Chapter 17: Imperial Edict Presses the City, Jiang Che Does Not Kneel

The next morning, the Capital City delegation entered Hanzhou City.

The procession was very long.

In front were ceremonial guards, behind were the Imperial Guard, and in the middle, eight white horses pulled a golden-roofed carriage.

Inside the carriage sat the State-Supervising Eunuch, Wei Chong.

This man held immense power in the Capital City, commanded the Inner Court Rites Bureau, and delivered edicts for the Emperor; wherever he went, regional governors were required to kneel and welcome him.

Yet when he entered Hanzhou City, no one knelt at the city gate.

The remnants of the Northern Garrison Army formed ranks on the city walls, while the people of Hanzhou City stood by the streets, everyone silent.

Wei Chong lifted the carriage curtain, glanced at Hanzhou City, and sneered: "Wild people of the borderlands indeed know no manners."

The commander of the accompanying Imperial Guard spoke in a low voice: "Your Excellency, this place has only just recovered White Bone Pass; Jiang Che's reputation is extremely high."

Wei Chong snorted.

"Reputation?"

"Under the whole sky, all land belongs to the King. No matter how imposing the Zhenbei Marquis Manor is, it is merely the Emperor's dog."

Half an hour later, the delegation arrived at the Jiang Family Old Residence.

Jiang Che did not come out to welcome them.

He was practicing swordsmanship on the Martial Arts Ground.

The Green Bamboo Sword was drawn out again and again; the sword light was slow, yet extremely steady.

Wei Chong was left waiting for half a stick of incense, his face as dark as water.

Finally, he led his men into the Martial Arts Ground and shrieked: "Jiang Che! The Imperial Edict has arrived; why do you not kneel to receive it?"

Jiang Che sheathed his sword and turned to look at him.

"Read it."

Wei Chong was stunned, then flew into a rage.

"Impudent! To see the Imperial Edict is to see Your Majesty; how dare you refuse to kneel?"

Jiang Che said calmly: "I have not even knelt before the Heavenly Gate; do you think I would kneel before a roll of paper?"

The eyes of the surrounding Northern Garrison Army soldiers suddenly turned cold.

Wei Chong felt a chill in his heart, yet he still forced himself to unfold the Imperial Edict.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Jiang Che, the orphan of the Jiang family, although having merit in recovering White Bone Pass, privately killed Prince of Zhenhan Lu Heng, unauthorizedly deployed troops, provoked Heavenly Might, and caused turmoil in the Northern Border..."

Hearing this, Chen Shanhe was already trembling with rage.

Xie Tingxue stood under the corridor, her eyebrows and eyes like frost.

Wei Chong continued reading: "Considering his youth and ignorance, the death penalty is specifically pardoned. Effective immediately, Jiang Che must hand over the Zhenbei Tiger Tally and the Green Bamboo Sword, and enter the Capital City to await enfeoffment. The old troops of the Northern Garrison Army are to be disbanded on the spot, and the Northern Border Jiedushi appointed by the court shall take over Hanzhou City."

The Martial Arts Ground fell into a dead silence.

Moments later, Jiang Che smiled.

"Finished reading?"

Wei Chong said coldly: "Jiang Che, why do you not thank for this grace?"

Jiang Che walked up to him.

Wei Chong instinctively stepped back half a pace.

"You want the Tiger Tally?"

Jiang Che took out that blood-stained Tiger Tally.

Greed flashed in Wei Chong's eyes.

Jiang Che asked again: "Do you also want the Green Bamboo Sword?"

He lightly patted the long sword at his waist.

Wei Chong feigned composure: "This is the Emperor's decree. Jiang Che, do you intend to defy the Imperial Edict?"

Jiang Che looked at him and suddenly asked: "Three years ago, when my father died in battle, what was the court doing?"

Wei Chong frowned.

Jiang Che continued: "When Lu Heng led wolves into the pass, what was the court doing?"

"White Bone Pass was occupied by the Northern Barbarians for twenty years; what was the court doing then?"

Wei Chong roared: "Audacious! How dare you question matters of the court!"

Jiang Che nodded.

"Then I will change my question."

He raised the Tiger Tally and pointed it northward.

"My Jiang family has guarded the Northern Border for three generations; a hundred thousand heroic souls are buried in the snowfields."

"Today, having recovered White Bone Pass and slain the Heavenly Gate Lackeys, is the reward an edict to seize the army and the sword?"

Wei Chong sneered: "If the ruler commands a subject to die, the subject must die. Jiang Che, no matter how meritorious your Jiang family is, you are still a subject!"

A flash of cold light appeared in Jiang Che's eyes.

In the next instant, the Green Bamboo Sword was drawn.

The sword light swept across.

The Imperial Edict was cut in two from the middle.

Wei Chong froze.

The accompanying Imperial Guard soldiers drew their swords in unison.

"Jiang Che! How dare you destroy the edict!"

Jiang Che sheathed his sword.

"So what if it is destroyed?"

Wei Chong's face turned deathly pale: "You... you are committing treason!"

Jiang Che raised his eyes to look at him.

"Wrong."

"From this day forth, Han Zhou does not rebel against the Human Realm."

"It simply will not kneel to a tyrant."

Boom!

Outside the Martial Arts Ground, the Northern Garrison Army unsheathed their swords in unison.

Chen Shanhe roared angrily:

"Northern Garrison Army, protect the Young Master!"

Wei Chong was so frightened he kept retreating.

Jiang Che said indifferently: "Go back and tell that one in the Capital City."

"The Tiger Tally is in my hand."

"The sword is also in my hand."

"If you want it, let him come and take it himself."

Wei Chong said with a trembling voice: "You will regret this."

Jiang Che turned around and continued practicing his sword.

"There are many things I regret."

"But not refusing to kneel."