Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 146

“Your Majesty, a major case has recently occurred in Cangzhou. Two swindlers who make a living by forgery illegally carve official seals and fabricate assignment documents. They impersonate trusted aides of the newly appointed governor of Cangzhou and cause chaos in the region. Fortunately, the new governor arrives in time to expose them and apprehend both. After interrogation, they confess to their crimes and are now transported to Liangjing, awaiting your judgment.”

During the morning court session, the Minister of Justice steps forward from the ranks and reports the details of the case to Emperor Liang Ping. Ordinary fraud cases typically do not warrant bringing the criminals to the capital for judgment. However, this case is different because the targets of these two swindlers are numerous imperial officials. With just a forged seal and a document, they manage to deceive everyone and wield authority arrogantly in the region.

This makes everyone wonder: could there be others who successfully use similar methods to deceive? In those remote prefectures and county towns, are the officials who take office truly appointed by the imperial court? Looking at the bigger picture, if foreign agents use this method to infiltrate the Daliang territory, blend into the ranks of officials, and steal state secrets, wouldn’t it be alarmingly easy?

The very concerns troubling the ministers naturally cross Emperor Liang Ping’s mind, for no one is more prone to imagining worst-case scenarios than an emperor.

His expression darkens, and he sternly declares, “For committing such crimes, those two swindlers shall be executed. Their execution will take place in three days at noon. All relatives within three degrees of kinship shall be exiled to Kongzhou, with no chance of pardon.”

“I obey your order!” The Minister of Justice quickly acknowledges the decree.

“Additionally, the officials in Cangzhou are utterly negligent, allowing two swindlers to toy with them and causing disgrace to the government while generating public resentment. This failure is utterly inexcusable,” Emperor Liang Ping’s fury casts a deathly silence over the court, with barely even the sound of breathing audible. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and exhales, seeming to calm himself.

“Of course, the law does not punish everyone. Considering they have served as officials for many years and have worked diligently even if they have not achieved great merit, they will be spared. However, while the death penalty can be avoided, they cannot escape punishment. All officials in Cangzhou will be demoted by one rank, fined six months’ salary, and given below-average ratings in this year’s evaluation.”

“I obey your order!” The Minister of Personnel steps forward and bows.

“By the way, who is this Cangzhou governor who exposes the swindlers? He is quite vigilant, solving a case even before officially taking office,” Emperor Liang Ping says with a note of admiration. If the matter had come to light after the swindlers’ escape, the imperial court would have suffered immense disgrace. As a ruler, one must reward and punish justly; punishing the guilty and rewarding the meritorious is the proper way to govern.

“Your Majesty, he is Pei Che, a recent top scholar. When assigning posts, he happened to choose the position of governor of Cangzhou,” replies the Minister of Personnel, who remembers Pei Che well, not only for his appearance but also because Pei Che’s uncle works in their ministry.

“…” Emperor Liang Ping is speechless, but since he has already asked, he can’t just brush it off casually. So, he begrudgingly bestows a reward. “Although handling this matter is part of his duty, he still deserves some credit. Reward him with five strings of Northern pearls and ten bolts of silk.”

The ministers below are somewhat bewildered. Isn’t that reward… a bit too little?

Noticing their expressions, Emperor Liang Ping explains, “Ahem, Pei Che is young and impulsive. Achieving merit on his first assignment may lead to pride. If the court were to lavishly praise him, he might become complacent. Over time, he could end up as nothing more than a mediocre official.”

The ministers immediately adjust their expressions, feigning deep appreciation. “Your Majesty’s wisdom is unparalleled! This is a blessing for Lord Pei!” they declare.

Others chime in, claiming that Emperor Liang Ping is clearly showing favor to Pei Che. Otherwise, why would he be so thoughtful in choosing the reward and even worry about him becoming arrogant?

Emperor Liang Ping wears a meaningful smile, but inwardly he feels quite vexed. He hasn’t paid attention to Pei Che for a while, but he doesn’t expect such a thing to happen.

…

The court’s rewards arrive alongside the punishments for other officials, creating a scene of mixed emotions at the Cangzhou government office.

Jiang Miao looks at the lustrous Northern pearls and feels pleased. The bolts of silk, in muted colors, are perfect for making summer clothes.

“Who would have thought the Emperor would reward you? Do you think he’s finally let go of his old grudges and isn’t planning to trouble you anymore?” Jiang Miao asks. The feeling of having someone watching over you is certainly unpleasant.

 Pei Che shakes his head. “On the contrary, the reward shows that the Emperor still harbors resentment. Imperial rewards follow certain rules; typically, gold and jade are always included. Yet today’s reward doesn’t even meet the lowest standard, indicating the Emperor’s reluctance. And look at the colors of the silk: deep blue or dull brown. Bright colors are considered beautiful, so these were surely chosen because they are less desirable.”

Jiang Miao sighs. “The old Emperor is so petty. Even after you’ve lost your lineage, he still won’t let you go.”

Pei Che is used to Jiang Miao’s bluntness, but he knows Jiang Miao is always discreet in public and never says anything out of line.

“It doesn’t matter. Now that he’s taken action once, he won’t be so quick to act again. If it becomes obvious that he’s targeting me, it could unearth that old scandal, which wouldn’t benefit him either.” An emperor holding a grudge over losing a woman to a noble heir and still seeking revenge after ascending the throne? That is far from the image of a wise and magnanimous ruler.

“That’s fine. If the reward is a bit small, so be it. It’s not like we depend on it to make a living. Besides, honestly, this silk is perfect for making clothes. A grown man wearing bright and flashy colors wouldn’t look good anyway,” Jiang Miao consoles.

Pei Che immediately becomes wary, recalling whether he owns any clothes Jiang Miao might consider “bright and flashy” and resolves to avoid wearing such colors in the future.

Jiang Miao has no idea that his offhand comment has influenced Pei Che’s sense of style. He puts away the Northern pearls, planning to gift them to a few of his sisters later. He then instructs Chan Yi and Wen Jing to take the silk and make outfits for everyone. If they don’t like these muted colors, they can go buy brighter ones and get reimbursed later. Jiang Miao is generally frugal with his own expenses but is generous with his staff. After all, if he isn’t, someone could easily bribe his people with small favors, and by then, it would be too late to regret it.

After giving his instructions, Jiang Miao goes to the kitchen to prepare a meal. They have been here for about half a month, and during that time, Pei Mu and Xiao Shitou have started attending the local government school.

The government school is just across from the government office and only admits children of officials. The teachers there are rigorously selected. Jiang Miao initially worries that the two, being newcomers from out of town, might get bullied and repeatedly reminds them to speak up if they are being bullied.

But he overlooks one thing: Pei Che is the top authority in Cangzhou. Before the two even start school, all the children are repeatedly warned not to provoke them. If conflict arises, they are told to avoid it, as the boys are the young officials from Liangjing and probably difficult to deal with.

Thus, both sides begin their school days cautiously, only to realize after two days that the other side isn’t as unreasonable as expected. Once they become familiar, Jiang Miao stops escorting them, letting them join the group on their own, which helps them integrate more quickly.

With only meal preparations to worry about each day, Jiang Miao suddenly finds himself with a lot of free time. Although he has done similar tasks in Liangjing, back then, he also managed a shop and kept busy experimenting with new recipes and snacks.

Feeling a bit bored, Jiang Miao starts wandering around Cangzhou. In just a few days, he has a good understanding of the place.

The reason why he is so fast is that Cangzhou isn’t very large, about a quarter of the size of Liangjing, and partly because it is a poor area. The streets aren’t crowded, and most businesses seem sluggish, with stores often sitting idle. Luxury shops, in particular, light up with excitement at the sight of a single customer.

With not much to explore in town, Jiang Miao ventures outside the city. Surrounded by mountains, he figures the hills must be full of treasures. Unlike Liangjing, where the nearby hills are low and easy to survey at a glance, the mountains here are tall and full of potential.