Chapter 861: Brought to Justice

Xu Xin retreated in silence, closed the door, and then pushed it open once more to step inside.

Seeing Lu Yang still seated upon the imperial throne, he confirmed his eyes had not deceived him.

"Lu Yang, so it was you all along!"

I investigated every prince and princess without finding a single clue, and I did not even spare Head Eunuch Li's residence, yet it turns out you were the culprit, you rascal!

To think I suspected the First Prince before; His Majesty was indeed correct, it was not the First Prince's doing.

Are you so utterly bored that you went out of your way to steal the throne?

Xu Xin's thunderous shout instantly dragged the Immortal Fairy, who had been chatting away in the spiritual space, back into reality.

The Immortal Fairy reached out for Ao Ling and the other two, only to find they had long since flattened themselves into illusions, disguising themselves as paintings upon the wall, leaving only her and Xia Tian at the scene.

"What happened? What happened?"

The Ministry of Justice officials who had accompanied Xu Xin to reward Lu Yang heard their supreme commander's outcry, and all craned their necks in curiosity to peer inside.

"Good grief, Old Thief Buyu's disciple certainly has talent, stealing even the throne; even Old Thief Buyu lacked such audacity."

"The pupil outshines the master, the ancients truly did not deceive me."

"Lord Xu must have anticipated that it was Lu Yang's doing all along, using the guise of a reward ceremony to come here and apprehend him!"

"Do not forget, Lord Xu was once the finest detective in the Imperial City."

"The old blade has not lost its edge."

For a time, exclamations of awe rose and fell in waves, some marveling that the culprit was Lu Yang, while others marveled at Xu Xin's divine calculations.

"Lu Yang, what else do you have to say for yourself?"

The Immortal Fairy was a loyal comrade; she did not betray the three Great Generals, preserving the vital forces of the Soybean Dynasty. Rising from the throne, she declared with righteous dignity: "One should bear the consequences of one's own actions. This affair was carried out by the two of us, Prime Minister Xia and myself."

Emperor Xia: "..."

Could you not at least have said I was a passing servant?

"Prime Minister?"

Xu Xin turned his head, fixing his gaze upon Xia Tian.

Come to think of it, this fellow named Xia Tian seemed to be present as a witness when Lu Yang reported the Fourth Prince, and he was also at his side when Lu Yang persuaded Shi Lei and the others to surrender. Now he even had a share in stealing the throne. What exactly was his relationship with Lu Yang?

"That is right, Xia Tian is the Prime Minister of our Soybean Dynasty!"

"The Soybean Dynasty?" Xu Xin looked back at the Immortal Fairy.

The Immortal Fairy patted her chest proudly: "The dynasty I founded."

Xu Xin's heart filled with growing unease. He had originally intended to ask just a few casual questions, so how was it that the matter grew grander with every inquiry?

"...Arrest them both."

The Soybean Dynasty had only just begun its entrepreneurial journey when it faced the encirclement of the Ministry of Justice, with the Minister himself taking the field to arrest the First Sovereign of the Bean and the Inaugural Prime Minister.

In the shadows, the Tribulation Transcendence cultivator fell into deep thought. His duty was to protect Emperor Xia. If Emperor Xia was arrested by the Ministry of Justice, did that count as Emperor Xia encountering danger?

After the Ministry of Justice escorted the First Sovereign of the Bean and the Inaugural Prime Minister away, the three Great Generals reverted to their original forms.

"What should we do?" Jin Caiwei, experiencing such a crisis for the first time, was entirely at a loss.

"That is easily settled. Let Senior Brother Lu Yang join my Eastern Sea; we possess diplomatic immunity." As early as when the Immortal Fairy proposed stealing the throne, Ao Ling had anticipated the possibility of Sister Immortal being captured. This was the perfect opportunity to have Lu Yang change his allegiance and come to their Eastern Sea.

Jiang Lianyi cast a sidelong glance at Ao Ling: "Your Eastern Sea does not even have a nation, so where would diplomatic immunity come from? Senior Brother Lu Yang ought to join our Demon Kingdom instead!"

Jiang Lianyi shared the same thought as Ao Ling, both desiring to pull Lu Yang into their respective camps to curry favor with the Immortal Fairy.

"Senior Brother Lu Yang belongs to me!"

"He belongs to me!"

"Mine!"

Ao Ling and Jiang Lianyi bickered over Lu Yang's allegiance, and whichever side spoke, Jin Caiwei would look their way, soon leaving her completely dizzy.

The Imperial Palace.

After apprehending the major fugitives, Xu Xin hurried to the imperial palace to report the situation.

"For what matter has Beloved Minister Xu returned?" Jiang Qun had not expected Lord Xu to return so quickly after a mere half-day's absence.

Xu Xin hesitated, uncertain how to broach the subject. He had contemplated the entire journey here and still could not fathom how to begin.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the individual who stole the throne has been found."

Jiang Qun's eyes lit up. Lord Xu truly deserved his reputation as a divine detective to unravel the truth so swiftly.

"However, this matter also involves an act of rebellion."

"Rebellion? Which of my sons is it?"

Jiang Qun mused that the Fourth and Fifth had both been sent inside by Lu Yang. If Lu Yang intended to help someone succeed the throne through such means, then only the Second remained.

"Is it the Second Prince?"

"It is Lu Yang."

Jiang Qun lapsed into a rare moment of bewilderment, but then, deducing the context of the situation, he understood. Ah, so it was another report by Lu Yang this time.

Yet Xu Xin's next words swiftly shattered his conjecture: "According to your servant's investigation, the person who stole the throne is Lu Yang himself. His purpose in stealing the throne was to establish the Soybean Dynasty, which is to say he harbors rebellious intent. Caught along with Lu Yang was an accomplice."

"Lu Yang? Rebellion?"

Jiang Qun expended a great deal of effort just to link these two entirely unrelated concepts together.

Lu Yang rebelling? What, was the Daoist Sect finally making its move to claim the world?

"Your Majesty, how should this be handled?" Xu Xin inquired. Having served in the Ministry of Justice for two thousand years, he was facing such an absurdity for the very first time and was entirely helpless, forced to seek aid from his superior.

He discovered that tossing difficult problems to one's superior was an exceptionally useful method, one he ought to employ more frequently in the future.

Jiang Qun was also placed in a difficult position, uncertain of the proper boundaries to maintain.

Very well, since Royal Father temporarily entrusted the throne to my governance, I cannot simply gloss this over.

Jiang Qun struck the table, his imperial majesty flaring outward: "The Son of Heaven breaks the law, and he is punished like a commoner; even those of the Daoist Sect are no exception. I shall personally interrogate Lu Yang!"

"Go and bring Lu Yang to the Hall of Great Brightness!"

"Understood!" Xu Xin secretly cried out in dismay. It appeared His Majesty was truly in earnest this time, and Lu Yang's prospects were grim.

"Wait a moment." Jiang Qun called Xu Xin back. Xu Xin wondered if His Majesty had changed his mind and intended to let Lu Yang off the hook.

"Move the throne to the Hall of Great Brightness as well."

"As material evidence?"

"As a chair."

Soon after, Lu Yang and his accomplice, Xia Tian, were escorted before the Hall of Great Brightness to be personally interrogated by Jiang Qun.

Considering Lu Yang's exceptional identity, the matter was not publicized with great fanfare. Aside from the Ministry of Justice, no one knew the throne had been recovered, nor did anyone know it was Lu Yang's doing.

Clad in imperial robes and wearing the ceremonial crown, Jiang Qun walked with measured, steady strides. His gaze was bright and sharp, concealing the might of dragons and tigers. As he sat upon the throne, looking down upon the world, his aura was entirely distinct from that of the Immortal Fairy in her imperial robes.

The imperial guards lined the Hall of Great Brightness in two rows, holding ceremonial artifacts aloft, displaying the full, awe-inspiring majesty of the Emperor.

"Minister Xu, has the person been brought?"

"They are already before the palace."

"Bring them up."

Following Jiang Qun's command, Eunuch Li called out, "By imperial decree, bring forth the culprits!"

The entirety of the Daming Palace echoed with Eunuch Li's voice.

Soon, four imperial guards brought forward two individuals, the morning sun casting upon them and stretching their shadows long.

Facing the light, Jiang Qun could not make out their features clearly, yet he knew Lu Yang so well that even with the sun at the man's back, he could recognize him by his silhouette alone.

But the problem lay in why the other shadow also looked so strangely familiar.

Finally, Lu Yang and his companion stepped out of the glare, and Jiang Qun saw both their faces clearly.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Lu Yang and his accomplice, Xia Tian, are both present," Xu Xin announced.

Jiang Qun said nothing.

Father, you traveled in disguise only to end up right in front of me?

(End of Chapter)

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