The Ministry of Revenue offices fell deathly silent.
Gu Sihui crumpled to the ground, weeping bitterly.
Jia Huan looked down at him from above and said coldly:
"You didn't spend a penny? The moment you stretched out your hand, countless more bones of the starved littered the disaster-stricken lands! When you reach the Netherworld, repent before those innocent victims who starved to death!"
"And how many beasts were aboard this conscience-rotten ship of corruption, desperate enough to leap over the wall like cornered dogs and ambush the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"
"Your last meal before the executioner's blade is on me!"
With that, he dragged him straight out.
Watching Vice Director Gu scream himself hoarse begging for mercy, the officials fell silent as cicadas in winter.
He had worn so many halos that everyone, from the court to the streets, had held him in esteem.
A poor scholar who studied day and night, sailed his light skiff past ten thousand mountains, earned his jinshi degree and entered official service, married a legitimate daughter of the Duke's Estate, became a renowned Confucian scholar and master calligrapher—the darling of the scholarly world!
And the young man who had arrested him with his own hands?
A hawk and hound of imperial power.
It was this very young man, reviled by everyone, made infamous overnight, and nearly stripped of his post by a joint impeachment, who had remained unwavering and torn away Gu Sihui's deeply concealed mask!
"Cunzhou, I truly envy you for having such a fine son." The Minister of Works looked envious. His own wretched son was the same age, yet spent his days idling and did not even know which way the office gates faced.
Jia Zheng remained silent.
The scene had shaken him profoundly.
Feeling his colleagues' gazes upon him, Jia