flstandardbreds Chapter 154 Big Gift
Chapter 154 Big Gift
Beneath the seemingly calm surface of the Dali Temple, undercurrents were surging, with various forces vying for power, making the situation increasingly tense.
With Li Fu's help, Liu Shan gradually broke through the information blockade carefully constructed by Fang Mingli.
Each time Liu Shan met with Li Fu, he was able to obtain some scattered clues from him that Fang Mingli had deliberately hidden.
These clues, like scattered puzzle pieces, gradually piece together a complete picture of Fang Mingli's corruption, gradually outlining a shocking scene.
Through careful analysis, Liu Shan was shocked to discover that Fang Mingli's network of influence in the Dali Temple was intricate and complex, its tentacles like ubiquitous vines, penetrating every corner of the Dali Temple, far exceeding his previous imagination.
At the same time, Liu Shan also realized that these clues alone were far from enough to completely bring down Fang Mingli.
In order to completely bring down Fang Mingli, Liu Shan decided to take Han Chengjia and Li Fu to sneak into the coffin room of Dali Temple at night.
The coffin room of Dali Temple is located deep within the temple grounds, and the surrounding silence is somewhat unsettling.
Moonlight filtered through the dappled leaves, casting eerie shadows on the ground.
Liu Shan and his two companions crouched low, trying not to make a sound. They carefully made their way through the dimly lit corridor, quietly bypassing the patrolling guards, and finally arrived at the door of the coffin room.
Han Chengjia skillfully took out a special tool and gently fiddled with the door lock. After a while, the door lock made a slight "click" sound, and the door slowly opened.
A musty smell wafted over me.
The coffin room was cold and damp, with a pungent musty smell permeating the air.
Liu Shan and the other two held their breath, and by the faint moonlight, they could vaguely see that the corner of the wall was piled with old wooden boxes.
They tiptoed deeper into the area when suddenly Liu Shan slipped and nearly knocked over a wooden frame, startling the three of them.
Fortunately, it did not attract the attention of the guards outside.
Liu Shan quickly regained his balance and signaled Han Chengjia and Li Fu to continue forward.
They carefully walked around the wooden frame and found a row of sealed boxes against the wall, covered in dust, clearly unopened for a long time.
Liu Shan gently brushed away the dust from the box, revealing a faint seal mark.
Han Chengjia took out a knife and carefully cut open the seal. The box lid slowly opened, revealing a stack of yellowed documents.
Li Fu leaned closer to examine the documents, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He whispered, "These are Fang Mingli's account details over the years, enough to prove his corrupt behavior."
Liu Shan was overjoyed and quickly marked the wooden box.
Liu Shan and the others continued searching and found a secret letter whose contents involved martial arts factions.
These underworld forces frequently interfered in cases handled by the Dali Temple, making many originally clear cases confusing and leading to frequent wrongful convictions.
Liu Shan and the other two looked at each other in disbelief, their hearts filled with shock.
The only thing that made Liu Shan sigh was that the secret letter did not have a clear sender's signature or a recipient's name, and the clues were once again lost.
At this moment, Han Chengjia suddenly exclaimed, "The secret letter has the mark of the Shadow Gate."
Liu Shan's heart skipped a beat; the Shadow Gate was a martial arts organization that had been active in recent years.
He quickly put the secret letter away and prepared to leave.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door. The three immediately hid in the shadows and held their breath. They only left quietly after the guards had finished their patrol.
However, this evidence was still insufficient to bring down Fang Mingli. As the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, a high-ranking official of the third rank, he had plenty of scapegoats under his command.
In order to thoroughly uncover the inside story, Liu Shan resolutely decided to venture into the underworld to explore Fang Mingli's secrets.
However, before venturing deeper into the martial arts world, Liu Shan decided to give Fang Mingli a big gift.
Late at night, in the gloomy, secret room of the Fang residence, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.
The crystal curtains rattled wildly in the night wind, making a crisp yet chaotic sound, as if it were the prelude to an impending storm.
Fang Mingzhe stared intently at the slowly dripping water clock, his eyes flashing with anger and anxiety. He gripped the teacup in his hand so tightly that it creaked. Finally, he roared in uncontrollable rage, "That Liu Shan actually dared to attack the Song family! What kind of audacity has he eaten!"
Fang Mingzhe's roar echoed in the secret room. The guards outside rushed in upon hearing the noise, only to find their master's face ashen, and hurriedly retreated.
Fang Mingli stood to the side, constantly fiddling with his prayer beads, trying to calm his inner turmoil.
He looked menacingly toward the Dali Temple and said, forcing himself to remain calm, "Brother, don't worry. I've already had Song Zhongwen hide the important account books carefully. The place is extremely well-hidden, and Liu Shan will never be able to find them."
Fang Mingzhe snorted coldly, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "If Liu Shan dares to investigate to the end, I will make him pay the price! I..."
However, before he could finish speaking, the steward rushed in, soaking wet, and reported in a panic: "Master, something terrible has happened! Liu Shan has led the Imperial Guards to surround the Song residence, and they say they've found evidence of the plot to frame Prince Kang from back then!"
Fang Mingzhe's expression changed drastically, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a crash, shattering into pieces.
Fang Mingli was struck dumb, his face turned ashen, and the Buddhist beads in his hand instantly scattered on the ground, making a crisp clinking sound.
He staggered and steadied himself on the table, forcing out a hoarse sound, barely managing to utter, "Impossible, I clearly..."
Just then, a thunderclap ripped through the night sky, its dazzling light instantly illuminating his deathly pale face.
Through the rain, the clanging of the Imperial Guards' armor grew closer and closer. As Fang Mingzhe heard this sound, his hope was completely shattered, and he slumped down in despair.
The foundation he had painstakingly built over the years had been shaken by Liu Shan's series of actions.
Fang Mingli's hands trembled as he tried to pick up the Buddhist beads from the ground, only to find that he had lost even the most basic composure.
Outside the door, the footsteps of the Imperial Guards sounded like the death knell, closing in step by step.
A flicker of despair crossed Fang Mingzhe's eyes as he murmured, "Is Heaven determined to destroy the Fang family?"
Fang Mingli took a deep breath, barely managing to calm himself, and said in a deep voice, "Brother, at this moment, the only way out is to fight to the death; perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope."
He quickly scanned his surroundings, secretly calculating his last escape route.
The footsteps of the Imperial Guards grew clearer, and the air in the secret room seemed to freeze. The two men exchanged a glance, both knowing that their lives depended on this moment.
Fang Mingzhe gritted his teeth, suddenly stood up, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes: "Summon all my trusted confidants... Wait!"
Fang Mingzhe listened intently, and after a moment, a look of relief spread across his face: "Second brother, listen, the footsteps seem to be fading away."
Upon hearing this, Fang Mingli's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he quickly leaned closer to listen. Sure enough, the footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
The two brothers exchanged a glance and simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.
The Empress's move, with its hidden killing intent, is now fully revealed. The Fang clan is about to face an unprecedented crisis.