Chapter 378

Tang Lanzhou rode forward expressionlessly, with sticky blood threads drawn between his cuffs and the reins. Several Ministry of Justice officials followed by his side, spreading documents on the horse's back and writing furiously.

"Conspiracy, rebellion, great disrespect, unrighteousness."

"Private storage of armor, colluding with foreign countries, forming cliques for private interests, colluding—"

An official wrote to this point and pondered, then turned to ask a colleague: "Brother Dong, who was the Ministry of Personnel colluding with?"

"The Tatars, I guess. The Ministry of Rites is colluding with the Ming Cult, the Ministry of War is colluding with the eunuchs, and the Ministry of Revenue is colluding with the Japanese pirates. We can't kill many in the Ministry of Works, so we don't need to collude with anyone."

"Oh."

He turned his head and wrote "colluding with the Tatars" on the document.

"That's about it."

He picked up the document to look at it, pondered carefully, nodded, blew the ink dry, and unfolded the document toward Tang Lanzhou.

"Teacher, do you think this is enough?"

Tang Lanzhou swept a glance and said faintly.

"Add a charge of embezzling disaster relief silver."

"Seven years ago, there was a great disaster in Henan; this old man remembers that several officials from the Ministry of Personnel participated, and it was also because of this that they were promoted. There is a reason to frame them all together, so your documents will be easier to do in the future."

After he finished speaking, he turned his head and continued to look forward.

As for whether there were any inappropriate parts in the charges written by the officials according to his words, it was no longer a problem he cared about. Tang Lanzhou had to kill everyone who should be killed and wanted to be killed before tomorrow.

Time was very tight.

The slaughter of the Yingzhou Heaven-Men in the city, the explosion and massive deaths at Wang Gongchang, and Li Miao's strike in front of the Fengtian Hall had led the entire capital into near-disorderly chaos. Chaos and fear cut off the connections between officials, which was the premise for Tang Lanzhou to kill without scruples.

The chaos during the day had not yet ended, and Zhu Zai would send the Imperial Guard to enforce a curfew at night; Tang Lanzhou could let go and do it today. But by tomorrow morning, whether it was Yingzhou, the Eastern Depot, or the officials, they would all react, and this opportunity would end at that time.

Tang Lanzhou had to grasp this last opportunity.

The horse's hooves bumped when crossing the ruins, and it was this bump that made Tang Lanzhou feel a sharp pain in his chest.

His vision went black for a moment.

His consciousness was also interrupted for a moment.

At the last moment before his consciousness dissipated, he gripped the reins tightly.

A voice seemed to come from afar.

"Teacher, Teacher—"

Tang Lanzhou's pupils shrank, and his vision focused again.

He turned his head to look at his side; the official who had just asked him the question was looking at him with a worried face, shouting anxiously.

"Teacher, are you alright?"

"I'm alright."

Tang Lanzhou turned his head back and said calmly.

He had gripped the reins tightly before losing consciousness, which prevented him from falling off the horse. His palm was rubbed by the reins into a bloodstain, causing dull pain, but he had to thank this pain for being able to lift his spirit.

He knew he was dying soon.

His arm was shattered last night; although Li Miao healed his injuries, he had never practiced martial arts after all, and he was an old man in his twilight years; it was impossible for a severed limb to regenerate without a price.

Coupled with the experience of his wife dying miserably in front of him.

Since this morning, he had felt his temples throbbing incessantly, along with his heart throbbing in pain. The experience of suddenly losing consciousness just now was not the first time it had happened.

Li Miao was in a mental battle with An Qisheng, the Emperor's memory was damaged, and no one could extend his lifespan.

Fortunately, Tang Lanzhou didn't need to live too long.

He only lived for today.

While speaking, the group arrived at a mansion.

The official who had just woken Tang Lanzhou jumped off the horse first, helped him down carefully, and supported him as they walked toward the gate.

Tang Lanzhou suddenly raised his hand.

"Stop."

He swept his eyes around.

After the explosion last night, there was fly ash everywhere in the city, but the steps outside this mansion were clean, obviously someone had cleaned them. According to the thickness of the fly ash on the steps now, it should have been cleaned an hour ago. It was exactly the time Tang Lanzhou started killing people.

The gate of this mansion was about a zhang high, the crack at the bottom was pitch black, but further up, light was faintly visible—someone was hiding behind the door, peeking at them.

Tang Lanzhou said calmly.

"There is an ambush."

The official following him was his student of many years, who immediately understood and reached his hand back, making a few gestures.

The elite Imperial Guard accompanying them immediately understood.

"Form a formation, protect Lord Tang!"

The leader of the Imperial Guard gave a sharp shout and flashed in front of Tang Lanzhou.

At the same time, on the courtyard wall of this mansion, dozens of crossbows suddenly poked out in unison.

"Fire!"

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh—

Arrows fell like rain.

The leader of the Imperial Guard sneered.

"Showing off in front of an expert!"

He drew his blade from its sheath and instantly danced a huge blade flower in front of him!

Only a burst of fire was seen, and the arrows fell one after another.

When the elite Imperial Guards formed a formation and surrounded Tang Lanzhou with shields, the leader of the Imperial Guard shouted with his blade: "Break the formation!"

After speaking, he flashed to the door and took a deep breath to hold it.

The next instant, the blade flower unfolded again!

Within a few breaths, countless blade marks appeared on the gate, wood chips flew, the huge door groaned and shook incessantly, as if it would collapse the next moment.

Only to hear a "Screech—" sound.

The long blade suddenly stabbed into the door crack.

A scream came from inside the door, and blood sprayed out along the door crack. The leader of the Imperial Guard did not hesitate for a moment and kicked the door hard.

The gate opened with a boom.

The elite Imperial Guards, who had been ready to go, fired arrows in unison, shooting down a crowd of people rushing out from the door, then followed the leader, brandishing their blades and rushing in, slashing wildly, rushing toward the depths of the mansion all the way.

Blood flowed down the steps.

After a long while, the leader of the Imperial Guard walked out with his blade, shook off the flesh and blood stained on the blade with a clatter, sheathed the blade, and wiped the blood off his face, only then bowing to Tang Lanzhou.

"Lord Tang, it's settled."

"Lord Ke of the Dali Temple, Ministry of Personnel, and the Cabinet received the news this morning and gathered their own dead soldiers and private soldiers, all hidden in this mansion."

"Those dead soldiers and private soldiers have been dealt with; as for the several lords, the subordinate did not dare to make a private decision, so they are all bound in the courtyard, waiting for your disposal."

Tang Lanzhou nodded.

Supported by the official, he walked toward the door.

Arriving in the courtyard, he indeed saw more than a dozen people wearing official uniforms bound hand and foot, kneeling in the courtyard.

Hearing Tang Lanzhou's footsteps, these dozen people all looked up, but their eyes widened in succession.

"Lord Tang!?"

"It's you! Not the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it's you! The one who slaughtered our colleagues and harmed loyal officials today is you!"

"Old dog!"

First shock, then surprise, and finally angry cursing.

Tang Lanzhou did not speak, just stood quietly, looking at the officials who were cursing him incessantly.

After a long while, when they were tired of cursing and their voices grew lower, Tang Lanzhou spoke calmly to one of the old men who had never spoken.

"Lord Ke, I didn't expect you to rebel too."

"Can you face the late Emperor?"