On the third day of the fourth lunar month, the gilded incense burner in the morning court drifted with the scent of dragon incense. Lu Jingyuan knelt beneath the imperial dais, listening to the Emperor read the edict of commendation. Behind him, Imperial Censor Zhang gave a light cough—the secret signal agreed upon the previous night, indicating that the censors were ready to echo the imperial will.
"Minister Lu has broken the corruption case and secured the safety of the Capital," the Emperor’s voice carried a note of approval. "I have decided to promote you to State-Protecting General and bestow upon you one thousand taels of gold and one hundred bolts of fine silk."
Ragged applause broke out in the hall. As Lu Jingyuan kowtowed, he caught a glimpse of the new Junior Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, whose face was ashen—the man was a protégé of Junior Vice Minister Zhou, and he was gripping his tablet so hard his knuckles had turned white.
Chapter 166