Chapter 713: The Grand Opening Ceremony

"Speak! Which bastard told you this!"

Han Mo was furious, even rising to his feet to grab Lu Xun by the collar.

At this moment, there was not a shred of the composure expected of a high-ranking official of the second rank.

Seeing him in such a state, Li Yan felt completely certain.

The steam engine must have made significant progress.

This was not surprising; the world was filled with skilled craftsmen of the Mohist school, and with his own subtle hints, they had not dismissed the steam engine as a mere triviality.

Steam-powered carriages existed now; could other things be far behind?

Li Yan's mind wandered, while Lu Xun below the hall was trembling like chaff in the wind.

"Speak!"

"You aren't just protecting yourself now, but the lives of your entire clan!"

Under Han Mo's angry rebuke, Lu Xun dared not conceal anything further and confessed the truth.

It turned out that after Han Mo took office, Lu Xun knew he was out of favor, so he racked his brains for ways to secure a promotion or at least keep his position.

However, he was a subordinate of the former Minister of Works, and since no one knew how deep the trouble he had buried was, no one wanted to deal with him.

Meanwhile, the Mohist elder and Director of the Bureau of Provisions, Yuan Feng, had traveled to Lake Liangzi Lake. After Li Yan discovered the steam engine, it was hurriedly transported back to the capital. Han Mo had gone to the palace to explain the artifact's value, and from then on, he was ordered to conduct secret research within the palace, delegating his administrative duties to his subordinates, who reported to him.

Originally, this was a top-secret matter, but others were unaware, and a mistake occurred in the paperwork.

The "Bureau of Provisions" was responsible not only for military equipment manufacturing but also for mountain and marsh resources, including mining and logging.

Lu Xun happened to be acting as a lobbyist for a wealthy merchant involved in an illegal copper mining case.

By chance, he saw the report and immediately sensed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The report mentioned that the iron ox-carts were fast, but if they were to be built in large numbers, the imperial roads would need to be rebuilt.

Lu Xun did not know what these iron ox-carts were, but he knew that rebuilding the imperial roads would involve vast sums of money. His mind raced, and he invited the Wu Wu Miao Zhu Zhou, contacted the Jin Yanmen, and requested the help of the Prince Yan's mansion and Luo Luo Gongsheng to discuss how to position themselves to profit from this.

His goal was naturally to use this information to find a patron in Prince Yan.

But who could have known that the secret of the artifact would suddenly leak, causing such a stir in the capital? Faced with the Emperor's attitude, the old man finally grew terrified.

Upon hearing that Wu Wu Miao Zhu Zhou had gone missing and that Luo Luo Mingzi had come looking for him, he had tried to hang himself.

"Hmph!"

Luo Luo Mingzi's face turned grim upon hearing this. "To think this whole affair leaked from your side."

Lu Xun's body shuddered, and he lowered his head.

It was exactly this that he had feared.

Had he known that thing was so important, he would never have touched it, even if it meant death.

Han Mo was also furious, turning to Luo Luo Mingzi, "I shall enter the palace immediately to plead guilty."

Luo Luo Mingzi pondered for a moment before saying, "This matter involves the Prince Yan's mansion and the Iron Anchor Society leader Luo Luo Gongsheng; it is no small affair. The demon Zhao Zhao Qingxu is elusive, and with these layers of connections, his minions might well be hiding under the protection of the Prince Yan's mansion."

"Minister Han, I shall accompany you to the palace to report to His Majesty and request permission to search the Prince Yan's mansion!"

Since this involved such a major matter, it was not something Li Yan could decide, and he had no desire to get entangled in the mud of the imperial princes. He excused himself and returned to the Rouyuan Post House.

However, the development of events caught everyone off guard.

Before Luo Luo Mingzi and the others had even entered the palace, the grand carriage of the Prince Yan's mansion had already pulled up steadily before the palace gates.

Prince Yan, Xiao Xiao Jinglie, adjusted his robes, his face full of fury, and took the initiative to enter the palace to "plead guilty and request punishment."

At the same time, another detachment of the Embroidered Uniform Guard acted with even greater speed.

Based on the key information provided by Lu Xun and earlier leads, they swooped down like tigers from the mountains, straight toward the headquarters of the Iron Anchor Society. With the thunder of muskets and the clatter of chains, they apprehended Luo Luo Gongsheng, the leader of the Iron Anchor Society, who had dominated the capital's underworld for years.

This man, who used to make the capital tremble with a single stomp of his foot, was now in a wretched state, bound hand and foot, dragged along the stone steps before the imperial palace square like a boneless heap of flesh, trembling violently.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the scent of sandalwood lingered, but it could not dispel the chilling cold.

"Your Majesty! Your subject failed to restrain his subordinates, allowing such short-sighted wretches to collude with the remnants of the demons, nearly causing a catastrophe! Upon hearing that the traitor Lu Xun confessed that the mansion steward had colluded with the thief Luo Luo Gongsheng, your subject felt as if his heart were being torn apart. I have come specifically to plead guilty! The steward has already taken his own life in the mansion's study!"

Prince Yan, Xiao Xiao Jinglie, prostrated himself, his voice earnest and filled with grief, lowering his posture to the absolute minimum.

Outside the hall, Luo Luo Gongsheng shrieked hoarsely, "I am wronged! It was all my own greed! His Highness the Prince Yan has absolutely no connection to this! I was deceived by the thieves and knew nothing of it! I beg Your Majesty to investigate!"

Emperor Xiao Da Xuan sat on the throne, listening to Luo Luo Mingzi's report with an expressionless face, his eyes cold as ice.

Bang!

He smashed his teacup to the ground, shards flying everywhere!

The crisp sound made the attendants in the hall tremble with fear.

"Good! A very good 'knew nothing'!"

"A very good 'took his own life in the study'!"

The Emperor's voice was low, yet filled with thunderous rage.

"My decree had not even left this inner study before it reached your Prince Yan's mansion?!"

"Xiao Jinglie, you seem to have managed my Forbidden City quite well!"

"Your subject deserves death!"

Prince Yan felt his heart turn cold, and he knocked his head heavily against the golden bricks, not daring to utter a single word of defense.

He was hot-tempered and had rushed over without consulting anyone. Hearing the Emperor's words, he finally realized he had committed a grave taboo.

"Hmph!"

Prince Yan was foolish, but Emperor Xiao Da Xuan was shrewd. He said coldly, "Get back to your mansion! Without my imperial edict, no one in the Prince Yan's mansion is to take a single step outside! Wait there for the Clan Court and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to conduct a thorough investigation!"

The Emperor had long since prepared a response to the premature leak of the artifact's secret.

His rage stemmed more from the fact that someone in the palace had leaked the information, likely in connection with the demons.

"As for this lowly slave..."

He glanced at Luo Luo Gongsheng, who was collapsed in the square outside the window. "Throw him into the death row! Interrogate him thoroughly! Skin him and break his bones if you must, but drag out the tail of Zhao Zhao Qingxu! All foreign merchants, secret agents, and corrupt officials in the capital who colluded with him are not to be spared!"

Once the imperial decree was issued, the Prince Yan's mansion naturally suffered.

Everyone from top to bottom was interrogated by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Law Enforcement Hall.

Even the Earth Immortal who had just fled into the mansion for protection was surrounded by several National Preceptors, questioned in detail, and then forced to leave the capital with an official order from the Mystic Ritual Hall.

The Great Da Xuan Dynasty's imperial power outweighed divine power; when the Son of Heaven was angry, even an Earth Immortal had to leave in disgrace.

However, despite the massive commotion, nothing of substance was found.

All clues pointed to the Prince Yan's mansion steward.

He had planted Wang She in the Iron Anchor Society, and after the incident, he had used the excuse of ignorance to have Prince Yan protect him.

Even Luo Luo Gongsheng was just an unlucky fool who had been deceived by the steward into believing he was acting on Prince Yan's orders.

Moreover, the subordinates who had captured the steward confirmed that Wu Wu Miao Zhu Zhou had been arranged by the steward to be lured out by a secret letter and then murdered and buried outside the city.

With the steward dead, all leads were severed once again.

Luo Luo Mingzi judged that the incident had been sudden, so Zhao Zhao Qingxu had sacrificed the steward as a pawn, while also setting a trap to make the hot-headed Prince Yan rush to the palace.

Had Emperor Xiao Da Xuan been less clear-headed, Prince Yan might well have been doomed.

Inside the palace, there was another round of investigations. The Chief Eunuch of the Ceremonial Secretariat, Zhao Zhao Wujiu, had also acted ruthlessly, dragging out several people, but they were either guilty of stealing palace property or corruption, having nothing to do with the "Building Wood" organization.

From top to bottom, they were all thoroughly investigated by the Commandant Division and the Law Enforcement Hall.

Even the Earth Immortal who had just fled into the Prince's mansion to accept protection was surrounded by several National Preceptors and questioned in detail before the Mystic Sacrificial Division's warrant was taken out, ordering him to leave the capital immediately.

The Great Da Xuan Dynasty's royal power was greater than divine power; when the Son of Heaven was angry, even an Earth Immortal had to leave in disgrace.

However, after such a big fuss, nothing was found in the end.

All clues pointed to the Prince of Yan's steward.

Wang She was originally planted by him in the Iron Anchor Society, and after the incident, he was protected by the Prince of Yan on the grounds of ignorance.

Even Luo Luo Gongsheng was just an unlucky guy who was implicated, deceived by the steward into thinking it was the Prince of Yan's instruction.

And the few subordinates of the Prince's mansion steward who were arrested also learned that the temple master Zhou was arranged by the steward, who had them use a secret letter to lure him out, then killed him and buried him outside the city.

With the death of that steward, all clues were broken again.

Luo Luo Mingzi judged that the incident happened suddenly, so Zhao Zhao Qingxu threw away the chess piece of the Prince's mansion steward and made a move, letting the impetuous Prince of Yan run to the Imperial Palace.

If Emperor Xiao Xiao Qixuan's mind wasn't clear, the Prince of Yan would likely be in danger.

Inside the Imperial Palace, there was naturally another round of investigation. Zhao Zhao Wujiu, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, also acted ruthlessly, picking out several people one after another, but they were either stealing things from the Imperial Palace or corrupting and collecting wealth, none of which had anything to do with the "Building Wood."