I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 239 I'll give you three big slaps in return.
Xu Fan roared, "Lin Shisan, don't spout nonsense!"

"Slap!" Before Xu Fan could finish speaking, Sun Yue's large, fan-like hand slapped him across the face. The slap made Xu Fan see stars and blood trickle from the corner of his mouth.

How dare a mere deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard slap a powerful minister?
The guests were initially stunned. After a moment, several of the older Sehuns whispered among themselves, "Well done!"

"So spirited!"

"We didn't embarrass the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Lin Shisan said, “You are all people of status and position in the capital. I invited you here tonight not only to admire the fox.”

"More importantly, I ask you all to serve as witnesses for Thirteen's exposure of Xu Fan's treacherous plot and intention to rebel!"

The Xu family's servants suddenly snapped out of their shock. The lead servant shouted, "How dare the Embroidered Uniform Guard assault the eldest son of the Grand Secretary! This is outrageous! We must escort the young Grand Secretary away from this dangerous place!"

"The Grand Secretary will settle accounts with the Embroidered Uniform Guard later!"

Lin Shisan roared, "You think you can just leave? Not so easy!"

After saying that, Lin Shisan picked up the wine glass next to him and smashed it on the ground with a "crack".

With the signal to smash a cup, the officers of the Northern Garrison, armed with guns and swords, surged into the tribute hall.

Lin Shisan shouted, "It is the duty of the Northern Garrison to arrest serious treason criminals. At this moment, there are one hundred of my Northern Garrison's elite guards in the hall, and the Fox God Temple is already surrounded by five hundred of my comrades!"

"The notorious treasoner Xu Fan has no way to escape!"

Xu Fan finally recovered from the intense struggle that had caused him severe psychological trauma.

Xu Fan shouted, "Framed! This is a frame-up! Who is plotting a rebellion? Lin Shisan, do you want to test the sharpness of my father's sword?"

Sun Yue handed Lin Shisan a brocade spring knife. Lin Shisan drew the knife and shouted, "My knife is just as sharp!"

"You say I framed you? Fine! I'll make the witnesses and evidence public! Come on, let's welcome Li Chengliang, the garrison commander of Xianshan."

Before long, Li Chengliang entered the tribute hall. He cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, esteemed guests. I am Li Chengliang, the military commander of Xianshan!"

Xu Fan roared, "A border general entering the capital without imperial decree is tantamount to treason! The one who is treasonous is Li Chengliang! And Lin Shisan, who is colluding with him from within and without!"

"Slap!" Sun Yue delivered another powerful blow to Xu Fan. He muttered under his breath, "This is to repay you on behalf of my master!"

Xu Fan was in so much pain that she couldn't speak again.

Several servants of the Xu family tried to protect their master, Xu Fan, but the muskets of the Northern Cavalry were already pointed at their foreheads.

Lin Shisan said loudly, "Gentlemen, please let Li Chengliang explain the whole story!"

Li Chengliang began to fabricate a story based on Lin Shisan's account, making up all sorts of lies to frame Xu Fan.

Old Li's voice boomed: "Gentlemen! A month ago, the young Grand Secretary wrote me a letter. In the letter, he said that he had long admired my reputation and wished to become sworn brothers with me."

"The letter then changed its tone, saying that the Xu family now holds absolute power in the court, and all civil officials have to listen to the Xu family."

"However, the Xu family has no influence in the army. The young Grand Secretary is willing to support me, first as the General of Liaodong, then as the Commander-in-Chief of the Central Army."

"However, there's no such thing as a free lunch. The young Grand Secretary laid out his conditions in his letter. That condition was that I be allowed to train a private army for the Xu family in the perilous mountains!"

"He wants the cavalry of Xianshan to become the Xu family's trusted private army in the future!"

These words caused an uproar among the guests!
Old Li cleared his throat and continued, "The young Grand Secretary also mentioned in his letter that he had heard of red-eared snow foxes in the deep mountains of Liaodong. They are quite rare."

“Hunting has always been like military drills. He ordered me to lead a thousand soldiers from dangerous mountains into the deep mountains, under the pretense of catching foxes, to train them rigorously.”

"When the time is right, he will have the Ministry of War transfer these thousand elite soldiers from the dangerous mountains to the capital's military camp to be responsible for guarding the nine gates. If there is any change in the court, these thousand elite soldiers, who have been honed by hunting foxes in the deep mountains, will become the capital for the Xu family to raise an army and replace the Zhu family!"

He repeatedly reminded me not to underestimate the importance of catching foxes. He said that hunting has always been the best way to train soldiers.

Xu Fan, recovering from the second intense confrontation, shouted, "Li Chengliang, you're spouting nonsense! When did I say that?"

"Slap!" Sun Yue's third big attack came one after another.

Xu Fan's vision blurred again, and blood spurted from the corner of his mouth. Li Chengliang shouted, "Am I, Old Li, a man who craves wealth and glory? Absolutely not! Could I become a traitorous rebel for the sake of the Xu family? No way!"

Li Chengliang said he didn't covet wealth and fame, and Lin Shisan was overjoyed.

Without the promises of promotion from Yang Bo, the Minister of War, and Wang Chonggu, the Governor-General of Jiliao, Li Chengliang would never have gone to the capital to give false testimony.

Lin Shisan said, "General Li is indeed loyal and courageous. Undeterred by the eldest son of the powerful minister, he rode swiftly back to the capital from the treacherous mountains to expose Xu Fan's conspiracy to our Northern Garrison Command!"

Throughout the entire conversation, Lin Shisan consistently referred to Xu Fan as the one plotting a rebellion, not Xu Jie.

It should be noted that framing the Grand Secretary for treason was first and foremost a slap in the face to the Longqing Emperor.

Xu Jie was appointed Grand Secretary by the Longqing Emperor, who had recently ascended the throne, and was also nominally the Emperor's tutor.

The emperor had just appointed someone as Grand Secretary, and that person immediately rebelled? Shouldn't the historical records say that Emperor Longqing was poor at judging character?
Therefore, Lin Shisan abandoned the big goal and focused all his efforts on dealing with the small target—Xu Jie's vulnerable eldest son.

If they could successfully frame Xu Fan, it would be enough to force Xu Jie to resign and leave the officialdom.

Li Chengliang then shouted, "Words are no proof. I have a letter in the young Grand Secretary's own handwriting! Please pass it around and take a look."

Li Chengliang then handed over the forged letter that Lin Shisan had someone make to a group of dignitaries for circulation.

The dignitaries chattered amongst themselves: "Tsk tsk, this really is the handwriting of the young Grand Secretary."

"Oh dear! I never imagined that the young Grand Secretary would dare to mobilize the border troops to catch foxes without authorization."

"His mobilization of border troops is not to catch foxes, but to hunt deer!"

"Wow! Who would have thought that this fox-watching event would uncover such a shocking case!"

Lin Shisan said, "Now that we have both witnesses and physical evidence, what else do you have to say, Xu Fan? Come on, seize Xu Fan and take him to the Northern Garrison Prison!"

Xu Fan was furious: "Who dares! I am the son of the current Grand Secretary!"

Just then, a loud voice rang out from outside the examination hall: "I dare!"

Zhu Xixiao and Liu Shouyou strode in.

Zhu Xixiao shouted, "Just a month ago, His Majesty promoted me to Left Commander-in-Chief, in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Do I, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, dare to arrest you?"

"The founding emperor established the Embroidered Uniform Guard to monitor the illegal activities of officials. Once verified, even the highest-ranking officials of the Six Ministries could be arrested first and then reported to the emperor."

"Xu Fan, who do you think you are? Just a lowly Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices! And you call yourself a Junior Grand Secretary? I don't see your name on the list of cabinet members."

Xu Fan was both shocked and angry, and stammered, "You, you..."

Lin Shisan waved his hand: "What are you standing there for? Put on shackles and chains! Take him to the imperial prison immediately!"

With a whoosh, several Imperial Guards rushed forward and bound Xu Fan into a large rice dumpling in an instant.

Zhu Xixiao ordered, "Take him away!"

After saying this, Zhu Xixiao personally led his men and escorted Xu Fan away from the examination hall.

Lin Shisan addressed the guests, saying, "You have all been shocked! This matter is of great importance, and I have no choice but to ask you all, my esteemed guests, to be my witnesses."

"However, dealing with the rebellious son of the Grand Secretary is too dangerous. We, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, will take on the responsibility ourselves. All of you, please do not submit any memorials to impeach Xu Fan."

In truth, these nobles didn't know whether the Embroidered Uniform Guard could defeat Xu Jie and the vast group of civil officials behind him. They had no intention of risking submitting a memorial to the Longqing Emperor to support the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The most esteemed Duke Dingguo rose and said, "Thirteenth Prince, rest assured. We will only bear witness and will never submit a memorial on our own initiative."

Lin Shisan prevented them from submitting a memorial in order to leave room for maneuver—to give Xu Jie a way out to back down and resign.

The frame-up at the Fox God Temple has succeeded, and the young fox Xu Fan has been imprisoned. Next, the old fox Xu Jie will be dealt with.

(End of this chapter)