Chapter 382: Forget It, Exterminate the 9 Clans

Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Forget It, Exterminate the 9 Clans

The newcomer was none other than Cheng Lin.

And who was Cheng Lin? He was the Grand Chamberlain, Long Ao’s most trusted aide. When he spoke before Long Ao, his words carried immense weight.

It wasn’t just him; even the top officials from the Six Ministries and Nine Courts had to be utterly respectful when they saw Cheng Lin.

’But I just had the gall to curse him out. I really must have a death wish!’

The thought made his scalp tingle with fear. He hurried over to Cheng Lin, forcing a smile onto his face as he spoke.

"Lord Chamberlain, I didn’t recognize you! I hope you can forgive my offensive words!"

Looking at this man who had nearly gotten him killed, Cheng Lin wished he could subject him to death by a thousand cuts. He suppressed his fury, pointed at the empty square, and said:

"Chen Liancheng, what were my instructions, and what did you arrange? Is this your idea of a reception with the highest honors? Are you fucking with me, acting like I’ve never seen one before?"

Chen Liancheng had yet to realize the gravity of the situation. He looked at Cheng Lin and said with a smile:

"Lord Chamberlain, if that’s what this is about, I don’t think my arrangements were wrong. For the king of some third-rate little country coming to see the Emperor, this is the standard protocol. Afterward, they’ll dine in the Imperial Dining Hall. There’s nothing wrong with my arrangements! I followed the official reception protocols to the letter!"

Cheng Lin glared at Chen Liancheng, grinding his teeth so hard they could have shattered. He spoke, enunciating every single word.

"The king of a third-rate country? Did you know that Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia, Xia Xingyu, is the beloved consort of the Prince of Equal Standing?"

"The beloved consort of the Prince of Equal Standing?" Chen Liancheng shrieked. In the next instant, his face turned ashen.

’Who is the Prince of Equal Standing, Ye Feng? He’s the most ruthless man in the Great Xia Empire! He’s the one who dared to destroy the Martial Arts Association, the one who stabbed the Empress to death, the one who even annihilated Prince Zhenkun’s entire clan! A mere Director of the Honglu Temple like me is nothing but an ant before him. He could kill me with a fart!’

’And I actually slighted his woman. Don’t I have a death wish? Am I not tired of living?!’

He looked at Cheng Lin, wanting to strangle him. ’Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?’ he screamed internally. ’Are you trying to get me killed?’

But how could he dare to lash out at Cheng Lin? He couldn’t afford to offend the Grand Chamberlain either!

His voice trembling, he looked at Cheng Lin and cried, "Lord Chamberlain, I was wrong! I’ll arrange a reception with the highest honors for Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia right now! Please, put in a good word for me with the Prince. Tell him not to mind this!"

Cheng Lin looked at Chen Liancheng and let out a cold, humorless laugh.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in? And you expect me to clean up your mess? Let me tell you, this is one mess I can’t clean up!"

With that, he pointed a finger at Ye Feng, who was standing nearby with his back to them, and said coldly, "The Prince is right over there. Go explain yourself to him."

Seeing Ye Feng standing there, Chen Liancheng’s legs went so weak they almost cramped up. ’A man like that has a built-in aura of terror!’

But he knew that if he didn’t go and apologize, he would never get past this. So he took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and stumbled over to Ye Feng. With a THUD, he dropped to his knees and began to kowtow relentlessly, begging for mercy.

"Your Highness, it was all my fault! I was incompetent! I’m kowtowing to you to atone for my offense. I beg you, don’t trouble yourself with a lowly person like me!"

Ye Feng glanced at Chen Liancheng, then gestured toward Long Ao, who stood nearby with his back to them. He said calmly:

"Today, I am only here to see my Imperial Father. I have nothing to say to you. If you have something to say, explain it to him."

"The Emperor... The Emperor is here too?"

BOOM!

Ye Feng’s words struck Chen Liancheng like a clap of thunder, and he was instantly seized by a gut-wrenching terror.

’He knew things had gotten serious. Fucking serious.’

’If I don’t handle this right, I’m going to lose my head!’

He scrambled and crawled his way behind Long Ao, kowtowing repeatedly as he cried, "Your Majesty, this servant is guilty! It was all this servant’s mistake! Please, Your Majesty, punish me!"

The moment the words left his mouth, a phone in his pocket began to ring urgently.

Chen Liancheng didn’t dare to move.

Long Ao turned to face Chen Liancheng and said coolly, "Answer it. I’d like to see just what you’ve been so busy with."

"This servant obeys!" Chen Liancheng quickly took out his phone and glanced at it. The next moment, he froze.

It was a call from that girl at the Angel Foot Spa.

Seeing Chen Liancheng staring blankly, Long Ao’s expression turned cold. He ordered in a low voice, "Answer it!"

"Yes... Yes, Your Majesty! I’ll answer it, I’ll answer it!" he stammered, pressing the answer key with a trembling hand. He quickly spoke into the phone, "Is this about a reception assignment? Just give me the details, and I’ll make the arrangements..."

After speaking, Chen Liancheng prayed desperately. ’He hoped the girl would understand his hidden meaning and play along, which would allow him to get off the hook.’

But the girl’s next words made his face turn ashen.

A light, giggling voice came through the phone: "Big Brother, it’s me, the girl from Angel Foot Spa! Stop with the official talk. I’ve already washed up and am waiting in bed for you to come favor me. Hurry up, now! Hehe..."

Chen Liancheng instantly felt a terrifying killing intent wash over him. His hand trembled, and the phone fell to the ground. He immediately began kowtowing to Long Ao again, shouting frantically:

"Your Majesty, I was wrong! I willingly forfeit three years of my salary as punishment!"

Long Ao looked at Chen Liancheng and suddenly chuckled. "Leaving your post during work hours to handle personal affairs—you have no professional ethics. As a high-ranking official of the court, you engage in such shameless activities—you are morally bankrupt. And you think forfeiting three years’ salary will make this go away?

Because of your dereliction of duty, the Prince of Equal Standing flew into a thunderous rage and nearly came to blows with me. And you think forfeiting three years’ salary will make this go away?

Because of your inaction, you nearly caused a diplomatic crisis between our Great Xia Empire and Malaysia. And you think forfeiting three years’ salary will make this go away?"

These three soul-crushing questions, each a stab to the heart, left Chen Liancheng trembling so badly he couldn’t speak.

Then, Long Ao looked at the Minister of Justice standing nearby and asked calmly, "According to the laws of the Great Xia Empire, how should such a shameless person be punished?"

The Minister of Justice quickly replied with reverence, "Reporting to Your Majesty, according to the laws of Great Xia, he should be dismissed from his post and handed over to the judiciary for a thorough investigation!"

Long Ao shook his head and said placidly, "Too lenient. My recommendation is the execution of his entire clan."

Chen Liancheng let out a terrified whimper and collapsed in a heap, like a spineless dog that had all its bones removed.

’He never would have imagined that a single, minor mistake could bring about the annihilation of his entire family.’

The surrounding officials also felt the punishment was far too severe, but they soon realized this was not the end of it.

Long Ao turned to the crowd of civil and military ministers behind him and spoke in a cold voice:

"This incident has shown me that there are serious problems within the court of our Great Xia Empire. It seems this time, I will have to get serious!"

He then looked at Cheng Lin and commanded coldly, "Issue an imperial edict! Mobilize all the forces of the Six Ministries and Nine Courts to thoroughly investigate corruption in the court! Simultaneously, launch a clean-government initiative throughout the entire Great Xia Empire. Any official found to be in violation of laws and discipline—discover one, punish one. Kill! Kill! Kill!"

In an instant, a piercing killing intent shot up to the heavens!

The civil and military ministers behind him felt their scalps go numb with fear. They knew the political landscape of the Great Xia Empire was about to change forever.