Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 214 I watched him build a tall building, I watched him entertain guests.

The two commanders of the Xuanjing Division following behind Shen Lian waved their hands, and the soldiers who had been waiting for them carried a specially made battering ram to the front of the vermilion gate of the Li residence without making a sound.

"Collide!"

Boom!
The heavy battering slammed against the door, which groaned in pain before collapsing to the ground with a crash.

Almost simultaneously, dozens of soldiers rushed in, heading straight for key locations within the mansion.

Chen Ye then followed Shen Lian through the gate and into the Minister's residence.

Upon entering, an atmosphere of extravagance immediately hits you; the artificial hills and flowing water, the pavilions and towers, all showcase the owner's wealth.

"Chen Ye." Shen Lian's voice came from ahead.

“Your humble servant is here.” Chen Ye stepped forward.

"Take a team and sneak in from the east. Remember, kill anyone who resists!" Shen Lian said coldly.

"Yes!"

Chen Ye received the order, selected twenty soldiers, and rushed in through the covered walkway on the east side.

At this moment, the servants, who were sleeping, were awakened by this sudden change, and screams and cries rose and fell.

A middle-aged man who looked like a butler rushed out of the room, holding up a lantern and shouting, "Who goes there! How dare you! Do you know where you are?"

His answer was a cold knife.

A flash of light, a head fell to the ground, and the lantern rolled aside and burst into flames, the flames licking the ground. The soldiers of the Xuanjing Division walked past the still twitching corpse with expressionless faces.

"My lord, the inner courtyard is just ahead!" Zhao Qi said to Chen Ye, pointing to the building in front of him.

Chen Ye nodded and waved his hand, and the soldiers behind him immediately dispersed to surround the entire inner courtyard.

The inner courtyard was brightly lit, clearly indicating that the commotion had been alerted.

A young man dressed in brocade robes rushed out with a dozen servants wielding clubs, shouting menacingly but inwardly, "Who are you? How dare you break into the Minister's residence at night? Are you trying to rebel?"

Chen Ye didn't speak, but simply raised his chin.

Zhao Qi understood and led several soldiers to meet them.

"Take them down..."

The young master wanted to say a few more harsh words, but the murderous aura emanating from the Xuanjing Division soldiers made him swallow his words back.

The servants he brought were usually good at bullying others, but when they actually faced these ruthless Xuanjing Division captains, their legs went weak.

Within a few rounds, all the servants were knocked to the ground, and the young master was also kicked in the knee by Zhao Qi, falling to his knees.

"Take him away," Chen Ye ordered, then stepped inside.

Passing through the inner courtyard leads to the main hall where Li Chengfeng and his family reside.

At this moment, the main hall doors were tightly closed, and the sounds of a woman crying and a man cursing could be heard from inside.

Chen Ye did not order the door to be rammed, but instead ordered his men to surround the area to prevent anyone from escaping.

Shen Lian arrived quickly with a large group of men.

He glanced at the closed door, then at Chen Ye, before stepping forward and saying in a deep voice, "Open the door."

There was no response from inside, only the crying grew louder.

Shen Lian's patience seemed to have run out, and he gave a wink to the commander beside him.

The commander stepped forward and kicked the door.

boom!
The two heavy solid wood doors were kicked open.

Inside the door, a group of disheveled men and women huddled in a corner in fear. The one in the lead, a middle-aged man wearing a nightgown with slightly disheveled hair but still maintaining a calm expression, was none other than Li Chengfeng, the Minister of Rites.

He looked at Shen Lian and the Xuanjing Division members who broke down the door, his eyes showing no panic, only a deathly stillness.

At this moment, his wives, concubines, and children were huddled together, their cries and screams mingling together, but he seemed to hear nothing, only coldly watching Shen Lian, who was at the head of the group.

Shen Lian also looked at him.

Both were important figures in the imperial court. Although they belonged to the civil and military branches respectively, they had met many times at various banquets.

"Minister Li, how have you been?" Shen Lian spoke first, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

Li Chengfeng twitched the corners of his mouth, as if he wanted to smile, but failed.

"Commander Shen's visit late at night, and with such a grand commotion, what brings you here?" His voice was hoarse.

"By order of Her Majesty, Minister Li and his family are requested to make a trip to the Xuanjing Division." Shen Lian said, taking out the secret decree bearing the Empress's jade seal from his robes and waving it in front of Li Chengfeng.

Li Chengfeng's pupils contracted slightly.

A woman behind him, presumably his wife, screamed upon hearing this: "Master! What on earth is going on?!"

"Even if our Li family has made a mistake, they can't just arrest people based on a single imperial decree!"

"Shut up!" Li Chengfeng turned around and shouted.

The woman was stunned by his shout and swallowed back her sobs.

Then Li Chengfeng straightened his disheveled nightgown, took a deep breath, and looked at Shen Lian, "Commander Shen, I need to change my clothes."

He didn't ask for a crime, nor did he beg for mercy; he simply made this request.

Everyone present was stunned for a moment.

Chen Ye stood at the back of the crowd and looked at Li Chengfeng, and couldn't help but think more highly of him.

To remain so calm even at this point takes some courage.

Shen Lian stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Yes, but only by yourself."

"Thanks." Li Chengfeng said and turned to walk into the inner room.

Two captains from the Xuanjing Division immediately followed, one on the left and one on the right, never leaving their side.

Shen Lian waved his hand and gave orders to the soldiers behind him.

"Take everyone else with you!"

The soldiers pounced on them like wolves, completely ignoring the cries and struggles of the women.

In an instant, the main hall was in complete chaos.

Several young noblemen tried to resist, but were knocked unconscious by soldiers with their sword sheaths and dragged away like dead dogs.

Chen Ye did not participate in the arrest; he simply watched coldly.

He saw Li Chengfeng's wife being dragged away, her hair disheveled, and her hairpins scattered on the ground.

Seeing Li Chengfeng's most beloved concubine paralyzed on the ground in fear, tears streaming down her face, she was shocked.

Seeing Li Chengfeng's children, who were used to living a life of luxury, crying their hearts out.

This is the overthrow of power.

Last night they were celestial beings in the clouds, tonight they've become mud in the mud.

Soon Li Chengfeng came out from the inner room.

He changed into a brand-new official robe of a second-rank official, and his hair was neatly combed, making him look much more energetic.

It was as if he wasn't going to the Xuanjing Division's prison, but rather to attend the morning court session.

Moreover, when he came out and saw the hall in a mess, and his family had all been taken away, his eyes showed no emotion, and he just looked at Shen Liandao.

"Let's go."

Shen Lian nodded, then walked beside him, the two of them leaving the once glorious Minister's Mansion one after the other.

As I stepped out of the mansion, several prison carts were already parked outside.

The men of the Li family were locked in one vehicle, while the women were locked in another.

Li Chengfeng looked at his family, his lips moved, but in the end he said nothing.

He was taken to a separate prison van.

Shen Lian stopped in his tracks. "Minister Li, please."

Li Chengfeng didn't make a fuss; he even got into the prison van on his own without anyone helping or urging him.

The group of people escorted the prison cart and disappeared into the night, but Chen Ye was left behind.

Because this matter is not over yet.

Before leaving, Shen Lian gave him the task of assisting the officials of the Ministry of Revenue in inventorying the Li family's assets.

This is the standard procedure for confiscating property.

Therefore, when Chen Ye returned to the Li residence, it had completely changed.

Although it had been raided by the Xuanjing Division before, it still largely maintained the layout of a wealthy mansion.

But now it looks like this place has been ravaged by locusts.

The soldiers searched the mansion thoroughly with crowbars and hammers.

The walls were knocked open, the floor tiles were pried up, and the artificial hill was smashed.

They searched every possible hiding place.

A centurion walked up to Chen Ye and cupped his hands in greeting. "Lord Chen, the commander has instructed that you are in charge of taking inventory in the east courtyard."

"Okay." Chen Ye nodded.

The east wing was where Li Chengfeng's sons lived.

When Chen Ye went in, the officials from the Ministry of Revenue were already busy with their clerks.

Large boxes were carried out of the house and lined up in the yard.

The box was opened, revealing it to be filled with gold, silver, jewels, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings, which gleamed dazzlingly in the torchlight.

"A chest of gold and silver coins, sealed!"

"A box containing the pearl of the East China Sea, sealed!"

"A scroll of calligraphy by a famous master from the previous dynasty, sealed!"

As the officials from the Ministry of Revenue counted the items, they loudly proclaimed their respects, while the clerks beside them diligently recorded each item.

Then the box was sealed and loaded onto a large truck outside.

Seeing this scene, a sentence inexplicably popped into Chen Ye's mind.

Seeing him rising from a tall building, seeing his banquet guests, seeing his building collapsed.

Just then, several soldiers dragged a large box out of a room. The box was very heavy, and it took them a lot of effort to drag it. "Sir, there's a big thing here."

Chen Ye walked over and saw that the box was made of sandalwood and had intricate patterns carved on it.

"Open."

It took two soldiers a long time to pry open the box with crowbars.

The moment the lid was opened, everyone gasped.

Because the box was full of gold bars.

These gold bars were stacked so neatly that they hurt the eyes.

An official from the Ministry of Revenue ran over, touched the bars, examined them carefully, and finally nodded, "They are all officially minted gold bars!"

Such a large box of gold is of considerable value, and this is only what was found in the courtyard of one of Li's sons.

Chen Ye gave Zhao Qi a wink.

Zhao Qi immediately understood and, along with several trusted confidants, quietly stood around the box.

Money moves people's hearts.

With so much gold laid out here, it's hard to guarantee that no one will have ulterior motives.

The inventory work continued until late into the night.

The entire Li residence was almost turned upside down, and the confiscated valuables filled dozens of large carts.

Gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, land deeds, house deeds... everything you could want.

They even seized three million taels of silver alone.

This number left everyone present numb.

It's unbelievable that a Minister of Rites could embezzle so much money.

You should know that the salary in the Great Chen Dynasty is not high. Even if he worked his whole life, he wouldn't earn a fraction of that amount.

After all the valuables were inventoried, sealed, and loaded onto the trucks, the people sent by Shen Lian arrived.

"Lord Chen, the Commander has ordered that the remaining women of the Li family be escorted over as well."

"Women?" Chen Ye asked.

"Yes, the commander specifically ordered that they be kept in a separate courtyard, not imprisoned with the male prisoners."

Upon hearing this order, Chen Ye's opinion of Shen Lian improved somewhat.

Shen Lian's order preserved the Li family's last shred of dignity and left them a glimmer of hope.

Chen Ye nodded. "I understand."

Soon the remaining women of the Li family were brought over.

They were all ashen-faced and had empty eyes.

After a night of turmoil, they no longer had the energy to cry or make a fuss.

Watching them being led onto the carriage like zombies, Chen Ye felt no sympathy.

After all, their current wealth is the result of spending the people's hard-earned money.

You can't be overjoyed when you're enjoying good fortune, and then cry foul when you're in trouble!

Chen Ye waved his hand, "Let's go!"

The convoy left the Li residence and headed towards the Xuanjing Division.

Chen Ye rode his horse alongside the caravan, looking at Yunzhou City before dawn, feeling that the city was like a giant stage.

A diverse cast of characters took to the stage, one after another, creating quite a lively scene.

By the time the valuables and women had been escorted away, it was already dawn.

Before Chen Ye could even catch his breath after returning to the Xuanjing Division, Shen Lian's order arrived, summoning him to the study.

Chen Ye didn't dare to delay, straightened his clothes, and quickly went to Shen Lian's study.

Shen Lian's study was large, but the furnishings were simple.

A desk, a few chairs, and a picture of a tiger descending a mountain hanging on the wall.

Shen Lian sat behind his desk, holding a cup of hot tea in his hand, sipping it slowly.

He looked a little tired, with bloodshot eyes, but he was full of energy.

"Sit down." Shen Lian pointed to the chair opposite him.

"Thank you, sir." Chen Ye sat down, his back ramrod straight.

"You did a good job at the Li residence." Shen Lian put down his teacup. "The people from the Ministry of Revenue just came to report that you handled everything flawlessly and without making a single mistake."

"It's all thanks to your excellent command, sir. I dare not take credit for it," Chen Ye said politely.

Shen Lian glanced at him but didn't respond to the conversation.

"Li Chengfeng has been imprisoned in the Imperial Prison. This person is of utmost importance and cannot be allowed to slip up. Therefore, I have decided to send you to personally monitor him to prevent any accidents. Do you have any objections?"

Chen Ye was taken aback, then nodded, "Your subordinate obeys."

He naturally wouldn't refuse, because refusing would be useless. In a place like the Xuanjing Division, the commander's words are like an imperial edict, leaving no room for negotiation.

Shen Lian seemed to be discussing things with me, but it was just a formality. After all, I am the Zhaowu Captain appointed by Her Majesty the Empress, and he has to show me some leniency.

"Go ahead, this matter is of utmost importance, remember not to take it lightly." Seeing that Chen Ye was so cooperative, Shen Lian was very satisfied and waved his hand.

Chen Ye left the study, where Zhao Qi was already waiting.

"Sir, are you alright? You've been busy all night, why don't you go back and rest?" Zhao Qi asked with concern.

"No, Commander, you have other duties to attend to." Chen Ye shook his head. "You should go back first."

"Yes, sir," Zhao Qi replied, then watched Chen Ye walk deeper into the yamen, a hint of worry in his eyes.

The Xuanjing Division's prison was built underground, with its entrance located in an inconspicuous corner next to the martial arts arena.

The two heavy iron doors were tightly closed, and four heavily armored captains stood guard at the entrance. Their calm demeanor suggested they were skilled fighters.

Chen Ye stepped forward and showed his waist tag.

The guards checked the waist tokens, and one of them turned around and pushed open the iron gate, a cold and damp atmosphere rushing out.

"Lord Chen, please."

Chen Ye stepped inside. A long stone staircase led down, and after walking about a hundred steps, a huge underground space suddenly appeared before him.

There were all sorts of cells built inside, and many people were imprisoned there. When they heard footsteps, many people came over to beg for mercy and cry out for their innocence, but Chen Ye ignored them and walked straight to the innermost part.

After turning into a passageway, the sounds outside instantly faded away, becoming incredibly quiet. And at the deepest part of this dungeon, there was a separate cell.

The cell was fairly clean, but the sturdiness of the cage and the thickness of the surrounding walls proved that it was used to imprison serious criminals.

At this moment, Li Chengfeng, dressed in his second-rank official robes, sat cross-legged on the ground covered with dry grass, his back to the prison door, motionless.

Chen Ye pulled over a chair and sat outside the cage, quietly watching him.

Time passed little by little.

The dungeon was eerily quiet, with only the occasional sound of dripping water in the distance.

Li Chengfeng remained in that posture, as if he had become a statue.

Chen Ye was very patient, just sitting there with a calm look in his eyes and long, steady breaths.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Chengfeng moved slightly and slowly turned around to look at Chen Ye outside the prison.

His hair was somewhat disheveled, but his eyes were bright, showing no sign of the dejection of a prisoner.

"You're Chen Ye?" Li Chengfeng asked, his voice hoarse.

Chen Ye didn't answer, he just looked at him.

Li Chengfeng twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a mocking smile.

"He made a name for himself at the autumn hunt, and now he is the Zhaowu Captain of the Xuanjing Division. He is truly a promising young man."

"Did Shen Lian send you to see me because he was afraid I would commit suicide, or because he was afraid someone would come to kill me?"

Chen Ye remained silent.

Li Chengfeng frowned.

"What, didn't Shen Lian teach you the proper etiquette for speaking to your superiors? Although I'm in dire straits, I'm still wearing this official uniform. According to rank, you should bow to me when you see me."

He tried to use his official authority to suppress Chen Ye.

Chen Ye's eyes flickered, sweeping over the brand-new official robes he was wearing, before returning to their usual calm.

Li Chengfeng felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Your name is Chen Ye, right? Your father is Chen Fangshi, and your sister is Chen Wan'er, a secretary in the palace. Am I right?"

“I have served as an official in the court for decades, and I know a little about the affairs of your Chen family.”

"It's not easy for the founding nobles to have fallen to this state today," Li Chengfeng said with a touch of emotion.

"Don't you want to know how your Chen family fell from grace? Don't you want to know who was pulling the strings behind the scenes?"

"Just ask me, and I'll tell you."

He threw out one bait after another, trying to pique Chen Ye's curiosity.

But Chen Ye was like a stone, unmoved and impervious to reason.

Silence fell in the cell once again.

This time, Li Chengfeng finally couldn't maintain his composure.

He stood up from the ground, walked to the cell door, and gripped the cold iron bars with both hands.

"what on earth do you want?"

"Do you think I can't do anything to you just because you don't say anything?"

"Let me tell you, the waters of Yunzhou City run deep! You're just a greenhorn; even with Shen Lian protecting you, you could drown at any moment!"

His voice began to get excited.

Chen Ye finally reacted.

He took out a small notebook and a charcoal pencil from his pocket and started writing and drawing in it.

(End of this chapter)