The Anarchic Consort c1-1376

by Warring Young Seven

  Someone wanted to use the opportunity to flatter the Third Prince, and replied with a beaming smile on his face, "The things that Your Highness bestow upon us are definitely something exceptional."

  "It's indeed an exceptional gift," Baili Jia Jue uttered, smiling evilly.

  Their knees grew weak in fear and they instantly dropped down on the ground, begging pathetically without a care for their image, "Your Highness, these are groundless accusations, we are all innocent! Your Highness, this is merely a dishonest trickery by Liao Qingtian!"

  "Groundless accusations?" Baili Jia Jue began to laugh. However, it was menacing and frigidly cold like the person emanating it. Then, he snarled, "You all clearly know what you have done outside the Bayview Seafood Restaurant on the day Magistrate Liao was released. Shadow guards, make everyone open their eyes wide so they can look at the amount of silver written on the name list, and ask them where the silver has disappeared to. Those who can answer it, I will spare their lives. Those who can't, just kill them."

  Baili Jia Jue said all of that in complete indifference.

  When the imperial officials heard the word 'kill', they trembled violently in terror.

  Someone could no longer contain himself, and shouted, "Your Highness, I will confess, I will confess about everything! It's my fault for taking the silver, but there's no other way. It's extremely difficult for us to be an official in the rural counties. We had to pay the superiors every year, but it's simply not enough with the meager salary provided by the imperial court. Furthermore, the Liao family is the most powerful in the provincial capital, we have no choice but to side with them. The Bayview Seafood Restaurant may seem to be run by the Liao family, but the bona fide mastermind behind all of these is none other than Elder Helian who is sitting beside you!"

  Suddenly, a loud noise sounded!

  Clang...

  Chapter 530 - The Boastful Elder And The Bloodthirsty Third Prince

  In an instant, the entire yamen was submerged in a freezing silence.

  The imperial officials did not expect anyone to call out Elder Helian.

  When Elder Helian heard his name, his tightly clasped the chair handle, trying his best to seem unbothered by the person's accusation.

  However, he knew very well that he would be infallible.

  At this point, even if someone denounced him, there would not be any significant repercussions if there was no conclusive evidence.

  Still, everything would be ruined if he panicked.

  The wise Retired Emperor seemed placid as though he was unperturbed by the news. He casually turned his head around and asked, "Elder Yun, do you want to say anything?"

  "Your Highness, ever since I became the elder, I have been slandered countless times. The family has become so large, I can no longer control what everyone does." Elder Helian slowly continued, "Some people are too gullible, blindly believing the gossip if my name is mentioned. Thus, the crooks used this chance to fabricate rumors about me. Now that something has happened, some people would inevitably cast doubt on me. After all, I do have a relationship with the Liao family. Therefore, I must ask this person. You claimed that I am the one who is actually operating the Bayview Restaurant, do you have any evidence?"

  When the person heard his question, he anxiously looked at his peers who were kneeling beside him.

  However, they simply shook their heads at him.

  It was clear as day that Elder Helian already knew the answer to his question.

  After all, all the discussions were made at the dining table.

  There were no written records that doc.u.mented their words.

  Elder Helian also received the profits of Bayview Seafood Restaurant through indirect methods. If someone could immediately get the financial records of Bayview Seafood Restaurant and the yamen, it might be possible to find out that the money that was missing from the yamen was in the restaurant. However, as the money was hidden safely away from peering eyes, it would be impossible.

  "You have nothing more to say, right?" Elder Helian sneered, "I knew that this would be the result." Having said that, he turned his head around and looked at Baili Jia Jue, ranting, "Your Highness, I will admit it if I have done anything wrong. It's indeed my fault for not teaching my people properly. However, I will never cause harm to the public for mere wealth. I don't know the rules of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs very well, but people who accused me should have evidence. This lord has none, yet he believed the rumors and tried to accuse me. He has severely besmirched my reputation, I hope Your Highness can punish him for me!"

  When the person heard it, he yelled agitatedly, "You're lying! Your Highness! Please don't listen to him, he's lying! What I'm telling is true! When I came to the provincial capital, I too wanted to become a good imperial official. However, the roots of corruption in the provincial capital are too deep. I couldn't afford to mess with them, so I had no choice but to join in! Elder Helian even personally promised us at Bayview Seafood Restaurant. As long as we don't reveal the secrets of the restaurant, our future in the government would be smooth-sailing!"

  "This lord, I have to acknowledge that you've put in your greatest efforts in trying to escape your punishment." Elder Helian eyed the surrounding crowd, taunting, "If I did threaten all of you at Bayview Seafood Restaurant as you said, why are you the only one who is calling me out?"

  The person hastily looked around and asked the man on his left, "Lord Li, say something. At that time, you were there too, right?"

  "I, I…" Lord Li was nervously eyeing around, but he looked away when he saw Elder Helian's expression, and mumbled, "Lord Zhang, did you remember it correctly? Elder Helian did come that day, but I drank too much and had forgotten everything. Elder Helian probably... didn't say such a thing."

  Lord Zhang was dumbfounded, retorting, "You obviously responded at that time, how can you be drunk?"

  "I really don't remember that," Lord Li professed, hanging his head down in shame.

  Elder Helian's smile grew maliciously cold as he arrogantly said, "Lord Zhang, we're not close yet you tried to frame me for no reason. The others said that there's no such thing, but you still forced them to lie with you. It would benefit everyone if a vile and evil person like you are dead!"

  "You!" Imperial Official Zhang did not pay any attention to Elder Helian's words, he merely pulled at Imperial Official Li's collar and yelled, "Why don't you tell the truth? Why! We're already at this point, we won't be able to live anyway! We should just drag the people who tortured us with us, isn't that good?"

  As mentioned by Imperial Official Zhang, he had also thought of becoming a good imperial official.

  However, sometimes, it simply could not be helped. Once he was roped in, he would sink further and further.

  Now, he wanted to do something right before he died. Nonetheless, he still found it incredibly difficult.

  The noble families wielded too much influence on the imperial officials, they were simply unstoppable.

  He could only say so in order to save his life.

  He wanted to advise Imperial Official Zhang to think about it carefully. After all, there was a reason that everyone did not speak up.

  If they were only guilty of corruption, they would at most be exiled to the rural areas near the border.

  However, if they messed with Elder Helian without providing any solid evidence, their fate would be set in stone. He would likely not receive any severe consequences, but the people accusing him would simply be throwing their lives away.

  The more favorable outcome was simply glaringly obvious.

  All the imperial officials were still kneeling on the ground, even though they could stand up to testify for Lord Zhang.

  Yet, no one was willing to stir up a hornet's nest.

  Elder Helian was greatly satisfied with their obedience.

  Of course, there were also some defiant individuals.

  Elder Helian menacingly stared at him and said, "That's enough, Lord Zhan
g. You are testing my patience if you continue with this act."

  Imperial Official Zhang clenched his fists tightly and violently punched the ground in anger.

  Elder Helian mockingly laughed in his heart, while wearing an expression of being greatly wronged, saying, "Your Highness, the decision is yours to make."

  Baili Jia Jue's eyes narrowed when they met with Elder Helian's.

  However, Elder Helian did not flinch at all, he knew Baili Jia Jue's methods very well. Baili Jia Jue could only get so far with his methods alone. Without truly understanding the people's hearts and the ways of politics, he too would be helpless before him.

  Baili Jia Jue stared fixedly at him for three seconds, before calmly opening his mouth, "Shadow, put Lord Zhang into jail, I will interrogate him later."

  "Yes," Shadow replied respectfully, obeying his orders.

  Elder Helian smirked as he gloatingly glanced at Imperial Official Zhang.

  He seemed completely dispirited and despondent.

  The others thought to themselves. Sure enough, things have turned out like this. Fortunately, we are not as st*pid as that Zhang person, who jumped at the chance and accused Elder Helian!

  However, everyone's expression drastically changed when they heard what Baili Jia Jue said next.

  He uttered, "He may not have the evidence, but I do."

  Chapter 531 - The Third Prince Was Adept At Disrespecting Others!

  Impossible!

  Elder Helian instantly trembled!

  He discovered that Baili Jia Jue was looking down mockingly at him with a grin on his face. The arrogant expression on his regal face seemed as though he was staring at a dying prey.

  That uncanny feeling made Elder Helian extremely uneasy!

  Baili Jia Jue spoke in his usual euphonic, deep voice, "Elder Yun really thought the prison in the yamen can lock me in?"

  Helian Wei Wei turned her head around and glanced at the man next to her when she heard him, it was pretty obvious to her that a mere prison could not imprison him.

  Furthermore, the Third Prince had always been very enthralled by chains and locks, he even built a cage over their bed in the royal chamber.

  Even if he was uninterested, he could have easily pulverized the metal gate in front of him without even breaking a sweat, much less a simple lock.

  Thus, it was highly possible that the Third Prince had deftly unlocked the chains on himself, and fearlessly used his impeccable lightness skill to step out of the prison for a walk today.

  Then, he would return to his cell and lock himself up...

  Hmm, it definitely sounds like something he'll do.

  Elder Helian was no fool either. In fact, he knew very clearly how powerful the Third Prince was, and how terrifying his martial Qi was.

  Even the legendary Eighteen Bronzemen of the Shaolin Temple could not confine this man who had already conquered the entire empire, not to mention a simple prison cell...

  Elder Helian felt a chill run down his back thinking about it.

  Since he can escape easily, why did he wait until the yamen was open?

  Unless!

  Unless he was waiting for precisely this moment!

  The obvious answer caused his pupils to shrink.

  Baili Jia Jue rubbed the silver ring on his index finger with an ambiguous smile, saying, "I know every detail clearly, whether it is the time that you arrived at the provincial capital or the time that you met Liao Qingtian. After all, he would always make a trip to somewhere else after interrogating me."

  So… you went to jail willingly, not only to kill Liao Qingtian but also to make it easier to follow him?

  That's too immoral!

  Helian Wei Wei and Heize exchanged glances with each other.

  Only His Highness can be this shameless.

  How sad is it for Liao Qingtian? Even when he died, he still does not know he was followed by the Third Prince!

  Dear, that's why you don't play tricks against His Highness, you'll surely be left broken and shattered!

  "Third Brother, you're awesome!" Little Seven exclaimed passionately. He always looked up to his Third Brother with great respect. Then, he added, "This is how you deal with this kind of people!"

  Eunuch Sun started to ponder if he should raise the Seventh Prince and the Third Prince separately as the Seventh Prince was still young. It was truly unsettling that he already had a twisted mind at such a young age. However, both of them were constant headaches for him anyway.

  "You personally ordered Liao Qingtian to eliminate everyone who had messed with Bayview Seafood Restaurant. Because of that, it resulted in the massacre in the long alley." Baili Jia Jue spoke slowly, "You severely underestimated our Lord Wei Wei, did you think you can mess around on her turf?"

  He actually praised me?

  Helian Wei Wei glanced at Baili Jia Jue. As a mercenary tycoon, she would surely not allow people to mess with her. This was her standard!

  Blood had completely drained from Elder Helian's face as he stuttered, "This… this is just your words, it cannot be used as proof…"

  "Looks like you're asking me to give you the killing blow." Baili Jia Jue stared at Shadow who was standing behind him and said, "This is the Venomous Parasite that you gave to Liao Qingtian when you reached the provincial capital."

  A transparent glass bottle lay on Shadow's hands, and a crimson red insect could be found resting silently in it. Although it was tiny, the large pincers on its head gave it an appalling appearance.

  Baili Jia Jue smirked as he said, "I'll return it to you now."

  As he said it, he pulled open the bottle cap and let the insect drop onto Elder Helian's arm.

  Elder Helian could not react in time as it burrowed into his skin in a blink of an eye!

  "No!" Elder Helian anxiously pulled one of his servants toward him, screaming in terror, "Quickly find Liao Qingtian's body, he has the antidote on him! Hurry!"

  However, it was already too late. The Venomous Parasite moved along the bloodstream, and it would accelerate at a surprising speed once it had a taste of blood.

  The gurgling sound made every magistrate's skin crawl.

  In mere seconds, Elder Helian's eyes had lost its shine, merely staring blankly in front of him. It seemed that he had utterly lost his sense of self.

  Baili Jia Jue asked leisurely, "Who is the real owner of Bayview Seafood Restaurant?"

  "Me," Elder Helian replied, raising his head slowly.

  Boom!

  The entire yamen burst into a frenzied uproar.

  All the imperial officials collapsed to the ground after hearing that word.

  Everything was crystal clear now.

  They were all done for.

  The Retired Emperor stood up and glanced at Baili Jia Jue, before announcing, "Heed my order! Helian Yun had killed civilians, cooperated with criminals, and harmed the crown prince, all for his selfish d.e.s.i.r.es. Thus, he shall be punished for his crimes! From today onward, any imperial official who is related to Bayview Seafood Restaurant will be investigated. I don't care if they are from the provincial capital or the Capital, I want them ousted!"

  "As you command!"

  Eunuch Sun looked at the imperial officials on the floor and asked, "What about them?"

  "Let the Third Prince decide their fate." The Retired Emperor was exhausted, not physically, but mentally.

  He always knew that many problems were plaguing his empire after his retirement.

  However, the fact that disappointed him the most was that a tiny Bayview Seafood Restaurant managed to embroil so many people into it.

  If that was so, there would surely be more things that he had no idea about.

  The four influential families could no longer be left untouched.

  The dynasty would be ruined if they continued to stay...

  Eunuch Sun noticed that the Retired Emperor was notably displeased, hence he simply replied, "Understood."

  Then, he ambled toward Baili Jia Jue and whisp
ered a few words to him quietly.

  After listening to him, Baili Jia Jue nonchalantly glanced around, snarking, "What use do we have of the cowards who wouldn't even step forward to testify?"

  The meaning of those words rang loud and clear for everyone so much so that the imperial officials deeply regretted their decisions and desperately wished they could go back in time.

  It seemed that they were actually those who were foolish.

  If they had stood up and said something like Imperial Official Zhang when it was needed, they would at least be given a chance to live.

  Now… only death awaited them!

  One by one, they removed their feathered hats, preparing to meet their demise at the guillotine. The tyranny of the Liao family over the provincial capital had finally ended.

  Apparently, on the day that all these corrupt imperial officials were beheaded, every civilian celebrated with joy and burned their fireworks happily.

  A huge line of merchants who wished to thank Helian Wei Wei had formed, stretching from the yamen's entrance until the edge of the building...

  Chapter 532 - What Did Helian Wei Wei Want To Do?

  Helian Wei Wei had met two of the people in line at the Bayview Seafood Restaurant when she first arrived at the provincial capital.

  Helian Wei Wei summoned them separately into the inner yamen and asked Da Xiong to prepare some tea for them.

  Little Seven sat beside Helian Wei Wei, staring fixedly at the crabs that the two people were holding.

  Those two were quite sensible too. Seeing that Little Seven was just a child, they untied one of the crabs and handed it to him, despite not knowing his identity.

  They originally wanted to let him play with it.

  After all, the crab was still alive.

  Little Seven politely accepted the crab and thanked them. Then, to their great surprise, he immediately opened his mouth and gave it a huge bite!

  "It's still alive!" Those two people were greatly stunned by seeing it. Then, they hurriedly shouted, "Don't eat it!"