17: Chapter 17 Domineering

Just as everyone was anxiously waiting for the first news from the court meeting, a jaw-dropping scene unfolded.

After the civil and military officials left the palace, they immediately rushed back to their respective mansions.

Immediately after, a chaotic clamor erupted from within the mansions, as if everything had been turned upside down!

Shouts, reprimands, and the sound of rummaging through cabinets intertwined, audible even through the high walls.

It was as if the entire residence was being ransacked.

Neighbors living near the officials' mansions could even see the servants and maids inside, moving back and forth like ants on a hot pan.

They were moving boxes and cabinets of items out into the open spaces.

Even the wives, young masters, and Young Misses who usually lived in luxury were now wearing expressions of panic!

It was as if they had been terribly frightened.

This extremely abnormal scene caused all the spies to be filled with doubts, harboring a very absurd guess that they dared not believe.

The reason these ministers were so impatient and disregarded their image to "toss about" at home was entirely because of Wang Chen's unquestionable "ultimatum" in the Golden Throne Hall.

He ordered them to count and hand over all their family assets within one day.

Is one day a long time?

For ordinary people, it wouldn't take any time at all.

How much wealth could they have?

Would it even take three minutes?

If it took even one minute longer, you wouldn't be considered an ordinary person.

However, for these high-ranking ministers who had entrenched themselves in the court for many years, one day was suffocatingly short!

It simply wasn't enough time.

The sheer volume, variety, and secrecy of their assets exceeded anyone's imagination.

Beyond the visible farmland, mansions, and official salaries, there were even larger amounts of hidden deposits in various money houses.

There were also secret shops, manors, and various priceless treasures they had received; some of them couldn't even remember the exact amounts or hiding places themselves!

Under these circumstances, it was indeed very difficult to finish counting in one day.

But no matter how difficult, they had to desperately complete it, because they knew very well what kind of person Wang Chen was!

He was a "tyrant" whose words were law, who was decisive in killing, and who possessed absolute power to support his will!

If he said one day, there would absolutely not be a second day!

If he said he would execute their nine clans, then their nine clans would definitely not be able to escape!

Others might still be skeptical about the authenticity of Wang Chen's Celestial Realm, thinking it might be a smokescreen or a conspiracy by the royal family.

But they, as those who experienced it firsthand, knew it like the back of their hand!

Not only was Wang Chen himself at the Celestial Realm, but even the two attendants beside him were also at the Celestial Realm!

Plus the three Celestial Realm Old Ancestors of the royal family...

In other words, Wang Chen's side alone possessed the terrifying power of six Celestial Realm experts!

Six Celestial Realm experts!

What kind of concept was this?

Although it still couldn't compare to the peak of the Imperial Dynasty, looking at the present, it already had the qualifications to sweep away everything and suppress the world!

What four Holy Lands?

What four regional princes?

Taking any one of these forces alone, it was impossible to be a match for the Imperial Dynasty.

Even if they could luckily unite, how much strength could they actually exert?

One must know that people are selfish, especially for those large forces.

Facing such a powerful Imperial Dynasty, no one could guarantee they would go all out.

Preserving strength is the nature of all people and forces.

To be able to sit firmly in their current positions in the court, none of these ministers were truly stupid.

They all understood that in the face of absolute power and fatal threats, any luck, hesitation, or thoughts of playing both sides were tantamount to seeking death!

They did not doubt for a moment that if they could not complete the new Emperor's request within one day, or tried to hide anything, the tragedy of having their "nine clans executed" would definitely befall them!

That new Emperor would absolutely do it!

Therefore, they dared not be the slightest bit careless, let alone delay.

The first thing they did upon returning home was to mobilize the entire household, sparing no cost, to count and tally all assets that did not fall into the category of "legal salary and rewards" as quickly as possible!

And because time was tight, and much of the property wasn't entirely unspeakable, many ministers even conducted the counting in their front yards or at the gates.

At this point, they couldn't care about the taboo of "not flaunting wealth."

After all, compared to the lives of their families, what did that matter!

Consequently, the commoners and spies of the Imperial City saw this unprecedented and jaw-dropping scene.

Not long after, heavy carriages began to drive out of the mansions of high officials one after another.

The carriages were loaded with boxes and cages of various sizes; some boxes were so full that the lids couldn't close completely, revealing the gleaming gold ingots and bright silver dollars inside amidst the bumps.

There were also various dazzling jewels, jade, and precious spiritual plants and medicines.

Even the land deeds and house deeds were in bundles...

These carriages formed a long dragon, driving towards the palace under countless gazes of shock, curiosity, greed, and confusion.

"This... what is this for?"

"Handing it over to the national treasury? My god, so much money?"

"What exactly did that Emperor do? To make these ministers vomit up their corrupt money?"

"Look at the things on those carriages... how much money must that be!"

"It seems the rumors are true, the new Emperor's methods are remarkable! These ministers must be scared out of their wits! Otherwise, they would never do this!"

"Quick! Report this situation immediately! On the first day of the new Emperor's reign, he forced the civil and military officials to hand over a massive amount of family assets! His control over the court is far beyond imagination!"

The Imperial City was in an uproar!

This shocking scene was more persuasive than any words.

It intuitively demonstrated the new Emperor's terrifying control over the court. To be able to make these greedy ministers with intertwined relationships "voluntarily" and "efficiently" spit out the fat meat they had eaten, there could be no other way besides absolute military deterrence and precise, fatal leverage!

Those spies from various forces who were originally skeptical about Wang Chen's strength and thought it might be a royal conspiracy, seeing this spectacle of "ten thousand carts paying tribute," began to waver in their doubts.

This was definitely not acting!

Because no actor would be willing to bring out all their family assets to cooperate with a performance.

Even if the other party was the Emperor of the Tianxuan Dynasty, it wouldn't work!

And the current new Emperor used this most direct, brutal, and effective way to declare his absolute control over the court to the entire Imperial City, and even the entire world!

This method was too domineering...

Of course, as long as one's brain was still functioning properly, one could guess many things through this phenomenon.

One must know that these ministers not only held high positions but also possessed considerable martial arts cultivation.

What could make them all submit so quickly was definitely not just conspiracy and calculation.

Behind it, there must be powerful martial force supporting it...