The Empress remarried, and I retaliated by wiping out the court.

"Good! Well done! These powerful lords have always oppressed the common people; they deserve to be punished like this!"

"Heaven has eyes! The Fan family has finally fallen!"

"Before, when we filed complaints, no one cared. Now that His Majesty is personally investigating them, it's truly satisfying!"

"This is the real emperor! Daring to touch those high and mighty lords!"

When the local people saw the Fan family's property being ransacked, they clapped and cheered.

After witnessing Ye Wudao's methods, Cao Ji was completely convinced of his abilities.

He initially thought Ye Wudao was too impulsive in killing people, but now, seeing the eyes of the surrounding people who wished they could die for Ye Wudao, he knew that while everyone else was on the first level, Ye Wudao was on a higher level!

Most people only see Ye Wudao confiscating property and filling the national treasury, but they don't see that Ye Wudao is taking the opportunity to win over the hearts of the people.

It is expected that once news of today's events spreads, the people of Yujing City will wholeheartedly support Ye Wudao!

Seeing Ye Wudao heading towards the Cui family's direction, Cao Ji quickly came to his side and reminded him:

"Your Majesty, the Cui family is a bit special. The head of the Cui family is Jing Ren, who is engaged in the grain and iron ore business and is extremely wealthy."

"Ten years ago, Cui Jingren, because of his jealousy as the eldest son's wife, drove his illegitimate daughter Cui Yueqiao out of the house. Cui Yueqiao then relied on her own abilities to run restaurants and various brothels, and she did very well."

"After learning about this, Cui Jingren attempted to seize Cui Yueqiao's assets under the guise of father and daughter. This matter has been reported to the Ministry of Justice, and Fan Bolun is currently handling the case."

Ye Wudao sneered, "If I'm not mistaken, Fan Bolun accepted money from Cui Jingren and intends to favor Cui Jingren, right?"

Cao Ji's eyes widened, and he immediately bowed in submission: "Your Majesty's foresight is truly divine!"

As they spoke, the group arrived at the Cui family's residence.

"This humble subject, Cui Jingren, along with his family, pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

Ye Wudao noticed a woman in the crowd wearing ripped clothes and shackles.

Her eyebrows were like painted willow leaves, her phoenix eyes were long and narrow, her nose was high and straight, and although her lips were slightly pale from not eating for several days, it could not hide her bright and flamboyant temperament.

Ye Wudao asked, "Who is she?"

Cui Jingren's expression changed, then he smiled ingratiatingly, "She...she is Cui Yueqiao, the unfilial daughter of this humble citizen. She has committed a grave mistake and is currently receiving education according to clan rules..."

"I did nothing wrong!"

Cui Yueqiao suddenly stepped forward, the iron chains striking the ground with a crisp clanging sound.

"Cui Jingren! Stop pretending to be a benevolent father! You're locking me up not because I did anything wrong, but because you're jealous of my business!"

Enraged, Cui Jingren yelled, "Shut up, or I'll beat you to death!"

"I won't!" Cui Yueqiao's voice grew louder and louder. "You see me, a concubine's daughter, owning restaurants all over the capital and running a brothel that makes a fortune every day, and you're jealous! You're envious! So you want to use your father's status to swallow up all my businesses!"

"I refused, so you locked me up, and you kept saying it was for my own good? There's no one in the world as shameless as you!"

Cui Jingren's face turned ashen.

"You unfilial daughter! Your father is doing this for your own good! A woman will eventually marry, and how can a woman like you possibly manage to maintain such a large business?"

"Your father is keeping this for you, also for your future. As long as you agree to hand over the business to the family, you'll still have everything you need in the future!"

"Pooh!"

Cui Yueqiao spat in Cui Jingren's face, "You bastard, listening to you talk is disgusting!"

"Rebellion! Today I will beat you to death, you unfilial daughter!"

Cui Jingren picked up the stick from the ground and was about to hit Cui Yueqiao.

"Cao Ji..." Ye Wudao ordered, "Cut off his arm!"

Cui Jingren was taken aback at first, then overjoyed.

"Your Majesty actually intends to discipline my daughter personally? Very well! I'd rather cut off her arm than let her go too far. This rebellious daughter should be drowned in a pig cage!"

Cao Ji didn't even glance at Cui Yueqiao, and walked straight up to Cui Jingren.

Choi Kyung-in's smile froze.

"Eunuch Cao...aren't you standing in the wrong place?"

next moment.

Cao Ji grabbed Cui Jingren's arm and, with a little force, tore the flesh and tendons off!

"ah--!"

A piercing scream echoed throughout the Cui residence.

Choi Kyung-in collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his right arm.

He clutched his shoulders and rolled around, his face pale with pain and cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

The Cui family members were instantly stunned.

Cui Jingren stared at Ye Wudao with an incredulous expression.

"Your Majesty...you...have you made a mistake?"

Ye Wudao slowly walked up to him and looked down at him.

"How could I have made a mistake?"

His voice suddenly turned cold.

"Cui Yueqiao runs her own business and earns her own living. As her father, instead of protecting her, you covet your daughter's business, use your paternal authority to coerce her, and privately impose punishments to imprison her in your mansion."

"You beast, your existence is a waste of air! You deserve to die! You deserve to die!"

aside.

Cui Yueqiao stared blankly at Ye Wudao, speechless.

Over the years, everyone has told her that.

"Your father hit you because it's for your own good."

"Your father is locking you up for your own good."

"Your father is taking your assets for your own good."

But no one ever told her.

Not all fathers deserve to be called fathers.

Not all elders deserve respect.

Those who hurt her, whoever they are, evil is evil, and there is no need to show mercy!

Cui Yueqiao suddenly smiled.

As I laughed, tears began to fall.

She didn't know why she was crying; perhaps it was because she had felt wronged for too long.

Or perhaps it's because someone finally spoke up for her.

She looked at Ye Wudao, and a thought she had never had before suddenly arose in her mind.

If everyone in the world were like him, how wonderful that would be?

Ye Wudao said in a deep voice, "Cui Jingren, you have illegally detained common people, embezzled their property, and abused family law. You are guilty of multiple crimes and must be imprisoned in the imperial prison!"

"Cao Ji, seal off the Cui residence!"

Choi Kyung-in struggled frantically.

"No! This humble citizen is only detaining his own daughter; it's not detaining her! She was born a member of the Cui family, and she will die a member of the Cui family. As her father, even if I were to beat her, punish her, or kill her, it would be within the family rules. What crime has she committed?"

"idiot!"

Ye Wudao didn't want to pay attention to this good-for-nothing, so he looked at Cui Yueqiao and said:

"Cui Yueqiao, I ask you, do you dare to take the position of head of the Cui family?"

Cui Yueqiao was taken aback, then resolutely knelt down on both knees, cupped her hands, and said:

"What is there that I, a humble woman, would not dare to do?"

Ye Wudao laughed heartily.

"Good! That's the kind of courage I need!"

"Issue the imperial decree! Depose Cui Jingren from his position as head of the Cui family, and appoint Cui Yueqiao as his successor! Anyone who dares to disobey will be punished as an insubordination!"

The Cui family members exchanged bewildered glances, but still forced themselves to say, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Ye Wudao nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.

Cao Ji chased after them: "Your Majesty, are we just going to let the Cui family go like this?"

It should be noted that the Cui family is wealthier than the Fan and Zhong families combined. He had thought that Ye Wudao would go on a killing spree in the Cui family, but he did not expect Ye Wudao to let it go so easily.

Inside the carriage, Ye Wudao closed his eyes and said, "Cao Ji, the key to being a good person is to have a clear mind."

"Is your mind clear?"

Cao Ji was puzzled.

Could it be that His Majesty has taken a fancy to that girl from the Cui family?

Can't you?

Which of the nine empresses wasn't a beauty of unparalleled grace? What was the point of mentioning a merchant's daughter?

"His Majesty!"

Cui Yueqiao ran up, panting, and knelt down in front of the official road.

"Your Majesty, this humble woman wishes to donate all her family's wealth to do business with you!"

Ye Wudao looked at her with interest: "Oh? You're not afraid that I'll just confiscate your entire fortune?"

Cui Yueqiao took a deep breath and looked up at Ye Wudao.

"Your Majesty, this humble subject is willing to offer up the entire Cui family to make money for Your Majesty."

Ye Wudao remained expressionless.

"Go on."

Cui Yueqiao said respectfully:

"Your Majesty confiscated the property of the Zhong and Fan families today, and the people applauded because they deserved to die. But the Cui family is different. If the Cui family is also confiscated, it will only add some silver to the national treasury. But what about a year later, or ten years later?"

She looked at Ye Wudao.

"Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs will only fill your stomach temporarily."

"Raising chickens to lay eggs is the only way to reap endless benefits."

"The Cui family's businesses are all over the world, including restaurants, grain stores, iron mines, carriages and horses... They have everything. If Your Majesty only takes the family's assets, it will only amount to a few million taels."

"But if I were to manage it for Your Majesty, I could earn back the equivalent of the Cui family's wealth in just one year."

"Three years, two."

"Five years, ten!"

Her gaze was firm.

"Money should not be plundered from the people, but should flow into the national treasury on its own. The wealth of the world is not fixed... Doing business is not about dividing the meat in people's bowls, but about making the pot bigger, so that everyone can have a bigger bite."

Ye Wudao was shocked when he heard this.

Isn't this just the "making the pie bigger" theory of modern economics?

True business is not about taking wealth from others, but about creating new wealth through transactions, production, and circulation.

The more prosperous a country is, the wealthier its people become, and the fuller its treasury becomes.

These are some of the most fundamental concepts in modern economics, so how did they appear in this era?

Ye Wudao swallowed hard and tentatively said to Cui Yueqiao:

"Strange change...unchanged?"