In the dim dungeon, sunlight filtered through the air vents, dust particles dancing in the beams of light.
Xu Qi An stood for a long while. Then, feeling he couldn’t let Official Zheng continue like this, he entered the cell and lowered him down.
The body retained only a trace of warmth; he had been dead for a while.
The Deputy Chief of the Court of Judicature sat outside the cell, wailing loudly.
Xu Qi An, however, didn’t feel particularly sorrowful. He only thought that Zheng’s passing was a kind of release.
On the journey back to the capital from Chu Province, he had watched this scholar’s spine gradually bend, his form becoming increasingly hunched.
He was too exhausted and burdened with the lives of 380,000 citizens. Every day, he dared not allow himself a moment’s rest, for as soon as he did, that suffocating feeling like a tidal wave would overtake him.
“Why did you do this to yourself? You were just a powerless civil official, unable to accomplish anything. Those 380,000 citizens didn’t ask you to avenge them,” Xu Qi An said, arranging Official Zheng’s remains. He tried to close his eyes but couldn’t. Those bulging eyes still stared fixedly at the murky world.
“You worked so hard every day to persuade others, but they always brushed you off. I wanted to tell you something then: human joys and sorrows aren’t always shared. They just found you noisy.
“Ah, Official Zheng, the ministers in the capital haven’t experienced the Chu Province massacre like we have. They can’t be like you. Every year there are disasters, and every year countless people starve or freeze to death. Witnessing it firsthand and reading about it in reports are not the same thing.
“You barely survived the Chu Province massacre, rushed to the capital, thinking the court would bring justice for those 380,000 souls and you. Instead, you lost your own life. Hah, ‘A scholar is useless in all things’ – how true that is.
“Back then, I was willing to risk my life for Governor Zhang. This time, I wanted to do the same for you, but before I could find a way, you were already gone. Perhaps it’s for the best. Life is full of suffering, and yours wasn’t exactly pleasant.
Finishing his arrangements, Xu Qi An stepped back and bowed deeply to this pitiable yet respectable scholar.
Outside the dungeon, a group of armored soldiers had gathered.
The Deputy Chief bringing outsiders into the yamen wasn’t a big deal, but the dungeon was restricted. Unless one had written permission from high-ranking officials like the Chief or Deputy Chief, no one was allowed to enter the dungeon at will.
The jailers had tried to stop them, but Xu Qi An had kicked one flying. After that, they didn’t dare to oppose further and went to report to the Chief of the Court of Judicature.
The Chief stood at the front, hands behind his back, with the yamen guards behind him.
He waited with a grim face for a full quarter-hour before seeing Xu Qi An emerge. The young man was unexpectedly calm, his face devoid of joy or sorrow.
“Xu Qi An, you’ve trespassed into the Court of Judicature’s prison. Even if I were to have you killed on the spot, Wei Yuan wouldn’t say anything,” the Chief spoke first, his voice thunderous.
The young man carrying a sword ignored him and walked away.
This sword was originally meant to kill beasts, but he was a moment too late. If anyone wanted to test its sharpness, Xu Qi An wouldn’t refuse.
“Chief…” the head guard said in a low voice.
The Chief was about to order his guards to seize the man when his sleeve was suddenly tugged. He turned to see the Deputy Chief.
The Deputy Chief looked at him deeply. “Sir, you only have one life. Why not cherish it?”
The Chief was struck with sudden fear, the hair on his back standing on end.
…
In the Imperial Study of the Palace.
The Duke of Guarding the Nation and the Duke of Cao returned to report.
“Your Majesty, Zheng Xinghuai is dead. This case can now be closed,” the Duke of Cao said respectfully.
“But how shall we deal with the ministers?” Que Yongxiu was still somewhat uneasy.
The ministers could forgive the King of Pacifying the North because he had perished. But now, he had returned to the capital unscathed. Wei Yuan and Prime Minister Wang would be the first to go after him.
Emperor Yuanjing spoke calmly, “We will dispatch a contingent of imperial guards to the Duke of Guarding the Nation’s mansion to ensure your safety. You need not worry about assassination. Additionally, the spies who returned with the King of Pacifying the North will be temporarily under your command, stationed at your ducal mansion.”
Only then did Que Yongxiu breathe a sigh of relief. Such stringent protection would be enough to keep him safe from assassination attempts.
As for the political maneuvering in court, he only needed to keep a low profile, neither contending nor struggling. With the Emperor’s protection, even if Wei Yuan and Prime Minister Wang had eyes and ears everywhere, they couldn’t touch him.
Once he weathered this period, his future would still be bright.
With his worries resolved, Que Yongxiu felt unburdened and smiled sincerely:
“Your Majesty is wise and mighty. This series of actions has easily shaken the resolve of the civil officials. While they’re still hesitating, you’ve made a clean cut, letting Zheng Xinghuai die by suicide out of guilt, leaving no way out for the ministers.
“Now, they can only accept it begrudgingly.”
Of course, the Emperor had also made enough concessions to satisfy some people’s appetites. Otherwise, even the Emperor couldn’t stand alone.
Que Yongxiu felt genuine admiration for Emperor Yuanjing.
“Although the Guarding the Nation Sword was brought back to the capital by the delegation, the whereabouts of that mysterious expert remain unknown. If we could find him and send troops to punish him, avenging the King of Huai, this matter would be perfectly resolved,” the Duke of Cao sighed.
Hearing this, Emperor Yuanjing’s face darkened slightly. After a few seconds, he slowly said:
“Tomorrow, convene a court session to conclude the Chu Province case. Before that, have someone spread the news of Zheng Xinghuai’s suicide due to guilt.”
The Duke of Cao smiled and said, “Yes, Your Majesty!”
…
In the Grand Secretariat.
After the small court meeting in the Imperial Study ended, Prime Minister Wang summoned the five Grand Secretaries to discuss the aftermath of Zheng Xinghuai’s imprisonment.
“The King of Huai is dead, so be it. But Que Yongxiu was one of the executioners in the city massacre. His Majesty’s actions are truly…” Qian Qingshu, the Grand Secretary of Wuying Hall, held back and instead sighed:
“Let’s think about how to save Official Zheng. Such a good official shouldn’t suffer false accusations.”
The Grand Secretary of Jianji Hall was somewhat agitated and angrily said, “Zheng Xinghuai is just stubborn. He might be fine governing a region, but in court, he can’t accomplish anything.”
His tone was full of pity for Zheng’s misfortune and frustration at his inflexibility.
“But isn’t it precisely because of this that he’s admirable?”
Zhao Tingfang, the Grand Secretary of the East Chamber, exhaled and pondered, “Doesn’t His Majesty want to exonerate the King of Pacifying the North? Doesn’t he want to preserve the royal family’s face? Then let’s agree to it. The condition is to secure Zheng Xinghuai’s innocence.”
“Once Zheng Xinghuai is convicted, for His Majesty, this case will be perfectly concluded. Will he agree?” the Grand Secretary of Jianji Hall said angrily.
“Then we’ll make more noise!” Zhao Tingfang’s finger tapped the table forcefully.
Prime Minister Wang shook his head gently: “It’s useless now. It’s different from before. When the bad news first broke, both civil and military officials were shocked and angry. But now that initial fury has passed, and they’ve received benefits, and can turn the city massacre scandal into a great victory for the court, you can imagine how they’ll choose.”
Qian Qingshu sighed and pondered, “What does the Prime Minister suggest?”
Prime Minister Wang said, “Que Yongxiu’s safe return to the capital will surely ignite anger in some. We can secretly persuade those people to jointly protest. But we must lower our demands.
“This morning, Que Yongxiu was on the street holding a blood letter, accusing Zheng Xinghuai, making it known to all. At this point, if we try to argue for Zheng Xinghuai’s innocence, neither side will be convinced, and His Majesty won’t agree either.”
The Grand Secretaries nodded slightly.
Indeed, with the conflict escalated to this point, trying to “whitewash” Zheng Xinghuai now would be seen as absurd, not just by His Majesty but by the common people too. Who would be right or wrong then?
If this matter isn’t handled well, the court would become a laughingstock.
Prime Minister Wang sighed, “Zheng Xinghuai will still be guilty, but we can switch him with a death row prisoner in disguise. As long as His Majesty agrees, this can be done.
“All we can do is save his life.”
Although the Grand Secretaries were still unsatisfied, they could only nod in agreement.
At this moment, a clerk hurriedly entered and handed a note to Prime Minister Wang before retreating.
Prime Minister Wang opened the note and was suddenly stunned, remaining motionless for a long time.
“Zheng Xinghuai… died in prison…”
The old Prime Minister gently placed the note on the table, wearily supporting himself as he left the meeting hall.
His silhouette was like that of an old man in his twilight years.
…
At the Night Watchmen’s Office.
Nan Gong Qianrou sat upright, not daring to say a word.
Even though he was a fourth-rank martial artist, at this moment, he felt somewhat breathless.
The reason for all this was the note that had just been handed over.
After seeing this note, Lord Wei hadn’t spoken a word, nor had he shown any lively expression. He was like a statue.
Nan Gong Qianrou had followed Lord Wei for many years and had rarely seen him so silent. This silence was brewing a terrible storm.
The note recorded a brief message: Zheng Xinghuai was killed in prison.
How brief it was. A Provincial Administration Commissioner, a second-rank high official, and after his death, all that remained on the intelligence report was just this little bit.
How would the history books record him? Probably with a few more words: colluded with demons and barbarians, caused the death of 380,000 people in an entire city, caused the death of Great Feng’s pillar of the state.
His name would stink for ten thousand years.
What a laughable world… Nan Gong Qianrou sneered inwardly.
As an onlooker, he could only have these feelings. What’s laughable isn’t the world, but people.
The history books are voluminous; how many people like Zheng Xinghuai are in them?
The reason there are so many wrongful cases is ultimately because no one dares to stand up, right?
…
“Your Highness, the Second Princess wishes to see you.”
When the head guard knocked on Huai Qing’s study door, Huai Qing was in a bad mood. Hearing this, she frowned.
If Lin’an came to provoke her or annoy her at this time, she wouldn’t be able to control her emotions.
“Let her wait in the reception hall. I’ll change my clothes and be right there.”
After dismissing the head guard, Huai Qing burned the note, changed into a snow-white palace dress, and came to the reception hall to see her sister dressed in bright red.
She was immediately surprised.
Lin’an used to be lively and bright, chirping like a little sparrow, occasionally darting over to peck you, though every time she was casually swatted to the ground by Huai Qing.
But she would always tirelessly fly up again, trying to peck your face.
However, the Lin’an she saw now was like a wilted little flower, her oval face dull and lusterless, her peach blossom eyes downcast, like a shy, helpless little girl.
“If you’re here to ask if Zheng Xinghuai is dead, I can give you a clear answer: yes,” Huai Qing said flatly.
Lin’an nodded, her gaze fixed blankly on the ground, speaking softly, “I… I don’t feel well… I don’t know why, I just… just feel a bit unwell, and very scared…”
It’s because this incident has had too much impact on her… Great Feng has been peaceful for a long time, and before the Imperial Uncle’s death, the back palace was harmonious… Huai Qing said calmly:
“It’s not a big deal. You’ve read too few books. Read more historical records, and you’ll know this is common. The more bloody and unjust the event, the fewer words are used to describe it.”
“Is that… really what you think?” Lin’an stared at her.
Because of Zheng Xinghuai’s death, because of the 380,000 lost souls in Chu Province, she felt so guilty that she was about to explode, her whole being depressed and uneasy.
At this moment, Lin’an thought of Huai Qing. Huai Qing was the sister she had always wanted to surpass, so she wanted to come and see, to see how Huai Qing was facing this incident.
Now she had seen it but felt somewhat disappointed.
Huai Qing walked up to her, looking down at her from above, and said calmly, “The moon waxes and wanes, water overflows when full. All things in the world can’t escape the principle of decline after reaching their peak.
“When a dynasty transitions from prosperity to decline, it’s inevitably accompanied by countless blood and tears. Internal decay will gradually hollow it out. There will be more such incidents.”
Lin’an was silent for a moment, then raised her head to look at her sister. “Then… what should we do?”
Huai Qing placed her hand on Lin’an’s head, a rare tenderness flashing in her eyes. “At times like these, someone will stand up.”
Someone will stand up… Lin’an suddenly clenched her fists.
…
In a corner of the main hall of an inn in the inner city.
Li Miaozheng was eating with the tag-along woman at a corner table. She disliked this woman.
It wasn’t because she was always imperious; over the past few days, this plain-looking woman had improved a lot, doing what she could by herself.
What Li Miaozheng didn’t like was the air of smug arrogance in her eyes.
It seemed in this woman’s eyes, all other women were plain, and she was the only beauty in the world.
Yet, she was the most ordinary, the type men wouldn’t even glance at, except for her round, large, and perky buttocks, and her full, firm breasts that several layers of clothing couldn’t conceal…
Actually, there’s nothing to envy, those few pounds of flesh would only hinder my mission to eradicate evil… Li Miaozheng told herself.
“Why hasn’t he come to find me yet?” Mu Nanzhi said softly.
“Hah, look at you, a married woman, shamelessly thinking about another man?” Li Miaozheng inexplicably felt unhappy and sneered.
“I just find it boring staying with you,” the princess consort raised her chin, saying haughtily.
“…”
So where does this arrogant attitude come from? Doesn’t she know her own worth?
Li Miaozheng felt her teeth itch with anger. Her mood had been poor these past few days because the King of Huai hadn’t been convicted yet, and today, she learned that Zheng Xinghuai had been imprisoned.
One day, she would storm into the palace with a knife and cut Emperor Yuanjing into a thousand pieces… the second Li Miaozheng thought furiously.
At this moment, people at a nearby table said loudly: “Did you know? Zheng Xinghuai is already dead. It turns out he was the mastermind behind colluding with the demons and barbarians.”
“What?!”
All the diners in the hall turned to look, their faces full of astonishment.
That person asserted confidently: “I have a brother who works at the Court of Judicature. Today he heard something – that Zheng Xinghuai committed suicide in prison out of guilt.”
The hall immediately erupted into chaos.
Was there really such a twist?
The person continued: “Zheng Xinghuai was worse than a beast. He colluded with demons and barbarians, causing the death of our Great Feng’s pillar of the state, the King of Huai, and the death of 380,000 citizens in Chu Province.
“Then, he deceived the delegation and came to the capital to make accusations. How much hatred did he have for the King of Huai? I heard that when he was in Chu Province, he privately appropriated military fields and took bribes. The King of Huai reprimanded him many times, so he held a grudge.
“The reason he colluded with demons and barbarians this time was because the King of Huai had gathered evidence of his crimes and was about to report him to the court…”
At this point, the person squeezed out tears and sighed with regret: “Although we are commoners, we despise such people. What a pity for the King of Huai, a great hero with such a miserable end.”
The diners were shocked, forgetting to eat as they discussed heatedly.
“That’s impossible, right? The news of the King of Huai massacring the city was brought back by the delegation, by Constable Xu.”
“Yes, Constable Xu solves cases like a god. How could he wrongly accuse the King of Huai?”
“We don’t believe it.”
“Hah, you don’t have to believe it. Wait until tomorrow when the court issues an announcement, then you’ll have no choice but to believe.”
“Pah! Unless Constable Xu says it himself, we won’t believe it. We’ll wait for news tomorrow.”
Li Miaozheng’s chopsticks fell with a clatter.
Xu Qi An… the princess consort’s heart sank. The first thing she thought of wasn’t anything else, but that annoying Xu Qi An.
In her ears, his words seemed to echo again: I’m going to Chu Province to stop him, and if possible, I’m going to kill him…
…
On this day, news of Chu Province’s Administration Commissioner Zheng Xinghuai’s suicide out of guilt spread throughout the capital. In the descriptions of those with ulterior motives, Zheng Xinghuai had colluded with demons and barbarians, causing the death of the King of Pacifying the North and 380,000 citizens of Chu Province.
Then, he turned the tables, pushing the blame onto the King of Pacifying the North, intending to ruin the reputation of Great Feng’s pillar of the state.
Regarding these rumors, some were shocked, some disbelieved, some were confused…
The common people didn’t know the inside story, nor did they understand the twists and turns and the scheming involved. When faced with such events where they didn’t know who to believe, ordinary people instinctively sought authoritative figures in their minds.
The stance of authoritative figures was what they would believe as fact.
At present, in this regard, the only person the common people could immediately think of as an authority seemed to be Xu Qi An.
However, he had just come out of the Astronomical Bureau.
The Director still hadn’t seen him, and Xu Qi An hadn’t planned to see the Director either. He had only asked Caiwei to pass a message to the Director.
Outside the Astronomical Bureau tower, Heng Yuan and Chu Yuanzhen were waiting for him.
The swordsman with a streak of white hair at his forehead smiled and said, “Are you willing to roam the jianghu with me?”
Xu Qi An grinned, “Are the Western Region courtesans juicy?”
Chu Yuanzhen sighed helplessly, “I’ve long since abstained from women.”
Xu Qi An waved at them: “That day will come, but not now.”
He left alone.
Before dusk, Second Young Master Xu and Second Uncle Xu led the women of the family out of the city.
…
The next day, court session!
The grand ministers entered the Hall of Golden Chimes. Before long, Emperor Yuanjing arrived, seeming somewhat eager to start the court session.
After Emperor Yuanjing was seated, the old eunuch stepped forward and announced loudly: “If there are matters to report, speak up. If not, the court session will end.”
No one spoke, but at this moment, countless gazes in the court fell on the Chief of the Court of Judicature.
The Chief of the Court of Judicature steeled himself, stepped forward, and bowed: “This humble official has something to report.”
The person had died in the Court of Judicature, so this matter had to be reported by him.
Emperor Yuanjing’s lips curved into a smile: “Beloved official, please speak.”
The Chief of the Court of Judicature paused briefly, then announced loudly: “Chu Province’s Administration Commissioner Zheng Xinghuai committed suicide in prison out of guilt yesterday at noon.”
The Hall of Golden Chimes was terrifyingly silent.
Emperor Yuanjing’s smile deepened as he said: “What do my beloved officials think? How should this case be concluded?”
The Left Censor-in-Chief, Yuan Xiong, stepped forward and said: “Since he has already committed suicide out of guilt, the Chu Province case can be closed. Chu Province’s Administration Commissioner Zheng Xinghuai, a native of Zhang Province, was a second-rank jinshi in the 19th year of Yuanjing. This person colluded with the two demon and barbarian races, causing the death of the King of Pacifying the North and 380,000 citizens of Chu Province. He should be executed along with his entire clan.
“Zheng Xinghuai still has a son serving in Qing Province. The court can issue an official dispatch, ordering Qing Province’s Administration Commissioner Yang Gong to capture his entire family. They should be beheaded publicly…”
Emperor Yuanjing looked around at his officials and asked loudly: “Do any of my beloved officials have objections?”
No one spoke.
Emperor Yuanjing smiled. Thanks to his years of balancing power, the court factions stood like a disorganized mob, difficult to unite.
In the past, he had stood high above, allowing these people to fight. Indeed, the struggles were intense and colorful. But when he, the Son of Heaven, stepped into the arena, this disorganized mob was ultimately just that – a disorganized mob.
His will was the supreme will of Great Feng.
These people actually dared to imagine trampling the royal family’s face underfoot, making them the object of contempt for all under heaven.
How laughable.
Among the officials, Que Yongxiu almost couldn’t control his laughter, his face unable to hide his joy. Be it Wei Yuan or Prime Minister Wang, as well as other civil officials, they were ultimately just subjects.
No matter how sophisticated their methods, in His Majesty’s eyes, they were nothing special.
After this case, not only would he safely pass through this crisis, but he could also be rewarded for his merits. The title of Duke of Guarding the Nation, passed down to now, would finally rise again in his hands.
The moment of joy quickly passed, until the old eunuch shouted: “Court dismissed!”
Que Yongxiu knew then that this matter had been settled, and Wei Yuan and Prime Minister Wang were powerless to change it.
The ministers left the Hall of Golden Chimes, their steps hurried, seemingly unwilling to linger.
“Duke of Cao, let’s go to the pleasure quarters tonight. After many years in the northern frontier, I’ve almost forgotten how fresh the courtesans there are.”
Que Yongxiu, in a good mood, chatted with the Duke of Cao.
The Duke of Cao frowned slightly. A man of his status wouldn’t deign to go to the pleasure quarters. He had countless beautiful concubines and mistresses at home, more than he could handle.
But seeing Que Yongxiu’s enthusiastic face, the Duke of Cao nodded and said: “Alright!”
After saying this, he shook his head: “You’d better not go out these few days. Stay at your mansion. If you want to sleep with women from the pleasure quarters, just have them come to the Duke of Guarding the Nation’s mansion. Why go there yourself?”
Que Yongxiu thought for a moment and felt it made sense: “Then I’ll host a banquet at my mansion and invite colleagues and friends. Duke of Cao, you must honor us with your presence.”
“Of course…”
The Duke of Cao agreed with a smile, but suddenly noticed that the civil officials ahead had stopped, gathering at the Meridian Gate without moving forward.
He felt a sense of foreboding and said softly: “Let’s go see what’s happening.”
Que Yongxiu was somewhat confused but followed him to the Meridian Gate, pushing through the crowd. They saw a man standing outside the gate.
This man was dressed in plain clothes, with a tall and imposing figure, leaning on a sword, standing outside the Meridian Gate, blocking the officials’ path.
Not far from him stood one in white robes and one in red robes.
“Xu Qi An, why are you blocking the Meridian Gate again? What do you want to do this time?”
Minister Sun of the Ministry of Justice reflexively shouted.
The civil officials angrily scrutinized him. Such a familiar scene had triggered psychological shadows in many of them.
Especially Minister Sun, who had already been insulted twice by Xu’s poems.
Xu Qi An? Is this the same Xu Qi An from the Chu Province massacre case? I heard from the Duke of Cao that he was Zheng Xinghuai’s supporter… Que Yongxiu frowned. From the ministers’ words, it seemed this man had blocked the Meridian Gate before?
Xu Qi An looked around at the officials, his gaze calm: “Which one is Que Yongxiu? And Duke of Cao, you two come out.”
The Duke of Cao frowned, his sense of foreboding growing stronger.
“Hah, this person is so audacious. Does he want to insult me? Does he think having Wei Yuan as his backing and having insulted civil officials once means he can insult me?” Duke of Guarding the Nation Que Yongxiu sneered, his eyes cold: “Does he think I’m like those civil officials who can only move their lips?”
The Duke of Cao said in a deep voice: “This person’s cultivation is not weak. Who knows what madness he’s up to.”
Que Yongxiu scoffed, suddenly saying: “If I were to kill him here, do you think His Majesty would blame me?”
Hearing this, the Duke of Cao also smiled, “As long as you can provoke him to make the first move, he’ll surely die. Hmm, this kid relies on Wei Yuan’s support, acting recklessly in the capital, showing off his power.”
“That’s because he hasn’t met me. I’ve fought on battlefields for years and enjoy tormenting troublemakers like him.”
Que Yongxiu sneered, walking shoulder to shoulder with the Duke of Cao to the front of the group of officials. Looking at the young man leaning on his sword, he joked:
“I am the person you’re looking for. What, want to insult someone? I hear you, Xu Qi An, are quite good at composing poems. Why don’t you give me one? Perhaps I could go down in history too.”
Que Yongxiu and the Duke of Cao burst into laughter.
After speaking, seeing that the young man leaning on his sword remained motionless, Que Yongxiu felt the moment wasn’t right and continued to mock:
“Lord Wei, your teaching standards aren’t up to par. Look at this ill-mannered boy, trespassing at the Meridian Gate, lawless and unruly. If you don’t know how to teach him, shall I do it for you?”
Wei Yuan remained silent, wordlessly looking at Xu Qi An.
“I’m not here to insult anyone today,” Xu Qi An sighed: “I’m here to kill.”
The Duke of Cao and the other officials’ expressions changed dramatically.
“Hahaha…”
Que Yongxiu felt he had heard the biggest joke ever and laughed wildly: “He says he’s here to kill. Listen to him, he says he’s here to kill, to kill at the Meridian Gate.”
As he laughed, he suddenly froze, turning his head in astonishment to find all the officials retreating in unison.
Among these people were the Six Ministers, the Six Bureaus of Scrutiny, the prestigious Hanlin Academy… They were all at the pinnacle of power in the capital, yet they were so wary of a mere Silver Gong?
Wei Yuan and Prime Minister Wang didn’t move, looking at him coldly.
This… Que Yongxiu was startled, then looked towards the Duke of Cao, only to find he had already quietly retreated dozens of paces.
He looked again at the expressions of the civil officials. At this moment, he finally noticed something amiss. In their eyes, there was a hint of hatred, a hint of disgust, and… a hint of expectation?!
“Where are the imperial guards? Someone, someone, arrest this scoundrel for me,” Que Yongxiu shouted.
The nearby imperial guards rushed over in unison, surrounding Xu Qi An. Those with swords drew them, those with spears leveled them.
Que Yongxiu calmly waved his hand: “This criminal has threatened to kill me in the palace. Arrest him quickly and hand him over to His Majesty for punishment.”
The imperial guards didn’t move.
“Arrest him. Are my orders not valid anymore?” Que Yongxiu raged.
At this moment, a small voice came from the crowd: “He… he has an Imperial Pardon…”
Que Yongxiu’s eyes widened instantly. He understood now, understood why the ministers had retreated, why the imperial guards wouldn’t act.
The imperial guards were there to protect the emperor. As long as the emperor’s life wasn’t threatened, they wouldn’t fight to the death with someone holding an Imperial Pardon.
Imperial Pardon or not, I don’t believe he dares to act within the palace… Que Yongxiu wasn’t afraid. He himself was a fifth-rank expert. Although he didn’t wear a sword to court, he wasn’t completely defenseless.
At this moment, Xu Qi An took out a page from his bosom, shook it and set it alight, saying in a deep voice: “Seal!”
Que Yongxiu and the Duke of Cao’s bodies suddenly stiffened, unable to move for a moment.
Xu Qi An, carrying his sword, walked towards the two step by step.
Prime Minister Wang said in a deep voice: “Xu Qi An, don’t make a mistake. The Duke of Guarding the Nation is a first-rank duke, a descendant of founding meritorious officials. If anything happens to him, you can’t bear the responsibility.”
Censor Zhang Xingying anxiously said: “Lord Wei, quickly stop him.”
Wei Yuan didn’t move.
With each step Xu Qi An took, the civil officials retreated one step, highlighting the Duke of Cao and the Duke of Guarding the Nation.
“Crack, crack…”
He swung his scabbard, shattering the kneecaps of the Duke of Guarding the Nation and the Duke of Cao.
Though they couldn’t move, the pain was undiminished. The Duke of Cao and the Duke of Guarding the Nation paled and screamed loudly.
Que Yongxiu looked towards the group of officials, loudly pleading for help:
“Stop him quickly, stop him! We’re all officials of the same court, you can’t stand by and watch me die. A martial artist dares to kill at the Meridian Gate, and none of the court officials dare to speak up. Do you, do you want to be ridiculed by scholars across the land?”
A young official who had recently passed the spring imperial examination was stirred by these words and instinctively wanted to step forward to stop Xu Qi An’s violence.
Unexpectedly, Minister Sun of the Ministry of Justice beside him suddenly kicked him back.
The Six Ministers, Vice Ministers, the Six Bureaus of Scrutiny, and other high-ranking officials who were qualified to enter the court, all tacitly chose to remain silent. Not a single person spoke.
Even those who had grudges against Xu Qi An didn’t speak.
Que Yongxiu understood. These black-hearted scholars wanted to use someone else’s knife to kill.
They all wanted him dead.
Xu Qi An hung his sword back on his waist and made a gesture that no one understood. He waved towards the western sky.
Then, grabbing the collars of the Duke of Cao and the Duke of Guarding the Nation, he walked out.
…
In the imperial bedchamber.
Emperor Yuanjing had just returned to the Imperial Study after the morning court session when a guard rushed in frantically, not even announcing himself, and shouted from the doorway:
“Your Majesty, Xu Qi An is blocking the Meridian Gate again, threatening to kill the Duke of Guarding the Nation and the Duke of Cao.”
Emperor Yuanjing’s face changed dramatically, and he roared in anger: “Is he trying to rebel? What about the Duke of Cao and the Duke of Guarding the Nation?”
“They’ve been taken out of the palace,” the guard replied anxiously.
“Quickly mobilize the elite imperial guards to stop Xu Qi An. If he resists, kill him on the spot!” Emperor Yuanjing shouted.
After the guard left, he stood by his desk, his face alternating between dark and light.
Having subdued Wei Yuan, subdued Prime Minister Wang, subdued the court officials, he had overlooked such a small figure.
“He dares to defy me, how audacious, how audacious…”
Emperor Yuanjing let out a low growl, sweeping all the documents, papers, brushes, ink, and inkstones off the table onto the floor.
The Son of Heaven, still not having vented his anger, kicked over the desk.
…
After receiving the emperor’s orders, the palace’s experts led hundreds of imperial guards out of the palace gates, galloping madly, chasing along the streets.
The imperial guard troop caught up with Xu Qi An on the streets of the imperial city.
“Stop him!”
One of the imperial guard leaders, seeing the two dukes unharmed, felt relieved. He leapt from his horse, flying towards Xu Qi An.
“Whoosh!”
At this moment, a flying sword suddenly attacked, its light gleaming brilliantly.
The imperial guard leader drew his sword, clashing hard with the flying sword. Though uninjured, he was blocked.
In mid-air, Li Miaozheng’s long hair fluttered as she stood floating, her pretty face as cold as frost.
Li Miaozheng had come from Lin’an Prefecture; she had been staying in the city since the previous night.
The Holy Maiden of the Celestial Sect… The imperial guard leader was both surprised and angry: “I’ll deal with Li Miaozheng, you go intercept Xu Qi An.”
He wasn’t the only expert who had come in pursuit.
Immediately, three powerful figures leapt from their horses, stirring their qi, flying in pursuit.
Slash!
At that moment, a sword light flashed, striking in front of the three experts, carving a deep furrow.
On the roof of a nearby house stood a swordsman in blue robes, hands behind his back, with a cold smile.
“Chu Yuanzhen, are you rebelling against the court? Do you want to become a wanted criminal?”
The three imperial guard experts recognized Chu Yuanzhen.
Chu Yuanzhen sneered: “This is the imperial city, home to officials and nobles. If you want to take responsibility, feel free to fight me. After all, I’m alone in the world. At worst, I’ll never enter Great Feng’s borders again.”
The three imperial guard experts were furious, gritting their teeth.
The capital was under the emperor’s feet, and this was the inner city. The commoners here were far more precious than those outside. If because of these three, civilians were affected and many died…
That responsibility would definitely fall on their heads.
Sensing the qi fluctuations here, within the imperial city, one powerful aura after another awakened, producing a stress response.
The imperial city was home to ministers and princes, some of whom were experts themselves, while others kept talented guests in their mansions. None were weak.
And from the direction of the palace, even more powerful qi fluctuations were coming. Those were the subsequent experts arriving.
“Looks like we’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest…” Chu Yuanzhen transmitted.
“If you’re afraid of death, then scram,” Li Miaozheng replied irritably.
“Amitabha!”
Of course, Heng Yuan couldn’t be left out of such an event. He turned out from another street, saying in a deep voice: “Why didn’t Fellow Daoist Li give me a ride?”
He had also sneaked into the imperial city beforehand, also hiding in Lin’an Prefecture. It was just that Li Miaozheng hadn’t brought him along when she flew on her sword earlier, so he arrived a moment late.
Li Miaozheng said impatiently: “We’ll talk about escaping later.”
…
The sky had already brightened, and people were gradually appearing on the streets of the inner city.
Xu Qi An stepped off the flying sword Li Miaozheng had provided, rushing out of the imperial city in one breath, landing lightly on a street in the inner city.
Then, he paraded through the streets carrying the two dukes.
The passersby first noticed the Duke of Cao and the Duke of Guarding the Nation in their ducal court robes.
“Hey, isn’t that Constable Xu? I almost didn’t recognize him without his night watchman uniform.”
Someone called out in surprise.
“Who’s he carrying? That, that’s a python robe, isn’t it? A big shot…”
“I recognize that man, the one-eyed one. He’s the Duke of Guarding the Nation, Que Yongxiu, who entered the city yesterday.”
“You mean the Duke of Guarding the Nation who accused Chu Province’s Administration Commissioner Zheng Xinghuai of colluding with demons and barbarians and causing the death of the King of Pacifying the North?”
Ordinary people rarely recognize dukes. For example, they didn’t recognize the Duke of Cao, but the Duke of Guarding the Nation had made quite a scene yesterday, parading through the streets and leaving a deep impression on the inner city residents.
So they recognized him at a glance.
“What is Constable Xu doing carrying him? He’s a duke, after all. What, what exactly is going on?”
“Never mind what he’s doing. What duke was that again? It must be related to the Chu Province case. I’m going to call my wife out to watch the excitement.”
“Wife, help me watch the stall. I’m going to follow and see what’s happening.”
“But, dear, I want to go watch too…”
Passersby on the street pointed and stared in amazement at this scene, following Xu Qi An out of curiosity. Even some stall owners abandoned their stalls, following along with curious faces.
It wasn’t just about watching a spectacle; it was because it involved Constable Xu, and he was carrying a duke who had paraded through the streets yesterday. No one could resist their curiosity.
The crowd gathered, growing larger and larger.
Gradually, it turned into a surging tide of people.
This was exactly what Xu Qi An wanted. While it would have been satisfying to simply behead Que Yongxiu, that wasn’t the outcome he desired.
Finally, carrying the two dukes, he arrived at the execution ground at Caishikou.
The execution ground was set up at Caishikou mainly because it was crowded. The purpose of public executions was to serve as a warning, and without a crowd, how could it be public?
The people at Caishikou immediately noticed Xu Qi An, or more accurately, they noticed the surging crowd approaching.
“What, what’s going on?” The people at Caishikou were stunned.
“Isn’t that Constable Xu?”
At Caishikou, the crowd surged.
Xu Qi An threw the Duke of Cao and the Duke of Guarding the Nation onto the execution platform, drew his sword, and cut the tendons in their hands and feet.
Then, he grabbed the heads of the Duke of Cao and the Duke of Guarding the Nation with each hand, making them lift their faces. Xu Qi An smiled: “Look, with so many people, dying today is worth it.”
Que Yongxiu’s face turned pale with fear. “I, I am a first-rank duke, a descendant of founding meritorious officials. You, you can’t kill me. If you kill me, you’ll have no place to stand in Great Feng.”
This Commander-in-Chief who had fought on battlefields still managed to maintain a soldier’s composure at this moment, saying repeatedly: “Don’t make another mistake. I’m not dead yet, everything can still be salvaged. I’ll plead with His Majesty to forgive you, I swear…”
He still had a bright future ahead, he had just won victory in court, he couldn’t die like this.
The Duke of Cao swallowed and said, “Xu Qi An, you should know what kind of person His Majesty is. Even if you have an Imperial Pardon, it won’t save you if you kill us. If you let us go, there’s still room for negotiation.”
Xu Qi An smiled: “If I feared him, I wouldn’t have brought you two here.” His eyes were calm, his tone gentle, but the Duke of Cao’s heart exploded with fear. He kowtowed repeatedly: “Constable Xu, I was wrong. Please, spare me, spare me… It was all the fault of the Duke of Guarding the Nation Que Yongxiu and His Majesty. They created the city massacre. It was them, it was them!”
“Shut up!” Que Yongxiu shouted.
“You’re the one who should shut up!” The Duke of Cao’s face contorted: “You don’t understand him. You’re not in the capital, you don’t understand him at all. He’s a madman, a madman! He, he will really kill us!”
“Say it louder, tell these people who massacred Chu Province!” Xu Qi An drew his sword and placed it on the Duke of Cao’s neck.
The icy blade seemed to freeze his blood vessels. The Duke of Cao’s face turned pale, his lips trembling as he cried out in despair: “It was the King of Pacifying the North, it was the Duke of Guarding the Nation Que Yongxiu, it was they who massacred the city.”
“That’s not enough!” Xu Qi An said calmly.
“And His Majesty, and His Majesty! He knew everything, he knew the King of Pacifying the North was going to massacre the city… Don’t kill me, please don’t kill me.” The Duke of Cao wept bitterly.
The crowd exploded.
What had they just heard?
Those who massacred 380,000 people in Chu Province were the King of Pacifying the North and Que Yongxiu, and their emperor, their Majesty, had allowed all this?
“No wonder Administration Commissioner Zheng died, he was killed by them!” Someone shouted with red eyes.
“His Majesty, he… he allowed the King of Pacifying the North to massacre the city…”
Faces were stunned, eyes flashing with hatred and bewilderment.
They hadn’t expected that by coming to watch the excitement, they would witness such a scene, hear such words.
A Great Feng prince massacring a city, the Great Feng emperor allowing it.
One day, would the blade be turned against them?
At that moment, something collapsed in the hearts of over a thousand people in the dense crowd.
Just then, figures leapt onto the rooftops around Caishikou. Some wore imperial guard armor, others wore ordinary clothes, but their auras were equally powerful.
“By imperial decree, execute Xu Qi An!”
Over a dozen figures flew through the air, their qi like a surging tide, rushing towards Xu Qi An.
Behind the crowd, the sound of hooves thundered as imperial guards rode in on horseback, whipping to disperse the crowd.
The Duke of Guarding the Nation Que Yongxiu was overjoyed, shouting: “Quickly save me, kill this scoundrel!”
The Duke of Cao’s despairing eyes lit up, followed by surging hatred, wishing he could cut Xu Qi An into a thousand pieces.
At that very moment, a clear light descended from the sky, embedding itself in the execution platform with a “ding”.
As the clear light flashed, the experts rushing to kill were struck as if by lightning, all flying back and spewing blood in mid-air.
“Finally, it’s here!” Xu Qi An sighed in relief.
It was a carving knife, ancient and black.
In the era before paper appeared, that Confucian sage had used it to carve out classics that would be passed down through generations.
He had summoned it before leaving the palace, having obtained the approval of Dean Zhao Shou yesterday.
The carving knife rippled with clear light, forming a barrier in front of the execution platform.
Xu Qi An stepped on the Duke of Cao’s back, looked around at the people outside the platform, and spoke word by word, his qi surging, his voice like thunder:
“The Duke of Cao framed loyal officials, aided tyranny, and colluded with the Duke of Guarding the Nation Que Yongxiu to murder Chu Province’s Administration Commissioner Zheng Xinghuai. According to Great Feng law, he shall be beheaded in public!”
The black gold long sword was raised and fell heavily.
The head rolled off.
Blood splattered from the execution platform, leaving a tragic red mark in the eyes of the people.
The Duke of Cao was executed.
“No…”
A despairing roar came from Que Yongxiu’s mouth. The death of the Duke of Cao had deeply shocked him.
The Duke of Cao was right, this man was a madman, a madman!
“Xu Qi An, Constable Xu, Lord Xu, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have been deceived by the King of Pacifying the North. I know I was wrong. Please, give me another chance, don’t kill me…” Que Yongxiu cried out.
He had confessed his guilt in front of countless people, he was weeping bitterly under public scrutiny.
“So you can feel fear too!” Xu Qi An sneered.
“Yes, everyone fears death. Just like the children you impaled on spears, like the civilians you ordered to be shot. Like Official Zheng who you strangled to death in prison.”
“Save me quickly, save me! I beg you, save me quickly!”
Immense fear exploded in Que Yongxiu’s heart. He let out a despairing wail towards the experts who had been injured by the clear light of the carving knife.
He knew the executioner’s blade was hanging over his head. He knew Xu Qi An was killing him for the Chu Province massacre case, for Zheng Xinghuai. But what he didn’t understand was why this man would go to such lengths for unrelated civilians?
Xu Qi An’s blade didn’t fall yet. He still had to pronounce the Duke of Guarding the Nation’s crimes. His blade was killing those who deserved to die.
“Chu Province Commander-in-Chief, Duke of Guarding the Nation Que Yongxiu, colluded with the King of Huai and the Witch God Cult to massacre Chu Province, emptying the entire city. The blood debt is too heavy to be forgiven.
“After the incident, he conspired with Emperor Yuanjing to frame Chu Province’s Administration Commissioner Zheng Xinghuai, strangling him to death in prison. The blood debt is too heavy to be forgiven. Today, I sentence him to — immediate — execution!”
Whoosh!
The blade fell, and the head rolled off.
As the world turned upside down, Que Yongxiu saw the azure sky, saw his own corpse, saw Xu Qi An standing with a cold smile.
“Spare…”
The head rolled on the ground, the lips moved slightly, and then endless darkness swallowed him.
“Hah…”
Xu Qi An let out a long breath, as if expelling all the frustration in his chest.
Pairs of eyes stared at him. Though the crowd surged, it was terrifyingly silent.
In this silent setting, Xu Qi An reached into his bosom and took out the silver badge symbolizing his position. With one slash, he cut it in two. The halves of the badge fell with a clang.
Leaning on his sword, he laughed wildly: “Lord Wei, Xu Qi An… is no longer an official.”
On a distant rooftop, the figure in red covered her mouth, tears streaming down.
Behind her, Huai Qing, who had deliberately worn a plain white dress today, stared blankly at the figure laughing recklessly on the execution platform.
Outside the crowd, a plain-looking woman arrived late and couldn’t squeeze into the surging mass of people.
She stood on the outskirts, listening to the man in the distance announce the crimes, hearing him say he was no longer an official, hearing his wild laughter.
Mu Nanzhi suddenly felt she was fortunate.
From the crowd, a man suddenly pushed his way out. It was Li Han, who carried a ox-horn bow. He knelt on both knees and wept loudly:
“Thank you, Constable Xu, for eliminating the treacherous officials and bringing justice for the people of Chu Province and for Official Zheng.”
Shentu Baili, Wei Youlong, Zhao Jin, Tang Youshen, the Chen Xian couple… these righteous people who had escorted Zheng Xinghuai back to the capital pushed their way out of the crowd and knelt before the platform.
“Thank you, Constable Xu, for eliminating the treacherous officials and bringing justice for the people of Chu Province and for Official Zheng.”
This scene was deeply imprinted in the eyes of the surrounding people.
Looking at the unrestrained and upright young man on the platform, cries of weeping rose from the crowd.
This was a young man who had used his own hot blood, his own future, and even his life to bring justice.
This scene was later recorded in the annals of history.
In the Great Feng calendar, the 37th year of Yuanjing, early summer, Silver Gong Xu Qi An beheaded the Duke of Cao and the Duke of Guarding the Nation at Caishikou, concluding the Chu Province massacre case. Seven righteous people knelt for a long time before the execution platform.