This son-in-law is wicked in a good way!

"Your Majesty, I am foolish and dull."

"I have been diligently managing the Ministry of Revenue for many years, but I have neglected the affairs of the Northern Mang."

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Xuanling sincerely admitted his mistake.

His strategy for pacifying the Northern Barbarians was based on the principle of "it's better to keep quiet than to complain," so it was expected that he would be blamed by His Majesty.

However, His Majesty cannot punish him simply because his strategy failed.

After all, he was the Vice Minister of Revenue, not the Vice Minister of War.

The Empress suddenly revealed a cold smile: "Minister Zhang is preoccupied with the Ministry of Revenue and has neglected matters concerning Northern Mang. I do not blame you."

"But have you neglected the matter I entrusted to you privately last time?"

Zhang Xuanling's brain immediately started working at high speed.

The only thing His Majesty instructed last time... was Zhang Ping'an.

In an instant, Zhang Xuanling's heart sank to the bottom.

Zhang Ping'an indeed did not lose the emperor's favor!

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong!" Zhang Xuanling kowtowed deeply.

"No, you don't know," the Empress abruptly interrupted. "If you truly knew your mistake, why would you have gone to the Night Watch's office to report Zhang Ping'an!"

"It seems that Lord Zhang is getting on in years, and his memory is no longer sufficient for him to serve as an important official in the court."

Zhang Xuanling was immediately terrified and broke out in a cold sweat.

He had barely returned from the Night's Watch office when His Majesty summoned him.

From this, it is clear that His Majesty attaches great importance to Zhang Ping'an!

"Your Majesty, I know my crime. I was also deceived by treacherous people!"

"Your Majesty, please grant me a chance to repent and reform!"

Zhang Xuanling kept kowtowing, and after a few kowtows, blood began to flow.

The Empress narrowed her eyes: "Who has deceived you?"

"Yes..." Zhang Xuanling's eyes flickered, then he steeled his heart. "Better to die than the Taoist priest. Sun Guihua, don't blame me."

"I was misled by Sun Guihua, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, which led me to make the wrong choice."

"I swear that I will sever all ties with this barbarian from now on."

The Empress, still furious, continued her tirade: "I heard that the silver notes I bestowed upon Zhang Ping'an are still in the hands of your third young master..."

Zhang Xuanling kowtowed several more times on the ground.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Upon returning, I will immediately order that rebellious son to return the gifts bestowed upon Zhang Ping'an and to pay double the compensation!"

The Empress was finally appeased, but it wasn't enough.

"By the way, the national treasury is currently empty, and the Yellow River is flooding. Lord Zhang is in charge of the Ministry of Revenue. Please find a way to raise 300,000 taels of silver for disaster relief."

"Ah, this..."

"Hmm? Does Lord Zhang mean it's impossible?"

Just as Zhang Xuanling was about to plead poverty, he felt the Empress's cold gaze and immediately swallowed back the words he was about to say.

"Your Majesty, I will find a way to raise 300,000 taels of silver."

Zhang Xuanling's heart was bleeding!

Just because he reported Zhang Ping'an, he was severely punished by the Empress.

Three hundred thousand taels of silver! He dared not touch the Ministry of Revenue's money; if the Minister found out, he would be finished.

He had to pay most of the money himself.

Sun Guihua, I wish to consummate our marriage with your mother!

The Empress leaned back on her dragon throne and said indifferently, "Alright, I'm tired. You may leave."

"Here you go!"

Zhang Xuanling struggled to his feet and, with the help of Eunuch Xi, limped away.

"Lord Zhang, I dislike it most when court officials form cliques for personal gain. You are a smart man, you should understand what I mean."

Suddenly, the Empress's icy voice rang out from behind, terrifying Zhang Xuanling to the point of utter panic.

"Your Majesty, I understand."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your guidance!"

He turned around, bowed deeply, and then left.

The Sun family is finished!

With his keen political sense, Zhang Xuanling immediately realized the Empress's intentions.

Meanwhile, he was drenched in cold sweat. Although he was close to Sun Guihua, he was fortunate that he did not collude with him.

Otherwise, this time the Empress wouldn't have just given him a warning; she would have thrown him directly into the Night's Watch dungeon.

We must sever ties with the Sun family as soon as possible!

Despite the soreness in his legs, Zhang Xuanling strode out of the palace and boarded his carriage.

"Quickly, back to the manor!"

Zhang Mansion.

As soon as Zhang Xuanling returned home, he immediately summoned the whole family to the hall, except for his second son Zhang Shu, who was studying abroad.

He sat in the main seat, his face solemn.

Since the Empress took the initiative to remind him, he had to do something to show His Majesty his determination to sever ties with the Sun family.

"Zhang Qi, go to the Night Watch's office immediately and withdraw the accusation against Zhang Ping'an. Tell them it was all a misunderstanding."

Zhang Qi frowned, somewhat unwilling, but still nodded and replied, "Yes!"

Zhang Xuanling then looked at Zhang Wu: "You come with me immediately to the Left Prime Minister's residence to apologize to Zhang Ping'an."

"No, Father, why?" Zhang Wu looked aggrieved. He had been humiliated by Zhang Ping'an in the brothel, and now he had to apologize!

Doesn't he have any pride?

"If you don't go, I'll kill you. You choose one." Zhang Xuanling's face was icy cold. In this life-or-death situation, this seasoned official was extremely decisive.

Because of Zhang Ping'an's problems, he has been repeatedly reprimanded by His Majesty, and now His Majesty has decided to kill him.

If we don't act decisively, the Zhang family will face annihilation!

Zhang Wu shrank back, no longer daring to utter a single complaint: "Fine, I'll go."

Seeing Zhang Xuanling's grave expression, Madam Shen asked anxiously, "Master, what exactly happened? Zhang Ping'an is just a bastard, is it really necessary for you to do this?"

Zhang Xuanling glared at her; he dared not reveal the details of his conversation with His Majesty.

"Don't worry about all that, just do as I say."

"Remember, never take chances!"

"Furthermore, inform everyone in the manor that from now on, when they see Zhang Ping'an, they should treat him with the same respect as a young master."

"The same goes for you! Did you all remember that?"

Although Madam Shen was dissatisfied, she understood the situation and nodded, "Master, I've got it."

Ping An Street.

After finishing his shift at noon, Zhang Ping'an ate a bowl of noodles at a noodle shop here.

He felt a connection to the name of this street.

The shopkeeper was a hunchbacked middle-aged man in his forties. When he saw Zhang Ping'an in uniform, he refused to accept any money.

Helpless, Zhang Ping'an put a few coins at the bottom of the bowl and then returned to the night watchman's office.

After Zhang Ping'an left, the shopkeeper personally went to clear away the tables.

When the shopkeeper lifted the bowl and saw the few coins on the table, his nose suddenly felt a little sore.

"Father, this official seems a bit different from the others!"

A young girl, about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a towel draped over her shoulder, stood beside the shopkeeper and spoke in a low voice.

The shopkeeper rubbed his reddened eyes, looked at Zhang Ping'an who was carrying a broadsword on his shoulder and walking with a somewhat slouching gait, and laughed out loud.

"Yes, sir, you are like a ray of light in the darkness."

As soon as he returned to the yamen, Wang Qisheng came looking for him.

"Peace, the head will let you pass."

Then, he secretly gave Zhang Ping'an a thumbs up: "Ping'an, you're amazing! You only went out for a short while, and the eldest son of the Vice Minister of Revenue came to withdraw the case."

"The matter of reporting you is a misunderstanding."

Zhang Ping'an spat out the thin wood root from his mouth and exclaimed in surprise, "So fast!"

Brother Chu is truly awesome!

"Go ahead, the boss needs to see you urgently."

"kindness."

Zhang Ping'an nodded and went into the back room.

Zhao Qianshan, holding a stack of case files, slammed his head over the table and began to interrogate them furiously.

Zhang Ping'an bowed respectfully: "This humble servant greets Your Excellency!"

Zhao Qianshan immediately put down his work and looked at Zhang Ping'an with a serious expression.

"Ping An, Your Excellency sent someone to deliver a message: Sun Guihua impeached him in court today, and you only have three days left in the Sun Xing case."