The new regulations were posted at dawn on the third day.
There was no imperial decree.
No ceremony.
No procession.
Just a single document issued through the Internal Affairs Bureau, sealed by the Imperial Kitchen, and archived under the Office of the Director of Provisions.
The title was calm—almost merciless:
"Interim Regulations on Palace Grain Allocation and Offering Circulation."
Wang Youcai stood before the notice board and read it three times.
With each reading, his face grew paler.
"Daily grain collection requires two signatures."
"Offering grain and daily kitchen grain must be stored in separate sealed warehouses."
"Every opening of a storage seal must record time, purpose, and responsible personnel."
"End-of-month audits conducted directly by the Director's Office—no intermediaries allowed."
Not a single sentence scolded anyone.
Not a single line accused anyone of corruption.
The word "embezzlement" never even appeared.
And yet every clause felt like fingers gripping the habits he had relied on for years—
One by one—
Breaking them apart.
"What does this even mean?" Madam Liu whispered beside him, her nails digging into her palm.
Wang Youcai forced out a bitter laugh.
"A new official trying to establish authority."
But deep down—
He knew better.
This wasn't about authority.
This was about cutting off every road they had left.
That very afternoon, the first inspection order arrived.
It wasn't for grain.
It was for accounts.
And the accounts being inspected were from three months ago—
Already marked as settled.
"Under the new regulations, previous accounts must undergo retrospective verification," the messenger clerk said flatly.
"Director Qing says it ensures continuity of the system."
The phrase "continuity of the system" stabbed like a needle.
For the first time, Wang Youcai's hand trembled openly in front of everyone.
The ledgers had been personally cleaned up by him.
The numbers matched.
The paperwork looked perfect.
But the real problem was simple.
The grain those numbers represented did not exist anymore.
The next morning.
The warehouse doors were opened again.
This time, Qing Tian did not come alone.
Officials from the Internal Affairs Bureau, the Director's Office, and the Offering Office all arrived together.
The first crate was opened.
Empty.
Even more completely empty than before.
"Deputy Steward Wang."
A junior official flipped through the ledger.
"This record shows thirty-six shi of grain."
"But the warehouse contains none."
"How do you explain that?"
Wang Youcai opened his mouth.
"Perhaps… during a previous transfer the record—"
He didn't finish.
"Where is the transfer document?"
"Who approved it?"
"When was it approved?"
Three questions.
None of them loud.
But each sharper than the last.
Sweat began to bead on Wang Youcai's forehead.
At that moment—
Qing Tian arrived.
She didn't even look at him.
Instead she spoke to the clerk recording the proceedings.
"According to the regulations."
"Any discrepancy between ledger and storage results in immediate suspension."
"Hand the case to the Internal Affairs Bureau for investigation."
She didn't say "arrest him."
She didn't say "take him away."
She didn't even say "detain him."
Just—
Suspension.
But inside the palace, everyone knew exactly what that meant.
It meant losing every remaining moment to act.
It meant there was no time left to patch the holes.
It meant every single thing you had ever touched
Would now be pulled out and examined.
Madam Liu stood nearby.
Her legs almost gave out.
In that moment she realized something terrifying.
From the very beginning—
Qing Tian had never intended to catch people.
She had simply waited
For them to expose themselves.
That same afternoon,
A second name was called.
Steward Shen from the Offering Office.
The charge was absurdly simple:
"Signature inconsistency."
"Suspected proxy signing."
Normally, this kind of offense would barely matter.
Just a warning.
A reminder not to do it again.
But now—
Under the new regulations—
"Proxy signatures equal false receipt."
"False receipt requires accountability."
"Accountability requires a three-year review."
Steward Shen dropped to his knees instantly.
His crying echoed through the hall.
"Director Qing! I was only following orders!"
"The shrine—"
"Careful."
Qing Tian finally raised her eyes.
"If you feel wronged, you may submit a written appeal."
"The regulations allow it."
Her tone was gentle.
But there was no path backward.
By evening,
Something unprecedented happened in the Imperial Kitchen.
People began voluntarily turning in accounts.
Not because they had been discovered.
But because they were terrified of being discovered.
One person.
Then two.
Then three.
Some handed over hidden ledgers.
Others returned grain tickets marked as "temporary transfers."
Some even snuck into the warehouse at night
And quietly returned the grain they had hidden.
The warehouse crates
Were no longer empty.
Palace servants gathered silently outside the storehouse.
Watching as crate after crate of real grain
Returned to storage.
There was no cheering.
Only a quiet disbelief.
Xiao Man whispered softly,
"…It's real."
"This time… it's really different."
Qing Tian stood at the warehouse entrance.
Watching ledger pages close one by one.
She knew this
Was only the first cut.
The real predators—
The truly powerful ones—
Were still beneath the water.
And soon—
That water
Would begin to churn.