Chapter 356 The Collapse of the Great House

Chapter 356 The Collapse of the Great House

Emperor Xingyuan gazed down imperiously at Chief Minister Zhang kneeling on the ground, still somewhat incredulous.

Ayou was his daughter, a fact well known to both the court and the common people. Did the Zhang family possess the audacity of a bear and the courage of a leopard to dare lay hands on Ayou?

Thinking of Empress Xin, Emperor Xingyuan's heart stirred.

The investigation into the death of Xinxin had stalled at Lord Pei, and he had long suspected it was related to some old ministers who had political disagreements with him back then. It seemed the Zhang family was among them.

"Zhang Youming, you say Zhang Yuchen acted against Lady Xin to avenge your grandson Zhang Xu?" Emperor Xingyuan sneered, "Do you take me for a fool, believing that a minor conflict between juniors would warrant dispatching assassins?"

Chief Minister Zhang knew Emperor Xingyuan was not easily deceived, but in this situation, he could only adamantly deny it, hoping for a slim chance of survival: "Zhang Yuchen treats my grandson as his own son and couldn't bear to see him wronged. He is used to resorting to shortcuts to resolve issues. It is all due to my lack of strict discipline. I deserve death ten thousand times over!"

Chief Minister Zhang gritted his teeth and kowtowed with a resounding thud.

He kowtowed so hard that he soon broke his forehead, and his hair bun came loose, making him look disheveled and pitiful.

Emperor Xingyuan's sneer faded, and his lips tightened into a thin line: "Since you say Zhang Yuchen acted out of love for his nephew, I will personally interrogate him today. Bring Zhang Yuchen here!"

Chief Minister Zhang knelt on the cold golden tiles, already dizzy and disoriented, silently praying in his heart: Zhang Yuchen, do not disappoint me.

At this moment, He Qingxiao spoke up: "Your Majesty, Zhang Yuchen is in the Northern Pacification Office."

The half-dead Chief Minister Zhang suddenly looked up at the young man who spoke.

Emperor Xingyuan also looked at him: "In the Northern Pacification Office?"

"Last night, Zhang Yuchen disguised himself and attempted to flee, but was captured by the Jinlin Guard," He Qingxiao said calmly.

Chief Minister Zhang's eyes widened, unable to believe what he had heard.

Zhang Yuchen had fled?

All that transpired last night—they had clearly agreed on today's explanation—

Chief Minister Zhang understood now. Everything last night was just Zhang Yuchen's lie to stabilize him.

That heartless beast!

Yesterday, knowing that the plan had failed and disaster was imminent, Chief Minister Zhang had blamed Zhang Yuchen for not doing well, but he had not hated him. Over the years, he had been aware of the things Zhang Yuchen had done, and indeed, many troubles had been resolved. Blaming him now was futile.

But Zhang Yuchen deserting the entire family and fleeing was different.

How could he have been so blind as to trust such a spineless scoundrel!

Anger and regret churned in his heart, and in the turmoil, his throat itched, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The ministers erupted in murmurs of shock.

Emperor Xingyuan frowned but did not order Chief Minister Zhang to be dragged away.

With the Emperor silent, the ministers dared not speak. In the oppressive silence, time seemed to stretch endlessly. After what felt like an eternity, Zhang Yuchen was finally brought in.

Was this Zhang Yuchen?

Looking at the man being brought in, many officials exchanged glances.

He Qingxiao explained: "Your Majesty, Zhang Yuchen disguised himself when he fled. After being captured on the street and brought back to the Northern Pacification Office, he retained his disguise."

This served to inform everyone that Zhang Yuchen was indeed captured by the Jinlin Guard while disguised and fleeing, rather than being taken from his home by the Jinlin Guard.

Emperor Xingyuan looked expressionlessly at the man kneeling on the ground: "Strip off his disguise."

"As you command."

Zhang Yuchen had fled in a hurry, and his disguise was only superficial, so his true appearance was quickly revealed.

He Qingxiao handed over the travel permits and other items seized during the search.

Emperor Xingyuan sneered after looking at them: "You were quite thorough!"

Zhang Yuchen, having been tortured, was in pain all over his body and had no strength left to beg for mercy, so he remained kneeling on the ground, utterly still.

The sight of his wretched state, witnessed by the officials, made them even more fearful of the Jinlin Guard.

Seeing him like this, Emperor Xingyuan frowned and asked He Qingxiao: "Do you possess his confession?"

"Yes." He Qingxiao had come fully prepared.

Emperor Xingyuan scrutinized Zhang Yuchen's confession even more intently, even going through it twice.

"So, you feared that Lady Xin would propagate the late Empress's reformist ideals, which is why you were so eager to kill her."

As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers began to whisper among themselves, and some subtly shifted their expressions.

Opposition to Empress Xin's reforms extended beyond the Zhang family.

"Zhang Youming, Zhang Yuchen, have you anything further to say?"

Zhang Yuchen lay silent, like a beaten dog, while Chief Minister Zhang's lips trembled, brimming with unspoken words, but ultimately, not a single word came out.

The Zhang family was utterly ruined; what good would it do for him to oppose the reforms now?

With clouded eyes, Chief Minister Zhang slowly scanned his familiar colleagues.

Some were hostile, some were friendly, and some who appeared hostile but shared common interests—all of them swiftly averted their gazes, as if scorched by the intensity of his stare.

Chief Minister Zhang's gaze finally fell on Xin You, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered across his numb and despairing face.

This smile was not for Xin You, nor for himself, but for his colleagues, for those so-called allies.

This girl—she is sharper than her mother, more ruthless, and far more adept at leveraging her strengths.

He had a premonition that these colleagues who stood idly by would one day fall into this girl's hands, either compromising or dying.

"Take the entire Zhang family to the imperial prison for further interrogation and lawful judgment!"

Soon, the Jinlin Guard arrived and dragged Chief Minister Zhang and Zhang Yuchen away.

After twenty years of serving the emperor, caution was second nature to Chief Minister Zhang. It wasn't until he was dragged out of the palace that he cursed Zhang Yuchen: "You spineless wretch, how dare you face the ancestors of the Zhang family?"

Hearing these curses, Zhang Yuchen glanced at Chief Minister Zhang with a numb expression, his eyes showing a slight change.

Betray the ancestors of the Zhang family? When he was bullied in the clan school, did the ancestors ever protect him?

It was he who temporarily gave up the path of studying and worked his hardest to gain the attention of this clan uncle.

After that, no matter how dirty or foul the tasks were, he did them, but the clan uncle's gaze always fell first on his own son, not him.

Later, things improved. He had taken care of that troublesome and incompetent individual, and now the clan uncle had no choice but to rely on him.

If it had been his useless cousin who had done these things today, would the clan uncle have scolded him like this?

Thinking this way, Zhang Yuchen suddenly found it amusing and actually laughed out loud.

"How can you laugh? Beast! You beast!"

Chief Minister Zhang's neatly trimmed beard was stained with blood from the altercation, and he shouted hoarsely, seemingly on the verge of passing out.

He Qingxiao watched without a hint of softness in his heart, but Zhang Yuchen's reaction struck him as strange.

"Put these two in the same cell."

It seemed there was much filth between this uncle and nephew. Let them fight it out like rabid dogs.

The whip crack signaling the end of the court session echoed, and the officials silently exited the palace gate, each heading back to their offices. Those closely associated with Chief Minister Zhang fretted over the consequences, while those unaffected engaged in heated discussions with their acquaintances.

Under Emperor Xingyuan's orders, Xin You proceeded to the Qianqing Palace.