CHAPTER 462: CHAPTER 462: COUNTERATTACK (PART 3)

There are six Imperial Censors in the Da Liang Court, and the unlucky Imperial Censor who was previously appointed as the Governor of Pingzhou was killed by bandits halfway. Among the remaining five Imperial Censors, it was Imperial Censor Jiang who was the youngest and most vigorous.

Imperial Censor Jiang had always been a sharp blade under Prime Minister Wang, and today, it finally came into use.

Jiao’s advisor understood clearly, respectfully acknowledged, and withdrew to make arrangements.

A few days later, at the grand court assembly, Imperial Censor Jiang submitted a memorial to impeach Minister Zheng of the Ministry of War, shocking the court and the public.

In the memorial, Imperial Censor Jiang’s words were sharp, angrily accusing Duke An of monopolizing the Ministry of War for personal gain and corruption, with clear and specific price tags for each level of military general positions. It was rampant with lower-ranked military generals buying positions with heavy bribes. The memorial even included a "price list."

Before the memorial was finished being read, Duke An’s face turned pale.

Only the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and two doctors of the Ministry of War knew about this price list. These three were his most trusted subordinates. Who betrayed him?

The answer was soon revealed. The Vice Minister of the Ministry of War calmly stood up, joining in the impeachment of his superior, Minister Zheng.

Duke An stared in disbelief at Vice Minister Hong, whom he had promoted himself, as if he had been stabbed in the chest.

Vice Minister Hong appeared righteous and open, passionately stating: "...Your Majesty, Minister Zheng has shown appreciation and promotion towards me. However, I am a subject of the Da Liang, loyal to Your Majesty, not to the Zheng Family. Over the years, Minister Zheng has been winning people over in the Ministry of War and manipulating power, even setting explicit prices for military positions. Military generals with real achievements have not been promoted, while those flattering and bribing with silver have been promoted."

"These filthy deeds, I have seen them all, and my heart is filled with indignation."

"Among the Six Ministries, the Ministry of War controls military power, such a significant power that it can almost contend with the Prime Minister. Your Majesty trusts Minister Zheng so much, yet Minister Zheng does these despicable things in private, considering Your Majesty as nothing. I am deeply distressed for Your Majesty."

"Today, I stand up and reveal everything I know. I sincerely request Your Majesty to rid the Da Liang of these flatterers and restore the Ministry of War to a place of integrity."

Just after Vice Minister Hong finished speaking, two more officials from the Ministry of War stood up and loudly supported the impeachment.

It didn’t matter anymore. The moment Vice Minister Hong stood up, Duke An had already lost.

He had served as Minister of the Ministry of War for several years, painstakingly cultivating and promoting trusted subordinates, only to have them turned against him... Or perhaps from the beginning, Vice Minister Hong was a pawn planted by Prime Minister Wang in the Ministry of War. For all these years, he had been completely unaware, always considering Vice Minister Hong as a confidant, which was simply the biggest joke.

With a defeated look, Duke An knelt trembling.

On the Dragon Throne, Emperor Taihe, these past days exhausted by the conflict between Grand Empress Dowager Zheng and Empress Dowager Li, observed this "spectacular" impeachment at the grand court assembly with a frosty expression, staring at Duke An’s face filled with chill: "Minister Zheng, is what Imperial Censor Jiang and Vice Minister Hong said true?"

Of course, it was true.

The Grand Empress Dowager, after all, was a woman, usually living in the depths of the palace. Matters of engaging in graft and partisan cliques in the court relied on Duke An to handle. He was making silver within the Ministry of War, but less than half ended up in his own hands, with the majority used to buy favor and try to win over courtiers...

The evidence was overwhelming, he couldn’t deny even if he wanted to.

Under Emperor Taihe’s angry and piercing gaze, Duke An shivered involuntarily, about to confess to his crimes, when a figure suddenly flashed from the Emperor’s side, swiftly kneeling: "Your Majesty, please quell your anger and listen to my words."

The familiar voice of the young man reached his ears, stirring the panic-stricken and confused Duke An into sudden clarity.

This young man was none other than Secretary Zheng Chen.

Zheng Chen had anticipated Prime Minister Wang’s counterattack, just not so quickly and ruthlessly.

The Zheng Family took action against Wang Yi, but they refrained from touching Prime Minister Wang. However, Prime Minister Wang’s move was as shocking as a stone shattering the sky. First Jingyang Palace, then drawing Empress Dowager Li into the issues, and now directly presenting solid evidence to impeach Duke An himself. One move after another, each one deadly!

There was no time to think; the urgent matter was to resolve the situation at hand.

"My father is utterly loyal to Your Majesty and would never do such things behind Your Majesty’s back," Zheng Chen raised his head, his words firm and resounding: "This must be someone deliberately slandering and framing my father."

At this moment, Duke An realized, quickly putting on a look of heartfelt devastation: "I have been incompetent in managing the Ministry of War, and such shocking incidents have occurred within it. I was completely unaware, deceived all this while. As the Minister of one department, I am so incompetent that I am ashamed of betraying Your Majesty’s trust."

With evidence concrete and undeniable, he could only first choose a scapegoat to shoulder the blame.

Without hesitation, Duke An immediately counterattacked, confronting Vice Minister Hong directly: "I trusted Vice Minister Hong greatly, entrusting many affairs of the Ministry of War to him. Vice Minister Hong used my name to privately sell positions and collect silver, all due to my failure to oversee and manage properly."

Vice Minister Hong smirked coldly in response: "Minister Zheng considers Your Majesty to be a child to be hoodwinked. With the buying and selling of positions in the Ministry of War, how could a mere Vice Minister like me have such capabilities? The entire court of civil and military officials is here, everyone with eyes as bright as snow. Does Minister Zheng think he can brush it aside with a few words of denial?"

Imperial Censor Jiang also snickered repeatedly: "At this point, Minister Zheng should confess and beg Your Majesty for leniency! Trying to deny it now, attempting to throw dirt onto Vice Minister Hong, how laughable."

As Duke An was about to speak, Zheng Chen had already spoken first to counterattack: "The content of Imperial Censor Jiang’s memorial seems to have come from Vice Minister Hong. I do not know when Imperial Censor Jiang and Vice Minister Hong became ’close friends’! Or, is there another person behind the scenes directing this, intending to smear Duke An’s Mansion through this matter?"

"There must be something fishy about this, please, Your Majesty, investigate clearly!"

Duke An also became agitated, calling out loudly: "I am completely loyal to Your Majesty, please discern, Your Majesty!"

Who is loyal, who is treacherous?

Who is the mastermind behind the scenes?

Who is disturbing the court, and who wants to drag him, the Emperor, into the quagmire?

With a face as dark as iron, Emperor Taihe looked at the faces of the steadfast-like ministers before him, suddenly overwhelmed with an indescribable nausea.

Emperor Taihe stood up abruptly, saying nothing, and left with a wave of his sleeve.

The assembled ministers were all stunned by the Emperor’s actions.

Imperial Censor Jiang and Vice Minister Hong were also shocked, quickly exchanging glances. What should they do now?

The knife that needed to be thrust has already been thrust, which satisfies the obligation to the Prime Minister.

No doubt. Such a big matter, the Emperor finds it hard to accept immediately. Once his temper cools, he will surely sternly punish Duke An.

Zheng Chen reached out to support Duke An, and as Duke An grabbed his son’s arm and stood up, he realized his legs were weak and without strength.

"I’ll accompany father to Zhaohai Palace and plead for forgiveness from the Emperor," Zheng Chen whispered.

The exhausted Duke An nodded.