The one beating the drum was none other than Xie Liwei.
His two attendants banged two gongs so loudly that the whole street could hear them. Soon, a crowd gathered to watch.
These past two days have been quite eventful. First it was the wife of the Vice Minister of War, and now it's the Minister of Revenue?
Yuwen Xian lowered the carriage curtain and said to Rui Niang, "I'll take you back to your residence."
“But…” Rui Niang looked at the man beating the drum through the gap in the carriage curtain. He stood upright, like a bamboo that would never bend.
How could such a young man dare to oppose the Minister of Revenue? Could he succeed?
“Rui Niang, that person is the Prince of Xiaoyao. He never fails to bring down anyone he wants to bring down. I will send you to stay with the Dowager Consort for a few days. No one will bother you there. After this is over, I will send someone to bring you back.”
Rui Niang's eyes were red. She was just a companion to Yuwen Xian after getting married and had no contact with him since. She never expected that Yuwen Xian would always treat her as a friend and would do these things for her.
"Your Highness, your kindness..."
Yuwen Xian took a handkerchief to wipe away her tears, "I did it not only for you, but also for the Great Chen."
She understood the simple truth that a small leak can sink a great ship; how could her elder brother not? It's likely they've nurtured a tiger that will eventually turn on them. Her brother is already tied down and unable to act, just like how he can't seem to get rid of the Xie family.
Yuwen Xian lifted the carriage curtain and glanced once more at Xie Liwei, who was standing in front of the gate of the Prefectural Governor's Office in Jingzhao, before ordering someone to drive the carriage.
The Prefect of Jingzhao had just burned extra paper money for his ancestors, and the smell of incense on his body hadn't even dissipated when he heard the news that Prince Xiaoyao had filed a lawsuit against Tong Qian, the Minister of Revenue. His legs went weak, and he knelt down on the ground with a thud.
Just then, Xie Liwei stepped into the courtyard. Seeing him perform such a grand ceremony, he waved his hand and said, "Get up, no need for such formalities."
Li Liufang straightened his official hat, thinking to himself that he wouldn't be able to wear it for much longer. Good heavens, he really didn't want to get involved in this! They say if you take money, you should do something to solve problems. But he wasn't capable of handling this one!
"Your Highness, I just heard that you are going to sue Lord Tong. Is there some misunderstanding? Lord Tong is a veteran of two reigns. He was the one who opened the city gates and welcomed the Emperor into the city back then!"
Xie Liwei calmly accepted the teacup handed to him by the servant. After taking a sip of tea, he sighed and said, "I know that Lord Tong has worked hard and made great contributions, but as the saying goes, a hero doesn't dwell on past glories. People change. Lord Tong was honest and upright back then, but that doesn't mean he is still so now."
Li Liufang waved away the people in the hall and said with a forced smile, "How could that be! You may not know what kind of person Lord Tong is, but don't those of us who have worked with him know!"
Before he could finish his kind words, Xie Liwei slammed the teacup down on the table with a thud, and his body trembled.
"Lord Li, have you forgotten that kindness so quickly?"
Li Liufang's body trembled violently. He was so frightened that he took several steps back and looked at Xie Liwei in shock. He never expected that the person who saved him behind the scenes would be Xie Liwei!
"If it weren't for me, Lord Li would have no way out now."
Li Liufang immediately kowtowed to Xie Liwei, "Your Highness, please show me another way!"
Compared to Tong Qian, who was trying to drag him down, Xie Liwei seemed much more reliable!
"Alright, let me show you another way." Xie Liwei bent down and looked at him, "Prince Yan."
Li Liufang felt tinnitus. Was this a sign of treason?
Am I really not going to die?
"Your humble servant, your humble servant..."
Xie Liwei interrupted him, "Lord Tong is a loyal minister of the Emperor. Do you think he might try to shift the blame onto you to escape punishment? Lord Li, other people's favors aren't so easy to obtain. When it's time for you to risk your life, you have to risk your life!"
Li Liufang's Adam's apple bobbed laboriously, feeling as if there were many grains of sand in her throat; otherwise, why would her throat feel so painful?
"The only way to save your life is to defect to another camp."
After hesitating for a long time, Li Liufang asked, "What should I do?"
The next morning, everyone saw Li Liufang, carrying thorns to apologize, at the palace gate. He wasn't wearing official robes, but rather a white vest and jacket.
No one understood why he had suddenly done this. When his colleagues went to court, they would all look at him sideways. A few of his close friends would ask him what had happened, but he would just shake his head with a bitter smile.
In the main hall, Yuwen Wuji heard about Li Liufang's act of pleading guilty outside the palace gates. His brows furrowed, and his heart skipped a beat, sensing that something bad was about to happen.
"Why is he doing this? Go and bring him in."
Li Wei immediately ordered someone to bring Li Liufang in from the palace gate. At the same time, Tong Qian suddenly stepped forward and said in a sorrowful voice, "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
Yuwen Wuji hadn't seen such an expression on Tong Qian's face in a long time, and he felt utterly overwhelmed.
"What is it? Speak."
Tong Qian knelt down, lifting his robe, and said, "Recently, a scandal has been made involving the wife of the Vice Minister of War, Madam Zhang, and the male attendants of the Imperial Household Department, all related to the Wan Hua Lou brothel in the capital. Yesterday, my relatives came to my door because of this matter, and I learned that they had opened this Wan Hua Lou brothel in my name to make money, engaging in the shameful business of prostitution! It is my fault for failing to manage my subordinates properly, and I have no face to stand in this sacred court any longer. I request to resign!"
He spoke with tears streaming down his face, his hands trembling as he took off his official hat and placed it beside the tablet, looking as if he knew his sins were grave and beyond redemption.
Yuwen Wuji appeared greatly alarmed, but inwardly he thought that while Tong Qian was indeed useful, he should step down, otherwise he would become a formidable opponent like the Xie family. Fortunately, he knew his limits.
Most of the people standing in this hall knew in their hearts whose Wan Hua Lou it was, but no one would openly say it out loud.
Yuwen Wuji took a few deep breaths, already thinking about who would be the best candidate to succeed him as Minister of Revenue.
"My dear minister, rise quickly! This matter is not your fault! As for your resignation, go back and think it over carefully. I will definitely investigate thoroughly and will not implicate you because of the mistakes of others!" In order to show that he cherishes talent, he had to persuade Tong Qian to resign three times.
Just as the court was silent, Li Liufang was brought in.
He looked at Tong Qian, his heart filled with shock.
Oh no, this guy beat me to it! What should I do?!
The first move is crucial! He missed the opportunity, and now it's unbelievable that he would admit to taking money from Tong Qian!
"Li Aiqing, what brings you here today to apologize with thorns on your back?"
Li Liufang had been outside freezing cold and his face was pale. Now, facing this limbo, he cried out in his heart: "Ancestors, please show your power once more!"
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