Imperial Decree

Inside the Yulin County Office, Chen Bingting had safely sent off the two important figures and was in quite a good mood.

He lounged in an armchair in his room, a cup of strong tea in hand, sipping it slowly. Before him, dancing girls specially summoned from Dream Red Pavilion swayed their graceful figures to the light, cheerful melody.

One alluring form after another shifted and interwove, dazzling Chen Bingting's eyes and drawing endless praise from his lips.

"Lord Chen! Something terrible has happened!"

Suddenly, a rough shout exploded, the tune cut short, and the dancers stumbled in their steps.

Chen Bingting had been squinting in enjoyment, and the cry nearly startled him off his armchair.

His refined mood shattered, his beard bristling, he slammed the teacup heavily onto the table. With a sharp crack, tea splashed across a wide area, steam rising hotly: "What's happened that you must make such a fuss?"

With those two gone, Yulin was his to command. He truly couldn't believe anything could go wrong.

The dancers clasped their hands before them, heads bowed, and scurried to the side. Moments later, Constable Yan burst in and cut straight to the point: "Lord Chen, Young Master Chen has been detained by the Hundred Flowers Sect!"

"Wh—what?" Chen Bingting's expression froze. He paused for a moment before realizing the content of the other's words, then asked incredulously, "You're saying the Hundred Flowers Sect has taken my son?"

"Exactly," Constable Yan reported truthfully. "Young Master Chen originally led troops to arrest Jiang Shuo, but ran into Feng En returning, and was then detained by them."

"Bastards!" Chen Bingting shot to his feet, rage blazing. "Is the Hundred Flowers Sect trying to rebel? Constable Yan, muster all the men in the county office. We're going to demand his release!"

The Hundred Flowers Sect had always treated the sick and saved lives, keeping to themselves and never crossing paths with the county office. Chen Bingting had sent his own son to join the sect as a favor to them, yet they dared to overstep and try to ride roughshod over him?

"Our Yulin Hundred Flowers Sect is just a branch. Its headquarters are in the Capital, and it has backing from the Imperial Court. Lord Chen, perhaps... we should think this over carefully?" Constable Yan hesitated, then said.

"Nonsense! A mere martial arts sect dares to oppose me, an imperial official? Are they trying to rebel?" Chen Bingting refused to listen to Constable Yan's advice.

Unable to dissuade him, Constable Yan could only go and gather the men. Soon, over two hundred constables and soldiers packed the county office courtyard, ready to march.

Standing on the steps, surveying his forces, a flicker of ruthlessness passed through Chen Bingting's eyes. He raised his hand and gave the order: "Move out!"

"L-Lord Chen!" Just as the main force was about to set off, a constable stumbled in, panic-stricken, shouting wildly.

"What's the panic for!" Chen Bingting roared in fury. Why did everything have to happen at once, giving him no peace?

"L-Lord... o-outside..." The constable knelt at Chen Bingting's feet, gasping for breath, unable to speak properly. Whether from urgency or fear, his face was pale and drenched in sweat.

Chen Bingting, already boiling with rage, kicked him over: "You useless fool, are you trying to drive me mad?"

Still unsatisfied, he raised his hand to strike again when a towering figure stepped through the door. Seeing him, Chen Bingting hurriedly lowered his hand, masking his confusion and anger, forcing a smile as he greeted him: "General Meng, why have you returned?"

Meng Xiong gave Chen Bingting a cold look, his eyes carrying an aloofness that kept others at a distance: "Yulin County Magistrate Chen Bingting, receive the Imperial Decree."

Chen Bingting froze. Seeing the soldiers in the courtyard already kneeling, he snapped to attention, dropped to his knees, and pressed his forehead to the ground: "Yulin County Magistrate receives the decree."

A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind. Finding no fault in his own conduct, he secretly rejoiced: Could it be a promotion and raise?

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Yulin County Magistrate Chen Bingting, having treated human lives as grass and deceived his sovereign, is hereby stripped of office and reduced to commoner status, to be escorted back to the Capital and handed over to the Ministry of Justice for judgment!" Meng Xiong read aloud, every word clear to all present.

The onlookers couldn't hide their shock, lifting their heads to steal glances at Chen Bingting.

In contrast, only the constable who had brought the earlier news remained relatively calm—he had seen the prison cart behind Meng Xiong before entering.

The brief decree finished, Chen Bingting seemed to have all his bones pulled out at once. He slumped sideways, collapsing like a heap of mud.

Meng Xiong tucked away the Imperial Decree, looked down at Chen Bingting, and ordered: "Take him away!"

Several soldiers immediately stepped forward, flanking Chen Bingting and removing the black gauze cap from his head. A pool of filth spread beneath him—he had been scared into losing control of his bladder.

Dragged halfway, Chen Bingting seemed to remember something. He twisted his bloated body, shouting and crying out his innocence, hair disheveled, face twisted in fury, like a madman—nothing like the overbearing figure he had been moments ago.

Only after Chen Bingting was locked in the prison cart and taken away did the soldiers in the courtyard rise one by one. They looked at each other, leaderless, unsure of what to do.