Chapter 332: Slaughter

Prime Minister's Mansion Front

The corpses of numerous Black-Clad Guard death warriors were scattered about; before the grand mansion, two figures appeared unhurriedly, wherever they passed lightning streaked across the sky, and in an instant beneath the lightning's glow, figures turned into charred corpses.

Prime Minister Li Yan had been refusing visitors these past days, daring not to lightly involve himself in troubles, and was also awaiting news from the Dongshen Observatory.

Yet now he had no choice but to step forward; behind him stood many young men and women, and the household's female relatives looked anxiously outward.

The next moment, the great gate exploded apart in a flash of lightning.

This sight caused the faces of those within the courtyard to change color.

The two figures slowly stepped forward; Li Yan in the center wore an embarrassed expression, his face grim as he watched this scene, standing before his many children.

Among the two figures, a handsome youth in purple robes gazed coldly at Li Yan, smiling faintly:

"Li Yan, Prime Minister Li?!"

His countenance was handsome, his spirit inwardly restrained, possessing both yin softness and yang strength, his eyes long and narrow, yet extraordinarily icy.

Li Yan maintained composure on his face, though fear still lingered in his eyes:

"Who are you, daring to trespass my Prime Minister's mansion?"

Liu Xin's gaze fell upon this Prime Minister Li, and she suddenly laughed: "Prime Minister Li, the current emperor's great undertaking remains unfinished, he collapsed midway—this is the misfortune of Great Qian, yet a state cannot go a day without a ruler; we all believe the ruler is young and the state doubtful, the state relies on an elder monarch—Prime Minister Li, what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan's face sank; the anger on his usually grim visage flared slightly, he merely glanced at the two and immediately said nothing.

He waited silently for Liu Xin's continuation.

Liu Xin, however, would not indulge him; with a wave of her hand, a stream of light enveloped a young man behind him.

She flung him aside, and he spat out blood!

Seeing this, the elderly woman beside Li Yan changed expression.

"Rui'er!"

Liu Xin, seeing this, coldly laughed, her gaze fixed on Li Yan, pressing: "Prime Minister Li, is it so?"

Li Yan, seeing this, glanced once, his face grim, yet he coldly laughed.

"State your purpose plainly; there's no need to use my family as a shield!"

Liu Xin, hearing this, chuckled lightly: "Prime Minister Li truly is a straightforward person; this palace believes Zheng Wang is the late emperor's legitimate son, intelligent from youth, rarely lacking in virtuous fame, and as a feudal prince, he guards his fief and benefits the land..."

Before she could finish, Li Yan coldly laughed and interrupted.

"Rarely virtuous, benefiting the land? How could I hear that this foolish king, upon reaching his fief, neglects governance, indulges in wine and women, nightly revelry, while the people are extorted of their fat and beauty, resentment filling the roads—such foolish and muddled princes ought long ago to be stripped of their titles and reduced to commoners; how dare they covet the great treasure?"

As he spoke on, Li Yan's face grew ever more furious, and then he added:

"And now the emperor has passed; according to Great Qian rites, an adult crown prince should inherit the throne; Emperor Jingwu in life also had several adult sons..."

He wished to say more, but then saw invisible icy qi flying through the void, and in an instant the entire courtyard's people were turned into ice sculptures.

Ziyuan Daoist, standing nearby, frowned slightly at this sight, while Liu Xin coldly laughed.

"All are stubborn and senseless; since it is so, this palace shall send them to meet Emperor Jingwu!"

Liu Xin now brimmed with killing intent; this scene reminded her of the countless Shu state ministers slain in years past.

Then she was powerless to change things; today she can let Great Qian's upper and lower run red with blood!

Ziyuan Daoist's expression remained calm; he was sent by the Golden Light Holy Mother to assist Liu Xin, naturally taking her as leader.

"Holy Maiden, where to next?"

"The Censor-in-Chief's Mansion!"

Liu Xin's eyes held a cold laugh: "This palace wishes to see just how much blood of Great Qian's senior ministers can still be shed!"

……

At the Zhuang family gate, as thunder rumbled repeatedly, accompanied by the fall of several Black-Clad Guard heavenly martial artists beneath Ziyuan Daoist's finger, moments later the entire Zhuang family mansion was instantly leveled to flat ground.

Liu Xin emerged from within, her face filled with yin chill.

Compared to Li Yan, Zhuang Ying, this Censor-in-Chief, displayed even greater resolve, even hurling abuse at her—Liu Xin could not tolerate it.

"Junior Sister, is the third destination the Grand Marshal's Mansion?"

Ziyuan Daoist looked toward Liu Xin.

Liu Xin slightly shook her head.

"The third is the Minister of Justice Wang Yan!"

Facing Ziyuan Daoist's surprised expression, she spoke calmly:

"Minister of Justice Wang Yan, this Minister of Justice oversees Great Qian's criminal law; though the scholar-officials' voices are not high, he is still one of the Nine Ministers, wielding great influence, and shares lineage with Tai Wang Wang Huan; if we gain his support, perhaps we can sway that Wang Tai Marshal, smoothing the path for Zheng Wang's succession!"

Her aim is not to slaughter all of Great Qian's civil and military ministers, but to control the court, so as to uphold Zheng Wang.

If all were slain, other princes might well stir restlessly.

"Ah, so that's it!"

Ziyuan Daoist said it mattered not.

The two did not know that, in the dark, another gaze had long been fixed upon them.

In the void above, Zhang Jian gazed indifferently at this scene.

The life or death of Prime Minister Li Yan and Censor-in-Chief Zhuang Ying, he could disregard.

Prime Minister Li Yan and Censor-in-Chief Zhuang Ying are both loyalists of Great Qian, deathly loyal to the imperial house; even if he and the Censor-in-Chief share a slight connection, should the Zhang family show any oddity, they would surely turn against each other, leaving behind hatred—better to let these two senior ministers leave with the good name of 'dying loyal to the state.'

But Minister of Justice Wang Yan cannot be allowed; this man has already influenced a portion of court officials, become his political ally and supporter; a slight push later, he could become a 'senior minister' in the Zhang faction, naturally not to be touched by others.

……

The Minister of Justice's mansion lies not far from Yujing Street; the disturbance at the Prime Minister's mansion has already reached the Wang family's ears, putting the Wang household upper and lower in a state of alarm.

Just then, sudden thunderous rumbles came from outside the Wang mansion.

Along with cries of killing and wails of misery.

"They're here!"

In the hall, Wang Wan's face was slightly pale, and beside him, Wang Xiao was still dressed in plain white.

This was the plain attire created during the state funeral; his expression was also somewhat tense.

"Come on, Xiao'er, let's go meet the 'expert' outside!"

Wang Wan also knew that waiting idly would achieve nothing, so he directly patted the hand of the lady beside him, straightened his purple official robe, adjusted the hat on his head, and slowly walked out of the courtyard. Seeing this, the people, though afraid, slowly followed him out.

But upon entering the courtyard, there was now an additional person present.

Seeing this figure, Wang Wan's face froze in surprise, while Wang Xiao behind him had her eyes light up brightly.

"Teacher!"

Zhang Jian, seeing Wang Xiao's excited expression, nodded slightly, then turned his gaze toward the front gate.

At that moment, the vermilion great doors collapsed, and two figures stepped forward. Liu Xin and Ziyuan Daoist also saw Zhang Jian standing in the courtyard, and their expressions immediately became solemn.

At this moment, Liu Xin spoke first, her beautiful and noble jade-like countenance bearing a hint of sigh as she spoke.

"Zhang Xueshi, you should not have come to this place!"