As soon as her words fell, the previously overcast sky suddenly cleared, clouds dispersed and the gloom lifted, revealing a line of brilliant blue sky with golden sunlight cascading down!
In an instant, across the vast area with thousands of people, there was complete silence.
Everyone was stunned.
Tie Ci glanced at Rong Pu, thinking he was probably the one who had brought them here.
It seemed he had also noticed Mother Shen’s weather forecasting abilities.
For herself, she hadn’t wanted to drag Mother Shen out, though this was obviously a better way to clear Shen Mi’s name and deliver an even harsher blow to the Xiao family. But this was someone’s private matter—asking a person to publicly confess their failings in front of a crowd, not to mention how Mother Shen herself felt about it, at the very least Shen Mi would absolutely refuse.
Anyway, they were pretty much winning now, and she didn’t want to hurt anyone else.
But Rong Pu in his actions, though not as ruthless and extreme as Murong Yi, had in his bones the unique coldness and decisiveness of capable ministers.
When he could hammer the opponent to death, he would never use one bit less force.
The clouds parting and sun emerging clearly had more shocking power over the people and candidates than the half-day of back-and-forth struggle that preceded it.
Combined with He Zi’s perfectly timed “Three feet above your head, the gods are watching,” it was an instant knockout blow.
The silence lasted a long time—even Ma Hetong trembled and stepped back several paces.
Until Xiao Liheng suddenly stood up.
He hastily bowed and said: “Brother Shen’s pure filial piety is truly moving. This old subject remembers there are urgent matters, so I’ll take my leave.”
Without waiting for anyone’s response, he turned and walked away.
Though Tie Ci was accusing the Xiao family, and the witnesses and suspects she’d brought out all pointed to the Xiao family, ultimately none of this had direct connection to him personally, so there was no way to detain this high-ranking, powerful figure.
The Three Legal Departments also said nothing—no one could expect to arrest Xiao Liheng on the spot, nor handle it that way.
The Xiao family would always have to throw out a few people to deal with this counterattack—like the Shengdu Prefecture officials, the troops sent to arrest people, the Zhuque Guard’s deputy commander, those identified as connected to the student unrest instigators from Xiao residence subordinates… that would be cutting his flesh.
But destroying his plans, protecting He Zi and others, washing away the accusations, winning popular support, trampling the Xiao family into the mud of public opinion from now on, and letting the court ministers see clearly Tie Ci’s strength and which way popular sentiment leaned so they would reconsider their allegiances—that was the real victory.
Tie Ci watched him from behind, waiting until he walked into the crowd before calling out loudly: “Assistant Minister, remember to properly reinforce your house when you get home! Be careful the storm doesn’t blow off your door lintel first!”
Xiao Liheng acted as if he hadn’t heard.
He walked into the crowd, but the people wouldn’t let him pass—some even deliberately blocked his way. In the past, who would dare treat a Xiao family leader this way? A whip would have lashed out long ago. But at this moment Xiao Liheng absolutely didn’t dare create complications, only keeping his head down and walking, as if deaf to the sneers around him. His guards had to push through the crowd with difficulty, finally clearing a path to get Xiao Liheng to his carriage. The door immediately slammed shut with a bang as they fled at full speed.
Tie Ci’s sharp eyes saw that before Xiao Liheng got in the carriage, his hat was askew, his hair disheveled, and he’d even lost one shoe.
But the people remembered the vow about the storm and all looked worriedly at the sky—what if there really was wind?
Tie Ci was in an excellent mood.
A storm would definitely come, and when the Shengdu people were struggling to cope with high winds and even suffering losses, they would remember that their disaster was brought by the Xiao family.
Their hatred for the Xiao family would become even clearer.
After all, when personal interests are involved, that’s when people feel things most truly.
She signaled to the Blood Cavalry leader, who nodded.
A small firework shot inconspicuously into the sky.
Tie Ci then called out loudly: “Everyone, go home and prepare early. Don’t go out casually within three days—what if that great wind really comes?”
She also said to the arriving Shengdu Prefecture Assistant Prefect: “Please have Shengdu Prefecture make arrangements early to prevent casualties when the storm suddenly arrives.”
The Assistant Prefect had originally come to take away his own court official, but now didn’t dare say a word and bowed deeply.
Reminded by this, the people all hurriedly called to friends and rushed home to prepare, eager to share everything they had seen and heard today with their neighbors.
The remaining candidates looked at each other. Finally someone sighed deeply, stepped forward with shame written all over his face, bowed to He Zi and to Shen Mi and others, then left without a word.
The other scholars also bowed apologetically. Across the field, the crowd bent in unison like grass in the wind.
Clever Shengdu Prefecture bailiffs had already removed the shackles from Shen Mi and others. They also returned the bows as He Zi said: “Gentlemen understand righteousness, petty men understand profit. All who wish to study should first distinguish between righteousness and profit, public and private. I hope we can encourage each other.”
Everyone accepted this with shame.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review struck his gavel and said: “Based on all evidence verification, Ma Hetong’s accusation of fraud against Shen Mi and others lacks substantive proof. Shen Mi and others will remain temporarily at the Court of Judicial Review and be released after this official submits a memorial. Ma Hetong should bear responsibility for false accusation, but as he was also deceived, he is exempt from punishment. Others involved in the cases the Crown Princess has brought will also have memorials submitted for separate trials.”
The Shengdu Prefecture court official and the Zhuque Guard deputy commander brought by Tie Ci turned ashen.
Students from Yueli Academy who had arrived cheered.
Someone threw their hat into the sky and shouted: “Long live the Crown Princess!”
Sunlight cascaded from the line of clouds, illuminating every laughing young face—bright, clear, and sparkling.
…
The crowd dispersed and the dust settled. Though Shen Mi and others still had to wait for court deliberation, Tie Ci was confident that today’s events would definitely reach their ears. Those clamoring for impeachment, those scheming for advancement, those protecting themselves wisely, those secretly conniving—all should recalculate now.
For instance, that old fox Rong Luchuan would definitely distance himself from the Xiao family again.
Once he turned away, the Cabinet would no longer cling to the fraud case, and the Censorate would be isolated.
Zhu Yi and others would seize the opportunity to counterattack, neutrals would turn toward He Zi and others, and now those facing impeachment should be the group that had jumped around most fiercely this time.
Court politics always involved tangled threads and endless entanglements—gains and losses couldn’t be judged by simple victory or defeat.
Tie Ci looked at the sky, preparing to summon a carriage. Having won this round, once a certain message was confirmed, she needed to hurry back to the palace. Who to pursue relentlessly, who to handle lightly, who to replace while seizing the opportunity—she still had much to keep busy with.
She looked for Dan Shuang, and turning around, saw Dan Shuang standing to one side with Mu Si pressed close behind her. They were clearly back-to-back, yet somehow Tie Ci seemed to see someone’s hand quickly pulling away.
She thought about it but couldn’t figure out how they’d arranged themselves in that position.
Rong Pu walked over and said: “We were under house arrest last night and only just found an opportunity to get out. I plan to handle things here…”
He was about to say he would represent Tie Ci in properly comforting Shen Mi and others while also winning over the candidates who had testified for them earlier. Those who testified were all from this year’s successful candidates—partly speaking from facts, partly not wanting a major fraud case and re-examination to occur. These people had spoken up righteously, naturally a good opportunity for winning them over.
But before he could finish speaking, he heard Murong Yi loudly proclaiming: “Fellow brothers, you’ve all worked hard today. I have already received the Crown Princess’s command to reserve Jumei Tower, with flowing banquet tables, inviting this year’s scholars to celebrate today’s victory together. Shengdu’s famous Thousand Autumn Throat wine will be provided without limit—let’s drink until we’re thoroughly drunk!”
Young people naturally loved banquets. Jumei Tower was one of Shengdu’s three great famous restaurants, and Thousand Autumn Throat was precious wine that a thousand gold could hardly buy. With both attractions combined, which candidate present could resist such temptation? They all cheered.
Some praised the Crown Princess’s generosity even more. Jumei Tower was famous for being expensive, always the dining place of princes and young masters. One dish could equal three months of living expenses for ordinary families. Usually these candidates didn’t even dare look twice at Jumei Tower’s sign.
This full reservation with unlimited good wine—how much would it cost?!
Tie Ci didn’t know how much it would cost, but it wasn’t her money anyway.
She just didn’t understand why a certain someone had to be so flamboyant.
Murong Yi smiled at her: “When the Crown Princess treats, shouldn’t you at least stay for a drink?”
Before Tie Ci could respond, he had already moved closer and whispered: “Didn’t you send people to assassinate old Xiao? You can’t return to the palace now—returning would make it hard to explain, right?”
Tie Ci’s heart shook—she hadn’t expected him to guess.
She had indeed kept one surprise force, planning to ambush old Xiao on his way home. Since old Xiao liked having people sabotage carriages and break legs, wouldn’t the same thing happening to him be quite normal?
But to make old Xiao have an “accident,” she couldn’t leave alone.
Though old Xiao’s accident would still leave her under suspicion, court politics involved tacit understanding—having a surface alibi made many things much easier to handle.
Seeing her silence, Murong Yi went ahead and arranged for his subordinates to handle preparations.
Yang Yixiu and others had also been confined all night. Now supporting Mother Shen and watching the show with great enjoyment, he whispered to Tian Wu: “We have a saying back home: lazy men fear scoundrels, scoundrels fear the shameless. Look—this time Scholar Rong clearly contributed no less than that fellow. Without his timely notification and subsequent arrangement to bring Lady Shen, His Highness couldn’t have achieved such complete victory. But in the end, all the spotlight and benefits were taken by that fellow.”
Tian Wu chuckled: “Not necessarily—His Highness understands the situation.”
“So what if she understands? His Highness definitely favors that fellow more now.”
“You already said she favors that fellow more—what’s there to lament about?” Tian Wu asked strangely. “If His Highness likes him, then even doing nothing, His Highness would favor him. If His Highness has no interest, even conquering kingdoms for His Highness would still make you an external minister. External ministers and inner consorts—what’s there to compete about?”
Yang Yixiu: …You simpleton always leave me speechless with your words.
Murong Yi suddenly walked past Tian Wu, patted his shoulder, and said: “Big fool, I heard that last time you exhausted your family wealth sending beef, depleted your inventory, couldn’t keep up with subsequent deliveries, and transport merchants raised prices on the spot, causing you some family criticism?”
Tian Wu was startled and was about to ask how he knew when he heard Murong Yi say casually: “I happen to have a trade route here, plus some good sources that can help you restock quickly and shorten transport distances. That would be the Nanjiang Canal Gang—you should have heard of them, right? You can negotiate prices with them yourself. How about it?”
Tian Wu was overjoyed and quickly thanked him. The losses last time had been huge. Though he later recovered with the Emperor’s rewards and silenced the family elders, the partners’ price manipulation meant Shengdu shops couldn’t restock long-term, affecting the entire business line. Now this person had easily solved his problems, making him feel refreshed all over. He added: “I really don’t know how to thank you…”
“No need to be polite.” Murong Yi kindly patted his dog head and smiled: “I like what you said just now. Good words deserve rewards.”
Tian Wu: …What had he just said?
…
Many scholars stayed in the end. Jumei Tower set up ten tables with both upper and lower floors full.
When Tie Ci went upstairs, she remembered her last visit here was to eat crispy duck when she’d heard a bunch of Shengdu dandies gossiping about her behind her back and had gotten into a big fight.
That was also the day she’d met Dan Ye.
She wondered how that bastard Dan Ye was doing.
She also wondered about the Xirong warriors he’d specially sent and she’d secretly trained—how were their missions going now?
…
The carriage raced along the road.
Xiao Liheng sat inside, ignoring the jolting and constantly urging: “Faster, faster.”
Get back to the residence quickly—every minute delayed on the road added another minute of danger.
If this were a year ago, he wouldn’t be afraid at all. No one in Shengdu could move against him, and he could return home unhurriedly.
Even before tonight, he hadn’t been worried. Even if the Crown Princess held all nine guard units plus three hundred Blood Cavalry, he wasn’t afraid.
After all, the Three Great Camps and Shengdu Prefecture guards all supported the Xiao family.
But tonight, calculating the numbers from various response locations, he’d discovered a terrifying situation.
Tie Ci’s military strength in Shengdu wasn’t just what he could see!
She had hidden reserves that could quickly control inside and outside the Imperial City!
Did she also have reserves to deal with him?
Though the struggle between the imperial house and Xiao family wasn’t just about one family’s fate but involved Shengdu’s entire economy and stability, what if the Crown Princess had been suppressed too long and became desperate?
He didn’t dare risk his only life on such a gamble.
Several fireworks shot out. Still uneasy, Xiao Liheng stuck his head out of the speeding carriage and urgently ordered his guards: “Go send messages to all the lords’ residences, requesting they come to Xiao residence for discussion!”
The guards received orders and galloped away.
Xiao Liheng’s head hadn’t retracted when he suddenly heard a sharp whistling wind and saw several clusters of black arrowheads explode like a black vortex before his eyes!
He let out a heart-rending scream.
Figures flashed around him as the coachman and mounted guards threw themselves forward, blocking him from left and right. Blood splattered across his face.
Two figures fell softly under the horses. Xiao Liheng couldn’t spare time to look or wipe his face, quickly pulling his head back and pressing a button in the carriage. Bang—iron plates dropped down on all four sides of the carriage!
The next instant, several arrows struck the iron plates with ringing sounds, sparks flying, leaving deep white marks on the iron.
Before Xiao Liheng could catch his breath, the carriage base suddenly shook violently. The bottom—the only part without iron plates—shattered with a roar, and a gleaming long blade emerged from the breach.
Like a scorpion from underground suddenly raising its tail!
Xiao Liheng screamed and jumped up. There were actually iron handholds on the carriage ceiling, and he grabbed them to hang suspended.
Below, the long blade flashed like lightning, spinning in a circle with knife-light like snow. If Xiao Liheng had still been standing in the carriage, his legs would be gone now.
Poor old Xiao at his age, hanging from iron handholds in midair, actually managed to hold on.
He hung there with feet braced against the carriage walls, the blade from below only half an inch from his crotch.
With a thunderous sound overhead, bright light flooded in as someone shouted: “Assistant Minister!”
It was his loyal retainers.
Blade-light shot straight up from below.
Xiao Liheng quickly reached up as the retainer on the roof pulled him up.
A flash of blade-light pierced through the carriage pursuing upward. The retainer threw Xiao Liheng out with one hand as a horse charged up to catch him.
In just that moment, the blade-light piercing through the carriage raged upward like an angry dragon, swallowing the retainer who couldn’t retreat in time.
From his position on the galloping horse, Xiao Liheng only had time to see blood rain falling from the carriage roof.
He saw arrows like a mad storm, densely striking the iron plates, and in just an instant, the inch-thick iron plates were deformed, cracked, shattered, then the carriage was riddled like a hornet’s nest.
If he’d been even a moment slower, he would have become a string of human gourds.
Xiao Liheng watched with all his hair standing on end.
Tie Ci actually dared!
Tie Ci really dared!
Tie Ci’s methods were so fierce and crazed!
More importantly, this attack style didn’t seem like jianghu assassins or ordinary troops.
Jianghu assassins wouldn’t be so well-trained in coordinated combat. Ordinary troops lacked this killing intent and ability.
Thinking of that ghostly figure attacking from under the carriage, thinking of that blade technique skilled in killing, he couldn’t help thinking of Scorpion Camp.
Then he suddenly remembered—when Blood Cavalry and Scorpion Camp escorted Tie Ci back to the capital, three hundred Blood Cavalry had returned with Tie Ci first and were kept in the capital by her. Because their numbers weren’t large, no one raised objections. But what about the main force behind them?
Because everyone had been busy with spring examinations and various overt and covert struggles after Tie Ci’s return, no one had noticed whether, theoretically, this army “escorting the Crown Princess back to the capital” was still wandering the roads.
After all this time, where had they wandered to?
Had Tie Ci been hiding this group all along?
Xiao Liheng felt cold all over, goosebumps forming in rows.
More and more people gathered around him—his loyal retainers and guards surrounding him in the center. Xiao Liheng relaxed slightly.
For safety, Xiao residence didn’t sit among the gathered high officials in the southeast of the Imperial City, but was built at the foot of Yuan Mountain in the southwest, with surrounding civilian residences relocated. The estate stretched for miles, occupying vast grounds beside clear lake water. Around the lake were countless trees, lush and verdant. Stone paths could accommodate two carriages side by side. From a distance, the remote mountains were green, the blue lake like a pearl, with magnificent buildings in the center and a great road reaching to heaven.
But the private garden that usually displayed status and position now became a dangerous path home—no civilian residences, no markets, sparse population, convenient for interception.
However, Xiao residence had its own confidence. Having claimed such a large territory, necessary guards were essential.
Hoofbeats pounded onto the stone road, figures moving in the woods as guards came out to meet them.
The pursuers behind seemed to have disappeared. Xiao Liheng had just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the guards coming to meet them suddenly followed by whistling sounds, then the guards fell in batches like mown grass!
Tie Ci was vicious enough to set ambushes in his Xiao family’s own woods!
Xiao Liheng was shocked. Looking back, he heard continuous ringing sounds as another row of arrows was planted!
Those were stone slabs with small gaps and hard surfaces, yet these arrows forced their way into the cracks, even splitting the stone edges.
Cracks spread rapidly like a torn spider web, reaching Xiao Liheng’s horse in the blink of an eye.
The attackers were well-trained and coordinated, clearly military, but Xiao Liheng had never heard of any Great Qian army with such archers.
Scorpion Camp excelled in blade techniques and ambush warfare, Blood Cavalry were good at charges and spear techniques. Xiao Xueya’s Bow-Blade Camp used blades and bows as the name suggested, but employed light crossbows, not these heavy arrows requiring extremely powerful arms.
Xiao Liheng no longer had time to consider who the attackers were. Arrows behind him moved like black clouds and sudden rain, constantly pursuing his heels. His retainers gave sharp whistles as he screamed within them: “Faster! Get back to the residence quickly! Faster!”
…