RWNEFE -Chapter 608 Xiong Qi Exposes Wu Yanzhi’s Crimes!

Zhou Xinrou had already regretted lending her secret guards to Shen Lanxi last time.

Revealing her trump card so quickly had led her daughter to start eyeing the forces in her hands.

“I have no men left,” Zhou Xinrou said.

“The secret guards who returned from the Southwest are no longer fit for service. When they came back, some had lost arms, others legs, and many were gravely injured. They’re not even qualified to serve as household guards now—how could they go to the battlefield?”

Shen Lanxi looked somewhat disappointed.

“I see… Then should I dispatch some Imperial Guards to protect Mother?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Zhou Xinrou refused immediately.

“No need. Let them stay by your side. You are the hope of both of us—you must not come to harm.”

Shen Lanxi’s face was full of concern. “If Yuantang can contact Zhou Ruyuan’s men, that means he still has people in the capital.”

“I’m worried that if we push him too far, he might kidnap Mother to threaten me.”

Zhou Xinrou immediately thought of how Shen Lanxi had sent Consort Shu to be buried with the late emperor—there was a blood feud between her and Zhou Ruyuan over his mother’s death.

Thinking of this, Zhou Xinrou felt more at ease.

“It won’t happen. The capital’s security is tight. The city guards patrol frequently at our gates. Even if trouble breaks out elsewhere, nothing will happen to the Shen residence.”

Shen Lanxi nodded.

“Very well. Since Mother says so, I’ll trust you. After I return to the palace, I’ll assign more city guards to patrol around the Shen residence.”

All Zhou Xinrou wanted now was to send Shen Lanxi away as quickly as possible.

One after another, they kept asking her for manpower—where was she supposed to find so many people?

Even if she did have them, they could not be mobilized.

“Go back and handle state affairs. From now on, I won’t let the people in the residence disturb you so casually.”

“Mother truly is fine?”

“I’m fine. Rest assured, my child.”

“In that case, I still have to return to the palace to discuss provisions with the ministers. I’ll take my leave.”

Zhou Xinrou escorted her to the gates and watched her depart.

The moment Shen Lanxi got into the carriage, her expression turned cold.

She had men to lend to others but not to her own daughter—yet she still refused to admit her favoritism?

“Elder Sister…”

“Waaah…”

“Your Majesty, that’s Shen Yuantang’s voice. She’s already been taken inside by the Shen family.”

Shen Lanxi responded with a soft hum.

Soon after, another great victory came from the Northwest, followed closely by an urgent report from Jinmen.

“Your Majesty, Zhou Ruyuan launched a night raid on our Dongchuan granary. Fortunately, we were prepared. As soon as the enemy entered our defensive perimeter, we annihilated them in one stroke!”

“I thought it was urgent news—who knew it would be yet another victory report?” Shen Lanxi was overjoyed.

“Transmit my decree: reduce this year’s agricultural tax by another ten percent!”

The officials were stunned—reduce it any further and there would be nothing left.

Liu Yanhui replied with a smile, half in jest: “Fortunately, our Great Zhou treasury no longer relies on agricultural taxes.”

“The taxes paid by merchants are sufficient to cover expenses, with much left over.”

“It is all thanks to Your Majesty’s boundless fortune that Great Zhou enjoys favorable weather and peace in all things!”

“Long live Your Majesty! Long live! Long live!”

A few days later, news arrived from the Northwest that the Wala and other tribes were willing to submit to Great Zhou.

“The Prime Minister has not yet arrived in the Northwest, correct?”

“Your Majesty, based on the timeline, the Prime Minister should only be halfway there.”

“Your Majesty’s renown echoes across the seas. Even before the Prime Minister’s arrival, many foreign tribes have already come to submit. Your Majesty is truly worthy of being called an emperor for the ages.”

A flicker crossed Shen Lanxi’s eyes. “In other words, the Prime Minister’s mission to persuade the tribes is no longer particularly meaningful.”

Liu Yanhui smiled knowingly.

The next morning at court, Xiong Qi stood in the Golden Hall and loudly enumerated Wu Yanzhi’s many crimes.

“During the late emperor’s reign, Wu Yanzhi committed crimes too numerous to record!”

“In the first year of Renxiao, during the imperial examinations, he served as deputy examiner. He accepted tens of thousands of taels in bribes and allowed three candidates to use substitutes.”

“After they passed successfully, he took another ten thousand taels to secure official posts for the three men.”

“In the second year of Renxiao, when a candidate exposed the matter, he ordered the extermination of the whistleblower’s entire family to destroy the evidence.”

“That same year, he framed a colleague, causing the former Grand Tutor Lu Wenzong to die unjustly in prison. His family was either exiled or forced into government brothels; by now, none of them remain alive.”

“The following year, he was transferred to Jingzhou. During his tenure there, he allowed local bullies to run rampant, accepted countless beauties, gold, and treasures, manipulated the Jingzhou magistrate for his own ends—and after achieving his goals, cruelly ordered the magistrate’s murder.”

“In summary, these crimes alone are enough to warrant the confiscation of Wu Yanzhi’s property and the extermination of his clan. And there are many more. If I were to recount them all now, an hour would not suffice.”

Shen Lanxi said sternly, “Then after court is adjourned, you shall report them to me in detail.”

“Court of Judicial Review, take the dossier from Xiong Qi.”

“The Ministries of Justice and Personnel shall jointly verify the authenticity of the charges.”

“The Prime Minister is a veteran official of two reigns, a pillar of Great Zhou, and my trusted minister. This matter must be thoroughly investigated without error!”

The officials of the three departments replied, “We obey Your Majesty’s decree!”

Many officials began to panic—especially those aligned with Wu Yanzhi.

The Prime Minister had merely gone to the Northwest—how had he suddenly been accused?

Wasn’t Xiong Qi part of the Prime Minister’s faction?

Why had he suddenly turned against him?

Those who reacted quickly widened their eyes upon realizing the truth.

No wonder His Majesty had promoted an obscure fourth-rank official to temporarily handle the Prime Minister’s affairs—it had all been planned in advance.

Had His Majesty long been dissatisfied with the Prime Minister?

Why hadn’t anyone noticed before?

The Prime Minister’s daughter was related by marriage to the Shen family, and he had even helped the Emperor ascend the throne—yet now he was being cut down?

His Majesty was terrifying.

They were in danger!

After court was dismissed, Xiong Qi was retained alone. In addition, the Grand Preceptor and Liu Mingxin were also kept behind.

The two of them were forced to listen to an hour-long account of Wu Yanzhi’s crimes. When they left, their minds were filled with nothing but his offenses.

“Grand Preceptor, what does His Majesty intend?” Liu Mingxin asked.

Mei Nanhua clasped his hands behind his back, steady as a mountain. “His Majesty tolerates no sand in her eyes. A greedy minister like Wu Yanzhi should have been dealt with long ago.”

Liu Mingxin’s brows were tightly furrowed.

“But the Wu family is related by marriage to the Shen family!”

Would His Majesty truly deal harshly with Wu Yanzhi? Was she not afraid of being accused of killing the donkey after it had finished pulling the millstone?

The Grand Preceptor snorted. “And so what if they are in-laws? The Shen family is His Majesty’s own clan—were they not executed once they committed crimes?”

This reminded Liu Mingxin of something. There had once been rumors that every time His Majesty went to war, she sacrificed a relative to the battle flag—and that during her exile, she had buried her biological father alive.

Perhaps those rumors were not baseless after all.

Wu Yanzhi was far away in the Northwest and unaware of the situation in the capital, but his family remained there.

After court, members of Wu Yanzhi’s faction secretly sent word to the Wu household. They dared not involve themselves in the Wu family’s affairs now—if they angered His Majesty and were punished by association, what then?

The execution blade at the gates of the Golden Hall was no mere decoration—it had tasted blood not long ago.

A mere unfounded remark from a Turkic envoy had nearly led to the extermination of his entire clan.

How could a few civil officials like them withstand His Majesty’s slaughtering blade?