What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 270: A Great Fortune Will Be Given to Su Mo!

Dressed in black, petite and seemingly ordinary-looking, Fengming Division Commander Gou Nu quickly arrived at the Lizheng Hall carrying a thick stack of case files nearly half a person's height.

The Wang family, a family with a long history, is a powerful and influential clan with deep-rooted power and complex relationships.

The three-foot-thick file contained only information on important members of the Wang family, demonstrating the immense power of the entire Wang family!
Needless to say, the palace maids and eunuchs in the harem must have been informants from the royal family.

Several of the late emperor's concubines were from collateral branches of the royal family!

Despite deciding to take action against the royal family, the Empress had to proceed with caution.

Inside the Lizheng Hall, all the palace maids and eunuchs had withdrawn, leaving only the Empress and Gou Nu.

Without the Empress speaking, Gou Nu took the initiative to pull out several files and place them on the Empress's desk.

The empress casually picked up a scroll and began to read, her expression growing increasingly grim.

"Hmph! This is what a powerful and aristocratic family is like!"

The Empress gave a heavy snort, then pondered for a moment, picked up several files, handed them to Gou Nu, and said coldly, "Arrest them all in three days and investigate thoroughly!"

When Gou Nu saw the names written on the top of the dossier, he was immediately taken aback.

It was none other than Wang Yi, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy!
Although the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy is only a fourth-rank official, the Imperial Academy is the highest institution of learning in the Great Wu Dynasty. Countless court officials have graduated from the Imperial Academy, and many powerful families have tried every means to send their younger generation to study at the Imperial Academy!
As the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Wang Yi had countless students and was a figure of utmost respect among scholars, whose influence far exceeded that of ordinary fourth-rank officials!
Of course, a fourth-rank official in the capital was already considered an important minister of the court.

If we only consider the official rank of Grand Secretary, such as Zhu Bi, the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, he was only a fifth-rank official!

Often, when it comes to court officials, what matters is not rank, but real power and influence!
The Six Pavilion Academicians, the Six Department Censors, and the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy are typical examples of this kind of low-ranking but high-powered officials!

Wang Yi, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, was the third-ranking member of the Wang family in the imperial court!
The Empress's decision to thoroughly investigate Wang Yi will not only shock the Wang family, but will likely also greatly surprise the other five surnames and seven noble families!
Despite knowing that a thorough investigation of Wang Yi would bring immense pressure, Gou Nu replied without hesitation, "Your subject obeys!"

The Empress waved her hand: "Go! Don't disappoint me!"

……

In the Dali Temple, Hu Ye, the Left Vice Minister, and Tian Guan, the Right Vice Minister, were stunned when they heard that Su Mo had voluntarily surrendered himself to the authorities. They looked at each other in disbelief and remained dumbfounded for a long time.

Logically speaking, Su Mo shouldn't have just run away and let the case fade away.

Both of them knew, of course, that the case was tricky.

As a fiefdom marquis, Su Mo may not seem to have much connection with other fiefdom marquises, but who can guarantee that dealing with Su Mo will not arouse the jealousy and vigilance of the other fiefdom marquises?

Furthermore, Su Mo's identities as a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Phoenix Cry Division are even more difficult to ascertain.

These are His Majesty's servants and henchmen. Moreover, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Phoenix Cry Division are known for their vindictiveness. How could they not hold a grudge if their people were dealt with?
The problem is that the complaint was filed by the Hanlin Academy, and the Wang family is behind it!
Wang Hao is the second-in-command of the cabinet. Once Xiao Yuan, the chief minister, steps down, Wang Hao will almost certainly succeed him as chief minister. He will truly be the second most powerful person in the court, second only to the emperor!

The Dali Temple can't refuse to take this case!

Su Mo suddenly turned himself in, and Zhang Yu, the highest-ranking official of the Dali Temple, was summoned to the palace by His Majesty.

Hu Ye and Tian Guan stared at each other for a long time before Tian Guan tentatively asked, "Why would he voluntarily come to the Dali Temple to turn himself in?!"

"Lord Hu, why don't you go and meet this Su Mo?"

Upon hearing this, Hu Ye's beard twitched slightly involuntarily: "Lord Tian, ​​you must be joking!"

He took a deep breath and said with a bitter expression, "He came to surrender himself wearing an imperial tiger-patterned robe!"

"The court's etiquette cannot be disregarded. Tiger robes can only be bestowed upon officials of the third rank. What do you think, should I bow and greet this Su Mo?"

Hu Ye paused, then said without hesitation, "I think it's best to wait until Minister Zhang returns before making a decision on this matter."

Tian Guan knew that Hu Ye would not willingly take on the trouble, so he nodded and said, "Lord Hu is absolutely right!"

"In my opinion, we should imprison Su Mo and wait for the Minister of Justice to return to his office so that he can make a decision!"

Hu Ye: "Good!"

……

When Su Mo surrendered himself to the Dali Temple, everyone regarded him as a snake or a scorpion. They took him to the main hall but dared not put him in shackles or handcuffs, leaving him to stand there in the open.

It took two or three incense sticks to burn before a burly middle-aged man dressed in a constable's robe walked towards Su Mo with a dark face.

He first glanced at Su Mo's tiger-patterned robe and jade belt, then bowed to Su Mo and said, "I am Yang San'an, the head constable of the Dali Temple. I greet Lord Su!"

"According to the rules, you must be imprisoned pending trial. I hope you will understand! Please come with me, Lord Su!"

None of the officials from the Dali Temple dared to show their faces.

Yang San'an certainly didn't dare to call someone up to remove Su Mo's tiger-patterned robe and jade belt, and imprison him in shackles!
Su Mo didn't take a step, but looked Yang San'an up and down a few times before coldly snorting, "So you're the Yang San'an who captured my maid and took her to the Dali Temple?"

Yang San'an swallowed hard, feeling his back instantly soaked with sweat after just one glance from Su Mo.

The young man in front of him was not much older than his son, but his imposing manner was not much less than that of the third-rank Minister of the Court of Judicial Review!
Yang San'an quickly smiled wryly and said, "I have an order from above, and I dare not disobey! Lord Su, you are a magnanimous man, please don't make things difficult for me!"

Su Mo snorted coldly again, but didn't say anything more.

He strode after Yang San'an to the Dali Temple prison.

Inside the prison, it was dark and damp, filled with a nauseating mixture of stench, blood, and excrement.

Furthermore, a great many mosquitoes, snakes, and rats can be seen roaming around.

However, the prison conditions here are much better than the Jinyiwei prison and Changping County prison that Su Mo had seen!

Upon entering the prison, the inmates merely glanced up at Su Mo with expressions of surprise and doubt, unlike those in other prisons who would rush over and shout their innocence.

Su Mo turned her head and looked around, her brows suddenly furrowing.

Men and women were being locked up together; there were no separate male and female prisons!
To everyone's surprise, Liu Siyun was imprisoned in this jail, and her disciple Yin Rou was also imprisoned with her.

However, their cells were located near the windows for ventilation and had been tidied up. The beds and blankets inside were not damp and dirty straw, but rather relatively clean.

It should be the VIP section of the prison.

After all, the Dali Temple prison is not like the Northern Garrison Command prison, where once you go in, you basically can't get out.

Many of those imprisoned here were government officials, and their reinstatement was a frequent occurrence. The prison conditions were naturally much better than those in other prisons.

Su Mo even saw a separate cell with a desk and writing implements. An elderly man with gray hair was writing furiously at the desk.

Liu Siyun and Yin Rou were talking when they saw Su Mo appear. They were immediately taken aback and hurriedly walked over, asking anxiously through the bars, "Master, why are you here too?"

Su Mo said calmly, "We'll talk about it later."

He then turned to Yang San'an and said, "I will lock him up here."

Upon hearing this, the jailer couldn't help but look at Yang San'an.

He had never heard of prisoners being able to choose their own cells, or even cells where female prisoners were held!

If something happens, can he, as the jailer, escape responsibility?
Yang San'an hesitated for a moment, then gave the jailer a look and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Lord Su."

The jailer, having received a signal from Yang San'an and seeing that Su Mo wasn't even wearing prison clothes but rather a tiger-patterned robe of a third-rank official, naturally understood that this young man had an extremely important background. He dared not be negligent and quickly opened the cell door to invite Su Mo in!
Su Mo glanced at the prison cell environment again, his expression darkening slightly. He tossed a silver ingot to the jailer and said, "Have someone clean this place thoroughly and replace all the bedding with new ones!"

"Quicklime must be sprinkled on the cells to prevent insects and ants!"

He pointed to the cell next to him: "And also, a set of those four treasures of the study!"

"Also, I'm hungry, go and prepare three meals for me!"

After pausing, Su Mo added, "I want the food from Baiyujing; I'm not used to the other dishes!"

Upon hearing this, the jailer was immediately dumbfounded. Even the white-haired old man next to him, who had been writing furiously with his head down, couldn't help but raise his head and look at Su Mo with a surprised and suspicious gaze.

Yang San'an cursed under his breath.

However, he immediately glared at the jailer: "Didn't you hear what Lord Su said? Hurry up and send someone to do it!"

The jailer was stunned again, then hurriedly nodded and bowed in agreement.

After leaving the prison with Yang San'an, the jailer looked at the ten-tael silver ingot in his hand, and then at Yang San'an.

Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Officer Yang, who exactly is this kid? How can he be so arrogant?"

"Oh shit!"

"We've been guarding this prison for over a decade, and we've never seen anyone so arrogant!" Yang San'an's face immediately darkened: "Never mind who they are!"

"Just do whatever they say, as long as he doesn't leave this cell!"

He then lowered his voice and said, "Don't say I didn't warn you. Even the Vice Ministers on both sides dare not meet this person. They are just waiting for the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to return and deal with him!"

Upon hearing this, the jailer immediately swallowed hard!
Suddenly, I felt the silver ingot in my hand was as hot as burning charcoal!
……

In the cell, Su Mo looked at Liu Siyun, then at Yin Rou, and asked with a dark face, "Are you two alright?"

Liu Siyun quickly replied, "My lord, I am fine."

Yin Rou hesitated for a moment: "This disciple is also fine."

As she spoke, her pretty eyes suddenly reddened, and she whispered, "Disciple...disciple has implicated teacher."

Su Mo waved her hand: "It has nothing to do with you. I'm the one who dragged you into this!"

Yin Rou was immediately taken aback.

Su Mo didn't offer much explanation, but asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened during the few days I was away from the capital?"

Due to limited space in the letter, Liu Siyun couldn't explain it clearly. Su Mo's voluntary surrender was actually to get things clarified.

Liu Siyun naturally recounted the whole story in detail.

Actually, it's a very simple matter.

A day after Su Mo left the capital, rumors suddenly spread throughout the city that Su Mo was having an affair with He Heng's wife, relying on his power and influence.

Although the He family was not a powerful clan, they were still a prominent family. They could not tolerate such rumors and immediately led their servants to Gufeng Mountain to demand the return of their loved ones.

Yin Rou originally wanted to go back with the He family to explain things clearly.

But Liu Siyun disagreed!
The reason is simple: Su Mo entrusted her with taking care of Yin Rou. If Yin Rou were taken away by the He family, she might be drowned in a pig cage.

Even the Phoenix Cry Division might not intervene in such family scandals.

Liu Siyun dared not gamble!
The original plan was to have Yin Rou return to the artisan camp after the He family left. With the Dragon Guards guarding it, no matter how bold the He family was, they wouldn't dare to force their way into the artisan camp.

The He family obviously knew this too, so they wouldn't give Yin Rou a chance to return to the artisan camp. They immediately sent people to force their way into Lone Peak Mountain.

Liu Siyun had no choice but to have Niu Da and the others stop the He family, and somehow a fight broke out.

Even He Heng's head was smashed by a rock.

The He family filed a complaint with the Dali Temple.

Yin Rou was naturally brought to justice, and Liu Siyun was also arrested by Yang San'an and taken to the Dali Temple for assaulting an official of the imperial court.

After saying that, Liu Siyun added somewhat uncertainly, "I had already instructed Niu Da and the others to be careful, so He Heng... should not have been injured by Niu Da and the others."

Yin Rou, standing beside her, had red eyes and kept her head down, not saying a word. Clearly, what happened was the same as what Liu Siyun had said.

In fact, she knew less than Liu Siyun.

Upon hearing this, Su Mo's brows furrowed immediately.

It sounds exactly the same as the incident involving the disciples of Su Nu Palace.

Thinking of the Su Nu Palace incident, Su Mo subconsciously looked around the prison cells and saw that seven or eight cells, separated by a lot, held seven or eight young women who looked quite young.

Judging from their clothing and the magical aura emanating from them, they are mostly at the Soul Stabilization Realm or Body Observation Realm level, and should be the disciples of the Su Nu Palace who were imprisoned here.

Seeing that Su Mo remained silent, Liu Siyun couldn't help but ask again, "My lord, what should we do now?"

Su Mo then pulled his thoughts away from the disciples of the Su Nu Palace and said calmly, "Wait!"

Liu Siyun was taken aback: "Wait?"

Su Mo said irritably, "What else can I do?"

Yin Rou hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "Teacher, rest assured, I will never implicate you. I... I will prove your innocence!"

Su Mo waved his hand: "Official Yin, there's no need to think so much!"

"This has nothing to do with whether we are innocent or not!"

He paused, then said in a deep voice, "After this matter is settled, you and He Heng should get a divorce."

Yin Rou's expression changed slightly, but she finally nodded: "This disciple understands."

Su Mo snorted: "I will seek justice for you!"

"So it's the Wang family. Since they've resorted to such despicable means against me, they can forget about having a good life!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a surprised and doubtful voice suddenly came from the side: "The Wang family? Is it the Wang family of Taizhou, one of the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families?"

Su Mo frowned slightly and looked towards the cell next to him.

The old man with gray hair looked at him with a strange expression.

Su Mo's expression immediately hardened slightly.

Although the old man looked ordinary, the fact that he was able to live in such a cell and even had writing implements showed that he was definitely not an ordinary prisoner.

Moreover, this person was calm and composed, with his divine light contained, clearly a cultivator, but Su Mo could not sense any magical power from him!

Seeing Su Mo remain silent with a sullen face, the old man glanced at Su Mo, a look of surprise and doubt appearing in his eyes, and muttered to himself, "At such a young age, he actually wears a tiger-patterned robe?"

"I've only been in this Dali Temple prison for three years, and yet such a figure has appeared outside?"

"Who exactly are you, kid?"

"Hmm... Only the Wang family of Taizhou could probably get someone like you into the Dali Temple prison!"

He paused slightly, his expression turning even more strange: "I didn't realize you were such a big shot, daring to say you'd ruin the Wang family's life!"

The old man looked at Su Mo with a mocking and disdainful expression: "Do you know that Wang Hao, the Second Grand Secretary, is a member of the Wang family?"

When Su Mo saw that he showed no respect when Wang Hao was mentioned, she was also surprised and suspicious.

The old man bowed and asked in a deep voice, "May I ask how I should address you, sir?"

"Judging from your words, it seems you are quite familiar with the Wang family's background?"

The old man smiled and said, "The Wang family is one of the five surnames and seven prominent families, the most prestigious aristocratic family in the Great Wu. How could I not know that?"

He paused, then chuckled and said, "What I'm more curious about is your background, kid."

"Knowing full well that the Vice Minister comes from the Wang family, he still dared to boast that he would make the Wang family suffer!"

"I have heard of many outstanding young men from various families, but I have no idea which family has produced such a boastful descendant as you..."

As he spoke, his brows suddenly furrowed: "That young man from the Cui family of Boling? Doesn't seem like it! Those young men from the Lu family of Fan County, their ages don't match up either... The Duke of Ning's mansion? The Duke of Wei's mansion... they don't have a junior like you..."

Su Mo suddenly smiled: "Old sir, is it possible that I have no connection with such prestigious families or imperial nobles?"

"but……"

Su Mo suddenly said slowly and deliberately, "I have guessed who you are, sir."

Upon hearing this, the old man was immediately taken aback, and pointed to himself with his finger: "Can you guess who I am?"

"Come!"

"Tell me, who exactly am I?"

He paused, then chuckled disdainfully: "If you, young man, can guess my identity, I will bestow upon you a great fortune!"

Su Mo's eyes lit up slightly: "May I ask what kind of fortune the old gentleman wishes to bestow upon me?"

The old man immediately said with an arrogant expression, "For a mere cultivator like you at the Soul-Stabilizing Realm, even if I were to casually slip a little benefit through my fingers, it would be enough for you to enjoy for the rest of your life!"

(End of this chapter)