Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

Thus, a swift and decisive search, spearheaded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern and Western Depots, lasted for three full days in and around the capital.

For the past three days, the capital has been filled with an atmosphere of fear and unease.

The mansions of princes and noble families, which were usually bustling with visitors, were now wide open, allowing the imperial guards to roam freely.

Every door opened, every chest searched, was like peeling away a veil of pretense from this prosperous world, exposing the filth beneath to the cold winter wind.

By the evening of the third day, the situation had finally made a breakthrough.

The Wanqi family was the representative of southern salt merchants in the capital. They were incredibly wealthy and had frequent dealings with many officials in the court.

No one could have imagined that this shocking case would involve a family that seemed to only know how to do business.

However, this is not the most shocking part.

Almost simultaneously, another team of Imperial Guards, personally led by Qin Zhongxun, headed straight for the Xue family in the south of the city.

"Stop!" Qin Zhongxun roared, kicking open the door and drawing his embroidered spring knife, its cold light gleaming.

Xue Pan was so frightened by this sudden turn of events that he was completely terrified and panicked, like a stray dog.

Qin Zhongxun, too lazy to listen to his excuses, snorted coldly and waved his hand, saying, "Take him down!"

Several Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward and pinned Xue Pan down.

The news sent shockwaves through the government and the public.

The Wanqi Mansion harbors serious criminals and is utterly corrupt. The Xue family's纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy and powerful families) are even more audacious, committing such heinous acts.

These two shocking cases came one after another, like thunderclaps in the sky over the capital.

When Lord Zhou learned that his daughter had been found at the Xue family's residence and had narrowly escaped being murdered, he was so enraged that he trembled with rage and his eyes turned bloodshot.

As a high-ranking official in the court, he couldn't even protect his own daughter, almost letting her fall into the clutches of evil. This humiliation and anger made him want to immediately take a knife and fight the Xue family to the death.

When the news reached the palace, in the imperial study, the emperor looked at the memorial in his hand, his face so dark it was almost dripping with gloom. He slammed the memorial onto the table, rubbing his temples heavily, his heart filled with extreme agitation.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" the emperor muttered under his breath.

He was well aware that although the Wanqi family represented the salt merchants of the south and had a huge network of interests behind them, in this case, they were at best scapegoats, pawns pushed to the forefront.

The real mastermind is probably hiding in an even deeper place.

But the Xue family… the emperor’s gaze grew increasingly cold.

The Xue family were imperial merchants who managed the imperial treasury, and were a force he relied on.

He had originally planned to entrust the Xue family with some important procurement matters after the New Year, but now, such a fool as Xue Pan has appeared!

At this critical juncture when the entire city is under investigation, they dared to defy the odds and abduct an official's daughter, committing such a despicable act.

This was not only foolish, but also courting death! This commotion not only led the Xue family to their doom, but also caused the emperor to lose face.

"What a Xue family..." The emperor sneered, his tone filled with disappointment and murderous intent. "Since they are so ignorant of their own mortality, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

Meanwhile, the Xue family mansion was in complete chaos.

Aunt Xue sat in a chair in the main hall, her face ashen, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. She couldn't believe that her precious son would do such an outrageous thing.

She thought that as long as she could get through these few days of searching, everything would be over.

But who would have thought that Xue Pan would be so bold and so foolish!

"It's over...it's all over..." Aunt Xue murmured to herself, her eyes filled with despair. She knew that after this incident, the Xue family would not only lose the trust of the royal family, but would probably even find it difficult to maintain their foothold in the capital.

Due to the seriousness of the case and its wide-ranging implications, even the morning assembly was not convened.

The next morning, cabinet members gathered in the cabinet office, the atmosphere so heavy it was suffocating.

What's even more noteworthy is that Qin Zhongxun, the temporary commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was also summoned to the scene. According to regulations, Embroidered Uniform Guard officials are not allowed to participate in cabinet meetings. This time, he was exceptionally summoned because he was the key figure in the capture of the criminals, and it also coincided with His Majesty's intention to check and balance the cabinet.

Qin Zhongxun, dressed in a scarlet official robe, sat upright to one side with a cold expression, but his gaze occasionally swept over Wen Zonghan, the second secretary of the cabinet, with a hint of barely perceptible hostility hidden in his eyes.

It was common knowledge in both the court and among the public that Qin Zhongxun and Wen Zonghan had always been at odds. In his early years, Wen Zonghan had impeached Qin Zhongxun's father for embezzling military funds. Although the case was eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence, it had forged a deep-seated enmity between them.

The fact that the two have been openly and covertly fighting and suppressing each other over the years is an open secret in the imperial court.

Zhang Shi'an sat at the head of the table, holding a teacup in his hands, but did not touch it.

His brows were furrowed, and his gray beard trembled slightly. The salt merchant power behind the Wanqi family, the imperial merchant status behind the Xue family, and Lord Zhou's anger—all these intertwined to form a huge knot.

"Gentlemen,"

Zhang Shi'an spoke slowly, his voice hoarse, "The matter between the Wanqi family and the Xue family has caused quite a stir in the city. Everyone knows that the Wanqi family is the scapegoat."

"But the Xue family... that scoundrel Xue Pan is utterly foolish. Not only did he ruin everything, but he also gave Lord Qin leverage over us. Now Lord Zhou's side is in complete chaos, and His Majesty is furious. How are we going to salvage this?"

Minister of Revenue Su Wenyuan sighed and said in a deep voice, "Your Excellency, since the Wanqi family has been caught red-handed, they must be severely punished to appease public anger. As for the Xue family... Xue Pan's crimes are irrefutable, and he must not be let off lightly."

"But the Xue family is, after all, a royal merchant family. If they are completely eradicated, the procurement by the imperial treasury may be affected. In my opinion, it would be better to... make an example of them."

"Make an example of him?" Minister of Works Li Xiuyuan frowned. "Does Lord Su mean to punish only Xue Pan?"

"What else can we do?"

Su Wenyuan shrugged. "The Xue family still has Baochai, who is a sensible girl. If we push the Xue family too far, they might do something desperate and drag others into it."

"His Majesty probably intends to protect the Xue family, after all... there are still ways they can be of use."

"Hmph, woman's compassion!"

Before Zhang Shi'an could speak, Wen Zonghan had already snorted coldly.

He was only in his fifties, with a thin face and sharp eyes like an eagle. He and Zhang Shi'an were outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds. He had missed the last court assembly by claiming illness, but in reality, he was secretly observing the situation.

At this moment, a cold, sharp smile curled at the corner of his lips. His gaze swept over Su Wenyuan, and his tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

"Lord Su is kind-hearted, but will the Xue family appreciate it? Xue Pan committed this heinous act at such a critical moment, clearly showing his disregard for the imperial court! The Xue family has been embezzling for years by relying on their status as imperial merchants; this is a perfect opportunity to settle scores!"

He changed the subject, looking at Zhang Shi'an with an undeniable ruthlessness: "Your Excellency, the Wanqi family is the head of the salt merchants in the south. In recent years, wealthy merchants in the south have banded together to resist taxes and embezzle profits, which has long been a major problem for the court."

"We should take advantage of this case to round up all those unruly wealthy merchants in the south, confiscate their property and put it into the national treasury. This will not only alleviate the empty national treasury but also suppress local forces—a win-win situation! As for the Xue family, Xue Pan must be executed by slow slicing to appease public anger, his status as an imperial merchant should be revoked immediately, and all his property should be confiscated to eliminate any future troubles!"

"Vice Minister Wen is mistaken!"

Qin Zhongxun spoke abruptly, his voice cold and deep, his gaze fixed on Wen Zonghan, his eyes filled with undisguised hostility. "While there are lawless individuals among the wealthy merchants of the South, not all of them are wicked and treacherous."

"If we indiscriminately confiscate property, we risk losing the people's hearts and disrupting the business order in the south. This would disrupt the canal and salt transport, resulting in even greater losses! You only think about enriching the national treasury, neglecting the overall situation of the court. How short-sighted you are!"

Wen Zonghan's face darkened, and he retorted sarcastically, "Lord Qin certainly knows how to put on a show! Could it be that you've received bribes from wealthy merchants in the south to speak up for them like this? Xue Pan deserves to die a thousand deaths. The Xue family is protecting a villain. If they were to retain their status as imperial merchants, wouldn't the whole world laugh at the court for its unjust enforcement of the law?"

"Lord Qin, what are your true intentions in protecting the Xue family like this?"

"You!" Qin Zhongxun clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white. "Wen Zonghan, stop spouting nonsense! I am devoted to the country, how can I allow you to slander me! On the contrary, you are using the opportunity of handling cases to try to eliminate dissidents and suppress dissenters. Do you think everyone is blind?"

The two exchanged increasingly heated words, and the atmosphere in the room instantly became tense.

Su Wenyuan and Li Xiuyuan exchanged a glance and remained silent—the two had been fighting for many years, and neither was willing to easily take sides.

Zhang Shi'an slammed his teacup down and said in a deep voice, "Enough! Shut up!"

His gaze swept over Qin Zhongxun and Wen Zonghan, his tone tinged with weariness yet retaining the authority of the Grand Secretary: "How can you two quarrel like this during court proceedings? What kind of decorum will this set if word gets out!"