Traveling through the emperor, overthrowing the empress dowager at the beginning

Wang Mingzhang was very panicked at this time.

Although he is from a noble family and is usually domineering, he is not stupid.

He could see that Ye Chen's identity was very unusual.

Who are the people who followed Ye Chen to take action?

Wang Mingzhang was terrified just thinking about the courage and momentum those people showed when they rushed over.

Although the yamen officials who followed him usually acted like bullies, they were all healthy and strong. However, they were dispersed by the enemy in just one round.

He already knew he had run into a tough opponent.

Therefore, the louder he roared after being subdued, the more nervous and scared he felt.

So when he heard Ye Chen say that only a high-ranking official in the court could save him, he felt like he had grabbed the last straw.

Like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube, he blurted out: "You, do you know Lord Sikong of the Ministry of Revenue?"

"Hmm? Is it Sikong Yiru?"

"That's right!"

Wang Mingzhang nodded vigorously. He felt much more at ease when he heard Ye Chen could say Sikong Yiru's name.

"Lord Sikong is a third-rank official in the court! I am his nephew, and he is my uncle! When I see him, I have to call him uncle! Are you scared? If you know what's good for you, let me go now. Otherwise, if my uncle knew you dared to do this to me, he would definitely not let you go!"

The saliva from Wang Mingzhang's mouth sprayed far away.

"Oh, Mr. Wang, who else do you know besides Lord Sikong?"

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes and continued to ask.

"Why? Isn't my uncle enough?"

Wang Mingzhang glared at Ye Chen.

Then, Ye Chen met his gaze, slowly shook his head, and said something that made him stunned.

"He's just a third-rank official, how can he be called a senior official?"

Ye Chen waved his hand, his tone full of dominance.

"If there are no other senior officials to protect you, I will have them spare your hands and beat you until you are half paralyzed! Your uncle can't do anything to me!"

Ye Chen showed his ruthless side and immediately ordered the imperial guards to come forward and kill Wang Mingzhang.

Wang Mingzhang was instantly frightened.

"No, no, no, I know him. I know Mr. Huangfu from the Ministry of Works! He's a top official in the court!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen immediately signaled the imperial guards to stop.

"Do you know Minister Huangfu?"

"Yep!"

Wang Mingzhang nodded repeatedly, as if grasping at the last straw.

Ye Chen then said: "Oh, why should I believe you?"

"I, I give gifts to Master Huangfu every year. I have records. Master Huangfu always takes the lion's share of the annual dividends from the government offices!"

Wang Mingzhang seemed to be afraid that Lin Ziyun didn't understand how close their relationship was, so he told him everything about the division of the spoils.

"Oh, I'm afraid this alone is not enough. This is all your one-sided statement, and the evidence was written by you. Who knows if you are wrongly accusing Lord Huangfu?"

Ye Chen shook his head and said.

"I, what I said is true. Over the years, I have asked Master Huangfu to play with many courtesans, and I personally sent each one of them to his house!"

“I wrote down every single one!”

Wang Mingzhang said loudly.

Hearing this, Ye Chen's eyes darkened slightly.

He had heard before that the prince of the yamen had been playing with the top courtesan and even killing her afterward, and that he was a pervert. But he only now realized that the one who was really playing with her might be someone else.

Huangfu Chong, the old pervert, usually looks well-dressed and highly respected, but it turns out he is a beastly sex maniac. No wonder he wants to kill people after having fun.

After all, he is an official appointed by the imperial court, so he must be afraid that if the information is leaked, it will have a bad impact.

"Oh, Mr. Wang, I've told you before, what you wrote is nothing but slander! I don't believe someone as virtuous and respected as Minister Huangfu would do what you say!"

Ye Chen shook his head and said.

"No, no, I have a witness. A maidservant in Lord Huangfu's house is my lover. She can testify for me. Lord Huangfu and I really have a close relationship. He will really protect me!"

Wang Mingzhang said quickly.

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Okay, in that case, send someone to call that maid over now. Don't worry, as long as you can prove that Master Huangfu will really protect you, I won't do anything to you."

Ye Chen's tone deliberately became much softer, but his eyes were as cold as ever.

Wang Mingzhang breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this, thinking that he had escaped this disaster.

Ye Chen no longer paid any attention to him and walked straight upstairs.

"When this Wang guy sends someone out, we told our people to keep a close eye on him and not let him do anything else!"

"Close the gate of the Yamen and send people to guard it. Don't let anyone escape!"

Ye Chen said to Shen Qiu as he went upstairs.

Shen Qiu did not dare to delay at all and quickly conveyed the order.

When Ye Chen came to the second floor, he stood outside a locked room.

"Your Majesty, this is the treasury of the Yamen. It is said that every month, the money collected from merchants throughout the capital is placed here. Half of the keys to this treasury are in the hands of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Even the prince has to ask for permission before opening this place."

Shen Qiu explained to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen then waved his hand domineeringly: "Chop it open!"

Shen Qiu's eyes turned cold, he suddenly drew his sword and slashed it down.

"choke!"

After a streak of sparks.

The lock of the room was broken open.

Ye Chen kicked out and kicked the door open.

What came towards me was a dazzling light.

Ye Chen squinted his eyes and waited until he got used to the bright light coming out of the room before he realized that the room was full of copper coins.

The common currency used by Dayu today is still mainly copper coins, which is also Dayu's most basic currency.

But with so many copper coins in the room, Ye Chen estimated that exchanging them for 100,000 taels of silver would be no problem.

And this is just the money collected in one month.

Ye Chen's eyes were gloomy. The government offices in the capital alone collected so much money every month. How astronomical a figure would the national industrial and commercial taxes be?

How much did those corrupt officials pocket by exploiting people at all levels?

"Your Majesty, besides this treasury, the rooms upstairs are mostly filled with account books. I've also discovered a singing platform and a dozen men and women imprisoned in rooms. It's said these men and women were bought by the prince as playthings. Most of them are half-naked, with marks of torture on their bodies. They've clearly been tortured. The youngest among them is only eleven years old."

Shen Qiu's eyes were gloomy, and his whole face was like a piece of ice. He said.

".Beast, what a beast!"

Ye Chen clenched his fists tightly, he had seen what was going on.

As an official without rank, this yamen has become the black glove of some high-ranking officials in the court. The corruption and extravagance and debauchery it harbors are truly outrageous.

"Your Majesty, the city defense troops are surrounding us!"

Suddenly, a quarrel broke out outside the yamen.

"Qiu'er, go handle this matter and tell the people from the City Defense Army to get out!"

Ye Chen's face looked very unhappy. These corrupt officials were simply lawless, and the city defense troops who managed the city's security were just a decoration.