"They didn't make Zhao Feng prepare something again, did they?" Li Xuan thought, feeling a bit speechless.
Although framing people was effective, the Internal Affairs Bureau couldn't always use the same trick, could it?
Emperor Yongyuan caught Li Xuan's suspicious glance and immediately understood what the little cat was thinking. He smiled and explained, "Don't worry, it's not that simple this time."
"If it were other places, I wouldn't need to go to such trouble, but Luodong City is different."
"Without some real evidence, it's not easy to touch the people here."
Emperor Yongyuan was confident, seemingly having already come up with an idea.
He waved to Li Xuan, who immediately jumped from Ankang Princess's arms onto the table and leaned in.
Emperor Yongyuan whispered in Li Xuan's ear for a while, and a mischievous smile couldn't help but appear on Li Xuan's face.
"As expected of an emperor who's been in power for so many years, his conscience is truly rotten!" Li Xuan thought to himself, giving Emperor Yongyuan a small look, letting him figure it out.
"Cough, cough." Emperor Yongyuan awkwardly coughed, not forgetting to remind Li Xuan, "Hero Mo, I'll need you to take action this time."
...
At the unfinished banquet.
After Emperor Yongyuan left, the atmosphere became even more lively.
Although it was late at night, everyone was in high spirits, only making it harder for the girls on stage who had to keep performing with new variations.
"Your Highness, has your journey been well so far?" Wang Wenbin, the chief official of Luodong City, asked with concern.
He was the prefect of this area and also the highest-ranking official in Luodong City.
However, Luodong City was somewhat unique; besides the prefectural yamen, there were also several official yamen managing silk, salt, and iron, which were not under the prefectural yamen's control.
But since everyone was in Luodong City, they saw each other constantly and had long become as close as brothers, maintaining an unspoken understanding.
"Although there were some twists and turns, there were no major issues," Prince Zheng replied calmly.
The news that Emperor Yongyuan had killed many corrupt officials along the way and promoted new people must have already reached Luodong City.
For so many years, this was the first time Prince Zheng had suffered such a loss, so the people below him had some reactions that needed to be appeased in a timely manner.
Emperor Yongyuan had been dormant in the capital for so many years, and a Southern Tour began with a bloody start, with heads rolling, which truly shocked these old officials.
On this matter, they were all waiting for Prince Zheng's reaction.
But in the past few days, besides hearing that another corrupt official had been beheaded by Emperor Yongyuan, there had been no movement from Prince Zheng's side.
This made the officials who relied on Prince Zheng's protection feel a bit uneasy.
Because this was an unimaginable situation in the past, yet it was now happening before their eyes.
Prince Zheng had governed the officialdom for so many years, so he still had this level of perceptiveness.
"Gentlemen, His Majesty has punished the officials who made mistakes in accordance with Great Xing law."
"It is reasonable both emotionally and logically. Although the methods were somewhat harsh, it was also to clear up the unhealthy trends in officialdom."
"For those officials who have not made mistakes, but instead have contributed to Great Xing, both His Majesty and I have taken notice."
"Therefore, there is no need for everyone to be so nervous."
"Moreover, this Southern Tour is halfway through. Once we are on the waterways, the rest of the journey will only be smoother."
As Prince Zheng spoke, he silently raised his cup, inviting everyone to drink together.
"For a better tomorrow for Great Xing, I ask all of you to drain this cup!"
After saying that, Prince Zheng led the way and drank it all, and the others followed suit.
Until the banquet ended, when Wang Wenbin, the prefect of Luodong City, subtly slipped a secret letter into Prince Zheng's sleeve as he left, then stumbled away, supported by his attendants.
Prince Zheng's expression remained unchanged as he silently took the letter.
When he returned to his room, his attendants immediately came forward to report, "Your Highness, the Internal Affairs Bureau's surveillance has loosened."
Prince Zheng nodded, not too surprised.
"They know that watching is useless. Guard the outside and don't allow anyone to disturb me."
After giving his orders, Prince Zheng returned to his room and nervously opened the letter.
Although he had only been disconnected from the outside world for a few days, enough had happened during that time.
Especially the failed operation in Jade Prefecture, which left Prince Zheng completely baffled.
He knew Jiang Pu's character too well; he was definitely not someone willing to take risks, let alone be loyal to the emperor and serve the country.
There weren't many people in officialdom who had been personally promoted by Emperor Yongyuan, so there was no particular debt of gratitude.
If there was any debt of gratitude, it was to Prince Zheng himself.
But precisely because of this, Jiang Pu's betrayal caught Prince Zheng off guard.
Prince Zheng opened the secret letter, which contained all the information that had not been reported to him during this period.
He saw that Jiang Pu had not only betrayed them but had also set up an ambush in his yamen, causing the Three Ghosts of the Cold River, who were sent to carry out the mission, to disappear without a trace.
Greenie and Pure Yang also had unfavorable actions and were both injured.
Greenie was even severely wounded by Wang Xi and almost didn't make it back.
But through that battle, they also confirmed Wang Xi's False Heavenly Dao Realm strength.
These pieces of bad news made Prince Zheng's expression grow increasingly solemn.
He knew the Great Inner's heritage was profound, but he had still underestimated it.
The False Heavenly Dao Realm was the limit for ordinary martial artists, and it was extremely difficult to produce one.
But with the foundation of a heritage, such things became controllable; by paying some price, it could be ensured that False Heavenly Dao Realm martial artists would appear in every generation.
Prince Zheng's preparations over the years were mostly to deal with the heritage and foundation of the Great Xing Dynasty.
He just didn't expect this foundation to be much deeper than what he had investigated, and he didn't know if Emperor Yongyuan had some incredible luck, or if the Great Inner had some secrets he didn't know about.
Speaking of luck, Emperor Yongyuan was truly remarkable.
Prince Zheng had also witnessed the efforts he made in his youth.
He allied with Northern Liang and the Wu Family, seeking external support.
As a result, he actually managed to produce a monstrous figure like Zhen Zhao Princess Princess.
Now, Ankang Princess also showed signs of emerging talent.
In this regard, Prince Zheng truly envied Emperor Yongyuan.
After reading the secret letter, Prince Zheng lit it with the lamp.
Although it was all unexpected bad news, Prince Zheng didn't pay too much attention to it.
In his opinion, Emperor Yongyuan's Southern Tour was destined not to last for more than a few days.
The further south he went, the fewer methods Emperor Yongyuan could use.
Prince Zheng had operated in the south for many years and had long gained unparalleled control.
In Prince Zheng's view, Emperor Yongyuan's Southern Tour this time was no different from walking into a trap.
Prince Zheng could tolerate the events of the past few days because he knew that as long as this Southern Tour continued, victory would eventually be his.
He was very confident about this.
Places as impenetrable as Luodong City would become more common the further south they went.
After all, Prince Zheng had developed these places as his own territory.
...
In the early hours of that day.
While everyone was sound asleep, a considerable explosion occurred at the Luodong City yamen, leveling the entire public hall.
Fortunately, there was no one in the public hall at that hour, so no casualties were caused.
However, such a loud commotion awakened many residents around the yamen.
Then, a sound of fighting came from the yamen, lasting for a full quarter of an hour.
Just then, a low voice came from the sky, followed by several flashes of black lightning.
"You scoundrels, how dare you openly attack the government and commit evil deeds!"
"How can I, Mo Tiansheng, tolerate you? Take this!"
The sounds of fighting immediately ceased, and several figures fell heavily from the sky.
"Thousand Vine Demoness, where do you think you're going!"
The voice in the sky gradually faded into the distance, and the commotion at the yamen slowly subsided, leaving behind only a mess.
Wang Wenbin, the prefect of Luodong City, was still shaken, looking at the several corpses left on the ground, his expression fluctuating.
"My lord, those on the ground have already died," a yamen runner reported.
"Can you tell the origins of both sides?" Wang Wenbin asked, suppressing his anger.
officials like them feared these Jianghu (jianghu ruffians) the most.
If they provoked them, it would truly be a stroke of bad luck.
These jianghu wanderers didn't care what high-ranking official you were; they only cared about the thrill of a common man's rage, blood splattering ten paces. Their lives as wanderers in the jianghu were already almost indistinguishable from being wanted criminals, so they simply didn't care.
They weren't from any famous sect, they drifted wherever they pleased, and the government couldn't do anything about them unless the Internal Affairs Bureau was dispatched.
Even at the Upper Three Ranks, the Internal Affairs Bureau couldn't easily manage them.
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After all, if they found a mountain to hide in, they could easily disappear for ten or twenty years.
"My lord, please forgive my ignorance," the subordinate yamen runner said helplessly.
In the dark, let alone not seeing clearly, even if he had, he wouldn't dare to speak carelessly.
Otherwise, if they held a grudge, it would cause trouble.
Wang Wenbin exhaled heavily several times, unsure of the other party's intentions.
The most severely damaged part of the yamen was the public hall, which looked like an attempt to humiliate him.
His subordinates immediately responded, fighting to a draw, and then an outsider arrived, driving the opponents away and leaving behind several corpses.
As for the name Thousand Vine Demoness, Wang Wenbin found it unfamiliar, but his subordinates also shook their heads, so he didn't press further.
Whether his martial artist subordinates were genuinely confused or feigning ignorance, it proved that the other party was not to be trifled with.
"My lord, this matter…" The yamen runner looked at Wang Wenbin for instructions.
"Tomorrow, I will personally report to His Majesty. You all just clean up here first."
"Oh, and inquire about Thousand Vine Demoness and Mo Tiansheng. I need to report information about both of them as well."
Wang Wenbin stated clearly that they only needed to gather information, and he would report it directly; they didn't need to worry about other matters.
The yamen runner breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and quickly accepted the order.
After being awakened, Wang Wenbin had little desire to sleep and immediately summoned the main officials of Luodong City for a meeting.
However, it was still dark, and gathering everyone would likely take some time.
Wang Wenbin was about to wait patiently when, as soon as dawn broke, he received a summons from Emperor Yongyuan.
He dared not delay and immediately set off in his sedan chair for the temporary palace. At the entrance, he just happened to meet other officials who were heading to the yamen.
"Gentlemen, His Majesty has summoned us. Let's go quickly."
The others, not knowing why, quickly changed direction and followed behind Wang Wenbin.
When they arrived, Emperor Yongyuan had already been waiting for a long time.
Also up early were Prince Zheng and many accompanying officials.
They were all yawning and sleepy-eyed.
Last night's banquet lasted until late, and many had only slept for a few hours before being pulled out of bed again, so they naturally lacked energy.
But Emperor Yongyuan was different; he was full of energy early in the morning, clearly having had a good night's sleep.
When Wang Wenbin and the other Luodong City officials arrived, Emperor Yongyuan immediately asked, "I heard that someone attacked the yamen not long ago. What exactly happened?"
Wang Wenbin glanced in Prince Zheng's direction, and seeing no instructions from him, he immediately recounted everything that had happened.
Upon hearing that someone had attacked the yamen and caused considerable damage, everyone perked up.
Bang!
Emperor Yongyuan slammed the table and said angrily, "Such a thing happened as soon as I arrived! It seems someone has ulterior motives and wants to show me some color!"
"Prefect Wang, you just mentioned Thousand Vine Demoness, right?"
Regarding Emperor Yongyuan's question, Wang Wenbin quickly added, "And another person who called himself Mo Tiansheng."
"Listening to Prefect Wang's description, this person seems to have acted righteously and even helped you kill several culprits."
Emperor Yongyuan showed a thoughtful expression, then said, "But Prefect Wang also has a point. Zhao Feng, do you know the origins of these two?"
Emperor Yongyuan feigned asking Zhao Feng, who was standing nearby.
Zhao Feng immediately stepped forward and replied, "Reporting to His Majesty."
"Thousand Vine Demoness is a demonic sect overlord, with countless blood debts and formidable strength."
"The Internal Affairs Bureau had already received intelligence that the attack in Jinghou County was her doing."
"Furthermore, I heard that shortly after the Southern Tour convoy left Jade Prefecture, the Jade Prefecture yamen also encountered a high-level attack, which was repelled by Prefect Jiang in cooperation with local righteous experts."
"Adding the attack in Luodong City, it seems the demonic path is launching a series of insane targeted strikes against government offices."
Upon hearing Zhao Feng's words, Emperor Yongyuan immediately flew into a rage: "Nonsense!"
"Zhao Feng, how are you performing as Chief of the Internal Affairs Bureau to allow such things to happen?"
Zhao Feng hastily knelt down to beg for forgiveness, kowtowing repeatedly.
"Your Majesty, spare my life, Your Majesty, spare my life…"
"These evil cultists have always been unruly, relying on their cultivation to commit evil deeds."
"Even if this servant wished to intervene, the Internal Affairs Bureau truly lacks the manpower."
Zhao Feng skillfully played the victim.
"Is it truly that powerful?"
"More formidable than the Great Inner Experts?"
Emperor Yongyuan feigned disbelief.
Prince Zheng and the other officials had already sensed that something was amiss.
Prince Zheng was about to say something when Zhao Feng spoke first, "Your Majesty, you may not know, but Great Inner Experts can certainly subdue these evil cultists, but wouldn't that correspondingly weaken Your Majesty's personal guard?"
"This servant fears that these evil cultists have ulterior motives and are aiming for Your Majesty, so I dared not act rashly. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."
Zhao Feng said, feeling wronged.
"Nonsense! Nonsense!"
"How can my mighty Great Xing fear these jianghu evil cultists!?"
Emperor Yongyuan was furious.
At this moment, the two low-key dukes stepped forward and offered a suggestion.
"Your Majesty, as the saying goes, jianghu matters are settled by jianghu people."
"To deal with these people, the government doesn't necessarily need to act directly."
"The other person Prefect Wang mentioned earlier, this old man also knows him; he is a highly respected hero in the capital."
"It seems this Mo Tiansheng is currently pursuing these culprits. Why not issue more hero invitations and ask the righteous martial arts world to eliminate these scoundrels?"
"Our government can open doors and offer some rewards. Wouldn't that kill two birds with one stone?"
Su Ding'an suggested, and Marquis Zhongguo nodded in agreement from the side.
This coordinated performance made the others quite uncomfortable.
Prince Zheng couldn't help but give Wang Wenbin a meaningful look.
After all, it was his yamen that was attacked, so he, as the party involved, still had some say.
But just as Wang Wenbin opened his mouth, his expression suddenly changed, he spat out a mouthful of blood, then fainted and collapsed, his life unknown.
"Someone, quickly, someone!"