After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

The street drums sounded, and the emperor's edict flew out of the Suzaku Gate and was passed down from state to state. In the dim sky, Chang'an City gradually became lively. Officials and civilians who had been waiting at the gate of the square for a long time filed out and rushed to other places. In front of Chengtian Gate, officials gathered to greet each other, and some were discussing the war in the southwest and northwest.

The Tibetans in the northwest were ambitious, and the Nanman in the southwest was the first time I had seen them. Some of the people were talking passionately, while others were sighing.

Another street drum sounded, and the Suzaku Gate finally opened. The officials who were shivering in the cold wind finally had to go to their own offices. The servants waiting in the office would prepare charcoal basins for them to keep away the cold.

At this moment, the meeting in the political hall has been discussed again and again. Military expenditure still needs to be carefully calculated.

The prince sat quietly at the top, listening to the ministers in the government hall discussing the war. There was a constant debate on where to divert military funds. Even though the general direction had been decided, there were still many details that needed to be finalized.

Taking a deep breath, Pei Jiaoran turned his head and glanced at the candle beside him. The candle on the candlestick had already burned most of the way, and this was the third candle that had been replaced.

I picked up the teacup and found it was icy cold. This was the new tea, but it was already cold.

Stroking the rim of the cup with his thumb, Pei Jiaoran turned to look at the servant at the door. He saw the servant sitting by the door with his head bowed, looking as if he was asleep.

"So. For the time being, we should use the salt profits from Jianghuai as military expenses." Jia Gonglu raised his head and looked at Pei Jiaoran with a smile, "What do you think, Prime Minister Pei?"

"Of course it can be transferred. But can the result of Yanziku's complaint to the Ministry of Revenue about arrears be reviewed as soon as possible?" Pei Jiaoran said with his head held high.

Glancing at her, the prince said, "Father has given the order. Prime Minister Pei can review the matter at any time."

"I obey your order. The matter is urgent. I will go to interrogate the people in Yanziku right away." After saying this, Pei Jiaoran stood up and left.

After Pei Jiaoran came out of the government hall, he stood at the door for a long time, letting the cold wind wake up his thoughts. He shook his head and went straight to the Imperial Censorate.

The servant who was dozing at the door of Yanziku suddenly saw a purple-robed man leading dozens of Jinwu guards. When he was thinking about getting up and reporting, the Jinwu guards on the opposite side moved faster. They rushed over, covered his mouth, and pushed him to the ground.

Glancing at the servant who was still struggling, Pei Jiaoran signaled to the Imperial Censor beside him to take the Jinwu Guards into the Yanzi Treasury to bring the man into the Tuiju Room for questioning.

After a while, Ju Wenzhen's angry curse reached his ears.

The Jinwu Guards held Ju Wenzhen on the left and right and dragged him out. Following behind was the Imperial Censor who looked furious.

As soon as he saw the purple-robed man standing with his hands behind his back, Ju Wenzhen said angrily, "I am the minister of the Political Affairs Hall. Why are you arresting me?"

Pei Jiaoran turned around and looked at Ju Wenzhen with a sarcastic look, saying, "I am ordered by His Majesty to invite you to the Imperial Censorate for questioning. Take him away."

At a command, the Jinwu Guards roughly pushed Ju Wenzhen towards the direction of the Censorate.

Yuan Yanchong, who had been waiting for a long time, saw the group coming in. He called the jailer of the Censorate to take Ju Wenzhen to the interrogation room.

"Let's start." Pei Jiaoran said.

The Imperial Censor who was waiting nearby agreed to go into the interrogation room.

Inviting Pei Jiaoran to sit down, Yuan Yan poured tea over him and said, "Bian Lingzhen has already expressed his intention to confess. The Ministry of Personnel sent someone to say that there is something wrong with the accounts in the Yanzi Treasury. They are doing the final verification."

Listening to the conversation in the interrogation room, Pei Jiaoran curled his lips and said, "Ju Wenzhen will not confess easily. You can trick him, and if that doesn't work, torture him."

"But he is a third-rank official, and the law does not allow him to be tortured." Yuan Yanchong looked worried.

"At this point, it doesn't matter whether it's against the law or not. He only needs to admit that there is something wrong with the account of the Yanzi Treasury to ensure that there is enough military funds for this expedition." Pei Jiaoran tapped the table with his fingers, "The Political Affairs Hall means to embezzle the salt profits from Jianghuai. I have no objection to this, but a rough calculation is far from enough."

"Are you planning to take it from the inner treasury?" Yuan Yanchong asked in surprise.

"How much money can the inner treasury have to support the army?" Pei Jiaoran sneered, "Getting all these people's money out will make Zuo Zang feel relieved."

"Whatever you want to do, the Censorate will fully cooperate." Yuan Yanchong's eyes showed a trace of fatigue, "I will dig out the termites, and you get what you want."

"The Northwest Military Supply Office is also managed by eunuchs. We will remove Ju Wenzhen and Bian Lingzhen, and then replace them with our own people in the Yanzi Treasury." Pei Jiaoran smiled, "Without eunuchs embezzling military funds on the march, it can also reduce the pressure on the court."

"Okay." Yuan Yan rushed.

As they were talking, they heard a loud noise coming from the interrogation room next door. They looked at each other and stood up and walked over.

I saw the desk that the Attendant Censor used to write on fell to the ground, and Ju Wenzhen was standing beside it with a fierce look on his face.

"Ju Wenzhen, this is the Imperial Censorate!" Yuan Yanchong shouted angrily, summoning the jailer who followed him in. He strangled Ju Wenzhen with iron chains and tied him to the rack.

"What? The Censorate is trying to force a confession out of me. Humph, come on. I want to see what methods you, the Censorate, have." Ju Wenzhen glared at Pei Jiaoran and angrily scolded, "Pei Jiaoran, don't think I don't know what you are thinking. You just want to take this opportunity to annex Yanziku."

He raised his head and looked at Ju Wenzhen coldly. Pei Jiaoran said coldly: "Go ahead."

The jailer who was called in was experienced, and the long whip in his hand was whistling. Ju Wenzhen was beaten so hard that his teeth were bared, but he still did not forget to curse the two people in front of him.

As the whip fell one after another, Ju Wenzhen's entire body was covered in blood.

"Ju Wenzhen, the department has reported you for being unclear about Hui Can and misappropriating funds without authorization. Do you admit it?" Pei Jiaoran said.

"I didn't do it. I don't admit it! It's clearly a frame-up by you, the Censorate."

"Why was there no record of the whereabouts of a sum of money on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month last year? Which garrison was the money used to pay for?"

"Where are the troops stationed?" Ju Wenzhen blinked. "Hmm. It seems that they gave it to the Shuofang Army as military expenses... No, it was Zuo Shence. They asked me for it."

"Ju Wenzhen, let me ask you again. The department recently reported that you were innocent and misappropriated funds without authorization. Do you admit it?" Pei Jiaoran raised his lip and asked again.

As if frightened by the voice, Ju Wenzhen showed some hesitation in his eyes. After a while, he said, "It was me... Zhang Jue asked me to do this. The Yanzi Treasury is not for border defense, but for emergency use of the emperor's inner treasury."

Turning his head to look at the Imperial Censor who was recording, Pei Jiaoran said, "Write it all down and have him sign it. Once the news comes out from the Ministry of Justice, submit it to the Council of State Affairs immediately."

"But this confession..." Yuan Yanchong frowned.

"He has signed it, so why should we care whether it is true or not? Submitting the things to the government hall will be good for all of us." Standing up and smiling, Pei Jiaoran said, "I still have to go to the Ministry of Revenue. Goodbye."