The sun was already high when Zi Shou led his ministers toward the banks of the Qi River.
Rain had fallen a few days earlier, leaving potholes along roads large and small and making the journey difficult.
The Dark Phoenix Guard, led by Jin Cheng, had already escorted the Xiqi refugees and Northern Territory herders involved in the brawl into temporary tents. They had done a good job. Though the guards were all idle rogues, with enough of them, there were bound to be a few clever ones.
The Ministry of Punishments officials who had arrived first, headed by Vice Minister Ouyang Tianlu, sorted the offenders into three categories: ringleaders, those who had injured others, and those who had incited the crowd. Plenty of spectators had gathered. Despite horse betting and cockfighting, entertainment was still scarce.
The people of Chaoge enjoyed the highest standard of living in the world and loved novelties. Wherever there was juicy gossip, they flocked there to feast on it, never tiring of the fun. With the refugee children and elderly who had not participated in the brawl joining them, the scene was quite lively.
Some enterprising people even set up stalls selling walnuts, sunflower seeds, and the like. They needed no advertising: everyone knew King Zhou loved such snacks.
Rumors seemed to have sprouted legs, racing everywhere. Some said the New Law was strict and King Zhou was about to unleash a slaughter; others said the criminals were all refugees, so killing them all would be no problem. A few guessed the root of the matter, saying the nobles were behind it and the prisoners would ultimately suffer no consequences whatsoever.
The ministers gathered around the Imperial Carriage were unusually quiet. As though nothing had happened, they silently continued toward the Qi River, waiting until