A distant and solemn cry rang out: “His Majesty has arrived!”
All officials knelt in unison. In the Hall of Golden Chimes, Emperor Shunkang, clad in yellow undergarments and barefoot, strode into the hall with heavy steps, each footfall seeming to tread upon the heartstrings of every minister present.
His expression was grave, his gaze sharp as it swept across every corner of the hall, as if piercing through the morning mist to peer into the deepest recesses of the human heart.
The atmosphere in the Hall of Golden Chimes plummeted to freezing point, even breathing seeming to solidify.
An abrupt voice echoed from outside the hall: “Your Majesty, you must grant justice to your humble servant…”
Lin Yuanfeng, dressed in white undergarments, entered the hall from outside, weeping with tears and snot streaming down his face, and knelt directly on the floor of the Hall of Golden Chimes.
He was solely focused on pleading for Emperor Shunkang to grant him justice, not even lifting his head to observe the emperor’s expression.
Emperor Shunkang looked at his trusted confidant, dressed similarly to himself, and finally spoke in a deep voice: “Beloved minister, why do you weep so mournfully so early in the morning? What justice do you seek from Us? And why have you come to court without wearing your court robes? What kind of decorum is this!”
The assembled ministers thought: Your Majesty, you aren’t wearing imperial robes today either, and you’re even exposing your bare feet.
Emperor Shunkang thought: We would like to wear them, but if We had any to wear, do you think We would appear like this? Although it is spring now, the floor is still quite cold, you know.
Lin Yuanfeng knelt prostrate on the ground, gritting his teeth and saying: “Your Majesty, you are unaware! My humble residence was burgled yesterday, swept completely clean. Most despicably, the thief even pretended to be a ghost to frighten me! My court robes were stolen as well!”
The other ministers whose homes had been burgled…
At least they were only robbed and not frightened by a ghost. Why did they inexplicably feel a bit better?
So it wasn’t just his family that suffered!
“Your Majesty, although I was not frightened by a thief pretending to be a ghost like Prime Minister Lin, my residence was also burgled, nearly emptied of everything!”
“Your Majesty, my residence suffered the same fate; all valuables were plundered!”
“Your Majesty, my residence too!”
…
They hadn’t spoken up before, but now it was startling—over a dozen ministers had been robbed!
Emperor Shunkang hadn’t paid attention to the ministers’ attire earlier, but now he saw that those who stepped forward were all dressed exactly like him, only in different colors. No, wait—they still had shoes on their feet, while he did not!
Emperor Shunkang, who had felt slightly more balanced a moment ago, instantly felt unbalanced again!
They were all fellow sufferers in this world—why must they step on his sore spot?
Lin Yuanfeng continued: “Your Majesty, you must quickly dispatch someone to find this thief and have him executed by a thousand cuts! It doesn’t matter that he robbed me and the other ministers; what we fear is that one day he might steal into the imperial palace and disturb Your Majesty!”
Everyone in the court hall gasped in shock. Prime Minister Lin, you truly dare to speak! And you’ve hit the mark—that thief has indeed stolen into the imperial palace!
Can’t you see the Dragon Throne has been stolen?
Isn’t the emperor not wearing imperial robes today?
He doesn’t even have socks to wear!
Upon hearing this, Emperor Shunkang’s expression grew even darker, a flicker of inscrutable light flashing in his eyes.
He did not believe anyone could possess such great skill as to empty over a dozen ministers’ residences in the capital in a single night, and even plunder the heavily guarded imperial palace.
Could it be that these ministers were stealing from themselves, colluding with thieves? Were they performing a “bitter flesh” scheme for him today?
Then he thought it impossible and dismissed the idea in his heart.
“Minister Lin speaks wisely. The palace was also robbed last night. Your mouth truly seems blessed with foresight!”
Only then did Lin Yuanfeng timidly raise his head to look at Emperor Shunkang standing on the high platform.
This glance startled him—why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut? Why did he blurt out everything?
And the key point was, he had blurted it out accurately.
“Your servant is terrified. This old minister truly did not know the thief was so bold as to rob the palace. I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness!”
He slowly turned, his gaze piercing through the hall. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile as he stared at Lin Yuanfeng, his voice low and magnetic: “In that case, by Our decree, from today onward, conduct a city-wide search—not only for the thief but also to recover the stolen items. This matter is entrusted to Prime Minister Lin. If the thief is not caught, Prime Minister Lin, you need not keep your official hat.”
After these words, the hall fell into dead silence. The ministers exchanged glances, both shocked and suspicious in their hearts—Prime Minister Lin had walked right into the line of fire.
Yet no one dared to speak further; they could only watch how Prime Minister Lin would catch the thief.
Lin Yuanfeng felt bitter inside. This person came and went without a trace—how was he supposed to catch him?
Emperor Shunkang’s dignified gaze swept across the hall. “Do any of Our esteemed ministers have further matters to report?”
Originally, he had planned to punish Xuanyuan Yi tomorrow, but now he could not wait a moment longer. He would convict him today in the Hall of Golden Chimes.
Whenever he thought of those treasures in the Prince of Zhennan’s Mansion—how during his father’s lifetime, any good items would be reserved for this imperial brother—many things that even he, the ruler of the nation, did not possess, Xuanyuan Yi had.
How could he not hate him? Fortunately, after today, these things would ultimately return to his hands.
And as for the noble families on good terms with Xuanyuan Yi, he would not spare a single one.
After all, a ceasefire agreement had already been signed with the Northern Di; there would be no war for ten years.
Helian Zhi and Ye Qingyu, these two rising talents, were quite impressive. He intended to reuse them in the future.
Even if the Northern Di invaded again after ten years, he believed the new generals he cultivated would be able to defeat them.
He searched among the ministers for the Grand Tutor’s figure, scanning several times but failing to see him.
He had discussed with the Grand Tutor that the evidence of Xuanyuan Yi’s treason and collusion with the enemy would be submitted by him, provided by the Prime Minister.
Now, with the Grand Tutor absent from the court, he shifted his gaze to Lin Yuanfeng, who was still kneeling on the ground.
Lin Yuanfeng received Emperor Shunkang’s glance and instantly understood his meaning. However, the evidence he had prepared had been stolen along with everything else by that thief last night!
Even if he wanted to present it now, he couldn’t!
He could only pretend he hadn’t seen Emperor Shunkang’s look!
Seeing him like this, Emperor Shunkang was nearly bursting with anger inside.
“Fine, Lin Yuanfeng, you dare play dead with Us. Just you wait.”
He then shifted his gaze to the Minister of War.
The Minister of War was also an old fox and instantly knew his opportunity to shine had come.
He stepped forward directly. “In reply to Your Majesty, this old minister has a matter to report!”
“Permission granted!”
“This old minister wishes to accuse Zhennan Wang Xuanyuan Yi of treason and collusion with the enemy, conspiring with the Northern Di, disregarding the lives of our Xuanyuan people. A campaign that could have ended in a few months was deliberately prolonged by him for over three years, wasting resources and harming the people, causing the populace immense suffering.”
“My daughter personally witnessed Zhennan Wang conspiring with the fifth prince of Northern Di late at night, discussing how to prolong the war, demand provisions from the court, and conscript soldiers, so that most of Xuanyuan’s men would die on the battlefield, leaving only the elderly, weak, women, and children. Then, they would collaborate from within and without to annex Xuanyuan.”