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Chapter 224
Chapter 224
Chapter 224
Previously, when Su Li wielded his authority to oversee the realm and investigate corruption, his efforts lacked vigor. Most corrupt officers who were exposed had committed actions that angered both the people and the heavens, and their downfall was primarily due to their audacity. However, this time, Su Li was truly going all out to investigate thoroughly. Suddenly, the court officers were all on edge, fearing their positions. Those with strong connections to noble families were especially uneasy, living in constant fear.
It was evident to everyone that the extensive anti-corruption campaign was Su Li’s response to the assassination attempt on Su Che. The severity of the crackdown was astonishing! The individuals behind the assassination attempt had hired assassins to target Su Che, yet Su Che emerged unharmed.
The Lu clan, implicated in the plot, was completely eliminated on the same night. It was truly formidable! When someone sent assassins to kill his son, who remained unscathed, while those who plotted the attack were eradicated the same night, it displayed hard-to-concept power.
Five clans and seven surnames had already prepared themselves to bow down and behave, yet he seemed unsatisfied. Must he have pushed them to their limits before he was content? No one was unaware that Su Li was about to escalate things dramatically. They only knew that Su Li had begun to act decisively, wiping out the Lu clan of Fanyang in a shocking display. What he would do next was beyond anyone’s imagination. The mere thought of it was enough to send shivers down their spines. The events were so overwhelming that the heavens felt they were about to collapse.
In the following two weeks, the streets of Changan were consistently filled with rogues and troublemakers under Su Li’s jurisdiction. Once secretive and obscure, these individuals became the most audacious group in the Tang Dynasty. When people saw these groups passing by, they knew that some high-ranking officers were in for a hard time. As arrests of officers became more frequent, the five clans and seven surnames finally couldn’t remain idle.
On the western outskirts of Dongwu City in Beizhou, a vast estate spanning hundreds of acres. This was the ancestral hall of the Qinghe Cui clan. The elderly head of the Cui clan, Cui Yi, looked at his sad son, Cui Shu, sitting in front of him with an expressionless face. Half a month ago, Cui Shu had gained merit for exposing a plot related to the attack on Su Che.
The next day at court, Li Er had promoted him. From being the Minister of Agriculture, he was directly promoted to the position of Minister of Rites, becoming a high-ranking officer in charge of ceremonial matters. Although both were third-rank officers, the difference in status was considerable.
Despite the promotion, Cui Shu felt extremely uncomfortable. In his view, Li Er was simply playing with him, putting him on the hot seat. As a result, he set a record for the shortest term in office since establishing the position of Minister of Rites. Cui Shu was promoted in the morning and submitted his resignation in the afternoon, citing his old age and inability to serve and expressing his desire to retire to his hometown.
There were no instances of the customary three requests for permission to resign, and Li Er promptly approved it. That evening, Cui Shu left town with a carriage in tow. He didn’t return to Yanling but headed directly to Beizhou, seeking assistance from his clan’s elder branch. After all, it was due to his revelations that the Lu clan of Fanyang had been exterminated.
Now, within the five clans and seven surnames, he was treated like an outcast, with everyone calling for his downfall. If he were to go back to his hometown as if nothing had happened, he would likely meet the same fate as the Lu clan of Fanyang within a few years.
“You…” Cui Yi looked at Cui Shu, who was sitting there emanating an air of restlessness and unease, and sighed. “Your Yanling branch is close to Fanyang, and the Cui clan has maintained a close relationship with the Lu clan over generations, with intermarriages continuing. If I remember correctly, your two daughters were married into the Lu clan. With such a close bond, why would you help Prince Yongle commit atrocities?”
Despite his old age, Cui Yi’s eyes were sharp and clear, filled with curiosity. “Just so that my elder brother would know, Su Li suddenly barged in that night and questioned me about who was behind the attempt on Su Che’s life…” Cui Shu spoke with an odd expression on his face. It wasn’t frustration or anger but a profound sense of fear. “My elder brother is right. I… I have a close relationship with the Lu clan; they didn’t even hide such confidential matters from me. How could I betray their trust and act so treacherously?”
Upon hearing this, Cui Yi was shocked and then looked at Cui Shu in astonishment. By now, it was widely known that the Lu clan had been exterminated because a member of the Five Clans and Seven Surnames had turned traitor. And that traitor who had betrayed the Lu clan was none other than Cui Shu.
As people continued to discuss, the situation indeed seemed peculiar. Upon closer inspection, there was no apparent reason for Cui Shu to betray the Lu clan. “Could there be hidden motives?” Cui Yi asked. With a mournful expression, Cui Shu replied, “I had originally thought that I would rather die than utter a word. But Prince Yongle took a porcelain bottle and forcibly poured the liquid down my throat.”
At this point, Cui Shu’s body suddenly trembled. “After that liquid entered my throat, I felt disoriented, as if I had lost my sanity. Despite not wanting to speak, my mouth moved uncontrollably when Prince Yongle questioned me.” “Nonsense!” Cui Yi dismissively waved his hand. He looked at Cui Shu angrily, his tone icy, “If you didn’t want to speak, you could have chosen not to. Why resort to such nonsense to fool me?”
Cui Shu couldn’t help but burst into loud sobbing. He fell to his knees on the ground, banging his head against the floor with a thud. “After questioning me, he forced me to drink another bottle of that liquid and then instructed me to say the same before the Emperor…” Cui Shu wailed miserably, crying out, “Elder brother, people say that Su Li is an immortal banished from heaven. I didn’t believe it before. But after this experience, I know that he truly understands sorcery!”
“In recent days, whenever I think of the Lu clan’s downfall because of me, I can’t find peace in my sleep or meals. I wish I could repay it with my life.” “But my death is simple. There are hundreds of members in the Cui clan from Yanzhou. What will become of them? Please, elder brother, save me!”
Cui Yi maintained a cold expression as he observed Cui Shu wailing on the ground. Inside, tumultuous emotions were already churning within him. People often say one should judge a person by their actions, not intentions. What someone thought in their heart wasn’t as important as what they did. According to this standard, Cui Shu had undoubtedly become a thorn in the side of the noble clans.
However, the situation was filled with doubts. If Cui Shu truly intended harm to the Lu clan, he wouldn’t have resigned from his position! Didn’t he know that he was destined for death without the Emperor’s protection? Furthermore, such an action would bring certain doom to his own Cui clan from Yanzhou. At Cui Shu’s status, he wouldn’t involve his family. Cui Yi believed that Cui Shu had that level of awareness. Hearing Cui Shu’s explanation now, Cui Yi finally started to understand.
People said actions speak louder than words, and even though the matter was connected to Prince Yongle, it wasn’t as hard to comprehend as it seemed. “I intend to gather the representatives of the various clans for a council. At that time, you can explain yourself to them. Whether they believe you or not will depend on your luck.” Cui Yi gazed at Cui Shu with a somewhat sympathetic look, sighing deeply in his heart. Just as Cui Shu was willing to sacrifice his life for the Cui clan of Yanzhou, wasn’t Cui Yi, for the continuation of the Cui clan, willing to make a similar sacrifice? Within the six branches of the Cui clan from Qinghe, forsaking one branch for the sake of the others was also an acceptable option. Prince Yongle was forcing things too much!