He wanted to uncover the truth in secret, to counter darkness with darkness, so that foreign forces would not realize their intentions had been discovered, while also gaining the upper hand to prevent trouble before it occurs.
Saying that these guilty officials sought to collude with foreign forces is actually overstating it; those who can enter the court to become officials wouldn't be foolish enough to collude with foreign forces.
These people were merely driven by interests, coupled with their contempt for foreign forces, which led them to leak things that should not have been leaked.
The mess left by the Late Emperor, which caused the rampant smuggling back then, although time has passed, Minister of Revenue Xue Ping provided protection for these people within the court. The Emperor confirmed this without a doubt, and this conclusion was verified through the interrogation of Guo Neng and Guo Shun.
