Early the next morning, as soon as Gu Jiusi woke up, he ordered a citywide arrest operation. The Wang family had already been captured on the day they entered the city, while the remaining three families, after negotiations the previous night, displayed unusual restraint and calmness.
Although the major families had accepted their fate, individuals still held their own thoughts. When soldiers broke down doors, mutual accusations and blame-shifting within families were everywhere, along with scenes of some attempting to escape.
The city of Xingyang was bustling with activity, filled with cries, curses, and shouts.
Liu Yuru rose at dawn and led her people through the city to the warehouse.
Few remained in the warehouse, as most had been sent away earlier, and old goods were stuck at the previous warehouse point. Liu Yuru strolled around the dock, instructing people to recall those who had left earlier and to notify the previous warehouse point that normal shipping and goods release could resume.
On her way back, passing by the Zhao residence, Liu Yuru saw a disheveled man rush out, only to be seized by servants who dashed out after him. The man struggled in the street, wailing loudly, "You made me take the official exams! You made me do those things! You enjoyed comfort at home, always talking about 'family, family,' but now that trouble has come, you abandon me and let me take the blame? What kind of reasoning is this? Where is the justice in this?!"
His shouts echoed for all to hear, but as soon as he finished, an elderly man sternly ordered, "Gag him!"
The man's voice was then reduced to muffled sobs, and soon he was dragged back inside.
Afterward, the street returned to its pristine state, as if nothing had ever happened. Liu Yuru turned to look at the Zhao family's gate and saw Zhao Master standing there. He appeared much older and, upon seeing Liu Yuru, bowed slightly and respectfully addressed her, "Madam Gu."
Liu Yuru returned the greeting. Zhao Master seemed utterly exhausted and did not engage in further pleasantries. After bowing, he turned and went back inside.
Liu Yuru remained silent for a moment, sighed softly, and was assisted back to her room.
Gu Jiusi returned home early that day. Upon entering, he saw Liu Yuru sitting by the table, lost in thought, not even glancing at the account books. Walking in, he smiled and asked, "What's wrong today? Who has offended Boss Liu?"
Hearing his voice, Liu Yuru turned around and smiled gently.
"You're back?"
As she stood up to help him change his clothes, Gu Jiusi stopped her, saying hurriedly, "Attend to your own matters. I can change by myself."
Taking his words, Liu Yuru remained seated and said softly, "Today I saw arrests happening all over the city."
"Yes," Gu Jiusi replied from behind the screen, tossing a garment over it. "I ordered it. The troops from Sizhou can't stay in Yongzhou indefinitely, and Xingyang is a major transit city. If this situation persists, it will cause too much damage. We're already impoverished from repairing the Yellow River. If these matters further weaken the city, my trip to Yongzhou would not be about river repair but about bringing disaster."As he spoke, Gu Jiusi emerged from behind the screen, fastening his belt. "This case needs to be resolved quickly. After all, Lord Fu and Lord Qin have already prepared the evidence."
Liu Yu Ru nodded. Gu Jiusi walked over to her side, sat down, took her hand, and drew her into his embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder while he played with her fingers, listening as he asked, "Were you frightened today?"
"Not exactly," Liu Yu Ru shook her head. "I just felt somewhat emotional."
She recounted the Zhao family's affairs. Gu Jiusi listened quietly, and only after she finished did he speak. "Since the court allowed merchants' descendants to enter officialdom, this has become the norm. A family must always cultivate some children to study, become officials, and then give back to the family. That man is quite ridiculous—he claims the Zhao family treated him unfairly, but why doesn't he consider where the funds for his official promotions came from? Moreover, in such families, official descendants receive preferential treatment from childhood. When he was in the Zhao family, everyone flattered him and yielded to him daily—for what purpose? Wasn't it precisely for a day like this, to compensate him? Benefiting his family—this was something he could have chosen not to do. He opted to do it because of the family's preferential treatment and support, yet in the end, he claims his family treated him unfairly and harmed him. What logic is that? Does he only get to enjoy the benefits without bearing the hardships?"
Hearing this, Liu Yu Ru couldn't help but sigh. "If you're deeply mired in a swamp and still want to break free, it's too difficult."
"Jiusi, emerging unstained from the mud is what people aspire to, but human nature is weak and greedy—that is the norm for ordinary people."
Upon hearing this, Gu Jiusi fell silent. Liu Yu Ru hugged a warming stove, leaning against him, and said gently, "As a commoner, your clear distinction between right and wrong and hatred of evil is a good thing. But as an official, you must see people as ordinary individuals."
Gu Jiusi listened quietly, pondering Liu Yu Ru's words.
He understood her meaning clearly. The issues in Yingyang, or rather Yongzhou, were not localized problems but the accumulated legacy of a century in Darong. In recent years, with increasingly abundant resources and thriving commerce, it became inevitable for merchants to enter officialdom. No matter how much merchants were suppressed, driven by wealth, they would inevitably gain their own power in the court—an irreversible trend.
However, merchants pursue profit, and officials hold power. Without systemic management, Yingyang's present would become the future of other regions. Even if he executed all the corrupt officials in Yingyang today, what about the next one, or the hundreds or thousands of officials who would hold this position? Could they avoid following the same path?
Even Gu Jiusi himself—
Gu Jiusi thought, if he had been in Yangzhou back then, and his parents had raised him the same way, forcing him to enter officialdom for the family's fate, with the entire family relying on him and the surrounding atmosphere being as it was, after ten or twenty years, how much better would he be compared to today's Yingyang officials?
Gu Jiusi took Liu Yu Ru's words to heart. He patted her shoulder and said softly, "Don't overthink it. Focus on earning money—these are matters I should be considering."
Liu Yu Ru acknowledged.
After several days of arrests, Gu Jiusi began the public trial.
He opened the County Government Office, hung the Son of Heaven's Sword on the table, and commenced the hearings.
With years of evidence prepared by Qin Nan and Fu Baoyuan, Wang Siyuan's confession, and the results from subsequent raids and searches of various households, the process moved seamlessly from arrests to trials, one after another.The network of connections among these individuals, starting from Yingyang to Yongzhou and even extending to the Eastern Capital, provided Gu Jiusi with an extensive list. A month later, after interrogating everyone, he convicted and imprisoned them all.
In Yongzhou, a total of 532 officials were implicated, while Yingyang had 238. Among them, 98 were executed, with varying penalties for the others, though all were ultimately spared their lives.
For such a major case, Gu Jiusi had to return to the Eastern Capital to report and receive Fan Xuan's approval. After selecting personnel to take over the city's military defense, he arranged for Qin Nan and Fu Baoyuan to assume control of Yongzhou, with Luo Zishang overseeing the Yellow River. Then, he set off for the Eastern Capital with Jiang He and Ye Shi'an.
He had initially not planned to bring Liu Yu Ru along, as she was pregnant, and Gu Jiusi feared the journey would be too taxing for her. However, the night before their departure, Liu Yu Ru tossed and turned restlessly. Hearing her movements, Gu Jiusi pulled her into his arms and asked gently, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"
After hesitating for a moment, Liu Yu Ru finally said, "It's been a long time since I've been back to the Eastern Capital. I really should go and see it, but with the child... I know this is selfish of me. I..."
Gu Jiusi listened quietly, holding her close. After a while, he sighed.
"If you want to go, then go. How is that selfish?"
Liu Yu Ru remained silent. Gu Jiusi continued softly, "I'll take good care of you on the road. Nothing will happen."
Lowering her head, Liu Yu Ru felt Gu Jiusi kiss her gently as he murmured, "You're a good mother, but you don't have to bear everything alone. Don't be so anxious. The child will come as fate allows. You can't just stay in bed all the time because you're pregnant."
Liu Yu Ru pursed her lips into a smile. "It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound."
But she was happy inside. She reached out and hugged Gu Jiusi, leaning against him without another word.
The next day, Gu Jiusi had the carriage rearranged and brought Liu Yu Ru along on the journey back to the Eastern Capital.
After seven days of travel, they finally stood before the city gates of the Eastern Capital. Returning from Yingyang, they were struck by the grandeur of the gates, the broad roads, and the bustling, crowded streets filled with people.
Yet, they were no longer the cautious and apprehensive pair they had been during their first entry into the Eastern Capital. Glancing up at the city gate's plaque, Liu Yu Ru tucked her hair behind her ear and said calmly, "Let's enter the city."
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