Chapter 112 Chapter 112 The Storm is Coming (9)...
The lights in the Yu Garden Banquet Hall were as bright as day, and the sound of stringed instruments still lingered, as if the shocking incident of the knife splitting the coral and the blade pressing against the throat had never happened.
Everyone held the wine cup tightly, sipping with trembling fingers, whispering to each other from time to time, but their eyes kept glancing at Xie Tingyu who was sitting quietly drinking, raising her cup frequently. She looked as relaxed as usual, as if everything that had just happened was just to liven up the atmosphere.
Yuan Wangshu remained silent, knife in hand, as she returned to Xie Tingyu's side. She glanced at the crowd, casually casting a cold, stern glance. The man immediately shuddered, feigning a deep concentration on the food and wine, not daring to raise his eyes.
Yu Yi felt her heart pounding, nearly bursting out of her throat. She had never expected this Lord Xie's attack to be so swift, so fast that even her personal guards had no time to react.
She secretly wiped the sweat from her palms with her sleeves. Looking up, she saw Xie Tingyu sitting with his legs bent, looking relaxed, casually fiddling with his wine cup. She leaned slightly to the side and whispered, "Bring that dish up."
"yes."
The servant responded and retreated, hurriedly going to get it.
In less than half an incense stick of time, several people came hurriedly.
Xie Tingyu leaned on his chin and looked over. He saw two people carrying a red lacquered wooden tray. On it lay an amber-colored roasted suckling pig. Its skin was crispy and shiny, and it was dripping with oil. It was one of the eight delicacies at the aristocratic family's banquet.
The other man knelt down, holding two thin volumes in his hands. "Thank you, sir! Here are the population registers you requested. Please take a look!"
Yu Yi forced a smile and waved his hand, then handed the register and the roast suckling pig to Xie Tingyu's desk. "Here is the population register. Please examine it carefully, sir."
“So thin?”
Xie Tingyu flipped through the book casually, his fingertips trembling lightly. "Master Yu, if it's so thin, why divide it into two volumes?"
"My Lord, this is divided by age..."
Before he finished speaking, Xie Tingyu suddenly threw the two volumes to Ji Li, who was standing diagonally across from him. "Since Ji Nei Shi is here, why don't you review them for me first? If there are any mistakes, please tell me directly."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes suddenly focused on Ji Li, who was concentrating on eating delicious food.
The musician in a corner of the banquet hall kept playing, and the soft music was still echoing in the air. At this moment, it was reaching its climax, but the room was suddenly filled with a tense atmosphere.
Ji Li's face flushed, sweat dripping down her face. She wiped her hands again and again with her sleeve, but her palms couldn't stop shaking. From the moment the dagger reached her throat, she knew Lord Xie wasn't bluffing. If Yu had concealed anything tonight, Lord Xie would show no mercy; that blade would likely have killed her on the spot.
She almost cried out loud in her heart. She stood up tremblingly, picked up the two booklets and looked through them.
As Ji Li watched, she wailed inwardly: "Master Xie's actions are tantamount to pushing me into the spotlight, demanding I expose the Yu family's cover-up and secret sheltering of refugees. But if I point it out, won't I be chopped into pieces right here by the five hundred axemen lying in wait? Heavenly Granny, I really just want to stay alive! You, Xie Tingyu, are skilled in martial arts, you can fight, but I can't!"
"I, I think..."
A few more drops of cold sweat fell, and the words on the booklet appeared darker in the wet marks.
"The names, places of origin, and ages of the refugees listed in this book are clearly recorded..."
There was a clang sound, and Xie Tingyu once again took out the dagger and stabbed it into the pig's head of the roast suckling pig without hesitation. The blade penetrated half an inch into the bone, emitting a cold and chilling light.
Ji Li trembled violently at the sight of the knife, swallowing hard. "But the two volumes combined only count a few hundred refugees. According to my previous investigation, this number is less than one-tenth of the total number hidden by the Yu clan."
Yu Yi slammed the table and glared at Ji Li, "Ji Nei Shi! This booklet clearly bears your official seal, yet you dare to speak such lies? What on earth are you thinking?"
Another person also stood up angrily, pointed at Ji Li's nose and cursed, "Ji Nei Shi, we, the Yu family, have always been fair and honest in our work and have never dared to neglect the government. Why would you frame us just to show your face in front of Lord Xie?"
Xie Tingyu raised his eyebrows, half smiling, "Oh? There's the official seal of the Secretary of State on this book?"
Ji Li's heart was set on fire, and he decided to burn the bridge after crossing it. "Your Excellency, I have never put my seal on such a book! And looking closely at this seal, it's rough and blurred, obviously a forgery by the Yu family!"
At that moment, the song ended, the musician's fingertips left the strings, and the lingering sound faded away. The whole room was suddenly silent, with only the crackling of the candlelight to be heard.
Yu Yi's fingertips trembled violently, knowing that with Ji Li's betrayal, the Yu family would no longer be able to escape the crime of harboring refugees and defying the court.
Her eyes were red as she hissed, "Ji Li, you are such a despicable villain! It's a waste of our Yu Clan's trust in you!"
Xie Tingyu clapped his hands three times and said, "Good, good, good! Since Ji Nei Shi has given evidence of great righteousness, there is no need to read this booklet again."
Turning to look at Yu Yi, he said coldly, "Yu Yi, I just gave you the opportunity to present the true book, but you falsified it again. Do you think that the Yu family of Kuaiji no longer belongs to the Great Zhou territory and dare to disregard the royal law?"
"Or do you think that as an inspector, I can ignore—"
With a loud bang, the roasted suckling pig in front of Xie Tingyu's desk exploded, and thick white smoke instantly filled the air, carrying with it the pungent smell of sulfur and gunpowder.
The hot pork pieces flew around with the flames, scattering to the ground like flowers from heaven.
Then he slammed the cup and shouted, "Kill Xie Tingyu! Leave no one alive!"
The curtains were suddenly torn open, the cold clash of unsheathed blades echoed one after another, and several people rushed out with knives in hand. The banquet hall was instantly in chaos, some people covered their heads and fled, while others pushed and shoved, fleeing in all directions.
Ji Li grabbed a bowl in a panic, covered her face, crawled on the ground, and quietly crawled behind the pillar of the hall.
Yuan Wangshu's figure flashed, and he took two steps at a time, striding forward vigorously. He raised his hand to overturn the table, smashing it towards the three people who were running towards him, and shouted: "I'm blocking you in front, Tingyu, you-"
When I turned around, the person behind me had disappeared.
Her ears twitched, and she heard a quick sound of breaking wind, followed by the dull sound of something falling heavily to the ground.
The thick smoke from the roast suckling pig was just a decoy and disappeared in a flash.
The white mist dissipated, and the tragic scene in the hall suddenly appeared, immediately causing a burst of heart-wrenching screams.
In the main seat, Yu Yi slumped over the table, his arms spread wide, his neck smooth and blood gushing out. Someone had grasped his head tightly by the hair and held it high.
A closer look at the head. The face was frozen in terror, blood streaking around the lips. Clearly caught off guard, the attack hadn't uttered a single cry. Behind him, the Yu family's personal guards stood frozen in place, completely unable to react.
This person's agility and ruthlessness are simply terrifying.
Xie Tingyu held the blade of his sword, still dripping with blood, and with his other hand, he held Yu Yi's head. He spoke coldly, "You, the Yu family, are so bold! You actually dared to murder an official of the imperial court in broad daylight. This is ridiculous and so foolish that it makes people laugh."
She kicked the small table hard, sending dishes and chopsticks scattering across the floor. Yu Yi's headless body plummeted to the ground. Crimson blood splattered like a dense, blood-red spiderweb, spreading rapidly and soaking the soles of Xie Tingyu's shoes.
When Xie's personal soldiers who had been guarding outside heard the noise inside, they rushed in like lightning, drew their swords, and protected Xie Tingyu.
Including Xie's personal soldiers, there were only seven people in the field, including Xie and Yuan. However, they were so powerful that they suppressed more than a hundred people from the Yu family, making the atmosphere in the hall extremely cold and no one dared to act rashly.
Ji Li patted his chest to calm himself down, feeling lucky that he had not chosen the wrong side.
"I, Xie Tingyu, am from the Xie family of Chenjun. My mother is the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty. How many of you have heads that are worthy of the Xie family's chopping off?"
"Let's talk about my official position. I was personally appointed Marquis of Wu'an and Commandant of the Upper Cavalry by the Emperor, and was ordered to march south to promote the local rule. You first threatened and teased me, then attacked me in person. This is blatant rebellion against the imperial court! Do you understand your guilt?"
With every word Xie Tingyu spoke, he took a step forward.
The head, tightly grasped, dripped with blood. Beads of blood formed a string wherever she passed, like a line of crimson footprints, slowly spreading. Everyone in the hall paled, many instinctively retreating, some even covering their mouths and noses in disgust.
"Ji Li!" An angry shout rang out like thunder.
Ji Li rolled and crawled to the front: "I am here!"
"The Yu family of Kuaiji provoked the Central Government's special envoy and attempted murder. What crime should they be charged with?"
Ji Li replied in a trembling voice, "Yu Yi has repeatedly violated the majesty of Heaven and should be punished according to the law! Your Excellency has executed him on the spot, truly demonstrating the rule of law and upholding the authority of the land!"
Xie Tingyu glanced around coldly, his eyes as cold as ice. "If there are still people among the remaining Yu clan members who are involved in this incident, what should be done?"
Before Ji Li could answer, someone among them had already thrown aside their dignity and knelt on the ground, pleading in a trembling voice, "This was done by... Yu Yi alone. We were not aware of it. Please, Master Xie, spare our lives!"
"Sir, we are willing to fully cooperate with this earth-breaking strategy!"
Someone else echoed in a stern voice, "Sir, Yu Yi has always been stubborn and self-willed, and has always disrespected the court. We tried to persuade her many times last night, but she refused. Please make a wise decision, sir!"
"Okay then."
Xie Tingyu casually threw the skull aside, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the blood from his palm. "You are required to submit all the household registers, land scale maps, tenant contracts, manor account books, and income and expenditure records for inspection before 3 p.m. tomorrow."
She pointed at the head on the ground with her fingertips and said, "If there is a forgery, it will be like this head."
After Xie Tingyu and the others left, the Yu family banquet hall immediately descended into chaos. Everyone knew that they were secretly harboring thousands of refugees. If Lord Xie were to find out, they would most likely be beheaded or spend the rest of their lives in prison.
Some decided to confess and helped the housekeeper search for the books, while others hurried back to their rooms to pack their belongings and try to escape at night.
Several carriages sped out of the city, but before they had gone a few miles, they saw dozens of horsemen lined up on the night road ahead. Among the flickering torches, a man in a veiled hat and wide sleeves, dressed like a young man, appeared.
The night wind blew up the veil, suddenly revealing a red mole on her lower lip.
Several carriages had to stop, and the people inside held their breath. Someone lifted the curtain with a trembling voice and looked forward.
"Where are you all going?"
The Moon-Stepping Horse neighed a few times, held its head high, and slowly advanced, carrying Ji Lian. He leaned over and stroked the horse's mane a few times, his eyes falling on the hurried carriages.
Ji Lian said in a clear voice, "Are you going to escape before the local investigation begins? If you escape, how will we verify the accounts? If we can't find you, then Master Xie's local investigation plan won't work."
"Everyone, please go back."
Someone said bitterly, "It's Yu Yi's fault for harboring these refugees. What does it have to do with us? At worst, we can just drive our carriages over."
"Charge?" Yu Wen Yue unsheathed his ring-handled sword, the tip of the blade pointing directly at the train. "I am following my master's orders to intercept the fleeing ones. If you dare to force your way through—"
A cold light flashed, and everyone drew their swords at the same time. The blades were like snow reflecting fire, and a murderous aura rushed towards them.
Having just witnessed Xie Tingyu's thundering method of taking heads from thousands of people, the Yu family members immediately stopped their activities, turned their carriages around and returned home in disappointment.
When he reached the city gate, Ji Lian saw a carriage standing still nearby. He saw the curtain of the carriage move slightly, and then a face appeared, looking at him intently.
Ji Lian was overjoyed and galloped over. As soon as he got into the carriage, he rushed towards the man and said, "Since you have entrusted this matter to me, why don't you wait for me at the inn?"
Xie Tingyu kissed Ji Lian's hair several times and said, "Although I trust my employees, I am still worried that something might happen to you, so I am waiting here specially."
She sighed again, "I really went too far. I actually let such a beautiful man sacrifice himself for me."
Ji Lian held her waist tightly and said, "Send your most ferocious subordinates to me to protect me. Even if a hundred people come to attack me, they won't be able to do anything to me. Don't worry."
Xie Tingyu's eyes fell on Ji Lian inch by inch, not even sparing his hair and cuffs. After carefully confirming that he was not hurt at all, he breathed a sigh of relief.
She calmed down again and ordered in a deep voice from inside the carriage, "Return to the inn."
The coachwoman turned the carriage around and drove towards the city. Step Moon Horse followed obediently, the clatter of its hooves melting into the night.
The next day, a piece of news shocked Kuaiji County.
Inspector Xie Shi from Jiankang actually beheaded the head of the Yu family's head during the banquet and hung it at the garden gate for public display!
Curious people flocked to Yu Garden to verify the news, but when they saw a bloody head hanging high above the door lintel, the news was confirmed without a doubt. The whole city was shocked, and the scholars and common people were all shocked.
Upon receiving this urgent report, the spies who were lurking and following the situation immediately rode at full speed, and delivered the shocking news to Jiankang day and night before Xie Tingyu was still in Kuaiji dealing with local affairs.
In the main garden of the Yuan family, a group of noble families who were dissatisfied with Tuduan's policy gathered together, including the Longxi Li family and others.
Everyone in the room had angry expressions on their faces and their voices were as noisy as a boiling pot.
"He's a traitor to our noble family!"
"How dare they chop off the head of the head of a prominent local aristocratic family? They are truly arrogant and disrespectful to etiquette and morality!"
"If we allow such people to take high positions, how can we have a good life?"
"Hmph, you can do whatever you want in the name of the Imperial Edict? This move is clearly intended to undermine our foundation!"
"The Xie family is truly lawless and acts recklessly!"
Yuan Zhaoyun, sitting in the main seat, crossed his hands on his knees, closed his eyes and listened attentively to the complaints of the crowd.
Li Shanchang looked at Yuan Zhaoyun, bowed, and asked, "What are your thoughts, Yuan Da Si Nong?"
Yuan Zhaoyun opened his eyes and scanned the crowd, then spoke slowly, "Xie Tingyu acted this way, firstly, because his mother held a high position of power within the Fengge, and secondly, because he had won numerous victories in battle, earning him the emperor's favor. This wasn't a bad thing, as the court needed such sharp talents to ensure the prosperity of the Great Zhou."
She sipped her tea, her voice turning cold. "Why target the aristocratic families? Didn't our ancestors work tirelessly for the Great Zhou? Those who planted trees provide shade for future generations. And now, we're taking in refugees and providing them with food and clothing. What's wrong with that? It's a shame the emperor only trusts the Xie family. But the Xie family doesn't share our values!"
After these words, the atmosphere in the room grew even more heated. Someone slammed the table and said, "The current emperor is so stubborn and insists on undermining our foundation. This is truly heartless!"
Yuan Zhaoyun put down the teacup and tapped the rim with his fingertips. "Since that's the case, why don't we work together to establish a new emperor who is aware of the merits of the noble family and who can share the same blood with us?"
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The author has something to say: I will get up at 7 o'clock tomorrow to write! ! ! ! ! Actually, I may not be able to get up
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