The Villainous Minister 05

"Me, deceive them? It's you who's been deceiving them, isn't it, Heavenly King Hu?" Fang Zhiyi narrowed his eyes. "How many displaced peasants have you absorbed along the way? How many rebel armies have you taken in? Every time we storm a city, you send them in first while your men swoop in last to claim the spoils?"

Heavenly King Hu choked on his words, his mouth hanging open.

"I’ve also heard you plunder the people’s grain and money. The massacre in Wuyuan County—wasn’t that your doing? Oh, and let’s not forget how you forcibly seize the wives and daughters of your subordinates. Any truth to that?" Before he could retort, Fang Zhiyi pressed on. "With a leader like this, do you really think your lives will improve? Is it truly a world without taxes where everyone has enough to eat?"

Heavenly King Hu panicked as murmurs spread through the crowd. The rebel soldiers cast suspicious glances his way. He couldn’t understand why, in the middle of a war, Fang Zhiyi had led his men to the camp’s entrance just to engage in a war of words.

Suddenly, one of his own subordinates stepped forward. "Hu Dexiang! You’ve kept my wife for over a year! I’ve held this grudge long enough!"

With the first spark of defiance, another man, dressed differently from the rest, rode out from the ranks. "Heavenly King Hu, I’m inclined to believe General Fang. In every recent battle, it’s been our Jianghe Army at the front while your men stayed in camp drinking and carousing. Disgusting."

Heavenly King Hu grew desperate. "You’d take his word over mine? Can’t you see how corrupt the court is?"

Fang Zhiyi seemed to have anticipated this. Calmly, he raised a rolled-up yellow cloth and unfurled it slowly. He showed no fear, even stepping closer to a few rebels to let their torches illuminate the words.

"Here—the Emperor declares amnesty. And here—he expresses his gratitude. He admits he was misled by his ministers and knew nothing of the suffering below. If not for your uprising, he would never have realized how far the Wei-Wu Dynasty had fallen." With a wave of his hand, several soldiers emerged from the crowd, struggling under the weight of large bundles.

Under the watchful eyes of the rebels, the bundles were opened, and severed heads tumbled to the ground—executions Fang Zhiyi had ordered at the market square before leaving the city.

"This one—you might not recognize him. The Minister of Revenue, a corrupt official."

"This one—a fifth-rank official. And this? Now this is impressive—a first-rank minister!" Fang Zhiyi took a torch from a rebel, pointing at each head.

The rebels, now seeming more like ordinary villagers, gasped in shock, murmuring "Oh!" and "Wow!" as Fang Zhiyi narrated.

"Finally, the Emperor offers his apologies. He asks you to trust the Wei-Wu Dynasty one last time and cease this needless bloodshed. Your families await you. Take travel funds and return home."

"Travel funds?" A rebel’s eyes lit up.

"Of course! Didn’t you hear Sun Liu not only had his leg treated but was also given silver? And an amnesty decree?"

"But Heavenly King Hu had Sun Liu executed..."

One by one, weapons clattered to the ground. Soon, more followed.

Heavenly King Hu shouted in desperation, "What are you doing, you fools? Guards! Guards!"

Just then, hoofbeats thundered from the side as a rebel force charged toward them. Heavenly King Hu brightened. "Reinforcements! Is that He Qing?" He remembered He Qing’s rebel army had been stationed in that direction, though they’d refused to merge camps.

"It’s your granddaddy! General He Qing of the Biao Cavalry, here to arrest the traitor Hu Dexiang!"

Heavenly King Hu froze. What was this? Since when did He Qing have an official title? Before he could process it, his two closest aides exchanged a glance and pinned him down.

"General Fang, we were blinded by this man’s lies. Spare us!"

In ancient times, people were quick to follow the crowd. Once one man knelt, waves of others followed.

What followed was the confiscation of weapons and a headcount. Under Fang Zhiyi’s orders, the wounded rebels were carried off for treatment. Those who wished to return home received travel funds, while those willing to serve as officials remained for reassignment.

As the rebel army dissolved, everyone marveled at Fang Zhiyi’s brilliance—except Gao Liang, who whispered uneasily, "General, forging imperial decrees... isn’t that going too far?" While the others believed every word, only Gao Liang knew Fang Zhiyi had fabricated it all.

"Forging? The imperial seal is right here!" Fang Zhiyi dismissed the concern.

"I know the Emperor won’t blame you, but the ministers..." Gao Liang was genuinely worried.

Fang Zhiyi grinned. "Anyone who complains can be silenced."

Gao Liang paused, then a spark of excitement flashed in his eyes.

A tense atmosphere filled the grand hall. News of the rebels’ dissolution had reached the court early. Emperor Shunying, unusually alert, sat on his throne at dawn, awaiting his general’s return. The ministers, however, wore mixed expressions.

Those at odds with Fang Zhiyi gritted their teeth. If this continued, his influence would only grow. They had barely held their ground by rallying other officials—what now? Especially with some already executed by the Xuanjing Bureau.

Others, minor figures who had never aligned with any faction, rejoiced. The crisis was over, their lives spared. In their hearts, they admired Fang Zhiyi.

"General Fang has arrived!" A eunuch at the entrance announced.

Clad in armor, Fang Zhiyi strode into the hall. His gaze swept past the frail-looking Emperor Shunying, and he sighed inwardly before bowing slightly. "Your Majesty."

Emperor Shunying straightened. "Excellent! Bring a seat for General Fang!"

A chair was promptly brought forth. Fang Zhiyi thanked him and sat—but before he could settle in, an official stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, I have a grievance!"

The Emperor blinked in surprise. Were his ministers this diligent? The crisis had barely ended.

"I accuse Fang Zhiyi!" Fang Zhiyi glanced sideways at the old man—a representative of the purist faction, stubborn, mediocre, but shamelessly persistent.

"He forged imperial edicts! He issued pardons to the rebels without authorization! He opened the treasury to distribute silver and grain to them!"

Emperor Shunying was stunned. No one had informed him of this.

Fang Zhiyi, however, had expected it. With so many witnesses, spies among his ranks must have reported to these officials.

Before the old minister finished, another stepped forward. "I, too, accuse Fang Zhiyi! He ordered the Xuanjing Bureau to slaughter officials indiscriminately—even Grand Secretary Chen’s entire family was wiped out! If Your Majesty does not punish this, it will disillusion scholars across the land!"

Grand Secretary Chen, the executed first-rank minister, had been a leader among scholars—yet he had penned a surrender letter to the rebels.

When Fang Zhiyi heard Gao Liang had ordered his execution, even he was shocked. Gao Liang was ruthless—daring to behead a first-rank official.