Chapter 375: Loyalty Is Not Absolute

Zhezhi City is quite large in scale, but its outer walls are very low and its city walls are thin. In short, the outer wall was never meant to stop an enemy army's attack; it can only deter bandits, offering very limited security.

Riding into Zhezhi City on horseback, traveling the wide, sand‑filled dirt road, Fang Chongyong looked around and saw every household's doors and windows shut tight, commerce desolate, the residents defending against the Tang army as if defending against thieves.

Not a single "idle person" could be seen on the streets.

"Probably because Gao Xianzhi's previous sweep was so ruthless, now we're being treated as if we're from Gao Xianzhi's side,"

He Changqi spurred his horse forward and whispered to Fang Chongyong,

The latter waved his hand lightly, without any idle talk—it's obvious, isn't it!

Fang Chongyong was too lazy to even respond.

Heh, I guess the dogs in Zhezhi City, hearing the Tang army arrive, would start digging holes to hide on the spot.

The wealth Zhezhi City has amassed over decades is now all stored inside the royal palace! Fang Chongyong isn't in a hurry, but He Changqi and his companions are so anxious their backsides are on fire!

As for why, during the power vacuum after the Dashi people were betrayed, no one dared to loot the Stone Nation palace's storerooms.

Then we have to ask the one now guarding it for Che Guangqian, that Dashi Governor Huo Luoshan Abu Muslin… the head.

West of Congling, aside from Fang Chongyong, no one's neck is harder and harder to cut off than Abu Muslin's.

Now that even Abu Muslin has been separated head and body, those who think of looting must weigh the severe consequences of a Tang army's plunder.

Which matters more, money or life?

"Jiedushi, say it or not, that saintly woman's residence is truly impressive.

A woman like that should be properly tutored by a great hero like the Jiedushi."

Arriving before the palace, He Changqi said with a hint of envy,

If Zhezhi City's outer town is like an undefended garden, then the Stone Nation palace is far more "solemn."

The palace is a fortress, not only massive in scale but also fed by a tributary of poisonous water, serving as a moat that runs directly from outside the city to the palace.

Walls several tens of meters high, fully fortified, seem capable of storing plenty of supplies; even if besieged temporarily, they could hold out for a while.

When Fang Chongyong recalled Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Jinsikaiya's bedroom affairs, many times she played exuberantly, excited to the point of near exhaustion, yet she still couldn't stop thinking about Zhezhi City's palace.

Not only did she lie lazily in Fang Chongyong's arms describing the city's scenery, but she also occasionally cursed Gao Xianzhi.

Fang Chongyong instantly understood the source of this woman's hatred.

Rather than hatred over a fallen nation and ruined family, it's more a fear of losing her noble status and comfortable life.

Beneath the hatred lies confusion about her future life and a denial of her own existence.

Although Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Jinsikaiya berated Gao Xianzhi fiercely, she never once mentioned becoming the future Stone Nation queen, nor begged Fang Chongyong to escort her back to Stone Nation for coronation.

It seems Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Jinsikaiya lacks any political talent or desire to govern; she knows this herself. She is a truly lazy woman who neither knows nor wishes to know the people's hardships.

She may not be truly evil, but she is genuinely lazy, spoiled by comfortable conditions since she came of age, like a greenhouse flower—beautiful but unable to withstand any wind or rain.

Fang Chongyong suddenly felt he was almost like a goblin—one of those unusually strong, fierce, and battle‑ready goblins.

After getting the beautiful and delicate princess, he would brutally debase and train her.

"Jiedushi, shall we enter the palace?"

Seeing Fang Chongyong zoning out, He Changqi stepped forward to remind him,

"Let's go in and see; this Jiedushi wants to know what exactly has Gao Xianzhi so bewildered he can't move."

Fang Chongyong gave a contemptuous smile, spurred his horse across the hanging bridge over the moat, and entered the Stone Nation palace.

…

"Alas!"

Inside the great hall of the Dali Temple office, Zheng Shuqing paced anxiously like a frantic cat, raging impotently there.

Whether he's incompetent is debatable, but his fury is undeniably real!

Just now, Chen Xilie, who had been eating and drinking well in the Dali Temple prison, was suddenly found to have "lost his mind" and committed suicide!

Why did Chen Xilie lose his mind?

Zheng Shuqing doesn't know! He couldn't possibly see Chen Xilie as a suicidal person!

Chen Xilie was in the Dali Temple prison, and even because his clothes were dirty, Zheng Shuqing arranged for a guard to give him a new outfit, even insisting he was innocent and should never wear prison garb!

Would such a person hang himself? Can you believe it?

Anyway, Zheng Shuqing doesn't believe it, but the facts are in front of him: Chen Xilie truly did commit suicide, at least he hanged himself.

"Why did Chen Xilie kill himself! Which guard let an assassin in! He must have been murdered!"

Zheng Shuqing roared in the Dali Temple office hall, while Yan Zhenqing, seated nearby, remained silent.

It's not that he looks down on Zheng Shuqing's misconduct; rather, the matter truly smells odd.

Zheng Shuqing usually likes to be a hands‑off manager, but Yan Zhenqing is diligent. While Zheng's venting is improper, he did say something correct; later Yan Zhenqing investigated thoroughly. The door of Chen Xilie's cell was never opened, and the coroner performed an autopsy—this unlucky fellow truly died by hanging.

And it's highly possible he hanged himself.

Anyway, no matter how they search now, Zheng Shuqing and his team haven't found even a trace pointing to someone plotting against Chen Xilie to create a "suicide" illusion.

If this could be done unnoticed, the mastermind behind it truly has eyes and hands everywhere!

"Has Chen Xilie seen anyone these past few days?"

Yan Zhenqing suddenly asked Zheng Shuqing a very strange question.

Who knew that remark instantly irritated Zheng Shuqing!

"There is no one! Ah!

Because I'm afraid something will happen, I personally deliver the meals every day; if you talk about suspicion, I'm the biggest suspect!

So should I be arrested and interrogated! Ah?"

Zheng Shuqing's eyes were blood‑red as he roared at Yan Zhenqing, spitting furiously.

Officially, he was already very cautious. Besides delivering meals himself, he assigned five guards to watch, supervising each other, forbidding anyone from acting alone; unless absolutely necessary, no one was allowed near Chen Xilie's cell.

Yet in the end, something went wrong!

How it happened, no one knows, but Chen Xilie's hanged corpse is hanging in the prison, and no one can shirk responsibility!

Zheng Shuqing's malice is growing bolder; nowadays he'll bite anyone he catches.

"Zheng Zhengqing, calm down a bit. I haven't been at the Dali Temple office these past few days; think carefully—what else might have been missed?"

Yan Zhenqing furrowed his brow and asked.

These past few days, an official in a county near Chang'an committed a crime that the local county office couldn't handle, so Yan Zhenqing went to conduct an urgent interrogation, brought the person back to the Dali Temple, and thus wasn't in Chang'an, avoiding the turmoil.

So now Yan Zhenqing feels great sympathy for Zheng Shuqing's predicament, but being anxious won't solve the problem.

Suddenly, Zheng Shuqing seemed to recall something, as if struck by lightning! He froze on the spot, too frightened to move.

"Bu-bu-bu-bu... no, no, it can't be!"

Zheng Shuqing's speech was trembling, utterly incoherent, almost as if possessed.

"Did Zheng Zhengqing recall something?"

Yan Zhenqing asked doubtfully; it was obvious that Zheng Shuqing's face was both anxious and fearful—he must have recalled some major matter!

"This official has urgent business! Someone, prepare the horse! This official must go to Huaqing Palace to plead guilty before the sage!"

Zheng Shuqing took off running, his official cap falling to the ground without him having time to pick it up, but a bailiff saw it, retrieved it, and handed it back to him. By then Zheng Shuqing had already found a horse, ready to gallop wildly through Chang'an.

After riding hard for several hours, when Zheng Shuqing reached the foothills of Huaqing Palace, it was already deep night. Fortunately, among the guarding Shence Army soldiers, someone recognized his official robe, otherwise they would have taken him for a bandit and shot him with an arrow!

After being led by the palace guards into the Huaqing Palace hall, Zheng Shuqing was quickly taken by Gao Lishi to the "Nine Dragon Bath" pool, where Lord Ji was currently dozing in the hot springs, a blissful expression on his face.

And Zheng Shuqing, having ridden hard on horseback, was drenched in sweat; the cold wind made him shiver involuntarily. His official cap had been stashed in the saddle bag earlier, and as he rode headlong into the wind, his hair had been blown into a disheveled mess, looking quite bedraggled.

"Lord Zheng, why aren't you on duty at the Dali Temple, yet you've come to Huaqing Palace?"

"Could it be that you've caught the true assassin of the right minister?"

Lord Ji, while lazily paddling in the hot springs, asked indifferently,

"Well, your servant has a major discovery to report to the sage."

Zheng Shuqing knelt on the ground and performed a full prostration.

"Eh? No need for so much ceremony—speak, what's the situation?"

Lord Ji turned to look at Zheng Shuqing, asking calmly; his demeanor was very easygoing, yet one could not discern what he was thinking.

Zheng Shuqing rose, couldn't help glancing at Gao Lishi beside him; seeing the latter nod with a smile, he swallowed and said:

"Sage, yesterday Chen Xilie confessed to your servant, saying his sins were grave, that he was worse than a beast and unworthy of being human."

He also said he felt ashamed of the sage's grace, ashamed of the right minister's patronage, unworthy to live in this world, suffering torment day and night.

Your servant asked why he spoke thus; he merely shook his head, refusing to say anything.

Your servant again asked what he needed; he said he wanted nothing, had no face to make a request, merely asking that your servant give him a clean garment to wear, stressing that it should not be prison garb.

Your servant thought this mattered little, since the court had not yet convicted him, so he gave him a fresh set of clothes.

But unexpectedly, when your servant personally brought him food today, he discovered…… Chen Xilie had already hanged himself!

Your servant truly did not expect him to end his life like that in the Dali Temple prison.

Your servant puts his head on the line as guarantee: absolutely no one tortured Chen Xilie, not even an interrogation; your servant can even be certain that besides himself, no one spoke to Chen Xilie! Perhaps he truly felt guilty, unable to face the world.

Your servant was momentarily negligent; please, sage, impose punishment!

Whether imprisonment, exile, or removal from office, your servant bears no complaint!

Zheng Shuqing again prostrated himself on the ground, bursting into loud sobs.

Alas, if only he had known earlier, why bother in the first place!

Lord Ji rose from the hot springs, changed into a sleeping robe, and let out a deep sigh.

It's unclear whether he was saying Chen Xilie brought it upon himself, or that Zheng Shuqing neglected his duties.

"Your servant is guilty, unrelated to others in the Dali Temple; please, sage, mete out punishment!"

Zheng Shuqing again kowtowed to plead guilty, saying:

Only then did Lord Ji help him up, shaking his head slowly and saying:

"What crime does the beloved minister have?"

"I am merely lamenting that Chen Xilie was momentarily bewitched!"

"He thinks that Ge Nu blocked his official path, and with Ge Nu present he could never become a minister."

"Little does he know that without Ge Nu, he couldn't even enter Chang'an! I initially didn't even know such a person existed!"

"How lamentable that Ge Nu once wholeheartedly recommended Chen Xilie, yet he shamelessly repaid kindness with enmity, hiring assassins to plot murder!"

"The affairs of the world are truly absurd! All officials should take heed!"

"Since Chen Xilie has already repented and confessed, we should not implicate his family; let's make this major matter minor, then trivial, then none—keep it low-key and wrap up the case swiftly."

"Do you understand my meaning, beloved minister?"

"The right minister is already gone; I don't want anyone gossiping behind his back about this."

Lord Ji asked slowly, his tone though plain, made Zheng Shuqing's hairs stand on end!

"Your servant understands: Chen Xilie's conscience was not extinguished; recalling the right minister's past kindness, he could not face his own conscience, so he hanged himself in the Dali Temple prison."

"This case is truly…… a pity, too great a pity. Your servant doesn't know how to evaluate it properly! Please, sage, discern clearly!"

"Your servant will now return to draft the case file, preparing to close the case!"

Zheng Shuqing said with a sorrowful face.

Lord Ji's face finally showed a long‑absent smile; he patted the dust off Zheng Shuqing's official robe and said: "Hurry back to the Dali Temple to attend to your duties—finish early, and Ge Nu, even in the springs below, knowing, may also rest in peace."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Shuqing finally could not help but relax his breath.

He bade farewell with trepidation, arrived at the foot of Huaqing Palace, and just as he stepped out the gate—perhaps tripping on a stone—his legs gave way, he stumbled and sat heavily on the ground, gasping for air.

At this moment Zheng Shuqing's legs were trembling; he simply could not stand.

The distant Shence Army guards on duty noticed something amiss, stepped forward to inquire, but Zheng Shuqing merely waved his hand lightly, indicating they need not bother him.

After a long while, he finally regained his composure and, leisurely, struggled to stand up from the ground.

Zheng Shuqing wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling as if he had circled the Ghost Gate many times and only now escaped. The peril of this situation was unprecedented, and his heart was still pounding wildly.

Zheng Shuqing rode his horse away, vaguely sensing that two shadows were following him from behind.

He dared not look back, muttering softly, "It's not me, it's not me, it really isn't my business. Every grievance has a source, every debt a creditor; I'm just a hard‑luck official, supporting a family, with no guarantee of tomorrow. You won't find anything by looking for me; go find the ones you should."

Zheng Shuqing's frantic, delirious demeanor left the soldiers of the Shence Army, who were on guard, baffled, unable to grasp what the Minister of the Great Justice Temple was up to.

Inside Zhezhi City, the Stone Country's royal palace was grand in appearance, yet its interior was lavishly ornate. The king of Stone Country cared little for weapons and armor, but paid great attention to interior decoration! The palace's simple, majestic style differed from the refined Xingqing Palace, yet it possessed a distinct charm that made visitors linger.

But at this moment, no one was there in the palace's main hall to appreciate its scenery.

With one foot planted on the throne stone chair, Fang Chongyong drew his Swift Wind Illusion Blade, pointing at the trembling kings and nobles of the Western frontier small kingdoms below the steps, a mysterious smile spreading across his face.

"Stone Country nobles, retreat to the doorway. Gao Xianzhi seized yours; this ambassador will return the items to their rightful owners. What I'm saying now has nothing to do with you."

Fang Chongyong flicked his blade, signaling the uninvolved parties to step back.

The Stone Country dignitaries, whose hearts had been near the heavens, took large steps backward, each unable to hide a private sense of relief.

Sure enough, the pillow‑talk of a woman in bed often works.

No matter how lewd Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Jinsikaiya has been trained into a wanton woman, how seductive she is while serving Fang Chongyong in bed, at least this time she saved the Stone Country nobles.

These people praised Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Thus Character: Jinsikaiya in their hearts for daring to feed a tiger with her own body.

Seeing the Stone Country nobles withdraw, Fang Chongyong said to the man beside him, Feng Changqing:

"Go record the names of everyone present besides the Stone Country nobles, and note which country and town each belongs to.

Then have He Changqi take the list and travel to each region, matching names to targets. Any local dignitary or Great Hu merchant whose person or direct relatives are not on the list will have their property confiscated and be reduced to slavery!"

Fang Chongyong shouted the order, truly cruel to the extreme.

In short, the dignitaries absent today will become slaves from now on; this horse‑riding is far more ruthless than Gao Xianzhi's games!

Many of those present understood Mandarin; the moment they heard Fang Chongyong's words, the crowd boiled over!

Kang Country's envoy Kang Suobo stepped forward, saluted Fang Chongyong and asked, "Angel, didn't you originally say that we are forced, coerced by the Great Food Nation? You understand our hardships; will you not hold these small nations accountable?"

When he said that, a roar rose from below; the crowd immediately began whispering to each other!

If Fang Chongyong truly gave such a guarantee, his current actions are far more vicious than Gao Xianzhi's past games!

"Kang Country envoy, you may eat the rice however you like, but you must not speak recklessly!"

"This ambassador never promised you any of those things."

Fang Chongyong descended the steps, stared directly at Kang Suobo, and, without courtesy, tapped the envoy's shoulder with his sword sheath, scolding:

"What this ambassador said that day was: Gao Xianzhi will no longer trouble you in the future.

Look, now Gao Xianzhi is in Broken Leaf Town; he hasn't even come to Stone Country, yet isn't that already trouble for you?"

"I said Gao Xianzhi wouldn't come after you, but I never said this ambassador wouldn't."

"Your skill at comprehending what others say is quite lacking."

Fang Chongyong looked around at the crowd; the many Western frontier small‑kingdom dignitaries lowered their heads, daring not to meet his gaze.

(End of chapter)