and walked to the map. He pointed from Xuanfu to Datong, to Jizhou, and to Liaodong.

Then, he muttered to himself:

"Qing invaders, rebels, Shanxi merchants, border generals... this game is getting more and more interesting."

Outside the window, the cicadas begin to sing.

Summer is approaching.