Chapter 126

"Lord Dai, the Marquis of Chang'an accuses you of shielding your fellow officials. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I am wronged, Your Majesty. Yesterday, the common people brought the Magistrate of Chang'an to me. However, the victim was the Magistrate's own son, who had been strangled. I compared the fingerprints and found that the killer's fingers were larger than the Magistrate's, so I released him. The investigation is still ongoing."

Dai Zhou spoke with gravity. He possessed an extraordinary gift for forensic investigation; by merely comparing the prints and questioning the details of the crime, he had concluded that the Magistrate was not the culprit.

"Absurd! To rule out a suspect based solely on mere fingerprints? Yesterday, the victim's mother cried out that the heavens were unjust and dashed her head against a pillar in her own home. How does the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court account for this?"

The Magistrate's wife had indeed committed suicide. It was not a plot orchestrated by Cai Cong; she had smashed her skull against a pillar in full view of the crowd.

"How could this be?" Dai Zhou was struck dumb, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Hmph. Your judgment was reckless. You released a suspect without satisfying the victim's family. You all hold high office, but she was a weak woman who lost all hope. What choice had she but to die?"

Cai Cong spoke with righteous indignation, though inwardly he was lamenting why no one had stepped forward yet.

"It was my oversight. I beg for punishment. However, the Magistrate is truly not the murderer. It is my fault for releasing him without providing evidence to convince the victim's kin."

Dai Zhou looked utterly dejected. He had not expected such an outcome, and it shook him to his core.

"In that case, the Chief Justice shall forfeit six months of salary and receive ten strokes of the cane as a warning to others. Let this matter end here." Li Shimin delivered his verdict, sensing an undercurrent of something sinister and wishing to nip it in the bud.

"I obey your decree!" the two men replied in unison. While Dai Zhou was distracted, Cai Cong felt a sense of frustration. He had calculated everything, but he had underestimated Li Shimin’s intervention. Since no one had revealed themselves, he still had no idea who was pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"Stop bowing. Since you are here, I shall restore your official position. I have finally realized that you are a man who simply cannot sit still."

Li Shimin spoke casually, but many in the court frowned as they heard this. Feng Zhidai’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head in shock.

The tone the Emperor used with the boy was like that of casual conversation. Was this youth’s standing truly so extraordinary?

"Your Majesty, I must protest! This is absolutely forbidden. The Marquis of Chang'an is impulsive, quick to kill, and uses the threat of mutual destruction to get his way. He is hardly fit for such a heavy responsibility."

No sooner had Li Shimin finished than someone stepped forward—an official from the Ministry of War. Before the Emperor could reply, a steady stream of officials stepped out, holding their tablets, opposing the granting of authority to Cai Cong.

"I petition Your Majesty to strip the national traitor Cai Cong of his title! The boy is bloodthirsty by nature; the clans of Shandong are still weeping blood today, all because of Cai Cong's senseless slaughters."

When Lu Ben’an of the Lu clan called for the revocation of Cai Cong's title, all the officials spoke in unison, demanding the Emperor strip him of his rank.

Li Shimin’s face turned livid as he looked at his ministers. Aside from high-ranking officials like Fang Xuanling, Li Gang, and Li Jing, who remained still, the fourth and fifth-rank officials were all kneeling on the ground.

"You... are you trying to force the Emperor's hand?" Li Shimin asked, his eyes reddening, his voice dropping to a low growl. Cai Cong felt a bit lost; so much for searching for the mastermind—they were everywhere.

"We dare not, Your Majesty!"

"I see nothing you dare not do. Hear my decree: Cai Cong, Marquis of Chang'an, is appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel to oversee this year's official evaluations."

As Li Shimin’s words fell, the color drained from the faces of those present. Lu Ben’an removed his official cap and said, "I petition to retire to my home village."

"We petition to retire to our home villages," the kneeling officials chimed in. The hall was in an uproar; this was a blatant attempt to force the Emperor! Li Shimin was caught in a dilemma. A vast empire could not be managed by the Emperor alone; it relied on these very officials to govern.

"I petition Your Majesty to purge the court of evil influences! The demon-child Cai Cong is a monster in human skin. If he is not removed, he will surely bring ruin to the nation."

Lu Ben’an wore a triumphant smile as he spoke. *Cai Cong, didn't you claim you weren't Chao Cuo? Today, we shall purge the court of your influence.*

For this moment, the seven great clans had been plotting since the drought in Shandong. They had repeatedly submitted memorials to impeach Cai Cong, only to have Li Shimin suppress them. They had no choice but to force Cai Cong to walk right into their trap.

Just as the hall fell into a heavy silence, the sound of a long blade being unsheathed cut through the air. Everyone turned to look, only to see Cai Cong pull a *mo* blade from a guard’s scabbard. He stood there, blade in hand, right behind Lu Ben’an.

"No!"

"You young wretch, how dare you?"

Li Shimin shouted in alarm, and the other officials rose in fury. Lu Ben’an turned around, only to see a flash of cold, blinding light. The blade struck his throat, lodging firmly.

Cai Cong was splattered with blood. He cast a wicked, enchanting gaze over the room before kicking Lu Ben’an’s corpse aside. He knelt on the ground and said, "When I was in Shandong, I said that I am not Chao Cuo, and Your Majesty is not Emperor Jing of Han. These men claim to be purging the court of evil, but in truth, they are holding the Emperor hostage. I beg Your Majesty to allow me to wipe out the clans of these treacherous ministers. Even if I must suffer divine retribution, I am willing to slaughter them all for your sake."

Cai Cong pulled the blade from Lu Ben’an's neck and stared at the officials like a bloodthirsty beast. Every person he looked at felt a wave of cold panic.

Li Shimin watched the scene in the hall with a blank expression. He neither stopped Cai Cong nor sanctioned his actions; he simply watched.

Fang Xuanling and the others remained silent. The actions of these men had thoroughly enraged Li Shimin. As his lifelong subordinates, they knew him too well.

At a time like this, he would never back down. Cai Cong had correctly gambled on this, which was why he had dared to strike.

Dragging the blade, Cai Cong walked step by step toward the nearest official. History had veered off course; the history books had not told him how to resolve this, but Cai Cong told himself he would not sit idly by and wait for his end.

Cai Cong drew closer, the blood on his face dripping from his chin onto the floor. He paid no mind, staring at the official with the cold, predatory gaze of a butcher eyeing a pig.

No matter how the official retreated or threatened, Cai Cong pressed on relentlessly. Finally, as Cai Cong raised his blade, the official could take it no longer. He collapsed to his knees, wailing to Li Shimin, "I am guilty, Your Majesty! I beg for your punishment!"

Cai Cong turned to the others. He would kill any who did not kneel. Under the threat of the long blade, the officials knelt one by one, bowing their heads in submission.

The Emperor could not slaughter them all, but Cai Cong had been pushed to the edge; he was like a mad dog, ready to kill anyone in his path.

Seeing the officials kneeling once more, Li Shimin let out a long, slow breath. Had he not been willing to sacrifice Cai Cong, he would have had to break with the powerful families entirely.

"The Lu clan incited the court, under the guise of purging the Emperor's side to force your hand. They harbor treacherous intent. I petition Your Majesty to execute the entire Lu clan."

Cai Cong looked up at Li Shimin, his expression ferocious. By now, he and the great families were locked in a death struggle; he would not let a single opportunity slip by.

Li Shimin remained silent for a long time. While everyone wondered what he was thinking, he finally spoke: "This matter was surely the work of Lu Ben’an alone. I believe the Lu clan is loyal to the Great Tang. However, should there be any further transgressions, I shall execute their nine clans. Dismissed!"

Li Shimin’s words were filled with boundless, murderous intent—the wrath of a true dragon from the heavens. No one doubted he was serious; the rage of an emperor could leave a million dead.

The officials left the Taiji Palace, their hearts pounding with the joy of surviving a disaster, casting fearful glances at Cai Cong as they retreated. Fang Xuanling and the others looked at Cai Cong with complex expressions; they admired his decisiveness and keen instincts, yet shook their heads at his recklessness.