“Oh dear, why would you say such a thing!”
The Huainan military governor immediately waved his hands as he spoke.
His face was full of embarrassment.
“Brother Jinseok, it is not as though this is the first time we have handled such matters together. What are we to do if we start fighting among ourselves at a time like this?”
The Vice Minister of Revenue snorted.
He stared straight at Wangho, the Huainan military governor.
Jinseok knew very well.
Wangho had risen to the post of Huainan military governor purely thanks to Chancellor Jang Munyeon.
Wangho was a relative on Jang Munyeon’s wife’s side.
If not for that, how could such a half-baked man ever have ascended to a position like Huainan military governor?
But now was not the time to bring up such things.
In the present situation—
They had no choice but to move as allies.
Jinseok’s gaze slowly turned cold.
He glared at Wangho and said in a low voice.
“I will make one thing clear.”
Killing intent flashed in his eyes.
“Give orders to the men under you at once. Take out at least part of what you have swallowed all this time and distribute it to the people.”
Wangho’s face hardened.
Jinseok continued.
“If Yuk Yunseo latches on to you at a time like this… you will bear all the responsibility.”
Wangho hurriedly nodded.
“Understood. I will deal with it immediately.”
But Jinseok’s expression remained heavy.
He could not shake the unease in his heart.
A man like Wangho had always acted without thinking.
If by any chance he let his mouth run carelessly—
The plan that the Duke and the Chancellor had painstakingly built could collapse in an instant.
After sinking into thought for a moment, Jinseok soon made up his mind.
This was not something he should judge alone.
He had to go see the Duke in person and discuss it with him.
—
Meanwhile.
After leaving the government office, Yunseo returned straight to his residence.
Then he sent someone to summon Yunseol.
The two immediately spread out the documents and began examining them.
They were documents brought from the Ministry of Revenue.
The records matched with uncanny precision.
When the relief funds had departed and when they had arrived.
Not even a single coin was off in the amount.
On the surface, everything was perfect.
But as Yunseo turned over one sheet, he narrowed his eyes.
“So Yunseol.”
He spoke in a low voice.
“Does this not seem strange?”
Yunseol lifted her head.
Yunseo lightly tapped the documents.
“These records.”
His gaze deepened.
“They are too perfect.”
Yunseol also nodded.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Anxiety had seeped into her expression.
“I still remember the state of the people I saw on the road when I was fleeing before.”
Yunseol’s voice dropped slightly.
“People were starving and stripping bark from trees to eat.”
Her eyes cooled coldly.
“If the relief funds had truly been delivered… such a situation could not have occurred.”
A faint smile appeared at the corners of Yunseo’s mouth.
“Which means…”
He continued.
“It is like a thief shouting that he will catch a thief.”
Yunseol shook her head.
“We cannot conclude that yet.”
Her gaze sharpened.
“But one thing is certain.”
Yunseol said quietly.
“The claim that bandits seized that money is false.”
After thinking for a moment, she added.
“As far as I know, the bandits around here only rob the rich and distribute it to the poor. On top of that, their weapons are nothing impressive.”
Yunseo nodded.
He thought the same.
It was nearly impossible for bandits with no organization and no military discipline to seize relief funds amounting to several million taels.
Then the “riot” that Jang Munyeon’s side was claiming was also unconvincing.
This fact alone gave Wolhwa grounds to refute the court officials’ calls for suppression.
But the problem did not end there.
Yunseo’s gaze fell back to the documents.
He had already discovered one common point.
Jinseok.
And Wangho.
It was the background of these two men.
Yunseo took a small notebook from a drawer.
It was material he had received from Seo Gwan-u, the deputy pavilion master of Cheongugak.
Inside, the relationships between the court officials were densely recorded.
Yunseo turned the pages and muttered.
“Jinseok… entered the court three years ago on the Duke’s recommendation.”
He looked at the next line.
“Wangho… Chancellor Jang Munyeon’s brother-in-law.”
Yunseo’s eyes gradually sharpened.
With such connections, there was no way this case would be simple.
Yunseol asked.
“So what do you intend to do?”
There was worry in her eyes.
Yunseo remained silent for a moment, then rose from his seat.
The corner of his mouth twisted slightly.
“There is a way.”
Yunseol narrowed her eyes.
“What way?”
Yunseo said calmly.
“If they knew that the relief funds had disappeared and yet did not report it—”
His eyes gleamed coldly.
“That in itself is already a crime.”
Yunseol shook her head.
“But there is no evidence.”
She said in a low voice.
“Can you make them move without evidence?”
Yunseo smiled.
As if he already knew the answer.
“That…”
He spoke slowly.
“We will know tomorrow.”
Yunseo looked toward the door.
“Come with me to court tomorrow.”
Yunseol asked.
“Why?”
Yunseo tilted his head slightly.
Then he said.
“Because when the time comes… you will know what you must do as well.”
When the next morning came, the officials gathered at court.
Wolhwa spoke first.
“If any among the court officials has a matter to report, step forward. If not, I shall end the morning audience.”
At that moment—
Yunseo took one step forward.
“This subject has something to report.”
Wolhwa’s eyes flashed for an instant.
It had only been one day.
And yet had he already found a clue?
He was much faster than expected.
Wolhwa nodded.
“I permit it. Speak.”
Yunseo offered his respects.
“Regarding the case Your Majesty entrusted to me, I have not yet caught the true culprit. However.”
Yunseo’s gaze slowly swept across the court.
“The persons who must bear responsibility have already been revealed.”
Wolhwa narrowed her eyes.
“Who are they?”
Yunseo turned.
Then he raised his hand and pointed at two people.
“Vice Minister of Revenue Jinseok. And Huainan Military Governor Wangho.”
In an instant, the court stirred.
Yunseo’s voice rang out clearly.
“These two knew that someone was targeting the imperial relief funds, yet they did not report it to the court. In other words.”
Yunseo’s eyes shone fiercely.
“They knew the truth and concealed it.”
“Nonsense!”
At that moment, the Duke rushed forward.
His face had flushed red with anger.
“Jinseok is an upright and incorruptible official!”
The Duke’s voice resounded through the court.
“How could he possibly conceal such a thing! Yuk Yunseo, are you trying to make an innocent man a scapegoat out of your eagerness to solve the case?”
Yunseo slowly nodded.
“Ah.”
He said calmly.
“So that is what Your Grace thinks.”
Yunseo’s gaze turned to Wangho.
“In that case. Jinseok is an excellent official—”
A smile brushed across his lips.
“Which must mean that only Wangho is the problem.”
The court stirred once more.
The Duke’s face instantly turned deathly pale.
“I said no such thing!”
He spoke through gritted teeth.
Now it was certain.
This young investigating censor was no ordinary man.
Yunseo was deliberately fanning the embers.
And he was making those flames spread toward the Duke and the Chancellor’s side.
Just then, Wolhwa nodded and said.
“I, too, think what Yuk Yunseo just said has merit.”
Every gaze in the court turned to her.
Wolhwa looked at the Duke.
“Jinseok is a man Your Grace personally recommended. I also examined him myself and judged him to be a decent talent.”
Wolhwa’s gaze shifted to the side.
Toward Chancellor Jang Munyeon.
“However.”
Her voice cooled coldly.
“I know almost nothing about this man named Wangho.”
The air in the court froze in an instant.
Jang Munyeon immediately stepped forward.
“Your Majesty!”
He clasped his hands and bowed.
“How can you doubt this old subject’s loyalty!”
Jang Munyeon’s voice was resolute.
“This old subject has worked for Your Majesty all his life.”
Wolhwa rose from her seat.
Her eyes gleamed sharply.
“Loyalty, is it.”
She said in a low voice.
“I cannot see it.”
Wolhwa’s gaze swept over each of the court officials.
“I cannot take out your hearts and look inside, can I? How am I to know whether what is within is black or white?”
The officials looked at one another.
This was the first time they had seen such a sight.
Because the Empress had never pressed them this hard before.
Wolhwa knew.
There was no need to maintain courtesy with these people.
“In any case, I wish to know the truth.”
Her voice resounded through the court.
“Find out without fail who dared covet the imperial relief funds.”
Wolhwa’s expression became even firmer.
“One more thing.”
Force entered Wolhwa’s tone.
“Do you know what state the people of Huainan are living in right now? They, too, need compensation.”
A heavy silence descended inside the court.
“Are you saying I must fill even that hole myself?”
The meaning of Wolhwa’s words was clear.
Cold sweat beaded on Jang Munyeon’s and the Duke’s foreheads.
Three million taels.
Where were they supposed to get such an enormous sum?
At that moment, Yunseo stepped forward again.
“Your Majesty.”
He said calmly.
“If the Vice Minister of Revenue and the Huainan military governor have worked with utmost loyalty—”
The corner of Yunseo’s mouth lifted slightly.
“Should they not also be given an opportunity to show that loyalty?”
Wolhwa narrowed her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
Yunseo said.
“Have the two of them personally contribute their own money to relieve the people of Jinling.”
The court stirred.
“Yuk Yunseo!”
The Duke immediately shouted.
“Are you now openly attacking a fellow official!”
He spoke full of rage.
“Jinseok is my disciple. Do you think I do not know that you are driving him into a corner like this because your political views differ from mine?”
Yunseo snorted.
“Your Grace has misunderstood.”
His eyes shone with ease.
“From the beginning, what I spoke of was the Vice Minister of Revenue’s negligence.”
Yunseo tilted his head.
“I do not know why Your Grace is reacting so sensitively.”
A sneer appeared at the corners of his mouth.
“Surely.”
Yunseo’s words continued slowly.
“That negligence was not carried out with Your Grace’s permission, was it?”