Chapter 1832 - 1770: The Collapse of the Mansion
Chapter 1832: Chapter 1770: The Collapse of the Mansion
It’s no wonder Ah Jiu is angry; these items are desperately needed yet scarce for soldiers on the battlefield. But Marquis Xuanwu, hoarding an iron mine for profit, is already committing a great crime. Selling these items to neighboring countries—isn’t this treason?
When he conducted these deals, did he not realize that one day, they might use the weapons from him to kill Beiyan people?
Now it’s clear that dealings were made with Prince Wei’s Manor in Nanyue; who knows if he sold to other countries before, like the Tatars or Xiongnu?
Upon seeing the arsenal, a fury like Ah Jiu’s is impossible to quell.
"They must have wanted to blast this cave that hides the weapons. If it weren’t for our men being one step quicker, these items would have been buried." Commander Du echoed the anger; weapons are immensely important and scarce on the battlefield, yet the opponent would rather destroy them than let them exist—how despicable.
"Pass down the decree: Marquis Xuanwu hoarded iron mines and sold weapons to a neighboring country, equivalent to treason. Lead troops to raid Marquis Xuanwu’s Mansion." Ah Jiu commanded coldly: "Commander Du, how to request an edict from the Imperial Brother is up to you."
"Your subordinate will immediately request an edict from the Emperor and report the truth." Commander Du bowed his fist.
Ah Jiu nodded, giving orders: "Clean it all up, but watch out for cave-ins."
"Yes."
Ah Jiu held Wufu’s waist and walked out of the vast mine cave and into the rooms outside, inspecting the items Wufu and her group had seized, and gathered relevant people to relay instructions.
This night, the valley was not peaceful; much evidence was organized and dispatched on an urgent courier eight hundred miles back to the capital for the emperor’s review.
Meanwhile, as Ah Jiu’s team controlled the valley, the prison holding Marquis Xuanwu in Yanzhou City was assaulted, and he was rescued by a group of masked men in black, vanishing without a trace along with his four-year-old son Li Ying.
Days later, an Imperial Edict arrived from the royal city; it declared Marquis Xuanwu Li Heming had committed heinous acts, colluding with officials and merchants, framing loyal subjects, hoarding iron mines, crafting and selling weapons, inciting a military revolt, with irrefutable evidence. Li Heming’s crimes warranted denunciation and universal condemnation, stripping him of his title, extermination of nine generations, execution upon the autumn trial.
Marquis Xuanwu—no, now he should be called Li Heming—was therefore declared a fugitive with a national capture order. Upon discovering his whereabouts, his fate mattered not—immediate death was to be meted out, and the family of Marquis Xuanwu’s Mansion was all to be escorted back to the capital awaiting autumn trial execution.
In July, under the blazing sun, the family of Marquis Xuanwu’s Mansion was sent out from Yanzhou. Many civilians, upon hearing of the Li Family’s misfortune, gathered along the way and hurled curses upon seeing Crown Prince Li in the prison wagon. Someone cried out, "The heavens have eyes; you beast finally meet this end while my poor daughter was harmed by you, not even fully grown. Heaven has eyes indeed. Beast..."
Rotten vegetables and leaves were thrown at Crown Prince Li; someone even hurled a lump of pig manure at him. The others fared no better, being showered with filth and spat on, as citizens ceaselessly recited the sins of the Li Residence.
"I watched him build tall towers, entertain guests, and now see his tower collapse—woe and alas." Wufu sat on the second floor of the teahouse, observing the Li Residence’s dire scene, clicking her tongue in astonishment.
As for Li Xuanji, she who once displayed her pride before others, now cowered like a bird frightened by the mere twang of a bowstring, clad only in a white silk dress and trembling behind her mother, pitiful and lamentable.
"Not resting in the mansion, instead poking into the bustle? And putting on literary airs!" Ah Jiu entered from the doorway, eyeing Wufu with displeasure.