FBC – Chapter 359 Taking Control

During the three days of continuous banquets, Jiang Qifu was busy currying favor, while the Mu family army quickly took over Gongzhou.

Chiyan, however, had already begun searching for evidence of his crimes.

Soon enough, they uncovered proof of his embezzlement and bribery, even finding records of tributes he had sent to Prince Cheng.

The three days of banquets were only a drop in the ocean for the starving people.

Mu Junyan ordered the government offices to open the granaries and distribute food.

Meanwhile, Du Yun, with her female guards, set up porridge stations at each city gate, while the Black Armored Guards knocked on the doors of wealthy households, requesting their donations to aid the disaster relief.

When Prince Yong arrived, forcing Jiang Qifu to host the lavish banquets again, and with Du returning, the wealthy families were terrified.

Everyone was eager to show up, so they wouldn’t be mistaken by Prince Yong as part of the Jiang family. When they heard about the call for grain donations, they immediately brought out all the surplus food stored in their warehouses, loading cart after cart to the porridge stations.

Many commoners also came to help cook porridge and steam buns.

Business owners and street vendors returned to the streets to sell goods, while some practiced charity, handing out food freely to those in need. Gradually, Gongzhou regained its former liveliness.

That same night, Luzhou, neighboring Gongzhou, sent someone to request an audience with Mu Junyan. However, the emissary could not meet him in person and handed over a formal letter instead.

Unexpectedly, the next morning, the governor of Luzhou personally came to the city seeking an audience.

This time, Mu Junyan did not refuse.

“Your servant pays respects to Prince,” said Zhang Guodong, governor of Luzhou, bowing respectfully to Mu Junyan.

Mu Junyan lifted a hand in a polite gesture. “No need for formalities, Lord Zhang.”

“Prince, I have urgent matters to discuss with you.”

Mu Junyan courteously dismissed the attendants.

The two of them spoke late into the night before Zhang Guodong quietly left.

Mu Junyan summoned Du immediately.

Before dawn, Du personally knocked on the doors of two former officials skilled in water management who had been dismissed from office. An hour later, they led a thousand Mu family soldiers and set out for Luzhou.

By the time Gongzhou’s operations returned to normal, ten days had passed.

One day, Jiang Qifu was congratulating himself that Prince Yong had not troubled him, when he was summoned to the government office.

Uneasy, he stepped through the gates, only to hear the officials inside suddenly shout, “Hail!”

Jiang Qifu went pale and looked toward the main hall.

Mu Junyan, in a dark robe, sat upright and solemn.

Cao Li, Du, and several Gongzhou officials stood to the side.

Jiang Qifu felt a foreboding, his heart pounding as he shakily approached. “Your servant pays respects, Prince.”

Mu Junyan gave him a cold, sharp glance. “Lord Cao, you may speak.”

“Yes, Prince.”

Cao Li held the case files and read aloud, item by item, every crime Jiang Qifu had committed.

Jiang Qifu’s face turned ashen.

He had never imagined that one day someone would overturn his office and household, nor that Du would return to reopen the case, turning every transaction into evidence of his guilt.

Cao Li closed the files and glared at Jiang Qifu, then angrily cupped his fist toward Mu Junyan: “Jiang Qifu has embezzled, oppressed the people, ignored the welfare of disaster victims, and indulged in his own feasts. The evidence is conclusive; we ask Prince to eliminate this harm to the people!”

Jiang Qifu panicked. “Prince, I am innocent! This… this is all fabricated!”

Cao Li sneered. “Fabricated? These are the Jiang family’s own account books. They detail how much official grain you secretly removed, how you replaced spoiled rice in the granary, and sold all the grain after it reached your warehouses. And the 500,000 silver coins you sent each year to Prince Cheng—what do you call that if not bribery?”

Jiang Qifu’s face drained of color.

Mu Junyan said calmly, “Since the evidence is clear, he shall be detained for now, pending the emperor’s judgment.”

Jiang Qifu leaped to his feet, shouting at Mu Junyan, “I am a government official! Even you, Prince, have no right to detain me arbitrarily! How can you ignore the jurisdiction of the governor? Are you trying to rebel and seize the city?”

Chiyan waved his hand. The Black Armored Guards stepped forward, delivering a brutal kick to his knees.

A loud crack was heard—the sound of his kneecaps striking the stone floor and fracturing.

Jiang Qifu screamed in pain, clutching his knees and writhing on the ground.

Mu Junyan turned to Cao Li and the Gongzhou officials. “Gongzhou cannot go a day without a governor. How do you think we should proceed?”

Cao Li stepped forward, cupping his hands. “Your Highness, since Du is innocent and loves the people, and he knows Gongzhou and water management well, it would be most appropriate for him to resume office and govern the city.”

Du, standing nearby, was deeply moved. He did not seek office for himself but because he could not bear to see the people suffer. He wanted to personally restore Gongzhou to its former prosperity.

Mu Junyan nodded. “Lord Cao speaks well. Du, you shall temporarily assume the governor’s duties. I will report the situation to the court and await the emperor’s final decision.”

“I obey,” said Du, eyes red with emotion.

The officials bowed in unison.

Mu Junyan stepped down from the high platform, gesturing to Du. “Du, Gongzhou is in your hands. If you need anything, send someone to me. As for any taxes the court orders to be paid, you may ignore them for now. I will handle all negotiations with the emperor.”

“Yes,” said Du, overcome with emotion.

Jiang Qifu watched helplessly as Du took the governor’s seat. His own legs hurt too much to speak, and he was soon dragged away by the officials.

Mu Junyan summoned Chiyan and began giving instructions, when a scout arrived riding at full speed.

Seeing Mu Junyan and Chiyan, he jumped off his horse.

“Secret report from the capital,” he said.

Mu Junyan asked, “Go on.”

“The Crown Prince and Fourth Prince are traveling south with disaster relief funds, expected to take two months. Also, the Empress wishes to issue a decree for the Princess and the young prince to enter the capital to receive the title of heir.”

Mu Junyan’s expression darkened.

How dare she!

But he remained calm, instructing, “Noted. Keep them under surveillance and report all movements immediately.”

Chiyan could barely contain his anger. “The Empress dares to use the Princess and her child as hostages!”

Mu Junyan thought for a moment. “I will return to Juzhou to discuss with the Princess. You stay here and monitor the situation.”

“Yes!”

Mu Junyan prepared to ride back to Juzhou that night. Du Yun happened to want to see him. Seeing him mount, she called out.

“Prince, you are…”

“I am returning to Juzhou. Will you come with me or stay here?”

“I will stay, helping my father run the porridge stations and care for orphans.”

“Good. Coordinate with Chiyan if needed.”

“Understood.”

Du Yun watched him ride away, then turned back, but could not see Chiyan anywhere. She did not know what had happened that made the Prince rush back to Juzhou.

…

Juzhou was in turmoil. Many were arrested at once.

Large-scale purges began inside and outside the city.

The bookstore owner panicked and immediately reported to Bianjing. Their informants in Juzhou were down to only two; the rest had all been captured.

The bookstore clerk was terrified. “Boss, what should we do? Should we run?”

The owner scolded, “Run? Do you think the Empress will let you live if you flee?”

“Then what should we do? If we don’t act, we’re as good as dead!”

“Isn’t there Du Yun? She has already won Prince Yong’s favor. You should go to Gongzhou immediately, meet her, see where her loyalty lies, and also check on the state of Gongzhou.”

The clerk sighed, “We have no choice.”

Bianjing

The Crown Prince set off with his full entourage in grand procession. To ensure comfort, they planned to travel by water, detouring through Jiangling before heading south.

At this pace, it would take at least two months.