Having such grave issues with his own officers is truly indefensible.
And what made it even harder for him was seeing the sick and disabled soldiers looking at Lin Yi, seeing the Inspector sent by the court, almost as if they had seen a savior, they rushed forward excitedly to seek an explanation from Lin Yi.
"Inspector, sir, we have finally waited for you in our lifetime. You must stand up for us."
"That’s right, though we haven’t achieved glorious military exploits and can’t speak of returning home in triumph, we may not have merits but we indeed have labored hard, we merely wish to retire peacefully to our hometowns."
"Yes, Guo promised us that if we returned and served an additional two years, we could go back to our hometowns. But it has already been eight years."
"Alas, Lord Guo despises us for our lack of agility and only gave us half the salary that normal officers receive."
Everyone expressed the resentment that had been pent up in their hearts for many years.
Guo Huaimu is simply beyond description in terms of his misdeeds, Lin Yi mulled over how best to deal with this universally despised Guo Huaimu.
’Very well, you’ve sent all the able-bodied men to Eighth Prince and used these weak and disabled soldiers without treating them well, withholding their salary, even colluding with bandits to steal treasury silver.’
’If I am not wrong, your private coffers must be somewhat capable.’
’It is said that what is taken from the people should be used for the people.’
Lin Yi, looking at Guo Huaimu whose face had turned as dark as ink, righteously demanded: "Inspector Guo, how will you explain yourself?"
"And what did you just say, about taking revenge for your beloved dog?"
"May I ask, how do you plan to avenge your beloved dog?"
Faced with a series of questions from Lin Yi, Guo Huaimu was so scared he literally pissed himself, shivering and unable to utter a single word.
At this moment, Ouyang Qian also came to join the bustling scene, starting to shout like a peddler.
"Everyone, come and see while the Inspector is still here, if you have anything you’re afraid to say normally, or if you have suffered any unfair treatment, let the Inspector stand up for you."
Just now it was the officers who spoke of injustices; now it was the turn of the ordinary people.
With someone to champion their justice, they certainly wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
There had been tradespeople selling Shu brocade who were deprived of 50 pieces of high-quality brocade by Guo Huaimu and other officials, followed by the fat butcher whose three stone of beef was taken by Guo Mansion without payment, and also a Scholar’s family owed 800 silver for five years without repayment.
Lin Yi shook his head upon hearing this; he wished he could immediately confiscate Guo Huaimu’s house and compensate the people for their losses with interest.
"Hmph, what a corrupt official who exploits his people, even extorting money that small vendors use to feed their families!"
As Lin Yi’s authoritative voice rang out, Guo Huaimu panicked and immediately fell to his knees in front of Lin Yi. Fresh chapters posted on novᴇlfire.net
Of course, he didn’t know the true identity of the person wearing the Human Skin Mask, only that he was one of the six Inspectors sent by the court.
At Donglai Inn, he had knelt only to Zhong Qi, the Acting Minister of Criminal Department and Inspector.
But now, Guo Huaimu simply didn’t have the courage to ask the Inspector’s name in front of him.
After all, with so many accusations and a series of crimes, he simply had no power to refute.
"Inspector, please have mercy, have mercy, sir, I was compelled, I had my difficulties."
Guo Huaimu, trembling all over, crawled next to Lin Yi and immediately put on a servile manner, pleading earnestly.
"Inspector Lord, you must see the truth, I have only followed Eighth Prince’s orders, sending all eligible strong men to Yumen Pass, and collected so much tax which was also sent to support Eighth Prince at Yumen Pass."
Lin Yi let out a cold laugh, surprised that at this point, Guo Huaimu still tried to shift the blame to Eighth Prince.
Does he not realize the status and power of Eighth Prince? Such accusations are nothing in his eyes.
"Inspector Guo, you said all these embezzled items were for Eighth Prince. What about the merchant’s 50 bolts of Shu brocade and the butcher’s three piculs of beef? Did you also send those to Yumen Pass for Eighth Prince in carts?"
Upon hearing this, Guo Huaimu instantly became speechless, stammering, "Those items didn’t!"
Lin Yi rebuked sharply, "Since they didn’t, return everything you owe to the common people precisely as they were!"
"Yes, yes, I will return them immediately!" Guo Huaimu kept nodding his head, fearing that the imposing Inspector before him would erupt in anger.
However, Lin Yi was not about to let Guo Huaimu off so easily. He ordered Tan Lu to bring pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, and had every single debt owed to the common people written down.
The merchants and butchers never dreamt in their lifetime they could get back the money owed by Guo Huaimu, and they all knocked their heads in thanks to Lin Yi.
"Imperial Censor Lord, you are our great benefactor, a savior, a living Buddha, I kowtow in thanks on behalf of my entire family."
Faced with the gratitude of the people, Lin Yi remained quite calm, helping the merchant and butcher to their feet, seriously saying, "No need to be so polite. If you truly want to thank me, help your neighbors recall whether Inspector Guo took advantage of them without compensating."
The enthusiasm of the crowd surged to an unprecedented high. Normally oppressed and exploited by Government officials, they endured countless losses and grievances, which they had to swallow down.
Otherwise, they just consoled and encouraged each other with their neighbors.
Now someone had their back, they could fight a battle to turn things around, finally they had a chance to breath freely.
On Tan Lu’s side, he wrote down a scroll ten pages long and still couldn’t finish, including twenty hens borrowed from a neighbor by Guo Mansion over a decade ago.
Lin Yi sat quietly throughout, while Guo Huaimu knelt in terror for a full hour.
"Lord, are you tired? Let me massage your back." Ouyang Qian approached gently to massage Lin Yi’s feet and back, making him very comfortable.
’So good, my new bride has skilled hands, handy enough to serve me even outside the house.’
’Ah, her soft hands are truly captivating. If we were in a room, I would definitely have taken her then and there.’
While thinking this, Lin Yi suddenly noticed the disabled soldiers in front of him looking at him eagerly, with a hesitant expression.
They looked enviously at the common people.
"Qianqian, let those veterans come over."
At Lin Yi’s command, he had been preoccupied with helping the common people reclaim their belongings and seemed to have overlooked the needs of these disabled soldiers.
An old soldier tremblingly expressed his wish, asking to retire and return home, and to have half of their salary, which Guo Huaimu had withheld for the past seven or eight years, returned to them.
Hearing that the salary needed to be compensated, Guo Huaimu immediately became desperate.
"Inspector Lord, I am not in a position to decide on this, their salary was determined by Eighth Prince!"