Episode 11 recap: The court ordered a thorough investigation into the disaster relief funds.
Jia Zhuang encountered issues with the soil quality. Ding Bao Zhen asked Fan Yi if he knew about it, and Ding Bao Zhen directly mentioned the quality of the soil. Fan Yi led him to the construction site to inspect it. Later, Fan Yi showed the soil to Ding Bao Zhen, and it was found to have no quality issues. Fan Yi shifted the blame to the workers, claiming that insufficient compaction caused the problem. All of this was overheard by Li Afu, who shook his head in disappointment.
At that moment, someone mentioned that they had encountered Chen Dayou. Chen Dayou was associated with Luo Zicong, and he claimed that Luo Zicong had privately excavated the soil. Chen Dayou also criticized Jia Rang, stating that Luo Zicong deliberately leaked information after reading a book that Fan Yi had given him. Li Afu suspected that Fan Yi was embezzling funds under the pretext of annual flooding.
In the evening, the steward noted that Ding Bao Zhen had discovered issues with the soil and asked Fan Yi if they would replace it with better soil the next day. However, Fan Yi continued to tamper with the soil, confident that he had the support of Shao and Xu, two influential individuals.
The next day, during the soil distribution, Li Afu took the initiative to take on the responsibility. He discreetly collected some soil and put it in his pocket. Jin Xiaomei brought lunch, and Ding Bao Zhen instructed Pei Rong to share all the food with the workers, leaving only sweet potatoes for themselves. At this time, Ding Bao Zhen entrusted Jin Xiaomei with an important task: to help Li Afu find his family. Finding Li Afu's family would be a great merit, allowing him to focus on dam construction.
In the evening, Li Afu's research on the soil was discovered by his fellow workers. He had been collecting soil samples to save his own life. Jin Xiaomei went to Shi Zhoupeng's place to find information about Li Afu's wife and children. She learned that due to Li Afu's failed dam construction attempts, he had been heavily criticized by people from his hometown. However, a kind-hearted woman informed Jin Xiaomei about the whereabouts of Li Afu's wife and children.
During heavy rain, the river workers started repairing the breaches in the embankment. However, the rain continued to pour, and the situation was expected to worsen. Everyone desperately piled up soil to reinforce the embankment, but the water flow was too strong. Ding Bao Zhen and the others formed a human wall, bravely blocking the rainwater, determined to live or die with the dam. They stood firm in the rushing river, causing Qiao Da Ren to feel awe-inspired.
The weather cleared up, but Ding Bao Zhen fell seriously ill. When Ding Bao Zhen woke up, his first concern was for the farmers who depended on the river. During a meal, Fan Yi paid his respects to Ding Bao Zhen, and Ding Bao Zhen happily encouraged him to have a few more drinks. He expressed his gratitude to all the hardworking individuals involved in the Jia Zhuang embankments. Although the embankments were now sealed, their help was still needed in other areas.
Li Afu no longer intends to take on any more jobs or file a lawsuit. He wants to find his lost wife and children. Just as he finished speaking, he saw Jin Xiaomei coming from a distance with his wife and children. Overjoyed to see his family, Li Afu thanked Ding Bao Zhen while pulling his child. Li Afu wanted to tell Ding Bao Zhen the truth out of gratitude, but hesitated upon seeing Fan Yi behind him.
After the completion of the Jia Zhuang embankment, the Ding family celebrated that evening. The next day, at the marketplace, Jin Xiaomei liked everything she saw, while Qiao Da Ren commented that she looked like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden. She was particularly interested in a purse, which Qiao Da Ren voluntarily bought for her, unaware that it was a token of affection. Seeing Jin Xiaomei's joy, he secretly purchased it.
Letters were sent from various prefectures. The completion of the Jia Zhuang embankment relieved pressure in other regions. The total allocation for the embankment was 700,000, but more than 520,000 was spent, leaving 180,000. However, this remaining 180,000 reflected the significant embezzlement in other regions. Chen Yun Fei believed that there was no evidence to investigate without a specific target, but Ding Bao Zhen proposed returning the remaining funds to the court and ordering an investigation in the court's name.
When the Prince Gong saw the memorial and the surplus funds, he realized the dual purpose behind Ding Bao Zhen's actions. He guessed that Ding Bao Zhen intended to use this to punish those corrupt officials and submit the memorial intact to the Empress Dowager. Upon reading the memorial, the Empress Dowager was furious that the annual allocations were embezzled by local officials. The Emperor also intended to handle the matter strictly, but En Cheng argued that Ding Bao Zhen had no evidence and advised caution.
The Empress Dowager issued an order for Ding Bao Zhen to thoroughly investigate the corruption case in the Yellow River. That night, En Cheng urgently sent a secret letter to Jinan Prefecture. Ding Bao Zhen planned to investigate the accounts from the previous years as well. Once he discovered any officials concealing or destroying evidence, they would face severe punishment. Qiao Da Ren and the others worked overnight to examine the accounts, becoming extremely exhausted. Ding Bao Zhen suggested that they sleep in the yamen and continue the investigation after resting. Qiao Da Ren and Wen Da Ren had no objections and allowed Ding Bao Zhen to do as he pleased.
Qiao Da Ren then instructed someone to pack and seal the boxes, stating that they would continue the investigation the next day. He made sure to convey Ding Bao Zhen's instructions in advance. The next day, they resumed the account investigation. Wen Da Ren felt that the progress was too slow, but Qiao Da Ren understood that Ding Bao Zhen saw this as an opportunity to rectify the bureaucracy. Meanwhile, Fan Yi was leisurely at home, unconcerned about the accounts being discovered. He believed that someone was about to face dire consequences and sent a message to Shao Da Ren, indicating that it was time to take action when necessary.
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