In the Ministry of Justice Vice Minister Cui Residence within the Luoyi Inner City, the once spring-breeze-like Vice Minister of Justice now wore a face of gloom. A maid who brought slightly hot tea was immediately ordered to be dragged away and punished with a beating.
The atmosphere in the entire residence was extremely oppressive; even his children and over a dozen concubines dared not speak loudly.
"What troubles have come upon you recently, my lord? Would you like to share with me?" Vice Minister of Justice Cui Hong, who was worried and fretful all day, had his main wife from the Huang Clan quite concerned as well.
"Ah, even if I told you about this matter, you wouldn't understand, so there's no need for you to worry." Cui Hong waved his hand.
His main wife, however, was not willing to let it go at that. Instead, she suggested, "My lord, you are the pillar of our family. If you are unhappy, the entire mansion is under a dark cloud. Even mother in the back courtyard is worried day and night, unable to eat or sleep.
We can forget about the rest of us, but mother is getting on in years. Please, my lord, go and pay her a visit, cheer her up a bit. If she falls ill because of this..."
Upon hearing this, Vice Minister Cui Hong sharply raised his head and angrily said, "Mother is affected too? Who's been gossiping? I'll tear their mouth off."
"Ah!" The wife from the Huang Clan sighed again, "My lord, with the situation in the house, does it need gossip from the servants? Mother just observes the expressions of her grandchildren every day. Over the past half month, how could she not know?"
"This..."
"Ah, I've made mother worry. But it should be soon. The transfer order will probably come these two days. By then, as long as I leave Luoyi..."
Before Vice Minister Cui Hong could finish, a sudden commotion came from the distant front yard, along with curses, causing Vice Minister Cui Hong to frown.
"Changfu, go see who's causing trouble at the door..."
But before Vice Minister of Justice Cui Hong could finish instructing, the shouts were approaching, mixed with the screams of some of the servants.
Figures rushed into the mansion like flashes of lightning.
"Quick, seal off the front and back. Don't let anyone escape!"
"Not a single member of the Cui Clan's kin is to be missed. Missing one, you're to be questioned!"
"Arrest the criminal official Cui Hong. Whoever tries to block the way, kill without pardon..."
The series of angry shouts drained the blood from the faces of Secretary Cui and his main wife, the Huang Clan, in an instant.
"My lord, this...this is..." Seeing the Deputy Minister of Dali Court leading the arrest, she immediately fainted.
"I am the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. Who dares...who dares..."
Smack!
A hard slap landed on the face of Vice Minister of Justice Cui Hong, and at the same time, a voice from an inner attendant announced the Imperial Decree,
"Investigate Vice Minister of Justice Cui Hong for abusing his power for personal gain, accepting bribes, especially during the trial of the Eastern Territory Anyu's Fiefdom rebellion case seventeen years ago, causing wrongful deaths of 1,451 of the Earl Anyu's family, a grave crime. He is now dismissed for investigation, and the entire family is arrested..."
Before the inner attendant finished reading the decree, Vice Minister Cui Hong collapsed to the ground.
He knew very well what happened in that case he presided over seventeen years ago. It wasn't a matter of rebellion; it involved political struggle.
Who among the high officials in the Ministry of Justice hasn't dealt with one or two cases like this?
Ever since he was the first to confront Ye Zhen in court, he's been worried, worried about the Ren Venerate Emperor settling accounts with him.
And Princess Ji Yuan was trying her best to arrange for his transfer, the orders were already in progress. Once he was assigned to a position within Prince Lik's fiefdom, even the biggest scandal wouldn't be considered a scandal.
Unfortunately, he didn't receive the transfer order but the Imperial Decree for arrest.
While Cui Hong was in a daze, a sorrowful cry suddenly arose from the back courtyard, and he saw his pampered elderly mother being carried away like a piece of mud by a group of ferocious bailiffs!
Secretary Cui was stunned and pleaded with the Deputy Minister of Dali Court leading the group, "Lord Fan Shaoqing, crimes should not affect the family. We've been colleagues in the court, and my mother is very old. Please have some consideration."
The leading Fan Shaoqing looked at the inner attendant reading the decree beside him. The attendant rolled his eyes and said, "Lord Fan, if it were another person or another matter, I would definitely give you this face and show consideration.
But this matter was personally instructed by the Ancestor.
Speaking of this, the inner attendant's expression turned stern, "Eating the Emperor's food, enjoying the Emperor's blessings, taking the Emperor's salary, yet doing things against the Emperor.
This face, Lord Fan dares to give, but I'm not daring!"
Upon hearing this, the leading Fan Shaoqing immediately composed himself, not daring to show a trace of sympathy, only able to smile bitterly in his heart.
You, just a small Vice Minister, getting involved in the power struggle between the Heavenly Temple, Prince Lik, the Ancestor God Temple, and the Emperor—should I say you're bold or foolish?
Secretary Cui at this time wore a face of utter defeat...
However, the most desperate was yet to come.
The bailiffs of Dali Court threw Secretary Cui's entire family into prison carts and paraded them through the most bustling streets of the Inner City, announcing their crimes. Rotten vegetables and rotten eggs were thrown all the way until they were finally brought to the Outer City prison.
The words "Regret Not" echoed in Secretary Cui's mind a million times, but there was no use...
"Go, notify each Border Army's Military Control Office to come take their people tomorrow. This Cui Shaolang's disposition decree will come down tomorrow. Even if the entire clan isn't exterminated, his female relatives must all be sent to various Military Control Offices.
Tell the Military Control Offices that the stocks in Cui Shaolang's family are quite good, with a total of 341 female relatives, of which 90% are good-looking, and 30% are young, so those with quick hands will have the upper hand. Don't say I didn't warn them..."
Recently imprisoned, Secretary Cui collapsed to the ground, fresh blood already seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Military Control Offices...
The Military Control Offices across the Great Zhou Dynasty were the camp prostitutes of the larger Border Armies, often filled with the female relatives of criminal officials or captured prisoners...
In the next moment, Secretary Cui slammed his head heavily on the ground until blood flowed, crying out, "Your Majesty, I admit my wrongs. I am guilty of a crime warranting death, but I beg Your Majesty to spare my family..."
"Secretary Cui, if you knew this would happen, why act that way initially?"
"Moreover, in order to obtain evidence of your crime, the Heavenly Patrol Department and mysterious individuals battled, losing as many as thirteen people. Even they would not agree!"
Leaving behind a voice full of irony, the inner attendant slammed the door shut and left.
Only Secretary Cui lay there like a dead man...
Just two hours later, news of Vice Minister of Justice Cui Hong being arrested and his entire clan apprehended for abuse of power and causing wrongful deaths spread throughout Luoyi, causing a great stir among the ministers of the Great Zhou Dynasty, alerting each one.
The words of the inner attendant, criticizing those who enjoy the Emperor's favors yet plot against him, also spread, acting like a sudden blow to those who wished or had already aligned with the Heavenly Temple, surprising them greatly.
It is said that Princess Ji Yuan even smashed a cup on the spot and repeatedly punished several inept stewards of Prince Mansion.
The completion of transfer orders in response to Cui Hong's case in Prince Mansion was just two days away.
But while similar matters usually took a few days, this had been delayed for nearly twenty days.
Who dares to say this isn't the influence and delay caused by Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long along with many ministers?
This matter, though it only involved the investigation of Cui Shaolang, impacted all the ministers.
Who can ensure their own conduct is entirely clean?
When Ye Zhen learned of this incident, he could only shake his head repeatedly.
This Cui Shaolang recklessly involved himself in the power struggles between major forces, bringing disaster upon his family. How unwise could it be?
But then, isn't Ye Zhen doing the same?
However, compared to this Cui Shaolang, Ye Zhen had no family ties to hold him back!
"Sir, Hall Master Mu Xu of the Mu Hall requests an audience." In the Silent Chamber of the Posthouse, the voice of the guard reported.

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