Chapter 856: Chapter 856: Tricking Them In to Make My Escape
The eldest brother of the Little Beauty, who is determined despite his disability, had already caught Yuchi Zhao’s eye. It is inevitable that he will be heavily relied upon in the future, though... well... it’s hard to say.
The most intriguing one is the second brother, the one in front of him, who carries a sense of rough loyalty typical of the martial world, speaking bluntly and acting as if they were longtime friends.
Upon their second meeting, he dared to drape an arm around him and call him brother, treating every encounter as if they were old acquaintances, asking if he had eaten, inviting him for drinks, bragging, and even asking about his martial arts, offering to spar.
Sometimes he felt there was nothing different about him compared to ordinary people, quite interesting, no wonder he could get along so well with someone as cold as Qian Chen.
Ranked third was Lian Bao, a person he had been paying attention to for a while; previously, with a group of miscellaneous people, he managed to uncover something even the Internal Guard Bureau had overlooked, and could evade their tracking. His intellect and methods were impressive.
Regarding Lian Bao, Cao De had once harbored killing intent several times, but after knowing he was Lian Hua’s brother, he broke out in a cold sweat.
If he really had killed him, not only would he face a dead end with his sister, he wouldn’t be able to explain to Yuchi Zhao either, probably ending up having to atone with his own life.
After the fear subsided, he began to entertain other thoughts. The major situation in the Capital had stabilized, and he was no longer needed. Lian Bao’s arrival was perfect; he planned to deceive him into taking his place so he could make his escape.
For someone like Lian Bao, who was extraordinary, after gaining experience, he would undoubtedly be able to oversee the Internal Guard Bureau in the future, at which point he would no longer have to worry, delightfully imagining the future.
He hadn’t had the chance to discuss this matter with Yuchi Zhao yet; upon hearing the news that the Little Beauty had awoken today, he estimated that he could probably talk about it in the next couple of days.
This remaining group of young lads was quite interesting too; they seemed like a motley crew at first glance but were united as one, possessing strong cohesion and significant potential if led well.
"Let’s go buy fireworks," said Lian Wan Zhen earnestly, announcing that something big was happening today and they must set off some fireworks to celebrate enthusiastically. They planned to buy fireworks for a day-and-night celebration and prepare a table of fine wine and food in the evening to invite Cao De to join them.
Cao De chuckled silently, neither agreeing nor refusing, telling them to go ahead quickly.
After watching them leave, he mounted his horse and continued riding inward, his heart filled with joy, hopeful for the imminent realization of his plan to travel the world with his sister.
In the yard, Lian Bingcheng and Lian Changhe were boasting again, each vying for who would be complimented by Lian Hua when they saw her.
Lian Musu and Lian Bao watched with a smile, one shaking his head helplessly, letting them enjoy their excitement, not reminding them that tomorrow was the day for pleading for justice that might not be appropriate for extravagant fireworks displays, which could arouse suspicion. But for now, they let them have their joy, planning to go ahead with the purchase, as the fireworks would be set off eventually after the matter was resolved.
Their hearts were also filled with joy, knowing that Lian Hua was fine made them relieved.
However, two major issues weighed on Lian Bao’s mind: one was Lian Musu previously impersonating Lian Mu for exams, and the other was the primary matter of leg treatment.
Thinking of this, Lian Bao smiled and said to Lian Musu, "Brother, is your leg..."
Lian Musu, having been urged, nodded helplessly and replied, "Yes, if tomorrow’s affair goes smoothly, treating the leg will be the first priority afterward. Xiao Bao, don’t worry, Brother will do as promised."
Lian Bao immediately laughed heartily.
Speaking of treating the leg, Lian Changhe and Lian Bingcheng, who had been arguing before, joined in, and Lin Yuejuan, who had just finished waking the noodles in the kitchen, came out to hear the discussion, wiped her hands, and joined them.
Over the past few days, Lih Qingshu had been embroidering, preparing a gift for her little apprentice, listening from not far away as the winter sun shone just right on her, warmly dispelling the cold.
When Cao De arrived, he saw this scene, catching sight of the person quietly embroidering in the corner, unconsciously filled with tenderness.
Outside the Star Palace, several old ministers exited one by one, wiping the oil from their lips, all leaving satisfied.
"His Majesty is truly a wise ruler, benevolent yet firm, courageous yet wise, possessing unparalleled intelligence beyond that which we mere mortals can aspire to."
"Indeed, indeed," they nodded in agreement, already forgetting their previous urgency to see him out of fear that the Emperor might become a muddle-headed ruler.
It was truly embarrassing, indeed; at their advanced age, they still couldn’t see through things, suspecting a noble’s intentions with a petty mindset.
Originally, they hadn’t hoped for much, knowing that once the Emperor set his mind, his resolve was not easily changed.
Yet this event greatly exceeded their expectations, not at all as simple as they thought; they seemed old, not discerning such a major matter, fortunately having a wise ruler erase the crisis without a trace...
Truly ashamed, just hours before, when they had lost hope, the Emperor came to see them, relying upon plain speech to discuss the matters on their minds:
"I know why the esteemed ministers have come. These cancers have been harming the court for many years, spreading widely. People like Zou Zhiqin, Yan Yukun, and Wei Guang, whom you consider not deserving of death, are far from simple as you thought. Several years ago, I ordered Minister Xie to investigate the smuggling of Foreign Tribes, but somehow the news leaked, unable to find the court’s mastermind. Luckily, the smuggling gradually subsided, and I shelved the matter. Minister Xie, do you remember?"
Minister Xie nodded repeatedly, explaining the circumstances of that matter to others in the hall.
This matter involved secretly inspecting the border under the guise of an inspection, ultimately uncovering only a group of merchants and some minor officials without capturing any of the big fish, ending reluctantly due to the complex situation at the time.
Continuing, the Emperor raised his hand, signaling for something to be presented, "This weapon was seized early this year during the war with the Foreign Tribes. Esteemed ministers, look, although the craftsmanship of this weapon is not as good as ours, it is nearing our level. What I know is that ten years ago, this tribe’s iron casting was far inferior to ours; they have no skilled craftsmen, and their iron casting skills haven’t progressed much over decades. How could they advance so quickly in a few years, daring even to invade our land?"
The people were shocked, "Your Majesty, do you mean that the casting technique of this weapon was leaked from our country..."
The Emperor raised his hand to interrupt, signaling for several objects to be presented, "These items are from Foreign Tribes, unearthed from certain traitors’ homes after digging three feet into the ground. Esteemed ministers, where do you think these items came from? How could it be such a coincidence that several families have them?"
The old ministers listened, their hearts surging, cold sweat dripping as they realized they had sought mercy for such people.
The Emperor scoffed coldly, "For personal gain, they nurture foreign troubles, a crime equivalent to treason. You consider them not deserving of death, but I believe exterminating their entire families is already lenient. Given the gravity of this matter, I don’t wish to publicize it, avoiding greater suspicion and unrest!"