A heavy rain failed to dispel the capital’s heat. Officials couldn’t sit comfortably even in their duty rooms, though some places were somewhat cooler than others.

The entrance to the Ministry of Justice’s prison gathered more people than usual.

There were officials, clerks, and constables. The chill emanating from the underground cells could ease the heat. If not for the pungent smell of the dungeon, everyone would have wanted to go inside to escape the summer heat.

With so many people gathered, there was laughter and lively chatter. Currently the most popular topic was the Empress holding court.

“That the Empress can hold court is already a concession from the Grand Tutor, given the Emperor is still young. Yet she’s pushing her luck and actually wants to interfere in state affairs.”

“What is this called? This is a hen crowing at dawn!”

“Oh, you dare curse the Empress!”

“I’m not the one cursing—this is how the history books curse.”

“Even if I were in front of the Empress, I’d dare curse like this. It’s just a pity I’m not qualified to attend court.”

“Have you heard? There’s a Hanlin Editor who, to curry favor with the Empress, shouted in court that the Empress was wise and sagacious.”

“Who? So shameless? All those books read for nothing?”

“I know. It was like this—that case where a scholar from Jingzhou committed suicide—”

A group was chatting and laughing merrily when they looked up and saw a dozen people walking toward the entrance, wearing Imperial Guard uniforms—

“Look, these Imperial Guards have also come to cool off,” a constable said with a laugh.

The Ministry of Justice’s prison was a restricted area. Imperial Guards were often rotated here for duty shifts. But today those who came— The constable who had waved narrowed his eyes slightly. “Unfamiliar faces. Which unit are they from—”

He didn’t finish his words before being pulled back by someone behind him.

“They’re not,” that person stared at the approaching guards, his gaze falling on their chests. “They’re Dragon Robe Guards.”

The speaking constable now also saw the python patterns on the approaching guards’ bodies, glinting as they moved.

Dragon Robe Guards were Imperial Guards, yet not Imperial Guards, and moreover they never came here for duty.

Today they suddenly came—

Whether it was the python patterns glinting on their bodies, or their grim, rough faces, as well as the probing gazes they always carried, all the people outside the prison entrance fell silent in an instant.

More than ten Dragon Robe Guards stopped before them. The man in the lead swept his gaze over everyone.

“Ding Chui, Outer Battalion Commander of the Dragon Might Army, here on official business,” he said, and produced his waist token to introduce himself.

When the waist token was handed forward, everyone instinctively glanced at it. Someone couldn’t help but make a sound—there were three characters on the waist token.

Ding Dachui cleared his throat lightly. “Changed the name a bit, haven’t had time to replace it yet. But I am who I am.”

He had indeed just changed his name—or rather, not really changed it, just switched to a different form of address. This was Adviser Yin’s suggestion, saying Ding Chui was more formal and also more authoritative. After all, he was serving the Empress. Dachui could just be a childhood name, a private form of address.

Ding Dachui thought it over and agreed this was indeed so.

What do you mean the name changed but you’re still you? Are the Dragon Robe Guards this casual? However, this interlude brought everyone back to their senses.

An official from the Ministry of Justice said, “Cai Yi, Administrative Officer of the Ministry of Justice. I wonder what business Commander Ding has?”

Ding Dachui said, “Her Majesty believes there are problems with the Jingzhou rank evaluation fraud case, so we need to take away the suspect Zheng Xia, Regional Inspector of Jingzhou.”

Administrative Officer Cai was stunned. Most prisoners held in the Ministry of Justice’s prison were either sentenced to death or would never be released. Zheng Xia, such a minor figure, was too insignificant for him to remember originally. It was only because of the joking conversation just now that he had become freshly familiar with the name again—

“This, this—the Empress is serious?” he couldn’t help but blurt out.

Before his words had fully left his mouth, this Dragon Robe Guard whose name had just been settled showed a stern face with fierce eyes. Administrative Officer Cai’s body stiffened. He inexplicably felt like a hunter about to capture prey, and instinctively stepped back—

“What I mean is, this matter belongs to the Ministry of Justice,” Administrative Officer Cai hastily re-explained. “We haven’t received orders to retry the case.”

A clerk felt that Administrative Officer Cai was too timid. He cleared his throat lightly and looked at Ding Dachui, saying, “Commander Ding, you may not be aware, but taking someone from the Ministry of Justice’s prison requires many procedures. Setting aside everything else, first and foremost, there must be—the Grand Tutor’s written order—”

His words weren’t finished when Ding Dachui stepped forward. Accompanying his advance, the soldiers behind him also stepped forward in unison.

“I am acting on the Empress’s orders,” Ding Dachui said, enunciating each word. “Moreover, I’m not here to request your agreement, only to inform you.”

With that, he waved his hand.

“Bring the prisoner out.”

The soldiers surged forward. One group surrounded the clerks and constables, while another group headed straight for the prison.

The clerks and constables also snapped back to their senses. As constables of the Ministry of Justice, most of the prisoners they dealt with were high officials and the powerful. Once here, all had to bow and curry favor to them. The Ministry of Justice’s clerks and guards had always been the most imposing. They immediately shouted, “You dare!” “Is there no law anymore!” “Someone come, there’s a prison break!” “Surrender now, otherwise—”

But this sentence wasn’t finished. As soon as they stepped forward to obstruct, they were knocked to the ground by the Dragon Robe Guards’ raised hands.

They really hit them, and even drew their weapons.

“The Dragon Might Army acts on the Son of Heaven’s orders. Those who obstruct will be treated as rebels,” Ding Dachui stood in place, one hand on his sword, looking at the armed guards surging before him. “Kill without mercy.”

Kill without mercy. All the present clerks, constables, and armed guards froze.

These Dragon Robe Guards—their eyes flickered with savage light. Looking at them was like looking at prey—excited, bloodthirsty.

…

…

“The Empress’s Dragon Might Army raided the Ministry of Justice’s prison?”

Xie Yanfang sat at his desk and asked with a smile.

Seventh Master Xie nodded. “When I heard the news and rushed over, I saw the Ministry of Justice’s armed guards lying all over the ground. That group of Dragon Robe Guards swaggered off with the death row prisoner Zheng Xia.”

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily and put down the letter in his hand, saying, “Excellent, excellent. Well raided.”

“What can she do after abducting him?” Seventh Master Xie frowned and said.

Xie Yanfang smiled. “Investigate the case.” He reached out to pick up another letter and opened it to read.

Seventh Master Xie scoffed. “How will she investigate?”

Xie Yanfang multitasked, reading the letter while speaking.

“There’s nothing to investigate about this case. It’s just that no one went to investigate, and there was no need to investigate. Using Zheng Xia to close the case was the best outcome.”

“This ‘no need to investigate’ includes the Grand Tutor and us—favors upon favors, layer upon layer.”

“Now, there’s the Empress who is not part of it all, without the slightest personal connection, to investigate.”

“This crude, undisguised case—even a fool could investigate it.”

At this point he smiled again.

“What’s more, the Empress is no fool, but quite clever.”

That last sentence didn’t really need to be said. Seventh Master Xie curled his lip and said, “This isn’t just a hen crowing at dawn anymore—this is reckless and wanton behavior.”

…

…

The Empress’s reckless and wanton behavior didn’t stop after raiding the Ministry of Justice’s prison.

A few days later, Dragon Robe Guards burst into the home of the Imperial Academy Chancellor, dragging away Chancellor Jiang Zhen who was feasting with his family. The entire Jiang clan was shaken. The Military Patrol Bureau rushed over upon hearing the news and confronted the Dragon Robe Guards in the street.

“You’re audacious! How can you arrest people without orders?” The Military Patrol Commissioner’s face turned red with anger.

Ding Dachui’s expression showed no ripples. “We are investigating a case under orders. Chancellor Jiang is a suspect. We’re taking him back for questioning.”

The Commissioner didn’t even know what to say. He gritted his teeth. “That’s the Imperial Academy Chancellor! Chancellor Jiang!”

Someone of this rank—the Grand Tutor had to give the word, the Ministry of Justice had to issue the order, before he could be arrested. And unless it was treason or heinous crimes like plotting rebellion, he would be politely invited. How could a group of soldiers charge in like wolves and tigers to arrest someone, as if copying someone’s home and exterminating their clan?

The Jiang family was a scholarly clan. Three generations had held high office with generous salaries. Even the Late Emperor treated them with courtesy.

Ding Dachui said woodenly, “I only recognize suspects. I don’t care who they are.”

To a hunter from the mountains, what were high officials or scholarly clans? He didn’t know them, and not knowing, he had no awe.

He recognized this Commissioner—they were both military men and had dealt with each other a few times. But that was all. Without waiting for the other person to speak again, Ding Dachui waved his hand.

“Commissioner Yuan, quickly step aside and don’t delay our official business,” he said. “You’re attracting crowds and causing chaos.”

Who’s causing chaos? The Commissioner looked at the citizens gathering on the street, the Jiang family’s men, women, old and young, and servants who had followed. At this moment, they were like boiling water, bubbling and about to explode on the street.

“Commander Ding,” the Commissioner said, “hand Chancellor Jiang over to us. You go get proper authorization. Even if there really needs to be an investigation, it should be the Ministry of Justice’s job.”

Ding Dachui gripped his sword at his waist. “This is a doubtful case from the Ministry of Justice, now transferred to us for investigation. Quickly step aside, or don’t blame us for showing no mercy.”

The Commissioner gritted his teeth. “You wouldn’t dare arrest me too?”

Ding Dachui shook his head. “No arrest.” He revealed a trace of a smile. “Only beat you.”

These people were simply beasts. The Commissioner was about to say something when he suddenly felt trembling beneath his feet. At the same time, shouts came from the crowd on the street.

“Capital troops are coming—”

Hoofbeats thundered on the street as队 after队 of armored soldiers arrived in formation. These were troops from the Capital Military Camp.

The citizens who had been bubbling like boiling water instantly erupted.

Military force was being deployed!

Something big was happening!

“The Grand Tutor orders!” the troops shouted in unison. “The Dragon Might Army acts recklessly and presumptuously disobeys orders. Surrender immediately!”

The Commissioner’s face also became very ugly. He looked at the approaching troops, then at Ding Dachui.

The Grand Tutor supervised the state. Besides holding the imperial seal, he also held the tiger tally. The capital’s military forces were under his command.

The Empress overstepped the Grand Tutor to arrest and interrogate people. The Grand Tutor could mobilize troops to stop her.

“Commander Ding,” the Commissioner said urgently, “quickly release him. This is a matter between the Grand Tutor and the Empress. You’re powerless.”

Ding Dachui looked at the capital troops surrounding them from the front.

“The matter between the Grand Tutor and the Empress is their matter. Following orders to carry out our duties is our matter,” he said, drawing his sword. “I followed the Empress and encountered ambushes on the road. The border commanderies battled Xi Liang. Zhongshan Commandery besieged Prince Zhongshan. Either survive or die—we never give up.”

“Today there may be Dragon Might Army soldiers who die here, but there will never be Dragon Might Army soldiers who surrender.”

Gripping his sword, he spurred his horse forward one step and called out loudly.

“The Dragon Might Army acts on the Late Emperor’s dying command to protect the eternal stability of the state. Today we investigate a case by imperial decree. All unrelated persons quickly withdraw, or you will be deemed rebels and killed without mercy.”

With his movement, more than ten Dragon Might Army soldiers drew their swords. From another direction, hoofbeats also thundered as dozens more Dragon Might Army reinforcements arrived.

“Investigating by imperial decree. Quickly withdraw, or you will be deemed rebels.”

“Kill without mercy!”

“Kill without mercy!”

Accompanied by shout after shout, Ding Dachui charged first. Behind him, the Dragon Might Army of only dozens showed not the slightest fear as they rushed toward the several hundred capital troops.

The street immediately exploded into chaos.

“They’re fighting—”

Seeing this scene, the officials observing from a distance could no longer hold back. These lunatics! These simply weren’t human!

“Everyone stop—”

…

…

Deng Yi stepped into the inner palace study where the Emperor was, looking at Chu Zhao who sat writing characters together with Xiao Yu.

Chu Zhao smiled. “Grand Tutor, what brings you here today?”

Deng Yi ignored her joking smile.

“Empress, what are you trying to do?” he only asked.

Chu Zhao put away her smile, set down her brush, and said, “This palace only wishes to investigate a case.”

Deng Yi said, “Is this investigating a case? This is disregarding laws and regulations, not following legal statutes, indulging the Dragon Might Army in seeking merit and reward, acting willfully and recklessly.”

“Grand Tutor, this palace is not disregarding laws and regulations,” Chu Zhao said. “Rather, the laws and regulations disregard this palace. It’s you who disregard that this case has doubts, disregard insufficient evidence, disregard the suspect’s cries of injustice. Otherwise, there would be no need for this palace to personally investigate the case.”

Deng Yi looked at her coldly.

“Furthermore,” Chu Zhao met his gaze without evasion, “Grand Tutor, you supervise the state by the Late Emperor’s dying command. So does this palace. It was this palace who saved His Majesty. It was the Late Emperor who personally issued the decree—for the eternal stability of the state—making this palace the Empress.”

Deng Yi said, “So what?”

Chu Zhao said, “So regarding any matter that endangers Da Xia’s upright governance, this palace has the authority to intervene.”

Deng Yi gave her a wooden glance, then turned and strode away.