29: Punish the Nine Clans (Please collect and read)

Chapter 29: Exterminating the Nine Familial Clans (Seeking collections and active reads)

"Yang Reverse, exterminate the nine familial clans!"

Xu Mujun was the first to speak, and then other officials successively suggested:

"Your Majesty, this subject requests the execution of Yang Reverse and his nine familial clans!"

"Those close to Yang Reverse shall be regarded as accomplices, and their nine familial clans shall also be exterminated!"

"Your Majesty, among Yang Reverse's accomplices, there are some flatterers who did not participate in the rebellion. Now that the imperial court is in need of personnel, I beg Your Majesty to deal with them leniently..."

In fact, regarding the disposition of Yang Xuansu and his group, the ministers had already discussed and reached a conclusion.

Today was merely a formality.

After some discussion, Zheng Yi issued an imperial decree.

Yang Xuansu, exterminate the nine familial clans!

The Minister of Revenue, the Minister of Rites, the Minister of Personnel, and others, exterminate the three familial clans!

The remaining personnel of rank five and below, according to their official positions and whether they participated in the treason, shall be punished leniently, demoted by three ranks, and retained in office for observation.

After all, if the imperial court lost so many people, its operations might encounter problems.

After Zheng Yi made the announcement, he brushed off his hands and returned to the palace.

However, the subsequent matters regarding the appointment and dismissal of officials attracted the attention of countless people.

Whether they had connections or not, everyone risked their necks to squeeze in.

In the mansions of the few remaining senior officials of the Six Ministries and other ministers, people ran inside every day carrying all sorts of gifts.

Especially in Xu Mujun's mansion.

At all times, people came to the door with visiting cards seeking an audience. Unfortunately, Xu Mujun came from a military background and closed his doors to visitors, with the entire mansion guarded by the Longxiang Army.

He refused to see any court ministers, only discussing matters of official appointments and dismissals with a few ministers in the court.

Countless officials returned in defeat, yet they still waited outside the mansion, hoping for a miracle to happen.

The entire capital city, beneath calm lake waters, was actually full of undercurrents.

It was not peaceful over at Xu Mujun's place, and Zheng Yi's place wasn't very peaceful either.

Several imperial concubines, the empress, and even the empress dowager frequently ran over to see him.

The purpose was very simple—it was to secure official positions!

"Your Majesty!"

Liu Chengen walked in briskly: "Consort Shu requests an audience."

Hearing this name, Zheng Yi felt a wave of headache.

Ever since Yang Xuansu fell from power, Consort Shu, being his daughter, ran over every day to request an audience with him.

Wasn't it just to plead for mercy for her parents and family?

Unwilling to see this situation, Zheng Yi could only grit his teeth and reject Consort Shu.

But now that the overall situation was settled, it was time to see her.

After thinking for a moment, he said: "Let Consort Shu in."

"Understood."

Soon, Consort Shu, dressed in a plain white dress, walked in briskly, her pretty Face filled with sorrow and apprehension.

Her pupils were extremely red, clearly having cried for a long time.

"Your Majesty~"

As soon as they met, Consort Shu suddenly fell to her knees on the ground: "This concubine knows that my father has committed a capital crime. I do not ask Your Majesty to spare my father's life, but only beg Your Majesty, for the sake of the unborn child in this concubine's womb, to let this concubine see my family, wuwu wuwu..."

Zheng Yi said with a strange expression: "You only ask to see your family once?"

"Yes..."

Zheng Yi was silent and speechless, looking at Consort Shu kneeling on the ground.

Yang Xuansu had to be killed.

After this matter, Consort Shu would be completely isolated, with no major ministers in the court supporting her, and she could only be an ordinary concubine for the rest of her life.

Unless she gave birth to a Dragon prince... but that was simply impossible.

Yang Huan was very smart.

She knew when to advance or retreat, and understood the bigger picture.

But even so, it would be better for you and me not to meet in the future.

"Fine, I promise you. I allow you to see your parents and family once."

Consort Shu said pleasantly surprised: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Step down~" Zheng Yi suddenly said: "There is one more thing. If you handle it well for me, I can discretionarily spare one... two people."

Yang Huan's eyes suddenly lit up, and she said pleasantly surprised: "Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty! This concubine will definitely handle it well, definitely..."

Zheng Yi said: "Only those under three years old, only females."

Yang Huan was slightly stunned, but still nodded vigorously: "This concubine obeys the decree."

"Lean your ear closer."

Zheng Yi waved his hand, signaling Yang Huan to lean in: "I am very interested in that Fire Spirit Master Daoist recruited by your father. If you can find out from your father about that Fire Spirit Master's background and the matter of immortal cultivation..."

After Consort Shu stepped down, Zheng Yi rubbed his head.

If it weren't for saving his life and the subsequent plan, he really didn't want to take over this messy situation of the Great Yu Dynasty.

And obtaining matters of cultivation from Yang Xuansu's mouth was also one of his goals.

Immortal cultivation!

He had the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror, and longevity was within sight.

What was lacking was... carefree freedom!

Unfortunately, until now, he had only seen one immortal cultivator like Fire Spirit Master.

Eastern Cloud Wind didn't count.

Moreover, over these past few months, he had searched through all the royal classics and failed to find a shred of content related to cultivation.

It was as if... they had been deliberately destroyed.

As for why, he also vaguely guessed something.

Throughout successive dynasties, emperors cultivating immortality was a major taboo.

Because emperors who cultivated immortality and pursued longevity and lost their empire were countless.

Perhaps the successive late emperors of the Great Yu Dynasty, in order to ban and cut off their descendants from cultivating immortality, destroyed all classics and records concerning cultivation.

As for whether things were truly like this, it remained to be investigated.

The few people he could now know about concerning immortal cultivation were very few.

Apart from Fire Spirit Master and Eastern Cloud Wind, there was also Xu Mujun.

In his hands, he actually had that Flying Sword of Fire Spirit Master.

However, now was not the time to inquire about this matter.

After thinking for a moment, he said: "Chengen, summon Xu Mujun for an audience."

"Yes... Your Majesty!"

Soon, Xu Mujun entered the palace.

Because Jiaotai Hall had been destroyed, Zheng Yi could only receive him in Zhonghe Hall.

"Your Majesty."

"Minister Xu, I have an idea that I wish to discuss with you."

"Please speak, Your Majesty."

"I want to establish an institution above the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, named the 'Cabinet'."

Zheng Yi said: "Select virtuous, respected, and self-restraining and public-spirited individuals from the court to enter as assistant ministers to assist me in managing state affairs. The head of the Cabinet shall be the Senior Grand Secretary, choosing five or seven people. When encountering major matters that cannot be decided, they can vote by show of hands. How does that sound?"

"The decrees deliberated by the Cabinet will then be submitted to me for review, or reviewed by people sent by me, before issuing the decree."

Xu Mujun quickly reacted: "Your Majesty, are you splitting and delegating the power of the prime minister?"

"It can be seen that way."

"This... is very good."

"The first Senior Grand Secretary shall be none other than you, Minister Xu."

Xu Mujun said: "Thank you, Your Majesty. This subject will certainly be self-restraining and public-spirited, and devote all my efforts to the utmost!"

"But how should the candidates for the Cabinet be chosen? Should they be chosen from the Ministers of the Six Ministries, or from other departments, or from the Hanlin Academy?"

"My meaning is that the Ministers of the Six Ministries should not enter the Cabinet; otherwise, with busy affairs, it is very likely to produce the opposite effect."

Zheng Yi said: "As for the candidates, let's choose them from departments outside the Six Ministries."

"The Hanlin Academy, Dali Temple, or even the Imperial Astronomical Bureau will do."

"Yang Xuansu committed treason, and the court lacks people. We can only wait until officials are re-transferred from across the country."

Xu Mujun was silent for a few breaths and said: "Your subject obeys the decree."

"It's not easy coming into the palace, go see Luaner."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Xu Mujun left, and Zheng Yi summoned Liu Chengen again.

"Chengen, how is the Directorate of Ceremonial that I asked you to form coming along?"