Chapter 333 - 153: The Emperor Welcomes Him Personally! (Part 4)
Chapter 333: Chapter 153: The Emperor Welcomes Him Personally! (Part 4)
"Your Majesty,"
"Here is the reorganized roster."
Zhao Feng did not hesitate and took out a scroll of silk fabric from his bosom.
Zhao Gao was about to descend.
"Minister Zhao, read it aloud," Ying Zheng said with commanding authority. "As for the more than 400,000 soldiers from Zhao, I also wish to know how many elite men were selected."
"This servant obeys the decree."
Zhao Feng unfurled the silk fabric and announced loudly, "In the battle to annihilate Zhao, our Great Qin accepted the surrender of over 410,000 Zhao soldiers. My Sharp Warriors spent a month screening them. We discharged over 160,000 men for having poor constitutions, leaving 240,000 surrendered soldiers who can be reorganized into the Penal Battalion."
"Minister Zhao, you have been diligent," Ying Zheng nodded. "How do you propose to reorganize these surrendered soldiers?"
"I propose we first use these surrendered soldiers to replenish the losses in the Lantian Camp. Any surplus can be left to Your Majesty’s sacred judgment," Zhao Feng replied.
"Mm." Ying Zheng nodded with a smile. "We shall discuss the reorganization of the surrendered soldiers later."
"When we were in Handan, I promised you that once you conquered Zhao and returned to Qin, I would give you a surprise."
"It is time to deliver on that promise," Ying Zheng said with a smile, waving his hand.
Just at that moment, a minister stepped forward from the ranks of the Civil Servants. "I wish to report, Your Majesty," the middle-aged minister said indignantly, raising his court tablet. "I wish to impeach Zhao Feng."
"Hmm?" Ying Zheng’s smile vanished. He looked coldly at the minister. "What did you say? Impeach Minister Zhao?"
"I accuse Zhao Feng of stubbornly enforcing the law and using extrajudicial punishment," Bai Wu said loudly.
"Do you know what you are saying?" Ying Zheng frowned deeply. "When did Minister Zhao ever use extrajudicial punishment?" The sudden impeachment by Bai Wu was quite a damper on the occasion.
"Lord Bai," Wang Jian stepped forward, his face stern as he addressed Bai Wu. "General Zhao has never met you and has been handling military affairs in the Zhao state. You impeach him for using extrajudicial punishment? If you have spoken falsely, this amounts to baseless slander."
"Every word I have spoken is true," Bai Wu said, his face filled with indignation as he presented a scroll of silk fabric. "This is the joint petition of impeachment from my Bai Family of Linguan County. I beseech Your Majesty to review it."
The nearby Zhao Gao immediately stepped forward and received the silk fabric.
Meanwhile, in the court, Bai Wu’s sudden impeachment of Zhao Feng was met with various reactions: some were astonished, some gloated at his misfortune, and others simply watched the drama unfold.
Whether this impeachment succeeds or not, it will serve to suppress Zhao Feng. Afterward, I can plead on his behalf, which would count as a personal favor to him. This move kills two birds with one stone. At that moment, Wang Wan was smiling inwardly, pleased with his own shrewdness.
With a dark expression, Ying Zheng took the silk fabric.
But at that very moment, Zhao Feng spoke up.
"I wish to report, Your Majesty. If the man impeaching this servant is surnamed Bai, then I know what this is about. Your Majesty need not even read his impeachment."
"Bring forth the written confession from the County Magistrate of Linguan County."
Now that the impeachment was upon him, Zhao Feng saw no reason to hold back. He directly took out a set of bamboo slips from his bosom.
It was the confession written by the Linguan County Magistrate. It detailed the matters of corruption and oppression carried out by the County Governor and the Bai Family, not just against the Wei Family, but all their other crimes as well.
Hearing Zhao Feng’s words, Ying Zheng immediately put down Bai Wu’s impeachment report and looked toward Zhao Gao. "Bring it here."
"This servant obeys," Zhao Gao replied, immediately hurrying down. He swiftly took the bamboo slips from Zhao Feng and presented them to Ying Zheng.
Seeing this, Bai Wu’s heart sank.
Even the previously confident Wang Wan felt a flicker of uncertainty in his heart.
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