The sky was vast with many stars.

Outside the Pingcheng Pass, a post-horse ran all the way along the loess road under the deep sky.

Suddenly something stumbled on its front hoof, and there were neighing sounds in succession. Immediately both the man and horse were thrown off their feet.

Four or five strong men jumped out of the grass. Without a word, they pressed the man to the ground with his arms crossed on his back.

"Let me go. Let me go. I'm just a common citizen..."

The arrested man yelled loudly and looked up laboriously. Seeing that all the strong men were wearing the iconic crimson official uniform of the Eastern Depot, his face turned pale with fright. He wanted to escape the catastrophe by lying.

The guard who led the team squatted, patted the man's face with his rough big hand and chuckled,

"Hey, common people? How can a common citizen find a swift horse? "

The guard asked his companions to turn the man over, and held him with his arms and legs stretched.

The guard searched the man's shirt for a moment, and found a letter and a mysterious iron token.

Through the moonlight, the guard saw the word inscribed on the token,

Wan!

The guard chuckled triumphantly,

"Master Leng has a prophetic eye! Guys, kill him now. I hurry to Jing City and present these two things to the Master."

As he spoke, he mounted the horse and departed.

Startled by a scream from behind, countless birds in the bushes fluttered their wings and rushed into the night sky.

―

On the first day of April, a silk-like drizzle continued throughout the night until dawn.

Early in the morning, a floating corpse was found in the lotus pond. After salvage and verification, it was confirmed to be the eunuch of Weiyan Chamber, Lord Mao, who had been missing for many days.

Emperor Jingxiao had rested for a long time. On April 3rd, he summoned civil and military officials to go to court at dawn. He also summoned Wan Li, the Shenle Marquis, Lei Huan and Wu Yong from the Court of Judicial Review to the Golden Palace to interrogate them personally.

Wu Yong used to work for Wan Li, who intended to get rid of him as soon as he had finished his job. Luckily, Wu Yong was saved by the Eastern Depot. Now he atoned for his crimes by doing good deeds and confessed that the Shenle Marquis Wan Li monopolized the grain transporting of Da Yi, persecuted merchants, hid gold mines, disrupted local taxes, and disrespected the royalty. There were more than 30 crimes.

On the other hand, Leng Qingtang asked several officials in advance to impeach the Wans. Taking this opportunity, these officials used their eloquence to attack the Wans. It seemed that everyone gave a shove to a falling wall of the Wans.

After a few rounds of fierce submissions, it was indicated that Wan Li and Wan Zong were the real killers of the damsel's stealthily substitute case, the demon baby case, and the poisoning case of the capital. With human testimony and material evidence, there was no denying.

Next, Leng Qingtang presented the letters and commander's seals sent to Southern Jiang by Lord Shen Wan Zong, which were intercepted and captured by the Eastern Depot outside the pass to Emperor Jingxiao to prove the heinous crime of the Wan family who organized private soldiers and tried to rebel.

The emperor was very angry.

Emperor Jingxiao immediately flew into a rage. Throwing Jindan Pills into his mouth, he pointed at the Wans and cursed them,

"That's enough—"

Wan Li stood up suddenly, but was kicked on his knees by the Honour Guard on the side and knelt back on the ground.

Wan Li looked fierce. He sneered at the emperor,

"I did those. I did those of all—"

Many people at the Golden Palace stared at him. Some were cold-hearted, and some were dumbfounded.

To their surprise, the Shenle Marquis, known for his bad temper, confessed his guilt without hesitation today.

"Your Majesty, I beg you. I have served you for many years. Given this, please forgive my family and not kill them. My death is not a pity, Your Majesty..."

The cries were like cuckoos crying for blood, entering the Golden Palace one after another.

In order to save the lives of her entire clan, Wan Yuyao, who had lost her power, knelt down on the empty court without her long dress or jewelry. The sound of crying, accompanied by the kowtow, was thrilling.

It could be described that good and evil must at last have their reward.

For more than ten years, the Wan clan had been manipulating the court and the imperial harem. While in a blink of an eye, their power collapsed, like falling flowers and flowing water.

"You ignorant idiot. What are you talking about?"

Seeming to be possessed by a spirit, Wan Li got up and rushed to the outside of the hall.

This time, the Honour Guards failed to stop him.

To be precise, including Emperor Jingxiao himself, everyone was completely shocked by the Shenle Marquis's astonishing behavior.

But Leng Qingtang was calm. He just wanted to see what would become of Wan Li in his last gasp.

Wan Li strode out of the hall with the heavy shackles. He walked to Wan Yuyao with difficulty, and slapped Wan Yuyao.

Wan Yuyao suddenly stopped crying and looked at her brother in shock.

"Other imperial concubines are always secretly planning, but all you know is playing with hairpins, rings and makeups! You don't want to fight for power. I, as your younger brother, have to fight for you and the family!"

"Li, how dare you—"

Kneeling in the Golden Palace, Lord Shen Wan Zong heard the words clearly. He turned around to stare at the fierce man outside. He was outrageous suddenly and shouted with a trembled voice.

But Wan Li didn't move. He stared at Wan Yuyao's face and repeated fiercely,

"For you! For you... All I’ve done was for you!"

Suddenly, a string of tears rolled down his eyes. Seeing that, Wan Yuyao was stunned, and she understood something for a moment.

Wan Li returned to the hall, kneeling down beside his father.

Seeing tears flickering on his son's thin face, Wan Zong suddenly realized that his son's behavior was not for anything else, but to save his Eldest Sister.

However, Leng Qingtang would naturally expect things that Lord Shen had expected.

He stood with his hands together and seemed to smile indifferently.

The Eastern Depot had been planning for a long time, and this time it was bound to bring down the Wan clan in one fell swoop. How could Wan Yuyao be spared?

Sure enough, as Lord Shen had thought, Wan Li bowed his head upwards and said with a dull and stern voice,

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Concubine doesn't know anything about it. Those things are all committed by me alone and have nothing to do with her. Please pardon the Imperial Noble Concubine. The fifth and sixth princesses cannot live without their Mother!"

Outside the hall, Wan Yuyao covered her face with her hands and cried more intensely,

"Brother..."

She just realized why Wan Li spoke to her badly and even beat her. All he wanted was to make the emperor believe that she, as his Eldest Sister, was indeed incompetent, and had nothing to do with those crimes. Only in this way, she might have a chance to live.

"Your Majesty, I still have material evidence to prove that the Imperial Noble Concubine participated in the mutilation of Concubine Xu and deliberately persecuted the Seventh Prince."

The effeminate voice was a little old, and it unhurriedly entered from outside the Golden Palace.

"Who is outside? Call him to come."

The emperor tried his best to keep energetic and gave order to Lord Zhang. He then swallowed two Jindan pills.

The comer was Bingbi Liu of the Imperial Ceremony Office. With a wooden box in his hand, he bowed down,

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Ceremony Office has now received a letter left by the former nanny of the Seventh Prince, Tong. She described how Imperial Noble Concubine deliberately persecuted the Seventh Prince. In addition, Ming Lan, Commander-in-chief of the Western Depot, has oral accounts as evidence. Your Majesty, please take a look."

Lord Zhang sent the evidence to the emperor and opened it. Bingbi Liu reminded in due course,

"Please be careful, Your Majesty. There are a small number of reed catkins and pollen in the box. A little bit on the skin will be itchy and painful."

Emperor Jingxiao took the letter and the confession. After reading them one by one, the expression on his face changed.

For a moment, he furiously slapped the armrest. His forehead’s veins, like the spider’s thread, protruded,

"Damn the bitch! The fifth and sixth princesses can't live without their Mother. Why does my Seventh Prince deserve to lose his Mother?!"

Suddenly he coughed violently. The emperor covered his mouth and gasped heavily, sweating all over.

Closing his eyes and thinking, the emperor thought of the deceased Concubine Xu and Empress Qian who was lying in bed. He had a splitting headache suddenly and his spine was trembling.

Opening his eyes faintly, the emperor touched his forehead, and said in a low voice,

"Issue my decree, Wan Li and Wan Zong ignored the imperial grace, formed a clique to pursue selfish interests, hid a gold mine to feather their nest, stored troops in Southern Jiang, and managed to assassinate in front of the emperor. With so many crimes, they will be put to death by dismembering the body, together with the demon Taoist Priest Lei Huan. Three days later, they will be punished by parading through the streets as a warning to others and will be executed outside the Meridian Gate.

The Imperial Noble Concubine Wan, for her private ends, persecuted the imperial concubines and mutilated the imperial heirs. Her crime cannot be forgiven. Deprive her of the title and award her poisonous wine. Kill the nine clans of the Wans.

Royal Guards, you immediately check Lord Shen's Mansion and Nanyuan, the Shenle Marquis's House. All properties found should be confiscated for the national treasury. As for Wu Yong. Since you have contributed to the prosecution, you don’t have to die. But you must face physical punishment.

When Wangxian Rise is built, I will order you to go to sea with me. After successfully exploring Kunhuang Tomb, I will then convict you."

As soon as the oral order had just been given, two people passed out outside and inside. Only Wan Li was pompous and laughed wildly on his back,

"You fatuous and self-indulgent ruler. Since I have been convicted by you, why do I need to suffer from the pain at your mercy, it would be better for me to die!"

In an instant, he turned around and took out the sword of an Honour Guards next to him.

With a "puff", his throat was cut, and blood splashed in the hall.

In exclaiming, Wan Li's upright dead body instantly lay down on his back...