Grand Secretary Li’s teeth were grinding audibly.
He… he truly hadn’t known!
Now, whenever he thought about how close he had been with the Ren brothers, and how many banquets he had attended at the Ren residence, he felt sick enough to vomit.
Who knew what those people had been using in their cooking?!
It was horrifying!
And the Crown Prince as well, how could the Crown Prince have personally told him that Ren Ming and Ren Zhong were worth trusting and employing?
Those two believed in the White Lotus Sect. What exactly made them trustworthy or useful?!
He had been completely ruined.
Emperor Yongchang raised an eyebrow slightly. “It seems that Grand Secretary Li’s eyes have grown dim with age as well. He is no longer fit to remain in the Grand Secretariat. With the Ren family’s crimes exposed, if you continue occupying this position, it will be difficult to convince the public. Go home and live out your days as a wealthy retiree.”
Grand Secretary Li knelt on the ground in unbearable anguish.
He had worked hard his entire life, only to meet such an end.
Even if an old minister wished to retire, there was a proper procedure.
For example, he would submit a memorial requesting retirement.
Normally, the Emperor would refuse several times.
Only after the third request would the Emperor bestow rewards and permit him to return home in honorable retirement.
That was the proper way to leave office.
In that way, even after returning to one’s hometown, one would still be respected, and local officials would treat him with courtesy.
But now?
It was like a thousand years of cultivation lost in a single day. From this moment on, he would have no reputation left to speak of.
Yet he could not utter a single word in his defense.
All he could do was bow heavily, knock his head against the floor, close his eyes, and remove his official hat with an ashen face.
Like a walking corpse, he staggered out.
Emperor Yongchang then swept his gaze over the members of the Grand Secretariat.
Seeing them all holding their breath in silence, he let out a cold snort and ordered Eunuch Xia to summon the Minister of the Dali Temple, the Censor Tie who had been waiting outside, and Minister of Justice Wang Wenqiang.
Afterward, he recounted the Ren family’s case and frowned at them. “I am placing this case in the hands of the Three Judicial Offices for a joint investigation. Censor Tie will preside over it, while the two of you assist him. I want every detail uncovered! Leave no stone unturned and spare no one who deserves punishment! Do you understand?!”
Censor Tie was furious.
Previously, he had already found Ren Zhong’s pursuit of fame and reputation utterly shameless.
Never in his wildest imagination had he expected Ren Ming to be using evil sorcery to murder people and steal their lifespans.
He could not help stomping his feet in outrage. “Monstrous! Absolutely monstrous! He’s not human, he’s unworthy of being called human!”
Never in his life had he seen someone so vile.
Emperor Yongchang looked at him coldly. “He has murdered people in this manner. Ren Shuquan possessed a White Lotus headscarf. I refuse to believe the rest of the Ren family knew nothing. I want every member of the Ren family to meet a miserable end. Do you understand?”
Chu Bo’s eyelids twitched violently.
But Censor Tie answered as if it were the most natural conclusion. “If only one person had been killed, perhaps the others might truly have been unaware. But with so many victims, there is absolutely no way the rest of the Ren family knew nothing. They merely helped conceal the truth. Knowing and failing to report it, aiding evil and abetting wrongdoing, they deserve death as well! This minister understands!”
Emperor Yongchang finally let out a breath.
***
At the same time, Xiao Yunting also exhaled and asked Qingfeng: “The Daoist agreed?”
Qingfeng hurriedly answered in a low voice: “Yes. After Miss Qi sent Liujin over, this subordinate immediately went to seek the Daoist. The Daoist said…”
Xiao Yunting closed his eyes. “Just say it.”
“The Daoist said that after Your Highness left the mountain, you changed as well. Those birth dates and eight characters were indeed being used to extend someone’s life, but the beneficiary was not Ren Ming. Rather…”
Qingfeng glanced at Xiao Yunting awkwardly and shivered.
For a moment, he could not continue.
Slowly, Xiao Yunting let out a gloomy sigh.
Then he sneered. “I already know whose life was being extended through those stolen years. Yet I have no choice but to cover it up. Not for his sake, but for the Eastern Palace, and for Imperial Grandfather as well. If this matter becomes public, the dignity of the imperial family will be utterly destroyed.”
Who would dare believe that the Crown Prince of the dynasty had allowed sorcerers to use such wicked arts to prolong his life?
It was simply unheard of.
He suddenly stood and strode outside.
Qingfeng hurried after him. “Your Highness! Your Highness, where are you going?”
Xiao Yunting headed straight for the Crown Prince’s palace.
The Crown Prince was still ill and still under house arrest.
But the guards did not dare stop Xiao Yunting.
After all, despite everything, he had continued to come every morning and evening to perform the proper filial greetings over the past several days.
Even Emperor Yongchang had tacitly approved of it.
The Crown Prince, however, felt no gratitude whatsoever.
The moment he saw Xiao Yunting, he let out a mocking laugh. “Putting on an act for a few days is enough. Keep pretending for too long and you might fool yourself into thinking you’re really some dutiful son and virtuous grandson.”
The father and son had long since torn away all pretense.
The Crown Prince no longer bothered concealing his hostility.
Nor did Xiao Yunting bother pretending.
He immediately barked at the Crown Prince’s chief eunuch: “Get out!”
The Crown Prince’s expression changed drastically. “You beast! How dare you order my people around!”
Xiao Yunting met him head-on without yielding an inch.
“What? Do you want him to hear about all the corpses buried beneath the Ren family’s estate?!”
The color drained from the Crown Prince’s face instantly.
His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Xiao Yunting.
For a moment, he was speechless.
With a loud smack, Xiao Yunting slapped the chief eunuch across the face.
His sharp and domineering presence burst forth. “Didn’t you hear me? Get out!”
At that moment, Xiao Yunting’s aura completely overwhelmed the Crown Prince’s.
The chief eunuch scrambled out in terror.
Only then did Xiao Yunting drag over a chair and sit down.
Looking coldly at the Crown Prince lying on the bed, he said: “You used such a vicious method to extend your life. Did you really think it would buy you a few more years?”
The Crown Prince stared at him fiercely. “How do you know about this?”
“It’s not just me. The truth has already come to light!” Xiao Yunting glared at him. “What kind of Crown Prince are you? You’re not even worthy of being called human! The people of this realm are your subjects, they are your children. And what have you done to your children?!”
Years of resentment and dissatisfaction poured out unchecked.
“You still scramble for power and prestige. You still envy and suppress the capable. What exactly are you? What achievements do you have? Have you forgotten how Imperial Grandmother endured humiliation to protect you? How my royal mother endured countless grievances while serving the Empress Dowager to preserve your reputation as a filial son?!”
The Crown Prince trembled violently.
His shaking finger pointed at Xiao Yunting.
But Xiao Yunting’s face held only contempt and cold indifference.
“I am ashamed of you! Ashamed that I am your son! You’re a scoundrel, a complete disgrace! You are not qualified to be Crown Prince, and you’re even less qualified to be my father! You’re nothing but a beast!”
The word beast was one the Crown Prince had used against him before.
Now Xiao Yunting returned it to him unchanged.
The Crown Prince deserved it.
Still pointing at Xiao Yunting, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Then he violently coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed backward, stiff as a board.
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