Chapter 219: Simply Outrageous
Perhaps knowing that his fate was sealed, Tao Rui simply let go.
He turned his head and swept his gaze over most of the officials in the Taihe Palace, coldly smiling and saying, "You all pretend to be upright and virtuous, that's only because you haven't been held accountable yet. I'm just taking a step ahead. Ask yourselves, reach into your pockets, who among you has clean hands?"
"The court has so much grain and money for disaster relief. How much of it is given to you? It's always the officials in the capital who get the biggest share, while the local officials get scraps. By the time it reaches the people, if they even get a few meager grains, then the local leader must have a good heart."
"Presumptuous! Utterly presumptuous!"
Before being scolded, the right deputy grand master Tan Bingzhi was so angry that his beard trembled. He said to Li Chen: "Your Highness, this madman has completely lost his mind. Please immediately have him executed as an example to others!"
"What are you guilty of?" Li Chen asked coldly.
Tan Bingzhi was dumbfounded.
"Your Highness, I am innocent! Your Highness, please do not listen to this madman's one-sided words!" Tan Bingzhi pleaded loudly.
"One-sided words, this palace naturally will not listen."
Li Chen said coldly: "But I'll ask you, what is the point of someone like this being able to reach the rank of a third-rank official and govern a province? What are you guys in the Censorate, responsible for impeaching and evaluating officials, doing? You have been derelict in your duty! Isn't that excessive?"
Li Chen's words left Tan Bing speechless.
He stood there, drenched in cold sweat.
"Go away, I'll deal with you later." Li Chen said coldly.
Tan Bingzhi's face turned pale with fear, and he immediately retreated back into the train car, his heart filled with regret for having jumped out earlier...
His gaze fell on Tao Rui, and Li Chen said calmly, "Tao Rui, you've spoken eloquently just now. This palace will ask you one question."
Tao Rui let out a cold smile, his face showing disdain.
"You say the common people of Xishan Province are suffering, that the imperial court is failing to provide relief, and that high-ranking officials are embezzling vast sums. So tell me, what about you? How much have *you* embezzled?"

“Since the natural disaster began, the imperial court has issued a total of nine million and two hundred thousand stone of grain, allocated by the Ministry of Revenue to the Xishan province. In addition, there have been direct grants of two million four hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver. How much tax does the Great Qin Empire collect in a year? How much has it given to your Xishan region? And out of that, how much have you personally profited?!”
Li Chen's questioning made Tao Rui's sneer freeze on his face. His eyes began to flicker uncertainly, unable to speak.
Seeing Tao Rui's attitude, Li Chen sneered and said: "There is one thing that is right, it's 'break the jar and shatter it', and you are just like that."
"With such eloquent speech, if you had not profited from this situation, the current state of Xishan province would be solely due to natural disasters and corruption within the court. Then, today, I would immediately absolve you of all your charges and elevate you to the cabinet!"
"Tao Rui, dare you say that you haven't been corrupt? Among the millions of souls who died in Xishan Province, were any of them killed because of you, Tao Rui?!"
Li Chen's voice, like gold and stone striking together, echoed in the majestic Taihe Hall. It was as if the Heavenly Emperor himself were questioning from above, leaving Tao Rui's head buzzing with disorientation.
He collapsed from his kneeling position, landing hard on his haunches. His breath came in ragged gasps and his eyes were glazed over. He tried to speak, but no words would come out.
Since you dare not claim to be the most innocent one, why do you go on and on here? Because everyone is stained with darkness, so jumping into the gutter is the right thing to do?!
Under immense pressure, Tao Rui seemed to vent his frustration as he roared, "No!"
"I'm greedy, so what? I'm not the only greedy person in the world!"
"As for the rebellion, I sent a report to the cabinet a month ago, but no one responded! Am I just going to sit here and wait to die?!"
As soon as those words were uttered, Zhao Xuanji's eyes widened in surprise.
In his eyes, there was a reflection of Li Chen's cold and sharp gaze!
The Crown Prince brought Tao Rui to the Taihe Hall, not to interrogate him, but to use this blade in his hands to pierce the heart of the Cabinet!
Zhao Xuanji, for the first time in decades, was flustered.

(Editor in charge：the second eunuch regains his manhood novel)