Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 372: It's a Big Deal
Gao Hong was secretly pleased. At this point, the next step was usually to issue an imperial edict to arrest the person. Even if the evidence was convincing, or even if it was just baseless speculation, sending the person to the Embroidered Uniform Guard and subjecting them to torture would make the false seem true.

He didn't believe that Li Quan's old bones could withstand the punishments of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!
Even if this old scoundrel can hold out, Gao Hong will still find a way to make him die!
"Li Quan has already stated his position, what about you?"

After the emperor spoke from behind his desk, Gao Hong immediately replied, "I swear on my life that it is absolutely true! Besides, I believe that Li Quan's residence will surely leave traces. Your Majesty, you can send someone to investigate and you will find out!"

The Emperor stood up: "Very good!"

Gao Hong looked up at him, and a sudden feeling of unease washed over him—

That sounds even stranger!

His gaze was fixed on the scrolls and books of varying thicknesses on the imperial desk—yes, these were the very things Yan Song had given him, and the very things he had personally read. The two wax marks on the covers were left by him when he was reading by candlelight late into the night; there was no mistake about them!
What kind of mess could there be?

He straightened up: "If even a fraction of this evidence is false, I will submit to Your Majesty's judgment!"

"Then you shall die!"

As soon as Gao Hong finished speaking, the emperor grabbed something from the table and threw it at him!

A pile of scrolls hit Gao Hong squarely on the forehead. Gao Hong couldn't dodge in time, and his head, cheeks, and neck were all in pain!

But this was nothing compared to the shock the emperor's words brought him: what did he mean by telling him to go and die?

Why is it he who should die?!
"emperor!"

"In the thirtieth year of the Jiayong era, you spoke to me on behalf of Yan Shu and obtained five hundred acres of land from him!"

"In the thirty-fourth year, the conversion of rice paddies to mulberry fields caused trouble. The people of Jiangnan jointly petitioned the emperor, and you were able to fool them in front of the emperor. The Yan family then gave you two more three-courtyard houses inside and outside the city, as well as five shops!"
"In the thirty-seventh year of Jiayong, which is this year, you covered up the Zhou Sheng case in Tanzhou for the Yan family and received ten thousand taels of silver and twenty antique paintings and calligraphy from them!"

"How much benefit have you gained from the Yan family over the years? And when I questioned you the other day, you still said you had no collusion with the Yan family!"
"You deserve to die!"

The emperor kicked him in the chest again!
Gao Hong was in pain, but the emperor's furious rebuke filled the hall, stunning him as he fell to the ground like a thunderclap. His ears were still ringing for a long time!

What did he hear?
What is the emperor saying?!

Weren't all the accusations he submitted accusing Li Quan of forming a faction with the Crown Prince? Weren't they supposed to send Li Quan to the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison? How did the Emperor bring up his connection to the Yan family?!
He stared wide-eyed at the emperor, whose face was contorted with rage, and scrambled to his feet to pick up the scattered scrolls around him!
Upon seeing that all the color had drained from his face, he collapsed to the ground!
What is all this?
Aside from the same cover and envelopes, all the contents inside became evidence of the Yan family's collusion with their cronies to maintain control of the government!

And some of it is evidence of his private dealings with the Yan family!

He raised his head in horror, looking at the emperor in disbelief, and then at Li Quan standing to the side!
He was determined to bring down Li Quanlai, but he never expected that the things he personally handed over would become evidence against him!
Yan Liang arrived at this critical juncture to persuade him to hand over the evidence, but unexpectedly, this only accelerated the confirmation that they were colluding with their cronies!
How could I have caused such a huge disaster?

This isn't just a mess, it's like shoving the sky up!

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare my life!"

He prostrated himself on the ground and kept kowtowing!
"You dare beg for mercy!"

Li Quan picked up all the scattered scrolls and books: "You colluded with the Yan family to harm the court, accepted so much bribe money from the Yan family, and fabricated facts to frame this old servant! Most of these are evidence accusing the Yan family of manipulating power, selling official positions, and embezzling public funds!"

"The evidence is irrefutable. The time, place, and people involved are all clearly recorded in these scrolls. If you confess now, I can set aside past grievances and plead for your life before the Emperor!"

"If you remain obstinate, you will only face death!"

"shut up!"

Gao Hong was in a panic, his eyes fixed on the emperor: "Your Majesty! I must have been fooled by Li Quan! The evidence I was supposed to submit must have been switched by him! Your Majesty, please see the truth!"

Li Quan glanced at the emperor, then rushed up to Gao Hong: "You fool! The item is in your hands, so how could I have switched it with something else?"
"It's more accurate to say that you're blinded by greed and daydreaming about rising to power, to the point of losing your mind. The reason you're clinging to these things is probably to save your own life, right?"
"But things turned out differently, and I ended up reporting myself!"
"It's only through divine intervention that you've come to this! You've been colluding with the Yan family behind the Emperor's back for so long; it's time for you to face your death punishment!"

At this point, he turned to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant heard it clearly just now. He swore to the heavens that if there was any mistake, he would leave it to Your Majesty to decide his fate!"
“Since the evidence is right in front of him, yet he still tries to deny it to the death, then this old servant requests that Your Majesty immediately summon He Ping and imprison him for a thorough interrogation!”

The emperor stared at the ground: "Summon He Ping!"

He Ping was at the door, and upon hearing the noise, he led his men inside.

"Drag him out and give him one hundred strokes of the cane!"

"Your Majesty!..." Gao Hong, who had witnessed the tragic scene firsthand, let out a shrill scream and collapsed to the ground: "I...I really don't know much about the Yan family's affairs!"

"These, these—that's right! These were indeed secretly collected by me, so that I could explain them to His Majesty at some point. Please, Your Majesty, forgive me for my meritorious service in providing evidence!"

Li Quan kicked him hard: "Knowing a little is still knowing. You still dare to hide it in front of the Emperor. Who is the one who is disloyal to the Emperor?"
"I told you to speak earlier, and now you're changing your mind! Too late! The Emperor's word is law. He has already given his decree, so go and tell him under the rod!"

After saying that, he cupped his hands towards He Ping and said, "His Majesty has given the order, Lord He, please make your move!"

He Ping glanced at the enraged emperor, bowed, turned around, and then ordered the imperial guards to drag Gao Hong away.

From beneath the palace gates came Gao Hong's agonizing scream, followed by the sound of clubs being struck repeatedly, and all other sounds ceased.

Li Quan stared at the doorway for a long time before turning around and seeing the emperor also looking at him with deep eyes.

He paused, put all the scrolls he had picked up back on the imperial desk, then lifted his robe and knelt down.

Why are you kneeling?

The emperor gritted his teeth once more, looking down at him with disdain.

"This old servant knows Your Majesty has questions to ask." Li Quan looked up. "Your Majesty, please."

Every time I take a break from updating, it takes me a long time to get my thoughts back together. Luckily, I'm writing some drafts again today.