Chapter 200: Midnight Interception

By the time Shen Xiuting had been fully sliced apart, the hour had slowly crept into the afternoon, and the sun was already sinking toward the west.

This time, the disaster victims in Lantian finally got to eat a bowl of thick, rich congee. It was no match for steamed dry rice, but at least it beat plain water.

Moreover, the reigning Emperor had personally promised that after some time, able-bodied men would be organized to go to work. Whatever they did, they would receive wages and enough food to fill their bellies.

In an instant, the more than twenty thousand disaster victims were settled. Hearts that had been restless were now completely at ease. No one entertained wild thoughts anymore; they simply waited for the officials to organize the labor.

As for what kind of work, these people did not care in the slightest. Even if it was mining, even if it was cutting into a mountain — so long as they could eat their fill, who cared?

The matter of Lantian was thus resolved, but the Chongzhen Emperor had no intention of letting Ma Weiyin off the hook. He simply took him straight through Xianning County and on toward Chang'an County.

Passing through Xianning County, Ma Weiyin's heart leapt into his throat. If the Chongzhen Emperor uncovered any more damnable nonsense here, he might as well just slit his own throat or find a beam and hang himself.

The thought of the Emperor flying into a rage and having him sliced to death was too horrible to contemplate.

Fortunately, although Xianning County had no fewer disaster victims than Lantian, the situation was far better. The victims still wore looks of hunger, but along the entire journey, he had not seen a single person who had actually starved to death.

Therefore, though the Chongzhen Emperor's expression remained grim, at least no further monstrous trouble arose. For that alone, Ma Weiyin secretly resolved that he absolutely must promote the County Magistrate of Xianning County.

However, Ma Weiyin had no idea what Murphy's Law was. Had he known, he would certainly have offered his most cordial greetings to the eighteen generations of ancestors of the man who proposed it.

The more you fucking worry about something, the more it happens.

The Chongzhen Emperor was deliberately making things difficult. He refused to stay at post stations, refused to stay at inns, and insisted on taking only small paths, or simply camping right at the edge of the woods.

But he who walks too often in the night will eventually meet a ghost. Chongzhen, Emperor though he was, was no exception — he was bound to run into some sort of unexpected incident.

Just outside the small woods beyond Chang'an County, the Chongzhen Emperor poked at the campfire before him and asked Ma Weiyin, "From the time Minister Ma arrived in Lantian County until today, it has been three days. I wonder what impressions Minister Ma has formed?"

Ma Weiyin cupped his hands.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this subject can only feel: what crime have the common people committed?

To meet such great calamity, and yet still have men manipulating matters behind the scenes. This subject is incompetent — unable to detect the corrupt, unable to save the suffering people.

This subject is terrified. Once Xi'an Prefecture is stabilized, this subject shall of his own accord submit his resignation to Your Majesty, return to his hometown, and concern himself no more with the court."

Chongzhen chuckled. "Is that all?"

Seeing Ma Weiyin at a loss for words, Chongzhen continued, "You are a good subject, but you are not a good official."

Ma Weiyin was baffled. How could a good subject not be a good official? Though he was somewhat pedantic and rather foolish in the matter of pacifying and comforting the people, he still considered himself diligent, never slacking off. How could he not count as a good official?

Chongzhen saw the expression of thirsting for knowledge on Ma Weiyin's face as he gazed at him, and so Chongzhen chuckled.

"Among those who hold office, there are honest officials, and there are corrupt officials.

The character for 'official' has two mouths — one above, one below, manipulating things at both ends.

Does Minister Ma imagine that We delight in the daily rolling of heads?

We do not delight in killing, either. Each is a living, breathing life. To kill them just like that — Our heart, too, finds it unbearable.

But does Minister Ma know why, ever since We ascended the throne, We have continuously exterminated three degrees of kinship, exterminated nine degrees of kinship, and beyond the frontier, personally ordered the slaughter of dozens of tribes?

You must understand — dozens of tribes, tens of thousands of people, even the infants still in swaddling clothes, We did not let a single one go."

Ma Weiyin's heart jolted at these words. Everyone knew that the Chongzhen Emperor had sent heads rolling across the steppe. Even the edicts proclaimed to all under Heaven mentioned that 'Ligdan was disloyal; We personally chastised him, exterminating more than ten tribes.'

He simply had not expected that today he would hear the Chongzhen Emperor personally say that he had ordered even the infants not to be spared — and speak of it as more than ten tribes.

This dealt a heavy blow to his understanding.

After all, ever since he had bound up his hair and begun his studies, what he had learned was: 'Arms are instruments of ill omen; the sage uses them only when he has no choice,' and 'Though a state be great, if it delights in war, it is doomed.' How was it that, when it came to the reigning Son of Heaven, everything had changed?

Chongzhen, however, paid no mind to whatever Ma Weiyin was thinking and continued. "In the Great Ming, those We kill are all corrupt officials — and moreover, corrupt officials who harm the people. On the steppe, those We slaughter are foreign tribes, barbarians.

If those foreign tribes and barbarians were to later assimilate into Our Great Ming and become Our Great Ming's subjects, We would of course regard them as one. But right now, this is a national war to the death.

Those bullshit-addled pedants have merely read a few books, yet they jabber on day after day, as if the ones We killed were their own kin.

Yet can they not stop to think? If We do not slaughter these barbarians clean, what shall be done when the barbarians come to slaughter the people of Our Great Ming? Can we repel the enemy by relying on a few phrases of sage teachings and the magnanimity of a great state?

As for these corrupt officials, they are even more laughable. How many officials in the court are corrupt? And how many have We killed? Is Wei Zhongxian corrupt? Is Cui Chengxiu corrupt? Are Wen Tiren and Shi Fenglai corrupt? And yet, have We killed them?

Of those We have killed, which one was not a corrupt, unrestrained bastard who harmed the people?

In Our view, embezzling a little money is nothing. But one must not harm the people.

The Taizong Emperor of the former Tang dynasty put it well: the sovereign is the boat, the people are the water. Water can carry the boat, and water can overturn it.

Once these people-harming wretches drive the common folk to revolt, the realm will descend into chaos. Minister Ma, tell Us — could We tolerate them?"

Ma Weiyin, however, deeply regretted why he had ever grown this pair of ears. When an emperor confided his thoughts to a subject, it was, more often than not, no good thing. If even a whisper of it spread outside, that subject would most likely not live long.

But now that he had heard it, though sweat began to bead on his forehead, he dared not even wipe it away. He could only rise and bow. "Only today does this subject understand Your Majesty's painstaking intentions."

Chongzhen waved his hand dismissively and smiled. "We have digressed. Just now, We said you are a good subject but not a good official — there is a reason for that.

It is said: hold office for a term, bring prosperity to a region. If you could bring great order to Xi'an Prefecture, so that even in times of natural disaster no disaster victims starved to death, then you would be a good official.

Yet while you possess respect and loyalty, your ability to govern a locality is insufficient. Therefore, We said you are a good subject, not a good official.

After this matter is concluded, do not resign. Come to the capital and serve as a Censor-in-Chief. Go out and travel on Our behalf, take a good look at this realm, and see how many more places like Lantian County there are.

We grant you leave to use the express reports of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the postal relay stations to secretly report these matters to Our knowledge."

Ma Weiyin secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva. This matter today was no longer up to him.

The Emperor's words had forcibly bound him to this course. From now on, he could only resign himself to being a member of the Emperor's faction — or, as it was now called, the eunuch faction.

If he uttered a single word of refusal, he feared that before tomorrow dawned, one more corpse would appear on the street.

After a moment of inner turmoil, Ma Weiyin could only cup his hands. "This subject thanks Your Majesty for your favor and shall certainly not fail Your Majesty's high expectations."

The Chongzhen Emperor smiled and waved his hand. "Enough, enough. Rest first. Tomorrow We must still go and see Chang'an County."

Ma Weiyin was just about to cup his hands and assent when a loud shout came from the distance: "Quick! Cut off that brat!"

The Chongzhen Emperor frowned and asked Zhu Gang, who was hurrying over, in a low voice, "What has happened?"

Zhu Gang bowed. "Reporting to Your Majesty, up ahead, several men are chasing and trying to kill a youth. The youth likely spotted the firelight here and is running this way."

Chongzhen grunted in acknowledgment, thinking to himself: Could this fucking be the legendary protagonist halo, where trouble inevitably finds him? I just randomly picked a small patch of woods, and I still fucking run into a midnight chase and killing?

Could this youth being chased be carrying some secret treasure? Or a martial arts manual?

Or a treasure map?

His interest piqued, the Chongzhen Emperor asked, "Any problem with letting them come through?"

Zhu Gang grinned. "Your Majesty, rest assured. They are merely a few ruffians without bows or crossbows. Even if there were more, it would be no problem."

Chongzhen grunted. "Then let them come through. We are quite curious."

Zhu Gang cupped his hands again. "Your Majesty, rest assured. This humble officer will arrange it at once."

With that, he went off to instruct the Embroidered Uniform Guard lying in ambush on the perimeter, signaling them to let these people pass.

Just as the Chongzhen Emperor had expected, the pursued youth indeed ran all the way in this direction.

Chongzhen could not help but grumble inwardly: Your next move is to shout for help, isn't it?

Sure enough, as the youth ran, he shouted, "Help!" But just after that one shout, he immediately followed it with, "Run! The men behind have blades!"

The corner of the Chongzhen Emperor's mouth twitched, but he called out, "Come over here! I have some household guards here!"

The youth was overjoyed at these words and ran, panting, all the way to a spot not far in front of the Chongzhen Emperor, where he stopped.

Looking at the youth before him, gasping for breath, bent over with his hands on his knees, the Chongzhen Emperor asked with curiosity, "That youth — who are you? Why are people chasing to kill you?"

By now, the youth's breathing had gradually steadied somewhat. Hearing this, he straightened up, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, young master.

This one's surname is Chen, given name Zuqi, originally from Shanxi, a jinshi of the fifth year of Tianqi, and son of Chen Zheng, the County Magistrate of Chang'an County. I was out traveling for pleasure when I encountered ruffians, and thus fled here."

Ma Weiyin felt as if his head were about to explode.

It seemed the Emperor was right — he was indeed no good official. Such a situation had arisen under his jurisdiction. Since when could these ruffians run so rampant?

The Chongzhen Emperor, however, first cast a glance at Ma Weiyin before speaking indifferently, "No matter. Now that you have reached this young master, you are safe."

No sooner had the Chongzhen Emperor spoken than a loud, raucous laugh rang out: "A toad yawning — what colossal nerve you have!"

Chongzhen saw that the very men hunting this young gentleman named Chen Zuqi had arrived, and said with a smile, "What's this? A man can't even speak now? Tell me, why are you after this gentleman?"

After all, he had been Emperor for a long time, and an Emperor who had led his empress into battle — his bearing was far beyond the ordinary. Though he had only four guards at his side, he still commanded an authority no one dared underestimate.

The killers looked him up and down, and then their leader spoke: "This humble one does not know your background, young master. But this humble one has taken a man's coin, and must therefore relieve him of his trouble.

Once this brat is dead, the matter is settled. Young master, do not bring ruin upon yourself."

Oh, so they still spout that damned jianghu code of honor? The Chongzhen Emperor, boss of the biggest underworld outfit in the world today, felt a surge of mischievous amusement.

"Young master here asked you a question — did I tell you to say anything else?

Speak: why exactly are you hunting him? If this brat is in the wrong, young master here will hand him right over to you!"

The lead killer said in a deep voice, "Knowing too much is not necessarily a good thing! Those four guards at your side, young master, plus one steward — can they withstand the dozen or so brothers behind me?"

Chongzhen smiled and went on, "What's this, relying on numbers, thinking you've got young master here for sure?!"

The lead killer gave a cold chuckle. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. But that my side has more men is an indisputable fact. If you insist on protecting this brat, young master, then when the blades start flying soon, do be careful — swords and knives have no eyes!"

Hearing the threat in the killer's words, the Chongzhen Emperor laughed. "Fine, that works too. Today I'll show you what 'numbers' really means!"

The moment the Chongzhen Emperor's words fell, Zhu Gang and Fang Zhenghua, standing at his side, called out in unison.

From the ground nearby, from the edge of the woods, from within the thick grass, a crowd of shadowy figures rose to their feet. The dozen or so killers all tightened their grips on their blades.

This was trouble. These men were dressed in the uniforms of Great Ming guard-station soldiers. Who knew what background this noble young master resting here had, to actually have a hundred-odd guard-station troops as his escort.

What chilled the killers' blood even more was that among these guard-station soldiers, quite a few had already drawn their bows and nocked arrows, aiming straight at them.

The lead killer was decisive enough. He bellowed, "Withdraw!" and made to lead his dozen-odd men in a fighting breakout.

The hunted Chen Zuqi, seeing that this noble young master had guard-station troops protecting him and that, even if his identity was unclear, he surely could not be in league with his own enemies, immediately shouted, "I beg you, young master, stop them!

They killed my father, the County Magistrate of Chang'an County!"

Chongzhen's brows tightened. He barked, "Take them!"

At the command, the Embroidered Uniform Guard escorts aimed their bows at the killers' lower bodies, took brief aim, and loosed their arrows directly.

Once the killers had all collapsed from leg wounds, the officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard strode swiftly forward, reached out and seized the killers' jaws, and with a slight exertion of force dislocated every one of them.

Then, they reached into the killers' mouths and searched around, and only after extracting a pea-sized pill from their teeth did they bind the killers securely and bring them before Chongzhen to report.

Chongzhen said coldly, "Speak. What exactly is this all about."

The lead killer gave a defiant snort and replied, "No one sent us. A private vendetta."

Chongzhen waved his hand in disgust and instructed Zhu Gang, "He's yours. Get to the bottom of it — cause and effect."

Zhu Gang bowed. "Yes."

Once Zhu Gang had taken several killers off to one side to work on them, Chongzhen turned his gaze to the hunted Chen Zuqi. "You're no honest one either. Speak — what exactly is going on here!"

Notice: The Tyrant has submitted his resignation; starting around March 2nd, he will be writing novels full-time.

(End of chapter)