klisemfg Chapter 422 Li Si and Wang Wan Imprisoned
Chapter 422 Li Si and Wang Wan Imprisoned
Seizing the opportunity, Sun Yi slipped into the room as nimbly as a cat. His movements were swift and silent. Once inside, he didn't act immediately, but stood still for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Once his vision returned, Sun began a thorough search of the room. His movements were incredibly skillful, each one natural and fluid. He first checked the table and bookshelves, then the bed and cabinets, leaving no corner unchecked where important items might be hidden.
Soon, Sun Yi's gaze fell behind a painting on the wall. He gently moved the painting aside and, sure enough, discovered a hidden compartment. Inside the compartment were an account book and a list. Sun Yi was delighted; this was exactly what he was looking for.
Sun carefully picked up the account books and lists, afraid of making the slightest sound. He stuffed the evidence into his pocket, then turned and left the Zhang family mansion as swiftly as a ghost.
Sun Yi rushed back to Li Shiqi's prefectural residence without stopping and handed over the evidence he had found. Li Shiqi eagerly opened the account books and lists, becoming increasingly alarmed as he read. He never imagined that a small place like Longxi, with just the Zhang family, could have so many officials in the imperial court bribed by them. Moreover, the amount of these bribes was simply staggering.
Knowing the gravity of the matter, Li Shiqi immediately ordered Sun Yi to take the evidence and ride back to Xianyang at top speed. Sun Yi rode a fast horse, traveling day and night, without stopping, towards Xianyang.
Meanwhile, Wang Lang's double had just left Longxi County when he was ambushed. A group of mysterious assassins appeared like ghosts, wielding sharp blades and mercilessly hacking and slashing at those protected by the guards.
In an instant, chaos erupted at the scene. Shouts of killing and screams mingled together, blood splattered everywhere, and the scene was gruesome. The assassins, believing they had successfully eliminated Wang Lang, looked at the blood and corpses on the ground and quickly and satisfiedly withdrew from the scene, disappearing without a trace.
However, all of this was just a ruse. The real Wang Lang had already disguised himself and cleverly infiltrated a merchant caravan. He disguised himself as an ordinary merchant, carefully making his way through the caravan, and finally arrived in Xianyang safely.
Upon arriving in Xianyang, Wang Lang went straight to the Xianyang Palace without hesitation. He made no attempt to conceal his identity and openly requested an audience with the King of Qin. This action astonished Li Si, Wang Wan, and the others. They never expected that Wang Lang could escape their pursuit so easily and appear before them so brazenly.
No one cared about the feelings of Li Si, Wang Wan, and the others. With Wang Lang entering the palace, the joint trial by the three judicial departments began. Inside the main hall of Xianyang Palace, the officials displayed a variety of expressions.
Wang Wan inwardly cried out in alarm, fearing that Wang Lang might say something detrimental to them. Li Si, outwardly calm, was also somewhat uneasy. Wang Lang knelt in the hall, his clothes simple, but his eyes piercing. He presented a memorial with both hands, his voice loud and clear: "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present!"
King Ying Zheng of Qin sat high above, slightly raising his hand: "Speak."
Wang Lang's voice was calm and powerful: "I have investigated the case of the embezzlement of disaster relief funds in Longxi and found out the truth. The ink on the account books was written with this year's newly tribute pine soot ink, while the so-called embezzlement occurred last year—this is a frame-up!"
An uproar erupted inside the hall.
Li Si's expression remained unchanged, only his fingertips tightened slightly. Wang Wan stood to the side, seemingly making some kind of decision.
Just then, Sun Yi rushed in, looking travel-worn. He knelt down and cried out, "Your Majesty! Lord Li Shiqi has ordered me to present a secret report!"
The King of Qin took the secret report, his gaze sweeping over its contents, his eyes gradually turning cold.
The bamboo slips detail how the Zhang family of Longxi colluded with court officials to secretly switch disaster relief funds and even mix military rations into the porridge of disaster victims. Even more alarming is the list of officials who accepted bribes attached at the end. Although Li Si and Wang Wan's names are not on the list, their confidants and retainers are prominently featured.
Before the King of Qin could react, Li Si had already made his decision. He stepped out of the ranks, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I am guilty."
The entire court was silent.
Ying Zheng looked up at him: "What crime has the Minister of Justice committed?"
Li Si said in a low voice, "I have failed to manage my subordinates properly, which has led to the corruption of my retainers. I am willing to accept punishment for this."
Upon seeing this, Wang Wan immediately stepped forward, saying, "I also bear responsibility for oversight!"
The King of Qin remained silent for a moment, then suddenly sneered: "What a fine example of 'lax management of subordinates'."
He stood up and waved his sleeve: "Issue my order—the entire Zhang family of Longxi shall be executed, and all officials involved shall be imprisoned and severely interrogated! As for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice…" He glanced at Wang Wan and Li Si, "…and imprison them. They will be sentenced separately after the facts are clarified." The King of Qin's voice echoed in the hall, like cold iron falling to the ground, each word resounding.
Li Si's pupils contracted sharply, and his fingers clenched tightly in his sleeves, his nails almost digging into his palms. He slowly raised his head, meeting Ying Zheng's unfathomable eyes—there was no anger, no hesitation, only a cold scrutiny.
He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
This thought slithered into Li Si's mind like a venomous snake. He suddenly realized that the disaster relief case might just be a pretext; what the King of Qin really wanted to eliminate was the vast network of power that he and Wang Wan had woven in the court over the years.
Wang Wan was already kneeling on the ground, her forehead pressed against the palace bricks: "Your subject...accepts his punishment." Her voice trembled uncontrollably.
The black-armored imperial guards stepped into the hall, the dull thud of their iron boots causing the assembled officials to instinctively step back. As the cold chains fastened to their wrists, Li Si suddenly chuckled softly.
"Does Li Tingwei have anything else to say?" The King of Qin looked down at him.
"I was just thinking..." Li Si looked up at the star map drawn on the dome, "Did Shang Yang regret his reforms before he was torn apart by chariots?"
The hall fell into a deathly silence. Meng Tian's hand was already on the hilt of his sword, but the King of Qin waved his hand away.
"Take him away."
Deep within Xianyang Prison, darkness was so thick it seemed impenetrable. Only a few slivers of light struggled to penetrate through the narrow ventilation shafts, casting dappled shadows on the blood-stained brick floor. The air was thick with the stench of decay and blood, as if every breath would choke one's lungs. Wang Wan huddled in a corner, her body hunched over, her former spiritedness long since vanished, replaced only by terror and resentment.
Suddenly, Wang Wan seemed to go mad, lunging at the bars and gripping the cold iron bars tightly with both hands. She roared hoarsely, "No! Zhang's accounts have nothing to do with us. Why, Your Majesty—" Her voice echoed in the gloomy cell, filled with endless despair.
"Because his real target is you and me." Li Si's calm voice came from the next cell, like a stagnant pool, without the slightest ripple, yet containing a chilling insight that knew everything.