Chapter 430: Groundless

Tang Lanzhou rode forward with an expressionless face, drawing sticky blood threads between his cuffs and the reins. Several Ministry of Justice officials followed by his side, spreading documents on their horses and writing furiously.

"Conspiracy, rebellion, great disrespect, immorality."

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

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

"The Tatars, I think. The Ministry of Rites is colluding with the Ming Sect, 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 no 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, looked 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. I remember several officials from the Ministry of Personnel participated, and they were promoted because of it. Have 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 the charges written by the officials based on his words had any inappropriate parts, 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 prerequisite for Tang Lanzhou to kill without restraint.

The chaos during the day had not yet ended, and at night Zhu Zai would send the Imperial Guards to implement a curfew, so 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 seize this last opportunity.

The horse stumbled when crossing the ruins, and just this stumble caused Tang Lanzhou to feel a sharp pain in his chest.

His vision went black for an instant.

His consciousness was also interrupted for an instant.

At the very 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 am alright."

Tang Lanzhou turned his head back and said calmly.

He had gripped the reins tightly before losing consciousness, which kept him from falling off the horse. A bloodstain was ground into his palm by the reins, causing a dull pain, but he was grateful for this pain, as it could boost his spirit.

He knew he was going to die soon.

His arm was shattered last night, and although Li Miao healed his injuries, he had never practiced martial arts, and he was an old man in the twilight of his years; there was no way there would be no price for regrowing a severed limb.

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

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

Li Miao was engaged in a mental struggle with Zheng Anqi, the Emperor's memory was damaged, and no one could extend his lifespan.

Fortunately, Tang Lanzhou did not need to live long.

He only lived for today.

While speaking, the group arrived at a mansion.

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

Tang Lanzhou suddenly raised his hand.

"Stop."

He scanned left and right.

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

The gate of the mansion here is about one zhang high, and the gap at the bottom, several inches wide, is pitch black. Yet, looking further up, a faint light shines through—someone is hiding behind the gate, spying on them.

Tang Lanzhou said calmly.

"There is an ambush."

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

The elite Imperial Guards accompanying them immediately understood.

"Form a formation, protect Lord Tang!"

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

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

"Fire!"

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—

Arrows fell like rain.

The leader of the Imperial Guards gave a cold laugh.

"Playing with an axe before a master!"

He drew his blade, and in an instant, danced a massive blade flower in front of him!

Only to see sparks flying, and arrows falling one after another.

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

After saying that, he flashed to the door, took a deep breath, and held it.

The next instant, the blade flower unfolded again!

Within a few breaths, countless blade marks appeared on the main gate, wood chips flew, the massive door groaned and shook incessantly, as if it were about to collapse the next moment.

Only to hear a "Swoosh—" 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 Guards did not hesitate for a moment and kicked the door hard.

The main gate swung open with a bang.

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

Blood flowed down the steps.

After a long while, the leader of the Imperial Guards 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 cupping his fists toward Tang Lanzhou.

"Lord Tang, it is settled."

"The Dali Temple, the Ministry of Personnel, and Lord Ke of the Cabinet received 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, subordinates 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 gate.

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

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

"Lord Tang!?"

"It's you! Not the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it's you! The one slaughtering our colleagues and harming loyal and good people 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 an old man among them who had not spoken all along.

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

"Are you worthy of the late Emperor?"

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 431 =====