CHAPTER 675: CHAPTER 675: REMOVE THE OFFICIAL ROBE, LET ME SEE

Song Zhiyuan did not rest according to Emperor Chu’s considerate advice and went to the morning assembly the next day, nodding in acknowledgment in response to the officials’ concerned gazes.

Naturally, there were also those who impolitely insinuated that Song Zhiyuan had many enemies and could encounter an assassination attempt even at court.

Then, as things turned out, Prime Minister Song, in a display of righteousness, stated, "I am willing to lay down my life for our Great Qing Country. Those corrupt vermin eroding our Great Qing’s sovereignty deserve to die. Even if I provoke their retaliatory assassinations, I will eradicate them entirely, restoring our Great Qing to a pristine state."

Such resolute words, of course, greatly impressed Emperor Chu, who enthusiastically praised, "Prime Minister Song is indeed my pillar of support."

Meanwhile, the official who had dared to speak out was left exasperated, realizing that Prime Minister Song was adept at flattery, yet he dared not voice his discontent anymore, as the Emperor’s admonishment had arrived.

Military generals and soldiers can still risk their lives for the stability of Great Qing, willingly going to the battlefield to protect the country.

If a civil servant, out of fear of reprisal from those wealthy or powerful, turns a blind eye to the suffering and exploitation of the common people or colludes with them, then he is unworthy to serve, and would be better off resigning his post to live idly.

In just a short admonishment, the military officials stood proudly, full of righteous and formidable arrogance, looking down on their cowardly civil counterparts.

Humph, just a bunch of weaklings who only know how to criticize, terrified of death, unlike us loyal and honest folks you call uncouth brutes.

We’re not afraid of death.

If anyone dares to retaliate, we’ll kill them one by one, bring a pair and we’ll kill them both.

The civil officials, having been subtly reprimanded by Emperor Chu, quickly knelt to profess their loyalty, while the outspoken official was sweating profusely, receiving numerous disdainful glares.

Your ass is done for, serves you right for standing out, if your superior isn’t removed, I’ll take your name.

...

Yangxin Hall.

Emperor Chu asked Song Zhiyuan to remove his official robes.

Song Zhiyuan: "..."

He was wrong for being loyal, and now he’s told to remove his official robes?

"What are you thinking? I just want to see how serious your injuries are," Emperor Chu still showed concern for him, as the man didn’t look well.

Song Zhiyuan replied, "How could I sully the Emperor’s eyes? They are merely flesh wounds that will heal with care."

Emperor Chu frowned.

Eunuch Zhou laughed at this moment, "Your Majesty, if Prime Minister Song truly obeyed and removed his robes, as soon as he left this hall, it’s likely the Imperial Censor would impeach him for misconduct before Your Majesty."

Song Zhiyuan cupped his hands towards Eunuch Zhou to express his thanks.

Emperor Chu awkwardly said, "Very well, do not push yourself too hard; I still have need of you."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I have been leading a health-conscious lifestyle early on." Drinking goji chrysanthemum tea daily, and now even learning from his mother by drinking cordyceps water.

Emperor Chu nodded and brought up serious matters, "Has the origin of the assassin been discovered?"

Song Zhiyuan straightened his expression and coldly snorted, "They are the diehard loyalists of the Wan Family of salt merchants from ten years ago. It was unexpected that even after the Wan Family had their three major clans erased and were exiled to the frontier, there are still those loyal to them."

Ten years ago, the Wan Family of salt merchants, insatiably greedy, repeatedly crossed Emperor Chu’s bottom line. Just then, due to military reforms, the national treasury was indeed empty, so Emperor Chu and Song Zhiyuan, after some discussion, decided to take down the wealthy Wan Family.

Eradicating three clans, beheading over a hundred people, exiling the rest to the frontier, and now they could make a comeback?

"Who could possibly be assisting the Wan Family?"

Upon hearing this, Song Zhiyuan’s expression turned somewhat peculiar. He touched his nose and said, "The Wan Family has a son named Ziliang, fourteen this year, whose beauty rivals that of a delicate lady, and he has become a confidant of the Tajik Tribe’s Atu Grand Princess."

Emperor Chu: "..."

That Grand Princess, isn’t she over fifty?