180: The strong prey on the weak, no reason
Imperial Palace.
Imperial Study.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Xie Weilou and Lord State Uncle Xue bowed to the Xia Emperor.
“Rise.”
The Xia Emperor waved his hand lightly.
The two stood up.
The Xia Emperor looked at Xie Weilou: “Xie Weilou, how is the investigation of the case progressing?”
Xie Weilou respectfully replied: “Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been thoroughly investigated.”
The Xia Emperor nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction in his eyes: “You did well this time.”
After speaking, his gaze fell upon Lord State Uncle Xue, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: “I heard that the Guojiu Mansion was involved in the refining of golden tea. Is that true?”
Lord State Uncle Xue’s body trembled, and he immediately knelt on the ground, hastily saying: “Reporting to Your Majesty, that scoundrel Xue Li actually colluded with the black market’s evil faction to secretly refine golden tea, but your subject was completely unaware!”
“Unaware? The refining of golden tea is such a major matter, and your Guojiu Mansion could still be unaware?”
The Xia Emperor’s expression darkened, and he stared at Xie Weilou: “Xie Weilou, tell me, after this incident, was the Guojiu Mansion aware?”
Xie Weilou remained composed. If the Xia Emperor wanted to move against the Guojiu Mansion, he would not have asked him. The other party’s purpose was not the Guojiu Mansion, but to see his attitude towards this matter.
After all, this matter involved the Third Prince. If he were relentless, he would be reprimanded.
He bowed and said: “Reporting to Your Majesty, regarding the golden tea case, your subject only investigated Xue Li. Xue Li harmed many women, taking dozens of them to the black market for the Demon Monk to refine golden tea. He has now been beheaded and displayed to the public.”
Lord State Uncle Xue couldn't help but look at Xie Weilou, a hint of contemplation appearing in his eyes. This time, Xie Weilou spoke up for the Guojiu Mansion, which surprised him. He couldn't help but ponder Xie Weilou’s previous words.
Upon hearing this, the Xia Emperor’s gloomy expression disappeared, and he nodded lightly: “I am very pleased that the Guojiu Mansion was not involved in this matter! However, I heard you also beheaded Xue Jie and Du Wei?”
Xie Weilou stated directly: “Xue Jie obstructed the Tianquan Division’s investigation and even bribed Du Wei of the Jingzhao Prefecture. The two of them colluded to persecute the innocent Jiang Yu. Your subject, in accordance with the Great Xia laws, beheaded them to uphold the laws of our Great Xia and solidify the authority of our Tianquan Division!”
“Is that so? Then why do I hear that Yan Junlin was involved in it?”
The Xia Emperor said indifferently.
Xie Weilou quickly said: “Your Majesty, the First Prince is innocent! All the blame lies with me.”
But his posture of explanation was more like a cover-up. It was as if the First Prince was the one who did it, and Xie Weilou was just a puppet, a knife, taking all the blame upon himself.
“Blame? When did I say you were guilty? The laws of heaven and earth must be executed without slack. This is the true meaning of the Tianquan Division’s existence. You have done very well this time.”
The Xia Emperor showed a hint of a smile.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Xie Weilou immediately bowed.
The Xia Emperor then stared at Lord State Uncle Xue: “You lost two sons this time. Do you have anything to say?”
Lord State Uncle Xue said with a serious expression: “The laws of heaven and earth must be executed without slack! Those two scoundrels committed great sins. Even if the Tianquan Division had not acted, your subject would not have spared them.”
When choosing between the Guojiu Mansion and his own sons, he naturally knew how to choose. His family had a vast enterprise and wished to pass it down, to become an ancient noble family. If sons were lost, he could simply have a few more, but if the family enterprise was lost, how could he face his ancestors?
“Very good! Knowing your place and understanding what you need to do, this is a qualified subject. You may withdraw!”
The Xia Emperor waved his hand lightly.
“Your subject takes his leave.”
Lord State Uncle Xue bowed and silently retreated. He glanced at Xie Weilou, his heart filled with mixed emotions. For a moment, he couldn't see through this young man.
After Lord State Uncle Xue left.
The Xia Emperor stepped forward and gently patted Xie Weilou’s shoulder: “Young man, walk with me.”
Xie Weilou quickly said: “Your Majesty’s health is not good, it’s better to rest well.”
The Xia Emperor glared at Xie Weilou: “I only lost my cultivation and my body is a bit weak, but I’m not dead yet!”
“……”
Xie Weilou was helpless.
In the end, he still followed the Xia Emperor out of the Imperial Study.
Imperial Garden.
A lakeside pavilion, covered in ice and snow, was chillingly cold.
The Xia Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the frozen lake: “Xie Weilou, do you have any complaints about this matter?”
Xie Weilou looked at the Xia Emperor in surprise: “Your subject does not understand what Your Majesty is saying.”
“Don’t understand? Or pretending not to understand? The golden tea matter involved the Guojiu Mansion, but the true mastermind was Yan Wuchen.”
The Xia Emperor looked at Xie Weilou indifferently.
Xie Weilou did not continue to feign ignorance at this moment. He softly said: “Your subject is also aware of this matter, but if Your Majesty does not speak, your subject naturally dares not act rashly. Your subject is a member of the Tianquan Division, executing the authority bestowed by Your Majesty.”
The case was so clear and obvious; continuing to feign ignorance would only displease the one before him.
The Xia Emperor looked at the sky and sighed: “The authority I bestow upon the Tianquan Division is actually limited. It cannot move true powerhouses. Don’t forget that this is a world where myriad races coexist, and the strong prey on the weak. True powerhouses fear nothing, disdain everything, and can turn a nation to dust with a flick of a finger… So, do you know why I didn’t let you touch Yan Wuchen?”
“……”
Xie Weilou did not answer the question.
The Xia Emperor shook his head: “Living in such a world, it is destined that the Emperor of Great Xia can be benevolent or malevolent, but he can never be weak. Assuming a weak person manages Great Xia, no matter how much benevolence he shows, in the face of absolute strength, he will be as insignificant as an ant.”
He pondered: “When I was contending for the throne back then, I also resorted to unscrupulous means. Some old officials cursed me, saying I had lost my morality, extinguished humanity, and lost the people’s hearts, and that I was destined to be overthrown by the common people. But they overlooked a terrifying fact: a weak person, a weak person who champions morality and justice, even if he gains the support of many people, he only gains the support of a group of ants. In front of powerhouses, he ultimately cannot stir up a single ripple.”
“When true disaster strikes, do you still hope that a group of ordinary people will step up? What is the meaning of that? In the end, it still requires those who can support the heavens to stand out, so it is necessary to cultivate powerhouses from the beginning. When disaster comes, when powerhouses stand out, the common people can truly be safe!”
“……”
Xie Weilou remained silent.
The Xia Emperor sighed: “Some powerhouses do things without reason! In ancient times, there was a nation in the south that suddenly suffered a catastrophe. The cause was that a Divine Court cultivator wished to advance further, so he refined all the living beings of that country. No matter how many common people there were, or how much their hearts were aligned, they ultimately could not resist a cultivator’s single thought of slaughter. This is the strong preying on the weak, without reason.”
He looked at Xie Weilou: “What I want to tell you is that the Third Prince has good talent and can be cultivated, so I am unwilling to touch him. He still has value! One can retain kindness, but this kind of kindness should be reserved for oneself and close friends. Do not be too kind, otherwise, this world will devour you until not even your bones remain. What you should do even more is to become stronger. Only powerhouses can grasp the strings of fate and can show appropriate mercy to the weak.”
Yan Wuchen is not the best choice, but circumstances are unpredictable. Who can say what the future holds? Even if he is worthless, he can still serve as a good whetstone. This is the meaning of his existence.
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