The common people’s tolerance for the notorious flower thief Jiang Nian was zero.
It had almost reached the point where everyone deed it their duty to execute him.
His favorite thing to do was to seize brides, and he liked doing so right in front of the bridegrooms.
Afterward, he would murder both the bride and groom, strip them of their clothes, and leave them exposed to the elents, ensuring they’d lose all dignity in death.
Moreover, he particularly enjoyed bullying the common folk, with nearly five or six such incidents occurring in Jinyang each year.
So poor families’ daughters who were bullied and aggrieved could choose to bear it silently if they managed to survive, but those who didn’t endure and were discovered reporting to the authorities often ended up with their entire families disappearing.
To say they disappeared was really just to say they were killed.
Jiang Nian was always behind these acts, a true beast who committed every imaginable evil.
So when he died, and died a wretched death, the hearts of the majority were extrely relieved!
They felt that Qin Zhen had done sothing spectacular, a great deed by eliminating a scourge for the people!
Li Weixian was questioned by Qin Zhen, but having served two generations of emperors, he remained calm, "What do you an by this, Pri Minister? I didn’t know this person was Jiang Nian. Standing before the laws of Qin State, I rely offered a suggestion as a guest. After all, the Pri Minister is still young and a woman. We, as her elders, naturally need to lend our support. Your father was my classmate back in the day."
Classmate?
The father of Qin Zhen had long since died, and who knows how many years it had been.
"I see. That explains why Lord Li intentionally targeted at this morning’s court session," Qin Zhen realized.
Li Weixian turned pale with fright, "Pri Minister, please don’t talk nonsense."
"If Lord Li wasn’t displeased with my father, why would you have targeted intentionally this morning?" Qin Zhen did not give Li Weixian any chance to catch his breath and continued at a quicker pace, "I have learned that the beloved daughter of the Vice Minister of Punishnt is apparently your wife, is she not?"
No need for further words, a hint was enough.
Li Weixian was flustered.
Truly flustered.
The fact that his wife was the Vice Minister of Punishnt’s beloved daughter was known by very few.
How did this brat find out!
But he could only put on a brave front, stubbornly denying it, not believing that Qin Zhen could produce any evidence to prove it.
"Everyone knows that the Vice Minister of Punishnt has three sons and has never had a daughter. Pri Minister, slander should still be based on facts and evidence," he retorted.
Qin Zhen chuckled lightly, "Indeed, indeed. The Vice Minister of Punishnt and his wife are deeply affectionate towards each other, their three sons all from the sa mother. However, the Vice Minister has such charm and good fortune that he can’t even shake off the nurous admirers outside."
"Otherwise, how could Lord Li, with his status, marry a woman from a brothel to be his lawful wife?"
Li Weixian looked at Qin Zhen and started to sweat profusely.
Initially at the morning court, he rely thought that this impudent girl must have prepared well to counter the difficulties in the court.
But now, he felt he had underestimated her.
This must have been soone cultivated by Qin Wu specifically to deal with them old ministers!
It must be!
Li Weixian raised his voice, "Weren’t we just talking about the flower thief Jiang Nian? Why is the Pri Minister dragging into this? Now that Jiang Nian has been legally dealt with, the common people can rest assured. Let’s give the Pri Minister a round of applause for eliminating this great evil; it truly is satisfying to the heart!"
He began clapping first, followed by a burst of fervent applause from the crowd.
Qin Zhen looked at Li Weixian with a smile that was not quite a smile.
She always insisted on achieving her aims before letting go.
This first fire had not yet burned out; how could she possibly let the matter rest?
Li Weixian, since you ca to my doorstep, do not bla for not respecting my elders and betters.
"Quick, soone drag this beast away; don’t dirty everyone’s eyes," Li Weixian shouted to the servants inside the door.
Qin Zhen raised her hand, "Wait a mont!"
"What else does the Pri Minister wish to discuss?" Li Weixian’s defenses were already shattered, and he was very impatient.
"What’s your hurry, Lord Li? Could it be that you have a guilty conscience?" she pressed.
Facing Qin Zhen’s relentless and vexatious behavior, Li Weixian’s eyes began to show murderous intent.
He regretted not sending a top assassin instead of Jiang Nian to kill this wretched girl, rape her first, and then tear her body into pieces. That’s the only way to relieve the hatred in his heart!
Qin Zhen did not miss the murderous look in his eyes and slightly curled her lips, "I thought that such a villain should be bound at the city gates and his body left to rot for ten days to serve as a warning to others."
"That’s rather inappropriate..." Li Weixian began to speak but saw Qin Zhen’s gaze sweep toward him, "Do you, Lord Li, intend to plead for rcy on behalf of such a scoundrel?"
Under the scrutinizing gaze of the public, Li Weixian only felt that today’s sun was particularly harsh, searing him with dense sweat on his forehead.
He raised his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead, saying, "How could it be, this official feels that ten days is too few, it should be a month!"
"Good! Vice Minister Li really has thunderous thods. Let’s do it as Vice Minister Li says, expose the corpse for a month!"
Li Weixian knew that this could not go on any longer.
He couldn’t utter a harsh word in front of the common people, and it was truly stifling.
Especially since he saw that Qin Zhen clearly had a backup plan, he could not continue to be at such a disadvantage.
So Li Weixian spoke up, "Would the Pri Minister care to sit inside the residence? The sun is too harsh, especially for a lady."
Qin Zhen did not refuse, nodding his head, "Vice Minister Li truly is the Emperor’s most favored official, so considerate and ticulous. It just so happens that this official would like to have a cup of tea inside."
"Please, co inside," Li Weixian sighed with relief.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the coachman and a glint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
This fool actually brought Qin Zhen to the doorstep of the residence. He really deserved to die.
He walked behind them, making hand signals to his servant.
Unexpectedly, as Qin Zhen was about to step through the gate, he turned his head back, "That coachman, co inside too."
The coachman rushed over, almost dashing.
He had not missed Li Weixian’s glances and gestures, and knew if he did not seize this opportunity, death awaited him!
The coachman almost saw Qin Zhen as his lifesaver.
Li Weixian’s face grew even more unpleasant.
The heavy doors of Li Residence closed with a bang.
Gone was his obsequious deanor outside; he straightened his back.
"Vice Minister Li, serve the tea," Qin Zhen commanded.
Li Weixian scoffed, "Serve tea, you have the face to drink this official’s tea!"
Qin Zhen was inwardly thrilled.
Oh, the old man has two faces.
"Vice Minister Li, you must have lost your mind. Outside, you did not show this kind of face," Qin Zhen noted.
"What face this official shows depends on whether the person deserves any," Li Weixian grimaced, looking at Qin Zhen as if he wanted to tear him into pieces, "Qin Zhen, don’t think that just because the Emperor made you Pri Minister, you start believing you’re above everyone else. You are just an immature girl, using the Empress’s authority to put on airs, even in front of this official. This ti, you’ve really gone too far!"
"So this is what Vice Minister Li truly thinks," Qin Zhen narrowed his eyes and heaved a long sigh, "Alas, that’s how people are, one face in public, another behind closed doors. It’s an exhausting way to live. Since Vice Minister Li has torn the pretense, then this official won’t put on airs either."
She pulled out a piece of Official Silver from her sleeve, "Li Weixian, look, what’s this?"
The mont that piece of Official Silver was illuminated, Li Weixian’s complexion changed entirely.
Shock, fear, and then a heavy murderous intent, his expressions shifted almost instantaneously.
He clenched his fists tightly, then slowly relaxed them.
"Qin Zhen, I could have spared your life, but since you insist on seeking death, you cannot bla this official." He raised his hand, and the Protector imdiately surrounded them with a nacing aura.
The coachman moved closer to Qin Zhen, terrified.
"This is just one of them. Why doesn’t Vice Minister Li guess where the rest are?" Qin Zhen’s lips curled into a mischievous smile.
Li Weixian stood his ground, "Did you send them into the palace?"
"No," Qin Zhen shook her head.
Hearing that they were not sent to Qin Wu, Li Weixian breathed a sigh of relief.
"Scattered along the way, by now many people should have picked them up," Qin Zhen spoke nonchalantly.
The Official Silver bore a unique mark, and each batch was different. By dropping the Official Silver on the road, whether it was picked up or not, it could lead to a multitude of issues. For Li Weixian, this was worse than handing it directly to Qin Wu; it made him want to die.
"Vice Minister Li’s complexion seems quite poor. Could it be that this silver should not have been discarded?" Qin Zhen asked innocently, "Ah, what a pity that this little girl, new to the officialdom, did not know these things and has caused trouble for Vice Minister Li."
Li Weixian: "..." He wanted to stab her right now!
He’d entrusted his wife to handle this matter and had no idea that this fool would give the newly acquired batch of Official Silver to Jiang Nian.
This matter was far too troubleso.
Li Weixian felt his scalp tingle.
"This silver is really new," Qin Zhen continued admiring the Silver Tael from the Qin State. Palm-sized and sparkling in the sunlight, it was quite beautiful.
"Take her down!" Li Weixian couldn’t restrain himself any longer and waved his hand, issuing a low command.
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