Fang Yun stood upon Walking the Blue Clouds, while the members of the Chen Family stood aboard the Flying Page Skyboat, slowly descending outside the capital's north gate.
They had chatted and laughed during the flight, but once they reached the gate, their smiles faded, and they all looked ahead.
Outside the north gate stood not only the Chen Family's carriages, but also more than two hundred capital bailiffs. Yin Lan, the Ministry of Justice's right vice minister, strode forward with a cold expression, cupped his hands toward Fang Yun and the others, and said, "Void Sage Fang, forgive the offense. The Ministry of Justice has just received word that someone witnessed you killing Ji Zhibai, a Metropolitan Graduate of the human race. Under the Great Jing Code, please accompany us to the Ministry of Justice!"
Yin Lan was a Hanlin Academician of the Jing Kingdom, as well as one of Liu Shan's partisans, and enjoyed considerable literary renown.
Soldiers guarding the gate and passing pedestrians were also present. They stared blankly at Fang Yun. Many wore white cloth belts around their waists in mourning for him, and even now, they could not understand how he had come back to life.
Then something happened that astonished everyone. Fang Yun walked straight past Yin Lan as though no one else were there, saying as he went, "Want to arrest me? Have Liu Shan come himself."
A flash of humiliation and anger crossed Yin Lan's face at being utterly ignored. He had never expected Fang Yun to hold him in such contempt.
Gritting his teeth, Yin Lan followed Fang Yun. "Your Highness, Ji King, the law does not bend before nobility, nor does the measuring line yield to crooked wood. Even with your exalted station as the Ji King, if you kill