Adorable Consort – Chapter 245

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Chapter 245 – How to let a person’s heart not hurt

It was just one month, but from Chu Qing-Yan’s point of view, it was simply like a century had passed. But if she was to look back, she felt that time passed hurriedly and all the things she experienced were vivid in her mind.

Their group came out of Yang Xia county then entered Zhi county. They just so happened to encounter Zhi county magistrate’s son oppressing the people on the street. Big Block of Ice captured him and everyone went to the county police to bring this case up. On the way, he flipped through the past ten years of records in Zhi county. He found many things the Zhi county officials did that were heartless. That same day Zhi county magistrate was suspended and investigated for criminal activities.

They stayed in Zhi county for two days, The imperial auditors from the capital rushed through the night from Ping Yang city to take over the investigation of Zhi county magistrate.

Exiting Zhi county, next was Zhi Ze county.

Rumor had it that the magistrate Zhi Ze county was a diligent and uncorrupt official that governed well. Only that in the county, there was a famous evil tyrant. Rumor had it that this evil tyrant had people in the capital, normally he ruled as a despot. Even the magistrate of Ze county had no ways to deal with him, because every time they reported it to higher officials, it would be suppressed with all kinds of excuses. As time passed, this Ze county magistrate could only turn a blind eye to this evil tyrant.

Once they arrived at Zhi Ze county, Xiao Xu directly stated his identity to the magistrate. He arranged all the cases of crime that the evil tyrant had committed, then he wrote a letter and conveyed it to the envoy of the imperial court of investigations in the capital.

In less than two days, that evil tyrant was captured and brought to justice. Even that official in the capital that he mentioned was investigated. They even ferreted out old cases that were miscarriages of justice that once again implicated three to four officials in the imperial court.

The group of people exited Zhi Ze then entered Liu Xiang city. This was a city that produced flowers and plants. From the time they were outside the city, they could already smell the fragrance. This place was the main source of supply to the palace for perfume materials. But Chu Qing-Yan discovered that in this city that ought to be rich from supply of perfume materials to the palace, the disparity between the rich and poor was extremely obvious.

Inside Liu Xiang city was an influential Liu family that dealt with perfume materials. They mostly provided various rare perfume materials to the harem in the imperial palace. But the source of these perfume materials were all purchased at a cheap price from the farmers and peasants in the surroundings. Afterwards, they processed it and then delivered it to the palace. Their habitually squeezing things from the peasants made the poor people even poorer and them even richer.

But supplying perfume materials to the palace wasn’t a set schedule, every year there was a selection process. Only the person that received the number one position would have the qualification to supply the perfume materials. After all the people that would use these perfume materials are all the most honorable people in Western Xuan, for example the Empress, imperial concubines, princesses etc.

Therefore every year, the court eunuch in charge of purchasing would come to Liu Xiang city to hold the selection. But no matter how the competition was held, Liu family would always seize the top spot. Whether or not there was something fishy about it, everyone was very clear in their hearts.

Only that this year’s selection judge wasn’t just that procurement court eunuch, there was also a never before seen female.

That person was a subordinate under Wood Spirit that was an expert at making perfumes. But that court eunuch only told outsiders she was the female official dispatched from above to purchase things.

In the end, the result was that an unknown family named Huang that manufactured perfumes for a living won the competition.

That Liu family won’t accept it and collided with the procurement court eunuch to frame Huang family, but they were arrested on the spot. At the same time, it drew out the many years of villainous collusion of using one’s position for illegal business between that procurement court eunuch and the Liu family. They kept digging and the result was even more shocking.

As a result, a very small matter of selecting perfume materials pulled out a large vine of people that used authority to easily gain profit for themselves. It wasn’t just people involved in purchasing perfumes, there were also the people involved in purchasing personal care items, and people that purchased food ingredients.

The imperial inspection envoy arrived on the heels of this matter and arranged all these matters into memos to deliver it to the capital. Western Xuan’s emperor dragon body again was infuriated, consequently a huge cleansing of the back palace of the imperial harem began. It was said even several imperial concubines’ families were pulled out, suddenly everyone in the palace felt they were in danger.

And that imperial inspector in the envoy also repeatedly complained about his bitterness. He didn’t have time to finish dealing with one case before other cases started to come thick and fast. He was already under a heavy caseload. It was said that this person’s hair had almost completely fallen out from him constantly pulling it.

All the way to the north, along the way he punished corrupt and abusive officials. Along the way, he dug out the malignant tumor buried deep among the people’s livelihood.

On this journey, the travels weren’t that smooth.

Chu Qing-Yan sat in the courtyard, as she looked at the brightly lit room, a faint worry emerged on her face. Just now Fire Spirit brought new information and went in, she knew in the towns after this, there would be another fight with people maneuvering covertly. And tonight, Big Block of Ice would once again be busy until late into the night.

This month, she saw what it means for someone to work round the clock. Big Block of Ice, in order to hit these court officials in one move, the sweat and hardships he passed through, even she who was watching on the side couldn’t help but feel tired for him.

But she couldn’t say anything to dissuade because Big Block of Ice was doing things for the people. Moreover, these officials with powers were really too bold, using all kinds of methods to commit various crimes. Sometimes what they did raised people’s hackles. When the shocking truth was dug out, hidden behind a beautiful exterior, even she couldn’t help but be shocked. She was itching to beat up those sinners, to get back some justice for those peasants that died in tragic circumstances or suffered humiliations and were bullied.

Big Block of Ice said if he could be a bit faster, then he would save the common people from the abyss of suffering.

Because he felt he wasn’t fast enough.

But from the point of view of people outside, for two months in a row, using methods that were like sound of thunder executing matters with iron blood, he dug out vermins that had been deeply hidden for hundred years. This was simply the biggest incident of purging corrupt officials in the history of Western Xuan empire. At the same time, it was the fastest and most thorough anti-corruption action.

The nightmares of hundreds of officials startled the entire nation while the entire population celebrated.

But when Chu Qing-Yan looked toward that hero all the common people were singing praises of, a layer of water appeared in her eyes.

Big Block of Ice, since this period of time you have gotten thinner and thinner. That pair of brilliant star like eyes were now like the coldest night in the winter, so deep that the bottom couldn’t be seen. No one knew what he was thinking about right now.

Such a determined single mindedness to handle matters from morning to night, even forgetting to eat. She was worried sooner or later, Big Block of Ice’s body would collapse.

She didn’t understand why Big Block of Ice would be so anxious, in such a rush to finish these matters. Clearly there was a lot of time.

She tightly hugged her arms and suddenly felt the night seemed to get colder and colder.

She was just about to turn around when she heard the sound of footsteps coming from behind her. She lifted her head and saw it was Air Spirit.

Air Spirit was holding a bowl of medicine that gave off steam. He walked to stand in front of Chu Qing-Yan and with a serious tone said. “Little young master, this is the medicine to treat master’s internal injuries.”

Chu Qing-Yan was astonished. “Isn’t it that his Highness’s internal injuries already doesn’t require eating medicines and just needs to be slowly taken care of and it will be fine?”

Air Spirit shook his head. “Originally according to the efficiency of the medicine from before, master should have completely recovered this month. But because master has been working hard on the affairs of the nation, he neglected sleep and skipped meals, leading to the relapse of his internal injuries. These last several days, his breathing has already become unsteady. Therefore this subordinate has immediately gone and boiled some medicine.”

Chu Qing-Yan’s heart clenched. “Then after drinking this medicine, will His Highness get better?”

“As long as His Highness cooperates and not get so tired, getting reasonable rest, he only needs half a month to recover completely.” Air Spirit said after considering it carefully.

But both of them were clear in their hearts that this was impossible.

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