She stopped, looking down on him from above, and coldly said, “Really? Then you surely never accepted the fertile land that Sun Mingyuan gave you.”

“And that land certainly didn’t come from Li Fangheng’s family. You didn’t swallow Li’s wine shop, nor take a share of their family fortune, right?”

With each word Wen Yue Sheng spoke, Kong Shen’s face grew more and more ghastly pale.

By the end, his face was ashen, drenched in cold sweat, unable to utter a single coherent word.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you say it has nothing to do with you?” Wen Yue Sheng narrowed her eyes, scanning him. “If you insist it has no connection, I can send people to investigate.”

“But if it turns out that you’ve hidden anything or lied, I’ll charge you with perjury and deceiving the trial officials.”

Without Wen Yue Sheng having to ask, an official from the Supreme Court spoke up, “Anyone who deceives the trial officials will be given twenty strokes of the cane.”

Slap!

As soon as the words were spoken, Kong Shen collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat.

When they typically committed these acts, they never expected the consequences would turn on them.

And for such punishments, they had never experienced them.

It was no wonder that Kong Shen, after hearing about all the things he had done, and witnessing Sun Mingyuan nearly beaten to death, was now trembling in fear.

But this was not enough. Wen Yue Sheng returned to her seat and, after sitting down, coldly said, “Investigate further. Also, summon Sun Mingyuan’s servant, Sun San, into the hall.”

When Sun San entered, according to Wen Yue Sheng’s instructions, he subtly glanced at Sun Mingyuan.

Sun San had grown up serving Sun Mingyuan and knew all the things Sun Mingyuan had done over the years.

However, he was just a servant, and no matter how he felt, he had no power to change the master’s decisions.

After Jiang Lu married into the Sun family, they treated their servants with more kindness.

Jiang Lu had even saved Sun San’s son’s life and later helped him remove his status as a slave, allowing him to return home and farm without serving Sun Mingyuan any longer.

This was the main reason Sun San had decided to step forward and testify.

He had lived in conscience for many years by Sun Mingyuan’s side, but now he finally had the chance to bring him down, all while repaying Jiang Lu’s kindness.

Even if it meant death, he was willing.

Ignoring the murderous glare from Sun Mingyuan, Sun San lowered his voice and recounted everything he knew about Sun Mingyuan’s deeds over the years.

The officials recording this information, cross-checking it with another book Wen Yue Sheng had provided, grew increasingly alarmed.

Each item in the records described malicious and vile deeds.

Sun Mingyuan had built his wealth and glory upon the bones of others.

He was a despicable and treacherous official.

For some reason, despite holding a relatively low rank, he had managed to entangle himself with various factions in the court, forming a vast web where these people lived off the bones of others.

Over the past six or seven years, his criminal network had only grown larger, yet he had always managed to escape the consequences.

From these events, it was clear that he had many powerful connections.

“…The amount of silver Sun Mingyuan embezzled was so enormous that his mansion could no longer store it. To evade detection, every time he accepted bribes, he demanded cash.”

Sun San paused before continuing, “Such a large sum of cash was hidden by Sun Mingyuan in a farm on the outskirts of the capital, under the guise of a rural estate.”

“Your Highness, if you send people now, you should still be able to find the silver.”

Hearing this, Kong Shen was filled with despair.

If the book had not been considered solid evidence, then Sun San was a living witness.

Apart from Sun San’s testimony, the hidden silver on the farm was physical evidence.

With Sun Mingyuan’s position, even if his family was wealthy, they could never have amassed such a large amount of silver, especially since much of it came from various money houses.

There were also people responsible for transporting the silver, and once detained, they would reveal much more.

Everyone in the hall today was doomed.

Kong Shen’s face was ashen as he recalled how, just yesterday, when Yan Ling had proposed that Wen Yue Sheng handle the case, he had thought little of it.

In fact, he had even said privately to his colleagues that Princess Xining, being just a woman, couldn’t possibly do much to them.

Yet today, Wen Yue Sheng had used such thunderous methods to show him what she was capable of.

Before Kong Shen could finish his thoughts, those sent to investigate his private property returned swiftly.

“Replying to the princess, Kong Shen’s private property indeed mostly comes from embezzlement and bribery!”

Kong Shen’s expression darkened as Wen Yuesheng coldly said, “Take him away.”

“Yes!” The officials with her showed no mercy.

The sound of the cane striking echoed in the ears of everyone present.

Except for Sun Mingyuan, the other officials in the hall were terrified.

Sun Mingyuan, slowly recovering from his dizziness, finally looked up and saw the familiar handwriting in the book.

In that instant, he understood who had orchestrated everything.

But it was too late.

In truth, after Sun Mingyuan wrote the divorce letter, abandoning Jiang Lu, the very next day, he had arranged for her to be killed to silence her knowledge of everything.

But before he could act, he had been reported to the Supreme Court.

His pupils dilated as he stared at the densely written pages, unable to say a word.

At that moment, he saw a slim figure standing in front of him.

Wen Yue Sheng slowly stood before him, her voice devoid of any emotion.

She spoke, “Minister of the Ministry of Works, Sun Mingyuan; Assistant of the Ministry of Rites, Kong Shen; Deputy Governor of the Capital, Jiang Shun; and Yang Yu of the Ministry of Justice.”

“Embezzlement, bribery, forming factions, selling official titles.”

“Their crimes are clear, their misconduct blatant. They are unforgivable!”

Wen Yuesheng’s eyes were cold as she looked at them as if they were already dead. “Seize their property and execute them to set an example!”

Sun Mingyuan, lying on the ground, looked up in disbelief.

He had thought that even if there were evidence of his crimes, Wen Yuesheng would not easily kill him.

After all, he still had the support of Prince Hengguang.

Even in such a situation, he believed that Prince Hengguang’s influence could save him.

But over the years, a significant portion of the silver Sun Mingyuan had embezzled had ended up in Prince Hengguang’s pockets.

If Wen Yuesheng wanted greater achievements or had other plans, she would need to keep him alive.

As long as he had this leverage, he could negotiate for his survival.

Yet he never imagined that Wen Yuesheng would execute him without even questioning Prince Hengguang.

He opened his mouth, attempting to speak, but the pain he endured was so severe that no one could understand his words.

Wen Yuesheng didn’t plan to listen.

What she wanted was for him to see his crimes before dying.

For a villain like Sun Mingyuan, every moment he lived was cruelty to others.

After speaking, Wen Yue Sheng returned to her seat, threw down the execution token, and coldly said, “Proceed with the execution.”

Slap.

The token fell to the ground.

“Count, Princess!?” Jiang Shunzhi and Yang Yu, who had just been escorted here, had already lost all color from their faces, terrified beyond belief. “Y-you can’t do this. The emperor hasn’t given a decree yet…”

They wanted to say that they were court officials, and Princess Wen Yue Sheng couldn’t just execute them like this.

However, when facing the fear and pressure of death, they couldn’t even utter a complete sentence.

Not to mention the people accompanying Wen Yue Sheng, who only listened to her.

The four were taken to the execution ground outside the hall, lined up in a row, and in the gaze of countless onlookers, the executioner raised his blade and struck, instantly severing their heads.

The entire place fell silent.

Inside the hall, the few people present were first stunned, then some could no longer control their emotions and cried out loud.

Years of suffering, and they never expected that it would end like this in one morning.

Yang Ju Ren collapsed on the ground, unable to recover for a long time.

When he decided to report Sun Mingyuan, many had advised him against it, warning him of the difficulties and that he might lose his life because of it.

The best possible outcome, they said, might be just a beating and being expelled from the capital and academy.

But today, right in this hall…

This Princess of Sinning, with absolute decisiveness and ruthless methods, had brought an end to all the pain he had endured over the years.

On this scorching day, as Yang Ju Ren exited the Dali Temple, his eyes were faintly filled with tears.

He turned back and stared at the Dali Temple for a long time.

The gates had already been closed, and he could no longer see Wen Yue Sheng’s figure.

He turned to leave but couldn’t stop looking back, staring for a long while.

He thought, after today, the political landscape of the capital might undergo earth-shattering changes.

Over there, Wen Yuesheng’s handling of the case and the execution of the four officials had caused a huge stir.

As for the case of Sun Mingyuan, many had still been doubtful, since there were so many people accusing him, making it seem like a premeditated slander.

But once the evidence was solid, everyone felt a complex mix of emotions.

In the emperor’s capital, under the emperor’s feet, such boldness had never been seen before.

There were so many injustices, so many deceptions.

What was even more shocking was that Wen Yuesheng hadn’t reported to the emperor and had directly executed the four officials.

These four men deserved death, but the fact that Wen Yuesheng, the first to handle such matters, was able to act with such decisiveness and leave no room for hesitation, shocked everyone.

If any other official had been in charge, it was unlikely they would have dealt with the four as swiftly. In fact, they might not even have been able to gather the evidence.

But Wen Yue Sheng had completed the investigation, made a verdict, and executed the sentence—all within two hours.

Her ability far exceeded the common expectations for women in the court.

In the capital, and even on the court, people were passionately discussing the matter.

For the common people, it was a welcome act of justice, but the disputes within the court were more than just that.

The next morning at court, Prince Heng Guang arrived not early.

His uncle, the current Duke of Xu, had already been waiting at the palace road.

Seeing Prince Hengguang’s cold face, supported by attendants, Duke Xu softly said, “The matter of Sun Mingyuan is resolved.”

Wen Yuesheng’s decisive actions had caught them all off guard.

But there was a silver lining.

Since Sun Mingyuan had been executed on the spot, all the issues were resolved with him alone.

Although no one knew why, after Sun Mingyuan’s execution yesterday, there had been no news from the Dali Temple.

However, no news was good news for PrinceHengguang.

If Sun Mingyuan were still alive, there might have been even more trouble.

Prince Hengguang understood what was meant, but his face remained grim.

Although Wen Yuesheng was slowly rising in power, he had never taken her seriously.

Yet this princess, once abandoned and disregarded, had now caused him to lose so many people.

Prince Heng Guang was well aware of what Sun Mingyuan had done, and many of those things had been done at his own behest.

After all, how could Sun Mingyuan have built such a vast network on his own?

Moreover, the money Sun Mingyuan had provided was essential.

The political situation in the court was complex, with the competition for succession, and money played a significant role.

With Sun Mingyuan leading the camp, it had always been under Prince Hengguang’s influence.

Now, Wen Yuesheng killed him without hesitation.

Was she showing any respect for him?

Sun Mingyuan was dead, but for Prince Heng Guang, this wasn’t a cause for celebration; it meant that Sinning had overstepped and was now trampling on his authority.

Now, the second and fourth sons had quieted down, and this Sinning Princess was attempting to step on his head.

It was laughable.

Duke Xu noticed Prince Heng Guang’s dark expression but understood his thoughts.

As his maternal uncle, Duke Xu had watched Prince Heng Guang grow up and understood his temper very well.

But it was not the time for that now, especially with the storm raging.

The whole capital was talking about Sun Mingyuan’s evil deeds, and the best course of action now was to avoid the storm.

Even if King Hengguang had many objections to Wen Yuesheng, it was not the time to act on them.

Duke Xu said in a deep voice, “She’s just a princess. There’s no need for the king to be so upset. Wait until the storm blows over, and then we can discuss other matters.”

Prince Heng Guang understood this reasoning.

He was frustrated and his face dark, but he still agreed.

However, it should be noted that avoiding the storm did not mean giving up.

His grudge with Wen Yuesheng had already been formed, and it was not something that would end peacefully.

Because of yesterday’s events, the court session that morning was particularly lively.

A person from the Censorate came forward to impeach Wen Yuesheng.

The reason was that her execution of Sun Mingyuan had been too swift and decisive, and she had even executed him without informing the emperor.

“…Sun Mingyuan’s actions were evil and unforgivable, that is true. But Princess Sinning bypassed the emperor and directly killed him, and that is also true. We must remember that when officials commit crimes, there must be a thorough investigation, and once the evidence is conclusive, it is up to the emperor to decide.”

“Now, the princess, without reporting to the emperor, executed him directly. This not only violated the proper procedure but also raises suspicions of silencing him.”

When these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

Someone frowned and said, “Sun Mingyuan’s crimes were all heinous, and considering this was a public trial, executing him on the spot isn’t unreasonable.”

“But now, in the mouth of Lord Ni, it’s become a matter of silencing him?”

At that moment, someone rebutted, “What Lord Ni means isn’t whether Sun Mingyuan should have died. There’s no one in the court who believes he shouldn’t have.”

At least, no one would publicly say so.

“The issue is that the princess executed him before the emperor had made a decision. This was inappropriate.” The official paused and added, “However, it was the Princess Sinning who handled the case. She’s not familiar with court procedures, and this was her first time handling a case, so some mistakes can be forgiven.”

The court became quiet.

Yesterday, Wen Yuesheng had handled the case beautifully. At least the commoners and scholars who witnessed the trial had applauded.

But in the court, it became a matter of her acting without protocol, killing Sun Mingyuan prematurely, a mistake that overstepped her authority.

“Truly absurd,” Lu Ge Lao, standing in the ranks, heard Wang Jin Zhi mocking, “When the situation was chaotic yesterday, no one stepped forward to take charge. Now that the case has been handled well, it becomes the princess’s fault?”

Lu Ge Lao remarked, “…It seems the scholars have a very favorable impression of the princess.”

Wang Jinzhi shot him a glance. Wasn’t he telling the truth?

Duke Xu looked at Prince Heng Guang, whose face was still dark, and knew what he was thinking.

He had intervened just in time, but it seemed that Prince Heng Guang still couldn’t swallow this bitter pill.

Sun Mingyuan was dead, yet Prince Heng Guang couldn’t even allow Wen Yuesheng to receive any praise for resolving the matter in the court.

However, it was not the time to act against Princess Sinning.

Duke Xu raised his eyes and made a quick gesture to an official nearby.

As the official moved to step forward, Gao Quan hurried in with a report.

It was rare for someone to interrupt a meeting in the Taihe Hall, and Gao Quan, being close to the emperor, knew the rules.

For him to come now, it meant something important was happening.

The emperor waved his hand, signaling for the morning assembly to pause, and looked at Gao Quan. “What is it?”

Gao Quan paused for a moment, scanning the officials in the hall, and spoke softly, “Your Majesty, Princess Sinning is outside the hall and says she has something to report.”

The hall suddenly became quiet.

No one had expected this.

Prince Heng Guang paused and then sneered. “So, Sinning is here to apologize for her unilateral decision yesterday?”

As soon as his words fell, the doors of the Taihe Hall were opened.

It had rained this morning, and the weather had turned cold and gloomy.