The unrest in the northwest erupted faster and fiercer than anyone had anticipated. On the morning of July 19, during court, Emperor Jianzhang coldly tossed a memorial to Chief Censor Wang Ying, letting out a sardonic ugh. "Read it out loud for the court to hear!" His face was obscured behind his imperial headdress, leaving his expression unreadable.

  It had finally arrived! Standing behind Prime Minister Chang, Lord Chen fshed a subtle, enigmatic smile as he watched the pace attendant take the memorial from Emperor Jianzhang's hand.

  Wang Ying, regaining his composure, responded affirmatively and strode forward to accept the memorial from the attendant. However, as soon as he held it, he froze, as if struck by lightning, his legs faintly trembling. The memorial in his hands was indeed from Cui Shaoting, but its contents were completely different from the copy he had transcribed. The copy he had transcribed detailed Cui Shaoting's support for border trade, a proposal that could seal Cui family's fate. But this one... the one in his hands accused Governor Zhang Tianhe of the northwest of colluding with the Tatars, illicitly trading war horses, and embezzling 200,000 taels of military funds.

  He felt as if the memorial in his hands was blindingly gring. Suppressing the sour ache in his eyes, he skimmed it once more, only to realize betedly that the memorial he held was not Cui Shaoting's death warrant—it was his own.

  The entire Taiji Hall fell into an eerie silence as everyone stared in confusion at the motionless Wang Ying, who in turn stared bnkly at the memorial in his hands as if it were a ravenous beast.

  In the line, Fang Xiaoru grew anxious, barely restraining the urge to kick Wang Ying—he'd already reached this point, so why hesitate? Just read it out loud! Could he really be scared?

  Behind Lord Chen, Song Chengru stood, his eyes downcast and his face calm, pretending to ignore the inquisitive gaze Lord Du directed his way, looking as though he knew nothing at all.

  Lord Chen, however, wasn't merely anxious like Fang Xiaoru; he immediately sensed something was amiss with the memorial. Wang Ying wasn't a coward—there was no way he'd lose his nerve at the critical moment unless the memorial in his hands was different from the one he had originally seen. Perhaps it contained something completely unexpected, which would expin his shock.

  Yet... with his peripheral vision, Lord Chen discreetly gnced over Lord Song and Cui Yingshu behind him. Then, recalling that the original memorial had only passed through Prime Minister Chang's hands, his own hands couldn't help but tremble slightly.

  It seemed this memorial was indeed problematic!

  As if to confirm his suspicions, Emperor Jianzhang let out a cold huff and threw another memorial down at Wang Ying's feet, his voice icy as he said, "This is the memorial you previously gave me, accusing Lord Song of abuse of power and secretly releasing fugitives! Now I'm giving it back to you!"

  Almost instinctively, Wang Ying's legs gave way, and he colpsed heavily onto the ground. Through the polished floor, he could see his own pale reflection.

  Emperor Jianzhang turned and called to Eunuch Feng, "You, read the memorial in his hand aloud for everyone."

  The ministers in the hall looked at each other, unsure of what had happened. But the moment Eunuch Feng read the first paragraph, they understood why Emperor Jianzhang was so furious.

  The longstanding corruption in the northwest was something the entire court was aware of, yet no one had expected it to be this severe. Governor Zhang Tianhe of the northwest had been so brazen as to collude with the Tatars, secretly trading warhorses, smuggling silk, satin, medicinal herbs, and food, and even embezzling 200,000 taels of military funds. On top of that, he had weakened the Three Borders Command and had bribed Cui Shaoting. When bribery failed, he even tried to seduce Cui Shaoting with a beauty, hoping she could secretly steal his defense map.

  Wang Ying, pale-faced and kneeling, was drenched in sweat, too weak to speak. What could he say now? The snder he had previously whispered into Emperor Jianzhang's ear had now come back to haunt him. Cui Shaoting's firm stance for war had spped him in the face and stabbed him deeply in the eyes of the Emperor, turning him into a treacherous vilin who had colluded with Zhang Tianhe to frame the loyal and righteous.

  Fang Xiaoru almost lost his footing, feeling sweat pouring down under his robe. Lowering his head in distress, he gnced at Lord Chen, but quickly realized this wasn't the time to look to him. He refocused on his own feet, clenching his fists in panic.

  Lord Chen was shocked internally but betrayed nothing on his face, frowning in apparent concern for the country, just like the other four cabinet ministers.

  "The treasury's funds have been feeding nothing but useless, treacherous scoundrels!" Emperor Jianzhang's cold voice reverberated through Taiji Hall. "It seems I am a most incompetent emperor for allowing such things to happen again and again!"

  Within one year, enormous corruption cases had erupted in both the north and south, and the case in Yangzhou even involved two of his sons. Now the northwest had fallen into turmoil, and his fury was boiling over.

  He had once believed Cui Shaoting was as zy and ambitious as Wang Ying and others cimed, but it was now clear that Cui Shaoting was the only honest man left in the northwest.

  These words brought all the civil and military officials to their knees in unison. Prime Minister Chang led the chorus of contrition, "It is we ministers who have failed in our duties. Your Majesty, wise and ordained by heaven, should not belittle yourself."

  Everyone likes to hear such fttering words, but Emperor Jianzhang merely let out a cold snort, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials. After a moment, he ordered the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate to jointly investigate Governor Zhang Tianhe's collusion with the Tatars and embezzlement of military funds.

  Minister of Justice Meng Jiming and Court Justice Feng Yinglong, momentarily caught off guard by being summoned, hesitated a moment before stepping forward to accept the order. Only Censorate Left Censor Tao Dinghu, still calm and composed, looked at the kneeling Wang Ying with a steady gaze and answered firmly.

  Fang Xiaoru felt as if all his strength had drained away, watching the imperial guards strip Wang Ying of his official hat and robe, dragging him out like a dead dog. A cold shiver ran through his heart. His own robes were soaked with sweat, yet he dared not speak on behalf of his father-in-w and longtime friend—Cui Shaoting's memorial was ruthless and poisonous, and in Emperor Jianzhang's eyes, Wang Ying was already a despicable scoundrel. If he foolishly pleaded for mercy, his own fate would be equally grim.