Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 83 The Golden Pardon Appears! A Hairpin Destroys a Sneak Attack, and the Provincial Inspector Kneels Trembling in Fear.

The 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.

The year-end is approaching.

However, a major event that shocked the entire city of Hangzhou occurred—

The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's office surrounded Jinxiufang.

---

It was just past Chen Shi (7-9 AM).

Three teams of soldiers, a total of fifty men, surrounded Jinxiufang completely.

The leader was Zhou Kang, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner.

A fourth-rank official.

He wore a scarlet official robe and had the silver badge of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner hanging at his waist.

His face was gloomy.

Behind him followed Zhao Wenkang, the prefect of Hangzhou, and more than a dozen constables from the criminal investigation and police departments.

The scale of the operation was enormous.

People on the street stood at a distance, pointing and whispering.

"What happened?"

"Has Jinxiufang gotten into trouble?"

"I heard... it's contraband!"

Qian Sihai hurriedly came out of the store.

A smile was plastered on his face, but his heart sank.

"Lord Zhou, Lord Zhao, what's going on with you two...?"

"Seal it off," Zhou Kang said coldly. "Someone reported that Jinxiufang is smuggling Xiling Yunjin and Sichuan tribute satin. I am ordered to investigate thoroughly."

He waved.

"search!"

The officers and soldiers rushed in.

Customers who were selecting fabrics in the store screamed in fright and ran away.

The men tried to stop them, but the constables pushed them away.

"My lord! My lord, you mustn't!" Qian Sihai was sweating profusely. "Jinxiufang has always operated legally, with clear accounts, and there has never been any smuggling..."

"Whether there's smuggling or not, we'll only know after a search," Zhao Wenkang said sarcastically from the side. "Manager Qian, you're an old hand at this; you should know to cooperate with the government in handling cases."

Qian Sihai gritted his teeth.

he knows.

This was Ryu Seung-myung's revenge.

The underworld methods didn't work.

They switched to using government resources.

---

Half an hour later.

The officers and soldiers carried out three bolts of cloth from the back warehouse.

A smoky purple brocade with subtle cloud patterns—Xiling Cloud Brocade.

Two bolts of gold thread woven together, featuring dragon and phoenix patterns—Sichuan tribute satin.

These are all items that are prohibited from being sold by the public.

"The evidence is conclusive!" Zhou Kang shouted sternly. "Jinxiufang is illegally possessing contraband and engaging in smuggling! Guards, seal off the shop! Take the manager back to the yamen for interrogation!"

Qian Sihai's face turned deathly pale.

He knew these goods didn't belong to Jinxiufang.

It's a frame-up.

But he couldn't produce any evidence.

"Wait a minute."

A cold, clear voice came from upstairs.

Everyone looked up.

Ye Huang, dressed in a plain-colored long dress, slowly walked down the stairs.

He was holding a long box made of sandalwood.

"Lord Zhou," she said calmly as she approached Zhou Kang, "you claim Jinxiufang is involved in smuggling, do you have any evidence?"

"The voucher?" Zhou Kang pointed to the three bolts of cloth. "This is the voucher!"

"Oh?" Ye Huang glanced at them. "Are you sure, sir, that these are goods from Jinxiufang?"

"If it was found in your warehouse, how could it be fake?!"

"That's not necessarily true," Ye Huang said calmly. "Last night at midnight, three people scaled the wall and sneaked into the backyard storeroom, putting some things inside. Should you investigate, sir?"

Zhou Kang's expression changed.

Zhao Wenkang interrupted, "Nonsense! You clearly hid it yourselves, yet you're trying to frame others!"

Ye Huang smiled.

She opened the wooden box in her hand.

Take out a roll of bright yellow silk.

It unfolds slowly.

The silk was embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon.

The main text is written in neat regular script:

"It is hereby specially granted that the Jiangnan Jinxiu Workshop shall be exempted from commercial taxes for three years, starting from the eighth year of the Jinghe era. All goods passing through customs shall not be obstructed by any prefecture or county."

The signature area.

It was stamped with two large seals.

On one side is the late Empress Dowager Fengxi.

One side is the imperial seal of the current emperor.

There is also a line of small text in the bottom right corner:

"I bestow upon Mr. Shen a refined and elegant document, in preparation for unforeseen circumstances."

Zhou Kang read the contents clearly.

My legs went weak.

I almost knelt down.

The late Empress Dowager's last edict!

It was still covered with the imperial seal!

This is no ordinary imperial edict.

This is simply—

"The...the golden token of immunity from death..." Zhao Wenkang's voice trembled.

Ye Huang put away the silk.

"Lord Zhou," she looked at the ashen-faced provincial inspector, "should we still seize the property now?"

Zhou Kang broke out in a cold sweat.

The late Empress Dowager's last edict.

The emperor's royal treasure.

These two things together.

Let alone a fourth-rank provincial inspector.

Even if the governor himself came, he would have to kneel!

"This...this humble official..." He knelt down with a thud, "This humble official was unaware of the late Empress Dowager's grace upon Jinxiu Workshop! Please, please forgive my offense, Madam!"

Behind him, the officers, soldiers, and constables all knelt down in a rush.

Zhao Wenkang also knelt down.

His face was paler than a dead person's.

Ye Huang glanced at them.

"Now that the matter has been clarified, please leave."

"Yes, yes!" Zhou Kang felt as if he had been granted a pardon and got up to leave.

"etc."

Ye Huang called out to him again.

Zhou Kang froze.

"Those three pieces of 'evidence'," Ye Huang pointed to the fabric on the ground, "aren't you taking them with you, sir?"

Zhou Kang was taken aback.

I immediately understood.

This is giving him a way out.

"Take him away!" he hurriedly said. "It's all a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!"

The officers and soldiers scrambled to move the cloth.

Just then—

One of the constables kneeling at the very back suddenly jumped up!

He pulled a short knife from his boot and lunged straight for Ye Huang's heart!

"Madam, be careful!" Qian Sihai exclaimed.

Ye Huang didn't even turn her head.

She simply raised her hand.

She pulled out a white jade hairpin from her hair.

A backhand throw!

"Pfft—"

The hairpin pierced the wrist of the bailiff holding the knife with pinpoint accuracy!

The short sword fell to the ground.

The bailiff let out a scream.

Before he could react...

Ye Huang had already turned around.

The dagger in his hand—the jewel-encrusted dagger that Xiao Jue had given him—was already pressed against his throat.

The blade was icy cold.

Pierce the skin.

Blood beads seeped out.

"M-My lord..." The constable looked at Zhou Kang in fear.

Zhou Kang was also terrified.

Ye Huang didn't look at him.

She stared into the eyes of the bailiff.

The voice was eerily calm.

"How much money did Liu Chengming pay you?"

The constable's pupils suddenly contracted.

"I...I don't know..."

"You don't know?" Night Phoenix pushed the dagger forward slightly. "Then keeping the tongue is useless."

"No! No!" The constable broke down. "I'll tell you! Young Master Liu gave... gave you fifty taels! And then, in the chaos, he made me... kill you..."

The entire room fell silent.

Zhou Kang's face turned green.

In his team.

There was an assassin bribed by Liu Chengming!

If this gets out...

He no longer needs to serve as the provincial inspector!

"Drag him away!" Zhou Kang shouted sternly. "Take him back to the yamen and interrogate him thoroughly!"

Two soldiers stepped forward and dragged away the yamen runner.

Ye Huang then sheathed her dagger.

He took out a white handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood off the knife.

Then he looked at Zhou Kang.

"Master Zhou."

"Your humble servant is here!"

"Your men," Ye Huang threw the blood-stained handkerchief on the ground, "it's time to discipline them."

Zhou Kang trembled.

"Yes, yes! This subordinate will definitely investigate thoroughly! Certainly!"

"Go."

Zhou Kang led his men away in a panic.

They left even faster than they had come.

---

The onlookers were in an uproar.

"My God! The late Empress Dowager's last edict!"

"Who is Lady Yehuang?!"

"And that skill! He crippled an assassin with just a hairpin!"

"The Liu family has really messed up this time..."

The news spread like wildfire.

Half a day.

The news spread throughout the city.

---

Wanghu Tower.

After hearing the report, Liu Chengming...

They remained silent for the entire time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

"The late Empress Dowager's...last will?" he murmured to himself.

"Absolutely true," the confidant said, his voice trembling. "Lord Zhou saw it with his own eyes: bright yellow silk, a five-clawed golden dragon, and the imperial seal and treasures..."

"What did you write in the signature?"

"I bestow upon Mr. Shen a refined and elegant document, in preparation for unforeseen circumstances."

Shen's elegant poems.

Liu Chengming's pupils contracted.

Shen Qingci.

The deposed empress who died in the cold palace three years ago.

That... his sister Liu Ruyan's biggest enemy.

"Night Phoenix... Shen Qingci..." he murmured the two names.

suddenly.

He smiled.

They laughed hysterically.

"I understand... I understand everything..."

"No wonder she hates the Liu family."

"No wonder she wanted revenge."

"No wonder Li Dequan was with her..."

He stood up.

I walked to the window.

Looking towards the direction of Qihuang Garden.

His eyes were filled with fervor.

"Shen Qingci..."

"You're not dead."

"You've returned with a different identity."

He turned around.

He said to his trusted aides, "Go to the capital. Tell my father—"

"Night Phoenix is ​​Shen Qingci."

His trusted aide was shocked: "Young Master, how...how is this possible? Shen Qingci has long ago..."

"Dead?" Liu Chengming sneered. "Where's the body? Who saw her buried? Who saw her decompose?"

Speechless.

"Go," Liu Chengming said in a deep voice, "and send the message back. Also—"

He paused.

"Tell Father that Shen Qingci has the late Empress Dowager's edict. That thing... there might be more than one."

"yes!"

His trusted confidant left in a hurry.

Liu Chengming stood alone by the window.

A twisted smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Shen Qingci..."

"The more you hide it, the more I'll dig it up."

"The stronger you are, the more I want you."

outside the window.

The sunset was like blood.

Reflecting the mad light in his eyes.

[Next Chapter Preview: Intelligence Counterattack! Evidence of the Liu Family's Crimes is Delivered Directly to the Censorate; Bao'er's Supernatural Abilities Identify a Key Witness!]