novelraw Chapter 584 - 515: Holding Back the Troops
Chapter 584 - 515: Holding Back the Troops
Yu Xiaolian chatted with the old steward for the entire afternoon and learned a lot from him.
Strictly speaking, this old steward was not Steward Yin’s. He was sent by the Princely Heir of Prince Cheng to guard the residence after Steward Yin’s home was confiscated, so he doesn’t really count as a steward.
Now that the new owner of the house has arrived, he has to return to the Princely Heir of Prince Cheng.
According to the old steward, the Princely Heir of Prince Cheng lives just across the street from this residence, not very far away.
After Steward Yin committed a crime, his entire family was beheaded to set an example for the public. Some distant relatives barely managed to escape with their lives and were exiled to a bitterly cold place.
As for the later Salt Transport Envoy, Lord You, he ended up in a similar fate to Steward Yin, also executed by the Emperor. Only fewer of his family members were implicated.
The Emperor’s anger punished nearly a thousand people, plunging the entire official scene in Yangzhou into unprecedented upheaval, making everyone fear for themselves.
Only a very small number were lucky to not be implicated, and Cao Guangqiao from the Lianghuai Salt Transport Headquarters was among those fortunate ones.
Cao Guangqiao — Yu Xiaolian remembered this person’s name.
When reading at that time, Su Jingchen’s first role as the Imperial Envoy was to investigate corruption at the Lianghuai Salt Transport Headquarters under the title of Salt Inspection Imperial Censor.
And in the book, this character Cao Guangqiao was a notorious corrupt official who was convicted and imprisoned by Su Jingchen.
Where exactly did things go wrong?
Why did the Emperor punish so many people but spared only Cao Guangqiao?
Yu Xiaolian, puzzled, sent off the old steward, and then called over brothers Wei Guang and Wei Xiong, asking them to go out and find out more about Cao Guangqiao.
"Be cautious, don’t make a big fuss about it. Find out as much as you can without being discovered!" Yu Xiaolian instructed.
"Yes, Madam, rest assured, we will be very careful and cautious!"
After the Wei family brothers went out on their mission, Yu Xiaolian found the entire house had been cleaned anew, with blankets neatly placed on the beds, and the room aired with windows opened.
"Ah, the south is nice indeed, the Northern Land is snow and ice at this time!" Yu Xiaolian sighed.
"Madam, the young lady seems hungry and has been looking for you!" Dai Granny came over with Su Yuntong to find Yu Xiaolian.
Back when Yu Xiaolian gave birth, she had ample milk, hence did not arrange for a wet nurse, choosing to feed the child herself.
Yu Xiaolian firmly believed that only children nursed by oneself would be closely bonded.
She couldn’t stand her child being closer or more attached to anyone else than herself.
Yu Xiaolian had just fed the child and had not yet prepared dinner when Su Jingchen returned with He Jian.
Not long after, Wei Guang and Wei Xiong also returned.
After hearing the news from both sides, Yu Xiaolian remained puzzled about why Cao Guangqiao managed to escape calamity.
Cao Guangqiao is intriguing.
Su Jingchen was also puzzled, thinking that in the book, if Cao Guangqiao was executed for corruption, it would be because Jun Yian was the Emperor, but now the Emperor is Jun Tingye. Is it possible that Cao Guangqiao is the Emperor’s man inserted into the salt field?
If he is the Emperor’s man, then why would the Emperor send Su Jingchen to fill this gap?
Unable to understand for the moment, Su Jingchen decided to remain inactive but first send a letter to the Capital. Anyway, he wasn’t dead, Cao Guangqiao would surely find the robbers to inquire when the time comes. Once Cao finds out he has a witness in hand, he won’t be able to sit still, and all Su Jingchen needs to do is wait for him to make a move.