History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 423 A Corrupt Official Seizes Power, Acts Arrogantly

"At that time, my mother was the commander of the guards in the Prince of Rencheng's mansion. It is not normal for you, a palace eunuch, to directly discuss a family matter with my mother. What is your reason for doing this?"

Liu Teng thought: What other reason could there be? Of course, it's fear of your mother's martial prowess and the power of the Prince of Rencheng's mansion!

However, if he answers in that way, he will fall into the trap again.

He gave her another excuse, which only served to appease her "unreasonable" question.

Wei Yao was too lazy to argue with him, so she looked him straight in the eye and answered for him: "You are afraid of my mother's power and worried that she will use the power of the Prince's Mansion to retaliate against you."

Liu Teng clenched his fists and remained silent, digging his nails into his fingertips to remind himself with pain that he couldn't let himself be led by the nose any longer. No matter how she tried to circumvent his questions, he absolutely couldn't bring Liang Xuantong's case into the picture.

Wei Yao: "Liang Xuantong..."

Here it comes! Liu Teng pinched himself harder, hurting himself!

However, Wei Yao asked, "When she was alive, you told my mother that she was dead. Why didn't you tell her?"

Liu Teng opened his mouth, only to be met with another question that was difficult for him to answer!

The Empress, who was listening to the trial next door, frowned. Were there such big differences in their scheming? Why couldn't she figure out the purpose behind each of the interrogations?

Wei Yao: "Is it because when Liang Xuantong died, you had already found a powerful backer and were no longer afraid of my mother?"

Liu Teng panicked and forced a wry smile as he replied, "Minister Wei is well-read and eloquent; I'm afraid whatever I say will be wrong."

A young eunuch came to the outside of the torture chamber to report: "Imperial Food Supervisor Wang Jishu has arrived."

Bai Zheng was a smart man, and he followed Wei Yao's instructions in everything.

Wei Yao ordered, "Bring him in."

Wang Jishu walked with his head slightly lowered, appearing three parts restraint and seven parts honesty. He entered the torture chamber, not daring to look around, and bowed to Bai Zheng and Wei Yao respectively.

Wei Yao paced back and forth as if pondering something, then said to Bai Zheng, "Grand Chamberlain, you see, it takes time just to interrogate Liu Teng. Both of them will be in the palace prison for a while. The positions in the inner palace cannot remain vacant for long. How about you find someone to temporarily fill in?"

Liu Teng could no longer pretend to be calm!
Uncle Wang looked up in a panic: What does this mean? He'd thought about so much along the way, and they didn't even interrogate him?!
Hearing this from next door, the emperor couldn't help but smile, then walked out of the room with his hands behind his back, deciding there was no need to listen any further.

The Empress hurried after him, regretting coming to the palace prison. She could sense the Emperor's relaxed demeanor, but she didn't know the reason behind it. This lack of understanding caused the already existing distance between them to widen—not a power gap between Emperor and Empress, but a separation of hearts and minds.

The Emperor and Empress parted ways at Zhu Hua Gate. Just then, the Princess Consort of Jingzhao requested an audience. The Empress summoned her to Xuan Guang Hall and recounted to her sister the process of Wei Yao's trial.

"Can you help me figure out where this case started to make sense?"

Consort Yu was even more confused, but she wasn't going to torture herself. She advised, "I think Wei Yao is just making a fuss! Everyone in and outside the palace knows she's a treacherous minister. Relying on her position as Vice Minister of the Court of Justice, she can frame whoever she wants in the future. Humph, this is what they call 'wanting to find fault, one can always find a pretext.'"

The Empress shook her head: "She must have found something out, otherwise His Majesty wouldn't be satisfied."

Consort Yu pouted and muttered, "I don't know what she found out, but I do know that she has a really long reach, even extending into the Imperial Kitchen. Does Your Majesty believe it or not, the person temporarily in charge of the Imperial Kitchen must be colluding with Wei Yao! Your Majesty, you must be careful... Your Majesty, Your Majesty? Sister?"

"I see," the Empress murmured, regaining her senses.

It was truly an unexpected stroke of luck! Her sister's seemingly casual remark enlightened her, and she finally understood the mystery behind Wei Yao's trial! Wei Yao's goal was to obtain the position of Imperial Food Supervisor, and she didn't care at all what mistakes the two eunuchs had made or what crimes they were convicted of.

Yu Baoying explained the purpose of her visit to the palace today: "Sister, my aunt asked me to tell you that Yuan Zhao, the Palace Attendant, has a relationship with my uncle. Yuan Zhao has just been appointed to a position. If you can help him, then do so. Perhaps in the future, he will help our Yu family."

The Empress was displeased, but still agreed: "I understand."

At this time, more than a dozen court officials gathered at the Zhichemen (a gate for stopping carriages). They had received news that the gate had been abolished. Most of them were gloating, while ministers of the rank of Vice Minister and above were puzzled and dissatisfied.

Why did Wei Yao impeach me for this matter without any reason?

"Yes, it harms others without benefiting oneself!"

"I know a thing or two about how this happened. Yesterday, Palace Attendant Yuan Zhao was training his troops on the road outside the East Pole Hall, raising dust everywhere. Attendant Wei saw this and sent a soldier to inquire about the situation. The implication was clear: Yuan Zhao was annoyed by the noise. Yuan Zhao should have stopped training to save face for Attendant Wei, but instead of pretending not to understand, he punished the soldier by making him stand for several hours. Isn't that a slap in the face to Attendant Wei?"

"Ha, it seems Yuan Zhao's stupidity has remained uncured all these years."

"Be careful not to let him hear this. It's hard to say whether he's genuinely stupid or just pretending, but he's definitely narrow-minded and ruthless!"

Wei Yao deliberately passed through this gate. Kou Meng, who was guarding her, had one hand on the hilt of his Qianniu sword. As he walked, his armor creaked slightly, like a tiger emerging from the jungle. He glared back at all the court officials who were watching Wei Yao.

The treacherous ministers seized power and became arrogant and domineering!
At this moment, all the court officials couldn't help but feel the same way.

Yuan Yu and Lu Gongzhi waited outside the Changhe Palace. Yuan Yu first told Wei Yao, "We haven't found Liu Shun yet. I guess he went into hiding after he parted ways with Xue Zhixiao the night before last."

He continued, “The servant who manages the spice supply at the fish market in the south of the city has disappeared. He is a widower with no children. The jailer checked his residence, and a neighbor said he saw him return home yesterday evening and did not see him go out. However, his house was empty until I came here, and there was no trace of him walking around the fish market.”

Wei Yao: "Find out where he buys the spices."

Yuan Yu: "I've already ordered people to investigate. I'm worried that we might be too late at every step, and that the trail will go cold no matter where we go."

Wei Yao smiled and said, "Brother Yu, don't worry. If we're not having a good time, neither are they. I've cut off all the paths he's paved. The longer he hides, the longer I'll strike him. His true colors will eventually be revealed."

Therefore, the Empress's prediction was correct. Wei Yao's decision to detain Liu Teng and Wang Jishu in the palace prison wasn't to ascertain their crimes—she simply didn't have the time. Wei Yao's purpose was to keep the two eunuchs in custody so that others could temporarily assume their duties.

Temporary replacement is easy, but return is uncertain.

When Liu Teng and Wang Jishu realized that they would never get out of the palace prison unless they confessed something, that was when they would truly be interrogated.

Lu Gongzhi bowed to Wei Yao, deeply grateful: "My father and elder brother have received the imperial edict to pardon their crimes and grant them official positions. You, Shaoqing, have saved my family. This kindness is as heavy as a mountain. I, Gongzhi, am willing to follow you for the rest of my life!"

Wei Yao corrected him: "The favor is given by the emperor. Being loyal to the emperor and the country is what you should do."

Lu Gongzhi bowed again: "Yes."

Kou Meng, standing at the rear, felt a little guilty. Was he protecting Wei Yao with all his might because of the Emperor's order? Or because he secretly harbored feelings for Zhao Zhi? Sigh, when will that female warrior return to the capital to take up her post? I miss the days when she beat him up.

On Tongtuo Street, Zhao Cao, an assassin sent by Xiao Liang to Luoyang, sighed in despair at the empty bird's nest. Unfortunately, despite his excellent martial arts skills, he was unable to evade the patrolling city guards in broad daylight, and the state soldiers removed the empty bird's nest from the tree.

Fortunately, he had cleaned up the debris in the bird's nest the night before last, and he believed that no matter how suspicious the Suolu officials were, they wouldn't find anything in the bird's nest.