The sixteenth day of the second month, at Shen Hour.
The Censorate's corridors lay silent.
Spring sunlight slanted across the blue bricks, square by square.
In the West Wing's Duty Room, Luo Wenjin was leafing through case files.
"Censor Luo." Just then, the Duty Room's door was pushed open.
Luo Wenjin looked up to see several men standing in the doorway. At their head was the Censorate's Records Office Secretary, followed by four Censorate Guards and two Censors: Zhang Mao and Liu Mingde.
At the sight of this show of force, Luo Wenjin's heart lurched.
"What brings you here?" Luo Wenjin rose slowly, his voice already sinking.
"By order of Lord Yao, the Left Censor-in-Chief." The Records Office Secretary cupped his hands.
"Censor Luo, please come with us."
"Come with you?" Luo Wenjin sneered. "Ha! Where to? I am a Censor.
A Censor is a remonstrance official! On what grounds do you lay hands on me?"
"The Censorate is conducting an internal investigation," the Records Office Secretary said. "Censor Luo, please."
"An internal investigation?" Luo Wenjin's face immediately reddened.
"I have served in the Censorate for ten years! How many corrupt officials have I impeached, how many corruption cases have I handled!
You think you can investigate me just because you say so?!"
With that, he shoved aside the case files on his desk, his voice abruptly rising. "Have you consulted Grand Secretary Kou before moving against me?!"
"This is Factional Strife! You are the Wei Faction's blades, purging the upright officials for Wei Zi'an!"
That roar carried through half the Censorate.
Figures stirred along the corridors.
Several Censors among the upright officials poked their heads out of their Duty Rooms. Seeing Luo Wenjin in trouble, they all gathered around.
"Stop!" One Censor rushed forward and planted himself in the