Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield

Chapter 334: Chapter 154: Zhao Feng Appointed as Protector-General! A Great Joy!

Could it really be that there’s a reason behind all this? That it’s not as the Bai Family described? Wang Wan couldn’t help but think.

It was mostly because he saw how composed Zhao Feng remained inside the grand hall, completely unfazed by Bai Wu’s impeachment attempt. He looked as if he came prepared.

As Zhao Gao presented the bamboo slips, Ying Zheng immediately took them and unrolled them.

Upon reading the content, his expression turned livid.

”Scoundrels!” With a cold shout, Ying Zheng hurled the bamboo slips in his hand toward Bai Wu in the grand hall. They struck Bai Wu hard, yet he didn’t dare to move a muscle.

”Great King, please calm your anger,” Bai Wu said hastily.

”You want to impeach Minister Zhao?” Ying Zheng stared at Bai Wu with a cold, distant expression.

”I... I...” Seeing Ying Zheng so furious, Bai Wu began to panic.

”Look at what is written on these bamboo slips,” Ying Zheng said coldly.

Bai Wu dared not say more. He immediately picked up the bamboo slips, and when he saw the content, his face turned deathly pale.

”Great King, please calm your anger! Great King, please calm your anger! I had no knowledge of this matter! The impeachment report I received from Linguan County accused General Zhao of carrying out unsanctioned punishments. I had no idea they would dare to commit such outrageous acts! Great King, please calm your anger. I was wrong...” Bai Wu bowed deeply, his face contorted with fear.

Indeed, he came prepared. This Zhao Feng is truly not easy to deal with. Wang Wan and Huai Zhuang exchanged glances, both harboring the same thought.

Ying Zheng’s face was livid. ”Since I began to rule personally, the thing I detest most is the embezzlement of the Annual Salary. Yet, despite my strict oversight, someone still dared to embezzle it. In Linguan County, there are nearly a thousand men, including Sharp Warriors and the Logistics Army. Their Annual Salary was skimmed by a tenth, and one of Minister Zhao’s subordinates, a Wanjiang, had his entire Annual Salary embezzled.

”Such wicked acts! Such blatant disregard for the law of the state! And you dare to play the victim and impeach Minister Zhao?”

Upon hearing this, Bai Wu trembled all over, his face ashen. ”Great King, please calm your anger! I was ignorant! I admit my mistake!”

”I once said that anyone who dares to meddle with the Annual Salary—to embezzle what our Da Qin soldiers have earned with their lives—will not be spared by me. Let alone executing a corrupt County Governor and imprisoning his entire family for embezzlement, even exterminating his clan would not be too severe. I have stated before that upon the discovery of embezzlement of the Annual Salary, there is no need to report to me. Deal with them directly.

”In light of this, how can it be deemed an unsanctioned punishment?” Ying Zheng demanded coldly.

”I was wrong,” Bai Wu replied, his voice quivering.

”Reporting to the Great King,” Zhao Feng began, stepping forward. ”The actions I took in Linguan County were not without reason. One of my subordinates, a Wanjiang, was bullied by the Bai Family of Linguan County back in his home village. His sister was raped by members of the Bai Family, but when he reported it to the authorities, they shielded the family and repeatedly targeted him thereafter. The matter of the embezzled Annual Salary was later confessed and reported by the County Magistrate of Linguan County.

”I have now beheaded the County Governor, and his entire family has been imprisoned in the Linguan County jail. As for the members of the Bai Family of Linguan County who committed the rape, I have punished them with castration according to Qin Law, and they have been imprisoned. All those suspected of embezzling the Annual Salary have been imprisoned and are awaiting punishment.”

”Since they seek death, I will oblige them,” Ying Zheng said, his expression icy. ”Tingwei.”

”I am here,” Li Si immediately stepped forward.

”For the crime of embezzling the Annual Salary, the punishment is the extermination of the entire clan. You will personally handle this and proclaim to the world on my behalf: whoever dares to embezzle the Annual Salary again will have their entire clan annihilated,” Ying Zheng said coldly.

”I accept the decree,” Li Si replied.

”As for you...” Ying Zheng’s gaze fell on Bai Wu. ”For reckless impeachment and falsely accusing a loyal subject, you deserve severe punishment. Effective immediately, you are stripped of your position as Senior Minister, demoted one rank, and fined one year’s Annual Salary.”

As the words fell, Bai Wu’s face turned deathly pale.

Meanwhile, Zhao Feng glanced at Bai Wu. You just had to stir up trouble. The punishment wouldn’t have been so severe if you hadn’t jumped out in court. You brought this on yourself.

”Lord Bai,” Zhao Feng began, turning his head to look at Bai Wu with an aggressive tone. ”As I recall, I imprisoned everyone from the Bai Family. So who submitted that impeachment report to you? Could it be that some slipped through the net?”

This was Zhao Feng’s character: he would take revenge for the slightest grievance and never let it wait until the next day.

Hatred burned deep in Bai Wu’s eyes as he looked at Zhao Feng, but under Ying Zheng’s watchful gaze, he dared not show it.

”Indeed, a few have escaped. I will inform the Tingwei of their hiding places,” Bai Wu said, his voice drained of energy.

”To punish embezzlers, Lord Bai nobly sacrifices his own kin. Such lofty righteousness,” Zhao Feng chuckled, his praise laced with irony.

This Zhao Feng seems young, but his mind is so meticulous, and he is ruthless. This man cannot be underestimated. Although he is inexperienced in the Court, he is definitely not the simple-minded Martial Artist from the rumors. He’s using Bai Wu’s case to intimidate everyone here.

After the incident with Bai Wu, everyone in the court saw Zhao Feng and his methods in a new light.

This kid really doesn’t let vengeance wait overnight. Quite the character. Ying Zheng thought, an imperceptible smile touching his lips. How could he not see that Zhao Feng was deliberately provoking Bai Wu? This need to repay every grievance was certainly genuine.

Linguan County, adjacent to Hangu Pass. A place so heavily guarded by our great Qin, and yet someone still dared to embezzle the Annual Salary. As for the other cities within the Great Qin Territory, I can’t even begin to imagine the scale of the embezzlement, or how many corrupt officials there are who do not fear death.

”From this day forward, the Tingwei and the Shaofu will work together to oversee this. Dispatch inspectors to focus on investigating cases of embezzlement. Once discovered, there is no need to report back. Directly exterminate their clans as a deterrent.”