Chapter 420: A Snot-Nosed Kid or a Benevolent Enlightened Sovereign

Under the astonished gaze of the common folk, the clerk truly set up a slanted wooden board beneath the public trial platform, placed the inventory list and account books upon it, and pasted the first and last pages to the board with paste.

In these times, the common folk had an extremely strong moral filter toward so-called "upright magistrates," taking it for granted that a good official deserved complete trust. Such public verification and auditing of accounts was nothing but groundless suspicion, equivalent to splashing dirty water on someone in public—an insult to an official's reputation and personal integrity.

That Scholar Zhou dared to speak these words before the crowd was already sufficient proof of his incorruptibility.

Thus, after the account books were set out, not only did no common folk go to look, the crowd instead drew back somewhat.

It was now nearly dusk. Scholar Zhou looked at Zhang Yixian: "Do you have anything else to say?"

Zhang Yixian was now completely convinced and subdued, his eyes wide, silent and speechless.

Scholar Zhou read the verdict aloud in court, sentencing Zhang Yixian to decapitation. In addition, more than a dozen of Zhang Yixian's trusted eunuchs and henchmen were also beheaded.

The watching common folk were silent for a moment, then burst into cheers. Following that, a great number of commoners knelt down, shouting "Upright Magistrate" like a mountain roar.

At first only a patch of people knelt, then more and more knelt, until nearly all of the ten thousand commoners were on their knees. The cries of ten thousand people merged into one, and the momentum was truly astonishing.

Bi Ziyan and Cao Yubian were both deeply moved by the sight.

Shi Kefa looked at the commoners below the platform, then at Scholar Zhou gently waving his feather fan, and a surge of longing welled up in his eyes. He felt that being an official like this was the only way to not waste the sage's books he had read.

Below the platform, military police were repeatedly shouting through tin megaphones: "Please rise, everyone. Today's public trial is over. Come again tomorrow."

They shouted thus for a long while, until the sky had fully darkened, and only then did the crowd before the Chengtian Gate disperse completely.

Scholar Zhou's property inventory and income account books truly remained set out before the public trial platform, with no one taking them away and no one guarding them. Only an oilpaper umbrella had been stuck above them to protect them from wind and rain.

An old farmer stepped forward slowly, reached out to flip through the account books—one hand turning pages, the other making imaginary abacus calculations in the air, muttering to himself, clearly adding up and checking the figures.

This man was around fifty years of age, dressed in coarse cloth short garments, with mud splatters covering everything below the knees, wearing a pair of straw sandals. At first glance, he was just an ordinary old farmer from the capital's outskirts.

But upon closer inspection, this man's legs were muscular, his back straight, his hands thick and solid, his palms and tiger-mouths covered in calluses. His left hand had only three fingers—the little finger and ring finger were gone, and from the look of the stumps, they had been severed by a blade many years ago.

The man quickly finished flipping through the account books and worked out a rough figure in his head. He looked at the public trial platform with a complex expression, sighed, then turned and left, disappearing into the night within a few steps.

On their way home, the peddler Xiao Ma and his companions were still discussing the day's events. After parting with Tailor Feng, he and the paper-mache craftsman Old Chen turned into Chunshu Hutong.

The neighbors had long since brought stools and were waiting at the mouth of the alley. When the two returned, someone pulled them into seats, someone handed them water, someone fanned them.

The carpenter Old Liu anxiously asked how things had gone today, and Zhang Shouyu also brought a stool over to listen among the crowd.

The peddler Xiao Ma recounted the day's affairs with great animation. When he got to Zhang Yixian's various evil deeds and his cunning arguments, everyone cursed without cease.

When he told of Chief Inspector Huang exposing Zhang Yixian's lies, the neighbors shouted in delight.

Finally, when he spoke of Scholar Zhou's statement and the scene at the end when ten thousand people knelt shouting "Upright Magistrate," everyone wore smiles on their faces, as if they themselves had been among them.

A sudden wail came from the crowd. Everyone followed the sound and saw that it was Wang Chengzu's old mother, who had somehow arrived behind them.

She was a relative of a hereditary military household, and had recently been grieving the loss of her son in her old age. Now hearing with her own ears that the wicked thief who had embezzled the Capital Camps' military pay had been brought to justice, she found some small measure of consolation.

The neighbors comforted her with kind words, then called over several women from other households to help her back to her room.

Someone said: "Mr. Zhang, the thieves—the Xia soldiers eliminated harm for the people, and their officials are so incorruptible. Would they really do things like slaughtering common folk in Jiangnan? Could the rumors be mistaken?"

Zhang Shouyu looked utterly bewildered, at a loss for what to say.

The paper-mache craftsman Old Chen wiped his sweat and said with certainty: "They must be mistaken! In those officials' eyes, Great Xia is a bandit army—why would they say anything good about bandit soldiers?

I reckon Great Xia conducts public trials of officials in Jiangnan the same way. The officials harbored resentment and spread rumors in the capital!"

The peddler Xiao Ma set down his emptied water bowl: "Right! I think so too! After two days of public trials, I don't think the Xia army seems like bad people. Oh, and something else happened this morning—a squad of Xia soldiers came to eat breakfast. They thought the rice porridge had gone sour, but they didn't hit anyone or curse anyone. Even though they couldn't stomach it, they still paid."

Someone immediately chimed in: "Right, right! I've also heard people say that the Xia army always pays when they buy things, and if you refuse their money they get anxious with you. Where in this world are there soldiers like that?"

"Oh, and I also heard that they don't let you call them 'military lords'—you have to call them 'soldiers.' Isn't that strange!"

"Speaking of which, the Xia army has been in the city for over half a month now, and I haven't heard of any family's daughter being violated, nor have I heard of any soldier-bullies climbing over walls to rob."

The midwife Granny Zhao in the alley spat out a melon seed shell and said: "Who says there hasn't been? Just the day before yesterday there was one—in Shuanghuai Hutong in the western city, the blacksmith Li family's daughter was violated.

"Was it confirmed to be the Xia army's doing?"

Granny Zhao said: "How could it be false? He was wearing the crow-blue military leather! The one who did the evil deed was a half-grown lad, looked under twenty. He was beheaded the very next morning. This Xia army is truly ruthless with their own—off with his head the moment they say so."

The peddler Xiao Ma said: "That's what they call strict military discipline."

Granny Zhao spat out another melon seed shell and laughed: "I think that's just common sense. They ought to reopen Yanliu Hutong—the girls would have business, and the military lords could find their fun. Wouldn't that be wonderful? And the Xia soldiers love paying anyway, they don't eat for free."

"Get lost with you!"

A burst of teasing laughter rang out at the mouth of the alley, and several more people said they would follow Xiao Ma to watch the public trial tomorrow.

Zhang Shouyu, meanwhile, wore a completely bewildered expression—both confused that the Xia army's conduct did not match the rumors, and startled that his own voice no longer carried weight.

Before the Xia army came, the neighbors would consult him for advice on any matter. Now, when discussing the Xia army and the public trials, he found himself increasingly unable to get a word in.

The neighbors chatted at the mouth of the alley until dark, then each returned to their own homes before the curfew.

Early the next morning, Xiao Ma again brought a pouch of fried soybeans to sell outside the Chengtian Gate, and several more people went along with him this time.

Today's public trial was of Zhu Guobi. This man was a hereditary meritorious noble of the Great Ming; his ancestor was Zhu Qian, a meritorious official who had resisted the Oirat tribe during the Jingtai era.

Regardless of his ancestor's achievements, after so many generations had passed, the current Marquis of Funing, Zhu Guobi, had become a parasite who bled soldiers' pay, seized civilian farmland,

robbed shops, indulged wicked servants, and lent money at usurious rates.

Compared to Zhou Kui and Zhang Yixian, Zhu Guobi—because his title was not high and his power not great—had not stolen as much as they had. But he made up for it in continuity: generation after generation, over two hundred years of gnawing, the cumulative suffering inflicted on the common people of the Great Ming was no less than that caused by the consort relatives and the eunuch factions.

Moreover, Zhu Guobi was an arrogant, domineering, violent, and vicious man. His methods of amassing wealth were crude and stupid in the extreme—almost outright robbery—so that although he did not seize much, the common folk of the capital hated him to the bone.

Additionally, this man had another extremely foolish evil habit: indulging his haughty servants in committing violence on the streets.

His servants ran rampant in the capital, beating people in the streets and molesting common women—it was practically an everyday occurrence.

Because his noble status carried extra-legal privileges, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture did not dare to manage him at all, which made Zhu Guobi and his servants all the more arrogant.

When Chongzhen was still alive, ministers impeached this man every few days, but the memorials were all kept and shelved by the Emperor without response.

Now that Chongzhen was dead, the nobles' protective umbrella was gone.

When Scholar Zhou was selecting targets for liquidation, among the various nobles, Zhu Guobi's title was not the highest, nor was his embezzlement the heaviest, but he aroused the greatest public anger—so he was the first to be made an example of.

The public trial procedure remained the same: crimes were recounted in the morning, and the accused official was given the afternoon to defend himself.

The military police maintaining order had assumed that after two days, the people's anger had mostly been vented. They never expected that the moment Zhu Guobi took the stage, the crowd would erupt in fury, demanding severe punishment.

Hearing Huang Daozhou detail his various evil deeds one by one, Zhu Guobi at first tried to maintain a tough front, but before noon had already collapsed in a cold sweat, kneeling and begging for mercy.

In the afternoon, Zhu Guobi first tried to suppress others with his noble status, then tearfully spoke of his ancestors' great merits, and then brought up his achievements in impeaching the eunuch faction during the Tianqi era.

But it was all useless—Scholar Zhou read out the verdict, sentencing Zhu Guobi to execution by beheading, confiscation of all family property, and exile of the entire clan to the South Seas.

After hearing the verdict, Zhu Guobi was so terrified he collapsed on the spot, kneeling and weeping, kowtowing without cease, begging for mercy again and again.

The commoners below the platform erupted in thunderous cheers, and many who had been bullied and humiliated wept on the spot as they kowtowed in gratitude.

More and more people knelt to give thanks, and soon the scene became just like yesterday's.

At dusk, the neighbors of Chunshu Hutong all returned home satisfied.

At the very moment the capital was interrogating Zhu Guobi, a squad of Daxia cavalry was galloping through the territory of Baoding Prefecture.

The Baoding Prefect had not yet surrendered to Daxia, and this land was still, strictly speaking, under Ming control—for Xia army cavalry to suddenly ride in was inevitably somewhat risky.

But they were under Scholar Zhou's orders to meet with an important person, so a little danger could not be helped.

In the study of the Sun family estate in Gaoyang County, Sun Chengzong was buried in writing a military treatise.

In the first year of Chongzhen, he had been dismissed by the Emperor over Mao Wenlong's defection to Xia, losing his official position, and had been living idle in his hometown of Gaoyang ever since.

Though out of office, he remained anxious about the border troubles in Liaodong, so he wrote his military treatise on one hand while managing local defense on the other—instructing his clansmen to drill the village militia and build fortified hamlets.

It was also because of him that when Ajige broke through the passes this time and plundered all across Beizhili, Gaoyang alone was able to remain untouched.

Sun Chengzong had just reached the section on the art of cannon use, and in his manuscript he lavished praise on the red barbarian cannon, hailing it as "the god of the battlefield, the foremost of all weapons."

Next, he detailed in the manuscript the Battle of Changsheng Island in the third year of Tianqi, using the role of Lin Qian's navy to demonstrate the overwhelming power of artillery.

Then he recorded the recently concluded Battle of Guangqu Gate, writing down his reflections: "Though cannon are formidable, without infantry to guard their flanks they cannot display their full strength; and when infantry and cannon are combined, without cavalry to rout the fleeing enemy they cannot expand their achievements.

In battle between two armies, victory and defeat are decided not only on the field, but also among the scout riders ranging abroad, relaying intelligence like the wind, and guarding the supply routes.

Therefore infantry, cannon, and cavalry, supporting one another in use, are what enable one to respond to changes in an instant and decide victory across a thousand li.

Now observing the situation beyond the passes, the Jianzhou barbarians' strength lies in bow, horse, and sudden charges, while their firearms are crude and lacking; our Chinese strength lies in firearms and infantry formations, yet our elite cavalry is somewhat inferior—comparing thus, the balance of victory and defeat—"

Just as he was writing to this point, the study door was knocked upon, and the steward said: "Master, County Magistrate Liu has sent someone again."

Sun Chengzong showed slight impatience: "I won't see him! Just tell him—if the Jianzhou slaves come knocking at the city walls, this old man will naturally defend his land; but as for the Ming-Xia struggle, this old man has no wish to hear of it."

The steward hesitated a moment outside the door before going to relay the message.

Sun Chengzong continued writing his book, setting brush to paper: "The balance of victory and defeat—it remains unknowable."

He stroked his beard and thought for a moment, then struck out that line with a stroke of the brush, writing instead: "For China to obtain horses is easy, but for the Jianzhou slaves to cast cannon is difficult—comparing thus—"

Sun Chengzong felt somewhat dissatisfied, struck out this passage as well, and quickly wrote on the manuscript: "The Jianzhou slaves have seized many hereditary military household craftsmen, and iron-smelting in Liaodong is no difficult matter—the Ujen Cooha already possess over a hundred red barbarian cannon; when it comes to battle, I fear—"

"Tsk!" Sun Chengzong grimaced, erased this passage too, set down his brush, and leaned back in his chair, brooding in silence.

He felt that writing the truth would be too damaging to morale, writing falsehoods would go too much against his conscience, and writing something ambiguous would betray the very purpose of composing a scholarly work.

Just as he was hesitating, the steward's voice came again from outside the door: "Master—"

Sun Chengzong, already irritated, spoke harshly: "If that surnamed Liu wants to surrender, let him surrender! What reason is there to drag this old man along? Tell him to leave!"

The steward was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice: "Master, it is the Daxia army—they have delivered a letter."

Sun Chengzong rose abruptly and opened the study door: "Where is the letter?"

The steward presented the letter with both hands. Sun Chengzong took it and saw written on the envelope in a line of neat regular script: "For the personal attention of Grand Secretary Sun Chengzong," with the signature "Lin Qian of Daxia"—without using the Xia King's title, showing considerable respect.

Sun Chengzong took the letter, thought of opening it, but appeared deeply hesitant. He merely put the letter away and said to the steward: "Understood."

The steward asked: "Master, how shall we answer County Magistrate Liu and the letter-bearer?"

Sun Chengzong said: "It's just a letter—tell them it has been received, that's all."

Sun Chengzong returned to the study, set the letter casually aside, and continued his writing—but his mind was unsettled, his peripheral vision constantly stealing glances at the letter. An hour passed, and he had not written a single character.

Sun Chengzong finally rose, pacing back and forth in the room, still unable to make up his mind. He strode out of the house and called for the steward: "Send a fast horse to Dingxing at once, and ask Boshu to come over for a talk. Be quick!"

"Yes, Master." The steward, knowing his master's impatient temper, hurried off to relay the order, and soon a fast horse was out of the estate, galloping northward.

Boshu was the courtesy name of Lu Shanji. This man had been the foremost staff advisor when Sun Chengzong served as Supreme Commander of Liaodong, and Sun Chengzong relied on him like his own right hand—including the Battle of Changsheng Island, nearly all of the Liaodong strategies had been planned with Lu Shanji's counsel.

After Sun Chengzong was stripped of his rank and dismissed, Lu Shanji was likewise relieved of his post and returned home. His ancestral home was in Dingxing County of Baoding Prefecture, right next to Sun Chengzong's Gaoyang County—a fast horse could reach it in half a day.

By that evening, Lu Shanji had arrived at Sun Chengzong's estate, travel-worn and dusty.

Sun Chengzong exchanged a few words of small talk with him, then pulled him into the study.

"Boshu, that Battalion Commander He from the Battle of Changsheng Island—do you still remember him?"

Lu Shanji laughed: "A young general who rendered extraordinary merit—how could I forget? Though he deceived us about his identity at the time, his battle achievements at Changsheng Island were solid and real—over forty thousand Liaodong people owed their lives to him, and he gave that barbarian Manggūltai a thorough lesson! Hahaha—"

Sun Chengzong also showed a smile. In his years as Supreme Commander of Liaodong, the Battle of Changsheng Island was the most satisfying battle he had ever fought; afterward, the situation grew ever more difficult, and such glory was hard to come by again.

Lu Shanji reminisced for a while about the splendor of the Battle of Changsheng Island, then recalled the bonfire banquet beneath Shanhai Pass, chatting happily with Sun Chengzong.

After the two had talked and laughed for a time, Lu Shanji said: "Supreme Commander, the letter of persuasion from Daxia has arrived, hasn't it?"

Sun Chengzong's smile faded. He turned and took Lin Qian's letter from the desk.

"Supreme Commander, why not open it and take a look?"

Sun Chengzong said: "As for what the letter says, does one even need to read it?

The Great Ming's accumulated ills are too deep to reverse; the Emperor was obstinate and suspicious, leading to the fall of the state—truly... alas! Truly, it was self-inflicted.

But this old man was a jinshi of the thirty-second year of Wanli, and also Imperial Tutor to Emperor Xizong, having received the favor of three reigns—how could I, after the state has fallen, turn to serve a new master?

Moreover, this old man has been idle for many years; Liaodong is long since not what it was in my time. Even if I were to come out of retirement, all I could do would be to wave the flag and shout—I could no longer get a hand into the Guanning Army.

Lu Shanji stroked his beard in thought, then analyzed slowly: "Looking at the situation today, the Chuang army has entrenched itself in Henan and will surely march north before long. When two tigers fight, it is hard for both to survive.

If the Guanning Army were to surrender the pass to the barbarians at this moment and lead the Jianzhou iron cavalry south, then war would erupt suddenly, the people would be plunged into misery, and there would be a danger of the Central Plains sinking entirely.

Though the Xia army has seized the capital by surprise, its soldiers number fewer than twenty thousand—pressed by the Chuang army to the south and the Jianzhou slaves to the north, caught between two pincers, there is absolutely no chance of survival.

Presumably, the Xia King's invitation for you, Supreme Commander, to come out of retirement is precisely to persuade General Zu to pledge allegiance to the new dynasty, so as to secure the pass defenses.

This is a matter of justice for all under heaven, having nothing to do with old or new factions. For the sake of the people of the Central Plains, you, Supreme Commander, should accept with magnanimity."

At this moment, a servant knocked and entered, bringing tea and refreshments.

This was by Sun Chengzong's order—Lu Shanji, having received his summons, had ridden fast all the way without even eating dinner, so he had the servants bring some tea and snacks to tide him over.

After the servant left, Sun Chengzong said with a worried expression: "This is precisely why I am reluctant to accept. Do you know, Boshun, what Great Xia has done in Jiangnan to purge the gentry?"

Lu Shanji, who was also famished, grabbed a sesame pastry, wolfed it down in a few bites, and washed it down with tea before saying: "The gentry's tax exemptions were originally meant to honor the learned and encourage people to pursue scholarship, but after more than a century they have become an abuse eroding the nation's tax base. Great Xia abolished them with an iron hand—harsh in method, to be sure, but it is like cutting away rot to make way for new flesh. Not cruel or excessive."

"As for the rumors among the people of tens of thousands slaughtered in Suzhou, the Yangtze running red, common folk killed alongside the gentry, counties left nine houses empty in ten, and ten li of the Qinhuai River deserted—those are all fabrications spread by those with ulterior motives, utterly unworthy of belief."

Sun Chengzong smiled: "Do you think I don't know all this? The gentry Great Xia purged were all in Zhejiang and Zhili. Who knows how many court officials in the capital have had their families and property implicated. The Zhejiang faction hates Great Xia to the bone, so naturally they have spread no small number of rumors."

"These slanders might fool the street rabble and low-ranking scholars, but I am not so easily deceived by such talk. It is just that—"

Sun Chengzong's face clouded over again. He rose and paced as he spoke: "It is just that—what is it Zu Dashou wants? How could Great Xia possibly tolerate him?"

Lu Shanji's hand holding the pastry froze. Great Xia had slaughtered a swath of gentry who resisted taxes or evaded them—would they not be even harsher toward a warlord like Zu Dashou?

Even if Great Xia did not kill Zu Dashou, would they not seize his military command, disband his personal troops, and relocate his garrison?

And if everything remained as it was, would Great Xia supply the Guanning Army with pay and provisions?

If grain and pay flowed abundantly, Zu Dashou would only grow stronger on that momentum—would that not be raising a tiger to court disaster?

Sun Chengzong continued in a low voice: "To speak a heart-piercing truth, from the Jiangnan affair one can see that the King of Xia is a man of stern rigor who sees the finest detail and tolerates not the slightest speck."

"As the saying goes: when water is too clear, there are no fish; when a man is too discerning, he has no followers."

"The King of Xia's deeds are not the way of a true sovereign. His power may be great, but with such a temperament he may not sit securely on the realm."

"The allegiance of the realm is not yet settled—the Chuang army still has five hundred thousand men."

"If I lightly throw in my lot with Great Xia and the Chuang army attacks then, implicating my entire clan would be a small matter—but plunging the Central Plains into civil war and letting the Jianzhou barbarians reap the spoils, throwing the Chinese realm into chaos, would be a great one."

"If that came to pass, I would become a sinner through ten thousand generations for abetting chaos and inviting calamity."

"Therefore, while the situation remains unclear, I neither can nor will make my move. General Zu commands an entire Liaodong military establishment. Courted by the Jianzhou barbarians, Shun,

and Xia alike, he should all the more wait to sell himself at the best price. Surely he will not lightly surrender to the barbarians."

Lu Shanji set down the sesame pastry he had picked up and rose hurriedly: "How long can the Guanning Army's grain and pay hold out? If the Supreme Commander will not step forward to persuade him, then with the army short of food and wages, would their defection to the Jianzhou barbarians not be inevitable?"

Sun Chengzong only said: "We are still far from the point where the situation turns dire."

Lu Shanji cried out: "By the time the situation turns dire, it may be too late for the Supreme Commander to act!"

Sun Chengzong sat in silent bewilderment, and the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward for a time.

After a moment, Lu Shanji sat back down and softened his tone: "A few days ago, two young eunuchs and three palace maids from my hometown returned, escorted all the way by Xia soldiers. They said they were even fed several meals and had their wounds treated."

This was a trivial matter, yet Sun Chengzong was extremely interested and pressed: "Is this true? Did they speak of conditions inside the palace?"

"On the day the city fell, the palace attendants scattered in all directions. They hid in Cining Palace and escaped disaster. A few days later, Xia troops entered the palace and rescued them."

"Those palace attendants said Great Xia did not disturb the palace in the slightest and treated Empress Zhang with great respect and courtesy."

"Ever since the Xia army entered the city, not only the Imperial City but the inner and outer walls have been peaceful and stable."

Sun Chengzong fell into pensive silence.

Lu Shanji said: "It seems the King of Xia is not the callow youth the Supreme Commander takes him for. He does have some measure of tolerance."

Sun Chengzong smiled: "The King of Xia has conquered half the realm—he must possess extraordinary ability. I never said he was a callow youth."

Just then, the sound of the front gate opening came from the front courtyard. In the dead of night, when all was silent, the sound was exceptionally clear.

Sun Chengzong said: "A few days ago I sent Old Wu to the capital to gather intelligence. That should be him returning."

Lu Shanji was somewhat surprised: "You mean Eight-Finger Wu of the Guanning Army?"

"Precisely."

Eight-Finger Wu had originally been a Company Commander in the Guanning Army, highly skilled in martial arts. After Sun Chengzong became Supreme Commander of Ji and Liao, he had kept him as captain of his personal guard.

During the Tianqi era, when Sun Chengzong was forced out of office by the eunuch faction after the defeat at Liuhe, Eight-Finger Wu voluntarily followed him, and from then on became the guardian of Sun Chengzong's household.

Though his title was that of a household guard, his standing was exceptional—Sun Chengzong treated him as family. The village fortifications and local militias that held off the Jianzhou barbarians at Gaoyang County were also built with Eight-Finger Wu's help.

Sending him to the capital showed that Sun Chengzong's attention to political affairs was far less passive than he himself claimed.

Knowing that the Supreme Commander would not sit by while Zu Dashou defected to the enemy, Lu Shanji set his mind at ease. He rose and clasped his hands in salute: "In that case, I shall take my leave."

Sun Chengzong stopped him: "No need. Since it concerns the capital, you should hear it too—we can deliberate together."

"Master?" A voice called softly from outside the door.

Eight-Finger Wu's footsteps were extremely light—Lu Shanji had not even heard him approach the courtyard.

Sun Chengzong bade him enter.

The man who came in was dressed as a peasant, his legs splattered with mud. His left hand was missing its little finger and ring finger—shot off by an arrow in an early skirmish with Jianzhou barbarian scouts.

Sun Chengzong asked: "How are things in the city?"

Eight-Finger Wu wore a strange expression: "There are so many strange happenings in the city that I hardly know where to begin. But Zhou Kui and Zhang Yixian are to be beheaded by Great Xia. At this rate, I fear Wen Tiren will not escape the blade either."

Zhou Kui was the head of the consort clans, Zhang Yixian was the seal-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and Wen Tiren was the Chief Grand Secretary of the Great Ming.

Within half a month of entering the city, Great Xia had offended every powerful figure of the previous dynasty?

Hearing this, Lu Shanji choked on his sesame pastry and frantically pounded his chest.

Sun Chengzong's face turned grave, his brows knitting together as he urged: "Speak quickly!"

Yahei

Yuan

Pen