“Reporting to Your Majesty, Wu Chi committed countless crimes. Inside the prison, he confessed to all 1,892 evil acts he committed over the past 200 years.”
Li Changsheng calmly took out a thick ledger filled with dense writing.
“Wu Chi harmed a total of 600 innocent young women. More than 300 were sold into Spring Moon Pavilion. 210 were abused and beaten to death by him. Another 50 were given to his household servants. 40 were kept in his residence, then abandoned, sold, or secretly executed within ten years.”
“He also extorted 20 million spirit stones from the common people, maliciously imposed additional taxes, established 37 underground gambling dens, maintained more than 3,000 thugs, and held shares in Spring Moon Pavilion worth over 10 million spirit stones.”
“There are countless other crimes of similar nature. I ask Your Majesty to investigate clearly.”
When Li Changsheng listed these crimes, even the officials present were utterly shocked.
Emperor Long Cang’s brows knitted tightly.
When the confessions were submitted, they were recorded in meticulous detail. Every thug’s name, what was done in which year and month, all clearly written.
As he read through case after case, Long Cang was stunned. He had never imagined that a mere county magistrate like Wu Chi had committed such inhumane acts in secret.
Wu Maode felt his scalp go numb. He had known Wu Chi was a scoundrel and a tyrant in the Northern District, but he had never imagined the crimes had reached such monstrous proportions.
Even exterminating nine generations would not quell public outrage.
“May I ask the ministers present, is there anyone willing to plead for such a heartless county magistrate?”
“And may I ask Lord Wu, this county magistrate whom you once recommended through your influence and power, does he truly have nothing to do with you?”
Wu Maode felt icy cold from head to toe. His aged face trembled, and for a long moment he could not speak.
“Guards, seize Wu Maode. Strip him of office and investigate.”
Long Cang looked at Wu Maode, his heart heavy.
Within 1,000 years, the Great Shang Empire would inevitably perish. That thorn had long been embedded in his heart.
What he wanted now was to uncover the root cause of the Empire’s eventual destruction.
It might be due to multiple factors.
Perhaps an invasion by the demon race. Perhaps the arrival of an external Emperor-level Spiritual Practitioner. Perhaps internal bureaucratic corruption causing the Empire to decay from within. Perhaps a Saint-level Spiritual Practitioner from one of the great cultivation families advancing to Emperor-level and rebelling.
Under such uncertainties, Long Cang had long intended to rectify the court.
Li Changsheng’s fearless opposition to powerful cultivation families made him the perfect instrument to eliminate corrupt officials.
First, cleanse the interior. Then consider the threats of demons and foreign enemies.
If the Empire was already rotten inside, it would not even need an invasion to collapse.
If every official were as upright and devoted as Li Wu appeared, perhaps the Great Shang Empire could truly flourish again and avert its doomed fate.
Wu Maode had never imagined that the Emperor would truly allow Li Changsheng to topple the Wu family. Now even he was stripped of office and under investigation. The intention was clear. The Wu family would be erased completely.
The entire court trembled. If the Wu family could fall overnight, how could any veteran official sleep peacefully?
Li Changsheng had become utterly untouchable.
…
“Wu Chi, blame your ancestor for refusing to save you. He was unwilling to part with his wealth. Now look. Your ancestor has joined you in prison.”
Inside the Northern District prison of the Ministry of Justice, Wu Chi stared in despair as a white-haired old man, bound in spiritual energy chains, was dragged into the cell.
It was his ancestor.
At that moment, Wu Chi felt his world collapse. Only days ago, the Wu family had been at the height of power. Now they had fallen overnight.
Even in death, he would never understand why. It all felt like a dream.
“Li Wu, what must I do for you to show mercy and spare our lives?”
Wu Maode’s gaze was filled with venom, fear, pleading, and hatred as he stared at Li Changsheng.
Wu Maode was a King-level Spiritual Practitioner, spiritual runes shimmering around him. He had once possessed a lifespan nearing 3,000 years. His future had been bright. Now, because of Li Changsheng, he could not even protect his life.
“Bring them in.”
Li Changsheng let out a cold laugh.
At once, over 1,000 members of the Wu family were dragged in. Men and women, old and young alike.
“Wu Maode, I am sorry. Your family has committed monstrous crimes. Even I cannot protect you.”
“This is the cycle of heaven. Evil brings evil retribution.”
“The Wu family has fed upon the people of the Northern District for hundreds of years. You should be satisfied.”
Daughter, your vengeance has been avenged.
Li Changsheng looked at the thousands of Wu family members entering the prison. This did not even include their servants and thugs.
The hatred he had suppressed for 200 years was finally avenged.
He had once sworn that not only the Wu family, but Spring Moon Pavilion, Summer Moon Pavilion, Autumn Moon Pavilion, Winter Moon Pavilion, the civil and military officials, and the entire Great Shang Empire were the root of corruption lasting thousands of years.
He would overthrow the Great Shang Empire. He would destroy this rotten dynasty and make them all accompany his daughter in death.
This was only the beginning.
“Li Wu, you beast! You want to wipe out our entire clan! Even as a ghost, I will never let you go!”
Wu Maode finally broke down as he saw his entire family brought in.
He could not believe Li Changsheng would be so ruthless as to exterminate his whole bloodline, leaving not even a single descendant.
“Curse as you like.”
Li Changsheng’s expression remained cold and empty. He waved his hand. “Torture.”
The two emotionless words sent chills through every warden and guard in the torture chamber.
They had beaten countless people to death before and had long grown hard-hearted. Yet they had never carried out punishment on so many people at once. This was an entire family of over 1,000.
By Li Changsheng’s meaning, torture meant torture to death.
The prison filled instantly with screams, wails, and desperate pleas. The sound shook the very walls.
Even the other prisoners dared not look.
Li Changsheng sat at the entrance of the prison, coldly watching one figure after another perish upon the instruments of torture.
Time passed.
When the air was thick with the stench of blood and decay, Li Changsheng finally rose and walked out.
“My Lord, the Wu family counts 1,080 members. Including servants and thugs, there are over 3,000 more. A total of 4,080. Of those, 3,000 have died. 1,080 remain.”
“Continue. Leave 100 alive.”
Li Changsheng spoke indifferently.
The warden trembled, lips dry, not daring to speak further.
Inside the prison, Wu Maode’s heart-rending cries, curses, sobs, and despair echoed for days.
Several days later, the remaining 100 survivors were dragged to the execution grounds and beheaded publicly.
The common people rejoiced.
…