In the dark dungeon, sunlight shone through the holes and dust floated in the air.
Xu Qi 'an stood there for a long time. He felt that he couldn't let Lord Zheng go on like this, so he went into the cell and put him down.
There was only a trace of warmth left on the body, indicating that it had been dead for a while.
The Chancellor of the Supreme Court sat outside the prison cell, wailing loudly.
However, Xu Qi 'an didn't feel particularly sad. He only felt that it was a relief for Lord Zheng to die like this.
On the way back from Chu Zhou City to Jing City, Xu Qi 'an watched as the scholar's back bent and his body bent.
He was too tired; he had to bear the lives of 380,000 people on his back. Every day, he couldn't take a break because the suffocating feeling would catch up with him.
"Why did you have to do this? You are just a weak official, and you can't do anything. Those 380,000 people didn't even ask you to avenge them."
Xu Qi 'an tidied Zheng Xinghuai's body and tried to close his eyes, but he couldn't. The pair of bulging eyes still stared at the murky world.
"You tried so hard to persuade them every day, but they didn't listen. I wanted to tell you that human beings don't understand each other. They only think that you are too noisy.
"Lord Zheng, the officials in Jing City are not like you and me. They haven't experienced the massacre in Chu Zhou City, so they can't be like you. Disasters happen every year, and countless people die of hunger and cold. Seeing it with your own eyes and reading about it in the booklet are two different things.
"It wasn't easy for me to survive the massacre in Chuzhou City and rush to the capital city. I thought that the imperial court would return justice to the 380,000 people, but I didn't expect to pay with my life. Heh, a useless scholar is right.
"I risked my life for Inspector Zhang, and I thought I would do the same for you. But before I could find a way, you had already passed away. Well, life is hard, and you didn't have a good life. "
After he was done, Xu Qi 'an stood up and took a few steps back. He bowed deeply to the scholar.
Outside the dungeon, there was a group of fully-armored soldiers.
It was not a big deal for the Dali Monastery prime minister to bring an outsider into the yamen, but the dungeon was an important place. No one was allowed to enter the dungeon without permission, unless they had obtained the written permission of the Monastery Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, or other high ranking officials.
Of course, the jailer tried to stop them, but after being kicked away by Xu Qi 'an, he didn't dare to try again. Instead, he ran to report to the Dali Monastery.
The Chancellor of the Dali Monastery stood in front with his hands clasped behind his back. Behind him were the yamen guards.
With a gloomy face, he waited for a full quarter of an hour before he saw Xu Qi'an come out. This young man was unexpectedly calm, there was no joy or sorrow on his face.
"Xu Qi'an, you trespassed into the Dali Monastery's prison. Even if I kill you on the spot, Wei Yuan won't say anything." The Dali Monastery's High Chancellor took the initiative and shouted.
The young man with the knife ignored him and left on his own.
This knife was meant to kill animals, but it was a moment too late and didn't make it in time. If anyone wanted to test its sharpness, Xu Qi'an wouldn't refuse.
"Sir Monastery Chancellor …" The guard captain said in a low voice.
Just as the Dali Monastery Chancellor was about to order the guards to arrest the young man, his sleeve was suddenly pulled. He turned his head and saw that it was the Dali Monastery prime minister.
The Dali Monastery prime minister looked at him deeply. "Sir, you only have one life. Why don't you cherish it?"
The Dali Monastery Chancellor was shocked, and the hair on his back stood up.
…
In the imperial study of the palace.
The Lord Protector and High Duke Cao returned to the palace to report.
"Your Majesty, Zheng Xinghuai is dead. The case can be closed now." High Duke Cao said respectfully.
"But how are we going to deal with the dukes?" Que Yongxiu was still worried.
The dukes could forgive the King of Zhenbei because the King of Zhenbei had fallen. Now, he had to return to the capital unscathed. Wei Yuan and Wang Shoufu would not let him go.
The Yuanjing Emperor said lightly, "I will send a group of imperial guards to the Lord Protector's Public House to protect your safety. You don't have to worry about assassination. Also, the secret agents that the King of Zhenbei brought back with you will temporarily be under your command. They will stay in your Public House. "
Que Yongxiu heaved a sigh of relief. Such a strict security force was enough to ensure his safety. He didn't have to worry about assassination.
As for the flashes of blades and shadows of swords in the royal court, he only needed to be a bit more low-key and not fight. With His Majesty's protection, even if Wei Yuan and Grand Secretary Wang's hands and eyes reached the heavens, they still wouldn't be able to burn him here.
After this period of time, his future would still be bright.
With his worries settled, Que Yongxiu was relieved and smiled sincerely.
"Your Majesty is wise and mighty. You've easily swayed the civil officials with this series of attacks. While they were hesitating, you cut the Gordian knot and made Zheng Xinghuai commit suicide to avoid punishment. You didn't leave any way out for the dukes.
"Now, they can only pinch their noses and accept it."
But Your Majesty also made enough concessions to satisfy the appetite of some people. Otherwise, even Your Majesty wouldn't be able to do it alone.
Que Yongxiu admired the Yuanjing Emperor wholeheartedly.
"Although the Nation Suppressing Sword was brought back to the capital by the diplomatic mission, the mysterious expert's whereabouts are unknown. If we can find him again and send troops to take revenge for Duke Huai, this matter will be perfect." Guogong Cao sighed.
Hearing this, the Yuanjing Emperor's face became slightly gloomy. He paused for a few seconds and said slowly:
"Hold a court meeting tomorrow to close the coffin of the Chuzhou case. Before that, spread the news that Zheng Xinghuai committed suicide to avoid punishment."
Guogong Cao smiled and said, "Yes!"
…
Inside the cabinet.
After the court meeting in the imperial study ended, Wang Shoufu gathered five scholars to discuss the aftermath of Zheng Xinghuai's imprisonment.
"Duke Huai is already dead, so it's fine. But this Que Yongxiu was one of the executioners. Your Majesty's actions are really … "Martial Hall Scholar Qian Qingshu held back and sighed.
"Think about how to save Sir Zheng. Such a good official shouldn't be wronged."
Building Hall Scholar was a little impatient and said angrily, "Zheng Xinghuai is stubborn. He can be an official, but in the court, he can't do anything."
His tone was full of sorrow for his misfortune and hate for his incompetence.
"But it is precisely because of this that he is respectable, isn't it?"
Eastern Pavilion Scholar Zhao Tingfang sighed and said, "Doesn't Your Majesty want to rehabilitate the King of Zhenbei? Doesn't he want to preserve the face of the royal family? Then we will agree to his request. The condition is that Zheng Xinghuai is innocent. "
"As long as Zheng Xinghuai is convicted, to Your Majesty, this case will end perfectly. Will he agree?" Building Hall Scholar said angrily.
"Then we will cause more trouble!" Zhao Tingfang's finger knocked on the table forcefully.
Wang Shoufu shook his head lightly. "It's useless. Things are different now. Hearing the grievous news, all the civil and military officials are shocked and angry. Now that the anger has passed, and we have obtained benefits, we can turn the massacre scandal into a great victory for the court. It is easy to imagine what to choose. "
Qian Qingshu sighed and said, "What does the Grand Secretary think we should do?"
Wang Shoufu said, "Que Yongxiu's safe return to the capital will definitely incite the anger of some people. We can secretly persuade those people to join hands and protest. But we must lower our demands.
"This morning, Que Yongxiu held a blood letter on the street and accused Zheng Xinghuai. Everyone knows about it. If we fight for Zheng Xinghuai's innocence now, both sides will not be convinced, and His Majesty will not agree."
The scholars nodded slightly.
Indeed, the conflict had escalated to this point. If they tried to "clear Zheng Xinghuai's name," not only would His Majesty not agree, even the common people would find it absurd. Who was right and who was wrong?
If this matter was not handled well, the court would become a laughingstock.
Wang Shoufu sighed and said, "Zheng Xinghuai is still guilty, but we can steal a beam and replace it with a pillar, using a prisoner on death row to disguise himself. As long as His Majesty agrees, this can be done.
"The only thing we can do is to protect his life."
Although the scholars were unwilling, they could only nod.
At this time, an official hurriedly entered, handed a slip of paper to Grand Secretary Wang, and then withdrew.
Wang Shoufu unfolded the paper and was stunned, not moving for a long time.
"Zheng Xinghuai died in prison …"
The old Grand Secretary gently placed the paper on the table, tiredly propped himself up and left the meeting hall.
His back was like an old man with one foot in the grave.
…
At the yamen of the night watchman.
Nangong Qianrou sat upright and still, not daring to say a word.
Even though he was a Rank Four Warrior, at this moment, he felt a little breathless.
All of this was because of the piece of paper that was just handed to him.
After seeing this piece of paper, Duke Wei did not say another word. He did not even have a lively expression on his face. He was like a statue.
Nangong Qianrou had followed Wei Yuan for so many years, but he rarely saw him so silent. A terrible storm was brewing in the silence.
There was a short message on it: Zheng Xinghuai was killed in prison.
What a short message. A dignified state's Chief Secretary, a Rank Two official, left only this little information on the intelligence after his death.
How would the history books record him? Probably more words. He colluded with demons and barbarians, killed three hundred and eighty thousand people in the city, and killed Daibun's National Pillar.
His name would go down in history.
What a ridiculous world … Nangong Qianrou sneered in his heart.
As a bystander, he could only sigh. It was not the world that was ridiculous, but the people.
The history books were vast. How many people like Zheng Xinghuai were there?
The reason why there were so many unjust cases was because no one dared to stand up.
…
"Your Highness, the Second Princess wants to see you."
When the guard captain knocked on the door of Huaiqing's study, Huaiqing was in a bad mood and frowned.
If Lin An came to provoke her and annoy her at this time, she would not be able to control her emotions.
"Let her wait in the living room. I will go there after changing my clothes."
After sending away the guard captain, Huaiqing burned the note, changed into a white palace dress, and came to the living room. She saw her sister in red.
She was immediately taken aback.
In the past, Lin An was lively, bright, and chirping like a little sparrow. From time to time, she would pounce on you and peck you. Although she would be slapped to the ground by Huaiqing every time.
But she would always fly up again and try to peck your face.
But now, Lin An was like a wrinkled flower. Her oval face was dim, and her peach eyes were drooping. She looked like a helpless little girl with inferiority complex.
"If you want to ask if Zheng Xinghuai is dead, then I can answer you clearly: yes." Huaiqing said lightly.
Lin An nodded and looked at the ground blankly. She whispered, "I, I don't feel very well … I don't know why, I just feel a little uncomfortable, and I am very scared …"
It was because this incident had caused too much impact on her … Daibun had been peaceful for a long time, and before the death of the Emperor, the Imperial Harem was harmonious … Huaiqing said lightly,
"It's not a big deal. You don't read much. If you read more history books, you will know that this is a common thing. The more bloody and unjust a thing is, the less it will be written. "
"Do you really think so?" Lin An stared at her.
Because of Zheng Xinghuai's death and the three hundred and eighty thousand souls in Chu Zhou City, the guilt in her heart was about to explode.
At this moment, Lin An thought of Huaiqing. Huaiqing was the sister that she had always wanted to surpass, so she wanted to see how Huaiqing would face this incident.
Now that she had seen it, she was a little disappointed.
Huaiqing walked to her and looked down at her. She said lightly, "The moon is full, the water is full, and the water is full, the water is full. Everything in the world could not escape the principle of decline after reaching the peak of prosperity.
"When a dynasty goes from prosperity to decline, it must be accompanied by countless blood and tears. The internal decay will eat away at it. There will be more such things happening. "
Lin An was silent for a second, and then she looked up at her sister. "Then, what should we do?"
Huaiqing reached out and pressed Lin An's head. A rare gentleness flashed in her eyes. "At this time, someone will step forward."
"Someone will step forward …" Lin An suddenly clenched her fists.
…
In the lobby of an inn in the inner city.
At a table in the corner, Li Miaozhen was eating with the woman who was a burden. Li Miaozhen didn't like this woman.
It wasn't that she was always bossy. After a few days, this ordinary-looking woman had improved a lot. She did everything she could.
What Li Miaozhen didn't like was the arrogance in her eyes.
It was as if in this woman's eyes, all the other women were nothing and she was the only beauty in the world.
However, it was obvious that she was the most ordinary woman, the kind that men wouldn't even look at. Except for her round and perky butt, and her plump breasts, which couldn't be hidden even if she wore a few clothes …
In fact, there was nothing to be envious of. Those few pounds of meat would only hinder me from eradicating evil … Li Miaozhen told herself that.
"Why hasn't he come to me yet?" Mu Nanzi said in a low voice.
"Heh, look at you, you're also a married woman. How can you be so shameless to think of an outsider?" Li Miaozhen was unhappy for no reason and said with a sneer.
"I just feel that it's boring to stay with you." Princess raised her chin and said proudly.
"…"
So where did this arrogant attitude come from? Didn't she know what she was worth?
Li Miaozhen was so angry that her teeth itched. She was in a bad mood these days because Duke Huai hadn't been convicted yet. And today, she knew that Zheng Xinghuai was in prison.
One day, I will break into the palace with a knife and cut the Yuanjing Emperor into a thousand pieces … Number Two Li Miaozhen thought angrily.
At this time, someone at the next table said loudly, "Do you know, Zheng Xinghuai is already dead. He was the main culprit who colluded with the demons and barbarians."
"What?!"
All the diners looked over and were stunned.
That person said with certainty, "I have a brother who works in the Dali Monastery. Today, I heard that Zheng Xinghuai committed suicide to escape punishment in prison."
The hall suddenly burst into an uproar.
Was it really such a reversal?
That person continued, "Zheng Xinghuai is worse than a beast. He colluded with the demons and barbarians and killed Duke Huai, the pillar of our Daibun nation, and killed three hundred and eighty thousand people in Chuzhou City.
"Then, he deceived the diplomatic mission and went to the capital to complain. How much hatred does he have for Duke Huai? I heard that when he was in Chuzhou, he embezzled military fields, was corrupt, and was taught many times by Duke Huai.
"This time, he colluded with the demons and barbarians because Duke Huai collected evidence of his crimes and wanted to impeach him to the imperial court …"
Speaking up to here, that person squeezed out tears and sighed, "Although we are commoners, we despise this kind of person. It's a pity that Duke Huai, a hero of his generation, ended up in such a miserable state. "
The diners turned pale with fright. They stopped eating and started a heated discussion.
"That's impossible. The news of Duke Huai's massacre was brought back by the diplomatic mission. It was Xu Yinluo who brought it back."
"Yes, Xu Yinluo can solve cases like a god. How could he wrongly accuse Duke Huai?"
"We don't believe it."
"Heh, if you don't believe it, then don't believe it. When the imperial court announces it tomorrow, you will have no choice but to believe it."
"Bah, unless Xu Yinluo says it himself, we won't believe it. Just wait for the news tomorrow. "
Li Miaozhen's chopsticks fell to the ground with a "clatter".
Xu Qi'an … Princess's heart sank. The first person she thought of was that annoying Xu Qi'an.
His words seemed to echo in her ears: I want to go to Chuzhou City and stop him. If possible, I want to kill him …
…
On this day, the news of Chuzhou City's Chief Minister Zheng Xinghuai's suicide was spreading everywhere in Jing City. According to the description of those with ulterior motives, Zheng Xinghuai colluded with demons and barbarians to kill the King of Zhenbei and three hundred and eighty thousand commoners in Chuzhou City.
Then, they pushed the blame to the King of Zhenbei and wanted to ruin Daibun's reputation as the pillar of the nation.
Some people were shocked by these rumors, some didn't believe it, and some were confused …
The commoners didn't know the inside story, and they didn't understand the twists and turns and the intrigue. When they didn't know who to believe, they would instinctively look for the authoritative figure in their hearts.
The authoritative figure's statement was the truth that they were willing to believe.
So far, the only authoritative figure in this area that the commoners could immediately think of was Xu Qi'an.
However, he had just come out of the Celestial Commissioner's office.
The Supervisor still didn't want to see him, and Xu Qi'an didn't want to see the Supervisor either. He only asked Cai Wei to pass a message to the Supervisor.
Outside the Celestial Commissioner's office, Hengy Yuan and Chu Yuanzhen were waiting for him.
The swordsman with white hair on his forehead said with a smile, "Are you willing to travel the world with me?"
Xu Qi'an cracked a smile. "Are the women in the Western Region beautiful?"
Chu Yuanzhen said helplessly, "I have never been close to women."
Xu Qi'an waved at them and said, "That day will come, but not now."
He left alone.
Before dusk, Xu Erlang and the second uncle Xu left the city with their daughters.
…
The next day, the court meeting.
The nobles stepped into the throne room. Not long after, Emperor Yuan Jing arrived. He seemed to be eager to go to the court.
The Yuanjing Emperor sat down, and the old eunuch stepped forward and said loudly, "If you have something to report, please report. If not, the court meeting is dismissed."
No one said anything, but at this moment, everyone's eyes fell on the Chancellor of the Dali Monastery.
The Chancellor of the Dali Monastery stepped forward and bowed. "I have something to report."
The man died in the Dali Monastery, so he had to be the one to tell the story.
The Yuanjing Emperor smiled. "Please speak."
The Chancellor of the Dali Monastery paused for a second, then said in a clear voice, "The Chu Zhou City's Chief Minister, Zheng Xinghuai, committed suicide in prison yesterday afternoon."
The court was eerily quiet.
The smile on the Yuanjing Emperor's face deepened. "What do you think of this case?"
The Left Imperial Censor Yuan Xiong stepped forward and said, "Since he committed suicide, then the Chu Zhou City case can be closed. The Chief Minister of Chu Zhou City, Zheng Xinghuai, was from Zhangzhou. He colluded with the Monster Race and the Barbarian Race and killed the King of Zhenbei and 380,000 people in Chu Zhou City.
"Zheng Xinghuai still has a son who works in Qing Province. The court can issue a notice to the Chief Minister of Qing Province, Yang Gong, to arrest his entire family. Behead him in public … "
Emperor Yuan Jing looked around at the officials and asked in a clear voice, "Do you have any objections?"
No one said anything.
The Yuanjing Emperor laughed. Thanks to his years of experience in checks and balances, the parties in the court were like a motley crew, difficult to unite.
In the past, he was aloof and remote, allowing these people to fight. It was indeed an intense battle, brilliant and varied. But when he, the emperor, was involved, this motley crew was just a motley crew.
His will was the highest will of Daibun.
This group of people dared to trample on the face of the royal family and let the world despise them.
Ridiculous.
Among the officials, Que Yongxiu almost couldn't control his laughter. He couldn't hide the joy on his face. Whether it was Wei Yuan, Wang Shoufu, or other civil officials, they were all officials after all.
No matter how superb their means were, in the eyes of the emperor, it was nothing.
After this case, he not only survived safely, but also could be rewarded according to his contributions. The title of Lord Protector had been passed down to this day, and finally rose again in his hands.
The happy time passed quickly, until the old eunuch shouted, "Court dismissed!"
Que Yongxiu knew that the matter had been settled, and Wei Yuan and Wang Shoufu could not change it.
The officials walked out of the court in a hurry, as if they didn't want to stay any longer.
"Cao Guogong, go to the Musical House tonight. I have been in the Northern Region for many years, and I almost forgot how beautiful the girls there are."
Que Yongxiu was in a good mood to talk to Cao Guogong.
Cao Guogong frowned. With his identity, he disdained to go to the Musical House. There were countless beautiful women and mistresses in his family, and he couldn't even meet all of them.
But seeing Que Yongxiu's enthusiasm, Cao Guogong nodded and said, "Okay!"
After that, he shook his head again. "You'd better not go out these days. Stay in the mansion. If you want to sleep with the women of the Musical House, let them go to the Lord Protector's Mansion. Why do you need to go by yourself? "
Que Yongxiu thought about it and felt that it was reasonable. "Then I will hold a banquet in the mansion and invite my colleagues and friends. Cao Guogong, you must do me the honor to come."
"Of course …"
Cao Guogong responded with a smile. Suddenly, he noticed that the civil officials in front stopped and gathered in front of the Meridian Gate.
He had an ominous premonition and whispered, "Let's go and have a look."
Que Yongxiu was a little confused. He followed him to the Meridian Gate, squeezed through the crowd, and saw a man standing outside the Meridian Gate.
The man was dressed in cotton clothes and had a strong figure. He stood outside the Meridian Gate with a saber, blocking the way of the officials.
Not far from him, stood a man in white and a man in red.
"Xu Qi'an, why are you blocking the Meridian Gate again? What do you want this time? "
Minister Sun of the Ministry of Justice shouted out reflexively.
The civil officials looked at him in shock and anger. Such a familiar scene had cast a shadow on many people.
Especially Minister Sun, who had been scolded by Xu twice in poems.
"Xu Qi'an?" "He is Xu Qi'an during the massacre in Chuzhou City. According to Cao Guogong, he is a supporter of Zheng Xinghuai …" Que Yongxiu frowned. "Do you mean that this man blocked the Meridian Gate once?"
Xu Qi'an looked around at the officials and said calmly, "Which one is Que Yongxiu? And Cao Guogong, you two come out. "
Cao Guogong frowned, and the ominous premonition became stronger.
"Heh, this man is so audacious. Is he trying to scold me? Do you think that with Wei Yuan as your backing, you can scold me just because you scolded a civil official once? "
Que Yongxiu snorted and said coldly, "Do you think I am like those civil officials who only know how to talk?"
Cao Guogong said in a deep voice, "This man is not weak. I wonder what is wrong with him."
Que Yongxiu snorted and said suddenly, "Do you think the Emperor will blame me if I kill him here?"
Hearing this, Cao Guogong also revealed a smile, "As long as you can provoke him to make a move, he will die without a doubt. Hmm, this brat is relying on Wei Yuan's support to act as he pleases in the capital."
"That's because he hasn't met me yet. I have been on the battlefield for many years, and I love to torture people like him."
Que Yongxiu sneered and walked beside Cao Guogong to the front of the officials. He looked at the young man with the saber and joked.
"I am the man you are looking for. What, are you going to scold me? I heard you, Xu Qi'an, are very good at writing poems. Give me one, maybe I can go down in history. "
Que Yongxiu and Cao Guogong laughed.
Seeing that the young man did not move, Que Yongxiu felt it was not the right time and continued to ridicule.
"Duke Wei, your teaching standard is not good enough. Look at this unruly kid, trespassing the Meridian Gate, lawless. If you don't know how to teach, then I will teach you. How about it? "
Wei Yuan was silent and looked at Xu Qi'an.
"I am not scolding people today." Xu Qi'an sighed. "I am here to kill."
Cao Guogong and the officials' faces changed.
"Hahaha …"
Que Yongxiu thought he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He laughed wildly and said, "He said he wants to kill people. Listen, he said he wants to kill people in front of the Meridian Gate."
As he laughed, he suddenly froze. Turning his head, he found that the officials had uniformly retreated.
Among these people were the Six Ministers, the Six Ministers, and the nobles of the Hanlin Academy … They were all people with the highest authority in the capital. Why were they so afraid of a small silver gong?
Wei Yuan and Wang Shoufu did not move, looking at him coldly.
This … Que Yongxiu shivered. Looking at Cao Guogong, he found that the latter had quietly retreated more than ten zhang.
He looked at the officials' expressions again. At this time, he finally found that something was wrong. In their eyes, there was hatred, disdain, and … anticipation?!
"Imperial Army? Men, men, capture this fiend for this duke. "Que Yongxiu shouted.
Not far away, the Imperial Army rushed over and surrounded Xu Qi'an. Some pulled out their swords, while others raised their spears.
Que Yongxiu calmly waved his hand. "This thief has threatened to kill this duke in the palace. Quickly capture him and hand him over to His Majesty."
The Imperial Army did not move.
"Capture him, does this duke's order not matter?" Que Yongxiu was furious.
At this time, a whisper came from the crowd. "He, he has the Death Exemption Medallion …"
Que Yongxiu's eyes widened. He finally understood why the guilds had retreated and why the Imperial Army had not moved.
The Imperial Army was the Emperor's protector. When the Emperor's life was not in danger, they would not fight to the death with someone with the Death Exemption Medallion.
So what if he has the Death Exemption Medallion? I don't believe that he would dare to make a move in the palace … Que Yongxiu was not afraid. He was a fifth-ranked master himself. Although he did not carry a sword in court, he would not be completely helpless.
At this time, Xu Qi'an took out a piece of paper from his bosom. Shaking it, he lit it. "Imprison!"
Que Yongxiu and Cao Guogong froze, unable to move.
Xu Qi'an raised his sword and walked towards the two.
Wang Shoufu said, "Xu Qi'an, do not make a mistake. The Lord Protector is a first rank duke, the descendant of one of the founding fathers. If anything happens to him, you will not be able to bear the responsibility."
Censor Zhang Xingying said anxiously, "Duke Wei, stop him."
Wei Yuan did not move.
As Xu Qi'an took a step forward, the other officials took a step back, highlighting Cao Guogong and the Lord Protector.
"Crack, crack …"
He waved his scabbard and broke the kneecaps of the Lord Protector and Cao Guogong.
Although they could not move, the pain was not reduced. Cao Guogong and the Lord Protector turned pale and screamed.
Que Yongxiu looked at the officials and shouted for help.
"Hurry up and stop him, hurry up and stop him! We are all officials in the court. You can't just watch them die. A Warrior dares to kill people outside the Meridian Gate, and no one in the court dares to speak up. Do you want to be laughed at by all the scholars? "
A young official who had just been promoted to the Spring Examination was provoked and wanted to step forward to stop Xu Qi'an's violence.
To his surprise, Minister Sun of the Ministry of Justice, who was standing next to him, suddenly kicked him back.
The Ministers of the Six Ministries, Assistant Ministers, Ministers of the Six Ministries, and other officials who were qualified to enter the court chose to stay silent. No one said a word.
Even those who had a grudge against Xu Qi'an did not say a word.
Que Yongxiu understood. These black-hearted scholars wanted to kill him with a borrowed knife.
They all wanted him dead.
Xu Qi'an hung his scabbard back on his waist and made a gesture that no one could understand. He waved to the sky in the west.
Then, he grabbed Cao Guogong and the Lord Protector by their collars and walked out.
…
Inside the palace.
The Yuanjing Emperor had just returned to his study after the morning court when a guard rushed in. He did not announce his arrival but stood at the door and shouted.
"Your Majesty, Xu Qi'an is blocking the Meridian Gate again. He threatened to kill the Lord Protector and Cao Guogong."
The Yuanjing Emperor's expression changed. He said angrily, "Is he trying to rebel? What happened to Cao Guogong and the Lord Protector? "
"They have been taken out of the palace." The guard replied anxiously.
"Quickly mobilize the experts of the Imperial Army to stop Xu Qi'an. If he disobeys, kill him immediately!" The Yuanjing Emperor shouted.
After the guard left, he stood by the table with a gloomy expression.
He had subdued Wei Yuan, Wang Shoufu, and the officials of the court, but he had neglected such a small fry.
"He actually dared to disobey me. How audacious, how audacious …"
The Yuanjing Emperor growled and swept the table, documents, brush, ink, and paper on the table to the ground.
The emperor's anger had yet to subside, and he kicked over the table.
…
After receiving the emperor's order, the experts of the palace rushed out of the palace with hundreds of Imperial Army soldiers. They galloped along the streets.
The Imperial Army caught up with Xu Qi'an on the streets of the palace.
"Stop him!"
One of the Imperial Army leaders saw that the two High Dukes were unharmed and heaved a sigh of relief. He leaped from the back of his horse and flew towards Xu Qi'an.
"Swoosh!"
At this moment, a flying sword suddenly attacked with a brilliant sword light.
The leader of the Imperial Army drew his saber and clashed with the flying sword. Although he was not injured, he was stopped.
In the air, Li Miaozhen's long hair fluttered. She stood in the air and her pretty face was covered with frost.
Li Miaozhen came from Lin 'an Prefecture. She had been staying in the city since last night.
Tenzō Shōnin … The leader of the Imperial Army was shocked and angry. "I will deal with Li Miaozhen. You guys go and stop Xu Qi'an."
He was not the only expert who had chased Xu Qi'an.
Immediately, three experts leaped up from their horses, and they surged with vital energy as they chased after Chen Xi.
"Swoosh!"
At this moment, a sword ray appeared and slashed in front of the three experts, creating a deep ravine.
A green-robed swordsman stood on the roof with his hands clasped behind his back and a cold smile on his face.
"Chu Yuanzhen, do you want to rebel against the imperial court? Do you want to become a wanted criminal? "
The three experts knew who Chu Yuanzhen was.
Chu Yuanzhen sneered. "This is the imperial city and the people living here are all officials and nobles. If you want to take responsibility, you can fight me. Anyway, I am alone. At most, I will not enter Daibun's territory. "
The three experts were furious and gritted their teeth.
The capital city was under the emperor's control and it was also the inner city. The people here were more valuable than those outside. If the three of them caused the people to be implicated and die in large numbers …
This responsibility would definitely fall on their heads.
Sensing the aura fluctuations here, within the Imperial City, many tyrannical auras awakened, producing a reaction.
The people living in the imperial city were all officials and nobles. Some were experts themselves and some had guests in their mansions. None of them were weak.
On the other side of the palace, there were even more tyrannical energy fluctuations. Those were the experts who had arrived later on.
"We seem to have stirred up a hornet's nest …" Chu Yuanzhen said telepathically.
"Get lost if you're afraid of death." Li Miaozhen replied grumpily.
"Amitabha!"
Of course, Hengy Yuan couldn't miss this kind of thing. He turned out from the other side of the street and said in a deep voice, "Why don't you give me a ride?"
He had also sneaked into the imperial city in advance and hid in Lin 'an Prefecture. However, Li Miaozhen didn't take him with her when she flew on the sword just now, so he was a little late.
Li Miaozhen said grumpily, "We'll talk about it when we escape."
…
The sky was already bright. There were more and more people on the streets of the inner city.
Xu Qi'an stepped on the flying sword that Li Miaozhen handed him and rushed out of the imperial city. He landed lightly on the streets of the inner city.
Then, he carried the two dukes and swaggered through the streets.
The passersby by the road first noticed High Duke Cao and the Lord Protector, who were wearing the Duke's court robes.
"Hey, isn't that Xu Yinluo? I almost didn't recognize him without the night watchman's uniform. "
Someone shouted in surprise.
"Who is he carrying in his hand? Isn't that the official robe? It's a big shot … "
"I know that man, the one-eyed one. He is Lord Protector Que Yongxiu, who entered the city yesterday."
"The Lord Protector who accused Zheng Xinghuai of colluding with the barbarians and monsters to kill the King of Zhenbei?"
It was difficult for ordinary people to recognize a duke. For example, they didn't know Lord Cao. However, the Lord Protector had left a deep impression on the people in the inner city.
Therefore, they recognized him right away.
"Why is Xu Yinluo dragging him? He's a Duke! What … what's going on?"
"Don't care what he is doing. What kind of duke is he? It must be related to the Chu Zhou City case. I will ask my wife to come out and watch the show. "
"Honey, help me look after the stall. I will go and have a look."
"But, my husband, I also want to see …"
The pedestrians on the street pointed at them and looked at the scene in surprise. They followed Xu Qi 'an with the intention of joining in the fun. Some stall owners even left their stalls and followed Chen Fan curiously.
It wasn't that they wanted to join in on the fun, but it was related to Xu Yinluo, and he was carrying the duke who had swaggered through the streets yesterday. No one could resist their curiosity.
More and more people gathered.
Gradually, it became a sea of people.
That was what Xu Qi 'an wanted. Although it would be easy to kill Que Yongxiu, it wasn't the result he wanted.
Finally, he arrived at the execution ground at the entrance of the market with the two dukes.
The execution ground was located at the entrance of the market. The main reason was that there were many people there. As the saying goes, beheading as an example to the public.
The people at the entrance of the market immediately noticed Xu Qi 'an. To be more precise, they noticed the surging stream of people coming over.
"What … What is going on?" The people at the entrance of the market were shocked.
"Isn't that Xu Yinluo?"
The entrance of the market was crowded with people.
Xu Qi 'an threw Lord Cao and Lord Protector onto the execution platform and cut off their tendons.
Then, he grabbed Lord Cao and Lord Protector's heads with both hands and forced them to look up. Xu Qi 'an smiled. "Look, there are so many people. It's worth it to die today."
Que Yongxiu's face paled. "I … I am a first-class duke, a descendant of one of the founding fathers. You … You can't kill me. If you kill me, there will be no place for you in Daibun. "
This commander, who had been on the battlefield for many years, could still maintain the composure of a soldier at this moment. He quickly said, "Don't keep making mistakes. I'm not dead yet. Everything can be redeemed. The Guild will plead with His Majesty to forgive you. I swear …"
He still had a bright future ahead of him. He had just won a victory in the court. He could not die like this.
Lord Cao swallowed. "Xu Qi 'an, you should know what kind of person the Emperor is. If you kill us, even the Immunity Medallion will not save you. If you let us go, there will be room for negotiation. "
Xu Qi 'an smiled. "If I was afraid of him, I wouldn't have brought you two." His eyes were calm and his tone was gentle. But Lord Cao's heart exploded with fear. He kowtowed repeatedly. "Xu Yinluo, I was wrong. Please let me go, let me go … It's all the fault of Lord Protector Tower Yongxiu and His Majesty. They caused the massacre. It's them. It's them."
"Shut up!"
Que Yongxiu shouted.
"You are the one who should shut up!"
Lord Cao's face was twisted. "You don't know him. You are not in Jin City, so you don't know him at all. He is a madman, a madman. He, he will really kill us."
"Speak louder. Tell these people who killed the people of Chu Zhou City!" Xu Qi 'an pulled out a blade and put it against Lord Cao's neck.
The frozen blade seemed to freeze his blood vessels. Cao Guogong's face turned pale, and his lips trembled. He screamed, "It's the North Vanquishing King, it's the Guardian Tower, Yong Xiu. They slaughtered the city."
"That's not enough!" Xu Qi 'an said lightly.
"And His Majesty, and His Majesty, he knows everything. He knows that the King of Zhenbei is going to massacre the city … Don't kill me, please don't kill me." Lord Cao wept.
There was a loud bang.
The people around him were shocked.
What did they just hear?
It was the King of Zhenbei and Que Yongxiu who killed three hundred and eighty thousand people of Chu Zhou City. And their king, their Majesty, condoned all of this?
"No wonder Minister Zheng died, it was all because of them!" Someone's eyes were red, loudly saying.
"His Majesty, he condoned the King of Zhenbei to massacre the city …"
Every single face was dumbfounded, and every single pair of eyes flickered with hatred and confusion.
They didn't expect that they would see such a scene and hear such words when they came to watch the show.
The Prince of Daibun had massacred the city, and the Emperor of Daibun had acquiesced.
So, one day, would he also turn the butcher's knife to them?
On the spot, more than a thousand commoners, the densely packed crowd, felt as if something had collapsed in their hearts.
Suddenly, many people jumped down from the rooftops around the market. Some of them were wearing the armor of the Imperial Army, some were in casual clothes, but all of them were equally powerful.
"His Majesty has ordered us to kill Xu Qi 'an!"
More than a dozen figures soared into the sky. Their auras were like a rising tide, heading straight for Xu Qi 'an.
Behind the crowd, the sound of hooves thundered. The Imperial Army came over on their horses and waved their whips to drive the crowd away.
Duke Que Yongxiu was overjoyed and shouted, "Save me! Kill this bastard!"
Cao Guogong's eyes were filled with despair, and then they were filled with hatred. He wanted to cut Xu Qi 'an into a thousand pieces.
At that moment, a Light fell from the sky and embedded itself into the execution platform.
Light flashed and the Imperial Warriors who were charging at Xu Qi 'an were sent flying, blood spurting out of their mouths in the air.
"They're finally here!" Xu Qi 'an was relieved.
It was a simple and unadorned black carving knife.
In the era before the invention of paper, the Scholarly Sage had used it to engrave many classics that had been passed down from generation to generation.
Before he left the Imperial Palace, he had summoned it and obtained the permission of Dean Zhao Shou the day before.
The carving knife rippled with Light and formed a light shield in front of the execution platform.
Xu Qi 'an stepped on High Duke Cao's back and looked around at the people outside. He enunciated each word clearly, and his voice was like thunder.
"Cao Guogong framed the loyal people, helped the wicked, and cooperated with Duke Que Yongxiu to kill Zheng Xinghuai, the Chief Minister of Chu Zhou City. According to the law of Daibun, you will be beheaded!"
He raised the black gold long knife and swung it down.
His head rolled down.
Blood splashed on the execution platform, leaving a trace of blood in the eyes of the people.
Cao Guogong was executed.
"No …"
Que Yongxiu let out a desperate roar. Cao Guogong's death had deeply affected him.
Cao Guogong was right. He was a lunatic!
"Xu Qi 'an, Xu Yinluo, your excellency Xu, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have been tricked by the King of Zhenbei. I know I was wrong. Please give me another chance. Don't kill me …" Que Yongxiu cried.
He confessed his guilt in front of countless people, and he cried bitterly in front of everyone's eyes.
"So, you can be afraid too!" Xu Qi 'an sneered.
"Yeah, everyone is afraid of death. Just like the children you picked up with a spear, and the people you ordered to be killed. Just like Lord Zheng who was strangled to death by you.
"Hurry up and save me, hurry up and save me, I beg you, hurry up and save me!"
Fear exploded in Que Yongxiu's heart. He let out a cry of despair as he looked at the master who was injured by the Light.
He knew that a butcher's knife was hanging over his head. He knew that Xu Qi 'an wanted to kill him because of the massacre in Chu Zhou City and because of Zheng Xinghuai. But he didn't know why this man would do this for the people he had nothing to do with.
Xu Qi 'an's knife didn't fall. He still had to pronounce the Lord Protector's crimes. His knife only killed people who deserved to be killed.
"The Governor of Chu Zhou City, Que Yongxiu, colluded with the Witchcraft Sect and massacred everyone in Chu Zhou City. The blood debt is unforgivable.
"After the incident, he conspired with the Yuanjing Emperor to frame Zheng Xinghuai, the Governor of Chu Zhou City, and strangled him to death. The blood debt is unforgivable. Today, I shall sentence him to death! Execution! "
Puff!
The knife fell, and the head rolled to the ground.
As the world flipped, Que Yongxiu saw the blue sky, his own body, and Xu Qi 'an standing there with a cold smile on his face.
"Mercy …"
The head rolled on the ground, and his lips moved. Then, endless darkness swallowed him.
"Phew …"
Xu Qi 'an let out a long sigh, as if he had let go of all the frustration in his chest.
Many pairs of eyes looked at him. The crowd was surging, but it was eerily quiet.
In such a quiet place, Xu Qi 'an reached into his pocket, took out the silver medal that represented his status, and cut it in half. Clang! The silver medal fell to the ground.
He leaned on the knife and laughed wildly. "Duke Wei, Xu Qi 'an … I am no longer an official."
On the roof in the distance, a woman in a red dress covered her mouth, and tears streamed down her face.
Behind her, Huaiqing, who was wearing a plain white dress, stared blankly at the man on the execution platform who was laughing wildly.
Outside the crowd, a plain-looking woman arrived late and didn't make it into the crowd.
She stood outside and listened to the man in the distance announce his crimes, listen to him say that he was no longer an official, and listen to him laugh wildly.
Mu Nanzi suddenly felt that she was lucky.
Suddenly, a man squeezed out of the crowd. It was Li Han with the horn bow on his back. He knelt on the ground and burst into tears.
"Thank you, Xu Yinluo, for getting rid of the traitors, for bringing justice to the people of Chu Zhou City, and for Lord Zheng."
Shen Tu Baili, Wei Youlong, Zhao Jin, Tang Youshen, Chen Xian and his wife … These men who had escorted Zheng Xinghuai back to Chu Zhou City all squeezed out of the crowd and knelt in front of the execution platform.
"Thank you, Xu Yinluo, for getting rid of the traitors, for bringing justice to the people of Chu Zhou City, and for Lord Zheng."
This scene was deeply imprinted in the eyes of the people around.
Looking at the carefree and upright young man on the stage, the crowd burst into tears.
This was justice that a young man had used his passion, his future, and even his life to get.
This scene would later be recorded in the history books.
In the Daibun calendar, in the early summer of the 37th year of Yuanjing, Xu Qi 'an executed Lord Cao and Lord Huguo at the entrance of Caishikou, putting an end to the massacre in Chu Zhou City. Seven men knelt in front of the execution platform.
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