The Lone Minister - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Yin Peizhi nodded in furious agreement.

“Fine. Then let us speak reason.”

“In my thirty-odd years in office, I have achieved results in both the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Justice.”

“Ten years ago, I also oversaw the Ministry of War. After the crushing defeat in the Southeast, it was I who turned the tide, personally traveling to the coast to stabilize the army.”

“Now that I hold office in the Ministry of Revenue, I am doing the accounts for His Majesty’s entire realm! For years I have exhausted myself patching the holes in the national treasury. I have worked so hard my beard has thinned.”

Yin Peizhi raised a hand to stroke his handsome beard.

“Feng Zheng, you may be blind, but not a single official of the Six Ministries is. I, Yin Peizhi, have served diligently in the Grand Secretariat and the Six Ministries for decades. Every official here has seen it with their own eyes!”

Inside the hall, members of the Yin Faction dropped to their knees one after another and cried out, “His Majesty is wise!”

They formed a stark contrast with the Pure Stream officials, who remained standing ramrod straight.

As the deadlock dragged on, I slowly rose to my feet.

“Lord Yin, you had best choose your words carefully. Since you brought up the crushing defeat in the Southeast ten years ago, why not also mention the reason we lost that battle?”

“I-”

Yin Peizhi’s throat suddenly closed up.

Elder Yin remained as unmoving as a mountain.

“When Lord Yin was in charge of matters at the Ministry of Works, the national treasury was already empty.

“Yet you still used overseas trade as an excuse to allocate excess funds to build great ships, causing the military expenses along the Southeast coast to fall short.”

“When you concurrently oversaw the Ministry of War, you acted with excessive caution and avoided battle. You blindly insisted the front line hold its defensive position, yet repeatedly hamstrung them in provisions and armaments. As a result, military supplies ran short, reinforcements failed, the front lines sank into hardship, and in the end we suffered a crushing defeat.”

“Oh, right. Back then, my lord promised that once trade was completed, the merchant ships would be requisitioned as warships… My lord, where are the ships?”

I covered my mouth, feigning surprise. “Don’t tell me there were never any ships to begin with?”

“Then where did the shipbuilding silver go?!”

Yin Peizhi’s expression turned exceptionally ugly.

Holding my court tablet in my sleeve, I continued to advance on Yin Peizhi.

“Speaking of silver, this humble official cannot help but think of the current state of the treasury.”

“It has been more than three years since Lord Yin assumed office at the Ministry of Revenue. Why has the treasury still not filled? Why, instead, does it seem emptier by the day?”

“Just where have you been clicking that abacus, my lord?”

Gritting my teeth, I gave him a chilling smile.

Then I reached out and yanked several strands from Yin Peizhi’s fine beard.

“It seems Lord Yin’s handsome beard has thinned for nothing. Forget thinning it-even if you worked it dry and brittle, it still wouldn’t turn into banknotes!”

“And after all that, you still dare shamelessly boast of your illustrious achievements. Your skin must be absurdly thick. Allow this humble official to loosen it up for you!”

I drew out my court tablet and raised my hand to strike.

If reason would not get through, then I would have to teach him physics.

Several cynical civil officials in the hall had long been dissatisfied with the Yin Faction’s grip on the court. After hearing all that, their righteous indignation flared even higher, and they instantly joined the fray.

For a time, the sound of jade and stone striking rang nonstop through the imperial court.

Taking advantage of the chaos, I turned my court tablet and hurled it straight toward the position at the head of all officials.

Acting all detached and above worldly affairs.

In truth, he was the number one corrupt official of the Great Liang Dynasty!

Why should his son be able to be so utterly useless as an official and still have a paved path to the clouds laid out by his father?

That position was clearly the one I had set my sights on first!

The court tablet traced an arc through the air, flying straight at Elder Yin’s skull.

Old bastard, I’m tired of living. You’d better be too.