Chapter 1300 - 59: Father-in-law and Son-in-law Showdown (Part 8)_2
King Beimo almost called Su Yang into the palace several times, but the Beimo Crown Prince dissuaded him.
After seven days, even the Beimo Crown Prince could hardly hold back.
Su Yang remained unfazed.
Princess Yinchuan, who accompanied her mother every day, couldn’t bear it anymore, so Su Yang took her out shopping and to enjoy scenic spots.
Princess Yinchuan hinted indirectly, and Su Yang looked at her, "If my father-in-law wants to spank me, will you help plead on my behalf?"
Princess Yinchuan stretched out her hand and pinched Su Yang’s waist directly, "You haven’t completed your tasks yet you find the time to wander around. It’s already a blessing if I don’t ask my father to spank you a few more times!"
Su Yang, "...."
"You’re really not going to help me plead?" Su Yang asked very seriously.
Princess Yinchuan was even more serious than him.
Then—
On the day Su Yang had to report back, Princess Yinchuan couldn’t enter the palace.
She lay weak and feeble in bed, lacking even the strength to get up, let alone enter the palace.
Su Yang was confident—
Afraid she’d enter the palace and get him beaten by King Beimo.
To save face, he firmly prevented her from going to the palace.
That day, the sun was shining brightly.
The clear sky was without a trace of clouds.
After the morning court, Su Yang entered the palace.
King Beimo sat on the Dragon Chair, looking deeply at Su Yang.
His gaze, calm and serene like a deep pool, hid crackling flames underneath the tranquil surface.
There was no other way.
The father-in-law and son-in-law were naturally adversaries.
King Beimo slightly understood why Marquis Dongxiang liked to scold his son.
If not scolded, he would reach the skies.
"The ten-day deadline is up; have you completed the task assigned to you?" King Beimo asked.
Su Yang glanced around.
The Beimo Crown Prince waved his hand, and everyone retreated.
Su Yang took a ledger from his robe and handed it to King Beimo.
King Beimo’s eyebrows knotted.
He thought this ledger contained evidence of embezzlement by the Minister of Revenue.
But he felt puzzled; these days, when he inquired with the Capital Governor, they reported everything they knew without any omission.
Yet the Capital Governor hadn’t mentioned the Ministry of Revenue at all.
The Minister of Revenue wielded absolute authority in the Ministry, and both Assistant Ministers were his confidants; no missing ledger had been heard of.
This ledger...?
With curiosity, King Beimo opened the ledger.
After a glance, his eyebrows twisted into a pretzel.
The entries weren’t about the embezzled money from the Minister of Revenue but rather his comings and goings.
When and where he went on official duties.
"After so many days, you present this to the court?!" King Beimo fumed in anger.
Su Yang smiled, "Father-in-law, you’ll understand its mystery soon."
Suppressing his anger, King Beimo continued to flip through.
A third of the ledger documented the Minister of Revenue’s travels, while the remaining two-thirds covered other officials.
After reading seven or eight pages, King Beimo noticed something amiss.
The officials mentioned were all confidants of the Minister of Revenue, the destinations were close by, mostly around places where the Minister of Revenue once held office.
King Beimo looked at Su Yang.
The Beimo Crown Prince asked, "What does this ledger suggest?"
Su Yang looked at King Beimo and the Beimo Crown Prince, "The Minister of the Ministry of Personnel once saw a string of Buddha beads in the hands of the Old Madam at the Minister’s Mansion; those beads were what he honored Princess Cheng with back then."
King Beimo’s expression changed.
Su Yang learned from the Capital Governor and others about the Beimo Cheng King’s rebellion at the time.
When the Cheng Prince Mansion was raided, not many jewels or treasures were found.
The ones who raided dug three feet into the ground and still found nothing; eventually, King Beimo and the others believed the Beimo Cheng King was misled by Nanliang into rebellion.
His only reliance was on Nanliang for troops and money.
The matter was left unresolved.
But Su Yang didn’t view it that way.
Nanliang choosing the Beimo Cheng King indicated he was ambitious and strategic, not just a puppet who would accept orders.
Such a person wouldn’t willingly be manipulated.
He must have prepared, not placing all hope on Nanliang.
And to launch a rebellion, money and people were paramount.
The absence of substantial treasures back then likely meant most were spirited away.
Su Yang suspected the Minister of Revenue was the person responsible.
Finding where he hid his people and money wasn’t easy; openly questioning without evidence wasn’t feasible. You can’t just subject the Minister to corporal punishment, right?
He had to find another way.
Nobody suspected any connection between the Minister of Revenue and the Beimo Cheng King, except the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
This meant that over the years, the Minister of Revenue might not have been as cautious as they thought.
Su Yang decided to investigate the Minister of Revenue’s track record, where he’d been and what he did after joining the court.
Since he was on official duty, the court had records preserved.