Conquering the Divine Capital... was nothing more than a futile effort. This is where Emperor Chongming’s political naivety lay. Judging whether a minister was capable based solely on whether they were corrupt or upright...
Did they study hard for more than a decade just to become upright officials? In a feudal society, such a thing is impossible! No matter if they were serving as Capital officials or as local officials, who hadn’t embezzled some silver? Even if they hadn’t taken gold and silver, using their power to amass wealth was also quite common. Even upright officials with clean sleeves were but rare exceptions.
The civil and military officials felt immensely relieved and quietly breathed a collective sigh of relief after hearing Xu Xing’s words. As expected, having once been part of their system, Xu Xing understood their "necessities."
"Emperor Chongming simply treated us like household slaves..."
"If a household slave embezzles, he is a thief within the family."
"He didn’t consider the common people, only his own selfish desires."
"When a ruler treats his ministers like dirt and grass, the ministers will treat the ruler as an enemy."
Han Sui seized the opportunity to denounce the deceased Emperor Chongming, fawningly saying, "It’s better for us to enjoy this money than to let it fall into the hands of the imperial clan. Though I am untalented, I have 10,000 taels of gold at home and am willing to present it to the Heavenly King to support the army." He knew that while he could deceive Emperor Chongming, that unenlightened ruler, by feigning poverty, he absolutely couldn’t deceive Xu Xing, the former accountant of the Taipu Temple. Offering a pound of flesh to avert disaster was the best course of action.
"We, too, are willing." A group of high-ranking officials echoed Han Sui’s statement.
Losing money is a minor issue. As long as they can keep their lives and not lose power, wealth will slowly attach itself to power, endlessly. Power is the true wellspring of wealth.
One after another, in a short span of time, the silver d by the officials to Mount Siming already exceeded the enormous sum of 7 million taels!
It was roughly equal to two years of submitted taxes from the sixteen provinces of Fengxi Country. Compared to the amount of silver Emperor Chongming had solicited from the officials three years ago, this 7 million taels was an immense sum indeed. The former was 5,000 taels; the latter, 7 million taels—a staggering 1,400 times more!
Xu Xing ignored the officials’ flattery. He dismounted his warhorse and approached the Crown Prince and Prince Yong. When he was about three or four steps away from them, he tucked the scabbard under his left arm and drew the Guanshan Knife from his waist with his right hand. Under the setting sun, the blade glinted coldly, its sharp aura radiating outwards.
"Throughout my life, I have rarely killed anyone personally..." He looked at the two princes and sighed faintly.
The people before him were just two youths: the elder about fourteen or fifteen, the younger only twelve or thirteen. It was difficult to imagine them capable of great evil. It was merely their misfortune to be born into the imperial family. After all, being born into the imperial family was not their choice.
The Crown Prince kept his mouth shut, while Prince Yong kowtowed, begging for mercy. Their bodies trembled slightly.
"If your imperial father had shown benevolence to the world, then even if the dynasty fell, such a calamity would not have befallen you. In the next life... choose a better household and do not be born into an imperial family again."
After saying these words, Xu Xing infused his Innate True Qi into the blade and gently drew it across the necks of the two princes.
In an instant, two large heads rolled to the ground. Immediately, successive gushes of blood water splattered upon the nine white marble tiers of the Vermilion Bird Gate’s steps.
The golden afterglow of the setting sun bathed the jade-colored passage from the Imperial City to Renji Square, dyeing Xu Xing’s upper body a brilliant yellow. Under the dazzling light, the entire sunset scene behind him was reduced to a mere backdrop.
At this moment, those officials who now felt their earlier contributions were insufficient stammered out pledges of tens, even hundreds of thousands more taels of silver. Killing the two princes was proof enough that Xu Xing’s subsequent actions would not be swayed by any womanly compassion.
"Come!" Xu Xing commanded. "Bring the Minister of Criminal Justice, the Vice Minister of Rites, the Assistant Minister of Dali Temple, Prince Cheng, and the others forward. This king shall execute them one by one to appease the hatred in my blood."
Xu Xing turned, his gaze sweeping over the assembled civil and military officials, his eyes filled with killing intent. The individuals he had named were all masterminds behind the Taipu Temple corruption case from back then—the very enemies who had nearly cost him his life. He intended to repay every grievance, one by one!
However, Taipu Han Sui had shown Zhao Yunniang a sliver of mercy back then, a small kindness. It would not do to condemn Han Sui today, lest the world accuse him of ingratitude. After all, Zhao Yunniang was his cherished South Garden’s Lost Love. His leniency towards Han Taipu was an expression of his deep affection for Zhao Yunniang. Righteousness and benevolence were among the sharpest tools for his conquest of the realm. He could not afford to tarnish them easily.