Chapter 49: Shattering the Darkness with Thunder!

Qin Feng stopped him, saying, "There is no need to seal the well! The well water might be somewhat contaminated, but if we boil it to completely kill all the bacteria and viruses inside, it can still be safely consumed."

"Besides, Xiong-ying needs to drink plenty of hot water right now to boost his immunity. Your household has so many people to feed; you cannot simply cut off the water source entirely."

"From now on, give instructions that the water drawn from this well must be boiled before anyone drinks it. Absolutely do not let anyone drink it directly."

Zhu Biao nodded repeatedly and said, "Alright, I will send someone to give the order right now. Master Qin, thanks to you this time, I wouldn't have known what to do."

"If anything were to truly happen to Xiong-ying, I wouldn't know how to face His Majesty."

"Master Qin, please accept my bow!"

Qin Feng pulled Zhu Biao up from the ground and said with a bitter smile, "Your Highness, if outsiders were to see this, I can only imagine how the court officials would impeach me again."

"With me here, if they dare to impeach you again, I will certainly make them regret it."

"Sir, you have been wronged, having to lower yourself to stay at the newspaper office all this time."

"I wonder if those old foxes have taken the bait yet?"

Qin Feng smiled and said, "Just in time for my visit to your residence, I plan to submit a confidential memorial to His Majesty."

Zhu Biao looked astonished and asked, "Have those old foxes made a move?"

"They are cunning enough, sending Hu Weiyong, this small fry, to win me over."

Zhu Biao said in a deep voice, "They sent Hu Weiyong to win you over? They didn't even dare to show their own faces?"

"How could those foxes dare to show their faces? They are all extremely shrewd! Did they really think a mere Hu Weiyong could handle me? I wanted to show those old foxes that my appetite is very large!"

"A mere Hu Weiyong is certainly not worth Master Qin taking such a risk."

"That scoundrel Hu Weiyong was always a card played out in the open, merely an observable vine."

"And we must follow this vine to gradually unearth the big melon hidden behind it."

"That way, my role as a spy will be meaningful, otherwise, our entire performance would have been in vain."

Zhu Biao's mood also turned heavy.

This game of wits against corrupt officials truly exhausted all their heart and effort.

If it all fell through at the very end, Zhu Biao would find it hard to accept.

In their eyes, Hu Weiyong was an exposed card, yet the opposing side stubbornly insisted on playing the entire game with just that single exposed card!

Would Qin Feng simply accept that?

Zhu Biao said, "Actually, Father has secretly interrogated those officials involved in the river project. Many of them have fully confessed to their corruption."

"However... when asked who instigated them from behind the scenes, they all pointed their fingers at the former Director-General of Waterways, Wang Chunyang."

"Yet just recently, Wang Chunyang was poisoned to death in prison, and to this day, no one knows who did it!"

Qin Feng gasped inwardly, his fists involuntarily tightening. "I never imagined those old foxes could be so vicious!"

"Master Qin, you must be extremely careful. These people are sinister and malicious; there is nothing they wouldn't dare to do!"

"His Majesty was furious over this matter and has long since harbored a deep hatred for these Huaixi parasites."

"Over the years, His Majesty has always longed for the prosperity of the Great Ming to arrive swiftly, but there are always people secretly dragging down his plans."

With that, Zhu Biao angrily pounded his fist against the wall.

"As long as these old foxes are not eradicated, the prosperity of Great Ming will never arrive."

"Master Qin, your appearance has allowed Father to see the hope of a prosperous Great Ming once again."

"Now Father places all his hopes on you, trusting only your strategies; he trusts no one else."

"Ever since you took charge solely of the newspaper office, I have watched Father grow noticeably thinner, with no one left to share his burdens."

"Just a few days ago in the Wuying Hall, I heard Father say with my own ears that if Qin Feng were still around, he wouldn't be led around by the nose by this group of corrupt scholars."

Hearing Zhu Biao's heartfelt words, Qin Feng felt an overwhelming surge of righteous indignation toward those parasites of Great Ming, while also being deeply moved by Emperor Zhu's reaction.

He was determined to personally drag out the entire string of figures hiding behind Hu Weiyong!

Only then could he live up to Emperor Zhu's trust in him!

Qin Feng looked deeply at Zhu Biao, raised his head to the sky, and declared, "Darkness shrouds all things, but I shall be the final ray of dawn piercing through the dark, using the force of thunder to shatter the night!"

Hearing Qin Feng make such a resolute determination to fight the forces lurking in the shadows, Zhu Biao felt an even greater surge of admiration for him.

He said excitedly, "The prosperity of Great Ming rests entirely upon you, Sir! Please accept my bow!"

Qin Feng lifted Zhu Biao's suspended arm and said calmly, "I will not write the memorial for His Majesty today. When evening approaches and the curfew is near, bring me into the palace to see His Majesty."

"Alright. Wait... What? Master Qin, you are going to see Father?"

Qin Feng said, "It has been a while since I last saw His Majesty. I have been waiting for those old foxes to take the bait, and now that they have finally made some major moves, it is time for me to give His Majesty a proper report."

Zhu Biao hesitated for a moment and said, "Very well! Let me make the arrangements. Before tonight's curfew, I will make sure you see Father!"

...

Before the Xuanwu Gate.

When the guards changed shifts, it marked the beginning of the night curfew in Great Ming.

Under Zhu Biao's arrangement, Zhu Di was secretly helping the disguised Qin Feng sneak into the palace.

"Who goes there?"

Zhu Di and Qin Feng still startled the guards on duty before the Xuanwu Gate.

Zhu Di widened his eyes and snapped, "Are you all blind? You don't even recognize your own Prince?"

The guards on duty hastily dropped to their knees and said, "This subordinate pays respects to Your Highness the Prince of Yan."

Zhu Di said, "The Prince of Yan's Mansion is currently under renovation, and I have to travel back and forth between the mansion and the imperial palace. Do you have any objections?"

The guards shook their heads and said, "Please enter, Your Highness!"

Thus, Zhu Di swaggered into the palace with Qin Feng, and the guards did not dare to offer the slightest obstruction.

Qin Feng slipped into the imperial palace in the company of Zhu Di, where the nighttime curfew made the palace appear exceptionally solemn and stern.

Zhu Di said, "Master, I've sneaked you into the palace according to Eldest Brother's wishes. Are you truly going to meet with my Father?"

"The situation is urgent; a meeting is unavoidable."

Zhu Di had long since heard from Zhu Biao about Qin Feng risking his life to infiltrate the stronghold of the corrupt officials.

He truly admired Qin Feng's courage, his righteousness, and his fearlessness in the face of death, feeling a heartfelt sense of appreciation.

"Master, if there is anything you need my help with in the future, just speak up! I will do my utmost to assist you."

Qin Feng gave a bitter smile and said, "His Highness the Prince of Yan should first look after himself. You are now the Director-General of Waterways; who knows how many eyes in the court are fixed on you right now."

Zhu Di snorted and said, "I am not afraid of those filthy creatures! If they dare to harm an imperial prince, Father will never spare them!"

Qin Feng said, "Your Highness, I have already secretly arranged for Ren-gui to be by your side, and he will ensure your safety in the near future."

"Master, I will wait for you to return so we can head to the waterways together!"

"We shall join forces to bring those filthy creatures to justice!"

"Together, we will restore a clear and righteous sky to Great Ming!"