Chapter 365 - 359: Handling a Case

Chapter 365: Chapter 359: Handling a Case

「Capital City, Liu Mansion」

"Who are you? How dare you trespass..."

"Imperial Inspection Office business! Get out of the way if you don’t want to die!"

...

"My father is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice! You..."

"Lord Zhou, for abducting a woman and committing murder in the streets, what is the penalty according to the Profound Sun Decree?"

"...Execution."

"Good!"

A flash of a blade, a spray of blood.

For the son of a Vice Minister to be executed in his own mansion like this was, to some extent, absurd.

The blood-soaked blade returned to its sheath.

"Let’s go!"

Bai Yuan, with fiery haste, led a dozen or so Officials from the Imperial Inspection Office and strode coolly out of the Liu Mansion. The Liu Mansion’s guards had wanted to stop them, but they were so intimidated by the Imperial Inspection Office’s reputation that not a single one dared to step forward.

What an imposing sight!

Zhou Minghan numbly crossed Liu Qi’s name off the list.

Upon closer inspection, countless names had already been densely crossed out in the ledger he held. A case file list from the Imperial Inspection Office had been forcibly turned into King Yama’s life-reaping ledger by that newly appointed Left Deputy Chief Imperial Censor.

’So brutal.’

For the past month, he had followed Bai Yuan in and out of the mansions of various high-ranking officials every day.

They had only one purpose: to handle cases—and only major ones.

As long as the evidence was conclusive and the case was ironclad, Bai Yuan would take it.

He had even had Zhou Minghan compile a list of officials who had committed capital crimes.

Bai Yuan would then go door-to-door, following the list, executing every single one of them on the spot.

Zhou Minghan never expected his new superior to be so ferocious.

One had to understand, Xuan Yang’s Grand Ancestor Emperor had hated evil as if it were a personal enemy. The laws he established were exceedingly strict, even advocating that a Prince who breaks the law should be punished the same as a commoner.

In other words, the crime of abducting a woman was enough to warrant a death sentence.

If one were to truly act according to the provisions of the Profound Sun Law, then more than half of the officials would probably see their family lines end.

Among the sons of those influential families, whose hands weren’t stained with some dirty deeds?

Even Du Qinghui, a man who famously tolerated no nonsense, had never been so decisive in his purges.

Bai Yuan was simply making mortal enemies left and right.

The group from the Imperial Inspection Office walked along the Black Tortoise Great Path, and passersby avoided them as if they were the plague.

Bai Yuan gazed at his status panel.

Dragon and Tiger Strength Body had already been raised to the Mastered level.

In just one month, his Horizontal Training had already shown signs of reaching a proficient level.

If those barbarians from the Northern Plains were to find out, their eyes would probably turn red with envy.

Horizontal Training was different from other Cultivation Techniques. It emphasized grueling refinement above all else, with no shortcuts available. One could only train arduously step by step. Of course, the combat power one gained after mastering it was terrifyingly strong.

Take Bai Yuan, for example. With the current strength of his Dragon and Tiger Strength Body, a full-power strike from one of the Three Religions’ Sensing Martial Artists could never break through his defense.

Even if he just stood there and let those Three Religions Martial Masters hack away at him, he would remain completely unscathed.

It was just that terrifying.

Just as Bai Yuan was about to reach the gates of the Imperial Inspection Office, several men with hostile expressions appeared before them.

"Lord Bai, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Bai Yuan recognized the leader: Liu Zhou, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

The Liu Qi he had just killed was this very Vice Minister’s son—and his only one at that.

Liu Zhou had a reputation for having a fiery temper.

Although some officials had been furious before, they were deterred by the Imperial Inspection Office’s authority. At most, they would write memorials to impeach him. This was the first time anyone had dared to block his path in the middle of the street.

Bai Yuan didn’t answer. He simply placed his hand on the hilt of his blade.

"Obstructing the Imperial Inspection Office in its duties starts at three years’ imprisonment, with a maximum penalty of beheading. Have you gentlemen thought this through?"

Hearing this, the expressions of the few officials Liu Zhou had brought along for support changed drastically.

As Xuan Yang’s highest supervisory body, the Imperial Inspection Office enjoyed an extremely high degree of autonomy in handling its cases. Besides the Emperor, no one was qualified to obstruct them.

If they had run into an easygoing Imperial Censor, getting blocked would have been just that—getting blocked.

But Bai Yuan already had a fearsome reputation, and now he was on a killing spree. He might actually cut them down right here in the street.

If they lost their lives, it would all be over.

Moreover, Bai Yuan’s ability to rank on the Latent Dragon Roll was in itself a symbol of strength. They knew they were no match for him.

Liu Zhou was unwilling to back down, craning his neck stubbornly.

"The Imperial Inspection Office is handling a case, and I naturally have no right to interfere. But for Imperial Censor Bai to wantonly execute my eldest son, you must give me an explanation!"

His words were forceful and resonant.

Bai Yuan snorted. "An explanation?"

Before he had even finished speaking, Zhou Minghan, who was standing to the side, skillfully handed a leather pouch to Bai Yuan.

"Fine. I’ll give you your explanation."

He tossed the leather pouch to Liu Zhou.

Liu Zhou caught the pouch and opened it suspiciously. Inside was all the evidence of his son Liu Qi’s crimes, from written confessions to physical proof. Everything was there, leaving him no room for rebuttal.

"You..."

Liu Zhou was speechless for a moment.

The children of wealthy families bullying the common people had always been something everyone tacitly accepted. The only fear was that someone would actually take it seriously.

As the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, he knew, of course, that this evidence was more than enough to have his son executed ten times over.

"You brat surnamed Bai, I will submit a memorial to the throne! This won’t end until one of us is dead!"

Bai Yuan cleaned his ear with a finger.

Liu Zhou’s threats held no weight for him.

The memorials impeaching him had probably already filled the Imperial Study to the brim; one more from Liu Zhou wouldn’t make a difference.

Liu Zhou knew that staying any longer would only lead to further humiliation. Though rage burned in his heart, he could only suppress it and turn away in fury.

The few officials who had come with him glanced at each other in dismay.

’We’re all officials; how many of us are truly innocent?’

’Bai Yuan is wielding a chicken feather as if it were an executioner’s warrant, wantonly slaying his political enemies.’

’That’s right, wantonly slaying political enemies!’

At this thought, those few officials all drew in a sharp breath.

’Xu Dingchun’s schemes run so deep!’

’They hadn’t understood why Bai Yuan would choose to be an Imperial Censor of the Court of Imperial Supervision instead of one of the Six Ministry Vice Ministers.’

’Now it was clear: he was meant to be a sharp sword in Xu Dingchun’s hand, using the name of the Imperial Inspection Office to eliminate political rivals!’

’Impeach him. We must impeach him.’

They didn’t dare to linger any longer and hurried away after Liu Zhou.

Bai Yuan’s actions were certain to stir up a storm of blood in the Imperial Court.

...

「The 21st of the fifth month.」

It was time for the morning court session again.

As the Left Chief Imperial Censor of the Imperial Inspection Office, an official of the third rank, Bai Yuan was naturally qualified to attend the court session.

He walked through the Imperial Palace on his own.

He was no longer the newbie he had been a month ago; he was now completely familiar with the layout of the Imperial Palace.

"Lord Guo."

He happened to see Guo Yingru, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and greeted him enthusiastically.

When Senior Vice Minister Guo saw Bai Yuan, his face turned green. Without a word of greeting, he covered his face and quickened his pace, practically running into Taihe Hall.

Bai Yuan was exasperated.

’When people get old, their eyesight really starts to go.’

The officials filed into Taihe Hall one after another. An old eunuch’s announcement followed: "His Majesty has arrived!"

The morning court session officially began.

Just as Bai Yuan was expecting the usual lengthy recitation to begin, an old man from the ranks of the Civil Servants fell to his knees with a THUD in the center of the hall.

"Your Majesty, this old subject has a matter to report."

The Emperor, Li Chengyuan, seemed to have expected this. "Liu Aiqing, let us hear it."

"The Left Deputy Chief Imperial Censor of the Imperial Inspection Office, Bai Yuan, has abused his public office for private gain, harmed his colleagues, engaged in partisan conflict, and is morally unfit for his position! This old subject implores Your Majesty to grant Bai Yuan death!"