In the year of Jingcha, the night watchman, Zhu Chengzhu, was seriously injured by Xu Qi'an, the bronze gong, because he tried to defile an innocent girl. Because of the serious injury, his cultivation was half crippled.
Xu Qi'an was imprisoned by Wei Yuan in the night watchman prison and was sentenced to be executed seven days later.
Coincidentally, the Sampo Case broke out. Under Wei Yuan's suggestion, Huaiqing recommended Xu Qi'an to the Yuanjing Emperor. The Yuanjing Emperor allowed him to redeem himself.
After the Sampo Case ended, Xu Qi'an was easily exonerated. Zhu Chengzhu's father, Zhu Yang of Jinluo, was indignant. He turned to the Qi Party and betrayed the night watchman.
This act of revenge ended when the Son of Luck, Xu Qi'an, accidentally discovered the conspiracy between the Qi Party and the Witchcraft Cult.
After the incident, Zhu Yang was dismissed and kicked out of the night watchman office. According to Wei Yuan's original plan, it was impossible for Zhu Yang to have survived until now.
However, the Yuanjing Emperor protected him and gave him an idle job in the Ministry of War until now.
Yuan Xiong stepped on the wooden stool and got off the carriage. He looked up at the horizontal board of the Zhu Mansion and sighed. "His Majesty is really far-sighted."
He came to the gate of the Zhu Mansion and introduced himself. Yuan Xiong watched the gatekeeper enter the mansion.
After a while, Zhu Yang, who was burly and restrained, came out to greet him personally. His hearty smile was hidden with surprise.
"Imperial Censor Yuan, your presence brings light to my humble abode."
Yuan Xiong smiled and nodded. "Sorry to disturb you, Lord Zhu."
He looked into the mansion.
Zhu Yang immediately said, "Please come in."
The two entered the living room. Zhu Yang ordered the servants to serve the best tea. The host and guest took a sip. Yuan Xiong asked,
"How is your son's physical condition?"
This was the first thing he said. The experienced Zhu Yang seemed to understand something. He shook his head helplessly.
"My son was seriously injured by Xu Qi. His heart and lungs were injured. After he recovered, he fell ill and lost his martial arts career."
At that time, Zhu Chengzhu had just entered the Qi Refinement realm and his cultivation was not high. He was already very lucky to have survived.
Suffering such a heavy injury would definitely leave a lingering illness. The higher the cultivation, the stronger the vitality. If it were Zhu Yang himself, he would have recovered in less than three days.
"He won't be arrogant for much longer."
Yuan Xiong snorted and went straight to the point. "Lord Zhu, you must have heard that Wei Yuan was killed in the headquarter of the Witchcraft Cult, right?"
Satisfaction and hatred flashed in Zhu Yang's eyes. He sneered and said, "It's good that he died. This is called the cycle of the heavens.
Zhu Chengzhu was his most talented son. He had hoped that his son would inherit his mantle and become the next Jinluo, so he had trained him with all his might. Reaching the Qi Refinement Realm at the age of 23, his future was bright.
They were all destroyed by Xu Qi'an.
Zhu Yang was promoted by Wei Yuan. He was appreciated by Wei Yuan during the Battle of Shanhai Pass. Then he was promoted step by step until he reached the Fourth Rank and became Jinluo. He was indebted to Wei Yuan, but it was because of this that he hated Wei Yuan even more.
After serving him for so many years, he was not as good as a gong?
So what if he sullied the family of a criminal official? It was a trivial matter. However, Wei Yuan's heart was biased toward an outsider and wasted their many years of friendship.
When he heard that Wei Yuan died in Jingshan City, Zhu Yang laughed wildly and got drunk with his son Zhu Chengzhu.
"The retribution of Wei Yuan has come. The retribution of the night watchman is also coming."
Yuan Xiong pinched the teacup lid and knocked on the rim. "Lord Zhu, it's time for you to turn over a new leaf."
Zhu Yang narrowed his eyes and stared at Yuan Xiong. "Imperial Censor Yuan, what do you mean?"
Yuan Xiong looked at him with a smile. "His Majesty asked me to take over Wei Yuan's position and be in charge of the night watchman yamen. I will also eliminate the corruption within the night watchman yamen. As everyone knows, the night watchman yamen is under Wei Yuan's control. He has been holding it firmly in his hands for twenty years. Outsiders can't even let a fly in. "
Zhu Yang nodded slowly.
Yuan Xiong said helplessly, "Although I want to eliminate the corruption, I can't do anything without troops. I have to keep some of them and capture some of them. I need Lord Zhu's help. "
Zhu Yang acted like he was in a difficult position. He said helplessly, "Wei Yuan dismissed me and kicked me out of the night watchman yamen. However, this is a grudge between me and Wei Yuan. It has nothing to do with the brothers in the yamen. Lord Yuan, you will make it very difficult for me. "
Then why did you sell your brothers that day so easily? Yuan Xiong took a sip of tea and said with a smile.
"This time, I came to find Lord Zhu for another matter. Back then, you and your father were persecuted by Wei Yuan and had to leave the night watchman yamen. Now that Wei Yuan is dead, the injustice that should be redressed can be redressed and the case that should be reversed will naturally be reversed.
"I intend to ask His Majesty to help you restore your position. I also hope that Lord Zhu can help me manage the night watchman yamen. "
Zhu Yang finally smiled. "Lord Yuan, who do you want to keep and who do you want to capture?"
Yuan Xiong said leisurely, "Of course, those who are corrupt. I believe that those people are probably Wei Yuan's confidants."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
…
At the night watchman yamen.
The patrolling gongs returned to the yamen in groups of twos and threes.
Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao were among them. They were called back by the yamen officials.
The reason was unknown for the time being. The officials only said that Zhao Jinluo had called all the night watchmen back to the yamen.
"Why did Zhao Jinluo summon us back?"
"It might be an urgent matter. It must be an urgent matter."
"What an eventful time."
The gongs talked in low voices and didn't say much.
Wei Yuan's death was an unacceptable blow to the night watchmen. It was as if they had lost their backbone overnight.
As a result, the atmosphere in the yamen was extremely heavy for the next few days.
That man, although he usually didn't go out of the Loft of Noble Spirit, as long as he was still there, the sky above the night watchmen's heads wouldn't collapse.
Song Tingfeng, who was now in the Spirit Refinement realm, took a sip of tea and couldn't help but think of the days when Xu Ningyan was still alive.
At that time, he, Zhu Guangxiao, and Xu Ningyan, the three of them patrolled the streets during the day. During the lunch break, they would go to the brothel to listen to music. During that time, although their pockets were empty and their d * cks were listless, they were really happy.
In Xu Ningyan's words, if you don't enjoy yourself when you're young, you'll shed tears in vain when you're old.
This guy was obviously a coarse Warrior, but he could always come up with a few words that people didn't understand, but they felt were very impressive.
Song Tingfeng still hadn't fully understood what he said last time, when he went to the brothel to support poor girls from poor families, he would ask them,
"Can I or can I not?"
The girls would always say, "Yes, yes."
But when he pulled up his pants and refused to pay, the girls couldn't take it anymore.
How Xu Yinluo relied on these five words to freeload Miss Fu Xiang for more than half a year was still a mystery in the night watchmen's yamen.
Now, even Miss Fu Xiang had died of illness.
In a short year, things remained the same, but the people had changed.
Perhaps the night watchmen hadn't all returned yet. Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao sat in Spring Wind Hall for half an hour.
Song Tingfeng was now in the Soul Refinement Realm. In the night watchmen's yamen, he could be said to be a rare young talent. Although he wasn't as stunning as Xu Qi'an, when Wei Yuan was still around, the yamen had planned to nurture Song Tingfeng.
Wei Yuan would do his best to nurture every talented night watchman who didn't have a bad record. This had always been his principle.
However, Song Tingfeng didn't have enough experience and merits, so he had been muddling along in his position as a gong.
"Guangxiao, the only thing I can look forward to in the next half of the year is your marriage." Song Tingfeng sighed.
He had thought that after the year of Jingcha, the days would be stable. Who would have thought that Jingcha was just the beginning? Too many things had happened this year. The Cloud State case at the beginning of the year, Duke Huai's massacre in the middle of the year, and the turmoil after the autumn harvest.
Song Tingfeng's gaze passed through the open door and looked at the withered leaves in the courtyard.
He murmured, "Troubled times, truly troubled times. Guangxiao, us brothers will get through this. "
Zhu Guangxiao, who had become more and more taciturn, grunted.
As he spoke, the sound of drums came from the Martial Arts Practice Field.
"Zhao Jinluo is summoning us."
The two immediately left Spring Wind Hall and, together with Li Yuchun, followed a group of night watchmen in the yamen and gathered at the Martial Arts Practice Field.
When Song Tingfeng arrived at the Martial Arts Practice Field, he swept his gaze around and was surprised to find that there were more night watchmen than he had expected. Those who were on break had all been summoned.
What had happened … He glanced at Zhu Guangxiao and Li Yuchun beside him and found that both of them had the same doubts.
The three people from Spring Wind Hall silently lined up. After waiting for nearly half an hour, they suddenly heard the sound of hurried and orderly footsteps.
Hearing the sound, they turned around and saw a group of imperial guards with bright swords and armor. There were a lot of them, at least five hundred.
Imperial guards? Song Tingfeng secretly frowned.
The imperial guards surged in and surrounded the night watchmen, but they didn't make any further moves.
While the night watchmen were confused, they saw a few people slowly walking over from afar.
In the middle was a rather dignified middle-aged man wearing a crimson robe. On his left was the expressionless Zhao Jinluo, on the right was Zhu Yang, and beside Zhu Yang was Zhu Chengzhu.
Not to mention Li Yuchun, Song Tingfeng, and Zhu Guangxiao, even the other night watchmen changed their expressions when they saw the father and son.
As they approached, Yuan Xiong put his hands behind his back and came to the front of the night watchmen.
Zhao Jinluo glanced at his subordinates and said in a clear voice without any expression,
"According to the order of His Majesty, from today on, Imperial Censor Yuan will take over Duke Wei's position and be in charge of the night watchmen's yamen. Quickly greet Duke Yuan."
The night watchmen were in an uproar, either looking at each other or whispering.
"Shit, why should he be in charge of the night watchmen?" A silver gong muttered.
"He's just a snob who fawns on the rich and powerful. How can he be in charge of the night watchmen?"
"Even if he takes over Duke Wei's position, it should be the Left Imperial Censor Liu Hong, Lord Liu."
Yuan Xiong narrowed his eyes and didn't say anything.
Zhao Jinluo glanced at this new superior and his heart sank. He shouted, "All of you shut up! Do you want to rebel? "
He was angry that his subordinates didn't know how to read people's expressions. A new superior was strict with his new position. The more disobedient they were, the easier it would be to punish them as a warning to others. Moreover, Yuan Xiong was here to "investigate" a case.
Zhao Jinluo was also Wei Yuan's confidant. Jinluo was Wei Yuan's confidant. Zhu Yang was also once one.
The reason why he could sit back and relax and not be "implicated" was because of his Fourth Rank Warrior's cultivation.
In Daibun, or even in any of the forces in the Land of the Nine Prefectures, a Fourth Rank Warrior was a middle or high-level figure. This was especially true for a Warrior, who had strong attack, high defense, and great destructive power. As long as he didn't commit an unforgivable crime, the imperial court usually adopted a soft policy toward a Fourth Rank Warrior.
Yuan Xiong needed enough Fourth Rank Jinluo to keep up appearances, so he recruited him.
From Zhao Jinluo's point of view, since the imperial order couldn't be disobeyed, other than going with the flow, what else could he do? It was better for him to guard here than to hand over the Yamen of the night watchmen to Zhu Yang.
Zhu Yang came back to the night watchmen with the mentality of revenge, so he was different from him.
Since Duke Wei had sacrificed his life, the key was to recognize the reality. The night watchmen were Duke Wei's blood, sweat, and tears. At least he could still guard for Duke Wei.
Yuan Xiong turned a deaf ear to the night watchmen's criticism and said in a clear voice,
"At noon today, a common woman, Madam Li, beat the drum in front of the Meridian Gate to complain about Wei Yuan's excessive accumulation of wealth, framing innocent people, extorting money from the night watchmen, and tarnishing her daughter-in-law.
"His Majesty was furious and specially ordered me to take over the Yamen of the night watchmen, to eliminate evil practices and punish those who abuse their power for personal gain."
The sound of cursing and shouting exploded in an instant.
The night watchmen didn't know who Madam Li was, but it didn't stop them from spitting out sweet words.
Duke Wei's excessive accumulation of wealth?
Everyone in the Yamen knew that Duke Wei was the most honest and just man. A common woman dared to accuse Duke Wei of accumulating wealth and persecuting her family. Did she deserve to do that?
Even if Duke Wei really wanted to accumulate wealth, would he extort people like ordinary petty officials?
The gongs and gongs were not stupid. They immediately realized that someone wanted to frame Duke Wei. And this person was most likely the Right Imperial Censor Yuan Xiong in front of them.
He was Duke Wei's political enemy.
"Too noisy!"
Yuan Xiong said lightly.
Zhao Jinluo was about to scold him, but Zhu Yang was one step ahead of him. He stepped out, and the Qi of a fourth-level master surged out. In an instant, the night watchmen on the scene couldn't stand steadily, and their faces turned pale.
The noise suddenly stopped.
Yuan Xiong nodded with satisfaction and said loudly, "I have received a secret report. I will never tolerate those who take bribes and break the law. Next, those who have reported their names, step out."
"Zhang Dongliang."
No one responded.
"Zhang Dongliang!"
No one responded. The night watchmen were silently resisting.
Yuan Xiong didn't say anything else. He glanced at Zhu Yang beside him.
Zhu Yang understood tacitly, and his eyes had already locked on a silver gong in the crowd. He opened his arms, aimed his palm at that person, and suddenly made a grabbing motion.
A stout man with a square face was forced to "squeeze" out of the crowd. His feet were planted on the ground, and the tips of his feet left two marks. He tried his best to resist, but he could only watch helplessly as he was pulled out.
Yuan Xiong said with a smile, "I am handling a case by imperial decree. Disobeying the order is equivalent to disobeying the imperial decree. It is a capital crime! "
Zhao Jinluo was afraid that Zhu Yang would make the first move again, so he hurriedly grabbed Zhang Dongliang and cupped his fists, "Your Excellency, this boor did not mean to offend you. Please be merciful."
Zhang Dongliang's face turned purple, and the veins on his neck bulged. He growled in a deep voice,
"I am not convinced. Zhao Jinluo, there is no need to beg him. If Duke Wei was still here, would Yuan Xiong dare to step into the Yamen? Jinluo is still here, and Zhu Yang just came back? I only regret that I did not go to war with my boss that day. It is a blessing that he died in Jing Shan City with Duke Wei. It is better than me dying in the hands of my own people. "
Yuan Xiong said faintly, "Your Excellency Zhu, the night watchman has an official position. His life and death are all decided by His Majesty."
Zhu Yang nodded and said with a smile, "I understand."
With a tug of his Qi, he pulled Zhang Dongliang over and punched Yin Gong's chest. Pfft! The clothes on Zhang Dongliang's back were immediately torn.
Everyone heard the sound of his sternum breaking.
Zhang Dongliang slowly fell to the ground, and he only had one breath left.
A new official takes three measures, and the first one was burned on this pitiful person.
"Clang!"
The sound of a blade being unsheathed could be heard.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Clang! The imperial guards around him all drew their blades, ready to suppress the night watchman at any time.
Zhu Yang squinted his eyes and took a step forward, intimidating the night watchman with his status as a Fourth Grade Warrior.
"All of you, stop!"
Zhao Jinluo roared, "Do you want to rebel? Do you want to lose your brains?"
"Zhao Jinluo."
"Boss …"
The night watchman reacted violently.
"Can't you see that he is purging us? Whether we are guilty or not, we will not have a good ending."
"Zhao Jinluo, Duke Wei is no longer here. You are the only one in the yamen who can make decisions for your brothers. You can't be Yuan Xiong's dog."
"Boss, can you bear to see your brothers being framed?"
At least you can live … The veins on Zhao Jinluo's forehead bulged. He said word by word, "Put — — away — — your — — knives — —"
The night watchman's heart sank. He was angry, unwilling, and sad, but he still refused to put away his knives.
Yuan Xiong saw this and said with a smile, "Everyone's family is in the capital, right?"
Kill people and kill their hearts!
The hiring conditions for night watchmen were that their ancestors must be at least three generations of people from the capital and have a clean family background.
Why? It was to prevent these Warriors from breaking the rules by force.
Duke Wei died in battle, and the rest of the Jinluo soldiers either died in battle or did not return. Even if they wanted to resist, they had no one to back them up.
"If Xu Ningyan was still here …" someone murmured.
The night watchmen were stunned for a moment. They couldn't help but think of their colleague who cut off his waist token and was no longer an official.
Yes, if Xu Ningyan was still here, with Duke Wei's kindness to him and his unyielding character, would Zhu Yang and Yuan Xiong still dare to be so arrogant?
Yuan Xiong and the others also heard it, but they didn't respond. They didn't care to respond.
Zhu Chengzhu's expression was obviously distorted.
Xu Qi 'an, the lowly copper gong, was the culprit who destroyed his future.
He hated this person to the core, but in just a year, things had changed. That lowly copper gong had become a big shot that he could not reach.
Even though Xu Qi 'an had offended His Majesty, he still couldn't intervene or take revenge.
Therefore, the flames of revenge burned in his heart, but he couldn't find an outlet. It burned his soul every day, causing his mind to become slightly distorted.
…
"Li Yuchun!"
"Chu Honghe!"
"Min Shan!"
"Tang Youde!"
"…"
One by one, the silver gongs stepped out of the ranks. They were disarmed, their arms were twisted behind their backs, and their hands were tied. In the blink of an eye, almost half of the silver gongs were gone.
Those silver gongs were either expressionless, sneering, or spitting. But none of them were afraid or begging for mercy.
There were no gongs in the list. As the night watchmen were at the bottom, they usually didn't have the right to stand on the side.
Of course, it didn't mean that Yuan Xiong wouldn't deal with them.
The high-spirited Right Imperial Censor said in a clear voice, "The yamen of the night watchmen has suffered a great change, and there are many vacancies. I took over the yamen in this time of crisis, and I happen to be short of people. I need to promote loyal people.
"Before dawn tomorrow, as long as one of you writes a letter to report a colleague who is corrupt and extorts the people, I will promote him."
Sinister intentions.
The night watchmen were expressionless and didn't respond.
But Yuan Xiong knew that the seeds of suspicion and ambition had been planted in this group of people.
For these bronze gongs, promotion was a very difficult thing. They needed to have the corresponding cultivation and enough merits. Therefore, some of the bronze gongs that were already at the spirit refinement realm couldn't be promoted.
Who didn't want to be promoted if they had ambition and desire to improve?
Now that the yamen of the night watchmen was in turmoil, it was a great opportunity for those with ambition and desire to be promoted.
Yuan Xiong stopped looking at the depressed night watchmen and turned to look at Zhu Yang and Zhao Jinluo. He said with a smile, "Jinluo, follow me to Haoqi Tower to have a look."
He was extremely eager to enter that place and replace Wei Yuan's position.
Zhao Jinluo nodded, glanced at the night watchmen, and said, "Disperse."
Song Tingfeng's murmur sounded beside Zhu Guangxiao's ears, "Lower your heads, quickly lower your heads, leave this place …"
The depressed Zhu Guangxiao was slightly startled, but instinctively obeyed and followed his colleagues out of the martial arts arena.
He hadn't taken more than a few steps when he heard a voice. "Stop!"
Everyone stopped in their tracks and looked over in fear.
The one who shouted was Zhu Chengzhu. Almost all the night watchmen who were present at the scene of the silver gong knew him.
Zhu Chengzhu ignored the others and pointed at Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao. He grinned and said, "The two of you, come out."
Song Tingfeng's heart sank. He braced himself and stepped forward, saying, "Zhu Yinluo, congratulations on your reinstatement. What business does Zhu Yinluo have with this lowly one?"
He had always been a smooth talker. He didn't even frown when he said flattering words.
Zhu Chengzhu revealed a malicious smile and said loudly,
"Deacon Yuan, I want to report these two for corruption. I saw it with my own eyes."
Song Tingfeng was so scared that his face turned pale.
Yuan Xiong nodded slightly and said, "Then let Nephew Zhu handle it."
He didn't stop and continued to walk side by side with the two Jinluo.
Zhao Jinluo looked at Zhu Yang and kindly reminded him, "Those two are Xu Qi 'an's best friends."
This was a warning to Zhu Yang, but also to protect Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng.
Before Zhu Yang could speak, Yuan Xiong said indifferently, "Wei Yuan is dead. Without this backer, how long do you think Xu Qi 'an can jump around?"
Zhu Yang also smiled.
Zhao Jinluo didn't say anything else.
On the other side, Song Tingfeng bowed and begged for mercy, "Zhu Yinluo, what happened before was my fault. Please don't take it to heart. Don't lower yourself to my level. "
Zhu Chengzhu asked like a cat playing with a mouse, "What did you do wrong?"
Song Tingfeng was stunned for a moment. He immediately beat his chest and stamped his feet, feeling vexed, "The biggest mistake I, Song Tingfeng, have ever made in my life was befriending Xu Qi 'an. I regret it now. "
He didn't have any grudges with Zhu Chengzhu. The reason why he was put in a difficult position was because he hated the house and its crow.
At this time, he only needed to show that he was a fence-sitter. The weaker he was, the easier it would be to dispel Zhu Chengzhu's anger. It would make Zhu Chengzhu think that he made friends with Xu Qi 'an because he was valued by Wei Yuan.
There was no deep friendship between the two sides.
Sure enough, Zhu Chengzhu's face was full of a satisfied smile. But his next words made Song Tingfeng feel like he was struck by lightning.
"It's fine if you don't want to go to prison. Crawl under my crotch."
Zhu Chengzhu spread his legs and smiled maliciously, "Crawl under me, and I won't care about your friendship with Xu Qi 'an."
The bystanders turned to look at Song Tingfeng. Under their gazes, Song Tingfeng's face slowly turned pale.
"Zhu Yinluo, this, this, you really like to joke …"
Slap!
He was slapped in public.
Song Tingfeng's cheeks quickly became red and swollen.
Zhu Chengzhu said sharply, "Joke? You think I'm joking with you? I've given you a chance. Whether you can grasp it or not depends on you. I'll only give you three breaths of time. "
Song Tingfeng's body trembled slightly. He clenched and loosened his fists, loosened and clenched them again.
In the end, under everyone's gazes, he knelt down and slowly crawled under Zhu Chengzhu's crotch with his hands on the ground.
Zhu Chengzhu laughed wildly.
He turned to look at Zhu Guangxiao, "It's your turn. Do you want to go to prison or crawl under my crotch?"
At that moment, his twisted mentality was greatly satisfied.
Zhu Guangxiao's eyes darkened. He would rather die than suffer such humiliation.
"I, I'll do it, I'll do it for him …"
Song Tingfeng's face was full of flattery as he said, "I like to crawl under Zhu Yinluo's crotch. I must be lucky to be able to enjoy such treatment."
"You're indeed a fence-sitter. Is this how you pleased Xu Qi 'an back then?" Zhu Chengzhu humiliated him.
"Yes, yes, yes …"
Song Tingfeng hurriedly nodded and crawled under Zhu Chengzhu's crotch.
"Good, you're interesting. It's the first time I've seen someone like to crawl under someone's crotch."
Zhu Chengzhu slapped Song Tingfeng's face and sneered, "This is the consequence of making friends carelessly."
He no longer paid attention to this miserable wretch and strode in the direction where his father disappeared.
After a while, all the people in the martial arts arena left, leaving only Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng.
"Bastard, you bully others with your power!"
Song Tingfeng spat, looked at Zhu Guangxiao, and said with an indifferent smile,
"Boy, you've been with Xu Ningyan for a long time. Instead of learning your skills, you've become more bad-tempered. You're going to get married at the end of the year. If you're put in prison at this time, even if you don't die, you'll be skinned and eventually dismissed. At that time, how can you marry a girl?
"It's not easy for a man to meet a girl he wants to marry and a girl who is willing to marry him. Xu Ningyan, that bastard, has been in the Musical House every day, but he has never met such a girl. "
Zhu Guangxiao's eyes glistened with tears.
Song Tingfeng spat and said grumpily,
"Don't be so pretentious. I'm used to being slick. Not to mention crawling under someone's crotch, I can even call her father. Didn't everyone have an expression of 'this is what I'm capable of doing' on their faces? If it were you, I'm afraid you'd be too ashamed to show your face. "
He waved his hand and said, "You go, I'll sit alone for a while."
Zhu Guangxiao said "hmm" with a strong nasal voice, turned around and left.
There was no one else in the martial arts arena. Song Tingfeng covered his face, his shoulders trembled, and suppressed weeping came from between his fingers.
It was a great shame!
…
The next day, at the court meeting.
Yuan Xiong submitted a memorial to impeach Wei Yuan for ten crimes, including conniving at his subordinates' corruption, extortion of the people, greed for achievements and rash advancement, leading to the death of 80,000 soldiers in foreign lands, and so on.
At the court meeting, the Yuanjing Emperor, in front of all the ministers and officials outside the palace, angrily rebuked Wei Yuan for harming the country.
The court and the public were shocked.
…
In the study of the Imperial Censor of the Left, Liu Hong's residence.
Liu Hong angrily smashed an antique vase. This official of the third rank, whose black hair was mixed with some silver, angrily cursed and roared.
"Shameless scum!
"This old man and Yuan Xiong are irreconcilable, irreconcilable!"
In the spacious study sat Imperial Censor Zhang Xingying, the Minister of War, and a few key members of the Wei Party.
Everyone was at their wits' end.
In the court, no one could fight against an emperor who was in the prime of his life and had full control of his power.
Especially when this emperor had many loyal subordinates who were willing to fight for him.
"Now that things have come to this, I'm afraid it's difficult to salvage the situation with just us." A key member sighed.
Zhang Xingying's expression could not hide her sorrow.
"Duke Wei has been an official in the court for twenty years, conscientious and conscientious. People say that he abused his power for personal gain and accumulated wealth without restraint, but people know that he lived in the Pavilion of Noble Spirit for twenty years. The capital is full of flowers, but not a single one is his home.
"These years, he often discussed with us about new policies, trying to reform and save the declining court. He has no children, no relatives, and devoted all his energy and effort to the court. Without Duke Wei, would His Majesty be able to cultivate so peacefully for the past twenty years?
"Why is His Majesty not even willing to give him a title?"
A heavy and sorrowful atmosphere spread in the study.
The Minister of War took a deep breath and said, "What we need to consider now is to protect ourselves. When Duke Wei's matter is over, it will be time to purge the members of the Wei Party. Ha, Qin Yuandao is eyeing my position again.
"As for Duke Wei's case, as long as we do not fall, as long as one of us survives, there will be a chance to overturn the case in the future."
A moment of success or failure did not mean anything. As the saying goes, a new emperor brings his own courtiers.
Since Yuan Jingchao could not be changed, they could only wait for a new emperor to take over. In history, there were many examples of sons slapping their fathers in the face.
Many unjust and wrongful cases were only cleared up after decades or even decades.
"This is the only way." Liu Hong sighed and said, "However, when the Crown Prince ascends to the throne, he may not overturn the case for Duke Wei."
"By the way, where is Xu Qi'an?" The Minister of War suddenly asked.
Zhang Xingying wiped the corners of her eyes and said in a low voice, "I sent someone to check on him a few days ago. The gates of Xu Residence are tightly shut and the building is empty. Ning Yan has probably left the capital. "
Liu Hong laughed bitterly. "It's good that he has left. If he does not leave, no one can protect him. We can't protect him either. Sigh, he is probably completely disappointed in the court. "
…
On this day, the news of Wei Yuan advancing rashly due to his greed for merit, causing eighty thousand soldiers to perish in the enemy country finally spread to the people.
The people's reactions were extremely intense.
"I already said not to support the Yao and Barbarians. The Yao and Barbarians eat the people of Daibun and harass the borders. Why should we support the Yao and Barbarians? Now, eighty thousand soldiers have died. In the past twenty years, Daibun has never suffered such a defeat. "
"If you ask me, it's all because of Wei Yuan. If he did not advance rashly due to his greed, how could we have lost?"
"That bastard! A eunuch leading the army? Isn't it child's play? His Majesty trusted the wrong person."
"Bastard, is Duke Wei someone you can humiliate as you please? If it weren't for this eunuch twenty years ago, do you think you would be able to live in peace? "An old man stood up and protested.
"Old man, haven't you heard? Wei Yuan is a corrupt official."
"Hmph, who said that?"
"The court said so."
"The court said that Duke Huai is a hero and the Chu Zhou City was massacred by the Yao and Barbarians. What happened in the end? I don't believe in the court anymore. I might as well believe in Xu Yinluo. "
Everyone was speechless.
After the massacre in Chu Zhou City, the citizens of the capital and even the other provinces of Daibun had a crisis of trust in the court.
"But, but Xu Yinluo didn't say anything either."
…
In the imperial palace.
An old eunuch walked in slowly and stopped beside the bed. He bowed and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the Cabinet Chief is here to see you."
The Yuanjing Emperor closed his eyes and said calmly, "I won't see him!"
The old eunuch added, "The Cabinet Chief is kneeling outside. He said that if you don't see him, he won't leave."
The Yuanjing Emperor snorted and didn't respond.
The old eunuch didn't dare to say anything else and stood quietly on the side.
Time passed by, and two hours passed in the blink of an eye. The old eunuch glanced at Yuan Jing Emperor, who was still meditating, and strode out of the bedchamber.
As soon as he left, the Yuanjing Emperor opened his eyes and stood up from the cushion. He squatted down and placed his palms on the ground.
A few seconds later, the Yuanjing Emperor heard a shrill dragon roar.
"Not enough, not enough!"
The Yuanjing Emperor didn't say anything, but a voice came from inside his body.
"Tomorrow, we will announce the defeat of the Witchcraft Sect. That will be enough." The Yuanjing Emperor smiled and said.
On the other side, the old eunuch came out of the palace and knelt down at the foot of the stairs.
"Cabinet Chief, why do you have to do this? It won't be good for you and the Emperor. "
The old eunuch bowed and tried to persuade the emperor. "Go back. I have served the Emperor for most of his life and I know his temper. Even if you kneel here until you die, you won't shake the Emperor's determination. "
Wang Shoufu's face was pale and his eyelids were half closed as if he was going to faint at any moment.
To be able to kneel for two hours at his age meant that he had a strong will.
"I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Eunuch."
The light in Wang Shoufu's eyes gradually went out. He struggled to get up, but when he moved his body, he fell to the ground.
"Oh, be careful. The Cabinet Chief's body is precious. If something happens to you, who will share the Emperor's burden?"
The old eunuch hurriedly helped him up.
Wang Zhenwen exhaled, dusted off the dust on his body, and straightened his clothes. Then, he bowed deeply toward the imperial study.
Then, he did something that made the old eunuch dumbfounded.
Wang Zhenwen took off his official hat and gently placed it on the stairs.
When he got up, his eyes were bright.
Wang Zhenwen got up and strode away without hesitation.
Without an official, he felt light.
…
Stargazing Tower.
Two carriages slowly drove over. They were made of red sandalwood, with jade edges and bright yellow silk decorations.
The carriages stopped at the square outside the Stargazing Tower. Two rows of guards riding on fine horses pulled the reins and stopped with the carriages.
The doors opened, and a woman emerged from each carriage. The beauty in the plain palace dress was like a snow lotus on an iceberg, elegant and cold. The woman in the fiery red palace dress was wearing a small phoenix crown, jade hairpin, and other expensive jewelry.
She looked like a noble canary.
Her beauty and charm perfectly complemented these luxurious jewelry. It made people feel that a beautiful and charming woman like her should be dressed in such gorgeous clothes.
Leaving the guards behind, the two princesses entered the Stargazing Tower.
"Huaiqing, you're here!"
Chu Caiwei was waiting in the lobby on the first floor, happily welcoming her good friend.
Bian Fan ignored the princess's demeanor. She lifted the hem of her dress and ran upstairs.
After running a few steps, she suddenly reacted. She turned around and shouted, "Which floor is he on?"
"The seventh floor!"
Chu Caiwei responded and talked to Huaiqing with a sweet smile. She took out some jerky from her deerskin bag and asked, "Do you want to eat it?"
Huaiqing shook her head.
Bian Fan stomped her feet and said, "Lead the way!"
Chu Caiwei led the two princesses to the seventh floor and pushed open the bedroom door. The room was filled with the smell of medicine. Bian Fan's gaze instantly fell on the dying man on the bed.
Her peach blossom eyes were immediately stained with a layer of mist.
"Why, why hasn't he woken up yet? Is he still in danger …" Bian Fan choked with sobs.
Huaiqing did not speak and looked at Chu Caiwei.
"I don't know when he will wake up. When he was sent back, he was really not far from death. Not a single part of his body is intact. When he defended the city, he used the magic of the Confucian Faction and suffered a backlash. In addition, the injury on his waist is also very troublesome. It hasn't healed for a long time. "
The big-eyed cute girl showed a worried expression and explained, "Teacher said that his Will is too overbearing."
Huaiqing asked, "What is his' Will '?"
Chu Caiwei shook her head and said, "Teacher only said that harming others is also harming oneself. Indiscriminate destruction."
Indiscriminate destruction … Huaiqing was slightly moved.
What kind of state was Xu Qi'an in when he advanced to the Fourth Stage? What kind of state of mind did he have that allowed him to take this step?
Bian Fan was already sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a handkerchief in her hand and crying her eyes out.
She wanted to call out to Xu Qi'an and shake him to wake him up, but she was worried that it would not be good for him, so she could only cry.
Bian Fan sobbed and said, "Imperial Father has already banned him from being an official, but he still worked so hard. Wei Yuan's lifelong reputation has been destroyed in a day. If he wakes up and finds out, how sad will he be?
"How can Imperial Father be so heartless? Although I don't like Wei Yuan, I also know that what he did was a great thing."
"Wei, Duke Wei …"
Bian Fan was crying when she suddenly heard a hoarse voice behind her.
Bian Fan was overjoyed. Huaiqing and Chu Caiwei also took a step forward and approached the bed. They saw that Xu Qi'an's face was pale and his lips were chapped, but his eyes were already open.
"Ah, you're finally awake."
Chu Caiwei called out happily and said, "I'll go get some nourishing pills for you."
With a smile on her face, she hurriedly ran out of the door.
Xu Qi'an stared at the two princesses' beautiful faces. He was silent for a moment and said, "I'm Celestial Commissioner?"
Bian Fan nodded quickly, "Yes!"
Her long eyelashes were wet, and there were two lines of tears on her white and tender cheeks.
Xu Qi'an smiled at her and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Li Miaozhen had saved him.
"Although I've survived, it's still too risky. I should have been repeatedly jumping from the gates of hell during this period." He said in his heart.
It was not easy to kill Nurhega in the midst of thousands of soldiers. First of all, he had to cut through the army and then kill a peak fourth level dual system master. This alone was not something that a fourth level master of any system could do.
Secondly, Nurhega cultivated the wizard system and had many means of control. His Broken Jade Version of Heaven and Earth Slash might not be able to be successfully used.
Therefore, he needed the protection of Li Miaozhen's Jindan.
Finally, the use of Confucian magic was also a key point. He used the Verbal Compliance Law in exchange for a short period of time, which was actually much cheaper than "strengthening the spirit by ten times".
At that time, his soul was directly destroyed. Fortunately, the Son of Luck was not destined to die, and there happened to be a beautiful girl warrior named Tenzō by his side.
This time, he obviously did not die on the spot. Otherwise, when he opened his eyes, he would not see Bian Fan and Huaiqing, but the midwife and his biological father in his next life.
Not long after, Chu Caiwei returned with a wooden tray filled with bottles and jars. Her footsteps were light.
"It's good that you're awake. The fact that you can wake up proves that the two forces that obliterated your vitality have completely dissipated. With your current fourth level physique, you can recover in two or three days."
Chu Caiwei looked very happy. During the period when Xu Ningyan was seriously injured and bedridden, she did not even have the taste to eat dried fish. She was depressed every day and could only eat two bowls of rice for a meal. She was thin.
Now that Xu Ningyan was awake, she could enjoy delicious food happily again and did not have to worry about him.
Under the guidance of Chu Caiwei, he took a few pills. He only felt that his abdomen was warm, and the blocked Qi was running in the meridians again. His complexion was much ruddy.
Moreover, the hunger in his stomach had dissipated.
He drank the warm water handed by Bian Fan and sat up on the bed under her "service". He leaned against the headboard with a soft pillow behind him.
"I just heard His Highness Lin An mention Duke Wei …"
Lin An immediately looked at Huaiqing with a hesitant look.
Huaiqing pondered for a moment and said softly, "His Majesty is not willing to give Duke Wei a posthumous name. Even if there is one, it may be an evil posthumous name."
Bian Fan, whose heart was hanging on Xu Qi An, did not notice that her elder sister Huaiqing used the word "His Majesty" to address his Imperial Father.
An evil posthumous name was a derogatory posthumous name.
For the officials of this era, the posthumous name was the final conclusion of a lifetime's achievements and character.
An evil posthumous name was equivalent to labeling Wei Yuan's life as a "bad person", which would be recorded in history and be infamous for thousands of years.
Huaiqing told Xu Qi An in detail about what happened these days.
"So it's unexpected, but reasonable."
Xu Qi An said very calmly, and then there was silence.
After a long time, he said, "Duke Wei died in Jingshan City. This is very good. It's better than dying in the hands of one's own people. But if he didn't die, those clowns wouldn't dare to do anything to him.
"Looking back, his life was very sad. His ancestral home was Yuzhou, and his family was slaughtered by the Witchcraft Sect when he was young. He went to the capital to seek refuge with a family friend, but because he fell in love with the girl of that family, he failed to elope and was purified. Watching his beloved girl marry someone else's wife, and he had to protect her by her side. For a man, this was the greatest shame.
"He had no children and no relatives in his life, but he still had to treat him like this when he was dying. He shouldn't have … "
Xu Qi An's eyes were red, and he forced a smile and said, "Huaiqing, help me tell Chu Yuanzhen about Joan of Arc's case and Duke Wei in detail. Ask him if he is willing to return to the capital before tomorrow. "
He looked at Lin 'an again, held her little hand, and squeezed it. "Your Highness, help me grind."
"Oh!"
Lin 'an listened to the whole process. He seemed to understand, but one thing was very clear. He was very sad now.
Xu Qi An lifted the quilt and sat at the table, writing a letter.
After a while, he finished writing the letter and put it in the envelope. He looked at Chu Caiwei, "Is Miaozhen still in the stargazing tower?"
Miaozhen … Lian Fan slightly frowned, thinking that this form of address was too intimate. She didn't feel comfortable hearing it.
"Yes, I'll help you call her." Chu Caiwei immediately went out.
Li Miaozhen was currently meditating in her room. Hearing that Xu Qi An had woken up, she was very happy and rushed over.
Opening the door, she bumped into two princesses who were as beautiful as flowers and as beautiful as fairies.
The Flying Swallow Heroine calmly looked at Xu Qi An and nodded, "It's good that you're awake. Why are you looking for me?"
Xu Qi An handed the envelope to her, his voice was slightly hoarse.
"Help me give this letter to the Wulin League's old ancestor. He is in the back mountain of the Wulin League, at the stone gate guarded by the War Hounds.
"When you go, you must remember to personally give it to him. You can't ask anyone else, including the current Alliance Master Cao Qingyang. Remember, you must personally give it to the Old Alliance Master. Just say my name, Cao Qingyang will take you to see him. "
"Can I see it?" Tenzō Shōnin asked openly.
What do you think? Xu Qi An shook his head, "Don't see it."
"Oh."
Li Miaozhen nodded and left the room.
Xu Qi An looked at the two princesses, his hands on the edge of the table, and weakly stood up, "Your highnesses, please wait a moment, I'll go see the Supervisor."
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