You Force My Hand, Then Let a Major Case Unfold

Ganquan Palace, Imperial Study.

Wang Hao slumped into the large red sandalwood chair, panting heavily. The majestic facade he had forced himself to maintain in the royal court instantly collapsed, replaced by endless anger and exhaustion.

"I'm furious! I'm absolutely furious!!"

His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently. "What a bunch of treacherous subjects and thieves! Treacherous thieves! I wish I could chop all their heads off! Every single one of them preaches benevolence, righteousness, and morality, but inside they are nothing but scheming scoundrels! The Great Zhou Dynasty has fed them for hundreds of years, only to raise a pack of ungrateful wolves!"

He grabbed the teacup on the table, wanting to smash it again, but as his hand stopped in mid-air, he remembered it was made of top-quality spirit jade and quite valuable. He set it down resentfully, feeling so stifled that his chest was about to explode.

"Please quell your anger, Your Majesty. Take care of your dragon body."

A phantom-like black figure drifted in silently.

The newcomer had a pale, beardless face and an effeminate demeanor. He held a steaming cup of soothing tea in his hands, his face full of distress for the emperor.

It was none other than the newly appointed Director of the Eastern Depot and the Brush-holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who was also one of Wang Hao's most loyal lackeys, Wei Zhongxian.

"This old slave will immediately investigate those who led the trouble, especially that Zhao Wuji. I will have the brats of the Eastern Depot show them some color. Even if it means killing them all, I must vent this foul anger for Your Majesty."

Wang Hao took the tea and took a massive gulp. The bitter tea flowed down his throat, barely suppressing the dark fire in his heart.

He waved his hand and smiled bitterly. "Companion, you saw it too. This court is rotten to the core. What use is killing a few people? That old fox Zhao Wuji has skin thicker than the city walls. Relying on his status as a veteran minister of three reigns, his cultivation as an Astral Qi Realm expert, and the backing of noble families, he doesn't put me in his eyes at all. If Grand Companion Sun hadn't suppressed him with martial force in the court today, this Zhao Wuji probably would have shat right on my neck."

Speaking of this, Wang Hao's eyes turned cold. He opened the system interface to double-check Zhao Wuji's attributes.

[Zhao Wuji: Vice Grand Secretary of the Cabinet]

[Cultivation: First Layer of the Astral Qi Realm]

[Loyalty: -20 (Harbors Treasonous Intentions)]

"Forcing the emperor's hand right in the royal court..." Wang Hao laughed out of extreme anger. "The dignified second-in-command of the Great Zhou Cabinet—is he still loyal to the court? Loyal to me? It looks more like he's planning a rebellion!"

In his mind, however, Wang Hao was complaining madly: Can you believe this? What kind of hellish difficulty is this? How on earth did my cheap father rule for over a decade? It's an absolute miracle that this empire hasn't collapsed yet!

A ruthless killing intent flashed in Wei Zhongxian's eyes, and he spoke in a sinister tone: "As long as this old slave has a breath left, Zhao Wuji won't be able to touch a single hair on Your Majesty's head! There are still fifty thousand Imperial Guards and two hundred thousand Forbidden Army troops in the palace. The Brocade Guards and the Eastern Depot are absolutely loyal to Your Majesty. Furthermore, there are the ancestors in the imperial mausoleum on the back mountain acting as a deterrent. Even if you lent Zhao Wuji ten times his courage, he wouldn't dare rebel openly."

"The ancestors?" Wang Hao sighed and shook his head. "The late emperor completely broke the ancestors' hearts. They are all in secluded death-meditation. Unless Great Zhou truly reaches the brink of national annihilation and the severing of the royal bloodline, they won't easily intervene. If the court has no money and no food, causing the lower armies to mutiny and the commoners to rebel, are we supposed to have the ancestors come out of seclusion to slaughter everyone in the world? What use would there be in keeping such a Great Zhou?"

Speaking of money, Wang Hao's eyes suddenly lit up as he remembered something.

"Companion, go take an inventory of the inner treasury... I want to know exactly how much wealth I have left. Although that old bastard Zhao Wuji harbors ill intentions, he was right about one thing: we are indeed in desperate need of money right now."

Hearing this, Wei Zhongxian's face turned somewhat awkward. His eyes darted away, and he stammered, "Your Majesty... well... there's actually no need for an inventory. This old slave knows the numbers by heart. Um... the ledgers are all memorized in my head."

Wang Hao's heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition rising within him. "Speak. I can handle it."

Wei Zhongxian carefully held up three fingers. "Silver... there's roughly three million taels left."

Wang Hao breathed a sigh of relief. "Three million taels? Although it's not much, it can barely tide us over for a while..."

"N-no." Wei Zhongxian swallowed hard, his voice as low as a mosquito's buzz. "This old slave hasn't finished speaking. That is what's on the books. In reality, before the late emperor passed away, he embezzled another sum to refine that batch of Immortality Pills. Right now, in the treasury... there is probably less than three hundred thousand taels of silver. And gold... seventy thousand taels. There are quite a few antiques and paintings, as the late emperor loved collecting masterpieces, filling several storehouses. But... they can't be converted into cash on such short notice."

Wang Hao's vision went dark, and he nearly fainted.

Three hundred thousand taels?

For a massive empire, this wasn't even enough to make a splash! Just earlier, the Minister of War, Tie Zhan, had opened his mouth and demanded three million taels!

"It's over."

Wang Hao looked up at the giant plaque in the Imperial Study that read Diligent in Governance, Loving the People, feeling an overwhelming sense of irony.

He thought to himself, "It seems I won't be able to keep my one hundred million taels of silver. But that is my money! My money!"

Yes, he had money.

The system's novice gift pack had rewarded him with a full one hundred million taels of silver, which was currently lying quietly in his system space. Originally, he had planned to use this money as his personal enjoyment fund. Now that he was the emperor, shouldn't he enjoy himself? Otherwise, wouldn't being the emperor be a waste? Didn't the three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines require money? Didn't the Palace of Ultimate Bliss that was currently under construction require money? Was it easy being an emperor? Money was needed everywhere. Besides, he would be spending his own money, not the court's. He was much nobler than the late emperor.

But now, this pack of gold-swallowing beasts was waiting with their bloody maws wide open for him to feed them.

If he took this money out to fill the deficit, it would be like throwing meat buns at dogs! Fill it once, and there would be a second and third time! Those corrupt officials would act like vampires, sucking him dry!

But if he didn't take it out?

Not taking it out meant the border passes would fall, anomalies would run rampant, and the Great Zhou Dynasty would collapse.

It was a dead end.

Just as Wang Hao was descending into despair, a flash of lightning suddenly crossed his mind.

Wait.

That's not right.

Why should I use my own money to fill the deficit?

I am the emperor!

Although my cultivation isn't high, I hold the hilt of the sword!

Did that old bastard Zhao Wuji and that group of ministers really think I was made of mud? The only reason they were so arrogant was that they felt I was young, lacked a foundation, had low prestige, and wouldn't dare touch them.

But they forgot one thing.

Just a few days ago, I was assassinated!

"Companion!" Wang Hao suddenly sat up straight, an unprecedented glint of madness flashing in his eyes.

"This old slave is here."

"Tell me, if I were to issue a decree right now to thoroughly investigate the assassination attempt, what would be the consequences?"

Wei Zhongxian was taken aback for a moment, and then his eyes narrowed. "Your Majesty is thinking of..."

"Didn't Zhao Wuji say there was no money? Didn't the Ministry of Revenue say the national treasury was empty?" A cruel smile curled on Wang Hao's lips. "I don't think they are out of money; the money is just hidden in their homes!"

"Since they don't want to maintain their dignity, I will help them maintain it!"

"Assassinating the reigning Son of Heaven is a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations! As long as I wish to investigate, who in this imperial court is truly clean? Who doesn't have some collusion with those sects and noble families? Even if they don't, I will gladly pin it on them."

The more Wang Hao thought about it, the clearer his mind became.

How was this a dead end? This was clearly an opportunity delivered right to his doorstep!

As long as he stirred up a massive case, it meant confiscating estates!

What did confiscating estates mean? It was the fastest way to make money!

Moreover, I have one hundred million taels of silver in hand as my foundation. Even if confiscating estates causes turmoil, even if there is a period of chaos, I can crush it with money! I will use money to stabilize the army, and use money to stabilize the situation!

When the time comes, I will not only have wealth, but also absolute power!

I will let these bastards know what it means to have imperial authorization to execute first and report later!

"Hahaha... hahahaha!"

Wang Hao suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice filled with a profoundly satisfying murderous intent.

Wei Zhongxian was startled and hurriedly knelt down. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, what is wrong? Please do not frighten this old servant! If we lack money, we can think of another way, but absolutely do not ruin your health out of anger! If it truly comes down to it, this old servant will take men from the Eastern Depot and drag in a few wealthy merchants right now..."

He thought Wang Hao had been overstimulated and gone mad.

Wang Hao stood up abruptly and pulled Wei Zhongxian to his feet. A brilliant light erupted from his eyes; where was the slightest trace of his previous despondency?

At this moment, he felt his spine straighter and firmer than ever before!

"My loyal companion! I am not mad! I am perfectly lucid!"

Wang Hao's voice was filled with unprecedented confidence and a domineering aura, as if the frustrated youth had completely died at this moment, replaced by a true emperor.

"Pass down my decree! In three days, convene the Grand Court Assembly once again!"

"Have all officials in the capital of the fifth rank and above roll their way here! Tell them that I wish to have a good talk with them about my assassination! Anyone who dares not to come will be deemed an accomplice and executed without mercy!"

"Also!"

Wang Hao walked to the window, looking at the gloomy sky outside, and said coldly:

"Notify the Commander of the Imperial Guards to assemble fifty thousand heavily armed guards at the drill grounds tomorrow! I will inspect them!"

"Notify the Commander of the Brocade Guards, Pei Jingzhe, and all the seal-holding eunuchs of the Twelve Directorates, Four Offices, and Eight Bureaus of the Imperial Palace to seek an audience at Ganquan Palace tonight!"

"Since this sky is black, I shall dye it red with blood!"

Zhao Wuji, and all those monsters and demons hiding in the shadows.

In two days, I will let you know why I am the Son of Heaven, and why you can only be subjects!

It is time for the sky of the Great Zhou to change its color!

Even if black mist fills the air, even if eerie anomalies descend, I shall be the sole sun of the Great Zhou!

If you cannot be the light that illuminates the darkness, then you shall be the firewood that burns yourselves!