Chapter 68: The Six Ministers of the Court: I Truly Deserve to Die! (2 / 2)
After a while, the messenger from the Imperial Guards began loudly recounting the events at the front so that all the officials could understand what was happening. — Almost every group of several hundred people had an Imperial Guard responsible for relaying messages.
Then, Xu Yanmiao realized that the person kneeling and addressing the elderly emperor at the front was the Audit General who had embezzled a million taels of silver.
Upon learning that he and his entire clan would be executed, the General kowtowed earnestly, saying, “Your Majesty, this subject deserves death, but I must speak. Punishing embezzlement of even a single piece of silk with a hundred strokes—isn’t this excessively harsh? Officials are also human and need to spend money. Those who serve far from home inevitably seek financial gain. Your Majesty, water that is too pure has no—”
Xu Yanmiao instinctively completed the phrase in his head: [“Humans that are too base are invincible.”]
The word “fish” that the Audit General was about to utter got stuck in his throat. Feeling as though he’d been insulted but unsure, his face turned red with frustration, his expression extremely contorted.
The elderly emperor looked down at him from above, like a hawk watching a rabbit. “Continue. I’m listening.”
The Audit General clenched his teeth, secretly cursing Xu Yanmiao, then kowtowed heavily again before straightening up and loudly continuing: “A single piece of silk costs ten coins! Punishing an embezzlement of just ten coins with a hundred strokes frightens all officials! I implore Your Majesty to reconsider—”
Before he could finish, Xu Yanmiao’s annoying voice interrupted: [“What’s wrong with ten coins? Ten coins can buy a dou of rice, enough for one person to eat for two days!”]
How could someone be so infuriating?