Grand Eunuch Yan Ruxian was dead—hanged from a beam.

By the time the guards discovered him, his body had already stiffened.

The news reached the Emperor’s ears during morning court. Upon hearing it, the Emperor slammed his palm on the dragon throne and roared in fury:

“Died fearing punishment—death is too good for him.”

The civil and military officials were so frightened they dared not speak, only harboring some doubt in their hearts.

This Yan Ruxian was detained in the palace, surely with eunuchs or guards watching him—how did he manage to hang himself?

Would the spring examination fraud case continue to be investigated or not?

“Your Majesty.”

Lu Shi stepped forward. “Though the man is dead, his crimes remain. What this subject must present next is evidence of Yan Ruxian’s corruption of the imperial harem.”

Emperor Yonghe’s face turned iron-blue.

The civil and military officials didn’t dare even breathe heavily, each one wishing for a hole to crawl into. This scene was too awkward.

“Lord Lu.”

Emperor Yonghe said in a heavy voice, “The affairs of my harem need not trouble you, Lord.”

“If it were only Your Majesty’s harem affairs, this old subject would never dare speak a word.”

Lu Shi continued slowly, “But the harem connects to the court. This woman has already reached her hand into our Great Hua Kingdom’s government affairs. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!”

Emperor Yonghe’s hand on the dragon throne bulged with prominent veins.

“Who is this woman?”

“Noble Consort Li.”

These four words shocked the entire assembly.

Noble Consort Li was the youngest daughter of former Minister of Rites Li Xing. Reportedly she was enchantingly beautiful—otherwise His Majesty wouldn’t have bestowed the character “Li” (beautiful).

Noble Consort Li had been in the palace for many years. Though not the most favored, she had no children either, yet once or twice a month, the Emperor would visit Noble Consort Li’s palace.

To say Yan Ruxian had no part in this—even ghosts wouldn’t believe it.

Noble Consort Li’s two elder brothers, Li Xing’s legitimate sons, both held official posts in the south—positions of considerable rank with plenty of profit.

Li Xing had retired and returned to his ancestral home early, reportedly also to make way for his two sons’ official careers.

Emperor Yonghe’s fingers suddenly tapped the armrest. “Speak. How has Noble Consort Li reached into my court?”

“Noble Consort Li, in collusion with Li Xing and Li Xing’s two legitimate sons, bought and sold official positions!”

Lu Shi drew a stack of papers from his robes. “This is evidence this subject has collected. Please, Your Majesty, examine it.”

Court Attendant Qin Qi immediately ran to Lu Shi’s side, took the stack of papers, and presented them before the Emperor.

The Emperor didn’t even glance at them. With a forceful wave of his hand, the papers scattered across the floor.

Qin Qi didn’t know whether to pick them up or not. He only dared to lower his head, carefully lifting his face slightly to watch the Emperor’s expression.

What expression could Emperor Yonghe have?

Only fury.

One was an old servant who had attended him for decades, the other was his bedmate—both were his closest people!

Emperor Yonghe sneered coldly. “Crown Prince.”

Crown Prince Zhao Yanluo stepped forward. “This subject is present.”

“Investigate. Investigate to the bottom for me.”

Emperor Yonghe’s eyes were bloodshot. “No matter who the investigation reaches, punish them severely without exception.”

Zhao Yanluo: “This subject obeys the decree.”

“Director Feng.”

“This subject is present.”

“How many more days until Li Xing is escorted to the capital?”

“At most five days.”

“Transmit my decree—he must arrive in the capital within three days.”

Feng Changxiu was shocked enough to look up at the Emperor. “This subject obeys the decree.”

“Your Majesty is truly an enlightened ruler!”

Lu Shi suddenly knelt on the ground, prostrating himself toward the Emperor.

Seeing this, all the officials also knelt down one after another. “Your Majesty is wise, Your Majesty is wise!”

Emperor Yonghe sat upright, observing Lu Shi with a slightly darkened gaze. After a long moment, he said, “Someone help the old lord up.”

“Your Majesty.”

Before anyone could help him, Lu Shi had already straightened up. “This subject has one more matter to report.”

The corners of Emperor Yonghe’s mouth curved slightly. “Please speak, old lord.”

“The crimes committed by the traitor Yan are so heinous that even a thousand cuts wouldn’t satisfy the people’s anger. Now that he has died fearing punishment, this subject suggests hanging his corpse at the city gate to be exposed for three months—first, to appease the scholars under heaven; second, to sound an alarm for all civil and military officials.”

The civil and military officials’ livers trembled upon hearing this. Yet Emperor Yonghe didn’t even move an eyebrow, only gazing deeply at Lu Shi.

“The old censor’s suggestion is excellent. Someone, transmit my decree…”

…

“What?”

Li Buyan nearly let a mouthful of shepherd’s purse wonton fall from her mouth. She quickly swallowed it whole, her neck stretching.

“Yan Ruxian is dead? How did he die?”

“Hanged from a beam.”

Zhu Qing: “His Majesty ordered the corpse hung at the city gate to be exposed for three months. Right now the city gate is packed with people. Third Master has already rushed over to maintain order. Miss Yan, I’m going after Third Master.”

“Wait.”

Yan Sanhe stopped him. “Buyan, let’s go take a look too.”

Zhu Qing seemed to have anticipated this. “Miss may go, but Third Master instructed that Miss Li must stay by your side at all times. No one’s life is more important than Miss’s.”

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Yan Sanhe choked on a mouthful of wonton soup, coughing earth-shatteringly.

…

The city gate was truly packed with people, more lively than a festival, forcing the Five Cities Military Commission to post guards every three steps and sentries every five.

“Bah, castrated dog!”

“Dog eunuch, good riddance!”

“Which hero will strip off his pants so we can see what abilities this dead eunuch had to keep three wives and four concubines?”

The guards at the city gate heard this and were alarmed. Their eyes widened as they rebuked, “Everyone step back.”

“If you won’t strip him, then we’ll stone him.”

“Stone him!”

“I’ll stone you to death, you dead eunuch!”

Rocks, rotten mud, rotten vegetable leaves—all flew toward the corpse…

Seeing this scene, Li Buyan shook her head. “What use was his prominence in life, his three wives and four concubines? In the end, didn’t he die badly?”

Zhu Qing nodded. “Three months too—he’ll be completely dried out.”

But Yan Sanhe felt somewhat puzzled.

They say the dead are paramount. No matter what, this Yan Ruxian was the current dynasty’s first grand eunuch. Previously the Emperor hadn’t even imprisoned him—why would he now have his corpse exposed in the street?

“Who proposed hanging this corpse on the city wall?”

“The old censor.”

Yan Sanhe turned around.

She didn’t know when Xie Zhifei had come to stand behind her, hands clasped behind his back, wearing his military official’s robes that made him appear exceptionally tall and imposing.

The man stepped forward, tilting his head toward her and saying in a low voice, “Do you get the feeling that ‘if you don’t die, I won’t rest’?”

“Yes!”

To kill someone, beheading is enough.

No matter what, this Yan Ruxian had once served the old emperor. If not for the monk’s sake, surely one must consider the Buddha’s face.

Exposing the corpse for three months—the common people were satisfied, but was the Emperor satisfied? Didn’t Lu Shi consider this at all?

Cutting off all paths of retreat—what benefit did this bring him?

After a night of heavy rain, the sky was exceptionally clear.

Yan Sanhe looked up, then suddenly said, “I’ve been in the capital for so long, I still haven’t seen whether the imperial palace is square or round.”

Xie Zhifei’s scalp exploded, his palms breaking out in cold sweat.

See what?

Morning court hadn’t even ended yet—this was clearly going to wait for Lu Shi.

Yan Sanhe turned to face him, looking at him quietly. “Can I go take a look, Third Master?”

Her voice was low and soft, the gentle tone just right. Xie Zhifei’s heart wavered, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

“I’ll just go look, I won’t do anything.”

Xie Zhifei: “…”