Zhiyin had no idea that the old man was so shocked that he almost died of anger.
Even if she knew, she would only applaud and cheer; don't even think that she would feel sorry for him, that's of course impossible.
After all, she knew what kind of people Lao Zhi's family were.
They are inherently profit-driven and cold-hearted people. If she and Zhihua hadn't made something of themselves, they would have been nothing more than blood money bags used by their family to support their uncle, something dispensable and easily sold off.
Even if such people regret it, it's not because they genuinely feel sorry for the women or realize their mistake, but because they can't enjoy the fame and fortune that the two women brought them, which is why they feel remorseful!
…
At this moment, she stood for the first time in the court, looking at the officials around her and gazing up at the emperor, who was high above and extremely majestic, facing a difficult choice.
It turns out that when they learned that Zhiyin was the boss behind all Zhiji, that Zhihua was her sister, and that Xing Luxi was her fiancé, many people in the court were tempted by their lack of wealth and became greedy.
They actually used fabricated charges to say that she was richer than a country, and that her daily acts of feeding beggars and distributing porridge to disaster victims were all ways to win people's hearts, and that she wanted to conspire with Zhihua and Xing Luxi to seize power!
His intentions are despicable.
They attempted to use this method to pressure her through the emperor and force her to relinquish control of the relevant records.
Alternatively, we could have Zhihua resign from her official post herself, so that the truth could be revealed!
Zhiyin found these accusations utterly ridiculous.
In fact, since entering officialdom, Zhihua has been courted by many seasoned officials, both openly and secretly, who even wanted to arrange for their good-for-nothing sons to marry her.
But Zhihua never stooped to the level of the corrupt and always greeted people with a smile, being exceptionally smooth and never making any overt mistakes.
When these people couldn't win her over, they took advantage of her position and used their power to bully her, openly and secretly targeting her because of her status as a woman, but she persevered.
"Your Majesty, please understand. I have never had such a bold idea. It is utter nonsense. All I ask for is to make my family's life a little better."
“I am innocent and have no fear of investigation. I hope Your Majesty can see the truth clearly and deliver justice.”
Zhiyin merely sneered inwardly at these accusations, looking directly at His Majesty the Emperor with unwavering composure and sincerity in her eyes.
"Your Majesty, you are wise enough to know that my sister and I are just young women. How could we dare to do such a rebellious thing?"
"Yes, it is all just the word of the officials. Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly!"
Zhihua and Xing Luxi stood firmly in front of Zhiyin, and respectfully addressed the emperor.
But when he looked at the other officials who spoke, he couldn't help but glare angrily, thinking that they were really sick, and seriously so.
"Yes, Minister of Rites, you're all so old, why are you arguing with a young girl? And even causing her trouble, is it because you asked Lord Zhi for help for your good-for-nothing playboy last time, and Lord Zhi refused, so you're angry and embarrassed? Hahaha."
The official in charge of the Ministry of Revenue had always been at odds with the Ministry of Rites, so he immediately stood up for justice, his eyes full of anticipation for a good show.
"You old scoundrel, you're talking nonsense!!"
The official in charge of the Ministry of Rites was immediately enraged and started arguing with the official in charge of the Ministry of Revenue on the spot.
"Alright, all of you shut up. What kind of decorum is this, making such a racket in the imperial court?"
His Majesty the Emperor watched the farce unfold before him with a half-smile. When he saw that it had gone far enough, he frowned and sternly reprimanded the crowd.
Then, he smiled and looked at the three of them, speaking gently, "Young lady, don't worry, I don't believe it either. But it's true, you're incredibly wealthy, and two of your relatives hold high positions. How can I be at ease?"
Even if I feel at ease, others will still gossip!
"Well then, isn't Xing Aiqing your fiancé? Doesn't he love you very much? Then surely he'd be willing to give up his official position to ensure your safety, right?"
Having said that, seeing the three of them change their expressions drastically, he immediately put on a wicked smile of watching a good show, and leaned back comfortably on the dragon throne, waiting to see Xing Luxi's next reaction.
"Alright, I hope Your Majesty keeps your word!"
Xing Luxi nodded immediately without any hesitation.
He even reached out to take off his official robes!
He took the imperial examinations simply to prove his ability, not because he necessarily wanted to become an official.
After all, his family still has a money shop to inherit!
What a joke! Who wants that kind of official position? Let whoever wants it take it.
Do you really think he wants to be one?
Don't you know that serving a ruler is like serving a tiger? It's exhausting! It's not fun at all.
The emperor was slightly taken aback, but then his eyes were filled with admiration and satisfaction.
“No, Brother Xi, they’re after me. You don’t need to resign.”
Seeing Xing Luxi's nonchalant attitude, Zhiyin became anxious and quickly and seriously stopped him from doing so.
That was an official position that Xing Luxi had worked hard to obtain. Although she was moved, how could she be so selfish?
"Yeah, Brother Xi, sigh!"
Zhihua's expression was also full of conflict, her hands clenched tightly, and she felt only anger and helplessness.
Looking at the emperor on the high platform, he also vaguely felt a little dissatisfied.
Why force them?
She spoke with difficulty and stammering, "If it really doesn't work, I..."
She stopped halfway through her sentence, feeling utterly unwilling to give up!
The emperor was incredibly perceptive; although Zhihua's gaze was fleeting, he instantly caught the emotion.
The smile in his eyes deepened, and he gently touched his nose, thinking to himself, "Tsk, still a little wolf cub!"
The other officials around felt something was off. Why would the emperor agree so easily?
But seeing that the emperor had gone along with their wishes, they were still happy to watch the show.
For a moment, no one spoke, and everything was at a standstill. Everyone seemed to be looking at the three of them with curiosity, as if waiting for an answer.
Zhiyin cursed the emperor in her heart, thinking he was a treacherous and cunning person.
I felt my blood rushing to my head, I was so angry I wanted to tear the official who raised the question to pieces.
Is this what they call "the tallest tree catches the most wind"? In ancient times, imperial power was indeed supreme! As an ordinary person, one truly had no control over one's own destiny!
At the same time, his eyes were full of entanglement, resentment and sorrow, and he was very unwilling to hand over the empire that he had worked so hard to build.
Just then, before anyone could be seen, a domineering, arrogant, and familiar voice rang out.
"Ha, bah, you old fools, I think you're just bored and have nothing better to do!"
"You grown men, how dare you gang up on two young girls? You've really got some nerve!!"
…
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