I woke up as the Villainous Empress
Chapter 359 Mysterious Man.

Yang Luoyang sat in his office, his mind troubled by the unfolding situation. Not only had Zheng Xiang been appointed as the new Finance Inspector, but the previous Finance Inspector, Officer Zen, had also been arrested on charges of corruption and bribery.

As the Head Minister of the Finance Department, Yang Luoyang found himself in a difficult position. If Zen Lingyu decided to cooperate with the investigation and reveal his involvement in corruption and immoral activities, it would be challenging to escape the consequences. This time, the investigation was being conducted by none other than the Crown Prince himself.

If his name were to be revealed, covering up the matter would become even more difficult.

Gritting his teeth, he turned to the man standing beside him and spoke in a low, irritated tone. "Have you completed the task I assigned to you? What is the status of Zen Lingyu? Have you dealt with him?" Anxiousness laced his voice as he awaited a response.

The man, often regarded as Yang Luoyang's right-hand and entrusted with handling most of his underhand affairs, shook his head and replied, "It's challenging to infiltrate the investigation site, especially since it's being led by the Crown Prince's personal Guard, Gu Lan. Any slight movement will be detected by him. We cannot rashly enter the location to deal with Officer Zen."

If Zen Lingyu had been in the custody of the Police Department headed by Wang Rong, silencing him would have been a piece of cake. However, with the investigation now being conducted by the royal guards of His Highness, and without involving the State Police, it has made things much more difficult for him to manage.

Yang Luoyang growled in annoyance and slammed his hand on the desk in anger, shooting a cold glare at the man before him. "Useless! All of you are utterly useless. You can't even handle the simple task of silencing someone. I instructed Wang Rong to take care of this matter, but it seems he hasn't made any move either."

"I had high hopes for you, but you've turned out to be a complete disappointment. If I had known you would fail me like this, I would have left you to fend for yourself on the streets. I shouldn't have wasted my resources saving you back then," Yang Luoyang spat out, his frustration evident in his voice.

Why did he bother investing his money and resources in someone like him, only to be let down when it mattered most? What a bunch of useless people he surrounded himself with.

The man pursed his lips upon being scolded by Yang Luoyang and responded in a solemn tone, "While Officer Zen has not yet been dealt with, I have received information that there has been no progress in the investigation either."

"Until now, he hasn't implicated anyone else. My lord, give me some time, and I assure you, I will carry out this task successfully. I will never allow anyone to tarnish your name. After all, you're my savior. I won't let anything happen to you," the man said, giving his word with conviction.

Yang Luoyang observed the man and was pleased by his determined and obedient attitude. He nodded in approval. "That's right. That's what I like about you. You never give up and you're determined to do whatever it takes. Don't worry, once I take control of this empire, I will make you my right hand—the most important person next to the Emperor," he declared with a determined gaze.

At first, his intention was to manipulate Zheng Liang into becoming the Emperor and rule from behind the scenes. This was the reason for arranging the marriage between Zheng Liang and his daughter, Yang Ning—to control his actions and establish a connection. However, his plans were thwarted when both Zheng Liang and Yang Ning proved difficult to control.

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Yang Ning betrayed him by refusing to follow his orders or provide him with any information.

His next target was to groom Zheng Xiang for the throne and manipulate him from behind the scenes. However, this plan also seemed unfeasible at the current juncture. Now, he harbored an even grander ambition—to seize direct control of the Empire and ascend to the pinnacle of power. He was determined to become the most influential figure in the Empire, ruling with absolute authority.

Only then would his efforts bear fruit.

The man, with his rugged appearance and imposing stature, seemed to be of a similar age to Zheng Liang. He nodded with solemnity, his sharp features reflecting a sense of determination. "You are my savior, my lord. I will spare no effort to fulfill your dream," he declared, his voice resonating with loyalty and ambition.

Yang Luoyang had taken him under his wing when he was young and helpless, with nowhere else to turn. Generally, an orphan like him, despised by everyone and with no prospects, would have only two options: to end his own life or let fate take its course naturally.

However, he was saved by Yang Luoyang, who not only took care of him but also molded him into a capable man. He would never let his benefactor down and was determined to fulfill all of Yang Luoyang's dreams and ambitions. That was his sole purpose in life. If he could be of use to his master in any way, he would consider his life a success.

Yang Luoyang nodded and waved his hand dismissively. "Now, don't linger here. It wouldn't do for everyone to see us together. Make sure to keep a low profile."

"Yes, my lord," the man acknowledged with a nod as he exited the office, carrying a stack of papers to be discarded.

Outside, the bustling activity of the finance department continued as employees focused on their tasks. The man, dressed in a navy blue uniform with a black belt around his waist and a hat, seamlessly blended into the environment. His attire effectively concealed his identity, ensuring no one questioned his presence.

As he prepared to leave, he shielded his face with his hat. Just then, the closed door of the finance department opened, revealing the new finance inspector, adorned with a higher-quality uniform and a distinguished golden brooch indicating his seniority. Two other men followed closely behind him.

The man recognized the figure immediately—it was none other than Prince Zheng Xiang. In order to avoid being recognized, he respectfully lowered his head and greeted the senior officer before swiftly exiting the premises.

Zheng Xiang, who had come to familiarize himself with the work, glanced at the man hurrying outside and frowned, sensing a vague familiarity. However, he didn't dwell on it and instead focused on entering the Finance Department, with his two men trailing behind him.

The officers in the Finance Department were taken aback by his sudden appearance and hastily stood up to greet him. Upon hearing the commotion, Yang Luoyang emerged from his office and spotted Zheng Xiang standing there in his uniform.

His lips twitched before he walked forward to greet him and asked, "Your Highness, what brings you here?" He inquired with a polite smile.

Zheng Xiang looked around indifferently before responding, "I wanted to take a look around the office and get familiar with the work. I thought Minister Yang would be out, but I'm glad to see you here."

"Minister Yang, please prepare the financial transaction records for the past year, including records of financial aids, development projects, everything. I want to review them before officially beginning my work."

Yang Luoyang pursed his lips helplessly. "Your Highness, you were assigned to this position just yesterday. Weren't you supposed to start next week? Handing over confidential records before your formal duties commence might be difficult."

"Minister Yang, there's no need to worry about it. I have discussed this matter with His Majesty, and here's the permission letter. You can hand over the documents to me without concern. I will handle them myself."

Yang Luoyang clenched his fists in anger as he read the permission letter. He couldn't believe that Zheng Xiang would be so difficult to deal with. He had hoped for some time to handle the documents himself, but Zheng Xiang had appeared out of nowhere to claim them.

Feeling his temples throbbing, Yang Luoyang forced a polite tone,"Yes, Your Highness. I will send them to your office. Do not worry about it." He bid farewell politely and turned to his employees, issuing a firm order, "Pack the transaction files from last year and send them to His Highness's office. Only include the documents vetted by Officer Zen.

There's no need to send everything; he likely won't read it all anyway. Just show him what's necessary." With annoyance evident in his tone, he retreated into his chamber to contemplate how to handle the threats posed by Zheng Liang and Zheng Xiang to his position.

"I need to deal with Zheng Liang soon. If I keep delaying, it will be difficult to suppress him," he muttered, gritting his teeth as he sat down to contemplate a solution to the growing threats.