Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Zhang Jingwei's gaze slowly lifted from the pile of deeds and settled on Zhou Lun's face. He was calm, almost distant. "I appreciate Master Zhou's kindness. I thank the Zhou family for their appreciation and support of Junxing."

The smile on Zhou Lun's face froze instantly, and he said anxiously: "Sir, this..." He took half a step forward, as if trying to fight for it again.

Wu Wen was also anxious and quickly joined in: "Your Excellency, please understand! This is truly just a business transaction, not a bribe! Look at this contract, the terms are clear and mutually beneficial..."

Zhang Jingwei raised his hand, silencing Wu Wen. His voice was low, yet it carried a penetrating power that made the air in the back hall seem to freeze. "Captain Wu, Master Zhou. Before leaving for Gaoyang, my mentor gave me two gifts." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two of them. "One is a cotton-padded jacket, which I'm wearing; the other is a thick volume of case records." His fingertips tapped unconsciously on the table. "The records contain cases of officials, both large and small, who have fallen into disgrace and their families destroyed due to corruption since the founding of our dynasty! Many of them fabricated excuses, using 'business,' 'shares,' or 'gifts' as a cover to bribe, ultimately ending up in prison, their infamy forever!"

He stood up, paced a few steps, and with his back to Zhou Lun and Wu Wen, his voice filled with gratitude and awe, "When our dynasty was founded, out of consideration for the people's livelihood, the salaries of officials were indeed not as generous as those of the previous dynasty. Emperor Gaozong was benevolent and considerate of his subjects, so he set a precedent by allowing officials to run small businesses to supplement their family income. This is the emperor's great grace!" He turned abruptly, his eyes blazing, "However, this grace has been misinterpreted and abused by so many corrupt officials, becoming a cover for their plunder and self-enrichment! Ultimately, it has undermined the court's laws and chilled the hearts of the people! If this trend continues, the country will no longer exist!"

"Sir!" Zhou Lun's face turned pale at the powerful words. He could no longer maintain his composure. His voice was obviously trembling with despair. "Zhou Jue is the only son of my Zhou family in three generations! If anything happens to him, my Zhou family... my Zhou family will..." His body swayed and he almost fell to his knees.

Zhang Jingwei looked coldly at the distraught Zhou Lun: "Master Zhou, were you trying to threaten me just now?"

"Brother Lun! Be careful with your words!" Wu Wen was so frightened that he held Zhou Lun tightly and hurriedly explained to Zhang Jingwei, "Don't blame me, sir! Zhou Lun... he loves his son so much that he said something he didn't want to say! He absolutely didn't mean to threaten you! He absolutely didn't mean to do that!"

"I dare not! I absolutely dare not!" Zhou Lun stood firm with the support of Wu Wen, cold sweat dripping down his face, his voice filled with tears, "My son... my son is still young and inexperienced. He must have been bewitched by the villain and lost his way in a moment of confusion! I beg you to consider that this is his first offense and show mercy to him, and let him go! Zhou... Zhou is willing to sell everything he has to compensate you!" At this moment, he had completely thrown away the calculations of a businessman, and only the humble begging of a father remained.

"Too young? Have you strayed?" Zhang Jingwei's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable majesty. "I just turned nineteen this year!" He stared at Zhou Lun with a scorching gaze. "Age is never an excuse to shirk responsibility! If you're wrong, you're wrong! The law is clear and unwavering; how can we afford to play with it?"

Zhou Lun seemed to be grasping at the last straw, and said anxiously, "Yes, yes, yes! Your Excellency's teaching is correct! I know I was wrong! I only ask Your Excellency... I only ask Your Excellency to show me mercy! If a caning is necessary, please ask the yamen runners to be gentle, and I will pay for the medicine! If imprisonment or hard labor is necessary, I will pay double... no, triple the ransom silver! I only ask Your Excellency to show some mercy!"

Zhang Jingwei's face was expressionless, his voice as cold as ice: "Then according to the law, the sentence should be exile, or even... beheading?"

Wu Wen blurted out: "Sir! I just took the stone, why is the sentence so heavy? This... this is against the law!" He tried to defend himself with the law.

However, Zhou Lun suddenly pushed Wu Wen away, fell to his knees with a thud, and hit the ground with his head, making a dull sound: "Sir! If you really want to punish severely, please punish me! If a son is not disciplined, it is the fault of the father! I did not teach him well! All the blame will be borne by me, Zhou Lun! You can kill me or cut me into pieces, it is all up to you! I only ask you... to let my son go!" He burst into tears, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles.

The back hall was completely silent, with only Zhou Lun's suppressed sobs as the sound. The lingering scent of sandalwood incense could not dispel the heavy atmosphere.

Zhang Jingwei looked at Zhou Lun, who knelt on the ground and had instantly aged considerably. A subtle complexity flashed in his eyes. He was silent for a moment before he spoke slowly, his tone slightly softer than before, but still with an unquestionable bottom line: "Master Zhou, what you did today—openly bringing a large gift (he emphasized these two words) into the yamen, intending to bribe an official, and even attempting to redeem your sentence with money, interfering with the judiciary... Each of these actions, if investigated thoroughly according to the law, is enough to confiscate your Zhou family's property, and you yourself will be imprisoned!"

Zhou Lun's body trembled violently.

"But," Zhang Jingwei changed the subject, "considering your eagerness to save your son, I understand. Today, I will pretend that nothing happened." He pointed to the documents and the ebony box on the table. "These 'business' and 'gifts' will be returned intact. I hope that Patriarch Zhou will take care of himself and refrain from such foolish actions that give others a handle and harm others!"

Zhou Lun suddenly raised his head, a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes: "Sir... is there really... really no room for further discussion? My son..."

Zhang Jingwei interrupted him, his tone unquestionable: "Don't get excited yet. Your son Zhou Jue is a registered student of our dynasty. I have checked his academic record and his academic performance is acceptable. He is not a bad student." He paused and said clearly, "According to the laws of the Celestial Empire and the custom of our dynasty to treat scholars with favor, students who have committed faults may be given a lighter sentence at our discretion. Considering that although he took banned drugs this time, he has not committed any other crimes, I rule—"

He glanced at the extremely nervous Zhou Lun and Wu Wen. "Driving him out of the ceremonial gate of the county government office, he will be whipped twenty times in public as a warning to others! After the execution, I will have him returned home safely."

"Only... just twenty lashes?!" Wu Wen couldn't believe his ears. His voice changed in tone from the sheer surprise. This was far lighter than the lightest punishment he'd expected!

Zhang Jingwei glanced at him coldly and said, "Captain Wu, do you think my sentence is too light? If not, I can increase it according to the law."

"No, no, no! Enough! Enough!" Wu Wen was so frightened that he waved his hands repeatedly. Finally, a relieved smile appeared on his face. He hurriedly pulled Zhou Lun, who was still kneeling on the ground, and said, "Quick! Quickly thank Lord Zhang for his mercy! Please show mercy!"

Zhou Lun finally woke up from his dream and kowtowed again, his voice choked with sobs: "Thank you, sir! Thank you for your magnanimity! I...I am deeply grateful!"

Zhang Jingwei walked up to Zhou Lun and said in a deep voice: "Master Zhou, I hope you will remember the lesson today. After your son returns home, you must discipline and control him well, guide him to be good, urge him to concentrate on his studies, and don't let him get involved with stone poison again, and don't rely on your family background to do anything reckless! If there is a next time..." The coldness in his unfinished words made Zhou Lun shudder.

"Definitely! Definitely!" Zhou Lun promised repeatedly, his forehead covered in sweat and tears. "I will discipline him strictly! I will never let you down!"

Zhang Jingwei waved his hand and turned around tiredly: "Go."

Wu Wen hurriedly helped Zhou Lun, who was almost exhausted, and signaled the guards to pick up the heavy ebony box. He then thanked Zhou Lun profusely and left the back hall.

Zhang Jingwei stood alone in the empty back hall, gazing at the glaring sunlight outside, and let out a long, silent breath. Being a high-ranking official is truly difficult.