In the rainy night, countless Embroidered Uniform Guards wearing straw capes advanced like ghosts.
Leading them was Yang Yijie of the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s Southern Pacification Office.
Whether in official rank or the power they wielded, Yang Yijie was worlds apart from Xie Zhifei.
More importantly, Yang Yijie and Xie Zhifei weren’t on the same path. He could only obediently stand to one side and watch coldly.
Yang Yijie dismounted and stood where Xie Zhifei had just been standing. Taking a deep breath, he shouted loudly:
“Students, His Majesty has already ordered the Crown Prince to thoroughly investigate this entire case. Before long, the case will be fully resolved. At this moment, with strong winds and fierce rain, you should quickly return home. Don’t linger here.”
Among the scholars, someone recklessly shouted, “What kind of resolution will it be?”
Yang Yijie replied coldly, “Those who should be demoted will be demoted, those whose homes should be raided will be raided, those who should be killed will be killed. Not one will be spared.”
“That sounds better than singing.”
Another scholar shouted loudly, “Why is that eunuch traitor Yan Ruxian still in the palace? Why is he completely unharmed?”
Yang Yijie was taken aback.
Damn it, how did these scholars learn that Yan Ruxian was in the palace?
This moment of hesitation, in the scholars’ eyes, appeared to be a guilty conscience.
Someone among the scholars stood up and raised his arm in a flourish. “Hand over Yan Ruxian!”
Then others followed and stood up. “Kill the dog eunuch Yan Ruxian!”
The scholars stood up one after another. “If Yan Ruxian doesn’t die, we won’t leave!”
“We won’t leave!”
“We won’t leave!”
“We won’t leave!”
What had been a relatively peaceful situation suddenly became tense.
They really refused the toast only to drink the forfeit.
Yang Yijie became furious and shot his deputy a cold glance.
The deputy immediately shouted, “All of you listen carefully—those who gather and cause trouble will be severely punished without exception.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Xie Zhifei silently cried out two words in his heart: It’s over!
These words indeed ignited the scholars’ fury.
Who wanted to gather and cause trouble?
Wasn’t it because you officials wearing official hats, one by one looking down from on high, not taking ordinary people seriously, doing despicable things?
Destroying someone’s future prospects was like taking their life.
The square-faced scholar leading them gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and shouted loudly, “Heaven is blind, the eunuch dog brings disaster to the nation.”
“Heaven is blind, the eunuch dog brings disaster to the nation!”
“Heaven is blind, the eunuch dog brings disaster to the nation!”
Yang Yijie was so angry his nose went crooked—he himself was a eunuch, and “eunuch dog” was cursing him.
“All Embroidered Uniform Guards, heed my command. Whoever dares to lead the trouble-making, kill them without mercy!”
Upon hearing this, the Embroidered Uniform Guards raised their spears, pointing them at the thousands of scholars in the field.
Yang Yijie’s deputy then stepped forward and grabbed the square-faced scholar by his collar, dragging him out from the crowd.
“You bunch of lackeys helping tyrants commit evil.”
The square-faced scholar cursed bitterly. “Brothers, let’s fight them!”
“Fight them!”
“Fight them!”
“Fight them!”
In just the blink of an eye, the scholars surged forward like a tide, scuffling with the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
“They’re killing people! The Embroidered Uniform Guard is killing people! The eunuch dogs are killing people!”
There was a type of person in this world whose courage had to be catalyzed by the blood of their compatriots—and this type of person was young scholars.
When their futures were toyed with by those with money and power, when their years of hard study in cold windows became a laughingstock in the eyes of the wealthy and powerful…
The pride, arrogance, and solitary courage buried deep in scholars’ blood all came rushing out.
The result of rushing out was: better to die standing than live in humiliation.
Xie Zhifei watched the chaos before him, his heart anxious and impatient. He even wanted to kill Yang Yijie and that deputy.
Who in the world didn’t know that scholars were the hardest to deal with?
This wasn’t solving the problem at all!
This was clearly intensifying the conflict.
The Crown Prince and Crown Grandson were just beyond this wall. What if…
Like a dull thunderclap striking Xie Zhifei, all the blood in his body froze.
In the chaos, a familiar figure stood dazed, as if just awakening from a dream. Behind her, an Embroidered Uniform Guard’s spear was already thrusting forward.
Xie Zhifei shouted desperately, “Yan Sanhe, dodge quickly!”
He shouted himself hoarse, but his voice was completely drowned in the clamor, in the heavy rain…
Yet miraculously, Yan Sanhe heard him. Almost instinctively, she crouched and contracted her body, nimbly avoiding the spear behind her.
Having just walked through the gates of death, Yan Sanhe shivered violently. She gave Xie Zhifei a thumbs up, then cleverly hid among the scholars.
Xie Zhifei had been so frightened his calves were trembling, and he had no strength left in his body.
After a long moment, he strode to Yang Yijie’s side and said through gritted teeth, “Lord Yang, stop this. These people are all future pillars of our Hua nation!”
Yang Yijie sneered coldly. “Those who obey are pillars; those who cause trouble are rebels.”
“Lord Yang!”
Xie Zhifei’s eyes were like two sharp knives. “They’re just momentarily angry—this has nothing to do with rebellion.”
Yang Yijie said in a shrill, sinister voice, “Is Lord Xie speaking on their behalf? Can Lord Xie bear the consequences of speaking on their behalf?”
“I’m speaking on your behalf.”
Xie Zhifei’s face was taut and stern. “Because Lord Yang, you also cannot bear the consequences of rivers of blood.”
Yang Yijie laughed coldly. “Then let’s try whether I can bear it or not. Embroidered Uniform Guards, heed my command…”
“Creak!”
The vermilion gate slowly opened, and an apricot-yellow, corpulent figure struggled across the threshold that came up to a person’s waist, walking out from inside.
“The Crown Prince is here. Who dares act presumptuously?”
In the torrential rain, everyone stopped their movements, their eyes staring fixedly at that apricot-yellow figure.
Even though Yang Yijie had already aligned himself with the Prince of Han, he still didn’t dare act presumptuously before the future heir apparent.
He quickly stepped forward and bowed. “Your Highness.”
Zhao Yanluo gave him a faint glance. Though his gaze seemed weightless, Yang Yijie’s heart pounded like a drum, rising and falling.
Under the pressure, he loudly commanded, “Embroidered Uniform Guards, stand down.”
Zhao Yanluo leaned on his walking stick and walked step by step to the front of the stairs. After a long silence, he spoke in a slow cadence:
“I have been ordered by His Majesty to thoroughly investigate the spring examination fraud case together with the Three Judicial Offices. His Majesty instructed that we must execute some people to give an explanation to the realm, to give you all an explanation.
The matter only emerged this morning. Please give me some time. I may not have the ability to stabilize and secure the nation, nor do I possess brilliant literary talent. With the three-foot sword suspended, national law is like a mountain—I will devote my full efforts to this matter.”
The dignified heir apparent spoke without any superior airs, without reproaching the scholars for causing trouble. He had only sincere words and a determination to severely punish. This moved the students in the heavy rain.
Moreover, the Crown Prince had accumulated a virtuous reputation over the years and always treated scholars with courtesy. His words were like an umbrella in the storm and sudden rain, steadying all the scholars’ hearts.
The scholars knelt down one after another to pay respects to the Crown Prince.
“His Majesty is wise and sagacious! Your Highness is wise and sagacious!”
Only that square-faced scholar who had been beaten bloody neither knelt nor bowed, saying coldly, “Your Highness, when will Yan Ruxian die?”