The master knelt on the ground. His face was red and white. Hearing the words "Ye family," he remembered the true identity of the person in front of him. A sliver of memory that had been hidden for many years slowly rose. It made him feel ashamed, angry, and afraid. The feeling of shame was easy to understand. After all, back then, he was just a little beggar by the side of the road. To be able to get to where he was now, it was all because of the Ye family. How had the young lady of the Ye family educated people like him?
As for the anger and fear, it came from his natural reaction. It was a kind of shame and anger after being stripped naked. Thinking that the imperial envoy was a descendant of the Ye family, he was afraid that whatever he knew in his head, the other party would also know. Then, how could he use those things to threaten the other party? The other party had cut down master Xiao with one strike. Could he not cut him?
"The court has treated you well," Fan Xian looked at him and said each word clearly. Fan Xian looked at him and said each word clearly, "Putting aside you three masters, even a normal treasurer's annual salary is even more than a third-level official in Jingdou. What are you not satisfied with?"
A glimmer of coldness flashed through his eyes. "Do you think that the production of the palace treasury all depends on your heads? That the 20 million liang of silver every year blinds your eyes and makes you feel dissatisfied and that you should earn more?"
These words hit the bottom of the treasurers' hearts. The palace treasury's annual production was abundant and sold to various countries under heaven. It brought the Qing Kingdom a great profit. Although the treasurers' treatment was already very high, compared to that enormous sum of silver, they still felt uncomfortable in their hearts. They always felt that they earned money for the court and should be given more. This was why they privately took bribes, bent the law, and oppressed the common people.
Hearing the imperial envoy say this, although the treasurers did not talk back, the meaning appeared in their eyes.
Fan Xian laughed coldly and ruthlessly tore away their masks. Lightly mocking, he said, "The problem is … the things you rely on, are they really the things in your heads?"
There was a silence. Everyone, including the officials, acknowledged this reality until Fan Xian said, "Don't forget, before the Ye family appeared, what did you know? Did the technology in your heads fall from heaven? Was it taught by the Temple? "
Fan Xian scolded, "All of you remember it clearly! This is what the Ye family taught you! Without the young lady of the Ye family, you are just trash, continuing to dig the fields and beg! Why did the Ye Family build these workshops in the past? I think all of you have forgotten that you are in front of this official. You still want to use the things that the Ye Family taught you to threaten this official. Do you have any shame? Do you have any shame? "
The officials behind him looked at each other. Although the court had long stopped pursuing the matter of the Ye family and Sir Fan junior's past was gradually known to the people of the world, to speak of the Ye family so openly was still somewhat taboo.
Fan Xian could not care so much. He was angry, but he wanted to use this opportunity to clear his name. In this world, no matter what you did, you had to be justified. Fan Xian had scolded the treasurers and beheaded them. Disregarding the benefits, he had first taken the flag on a moral level.
The manager of the Second Workshop finally softened. He knelt on the ground and wailed, "Milord, this lowly one knows his mistake. Please, milord, give this lowly one a chance. Let this lowly one use the skills I learned in the past to serve the court."
Although this master was wailing in pain, Fan Xian's sharp eyes did not find any traces of tears on his face. On the contrary, the corners of his lips were pressed tightly together. He couldn't help but smile coldly. He knew that the other still thought he wouldn't continue killing and that the things in his head were still useful.
Fan Xian gently clapped his hands. When the clapping was about to end, four old men around 50 years old were escorted into the workshop by Overwatch Council officials. These old men were not bystanders. They were the shopkeepers of Qingyu Hall who had come back from the Central Plain via Danzhou.
The Overwatch Council officials set out four chairs. Fan Xian rose and, expressionless but deliberately respectful, invited the four shopkeepers to sit.
The officials, treasurers, and workers were all confused. They wondered who these old men who seemed like they would be blown over by the slightest breeze had the right to sit side by side with the imperial envoy. Although the deputy, Ma Jie, didn't say anything, he was muttering in his heart. He thought, Even I am standing behind the imperial envoy, how dare these commoners.
Fan Xian's finger slid across the robe on his body and dipped into some icy rainwater. He smeared it between his brows and slowly rubbed it. He asked, "Do you still recognize who these four are?"
Nearly 20 years had passed since the Ye family's collapse. The workers in the palace treasury workshop were no longer the same as before. Even the treasurers had never seen the high and mighty 23 head shopkeepers of the Ye family, so they did not recognize who these four people were. Even though there were old men from back then, they were too far away and could not distinguish clearly.
On the other hand, the Second Workshop's manager, who was kneeling on the ground, slowly swept his hesitant gaze across the four people's faces. He lowered his head and thought for a long while. Suddenly, he seemed to have thought of something and was so shocked that his legs gave way. His originally kneeling posture, he immediately sat down on the muddy water!
It had been 20 years since they had seen each other. As a small helper of the Ye family, it took him a long time to remember who the people sitting in front of him were — the old shopkeepers of the Ye family.
The Second workshop master's body began to tremble. Only now did he know why Fan Xian was so fearless, why he had forced him, the treasurers, to rebel, and why he did not care about what they remembered in their minds. He had brought the old shopkeepers, who had been under house arrest in Jingdou, to the palace treasury.
What kind of people were the old shopkeepers? They were the first group of students of the young lady of the Ye family. They were also the masters of all the teachers and helpers of the Ye family. They were also the ancestors of the present palace treasury treasurers. With such a group of old men at his side, the imperial envoy did not care about the problem of lost craftsmanship, nor did he have to worry about the quality of the palace treasury's products. Truthfully speaking, the palace treasury had been single-handedly built by these old shopkeepers. How could they not be managed?
Thinking this through, the master's face was full of despair, but there was still a glimmer of hope in the depths of his heart. Opening his mouth, he struggled to crawl toward Fan Xian and wailed, "Teacher, please ask for leniency on behalf of your disciple."
Everyone was startled, and Fan Xian was also slightly surprised. He knew that this person was not asking for leniency from him. Following the master's gaze, he found that he was looking at Seventh Ye. He couldn't help tilting his head and asking curiously, "Seventh Ye, was he your former disciple?"
Seventh Ye's face darkened. He stared at the master's face and said in a raspy voice full of resentment, "He learned from me for a few days."
Fan Xian smiled slightly. He understood Seventh Ye's feelings. After the Ye family collapsed, the 23 old shopkeepers had been captured by the court from various places and placed under house arrest in Jingdou. Some of their disciples had resisted and died, while others struggled at death's door. Of course, this was all people's own choice in the face of impending disaster. No one blamed them. However, for someone like the Second master who had climbed to such a high position, his behavior back then must have been very bad.
Hearing the Second master call out "teacher," the Third master, who had been standing silently to the side, froze to the side like he had been struck by lightning. Looking at the four old men sitting beside the imperial envoy, he completely couldn't believe his ears.
The remaining members of the Ye family among the treasurers confirmed the identities of these four people. Amidst their shock, there were also some people who still had old memories. They all stood up and knelt in front of the four old shopkeepers with shock, joy, and fear.
"Fourth master."
"Uncle Twelfth, I am Zhu Zi."
"Greetings, old shopkeepers. Back then, I was a worker in the Chuzhou branch doing odd jobs."
Although most of the treasurers did not have much of a relationship with these four old shopkeepers, the palace treasury meeting to recognize relatives was already bustling with activity.
Fan Xian's face darkened and he said in a cold voice, "I'll come back to recognize relatives in a bit." Although his expression was unhappy, his heart had calmed down. With the 13 spies as deputy masters and the remaining power of these old shopkeepers, his plan to reform the palace treasury should be able to proceed smoothly.
Meeting again after 20 years, the atmosphere in the workshop immediately became somewhat sad. This kind of sadness perfectly diluted the earlier tension. Only the officials of the transport company felt uneasy, and some of the Xinyang people laughed coldly to themselves. If the scene in front of them got back to Jingdou, the Emperor would probably have some opinions about Commissioner Fan.
The Second master lowered his head and knelt on the ground. He also felt slightly comforted in his heart. Looking at this situation, at most he would receive some punishment. In a moment, he would desperately admit his mistake. For the sake of the old Ye family, the imperial envoy probably wouldn't make things too difficult for him.
He glanced sideways at the body of Master Xiao in the distance at the mouth of the furnace and felt a lingering fear in his heart. Fortunately, Xiao Jing had stepped forward first. He also felt some sympathy for that bastard. He thought to himself that a person who had no connection to the old Ye family had indeed died cleanly under the hands of the imperial envoy.
Unexpectedly, after Fan Xian had repulsed the treasurers, a faint smile rose to his face and he said, "Take this person away and behead him."
"Yes, sir."
The Second master raised his head and looked around with a perplexed gaze. For a moment, he didn't understand who to behead. Shouldn't things be like this?
It was not until he was dragged up by the Overwatch Council officials that he realized the imperial envoy still wanted to kill him. He had wanted to open his mouth to cry out for his innocence, but a clump of dirt blocked his mouth.
Seeing the Overwatch Council officials drag the limp master out of the workshop and the water stain on the ground, everyone in the workshop, regardless of whether they were officials or commoners, shopkeepers or treasurers, became deathly silent. They all turned their gazes toward the imperial envoy sitting in the middle.
It was as if Fan Xian could not feel the countless gazes and lowered his head slightly.
Outside the workshop came the muffled sound of a metal weapon striking a neck, as well as a muffled grunt.
There was an uproar in the workshop and immediately sank into a death-like silence. Everyone knew that the Second master had died so simply.
…
…
The silence did not last long. The Third master, with his hands tied behind his back, smiled self-mockingly. His face was pale with despair. Very consciously, he walked in front of Fan Xian.
He knew that he had no chance of survival. Since the imperial envoy had used the name of suppressing the strike, then he would not be stupid enough to open a court to investigate the case. He also did not need any evidence. He had to kill the three of them on the spot to establish his might. Only then could the four old shopkeepers regain control of the palace treasury technicians. Two of the masters of the three workshops had already died, so he was the third.
Fan Xian glanced at him and furrowed his brows slightly.
The Third master looked at him and gritted his teeth for a moment. He then suddenly said, "I have my own path to death. I don't blame you for digging this pit for me to jump into. However, before I die, I beg you to allow me to ask something."
Fan Xian raised his brows and said, "Ask."
The Third master no longer looked at him. He tilted his head and gazed at the Ye family's 12th shopkeeper beside him. His lips trembled for a while before he said in a trembling voice, "12th Uncle, my teacher … is he well in the capital? I am unfilial and have not been filial these years. "
"You are?" 12th Ye blinked his slightly muddy eyes and asked this master with confusion.
Seventh Ye sighed and said from the side, "Thirteenth's eldest disciple. Back then, you had the best relationship with 12th, so he came to ask you."
12th Ye said in shock, "Hu Jinlin? You're still alive? We all thought you died back then. " The old shopkeeper suddenly remembered that he was surrounded by court officials. His words were not quite right, so he quickly shut his mouth.
Hu Jinlin's face was full of shame. He lowered his head and refused to speak.
12th Ye sighed and said, "The young lady once said that living is better than dying. Us old bones are all struggling at death's door, how can we blame you … only you asked Thirteenth … ah." The shopkeeper shook his head and said, "He already passed away a few years ago. Of the 23 people who entered the capital, there are only 15 left now."
Hearing that his teacher had passed away, Hu Jinlin completely forgot that he was about to die as well. A great sorrow appeared on his face. Fan Xian listened quietly to the side. Fan Xian listened quietly to the side. He also felt a strange emotion in his heart. The elders of the Ye family were gradually being battered by the wind and rain. The year he first entered Jingdou, there were 23 shopkeepers and 17 people. In less than two years, another two had died.
He looked at the materials piled around the workshop and abruptly became distracted. He thought to himself that time flowed like water. When would he be able to rebuild the name of the Ye family? When would he be able to have the people who should die die and have the people who should live live again in the hearts of the Qing people?
In a very short time, he had already woken up. Looking at the Third master in front of him, he said mockingly, "Although I don't know if you are acting or if you really still have feelings for me, I never planned on killing you. So don't think that you can live because I'm soft-hearted."
"Ah?" Hu Jinlin, who thought he was going to die, had no hope of getting lucky after the tragic deaths of his two masters. Suddenly hearing these words, on the contrary, he was so shocked he didn't know what to say.
Fan Xian said expressionlessly, "Those who are guilty are beheaded, and those who have committed minor crimes are forgiven. I'm not here to settle old grudges."
(To be continued, if you want to know what happened afterwards, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
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