flstandardbreds Chapter 157 Penalty
Chapter 157 Penalty
The other trusted confidants also used their abilities and did their utmost to protect him to the death.
Swords clashed, sparks flew, and blood stained the forest, yet everyone fought desperately, determined to fight for a chance of survival for Han Chengjia.
Lu Ding's roar ripped through the battlefield, and every move he made seemed exceptionally heavy.
Liu Shan and Lü Ding stood shoulder to shoulder. Despite their exhaustion, they believed that if they could hold on for just a little longer, Han Chengjia would have a greater chance of escaping back to the capital.
However, the number of enemies was simply too great; they surged in like a never-ending tide.
The situation has reached its most critical moment.
A resolute glint flashed in Liu Shan's eyes. He took a deep breath and roared, "Brothers, even if our blood is spilled here today, we will fight with all our might!"
The crowd responded in unison, their morale soaring, and they continued to fight valiantly, each move and stance imbued with a determination to die.
Liu Shan exerted all his strength, wielding his long sword like the wind, each strike accompanied by the enemy's shrill screams.
Lü Ding followed closely behind, his strength equal to a thousand pounds, each move appearing even heavier and more powerful.
Despite their best efforts, the pursuers seemed endless, constantly surging forward, and the battle gradually tilted in their favor.
After a fierce battle, Liu Shan finally collapsed from exhaustion, his shoulder bleeding profusely from a sword wound.
But he gritted his teeth, brandished his sword, and fought again, still refusing to back down.
Seeing this, Lü Ding roared and used all his strength to block the fatal blow for Liu Shan.
The battle grew increasingly fierce, with trusted men falling one after another, their blood staining the mountain forest red. Their screams echoed through the forest, but they never retreated an inch until their deaths.
As the battle continued, only Liu Shan and Lü Ding remained, struggling relentlessly.
The two stood back to back, their gazes unwavering, their unspoken understanding transcending words.
As the number of men in black increased and the encirclement tightened, the two exchanged a glance and, without saying a word, tacitly decided to break out separately.
Liu Shan suddenly rushed to the left, and wherever his blade struck, the enemies retreated; Lü Ding swung his bronze cauldron and struck the right side, knocking back a group of enemies.
They each charged in different directions and soon broke through the enemy's encirclement.
……
Meanwhile, Liu Shan stirred up trouble in every corner of Dali Temple.
Every investigation and every step he took was like a heavy hammer blow to Fang Mingli's heart.
Fang Mingli noticed Liu Shan's frequent movements and immediately sensed impending doom.
In a panic and fear, Fang Mingli, in order to protect himself, made a desperate gamble and chose to take a risky path.
He secretly gathered his confidants and plotted for a long time in a secluded room, carefully fabricating a series of seemingly conclusive evidence, all of which pointed to Liu Shan's misconduct of accepting bribes and abusing his power in handling cases.
Fang Mingli firmly believed that as long as he presented this evidence to the Empress, he could completely bring down Liu Shan and clear himself of suspicion.
Subsequently, Fang Mingli, carrying these false pieces of evidence that could put Liu Shan to death, entered the palace with ulterior motives, attempting to deceive the Empress and thus reverse his own predicament.
He walked hurriedly through the palace corridors and arrived at the Imperial Study.
Fang Mingli took a deep breath to calm himself down, knelt down and presented the false evidence, earnestly stating Liu Shan's "crimes".
However, Fang Mingli seriously underestimated the extent of the Empress's trust in Liu Shan.
The moment Chu Lan received the evidence, she saw through Fang Mingli's sinister intentions.
With a calm expression, she handed the evidence over to Prime Minister Wen Hangqing for review.
Upon receiving the evidence, Wen Hangqing immediately understood the Empress's intentions.
He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have worked with Liu Shaoqing for many days and know him well. He is honest, upright and incorruptible, and would never do such a corrupt thing. There must be some hidden reason behind it."
Chu Lan nodded slightly, "Minister Wen, this matter concerns the reputation of the Dali Temple and the fairness of the court. It is imperative to investigate it thoroughly and clear Minister Liu's name."
Upon hearing this, Fang Mingli's face turned pale instantly, and he almost couldn't stand up.
He forced himself to remain calm, but his heart was in turmoil, knowing full well that his conspiracy had been exposed and all was lost.
Chu Lan's cold gaze swept over him, and Fang Mingli's legs went weak, causing him to collapse to the ground, drenched in cold sweat, filled with regret.
Upon receiving the order, Wen Hangqing immediately summoned the best personnel from the three judicial departments to conduct a thorough investigation.
He analyzed every detail word by word, leaving no stone unturned.
He meticulously examined everything, from the smallest alterations on the case files to the subtle differences in the witnesses' testimonies.
The investigation was launched quickly, and the evidence was verified one by one. Wen Hangqing discovered that there were many loopholes in the evidence that Fang Mingli had fabricated, the timeline did not match the facts, and the testimony was contradictory.
He dared not slacken in the slightest and immediately compiled the detailed investigation results and presented them to the Empress.
The next morning at court, after reviewing the documents, Chu Lan's cold face showed a hint of approval: "I have always firmly believed in Liu Shaoqing's loyalty and innocence, and now the facts are clear. Fang Mingli, such a treacherous official, must not be let off lightly!"
At this moment, Fang Mingzhe stepped forward and calmly said, "Your Majesty, although I am of the same clan as Fang Mingli, I will never tolerate evil. The evidence of Fang Mingli's crimes is conclusive. I implore Your Majesty to punish him severely to serve as a warning to others and to uphold the laws and regulations of the court."
"Oh?" Chu Lan scrutinized Fang Mingzhe and said in a deep voice, "Minister Fang is very righteous, which pleases me greatly. In your opinion, how should Fang Mingzhe be dealt with?"
Without hesitation, Fang Mingzhe solemnly said, "Fang Ming should be dismissed from his post, investigated, have his property confiscated, be exiled to the frontier, and never be allowed to return to the capital. Only in this way can we serve as a warning to the court officials and demonstrate His Majesty's wisdom and the majesty of the court."
However, Chu Lan shook his head and said, "Fang Mingli is indeed guilty of serious crimes, but not to this extent. I have decided to impose a three-year salary penalty to observe his future conduct."
Fang Mingzhe frowned slightly. Although he had doubts, he still bowed his head and obeyed the decree: "Your Majesty's decision is wise, and I will obey your will."
In the imperial court, the ministers looked at each other, puzzled but none dared to speak.
Chu Lan glanced at the assembled officials and said in a deep voice, "My actions are not intended to show leniency, but rather to warn you against repeating the same mistakes."
After saying this, he turned and left, leaving the court officials deep in thought for a long time.
……
Outside Gray Mist Mountain, after Liu Shan and Lü Ding broke through separately, they each found themselves in extremely difficult predicaments.
Although Lü Ding possessed immense strength and wielded the bronze cauldron with impenetrable skill, the enemy's attacks were relentless and relentless.
His power was slowly fading, and he began to feel powerless. Each roar was accompanied by the violent collision of the bronze cauldron, as he tried to carve a bloody path.
Liu Shan was not having an easy time either. He had been wounded in many places while fighting hard, and blood kept seeping out, staining his clothes red. But he relied on his profound internal strength to repel the enemies who got close to him time and time again.
Just as Liu Shan felt he was about to exhaust himself, he suddenly discovered a steep hillside ahead, with dense bushes at the bottom.
Liu Shan steeled his resolve and leaped down the hillside with all his might.