Chapter 310: Chapter 311: The Trap
Any timber chosen for the beams of the Imperial Ancestral Temple would have to pass rigorous, multi-layered inspections.
There was absolutely no way it should have been hollowed out by termites.
Moreover, judging by the extent of the damage, the beams had been hollow for quite some time.
Using such rotten wood for the beams, it was no wonder the Imperial Ancestral Temple collapsed during the earthquake.
Li Ji immediately reported the matter to the Emperor.
The Emperor had recently ordered an investigation into the truth behind the Imperial Ancestral Temple’s collapse. Upon hearing this news, he immediately dispatched officials from the Ministry of Industry to the temple.
Upon inspection, it was confirmed that the termite-hollowed beams were located in the very halls that had just been repaired.
A closer look revealed that all these beams were new replacements.
Replacing beams during renovations on the Imperial Ancestral Temple wasn’t unusual; beams had been replaced during repairs a few years prior as well.
But for newly installed beams to be hollowed out by termites—that was a major problem.
The Second Prince, Li Hao, and the Fifth Prince, Li Yan, were brought in for interrogation.
When asked about the origin of the beams used in the temple repairs, the Second Prince, Li Hao, looked utterly bewildered.
"Those beams were purchased by men sent by my fifth brother. They never passed through my hands, so I know nothing at all."
The Fifth Prince, Li Yan, on the other hand, was nervous. "Is there something wrong with the beams?"
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice spoke in a tone that was polite yet unyielding.
"Your Highness need only state the facts. I will handle everything else."
Having been locked in the Ministry of Justice’s prison this whole time, Li Yan had been on pins and needles.
In just a few short days, he had lost a significant amount of weight, and he looked utterly haggard.
He was now like a startled bird, all his usual arrogance gone.
Li Yan unconsciously gripped his sleeves and answered timidly.
"We bought them at a high price from a timber merchant. He claimed the logs were a once-in-a-millennium, top-grade wood—not only strong and durable, but also with a fine, beautiful grain. He said they were perfect for beams."
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice pressed, "Who was this timber merchant? What’s his name? Where does he live?"
Li Yan stammered, "Those... trivial details were handled by my subordinates. I’m not entirely sure."
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice gave a noncommittal response.
He continued, "How much was spent on procuring the beams?"
Li Yan hesitated for a long moment before stating a figure.
"Two hundred thousand taels of silver."
It was indeed a high price. But if the beams were truly the once-in-a-millennium, top-grade timber he described, then the price would have been justified.
However, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice challenged him. "Was it really only two hundred thousand taels? The Ministry of Revenue has very detailed ledgers. According to their records, you withdrew nine hundred thousand taels of silver from their coffers to purchase beams."
The color drained from Li Yan’s face, leaving it deathly white.
"How could it be that much? At the time, I only withdrew three hundred thousand taels—"
He stopped short, the words dying in his throat.
As his gaze met the Minister of the Ministry of Justice’s sharp eyes, he realized he was being deliberately trapped.
And he had fallen for it.
Li Yan collapsed onto the floor, a single thought consuming his mind—
’It’s over!’
...
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice went to the palace with the confession to request an audience.
He saw Wu Wang at the entrance to the Imperial Study Room and greeted him with a smile.
"Thank you for your tip yesterday, Eunuch Wu."
Most civil servants were prejudiced against eunuchs, viewing them as nothing more than vile sycophants who fawned over and misled their masters. In his heart, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice also looked down on the castrated men.
But he was a man who knew how to navigate the court. He knew Wu Wang was one of the Emperor’s trusted aides and could not be easily offended.
Whenever they met, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice would even take the initiative to greet him as a sign of goodwill.
It was just yesterday that Wu Wang had casually mentioned the Fifth Prince seemed to be flush with cash lately, having bought many fine things, and must have come into a fortune.
As the minister was in the middle of investigating the Imperial Ancestral Temple’s collapse, his mind immediately leaped to the possibility of corruption.
He decided to try bluffing the Fifth Prince, and to his surprise, the bluff had worked perfectly.
What a pleasant surprise!
With the truth of the case about to be exposed, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice was delighted, and his attitude toward Wu Wang became even more amicable.
Wu Wang, however, looked perplexed.
"What are you talking about, my lord? What tip did I give you? I don’t understand what you mean."
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice gave him a knowing look. "I understand, I understand. You said nothing; I came up with it all on my own. In any case, thank you. I’ll treat you to tea some other day."
Wu Wang did not reply to the offer, instead stating respectfully,
"His Majesty summons you."
The doors were pushed open, and the Minister of the Ministry of Justice walked inside.
He reported everything he had uncovered, down to the last detail.
When the Emperor had heard everything, his face betrayed no emotion, but his gaze turned exceptionally cold.
So, the Imperial Ancestral Temple had collapsed because the Fifth Prince, Li Yan, had abused his authority for personal gain, purchasing inferior timber of unknown origin at an exorbitant price to use for the beams.
The Emperor asked expressionlessly, "Have they found that timber merchant?"
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice answered truthfully, "I have already dispatched men to find him, but he is nowhere to be found. He must have fled long ago."
The Emperor let out a cold laugh. "Excellent."
This was clearly a trap someone had set in advance.
Whether it was Xu Yi, whose whereabouts were unknown, or the mysterious timber merchant, they were all in on it together.
From the very moment the Emperor ordered the Imperial Ancestral Temple to be repaired, this group had already begun scheming.
Every subsequent step had fallen perfectly within their control.
What angered the Emperor most was that Li Yan, for a mere ten thousand taels of silver, had so easily walked into a trap someone else had laid.
’Foolish! Utterly and completely foolish!’
Sensing the Emperor’s foul mood, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice dared not ask any further questions.
After a long silence, he finally heard the Emperor speak in a cold voice.
"Release the Second Prince."
"Understood."
The moment the minister was gone, the Emperor clutched his chest. His brow furrowed deeply, and his face became frighteningly pale.
Zuo Ji hurriedly had someone bring a medicine vial, from which he shook out two pills and gave them to the Emperor.
After taking the medicine, the pressure in the Emperor’s chest eased slightly, but his complexion remained incredibly grim.
He had been wounded many years ago, taking an arrow straight to the chest. Though he survived, the injury had left him with a chronic heart condition.
Over the years, thanks to the meticulous care of the Imperial Physicians, his condition had improved significantly. On a normal day, one would notice nothing amiss, but any great emotional turmoil could still trigger an attack.
For this very reason, the Imperial Physicians had developed a special pain-relieving pill for the Emperor.
Whenever the Emperor’s heart condition flared up, two of these pills would provide some relief.
Zuo Ji asked, "Should I summon an Imperial Physician to take a look at you, Your Majesty?"
The Emperor waved his hand, dismissing the idea.
He slowed his breathing, telling himself over and over not to let one foolish son ruin his health.
’It’s not as if he is my only son.’
’Since Li Yan is worthless, I will place my hopes in my other sons.’
’The throne of the Great Zhou will not want for an heir.’
