Drizzle fell silently onto the surfaces of umbrellas. The entire palace, and even the entire world, had become damp and sticky.

In the deathly silence, a cool breeze carrying wisps of a bloody stench swept quietly past the officials.

Dozens of eyes stared straight ahead to where two limp corpses lay on the wide palace road. Their two heads had rolled away, eyes wide open in death.

Bright red splatters merged with the rainwater and spread slowly outward, gurgling toward the palace gate.

The soles of many shoes were dampened by the fishy-smelling liquid.

The Imperial Guards’ longswords glinted coldly, and hot, bright blood slowly collected at one of  their tips.

With a splat, the drop landed on the bluestone slab underfoot, where it was then washed away by the rain, leaving behind no trace.

After a long while, someone finally moved.

It turned out to be Jian Hongzhuo, the Minister of Works who had always been relatively unknown.

Everyone then followed in his wake, proceeding slowly toward Fengtian Hall as if nothing had happened.

Robes fluttered past the two pools of blood. No one stopped, and each pair of feet seemed to walk very steadily.

Upon reaching the foot of the long steps of Fengtian Hall, everyone looked up.

The long staircase extended upward, and at the highest point, two figures dressed in crimson-purple official robes looked down from above.

Behind them stood the towering eaves of Fengtian Hall.

Through the palace gates, one could see the majestic golden dragon throne, as well as the plaque above it that read “Qian Shu Cheng Yun” – the Mandate of Heaven.

Jian Hongzhuo stepped onto the staircase, and the others followed him up to enter the main hall.

What was expected to be a tense and turbulent morning court session turned out to be rather peaceful.

Nobody mentioned the scene at the palace gates. Even Lu Youwei and Wang Zhiyuan didn’t say a word, as if the two dead men were of no relation to them.

It was impossible to say they weren’t related, but at least their deaths allowed the Lu and Wang families to receive their rightful share of fine salt.

It was worth it.

Through the deaths of these two noble young masters, Qin Xiao was telling the officials and the people of the country that the emperor’s decrees could not be disobeyed.

Using swift and decisive measures, he also nipped in the bud any potential attempts by those secretly plotting to profit from the mandala trade.

No matter how lofty and important a person was, if they dared to disobey an Imperial Edict, or dared to consume or spread the drug, they would be killed without mercy.

That he had killed the two men yet not brought it up during the morning court session meant that the matter was over, and he wouldn’t pursue it further with the Wang and Lu families.

This page was turned so easily with the loss of two lives.

None of the first and second-rank officials standing in the front spoke during this court session, only officials from the Ministry of Works and Ministry of Revenue standing at the back who reported on the drought situation in the south.

Those present had already figured out the details two days earlier.

The Nanjiang Main Stronghold had suddenly produced a large quantity of grain, which logically resolved the drought crisis affecting three fiefdoms. Guizhou and Guangxi, which were under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Court, were then “rescued” when Qin Chaoyang led the grain convoy from Southern Zhili over.

News had also come back that once Qin Chaoyang led his men there, he directly held up the Imperial token, and in the form of an Imperial Edict, forced the magistrates of the two regions to open their granaries and release grain.

These granaries were full, but the magistrates had deliberately transported grain to unregistered granaries in order to deceive the people in Southern Zhili.

Qin Chaoyang was already aware of this, so he simply led his men to the unregistered granaries.

The two magistrates immediately blamed their subordinates for the incident, claiming that they had misled their superiors.

Compared to maliciously delaying disaster relief, the momentary oversight of being misled by villains was a much smaller offense.

But Qin Chaoyang wouldn’t listen to excuses or threats, and promptly tied the two up. It was said that he was currently transporting them to the capital so that they could explain themselves to the Emperor in person.

The magistrates of these two regions hailed from the Xiao and Lu families respectively.

The reason they had deliberately withheld grain was because they had received instructions from these two families to cause trouble for Qin Xiao.

Now that the matter had been exposed, it was unclear whether the Xiao and Lu families still intended to protect these two individuals.

But that was of little importance. The important thing was that the drought, which everyone thought would be difficult to overcome, had been resolved so easily.

From beginning to end, Qin Xiao seemed to have done nothing more than simply send some officials from the Water Conservancy Bureau to those places and transfer some grain from Southern Zhili. 

The biggest variable in this matter turned out to be Nanjiang.

Everyone knew that the two vassal kings Bai Lihao and Bai Lizheng had a good relationship. The two were close in proximity, and their coordination during the drought was seamless, which forced Bai Liyue to release grain as well.

It was likely that the open and covert struggles between these vassal kings had led to the current situation.

Therefore, everyone in the capital was of the opinion that Qin Xiao just got lucky, and that the help from those two vassal kings was unintentional.

After reporting the good news that the drought had been resolved, the two officials withdrew.

The officials fell silent once more.

Just when everyone thought the morning court session would conclude peacefully, Deputy Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi stepped forward.

He bowed deeply before saying: “This subject has something to report.”

“Speak.”

Wang Pengyi looked up at Qin Xiao: “Yesterday, Eunuch Hong came to the Ministry of Revenue to sign an agreement, which said that he would be in charge of the fine salt trade from now on. Are Your Majesty and Lord Ning-wang aware of this matter?”

Everyone had heard about this, but they only knew that Hong Fu was signing an agreement on behalf of His Majesty, not that the other party would be monitoring them from now on.

Did that mean that Hong Fu would be keeping an eye on the Ministry of Revenue’s actions?

Being overshadowed by a eunuch, no wonder the Ministry of Revenue was unhappy.

However, Wang Pengyi’s current actions seemed to be partly aimed at venting the Wang family’s anger. After all, it was quite disgraceful for the family head’s eldest son to be beheaded in front of so many officials.

“This emperor is aware,” Bai Lihong stated crisply. “This emperor also intends to establish a Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs in the inner court led by Eunuch Hong, exercising supervisory responsibility over the outer court.”

Hearing this put the entire court in a state of shock.

Even the six ministers, who were perpetually unmoved by the winds of change, nearly lost their composure.

At present, Qin Xiao only had Chu Jiubian in the court, and it was difficult to find vacancies in other official positions.

So he simply went out and created a new department. Lacking civil officials, he simply called Eunuch Hong, who had been trained by Grand Marshal Qin, out to use. It was a brilliant move.

But once the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was established, Eunuch Hong’s role would no longer be limited to simply overseeing the fine salt trade. He would become a new power, Qin Xiao’s eyes and ears.

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs would constantly monitor the actions of the Six Ministries. Any actions taken by others would be hampered, making it easier for Qin Xiao to seize upon their weaknesses.

And with such a department managed by Hong Fu, a member of the Qin family, it would be impossible for other forces to win him over.

This move of Qin Xiao’s had truly caught everyone off-guard.

Even Wang Pengyi, who had originally only wanted to hamper Qin Xiao a little, had forgotten what he was going to say.

Of course, Chu Jiubian was also a little surprised upon hearing Bai Lihong’s words.

Yesterday, he and Qin Xiao had indeed explained to Bai Lihong why Eunuch Hong couldn’t accompany him during the day, and also tried to impress upon him the importance of Hong Fu’s work.

The child had solemnly declared that he understood.

This matter was complicated to implement, so Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian hadn’t told him how to explain it to the six ministers. The two of them were prepared to speak with them on their own.

But the young emperor had listened intently the entire time they discussed it, and must have taken their words to heart.

So at present, Bai Lihong was free to act as he saw fit.

Such a young child had not only understood what they were talking about, but also possessed the courage to make such a statement to the Imperial Court on his own. He was truly remarkable.

Chu Jiubian couldn’t help but recall the description of Bai Lihong in the original work —

He foresaw the political situation at a young age, and took charge of the government to usher in a prosperous era. His wisdom surpassed his age, and his political integrity brought peace from sea to sea. He became a role model for later generations of emperors.

As expected of the male protagonist, not only was he a brilliant child prodigy, but his rate of growth was also astonishing.

It seemed that Eunuch Hong was indeed the one who knew Bai Lihong the best, as he knew that the child was capable of understanding the Analects of Confucius.

Chu Jiubian looked toward Qin Xiao and found him looking back.

But after only a moment of eye contact, they tacitly looked away.

The others were not surprised that Bai Lihong could say such things, because while the young emperor had occasionally spoken a few words in court before, it was obvious that he had been coached on what to say by Qin Xiao.

This was how it went with a young emperor and a domineering minister.

It was no wonder that they all wanted to sit in Qin Xiao’s position – what was the difference between that and being the emperor themselves?

The atmosphere in the court gradually slid into something subtle.

Wang Pengyi finally regained his composure, and his demeanor became even more proper than before: “Your Majesty, this subject believes that such an action is inappropriate!”

His thoughts were not entirely the same as Wang Zhiyuan’s. He had disliked his deceased cousin, Wang Wenfu, and even felt some disgust toward him.

But he couldn’t bear to do nothing after watching his cousin die in front of him.

Of course, from Qin Xiao’s perspective, there was absolutely nothing wrong with his actions.

But from Wang Pengyi’s perspective, along with his personal motives, he felt that Qin Xiao’s actions were overly harsh and ruthless. There were clearly better solutions. No lives had to be lost.

Perhaps that was why his grandfather had always considered him weak.

He was indeed soft-hearted, and couldn’t bring himself to target outsiders, much less abandon his family members.

So in his current state of anger, he had intended to use the matter of Eunuch Hong to make things difficult for Qin Xiao. He just hadn’t expected such an incident as the “Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs” to rear its head.

As a result, he lost all interest in looking for trouble and became completely serious.

Qin Xiao sat calm and composed, sweeping his gaze over everyone and taking in their subtle expressions.

Standing beside the dragon throne, Hong Fu was able to vaguely see the figure of the young emperor from the corner of his eye.

For the first time, the child had spoken words in court that his uncle and Hong Fu hadn’t coached him to say. Somewhat nervous, the young emperor looked toward the two of them now that he was in a difficult position.

But Chu Jiubian lowered his eyes slightly, and Qin Xiao remained unmoved. Bai Lihong immediately understood that the two of them wanted him to do things his own way.

They were giving him a chance to grow!

Bai Lihong slowly exhaled, reciting inwardly, I must become strong, I must protect everyone. Then he opened his mouth and said: “How is it inappropriate?”

“The inner and outer courts have always been separate entities. Appointing Eunuch Hong Fu to oversee the sale of fine salt is already inappropriate; how can a Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs be added on top of that?” Wang Pengyi said with a frown, “Moreover, since ancient times, there has never been a precedent for eunuchs to hold political power.”

Deputy Minister of Rites Lu Qiaobo also stepped forward and bowed, saying: “Your Majesty, eunuchs are people who have been mutilated, and are mere servants. If they are allowed to take power, wouldn’t people laugh at our dynasty for having incapable people? What face will the Imperial Court have left?”

As soon as he finished speaking, a censor surnamed Lu stepped forward and said: “Your Majesty, it is the Censorate’s duty to supervise all officials. If the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs also exercises this supervisory power, wouldn’t the Censorate become merely a figurehead?”

The three of them, one after another, directly shattered the confidence Bai Lihong had just built up.

He felt that what these people were saying was wrong, but he didn’t know how to refute them, and could only look to his uncle for help.

But his uncle had his back to him and couldn’t see his pitiful little eyes, so he looked toward Chu Jiubian instead.

Fortunately, Chu Jiubian happened to be looking up.

The child’s eyes welled up with tears when their gazes met, looking unbearably wronged.

A smile flickered through Chu Jiubian’s eyes.

Poor child. He was just trying to act like an adult, but he got scared.

To avoid leaving him with such psychological trauma that he dared not speak up again, Chu Jiubian sent him a reassuring smile, then stepped out of the queue and bowed, saying: “Your Majesty is wise.”

Bai Lihong let out a quiet breath.

With Xiansheng and Jiujiu around, he wasn’t scared at all, just nervous.

And before, no matter what these officials said, although they addressed him as “Your Majesty,” their words were all aimed at Qin Xiao. 

But today was different. Today, these officials all seemed to be targeting Bai Lihong, which added to his nervousness.

When he saw Chu Jiubian stand before all of those officials, Bai Lihong clenched his small fists, inwardly cheering for his Xiansheng.

At the same time, he comforted himself by thinking, Miaomiao did a good job today. He had even taken the initiative to say a few words, and he would definitely be able to say even more in the future.

“Does Lord Chu agree with the establishment of a Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs?” Wang Pengyi turned to focus on him.

There was really no need to ask such a question. Everyone knew that Bai Lihong’s ability to say such a thing stemmed from a discussion between Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao.

“Of course.” Chu Jiubian looked back at him. “Lord Wang says that there has never been such precedent before, but precedents have to be set at some point in time. Are you saying that emperors of previous dynasties can establish so many precedents, but His Majesty cannot?”

With the accusation of ‘our dynasty is inferior to previous ones’ slapped on his face, Wang Pengyi’s expression changed: “That isn’t what I meant.”

Wang Zhiyuan closed his eyes.

This grandson of his was still young. How could he go along with Chu Jiubian’s words like this? Didn’t he just immediately lose the upper hand?

“Since that isn’t what you meant, then Deputy Minister Wang must agree with this matter.” Chu Jiubian cut off Wang Pengyi’s pretext with a single sentence.

Then his gaze fell upon Lu Qiaobo. “Minister Lu stated that eunuchs are servants, so what could be inappropriate about servants accomplishing things for their masters? You also work on His Majesty’s behalf. Could it be that you secretly consider yourself his master?”

“Lord Chu’s words are uncalled for.” Lu Qiaobo said with a frown, “This humble official naturally works on His Majesty’s behalf. But eunuchs are illiterate and ignorant of the law, so how can they distinguish between merits and demerits? Even regarding the matter of fine salt, would eunuchs be able to calculate the accounts?”

“Eunuch Hong is of the Qin family, and was personally taught and trained by Grand Marshal Qin. Before entering the palace, his talent was known throughout the capital.” Chu Jiubian sent him a mild look. “Is Lord Lu feigning ignorance when he knows this truth? Has he even forgotten the talented scholar who previously overshadowed him?”

Lu Qiaobo’s face paled, and he looked somewhat embarrassed.

Hong Fu was indeed an exceptional talent, and for quite some time, he was the role model in the capital whom various family elders compared the younger generations to. Lu Qiaobo and his peers had indeed been suppressed by Hong Fu for several years.

And having been trounced for so long by a servant the Qin family had taken in, he naturally felt aggrieved.

It wasn’t until the other party eventually entered the palace that he was able to stand tall.

Chu Jiubian continued: “Eunuch Hong is indeed kind-hearted, and has spent so many years in the palace teaching the maids and eunuchs to read and write. Now, the inner court is no less capable than the outer court.”

“As for the Censorate.” His voice turned cold as he regarded Censor Lu. “You know that you exercise the power of oversight and impeachment, but what exactly are you overseeing? Who has taken several concubines, and who has secretly missed a half day of work – are such things worth mentioning in the Imperial Court?”

Imperial Censor Lu wanted to refute, but was unable to.

The major powers in the capital had not yet fallen into total chaos, and there was no infighting. These censors, belonging to their respective factions, really didn’t have much to say from day to day. At most, they would criticize officials for impropriety in their private lives and talk about who wasn’t doing their job properly, but no one would actually take to task those who were corrupt, practiced bribery, and broke the law.

“Leaving aside more distant regions, let’s take the magistrates of Guizhou and Guangxi for example.” 

Chu Jiubian’s tone was quiet, but this just made it more unsettling: “Everyone present knows perfectly well what they did. It is one thing for others not to speak up, but you, the censors who are supposed to oversee all officials, are also silent. Are you deaf and blind?”

These words were a blunt insult directed toward the Censorate.

Qi Zhili felt that there was no error in Chu Jiubian’s words, but he also understood the difficulties these censors faced.

He also disagreed with eunuchs assuming power, so he stepped forward and said softly: “Lord Chu, there is something that this humble official doesn’t understand.”

Chu Jiubian had figured he would step out.

However, considering that the other party was Jiang Shuoye’s cousin and also had a rather good attitude, Chu Jiubian lost most of his previous aggressiveness. He nodded and said, “Please speak.”

“Without the constraints of family, eunuchs are like rootless duckweed; were they to assume power, they would have no scruples. Furthermore, eunuchs enjoy the deep trust of His Majesty. If they fabricate accusations, using this to suppress court officials and frame loyal ministers, what should be done?”

This person is quite clever, Chu Jiubian thought to himself.

Qi Zhili was referring to the problem of eunuchs causing political turmoil. This was a situation that was bound to happen if the emperor was incompetent and the eunuchs were treacherous.

However, as the saying went, specific problems should be analyzed specifically. In the current situation, Bai Lihong was not an incompetent ruler, and Hong Fu was not a treacherous official.

But he couldn’t speak the truth either, as it would be difficult to convince the public.

However, he and Qin Xiao had already discussed this situation.

Chu Jiubian glanced up at Qin Xiao.

The man’s gaze met his for a moment before focusing on Qi Zhili. 

“Suppressing court officials and framing loyal ministers.” A smiling male voice rang out, and all of the officials switched their attention from Chu Jiubian to Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao stood from his seat and slowly made his way down the steps.

“Is Deputy Minister Qi saying that with no Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, there will be no instances of suppressing court officials and framing loyal ministers?”

Everyone’s expressions changed slightly at these blunt words.

Qi Zhili hesitated to speak.

How could that be the case? The Imperial Court had long been rotten to the core.

The court fell into a momentary silence.

Suddenly, Su Sheng stepped forward and said: “Since the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is the will of Your Majesty, it is only natural that it should be established. We, Your Majesty’s humble servants, dare not raise any objections.”

Other ministers also shared his mindset.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao never fought battles unprepared. If they dared to bring up the topic today, then the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was certain to be established. It was useless for anyone to object.

However, the extent of the Directorate’s power needed to be carefully discussed and determined.

It was most appropriate for Su Sheng, as the Minister of Revenue, to raise this matter.

These old foxes were rather in sync when it came to such things.

As expected, after indicating that everyone was in agreement as to establishing the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, Su Sheng added: “It is only that the salt trade is a matter of national importance. The Ministry of Revenue has experience in this area, and we are certainly more familiar with the work.”

Since the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was a supervisory body, it should, like the Censorate, avoid interfering in other matters.

This being the case, they would need to be careful in the future not to give the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs any leverage. However, if the Directorate had so much power that it could interfere in the internal affairs of any government office, then many things would become troublesome.

Qin Xiao chuckled softly: “Does Lord Su mean to have the Ministry of Revenue monitor the matter of fine salt?”

“This is the duty of the Ministry of Revenue,” said Su Sheng.

“If the Ministry of Revenue were to handle this matter, how much of the silver would the National Treasury be able to collect?”

Qin Xiao was directly implying that the Ministry of Revenue was embezzling funds.

Although it was true, as long as the matter wasn’t made public, they were all honest officials and loyal ministers.

The reputations of these noble families were known throughout the land and recorded in the annals of history, which prevented them from becoming openly treacherous officials.

Therefore, none of them could accept Qin Xiao’s words.

But Qin Xiao insisted on laying everything bare: “How much do the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Personnel, the two most lucrative government offices, embezzle each year?”

The officials whose departments were called out did not look happy.

Qin Xiao continued: “How much of the military allowance from the Ministry of War actually reaches the soldiers each year? How many wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice does the Ministry of Justice carry out by accepting bribes? How much money does the Ministry of Rites pocket during holidays and festivals?”

Finally, he looked at Su Sheng: “All of these accounts are balanced by your Ministry of Revenue, ah.”

Seeing the unpleasant looks on everyone’s faces, Qin Xiao laughed again: “This lord seems to have made his point very clear.”

Everyone finally understood.

Qin Xiao intended to confront them head-on.

The two headless corpses at the palace gate served as both a threat and a deterrent.

Qin Xiao was telling them that he could overlook what happened during Emperor Yingzong’s reign, but from now on, these wealthy and powerful people could no longer extend their reach so far.

Chu Jiubian just observed for a while, then spoke up at the opportune moment: “All of you gentlemen are acting for the sake of the common people, and His Majesty understands this. The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is just an ordinary government office and will not interfere in the affairs of the Six Ministries. The fine salt matter can be considered the Directorate’s first assignment, to see if they are capable of sharing His Majesty’s burdens. If not, a decision can be made to keep it or disband it.”

By this point, who could possibly fail to see through Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao’s scheme?

Two noble young masters were killed as soon as the palace gates opened that morning. On the surface, it was done to tell the people of Great Ning that an Imperial Edict could not be disobeyed, but in reality, it was to remind the powerful families that Qin Xiao had troops at his disposal.

And behind him was Bai Lihong, the Emperor, who held the highest authority in Great Ning.

This inspired fear and submission.

Even if Wang Pengyi hadn’t brought the topic up during the morning court session, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao would have certainly still raised the issue of establishing the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs.

Then they took this opportunity to expose all of the dirty deeds of the Six Ministries. On the one hand, they told them that His Majesty knew about their past behavior but would not pursue it, and on the other, they warned them to take caution in their future actions.

After slapping them twice, Chu Jiubian gave them a piece of candy, saying that the affairs of the Six Ministries would be handled by the Six Ministries themselves, and would not be hampered.

The claim that a decision would be made on whether to keep the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs based on their handling of the salt trade was pure nonsense.

Once this government office was established, it would not be abolished.

After all of this, the court officials felt an overwhelming sense of pressure from Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.

Because they had all come to the realization that whatever these two wanted to do, they would make it happen.

In the future, the Imperial Court – no, the entirety of Great Ning – was likely about to undergo a complete upheaval…..

The drizzle outside had not yet stopped. When the court session ended and everyone left the main hall, the damp, moist air relieved a bit of the pressure on their chests.

Everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts, and even the first and second-rank officials filed out of the palace in silence.

The two corpses were still at the palace gates, crimson blood diluted into a pale pink by the rain.

Lu Youwei and Wang Zhiyuan deliberately lingered outside Fengtian Hall, standing silently a few steps apart.

They were waiting for someone.

By the time most of the officials had reached the palace gates, footsteps finally began to sound from within the hall.

The two of them turned around and, sure enough, laid eyes on the ever-smiling and gentle Eunuch Hong.

Hong Fu bowed to them and said: “Greetings, my lords.”

Despite their unwillingness, Lu Youwei and Wang Zhiyuan still bowed to him and addressed him as “Lord Hong.”

“You are too polite,” Hong Fu said, his smile unchanged. “I was thinking of signing the salt trade agreements with you two yesterday, but I didn’t have the time. Why don’t we sign them now?”

The two of them had remained behind for this very purpose, and readily agreed.

“Please come to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, my lords. This humble official has prepared the agreements for you.”

The day before, he had chosen Fanghua Garden, which was not far from Yangxin Hall, and converted it into the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. He had also found several eunuchs, including Xiao Xiangzi, to help him manage future affairs.

There were indeed very few people for the time being, much like a makeshift operation, but Hong Fu had a plan in mind. He would gradually develop the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs so that he could truly share the burdens of His Majesty and Lord Ning-wang.

“Please lead the way, Lord Hong,” said Lu Youwei.

Wang Zhiyuan spoke up: “May I trouble you for a favor, My Lord?”

Hong Fu replied: “If it is a matter concerning the younger generations of your two families, this official has already sent people to take care of it. I believe it will not be long before they are sent back to their respective residences.”

He politely used the term “take care of” rather than “dispose of the bodies.”

“Many thanks, My Lord.” Lu Youwei and Wang Zhiyuan bowed again.

Hong Fu exchanged a few pleasantries with them, then led the two of them to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs.

The two men also began to examine this Head Eunuch again, reflecting on his years of life in the palace. The man had not lost his spirit from his days outside the palace; however, compared to his youthful impetuosity, he had become more reserved and contemplative.

His good fortune was even harder to deal with now than it had been before.

Qin Xiao and Bai Lihong’s power seemed to have been expanding ever since Chu Jiubian appeared.

Regardless of what these powerful and influential people thought, the strengthening of Imperial power was already set in stone.

*

*

Outside the palace.

When Lu Xingwen’s body was returned to the Lu family, his parents wept uncontrollably.

“Family Head, you must get justice for Xingwen, ah!” 

“Xingwen was only seventeen years old, he was simply drunk and talking nonsense. How could they go so far as to not even leave a complete corpse!”

Lu Jinfeng stood in the courtyard, listening to the cries of his aunt and uncle from the collateral branch of the family with a heavy heart.

He knew Qin Xiao’s methods well. When An Wuji came to search the manor two days ago, he’d ordered everyone to bring out the so-called mandala. It was just a spice with some side effects, and anyone could eat it or not eat it as they pleased.

Lu Xingwen naturally hadn’t kept any hidden.

But he was acquainted with Wang Wenfu, the eldest son of the Wang family, and ended up consuming mandala with him while drinking wine, which caused him to go mad.

Now that he had brought this upon himself, Lu Jinfeng was heartbroken that the child had passed away at such a young age, but there was nothing he could do.

He turned and left the main courtyard, but instructed his servants: “Transfer two shops over to them.”

He truly didn’t want to remain in officialdom, or even this capital city, for a day longer.

But as the head of the Lu family, he had no choice but to stay.

Lu Xingwen was the couple’s only son, but had died a violent death before reaching adulthood. This was considered inauspicious, so the child was hastily buried, and was not even allowed to enter the ancestral temple.

The couple watched in a daze as their son was buried, and then received two shops as compensation from the family head.

“Two shops…..” the woman murmured, tears streaming down her face.

Two shops. Her child was only worth two shops!

Wang Wenfu, on the other hand, had a grand funeral.

Yuan Yu cried so hard that she fainted several times. And Wang Wenyao personally escorted his younger brother to his burial, his eyes bloodshot.

Due to the suddenness of the incident, Wang Huanzhi didn’t blame Wang Zhiyuan, but he could not allow his son to suffer such a great injustice.

Even if the boy was already dead, he wanted to vent his anger and comfort his spirit in the afterlife.

Thus, starting that afternoon, rumors about Qin Xiao’s brutality began to circulate widely.

He had beheaded two boys who hadn’t even come of age yet, showing absolutely no compassion.

Qin Xiao was a madman who killed without hesitation!

Ning-wang was bloodthirsty by nature; anyone who displeased him would be beheaded!

For a time, the common people in the capital were in a state of fear and unease.

Their respect for the Qin family had long transformed into fearful reverence as early as Qin Xiao’s massacre at Shenwu Gate.

Now, this reverence was gradually changing into pure fear and abhorrence.

How could the common people live well with such a tyrannical person holding absolute power?

That night, when Chu Jiubian had finished washing up and was preparing to lie down, Xiao Xiangzi told him about these rumors in a gossipy manner.

Chu Jiubian listened, and was lost in thought for a time.

These statements sounded so much like those in the original work.

But he knew the reality all too well: Qin Xiao was nothing like the word “tyrannical.” Chu Jiubian even felt that those two idiots deserved to die several times over for what they had done.

Was this the Wang family’s method of revenge?

Manipulating public opinion?

“Young Master?” Xiao Xiangzi called from behind the screen. “Are you asleep?”

“No. What does Qin Xiao plan to do?” Chu Jiubian asked.

Xiao Xianzi sighed: “When Xiao Yinzi went and learned these things, His Lordship only said one word when he told him about it —”

“He said ‘understood?’” Chu Jiubian asked.

“The Young Master still understands him better than I do.” Xiao Xiangzi’s mood inexplicably improved.

It was just that His Lordship didn’t care about his reputation, and allowed people to misunderstand him. It was like self-abuse. Xiao Xiangzi and the others were furious, because His Lordship was obviously not that kind of person!

Chu Jiubian chuckled silently.

He and Qin Xiao were indeed kindred spirits.

However, reputation was still a very useful thing. Qin Xiao may not care, but Chu Jiubian would help him protect it.

Perfect timing! He would see how capable his Believer in the [Charisma] category really was.

After sending Xiao Xiangzi to rest, Chu Jiubian closed his eyes and entered the Divine Realm.

“Summon Wang Qichen,” he said.

[It has been detected that Believer Wang Qichen is drunk and in a mindless state, thus eligible for summoning.]

[Summoning successful.]

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T/N: You guys are going to love Wang Qichen. I would absolutely read a spinoff story with this guy as the MC.

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Chapter 38 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 40