flstandardbreds Chapter 158 Punishing Corrupt Officials
Chapter 158 Punishing Corrupt Officials
Shen Tangan was furious when he heard this.
"These bandits actually did such a heartless thing when the people were in the most desperate time!"
Mu Chenye's face was also very gloomy. He knew very well that this problem must be solved as soon as possible, otherwise the people would not be able to survive.
However, he was filled with doubts about the robbery of relief grain.
They knew that this matter was by no means simple and they must investigate it thoroughly to seek justice for the people.
Mu Chenye first summoned his most capable generals and advisers to discuss the investigation strategy in a temporary tent.
Everyone sat together with serious expressions.
Mu Chenye said seriously, "The disaster relief grain was robbed this time, which concerns the life and death of the people. We must find out the truth as soon as possible and take the grain back."
Shen Tangan nodded slightly and continued, "This is a strange matter. Those corrupt officials claimed that it was stolen by bandits, but there must be something hidden behind it."
A general stood up and said with a bow, "Your Majesty, Princess, I think we can start with the guards around the warehouse and ask them about what happened that night."
Everyone nodded in agreement. So Mu Chenye immediately ordered all the guards in the warehouse to be gathered.
The guards stood in front of the tent trembling with fear. Mu Chenye looked at them with a sharp gaze and asked majestically, "Did you see anything unusual on the night of the incident?"
The guards looked at each other, and one of them hesitated and said, "Your Highness, it was very dark that night, and we suddenly heard a loud noise, and then we saw a group of people rushing over. They were holding weapons, and before we could react, they knocked us down."
Shen Tangan listened carefully to the guard's answer and asked, "Did you see the appearance of those people clearly?"
The guards shook their heads, "Princess, they moved very quickly and their faces were covered. We couldn't see their faces clearly."
Mu Chenye frowned, thought for a moment and said, "It seems that these people came prepared."
Then they began to investigate the traces around the warehouse.
Mu Chenye led a team of soldiers to carefully inspect the ground, walls and surrounding woods around the warehouse.
They found that there were many messy footprints on the ground, and these footprints seemed to extend in the same direction.
Mu Chenye squatted down, carefully observed the footprints, and said: "These footprints are very new, they should have been left on the night of the incident. Judging from the size and depth of the footprints, these people should be strong and healthy people."
Shen Tangan was checking the wall to see if there were any clues left.
She suddenly noticed a vague mark on a wall of the warehouse.
She took a closer look and found that the mark looked like a pattern, but it was too blurry to make out clearly. Shen Tangan called Mu Chenye and pointed at the mark on the wall and said, "Your Highness, look at this mark. Could it be the secret code of those people?"
Mu Chenye observed it carefully and said, "It is very likely. We must find out the meaning of this mark as soon as possible."
They began to visit the people nearby, hoping to get some clues from them.
When the people heard that the Prince and Princess were investigating the robbery of relief grain, they gathered around them and told their stories at once.
An old man said, "Your Highness, Princess, we are suffering. We were hoping that the relief grain would save our lives, but now it has been taken away. We heard that those bandits are very powerful and often appear in this area."
Shen Tangan patiently asked the old man: "Have you ever seen those bandits?"
The old man shook his head: "No, but we heard that they are very cruel and kill people without blinking an eye."
Mu Chenye and Shen Tangan did not miss any details during the investigation.
They also sent people to investigate the nearby mountains and forests to see if there were any hiding places for the bandits.
After a hard search, they finally found some suspicious signs in a remote valley.
There were some makeshift tents in the valley and some traces of campfires around them.
Mu Chenye judged that this was most likely the bandits' hiding place.
They approached the valley cautiously, ready to find out what was going on.
At this moment, a group of people suddenly rushed out from the valley, holding weapons and looking very aggressive.
Mu Chenye and the soldiers immediately prepared for battle, and the two sides confronted each other.
"Who are you? Why are you here?"
But those people did not answer, but just looked at them fiercely.
Seeing how arrogant they were, Mu Chenye became even more certain that they were involved in the robbery of relief grain.
After a fierce battle, Mu Chenye and the soldiers finally subdued these people.
During the interrogation, they gradually uncovered the truth of the conspiracy.
It turned out that these people were indeed bandits who colluded with corrupt officials. According to their prior plan, they robbed the relief food and then hid the food in a secret place.
Mu Chenye and Shen Tangan were furious after learning the truth.
They decided to make these corrupt officials pay a heavy price for their evil deeds.
They first escorted all the captured corrupt officials and bandits to the central square of the town.
Countless angry people had already gathered in the square, their eyes burning with rage, wishing they could eat these villains alive.
Mu Chenye stood on the high platform, his face stern, his voice as loud as a bell: "These corrupt officials colluded with bandits and embezzled relief grain when the people were in the most dangerous time. Their crimes are unforgivable! Today, I will make them receive the punishment they deserve to serve as a warning to others!"
The people shouted: "Punish the evildoers severely! Punish the evildoers severely!"
Then, Mu Chenye ordered that the crimes of the corrupt officials be made public one by one.
Those heinous crimes made the people even more angry.
With each crime announced, the people's criticism became more intense.
Shen Tangan looked at the people below the stage, feeling filled with emotion.
She knew very well how much suffering these corrupt officials had brought to the people, and she believed they must be severely punished.
Mu Chenye decided to impose severe punishment on the major corrupt officials.
They were stripped of their official uniforms and put on heavy shackles.
Under the scorching sun, they were paraded through the streets by soldiers for everyone to see their ugly faces.
People threw rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs at them to vent their anger.
After being paraded through the streets, these corrupt officials were locked up in dark and damp dungeons.
In the dungeon, they will face long imprisonment and hard labor.
They had to do heavy physical labor every day to atone for their sins.
Mu Chenye was also merciless to those accomplices.
They were fined, exiled and sentenced to pay the price for their actions.
At the same time, Mu Chenye also ordered that all the property extorted by corrupt officials be confiscated and used to purchase more disaster relief food and medicinal materials to help the people affected by the disaster.
When the people saw that the King was so fair and strict, they were filled with gratitude.
Shen Tangan organized some people who knew medical skills to treat the injured people.
In the process of punishing corrupt officials, Mu Chenye and Shen Tangan also strengthened the management of towns.
They sent more soldiers to patrol and ensure the safety of the people.
At the same time, they also established a strict supervision mechanism to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
After some severe punishment, the town's atmosphere was completely changed.
The people are full of respect and love for the Prince and Princess Chen. They believe that under their leadership, they will be able to survive this disaster and rebuild their beautiful homes.