Madam Xue was not frightened to the ground, nor was she angered. She softly said to the supervisor of the Ministry of Justice, "There is no such rule in the laws of the Great Zhou."
The supervisor of the Ministry of Justice saw that she was not willing to retreat and was still so calm, making him even angrier. He indicated for his subordinates to drive her away and scolded, "You old hag, if you don't scram and continue to obstruct this official from carrying out his official duties, don't blame this official for being impolite. When the time comes, you better not be afraid of pain!"
This was an undisguised threat.
No matter how firm Madam Xue's personality was, she could not overcome the spears in the hands of the soldiers. She gloomily prepared to leave when she suddenly felt that these words were somewhat familiar.
She glanced at the supervisor of the Ministry of Justice and realized that he was somewhat familiar. Somewhat unsure, she asked, "I … have I seen you somewhere before?"
The supervisor's complexion instantly turned nasty as he harshly yelled, "Drive this person away for me!"
The soldiers of the City Gate Department walked forward, preparing to drive Madam Xue away.
Madam Xue suddenly remembered. Looking at that person with a slightly strange expression, she asked, "You are Tianhai Sheng?"
The supervisor's complexion paled and his voice became even sharper as he yelled at the crowd, "What are you trash waiting for!"
Hearing this, the soldiers of the City Gate Department no longer dared to delay. Raising their weapons, they prepared to descend upon Madam Xue in an attempt to scare her away.
But Madam Xue seemed not to see these cold swords and sabers. She only stared at the supervisor of the Ministry of Justice outside the crowd, her face carrying ridicule and a hint of pain.
She truly had seen this person before, in her own estate.
This person was a distant relative of the Tianhai clan. Relying on his relationship with the Tianhai clan, he had pestered and begged for a way to enter her estate. He had treated Xue Xingchuan and her with incomparable respect, and had even gifted them precious gifts, all for the sake of obtaining a job.
Xue Xingchuan had never accepted gifts, and she was no different. However, in the end, she had still helped this person with this matter. After all, it was not a major matter.
Several years had passed, and it seemed like this person had managed the ministry well. He had actually managed to become a supervisor, and he had not been implicated in any way. Even now, he was still entrusted with heavy responsibilities by the Imperial Court.
Thinking of this person's face from back then and thinking of this person's face today, Madam Xue only felt that it was rather ironic.
In the purge of Jingdou over the past few days, the people with the most intense attitudes and the most vicious methods were not the old officials who had rebelled against Tianhai for many years, nor were they the princes of the Chen family. Rather, it was the officials of the Tianhai court who had once appeared to be the most loyal and devoted, the subordinates of the once most arrogant Tianhai family.
This was a bit crazy, inconceivable, but in reality, countless years of history had always been like this.
After a major event, the people who behaved the craziest and often did the most inconceivable things were the traitors. It seemed that only through this almost hysterical performance could they prove that their current loyalty was different from their previous loyalty. Only then could they convince themselves that they did not have to worry about being abandoned by the new ruler. Only then could they obtain freedom from fear.
This supervisor of the Ministry of Justice was like this, the City Gate Department was like this, several eunuchs in the palace were like this, the subordinates of the Tianhai clan were like this, and Zhou Tong was also like this.
It was said that in the early hours of that day, Zhou Tong had received the treatment of the Sacred Light technique. His heavy injuries had just begun to recover, and he immediately gathered his subordinates in the Department for Purging Officials and began to oversee matters, protecting and escorting the new government.
As she thought of these rumors and looked at the supervisor of the Ministry of Justice, the derision in Madam Xue's smile grew thicker and thicker, more and more dazzling.
The supervisor felt like his eyes were about to be dazzled. Suddenly filled with malice, he no longer had anyone drive her away. He yelled, "Seize her for me!"
… …
… …
The Li Palace.
Mao Qiuyu looked at the Pope watering the Green Leaf and said, "The Temple Seminary has finished taking stock and all the students have returned. The Li Palace Academy … has two students that have been sent to Zhou Prison. In a little while, Siyuan will personally go and get them. The Green Mantis is relatively quiet, and all the gates of the Heavenly Dao Academy have been closed. No students have been able to leave, but the Orthodox Academy has ignored them."
The Green Leaf in the pot was clearly one less leaf than before, but it seemed to be missing a great deal, giving off a somewhat empty feeling.
Without turning his head, the Pope said, "Since these matters have been taken care of, go and send General Xue off."
Mao Qiuyu assented, then turned and walked out of the hall. After a while, he turned back and said, "Someone has gone."
The Pope paused, then asked, "Who has gone?"
Mao Qiuyu replied, "That person."
The Pope was somewhat confused, saying, "That child has a kind heart, but his personality is not so straightforward."
Mao Qiuyu shook his head. "It's said that he just happened to be passing by."
… …
… …
After meditating in the library for three days, Chen Changsheng received Eunuch Lin, Prince Chen Liu, and the Pope as visitors.
Chen Changsheng only knew what had happened that night, not what had happened in the capital in the past few days.
At the time, he and Su Moyu had been strolling through the capital.
He had come out to stroll because the situation in the capital was gradually calming down. He had sat in the library for too long, and both his body and mind were somewhat sluggish. Moreover, he was keenly aware that while it was very difficult for him to leave the capital, it did not mean that he could not leave the Orthodox Academy. Most importantly, he wanted to find out where Zhexiu was.
The leaves fell into the Luo River, lightly swaying. He was just like these leaves, aimlessly walking.
Perhaps because he was following the thoughts in the depths of his heart, he and Su Moyu walked just like this out of the city gate.
This was also because the capital had never had any city walls to begin with, so the city gate was too inconspicuous.
The willow trees lining the official road formed two perfectly straight green lines. In this bleak autumn day, it was very delightful.
If not for those cries and clamor, if not for that blood and that stench.
Chen Changsheng saw the bloodstains on the official road and the black flies in the fields beyond it.
It was already a very cold autumn, yet there were still swarms of black flies. It was truly annoying, just like those murderous soldiers of the City Gate Department and those officials.
Many people of the capital were present.
Through the respectful discussions and shameful curses of the crowd, Chen Chang Sheng and Su Mo Yu were able to quickly understand the whole story.
He walked forward and saw that tired, haggard, weak, yet determined, calm, and brave woman at the very front of the crowd.
It was Xue Xingchuan's wife.
And then, he saw those determined and brave soldiers, their bodies covered in blood and heavily injured, their eyes showing no remorse, only anger and unwillingness.
They were Xue Xingchuan's soldiers.
… …
… …
Just a moment ago, just when the supervisor of the Ministry of Justice ordered his subordinates to deal a fatal blow to Madam Xue, ten-some soldiers suddenly charged out of the city gate.
These soldiers had come from the Cong Province Army and had returned to the capital for the autumn break after receiving commendation.
The Cong Province Army was where Xue Xingchuan had made his fortune, and also where he had fought against the demons and rendered the most military service.
Xue Xingchuan had been back in the capital for many years, so he naturally did not recognize these ordinary soldiers, but these soldiers had not forgotten their general.
They had been waiting in secret this entire time, preparing to find a chance to steal Xue Xingchuan's remains and bury them. Only when Madam Xue was in danger did they find it impossible to continue hiding.
The chaos quickly came to an end. Madam Xue was somewhat frightened, but she was not injured. The soldiers from the Cong Province Army had suffered grievous casualties, an appalling sight to behold.
A deputy general from the City Gate Department looked at the wounded soldiers of the Cong Province Army and sternly yelled, "Divine General Xue He has already been captured and will be escorted back to the capital in a few days for trial. You muddle-headed soldiers actually dared to defy the decree and injure him! Are you plotting a rebellion?"
Madam Xue's voice trembled, but she still said rudely, "General, we only want to bury the corpse, not rebel."
The deputy general looked at her in silence, then said, "Madam, anyone who dares to bury the corpse of your esteemed husband is plotting a rebellion."
The supervisor of the Ministry of Justice gave Madam Xue a mocking smile, suffused with a deep malice.
This was a matter that everyone understood, but only now did someone clearly state it.
The Tianhai Divine Empress was dead, Xue Xingchuan was dead, and Xue He was about to die in a few days. The second-ranked Divine General of the Great Zhou whose name had once shaken the continent was now nothing.
With no place to bury his corpse, it became a display of the Imperial Court's strength, a sort of declaration against his murderer who had poisoned him to death.
His widow would suffer all sorts of humiliation, ultimately drowning herself in water, hanging herself from a beam, or living a miserable life until she died of old age.
His remnants would also not enjoy any glory, leaving them with only unforgettable memories and pain.
… …
… …
"After nightfall, I will deal with this matter."
Su Moyu stopped Chen Changsheng and spoke in an unquestionable tone.
Xue Xingchuan's miserable fate was a touchstone for the new dynasty, a log in front of the city gate.
Su Moyu knew that since Chen Changsheng had seen it, he would assuredly deal with it, but Chen Changsheng's status was far too sensitive. If he took action, it was very easy for a major incident to occur, so Su Moyu decided to deal with it himself.
From every angle, this was a very courageous and relatively safe arrangement, but Chen Changsheng did not think so.
It had already been four days, so how could there be another day?
He walked out of the crowd and arrived in front of Madam Xue. "Greetings."
… …
… …
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