Chapter 37: Old Zhu’s strategy of drawing the firewood from under the cauldron is truly ruthless!

Fengtian Hall.

Old Zhu sat upon the Dragon Throne, his countenance radiating majesty.

Li Tai, the Minister of Revenue, knelt on the floor clutching his ivory tablet. With an agitated expression, he filed his complaint: "Your Majesty! I have conducted a thorough investigation into the newspaper office and have uncovered evidence of Qin Feng’s embezzlement of public funds. I have since sealed the premises."

"Yet, Qin Feng resisted violently, not only injuring the officers but also heaping insults upon me. I was merely upholding the law on behalf of the imperial court; I would never dare to harbor any personal vendetta."

"Qin Feng is so arrogant and despotic, openly defying the imperial court—he is clearly suspected of intending to rebel. I beg Your Majesty to rule in my favor!"

Old Zhu said with a look of disdain, "You say you have found evidence of Qin Feng embezzling treasury funds? Why not present it for me to see?"

Li Tai hurriedly ordered a chest to be brought into the great hall. When it was opened before the assembly, it was filled with nothing but gleaming silver.

The court officials erupted into whispers, utterly shocked. If Qin Feng had truly embezzled such a vast sum of silver, his end was surely near!

"Your Majesty, please look. Qin Feng’s corruption is not a matter of a single day. He has dared to embezzle the court’s treasury; if this man is allowed to remain in charge of the newspaper, the future consequences will be endless!"

Hu Weiyong hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the evidence of Qin Feng’s embezzlement is conclusive. I implore Your Majesty to arrest Qin Feng to restore justice!"

Old Zhu said in a deep voice, "Li Tai, I ask you once more: is this truly evidence of Qin Feng’s embezzlement of treasury funds?"

Li Tai replied firmly, "Your Majesty! This was uncovered from Qin Feng’s newspaper office; there can be no mistake. I beg Your Majesty to investigate!"

Old Zhu let out a light laugh and said, "I have a secret report here as well, gathered by the Imperial Guard. The report contains a detailed record of all the newspaper’s accounts, and the ledger entries match perfectly. Li Tai, why don't you explain to me: where exactly did this silver you claim Qin Feng embezzled come from?"

Seeing Old Zhu’s expression grow increasingly dark, Li Tai instinctively felt that something was wrong. He glanced toward Hu Weiyong, hoping for him to intervene. But to his dismay, Hu Weiyong stood to the side, pretending not to notice.

"Li Tai!!! I am asking you a question! How did you ‘search’ this embezzled silver out of the newspaper office? Tell me the truth!"

Terrified, Li Tai collapsed to his knees, trembling uncontrollably. "Your Majesty! I truly searched this out from the newspaper office! Please, Your Majesty, investigate!"

Old Zhu sneered, "Searched it out from the newspaper office? It looks to me like you embezzled the silver yourself and then tried to frame Qin Feng! You have quite the audacity!"

The sharp reprimand shattered Li Tai’s nerve. He knelt on the ground, shaking all over, and cried out desperately, "Your Majesty, have mercy! This is not silver I embezzled! It is not!"

Just as Li Tai, at his wit's end, was about to point the finger at Hu Weiyong, he was cut off by Hu Weiyong himself.

Hu Weiyong roared, "Guards! Take the criminal Li Tai away!"

Li Tai, seemingly driven to madness, knelt on the ground, wagging his tail like a lapdog and begging for his life. "Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, have mercy! It was Prime Minister Hu! It was Prime Minister Hu who wanted to frame Qin Feng, and he ordered me to do it!"

"Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty!!!"

Watching the Minister of Revenue being dragged out of the hall, the other ministers were struck by a sense of impending doom. If framing Qin Feng was the first layer of the game, Old Zhu was clearly on the fifth!

The Emperor’s move to cut the ground from under them was truly ruthless! It was impossible to guard against!

Listening to Li Tai’s miserable screams, Hu Weiyong hurriedly stepped forward. "Your Majesty, Li Tai is spouting nonsense in the imperial court, making wild accusations and framing a court official. His crimes are unforgivable; he should be handed over to the Court of Judicial Review for trial!"

Old Zhu said in a deep voice, "Prime Minister Hu, then I shall leave this matter to you. Court dismissed!"

"I will certainly fulfill my duty!"

After Old Zhu left the hall, Hu Weiyong’s undergarments were already soaked through, and his forehead was covered in beads of cold sweat. He had nearly fainted in the court just now; Li Tai’s handling of the newspaper office had almost dragged him down as well.

With lingering fear, he wiped the sweat from his brow, silently cursing Li Tai for being such a pig-headed ally. How could he have been so sloppy with such a task?

But truth be told, the Emperor sending the Imperial Guard to investigate the newspaper office in person had been completely unexpected. Only now did Hu Weiyong realize that Old Zhu had likely left that opening in court on purpose, waiting for them to jump in.

He slowly clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he whispered, "Despicable!"

Beside him, Wang Hu was even more terrified. He had just witnessed Hu Weiyong treat Li Tai like a discarded pawn, abandoning him without a shred of mercy.

Wang Hu looked at Hu Weiyong and asked tremblingly, "Prime Minister Hu, am I to be your next discarded piece?"

Hu Weiyong paused for a moment and sighed, "Minister Wang, I fell into the Emperor’s trap this time, not Qin Feng’s! We still have a chance!"

Wang Hu instinctively distanced himself from Hu Weiyong, smiling bitterly. "I do not wish to follow in Minister Li’s footsteps. Prime Minister, from now on, let us go our separate ways."

Hu Weiyong narrowed his eyes and said, "You think you can just walk away from this ship? Have you thought this through?"

Wang Hu gritted his teeth. "I do not wish to be a pawn for you to discard at will! Hmph!"

With that, Wang Hu flicked his sleeves and left. Watching his retreating back, Hu Weiyong’s expression turned grim, his gaze growing cold.

"Do you think that just because you want to step off this boat, you can? You’ve forgotten how many eyes are watching you from the shadows, haven't you?"

***

Three days later, Qianqing Palace.

Wang Jinhong whispered something into Old Zhu’s ear.

Old Zhu said with surprise, "The Minister of Works, Wang Hu, is dead?"

"It is said that after drinking, he slipped and fell into the Qinhuai River, where he drowned."

Old Zhu sneered inwardly. The Ministry of Justice had just uncovered evidence of Li Tai and Wang Hu’s collusion, and now Wang Hu had accidentally drowned? Where in this world could such a coincidence exist?

"Has Qin Feng been summoned? I wonder if this brat will blame me?"

Wang Jinhong bowed, "Your Majesty, Master Qin is already on his way to the palace. Master Qin is a reasonable man; he will surely understand Your Majesty's good intentions."

Just then, a young eunuch called out from outside: "Your Majesty, the Minister of Rites, Zhang Chou, requests an audience."

"Send him in."

Zhang Chou followed the eunuch before Old Zhu. He knelt and saluted: "Your servant, Zhang Chou, greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy eternal peace."

"Minister Zhang, no need for such formalities. How is the preparation for the Heaven Worship Ceremony coming along?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, everything is prepared. We may proceed to the Temple of Heaven tomorrow to hold the ceremony."

Old Zhu said, "The Heaven Worship Ceremony is of great importance; there must be no mistakes."

"I would not dare to be the least bit negligent. The ceremony will proceed as scheduled tomorrow."

Old Zhu nodded, "You may go."

After Zhang Chou departed, Qin Feng was guided by the young eunuch into the Qianqing Palace.

Qin Feng swaggered into the palace. Upon seeing him, Old Zhu hurriedly and respectfully went to greet him.

"Master Qin, I have let you suffer a grievance recently. Wang Jinhong, why haven't you offered Master Qin a seat yet!"