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“Today, the citizens who went to buy bonds found the villa locked. When someone pushed open the door, they discovered it was completely empty. They must have escaped this morning!”

Qianlong’s vision darkened, and he staggered, nearly collapsing. Fu Cha Fu Heng quickly stepped forward, supporting him.

The emperor, usually so composed, was now on the verge of losing control.

His eyes, bloodshot and filled with rage, nearly roared,

“Quickly, mobilize the troops and block all the roads out of the capital!”

Fu Cha Fu Heng nodded swiftly.

“Your Majesty, before I came to the palace, I already ordered the roads to be sealed. Rest assured, with so much luggage, they won’t easily pass through our checkpoints.”

Qianlong’s emotions stabilized slightly under his minister’s reassurance. Fu Cha Fu Heng was right.

With such a large group, how could Yang Yi and his entourage manage to escape unnoticed?

At that moment, a tall man in a deep purple robe rushed into the hall.

“Your Majesty, Lord Fu Heng… News from the capital’s dock: last night, someone used Your Majesty’s token to leave the capital by water.”

Qianlong’s eyes widened in shock. Fu Cha Fu Heng, equally stunned, glanced at the emperor, who suddenly recalled Yang Yi’s words—how he had expressed interest in buying souvenirs and praised the grandeur of the capital.

In his delight, Qianlong had casually given Yang Yi some cargo ships and a travel token. Amid the frenzy of the bond business, he had completely forgotten about this gesture.

Now, that scoundrel had used his travel token to flee the capital.

Qianlong felt fury surging within him, trapped in his chest, unable to rise or fall. Clutching his chest, his voice shook with outrage.

“Scoundrel! Truly a scoundrel!”

He turned his glare to the official who had brought the news.

“Ne Qin, didn’t I order you to keep a close eye on those people from Great Zhou?”

Ne Qin looked just as exasperated.

“Your Majesty, my men have been watching them closely. Those Great Zhou envoys were still seen buying souvenirs on the streets yesterday. We were tricked. They pretended to be shopping and secretly boarded a boat last night!”

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed again. Another man, clad in official robes, burst into the hall, his face pale with panic.

“Your Majesty,” he called out urgently. “There is chaos in the capital. Thousands of citizens have gathered at the Yamen, demanding their money back!”

Qianlong nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Damn it! If Yang Yi stole their money, they should go after him, not come crying to the government!

“Your Majesty…” an elderly voice suddenly sounded.

Everyone turned to see Prince Kang, accompanied by several other princes, rushing over, their faces pale.

“Your Majesty, Yang Yi has escaped with nearly a million taels of our wealth. You must seek justice for us!” Prince Kang pleaded, his voice trembling with indignation.

Qianlong’s vision blurred, and before anyone could react, he spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed.

“Your Majesty!”

The surrounding officials cried out in alarm, rushing to his side.

News of Yang Yi’s escape spread like wildfire throughout the capital. Citizens who had invested in bonds flocked to the Yamen, desperate and enraged.

The Capital was soon surrounded by tens of thousands of people, their collective fury boiling over. The officials inside were drenched in sweat, paralyzed by the looming threat of a mutiny. If things spiraled further, they could lose their positions, or worse.

“It’s over; it’s all over. I invested every coin I had saved,” one man lamented, his voice cracking.

“What do you know? I even mortgaged my house!” another shouted, his face twisted in anguish.

“Damn those Great Zhou emissaries! They actually ran away with everything!”

“Make the government catch them!” the crowd roared, voices blending into a sea of anger.

The scene was like a pot of boiling water; the citizens’ eyes were red with fury, and the tension was thick enough to set the Yamen a flame.

The officers tasked with maintaining order were no different—they, too, had invested their savings. Their faces were ashen, each one wearing an expression of utter despair, as if they were mourning their own misfortune.

With no officials coming out to address the crowd, the citizens’ fury only grew stronger, feeding off the shared sense of betrayal.

Inside the Yamen, the atmosphere was no better. The officers sat pale-faced, listening to the deafening shouts outside. They felt like hollow shells, unable to face the reality of their losses.

After what felt like an eternity, one official suddenly erupted, slamming his fist on the table.

“Damn it! How could they run away? I invested my father-in-law’s life savings in this scam!”

His outburst seemed to mirror the unspoken anguish of everyone present, their frustrations boiling over.

Yang Yi had truly ruined them all.

…

Meanwhile, in Great Zhou.

At Qianyuan Temple, Shangguan Wan’er rushed in, her usually composed demeanor visibly shaken, her pale face flushed.

Wu Zhao, weary from the affairs of state, rubbed her temples.

“What is it?”

Panting slightly, Shangguan Wan’er exclaimed, “Lord Yang has returned…”

Wu Zhao shot up from her seat, all composure forgotten. Her dark, clear eyes gleamed with an intensity rarely seen.

“Where?”

“Right in front of the Hall of Political Affairs,” Wan’er replied, struggling to contain her excitement.

Wu Zhao’s heart raced with anticipation.

“Let’s go and see…”

Moments later, the Empress and her entourage arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs.

Before them, dozens of mule carts were lined up, each laden with heavy boxes. A large group of officials gathered around, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Chancellor Xu Jingzong, stroking his graying beard, could hardly contain his astonishment.

“Minister Yang, are you saying that the wealth inside those boxes is worth tens of millions of taels?” he asked, his voice tinged with awe.