"Moreover, Pei Zijing also stated in his report that after a trainee questioned the source of Zhuo Wangying's information, Zhuo Wangying not only suppressed the trainee but also wanted to get rid of him as quickly as possible."
"After that trainee disregarded his information and used his own methods to wipe out the Kanli Star Rebels' main camp, Zhuo Wangying even stated that the trainee was not a qualified soldier who followed orders."
The Emperor listened with wide eyes: "Is there really such a thing?! The information he provided almost led to the annihilation of our elite pilots?!"
"That's what Pei Zijing's report says. It's just a pity that this is only Pei Zijing's side of the story, and it wasn't originally reported to the Special Security Bureau. However, we received a report from a trainee at the Flight Training Base, and after investigation, we found that it was the same as the content of Pei Zijing's report to higher authorities, so we merged them and the Special Security Bureau took over."
The Emperor was taken aback: "It wasn't reported directly to you? Where did Pei Zijing report it before?"
Huo Yushen said, "The Military High Command Joint Conference."
"The Military High Command Joint Conference? Who is the rotating Chief of Staff?"
"This term, it happens to be Zhuo Keyi."
"Also surnamed Zhuo? What is his relationship with Zhuo Wangying?"
"It may be a coincidence. Zhuo Keyi is a noble, and currently a Viscount. He is Zhuo Wangying's paternal uncle."
"Heh, what a coincidence... So it was stuck with him?"
"...It can't be called stuck... When we took over, it was said that it was still in the procedural stage."
Emperor Tantai Hongyuan was furious.
"Such an important matter, and you're still going through procedures!"
He flung his sleeves and immediately ordered, "Zhuo Wangying colluded with the Kanli Star Rebels, betraying us from within, a crime that cannot be forgiven!"
"Pass on my decree to thoroughly investigate Zhuo Wangying, and Zhuo Keyi!"
Huo Yushen hesitated slightly, his expression stern, and said faintly, "Your Majesty, Zhuo Wangying has always said that he was deceived regarding the incorrect intelligence, so it's possible that he didn't collude with the Rebels... And we don't have conclusive evidence yet, we need more time to investigate. He may just be stupid, not evil."
Unexpectedly, these words added fuel to the fire.
Emperor Tantai Hongyuan was furious: "You're just soft-hearted! He can be deceived with such important intelligence! Is being stupid something to be proud of?!"
"I'm not afraid of you being bad, not afraid of you being evil, I'm just afraid of you being stupid!"
"A general's incompetence dooms the entire army!"
"The destructive power of a stupid person is even more terrifying than the enemy itself!"
"This is incompetence! What use do I have for such an incompetent officer?! It's even more serious than actively colluding with the Rebels! - Flog Zhuo Wangying a hundred times first, then execute him! Also, since the Zhuo family produced such a stupid person, the others can't be much smarter, so there's no need for them to live and waste food!"
"Zhuo Wangying colluded with the Rebels, even if it didn't cause a major mistake, is it because he didn't want to?! - It's clearly because he's incompetent, because others are smarter than him!"
"How could such a person be placed in such a high position? Can the Zhuo family say they have nothing to do with it?"
"All rebels will be exterminated!"
Huo Yushen immediately said, "Your Majesty, a true extermination requires the approval of the Cabinet and the Senate. Also, Zhuo Keyi is a Viscount, not an ordinary person. Moreover, he is the rotating Chief of Staff of the Military High Command Joint Conference. To take him down, in addition to Your Majesty's decree, the Cabinet, the Military, and the Senate must all sign their approval."
Emperor Tantai Hongyuan chuckled and said sarcastically, "The Military High Command Joint Conference... is truly remarkable! Even I don't have the final say..."
His face became even more gloomy, he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, and then turned back to ask, "Which area of work is he in charge of in the Military High Command Joint Conference?"
"He is in charge of equipment."
The Emperor immediately smiled noncommittally and said, "Equipment, huh? That's good, it doesn't matter whether he's there or not... How about this, isn't he a Viscount? The matter of peerage has nothing to do with the Cabinet, the Military, or the Senate."
"Pass on my decree, strip the Zhuo family of their peerage!"
"Zhuo Wangying is to be executed! The Special Security Bureau will strictly interrogate Zhuo Keyi, the Zhuo family's Viscount!"
Emperor Tantai Hongyuan said leisurely, "This way, it wouldn't be considered extermination, right?"
Huo Yushen showed a look of unbearable expression, and seemed to want to persuade him again, saying in a low voice, "Your Majesty, won't you reconsider? Although Zhuo Keyi is a noble, he is also a high-ranking military official. Stripping him of his peerage is fine, but you can't directly take him away to investigate him..."
Emperor Tantai Hongyuan was furious, pointing at him and saying, "Investigate him when I tell you to! Why are there so many excuses?! - Don't worry, absolutely no one will make things difficult for you in investigating him!"
"Those people are too busy fighting for this newly vacant peerage, who would go against you?!"
Huo Yushen had a cold face and looked unwilling: "...Your Majesty, please give me a decree, otherwise I won't be able to explain it. You know, the military is at odds with me."
Emperor Tantai Hongyuan patted him on the shoulder sympathetically and said, "I'm sorry for you, but there's no other way. I don't have the final say anymore. Alright, I'll give you a decree."
With that, he had someone draft a decree, then stamped it with the Imperial Seal and gave it to Huo Yushen.
Huo Yushen bowed slightly to the Emperor and turned to leave slowly.
The Emperor's scribe personally escorted him out.
As they walked out of the palace and onto the empty plaza outside, the scribe finally couldn't help but speak.
"Inspector Huo certainly knows how to use his position for personal revenge!"
Huo Yushen's expression remained unchanged, cold and indifferent. He didn't respond, nor did he even spare a glance, continuing to walk forward.
The scribe seemed very unwilling, saying in a sinister tone, "Everyone says Marshal Huo is a pure soldier, never stooping to conspiracies and tricks. I never expected, never expected..."
Huo Yushen pretended not to hear, simply looking up at the sky.
The scribe followed his gaze, also looking at the sky, and continued, "It's no use for Inspector Huo to deny it! Before you 'pleaded' for him, Zhuo Wangying would have only been executed himself."
"But after your word of advice, not only was Zhuo Wangying executed, but the Zhuo family will also have their nobility stripped!"
"Is there any 'pleading' more effective than this?!"
Huo Yushen stopped at this point, looking at the scribe, and nodded slightly, as if to say, I tried my best, but I couldn't plead any further.
The scribe sneered and said, "I've worked by the Emperor's side for many years, and fortunately, my memory is quite good."
"Viscount Zhuo Keyi of the Zhuo family, one of the chiefs of staff of the Military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, is in charge of troop equipment."
"That year, you won a great victory, but instead of advancing further, you were stripped of all military power and transferred from the front lines to the Special Security Bureau, only to be the Emperor's blade."
"If I remember correctly, among the military leaders who actively lobbied to drive you away back then, one of the lieutenant generals was that Viscount Zhuo Keyi, the paternal uncle of Zhuo Wangying!"
"The Emperor is furious right now and probably doesn't even remember who this viscount is."
"But I think, you couldn't possibly have forgotten!"
Huo Yushen stopped at this point, turning to look at the scribe, and suddenly reached out to dust off his shoulder, saying coldly, "Are you speaking up for Zhuo Wangying? No wonder Zhuo Wangying was so fearless, even when reported for colluding with the Rebels, he was fine."
Then, he held his hand in front of the scribe, revealing a voice recorder, saying, "I've recorded every word you just said. As for whether you want the Emperor to hear what you just said, that depends on your future behavior. Don't even think about tipping off Zhuo Keyi. If he runs, you'll take the blame for him."
The color drained from the scribe's face in an instant.
The reason he confronted Huo Yushen about the Zhuo family's affairs was because the girl he admired came from the Zhuo family.
This time, the Zhuo family's female relatives would simply no longer be nobles, but the gap between nobles and commoners was immeasurable. How could he be willing to see his beloved fiancée suddenly change from a noble to a commoner?!
Confronting Huo Yushen was a light matter; he had already planned how to go back and help the Zhuo family operate.
But Huo Yushen used only a voice recorder to completely dispel his resentment.
The scribe's legs trembled, and he almost couldn't control himself, about to kneel before Huo Yushen.
Huo Yushen still had a cold and indifferent expression, turning to leave.
...
Whether Huo Yushen remembered who Zhuo Keyi was, no one knew.
But as soon as Huo Yushen left the palace, he personally led the Special Security Bureau's Hong Group elites, carrying the Emperor's decree, and stormed into the Military Headquarters' Joint Chiefs of Staff office building, arriving at the office of this Viscount General Zhuo.
Zhuo Keyi had just closed a video call encrypted with quantum entanglement when he saw a group of burly men in Special Security Bureau uniforms storm into his office.
The sergeants with live ammunition guarding his door were directly disarmed.
Zhuo Keyi's face darkened, and he roared, "Is the Special Security Bureau trying to rebel?!"
Huo Yushen, holding the Emperor's decree, walked in slowly from behind, showed the decree to Zhuo Keyi, and said coldly, "Chief of Staff Zhuo should ask the Emperor that question."
When Zhuo Keyi saw that it was Huo Yushen, he immediately revealed an extremely fearful expression.
He leaned back in his large office chair, one hand resting on the armrest, and the other quietly reaching under the desk to press the alarm system, while forcing a smile, "So it's Yushen! Long time no see. You're a Marshal now, even higher in rank than me!"
"You're at least someone who came from our front-line troops, and the Special Security Bureau is also part of the Military system. Can you tell me, what exactly happened?"
Huo Yushen's face was as cold and indifferent as ever. He said, "By order of the Emperor, Zhuo Wangying colluded with the Rebels, a heinous crime, to be executed immediately. The Zhuo family's nobility is stripped. Zhuo Keyi is to be taken away by the Special Security Bureau for investigation and strict interrogation."
The color drained from Zhuo Keyi's face in an instant: "That's impossible! Even if my cousin Zhuo Wangying isn't very smart or capable, he would never collude with the Rebels! Besides, what benefits could the Rebels give him? He must be out of his mind to work for the Rebels!"
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