I Bestow One Million

The Crown Princess's carriage rolled smoothly along the broad imperial avenue leading to the royal palace.

Inside, Cui Shifan rode together with Luo Zhao.

At this moment, Cui Shifan was gripping a stack of documents, studying them meticulously—page by page, line by line, word by word.

His brows would furrow and then relax, his breathing quickening and then holding entirely. His eyes were filled with intense focus and a growing, profound shock.

Cui Shifan read with extreme care, terrified of missing a single number, an innocuous-looking margin note, or the slightest thread of connection.

For this seemingly ordinary stack of papers carried the rise and fall of the Cui clan for decades to come, and it dictated whether he could take another step forward in his political career!

Luo Zhao, meanwhile, sat quietly in the seat of honor, resting with her eyes closed.

She had already fully grasped the mysteries hidden within the documents in Cui Shifan's hands.

After all, Gu Chengyin had already extracted all the most crucial parts.

If she still couldn't understand them, she might as well stop being the Crown Princess.

But precisely because of this, she understood exactly what these documents meant.

At the very least, just as Gu Chengyin had said, they were enough to change Emperor Luo's reluctance to uproot the Xiao clan.

Time trickled by.

The Crown Princess's carriage had entered the imperial city limits, and the surroundings grew increasingly solemn and quiet.

Finally, just before reaching the palace gates, Cui Shifan slowly raised his head and gently closed the final page.

He did not speak immediately; instead, he closed his eyes to calm the massive waves surging in his heart.

Luo Zhao opened her eyes at the right moment, looked at him, and asked calmly, Well?

Hearing her voice, Cui Shifan finally snapped back to reality from the immense shock.

He let out a long breath, the exhalation carrying the chill of lingering terror.

Your Highness, just as Junior Preceptor Gu said, this stack of documents... is enough to change His Majesty's attitude.

Cui Shifan paused, his tone filled with lingering fear and the relief of surviving a disaster:

It is just that this old minister never imagined the Xiao clan's audacity had grown to such a degree.

They... they actually dared to touch the money of the royal merchants in Lanling Commandery.

He stressed the words 'royal merchants' heavily, trembling as if touching a taboo.

That money is all meant for the Inner Treasury.

Cui Shifan's voice unconsciously rose, the muscles on his face twitching slightly. It is His Majesty's private funds, the court's expenses, the very foundation of the royal family's dignity. How... how dare they?!

At this moment, Cui Shifan felt incredibly thankful that he had grasped these documents earlier and boarded the great ship of the Crown Princess.

Setting everything else aside, once the contents of what he held in his hands were exposed and verified in the future, it wouldn't just be the entire Xiao clan facing execution.

All the noble clans implicated with them, including his own Cui clan, would lose half their lives.

This had already exceeded the scope of conventional court factionalism and struggles for interests.

This was stealing money right out of Emperor Luo's own pockets!

What stability of the court? What balance of the noble clans?

In the face of the Xiao clan's actions, all of that became a joke.

If this continued, the Xiao clan would not only control the Ministry of Personnel's appointments and the national treasury's allocations, but now they weren't even sparing the royal Inner Treasury.

Then did this Great Luo empire belong to the Luo family, or the Xiao family!?

Just thinking about it sent a rush of cold air from Cui Shifan's tailbone straight to the crown of his head.

Regarding Cui Shifan's shock, Luo Zhao remained completely unperturbed, merely casting a faint glance at him.

The Xiao clan were up to no good, but was his Cui clan any better?

It was nothing more than good luck this time, having been forcibly dragged onto this great ship.

Who knew how much of this old fox's current display was genuine and how much was fake.

Inside and out, there wasn't a single good person in this royal court; they were all racking their brains to fight for power and profit.

From the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, Xiao Song, to the old noble clans led by the Xiao family.

To the Second Prince, who harbored ulterior motives and used the new policies to amass military power for himself.

And the newly risen, insatiably greedy wealthy merchants in the Luo capital who sought to monopolize the land...

Each was more sinister than the last.

Each more cunning than the last.

And each more... deserving of death!

In comparison, Luo Zhao suddenly found Gu Chengyin much more pleasing to the eye.

At least, he was standing on her side.

It was just that his way of standing... went a bit too far.

Your Highness, Elder Cui, it is time to alight, Shangguan Yunying's voice rang out from outside the carriage, carrying a hint of reminder.

Luo Zhao took a deep breath, restoring the majesty and composure fitting of a Crown Princess.

The two stepped out of the carriage one after the other, walking toward the warm pavilion that symbolized the highest authority in Great Luo.

They didn't wait long before the pavilion doors opened. Lyu Fang walked out with a bow and said in a soft voice:

Your Highness, Elder Cui, His Majesty summons you.

The two entered the warm pavilion.

Luo Zhao and Cui Shifan stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the figure behind the imperial desk:

This subject daughter pays her respects to Imperial Father.

This old minister, Cui Shifan, pays his respects to Your Majesty.

Emperor Luo was currently holding a memorial, reviewing it. Hearing their voices, he looked up and gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

His gaze first lingered on Luo Zhao for a moment, as if wanting to observe her current state.

When he saw that Luo Zhao's expression was grave but not panicked, her eyes firm and clear, a flash of gratification appeared deep in his eyes.

Immediately after, his gaze fell upon Cui Shifan, lingering for an extra moment on Cui Shifan's slightly pale face.

I heard the two of you came together. Do you have a matter to report?

Emperor Luo set down his vermilion brush and leaned back slightly. It wouldn't happen to be about Gu Chengyin, would it? I just heard that he was invited by the Ministry of Personnel for tea.

Luo Zhao immediately took a step forward, her voice clear and resolute:

To answer Imperial Father, this daughter's entry into the palace with Elder Cui this time is not for the matter of Junior Preceptor Gu.

The Bureau of Integrity handling cases according to regulations and verifying official records is fair and reasonable. I have no objections.

If Junior Preceptor Gu truly committed crimes and violated discipline, then he deserves his punishment.

I absolutely will not show the slightest favoritism or protect him! The laws of the imperial court stand above all else!

These words were spoken with awe-inspiring righteousness and full of moral integrity, painting the perfect picture of a Crown Princess strictly upholding the law.

Standing in attendance to the side, Lyu Fang quietly raised his eyelids upon hearing this, sneaking a quick glance at Luo Zhao. He thought to himself, This style... why does it resemble a certain Marquis named Gu so much?

Hearing Luo Zhao's words, Emperor Luo actually grew somewhat interested. He raised an eyebrow slightly. Oh? It is not for Gu Chengyin?

His gaze swept back and forth between Luo Zhao and Cui Shifan as he asked, Then Zhao'er, and Elder Cui, what is the matter?

Seeing Emperor Luo ask, Cui Shifan did not hesitate to drop to his knees with a thud, touching his head to the ground. His voice was loud but laced with deep sorrow:

Your Majesty! The reason this old minister and Her Highness risk death to seek an audience today is truly because the matter we must report concerns the foundation of the state, the lifeblood of the court's finances, and even more so, Your Majesty's heavenly might and the royal family's dignity!

As the Vice Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, this old minister has received profound imperial grace. In the face of such a major issue of right and wrong, I dare not show the slightest favoritism or conceal anything, nor do I dare let personal matters ruin public duty!

Thus, I hastily accompanied Her Highness into the palace to risk death and state the case, begging Your Majesty to use your divine wisdom and make a decisive, discerning judgment!

Emperor Luo nodded slightly, the casualness on his face receding a bit. He raised a hand to signal, Present it.

Yes.

Lyu Fang immediately responded and walked briskly over to Luo Zhao.

Luo Zhao solemnly handed over the stack of documents she had been tightly gripping in her hands to Lyu Fang.

Lyu Fang cautiously walked up to the imperial desk, bowing as he presented the documents in front of Emperor Luo.

Emperor Luo first casually picked up the top page, his gaze sweeping over it carelessly.

But soon, his eyes locked onto the text.

He picked up the second page, then the third... his pace of turning the pages grew slower and slower.

His expression shifted from its initial calmness to a heavy solemnity, his brows furrowing slightly.

As he read deeper, Emperor Luo's body, which had been lazily leaning against the throne, unconsciously straightened up, like a dragon or tiger gathering its strength to strike.

Below him, Luo Zhao and Cui Shifan kept their heads bowed, standing respectfully with their arms at their sides, not daring to move a single muscle.

They knew all too well what kind of thunderous fury this stack of documents was about to unleash.

A long time passed.

Emperor Luo finally set down the last page of the documents.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

With this simple motion, an oppressive aura as heavy as a mountain erupted from his body, instantly enveloping the entire heated pavilion.

This was not merely the wrath of an emperor, but a pure killing intent born from having his reverse scale touched, his absolute authority subjected to the most fundamental provocation.

Emperor Luo pressed his entire palm heavily onto the stack of documents.

He spoke slowly, every word seemingly squeezed through clenched teeth:

"The imperial merchants of Lanling Commandery bring in an annual revenue of five million taels."

"Sent to the Divine Capital, four million taels."

"Ultimately entered into the Ministry of Revenue's accounts, three million taels."

With every sentence Emperor Luo spoke, his tone grew a fraction colder, and the oppressive weight in the room grew a layer heavier.

"Two million into the state treasury, one million into the inner treasury."

"Good, good, good. Truly excellent, my imperial merchants."

"My money!"

"They take a cut of two million."

"And I get a cut of one million?!"