My Husband Is Not Easy To Mess With. - Chapter 52: Political Tremors
Chapter 52: Political Tremors
During the early morning court that day.
The Prime Minister, who had claimed illness and neglected state affairs for many days, stood coldly at the front and dropped a massive bombshell on the assembly.
“Your Majesty.”
Dou Jinzhuan presented a collection of evidence against Nie Yao, most of which were solid proof of his corruption.
A thick ledger.
It even recorded clearly the day he received two taels of silver from a certain resident to help retrieve their missing daughter.
495,763,421.63, was Nie Yao’s total gain over the years.
Nearly five hundred million taels of silver.
Anyone who saw it would exclaim, “Good heavens!”
The officials in the court knew Nie Yao had been very corrupt over the years, but they had no idea he had embezzled this much!
And yet, despite hoarding so much money, he was still stingy and cut their budgets whenever they asked for one, being afraid they would take an extra single copper coin!
So, he was drinking wine and eating meat himself, not even leaving them a drop of soup?
Such behavior undoubtedly aroused public outrage.
Moreover, with the Prime Minister leading the charge this time, they had even more confidence in bringing down the great corrupt official, Nie Yao.
“We implore Your Majesty to severely punish Nie Yao!”
“We implore Your Majesty to severely punish Nie Yao!”
Du Suilan watched the officials below, mentally noting the few who were kneeling in a hurry and showing expressions of relief and satisfaction, preparing to have them executed next time.
He feigned anger.
He chastised the officials for slandering a loyal minister.
After a long stalemate, he reluctantly agreed to imprison Nie Yao, bowing to the inevitable pressure.
“Your Majesty, this is unacceptable!”
Seeing that the military officials couldn’t utter a word for so long, Guan Gu, who had a deep appreciation for Nie Yao’s father (presumably the way Nie Yao treated his own father, or just an unrelated thought), grew anxious.
He stepped forward to plead for Nie Yao.
“Over the years, Minister Nie has made invaluable contributions to the Great Yu in managing plagues and floods! Your subject believes that although Minister Nie’s crimes are serious, his deeds for the common people are also undeniable and real!”
Guan Gu felt that Nie Yao had both merits and faults.
He should be given a lighter sentence.
“Sophistry!” Some officials who desperately wished for Nie Yao’s death had been lurking for a long time. They usually didn’t draw a knife, but when they encountered such a rare opportunity, they were determined to crush Nie Yao.
These people engaged in a fierce debate with Guan Gu.
Guan Gu was a famously tough opponent.
He was extremely skilled in verbal sparring. Leading a group of military officials who could only say “Yes, yes, yes,” he was surprisingly able to fight back and forth against so many eloquent civil officials.
One hour.
Two hours.
Three hours…
Until the court adjourned, they hadn’t debated a clear winner.
It wasn’t until the eight million taels of gold made a grand entrance into Nie Yao’s mansion and thousands of people knelt at the palace gates, demanding the Emperor severely punish Nie Yao, that the Emperor had no choice but to issue an imperial decree, sending Nie Yao to prison.
“Minister Nie, please.”
The Imperial Guards came to arrest Nie Yao, and their attitude was exceedingly respectful.
Nie Yao also put on airs, refusing to be shackled and demanding to take a sedan chair to the prison for a look.
Nie Yao’s formidable reputation preceded him.
Even the residents of the capital, who were always on the front lines of gossip, dared not approach too closely. Dare to speak ill of him? Did they think the burly men standing at his mansion gate were freeloaders?
In any case, Nie Yao still maintained the imposing presence of a powerful minister; anyone who dared to curse him would be arrested.
Those sent by his political rivals were not afraid of death and tried to shout slogans and incite public opinion at Nie Yao’s gate. As soon as one of them yelled, he was spotted by Nie Yao’s subordinate holding a large saber. In less than two minutes, he was tied up like a dumpling and thrown before Nie Yao.
“Congratulations to you all.”
Even just standing there, Nie Yao seemed to be filled with murderous intent.
He was intimidating.
He looked down at these fools, giving a chilling smile: “You’ll soon be living in the same neighborhood as this official.”
What a great honor.
They could secretly rejoice tonight.
Nie Yao got into the sedan chair and swaggered off to the imperial prison.
Even in prison, he wasn’t quiet. One moment he demanded a single room for someone of his status; the next he claimed to be a germaphobe and asked for the cell to be cleaned thoroughly; a little while later he said it was a bit cold and requested more blankets.
He wanted top-quality cotton quilts.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t stay in this place.
“Yes, Sir!”
To the warden’s astonishment, the Imperial Guards sent people to clean the cell, set up incense, a table, a chair, a bed… and the dilapidated cell was transformed into a luxurious small single room.
Only when everything was properly arranged did Nie Yao leisurely walk in.
He took only a few steps before instructing: “Don’t lock the door; it’s inconvenient for me to go out.”
You’re in prison; who’s going to let you out!
Because he was so unrestrained, a nearby official couldn’t stand it.
“Nie Yao! You’re a prisoner now, yet you dare to be so arrogant!” He cursed Nie Yao vehemently, saying that now that he was inside, he shouldn’t dream of getting out.
The one who took action this time was the Prime Minister.
No matter how powerful Nie Yao’s influence was, he was doomed to die!
After cursing Nie Yao.
He turned his head and respectfully said to the leader of the Imperial Guards: “This esteemed officer, His Majesty personally decreed the capture of the criminal Nie Yao. You represent His Majesty’s dignity; how can you be so lenient toward a mere criminal!”
“Are you teaching me how to do my job?”
The leader of the Imperial Guards was just as capable of changing his expression as the official who hated Nie Yao.
When facing Nie Yao, even without much expression, one could sense his good temper; the moment he turned to the official, he was extremely stern.
As Du Suilan’s confidant, he was somewhat like his master.
He immediately placed his saber against the official’s neck, “Only His Majesty can instruct this officer. What, are you attempting rebellion?”
Then, without further ado, he arrested the man on the charge of treason right then and there.
He even deliberately locked him up with a vicious, murderous criminal.
“No! No!! This is a miscarriage of justice—mmph mmph!!!”
The official’s mouth was covered.
Nie Yao didn’t quite recognize him, so he asked the leader of the Imperial Guards, “Brother, who is this person?”
“Reporting to the Minister. This man is Wan Yinghai, the Prefect of Linhai Prefecture.”
This man wasn’t a capital official, so Nie Yao was unfamiliar with him.
But why was this Prefect not staying in Linhai Prefecture and coming to the capital?
The Imperial Guard whispered: “He said he discovered a force attempting rebellion and came to report it.”
“Which force?” Nie Yao asked without reservation.
The leader of the Imperial Guards answered everything, “The remnants of the former Second Prince.”
The former Second Prince had a large influence, and his subordinates couldn’t be killed all at once.
A portion of those who weren’t caught took advantage of the chaos and fled. They hadn’t been found yet.
However, Nie Yao knew they had run to the south.
And Linhai Prefecture was in the south.
So, this Wan Yinghai’s information wasn’t quite credible? In that case, wasn’t it too early to imprison him now?
“The Minister need not worry; His Majesty has a plan.”
As for what the plan was, he didn’t know; he couldn’t figure out his master’s affairs either.
“Alright then, go busy yourself. You don’t need to mind me.”
“Yes.”
The leader of the Imperial Guards was busy with his duties, so he left his subordinates behind.
Nominally, they were there to monitor, but in reality, they were there to be commanded by Nie Yao.
“Hehe… Nie Yao, you’ve come too!” Many of the people in the imperial prison were put there by Nie Yao. Now that they saw him enter, they felt happier than if they themselves had been released.
“The wheel of fortune turns, whom has Heaven spared! Heaven truly has eyes, letting me see your downfall in my lifetime!”