Chapter 27: Investigating the Water Meter of the Court of State Ceremonies

Actually, Pei Min still felt a certain amount of pressure at the bottom of his heart when he established this anonymous reporting system. Historically, Empress Wu Zetian had also issued a similar whistleblowing policy, and though it was vastly different, she had also created a reporting box called the Bronze Urn!

This bronze urn was much more high-end and magnificent than Pei Min's reporting box. It was cast entirely of bronze with four openings, painted in four colors: cyan, cinnabar, white, and black. Each colored opening had a different purpose. The cyan opening was for talented scholars to submit poems and prose in hopes of seeking an official post; the cinnabar opening was for remonstrance, allowing people with foresight to comment on the gains and losses of state affairs; the white opening was for the wronged to seek redress; and the black opening was for diviners and charlatans who predicted celestial phenomena, natural disasters, and top-secret military plans to speak out. This bronze vessel was placed outside the Noon Gate for anyone to drop their submissions into. Empress Wu's intention was obvious: she wanted to consolidate her power and eliminate political rivals through this whistleblowing method. To achieve this goal, she even specially issued an imperial edict: "For those who make secret reports, officials shall not question them; all shall be provided with relay horses and fifth-rank official meals." She had local officials treat the whistleblowers coming to the capital like honored guests, forbidding them from questioning the content of the reports and urging the informants to head straight to the capital.

The ruthless officials Su Yuanli, Zhou Xing, and Lai Junchen were heavily favored by Empress Wu precisely because of their high efficiency in making secret accusations. This atmosphere of whistleblowing persisted until Empress Wu's wings were fully grown and Lai Junchen was executed, after which it finally came to a halt.

Setting aside Empress Wu's intentions, the "invention" of the reporting box was truly ingenious, and the Censorate had continued to use it, though its actual effectiveness had greatly diminished by now. On the one hand, such a flamboyant approach was tantamount to publicly exposing the true whistleblowers, lacking rigor and propriety, which drastically increased the chances of them facing retaliation. On the other hand, due to Empress Wu's abuse, its credibility had declined.

Based on knowledge from later generations, Pei Min improved the whistleblowing system: he used every means possible to conceal the identity of the informant. For those who were illiterate and reported in person, censors were strictly prohibited from leaking any of their information to anyone. Even internal personnel, unless directly involved, were not allowed to inquire about the informant's identity, ensuring the whistleblower's safety. On the other hand, he also corrected the flaws of Empress Wu's system, encouraging rather than condoning, placing internal investigations by the Censorate above hearsay. A crucial point that Pei Min understood clearly was that absolute power only corrupts absolutely. Of course, he did not dare to say this out loud. Instead, he directly imposed a set of shackles on himself through his actions, clearly stating in his memorial to the Department of State Affairs that an internal reporting department would be established within the Censorate, managed by the supervisory censors of the Investigative Court, to prevent ruthless officials like Lai Junchen from abusing their power as they did during Empress Wu's reign.

Judging by the public response, it was quite good. However, it was still a small-scale operation, insufficient to become a major force. Therefore, Pei Min was anxious to accomplish a major feat to prove himself, to prove that his proposals benefited the country and the people, and were not filled with the political purpose of eliminating rivals like Empress Wu's system.

Because of this, Pei Min experienced a taste of what the ruthless official Lai Junchen felt, except that Lai Junchen only needed to find someone displeasing to the eye to accuse them, whereas Pei Min had to wait passively like a farmer waiting by a stump for a hare to crash into it. The difference between the two could simply not be reasoned by ordinary logic.

At Pei Min's call, six patrolling investigators gathered before him.

As an official of the Supervisory Court, the people Pei Min could mobilize were not limited to these six, but these six were his direct subordinates assigned to his command.

"Imperial Censor!" A fair and slender young man looked at Pei Min with a hint of excitement. His name, Wang Xiaobai, suited his appearance—a rather eccentric name, but he was honest and possessed some solid physical skills. Previously, because he worked in the Censorate, the neighborhood residents feared him like a tiger, almost cutting off interactions with his family. Whenever they met on the street, they would dodge away as if avoiding a plague god. Had it not been for the good salary of the Censorate and his aging parents to support, he would have long since quit.

Recently, thanks to Pei Min's arrival, the image of the Censorate had slightly changed, and the attitudes of the neighbors had somewhat improved, especially the childhood sweetheart girl next door, whose father had finally given permission and was willing to speak to him now, filling his heart with sweet joy. To return kindness for kindness, he held deep admiration for Pei Min, who had brought all this about.

Hearing Pei Min's call, he was the first to run close.

"Is there a major case?" Wang Xiaobai knew that Pei Min had recently been waiting for a major case, and seeing him so excited, he caught the enthusiasm as well.

"Yes, if I'm not mistaken, good things are indeed afoot!" A trace of excitement flashed in Pei Min's eyes as he waved his hand and said, "Let's go, let's go check the water meters!"

Wang Xiaobai and the others were completely baffled, having no idea what checking water meters meant, but seeing that Pei Min had already walked away, the six of them had no time to ask and hurriedly followed behind.

Wang Xiaobai volunteered, "I'll lead your horse!"

"No need!" Pei Min laughed. "It's nearby, not far at all. We'll just walk there."

"The Bureau of Astronomy?"

"No, the Court of State Ceremonies!" Pei Min narrowed his eyes.

The Court of State Ceremonies was located on a street directly in front of the Censorate, separated by a distance of no more than six hundred meters. It took them less than a quarter of an hour to reach the front gate.

The main gates of the Court of State Ceremonies were tightly shut, and Pei Min motioned for Wang Xiaobai to knock.

Wang Xiaobai hesitated and said, "Is this a good idea?"

"What are you afraid of?" Pei Min asked, looking puzzled.

Wang Xiaobai said nervously, "This is the Court of State Ceremonies! It is said that it's filled with a bunch of pedantic scholars, some of whom are old enough to have turned into cunning spirits, and every single one of them is silver-tongued. Why go looking for trouble with them for no reason?"

Pei Min felt a surge of frustration at his lack of backbone. After all, they were from the Censorate—in modern terms, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. How could they possibly look down on a mere Court of State Ceremonies? He said, "I told you to knock, so knock! If you don't dare, I will!"

Wang Xiaobai steeled himself and struck the door a few times until the courtyard gate opened.

The guards on duty saw a group of officials from the Censorate and instinctively stepped back two paces in fright. Seeing that the leader was such a young and tender youth, he recognized his status and said, "Greetings, Imperial Censor!"

Pei Min strode through the gates and said, "Go inform your Director of Imperial Clan Affairs that the Censorate is here on official business."

The intimidating reputation of the Censorate from years past still lingered, and the guards dared not offer the slightest resistance, turning on their heels to run and inform their superiors at the Court of State Ceremonies.

Upon learning of the Censorate's arrival, the entire Court of State Ceremonies was instantly thrown into a state of high alert. The Chief Minister, the Vice Minister, and the Assistant Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies gathered together in an instant, all with somewhat panicked expressions.

"Greetings, Chief Minister, Vice Minister, Assistant Minister!" Pei Min still greeted them quite politely, as all three of them outranked him in official rank.

The Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies was an elderly man with graying hair and beard. He stared widely and said, "The Censorate has never had any dealings with our Court of State Ceremonies. I wonder what business the Imperial Censor has here?" His tone was rather arrogant, clearly looking down on the Censorate. Especially since Pei Min intended to implement Empress Wu's system, which in his eyes was entirely the work of sycophants.

Pei Min still smiled politely and replied, "The Censorate is investigating a case, and it is inconvenient to disclose the details. I hope the Chief Minister will forgive me. However, I am here to see the Director of Imperial Clan Affairs, and it has nothing to do with anyone else. The three of you do not need to worry overly much."

The Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies angrily rebuked, "Our Court of State Ceremonies is not a place that harbors dirt and hides filth; there is nothing here worth investigating! A young man with considerable talent should not imitate treacherous flatterers and walk the path of evil."

Pei Min retorted, "Whether it harbors dirt and hides filth is not for you to decide, elder." His expression turned stern as he declared, "When the Censorate handles a case, who dares to obstruct it?" He had initially spoken politely out of respect for the man's age, but the other party had been aggressive, feeling superior and speaking in a lecturing tone. If the words had made sense, Pei Min could have accepted them, but full of nonsense and pulling rank based on seniority, he no longer bothered to be polite.

Before the Chief Minister could reply, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies pulled him back and said, "Assistant Minister Wang, please lead the Imperial Censor to the Bureau of Taoist and Buddhist Affairs to find the Director."

Wang hurriedly led Pei Min to find the Director.

Watching Pei Min and the others depart, the Vice Minister swallowed his anger and muttered, "This Imperial Censor has made such a massive stir right upon taking office. Does he not know that all the civil and military officials in the court are staring at him, waiting to make a laughingstock of him? Making such a ruckus, does he really think that having merits from assisting the dragon gives him the right to act lawlessly? Whether he can clean up this mess has nothing to do with us. I just never expected him to come and establish his authority right here at our Court of State Ceremonies!"

The Chief Minister fumed angrily, "This Pei Min is just an uncultured country bumpkin seeking to imitate Lai Junchen and bewitch the Emperor! I will definitely submit a memorial impeaching him, to let him know that the current Son of Heaven's surname is Li, not Wu..."

The Vice Minister's eyes, however, rolled around, and with a sense of aggrieved resentment, he said, "I also want to see just how many days he can remain arrogant."

The Bureau of Taoist and Buddhist Affairs was a subordinate office of the Court of State Ceremonies, responsible for managing the household registers of monks and Taoist priests in all temples and Taoist monasteries throughout Chang'an. As long as monks and Taoist priests had taken their vows in local temples in Chang'an, they were recorded here.

"Greetings, Imperial Censor!" The Director, surnamed Lü and with the single given name Li, bowed to Pei Min with trembling fear. He was only a low-ranking official of the eighth rank, not as confident and grounded as the Chief Minister of the third rank.

"Where are the household registers of the monks kept?" Pei Min did not stand on ceremony with him and directly stated his purpose.

Lü Li's expression shifted slightly as he asked, "May I ask why the Imperial Censor wishes to inspect the monks' registers?"

Pei Min looked at him and smiled thoughtfully, saying, "There are many heinous criminals under the command of the foreign monk Huifan. I am looking for the whereabouts of a certain person who has already become a monk, though I do not know what his religious name is now."

Lü Li breathed a sigh of relief and said, "May I ask the pre-tonsure name of that person? The records room of the Bureau is messy and disorganized, so allow this humble official to find it for you."

"Why waste so many words?" Pei Min rebuked unceremoniously. "I am on official business, so do not waste my time, or I will have you dragged into the Censorate prison to taste the punishments of my Censorate."

Upon hearing the mention of the Censorate's prison, Lü Li's face instantly turned pale. The prison of the Censorate was far more terrifying than the gates of hell.

How dare Lü Li drag his feet? Though filled with terror in his heart, he dared not hesitate any longer.

Arriving at the records room, there were six large bookshelves densely packed with various household registers, numbering no less than ten thousand volumes. Among them, Taoist priests occupied only a single bookshelf and a half, while monks occupied a full four of them.

Each bookshelf had a clear label indicating the year and month.

This year was the year of Guichou, and Pei Min quickly found this year's registers. Flipping to the monks who had most recently entered the registry, the record detailed the monk's native place, secular name, age, affiliated monastery, the name of his tonsuring master, and his associated government office. This newly registered monk had entered the registry just the day before yesterday, and his identity was actually that of a wealthy landowner who owned vast tracts of land!