Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

The day after the seventeenth issue of the Daeyong People's Daily was published.

The teahouses, restaurants, and morning market stalls in Kyoto were in an uproar.

The front-page article, "The wealthy gentry of Jizhou turn into tyrants, disregarding human life under the guise of imperial favor," was read over and over again dozens of times.

The sounds of people talking and cursing could be heard everywhere in the streets and alleys.

"No wonder the price of grain has risen to two hundred coins! It turns out the Cui family colluded with the people in the Ministry of Revenue!"

"The newspapers say Wang Cong has been arrested by the Control Yuan. Serves him right! He deserves to be executed!"

"The Cui family is the real mastermind. From Ji Province to Ling Province, from land ownership to grain prices, what has the Cui family been involved in that was anything ethical?"

……

The newspaper's influence extended beyond Kyoto, spreading far faster than expected in other prefectures and counties.

The three prefectures south of the Yangtze River were the Cui family's stronghold.

The local people remember the Cui family's despicable acts of bullying, monopolizing markets, and forcing sales over the years.

However, due to the Cui family's power, no one dared to utter a word.

Now the newspapers are laying bare the Cui family's crimes, exposing them to the light of day.

The imperial court began to take action to punish them.

The people finally dared to settle their scores.

Inside Lingzhou City, dozens of shops under the Cui family's name were pelted with rotten vegetable leaves and stones by angry citizens that very day.

The shopkeeper was so frightened that he closed the door and slipped out the back door.

The powerful and influential families reacted even faster than the common people.

They couldn't wait to sever ties with the Cui family to avoid getting into trouble.

The days when powerful scions of noble families rode rampant and bullied others in Kyoto were over in an instant.

It's not because they've changed for the better, but because they've learned to be afraid.

What is the size of the Cui family?

The head of the powerful clans was incredibly wealthy, controlling grain, iron, and the Grand Canal.

The results of it?

The emperor used the name "Puji Hall" to drag the Cui family down from their lofty position into the mud.

Grain prices are soaring, leaving investors with nothing.

The commodity city project had an investment of 70 million taels of silver, but it was reported by the nobles who had joined the project, forcing the review to be suspended.

An insider from the Ministry of Revenue was arrested on the spot.

The evidence is irrefutable and should be published worldwide.

After this series of punches, the Cui family couldn't even stand up straight.

Who would dare say that the current emperor is a powerless and lonely figure?

Night was falling.

Most of the lights in the backyard of the Cui family mansion in Lingzhou had gone out, with only a single oil lamp still lit in the deepest secret room.

Cui Yuan, Cui Ming, and Wu De, the Governor-General of Jiangnan, sat inside.

Today's Da Yong Min Bao newspaper was on the table.

Cui Mingxian couldn't hold back any longer.

"Brother, once that letter is published, we have no way to turn things around. The emperor is trying to wipe out our Cui family."

Wu De's chubby face was covered in sweat; he was even more flustered than Cui Ming.

"My lord, things aren't quite right on my end either."

"King Qi has been investigating the robbery case these past few days. The soldiers who disguised themselves as robbers that day have all been taken in for questioning by the Dragon Scale Guard."

Cui Ming panicked.

"What? What did you ask?"

"I don't know. But Captain Chen didn't look well when he came out."

Wu De wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

"If this is investigated, then the grain monopoly will be confirmed. That's a capital offense!"

Cui Yuan's face was ashen, but his eyes still revealed a resentful and sinister look.

"Grain prices have collapsed, money is gone, and the imperial court has irrefutable evidence. At this rate, the Censorate will be coming to Lingzhou to arrest people in less than ten days."

"When the time comes, our homes will be ransacked and our entire families wiped out; none of us will escape."

Cui Ming and Wu De exchanged a glance, their faces turning deathly pale.

"What should we do then?"

Cui Yuan stared at the two of them, his eyes flashing with a fierce light.

"So we only have one path."

"What road?" Wu De asked.

"That's outrageous."

The secret room fell silent.

Wu De's pupils suddenly contracted.

Cui Yuan continued.

"Wu De, you have 50,000 soldiers. Add to that the private army and farmhands of the Cui family, and you can easily muster 30,000 men."

"The three prefectures south of the Yangtze River are far from the capital, and it would take the imperial court at least twenty days to mobilize troops to go south."

"These twenty days are enough for us to control the city gates, granaries, and government offices of the three prefectures."

"As long as we control Jiangnan, even if the emperor personally leads his troops to attack, he will have to think twice. These three prefectures support more than 30% of the court's tax revenue; if they are destroyed, no one can bear it."

Wu De stared wide-eyed but didn't dare to utter a sound.

He had considered this possibility.

But once the word "rebellion" is uttered, there is no turning back.

The room was quiet for a moment.

Finally, Wu De slammed his fist on the table, gritted his teeth, and stood up.

"Then we'll rebel! I'll return to camp to prepare, and we'll take over Lingzhou City tomorrow!"

Cui Yuan waved his hand. "Go."

Wu De turned and went out.

They had only taken a few steps when they heard a loud bang from the corridor outside the secret room.

The blinding firelight illuminated the entire corridor.

Wu De subconsciously took a step back.

At the end of the corridor, a young man dressed in a black python robe slowly walked over.

Xiao Jue held a sword that was still sheathed in his hand, his expression cold and stern.

Twenty fully armed Dragon Scale Guards followed behind him.

At the entrance to the secret room, Cui Yuan and Cui Ming rushed out upon hearing the commotion.

Seeing the corridor filled with Dragon Scale Guards, Cui Ming was dumbfounded.

"How...how did you get in?! Where are the guards?!"

No one answered him.

Xiao Jue stopped three steps away from Wu De.

He glanced at Wu De.

"Governor Wu."

Wu De's lips and face struggled, and beads of sweat streamed down his forehead.

"Your Highness, King Qi..."

Xiao Jue said coldly, "Rebellion deserves execution."

He slowly pulled the knife out.

Wu De wanted to explain something more.

A flash of light swept across.

Wu De fell forward and crashed heavily onto the blue brick ground.

Blood gushed from the wound on his neck, meandering through the gaps.

Cui Ming stood frozen in place.

He stared at Wu De's corpse on the ground, his legs shaking uncontrollably.

King Qi is serious this time!

He brought the Dragon Scale Guards to confiscate our property and execute us!

Xiao Jue wiped the blood from the knife on Wu De's clothes twice, then sheathed the knife.

"Cui Yuan, Cui Ming."

"They've joined forces with Wu De in his rebellion, intending to seize control of the three prefectures south of the Yangtze River—how audacious!"

"Guards, seize him!"

The Dragon Scale Guards stepped forward and pinned Cui Ming to the ground, one on each side.

Cui Ming's face was pressed against the cold brick surface, and he let out a muffled howl.

Cui Yuan did not struggle.

He knew the Cui family was finished.

It was only at this moment that he suddenly realized the truth.

Someone had set a huge trap for the Cui family; the King of Qi had been waiting for them to rebel.

Cui Yuan suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Xiao Jue! Don't think that just because my Cui family has fallen, your Xiao family's rule is secure!"

"Go back and tell Xiao Ye, does he really think it's wise of him to join forces with Pujitang?"

Xiao Jue didn't reply, but frowned.

Cui Yuan's laughter grew even louder.

"He probably doesn't know yet, does he? You've already been completely under Gu Debai's thumb for a long time!"

"Tell me, who in this world, besides the person who possessed the seven hundred million from the previous dynasty, could have such immense wealth to challenge my Cui family?!"

He roared wildly, howling in despair.

The corridor fell silent.

Even the Dragon Scale Guards couldn't help but prick up their ears.

Cui Yuan's triangular eyes, as sinister as a snake's, were fixed on Xiao Jue.

"Gu Debai must have obtained the treasure map of the Great Qi!"

"His next goal is to kill the emperor and seize the throne."

"You don't know this yet, do you? Before she died, the former princess entrusted the treasure map worth seven hundred million to her son-in-law."

"We, the four great clans, have been searching for the eldest princess's son-in-law for over ten years, but we have no clue whatsoever."

"Now it seems..."

Cui Yuan scoffed.

"Gu Debai changed his name long ago. He planned this from the very beginning, intending to seize the throne of the Great Yong!"

"He's here for revenge! For Jiangzhou, for all the powerful clans, for your Xiao family!"

"Don't forget how the Princess and her husband died. It was a treason charge personally approved by the late Emperor, punishable by the execution of their entire family!"