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

These ledgers, these records, this evidence...

Every single one of them is true.

Every single one of these is something the Xiao family has done.

Each of these points is enough to warrant the execution of the entire Xiao family.

"How...how do you have these things?"

Xiao Zhengchun's voice was so hoarse it sounded inhuman, carrying a hint of trembling and fear.

Li Fan looked at his pale face and just smiled.

"Lord Xiao, you should know better than I what the Eastern Depot does."

"Gathering intelligence, monitoring officials, and collecting evidence of crimes—these were originally the duties of the Eastern Depot."

"The Eastern Depot has long kept records of these matters concerning the Xiao family, but it has just not brought them out."

He paused, a slight smile curving his lips.

"Now, Her Majesty has instructed us to bring it out."

"Look, is this enough?"

Xiao Zhengchun's legs went weak, and he collapsed into a chair with a thud.

He stared blankly at the thick stack of documents on the table, his mind a complete blank.

It's all over.

If this evidence is made public...

No, it doesn't need to be made public.

All it takes is to deliver it to His Majesty, and the Xiao family is finished.

At that time, they will be punished for multiple crimes.

Not only will Xiao Zhengchun's head be implicated, but the entire Xiao clan will also be affected.

"Grandpa Gao... Grandpa Gao..."

Xiao Zhengchun's voice changed completely, from arrogance to humility.

"What I just said was all nonsense."

"Father-in-law, please don't take it to heart."

"Father-in-law, there might be some misunderstanding here..."

Li Fan looked at his cowardly appearance and didn't say anything.

I just stood there quietly, waiting for him to make his own decision.

Xiao Zhengchun's mind raced.

He glanced at the stack of documents on the table, then at Li Fan standing in the doorway.

Then, he made a decision.

"It's all a misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!"

"My lord, what I just said was all due to being bewitched! I was completely blinded by greed!"

"The matter of a marriage alliance with the King of Wei..."

He gritted his teeth, steeled himself, and blurted out:

"Cancel! Cancel immediately!"

"This humble official will immediately go and refuse the Prince of Wei! Tell him that my daughter is already engaged and cannot marry him!"

"From this day forward, the Xiao family will follow Consort Xie's lead without exception! We will have no disloyal intentions whatsoever!"

After he finished speaking, he knelt down on the ground with a "thump" and kowtowed three times.

"Please, Your Excellency, put in a good word for me before Her Majesty! I would be eternally grateful!"

Seeing his disheveled appearance, Li Fan did not rush to express his opinion.

"Lord Xiao, the marriage...does not need to be canceled."

Xiao Zhengchun was stunned.

"what?"

He looked up at Li Fan with a puzzled expression.

No need to cancel?

What does that mean?

Are we going to marry our daughter to the King of Wei?

Li Fan looked at his dumbfounded expression and revealed a meaningful smile.

"Lord Xiao, my idea is that the marriage doesn't need to be canceled, but Miss Xiao should be married to someone else."

Xiao Zhengchun was even more confused.

"Change...change to someone else?"

"Who should we replace them with?"

Li Fan looked down at him, his face as calm as a stagnant pool.

"Let's switch to our place."

Those three simple words, seemingly light and airy, exploded like three bombs in the main hall.

Xiao Zhengchun was completely dumbfounded.

His mouth was agape, big enough to fit an egg, his eyes were wide open, and his face was filled with disbelief.

"Father...Father-in-law isn't joking, is he?"

This bastard is a eunuch!

How can a eunuch marry?

Li Fan looked at his dumbfounded expression without changing his expression.

"Lord Xiao, I'm not joking."

"This is Her Majesty's order."

"Her Majesty said that the eldest daughter of the Xiao family will marry into our family."

"From now on, the Xiao family will be our in-laws."

"The safety of the Xiao family rests on our shoulders."

"The future of the Xiao family will be arranged by Your Highness."

He paused, his tone now carrying an air of undeniable authority.

"Lord Xiao, what do you think?"

Xiao Zhengchun knelt on the ground, completely stunned.

Although there were indeed precedents of eunuchs marrying in this dynasty, those were privileges enjoyed only by a very small number of powerful eunuchs.

A mere eunuch who had only been working at the Eastern Depot for a few days was about to marry the eldest daughter of the Xiao family?

This...this is just too absurd!

But he glanced down at the thick stack of documents on the table…

Smuggling government-owned salt, seizing farmland, setting up illegal courts, bribing officials...

Any one of these offenses would constitute a heinous crime, resulting in the confiscation of property and the extermination of the entire clan.

Does he have a choice?

No.

Not at all.

"Your humble servant... Your humble servant obeys."

Xiao Zhengchun squeezed out these words through clenched teeth, his voice so hoarse it sounded inhuman.

He lay on the ground, his head pressed against the cold brick surface, his whole body trembling.

Like a tiger whose teeth have been pulled out—

No matter how fierce you are, it's useless.

At this time.

Xiao Ningxiang stood to the side and listened to everything from beginning to end.

Her almond-shaped eyes widened in disbelief.

She, the eldest daughter of the Lanling Xiao family, a famous beauty in the capital, is to marry a eunuch?

Her father had just wanted to marry her off to the Prince of Wei. Although she was unwilling, she could at least understand.

But what kind of woman would marry a eunuch?

A couple in name only?

To live a life of widowhood?

"No……"

Her lips trembled slightly, uttering a soft sound.

But no one heard her voice.

Or rather, nobody cares about her voice.

In this family, her wishes were never important.

Xiao Zhengchun lay prone on the ground, not daring to raise his head.

Li Fan stood in front of the table, his expression unchanged.

Two men made a decision about this important life event for her.

I didn't ask her a single question.

She wasn't given a choice.

A layer of mist welled up in Xiao Ningxiang's almond-shaped eyes, but she bit her lip and stubbornly held back her tears.

Looking at Li Fan's young and handsome face, she felt a complex mix of emotions.

This person is not ugly; in fact, you could say he is quite good-looking.

He had sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and a refined and handsome face.

If he weren't a eunuch, perhaps she...

No, no.

How could she marry a eunuch?

But she also knew that she had no right to refuse.

Those pieces of evidence were enough to warrant the execution of the entire Xiao family.

The father has already given in.

What could an unmarried woman like her do?

Xiao Ningxiang closed her eyes, and two lines of clear tears silently slid down her cheeks.

Li Fan noticed her tears.

His gaze lingered on her face for a moment before returning to it.

"Lord Xiao, I was quite surprised to learn about this."

"But we dare not disobey Her Majesty's orders."

"However, Lord Xiao, rest assured, although our family may not have the ability to provide Miss Xiao with a complete family."

"But we can guarantee one thing: from now on, the safety of the Xiao family will be our responsibility."

"If anyone dares to lay a finger on the Xiao family, we will make sure they die a horrible death."

He spoke calmly, but the seriousness in his eyes left no room for doubt.