Chapter 476: Just a small Magistrate of Wannian!

Chen Yan's gaze was like a torch, his sharp vision as if to pierce through Yuwen Ang's arrogance. He shook his head slowly, his tone condensing like iron, carrying thick mockery: "One 'lowly person' after another, Prince Qiao, you really have such great prestige!"

Before the words fell, he took half a step forward, his robes hunting in the wind, his volume suddenly raised, every word clanging powerfully: "Those people who were forced to break up their families, sell their children, and couldn't live on because of your greed and your Detai Money Shop are the people of my Great Zhou, the people of His Majesty, and the foundation of the country!"

Yuwen Ang's mouth hooked into a sneer, the disdain in his eyes almost overflowing, as if Chen Yan's words were just nonsense in his ears, slowly spitting out four words: "Just lowly people!"

He looked up at the sky, his expression arrogant to the extreme, speaking with justification: "Not even as good as the wild grass by the roadside. Even if they all died, Great Zhou would still be Great Zhou!"

Old You lay on the ground, hurriedly echoing loudly following Yuwen Ang's words, his voice carrying fawning urgency: "The Prince is absolutely right! Those lowly people being able to contribute to the Prince and Detai Money Shop, being able to make the Prince feel comfortable, is the blessing they cultivated for eight lifetimes! They deserve to die!"

Fearing he would flatter the wrong horse, he kowtowed again and added: "Being able to borrow the Prince's silver and work for the Prince, even if the family is broken, is their honor!"

Hearing this, Yuwen Ang's brows relaxed a bit, and the gaze looking at Old You carried obvious commendation, nodding slowly.

That look seemed to be saying "You are sensible," instantly making Old You's heart burst with joy, his back subconsciously straightening a bit, feeling more and more that he had bet right.

A flash of helplessness crossed Chen Yan's face, and he let out a turbid breath slowly. His voice was deep, carrying a hint of heartache: "Prince Qiao, water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it!"

Before the words fell, his gaze suddenly became fierce, questioning righteously, his volume making the fallen leaves in the courtyard fly: "You rely on your power to bully others, extort without limit, and treat the lives of the people like grass—could it be that you want to force the people of Chang'an into a dead end, rise up, and throw the world into chaos before you are satisfied?!"

Old You stood up fiercely, patted the dust on his lapel, the corners of his mouth hooking into an arrogant mocking smile, stiffening his neck, and shouting loudly with justification: "If the lowly people dare to rebel, just suppress them!"

His eyes were fierce, raising his hand to make a slashing motion, his tone extremely ruthless, "Kill until they dare not have thoughts of rebellion!"

Rebellion? Are a group of lowly people worthy!

If they dare to have thoughts of rebellion, the Prince has plenty of soldiers and generals, just send troops to suppress them!

Kill a batch, scare a batch, kill until they kneel and beg for mercy, kill until they never dare to have half a different heart again!

By then, whatever the Prince says, they will listen to!

Yuwen Ang raised his chin, his neck slightly lifted, like a master looking down on all living beings, his gaze full of high arrogance engraved in his bone marrow.

He paced forward slowly, the purple python robe sweeping across the ground, bringing up a cold wind, his tone cold as the ice prisms of the twelfth lunar month: "Great Zhou is the Great Zhou of my Yuwen clan. Is it your turn, Chen Yan, to point fingers here?"

In Yuwen Ang's view, those lowly people were just like firewood that was useless except for starting a fire, cheap to the point of being unable to be cheaper...

Really don't know why Chen Yan, a dignified Duke, Upper Pillar of State, cares so much about the lowly people and cares so much about their lives?

A flash of amusement quickly crossed Yuwen Ze's eyes, a faint smile hanging on his lips, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a solemn expression.

He took half a step forward, his tone carrying a hint of "kind" persuasion, his voice not high but clearly audible: "Uncle Prince Qiao, it is better to be cautious in words and deeds!"

After a pause, he continued: "Some words are not what you can say, and some people are not what you can afford to offend!"

This seemed to be persuasion, but it was actually stimulation adding fuel to the fire.

Yuwen Ang's brows frowned slightly, his face full of impatience and mockery. Following Yuwen Ze's words, he pointed at Chen Yan, his fingertips trembling as if to poke into the air, his tone contemptuous to the extreme: "The one you refer to that this Prince cannot afford to offend wouldn't be this Duke of Wei, right?"

He sneered, his gaze scanning Chen Yan up and down, as if looking at some worthless object, his face full of undisguised contempt: "He is no longer the Mingjing Si Supervisor, and even less the red man in front of the Grand Tutor!"

After a pause, the corners of his mouth hooked into a provocative smile, his thumb pinching his little finger, mocking: "Just a small Magistrate of Wannian!"

Chen Yan, who once held the Mingjing Si, was truly someone to be feared. Even though he was noble, he had to smile and curry favor.

But now that he had been stripped of everything and became a Magistrate as small as could be, it was clear that he had lost the Grand Tutor's favor!

Then did he still need to be put in his eyes?

Wasn't it just wanting to step on him whenever he wanted?

"???"

Yin Shizhi, standing in the shadows behind Chen Yan, had his brows twisted into a knot, his face full of big question marks, his eyeballs almost popping out.

He even subconsciously straightened his back. Clearly wearing a dark embroidered clothes of a Mirror Keeper, he stood in a conspicuous place, but Yuwen Ang didn't sweep a glance at him from beginning to end.

Yin Shizhi's heart was shocked with stormy waves, muttering to himself: "I am such a big person standing here, he can't see me?!"

He rubbed his lapel with his fingertips, increasingly unable to believe, "This Prince Qiao doesn't know that my Lord just lost the title of Supervisor, but still holds the power of the Mingjing Si?!"

At a certain moment, Yin felt that this Prince Qiao was not only arrogant but also unusually stupid...

Really thinking that his own Lord was having a discord with the Grand Tutor and was severely demoted?

And, just looking at that arrogant battle just now, I don't know if people would mistakenly think that the one holding the power in the court was him, Yuwen Ang...

"Exactly!"

Old You seemed to have found a new target for mockery. He hurriedly took two steps forward, a fawning smile plastered on his face, and echoed loudly toward Yuwen Ang: "A mere magistrate of Wannian, what kind of airs are you putting on, what kind of act are you playing!"

Having said that, he turned fiercely to look at Chen Yan, the corners of his mouth hooking into a mean sneer, his tone carrying deliberate difficulty: "Huaiyuan Ward and Guiyi Ward are under the jurisdiction of Chang'an County, and are not under the jurisdiction of your Wannian County!"

Old Jiang also hurriedly helped, dragging out his tone sarcastically: "Isn't it! The hand is really not generally long!"

The two sang in harmony, their eyes full of provocation, clearly now that they had their own Prince to support them, they wanted to find back all the humiliation just now.

Chen Yan suddenly laughed, his smile as gentle as a spring breeze, yet his eyes and brows revealed a bone-chilling coldness.

He looked at the clown-like faces of Old You and the other two, seeing that the heat was enough, his lips parted slightly, slowly spitting out two words: "Cut them!"

"Yes." Zhu Yi, who was behind him, responded and moved, his dark-colored robe darting out like a ghost.

Yuwen Ang was still frowning in place, muttering full of confusion: "What does he want to cut?"

Before the words fell, two shrill "Ah—" pierced the silence of the courtyard!

When Zhu Yi's sword left its sheath, it only brought a cold light, so fast that people couldn't see the trajectory.

First, a sword accurately pierced Old You's throat, fresh blood spraying out, staining the blue stone slabs in front of him red.

Immediately after, his wrist turned, the sword light flashed again, and Old Jiang's head had already fallen to the ground at the sound, rolling to Yuwen Ang's feet, his eyes still wide open and full of terror.

The personal guards brought by Yuwen Ang had their pupils shrinking, their hands pressing on the knife handles but couldn't react in time, only watching the two lives vanish in an instant.

Jiang Rui was scared until his whole body went soft, pointing at the rolling head, his lips trembling and making a broken exclamation: "Old You! Old Jiang!"

The blood on his face faded, leaving only fear deep into the bone marrow, his legs softening and he was about to kneel to the ground.

Eight personal guards woke up from a dream, pulling their knives out of their sheaths fiercely, the "clang" sound piercing the silence, instantly protecting Yuwen Ang behind them, their expressions vigilant to the extreme.

Yuwen Ang stared at the head with wide eyes at his feet, then looked at the corpse with blood gushing from its throat. The blood on the blue stone slabs spread along the texture, stinging his pupils to shrink.

The previous arrogance and rage all turned into terror. His whole body trembled slightly, reaching out to point at Chen Yan, his voice trembling out of tune: "Chen... Chen Yan, you actually dare to kill in front of this Prince!"

"Really bold and daring!"

At this moment, his chest heaved violently, his eyes full of unbelievable horror.

Yuwen Ang had never thought that Chen Yan, who had already lost his power and only had titles and titles, would still dare to be so unscrupulous?!

Even, ordering his subordinates to kill people without hesitation, not even blinking an eye...

Chen Yan put his hands behind his back, smiled indifferently, took half a step forward, and asked calmly: "Prince Qiao, just now you admitted that Detai Money Shop is your industry, right?"

Yuwen Ang's chest puffed out, although terror still remained in his eyes, he still forcibly supported the face of an Imperial Prince, admitting frankly: "That's right!"

Hearing this, Chen Yan nodded slowly, the smile at the corners of his mouth deepening, "That's good!"

"Good what good!"

Yuwen Ang clenched his fists fiercely, forcibly suppressing the surging fear in his heart, placing his hand heavily on the shoulder of the personal guard beside him. That touch gave him a bit of confidence. He took a deep breath, pretending to be calm and shouting sharply, "Chen Yan, you must give this Prince a reasonable explanation today!"

"Otherwise, this Prince will not be finished with you!"

Chen Yan waved his hand, his sleeves drawing a clean arc, ordering loudly: "Take Prince Qiao!"

"Obey!"

As soon as the words fell, a response came from the dark corners of the courtyard, shaking the wilderness.

Immediately after, dozens of embroidered envoys wearing dark tight-fitting clothes and embroidered spring knives at their waists filed out, their movements as fast as leopards, instantly forming a siege, surrounding Yuwen Ang and his aides and personal guards tightly in the center.

The embroidered envoys were all cold-faced, their eyes sharp as eagles.

Yuwen Ang looked at the dark embroidered figures surrounding him, his pupils shrinking suddenly, full of unbelievable confusion, subconsciously muttering: "Why are the embroidered envoys here?"

"No!"

Before the words fell, he reacted fiercely, a layer of cold sweat breaking out on his back, his tone suddenly raised, carrying a hint of lost surprise: "How can Chen Yan still be able to mobilize embroidered envoys?!"

He stared fixedly at Chen Yan, his eyes full of shock and panic.

The embroidered envoys moved as fast as lightning, not giving the Prince Qiao's personal guards any room to resist.

The action of removing the strength of the personal guards' wrists and pressing their knees against their backs was clean and crisp.

In just a few breaths, eight personal guards were all pressed to the ground, the crisp sound of knives and swords falling and the muffled sound of bones colliding intertwined, each forehead pressing against the blue stone slabs, unable to move.

Jiang Rui had long been scared until he was soft, being lifted like a small chicken by two envoys, and when he was pressed to the ground with his hands behind his back, his teeth were trembling.

On the other side, Yin Shizhi and an embroidered envoy stepped forward together. Just as Yuwen Ang was about to struggle and roar, he was held by the back of the neck by Yin Shizhi, and the embroidered envoy took the opportunity to lock his knees.

With a "thud," the Imperial Prince was pressed firmly beside the pool of blood, the python robe stained with blood and dust, and the previous arrogance instantly shattered into nothingness.

Yuwen Ang was pressed to the ground, his chest heaving violently, his hands scratching wildly on the blue stone slabs, his fingernails filled with dust and blood, but he couldn't break free from the shackles like iron pliers.

He stiffened his neck, the veins on his temples bulging, roaring hysterically: "This Prince is the bloodline of the Founding Emperor, the younger brother of the current Son of Heaven, how dare you move this Prince!"

"How dare you move this Prince!"

"You are just dogs of my Yuwen clan, eating the salary of the Royal Family, how dare you be disrespectful to this Prince!" Yuwen Ang spat, his voice becoming sharp and harsh due to extreme anger and panic, "Let go of this Prince! Otherwise, when this Prince gets out of trouble, I will definitely cut you into pieces and exterminate your nine clans!"

Chen Yan walked forward slowly, stopping just as he leaned close to Yuwen Ang's ear, his voice lowered to the extreme, only the two of them could hear, reminding meaningfully: "Prince, advise you, better be honest!"

"Avoid suffering flesh and blood!"

Yuwen Ang's neck veins bulged, his cheeks distorted because they were pressed against the ground, the angry roar making his ears buzz: "Chen Yan, this Prince wants to enter the palace to see His Majesty!"

He spat mixed with blood on the stone slabs, his voice hoarse yet still carrying crazy threats: "This Prince wants to impeach you heavily in front of His Majesty!"

"Impeach you for unauthorized lynching, persecuting the Imperial Clan, and intending to rebel! Must let His Majesty exterminate your nine clans to serve as a warning!"

"Good!"

Chen Yan straightened his body slowly, brushed off the non-existent dust on his robe hem, and responded crisply: "This mansion also has exactly this intention!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze crossed the courtyard and landed on the direction of the main room in the back. He raised his voice meaningfully and said: "Grand Chancellor Houmochen, Junior Chancellor Yuwen, let's go, let's enter the palace together!"

After the people from Detai Money Shop entered, Chen didn't just invite Yuwen Ang alone...

【"In the reign of Lingdi, he was mediocre and weak, and the laws were not clear. At that time, Prince Qiao was lawless, harming the common people, and the people were resentful. Many families were broken and people died, selling children and daughters, crying on the road. At that time, the Founding Emperor was the Magistrate of Wannian, and he questioned him. Ang was arrogant and lawless, saying: 'Just lowly people! Not as good as the wild grass by the roadside. Even if they all died, Great Zhou would still be Great Zhou!'

The Founding Emperor said righteously: 'Prince Qiao, have you not heard that 'water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it'? Do you want to drive the people of Chang'an to rebel?'

Ang was unrepentant and became more aggressive. The Founding Emperor was not afraid of power, ordered the embroidered envoys to arrest him, and escorted him to the palace to face Lingdi.

The Founding Emperor was far-sighted, invited Grand Tomb Steward Yi and Little Tomb Steward Yi in advance, hid them in the back room as witnesses, and saw the arrogance and domineering of Ang."】

—— "History of Wei" · Annals of Founding Emperor Wen】 ===== CHAPTER 477 =====