Rebirth: From being expelled from the imperial court to becoming a high-ranking official

Qin Yunhe went on duty every day to review nuclear cases and became familiar with criminal knowledge. In a blink of an eye, a few months passed and he gradually became familiar with his colleagues.

That day, several people took an afternoon break and talked about what they were busy with recently.

"…Recently, a tribute student from Huaiqing Prefecture was reported to have ancestors who worked in menial occupations and pretended to be a good person to take the imperial examination. Who knew that the more they investigated, the more people were implicated. I'm afraid a lot of people will be involved." Censor Chen shook his head and sighed, "Not to mention the local stipends, clan neighbors, and county officials, even the officials from the same hometown who have signed the pledge in Beijing and the seal of the emperor may be implicated."

Censor Tian said, "Now I am afraid of being implicated. When I gave the guarantee, I only saw the money. How could the local clansmen not know about this person's shady background? He must have paid a huge price to be willing to give the guarantee. Those students who gave the guarantee really read the books of sages in vain, and gave the guarantee just for a few silver coins."

"It's not necessarily about how much money he received. That man was just a servant of a county magistrate for a few years because his grandfather couldn't make ends meet. The student who signed the indemnity may not know about his grandfather's affairs."

"Since they have issued a guarantee, they should be careful." Censor Tian disagreed, "Then the county magistrates also have to issue a guarantee. Shouldn't they verify the information before issuing the guarantee? If they have carefully checked whether their background is clean and issued the guarantee, then they must have received money. If they did not check carefully, wouldn't that be dereliction of duty? Shouldn't they be held accountable?"

That’s indeed the truth.

But this sounds a bit extreme.

Censor Chen just laughed and said, "I don't know whether the money will be collected or not, but the county magistrate who signed the pledge will definitely be punished."

Censor Tian added, "That man is also a lowly person. He doesn't want to keep to his proper place, but he wants to bring trouble to so many people."

Censor Chen said, "That's not true. Since that person was able to be admitted to the Imperial Academy, he must have achieved extraordinary results. How could such a person be willing to let his talent be buried?"

Qin Yunhe just nodded, feeling that what Censor Chen said made sense.

Not to mention someone as talented as him, even Zhao Ping and Zhuzi sighed countless times because they put them on the list of soap servants.

Especially since Zhao Ping was ambitious and learned quickly, Zhuzi couldn't help feeling regretful every time Hu Shuli praised him.

If life is not a necessity, who would want to be a slave? The future of our descendants will be cut off.

But I can only think about it, I definitely can't say it.

He sympathized with Zhuzi because he was his neighbor, but others might not understand.

As expected, Tian Yushi said disdainfully: "No matter how special it is, what's the problem? If you keep to your place and abide by the law for a few generations, you will have a chance to make a name for yourself. But you actually have evil thoughts and want to pass yourself off as a fake. A lowly person is a lowly person."

Several of them were accompanied by followers, and Qin Yunhe felt that what he said was really inappropriate.

Qin Yunhe said: "It is indeed wrong to pretend to be good, but in fact, many people who take up lowly jobs are just helpless because they can't make ends meet, and it is not that their character is flawed. Especially those whose ancestors entered lowly jobs or were sold by their parents, they have no choice, which is indeed a bit pitiful."

"What's there to sympathize with or feel sorry for? If you really care about your descendants, you should not take up a lowly job even if you have to starve to death. Now that you've been forced into this, you should accept your fate."

Qin Yunhe quietly turned around and looked at He Sheng beside him. He saw that he was lowering his head and was obviously a little embarrassed. Then he looked at the other followers and they looked normal.

Censor Tian added, "These are only the ones that have been discovered. There are still many undiscovered impostors. It seems that we need to check the family backgrounds of the students and candidates who have participated in the imperial examinations in recent years in various prefectures, and even in various prefectures."

Qin Yunhe never expected that just a casually mentioned case would make Censor Tian determined to investigate the assets of students and candidates in various prefectures.

Censor Chen stroked his beard and had no intention of dissuading Censor Tian: "We should indeed check the backgrounds of the students and candidates from various prefectures. If such cases of people taking the examinations without proper qualifications become common, the social status will be confused and it will be disgraceful."

This is what the Censors were originally responsible for.

From that day on, Censor Tian became busy, and the clerks and runners were ordered around by him. In more than a month, he actually found out several candidates and juren who had falsely taken the exams and had unclear backgrounds.

Censor Tian's morale was boosted, and together with Censor Chen, he conducted a detailed investigation of the people who paid donations in various prefectures in Henan. They found out that many tribute students, imperial students, and even officials who paid donations in the name of Mao Liang were found.

After further investigation and asking people to inquire secretly, they discovered even more chaotic phenomena regarding donations and guarantees.

Several censors who were on duty in the same room were very surprised, and they all said that Censor Tian had always been aggressive and diligent in his work, and he would probably implicate many people this time.

Censors Tian and Chen were busy for several months and achieved remarkable results. It was not until the twelfth month that they gradually stopped working and summarized and organized the results of their investigations in the past few months and submitted a report.

Censor Tian spoke frankly about the drawbacks of paying donations and guarantees.

"In recent years, officials in various prefectures who issue bonds have been lazy and derelict in their duties. They do not ask about the background of the people who are seeking bonds, and bribery is rampant, with only the desire for fees. In various places, people either pretend to be neighbors to guarantee each other, or bribe clerks to dig up and modify documents, or bribe friends in the neighborhood to pay a large sum of money to ask their fellow villagers to issue bonds. This is blatant and shocking, confusing the high and low, and the good and the low...

Whenever there is a breach, the superiors cover it up, the subordinates act recklessly, the successors dare not investigate, and the predecessors go unpunished..."

Your Majesty was greatly shocked when he received the report, and ordered Censor Tian to transfer the people who had falsely taken the exam and made false donations found in the case to the Dali Temple for joint investigation.

On this day, Qin Yunhe was off duty and sitting in the carriage. Zhuzi was driving home. He had not gone far when he heard Zhuzi say.

"Sir, Sir Li is here."

Qin Yunhe hadn't seen Li Chang recently. Hearing what Zhuzi said, he quickly lifted the curtain and looked outside. He saw Li Chang sitting on the carriage outside, not caring about the cold weather.

Li Chang leaned against the carriage and swayed with it, not knowing what he was thinking. Zhang San was sitting on the other side of the carriage, and the driver could only walk on the ground, leading the horse.

"Zigao."

Li Chang looked over and said, "Hey, what's the matter?"

When the two carriages approached, they stopped.

"Why are you sitting outside? Aren't you cold?"

"Hey, I'm sober. Why are we going back to Osmanthus Lane?"

"Yes."

"Don't go back yet. Come with me back to my residence. It's closer."

Qin Yunhe thought that they hadn't seen each other for a long time, and Li Chang probably missed him, so he jumped off the carriage and said, "Okay. Zhuzi, you take Hesheng back first. I'll stay at Zigao's place tonight."

Qin Yunhe had been to Li Chang's official residence twice. It was indeed more spacious than his official residence in Guihua Lane. He thought the official residence of the Censorate should be similar.

"Is Zigao worried about something today?"

Li Chang smiled and said, "I have something on my mind."

After instructing the kitchen to prepare the meal, Li Chang rubbed his forehead and said, "I am just too busy. When I first followed you, I thought I knew how hard it was to be an official. But when I became an official myself, I realized how exhausting it is to be an official."

Qin Yunhe made Li Chang laugh: "Why are you so busy lately?"

"It's your Censorate that has set us up for this.

Tian Fen found so many people who pretended to be honest and paid donations, and he had to verify whether each person was really an honest person. Those who were in Beijing were arrested and questioned in detail, and those who were not in Beijing were also sent to question. He also had to check the relevant stipends, clansmen and local county officials who had signed the relevant pledge.

Fortunately, the governor and prefect did not discuss it, otherwise I think the entire Henan officialdom would be shaken."

"This really involves a lot of people, and I'm afraid some of them really don't know."

"Imperial Censor Tian is still petitioning His Majesty to request that all prefectures conduct a thorough investigation of those who pretend to be good. If this investigation is to be carried out once, all prefectures will have to be checked thoroughly."

"I heard from colleagues that Lord Tian has always been aggressive and can't tolerate any injustice."

"That's right, Rui Jin. In the three years of the Censorate, he has impeached more than ten ministers. Although there is no real evidence, it really gives the officials in the court a headache. But they can't do anything about him. I wouldn't be surprised if he impeaches me one day."

Qin Yunhe was startled and asked nervously, "Are you unhappy with your cooperation?"

"That's not the case. It's just that there are some differences in clarifying the identity of the impostor. I can see that this impostor is not only intolerant of any injustice, but he has gone too far in correcting mistakes."

After hearing what Li Chang said, Qin Yunhe did not agree with some of Censor Tian's views.

"Could it be that some of the so-called good people are actually being wronged?"

The case involves so many people, and I don’t know if everything has been investigated.

Those who took the so-called exam fraudulently had studied hard for many years to pass. If they were wrongly accused, not only would it be a waste of their own years of hard study, but it would also implicate many people.

Most of those who acted as guarantors had studied hard for many years to gain fame or official positions. It was an unexpected disaster for them to put themselves at risk by acting as a guarantor.

"There are definitely still some unclear points." Li Chang said, "When I was verifying the origin of a scholar who was said to have cheated in the imperial examination two days ago, I felt that he was not a registered low-class person. I had to visit the village in detail and get the public opinion of the village. However, Censor Tian insisted that since he was engaged in a lowly job, he was a low-class person.

It just so happens that the local records of that person show signs of digging and filling, and Censor Tian insisted that that person must have bribed the clerks to make changes..."

Li Chang was rarely helpless: "Even if there are traces of modification in the books, it doesn't necessarily mean that this person did it."

"It is said that Lord Tian was appointed as the Supervisory Censor because of his achievements in local government. How can he make such harsh and arbitrary judgments?"

The meal was already served, but the two of them hadn't started eating yet.

At this moment, Li Chang picked up the chopsticks and took a bite. He didn't seem to have much appetite. He quickly put down the chopsticks and sighed.

"Most of those who studied and entered the government were noble and aloof, and some of them looked down on people of low status. Not to mention pretending to be a good official, even those of good status who paid donations were looked down upon by them, not to mention those who pretended to be a good official to take the imperial examinations or pay donations."

Qin Yunhe was silent for a long while before he said, "That shouldn't be mentioned with such fear that you can't even tell right from wrong, right?"

"It doesn't matter. Even if he doesn't want to make a distinction, there are still so many people who won't let him wrongly accuse anyone."

That night, Qin Yunhe stayed in Li Chang's official residence. The two chatted for a long time and expressed many emotions.

After that, Qin Yunhe went to work every day as usual to review the case files.

As the Chinese New Year is approaching, the censors are very busy as many matters need to be settled before the New Year.

At noon that day, everyone took advantage of the rare break to chat.

Qin Yunhe recalled his previous conversation with Li Chang and couldn't help asking, "Master Tian, ​​how is your investigation going? Are those people you found before really low-class people pretending to be good people?"

Censor Tian said: "Basically, yes, but there are one or two people from the Dali Temple who have different opinions. They are still under investigation and are not confirmed yet. Speaking of this..."

Censor Tian paused before continuing: "That Li Pingshi from the Dali Temple..."

Qin Yunhe was stunned for a moment before he realized that Censor Tian was talking about Li Chang. Thinking of what Li Chang said that day, his heart skipped a beat.

Could it be that Censor Tian was dissatisfied because of the difference of opinion and really wanted to impeach Zi Gao...

Unexpectedly, Censor Tian changed the subject and said, "That Li Pingshi is really a practical and capable person. He really found a person who was almost wronged."

Qin Yunhe thought to himself, you are gasping for breath.

Censor Tian asked again, "How is it? I heard that you and Li Pingshi are from the same hometown and have a good relationship?"

Unexpectedly, Censor Tian actually knew about their close relationship.

"Yes, we are from the same hometown and have a good relationship."

"I heard that Li Pingshi worked as your advisor for a few years?"

Qin Yunhe was always wary of Censor Tian.

Being a legal advisor is not shameful, but Qin Yunhe still worried about omissions, so he said, "It's not really being a legal advisor. It's just that Zigao has always been a chivalrous man, and the two families have some friendship. He was worried that I would be constrained and unable to do anything when I took up the post alone, so he brought his own servants to accompany me to the post and occasionally give me advice."

The so-called difficulty in showing one's abilities is that we have all been through various places, so naturally we understand what is going on.

After hearing this, Censor Tian nodded and said, "Li Pingshi is really good. It's amazing that someone as talented as him is willing to give up his time to help you. You really have made a good friend."

Qin Yunhe burst out laughing. It seemed that after talking for so long, he felt that it was a waste of talent for Zigao, who was so high, to be his legal advisor, and he was not worthy of it.

Censor Chen naturally felt that Censor Tian's words would easily lead to people thinking too much, so he joked, "Old Tian, ​​what you said sounds like you are wronging Li Pingshi by being Yun He's advisor. Yun He is not bad in talent either."

Censor Tian didn't seem to take it seriously. He just laughed and nodded twice in agreement.

After Censor Tian left, several other colleagues spoke up, perhaps trying to ease Qin Yunhe's embarrassment.

"Don't take it seriously, Xiao Qin. Old Tian is so outspoken. He just admires Li Pingshi."

Censor Chen also said: "You will know Yunhe after a while. Old Tian always speaks like this. He often blurts out what he says without knowing what is wrong with it. But he has no bad intentions, he just likes to offend people. Don't worry about it."

Qin Yunhe nodded: "It's okay, Zigao is indeed a talented person, and I admire him very much. And Lord Tian is a senior, I won't worry about it."

On the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month, the emperor issued another decree, ordering Censor Tian to inspect the prefectures in Henan Province, with the focus on investigating cases of false donations and false examinations, clearing up accumulated malpractices, rectifying social customs, and strengthening the system of discipline.

Qin Yunhe never expected that this matter would become such a big deal in the end.

Several colleagues privately praised Censor Tian for his sharpness and ability, and speculated that after Censor Tian returned from this tour, he would be promoted internally.

Qin Yunhe now roughly knew that the rank of the censors in various regions depended not only on years of service, but also on achievements.

Censor Tian has been ordered to conduct an inspection tour once. This time he returns from his inspection tour with such an important matter. Even if he cannot be promoted to the position of chief governor, he will probably be promoted internally.

"Master Tian should be leaving in the next day or two, right?"

The inspector general received the imperial order to stay at home and leave the capital for the local area within three days. Today, Censor Tian did not show up for duty.