Chapter 55 It is All Li Wenxuan's Fault!

This Zhao Lie, for all we know, might have used connections to get in.
Inside the room, Li Wenxuan said to his young bride.
The young bride was quite surprised. How did my lord figure that out?
His demeanor and actions with the Superintendent... Li Wenxuan was halfway through his sentence when he couldn't help but say with concern, My lady, you might not be able to see it, but I am your eyes...
Then why is it that whenever my eyes go out on the street, they always steal glances at beauties? The princess was also quite fond of teasing, instantly rendering him speechless.
Hahaha—
Princess Sirou laughed somewhat wildly.
Li Wenxuan had no choice but to say, That won't do. I must find a doctor to cure your eyes. By then, when we walk on the street, I'll let you see everything clearly. Even if I look at a beauty, I'll only be looking at you, this great beauty.
Princess Sirou felt a sweetness in her heart, but she knew very well that her eyes could certainly never be cured.
If they could be cured, what would that make all the physicians in the Imperial Hospital?
From her birth until now, countless masters had tried, but in the end, they all returned empty-handed in vain.
There were even a few times when, due to the Emperor's rage, many innocent physicians' entire families were beheaded.
The matter of seeking out a doctor can be discussed another day. I've long since gotten used to it over all these years.
The princess spoke casually, but he took every word completely to heart.
For the two of us to just sit here like this is bound to be too dull. Let me tell you a story.
You even know how to tell stories? Princess Sirou was truly a story enthusiast. From her conversation, it wasn't difficult to tell that she was actually quite a rebellious princess.
The main reason for this was her blindness, which prevented her from experiencing many things like a normal young maiden.
Let alone living like a normal princess!
Therefore, to relieve her boredom, a certain father figure who used to frequent the pleasure quarters had quietly arranged for her to leave the palace and listen to many tales told by professional storytellers.
And just like that, Her Highness the Princess's path in life unconsciously grew quite unconventional.
I originally didn't know how, but the moment I saw my lady, I suddenly knew.
Princess Sirou's pretty face instantly flushed crimson from this flirtatious remark, and she spat out a sweet reproach, Talking nonsense! If you don't know how, I'll have the servants outside go find a storyteller so the two of us can pass the time together. But... staying close to you and listening to your voice, I don't feel bored at all.
Those people's stories aren't as good as mine. Well then, once upon a time, there was a scholar named Liang Shanbo, who went to an academy to study and met a peer disguised as a man, a young woman named Zhu Yingtai, with whom he became classmates...
Days spent talking of romance and love were simply too wonderful to be true.
LiWenxuan even had such thoughts: he would dabble in inventions and business, make a massive fortune, and then stay home every day playing with his little wife. That would be what you call having money and boundless joy.
The hormones of youth grew wildly and fiercely in the hearts of the young man and woman.
To tell two sides of the story, while Li Wenxuan was enjoying boundless joy here, Minister Cui was certainly not going to have a peaceful time!
Late that very night, an imperial decree was first issued from the inner palace, stripping Lady Lian of her noble consort title and demoting her to a concubine.
Before anyone could even recover their wits, a second imperial decree was issued.
Cui Yuanhai, Minister of War, was transferred to serve as the Left Vice Minister of the Rites, with the former Senior Deputy Minister of War temporarily taking charge of the Ministry of War.
Longxiang General Cui Shanling was demoted to Deputy City Gate Commandant.
Dismissing Cui Shanyue, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, from all official posts big and small, reducing him to a commoner to reflect upon his past faults in seclusion.
Upon hearing the news late into the night, the Cui faction officials in the court found it impossible to sleep. The lantern and torchlight from carriages moving everywhere lit up the streets as bright as day.
However, this was not even the most explosive part.
The most explosive piece of news was the one delivered at the very end.
General Zhenxi Li Hu was ordered to temporarily concurrently hold the post of Longxiang General.
Holding a second-rank title while serving in a third-rank Longxiang General post amounted to a disguised demotion.
Yet compared to Cui Yuanhai, who was directly transferred to the Ministry of Rites as a vice minister and given a complete sinecure, this was already an act of heavenly grace and mercy.
After all, Li Hu was still a second-rank General of Suppressing the West; he was merely taking on a job with a slightly lower official rank, while his actual official grade remained unchanged.
Compared to his two maternal uncles—one of whom was completely stripped of all official posts down to the root, while the other suffered an even more tragic fate, plummeting directly from a third-rank official to a fourth-rank deputy city gate commandant (and if calculated carefully, a deputy city gate commandant was merely a sixth-rank official)...
The Cui clan had collapsed with a resounding crash!
The officials of the Cui faction were completely dazed and disoriented by this thunderbolt-like move from the Emperor.
Much like LiWenxuan deducing the solution by working backward from the result.
Everyone had exerted all their strength, preparing to protect LiHu, but who would have thought... His Majesty did not play by the conventional rules and unleashed his ultimate move right from the start!
What was even more frustrating was that General of Suppressing the West Li Hu, whom everyone had prepared to defend to the death, was completely fine...
It's over! My Cui clan is finished!
After listening to the imperial decree, Cui Yuanhai's face turned ashen like dead ashes. He slumped to the ground, his face bruised and purplish, his lips blackened, trembling uncontrollably.
Superintendent Li narrowed his eyes and smiled. Vice Minister Cui, won't you step forward to receive the imperial decree?
Cui Yuanhai moved with trembling difficulty, but was unable to stand up. His legs had gone soft, his whole body trembled with weakness, making a thoroughly disgraceful spectacle of himself.
Cui Shanyue indignantly said, Superintendent Li, my father has served the country and the people, remaining loyal to His Majesty. This must be the work of villains pulling strings to hoodwink the Emperor...
What? Does the Grand Commandant of the Eastern Depot need His Majesty to proclaim to the world how he died? Superintendent Li rebuked with a cold face:
The memorials impeaching your entire Cui family and calling for the execution of everyone in your household have long since piled up on His Majesty's imperial desk. If it weren't for the consideration of your service in waiting upon His Majesty over the years, your entire clan would have been executed long ago!
As the Superintendent of the Eastern Depot, with his subordinates having died because of the Cui clan, it wasn't too excessive for him to utter such extreme words.
Cui Shanyue glared angrily and asked, What evidence does the Superintendent have to say that the unfilial brat who showed no respect for his elders was sent by our Cui family to be assassinated?
Heh, if His Majesty had no evidence, how could he casually remove a first-rank Minister of War?
Superintendent Li sneered, If not for His Majesty taking into consideration the contributions you father and sons have made to the court...
His gloomy gaze swept across the three men of the Cui family: ...Lou Wanxi would have been released to investigate this case long ago. Do you really think your entire family could still be spared?
In other words, back when Lou Wanxi first made his debut, he wiped out three imperial princes. No matter how powerful your Cui clan might be, could you possibly be stronger than those three princes?
Superintendent Li! Cui Yuanhai let out a sudden, mournful cry.
Does Vice Minister Cui have anything to say? Superintendent Li sneered darkly.
Your subject and the others receive the decree, and kowtow in gratitude for our Emperor's boundless grace! From this day forward, Cui Yuanhai will surely discipline his two sons properly, and will never dare to cause trouble for His Majesty again, hoping that in the future there may still be a chance to share His Majesty's burdens!
Good! Vice Minister Cui knows when to yield and when to stand firm; he is still a hero! Superintendent Li gave a sarcastic thumbs-up.
Demotion to Left Vice Minister of the Rites was only the beginning.
Did you really think it was over?
Cui Shanyue wanted to say something more, but Cui Shanling couldn't help glaring back at him angrily: You scoundrel! Do you want our whole family to burn together? Why haven't you thanked His Majesty for his heavenly grace yet?!
Cui Shanyue was startled and snapped back to reality—there was a traitor in their own camp!
A criminal subject...
Stop right there! Superintendent Li mocked, Cui Shanyue, you have already been stripped of all official posts. What criminal subject? You must call yourself a commoner!
What an extreme humiliation!
Cui Shanyue had no choice but to swallow his anger!
Otherwise, if Superintendent Li slapped him with a heavy charge of showing disrespect to heavenly majesty, it truly would cost him his life!
It was all because of that little bastard!
He only hated that the death-defying loyalists hadn't brought back that little bastard's corpse; otherwise, he would have chopped him into pieces to feed the dogs!
Li Wenxuan!
Even if you've become a ghost!
This lord will still not let you go!
I will go find Taoist priests and eminent Buddhist monks to ensure you never find peace even as a ghost!
Commoner Cui Shanyue kowtows in gratitude for His Majesty's heavenly grace!
Superintendent Li nodded with satisfaction. Seeing Cui Yuanhai trying to stand up to receive the decree but failing repeatedly because his legs were too weak, he magnanimously stepped forward and handed the imperial decree over to him.
Cui Yuanhai wore a bitter expression and muttered, Thank you, Superintendent Li.
Never mind. This humble servant has two more things he'd like to tell Vice Minister Cui in private!
Please speak, Superintendent Li! A light of hope appeared on Cui Yuanhai's face—could the Cui clan... still be saved?
Superintendent Li pursed his lips into a smile, gesturing with an orchid finger: Please lean closer, Vice Minister Cui.
Cui Yuanhai leaned his ear forward, only to hear Superintendent Li whisper with a chuckle: Among you, there is a traitor. That traitor is Li Hu, and besides...
Superintendent Li enunciated every word with crystal clarity: That Li Wenxuan—the very person who caused your Cui clan to fall to this state—not only didn't die, but is living quite well! How about that? Is it a surprise? Is it unexpected?
Ah—
Hearing this, Cui Yuanhai instantly let out a desperate, agonizing howl like a wounded beast.
Cui Shanling and Cui Shanyue were both struck with horror and hurriedly went to support their collapsing and distraught father.
Superintendent Li laughed heartily up at the sky, though that laughter was strange, piercing, and yet—exhilarating!
Kid Li, did you see this favor?
This is the pent-up anger your Superintendent has vented for you!