Master of Strange Dao

Emperor Li directly began to kill, without saying much, "Severely wounded and newly healed," Duke Lin was the first to break the silence in the great hall, his voice weak.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

For a moment, everyone turned to look at Duke Lin, thinking he had stepped forward to play the part of the good cop in coordination with Emperor Li.

Unexpectedly, after Duke Lin picked up a memorial from the ground and glanced at it, his expression froze as if he had just woken up, and he sighed helplessly.

"His Majesty had already decreed yesterday that anyone spreading rumors would be killed without exception."

As an Imperial Censor, it's one thing to report rumors, but unfortunately, this memorial speaks with certainty, extremely detailed, as if there were some ironclad proof.

As an official of the court, to openly fabricate rumors is truly, deserving of death."

Duke Lin shook his head and retreated, having set the tone firmly.

A chill went through everyone's hearts, and no one dared to speak further; even those behind the three Imperial Censors also fell silent together.

Duke Lin glanced at the crowd, pausing particularly on the three senior officials, as if he saw three foolish simpletons.

As everyone knows, Emperor Li indeed had never been keen on having a woman as Crown Prince, but it was due to the Crown Prince's exceptional excellence, overshadowing all other princes to the extent that they dared not even think of contesting.

Between this father and daughter, there indeed was no gap, but neither was there closeness with no boundary.

But those fools misunderstood one thing: they are no ordinary father and daughter.

One is Emperor Li, the other is the Crown Prince of Dali.

Even disregarding their familial ties, Emperor Li would never allow such a thing to happen.

Emperor Li's character is not very overbearing; he is relatively lenient as emperors go.

Emperor Li is now teaching them a lesson, not targeting anyone in particular; it honestly is already a display of leniency.

If there were rumors outside, that's one thing, but that there are people in the court who grab onto rumors to make a point is another; they truly think the Crown Prince, like Emperor Li, would consider much?

The Crown Prince is inherently strong-willed, waiting for the day she ascends the throne.

Those who reach out today are merely planting the seeds of their own destruction in the future.

Emperor Li does not wish to link too many together, nor does he want to resort to slaughter, to exterminate any major families.

But for the Crown Prince, that might not be the case.

Her Highness the Crown Prince, usually restrained, ensures that her actions are utterly ruthless when she does act.

When the court meeting ended, Duke Lin steered clear of the three senior officials, as if fearing their blood might splatter on him when they die.

Over time, the powerful will inevitably emerge.

If a family produces even one high-ranking official or a top cultivator, and their descendants are ambitious, they will slowly form the embryo of a major aristocratic family.

Once a family becomes prominent, more of their members will enter the court as officials, and more cultivators will appear in the family, increasing the chances of producing more powerful individuals.

Today, any well-known, long-standing major family or sect, each one has painstakingly progressed under this positive feedback loop, slowly climbing to the top.

And those who did not make it are, in fact, the majority; they blend indistinguishably with others, disappearing in the annals of time.

Those who stand in the great hall, participating in the court meeting, cannot possibly avoid those great families and major powers.

Even among the major sects, it's still occasional for someone to join the court as an official.

People must be employed, but it is essential to give them periodic stern reminders.

The court meeting concluded, and Duke Lin's performance was too blatantly obvious; many spotted it at a glance.

The three men walking together had stern faces, and everyone kept their distance from them.

After leaving the palace city, Duke Lin's Jade Chariot exited the main road, and then saw one among those three men standing by the road on a side path, performing a junior's courtesy.

The Jade Chariot stopped, the door opened, letting him in.

Once inside, Duke Lin looked with interest at the person before him.

"Minister Kuang, what is this about?"

The visitor performed the courtesy of a junior, very politely.

"Your grace, Lord Duke, there is no Minister of Industry today, only the junior, Kuang Tianming.

I have come especially to ask for your guidance."

Duke Lin, observing Kuang Tianming's demeanor, sighed and first asked a question.

"Did your Kuang Family take part in the rumors matter?"

"Kuang Tianming can swear an oath upon my path, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with my Kuang Family."

"Then I advise you, you must understand moderation in all things, and not pursue pointless probes just because you see immediate or future benefits," Duke Lin said, stopping there, unable to delve deeper.

"Thank you for the guidance, my lord. Actually, I do not agree with it, but unfortunately, the Kuang Family is not under my control," Kuang Tianming sighed lightly.

Duke Lin took it as if he had not heard this, though he had long known it.

He thought for a moment, then said,

"After today, the Northern Border will begin searching for those spreading rumors, arresting those who write them."

"I understand, my lord, thank you," Kuang Tianming said.

Before leaving, Kuang Tianming added one more thing,

"The Ministry of Personnel's 60-year major inspection, the Ministry of Industry will fully support Lord Gong, and as for the Kuang Family, what I can guarantee is that we will not be a drag."

Duke Lin clasped his hands in return.

The Minister of Personnel, that's his son Gong Tianlin; with one ministry fully cooperating, the Kuang Family not being a drag was already enough.

He was given a response, so Duke Lin said a bit more.

"Do not try to test the Emperor; he is capable of killing. Nor should you attempt to influence the Crown Prince, do not cross the line; the Emperor's line and the Crown Prince's line are not the same,"

Kuang Tianming bowed solemnly, receiving the guidance he had been waiting for.

After the Crown Prince took charge of the Eastern Palace, in matters of the court, she always handled official business without interference in things she should not meddle in, even not liking to engage in private dealings with these major families.