Chapter 169: Blood for Blood
"She’s humiliating you, not the officials of the imperial court," Qian Fanji said after a slight pause. "Prime Minister Gao, your actions represent you alone. To involve all the court officials would be a grave mistake."
...
Prime Minister Gao was at a loss for words.
"The young lady waited for you from afternoon until late into the night. It’s not right for you to be so impatient the moment you return, Prime Minister Gao. Just wait," Gu Lao said.
Prime Minister Gao had never been so furious. "This is the Prime Minister’s Residence, and I am the Prime Minister!"
"Yes, yes, we know. No need to keep stressing it, Prime Minister Gao. Nobody wants your residence," Gu Lao said with a TSK TSK.
"You... You people..."
"So noisy." A soft voice drifted out. Ye Qianning rolled over and sat up, her little brow deeply furrowed.
"Ah, the young lady’s awake. Want to sleep a little longer?" Gu Lao turned his head, smiling cheerfully.
Ye Qianning rubbed her eyes with a chubby little hand.
"You brat, you still reek of your mother’s milk! So what if you’re Xiang Minghou’s daughter and a direct disciple of the Dean of Lou Mountain Academy? I will report this outrage in my residence to the Emperor!" Prime Minister Gao was simmering with rage.
Ye Qianning let out a yawn, her voice thick with sleep. "Prime Minister Gao, do you truly not know why I’m here?"
"If you don’t give me an explanation, I will not let this matter rest."
"A few days ago, your men broke into the General’s Residence and abducted Fourth Granny. They beat her so badly she’s still unconscious. And the assassins at Lou Mountain Academy... they were your men too, weren’t they, Prime Minister Gao?"
"What... What evidence do you have that it was me?" A flash of panic appeared in Prime Minister Gao’s eyes.
"I wouldn’t have shown up at your door if I didn’t have evidence." Ye Qianning raised her hand.
Luo Xuan grabbed the booklet from the table and threw it at Prime Minister Gao. It struck him before falling to the floor.
After a moment’s hesitation, Prime Minister Gao bent over and picked up the booklet. Inside were not only details about his residence guards’ assault but also records of funds allocated by the Emperor over the past few years.
It detailed embezzlement through layered allocations, bribery, lists of corrupt officials, and the channels through which tribute money flowed into the Prime Minister’s Residence. Everything was recorded with perfect clarity.
Prime Minister Gao had thought his dealings were secret, but the records were flawless, as if the recorder had been present for every transaction.
’This ledger...’
He instinctively glanced at Qian Fanji. The handwriting in the booklet belonged to Minister Qian. ’Absolutely ruthless. Qian Fanji is truly ruthless.’
If the Emperor saw this booklet, his position as Prime Minister would be forfeit.
"Prime Minister Gao, you keep saying you want the Emperor to pass judgment. Could it be that the Emperor ordered you to investigate the matter of the Genesis of Duality?" Ye Qianning questioned.
The color drained from Prime Minister Gao’s face.
"If it was the Emperor’s command, let’s go to the palace for an imperial audience right now." Unafraid, Ye Qianning slid off the soft couch.
How could Prime Minister Gao dare face the Emperor? He couldn’t even let the proof of his corruption see the light of day, much less his attempts to seize the Genesis of Duality.
After all, the object was now in the Emperor’s possession. If the Emperor knew that his own ministers were coveting it, his fury would mean a death sentence.
"What do you want?"
"A blood debt paid in blood." A sharp glint flashed in Ye Qianning’s eyes.
Prime Minister Gao considered this, then turned and summoned an attendant.
The attendant drew near, and the Prime Minister leaned in to whisper something to him. The attendant then rushed out the door.
Ye Qianning rubbed her ear. She had heard him perfectly. ’Prime Minister Gao wants to sacrifice his pawns to save himself. In his dreams!’
"I will give you a proper accounting for this matter," Prime Minister Gao declared, clasping his hands behind his back with an air of magnanimity.
Mrs. Gao was bewildered. ’What on earth did the Prime Minister do that let a little girl get such a hold over him?’
’She storms the Prime Minister’s Residence, and now *he’s* the one who has to give *her* an explanation?’
Zhan Yi was also a little confused. He knew what kind of man Prime Minister Gao was and didn’t believe he would capitulate so easily.
A short while later, the attendant returned with three guards in tow. He leaned in and whispered something in the Prime Minister’s ear. Prime Minister Gao’s expression instantly darkened, and he instinctively glanced at the Hidden Guards Ye Qianning had brought with her.
Only then did he notice that the two rows of Hidden Guards were covered in blood.
"Miss Xiang already dealt with the men who ambushed her at Lou Mountain on her way here. These are the guards who abducted the old woman from the General’s Residence. I now hand them over to you, Miss Xiang. Please, do with them as you wish." Prime Minister Gao then turned to the guards and barked, "Get on your knees!"
The three guards fell to their knees in unison.
Ye Qianning walked over and circled the three men twice before speaking in a slow, deliberate tone. "And if I were to kill them, you’d have no objection, would you, Prime Minister Gao?"
Horror filled the eyes of the three guards, and their hearts seized with fear.
"I’ve given them to you, Miss Xiang. Whether you kill them or flay them is entirely your decision." They were only three guards; Prime Minister Gao couldn’t care less about them.
Gu Lao spat on the floor. ’The old fox!’
The kneeling guards were terrified by his words.
Ye Qianning gave a cold laugh. "You really don’t see your guards as human beings, do you, Prime Minister Gao?"
"I’ve handed the men over to you. You may leave now, Miss Xiang," Prime Minister Gao said, trying to usher her out.
Ye Qianning didn’t answer. She looked at the kneeling guards instead. All three appeared to be eighteen or nineteen, an age that suggested they hadn’t been guards for more than a couple of years.
"How long have you served in the Prime Minister’s Residence?" she asked.
The guards trembled with fear. At her question, they exchanged a furtive glance. The one who seemed to be the eldest replied, "Just over a year."
"You’re quite skilled at beating people. Who taught you?"
"The... The Guard Commander."
"I see. It seems the Prime Minister’s guards are well-trained. Are you afraid to die?" she asked.
"Yes..."
"If I offered you a way to live, would you dare take it?"
The guards looked up, their faces still masks of terror.
"Miss Xiang, I’ve given you the men. Why are you dragging this out?" Prime Minister Gao said, his face dark with irritation.
Ye Qianning turned to face him. "Prime Minister Gao, you truly live up to your reputation as a cunning old fox."
Prime Minister Gao’s brows twisted into a knot.
"Prime Minister Gao, I may be a child, but I’m not a fool. Do you really think your guards would dare to harm someone without a direct order from you?" While Ye Qianning was furious with the men who had carried out the attack, she was even more enraged with the one who had given the command.
"What are you implying?" Prime Minister Gao demanded.
"When I said ’a blood debt paid in blood,’ I was referring to you, Prime Minister. Not these guards who were just following orders," Ye Qianning said with a smile.
Prime Minister Gao was inwardly astonished. He hadn’t expected a mere child to be so difficult to deceive.
Ye Qianning turned back to the kneeling guards. "You know how brutally you treated Fourth Granny. Now, I want you to do the same to Prime Minister Gao."
The guards were beyond shocked. They immediately began kowtowing frantically.
"Don’t push your luck!" the Prime Minister raged.
"If you don’t do it, not only will you die, but I will slaughter your entire families. Not a single one will be left." Ye Qianning’s voice was light and airy, but her childish tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
That voice made the hair on the back of everyone’s necks stand up.
Gu Lao couldn’t tell if the young lady was serious or just bluffing, but he thought her method of revenge was rather fitting. ’Whoever gives the order should be the one to suffer the punishment.’
’The guards were only following orders; in a way, they were innocent, too.’
Zhan Yi’s expression soured. ’Who did this child learn such things from? Her methods are ruthless and her words are bloody, but when I think about it, this whole affair isn’t her fault.’
’But to be so bloodthirsty at such a young age... how will she ever get married when she’s older?’
’Once we bring her back to the Zhan family, I’ll have my wife personally guide her. She’s only six. There’s still time to change her!’