I, the most powerful minister of the Tang Dynasty, have been exposed by the heavens.

Li Shimin laughed again.

He stopped laughing, looked at Li Longji sitting alone on the dragon throne in the sky, and sighed.

"This Lu Wuming... is quite a character."

"It's a pity I was born in later generations."

"If only I were born in my court..."

He didn't continue.

But everyone can understand it.

Wei Zheng glanced at him but remained silent.

However, Li Shimin also felt a vague sense of unease, because he had not expected Lu Wuming to wield such power. Even the commander of the Imperial Guards obeyed him.

He now understood why he was initially called the most powerful minister of the Tang Dynasty. So that's what it meant.

He understood, he understood everything!

……

Above the sky.

The scene shifts to the entrance of the most magnificent mansion in Chang'an City.

Yang Guozhong's residence.

The gate of the mansion was three zhang high, and the copper nails were so shiny that they could reflect one's image. The stone lions at the gate were also taller than those of other mansions.

On ordinary days, the entrance is bustling with traffic, and officials line up to deliver gifts and hand in invitations.

Today is different.

Rumble!!!

A series of heavy footsteps sounded.

People on the street turned their heads and saw a dark mass of imperial guards in full armor surging towards them.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

"The Imperial Guards are on duty; idlers must stay away!"

The people quickly scattered to both sides, but no one was willing to go far.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know, it looks like they're heading towards the Yang residence?"

"No way! That's Prime Minister Yang's residence!"

The moment the words were spoken, the Imperial Guards stopped at the gate of the Yang residence.

The leading general waved his hand:

"Surround it!"

In a flash, the Imperial Guards scattered, completely surrounding the Yang residence.

A row of people stood at the base of the wall, their knives drawn, gleaming coldly.

The street was in complete chaos.

"My goodness...they really came for the Yang family!"

"Yang Guozhong was the prime minister! And his sister was an imperial concubine!"

"This...this...this is terrible!"

The crowd grew larger and larger, peering inside with their heads held high.

The imperial guard general strode to the gate of the mansion, and without knocking, lifted his foot.

"Bang!"

He kicked the door open.

The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang.

The servants in the manor were startled and before they could react, they heard the general shout at the top of his lungs:

"By His Majesty's decree! Seize Yang Guozhong's residence! All personnel, remain where you are! Anyone who disobeys will be executed without exception!"

The household was immediately thrown into an uproar.

"What?! Confiscating your property?!"

"How could that be! Your Excellency is the Prime Minister!"

An old man who looked like a steward rushed out, pointed at the general, and started cursing:

"How dare you! Do you know whose residence this is? Prime Minister Yang's residence! How dare you..."

The general didn't even glance at him:

"Take it down."

Two imperial guards stepped forward and pinned the old man to the ground.

The old man, his face pressed to the ground, was still shouting:

"You've rebelled! You've rebelled! The Imperial Concubine will not let you get away with this!"

No one cares about him.

The imperial guards surged into the mansion like a tidal wave, seizing everything in sight, kicking down doors, and opening every box they saw.

"Ah—what are you doing!"

"Help!"

"I'm innocent!"

……

The cries and screams filled the air.

But it didn't work.

The Imperial Guards don't care who you are; if you're from this mansion, they'll all pin you down and tie you up.

Then came the confiscation of their property.

Boxes of gold and silver jewelry were carried out, so heavy that even the two imperial guards struggled to lift them.

Upon opening the box, the glittering gold ingots, strings of pearls, and neatly folded silks were dazzling.

"Oh My God……"

"How much does this cost?"

"Yang Guozhong has only been prime minister for a few years, yet he's embezzled so much!"

Truckload after truckload, hauling it out.

The onlookers at the entrance were so wide-eyed they nearly popped their eyes out.

Someone took the lead and shouted:

"Well done!"

Then the crowd erupted.

"Well done! Well done!"

"This corrupt official should have been arrested long ago!"

"Let him be greedy! Let him be greedy! Now look what happened!"

Some people clapped, some cheered, and some wished they could rush up and kick the Yang family members who were being escorted out.

The Yang family members, looking disheveled and with their heads down, walked out.

The head steward of the Yang family, who usually swaggered around the streets, was now being dragged along like a dead dog by two imperial guards.

"Pooh!"

An old woman spat on the ground:

"Serves him right! Last year, my son sold charcoal, and this bastard forcibly took his charcoal without paying him!"

The people next to her quickly pulled her away:

"Stop talking, stop talking..."

"What are you afraid of! He's already inside!"

The crowd burst into laughter again.

Finally, two imperial guards brought a ladder, climbed up the gate, and took down the golden plaque that read "Yang Mansion".

"Bang!"

The signboard fell to the ground and cracked in two.

The seal was affixed.

The two large characters "Seizure" were glaringly red.

The Yang family mansion is gone, completely gone!

……

The scene changes.

Harem.

The Imperial Concubine's Bedchamber.

Yang Yuhuan sat by the window, gazing absentmindedly at the flowers outside.

She didn't know why, but she felt uneasy ever since she woke up this morning.

It's like something's about to happen.

But I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

A palace maid brought over a cup of tea, and seeing her like this, she was startled:

"Your Highness? Your Highness, what's wrong? You don't look well..."

Yang Yuhuan shook her head:

"It's nothing."

The palace maid was still worried:

"Should I go and call the imperial physician to take a look?"

"No need," Yang Yuhuan forced a smile. "I'm just a little uneasy, but it's nothing."

The palace maid breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile:

"What is there to be uneasy about, Your Highness? His Majesty dotes on you the most; who in the palace doesn't know that?"

"Besides, Prime Minister Yang is Her Majesty's own brother. With him in court, who would dare to bully Her Majesty?"

Yang Yuhuan remained silent.

The palace maid was right.

But she still felt uneasy.

That feeling was indescribable, like something heavy pressing on my chest.

Just then.

"Tap tap tap tap!!!"

The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside.

Yang Yuhuan raised her head.

Then she saw a squad of imperial guards rush in, instantly surrounding the bedchamber completely.

The palace maid screamed in fright, dropping the teacup in her hand.

Yang Yuhuan was also stunned.

Imperial Guards? Why would Imperial Guards be here?

A general strode in, stood in the courtyard, and shouted:

"Yang Yuhuan, come out and receive the imperial decree!"

The palace maid's face turned pale:

"You...you have some nerve! This is the Imperial Concubine's bedchamber! How dare you barge in! Aren't you afraid His Majesty will chop off your heads?!"

Nobody paid any attention to her.

Yang Yuhuan took a deep breath, stood up, and walked out.

She looked at the general, her voice as steady as possible:

"I am here. What brings you here?"

The general took out an imperial edict from his robes, unfolded it, and read aloud:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Yang Yuhuan, holding the rank of Imperial Concubine, should have been mindful of her duties within the palace. However, her brother, Yang Guozhong, has committed heinous crimes of corruption and misconduct."

"Although Lady Yang did not directly interfere in politics, as a Noble Consort, she was guilty of indulging her relatives and could not escape blame."

"Yang Yuhuan is hereby stripped of her title of Imperial Concubine and banished to the Cold Palace, never to be employed again. This is the imperial decree."

Yang Yuhuan felt a buzzing sound in her head.

What?

Is it ruined?

Banished to the cold palace?

She swayed and almost fell.

The palace maid quickly supported her, trembling with fear herself.

"Mother...Your Majesty..."