Dream of the Red Chamber: After being exiled, I went on a killing spree in Liaodong.

"Speak," Emperor Yuankang said in a low voice, filled with suppressed anger.

The thirty censors exchanged glances, then bowed in unison, their voices echoing through the palace.

"Your Majesty! We, your subjects, impeach Duke Jia Yi of Qin for forming cliques for personal gain, indiscriminately killing innocent people, usurping power, and plotting treason!!!"

The air froze instantly.

The ministers below gasped in shock.

"Holy crap... thirty of them all at once? Have they got some nerve?"

"Have you forgotten? This guy even dared to chase and beat up the Prime Minister!"

"I heard that Mark Chao's pants were kicked down that time..."

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

Mark Chao stood in the front row, his face ashen, wishing he could dig a hole in the ground and disappear right there and then.

Why do you always drag me into this when you give examples?

The thirty imperial censors who appeared all turned their gazes toward Jia Yi's face.

My heart was pounding.

Who doesn't know that if you stand up and impeach Jia Yi, you'll most likely get beaten up on the spot by this madman?

But the people behind it had already made a harsh statement—if you don't participate, they'll wipe out your whole family.

We've been forced into this situation, so we have no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

Going to Jia Yi's camp doesn't guarantee death; not going to Jia Yi's camp guarantees death!

"What are you impeaching him for?" Emperor Yuankang's voice was as cold as ice.

"Without any evidence, the Duke of Qin executed the entire family of the Yangzhou salt merchants!"

"This paralyzed the salt administration in Jiangnan, causing widespread public resentment!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the temperature in the hall dropped another three degrees.

Mentioning other things was fine, but as soon as the salt merchants were mentioned, Emperor Yuankang's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Did those people collude with the White Lotus Sect? He didn't care.

What he cared about was that the national treasury had suddenly increased by nearly 20 million taels of silver overnight!

So fat it's dripping with oil!

"Bullshit!"

A thunderclap rang out.

Jia Yi suddenly rolled up his sleeves, his eyes fierce like a wild beast unleashed from its cage.

The entire court of officials retreated hastily, wishing they could stick to the wall.

Even Niu Jizong huddled in a corner, pretending to be mute.

He also felt that this group of people deserved to be beaten.

Jia Yi made a move.

With each step he took, the ground seemed to tremble.

The thirty censors instantly went weak in the knees, huddled together like lambs to the slaughter.

"Duke of Qin, you mustn't! I am acting on the orders of the imperial court—"

Before the last word "official" could be uttered, Jia Yi had already picked the man up, swung him around, and flung him away like a tattered sack!

[Ding! The host has assaulted the censor in court, intimidating all officials and gaining ten female guards!]

Jia Yi frowned and shook his head: "Only ten? These useless trash are really worthless."

The censor flew out in a perfect arc and crashed into the group of civil officials with a "thud," hitting a high-ranking official in red robes squarely in the chest, his bones cracking.

Of the remaining twenty-nine people, not one escaped.

They were all swung around by Jia Yi like sandbags, rolling all over the hall, with cries of agony filling the air.

The last few shots hit Prince Yizhong, who was hiding behind a pillar.

"Holy crap! Jia Yi, you—!"

The prince almost jumped up and cursed, but stopped himself abruptly before he could finish.

The thought that this guy even dared to chase and beat the Emperor Emeritus sent a chill down his spine. He swallowed the profanity back, almost biting his own tongue off.

Emperor Yuankang squinted and glanced meaningfully at the group of officials scattered haphazardly.

These people... all have backgrounds connected to salt merchants.

Jia Yi smashed everything indiscriminately, yet he didn't miss a single one?

Coincidence? Nobody would believe that.

A chill ran through him: Could this fool... have something else going on?

But when he turned around, Jia Yi was grinning at him, his face clearly saying, "I'm an idiot."

Emperor Yuankang chuckled and shook his head.

You're overthinking it.

This guy's just a hothead, what could he possibly hide?

"Hurry and summon the imperial physician!"

"My dear ministers, you're all unlucky to have run into such a jinx!"

Emperor Yuankang simply said it casually.

Those lying below turned green upon hearing this.

Are we unlucky?

Your son is the unlucky one!

Prince Yizhong sat on the ground, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Jia Yi had completely changed.

He didn't believe it was a coincidence.

That throw, that smash, that bump—it was all a warning.

A blatant declaration of war.

"This person is not to be trifled with."

"Unless you are absolutely certain, you must not touch him in the slightest."

He gritted his teeth inwardly: He'd have to remind his grandfather later—

Don't be fooled by this silly face.

Jia Yi is hiding his true intentions very well.

Ten imperial physicians rushed in, stumbling and crawling, and hurriedly examined the area.

"Your Majesty, none of you are in mortal danger!"

"Some had broken hands or legs, but the injuries were mostly superficial."

"He'll be fine after some rest."

"Prince Yizhong is blessed with great fortune and is unharmed!"

Everyone lay on the ground, their eyes rolling back in their heads.

You call this a "superficial injury"?

You try lying here for one night!

"Alright, send the injured to the Imperial Hospital."

Emperor Yuankang waved his hand, his face calm and composed.

The assembled officials stood there, their faces ashen, not daring to utter a sound.

The farce has come to an end.

Next—it's time for rewards.

"Jia Yi, you handled the Zhen family and the White Lotus Sect incident beautifully."

Emperor Yuankang raised the corners of his lips slightly, his eyes were smiling, but his tone was as heavy as if a golden seal had been pressed down.

"I hereby grant you the promotion from Second-Rank Duke to First-Rank Duke, bestowing upon you honors and emoluments. Furthermore—" He paused, his voice soft yet undeniably authoritative, "and bestow upon Yingchun the title of County Princess, and grant her an imperial decree."

The entire hall was silent; even the wind seemed to have frozen.

Emperor Yuankang had originally planned to elevate Yingchun's status. After all, if the Crown Prince were to take a concubine who was born out of wedlock, the court officials could easily stir up a storm. But if she were granted the title of County Princess by the Emperor, no one would dare to bring up her birth status.

However... it remains to be seen how well Granny Wu has taught her.

At this moment, Granny Wu cried out inwardly: Your Majesty! It's not that I'm teaching Yingchun, it's that the group of female guards around Yingchun are almost turning me into their own people!

The courtiers exchanged bewildered glances, then one of them discreetly looked in the direction of the Crown Prince. Recalling Jia Yi's doting affection for his half-sister, the truth suddenly dawned on them—

The Emperor is afraid that after he passes away, no one will be able to control this seemingly simple-minded but actually powerful Duke!

So they simply arranged a marriage and brought Yingchun into the Eastern Palace.

It strengthens family ties and makes things easier to manage.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Jia Yi responded loudly, his eyebrows and eyes relaxing, his smile as explosive as strong liquor poured onto the ground.

With this identity, Yingchun will never feel inferior anywhere she stands.

Niu Jizong stood at the back of the crowd, his eyes darting around as he began to calculate in his mind.

His second son was the perfect age to marry Yingchun, and besides, he and Jia Yi were sworn brothers...

Is it considered presumptuous to propose marriage in person?

No! Not at all!

Once the thought arose, Niu Jizong immediately made up his mind—

He went straight home after court, dug out a ten-year-old wine from the cellar, and rushed to the Duke of Qin's mansion with it!

It's better to get married sooner rather than later, or someone else might beat you to it!

So, as soon as the bells and drums fell and before the officials could even straighten their clothes and line up, a gray figure darted out of the hall like an arrow released from a bow.

"Huh? Is Lord Niu in such a hurry to be reincarnated?"

"Could there be a fire at home?"

"Otherwise, how could he run faster than a eunuch delivering an imperial decree?"

A murmur of discussion arose as everyone watched the departing figure with awe.

Meanwhile, Jia Yi had already returned to his residence with a beaming smile, his steps so light they seemed to dance on flowers.

"Keqing, let's go! Let's deliver some incredibly good news to Yingchun!" He waved the bright yellow scroll in his hand, his eyes shining with an alarming intensity.

Qin Keqing took it and glanced at it; her fingertips trembled slightly, and her pupils contracted sharply.

"Third Master...am I seeing things?" Her voice trembled. "Sister Yingchun...is she really a county princess?"