To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

Chapter 302 Speaking the Truth! The Waters Flood Zhangtai!

Zong Yu suddenly unrolled a scroll of bamboo slips, picked up his brush, and began to write furiously.

"Someone come here!"

He shouted and threw the written secret order to his confidant: "Immediately contact those officials in the Censorate! Also, move all the accounts from the coal mine and the First Steel Plant of Qin over the past six months to this secret room for me!"

As his trusted confidant withdrew to carry out his orders, Zong Yu's lips curled into a cold smile.

Since normal methods can't get to you, then let's falsify the accounts!

As the Grand Master of the Imperial Household of Qin, in charge of the nation's money, grain, and all kinds of crafts, who in the world could match Zong Yu in his ability to manipulate the accounts?

The accounts of the Qin Dynasty were a tangled mess. With just a few strokes of his pen, he could manipulate the accounts, misrepresent the expenses, and fabricate a huge trap of embezzlement, creating a seemingly foolproof scheme out of thin air!

"Isn't Zhang Fan supposed to be a celestial master? I'll see how he manages to fill this hole of millions of coins!"

……

Several days later.

Outside the capital of the Qin Dynasty, Xianyang.

A carriage, escorted by guards, slowly drove into the city gate.

Inside the carriage, Zhang Fan parted the curtains, looked out at the familiar streets of Xianyang, and let out a long sigh. After a long and arduous journey, he had finally managed to leave the mess in Shangdang County behind for the time being.

Behind him, the eldest son Fusu and Mofeng also rode quickly, leading their guards to catch up.

"Teacher! We've entered the city. Shall we go directly to the palace to see Father?" Fusu asked respectfully from his horse outside the carriage window.

"No rush!"

Zhang Fan lowered the curtains, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

He certainly didn't go to the palace immediately. The carriage wound its way through the streets of Xianyang before finally stopping in front of a mansion in the south of the city.

This is the 51st property that the Gewu Academy has recently acquired in Xianyang!

The land deed belongs to the Gewu Academy, and I only have the right to use it 24 hours a day!

"Get out of the car, Mi Yueyao!" Zhang Fan turned his head and looked at the obedient Mi Yueyao in the corner of the carriage.

Without saying a word, Mi Yueyao followed Zhang Fan off the carriage and was taken directly into a secret room deep inside the mansion.

"You'll stay here for a few days!"

Zhang Fan looked at her, his tone leaving no room for argument, "Without my orders, you are not going anywhere. The area outside is full of Mo family experts and my trusted men; you'd better not get any funny ideas!"

Mi Yueyao's beautiful eyes flickered, showing no fear whatsoever. Instead, she obediently sat down on the bed and said softly with a smile, "Now that I am your person, young master, I will naturally stay wherever you command me."

Zhang Fan was taken aback by her ambiguous words. Too lazy to waste words with her, he turned around and ordered the guards to keep a close watch on her before striding out of the mansion.

After settling this time bomb, Zhang Fan straightened his clothes and headed straight for the Qin Imperial Palace.

……

Inside Zhangtai Palace.

Ambergris, its smoke curling upwards.

Upon hearing that Zhang Fan had returned to the capital, Ying Zheng, who was reviewing memorials, immediately ordered an audience.

Before long, Zhang Fan lowered his head and quickly walked into the main hall.

"Your subject Zhang Fan pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Zhang Fan bowed respectfully.

On the high platform, Ying Zheng didn't even raise his head, still holding the vermilion brush and sketching on the bamboo slips, his expression unchanged, his tone as calm as if he were having a casual conversation:

"You're back? How's the investigation into the coal theft in Shangdang County going?"

Upon hearing this casual question, Zhang Fan, who was kneeling below, instantly broke out in a fine layer of cold sweat on his forehead.

I was filled with inner struggle and hesitation.

Should we truthfully reveal the affair between Mi Yueyao and Ji Honglou?

If we don't speak out, the logic of this case simply cannot be closed!

If Ji Honglou, a local strongman, hadn't been the middleman, how could those massive amounts of stolen coal have been transported out of Shangdang undetected?

If Ji Honglou is not mentioned, it is impossible to directly point the source of the coal theft to the Xiang family in Jiangdong!

Just fool the other officials!

Emperor Zheng is not an emperor who can be easily fooled. If he lies and is exposed, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor!

After hesitating for a long time, Zhang Fan steeled his heart, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty! Please punish me!"

Ying Zheng paused slightly, finally raising his head and looking at Zhang Fan: "Oh? What crime have you committed?"

Zhang Fan swallowed hard, and steeled himself to report the truth to his supervisor:

"When the coal mines and steel plants were being built in Shangdang County, the funds allocated by the imperial court were in short supply. In order to solve the urgent problem, I secretly made a deal with Mi Yueyao, the owner of Ji Honglou in Changzi County, and sold her some coal in exchange for funds to keep the business running."

"But I never imagined that Ji Honglou was actually a spy for the remnants of the Chu Kingdom! They were secretly mining coal on a large scale, and all of this coal ended up in the hands of the Xiang clan in Jiangdong!"

At this point, Zhang Fan's tone became extremely frustrated:

"Upon discovering this, I immediately laid a trap and captured Xiang Ta, the leader of the Jiangdong Xiang clan, who had come to make contact, in Changzi County. But right now... right now we lack conclusive evidence!"

"The only piece of evidence, Xiang Ta, was silenced by an assassin in death row, leaving no way to corroborate his story. I failed in my duties and nearly caused a grave mistake due to momentary negligence. I beg Your Majesty's punishment!"

Inside the main hall, there was a deathly silence.

Zhang Fan knelt on the ground, not daring to even breathe, fully prepared to face Brother Zheng's thunderous wrath.

However, after waiting for a long time, the expected rage did not come.

Zhang Fan mustered his courage and slightly raised his head, stealing a glance at Ying Zheng on the high platform.

A rare, playful smile appeared on Ying Zheng's usually calm and dignified face.

His eyes, with a half-smile, sized Zhang Fan up and down.

Being stared at by the First Emperor of All Time with that kind of gaze, Zhang Fan felt a chill run down his spine and his scalp tingle.

What the hell!

What kind of look is that, Your Majesty?

I'm not one of the beauties in the imperial harem, why are you staring at me like that!

After a long while, Ying Zheng slowly put down the vermilion brush in his hand, chuckled softly, and said:

"Since you already have a solution, that's enough. As for the lack of evidence? That's fine too."

Ying Zheng slowly stood up, placed his hands behind his back, and chuckled, "The Xiang clan of Jiangdong are nothing but a bunch of rats hiding in dark corners, not worth worrying about! As long as I am alive, they won't be able to cause any trouble!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fan froze on the spot.

That's it?

My reply just now was full of loopholes, and it even involved the illegal sale of coal and the remnants of the Chu Kingdom. How could Brother Zheng not care at all?

Did they deliberately avoid this topic?

Just as Zhang Fan was bewildered, Ying Zheng's voice came again:

"However, the Xiang family of Jiangdong is elusive, hiding deep in the mountains and marshes, so it is indeed not easy to completely eliminate them in one go."

Ying Zheng lowered his head, looked at Zhang Fan, and smiled, "As for that so-called Mi Yueyao, the mistress of Ji Honglou... since you're the one who caused this trouble, then you're in charge to keep a close eye on her! If she causes any more trouble, I will hold you responsible!"