I woke up as the Villainous Empress

The royal court buzzed with tension as Zheng Liang stood before the ministers. His sharp gaze swept across the room, finally resting on Minister Yang Luoyang, whose face showed indifference but his eyes held a mysterious glint.

"Esteemed ministers," Zheng Liang began, his voice cutting through the murmurs, "You must be curious about why we've called this assembly today."

Zheng Liang's eyes narrowed as he continued, "This gathering serves to remind everyone of the vows and duties of officials serving the empire and its people."

He paused, letting the silence build. "Also, we're here to address a grave matter that threatens the very foundation of our empire."

The tension in the room grew. Ministers exchanged worried glances, while others leaned forward, eager to hear more. Yang Luoyang's face remained calm through it all, that enigmatic glint still in his eyes.

Zheng Liang nodded to Zheng Xiang, who rose from his seat and stepped forward, clutching a stack of documents. "Prince Zheng Xiang, our newly appointed Financial Inspector, has uncovered disturbing discrepancies in our treasury records," Zheng Liang announced. His words shattered the silence, causing a wave of whispers to ripple through the hall.

Yang Luoyang's eyes narrowed imperceptibly, but he maintained his composure as if the matter had no connection to him.

Zheng Xiang spoke, his voice steady. "Upon thorough investigation, we've found systematic manipulation of financial records. The official, stamped documents show one set of figures, while the original, unstamped records reveal significantly higher amounts."

Gasps and whispers rippled through the court. Zheng Liang's voice rose above the commotion.

"Minister Yang, as Head of the Finance Department, how do you explain these discrepancies?" Zheng Liang asked, his voice laced with sarcasm and thinly veiled accusation. "According to these documents, this isn't a one-time occurrence but a pattern spanning years. How is it possible that something of this magnitude escaped your notice for so long?"

Yang Luoyang stepped forward, his demeanor calm and respectful. "Your Highness, I appreciate the diligence of our new Financial Inspector. However, I fear there's been a misunderstanding. Those unstamped documents are merely preliminary drafts, often containing errors or estimates. They're routinely discarded once the official records are prepared."

"Your Highness," Yang Luoyang replied, his demeanor calm, "if Prince Xiang is using these documents to prove tampering occurred under my supervision, I'm afraid he needs stronger evidence. As you mentioned, these documents are unstamped, which means they haven't been approved by officers and were likely discarded. They're simply a stack of incorrect numbers, not worth your concern."

His words were smooth and reasonable. Some ministers nodded, seemingly convinced.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"A convenient explanation, Minister Yang," Zheng Liang countered, his voice sharp. "Yet these 'drafts' consistently show higher figures across years of records. Are we to believe that such 'errors' were merely a series of incorrect numbers? It seems to me that rather than simple misfilings, these discrepancies consistently benefited certain individuals. How do you explain that?"

Yang Luoyang's smile never wavered. "Your Highness, in the complex world of imperial finance, discrepancies can arise from many sources. Perhaps a more thorough investigation—"

Before Zheng Liang could finish, Minister Lao, an elderly official known for his cautious nature, rose to his feet. "Your Highness, if I may," he began, his voice quavering slightly. "Minister Yang has served our empire faithfully for decades. Surely, we must consider his long years of service before making hasty judgments?"

He paused, gathering his thoughts. "The evidence presented seems insufficient to warrant such a public interrogation. It's quite disrespectful to question Minister Yang's integrity in front of everyone based on unstamped documents."

Minister Lao then turned his attention to Zheng Xiang. "Moreover, Prince Xiang has only recently assumed his new office. It hasn't even been a full month. I'm certain he might not fully understand all the intricacies of the finance department yet. Perhaps this is simply a misunderstanding on his part?"

Minister Lao's words hung in the air, his support for Yang Luoyang evident. He had skillfully shifted blame onto Zheng Xiang, suggesting the young prince had made an error in judgment. His complaint to Zheng Liang was clear: this public interrogation was premature and disrespectful.

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the court. Zheng Liang's eyes narrowed, but he nodded for Minister Lao to continue.

"Perhaps," Minister Lao suggested, his voice gaining confidence, "if there are doubts about the authenticity of these documents, we could form a committee to review these allegations thoroughly. This would ensure fairness and transparency in the process."

Before Zheng Liang could respond, another minister, a younger man named Wei, jumped to his feet. "Your Highness, I must object! If there is even a hint of corruption, we must act swiftly. Our empire's integrity is at stake!" Stay updated with empire

"Enough," he said, his voice firm. "I haven't called this assembly for you all to fight among yourselves for political gain. We are here to discuss this matter and reveal the truth before everyone. The evidence before us is—"

"Evidence?" interrupted Minister Zhao, his face flushed with indignation. As a staunch supporter of Yang Luoyang, he could no longer remain silent. If Zheng Liang and his faction took control of this situation, their team's power would diminish. They couldn't accept that. At all costs, they had to dismiss this case and assert their influence in the royal court.

"Your Highness, with all due respect," Minister Zhao continued, his voice rising, "these are merely unstamped documents. In my years of service, I've seen countless draft reports discarded. How can we be certain these weren't simply early estimates?"

Yang Luoyang nodded appreciatively at Minister Zhao, a subtle gesture that didn't escape Zheng Liang's notice.

Zheng Xiang stepped forward, his voice steady. "Ministers, while your points are valid, there's more to consider. These unstamped documents are not our sole evidence."

He produced a sealed scroll. "Here is a written record of transactions between Minister Yang and several merchants known for their involvement in smuggling operations. Furthermore, we have documents showing that financial aid sent to areas suffering from famine and floods has been tampered with."

Zheng Xiang's voice grew stronger. "Not only that but a portion of tax revenues has also been diverted to Minister Yang's income. Minister Yang, did you think we wouldn't discover the huge piece of land you've purchased in the southern part of the Empire? Or the villa you've built there as a hideout?"

A collective gasp echoed through the hall. Yang Luoyang's composure faltered for a moment, a flicker of worry crossing his face.

Zheng Xiang continued, "Furthermore, I have testimony from three separate treasury clerks, all confirming that they were ordered to falsify official records under threat from Minister Yang."

The court erupted in shocked whispers. Ministers Zhao and Lao, who had been so vocal in Yang Luoyang's defense, sank back into their seats, their faces paling at the sudden revelation.

Zheng Liang scoffed mockingly, his cold gaze sweeping across the room. His voice cut through the chaos, "Minister Yang, what do you have to say to these allegations? Do you still maintain your innocence and consider all these evidences as mere misunderstandings?"

Yang Luoyang opened his mouth to speak, but for once, words failed him. He had been aware that Zheng Xiang was collecting evidence against him and planning something with Zheng Liang. However, he hadn't expected Zheng Xiang to be so thorough in his investigation or to uncover the personal wealth he had been hiding.

In fear of discovery by officials, Yang Luoyang had purchased a vast piece of land in the sparsely populated southern part of the empire. He had been using this isolated area as a hoarding place for his ill-gotten wealth for years. Who would have thought that Zheng Xiang would uncover this carefully hidden sanctuary?