In the year of the Imperial Examination, Zhu Chengzhu, a Silver Gong of the Night Watchmen, attempted to defile an innocent young girl. He was severely wounded by a single slash from Xu Qi’an, a Copper Gong. Due to the severity of his injuries, Zhu Chengzhu’s cultivation was half-ruined.
Xu Qi’an was then imprisoned by Wei Yuan in the Night Watchmen’s dungeon, and sentenced to be cut in half at the waist after seven days.
Coincidentally, the Sangbo case erupted. At Wei Yuan’s subtle suggestion, Princess Huaiying recommended Xu Qi’an to Emperor Yuanjing as the lead investigator. The Emperor allowed him to atone for his crimes through meritorious service.
After the Sangbo case concluded, Xu Qi’an easily cleared his name. Zhu Chengzhu’s father, Golden Gong Zhu Yang, harbored resentment and defected to the Qi faction, betraying the Night Watchmen.
This act of revenge was thwarted when Xu Qi’an, the child of fate, accidentally uncovered a conspiracy between the Qi faction and the Wushen Cult’s witches.
Following these events, Zhu Yang was dismissed and expelled from the Night Watchmen’s Office. According to Wei Yuan’s intentions, Zhu Yang shouldn’t have lived until now.
But Emperor Yuanjing forcibly protected him, giving him a sinecure position as a Consultant in the Ministry of War, which he has held until now.
Yuan Xiong stepped down from the wooden stool of his carriage, looking up at the plaque of the Zhu mansion. He felt deeply emotional: “His Majesty truly plans far ahead.”
Arriving at the main gate of the Zhu mansion, Yuan Xiong announced himself and watched the doorkeeper enter the compound.
Shortly after, the burly Zhu Yang, with his restrained aura, came out to personally greet him. A hearty smile concealed his surprise as he said:
“Censor-in-Chief Yuan’s visit brings light to my humble abode.”
Yuan Xiong smiled and nodded, “I hope I’m not disturbing you, Lord Zhu.”
His gaze turned towards the interior of the compound.
Zhu Yang immediately said: “Please, come in.”
The two entered the reception hall. Zhu Yang ordered his servants to bring the finest tea. After the host and guest each took a sip, Yuan Xiong asked:
“How is your son’s health?”
Opening with this question, the experienced Zhu Yang seemed to understand something. He shook his head helplessly:
“My unworthy son was severely wounded by that Xu boy that day, injuring his heart and lungs. After recovering from his injuries, he was left with a chronic condition, ending his path of martial arts.”
At the time, Zhu Chengzhu had just entered the Qi Refining realm. His cultivation wasn’t high, and it was fortunate he survived at all.
Such severe injuries were bound to leave lasting effects. The higher one’s cultivation, the stronger their life force. If it had been Zhu Yang himself, those injuries would have healed in less than three days.
“He won’t be arrogant for much longer.”
Yuan Xiong snorted and got straight to the point: “Lord Zhu, I’m sure you’ve heard about Wei Yuan’s death at the Wushen Cult’s headquarters.”
A flash of satisfaction and hatred crossed Zhu Yang’s eyes as he sneered, “Good riddance. This is what they call karmic retribution, unfailing justice.”
Zhu Chengzhu was his most talented son. He had hoped this son would inherit his mantle and become the next Golden Gong, pouring all his efforts into nurturing him. At twenty-three, he had already reached the Qi Refining realm, with a bright future ahead.
All of it was destroyed by Xu Qi’an.
Zhu Yang had been promoted by Wei Yuan himself, recognized during the Shanhai Pass campaign, and gradually rose to the fourth rank, becoming a Golden Gong. Wei Yuan’s kindness to him was as heavy as a mountain, but precisely because of this, he hated Wei Yuan even more.
After years of loyal service, how could he be worth less than a mere Copper Gong?
What was wrong with defiling the family member of a criminal official? It was a trivial matter, yet Wei Yuan’s heart sided with an outsider, disregarding years of friendship.
When he heard that Wei Yuan had died in battle at Jingshan City, Zhu Yang laughed wildly to the heavens and got drunk with his son Zhu Chengzhu.
“Wei Yuan’s retribution has come, and the Night Watchmen’s retribution is about to arrive.”
Yuan Xiong pinched the tea lid and tapped it against the rim of the cup. “Lord Zhu, it’s time for your comeback.”
Zhu Yang narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Yuan Xiong: “Censor-in-Chief Yuan, what do you mean by that?”
Yuan Xiong smiled at him: “His Majesty has ordered me to take Wei Yuan’s position, manage the Night Watchmen’s Office, and clean up the corrupt practices within. As everyone knows, the Night Watchmen’s Office has been Wei Yuan’s private domain for twenty years, tightly controlled in his grip. Not even a fly could get in from outside.”
Zhu Yang nodded slowly.
Yuan Xiong said helplessly: “Although I need to clean up the atmosphere, a general without troops can’t accomplish anything. I need to keep some and arrest others, and for this, I need Lord Zhu’s help.”
Zhu Yang feigned difficulty, saying reluctantly: “Wei Yuan dismissed me and expelled me from the Night Watchmen’s Office, but that’s a grudge between Wei Yuan and me. It has nothing to do with my brothers in the office. Lord Yuan, you’re putting me in a difficult position.”
Then why did you betray your brothers so decisively back then? Yuan Xiong took a sip of tea and said with a smile:
“There’s another reason I’ve come to see you, Lord Zhu. Back then, you and your son were persecuted by Wei Yuan and forced to leave the Night Watchmen’s Office. Now that Wei Yuan is dead, it’s time to right the wrongs and overturn unjust verdicts.
“I plan to petition His Majesty to reinstate you to your original position. I also hope Lord Zhu can assist me in managing the Night Watchmen’s Office well.”
Zhu Yang finally smiled: “Which people does Lord Yuan want to keep, and which to arrest?”
Yuan Xiong said leisurely: “Naturally, those who are corrupt. I believe those people are likely Wei Yuan’s confidants.”
The two exchanged knowing smiles.
…
At the Night Watchmen’s Office.
The Copper Gongs on patrol were gradually returning to the office in small groups.
Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao were among them, having been recalled by the office clerks.
The reason was unknown for now; the clerk only said that Golden Gong Zhao had summoned all Night Watchmen back to the office.
“Why has Golden Gong Zhao called us back?”
“It must be urgent business, definitely urgent.”
“These truly are troubled times.”
The Copper Gongs conversed in low voices, not saying much.
Wei Yuan’s death was a devastating blow to the Night Watchmen as if they had lost their backbone overnight.
As a result, the atmosphere in the office had been extremely tense for days.
That man, although he rarely left Haoqi Tower, as long as he was there, the sky above the Night Watchmen’s heads couldn’t collapse.
Song Tingfeng, now at the Spirit Refining realm, took a sip of tea and suddenly thought of the days when Xu Ninyan was still around.
Back then, he, Zhu Guangxiao, and Xu Ninyan would patrol (stroll) during the day, and during the one-hour lunch break, they would go to brothels to listen to music. Although their pockets were empty and their “roosters” were limp during that time, they were truly happy.
As Xu Ninyan used to say, “If you don’t indulge in your youth, you’ll only shed empty tears when you’re old.”
This guy, despite being a crude warrior, always came up with phrases that people didn’t quite understand but felt were impressive.
The last time he said “Is it okay or not?”, Song Tingfeng still hadn’t fully grasped its meaning. When he went to brothels to support poor girls from difficult backgrounds, he would ask them:
“Is it okay or not?”
The girls would always say, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”
But when he pulled up his pants without giving them money, the girls would say it wasn’t okay.
How Xu Silver Gong managed to freeload off Miss Fuxiang for half a year using just these five words remains a mystery in the Night Watchmen’s Office to this day.
Now, even Miss Fuxiang has passed away due to illness.
In just a short year, everything has changed.
Perhaps not all the Night Watchmen had returned yet, as Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao had been sitting in Chunfeng Hall for two-quarters of an hour.
Song Tingfeng was now at the Spirit Refining realm, considered one of the rare young talents in the Night Watchmen’s Office. Although far less brilliant than Xu Qi’an, when Wei Yuan was still around, the office had planned to cultivate Song Tingfeng.
Wei Yuan would always put effort into nurturing any Night Watchman with outstanding talent and no major faults. This had always been his principle.
However, Song Tingfeng lacked both seniority and merit, so he remained in the Copper Gong position.
“Guangxiao, the only thing to look forward to in the second half of the year is your wedding,” Song Tingfeng sighed.
They had thought that after the Imperial Examination year, life would become more stable. Who knew that the Imperial Examination was just the beginning, and so many things would happen this year? The Yunzhou case at the beginning of the year, the Prince Huai massacre case in the middle of the year, and this turmoil after the autumn harvest.
Song Tingfeng’s gaze passed through the open door, looking at the withered yellow leaves in the courtyard. He murmured:
“Troubled times, these truly are troubled times. Guangxiao, we brothers will get through this.”
The increasingly taciturn Zhu Guangxiao grunted in response.
As they were talking, drum sounds came from the training ground.
“Golden Gong Zhao is summoning us.”
The two immediately left Chunfeng Hall and, together with Li Yuchun, joined the other Night Watchmen in the office heading towards the training ground to assemble.
When Song Tingfeng arrived at the training ground, he swept his gaze around and was surprised to find that there were more Night Watchmen gathered than he had expected. Even those who were off duty had been summoned.
What could have happened… He glanced at Zhu Guangxiao and Li Yuchun beside him, and they shared the same confusion.
The three from Chunfeng Hall silently fell into line and waited for nearly two-quarters of an hour. Suddenly, they heard rapid and orderly footsteps approaching.
Turning to look, they saw a group of Imperial Guards with shining armor and weapons. There were many of them, at least five hundred by a rough estimate.
Imperial Guards? Song Tingfeng frowned inwardly.
The Imperial Guard unit surged in, surrounding the Night Watchmen, but took no further action.
As the Night Watchmen were puzzled, they saw several people walking slowly from a distance.
In the center was a rather imposing middle-aged man wearing a crimson robe. To his left was the expressionless Golden Gong Zhao, and to his right was Zhu Yang, with Zhu Chengzhu beside him.
Not just Li Yuchun, Song Tingfeng, and Zhu Guangxiao, but even the other Night Watchmen’s faces changed when they saw this father and son pair.
As they drew near, Yuan Xiong, with his hands behind his back, came before the assembled Night Watchmen.
Golden Gong Zhao swept his gaze over his subordinates and announced in a clear voice, without much expression:
“By order of His Majesty, from today onwards, Censor-in-Chief Yuan will take over Lord Wei’s duties and manage the Night Watchmen’s Office. Quickly pay your respects to Lord Yuan.”
The Night Watchmen began to stir, either looking at each other in bewilderment or discussing in low voices.
“Bullshit, what right does he have to manage the Night Watchmen?” a Silver Gong muttered.
“He’s just a sycophantic nobody, how is he fit to lead the Night Watchmen?”
“Even if someone is to replace Lord Wei, shouldn’t it be Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Hong?”
Yuan Xiong narrowed his eyes slightly but remained impassive.
Golden Gong Zhao glanced at this newly appointed superior, his heart sinking, and shouted: “All of you, shut up! Are you trying to rebel?”
He was angry that his subordinates couldn’t read the situation. A new official’s first move is to burn the troublemakers; the more unruly ones are easier to make examples of. Moreover, Yuan Xiong was here to “investigate” this time.
Golden Gong Zhao was also one of Wei Yuan’s confidants—all Golden Gongs were Wei Yuan’s confidants, including Zhu Yang at one point.
The reason he could rest easy and not be “implicated” was largely due to his fourth-rank warrior cultivation.
In Great Qi, and indeed in any power structure across the Nine Provinces, fourth-rank individuals were mid to high-level figures. Warriors, in particular, with their strong attacks, high defense, and great destructive power, were usually treated with a conciliatory policy by the court as long as they hadn’t committed unforgivable crimes.
Yuan Xiong needed enough fourth-rank Golden Gongs to maintain face, so he recruited him.
In Golden Gong Zhao’s view, since imperial orders couldn’t be defied, what else could he do but go with the flow? It was better for him to stay here than to hand over the entire Night Watchmen’s Office to Zhu Yang.
Zhu Yang returned to the Night Watchmen’s Office with a vengeful mindset, unlike Xu Qi’an. Now that Duke Wei had sacrificed himself, facing reality was crucial. The Night Watchmen’s Office was Duke Wei’s life’s work, and he could at least try to preserve it for him.
Yuan Xiong ignored the criticism directed at the Night Watchmen and announced loudly:
“Today at noon, a commoner woman named Lu Li petitioned at the Meridian Gate, accusing Wei Yuan of excessive wealth accumulation, framing innocent people, and the Night Watchmen of extorting money and defiling her daughter-in-law.”
“His Majesty was enraged and specially ordered me to take over the Night Watchmen’s Office, clean up the corruption, and punish those who abuse their power for personal gain.”
Instantly, curses and shouts erupted.
The Night Watchmen didn’t know who Lu Li was, but that didn’t stop them from voicing their outrage.
Is Duke Wei accumulating excessive wealth?
Everyone in the office knew that Duke Wei was the most upright and just. How dare a common woman accuse Duke Wei of extortion and persecuting her family? Did she think she was worthy of such accusations?
Even if Duke Wei wanted to amass wealth, would he stoop to extorting commoners like ordinary clerks?
The Bronze and Silver Gong bearers weren’t fools. They immediately realized someone was trying to frame Duke Wei. And that person was likely the Right Imperial Censor Yuan Xiong standing before them.
He was Duke Wei’s political enemy.
“Too noisy!” Yuan Xiong said calmly.
As Zhao Jin Gong was about to reprimand them, Zhu Yang stepped forward first. The power of a fourth-rank expert surged forth, causing the Night Watchmen present to lose their balance and turn pale.
The clamor instantly subsided.
Yuan Xiong nodded in satisfaction and announced loudly, “I have received secret reports and will not tolerate corrupt officials. Now, those whose names I call, step forward.”
“Zhang Dongliang.”
No response.
“Zhang Dongliang!”
Still no response. The Night Watchmen were silently resisting.
Yuan Xiong said no more, glancing lightly at Zhu Yang beside him.
Understanding immediately, Zhu Yang had already locked his gaze on a certain Silver Gong bearer in the crowd. He stretched out his arm, palm facing that person, and suddenly made a grabbing motion.
A stocky, square-faced man was forcibly “squeezed” out of the crowd. His feet planted on the ground, his toes leaving two drag marks as he struggled in vain against being pulled out.
Yuan Xiong smiled and said, “I’m carrying out the Emperor’s orders. Disobedience is equivalent to defying an imperial edict. A capital offense!”
Afraid that Zhu Yang would act first again, Zhao Jin Gong hurriedly stepped in front of Zhang Dongliang and cupped his fists, saying, “Sir, this brute meant no offense. Please show mercy.”
Zhang Dongliang’s face turned purple-red, the veins on his neck bulging as he let out a deep growl:
“I don’t submit! Zhao Jin Gong, there’s no need to beg him. If Duke Wei were still here, would Yuan Xiong dare to step foot in this office? The other Jin Gong bearers are still out there, and Zhu Yang just returned? I only regret not following my leader to battle that day. He was fortunate to die with Duke Wei at Jingshan City, better than me, dying at the hands of our people.”
Yuan Xiong said calmly, “Lord Zhu, the Night Watchmen hold official positions. The power of life and death rests with His Majesty.”
Zhu Yang nodded and sneered, “Understood.”
He pulled Zhang Dongliang over with his qi and punched him in the chest. The sound of ribs cracking echoed as Zhang Dongliang’s back armor split open.
Everyone heard the sound of his chest bones shattering.
Zhang Dongliang slowly crumpled to the ground, barely clinging to life.
A new official’s first act was to make an example, and this poor soul was the first to burn.
“Clang!”
The sound of a sword being drawn rang out. A Silver Gong bearer had drawn his weapon.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The surrounding imperial guards drew their swords, ready to suppress the Night Watchmen at any moment.
Zhu Yang narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, using his status as a fourth-rank martial artist to intimidate the Night Watchmen.
“Stop, all of you!” Zhao Jin Gong shouted. “Do you want to rebel? Have you lost your minds?”
“Zhao Jin Gong,” the Night Watchmen reacted intensely.
“Chief…”
“Can’t you see what’s happening? He’s purging us. Guilty or not, none of us will have a good end.”
“Zhao Jin Gong, Duke Wei is gone. You’re the only one in the office who can stand up for us brothers. You can’t be Yuan Xiong’s dog.”
“Chief, can you bear to watch your brothers be framed?”
At least you can live… Zhao Jin Gong’s forehead veins bulged as he said word by word, “Put… your… swords… away…”
The Night Watchmen’s hearts sank. Filled with anger, unwillingness, and sorrow, they still refused to sheathe their swords.
Seeing this, Yuan Xiong smiled and said, “I assume all of your families are in the capital.”
A ruthless threat!
The recruitment condition for Night Watchmen was that their ancestors for three generations or more had to be residents of the capital with a clean family history.
Why? To prevent these martial artists from abusing their power.
With Duke Wei dead and the other Jin Gong bearers either fallen in battle or not yet returned, even if they wanted to resist, they had no one to back them up.
“If only Xu Ning’yan were still here…” someone murmured.
The Night Watchmen were momentarily dazed, remembering their former colleague who had cut his official waist token and resigned from his post.
Indeed, if Xu Ning’yan were still here, given Duke Wei’s kindness to him and his unyielding personality that couldn’t tolerate injustice, would Zhu Yang and Yuan Xiong dare to be so arrogant?
Yuan Xiong and the others heard this but didn’t respond, nor did they decide to.
Zhu Chengzhu’s expression visibly twisted for a moment.
Xu Qi’an, the once lowly Bronze Gong bearer, was the culprit who had ruined his future.
He hated this man to the core, but in just a year, the tables had turned. That despicable Bronze Gong bearer had become a great figure beyond his reach.
Even though Xu Qi’an had offended His Majesty, he was still not someone Zhu Chengzhu could interfere with or seek revenge against.
So, this vengeful flame burned in his heart, finding no outlet, scorching his soul daily, causing a slight distortion in his personality.
…
“Li Yuchun!”
“Chu Honghe!”
“Min Shan!”
“Tang Youde!”
“…”
One by one, Silver Gong bearers stepped forward, were disarmed, had their arms twisted behind their backs, and their hands bound by the imperial guards. In the blink of an eye, almost half of the Silver Gong bearers present were taken away.
Those Silver Gong bearers either remained expressionless, sneered, or spat. Not one showed fear or begged for mercy.
There were no Bronze Gong bearers on the list. As the lowest rank in the Night Watchmen’s Office, Bronze Gong bearers usually didn’t have the privilege of choosing sides.
Of course, this didn’t mean Yuan Xiong wouldn’t deal with them.
The confident Right Imperial Censor announced loudly, “The Night Watchmen’s Office is facing a major crisis, with many positions vacant. I’ve taken over the office at this critical time and need staff. I need to promote loyal and worthy individuals.”
“Before dawn tomorrow, if any of you write a letter reporting colleagues who have taken bribes, extorted money from civilians, or engaged in corruption, I will promote you.”
A sinister plan.
The Night Watchmen present remained expressionless, not responding.
However, Yuan Xiong knew that the seeds of suspicion and ambition had been planted among these people.
For these Bronze Gong bearers, promotion was extremely difficult. It required not only the appropriate cultivation level but also sufficient merit. As a result, some Bronze Gong bearers who had long reached the Spirit Refining realm still couldn’t get promoted.
Who wouldn’t want a promotion if they had ambition and motivation?
Now that the Night Watchmen’s Office was in turmoil, it was an excellent opportunity for those with ambition and a desire for advancement.
Yuan Xiong no longer looked at the dejected Night Watchmen. Instead, he turned to Zhu Yang and Zhao Jin Gong, smiling, “Fellow Jin Gong bearers, accompany me to observe the Righteous Qi Tower.”
He was eager to enter that place and take Wei Yuan’s position.
Zhao Jin Gong nodded and glanced at the Night Watchmen, saying, “Dismissed.”
Zhu Guangxiao heard Song Tingfeng’s whisper in his ear, “Lower your head, quickly lower your head, leave this place…”
The disheartened Zhu Guangxiao was slightly startled but instinctively complied, walking towards the training ground exit with his colleagues.
After a few steps, he heard a voice call out, “Stop!”
Everyone halted, both frightened and curious as they looked back.
The one who had called out was Zhu Chengzhu, the former Silver Gong bearer whom almost all the Night Watchmen present recognized.
Ignoring the others, Zhu Chengzhu pointed at Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao, grinning, “You two, come here.”
Song Tingfeng’s heart sank, but he stepped forward with a stiff upper lip, saying, “Silver Gong Zhu, congratulations on your reinstatement. What can this humble servant do for you?”
He had always been a smooth talker, able to flatter without batting an eye.
Zhu Chengzhu revealed a malicious smile and announced loudly:
“Lord Yuan, I want to report these two for corruption and perversion of justice. I witnessed it with my own eyes.”
Song Tingfeng’s face turned pale with fright.
Yuan Xiong nodded slightly and said, “Then I’ll leave it to you to handle, nephew Zhu.”
Without pausing, he continued walking side by side with the two Jin Gong bearers.
Zhao Jin Gong looked at Zhu Yang and kindly reminded him, “Those two are Xu Qi’an’s close friends.”
This was both a warning to Zhu Yang and an attempt to protect Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng.
Before Zhu Yang could speak, Yuan Xiong had already responded calmly, “Wei Yuan is dead. Without this backer, how long do you think Xu Qi’an can continue to make trouble?”
Zhu Yang followed with a smile.
Zhao Jin Gong said no more.
Meanwhile, Song Tingfeng was bowing and scraping, begging for mercy, “Silver Gong Zhu, I was wrong before. You’re a big man who doesn’t hold grudges against small fry like me. Please don’t lower yourself to my level.”
Zhu Chengzhu, toying with him like a cat with a mouse, asked, “Where were you wrong?”
Song Tingfeng was taken aback, but his quick wit kicked in. He immediately beat his chest in feigned remorse, lamenting, “The biggest mistake I, Song Tingfeng, have made in my life was befriending Xu Qi’an. I regret it deeply now.”
He had no personal grudge against Zhu Chengzhu; this harassment was merely guilt by association.
At this moment, he only needed to act like a fence-sitter. The more weak and cowardly he appeared, the more likely he was to dissipate Zhu Chengzhu’s anger. He wanted to make the other man believe that his past association with Xu Qi’an was merely because the latter was favored by Wei Yuan, and thus worth currying favor with.
There was no deep friendship between them.
Sure enough, Zhu Chengzhu’s face showed a satisfied smile, but his next words struck Song Tingfeng like a thunderbolt.
“If you don’t want to go to jail, crawl between my legs.”
Zhu Chengzhu spread his legs, his smile full of malice. “Crawl through, and I’ll forget about your past friendship with Xu Qi’an.”
The watching Night Watchmen all turned to look at Song Tingfeng. Under their collective gaze, his face slowly turned pale.
“Silver Gong Zhu, this… this… you must be joking…”
Slap!
A public face-slapping.
Song Tingfeng’s cheek quickly swelled and reddened.
Zhu Chengzhu spoke harshly, “Joking? Do you think I’m joking with you? I’ve given you a chance. Whether you can grasp it is up to you. I’ll give you three breaths’ time.”
Song Tingfeng’s body began to tremble slightly, his fists clenching and unclenching, then clenching again.
In the end, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, he knelt, placed his hands on the ground, and slowly crawled between Zhu Chengzhu’s legs.
Zhu Chengzhu laughed maniacally.
He then turned to Zhu Guangxiao: “Your turn. Will you go to jail, or crawl between your young master’s legs?”
At that moment, his twisted mentality had received immense satisfaction.
Zhu Guangxiao’s eyes darkened. He would rather die than suffer such humiliation.
“I… I’ll do it, I’ll do it for him…” Song Tingfeng’s face was full of fawning submission. “I enjoy crawling between Silver Gong Zhu’s legs. This lowly servant must have exceptional fortune today to enjoy such treatment.”
“Indeed, you’re quite the weathervane. Is this how you used to please Xu Qi’an?” Zhu Chengzhu humiliated him.
“Yes, yes, yes…” Song Tingfeng nodded frantically and crawled between Zhu Chengzhu’s legs again.
“Not bad, you’re an interesting fellow. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone who enjoys crawling between legs.”
Zhu Chengzhu patted Song Tingfeng’s face and sneered, “This is the consequence of keeping bad company.”
He ignored the despicable wretch and strode off in the direction his father had disappeared.
After a while, the training ground emptied, leaving only Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng.
“That dog, abusing his power!” Song Tingfeng spat and turned to Zhu Guangxiao with a nonchalant smile:
“You’ve been around Xu Ning’yan too long. You haven’t learned his skills, but you’ve certainly picked up his bad temper. You’re getting married at the end of the year. If you end up in jail now, you’ll be lucky to escape with your skin intact, and you’ll still lose your position. How will you marry the girl then?”
“In life, it’s not easy to find a girl you want to marry who’s willing to marry you. Even that scoundrel Xu Ning’yan, who frequents the brothels daily, hasn’t found such a girl.”
Tears glistened in Zhu Guangxiao’s eyes.
Song Tingfeng spat again and said irritably:
“Stop being so sentimental. I’m used to being slippery. Crawling between legs or even calling someone ‘father’ doesn’t bother me. Didn’t you see everyone’s expression of ‘that’s just like him’? If it were you, you probably wouldn’t be able to show your face again.”
He waved his hand and said, “You go on. I’ll sit here alone for a while.”
Zhu Guangxiao let out a nasal “mm” and turned to leave.
With no one else left in the training ground, Song Tingfeng covered his face, his shoulders shaking, muffled sobs escaping through his fingers.
What a humiliation!
…
The next day, at the court assembly.
Yuan Xiong submitted a memorial, impeaching Wei Yuan on ten major crimes, including allowing subordinates to embezzle and extort from the people, and recklessly seeking glory, leading to the burial of 80,000 soldiers in foreign lands.
Emperor Yuan Jing, in front of the ministers and officials outside the hall, angrily rebuked Wei Yuan for misleading the country.
The court and the public were shaken.
…
At the residence of Liu Hong, the Left Imperial Censor, in the study.
Liu Hong angrily smashed an antique vase. This third-rank official with black hair streaked with silver furiously cursed and shouted:
“Shameless scoundrel!”
“I, Liu Hong, will never reconcile with Yuan Xiong!”
In the spacious study sat Censor Zhang Xingying, the Minister of War, and several former core members of Wei’s faction.
Everyone was at a loss.
In court, no one could wrestle with a young and vigorous emperor who had complete control over power.
Especially when this emperor had many hounds willing to charge into battle for him.
“Given the current situation, I’m afraid it’s difficult for us alone to turn the tide,” sighed one core member.
Zhang Xingying’s expression was filled with sorrow as he said:
“Duke Wei served in court for twenty years, diligently and conscientiously. They accuse him of abusing power for personal gain and accumulating excessive wealth, but does anyone know that he lived in the Righteous Qi Tower for twenty years? This capital is full of splendor, yet not a single place was his home.”
“Over the years, he often discussed new policies with us, attempting to reform and save the declining national power. He had no children and no family. He devoted all his energy and heart’s blood to the court. Without Duke Wei, how could His Majesty have cultivated so peacefully these past twenty years?”
“Why is His Majesty unwilling to give him even a posthumous name?”
A heavy and sorrowful atmosphere spread through the study.
The Minister of War took a deep breath and said, “We need to consider protecting ourselves now. Once Duke Wei’s case is settled, they’ll start purging us Wei faction members. Heh, Qin Yuandao has set his eyes on my position again.”
“As for Duke Wei’s case, as long as we don’t fall, as long as some of us survive, there will be a chance to redress it in the future.”
Temporary success or failure doesn’t mean much. As the old saying goes: New king, new courtiers.
If they couldn’t change things under Emperor Yuan Jing’s reign, they would wait for the new emperor to ascend. History was full of examples of sons overturning their fathers’ decisions.
Many wrongful cases were only redressed after ten or twenty years.
“I suppose that’s all we can do,” Liu Hong sighed, then added, “But the Crown Prince, when he ascends the throne, may not necessarily redress Duke Wei’s case.”
“By the way, what about Xu Qi’an?” the Minister of War suddenly asked.
Zhang Xingying wiped the corner of his eye, his voice low, “I sent someone to check a few days ago. The Xu manor’s gates were tightly shut, the place empty. Ning’yan, he’s probably left the capital.”
Liu Hong gave a bitter laugh, “It’s good that he left. If he hadn’t, no one could have protected him. Not even we could. Sigh, he must be thoroughly disillusioned with the court.”
…
That day, news of Wei Yuan’s reckless pursuit of glory leading to the burial of 80,000 troops in enemy territory finally reached the public.
The people’s reaction was extremely intense.
“We said not to support the Yao barbarians. They prey on our Great Fang people and harass our borders. Why support them? Now we’ve angered the ancestors and brought down punishment. Look what’s happened, 80,000 soldiers died. Our Great Fang hasn’t suffered such a defeat in twenty years.”
“If you ask me, it’s all that Wei Yuan’s fault. If he hadn’t been so eager for glory, how could we have lost the battle?”
“That dog deserves death! A eunuch leading troops? Isn’t that child’s play? His Majesty trusted the wrong person.”
“You bastards! How dare you insult Duke Wei so casually? Twenty years ago, without this eunuch, would you be enjoying such peaceful days now?” An old man stood up to speak out against the injustice.
“Old man, haven’t you heard? This Wei Yuan is a big corrupt official.”
“Hmph, who says so?”
“The court says so.”
“The court also said Prince Huai was a hero, and that Chu State was massacred by the Yao barbarians. What happened in the end? I stopped believing the court long ago. I’d rather believe Silver Gong Xu.”
There was silence all around.
After the Chu State massacre case, the people of the capital, and even throughout the Great Fang states, inevitably developed a crisis of trust in the court.
“Well… Silver Gong Xu hasn’t said anything either.”
…
In the palace.
The old eunuch slowly entered and stopped by the bedside, bowing and speaking in a soft voice, “Your Majesty, the Prime Minister requests an audience.”
Emperor Yuan Jing sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, calmly responding, “Denied!”
The old eunuch added in a low voice, “The Prime Minister is kneeling outside, saying if you won’t see him, he won’t leave.”
Emperor Yuan Jing sneered but didn’t respond.
The old eunuch dared not persuade further and stood quietly at the side.
Time passed minute by minute, and in the blink of an eye, an hour had gone by. The old eunuch glanced at Emperor Yuan Jing, who was still meditating, and left the bedchamber in small steps.
As soon as he left, Emperor Yuan Jing opened his eyes, rose from his meditation mat, and stood in the bedchamber. He crouched down, placing his palm on the ground.
A few seconds later, Emperor Yuan Jing faintly heard a mournful dragon’s cry.
“Not enough, not enough!”
Emperor Yuan Jing didn’t speak, but a voice inside him did.
“Wait until tomorrow, when we announce the failure of the campaign against the Witch God Cult. That will be enough,” Emperor Yuan Jing smiled.
Meanwhile, outside the bedchamber, at the bottom of the high steps, a figure in crimson robes knelt.
“Prime Minister, why do you insist on this? It doesn’t look good for either you or His Majesty.”
The old eunuch bowed, earnestly advising, “Go back. This old servant has served His Majesty for most of his life and knows his temperament. Even if you kneel here until you die, you won’t shake His Majesty’s resolve.”
Prime Minister Wang’s face was pale, his eyelids half-closed, as if he might faint at any moment.
At his age, kneeling for an hour could only be described as having astonishing willpower.
“I understand. Thank you for your advice, eunuch.”
The light in Prime Minister Wang’s eyes gradually dimmed. He struggled to rise but fell sideways.
“Oh my! Be careful, Prime Minister. Your body is precious. If something happens to you, who will help His Majesty shoulder his burdens?”
The old eunuch hurriedly helped him up.
Wang Zhenwen exhaled, brushed the dust off his clothes, straightened his official robes, and then bowed deeply towards the Imperial Study.
Then, he did something that left the old eunuch dumbfounded.
Wang Zhenwen took off his official hat and gently placed it on the steps.
When he stood up, his eyes were bright.
Wang Zhenwen rose, no longer lingering, and strode away.
Unburdened by the office, he felt light.
…
At the Star-Observing Tower.
Two carriages slowly approached, both made of sandalwood, trimmed with jade, and decorated with imperial yellow silk.
The carriages stopped in the square outside the Star-Observing Tower, and two lines of mounted guards reined in their horses, stopping alongside the carriages.
The doors opened, and a woman emerged from each carriage. The one in a plain palace dress was as beautiful as a snow lotus on an ice mountain, noble and cold; the one in a fiery red palace dress wore a small phoenix crown and expensive accessories like jade hairpins and pearl combs.
She looked like a noble golden canary.
Her beauty and charm perfectly complement these luxurious accessories, making people feel that a naturally charming woman like her should indeed be dressed in such splendor.
Leaving the guards behind, the two princesses entered the Star-Observing Tower.
“Huaiqing, you’re here!” Chu Caiwei, waiting in the first-floor hall, happily greeted her good friend.
Biaobiao, disregarding princess etiquette, lifted her skirt and ran “pitter-patter” up the stairs.
After a few steps, she suddenly remembered something and turned back, shouting, “Which floor is he on?”
“Seventh floor!”
Chu Caiwei responded, then turned to Huaiqing with a sweet smile, pulling out some jerky from her small deerskin bag: “Want some?”
Huaiqing shook her head.
Biaobiao stomped her foot: “Why aren’t you leading the way yet?”
Chu Caiwei led the two princesses to the seventh floor and pushed open the bedroom door. The room was filled with the smell of medicine. Biaobiao’s gaze instantly fell on the man lying on the bed, barely clinging to life.
Her peach blossom eyes immediately misted over.
“Why… why hasn’t he woken up yet? Is he still in danger?” Biaobiao choked.
Huaiqing remained silent, looking towards Chu Caiwei.
“We don’t know when he’ll wake up. When he was brought back, he was truly on the brink of death. Not a single part of his body was intact. While defending the city, he used Confucian magic and suffered a backlash. Also, the wound on his waist is troublesome, refusing to heal.”
The big-eyed cute girl frowned worriedly and explained, “Teacher said his ‘will’ was too overbearing.”
Huaiqing asked, “What is his ‘will’?”
Chu Caiwei shook her head: “The teacher only said it hurts both others and himself, a mutual destruction.”
Mutual destruction… Huaiqing was slightly moved.
What kind of state was Xu Qi’an in when he advanced to the fourth rank, and what kind of mindset made him take this step?
Biaobiao had already sat down by the bed, holding a handkerchief, crying her eyes out.
She wanted to call out to Xu Qi’an, to shake him awake but worried it might harm him, so she could only cry.
Biaobiao sobbed, “Father Emperor won’t even let him be an official anymore, yet he still fought so hard. Wei Yuan’s lifelong reputation is ruined in an instant. When he wakes up and finds out, how heartbroken will he be.”
“How can Father Emperor be so heartless? Although I don’t like Wei Yuan, I know he did great things. How can the Father Emperor be so unfeeling? I may not like Wei Yuan, but I know he did extraordinary things.”
“Wei… Duke Wei…”
As Biaobiao was crying, she suddenly heard a hoarse voice from behind.
Biaobiao was overjoyed. Huaiqing and Chu Caiwei also stepped forward, approaching the bedside. They saw Xu Qi’an’s face was pale, his lips cracked, but his eyes were now open.
“Ah, you’re finally awake.”
Chu Caiwei called out happily, “I’ll go get you some nourishing pills.”
Her face beaming with joy, she hurried out of the room.
Xu Qi’an focused his gaze, looking at the two princesses’ distinctly beautiful faces. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Am I in the Astronomical Bureau?”
Biaobiao nodded quickly: “Mm-hmm!”
Her long eyelashes were wet, and two tear tracks stained her delicate cheeks.
Xu Qi’an smiled at her, then let out a relieved sigh. It seemed Li Miaozhen had saved him and brought him back.
“Although I’ve managed to save my life, it was still too risky. I must have been dancing back and forth at death’s door all this time,” he thought to himself.
Trying to kill Nur Hachi amid thousands of troops was no easy feat. First, he had to break through the army, then kill a dual-system expert at the peak of the fourth rank. This alone was not something any fourth-rank expert of any system could accomplish.
Secondly, Nur Hachi also practiced the shaman system, possessing many control techniques. His “self-destructive version” of the Heaven and Earth Slash might not have been successfully executed.
Therefore, he needed Li Miaozhen’s Golden Core to protect him.
Lastly, the way he used Confucian magic was also a key point. He used “words become reality” to gain a temporary peak state, which had a smaller cost than a “tenfold increase in primordial spirit.”
Back then, his soul had nearly shattered. Fortunately, as the protagonist was blessed with luck, his life wasn’t meant to end, and he happened to have a beautiful young Heavenly Sect warrior by his side.
This time, he hadn’t died on the spot. Otherwise, instead of seeing Biaobiao and Huaiqing when he opened his eyes, he would have seen a midwife and his next life’s birth father.
Soon, Chu Caiwei returned, carrying a wooden tray filled with bottles and jars, her steps light.
“It’s good that you’re awake. Your awakening proves that the two forces destroying your life essence have completely dissipated. With your current fourth-rank physique, you should fully recover in two or three days.”
Chu Caiwei seemed very happy. During Xu Ning’yan’s period of severe injury and bed rest, even eating small dried fish wasn’t enjoyable for her. She had been depressed every day, only able to eat two bowls of rice per meal, and had lost weight.
Now that Xu Ning’yan was awake, she could happily enjoy her food again without worrying about him.
Under Chu Caiwei’s guidance, he took several pills. He felt a warm sensation in his abdomen, and the blocked qi began to flow through his meridians again. His complexion became much rosier.
Moreover, the feeling of hunger in his stomach also dissipated.
He then drank the warm water Biaobiao handed him. With her “care,” he sat up in bed, leaning against the headboard, with soft pillows behind his back.
“I heard Princess Lin’an mention Duke Wei earlier…”
Lin’an immediately looked at Huaiqing, her face full of hesitation.
Huaiqing pondered briefly, then said softly, “His Majesty is unwilling to give Duke Wei a posthumous name. Even if there is one, it might be a negative title.”
Biaobiao, with her heart fully focused on Xu Qi’an, didn’t notice that her sister Huaiqing had referred to their father as “His Majesty” rather than “Father Emperor.”
A negative posthumous title implied a derogatory epithet.
For officials of this era, a posthumous title was the final judgment on one’s lifelong achievements and character.
A negative title was equivalent to labeling Wei Yuan’s entire life as that of a “bad person,” to be recorded in history books and remembered with infamy for generations.
Huaiqing detailed the events of the past few days to Xu Qi’an.
“I see. It’s unexpected, but not unreasonable,” Xu Qi’an said calmly and then fell silent.
After a long while, he said, “Duke Wei died in Jingshan City. That’s good, at least better than dying at the hands of his people. If he hadn’t died, those petty scoundrels wouldn’t dare to do anything to him.”
“Looking back, his life was quite bitter. His ancestral home was in Yu State, and in his youth, his family was massacred by the Witch God Cult. He came to the capital to seek refuge with family friends, but because he fell in love with their daughter, their attempted elopement failed, and he was castrated. He had to watch the woman he loved marry another man, while he remained by her side to protect her. For a man, that must be the greatest humiliation.”
“He lived his life without children, without family. And in the end, to be treated like this. It shouldn’t be this way…”
Xu Qi’an’s eyes reddened, but he forced a smile and said, “Huaiqing, please help me tell Chu Yuanzhen about Zhende’s case and Duke Wei’s situation in detail. Ask him if he’s willing to return to the capital before tomorrow.”
He then turned to Lin’an, holding her small hand and giving it a gentle squeeze: “Your Highness, please help me grind the ink.”
“Oh!”
Lin’an had been listening on the side, understanding some but not all. Only one thing was clear and unmistakable to her: he was very sad now.
Xu Qi’an threw back the covers and got up, sitting at the table. He picked up a brush to write a letter.
After a while, the letter was finished. He put it in an envelope and looked at Chu Caiwei: “Is Miaozhen still in the Star-Observing Tower?”
Miaozhen… Biaobiao frowned slightly, feeling this form of address was overly intimate. She didn’t feel comfortable hearing it.
“Yes, she is. I’ll help you call her,” Chu Caiwei immediately went out.
Li Miaozhen was meditating in her room at the time. When she heard that Xu Qi’an had woken up, she was so happy that she hurried over.
As she pushed open the door, she came face to face with two princesses as beautiful as flowers and as lovely as celestial maidens.
The Flying Swallow Heroine suppressed her joy and calmly looked at Xu Qi’an sitting by the table. She nodded and said, “It’s good that you’re awake. What did you need me for?”
Xu Qi’an handed her the envelope, his voice slightly hoarse:
“Please help me deliver this letter to the old patriarch of the Martial Arts Alliance. He’s in the back mountain of the Alliance, behind the stone door guarded by the Dog Rong. When you go, remember, you must hand it to him personally. Don’t entrust it to anyone else, including the current Alliance Leader, Cao Qingyang. Remember, you must hand it to the old Alliance Leader personally. Just mention my name, and Cao Qingyang will take you to see him.”
“May I read it?” the Heavenly Sect Holy Maiden asked straightforwardly.
What do you think? Xu Qi’an shook his head: “Don’t read it.”
“Oh.”
Li Miaozhen nodded and left the room.
Xu Qi’an then looked at the two princesses, supporting himself on the edge of the table as he stood up rather weakly: “Your Highnesses, please wait a moment. I need to see the Supervisor.”