118: Treason

Chapter 117 Treason and Rebellion

"You...!"

Wang Ze was horrified. How could the letters between his Wang family and Wu Country have ended up in Yuan Qichang's hands?

Could it be...

He suddenly turned his head, looking at Your Majesty in horror.

"Your Majesty?"

"Present them!"

An eunuch presented these letters, respectfully placing them on the table.

Zheng Yi opened them to take a look. Although he had long since read the contents of the letters, the more he read now, the more alarmed he became, and his anger grew even greater.

He slammed the letters on the table to the ground with a forceful push and shouted angrily, "Wang Ze, Wang He, what else do you two have to say?"

The two trembled and dropped to their knees. Wang Ze still wanted to resist, so he gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, Yuan Qichang is merely a lowly fifth-rank censor. How could he possibly obtain such important letters?"

"These letters must be forgeries! We beseech Your Majesty to investigate clearly!"

"Forgeries? Very well, very well..."

Zheng Yi laughed out of extreme anger. You are still struggling at a time like this?

"Your Majesty, this subject has a memorial to report!"

Suddenly, someone else spoke up. When everyone turned back, they discovered that it was actually a military official dressed in cyan court robes adorned with third-rank tiger patterns stepping out of the ranks.

Court Discussion General, Jin Peng!

This person was not a regular court official, but rather originated from the Longxiang Army. He was the head of Xu Mujun's personal guards and a general who had rendered great service.

Half a month ago, he returned to the capital to report on his duties and simultaneously inform the imperial court about the specific personnel handling the newly occupied two prefectures of Wu Country.

At the same time, he was also Xu Mujun's representative in the imperial court.

Zheng Yi said indifferently, "Beloved Minister Jin, what matter do you have to report?"

"Replying to Your Majesty!"

Jin Peng said, "Grand General Xu Mujun sent word a few days ago that he mobilized tens of thousands of surrendered soldiers to clear Black Mountain Pass, digging out all the ruins and rubble within Black Mountain Pass."

"In the official residence of Tuerga, the defending general of Black Mountain Pass, they confiscated a large amount of correspondence and contact methods with aristocratic families and merchants in places like Bing Province and You Province. Among them, the one with the most records was undeniably the Taiyuan Wang clan of Bing Province."

"Additionally, we also dug up a large number of weapons, armor, and other items engraved with the seal of the 'Great Yu Frontier Army' from the ruins. These weapons were brand new and unopened, clearly indicating that someone had sold them to Black Mountain Pass!"

"From the warehouses, they also seized numerous ledgers regarding transactions between various merchants of Bing Province and the Wu Country garrison, which detailed the specifics of every supplied goods sale..."

Before Jin Peng could finish speaking, Wang Ze and Wang He collapsed onto the ground, trembling violently with their foreheads covered in sweat.

The complexions of the other officials who had consistently followed the two were also extremely unsightly as they stood there trembling, and the cowardly ones directly collapsed onto the ground as well.

Xu Mujun!

Since he could dispatch Jin Peng to report this matter, it already proved that this matter was a hundred percent ironclad evidence.

The Wang family was finished!

As Jin Peng's words fell, Zheng Yi looked indifferently at Wang Ze and Wang He, who were kneeling on the ground, and said, "Do the two beloved ministers have anything else to say?"

"Y-Your Majesty, this subject, this subject! T-This is merely Grand General Xu Mujun's unilateral statement..."

"Your Majesty, this subject has a memorial to report!"

Another person stepped out of the ranks, attracting the gaze of most people.

Among them, the most surprised was none other than Minister of Rites Kong Xiangsi.

Because the one who had newly stepped out was a man from his Ministry of Rites.

Ministry of Rites Official, Cai Dashi.

This person's main responsibility was diplomacy; his authority was not large, but his position was extremely important.

Moreover, this Cai Dashi was not conspicuous among all the officials of the Ministry of Rites, having risen to his position by relying on his wife's family. Usually, he also suffered all sorts of cold glares in the Ministry of Rites and was ostracized by the rest.

Most importantly, Cai Dashi was not a person of Great Yu, but rather a person from Wei Country, which bordered Bin Province.

To be a person of Wei yet serve as an official in Great Yu—one could easily imagine his literary talent and capability.

Unfortunately, precisely because of his identity, he was ostracized by his colleagues, languishing and unappreciated, yet unable to resist.

Ultimately, after an investigation by the Jinyi Guard, he caught Zheng Yi's eye and was recruited as a member of the Emperors Party.

After joining the Emperors Party, Cai Dashi finally found the direction for his hard work and had constantly been trying every possible means to repay His Majesty's kindness of recognition.

"Your Majesty!"

Suppressing his excited emotions, Cai Dashi said, "When this subject was receiving the Wu Country diplomatic mission the other day, a Wu Country envoy was moved by the celestial might of our Great Yu and willingly submitted, presenting information and secret letters regarding high-ranking court officials who had previously taken the initiative to contact Wu Country."

"Among them, it included Lords Wang Ze and Wang He, as well as several other colleagues."

"These officials serve as officials in our Great Yu, yet they rack their brains to betray Great Yu's interests simply for their own selfish gains."

"Betraying national intelligence, selling military supplies, smuggling salt, iron, and armor..."

"Case after case is vivid in the mind. Letter after letter is shocking to the core!"

As he spoke, Cai Dashi pulled a bundle from his embrace and said respectfully, "This is the evidence presented by the Wu Country special envoy. This evidence bears the personal fingerprints of the various lords, as well as their private seals. There is absolutely no possibility of forgery!"

"Present it!"

A eunuch hurried down and carried the bundle up.

Only at this moment did the many ministers in the court realize that today's grand court assembly was simply a Hongmen Banquet set up for the Wang family!

His Majesty had already mastered all the evidence; what he wanted was merely a process and the moral high ground.

Lu Xiangqing, who was at the head, quickly reacted. Just as he wanted to step out and speak, someone else moved faster than him.

Zheng Xuanyue!

"Your Majesty! This case is extremely far-reaching and actually involves two cabinet ministers. However, deeply understanding the greater righteousness of the country, this subject specially requests that the two lords be stripped of their posts and investigated, and that they be tried jointly by the Three Judicial Offices."

Zheng Xuanyue said righteously, "Once the truth is ascertained, deal with them strictly."

Zheng Yi did not reply, instead reviewing the materials in his hands page by page.

Half an incense stick's time later, he asked indifferently, "Once the truth is ascertained, if it turns out just as several beloved ministers have said, what should be done then?"

Zheng Xuanyue said without any hesitation, "Colluding with enemy states, smuggling salt and iron, betraying the intelligence of our Great Yu's border passes, and furthermore privately storing and selling armor... Execution of the nine familial exterminations!"

"This subject seconds this!"

Lu Xiangqing quickly stepped out of the ranks and spoke.

The remaining officials also hurriedly followed suit:

"This subject seconds this!"

"This subject seconds this!"

"This subject seconds this..."

"Your Majesty!"

Wang He suddenly cried out, "Wronged! This subject has been wronged...!"

Zheng Yi couldn't be bothered to keep up the act anymore. Casually discarding the letters in his hand, he said, "Proclaim the imperial decree!"

After Liu Chengen, the Directorate of Ceremonial's brush-wielding eunuch, left, the great eunuch who closely followed Zheng Yi, Ma Dehai, swiftly pulled out the imperial decree and said loudly,

"By heaven's mandate, the emperor's decree states:"

"Now, in Datong Commandery of Bing Province, there are the Eight Great Merchants of Bing headed by the descendants of the Wang clan. They colluded with Wu Country bandits, betrayed the country to seek glory, and privately sold salt, iron, weapons, armor, and even the intelligence of the frontier garrison troops..."

"They shall be jointly tried by the Three Judicial Offices, striving for justice and impartiality."

"Order! This case has conclusive evidence, with both human witnesses and physical evidence present. However, out of my deep benevolence and considering that the Wang family once rendered service to the country, special grace is hereby granted: in this case, only the principal offenders shall be executed, and the remaining accomplices may be dealt with leniently!"

"The Jinyi Guard and prefectural troops nationwide are ordered to issue warrants to apprehend all persons connected to the Eight Great Merchants of Bing. Their landed property, family assets, and shops shall be completely sealed, and no one is permitted to meddle with them."

"After the truth is ascertained, the principal offenders shall suffer the execution of the nine familial exterminations, and their entire clan's property shall be confiscated to fill the national treasury. Respect this!!!"

As Ma Dehai's voice fell, the entire grand hall fell into utter silence, everyone unable to believe their own ears.

Execution of the nine familial exterminations.

Yet another execution of the nine familial exterminations!

It had only been six years since Your Majesty ascended the throne, and how many people had already suffered the execution of the nine familial exterminations?

Tang King, Yang Xuansu, Prince of Yan, Tian Wenjing, and now this massive group of the merchants of Bing must be added to it.

If this continued...

What thoughts would the court ministers hold in their hearts?

Yet Zheng Yi did not give them any opportunity to consider it at all.

"Jin Peng."

"This subordinate is here!"

"Where has Grand General Xu reached?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, Grand General Xu has already led troops to Bing Province, rallying the frontier army of Bing Province, and no one dares to block his way!"

In order to resolve the aristocratic families of Bing Province and the Eight Great Merchants of Bing, Zheng Yi had even summoned Xu Mujun back to the central government under the guise of "reporting on his duties."

The purpose was precisely to suppress petty villains and ensure a smooth transition.

As for the major military and political affairs of the Mang Huang Two Prefectures, these matters had already entirely fallen upon Zheng Zongxian.

For so many years, the upper and lower ranks of the Bing Province frontier army had long been corrupted by the Eight Great Merchants of Bing.

Otherwise, where would Wu Country have gotten so many Great Yu standard military equipment? They had all been sold out by the Eight Great Merchants of Bing!

Another reason was that the year-end was approaching, and Xu Mujun had not returned to the capital to reunite with his family for three years.

Zheng Yi's action was also taken with Consort Xu and Xu Mujun's family in mind.

"Court dismissed!"

"Court dismissed!!!"

The grand court assembly concluded, and the many officials withdrew like flowing water.

Yet the news of the Wang family's downfall swept through the entire imperial court and Great Yu like a storm.

"The Wang family has fallen!"

"What is going on? What has happened?"

"The Wang family colluded with Wu Country, not only privately trading salt, iron, and cloth, but even selling weapons and armor!"

"The Wang family are the most despicable wretches; they even dared to sell frontier army intelligence!"

"And things like frontier army ordnance, along with repeating crossbows, were all sold by them."

"Hiss... No wonder our Great Yu has suffered consecutive defeats all these years; only Grand General Xu Mujun alone is capable of suppressing the northern frontier."

"I rather think it is the advantage of the New Army's firearms!"

"Indeed, indeed. The New Army established by Your Majesty is truly formidable, suppressing all the rebels of Yong Province in a mere month!"

Innumerable court ministers discussed the matter. Meanwhile, in Bing Province, the Eight Great Merchants of Bing headed by the Wang family, along with numerous aristocratic families, landlords, and minor merchants, marched toward destruction under the joint suppression of Zheng Yi and Xu Mujun.

On November 20th of the sixth year of zhengyong,

Liu Chengen, together with Cui Xiawu, secretly detained the chief managers and Clan Chiefs of the Eight Great Merchants of Bing, and dispatched personnel to garrison the grand courtyards and fortified manors of the Eight Great Merchants of Bing.

They further proclaimed the imperial decree declaring that the Eight Great Merchants of Bing headed by the Wang family were suspected of treason and rebellion, and their entire clans were cast into the grand prison!

On December 15th of the sixth year of zhengyong,

Great Yu held a grand court assembly.

Emperor Zhengyong announced twenty-one counts of crimes against the Datong Wang clan, primarily focusing on rebellion, treason, and deceiving the monarch, sentencing the Datong Wang clan to the execution of the nine familial exterminations, to be beheaded after autumn!

The remaining accomplices were sentenced to punishments ranging from the execution of three familial generations to complete annihilation of the household and exile.

The assembled ministers trembled with fear, private rumors boiled over, and the political situation was turbulent.

Numerous aristocratic families began sending large numbers of people to the capital to win over the hundreds of officials of the imperial court and probe His Majesty's movements.

Privately, the aristocratic families began to closely unite, casting weapons, fortifying manors, and recruiting refugees. For a time, the entire Great Yu was plunged into a tense atmosphere.

On December 28th of the sixth year of zhengyong,

Xu Mujun led his army back to the capital. The common people lined the streets to welcome them and gaze upon the military demeanor.

On the tenth day, the emperor personally led the civil and military officials to welcome them at the Divine Martial Gate of the imperial palace.

The emperor and he chatted happily hand in hand, walking together into the palace.

That night, the emperor hosted a grand banquet within White Jade Capital. Consort Xu made an appearance, accompanied by the civil and military officials, to congratulate Grand General Xu on his triumphant return.

Xu Mujun's granddaughter, Great Yu's Fourth Princess Zheng Yuxuan, performed a dance, looking dainty and lovely, which drew praise and acclaim from countless ministers.

Xu Mujun was extremely fond of her, personally sitting beside her and regarding her as the apple of his eye.

Late into the night, Xu Mujun stayed overnight at White Jade Capital, with the emperor personally accompanying him. The two conversed deep into the night—an supreme favor!

The next day.

The two had conversed all night, yet they remained full of vigor and spirit; after all, they were both experts of the Innate Realm.

Going without sleep or rest for several days was truly ordinary for them.

"Your Majesty, your actions this time were still far too hasty!"

Xu Mujun said in a cautious tone, "Your Majesty, what on earth are you in such a rush for?"