Chapter 70: 7.1 No technology to save your life

When A-Xuan opened his eyes he was on his knees, the next second he bit his bottom lip to stop himself from screaming. He used CF and when the next whiplash came he didn’t feel anything.

He looked at the clothes he was wearing and his surroundings. Fuckin ancient era. He’s never been angrier, this is the period he hates most. There’s no technology to save your life.

Plus the first thing he received landing in this world was a whiplash. He closed his eyes a few seconds and when he opened them again they were sharp.

He heard behind him:

"Brother you know how much I love you but you shouldn’t have stolen the necklace the emperor gave me for my birthday."

The guard lashing him said after giving one last lash:

"15."

Before a eunuch came to help him get up, A-Xuan stood up gracefully. He turned to look at his sister.

She was in pink robes and her long hair was dancing in the wind. She looked absolutely stunning it was no wonder the emperor favored her.

In A-Xuan’s eyes was only sadness, they were no anger or hate.

"You are the imperial noble consort hurting you would be analogous to hurting the emperor and you know that my loyalty for him knows no bound."

He bowed and left. He walked to the room he had in his sister’s palace and closed the door behind him. He used the system and took out a vial and drank it then augmented his internal force.

He knows how ugly this is going to get. He took off his bloody white robes and used a cleansing token.

He used the system and took out an immaculate white robe with a belt. Once he put it on he looked at himself in the bronze mirror. The man looking back was beautiful.

He had long phoenix eyes and narrow and thin eyebrows. His long raven hair made his golden eyes shine like stars. He carried an aquiline nose that complemented his prominent cheekbones.

His pale skin was like the silk of white rose petals making his lips redder. A-Xuan pulled out the gold pin in his hair and looked at it with disdain.

He got another one from his system and put it on. He walked out of his room ready to leave.

His sister stopped him and looked at him incredulously.

"Brother what are you doing?"

"Court starts in 10 minutes."

She pretended to be worried and said:

"But you’re hurt, I’m sure the emperor would understand."

"I’m okay sister, thank you for your care."

A-Xuan smiled at her and walked to the entrance. One of the guards stood in front of it stopping him from leaving after his sister nodded at him. A-Xuan tapped one of his acupuncture points and he fell.

The eunuch in front of the carriage opened the door and he got on. His sister watched the leaving carriage in panic. A-Xuan sat back and received the complete world’s information.

The body is 25 years old, known as Zhao Meng. After passing the imperial examination and passing through the ranks he became the youngest minister of officials.

Zhao Meng is extremely smart and wise for his age. His father Zhao Xu is also an official, he is the minister of justice.

Before Zhao Meng became the minister of officials his sister Zhao Wei became the imperial noble consort.

The emperor Ding Yizhen doted on her and seemed to be in love with her. After he married the empress he never took anyone in his harem, Zhao Wei was the first and only.

Zhao Wei was having an affair with the emperor’s brother Ding Liren. Ding Liren had always wanted to be the emperor so he decided to plot with Zhao Wei and her father.

When Zhao Meng became the minister of officials they realized that he was loyal to the emperor and that he couldn’t be turned so he had to die.

His father Zhao Xu was jealous of him because he wanted to be the minister of officials. They started to plot against the emperor but first, they had to get rid of his biggest supporter.

They kept using excuses that got him whipped, incarcerated, raped, and finally killed. Once he was out of the way they planned to go for the emperor except that the emperor was ten steps ahead of them.

He knew all along what they were plotting but he let it happen to collect evidence of all the mistreatment against Zhao Meng.

When he died he put them on trial and they all died. The emperor used Zhao Meng to get rid of three enemies at once.

After he died the emperor made a big show of him doing this to get revenge not only for his minister but his friend. The people admired the emperor even more and they truly recognized him as the son of heaven.

It was clear from the beginning that the emperor knew of his brother’s plan and his connection to Zhao Wei.

He only accepted her in the harem to take them all down using Zhao Meng as a pawn. When A-Xuan opened his eyes again he was furious. They are all terrible people, but the worst is emperor Yizhen.

He knew how his brother, his noble consort, and his minister of justice were using the original but he let it all happen while collecting evidence so he can take them all down at once.

He sacrificed the original when he was the only one who’s been loyal to him.

The pin he was wearing when he arrived was a gift from him and he was wearing it the day he died.

The original was heartbroken that the emperor believed in his culpability and that he didn’t send his secret guard to investigate what really happened.

After he makes him pay he’ll throw it in his face. A-Xuan arrived and a guard helped him down. He walked down the palace halls to reach his destination.

Two imperial guards opened the doors and he entered the courtroom. A-Xuan walked to the platform in the middle where the emperor was.

On each side were the ministers, they were looking at him surprised including his father. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

When he reached the emperor he bowed.

"Your majesty."

When the emperor Yizhen nodded he left to take his seat. Yizhen looked at his walk and the way he sat with ease. He already received words of his punishment, but he doesn’t seem to be in pain.

Is he forcing himself? No, he seems calm and poised, there’s also no sweat on his forehead.

Zhao Xu looked at his son as well, they had a plan why is he here? How can he still be standing after 15 whiplashes?

The court started and Yizhen mostly listened to his ministers, he would only chime in when he disagreed. He was mostly looking at A-Xuan. A-Xuan sat there barely listening, he was bored to no end.

He is just waiting for his father to bring up the topic. He perked up his ear when he heard Zhao Xu say:

"Your majesty they seem to be a problem in Guangxi."

Yizhen looked at A-Xuan then back at Zhao Xu.

"What seems to be the problem minister of justice?"

"The dam erected 1 year ago is on the brink of collapse. If it does the next-door counties will be flooded."

The minister of revenue said:

"How is this possible? The funds we sent were more than enough to build a sturdy dam and have it reinforced every 3 months."

Zhao Xu coughed:

"I sent a letter to the governor of Guangxi and he responded that they built the best dam they could with the money. He knew it wouldn’t be enough but after sending multiple envoys with no response they did the best they could with the money the governor received."

"Don’t you mean the funds the governor didn’t seize?"

A-Xuan raised an eyebrow while looking at his father. All the ministers looked at the scene startled.

"Xuan’er..."

A-Xuan cut him before he could finish.

"We’re in court, address me by my title minister of justice."

Zhao Xu was trembling with rage but he couldn’t do anything now. He calmed himself and said through gritted teeth:

"Minister of officials the governor of Guangxi would never do something against his people."

A-Xuan sneered:

"Wouldn’t he? You of all people should be clearer about what he would or wouldn’t do."

Zhao Xu stood up and banged on his desk.

"What are you implying? Don’t forget that you’re my son."

A-Xuan said with fake care:

"Father seat down, don’t hurt yourself."

A-Xuan got up and walked to the emperor. He bowed as he handed him multiple papers he took out of his sleeve.

"This is all the proof you’ll need to take down the governor of Guangxi. He’s been seizing court-distributed funds for the past year instead of building a durable dam and reinforcing it."

Yizhen looked at A-Xuan who had his head down and took the papers. Those were all the receipts for the materials he used to build the dam with his seal.

There was also a letter between the governor and one of his subordinates where he mentioned the amount he received with his seal on it too.

A-Xuan sat back. Yizhen looked at him and said:

"The governor of Guangxi will be prosecuted for appropriating court-distributed funds to subsidize his lifestyle."

He looked at the minister of justice and said:

"Take care of it. We’re done for this morning."

The emperor stood up and left.

All the ministers stood up and bowed until he left. A-Xuan can’t wait to get out of this hellhole.

Plus he needs to find an inn to stay in. He’s going to look for a house and live there alone. There’s no way in hell he’ll live with his sister or his father.

A-Xuan shook his head with disgust, he woke up when the head eunuch came and bowed to him.

"The emperor summons you."

A-Xuan followed him to Yizhen’s study. The imperial guards opened the door and he entered.