Yuan Li’s scheme was simple—he arranged two people to whisper near where Liu Xie passed, discussing how Wang Ying’s disciple had killed Jiankang’s Left Commandant at the Wang residence. The two said quietly, “That disciple clearly acted on Wang Ying’s orders. That Jiankang Left Commandant was also wronged. He merely mentioned Wang Ying’s father Wang Han, and Wang Ying felt he was being mocked. Without a word, he immediately ordered his disciple to kill the Commandant.”
Liu Xie heard this and immediately had people bring the two back to his residence. Upon questioning, he learned one person’s cousin’s表舅舅 was a gardener at the Wang residence, doing flower and tree pruning work. That day he was moving flowerpots at the Wang residence and vaguely heard the Jiankang Left Commandant mention Wang Han while drunk. Moments later, Wang Ying’s门人 came out with a knife and killed the Jiankang Left Commandant on the spot.
Scared everyone to death.
Liu Xie had impeached Wang Ying when the incident occurred, but because the Prince of Langya favored Wang Ying, and Wang Ying’s father Wang Han had been killed going to Yuzhou for him, the Prince used the excuse that the criminal was Wang Ying’s disciple, not Wang Ying himself, and only punished Wang Ying’s disciple without punishing Wang Ying.
Now, having obtained new evidence, Liu Xie immediately had people find that gardener, protect him, and obtain his testimony. He then entered the palace to accuse Wang Ying to the Prince of Langya.
Liu Xie spoke激烈, telling the Prince of Langya, “The Jiankang Left Commandant was Your Highness’s subject, yet Wang Ying could privately execute him. This shows he doesn’t take you seriously. Backed by the Wang clan, he believes he can act with impunity. If Your Highness doesn’t deal with him, won’t all your subordinate officials live in constant fear?”
The Prince of Langya struggled internally. He didn’t want to punish Wang Ying because Wang Han died miserably, and for him.
Back then, Zhao Hanzhang only had people return Wang Han’s head—there was no body. The Wang family could only make a wooden torso, attach the head, and bury it.
Each time he remembered, the Prince felt both terrified and guilty, so he indulged Wang Ying considerably.
To suppress the Wangs, there were many candidates. Why must it be Wang Ying?
Liu Xie earnestly advised, “Your Highness, merit is merit, fault is fault. Wang Ying is arrogant and domineering, relying not on your favor but on being a Wang clan member. He’s habitually arrogant. Insulting scholars in Jiankang is normal for him. He also allows门人 to forcibly seize commoners’ land. Previously you could indulge him because he hadn’t endangered your life and great enterprise. Now he can even privately execute officials. If you don’t punish him, what will he fear in the future?”
The Prince of Langya hesitated long before Liu Xie finally persuaded him. He nodded, allowing him to handle this matter.
Liu Xie immediately summoned palace guards to arrest Wang Ying.
First arrest and interrogate him, then imprison him.
Yuan Li sat in a wine shop, watching Liu Xie intercept the thoroughly drunk Wang Ying in the pleasure house across the street, preparing to take him back to the Court of Judicial Review for interrogation.
Wang Ying had drunk all night and just emerged in the morning. His eyes were blurred, his brain like mush. But precisely because it was mush, he concealed his thoughts even less and exposed his nature more. Seeing Liu Xie, he couldn’t help laughing loudly, swaying as he pointed at him and told his friend cheerfully, “So it’s Petty Person Liu, a treacherous villain. Move aside, move aside. Don’t污 my eyes by standing before me.”
Liu Xie’s attendants’ expressions changed as they glared at him angrily.
Liu Xie’s face showed little change. He merely announced the charges, then waved for guards to take him away.
Wang Ying was drunk, and Wang Ying’s friends were barely sober, but their attendants were fine. How could they let Liu Xie take him?
They didn’t care at all that Liu Xie held the Prince of Langya’s command—they directly blocked Wang Ying’s path.
During the shoving, Liu Xie nearly fell. He raged, “This is His Highness’s command! Do you dare defy orders?”
“His Highness?” Wang Ying, protected behind them, laughed loudly. “Forget His Highness—even if the Heavenly King himself came, he couldn’t take me!”
His finger suddenly jabbed toward Liu Xie as his eyes turned血红. He roared, “Underlings, kill him!”
His disciples and attendants hesitated. They could kill the Left Commandant—he was just a minor official, insignificant. With Wang Ying there, at most they’d be beaten and fined. But Liu Xie was the Prince of Langya’s confidant. Killing him…
Wang Ying might be fine, but they might lose their lives.
Seeing them unmoving, Wang Ying roared furiously, “You dare disobey? I’ll dismiss you all! No—I’ll send you to Uncle’s army as military slaves!”
The disciples and attendants’ faces changed. Being Wang Dun’s military slaves meant wanting death but being unable to die.
They exchanged glances, gritted their teeth—fine, attack first. Best if Liu Xie识相 and fled quickly. Then they could pretend they couldn’t catch or kill him. Once he sobered up, everything would be fine.
Seeing them actually draw swords, Liu Xie became furious. With stubbornness rising, he was even more determined to capture them. He waved for guards to arrest them and sent his own attendants forward as well.
The two groups instantly began fighting. Wang Ying was protected behind them. Someone’s blood splattered on his face. He wiped it, licked it with his tongue tip, and grew even more excited.
His face flushed血红, yet he sobered somewhat. Across the fighting crowd, he looked toward Liu Xie opposite him and狂热地 shouted, “Kill him, kill him! Cut off his head—I’ll offer it before Father’s grave! I’ll stuff a chamber pot in his mouth and see if he dares bark at Father and me again!”
Street crowds had scattered when they drew weapons. Many couldn’t escape in time and squeezed into shops on both sides.
Shopkeepers both wanted to watch and feared they’d rush into the店中. They had people close doors while running to second-floor windows, pushing hard inside, then looking down.
What had been a lively street instantly emptied by more than half. Only some fearless people stood far at street corners watching the excitement. Everyone else hid in shops on both sides.
All shops closed their doors.
By now, people had been cut down and lay on the ground, alive or dead unknown.
Yuan Li’s lips curved upward as he watched all this with pleasure.
He didn’t admit to being变态, but watching them kill each other, being manipulated in his palm—it made him so happy.
Blood red everywhere. Friends混ing with Wang Ying finally sobered considerably, hurrying to stop Wang Ying. “You can’t kill him!”
Wang Ying directly pushed away their hands, his face狰狞. “What’s to fear? Even if I kill him, who can do anything to me?”
“Liu Xie is His Highness’s confidant. He’ll be angry.”
“Let him be angry. Treacherous villain—I’ll not only kill Liu Xie but also kill Diao Xie. I’ve long found them distasteful, like two mad dogs biting everyone they see.” Wang Ying stepped forward, spreading his arms wide and shouting, “I’ll kill him—who can do anything to me!”
After shouting, he pointed toward Liu Xie and狂喊ed, “Kill him for me—”
Across the crowd, Liu Xie met his blood-red, excited gaze and felt a chill. He clenched his fists tight, even more determined: Wang Ying must die!
If he didn’t die, someday he’d die at Wang Ying’s hands instead.
Liu Xie made his resolution, looking at Wang Ying with势在必得 determination.
Sitting upstairs, Yuan Li saw this and leaned closer to the window with interest, his eyes flashing with light. Interesting, interesting! Originally he’d only wanted to deepen the矛盾 between the Prince of Langya and the Wang clan. He knew Liu Xie couldn’t kill Wang Ying, and Wang Ying couldn’t kill Liu Xie either. But now it seemed…
Yuan Li paid even closer attention to the situation below. Liu Xie—he absolutely couldn’t die right now.