Chapter 394 The Emperor's Balance

Before Luo Jingfeng left, Zong Zhao reminded him from behind: "Don't go to the Ministry of Rites. He can walk in front of people openly."

Although they all wanted the child to get good grades.

But it shouldn't be achieved through fraud.

Luo Jingfeng snorted and said, "Do I need you to remind me? I was just complaining. Who would want to use the back door for him? It's a thankless task... this stubborn little bastard."

After Luo Jingfeng left, the courtyard returned to peace.

Zong Zhao calmly put down his bowl and chopsticks and sat quietly for a while before he got up and went to the desk in the room and picked up the memorial he had just written in the morning and the evidence he had collected next to the memorial.

Imperial Palace, Yu's study.

Eunuch Huang sent everyone away. The emperor sat at the desk and read the memorials. When he saw the name of the person impeached, his brows twitched slightly and a strange emotion flashed across his mind.

The emperor spoke up, "Zhao Yumin, Ma Congzhang, Zong Qiyun... if I remember correctly, these three people are all close friends of your father. The last one is your uncle within five years of his birth, and he and your father are the legitimate grandsons of the same grandfather."

Zong Zhao replied, "That's right."

The emperor placed the memorial on the table and said sternly, "You are accusing the three of them of killing your brother Zong Yan ten years ago while serving as commanders of their own camp?"

Zong Zhao replied, "That's right."

The emperor stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed out loud: "Zong Zhao, Zong Zhao, you are indeed the person that Heng Er and I trust the most. You knew to complain to me in private instead of publicly accusing me and making everyone else lose face."

Zong Zhao said nothing.

The emperor stood up from his desk, walked over slowly and said, "The three of them openly plotted to murder you and Zong Yan. Their behavior is despicable and cannot be forgiven. However, due to the rise of the Luo family in recent years, if such a thing were to happen again, the people would only think that I am not governing the country well and the imperial power is even more unstable. You are smart and know that even if you accuse me publicly, I can deny it and let it go."

Zong Zhao certainly knew what kind of person he was, so he stood here, hiding it from everyone and demanding an explanation from the emperor.

He can't wait until next year.

He couldn't sleep all night. As soon as he closed his eyes, he could see Zong Yan covered in blood, crying and telling him that his body was in pain. However, those evil people were still at large. They even greeted him nonchalantly when they saw him, as if tacitly acknowledging that he would not dare to do anything to them without evidence.

Zong Zhao lowered his head, closed his eyes, suppressed his emotions and asked, "Your Majesty, how should this matter be handled?"

The emperor stopped smiling and said righteously, "I think they disregarded the court and the law and harmed loyal people. They should be punished."

Zong Zhao suddenly opened his eyes and looked up at him.

For a moment, the emperor felt surprise in that look. Zong Zhao was surprised that he would say such words.

This made the emperor somewhat unhappy.

He thought he was a good emperor, and it was normal for him to say such things, but Zong Zhao looked at him like that, which made him feel embarrassed, as if all the ugly things he had done were known to this young man in front of him.

The emperor said with displeasure, "But I cannot charge these three people. If you want to kill them, do it yourself. I will make all the people in the three courts turn a blind eye and not investigate this matter further."

This move would not affect the stability of the imperial power, and it would also give this great general with great military achievements a handle in his hand. When Zong Zhao overthrows the Luo family in the future, this handle will also allow him to control the Zong family at will.

Zong Zhao replied, "I understand. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your approval. I will take my leave."

The emperor smiled and said, "Go ahead. After you have dealt with these people, think of a way to deal with Luo Jingfeng as soon as possible. Don't let me down."

"yes."

After leaving the imperial city, Zong Zhao's face looked frighteningly gloomy.

The sage book taught him that good deeds will be rewarded, evil deeds will be punished, and all illegalities will be dealt with by law; but the emperor taught him that the stability of imperial power is the most important thing, and he can act in private and break the law knowingly.

Of course he understood what the emperor was thinking. This was his chance to avenge Zong Yan, but also a chance for the emperor to catch him. Whether he entered the palace today or not, the emperor would know about this. And now, the emperor would at least forbid the three officials to interfere.

"If the injustice is not redressed, how can those people live well?" Zong Zhao murmured.

He looked indifferently at the sky at the city gate. The sky was as blue as a mirror. Not far away, pedestrians were walking hurriedly. Everyone was busy with their own things. Everyone had the opportunity to feel the beauty of life.

But Zong Yan didn't have such an opportunity.

He is obviously the one who loves life the most.

"My nephew... Oh no, I should call you the general now. Why is the general here? Did the emperor summon you again?" Zhao Yumin was a military general who spoke in a rough voice. He had just finished his work at the Ministry of War and was leaving. He happened to meet Zong Zhao who was walking on the road, so he quickly stopped his car to talk to him.

Zong Zhao paused, clenched his fists tightly, and then quickly unclenched them.

"Uncle Zhao." he called.

Zhao Yumin was delighted when he heard this. He laughed and shouted, "Hey, hey, it's you, my nephew, who will never forget us even though we are rich and powerful. If it were someone else, with such great military achievements, who would care about us, the rough guys?"

Zong Zhao was not good at speaking, so after exchanging a few pleasantries with him, Zhao Yumin left. Before leaving, he said to him, "Come to my uncle's house for a drink some other day. I have ten years of old wine stored in my wine cellar, which is reserved for you."

Zong Zhao didn't reply to him, he just stood there without moving.

Zhao Yumin didn't notice it either, thinking he was just a quiet person. After getting into the sedan chair, he even boasted to the servants beside him about how much face Zong Zhao gave him, saying that this was a unique treatment in the whole capital.

The alley was quiet and deserted.

Zhao Yumin was so happy today that he asked someone to take a shortcut and rushed home to show off and have a big drink. He even thought that his status in the army would rise in the future, and he might have a chance to be promoted again in the future.

“Swoosh—”

Suddenly, an arrow came flying through the air, carrying with it a force of several hundred kilograms, and carrying with it the hatred and resentment of countless days and nights. It pierced through the curtain of the carriage accurately and ruthlessly, going straight through the throat of the person in the carriage, and nailing the person to the back wall of the carriage!

"Ah...Old General!"

"Old general! Come and see how the old general is doing!"

"No... no air..."

“Someone’s dead…someone’s dead…someone’s dead!”

Zhao Yumin's throat was pierced, leaving him no chance of rescue. He was still happy before he died, and before he could even let go of the smile on his face, he was shot to death.