Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 355 - 330: Arresting the Culprit with the Stolen Goods

Chapter 355: Chapter 330: Arresting the Culprit with the Stolen Goods

The Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Zong Zhengxi, Prime Minister Xun, and Xing, the Chief of Staff, who had rushed over after hearing the news, sat upright in the flower hall.

The Chief of Staff Xing had received a report from his subordinates that the search in the Prime Minister’s Mansion had encountered some unexpected issues.

At that time, Lin Ji, the Sacrificial Officer, and Imperial Censor Wang happened to be by his side, and Imperial Censor Wang insisted on accompanying him immediately.

As for Lin Ji, he had been dragged along by Wang to make up the numbers.

When the three of them were halfway there, they ran into Elder Yang from the cabinet...

Thus, the flower hall was now somewhat crowded with people.

The Miao King had searched inside and out several times.

Great General Han, being a military man, along with his seasoned soldiers, seemed unfazed. However, the Vice Minister of Justice and the few newly recruited government officers were utterly exhausted, their eyes rolling back as they gasped for air like oxen.

Great General Han said to the Miao King, "Miao King, enough. Continuing this search is pointless. Your antics need a limit."

"Who’s causing antics?"

The Miao King placed his hands on his hips and shouted fiercely.

Great General Han said solemnly, "There’s no need to put on this act in front of this general. It won’t work on me."

The Miao King snapped back, "Who cares if it works on you or not?"

Great General Han revealed his trump card. "Miao King, if you continue with this nonsense, no one will stop you, but you are damaging the Emperor’s dignity in doing so. With crowds of commoners waiting outside, do you intend to subject even the Emperor to ridicule from the people?"

Thinking about the young Emperor he had befriended in prison, the Miao King felt a bit embarrassed.

Moreover, what General Han said wasn’t wrong.

His unreasonable behavior needed to have limits—going too far would only make him seem unreasonable, pushing the public to side with Prime Minister Xun.

"Got it, got it."

The Miao King waved his sleeve, clasped his hands behind his back, and headed to the flower hall.

Everyone saw him return empty-handed, their expressions varied.

Zong Zhengxi still looked clueless and completely out of place.

Prime Minister Xun remained composed, exuding an air of calm confidence, seemingly unbothered by the Miao King’s antics. His demeanor was as magnanimous as expected of someone whose belly could hold a ship.

Chief of Staff Xing had just learned the details of the Ministry of Justice’s search. As the Vice Minister of Justice stepped into the flower hall, Xing cast him a deep gaze.

The Vice Minister of Justice lowered his head, not daring to meet his eyes.

Imperial Censor Wang simply stuck to the facts, neither taking sides nor drawing any conclusions until the truth emerged.

In contrast, Lin Ji’s face inadvertently revealed a trace of concern.

Elder Yang, on the other hand, showed a hint of schadenfreude. Having suffered many setbacks at the hands of this grandfather and grandson duo, perhaps this time he’d caught them making a mistake.

Offend the Prime Minister?

One wouldn’t even know how one had died!

"Miao King, what do you have to say this time?"

The speaker was Xun Qi.

Standing by Prime Minister Xun’s side, his gaze carried a victorious gleam.

Elder Yang chimed in, "Since we can’t find anything, let His Majesty decree and strip the Miao King of his title!"

Xun Qi clasped his hands and bowed toward Zong Zhengxi, saying, "Your Majesty, please issue the decree."

Zong Zhengxi looked troubled.

On one hand, there was the Prime Minister, and on the other, the Miao King—a loyal servant of the Great Zhou and a former prison companion...

Elder Yang said, "Your Majesty, it is getting dark. Over a hundred guards and officers, along with the Miao King, have been searching all day. Great General Han and Assistant Minister Yue are also involved. If someone, even a mouse, were hiding, they would have been found. The public is waiting outside, Your Majesty. Please give them an explanation! We mustn’t let the Imperial Family and the court’s reputation be tarnished."

Zong Zhengxi clenched his fist. "This..."

A flash of intensity appeared in Chief of Staff Xing’s eyes.

With Hai Pig’s confession in hand, he was certain the Prime Minister was far from innocent. However, the Miao King was now being put on the spot—

"Your Majesty."

The usually silent Lin Ji finally spoke.

Zong Zhengxi quickly responded, "Sacrificial Officer, please speak."

Lin Ji stood up, clasped his hands, and said respectfully, "The Miao King’s disruption at the Prime Minister’s Mansion is indeed illegal and unjust. He should be publicly admonished by the Imperial Censor, and his kingly title revoked."

Zong Zhengxi furrowed his brows tightly. "Publicly admonished... wouldn’t that..."

Be too merciless to the Miao King?

Chief of Staff Xing bowed and said, "I second this motion!"

"Miao King, do you have any objections?"

Zong Zhengxi asked.

The Miao King clasped his fists. "I am willing to accept the punishment."

The Miao King was escorted to the front gates of the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Imperial Censor Wang straightened his attire and, in front of the gathered commoners, began to admonish the Miao King’s actions with logic and reason—the breadth and depth of his rhetoric flowing like a river.

The Miao King let his left ear take it in and his right ear push it out.

You little brat, just where on earth are you?

This stalling tactic is a bit embarrassing—

-

In the secret passage, Lu Yuan, who had been chased all the way, leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

Chen Long was also gasping for breath.

The passage was simply too narrow, limiting their ability to execute fighting techniques.

If he landed a palm strike on Lu Yuan, he would inevitably receive half a strike in return.

After exchanging several such blows, whether Lu Yuan lived or died was unclear, but Chen Long was about to drop from exhaustion.

Following closely behind were Meng Qianqian, Bai Yuwei, and Tan’er.

The two men appeared to be fighting, but in truth, they were probing the path, triggering numerous traps, leaving a safe way behind for the women.

Bai Yuwei could hardly bear to watch two such childish men.

The passage grew narrower as they went, barely allowing one person to pass at a time. Bai Yuwei pushed past Tan’er to take the lead.

Tan’er protested, "What are you being rebellious for?"

Bai Yuwei replied, "Child, stay in the back."

Tan’er clung to Meng Qianqian’s arm. "You just want to snatch my sister away from me!"

Bai Yuwei flared up. "Who’s snatching her? I couldn’t care less!"

Tan’er pressed her cheek against Meng Qianqian’s shoulder. "But I care!" ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Bai Yuwei: "...Hmph!"

Meng Qianqian chuckled.

After walking a few more steps, the passage narrowed until only one person could pass through at a time.

Tan’er led the way, Bai Yuwei followed in the middle, with Meng Qianqian bringing up the rear.

Bai Yuwei’s expression finally relaxed a little.

She let out a soft "Ah," and even her voice echoed in the passage.

"What do you think the Prime Minister was thinking, putting the entrance to the secret passage beneath a coffin? Isn’t Central Plains culture supposed to be highly superstitious?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "Coffin, coffin—’rise in rank and prosper.’ It’s not necessarily inauspicious. But common folk typically avoid it, fearing it might disturb the spirits of the deceased."

The ancestral hall, where the tablets of the deceased were enshrined, naturally commanded reverence. Searching it required extra caution; at a glance, it seemed an unlikely hiding spot, prompting most to move on quickly.

For the bold who might move aside a coffin to inspect it, few would guess there was a secret passage underneath.

Bai Yuwei murmured, "How long is this secret passage, anyway? We’ve been walking forever. Could we already have left the Prime Minister’s Mansion?"

Meng Qianqian said, "The Prime Minister’s Mansion is very large."

But Bai Yuwei’s comment gave her a new train of thought. Who said there could only be one entrance to the secret passage?

Perhaps it led elsewhere too.

As the three conversed, Lu Yuan and Chen Long suddenly stopped.

Lu Yuan pressed a mechanism, and a stone door on the wall opened abruptly, revealing a secret chamber illuminated by luminous pearls.

"Such huge luminous pearls!"

Tan’er’s eyes lit up.

"Wait a moment."

Lu Yuan raised his hand to block her.

Chen Long’s expression turned guarded. "I’ll go in first."

Lu Yuan promptly retreated three steps.

Chen Long: "..."

This secret chamber was different from the one where Chen Long and Lu Yuan had previously been confined. Inside were a desk and bookshelves, making it resemble a study.

"Your sword is in there, too."

Lu Yuan pointed to a sword box in the corner of the room.

Moments before, when Chen Long had been chasing Lu Yuan, he had used Meng Qianqian’s Brocade Spring Saber. His own weapon had been taken by an expert when he was unconscious.

He hadn’t expected it to be hidden here.

Lu Yuan’s face clearly said, Hurry up and go in.

Chen Long stepped inside.

And then, he was met with a barrage of traps.

Lu Yuan stroked his chin and remarked, "As expected."

Meng Qianqian asked hesitantly, "You did that on purpose?"

Lu Yuan said nonchalantly, "He’s skilled in martial arts; he’ll be fine."

Meng Qianqian: "..."

After finishing off the last poisoned arrow and dismantling the mechanism graveyard, Chen Long said to the group, "You can come in now."

The group entered the secret chamber.

Bai Yuwei browsed through the bookshelves. "Just some calligraphy and paintings—nothing much."

"Xuan paper, paperweights, Hui ink," Tan’er said, pointing to the items on the desk.

Hands clasped behind his back, Lu Yuan surveyed the room. "With so many traps, there must be something significant hidden here."

Chen Long suddenly felt warmth on the top of his foot again.

It was the young wolf cub urinating on his Dragon Boots.

At his wit’s end, Chen Long grabbed the little wolf cub.

"Don’t move."

Lu Yuan spoke.

Chen Long frowned. "What are you doing?"

Lu Yuan looked down at his feet.

Where the cub’s warm urine had dripped, a shadow suddenly appeared.

Lu Yuan’s eyes sharpened. Pulling a dart from the wall, he flung it toward the doorway.

Clang!

The dart embedded itself in the wall of the secret passage.

Tan’er immediately gave chase outside the chamber, scanning left and right. "There’s nobody here."

Lu Yuan walked out as well, gazing into the now-empty secret passage, a flicker of suspicion flashing in his eyes.

"Husband! Brother! Come take a look!"

Meng Qianqian had discovered a peculiar box behind a bookcase. "Husband, doesn’t this box look familiar to you?"

Lu Yuan came closer for a look. "It’s identical to the box handed to ’Lin Wan’er’ by the mysterious Twelve Guards. The same kind of Poetry Lock was used."

"What’s a Poetry Lock?"

Bai Yuwei asked.

Meng Qianqian explained, "By rotating the characters engraved on the copper rings to form a verse, you unlock the Poetry Lock. However, last time it was a five-character verse, and this time it’s seven characters."

The lock comprised seven copper rings, each engraved with ten characters, making it far more challenging than the box the Twelve Guards had given to "Lin Wan’er."

For some reason, Meng Qianqian’s mind wandered to the ruined-faced man she had encountered during the autumn hunt.

He had saved her once when she fell off a cliff.

Although she hadn’t seen him when she was attacked by cold arrows, she believed it had been him again who had saved her.

Was he the same person as the one who had handed the box to Lin Wan’er, using her to guide the Ministry of Justice in uncovering the truth with the Twelve Guards?

What was the significance of giving an empty box?

Was it to familiarize them with the Poetry Lock in advance?

Or was it... to tell them that the Prime Minister’s secret was hidden in boxes with Poetry Locks?

"It’s open."

While Meng Qianqian was deep in thought, Lu Yuan had already unlocked the Seven-character Poetry Lock.

Bai Yuwei struggled to read aloud: "Wei, Lan, Yao, Hou, Qi, Yi, Jin? What kind of poem is that?"

Meng Qianqian was equally puzzled. Though she wouldn’t claim to be a literary genius, she had read quite a bit and had never come across such a verse—it didn’t even qualify as poetry.

She looked toward Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan explained, "’Only reflect on the gains and losses of the past; observe the sorrows caused by subtle sins. The sage rulers Yao and Shun were benevolent and compassionate, remembered forever by later generations. Duke Huan of Qi failed due to favoritism, while Yiwu’s loyalty brought him renown. The Duke of Jin was bewitched by Li Ji.’ Take the first character of each line."

Bai Yuwei was dumbstruck. "That works?"

For a moment, she didn’t know whether to marvel at the Prime Minister’s cunning or Lu Yuan’s brilliance.

Meng Qianqian couldn’t hide the admiration in her eyes. "Husband, you’re amazing!"

Chen Long’s face darkened.

Lu Yuan retrieved the key from the box. Locating a hidden keyhole behind the bookcase, he inserted the key and unlocked it, revealing a thick dossier inside.

He smirked. "The evidence is in our hands."