135: Seven consecutive deaths! Lai Mingcheng loves visiting brothels!

Chapter 135: Seven Consecutive Impeachments of Death! Lai Mingcheng, Who Loves Brothels! (23)

"Come, seize Li Chengze!"

At Emperor Qing's command, four Imperial Guards immediately rushed in through the door.

Li Chengze was about to kick Li Chengqian a couple of times, but Li Chengru hugged his leg again.

"Second Brother, calm down!"

Li Chengze pointed at Emperor Qing on the imperial seat, then turned to look at a bewildered Lai Mingcheng.

"Lao Lai, my old man on that imperial seat can not only decide life and death but also play living people to their deaths!"

At this moment, the four Imperial Guards had already rushed forward, trying to restrain Li Chengze's arms.

Li Chengze flung off the Imperial Guards' arms and continued to shout loudly!

"I, Li Chengze, will never commit suicide. If I die before I'm a hundred years old, it must be at the hands of Li Chengqian!"

Looking at Li Chengze's ferocious smile, Li Chengqian was so scared he kept backing away.

He touched his swollen left cheek, feeling both anger and hatred in his heart; now both sides of his face were swollen!

Most losers in the struggle for the throne rarely meet a good end, which is why Li Chengze said that.

Several Imperial Guards pounced again, and Li Chengze was still desperately resisting.

"Rip!"

Li Chengze's sleeve was torn, and Emperor Qing suddenly roared.

"Don't hurt my son!"

The four Imperial Guards immediately became hesitant, but fortunately, Li Chengze also didn't lunge towards the imperial seat.

He pointed at Li Chang'an again, "Li Chang'an, you said you would protect me from dying!"

Li Chang'an walked over and patted Li Chengze's shoulder, "Don't worry, Uncle promises you."

"If Li Chengqian dares to lay a hand on you, I will definitely kill him!"

Li Chengze looked at the Crown Prince lying on the ground and chuckled.

"A Crown Prince who gets beaten twice in one court session, what right do you have to rule the world?"

"Hahaha! Li Chengqian, I don't think you'll be this broken Crown Prince for much longer!"

Li Chengze laughed loudly as he turned to leave, stopping for a moment at the entrance of the great hall.

"Being recklessly insane, it's truly damn refreshing!"

"I finally don't have to be a whetstone anymore!"

"I'm completely free, hahaha!"

With Li Chengze's departure, the great hall once again fell into an eerie silence.

Emperor Qing's face behind the curtain was gloomy. "Alright, alright, alright."

"Today, most things have been settled. You may all disperse!"

With Li Chengze's downfall and his faction almost completely uprooted, the main event of the court session should have ended.

But at this moment, Lai Mingcheng once again bowed and spoke, "Your Majesty, your subject has not finished his impeachments!"

Emperor Qing, who had half-risen, had no choice but to sit back down, anger slowly brewing between his brows.

"Li Chengze has already been permanently confined and stripped of his princely title. Are you still not satisfied?"

"Who else do you want to impeach?"

Lai Mingcheng pointed to Chen Pingping, who was smiling slightly, "My sixth impeachment is against the Supervisory Council!"

Chen Pingping had just watched a good show of a prince going mad and was genuinely smiling, but he truly didn't expect Lai Mingcheng to target him.

"Your subject is not impeaching the Supervisory Council for corruption, but for its unclear laws, arrogance, abuse of power, and excessive authority!"

As soon as Lai Mingcheng uttered these words, the entire great hall instantly erupted.

Who didn't know that the Supervisory Council was directly under Emperor Qing, the Great Qing's primary power institution, independent of all other government offices?

The Supervisory Council indeed wielded immense power, but all that power was granted by Emperor Qing!

Moreover, the Supervisory Council had also achieved numerous military merits, playing a crucial intelligence role in various wars.

"What is Lai Mingcheng trying to do!"

"Indeed, he actually dares to impeach the Supervisory Council. What is he thinking!"

"Lai Mingcheng must be crazy, this is simply outrageous!"

...Amidst the discussions, Lai Mingcheng continued to speak passionately.

"Your Majesty, since its establishment, the Supervisory Council has employed people of mixed quality!"

"The Supervisory Council often acts recklessly, even above the Great Qing's laws!"

"It is involved in various matters, both within and outside the court, and throughout the country!"

"Such an institution, wielding immense power and unrestrained by law, looking back at historical systems of past dynasties, is there any such precedent?"

After Lai Mingcheng finished speaking, several military officials immediately refuted him in anger.

"Lai Mingcheng, do you know how many military merits the Supervisory Council has achieved for the Great Qing!"

"Without the Supervisory Council, where would the Great Qing be today!"

"Even ancient systems are not necessarily entirely correct!"

...Facing the furious objections of the officials, Lai Mingcheng remained very calm.

"All matters under heaven are shared by various departments; this is both an ancient system and common sense!"

Special agencies of imperial power like the Supervisory Council, whose authority is above the law, are highly efficient in the Early Stage of a Dynasty.

However, once the Dynasty stabilizes, such agencies are usually abolished or their powers curtailed.

Because institutions that are above national law are detrimental to national stability and stable governance.

But the current problem is that Northern Qi and Eastern Yi still exist, and Emperor Qing's grand ambition of unifying the world has not yet been realized.

The current Supervisory Council is Emperor Qing's most powerful and efficient arm; how could he agree to cut off his own arm?

Emperor Qing pointed at the officials in the hall and said, "Lai Mingcheng, everyone believes that the Supervisory Council's benefits outweigh its drawbacks!"

Lai Mingcheng also pointed at Chen Pingping, "But Your Majesty, is Chen Pingping still within the jurisdiction of national law?"

"Commissioner Fan Xian is also clear proof; he used the authority of the Department One for entrapment, acting recklessly and arrogantly, abusing the law, and greatly violating justice!"

"However, a single word from Chen Pingping can override all criminal laws!"

Emperor Qing waved his hand and said, "Wasn't Fan Xian's matter also dealt with?"

"The matters of the Supervisory Council cannot be decided in a day or two. You keep saying that the Supervisory Council is above the law, but those are just your own thoughts."

Hearing this, Lai Mingcheng took out a memorial from his sleeve.

"Your Majesty, the Supervisory Council's abuse of power and arrogance not only places it above national law.

One day, it might even place itself above Your Majesty!"

Hearing this, Emperor Qing took the memorial from Eunuch Hou and said, "As expected of a Censorate official, truly an alarmist!"

Chen Pingping, looking at the memorial from afar, suddenly felt a surge of unease.

The Supervisory Council had eyes and ears everywhere; there were few major and minor court affairs he was unaware of.

However, he didn't know what was written in Lai Mingcheng's memorial.

For so many years, Chen Pingping felt nervous for the first time in the court.

Emperor Qing let out a cold laugh, "Lai Mingcheng, you are completely grasping at straws. You couldn't have just heard this gossip on the street, could you."

"Things like the Sixth Bureau using Assassination missions for personal revenge, the Third Bureau reselling poison to noblewomen to poison concubines, and eight out of ten cases from the Seventh Bureau being forced confessions through torture?"

"None of these have any real evidence!"

Hearing Emperor Qing's words, Chen Pingping's hands, gripping the wheelchair, gradually relaxed.

Lai Mingcheng, however, stiffened his neck and said, "The Censorate has the power to report rumors, and there is no smoke without fire in this world!"

"The Supervisory Council will one day become too big to control. Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Fan Xian, watching Lai Mingcheng from afar, muttered to himself.

He originally thought Lai Mingcheng was targeting him, but now it seemed not; this person genuinely seemed to be serving the country in his own way.

"Has this person always been so brave?"

Xin Qiwu whispered, "Censor Lai has always been like this, impeaching anyone he catches!"

"Your Majesty is magnanimous and doesn't bother with him.

Six years ago, he even said that Prince Yong's forceful occupation of a courtesan was Your Majesty's fault."

Fan Xian felt something was off; at least Emperor Qing's attitude was very wrong, eerily calm.

Lai Mingcheng acted as a trailblazer today, impeaching the Second Prince, and also wanted to impeach Li Yunrui and the Surveillance Bureau.

He dared to impeach Emperor Qing's relatives and his capable arms! Did Emperor Qing truly hold no resentment at all?

Emperor Qing ignored Lai Mingcheng and began talking to himself, "Today's court session has been too long. I'm a bit tired, so let's end it here."

However, even at this point, Lai Mingcheng remained insistent.

"Your Majesty, your subject still has a seventh person to impeach!"

Emperor Qing's face had already become very grim upon hearing this.

"Good, good, good..."

Just as he was about to speak, someone suddenly stepped forward and knelt.

"Your Majesty, your subject believes that Lai Mingcheng's baseless impeachments of The Eldest Princess and the Supervisory Council are deceiving the public and seeking fame!"

"Your Majesty does not need to listen to him further; his subsequent words will surely be to sensationalize and gain reputation!"

Then, another official said, "Even Censorate officials reporting rumors should have a limit!

It's better to do less of such baseless slandering!"

"Your Majesty, for the sake of his reputation as the Great Qing's foremost Censor, Lai Mingcheng's subsequent words will only be more audacious.

But they will also be more preposterous. The Great Qing's court session cannot be led by the nose by such a petty person!"

Then, several officials in succession stepped forward, beginning to impeach Lai Mingcheng for resorting to unscrupulous means to gain fame.

Emperor Qing didn't know if Lai Mingcheng had any other impeachments planned, so he allowed these officials to target Lai Mingcheng.

These officials also accurately perceived that Emperor Qing wanted to end the court session and were looking for reasons to silence Lai Mingcheng.

However, when the seventh official spoke, the content suddenly changed.

"Your Majesty, Lai Mingcheng is simply unfit to be a Censor!"

"The Ministry of Justice has found that among the corrupt officials under the Second Prince, two were recommended by Lai Mingcheng. Your subject has examined the recommendation letters."

"Lai Mingcheng praised those two as if they were heavenly talents, but they began to amass wealth immediately after taking office!"

"How can someone who recommends others for personal gain serve as a Censorate official!"

Lai Mingcheng had been seething with anger, intending to impeach Emperor Qing, and his seven consecutive impeachments were to be achieved today.

But upon hearing someone so ruin his reputation, he immediately shifted his attack direction.

"When recommending colleagues, I, Lai, have always been truthful. It's true that those two had talent, but it's also true that they were greedy for money."

"When I wrote the recommendation letters, I didn't know of their greed!"

The Ministry of Justice official immediately retorted, "If you can't even discern the other party's greed, how can your reckless impeachments without evidence be accurate!"

Lai Mingcheng was momentarily choked with anger, and another Ministry of Justice official jumped out.

"Censor Lai, during this anti-corruption campaign, a Censorate official claimed to have bribed you. Is this true or not?"

Lai Mingcheng angrily said, "Nonsense! I, Lai, am the most upright official! How could I accept bribes!"

Then, another official said, "Another corrupt official under the Second Prince confessed that he once secretly visited a Brothel with Censor Lai."

"He also said that Censor Lai appears respectable on the surface, but secretly loves to frequent Brothels, always sneaking in through the back door of Drunken Immortal Tavern."

Lai Mingcheng didn't finish listening before jumping up, "Slander! Defamation! Framing!

Don't talk nonsense about things you haven't verified!"

At this moment, Emperor Qing also stood up, "Lai Mingcheng, clean up your own mess before impeaching others."

After Emperor Qing spoke, he stepped down from the imperial seat, and the court session was clearly about to end.

Lai Mingcheng was anxious, but the officials slandering him spoke increasingly harshly, and he had no choice but to argue and defend himself.

No help for it, who asked him to have a good reputation.

The last few officials were, of course, arranged by Lin Ruofu under Li Chang'an's orders.

Slandering Lai Mingcheng's reputation would certainly provoke his fierce resistance, thereby diverting his attention.

Coupled with Emperor Qing's genuine annoyance with him, the court session naturally dispersed.

Lai Mingcheng served as the vanguard in bringing down Li Chengze, and Emperor Qing would definitely hold a grudge.

But if he sought trouble afterward, it wouldn't necessarily mean killing Lai Mingcheng.

The long court session finally ended. Li Chengze officially fell, and Li Chang'an officially stepped into the forefront.

Li Chang'an showed a strange smile as he passed Lai Mingcheng.

"Censor Lai, I really wouldn't have guessed..."

Lai Mingcheng stamped his foot in anger, "Wouldn't have guessed what? Prince Yong, mind your words!

They are slandering my reputation to curry favor!"

Li Chang'an clicked his tongue and sighed, "One cannot judge a book by its cover. Back when the Three Judicial Offices held the joint trial, Censor Lai pretended to be unfamiliar with Brothels."

After Li Chang'an left, Li Chengqian, with his swollen face, said to Lai Mingcheng, "Censor Lai pretends to be a gentleman so well; his acting is much better than mine!"

Lin Ruofu deliberately took a detour when passing Lai Mingcheng, "I don't associate with hypocrites!"

Qin Ye walked over and gave Lai Mingcheng a thumbs up, "Still using the back door at your age, truly bringing honor to the Censorate!"

Chen Pingping was pushed over by Fan Xian, both looking admiring. Chen Pingping sighed.

"I'm willing but unable. From now on, Fan Xian will accompany Censor Lai more often to Drunken Immortal Tavern.

He can pick any girl he likes, and I'll cover the bill, so he won't always be impeaching us."

Fan Xian nodded and said, "No problem, I understand, back door!"

Lai Mingcheng was so furious his lungs were about to explode. He just couldn't understand why everyone believed those ridiculous lies.

"You all! Why do you believe such clumsy lies!"

"The court is full of muddle-headed people!"

In fact, nobody actually believed it. The old foxes merely pretended to believe it, giving this rare honest person in the court a way to live.

If such a person's reputation was a little tarnished, His Majesty's intention to kill him would be a little weaker.

Since Fan Xian exposed the corrupt officials under the Second Prince in one swoop, this anti-corruption campaign was a complete Perfection.

As for Lai Mingcheng's impeachments against the Supervisory Council, Chen Pingping, and Fan Xian, they basically had no effect.

Therefore, Fan Xian was directly appointed by Chen Pingping as the official head of the Department One.

Commissioner of the Supervisory Council, concurrently head of the Department One, Fan Xian became the second most powerful person in the Supervisory Council, after Chen Pingping.

A few days after the court session, Fan Xian was pleasantly surprised to find that Wu Zhu had returned.

Fan Xian told Wu Zhu all of Sean's secrets, hoping Wu Zhu could remember something.

But Wu Zhu thought for a long time, and still no new memories were recovered.

"Uncle, are your injuries healed?"

Wu Zhu confidently said, "Is there still a trace of fragrance on me?"

Fan Xian leaned in and sniffed, then said with certainty, "Neither fragrant nor foul!"

Wu Zhu nodded in satisfaction, "This maintenance effect is excellent, I am very satisfied too."

Just as Fan Xian was pondering why it was a 'maintenance effect,' Wu Zhu suggested a night visit to the imperial palace.

"Your position is higher now, and your identity is public. You must have many hidden enemies."

"The matter of the box cannot be delayed any longer. Tonight, we will visit the imperial palace!"