The Return of the King: A Generation of Prodigies

This was Shen Xinghao's first time to the Ministry of Punishment, so he was inevitably curious and wanted to look around.

Speaking of the Ministry of Punishment, it is the hell on earth in the eyes of everyone, from powerful officials and noble families to ordinary people.

There is a saying circulating in Yunli: 'If you enter the Ministry of Punishment, you will be skinned alive even if you don't die.'

This rumor indirectly confirmed how terrible and terrifying the Ministry of Punishment was.

The Ministry of Punishment was originally an agency established by Emperor Taizu of Yunli, the founding emperor, to spy on military intelligence. It was not called the Ministry of Punishment before, but was called Jinsheng, which means to wish that every intelligence obtained will bring victory.

But later, I don’t know when it started, but its meaning changed, and it gradually became an institution controlled by the emperor himself, collecting intelligence for the emperor and monitoring ministers.

Shen Xinghao looked at the hell on earth and felt that there was nothing scary about it. Except that the atmosphere was a little too serious, everything else was actually not that bad.

"Third Young Master, why don't you go sit down at Quan Zheng's office? There are refreshments there, and the environment is nice. You've been working hard all day, so it's good to take a break."

Han Ming is not much younger than the Marquis of Zhenbei. He has looked after and raised all of the Marquis of Zhenbei's children. He cares about these children as much as the Marquis of Zhenbei does.

"Uncle Han, it's okay, I'm not tired." Years of life in the military camp have made Shen Xinghao develop the habit of hard work and perseverance.

Moreover, he had a good rest in the morning, and now he has endless energy.

The Ministry of Punishment is not a good place. Having been here once today, Shen Xinghao doesn't want to come here again. He wants to take this opportunity to take a good look around and satisfy his curiosity.

Han Ming saw through Shen Xinghao's thoughts. The third young master of their family has been very curious since he was a child.

"If Third Young Master isn't tired, how about I accompany you to look around?"

Shen Xinghao looked at Han Ming and smiled brightly. As expected, Uncle Han understood him and knew his thoughts best.

"Okay, let's go shopping. After all, after leaving this place today, I never want to come here again."

Han Ming accompanied Shen Xinghao to stroll around the Ministry of Punishment, introducing things to him as they went.

"Uncle Han, how come you are so familiar with this place?" When Han Ming retired from the battlefield and came to the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion, Shen Xinghao already remembered everything.

In Shen Xinghao's memory, Han Ming had always stayed in the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion and rarely even went out of the door on weekdays. How could he know so much about the Ministry of Punishment?

Han Ming smiled and said, "Of course I'm familiar with this place. Back then, in order to save that old guy Quan Zheng, I almost lived here."

"You came to the Ministry of Punishment to save Commander Quan?" Shen Xinghao looked at Han Ming in confusion. To have committed a crime so serious that he was sent to the Ministry of Punishment, it was clear how serious the matter was.

He had never seen anyone who could get out of the Ministry of Punishment alive after entering it. He didn't expect that Commander Quan not only got out of the Ministry of Punishment alive, but also became the commander of the Ministry of Punishment. It can be seen that he is not an ordinary person.

"Yes, it was to save him." Han Ming sighed as he recalled the past.

"Back then, Quan Zheng's younger sister married into the Chengguo Mansion and became the wife of the second son of the Chengguo family."

"I didn't expect that the second son of Duke Cheng was a ruthless and incompetent man. One day, after getting drunk, he got into an argument with Quan Zheng's sister and beat her to death."

"The Duke of Cheng's mansion was powerful, and Quan Zheng had no recourse. Eager to avenge his sister, he took advantage of the second young master's absence and killed him."

"Unlike others, Quan Zheng wasn't arrested and taken to the Ministry of Punishment. He turned himself in on his own initiative."

"How could the Duke Chengguo Mansion let go of his son's death? He was determined to kill Quanzheng. Quanzheng had suffered a lot here at that time."

"Our Lord is the most protective of his people. He knows Quan Zheng has been wronged. Killing someone and paying with one's life is a matter of course since ancient times."

"Quan Zheng's sister died, so it's only natural for the Second Young Master to pay for her life. However, the Duke of Chengguo's Mansion is bullying others by taking advantage of their power. How can the Marquis tolerate this?"

"So the Marquis asked me to handle this matter. At that time, I don't know how many times I would go to the Ministry of Punishment every day. Naturally, I am familiar with this place."

"So many years have passed, and the Ministry of Punishment has not changed at all. It's still the same as it was back then, except that the trees planted in the yard have grown into trees."

Recalling the past, Han Ming couldn't help but sigh that time passed so quickly. Those things seemed to have happened yesterday, but in the blink of an eye he was already an old man.

Shen Xinghao didn't care how time passed quickly. What he wanted to know most now was how Quan Zheng was finally released.

"Uncle Han, can you finish your story? How was Commander Quan finally acquitted?"

If he didn't know the reason, Shen Xinghao might not be able to sleep tonight.

Seeing Shen Xinghao's anxious expression, Han Ming smiled and said, "How else could he get out? Of course it was our Lord who saved him."

"The Marquis first had people create a stir, spreading the news of the Second Young Master's murder of his wife and all the evil things he had done. The whole capital was in an uproar, and everyone accused Duke Cheng of not raising his son well."

"He spoiled his son until he became lawless, committing murder and robbery and committing all kinds of evil."

"Then all those who had suffered from the Second Young Master were asked to come to the Jingzhao Yin to file a complaint and seek redress for their wrongdoings."

"When things got out of hand, the Marquis went to the palace to ask the late emperor for mercy on Quan Zheng's behalf."

"At that time, the late emperor was furious about Duke Cheng's embezzlement of disaster relief funds, so he took the opportunity to punish Duke Cheng and spare Quan Zheng's life."

"Although Quan Zheng survived, his future was ruined. He has been living in the capital for many years, feeling depressed and frustrated."

"A few days ago, Bai Qishan came to the Zhenbei Marquis's residence and told me that he wanted Quan Zheng to be the head of the Ministry of Punishment. He said that he wanted Quan Zheng to be a sharp blade in the hands of the young lady, guarding the rear for her."

"I thought this was a good thing, so I made a private decision with Bai Qishan before even getting the Marquis's consent, and let him come here to lead."

"But when the Marquis found out later, he was quite happy. I was able to escape a scolding."

Shen Xinghao was fascinated by what he heard. He didn't expect that there was such a complicated story involved.

Han Ming and Shen Xinghao were talking when Quan Zheng came over. Even from a distance, they could smell the blood on Quan Zheng's body. It seemed that Feng Jie had suffered a lot this time.

"Third Master, the matter has been settled. The man is still half alive and will not die for a while."

Quan Zheng looked down at the box in his hand and said, "I won't open this box, lest the contents pollute the Third Young Master's eyes."

"Should this be sent to the Feng family now?" Quan Zheng asked, holding up the box in his hand.

"Well, let's send it now." Shen Xinghao only knew that the one who would replace Ling Xifeng as the head of the Ministry of Punishment was one of his own, but he didn't expect that there would be such a tortuous process.

He was looking at the box in Quan Zheng's hand at this moment and no longer wanted to know what was inside. No matter what was in the box, he thought it was normal.

"Okay, then I'll send someone to deliver the things to the Feng family."

The box contains one of Feng Jie's eyes. Quan Zheng dared to do this, which showed that he was not afraid of offending the Feng family or the imperial concubine Feng Yuanyuan.

No matter in the past, present or future, he is a member of the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion, and the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion is his backing.

When the Feng family received the box and found out that it contained one of Feng Jie's eyes, they cried, shouted, and made a fuss, and the whole family was in chaos.

Feng Jie's mother cried bitterly and insisted that Feng Jie's father go to the palace immediately to find Feng Yuanyuan and ask Feng Yuanyuan to seek justice for her brother.

Feng Jie's father was so annoyed that he had no choice but to go out in the dark to see his daughter Feng Yuanyuan in the palace.

Qiu Tong slept until the evening and woke up. When she woke up, she heard about Li Muyang's assassination.

Qiu Tong, filled with anger, picked up her sword and was about to go out, but was finally hugged by Chun Chao and dragged back into the house.

"Okay, don't be angry. What can you do with a sword? Can you go back to the palace and kill Feng Yuanyuan, or go and kill everyone in the Feng family?"

Shen Tianjiao looked at Qiu Tong, who was almost mad at herself, and said, "How many times have I told you to stay calm and not act impulsively? Why can't you remember?"

"I know, but I just can't swallow this. How dare the Feng family do such a thing?"

"If I had known something like this would happen today, I should have poisoned Concubine Feng and her son to death."

Ever since Qiu Tong came into contact with things related to poisons with Chao Yun, she has become fascinated by them and likes to study them when she has nothing to do.

"All of you, please be quiet. This matter won't just end like this. I need to think carefully about how to repay Mu'er for what she suffered today."

Shen Tianjiao glanced at Qiu Tong. She really felt that she could no longer yell at this girl. Sometimes she was really afraid that this girl would poke a hole in the sky.

"Did you hear what I said?" Seeing Qiu Tong lowering her head and not saying anything, Shen Tianjiao unconsciously raised her tone to warn her.

"I heard it." Qiu Tong didn't dare to act rashly in front of Shen Tianjiao, but she was thinking in her heart about how to discipline Feng Yuanyuan.

"Don't cause trouble!" Shen Tianjiao felt uneasy when she saw Qiu Tong's expression and had to remind her again.

"Go back to the palace now and tell Qiong Niang about this. Tell her that Mu'er will stay here for the next few days. If there is anything in the palace, ask her to discuss it with the old ancestor."

"Yes." Qiu Tong had a blank expression on the surface, but in fact, fireworks had already started going off in her heart.

She was just worrying that she would not have the chance to return to the palace to deal with Feng Yuanyuan, and then this opportunity came.

Qiu Tong met Feng Yuanyuan's father, Feng Dafu, at the palace gate. Before Li Rui became emperor, Feng Dafu had been working as a housekeeper in the palace.

Qiu Tong lowered the curtain of the carriage and ordered the driver to drive slower. She knew why Feng Dafu came to the palace at this time.

As the carriage passed by Feng Dafu, Qiu Tong heard Feng Dafu say to the gatekeeper, "Please be flexible and let me in. I'm the Imperial Concubine's father."

"Let alone the Imperial Concubine's father, even if the Imperial Concubine herself came, this door cannot be opened today. If you want to see the Imperial Concubine, you can only wait until tomorrow."

Now the people guarding the palace gate of the imperial city have been replaced by people from the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion. If it were still the same people as before, they would have opened the palace gate and let people in in order to curry favor with Feng Yuanyuan.

"I really have an urgent matter. I need to go to the palace to see the imperial concubine. Please give me some convenience." Feng Dafu was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead.

Thinking of his youngest son, whose life or death was unknown, he became even more anxious and angry.

"No, this is the palace rule and no one is allowed to violate it." The gatekeeper refused directly with an expressionless face.

Qiu Tong ordered the driver, "Let's go back to the palace."

The driver sped up a little and arrived at the palace gate in an instant. He took off his badge and handed it over, and the gatekeeper waved his hand to let him pass.

Looking at the carriage that entered, Feng Dafu jumped up and down, "Didn't they say that no one can enter? Then how come that carriage can enter?"

"How can that be the same? Didn't you see that the people in that carriage were sent out on errands for the Queen?"

The gatekeeper crossed his arms and told lies with a clear conscience.

When Feng Dafu heard that the person who came in was Shen Tianjiao's man, he rolled his eyes in anger. His youngest son's affairs were definitely related to the Shen family.

The carriage stopped after entering the palace gate. Qiu Tong leaned her head out of the carriage, waved to call a soldier over, and whispered a few words in his ear.

The soldier immediately opened the door and went out, whispering Qiu Tong's instructions into the gatekeeper's ear.

The gatekeeper nodded gently, then looked at Feng Dafu and said, "Sir Feng, you can't enter the palace today, but I can have someone inform the Imperial Concubine and have a maid from Jinyang Palace come over to pass on the message for you."

"Okay, thank you very much." Feng Dafu, who was extremely anxious, agreed immediately when he saw the gatekeeper gave in.

After waiting for about half an hour, someone came from Jinyang Palace. It was Mei Xue, the senior palace maid beside Feng Yuanyuan.

Seeing that it was Mei Xue who came, Feng Dafu finally felt relieved.

He quickly told Mei Xue what happened today and asked Feng Yuanyuan to get Feng Jie out of the Ministry of Punishment as soon as possible, otherwise Feng Jie's life would be in danger.

After the two finished talking, Mei Xue said goodbye and entered the palace, and Feng Dafu, who had completed his mission, also left and went home.

After Mei Xue entered the palace, she walked over to Qiu Tong who was standing in the dark and told her exactly what Feng Dafu had said.

Qiu Tong got the answer she wanted and got up and returned to Yuxiu Palace.

Mei Xue, who was standing there, had already torn off the disguise on her face and turned into a stranger.

When Qiu Tong returned to Yuxiu Palace, Qiong Niang was in a panic.

"What's wrong? What's happening?" Qiu Tong asked in confusion, looking at Qiong Niang who was pacing back and forth in a panic.

Seeing Qiu Tong coming back, Qiong Niang was like seeing a savior. She rushed over and grabbed Qiu Tong's hand, saying, "Mu'er, he hasn't come back yet? I've sent out three waves of people, but we haven't found him yet."