427: Chapter 437 The Golden Palace (Part 1)

Late at night, the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

The candlelight was bright, and sandalwood incense curled in the air.

The Emperor of Daxing, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, finished reading the official document sent overnight by the Foreign Affairs Department of the Cloud Hidden Sect, as well as the attached copy of the secret letter regarding the "ten thousand souls banner" and "Corpse Puppets."

After the Emperor finished reading the secret letter, he suddenly asked, "Tell me, after this Xu Qing topples Marquis Yongchang, will he become the second Marquis Yongchang?"

The eunuch was taken aback and said cautiously, "This... your servant does not dare to speculate blindly."

The Emperor smiled, his smile carrying a hint of profound meaning:

"It matters not if he does. If one is toppled, I will use the next. In this imperial court, the last thing we lack is people who want to climb upwards."

He put down the secret letter, his gaze deep.

On his face, which always carried a mix of majesty and fatigue, a meaningful smile slowly formed.

He slowly tucked the secret letter, capable of overturning the entire imperial court, into his sleeve.

"Go, 'accidentally' reveal this news to the second steward of Marquis Yongchangs Estate. Say... someone has secretly reported a letter to Xu Qing regarding correspondence between Marquis Yongchang and Northern Mang."

The eunuch understood: "Is Your Majesty trying to force Marquis Yongchang to make the first move?"

The Emperor picked up his teacup: "I also want to see exactly how many trump cards he has."

He walked to the window, looking out at the deep night, and murmured in a voice only he could hear:

"Xu Qing, oh Xu Qing, I... have sent you this blade you've dreamed of. You must not, under any circumstances, let me down."

...

At the Hour of the Rabbit, before dawn, the capital was still asleep. Outside the Meridian Gate of the Imperial City, however, it was already brightly lit with shadows flickering.

The autumn wind was bleak, rustling the corners of the officials' wide court robes and brushing past faces that were either solemn or bewildered. In today's morning court session, the air was thick with an unusual, oppressive atmosphere, like a mountain storm about to break.

The hundred officials, according to their rank, lined up beneath the Vermilion Steps in dead silence.

Marquis Yongchang, Chen Yuan, dressed in a first-rank Qilin-embroidered robe and wearing a three-beamed court crown, stood tall at the head of the military officers' line like an iron-cast statue.

His eyes were slightly closed, his face as calm as water. On that weather-beaten face, not a single ripple of emotion could be seen.

But if there were anyone with sharp Divine Sense, they might have noticed that his clenched fists beneath his sleeves were slightly white at the knuckles, and deep within his eyes hid an imperceptible glint of gloom and determination.

Last night, he had received that "secret report."

The content of the secret report was simple, with only a few words, yet it was like a clap of thunder.

Xu Qing, the Vice Minister of Revenue who existed like an ant in his eyes, had somehow obtained a letter of his secret correspondence with Northern Mang!

Chen Yuan didn't know if the letter was real or fake, nor did he know exactly how much the other party knew. But that wasn't important. What mattered was that the other's intention was already crystal clear—the dagger was revealed, and it would happen today!

Good! What a Xu Qing! What a venomous snake that has endured for five years!

Since you want to play, this Marquis will play with you to the end! Since it cannot be avoided, then this Marquis will personally pull back the final curtain!

Rather than being hit passively, it is better to strike first!

The corner of Chen Yuan's eye twitched ever so slightly.

In the middle of the line, a Censor of the Chancellery who usually had close dealings with Marquis Yongchangs Estate and specialized in investigations and impeachments took a quiet deep breath, having understood the signal.

"Dong— Dong— Dong—"

From deep within the Imperial City came three distant and muffled bell tolls.

The morning court session began.

"The Emperor has arrived—!"

Accompanied by the sharp and long cry of the attendant, the Emperor of Daxing, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe and surrounded by two rows of palace maids and eunuchs, walked with steady steps into the Golden Throne Hall and slowly took his seat on the dragon throne that symbolized supreme power.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long live!"

The mountain-shaking, sea-roaring sounds of worship echoed throughout the Golden Throne Hall.

"You may all rise." The Emperor's voice betrayed no emotion, his gaze like two cold swords slowly sweeping over the officials below.

A deathly silence returned to the hall, so quiet that a dropped needle could be heard. Everyone held their breath, waiting to see who would open the first memorial of the day.

Just then, within Marquis Yongchang's camp, that Censor of the Chancellery took a slight breath and was about to step out of the line.

However, though he was fast, someone was even faster!

No! It should be said that Marquis Yongchang had timed it perfectly, and his man had precisely caught the moment, but they had all miscalculated one thing—their opponent was Xu Qing. A revenger who had silently prepared for exactly one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five days and nights for this very day!

At the very moment the Censor's toe had just lifted half an inch.

"Your servant, Xu Qing, Vice Minister of Revenue, has a memorial to present!"

A clear, firm, yet coldly resolute voice, like a sudden clap of thunder, abruptly rang out in the deathly silent Golden Throne Hall!

Everyone was stunned, their eyes swiveling in unison toward the sound.

In the civil official line, Xu Qing, the Vice Minister of Revenue who was usually quiet and mild-mannered, now held his head high and stepped out. Holding a scroll of a memorial wrapped in bright yellow silk high in his hands, he walked toward the center of the hall step by step, neither fast nor slow.

He didn't look at anyone, not even the Emperor on the dragon throne. His gaze fell calmly on the memorial in his hands, as if it were his entire world.

At this moment, Marquis Yongchang's pupils constricted sharply!

He had miscalculated! He thought he was the hunter taking the initiative, but he hadn't expected the opponent to show his fangs even earlier! This completely disrupted his rhythm!

On the dragon throne, the corner of the Emperor's mouth curled into an imperceptible arc.

"Granted."

Having received permission, Xu Qing took a deep breath and slowly unfurled the memorial.

He did not follow the convention of starting with "Your servant has heard" or "Your servant thinks," but instead used the most concise, coldest, and most emotionless tone to read out the opening that was enough to overturn the entire imperial court!

"Your servant impeaches Marquis Yongchang, Chen Yuan, for forming factions for private gain, embezzling military funds, and colluding with the enemy. There are three crimes!"