Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

Outside the entrance of the examination hall, the sun shone on the ancient stone road, reflecting the solemn faces of thousands of students. Many officials led the way, dressed in gorgeous clothes and with solemn expressions. Behind them, there were densely packed students kneeling down in unison. Their eyes passed through the crowd and focused on the solemn Confucius shrine next to Li Banghua. The shrine was coated with a layer of golden light by the sun, making it even more sacred and inviolable. The students worshiped respectfully towards the shrine, their movements were uniform, as if they were performing a silent ceremony.

Not only the students, but also many of the people watching nearby were infected by the solemn atmosphere. They all stopped and knelt down. The originally noisy place suddenly became unusually quiet, with only the occasional bird calls in the distance and the rustling of leaves in the breeze breaking the silence.

After paying homage to Confucius, Lu Gong held the tablet in his hand with a somewhat provocative look on his face. He questioned Li Banghua, "The tablet I am holding in my hand is also the tablet of Confucius. Why don't you worship it, Lord?" Li Banghua smiled slightly. His deep eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. He pointed to the tablet next to him. It was an exquisitely shaped and imposing Confucius tablet, which was obviously much more high-end than the one in Lu Gong's hand. "I can't do two things at once. I only worship this one. Besides, the tablet in your hand looks fake. There is no need to worship it." Lu Gong was speechless when he heard it, and a trace of embarrassment flashed across his face.

In fact, the tablet in Lv Gong's hand was indeed made in a hurry and was not authentic. On the other hand, the tablet of Li Banghua was exquisitely carved with smooth lines, and it was obviously a treasure from the Confucius Temple in Nanjing. The sunlight shone on the tablet, reflecting a soft light, adding a bit of sacred atmosphere.

When Lu Gong had nothing to say, Li Banghua turned to the students and asked, "Why do you want to stop the exam?" This question seemed to open Pandora's box, immediately arousing everyone's emotions and they began to complain.

"Everyone, be quiet!" Zhang Bojing, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, shouted loudly. His voice was like thunder, making everyone's ears buzz. "Choose a few representatives to come out and speak one by one."

"Okay, let's choose now." Someone responded, with a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"Once you've made your choice, don't leave. Wait." Zhang Boxing added, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, scanning everyone present.

Many of the students were just following the crowd and were not aware of the specific situation. After some discussion, they selected more than 20 people to come before Li Banghua. Some of these 20 people had immature faces, obviously young students who had just started their careers; others looked mature and steady, with a scholarly air between their brows.

Li Banghua did not ask their names, but asked directly: "Why do you want to stop the exam?" His voice was calm and powerful, as if it could penetrate people's hearts.

"Because the government persecutes scholars!" a young student said angrily, with anger flashing in his eyes.

"That's right. The government uses corruption to oppress us scholars. How can we continue to take the exam?" Another student said emotionally, his hands clenched into fists, as if to vent his dissatisfaction.

Li Banghua smiled, with some tolerance and understanding in his smile, "When have I ever used my hands to harm scholars? How did I do it? You have to tell me the name of the victim and his specific experience." His voice was gentle and firm, as if it could calm the anger in the students' hearts.

"I'll go first!" Lu Gong stood up, his face still showing some provocation, "I'm from Changzhou Prefecture in Nanzhili. Half a month ago, the Changzhou government exploited wealthy families in the name of collecting taxes. Most of these families are scholarly families who value etiquette and morality. They are simply unable to resist and can only use money to quell the incident. Some gave hundreds of taels, some thousands of taels, and some even gave several thousand taels. There was even a scholar named Zhang who was tortured to death in prison because he had no money to bribe officials. All of this was instigated by the government. Shouldn't they be dismissed from their official positions?" His voice was excited and indignant, as if he wanted to pour out all the dissatisfaction in his heart.

"Dismiss the officials! Dismiss the officials!" the students shouted in unison. Their voices surged like a tide, as if to drown the entire world.

The soldiers around were on full alert, holding their spears and looking around vigilantly, fearing any accidents. The sun shone on their armor, reflecting a dazzling light.

Li Banghua nodded, his eyes revealing a hint of deep thought, "Are these people all from Changzhou?" His voice was calm and powerful, as if it could penetrate the fog in people's hearts.

"Yes." Lu Gong answered affirmatively.

"Where is Changzhou?" Li Banghua asked again, his eyes revealing a bit of curiosity and exploration.

"The location of Wujin County Government Office." Lu Gong answered with his chest puffed out, with a bit of pride and pride on his face.

"Tell me their names." Li Banghua ordered, with an unquestionable majesty in his voice.

"Just say it!" Lu Gong stepped forward and said loudly, "The gentry who were harmed are Chen Boyu, Zhang Delin, Li Shen and Zhang Houxin. The vicious prefect is Shi Hongsheng, who was recommended by you, Lord!" His voice was excited and indignant, as if he wanted to pour out all the dissatisfaction in his heart.

The crowd was quiet for a moment, then burst into even louder shouts: "Dismiss him! Dismiss him!" Those who were making a fuss were even more convinced that Li Banghua was a corrupt official and wanted to take this opportunity to bring him down. Their faces were ferocious and fanatical, as if they wanted to swallow up the whole world.

The shouts surged like a tide, and the nobles and officials of Nanjing hid behind them, with smug smiles on their faces. They seemed to be watching a good show, waiting for Li Banghua's fall.

However, Li Banghua restrained his smile, and his eyes revealed a bit of coldness and determination. He said to the officials behind him: "Have you written down all their names?" His voice was calm and powerful, as if it could penetrate the fog of people's hearts.

"I have noted it, Your Excellency." The official replied respectfully, with a look of awe and admiration on his face.

"Go and get the information from Changzhou Prefecture quickly so we can check it on the spot. We'll know the truth of the matter once we investigate." Li Banghua ordered, his voice carrying a certain unquestionable majesty.

"Yes, sir, I'll do it right away." The official responded and his figure shuttled through the crowd as fast as lightning.

The official came to a carriage, which was gorgeous and solemn, and was obviously the carriage of a high-ranking official. Under the gaze of everyone, he lifted the curtain and took out a stack of documents. The stack of documents was thick and heavy, as if it carried countless secrets and truths. Then, more than a dozen officials swarmed over, moved the documents to the ground and began to search. Every time they found a piece of information, they would loudly report its source.

"The information from Xuzhou Prefecture has arrived." An official shouted loudly, with a hint of urgency and anxiety in his voice.

"People from Huai'an Prefecture are here too." added another official, with a hint of nervousness and anticipation on his face.

"There is a slight shortage of supplies in Yangzhou Prefecture, but the prefect Zhang Huangyan will send more as soon as possible." A clerk explained, his voice carrying a hint of apology and uneasiness.

"From Zhenjiang Prefecture..." An official was interrupted by another voice before he could finish his words.

"Here are the documents of Changzhou Prefecture!" A clerk came to Li Banghua with a booklet, his face showing some excitement. The booklet was thick and old, as if it carried countless history and memories.

Li Banghua took the booklet, his eyes revealing a bit of deep thought and inquiry. He continued to instruct: "Find the tax payment records of those people." His voice was calm and powerful, as if it could penetrate the fog of people's hearts.

"Yes!" The officials answered in unison, their voices as well-trained as soldiers in an army. They gathered around the book and searched carefully, as if they were engaged in a silent battle.

After a while, an official stood up, walked up to Li Banghua with a booklet and said, "Sir, Chen Boyu's tax payment records have been found." There was some excitement and excitement in his voice.

"Read it out loud." Li Banghua ordered, his eyes revealing a bit of coldness and determination.

"Chen Boyu, a native of Changzhou Prefecture in Nanzhili, was born in the 28th year of Wanli. He passed the imperial examination at the age of 45, but failed in subsequent examinations. According to the tax books, the Chen family owned nearly 500 acres of good land, but had not paid a penny of tax since the second year of the reign of Emperor Chao. The land tax owed was equivalent to 532 taels of silver, and the corvée labor was 84 taels of silver, totaling 616 taels." The official read slowly, his voice carrying a sense of heaviness and helplessness.

Before Li Banghua could ask, another official had already found Zhang Delin's tax payment record, which also showed that he owed taxes. He had a look of embarrassment and guilt on his face, as if he was apologizing for his dereliction of duty.

After a while, Zhang Houxin's tax payment records were also found. The clerk read slowly: "Zhang Houxin's family has more than 2,000 acres of good land. Since the 42nd year of the Wanli reign, he has not paid any taxes. The amount of taxes owed is as high as more than 6,000 taels!" There was a bit of shock and indignation in his voice, as if he was shouting for this unfair world.

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!" Lu Gong shook his head after hearing the number, with a look of disbelief and anger on his face. "I have a good relationship with the Zhang family. They are kind and upright. How could they evade taxes?" His voice was excited and indignant, as if he wanted to pour out all the dissatisfaction in his heart.

The clerk handed the booklet to Lu Gong and said, "It is written clearly in black and white. If you have any questions, you can take a look at it yourself." There was a calm and objective tone in his voice, as if he was defending the world.

"Let me read it!" Lu Gong took the booklet and flipped through it carefully, with a look of anxiety and nervousness on his face. As he flipped through the pages, his face became more and more serious. He didn't expect that the person he had always supported was actually a tax evader! His heart was filled with disappointment and anger, as if he had been betrayed by this world.

"Brother Lu, Brother Lu, is this booklet forged?" The student next to him reminded him, with a hint of helplessness and sigh in his voice. He seemed to feel sorry and sad for Lu Gong's stubbornness. However, Lu Gong could no longer defend his mistakes, and he could only silently endure the pain and blow brought by this cruel reality.

In that quaint academy, the sun shines through the mottled leaves and onto the bluestone road, creating a patchwork of light and shadow. The students are standing or sitting, with different expressions, some anxious, some angry, and some confused. Lv Gong, a young man in a simple Confucian robe, has an unyielding look in his eyes. He ignores the noise around him and walks straight to Li Banghua, an old man in gorgeous official uniform and with a dignified face, who is standing in front of the crowd.

"Lord Li, there is another scholar named Li Shen." Lu Gong's voice was not loud, but clearly audible, as if a stone was thrown into the chaos, causing ripples.

Li Banghua frowned when he heard this, and then he winked at the officials behind him. His eyes were both stern and commanding, and also showed a hint of anxiety. The officials hurriedly flipped through the account books in their hands, and beads of sweat gradually oozed out of their foreheads, which were particularly eye-catching in the autumn sun. Time seemed to be stretched, and every second that passed made the atmosphere more tense.

Finally, an official stood up, walked heavily to Li Banghua's side, and whispered: "Sir, we haven't found this person." Although the voice was small, it was like thunder, exploding in the crowd.

Li Banghua was secretly surprised, but he didn't show it on his face. He pondered for a moment, and several thoughts flashed through his mind. Shi Hongsheng, the prefect of Changzhou, was a well-known honest official. The possibility of falsifying or losing the account books was very small. Then, the problem could only be the name. So, he turned his head and looked at Lu Gong, with a bit of inquiry in his eyes: "I didn't find this person. Are you sure his name is Li Shen?"

Lu Gong took a half step back, his eyes firm and fearless: "Master, please don't look for it anymore, I made up this name." As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar all around, and the students whispered to each other and talked about it.

"Why did you make up a name?" Li Banghua's tone contained both blame and curiosity.

Lu Gong answered frankly: "I was afraid that you would let the officials forge the account books to deceive us, so I tried using a fake name." His answer was straightforward and sharp, touching people's hearts.

Li Banghua smiled faintly when he heard this, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes: "Since I dare to confront you face to face, I have nothing to hide." After that, he waved his hand to signal the officials to present the account book. The officials hurriedly brought the yellowed account book to Lu Gong. Lu Gong did not dare to keep it all to himself, so he distributed it to the students around him, and everyone read it carefully together.

The account book was slightly yellowed due to its age, and the ink was of varying depths, clearly not a hastily forged thing. After reading it, the students were all silent, and the air was filled with an indescribable complex emotion.

Upon seeing this, Li Banghua looked directly at Lu Gong with sharp eyes: "Tell everyone loudly, are those people you just mentioned really guilty?" Lu Gong hesitated at first, then raised his head and announced loudly: "They are indeed guilty, I misunderstood Lord Li!" This voice penetrated the crowd and was heard clearly by everyone present.

"Louder!" Li Banghua ordered, with unquestionable power in his voice.

Lu Gong took a deep breath and shouted with all his strength: "They are indeed guilty. I misunderstood Li Gelao!" This shout was like a stream of fresh air, dispersing the previous haze. After hearing this, the students fell silent. Without a leader, they were at a loss for a moment.

Li Banghua secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Most of these students were reasonable. If it were ordinary people, I'm afraid it would have been a different situation. Ordinary people often only seek momentary pleasure and ignore the consequences, but scholars are different. They are more rational and easier to guide.

Looking at the silent students, Li Banghua knew that this alone was not enough. Although the officials of Changzhou Prefecture were honest, the situation in other prefectures was not necessarily the same. It was common for officials below to oppress the people and levy heavy taxes. If there was no supervision, or the supervisors were also corrupted, the consequences would be disastrous. Thinking of this, Li Banghua raised his voice, his voice firm and powerful: "I came here this time, first, to provide disaster relief, second, to recover taxes, and third, to rectify the administration of officials. Students who have questions can come up and ask me, and I will definitely answer."

He paused and continued, "Nanzhili has fifteen prefectures and four scattered states under its jurisdiction. So far, only Xuzhou, Huai'an, and Changzhou have completed tax collection. I need to learn more about the situation of other prefectures."

"But please rest assured that I will not shirk my responsibility. Once the truth is found out, whether it is an official or a gentry, the guilty will be punished." "Students who have questions, please line up and ask, and those who have no questions, please step aside!" His voice echoed in the academy, and every word was powerful.

Then, he announced another important event: "The court intends to hire some scholars who have repeatedly failed the imperial examinations as inspectors to supervise local officials. Students who are interested in this can stay and consult."

When these words came out, the students were all stunned, and then they began to discuss: "What does this mean? Can we all ask Lord Li directly?" "Besides, the court asked scholars to supervise officials, isn't this the duty of the censors?"

At this time, an elderly Confucian scholar squeezed to the front and shouted anxiously: "Move aside, move aside." The students behind him were not willing to be outdone: "Don't push, this place is full." The old Confucian scholar said angrily: "I'm old, you should let me ask first." The students behind him smiled and replied: "If you are old, go home, why are you joining in the fun here?" The old Confucian scholar glared at them angrily, and the students behind him said respectfully: "Don't push, old sir, or we will fight." When the old Confucian scholar saw their fists, his momentum suddenly weakened, and he had to retreat to the back and line up.

There were constant whispers in the crowd: "Is this a trick of the court? Don't believe it!" "Let's petition together to remove Li Banghua from his post!" Upon hearing this, the students stepped aside and let the two students who proposed it stand up. The people around them said contemptuously: "If you have something to say, please say it earlier, don't implicate us." Li Banghua pretended not to hear these discussions, and continued to patiently accept the students' consultations and maintain order.

"Don't push, everyone will have a chance to ask questions!" Li Banghua shouted loudly, with a bit of gentleness and encouragement in his voice. The students gathered around excitedly and asked Li Banghua questions. At first, they mainly accused the officials of evil deeds, but gradually, more and more people began to ask about the specific duties and selection criteria of the inspectors. Li Banghua smiled and answered them: "I will tell you in detail when the results of the autumn examination are announced."

The consultation lasted until dusk, but the old scholars were reluctant to leave. "Sir, please tell us what powers the inspectors have!" The officials advised them, "Please wait a moment, this is not a joke." At this time, an old scholar suddenly asked, "Can we become inspectors without money?" When everyone heard this, they suddenly realized the truth and expressed their willingness to not take salaries, but only to serve.

Li Banghua looked at these eager old Confucian scholars with deep feelings. Although the imperial examination system opened the door to official careers for scholars, only a few were actually hired. However, the imperial examination system itself was relatively fair. No matter if they were princes or common people, they had to pass this test before they could become officials. Thinking of this, he instructed the imperial envoy, "Post a notice. In the next few days, accept consultations outside the examination room, record their demands and verify and handle them. If there are not enough people, you can borrow people from the Imperial College and the schools in various prefectures, states and counties to help. Make sure they have enough food and provide them with sufficient travel subsidies."

"In addition, I have one more thing to announce: the autumn exam will be postponed to the day after tomorrow. If anyone still does not come to take the exam by then, it will be considered as an automatic waiver." After saying this, things finally settled down temporarily. The afterglow of the setting sun sprinkled on his body, coating him with a layer of golden light. His eyes were firm and deep, as if he had seen hope for the future.

The disturbance in Nanzhili, where candidates for the autumn examination boycotted the exam because of crying in the temple, lasted for three days and finally slowly subsided. Early in the morning of August 19, the sun shone through the sparse clouds and sprinkled on the ancient examination room, giving this building that had experienced vicissitudes of life a layer of golden brilliance. Candidates entered the examination room one after another, their faces showing tension, expectation, or determination. Li Banghua stood outside the examination room, looking at these young faces, with mixed feelings in his heart. But he knew that although the matter seemed to have subsided on the surface, the waves in the dark had not really stopped.

He knew that if the imperial court used force to suppress the local gentry, it would definitely lead to their united resistance. This resistance could be civil or military. The civil one was to reason with people and convince them; the military one was to fight them head-on. Within a few days, the southern gentry would definitely come up with all kinds of ways to frame him and impeach him. Even worse, they might secretly collude with the bandits to cause chaos in the local area and make the Ming Dynasty restless.

Li Banghua dragged his tired body back to the posthouse, feeling heavy-hearted, as if he was carrying the weight of the whole world. He knew that the key to breaking this situation was to win over the hearts of the examinees and let them serve the court wholeheartedly. As long as the examinees were there, the gentry would not dare to be too presumptuous. So he immediately summoned the chief officials among the imperial envoys to discuss countermeasures.

Before everyone sat down, the Minister of War Zhang Boxing lowered his voice and said to Li Banghua: "My Lord, something happened in Changzhou Prefecture." When Li Banghua heard this, his heart skipped a beat and he asked hurriedly: "What happened to Shi Hongsheng? Is he okay?" There was some anxiety in his voice, and it was obvious that he was very concerned about Shi Hongsheng's safety.

Zhang Bojing quickly explained: "Shi Hongsheng is fine. It was Li Shi, the chief eunuch of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, who went to Changzhou to collect silk, saying that he wanted to weave clothes for the palace. But this Li Shi not only demanded bribes, but also forced Shi Hongsheng to treat him as a superior. Shi Hongsheng of course refused, so Li Shi got angry and said he would report to the emperor, falsely accusing Shi Hongsheng of insulting the eunuchs."

Upon hearing this, Li Banghua was so angry that he slammed his right hand on the table, as if to pour out all his anger. He pondered, the timing of Li Shi's bribery was really "coincidental", he suspected that someone did it on purpose. But the question is, is this Li Shi's personal behavior, or was he instructed by someone?

If it was a personal act, it would be easier to deal with. Just write a letter to Beijing to explain the situation. But if he was instructed by someone, then this matter would be serious. Maybe the eunuch party wanted to go to war with them. The eunuch party was different from other parties in the court. Although they were loyal to the emperor, they were not necessarily loyal to the country. These people, they were thinking about competing for favors, forming cliques, and gaining benefits all day long.

Li Banghua was in a dilemma. Should he trust the eunuch? Or should he trust the censor? This was a difficult question that had been around for ages! He closed his eyes, as if he could see the ministers in the court, each with their own hidden agenda. What kind of conspiracy and calculations were hidden behind their smiles?
However, Li Banghua was a man who had experienced ups and downs after all, and he quickly calmed down. He thought the best strategy was to find a balance between the two, giving them some sweet treats from time to time, and also knocking them from time to time to prevent them from joining forces to deceive the emperor.

Seeing that Li Banghua had not spoken for a long time, Zhang Boxing asked cautiously: "My Lord, how do you think we should respond to Shi Hongsheng about this matter?" There was some trepidation in his voice, and it was obvious that he was very concerned about Li Banghua's decision.

Li Banghua thought for a moment, then said, "Write a letter to Li Shi, the general manager of the Textile Bureau, and ask him to return to Nanjing immediately and explain the incident to this imperial envoy in person." As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room was stunned. Zhang Boxing even asked in a trembling voice, "Lord, have you forgotten that Li Shi is an inner court official? How could he easily leave Nanjing and come to us?"

Li Banghua smiled slightly, his eyes sparkling with wisdom: "Of course I haven't forgotten. But we can't just let him do whatever he wants. Writing to him is both a test and a warning. If he really dares to come, then we have a handle to deal with him; if he doesn't dare to come, it means that he is guilty, and we can take this opportunity to expose his crimes to the emperor."

After listening to Li Banghua's explanation, everyone nodded in agreement. They knew that Li Banghua was a wise and courageous man, and he would definitely be able to lead them through this difficult time.

In the next few days, Li Banghua continued to preside over the affairs of the Autumn Examination while keeping a close eye on the developments in Changzhou Prefecture. He sent people to secretly investigate Li Shi's whereabouts and background, hoping to find more evidence against him. At the same time, he also strengthened the supervision and win-over of the candidates to ensure that they could serve the court wholeheartedly.

In this undercurrent of political struggle, Li Banghua showed his extraordinary wisdom and courage. Like a general who is planning a strategy, he carefully arranged every move of the chess game. He knew that as long as he could win this struggle, he would have the potential to become a pillar of the Ming Dynasty in the future. Therefore, he would do his best to win this victory no matter what!

Banghua sneered, his figure as steady as a mountain, and he slowly walked to the bedside of the inner room. The bed was simple and solemn, as if bearing the traces of time. He slowly pulled out a sword from the carved wooden box at the head of the bed. The tassel of the sword was golden and shining, like the rising sun, dazzling and dazzling, and the heavy texture of real gold showed his extraordinary identity.

He gently stroked the sword, the cold touch seemed to penetrate the skin and reach the bone marrow. His tone was so cold that it made people shudder: "Before I set out, His Majesty personally gave me this imperial sword. No matter if it is an eunuch or a vassal king, as long as they commit a crime, they will be executed without mercy!" As he spoke, his eyes were cold, like the cold wind in winter, sharp and piercing, "This time I went south, I was determined to die. Anyone who dares to disobey, just come and try whether my sword is sharp!"

After hearing this, everyone present was filled with fear, as if they were suppressed by an invisible force. They shrank their necks and dared not breathe. They only felt a chill rising from the soles of their feet and rushing to the top of their heads.

Banghua saw the worry of the crowd, and a gentle smile appeared on his lips, and he comforted them: "Don't panic, everyone. If there is any merit, it will be shared by everyone; if there is any fault, I will bear the responsibility alone. Just go ahead and do it, don't have any worries." His voice was gentle and firm, like a warm current, slowly flowing into everyone's hearts.

"Your Excellency, you are too polite. Since we are following you south, why should we be afraid?" Someone answered bravely. Although his voice was trembling, it revealed his firm determination.

"Okay!" Banghua nodded with satisfaction, his deep eyes flashing with approval. "Remember my words, write a letter to Shi Hongsheng so that he doesn't have to worry." His tone was full of trust and expectation, as if he had already regarded Shi Hongsheng as his right-hand man.

Afterwards, everyone began to discuss the selection of the inspector. In fact, the candidate had already been decided before Banghua went south, but unexpectedly, the old Confucian scholars were so enthusiastic that they would rather give up their salaries to compete for this position. They were all red in the face and argued fiercely, as if this was not only a competition for a position, but also a contest for their lifelong honor. After a heated discussion, everyone finally realized the importance of this position, so they nodded in agreement and finally decided on it.

Banghua did not stop, he went to the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War in Nanjing. The officials there had been waiting for a long time, and when they saw him coming, they all came to greet him. Banghua looked solemn and ordered them to quickly transport military supplies to the front line to ensure that there would be no worries about the war. His voice was sonorous and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye it is August 24th. The autumn examination has not yet ended, but Li Shi, the general manager of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, accompanied by a group of servants, came to the outskirts of Nanjing with a proud look. However, he could not hide his displeasure on his face, because during his trip to Changzhou, he not only did not gain any benefits, but was summoned back to Nanjing by Banghua as an imperial envoy to be questioned.

After entering the city, Li Shi did not go directly to the post house to rest, but stayed for a while before rushing on. When he arrived at the post house, it was already late, and the afterglow of the setting sun sprinkled on the lobby of the post house, adding a bit of mystery and solemnity to this ancient place. He dismounted and walked into the lobby of the post house, only to see Banghua had been waiting for a long time, sitting on a chair in the middle of the lobby, with a solemn and majestic look.

"The General Manager of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau pays his respects to Lord Li." Although Li Shishi was respectful, his eyes revealed a bit of unwillingness and cunning, as if he was a captured fox, still looking for a chance to escape.

Banghua calmly threw Shi Hongsheng's letter in front of Li Shi. The letter was like a heavy stone, hitting Li Shi's heart: "I heard that you asked for a bribe from Shi Hongsheng?" His voice was cold and majestic, as if it could penetrate all hypocrisy and sophistry.

Li Shi quickly denied it: "No, no, it was just a loan. The manufacturing bureau purchased silk to meet the needs of the palace, but there was not enough money, so we borrowed from the Changzhou prefect." His voice trembled a little, but he still tried to cover up his crime with lies.

"But as far as I know, many officials have impeached you for taking advantage of the opportunity to solicit bribes and forcing Shi Hongsheng to perform the rites of homage." Banghua's tone became colder and colder, as if it could freeze all lies and sophistry. "Do you have anything to say?"

Li Shi was unaware of Banghua's anger, and still argued, "Those people and I have always been at odds, and I hope the elder can see through this." There was a hint of pleading and earnestness in his voice, as if he was an ant about to be drowned, still trying to struggle.

"I have already found out that it is you who is asking for a bribe." Banghua interrupted him, his voice revealing unquestionable majesty, "What else do you have to say?"

"That's absolutely not true!" Li Shi insisted. His voice was a little hoarse, but he still tried to argue with his last bit of strength.

"Come here! Use torture!" Banghua didn't want to waste any more words with him. The matter was urgent and had to be resolved quickly. His voice was like thunder, making the ears of everyone in the hall hurt.

Li Shi was horrified. He never expected that Bang Hua would torture him. He struggled and shouted, "I am your Majesty's internal official. You, a mere external official, have no right to interrogate me, let alone execute me privately! You are plotting treason!" His voice was filled with fear and despair, like a captured beast, still trying to struggle with its last bit of strength.

Banghua smiled slightly, revealing a bit of sarcasm and disdain in his smile: "Of course I know the rules, but I am not the one interrogating you today." His voice was calm and firm, as if everything was under his control.

"Who is that?" Li Shi looked around, trying to find someone familiar to ask for help. His eyes were full of confusion and fear, like a prisoner about to be executed, still trying to find the last glimmer of hope.

At this moment, a general wearing armor, with a face as red as a date and strong back and waist, walked out from the crowd. He lowered his head and looked around, and his appearance was very similar to the commander of the Jinyiwei, Gongsun Yuchun. His appearance was like a flash of lightning, breaking through the dullness and depression in the hall.

While Li Shi was wondering, Bang Hua called out loudly: "Commander Li, the time has come." His voice revealed a bit of expectation and determination, as if everything was in his plan.

Jinyiwei Commander Gongsun Yuchun responded and walked to Li Shi's side. His eyes revealed a bit of coldness and majesty, like a beast about to pounce on its prey. Li Shi seemed to have seen a savior and hurriedly called for help: "Commander Li, save me! Li Banghua is plotting a rebellion, quickly take him down!" His voice was full of fear and despair, like a prey about to be devoured, still trying to make a final struggle.

"Who are you?" Yuchun pretended not to know him. There was a hint of teasing and sarcasm in his voice, as if he was watching a good show.

"I" Li Shi was stunned. He stared at Yuchun for a moment, then looked at Banghua, and finally realized it. It turned out that the Prime Minister of the Cabinet and the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already joined forces. Even the Director of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau and the vassal king of the Ming Dynasty could not escape their sanctions. His eyes revealed a bit of despair and helplessness, like a captured prey that finally gave up struggling.

Yuchun grabbed Li Shi by the collar and asked sternly, "Are you asking for a bribe?" His voice revealed a sense of majesty and unquestionableness.

"No!" Li Shi said stubbornly. His eyes revealed a bit of cunning and unwillingness, as if he was still trying to cover up his crime with lies.

"This is your last chance." Yuchun's hand gradually tightened, his eyes revealed a bit of coldness and determination. Li Shi felt suffocated, his face turned from red to white, and he struggled desperately. At first he swore to die and deny it, but under the majesty of the Jinyiwei, his psychological defense finally collapsed.

"I cough, I say!" Li Shi uttered a few words with difficulty. His eyes revealed a bit of fear and helplessness, like a fish about to drown, finally giving up struggling.

Yuchun let go of his hand, and Li Shi fell to his knees. After taking a breath, he finally confessed his guilt, his voice revealing some regret and despair, like a prisoner about to be executed who finally realized his crime at the last moment.

Banghua nodded with satisfaction: "Since you have confessed, I will not tolerate it anymore." His voice revealed a bit of majesty and unquestionable, "Come on! Take him out and behead him as a warning to others!" He gave the order, and everyone was shocked. Zhang Bojing, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, whispered to dissuade him: "Please think twice, Mr. Prime Minister, after all, he is the emperor's eunuch." His voice revealed a bit of worry and concern.

"Can't we kill the eunuchs?" Banghua asked. His eyes revealed a bit of mockery and disdain. "It's not that we can't kill them, but it should be left to your majesty to deal with." His words revealed a bit of helplessness and determination.

"Why should we kill him first and report later?" Banghua stood up and reiterated his order. His voice revealed a sense of majesty and unquestionableness, as if everything was under his control. Li Shi was so scared that his soul was gone. He never expected that he would face the fate of beheading just after confessing his guilt. He shouted in horror: "Li Banghua, you can't kill me!" His voice was full of fear and despair, as if a prisoner who was about to be executed was still trying to make a final struggle at the last moment.

"Of course I cannot kill you myself, but Commander Li can do it for me." Banghua looked at Yuchun, his eyes revealing a bit of trust and expectation, "Commander Li, the time has come." His voice revealed a bit of determination and unquestionableness.

"As you command." Yuchun mentioned Li Shi and walked out of the hall, followed by three or four soldiers disguised as Jinyiwei. Their steps were firm and powerful, like a group of beasts about to pounce on their prey.

Not long after, the news came that Li Shi had been beheaded. The eunuch who usually acted arrogantly finally fell in a pool of blood. The nobles and court officials in Nanjing were all terrified when they saw this scene, and their rebellious hearts also disappeared. They never expected that the commander of the Jinyiwei would follow Banghua to the south, and they never expected that the first person he would kill would be the emperor's trusted eunuch. (End of this chapter)