#270 - The Battle of “Standpoint” (Part 1)

It was midnight.

The capital city, Minglu Lane, the Tao Residence.

Shadows flickered within the large residence, and the two large lanterns in front of the gate swayed faintly in the night breeze.

Tao Songzhi, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, had already fallen asleep, but the sudden exclamations outside woke him abruptly.

"Bang!"

"You... Who are you? Do you know this is the Tao Residence!"

"Ah!!!"

"Help! Help!"

"."

"L-Lord, what's wrong?"

The woman, who had also just woken up from her sleep, clutched the corner of the blanket tightly, asking Tao Songzhi in a panic.

However, before her husband could answer, the door was suddenly kicked open, and a dozen figures rushed into the room, each holding a gleaming long knife.

"You... you!"

The screams outside continued, Tao Songzhi protected the trembling woman behind him, but he himself had regained his composure.

"Alright!"

"I can go with you, but you must give me a reason!"

"Reason?"

The black-clad commander sneered: "Lord Tao, there is no reason."

"What?!"

Tao Songzhi was stunned, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart and said "Alright" three times.

"Alright, alright, alright!"

"I didn't expect the Wei family to be as lawless as ever!"

"Back then, Wei Changtian led people to surround the Liu Residence without a word and killed Prime Minister Liu!"

"Are you going to do the same thing again today?!!!"

"."

It was only early April, and the capital was not yet very warm.

However, Tao Songzhi's face was flushed red, and his back was already soaked with sweat, whether due to nervousness or anger.

The black-clad commander standing opposite him was much calmer.

"Lord Tao, are you mistaken about something?"

"Half a year ago, our Hua Ling Guards were incorporated into the Censorate."

"Therefore, Lord Tao, I really don't understand what you are saying about the Wei family."

Censorate.

These three words made Tao Songzhi's body tremble.

Of course, he knew that the Hua Ling Guards had separated from the Xuanjing Division. Just now, he was only influenced by the preconceived notion that "this matter must have been instigated by the Wei family" and didn't realize it for a moment.

Now that he had been reminded by the other party, he finally realized something...

Since the Hua Ling Guards had been incorporated into the Censorate, it meant that the Censorate wanted to arrest him.

But the Censorate...

"Alright, Lord Tao, you don't need to guess anymore."

As if seeing through his thoughts, the black-clad commander leaned closer and said sinisterly in Tao Songzhi's ear:

"We are here to arrest you on the orders of the Emperor."

"."

On the orders of the Emperor...

Tao Songzhi suddenly widened his eyes, his gaze filled with fear and disbelief.

"N-No way!"

"T-This is absolutely impossible!"

"Whether it's possible or not, you'll know if you come with us."

Shaking his head, the black-clad commander finally lost his patience, stepped back two steps, and the surrounding constables, who had been eyeing him warily, immediately rushed forward and tied Tao Songzhi up tightly.

"L-Let me go!"

According to the Da'ning law, officials of the fourth rank and above cannot be gagged, forced to kneel, or coerced into confession before being convicted.

The Hua Ling Guards clearly did not have the same arrogant and domineering attitude that Wei Changtian had when he went to the Zhang Residence to kill the toad, so they only tied Tao Songzhi up without gagging him.

"Let me go!"

"I want to see the Emperor!!"

"I want to see Liu Zhongchun!!!!"

"."

The terrified screams echoed in everyone's ears.

Tao Songzhi still felt that all of this was not real, but a huge conspiracy set up by the Wei family.

It was a pity that the Hua Ling Guards, or rather the Censorate, were indeed acting on Ning Yongnian's orders, and the latter would never meet him.

As for the current head of the Liu family, Liu Zhongchun, the Minister of the Ministry of Appointments, his current situation was even worse than Tao Songzhi's.

Anhua Gate Street, the Liu Residence.

If Wei Changtian were here at this moment, he would probably sigh, "Déjà vu."

Walls, rooftops, various gates, every room, courtyard... More than a thousand Imperial Guards in red armor were spread throughout the Liu Residence, the unsheathed cold blades reflecting the firelight, and angry shouts echoed everywhere.

"Drop your weapons! Kneel down!!"

"Everyone come out!"

"Get out! All of you get out!"

"."

More than half a year later, a similar scene happened to the Liu family again, and they all had a dreamlike feeling.

However, a few obvious differences made them realize that they were not dreaming.

Last time, the person "leading the team" was Wei Changtian, this time it was Wei Xianzhu.

Last time, the people surrounding the residence were all constables from the Xuanjing Division wearing tiger-蛟 uniforms, this time they were all Imperial Guards in red armor.

Last time, it was Liu Yuanshan who came out to confront Wei Changtian, but this time it was Liu Zhongchun.

Compared to Liu Yuanshan, Liu Zhongchun's imposing manner as a "powerful figure" was somewhat weaker.

Of course, this may also be related to the fact that he was facing Wei Xianzhu, who also wielded great power.

"."

In the main hall, corpses were lying everywhere, blood flowed all over the ground, and hundreds of torches illuminated the large room as if it were daytime.

All the dead were Liu family guards who "resisted stubbornly", and some had already had their weapons removed and their acupoints sealed by the Imperial Guards, and were now kneeling in rows outside the house.

Wei Xianzhu looked at Liu Zhongchun, who was being held down tightly by several Imperial Guards, and suddenly waved his hand to signal the latter to be released.

"Yes!"

Those holding the Imperial Guard token were as if the Emperor himself was present, so no one dared to disobey the order, and several people immediately let go and retreated, their eyes fixed on Liu Zhongchun.

"Lord Liu..."

Squinting his eyes, Wei Xianzhu's small voice could be heard clearly in the room.

"Do you confess your guilt?"

"Confess my guilt?"

Also facing a sudden situation, Liu Zhongchun was obviously much calmer than Tao Songzhi, and only shook his head gently.

"Lord Wei, I don't know what crime I have committed."

"Lord Liu, I don't know if you are really confused or pretending to be confused."

Wei Xianzhu was not an easy person either. He took a stack of letters from a military officer next to him and threw them at Liu Zhongchun's feet.

"Take a look, these are all the good things you've done."

"."

This action was undoubtedly very insulting, but Liu Zhongchun was not annoyed or angry. He only took a deep look at Wei Xianzhu, then bent down to pick up the letters and read them slowly one by one.

Wei Xianzhu knew that these letters were all fake "evidence of treason", so he thought that after reading them, Liu Zhongchun would either argue vehemently and clamor to see the Emperor, or be extremely angry and scold himself for framing him.

However, the latter's reaction was greatly beyond his expectations.

It was too calm.