After failing the imperial examination, he began to wield immense power after entering the palace!

Qianqing Palace.

"Your Highness, didn't you say you would deal with Zhang Xuan and his men? Why...?"

Du Jiang forced himself to speak, but before he could finish, Empress Yang gave him a dismissive glance.

That one glance, though not intense, sent a chill down his spine, causing him to swallow the rest of his words.

"Are you questioning me?"

The sound wasn't loud, but the pressure was like a mountain collapsing.

Du Jiang quickly lowered his head: "Your subject dares not, but Consort Xie has been truly disgusting this time, doing so many things."

"Now that Cao Mo is about to be dismissed and beheaded, the next target will be Liu Zhengsheng."

"Your Majesty, Liu Zhengsheng absolutely cannot be allowed to get into trouble again."

Empress Yang changed her posture.

Her voluptuous body, outlined in her casual clothes, created a smooth curve; her waist was slender, her breasts were high, and her whole being exuded the unique charm of a mature woman.

"So, what are your thoughts?"

Du Jiang raised his head, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes:

"Your Majesty, the key now lies with that little eunuch, Gao Jin."

"As long as we kill him, Consort Xie will naturally be hesitant to act rashly and will not dare to do anything reckless again."

Empress Yang gave a cold laugh.

"That was someone His Majesty personally ordered to be placed in the Eastern Depot as the chief eunuch."

"Killing him is not only destroying Consort Xie's prestige, but also His Majesty's dignity."

"When His Majesty is enraged, who will bear the consequences?"

"Minister Du, is that you? Or Minister Cui?"

Du Jiang and Cui Yan both looked rather grim; their lips moved, but neither dared to speak.

The hall was quiet for a few moments.

Du Jiang gritted his teeth and spoke again:

"Your Majesty, if killing in secret is not an option, how about doing it openly?"

"As long as Gao Jin commits a capital crime before Liu Zhengsheng returns to the capital, and gets himself killed, wouldn't that solve the problem?"

"He's about to join the Eastern Depot, so we can set a trap for him there."

"This matter can be entrusted to Manager Feng."

Feng Bao was the head of the Eastern Depot and the chief eunuch.

Over the years, he had always obeyed Empress Yang's orders.

Empress Yang paused for a moment, her phoenix eyes narrowing slightly, as if she were weighing something.

"it is good."

A single word, spoken lightly, sealed the fate of the deadly trap that Li Fan was about to face.

Du Jiang and the other two exchanged glances and bowed in unison.

"We take our leave."

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the hall returned to silence.

Ginkgo emerged from behind the screen, her long legs slender and straight beneath her light green palace dress, her walk graceful and elegant.

"Your Majesty, Gao Jin is probably in for some trouble."

"Should I inform him?"

Empress Yang leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes for a moment, and her chest rose and fell slightly with her breathing.

"No need yet. I'd like to see how he performs at the Eastern Depot."

"If he really can't hold on any longer, I will lend him a hand."

"After all, I still need to use him to trip up Ryu Jung-seong."

Ginkgo nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Outside the hall, a cold wind blew through the corridor, causing the candlelight to flicker.

Empress Yang's profile, with its interplay of light and shadow, revealed a high, straight nose and full lips, making her resemble a lioness lurking in the shadows...

Lazy, yet capable of snapping its prey's throat at any moment.

……

the other side.

The Ministry of Justice's Great Prison.

The King of Wei sat on a simple wooden stool.

His python robe was wrinkled and his hair ornament was askew, but his face still held that noble arrogance.

"Prefect Cao, don't worry, the court assembly should be over by now."

"With Minister Du and dozens of others impeaching him together, even with Consort Xie protecting him, that little eunuch couldn't withstand it."

"His Majesty values ​​the dignity of the court above all else; he would never offend the entire court for the sake of a mere eunuch."

"I reckon someone will be asking us to leave soon."

Cao Mo sat opposite him, his hands tucked into his sleeves. Hearing this, he nodded repeatedly, and a smile finally appeared on his face.

"Your Highness is right. That castrated dog is nothing but a grasshopper in autumn; it won't be able to hop around for many more days."

"After His Majesty punishes him, the first thing I will do after I leave is to skin him alive."

King Wei laughed heartily and patted Cao Mo on the shoulder:

"At that time, I will personally sharpen your knife."

The two looked at each other and laughed at the same time.

Their laughter echoed through the cell, as if they could already see the little eunuch kneeling and begging for mercy.

Just then!

"Da, da, da."

Footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

King Wei and Cao Mo both looked up at the same time, glancing towards the passageway.

A gray figure emerged from the darkness.

The torchlight illuminated his face, revealing striking features: sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, handsome features, and a faint, enigmatic smile playing at the corners of his lips.

It was Li Fan!

King Wei was taken aback at first, then a smile spread across his face as he leaned back and crossed his legs.

"Oh, little eunuch, you've arrived?"

His voice carried undisguised smugness, as if he were addressing a servant who had come to pay his respects:

"What did I say yesterday? You have to come and beg me to leave."

"Now, kneel down."

Li Fan stood at the cell door, glanced at him, his gaze as indifferent as if he were looking at a noisy toad.

What kind of bullshit prince are you? Don't let me get a chance to do it again, or I'll definitely make you pay!

Then, he turned his gaze away and looked at Cao Mo.

now.

Cao Mo also looked smug and self-satisfied.

In his view, the will of a mere eunuch could not withstand the counterattack of the powerful clans of Guanzhong, and he had come here to beg for mercy.

"You dog eunuch, were you impeached by Minister Du and his men in court?"

"How is it? Not a pleasant experience, is it?"

"As I've said before, you're just a lowly eunuch, nothing more than a pawn. A pawn should be aware of its place..."

"Shut up."

Li Fan uttered two words calmly, took out a scroll of bright yellow imperial edict from his sleeve, and unfolded it.

"Cao Mo receives the imperial decree."

Cao Mo's smile froze instantly.

Imperial edict?

He subconsciously looked at the King of Wei, who also looked astonished.

Li Fan didn't give them time to react; his voice wasn't loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the entire cell:

"By His Majesty's decree, Cao Mo, the Prefect of Jingzhao, colluded with Liu Zhengsheng to hire a murderer to kill and silence a loyal official. His crime is unforgivable."

"According to the laws of the Great Chu, the sentence is execution..."

"So be it!"

The cell was deathly silent.

Cao Mo's face went from red to white, from white to green, and finally turned ashen.

His hands began to tremble, so much so that he couldn't even hold the bowl steady.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible..."

His correspondence with Liu Zhengsheng had long been burned, so there was absolutely no way Li Fan could find it.

"That evidence is fake! It's fabricated! I demand to see His Majesty! I demand an audience with the Emperor!"

"Gao Jin! You've fabricated evidence! You've framed a high-ranking official! This is a capital offense!"

Li Fan stood still, motionless, as if watching a clown jumping around.

King Wei also stood up, his face ashen.

He finally managed to win over Cao Mo, and before he could even enjoy his newfound favor, he was about to be beheaded.

How could a mere eunuch kill someone who was a member of the King of Wei's faction?

"Make way! I want to see His Majesty! Now!"

"There's something fishy about Magistrate Cao's case. I must personally plead my case to His Majesty!"

"Open the door!"