According to protocol, when officials return to the capital after inspecting or investigating cases in other regions, their first task is to enter the palace and report to the emperor.
Before this, urgent or non-urgent documents should be sent to the capital in advance.
Whether it’s for court discussions or such major events, documents must be sent to the capital beforehand. Urgent matters are expedited, with distances of 600 to 800 li depending on the level of urgency.
For non-urgent matters, documents should still be sent back to the capital one step ahead.
This is both for the emperor’s dignity, allowing him to remain calm in the face of major events, and to give the emperor more time to consider and consult with his trusted ministers.
But there’s one exception: rebellion.
In the massacre of Chou Prefecture, the city was destroyed and its people perished; the Northern Garrison King was executed within the city, and the Great Qi no longer had its national guardian general. Such major events should have been reported with utmost urgency, even 1000 li if horses could grow wings.
Yet the delegation deliberately didn’t send documents in advance or notify the court. Of course, the delegation wasn’t planning a rebellion.
“We want to catch the court and His Majesty off guard!”
This was what Buzhengshi Zheng Xinghuai said.
Only if the court was thrown into chaos by this matter could he mediate, operate, and persuade his old friends and Prime Minister Wang, uniting the entire civil official group.
The delegation left the official ship, with imperial guards carrying a thin coffin containing the Northern Garrison King’s body, reassembled but complete.
At the dock, experienced foremen immediately shouted at the laborers to step back, not allowing them to block the officials’ way or even watch.
In such situations, it often meant that someone among the officials had perished. If you showed a look of curiosity or excitement, you might incur the wrath of the deceased’s comrades.
Several foremen had encountered similar situations last year. In early spring, when ice still floated on the Grand Canal, an official ship reportedly from Yun Prefecture arrived at the dock.
A group of night watchmen carried several coffins ashore. Some foremen, thinking they were far enough away, whispered and pointed, treating it as gossip to pass the time.
As a result, the lead Constable broke their legs, shattered their teeth, and threw them into the canal, nearly killing them.
The group carried the coffin from the dock into the city, entered the inner city, then the imperial city, and was finally stopped outside the palace gates.
Xu Qi An stood at the front, with two Censors on his left and the Deputy Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review and Captain Chen on his right.
“Go inform His Majesty that the delegation sent to investigate in Chou Prefecture has returned to report,” Xu Qi An ordered.
“Please wait a moment, my lords,” the Feathered Forest Guard guarding the gate bowed and said, then ran into the palace.
……
In the bedchamber, Emperor Yuanjing sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.
A eunuch hurried to the threshold, head lowered, not making a sound.
The python-robed old eunuch standing beside Emperor Yuanjing glanced at the door, then at the old emperor, and took small steps to meet him, asking softly, “What is it?”
The young eunuch whispered in his ear.
Hearing this, the python-robed old eunuch frowned, then waved his hand, dismissing the eunuch.
He tiptoed back to Emperor Yuanjing’s side, carefully lowering his voice: “Your Majesty…”
When Emperor Yuanjing was meditating, he was not to be disturbed unless it was urgent.
The old eunuch, having accompanied Emperor Yuanjing for so many years, had this level of understanding.
Emperor Yuanjing opened his eyes and said slowly, “What is it?”
The old eunuch bowed and said, “The delegation sent to investigate in Chou Prefecture has returned. They are now outside the palace, waiting for Your Majesty’s audience.”
Emperor Yuanjing frowned, looked at the old eunuch, and asked, “Why haven’t I received any documents from the Cabinet about Chou Prefecture?”
He only learned of this when the delegation returned to the capital.
Emperor Yuanjing narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and said slowly, “Summon them to the Imperial Study.”
The old eunuch turned and left.
Emperor Yuanjing’s face was expressionless, like a deep and terrifying sculpture.
……
The delegation received the summons and was led into the palace by a blue-robed eunuch. The others, including the coffin, naturally couldn’t enter the palace.
Even if it contained the Northern Garrison King, it would require the emperor’s summons to enter the palace. Moreover, at this point, apart from the delegation, no one in the palace knew that the body in the coffin was the Great Qi’s top warrior, Emperor Yuanjing’s brother.
Entering the spacious and luxurious Imperial Study, the group waited silently. A quarter of an hour later, Emperor Yuanjing arrived with several eunuchs.
The old emperor, wearing a Daoist robe with glossy black hair, his long sleeves fluttering, didn’t sit behind the grand desk but stopped in front of the delegation. His majestic gaze swept over their faces as he spoke in a steady voice:
“I have inquired with the Cabinet. They did not receive any documents from you in advance.”
The old emperor glanced at Xu Qi An, seemingly dismissing him as a crude warrior not worth addressing, and turned to the two Censors and the Deputy Chief Justice:
“Do you not understand the rules either?”
As the two Censors and the Deputy Chief Justice lowered their heads, before they could respond, Zheng Xinghuai stepped forward, bowing:
“Your Majesty, Chou Prefecture has been destroyed. How could we send documents?”
Emperor Yuanjing seemed to notice him for the first time, scrutinizing him for a moment, “Minister Zheng, as the Buzhengshi of Chou Prefecture, how dare you return to the capital without the court’s permission?”
This was the crime of desertion.
Zheng Xinghuai laughed bitterly, meeting Emperor Yuanjing’s gaze without backing down: “Chou Prefecture is gone. My position as Buzhengshi exists in name only.”
Referring to himself as “I” instead of “this subject,” Master Zheng’s attitude seems a bit off… His heart is like dead ashes, so he fears nothing. Xu Qi An frowned slightly.
“What do you mean by this?” Emperor Yuanjing’s eyebrows knitted together.
Zheng Xinghuai took a deep breath and said loudly: “The Northern Garrison King, Commander-in-Chief of Chou Prefecture, to advance to Second-Rank, colluded with the Shaman God Cult and the Earth Sect Patriarch, massacring 380,000 lives in Chou Prefecture.
“This subject submits a memorial to impeach the Northern Garrison King, requesting Your Majesty to seek justice for the innocent civilians who died tragically and severely punish the Northern Garrison King.”
After speaking, he took out a memorial from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.
“This subject submits a memorial to impeach the Northern Garrison King, requesting Your Majesty to seek justice for the innocent civilians who died tragically and severely punish the Northern Garrison King.”
The delegation members followed suit, taking out memorials and presenting them with both hands. Among them, Xu Qi An’s memorial was written by Censor Liu on his behalf.
Although Xu Qi An never admitted to being crude, confident in his nine years of compulsory education and vast knowledge, when it came to the eight-legged essay style, he could only bow his hands, admitting defeat.
Mainly because his calligraphy was terrible.
Upon hearing the news, Emperor Yuanjing’s face remained expressionless. He stared blankly at the delegation for a long while, then raised his hand, reaching for the memorials with a slight tremor.
After a long time, Emperor Yuanjing finished reading the memorials and asked in a hoarse voice: “Where is the Northern Garrison King now?”
This dog emperor’s acting is truly impeccable. He and Lord Wei could perform together and compete for the Best Actor award… Xu Qi An sarcastically mocked Emperor Yuanjing in his thoughts.
How could Emperor Yuanjing not know about the city massacre? He was one of the masterminds behind it.
He deliberately asked this, probably thinking the Northern Garrison King was still enjoying himself on the northern border.
“Your Majesty!”
The lead investigator, Xu Qi An stepped forward, feeling this blow should be delivered by his hand.
He said with passionate indignation: “Your Majesty, rest assured, the Northern Garrison King, unfilial as he was, has been condemned by both heaven and man. He has now been executed. The delegation has brought his body back to the capital, and it’s now outside the palace.
“We await Your Majesty’s decision on how to dispose of this scoundrel’s body.”
Boom!
It was as if a thunderbolt had struck his ears. Emperor Yuanjing’s face suddenly turned deathly pale, drained of all color.
He stared blankly at Xu Qi An, his eyeballs gradually filling with blood. As if struck by a massive blow, his voice was now genuinely hoarse:
“You, you… what are you saying? What are you talking about?”
Xu Qi An said loudly: “Your Majesty, the Northern Garrison King’s body is just outside the palace, torn into five pieces. Rest assured, he’s thoroughly dead.”
Stumbling… Emperor Yuanjing’s forehead looked as if it had been struck by a wooden stick. He suddenly lost his balance and staggered backward, about to fall on his back.
“Your Majesty!”
The old eunuch shrieked, rushing forward to support Emperor Yuanjing, preserving the last shred of the emperor’s dignity.
“Get away!”
Emperor Yuanjing growled deeply, violently pushing away the old eunuch. He staggered and ran frantically out of the Imperial Study. His retreating figure was panicked and helpless, his face as pale as paper.
He could no longer maintain the dignity and composure of a ruler.
“Quick, follow him, protect His Majesty, protect His Majesty…”
The old eunuch’s shrill cries gradually faded away.
Xu Qi An lowered his head, a cold smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
Emperor Yuanjing rushed out of the Imperial Study, running wildly without any semblance of imperial bearing. The wind ruffled his long beard and reddened his eyes, making him look less like an emperor and more like a pitiful refugee.
As the palace gates came into view, Emperor Yuanjing saw the imperial guards who had accompanied the delegation, and the coffin they were carrying. At this point, he suddenly stopped.
The old eunuch, leading the other eunuchs and guards, finally caught up with Emperor Yuanjing, sighing in relief.
They also slowed their pace, standing silently behind Emperor Yuanjing. No one dared to speak.
After a while, Emperor Yuanjing started walking again, slowly approaching the imperial guards, walking out of the palace gates, and stopping beside the coffin.
“Put it down!”
The old emperor said in a hoarse voice.
The coffin was gently lowered.
Emperor Yuanjing stood silently, staring blankly at the coffin lid. After a long while, he reached out and pressed his hand on the coffin lid. The moment he touched it, the veins on Emperor Yuanjing’s forehead bulged slightly.
Because the lid was very light, this was a thin coffin, symbolically giving the Northern Garrison King a bit of dignity, after all, it was to be sent back to the capital.
Was this all the coffin his brother deserved to lie in?
As the lid was slowly pushed open, Emperor Yuanjing’s breathing suddenly became rapid and shallow at the sight inside.
The Northern Garrison King’s body was withered and shriveled, like a mummy that had been weathered for years. His limbs and head were separated from his torso.
With a rustle, the imperial guards and Feathered Forest Guards present all knelt. Standing and witnessing the emperor’s grief would be a grave offense.
But there were always a few hard-headed ones, like Xu Qi An who had followed out, and the other delegation members.
Without a word, Xu Qi An dropped to his knees in a tiger-style prostration to show his respect for the emperor and said in a deep voice:
“Your Majesty must preserve your dragon body and not grieve excessively. Remember, deep emotions shorten one’s life.”
Emperor Yuanjing took a deep breath, his disgust towards Xu Qi’an slightly lessening, when he heard him continue: “If the people of Chou Prefecture knew how much Your Majesty grieves for them, they would be comforted even in the afterlife.”
Emperor Yuanjing’s face suddenly stiffened, glaring fiercely at Xu Qi An.
By this time, Xu Qi An had already lowered his head, so he didn’t see Emperor Yuanjing’s fierce gaze that implied “shut up.” He continued loudly:
“The Northern Garrison King massacred 380,000 civilians in Chou Prefecture. He deserves his fate. But now that he’s dead, his crimes haven’t been officially confirmed. Whether to expose his body or flog it, it’s all up to Your Majesty’s decision. This subject has no objections.”
The Feathered Forest Guards guarding the gate began to stir.
They only now realized that the body in the coffin was the renowned Northern Garrison King, the Great Qi’s top warrior, His Majesty’s brother.
How could such a powerful warrior have fallen?
Even more unbelievable was that he, the Northern Garrison King, had massacred 380,000 civilians in Chou Prefecture.
Faced with such earth-shattering news, no one could control their emotions. Discussions instantly erupted. Even Emperor Yuanjing’s presence couldn’t silence the Feathered Forest Guards.
Emperor Yuanjing raised his hand, pointing into the distance. His bloodless lips slowly uttered a single word: “Leave!”
Xu Qi An feigned deafness and continued: “When does Your Majesty plan to announce this to the world?”
“Xu Qi An!”
Emperor Yuanjing suddenly lost his composure and roared, trembling with anger, his chest seeming about to burst. He shouted:
“Do you think I don’t dare to kill you? I’ll kill you right now…”
He made a move to draw the sword of a nearby imperial guard.
“Your Majesty, take care of your dragon body. This lowly official will take his leave first.”
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Xu Qi An wisely slipped away.
“Leave, all of you leave!”
Emperor Yuanjing shouted.
Buzhengshi Zheng wanted to stand his ground, but Censor Liu grabbed his sleeve, bowing as they dispersed.
The delegation members dispersed, not conversing privately, but the necessary words and discussions had already been settled on the official ship.
……
Night Watchmen’s Office.
After more than a month, Xu Qi An finally returned. He purposefully came to the bottom of the Haoqi Tower. After being announced by the guards, he climbed to the seventh floor.
Wei Yuan was wearing a cyan robe embroidered with cloud patterns, his long hair simply tied up with a jade green hairpin. His appearance was casual and elegant, complemented by his handsome features and world-weary eyes.
The charm of a middle-aged handsome man hit Xu Qi An in full force.
Wei Yuan was playing a game of left hand versus right hand Go, his left hand pinching black stones, his right hand holding white ones. He glanced up at Xu Qi An and said calmly: “You’re back.”
Xu Qi An grunted in response, not bothering to bow, and sat down glumly at the table.
“The Northern Garrison King is dead!”
He said in a low voice.
“Dead is dead.”
Wei Yuan stared at the Go board, furrowing his brow, his attention completely not on Xu Qi An. He said: “Wait a moment, let me finish this game before we talk.”
Xu Qi An suddenly reached out and swept across the Go board.
With a clatter, the black and white stones scattered everywhere.
Wei Yuan was angry. He raised his hand as if to strike, then gently lowered it, snorting: “It would hurt my hand to hit you. Go make tea.”
After Xu Qi An had brewed the tea, Wei Yuan held the cup, blew on it, didn’t drink, and said in an unhurried tone: “What do you want to ask?”
Xu Qi An didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly: “Lord Wei, did you know in advance that the place the Northern Garrison King would massacre was Chou Prefecture?”
Wei Yuan nodded.
The demon and barbarian tribes suddenly marching south, targeting Chou Prefecture, was likely due to information leaked by Lord Wei… Xu Qi An became increasingly certain in his heart, so he chose to ask another question first:
“How did Lord Wei know? As far as this lowly official knows, even the rogue cultivators colluding with the barbarian tribes, as well as the demon and barbarian tribes and the remnants of the Myriad Demon Kingdom, were at a loss.”
“I guessed!”
Wei Yuan smiled and said: “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll be victorious in a hundred battles. Magic can give people extraordinary power, but relying too much on magic can ultimately lead to tunnel vision.”
This answer was truly beyond Xu Qi An’s expectations. He frowned deeply:
“Lord Wei, do you mean that based on your understanding of the Northern Garrison King, you guessed it was Chou Prefecture? But the demon and barbarian tribes understand the Northern Garrison King just as well.”
Wei Yuan suddenly gave a cold laugh: “Who told you I was guessing about the Northern Garrison King?”