A muffled autumn thunder rolled. Coin-sized raindrops swept down, and flashes of lightning bleached the Imperial Mausoleum a ghastly white. The lush pines and cypresses swayed in the wind, their sounds truly like ghosts weeping, making Yu Qianzhi shudder all over!
The commandant followed him out. Seeing this, he hurriedly said, "My lord, the wind and rain are fierce. You'll catch a chill. Shouldn't we wait a while?"
"No!" Yu Qianzhi looked up at the vault of heaven, touched the booklet wrapped heavily in oilcloth and tucked against his chest, and, without further hesitation, gave a stern order. "Everyone into rain capes. Prepare the horses. We depart within a quarter of an hour!"
The commandant no longer tried to dissuade him. Acknowledging the order, he went to summon men and prepare horses. As Yu Qianzhi changed clothes, he added, "Notify the government office. Set another ring of guards outside the Imperial Mausoleum. Without orders, no one is to enter. Wait for His Majesty's decree."
"Anyone who trespasses shall be killed without mercy."
"Yes!"
The horses had already been brought over through the rain. Yu Qianzhi said no more, rose, and swung into the saddle. More than a dozen riders immediately galloped down the mausoleum road.
Prince Qi's Residence
By the regulations of the Great Zheng Dynasty, princes of the imperial blood were no longer granted fiefs; commandery kings were instead bestowed residences according to their rank. Prince Qi's Residence was naturally magnificent, even grander than Prince Dai's Residence.
It was even more unusual than usual at this moment. In the corridors and beneath the eaves, residence guards stood every ten paces, hands resting on their sword hilts. Though dense raindrops continued to fall and occasionally splashed onto them, they never let their gaze wander, their bearing stern and imposing. Yet