CH 73

Chapter 73: Causing Displeasure, Officials Unite to Impeach!

With just one strike, Gao Tianyu’s skin split open again, and he rolled around in agony and wet himself.

If he didn’t need to lie down for two months after this, then he wouldn’t deserve to have screamed so pitifully!

The other young master students who witnessed this felt immense pain, both in their hearts and their butts. It was too cruel!

Truly…too cruel!

It was enough to take a life!

As they looked at Lin Beifan, their gazes were filled with fear.

After delivering this blow, Lin Beifan looked at the other young master students and said, “You all are accomplices and participated in the conspiracy to kill a government official. According to the rules of the imperial academy, you will be caned 100 times and expelled from your studies, then handed over to the authorities! However, considering that this is your first offense, I will give you all a chance to reform. Do you want money or your lives?”

The young master students wailed, “What? We have to be punished too? But we didn’t do anything!”

Lin Beifan angrily said, “If you’d actually done something, would I be calmly reasoning with you right now?”

The young master students were so angry they were spitting blood. How was this reasoning? It was clearly just extortion!

He was waving around such a thick stick, how could this be called calm reasoning?

Demon!

“Director Lin, we really have no more money!”

“Yes, we’re truly broke! I even stole the dowry my mother gave me, and when I go back I’ll be beaten up!”

“We really can’t squeeze out any more silver!”

…

Lin Beifan’s expression softened slightly and he put away the stick. “I understand your difficulties, and I’m not unreasonable. Here’s what you can do. I’ll give you three days. If you can’t come up with the money in time, we will follow the law and take action. If you do come up with the money, then you’ll be forgiven for what happened before.”

“Yes, Director Lin!” The young master students went back despondently.

They had to reach out to their parents for money again in order to make up the amount required.

At the home of the Minister of Revenue, Qian Yuanshen :

His son, Qian Duocai, looked at his dignified old father and stuttered, “Father, could I have some money?”

“Why do you need money?” Minister Qian Yuanshen snorted.

To tell the truth, he was very dissatisfied with his son. He couldn’t do anything right, and spent all his time eating, drinking, gambling and whoring. He was always asking the family for money.

If this weren’t his own offspring, he would want to slap him dead.

Qian Duocai shrank his head and said fearfully, “Father, I made a mistake at the imperial academy and was fined by Director Lin. He wants to beat me, so…”

“You made a mistake again? What did you do wrong?” Qian Yuanshen was furious.

He knew that Lin Beifan was incredibly corrupt and especially enjoyed extorting money from their children.

However, this guy was as shrewd as a monkey. Even if he was being corrupt, he always had legitimate reasons for doing so, making it impossible for them to do anything.

It had to be that his son had made another mistake and been caught by the other party.

“Hiring someone to kill a government official. I was an accomplice, but we failed and were discovered. Does that count?” Qian Duocai whispered.

Qian Yuanshen was so angry he was trembling. “You ungrateful brat…”

He raised his hand, wanting to slap him, but was stopped by his old lady.

“Enough, what’s the big deal? After all, he is still your son. Don’t hit him. I feel bad for him if you break his bones.”

Qian Yuanshen was even more angry. “You see, you’re too doting on him. You’re just spoiling him!”

The old lady and Qian Duocai both fell silent.

“However, Lin Beifan is also an asshole!” Qian Yuanshen gritted his teeth. “He’s already taken so much money, isn’t that enough? His greed knows no bounds! Tomorrow, I will definitely impeach him!”

At the home of the Minister of Public Works, Wang Yuanshan :

When his son, Wang Ruofeng, returned home, he immediately knelt in front of an old lady and wept bitterly, “Mother, you have to help me! If you don’t help me, I’ll be killed…”

“My child, what’s wrong?” The old lady asked with concern.

“I’m broke! If I can’t come up with 100,000 taels in three days, I’ll be beaten to death! Mother, please help me persuade Father to give me another 100,000!”

That night, when he returned home, Wang Yuanshan was very angry.

He was not only angry at his son, but also at Lin Beifan. “Damn it, that Lin Beifan really thinks my son is like a leek, so easy to cut as he pleases? A wise man can put up with anything, but there are some things a man can’t tolerate. I will definitely impeach him tomorrow!”

Similar incidents also occurred in the households of other officials.

However, the person who was the most furious was the Minister of Personnel, Gao Tianyao.

Because his most beloved son had been beaten up once again.

Not only did the other party extort money from him, but they also beat his son until his skin split open. He was heartbroken.

“If a slap on the wrist is all it takes, how can we resolve this? On the same night, the Minister of Personnel, Gao Tianyao, rushed to Lin Beifan’s house.

“Minister Gao, what brings you here?” Lin Beifan asked with a smile.

“You know why!” Gao Tianyao exclaimed.

“Lin Beifan, did you beat my son into that state because you think you can get away with it due to the empress’s favoritism towards you?”

“Minister Gao, why don’t you ask what your son did?”

“He is just a child, what could he have done? You are simply seeking revenge!”

Lin Beifan’s smile disappeared, and his face turned serious.

“Minister Gao, your son Gao Tianyu, publicly declared that he wanted to hire someone to kill me! This is a taboo in the government circles, don’t you understand? I have already shown mercy to him by not expelling him. You still come to demand justice, what logic is this?”

Gao Tianyao’s face changed slightly. There is indeed a rule in the government circles that one cannot hire a hitman to assassinate a political opponent. Otherwise, it would lead to chaos.

All disputes must be resolved in court. Therefore, in the government circles, no one can buy a hitman to kill anyone, even if they do, they cannot be caught, or else they will suffer the consequences.

“Even if you say so, what can be done if nothing has happened?” continued Gao Tianyao.

“Isn’t prevention better than cure?” replied Lin Beifan sternly.

“As the Director of the National Academy, I must be cautious! If I find a problem, I must correct it in time! Is what I did wrong?” Gao Tianyao’s complexion changed, and he left in a huff.

“Hmph! I couldn’t argue with you, you can handle it yourself, but our account is not settled!”

“Please be careful on the way home, Minister Gao.” Lin Beifan waved his hand with a smile.

After returning home, Gao Tianyao looked at his son’s miserable appearance, and his anger rose again.

“My son, don’t worry, I will avenge you!” The next day in the morning court, a very spectacular and orderly scene appeared.

“Your Majesty, I report Lin Beifan, the Director of the Imperial Academy, for his misconduct!”

“Your Majesty, I report Lin Beifan, the Director of the Imperial Academy, for his misconduct!”

… The Empress was a little confused. What had this guy done to make all the officials turn against him?

“Why must you all accuse Director Lin?” asked the Empress.

Minister Gao Tianyao stood up and said loudly, “Your Majesty, during his tenure as the Director of the Imperial Academy, Lin Beifan acted recklessly, was morally corrupted, encouraged students to play with strange and exotic techniques, neglected their studies, and shook the foundation of education. I ask Your Majesty to investigate!”

“I ask Your Majesty to investigate!” echoed the officials. Their own corruption could not be exposed, so they had to find legitimate reasons.

“Director Lin, is this true?” asked the Empress. Lin Beifan calmly stood up and said, “Your Majesty, this is completely false, they are just making baseless accusations!”

Gao Tianyao sneered, “Lin Beifan, I knew you would deny it! That’s why I invited Principal Liu and another Director to testify for me!”

“Announce!” ordered the Empress.

The old eunuch shouted loudly, “Invite the Principal of the Imperial Academy Liu Huaye and the Director of Imperial Academy Sun Tiandao to see the empress!”

Soon, Lin Beifan’s immediate superior Liu Huaye and his colleague Sun Tiandao walked into the Golden Imperial Palace.

“Greetings, Empress! Our Majesty, live for ten thousand years!”

“You may rise.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The Empress’s face was strict as she asked, “Just now, the Minister of Personnel Gao said that during his time at the Imperial Academy, Lin Beifan was willful and morally corrupt, encouraging students to indulge in strange and perverse practices and neglecting their studies. Is there any truth to this?”

The two looked at each other and replied at the same time, “It is true!”

Liu Huaye took a deep breath and said, “Your Majesty, during his term, Director Lin acted recklessly…”

He went on to list all of Lin Beifan’s “crimes.”

Lin Beifan looked disdainfully at this old man who sought favor and went along with whatever was popular. He not only failed to defend him while the court was looking into his case, but also took the opportunity to put him down. How could he become a great official?

After Liu Huaye finished, he stepped back, and it was Sun Tiandao’s turn to explain.

“Sir Lin, do you have anything to say?” The Empress was a little worried.

If what Lin Beifan had done was really as Liu Huaye had said, then under the pressure of the court, she would have to temporarily remove his post and avoid the crisis.

She sighed. Could this guy give her a break? He was very capable, but he also had a knack for causing trouble. She was always left to clean up after him.

At this point, Lin Beifan calmly raised his hand and said, “Your Majesty, the Principal’s allegations are incorrect! I did encourage students to study strange and perverse practices, but it was all for Your Majesty, for Great Wu, for the country and the people!”

“Absurd! I have never heard that playing with strange and perverse practices can benefit Your Majesty, benefit Great Wu, and benefit the country and the people! On the contrary, many people lose their ambition because of these distractions and end up being useless!”

“That’s right! As scholars, we should aim for success, fulfill our duty by benefiting the people, and be diligent in our studies. We should not waste our time on useless things!”

“Lin, what is your true intention behind this?”

“Your Majesty, Director Lin is simply wicked and mischievous, taking advantage of your favor to act recklessly. Your Majesty, please issue a decree to punish him!”

…

The officials were all arguing and pointing fingers at Lin Beifan.

Lin Beifan calmly said, “I would like to ask Your Majesty and all the ministers to follow me to the Imperial Academy! Once we’re there, everything will be clear!”

The Empress thought for a moment and nodded, “Agreed.”