“Immunity tablet” is the common folk term – it should properly be called “Danshu Tieqi” (Cinnabar Script Iron Tally) or “Danshu Tiequan” (Cinnabar Script Iron Contract), which were tokens given by ancient emperors to meritorious ministers, granting hereditary privileges or immunity from punishment. Named for being written in cinnabar on iron plates, they were called Danshu Tieqi. To ensure authenticity and prevent forgery, the iron tally was split in half, with the court and vassals each keeping one half. The earliest were issued by Han Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, and later emperors followed suit, making them a reward for meritorious ministers and vassals. Folk operas and novels frequently described them, and because they granted immunity from death, they were called immunity tablets.

Though countless immunity tablets were issued throughout history, over time these tablets were broken, lost, or directly used by descendants to be recalled by the imperial house, so few survived. The earliest existing immunity tablet today is the iron tally of Five Dynasties Wuyue King Qian Liu.

Thinking of this, Professor Tang couldn’t help feeling proud, because this Qian Liu iron tally was currently housed in the China National Museum. He asked with a boastful tone: “These Danshu Tieqi used silver characters in the Liang Dynasty, gold in the Sui Dynasty, and followed Tang system in the Ming Dynasty. Old Chen, have you seen that immunity tablet? What form does it take?”

Lu Zigang split his attention between listening to their conversation and watching the Boss’s movements. He saw Lawyer Zhang hand a document to the Boss, who glanced at it briefly and nodded. What was going on? Lu Zigang didn’t dare move rashly, straining his eyes so wide they nearly cramped.

In his ears he heard Chen Miao mysteriously lower his voice: “When did Danshu Tieqi begin?”

The director chuckled: “Good Old Chen, testing us now? The ‘Book of Han’ records that after Han Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang ascended the throne, he ‘split tallies and made oaths with meritorious ministers, with cinnabar script iron contracts stored in golden caskets and stone chambers in ancestral temples.’ The term Danshu Tieqi originated from this. Later they were mostly called tallies.”

Chen Miao nodded, putting on an air of profundity: “Though I haven’t seen the immunity tablet in the collector’s possession, friends who have say it’s a true Danshu Tieqi.”

“Really?” Both the director and Professor Tang were startled, then shook their heads in disbelief.

A true Danshu Tieqi would be from that batch personally issued by Liu Bang – over two thousand years ago now, impossible to still exist. Liu Bang massacred his meritorious ministers, who didn’t even have descendants – how could such items be passed down? This forgery was too outrageous!

Lu Zigang was also skeptical, but at this moment he saw on the other side of the rest room, Lawyer Zhang took out a brocade box and handed it to the Boss. After the Boss opened and confirmed its contents, he signed the document. Lu Zigang was shocked, because from his angle he could clearly see a rust-stained iron plate lying quietly in the box.

Surely not… that exaggerated…

Lu Zigang stared dumbfounded. When he came to his senses, the Boss and the other two had already left the rest room, while Lawyer Zhang sat with the director’s group, smiling as she listened to their endless debate. Lu Zigang opened his mouth, then silently closed it. He’d pretend he saw nothing, and their departure meant trouble was leaving too.

But he was intensely curious – was that iron plate in the brocade box the legendary immunity tablet? Lu Zigang’s curiosity was eating him alive.

In the distance, banners fluttered on the magnificent city walls, with officials and common people lining the streets to welcome him. He sat upright on horseback, observing the clothing of soldiers and civilians in the slow swaying motion, confirming this was the scene when he entered Luoyang for Liu Bang’s enthronement ceremony. The soldiers’ armor was reasonably neat, but their weapons were incomplete. Though the common people had washed their clothes clean, after experiencing Emperor Er Shi’s tyranny and wartime turmoil, all were gaunt and sallow.

But their eyes shone with brilliant light – the longing for peaceful, stable life.

Though he hadn’t experienced wartime for many years, seeing such hopeful gazes still stirred his emotions involuntarily.

But this passion cooled instantly, because he knew this was a scene from over two thousand years ago.

His horse obediently proceeded along the imperial road. Soon after entering the city gates, he saw someone approaching slowly surrounded by ministers. This person had a beautiful beard, high nose bridge, and prominent forehead – years ago, Lu Zhi’s father had spotted him at first glance, saying he had the countenance of a dragon.

He quickly dismounted, unable to recall his feelings at that moment, but prepared to kneel according to Zhou ritual.

Of course, this was just giving face in public – though this person had ascended the throne, he absolutely couldn’t accept such a bow.

Indeed, Liu Bang hurried forward, grasped his arm with a hearty laugh, and led him toward the great hall.

The various meritorious ministers surrounding him showed no consciousness of being subjects – some laughed loudly, others sang boldly, still others whispered among themselves. He observed coldly, noticing Liu Bang’s smile was somewhat stiff, clearly extremely displeased but keeping it hidden.

The enthronement ceremony became hazy and illusory at some point, surrounding sounds also chaotic and blurred. He stood there in a daze, unable to distinguish between dream and reality.

He had dreamed countless times of such a scene, but now, the person standing on the vermillion steps wasn’t the one he had expected.

After an unknown time, one sentence reached his ears very clearly.

“Now that the realm is settled, command Xiao He to arrange laws, Han Xin to establish military regulations, Zhang Cang to determine procedures, Shusun Tong to create ceremonies, and Lu Jia to compose ‘New Discourse.'” The Yellow Gate Commander’s voice was extremely penetrating. As he called each name, that person emerged from the crowd to bow and stand below the vermillion steps. He too stood like a puppet behind Xiao He.

Why had he originally decided to leave? Initially he had genuinely wanted to do something for those displaced common people.

His memories were somewhat chaotic. He hung his head pondering when suddenly his hand grew heavy – an iron plate inscribed with cinnabar fell into his palm.

“His Majesty splits tallies and makes oaths, bestowing cinnabar script iron contracts, stored in golden caskets and stone chambers in ancestral temples…”

He slowly closed his eyes.

Yes, it began then…

Holding the brocade box, the Boss looked at the bustling hotel lobby and couldn’t help sighing deeply.

It seemed this object’s influence on him was deeper than he had imagined.

The Boss turned back to look steadily at Fu Su, who had been walking beside him.

This was actually a strange perspective, because in his most distant memories, he had always followed the other’s figure, consistently observing lord-minister etiquette, voluntarily staying half a step behind.

Such side-by-side equality had never occurred before.

The Boss couldn’t help feeling momentarily dazed, but soon regained composure and said calmly: “This belongs to me. I’m just taking it back.”

A flash appeared in Fu Su’s eyes. When they reunited last year, he had heard the Boss mention past events, so upon hearing this he guessed the immunity tablet’s origin. So it was the Danshu Tieqi that Liu Bang personally bestowed on Han Xin?

Though Fu Su didn’t voice his question, the Boss already knew his doubt and nodded: “Correct, it was made by Liu Bang. Back then, other princes’ Danshu Tieqi had no death immunity clause – only mine did. I knew then that he had deeply hated me for a long time.”

“If it were me, I would never treat you thus.” Fu Su sighed with infinite melancholy.

The Boss pressed his lips together but said nothing this time. The immunity tablet in his hands was also an imperial antique. But this antique represented imperial betrayal.

Imperial contractual promises were always worthless paper, even when cast in the strongest iron, easily destroyed and shattered.

The world says brothers can share hardship but not prosperity. When these Danshu Tieqi were issued, the contracts were still shining new, yet Liu Bang’s butcher knife had already fallen.

So Danshu Tieqi afterward were no longer called “contracts” but “tallies” – a word full of transactional meaning.

And with imperial betrayal, the key wasn’t actually “betrayal” but “turning one’s back.”

That surface smile while secretly sharpening the knife was most terrifying.

Liu Bang issued half a Danshu Tieqi to each meritorious minister, then kept the other halves himself, stored in golden caskets and stone chambers. Outwardly all was harmonious, but privately it stuck in his throat. After the empire stabilized, he followed the names on those immunity tablets, eliminating them one by one.

These weren’t immunity tablets at all, but death warrants.

Perhaps he had been too young then. Though he had long seen through Liu Bang’s nature and decisively departed, his heart still couldn’t let go. Though over the long years he could have reclaimed this immunity tablet countless times into the Silent House, he had remained indifferent until today’s necessity.

The Boss didn’t want to think about the deeper meaning behind Fu Su’s words. Feeling the rabbit doll in his pocket struggling to climb out, he quickly freed one hand to stuff the Doctor back in while saying calmly: “I’m leaving first.”

Fu Su said nothing either. Seeing how thinly dressed he was, he removed the cashmere scarf from his neck and carefully wrapped it around him. His gaze fell on the Boss’s gray wool coat, and upon discovering it was the coat he had worn when staying at the Silent House last year, his smile deepened.

The Boss’s lips moved several times, but ultimately he said nothing, nor did he refuse the other’s kindness, quietly departing.

Hu Hai clenched his fists and finally couldn’t help stepping forward: “Imperial Brother, isn’t that immunity tablet an imperial antique? Why let him take it so easily?” Hu Hai had come today thinking his imperial brother would finally act to interfere with the Boss’s plans. Yet in the end, his imperial brother had done nothing.

Fu Su’s lips curved slightly as he said nonchalantly: “If you want something very much, then let it leave. When it comes back to find you, you’ll possess it forever.”