As Zhao Feng shifted his gaze, everyone's eyes instinctively followed, all landing on Wang Wan.
In an instant, Wang Wan's expression changed. His heart tightened, and he subconsciously turned his head away, as if even if Zhao Feng intended to accuse someone, he could never have imagined it would be him.
However, Zhao Feng's sharp gaze remained fixed on him, the corners of his lips curling into a sneer. "Prime Minister Wang, what are you avoiding?"
"What do you mean, General Zhao?"
"Do you think you can accuse me?"
"I have served as Prime Minister for many years, working diligently and cautiously, and have never committed any wrongdoing," Wang Wan furrowed his brows and declared loudly, putting on an air of a righteous and incorruptible official.
"You? Diligent and cautious?"
"You? Without wrongdoing?"
Zhao Feng chuckled coldly, his face filled with scorn.
Then he turned back to face the throne and announced loudly, "Your Majesty, the minister I wish to impeach is none other than Wang Wan."
The words had barely fallen before the entire court was in an uproar.
Everyone looked at Zhao Feng in utter disbelief.
To impeach Wang Wan the sitting Left Prime Minister what kind of madness was this?
Furthermore, throughout history, it was always civil officials who impeached others, rarely did military officers ever challenge a high-ranking court official. Yet here was Zhao Feng, a military general, going after the head of the civil bureaucracy.
This was unprecedented.
"What is Zhao Feng trying to do?"
"Impeach the Prime Minister? On what grounds?"
"It looks like Zhao Feng knows that Wang Wan opposed his promotion to State Guardian and is using this as an excuse for revenge."
"But impeachment is one thing succeeding is another. This is just Zhao Feng venting his frustration."
"Impeaching the Prime Minister is no trivial matter."
"Zhao Feng may excel in leading troops, but he doesn't understand the ways of politics or court affairs."
…
Many officials whispered among themselves, mostly with a sense of amusement, treating this as a mere spectacle.
After all, if Wang Wan had committed any serious crimes, he would have covered his tracks long ago how could he possibly have left evidence behind?
Everyone on the court was an old fox, well aware of how the game was played.
"General Zhao,"
"This is the imperial court, and His Majesty is present. You must not speak recklessly,"
"Making unfounded accusations is a crime under Qin law."
Wang Wan's tone was stern as he rebuked Zhao Feng.
Yet Zhao Feng completely ignored him.
Instead, he turned to face Emperor Ying Zheng once more and declared loudly, "Your Majesty, I accuse Wang Wan of four major crimes."
"First embezzling state-owned farmland."
"Second trafficking government slaves."
"Third nepotism in official appointments."
"Fourth smuggling and colluding with foreign states."
Zhao Feng's voice echoed throughout the hall.
These four charges immediately drew everyone's attention.
And they were extremely specific.
Zhao Feng's expression was resolute, showing not even a trace of fear.
Wang Wan's heart clenched.
He knew very well that these accusations were true and they weren't even the worst of his crimes.
These four were simply the most severe.
"General Zhao,"
"I will say this again,"
"Framing the Prime Minister of the empire is a serious offense."
"No matter how many military merits you have earned, it does not give you the right to make baseless accusations."
Wang Wan pointed at Zhao Feng, his voice filled with anger.
"Who says I have no evidence?"
"Wang Wan,"
"Your good days are over."
Zhao Feng sneered.
Then he turned back toward Ying Zheng and spoke firmly, "Your Majesty, I have already prepared the evidence proving Wang Wan's four crimes. It is currently in the custody of my guards outside the hall. With just one command from Your Majesty, the Imperial Censors may verify the documents."
From his elevated throne, Ying Zheng scrutinized Zhao Feng.
Seeing the general's unwavering demeanor and knowing that he had prepared evidence in advance, the emperor understood
Zhao Feng was serious.
He was determined to bring Wang Wan down.
"Could he have evidence?"
"Impossible."
"I entrusted my most loyal subordinates with these matters. I oversaw every detail. There's no way anyone could have obtained proof."
"It must be fake."
"He's bluffing to try and make me slip up."
Even now, Wang Wan refused to believe that Zhao Feng had any real evidence.
Immediately, he stepped forward, knelt, and bowed deeply to Ying Zheng.
"Your Majesty,"
"This old minister has devoted his life to the Great Qin, without a shred of selfish intent."
"General Zhao, though a hero on the battlefield, has falsely accused me today."
"This is a grave injustice."
"I beseech Your Majesty to discern the truth."
As he spoke, Wang Wan put on an aggrieved expression.
"I second this motion."
"Prime Minister Wang has dedicated himself to the empire, exhausting his strength for the sake of Qin how could he be slandered like this?"
"We implore Your Majesty to uphold justice for the Prime Minister."
One after another, over a dozen ministers stepped forward in support of Wang Wan, making their allegiance clear.
"Don't worry," Zhao Feng sneered, scanning Wang Wan's supporters.
"Many of you are implicated."
"When the evidence is presented, you'll all be taken down together."
His tone carried the amusement of a cat toying with a mouse.
Then, Zhao Feng said no more, simply waiting for Ying Zheng's command.
"Does this brat have proof against Wang Wan?" thought General Wang Jian, watching from the side.
Although Zhao Feng had mentioned it to him the day before, he had refused to reveal details, merely telling him to "just wait and enjoy the show."
Still, Wang Jian was not too concerned.
After all, Zhao Feng was the Crown Prince of Qin. Even if the accusations proved false, at worst, he would receive a minor reprimand.
It wouldn't affect him much.
On the contrary, Wang Wan and his faction would certainly be thrown into disarray.
At this moment, both Zhao Feng and Wang Wan awaited Ying Zheng's decision.
Finally, after a moment of deliberation, Ying Zheng looked at Zhao Feng.
"You truly have evidence?"
"I would never dare deceive Your Majesty."
"At Your Majesty's command, my guards will bring the evidence into the hall."
"Your Majesty may then have the Imperial Censors verify its authenticity."
Zhao Feng responded without hesitation.
"Bring it in."
Ying Zheng's voice was heavy with authority.
Zhao Feng wasted no time.
He turned toward the entrance of the hall and called out, "Zhang Ming."
Two short syllables echoed through the court.
"Present!"
Zhang Ming responded loudly, "Yes!"
Before long, several guards carried a wooden chest into the grand hall.
At this moment, Wang Wan was starting to panic.
"Could it be that he has evidence?"
His unease grew stronger.
From the beginning to the end, Zhao Feng remained calm, as if he had already won.
"Grand General."
"It has been brought in," Zhang Ming said respectfully.
"Step back."
Zhao Feng waved his hand.
"Yes."
Zhang Ming immediately withdrew with the guards.
Zhao Feng then turned to Ying Zheng and bowed. "I trouble Your Majesty to have the censors verify the evidence."
Ying Zheng did not hesitate and commanded in a firm voice, "Censor-in-chief."
"Your servant is here."
Feng Jie stepped forward.
"Verify it," Ying Zheng ordered coldly.
"I obey."
Feng Jie approached the chest and signaled to the other censors.
He and several censors opened the chest.
Inside were numerous bamboo slips.
Feng Jie personally unrolled one, and as he read its contents, his brow furrowed.
The other censors also picked up the slips one by one, each of them frowning as they read.
More and more bamboo slips were examined.
Wang Wan's unease deepened.
The entire court focused on Feng Jie.
Everyone knew that as the Censor-in-chief, Feng Jie had the duty of overseeing officials and was known for his strict impartiality.
Now that he was carefully reading through these bamboo slips, it strongly suggested the evidence was real.
After a long while, Feng Jie placed the bamboo slips down and bowed to Ying Zheng.
"Your Majesty, after reviewing the evidence, I confirm that the accusations brought forth by the Grand General are true."
The words were like a thunderclap.
The court erupted in astonishment.
Wang Wan's face turned deathly pale.
The ministers who had previously supported Wang Wan stood awkwardly, unable to retreat or advance, gripped by fear and anxiety.
Ying Zheng's expression had turned cold, his eyes narrowing.
"The accusations are true?" he asked icily.
"Your Majesty," Feng Jie replied, "they are true.
"These records, these details, this evidence all of them, in my judgment, are genuine.
"Furthermore, the Grand General has also captured witnesses, including members of Wang Wan's faction who carried out his orders."
With this confirmation, Wang Wan completely broke down.
His body trembled, and his confidence vanished.
"Father," Fusu could no longer remain silent and stepped forward. "This matter requires careful reconsideration. I believe there may be some misunderstanding."
"Feng Jie," Ying Zheng ignored Fusu and asked, "How many crimes are confirmed in this evidence? How many people are implicated?"
"Your Majesty," Feng Jie replied, "the four charges presented by the Grand General are all substantiated.
"More than twenty officials are involved.
"The most serious crimes are the trafficking of government slaves and the illegal appropriation of farmland.
"Additionally, there is evidence of smuggling dealings with foreign states, particularly concerning copper and iron for weaponry, as well as the illicit trade of grain.
"As for nepotism, many of Wang Wan's relatives hold government posts across Qin, and they have facilitated numerous illicit activities."
With Feng Jie's final confirmation, Wang Wan completely collapsed, falling to his knees.
The implicated ministers also began to panic.
"Your Majesty," Wei Zhuang hurriedly stepped forward, unwilling to give up hope. "These so-called pieces of evidence must be further verified."
Even at this stage, he still held onto a sliver of hope.
"Your Majesty," Zhao Feng spoke again.
"Beyond the evidence, I have also captured Wang Wan's subordinates, including seven people he intended to silence.
"All of them can testify and are ready to be interrogated by the Minister of Justice."
"Among them is Wang Wan's son, who was involved in many of these crimes."
Zhao Feng dealt another crushing blow.
Li Si immediately seized the opportunity and stepped forward.
"The Ministry of Justice is willing to take over this case."
For Li Si, this was a perfect chance to eliminate a political rival.
All along, his greatest ambition had been to bring down Wang Wan.
Now that Zhao Feng had handed him a dagger, he would be a fool not to use it.
If Wang Wan fell into his hands, even without existing evidence, Li Si would fabricate some just to ensure his downfall.
Such was the bitter rivalry between them.
Ying Zheng remained silent and turned his cold, disdainful gaze toward Wang Wan.
"You have nothing to explain?" Ying Zheng asked icily.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty."
"All of these crimes were committed by me alone."
"They have nothing to do with my son."
"I only beg Your Majesty, for the sake of my decades of loyal service to Qin, to spare my family from extermination."
Kneeling on the ground, Wang Wan's voice trembled.
It was clear now.
Faced with the overwhelming evidence and the seven captured witnesses, Zhao Feng had truly gathered conclusive proof against him.
"Wang Wan," Fusu turned to him, disbelief in his eyes.
"You did all of this?"
"Well-dressed on the outside, but rotten to the core," Zhao Feng sneered.
"A man like Wang Wan is the very definition of hypocrisy."
With so much evidence presented before the entire court, Wang Wan's fate was sealed.
Even though he was the Prime Minister, the highest-ranking civil official in Qin
Even though he held immense power
He was finished.
After all, the one accusing him was not just anyone.
It was the highest-ranking military official, the Grand General of Qin.
Hearing Zhao Feng's words, no one in the hall dared to object.
The chest of evidence had already been verified by the Censor-in-chief, Feng Jie.
The weight of the accusations could no longer be denied.
"This brat… pulled it off."
"To think he managed to bring down Wang Wan, the head of the civil officials, so easily."
"So these are genuine charges."
Watching from the sidelines, Wang Jian wore a look of astonishment.
But after the initial shock, a smirk appeared on his face.
Wang Wan's downfall was entirely his own doing.
He had relentlessly targeted Zhao Feng, and since they were enemies, it was only natural that he would face the fate of an enemy.
Hearing Wang Wan confess without any further defense, Ying Zheng's expression turned completely cold.
"Feng Jie, Li Si."
Ying Zheng spoke in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, I am here." Li Si's expression changed, his face filled with excitement.
Feng Jie also stepped forward immediately.
"The Censorate and the Court of Judicial Review will handle this case together."
"All officials listed in the evidence presented by the Supreme General shall be arrested."
"Their entire families will also be detained."
"Once the investigation is complete, all will be punished according to the laws of Great Qin."
Ying Zheng's voice was cold and firm.
"We obey the decree!"
Li Si and Feng Jie immediately responded.
As for Wang Wan, he had already collapsed onto the ground, completely drained of strength.
This scene left the gathered officials in shock, unsure of how to react.
Before the court session began, Wang Wan, as the head of the civil officials, had been full of confidence. Yet in just a short time, he had fallen from his high position and was about to become a prisoner.
"Summon the Imperial Guards to make the arrests."
"Wu Dao."
"Lin Mu."
"Cao Qing."
…
One by one, Feng Jie called out names from among the court officials.
Those whose names were mentioned turned pale and collapsed to their knees.
Even Wang Wan had been unable to refute the accusations what right did they have to argue their innocence?
"Take them away."
Ying Zheng commanded coldly.
Immediately, Ren Xiao led the Imperial Guards into the hall, arresting the accused officials.
Wang Wan and more than twenty other officials implicated in his crimes were all taken away.
The remaining officials in the hall felt both anxious and relieved.
Many of them, however, now looked at Zhao Feng with a deep sense of awe and fear.
"Zhao Feng… he is a ruthless man."
"No wonder he survived the battlefield his methods are truly terrifying."
"Wang Wan was the Left Chancellor of Qin, second only to His Majesty, yet he was taken down so easily."
"Where did Zhao Feng even find all this evidence?"
"He managed to bring down Wang Wan just like that…"
"This man is far too dangerous we must never offend him."
"Not only is he terrifyingly skilled, but he also never forgets a grudge."
"Wang Wan repeatedly opposed him, and Zhao Feng held onto that resentment. Now, this is his revenge."
…
Many officials now had no desire to oppose Zhao Feng, fearing his ruthless methods.
It was truly frightening to think that he had been quietly gathering so much evidence against Wang Wan, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Wang Wan."
"You have truly disappointed me."
"Let this be a warning to all of you."
Ying Zheng's voice echoed through the hall, carrying both anger and authority.
Though it was Zhao Feng who had exposed Wang Wan, Ying Zheng was furious as well.
After all, Wang Wan, the Left Chancellor, had committed such grave crimes. Ying Zheng had always ruled through strict laws, yet his highest-ranking official had been leading by example in corruption. How could he not be enraged?
"We will obey Your Majesty's decree!"
The gathered officials responded, their voices filled with fear.
With these four major crimes exposed, Wang Wan's fate was already sealed.
Death was inevitable.
As for his family, their punishment would depend on Ying Zheng's final decision.
"Zhao Feng."
"Your impeachment has rendered great service."
Ying Zheng turned his gaze to Zhao Feng.
"Everything is for Great Qin."
Zhao Feng replied solemnly, presenting himself as a devoted servant of the state.
Yet many people found his words hard to swallow.
They scoffed silently.
This was nothing more than a well-disguised act of personal revenge.
"This young man is truly ruthless."
"He had been quietly preparing all of this evidence for a long time."
"Wang Wan, Wang Wan… My son is nothing like Fusu. He is far more ruthless."
"You made a terrible mistake by provoking him."
Ying Zheng sighed inwardly.
In truth, he was not surprised that Wang Wan was corrupt.
There were certainly many more officials in the court who were guilty of similar crimes they were just better at hiding it.
Ying Zheng was aware of this but generally tolerated it as long as they did not go too far.
After all, unifying the empire required the cooperation of all of Qin's officials.
Perhaps the old saying applied here: "If the water is too clear, there will be no fish."
In any era, corrupt officials would always exist.
"Zhao Gao, read the decree."
Ying Zheng waved his hand dismissively, no longer wanting to speak further with Zhao Feng.
Zhao Gao respectfully picked up the royal decree from the table.
He was inwardly pleased with Wang Wan's downfall but carefully hid his emotions.
Lifting the decree, he read in a loud voice:
"Royal decree from the King of Qin: Supreme General Zhao Feng, heed the decree."
"Your servant humbly listens to the decree."
With Wang Wan eliminated, Zhao Feng had resolved a major concern and could now accept his rewards in peace.
"Zhao Feng, by royal command, led the campaign against the State of Yan and achieved its destruction, performing great service to the empire."
"When foreign invaders massacred tens of thousands of our people, Zhao Feng led the army north, annihilating the invading forces, slaughtering more than a hundred thousand of the enemy, and protecting the people of our land. His achievements are extraordinary."
"Zhao Feng then led his troops deep into the northern territories, crushing the foreign tribes, slaying hundreds of thousands, destroying their royal court, and beheading their king, securing a magnificent victory."
"Now."
"In recognition of these great merits"
"Zhao Feng is granted a promotion of two noble ranks and is bestowed the title of 'Marquis of Excellence.' He shall receive all privileges of this rank, including annual stipends, land, and the right to form his guard."
"He is granted ten thousand gold coins, one hundred thousand copper coins, a thousand bolts of fine silk, a thousand jade artifacts, and a thousand slaves."
"Furthermore."
"Zhao Feng, whose martial prowess is renowned throughout the land and is hailed as the God of War of Great Qin"
"Today."
"His Majesty grants him an honorary title. He shall be known as 'Lord of Martial Peace' and be bestowed the title of 'Wu An Jun' (Lord of Martial Tranquility)."
"His guard shall be named the 'Wu An Elite Guard.'"
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