NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 489-497
Chapter 489: Yan Cloud Cavalry
“My Lord, Wu Yuer is not in the Northern Region.” Fang Zhengzhi knew that Chi Hou had misunderstood. However, he was not surprised that Chi Hou thought that it was Wu Yuer.
After all, if the leader of the Divine Constabulary didn’t know who the leader of the Shadow Sect was, then he wasn’t fit to lead the Divine Constabulary.
“It’s not Wu Yuer?” Chi Hou’s heart fluttered. If it wasn’t Wu Yuer, then it had to be the Crown Prince’s men.
3000 trained soldiers…
The audacity of the Crown Prince…
Was he really that confident?
“Qingyi, help me tend to the fire. I will greet them myself.” Fang Zhengzhi didn’t explain further. He could hear the sounds in the distance.
The squad was approaching.
“Yes, master!” Qingyi nodded.
“Haha, since that is the case, I will accompany you.” Chi Hou wiped his hands clean and stood up.
“My Lord, this way please.” Li Jingfeng prepared to lead the way.
Fang Zhengzhi showed no intention of stopping him. This was the Northern Region, Chi Hou’s territory.
No one could stop him from going anywhere he pleased.
…
The 2000 soldiers of the Red Pinion Squad mounted their rides and stood in formation, their spears pointing towards the approaching noises.
Zhang Yangping and the other villagers looked on anxiously behind the Red Pinion Squad. The incoming army was a powerful one.
“Are they really going to fight?”
“If they fight, it will be the end of the Northern Mountain Village. Should we tell the teachers and students to take cover?”
“I don’t think they are really going to fight. Chi Hou is still in the village. Who would dare to antagonize him here in the Northern Region?”
“But what if they do fight?”
The villagers began to discuss the possibilities amongst themselves. They generally hunted for a living and such situations were foreign to them.
At that moment, Chi Hou and Fang Zhengzhi came out of the gates. They were accompanied by Li Jingfeng.
The three of them approached the Red Pinion Squad.
“My Lord!” The villagers greeted.
“Mm.” Chi Hou nodded but didn’t say anything else. He looked at the plumes of dust some distance away as he walked forward.
The Red Pinion Squad opened a path for him.
Their movements were disciplined and synchronized.
Fang Zhengzhi was in awe. The Red Pinion Squad was one the most elite forces in the Great Xia. Training was rigorous.
Chi Hou was a military genius to be able to train such a powerful army.
The three people passed through the Red Pinion Squad and watched the approaching army. Just as Li Jingfeng had said…
This was a squad of veiled soldiers.
Each one of them wore a black cloak which stuck to their bodies as they sprinted towards the village. This also revealed that all 3000 of them wore the same armor.
“Not bad!” Chi Hou exclaimed when he saw this. For a seasoned commander like himself, he could tell within moments that this was a well-trained army.
They traveled quickly but were able to maintain their formation. Their formation was that of a spear.
Behind them, there were ranks of soldiers five abreast.
Anyone who knew their military tactics could tell that this was a charging formation. The fact that they could maintain this formation over such long distances…
This was proof of their training and discipline.
“Not bad indeed.” Fang Zhengzhi expressed his agreement.
Chi Hou didn’t say anything else. He frowned and stared at the approaching ‘spear’.
Chi Hou rarely looked like that.
In fact, he didn’t frown even when he was battling the 50,000 barbarian cavalries on the plains.
Yet, when faced with this army of 3000 soldiers, he frowned.
The reason was simple.
He had a village behind him, a village which housed the Northern Region’s most promising children.
If these men were from the Crown Prince.
Then this would be a capturing mission.
Without the Red Pinion Squad.
These men would simply come to capture Fang Zhengzhi. However, if the Red Pinion Squad intervened, then this would turn into a massacre. The Crown Prince would never let an asset like Fang Zhengzhi fall into the Divine Constabulary’s hands.
They were closing in…
“Ready!” Chi Hou raised his hand.
“Woosh!” The soldiers of the Red Pinion Squad raised their spears and pointed them at the opposing force. A domineering aura filled the air.
“Halt!”
At that moment, the ‘spear’ at the point position of the formation stopped in its tracks.
The 3000 soldiers behind them halted as well.
The formation was still intact!
“I am the leader of the Red Pinion Squad, Li Jingfeng from the Divine Constabulary! I have orders from Chi Hou to capture the criminal here! Who are you, and how dare you barge into the Northern Regions?!” Li Jingfeng bellowed.
As someone who had been serving Chi Hou for more than a decade, he knew that he should not reveal Chi Hou’s presence from the get-go.
A light breeze brushed past.
The fragrance of the flowers filled the air.
The 3000 veiled soldiers stood in their spots. They didn’t leave because of what Li Jingfeng said. In fact, it was almost as though they didn’t hear what Li Jingfeng said.
They were waiting.
They were waiting for orders.
At that moment, a blood red flag was raised. There were neither patterns nor symbols on the flag.
However, when Li Jingfeng saw this flag, his expression changed.
The 3000 veiled soldiers moved when the flag went up.
“Woosh!” They moved in unison. When the sound had died down, each one of them had a metal bow in their hands.
They latched an arrow on the bows and pulled the string taut. They aimed at the Red Pinion Squad without hesitation.
“How dare you?!” Li Jingfeng raised his spear.
He was quite shocked to see this. They were in the Northern Region. He might not have told them that Chi Hou was present, but the Red Pinion Squad should have been enough to cause them to reconsider.
The Divine Constabulary was the most powerful force in the Northern Region!
“Chi Hou, we want the young man next to you. If you are willing to hand him over, we will be on our way!” A voice rang out from within the ranks.
“Oh? What if I refuse?” Chi Hou squinted.
He knew why Li Jingfeng had not used his name from the get-go. He wanted to give this army a chance to turn back.
However, they didn’t seem to care. They called him out by name and asked him to hand over Fang Zhengzhi.
Who was this?
Who dared to declare war on the Divine Constabulary in the Northern Region?!
“If you refuse, then please accept our apologies in advance!” The voice rang out once again and the red flag was raised.
“Rubbish!” Chi Hou raged when he saw the red flag being raised. He had given them an out even though they were trespassing.
He was already showing them mercy and respect.
That also had to do with the fact that he thought this army was related to the Crown Prince. He did not want to go to war with the Crown Prince’s men unless it was absolutely necessary.
However, this didn’t mean that he was afraid of fighting.
“Die!” The soldiers of the Red Pinion Squad hollered when they heard Chi Hou’s rage. Their killing intent filled the air.
Fang Zhengzhi was stunned.
What was happening?
Didn’t he make it clear from the start?
He told Chi Hou that he was waiting for a friend. Why did both sides start fighting they moment they met outside the village?
They want me…
Why don’t you just let me go over?
Fang Zhengzhi smiled bitterly as he looked at Chi Hou. He knew the opposing force, but he couldn’t tell Chi Hou in front of the Red Pinion Squad.
After all…
This was the Northern Region.
“My Lord, you can just hand me over.” Fang Zhengzhi whispered a reminder when he saw Chi Hou rage.
“What nonsense?! Do you really think I will hand you over?” Chi Hou replied without hesitation.
“My Lord, you should. In fact, I don’t mind. Let me go with them.” Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t about to give up.
“You don’t mind? But I do!” Chi Hou rejected the proposal.
Hand over Fang Zhengzhi?
Was that meant to be a joke?
How dare they ask Chi Hou to hand someone over n the Northern Region! Chi Hou wouldn’t hand Fang Zhengzhi over even if he was outnumbered 10 to one!
“My Lord, I really am willing to go with them.”
“Shut up!”
“…” Fang Zhengzhi was rendered speechless. He had already told Chi Hou that these were friendlies.
He had wanted to welcome them more subtly after they got closer.
However, Li Jingfeng had announced himself.
Then, the other force drew their bows.
Before they even exchanged any formalities, things had escalated to this point. Fang Zhengzhi didn’t even have a chance to interrupt.
“Die!”
“Die!”
“…”
The Red Pinion Squad’s voices grew louder by the moment. They were ready to fight.
The 3000 veiled soldiers were equally fearless. They simply pointed their arrows at the Red Pinion Squad, ready to fire at a moment’s notice
As for Zhang Yangping and the other villagers…
Their jaws were virtually on the floor.
“Zhengzhi, get back!”
“If they fight, we will take cover in the mountains!”
“Yes, Zhengzhi, come over quickly!”
The villagers hollered at the top of their voices. The Red Pinion Squad stood between them and Zhengzhi, and Zhengzhi was in the middle of the two forces.
It was too dangerous.
Fang Zhengzhi really didn’t mind finding a place to hide but he knew he had to deal with this. He stepped forward.
“Hang on, lower your weapons!”
Fang Zhengzhi’s voice was so loud that every soldier on the field could hear him. However, the Red Pinion Squad didn’t follow his orders.
It was virtually useless.
However, the 3000 veiled soldiers stopped in their tracks. Then, a yellow flag was raised from within their ranks.
“Woosh, woosh woosh!”
Within moments…
The bows returned to their holders on the backs of the soldiers.
Li Jingfeng was stunned.
The Red Pinion Squad stopped screaming for blood. They too didn’t understand what was happening.
Why would they listen to Fang Zhengzhi?
Chi Hou’s jaw dropped in surprise. However, he quickly wiped the surprise off his face and squinted his eyes.
He examined the 3000 veiled soldiers, the armor they wore under the black cloaks and the bows in their hands.
His eyes widened.
Then, a green light appeared in his hands. This was a jade green glow. It flew towards the soldiers.
At the same time, the expression of one of the vanguards of the veiled soldiers changed. His body was enveloped by green light.
“Shhhhh!”
His clothes were ripped apart.
The black cloak around him was shredded, almost as if there were countless knives around him.
The black, palm-sized shreds were blown away by the wind.
As they fell to the ground, a radiant armor shone through. It was a silver armor adorned with all kinds of patterns.
Most importantly, the armor was adorned with six clouds. These clouds were blood red in color. They formed a hexagon starting from the shoulder pads.
Almost like a fan!
“The Yan Cloud Cavalry!”
Chapter 490: Formidable figure
“It’s the Yan Cloud Cavalry?!”
When Li Jingfeng and the rest of the Red Pinion Squad saw the six clouds, their expressions changed.
The Great Xia had many elite squads.
The Dragon Protection Squad, the Mountain Breaking Army, the Red Pinion Squad…
All of these were elite armies.
However, if there was one army that would rank above them, then it would undoubtedly be the Yan Cloud Cavalry.
It wasn’t because the soldiers of the Yan Cloud Cavalry were more skilled or powerful. It was because of where they trained.
Western Liang!
A barren land.
They were always under assault from the wind, sand, and dust. They drank blood and feasted on meat.
The Yan Family was the leading family in Western Liang. Its history is even longer than that of the Great Xia’s. They controlled Western Liang even before the Great Xia was founded.
The 13 Constabularies supported the Great Xia in its conquest of the world.
However, every Emperor left the defense of Western Liang to the Yan Family. When the six blood clouds of the Yan Family rose up in those harsh conditions, the soldiers of the 13 Constabularies would stop in the tracks.
It was impossible to fight there!
“Yan Cloud Cavalry!” Chi Hou clenched his fists. He never expected the Yan Cloud Cavalry to appear here.
Fang Zhengzhi was in the Northern Region, Huai An County, the Northern Mountain Village.
When Chi Hou got the news, he had immediately given his orders and marched for two days straight.
He didn’t even stop for a break!
Where was the Yan Cloud Cavalry located?
In Western Liang!
Thousands of miles away!
Yet, they had arrived a mere four hours after the Red Pinion Squad. What kind of speed was that? Could it be…
Chi Hou looked at the Yan Cloud Cavalry soldier. He looked down at the soldier’s waist and understood everything instantly.
There was a bloody, half-eaten piece of meat hanging on this soldier’s waist.
Raw!
This was the most efficient way to travel! Furthermore, they could conserve their energy!
They could travel as quickly as possible, stop at any time, and fight at a moment’s notice.
However, this was also the most primitive and barbaric method.
“Good, very good! The Yan Cloud Cavalry lives up to its name!” Chi Hou clenched his fists in admiration.
He also couldn’t help but suppress some of his other emotions.
He didn’t like to lose.
Li Jingfeng also noticed the piece of raw meat dangling from the waist of that soldier. He felt a chill down his spine.
This was true aggression.
An animalistic aggression.
“The Yan Cloud Cavalry still train this way?” Li Jingfeng knew that the Yan Cloud Cavalry didn’t just think of this method. They had been doing this for a long time!
Raw meat was not good to eat!
If they did not train their bodies to digest and handle the raw meat, they would all be rolling on the ground by now.
The 2000 Red Pinion Squad soldiers could also feel that domineering aggression.
They tightened their grip around their spears.
At that moment, the soldier whose cloak had been ripped apart leapt into action. He drew a dagger and thrust it towards his throat.
“Clang!”
The dagger fell to the ground.
“I deserve to die!” The soldier’s expression changed.
“It is not your fault. We are up against Chi Hou. It was only a matter of time before our identity was revealed. Just remember this incident and do better in future battles!” A voice rang out from within the ranks.
“Yes, sir!”
…
The thirst for blood had subsided significantly. Fang Zhengzhi walked forward and Chi Hou didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping him.
Fang Zhengzhi walked over to the Yan Cloud Cavalry.
“Greetings, Young Master Fang!” The 3000 strong Yan Cloud Cavalry bowed respectfully.
Then, a figure walked out from within the ranks.
He was also wearing a black cloak and a veil. However, he took off the veil when he walked out of the ranks.
He smiled icily. Despite the punishing journey, he did not seem tired at all. He looked at Fang Zhengzhi with caring eyes.
Yan Xiu.
This was a man who had returned to Western Liang after the court examination results were released. He never stepped foot in the capital after that day.
“How have you been over the past year?”
“How have you been?”
Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu greeted each other in front of both armies.
After one year…
The two of them still talked to each other the same way. It was as calm and ordinary as the water in the stream.
Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu chuckled.
“I’ve been well.”
Their voices echoed out in unison. It was almost as if they had forgotten about the two armies standing behind them.
Then…
Fang Zhengzhi began introducing the surroundings to Yan Xiu.
“Look, this is where I grew up. The Northern Mountain Village is a beautiful place. The water is clear and the air is fresh! You can even see the bottom of the river and the fish that swim inside it.”
“Mm.”
“Did you skip breakfast? Come and have some at my place!”
“Okay.”
Then, Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu walked towards the Red Pinion Squad and the Northern Mountain Village.
The Yan Cloud Cavalry didn’t speak as they watched Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu walk away. However, their eyes were filled with shock.
“Is this the time to talk about meals?”
Zhang Yangping and the villagers looked at each other in confusion. They didn’t know who this youth was. They didn’t know the procedure here. But they knew…
If that was the Yan Cloud Cavalry…
They were probably…
Trespassing.
“Yan Xiu, the Yan Cloud Cavalry are under the command of the Yan Family. It is normal that you are leading them. However, since you are in the Northern Region, please show me the Emperor’s orders that brought you here!” Chi Hou stepped forward.
As the leader of the Northern Five Constabularies.
He would not tolerate trespassing, not even if it was the Yan Cloud Cavalry.
“I don’t have them.” Yan Xiu shook his head.
“Junior, you bring the Yan Cloud Cavalry here without notifying me or getting orders from the Emperor. Isn’t that inappropriate?” Chi Hou added.
“It is.” Yan Xiu nodded.
“Since you know that it is inappropriate, I think you owe me an explanation.” Chi Hou nodded. He knew why Yan Xiu was here.
In the grand scheme of things, Yan Xiu was Fang Zhengzhi’s friend. By extension, Yan Xiu was not his enemy.
As such, he would not push Yan Xiu too hard. However, he still had to put on a show for the Red Pinion Squad.
“I was lost.” Yan Xiu thought about it, then answered.
“Lost?!” Chi Hou had expected a myriad of other explanations. Perhaps he would claim that he was chasing a felon, or had noticed some movements from the demons.
These would have been false.
However, Chi Hou could pretend to believe him and order the Red Pinion Squad and the Yan Cloud Cavalry to check it out. Then, they would simply return having found nothing.
But being lost…
What kind of reason was that?
How could they have been lost for three days, eating raw meat and rushing over here from Western Liang? And they just happened to stumble across the Northern Mountain Village?
Who would believe that?
Even Chi Hou couldn’t buy that excuse.
Li Jingfeng and the Red Pinion Squad could guess what Chi Hou’s intentions were. However, Yan Xiu’s reason was too casual.
“Young Master Yan, were you trying to chase an escaped felon when you got lost? Was it because you aren’t familiar with the land here?” Li Jingfeng tried to clarify Yan Xiu’s explanation.
“No, I was lost.” Yan Xiu shook his head.
“Are you sure you are not joking with me?” Chi Hou couldn’t take it any longer. He had already given Yan Xiu enough chances.
Yet, Yan Xiu continued to push this unbelievable story.
This concerned his reputation. As the head of the Divine Constabulary, he could forgive Yan Xiu for being rash, but he couldn’t tolerate Yan Xiu being rude to him.
“Do you think that my grandson is someone who likes to joke?” Another voice rang out from within the ranks of the Yan Cloud Cavalry.
The voice as not loud and it was rather raspy. However, it was a powerful voice which commanded respect.
When that voice rang out.
A strange thing happened. All of the Snow Treading Dragon Stallions backed away, almost as if they were frightened.
Some of the Snow Treading Dragon Stallions even kicked off their riders.
“Ah!”
“Neigh, neigh…”
The 2000 soldiers of the Red Pinion Squad were in disarray. Even Li Jingfeng couldn’t react in time.
However, Zhang Yangping and the villagers seemed unaffected.
It was a strange sight.
Li Jingfeng was about to give his orders when Chi Hou stopped him. Then, he saw Chi Hou’s expression.
He had never seen Chi Hou look like that in more than 10 years of service.
Who was it?
He called Yan Xiu his grandson.
Could it be…
Li Jingfeng’s expression changed. Even as the leader of the Red Pinion Squad, he felt a chill down his spine when he thought of that name.
“Yan Qianli”
He was the leader of the Yan Family. He was legendary, so much so that even the Emperor had to respect him.
He was formidable.
Everyone feared and respected this man. As long as Yan Qianli was alive, The Yan Family would control Western Liang and no one would dare to try their luck.
Yan Qianli was a domineering figure.
Everyone knew that only someone like Yan Qianli could govern a place like Western Liang well.
Of course, that was not the main point.
Yan Qianli had not stepped foot out of Western Liang in more than two decades! He didn’t even take time to visit the capital.
Yet, he had appeared here.
He led 3000 of his Yan Cloud Cavalry to this small mountain village.
“I was the one who came up with that reason. My grandson is simply repeating my words. Do you think that that’s an unacceptable reason?” The voice echoed through the air.
However, no one stepped out from the ranks. The voice echoed through but one couldn’t pinpoint where he was.
Chi Hou’s expression changed.
He stared at the 3000 Yan Cloud Cavalry and the clouds on their armor.
He clenched his fists, then released them, then clenched them again.
He finally regained his composure after some time, the glow disappearing from his eyes.
“Master Yan, since you are lost, how about I personally guide you to the route back to Western Liang? What do you think?” Chi Hou asked calmly.
“Hahaha… I wanted to stay in Western Liang and wait for my death, but my grandson wanted to make a trip to the capital. My time is limited and I don’t have much time to look around. I thought of accompanying my grandson to the capital and visit the Emperor. However, because of my age, I forgot the way to get there and got lost.”
“You are going to the capital?” Chi Hou’s eyes glittered.
“Yes, is that convenient for you?”
“Yes, I’m heading there as well!”
“That’s a happy coincidence! If you don’t find it too much of a hassle, we would appreciate it if you could guide us there. If we get lost again it would result in too many delays.”
“It would be my honor if Master Yan would come to the capital with me. When would you like to leave?”
JTJTY97 JTJTY97
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Comments (3)
IkanTerbang
IkanTerbang
Wow…important people is showing up one by one…
aFallenLeaf
aFallenLeaf
Grandpa Yan supporting the bromance. Good grandpa!!
hershey24
hershey24
Bromance !!! Grandpa Yan is so cool hahhaa
Rate this chapter
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Chapter 491: Empire
“I’m not planning to micromanage everything on this trip. I just want to take in the sights. I’ll leave the details to my grandson.”
“I understand.” Chi Hou nodded.
As the leader of the Northern Region, he could read between the lines. The fact that someone as respected as him was letting someone else take care of the details…
That said a lot.
As to why Yan Qianli had decided to go to the capital…
It was to assert dominance.
He wanted to help cement the position of the next leader of Western Liang.
He couldn’t do so if he was in Western Liang. He had to do it in the capital. Chi Hou was certain that the heir to that position would be confirmed after this trip.
However…
Only Yan Qianli had the answer to why he would follow Yan Xiu all the way to the Northern Mountain Village before going to the capital.
Chi Hou didn’t bother with any more guesses. However, he was certain that Yan Qianli’s trip to the capital was not as simple as merely taking in the sights.
Could it be that they were going to participate in the battle for the throne?
Or was there something deeper?
Regardless, he had to warn King Duan in advance. If they could have Yan Qianli’s support in the fight for the throne, it would give them a huge boost.
…
Over the next three days, Yan Xiu stayed in the Fang Residence and Fang Zhengzhi brought Yan Xiu around.
Yan Qianli never showed himself.
Chi Hou wanted to use these three days to interact with Yan Qianli and understand his thoughts. However, Yan Qianli remained inside the Yan Cloud Cavalry camp.
Yan Qianli didn’t even seem to want to meet Fang Zhengzhi.
Three days later, Fang Zhengzhi said his goodbyes and joined Yan Xiu on their journey to the capital. The Red Pinion Squad and Yan Cloud Cavalry followed behind.
Zhang Yangping, Fang Houde, Qin Xuelian, and the other villagers all watched in awe as the convoy left the village.
However…
As ordinary villagers, they couldn’t possibly stop them.
“Village elder, do you think Zhengzhi will…”
“No! Chi Hou said that he was here to help Fang Zhengzhi! He will definitely help Fang Zhengzhi get his acquittal!”
“My son…”
“Mother of my son, let’s go back. Zhengzhi may be back soon!”
“Nothing will happen to him right?”
“Of course not, definitely not!”
…
Spring was usually a joyous and vibrant time, but the atmosphere in the capital seemed suppressed and down.
Inside the Crown Prince’s residence.
Dozens of officials stood outside his study, each one of them visibly anxious.
Inside the study, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong sat behind a desk. He was dressed in a silver robe and he looked at the officials solemnly.
There was a stack of shredded papers on the table. That was an emergency letter that he just received.
“Bloody Divine Constabulary… how dare you go against me so openly?! What do you think I should do?!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s hand swept across the table and his teacup shattered on the floor.
The officials shook their heads when they saw this.
“Your Highness, Chi Hou has always been King Duan’s right-hand man. It is no surprise that he would bring Fang Zhengzhi to the capital.” One of the officials spoke up.
“Yes, the problem now isn’t the Divine Constabulary, it’s the Yan Family of Western Liang…” Another official spoke up, his eyes glittering.
“We never expected that the Yan King… Yan Qianli would leave Western Liang for this. This makes an ambush along the way quite impossible.”
“Yes, fighting 2000 soldiers of the Red Pinion Squad is difficult enough. If we want to go against that and an additional 3000 Yan Cloud Cavalry, we will need to tap on the army! However, King Duan still controls most of the army! It will be difficult to do anything without revealing ourselves!”
“The Emperor may even welcome Yan Qianli at the gates of the palace. If he does so, it’ll make things even more difficult for us.”
“Do you think that Fang Zhengzhi would dare to tell his side of the story when he meets the Emperor?”
“With his character, I wouldn’t put it past him to say anything. If anything he says gets out, it could be detrimental to your cause.”
“We must not let him enter the city!”
“Everyone, you are all thinking too much!” A voice rang out and the Minister of Law, Wan Chong, stood up. “Actually, we have already passed judgment on Fang Zhengzhi’s case. We have also issued a warrant for his arrest. The Emperor cannot simply pardon him just because the Divine Constabulary asked for it. Unless new evidence comes to light, the case will remain solid. The Crown Prince need not worry!”
“Official Wan is correct, we should remain calm and not act rashly!”
“Indeed, indeed!”
All of the officials expressed their agreement.
At that very moment, a middle-aged man in Ministry of Rites robes stood up. He straightened his robe and bowed to the Crown Prince.
“There is one other thing that I need to report. I have news that the Queen of the Southern Region is making a trip to the capital. I was wondering… if this had anything to do with Fang Zhengzhi?”
“…”
Silence. The officials looked at each other and stopped their discussions. There were too many things happening at once.
Starting with Fang Zhengzhi showing himself at Huai An County.
Then, everything had happened so quickly from that moment on that they had no time to catch their breath.
Was it a coincidence? Or had it been planned beforehand? No one could say for sure, but they all felt that everything was just a tad too coincidental.
Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping rapped his fingers against the armrest as he looked at the officials and a kneeling soldier.
“Did our intel say what Yan Qianli did in the Northern Mountain Village?” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping queried.
“Prime Minister, he did not show himself in the Northern Mountain Village.” The soldier reported.
“He didn’t show himself? Then how do you know that Yan Qianli is coming to the capital with Fang Zhengzhi?” Yu Yiping frowned.
“Even though he didn’t show himself, he did speak with Chi Hou. Afterward, he never left his tent, so our scouts didn’t see him.”
“You’re telling me that Yan Qianli went to the village but never entered it. He also cooped himself up in his tent and didn’t meet with Chi Hou or Fang Zhengzhi?”
“Yes, sir!”
“He stayed in his tent, he stayed in his tent… I see, I see!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s eyes glittered.
When the other officials heard what he said, they looked at each other in confusion.
“Prime Minister, could you please enlighten us?” One of the officials asked when he saw Lin Tianrong look at him, approving his question.
“Yan Qianli has been the lord of Western Liang. However, he is now an old man. He will not play his trump card unless he absolutely has to.” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping smiled confidently.
“What do you mean?” The officials couldn’t understand.
“Yan Qianli might not help Fang Zhengzhi.” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping asserted.
“But Yan Qianli left Western Liang and went to the Northern Mountain Village. Why do that if he doesn’t plan to help Fang Zhengzhi?”
“Because of Yan Xiu!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping replied.
“Prime Minister, you are saying that Yan Qianli is coming to the capital because of Yan Xiu and not Fang Zhengzhi?”
“Yes!”
“We still don’t understand it fully. Please enlighten us.” The officials still seemed lost.
“Yan Qianli is aging, so he needs to plan for the future of Western Liang. I think he is going to hand the reins over to Yan Xiu.” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping explained.
“Hand over Western Liang to Yan Xiu? Prime Minister, I’m afraid that’s not something that he can decide. The reason why they lead the region is because of Yan Qianli. Without him, the Yan Family will still be considered foreigners. Even if the Emperor wants the Yan Family to continue governing, I’m sure he will send one of the constabularies over to keep tabs on them.”
The officials began to voice their opinions.
“Exactly! That is where the problem is!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping nodded.
“Prime Minister, you mean…”
“Yan Qianli has managed to govern Western Liang without any interference for many decades. Do you think he will allow any of the 13 Constabularies to set up camp there?” Yu Yiping asked.
“No.” The officials replied without hesitation.
“Exactly. Yan Qianli would never let this happen. As such, anyone who can help him achieve his goals will get his support in the contest for the throne!”
“I get it now. Yan Qianli might have gone to the Northern Mountain Village, but by not showing himself, he is telling the world that he has yet to make a choice. He is trying to see who can help him achieve his goals!” The officials were enlightened.
“Prime Minister, you have great foresight!” The other officials nodded in amazement.
“Even though Yan Qianli has yet to make his choice, he is still accompanying Fang Zhengzhi into the capital. How do we deal with that?” Another official asked.
“We can still turn things around as long as Yan Qianli hasn’t made his choice!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping asserted.
“We would love to hear your plan!” The officials stood up and bowed to Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping.
“Tomorrow morning, you can propose during the morning sitting for the Emperor to hold a banquet to honor our seniors at the Ten Mile Lake!” Yu Yiping proposed.
“A banquet? Why would we have it at the Ten Mile Lake and not the palace?” The officials were confused.
“The Yan Family suffered the greatest casualties in their history at the battle of the Ten Mile Lake. If not for their valiant defense, the capital would not be what we know it to be. Most importantly, all five of Yan Qianli’s brothers died in that battle. Their bodies were never recovered. He would never reject an invitation to the Ten Mile Lake!”
The Left Prime Minister asserted.
The other officials nodded in agreement.
“The Left Prime Minister is wise. Crown Prince, if the banquet was held at the Ten Mile Lake, Yan Qianli would definitely attend and we would be at an advantage. Furthermore, outsiders would not be invited to attend.”
“Diverting his attention! Great plan, great plan!”
“How do we move forward after that?”
The officials turned to look at Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping once again.
“Kill!” Yu Yiping replied.
“Kill? The Ten Mile Lake is just half a day away from the capital. Furthermore, Chi Hou would be protecting Fang Zhengzhi. How would we get to him?” The officials were shocked.
“Official Wan had said this before. Fang Zhengzhi’s case has been closed. We don’t have to ask the Emperor for his opinion anymore.” The Prime Minister looked at Wan Chong.
“You want me to capture him before he reaches the city?” Law Minister Wan Chong asked.
“No, you must catch him at the gates with witnesses around!”
“At the city gates? With witnesses?”
“Yes, that is the only way that Chi Hou can’t stop you. You are just following the law. He can’t go against the law even though he is a lord. Furthermore, by capturing Fang Zhengzhi in front of witnesses, he would be sure that you won’t dare to do anything to Fang Zhengzhi!”
“It makes sense. This is the best way to ensure that Fang Zhengzhi is captured. But what do we do after?” Minister Wan Chong nodded.
“Don’t you have your methods once he is in your ministry?”
“But… if we arrested him in front of witnesses, then…”
“You are afraid you would be blamed?”
“I…”
“Official Wan, do not worry. As long as Fang Zhengzhi is dead, Yan Qianli would not bother about Yan Xiu and Fang Zhengzhi’s friendship. Yan Qianli would also back the Crown Prince. By doing so, you have done the Crown Prince a great favor and you will be rewarded in the future.”
“I understand. Since that is the case, I will go and make the arrangements now.” Minister Wan Chong grit his teeth and took his leave.
The other officials smiled respectfully at Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.
“I’m sure Fang Zhengzhi would never expect that we would arrest him at the gates.”
“Even I wasn’t expecting that.”
“He is too naive! If he thinks that he can waltz in here in broad daylight just because he has the Divine Constabulary and the Yan Family protecting him, he is terribly mistaken!”
“Only the Left Prime Minister could have thought of such a great plan!”
“Exactly, and to think he formulated this plan based on the information that Yan Qianli didn’t leave his tent! We still have a lot to learn!”
The officials expressed their admiration.
Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping smiled when he heard this. He knew what the Crown Prince was thinking.
The Crown Prince would not be at ease so long as Fang Zhengzhi was alive.
This was a mental problem, and Fang Zhengzhi had to be eliminated.
He was more than willing to sacrifice the Law Minister in exchange for Fang Zhengzhi’s life. In fact, the Crown Prince would have willingly sacrificed all six ministers if that’s what it took.
Once this was done, the world was his oyster!
Chapter 492: No turning back Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Winner takes all.
Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping had placed all his bets on the Crown Prince. As such, he would never let someone who could harm the Crown Prince live. “I must calm the Crown Prince’s heart. Wan Chong… please don’t blame me for being vicious!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s eyes glowed icily as he looked at the closed doors. As the leader of the officials… Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping knew what the Crown Prince and the Emperor thought. As such, he needed someone to take the rap. Crown Prince Lin Tianrong didn’t speak. He didn’t care much for a Minister. As long as he could remain in power, he wouldn’t mind replacing the Minister repeatedly. There was only one person who could threaten his hold on the throne. That was Fang Zhengzhi. No! Fang Zhengzhi had to die!
He had taken too many risks and hid in the shadows for way too long. He had worked so hard to get to his current position and he was not going to let it fall apart.
… Early morning the next day.
The morning court session… Crown Prince Lin Tianrong proposed that the Emperor hold a banquet for the elders at the Ten Mile Lake. The officials concurred. Emperor Lin Mubai praised the Crown Prince for coming up with such a brilliant proposal and put him in charge of forming the attendance list. King Duan was silent. After the session, the officials congratulated Crown Prince Lin Tianrong and offered up names to be included in the attendance list. King Duan remained silent. Nightfall… King Duan’s residence was still lit up. However, it was much less festive and boisterous as compared to the Crown Prince’s residence. A lot had changed over the past year. King Duan sat behind the desk. He wore baggy pajamas and held a letter in his hand. However, this letter was intact. There were few creases on the paper. There were two other people in this spacious study. One was an aged man in a black and white robe whilst the other was Mr. Hua sporting the academic robes.
“Your Highness, did you call us over because of the Crown Prince’s proposal?” Mr. Hua asked when after King Duan put down the letter. “Mm, but we have also received news from the Northern Region.” King Duan nodded as he lit the sandalwood. “Chi Hou wrote to us?” Mr. Hua took a whiff, then looked at the letter on the table. “Yes, Chi Hou told us that Yan Qianli has left Western Liang and is heading to the capital with them. Fang Zhengzhi is also with them. Chi Hou wanted to meet with Yan Qianli but didn’t have the chance.” King Duan summarized the letter. “They didn’t meet? That can only mean that Yan Qianli feels that the time isn’t right.” Mr. Hua guessed. “You are right, but we must get Yan Qianli on our side. Chi Hou wants me to welcome Yan Qianli outside the city, well before the Crown Prince can get to him. However, I never expected that the Crown Prince would come up with such a great plan. He will now have the first crack at Yan Qianli.”
“Your Highness, your analysis is correct. Even if you receive Yan Qianli, the Emperor will still give overall control of this to the Crown Prince. After all, Yan Qianli is the VIP here. No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to get close to him at this banquet.” “Mr. Hua is correct. That is why I have disturbed you two this late at night. I hope that I can pick your brains.” “We have already lost the initiative here. It is virtually impossible to go against the Crown Prince in the courts now. All we can do is back off.” “Back off?! I have already backed off for the past year! I can’t back off anymore! All six ministers are loyal to the Crown Prince! More than half of the courts are loyal to him! And then there’s the army! They used to be loyal to me, but now at least 30% are loyal to him! How much more can I pull back?”
“You have no other choice right now.” Mr. Hua shook his head. “The fight for the throne is a matter of life or death. Once I stepped forward, there is no way I can pull out. Please… help me!”
“Your Highness… why are you in such a hurry? We still have a chance to make a comeback!” Mr. Hua added.
“Please enlighten me!”
“Old Wen, what do you think?” Mr. Hua sighed when he saw King Duan’s expression and turned to Mr.Wen.
“Take a step back and all will be clear.” Was the reply.
“What do you mean by take a step back?” Mr. Hua was surprised that Mr. Wen would agree with him.
“Somethings become clearer when we take a step back.”
King Duan’s eyes glittered when he heard this. He knew that there was more to this statement, so we waited patiently.
“Please elaborate.” Mr. Hua added. “The banquet is just a cover. The Crown Prince does have some intelligent advisors. However, if you think about it, the Left Prime Minister is smarter than that. Why would he do something that is so time consuming but will yield such little results?”
“What do you mean?” King Duan queried. “It is very important to have Yan Qianli align himself with us. However, Yan Qianli is a smart man. He spent the past two decades guarding Western Liang in order to avoid being embroiled in this fight. He will not choose until the last moment! It is virtually impossible to get him on your side in one try.” “What you’re saying is I should do nothing?” “That’s not what I meant.” “That’s not what you meant?” “Yes, if you really took a step back, you would see something else.” “See something else?” King Duan was confused, but Old Wen didn’t elaborate. He simply turned to look at Mr. Hua. Mr. Hua closed his eyes. He had to calm himself down. The study room was silent. The only sound came from the breeze coming through the open windows. The flames flickered. King Duan’s eyes glittered after a long pause. “You’re talking about Fang Zhengzhi?” “Yes, finally!” Old Wen stood up and bowed to King Duan.
“It is my mistake. I never thought very highly of this man, so I tend to ignore his existence… aish, Old Wen, please enlighten me!” King Duan’s expression had traces of embarrassment. “Mm, I can understand how you feel. However, getting Fang Zhengzhi on our side is more important than getting Yan Qianli right now.” Old Wen advised.
“Do I really have to beg him?” “Yes.” “Is there any other way? Maybe…”
“There is no other way. Fang Zhengzhi is a thorn in the Crown Prince’s side! He is your key to reclaiming your position!”
“So… what should I do? Fang Zhengzhi is a felon on the run! Even if the Emperor doesn’t kill him, I can’t possibly welcome him!” King Duan added.
“If my guess is correct, Fang Zhengzhi would not be able to enter the city so easily this time!” Old Wen added.
“What do you mean?” “The Crown Prince’s banquet is just to lure Yan Qianli away!”
“Lure Yan Qianli away? From Fang Zhengzhi’s side? But the Ten Mile Lake is only half a day away from the capital. It would be difficult for him to set an ambush. Furthermore, Chi Hou is by Fang Zhengzhi’s side.” King Duan was confused.
“Mm, that’s what I thought too. What do you think, Mr. Hua?” Old Wen nodded and turned to look at Mr. Hua. “Haha…” Mr. Hua opened his eyes slowly, smirked, then shook his head.
… The capital was becoming more vibrant as the flowers bloomed.
News of the banquet had spread through the empire and many of the elders of noble families set out from their homes. Countless carriages headed straight for the capital.
Apart from this, the Imperial Examinations were beginning and the flyers were pasted all over the city.
Countless candidates were on their way to participate in the examinations after celebrating their achievements back home.
The road to the capital was bustling with activity. “Grandfather, I heard that King Yan is the VIP for this banquet. It is to be held at the Ten Mile Lake. Were you in that battle? Do you know how King Yan looks like? Have you met him before?” Some young voices rang out from inside the carriages.
“Haha… it’s been decades since I last saw King Yan. I was just a low ranking officer at that time. I never got to meet him.” An aged voice replied.
“I heard that he is very arrogant and that even the Emperor respects him.”
“Mm, that is true. The Yan Family was the key factor in our victory there! 30,000 Yan Cloud Cavalry reached the capital in less than seven days! If they didn’t manage to do that, the capital would have fallen! There would be no Great Xia without the Yan Family!”
“From Western Liang to the Capital? Seven days?! That’s… that’s… ridiculously fast! Normally, that trip would take at least half a month! Even if they marched through the night, it would take between 15 and 20 days! Seven days… is that an exaggeration?” The youth was in disbelief.
“Yes, no one expected that the Yan Cloud Cavalry could arrive in seven days. Neither the Emperor nor the Demons predicted that. However, it was a bloody battle. 30,000 of them held off 150,000 demons for three days and three nights. They were virtually annihilated and the current King Yan was the only survivor in the family. However, the Demon’s advance was halted and their morale took a hit. Less than 50,000 made it back.”
“Grandfather, how long do you plan to stay in the capital for?”
“Haha… if you can make it to the honor rolls for this examination, I will return only after you’ve completed your examination.” “Really? Rest assured, I will definitely pass the examination! I also want to do our family and you proud in the court examinations!
“Good. You have matured! You will make us proud!”
…
There was one particular convoy that caught the eyes of everyone. Countless officials came out to welcome this convoy.
The armor of the soldiers glittered under the sun. 3000 Yan Cloud Cavalry and 2000 soldiers from the Red Pinion Squad. It was a grand sight, much grander than an army of tens of thousands.
These were elites, the creme de la creme. Countless candidates and citizens lined the roads for a glimpse of the legendary Yan Cloud Cavalry.
However, they were all disappointed. For some reason, this squad of elites traveled extremely slowly. They would stop at every point along the way. Then, they would even rest for an entire day before lumbering towards the capital. It felt as though they were on a tour.
The citizens didn’t really understand what was happening at first, but they seemed to understand with time.
All of them saw one person. Someone who rode in the middle of the squad. They would chuckle every time they saw him. “I bet he just wants to prolong his life.”
“Exactly, if I were him, I would be in no rush to get to the capital either.”
“He should have thought twice before doing what he did! He must have known that this would happen the moment he showed himself in Huai An County!”
“Forget it, he was a key factor in our victory in the Southern Region. Aish… it’s a pity that his lust and courage got the better of him. How dare he violate the Princess of the Southern Region?! Then he killed their Crown Prince and injured ours! The nerve of some people!” “Shhh, speak softer! Things may get ugly if they hear you!”
Chapter 493: Pushing you into a trap Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Spring was a calming and comfortable time.
Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t rushing to the examinations. He was in no hurry. In fact, there was nothing pressing that he had to attend to currently.
Fang Zhengzhi hummed a little tune as he rode along.
In his previous world, spring was enjoyed by everyone! The weather was one reason. People also enjoyed the flowers, greenery, and burst of life. “How long more to the capital?”
“Young Master Fang, we are still about 100 miles out. If we push the pace, we can arrive tomorrow. If we…” One of the members of the Yan Cloud Cavalry replied. “Mm, then we will find a place to rest for a few days up ahead.” ”明白!” “I understand!”
… In a quiet valley at night, there was a huge army camp. The Red Pinion Squad and Yan Cloud Cavalry stood guard around the perimeter in their shining armor.
In one of the tents, there was a light on the table. Fang Zhengzhi leaned back in his seat and looked at the figure who had entered the tent. “My Lord, what is it?”
“Mm, I received news from the capital that the Emperor is holding a banquet at the Ten Mile Lake. Yan Qianli is the VIP and he has accepted the invitation. King Duan asked us to be careful when entering the city. I was thinking if we should enter the city after the banquet is over. We could wait till Yan Qianli rejoins us.” Chi Hou replied. “Which option are you leaning towards?”
“I think that the timing on this is too much of a coincidence. If we want to play it safe, then we should wait until the banquet is over.”
“If you wanted to play it safe, then you wouldn’t have come to find me.” Fang Zhengzhi smirked. Chi Hou was a bloodthirsty general… Safety and insurance…
They were not his favorite options.
“Ahem… what I meant was that… according to the rules, the Red Pinion Squad and the Yan Cloud Cavalry can only set up camp outside the city.” Chi Hou was slightly embarrassed.
Fang Zhengzhi had read him like a book. He had no intention of waiting outside the city. In fact, his initial plan had not accounted for Yan Qianli.
Why should he back off now?
“And so?” Fang Zhengzhi added.
“I am afraid that if it’s just me, you, and Yan Xiu, something bad will happen. After all, you are a criminal. Even though I am bringing you in under the pretext that I have arrested you, certain precautions must be taken.”
“So I should spend some time in a cell?” Fang Zhengzhi asked.
“Ahem, I would not let that happen if we can avoid it. However, rest assured that King Duan and I will make the necessary arrangements. After I have met with the Emperor, I will have King Duan trial you. The Emperor would not reject that proposal.” Chi Hou cleared his throat.
“You came here just to tell me this?”
“Mm, the current situation still favors the Crown Prince. I think that we should still play it safe. If we went according to my plan…” Chi Hou added sincerely.
“I don’t recall promising that I would follow the orders of yourself and King Duan.” Fang Zhengzhi interrupted.
“You did not agree to it. However, I need to ensure your safety as we enter the city. I am sure you won’t make things difficult for me, right?”
“My Lord, rest assured that I will not make things difficult for you.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded. He knew what Chi Hou was thinking.
Chi Hou was basically leading him into a trap. He came here on the pretext that he was helping Fang Zhengzhi. If Fang Zhengzhi played along, he would realize along the way that…
He was past the point of no return!
“So you’re saying that… you agree?” Chi Hou’s excitement was palpable. “No, but I will keep a lower profile.” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head. “Keep a low profile?” “Yes.” “How low?” “Very very very low!” “Erm… okay then. I do not have to worry then.”
… During the evening three days later, a group of more than 10 men walked towards the capital. There were two rows of spectators by the side of the road. “Fang Zhengzhi is entering the city!”
“He is doing so without bothering to disguise himself?!” “He must have been forced by the Divine Constabulary! Else, why would he do such a thing? He is a wanted criminal!” “Forced by the Divine Constabulary? Does he look like he is being forced? More importantly, I heard that he showed himself in Huai An County on his own accord…”
“I have no idea what he’s thinking. Is he courting death?” The citizens watched Fang Zhengzhi from the side of the road. None of them could believe their eyes.
They had never seen a wanted criminal enter the capital in such fashion before.
Chi Hou turned to look at the citizens calmly. He had a feeling that something was about to happen.
Fang Zhengzhi entering the capital… This was bound to create a buzz.
Chi Hou had prepared for this. However, he never expected that there would be two rows of people standing by waiting for them at the city gates.
What was happening?
Chi Hou knew that something was amiss. He had already tried to avoid the peak hours! However, there were clearly more people here than there were entering the city at dawn.
As for Fang Zhengzhi…
Chi Hou didn’t want to say anything more. He remembered telling Fang Zhengzhi his concerns three days ago. Fang Zhengzhi agreed to keep a low profile.
Yet today, he was wearing his trademark blue long-sleeved shirt!
He didn’t even bother to change his dressing! At the very least, he could have worn a coat. Even though everyone knew his identity, he could have at least tried to hide it. Chi Hou was speechless. However, neither Fang Zhengzhi nor Yan Xiu seemed bothered by it. Yan Xiu walked beside Fang Zhengzhi silently. They were approaching the city gates. Chi Hou turned to look at the black cloaked figures behind them and shot a look at Li Jingfeng.
Li Jingfeng understood it immediately. He reined in his horse and slowed down to blend into the cloaked figures. Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu didn’t seem to notice this. They continued to walk forward amidst the chatter around them.
Then, they passed through the gates. The guard at the gate looked at them, then let them through! “Hahaha, my lord, you have arrived! The journey must have been punishing!”
At that moment, a figure appeared in front of Chi Hou and Fang Zhengzhi. He wore black official robes and smiled widely. There were more than a hundred guards standing behind him. Their armor was uniform and they had a huge word emblazoned on their chest plate.
“Arrest!” They were from the Ministry of Law.
They were the people in charge of arrests! The person standing at the front was Wan Chong, the Minister of Law. Chi Hou looked at Wan Chong, who was in his way. He squinted. He knew who Wan Chong was.
He had expected Wan Chong to show up.
However…
He didn’t expect Wan Chong to show up so quickly. He didn’t think that Wan Chong would wait for him at the gates. He expected Wan Chong to wait for him at the ministry!
“Official Wan, were you waiting here for me?” Chi Hou’s eyes glowed icily and he exuded a powerful aura.
“Haha… why not?” Wan Chong shuddered. He was uncomfortable, but he maintained his smile.
“It seems like the Ministry of Law is quite free huh?” Chi Hou said flatly as he looked at the crowd.
The citizens looked at each other when they heard this. When they looked back at Wan Chong, their gazes were conflicted. In all the years Wan Chong had spent in the courts…
He had seen his fair share of backstabbing and plotting. However, the courts valued peace, at least on the surface. As such, most of the dirty work was done behind the scenes.
People rarely confronted each other so openly.
At that moment, Wan Chong’s expression changed. However, he recovered quickly and waved to the guards behind him.
“Arrest that man!” “Yes!”
The guards replied in unison and blocked the gates. They surrounded Chi Hou and the group.
“Official Wan, are you thinking of arresting me?” Chi Hou chuckled scornfully when he saw the guards surround him. “Haha, you must be joking! I am simply following the law and arresting the person responsible for the death of the Southern Region Crown Prince, the assault on our Crown Prince, and the one who violated the Princess of the Southern Region!” Wan Chong chuckled.
“Oh, I see… so… you plan on stealing all the credit from me?” Chi Hou’s eyes had an icy glow.
“My lord, you have misunderstood. I would never dare to steal your credit. However, you must know that this is already the capital.”
“So what?”
“According to the law, once a criminal has entered the city, he should be handed to the Ministry of Law. Fang Zhengzhi is my responsibility now.”
“Official Wan is correct. Once I have reported to the Emperor, I will act pursuant to his wishes.” Chi Hou added.
“My Lord, Fang Zhengzhi’s case has already been closed. The evidence is overwhelming. There is no need to report to the Emperor!”
“How can you close the case when we haven’t even captured the suspect?” “Even if you don’t believe me, you have to believe this document.” Wan Chong retrieved the records for this case. Chi Hou’s expression changed.
He could see that this was the case brought against Fang Zhengzhi. At the very end… There was the word ‘closed’. This meant that Wan Chong was right. According to the law, once a case was closed, it could only be reopened if new evidence was brought to light or new charges were pressed…
Else, the sentence would be met out accordingly.
As for new evidence… There was none at the moment. Even if they had those on hand, they would have to hand Fang Zhengzhi over before reporting to the Emperor.
“What if I refuse? What will you do about that?” Chi Hou grit his teeth and clenched his fists. “My Lord, you entered the city because you were bringing in a convict. Now that he is in the city, I am sure you will not make things difficult for me. What do you all think? I am sure the Lord of the Northern Regions will abide by the law!”
Wan Chong chuckled and asked the crowd.
“Yes, how can the leader of the Divine Constabulary not abide by the law?” A voice echoed out.
Then, the crowd looked at each other. Heated discussions began to take place within moments.
“He should be punished for his crimes!” “Since he committed the crime, he should accept his punishment from the Ministry of Law!”
“Even though he played a huge role in the victory, this cannot negate the fact that he killed the Southern Region Crown Prince, injured ours, and violated the Princess of the Southern Region!”
The crowd grew rowdier by the moment. Chi Hou’s expression changed. He finally understood why there were so many people at the gates. They were all planted here on purpose. They were here to help Wan Chong’s case. In other words… This was a set-up. This was a carefully planned trapped that would force him to hand over Fang Zhengzhi the moment he stepped foot in the city. But why did the Ministry of Law want to sentence Fang Zhengzhi so quickly?
Were they trying to harm Fang Zhengzhi?
However, if they arrested Fang Zhengzhi in front of so many witnesses and something were to happen to Fang Zhengzhi, they would be implicated as well.
What was Wan Chong up to?
Chapter 494: Treating everyone as idiots
Chi Hou didn’t know what Wan Chong was planning, but he knew that he wasn’t just planning to arrest Fang Zhengzhi.
“Hand over the criminal, hand over the criminal…”
“Let him be punished for his sins!”
“He has to face the music!”
The voices of the crowd reverberated through the air. Their chants grew louder by the minute, causing more and more people to stop and see what the ruckus was all about.
Chi Hou squinted and looked at the smiling Wan Chong. He was analyzing his current situation.
Should he hand Fang Zhengzhi over? Or should he stick to his guns and oppose the Ministry?
As the leader of the Divine Constabulary, this crime would not result in much of a punishment. However, if word got out that he broke the law despite knowing it…
It would be disadvantageous to him.
Chi Hou clenched his fists and nodded to Fang Zhengzhi when he thought about their mission.
The meaning was clear, Fang Zhengzhi would have to serve some time.
Chi Hou knew that he did not need much time to get to the palace and meet with the Emperor. He could regain control of the situation once the Emperor gave his approval for him to preside over this case. He could then go to the Ministry of Law and get Fang Zhengzhi.
That was what Chi Hou thought…
However, he was shocked to see that Fang Zhengzhi didn’t seem nervous at all. In fact, he seemed rather detached from the situation.
Chi Hou nodded to Minister of Law Wan Chong.
Wan Chong heaved a sigh of relief. As long as Chi Hou didn’t stop him from arresting Fang Zhengzhi, Fang Zhengzhi would never manage to escape.
“Arrest him!” Wan Chong bellowed.
“Woosh woosh woosh!” The guards drew their swords immediately. The blades glowed icily in the evening sun.
Yan Xiu moved.
However, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see a face with a wide smile.
Then, he placed his hands back on the reins.
At the same time, four figures surrounded Yan Xiu and Fang Zhengzhi. These were four cloaked and veiled figures.
All of the citizens shouted and ran to the side when they saw this.
“Oh no, they are about to fight!”
“Fang Zhengzhi is a rebel! He does not intend to accept his punishment!”
“But this is the capital! Where can he run to? Is he going to make enemies with the entire court?”
The citizens screamed at the top of their lungs. Everyone retreated to the side in fear and horror.
Wan Chong chuckled happily.
Everything was going according to plan. Fang Zhengzhi resisting was even more beneficial to him.
If Fang Zhengzhi had simply given up, then he would be stripped of his title if anything untoward happened to Fang Zhengzhi.
However, if Fang Zhengzhi resisted…
Then he may not lose his position! If Fang Zhengzhi resisted, there would be a battle. When there was a battle, ‘accidents’ could happen.
Most importantly…
They didn’t need to kill him on the spot!
Wan Chong had at least 100 people to pin this ‘accident’ on. Even if he had to take some responsibility, it would be minimal.
“Show no mercy to anyone who resists!” Wan Chong ordered.
At that moment, four of the guards attacked. They brought their shiny blades down on the four veiled and cloaked figures.
Show no mercy indeed!
However…
They never hit their mark.
The simply stopped in mid-air, almost as if they were being blocked by something.
“No!” Chi Hou’s voice rang out. He remembered telling Fang Zhengzhi that they had to keep a low profile.
Yet, Fang Zhengzhi had ignored it all!
He went against the Minister of Law at the gates of the capital and resisted arrest! How much more attention did he want to attract?
He wanted to stop Fang Zhengzhi, but it was too late.
By the time his voice rang out, the four swords had fallen to the ground, together with the hands that held them.
Blood spattered everywhere.
They splattered on the ground, staining the road at the gates of the capital.
Chi Hou’s expression was ugly.
He was afraid that Fang Zhengzhi would cause trouble upon entering the capital. He was even more afraid that Fang Zhengzhi would resist arrest and injure the guards.
The severity of the crime…
Was extremely great!
“Fang Zhengzhi, you killed the Crown Prince of the Southern Region, violated their Princess, and injured our Crown Prince. Now, you resist arrest and harm our guards! We will definitely prosecute you!” Wan Chong chuckled icily when he saw the hands fall to the ground.
Fang Zhengzhi attacked!
He knew that Fang Zhengzhi was an audacious person, but he never expected that Fang Zhengzhi would be this audacious! Things would go even better than he expected.
“Are you talking to me?” Fang Zhengzhi’s voice echoed through the air. He seemed lost.
“Nonsense, who else is named Fang Zhengzhi here?” Wan Chong was stunned but he replied icily.
“I don’t know.” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head. He turned to look at the crowd, “Are any of you named Fang Zhengzhi?”
“…”
“Is this guy stupid?”
“Doesn’t he know his own name?”
The citizens looked at Fang Zhengzhi in confusion. They didn’t understand where Fang Zhengzhi was going with this.
Wan Chong was equally confused.
As for Chi Hou…
He grit his teeth in anger. He was in no mood to hear what Fang Zhengzhi had to say. He regretted believing Fang Zhengzhi in the first place. If he knew this would happen, he would have tied Fang Zhengzhi up.
He wouldn’t have let Fang Zhengzhi do what he was doing.
He was prepared to tie Fang Zhengzhi up now and prevent escalation.
His gaze was icy and he prepared to strike. At that moment, a voice echoed out beside him.
“Official Wan, I just asked the crowd for you. There is no one named Fang Zhengzhi. Oh, yes, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Fang Zhengzheng. May I know why Official Wan is blocking my way?”
“Fang Zhengzheng?!” Wan Chong was stunned. He simply couldn’t react to what he had just heard.
The crowd was equally stunned.
“Fang Zhengzheng?”
“What did he just say? His name is Fang Zhengzheng?”
“Yup, that’s what I heard…”
“Is this guy stupid? Has he forgotten his own name? Does he really think that… this would work?”
All of the villagers were shocked to hear this. None of them knew what Fang Zhengzhi was trying to do.
Chi Hou was equally stunned.
Fang Zhengzhi had shown himself in broad daylight at Huai An County. Why would he choose to lie in front of such a big crowd in the capital?
Fang Zhengzheng?
Who would believe him?!
If he wanted to change his name, he should have changed his dressing and put on some makeup. Chi Hou could have arranged for someone to change his appearance.
Most importantly…
He should have changed his name to something more believable. By choosing the name Fang Zhengzheng, he was effectively treating everyone else as an idiot.
Chi Hou didn’t understand what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking.
Wan Chong didn’t understand it either, but he recovered quickly. He chuckled, leaning backward and on the verge of rolling on the floor.
“Hahaha… Fang Zhengzhi, are you dumb? In five years as Minister or Law, I have never come across a criminal like you. You actually went to change your name, Fang Zhengzheng, hahaha… I may have bought it if you dressed up like a girl or disguised yourself. But this… do you think I am stupid?”
“Official Wan, why do you want this honest citizen to admit that he is stupid?” Fang Zhengzhi replied calmly.
“Fang Zhengzhi, you can forget about convincing me. Even if you wore a mustache and dressed as a lady, I will still be able to recognize you!” Wan Chong chuckled, his expression icy.
“So Official Wan doesn’t believe me?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at Wan Chong.
“Do you think I will believe you?” Wan Chong smirked.
“Since that is the case, can you prove that I am Fang Zhengzhi?” Fang Zhengzhi nodded and replied calmly.
“You want evidence?” Wan Chong’s smile froze. He had no evidence to prove that Fang Zhengzhi was actually Fang Zhengzhi.
In fact…
No one would have prepared such evidence!
This was supposed to be a given! Everyone knew that this man was Fang Zhengzhi! There was no evidence needed!
“Fang Zhengzhi, we had your portrait drawn up! There are posters everywhere and all the citizens here can be my witness! What evidence do I need?” Wan Chong replied.
“Portrait? Official Wan, as the Minister of Law, I am sure that you are smarter than that. How can you arrest someone based on a portrait? There are too many people who look alike in this world.” Fang Zhengzhi replied.
Wan Chong’s expression changed.
Fang Zhengzhi was right. He couldn’t arrest him based on a portrait. He actually had to prove that this man was Fang Zhengzhi.
However, he never expected that Fang Zhengzhi would have come up with this.
Changing his name?
This was the most ridiculous thing that he had heard of?!
Was he trying to game the system?
Wan Chong chuckled icily. He had to admit that he had never expected that Fang Zhengzhi would be able to find this gap in the system. No one would have expected that Fang Zhengzhi, who had announced himself in Huai An County…
Would say that his name was Fang Zhengzheng…
Upon entering the capital!
If Fang Zhengzhi had disguised himself from the start, then Wan Chong would have prepared accordingly. However, Fang Zhengzhi had kept a high profile in Huai An County! Wan Chong didn’t even think that he would change his name or disguise himself.
Wan Chong was slightly flustered.
However…
He would not let Fang Zhengzhi just get away so easily. He was still the Minister of Law.
“Fang Zhengzhi, even if I can’t prove your identity now, I can still arrest you under suspicion!” Wan Chong chuckled.
“Are you saying that you can’t prove that I am Fang Zhengzhi?”
“So what if I can’t prove it? When you are sitting in jail, I will have my ways to prove that you are Fang Zhengzhi!” Wan Chong knew he was still in control.
He didn’t need any evidence to arrest a suspect.
“But… what if I can prove that I am Fang Zhengzheng?” Fang Zhengzhi was calm as well.
“You can prove that you are Fang Zhengzheng?” Wan Chong was stunned.
“Of course.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded and took out a document. He opened it up.
The words “Fang Zhengzheng” were clear for all to see.
More importantly…
There was a red stamp at the bottom. The words “Huai An County Stamp” were clear for all to see.
“Birth certificate?!” Wan Chong was in disbelief.
Never before had a suspected criminal have a valid birth certificate proving that he was someone else.
Wan Chong couldn’t believe it.
In fact, everyone else, from Chi Hou to the citizens, couldn’t believe their eyes.
Fake!
This must be a fake! That was the thought in everyone’s minds.
“Official Wan, this is my evidence.” Fang Zhengzhi presented the birth certificate confidently.
The crowd was stunned when they saw Fang Zhengzhi’s actions and expressions.
How could someone be that shameless?
He could try and act dumb, but how can he treat us all as idiots? This is clearly a forgery! Who would believe him?
“Fang Zhengzhi, do you think that a fake document will convince me? Do you think that I am as stupid as you?” Wan Chong was not going to fall for it.
“Aish… it seems that Official Wan is still unconvinced. No worries, I don’t just have physical evidence, I have a witness too.” Fang Zhengzhi sighed, unsurprised by Wan Chong’s reaction.
“Witness?!” Wan Chong was stunned.
He couldn’t think of someone who would be willing to testify to something this ridiculous.
Who would be stupid enough to do such a thing?
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Chapter 495: Lying through one’s teeth
Wan Chong shook his head as he looked at the crowd around him.
Fang Zhengzhi could have bribed someone to be his witness…
Wan Chong dismissed that thought almost immediately. A witness couldn’t just be anyone.
A witness needed to be trustworthy.
That was one of the conditions of a witness.
For example, a suspect couldn’t have his wife or children be his witness. They would not be deemed trustworthy enough to be witnesses.
No one would accept that.
Similarly, if you had a few villagers to testify for you, the impact they would make would be too little. For such a high profile case, the witness needed to be someone powerful.
Villagers could be witnesses for petty crimes. However, when it came to murder and robbery, their testimony meant little.
For a case like Fang Zhengzhi, even a rich businessman or a scion from a noble family would not be sufficient.
Wan Chong looked around Fang Zhengzhi.
The four masked and veiled figures?
No!
They followed Fang Zhengzhi’s orders and would not satisfy the criteria to be witnesses. The only person left was Yan Xiu.
Yan Xiu was from the Yan Family and was likely to be the heir to Yan Qianli. He may one day govern Western Liang.
As such…
He would qualify in terms of power and reputation.
However, everyone in the capital knew that he was friends with Fang Zhengzhi. There was no way he could still be a witness.
“Fang Zhengzhi, I know the relationship between you and Young Master Yan. You should know that friends and family don’t qualify as witnesses!” Wan Chong chuckled, wanting to take the initiative.
“I know.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.
“Oh? Then why don’t you tell me who your witness is going to be?” Wan Chon began to doubt himself.
Not Yan Xiu?
Who else could possibly testify for him?
Wan Chong couldn’t think of anybody who would be that stupid.
Chi Hou was equally confused. He frowned. When Fang Zhengzhi mentioned a witness, the first person he thought of was Yan Xiu.
However…
Fang Zhengzhi already hinted that it wasn’t Yan Xiu.
Not Yan Xiu?
Could it be Princess Ping Yang?
Possible!
However, Princess Ping Yang had also interacted with Fang Zhengzhi before… furthermore…
Chi Hou looked at the crowd and into the distance. He frowned when he didn’t see any sign of Ping Yang.
Who could the witness be?
Who could possibly help hold up Fang Zhengzhi’s lie? Who would be stupid enough to lie through his teeth?
Chi Hou looked at Fang Zhengzhi doubtfully.
Yan Xiu was also looking at Fang Zhengzhi with a similar expression. However, Yan Xiu didn’t ask. He waited for Fang Zhengzhi to speak.
As for Fang Zhengzhi…
He smiled and turned to look at Chi Hou.
Chi Hou was shocked. He didn’t know why Fang Zhengzhi would look at him. Shouldn’t Fang Zhengzhi be looking at his witness?
Just as he was thinking about it, Fang Zhengzhi raised his hand and pointed at him.
“My witness is Chi Hou of the Divine Constabulary!”
“My witness…”
“Chi Hou of the Divine Constabulary!”
“…”
This voice echoed through the air…
Everyone was stunned.
No one expected that the leader of the Divine Constabulary would be Fang Zhengzhi’s witness! Why would he testify to something this ridiculous?
Fang Zhengzheng!
How is that possible?
Would the leader of the Divine Constabulary really give false testimony?
“He said… that Chi Hou is his witness?”
“Yes, Chi Hou?! Is that even possible?”
“How is that possible? The Divine Constabulary was the one to bring him here. Why would Chi Hou give false testimony on this? Why would he say that this man is Fang Zhengzheng?”
The crowd look at each other, then stared at Chi Hou. They didn’t believe that Chi Hou would do such a thing.
Wan Chong didn’t understand it either. Chi Hou was Fang Zhengzhi’s witness? He was the one who was going to testify that this man was Fang Zhengzheng?
Erm…
What was happening?
Wan Chong realized that Chi Hou’s expression darkened. He could tell that Chi Hou wasn’t expecting this either.
Chi Hou was furious!
He wanted to curse and swear.
He really wanted to go through every curse word that he knew. However, after thinking about it…
He realized that it wouldn’t help.
He was a nobleman, whilst Fang Zhengzhi came from a peasant family.
To be completely honest…
Chi Hou couldn’t possibly bring himself to swear in front of so many people. It would be detrimental to his image.
He looked at Fang Zhengzhi, who was looking back at him innocently. He finally understood what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking.
If he still couldn’t guess what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking, he wasn’t fit to be the leader of the Divine Constabulary.
This was a trap! A set-up!
Three days ago, when he went to find Fang Zhengzhi in his tent, he emphasized the need to lay low when entering the city. He even hinted that King Duan would help them along.
What he wanted was for Fang Zhengzhi to follow his plan to the letter. As long as Fang Zhengzhi did so, at the end of it, Fang Zhengzhi would pledge his allegiance to King Duan.
It was a perfect plan.
Chi Hou went over this plan many times and couldn’t find any problems with it.
If Fang Zhengzhi were to enter the city like he did in Huai An County, he would not be able to live if Chi Hou and King Duan didn’t support him.
But now…
His plan had been completely wrecked. It was destroyed the moment Fang Zhengzhi named him as his witness.
Right now, Chi Hou had two choices.
The first was to testify for Fang Zhengzhi. The second was not to testify and remain a third party.
There was no good way out of this!
Chi Hou grit his teeth. He was about to say “not in a million years!” but he swallowed the words before he could say them.
He noticed the four cloaked and veiled figures standing around Fang Zhengzhi. He also noticed the guards and the blood.
If he didn’t testify…
He could predict what was going to happen next.
Chi Hou knew that if this was anyone else, he would have been able to ameliorate the situation.
But when it came to Fang Zhengzhi…
He had to take a step back and analyze his position.
Fang Zhengzhi could definitely continue to resist arrest.
Chi Hou didn’t care if Fang Zhengzhi wanted to continue to make a scene. However, since he was the one who brought Fang Zhengzhi here, he would suffer some of the backlash.
Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi had the Shadow Sect backing him.
Not many people knew this, but Chi Hou was one of those who knew. If the Shadow Sect decided to save Fang Zhengzhi…
What would happen?
The capital would be in chaos!
Of course, there was one other thing that they had to consider. If Fang Zhengzhi caused a scene here, it would be advantageous to the Crown Prince.
If the ‘criminal’ that he had brought in continued to stay here but couldn’t do anything, then…
Could King Duan’s plan still succeed?
Without Fang Zhengzhi, there would be no thorn in the Crown Prince’s side. There was no way anyone could fight the Crown Prince head-on with the Crown Prince’s current hold on power!
“This is too much!”
Having been in power for so many years, Chi Hou never expected that he would ever have his hands tied in this fashion!
Fang Zhengzhi was bullying him into submission.
Chi Hou had brought Fang Zhengzhi to the capital with the intention of leading Fang Zhengzhi into a trap. However, he didn’t expect that Fang Zhengzhi had laid a trap of his own!
He had no choice but to walk into it.
“I… I can testify that… that this man’s name is Fang Zhengzheng!” Chi Hou forced himself to say those words.
However, after saying those words, he felt as though a huge load was lifted off his shoulders.
“His name is Fang Zhengzheng!”
“Fang Zhengzheng!”
“…”
Chi Hou’s voice echoed through the air.
The crowd was stunned to hear this. They couldn’t bring themselves to believe that the leader of the Divine Constabulary would testify that this man’s name was Fang Zhengzheng.
All of them began to doubt themselves.
Could it be…
Could this person really be Fang Zhengzheng and not Fang Zhengzhi? If not, why would the leader of the Divine Constabulary lie through his teeth?
Was this lie really worth it?
He was the leader of the Divine Constabulary, one of the 13 constabularies! He was the leader of the Northern Region! How could he possibly lie through his teeth?
Wan Chong’s eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets.
Chi Hou…
Did Chi Hou just testify?
No one knew better than him what the punishment for a false testimony was.
However, Chi Hou had done it anyways. He had given this testimony in front of a crowd of witnesses.
Who could possibly believe what was happening?
Wan Chong rubbed his eyes as his lips parted and closed repeatedly. He was at a loss for words.
Was he going to accuse Chi Hou of making a false testimony?
How was that possible? Will Chi Hou, the leader of the Divine Constabulary, give false testimony?
Wan Chong was someone who knew the law. The law required evidence, and he had no evidence to prove that Chi Hou’s testimony was false.
How could he say anything?
“My Lord… do you know what you just said?” Wan Chong heard it clearly, but he was still in disbelief.
Was Chi Hou really willing to lie through his teeth in an attempt to save Fang Zhengzhi?
“Of course I do. Official Wan, are you doubting my words?” Chi Hou grit his teeth. He could feel his heart bleeding with each word.
However, he had to remain calm.
He had already said it.
There was no way to back. He had to insist that this man was Fang Zhengzheng. He had no other choice.
“My Lord, you are really willing to be this man’s witness? Are you saying that he is Fang Zhengzheng and not Fang Zhengzhi?” Wan Chong stared at Chi Hou and asked again.
“Exactly!” Chi Hou nodded.
Wan Chong didn’t say anything else. He knew that nothing would change even if he pressed further. Chi Hou was willing to give false testimony for Fang Zhengzhi?
He never expected that to happen.
However…
He knew that he had to resolve it no matter what. The Crown Prince wanted Fang Zhengzhi arrested so he had to get it done.
He couldn’t back off now.
It was either him or Fang Zhengzhi.
“I can’t believe it even if you testify on his behalf! If you don’t mind, please step aside. I am arresting this man!” Wan Chong grit his teeth.
“Wan Chong, what do you think you are doing? I am a rank one general! Even if you are the Minister of Law, who are you to doubt my testimony?” Chi Hou raged.
“My lord, this is the capital, not the Northern Region!”
“So what?”
“The law overrules any rank. I am the Minister of Law and have the right to arrest suspects. If you take issue with it, you can bring it up in court tomorrow!”
“I have already testified that he is not the suspect you are looking for.”
“But I believe my own eyes. If I wrongly arrested this man, I will gouge my eyes out to pay for my mistake!” Wan Chong replied angrily.
“Wan Chong, you…” Chi Hou was stunned. He never expected that Wan Chong was so determined to capture Fang Zhengzhi.
He was even willing to bet his eyes on it and go against Chi Hou in public! This was not something Chi Hou had anticipated.
“Arrest him!”
“Don’t you dare!”
“You there, take my seal and go to the Law Ministry to get some reinforcements. Have the city guards assist us as well! I would like to see who dares to stand in my way!” Wan Chong’s gaze was icy and a black official seal appeared in his hand.
The crowd was shocked to see this.
They had never seen a Minister go up against a rank one general so openly!
Both Chi Hou and Wan Chong were powerful people.
One was a rank one general and the other was a rank two minister! Even in the powerful capital, these were two heavy hitting powerhouses!
But now…
One was willing to make a false testimony whilst the other was using his official seal just because of Fang Zhengzhi.
Everyone could anticipate what the talk of the town would be tomorrow.
Chi Hou’s expression darkened. In fact, his expression had been the same ever since he stepped foot through those gates. As the leader of the Northern Five Constabularies.
No one had ever doubted his words before!
The Minister of Law?
How dare a rank two minister challenge him?!
Chi Hou clenched his fists. If they weren’t in the capital, if there weren’t so many witnesses around, Wan Chong would not be standing now.
Yan Xiu’s hand twitched because he could guess what was about to happen.
At that moment, he felt a hand press down on his shoulder. At the same time, an exasperated voice rang out.
“Official Wan, why do you need to do that?! Do you really want to arrest me? My Lord, please step to the side. Come on, I will stand here. If you can personally place the lock over my head, I will go with you. What do you say?”
Chapter 496: A red spot
Everyone quietened down.
Chi Hou, Wan Chong, the surrounding citizens, and even Yan Xiu looked at Fang Zhengzhi, stunned by what they just heard.
It was initially a stalemate.
Furthermore, it was a stalemate between Wan Chong and Chi Hou. Fang Zhengzhi had effectively gotten himself out of the picture.
Chi Hou would never let Wan Chong capture Fang Zhengzhi.
This had nothing to do with the law. This concerned the Divine Constabulary’s pride and reputation, and by extension, that of the 13 Constabularies.
If he backed off now…
He would be taken advantage of in the future. As such, Chi Hou could not back off.
As for the consequences…
With his contributions to the Great Xia, all he had to do was admit his mistake to the Emperor and apologize. He would not be subject to any severe punishment.
Furthermore, he had a daughter, a talented daughter who was in the Heavenly Dao Pavilion. His daughter was the one destined to fulfill the Heavenly Prophecy and lead the army of the Great Xia in the future.
Chi Hou was not going to let a Minister of Law stand in his way! He was a powerful, influential figure in the Great Xia.
Chi Hou was conflicted.
Fang Zhengzhi had effectively cornered him and he had prepared to face the music for his decisions. However, the strangest thing happened.
Fang Zhengzhi…
Did he decide to back off?
And he even put the target on his back!
Should Chi Hou be thankful?
Chi Hou didn’t think so. However, he didn’t know what Fang Zhengzhi was trying to do, neither did he know where Fang Zhengzhi was getting his confidence from.
Stand still?
Why would he try to be so arrogant? Doesn’t he know that he is a crippled man? Furthermore, even if he wasn’t a crippled man, he couldn’t block Wan Chong by standing still.
Wan Chong was not weak.
Chi Hou didn’t understand.
Wan Chong didn’t really understand what Fang Zhengzhi was saying. Was Fang Zhengzhi surrendering? But would someone as shameless as Fang Zhengzhi actually surrender?
“Fang Zhengzhi, are you serious?” Wan Chong was in disbelief.
“Official Wan, you have a horrible memory. I already told you that my name is Fang Zhengzheng and Chi Hou has already testified to it!” Fang Zhengzhi waved him off.
“I don’t care if your name is Fang Zhengzhi or Fang Zhengzheng. I only have one question for you. Are you really not going to resist?” Wan Chong tried to figure out what Fang Zhengzhi was planning.
“Like I said before, I will stand still over here. Naturally, I won’t resist. The question now is if you have the courage to come over.”
“Courage? Humph. I am the Minister of Law, why would I be afraid of a criminal like yourself?” Wan Chong replied assertively.
“Since that is the case, please go ahead!” Fang Zhengzhi nodded and looked at the four cloaked and veiled figures.
The four of them bowed to Fang Zhengzhi and formed up behind him.
Wan Chong frowned and squinted so much that he could be blindfolded with a string. He wanted to figure out what Fang Zhengzhi was planning, but he couldn’t.
Could it be…
Was this guy really surrendering to fate?
Wan Chong found that very hard to believe that Fang Zhengzhi would surrender now, especially not after his antics before.
The crowd couldn’t believe their eyes either.
What is Fang Zhengzhi doing?”
“I have no idea.”
“Is he really surrendering? Why do I think that that is impossible?”
“Yes, I think that it is impossible too! But that was what he just said.”
All of the citizens couldn’t bring themselves to believe it, but the facts were laid out in front of them. The people in black surrounding Fang Zhengzhi had withdrawn.
Even Chi Hou stepped aside.
There was a direct path between Wan Chong and Fang Zhengzhi. It was not wide, but it was wide enough for Wan Chong to pass unhindered.
Wan Chong didn’t move immediately.
He still didn’t understand what was happening. He felt like there were too many unknowns for him to take into account.
“Official, how about we go first?” One of the leaders whispered to Wan Chong.
“No need, I would like to see what he has in store for us!” Wan Chong waved him away. Fang Zhengzhi had made it clear that he had to do the arrest personally. He couldn’t back down now.
“I understand. Here is the lock and chain.” The leader handed Wan Chong the items.
“Mm.” Wan Chong nodded and took the chain and lock in his hands. The items glistened in the evening sun.
These were the items used to arrest a suspect. There was a hook on the chain. Once the hook was attached, it was almost impossible to escape.
Chi Hou looked at the chain in Wan Chong’s hand and then back at Fang Zhengzhi. He wanted to see what Fang Zhengzhi was up to.
At that moment…
Wan Chong moved.
One step, then another, and another!
Fang Zhengzhi continued to stand still, staring at Wan Chong calmly. It was almost as though Wan Chong was of no threat to him.
Wan Chong tightened his grip around the chain. He didn’t walk quickly because he didn’t believe that Fang Zhengzhi would stay still.
However, Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t moving. He even stuck his neck out, almost as though he was waiting for Wan Chong to lock him up.
“This is ridiculous. Do you really think that I will be scared of you?” Wan Chong grit his teeth. He quickened his pace and prepared to rush at Fang Zhengzhi.
He was closing in…
He stopped when he was one meter out. Fang Zhengzhi was just an arm’s length away. He smirked.
Did Fang Zhengzhi really give up?
At that moment, a voice rang out from within the crowd.
“Master, master! You have a letter!”
“Letter? What letter?” Wan Chong stopped in his tracks. He could tell from the voice that this was the manager of his residence.
“I didn’t dare to open it myself. The courier said that you had to open it personally.” The manager was still catching his breath.
“Can’t you see that I’m working? What letter couldn’t wait till I came back?” Wan Chong’s gaze was icy.
“The courier said that it was a matter of life and death. I… I didn’t dare to wait… so…” the manager paled.
Wan Chong was stunned. Then, he instinctively looked at Fang Zhengzhi. For some reason, he had a feeling that Fang Zhengzhi had something to do with this letter.
“Bring it over.” Wan Chong nodded after a moment of hesitation. He took the letter in his hand.
It was a simple letter and there wasn’t any name on the cover except for his.
He opened the envelope.
There was a thin piece of paper inside. It was not a letter, it was a picture, a sketch.
From an artistic standpoint.
This was a horrible picture. The lines were not smooth. In fact, they were shaky and roughly sketched. Furthermore, it wasn’t a picture of scenery.
The only way to describe this picture was “graffiti”.
However, this picture caused Wan Chong’s expression to change. His hands began to tremble.
There was one simple phrase on the picture.
“Map of the Wan Residence!”
This was specially inscribed so that Wan Chong would know what this was.
Of course…
That wasn’t the most important point. There was a red spot marked out with sand at the top right corner.
It was this mark that caused Wan Chong to pale. He felt a chill go right down his spine to his feet.
He knew what this red spot represented. This was the biggest secret in his residence and his life.
He had been in the Great Xia courts for many years.
The fight for power was known to everyone.
As the Minister of Law, Wan Chong had some unspeakable secrets. He had managed to get into this position after much scheming.
Money and treasure were just a part of the deal. There was something worse, a string of letters.
Wan Chong spent his entire life catching and interrogating criminals as well as collecting evidence. No one would expect him to make the mistake of keeping those letters.
However, sometimes, things were unpredictable.
Wan Chong was someone who had worked his way into the courts after a stellar showing at the Dao Examinations. He wanted to prove his worth in the courts.
However, few people knew that Wan Chong wanted to be an academic.
He had topped the theory examination, not the combat examination. This caused him to relinquish his cultivation dreams.
From the very beginning, his dream was to enter the Imperial Academy and be amongst intellectuals.
However, his dreams never became a reality.
Wan Chong was posted to the Ministry of Law.
Ministry of Law!
Over here, he had to face criminals on a daily basis. He had seen every prison in the Empire, and in the process, met with too many criminals.
This was not the life he wanted.
When faced with a choice between his dreams and reality, Wan Chong wisely chose reality.
However, he never let go of his dreams.
Wan Chong’s thirst for knowledge was unparalleled. As such, he had a habit that he continued to keep despite knowing that it could backfire on him one day.
He kept all the letters.
These were the letters that caused Wan Chong to put aside his dreams and begin the grind in the Ministry of Law.
He went from being the head of a prison to assistant minister, before he finally…
He eventually became the Minister of Law!
When Wan Chong saw the official seal of the Minister in front of him, he knew that his dreams would never come true.
At that moment, he looked at the stack of letters in his study. He played with the flame in his hand but extinguished it time and again.
In the end…
He decided to bury the stack of letters. He buried it in a place that no one would know. It had been five years since that fateful day. Even he had almost forgotten about the existence of those letters.
But now, the red spot was staring him right in the face.
“Fang Zhengzhi!” Wan Chong’s face turned red as he grit his teeth. There was no indication of who the author was, but it was not difficult to deduce that.
He had no idea how Fang Zhengzhi knew where he had buried those letters, but now, he knew what Fang Zhengzhi was planning.
“Official Wan, I am Fang Zhengzheng.” Fang Zhengzhi smirked as he reminded Wan Chong.
“Do you think that this will stop me? You are too naive and rash. Do you think that it is this easy to search a Minister’s residence?” Wan Chong’s voice was only loud enough for Fang Zhengzhi to hear.
He was furious but he wasn’t panicking.
Because…
He knew that there was still a way out. All he had to do was arrest Fang Zhengzhi right away and go back to burn those letters. He could still be in control.
“Is that so? It is indeed difficult to search your residence, but it is not impossible.” Fang Zhengzhi smiled.
“What do you mean?” Wan Chong clenched his fists.
Fang Zhengzhi did not answer the question immediately. He simply looked into the distance and watched a servant dressed in black run towards them.
At that moment, a voice echoed through the air.
“Master, master, something bad has happened! Something bad has happened!”
“What is it this time?!” Wan Chong’s body shuddered as he watched a panicking figure sprint towards him.
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Chapter 497: Slightly bigger
“The residence, the residence…” The servant was struggling to catch his breath. He was pale from all that sprinting.
“What happened?!” Wan Chong was stunned when he heard this. He had a bad feeling about this.
Even though he knew that it was unlikely, he felt that it may be rather major.
That being said, he couldn’t think of anything bad that could happen to his residence.
This was the capital…
At that moment, Fang Zhengzhi’s expression changed to one of shock.
“Oh? Why is there smoke billowing out from over there… wow, is it a fire?” Fang Zhengzhi exclaimed in shock.
The crowd turned to look in that direction.
“There is smoke!”
“Why is there that much smoke on such a clear day? Is it a fire?”
“Oh god, look at the flames, look at the glow!”
The crowd was initially in disbelief, but they began screaming when the saw the fiery glow from the inferno.
At that moment, the servant caught his breath and reported.
“Master, the residence… the residence… is on fire!”
“What?! My residence is on fire?” Wan Chong was stunned. Then, his expression changed.
He had a premonition that something bad was about to happen when he saw Fang Zhengzhi’s face and heard the words he said.
But…
The feeling was different when he witnessed it himself.
“Yes… master, I think you should get back. The residence has been surrounded by the Royal Guards. If you don’t return now…” the servant added.
“Royal Guards?! What are Royal Guards doing at my residence?” Wan Chong shuddered.
“When the fire broke out, the deputy of the Royal Guards, Bai Qi, was walking past. So he had the Royal Guards help put out the fire, then…”
“You’re saying that Bai Qi had the Royal Guards come to help extinguish the fire? How many people did he get?”
“About 500.”
“500?!” Wan Chong felt his legs turn to jelly as he sat on the ground. He finally understood why Fang Zhengzhi said that searching his residence was not impossible.
It was completely plausible that there would be incidents of fire at the residence.
However, none of them would be on this scale! Furthermore, it was spring, not summer, why would there be such a huge fire?
Most importantly, that was the Minister of Law’s residence.
He had countless servants and helpers.
They should have been able to contain the fire.
It was clear that this was planned.
The residence couldn’t have possibly gone up in flames for no reason. Someone had set fire to it. As to why Bai Qi was passing by…
That was yet another plant.
Wan Chong trembled as he held the sketch of the map of his residence in his hands. He had no idea why Bai Qi would listen to Fang Zhengzhi.
However, he was certain that Bai Qi and the 500 members of the Royal Guard had not been waiting long.
The surrounding citizens looked at Wan Chong with pity.
“Minister Wan, you need not worry too much! Since the Royal Guards are there, they will definitely be able to put out the fire!”
“Yes, the 500 Royal Guards will extinguish the fire!”
“You can still rebuild the residence after this! Your safety is of utmost importance.”
All of the villagers comforted.
“Rebuild it?” Wan Chong chuckled when he looked at the expressions of the surrounding citizens.
He remembered how glorious it was to top the theory examinations. He also remembered the work he had to put in to get to where he was today. He laughed bitterly and manically.
No one could understand his pain.
If the residence had been burnt down, his life would be burnt down with it.
He could imagine how everyone would be looking at him in a few days time.
By that time…
Will hey still he telling him that he can rebuild his residence?
He looked into the distance.
He could see a squad of golden armored soldiers running in his direction. Each of them held a gleaming spear in their hand.
“Bai Qi, you move fast indeed!” Wan Chong dropped the chains he held in his hand when he saw the figure leading the charge.
It was over.
Wan Chong knew that he had lost.
Whilst he was still the Minister of Law now, he knew that his title and position would be stripped the moment he placed the chains on Fang Zhengzhi’s head.
Bai Qi was here.
“Minister of Law Wan Chong, you are suspected of corruption, covering up, and collusion. You are under investigation right now. Please come with us.”
“Deputy Bai, you should be guarding the palace. Since when have you become a runner for the investigation bureau?” Wan Chong stood up.
“I was passing by.” Bai Qi replied calmly.
“Haha… how nice of you.” Wan Chong chuckled icily.
“You flatter me!”
“I’m sure you haven’t had time to bring the documents to the bureau?”
“That’s just a matter of time, please don’t worry about it.”
“Since that is the case, I am still not a criminal yet. Could you please let me return to my residence to take care of a few things?” Wan Chong nodded.
“No.” Bai Qi rejected him unequivocally.
“Bai Qi, I am the Minister of one of the Six Ministries. I am a rank two official! I haven’t been convicted yet! Are you going to drag me with you by force?” Wan Chong’s expression changed.
“Please feel free to try me.”
“Bai Qi! Good… very good! I know the way there. I will go there by myself!”
“Lock the Minister up!” Bai Qi ignored Wan Chong’s words, looking at the chains at Wan Chong’s feet.
“Bai Qi, how dare you chain me?!”
“Yes, Minister, is there something wrong?”
“I will fight it out with you!”
“Take him!”
…
Everything happened much too quickly. The crowd and the wardens couldn’t even react in time. Within moments, Wan Chong had been chained up.
They simply couldn’t understand why the Minister of Law would become a criminal in the blink of an eye. Why would he be arrested by the Royal Guard?
Wasn’t his residence in flames?
What was happening?
The wardens wanted to step forward and save Wan Chong. However, they stopped in their tracks when they saw Bai Qi’s icy glare.
It wasn’t that they were afraid of death. However, they knew that they were too insignificant to meddle in these affairs.
“The Minister has been taken away?!”
“Then… what about Fang Zhengzhi?”
“Deputy Bai, there is a wanted criminal here, are you not going to arrest him as well?”
The crowd looked at the golden armored Royal Guard. Then, they recalled that Bai Qi was simply ‘passing by and ready to help’ back at Wan Chong’s residence. Perhaps he could do the same here.
“Where is Fang Zhengzhi?” Bai Qi looked around in confusion.
“Isn’t he here?” The crowd pointed to Fang Zhengzhi, who was sitting lazily on his horse.
“Rubbish! This young man’s name is Fang Zhengzheng! He even has a birth certificate to prove it and Chu Hou even testified on his behalf! Do you think I am stupid?” Bai Qi snorted.
Then, he dragged Wan Chong away, leaving the crowd stunned by what just happened.
“How did Deputy Bai know that he’s called Fan Zhengzheng?”
“Yes, he wasn’t here just now…”
“He wasn’t here… when… when Chi Hou testified, was he? How did he know about that?!”
The crowd was confused but they couldn’t do anything about it. Bai Qi had left and they couldn’t do anything about it.
Fang Zhengzhi looked at Bai Qi with scorn.
Acting skills were very important in life.
But this guy’s acting skills were terrible! How did he become the deputy of the Royal Guards?! His skills were ridiculously bad!
Chi Hou didn’t know what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking. He didn’t know what the contents of the letter were. However, he had some ideas in his head.
Wan Chong was arrested?
By the Royal Guard?
Wan Chong didn’t claim innocence?
That was enough to prove many things. That being said, he was not privy to these things, which meant that…
King Duan didn’t know them either.
This was not arranged by King Duan or himself.
“I see… I have underestimated the Shadow Sect. I never knew that the Shadow Sect had ties in the capital!” Chi Hou’s eyes glittered when he looked at Fang Zhengzhi.
“My lord, that’s a good joke. Bai Qi has nothing to do with the Shadow Sect.” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head.
“No link? Okay, let me ask you this. Since you already had a plan to deal with Wan Chong, why did you need me to testify on your behalf!” Chi Hou chuckled. He didn’t believe a word, but he decided not to press further.
“You tried to drag me down with you three days ago. After some thought, I realized that I should drag you down with me instead.” Fang Zhengzhi replied.
“Weren’t you afraid that I wouldn’t want to enter this water?”
“The fact was that you jumped in.”
“Yes, I did, but I can kill you and get out of this!”
“Haha… if you really wanted to kill me, you would have done so in the Northern Mountain Village. Why wait till now? Furthermore, I don’t believe that you will kill me, and I know that you can’t.”
“I can’t kill you?!” Chi Hou was stunned. He instinctively looked at the veiled and cloaked figures standing behind Fang Zhengzhi. “Do you really think that they are capable of stopping me?”
“Haha…” Fang Zhengzhi chuckled but didn’t say anything else. He turned to look at a stopped carriage.
There weren’t many people in the capital with carriages like this one. In fact, Fang Zhengzhi had seen this one before.
This carriage was adorned with carvings of flames.
Both Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu saw this carriage.
“I see.” Yan Xiu nodded when he saw this carriage. He understood what had just happened.
The crowd was stunned. Then, they parted to the side.
The once crowded streets opened a path right down the middle as citizens tried to move to the side.
Fang Zhengzhi didn’t move.
He sat quietly on his horse and waited for the carriage to approach.
Then, the carriage stopped.
A golden armored soldier who was standing by the side of the carriage jumped and knocked on the door.
“We’re here?” A crisp voice could be heard from inside the carriage.
“Yes!” The soldier promptly replied.
“Ka!” The door opened and a fiery red figure stepped out.
She wore a fiery red dress which was soft and smooth to the touch. She had an hourglass figure.
Her fiery red dress was adorned with patterns of flames, almost as though her dress was on fire.
Then, the dress began to straighten.
Her clear eyes, soft lips, and that arrogance she had were in clear view.
Fang Zhengzhi smirked.
She looked extremely different from how she did a year ago. She had grown up gracefully.
“What do you think? Have I matured over the past year?” The crisp voice rang out. The lady twirled and looked at Fang Zhengzhi with anticipation.
“Matured?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at the lady’s face, neck, and body. Then, he looked back at her, “mm, you’ve grown bigger!”