Wang's face suddenly turned pale. What Ti Bu Tian implied, how could he not know?
"The son of the Right Prime Minister was originally sentenced to exile, but he died mysteriously in prison. Later, although Flowing Emerald Lake appeared on the surface to be ownerless, it actually belonged to your royal family in secret."
"Your Excellency, Wang," said Tie Butian calmly, "there are dozens of shops and businesses around the Flowing Emerald Lake. To be exact, there are sixty-eight households, but thirty-seven of them bear the surname Wang. The imperial court has not intervened in this matter for two reasons: firstly, the past few years have been plagued by internal and external troubles, leaving no spare energy to deal with it; secondly, three officials from the Imperial Censorate's Surveillance Office also own businesses on Flowing Emerald Lake, which just so happen to divide the remaining thirty-one households evenly among them. Hehe, their annual income is quite substantial, a considerable sum indeed!"
"Three of you, I also have high hopes for you. When will there be a day to turn back? After all, we are Iron Cloud, cultivating a great minister in the imperial court is not easy. Your own ability is only one aspect, and there is also the support of the imperial court, the reputation of the people, and the achievements of past appointments. For the country and for the people, it can be said that you have made contributions! Hehe..."
The tone of Tie Butian's voice already carried a hint of chilliness. The two officials trembled all over, their faces covered in big sweat drops, and they felt as if their heads were also becoming dizzy.
"It's this Liutui Lake that has become the place for you six or seven officials to get rich and divide the spoils! Now, when the imperial court wants to requisition it, you come to me talking about public outrage? Where does this so-called public outrage come from? Is it just the anger of your few families?"
"How dare you manipulate public opinion and try to influence my decisions!" Tie Butian's eyes turned cold, and he shouted: "Wang Zhi! Do you really think I'm young and easy to bully?!"
With a thud, the two of them trembled like sieves, feeling their legs weaken, and finally couldn't stand up anymore, kneeling on the ground.
Tie Butian said calmly: "What's this? The two of you want me to get your approval before I can go to Liu Cui Lake?"
"I dare not!" The two of them kowtowed like they were pounding garlic, and at this moment, their intestines almost broke. Who would have thought that the Flowing Jade Lake was actually the prince's intention, and moreover, the prince was so resolute!
"Hum! Liutui Lake was originally a national industry, one of the scenic spots in Tiuyun City, but you used it to fill your private pockets; this matter is simply ridiculous! You are officials appointed by the imperial court, eating the imperial salary, and yet... it's really heartbreaking for me!" Tie Butian said with a heavy heart: "Forget it, after all, I'm an old minister, I don't want to make things too difficult. Wang Daren, you notify the other families, half of what Liutui Lake has earned over the years will be handed over to the national treasury. Go back!"
"Yes, yes, thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy." The two of them kowtowed repeatedly, sweating profusely, as if they had just turned a corner at the Ghost Gate.
"Doesn't this mean we still need to send over another copy of the account book for comparison?" Just as the two were about to leave with a thousand thanks, Tie Bu Tian seemed to mutter to himself, causing the two to tumble down the stairs once again, rolling away in disarray.
Watching the two of them leave in disarray, Tie Butian's gaze was icy cold. He had been waiting all along, waiting for news from Chu Yang; but also waiting for these few people to tell him the truth.
It wasn't until now, after confirming Chu Yang's abilities, that Tie Butian made his decision. If there was still no result at this point, Tie Butian had even considered keeping those two people for another day...
"The Bǔ Tiān Gé is finally taking shape." Tiě Bǔ Tiān gazed out the window at the hazy moonlight and let out a sigh. Since the establishment of the Bǔ Tiān Gé, it had only been a mere facade, propping up such a framework. As the Crown Prince in name but the actual ruler of the country, when would he have time to manage the Bǔ Tiān Gé?
The arrival of Chu Yang has finally filled this gap.
"Shadow Uncle, you said, what extent will Chu Yang take the Bu Tian Pavilion to?" Tie Butian seemed to be muttering to himself.
The air in front of him suddenly rippled and distorted, as if the space itself had warped slightly. A vague shadow emerged from nowhere, like a ghostly apparition. In a dry, low voice, it said, "You shouldn't ask me about this."
"It's not that I'm asking you, but... I want to see you guys." Tie Butian said lightly: "You guys are my greatest reliance, yet you're so unwilling to appear. Not seeing you for a few days makes me want to talk to you all the time. Only when I've confirmed your existence can I feel at ease sleeping at night... Hehe..."
The shadow's empty eyes seemed to ripple, and it croaked: "Your Highness can rest assured, with the two of us here, no one will be able to kill you in these next three days."
Tie Butian smiled lightly and nodded, muttering: "So tired." He slowly retreated two steps, fell onto the bed, and mumbled: "You two Shadow Uncle, you should rest too."
The air twisted again, and the shadows slowly dispersed, disappearing without a trace.
The iron patch on the bed had already closed his eyes. There was a shadow with him, and he felt at ease. Although he didn't know what rank the Shadow Brothers were, one thing was clear: if it weren't for the Shadow Brothers by his side, Fifth Gentle might have taken his head long ago?
……
Cheng Ziang returned from Tie Butian's place at the latter half of the night. As he walked to his own room and was about to push open the door, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and said in a low voice, "Who is inside my room?"
"It's me." A clear voice said, then the candlelight in the room suddenly brightened.
"It was the throne after all." Seishi let out a sigh of relief and pushed open the door. Inside, Chuyang sat upright in the middle chair, his eyes coldly fixed on him.
"What brings you here tonight, is there something I can learn from you?" Cheng Zixiang felt a sudden thumping in his heart.
Cheng Zi felt that his opponent was weak and small, and with just one move, he could end his life. Yet, he inexplicably felt a sense of apprehension towards this seemingly frail young man. This was truly unimaginable for him.
"It's not worthy of teaching." Chu Yang smiled and said, "But this afternoon, my words were somewhat inappropriate. As for the change in position, I didn't discuss it with Captain Cheng beforehand, so I'm feeling quite uneasy about it."
"Ah, ah, Chu Yu Zuo's methods are indeed impressive. With one move, he caught the internal traitor and cleared the hidden danger for me in Tianyi Pavilion. Moreover, with his swift and decisive actions, he formed a fighting force within the shortest time possible in Tianyi Pavilion. I am truly impressed."
"Hmm, so you're saying that Captain Cheng still acknowledges what I've done?" Chu Yang smiled.
"Of course, of course, extremely recognized." Cheng Ziang nodded repeatedly. He was still guessing in his heart, the true intention of Chu Yang's arrival. His heart was actually a little nervous and guilty.
"Hmm, didn't His Highness the Crown Prince say anything?" Chu Yang asked with a smile.
"Huh, didn't say anything... Ah?" Cheng Zixiang's words trailed off as he suddenly came to his senses, staring at Chu Yang with a look of shock and horror in his eyes, as if he had seen a ghost.
"It's better not to say anything." Chu Yang stood up, nodded slightly and said: "Actually, I hope he would say something. Hehe, Cheng adult is busy and tired, and at such a big age, don't work too hard, hehe. Get some rest early." With that, he pushed open the door and left with a swagger.
Chengzi's face was covered in cold sweat, and his whole body felt icy cool.