Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

“Yes, that’s exactly what we want them to think we’ve taken the bait,” Lacey smiled slightly.

“When you’ve drawn everyone’s attention to that fake warehouse in Tongzhou, I want you to send another group of people to a place they would never expect.”

He took a slip of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Yang Wei.

Yang Wei opened it and his pupils suddenly contracted.

The note contained only one address: "No. 3, Jia, Ping'an Lane, West of the City".

"This is... the residence of Minister Huang's mistress, Madam Liu?" Yang Wei lowered his voice.

"Your Highness, you mean..."

“The most dangerous place is the safest place,” Lacey said slowly.

"Huang Shizhong and Xun Huiming never dreamed that while they were painstakingly setting a trap, thinking they could outmaneuver us, their true weakness had already been exposed right under our noses."

"Zhou Quan mentioned in his confession that the person Huang Shizhong trusted most was not his colleagues or his legal wife, but his mistress Liu, who had been with him for more than ten years and had given birth to his son."

"Many of his shady ledgers and letters were hidden in that house."

Laisi sneered, "Yang Wei, the attack on Tongzhou is a feint. Your real target is Ping'an Lane!"

"I want you to get my hands on Huang Shizhong's real incriminating evidence while everyone is watching Tongzhou without anyone noticing!"

Yang Wei instantly understood Lacey's entire plan.

One move was a feint to the east while the other was a decisive strike!

Xun Huiming wanted to use a radical approach to deal with the Discipline Department, but little did he know that His Highness wanted to remove the very pillar supporting him, Huang Shizhong!

"Understood!" Yang Wei's eyes blazed with intense fighting spirit.

"Guaranteed to complete the mission!"

……

The next morning, a bombshell piece of news spread like wildfire throughout the capital.

The Grand Canal Administration uncovered a crucial lead, and His Highness the Prince of Qin personally ordered General Yang Wei to lead three hundred elite soldiers to Tongzhou to raid the secret accounts of the Tongda Chamber of Commerce!

The news caused a sensation throughout the city.

Three hundred elite soldiers!

This is a much bigger operation than arresting a few minor officials before!

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to Tongzhou.

Upon receiving the news, Huang Shih-chung immediately rushed to the Grand Tutor's residence.

"Grand Tutor, the fish has taken the bait!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Xun Huiming stroked his beard, a long-lost smile appearing on his face: "Good, pass down the order and have our men prepare."

"As soon as Yang Wei's men make a move, arrest them immediately on charges of 'framing' them!"

"Caught red-handed, let's see how he tries to recover!"

A grand spectacle seems to be about to unfold.

However, none of them noticed.

Just as Yang Wei was leading a large group of people, heading to Tongzhou.

A dozen or so men dressed as ordinary peddlers, pushing carts, quietly dispersed into Ping'an Lane in the west of the city.

Their target was a seemingly ordinary house deep in the alley—No. 3, Jia.

Tongzhou, located 30 miles east of Baizao City, is the first important port on the Grand Canal as it enters the Beijing area.

Led by Yang Wei, three hundred elite soldiers of the Yang Family Army, clad in iron armor, their hooves thundering, kicked up clouds of dust as they charged toward a large warehouse outside Tongzhou City with overwhelming force.

This warehouse was precisely the trap that Xun Huiming and Huang Shizhong had meticulously set up.

When Yang Wei and his men surrounded the warehouse, the news quickly spread back to Baizao.

In an instant, countless eyes were focused on this small Tongzhou warehouse.

Inside the Grand Tutor's mansion, Xun Huiming sat upright, sipping tea with a composed demeanor.

Huang Shih-chung paced back and forth in the hall, both excited and nervous.

"Grand Tutor, Yang Wei has already led his men in!" a disciple hurriedly reported.

"it is good."

Xun Huiming put down his teacup, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Have the men lying in ambush make their move! Remember, make sure they are caught red-handed!"

"Yes!"

……

Inside the Tongzhou warehouse.

Yang Wei kicked open the door and led dozens of elite soldiers inside.

However, what awaited them was neither the fierce resistance they had imagined, nor mountains of gold and silver treasures and ledgers of evidence of crimes.

The empty warehouse contained only some moldy grain and tattered cloth.

“General, this place… seems to be an empty warehouse,” a lieutenant stepped forward and said with a puzzled expression.

Yang Wei looked around and sneered.

Just then, a deafening shout and footsteps suddenly rang out outside the warehouse.

"Listen up, you people inside! You are surrounded!"

"How dare you trespass on a private residence and frame an official of the imperial court! Surrender immediately!"

Hundreds of soldiers armed with knives and guns surged in from all directions, completely surrounding the warehouse.

The one in the lead was the prefect of Tongzhou, a trusted confidant of Xun Huiming who had been placed there.

The prefect, with an upright demeanor, pointed at Yang Wei in the warehouse and shouted sternly, "Yang Wei! How dare you!"

"How dare you lead troops to storm the Chamber of Commerce's warehouse without any evidence!"

"Could it be that they intend to fabricate charges and frame loyal and virtuous officials?"

Behind him followed several officials dressed as imperial censors, who were clearly witnesses arranged by Xun Huiming in advance.

The spectacle and the dialogue—it's practically a grand drama.

Upon seeing this, Yang Wei's soldiers drew their weapons, their expressions tense.

Yang Wei waved his hand, signaling them to calm down.

He looked at the prefect of Tongzhou outside, and instead of being flustered, he revealed a playful smile.

"Prefect Wang, you've come at the perfect time," Yang Wei said loudly.

"This general is here on the orders of His Highness the Prince of Qin to investigate and seize evidence of the crimes committed by the Tongda Chamber of Commerce."

"What, is Prefect Wang trying to obstruct the investigation?"

"Nonsense!" Magistrate Wang shouted righteously.

"I saw with my own eyes that this warehouse is empty. What evidence is there?"

"You were clearly attempting something improper, and I caught you red-handed!"

"Guards! Seize all these lawless scoundrels!"

At a command, the soldiers outside surged forward.

However, just when the conflict was about to erupt and everyone thought Yang Wei had no chance of escape.

Yang Wei suddenly took something out of his pocket and held it high.

That was a token.

Yang Wei shouted, "Seeing this gold medal is like seeing the Emperor himself!"

"Prefect Wang, are you and your men planning a rebellion?"

Imperial Gold Medal!

Upon seeing the gold medal, Prefect Wang's face turned deathly pale.

The soldiers behind him were so frightened that they stopped in their tracks and knelt down.

They never dreamed that His Highness the Prince of Qin possessed the highest token bestowed by His Majesty, which allowed him to mobilize the garrison troops in the capital region!

Even some of the current Grand Secretaries don't have this!

Prefect Wang's legs went weak, and he knelt down as well, his whole body trembling like a leaf: "This...this humble official dares not!"

"This humble official was unaware that Your Highness possessed such a golden token... This humble official deserves to die!"

The scheme devised by Xun Huiming and Huang Shizhong was originally a flawless plan to catch the thief red-handed, but the appearance of this imperial gold medal instantly turned it into a farce.

"Dare not?" Yang Wei sneered and put away the gold medal.

"You seem quite bold, guards!"

"exist!"

"Arrest Wang, the prefect of Tongzhou, and these censors on the spot on charges of 'obstructing official business and plotting rebellion'!"

"Take him back to the Discipline Department and await His Highness's judgment!"

"Yes!"

Yang Wei's personal guards rushed forward like wolves and tigers, and tied up the already terrified Prefect Wang and his men tightly.

The mantis catches the cicada, and the oriole is behind.

……

West of Baizao City, in Ping'an Lane.

A dozen or so Yang family guards, disguised as peddlers, had silently taken control of every exit of the No. 3 Jia residence.

The head of the secret guards was Yang Wei's most capable deputy, and also Yang Tieshan, a member of the Yang family.

Yang Tieshan gave a hand gesture, and two bodyguards silently scaled the courtyard wall and opened the tightly closed back door from the inside.

The group quickly infiltrated.

The courtyard was quiet, with only a few maids and servants. They didn't even have time to scream before they fainted.

Yang Tieshan went straight to a secluded embroidery building in the backyard.

According to Zhou Quan's confession, this was the residence of Huang Shizhong's mistress, Liu, and also the place where he hid evidence of his crimes.

Pushing open the door to the boudoir, a faint scent of cosmetics wafted out.

A beautiful woman, still charming and graceful, was sitting by the window doing needlework when she saw the stranger suddenly barge in. She was startled at first, but quickly calmed down.

She was Lady Liu.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Madam Liu put down her needlework and asked coldly.

Yang Tieshan did not answer her, but instead gave a wink to his men behind him.

Two guards immediately stepped forward and began to search the room carefully.

Liu's expression changed. She stood up, wanting to stop him, but Yang Tieshan stopped her with his hand.

“Madam, we are acting under orders, please do not make a mistake,” Yang Tieshan said without room for argument.

Looking at the expressionless man before her, Liu felt a sense of foreboding.

Soon, one of the guards found a locked sandalwood box in a hidden compartment under the bed.

"Captain, we've found it!"

Yang Tieshan stepped forward and took the box.

He didn't have the key, and too lazy to look for it, so he simply pulled out a dagger from his waist and slashed at the lock.

With a "clang," the lock clicked shut.

Inside were stacks of neatly arranged letters and several ledgers with yellowed covers.

Yang Tieshan picked up a letter at random, unfolded it, and took a look.