The Lin Yuan Imperial Court.
The Grand Eunuch stood to the right of the Dragon Throne and spoke to the assembly in a shrill voice, "If you have matters to report, present them. Otherwise, the court is adjourned!"
Minister Gu of the Censorate, pulling his official robe closer, stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present. I wish to impeach the Regent, Ji Jinmo, for allowing his consort's estate to commit murder, beating to death Baolan, the personal maid of the Great Li Princess!"
Upon hearing Minister Gu's words, the entire court was shocked.
Impeach whom? Ji Jinmo??
Minister Gu, have you grown a bear's heart and leopard's gall?!
Ji Hong straightened up and looked down at Minister Gu, raising his voice slightly. "Whom did you say you wished to impeach?"
"The Regent, Ji Jinmo!"
Minister Gu replied fearlessly.
His voice was firm, his attitude unyielding.
Ji Hong rubbed the jade thumb ring on his index finger and turned his head to Ji Jinmo. "Imperial Uncle, do you have any defense?"
Ji Jinmo turned and walked to Minister Gu's side.
"Minister Gu, from whom did you hear of this matter?" He lowered his head, his cold, dark eyes reflecting Minister Gu's image. His thin, cool voice drifted from his smiling lips, landing on Minister Gu's ears like the sharpest of knives.
Minister Gu felt as if he were prey being eyed by a venomous snake. The chill that ran through him froze every drop of blood in his body, yet he still managed to raise his head and meet those fierce phoenix eyes.
His voice, as if mixed with grit, was intermittent and unclear. "Your servant... your servant has his own channels."
"Minister Gu is truly well-connected! If a cat died in my manor, would Minister Gu know of it immediately?"
Ji Jinmo's smiling voice seemed laced with icy blades, the oppressive atmosphere compressing the air in the hall. Minister Gu's palms were already slick with sweat; his entire body felt as if it had been thrown into a bloody water that was alternately scalding and freezing. He swallowed, his throat working, and with each breath, the air in his lungs seemed to diminish further. He gasped for air.
"Your Highness means... you admit it?" Minister Gu challenged, forcing himself to speak.
Ji Jinmo smiled, placed his hand on Minister Gu's shoulder, and patted it gently. "Minister Gu, do you know the consequence of spying on royalty?"
"Your servant... Ah!!"
The sound of protest was replaced by a piercing scream. Ji Jinmo looked at Minister Gu with a smile. The hand he placed on Minister Gu's shoulder, with its distinct bones, shone with a pale light due to his exertion.
"Imperial Uncle!"
Ji Hong's voice had just sounded when, suddenly, everyone in the hall heard a crisp "crack!"
Minister Gu's body hunched over like a cooked shrimp. The pain of his broken bones filled his eyes with blood. Large beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead, and the veins on his face and neck bulged, revealing a ferocious mark.
Blood soaked Minister Gu's official robe and, seeping through, stained Ji Jinmo's palm. Ji Jinmo, unfazed, continued to grip Minister Gu's shoulder and lift him.
He looked directly into Minister Gu's eyes. His breathtakingly handsome face was etched with a devilish cruelty, yet his lips were curved upwards, as if he were smiling at all times.
"Speak, who told you!"
His manor had been ordered to keep silent. Now, only a few days later, the Censorate had gotten wind of it? This was an affront to him!
"Your Majesty, how can you be so presumptuous in the imperial court? Release Minister Gu at once!" Ji Hong suddenly stood, reprimanding Ji Jinmo with feigned anger.
Though he stood, his hands remained hidden in his sleeves, gripping the armrest of the Dragon Throne. At first glance, he exuded imperial might, but upon closer inspection, a flicker of fear and timidity could be seen in his eyes.
"The Emperor does not permit my presumptuousness, and I have been presumptuous for quite some time!"
Ji Jinmo sneered, dragging Minister Gu towards the exit. "Your Majesty, Minister Gu is suspected of spying on royalty. I shall interrogate him thoroughly on your behalf!"
"Ji Jinmo!"
Seeing Ji Jinmo's brazen behavior, Ji Hong wished he could devour him on the spot.
Hearing Ji Hong's furious yet helpless roar, Ji Jinmo's face showed a mocking expression. He ignored it and didn't even look back. As he was about to drag Minister Gu out of the court, Nan Chaoyin suddenly stepped forward and shouted to the Imperial Guards, "What are you waiting for? Stop the Prince at once!"
As he spoke, he quickly exchanged a glance with Ji Hong.
The moment Ji Hong hesitated, Minister Wang of the Ministry of Personnel, Minister Wei of the Ministry of Revenue, and a group of officials from the Censorate stepped forward and knelt, imploring Ji Hong to prevent Ji Jinmo from taking Minister Gu away.
"Guards, stop Ji Jinmo!"
With Ji Hong's command, the Imperial Guards drew their sabers, blocking Ji Jinmo's path.
"Emperor, do you truly intend to stop me?" Ji Jinmo turned his head and looked at Ji Hong.
"And you lot!"
Ji Jinmo's gaze swept across the assembled officials. Even though they remained kneeling with their heads lowered, the thick, unyielding aura of menace and malice drilled into their collars, like a sword suspended overhead, ready to sever their heads at any moment.
The Imperial Guards were encased in armor, their expressions unreadable. However, the moment Ji Hong ordered them to stop Ji Jinmo, the fear that had been building within them spread to every inch of their bodies. Ji Jinmo's fearsome reputation was not built on words; it was built on the heaping of corpses. In the war with Great Li alone, he had personally slain nearly ten thousand men, dyeing the entire land crimson.
If Ji Jinmo could not be apprehended on the spot today, then in the future... the Imperial Guards swallowed, sensing the precariousness of their situation and the imminent danger to their lives.
Seeing the situation escalate, the military officials in the court began to stir. Perhaps... this was an opportunity to take down Ji Hong.
Liu Wan Jun suddenly stepped forward, knelt, and cried out loudly, "Your Majesty, to probe into royal affairs as a court official is an act of great disrespect. Minister Gu's impeachment of the Regent this time is driven by a wicked heart! Your humble servant earnestly implores Your Majesty to hand Minister Gu over to the Regent for punishment. This action will not only demonstrate Your Majesty's boundless magnanimity but also allow the Regent to feel Your Majesty's sincere care."
"Your Majesty, this humble minister believes Lord Wang's words are most reasonable!"
"This minister seconds that motion!"
"This minister also seconds!"
Nan Chaoyin sighed softly, turned, and bowed to Ji Hong, admitting his error. "Your Majesty, I have overstepped. I am willing to accept punishment!"
The military officials made no attempt to conceal their emotions; their naked ambition was almost written on their faces. With events spiraling towards the worst-case scenario, the court officials who supported Ji Hong could only sacrifice Minister Gu to quell the day's turmoil.
Ji Hong breathed a sigh of relief. He glared at the officials with feigned anger, then suddenly flicked his sleeves and strode out of the hall.