Chapter 609: Chapter 609: Leverage

Wang Kun did not expect Meng Huai to confess so quickly. He glanced sideways at Mrs. Yan. He knew his wife well, always timid and weak. It seemed certain that someone had tipped her off.

With the account book in the hands of Her Majesty the Empress, he quickly thought of something.

Zhan Lan!

This Empress, who was once a main general, understood the principle of strategic deceit well.

Just now, he didn’t even see that Her Majesty the Empress was deceiving them!

When His Majesty mentioned exterminating the nine clans, Meng Huai panicked. Even though he embezzled five hundred thousand taels of silver, it wasn’t enough to warrant the extermination of nine clans.

Even if sentenced to death and his family property confiscated, there might still be a chance to leave some descendants.

Just a few words from His Majesty and Her Majesty caused Meng Huai to lose his composure.

Wang Kun glanced around, defending himself, “Indeed, I, a guilty minister, sent five hundred thousand taels of silver to Mr. Meng Huai from time to time. If not for Lord Prefect threatening me, I wouldn’t have extorted money from the commoners!”

“Wang Kun, you scoundrel! You were the one who first exploited the common people. You got me drunk and made me accept your money…”

Meng Huai stopped, for speaking further would reveal his secrets.

Wang Kun’s eyes darkened; he guessed that Meng Huai would not dare to continue.

Zhan Lan observed Wang Kun’s relatively calm demeanor. He was so composed; he must be holding something against Prefect Meng. This person was adept at shifting blame and clearing himself.

Faced with trouble, he didn’t panic like Prefect Meng did. He was bold enough; if he used his talents for the right path, he might have achieved something.

Such a pity, his twisted character was destined from a young age.

Zhan Lan privately met with Mrs. Yan last night. Mrs. Yan explained the reasons for Wang Kun’s brutality.

Wang Kun was born in a small village in Shuiyu City. His family was so poor they could hardly make ends meet. Before he was born, his father died of illness, and his mother became a widow.

They say there are always rumors about a widow’s door. As a child, he heard that his mother bore him through an illicit relationship with someone else.

Lately, his mother told him before she died, that not just one neighbor bullied her. They not only abused her but also spread rumors that she was a promiscuous woman.

If not for his mother enduring to raise him and send him to school, she would have ended her own life long ago.

The surrounding neighbors despised him, so he studied hard day and night.

Later, he left the village, earned his scholarly honor, and found ways to catch the attention of Mrs. Yan’s father, eventually becoming the County Magistrate of Shuiyu City.

Afterward, everyone in that village died of the plague. But Mrs. Yan suspected that Wang Kun orchestrated it, thinking it aligns with his abnormal childhood nature.

Zhan Lan understood Wang Kun’s motives. A beggar doesn’t often envy the rich, but he certainly envies another beggar with more wealth.

The coward when angry draws his sword against the weaker.

However he was bullied, once he gained power, he sought revenge a hundredfold, a thousandfold.

Even innocent people became his outlets for venting his rage.

Wang Kun stared darkly at the ground. He knew he was doomed. At this point, he only hoped to drag more people down with him. If he couldn’t have it good, neither could others.

“Meng Huai, what hold does Wang Kun have on you?” Mu Yan asked coldly.

His Majesty discovered it!

Meng Huai dared not hide it anymore. He stammered, “Your Majesty, the guilty minister got drunk that night and accidentally slept beside Wang Kun’s concubine. But now I think it was definitely a trap set by Wang Kun!”

If he hadn’t wronged the concubine, feeling guilty, how else would he turn a blind eye to Wang Kun’s actions? Wang Kun just wanted to drag him down too.

The common people were outraged!

It turned out that County Magistrate Wang had long sent women and silver to Lord Prefect. No wonder the letters Mr. Liu’s family sent to the Prefect went unanswered—they were already in cahoots!

Wang Kun, as calm as ever, looked at Meng Huai. Now they were both grasshoppers tied on one rope. Dragging down a prefect before dying was still a gain.

Mu Yan pronounced each word deliberately, “Wang Kun, oppressing the people, injuring the County Magistrate, killing to silence witnesses, kidnapping and threatening, killing an entire village, extinguishing Mr. Liu’s family…”

With each crime His Majesty listed, Wang Kun broke into a cold sweat, realizing that His Majesty knew all of his crimes.

The people were emotionally tumultuous. They wanted to shout and kill Wang Kun, but they didn’t dare.

Mu Yan’s cold gaze gradually landed on Prefect Meng, “These are all heinous acts! Wang Kun deserves to die a hundred times, yet you, Prefect Meng, deserve no less! You condoned and concealed, letting Wang Kun reign oppressively for years!”

“Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me!” Meng Huai prostrated on the ground, weeping bitterly. Who would have thought of this day? Had he known, he wouldn’t have drunk with Wang Kun at any cost, leaving a hold for Wang Kun.

Zhao Yueji, upon hearing the news, also came. Listening in the crowd to her affairs with Prefect Meng, hearing of Wang Kun’s crimes and her family’s impending doom, she fainted on the spot.

Governor Zhang’s cold sweat drenched him. Right under his nose, these two had carried out such deeds, and he, the governor, remained ignorant.

Governor Zhang knelt again on the ground, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have failed in my duties, not discovering the collusion between the two, allowing them to commit so many misdeeds. I ask Your Majesty for punishment.”

Mu Yan’s voice was devoid of any warmth, “Governor dereliction of duty, demotion to prefect, pending further observation!”

Just now, Governor Zhang felt a chill on his neck. But now he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. With His Majesty’s character, not killing him but demoting him was a tremendous grace.

Governor Zhang’s eyes reddened, “This minister is grateful for the imperial grace, and will surely do my utmost to protect the people in one region.”

Zhan Lan watched Governor Zhang’s body tremble, lips quivering. Governor Zhang missed the signs but was otherwise a decent official. If all were punished harshly, it would just cause panic among the court officials.

If not demoted, it would only condone laissez-faire attitudes.

Mu Yan’s decision to demote but observe was most fitting.

Zhang Qi, slumped beside his wheelchair, was finally scared, having chosen the wrong person, having sided with County Magistrate Wang.

Now, turning back was probably too late.

“No need to debate Wang Kun and Meng Huai’s execution further. Her Majesty the Empress has shown mercy, allowing Mrs. Yan to become a nun. The rest are left to the new County Magistrate to handle.”

Mrs. Yan wept with gratitude, kneeling and kowtowing to Zhan Lan. She wished for nothing more in life, only to accompany the Buddha’s light to atone for the Wang Family’s wrongdoings and thus end her wretched life.

Meng Huai wept silently. Wang Kun’s face turned paler; futile to argue. He would die, in the Shuiyu City where he had lorded over for years.

Mu Yan looked at Zhou Shiyue, “Zhou Shiyue and son, come with me and the Empress back to the imperial city.”

Zhou Shiyue and his son were puzzled. What did His Majesty want them to do in the imperial city?