bestfiction Chapter 421 Struggle 2
Chapter 421 Struggle 2
The night in Xianyang was quiet and profound. Inside the Prime Minister's study, candlelight flickered and danced, illuminating the entire room. The dim light cast dappled shadows on the walls, like the subtle patterns of history. Wang Wan stood before Li Si, her face grave, her brow furrowed, her worry evident.
"Have you thought it through? How do you plan to deal with Wang Lang?" Wang Wan's voice was low and tinged with anxiety.
Li Si slowly turned his head, his gaze passing through the window to the bright moon hanging high in the night sky. The cool moonlight spilled into the courtyard, and a leaf, rustling softly in the breeze, drifted down, as if whispering the secrets of fate.
After a long silence, Li Si finally spoke, his voice deep and firm, as if coming from a deep ancient well: "Let's prepare for both possibilities. First, send someone to persuade Wang Lang to join us. If he is willing, that would be the best outcome. But if he remains obstinate, we will have to take drastic measures and intercept and kill him on the way."
Wang Wan nodded slightly, indicating his agreement with Li Si's plan. However, he knew how stubborn and difficult Wang Lang was. If he could make him submit without losing a single soldier, that would be the best course of action. However, if persuasion failed, he absolutely could not let Wang Lang escape, lest he leave behind future troubles.
"Okay, we'll do it your way," Wang Wan said. "Go and arrange the manpower to ensure everything goes smoothly."
"Alright," Li Si replied, turning and leaving. His footsteps faded into the quiet corridor, leaving Wang Wan alone in the study, continuing to ponder her next move. She knew all too well that this struggle had only just begun, and the future was fraught with uncertainty.
Meanwhile, in Longxi, Li Shiqi's undercover investigation yielded a startling discovery. In front of a dilapidated temple, the disaster victims were ragged, emaciated, and their eyes were filled with despair and helplessness. Sun Yi squatted on the ground, his fingertips twirling grains of sand in the relief porridge, his voice filled with anger and helplessness: "Sir, the amount of grain in this relief porridge is far less than the amount allocated by the imperial court."
Upon hearing this, Li Shiqi's face instantly turned ashen. He knew that a massive corruption scandal must be hidden behind this matter, and a surge of intense anger and determination welled up within him. "Continue the investigation. We must find the mastermind behind this," Li Shiqi said through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve.
In the distance, the Zhang family's mansion in Longxi was brightly lit, its carved beams and painted rafters appearing exceptionally luxurious in the night. The faint sound of chime bells and elegant music could be heard, creating a stark contrast with the desolate scene in front of the dilapidated temple.
Li Shiqi gazed at the mansion, secretly vowing to uncover the truth behind it and bring those corrupt officials to justice. He turned to Sun Yi, his eyes filled with trust and expectation: "Sun Yi, this matter is of utmost importance; we must not be careless. We must find conclusive evidence as soon as possible to bring down these corrupt forces." Sun Yi nodded, his eyes shining with determination. He understood the heavy responsibility he bore.
The messenger sent by Li Si to persuade Wang Lang arrived at the magistrate's office at top speed. The messenger walked into the office with his head held high, full of confidence, believing that with Li Si's reputation, Wang Lang would surely submit obediently.
After the messenger explained his purpose, Wang Lang's face darkened, a flash of anger crossing his eyes: "You want me to side with those treacherous people? What a joke!" He ruthlessly drove the messenger away. The messenger returned in a disheveled and humiliated state, filled with resentment. He knew he had no choice but to implement the second plan.
The envoy swiftly dispatched a group of highly skilled assassins, each agile and with cold, ruthless eyes. They lay in ambush along the route Wang Lang would inevitably take back to Xianyang, awaiting their prey. Hidden in the darkness, the assassins, like a pack of lurking wild beasts, silently awaited their chance.
The people responsible for escorting Wang Lang back to Xianyang for a joint trial by the three judicial authorities also arrived at the county magistrate's office. When Wang Lang received the order, he realized that he was probably not safe on his way back to Xianyang.
Considering the potential danger, Wang Lang proposed a plan to arrange for a body double to leave first.
Although the guards didn't believe anyone would dare to be so bold as to take action on the road, they were also worried that if something really happened, they would have a hard time explaining themselves. Therefore, after careful consideration and weighing the pros and cons, the guards ultimately agreed to his proposal.
Thus, Wang Lang's double was escorted ahead towards Xianyang, while Wang Lang himself cleverly disguised himself as a merchant and mingled with several guards into a caravan, also heading towards Xianyang.
Wang Lang, dressed in simple merchant attire and carrying a bag, mingled with the caravan. The merchants in that caravan didn't suspect these strangers who had suddenly joined them; they were only concerned with their goods and business, continuing to drive their carts towards Xianyang.
Night fell, all was quiet, and the entire city was shrouded in darkness. In this tranquil night, Li Shiqi felt no sleepiness; a daring plan was brewing in his mind.
Li Shiqi was well aware of the immense power of the Zhang family of Longxi, but he also understood that to expose their crimes, he had to infiltrate their den. Therefore, he decided to send Sun Yi to investigate. Sun Yi, a former member of the Imperial Guard, possessed exceptional skills and keen insight. Moreover, he had received even more rigorous training under Ying Wuyou, further enhancing his abilities.
As night fell, Sun Yi, like a ghost, silently infiltrated the Zhang family mansion in Longxi. The mansion was grand in scale, with pavilions and towers arranged in a harmonious and elegant manner, and the gardens were filled with the fragrance of flowers—a truly magnificent sight. However, Sun Yi had no interest in any of this beauty; he had only one goal in mind—to find evidence of the Zhang family's crimes.
Sun moved cautiously through the mansion, each step taken with extreme care, afraid of making the slightest sound. His footsteps were as light as a cat's, as if he were one with the darkness. Suddenly, he heard faint voices coming from one of the rooms. His heart tightened, and he immediately stopped, quietly approaching the door, holding his breath, and listening intently.
Although the sounds inside the room were not loud, Sun Yi could still clearly hear their conversation. To his shock, the Zhang family had actually colluded with certain officials in the court, not only embezzling disaster relief funds but also falsifying account books to frame Wang Lang!
Sun Yi was secretly delighted, knowing that he had finally found the key clue.
As the voices inside the room faded, a deathly silence descended. Sun Yi, like a ghost, lay motionless, silently lurking in the darkness. His breathing was so faint as a gentle breeze, and even his heartbeat seemed to have stopped. Time passed second by second, until finally, the candlelight in the room gradually went out, and darkness completely enveloped the entire room.