Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 523 - 521 Political Misdirection

But can this report be submitted?

Certainly not. If this report were to be made public, it would inevitably send shockwaves through the entire body of officials regarding the Imperial Family.

This was a scenario that even Wu Yi herself would not want to see, let alone the entire Imperial Family.

So, even if the truth were obtained, the truth at hand would become meaningless.

"Does this situation seem somewhat similar to my last one?" Wu Yi asked.

"Yes, you catch on quickly!"

Lu Luo wasn’t offering blind praise; Wu Yi’s reaction was indeed swift, able to connect the two incidents in such a short period.

"So, what is the purpose of this matter?"

"I’m not entirely sure, but I can affirm that this Wu Ye Ji was also used as a pawn by someone."

Lu Luo spoke with such certainty that it piqued Wu Yi’s curiosity.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because both pieces of information Wu Ye Ji received came from an insider within the Imperial Family."

"Is there a problem with that? I often get information from informants, and the accuracy and efficiency are actually quite good. You know, the Inspection Department’s workload is overwhelming; we can’t afford to spend a lot of time on these things."

Wu Yi briefly expressed her thoughts, but Lu Luo shook his head.

"There’s a difference. Her informant has a clean background. Yet, they’ve been able to provide information steadily over a long period. That’s unreasonable."

Unreasonable?

Wu Yi pondered for a moment. She was smart and quickly grasped what Lu Luo meant by ’unreasonable.’

A person with a clean background might be able to provide intelligence once or twice, but it’s impossible for them to do so consistently over a long period. If they possess such an ability, it only indicates one thing: that person is problematic themselves.

"You are quite sharp. But you only interrogated her, so how do you know so much?"

Wu Yi was still curious about what had transpired over the past forty-eight hours.

Lu Luo looked at her with a solemn expression, "This woman’s combat stamina was somewhat beyond my expectations!"

"That impressive?"

"Yes. I originally thought I could suppress her easily, but I didn’t expect this woman to have so many tricks up her sleeve. If it weren’t for my own decent strength, she might have actually defeated me. However, she still lacks experience, especially in fighting against peers of her level. So, in a sense, she was relatively easy to deal with."

Lu Luo spun his tale with a straight face, though what he said wasn’t entirely false. It was just that their understanding of ’combat’ might have been somewhat different.

Wu Yi looked at Lu Luo in shock, not expecting Wu Ye Ji to be so powerful.

Consider this: Lu Luo was someone who could easily kill an Eighth Order Unicorn. This Wu Ye Ji... she’s terrifying!

"Do you know her purpose?" Wu Yi asked somewhat cryptically.

Lu Luo, of course, understood her implication. At this point, to appease his ally, he naturally wouldn’t shirk the issue.

"Hmm, it’s quite obvious now. She shares the same intentions as you, Prince."

"Is that so? It seems the positions of the four Princes have indeed caught many people’s attention."

"It’s inevitable. The path to becoming a Prince is much easier than ascending to the very summit. As entities set to replace the four major families, their lineage and security are quite high. Contending for a Prince’s seat doesn’t necessitate making too many enemies. It’s undoubtedly the best choice."

What Lu Luo said was exactly what Wu Yi was thinking. She looked at Lu Luo with great satisfaction; it was good that they were on the same page, which would be beneficial for the stability and continuity of the Alliance.

"Indeed. But having such a competitor is truly daunting!"

"Actually, you’re all still thinking too rigidly. If you ask me, this Wu Ye Ji is not beyond recruiting."

Wu Yi was slightly astonished. "Recruit her? Are you joking? She’s so strong; she definitely won’t abdicate and yield her position to someone else."

"That’s why I said you’re thinking too rigidly, Wu Yi. Have you ever considered that the previous assertion was that there would be at least one female Prince, but it was never stated that there could *only* be one female Prince? I suspect the Emperor said this mainly because he was worried the Princesses’ power and status wouldn’t be able to compete with the Princes’. It’s a compromise of sorts. But if the actual situation is that both Princesses are capable and possess enough strength to become Princes, then why can’t there be two female Princes?"

Lu Luo’s statement opened up a new avenue of thought for Wu Yi. After careful consideration, it seemed highly feasible, especially if the two of them joined forces!

"Lu Luo, but this Wu Ye Ji... will she really join forces with someone else? She’s so strong; such a person shouldn’t be so easy to ally with, right?"

"If it were before, indeed it wouldn’t be possible—she wouldn’t have spared you a glance. But now it’s different."

"Humph, how is it different?" Wu Yi said, a bit defiant.

"Now you have me. And I’ve already defeated her."

Lu Luo spoke the truth, prompting Wu Yi to seriously contemplate the issue. If a union could truly be formed, it would indeed be a matter of great significance.

"I’ll think about this."

"Sure, there’s no rush. Even if you agree, persuading her won’t be easy."

Persuade by sleeping with, persuade by talking—sometimes it was hard to tell them apart.

Yet Wu Yi didn’t sense anything amiss. She immediately picked up the second report, which was far more artfully crafted than the first.

What constituted artistry? It was the ability to pass the buck—true art lay in the technique of shifting blame. Such is politics.

Originally, the matter was just an ordinary criminal case. But once it reached the Imperial Family, it transformed into a political incident.

Reading the title of the report, *"Imperial officials’ offspring actually came to blows out of jealousy for the Princess—is this a loss of humanity or a moral decline?"* Wu Yi felt the matter was as good as settled.

Shifting the blame onto those officials’ offspring was an absolutely flawless move. And the overall situation did indeed appear that way. Two groups, driven by jealousy, vying for the affection of the Fifty-first Princess, Wu Ye Ji, had come to blows. Tragically, the son of the Minister of Finance, Liu Qi, had lost his life in the conflict. Throughout the incident, Princess Wu Ye Ji had not lifted a finger, even attempting to dissuade them. But neither side had held back, ultimately leading to the tragic outcome.

Finally, the report’s conclusion emphasized the need to promote education regarding the quality and patriotism of officials’ offspring. It highlighted the excessive hedonism of these children, who were constantly causing trouble and feuding out of jealousy. Such an impetuous atmosphere was unacceptable; their families’ power did not justify such actions. They should learn from the various Princes, cultivate their moral character, and so on...

Wu Yi’s scalp tingled as she read; the manipulative skill and substance of this report were truly impressive!

"Lu Luo, you really are outrageous, coming up with such an outlandish report."

"What, isn’t it good this way?"

"Good? It’s too good! How could it not be?"

Wu Yi felt a surge of satisfaction. The report was well-founded and would likely handle those annoying Ministers. How they were punished and sentenced would then become a matter of negotiation between the Ministers and the Imperial Family. As long as the controversy was shifted away from the Inspection Department, it would meet Wu Yi’s objectives. As for other matters, let the floods rage to the heavens.

"Alright, Zhang Zhe, prepare it. Let’s submit it as is." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Yes!"

「...」

In the depths of the Imperial Palace in the Imperial Capital, an ancient face was looking into a mirror. His complexion was very unhealthy; aged, yet with a hint of an unnatural flush. Such an appearance would involuntarily provoke thoughts of legends concerning vampires or cannibals.

The old man’s identity was special; he was an ancestral kinsman of the Imperial Family. He had lived for an indeterminate number of years, always lingering within the palace. Every Emperor of the Empire knew of his existence. Some used him, while others kept their distance. But regardless of their actions, the old man never refused them. He seemed to obey only the Imperial Family.

Though he had many flaws, such as frequently causing terrifying incidents and making people disappear, his formidable strength, along with his status as an ancient ancestor, meant that no Emperor would act against him. Instead, they took good care of him.

He was an ancestor of the new Imperial Family, but he had another identity: the Ninth Angel Envoy, Concave-Convex.

At this moment, Concave-Convex held in his hand the report written by Lu Luo from the Inspection Department. The report evidently caused him some dissatisfaction.

"Not dead? With such a good opportunity, why didn’t Lu Luo act? It’s truly a pity not to reclaim such a force!"

Concave-Convex tossed the report aside with some irritation. The servant kneeling beside him trembled with fear; after all, the legends about this elder were not mere legends. In just the past three months, four servants had been replaced. He was the fifth. He was young and did not want to die. But he could not refuse the Imperial Family’s orders, so he had to steel himself and come here.

"Ancient ancestor, are there any other arrangements?"

"Arrangements? There are no more arrangements. The people Meiqi arranged really leave much to be desired. Didn’t she tell Lu Luo my identity? To have me test him? She should be well aware of my situation. How do I have the time and energy for such things? Just thinking about killing those princes and princesses every day exhausts me. This woman, she’s truly troublesome!"

Concave-Convex grumbled, not even bothering to conceal his words. Even the servant prostrated on the ground heard everything clearly. But the more the servant heard, the more terrified he became.

Killing princes and princesses... how could someone speak of such things so openly?

"Are you very afraid?" Concave-Convex suddenly asked.

"No, no!" The servant was nearly scared witless.

However, Concave-Convex seemed accustomed to such reactions.

"Sigh, you are quite useful. I was originally reluctant to kill you."

SPURT!

Blood splattered. In the depths of the palace, another mutilated corpse was added.

「...」

A few days later, at the residence of the Minister of Finance.

Minister Liu Ming was looking at the same report. The findings of the Inspection Department undeniably left him very dissatisfied.

"Liu Ming, Qi’er is dead! Are you just going to let it go like this?"

Liu Ming’s wife also came from a prominent family. Now their only son was dead, and naturally, Lady Liu was grief-stricken.

Liu Ming frowned slightly, unsure how to explain the situation to his wife. However, the report from the Inspection Department already carried an air of finality. Of course, there were also some subtle hints. The implication was simple: this was likely how the matter stood. If Liu Ming was not satisfied, he could continue the investigation himself, but it must be conducted openly. Overly extreme measures could not be used; this was a warning.

Yet Liu Ming knew even more clearly that without resorting to extreme measures, it was impossible to find out anything.

Sigh! Thinking of this, Liu Ming sighed with distress.

Should I pursue this to the end? Is there any point in pursuing it to the end?

"Liu Ming, speak up! Your son is dead, you have no heir! Why won’t you say anything?"

The provocative words finally made Liu Ming snap. He swung his hand and slapped Lady Liu across the face.

"Get lost, you bitch! If you hadn’t spoiled him, he wouldn’t have ended up like this!"

Lady Liu was stunned. She never expected her husband, who had always treasured her, to strike her like that. Though her face throbbed with pain, seeing her husband’s furious expression, she cowered.

"But... Liu Qi wasn’t like that, husband, you know that. Qi’er might have been a bit of a playboy, but he always knew his limits. He wouldn’t do something like threatening a Princess. There must be a reason for this incident. It’s that Wu Ye Ji, that hussy! She’s the problem, definitely!"

Although his wife’s words were heavily biased, Liu Ming generally agreed. His son, while indeed playful, wasn’t fundamentally despicable. Despite his playfulness, he was also very capable. This was why Liu Ming had been satisfied and had never considered having a second son.

"You’re right. Qi’er’s personality might have been a bit mischievous, but he always acted with discretion. Without some strong influence, he wouldn’t have done such a thing. If things had proceeded as planned, his future would have been limitless, and there would have been no shortage of princesses or other opportunities for him. Everyone knows the Imperial Family’s ways. So... what is the real reason?"

Liu Ming frowned slightly. He thought of Wu Ye Ji, but this woman was not someone they could touch at the moment, especially with warnings from the Imperial Inspection Department and the Imperial Family. Since Wu Ye Ji was off-limits, he had to find another avenue.

The Eleventh Prince, Wu Zhe!

「...」

The mansion of Wu Zhe.

As the Eleventh Prince, Wu Zhe possessed a massive industrial chain. His abilities might not have been the strongest, but in business, he was undoubtedly among the top. Regarding economic interests, over the years, through various alliances, he had established a vast commercial empire. In terms of resources, he was never lacking. His successful cooperation with Minister of Finance Liu Ming was precisely due to these vast resources. In this aspect, even many of the higher-ranking Princes could not compare.

The Eleventh Prince, Wu Zhe, indeed had a fleeting chance at the throne at one point. This was because his younger sister, Wu Handing, had demonstrated extraordinary talent in cultivation and combat. Wu Handing and Wu Zhe had an extremely close relationship. In a sense, they were already a single unit. With one specializing in civil matters and the other in martial arts, they could exert immense power. After all, as biological siblings, their bond of trust was far more reliable than any ordinary alliance.

Regrettably, Wu Handing was dead.

Without Wu Handing, Wu Zhe had completely lost his martial power base within the Inspection Department. Moreover, Wu Yi had absorbed most of Wu Handing’s subordinates. Consumed by resentment, he also came to hate Wu Yi. He had always been deeply invested in the investigation into Wu Handing’s death, even investigating Lu Luo personally. However, Lu Luo was too cunning and powerful, leaving Wu Zhe no opportunity to exploit.

But during the bar incident a few days prior, Wu Zhe had felt a strong sense of crisis. This sense of crisis emanated not from others, but from his seemingly harmless younger sister, the Fifty-first Princess, Wu Ye Ji.

Just how deep is this woman hiding?