Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Chapter 289 Touching the Pillar

Screams erupted, and fear gripped everyone in the Uya clan.

The Emperor, the Emperor, has shown absolutely no regard for our past relationship!

Su Peisheng glanced at the corpse on the ground, pointed at it, and said to the Uya clan members blocking the doorway, "Anyone who dares to obstruct us again will be killed without mercy. Commander Shumulu, let your men begin."

Commander Shumulu clasped his hands in a fist salute and waved to the Imperial Guards following behind him, signaling them to proceed.

With the lessons of the past right before their eyes, the people of the Uya clan no longer dared to stop them. Every single one of them wished they had two fewer legs, and they all dodged to the sides, fearing that these killing gods might strike them down if they didn't get their way.

The Wuya family was the first to be raided. There were many people watching the spectacle outside the mansion. The extremely piercing scream reached outside the mansion and also reached the ears of the other families who were surrounded.

If the emperor could be so ruthless as to kill the Uya family, what are they compared to him?

With this good start, the rest of the search and seizure went exceptionally smoothly.

It took the entire Ministry of Revenue five days to completely inventory the confiscated stolen goods.

The amount of silver notes and cash alone was as high as 15 million, in addition to a large number of rare pearls, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, tributes, and imperial items.

Some of these treasures were so rare that even the emperor had never seen them before.

That was one thing, but when the emperor saw the secret ledgers found in the bondservant families, he was so angry that he laughed!

More than half of the gold, silver and valuables embezzled by these people ended up in Lao Ba's pocket!

What a fine Prince Lian!

What a fine prince Yinzhi!

The court, which should have been peaceful until the New Year, was suddenly thrown into turmoil again. Officials who were close to Prince Lian were either dismissed from their posts or imprisoned.

Even Prince Lian himself was ordered by the emperor to be imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court, leaving only his wife to go out and make connections.

Even those who wanted to help but couldn't bring themselves to do so dared not speak up in the face of the evidence presented by the emperor.

After the emperor vented his anger at the morning court session, he had just returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation when Su Peisheng told him that Consort Zhao was requesting an audience.

Consort Zhao? Is she here to plead for the Juechan clan?

The emperor frowned. "Summon them!"

After all, she was a beloved concubine whom the emperor had cherished for so long. Although the emperor harbored some resentment, he was not unwilling to see her.

When Consort Zhao entered, she was carrying an exquisite box.

"I have met the emperor."

The emperor told Consort Zhao to rise, but she did not get up. Instead, she knelt on the ground and held the box she was holding above her head.

She looked at the emperor with tears in her eyes and said, "Your Majesty, I am guilty and dare not rise."

"Your Majesty's grace has brought me to where I am today, and my family has also benefited greatly from Your Majesty's favor. Your Majesty and my family should have been willing to die for Your Majesty, but the Juechan clan is ungrateful and has colluded with you to deceive the Emperor."

At this point, tears streamed down her face: "Your Majesty, I am ashamed before you, and the Juechan clan is even more guilty. I beg Your Majesty to depose me and severely punish the Juechan clan."

The Emperor looked into her eyes and saw a glint in them. For a moment, he couldn't tell whether Consort Zhao was sincere or just using a feigned retreat to advance.

At this moment, Su Peisheng, already aware of the situation, took the box from Consort Zhao's hand and presented it to the emperor.

The emperor opened the box and saw that it contained a ruby ​​the size of an egg, with a pure color and a fine texture, a truly top-quality item.

However, he had never bestowed such a fine ruby ​​upon Consort Zhao before; in fact, he, the emperor, had not seen such a fine ruby ​​in a long time.

In that instant, the emperor's eyes changed.

Since he didn't bestow this gem upon us, its origin is self-evident!

Before the palace, Consort Zhao was already weeping as she spoke of the gem: "When I first saw this ruby, it was in the hands of the clan chief's wife, Consort Wunaxi."

"At the time, I didn't think much of it. I just thought the gem was exceptionally dazzling and couldn't help but praise it. Later, when I was promoted to the rank of Consort, the Fujin added it to the congratulatory gift for me."

Unaxi's wife is a wife, and Prince Mu's wife is also a wife. She didn't lie to the emperor; it all depends on what the emperor thinks.

"These past few days, the calamity of the bondservant families has been widely discussed. I have also heard about it in the inner palace. After I learned by chance that there was something fishy about the rubies offered as tribute this year, I thought of this gem."

"Your Majesty has shown me deep affection and loyalty, but my family has committed such heinous acts. I am truly ashamed to face Your Majesty any longer. I beg Your Majesty to depose me and severely punish the Juechan clan."

After she finished speaking, Consort Zhao bowed her head.

The emperor sighed. The evidence had been presented, showing that Consort Zhao was not trying to back down, but was genuinely there to plead guilty.

He rose and walked to the palace to personally help Consort Zhao up: "Yuanyuan, why do you have to do this? After all, it is your family. Although the Juechan clan is guilty, their crimes do not warrant death. I had no intention of making things difficult for them."

Yuan Yuan was Consort Zhao's childhood name.

Consort Zhao's heart tightened, and her face showed even more distress:

"The previous dynasty already had many complaints about the Emperor's favor towards me. In this incident involving bondservants, the Emperor did not even show mercy to the Uya family. If he were to make an exception for the Juechan family because of me, how would the court officials and the people view the Emperor?"

"Your Majesty is deeply grateful for my grace. How could I bear to let Your Majesty's reputation be tarnished because of me, to be criticized by the people of the world, or even to be criticized by future generations a thousand years from now?"

Consort Zhao looked at the Emperor with grief: "If Your Majesty insists on not severely punishing the Juechan clan, I have no choice but to die to repay Your Majesty's kindness."

As she spoke, she suddenly broke free from the emperor's embrace and rushed toward the vermilion pillar beside her.

The Emperor and Su Peisheng were startled and quickly reached out to pull her back, but Consort Zhao was exceptionally decisive, fast and strong, and they were unable to hold her back for a moment.

With a thud, Consort Zhao struck a pillar, blood streaming from her forehead, and collapsed to the ground.

The emperor's pupils dilated, and he hurriedly roared, "Guards! Summon the imperial physician!"

The news of Consort Zhao hitting the pillar in the palace was kept secret and did not spread.

However, the news of the bondservants protecting each other in embezzlement spread like wildfire, shocking not only the imperial family and the wealthy families of the Manchu and Mongol Upper Three Banners, but also ordinary rich households who couldn't help but suspect their servants.

Every household with servants followed the emperor's example and confiscated the wealth of their servants.

Unexpectedly, the result was truly astonishing.

Xi Qiao also took this opportunity to get rid of the spies and useless servants in the Prince Mu's mansion.

After spring arrives, she will begin her silver ear fungus cultivation plan, and these people should get out of here.

After eliminating the spies and corrupt officials in the mansion, Xi Qiao also took the opportunity to prioritize buying some confiscated farms, shops, houses, and land from the government.

These are all prime locations with top-quality farmland, but the price is only 80% of the market price—no other reason than having connections.

It was at this time that Prince Guo, who had rushed back from Ningguta, entered the palace to meet the emperor, and then led his entourage out of the capital, heading straight for Ganlu Temple.