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There were fools who tried to bribe their way into freeing their brothers, only to be caught red-handed and thrown directly into prison without trial; the Emperor’s Internal Guard Bureau is not an institution you can bribe;

Some had never witnessed the might of the Internal Guard Bureau and attempted to resist forcefully, only to be swiftly taken down. When it comes to force, the Internal Guard Bureau is unmatched;

Others tried to impeach the Internal Guard Bureau for harming the loyal and good, hoping to quell this storm, only to be dragged by the Emperor to face the wronged common people, subjected to their disdain while simultaneously being reprimanded for being either blind and deaf or intending to shield the guilty.

The Internal Guard Bureau was ordered to investigate thoroughly, and indeed, the accusers were soon found to have issues themselves and were imprisoned.

After that, no one dared to intercede.

The stir this group caused in the Capital only made those with guilty consciences panic; it was merely a smoke screen.

The task the Emperor truly wanted to accomplish was entrusted to Cao De and his men who left the Capital in secret.

Cao De and his troops left the Capital, guided by Xu Rongying’s account, to seek out those involved in the past incident with Shen Ming.

In the past, Xue Ping appeared to speak for Shen Ming, choosing not to pursue Shen Ming’s family members, but behind the scenes, he supported those who sought unearned credit, securing military honors for those closely connected to him, individuals who reaped benefits owing to their significant relations with him.

And these people were the true targets of his mission.

Moreover, he aimed to identify all the other spies Xue Ping had embedded among the troops to systematically eradicate them.

He understood the Emperor’s intentions in this move, to deal with Xue Ping and his faction. First, it was necessary to ensure they had no power to strike back, to hit them hard and decisively, leaving them no room to survive.

With the Emperor’s maneuvering over the years, Xue Ping’s influence in court had already been greatly diminished. From almost controlling the court’s politics during the Late Emperor’s era, it had been steadily weakened and fragmented, proving the Emperor’s strategy highly effective.

Now was the crucial moment to cast the net. Moving against them at this time would not disrupt the court’s operations.

According to his original plan, Xue Ping and his faction were like fish on the cutting board, merely waiting for the Emperor’s knife to fall.

He thought it sufficient to present the evidence at the right time, and then to investigate and imprison them, with the rest of the minor figures to be settled after the autumn harvest.

Yet the Emperor did not act immediately. At first, he could not understand why. After all, they had gathered so much evidence over the years, and a few more charges wouldn’t spare them from death, so why waste more energy?

But as he left the Capital, his findings became more and more alarming, and he eventually grasped the Emperor’s true intentions.

Indeed, even a cunning rabbit has three burrows, and a leaking ship still has three nails.

Those who rose to high positions during the Late Emperor’s time were never that simple to deal with.

In the past, Xue Ping’s people had populated key positions throughout the court. It was thought that slowly removing and weakening them would render Xue Ping as harmless as a toothless tiger, and that the spies in the military would not carry much influence either.

It turned out they were thinking too simply; Xue Ping had actually gathered some of the Rebel Prince’s private soldiers and secretly raised them, a bold and reckless move indeed.

What’s more terrifying is that if the military spies were deployed effectively, they could coordinate with the privately raised soldiers, forming a vast and interconnected network!

What was originally a crime meriting the execution of a clan had now escalated to a crime warranting the extermination of nine generations.

Upon discovering this information, Cao De broke out in a cold sweat. They had grown too comfortable over the years, truly believing that the world was at peace.

If they had acted according to his initial plan, it would have been entirely inappropriate, far too hasty, and would surely lead to a backlash. Xue Ping and his faction might have resorted to a desperate struggle, causing chaos throughout the land.

Trouble is inevitable, and I fear that when the time comes, it will not be as simple as throwing ministers into prison anymore, bringing endless repercussions.

For many years, the politics of the Capital City had been stable, and yet, Cao De still underestimated Xue Ping’s ferocious ambition.

If the Late Emperor had not died so soon, and another decade or so had passed, Xue Ping might indeed have been able to support a Prince born of a woman from the Xue Family on the throne.

Then, slowly but surely, Yuchi’s realm might have changed its surname to Xue.

In the years since the Emperor’s ascension, aside from Xue Wanjun, Xue Ping covertly and overtly tried to send other daughters of the Xue Family into the palace, but unfortunately, he came across Yuchi Zhao, who had no compassion for feminine charm, and never once succeeded.

Otherwise, if there were indeed a grandson with the Yuchi surname, those private soldiers and military spies would provide armed protection. Tsk, what a well-thought-out plan.

All these years have passed without success, and yet he still refuses to give up; the intoxication with power is indeed addictive.

After this visit, he had come to understand that Yuchi Zhao truly deserved to be the Emperor. In the art of power and intrigue, he could not hold a candle to Zhao.

Indeed, being the Emperor requires ruthlessness, strategic planning, beyond his own capabilities.

What he had thought was to simply execute a few principal culprits and confiscate a few estates, but what the Emperor wanted was to execute Xue Ping’s entire family line, uprooting the entire branch without leaving a single nail behind, to prevent any future troubles.

It would also intimidate the noble families, showing them that meddling with imperial power would lead to this fate, eliminating the biggest hidden danger within the court, ensuring peace for at least a few decades to come.

After giving his report, Cao De felt a sense of awe. Yuchi Zhao, oh Yuchi Zhao, you truly are ruthless. Just those private soldiers represent many lives; how many heads will roll, he thought to himself. He must really learn from him in terms of ruthlessness and patience.

After his outing, he had understood Yuchi Zhao’s strategy: to first quietly resolve political influences within the Capital without a trace, then cleanse the military forces.

Probably, once the location of the private soldiers was identified, it would be time to cut them off with the speed of a thunderbolt, and that would also mark the end for Xue Ping and his ilk.

He would need to be more careful from now on, not to offend Yuchi Zhao at any cost, otherwise, he wouldn’t even know how he might meet his death.

Thinking this, Cao De couldn’t help but blurt out, "My lord, it’s been several years since the Former Empress Dowager passed away and you haven’t held a royal selection.

Could it be that you have also considered this matter?

If we wait for this situation to calm down, and then reopen the royal selection, wouldn’t it liven things up a bit and dispel the gloom? "

At that moment, the Emperor’s face was somber.

When he annihilated the remnants of the Rebel Prince, he faintly felt that something was amiss with the numbers, but at that time, the situation was chaotic, with endless issues in the state affairs, and after calming the rebellion, there was no time to investigate further.

He had indeed guessed right. Xue Ping’s audacity knew no bounds; this action was tantamount to rebellion!

As he was contemplating all this, he heard Cao De’s words and gave him a cold glance. Once this fellow was done with serious matters, he couldn’t spit out anything of value.

That look sent a chill down Cao De’s neck, yet, undeterred, he continued, "Don’t look at your servant like that. If we don’t select, we don’t select. You have Little Beauty, which is enough. But my lord, you won’t actually become obsessed with just her one day, right?"

The fellow was getting bold!

With a cold laugh, the Emperor lifted the corner of his mouth in a mocking smile, "Hang that embroidery in the palace hall, and burn it tonight."

Cao De immediately jumped up, exclaiming, "No, no, no, please don’t."

He then fawned obsequiously, "It’s all my fault for speaking out of turn, for my unwarranted remarks when the location of the private soldiers is not yet clear. Your servant is to blame. If you need to vent your anger, I am here at your disposal, but let’s not take it out on an object."

The Emperor was amused; a single piece of embroidery had this fellow completely in his grasp. He really didn’t know what to say, nor did he know who embroidered it and why it mattered so much to this man.

Ignoring these curiosities, the Emperor thought for a moment and then instructed, "Let everything said just now remain in front of me, and don’t mention it in front of her."