"What a grave charge!"
The Minister of the Punishments Department looked astonished. "Lord Lin, deceiving the sovereign is a capital offense. Just how did he offend you for you to go this far?"
6.
Was this what verbal manipulation looked like?
He made it sound as though the man had only been targeted and reported for such a crime because he had offended Lin Ke.
That was not the issue at all.
Although Lin Ke could be petty, he had initially wanted to get things done properly.
If the Minister of Personnel had not made it clear that he intended to brush him off, Lin Ke would never have bothered making such a fuss.
Simply put, throw one punch to keep a hundred more from coming.
He intended to stir things up not only in the Personnel and Punishments Departments, but also to visit the Revenue Department, the Gods and Ghosts Department, and the others afterward.
"He didn't offend me, but he did something wrong," Lin Ke said with a cheerful smile.
"You gentlemen of the Punishments Department need to review this evidence and deliver a verdict promptly. If anyone shields him or drags their feet, I will exercise the authority the Sage Emperor granted me to execute first and report afterward. Would any of you care to test whether my Treasured Sword is sharp?"
A trace of murderous intent showed openly in Lin Ke's smile.
It sent waves of alarm through the officials of the Punishments Department.
"Such murderous intent, Lord Lin." The Minister of the Punishments Department frowned almost imperceptibly. "How exactly would you have our department cooperate with you?"
"I name someone, you find them, then kill them," Lin Ke said flatly. "If carrying out executions is inconvenient for your department, Butcher Zhang, the finest butcher on