Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 95 Closing the Net: Who Has the Better Game?

"Murong Huan?"

When Wuling Yue saw this beautiful and charming face, which was also dignified, he exclaimed in surprise.

"You've been hiding in the White Horse Temple?" she couldn't help but ask. "That's impossible. It's heavily guarded. How could you have gotten in? Besides, both the Inner Guard and the Jinwu Guard are searching for you everywhere."

"You are here, but what about Xiao Muchen? Where is he?"

When she asked the last question, Wu Lingyue's voice became noticeably louder, which indicated that she was feeling quite emotional.

Murong Huan didn't want to know whether he hated Xiao Muchen more or loved him more, so he just said:

“People tend to think that the most unlikely place is the safest place!”

After saying this, she clapped her hands, and a middle-aged man in a light crimson official uniform and a gold belt around his waist was escorted into the Heavenly King Palace by two gangsters and ordered to kneel before the empress.

The empress recognized at a glance that this was Wang Chengyi, the doctor of the Ministry of Revenue whom she had promoted half a year ago.

The man had a mournful face. As soon as he saw the empress, he threw himself at her feet, begging for mercy. "Saint, spare me! Saint, spare me! I was simply confused for a moment, and was coerced and exploited into doing these filthy things. Please forgive me, Saint!"

"What do you mean by this, Lord Wang?"

After seeing Wang Chengyi's face clearly, Wu Chengsi and the ghost-faced man reacted instantly. It turned out that Wang Chengyi had betrayed them long ago and fell into the hands of this lowly maid. Then who was the Wang Chengyi who had been in contact with them all these days?

At this time, Murong Huan took out a few more letters from his sleeve and turned to the empress and said, "Your Majesty, I have some letters between Lord Wang and the King of Wei. Please take a look!"

The empress nodded and signaled Shangguan Wan'er to take the secret letter from Murong Huan.

Wu Chengsi suddenly realized, "So the person who has been exchanging secret letters with us these days is actually you, and you have been hiding in Wang Chengyi's house?"

"Yes!" Murong Huan replied, "The King of Wei finally got one thing right."

Wu Chengsi was so angry that his face was distorted and his teeth were itching with hatred. He had been hunting this slave girl like prey these days, thinking that she would fall into his hands sooner or later. However, he didn't expect that she was actually watching his every move like a hunter.

After reading the letter, the empress frowned as expected, and the domineering aura she had cultivated on the throne was involuntarily emanated from her.

"Prince of Wei, Xue Huaiyi, what have you been doing in the White Horse Temple over the years? What exactly is this underground bank?"

Wu Chengsi immediately broke out in a sweat and replied, "It's just some ordinary business transactions!"

"Would a normal business transaction involve imprisoning innocent women here for entertainment?"

"Aunt, that was a poor girl that General Xue bought with money, not robbed..."

The empress sneered.

"They are all poor women. What about General Zhang Qianxu's wife, Wang? And what exactly do you want to do by buying these poor women?"

This harsh question frightened Wu Chengsi so much that he trembled all over, his legs went weak and he almost fell to his knees again.

But at this moment, the man in black beside him suddenly grabbed him and said coldly, "King Wei, you need to understand the current situation. This White Horse Temple is full of your people. Why are you afraid of this old woman? She is just a weak woman. Have you forgotten why you came here today?"

Wu Chengsi seemed to have just remembered the purpose of inviting the empress into this Heavenly King Palace.

Right! Why should I be afraid of her?
She was traveling incognito, with no imperial guards accompanying her, but the hundreds of monks in this White Horse Temple are all my men, and I also have the Thousand Ox Guards and the Secret Guards!
I'm not afraid of her!

Thinking of this, Wu Chengsi tried his best to control his nervousness, raised his head, and suddenly said sarcastically: "Aunt, isn't my nephew doing this for you?"

"For me?" The empress also sneered. "Tell me, how are you doing it for me?" Wu Chengsi straightened his face and replied, "My nephew remembers what my aunt once said about Su Cho: Appoint corrupt officials to cultivate loyalists, eliminate corrupt officials to eliminate dissidents, execute corrupt officials to quell public anger, and confiscate corrupt treasury to enrich the national treasury. This has been the imperial strategy throughout the ages.

My nephew did some business of selling private salt and recommended some corrupt officials. Wasn't that all for the purpose of filling the treasury of my Great Zhou with money and food in preparation for wartime?
Aunt, you can collect all the money collected in this White Horse Temple into the national treasury.

"But, Aunt, shouldn't you write an edict to pass the throne to your nephew? That way, the Great Zhou you painstakingly created won't be a fleeting flash in history, the historians won't accuse you of being a hen crowing at dawn, or of illegitimately gaining the throne. And the descendants of the Wu family will be able to continue forever, isn't that right?"

Upon hearing this, the empress's expression brightened slightly, and she actually began to think about this problem.

The ghost-faced man didn't seem to want to waste any more time and shouted, "Why are you still telling her this? Kill her and everything will be yours!"

After saying that, he actually ordered all the Qianniu Guards to attack in the direction of the empress.

Wulingyue's expression changed. At this moment, she didn't know whether she should stand on the side of the empress or on the side of her father.

However, at this critical moment, a burst of powerful footsteps was heard outside the hall again. From the sound, it seemed that at least a group of troops were surrounding the hall.

At the same time, a clear voice was heard: "What an impassioned speech, to be able to justify corruption so righteously! Raising the price of salt, embezzling food and wages, the ones who suffer are the common people, and the people are the foundation of the country!
The people regard their ruler as their heart, and the ruler regards the people as his body. Sages govern with benevolence and forgiveness, reducing taxes, eliminating labor service, and allowing the people to recuperate and thrive. This is to create a prosperous and peaceful era, and to ensure that the Great Zhou continues its glory. Yet, you exploit the White Horse Temple's good reputation to commit filthy acts that harm the people. Isn't this tarnishing the sage's reputation?"

Hearing the voice, Wuling Yue suddenly turned around and looked in the direction of the voice. He saw Xiao Muchen, wearing a white jade mask and a black robe specially made by the Inner Guard Palace, walking in.

Also entering with him was Li Duozuo, the general of the Right Eagle Guard.

The appearance of Li Duozuo finally made Wu Chengsi and the ghost-faced man change their expressions drastically, and they sighed in fear that something was wrong.

Seeing the black-haired Xiao Muchen, Wu Lingyue's expression suddenly overflowed with a complex and indescribable light, as if he was suddenly enlightened and in disbelief. After a long while, he trembled and said, "Xiao Muchen, is it really you? The person at the princess's mansion that day was also you, right?"

"Yes, Xiao Zhizhong is me. It was the princess who gave me this identity!"

As he spoke, he took off the white jade mask on his face and looked at Wuling Yue.

"So where were you hiding during the time I was looking for you?"

"Inner Guard House!"

"your hair……"

"Ah Huan cured me."

When saying this, Xiao Muchen turned his gaze to Murong Huan. His eyes were clear and bright, and he had a smile as gentle as the spring breeze.

Wuling Yue suddenly felt as if his heart was stabbed again.

"So you've been hiding from me this whole time?"

"Yes, Wulingyue, do you still think your father's actions were right?"

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand again, and several women, led by Xie Zi'e, entered the hall and knelt in front of the empress.

These women were all dressed in rags, looked haggard and terrified, and even their exposed skin was covered with marks from whipping.

"Because the price of salt has risen, people can no longer afford it and have to sell their children. These women have become victims of the trade, treated as commodities. Is this the fate they deserve?"

Wu Lingyue looked at these pale and thin women, suddenly took a step back, and a feeling of endless guilt suddenly rose in her heart. When she looked at Xiao Muchen again, Xiao Muchen had already looked away and knelt down to the empress.

"Your Highness, I, Xiao Muchen, have been ordered to investigate the White Horse Temple case. Here are the files. Please review them, Your Majesty!"

(End of this chapter)