Chapter 176 - Long List of Heinous Crimes, and the Emperor Was Enraged!

Baili Qingcang was so furious that he almost overturned the imperial desk.

He did not expect that the seemingly honorable Assistant Minister of Rites would actually raise a son who robbed civilian girls and bullied the people. Moreover, after such a long time, none of the officials had reported anything to him.

So he could only be a blind-folded emperor in the imperial palace listening to music and watching dances? Then what was the use of raising these officials!

He held the complaints in his hand and let the kneeling citizens step forward to tell their stories one by one.

Every person stepped forward with so much deference and respect that they looked extremely humble. They had been tortured for too long, and now they were like people who were grabbing the last life-saving rock by the cliff. Every single word they said was uttered with a hoarse and exhausting tone!

“Your Majesty, that bully coveted my daughter and wanted to forcefully bring her home. My poor daughter’s temperament was so fierce that she directly crashed into the wall to kill herself…”

“My daughter was taken away for three days. Later she was found in a mass grave and I brought her back home. The skin all over her body was broken. Her eyes were dug out, her tongue was pulled out, and her limbs were cut off. There was no single place without injury on her body. My husband died of tiredness after working day and night in order to find a doctor to treat her. I spent all my savings but failed to save her life. My poor daughter… ”

The people stepped forward to report in succession. Baili Qingcang’s face turned green with anger. His fingers on the imperial desk trembled unceasingly. “Good! Good! Good! In the capital, under my nose, there is actually someone who has committed such evil deeds!”

“Your Majesty, please calm down!”

All the officials knelt on the ground, almost suffocated by Baili Qingcang’s anger.

The last old man who looked over seventy years old stood up. His hair was gray and he almost couldn’t balance himself, but his voice was exceptionally loud. “Your Majesty, today, I want to seek justice for my poor daughter-in-law. She was pregnant when she was taken away. That beast Wang Wei made her miscarry and he even killed my son. Now I am alone and have nothing to worry about. Today, I’m willing to use my death to beg Your Majesty to listen to our grievances and to give justice to us! ”

Baili Qingcang’s heart trembled as he had a bad premonition. “Hurry up and stop him!”

Unfortunately, the old man’s heart was filled with the determination to die. He wanted to use his own death to seek justice and so his strength was exceptionally big. He smashed his head against the high steps in front of the throne, and blood splashed everywhere, dyeing the golden Coiling Dragon Steps blood red.

The old man’s suicide ignited the rage in Baili Qingcang’s heart. He suddenly stood up and shouted, “Bring me my imperial sword!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The eunuch brought in the imperial sword. Baili Qingcang strode down the stairs and held the sword. With a whoosh, he drew the sword out of the sheath and fiercely chopped at the head of Wang Wei, who was lying on the ground.

Wang Wei died as his head left the body.

The Assistant Minister of Rites who was lying on the ground with his eyes wide open didn’t get to close his eyes before warm blood splashed all over his face. He rolled his eyes and fainted.

Before he fainted, there was only one thought left in his mind: He was finished. The Wang family was finished. He wished he had killed that despicable monster earlier…

Baili Qingcang’s actions made everyone shocked. The hall was so silent that even the drop of a needle could be heard clearly.

After a long while, a cry resounded throughout the hall. “Revenge…revenge is taken! Long live Your Majesty! Your Majesty is truly wise!”

“Long live Your Majesty. Your Majesty is truly wise!”

“Long live Your Majesty, Your Majesty is truly wise!”

“…”

Immediately, shouts resounded through the clouds. Baili Qingcang held the sword in his hand and suddenly recalled something. His father once said that he could expand territory, but it was difficult for him to run his country and attain everlasting prosperity. Now that he thought about it, his father’s evaluation was indeed correct.

Ever since he ascended to the throne, he had never heard the people’s heartfelt support for him. As for the officials he appointed, one single Assistant Minister of Rites had stirred up such a storm in the capital. So it was quite easy for him to image other officials’ misdeeds.

All sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind. After a while, Baili Qingcang walked over to Chu Junyi with the bloody imperial sword in his hand. “Your name is Chu Junyi, you are now a fifth-grade Governor of Capital Guards, and you are also Ninghua’s future husband. Right?”

Chu Junyi knelt on the ground with a calm and clear bearing. “Yes, Your Majesty!”

Baili Qingcang pursed his lips tightly and sized up Chu Junyi several times. “I believe in Ninghua’s judgement. You are a rare talent.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your praise.” Chu Junyi was neither proud nor humble.

Baili Qingcang handed the sword to Chu Junyi, and a trace of determination flashed in his eyes. “Chu Junyi, listen to the decree!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“I hereby appoint you as a Rank-One Left Imperial Censor and grant you an imperial sword. From now on, you must listen to public opinion and supervise the officials. If you encounter any stubborn officials under rank two or their children who refuse to obey orders, you can kill them first and then report to me later. I also give you a waist token with which you can freely enter and exit the imperial palace and report to me directly!”

A dazzling light flashed in Chu Junyi’s eyes, and he quickly regained his calm. He cupped his hands and responded in a deep voice, “As you wish, Your Majesty!”

Chu Junyi was promoted from a rank five official to a rank one official and conferred the right to kill officials under rank two without prior report. Such a great leap could be said to be unparalleled in the dynasty. Moreover, as an official who could supervise the other officials, kill without prior report, and directly report to the emperor, his right was simply greater than that of the princes. For a moment, the officials were so shocked that they did not know what to say.

Only after Baili Qingcang personally announced to confiscate the Wang family’s properties and to compensate the people did everyone kneel down and watched respectfully as he retreated.

Although the court meeting was over, none of the officials left the hall. Their gazes were all focused on the newly appointed Left Imperial Censor Chu Junyi.

Chu Junyi ignored their speculations and discussions. He took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and carefully wiped away the blood stains on the imperial word.

Then, he pulled off a hair and gently blew it towards the sword. The light hair instantly broke into two pieces. He wielded the sword swiftly and it emitted a cold light.

“What a nice sword!”

Everyone felt their hearts going cold. Many officials almost had the illusion that the swords had cut their necks. They subconsciously covered their necks.

Chu Junyi took the sheath from the eunuch at the side and sheathed the sword. Then he walked straight to Shen Ninghua and said, “Your Highness, let me escort you back to you mansion.”

Shen Ninghua gently tidied her sleeves and nodded with a smile.

The two of them walked out shoulder to shoulder. Even the aura around them seemed to merge into one.

After the two of them left, the civil and military officials gradually restored their senses and left in a hurry.

They needed to hurry back and investigate the youngsters of their clans to see if there was anyone who bullied the people. If there was, they should kill them in time, so as not to implicate the entire family like the Assistant Minister of Rites’ son did.

After returning to the princess mansion, Shen Ninghua looked at the imperial sword in Chu Junyi’s hand in a very good mood and praised, “What a sharp weapon!”

“Definitely. It’s definitely a good weapon if used properly.”

“How do you plan to use it?” Shen Ninghua’s eyes shone brightly.

Chu Junyi smiled mysteriously. “His Majesty entrusted me with an important task and I have to live up to his expectations by killing without prior report.”

“Then the officials of the capital are probably going to remonstrate His Majesty with their deaths.”

“Those censors are basically all rank two. It’s a pity that I can’t directly cut off their heads.” Chu Junyi shook his head regretfully, not caring about the censors at all.

Shen Ninghua’s eyes rolled. “You became a rank-one Left Imperial Censor. There must be countless people who are jealous of you. Do you have any countermeasure?”

“Countermeasure?” A sinister smile flashed across Chu Junyi’s face. “If they simply criticize me, let them do it. If they want to frame me again, then I can kill them and report to His Majesty later. His Majesty has already given me this privilege.”

Shen Ninghua smiled and curved her eyes. Her mood was extremely good. She could almost predict what kind of bloody storm would ensue next. This was also good. When the capital was quiet, people’s minds would become restless. It was easier to fish in troubled waters.

Seeing the smile on Ninghua’s lips, Chu Junyi abruptly stepped forward and said, “My honey smiles so beautifully.”

The smile on Shen Ninghua’s face instantly froze. The veins on her forehead flashed as she pushed his face aside with her palm.

Feeling the soft and fragrant fingers pressing down on his lips, Chu Junyi’s heart was filled with a wicked smile, and he licked her palm twice.

Shen Ninghua withdrew her fingers as if she was electrocuted, and her face instantly flushed red. “You…you lackey, I’ll chop you off first!”

Chu Junyi hurriedly leapt away. “Ninghua, are you trying to murder your husband? Hey, hey, don’t chase me. Who will give birth to my son if you get too tired?”

“If you dare to speak nonsense again, I will also drug you and throw you out!”

“Ah, honey, you can feed me the drug, but you shouldn’t throw me out. Just let me stay in your room. Actually, you still don’t know me well enough. If you know me well enough, you’ll know that I don’t need to take the drug…” Chu Junyi’s smile grew even more sinister. His eyes were so flirtatious that they made Shen Ninghua blush.

This expression might seem wretched on the faces of ordinary people, but on his face, it only gave off an evil charm, making Shen Ninghua grit her teeth even more when she saw it.

The two of them played around for a long time before Chu Junyi willingly let Shen Ninghua beat him. Then Chu Junyi set off to return to the Xiao Mansion.

As soon as he returned, Xiao Huanxi’s maidservant came over and said, “Young Master, Miss invites you to come over to her courtyard. She said that she had something important to discuss with you.”

The joy in Chu Junyi’s heart subsided, and a wave of disgust and impatience rose up. “Your miss is so ill that she is confused. Are you also confused as her personal maid? How can other men enter her bedroom at will?”

“Young Master, please calm down. You are her elder brother, so you feel free to go and see her.”

Chu Junyi sneered. “What kind of brother am I? Eldest Brother has also said that I should avoid her.”

Xiao Huanxi walked in from the door, covering her chest with tears in her eyes. “Brother Junyi, you actually avoid me as if I’m a snake or a scorpion. Do I really make you feel so unbearable?”

As she spoke, she signaled for the maid to walk out.

Chu Junyi looked at her coldly with a mocking look in his eyes. “I do feel disgusted about a person who drugged others.”

Xiao Huanxi’s tears fell like pearls, and her entire body seemed to be on the verge of collapse. “Brother Junyi, I know that no matter how I explain it now, you won’t believe me. I just came here today to tell you something very important.”

“What is it?”

Xiao Huanxi bit her lips and said, “About your identity…”