Adult Tang Dynasty: I, the Scoundrel, Fully Support the Empress

Chapter 19: The Court Officials Accuse Su Yang!

With the points he had already accumulated, Su Yang had long since surpassed the 800-point threshold. That meant he could finally exchange them in the system’s store for the technology to refine pure salt.

The moment that thought crossed his mind, he didn’t hesitate. He acted immediately.

Ding!

Congratulations, Host! You have successfully spent 800 points.

Ding!

Congratulations, Host! You have successfully exchanged for—Salt Refining Technology.

As the system’s cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind, a flood of information surged into his brain. It contained a step-by-step guide on how to refine pure salt—detailed enough that he could follow it precisely and extract high-quality salt with ease.

Excitement coursed through him. This was it. This was the key to his rise as a top financial mogul!

In ancient times, salt was a strategic resource—extremely rare and valuable. The price was outrageous. Common folk rarely got to taste it, maybe a few times a year if they were lucky. Even the wealthy and noble families had to make do with crude, unrefined salt, which was far from ideal in taste and quality.

But if he could produce refined salt and bring it to market? It would be a game-changer.

To put it bluntly, a single ounce of refined salt could be worth ten, maybe even a hundred ounces of gold. And demand? Through the roof.

Once he cornered the salt trade, his wealth would skyrocket.

Just as he was lost in thought, a voice snapped him back to reality.

“Hey, Su Yang!”

“Why’d you stop drinking?”

Cheng Chumo was visibly tipsy as he swayed toward him. The others followed, all of them completely drunk.

By now, the once well-mannered young heirs had thrown all restraint out the window. They had abandoned their usual uptight behavior, indulging in everything they’d never dared before. Not only were they downing alcohol by the gallon, but they were also reveling in the company of countless courtesans, embracing a life of complete debauchery.

If word got out about this?

It would be an absolute scandal.

Their families—especially their fathers—would probably lose their minds. These men were the sons of distinguished families, sent to the Imperial Academy to study and refine their knowledge. The empire was at peace now; there were fewer wars to fight. Their parents expected them to become scholars and officials, not waste their days in vice.

Yet here they were, partying in the black market under Su Yang’s influence.

If their families found out…

Oh, they’d lose it.

Su Yang let out a dramatic sigh, his face full of regret.

“Sorry, guys,” he said, looking at Cheng Chumo and the others with a guilty expression.

He planned to expose everything.

The only way to fully embrace his role as a rich, reckless playboy was to make sure this scandal spread far and wide. That way, he’d rack up even more points.

The next morning.

At dawn, the usually peaceful city of Chang’an erupted in chaos.

The entire imperial court was in an uproar.

News had spread like wildfire—Su Yang had “accidentally” let slip everything that happened in the black market last night.

Now, everyone knew.

Cheng Chumo and his friends had openly defied the curfew, sneaking out at night to indulge in drinking, gambling, and a level of debauchery that was hard to stomach.

And if that wasn’t bad enough…

Word was that after a night of revelry, they ran out of money and got themselves detained in a brothel! If their families hadn’t rushed over to bail them out in time, who knew how much worse it could’ve gotten?

The court officials were stunned.

All eyes turned to Cheng Yaojin and the other generals. Their expressions ranged from amusement to pure ridicule.

The scholars—who already looked down on the military—were especially smug.

To them, this was just more proof that warriors were nothing but brainless brutes.

“Tell me, what exactly qualifies these muscleheads to hold positions in court?”

“Do they have the intellect to govern a nation?”

One of the officials sneered. “Duke Lu, you really outdid yourself raising your son. The kid’s a perfect copy of his father—the infamous troublemaker of his generation.”

Laughter rippled through the court as other ministers piled on with sarcastic remarks.

Cheng Yaojin and the other generals were furious.

Their faces turned red with rage, but what could they do? Their sons had indeed made fools of themselves. All they could do was grit their teeth and endure it.

After all, Cheng Chumo wasn’t just some random noble kid—he was a young Cavalry General in the empire’s army. And yet, here he was, making headlines for sneaking off to the black market for a night of debauchery.

This was not a good look.

“Your Majesty,” Cheng Yaojin finally spoke, his voice heavy with frustration.

“I won’t deny that our boys acted like fools… but let’s be fair here. They weren’t the ones who started this mess.”

He shot a murderous glare in Su Yang’s direction.

“The real instigator? That spoiled brat Su Yang!”

Other generals immediately chimed in, nodding furiously.

“Our sons are good kids! They were just led astray by that troublemaker!”

“He’s the worst of them all!”

And just like that, the court descended into a heated debate, as officials and generals threw the blame back and forth—while Su Yang, the true mastermind behind the chaos, simply watched the show unfold.