Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

Liu Bian did not answer immediately.

He seemed stunned by the phrase "potentially related to the Crown Prince," and even his steps as he left the classroom slowed down.

That half-beat, in the eyes of others, is "guilty conscience".

A subtle ripple appeared in the hall.

Some people gasped softly, while others looked away as if afraid of getting a spark; a hint of pleasure flashed in some eyes—the Crown Prince's influence had been too great these past two years, to the point of making people uneasy.

Upon seeing this, the official who had stepped forward to report the incident felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

Bet right.

The official in charge of the Ministry of Personnel also made the right bet.

He took the opportunity to raise his voice, as if afraid the fire wasn't burning bright enough, and simply added another handful of firewood:

"His Majesty!"

"I have one more matter to report!"

Emperor Ling of Han was still furious, and when he heard him speak again, he lowered his brows and said, "Speak!"

The official kowtowed, and as he rose, his eyes held a resolute determination to purge the court of corrupt officials.

"The Tongsheng Society's ability to amass wealth and attract people is already questionable."

"What's even more suspicious is that it has a 'black book,' which cuts off supplies and routes, making merchants fear it like a punishment; it also has 'charitable granaries,' with keys distributed to the villages, and three books of records and vouchers running in parallel, seemingly meticulous, but in reality the easiest to obtain—"

He paused deliberately, making the two words sound even more weighty:

"Gathering a crowd!"

A low tremor ran through the hall.

In the capital, the phrase "gathering a crowd" was a hundred times more terrifying than "doing good deeds."

The official raised his hand, gesturing to his entourage behind him.

A wooden box was brought up.

The box was sealed with a seal strip, and a vermilion seal was pressed onto the seal strip; the four characters on the seal were so clear they were almost blinding.

"Tong Sheng Medical Clinic".

The official's tone was firm:

"I have obtained the evidence."

"This box contains secret agreements between the Tong Sheng Society and merchants, as well as road signs, tallies, and profit-sharing accounts."

"There was another document—stating, 'If a storm arises, first use medicine to create chaos in the capital,' followed by a line of wicked words!"

He looked up, his voice suddenly rising, like a knife tip piercing the throne:

"Such blasphemous lies and deceptions, if not for someone backing them up, how dare they travel to the capital?!"

Everyone in the hall held their breath.

Some people had already sentenced the crown prince to death in their hearts.

—The evidence is complete, the seals are properly sealed, and even the stamps are neatly affixed.

This isn't ginseng, it's deadly.

Emperor Ling's face was ashen, as if snow were about to fall. He stared at Liu Bian, his voice low and heavy:

"Crown Prince."

"you say."

"Is the Tongsheng Society one of your people?"

Liu Bian remained silent.

The official was even more certain: the crown prince was panicking.

He then seized the opportunity to submit another scroll of memorials, almost "going even further":

"His Majesty!"

"I have also discovered that the adhesive paper used by the Tongsheng Association is water-resistant and undamaged, making it ideal for writing contracts and secret agreements; this paper comes from the Yang family, who have close ties with the Crown Prince."

"These supplies, trade routes, medical clinics, and charitable granaries all converge on the Eastern Palace—"

He kowtowed sharply, his voice like a hammer:

"Your Majesty, I implore you to order a thorough investigation immediately!"

"To prevent the people's hearts in the capital from being led astray by a single merchant guild!"

The air inside the hall seemed to have been sucked out.

Many ministers had sweat beading on their foreheads, and even Zhang Rang's smile had thinned.

This method of ginsenging is too ruthless.

They mispronounced "help" as "forming a party."

They described the "charter" as a "law outside the law."

They described the "blacklist cutoff" as "using businesses to coerce the people."

They then referred to "adhesive paper" as "a secret agreement instrument".

Every statement relies not on the truth, but on "sounding like it."

Emperor Ling of Han laughed in extreme anger, but there was no warmth in his laughter:

"Good, very good."

"Your Highness—do you have anything else to say?"

All eyes were fixed on Liu Bian, like nails.

In that instant, the seat in the Eastern Palace resembled an execution platform.

Yang Ci, who was at the front of the line, frowned slightly and raised his hand, ready to step out of the line.

Liu Bian suddenly burst out laughing.

It wasn't a bitter smile.

It's not that I'm forcing myself to stay upright.

It was a very light and clean laugh, like the "hum" of a blade in its sheath.

The hall fell silent.

Even the official was taken aback by the laughter: What was he laughing at?

Liu Bian raised his head, his gaze passing over the official and landing on the throne. His voice was not loud, but clear:

"Father."

"Your subject did not answer just now not because he was afraid."

"It is your son who is waiting, waiting for the moment when they are cornered and show their true colors."

"And I'm thinking—"

He paused:

"They actually dared to present false evidence to the Emperor."

"You even dared to make the seal, the red seal, and the regulations so complete for your son."

He raised his hand and pointed to the wooden box:

"Please grant me permission, Father Emperor."

"—Open the box in the palace."

"Your Majesty, I can tell you with just one glance: this box does not contain evidence of a crime."

He leaned slightly forward, his voice as soft as if he were handing over a knife hilt:

"It was the thief's hand."

The sound of wind in the hall seemed to be cut off.

Emperor Ling of Han narrowed his eyes and lightly tapped the table with his jade tablet:

"open."

Just as the eunuch carrying the box was about to step forward, the official who had made the accusation stepped forward first, speaking respectfully:

"Your Majesty is wise. Opening the box in the palace is the best way to clear your name."

He glanced at Liu Bian out of the corner of his eye, as if looking at a fish already caught in a net.

The lid of the box clicked open.

Inside, everything was neatly arranged: contracts, road signs, tallies, profit-sharing ledgers, and a piece of paper proclaiming "The winds of chaos are rising in the capital."

The vermilion seal on the paper was bright red.

"Tong Sheng Medical Clinic".

The official almost couldn't help but laugh, and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect:

"Your Majesty, please look at this seal—"

Liu Bian, however, did not look at the paper.

He only looked at the seal.

The next moment, he gave a soft "hmm," as if confirming something small.

"Father," he looked up, his tone softening, "your subject first asks: what is the most feared thing regarding the imperial seal in the capital?"

Emperor Ling of Han sneered: "False."

"Yes." Liu Bian nodded. "A forged seal."

He raised his hand and took out a small box from his sleeve.

It was smaller and simpler than the wooden box, but sealed more tightly—the seal not only had a red stamp, but also a fine "cut" and a hidden hook mark.

Wang Ming presented it with both hands.

Liu Bian did not rush to open it, but simply placed the box on the stone steps in the hall, the sound clear and distinct:

"Six months ago, Tong Sheng was spied on once."

"Your subject changed the seal immediately."

"Old seal - sealed away."

"The new seal—is only used in one place, and it has 'hidden teeth'."

He looked up at Emperor Ling of Han:

"If Father Emperor agrees, then take the seal for verification."

"Granted." Emperor Ling of Han spoke coldly. "Then retrieve the seal book submitted by the Eastern Palace—verify it in the palace."

A moment later, two items were brought over.

Liu Bian then opened the small box.

It doesn't contain ink or a contract.

It is a small bronze seal, with the four characters still on the seal face: "Tong Sheng Medical Hall".

However, there is an almost invisible "missing tooth" on the edge of those four characters, like a tooth mark left intentionally.

Liu Bian raised his hand and pressed the seal onto the table.

"Smack."

Ink is applied to the paper.

In addition to the four characters, there is an extremely fine hook, like a "tail"—those who don't understand won't notice it, but those who do will immediately understand: this is the "official identification".

Liu Bian then pointed to the "evidence" stamp in the official's wooden box:

"Please look at that one again, Father."

The eunuch pressed down the old seal.

"Smack."

The four characters are four characters—

But there was no hidden hook.

A low gasp rippled through the hall.

It was like countless knives being drawn at the same time, but none of them were used to strike; they were all aimed at the same person.

The official who reported the incident finally turned pale.

Liu Bian, however, was in no hurry to close the net.

He gently picked up that piece of "demonic words," as if picking up a fallen leaf:

He said, "When the wind rises and chaos ensues in the capital, it will first be caused by medicine."

"Father, I also have a question—who in the capital truly understands the 'chaos in the capital'?"

He turned around and his gaze swept over the hundred officials in the hall.

"Not a businessman."

"Merchants seek profit, but what they fear most is chaos."

"The one who understands chaos best is the one who can turn chaos into a 'crime'."

He raised his hand in greeting.

Cao Cao stepped out from the back of the procession and presented a scroll with both hands.

"This is the 'footprint log' of the Reorganization Office for the past three months," Liu Bian said. "The 'routes' of those who entered the city to sell medicine powder, talisman paper, or incense shops are all recorded."

"There is one route that is the safest and most circuitous one."

He pointed to a name in the register:

"—The official's clerk went out at night seventeen times in three months, all to the same alley behind the incense shop."

The official who made the accusation suddenly looked up: "Absurd! The Crown Prince..."

"Don't rush," Liu Bian interrupted, his tone even tinged with amusement. "I haven't mentioned the witnesses yet."

"successor."