Enraging Emperor Yuanjing a third time

According to custom, the first thing officials do upon returning to the capital after inspecting or investigating local cases is to go to the palace to meet the emperor and report on their work.

Prior to this, urgent or non-urgent documents had to be delivered to the capital a step in advance.

Whether it was a memorial presented to the emperor during court sessions or other important matters, a written document had to be sent to the capital beforehand. Urgent matters were handled with expedited processing, with the distance varying from 600 to 800 li depending on the official's rank.

Even for matters that are not urgent, documents should be sent back to Beijing in advance.

This was both to maintain the monarch's dignity and to ensure composure in the face of major events, and to give the emperor more time to think and consult with trusted ministers.

However, there is one exception: rebellion.

The city of Chuzhou was utterly slaughtered, the city destroyed and its inhabitants dead; the Prince of Zhenbei was executed within the city, and the Great Feng was left without a national guardian general. Such a momentous event should have been reported by express messenger on an 800-li journey; if horses could grow wings, even a 1000-li journey would not be an exaggeration.

However, the mission deliberately failed to send any documents in advance or notify the court, indicating that the mission was not intended to rebel.

"We must catch the court and His Majesty off guard!"

This was said by Provincial Governor Zheng Xinghuai.

The court was thrown into chaos because of this incident, which allowed him to mediate and manipulate the situation, persuade his old friends and the chief minister, and unite the entire civil service group.

The delegation left the official ship, and the Imperial Guards carried a thin coffin containing the body of the Prince of Zhenbei. The pieced-together corpse was remarkably intact.

On the dock, the experienced foreman immediately ordered the laborers to step back, not to block the way of these officials, and not even to watch.

This situation often means that one of the officials has been killed. If you show a gloating look or attitude, you are very likely to incur the wrath of the deceased's comrades.

Several foremen encountered a similar situation last year. In early spring, when ice floes were still floating on the canal, a government ship, supposedly from Yunzhou, arrived at the dock.

A group of Nightwatchers carried several coffins down the river. A few foremen, thinking they were far enough away, whispered and pointed at each other, using it as conversation to pass the time.

As a result, he was beaten by the leader with a silver gong, his legs were broken, his teeth were knocked out, and he was thrown into the canal, barely clinging to life.

The crowd carried the coffin from the dock into the city, into the inner city, into the imperial city, and was then stopped outside the palace.

Xu Qi'an stood at the front, with two censors on his left and the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and Constable Chen on his right.

"Go and inform His Majesty that the mission that went to Chuzhou to investigate the case should return to the capital to report on its duties," Xu Qi'an ordered.

"Please wait a moment, gentlemen."

The Imperial Guards guarding the city bowed and said this, then jogged into the palace.

Inside the palace, Emperor Yuanjing sat cross-legged, closing his eyes and breathing exercises.

A eunuch strode to the threshold, head bowed, and remained silent.

The old eunuch in the python robe standing beside Emperor Yuanjing glanced at the doorway, then at the old emperor, and stepped forward to greet him in a low voice, "What is it?"

The young eunuch whispered a few words to each other.

Upon hearing this, the old eunuch in the python robe frowned, then waved his hand, dismissing the eunuch.

He tiptoed back to Emperor Yuanjing's side, carefully lowering his voice. "Your Majesty."

When Emperor Yuanjing was meditating and cultivating Daoism, he was not allowed to be disturbed unless there was something urgent to attend to.

The old eunuch had served Emperor Yuanjing for so many years, so they had a certain level of understanding.

Emperor Yuanjing opened his eyes and slowly asked, "What is it?"

The old eunuch bowed and said, "The mission that went to Chuzhou to investigate the case has returned and is now outside the palace, awaiting His Majesty's summons."

Emperor Yuanjing frowned, looked at the old eunuch, and asked, "Why haven't we seen any official documents from Chuzhou sent by the Grand Secretariat?"

He only learned of this after the mission returned to the capital.

Emperor Yuanjing narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "Summon them to the Imperial Study."

The old eunuch turned and left.

Emperor Yuanjing remained expressionless, like a deep and terrifying sculpture.

The delegation members were informed and led into the palace by a eunuch in blue robes; the rest of the group, including the coffin, were naturally not allowed to enter.

Even if the Princes of Zhenbei were lying inside, they would still need to be summoned by the emperor to enter the palace. Moreover, so far, apart from the delegation, no one in the palace knew that the corpse in the coffin was the first warrior of the Great Feng and the younger brother of Emperor Yuanjing.

Upon entering the spacious and luxurious imperial study, everyone waited in silence. A quarter of an hour later, Emperor Yuanjing arrived with several eunuchs.

The old emperor, dressed in a Daoist robe, his black hair flowing, stood before the delegation instead of sitting behind his desk. His imposing gaze swept over their faces, and his voice was steady:

"I sent someone to inquire with the cabinet, and they did not receive any documents from you beforehand."

The old emperor glanced at Xu Qi'an, seemingly thinking the young man was a crude and uncouth warrior, and didn't bother with him. He then turned to look at the two censors and the vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review:

Don't you guys know the rules?

The two censors and the vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review lowered their heads. Before they could respond, Zheng Xinghuai stepped forward, bowed, and said:

"Your Majesty, Chuzhou City has been destroyed. How can we send documents?"

Emperor Yuanjing seemed to notice him only then, scrutinizing him for a moment, "Minister Zheng, as the Provincial Governor of Chuzhou, how dare you return to the capital without the court's permission?"

This is the crime of dereliction of duty.

Zheng Xinghuai gave a bitter laugh, meeting Emperor Yuanjing's gaze defiantly. "With Chuzhou City gone, my position as Provincial Governor is now merely nominal."

Referring to himself as "I" instead of "your subject," Lord Zheng's mentality is a bit off. Is he so heartbroken that he has no fear? Xu Qi'an frowned.

"What makes you say that?" Emperor Yuanjing's eyebrows furrowed together.

Zheng Xinghuai took a deep breath and said loudly, "The General Commander of Chuzhou, the Prince of Zhenbei, in order to be promoted to the second rank, colluded with the Witch God Sect and the leader of the Earth Sect to slaughter 380,000 lives in Chuzhou City."

"Your Majesty, I hereby submit a memorial impeaching the Prince of Zhenbei, and implore Your Majesty to seek justice for the innocent people who have perished tragically and to severely punish the Prince of Zhenbei."

After speaking, he took out a memorial from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"Your Majesty, I hereby submit a memorial impeaching the Prince of Zhenbei, and implore Your Majesty to seek justice for the innocent people who have perished tragically and to severely punish the Prince of Zhenbei."

The members of the delegation then took out their memorials and presented them with both hands. Among them, Xu Qi'an's memorial was written by Imperial Censor Liu.

Although Xu Qi'an never admitted to being crude and was confident that he had received nine years of compulsory education and was knowledgeable, he could only bow his hands in resignation when it came to things like the eight-legged essay.

The main problem is that the calligraphy is absolutely terrible.

Upon hearing the news, Emperor Yuanjing remained expressionless. He stared blankly at the delegation for a long while before raising his hand and reaching out to the memorial with trembling hands.

After a long while, Emperor Yuanjing finished reading the memorial and asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is the Prince of Zhenbei now?"

The emperor's acting skills are truly amazing; he and Duke Wei could rival each other for the Best Actor award. Xu Qi'an uses witty remarks to mock Emperor Yuanjing.

How could Emperor Yuanjing not know about the massacre? In fact, he was one of the masterminds behind it.

He asked that on purpose; he probably still thought the Prince of Zhenbei was enjoying himself in the northern border.

"His Majesty!"

Xu Qi'an, as the organizer, stepped forward, feeling that he should be the one to deliver the blow.

He said with great emotion, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the Prince of Zhenbei was an inhuman son, and both Celestial Person condemned him. He has now been executed. The mission transported his body back to the capital, and it is now outside the palace."

"Your Majesty, we beseech you to decide how to dispose of this fiend's corpse."

Rumble!

It was as if thunder had exploded in his ears, and Emperor Yuanjing's face suddenly turned deathly pale, all color draining from his eyes.

He stared blankly at Xu Qi'an, his eyes gradually becoming bloodshot, as if he had suffered a huge blow. This time, his voice was truly hoarse.

"What, what did you say? What are you saying?"

Xu Qi'an shouted, "Your Majesty, the body of the Prince of Zhenbei is right outside the palace. He was torn apart by five horses. Don't worry, he's dead."

Thump, thump, thump. Emperor Yuanjing felt as if he had been hit on the forehead with a wooden stick. He lost his balance and staggered backward, about to fall backward.

"His Majesty!"

The old eunuch screamed shrilly and rushed forward to support Emperor Yuanjing, preserving the last shred of dignity for the emperor.

"Get out of here!"

Emperor Yuanjing let out a deep roar, shoved the old eunuch aside, and staggered out of the imperial study. His back was filled with panic and helplessness, and his face was as pale as paper.

He could no longer maintain the dignity and composure of a monarch.

"Quickly, keep up! Protect His Majesty! Protect His Majesty!"

The old eunuch's screams gradually faded into the distance.

Xu Qi'an lowered his head, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips.

Emperor Yuanjing rushed out of the imperial study and ran wildly without any regard for his image. The wind whipped his long beard and reddened his eyes, making him look less like an emperor and more like a pitiful refugee.

As the palace gates came into view, Emperor Yuanjing saw the imperial guards accompanying the delegation and the coffins they were carrying. At that moment, he stopped.

The old eunuch, leading the eunuchs and guards, finally caught up with Emperor Yuanjing and breathed a sigh of relief.

They slowed their pace and stood silently behind Emperor Yuanjing, no one daring to utter a sound.

After a while, Emperor Yuanjing lifted his foot again, slowly walked towards the Imperial Guards, walked out of the palace gate, and went to the coffin.

"Put it down!"

The old emperor said in a hoarse voice.

The coffin was gently lowered.

Emperor Yuanjing stood silently, staring blankly at the coffin lid. After a long while, he reached out and placed his hand on the coffin lid. The moment he touched the lid, a vein bulged on Emperor Yuanjing's forehead.

Because the coffin lid was very light, it was a thin coffin, symbolically giving the Prince of Zhenbei some dignity, since it was to be sent back to the capital.

His younger brother, does he only deserve to lie in a coffin like this?

As the coffin lid was slowly pushed open, Emperor Yuanjing, upon seeing the scene inside, suddenly became agitated.

The body of the Prince of Zhenbei was withered and shriveled, resembling a mummified corpse that had been weathered for many years. His hands, feet, head, and torso were separate.

With a clatter, the Imperial Guards and Feathered Forest Guards present all knelt down. To stand and witness the emperor's grief was a grave offense.

But there were always a few stubborn ones, such as Xu Qi'an who came along, and the rest of the delegation.

Without a word, Xu Qi'an knelt down in a tiger-like motion to show his respect for the emperor, and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty must preserve your health and not grieve excessively, for deep affection is short-lived."

Emperor Yuanjing took a deep breath, his disgust for him having just lessened, when he heard this fellow say, "If the people of Chuzhou knew that Your Majesty was so grieved for them, they would be comforted even in the afterlife."

Emperor Yuanjing's face stiffened abruptly, and he glared fiercely at Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an had already lowered his head, so he didn't see the fierce look in Emperor Yuanjing's eyes that implied "shut up," and continued to speak loudly:

"The Prince of Zhenbei massacred 380,000 people in Chuzhou City, and deserved to die. However, he is dead, but the charges against him have not been substantiated. Whether his body is exposed or whipped is up to Your Majesty to decide, and I have no objection."

The Imperial Guards defending the city began to stir.

Only then did they realize that the person lying in the coffin was the renowned Prince of Zhenbei, the foremost warrior of the Great Feng, and the Emperor's younger brother.

Such a powerful martial artist, how could he have fallen?

Even more unbelievable is that he, the Prince of Zhenbei, slaughtered 380,000 people in Chuzhou City?

Faced with such earth-shattering news, no one could control their emotions, and discussions erupted instantly. Even with Emperor Yuanjing present, he could not silence the Imperial Guards.

Emperor Yuanjing raised his hand, pointed into the distance, and slowly uttered a single word from his bloodless lips. "Get out!"

Xu Qi'an pretended not to hear and continued, "When does Your Majesty intend to announce this to the world?"

"Xu Qi'an!"

Emperor Yuanjing suddenly lost his composure and roared, trembling with rage, his chest seemingly about to explode, as he roared:

"You really think I wouldn't dare kill you? I'll kill you right now, right now!"

He made a gesture as if to draw the sword from the imperial guard beside him.

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health. This humble servant will take his leave now."

Having achieved his goal, Xu Qi'an wisely slipped away.

"Get out! All of you, get out of my sight!"

Emperor Yuanjing roared.

Provincial Governor Zheng wanted to stand his ground, but Imperial Censor Liu grabbed his sleeve and made him bow as he dispersed.

The members of the delegation dispersed without much private communication, but the things that needed to be said and discussed had already been decided on the official ship.

The Nightwatchers's office.

More than a month later, Xu Qi'an finally returned. He came to the foot of Haoqi Tower with a clear purpose. After being announced by the guards, he went up to the seventh floor.

Wei Yuan wore a blue robe embroidered with sky-blue cloud patterns, his long hair simply tied up with a green hairpin, his image was elegant and casual, and his handsome features and eyes that contained the vicissitudes of life.

A charming middle-aged man exudes charisma.

Wei Yuan was playing a game of ambidextrous chess, his left hand holding a black piece and his right hand holding a white piece. He glanced up at him and said casually, "You're back."

Xu Qi'an grunted in response, then sat down silently at the table without offering any greetings.

"The Prince of Zhenbei is dead!"

He said in a low voice.

"If you're dead, you're dead."

Wei Yuan stared at the chessboard, his brows furrowed, his attention completely elsewhere than on Xu Qi'an. He said, "Wait a minute, I'll talk after I finish this game."

Xu Qi'an suddenly reached out and made a slash on the chessboard.

With a clatter, the white and black pieces scattered all over the ground, splashing everywhere.

Wei Yuan got angry, raised his hand to hit you, then gently lowered it, and snorted, "I'd rather not hit you than hurt my hand. Go make some tea."

After Xu Qi'an brewed the tea, he picked up the teacup, blew on it, and without drinking, asked in a calm and unhurried tone, "Is there anything you want to ask?"

Xu Qi'an didn't waste any words and went straight to the point. "Did Duke Wei already know that the place where the Prince of Zhenbei massacred the city was Chuzhou?"

Wei Yuan nodded.

The sudden southward advance of the demon and barbarian tribes, their swords pointed at Chuzhou City, was likely due to intelligence leaked by Duke Wei. Xu Qi'an grew increasingly certain, and thus chose to ask another question first:

"How did Duke Wei know this? As far as I know, even the Rogue Cultivator Warlock collude with the barbarians, as well as the remnants of the demon and barbarian races and the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, are helpless."

"Just a guess!"

Wei Yuan laughed and said, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle. Law Technique can grant people extraordinary power, but relying too much on Law Technique will ultimately blind one to the bigger picture."

This answer truly exceeded Xu Baipiao's expectations, and he frowned deeply:

"Duke Wei, do you mean you guessed the location of Chuzhou City based on your understanding of the Prince of Zhenbei? But the demon and barbarian tribes also understand the Prince of Zhenbei."

Wei Yuan suddenly sneered, "Who told you I guessed it was the Prince of Zhenbei?"

P. S.: There's a splash screen event for the little mare's birthday; sending birthday wishes increases your birthday points. It seems you can exchange birthday points for items like little mare badges and keychains.

Give me some support, wink!

PS: Recommended chapter: "Rebooting Life in 2001", supposedly by a female author, hehehe.