Chapter 400

As the Emperor's words landed, Li Miao stepped forward.

This step was extremely long and far.

In the eyes of the officials who did not cultivate Wu Gong, this former Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander, now Assistant Commander, who had almost never appeared in the officialdom, had his figure suddenly blur, and when he appeared again, he was already on the steps outside the Fengtian Hall.

Li Miao shook the golden melon hammer in his hand at Yan Song, who was several zhang away, and grinned.

At the same time, the Emperor on the dragon throne spoke again.

"The second thing."

Zhu Zai took over the conversation without pause.

"Four days ago, the garrison eunuchs of Nanjing, Liu Chun, Shou Xia, Shang Qiu, and Cun Dong, colluded with the Flag-Hand Guard and the Brave Cavalry Right Guard to plot rebellion. According to the Embroidered Uniform Guard's investigation, seven people including Minister of War Mu Yizhi and Vice Commander of the Five Military Governor's Office Sheng Sinian were involved."

Saying this, he took out the documents Li Miao had found in Nanjing from his bosom, shook his hand, and the documents flew out like sharp arrows, falling suddenly when they reached Yan Song, spreading out on the ground right in front of him.

Yan Song ignored it, expressionless.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards poured into the crowd, pushing out several people and pressing them down in front of the crowd.

There were also officials who wanted to speak, but seeing Yan Song indifferent, and seeing Liu Zhe's headless corpse lying on the ground in front, they could only stand still and close their mouths.

The Emperor spoke slowly.

"In the Nanjing matter, Li Miao, Assistant Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, made outstanding contributions and suppressed the rebellion, and is promoted to Supplementary Grade Three Embroidered Uniform Guard Vice Commander."

As the Emperor's words landed, Li Miao stepped forward again, eliminating half the distance between him and Yan Song.

Liu Zhe's headless corpse lay on one side, the blood flowing from the severed neck accumulating into a pool of blood at Li Miao's feet.

Li Miao shook the golden melon hammer in his hand again, the hanging hammer head sweeping through the pool of blood, sweeping out a small spray of blood, splashing on the faces and bodies of the officials at the very front.

Their faces turned pale, and they trembled.

If they hadn't understood the other party's intention when Li Miao stepped forward for the first time, now the malice in Li Miao's movements and expressions had gradually, clearly, and explicitly revealed itself.

Three things, three steps.

The blood-stained golden melon hammer, and the high officials pressed down and kneeling on the ground by the Embroidered Uniform Guards at the very front.

What would Li Miao do after the third step? After the Emperor finished the third thing, how many people's blood would that golden melon hammer dipped in Liu Zhe's blood stain?

Just thinking about it, a chill rose from the soles of their feet and reached their crowns. Some people were already regretting why they had forced the palace today, why they had appeared here, and were trembling even more because of it.

But the Emperor didn't give them a chance to catch their breath.

"The third thing."

"The Ming Sect thieves assassinating the Emperor, and the attack on the Imperial Mausoleum."

Zhu Zai took over the conversation without pause.

"According to the Embroidered Uniform Guard's investigation, this matter was done by Grand Secretary Miao Luoyu, Hou Feiyu, Jiao Lingyan, Min Yu, and Minister of Rites Gu Zhiyi, colluding with the Ming Sect thieves."

"First, they plotted to assassinate the Emperor with eunuchs in the Tianshou Mountain Mausoleum, and after being defeated by the joint efforts of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Xiaolingwei, they didn't give up, and assassinated the Emperor again when he returned to the capital!"

He waved his hand suddenly.

"Take the thieves!"

Embroidered Uniform Guards poured into the crowd again, dragging out several people.

This time, some people started to stir.

Nothing else, if the previous two things were considered solid evidence and famous, this third thing was completely Zhu Zai's nonsense.

The truth of the Imperial Mausoleum matter was only known to a limited number of people, and Zhu Zai had almost purged the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Xiaolingwei, and the Forbidden Army from beginning to end to completely seal the matter, but there were still words and phrases spreading.

The officials would naturally try to guess the truth of the Imperial Mausoleum matter based on these words and phrases, although because the clues were too incomplete, they hadn't reached a consensus yet... but this matter could never be like what Zhu Zai said! Four Grand Secretaries, Minister of Rites, eunuchs, Ming Sect!

How could these words be combined!

If these high officials wanted to rebel, how could they collude with eunuchs, and it was even more impossible for them to have any intersection with the Ming Sect, a Jianghu troublemaker who only thought about rebellion. The power of civil officials lies not in swords, but in reputation and writing, and getting involved with these goods, even if the rebellion succeeded, it would only be making wedding clothes for others!

But thinking from another direction... these few people were precisely the party members of Grand Secretary Yan Song!

The noisy sound of the crowd turned from low to high, the courage stirred up by the number of people, and the worry about their own lives, finally shook the lips and tongues of these beasts in clothes.

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!"

"How can we listen to the words of the Embroidered Uniform Guard alone? This matter is of great importance, it should be handed over to the Ministry of Justice, the Five Military Governor's Office, the Court of Ceremonial, and the Court of Judicial Review for joint investigation!"

"Your Majesty! Min Gong absolutely could not have participated in this matter! I am willing to guarantee it with my life!"

Behind them, voices were loud, Yan Song raised his head slightly, looking at Li Miao. As their gazes crossed, the two had a silent conversation.

"You are too anxious."

"Heh, not anxious."

Yan Song's hand in his sleeve stretched slightly, as if lifting the crowd behind him and sending them to Li Miao. His lips moved, and an extremely subtle sound was like a mosquito's hum.

"How can you suppress the human heart?"

Li Miao raised his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth hooking, and also responded in a low voice.

"I'll show you how to suppress it."

Just at this moment, the Emperor's voice came from the dragon throne again.

"In the assassination case, Li Miao, Supplementary Grade Three Embroidered Uniform Guard Vice Commander, made contributions in protecting the Emperor and destroying the Ming Sect, and is promoted to Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander, bestowed with a python robe, embroidered spring knife, and jade belt!"

"The criminals mentioned before are guilty of heinous crimes... let Assistant Commander Li execute them."

Li Miao turned back and bowed.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace."

And then, he slowly turned around and stepped out the third step of the day.

Standing at the very front of the crowd, standing in front of the row of people kneeling on the ground, and also standing in front of Yan Song.

At this distance, Li Miao finally didn't have to worry about Yan Song not hearing what he said.

"Grand Secretary Yan, last night, you seemed to say something... a martial artist of the Supplementary Grade Four?"

The corners of Li Miao's mouth rose even higher.

"You seem to look down on martial artists, is it because Liu Jin and Zheng Anqi Sheng were too polite to you before, making you have some misunderstandings? You might not be clear about what a martial artist like me can actually do."

"I didn't see clearly last night, and no one died, it was my poor hospitality."

"Today, take a good look."

The moment the words fell, a golden shadow flashed in front of Yan Song!

The wind, the violent wind stirred up at close range, almost pushed him into the crowd!

And then there was the shrill sound of the wind, and the sound of objects shattering and liquid splashing, exploding in an instant!

Sshhh—

The golden melon hammer in Li Miao's hand was left with only the handle in an instant.

The people kneeling in front of the crowd had all disappeared.

Replacing them was a gully more than ten zhang long, almost bottomless, and the viscous, scarlet liquid exploding in the gully, mixed with the shattered black gauze hats, splashing at Yan Song's feet and in front of him.

(End of chapter)