The Prodigal Son

"Lord Cui, although censors have the right to report matters based on hearsay, they cannot make baseless accusations!"

Zhao Luan glared at Cui Xu, his face darkening. "If you make baseless accusations, I will surely punish you for being jealous of talent and ability!"

Pack!

Keep installing!

Cui Xu inwardly scoffed, then declared righteously, "Your Majesty, although I have served as an imperial censor for many years, I have never submitted reports based on hearsay! Since I have impeached Qin Yu, I naturally possess irrefutable evidence!"

"Is that so?"

A sharp glint flashed in Zhao Luan's eyes. "What evidence do you have?"

Cui Xu immediately produced a pre-prepared account book, holding it up with both hands: "This is Qin Yu's account book for selling official positions! Please take a look, Your Majesty!"

Without Zhao Luan needing to speak, Shangguan Youyi immediately stepped down, took the account book, and presented it to Zhao Luan.

Ledger?

Gao Yi's eyelids twitched.

How could it be an account book?

Yu Jing sent someone to deliver only a letter!

Ah!

It seems my previous guess was correct.

Zhao Luan did indeed plant spies around Qin Yu!

Come to think of it, Ning Huang, Zhao Po, Zeng Guan and others are all in Min, so it would be too easy for them to monitor Qin Yu.

At the same time, Zhao Luan took the account book and started looking through it.

As her fingers moved, Zhao Luan's expression grew increasingly grim.

A moment later, Zhao Luan suddenly raised her head, her eyes blazing with anger, and threw the account book at Qin Yu. "Take a good look at it yourself!"

That bastard handed over the detailed account books to Cui Xu!

He's determined not to reward him!

He didn't even consider that if he wasn't promoted, how could he give him the privilege of not having to bow when entering the court?

Are you suggesting that a fourth-rank official like him should have the privilege of not having to bow when entering the court?

asshole!

The more you act like this, the more severely I will punish you!

Don't you want a promotion?

If you anger me, I will not only promote you, but also punish you fairly, and make sure you spend the New Year in jail!

Seeing Zhao Luan gritting his teeth in anger, the courtiers couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed.

Could it be that Qin Yuzhen was selling official positions?

How dare he do that!

Qin Yu, feigning trepidation, picked up the account book and pretended to glance through it. "Your Majesty, please hear my excuse... oh no, my explanation!"

"Making excuses? You've already said what you really think?"

Zhao Luan was furious. "Fine, I'd like to hear your excuses! If you can't convince me, I'll make sure you spend the New Year in jail!"

"It was a slip of the tongue."

Qin Yu chuckled and quickly explained, "I did indeed sell official positions, but there were reasons for it, and I was doing it for the sake of Da Ning!"

"Absurd!" Gao Yi seemed to seize the opportunity and angrily rebuked, "Selling official positions and titles, or is it for the sake of Da Ning?"

That's enough as long as he admits to selling official positions!

No matter how he tries to argue, he's doomed to lose today!

"Prime Minister Gao, let him try to argue his way out of this!"

Zhao Luan stopped Gao Yi, panting heavily, and said, "I and all the officials are listening. Let's see how he tries to argue!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Qin Yu bowed and slowly began to speak: "Previously in Yuyang, some former officials of the Min Kingdom, believing others to be Your Majesty's favorite minister, attempted to bribe me to obtain an official position!"

"At first, I refused, but then I thought, even if they don't try to buy their positions from me now, they'll find someone else to do so in the future!"

"Therefore, I have decided to personally take part in this scheme, hoping to expose all those who harbor such intentions of buying official positions..."

Qin Yu explained at length, leaving the assembled officials stunned.

Selling official positions and titles? Is that even possible?

I have to say, Qin Yu is truly a talented person!

Upon hearing Qin Yu's explanation, Zhao Luan's lips curled into a smile: "So, you've actually done something good! It seems I should reward you!"

Zhao Luan's smile was full of meaning.

But to the courtiers, it was a sarcastic laugh.

Her words were naturally taken as sarcasm.

"this……"

Qin Yu sensed something was wrong and quickly lowered his head, "Although I meant well, but..."

"Nonsense!"

Gao Yi abruptly interrupted Qin Yu: "I ask you, since you had this intention, why didn't you report it to His Majesty earlier, instead of waiting until your crimes were exposed?"

uh-huh?

Qin Yu's gaze fell on Gao Yi.

What's this old man doing?

I haven't even provoked him yet, and he's already jumping to his own side?

What's wrong? After being in the court for a while, he thinks his position is secure and has started to suppress the Qin family?

Although he originally intended to take this opportunity to have Zhao Luan strip him of his title and dismiss him from office, he would definitely write Zhao Luan's name down in his little notebook for doing this!

"Cough cough..."

Qin Yu cleared his throat and sighed, "I originally planned to apologize to His Majesty in person today, but I didn't expect that before I could even open my mouth, Lord Cui had already impeached me..."

"absurd!"

Gao Yi roared, "I can tell you're trying to distort the truth now that your crimes have been exposed!"

Then, Gao Yi turned to Zhao Luan and said righteously, "Your Majesty, I believe that Qin Yu has committed a serious crime, and not only does he not repent, but he also intends to confuse the public and distort the truth in the court. He should also be charged with deceiving the emperor!"

Qin Yu narrowed his eyes slightly.

This old guy seems determined to mess with me!

Okay, I'll write this down in my notebook!

"I cannot agree with what you have said, Prime Minister Gao!"

Yang Jichun stepped forward. "His Majesty just ordered Lord Qin to explain himself in court. If Lord Qin didn't explain, that would be disobeying the imperial decree! Now that Lord Qin has explained, is that deceiving the emperor? May I ask, Prime Minister, does Lord Qin intend to explain or not?"

Gao Yi snorted coldly and said sharply, "His Majesty asked him to explain, not to distort the truth!"

Yang Jichun sneered, "His Majesty hasn't even sent anyone to investigate, how dare Prime Minister Gao assert that Lord Qin is distorting the truth? Does Prime Minister Gao intend to make a decision for His Majesty in front of all the civil and military officials?"

Well done!

Qin Yu suddenly gave Yang Jichun a thumbs up in his mind.

No wonder he was born a top scholar!

That's some serious talking!

Faced with Yang Jichun's heavy blow, Gao Yi's expression suddenly changed, and he shouted sharply, "Yang Jichun..."

"This is the imperial court. Please address me as Lord Yang!" Yang Jichun interrupted Gao Yi with neither servility nor arrogance.

Gao Yi's old face stiffened, and he gritted his teeth and growled, "Lord Yang! What are your intentions in slandering me in court? You are also a top scholar, you should be familiar with the laws of the court! But now Qin Yu is selling official positions on a large scale, and you are still defending him. I would like to ask you, has he given you any benefits?"

What a brilliant Yang Jichun!

He's absolutely determined to side with Qin Yu!

He thought he was eloquent?

In fact, he was just a clueless young man who didn't understand the balance of power in the imperial court at all!

He probably never dreamed that the account book was most likely sent to Cui Xu by Zhao Luan's men.

Zhao Luan didn't want to directly suppress Qin Yu, so this task needed to be done by someone else!

What he is doing now is simply what Zhao Luan wants to do!

Yang Jichun's actions against himself are tantamount to his actions against Zhao Luan!

Faced with Gao Yi's counterattack, Yang Jichun straightened his chest and loudly replied, "Yes!"

What?

He admitted it?

Yang Jichun's open and honest admission left Gao Yi somewhat bewildered, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

"You're certainly being honest!"

Zhao Luan glanced at Yang Jichun: "Tell me, what benefits did Qin Yu give you?"

Yang Jichun bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, I am devoted to the court. Lord Qin has given the court so many benefits, which naturally means he has also given me benefits! If I were to stand by and watch Lord Qin suffer injustice, wouldn't I be unworthy of being a court official?"

A cold glint flashed in Gao Yi's eyes. Just as he was about to speak again, Yun Ying strode in.

"Your Majesty, Imperial Envoy Du Zhiwen has sent an urgent report with utmost speed!"

"Bring it here!"

"yes!"

Yun Ying immediately presented the urgent report she was holding...