By the time Liu Xigua arrived at the Yongle court’s palace, half of Hangzhou had, in truth, already exploded into an uproar.
With the city under siege by a massive army, the sudden death of a major figure like Bao Daoyi—compounded by the fire at Sijizhai, which had by now drawn in more than one faction’s involvement—meant the news simply could not be suppressed among the various generals within Fang La’s ranks. Bao Daoyi’s death was, after all, far too abrupt an event; no one could quite make sense of what it really meant. As for it being an accident, no one would believe that—there was never any shortage of scheming minds in this world.
After the fire, the first to arrive and bring the situation under control had been Fang Qifo’s own direct forces; to prevent Bao Daoyi’s former subordinates from mutinying within the city, they had immediately dispatched men to impose martial law across the entire city, suppressing any potential unrest. With these emergency measures spreading outward, it would have been sheer fantasy to imagine anyone in the city remaining unaware of what had happened.
That the Overlord Blade Camp had, in the end, killed Bao Daoyi—this was the understanding most people arrived at. As for exactly who had carried it out, few cared to inquire. Bao Daoyi’s followers might well demand the culprit be handed over and severely punished, but that was merely a pretext for stirring up trouble. Everyone’s attention was fixed instead on what significance lay behind the Overlord Blade Camp’s show of such overwhelming force; as for the actual culprit, even if someone brought it up, the general sentiment would simply be: he’s as good as dead.
Riding at full gallop from the city gate, witnessing the changes already unfolding within the city, Liu Xigua had by now already begun to clear her head, her first priority being to arrange various contingency measures and gather information on exactly what had happened. The Overlord Blade Camp was, after all, an efficient organization, and with Chen Fan’s involvement as well, by the time she reached the palace, a simple outline of the whole affair had already taken shape in her mind. Bao Daoyi was dead; even in an age that favored loyalty to one’s own over strict adherence to the rules, this had broken certain conventions, and the Overlord Blade Camp would certainly face repercussions for it—but that wasn’t the entirety of what concerned her.
The Yongle palace at this time was located at the southern end of Hangzhou, originally the temporary residence of a Wu Dynasty prince. Liu Xigua came from the north side of the city, issuing orders and gathering intelligence at several of the Overlord Blade Camp’s liaison points along the way. By the time she reached the palace gates, many others had already arrived as well. These officials, of varying rank, had all gathered here because of the sudden shift in the city’s situation—some seeking information, others awaiting orders, and the people they had access to varied as well. When Liu Xigua, leading a few mounted men from the Overlord Blade Camp, reined in before the palace gate and dismounted, everyone present turned their eyes toward her.
The young woman’s expression was cold and detached as she strode forward into the palace. The guard at this temporary residence wasn’t especially strict, and she walked straight across the square ahead, climbing the steps up toward the main hall. Along the way, she casually unclasped her cloak and tossed it to an approaching palace guard, then reached back and pulled the long wooden case someone beside her was carrying, swinging it up onto her own back with a single motion, before waving the others off to disperse.
Going before Fang La in the main hall was, in theory, an audience with the Emperor, and weapons were not permitted—but given her current demeanor, no one dared to advise otherwise. By the time she made her way up to the main hall, in fact, everyone had already gathered—led by the Sage Duke Fang La himself, with Empress Shao Xianying, Princess Imperial Fang Baihua, Imperial Prince Fang Jie, followed by senior military figures such as Fang Qifo, Li Tianrun, Deng Yuanjue, Shi Bao, Lou Minzhong, and others, all already assembled within the hall. Wang Yin, Si Xingfang, Zu Shiyuan, and others who hadn’t yet arrived were presumably occupied either bringing the situation in Hangzhou under control or still en route. The hall also held a number of lesser-ranked attendees, some arguing, some tearfully pleading, the atmosphere tense throughout.
Had this been a later age, Bao Daoyi would have held a position comparable to a member of the Politburo Standing Committee—his death could hardly leave anyone untouched. At this moment, the one speaking most furiously within the hall was Bao Daoyi’s disciple, Zheng Biao. In terms of rank, he was effectively second-in-command under Bao Daoyi, holding the title of Grand Commandant of the Palace Guard, his martial skill said to already surpass even his master’s, earning him the nickname “Zheng the Demon King.” The moment word of Bao Daoyi’s fate had come, he had brought along one of Bao Daoyi’s illegitimate sons to weep and plead before the court, and was currently railing indignantly about the tragic plight of everyone at White Deer Temple. Seeing Liu Xigua walk in, his eyes went bloodshot, glaring daggers.
“…Your Majesty, for the Overlord Blade Camp to commit such an act of violence today, so brazen and unrestrained, has truly reached a point that outrages public sentiment. If this is not dealt with, the widespread public anger cannot possibly be quelled. My master’s contributions to the Yongle Dynasty are known to all. If even a man of such great merit and hard-won achievement can be killed at the Overlord Blade Camp’s mere whim, who in the future will dare to serve our Yongle Dynasty with unwavering loyalty…”
In ordinary times, Zheng Biao would never have dared stare at Liu Xigua like this, but now, as a member of Bao Daoyi’s faction, he genuinely felt his side had been bullied by the Overlord Blade Camp far past any reasonable limit, and he also understood that if he didn’t stand firm now, he’d have no footing to stand on later. As he spoke with impassioned indignation, the assembled officials in the hall murmured among themselves in hushed whispers. Liu Xigua merely gave that glare a cold, indifferent glance, then stepped forward to pay her respects to Fang La and the Empress. Fang La raised a hand, frowning.
“You’re… sigh. Sit, just sit down first…”
The young woman walked over to a nearby chair and sat down, setting the long case containing the Overlord Blade down beside her with a thud. She clasped her hands together in front of her, her gaze drifting sideways toward the floor ahead. Her expression, too, looked troubled, carrying a certain dazed, detached quality, as if her mind were elsewhere.
Zheng Biao continued his impassioned tirade, but Liu Xigua didn’t even glance his way, showing no reaction at all. Everyone present felt somewhat at a loss by now—having dealt with each other enough over the years, most in the hall likely understood that this hadn’t been Liu Xigua’s own doing. But there was no way to say so publicly, and no one would believe it if they tried; whatever the resolution, it would still have to follow the proper conventions on the surface. Given the young woman’s temperament, she was perhaps simply sulking, wondering why she should have to take the blame for this “accident.” Otherwise, given her usual character, the Overlord Blade Camp had always been rather brazen about such things—right or wrong, they’d normally at least put up some argument.
“As for today’s matter…” After the assembly murmured among themselves for a while, it was Fang Baihua who first spoke up to set the tone. “In the end, Dabiao’s side has gone too far here. The impact is quite bad. Let’s discuss how to handle the aftermath going forward.” Her words were, in the end, meant to give Liu Xigua a way out—the Overlord Blade Camp was clearly in the wrong, that much was settled, so the question now was simply what to do about it, and the Camp would accept whatever came next.
With Fang Baihua having spoken thus, no one else pressed further on characterizing the matter—even though Li Tianrun and others held grudges against the Overlord Blade Camp, none of them could reasonably claim the Camp intended outright rebellion because of this. To the side, Right Chancellor Zu Shiyuan, who had by now also arrived and was generally sympathetic toward the Overlord Blade Camp, cleared his throat and spoke first. “Master Bao’s family should certainly be well provided for, and his burial should be conducted with proper honors. The Overlord Blade Camp ought to take full responsibility for seeing this through. Though this was an accident, the fault lies first with the Overlord Blade Camp—if we’re to resolve this misunderstanding…”
At this point, one of Bao Daoyi’s illegitimate sons, still kneeling there, cried out through his tears, “How is this an accident? Their Overlord Blade Camp has always had it out for us—this was clearly deliberate…”
No one paid him any attention. Shi Bao, frowning to the side, said, “How exactly is this misunderstanding supposed to be resolved—by having Dabiao take a beating from someone?”
“A life for a life—as for that Liu Xigua…”
“Silence!”
Lou Minzhong waved a hand at Zheng Biao. “This relentless insistence is out of line…”
“This matter has broken proper convention, and responsibility must be taken. All of the Overlord Blade Camp’s current official positions should first be suspended…”
“With both internal troubles and external threats pressing on us now, the Overlord Blade Camp’s supervisory duties cannot be withdrawn—other positions can be reduced as appropriate.”
“And what if the Overlord Blade Camp continues to act with such arrogance under the cover of its supervisory role?”
“I’ll vouch for young sister Liu.”
“As Crown Prince, in a formal court session such as this, there should be no more of this frivolous, partisan talk!”
At this point in the imperial hall, due to certain earlier frictions, Li Tianrun was clearly among those most opposed to the Overlord Blade Camp. Simply berating them accomplished little; but stripping them of real authority now would naturally lower their political standing going forward. Lou Minzhong and Deng Yuanjue mostly took a neutral or somewhat favorable stance—though Lou Jinglin had long pursued Liu Xigua, Lou Minzhong probably now felt there was little hope on that front, while also sensing that the Overlord Blade Camp’s exceptional standing had perhaps grown too excessive.
Shi Bao had never had much fondness for Bao Daoyi, but he had no particular reason to go out of his way to defend the Overlord Blade Camp either. It was actually Imperial Prince Fang Jie who spoke up with a rather loyal show of support for Liu Xigua, only to be scolded at once by both Shao Xianying and Fang Baihua together. For a moment, voices flew back and forth across the hall, some measured, some sharp—this being wartime, with the Overlord Blade Camp holding an exceptionally elevated position of authority over urban surveillance duties. In the end, it was Fang Qifo who finally spoke up. “The supervisory duties should be withdrawn, but given how badly we need capable people right now, let’s make it a temporary reassignment instead. Dabiao, do you have anything to say?”
With matters having reached this point, for Liu Xigua to remain completely silent would seem far too dismissive of everyone present, which was why Fang Qifo had finally spoken up to ask her directly. His standing was such that she couldn’t very well refuse to acknowledge him. Liu Xigua glanced at him, and after a moment, seemed to come to a decision. “Buddha Marshal—Ning Yi, Ning Liheng… is he currently in your custody?”
Fang Qifo narrowed his eyes, and the others in the hall frowned as well. “And if he is?”
“I want to protect him.”
“You must be joking!” Fang Qifo’s gaze turned cold. Even Fang La, seated above, adopted a stern expression, cautioning her. “Dabiao, this is going too far.”
Zheng Biao shouted, “Where does that leave my master? This is an outrage!”
“Why shouldn’t I be able to protect him!” Liu Xigua rose to her feet. “Today’s affair only happened in the first place because Bao Daoyi was the one who tried to commit murder first!”
Li Tianrun looked over at her. “Master Bao tried to commit murder, and ended up killed himself instead, at Sijizhai?”
“Is there a problem with that? At the Buddha Marshal’s own residence, Bao Daoyi had inquired after Ning Yi’s background—according to his own attendants’ testimony, it was only because one of the Buddha Marshal’s men let slip that Ning Yi had been involved in the operation against White Deer Temple that Bao Daoyi, on a sudden impulse, secretly followed him there. He was the one who intended murder first!”
Zheng Biao shouted back, “Slandering the innocent! My master’s cultivation was profound, his martial skill had reached a state of pure mastery—everyone present knows this well. Putuo Zhao Jingang, who accompanied him, was also a top-tier expert among the martial underworld. He wanted to kill this fellow Ning Yi, and instead got killed himself? Your Majesty, see clearly—her own words just now prove that this was a scheme deliberately set up by the Overlord Blade Camp!”
“Bao Daoyi’s visit to the Buddha Marshal’s residence was a sudden impulse, and the Buddha Marshal’s attendant letting the information slip was likewise an accident—how could I possibly have engineered such a scheme? Back when White Deer Temple was holding large numbers of women captive, I couldn’t stand by and do nothing, so I arranged a rescue operation, with Liheng helping plan it. Afterward, worried that Bao Daoyi might retaliate against him—knowing how he never let a slight go unpunished—I kept this matter concealed the whole time. When Bao Daoyi suddenly learned of it, he acted on impulse and sought to kill him. As for how he ended up on the losing end of that… General Shi, you were there at Taiping Alley—tell everyone, is it possible for Liheng to turn the tables in a fight like that?”
Shi Bao rubbed his chin. “For most people, probably not. But if it’s that Ning Liheng, I’d say he’s certainly capable of it.”
Fang La turned to Fang Qifo. “Is what Dabiao says true? Did Master Bao only follow him on a sudden impulse, after hearing something from one of your own household?”
Fang Qifo hesitated, clearly wanting to say something else, but in the end said, “When the man was caught, we did question Master Bao’s attendant, and verified the matter immediately afterward—it is indeed true…”
Everyone in the hall had rushed here in haste, and their overall understanding of the full situation was, in truth, fairly limited. With the Overlord Blade Camp having clashed with Bao Daoyi, and the unfortunate Master Bao now dead, the natural assumption was that the Overlord Blade Camp had either gained the upper hand outright or resorted to some trick. No one had expected Liu Xigua would actually bring up something like this to argue the point in such detail. For a moment, the room fell into a kind of stunned silence.
Fang Baihua said, “Let’s set aside the exact details of how it happened—Seventh Brother can look into that. But regardless, Master Bao is dead, and there must be some accounting for it.”
“I want to protect Ning Liheng.”
“Liu Xigua, you’re pushing this too far. Your Majesty, everyone—do you see how arrogant she’s being!”
Zu Shiyuan hesitated. “A life for a life is certainly the standard…”
“Master Bao was no ordinary man—there absolutely must be some accounting for this…”
“This is unreasonable!”
“You must be joking…”
Amid the flurry of conflicting voices, Imperial Prince Fang Jie sighed and said quietly, not far off, “You really do need to give a little ground here.”
Liu Xigua slowly shook her head.
“Impressive, truly impressive—your Overlord Blade Camp really is something. My master was killed by you, and now you want to protect everyone involved—your Overlord Blade Camp really can’t be blamed for anything at all, can it! That Ning Liheng—is he your lover or something…”
The instant these words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the hall dropped suddenly, sharply cold. Shao Xianying pointed at Zheng Biao. “Hold your tongue—” A sharp crack sounded through the air.
The long case had been thrown open. The massive Overlord Blade dropped into the young woman’s hand; her toe gave it a light kick, and at that, Shi Bao, Fang Qifo, and Fang Baihua had all already risen to their feet.
The tip of the Overlord Blade rose into the air, then swung down toward the other side, tracing a circle before Liu Xigua like the hand of a clock. As it became a horizontal sweep, the young woman’s stance had already shifted into a bow step, her whole body drawn as taut as a bowstring at its very limit, spinning around to face him.
Amid a gaze of utter, blazing ferocity, she leapt sideways and struck!
“Die!”
“You’re asking for it!”
“Stop this—!”
Amid the chorus of shouts, Zheng Biao scrambled hastily to defend himself, but Shi Bao’s foot had already slammed into him with a thunderous kick, sending him flying backward. A table and a tea stand went flying after him in succession, along with an iron spear that came hurtling through the air, wood splinters scattering across the hall; the iron spear was knocked flying and nearly smashed the eave of the main gate, landing on the ground badly bent. Zheng Biao struggled to his feet and spat out a mouthful of blood. Fang Qifo had by now gripped Liu Xigua’s shoulder to restrain her, while Fang Baihua wrapped both arms around the young woman entirely, and Shao Xianying rushed down from above to wrestle the great blade from her grip, desperately prying at Liu Xigua’s fingers where they gripped the hilt.
Fang La slammed his palm down on the dragon throne, and the entire hall erupted into an uproar.
“Insolence!”
“What is the meaning of this—”
“So you all don’t take me seriously anymore, is that it—”
“Committing violence right here in open court, and when words fail, you resort to blows…”
“Zheng Biao, watch your tongue…”
“Think carefully about what you’re saying…”
“Where is the dignity of the imperial court, where is the rule of law…”
“There’s no other way to handle this today…”
“Acting like this won’t save him either…”
“He and I are in a romantic relationship…”
“He’s dead… huh?”
A moment later, as if everyone had heard something too strange and unsettling to be real, the hall was blanketed in an oddly stunned silence. Zu Shiyuan, still mid-sentence, twitched at the corner of his mouth and turned to confirm with the person beside him. Fang La’s raised palm, still poised to strike down, froze in midair. Imperial Prince Fang Jie ran a hand through his hair. Even Fang Qifo’s expression turned strange, and Fang Baihua glanced to the side, as if trying to confirm whether someone had just said something bizarre.
Liu Xigua had already released her grip on the Overlord Blade. She looked around at everyone in the hall. “I like him,” she said. The young woman, who had always insisted on presenting herself in the persona of Liu Dabiao, her voice always deliberately gruff or hoarse, had perhaps, for the first time in a setting like this, before all these people, spoken in her own naturally soft, girlish voice. But then she said it again: “…I like him.” She let out a breath, as if confirming it to herself.
Another silence followed. Fang Qifo tilted his head slightly, blinking as he gazed sideways at the floor, as if turning over the full implications of what had just happened. Shi Bao raised a single finger into the air, paused, then pointed it twice toward Zheng Biao, apparently unsure himself what he meant to convey by the gesture, before simply sitting back down. Fang La lowered his hand, his left index finger tapping lightly on the armrest for a good while, before finally raising his hand and slapping it down on the armrest as he rose to his feet.
“That’s enough for today…” He waved a hand and turned to walk toward the side door. “This matter… we’ll discuss it further later.”