Crown Prince of the Empire, I quit!

The next morning, a grand court meeting was held in Huangji Hall.

The atmosphere was eerie and suffocating. Qin Ming, seated on the dragon throne, wore a calm expression, yet his gaze was as deep as a frozen lake, unfathomable. Officials bowed their heads in silence, many with cold sweat dripping from their foreheads. Their eyes evaded, not daring to even touch the throne. Zheng Yuan and several of his closest associates' sudden "sick leave" was like a stone dropped into a deep pond. While it didn't cause any major waves, it sent a chill through the bones of those who knew the truth or harbored ulterior motives.

The court meeting ended hastily in a depressing silence. There were no important discussions, no customary responses, and the emperor didn't even ask a single question before dismissing the court.

This abnormal calmness is more terrifying than thunder and lightning.

After the court was dismissed, Qin Ming did not return to the imperial study, but went directly to a place that shocked everyone who heard about it - Wenyuan Pavilion.

Wenyuan Pavilion is where Li Jingtang, the deputy minister, was on duty and handled confidential government affairs on a daily basis.

The emperor's carriage stopped without warning outside the Wenyuan Pavilion. Qin Ming, dressed in casual attire, slowly entered this tranquil and elegant palace, a symbol of the imperial cultural core.

Li Jingtang had already been notified and, with several secretaries and archivists from the cabinet, greeted him at the steps. He was over sixty, his hair and beard graying, his face gaunt. He wore a scarlet robe with a crane patch, the attire of a second-rank civil servant. His posture was respectful, his eyes calm, as if the turmoil of the outside world had nothing to do with him.

"Your Majesty, I, Li Jingtang, respectfully welcome you." He bowed and saluted, his voice steady, with the calmness that only an old minister could have.

"Stand up." Qin Ming's voice was calm, but his gaze was as real as it was real. He slowly swept over Li Jingtang and the officials behind him who lowered their brows and dared not speak a word. "I'm going to take a walk and see how my prime ministers are helping me share my worries."

He walked into the main hall of Wenyuan Pavilion. The air was filled with the fragrance of books, and the volumes were numerous. Everything was in perfect order, exuding a tranquility and solemnity that came from a thousand years of cultural heritage.

Qin Ming walked to the huge rosewood desk where Li Jingtang worked every day. His fingers unconsciously ran across the smooth desktop, but his eyes fell on the wolf-hair brushes on the pen holder and the stack of white, crisp imperial "Songyan tribute paper" beside it.

"Mr. Li has been busy with state affairs and working day and night for the public. Thank you for your hard work." Qin Ming suddenly spoke, and his tone did not reveal his emotion.

"I am an old minister, but I am afraid to complain about the hardship. This is my job." Li Jingtang bowed in response, his posture impeccable.

"It's my responsibility..." Qin Ming repeated, pausing slightly. "But I wonder if some things are also within Li Qing's 'responsibility'?"

His question was completely out of context, yet it instantly froze the atmosphere in Wenyuan Pavilion! All the officials lowered their heads even lower, wishing they could shrink into the cracks in the ground.

Li Jingtang's expression remained unchanged, he only frowned slightly, revealing just the right amount of doubt: "This old minister is dull, please clarify, Your Majesty."

Qin Ming didn't look at him. Instead, he gently pulled out a piece of pine soot tribute paper from the stack. Facing the light coming in from the window, he carefully looked at the barely noticeable dark pattern of palace supervision on the edge of the paper.

"I've heard that some imitation pine smoke tribute paper has appeared on the market recently, and the craftsmanship is almost indistinguishable from the original." Qin Ming seemed to be talking to himself, his voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone. "I wonder which skilled craftsmen have such skills? And who has the courage to use this imperial product to engage in such private transactions?"

Pfft!Pfft!

Several Zhongshu Sheren behind him, who had slightly weaker mental qualities, had become weak in the legs and almost fell to the ground, their faces as pale as paper.

The corner of Li Jingtang's eye twitched slightly, but he remained steady. "Is this really true? This is a crime of great disrespect! Your Majesty, rest assured. I will work with the relevant authorities to investigate this matter thoroughly and will not tolerate any leniency!"

"Oh? Li Qing wants to investigate personally?" Qin Ming finally turned his head, his eyes like lightning piercing Li Jingtang. "Alright. Then I will wait for Li Qing's results."

He put down the paper and walked slowly to Li Jingtang. The distance was so close that he could almost feel each other's breath.

"Li Qing," Qin Ming's voice was extremely low, carrying a cold, oppressive feeling that only the two of them could hear. "You are a veteran of two dynasties and a leader of the civil officials. I... have always respected you. Don't... make mistakes."

After saying this, he no longer looked at Li Jingtang's instantly stiff face, turned around, and strode out of Wenyuan Pavilion.

The imperial carriage set off and disappeared at the end of the palace road.

There was deathly silence in Wenyuan Pavilion.

Li Jingtang stood there, motionless. His earlier, respectful and composed expression had vanished, replaced by an extremely gloomy and cold expression. His hands, trembling slightly beneath his wide sleeves, clenched tightly.

The emperor's words, like the sharpest dagger, were already at his throat. A warning, a stark warning! The emperor must have grasped some key clues, perhaps even...conclusive evidence! Zheng Yuan was in grave danger!

"Lord..." A trusted secretary stepped forward with a trembling voice.

"Shut up!" Li Jingtang suddenly shouted, his voice hoarse and filled with unprecedented hostility, "Get out!"

Everyone tumbled and crawled out, leaving him alone in the empty hall. He slowly walked to the table and looked at the stack of pine soot tribute paper. Struggle and fear flashed in his eyes, eventually turning into a desperate madness.

The emperor...is going to kill them all!

……

That night, deep in the imperial prison.

Cold torture instruments, mottled bloodstains, and the air was filled with the smell of rust and corruption.

Zheng Yuan was chained to the rack, his clothes torn and his body bruised, barely breathing. The commander of the Tingfeng Guard sat across from him, his face expressionless.

"Zheng Yuan, a Cabinet Secretary, is a sixth-rank official. He is from Yongzhou and belongs to my mentor, Li Jingtang..." The commander's voice was flat, as if he were reading an insignificant document. "The Jiangnan Grain Transport Governor's Office, through three grain shops like the 'Qingfenghao,' embezzles over one million taels of grain silver annually under the guise of 'floating' and 'discounting' grain. Thirty percent of this money, through you, flows into the capital through the 'Qingfeng Teahouse' in the south of the city, under the guise of 'tea money' and 'calligraphy and painting fees.' Ultimately, nearly half of it is deposited into three anonymous accounts at the 'Yongtai Money House' in the west city... and upon investigation, the ultimate beneficiary of these three accounts is... a distant nephew of Li Jingtang, the Minister of State, who lives in another province."

With every word, Zheng Yuan's body trembled violently, and his eyes were filled with extreme fear.

"You...you guys..." His voice broke, in disbelief. These extremely secretive activities, yet the other party knew everything about them!

"What did Lord Li promise you? A guaranteed career? Or... a shared wealth?" The commander stepped closer, his voice icy. "Now, he can barely protect himself. Are you still going to... shoulder the punishment of exterminating his entire clan?"

The last glimmer of hope in Zheng Yuan's eyes completely collapsed.

"I... I said..." He cried, tears streaming down his face, "It was... it was the Lord... He was the one who ordered... Jiangnan... Jiangnan's money... most of it... all..."