Chapter 417: Commandery Duke Li's Fury

Under the night sky, the Wude Office seemed colder and more somber than usual, the three characters on its plaque appearing almost menacing. Inside the main hall, a tense atmosphere hung in the air. Two rows of pine-torch flames swayed in the light night breeze, while several Wude Office agents, intelligence officers, and guards on duty kept their distance, their gazes occasionally darting toward the hall.

At this moment, Hou Zan, the Capital District Director, knelt there in utter terror, trembling like a sieve, awaiting Li Shaoyou's judgment.

Li Shaoyou sat upright behind the hall's main desk, staring coldly at Hou Zan. His expression seemed calm enough, but it was precisely that calm that carried an even more dangerous aura.

"I truly overestimated myself, and I underestimated Wang Jingchong — and even more so, you, Hou Zan!" Li Shaoyou's tone was bitingly cold, his eyes sharp and intimidating: "In the Wude Office, you actually dared to collude with outsiders, deceiving your superiors and hoodwinking those below! Even I wouldn't dare do such a thing, yet you did! Are you truly ignorant of what death means? Do you not hold me, Li Shaoyou, in any regard?"

Hearing his rebuke and interrogation, Hou Zan was clearly frightened. He realized he had committed a grave taboo, and kowtowed repeatedly, hastily pleading guilty: "Commandery Duke, your subordinate was momentarily confused, his head clouded. That Zhang Jianxiong is on good terms with the Imperial Uncle. Regarding the Puzhou matter, the Imperial Uncle instructed me to temporarily withhold the report, saying he would inform Your Majesty himself. After all, he is the Imperial Uncle, and also your uncle, Commandery Duke. Your subordinate assumed..."

"Hahaha!" Hou Zan's explanation drew a long laugh from Li Shaoyou, who cut him off, stood up, and shook his head: "I originally took you for a capable man, one worth employing. But now it seems, bringing you into the Wude Office was summoning a calamity!"

Li Shaoyou's words made Hou Zan even more fearful. His forehead was already bleeding from kowtowing, and his voice was full of pleading: "Your subordinate admits his guilt! Please spare my life, Commandery Duke! Your subordinate will repay your kindness even in death!"

Walking to a few steps before Hou Zan, looking down at him kowtowing at his feet, Li Shaoyou said coldly: "Don't beg me! Your life is already forfeit! I need to give His Majesty an accounting, and you need to give me one too! It will take your life — and perhaps not just yours alone!"

At that point, Li Shaoyou suddenly erupted. He stepped forward and, using the momentum, viciously kicked Hou Zan. With a dull thud, he sent him sprawling, dazed and reeling.

Pointing at Hou Zan, who was groaning in pain, Li Shaoyou vented his fury harshly: "You fool, you've done great harm to my Wude Office!"

"Guards! Drag him out!" Li Shaoyou immediately called to the guards before the hall.

Seeing this, Hou Zan's face lost all color — the look of one fearing for his life, terrified to the extreme. Caring no longer about dignity, he shuffled forward on his knees, begging piteously: "Spare me, Commandery Duke! For the sake of my two years of diligent service and modest contributions, spare my life!"

At this moment, Li Shaoyou felt nothing but disgust for Hou Zan. He didn't spare him another glance, merely ordering the guards to throw him into the prison — the Wude Office's prison, that most vicious and cruel of places.

As he was dragged out of the hall, Hou Zan screamed hoarsely, pleading sorrowfully, but Li Shaoyou naturally turned a deaf ear. Yet his anger remained unassuaged, and he added one more instruction: "Cut out his tongue first..."

Soon, Li Shaoyou's ears finally found peace, and the hall grew even quieter, the atmosphere even colder.

After taking a few deep breaths, he finally called to the several Wude Office officials waiting before the hall: "All of you, come in."

The several subordinate heads of the Wude Office entered trembling with fear, respectfully awaiting orders.

Sweeping his gaze over them, Li Shaoyou's tone remained stern: "I have been too lenient with you all lately, which is why Hou Zan grew so bold and reckless, violating the rules of my Wude Office!"

Li Shaoyou paced about the hall, lecturing as he walked: "Let me remind you once more — the Wude Office is the Son of Heaven's personal army, the claws and fangs of His Majesty. Including myself, we are all His Majesty's hands, feet, ears, and eyes. Always remember your identity. Those like Hou Zan, who fail to recognize their place and think themselves clever, have only one road ahead — death!"

"We shall heed the Commandery Duke's teachings!" The group of heads responded in unison.

"This matter is not over!" Li Shaoyou's words kept them all on edge: "His Majesty is already extremely displeased with me and with the Wude Office this time! The entire Wude Office must be reorganized. From now on, throughout the Eastern Capital and beyond — especially the clerks and agents in the outer prefectures — investigate them all. From top to bottom, mutual examinations. Root out every rotten element who breaks the rules and clean them all out!"

"But..." One of the directors cautiously spoke up: "Such a large-scale operation might unsettle the entire Wude Office, and it would also inconvenience our brothers in carrying out their duties!"

"The Wude Office investigates others — but who investigates the Wude Office?" Li Shaoyou immediately lashed out: "Today in Chongzheng Hall, His Majesty asked me exactly that. What do you think I should have answered? Hm? If problems arise in the Wude Office and they are not resolved, does it even have a reason to exist?"

"Yes!" This time, none of them dared say another word, obediently accepting the orders.

"And one more thing!" His expression hardening, Li Shaoyou's cold gaze swept across the heads like a blade: "You are all men I promoted. Let me speak plainly before anything happens. If your hands are dirty, clean them up immediately. For anything you can't cover up, confess on your own and plead guilty — there may still be room to maneuver, and you might keep your life."

"This time, His Majesty is watching from above. I do not wish to reach the point of mobilizing the Wude Battalion! Consider this my final warning to you all!"

"Do you all understand?"

"Yes!"

"Dismissed!" Li Shaoyou waved his hand.

However, he still kept two personal agents behind — retainers of the Li family, men Li Shaoyou had personally trained.

After considering for a moment, Li Shaoyou instructed the two: "Investigate Wang Jingchong's people as well. If we're going to reorganize, let's do it thoroughly, with a major overhaul. Do I not know what sort of character his subordinates have?"

"But if we do that, Commandery Duke, wouldn't you be openly breaking with Deputy Commissioner Wang?"

"What is Wang Jingchong anyway, worthy of being compared to me?" Suddenly turning around, Li Shaoyou said contemptuously: "For the sake of power and profit, he doesn't even care about the interests of the Wude Office. People like him need to be taught pain — taught who the true master of the Wude Office is!"

"Besides, does he think this can strike at me? His Majesty is wise and deep — how could he be so easily manipulated?"

"I have no intention of enduring this any longer!"

As Li Shaoyou said this, a hint of cunning gleamed in his sinister eyes, signaling that another round of open and covert strife was about to unfold — one that might even engulf the entire Wude Office.

"That Hou Zan was, after all, a Director of the fifth rank. How should he be dealt with? If we simply kill him outright, it might not be appropriate." One of the personal agents, seeing Li Shaoyou lost in thought, sought his instruction.

Casting a faint sidelong glance at the man, Li Shaoyou said: "Gather some evidence of crimes, fabricate some charges — do I need to teach you that? Besides, the man deserves death many times over!"

"Your subordinate understands!"

His emotions gradually calming, Li Shaoyou regained his usual composure and ease, saying: "For the position of Capital District Director of the Wude Office, I will recommend one of you two."

A single promise filled the two men with delight, and as they looked at each other, their eyes simultaneously carried a hint of hostility.