At the Haizhou government office, Liu Yu, Su Yuanzhong, and Han Tiexin's subordinate Qiu Tianba were also captured. They knelt on the ground. Zhao Huan and his guards sat in the main hall.
It took some effort to catch Qiu Tianba, but with Linghu Yunlong taking action, it was no problem to capture the small Qiu Tianba.
"Liu Yu, let me ask you, who recommended you to be the grain transport envoy?" Zhao Huan asked coldly.
"Your Majesty, it was Zheng Xian from the Hu Yasi. He submitted a memorial to the Privy Council, and after Your Majesty reviewed it, he appointed me as the Haizhou disaster relief and grain transport envoy." Liu Yu said.
"You won't cry until you see the coffin, Liu Yu. I've already investigated. The person who recommended you wasn't Zheng Xian. Someone else forged Zheng Xian's handwriting and submitted a letter to the Privy Council. Or, in other words, they switched the Privy Council's letter. Tell me, and I can give you a lighter sentence."
Liu Yu gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, no one ordered this. It was Zheng Xian who did this. I gave Zheng Xian five thousand taels of silver. Only then did he agree to recommend me."
"Five thousand taels of silver, haha, that's quite a generous sum." Zhao Huan smiled. "Liu Yu, you're really going to fight to the death. Do you know that Zheng Xian would accept even fifty thousand taels, let alone five thousand?"
The Tiger Yasi was the absolute agent of imperial power. This concentration of power often led to dictatorship, and Zhao Huan did not want to repeat the same path that led to the fall of the country.
Despite Zheng Xian's immense power, he was under the supervision of the Kaifeng Prefecture. Furthermore, Zhao Huan had planted numerous spies around Zheng Xian, all of whom were absolutely loyal to Zhao Huan, chosen through countless trials and tribulations. They would secretly report any unusual behavior by Zheng Xian to the emperor.
At least from the information Zhao Huan had so far, Zheng Xian remained absolutely loyal to him. Therefore, his claim that someone had forged his memorial was most likely true. Furthermore, Zheng Xian wouldn't be interested in embezzling five thousand taels of silver.
The reason Zheng Xian was chosen as the Tiger Court's chief minister was not only because of his loyalty but also because of his desire for power and fame. He craved power, but even more so, fame. He wanted to be remembered for eternity, to leave a name in the history books as a loyal minister.
No matter how Zhao Huan interrogated him, Liu Yu gritted his teeth and said that it was Zheng Xian who recommended him.
"Come on!" Zhao Huan slammed the gavel, furious. "Drag this fellow out and punish him severely!"
Liu Yu was so frightened that he trembled. Although he was shaking all over, he still gritted his teeth and refused to admit it.
The guards dragged him away, and soon Liu Yu's screams were heard. Su Yuanzhong next to him was trembling with fear. It was obvious that he was much more fragile than Liu Yu.
"Su Yuanzhong, do you remember what I said to you?" Zhao Huan asked coldly.
Su Yuanzhong broke out in a cold sweat: "Your Majesty, I deserve to die. I was forced to embezzle the disaster relief grain."
Zhao Huan snorted coldly, "Forced? Really forced? I've told you before that the post of Zouma Chengshen is responsible for supervising and controlling the grain transport envoys. If you discover any illegal behavior by the grain transport envoys, you should report it to the court immediately. And you, you and Liu Yu are colluding with each other, working together in cahoots. If I confiscate your property and exterminate your clan, you won't have anything to say, will you?"
Su Yuanzhong was so frightened that his whole body went limp. "Your Majesty, please spare me! Your Majesty, please spare me. Death is not a pity for me. But my family has never been involved in corruption. My mother always gives me a good lecture, but it was my own greed that blinded me. Please, Your Majesty, spare my family."
Zhao Huan smiled. "I have already investigated, Su Yuanzhong. As you claimed, your family members were not involved in the corruption. Your mother, wife, and daughter live in poverty and have no knowledge of your corruption. I will show mercy and spare your family. As for you, behead me!"
Su Yuanzhong kowtowed loudly: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy! Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy!"
"If you want me to show mercy, Su Yuanzhong, just tell me about Han Tiexin's death." Zhao Huan said coldly.
Su Yuanzhong dared not hide it any longer: "Your Majesty, yes, it was Liu Yu and the guilty ministers who decided to send someone to kill Han Tiexin. We were afraid that when Your Majesty tried Han Tiexin..."
Zhao Huan interrupted him, "I know you were afraid I would kill Han Tiexin, and he would drag you down with him before he died. So you killed Han Tiexin and framed General Wu Ge. However, you knew it would fail, and you didn't expect me to arrest Wu Ge."
Su Yuanzhong whispered, "Your Majesty, we all knew this day would come. Ever since we heard Your Majesty was coming to Haizhou, we knew we were just making a last-ditch effort. Liu Yu and I both knew we would not be able to escape this day."
Zhao Huan nodded. "You're willing to tell the truth. Qiu Tianba, I don't need to elaborate on your crimes. You should have died three years ago, but Han Tiexin secretly released you from death row and saved you. Since then, you've been loyal to Han Tiexin. Humph! Heaven's net is vast, and I will avenge the souls who died at your hands! Come on, drag this guy and Su Yuanzhong outside and chop them up!"
As expected of someone who had been in the underworld, Qiu Tianba didn't show any fear. He just looked at Su Yuanzhong fiercely and said, "So it was you who killed Lord Han. See you in hell!"
Su Yuanzhong and Qiu Tianba were beheaded, and Liu Yu refused to confess despite being tortured. When he was dragged back to the hall by the guards, he was already covered in blood.
"Liu Yu, I know why you refuse to confess. You're afraid that if you do, your family's lives will be in danger, right? Someone is threatening you with your family's lives, so I might as well tell you. If you don't confess, I'll kill all nine generations of your clan and torture them to death. If you confess, I can send someone to protect your family!"
Liu Yu shuddered, looking at Zhao Huan like a monster. He couldn't understand why this seemingly idle emperor seemed to understand everything and knew everything, and nothing could be hidden from him.
Sometimes you suspect this emperor is the smartest, but he'll immediately do something utterly foolish. Sometimes you think this emperor is incompetent and foolish, but in the end he'll become as wise as a demon. This is the impression many corrupt officials have of Zhao Huan.
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